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Orange Glaze for Ham

This is a super easy Orange Glaze for ham, with orange juice concentrate, orange zest, brown sugar, and a little seasoning to make it extra delicious!

Orange juice ham glaze is a simple mixture made to drizzle over baked ham, it's on the sweet side and it tastes divine served with Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls and Honey Butter Spread.

Spoon drizzling orange glaze over cooked ham on platter.

Store bought glaze packets are fine, but why use ready made with preservatives when you can make a ham glaze with fresh orange juice? Delicious! We love to use orange ham glaze for Easter and Christmas especially.

Some of our favorite vegetables to serve with ham with orange juice glaze are Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Carrots or Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, which both are made on the stovetop in 15-20 minutes and don't take up valuable oven space!

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What To Expect

  • Taste: Bright and zesty orange flavor, with a hint of cinnamon.
  • Ease: It's only a few ingredients, and easy to mix up towards the end of a ham baking. Beginner level glaze.
  • Time: Takes less than 5 minutes to whip up the glaze! And a couple of hours to roast a ham depending on it's size.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for orange ham glaze in glass bowls on metal pan.
  • Oranges - orange juice concentrate gives the most flavor, along with the orange juice and orange zest.
  • Cinnamon - adds a little festive spin to the glaze, makes it perfect for Easter or Christmas!
  • Brown Sugar - used for flavor, is easy to swap out with other sweeteners.
  • Herbs - fresh rosemary, thyme, or sage are lovely as garnish on the sides, but completely optional.
  • Spiral cut ham - we usually use a precooked spiral cut ham that only needs warming in the oven or slow cooker. Bone-in ham may need more time to cook, especially if it's a larger ham.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • You can switch out brown sugar with honey, coconut sugar, or pure maple syrup as the sweetener for a slightly different flavor. Maple orange glazed ham is delicious, we've done that version a few times!
  • Cinnamon and cloves have been our favorite combination, but ginger, nutmeg, or allspice is also nice in place of the cloves.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Make sure to preheat your oven to 350℉ and prepare a roasting pan big enough for the ham.

Cooked unglazed ham in white baking dish.
  1. Step 1. Cook ham according to directions, usually 2-3 hours at 350℉ to reach an internal temperature of 160℉ with ½ cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan if needed.

Generally, a good guideline to follow is 10 minutes per pound of meat at 350 ℉ (as long as it is completely thawed) which is listed on reheating instructions listed on the ham packaging for precooked ham.

Orange zest, brown sugar, orange juice in metal cooking pan.
  1. Step 2. During the last 30-40 minutes of the ham cooking, make the glaze.In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for the glaze and whisk together. Bring to a boil over mediuim heat and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.
Pouring orange glaze over cooked ham in glass baking dish.
  1. Step 3. During the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, drizzle or brush glaze generously over ham using a pastry brush or meat injector.
Orange glazed ham on white platter with fresh rosemary.
  1. Step 4. Let ham cook for remaining 30 minutes to let the glaze caramelize a little. You can use any remaininng glaze to brush over ham right before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  •  Orange glaze can be used on any size or type of ham. If you have glaze leftover, you can store it covered in the fridge, for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months. 
  • A 3 pound spiral cut ham will use about half of the glaze. 
  • Careful not to overheat the ham, it dries out pretty easily. Follow cooking instructions that come on the package, and make sure it's completely defrosted if it has been frozen so the cooking times are accurate.
Glass pitcher of orange glaze on marble countertop.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do you glaze a ham before or after baking?

Towards the end of baking is best, so the sugars in the glaze don't burn. During the last 30 or so minutes of cooking, brush the glaze over the ham for maximum flavor!

How to thicken ham glaze?

This glaze has a little bit of cornstarch mixed in, but you can always add a bit more before glazing the ham or simmer the glaze on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes to reduce it and thicken it naturally.

How to make a honey and orange glaze for ham?

Easy! You can switch out the brown sugar in this recipe for honey.

When you glaze a ham do you leave it uncovered?

Yes, You want the glaze to caramelize a little bit and it does that best uncovered in the oven or roaster oven.

Can orange glazed ham be made in a crock pot?

Yes! You can cook it on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours depending on the size of the ham. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 160℉ to be safe to eat.

🎉 More Easy Holiday Recipes

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

Spoon drizzling orange glaze over cooked ham on platter.

Orange Glaze for Ham

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
I made a super easy Orange Glaze for ham, with orange juice concentrate, orange zest, brown sugar, and a little seasoning to make it extra delicious!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 77 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 spiral cut ham (3 pounds will use about half of glaze)

For the glaze:

  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest (from 1-2 oranges)
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • optional: orange slices, fresh rosemary, or thyme for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook ham according to directions, 1-3 hours at 350℉ with ½ cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • During the last 30 minutes of the ham cooking, make the glaze.
    In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for the glaze and whisk together.
  • Bring to a boil over mediuim heat and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.
  • Use pastry brush or meat injector to distribute glaze over surface of ham and inside ham if using the injector.
  • Let ham cook for remaining 30 minutes to let the glaze caramelize a little.
  • You can use any remainig glaze to brush over ham right before slicing and serving with garnish around the ham. Enjoy!

Notes

  •  Orange glaze can be used on any size or type of ham. If you have glaze leftover, you can store it covered in the fridge, for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months. 
  • A 3 pound spiral cut ham will use about half of the glaze. 
  • Slow Cooker:  You can cook it on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours depending on the size of the ham. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 160℉ to be safe to eat.
Generally, a good guideline to follow is to heat for 10 minutes per pound of meat at 350 ℉ (as long as it is completely thawed) which is listed on reheating instructions listed on the ham packaging for precooked ham.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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 and Potatoes

Easy oven roasted green beans and potatoes coated in olive oil with a mixture of simple spices, baked to perfection. Ready in under an hour!

Roasted potatoes and green beans are SUPER versatile and is a great easy potato side dish for the holidays, or any weeknight dinner for that matter. It's a very forgiving recipe. We love to add cheese, chopped bacon, or onions to add more flavor and switch things up.

Baked green beans and potatoes on white plate on marble countertop.

Potatoes and green beans take 35-40 minutes to bake, and they're great served with Creamy Pepperjack Stuffed Chicken Breast and Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits, or even ham with orange glaze.

Oh, and BACON. It's a delicious addition. This is pretty similar spice mixture as Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies, but without the addition of chicken.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: Salt & pepper are the first things that you taste, then the onion and garlic.
  • Ease: It's as simple as coating the veggies in olive oil, seasonings, and then baking!
  • Time: They take 5ish minutes to prep, and 35-40 to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for green beans and potatoes on metal baking sheet.
  • Potatoes - golden baby potatoes are used for this recipe, but really almost any variety of potatoes will work.
  • Seasonings - I kept it easy and simple with salt & pepper, garlic and onion powder, and a little parsley. See the variations below for suggestions to customize it!
  • Green Beans - Use fresh or frozen (and thawed), NOT canned for this recipe. Canned beans are already fully cooked and would turn mushy.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Baby Potatoes can be switched with sweet potatoes, russet, Idaho, red, or even a mix of colored potatoes.
  • To add more flavor, add a pinch of your favorite herbs! Thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage are all herbs that would taste amazing on these veggies.
  • ADD CHEESE for more happiness. Our favorite is grated parmesan cheese on top right before serving.
  • Adding bacon or ham is a no brainer, just fry up 8-10 pieces and chop them up to crumble on top before serving.
  • Switch up the veggies - carrots, parsnips, or another root vegetable would work well in place of the potatoes. Add onions for more flavor.
  • Add lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice for a pop of flavor!
  • Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a fancy and delicious spin.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Make sure to preheat the oven to 375℉ before prepping your green beans and potatoes! I'll walk you through the steps of how to roast green beans and potatoes.

Washing potatoes and cutting them into quarters with raw green beans on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 1. Wash potatoes and green beans, slice potatoes into 1 inch quarters and snip any stems off of ends of green beans.
Pouring olive oil over raw green beans and potatoes on metal baking sheet.
  1. Step 2. Place on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and minced garlic. Toss with spoons or hands to coat the veggies in olive oil.
Spice mixture in white bowl with wire whisk.
  1. Step 3. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, onion powder, and parsley.
Sprinkling spices on metal pan of raw green beans and potatoes.
  1. Step 4. Sprinkle seasonings over all veggies, tossing to coat them evenly.
  2. Step 5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, make sure to take the veggies out at the 20 minute mark to stir them, then place them back in the oven for the last 15-20 minutes. Test with a fork for doneness.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • If you use frozen green beans, make sure to thaw them completely before baking, otherwise they won't cook properly.
  • You CAN use garlic powder, but minced garlic adds a little more moisture to the green beans and potatoes and helps prevent them getting too crispy.
Baked green beans and potatoes on white plate on marble countertop with gold fork.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make green beans and potatoes ahead?

Yes! These are super easy to bake ahead and warm up when you're ready to serve them.

How do I store potatoes and green beans?

Refrigerate: up to 5 days
Freeze: up to 3 months

What can I add to green beans for flavor?

- Basic seasonings to add more flavor are garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. You could also add more aromatic herbs like oregano, thyme, or sage.
- Balsamic glaze or lemon juice for a pop of bright acidic flavor.

Can I make these in a slow cooker?

Yes! just combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot and set it to low for 4-5 hours. Make sure to test them with a fork to make sure they're cooked through.

🍽️ More Delicious Side Dishes

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

Baked green beans and potatoes on white plate.

Green Beans and Potatoes

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Easy, oven roasted green beans and potatoes coated in olive oil with a mixture of simple spices, baked to perfection. Ready in under an hour!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 5
Calories 204 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb baby potatoes
  • 12 oz fresh green beans
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 ℉.
  • Wash potatoes and green beans, slice potatoes into 1 inch quarters and snip any stems off of ends of green beans.
  • Place on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and minced garlic. Toss with spoons or hands to coat the veggies in olive oil.
  • In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, onion powder, and parsley.
  • Sprinkle seasonings over all veggies, tossing to coat them evenly.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, make sure to take the veggies out at the 20 minute mark to stir them, then place them back in the oven for the last 15-20 minutes. Test with a fork for doneness.

Notes

Note: If using frozen green beans, make sure to thaw completely before baking, otherwise they won't be properly cooked. 
Refrigerate for up to 5 days. 
Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 478mgPotassium: 728mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 474IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes with red skin are buttery, creamy, made with 4 ingredients, and are ready in under 30 minutes! No cream needed, SUPER easy.

Red skinned mashed potatoes are great, not just because they are potatoes, my favorite vegetable. The texture from the skins make them the best! Red potatoes have a pretty thin skin, so when it's mashed into the potatoes it's not too thick. No need to peel the potatoes, just slice, boil, and mash!

Red skin mashed potatoes with butter on top in white bowl in front of red striped towel.

It's no secret that we love butter and potatoes. Boursin Twice Baked Potatoes, Easy Shepherd's Pie Stuffed Potatoes, allll of the tatoes, all of the ways. And although I love them with garlic, potatoes CAN taste amazing without it!

You can either use a potato masher or an electric mixer to make mashed potatoes with red skin, I have done both and like both versions. Using a hand held potato masher will have slightly chunkier results and is made in one pot, which we love. A stand mixer is definitely faster and a little smoother in texture. It just depends on what you prefer!

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Why I Love This Recipe

  • Taste: Buttery, salty, and creamy, with a little texture from the red potato skins.
  • Ease: Boiling the sliced potatoes in water, mashing them, and adding the extras are all it takes! No peeling or baking required.
  • Time: It takes 5-10 minutes to boil the water, and 15-20 minutes to cook the potatoes fully, and another 5 to mash them.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for red skin mashed potatoes in bowls on metal baking sheet.
  • Red potatoes - colorful, with a nice texture for mashing. With the right amount of butter and milk, they don't taste gluey but are nice and creamy.
  • Butter - I ALWAYS use salted butter in mashed potatoes. It tastes simply the best.
  • Milk - I use whole milk, no cream. It is healthier, and tastes just as delicious without all of the heavy calories.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder for garlic red skin mashed potatoes.
  • Stir in 1 cup of grated cheese. Parmesan, cheddar, asiago, or Boursin cheese are all good choices. Yum!
  • Add fresh chopped parsley on top for garnish to impress.
  • Use any plant based milk in place of the whole milk.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Washing red potatoes in bowl of water with scrub brush.
  1. Step 1. In a large pot, boil water and 1 teaspoon salt over high heat. Wash potatoes and scrub with a produce only brush (don't use a brush used for cleaning or dishes).
Slicing red potatoes on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 2. Slice potatoes into ½ inch pieces and place in pot of boiling water. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.

TIP: Adding salt to the water helps to flavor the potatoes as they're cooking, and to draw out the starch to help them be fluffy when mashed instead of gluey.

Cooked red potatoes with fork in metal pot.
  1. Step 3. Remove from heat and drain all water out of potatoes.
Butter in mixing bowl with potatoes and paddle attachment.
  1. Step 4. Use hand held potato masher or stand mixer with paddle attachment to mash potatoes with butter.
Pouring milk into mixing bowl of mashed red potatoes.
  1. Step 5. Add milk and salt last, and mix well. I like to start with half of the salt and milk and add more as needed or to taste. Optional: add garlic powder and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Scrub the potatoes with a scrub brush (one just for veggies!) don't just rinse them. There's always a little dirt on potatoes, no matter how clean they look.
  • Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for super easy and quick mashing! It takes less than a minute to make perfect potatoes.
Red skin mashed potatoes with butter on top in white bowl with gold spoon.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Are red potatoes good for mashed potatoes?

Yes! Red potatoes have thinner skins, that are nice and tender when left on. They also add color and texture to the mashed potatoes making them more southern homestyle.

Do red skin potatoes taste different?

While most potatoes taste similar, red potatoes have a sugar content in the medium range on the potato spectrum. They don't necessarily taste sweet, but have a mild flavor and thinner skin that's ideal for cooking with it left on.

What can I add to mashed potatoes to make them taste better?

Garlic, onion powder, parmesan cheese, a little more salt, and ground pepper are all good options to start with. Start with small amounts, and add more to taste.

How do I store red skin mashed potatoes?

Refrigerate: 4-5 days in an airtight container. Add a Tablespoon or two of milk when reheating to make it creamy again.
Freeze: up to 3 months

🥔 What To Serve With Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes

🍽️ More Holiday Side Dish Recipes

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

Red skin mashed potatoes with butter on top in white bowl.

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Mashed potatoes with red skin are buttery, creamy, made with 4 ingredients, and are ready in under 30 minutes! No cream needed, SUPER easy.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 175 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Liters water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 lbs red potatoes
  • ⅓ cup butter 38 g
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt 3 g
  • optional: ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, boil water and 1 teaspoon salt over high heat.
  • Wash potatoes and scrub with a produce only brush.
  • Slice potatoes into ½ inch pieces and place in pot of boiling water. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender.
  • Remove from heat and drain all water out of potatoes.
  • Use hand held potato masher or stand mixer with paddle attachment to mash potatoes with butter.
  • Add milk and salt last, and mix well. Optional: add garlic powder and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Store refrigerated for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 
When reheating, add a couple of Tablespoons of milk to help it stay creamy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 669mgPotassium: 1081mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Irish Cheddar Soda Bread

Savory, easy Irish cheddar soda bread with garlic, onions, and plenty of cheese! It's buttery, and delicious toasted or fresh from the oven.

We've tried this bread with many different types of cheese, and although a traditional Irish cheese tasted good, our very favorite was a good regular medium/sharp cheddar cheese! It's best served with a delicious soup, toasted with butter, or with Crock Pot Beef Stew and Red Skin Mashed Potatoes.

Baked cheese Irish soda bread in cast iron pan.

I love that this is a no yeast bread (quick bread) and that it's done in less than an hour. It's an Irish soda bread without buttermilk, it uses a substitute made with milk and vinegar instead. A little acid is necessary to activate the baking soda and make the bread fluffy!

This is a great side dish or snack for St. Patrick's day with slow cooker cabbage with ham, or another savory dish like Irish poutine with bacon. It's so easy to mix up and bake. The loaf was gone so quickly, especially when it was slathered in Irish Kerrygold butter.

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Why This Recipe Works

  • Size - This loaf of cheesy soda bread is small enough to bake in a decent amount of time.
  • Taste: Cheese, garlic, and onion are the main flavors. You do get a little salt and the texture is like a drop biscuit in bread form.
  • Ease: Mixing the butter into the dry ingredients, then adding the flavor-filled cheese & onions and the wet ingredients! No mixer required, this is a beginner friendly recipe!
  • Time: It takes less than 10 minutes to mix up the simple soda bread dough and then 45-50 minutes to bake. I'd say less than an hour total if you preheat the oven before starting to mix the dough.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for irish cheddar soda bread.
  • Cheese - Use your favorite cheddar! When tested, regular cheddar was voted #1. Other tested cheeses were Kerrygold, an Irish cheese brand that's pretty easy to find in the USA. We tried the Dubliner Irish Cheese and the Irish Reserve cheddar, and they are both a stronger, sharper tasting cheese. If you like those, you'll like them in the bread. If you don't (or you have picky children), use a regular tried and true cheddar cheese and you can't go wrong.
  • Garlic - minced is used but garlic powder would work just fine! Just make sure to use half the amount.
  • Onion - needed for a little color and flavor. It's delicious.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Green onions can be swapped out with chives, shallots, or a sweet onion variety like yellow or white.
  • Butter can be switched with coconut oil or shortening for a dairy-free Irish soda bread.
  • Any plant-based milk can be used in place of the whole milk used in the recipe.
  • You could replace half of the milk with plain greek yogurt or sour cream.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

It's super easy to learn how to make Irish soda bread. You can always leave out the extras like the onions and cheese and this is a really good basic Irish soda bread recipe.

Don't forget to turn on the oven to preheat to 375℉! You can use a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or a 9 inch cast iron pan to bake the loaf in.

Milk and dish of vinegar on marble countertop.
  1. Step 1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together milk and vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.
Egg in cup of milk with whisk.
  1. Step 2. Add egg to milk mixture and whisk well.
Butter in flour mixture in white bowl.
  1. Step 3. In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and butter. Crumble butter with hands or a fork into the flour mixture until it's in pea sized pieces.
Chopped cheese and green onion on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 4. Mince onions and chop cheese into small pieces, about ¼ inch cubes (about .5 cm).
Cheese, garlic, and green onion in flour in white bowl.
  1. Step 5. Add the onions, cheese, and garlic to the flour mixture.
Pouring milk into dry ingredients in white bowl.
  1. Step 6. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
Ball of unbaked dough for cheddar irish soda bread.
  1. Step 7. Once the dough is formed, knead about 10 times, making sure that all flour pockets are gone. Gently form into a ball, use extra flour if you need to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
Cut raw irish soda bread in cast iron pan.
  1. Step 8. Place the dough ball in cast iron frying pan (or prepared baking sheet) and cut a cross ¼ inch deep into the top of the loaf using a knife.
  2. Bake for 45-55 min, until internal temperature of the loaf is 200℉. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Use an instant-read thermometer to test the internal temp of the loaf before pulling it out of the oven. It's so handy and it helps to make sure the loaf is baked all the way through!
  • Chopping the cheese into cubes is how we liked it best, but you can use grated cheese as long as they are the large grated pieces, not finely grated. Otherwise the cheese kind of melts into the dough.
  • If using garlic powder, remember to use half the amount called for in the recipe.
Sliced cheddar soda bread on wood cutting board.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make soda bread without buttermilk?

Yes! It's the acid that reacts to the baking soda, so as long as you replace it with a different acid you don't need buttermilk. I use a mixture of milk and vinegar as a buttermilk substitute, since I don't buy and use buttermilk frequently.

How are you supposed to eat Irish soda bread?

We like it best toasted with butter as a snack or served alongside a delicious dinner like soup and potatoes.

Do you warm up Irish soda bread?

Yes! It can be eaten at room temperature, but toasting it with butter brings out the delicious flavors and melty cheese.

