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Baklava Cookies

Sweet, crunchy, and drizzled with honey, easy stuffed baklava cookies taste just like the classic dessert.

All the flavors of classic baklava - pistachios, cinnamon, honey and lemon zest - in a buttery, soft cookie. No layering required! It's my favorite way to have a baklava adjacent dessert without the fuss. These are a step up from pistachio pudding cookies and they taste completely different!

Baked baklava cookies on parchment paper.

I have a few desserts that feature pistachios like baked pistachio pie and pistachio bars, but these are quick, easy, and with no artificial pistachio flavoring.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Sweet honey, pistachio, and cinnamon filling with a little lemon zest and a soft, chewy, buttery cookie on the outside.
Ease: Mid level, requires stuffing cookie dough. Not too difficult, just takes a little time.
Time: About 10 minutes to make the cookie dough, 10 - 15 minutes to stuff the cookies, and 12 minutes to bake the cookies. About 40-45 minutes total.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for baklava cookies on metal baking sheet in glass bowls.

Nuts - I prefer to use pistachios for these cookies (lightly salted and roasted) but walnuts are a good substitute.
Honey - a classic baklava sweetener, a must for the filling.
Spices - after testing a few combinations, just cinnamon won out. Feel free to add a pinch of cloves if you wish!

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Pistachios can be switched for walnuts.
Orange zest is lovely in place of lemon zest.
Kataifi crispies! They're made from phyllo dough and it's so delicious to put 1-2 Tablespoons in the filling. They're hard to find in stores where I live, so I usually order them online.
Add a pinch or two of cardamom for a little flavor pop that's AMAZING.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white granulated sugar. Cream together 3 minutes on high speed using an electric mixer until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.

Egg and vanilla in creamed butter in mixing bowl.

Step 2. Add in egg and vanilla and mix well for 1 more minute.

Flour, salt, and baking soda in mixing bowl of cookie dough.

Step 3. Add in flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well on low speed for 1 minute until dough is the texture of play dough and not crumbly. Cover and set aside.

Pistachios, cinnamon, and lemon in blender.

Step 4. In a blender, combine pistachios, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Blend for 30 seconds or more until pistachios are the consistency of coarse sand. It's okay if there are some pistachio chunks left, but we want it mostly blended. Add in honey last, and mix until it forms a thick mixture, a couple of pulses should do it.

TIP: You're going to feel like putting in more lemon or orange zest. DON'T. We don't want to put in more than a little or it will completely overpower the filling flavor of the pistachios and honey.

Step 5. Scoop cookie dough into 3 Tablespoon balls (about 50 grams each) then the pistachio filling into 2 teaspoon balls (about 14 grams) to make sure there is enough filling for every cookie. I like to scoop everything out at once to make sure there's an even number of each. It helps make filling each cookie quicker too!

Raw Cookie dough ball filled with baklava filling.

Step 6. Hollow out a hole in each cookie dough ball and put pistachio filling into each cookie. Pinch edges together and roll into ball, then flatten slightly into a hockey puck shape.

Step 7. Place each cookie on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper, baking spray, or silicon baking mat. I bake 8 to a tray to make sure there's enough rom for them to spread.

Baked baklava cookies on pan with pistachios and edible flower petals on top.

Step 8. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, then let cool. Brush/drizzle cookies with honey and sprinkle with crushed pistachios. If you're feeling extra fancy, edible flower petals are beautiful on top too!

📌 Troubleshooting

Too flat: dough is too wet or baked at too low of a temperature → increase flour slightly and make sure oven is proper temp with oven thermometer.
Too dry/crumbly: overbaking or too much flour→ reduce time in the oven by 1-2 minutes if overbaked, add a few teaspoons of water if dough is crumbly.
Honey pooling: drizzle when cookies are cooled so it doesn't melt right off the sides. Just a little is fine, too much honey and they'll seem soggy.
Burnt edges: reduce oven temp next time or rotate pan.
Pro Tip: Soft cookies set as they cool; underbake slightly for a tender interior.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Bake ahead: up to 3 days and store at room temperature in an airtight container. Honey glaze the day of!

Freeze: without honey glaze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature overnight and glaze when ready to serve.

Halved baklava cookies on baking sheet stacked.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep baklava cookies crispy, not soggy?

You can toast the pistachios before blending them, add phyllo crispies (kataifa) to the filling, and skip drizzling honey over the cookies until just about to serve them.

What makes a cookie "baklava-style"?

They have a baklava flavor profile with pistachios (or walnuts), honey, and cinnamon.

Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Edible Sugar Cookie Dough (safe, no egg)

Craving cookie dough? You can make edible cookie dough (without brown sugar) in less than 10 minutes! No eggs, NO BAKING, just delicious dough you can eat by the spoonful.

This is sugar cookie edible dough with few special ingredients like BUTTER (hey girl) and cream cheese that give it just the right texture and taste. It's one of our favorite easy no bake desserts/snacks, along with rainbow rice crispy treats.

Scoops of edible sugar cookie dough with sprinkles.

This isn't a single serve recipe (it's more like for 2-3 people) but I'm not mad about it and nor should you be bestie. You can always refrigerate or freeze it for another day! This is definitely a less healthy snack than Snickerdoodle Crunch Bites but sometimes we need to treat ourselves.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: A little tang from the cream cheese, buttery, sugary, and some texture from the sprinkles. Delicious!
Ease: Beginner level, no baking required. You can heat treat your flour by microwave to make it even easier. (We don't usually heat treat it at home for ourselves but understand the need for safety when serving to others).
Time: Less than 10 minutes!

Raw flour can carry pathogens, and most traditional cookie doughs have raw eggs in them, which can also carry foodborne illness. I am also a Registered Nurse and understand the need for safety when serving food products, so I will give you the information you need to make an educated decision.

This recipe has the option to use heat treated flour > 160 ℉.
No eggs. Don't need them if we're not baking!

How to Heat Treat Flour (2 methods)

Microwave (fastest): Heat in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute, stir, then test middle with an instant read thermometer to make sure it's at or above 160℉ and cool to room temp before using.

Oven (batch friendly): Spread on a baking sheet (on parchment paper for easy cleanup) and bake at 350℉ for 5 minutes, stir, test temperature, then cool before using.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for edible sugar cookie dough in glass bowls.

Butter - I use salted butter (ALWAYS) for my cookie dough. It tastes much better than unsalted, trust me.
Cream Cheese - This is what makes the edible sugar cookie dough *incr*edible. (Can't stop won't stop). I use regular, but ⅓ fat or fat free can be used. If you choose to leave it out, make sure to replace it with an equal amount of butter.
White sugar - is the classic for sugar cookies, not brown sugar, which can add excess moisture and color to the dough.
Sprinkles - this is where you can have fun! Red/green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, red, white and blue for 4th of July, etc.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Variations & Mix Ins

Birthday Cake/Funfetti - add sprinkles and a splash of almond extract!
Sugar Cookie Dough Bites for Ice Cream: Chill, then cube or dot onto parchment paper and freeze to add into ice cream.
Vegan/DF: use vegan butter and plant based milk.
Gluten free: use a 1:1 gluten free blend.
Chocolate - white chocolate chips go more with the sugar cookie theme, but any will do. I especially like the mini versions of them best.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. If heat treating the flour, microwave 1 minute in a heat safe bowl and check with an instant read thermometer to make sure it reaches at least 160℉. It's fine if it goes above. Stir with a fork or whisk to get any clumps out. Let it cool to room temp.

Step 2. In a bowl, combine the softened butter and cream cheese. Cream together for 1 minute using a hand or stand mixer until they're well combined.

Bowl of creamed butter and granulated sugar.

Step 3. Add in the sugar and cream together for another minute, until it begins to dissolve in the butter mixture.

Creamed butter, vanilla, and salt in bowl,

Step 4. Add in the vanilla and salt, and mix well. Then add flour last, mixing until no flour pockets are left. Add 1 Tablespoon of milk if needed for desired consistency.

Step 5. Stir (optional) and scoop to serve!

📌 Troubleshooting

Too crumbly/dry? Add 1 Tablespoon of milk or more if needed.
Too soft? Add another 1-2 Tablespoons of heat treated and cooled off flour.
Greasy? Make sure butter is soft and not melted, add a little a little more flour if needed.
Grainy? I actually like little sugar granules in it BUT you can rest it for 5 minutes to let the flour hydrate and mix it again to help it not be so grainy.

Scoops of edible sugar cookie dough in bowl ,

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need to heat treat Gluten Free flour?

If it's a raw, grain based flour then yes it is safest. Nut based flours like almond or coconut are typically safer but still need to be handled with care.

Why does my edible dough taste "floury"?

It can be a result of the sugar and butter not being creamed enough or the flour not absorbing the moisture, try letting it rest for 5 minutes, then remixing and adding another ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Is store bought "eat or bake" dough the same as homemade edible dough?

Not quite. Although homemade can be made safe to eat raw, without eggs or baking soda it won't bake properly.

How long does homemade edible cookie dough last?

Refrigerate: 5-7 days
Freeze: up to 2 months (scoop into balls first)

More Easy No-Bake Snack Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy eggnog cinnamon rolls are rich, spiced, and topped with an eggnog glaze. An easy, make-ahead holiday breakfast recipe.

I have a few eggnog treats that we love for dessert (hellooooo eggnog rice pudding) but I wanted one that could double as breakfast, especially for Christmas Eve morning!

Eggnog cinnamon roll on white plate with cinnamon sticks.

Our favorite version of sweet roll to make Christmas morning (overnight) is orange rolls, or pumpkin cinnamon rolls, but these ones are amaaaazing! The eggnog frosting on top is lovely and I put eggnog in the dough to enhance the flavor even more.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Cinnamon (of course) with warm nutmeg, and cloves for the filling, and a lovely creamy eggnog frosting.
Ease: Mid level baking, uses yeast and 2 rises are required.
Time: Plan for at least 3 hours: 10 minutes to mix dough, 1 hour of rise time, 10-15 minutes to assemble and cut, 1 hour of rise time, and 25 minutes to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for eggnog cinnamon rolls on metal baking sheet.

Sugar - I use 3 different kinds in this recipe. White to activate the yeast (you can use a substitute), brown for the filling and powdered for the frosting.
Eggnog - there are several good brands to use, you can use your favorite. Typically I get what is available where I live, which tends to be a non-alcoholic version of Meadowgold, Creamland, or Southern Comfort.
Spices - I use more than just cinnamon to enhance the eggnog flavor. After a lot of testing using eggnog in the filling, (5 versions!) I finally decided that a more traditional filling of just butter, brown sugar, and simple spices tasted best and was much less fussy.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Cream Cheese - you can use butter in place of cream cheese in the frosting. You may have to adjust the volume of eggnog used.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Photo collage of yeast in milk mixture and egg and softened butter with yeast mixture in bowl.

Step 1. In a small bowl combine water and eggnog, and warm up to 100-110 ℉. Then add sugar, and active dry yeast and let sit 5 minutes or until foamy. Water that is too warm can kill the yeast, and it won't activate and the dough won't rise.
Step 2. In a stand mixer with a dough hook (or large bowl if mixing by hand) combine salt, butter, egg, and 4 cups of flour. Pour foamy yeast mixture in and mix with dough hook on low speed for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic (if mixing by hand, simply mix with a wooden spoon until you can't mix anymore and then begin kneading by hand 8-10 minutes).

Photo collage of towel covering raw dough and rolling pin rolling out dough.

Step 3. Dough should pull away from sides of bowl in an electric mixer. Oil a large bowl, place dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for one hour or until doubled in size.
Step 4. On a floured work surface, roll dough into roughly a 24 inch by 12 inch rectangle. I stop occasionally and shape it with my hands to keep a rectangular shape.

Photo collage of hands spreading cinnamon mixture over dough and rolling up dough.

Step 5. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, allspices, and nutmeg. Spread softened butter over dough, then sprinkle and spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over butter.
Step 6. Carefully roll dough lengthwise into a long roll.

Photo collage of cutting out cinnamon rolls and risen rolls in pan.

Step 7. Cut rolls into 2 inch pieces using string or a sharp knife. Place rolls cut side down into an oiled 9x13 inch pan or large 18 x 11 inch baking sheet. (In the smaller pan they are a bit closer together and take a little longer to bake but are a little more moist.)
Step 8. Cover with a dish towel, and let rise for 45 minutes to one hour until almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 ℉ and Bake for 25-30 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Using a glass or thick ceramic pan takes a little longer, using a dark pan or large baking sheet takes less time.

Step 9. For the Icing - In a bowl combine softened cream cheese and eggnog. Mix for 2-3 minutes until smooth and no lumps are left. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until frosting is nice and creamy.
Step 10. Once the eggnog rolls are out of the oven and have cooled for 10-15 minutes, generously drizzle or spread icing over rolls. Serve warm for maximum deliciousness. Overnight instructions are in the FAQ section below!

TIP: Line your baking pan with foil before preparing with baking spray for easy cleanup!

📌 Troubleshooting

Dense Rolls - Do NOT skimp on rising time. If the rolls are dense it is usually due to not risen enough or not baked enough.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Overnight Instructions:

Follow directions to make dough, let rise once, fill, roll, and cut dough into individual rolls and place into pan, and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate immediately.
Do not let the individual rolls rise (the second rise) or they will deflate in the refrigerator.
Place in fridge overnight. Remove and let rise for 30-40 minutes in warm place before baking.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Freezer Instructions:

Follow directions to make dough, let rise once, fill, roll, and cut dough into individual rolls and place into pan, so edges are not touching, and cover with plastic wrap.
Freeze immediately.Do not let the cut rolls rise or they will deflate in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bag or container. Freeze until ready to use up to 3 months.
Regular thawing method: Remove from freezer, place on baking sheet, cover in plastic wrap and thaw in warm place covered for 3-6 hours or until almost doubled in size. Longer if it's less than 68℉ in the room.
Quicker method: Turn ON oven to 200 degrees for 2 minutes then turn OFF. Place rolls in oven and let thaw and rise covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 hours until almost doubled in size.Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make eggnog cinnamon roll dough ahead and freeze it?

Yes, you can make the dough, let it rise once, roll out into rolls, and then cut and freeze until ready to use.

How can I make eggnog cinnamon rolls that stay soft for days?