🥖 More Easy Bread Recipes

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

Baked cheese Irish soda bread in cast iron pan.

Irish Cheddar Soda Bread

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Savory, easy Irish cheddar soda bread with garlic, onions, and plenty of cheese! It's buttery, and delicious toasted or fresh from the oven.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Irish
Servings 6
Calories 368 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup milk 240 mL
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar 5 mL
  • 1 large egg
  • 3¼ cups all purpose flour 455 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 8 g
  • ¾ teaspoon salt 4 g
  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter 56 g
  • 2-3 green onion stalks (¼ cup or 30g chopped)
  • 4 oz cheddar cheese 115 g
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic 11 g

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Prepare a 9 inch cast iron pan with baking spray or a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together milk and vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.
  • Add egg to milk mixture and whisk well.
  • In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and butter. Crumble butter with hands or a fork into the flour mixture until it's in pea sized pieces.
  • Mince onions and chop cheese into small pieces, about ¼ inch cubes (about .5 cm).
  • Add the onions, cheese, and garlic to the flour mixture.
  • Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
  • Once the dough is formed, knead about 10 times, making sure that all flour pockets are gone. Gently form into a ball, use flour if you need to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
  • Place the dough ball in cast iron frying pan (or prepared baking sheet) and cut a cross ¼ inch deep into the top of the loaf using a knife.
  • Bake for 45-55 min, until internal temperature of loaf is 200℉. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

NOTE: 4 oz is the minimum amount of cheese. We enjoyed adding more! 
If you use garlic powder in place of fresh garlic, remember to use half the amount called for in the recipe. 
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 14gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 538mgPotassium: 187mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Fruity Pebble Rice Crispy Treats

It's your favorite fruity pebble rice crispy treats recipe, with gooey marshmallows and a fun white chocolate drizzle on top!

It's fun to make rainbow rice krispie treats in March for St. Patricks Day, but we end up making these year round because we love them so much, just like Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats. There really is no seasonal constraint for these, make them when you want bestie.

Spatula with slice of fruity pebble rice crispy treat.

These are some of the EASIEST treats to make for St. Patricks day or Christmas, and they are always a huge hit with the kids. My children (and husband) love anything remotely sweet so they ate this entire pan in an afternoon. I like that they're no bake, and are easy to gift to friends, just like edible sugar cookie dough (safe, no egg).

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What To Expect

  • Taste: Buttery, gooey, with a pinch of salt to balance out all the sweet. (They are very fruity sweet tasting). The white chocolate drizzle on top makes them a little more fancy, especially with some fun sprinkles!
  • Ease: Beginner recipe, no bake, SUPER easy.
  • Time: It takes 5 minutes to whip up the rice crispy treats, then another 20-30 minutes to set.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients or fruity pebble rice crispy treats in glass bowls.
  • Fruity Pebbles - mainly an American cereal, shaped just like Rice Krispy cereal, with a fruity flavor and rainbow colors.
  • Marshmallows - use mini marshmallows, they melt much quicker than the full size ones!
  • Butter - I ALWAYS used salted butter in my recipes, it just tastes so much better.
  • White chocolate - I use regular white chocolate chips for the chocolate drizzle, it doesn't have to be super special high quality as long as you melt them correctly!

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • You could use cocoa pebbles in place of the fruity pebbles for a fun chocolate version!
  • Add different colored sprinkles or melted chocolate to the top.
  • Add colored marshmallows at the end for a rainbow marshmallow twist.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Marshmallows and butter in red pot.
  1. Step 1. In a large pot over low/medium heat, melt butter. Remove 1 cup of marshmallows and set aside. Add remaining marshmallows to the pot of melted butter. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until everything is completely melted.
Melted marshmallows and butter with vanilla.
  1. Step 2. Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.
Fruity pebbles in marshmallow mixture in red pot.
  1. Step 3. Add in fruity pebbles and carefully stir with a rubber spatula to combine everything.
Marshallows in fruity pebble mixture in red pot with rubber spatula.
  1. Step 4. Add the reserved cup of marshmallows. Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 inch pan to set. Press on mixture until it's evenly distributed in the pan. You can spray your spatula with baking spray to help it not to stick to the crispy treats as you spread them flat.
White chocolate chips in zip close bag.
  1. Step 5. Place the white chocolate chips into a disposable piping bag or sandwich bag, and microwave for 15-second increments until melted, mixing between each.
Fruity pebble rice crispies with white chocolate drizzle.
  1. Step 6. Snip the tip of the bag and drizzle white chocolate over rice crispy treats. Optional: sprinkle with fun rainbow sprinkles! Let chocolate set for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Make sure to save marshmallows to put in at the end! It makes nice little gooey marshmallow pockets throughout the rice crispy treats.
  • Vanilla & a pinch of salt are a MUST with this treat.
  • Use FRESH marshmallows. Or if you use older ones that are dried out use a little less cereal, the moisture content in the marshmallows makes a difference in how soft the rice krispie treats are.
Slice of fruity pebble crispy treats with white chocolate drizzle on top.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long do decorated rice Krispie treats last?

Room temperature: 4-5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: up to 3 months, separate with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

What are some decorating ideas for rice krispie treats?

• White chocolate drizzle
• Sprinkles
• Chocolate chips
• Colored marshmallows
• By holiday, different colored m&m's, candy corn, Cadbury eggs, etc.

How far ahead can I make rice crispy treats?

You can make them up to 5 days in advance, they are best eaten within 3 days however. They can get a little stale tasting after that, unless they are frozen.

🍪 More Easy & Delicious Treats

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

Spatula with slice of fruity pebble rice crispy treat.

Fruity Pebble Rice Crispy Treats

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
It's your favorite fruity pebble rice krispie treats recipe, with gooey marshmallows and a fun white chocolate drizzle on top!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Setting Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 106 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  •  In a large pot over low/medium heat, melt butter. Remove 1 cup of marshmallows from bag and set aside.
    Add remaining marshmallows to the pot of melted butter. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until everything is completely melted.
  • Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.
  •  Add in fruity pebbles and carefully stir with a rubber spatula to combine everything.
  •  Add the reserved cup of marshmallows. Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 inch pan to set. Press on mixture until it's evenly distributed in the pan.
  •  Place the white chocolate chips into a disposable piping bag or sandwich bag, and microwave for 15-second increments until melted, mixing between each. It usually takes 2-3 rounds.
  • Snip the tip of the bag and drizzle white chocolate over rice crispy treats. Optional: sprinkle with fun rainbow sprinkles! Let chocolate set for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Store at room temperature for up to 5 days (best eaten within 3 days). 
Freeze for up to 3 months, separate with parchment paper to prevent sticking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 514IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Spring Roll Salad

This is a cold chopped spring roll salad FULL of vibrant rainbow veggies, shrimp (or chicken), and a zippy ginger lime dressing.

This could be a light stand-alone meal on its own, it's a healthy protein-filled salad with a tart Asian-inspired ginger vinaigrette and the prettiest colors from the veggies. This is more of a veggie slaw, since there isn't actually lettuce in the salad. It actually is BETTER the next day when all of the flavors blend and soak into the veggies!

Chopped veggies in white bowl with cooked shrimp over bed of noodles.

Vibrant salads are a love of mine, another favorite is Golden Beet Salad with Balsamic Miso Dressing, also with lots of beautiful colors and veggies.

This recipe was tested with several veggie combinations, with and without different lettuce types, pre-cooked shrimp, rice noodles, and different dressings like a Thai peanut dressing and a spicy version, and THIS was the best one. Its crunch and texture held up after a day or two of refrigeration, has a light and fresh dressing, and the shrimp is definitely a must.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: The ginger lime dressing is the dominant flavor, and the textures come from the crunchy peppers, purple cabbage, perfectly cooked shrimp, and nice little edamame beans.
  • Ease: Beginner level! Cooking the shrimp, and assembling the salad and dressing are pretty easy and straightforward.
  • Time: It takes about 5 minutes to cook the shrimp and 5-10 minutes to prep and assemble the rest of the salad.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for spring roll salad on metal pan in glass bowls.
  • Shrimp - I used medium sized, peeled, tail OFF shrimp. The recipe was tested with both frozen pre-cooked shrimp and raw shrimp (cooked for the salad) and it was MUCH better in texture and taste. Take it from me, buy the raw shrimp and cook it yourself! It only takes a few extra minutes and tastes so much better!
  • Peppers - All the colored peppers for this salad! I used red and yellow, but any color of bell pepper would work.
  • Purple Cabbage - This recipe only uses 1.5 cups, but it holds up well and keeps its crunch even when refrigerated for a couple of days.
  • Edamame- adds a little color, texture, and protein to the salad along with fiber.
  • Sesame Oil - more flavorful than olive oil (a good substitute if you don't have sesame oil), and is used as a base for the ginger lime dressing.
  • Sauces - soy sauce for the much needed salt and savory taste, rice vinegar for acidity along with the lime juice, and sweet Thai chili sauce is optional but DELICIOUS.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Rotisserie chicken in place of shrimp is an excellent substitute, no cooking involved!
  • Add peanuts, crunchy chow mein noodles, sesame seeds, or any toppings you'd like!
  • Want it spicy? Add a fresh chopped jalapeño, or chili oil, or a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the ginger lime dressing.
  • Veggies - so many options here. You could add avocados, cucumbers, bean sprouts, or lettuce, just to name a few.
  • Olive oil - works really well as a substitute for the sesame oil.
  • Cilantro - Not everyone loves cilantro, I get it. Mint or Thai basil are a good switch.
  • Serve on a bed of rice noodles or cooked rice to add a little body to the salad.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cooked shrimp with lime in frying pan.
  1. Step 1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add thawed shrimp to frying pan with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until pink and no longer translucent. Remove from heat and sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon lime juice, then let cool to at least room temperature.
Chopped vegetables with knife on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 2. Wash and prepare the vegetables: slice the purple cabbage and bell peppers thinly, into 1-2 inch slices. Green onions and cilantro should be chopped small.
Rainbow veggies in white bowl with shrimp.
  1. Step 3. In a salad bowl, combine all veggies: sliced purple cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, edamame, cilantro, and green onion.
Ingredients for ginger lime dressing in white bowl.
  1. Step 4. In a small bowl make the dressing: whisk together 2-3 Tablespoons lime juice, sesame (or olive) oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, and Thai sweet chili sauce.
Pouring ginger lime dressing into white bowl of chopped veggies and cooked shrimp.
  1. Step 5. Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss, making sure dressing covers all veggies. 
Chopped veggies in white bowl with cooked shrimp and lime.
  1. Step 6. Optional: sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped peanuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve, flavors are best after a few hours infusing into the veggies. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Use rotisserie chicken or tofu in place of shrimp if you're short on time.
  • Serve over a bed of rice noodles. Yum!
  • Refrigerate for a few hours before serving so the flavors can blend and soak into the veggies.
  • Mix together the salad without the dressing if you want to make it ahead and keep the veggies crisp, and toss with the dressing the day of.
Assembled spring roll salad in small white bowl with sesame seeds.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long does spring roll salad last?

Since there's no lettuce, it stays fresh for up to 3 days refrigerated with the dressing in it.

Can I use chicken or tofu?

Yes! We like to switch it up and use grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken in place of the shrimp sometimes.

Can this be made ahead?

Yes, it actually tastes BETTER when made ahead or overnight and the flavors can blend.

Have you made this with Thai peanut dressing?

Yes, and it was pretty strong and heavy for the salad. If you want to add a Tablespoon or two of creamy peanut butter to the dressing and try it, let me know how you like it.
You can always add chopped peanuts for a nice crunchy topping, we preferred that to making it with peanut dressing.

How can I make spring roll salad spicy?

Add a fresh chopped jalapeño, or chili oil, or a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the ginger lime dressing.

🥗 More Delicious Veggie Recipes

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

Chopped veggies in white bowl with cooked shrimp over bed of noodles.

Spring Roll Salad

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
This is a chopped spring roll salad FULL of vibrant rainbow veggies, shrimp (or chicken), and a zippy ginger lime dressing.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 5
Calories 274 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 oz small or medium raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tail off thawed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1.5 cups sliced purple cabbage 128 g
  • 1 medium red bell pepper about 140 g
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper about 140 g
  • 1 cup slivered carrots 77 g
  • 1.5 cups edamame 217 g (peeled)
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion 18 g

For the Ginger Lime dressing

  • 4 Tablespoons lime juice (1-2 limes)
  • 3 Tablespoons sesame or olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon minced ginger or ginger paste
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon sweet chili sauce (optional)
  • optional: chopped cucumbers, peanuts, mint, rotisserie chicken, sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add thawed shrimp to frying pan with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until pink and no longer translucent.
    Remove from heat and sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon lime juice, then let cool to at least room temperature.
  • Wash and prepare the vegetables: slice the purple cabbage and bell peppers thinly, into 1-2 inch slices. Green onions and cilantro should be chopped small.
  • In a salad bowl, combine all veggies: sliced purple cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, edamame, cilantro, and green onion.
  • In a small bowl make the dressing: whisk together 2-3 Tablespoons lime juice, sesame (or olive) oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, and Thai sweet chili sauce.
  • Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss, making sure dressing covers all veggies. Optional: sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped peanuts.
    Refrigerate until ready to serve, flavors are best after a few hours infusing into the veggies. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: flavors are best after letting the salad rest for a few hours or overnight refrigerated. 
Store refrigerated: up to 3 days. 
Freezing not recommended. 

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 20gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 577mgPotassium: 683mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5478IUVitamin C: 96mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Sourdough Discard Cornbread

Sourdough discard cornbread is a delicious recipe that uses unfed sourdough discard to make a moist and buttery cornbread baked in under 30 minutes!

Best served with my easy Homemade Honey Butter Recipe, or just plain butter on top! We absolutely love it with easy crockpot turkey chili too.

Drizzling honey over buttered cornbread slices.

No need to wait overnight making cornbread with sourdough discard, the discards' purpose is to add flavor and keep the cornbread nice and moist! This recipe uses ½ cup. Baking powder is used as the main rising agent in the recipe, with a little help from the acidic discard, just like in my other sourdough discard recipes like Banana Sourdough Muffins.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: A good balance of sweet and savory, it definitely needs a little more sugar to balance out the acidity from the discard.
  • Ease: Beginner-level! Mix the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients, then bake!
  • Time: It takes less than 10 minutes to prep the sourdough cornbread batter, and about 30 minutes to bake.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for sourdough discard cornbread on metal baking sheet in glass dishes.
  • Cornmeal - I use yellow cornmeal, not to be confused with maiz or cream of wheat, which can look similar.
  • Sourdough discard- I usually use cold unfed discard straight from the fridge, but active fed sourdough discard would work as well! Just make sure it's measured by weight, because when it's full of air bubbles it can measure out differently by volume.
  • Milk - helps with flavor and to keep the cornbread nice and moist.
  • Brown Sugar - because of the extra liquid in the recipe (discard) I opted for sugar instead of a liquid sweetener like honey. The brown sugar gives more flavor than white sugar and tastes delicious.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • You can replace half of the milk with sour cream, plant based milk, or plain greek yogurt, like in my Honey Butter Cornbread, which is also nice and moist!
  • Brown Sugar - can be switched with honey or pure maple syrup.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Eggs, melted butter, milk, and sourdough discard in white bowl with rubber spatula.
  1. Step 1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, sourdough discard, eggs, and melted butter.
Brown sugar in wet ingredients in white bowl.
  1. Step 2. Add in the brown sugar and mix well.
Cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder over wet ingredients with whisk in white bowl.
  1. Step 3. On top of the wet ingredients add cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
Pouring raw cornbread batter into metal baking dish.
  1. Step 4. Mix until combined, all flour pockets should be gone. Don't overmix. Transfer to prepared 9x9 inch baking dish.
Smoothing out raw cornbread batter in baking dish.
  1. Step 5. Make sure batter is smoothed on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Line your baking dish with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
  • Bake on a middle or higher shelf so the bottom of the cornbread doesn't get too brown, sometimes baking at a high temp can caramelize the sugar in the batter in darker pans so baking on a higher shelf helps!
  • Weigh your ingredients! It's always easier to get more consistent results with a kitchen scale.
Sliced discard cornbread on parchment paper.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use cornmeal with sourdough starter?

It is possible to feed starter with gluten-free flours and ferment cornmeal, although I have not tried it. Discard or starter can definitely be used in recipes with another flour however.

How long does Sourdough discard cornbread last?

Room temperature: 3 days in an airtight container.
Frozen: 3 months in a freezer safe container.

Can I use honey instead of brown sugar in cornbread?

Yes! It's easy to substitute the sweetener with honey, coconut sugar, or even pure maple syrup.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes! Make sure to bake in a 9x13 inch pan at 375℉ for 50-55 minutes, making sure to test for doneness with an inserted toothpick and making sure it comes out clean. 
 

🥣 More Sourdough Discard Recipes

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

Drizzling honey over buttered cornbread slices.

Sourdough Discard Cornbread

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Sourdough discard cornbread is a delicious recipe that uses unfed sourdough discard to make a moist and buttery cornbread baked in under 30 minutes!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 168 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1¼ cups milk 295 mL
  • ½ cup fed or unfed sourdough discard 135 g
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup melted butter 80 g
  • ½ cup brown sugar 105 g
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal 155 g
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour 200 g
  • ½ teaspoon salt 4 g
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder 14 g

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 ℉ and prepare a 9x9 inch baking dish with baking spray or parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, sourdough discard, eggs, and melted butter.
  • Add in the brown sugar and mix well.
  • On top of the wet ingredients add cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  • Mix until combined, all flour pockets should be gone. Don't overmix.
  • Transfer to baking pan and smooth out.
    Bake for 20-25 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Note: If doubling the recipe, make sure to bake in a 9x13 inch pan, and bake at 375℉ for 50-55 minutes, making sure to test for doneness with an inserted toothpick and making sure it comes out clean. 
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 179IUCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Creamy Italian Crock Pot Chicken

Easy creamy Italian chicken in a crock pot, saucy enough to serve with pasta and packed with flavor and tender chicken.

We are very much an easy chicken dinner family, it just seems like we have it often. Crockpot Italian chicken pasta is best served with something like a beet and feta salad, steamed veggies, or Soft Fluffy French Bread.

Cooked crockpot italian chicken on white plate with gold fork.

Creamy crock pot chicken and noodles is made to be easy, NOT gourmet. We like it because it takes 5 minutes to dump into the slow cooker and I don't think about it until dinner time. It's made with delicious but not necessarily healthy things, just like my Chicken Crescent Roll Ups. If it helps, we do usually eat it with whole wheat noodles or high protein noodles, there are also some really good gluten free varieties.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: Creamy, with Italian seasoning. You get a little tartness from the Italian dressing, but the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup balance it out nicely.
  • Ease: This is SO SIMPLE. Put everything in the slow cooker, let it cook, then make the pasta right before you're ready to serve.
  • Time: 5 minutes prep time, 3-4 hours for the chicken to cook on high, and 5-6 hours on low. About 10 minutes to make the pasta.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for crockpot italian chicken in glass bowls on metal pan.
  • Chicken - I prefer to use chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs because they shred easily when cooked in the slow cooker.
  • Italian Dressing - use whichever brand is your favorite! We usually use a store brand or the Olive Garden brand.
  • Italian Dressing Mix - this is a powdered spice mix usually found in the salad dressing isle of grocery stores.
  • Milk - needed to help thin out the sauce, dilute the strong flavors, and add creaminess to the chicken. Just make sure to add it at the END so it doesn't separate and curdle as it cooks.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Cream Cheese - you can use full fat, ⅓ fat, or fat free.
  • Italian Dressing - I usually use a store brand or the Olive Garden Italian Dressing, but if you have a favorite kind, use it! There are many light and fat free versions that work well.
  • Cream of Chicken Soup - you can use gluten free, low sodium, or fat free versions, they all work fine.
  • Use milk of choice! We use dairy, but any plant-based milk will work as well.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup, italian dressing, and raw chicken in black crockpot.
  1. Step 1. In a slow cooker, combine raw chicken, cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup, Itialian dressing mix, and your favorite brand of Italian salad dressing.
Two forks shredding cooked italian chicken in crockpot.
  1. Step 2. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Mix together the sauce and shred the chicken in the crock pot with 2 forks.
Pouring milk into crockpot of cooked chicken.
  1. Step 3. Add milk and stir well. Add more milk (or pasta water if desired) to thin as needed for sauce.
Pouring uncooked pasta into pot of water.
  1. Step 4. Make pasta as directed on package. Serve Italian chicken over pasta and optionally sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Make sure you taste your sauce before serving. You might want to add more milk or pasta water to thin out the sauce and dilute the flavor a bit, it can be a bit strong at first with all of the spices in the dressing mix.
  • Make ahead by putting everything in the crockpot the night before, put the lid on, and just put the insert with lid in the fridge overnight so I can put it straight in the slow cooker in the morning and cook away!
Cooked crockpot italian chicken on white plate with parmesan cheese.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes! As long as it cooks to the proper temperature (165 ℉ at least) it's just fine to use raw chicken in slow cooker recipes. This recipe cooks well past that threshold.

What to serve with crockpot Italian Chicken

- Salad
- Steamed or roasted veggies
- Over rice, cauliflower rice, or veggie noodles
- Homemade Yeast Rolls or homemade soft french bread

How do I keep chicken from drying out in the crock pot?

Add liquid! This recipe starts with some liquid, but if you cook longer than 4 hours you'll want to add some water or milk. ½ cup to 1 cup since it's meant to be saucy anyway should do it.

How do you store creamy Italian chicken?

Refrigerate: up to 4 days. 
Freeze: up to 3 months. 

🍝 More Delicious Chicken Pasta Recipes

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

Cooked crockpot italian chicken on white plate.

Creamy Italian Crock Pot Chicken

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Easy creamy Italian chicken in a crock pot, saucy enough to serve with pasta and packed with flavor and tender chicken.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 377 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds raw chicken breasts or boneless thighs
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (0.7 oz) package Italian Dressing Mix
  • ½ cup Italian salad dressing
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 (16 oz.) box pasta (penne or rigatoni work well)

Instructions
 

  • In a slow cooker, combine raw chicken, cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup, Itialian dressing mix, and your favorite brand of Italian salad dressing.
  • Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
    Mix together sauce and shred chicken in crock pot with 2 forks.
  • Add milk and stir well. Add more milk (or water if desired) to thin as needed for sauce.
  • Make pasta as directed on package. Serve Italian chicken over pasta and optionally sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

Notes

If you start with frozen chicken, you'll need to add 2 (or more hours) to the cooking time. 
You can use plant based milk, regular dairy, or water to make the sauce at the end. 
Refrigerate: up to 4 days. 
Freeze: up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 36gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 2394mgPotassium: 671mgFiber: 0.01gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 619IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Crockpot Turkey Chili

Packed with fiber and protein, crockpot turkey chili is super easy and low maintenance. Lots of veggies, beans, and flavor!

Ground beef is SUPER expensive where we live, so we've been finding cheaper options like ground turkey. It also happens to be more lean than beef, so it's a win! We love to serve this with Honey Butter Cornbread or Sourdough Discard Cornbread and its delicious partner Vanilla Honey Butter Spread (YUM).

Wooden ladle of cooked crockpot turkey chili in slow cooker.

I love to make a big batch of super simple ground turkey chili and save half for later. It's so easy to meal prep! It's a bit different than my Healthy Taco Soup which uses ground beef and has more peppers, with a similar but different spice mixture.

I like to make the turkey chili with Homemade Instant Pot Black Beans, because it's easy and cheaper to make them and use them in recipes like this!

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What To Expect

  • Taste: A tomato base, plenty of beans and bell peppers, and a mix of classic chili spices. It's not too spicy, but definitely easy to make more spicy if you want!
  • Ease: It's as easy as cooking the ground turkey and onions, then moving everything to a slow cooker to finish cooking.
  • Time: It takes 5-10 minutes to cook the turkey and onions and assemble the ingredients, and 3-4 hours on high heat or 6 hours on low heat to cook until the peppers are soft and spices have infused their flavor into the chili.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for turkey chili in glass bowls on metal pan.
  • Ground Turkey - we chose it because it's cheaper than ground beef where we live, and tastes virtually the same as beef in chili with all of the veggies and spices. It's also leaner with less fat, so that's a win!
  • Spices - I use a classic blend for chili, tailored to our family's not-too-spicy preferences. Not very spicy but lots of flavor! Chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper, garlic & onion powder. You can also use a blend of mexican seasoning for chicken, it tastes amazing.
  • Beans - a mix of pinto and instant pot black beans (no soak), just to keep it easy. They're both full of fiber and protein, which is a big plus for us!
  • Peppers - we use bell peppers to add flavor and veggies, and we used red for the pop of color. Any variety of bell pepper can be used, however.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Beans - you can use any variety you like, I use a mix of two different kinds to keep things simple. Kidney, red, pinto, navy, and black beans are all common varieties used in chili.
  • Turkey - can easily be swapped out for ground beef.
  • Peppers - you can use any color you like of bell pepper, or add fresh chopped jalapeño or spicy chile peppers to the chili as it cooks.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cooked ground turkey and onions with wooden spoon in frying pan.
  1. Step 1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add ground turkey and diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until there is no pink left and the onions are soft, breaking up the turkey as it cooks into small pieces.
Raw ingredients for turkey chili in crockpot.
  1. Step 2. While the turkey is cooking add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. The red pepper flakes are optional, but add just a little spice.
Wooden ladle of cooked crockpot turkey chili in slow cooker.
  1. Step 3. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours to let the spices mix and peppers cook. Top with sour cream, cheese, cilantro, or lime. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • To make your turkey chili thicker, take some of the beans and mash them up, a half cup or so, to act as a natural thickener. The cornstarch added at the beginning also helps! You could also add a little tomato paste, which is what I use to thicken and add flavor to Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes.
  • Make a batch of chili and freeze half for another dinner another day. It saves a lot of time!
  • Use any color bell pepper for a fun color pop.
White bowl of cooked slow cooker turkey chili with sour cream on top.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Is beef or turkey better for chili?

It depends. Ground beef has more flavor than turkey in chili, but ground turkey tends to be cheaper than lean beef.

What is the secret to really good turkey chili?

Flavor and not too much liquid. The addition of the cornstarch to the chili really helps!

Can you overcook turkey chili?

Yes. Cooking in a slow cooker on high heat for more than 4 hours or low heat for more than 7 hours can make the lean meat taste dry and chalky.

How do you thicken turkey chili?

A combination of beans and cornstarch. The cornstarch is added at the beginning, so it doesn't clump. A trick I use is to mash some beans if I want it to be thicker.

Can I put raw meat in a crockpot for turkey chili?

Yes, as long as it reaches a safe temperature to eat (165℉) it's fine. I prefer to cook it with the onion first to brown it (gives it more flavor) and because it's easier to break into pieces.

🥣 More Easy & Cheap Soup Recipes

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

Cooked ladleful of turkey chili in black crockpot.

Crockpot Turkey Chili

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Packed with fiber and protein, crock pot turkey chili is super easy and low maintenance. Lots of veggies, beans, and flavor!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 91 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 medium onion diced (about 1.5 cups) approx. 190 g
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (or two 15 oz cans)
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups) approx. 237 g
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 17
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add ground turkey and diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until there is no pink left and the onions are soft, breaking up the turkey as it cooks into small pieces.
  • While the turkey is cooking add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. The red pepper flakes are optional, but add just a little spice.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours to let the spices mix and peppers cook. Top with sour cream, cheese, cilantro, or lime. Enjoy!

Notes

Add up to ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes before cooking or 1-2 chopped jalapeño peppers to make the chili more spicy. 
Store refrigerated for up to 4 days. 
Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 14gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 285mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1247IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls

Easy strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls are filled with strawberry sugar, and a delicious cream cheese frosting on top. No messy jam here!

Much like when I used freeze dried apples to make Caramel Apple Cookies, I use freeze dried strawberries for the filling of the strawberry cinnamon rolls. Allll the strawberry flavor without the mess jam can make. The husband said these were a close second to his very favorite, Orange Sweet Rolls.

Baked strawberry cheesecake cinnamon roll on white plate.

Other recipes use fresh strawberries or strawberry jam for filling. Delicious but usually they are messy, and there's a chance that the rolls won't rise well, or will be doughy from all of the extra liquid in the filling.

Enter freeze-dried strawberries! They make these rolls AMAZING. I add a little lemon zest to enhance the strawberry flavor, and these are the BEST strawberry cinnamon rolls because of those two ingredients.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: sweet strawberry sugar filling, with an all-cream cheese frosting on top to taste like strawberry cheesecake. I DO have a not-very-secret ingredient that helps to enhance the strawberry flavor: lemon zest! Not too much, just enough to make the strawberry flavor pop.
  • Ease: This is a medium-level baking recipe, using yeast and letting the dough rise twice. It's made easier/less messy with the freeze-dried strawberries.
  • Time: It takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to make the rolls from start to finish, so plan accordingly!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls.
  • Freeze Dried Strawberries - can be found in many grocery stores in the dried fruit section, or online. I use these because it was so much easier than using fresh or pie filling, they don't add unwanted liquid to the filling that can increase bake time or make soggy rolls.
  • Eggs - used as a binder in the dough, it helps to keep the dough nice and soft and fresh tasting the next day!
  • Flour - all-purpose flour is what I use in most of my baking, it tends to be cheaper and more readily available than bread flour.
  • Sugar - white granulated sugar for the filling and the dough, and powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting. The cornstarch in it is necessary to help stabilize the frosting.
  • Cream Cheese - I use full fat cream cheese, but ⅓ fat or fat free can be used as well.
  • Lemon zest - make the strawberry flavor really shine in the strawberry cream cheese cinnamon rolls. It brings out the tartness so they're not overly sweet.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Sugar - can be swapped out with coconut sugar in the dough and filling.
  • Freeze-dried strawberries - another variation would be freeze-dried raspberries.
  • Cream cheese frosting - you can skip homemade and use storebought to save time if your heart desires. Mascarpone cheese would also work!
  • You could try orange zest instead of lemon for a fun twist!
  • NOTE: You CAN put cinnamon in these, but they actually taste better without it to us!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Yeast, sugar, milk in glass bowls and butter, egg, and flour in mixing bowl.
  1. Step 1. In a small bowl combine warm milk (between 100-110 F), water, sugar, and active dry yeast and let sit 5 minutes or until foamy (above left image).
  2. Step 2. In a stand mixer (or large bowl if mixing by hand) combine salt, butter, egg, and flour. Pour foamy yeast mixture in and mix with dough hook on low speed for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If mixing without a mixer, simply mix with a wooden spoon until you can't mix anymore and then begin kneading by hand 8-10 minutes (above right image).
Raw cinnamon roll dough in bowl with towel and clear bag with strawberries and rolling pin.
  1. Step 3. 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(above left image).
  2. Step 4. Transfer the freeze dried strawberries to a large zip close bag and roll with rolling pin until the strawberries are a fine powder. You can also blend in the blender until powdered (above right image).
Strawberry powder, sugar, and vanilla in white bowl and rectangle of raw dough with rolling pin.
  1. Step 5. In a bowl, combine strawberry powder with the white granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and flour. Mix well. Optional: Save 3 Tablespoons to sprinkle over tops of rolls after frosting (above left image).
  2. Step 6. On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a long 24 inch by 12 inch rectangle. I stop occasionally and shape it with my hands to keep in a rectangle shape (above right image).

TIP: I like to save 2-3 Tablespoons of the strawberry sugar filling to sprinkle over the tops of the strawberry rolls when they're all baked and frosted. Yum!

Strawberry sugar filling over buttered dough and hands rolling dough into long roll.
  1. Step 7. Spread softened butter over dough. Sprinkle and spread sugar mixture evenly over butter, I like to leave a ½ inch space clear of sugar on one long edge so that the dough can roll together easier (above left image).
  2. Step 8. Carefully roll the dough lengthwise starting at one edge into a long roll (above right image).
Cutting strawberry rolls with floss and risen rolls in glass pan.
  1. Step 9. Use a piece of clean string or dental floss and slide the string underneath the roll. Pick up both ends of the string, cross them, and pull tight to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces (above left image).
  2. Step 10. Place rolls cut side down into an oiled 9x13 inch pan or large baking sheet, being careful not to crowd the rolls so they have room to rise. Let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size (above right image).

TIP: Set a timer for 45 minutes while the strawberry rolls are rising so you can turn the oven on to 350 ℉ to preheat for the last 15-20 minutes of the rising time.

Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in mixing bowl and mixed frosting.
  1. Step 11. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Bake strawberry rolls for 25-30 minutes. 25 minutes for dark pans, 30 minutes for glass and thick ceramic stoneware pans. Let the strawberry cheesecake rolls cool for 20 minutes at least before frosting, or the frosting will melt into them.
  2. Step 12. In a mixing bowl, Use an electric mixer to cream the softened cream cheese together with the powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth (above left and right images).
Baked strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls in glass pan.
  1. Step 13. Spread over the cooled rolls and serve, and optionally sprinkle with some of the strawberry sugar or sliced strawberries. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Weigh your flour and sugar for accurate results. It can be difficult to get consistent good results with cup measurements.
  • Blend your strawberries for a fine powder, or mash with a rolling pin for more chunky powder.
  • Save 2-3 Tablespoons strawberry sugar filling to sprinkle on the tops of each roll, or slice fresh strawberries for the tops!
Baked strawberry roll on white plate with bite removed.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between cream cheese frosting and cream cheese icing?

The consistency. Frosting tends to be thicker for spreading, and icing is thinned out a little for drizzling rather than spreading.

Does this recipe freeze well before you cook them?

Yes! You can make the dough, rise once, make and cut the rolls, then freeze before the second rise. Freeze the individual rolls for up to 3 months, then thaw completely and let rise before baking, usually 3-5 hours depending on room temperature.

Does it matter if the butter is salted or unsalted?

Yes, the taste will be different if you use unsalted butter, but it can be substituted if you wish.

Can you replace cream cheese with something else?

Yes, you could use mascarpone cheese in place of cream cheese.

🍞 More Delicious Cinnamon Roll Recipes

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

Baked strawberry cheesecake cinnamon roll on white plate.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Easy strawberry cheesecake rolls are filled with strawberry sugar, and a delicious cream cheese frosting on top. No fussy jam here!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 537 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup milk 220 mL
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup white granulated sugar 55 g
  • 1 Tablespoon yeast 11 g
  • 1 teaspoon salt 6 g
  • ½ cup salted butter 113 g
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 cups all purpose flour 563 g

For the filling:

  • 2 oz freeze dried strawberries (56 g)
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar 223 g
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (1 lemon)
  • 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • ½ cup salted butter softened

For the frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar 331 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl combine warm milk (between 100-110 F), water, sugar, and active dry yeast and let sit 5 minutes or until foamy.
  • In a stand mixer (or large bowl if mixing by hand) combine salt, butter, egg, and flour. Pour foamy yeast mixture in and mix with dough hook on low speed for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. It will be a little sticky.
    If mixing without a mixer, simply mix with a wooden spoon until you can't mix anymore and then begin kneading by hand 8-10 minutes.
  • 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.

For the Filling:

  • Transfer the freeze dried strawberries to a large zip close bag and roll with rolling pin until the strawberries are a fine powder.
    You can also blend in the blender until powdered.
  • In a bowl, combine strawberry powder with the white granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and flour. Mix well. Optional: Save 3 Tablespoons to sprinkle over tops of rolls after frosting.
    NOTE: You CAN put ½ teaspoon cinnamon in, but they actually taste better without it to us!
  • On a floured work surface, roll the dough into a long 24 inch by 12 inch rectangle. I stop occasionally and shape it with my hands to keep in a rectangle shape.
  • Spread softened butter over dough. Sprinkle and spread sugar mixture evenly over butter.
  • Carefully roll the dough lengthwise starting at one edge into a long roll.
  • Use a piece of clean string or dental floss and slide the string underneath the roll. Pick up both ends of the string, cross them, and pull tight to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
  • Place rolls cut side down into an oiled 9x13 inch pan or large baking sheet, being careful not to crowd the rolls so they have room to rise.
    Let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
    Bake strawberry rolls for 25 minutes for dark pans, 30 minutes for glass pans and thick ceramic stoneware pans.
    Cool for 20 minutes (at least) before frosting.

For the frosting:

  • In a mixing bowl, Use an electric mixer to cream the softened cream cheese together with the powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
  • Spread over the cooled strawberry cinnamon rolls and serve, and optionally sprinkle with some of the strawberry sugar or sliced strawberries. Enjoy!

Notes

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 ℉, 25 minutes for dark pans, 30 minutes for glass pans and thick ceramic stoneware pans.
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 3-5 hours or until almost doubled in size.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 7gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 270mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 1gSugar: 49gVitamin A: 701IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies have a graham cracker cookie base, cream cheese frosting, and strawberry topping for a Crumbl copycat cookie that tastes AMAZING.

If you've ever had Cherry Cheesecake Cookies, you know that they're the real deal! Not everyone likes cherry pie filling though, so I made a delicious strawberry version. The cheesecake frosting on top and the graham cracker cookie base is the BEST, I like it better than cheesecake crust.

Baked strawberry cheesecake cookie on white plate.

This strawberry cheesecake cookies recipe is not difficult, and it makes about 12-15 large cookies, just like Crumbl. With one can of strawberry pie filling, you should be able to top all of the cookies, or you can use fresh strawberries like I use in Strawberries and Cream Bars which have a delicious cheesecake like filling.

The graham cracker cookie base is definitely my favorite part, I could eat them plain. I like the strawberry version (and the raspberry cheesecake crumbl cookie version) with a little cinnamon in the dough, but it is totally optional.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: The cookie tastes like a graham cracker crust, the cream cheese frosting is sweet but not too rich, and the strawberry pie filling is the perfect tart addition to balance out the sweet.
  • Ease: It's a medium level difficulty, just because it takes a few more steps than making a simple cookie.
  • Time: About 10 minutes to make the cookie dough, 10 minutes to bake, and 20ish minutes to cool them while making the frosting. After that, maybe another 10-15 minutes to frost and spoon pie filling onto each cookie. About an hour total, with cooling time.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for strawberry cheesecake cookies in glass bowls on metal baking sheet.
  • Graham Crackers - ground up into a powder, these are used in the cookie dough to make the delicious graham cracker flavored base for the cookie.
  • Cream Cheese - for the frosting, you can use full fat or fat free but it may impact the flavor.
  • Strawberry Pie Filling - you can use homemade or store-bought, a 21 oz can should do it.
  • Sugar - Brown sugar only for the cookie dough for the flavor and texture! Powdered sugar for the frosting.
  • Butter - used in the cookies and in the frosting, using butter in the frosting makes it a little more stable.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Cream Cheese - mascarpone cheese could be switched in.
  • Brown Sugar - you can use dark or light brown sugar.
  • Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the cookie dough for a subtle flavor difference. It's delicious!
  • Strawberry Pie Filling - there are dye free and preservative free options out there, or you can use strawberry jam. I love to use the Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves, they're excellent! Another alternative is fresh sliced strawberries on top.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Make sure you preheat your oven to 350℉ and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Butter and sugar in mixing bowl, and eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl.
  1. Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Mix on high speed for at least 3 minutes with an electric mixer to "cream" them together and begin dissolving the sugar (above left image).
  2. Step 2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute, until the egg is fully mixed in and the batter is fluffy (above right image).
Graham crackers in blender, and flour and graham crackers in mixing bowl.
  1. Step 3. In a blender, pulse the graham crackers until they become a fine powder (above left image).
  2. Step 4. Add the graham cracker powder, flour, salt, and baking soda to the cookie dough and mix on low speed until everything is mixed in, about 1 minute (above right image).
Raw graham cracker cookie dough and baked cookie on baking sheet.
  1. Step 5. Scoop the cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets with a large 3-4 Tablespoon cookie scoop. Smash the cookies slightly so they are about 2 inches (5cm) across (above left image).
  2. Step 6. Bake at 350 ℉ for 10-11 minutes, they will be starting to crack around the edges. Let cool completely before frosting (above right image).
Cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl, and mixed frosting in bowl.
  1. Step 7. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Mix at medium/high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute (above left image).
  2. Step 8. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well, until there are no sugar pockets left and frosting is smooth (above right image).
Piping frosting cheesecake frosting on graham cracker cookie.
  1. Step 9. Once the cookies are completely cool, transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto each cookie (I use a larger round tip) starting on the outside, frosting in a spiral to the center.
Spoon with strawberry pie filling above baked graham cracker cookie.
  1. Step 10. Place strawberry pie filling on each cookie, and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs (optional). Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Measure (weigh) your ingredients! You will have consistent results when you weigh instead of using cup measurements.
  • You can smash the raw cookie dough balls, once scooped, but it makes smoother edges if you roll the ball in your hands and THEN smash it flat to look like a hockey puck.
  • Some readers like to use a full 8 oz of cream cheese instead of half butter and half cream cheese in the frosting. That's fine! I found the frosting to be more stable with butter and easier to serve and share.
Strawberry cheesecake cookies on baking sheet with fresh strawberries.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can strawberry cheesecake cookies be frozen?