Yes! Not overbaking is key.

What's the best glaze for eggnog cinnamon rolls during the holidays?

More eggnog in the glaze, or maple!

🎄More Delicious Holiday Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Frosted Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Make classic frosted gingerbread bars with molasses, cozy spices, and sweet eggnog frosting. A simple holiday dessert everyone loves!

I love love love making bars like these because they're easier than making cookies, no scooping required. They taste just like iced molasses cookies in bar form, with a lovely eggnog frosting on top, just like eggnog cinnamon rolls.

I have a recipe for double chocolate chip cookie bars that I love to put Christmas M&Ms in, but gingerbread cookie bars are a super fun one to make to add to the holiday cookie plate.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: A soft, chewy gingerbread flavor with cinnamon, a little molasses, and ginger as the main flavors along with the creamy eggnog frosting.
Ease: Mixing the butter/sugar, adding in the wet & dry ingredients, and spreading into a pan to bake! The frosting is super easy to put together too. Easier than scooping 24 cookies!
Time: Less than 10 minutes to make the dough, and 20-25 minutes to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients in glass bowls on baking sheet for gingerbread bars with frosting.

Salted Butter - I love salt and prefer salted butter in baked goods, it tastes much better.
Molasses - use regular unsulphured molasses, blackstrap is too strong for a recipe like this unless you realllly like molasses flavor.
Spices - I kept it simple with cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice in place of the spices.
Use any fun holiday sprinkle you'd like!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar for about 3 minutes on medium speed until fluffy using an electric mixer.

Eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl with creamed butter.

Step 2. Add in egg and vanilla and mix well for another 1-2 minutes until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Molasses in mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugars.

Step 3. Add in spices and molasses and mix well until it's incorporated completely.

Step 4. Add in flour and baking soda last and mix 1 minute until all the flour pockets are gone and a very soft sticky dough forms.

Spreading dough out under parchment paper.

Step 5. Press dough into 9x13 inch baking pan prepared with baking spray or parchment paper. Bake for 23-25 minutes until middle is beginning to crack.

Powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in mixing bowl.

Step 6. Make the frosting! In a small mixing bowl, combine softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. This is easier with an electric mixer.

Spatula spreading frosting over cooled gingerbread bars.

Step 8. Spread frosting over cooled bars and sprinkle with your favorite holiday sprinkles!

Make sure the cookie bars are completely cooled before trying to frost them, or the frosting will melt! You can speed this up by cooling them down for 10-15 minutes at room temperature then popping them in the fridge or freezer for another 10-15 minutes.

TIP: I like to spread the raw dough into the pan with parchment paper on top, it helps to reduce the mess! You can always press it into the pan with a cup or floured hands though.

📌 Troubleshooting

My bars are doughy - Make sure your oven is up to the correct temperature using an oven thermometer! Also keep in mind that they are meant to be soft and slightly underbaked, not crunchy.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Room Temperature: stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Freeze unfrosted for up to 3 months, then frost them once thawed. You can freeze the bars and frosting separately.

Sliced gingerbread bars on parchment paper.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze frosted gingerbread bars and what happens to the frosting?

I would freeze these unfrosted and then frost them once they've thawed. Freezing the frosting can change the texture.

How do I cut frosted bars without dragging frosting?

Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until set, then use a thicker dry knife and wipe between cuts.

How do I make gingerbread bars that are soft (not cakey)?

Less eggs, slightly less flour, more butter, brown sugar, and molasses, and avoid overbaking so they don't get crunchy.

🎄 More Christmas Treats

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Green Chile Posole with Chicken

A flavorful pozole verde (green chile posole) made with tender shredded chicken, hominy, and bright roasted green chile and tomatillos.

This is a traditional New Mexican Christmas dish that I've come to love with my whole heart. You can start with a homemade chicken bone broth and it tastes even more authentic and delicious!

Bowl of green posole in bowl with spoon laying on plate.

Pozole verde (or green posole) reminds me a little of a white chicken chili with corn, but it's made with hominy, which is maiz treated with lime or lye. It looks like large kernels of corn but isn't as sweet and the texture is closer to a bean when cooked.

I differ a little from the simple traditional posole, and make mine with instant pot navy beans, I like to have some prepped and frozen so I can just put everything in the slow cooker. It's absolutely dreamy with cotija cheese and cilantro on top, but can also be served with thinly sliced cabbage and radish.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Savory chicken broth base with tender shredded chicken, hominy, a little tart from the tomatillos and lime and texture from the white beans.
Ease: Steps include roasting & blending the tomatillos and browning the chicken, then it's into the crockpot to cook.
Time: Browning chicken ~ 10 minutes, roasting tomatillos 15 minutes, crockpot for 4 ish hours. I'd say about 4.5 hours total.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Chicken thighs vs breasts - chicken thighs are more rich in flavor and hold up well simmering, and the best to use for this recipe. Chicken breasts can also be used but the lighter meat isn't as flavorful to me.
Tomatillos- roasted, they give a smoky sweet-tart flavor to the posole. So good!
Hominy - looks like large corn kernels but doesn't have the same taste or texture. It's made from maize treated with lime or lye. I use white hominy for this recipe, but yellow would work great!
Roasted Green Chile - you can roast your own or order some online. I LOVE to use fire roasted Hatch green chiles from New Mexico just like in my new mexican green chile chicken enchiladas.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

In place of the white navy beans, pinto beans or great northern beans (white) would work fine.
Along with the tomatillos, it's delicious to roast 1-2 green chiles, poblanos, or jalapeños to put into the posole.
Use aromatics like mexican oregano, bay leaves, or cumin for a more complex flavor. I kept it simple on purpose, but you can make it fit to your tastes!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. Roast tomatillos on a baking sheet preheated to 400 ℉ for at least 18-20 minutes. Blend into a pureé or mash. It's alright if there's chunks or skins.

Step 2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Place chicken thighs and onions in pan to brown for 4 minutes on each side.

Tomtatillos and green chiles in crockpot with chicken.

Step 3. Place chicken, roasted tomatillos, onions, roasted chiles, hominy, white beans, and all spices into a crock pot.

Pouring chicken broth into crockpot of chicken.

Step 4. Add chicken broth and cook on high for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.

Shredded chicken in crockpot of posole with serving spoon.

Step 5. Shred chicken with forks before serving.

Stovetop: Place in a large cooking pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer on low heat for 1 hour until chicken is pull apart tender and shred before serving.

TIP: Balance & finish posole by taste testing. Add a little salt or chicken bouillon to add quick flavor or a squeeze or two of lime to brighten it up.

📌 Troubleshooting

Broth too thin → reduce or add corn starch slurry (small amount) or simmer uncovered.
Chicken dry or stringy → using thighs helps to prevent this, avoid overcooking. 6-8 hours in the slow cooker can be too long unless cooked on low. Add shredded chicken back to warm broth to finish.
Too mild → add lime juice, salt, or garlic to balance.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Refrigerate: up to 5 days

Freeze: up to 3 months

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What green chiles make the best posole verde - Hatch, poblano, jalapeño, or serrano?

Green chile is probably best for posole. They have a lovely smoky flavor and variable spice level.
Poblanos are a tad sweeter with spice to them.
Jalapenos and serranos are more to add spicy heat than flavor but are still delicious.

Can I use canned hominy for posole or do I need dried hominy?

I use canned for this recipe for ease of use but dried hominy would work after soaking & cooking it according to package directions.

How long should I pressure-cook posole in an Instant Pot vs simmer on the stovetop?

Make sure you have at least an 8 quart instant pot and roast and brown the chicken, then put all ingredients in the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.

Can I make this with pork?

Yes! You can use 1.5 to 2 pounds of pork tenderloin for a more traditional pork posole seared and then put in the slow cooker.

Serving Ideas

This is usually served with thinly sliced radishes or cabbage, limes and cilantro.
Cotijo cheese, queso fresca, Mexican crema or sour cream is delicious served with this!

🌶️ More Delicious Latin Inspired Recipes

While I love a good crock pot turkey chili, I also love green chiles and vibrant latin foods too. Here are a few of our family favorites!

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Rice Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

No-bake Rice Crispy Peanut Butter Balls - a sweet, crunchy, and chocolate-dipped treat perfect for holiday parties and gift boxes!

These are only 6 ingredients and take MINUTES to whip up. These are a super easy, no fuss holiday treat to make for a crowd (just like chocolate gooey chex mix or funfetti edible sugar cookie dough!) and are one of our favorites to share with friends and family.

Dipped peanut butter ball on baking sheet.

Crispy peanut butter balls are a no bake candy made by mixing binders like butter and peanut butter with a stabilizer like powdered sugar and a nice crispy cereal in the middle to give it some texture. It's a little twist on a classic holiday candy that we love!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Crispy little bites of a sweet, soft peanut butter filling with lovely chocolate around the outside.
Ease: Beginner, no baking required. Just a microwave or a double boiler to melt the chocolate.
Time: Takes 5 minutes to mix together and another 5-10 to dip them all!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for peanut butter balls on metal tray.

Best cereal - Rice Krispies are what makes the nice crunch, but you could also use chopped peanuts if you wish.
Best Peanut Butter - regular creamy peanut butter works great, natural style peanut butters tend to be a little more oily and change the texture to slightly too soft. If that's all you have you can make it work, you just need to chill the balls before dipping them in chocolate.
Chocolate - I use milk or dark dipping chocolate most of the time since you don't need to add any additional oil to it. You could also use chocolate chips as long as you're careful not to overheat the chocolate!

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Chocolate - you can use white melting chocolate, butterscotch chips, dark chocolate, etc.
Cocoa krispies are also a fun addition to these!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. In a bowl, combine the softened butter and peanut butter. Mix with an electric mixer (or by hand vigorously) until smooth and creamy and there are no butter chunks left. (If there are a few, no worries, they usually work themselves out when the powdered sugar is added in. )

Powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl of peanut butter.

Step 2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well (on low/medium speed if using an electric mixer) for about 1 minute to make sure all of the powdered sugar is mixed in.

Step 3. Add in the rice crispies last and mix in gently so they don't all crumble to bits.

Step 4. Scoop into balls using a 2 teaspoon (small) cookie scoop.

Step 5. Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30 second bursts (twice) and then in 15 second bursts (as needed), stirring between each burst until chocolate is smooth and runny. If it seizes and gets hard you've heated it up to much and will probably need to start over with new chocolate.

Dipping peanut butter balls into bowl of melted chocolate.

Step 6. Using a fork or a chocolate dipping tool, dip each ball in chocolate, tap it a little on the fork to help excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, and place on a parchment paper lined surface or tray. Sprinkle chopped peanuts or peanut halves on chocolate while soft.

Step 7. Cool for 10-15 minutes at room temperature until set. Once hardened they are ready to serve, package, or store until serving!

TIP: You can set the tray of chocolates in the fridge to set even more quickly if you're in a hurry! 5 minutes should do the trick.

📌 Troubleshooting

Too soft / won't set: add more powdered sugar or chill longer; swap to less-runny peanut butter.
Cereal soggy: mix too early or too much peanut butter, spread on sheet and chill uncovered to re-crisp, or bake briefly at 200°F for 5-8 minutes to crisp up (test first).
Chocolate cracking or dull: try to avoid rapid temp changes that cause bloom.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Room temp: 3-5 days in airtight tin

Fridge: 2-3 weeks (chocolate may bloom if temperature fluctuates)

Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze on sheet, then bag).

🎁 Shipping and Gifting

Flash-freeze balls.
Pack with insulating layer & cold packs.
I would use insulated mailers for greater than 48-hr transit.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep Rice Krispies crispy in peanut butter balls?

Use a gentle stirring/folding motion to stir into peanut butter mixture, be careful not to use too much peanut butter, and store in an airtight container.

How long can I freeze and ship peanut butter rice crispy balls?

Up to 3 months, then pack frozen solid into an insulated box or mailer with gel packs to last 3-5 days in transit.

More Delicious Treat Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Easy Brown Gravy

This foolproof brown gravy recipe is quick, flavorful, and customizable. Use pan drippings or broth - ideal for turkey, mashed potatoes, and roast dinners!

This is an easy pan gravy from scratch, it's so fast and it's a great way to make gravy from drippings, or you can also use homemade chicken bone broth.

The base is a savory sauce made from meat drippings or stock, thickened and seasoned to a glossy brown finish. We love homemade brown gravy on red skinned mashed potatoes or some simple grilled pork chops with potatoes and green beans. It's also my go-to gravy recipe for the holidays to use with turkey drippings or beef drippings or no drippings at all! Just the broth.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Yields: 1.5 cups to 2 cups, adjustable.
Taste: Savory, beef broth gravy with color and flavor from soy sauce & Worcestershire sauce.
Ease: Making a roux, adding broth, then adding spices! Pretty simple stove top brown gravy.
Time: 5-7 minutes to make the roux, 2-3 more minutes to mix in the broth and spices. Less than 10 minutes total.

🥣 2 Methods

Method 1 - Roux + Drippings/Broth (most flavorful)

Steps: sprinkle 1:1 fat:flour (by Tbsp) to make roux in pan → cook 3-5 min to darken → whisk in stock (approx 2 cups stock per 2 tablespoon roux) → simmer to thicken → season.

Method 2 - Cornstarch Slurry (fastest)

Steps: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water → whisk into simmering broth/drippings until glossy and thickened (30-60s). Use less for thinner gravy.

When to use each style

Pan-drippings for roast/turkey; roux for stovetop full-bodied gravy.
Cornstarch slurry for a 5 minute quick weekday gravy.

🛒 Core Ingredients / Flavor Building

Labeled ingredients for brown gravy on metal pan.

Fat: drippings vs butter vs oil
- Drippings = best flavor for SURE. Use butter/neutral oil when drippings aren't available.
Stock / broth choice - beef, chicken, turkey, vegetable.
Sauces - when testing the recipe, I couldn't just use Worcestershire OR soy sauce, I had to use both to get the flavor I wanted.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Pro Tip: Always taste and adjust at the end - concentrated stocks and drippings vary widely and depending on how seasoned the meat is, drippings might be sodium heavy.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Chicken, turkey, pork drippings all work for this gravy.
Add extra black pepper for a more flavorful spiciness.
Trade out soy sauce for miso! It's amazing.
Use fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary) vs dried for a nice elegant finish.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. In a pot or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat, and add flour. Mix well. The consistency should be like wet sand.