Yes, I would either freeze the raw dough in balls or freeze the baked cookies separate from the frosting. That way they would be easy to thaw and frost.

Can I make these another flavor?

Yes! I have a cherry version on my website that is a reader favorite in the delicious cookies section.

How do I store these cookies?

Since the frosting has cream cheese, I would refrigerate them for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months, without the strawberry filling or frosting on top.

Can I use fresh strawberries?

Yes! fresh sliced strawberries would work fine, as well as strawberry jam.

🍪 More Delicious Crumbl Copycat Recipes

Strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls are another cheesecake themed dessert we LOVE, but if you're looking for more unique cookie ideas, I have you covered!

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

Baked strawberry cheesecake cookie on baking sheet with fresh strawberry.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies have a graham cracker cookie base, cream cheese frosting, and strawberry topping for a Crumbl style cookie that tastes AMAZING.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 56 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15
Calories 469 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup salted butter, room temperature 226 g
  • 1½ cups brown sugar 290 g
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 graham crackers (2 cups of crumbs) 192 g
  • 2 cups all purpose flour 275 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

For the frosting:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup salted butter 113 g
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar 225 g
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 17 g
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ can Strawberry pie filling

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Mix on high speed for at least 3 minutes with an electric mixer to "cream" them together and begin dissolving the sugar.
  • Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute, until the egg is fully mixed in and the batter is fluffy.
  • In a blender, pulse the graham crackers until they become a fine powder.
  • Add the graham cracker powder, flour, baking soda, and salt (cinnamon optional) to the cookie dough and mix on low speed until everything is mixed in, about 1 minute.
  • Scoop the cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets with a large 3-4 Tablespoon cookie scoop. Smash the cookies slightly so they are about 2 inches.
  • Bake at 350 ℉ for 10-11 minutes, they will be starting to crack around the edges. Let cool completely before frosting.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Mix at medium/high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute.
  • Add in the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla and mix well, until there are no sugar pockets left and frosting is smooth.
  • Once the cookies are completely cool, transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto each cookie starting on the outside, frosting in a spiral to the center.
  • Place strawberry pie filling on each cookie, and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

TIP: Measure (weigh) your ingredients! You will have consistent results when you weigh instead of using cup measurements.
Note: If making ahead, try to wait to place strawberry pie filling on top until just before serving so the cookies don't become soggy overnight from the added moisture. 
Store refrigerated for up to 3 days. Best when brought to room temperature before serving. 
Raw cookie dough, baked cookies, and frosting may all be frozen for up to 3 months separately. 

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 357mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 685IUCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Valentine Cookie House

It is SO FUN to make Valentine Cookie Houses. Made with wafer cookies, frosting, and your choice of fun Valentine's candies, it couldn't be easier!

We usually make a big batch of Valentine's Trail Mix to eat and share, but this one is a fun activity for the littles to do. Is it perfect? No. Neat? Also no! But it's super easy and relatively cheap to do 2-3 houses, it was under $10 in materials for my 3 children to do one house each. It's a great cheap Valentine's craft to do with kids.

Pink wafer cookie house with hearts on roof.

Sooo many possibilities with a Valentine's "gingerbread" house. You could go all pink wafer cookies, all white, use chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting. The CANDY possibilities. Any Valentine candy you want will do here.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: Usually the pink & white wafer cookies are strawberry and vanilla flavored, and we used strawberry frosting for our houses. The candy has it's own unique taste, so use your favorites!
  • Ease: Kids between the ages of 2-4 may need a little help with the frosting, but older kids will probably be fine doing it independently with supervision.
  • Time: It takes as long as you want, usually 20-30 minutes for kids to make the Valentine houses and decorate them.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Valentine Cookie Houses.
  • Wafer Cookies - we used strawberry and vanilla for their colors.
  • Frosting - pink (strawberry) or white (vanilla) is delicious, but chocolate would also be amazing!
  • Candy - we used conversation hearts and Valentines sprinkles, but you can go as fancy or as simple as you want.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Valentine M&M's would work well!
  • Hershey heart-shaped chocolates would be super cute.
  • Pink yogurt melts (for babies) are also an option.
  • Frosting! You can use any flavor you wish. We liked the pink for Valentine's Day, but vanilla or chocolate would be delicious.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Spatula spreading pink frosting into a piping bag.
  1. Step 1. Place an empty sealable sandwich bag or piping bag into a cup and spread the edges over the top of the cup. Spoon frosting into the bag and seal. Snip the tip of to pipe the frosting.
Piping pink frosting onto white plate.
  1. Step 2. Pipe lines of frosting in a square on a paper plate or frost one long edge of the wafer cookies and begin placing in a square shape on the plate.
Piping pink frosting onto pink wafer cookie.
  1. Step 3. Pipe frosting along the top edges of each cookie to begin a second level. You can go as tall as you'd like, but beyond 2 or 3 cookies high isn't very stable.
Hand placing vanilla wafer cookie on house.
  1. Step 4. Begin the roof by piping frosting along the inside edges and ends of wafer cookies and place them side by side lengthwise leaning against each other.
Piping pink frosting onto wafer cookie house roof.
  1. Step 5. Pipe dots on the roof where you want to place each piece of candy.
Hand placing hearts onto cookie house roof.
  1. Step 6. Place candy on roof at intervals. Best not to pick heavier candy for this part so it doesn't weigh down the roof.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Go simple. You can use allll the candy you want, but too much will weigh down the roof and might make it fall over.
  • You can frost the edge of the cookie and then dip it in sprinkles to make it easier to put the sprinkles on!
  • I would only stack 2-3 cookies (horizontally) high for the walls, any taller and it becomes unstable.
Pink wafer cookie house with Valentine candy on roof on white plate.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance can you make this?

You can buy the wafer cookies and frosting ahead of time, and as long as you mind the expiration date they'll be fine. I usually buy them all a few days in advance.

How long do the Valentines Day cookie houses last?

Usually up to 3 days at room temperature, but the cookies may soften a bit from the frosting. Best to make them and eat them within a day or two.

What holds gingerbread houses together?

Frosting! I use a store bought frosting for these to make them super easy, but you can always make your own.

🩷 More Easy Valentine's Recipes

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

Pink wafer cookie house with hearts on roof.

Valentine Cookie House

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
It is SO FUN to make Valentine's Gingerbread Houses. Made with wafer cookies, frosting, and your choice of fun Valentine's candies, it couldn't be easier!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 90 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 paper plate or cake cardboard disk
  • 1 sandwich bag or frosting piping bag

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (16oz) can frosting of choice
  • 1 (8 oz) package strawberry wafer cookies
  • 1 (8 oz) package vanilla wafer cookies
  • 1 package conversation hearts
  • optional: Valentine's sprinkles

Instructions
 

  •  Place an empty sealable sandwich bag or piping bag into a cup and spread the edges over the top of the cup. Spoon frosting into the bag and seal. Snip the tip of to pipe the frosting.
  • Pipe lines of frosting in a square on a paper plate or frost one long edge of the wafer cookies and begin placing in a square shape on the plate.
  • Pipe frosting along the top edges of each cookie to begin a second level. You can go as tall as you'd like, but beyond 2 or 3 cookies high isn't very stable.
  •  Begin the roof by piping frosting along the inside edges and ends of wafer cookies and place them side by side lengthwise leaning against each other.
  • Pipe dots on the roof where you want to place each piece of candy.
  • Place candy on roof at intervals. Best not to pick heavier candy for this part so it doesn't weigh down the roof. Place sprinkles on where desired.

Notes

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
Freezing not recommended. 

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0.04gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0.01mgSodium: 5mgPotassium: 1mgFiber: 0.01gSugar: 1gCalcium: 0.01mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins

Lightly sweetened Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins are the perfect breakfast or snack and only take 30 minutes!

I have a recipe for sourdough discard banana muffins that we love to make ahead for breakfast, but I wanted something with just a little more texture and fruit inside. These are delicious and not too sweet.

Baked banana blackberry oatmeal muffin on wood cutting board with blackberries.

If I have bananas and oats on hand, I usually make Banana Nut Oatmeal since it's so quick and easy. Banana blackberry muffins take just a bit longer, but they're SO easy to make ahead and freeze for later. I love the oatmeal in them, it's such a nice texture without adding in nuts.

I love to make these with instant pot homemade greek yogurt, but sour cream is delicious as well!

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What To Expect

  • Taste: A hearty blackberry oatmeal muffin sweetened with bananas and brown sugar, with texture added from the oatmeal. They aren't too sweet, most of the flavor comes from the banana and blackberries.
  • Ease: It's as easy as mixing the wet ingredients together, then the dry ingredients, and then mixing them together with the blackberries.
  • Time: It takes about 10 minutes to mix and scoop the muffins, and 20 minutes to bake them.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for banana blackberry oat muffins on metal baking sheet.
  • Bananas - overripe with brown spots is best, don't use green or barely yellow bananas.
  • Blackberries - can be fresh (preferred) or frozen, just make sure you thaw and drain them before using them if they're previously frozen.
  • Oats - I use old fashioned regular oats for this recipe, using another kind like quick oats or steel cut oats could change the texture since they absorb different amounts of liquid.
  • Brown Sugar - I used all brown sugar to keep the muffins moist.
  • Greek Yogurt - I love using greek yogurt in muffins for a protein boost; it also helps the muffins stay moist and adds a little acidity to activate the baking powder.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Blackberries - you can swap out the blackberries with blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries easily!
  • Greek Yogurt - can be switched with sour cream.
  • Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon for a fun twist!
  • Brown Sugar - can be swapped out with white granulated sugar or coconut sugar.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Bananas in glass measuring cup with potato masher on marble countertop.
  1. Step 1. Mash 3 medium sized bananas (290 g) into a pureé to equal about 1 and ¼ cups. You can use a fork, potato masher or an immersion blender, they both work well.
Eggs, butter, vanilla, bananas, milk, and greek yogurt in white bowl.
  1. Step 2. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, milk, greek yogurt (or sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Brown sugar in raw muffin batter in white bowl with whisk.
  1. Step 3. Add in the brown sugar to the wet ingredients, whisking until there are no more lumps and sugar is mostly dissolved.
Flour, oats, and baking powder in white bowl of wet muffin batter.
  1. Step 4. On top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt and mix together until there are no more flour pockets. Careful not to overmix at this stage, or the muffins will be chewy and tougher in texture.
Blackberries in raw banana oat muffin batter.
  1. Step 5. Slice the blackberries into 2 or 3 pieces each, then add them to the batter and stir in gently.
Scooping raw banana blackbery oat muffin batter into muffin tin.
  1. Step 6. Scoop the batter into muffin tins using a 3 or 4 Tablespoon scoop (about ⅓ cup of batter in each tin).
  2. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

NOTE: Using larger bananas or more blackberries will increase the bake time by 3-5 more minutes.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Measure your ingredients! Since bananas are different sizes, it's hard to guess how much liquid there will be in the recipe unless you measure them, either in a measuring cup or with a scale. This is my favorite kitchen scale that I've used for years and I measure the dry ingredients like flour and oats with it as well!
  • Make sure not to overmix the batter once you add in the baking powder. Mix just until there are no flour pockets left and carefully mix in the blackberries.
Half of a blackberry banana oatmeal muffin stacked on another baked muffin.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use rolled oats?

Yes, the results from the old fashioned rolled oats are better than with quick or instant oats, it's a much better texture when baked. Steel cut are too thick and won't cook properly in the batter.

Can this be done with strawberries or raspberries?

Yes! Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries all work well in this recipe. Just make sure if they've been frozen that they're completely thawed and drained first.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

I have not personally made this gluten-free, but you could try it with gluten-free oats and Bob's Red Mill 1-1 gluten-free flour.

How long do banana blackberry oat muffins last?

Room Temperature: 3 days.
Refrigerated: 5 days.
Frozen: 3 months.

🍌 More Delicious Banana Recipes

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

Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Lightly sweetened Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins have a lovely texture from the oatmeal and only take 30 minutes! Awesome breakfast muffin recipe, easy to make ahead and freeze. Makes 18-20 muffins.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 18
Calories 184 kcal

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 medium bananas (1¼ cup mashed) 290 g
  • 2 large eggs 104 g
  • ½ cup melted butter 113 g
  • ½ cup milk 118 mL
  • ½ cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream 119 g
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ cup brown sugar 109 g

Dry Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉. Prepare 2 muffin tins with paper liners or baking sray.
  • Mash 3 medium sized bananas (290 g) into a pureé to equal about 1 and ¼ cups. You can use a fork, potato masher or an immersion blender, they both work well.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, milk, greek yogurt (or sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add in the brown sugar to the wet ingredients, whisking until there are no more lumps and sugar is mostly dissolved.
  • On top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt and mix together until there are no more flour pockets. Careful not to overmix at this stage, or the muffins will be chewy and tougher in texture.
  • Slice the blackberries into 2 or 3 pieces each, then add them to the batter and stir in gently.
  • Scoop the batter into muffin tins using a 3 or 4 Tablespoon scoop (about ⅓ cup of batter in each tin).
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Note 1 : using larger bananas or more blackberries will increase baking time by a few minutes.
Note 2: If using frozen blackberries, make sure you thaw and drain them first to make sure there isn't too much liquid in the batter. 
Store at room temperature:  up to 3 days. 
Freeze: for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 190mgPotassium: 165mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 235IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Sara Looking into camera.

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

Chicken Roll Ups

30 minute dinner to the rescue! Crescent chicken roll ups are the easiest. Cream cheese, chicken, and cream of chicken soup make up the basics.

It's the simplest of simple recipes, super quick and *not very* healthy by any means, but filling for SURE and my kids LOVE them. They're easy to make ahead and freeze and reheat for later too!

Baked chicken roll ups on white plate.

If you want to be extra fancy you can add minced onions and crumbled crackers on top, like we sometimes do. Stuffed chicken roll ups are one of our kids' (plus the husbands') favorite dinners, along with Chicken Pot Pie with Frozen Veggies, also incredibly easy.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: Buttery crescent rolls wrapped around a cream cheese shredded chicken filling.
  • Ease: As simple as mixing together the cream cheese chicken filling and filling the crescent rolls. A beginner recipe that inexperienced cooks can do.
  • Time: 5-10 minutes to fill the crescent rolls and 20 minutes to bake! About 30 minutes total.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for chicken roll ups on metal pan in glass bowls.
  • Chicken - canned chicken is used for this recipe, but rotisserie chicken can definitely be used!
  • Crescent Rolls - found in the refrigerated biscuit section of grocery stores. Regular or Buttery versions both work well.
  • Cream Cheese- you can use full fat, partial fat, or fat free in this recipe.
  • Cream of Chicken Soup - you can use regular, low sodium, fat-free, etc. I have seen some people use an extra can to use as a chicken gravy over the tops of these as well.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • You can add chopped white or green onions to the filling for a little extra flavor.
  • Add crushed salty crackers to the top for a nice little crunch!
  • Add in 1-2 Tablespoons of pesto sauce for a little spin.
  • Add shredded cheese to the filling for lovely melty flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Don't forget to preheat oven to 375℉ and prepare a baking sheet baking spray or silicon baking mat.

Cream cheese, chicken, onions, and cream of chicken soup in glass bowl.
  1. Step 1. In a bowl, combine canned chicken, softened cream cheese, cream of chicken soup (save 2 Tablespoons to spread on the tops), and minced onion (optional). Mix well.
Raw crescent rolls flat on marble countertop.
  1. Step 2. Open the crescent rolls and spread out both in sheets side by side.

Scooping chicken filling onto raw crescent rolls.
  1. Step 3. Scoop 2-3 Tablespoons chicken filling into each crescent roll using a large cookie scoop.

Rolling raw dough around chicken filling.
  1. Step 4. Roll the long end of the triangle over the filling to the top, (above left image) and then fold each side up and over and attach to the top of the roll up (above right image).
Spreading sauce over raw chicken roll ups and sprinkling crackers.
  1. Step 5. Spread the remaining 2 Tablespoons of cream of chicken soup on the tops of each roll up (above left image).
  2. Optional: crush up crackers and sprinkle on the tops of the roll ups (above right image).
  3. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm!
Bite out of chicken roll up on white plate.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Make time to soften the cream cheese! It's so much easier to stir into the chicken when its warm or soft. It can be warmed in the microwave to make it easier.
  • Don't roll out the crescents and fill one at a time. Roll out both cans of raw crescent rolls at the same time to help with filling quickly. It also helps to distribute the filling evenly between the rolls when you don't fill and roll one at a time.
  • Use a cookie scoop to help make sure there's an equal amount of filling in each crescent roll.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze chicken roll ups?

Yes! Once they're baked and cooled you can freeze them individually on a baking sheet (so they don't all freeze together) and then transfer them to a freezer safe container to freeze for up to 3 months.

How long do you cook a chicken roll up?

375 ℉ for 20-22 minutes.

What is a substitute for crescent roll pastry?

The closest thing would probably be pre-made puff pastry dough.

🍗 More Yummy Chicken Dinner Recipes

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

Baked chicken roll ups on white plate.

Chicken Roll Ups

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Crescent chicken roll ups are the easiest 30 minute dinner. Cream cheese, chicken, and cream of chicken soup make up the basics.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 124 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 (12.5 oz) cans cooked chicken about 2 cups drained
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 2 Tablespoons minced onion optional
  • 2 cans crescent rolls (8 biscuits in each can)
  • 10 salty crackers (like Ritz) optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375℉ and prepare a baking sheet baking spray or silicon baking mat.
  • In a bowl, combine canned chicken, cream cheese, condensed cream of chicken soup (save 2-3 Tablespoons to spread on the tops), and minced onion (optional). Mix well.
  • Open the crescent rolls and spread out both in sheets side by side.
  • Scoop 2-3 Tablespoons chicken filling into each crescent roll using a large cookie scoop.
  • Roll the long end of the triangle over the filling to the top, and then fold each side up and over and attach to the top of the roll up.
  • Spread the remaining 2-3 Tablespoons of cream of chicken soup on the tops of each roll up. Just a thin layer is fine.
  • Optional: crush up crackers and sprinkle on the tops of the roll ups.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm!

Notes

Make sure you soften the cream cheese before mixing it into the chicken, it's so much easier to mix when softened. 
Store refrigerated for up to 5 days. 
Make it fancier by adding a Tablespoon or two of pesto sauce to the filling. yum! 

Nutrition

Calories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 245mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 0.02gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 96IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Lemon Chicken Gnocchi

Chicken gnocchi with lemon is made with a savory, creamy garlic parmesan sauce with a hint of lemon over chicken and tender gnocchi.

I have a Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo recipe that I use rotisserie chicken for, but I wanted to cook the chicken to make a delicious base for a creamy sauce for the lemon gnocchi. It's PERFECT with a slice of warm Soft Fluffy French Bread.

Cooked chicken gnocchi with lemon in a pan.

One pan lemon parm chicken gnocchi is pretty simple, and it's easy to switch things around to fit your taste. Want more parmesan? Go for it rockstar. Lemon? Add more. Salmon instead of chicken? I'm here for it. I'd even go for lobster, I'd just cook it first then add it in like in Baked Lobster Mac and Cheese to make sure it's not overcooked.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: Savory, creamy garlic sauce with a hint of lemon over chicken and tender gnocchi.
  • Ease: It takes a little bit of effort and paying attention to avoid overcooking the chicken but it's delicious!
  • Time: It takes 15-20 minutes to prep and make, less than 10 minutes if you use rotisserie chicken.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for lemon chicken gnocchi in glass bowls on marble countertop.
  • Chicken - you can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, chicken breasts are a little easier to overcook, but a little cheaper where I live.
  • Gnocchi - You can use regular potato gnocchi, whole wheat, flavored gnocchi, whatever you wish that will complement the lemon flavor.
  • Milk - I use whole milk for the sauce, it makes it nice and creamy.
  • Spices - I use chicken bouillon, onion powder, and garlic as the main lifters for this recipe, it adds both flavor and a little more body to the chicken broth base for the sauce.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Swap out the chicken for salmon, it's delicious! You really can't go wrong with salmon gnocchi and Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits.
  • Add in veggies like spinach, peas, kale, or sauteed zucchini or broccoli to cook with the gnocchi. The possibilities are endless!
  • Plant based milk will work in place of the dairy I use in the sauce.
  • To make this an even quicker meal to make, use rotisserie chicken!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cut and seasoned raw chicken breasts on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Cut chicken breasts into 4 strips, season on both sides with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Seared chicken in enameled pan.
  1. Step 2. Sear in pan for about 3 minutes on each side, and add garlic to cook for about 30 seconds. Make the sauce while the chicken is cooking.
Flour, milk, and water in mixing measuring cup.
  1. Step 3. While chicken is cooking, combine water, milk, chicken bouillon and flour in a bowl and whisk until smooth. The flour in the sauce helps prevent curdling when you add the lemon at the end.
Pouring milk into pot of gnocchi and chicken.
  1. Step 4. To the pot, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the water/milk mixture, and gnocchi.

    Bring to a simmer, stir occasionally, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the sauce thickens, gnocchi is soft and chicken is cooked through (165℉ internal temp).
Lemon zest and parmesan on cooked gnocchi and chicken.
  1. Step 5. Add in fresh grated parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest and stir into the sauce. Garnish with basil and parmesan to serve.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • You can use rotisserie chicken to make this a less than 10 minute meal to prep.
  • Use an instant read thermometer to make sure your chicken doesn't get overcooked.
  • Make sure you DON'T use pre shredded parmesan! It has anti caking additives in it that can make your sauce grainy in texture. Fresh grated is best!
Fork with chicken and gnocchi in parmesan cream sauce.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my sauce curdle?

When acid (lemon) mixes with dairy, it can cause separation or curdling. It's prevented in this recipe by using flour in the sauce as a thickener and stabilizer.
If you're worried about curdling, use less juice and more lemon zest.

How do I store creamy chicken lemon gnocchi?

Refrigerate: up to 3 days.
Freeze: up to 3 months. Texture of the gnocchi won't be as firm after freezing and thawing.

What pairs well with gnocchi?

- besides sauces, sauteed or roasted vegetables go really well with buttered cooked gnocchi.
- Chicken, pork, or steak also go well.
- Gnocchi is amazing in healthy chicken gnocchi soup.
- In a pasta salad

🍗 More Delicious Chicken Recipes

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📝 Printable Recipe

Cooked chicken gnocchi with lemon in a pan.

Lemon Chicken Gnocchi

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Chicken gnocchi with lemon is made with a savory, creamy garlic parmesan sauce with a hint of lemon over chicken and tender gnocchi.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 333 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium chicken breasts approx. 10 oz each
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

For the sauce:

  • ¾ cup water 177 mL
  • ¾ cup milk 177 mL
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
  • ½ lemon (2 Tablespoons juice and zest)
  • ¾ cup fresh grated parmesan
  • 1-2 Tablespoons fresh basil for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.
    Cut chicken breasts into 4 strips, season on both sides with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
  • Sear in pan for about 3 minutes on each side, and add garlic to cook for about 30 seconds. Make the sauce while the chicken is cooking.

For the sauce:

  • While chicken is cooking, combine water, milk, chicken bouillon and flour in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
  • To the pot, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the water/milk mixture, and gnocchi.
  • Bring to a simmer, stir occasionally, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the sauce thickens, gnocchi is soft and chicken is cooked through (165℉ internal temp).
  • Add in fresh grated parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest and stir. Garnish with basil and parmesan to serve.

Notes

Don't use pre shredded parmesan, it has anti caking additives that make the sauce grainy in texture if used. Fresh grated is best! 
Add more or less lemon to taste. 
Store refrigerated for up to 4 days. The lemony taste gets stronger the next day or two. 

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 13gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 855mgPotassium: 102mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 221IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie chicken noodle soup with bone broth and homemade egg noodles, veggies, and simple seasonings, It's also one of the best ways to use leftover Turkey from Thanksgiving!

After we roast a chicken (or use a rotisserie chicken), I hate to waste the chicken bones, so I make homemade chicken broth and turn it into homemade chicken noodle soup with tender homemade egg noodles OR use it to make other easy soup recipes like crock pot beef vegetable soup or chicken soup and homemade dumplings.

Cooked chicken noodle soup in white bowl.

I've made homemade chicken bone broth (with rotisserie chicken usually) for years. It takes about 4 hours on the stovetop at a simmer or gentle boil or 14-16 hours in a slow cooker. It's not necessarily a true old fashioned chicken noodle soup recipe because I often use rotisserie chicken, and you can definitely skip ahead to just make chicken noodle soup soup with boxed or canned store bought chicken broth or chicken stock.

I also like to use the leafy celery tops for the broth to help give it flavor and get more use from the celery instead of wasting it. Many people also use carrot peelings, onion skins for color and flavor, and other vegetable scraps like potato peels to add more vitamins, minerals, and flavor to their broth. With my recipe for yeast rolls it's a family favorite!

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What To Expect

  • Taste: A savory salty broth lightly seasoned with bay leaves, onion, and a little garlic, with juicy chicken and tender veggies and freshly made noodles. It's meant to be simple without too many extra seasonings.
  • Ease: This recipe is simple, it's easy to make! it just takes a bit of time to make the chicken bone broth from scratch.
  • Time: It takes 4 hours (stovetop) to make chicken broth, then another 30 minutes or so to make the chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles. You can make the broth ahead of time and freeze it to make soup later.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for bone broth chicken noodle soup on metal pan in glass bowls.
  • Roasted Chicken- I use the bones, skin, and meat for this recipe. I love using rotisserie chicken but a thawed frozen chicken will work as well. I don't end up using all of the meat from the chicken for the soup, so I freeze the meat or save it for another meal like Chicken Rice and Veggies Casserole or Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo.
  • Vegetables - combination of carrots, peas, and celery are a classic combination for the best homemade chicken noodle soup. I also use onion to make the bone broth, but remove it for the actual soup. It's the same veggie mix I use in my Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup.
  • Spices - garlic (just a little for flavor), salt, pepper & peppercorns, bay leaves, and chicken bouillon.
  • Flour - all purpose flour for the easy homemade egg noodles, no need to buy special pasta or semolina flour.
  • Egg - used as the binder for the noodles.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Rotisserie chicken, frozen thawed chicken, or leftover turkey from Thanksgiving can definitely be used for this recipe!
  • Chicken bouillon can be substituted with vegetable bouillon.
  • You can skip making the homemade chicken broth and just use store bought chicken broth!
  • A cup of water with 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon = 1 cup chicken broth if you wish to go that route and have a lot of chicken bouillon. You can also use Better Than Bouillon (chicken base) which I love and use all the time.
  • You can use a combination of your favorite veggies in this soup. We've added parsnips, turnips, butternut squash or potatoes, usually 1 cup of one at a time when we make it, in addition to the other veggies.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Let's walk through the steps of first making the homemade chicken broth on the stovetop (best to make this ahead) and then the soup and homemade egg noodles.

Removing cooked rotisserie chicken meat from bones on wood cutting board.
  1. Step 1. The bone broth! Remove all meat from rotisserie chicken and transfer to a bowl or airtight container and refrigerate. I have also used frozen and thawed raw chicken (it takes another hour to cook in the boiling stock water). You'd want to remove the meat at the 1 hour mark so it doesn't get overcooked and lose all it's flavor.
Raw vegetables and chicken bones in pot of water with spices.
  1. Step 2. Transfer the bones (with or without skin) to a large cooking pot. Add 14 cups (3.5L) of water, peppercorns, leafy celery tops, carrots, half an onion (not sliced) and bay leaves to a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup is simmering. Simmer on low heat for 4 hours to extract all of the bone marrow and nutrients for the bone broth.

TIP: Adding the chicken skin to the bone broth adds LOTS of flavor from the fat and seasoning, especially if it was previously roasted. No need to add all of it, some or none is fine if that is your preference.

Chicken bones and carrots in strainer with chicken bone broth.
  1. Step 3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the largest bones and vegetable scraps from the bone broth. Place a large fine mesh strainer in a large bowl and empty the rest of the broth and smaller bones into the strainer and large bowl. Discard the bones and boiled veggies, and bay leaves etc.
Raw Celery and carrots and spices in chicken broth with wooden spoon.
  1. Step 4. Transfer the bone broth back into the large cooking pot. Add extra water, chopped celery, carrots, peas, and chopped rotisserie chicken to the pot. Add in the spices: chicken bouillon, salt, garlic powder, ground pepper, and parsley. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to low to simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots and celery are soft.
Labeled ingredients for homemade egg noodles in glass bowls and Tablespoon of water above noodle mixture.
  1. Step 5. In a small bowl combine the flour and salt. Make a little hollow in the center of the flour and crack the egg into it (above left image).
  2. Step 6. Using a fork, break the egg yolk and gently begin mixing the egg around in a circle, bringing in flour from around the edges of the egg gradually. Mix the egg into the flour really well until there are only tiny pieces of egg in the flour mixture. Add in water 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition, until a dough forms (above right image).
Raw egg noodle dough in glass bowl and dough on floured work surface with wood rolling pin.
  1. Step 7. Knead for 1 minute until the dough is well mixed and there are no large egg pieces left.Cover and let rest for 30 minutes while soup is cooking (above left image).
  2. Step 8. Sprinkle work surface and dough generously with flour and roll the dough out thin (about nickel thickness) with a rolling pin (above right image).
Cutting egg noodles with pizza cutter on marble surface.
  1. Step 9. Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice ¼ inch strips into the dough vertically, then horizontally about 2 inches apart.
Red pot with cooked chicken, homemade egg noodles, and vegetables.
  1. Step 10. Gather up noodles one handful at a time and sprinkle them into the simmering soup. Cook noodles for 5 minutes, stirring to distribute them throughout the soup. Enjoy hot with Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits or Soft Fluffy French Bread!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Sear the flat side of the half onion (don't slice it up) in an oiled frying pan over medium heat to brown it for 2-3 minutes and give it some color before putting it into the bone broth. This will add both flavor and color from the caramelization of the onion.
  • Make the bone broth ahead of time and refrigerate it or freeze it to use later!
  • I use a rotisserie chicken because it's easier for me but a raw 3-4 pound chicken can be used.
  • Using the chicken skin in the broth adds both flavor and color to the broth, it makes a lovely rich broth base.
Spoonful of chicken noodle soup in white bowl.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cook the chicken before putting it in soup?

You can use raw chicken or rotisserie chicken for this recipe, and instructions for raw chicken are included in the recipe notes.

How do you add depth of flavor to chicken soup?

To the broth! Making homemade broth with celery, carrots (both aromatics seared onion, and bay leaf.
If you're using store bought broth, you can add chicken bouillon (start with a half teaspoon) a pinch of garlic powder, dried parsley, or onion powder to the broth.

Can you freeze homemade chicken noodle soup?

Yes!
Freeze: up to 3 months
Refrigerate: up to 4 days

Why are my homemade egg noodles tough?

1. Too thick - make sure they are rolled out very thin, the thickness of a nickel or even a penny.
2. Too much flour - If the dough has too much flour and is too stiff, it's hard to roll out thin enough. You can try adding in a teaspoon of water at a time to make it softer.
3. Make sure to let it rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten strands and make it easier to roll out.

Can you make bone broth and chicken noodle soup in the crock pot?

Yes, it takes 14-16 hours for the broth and another 3-4 on high for the soup and noodles to cook, adding the noodles in the last hour.

 More Delicious Homemade Soup Recipes

We loooove making soup in the winter. Here are some of our tried and true family favorites!

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

Cooked chicken noodle soup in white bowl on white plate.

Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Old fashioned chicken noodle soup with bone broth and homemade egg noodles, veggies, and simple seasoning.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 254 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the bone broth:

  • 1 (3 lb) rotisserie chicken 1.3 kg
  • 14 cups water about 3.5 L
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • ½ cup celery tops/greens
  • 8 baby carrots or 1 large
  • ½ yellow onion
  • 2 bay leaves

For the chicken noodle soup

  • 4 cups water 946 mL
  • 1½ cups chopped celery 175 g
  • 1½ cups chopped carrots 220 g
  • 2 cups peas 306 g
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 415 g (or 2 raw medium chicken breasts)
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon parsley, fresh or dried

For the noodles:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 135 g
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2.5 to 3 Tablespoons water

Instructions
 

For the bone broth:

  • Remove all meat from rotisserie chicken and transfer to a bowl or airtight container and refrigerate.
  • Transfer the chicken bones (with or without skin) to a large cooking pot. Add 14 cups (3.5L) of water, peppercorns, leafy celery tops, carrots, half an onion (not sliced) and bay leaves to a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup is simmering. Simmer on low heat for 4-5 hours to extract all of the bone marrow and nutrients for the bone broth.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the largest bones and vegetable scraps from the bone broth. Place a large fine mesh strainer in a large bowl and empty the rest of the broth and smaller bones into the strainer and large bowl. Discard all bones and vegetable scraps.

For the chicken soup:

  • Transfer the bone broth back into the large cooking pot. Add water, chopped celery, carrots, peas, and chopped rotisserie chicken to the pot.
  • Add in the spices: chicken bouillon, salt, garlic powder, ground pepper, and parsley. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to low to simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots and celery are soft.

For the noodles:

  • In a small bowl combine the flour and salt. Make a little hollow in the center of the flour and crack the egg into it.
  • Using a fork, break the egg yolk and gently begin mixing the egg around in a circle, bringing in flour from around the edges of the egg gradually. Mix the egg into the flour really well until there are only tiny pieces of egg in the flour mixture.
  • Add in water 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition, until a dough forms.
  • Knead for 1 minute until the dough is well mixed and there are no large egg pieces left.
    Cover and let rest for 30 minutes while soup is cooking.
  • Sprinkle work surface and dough generously with flour and roll the dough out thin (about nickel thickness) with a rolling pin.
  • Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice ¼ inch strips into the dough vertically, then horizontally about 2 inches apart.
  • Gather up noodles one handful at a time and sprinkle them into the simmering soup. Cook noodles for 5 minutes, stirring to distribute them throughout the soup.
  • Serve warm with toasty bread. Enjoy!

Notes

You can skip making the bone broth and use 96 oz (2.8L) of chicken broth, about 3 boxed chicken broth containers. 
You can make the bone broth ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it to use. 
If using fresh raw chicken: 
Boil the chicken with the peppercorns, celery, carrots, and onion for about 40 minutes, then remove and cool to remove meat from the bones.  Transfer the bones back to the broth and simmer for 4 hours. 

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 26gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 705mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5812IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Caramel Apple Pie

Dulce de leche apple pie is made with tart juicy apples, cinnamon, and buttery caramel nestled in a flaky crust. It's an awesome Thanksgiving pie!

I made this caramel apple pie with an adapted homemade apple pie filling and instant pot dulce de leche and it was AMAZING. It takes a bit of time and love to make the caramel and the pie, but it is 1000% worth it. I usually make it with a Cream Cheese Pie Crust too, but if you have a favorite pie crust you like, feel free to use it!

Baked caramel apple pie slice with tall whipped cream.

Our favorite Thanksgiving pies are usually The Best Pumpkin Pie or Baked Banana Pie but I loooove a good apple pie or classic homemade cherry pie. The filling is on the tart side so adding caramel doesn't make it too sweet at all!

Putting dulce de leche in apple pie was a no brainer, I adapted the pie filling with a little less sugar so that the caramel wouldn't make it too sweet.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: All the flavors of a classic apple pie but with caramel baked into the filling! It's delicious. The apple filling uses tart apples, so the caramel makes it a little sweeter. I used a little less sugar in the pie filling recipe so that the caramel wouldn't make it too sweet.
  • Ease: This is a medium difficulty recipe, if you've made pies before it will be no problem. It just takes time and patience!
  • Time: This recipe takes about 3-4 hours to prep, make and cool before eating. It's easy to make the crust and filling ahead of time though! Keep in mind it can take 2-3 hours for the pie filling to cool down enough to pour into the raw pie crust.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for caramel apple pie in glass dishes on metal baking pan.
  • Caramel - you can use a thick caramel sauce for this pie, just make sure it's not the thin runny syrup used on ice cream sundaes. I like to use homemade instant pot dulce de leche. You can mix in ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon vanilla to it to make it a salted caramel!
  • Apples - I use a mix of 2 apples, usually Granny Smith and Honey Crisp or Pink Lady because they are easily found at the grocery stores near me.
  • Brown Sugar - makes the pie taste even more like caramel without overpowering it!

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Brown Sugar - coconut sugar, or granulated white sugar are good replacements.
  • Caramel - you can use either dulce de leche caramel (because it's thick) or another caramel sauce, just make sure it's on the thicker side and not a thin sauce.
  • Spices - if you don't care for nutmeg or allspice, you could use cloves instead. We love the classic combination for apple pie spices.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Peeled and sliced apples on cutting board and red pot with apple pie filling ingredients raw.
  1. Step 1. Peel, core, and slice apples into THIN slices, about ¼ inch (about ½ cm) thick. You can do this with an apple peeler/slicer, or with a peeler and knife. (above left image)
  2. Step 2. Add the sliced apples, butter, brown sugar, and all spices and vanilla to a large pot. (above right image)
Lemons, cornstarch, and water on cutting board and red pot with cooked apples and wooden spoon.
  1. Step 3. Combine lemon juice, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together. If you want a sweeter filling, use water in place of the lemon juice to equal almost ⅔ cup. (above left image)
  2. Step 4. Pour cornstarch mixture into the apple pie filling and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the filling is thickened. (above right image)
Cooked apple pie filling in red pot and raw pie dough disc with flour on marble surface.
  1. Step 5. Let the pie filling cool completely to room temperature (or chilled) before pouring into a prepared raw pie crust. (above left image)
  2. Step 6. Prepare pie crust recipe (enough for top and bottom crust) and chill while pie filling is cooling. (above right image)
Apple pie filling in raw pie crust with caramel sauce, and raw pie crust being cut into lattice strips.
  1. Step 7. Pour cooled pie filling into prepared pie crust. Spoon caramel onto the pie filling. You can do half the filling, then the caramel, then the rest of the pie filling on top if you wish so there's more caramel in the middle. (above left image)
  2. Step 8. Roll out the second pie crust to ¼ inch thick and either cut 1 inch strips for a lattice pie crust, OR  lay the whole crust on the pie. (above right image)
Raw lattice pie crust on apple pie and fingers crimping raw pie crust.
  1. Step 9. If doing a lattice, you'll need 10-12 strips of dough, 5 or 6 going each direction. Lay them alternating over and under.It's easiest for me to lay 3 strips down vertically and lift the middle one back before laying a horizontal strip down closest to the bottom edge. Then replace the middle strip straight and lift the 2 edge vertical strips back before laying another horizontal strip. Alternate lifting the middle and edge strips between laying a horizontal strip to complete the lattice. Trim the edges before crimping to help prevent butter dripping while baking. (above left image)
  2. Step 10. Crimp the edges by pinching two fingers together on the outside of the crust, then pressing a finger between them to make a "V" in the dough. Repeat around the edge until the whole pie is crimped and the edges sealed shut. (above right image)
Egg washing raw pie crust with pastry brush and sprinkling coarse sugar on pie crust.
  1. Step 11. Brush beaten egg on top of pie crust, covering the entire crust. If doing a solid crust (not a lattice), make sure to cut 3-4 slits in the top of the pie to allow air to escape so it doesn't bubble on top. (above left image)
  2. Step 12. Sprinkle sugar on top of crust. (above right image) Transfer pie to preheated oven onto the empty baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 ℉, then reduce heat to 350 ℉ and bake for 40-45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  The filling will thicken a little as it cools.
Baked unsliced dulce de leche apple pie in white pie pan.