Brown butter and flour in metal pan with spatula.

Step 2. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the flour and butter cooking evenly. The mixture should turn from a blond to light/medium brown.

Step 3. Add ¼ cup of warm beef broth at a time, stirring constantly in between each addition. You can use a whisk or a rubber spatula, just make sure to get the lumps out of the mixture before adding more broth.

Step 4. Add all spices: garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper, and Worcestershire and soy sauce. Whisk well so there are no lumps. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minute to thicken then remove from heat, pour into a serving dish, and serve.

TIP: Make sure the broth is warmed before pouring it into the roux, if it's cold it can seize the butter in the mixture a little and cause lumps.

📌 Troubleshooting

Lumpy gravy: caused by cold liquid into roux or poor whisking - fix by straining or blitz with immersion blender; reheat and whisk well.
Too thin: reduce or make and whisk in extra roux (melt fat + add flour) or cornstarch slurry.
Too thick: whisk in hot stock a Tablespoon or two at a time.
Floury taste: cook roux longer next time; brown flour to remove raw taste.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Refrigerate: up to 4 days, reheat gently over low heat, whisking or reblend, and add splash of stock to thin out the gravy if needed.

Freeze: up to 3 months - thaw overnight then reheat.

Reheating Tip: roux-based gravies can set thick in the fridge - whisk over low heat or use immersion blender for smoother gravy.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Meats: over roast (beef or pork), turkey, grilled chicken, or mushroom stuffed meatloaf.

Veggies: grilled veggies or green beans with bacon and onions.

Potatoes: cheesy twice baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or poutine with bacon.

You can also pour the gravy over flaky sourdough discard biscuits with sausage for breakfast!

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my gravy get lumpy and how can I fix it quickly?

Can happen from pouring cold broth or not whisking as you pour. You can blend the gravy to fix it. In the future, make sure to use warm broth/drippings when adding to the roux to help prevent lumps.

How do I make brown gravy without drippings or meat stock?

You can use beef or chicken broth or use a substitute of 1 teaspoon bouillon to 1 cup (240 mL) water.

I don't have enough drippings, what do I do?

This recipe is very forgiving! You can use a mixture of part drippings part broth, all broth, or all drippings if you like. I like a mixture of both (about half and half) or it can seem too oily from the drippings.

Savory Recipes that go with Gravy

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Easy Cranberry Jello

Easy cranberry Jello salad recipe for the holidays - bright, fruity, and make-ahead friendly. Perfect Thanksgiving side dish for turkey or orange glazed ham dinners.

You can make a similar creamy whipped topping as easy blueberry jello salad but this jello is creamy with no pineapple in it. It's nostalgic and a nice light dessert after the heavy food during the holidays!

Raspberry cranberry jello salad has been in our family for decades, ALWAYS served at Thanksgiving by my sweet grandma, and I haven't changed much besides using real whipped cream or a nice homemade whipped cream cheese topping.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Tart, sweet, and filled with whole cranberries balanced out with the sweet whipped cream on top.
Ease: No oven/stove required, just a microwave to boil the water for the jello mix. Beginner friendly recipe!
Time: about 10 minutes to make the jello, 3 hours to set, and 5 to put the toppings on before serving.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for cranberry jello salad in bowls on metal baking sheet.

Cranberry sauce - make sure to get the kind with whole cranberries. They're so good in the jello!
- Fresh cranberries vs canned - Fresh cranberries could also work if cooked into a sauce. They can be a little more tart. I like to use canned for the convenience and also because it melts into the jello mixture well.
Sour cream- this is what makes the jello pink and have a creamy appearance. It also mellows out the sour cranberries.
Whipped topping - my grandma always used CoolWhip, but I prefer to use homemade whipped cream. You can choose what you like! It's easy to make ahead and spread it on right before serving. I usually make a lot to use for desserts like this and for caramel apple pie.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Garnish with orange zest, mint sprigs, sliced almonds, or fresh fruit! Cranberry and orange go together with almonds really well, like in my cranberry orange coffee cake.
Use another jello flavor that complements cranberries, like cherry or strawberry.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Pouring boiling water in to bowl of jello powder.

Step 1. In a bowl, combine 2 packages of raspberry jello powder and boiling water. Whisk until the jello powder is dissolved.

Step 2. Add 1 cup (8 oz) of ice to bowl of jello mixture and stir until melted. Careful not to add too much, or it will thin out the jello too much and it won't set properly.

TIP: Use a kitchen scale to weigh the ice to make sure you don't use too much, more than 8 oz ice can prevent the jello from setting properly!

Cranberry sauce and sour cream in jello mixture.

Step 3. Add in cranberry sauce (with whole cranberries) and sour cream and stir together until creamy and there are no sour cream chunks left.

Pouring jello mixture into 9x9 inch pan.

Step 4. Pour into a 9x9 inch serving dish or 9-10 inch pie pan, cover, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours until set.

Step 5. Optional homemade whipped cream: in a bowl, combine 2 cups heavy whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar with ½ teaspoon vanilla and whip on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.

Pan of cranberry jello with whipped cream and pecans on top.

Step 6. Spread or pipe whipped cream over set cranberry jello and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TIP: Keep the pecans separate from the jello until ready to serve, they can become a bit soggy if left on for more than 3-4 hours.

📌 Troubleshooting

Too runny: not enough gelatin or too much ice/canned liquid → add dissolved gelatin (warm) and chill.
Bitter or too tart: add honey/simple syrup or top with sweetened whipped cream.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make ahead: up 1-2 days in advance, a set jello can keep 3-4 days chilled total.

Refrigerate: 3-4 days covered.

Freezing: Avoid freezing due to jello texture loss. If using dairy topping, spread on close to serving time to avoid weeping.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use sugar free jello and fat free sour cream?

Yes! It works fine with those. You can also use sugar free CoolWhip to lower the sugar amount.

Will pineapple prevent gelatin from setting?

Fresh, raw pineapple has enzymes in it that prevent jello from setting properly; canned pineapple is safe because the enzymes are deactivated by heat processing.

How long should I cool the gelatin before adding fruit so it suspends?

If you want the cranberries throughout the jello, just make sure the ice is completely dissolved and the sour cream mixed in well, cooling for about 10 minutes. I've never had to add extra time besides stirring in the ice and other ingredients. The cranberry sauce helps to make the cranberries evenly layered in the jello.

🧁 More Delicious Holiday Dessert Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Stable cream cheese whipped cream in minutes! Fluffy and pipeable, perfect for cakes, pies, or dipping fruit - rich flavor, light texture, and holds its shape beautifully.

I made an easy version of whipped cream that can also be used for frosting, since it's a little more stable. it's easy to spread, and becomes a little more firm after chilling which is nice.

Whipped cream cheese whipped cream in bowl.

This is a fantastic base for sooo many things! We love it on top of caramel apple pie but it also works as a cheesecake whipped cream layer in things like easy banana cream pie bars or blueberry jello salad that taste lighter than cheesecake but heavier than whipped cream.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: a more firm whipped cream, sweet with a hint of cheesecake flavor from the cream cheese.
Ease: No cooking required, just whipping everything in the correct order.
Time: 5 minutes. Pretty quick!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for cream cheese whipped cream on metal baking sheet.

Cream cheese - full fat is best for a more firm whipped cream. Fat free and neufchatel ⅓ fat work but are slightly less stable.
Heavy cream - must be heavy, not half and half or coffee creamer. We're talking 30-35% fat that's found in most grocery stores.
Powdered sugar - the cornstarch in powdered sugar helps our case for stable whipped cream.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Top Tip: Make sure both your cream cheese and heavy cream are COLD or they won't whip well!

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Add powdered fruit like freeze dried strawberries to make strawberry cream cheese whipped cream.
Add a flavored extract like maple or almond.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cream cheese and powdered sugar in bowl.

Step 1. In a bowl, Use an electric mixer to mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Start on low speed and increase to med/high for about 1 minute, until the cream cheese is smooth. Scrape the edges of the bowl to get any firm chunks mixed in.

Step 2. Add about ½ cup of heavy cream to the cream cheese and sugar mixture. Mix well for about 30 seconds until cream cheese is smooth and cream is fully mixed in.

Pro Tip: Adding the cream a little at a time helps to thin out the cream cheese and prevent lumps in your whipped cream.

Step 3. Continue adding the cream in ½ cup increments, mixing 1 minute in between each addition until the cream cheese is thinned out and smooth in the cream.

Step 4. Increase the speed to high, and keep mixing for 2-3 minutes until the cream becomes light and fluffy. Spread or pipe onto dessert of choice, like cream cheese pumpkin pie!

Note: It will still behave similarly to whipped cream and will melt if warm or put on a warm dessert.

📌 Troubleshooting

It's runny! - sounds like it wasn't whipped enough/fast enough or it's too warm. Try chilling for 30 minutes, adding a ½ teaspoon of a stabilizer like cornstarch, and re-whipping with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make ahead: It's really easy to make this fresh, but you can make it up to 2 days ahead of time.

Freezing not recommended, it will lose its structure and go runny when thawed.

Slice of cream cheese pumpkin pie with whipped cream on white plate.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Will cream cheese whipped cream weep over fruit pies or curd fillings?

It will behave like whipped cream, so as long as the pie or curd filling is chilled it should be fine.

How do I rescue split or curdled cream cheese whipped cream?

add cold cream by tablespoon and gently re-whip; chill and re-whisk; or use blender/emulsifier method with caution.

Serving Ideas

As a base for no churn cherry cheesecake ice cream or pumpkin fluff dip.
On top of tarts, pies, or cake!
Spread over bars, jello (hello easy cranberry jello!!), or eggnog rice pudding.

Recipes to Use Whipped Cream On

📝 Printable Recipe

Whipped cream cheese topping in bowl on marble countertop.

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Stable cream cheese whipped cream in minutes! Fluffy and pipeable, perfect for cakes, pies, or dipping fruit - rich flavor, light texture, and holds its shape beautifully.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 285 kcal

Equipment

▢
1 Electric Mixer

Ingredients

▢ 4 oz full fat cream cheese cold
▢ ½ cup powdered sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold

Instructions

Step 1. In a bowl, Use and electric mixer to mix together 4 oz full fat cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract . Start on low speed and increase to med/high for about 1 minute, until the cream cheese is smooth.
Add about ½ cup of heavy cream to the cream cheese and sugar mixture. Mix well for about 30 seconds, until cream cheese is smooth and cream is fully mixed in.
Continue adding the cream in ½ cup increments, mixing 1 minute in between each addition until the cream cheese is thinned out and smooth in the cream.
Increase the speed to high, and keep mixing for 2-3 minutes until the cream becomes light and fluffy.

Notes

Store refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Make sure cream cheese and whipped cream are cold or they won't whip well.

It's runny! - sounds like it wasn't whipped enough/fast enough or it's too warm. Try chilling for 30 minutes, adding a ½ teaspoon of a stabilizer like cornstarch, and re-whipping with an electric mixer.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 61mgPotassium: 77mgSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1078IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 0.1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Old Fashioned Pie Crust (all butter)

This is a dependable, old fashioned all butter crust (top and bottom crust) that's full of buttery flavor, flaky layers, and no shrinking!

I love to use my Cream Cheese Pie Crust for single crust pies because it's a nice sturdy pie crust to use for designs or braiding, but I LOVE all butter pie dough for double crusts or lattice crusts.

What "Old Fashioned All Butter" means: a classic pie dough made with only butter (no shortening), and a gentle mixing technique that preserves butter pieces for flaky layers. No food processor, mixer, or special tools needed, just like my old fashioned yeast rolls. You can use hands, a fork, a pastry blender, or my personal favorite, a cheese grater.

It's easy to half the butter pie crust recipe to make a single bottom crust and use it for pies like brown sugar cream cheese pumpkin pie, baked pistachio custard pie, or baked banana cream pie.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Obviously buttery. Flaky, tender!! Ah. Delicious. You can taste the salt which test tasters loved.
Ease: Making the dough: easy. Making sure everything is the right temp, a little less easy. I grate the butter just like in my caramel apple cinnamon scones recipe, it's easier than a fork for me and makes the crust nice and flaky!
Time: 5-10 minutes to make, 30 minutes to chill.

📝 Ingredient Notes

Labeled ingredients for old fashioned pie crust in bowls on metal baking sheet.

Butter - Usually unsalted butter is used in commercial pastry making because science says it can provide a more consistent base and structure for doughs due to lower moisture content and salt levels than salted butter. I have not noted any texture adverse results when I use salted vs unsalted for most home baking but I HAVE noticed a difference in taste and salted butter wins every time. Ergo, I use salted butter in my pie crust.
Cold Water - ICE cold to help keep the butter cold. There are SO many recipes that don't call for enough water resulting in crumbly dough, this recipe accounts for that. Usually the colder the ingredients, the drier the dough. It's easier to add more flour to the dough than water if the dough is dry and crumbly when rolling it out.
Salt & Sugar - salt for flavor ALWAYS, sugar for browning. It actually doesn't affect the flavor too much.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Use a ½ teaspoon of garlic for a savory pie crust!
My favorite: chocolate pie crust! Replace ¼ cup (about 30g flour) with ⅓ cup cocoa powder (about 29-30g).

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

You can make this pie dough by hand the good old fashioned way or in a food processor if you wish. Just be careful not to overmix it if you do.

Flour, salt, and sugar in bowls on marble countertop.

Step 1. Put butter in the freezer and fill a large measuring cup with about 1 cup of cold water and several ice cubes. Mix dry ingredients: place the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

Step 2. Remove the butter from the freezer and grate the butter into the flour using a cheese grater. With aggression. Be quick! I usually do one stick into the flour and pop it into the freezer for a minute or two while I grate the other stick onto a plate.

You can also just cut the butter up into cubes to cut into the flour using a fork or fingers.

Pouring cold water into bowl of pie crust dry ingredients.

Step 3. To the dry ingredients, add ice cold water and press the mixture together gently until dough forms. I add the minimum amount of water, then add more water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed. Mix until the dough JUST comes together. It shouldn't crumble, and shouldn't be super wet or sticky, and won't be all the way smooth since there are butter crumbles.