You can serve it with ice cream, homemade cream cheese whipped cream, or more caramel drizzled on top!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Make it ahead! You can make the pie dough and pie filling up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. I encourage making one or both ahead of time, as it can take 2-3 hours for the pie filling to cool down enough to pour into the raw pie crust.
  • Cool your pie filling! If it's warm going into the raw pie crust, it will melt the butter and the crust won't be flaky.
  • Cool to room temp for even slices. You can eat the pie hot (I love it this way) but the filling will be a little more runny, it sets as it cools. If you want more crisp, even lines when you slice the pie up to serve then make sure you cool it to room temperature.
Baked caramel apple pie in white pie dish on wood cutting board.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just use fresh apples in the pie filling?

You could, but it can result in runny pie filling and soggy crust. Using fresh fruit is a risky business in pie making, and there is no guarantee it will turn out perfect, which is why I ALWAYS cook my pie filling first. It doesn't hurt it at all to bake inside the crust!

What apples are best for pie filling?

A firm, tart apple is best. I like to use Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady because they are almost always available at the grocery stores I shop at. Ones to avoid would be red delicious, gala, or fuji because they could turn mushy or be too sweet with the added sugar in the filling.

Why is my crust soggy and my filling runny?

Make sure to let the pie cool for 3 hours before cutting into it to prevent runny filling, the filling will set more firmly as it cools.
Soggy crust usually comes from too much moisture in the filling (which is why I cook mine first) or from not baking it long enough.

How do you store Caramel Apple Pie?

Room Temperature: 3 days
Refrigerated: 5 days
Frozen: up to 3 months. If you make the pie and freeze it raw, make sure to thaw it completely before baking.

🥧 More Delicious Pie Recipes

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

Baked caramel apple pie slice with whipped cream on top.

Caramel Apple Pie

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Level up apple pie with caramel! Tart juicy apples, cinnamon, and buttery caramel nestled in a flaky crust. It's lovely for holidays!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 343 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pie crust recipe, top & bottom crust
  • 4 lb Granny Smith & Honeycrisp apples about 3 lb peeled and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter salted, 56 g
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed 225 g
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup water 118 mL
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 30 mL
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch 24 g
  • ½ cup thick caramel 230 g
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated or raw coarse sugar for top of pie

Instructions
 

  • Peel, core, and slice apples into THIN slices, about ¼ inch (about ½ cm) thick. You can do this with a apple peeler/slicer, or with a peeler and knife.
  • Add the sliced apples, butter, brown sugar, and all spices and vanilla to a large pot.
    Over medium heat, cook apples for 20 minutes until soft with a little bite to them.
  • Combine lemon juice, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together. If you want a sweeter filling, use water in place of the lemon juice to equal almost ⅔ cup.
  • Pour cornstarch mixture into the apple pie filling and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the filling is thickened.
  • Let the pie filling cool completely to room temperature (or chilled) before pouring into a prepared raw pie crust.
  • Prepare pie crust recipe (enough for top and bottom crust) and chill while pie filling is cooling.
    Preheat oven to 400℉ with empty baking sheet inside. Roll pie crust into a large enough circle to fill a 9 inch pie dish, about ¼ inch (.63 cm) thick.
  • Pour cooled pie filling into prepared pie crust. Spoon caramel onto the pie filling. (you can do half the filling, then the caramel, then the rest of the pie filling on top if you wish so there's more caramel in the middle)
  • Roll out the second pie crust to ¼ inch thick and either cut 1 inch strips for a lattice pie crust, OR lay the whole crust on the pie.
  • If doing a lattice, you'll need 10-12 strips of dough, 5 or 6 going each direction. Lay them alternating over and under.
    It's easiest for me to lay 3 strips down vertically and lift the middle one back before laying a horizontal strip down closest to the bottom edge.
    Then replace the middle strip straight and lift the 2 edge vertical strips back before laying another horizontal strip. Alternate lifting the middle and edge strips between laying a horizontal strip to complete the lattice. Trim the edges before crimping to help prevent butter dripping while baking.
  • Crimp the edges by pinching two fingers together on the outside of the crust, then pressing a finger between them to make a "V" in the dough. Repeat around the edge until the whole pie is crimped and the edges sealed shut.
  • Brush beaten egg on top of pie crust, covering the entire crust. If doing a solid crust (not a lattice), make sure to cut 3-4 slits in the top of the pie to allow air to escape so it doesn't bubble on top.
  • Sprinkle sugar on top of crust. Transfer pie to preheated oven onto the empty baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400 ℉, then reduce heat to 350 ℉ and bake for 40-45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
    Cool to room temp for more even slices. Or warm for melty caramel goodness!

Notes

Prepare pie crust and/or pie filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate or freeze. Thaw to room temperature before using to bake. 
Storage: Room Temperature: covered up to 3 days
Refrigerated: up to 5 days
Frozen: (baked & cooled) up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0.4mgSodium: 175mgPotassium: 314mgFiber: 6gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 131IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Stew

It's super easy crock pot beef and vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, peas, and a savory seasoned beef broth. This Slow cooker beef soup recipe is loaded with veggies and we LOVE it as a family dinner for weeknights.

We LOVE beef stew with some toasted Soft Fluffy French Bread or Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits (husband's favorite), Cheesy Garlic Irish Soda Bread, or Homemade fluffy Dinner Rolls (my favorites). It's a great freezer-friendly beef stew to make a double recipe of and freeze for a cold winter night.

White bowl of cooked beef stew with toasted bread on white plate.

We're all about family friendly soup recipes, so no cooking wine here, just a combination of beef broth, tomato paste for a little acidity, and Worcestershire sauce for umami to help make the soup nice and rich tasting. I use a combination of tomatoes and Worcestershire in Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Rice and it tastes amazing!

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: savory rich beef stew with vegetables like carrots, potatoes, peas, and celery with tender beef to balance it out.
  • Ease: Simple recipe, just brown the beef and onions and then dump into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients!
  • Time: 4-6 hours in the slow cooker, or 40-45 minutes on the stovetop.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for crock pot vegetable beef stew in glass bowls.

Ingredient Notes

I'll walk you through the building blocks of how to build flavor in beef stew.

  • Aromatics and Flavor Boosters
    • Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce add depth of flavor and a little acidity to the stew.
    • Seasonings - a simple mix of salt, pepper, and garlic are used.
  • Beef - I use stew beef chunks, aka "chuck meat" cut from the shoulder. It's usually a little tougher and has a medium fat content, making it flavorful and ideal for slow cooking to tenderize it. Browning it first helps to develop flavor.
  • Beef broth - the base of the stew, is much more flavorful than water and helps the beef to retain flavor as it cooks.
  • Vegetables - I chose peas, potatoes, and aromatics like carrots, celery, and onions to make a traditional, old-fashioned beef stew. It's a similar veggie mix to what I use in Bone Broth Chicken Noodle Soup, minus the potatoes and onions.
  • Cornstarch - used as a gluten-free thickener to make it more "stew" like than soup.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Beef Broth - if I don't have beef broth, I substitute water mixed with beef bouillon or beef base, according to package directions to get the correct volume of beef broth.
  • Vegetables - you can use your favorite combination of vegetables, I like to use the combo of aromatics like carrots and celery and filling veggies like potatoes and peas. You could add in butternut or acorn squash, mushrooms, parsnips, or turnips.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Raw beef chunks, garlic, and onion in black frying pan on marble.
  1. Step 1. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Make sure the pan is nice and hot. Add beef chunks and onion and sear the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.

• It doesn't need to be cooked all the way through, just nice and browned on the outside to give it flavor.

Raw ingredients for beef and vegetable stew in crock pot.
  1. Step 2. To the slow cooker add all vegetables, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cornstarch, and beef broth. Stir well and cover.

TIP: You can wait until the last 10-15 minutes to add the peas to keep them nice and bright green. The color fades as they cook.

Cooked slow cooker beef stew in crock pot.
  1. Step 3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours (lower heat is recommended for chuck beef). The longer you can cook your beef at a low temperature, the more tender it will be.

You can cook this on the stovetop for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 at a simmer. If you cook it for less time, your beef will be a little more chewy. Serve with a side like Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits for maximum coziness.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Brown the beef - searing the beef before putting into the slow cooker helps to give the broth a better, deeper flavor than if it's just dumped in with the veggies.
  • Make sure the pan is hot to brown the beef! Let the pan heat with the olive oil for 2-3 minutes before adding the beef and onions so it sizzles when it hits the pan, so it properly browns.
  • Cook low and slow - chuck stew meat required a longer cooking time than regular beef, so cooking it longer at a lower temperature once it goes into the crock pot will help it to become tender and melt in your mouth.
Wooden ladle full of cooked beef vegetable stew in crock pot.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just make this on the stove top?

Yes! You will need to let the beef and vegetable stew simmer on low heat for awhile to help tenderize the beef though, at least 1 hour, preferably longer, 1.5- 2 hours so the beef is nice and soft. If you cook it for less time, your beef will be a little chewier.

Is there a big difference in the tenderness between cooking on high or low?

Yes, for chuck meat low and slow is always the way to get the most tender meat.

Is this beef stew gluten free?

Yes! Using beef broth or beef stock and cornstarch makes this beef stew gluten free/friendly.

How do you store slow cooker beef stew?

Refrigerate: up to 4 days.
Freeze: up to 3 months.

Is this recipe instant pot friendly?

Yes! You can sear the beef and onions in the instant pot on sauté-mode, add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. You will need at least an 8 quart instant pot.

🥣 More Easy Soup Recipes

If you need more ideas beyond crock pot beef stew with vegetables, I got you covered!

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

White bowl of cooked beef stew with toasted bread.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Stew

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
It's super easy crock pot beef and vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, peas, and a savory seasoned beef broth. This Slow cooker beef soup recipe is loaded with veggies and we LOVE it as a family dinner for weeknights.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 360 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chuck stew meat chunks
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped 1 cup, 125 g
  • 1½ cups frozen peas 230 g
  • 1½ cups chopped carrots 220 g
  • 1½ cups chopped celery 175 g
  • 2 cups potatoes (heaping) chopped 350 g, 2 medium potatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic 2-3 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 6 cups beef broth 1.4 L

Instructions
 

  • In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add beef chunks and onion and sear the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.
  • To the slow cooker add all vegetables, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cornstarch, and beef broth. Stir well and cover.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours (lower heat is recommended).

Notes

Freeze for up to 3 months. 
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. 
*Cooking at a lower heat for longer helps the beef become more tender. Higher temps for a shorter amount of time will yield chewier beef. 
Stovetop Instructions: 
Follow recipe as instructed in a large pot. Simmer stew on low heat for at least 1 hour, preferably longer, 1.5- 2 hours so the beef is nice and soft. If you cook it for less time, your beef will be a little chewier unless you have a more tender cut of beef. 

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 41gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1761mgPotassium: 1338mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5827IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

The best apple pie filling is buttery, has tart juicy apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and all the fall spices to make it delicious!

It's SUPER easy to make homemade cooked apple pie filling. I have an awesome Homemade Cherry Pie Filling recipe but wanted to have an apple version that I make again and again. Apple pie with Cream Cheese Pie Crust is HEAVENLY, or you can use flaky all butter pie crust or your favorite crust recipe.

Cooked apple pie filling in glass jar.

This apple pie filling uses fresh apples but is cooked before going into the pie. It helps to avoid soggy pie crust, pie filling that's too runny, and there are no gaps between the crust and the filling. It's easy to make ahead and freeze for a later day too!

A lot of apple pie recipes can go wrong with mushy apples, not enough apple flavor, runny filling, not enough filling, the list goes on. This recipe is on the tart side like my homemade fresh peach pie filling , letting the apple flavor shine with enough cinnamon to enhance it but not overpower it!

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: On the tart side, buttery with apple and cinnamon being the dominant flavors. Two different kinds of apples are used (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp to get a good balance of flavor.
  • Ease: This is a super easy apple pie recipe. The part that takes the longest is peeling and chopping the apples, and waiting for the filling to cool before using it in pie, but that part is not difficult. It's just hard to wait!
  • Time: It takes about 15-20 minutes to prep the apples (with no peeler) and about 20 minutes to cook the filling.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for homemade apple pie in glass bowls on metal baking sheet.
  • Apples - You'll need to buy at least 4 pounds. A mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are used in this recipe for texture and flavor. These are both tart apples that don't turn to mush when cooked, making them perfect for pie! I like the flavor of McIntosh apples more than Granny Smith, but I love the texture and how tart Granny Smith apples are.
  • Brown Sugar - It helps to give a lovely buttery almost caramel flavor to the pie filling.
  • Butter - used to help cook the apples and give them more flavor!
  • Spices - I used a traditional apple pie spice mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and a little nutmeg.
  • Cornstarch - used as the thickener, it's a nice gluten friendly option that doesn't change the pie filling colors like flour would or have a strange texture like tapioca can sometimes cause.
  • Vanilla - my beloved not so secret ingredient. It makes EVERYTHING sweet taste better and definitely enhances the beautiful apple flavors.
  • Lemon - optional, but delicious! It makes the filling on the tart side, which we LOVE.

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

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Cornstarch - can be swapped out with twice the amount of flour or Clear Jel, a modified food starch used for safe bottling and canning pie filling.
  • Brown Sugar - can be substituted with the same amount of white sugar or coconut sugar.
  • The combined spices can be switched with store bough apple pie spice mix.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Peeling and slicing apples by hand and with a machine.
  1. Step 1. Peel, core, and slice apples into THIN slices, about ¼ inch ( ½ cm) thick. You can do this a couple of ways: with a knife and vegetable peeler (above left image), or with an apple corer/peeler/slicer (above right image) which are AWESOME and only $20 ish. I have a mixer attachment that's easy to use that I use that I also love!
Red pan full of raw apple pie filling ingredients.
  1. Step 2. Add the sliced apples, butter, brown sugar, and all spices and vanilla to a large pot and stir together. Over medium heat, cook apples for 20 minutes covered until soft with a little bite to them, and stir them occasionally.
Cornstarch and lemon juice in glass bowl.
  1. Step 3. Combine lemon juice, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together.
Pouring cornstarch mixture into cooked apples.
  1. Step 4. Pour the cornstarch mixture into apple pie filling and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the filling is thickened. Adding the cornstarch after the apples have cooked help them to cook a little more evenly.
Cooked apple pie filling in red pot.
  1. Step 5. Cool completely to room temperature (or refrigerate) before using in a raw pie shell, or you can freeze the filling to use another time! Directions in the frequently asked questions secion below.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Let the pie filling cool completely to room temperature before filling a pie shell. Otherwise it will melt the butter in your dough and your crust won't be flaky when baked!
  • Heat a baking sheet in the oven while preheating to place your pie dish on when you bake the pie. If it's already hot, it helps to bake the pie more evenly and prevent a soggy bottom!
  • Put it on Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats or Vanilla Overnight Oats. SO GOOD.
Cooked apple pie filling in wooden spoon above pot.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What apples are best for apple pie?

Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady all hold up well in pies, they are more tart in flavor and they don't turn mushy when baked.
I use a combination of Granny Smith for the tartness and texture and Honeycrisp because they taste so apple-y and are tart with a nice texture as well.

Should you cook apples before putting them in a pie?

Cooking the apples ahead of time helps to reduce the chance of runny filling and a gap at the top of the pie between the filling and the crust. Baking with uncooked apples can be a risky business since apples can have an unpredictable amount of moisture.

What is the best thickener for apple pie filling?

The most reliable tend to be clear jel, a modified food starch that is safe for canning, or cornstarch. Flour or uncooked tapioca starch can also be used, but flour can dampen flavor and tapioca can cause texture issues if not cooked properly.

How do I store Apple Pie filling?

Refrigerate: up to 4 days.
Freeze: up to 3 months.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes!
Combine all pie filling ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Can you bottle this recipe?

Yes, but NOT as is written. Instead of cornstarch, you will need to use Clear Jel, a modified food starch that helps to distribute heat more evenly than cornstarch and will help prevent bacteria from growing after the pie filling is bottled.
Then bottle using a water bath, making sure to cover the bottles completely with water (1-2 inches above), and process for 30 minutes or more for elevation adjustments.

🥧 More Delicious Pie Recipes

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

Jar of homemade apple pie filling.

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
The best apple pie filling is buttery, has tart juicy apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and all the fall spices to make it delicious!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 314 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb apples (12 medium) mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, = 3 lb (1360 g) peeled and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter 23 g
  • 1¼ cups brown sugar 280 g
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 30 mL
  • ½ cup water 118 mL
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch 24 g

Instructions
 

  • Peel, core, and slice apples into THIN slices, about ¼ inch (about ½ cm) thick. You can do this with a apple peeler/slicer, or with a peeler and knife.
  • Add the sliced apples, butter, brown sugar, and all spices and vanilla to a large pot.
  • Over medium heat, cook apples for 20 minutes until soft with a little bite to them.
  • Combine lemon juice, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together.
    If you want a sweeter filling, use water in place of the lemon juice to equal almost ⅔ cup.
  • Pour into apple pie filling and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the filling is thickened.
  • Cool completely to room temperature (or refrigerate) before using in a raw pie shell.

Notes

Slow Cooker Instructions: 
Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours until apples are tender and mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally. 
To Store: 
Refrigerate for up to 4 days, freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 6gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls

This is a soft and buttery old-fashioned yeast dinner rolls recipe with sweet honey, butter, and they are SO FLUFFY.

Just like the perfect Soft Fluffy French Bread, I have the perfect, softest fluffy rolls recipe. This easy yeast roll recipe makes at least 24-30 big soft fluffy dinner rolls. You could make 36 on the small/medium side. This is a large batch dinner roll recipe, but you can easily half it to make 12-15 rolls. It's the PERFECT Thanksgiving rolls recipe because it makes a lot, and it goes so quickly once you learn how to roll them out bakery style!

It's been a decade of developing and tweaking this, THE BEST yeast rolls recipe, until we got it JUST right. It is tried and true, and I haven't changed a thing for years. There's no shortening, processed sugar, or oil in the recipe. Just good old-fashioned honey, yeast, and butter! They taste just like ya grandmas dinner rolls. Absolutely heavenly with a little bit of Honey Butter Spread.

Something I love about this soft bread rolls recipe is that you can make the rolls overnight, or freeze them super easy. You can either freeze them once the rolls are cooled, or the raw dough. The instructions for thawing and baking the raw dough balls are similar to store bought frozen rolls.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

What To Expect

  • Taste: These are big fat dinner rolls that are soft, fluffy, and perfectly baked. There's just enough salt and butter to make them delicious!
  • Ease: This is a pretty easy dinner rolls recipe. It is straightforward and there is only 7 ingredients. It just takes some time and practice to make the rolls round and evenly sized!
  • Time: Usually it takes about 3 hours to make the rolls. 10 minutes to mix, 1 hour to rise, 15-20 minutes to cut and roll, 1 hour for second rise, and 15 minutes to bake. The rise times may vary depending on how warm the room is, but it's easy to speed up the rise time!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for easy dinner rolls in glass dishes on metal baking pan.
  • Flour - all-purpose is what I've consistently used over the years and works best for me.
  • Honey - no processed sugars here! I have used regular white sugar in years past (it was fine) but I switched to honey because it makes better dough. Better tasting, better to work with.
  • Yeast - active dry yeast or instant yeast work great for this recipe. The only difference is the active dry yeast needs warm water, sweetener, and a few minutes to activate before putting it into the recipe. Instant yeast can be added right into the bowl without activating it first.
  • Water - it makes the magic happen with these rolls. Milk adds a little too much fat to the dough, making the rolls less fluffy when rising.
  • Butter - some fat is necessary for the rolls to be not just fluffy, but fluffy for days! These rolls last for 3-4 days and are still fluffy.
  • Eggs - act as a binder but also help enrich the dough so the rolls stay fresh longer.
  • Salt - the MOST important flavor enhancer! Bread without salt is not good.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Honey - to make the rolls safe for babies under 1 year old, honey can be substituted with the same amount of agave nectar, pure maple syrup, white, brown, or coconut sugar. The dry ingredients don't affect the dough very much.
  • Butter - for a dairy friendly option, switch out the butter with shortening.
  • Water - can be swapped out for fat free skim or 1% milk, or your favorite plant-based milk.
  • Flour - Bread flour or whole wheat flour may be used, but since they can absorb more liquid I would decrease the amount by ½ cup ( approx. 70g) and add more flour if needed.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Thermometer, warm water, yeast, and honey.
  1. Step 1. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm water (100-110℉), honey, and active dry yeast. Water temperature is important. Too hot and the yeast will die, too cold and it takes much longer to activate. Yeast begins to die at around 120℉.
Soft butter, eggs, flour, and salt in white mixing bowl with wooden spoon.
  1. Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, eggs, salt, and flour. I like to place my bowl on a scale, zero it out, and then add the flour to make sure I have the correct weight.
Yeast and water being poured into white bowl with flour, butter, and eggs.
  1. Step 3. Pour in yeast and flour mixture. Knead for 7-10 minutes by hand (or 5-7 minutes in an electric mixer) until dough is elastic and smooth. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
Scale with raw roll dough on top, with cutting board and roll dough sectioned into balls.
  1. Step 4. Divide the dough into 30 even balls (golf ball sized), usually 58-60 grams each. I like to weigh the dough and divide it by 30 to calculate how much each ball of dough should weigh. I cut about half of the rolls, roll them into the pan, and then cut and roll the other half.

If making 24 rolls = about 72-73 grams each. For 36 rolls, about 49- 50 grams each.

Rolling raw dinner roll dough portions into round balls with both hands on marble surface.
  1. Step 5. Roll each dough ball into a smooth ball by cupping the hand in a "C" shape over the roll and moving it around in a small circle on a flat work surface. Pressing your hand into the roll and putting pressure on it will help to keep the top in place while the circular motion drags the edges under, stretching the dough to make it smooth and even on top. Practice doing it with both hands! (Video below Step 6)
Dish towel covering raw dinner roll dough in metal pan.
  1. Step 6. Transfer each ball into a greased 11 x 18 inch baking pan with rims, about 6 rows of 5 rolls. Spray with baking spray (so they don't dry out) and cover to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size (gaps should be filled in), then check them. They may need a little longer if it's cooler. Make sure to set a timer so they don't rise too much! Overproofing can make them collapse a little in the oven and they won't be as fluffy.

Tip: Set the timer for 45 minutes while the rolls are rising so you can turn the oven on to 375 degrees to preheat for the last 15-20 minutes of the rising time.

Risen raw dinner rolls in metal pan.
  1. Step 7. Bake the rolls at 375℉ for 15-16 minutes on the bottom shelf. This well help make sure the bottoms are nice and browned.
Red brush with melted butter over baked fluffy dinner rolls.
  1. Step 8. After removing the rolls from the oven, melt 2-3 Tablespoons of butter and brush the tops of the rolls while they're still hot. I've also rubbed the butter stick straight onto the hot rolls, use whichever method you like!

⏲️ Make Ahead/Overnight Instructions

  1. Make the dough.
  2. Do the first rise.
  3. Shape the rolls and lightly spray them with baking spray to prevent them from drying out. 
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough balls before they rise again. I usually do this in two 9x13 pans or one large 11x18 inch pan if I have enough fridge space. 
  5. The next day, give them 1-3 hours out of the fridge (still covered) to rise depending on how cold it is in the room, make sure they are doubled in size or they'll be dense and stodgy when baked.
  6. Bake away! 

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Weigh your flour! You will consistently get good results when you weigh your ingredients. Things like butter and eggs are roughly the same amounts, but flour can be tricky to get right without a scale. This is my favorite kitchen scale that I've used for years.
  • If you're not sure your scale is weighing right, you can test the scale for accuracy with a stick of butter that has a set weight. Zero out the scale, set the butter on it, and make sure it's 113 g.
  • Watch my video in the recipe notes to learn how to roll out dinner rolls bakery style! You can learn one-handed, but it's better to practice with both hands to roll out the rolls quickly and efficiently.
  • Practice practice practice. I worked at a bakery in college and learned how to roll out hundreds of rolls quickly. Keep at it! It's all muscle memory, and it goes so quickly once you get the hang of it!
  • Butter on the rolls! You can either rub the butter stick straight onto the dinner rolls or melt 2-3 Tablespoons and brush the butter on with a pastry brush. It is the perfect shiny touch and helps to soften up the tops a little right before serving.
Baked soft fluffy dinner rolls in metal baking sheet.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren't my yeast rolls fluffy?

Usually the answer is yeast. If the water was too hot, it could kill it. If the rolls don't rise long enough (not doubled in size, they will be dense and doughy when baked. If they rose too much, they collapse in the oven and aren't as fluffy.

What is the best temperature for yeast rolls to rise?

We say "room temperature", which means about 70℉-77℉ (21-25℃). Any colder an they take longer to rise, any higher and they may rise too quickly or kill the yeast.

Can I freeze old fashioned yeast rolls?

Yes! Freeze up to 3 months baked or raw. 
Follow recipe until Step 6: make dough, let rise ONCE, roll into balls, and freeze dough balls individually. 
Bake from frozen: Place dough balls onto a greased baking sheet, cover, and let thaw and rise for 4-5 hours. Placing in a warm area (oven preheated for 2 minutes) will speed up the thawing and rise time. Bake as directed in recipe, but be sure to remove rolls before preheating oven all the way if rising in the oven. 

How do you keep homemade rolls soft?

Ingredients and technique. The fat from the butter and eggs enrich the roll dough, helping them to stay soft and fresh for days after baking, along with kneading the dough for the correct amount of time, and making sure they rise TWICE. Buttering the tops after they bake help too!

How do you keep fresh rolls from getting hard?

Store in an airtight container, away from heat. If they've already started to dry out, place a few slices of soft fresh bread in the container and leave overnight to soften them up a bit.

How long do dinner rolls last?

Room Temperature: 3 days
Frozen (after baking): 3 months.

How to reheat Dinner Rolls

Microwave for 5-10 seconds or warm in the oven (6 or more) covered in foil for 10 minutes at 350℉.

🥖 More Delicious Bread Recipes

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

Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
This is a soft and buttery old-fashioned yeast dinner rolls recipe with sweet honey, butter, and they are SO FLUFFY. Makes 24-36 rolls depending on what size you want. I usually make 30 in one pan and they turn out perfect every time.
4.77 from 26 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rising time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 147 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups warm water (100-110℉) 475 mL
  • ¼ cup honey 85 g
  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast 14 g
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened 113 g
  • 2 eggs
  • 2½ teaspoons salt
  • 7 cups all purpose flour 1000 g
  • 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter for tops of rolls

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, stir together the warm water (100-110℉), honey, and active dry yeast. Water temperature is important. Let rest 5 minutes until yeast becomes foamy on top.
    2 cups warm water (100-110℉), ¼ cup honey, 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, eggs, salt, and flour.
    I like to place my bowl on a scale, zero it out, and then add the flour to make sure I have the correct weight.
    ½ cup salted butter, softened, 2 eggs, 2½ teaspoons salt, 7 cups all purpose flour
  • Pour in yeast and flour mixture. Knead for 7-10 minutes by hand (or 5-7 minutes in an electric mixer with a dough hook) until dough is elastic and smooth. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or dish towel.
    Let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
  • Divide the dough into 30 even balls (golf ball sized), usually 58-60 grams each. I cut and roll half, then cut and roll the other half.
    You can weigh the dough, then divide it by 30 to calculate how much each ball of dough should weigh.
  • Roll each dough ball into a smooth ball by cupping the hand in a "C" shape over the roll and moving it around in a small circle on a flat work surface.
    Pressing your hand gently onto the roll and putting pressure on it will help to keep the top in place while the circular motion drags the edges under, stretching the dough taught to make it smooth and even on top.
    Practice doing it with both hands!
  • Transfer rolls into a greased 11 x 18 inch baking pan with rims, about 6 rows of 5 rolls. Spray with baking spray (so they don't dry out) and cover to rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size (gaps should be filled in), then check them.
    They may need a little longerto rise if it's cooler. Preheat the oven to 375℉ at the 45-50 minute mark.
  • Bake at 375℉ for 15-16 minutes on the middle or bottom shelf. This well help make sure the bottoms are nice and browned.
  • After removing the rolls from the oven, melt 3-4 Tablespoons of butter and brush the tops of the rolls while they're still hot. I've also rubbed the butter stick straight onto the hot rolls, use whichever method you like!
    3-4 Tablespoons melted butter for tops of rolls

Notes

Tip: Set the timer for 45 minutes while the rolls are rising so you can turn the oven on to 375 degrees to preheat for the last 15 minutes of the rising time.
If making 24 rolls = about 72-73 grams each.
30 rolls = 58-60 g 
36 rolls, about 49- 50 g
Freezing instructions:  up to 3 months baked or raw. 
  1. Follow recipe until Step 6: make dough, let rise ONCE, roll into balls, and freeze dough balls individually. 
Bake from frozen: Place dough balls onto a greased baking sheet, cover, and let thaw and rise for 4-5 hours. Placing in a warm area (oven preheated for 2 minutes) will speed up the thawing and rise time. Bake as directed in recipe, but be sure to remove rolls before preheating oven all the way if rising in the oven. 

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 224mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Chicken Rice and Veggies Casserole

I made a quick and easy chicken and rice casserole with lots of melty cheese, frozen veggies, and rotisserie or canned chicken and a SUPER easy chicken gravy sauce for dinner in under an hour.

Since this recipe is made with canned/rotisserie chicken (just like my Easy Chicken Roll Ups) and frozen veggies, it's definitely on the easier side of homemade-borderline cheating. Still counts. Crock pot/Slow cooker instructions in the Frequently Asked Questions section!

Baked Chicken and rice casserole in glass baking dish.

We LOVE making creamy chicken and rice casserole with veggies in all seasons because it doesn't take long to bake to heat everything through and it's so easy to make ahead, it's very freezer friendly. It's one of my favorite recipes to double and freeze since it's so easy to make and reheat!

I would consider this semi-homeade, very similar to Chicken Pot Pie with Frozen Veggies with the sauce made from condensed chicken soup and chicken gravy mix.

I made this recipe cooking the rice FIRST before baking, since a common problem in other chicken and rice casserole recipes is that using raw rice and then baking it can result in crunchy rice or soupy casserole. Not a problem with this recipe! It's also super kid friendly and very simply seasoned.

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⭐️ What To Expect

  • Taste: It's a nice creamy, cheesy chicken and rice casserole thanks to the sauce made with chicken gravy and condensed chicken soup.
  • Ease: It's as easy as cooking the rice, and mixing together the already cooked or canned chicken with the other ingredients, and putting them in a casserole dish! I would rate it as a beginner recipe.
  • Time: It takes about 20 minutes to prep (mostly cooking the rice) and 20-30 minutes to heat everything in the oven.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for chicken rice and veggies casserole in glass dishes on metal pan.
  • Chicken - rotisserie or canned chicken is used for this recipe, but you can use cooked chicken chopped or shredded as well.
  • Vegetables - Frozen mixed veggies like peas, carrots, corn, and green beans are used here since they are already prepped and chopped.
  • Rice - White rice is used for its quick cooking time, long or short grain works fine! I use a similar base recipe to Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, I just don't add any lime juice.
  • Colby jack or cheddar cheese - I use it both in and on top of the casserole because it's delicious!
  • Chicken Gravy Mix - this is found in the gravy mix section of the grocery store. You could also use turkey gravy!
  • Condensed Chicken Soup- helps to make the casserole nice and creamy. You can use the fat free variety as well.
  • Milk - I prefer to use whole milk for maximum creaminess.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Rice - feel free to use brown rice, yellow rice, or jasmine rice, just make sure to cook it according to package directions, some rice varieties may need more or less water.
  • Milk - can be replaced with water or unsweetened plant based milk.
  • Vegetables- I use a mix of frozen vegetables with carrots, peas, corn and green beans but broccoli or cauliflour would be easy to swap in!
  • Cheese - you can use your favorite, some of the ones we like are mild or sharp cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey jack.
  • Use leftover turkey! You can use turkey gravy mix or turkey gravy in place of the milk and gravy mix.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Raw rice and chicken broth in metal pot.
  1. Step 1. In a pot combine uncooked rice, water, and chicken bouillon. Cook according to package directions, about 20 minutes at a simmer covered.
Cheese, chicken, and frozen veggies in white bowl.
  1. Step 2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl combine frozen veggies, chicken, and shredded cheese. Set aside.
Milk, seasonings, and gravy mix in glass measuring cup.
  1. Step 3. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine milk, condensed cream of chicken soup, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Pouring sauce into bowl of chicken, veggies, and cheese.
  1. Step 4. Pour the milk gravy mixture into the bowl of chicken, frozen veggies, and shredded cheese.
Cooked rice, veggies, and gravy in white mixing bowl with wooden spoon.
  1. Step 5. Once the rice is done, pour it hot right into the bowl of chicken and veggies and mix it all together.
Spreading unbaked chicken and veggies and rice in glass pan with wooden spoon.
  1. Step 6. Spread the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Sprinkling cheese over raw chicken and rice in glass pan.
  1. Step 7. Sprinkle 1 to 1.5 cups of shredded cheese on top of the chicken rice casserole.
Baked chicken rice veggie casserole in glass baking dish.
  1. Step 8. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Serve hot. Enjoy!

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • You can make the rice up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate to make the prep even faster for this recipe.
  • Double the amount of ingredients and split into tin foil pans and freeze one for an easy dinner on another night!
  • If you want chicken casserole without soup, substitute it with 1 cup of sour cream and ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon. It will taste pretty close!
  • Want more flavor? Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and a few more sprinkles of salt.
Spoonful of melty cheese rice casserole.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What to add to chicken and rice for flavor?

My go to is a little more salt first, then garlic powder, then onion powder. Since the chicken is already cooked, it's okay to taste a little before putting it into the baking dish to see how you like it and add more of any of those seasonings.

What goes with chicken and rice?

We usually have fresh veggies like sliced cucumbers, carrots, or a green salad but you could also have Soft Fluffy French Bread with it!

Is chicken and rice a healthy option?

Although there is added sodium, there is also protein from the chicken and cheese, milk, and fiber and nutrient filled vegetables. It's a pretty decent stand-alone meal.

Why is my chicken and rice so bland?

Creamy chicken rice casserole is simply seasoned on purpose, to be a savory comfort meal and kid-friendly. If you want more flavor, see the Tips & Hacks section of the post.

How long can I refrigerate Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole?

3 days.
Frozen: up to 3 months

Can I make this in a crock pot?

Yes! Follow the recipe instructions, and instead of putting the casserole in a baking dish, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours.

🍗 More Easy Chicken Recipes

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

Baked Chicken and rice casserole in glass baking dish.

Chicken Rice and Veggies Casserole

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
I made a quick and easy chicken and rice casserole with lots of melty cheese, frozen veggies, and rotisserie or canned chicken and a SUPER easy chicken gravy sauce for dinner in under an hour.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 472 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup white rice, uncooked long or short grain
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • 3 cups frozen mixed veggies
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken canned or rotisserie
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 (10.5oz) can condensed chicken soup
  • 1 package (.87 oz) chicken gravy mix
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cup shredded cheese for top, optional

Instructions
 

  • In a pot combine uncooked rice, water, and chicken bouillon. Cook according to package directions, about 20 minutes at a simmer covered.
  • Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl combine frozen veggies, chicken, and shredded cheese. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup combine milk, condensed cream of chicken soup, gravy mix, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
  • Pour the milk gravy mixture into the bowl of chicken, frozen veggies, and shredded cheese.
  • Once the rice is done, pour it hot right into the bowl of chicken and veggies and mix it all together.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray.
  • Spread the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 to 1.5 cups of shredded cheese on top of the chicken rice casserole.
  • Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Notes

Refrigerate for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 3 months. 
This casserole is mildly flavored on purpose, add more salt or a few sprinkles of garlic powder to the mixing bowl if you'd like a little more flavor. 
Slow Cooker : Follow the recipe instructions, and instead of putting the casserole in a baking dish, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours. 

Nutrition

Calories: 472kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 35gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 929mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3647IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 371mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Spider Web Cookies

Chocolate Spider Web Cookies are a super fun chocolate chip Halloween cookie recipe that are fudgy, filled with chocolate chips, and white chocolate webs!

I wanted to make a double chocolate chip cookie recipe with spider webs, but I didn't want to touch sticky marshmallows with my fingers and make a mess, or spend a lot of time making webs with royal icing. These cookies are the perfect solution. I use a combo of semi-sweet chips in the cookies, and melted white chocolate chips weathered on top with a toothpick to make the webs.

Baked chocolate spider web cookies on black plate.

This is a super fun and easy Halloween treat to make for get-togethers and Halloween parties. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies, more if the cookies are on the smaller size. It's really fun to make them a little larger and add Halloween sprinkles or candy pumpkins on top, just like on Halloween Pudding Cups.

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What To Expect

  • Taste: A super chewy double chocolate chip Halloween cookie with dark chocolate cocoa powder to make it delicious.
  • Ease: This is a beginner/intermediate baker recipe, the white chocolate web on top takes a little practice but is very simple to do!
  • Time: These cookies are done in about 30-45 minutes, plus a little time to cool and set the white chocolate spider webs.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for halloween spider web cookies in glass bowls on metal baking tray.
  • Flour - all purpose works best for this recipe.
  • Eggs - acts as the binder and makes the cookies chewy and fluffy.
  • Cocoa Powder - I use Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder to make the cookies a little darker, but regular cocoa powder will work just fine!
  • Chocolate Chips - you'll need white chocolate chips for the spider web and semi sweet chocolate chips for the cookie dough.
  • Butter - I always use salted butter for my cookies, it tastes better than unsalted.
  • Sugar - I use a combo of brown sugar and white granulated sugar to make the cookies the perfect texture.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Coconut Sugar can be swapped out for the sugar in this recipe.
  • Regular cocoa powder or black cocoa powder can be used instead of the Hersheys special dark powder.
  • Use fun Halloween Sprinkles or fake spiders for the tops of the cookies!
  • You can make regular chewy chocolate chip cookies to do the spider webs on as well, but the chocolate cookies make the webs look amazing.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Butter, brown sugar, white sugar in metal mixing bowl.
  1. Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer (if using a stand mixer use paddle attachment) to cream the butter and sugar on medium/high speed for 3 minutes, until it becomes lighter in color and fluffy.
Eggs and vanilla in metal bowl with creamed butter.
  1. Step 2. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix well on medium speed until the eggs are fully mixed in and the mixture becomes fluffy again, about 1-2 minutes.
cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in raw cookie dough in mixing bowl.
  1. Step 3. Add in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until incorporated.
Flour in mixing bowl with chocolate cookie dough and cookie paddle.
  1. Step 4. Add in the flour, mixing slowly for 1-2 minutes until there are no flour pockets left.
Chocolate chips in mixing bowl with raw chocolate cookie dough.
  1. Step 5. Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low speed until they're mixed in evenly through the cookie dough.
Raw chocolate cookie dough balls on metal baking sheet.
  1. Step 6. Scoop the cookie dough onto baking sheets prepared with baking spray or parchment paper, 12 cookies to a pan. I use a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop to make 24-30 cookies.