Dough shaped into disc on cutting board.

Step 4. Divide the dough into two portions and shape the dough into discs. Wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for AT LEAST 30 minutes, 1 hour if the weather is hot. You can decrease the time to 20 minutes by chilling in the freezer.

Transferring raw pie dough to glass pie pan.

Step 5. After refrigerating your dough is ready to roll out and use! For a single crust pie, trim dough to about ½ inch / 1 cm all the way around the outside edge of the pie plate. Tuck the extra dough underneath itself, and press it gently to make it even with the edge of the pie plate.

To blind bake the crust (for fillings that don't need baking) fill the pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans and bake at 425 ℉ for 18-20 minutes, remove the pie weights and parchment, and bake another 5 minutes or more until the bottom is set and dry. Cool completely before filling.
To bake with a filling, follow your pie recipe instructions. Uncooked fruit fillings will bake for different times than pre-cooked fruit fillings. For example if I used my homemade apple pie filling with a double or lattice crust, I'd bake at 400℉ for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350℉ and bake for another 40-45 minutes.

🌟 Tips for No Fail Butter Pie Crust

Weigh your flour for more consistent results! I've used this brand of kitchen scale for years and love it.
Overworking the dough will make the dough tough, so mix it JUST until it forms a dough and there are no dry pockets left then form into discs.
30 minutes of rest/chilling time is necessary to prevent the butter from melting and the gluten to relax and to make sure the layers stay flaky!
You can use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the flour, just do it quickly so it doesn't melt! If I do this I grate it straight into the bowl of dry ingredients and then pop the bowl into the freezer for a few minutes before mixing together to keep the butter cold.
When rolled out into a pie dish, fold the edges under and into the pan to make a thicker edge to crimp. It makes a difference!

📌 Troubleshooting

Crumbly dough - not enough water! Make sure to use enough that it's a workable dough before chilling it in the fridge. If it's dry and crumbly before chilling, it'll be worse rolling it out.
Tough pie crust - prevent this by not overworking the dough and not making it wet and sticky.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Refrigerate: up to 3 days, tightly wrapped.

Frozen: up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using. Do not microwave to thaw.

Baked caramel apple pie in white pie dish on wood cutting board. — Pictured is a caramel apple pie with buttery pie crust.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to warm pie dough?

Warm dough means the butter has melted before the pie is baked, and will melt into a puddle of oil instead of a flaky crust. The colder the dough, the flakier the pie crust!

What kind of pie dish should I bake in?

For beginners, a glass one is best. You can see when it's browned/cooked, and it conducts heat more evenly than metal and more quickly than ceramic or stoneware.

How do I prevent pie crust shrinking?

Make sure you chill/rest the dough for at least 30 minutes before using!

Homemade Pie filling Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Old Fashioned Pie Crust (all butter)

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

This is a dependable, old fashioned all butter crust (top and bottom crust) that's full of buttery flavor, flaky layers, and no shrinking!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 10

chilling time 30

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 inch crusts

Calories 176 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 2½ cups all purpose flour 338g
▢ ½ teaspoon salt 3g
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4g
▢ 1 cup cold salted butter 226 g
▢ ¾ cup ice water 177 mL, more as needed

Instructions

Put butter in the freezer and fill a large measuring cup with about 1 cup of cold water and several ice cubes.
Mix dry ingredients: place 2½ cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a bowl.
Remove the butter from the freezer and grate 1 cup cold salted butter into the flour using a cheese grater. With aggression. Be quick! See note 1.
Alternate method: cut the butter up into cubes to cut into the flour using a fork or fingers.
To the dry ingredients, add ¾ cup ice water and press the mixture together gently until dough forms.
Add the minimum amount of water, then add more water 1 Tablespoon at a time if needed to the dry crumbs at the bottom of the bowl. Mix until the dough JUST comes together. It shouldn't crumble, and shouldn't be super wet or sticky, and won't be all the way smooth since there are butter crumbles.
Divide the dough into two portions and shape the dough into discs. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for AT LEAST 30 minutes. See note 2.
After refrigerating your dough is ready to roll out and use! For a single crust pie, trim dough to about ½ inch / 1 cm all the way around the outside edge of the pie plate. Tuck the extra dough underneath itself, and press it gently to make it even with the edge of the pie plate.
To blind bake the crust (for fillings that don't need baking) fill the pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans and bake at 425 ℉ for 18-20 minutes, remove the pie weights and parchment, and bake another 5 minutes or more until the bottom is set and dry. Cool completely before filling.
To bake with a filling, follow your pie recipe instructions. Uncooked fruit fillings will bake for different times than pre-cooked fruit fillings. For example if I used my homemade apple pie filling with a double or lattice crust, I'd bake at 400℉ for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350℉ and bake for another 40-45 minutes.

Notes

Note 1: I usually grate one stick into the flour and pop it into the freezer for a minute or two while I grate the other stick onto a plate, then pour it into the flour with the rest of the butter.

Note 2: Chill for 1-2 hours if the weather is hot. You can decrease the chill time to 20 minutes by chilling in the freezer.

Troubleshooting

Crumbly dough - not enough water! Make sure to use enough that it's a workable dough before chilling it in the fridge. If it's dry and crumbly before chilling, it'll be worse rolling it out.
Tough pie crust - prevent this by not overworking the dough and not making it wet and sticky.

Refrigerate: up to 3 days, tightly wrapped.

Frozen: up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using. Do not microwave to thaw.

I adapted this recipe from the pie goddess Erin Jeanne McDowell to fit our tastes the best. We have found that we prefer salted butter, a little sugar, and use a little more water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice top/bottom crustCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 166mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 360IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Cornbread Pudding In Crock Pot

Creamy, buttery Crockpot Cornbread Pudding made easy! A no-fuss slow cooker side dish perfect for Thanksgiving or Sunday dinners.

I made an easy homemade cornbread-style pudding in the slow cooker for when oven space is tight (like when you're making things like ham with orange glaze or turkey!). Making cornbread pudding in a crockpot is low stress and can be made with fresh or frozen corn, and has NO Jiffy cornbread mix.

Cooked corn pudding with broccoli and meat on a plate with fork.

I've always loved white bean chicken chili and cornbread casserole, and I wanted a recipe that was easily made in the slow cooker that was homemade and not from a cornbread mix. This is it besties!

For this recipe I weighed a box of Jiffy cornbread mix and used dry ingredient ratios that are estimated to be about the same as those in a box mix. So theoretically you could just substitute the dry ingredients for a 8.5 oz box of cornbread mix if you want to.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Sweet and savory at the same time, with creamy pudding texture and cheesy cornbread on top.
Ease: One bowl, mix together wet ingredients, then dry on top, then cook! No need to drain corn or thaw it if it's frozen. This is a very low fuss recipe.
Time: 10 minutes to mix together the corn pudding batter, then about 3 hours to cook on high or 4 -5 on low heat.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for slow cooker cornbread pudding on metal pan.

Corn - I use fresh or frozen (you can also use canned, just drain the liquid), and a can of creamed corn.
Sour cream - this is what helps the cornbread casserole have a pudding like texture, I usually use this or plain greek yogurt (instant pot).
Cheese - I've used colby jack and cheddar, and prefer the more mild colby jack. Cheddar can be a bit too rich in the corn pudding casserole.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Make a sweeter corn pudding by adding 2-3 extra Tablespoons of brown sugar, maple syrup, or a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
Add some green chile or jalapeños, they're SO good in this, just like in green chile gravy.
Add cooked sausage or bacon before cooking in the crockpot. Delicious!
Add scallions or caramelized onion for a savory pop of flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Raw wet ingredients for corn pudding in slow cooker.

Step 1. In a slow cooker (can be 4-8 quart), combine the melted butter, creamed corn, fresh or frozen corn, eggs, and sour cream. Mix well.

Raw corn pudding batter with cheese in slow cooker.

Step 2. On top of the wet ingredients, combine the flour, sugar,salt, baking powder, and cheese. Mix well.

Shredded cheese on top of raw corn pudding batter in slow cooker.

Step 3. Sprinkle cheese over the batter (or wait until right before serving to sprinkle cheese on top). Place lid on slow cooker, and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-5 hours to preferred texture.

Cooked cornbread pudding in slow cooker.

Step 4. Serve warm!

TIP: Use a super handy crockpot liner for quick and easy cleanup!

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make-ahead: assemble and refrigerate in crockpot liner or bowl up to 24 hours, then cook when ready.
Leftovers: refrigerate 3-4 days.
Freezing: you can freeze cooked corn pudding up to ~2-3 months; thaw overnight and reheat gently in oven at 300°F until warmed through to avoid weeping.

Cooked cornbread pudding in slow cooker on spoon.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do I drain the canned corn for crockpot corn pudding?

Yes, if you use canned make sure to drain the liquid out.

Can crockpot cornbread pudding be baked in the oven?

Yes! Bake in a 9x13 inch baking dish at 350 ℉ for 25-30 minutes.

How long does cornbread pudding take in a 6-qt vs 4-qt slow cooker?

It will take 30-60 minutes longer in a 4 qt slow cooker because it will be deeper and thicker. I'd recommend doing it in a 6 or 8 quart slow cooker.

Can I freeze cooked crockpot cornbread pudding and how do I reheat it without it getting watery?

Freeze cooked in airtight containers, thaw overnight in fridge, reheat in 300°F oven until warmed to avoid separation.

Scaling & Holiday Serving Strategies

A 6 Quart crockpot will need 30+ more minutes than an 8 Quart, because it will be a deeper pudding with less surface area available to cook.
This recipe is perfect for a 9x13 inch baking dish, and can be baked in the oven at 350 ℉ for 25-30 minutes.

🎉 More Delicious Holiday Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

These are southern style buttery green beans with crispy bacon and onions, a perfect easy holiday side dish ready in less than 30 minutes!

These are a quick stovetop side dish I like to make with brown sugar honey glazed carrots since they don't take up valuable oven or crockpot space.

Bowl of cooked green beans with crispy bacon and cooked onions.

This is a great dish to serve alongside crockpot cornbread pudding for the holidays! They're perfect companions since one is on the stove top and the other in the slow cooker.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Savory tender green beans with plenty of crispy bacon and buttery onions. It's a lovely combination!
Ease: Cooking one thing after another in one pot. Pretty simple! No oven required.
Time: 5-7 minutes for bacon, 5 minutes for onions, and 20-25 minutes for the green beans. 40 minutes max!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for green beans with bacon and onion on metal pan in glass dishes.

Green Beans - fresh, frozen, canned, or french all work!
Onions - use a sweet yellow variety or shallots for their mild flavors.
Butter - I use salted butter because: 1. It tastes better than unsalted. 2. The salt helps to draw out some of the moisture in the onions as they cook, so that they're not as wet and keep the bacon nice and crispy.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Glaze with maple syrup for a sweet version.
Finish with a lemon squeeze for a burst of flavor and acidity.
Add minced garlic while the onions are cooking and parmesan at the end for even more flavor!
Add sliced almonds for crunch and flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. Chop bacon into one inch slices, and cook in large cooking pot over high heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside in a serving bowl. Discard the bacon grease (not down the drain!).

Step 2. Place butter and raw chopped onion in pot (no need to wash, bacon tastes gooood on onion) and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then empty into a serving bowl with the bacon.

Raw green beans with spices and broth in pan.

Step 3. Add water and spices to the pan with washed and prepped green beans. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until soft. Drain water out.

Bacon and onion on bowl of cooked green beans with wooden spoon.

Step 4. Add to serving bowl with bacon and onions, and serve while warm!

TIP: If you want crisp bacon, make sure to cook the bacon separately and add it only at the end.

📌 Troubleshooting

Soggy beans: overcooking → fix: high heat in batches, drain & sear.
Bacon lost crispness: cooked too early and kept warm in lid-on pot → fix: crisp bacon last-minute or crisp in oven before serving.
Onion bitter or undercooked: too-hot pan → lower heat, cook slower for sweet caramelization.
Too salty: use low-sodium bacon or add acid and unsalted butter to balance.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make-ahead: make blanched beans and cook bacon, store separately up to 2 days ahead, then reheat quickly in skillet to refresh crispness.

Leftovers: refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat in skillet (not microwave) for best texture or rewarm in 375°F oven for 8-10 min.

Freeze: green beans lose texture once cooked and frozen, but if necessary blanch and freeze unseasoned, then re-cook and assemble with freshly cooked bacon.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned green beans for this recipe?

Yes - cook time and technique differ though. No need to cook green beans, just cook the bacon and onions, then sauté the (drained) green beans a little to heat them before adding them to the serving dish with the bacon and onions.

How do I keep bacon crispy when serving at a buffet or potluck?

Crisp bacon last-minute or crisp on sheet pan at 400°F before serving. Keep them stored separately and add to beans just before serving, or hold in low temp oven in oven safe pan.

What's the best sequence to cook bacon, onion, and beans so nothing overcooks?

Render bacon first (remove when desired crispness), sauté onions in bacon fat or butter until golden, then cook the beans separately.
Putting onions or bacon in water will make them lose flavor and become soggy.

Can I make these in a slow cooker?

Yes! You'll want to:
1. Fry the bacon and onions separately.
2. Cook the green beans in the slow cooker on high for 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours to desired texture.
3. Drain the beans and then add in the bacon and onions and keep warm until ready to serve.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

Main dishes: with pepperjack roasted chicken, pork chops, or mushroom swiss meatloaf.
Side Dishes: red skinned mashed potatoes, boursin twice baked potatoes, or honey butter cornbread.
Garnish ideas: toasted almonds, crispy shallots, fresh herbs, lemon zest.

🥣 More Delicious Easy Side Dishes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Sugar Cookies with Pumpkins

No chill pumpkin patch sugar cookies with pumpkins in the center are made with pumpkin spice, are super soft, and perfect for sharing!

After testing several versions of these, I finally found the perfect one. It's a soft pumpkin cookie texture with powdered sugar rolled on the outside, like a pumpkin crinkle cookie! I also have a biscoff filled chocolate crinkle cookie but these are easier since they aren't filled with anything, just a candy pumpkin in the middle.

I love to make pumpkin spice sugar cookies in the fall! They're super easy to make and you don't have to wait for them to cool down before putting the pumpkins in the center like you do with peanut butter blossom bars.

We're proudly team candy pumpkin and candy corn, and we love to put them on desserts like these soft pumpkin sugar cookies and easy pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: A soft sugar cookie with pumpkin spice that's super soft.
Ease: Mixing the cookies, rolling in powdered sugar, and baking! Maybe a half step above beginner level. NO CHILLING required!
Time: About 15 minutes to make the cookie dough and roll them in powdered sugar, then 8-10 minutes to bake each batch of cookies.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin sugar cookies on metal pan.

Sugar - I use brown sugar for flavor, white sugar to reduce the moisture content in the cookies, and powdered sugar for the outsides of the cookies.
Pumpkin candy - available during the fall in American grocery stores or online.
Cornstarch - I use this to help stabilize the dough enough to scoop it without chilling it first. It doesn't dilute the flavor of the pumpkin cookies as much as more flour would.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

You can also put chocolate kisses or another candy in the middle. Yum! Just make sure the cookies have cooled a little before putting chocolate on so it doesn't melt.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Butter and sugar in bowl on marble countertop.

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, mix together softened butter, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together until well combined, about 2 minutes. (You can use an electric mixer or do it by hand.)

Egg and vanilla in bowl of creamed sugar and butter.

Step 2. Add in egg and vanilla, mix well for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice in bowl of creamed butter and sugar.

Step 3. Add in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice and mix well.

Flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder on top of pumpkin cookie dough wet ingredients in bowl.

Step 4. Add in flour, baking powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined and there are no flour pockets left. Dough will be very soft and sticky.

Powdered sugar on rolled raw pumpkin cookie dough balls.

Step 5. Scoop dough balls right into shallow dish of powdered sugar, and place on parchment paper or silicon mat lined baking sheet.

Baked pumpkin sugar cookies on parchment paper on metal pan.

Step 6. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are puffy and cracked. Place candy pumpkins in the center of each cookie while they're hot/warm. Can be right out of the oven.

TIP: Store lightly covered for up to 3 days at room temperature. Airtight containers can make the pumpkin candies sticky from the moisture of the cookies.

📌 Troubleshooting

Cookies spreading: butter in dough too melted or not enough flour.
Soggy bottoms when using pumpkin puree: bake 1-2 minutes longer or at a higher temperature.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make ahead: you can easily make the dough 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate it pre-scooped or in a bowl. Just let it sit at room temp for 10-15 minutes to help soften it before scooping.

Freeze: If frozen after being baked and thawed, the candy may become sticky and weepy. The best option is to freeze the raw individual cookie dough balls covered in sugar and then bake the day of serving.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pumpkin puree in sugar cookies without making them soggy?

Yes. This recipe is for soft cookies, but as long as the ingredients are weight and cookies are baked properly they should not be soggy.

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

Not in this recipe! You can bake the cookies right away. Yee haw!

🎃 Delicious Fall Pumpkin Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Homemade Peach Pie Filling (Fresh or Frozen)

Homemade peach pie filling with fresh (or frozen) peaches and warm cinnamon. Easy, flavorful, and freezer-friendly. Perfect for pies, crisps, and desserts!

We all have our classic pie filling recipes (I see you cherry pie filling!) and I had to make one with fresh summer peaches before they all disappear for the season! It's a cooked peach pie filling, so that when it's baked into a pie it's much more predictable with NO dreaded soggy bottoms.

I love this pie filling recipe because I can make it with fresh or frozen peaches. I had to adapt it quite a bit from my Homemade Apple Pie Filling. The spices needed to be a little different along with the amount of fruit used since peaches produce a LOT of juice when cooked.

Why cook it before baking? It helps prevent soggy bottoms on pies and runny filling! I time it so that I make the peach pie filling first and let it cool while I make my pie crust.

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🍑 What Makes a Great Peach Pie Filling?

Set - not gummy , but thick enough to hold a shape when sliced.
Taste - you can taste the peaches the most and they aren't overpowered by the spices.
Cooked - so that the pie sets properly when cool, preventing a soggy bottomed pie crust.
Peaches - not overripe as they turn to mush when cooked. Sliced on the thicker side helps to prevent that.

Pro Tip: This filling is pre-cooked to make sure the starches are fully activated when baking in a pie. As long as you cut the peaches thick enough, they'll do just fine being baked into a pie crust or cobbler!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for homemade peach pie filling in glass bowls on baking sheet.

Peaches - I generally use yellow flesh peaches, white flesh, or even nectarines, they are lovely as well. Slightly underripe peaches will release less juice but can still be used. Frozen peaches may have a different texture when cooked as they are usually a little underripe from the store when frozen sometimes.
Brown Sugar - so nice in the pie! Adds caramel notes.
Lemon - brightens up the pie filling a little and brings out the flavor of the peaches.
Cornstarch - I use this instead of flour or tapioca. Why? It doesn't dilute the peach flavor as much or cloud the filling like flour would. Tapioca can also leave little chunks. Be sure to use ClearJel if planning on canning the filling for safety!
If you don't like nutmeg or allspice, feel free to omit them or use a spice like cloves. Best to start with a pinch then add more if wanted.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🥣 Choose Your Thickener

Cornstarch Peach Pie Filling - clear set and quick to make.
- Pros: Pantry staple, easy access, clear gel. Cons: can get a little cloudy if undercooked, not approved for canning.
Tapioca (minute/quick) Peach Pie Filling - also clear set
- Pros: stable with acid, holds shape at room temp. Cons: visible bits unless ground or soaked, crunchy when undercooked.
Flour-Thickened Filling
- Pros: pretty forgiving, exact amounts aren't as important. Cons: needs twice as much as cornstarch to work, opaque, potential floury taste, dilutes peach flavor.
Instant ClearJel (for canning or ultra-clean set)
- Pros: best clarity/stability, only thickener approved for canning. Cons: not readily available in some stores, usually have to order.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. Wash and prep peaches if using fresh. Skip to Step 3 if using pre-peeled, sliced frozen peaches.

TIP: The easiest way for me to peel them is to slice the peaches in half, peel around the bottom (top left image), then peel the top(top right image).

Step 2. Slice the peaches into about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) slices. They should equal about 2.5 pounds once peeled and pitted, a little over 6 cups sliced.

Raw peach pie filling ingredients in red pan.

Step 3. Combine the sliced peaches with the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the peaches are super juicy and softened.

Mixing together cornstarch and lemon juice and pouring into pot of peach filling.

Step 4. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and cornstarch. Use 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch if the peaches are underripe and not very juicy, use 4 Tablespoons if the peaches are ripe and juicy.
- The mixture will be pretty thick, you can remove a Tablespoon or two of peach juice from the pot to mix into it to thin it out. Pour into the pan with the peach pie filling and stir at a simmer for another minute or two, stirring until thickened.

Cooked peach pie filling in pan with rubber spatula.

Step 5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Step 6. Cool completely to room temp before putting into a raw pie shell or freezing. We love to use old fashioned all butter pie dough or cream cheese pie crust.

📌 Troubleshooting

Runny after baking: if the center didn't bubble, return to oven or cool fully to set. It usually thickens after cooling. Increase cornstarch by 10-15% next time.
Gummy/opaque: over-starched or under-cooked flour.
Too sweet/tart: adjust sugar or lemon at the end, a little salt or lemon zest enhances the peach flavor.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Freezer container/bag: freeze 5 or 6 cup portions, thaw in fridge before use.
Freeze-in-pie-pan method: line a 9" pan with foil, pour filling in, freeze solid. Pop out and bag it up to freeze it, it can fit into a prepared pie crust later when ready to bake. This is one of my favorite ways to do it since I can just bake it from frozen later.

Pro Tip: Leave headspace in containers when freezing, starch gels expand slightly as they freeze.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I can peach pie filling with cornstarch?

No, the heat distribution can be a bit uneven using cornstarch/flour and sometimes doesn't kill all of the bacteria. Use instant ClearJel instead for safe canning!

Should I cook the filling before freezing?

You don't have to, you can mix together everything (including the lemon juice and cornstarch) and then freeze, making sure to thaw, cook, and cool it before using in a pie.

Do I need to peel peaches?

For a pie, yes for best results. For a tart or galette, no.

Can I use canned peaches for this filling?

Yes, just make sure they are completely drained and reduce the sugar by half.

Can I make this without cooking it?

Yes. Toss peaches with sugar, spices, lemon juice and cornstarch (no butter); fill crust and bake until center bubbles, 50-60 minutes.

How long do I bake this as a pie?

375 ℉ for 45-55 min should do it!

🍴Serving Ideas

On top of cheesecake, (or in cheesecake brownies)
In ice cream (in place of cherry pie filling)
Peach cobbler or crisp
In Peaches and Cream Oatmeal
Galettes or hand pies
In place of strawberries in Strawberries and Cream Bars, and more!

🥧 More Delicious Pie Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy pumpkin bread recipe with rich cream cheese frosting is a cozy, make-ahead dessert for fall gatherings and holiday baking.

Besties. This is a one bowl pumpkin spice bread recipe and I love it. It mixes up fast, bakes beautifully moist, and best of all is super EASY. It uses half a can of pumpkin (¾ cup) so doubling it uses one whole can! Better to have two loaves anyways, right?? If you decide to just use the half can, you can always use the rest of the pumpkin puree by making pumpkin spice mug cake or sugar cookies with pumpkins.

Baked pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting on parchment paper.

The secret ingredient for pumpkin bread is either sour cream OR greek yogurt (homemade in the instant pot!) The recipe is actually pretty similar to my Sourdough Discard Banana Bread but needs more sugar since pumpkin isn't as sweet as banana, and the flavor profile is different.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Buttery, soft spiced pumpkin bread with a creamy, rich cream cheese frosting. The brown sugar in it is delicious!
Ease: One bowl!! As easy as mixing the wet ingredients, then the dry on top, then baking.
Time: Less than 10 minutes to make the pumpkin bread batter, and about 40 to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting in glass bowls on metal pan.

Pumpkin puree- I will say it every time, get the 100% puree, not the canned pie filling. It won't taste the same, ask me how I know.
Brown Sugar - I only use brown sugar in this recipe, for depth of flavor! It's delicious and creates the perfect texture.
Sour Cream - I use sour cream or plain greek yogurt to help make nice moist pumpkin bread.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Pumpkin loaf with glaze made with maple syrup and powdered sugar. Yum!
Add-in ideas: pecans, dark chocolate chips, crystallized ginger.
Convert to pumpkin bread muffins with cream cheese frosting! Bake for 15-17 min at 350 ℉.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla in mixing bowl.

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, melted butter, sour cream (or greek yogurt), vanilla, and milk. Mix until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

Flour and spices on top of pumpkin and wet ingredients in mixing bowl with whisk.

Step 2. On top of the wet ingredients add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and allspice. Mix until a batter forms and no flour pockets are left.

PRO TIP: Instead of just melting the butter, BROWN the butter first in a saucepan. It's the best way to level up pumpkin bread!

Raw pumpkin bread batter in parchment lined bread pan.

Step 3. Transfer to a parchment lined 9x5 inch bread loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least 20 minutes before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting mixed into bowl with spatula.

Step 4. Make the cream cheese frosting by combining the softened cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix well for 1-2 minutes and frosting is smooth.

TIP: Cooling the bread before frosting it helps to keep the frosting firmer. It melts when the bread is too warm!

Spatula spreading cream cheese frosting on pumpkin bread.

Step 5. Spread generously over cooled pumpkin bread before slicing and serving. Yum! It serves up similar to cake, you'll probably want a plate and a fork.

📌 Troubleshooting

Weeping frosting - make sure the pumpkin bread is cooled to room temp before frosting it! If the cream cheese is too warm it will melt. Try refrigerating the frosting or adding another ¼ to ½ cup or powdered sugar before spreading if it's on the thin side.
Raw in the middle - oven wasn't hot enough (make sure to use an oven thermometer) or didn't bake long enough. Try adding another 5 minutes to the baking time and make sure you check that an inserted knife or toothpick to the middle of the bread comes out clean before removing it from the oven.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make ahead: up to 3 days ahead of time (separate from the frosting) and store at room temperature in an airtight container. Refrigerate the cream cheese frosting then spread on top of the bread before serving.

Freeze: for up to 3 months.

Slice of pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting?

Yes, I'd recommend freezing the frosting separate since it can become grainy after thawing.

How do I frost pumpkin bread without it getting soggy?

Make sure it's fully cooled! It will melt the frosting if frosted when warm.

🎃 More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

With these pumpkin cheesecake brownies, we marry fudgy chocolate brownies with a silky pumpkin-spiced cheesecake layer- the best fall mashup!

These have a fudgy chocolate base, a pumpkin cheesecake layer, and more chocolate on top in fun fall shapes. These take about 15 minutes to mix and a little less than 30 minutes to bake!

Stacked baked pumpkin cheesecake brownies.

These fudgy chocolate pumpkin bars are similar to my Cheesecake Brownie Bars and have a luscious cream cheese layer, naturally bright orange from the pumpkin. We love halloween treats like these or soft pumpkin sugar cookies.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: A fudgy, chocolate brownie bottom and a creamy, pumpkin spiced cream cheese layer.
Ease: Intermediate level. Batter, filling, and topping is made before baking.
Time: It takes 10-15 minutes to make, then 40 minutes to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for pumpkin cheesecake brownies in glass bowls on metal pan.

Pumpkin puree - Make sure you get 100% pumpkin, not the canned pumpkin pie mix! It's easy to make that mistake.
Cocoa powder - you can use regular or special dark cocoa powder, the darker it is the more the orange pumpkin contrasts with the dark brownie color and it's so fun!
Cream Cheese- full fat or fat free work just fine.
Spices - I use cinnamon, ginger, and allspice (cloves are fine but are strong for me). You can also use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice mix.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Optional add ins- walnuts, pecans, or my favorite, mini chocolate chips!
Make mint cheesecake brownies with candy eyeballs or Halloween sprinkles for another fun halloween variation!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Image collage of butter and sugar in bowl, and vanilla and egg in creamed butter in a bowl.

Step 1 (above) In a large bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix with an electric or stand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.
Step 2. Add in the vanilla and eggs one at a time and mix well in between, until the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture is fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Image collage of cocoa powder, flour, and salt in bowl, and then the dry ingredients being mixed into the butter.

Step 3. (above) In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
Step 4. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter mixture in batches, mixing well in between. The texture will be similar to sticky chocolate cookie dough.

Image collage of raw brownie dough and dough being pressed into a pan with a cup.

Step 5. (above) Save one cup of dough and set it aside.
Step 6. Press the remaining brownie dough evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.

TIP: I always line the baking pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Image collage of cream cheese and powdered sugar, and egg and vanilla in powdered sugar.

Step 7. (above) Make the cheesecake filling by combining the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar, and mixing well on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Step 8. Add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Image collage of pumpkin and spices in cream cheese mixture, and pouring mixture into pan of raw brownie dough.

Step 9. (above) Add in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice to the cream cheese mixture and mix well until smooth, about 1 minute.
Step 10. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling on top of the raw brownie dough.

Image collage of raw brownie dough with cookie cutouts, and image cutouts on top of raw pumpkin cheesecake mixture.

Step 11. (above) Roll out the reserved cup of raw chocolate dough and use fun cookie cutters to make shapes to put on top of the cheesecake mixture, or you can just flatten small pieces of dough to put over the top.
Step 12. Place the cut out shapes on top of the raw cheesecake. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the filling is set. It can be a little jiggly in the middle, don't worry! It will set more as it cools. Cool completely before slicing and serving. The cleanest slices will be after chilling for at least 2 hours and wiping your knife after each slice.

NOTE: Glass or thick ceramic pans may take longer to bake (30-35 min) than dark metal pans (25-30 min).

📌 Troubleshooting

Cracked cheesecake top: likely overbaked or too much air. To fix: reduce bake time and make sure you mix gently.
Soggy/undercooked center: tent with foil and extend bake; check oven temp with oven thermometer.
Cheesecake layer sinks or ripples: batter too thin (too much pumpkin) or over-stirred.
Brownie layer too cakey: too much flour or overmixed, next batch reduce flour or add melted chocolate.

TIP: If top cracks, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle ganache. It does wonders to cover those sins!

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Best cooling method: cool 1 hour on rack, then chill 4 hours (or overnight) for clean slices.

Refrigeration: 4-5 days; freeze uncut for up to 3 months (wrap tight). Thaw in fridge overnight.

Reheating: brief 15-20s microwave per slice for warm serving, or 300°F oven 8-10 min.

Sliced pumpkin cheesecake bars on parchment paper.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How much pumpkin can I add to cheesecake without it leaking/ being runny?

Keep pumpkin to ≤ ~25-30% of the cheesecake mixture by volume (e.g., 1 cup pumpkin to ~2-3 cups cream cheese mixture).

Can I swirl raw brownie batter and cheesecake and freeze before baking?

Freeze unbaked for streamlined holiday baking and adjust bake time (+10-20%). Thaw in refrigerator overnight before baking.

Why did my cheesecake layer separate from the brownie layer?

Extreme temperature differences, overbaked cheesecake, or too-liquid batter.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

Here are a few ideas of how to serve pumpkin cheesecake brownies.

Dust with cinnamon sugar or cocoa, drizzle salted caramel or ganache, top with toasted walnuts or whipped cream.
Serve with roasted herbal tea or spiced chai latte pairing suggestions.

🍁 More Cozy Fall Baking Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Easy Witch Hat Crescent Rolls (Halloween Treats)

Witch hat crescent rolls are a super easy Halloween party food filled with cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni! It's a fun way for kids to help and make their own Halloween dinner.

Witch hat pizza crescent rolls only take 10 minutes to make, and 15 minutes to bake! We love to make these during the week of Halloween for parties or on Halloween night so the kids can hurry and eat with no mess on their costumes and then go trick or treating!

Baked witch had crescent roll on black plate.

This is a super fun and spooky appetizer idea for Halloween, we LOVE to make these with Halloween Graveyard Pudding Cups for dessert!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Just like a mini pizza with gooey mozzarella, pizza sauce, and pepperoni.
Ease: Beginner friendly, some assembly required. So fun for kids!
Time: 10 minutes to make, 15 minutes to bake!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for witch hat crescent rolls on metal pan labeled.

Pizza Sauce - we like to use Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce (made from tomato paste) or storebought to make the prep easy and super quick.
Crescents - any storebough biscuit dough will do, I chose crescents because it's easy to shape them into the witch hats.
Cheese - Mozzarella is the classic pizza choice, but you can use gouda, gruyere, or colby jack too.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Go sweet! Nutella or peanut butter/cookie butter + marshmallows + chocolate chips or sprinkles. Then decorate them with drizzled chocolate or frosting and sprinkles on top. So fun!
Try a chicken bacon ranch version with cooked chicken + bacon + Ranch dressing for the sauce. Yum!
Add a flavored cream cheese spread or tomatillo cilantro dressing + jalapeños or pepperoncinis for a spicy option.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 ℉ and get 2 baking trays ready with parchment paper or silicon mats.

Flattened dough in rectangles with rolling pin.

Step 1. Separate the biscuits into rectangles (made with 2 rolls) Roll them out with a rolling pin into flat rectangles, making sure there are no gaps in the middle.

Raw crescent dough with pizza sauce on it.

Step 2. Spread a spoonful or two of pizza sauce in a triangle shape in the middle of each rectangle.

Cheese and pizza sauce on raw crescent dough.

Step 3. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pizza sauce.

Pepperoni with pizza sauce and cheese on raw crescent dough.

Step 4. Place 3 pepperoni really close together, overlapping is best.

Folded raw crescent dough over pizza sauce and cheese.

Step 5. Start at the top right corner and fold it diagonally towards the bottom left corner until it covers the pepperoni.

Step 6. Fold the top left corner ACROSS to wrap around the right edge of the triangle. This makes it a little taller and looks better than a squatty witch hat.

Curling edges of raw crescent dough upwards.

Step 7. Flip the bottom of the roll up about 1 inch to make the brim of the witch hat. Tuck a pepperoni into the brim and curve the top of the triangle down and the two bottom corners up to look like the edges of a hat.

3 baked witch had rolls on plate with pizza sauce in a dish.

Step 8. Transfer to lined baking pans and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce to dip in!

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make Ahead: assemble uncooked rolls, refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

Refrigerate: once cooked and cooled, 2-3 days in airtight container.

Reheating: warm in oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes.

Pro Tip: For crispy hats, reheat in oven instead of microwave.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep crescent rolls from unrolling while baking?

Pinch seams tightly and brush with egg wash to seal.

Can I make witch hat crescent rolls ahead of time?

Yes, refrigerate assembled rolls or bake early and reheat before serving.

How do I make the hats look more realistic?

Curve the tips before baking and add frosting/candy after cooling or pizza/pepperoni details after cooling.

Serving Ideas For halloween

Serve with Apple Cider Punch, hot cocoa, or pumpkin punch.
Serve on a Halloween themed platter.
Serve a sweet version for a dessert plate and/or a savory one for dinner.
If you try a sweet version with Nutella, peanut butter, or cookie butter let me know how it goes!!

🎃 More Fun Halloween Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Easy Witch Hat Crescent Rolls (Halloween Treats)

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

These are a super easy Halloween pizza party food filled with cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni! It's a fun way for kids to help and make their own Halloween dinner.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 10

Total Time 25

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 278 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 2 cans Crescent Rolls (18 rolls total)
▢ 1 cup pizza sauce
▢ 1 cup mozarella cheese
▢ 24 pepperoni pieces

Instructions

Separate 2 cans Crescent Rolls into rectangles (made with 2 triangle rolls) Roll them out with a rolling pin into flat rectangles, making sure there are no gaps in the middle.
Spread 1-2 Tablespoons of pizza sauce in a triangle shape in the middle of each rectangle.
Sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons mozzarella cheese over the pizza sauce.
Place 3 pepperoni really close together over the cheese, overlapping is best.
Start at the top right corner and fold it diagonally towards the bottom left corner until it covers the pepperoni.
Fold the top left corner ACROSS to wrap around the right edge of the triangle.
Flip the bottom of the roll up about 1 inch to make the brim of the witch hat.
Tuck a pepperoni into the brim and curve the top of the triangle down and the two bottom corners up to look like the edges of a hat.
Transfer to lined baking pans and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with pizza sauce to dip in!

Notes

Make Ahead: assemble uncooked rolls, refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

Refrigerate: once cooked and cooled, 2-3 days in airtight container.

Reheating: warm in oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 775mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 231IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Halloween Spider Web Taco Dip

Super quick spiderweb dip with with refried beans, an easy appetizer to make ahead for game day, parties, or potlucks!

I love to make this with 4 Ingredient Guacamole and serve it with allll the tortilla chips. It's so easy to make and comes together in less than 10 minutes, no cooking required! Plus peep the cute little olive spiders. Technically this is a spiderweb 7 layer dip with the green onions and olives on top, but there are 5 base layers.

Spider olives on sour cream web on bean dip.

We love to make this as a savory Halloween appetizer, sometimes with Easy Witch Hat Crescent Rolls (Halloween Treats) to be extra spooky! There's always so many sweet treats that it's nice to have something a little more substantial and dare I say... healthy. We love to serve it alongside sausage queso dip, or Spider Web Cookies, they're such easy sides for Halloween with very little prep.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Individual layers of beans with taco seasoning, guac, sour cream, salsa, cheese, and optional toppings. I add a few extra seasonings to keep the flavor delicious!
Ease: No cooking required, beginner level. Super fun for kids to help with the olive spiders.
Time: Takes 10 minutes to prepare if the layers (like guac) are ready made. Super quick, no fuss appetizer.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for bean dip in glass bowls on metal baking pan. Sour Cream, Guacamole, Salsa, cheese, sour cream, and onions.

Base: Refried Beans - I like to use fat free refried beans, but you could use full fat, or mashed black beans or pinto beans as well. I mix them with easy homemade taco seasoning so they have a little flavor.
Creamy Layer - full fat or fat free sour cream work great, as well as unflavored greek yogurt.
Guacamole - You can use plain mashed avocado, store bought guacamole as an easy shortcut, or fresh 4 Ingredient Guacamole.
Cheese - Cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese, or a mexican blend of cheese works well.
Optional Toppings - we love things like chopped green onions, tomatoes, and/or black olives.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

For a protein boost, sub half with plain greek yogurt or cottage cheese dip.
Add taco meat for a 6 layer version! We love to do it with ground turkey for a lean protein option.
Mini sized! You can portion everything into jars or small clear cups for fun grab and go sized servings.
Make it spicy: use spicy salsa, pepperjack cheese, or spicy guacamole.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Refried beans with taco seasoning in pie pan.

Step 1. In a 9x9 square dish or 9 inch pie pan, spread the refried beans evenly across the bottom and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning.

Step 2. On top of the beans, spread guacamole.

Sour cream with ranch seasoning mix in pie dish.

Step 3. Next, spread on the sour cream layer and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of Ranch seasoning mix.

Step 4. Spread the salsa over the sour cream.

TIP: Try to use chunky salsa, it can get a little runny over the sour cream if it's a thin variety.

Sour cream in star shape on bean dip and sour cream in spider web shape in bean dip.

Step 5. Add the cheese and optional toppings (green onions, chopped tomatoes, olives, etc). Make a fun spider web by piping sour cream into a star shape, then connecting each leg of the star with "U" shapes in between.

5 Layer bean dip in pie dish near red dish towel.

Step 6. Slice regular olives on top or make fun little spiders! Slice a few olives lengthwise in half for the bodies, then slice a few of the halves into little legs and place them on the bean dip. SO CUTE.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Make Ahead: You can make this a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve, covered.

Refrigerate: 3-4 days, to keep the guacamole fresh looking.

Freezing: not recommended. Everything will get soggy.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use greek yogurt instead of sour cream in this dip?

Yep! Just make sure it's plain unflavored yogurt.

How do I keep guacamole from turning brown in spiderweb taco dip?

You can fresh lime juice brushed over the top or mixed into any avocado to help.

Can I make taco dip into individual cups?

Yes-great for portion control, meal prep, or party hygiene.

🍴Serving Ideas

Crunchies: Serve with tortilla chips, pita pieces, or even pretzels.
Veggies: carrots, cucumber slices, or sliced bell peppers.

🥣 More Easy Appetizer Dip Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Halloween Spider Web Taco Dip

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Halloween Spider Web Taco Dip, an easy appetizer to make ahead for game day, parties, or potlucks!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Total Time 20

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Servings

Calories 237 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 (15 oz) can refried beans
▢ 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
▢ 1½ cups guacamole or mashed avocado
▢ 1½ cups sour cream
▢ 1 teaspoon Ranch seasoning mix
▢ 1½ cups chunky salsa
▢ 2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, colby jack, or mexican blend)
▢ Optional: chopped green onions & olives

Instructions

In a 9x9 square dish or 9 inch pie pan, spread 1 (15 oz) can refried beans evenly across the bottom and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon taco seasoning.
On top of the beans, 1½ cups guacamole or mashed avocado.
Next, spread on 1½ cups sour cream and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon Ranch seasoning mix
Spread1½ cups chunky salsa over the sour cream. Try to use chunky salsa so it doesn't get runny over the sour cream.
Add 2 cups shredded cheese and optional toppings (green onions, chopped tomatoes, olives, etc).
Make a spider web by piping sour cream into a star shape, then connecting each leg of the star with "U" shapes in between.
Slice regular olives on top or make fun little spiders! Slice a few olives lengthwise in half for the bodies, then slice a few of the halves into little legs and place them on the bean dip. SO CUTE.
Serve with tortilla chips, pita pieces, carrots, or cucumber slices.

Notes

Refrigerate for 3-4 days to keep the guacamole fresh.

Use taco meat and unflavored greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a higher protein option.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 473mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 644IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 225mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Green Chile Gravy

Spice up breakfast with creamy green chile sausage gravy! Bold, savory, and easy to make. Perfect over biscuits, eggs, or hash browns. It's only SIX ingredients and takes 10-15 minutes to whip up!

If you like soft homemade biscuits and sausage gravy you're going to looooooove it with green chile! We love to use fire roasted green chiles from New Mexico, but canned or frozen would work as well.

Cooked biscuit and green chili gravy on a plate.

This is a breakfast, brunch, or dinner worth making. It got ten thumbs up from the family. I like my gravy on the lighter side, so I made the gravy with no cream. It's a pretty classic base gravy recipe with milk, and you can control how spicy you want it with the sausage and the green chile.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Savory, creamy, and slightly spicy from the green chile and ground pepper and spices in the sausage.
Ease: Beginner/intermediate, cooking of raw meat required and must be done in the correct order.
Time: 10 minutes start to finish! So quick.
Serves: Enough for 12 biscuits made with a 7cm biscuit cutter.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for green chili gravy in glass bowls on metal pan.

Ground sausage - It has a few spices added in, we typically use mild or regular. Make sure NOT to use italian ground sausage!
Milk - I use whole milk instead of cream for a lightened up, higher protein version. Still creamy!
Green Chiles - you can use fresh (just make sure to cook them with the ground beef) canned, or fire roasted hatch green chiles, just like I use in my green chile enchiladas. We typically buy chiles that have already been roasted, but it's amazing to roast and peel them fresh!

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🥣 Choose Your Base

Classic Milk Gravy + Green Chile (Country style gravy)
- ideal for biscuits and chicken fried steak.
Sausage Green Chile Gravy (breakfast brunch)
- peppery and rich, great for biscuits and eggs.
Broth "Gravy" (Sauce hybrid)
- chicken or beef stock instead of milk, lighter version. Great for Smothered burritos, meats, or enchiladas.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Peppers to use: Hatch, anaheim, poblano, jalapeño, just make sure you roast them for best results, or saute them with the ground sausage.
You can use any plant based milk for these, the gravy will have a slightly different texture and may not be as creamy.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Raw sausage with salt and pepper in cast iron pan.

Step 1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage with salt and pepper and break apart as it cooks, 3-5 minutes until thoroughly browned and no pink is left. I don't drain the sausage, I save the drippings for the gravy but you can if you wish!

Cooked ground sausage in skillet with flour and wooden spoon.

Step 2. Add in the flour and cook for another minute so soak up the juices from the sausage. If you're using fresh green chiles, prep, chop, and add them here to cook.

Cooked sausage with wooden spoon in metal pan.

Step 3. Slowly pour in milk and stir. Heat to a low boil and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened (gravy will thicken further as it cools).

Ground sausage gravy with green chile and wooden spoon in skillet.

Step 4. Add in as much green chile as your heart desires, we usually add in about ½ cup medium heat chiles that are fire roasted from New Mexico.

TIP: If it's too thick after adding the green chiles, add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk, if it's on the runny side you can simmer another few minutes. It thickens as it cools, so keep that in mind!

Biscuits with a side of green chiles and sausage gravy on plate with fork.

Step 5. Serve over freshly baked biscuits, in breakfast burritos, with cheesy hashbrown casserole, chicken fried steak, or sillet potatoes. Delicious!

📌 Troubleshooting

Gravy too bland? - add salt/pepper or more green chile to your gravy, or add ½ teaspoon onion powder.
Too thick? - heat may have been too high and boiled away the liquid, remove from heat and whisk in a splash or two of milk.
Too runny? Make sure you bring to a low boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes to help the flour thicken the gravy. It thickens as it cools, so keep that in mind.

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Refrigerate: up to 3 days and reheat in a saucepan with a splash or two of milk before serving.

Freeze: 2-3 months, after thawing will need a good stir and a little more milk when reheating. Freeze separately from biscuits.

Roasted green chiles in sausage gravy in skillet.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make green chile gravy without milk?

Yes, you can use plant based milk or chicken broth, it just won't have quite the same creamy texture as dairy.

What's the best chile for mild vs spicy gravy?

Mild: young hatch chiles or anaheim peppers.
Spicy: Mature hatch or jalapeño or serrano peppers.

🌶️ Serving Ideas

My FAVORITE thing to add to these is hot honey or maple syrup drizzled on top with biscuits!! So delicious I could weep.
Add ½ cup diced onions to the ground sausage for even more flavor!
Add a splash (or two) of cream to make the gravy a little more rich without overdoing it.

☀️ More Delicious Breakfast Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Green Chile Gravy

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Spice up breakfast with creamy green chile sausage gravy! Bold, savory, and easy to make. Perfect over biscuits, eggs, or hash browns.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 321 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook 1 lb ground sausage with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper and break apart as it cooks, 3-5 minutes until thoroughly browned and no pink is left.
(If you're using fresh green chiles, prep, chop, and add them here to cook. )
Add in ⅓ cup all purpose flour and cook for another minute so soak up all of the juices from the sausage.
Slowly pour in 3 cups whole milk and stir. Heat to a low boil and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened (gravy will thicken further as it cools).
Add in as much green chile as your heart desires, we usually add in about ½ cup medium heat chiles.
Serve over freshly baked biscuits, in breakfast burritos, with cheesy hashbrown casserole, chicken fried steak, or skillet potatoes. Delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 23gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 947mgPotassium: 340mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Flaky, buttery, and full of flavor, these sourdough discard biscuits are quick to make and the best way to use up extra starter. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

These buttery sourdough biscuits are so easy, and use ½ cup sourdough discard just like my sourdough discard cornbread. It makes 12-15 biscuits depending on how large you make them, and takes 10 minutes to bake! Super quick. I LOVE this recipe because you can bake immediately or chill the raw biscuits overnight and bake in the morning for biscuits and green chile gravy.

We LOVE these as a side with homemade soup recipes like bone broth homemade chicken noodle soup, green beans with bacon and onion or with butter and jam or honey (have you tried hot honey?? IT'S AMAZING) on top.

No buttermilk needed for these mile high biscuits, (although you can use it if you like) since there is sourdough discard which already has a mild acidity which helps to create lift and tender biscuits.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Buttery, just enough salt, not too sour, and soft middles.
Ease: Not too difficult, just mixing the ingredients in the correct order and temperature! You can make these into a drop biscuit dough for even easier biscuits. I provide detailed notes and tips so they're delicious every time!
Time: takes about 10 minutes to mix and 10 minutes to bake. 20 minutes total.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients in dishes for sourdough biscuits on metal baking sheet.

Butter - best flavor by far! I prefer to use salted butter, it tastes the best.
Milk - I prefer to use dairy but plant based milk works as well.
Sourdough discard - You can use active fed or unfed discard, just make sure you stir it and weigh it!

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

NOTE: Cold discard can yield a stiffer dough, room temperature will make a slightly wetter dough. I use discard that is the texture of pancake batter, not very thick, not very runny.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

I have used vegetable shortening in place of butter with good results.
Add in ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese or ¼ cup of chopped green onions for a delicious cheese sourdough biscuit!
Add another ⅓ cup of milk to make the dough wetter and make these into drop style biscuits, no cutting required.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Don't forget to preheat the oven to 450 ℉. The high heat helps to make the biscuits tall and flaky.

Step 1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Grated butter in bowl of flour with fork.

Step 2. Grate COLD butter into the bowl using a cheese grater (can be frozen or refrigerated, not room temp). You can also cut into small pea sized pieces.

TIP: Cold butter is essential for the flaky layers. Using room temperature butter will melt into the flour and the biscuits won't be as flaky, they'll be more fluffy and bready like drop biscuits.

Sourdough discard and milk in biscuit dough bowl.

Step 3. Add in the sourdough discard (cold or room temp is fine) and stir together until a dough forms. It should be soft and not be too wet, if it is dry and super crumbly add another tablespoon or two of milk.

Note: Cold discard can yield a stiffer dough, room temperature will make a slightly wetter, less stiff dough. I use discard that is the texture of pancake batter, not very thick, not very runny and usually room temperature.

2 sections of biscuit dough on marble with flour.

Step 4. Flatten the dough to 1-2 inches thick and split it in to 2-3 flat pieces. Stack them on top of each other before rolling out.

Note: Stacking and then rolling out the biscuit dough is a very basic form of lamination. This helps some nice flaky layers form in the biscuits, along with cold butter.

Raw cut biscuits on marble with rolling pin.

Step 5. Roll out the dough to about 1 inch thick, then cut with a glass or biscuit cutter. A 6 cm biscuit cutter will yield 13-15 biscuits, a 7 cm circle will make about 12 biscuits.

Step 6. Lay the biscuits at least an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or baking spray. Bake at 450℉ for 10 minutes, until golden on top.

TIP: Brush the tops of the biscuits with a beaten egg before baking for golden, shiny tops. Brushing with melted butter after baking makes them nice and soft right before serving. Yum!

📌 Troubleshooting

Dough was too crumbly - your starter may have been thick or cold! That can result in a thicker dough. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or more to help the dough become the right consistency. And as always, use a scale to measure flour and discard for more consistent results.
Biscuits spread flat - butter was too warm, make sure the oven is hot enough! Use an oven thermometer to make sure it gets to the right temp.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze biscuit dough?

Yes!
1. Follow the recipe to make the dough.
2. Roll and cut the biscuits.
3. Freeze for 30 minutes on a baking sheet (no edges touching) before transferring to a freezer safe container to freeze.
Freeze for up to 3 months, then you can bake from frozen for 12-14 minutes.

Can I make sourdough biscuits without buttermilk?

Yes, I use regular milk in these biscuits, since there is already acidity in the discard, and baking powder, there isn't a need for more in buttermilk.

Why are my biscuits dense instead of flaky?

It could be a couple of reasons.
1. Butter temp- make sure butter is cold when you cut it into the flour.
2. Overmixing - don't knead the dough a lot once mixed up to form the dough. Mix until it comes together plus a bit to get the flour pockets mixed in, then roll out to cut the biscuits.
3. Oven temp - You may need an oven thermometer to make sure your oven reaches 450 ℉

🥖 More Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Flaky, buttery, and full of flavor, these sourdough discard biscuits are quick to make and the best way to use up extra starter.

4.75 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 185 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
In a bowl, combine 2½ cups all purpose flour , 3 teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
Grate ½ cup salted butter (COLD) into the bowl using a cheese grater (can be frozen or refrigerated, not room temp, see note 1). You can also cut into small pea sized pieces.
Add in ½ cup sourdough discard/starter (See note 2) and ¾ cup milk and stir together until a dough forms. It should be soft and not be too wet, if it is dry and super crumbly add 1-2 Tablespoons (or more) if needed.
Flatten the dough to 1-2 inches thick and split it in to 2-3 flat pieces. Stack them on top of each other before rolling out. (See note 3)
Roll out the dough to about 1 inch thick, then cut with a glass or biscuit cutter. A 6 cm biscuit cutter will yield 13-15 biscuits, a 7 cm circle will make about 12 biscuits.
Lay the biscuits at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or baking spray.
Optional: brush tops of biscuits with beaten egg before baking for shiny golden tops.
Bake at 450℉ for 10 minutes, until golden on top.

Notes

Note 1: Cold butter is essential for the flaky layers. Using room temperature butter will melt into the flour and the biscuits won't be as flaky, they'll be more fluffy and bready like drop biscuits.

Note 2 : Cold discard can yield a stiffer dough, room temperature will make a slightly wetter, less stiff dough. I use discard that is the texture of pancake batter, not very thick, not very runny and usually room temperature.

Note 3: Stacking and then rolling out the biscuit dough is a very basic form of lamination. This helps some nice flaky layers form in the biscuits.

Make ahead & freeze:

1. Follow the recipe to make the dough.
2. Roll and cut the biscuits.
3. Freeze for 30 minutes on a baking sheet (no edges touching) before transferring to a freezer safe container to freeze.
Freeze for up to 3 months, then you can bake from frozen for 12-14 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 471mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 265IUCalcium: 202mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad

Bright, zesty, and full of flavor, this Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad takes the classic Caesar to the next level. Juicy chicken is layered over crisp romaine, creamy Caesar dressing, crunchy croutons, and parmesan.

It's the EASIEST. Perfect for a light dinner, meal prep, or a nice little lunch, this easy caesar salad recipe is both healthy and satisfying-ready in under 10 minutes. TEN FOLKS. It's the best for when you don't feel like cooking.

Lemon chicken caesar salad in bowl with lemons and croutons.

Besties when I say I love this salad...it's perfect for fancy girl brunch or simple weeknight meal in. It's a cheaty chicken caesar salad, because I use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken, although you can definitely use grilled or baked chicken! This salad goes PERFECT with old fashioned yeast dinner rolls and ham with orange glaze.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Nice little zing from the lemon, zest AND the lemon juice, lovely parmesan, little crunch from the croutons and pine nuts, perfect!
Ease: Beginner level, no cooking necessary unless you want to grill chicken for it. As easy as mixing all of the ingredients together!
Time: TEN MINUTES. So fast!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for lemon chicken caesar salad on metal baking sheet.

Romaine - I use this to bring us back to basics, although a spinach or kale mix would be delicious.
Chicken - I use shredded rotisserie chicken, but you could also use grilled or baked chicken. Canned is okay, but not great. Pick another option for better results.
Caesar dressing - I use any store brand, but use your favorite! We love the Olive Garden brand.
Parmesan - for best results, use fresh. Not pre-shredded!
Croutons - I use regular seasoned but an italian seasoned version or homemade croutons like in my roasted broccoli salad would be amazing.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Use Kale for a chicken kale caesar salad.
Add pasta like bowtie, penne, or cellantani for a fun chicken pasta caesar salad.
For a lighter caesar option, sub half greek yogurt and half caesar dressing.
Add asparagus tips, or cold green peas for more veggie options.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. Wash and chop the lettuce into small bite sized pieces. It should equal 6-8 cups. Transfer to a salad serving bowl.

Lemon zest and juice in bowl with zester on marble countertop.

Step 2. Zest your lemon first, then cut it to juice it. Combine the lemon juice and half the lemon zest in a bowl with the caesar dressing.

Lemon zest on chicken caesar salad in bowl.

Step 3. Assemble the salad by placing the croutons, chopped chicken, pine nuts, and grated parmesan on top of the lettuce.

Pouring Caesar dressing onto salad in bowl.

Step 4. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir them together. Top with the last of the lemon zest.

Tip: Use the large horizontal cutters on a cheese grater to get nice big pieces of parmesan, or grate small if that's your preferred texture.

📌 Troubleshooting

Salad soggy? Make sure to use fresh lettuce, dry it thoroughly after rinsing, and add the croutons last for maximum crunch.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make lemon chicken and dressing ahead without soggy salad?

Yes! Chill the romaine, & keep the croutons and dressing separate from the salad, then assemble before serving.

Is there lemon in Caesar dressing?

Usually there is some for acidity, but we're adding MORE to make the lemon flavor more prominent.

Is a chicken Caesar salad actually healthy?

It's nutrient dense, and with a light caesar dressing can be a good high fiber, high protein meal option.

🥗 More Delicious Salad Recipes

I love using lemon and chicken in dinners like Lemon Chicken Gnocchi or Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo, but here are some other salads that we LOVE for warm weather!

📝 Printable Recipe

Lemon zest on chicken caesar salad in bowl with wooden spoons.

Lemon Chicken Caesar Salad

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 head romaine lettuce 6-8 cups
▢ 2 teaspoons lemon zest (one lemon)
▢ 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
▢ ¾ cup Caesar dressing
▢ 2 cups croutons
▢ 1½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken
▢ ½ cup pine nuts
▢ ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Wash and chop 1 head romaine lettuce into small bite sized pieces. It should equal 6-8 cups. Transfer to a salad serving bowl.
Zest your lemon first, before cutting it to juice it. Combine 4 Tablespoons lemon juice and half the lemon zest in a bowl with ¾ cup Caesar dressing in a small bowl.
Assemble the salad by placing 2 cups croutons, 1½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken, ½ cup pine nuts, and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese on top of the lettuce.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir them together. Top with the last half of the lemon zest.
*If making ahead, keep the croutons and dressing separate from the salad and add right before serving.

Notes

If making ahead, keep the croutons and dressing separate from the salad until ready to serve.

Refrigerate: up to 3 days.

Freezing not recommended.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 16gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 701mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 107mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Snickerdoodle Crunch Protein Balls

Snickerdoodle energy bites have a classic snickerdoodle flavor with a satisfying cinnamon-sugar crunch-ready in 10 minutes! So easy it's ridiculous. Makes 20-22 balls.

We LOVE healthy make ahead snacks like these, and bonus: they're freezer friendly. These taste like no bake snickerdoodle cookies, are packed with protein, AND satisfy sweets cravings. Here's a snapshot of macros. They're super nutrient dense at about 5g of protein, 14g of healthy carbs, and 8g of healthy fats per serving, similar to pistachio protein balls.

Rolled snickerdoodle protein balls in dish on cutting board with cinnamon sticks.

Another recipe for protein balls with almond butter I have uses dates and is smoother in texture with blended oats. This one uses honey as a sweetener and lets the oats be free, along with the rice crispy cereal that makes the nice little crunch.

We looooove protein balls and the kids eat them like crazy here, so I make them on repeat! We really like Lemon Coconut Protein Balls during the summer. I make a lot with almond butter because it's a neutral flavor, the possibilities are endless!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Cinnamon + vanilla + honey + nice little crunchies.
Ease: Beginner! No cooking or chilling required. Just mix and scoop.
Time: 10 minutes start to finish.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for protein cinnamon balls on metal baking sheet.

Vanilla Protein Powder - whey based or plant based, in my experience whey based powders taste the best for these protein balls.
Almond butter - for the neutral taste, peanut butter is too strong and overpowers the cinnamon.
Crispy Bits - I use crispy rice cereal but protein crisps or crushed cinnamon crunch cereal would work great too.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Cashew butter or sun butter in place of the almond butter will work as well!
Optional cinnamon sugar "roll" in a coconut sugar + cinnamon mixture. I'd use ¼ cup of coconut sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
Pure maple syrup or agave nectar in place of honey.
Raise protein: use high protein crisps or add collagen peptides.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Oats, protein powder, and rice krispies in a bowl.

Step 1. In a bowl, combine the oats, rice cereal, protein powder, and salt. (You can wait until the end to stir in the crispies if you like more crunch. )

Honey, almond butter on dry ingredients in bowl.

Step 2. Warm up the almond butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to mix. Pour into the bowl with the honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well. Adjust texture with more almond butter or honey as needed.

TIP: Warming up the almond butter and/or honey for 30-60 seconds makes it MUCH easier to mix the ingredients together without crushing all the crispies!

Rolled snickerdoodle protein balls in dish on metal pan.

Step 3. Scoop onto a lined baking sheet or into an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 3-5 days, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.

📌 Troubleshooting

Mixture is too thick to mix: warm up the almond butter and honey for 30 -60 seconds to help them thin out enough to mix.
Too sticky? add 1-2 Tablespoons oat flour or protein powder. Refrigerating the balls helps them become a little more firm and less sticky.
Crunch went soft? Stir in another handful of crisps right before scooping.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze protein balls?

Yes!
Freeze: up to 3 months, thaw at room temperature. The crunch stays crisp even when thawed! Just don't warm them up in the microwave, they'll melt.
Refrigerate: airtight container up to 2 weeks.

How do I keep the "crunch" from getting soggy?

- Don't add milk or water to adjust the texture, instead use honey or warm up your almond butter.
- Fold in the crispy cereal last and carefully if you want more of a crunch.

Can I make these without oats (grain-free)?

Yes - use almond flour + a little more protein powder for structure, and extra cinnamon for flavor.

Which protein powder works best for protein balls that hold shape?

Whey based protein mixes in easily with other ingredients, plant based can absorb more liquid, so you may need to add a little more honey or even a little coconut oil warmed up, 1-2 teaspoons.

💪🏻 More High Protein Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Rolled snickerdoodle protein balls in dish on cutting board.

Snickerdoodle Crunch Protein Balls

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

Snickerdoodle energy bites have a classic snickerdoodle flavor with a satisfying cinnamon-sugar crunch-ready in 10 minutes! So easy it's ridiculous.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 138 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the 1 cup oats, 1 cup rice krispies, 2 servings vanilla protein powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt
Warm up the 1 cup almond butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to mix.
Pour into the bowl with the ½ cup honey,2 teaspoons vanilla extracta, and1½ teaspoons cinnamon . Mix well.
Adjust texture with 1-2 teaspoons of honey or melted coconut oil.
Scoop onto a lined baking sheet or into an airtight container.

Notes

Storage:

Room temp in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 46mgPotassium: 130mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

4 Ingredient Guacamole

Make the best 4 ingredients guacamole in just minutes! Fresh, creamy, and irresistibly simple-perfect for tacos, parties, or healthy snacking.

Disclaimer: this is NOT fancy guac. It is my ride at dawn, make it fast so I can inhale it guac. This guac is made for after school snacks and just give me the chips I had a bad day at work guac. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not, it just comes in and gets the job done.

The benefit of guacamole with 4 ingredients is that it's very accessible (no need to run to the store bc you forgot cilantro) and the avocado flavor absolutely shines. Put it on top of Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, with chips or toast, or in a burrito with Homemade Tortillas and black beans (instant pot).

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: The garlic, salt, and lime are the shiny stars of this show.
Ease: Mash up the avocados and add the seasonings! No cooking, fancy ingredients, or avocado pits involved.
Time: 5 minutes. Or less if you're motivated. That's it!

📝 Ingredient Notes

Labeled ingredients for guacamole on metal pan.

Seasonings - I picked the ones that pack the most punch. Salt and garlic. There are sooo many others you can add (pepper flakes, ground pepper, onion powder, etc.) but for easiness' sake, I chose these because they have the essential flavor needed for half decent guac.
Avocados - you can technically use frozen or avocado spread ready made from the store. I prefer fresh avocado so the guacamole has some texture when mashed.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Variations (also 4 Ingredients)

Avocado + lime + salt + pico de gallo (pre-made or store bought)
Avocado + lime + salt + minced garlic (or onion).
Avocado + lime + salt + cilantro!

🧑‍🍳 Step-by Step Instructions

Step 1. Slice and peel avocados and place in bowl. Mash to into desired texture. I like to leave some pieces so it's not super smooth. Chunky is the way to go!

Step 2. Add in the salt and garlic.

Squeezing lime juice into bowl of mashed avocados.

Step 3. Add lime juice! Start with a little and add more to taste.

Step 4. Serve! Refrigerate for up to 3 days, make sure to cover with plastic wrap and press flat so it's touching guac with no air pockets.

You can try the base mixture of avocado + salt + lime and experiment with a different 4th ingredient like pico, cilantro, pepper, jalapeńo, pesto sauce, etc. Let me know in the comments which you prefer!

What to Eat with Easy Guac

When minimal wins: with tortilla chips or veggies, on toast or with eggs.
When to make it fancier: on tacos with beans and Cilantro Lime Brown Rice and Mexican grilled chicken , or in a layered dip.

📌 Troubleshooting

If guac is bland: fix by adding a little more salt, garlic, or lime.
Browning: best short-term fixes (press plastic wrap on surface, add extra lime).

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best 4 ingredients guacamole for avocado that's not perfectly ripe?

A couple of options here.
1. Buy avocado spread from the store.
2. Place avocados in a plastic or paper bag and leave at room temp for a couple of days until they are ripe.

Can I freeze 4-ingredient guacamole and how do I restore it?

Yes!
To freeze: Place in an airtight container with plasticwrap placed directly on the guac with no air bubbles.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temp for a couple of hours. Stir and add a little lime juice before serving.

☀️ More Easy Summer Snack Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

4 Ingredient Guacamole

Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack

The EASIEST 4 ingredient guacamole that only takes 5 minutes to make! Avocado, lime, garlic, and salt are all you need for the fastest guac ever.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Servings

Calories 160 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 4 ripe avocados
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 2 Tablespoons lime juice

Instructions

Slice and peel avocados and place in bowl. Mash to into desired texture.
Add in the salt and garlic and stir.
Add lime juice! Start with a little and add more to taste.
Serve! Put on all the chips or use as a taco or toast topping.

Notes

Refrigerate for up to 3 days, make sure to cover with plastic wrap and press flat so it's touching guac with no air pockets.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 291mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.04mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Peaches and Cream Oatmeal

Creamy peach oatmeal with brown sugar is a dreamy morning dish with late summer and fall vibes. Simple creamy oatmeal that takes less than 10 minutes!

If you're a fan of Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats and all things fall, this is for you bestie. This recipe can use fresh, canned, or frozen peaches, it's up to you. We LOVE to use fresh peaches in season! This is a single serving recipe that can easily be doubled or more made to feed a crowd.

Bowl of cooked oatmeal with peaches and brown sugar on top.

You can make this on the stove, in the microwave, or overnight. So easy to customize! We love to add a pat of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a sprinkle of cinnamon to make them even MORE delicious. With added homemade greek yogurt for creaminess and protein powder (if you want), this has the potential to be a healthy high protein breakfast or dessert!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Taste: Think homemade, less chemicals version of the nostalgic Quaker oats peaches and cream oatmeal. Brown sugary, creamy, and just nice. I kept it simple on purpose! You can always add your favorite toppings to make it more fancy.
Ease: Super easy stove top recipe, can also be done in the microwave.
Time: 5-10 minutes start to finish to cook the oats and prep the peaches. It is quick and delicious! My favorite.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for peaches and cream oatmeal in glass dishes on metal pan.

Peaches - fresh in season peaches are the star of the show, frozen or canned also work and taste delicious.
Oats - old fashioned regular oats work best! Quick or instant oats get pretty gummy in my opinion, but you do you. I will say that if you make them overnight, be sure to use regular old fashioned.
Plain Greek yogurt - this adds protein and makes the oats extra creamy! Cooking the oats with water rather than milk helps them cook faster, the yogurt is the best addition to make them a custard- like texture, and the cream (or milk) on top is luxurious.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions

Vegan - use a non dairy yogurt and plant based milk to make the oatmeal creamy.
Lower sugar - substitute the brown sugar for a few drops of stevia.
Add 1-2 Tablespoons of your favorite vanilla protein powder for even more protein.
Maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey are all fantastic natural sweeteners.

🍑 Variations

Caramelize the peaches on the stovetop with a Tablespoon of butter for 5 minutes before adding to the oatmeal for a lovely flavor pop.
Make it cinnamon spice! Add a pinch or two of cinnamon and nutmeg for a cozy little cinnamon peach oatmeal.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cooked oatmeal with vanilla, brown sugar, and greek yogurt in glass bowls nearby.

Step 1. In a microwave safe cereal bowl, combine the oats, water, and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 2 minutes until cooked through. Watch to make sure it doesn't boil over! I like to put a plate under the bowl just in case to catch any boiled over oats. If you're doubling the recipe, just do it on the stove top, it's easier to do more oatmeal that way!

Cooked oatmeal with greek yogurt and vanilla in bowl.

Step 2. Add in the greek yogurt to make the oats creamy, then the vanilla, and stir well. Optional: add in 1-2 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder now too.

Step 3. Add in your toppings! Brown sugar stirred in and/or on top, chopped peaches, and/or a lil drizzle of honey. A little bit of heavy cream or milk poured on top last is the finishing touch that makes the oatmeal LOVELY. We love to add a pat of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a sprinkle of cinnamon to make them even MORE delicious.

🧑‍🍳 Overnight & Stovetop versions

Overnight oats: Substitute milk for water and mix all ingredients together except peaches. Rest refrigerated overnight and serve with peaches on top. Makes a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert!
Stovetop: Instead of microwaving oats, cook on the stovetop and simmer for 2-3 minutes until oats are cooked through. Remove from heat and follow rest of recipe as directed. If I'm making more than one serving, I make them on the stove. I use a similar base to this one and cook it on the stove top for mango coconut oatmeal.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these into peaches and cream overnight oats?

Yes! Simply combine all ingredients, stir, and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. You can serve with peaches on top in the morning or put the peaches in the night before, your choice.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes! Make the oatmeal ahead of time and refrigerate up to 5 days, then pop in the microwave with a Tablespoon or two of milk and add the toppings when ready to serve.

😋 More Yumazing Oatmeal Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Hi, I'm Sara!

Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.

Read about Sara

Why You'll Love This Recipe

🛒 Key Ingredients

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

📌 Troubleshooting

❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

❓Frequently Asked Questions

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Ingredients 1x2x3x

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Instructions

For the cookie dough:

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Nutrition

Hi, I'm Sara!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

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Hi, I'm Sara!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

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Ingredients 1x2x3x

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Hi, I'm Sara!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

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Hi, I'm Sara!

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