Bake at 350 ℉ for 8-10 minutes, underbaking is better than overbaking!

White chocolate melted in spiral pattern on baked chocolate cookie.
  1. Step 7. Cool the cookies at least 10 minutes. Melt the white chocolate in a plastic zip close bag or disposable piping bag for 15-30 seconds in the microwave, and squish around until there are no chunks left. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe a spiral shape onto about 5 cookies. It's alright if the cookies are still a bit warm.
Toothpick tracing lines in white chocolate on baked cookies.
  1. Step 8. Using a toothpick, start from the center of each cookie and drag a line of chocolate outwards from the center. I did about 6 lines per cookie. Do it in batches of 5-6 cookies, so there is time to feather the chocolate before it hardens.

You can put fun sprinkles on the cookies, or place on plastic spiders to make spooky Halloween cookies.

Let the cookies rest for 15-20 minutes to let the chocolate harden, then they are ready to enjoy! Serve with a savory spider web halloween treat like Halloween Spider Web Taco Dip or Easy Witch Hat Crescent Rolls. So fun!

Baked spider web cookies with halloween sprinkles on black plate.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  1. Make sure not to warm up the white chocolate for too long in the microwave or it will seize and not be useable. If it hardens, you'll need to start over with new chocolate chips.
  2. When making the spiral shape, make a little dollop in the center of each cookie with chocolate before starting the spiral to the rest of the cookie. This helps to make sure there's enough chocolate for the web!
  3. The smoother the tops of the cookies are, the nicer the webs look. Rolling the cookie dough balls in your hands before baking can help to smooth out the dough and cookies after they're baked.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Halloween Spider Web Cookies last?

Room Temperature: 3 days in an airtight container.
Frozen: 3 months.

Can I make spider web cookies ahead?

Yes! You can either make the cookie dough and freeze it in balls to bake for later (10-12 minutes from frozen) OR you can bake, cool, and freeze them without the chocolate webs on them for up to 3 months (or a day or two before) and do the white chocolate webs later.

Could I use royal icing or a powdered sugar glaze instead?

Yes! I would use 1.5 cups of powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, extract, and 1 Tablespoon of milk. You may need to thin it out a little more with extra milk.

🍁 More Delicious Fall Treats

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

Spider web cookie with white chocolate on black plate.

Spider Web Cookies

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Chocolate spider web cookies are a super fun chocolate chip Halloween cookie recipe that are fudgy, filled with chocolate chips, and white chocolate webs!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup salted butter 226 g
  • 1 cup light brown sugar 225 g
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar` 225 g
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup dark cocoa powder 68 g
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all purpose flour 420 g
  • 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 250 g
  • ¾ cup white chocolate chips 135 g

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and prepare 2 baking sheets with baking spray or parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer (if using a stand mixer use paddle attachment) to cream the butter and sugar on medium/high speed for 3 minutes, until it becomes lighter in color and fluffy.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix well on medium speed until the eggs are fully mixed in and the mixture becomes fluffy again, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until incorporated.
  • Add in the flour, mixing slowly for 1-2 minutes until there are no flour pockets left.
  • Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low speed until they're mixed in evenly through the cookie dough.
  • Scoop the cookie dough onto baking sheets prepared with baking spray or parchment paper, 12 cookies to a pan. I use a 1.5 Tablepsoon cookie scoop to make 24-30 cookies.
    Bake at 350 ℉ for 8-10 minutes, underbaking is better than overbaking!
  • Cool the cookies at least 10 minutes. Melt the white chocolate in a plastic zip close bag or disposable piping bag for 15-30 seconds in the microwave, and squish around until there are no chunks left. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe a spiral shape onto about 5 cookies. It's alright if the cookies are still a bit warm.
    * When making the spiral shape, make a little dollop in the center of each cookie with chocolate before starting the spiral to the rest of the cookie. This helps to make sure there's enough chocolate for the web!
  • Using a toothpick, start from the center of each cookie and drag a line of chocolate outwards from the center. I did about 6 lines per cookie. Do it in batches of 5-6 cookies, so there is time to feather the chocolate before it hardens.
    Let the cookies rest for 15-20 minutes to let the chocolate harden, then they are ready to enjoy!

Notes

You can put fun sprinkles on the cookies before the chocolate cools, or place on plastic spiders to make spooky Halloween cookies.
Store for up to 3 days at room temperature. 
NOTE: Make sure not to warm up the white chocolate for too long (more than 20-30 seconds)  in the microwave or it will seize and not be useable. If it hardens, you'll need to start over with new chocolate chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Halloween Pudding Cups

These are super easy Halloween dirt pudding cups with chocolate pudding, oreo crumbs, gummy worms, and some fun Halloween candy decorations. Best of all, they're done in less than 30 minutes! Makes about 12 servings.

Graveyard pudding cups are one of our favorite spooky treats to make in October. They're kid friendly for eating and helping to assemble, which makes them an awesome activity idea for kids' Halloween parties, along with Easy Witch Hat Crescent Rolls.

Clear clup of pudding and oreos with worms, headstone cookie, and mummy cookie.

They are not the neatest. I am AWARE. Luckily the kids don't mind! We LOVE no bake Halloween treats like Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip, and this one is an awesome addition to our fall treat rotation. I've been known to layer the pumpkin dip with oreos instead of chocolate pudding. SO good!

For Halloween dinner, we like to have Creamy White Chicken Chili with Honey Butter Cornbread and a fun dessert like this or Instant Pot Caramel with apples.

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Labeled ingredients for Halloween Pudding Cups in glass bowls on marble countertop.

What To Expect

  • Taste: creamy chocolate pudding with Oreo crunchy bits, and a nice peanut butter cookie on top with a fruity gummy worm and a pumpkin! The variety of flavors and textures is nice.
  • Ease: This is a beginner recipe, no cooking is required! Just a little melted chocolate.
  • Time: Since these are a no bake Halloween treat, they're super quick to make and assemble, less than 30 minutes!

🛒 Key Ingredients

  • Chocolate Pudding Mix - make sure you get the INSTANT chocolate pudding, not the cook and serve version! This is the "mud" for our graveyard Halloween cups. You'll want 2 large (5.9oz) family-sized boxes.
  • Oreos - regular single stuffed are best, double stuffed work as well, but are more wet. Make sure you get a family or party-sized package, you'll need at least 30-35 oreos.
  • Milk - as long as its dairy, you can use 1%, 2%, or whole milk. Nondairy milks will not work for this recipe, pudding mix requires regular milk to set up correctly.
  • Chocolate Chips - dark or semi-sweet chips and white chocolate chips will be for the R.I.P. cookies and the mummy cookies.
  • Cookies - besides the Oreos, you'll want Milano style cookies - I got chocolate, but any flavor you like will be fine! Nutter Butter cookies work well for the mummies, but if you find another cookie you like better, go for it! We love the peanut butter in them.
  • Candy - we love gummy worms and mini pumpkins for the graveyard, but you could do candy corn, bone candies, fun Halloween sprinkles with eyeballs, etc.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Pudding - you can use chocolate fudge, white chocolate, cheesecake, or butterscotch pudding mix! Really any flavor will work, we just use chocolate because it looks the most like mud. You could even layer in Pumpkin Fluff Dip!
  • Candy - you can use any type of gummy worms, sour or not, or use candy corn instead of mini pumpkins. There are so many options out there for fun Halloween candies to use!
  • Oreos - you can use chocolate cereal like cocoa pebbles or chocolate graham crackers in place of the Oreos. Just make sure you don't make the pudding cups too far ahead, or the cereal will get soggy.
  • Cookies - you can use marshmallow ghost peeps, Reese's pumpkins or bats, or pumpkin shaped cookies for some other Halloween pudding cup ideas.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Rolling pin crushing bag of oreos.
  1. Step 1. Place the Oreos into a gallon sized zip-close bag and crush them by hand or with a rolling pin until they are in small crumbles, about pea sized.
Chocolate chips and white chocolate chips in plastic bags on marble countertop.
  1. Step 2. Transfer the chocolate chips to plastic bags or disposable frosting bags. Melt the white chocolate first, for about 20 seconds in the microwave, and mix around by squishing the bag gently, then warm them up for about 10 more seconds.

NOTE: Don't warm up the white chocolate longer than 20-40 seconds, or it will seize and stiffen and not be useable for piping. It doesn't need as long to melt as normal chocolate!

White chocolate being drizzled over nutter butter cookies on black plate.
  1. Step 3. Lay out 12-15 Nutter Butter cookies on a plate or parchment paper. Cut a tiny hole in the corner or the bag of melted white chocolate and drizzle across the cookies, sideways first and then diagonal if you want more of a "mummy" look. They don't have to be perfect!
RIP letters on milano cookies on black plate.
  1. Step 4. Next, lay out 12-15 Milano cookies. Melt the chocolate chips for about 30 seconds, mix around by squishing the bag gently, then warming up for another 10-15 seconds if needed. Make sure there are no hard chocolate bits in the bag, then cut a tiny hole in the corner, and carefully pipe R.I.P. on each cookie.

Let both sets of cookies rest so the chocolate can set. You can place them in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes to speed this process up.

Chocolate pudding mix in milk in a glass bowl.
  1. Step 5. While the chocolate is cooling, make the pudding! Mix the milk and pudding mix together in a medium-sized mixing bowl according to package directions, until the pudding is soft set.
Chocolate pudding being scooped into plastic cups.
  1. Step 6. Time to assemble! Set out about 12 plastic party cups (short fat ones), 8 oz in size. In total, there will be about 3 layers each of pudding and oreos. I used a 3 Tablespoon muffin scoop to scoop the pudding in for the first layer.
Pudding and oreos with gummy worms in clear plastic cups.
  1. Step 7. Scoop about 1.5 Tablespoons of crushed oreos on top of the pudding. Repeat with the pudding and oreos again for the second layer. Before you do the third layer, you can put in the gummy worms on the edges of the cups so they are visible from the outside. Then you can scoop in the last layer of pudding and oreos.
Clear clup of pudding and oreos with worms, headstone cookie, and mummy cookie.
  1. Step 8. Last, place a RIP cookie, and a mummy cookie side by side toward the back of the cup. Then place a pumpkin candy in front, and if you wish, some fun Halloween sprinkles! There are a few sprinkle mixes with witches' fingers and eyeballs, which are so cute.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Serve within 2-4 hours of assembling these dirt pudding cups, otherwise the cookies, worms, and Oreos can get a bit soggy.
  • You can make the pudding ahead, crush the oreos, and get the cookies ready with the melted chocolate the day before to save a bit of time in assembly. Just make sure they don't get eaten by kids. Or husbands.
  • Make sure you use the fat short clear plastic 8 oz party cups! There are smaller 5 oz snack cups you could use to make more servings too, but if the cups are too tall and narrow it's difficult to get the decorations in, which are the BEST part. You could also use small ice cream bowls.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Halloween pudding cups last?

Refrigerate: for up to 2 days, but note that the texture of the cookies will be softer if left overnight. Best served the day of assembly.
Freezing is not recommended.

Can I use store bought icing for the RIP letters?

Yes! I don't like to spend extra money when I already have chocolate chips at home, so I use what I have on hand. You could also use an edible pen to write the letters.

Can I use other types of pudding?

You can use other flavors of pudding, just make sure you use instant pudding mix.

More Delicious Fall Treats

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

Clear clup of pudding and oreos with worms, pumpkin candy, sprinkles, headstone cookie, and mummy cookie.

Halloween Pudding Cups

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
These are super easy Halloween dirt pudding cups with chocolate pudding, oreo crumbs, gummy worms, and some fun Halloween candy decorations. Best of all, they're done in less than 30 minutes! Makes about 12 servings.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 404 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 gallon sized zip close bag
  • 2 small plastic zip close or pastry bags
  • 12 8 oz small wide party cups

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place the oreos into the gallon sized zip close bag, and make sure it's fully closed. Smash the oreos by hand or with a rolling pin until they are in about pea sized crumbles.

For the Mummies and RIP cookies:

  • Transfer the chocoalte chips into separate bags. Lay out 12-15 Nutter butter cookies on a flat cutting board or parchment paper.
  • Melt the white chocolate first, for 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Gently squish the bag to make sure there is no hard chocolate pieces left. You can warm the bag for another 5-10 seconds if needed. The chocolate will seize if it gets too warm.
    Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate sideways over the cookies, and once more in a diagonal direction for the mummy look. Let the cookies rest for the chocolate to set.
  • Microwave the semi-sweet chocolate next, for 20-30 seconds. Gently squish the bag to distribute the melted chocolate and warm in 10 second increments if needed. Lay out Milano cookies on a flat surface.
    Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the R.I.P. letters onto the cookies, and eyes and mouth onto the mummy cookies.
    Allow the chocolate to set for 10-15 minutes, or place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
  • Mix the milk and chocolate pudding mix in a medium sized bowl with a whisk according to package directions until soft set.
  • Set out 12 serving cups. Scoop a 2-3 Tablespoon amount of pudding into each cup. (There will be about 3 layers each of pudding and Oreos). Then layer about 1.5 Tablespoons of crushed Oreos on top.
    Do a second layer of pudding and Oreos, then lay gummy worms into the cups. Scoop the third and last layer of pudding and Oreos.
  • Decorate the dirt cups with the R.I.P. cookies, mummy cookies, pumpkin candy, and fun Halloween sprinkles as another option. Enjoy!

Notes

This is a super fun Halloween party activity for kids! 
Serve within 2-4 hours of assembling, or refrigerate up to 2 days, keeping in mind that the cookies will become softer. 
NOTE: if the chocolate chips get to warm in the microwave the chocolate will seize and won't be usable to pipe onto the cookies. It can't be saved and will need to be replaced with new chocolate chips. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 258mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip

This quick and easy pumpkin fluff dip (with cream cheese) tastes like a fluffy, creamy pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake mousse. It's bursting with fall flavors like cinnamon, ginger and cloves and is made with homemade whipped cream and cream cheese.

There is NO Cool Whip or Jello pudding mix in this pumpkin dip recipe! It's easy to make ahead, and we LOVE to bring pumpkin dip to holiday parties, girls nights, or fun family gatherings. It uses ¾ cup of pumpkin so it's easy to use the rest of the can for pumpkin spice bread with cream cheese frosting or pumpkin spice mug cake.

Whipped pumpkin cream cheese dip in white bowl with cinnamon sticks.

Everything pumpkin spice is my jam as soon as September hits. We love to make delicious fall pumpkin desserts like Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, but sometimes you need a quick and easy no bake fall treat to share like pumpkin pie dip or Halloween Pudding Cups to bring to a party!

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What To Expect

  • Taste: Pumpkin spice, fluffy whipped cream, cream cheese, and of course pumpkin! It tastes just like a fluffy pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake.
  • Ease: This is a fairly easy no bake fall treat, just make sure the ingredients are cold and that the instructions are followed in order.
  • Time: Pumpkin cheesecake dip only takes 5-10 minutes to whip up!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Here's a simple list of ingredients to make pumpkin pie dip, with no pudding mix or cool whip to be seen.

Labeled ingredients in glass bowls for pumpkin cream cheese dip on metal tray.
  • Pumpkin Puree - make sure it is 100% pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling!
  • Cream Cheese - the base for the dip, gives a nice tart flavor and helps to stabilize the dip.
  • Powdered Sugar - sweetens the dip without making it heavy, the cornstarch in the powdered sugar also helps to keep the dip firm.
  • Heavy Cream - is the fluff in the pumpkin fluff dip.
  • Spices- cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are used.
  • Vanilla - an absolute MUST in the pumpkin cream cheese mixture. It is lovely.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

  • Cream Cheese- half of the cream cheese may be substituted with plain greek yogurt, or fat free or ⅓ cream cheese may be used.
  • Spices - You can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice mix in place of the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Cloves can be swapped out with nutmeg or allspice.
  • Cool Whip - a 16 oz container can be used, You may only need about ¾ of it, about 3 cups.
  • The vanilla extract could be switched out with maple extract (½ teaspoon) for a lovely maple pumpkin dip!
  • Add chopped nuts or toffee bits on top for added crunch!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Cream cheese and powdered sugar in metal bowl on marble countertop.
  1. Step 1. In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined, then turn the speed up to high and mix well for 1-2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Spices and vanilla in bowl of whipped cream cheese with whisk.
  1. Step 2. Add vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the mixture and mix until combined.
pouring cream into bowl of cream cheese.
  1. Step 3. Pour in ½ cup of the whipping cream, and mix with the whisk attachment on low speed until combined. Add another ½ cup and repeat.
Whipped cream and spices in metal mixing bowl with rubber spatula.
  1. Step 4. Add the last ½ cup of whipping cream and then turn the speed up to high, and whip for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
Pumpkin puree in bowl of spiced whipped cream with rubber spatula.
  1. Step 5. Gently stir in the pumpkin puree with a rubber spatula by hand until it it's mixed in completely.
White bowl of pumpkin fluff dip on wood tray with sliced apples and ginger cookies.
  1. Step 6. Carefully transfer the dip to a serving bowl and place on a serving tray with graham crackers, apples, cookies, or pretzels to serve.

📌 Top Tips & Hacks

  • Make sure the whipped cream is COLD when you begin to mix it in. It has to be chilled to whip, if it's warm or room temp you'll have runny dip indeed.
  • Chill overnight for the dip to be a little firmer.
  • Drizzle a little Instant Pot Caramel Sauce on top for a pumpkin caramel dip!
  • Some individuals like the pumpkin fluff dip MORE sweet, if this is you, please add another ¼ cup of powdered sugar to the recipe.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

How long does pumpkin cream cheese dip last?

Up to 3 days refrigerated, freezing is not recommended for whipped cream.

What goes well with pumpkin fluff dip?

- Sliced apples, grapes, or bananas
- Graham crackers
- Ginger snaps
- Pretzels
- Shortbread cookies
- Lotus biscoff cookies (Speculoos)

Why is my pumpkin dip runny?

- If the cream cheese or heavy cream is too warm, it will not whip into a fluffy dip. Make sure your ingredients are cold!
- Homemade pumpkin puree or some store brands can be watery. If you're worried it may make your dip runny, start with half the amount listed in the recipe.

White bowl of fluffy pumpkin dip with gingersnap and cinnamon sticks on top.

More Recipes To Share

If you need another dip recipe, another pumpkin recipe, or an easy fall snack to share, I have a few ideas for you!

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

Whipped pumpkin cream cheese dip in white bowl with cinnamon sticks.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip

Author: Sara Smith | Eat Dessert Snack
Pumpkin Fluff Dip (no cool whip) tastes like fluffy, creamy pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake mousse. It's bursting with fall flavors like cinnamon, ginger and cloves and is made with homemade whipped cream and cream cheese.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 256 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz cream cheese 225 g
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • 1½ cups heavy cream 355 mL
  • ¾ cup 100% pure pumpkin puree 175 g

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined, then turn the speed up to high and mix well for 1-2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the mixture and mix until combined.
  • Pour in ½ cup of the whipping cream, and mix with the whisk attachment on low speed until combined. Add another ½ cup and repeat.
  • Add the last ½ cup of whipping cream and then turn the speed up to high, and whip for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
  • Gently stir in the pumpkin puree with a rubber spatula by hand until it it's mixed in completely.
  • Carefully transfer the dip to a serving bowl and place on a serving tray with graham crackers, apples, cookies, or pretzels to serve.

Notes

NOTE: Make sure cream cheese and heavy cream are chilled! If they are warm they will not whip into a fluffy dip and will be runny. 
Chill overnight for a firmer dip. 
Store up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container. 

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 82mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3690IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack