Adventures of Mel

Category: 4th of July

Easy Mini Fruit Pizza Cookies With Sugar Cookie Crust
How to make individual mini fruit pizza cookies with a sugar cookie crust and a simple cream cheese frosting. Top it off with all your favorite fruit for a quick and easy dessert that you can make in 15 minutes or less!

Once upon a time I used to make fruit pizza all the time. In fact, it used to be my oldest son’s favorite dessert, and I made it for him every year for his birthday! Anymore, he usually asks for my strawberry swirl cheesecake, but fruit pizza still remains one of my family’s all-time favorites.

Recently I decided to try making these mini fruit pizzas on sugar cookies instead of on puff pastry like I normally do. They’re so delicious, and they’re basically bite-sized so you can set out a whole platter for people to pick and choose from as they please. This recipe is so quick and easy to make, and it would be perfect for a 4th of July party!

What Is Fruit Pizza?

If you’ve never experienced the delight of a real fruit pizza, you’re missing out! This classic dessert is pretty simple, usually consisting of a pizza-shaped puff pastry crust topped with a cream cheese frosting and a pile of pretty much any fruit you can imagine. This beautiful, light and refreshing dessert is perfect for the hot summer months!

That said, this recipe is for mini fruit pizza cookies. So I’m basically baking regular sized sugar cookies and topping them off with all the fruit pizza toppings to make mini fruit pizzas. It’s like these blueberry cream cheese mini fruit tarts, but with a sugar cookie crust!

Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- Sugar Cookie Dough – Since this is supposed to be an easy dessert, I usually just buy rolls of sugar cookie dough from the grocery store. That said, you can also make homemade sugar cookies if you’d rather! You can also make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free sugar cookie dough.
- Cream Cheese – Any full-fat cream cheese will work. If you can’t have dairy, there are plenty of dairy free cream cheese options at the store!
- Powdered Sugar – You’ll need powdered sugar to make the cream cheese frosting.
- Fruit – My go-to fruits for fruit pizza of any kind are strawberries, kiwi, blueberries and blackberries. But you can also add raspberries, sliced peaches, pineapple chunks, sliced bananas, apricots, mangoes, grapes, Mandarin oranges, pear slices or even thinly sliced apples. If you’re using canned fruit, use a colander to drain the liquid out beforehand so that it doesn’t soak into the crust and make everything soggy!
How to Make Mini Fruit Pizza Cookies

Before getting started, you’ll need to preheat your oven according to the package directions for the sugar cookie dough. If you’re making homemade sugar cookies, follow the recipe instead!

Baking the Sugar Cookies
1. Start by dividing your sugar cookie dough out onto the baking sheet.
2. Once your oven is preheated, bake the sugar cookies as instructed. Keep in mind you’ll want to bake them just a little bit longer than normal, ’til deep golden brown in color, so that they’re able to hold up to the fruit without getting soggy.
Wash and Prep the Fruit
1. While your sugar cookies are baking, wash and prep all of the fruit so that it’s ready to go; I like to soak mine for a few minutes in a solution consisting of about one part vinegar to 3 parts water in a large bowl. Just be sure to rinse the berries before moving on, or else everything will taste like vinegar! And of course I recommend patting everything dry with a tea towel or paper towel.
2. Use a small paring knife to halve the strawberries and then slice the kiwis. Set everything aside.
Assemble the Mini Fruit Pizzas
1. Once your sugar cookies have fully cooled, mix up the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Then spread a little bit of this cream cheese mixture onto each sugar cookie.
2. Top each fruit pizza cookie off with a heaping spoonful of the fresh fruit mixture. That’s it!
Mini fruit pizzas make the most amazing sweet snack or dessert. Top off with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, serve with a cold glass of iced tea or iced coffee, and enjoy!

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Why is my fruit pizza soggy?
There are a few reasons why your fruit pizza can become soggy. You may not have patted the fruit dry after washing, or maybe you didn’t drain all of the liquid out of the can (if using canned fruit) before adding to the crust. It’s also possible that you underbaked the sugar cookies; you want to bake them until deep golden brown in color. Otherwise, if they’re undercooked, they’ll turn out soggy and doughy once the moisture from the fruit soaks in. Last but not least, be careful that you don’t add to much fruit to each cookie, as this can also make everything really soggy. A spoonful will do!

Can you make fruit pizza cookies ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble your mini fruit pizzas up to one day ahead of time and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If they set any longer than that, they will start to get soggy.

Can you freeze mini fruit pizza?
I don’t see a need to freeze fruit pizza, simply because it’s so quick and easy that I can always whip it up in a pinch. That said, you can freeze both the cookie dough ahead and the cream cheese frosting ahead of time in an airtight container or freezer bag. Just be sure to let them thaw out overnight in the refrigerator before making the recipe.

Recipe Variations
- Use puff pastry cups instead of sugar cookies to make fruit pizza bites instead!
- Don’t feel like making individual cookies? Just press the sugar cookie dough out into a sheet pan instead, adding your cream cheese and fruit toppings like normal.
- You don’t have to use plain sugar cookie dough. I think this recipe would be absolutely amazing using Jello sugar cookies instead!
- As I mentioned in the ingredients notes above, add other fruit! Sometime I’d like to make this recipe using the fruit mixture from my favorite tropical fruit cups recipe.
More Easy Fruit Desserts
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Mini Fruit Pizza

Make mini fruit pizza cookies with a sugar cookie crust and cream cheese frosting. Top with your favorite fruit for a quick and easy dessert!
Baking Sheet
Large Bowl
Tea Towels
Paring Knife
Medium Mixing Bowl
1 roll Sugar Cookie Dough
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 cup Strawberries (halved)
2 Kiwis (peeled & sliced)
1/2 cup Blueberries
1/2 cup Blackberries
Start by dividing your sugar cookie dough out onto the baking sheet, and bake according to package directions. You'll want to bake them just a little bit longer than normal, 'til deep golden brown in color.
While your sugar cookies are baking, wash, rinse and prep all of the fruit so that it's ready to go; I like to soak mine for a few minutes in a solution consisting of about one part vinegar to 3 parts water in a large bowl.
Once your sugar cookies have fully cooled, mix up the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
Then spread a little bit of this cream cheese mixture onto each sugar cookies.
Top each fruit pizza cookie off with a heaping spoonful of the fresh fruit mixture.
That's it! Serve and enjoy!
Can you make fruit pizza cookies ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble your mini fruit pizzas up to one day ahead of time and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If they set any longer than that, they will start to get soggy.

Cookies & Bars, Dessert, Dessert – Cookies, Desserts, Sweet Snacks
American, Dessert, desserts
fruit pizza cookies, fruit pizza cookies recipe, mini fruit pizza, mini fruit pizza cookies, mini fruit pizza recipe
January 17, 2025
How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven
How to make crispy baked chicken drumsticks in the oven. Simple and easy dinner staple recipe for the tastiest, most tender and juicy baked chicken legs in 45 minutes or less!

Lately I’ve been making a lot of chicken dinners, both because it’s healthy, but also because chicken is so cheap. We love garlic parmesan chicken skewers and crispy Pringles chicken, but sometimes you just need an easy weeknight dinner. I can’t think of a better chicken recipe than these oven-baked chicken drumstick, except for maybe my family’s favorite slow cooker whole chicken, or Instant Pot whole chicken if you don’t have time for the slow cooker.

If you like chicken, you’ll love maple bourbon brined roasted turkey. I also enjoy a good oven roasted pork roast, this roasted pork tenderloin and these family favorite maple pork chops with apples and onions.

Why My Family Loves Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- It’s a simple and easy dinner recipe that you can make in 45 minutes or less. It uses budget-friendly ingredients, so baked chicken drums are pretty cheap to make.
- These baked chicken legs have a melt-in-your-mouth moist & tender interior and a perfectly crispy skin. They are truly finger-lickin’ good!
- Chicken legs are healthy and nutritious, with lean, dark meat that’s chock full of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6, phosphorous, iron, zinc, selenium and niacin.
- Baked chicken legs are a versatile dinner staple. You can add different seasonings based on what you prefer, or you can marinate them ahead of time for extra flavor. Even better, those of you with food allergies can be sure to use 100% allergen-free ingredients.
- Feel free to double, triple or even quadruple this recipe to feed a crowd. Great for potlucks, parties or any other large gathering!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes

This recipe uses simple ingredients, so chances are that you may already have everything on hand…
- Drumsticks – I just use bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs for this chicken drumsticks recipe, but you can use just about any cut you want, including chicken thighs and chicken breasts.
- Olive Oil – I like to use a little bit of olive oil to help the spices to stick to the chicken, and it also helps to keep your baked chicken drums from sticking to the baking sheet in the oven!
- Spices – Most of the time I just keep things simple with a dash of salt, black pepper and a little bit of poultry seasoning. You can also use barbecue seasoning or even Italian seasoning, or other spices, like parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, chipotle pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, mustard powder, lemon pepper, and brown sugar.
If you’re looking for an extra kick of flavor, you might try placing your chicken legs in a marinade for several hours or overnight before baking. Here’s a great guide on how to marinate chicken.

How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Before getting started, preheat your oven to 375ºF and lightly coat a 13×9 baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Optionally, you can line your baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.

How to Cook Baked Chicken Drumsticks
1. Start by whisking the olive oil, salt, pepper and any other seasonings in a large mixing bowl, ’til well combined; add your chicken legs to the large bowl and toss until well coated with oil and seasonings.
2. Lay each chicken drum out on the large sheet pan that you prepped in the first step. At this point, you can sprinkle on more seasonings if desired.
3. Bake your chicken drumsticks at 375ºF for about 20 minutes, and then rotate the tray 180º before baking for another 25 minutes, ’til there’s no pink inside and the internal temperature reaches at least 180ºF with a meat thermometer. Higher temperatures make for better tasting and more tender chicken legs, but take care not to burn them.
Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary, so you’ll want to keep an eye on things. Thankfully, this chicken leg recipe is fairly forgiving!

What to Serve with Baked Chicken Legs

Now that your juicy chicken drumsticks are ready to serve, here are some of my favorite side dish recipes that you can serve them with…
- I love to top off my chicken legs with this mango peach salsa, and my kids love this salsa recipe with fruit.
- Here’s how to make an easy chicken gravy from bouillon to serve up with these easy chicken drumsticks.
- Another classic side dish is mashed potatoes or baked potatoes. If you’re feeding a crowd, make your own mashed potato bar, or even a baked potato bar!
- Don’t like regular potatoes? What about these easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes?
- If you like mashed potatoes with your baked chicken legs, you’ll love these CrockPot baked beans.
- These crispy steak fries make a good side for just about any meal. Take it a step further and make these loaded chili cheese fries!
- Looking for a healthier side dish? These honey glazed carrots are so good!
- My whole family loves these Instant Pot southern green beans with just about any chicken dinner.
- You can’t go wrong with chicken and fried rice with pork!
- You can also make broccoli salad, this dill veggie finger salad, a creamy layered salad or this easy pasta salad recipe.
- Finally, everybody loves corn on the cob. The guys make Mexican corn on the cob whenever we have sweet corn for dinner!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can I double this recipe?
Yes, you can double, triple or even quadruple this recipe to feed a crowd. If you’re using multiple baking sheets on multiple racks in the oven, you may want to rotate them to different racks midway through the baking time, so as to ensure that everything cooks evenly.

How do you store leftover baked chicken legs?
You can store your baked chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best results, I recommend getting them into the refrigerator no longer than 2 hours after baking.

Can you freeze baked chicken drumsticks?
You can freeze cooked drumsticks, but for best results I recommend prepping your chicken legs ahead of time and freezing them raw to bake later on. The best way to do this is to place them in a foil pan, and then coat with any seasonings and olive oil. Simply cover the pan with aluminum foil and transfer to the freezer, where it should keep for up to 3 months; then bake as directed in the recipe.

You can bake your chicken drumsticks in the covered foil pan from frozen, or you can let them thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. If baking from frozen, keep in mind that you may have to add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time to make up for the cold starting temperature.

If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Baked Chicken Drumsticks

How to make crispy oven baked chicken drumsticks for dinner. Easy recipe for perfectly tender & juicy chicken legs in 45 minutes or less!
13×9 Baking Sheet
Large Mixing Bowl
17 Chicken Drumsticks
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley (optional)
Before getting started, preheat your oven to 375ºF and lightly coat a 13×9 baking sheet with cooking spray.*
Start by whisking the olive oil, salt, pepper and any other seasonings in a large mixing bowl, 'til well combined.
Add your chicken legs to the bowl and toss until well coated with oil and seasonings.
Lay each chicken drum out on the large baking sheet that you prepped in the first step. At this point, you can sprinkle on more seasonings if desired.
Bake your chicken drumsticks at 375ºF for about 20 minutes, and then rotate the tray 180º before baking for another 25 minutes, 'til there's no pink inside and the internal temperature reaches at least 180ºF with a meat thermometer.
Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and then serve with all of your favorite side dishes!
*Optionally, you can line your baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.

How do you store leftover baked chicken legs?

You can store your baked chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best results, I recommend getting them into the refrigerator no longer than 2 hours after baking.

dinner, Dinner Ideas, Main, Main Course, main dish, Meat & Seafood, Poultry & Chicken Recipes
American, Dinner
baked chicken drumsticks, baked chicken legs, baked chicken legs in oven, oven baked chicken drumsticks, oven baked chicken legs
May 31, 2024
Easy Homemade Crock Pot Sloppy Joes Recipe for a Crowd
How to make delicious Crock Pot sloppy joes with simple ingredients. Easy comfort food recipe that you can make in a large batch to feed a crowd, or at home as the ultimate weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

We make a lot of homemade sloppy joes. It’s just an easy way to get something hearty and somewhat nutritious on the table on even the busiest of days. That said, lately I’ve been making them in the CrockPot instead of on the stovetop, and let me tell you, these Crock Pot sloppy joes are easily a new family favorite meal for an easy weeknight dinner!

The best way to eat this classic comfort food is on a hamburger bun or between two slices of bread with a little bit of mayonnaise. You can also make grilled cheese sloppy joes, cheesy sloppy joe shepherd’s pie, pepperoni pizza sloppy joes, taco sloppy joes and sloppy joe stuffed peppers.

Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
- This classic comfort food is so easy to make in the slow cooker, and it makes a simple, budget-friendly dinner that the whole family will love!
- Slow cooker sloppy joes are absolutely delicious, using loose ground beef mixed with a sweet and tangy sauce from scratch, which is way better than the canned sauce from the store.
- Because they cook for a longer period of time, slow cooker sloppy joes have so much more flavor than stovetop sloppy joes. That said, I’ll also include instructions for how to make your sloppy joes on the stovetop if you’re in a hurry.
- Crock Pot sloppy joes are a perfect make-ahead recipe to feed a crowd. Serve them up at a 4th of July party, church potluck, family get-together, or any other large gathering!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes

This is an easy recipe with simple ingredients. You may already have everything you need on hand…
- Ground Beef – I prefer something like a 90/10 ground beef for the best sloppy joes. Any raw ground beef will work, but a lean ground beef will create way less grease to be drained off later.
- Minced Veggies – I always add a little bit of minced celery, yellow or white onion, and green bell pepper to my sloppy joe meat for an added boost in flavor.
- Sauce & Seasonings – I always make a homemade sloppy joe sauce. Usually this is a mixture of ketchup, barbecue sauce and a little bit of tangy tomato sauce. Then I’ll add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, a pinch of mustard powder and brown sugar to the sauce mixture. Then salt and pepper to taste!
- Hamburger Buns – Classic sloppy joes are best served on hamburger buns, but we often just use plain sandwich bread in a pinch. If you’re making this for a party, go ahead and grab some hamburger buns; but if you’re making it at home, just use whatever you’ve got on hand.
How to Make Sloppy Joes in the Crock Pot

Before getting started, get your slow cooker out and ready to go. You’ll also want to use a large knife to mince up the veggies. If you’re using frozen meat, be sure to get it out ahead of time so that it can thaw in the refrigerator.

How to Cook the Ground Beef
1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat on the stove top, cook the ground beef, celery, onions and green pepper ’til the beef is no longer pink but well-browned, and ’til the veggies are soft and translucent.
2. Next, drain the grease out if necessary. The best way that I have found to do this is to scrape the meat all to one side of the pan, and then slightly tilt the pan downwards away from the meat, soaking up any excess grease with a paper towel.
At this point, you can add the rest of the ingredients to your skillet and make stovetop sloppy joes. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for another 15-30 minutes, or ’til heated through. All that said, I prefer the slow cooker method below…

How to Make Sloppy Joes in the Slow Cooker
1. Once your meat mixture is fully cooked, go ahead and add it to the CrockPot along with the ketchup, bbq sauce, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon, and cook on low for about 2-3 hours, or ’til heated through.
Once your sloppy joe mixture is heated through, serve and enjoy on your favorite hamburger buns or between two slices of bread lathered in Mayo. My kids sometimes eat their sloppy joes on a bed of tortilla chips or even wrapped up in a flour tortilla instead. It makes a great meal, and it’s the perfect busy weeknight dinner!

What to Serve with CrockPot Sloppy Joes

Here are a few ideas as to what you can serve with your sloppy joes…
- For the sake of ease, we most often pair our sloppy joes with a side of potato chips. But sometimes we’ll serve them up with a bed of tortilla chips and bowl of fresh tomato salsa, or even this yummy mango peach salsa.
- You can also serve up some of this chili cheese dip, creamy BBQ chicken dip or even this bacon cheddar BBQ ranch dip to go along with your chips. They’re all so easy to make!
- My kids love these crispy seasoned steak fries, and these loaded chili cheese fries would go really great with sloppy joes!
- If you’re making your sloppy joes for a party or other special event, they’d go great with a fun mashed potato bar or even a baked potato bar.
- Add a little variety to the menu by serving your sloppy joes up alongside these Philly cheesesteak sliders.
- Of course, anything pairs well with corn on the cob. Take things a step further with my favorite Mexican corn on the cob recipe!
- Last but not least, these CrockPot sloppy joes would go great with a big batch of CrockPot baked beans.
- This creamy layered salad is the perfect side dish for this delicious homemade slow cooker recipe. You could also try this broccoli salad with bacon and cauliflower, or even this dill veggie finger salad.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

What’s the difference between sloppy joes and sloppy janes?
The main difference is that sloppy Joes use ground beef, while as sloppy Janes use lean ground turkey. Other than that, they’re mostly the same!

How do you store leftover sloppy joes?
I recommend storing your leftover sloppy joes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, they should last for up to 3-4 days.

Can you freeze sloppy joes?
Yes, you can freeze sloppy joes. Once the ground beef mixture is fully cooked, go ahead and mix all of the other ingredients in. Then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bags and into the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you’re ready to use your sloppy joe meat, go ahead and move it back to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Then add the mixture to the slow cooker and cook as directed in the recipe card below.

More Slow Cooker Recipes
- If you looking for more easy slow cooker recipes, you’ll love this recipe for CrockPot hot dogs. In fact, hot dogs and sloppy joes would pair really well together for a party.
- This slow cooker pork roast is another delicious and nutritious dinner recipe for even the busiest of weeknights.
- My family loves a good whole chicken in the CrockPot!
- It just doesn’t get any better than CrockPot Philly Cheesesteaks for an easy dinner treat!
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

How to make delicious Crock Pot sloppy joes with simple ingredients. Easy comfort food recipe that makes the ultimate dinner to feed a crowd!
Slow Cooker
Large Knife
Large Skillet
Paper Towels
Wooden Spoon
1 pound Ground Beef
2 Celery Stalks (minced)
1/3 cup Yellow or White Onion (minced)
1/3 cup Green Pepper (minced)
1/4 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 8oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Mustard Powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Sea Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
8 Hamburger Buns (optional)
Before getting started, you'll want to use a large knife to get all the veggies minced up.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop, cook the ground beef, minced celery, minced onions and minced green pepper 'til the beef is no longer pink and the veggies are soft and translucent.
Next, drain the grease out if necessary. To do this, scrape the meat all to one side of the pan, and then slightly tilt the pan downwards away from the meat, soaking up any excess grease with a paper towel.*
Once your meat mixture is fully cooked, add it to the CrockPot along with the ketchup, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir to combine with a wooden spoon, and then cook on low for about 2-3 hours, or 'til heated through.
Once your CrockPot sloppy joes are heated through, serve and enjoy on your favorite hamburger buns for dinner!
*At this point, you can add the rest of the ingredients to your skillet and make stovetop sloppy joes instead. To do so, you’ll want to cook the mixture over medium-low heat for another 15-30 minutes, or ’til heated through.

How do you store leftover sloppy joes?

I recommend storing your leftover sloppy joes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, they should last for up to 3-4 days.

4th of July, Burgers & Sandwiches, dinner, Dinner Ideas, Main, main dish, Meat & Seafood, sandwiches, Slow Cooker
American, Dinner, Main Dish
crock pot sloppy joes, crock pot sloppy joes recipe, crockpot sloppy joes, slow cooker sloppy joes
May 23, 2024
Best Ever Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers in the Oven
How to make juicy and flavorful garlic parmesan chicken skewers in the oven that are perfectly tender with a crisp, crunchy bite on the outside. Easy weeknight dinner recipe that you can make to feed a crowd in 30 minutes or less with simple, budget-friendly ingredients.

If you like baked chicken drumsticks, you’ll love these easy garlic parmesan kabobs. They’re so easy to make, and you can make them out of just about anything. My family loves maple bourbon marinated grilled shrimp kabobs, and sometimes we even make fruit kabobs!

I think these garlic parmesan chicken skewers will be a great addition to my summertime recipe repertoire. I can’t think of a better appetizer to serve up alongside CrockPot hot dogs, homemade bacon cheeseburgers, and corn on the cob.

Why I Know You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s quick and easy. You can make these garlic parmesan kabobs in 30 minutes or less, and this recipe uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients.
- I’ll show you how to bake chicken skewers in the oven, but you can also cook them in the air fryer or even on the grill.
- These garlic parmesan chicken skewers are tender and juicy with a perfectly crisp, crunchy bite on the outside. This is a truly mouthwatering dish.
- They’re full of cheesy garlic flavor, and the savory goodness of parmesan cheese makes this the best appetizer to feed a crowd.
- This recipe is perfect for all of your summertime parties and events, including backyard BBQ’s, Memorial Day and even the 4th of July.
- The best part is that you can prep your garlic parmesan chicken skewers ahead of time with a flavorful marinade, and store them up in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. This is great if you’re making your kabobs alongside other dishes to feed a lot of people.
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- Chicken – I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they are more tender and flavorful due to the higher fat content. That said, boneless skinless chicken breasts will work just fine too.
- Butter – You’ll need to melt unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Parsley – I recommend using chopped fresh parsley for the best flavor, but you can also use dried parsley if that’s all you have on hand. If you go this route, a good rule of thumb is to use about 1/3 of the amount of dried parsley as you would fresh parsley.
- Parmesan Cheese – You’ll want grated parmesan cheese for this recipe.
- Garlic – Fresh, minced garlic cloves are always best. Sometimes I cheat and buy already minced garlic from the store. The richness of garlic adds a lot of flavor to this recipe.
- Lemon Juice – You can squeeze your lemon juice from fresh lemons, but I just use bottled lemon juice from the store.
- Kosher Salt – It’s important that you use a coarse kosher salt to make this recipe. Kosher salt is usually best when you’re mixing up any kind of seasoning, because it has a uniformly large crystal size that distributes much more evenly throughout the other spices.
- Spices – Don’t be fooled by the spices; these garlic parmesan chicken skewers aren’t spicy at all! But you will need some garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and ground black pepper for this recipe.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, I recommend placing them in water to soak about 20 minutes before getting started with this recipe; this just helps the chicken to slide on easier later on. If you’re using metal skewers, you can skip this step.

Set your oven to preheat to 400ºF, and line 2 13×9 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let’s get started…

Assembling Your Chicken Skewers
1. Start by using a large knife to slice your chicken into roughly 1-inch pieces on a large cutting board. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic cloves, lemon juice, kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and ground black pepper until well combined.
3. Place the cubed chicken onto the skewers and transfer to the butter sauce. Keep a little room between each piece of chicken so they will cook evenly.
4. With clean hands rub the butter mixture over the chicken before transferring to your parchment paper-lined baking sheets. I like to use a large, deep dish rectangular platter for this step.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to make this recipe ahead of time, you could mix up the cubed chicken and the butter mixture together in a large mixing bowl. Then cover your bowl with plastic wrap and transfer into the refrigerator to marinate for a few hours or even overnight.

When you’re ready to bake, simply slide your marinated chicken onto the skewers and put them in the oven. You’ll have the most delectable garlic parmesan chicken skewers.

How to Bake Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
1. Once your chicken skewers are well coated and placed onto the baking sheets, bake them in the oven at 400ºF for about 5 minutes, ’til golden brown.
2. After 5 minutes has passed, use a pair of tongs to flip your chicken skewers, and let them bake on the other side for an additional 5 minutes of cooking time.
3. Once the juices on the baking sheet run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken pieces reads 165ºF with a meat thermometer, you can pull your garlic parmesan chicken skewers out of the oven and serve!
If you’ve never made chicken kebobs before, you may be somewhat perplexed as to how to eat them! Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think. The best way to do this is by eating the chicken right off the skewer, or you can use a fork to slide them off onto a plate before serving.

I like to serve my chicken skewers topped off with a fresh batch of mango peach salsa, and my kids love this fruit salsa recipe!

What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

Not sure what to serve with your chicken skewers? Here are a few ideas that come to mind…
- Garlic parmesan chicken skewers go great with a side of homemade steak cut fries or even homemade chili cheese fries.
- I can’t think of a better or easier appetizer to serve up with loaded Chicago hot dogs!
- You can’t go wrong with chicken fried rice or pork fried rice. This is a classic side dish that makes a complete meal out of just about any kabob recipe.
- Make an easy layered salad with a creamy homemade dressing to go along with your chicken kabobs. Alternatively, you can also serve them with this easy broccoli salad, a dill veggie finger salad or even this 30 minute pasta salad with cucumbers and tomatoes!
- If you’re feeding a crowd, you may consider putting together a fun mashed potato bar or even a baked potato bar from scratch.
- I know I mentioned corn on the cob earlier on in the post, but have you ever eaten Mexican corn on the cob with bacon? You’ll never eat sweet corn the same again!
- These loaded hummus chicken nachos would make a great appetizer to go along with your garlic parm chicken skewers. They’re easy to make, and you can double or triple the recipe to feed a lot of people.
- My family LOVES pizza. Parmesan garlic chicken skewers make the perfect appetizer to serve alongside our favorite hamburger pizza or Hawaiian pizza.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can I cook chicken skewers in the air fryer?
Yes, you can cook garlic parmesan chicken skewers in the air fryer. Line your air fryer basket with a piece of parchment paper, and then transfer your prepped chicken skewers to the basket. Cook at 400ºF for about 5 minutes. Flip your skewers and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF with a meat thermometer.

Can I grill parmesan garlic chicken skewers?
Yes, you can also cook your chicken kabobs on any kind of grill. You’ll want to preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, and then cook your chicken skewers for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Serve and enjoy!

Why are my chicken skewers dry?
You probably overcooked them. Remember, you only have to cook your chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. If you cook them any longer than this, the chicken will dry out and become tough and chewy. That said, chicken thighs have more fat than chicken breasts, so the thighs will be more forgiving if you accidentally overcook your skewers.

How should I store leftovers garlic parmesan chicken skewers?
Leftover chicken skewers are best stored in an airtight container or zip-loc bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat your chicken skewers at 350ºF on a large baking sheet in the oven ’til warm.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few fun ideas as to how you can make garlic parmesan chicken skewers even more interesting…
- Believe it or not, you can cook a lot more than just meat on a skewer. Chunked bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, sliced zucchini and even pineapple chunks come to mind.
- As I stated in the instructions above, you can always marinate your chicken with the butter mixture in an airtight container or zip-loc bag for a few hours or overnight. This will result in a richer, more complex flavor that everyone can appreciate.
- Try adding a three-fingered pinch of dry ranch seasoning and bacon crumbles to the butter mixture to make the best bacon ranch garlic parmesan chicken skewers!
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

How to make the best ever garlic parmesan chicken skewers in the oven. Easy weeknight dinner recipe that you can make in 30 minutes or less!
Skewers
13×9 Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper
Large Knife
Large Cutting Board
Large Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Tongs
Meat Thermometer
2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (melted)
1/2 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
10 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/8 teaspoon Coarse Kosher Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Before getting started, preheat your oven to 400ºF, and line 2 13×9 baking sheets with parchment paper.*
Start by using a large knife to slice your chicken into roughly 1-inch cubes on a large cutting board. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, parsley, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and ground black pepper until well combined.
Slide the cubed chicken onto the skewers and transfer to the butter mixture. Keep a little room between each piece of chicken so they will cook evenly.
With clean hands rub the butter mixture over the chicken before transferring to your parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Once your chicken skewers are well coated and placed onto the baking sheets, bake them in the oven at 400ºF for about 5 minutes, 'til golden brown
After 5 minutes has passed, use a pair of tongs to flip your chicken skewers, and let them bake on the other side for an additional 5 minutes.
Once the juices on the baking sheet run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165ºF with a meat thermometer, you can pull your garlic parmesan chicken skewers out of the oven.
Serve and enjoy!
*If you’re using wooden skewers, I recommend placing them in water to soak about 20 minutes before getting started with this recipe; this just helps the chicken to slide on easier later on.

How should I store leftovers garlic parmesan chicken skewers?

Leftover chicken skewers are best stored in an airtight container or zip-loc bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat your chicken skewers at 350ºF on a large baking sheet in the oven ’til warm.

Appetizer, Appetizers, dinner, Dinner Ideas, Meat & Seafood, Poultry & Chicken Recipes
American, Appetizer, Dinner
garlic parm chicken skewers, garlic parmesan chicken kabobs, garlic parmesan chicken skewers, parmesan garlic chicken skewers
February 27, 2024
How to Make Easy Crock Pot Hot Dogs for a Crowd
How to cook easy Crock Pot hot dogs with the best flavor. Great make-ahead recipe that you can use to set up the ultimate hot dog bar with all of your favorite toppings to serve at your next summer potluck or backyard BBQ!

It’s no secret that my entire family loves hot dogs, hamburgers and sandwiches. I’m a sucker for a good Chicago hot dog, and the guys ask for homemade bacon cheeseburgers or roast beef Philly cheesesteaks every week! Maybe it’s a midwestern thing…

You can fit a lot of hot dogs in a slow cooker; throw them in at the beginning of the day, and the slow cooker will keep them warm ’til dinner. Let everybody help themselves and fix them up just the way they like them. This has got to be the easiest way to make hot dogs that I know!

Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Hot Dogs
- Crock Pot hot dogs are so quick and easy to make. It’s the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it recipe using simple, budget-friendly ingredients.
- You can fit a ton of hot dogs in a Crock Pot, so this is the best hot dogs recipe to feed a large crowd. Fix up a fun hot dog bar to serve at your next Super Bowl party, 4th of July party, summer potluck, backyard BBQ, graduation party or even family reunions.
- Hot dogs cooked in the Crock Pot are the juiciest, most tender and best hot dogs you’ll ever eat with such minimal effort. Better yet, they’re so full of flavor because they haven’t been boiled to death!
- Most slow cookers have a “keep warm” function, which keeps the hot dogs warm until you’re ready to eat. It’s the ultimate make-ahead recipe.
- You can serve them up with all your favorite condiments and toppings!
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions

This simple recipe uses fairly common ingredients, depending on what all you use for toppings. You probably already have everything on hand…
- Hot Dogs – Any normal bun length type of hot dogs will work, but I prefer the texture and flavor of beef hot dogs. If you’re using frozen hot dogs, I recommend letting them thaw out in the refrigerator overnight before making this recipe.
- Hot Dog Buns – Although I like to serve my hot dogs with regular length hot dog buns, there’s no shame in just using regular bread instead.
- Your Favorite Toppings – There are so many different condiments and toppings that you can serve alongside your hot dogs. I’ll go into more detail on this in the instructions below.
How to Cook Hot Dogs in the Crock Pot

I’m using a 6-quart Crock Pot for this recipe. I can usually pack it pretty full with around 48 hot dogs, but you may have to use more or less depending on the size of your slow cooker. The CrockPot is truly a game changer!
1. Remove all of the hot dogs from the packaging, and add each one to the slow cooker. You can place them standing up if the lid will still fit, or you can lay them on their side.
2. Place the lid on the Crock Pot and set it on low for 2-3 hours, stirring the hot dogs occasionally with a pair of tongs to keep them from burning on the bottom of the slow cooker. Most hot dogs are already precooked, so you really just need to get them hot enough to serve.
In case you’re wondering, there’s no need to add any water to the slow cooker. When they’re cooked in the Crock Pot, hot dogs are moist enough that they will produce their own steam, resulting in the best texture and flavor!

How to Serve Slow Cooker Hot Dogs

Your hot dogs should be done after 2-3 hours in the slow cooker. Serve and enjoy with your favorite condiments and toppings. Pair them with garlic parmesan chicken skewers for the ultimate party appetizer!

If your slow cooker has a warm setting, you can set it there and let the hot dogs sit in the slow cooker at this setting for 3-4 hours until you’re ready to serve up an easy meal. I’m convinced that this is truly the best way to cook hot dogs!

What Toppings Should I Serve with Crock Pot Hot Dogs?

Not sure how to serve your slow cooker hot dogs? Here are some of my favorite toppings…
- Serve slow cooker hot dogs with your favorite condiments, like the traditional ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. I also like to serve mine with bbq sauce, and sometimes worcestershire sauce. My youngest son puts chicken dipping sauce on his!
- I love to top off my hot dogs with classic Chicago-style hot dog toppings, like pickle relish, sliced tomatoes, pepperoncini and minced white onions. They’re always a huge hit!
- Thanks to their Germanic roots, the guys LOVE sauerkraut and hot dogs. Better yet, cook both the sauerkraut and the hot dogs in the Crock Pot together!
- My family loves homemade dirty water dogs. We’ll add some beef broth and red wine vinegar to the Crock Pot as well as a variety of different spices, like cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper and sometimes a pinch of brown sugar.
- Top them off with homemade chili with ground beef, minced red onions and shredded cheddar cheese to make the best ever chili dogs or coney dogs. If you’re looking for side dish ideas, they also go great with homemade chili cheese fries.
- A lot of people like to make taco dogs with black beans, pinto beans, shredded Mexican cheese, salsa, pickled jalapeño slices, taco sauce and Queso cheese sauce drizzled on top.
- Add quartered cherry tomatoes, bacon bits and finely shredded iceberg lettuce to make the best BLT hot dogs!
- Other fun and delicious toppings that go perfectly with CrockPot hot dogs include thinly sliced avocados or guacamole, corn salsa, salsa verde and creamy homemade coleslaw.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

How should I store leftover hot dogs?
Leftover hot dogs are best stored in an airtight container or zip-loc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat your hot dogs exactly the same as you cooked them initially, whether that’s in the slow cooker, in the microwave or in a pot of boiling water on the stovetop. Remember, most hot dogs are already pre-cooked, so it’s just a matter of reheating them to whatever temperature you like best.

Can I freeze leftover hot dogs?
Yes, you can freeze leftover hot dogs. Stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, they should last up to 3-4 months. Again, reheat them exactly as you would normally.

More CrockPot Recipes
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Crock Pot Hot Dogs

How to cook easy Crock Pot hot dogs with the best flavor. Set up the ultimate hot dog bar for your next summer potluck or backyard BBQ!
6-Quart Slow Cooker
Tongs
48 Hot Dogs
48 Hot Dog Buns
Your Favorite Toppings
Remove all of the hot dogs from the packaging, and add each one to the slow cooker. You can place them standing up if the lid will still fit, or you can lay them on their side.
Place the lid on the Crock Pot and set it on low for 2-3 hours, stirring the hot dogs occasionally with a wooden spatula to keep them from burning.*
After 2-3 hours, serve and enjoy with your favorite condiments and toppings!*
*In case you’re wondering, there’s no need to add any water to the slow cooker. When they’re cooked in the Crock Pot, hot dogs are moist enough that they will produce their own steam.

*Most hot dogs are already precooked, so you really just need to get them hot enough to serve.

*If your slow cooker has a “keep warm” function, you can set it there and let the hot dogs sit in the slow cooker at this setting for 3-4 hours until you’re ready to serve.

How should I store leftover hot dogs?

Leftover hot dogs are best stored in an airtight container or zip-loc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat your hot dogs exactly the same as you cooked them initially.

dinner, Dinner Ideas, Main, Main Course, main dish, Meat & Seafood
American, Dinner, Main Dish
crock pot hot dogs, crock pot hot dogs recipes, hot dogs in crock pot, recipe for hot dogs in crock pot, slow cooker hot dogs
February 14, 2024
Red White and Blue Patriotic 4th of July Cupcakes
Make festive red, white, and blue 4th of July cupcakes, easy to decorate for a patriotic party or celebration. Fluffy cupcakes with buttercream frosting are fun for all ages, and delicious too!

Whether you’re hosting a July 4th celebration this Independence Day, or want to celebrate your favorite veteran, patriotic cupcakes, like my favorite red, white, and blue poke cake, are an easy way to do just that.

With red, white, and blue cupcakes, a little buttercream frosting, and maybe some sprinkles or tiny American flags, you’ve got the makings of a very easy patriotic red, white, and blue dessert your party guests will love.

Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

Before you make these fourth of July cupcakes, you’ll need to gather just a few simple ingredients…
- White Cake Mix – Box cake mix just makes the entire process easier. If you want to make homemade cupcakes, you can always make gluten-free vanilla cupcakes, though you may want to swap whole eggs for egg whites, so your cupcakes are not as yellow. Also, if you want to make gluten-free 4th of July cupcakes, use a gluten-free cake mix (and check your other ingredients, as well, to make sure everything is indeed gluten-free).
- Egg Whites – While you can use whole eggs, using just egg whites will help ensure your cake is white and not yellow; egg whites also give a very fluffy texture to cake and cupcakes. Since we’re coloring the batter, we want to start with white cake batter if at all possible. If needed, use an egg separator to separate the yolks from the whites; and make sure eggs are room temperature.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, my momma taught me this trick to make buttermilk or soured milk, and it works just fine for these cookies. You’ll need white vinegar and milk, about a tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of milk. This recipe calls for 1 cup buttermilk, so you’d need to add about 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to the milk to sour it. Step 1: To make sure you have the right amount of liquid, add the vinegar into a liquid measuring cup first. Step 2: Then add the milk to the desired level or measurement. Step 3: Stir it and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. And that’s it! Before you know it, your milk will be perfectly soured just like buttermilk.
- Butter – I just use salted butter we make from our Guernsey cows. Now, you can sub canola oil using a 1:1 ratio; but in my experience, good ole butter makes a much better cake.
- Red Gel Food Coloring and Blue Gel Food Coloring – The reason I recommend gel food coloring is because you’ll get a much brighter color than you will with liquid food coloring. You’ll want a bright red food coloring and a royal blue color.
- Buttercream Frosting – You can either buy this at the store, or make it homemade. For homemade buttercream, you’ll need butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar.
- Sprinkles and Decorations – Patriotic red, white, and blue sprinkles are always fun to add; and of course, don’t forget tiny American flag cupcake toppers.
You’ll also need a few supplies for making July 4th cupcakes…
- Cupcake Liners – use 4th of July cupcake liners or festive patriotic cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- Disposable Decorator Bags – If you don’t want to purchase pastry bags, you can always snip the corner off a gallon-size Ziploc bag, and use separate bags for both the batter and the frosting.
- Cake Tip – While the type of decorating tip depends on what kind of swirl you want with your icing, I recommend Wilton Tip 2A for a smooth swirl, and Tip 2D or Tip 1M for a more flower or star shaped swirl.
How to Make 4th of July Cupcakes

Before you begin to mix the batter for these easy 4th of July cupcakes, pre-heat your oven to 350° F, and add 4th of July cupcake liners to muffin tins. This recipe will make anywhere from 18-24 cupcakes.

Mix the Cupcake Batter
1. Add the cake mix, egg whites, buttermilk, and softened butter to a large bowl.
2. Mix everything together using an electric mixer, ’til the batter is completely smooth.
3. Divide batter into 3 small bowls (you should have about 1 1/4 cups of batter in each bowl; then add red coloring to one bowl of batter, and blue coloring to another bowl of batter, leaving one bowl with white batter.
4. Transfer the cake batter to disposable decorator bags to make it easier to fill the cupcake liners.
5. Squeeze equal amounts of each color of batter into the cupcake liners in each muffin cup. Tip: It’s easier if you have another person helping you squeeze the batter at the same time into the liners.
6. Bake the cupcakes at 350° F for about 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Then cool completely on a wire rack.
Make Buttercream Frosting

Again, you can buy frosting already made, or you can make it homemade.
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, mixing everything together for 2-3 minutes, or ’til the frosting is smooth.
How to Decorate Patriotic Cupcakes
1. Using a piping bag, pipe the frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Wilton has a great tutorial on how to pipe a cupcake swirl.
2. Add sprinkles on top of the frosting.
3. Then if you want, stick a tiny flag topper in the top of each cupcake.
And that’s it! You’ve got the best 4th of July cupcakes around!

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can you make these cupcakes in advance?
While you can make the cupcakes a day in advance, I don’t recommend making the frosting ’til the day you plan to decorate the cupcakes and serve them.

How should leftover cupcakes be stored?
Since these cupcakes do have a buttercream frosting, you need to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze 4th of July cupcakes?
Cupcakes, yes, you can freeze the cupcakes. Frosting, no, I wouldn’t freeze the frosting, because it will likely change the texture of the frosting to do so.

How do I transport these cupcakes to the party?
I recommend using a cupcake carrier. This is the easiest way to get these festive treats from your kitchen to any patriotic holiday celebration.

Let’s Talk Recipe Variations

Oh the fun you can have swapping out colors for different occasions! These cupcakes are easy to switch up for any occasion or celebration, not just Independence Day, Memorial Day, or Veterans Day. Here are a few ideas…
- Christmas – Use red and green instead of red and blue when coloring the batter.
- Valentine’s Day – Use red, pink, and white batter.
- St. Patrick’s Day – Use rainbow colors. Just separate the batter into smaller amounts, and use more colors.
- Easter – Use soft pastels, like sunshine yellow, mint green, robin egg blue, pink, etc.
- Graduation – Use school colors!
- Sports Teams – Use your favorite sports team’s colors!
- Halloween – Use black, purple, green, and orange.
- Baby Showers – Now these might be especially fun for a gender reveal party, but use pink or blue!
- Use cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream.
- Another fun idea… Make mini cupcakes instead of regular sized cupcakes.
More 4th of July Recipes
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Patriotic 4th of July Cupcakes

Make festive red, white, and blue 4th of July cupcakes, easy to decorate for a patriotic party or celebration. Fun and delicious!
Mixer
Egg Separator
Muffin Tin
4th of July Cupcake Liners
Decorator Bags
American Flag Cupcake Toppers
Cupcakes:
15.25 ounces white cake mix
4 large egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup salted butter (softened)
1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring (*)
1/4 teaspoon blue gel food coloring (*)
Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup salted butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 cups powdered sugar
Decorations:
1/2 cup patriotic sprinkles (and tiny flag toppers)
Cupcakes:
Pre-heat your oven to 350° F, and add patriotic cupcake liners to muffin tins.
Add the cake mix, egg whites, buttermilk, and softened butter to a large bowl.
Mix everything together, 'til the batter is completely smooth.
Divide the batter into 3 small bowls (you should have about 1 1/4 cups of batter in each bowl; then add red coloring to one bowl of batter, and blue coloring to another bowl of batter, leaving one bowl with white batter.
Transfer the cake batter to disposable decorator bags* to make it easier to fill the cupcake liners.
Squeeze equal amounts of each color of batter into the cupcake liners.*
Bake the cupcakes at 350° F for about 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Then cool completely on a wire rack.
Buttercream Frosting:
In a large bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.
Add in the powdered sugar, mixing everything together for 2-3 minutes, or 'til the frosting is smooth.
Decorate Patriotic Cupcakes:
Pipe the frosting onto the top of each cupcake.
Add sprinkles on top of the frosting.
Then if you want, stick a tiny flag topper in the top of each cupcake.
*Gel Food Coloring – You may need less than 1/4 teaspoon. Start with less, and work your way up.

*Disposable Decorator Bags – If you don’t want to purchase decorator bags, you can always snip the corner off a gallon-size Ziploc bag, and use separate bags for both the batter and the frosting. You really don’t even need to buy cake tips… Just squeeze the frosting out the tip of the bag and swirl.

*Tip: It’s easier if you have another person helping you squeeze the batter at the same time into the liners.

How should leftover cupcakes be stored?
Since these cupcakes do have buttercream frosting, you need to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Desserts
American
4th of July cupcakes, Fourth of July cupcakes, July 4th cupcakes, patriotic cupcakes, red white and blue cupcakes
November 29, 2023
Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream
Learn how to make homemade Fruity Pebbles ice cream, infused with a rainbow of flavors. Easy cereal milk ice cream recipe you can make to eat in 30 minutes. It’s colorful, creamy, and oh so delicious!

Fruity Pebbles has long been one of my favorite cereals, ever since I was a kid. It was a rare treat, so that made it that much more special when we actually had a box in the cabinet.

I love the crunchy, fruity flavor of this cereal; and I do have to say, it makes some rather delicious cereal milk at the end of a bowl too.

I’ve made other Fruity Pebbles treats in the past, like these Fruity Pebble Christmas trees. And now I’m excited to share this Fruity Pebble ice cream with you, with my raw milk vanilla ice cream as the base.

Why You’re Going to Love This Ice Cream Recipe

There are a few reasons to love this Fruity Pebbles ice cream recipe…
- It’s super easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes ’til you can actually eat the ice cream soft serve.
- Color! This ice cream is so colorful; in fact, it’s a rainbow of colors!
- You’ll use simple ingredients, so there’s no sweetened condensed milk and no eggs. Just milk, sugar, cream, and a few more ingredients to really infuse all the flavors.
- You can eat it in a bowl or eat it on a cone.
- This cereal milk ice cream tastes exactly like the yummy sweet cereal milk you’re left with at the end of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.
- There will be leftovers. Unless you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll have plenty left over. I have a family of 5, and I actually make one batch of this to last a few days. Sometimes during the hotter months it goes a lot quicker; but we always have leftovers to store in the freezer and enjoy through the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes

Gather the handful of ingredients it takes to make this ice cream…
- Whole Milk – While you can use 2% or skim milk, your ice cream won’t be quite as creamy as if you use whole milk.
- Cane Sugar – While I prefer to use organic cane sugar, you can also use granulated sugar.
- Sea Salt – This right here is an ingredient you definitely want to include; don’t leave it out. Without the salt, you won’t get near as good a flavor.
- Fruity Pebbles Cereal – You’ll need almost 2 cups of this wonderfully crunchy cereal. We’ll talk about more cereal alternatives further below.
- Heavy Cream
- Orange Zest – I prefer to use orange zest because it gives a stronger orange flavor than juice, and it pairs really well with the fruity flavors in the cereal. You can also add lemon zest if desired.
- Vanilla Extract – Again, this just helps give that flavor a kick.
How to Make Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure you’ve pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don’t, your ice cream won’t freeze.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don’t you? It’s my one wish for this ice cream maker.)
How to Mix It and Freeze It

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt ’til the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the Fruity Pebbles to the mixture, and blend ’til combined.

Whisk in the heavy cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract, mixing well.

Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.

Then place the cover on top, and let it mix ’til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.

When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Do you have to leave whole cereal pieces in the mixture?
No, you don’t. If you don’t like the soggy cereal texture, you can either let the cereal infuse into the milk for at least an hour before mixing up the ice cream, then strain it out; or you can crush the cereal into smaller bits and mix that into the ice cream. If it were me, I’d crush the cereal and still let it infuse into the ice cream as it mixes.

Can you use another cereal besides Fruity Pebbles?
Of course! You can make Cocoa Pebbles ice cream. You could also use another other cereal you like, for example, Fruit Loops, Crunch Berries, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more. The sky’s the limit!

How do you store cereal milk ice cream?
Store it in an airtight container in the freezer; it needs to be airtight so it doesn’t get freezer burn. It should last up to 2 weeks. I use these super cool ice cream containers, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they’re easy to wash too. You can find more options in my guide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

Recipe Variations

Gosh, there are so many things you can add or change about this recipe to switch it up…
- Swirl in a fruity sauce, like strawberry sauce or raspberry sauce.
- Swap out cereals, like we talked about above in the FAQ’s. You can use Fruit Loops, Crunch Berries, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more. The sky’s the limit!
- Add mini marshmallows toward the end of the churning/freezing process, or add marshmallow fluff into the mixture to give it even more flavor, sweetness, and texture.
- Add in chunked or chopped fruit, like strawberries, cherries, or blueberries toward the end of the churn process, probably the last 5 minutes.
- Make a sundae with syrup and sprinkles (or more cereal sprinkled) on top. Better yet, sandwich this ice cream between sugar cookies or brownies and enjoy a refreshing ice cream sandwich.
More Ice Cream Recipes

If you love this recipe, you’re going to love these flavors too…
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream

How to make homemade Fruity Pebbles ice cream with a rainbow of flavors. Easy cereal milk ice cream recipe you can make to eat in 30 minutes.
Large Mixing Bowl
Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Container with Lid
Ice Cream Scoop
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups cane sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 3/4 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
Before you start to mix this up, be sure you've pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt 'til the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the Fruity Pebbles to the mixture, and blend 'til combined.
Whisk in the heavy cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
When your Fruity Pebble ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
*If you don’t like the soggy cereal texture, you can either let the cereal infuse into the milk for at least an hour before mixing up the ice cream, then strain it out; or you can crush the cereal into smaller bits and mix that into the ice cream. If it were me, I’d crush the cereal and still let it infuse into the ice cream as it mixes.

Store this ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer; it needs to be airtight so it doesn’t get freezer burn. It should last up to 2 weeks.

Dessert
American
cereal milk ice cream, fruity pebble ice cream, fruity pebbles ice cream, fruity pebbles ice cream recipe
August 10, 2023
Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
Learn how to make the best old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream (no eggs) recipe. This is an easy, machine churned recipe filled with delicious chocolaty flavor, just like the chocolate ice cream you remember as a kid, only better.

While I love a good chocolate custard with eggs (like the kind Culver’s makes), since going on A2 dairy, I’ve learned how to make a ton of different ice cream flavors, raw milk chocolate ice cream being one of them, along with butterfinger ice cream, raw milk ice cream, Fruity Pebbles ice cream, and mint Oreo ice cream.

Chocolate ice cream no eggs is easy to make, and it takes me back to that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor chocolate ice cream used to have. It’s so, so good!

Why You’re Going to Love It Too
- Like I said, it’s really easy to make with only 7 ingredients needed, most of which you likely have in your pantry.
- You can eat it soft serve or firm enough to put in a cone.
- It’s got that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor, thanks to good cocoa powder.
- It’s a quick dessert recipe you can make in 30 minutes or less.
- There will be leftovers. Unless you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll have plenty left over. I have a family of 5, and I actually make one batch of this to last a few days. Sometimes during the hotter months it goes a lot quicker; but we always have leftovers to store in the freezer and enjoy through the week.
- You don’t just have to make it into ice cream. If you have a popsicle mold, you can pour the churned, soft serve ice cream into that mold and make homemade fudge bars.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

What’s in this homemade chocolate ice cream no eggs version? Actually, the ingredients are really quite simple…
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I like to use Hershey’s cocoa powder, mainly because I like the flavor and because it’s labeled gluten-free. You can also use a Dutch process cocoa powder, or even dark cocoa powder to make dark chocolate ice cream.
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Light Brown Sugar – This just adds to that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor.
- Whole Milk – While I like to use raw milk, you can use store bought milk too. You can use whole milk, 2% milk, or 1% milk. I do, however, recommend sticking with whole milk, because it will make your ice cream more creamy.
- Heavy Cream – Again, while I use cream I skim off our milk, you can buy heavy whipping cream at the store and substitute that if needed. You could probably also use half-and-half, but just keep in mind, your ice cream won’t be as creamy as it will with heavy cream.
- Vanilla Extract – My favorite vanilla is this Mexican vanilla. It has superior flavor and makes everything I use it in absolutely delicious.
- Sea Salt – While you can use regular table salt, I love the flavor and the “real” of Redmond Sea Salt.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure to pre-freeze the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don’t, your ice cream won’t freeze.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don’t you? It’s my one wish for this ice cream maker.)
How to Mix It and Freeze It
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
2. Whisk in the whole milk, mixing ’til the sugars and cocoa powder dissolve, about 1-2 minutes. (This step is important; I usually recommend extra whisking, just to make sure your ice cream isn’t grainy. You want all of the sugars and cocoa powder to dissolve in the milk.)
3. Whisk in the cream and vanilla extract.
4. Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
5. Then place the cover on top, and let it mix ’til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
6. When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, it’s ready. Turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve chocolate ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
How to Serve Chocolate Ice Cream

You can serve eggless chocolate ice cream in a bowl or on a cone. If serving on a cone, I definitely recommend putting it in the freezer to firm up more, so then you can get actual scoops to put on the ice cream cone.

Here are a few more ideas…
- Serve it with toppings, like butterscotch syrup, caramel syrup, strawberry syrup, etc.
- Crumble crushed cookies or candies on top.
- Put a scoop of chocolate ice cream on a warm chocolate chip cookie.
- Make gluten-free ice cream sandwiches with a chocolate ice cream filling instead of vanilla.
- Top scoops of ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles, or marshmallow fluff and sprinkles.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

My expert tips would be to, again, make sure you freeze the ice cream canister beforehand.

Why is my homemade chocolate ice cream grainy?
This is where whisking those ingredients together comes in and why it’s so important. When you’re mixing up the ice cream, I recommend extra whisking, just to make sure all the cocoa powder and sugars dissolve in the milk. If not dissolved, this will make your ice cream grainy.

Should homemade ice cream be so soft?
When it first comes out of the churn, yes, it will be soft. However, if you put it in the freezer, it will firm up, so much so, you’ll be able to scoop the ice cream into a bowl or cone.

How should I store leftover ice cream?
Of course, you’ll need to store it in the freezer. But as far as containers, I found these super cool ice cream containers online, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they’re easy to wash too. You can find more options in my guide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

How long will homemade ice cream last in the freezer?
I’ve found that it’ll generally last about 3-4 weeks, as long as it’s stored in an airtight container where it won’t get freezer burn.

Do I need an ice cream maker to make this recipe?
Yes, you really do. I recommend the one I have, which is this ice cream maker. It’s easy to use, and it makes 2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of ice cream at a time.

Variations and Mix-Ins to Try with This Recipe

With this chocolate ice cream recipe with no eggs base, you can do a number of different things to change it up…
- Add a little coffee kick with a teaspoon or so of espresso powder. My sister ran out of cocoa powder and added a bit of this to hers, and she said you couldn’t even tell it had coffee in it.
- Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to make mint chocolate ice cream. You could even chop up some leftover chocolate mint candies to add to the mixture in the last 5 minutes of churning.
- Make it Rocky Road instead of chocolate. In the last 5 minutes of churning, just add a handful of mini marshmallows and nuts and let it all mix together.
- Swirl marshmallow cream into the mixture at the last minute to make chocolate marshmallow swirl ice cream.
More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

If you love this homemade chocolate ice cream, you’ll love these flavors too…
- Old-fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream
- Homemade strawberry ice cream
- Old-fashioned banana ice cream – This one’s inspired by my dad, who made the best banana ice cream there ever was.
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

How to make the best old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream (no eggs) recipe. Easy, machine churned, delicious chocolaty flavor.
Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Container with Lid
Ice Cream Scoop
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Before you start to mix this up, be sure you pre-freeze the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
Whisk in the whole milk, mixing 'til the sugars and cocoa powder dissolve, about 1-2 minutes.*
Whisk in the cream and vanilla extract.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, it's ready. Turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve chocolate ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
*This step is important; I usually recommend extra whisking, just to make sure your ice cream isn’t grainy. You want all of the sugars and cocoa powder to dissolve in the milk.

Desserts
American
chocolate ice cream, chocolate ice cream no eggs, chocolate ice cream recipe with no eggs, eggless chocolate ice cream, homemade chocolate ice cream, homemade chocolate ice cream no eggs, old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream, raw milk chocolate ice cream
March 3, 2023
Easy Mint Oreo Ice Cream
Make mint Oreo ice cream in 30 minutes or less. This nostalgic recipe is filled with peppermint flavor and crushed Oreo cookies in a creamy ice cream base. It’s quick, easy, and eggless too!

As a girl, I fell in love with mint chocolate chip ice cream the first time I had it in a restaurant in Glacier National Park with my dad and mom. That creamy, minty, green ice cream had my heart right then and there.

Since getting our milk cows, I’ve come up with all sorts of flavors, one of my favorites being Butterfinger ice cream. I have to say, though, that I think mint cookies and cream ice cream has to be one of my personal absolute favorites.

I think it’s a nostalgia thing for me.

Why I Think You’ll Love This Ice Cream Too

Let me count the ways…
- It’s so easy to make, it’s not even funny.
- 8 simple ingredients. That’s it. 2 of those ingredients are milk and cream.
- It’s affordable. Cartons of ice cream have gone down in size and up in price. And let’s face it, homemade is better than store bought anyway. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Make it gluten-free if you want. I make it with gluten-free Oreos.
- It’s a quick recipe you can make in 30 minutes or less.
- There will be leftovers. Unless you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll have plenty left over. I have a family of 5, and I actually make one batch of this to last a few days. Sometimes during the hotter months it goes a lot quicker; but we always have leftovers to store in the freezer and enjoy through the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

What’s in this Oreo mint ice cream recipe? Actually, the ingredients are really quite simple…
- Whole Milk – While I like to use raw milk, you can use store bought milk too. I do, however, recommend sticking with whole milk to make your ice cream more creamy.
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Sea Salt – While you can use regular table salt, I love the flavor and the “real” of Redmond Sea Salt.
- Heavy Cream – Again, while I use cream I skim off our milk, you can buy heavy whipping cream at the store and substitute that if needed.
- Vanilla Extract – My favorite vanilla is this Mexican vanilla. It has superior flavor and makes everything I use it in absolutely delicious.
- Peppermint Extract – I prefer Watkins peppermint extract. While you can make the flavor spearmint, most mint ice creams are flavored with peppermint, whether you use fresh mint or an extract.
- Green Food Coloring – This is totally optional, but I like to differentiate between regular cookies and cream ice cream and mint by adding a little bit of green to the mix. You can always use a natural food coloring like Watkins. But food coloring is generally how to make mint ice cream green.
- Oreo Cookies – You only need about 8 cookies, so the rest of the pack is all yours. Crush them up and you’re set to go. You can also use gluten-free Oreos.
How to Make Mint Oreo Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure you’ve pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don’t, your ice cream won’t freeze.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don’t you? It’s my one wish for this ice cream maker.)

I also recommend freezing the crushed Oreo cookies ahead of time, so they don’t warm the ice cream when you add them.
How to Mix It and Freeze It
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt ’til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and green food coloring, if desired.
3. Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
4. Then place the cover on top, and let it mix ’til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
5. About 5 minutes before the freezing is completed (the ice cream should have a soft, creamy texture at this point), add the crushed Oreo cookies through the top of the ice cream maker, and let the cookie crumbles mix in completely.
6. Once the cookies are all mixed in, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
I’m really thinking mint Oreo would make a great flavor for my gluten-free ice cream sandwiches, the next time I make them. Can you imagine how yummy that will be?!

How to Serve It

Oh boy, this is the fun part. You can serve mint cookie ice cream in a bowl or on a cone. If serving on a cone, I definitely recommend putting it in the freezer to firm up more, so then you can get actual scoops to put on the ice cream cone.

Here are a few more ideas…
- Serve it with toppings, like chocolate syrup, butterscotch syrup, caramel syrup, hot fudge, etc. Make a grasshopper sundae with a cherry on top!
- Crumble more crushed cookies on top.
- Put a scoop of mint Oreo ice cream on a warm brownie.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

My expert tips would be to, again, make sure you freeze the ice cream canister beforehand; and also freeze the crushed Oreo cookies so the cookie crumbles don’t melt the ice cream as they’re added.

How should I store leftover ice cream?
Of course, you’ll need to store it in the freezer. But as far as containers, I found these super cool ice cream containers online, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they’re easy to wash too. You can find more options in my guide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

How long will homemade ice cream last in the freezer?
I’ve found that it’ll generally last about 3-4 weeks, as long as it’s stored in an airtight container where it won’t get freezer burn.

Do I need an ice cream maker to make this recipe?
Yes, you really do. I recommend the one I have, which is this ice cream maker. It’s easy to use, and it makes 2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of ice cream at a time.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes to Make

If you love homemade mint Oreo ice cream, you’ll love these recipes too…
- Old fashioned homemade ice cream
- Old-fashioned strawberry ice cream
- Homemade banana ice cream with milk – This one’s inspired by my dad, who made the best banana ice cream there ever was.
- Vanilla ice cream no eggs
- Homemade chocolate ice cream no eggs
- Fruity Pebble ice cream
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Mint Oreo Ice Cream

Make mint Oreo ice cream in 30 minutes. Nostalgic recipe filled with peppermint flavor and crushed Oreo cookies. Quick, easy, and eggless!
Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Container with Lid
Ice Cream Scoop
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups cane sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
5 drops green food coloring (optional)
8 whole Oreo cookies (crushed*)
Before you start to mix this up, be sure you pre-freeze the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt 'til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and green food coloring, if desired.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the freezing is completed (the ice cream should have a soft, creamy texture at this point), add the crushed Oreo cookies through the top of the ice cream maker, and let the cookie crumbles mix in completely.
Once the cookies are all mixed in, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
*I recommend freezing the crushed Oreo cookies ahead of time, so they don’t warm and melt the ice cream when you add them. You can also use gluten-free Oreo cookies.

Desserts
American
mint cookies and cream ice cream, mint Oreo ice cream, Oreo mint ice cream recipe
February 23, 2023
Homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream
Mix and freeze an easy recipe for homemade Butterfinger ice cream that’s oh so creamy and rich, full of buttery vanilla flavor, and filled to the gills with crushed chocolate Butterfinger candies. It’s a family favorite homemade ice cream recipe.

One of my favorite ice cream flavors used to be Edy’s Butterfinger. Since we’ve switched to mostly A2 dairy, I’ve started making our ice cream, including homemade Butterfinger just like Edy’s, only better.

When I started making raw milk ice cream with our fresh Jersey milk, I began to come up with a whole list of flavors to try. So far, I’ve made vanilla, chocolate ice cream (no eggs version), banana peanut butter cup, mint Oreo ice cream, Fruity Pebbles ice cream, and strawberry ice cream. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing all of these recipes in the near future.

This one, however, is my family’s favorite. It’s my favorite too.

Just a note: When I say I use raw fresh milk, that doesn’t mean it’s the only kind of milk you can use. If you don’t have access to fresh milk, you can use store bought milk and cream just fine for this recipe.

Why I Know You’re Going to Love This Recipe
- First of all, the ice cream itself has such a silky, creamy texture. So smooth and delicious.
- Secondly, it’s rich with a buttery vanilla flavor. I think the combination of vanilla and butterfinger candy bars is magical.
- There are only 6 ingredients to this butterfinger ice cream recipe. That’s it! That’s all you need, and you probably have most of them on hand.
- It’s so easy to make. It takes me maybe 5 minutes to mix up the base, then 20-25 minutes to freeze.
- There will be leftovers. Unless you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll have plenty left over. I have a family of 5, and I actually make one batch of this to last a few days. Sometimes during the hotter months it goes a lot quicker; but we always have leftovers to store in the freezer and enjoy through the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

What’s in Butterfinger ice cream? Actually, Butterfinger ice cream ingredients are really quite simple…
- Whole Milk – While I like to use raw milk, you can use store bought milk too. I do, however, recommend sticking with whole milk to make your ice cream more creamy.
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Heavy Cream – Again, while I use cream I skim off our milk, you can buy heavy whipping cream at the store and substitute that if needed.
- Vanilla Extract – My favorite vanilla is this Mexican vanilla. It has superior flavor and makes everything I use it in absolutely delicious.
- Sea Salt – While you can use regular table salt, I love the flavor and the “real” of Redmond Sea Salt.
- Fun Size Butterfinger Bars – Crush them up and you’re set to go. While I use the smaller snack size, you can use a couple of big bars instead.
How to Make Homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure you’ve pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don’t, your ice cream won’t freeze.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don’t you? It’s my one wish for this ice cream maker.)

I also recommend freezing the crushed Butterfinger Bars ahead of time, so they don’t warm the ice cream when you add them.
How to Mix It and Freeze It
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk and sugar ’til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
3. Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
4. Then place the cover on top, and let it mix ’til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
5. About 5 minutes before the mixing is completed, add the crushed Butterfinger bars through the top of the ice cream maker, and let the candy mix in completely.
6. Once the candy is all mixed in, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
I’m just going to say that next time I make gluten-free ice cream sandwiches, I may use butterfinger ice cream as the filling. Can you imagine how delicious that will be?! Yum!
How to Serve It

Oh boy, this is the fun part. You can serve Butterfinger ice cream in a bowl or on a cone. If serving on a cone, I definitely recommend putting it in the freezer to firm up more, so then you can get actual scoops to put on the ice cream cone.

Here are a few more ideas…
- Serve it with toppings, like chocolate syrup, butterscotch syrup, caramel syrup, hot fudge, etc.
- Crumble crushed candies on top.
- Put a scoop of Butterfinger ice cream on a warm brownie.
- Sandwich together chocolate chip cookies with this ice cream. Yum!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

My expert tips would be to, again, make sure you freeze the ice cream canister beforehand; and also freeze the crushed Butterfinger bars so the candy doesn’t melt the ice cream as it’s added.

What is Butterfinger filling made of? Does it have peanut butter?
Butterfinger has a crispy, crunchy, buttery filling that’s actually made from peanuts, then covered with melted chocolate. So yes, it does contain peanuts.

How should I store leftover ice cream?
Oh boy, this is my favorite part. Of course, you’ll need to store it in the freezer. But as far as containers, I found these super cool ice cream containers online, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they’re easy to wash too. You can find more options in my guide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

What can I say? My readers love ice cream, so I just keep on keeping on when it comes to making this delicious frozen dessert.
- Old fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream
- Old-fashioned strawberry ice cream
- Old-fashioned banana ice cream – This one’s inspired by my dad, who made the best banana ice cream there ever was.
- Homemade peach ice cream
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream

Easy recipe for homemade butterfinger ice cream, so creamy and rich, full of buttery vanilla flavor and chocolate Butterfinger candies.
Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Container with Lid
Ice Cream Scoop
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups cane sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
8-10 Fun Size Butterfinger Bars (crushed*)
Before you start to mix this up, be sure you've pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk and sugar 'til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the mixing is completed, add the crushed Butterfinger bars through the top of the ice cream maker, and let the candy mix in completely.
Once the candy is all mixed in, turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.
*I recommend freezing the crushed Butterfinger Bars ahead of time, so they don’t warm and melt the ice cream when you add them.

Desserts
American
butterfinger ice cream, butterfinger ice cream recipe, homemade butterfinger ice cream
February 16, 2023
Raw Milk Ice Cream
This recipe makes the best raw milk ice cream with just 5 simple ingredients, including raw fresh milk but no eggs. It’s the easiest recipe you’ll ever make, chock full of rich vanilla flavor in every bite.

When we started milking, I knew I was going to need to use up all the gallons of milk we get every day. We make loads of homemade butter, along with pudding, ice cream, and more.

My boys love ice cream, whether it’s old fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream (the “with eggs” version), old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream, delicious strawberry ice cream, or any number of other flavors they enjoy. And to put it bluntly, I love not having to buy ice cream in the store anymore.

What Is Raw Milk Ice Cream?

Raw milk ice cream is ice cream made with raw fresh milk from dairy cows. We have A2 Jersey cows, and we use milk and cream from them to make this ice cream.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- If you’re like me, you’ll love not having to buy ice cream anymore.
- You can easily make this recipe in less than 30 minutes, depending how fast you can mix it up. The machine does most of the work for you.
- It only uses 5 ingredients, and none of those ingredients are eggs. This is ice cream without eggs at its finest.
- My Jersey milk ice cream is oh so creamy and so infused with rich vanilla flavor; it really is so good.
- Unlike my old-fashioned ice cream recipes, my raw milk ice cream recipe doesn’t need any ice or rock salt to freeze it. You just need a simple ice cream maker like the one I use.
Ingredient and Substitution Notes

You’ll need a handful of ingredients to make this recipe…
- Raw Milk – We use fresh milk from our Jersey mamas. If you don’t have access to raw milk, you can substitute whole milk.
- Cane Sugar – Or you can use granulated sugar.
- Raw Heavy Cream – Again, if you don’t have access to raw cream, you can substitute heavy whipping cream from the store. If you do have access to raw milk, you’ll need to skim the cream off the top of the milk; I like to do this by using a small gravy ladle.
- Vanilla Extract – I prefer to use a good Mexican vanilla I order from a shop in Texas. This vanilla gives the best and richest flavor of any vanilla I’ve used. You can also order it on Amazon.
- Sea Salt – You can use regular salt, as well, but I prefer to use Redmond Sea Salt.
How to Make Raw Milk Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure you’ve pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don’t, your ice cream won’t freeze. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don’t you? It’s my one wish for this ice cream maker.)
How to Mix and Freeze Vanilla Ice Cream without Eggs
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the raw whole milk and sugar ’til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
3. Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the church paddle in place.
4. Then place the cover on top, and let it mix ’til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
5. When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, it’s ready, and you can turn off the machine.
6. Scoop into bowls for serving (it’ll be soft-serve); or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for about 2-3 hours, which will allow it to firm up.
What I love about vanilla ice cream no eggs, is that you can pair it with any number of other desserts, including apple crumb pie, cinnamon baked pears, apple crumble, homemade blueberry cobbler, or peach cobbler. You can even use homemade ice cream to make gluten-free ice cream sandwiches.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can I still make this without an ice cream maker?
I really recommend an ice cream maker to help churn the ice cream. However, you could do the freeze/stir method, where you mix everything up, put it in a large enough container to allow you to stir without a mess, then freeze and stir in intervals, ’til the ice cream is thick enough to your satisfaction. If it were me, I’d use a hand mixer on low speed to stir every time, just to mimic the effects of a churn.

What makes ice cream creamy?
Well, some people say the eggs make it so… But every time I make this recipe, it’s oh so creamy. I think it really ultimately depends on your milk to cream ratio when mixing the ingredients. Raw whole milk is very creamy anyway, but you add 3 cups of cream to the mix, and you’re going to have a very creamy texture when all is said and frozen.

How should I store the ice cream?
Oh boy, this is my favorite part. Of course, you’ll need to store it in the freezer. But as far as containers, I found these super cool ice cream containers online, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they’re easy to wash too. You can find more options in my guide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

More Raw Milk Recipes

If you love raw milk vanilla ice cream, you’re going to love these recipes too…
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Raw Milk Ice Cream

How to make the best raw milk ice cream with just 5 simple ingredients, including raw milk but no eggs. Easy recipe with rich vanilla flavor.
Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Container with Lid
1 1/2 cups raw whole milk
1 1/8 cups cane sugar
3 cups raw heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
Before you start to mix this up, be sure you've pre-frozen the ice cream canister that goes with your ice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the raw whole milk and sugar 'til the sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the church paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, it's ready, and you can turn off the machine.
Scoop into bowls for serving (it'll be soft-serve); or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for about 2-3 hours, which will allow it to firm up. Then serve when ready.
*Note about pre-freezing the ice cream canister: I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it’s always frozen and ready to go.

If you do not have raw milk, you can use store bought whole milk and heavy whipping cream.

Desserts
American
ice cream without eggs, Jersey milk ice cream, raw milk ice cream, raw milk ice cream recipe, vanilla ice cream no eggs, vanilla ice cream without eggs
February 6, 2023
Homemade Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Missing your favorite ice cream treats? Learn how to make delicious homemade gluten-free ice cream sandwiches. Who needs store bought when you can easily take vanilla ice cream and sandwich it between two chocolate cookie wafers? They’re the best!

These ice cream sandwiches are made up of two soft but sturdy chocolate wafer cookies that sandwich a layer of vanilla ice cream in between.

My oldest, like me, always thought the cookie was the best part of an ice cream sandwich. In fact, when he was little, he’d pick off and eat every last bit of that precious cookie before consuming the ice cream!

I used to love picking up a box of ice cream sandwiches when I’d go to the grocery store, but since I’ve gone gluten-free, they’ve been a big no-no. I still occasionally get them for my boys, but man it’s a bummer not to be able to eat them.

Enter this recipe. The great thing is, you can even make these goodies into gluten-free dairy-free ice cream sandwiches by subbing a good dairy-free ice cream.

Also, I may be getting ahead of myself here, but here’s a handy tip: It’s possible to cut your ice cream sandwiches with a knife, but I highly recommend buying an ice cream mold/cutter. I’ve listed several affordable options over on my Top 10 Ice Cream Accessories and Tools post. Scroll down to #6!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Although this recipe can be fairly time-consuming to make, it’s easy enough that anybody can make it.
- Gf ice cream sandwiches feature deliciously soft gluten-free chocolate wafer cookies with a layer of vanilla ice cream (or any flavor) sandwiched in between.
- Did I mention that this recipe is gluten-free? You won’t find these in the freezer aisle.
Ingredient Notes
- Vanilla Extract – I always avoid imitation vanilla, instead opting for 100% real vanilla extract. In my opinion, real vanilla is far superior in flavor.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour – I almost always use Authentic Foods Classical Blend gluten-free flour. Time and time again, this flour blend has given me the best results and gluten-free baked goods that taste no different than the original.
- Gluten-Free Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I prefer to use Hershey’s cocoa powder. I appreciate the balanced sweetness it provides compared to a darker cocoa.
- Raw Milk – Although it is possible to make this recipe with regular old whole milk, I prefer to use the raw milk we get from a local dairy. You can also sub almond milk for whole milk; I actually love the way almond milk bakes.
- Vanilla Ice Cream – For this recipe, I prefer French vanilla ice cream, but you can use whatever vanilla you like. You can even make homemade vanilla ice cream or raw milk ice cream. Or use a different flavor like homemade Butterfinger ice cream or mint cookies and cream ice cream or homemade chocolate ice cream. Just be sure to check all ingredient labels, as not all ice creams (nor ingredients) are gluten-free.
How to Make Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches From Scratch

Before getting started, pre-heat the oven to 350º F and line two jelly roll pans (16x10x1) with parchment paper.
Make the Chocolate Cookie Wafers
1. Mix together the butter and sugar.
2. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, mixing well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Divide the cookie dough in half and spread each half into the paper covered jelly roll pans. The dough will be thin but should cover the bottom of each pan completely.
6. Bake the cookie dough at 350º F for about 10-12 minutes, switching racks halfway through. Then allow the sheets to cool for about 20 minutes.
Chill the Cookies While You Soften the Ice Cream
1. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
2. Now, rock hard, 100% frozen ice cream is next to impossible to spread without tearing the cookie into pieces. That’s why I recommend beating the ice cream with a mixer on low speed for a few minutes. This will quickly soften the ice cream to a spreadable form without melting it, provided you’re working with cold ingredients.
Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches
1. Remove your cookies from the freezer, and spread the ice cream over one cookie wafer sheet.
2. Top with the remaining cookie wafer sheet. Then remove the parchment paper from the top layer.
1. Cover the entire cookie sheet with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for at least 2-3 hours.
How to Cut Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
1. Cut the ice cream sandwiches into rectangles, using a knife or an ice cream sandwich mold/cutter. You can also use an imprint plate, if you’d like the look of tiny holes like a store bought ice cream sandwich.
They’re ready to serve, or you can store them, individually wrapped with plastic, in the freezer.

Can I Make This Recipe Dairy-Free?

It’s challenging, but it can be done. I’ve never made this recipe dairy-free, but here are a few ideas as to how you can make dairy-free ice cream sandwiches.

You’ll simply need to replace any dairy ingredient in this recipe with a non-dairy substitute.
- Instead of butter, use something like dairy-free butter sticks.
- Instead of regular old milk, try using almond milk. Although the results may vary, you can also usually get away with using soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or even cashew milk.
- You’ll also need to use a dairy-free ice cream. If you can’t find dairy-free at your grocery store, you might check out this dairy-free vanilla ice cream recipe from Joy Food Sunshine. Homemade always tastes better anyways!
Just like that, you’ve (hopefully) just made a delicious batch of gluten free dairy free ice cream sandwiches! Let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use any flavor ice cream?
You can use whatever flavor you’d like. I might recommend trying salted caramel ice cream, peanut butter ice cream, or strawberry ice cream. Heck, you could even use Neapolitan ice cream! The sky’s the limit.

How do you keep the ice cream from melting while making this recipe?
The best way to keep your ice cream from melting while making this recipe is to work with cold ingredients. This is why I recommend placing your cookie wafer in the freezer for 20 minutes before spreading the ice cream. Just try to be quick, and get your ice cream sandwiches in the freezer as quickly as possible.

How do you store homemade ice cream sandwiches?
The only way to store them is by freezing them. Wrapped tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then a second layer of aluminum foil, they will keep up to 3 months in the deep freeze.

More Ice Cream Recipes:

If you love these gf ice cream sandwiches, you’ll love…
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches

How to make delicious homemade gluten-free ice cream sandwiches. Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between chocolate cookie wafers. Easy recipe!
Mixer
Mixing Bowl
Whisk
16x10x1 Jelly Roll Pans
Ice Cream Sandwich Mold/Cutter
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup cane sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
Make the Chocolate Cookie Wafers:
Pre-heat the oven to 350º F, and line two jelly roll pans (16x10x1) with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar.
Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, mixing well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Divide the cookie dough in half and spread each half into the prepared jelly roll pans. The dough will be thin but should cover the bottom of each pan completely.
Bake the cookie dough at 350º F for about 10-12 minutes, switching racks halfway through. Then allow the sheets to cool for about 20 minutes.
Chill the Cookies While You Soften the Ice Cream:
Place the baking sheets in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Now, rock hard, 100% frozen ice cream is next to impossible to spread without tearing the cookie into pieces. That's why I recommend beating the ice cream with a mixer on low speed for a few minutes. This will quickly soften the ice cream to a spreadable form without melting it, provided you're working with cold ingredients.
Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches:
Remove your cookies from the freezer, and spread the ice cream over one cookie wafer sheet.
Top with the remaining cookie wafer sheet. Then remove the parchment paper from the top layer.
Cover the entire cookie sheet with plastic wrap or foil and freeze for at least 2-3 hours.
How to Cut Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches:
Cut the ice cream sandwiches into rectangles, using a knife or an ice cream sandwich mold/cutter. You can also use an imprint plate, if you'd like the look of tiny holes like a store bought ice cream sandwich.
They're ready to serve, or you can store them, individually wrapped with plastic, in the freezer.
*I almost always use Authentic Foods Classical Blend gluten-free flour. Time and time again, this flour blend has given me the best results and gluten-free baked goods that taste no different than the original. Do keep in mind that different gluten-free flours can give different results.

*You can use whatever flavor ice cream you’d like.

How do you store homemade ice cream sandwiches?

The only way to store them is by freezing them. Wrapped tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then a second layer of aluminum foil, they will keep up to 3 months in the deep freeze.

Desserts
American
Gluten Free
gf ice cream sandwiches, gluten free dairy free ice cream sandwiches, gluten free ice cream sandwiches, homemade ice cream sandwiches, ice cream sandwich
June 6, 2022
Red White and Blue Poke Cake with Sprinkles
Make a red white and blue poke cake for the 4th of July and other patriotic celebrations. This is an easy 4th of July poke cake topped with whipped cream and red white and blue sprinkles.

I’ve loved Jello cake ever since I was a little girl. It was Mom’s go to dessert back in the day, and I remember the excitement I felt as I watched her cover it and place it in the fridge to chill for dessert.

Like 4th of July cupcakes, this 4th of July poke cake is made with a white cake mix. Once it’s baked, you poke a few holes and turn it into a red white and blue Jello cake by alternately pouring blue and red Jello over the tiny holes, so it soaks down into the cake.

I like to spread whipped topping all over the top of the cake and then chill it overnight so everything really melds together to create a cold, refreshing, flavorful dessert.

Then when it comes out of the fridge, sprinkle a few patriotic sprinkles on top, and you’ve got a beautiful 4th of July dessert.

Another one of my favorite red, white, and blue desserts is strawberry Jello flag cake covered in whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberries.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are many reasons to love this red blue and white cake…
- A patriotic poke cake is the perfect way to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family. It also works wonderfully for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or any other type of patriotic remembrance or celebration.
- Red white and blue Jello cake is such a refreshing dessert; there’s really no other way to describe it. And this 4th of July Jello cake is the perfect summer dessert.
- It’s so easy to make, especially with a cake mix. Even creating the red white and blue parts of the cake is as simple as pouring liquid Jello over the cake.
Ingredient Notes:
- White cake mix – I also love using a French vanilla cake mix. You can also make this gluten-free with a gluten-free cake mix. Just be sure to check all your other ingredients to make sure they’re truly gluten-free.
- Oil – I just use canola oil.
- Blue Jello – I use Berry Blue.
- Red Jello – I use strawberry, but you can use cherry or raspberry too.
- Cool Whip – You can also make Dream Whip or homemade whipped cream.
- Fourth of July Sprinkles – I used these mini star sprinkles.
Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

How to Make Red White and Blue Poke Cake

Before you get started, go ahead and pre-heat your oven to 350° F, or whatever temperature it says on your cake mix box.

Then just follow these steps…
1. Mix together the cake mix, water, eggs, and canola oil.
1. Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish or cake pan, and bake according to the package directions on your cake mix.
1. When the cake is fully baked, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
1. Meanwhile, mix half of the blue Jello mix (1.5 ounces) with 1/2 cup boiling water ’til the Jello mix dissolves. Then add 1/4 cup cold water, and mix well.
1. Then mix half of the red Jello mix (1.5 ounces) with 1/2 cup boiling water ’til the Jello mix dissolves. Add 1/4 cup cold water, and mix well.
1. Poke holes all over the top of the slightly cooled but still warm cake with a fork. I find that a fork works really well, but you can also use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer if you want bigger holes.
1. Carefully and slowly pour the blue and red Jello mixture alternately over the entire cake. To keep the colors separate, I skip around with the red Jello, and then I fill in the rest of the cake with the blue. A funnel pitcher works great for this. Because of the random poke holes, there will always be parts of the cake that are left without color, so you’ll end up with red white and blue.
1. Allow the cake to cool completely.
2. Then spread Cool Whip or whipped topping over the top of the entire cake.
1. Chill the cake for at least 4 hours, or better yet overnight, before serving.
2. Before serving, sprinkle red white and blue sprinkles all over the top of the cake, as many or as few as you want. Then slice and serve the cake. Just a note: I like to wait until after chilling to add the sprinkles, so they don’t bleed into the whipped cream and ruin the look of the cake.
FAQ’s and Expert Tips

What do you use to poke holes in a cake?
If pouring Jello or a thinner liquid over the cake, you can just use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake. However, if pouring a thicker liquid like pudding over it, you might want to use something bigger, like the end of a wooden spoon handle.

How can I make Jello poke cake from scratch?
If you’d rather make the white cake from scratch and not a box mix, try this recipe for homemade white cake.

Can you make this ahead of time?
You can definitely make Jello cake ahead of time, and the whipped cream, as well. Of course, be sure to store it all in the fridge ’til you’re ready to serve it. And don’t forget to add the sprinkles when it’s ready to serve.

How should you store Jello cake?
Definitely keep it in and airtight container in the fridge. This will keep the cake fresh for at least 3-4 days.

Can you freeze poke cake?
Yes, you can. However, I would freeze the cake without the topping and sprinkles, and just add those on when it’s thawed and you’re ready to serve it.

What to Do with Leftover Jello Mix

I just take my leftover Jello mixes, put them together in a bowl, and make Jello according to package directions. It makes a mixed berry Jello that almost tastes like grape, and my boys love it.

You can also use it to make a batch of Jello Jigglers, or make festive layered Jello cups.

How to Change Jello Cake to Fit Other Holidays

Poke cake opens up a whole new world of possibilities for other holidays too. It’s a way to add some festive fun to your holiday dessert table, no matter what you’re celebrating.

Here are a few ideas that will hopefully spark your imagination…
- Valentine’s Day – Make it with red Jello and cover with pink whipped cream and Valentine sprinkles.
- St. Patrick’s Day – Use green Jello, and sprinkle the top with edible gold confetti and shamrock-shaped sprinkles, or better yet Lucky Charms type cereal marshmallows. You can also make lime vanilla poke cupcakes or use all the rainbow colors of Jello and make a rainbow Jello cake.
- Easter – Think pastels… Lemon, Berry Blue, Strawberry, Lime, and Grape Jello, along with Easter sprinkles, will make a beautiful Easter poke cake.
- Halloween – Use orange and purple Jello, or use green and purple Jello, combining forces to make it fit whatever theme you’re going for. You can add Halloween sprinkles and candy corn too, and you can even color the Cool Whip to make it purple, green, or orange.
- Christmas – Go with red and green Jello, and top it off with Christmas sprinkles galore.
More 4th of July Desserts:
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Red White and Blue Poke Cake

How to make a red white and blue poke cake for patriotic celebrations. Easy 4th of July poke cake topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Mixer
9×13 Cake Pan
Pyrex Measuring Cups
Funnel pitcher
1 box white cake mix* (16.25 ounce)
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 box blue Jello (1.5 ounces)
1/2 box red Jello (1.5 ounces)
1 cup boiling water (divided)
1/2 cup cold water (divided)
8 ounces Cool Whip
1/3 cup red white and blue sprinkles
Pre-heat your oven to 350° F, or whatever temperature it says on your specific cake mix box.
Mix together the cake mix, water, eggs, and canola oil.
Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan, and bake according to the package directions on your cake mix.
When the cake is fully baked, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix half of the blue Jello mix (1.5 ounce) with 1/2 cup boiling water ’til the Jello mix dissolves. Then add 1/4 cup cold water, and mix well.
Then mix half of the red Jello mix (1.5 ounce) with 1/2 cup boiling water ’til the Jello mix dissolves. Add 1/4 cup cold water, and mix well.
Poke holes all over the top of the slightly cooled but still warm cake with a fork. I find that a fork works really well, but you can also use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer if you want bigger holes.
Carefully and slowly pour the blue and red Jello mixture alternately over the entire cake. I skip around with the red Jello, and then I fill in the rest of the cake with the blue. A funnel pitcher works great for this.
Allow the cake to cool completely.
Then spread Cool Whip or whipped topping over the top of the entire cake.
Chill the cake for at least 4 hours, or better yet overnight, before serving.
Before serving, sprinkle 4th of July sprinkles all over the top of the cake, as many or as few as you want.* Then slice and serve the cake.
*I also love to use French Vanilla cake mix; you can also use a gluten-free cake mix. Keep in mind, ingredient amounts may differ on the water, eggs, and canola oil, depending on the brand/type of cake mix you use. Follow package instructions for your specific cake mix.

*Just a note about the sprinkles: I like to wait until after chilling to add the sprinkles, so they don’t bleed into the whipped cream and ruin the look of the cake.

Can you make this ahead of time?
You can definitely make Jello cake ahead of time, and the whipped cream, as well. Of course, be sure to store it all in the fridge ’til you’re ready to serve it. And don’t forget to add the sprinkles when it’s ready to serve.

How should you store Jello cake?
Definitely keep it in and airtight container in the fridge. This will keep the cake fresh for at least 3-4 days.

Can you freeze poke cake?
Yes, you can. However, I would freeze the cake without the topping and sprinkles, and just add those on when it’s thawed and you’re ready to serve it.

Cakes & Cupcakes
American
4th of July desserts, 4th of July Jello cake, 4th of July poke cake, 4th of July treats, cake recipe, how to make 4th of July cake, how to make a Jello poke cake, Jello cake, Jello recipes, patriotic poke cake, poke cake, red white and blue desserts, red white and blue Jello cake, red white and blue poke cake
June 9, 2020
Delicious Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
How to make the best blueberry cream cheese pie with this easy recipe using fresh or frozen blueberries. Can be no bake and gluten-free too!

Cream cheese blueberry pie has to be one of my favorite desserts, kinda like cream cheese strawberry pie. It’s full of creamy goodness and outstanding blueberry flavor.

One of my most popular recipes is my blueberry delight, made with Dream Whip and cream cheese. This pie is similar, but without the Dream Whip, and it’s made in a regular pie plate.

Instead of using Dream Whip, I love to make a no bake, cheesecake-like, cream cheese filling with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk.

It’s topped with homemade blueberry pie filling you can make with fresh and/or frozen blueberries. And also note, this pie filling requires minimal stove time, making it a win win in my book, cuz y’all know I don’t like stove time.

This blueberry cream pie is perfect for a weeknight dessert, church potluck, backyard bbq, 4th of July celebration, and all manner of family and friend get togethers.

For a non-creamy blueberry pie option, blueberry cobbler is one of my favorites.

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WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my pie making tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the blueberry cream pie recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
- Single pie crust – You have options here, including no bake and gluten-free, and we’ll talk about them below. But be sure to make this ahead of time so it’s ready to go.
- Blueberry Purée
- Water
- Corn starch
- Lemon juice
- Cane sugar – or granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Blueberries
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

Blender

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup and Whisk

Medium Saucepan and Spatula

Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer and Large Bowl

Pie Plate and Pie Server

FIRST, LET’S TALK ABOUT PIE CRUST OPTIONS

Before you get started making your pie, you need to decide what type of crust you want for your blueberry pie.

Personally, I like to use my favorite regular single pie crust recipe, using one of my favorite 3 ways to keep pie crust from burning. I usually make it gluten-free with my favorite gluten-free flour.

However, you can also go with any one of a number of other options:
- Graham cracker crust
- Pecan Sandies crust – Make it like you would a graham cracker crust.
- Vanilla Wafer crust – like a graham cracker crust.
- Golden Oreo crust – again, like a graham cracker crust.
- Pecan nut crust – or buy a store bought crust and press pecans into it.
- Store bought crust
Just be sure to make your crust ahead of time, so it’s all set and ready to go. From that point on, there will be no baking necessary.

HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY PUREE

To make blueberry purée, you simply put blueberries in a blender, and blend them up into a purée. Your blender may even have a purée button.

It’ll likely take around 3+ cups of blueberries, fresh or frozen, to make 2 cups of purée. If you’re using frozen berries, make sure to rinse and dry them off so you don’t get ice (aka, extra liquid) mixed in with the berries, which will lessen the flavor.

HOW TO MAKE A BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

Ok, you’ve got your crust made and ready to go. And you’ve got your blueberry purée ready to go too.

Now it’s time to make the blueberry pie filling with said purée. Then I’ll show you how to make the cream cheese filling.
1. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the water and corn starch first. This will ensure no lumps in your pie filling.
2. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the corn starch mixture with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Add the puréed blueberries and whole blueberries to the mixture. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but I highly recommend fresh blueberries for the whole berries.
4. Cook the entire mixture for about 10-15 minutes, bringing it to a slow boil, stirring constantly ’til the mixture begins to thicken.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Sometimes I even stick it in the fridge to cool more quickly.
6. Meanwhile in a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk.
7. Spread the cream cheese filling in the cooled and prepared pie crust.
8. Top the cream cheese filling with the cooled blueberry pie filling.
At this point, you’ll need to chill the pie for at least 1-2 hours, or overnight.

Once it’s chilled, you can slice it up, serve it, and enjoy! You can even top it with a dollop of Cool Whip if you want.

It’s such a yummy pie!

HOW TO THICKEN PIE FILLING

If the blueberry pie filling doesn’t seem to be thickening up enough, you can add a little more corn starch, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time.

Just be sure to whisk the corn starch with a little bit of water first (about 1 tablespoon of water for every teaspoon of corn starch), so you’re not just adding lumps to your filling.

HOW TO STORE BLUEBERRY CREAM PIE

Be sure to cover the pie and store it in the refrigerator if not eating right away. Any leftovers should be refrigerated due to the cream filling.

And yes, you can freeze this pie. Just be sure to cover it well and store it in an airtight pie container so it doesn’t get freezer burn. It should keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

MORE CREAM CHEESE DESSERTS:
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Easy Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

How to make the best blueberry cream cheese pie with this easy recipe using fresh or frozen blueberries. Can be no bake and gluten-free too!
Ninja Professional Countertop Blender with 1100-Watt Base, 72oz Total Crushing Pitcher and (2) 16oz Cups for Frozen Drinks and Smoothies, Gray
OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 2-Quart Saucepan with Cover
IMUSA USA Hand Mixer with Case 5-Speed, White
Pyrex Easy Grab Glass 9.5 Inch Pie Plate (2-Pack)
OXO SteeL Pie Server
1 single pie crust* (baked and ready)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cane sugar*
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups blueberry purée*
2 cups blueberries*
16 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
Make your pie crust ahead of time, so it’s all set and ready to go. From that point on, there will be no baking necessary.
In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the water and corn starch first. This will ensure no lumps in your pie filling.
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the corn starch mixture with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon.
Add the puréed blueberries and whole blueberries to the mixture. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but I highly recommend fresh blueberries for the whole berries.
Cook the entire mixture for about 10-15 minutes, bringing it to a slow boil, stirring constantly ’til the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Sometimes I even stick it in the fridge to cool more quickly.
Meanwhile in a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk.
Spread the cream cheese filling in the cooled and prepared pie crust.
Top the cream cheese filling with the cooled blueberry pie filling.
Cover and chill the pie for at least 1-2 hours, or overnight.
Once it’s chilled, you can slice it up, serve it, and enjoy! You can even top it with a dollop of Cool Whip if you want.
*Personally, I like to use my favorite pie crust recipe, which I usually make gluten-free with my favorite gluten-free flour.

However, you can also go with any one of a number of other options:

Graham cracker crust

Pecan Sandies crust – Make it like you would a graham cracker crust.

Vanilla Wafer crust – like a graham cracker crust.

Golden Oreo crust – again, like a graham cracker crust.

Pecan nut crust – or buy a store bought crust and press pecans into it.

Store bought crust

*To make blueberry purée, you simply put blueberries in a blender, and blend them up into a purée. Your blender may even have a purée button. It’ll likely take around 3+ cups of blueberries, fresh or frozen, to make 2 cups of purée. If you’re using frozen berries, make sure to rinse and dry them off so you don’t get ice (aka, extra liquid) mixed in with the berries, which will lessen the flavor.

*I choose to use pure cane sugar, but you can also use granulated sugar.

HOW TO THICKEN PIE FILLING

If the blueberry pie filling doesn’t seem to be thickening up enough, you can add a little more corn starch, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time, while it’s still on the stove. Just be sure to whisk the corn starch with a little bit of water first (about 1 tablespoon of water for every teaspoon of corn starch), so you’re not just adding lumps to your filling.

HOW TO STORE BLUEBERRY CREAM PIE

Be sure to cover the pie and store it in the refrigerator if not eating right away. Any leftovers should be refrigerated due to the cream filling.

And yes, you can freeze this pie. Just be sure to cover it well and store it in an airtight pie container so it doesn’t get freezer burn. It should keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Pies & Pastries
American
blueberry cream cheese pie, blueberry cream cheese pie recipe, blueberry cream pie, blueberry cream pie recipe, blueberry pie, blueberry recipes, cream cheese blueberry pie, cream cheese desserts, cream pie, how to make a blueberry cream cheese pie, pie recipe
June 1, 2020
Quick and Easy Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Whip up a classic ambrosia fruit salad with Cool Whip, sour cream, fruit, and mini marshmallows. Easy southern side dish recipe perfect for every holiday dinner!

With Easter just around the corner, ambrosia salad is a quick and easy side dish you can make to go with your Easter dinner. Of course, it’s perfect for other holidays too, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Actually, I can see my family making this marshmallow fruit salad throughout the spring and summer too because of how refreshing it is. Made with whipped topping and a sort of fruit cocktail, it’s such a sweet, delicious treat.

While I use multi-colored mini marshmallows in my fruit salad, you can use whatever color marshmallows you can find.

I also add walnuts or pecans to our salad, and again, you’re welcome to leave those out if nuts just aren’t your thing.

Now you will need a little bit of chill time, about an hour to let your fruit salad sit and chill in the fridge. Just keep that in mind for when you plan to make it.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my salad making tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the ambrosia salad recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

WHY IS IT CALLED AMBROSIA SALAD?

Ambrosia is a fruit salad. Really, that’s all it is. It consists of whipped cream, sour cream, fruit, coconut, mini marshmallows, and sometimes nuts like walnuts or pecans.

It’s thought that the idea of ambrosia salad came to be in the 1800’s. The name “ambrosia” originates from the food of the Greek and Roman gods.

If you want to read more about the fascinating history of this delightful fruit salad, National Post has a great article.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

There is no cooking required with this recipe, but you will need to gather a few ingredients…
- Whipped topping – Cool Whip, homemade whipped cream, etc.
- Sour cream
- Mandarin oranges
- Pineapple tidbits
- Maraschino cherries
- Sweetened coconut
- Mini marshmallows – white or multi-colored, either one.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

Large Bowl and Spatula or Wooden Spoon

Can Colander

Small Serving Bowls

HOW TO MAKE AMBROSIA FRUIT SALAD

Before you get started mixing, be sure to drain all the liquid off each can or jar of fruit. I use my can strainer for this task.

You’ll also need to rinse, stem, and slice the cherries in half. Although be sure to save a few cherries back with stems to top off your salad when serving.

Then you’re ready to mix up your classic ambrosia salad recipe.
1. In a large bowl, fold together the whipped cream and sour cream until blended and smooth.
2. Fold in the oranges, pineapple tidbits, and cherries.
3. Fold in the mini marshmallows, nuts, and coconut until well blended.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before scooping into small serving bowls. (Note: Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.)
CAN I MAKE AMBROSIA A DAY AHEAD?

Yes, you can! In fact, it helps the flavors all meld together if you let it sit for at least an hour or two before serving.

Feel free to make it the day before and chill it overnight for serving the next day.

And that brings me to the next question…

HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP IN THE FRIDGE?

Ambrosia salad with Cool Whip will keep in the fridge for about 2-3 days. After that it’ll start to get a bit yucky, so you’ll want to eat it up those first couple days.

CAN I FREEZE IT?

I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s best to make this salad day of or day before and just chill it in the refrigerator.

If you freeze this fruit salad, all of your fruit will likely get very soggy and watery and just be kind of a mess.

SUGAR FREE OPTIONS FOR AMBROSIA

Seeing that this is a salad with fruit and marshmallows, it may prove difficult to make it completely sugar-free; but there are ways to cut down on the sugar…
- Use sugar-free whipped cream.
- With the fruit, you’ll want to be sure there’s no sugar added and that it’s canned in 100% fruit juice, not syrup.
- Look for sugar-free marshmallows. If all you can find are bigger marshmallows, you can cut them into smaller pieces.
- And as for the coconut, you’ll need to use unsweetened coconut flakes instead of sweetened.
MORE EASY FRUIT SALAD RECIPES:
GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Whip up a classic ambrosia fruit salad with Cool Whip, sour cream, fruit, and mini marshmallows. Easy southern side dish recipe for every holiday dinner!
Large Mixing Bowl
8 ounces Cool Whip (thawed)
1/2 cup sour cream
10 ounces maraschino cherries (drained)
11 ounces mandarin oranges (drained)
20 ounces pineapple tidbits (drained)
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened coconut
In a large bowl, fold together the whipped cream and sour cream until blended and smooth.
Rinse, stem, and slice the cherries in half, although be sure to save a few cherries with stems to top off your salad when serving.
Fold in the sliced cherries, along with the oranges and pineapple tidbits.
Fold in the mini marshmallows, nuts, and coconut until well blended.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before scooping into small serving bowls.
Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.

*If you can’t find pineapple tidbits, you can use crushed pineapple instead. You can use white or multi-colored mini marshmallows. You can use pecans or walnuts, or no nuts at all.

Can I Make Ambrosia Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can! In fact, it helps the flavors all meld together if you let it sit for at least an hour or two before serving. Feel free to make it the day before and chill it overnight for serving the next day.

How Long Will It Keep in the Fridge?

Ambrosia salad with Cool Whip will keep in the fridge for about 2-3 days. After that it’ll start to get a bit yucky, so you’ll want to eat it up those first couple days.

Can I Freeze It?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing ambrosia. It’s best to make this salad day of or day before and just chill it in the refrigerator. If you freeze this fruit salad, all of your fruit will likely get very soggy and watery and just be kind of a mess.

Side Dish
American
ambrosia, ambrosia fruit salad, ambrosia salad, ambrosia salad recipe, ambrosia salad with Cool Whip, classic ambrosia salad recipe, dessert salads, fruit salad, fruit salad recipe, fruit salad recipes, how to make ambrosia, marshmallow fruit salad, salad with marshmallows
April 7, 2020
Ultimate Campfire Bacon Cheeseburger
How to make the ultimate homemade bacon cheeseburger while you’re camping. Skillet or grilled, cooking tips and toppings ideas, all in one easy recipe.

I’m not gonna lie… I love a good cheeseburger, especially when it involves one of my favorite things ever, bacon.

I mean, bacon, ground beef, and cheese… How can you go wrong? It’s such a delicious combination, especially when it has that smoky campfire flavor. Bonus points if you pair it with my favorite campfire chili cheese fries!

Making a bacon burger over the fire is one of the simplest camping recipes you can make. It doesn’t involve a lot of prep or work, besides getting the fire going, which if you’re camping and allowed to have a fire, it’s a no brainer.

Now if you’re not allowed to have a campfire, no problem. You can still make this recipe on a cook stove or even, if allowed, on a grill.

Love a good grilling recipe? You’ll love our Chicago hot dog recipe and taco tuna melt.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my campfire cooking/grilling tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the bacon cheeseburger recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

WHAT’S ON A BACON CHEESEBURGER?

So before we get started cooking, let’s take a look at what we put on our bacon cheeseburger for toppings. That way you have everything you need before you ever start making.

Below are a few ideas for toppings that we like to use, as well as a few extras you may want to add too.
- Bacon – Because of course.
- Cheese – We sometimes use American, and sometimes extra sharp cheddar or pepper Jack. I especially love a good extra sharp cheddar cheese.
- Lettuce
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced onions – Red onion really gives a pop of flavor and spice.
- Mayo, Miracle Whip, ketchup, and/or mustard
- BBQ sauce
- Avocado
- Fried Egg – Sometimes a dippy egg really adds pizzazz to a burger.
- Dill pickles
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED COOKING…

Your fire should be down to coals, with a little bit of flame here and there.

We use a tripod grill. You’ll want to watch it closely, though, as you may need to adjust the height of the grill over the fire, so the pan or griddle you’re using doesn’t get so hot that it cooks everything too quickly.

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD BACON CHEESEBURGER

While there are a few steps to making a good bacon burger, they’re super easy steps, and your burgers will be ready to eat in no time.
1. First add the ground beef and seasonings to a mixing bowl (or plastic baggie).
2. Add the water, as well, (this makes for a more juicy burger) and mix everything together with your hands.
3. Then shape the ground beef mixture into patties and place on a griddle or skillet, with the already heated bacon grease, over the campfire. Cook bacon and burgers until the meat is fully cooked.
4. Then top with cheese and continue cooking each burger patty until the cheese is melted or begins to melt.
Also, I highly recommend toasting the burger buns in a little bacon grease, until they turn a nice golden brown. Not too toasty but just enough to add a li’l flavor and crispness to the edges of the buns.

Once the burgers, bacon, and buns are done, you can remove them from the heat and begin assembling your burgers.

Just add the burger patties to the toasty buns, along with your favorite condiments and toppings.

I usually go for mayo, ketchup, and mustard, all three. Then add my burger patty, bacon, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THE ULTIMATE BACON CHEESEBURGER

Your bacon burger definitely needs some sides to go with it. Ideas may include…
- Fries or onion rings – Nothing beats a good bacon cheeseburger and fries, especially steak fries.
- Salad – You could go for a nice side salad or go with potato salad or pasta salad instead.
- Carrot sticks and celery sticks
- Grilled corn on the cob or Mexican corn on the cob (also with bacon)
- Homemade baked beans
- Feeding a crowd? Pair your bacon cheeseburgers with these easy garlic parmesan chicken skewers!
- Hosting a potluck or party event? Cook up a batch of CrockPot hot dogs and Philly cheesesteaks with roast beef to go with your burgers!
- Fruit salad
- Potato chips
- Tortilla chips and salsa
- Coleslaw
- Watermelon or cantaloupe
SHOP KITCHEN TOOLS AND CAMPING GEAR FOR THIS RECIPE:

Small Mixing Bowl or Plastic Bag

Large Cast Iron Skillet – You can also find a 14-inch cast iron pizza pan, which is similar to our large homemade griddle and would work well for cooking burgers and bacon.

Grilling Flipper

Tripod Grill – While we rigged up our own tripod grill, you can also buy them. They come with slightly smaller grates, but still usable over the fire.

Portable Charcoal Grill

Cutting Board and Outdoor Knife Set

Welding Gloves – These work so much better for cooking over a campfire than regular grilling gloves/mitts.

We’ve put together a list of camping cooking gear you may need for your next adventure. Be sure to check it out for all the essentials!

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Ultimate Campfire Bacon Cheeseburger

How to make the ultimate homemade bacon cheeseburger while you’re camping. Skillet or grilled, cooking tips and toppings ideas, all in one easy recipe.

1 pound bacon
2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon bacon grease
6 slices American cheese*
12 lettuce leaves
1 medium red onion
2 to matoes
6 hamburger buns
6 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons mayo
6 teaspoons yellow mustard

First add the ground beef and seasonings to a mixing bowl (or plastic baggie).
Add the water**, as well, and mix everything together with your hands.
Heat the bacon grease on a griddle or skillet over the campfire.***
Then shape the ground beef mixture into patties and place on the griddle.
Cook the bacon and burgers until all of the meat is fully cooked.
Then top the burger patties with cheese and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.
Toast the burger buns in the leftover bacon grease until they turn a nice golden brown.
Add the burger patties to the toasted buns, along with your favorite condiments and toppings. I usually go for a little mayo or Miracle Whip, ketchup, and mustard. Then add my burger patty, bacon, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.
And that’s it, you’re ready to chow down on your burgers.

*You can also use cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or whatever type of cheese you love.

**Water helps to make the burgers more juicy.

***Before you start to cook your burgers, your fire should be down to coals, with a little bit of flame. We use a tripod grill. You’ll want to watch it closely, though, as you may need to adjust the height of the grill over the fire, so the pan or griddle you’re using doesn’t get so hot that it cooks everything too quickly.

Camping Recipes
American
bacon burger, bacon cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger recipe, ultimate bacon cheeseburger
May 23, 2019
Classic Grilled Chicago Hot Dog
How to cook a delicious Chicago hot dog, char dog style. Grilled beef hot dogs recipe with all the best toppings and poppy seed buns. Perfect for a crowd!

If you’ve never had a Chicago style hot dog, trust me when I say, you need this recipe in your life. Chicago-style is pretty much my go-to hot dog recipe now. In fact, I even top off my Crock Pot hot dogs the same way!

The Chicago dog is perfect for grilling season, especially if you’re entertaining a crowd. Set up a buffet with all your favorite toppings, and you’re set for a mouthwateringly good time. These loaded chili cheese fries make the best appetizer!

We’d never actually eaten a char dog until I researched it and came up with this Chicago dog recipe. In fact, the toppings seemed a bit much at first.

But once you take your first bite, you’ll understand. It all comes together in a burst of flavor that packs a punch for the taste buds.

Need a side to go with your hot dogs? Grilled corn on the cob and Mexican corn pair really well with char dogs, as do crispy steak cut fries, CrockPot baked beans and garlic parm chicken skewers.

And never underestimate the power of a good burger. This campfire bacon cheeseburger is one in a million and pairs really well with grilled hot dogs! If you really want to get fancy, you could make roast beef Philly cheesesteaks to go with them!

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my grilling tips, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the actual recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

WHAT IS A CHICAGO HOT DOG?

I learned a lot about what’s on a Chicago hot dog while researching for this recipe…
- Real Chicago hot dogs are boiled or steamed; but when they are occasionally grilled, they’re called a char dog. They also go by the name Chicago Red Hot.
- Chicago dogs are made with beef hot dogs.
- They come in a poppy seed bun… I’m going to teach you how to easily and simply make your own (don’t worry, no kneading or baking necessary).
- It would be considered a travesty to add ketchup to a Chicago dog. In fact, most Chicago hot dog vendors don’t even carry ketchup.
- This hot dog is filled to the gills with delicious, crunchy toppings.
The only ingredient I maybe could’ve done without would’ve been the Dill pickle spears. Or maybe just trim my pickle spears to be a little less thick.

However, I kinda fell in love with hot dogs made the Chicago way. And it was such a beautiful evening on the back deck, I couldn’t help but enjoy every second with my guys.

TIPS FOR HOW TO EASILY MAKE POPPY SEED BUNS

To make your own poppy seed buns, you just need a pack of brat buns or hoagie rolls.
- Brush the tops and ends of the buns with butter.
- Sprinkle on poppy seeds.
- Place the buns on the grill or over the campfire until they start to get just slightly toasty. Then remove them from the heat and set aside.
And that’s pretty much it. Easy peasy poppy seed buns that make yummy hot dog buns.

TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE A CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOG

Assembling your hot dog is really simple and easy. Of course, you’ll want to grill the hot dogs first and make sure they’re cooked all the way through.

Also, before you get started, prep the onion and tomatoes so they’re ready to go. Chop the onion; wash and slice the tomatoes.

NOW YOU CAN BUILD YOUR DOGS…
1. Open up the buns. Place a dill pickle spear on one side and 2 to 3 tomato wedges on the other side. Then place the hot dog in the middle between the tomato slices and the pickle spear.
2. Add a spoonful of pickle relish along the top of the hot dog on one side, and give a squirt of yellow mustard along the top of the hot dog on the other side.
And for the finishing touch… Add pieces of pepperoncini (or sport peppers) and a small handful of chopped onion on top, and sprinkle with a dash of celery salt.

And that, my friends, is all there is to creating a very yummy, delicious Chicago hot dog.

My guys pretty much chowed down on all of this deliciousness and washed it all down with a nice big mason jar full of iced tea.

MORE GRILLING RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:
SHOP KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:

Chef Knife and Cutting Board

Pastry Brush

Charcoal Grill or Gas Grill

GET THE PRINTABLE CHICAGO HOT DOG RECIPE

If you love this recipe as much as we do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

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Classic Grilled Chicago Hot Dog

How to cook a delicious Chicago hot dog, char dog style. Grilled beef hot dogs recipe with all the best toppings and poppy seed buns. Perfect for a crowd!
8 hoagie rolls*
4 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
1/4 cup poppy seeds
8 beef hot dogs
8 dill pickle spears
3 to matoes (sliced)
8 tablespoons sweet and spicy pickle relish
8 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup pepperoncini
1 large white onion (chopped or minced)
1 teaspoon celery salt
Chop the onion; wash and slice the tomatoes. Set aside.
To make your own poppy seed buns, brush the tops and ends of the hoagie rolls with melted butter. Sprinkle poppy seeds on. Place on the grill or over the campfire until they start to get just slightly toasty, maybe 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat and set aside.
Grill the hot dogs until they're cooked through.
Open up the buns. Place 2 to 3 tomato half slices on one side and a dill pickle spear on the other side.
Place the hot dog in the middle between the tomato slices and the pickle spear.
Add a spoonful of pickle relish along the top of the hot dog on one side.
Then squirt yellow mustard along the top of the hot dog on the other side.
Add pieces of pepperoncini and a small handful of chopped onion on top.
Sprinkle with a dash of celery salt.
Serve and enjoy!
*You can use hoagie rolls or brat buns.

Meat & Seafood
American
char dog, Chicago dog, Chicago dog recipe, Chicago hot dog, Chicago hot dog recipe, Chicago Red Hot, Chicago style hot dog
May 17, 2019
Easy Deviled Eggs in 30 Minutes or Less
How to make easy deviled eggs in 30 minutes or less with this simple, classic recipe, the best ever for Easter, holidays, and summer get togethers!

Making deviled eggs has never been easier than this. In fact, you can probably make them almost as fast as your family will eat them.

My husband, Dan, came up with this deviled eggs recipe a few years back, so along with bacon Ranch deviled eggs, it’s one we’ve made over and over again. We like to make them for Easter and other occasions, especially summer holidays and potlucks.

While we make these deviled eggs with Miracle Whip, we do occasionally switch up the recipe, and I’ll share a few ideas for toppings and mix-ins below.

If you enjoy these classic deviled eggs, be sure to add the recipe to your Easter dinner menu for a crowd.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

If you’d rather skip all of my tips for how to make deviled eggs, important info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the deviled eggs recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.

WHAT ARE DEVILED EGGS?

Deviled eggs are boiled eggs that have been peeled, cut in half, and filled with a mixture made out of the yolks.

Usually the yolks are mixed with things like mayo, Miracle Whip, mustard, paprika, and sometimes other ingredients like bacon.

They’re usually served at holiday dinners, especially on special occasions like Easter, the 4th of July, etc.

They go by other names too, like stuffed eggs, Russian eggs, dressed eggs, salad eggs, and mimosa eggs.

WHY ARE THEY CALLED DEVILED EGGS?

As I was making this recipe, my oldest son asked a really good question. Why do we call them deviled eggs?

So, of course, we had to look it up, because honestly, I wasn’t really sure myself. I thought I had an idea, though, and I was close.

In the 1800’s, the word deviled had to do with hot and spicy foods. And according to What’s Cooking America’s Culinary Dictionary, the word deviled describes food that is dark, rich, chocolate, spicily piquant, or stimulating… Means a highly seasoned, chopped, ground, or whole mixture that is served hot or cold.

History actually has a fascinating read on The Ancient History of Deviled Eggs, dating them all the way back to the days of ancient Rome.

TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE DEVILED EGGS

First of all, you want to determine how many eggs you’ll need, based on how many people you’ll be feeding. We usually use about a dozen eggs, unless we’re making them for a big potluck, in which case we make more.

Once they’re boiled, peeled, and cooled, the process is really simple.

HOW TO BOIL EGGS FOR DEVILED EGGS

You can simply boil eggs in water on the stove for about 12 minutes or a little longer.

Or if you have an Instant Pot, you can follow this recipe for easy peel hard boiled eggs.

Once you’ve cooled and peeled the eggs, they’re ready for making deviled eggs.

HOW DO YOU MAKE DEVILED EGGS?

Now you’re ready to prep the eggs and mix up the yolk mixture.
- Slice each egg in half, and remove each egg yolk, setting each egg white aside.
- Mash the yolks in a mixing bowl, and combine them with Miracle Whip. You can mash them with a hand mixer or just by hand.
- Mix the mustard into the yolk mixture.
- Then add pepper and stir it all up again.
- Spoon the creamy yolk mixture back into each halved egg white.
Optional last step: Dust each egg with a dash of paprika.

Easy deviled eggs are great for family dinners, church potlucks, holiday parties, and sometimes just a yummy snack.

DEVILED EGGS TOPPINGS AND ALTERNATIVE IDEAS

You can tweak this recipe to add a taste of this or that. Just a few ideas…
- Use dijon mustard in place of yellow mustard.
- Use mayo and pickle relish instead of Miracle Whip.
- Or better yet, just add a little pickle relish or pickle juice either way.
- Add bacon on top. Deviled eggs with bacon are very yummy.
- Add a little mashed avocado to the yolk mixture.
These are just a few ideas to get your wheels turning as to how many different ways you can make deviled eggs.

WHAT GOES WELL WITH THESE YUMMY APPETIZERS?
HOW LONG DO DEVILED EGGS KEEP?

Food Network really gives the lowdown in Easter Eggs 101, and it answers this very question.

Normally, in our house, they don’t last more than a day. But 3 to 4 days max are how long I’d keep them.

CAN DEVILED EGGS BE FROZEN?

While you can freeze the egg yolks themselves or the yolk mixture, there’s no reason to do that without the egg whites. Freezing the egg whites would ruin the flavor and texture.

So, no, I don’t recommend freezing them at all.

HOW TO TRANSPORT DEVILED EGGS

When looking for ways for how to store deviled eggs and transport them (because it’s likely you’re making them for a get together), there are a few options.

Snapware Snap ‘N Stack Food Storage Container with Egg Holder Trays

Rubbermaid Egg Keeper

SnapLock Collapsible Egg Carrier

Rubbermaid Specialty Egg Keeper

Buddeez Deviled Tray with Lid

SHOP KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:

Mixing Bowl

Hand Mixer

Cake Decorating Tool – If you wanna get fancy and pipe the yolk mixture into the egg whites, this might come in handy.

Egg Tray for Serving

GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

If you love this recipe as much as we do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

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Easy Deviled Eggs in 30 Minutes or Less

How to make easy deviled eggs in 30 minutes or less with this simple, classic recipe, the best ever for Easter, holidays, and summer get togethers!
12 large hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika ((optional))
Slice each hard boiled egg in half, and remove each egg yolk, setting the egg whites aside.
Mash the yolks in a mixing bowl, and combine them with Miracle Whip.*
Mix the mustard into the yolk mixture.
Then add pepper and stir it all up again.
Finally, spoon the creamy yolk mixture back into each halved egg white.
Sprinkle each deviled egg with a tiny dash of paprika.
Chill the eggs in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
*You can mash them with a hand mixer or just by hand.

Appetizers
American
classic deviled eggs, deviled eggs, easy deviled eggs, how to make deviled eggs
(Update Notes: Post originally published in March 2013, republished with more tips and larger photos in March 2019.)
March 26, 2019
Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Our old fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream recipe is a summer staple to remember. Mix the ice cream base with this family favorite recipe; then freeze it, using an old fashioned ice cream maker. Best homemade ice cream for family gatherings and summer holidays!

Along with old fashioned banana ice cream, my family’s favorite old fashioned ice cream recipe has been a part of every summer for a long time, as far back as I can remember. While it’s morphed from person to person, it’s pretty much the same homemade old fashioned ice cream recipe I remember enjoying with family on special summer occasions gone by.

When we visited Boquillas, one of the main souvenirs we came home with was a huge bottle of Mexican vanilla. So far, we’ve made a batch of chocolate chip cookies with it, and then we made a big freezer of old fashioned homemade ice cream. It has amazing flavor and makes the best old fashioned vanilla ice cream ever.

When You’ll Want to Make Old Fashioned Ice Cream

You can make a batch of homemade ice cream for an ordinary everyday treat, but there are a few special occasions when you’ll definitely want to grab the ice cream maker and get freezing.
- Family Gatherings – Whether it’s a holiday or just Sunday family dinner, family gatherings are the best time to make a freezer full of this delicious ice cream.
- Holidays – Make a refreshing batch of old fashion ice cream for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day… Even holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving, to go with all those delectable desserts on the dessert table.
- Potlucks and Backyard BBQ’s – Church potlucks are one of the best times to serve this old fashioned ice cream maker recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

Gather a few simple ingredients to make this old-fashioned vanilla ice cream base…
- Large Eggs – You’ll need the whole egg, yolks and all, to make this custard base. (Just a note for housekeeping purposes: If you choose to make an old fashioned homemade ice cream recipe with raw eggs, do keep in mind that consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.) That said, we have always made homemade ice cream with eggs and have never had a problem. However, if you’re leery, some people prefer to temper and heat the eggs up to at least 160ºF in order to prevent any possible food poisoning. Here’s a great guide on how and why to temper eggs for custard-based ice creams. You can temper the eggs with the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk called for in this recipe, while following the instructions in that guide. Then just whisk everything else in as I explain in the recipe card below. If you’d rather make an egg-free version, my raw milk ice cream without eggs, using whole milk from our milk cow, is the best. Don’t worry, you can use store bought milk and cream if you don’t have access to raw milk.
- Cane Sugar – You can use granulated sugar, as well.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a really good dark vanilla extract, real vanilla if possible.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – My dad always loved using Eagle Brand; sometimes I use that, and sometimes I use Aldi’s brand to make this homemade ice cream with sweetened condensed milk and whole milk.
- Evaporated Milk – If you prefer, you can use regular milk, but I do prefer to use evaporated milk. My mom and grandma always preferred to use Milnot evaporated milk; but I’ve always used what I can easily get, which is sometimes Milnot and sometimes generic or Aldi’s brand when making evaporated milk ice cream.
- Salt – If possible, use a good sea salt.
- Whole Milk – Although you can use 2% milk or 1% milk in a pinch, I highly recommend that you use whole milk, because it will make your ice cream much more creamy. You can even use Half-and-Half or part heavy cream to get a creamier texture.
- Ice and Rock Salt – You’ll need crushed ice and rock salt to freeze the ice cream. While you can find rock salt online and smaller bags or boxes at the grocery store, sometimes you can get a bigger and less expensive bag at a hardware store or feed store. So just keep that in mind.
Before you get started, you may want to check out our complete guide to ice cream accessories and tools for making ice cream at home. It’s the ultimate list for every ice cream lover’s kitchen and especially helpful if you’re planning an ice cream social.

Also, make sure your ice cream freezer, especially the freezer bowl or canister, is washed out good. We store ours in the garage, so we always have to wash it before we use it.
How to Make Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Use a mixer or blender to mix up homemade vanilla ice cream with eggs; this will ensure that the ingredients are mixed really well, especially the eggs*. This recipe fills a 4-quart ice cream maker.

Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs and the sugar together.

Then add in the vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Did you know you can even make your own vanilla?

Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.

Then add both cans of evaporated milk.
Add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon.

Mix everything together well.

Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.

Finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
How to Freeze Homemade Ice Cream with an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker

Freezing the mixture to make old fashioned ice cream is fairly easy, especially once you get it going. You will need to stay with it so you can monitor if it needs more ice, rock salt, or needs unplugged when done.
While I always advise you to follow manufacturer’s directions for your specific ice cream maker, here are a few tips.

Set the freezer in a sink, or somewhere where it can drain without making a mess. Then put the lid on, place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker, set the motor in place, and plug it in to turn it on and get the motor running, which will start to turn the canister.

Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.

Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.

Let the electric motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream freezes, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning. Unplug it immediately. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen. Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid to reveal the best vanilla ice cream ever.

Carefully remove the churning paddle, and let your kids battle it out over who gets it. Oh, the memories!
Serve the ice cream immediately. If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold for an hour or two.
Homemade vanilla ice cream pairs really well with peach cobbler, blueberry cobbler, and apple crumb pie. I LOVE a scoop of vanilla ice cream on this Dutch oven cherry cobbler! You can use frozen leftovers to make delicious homemade ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones.

What Not to Do When Making Ice Cream

I’ve shared how to make the ice cream, but here are a few tips for things to avoid when making and freezing homemade ice cream.
- Avoid low-fat ingredients, for example, skim milk. You’ll get the best ice cream with a creamy texture when you use full fat ingredients, like whole milk.
- If possible, try not to mix by hand. Blend the ingredients really well, using either a blender or a mixer. Either one works just fine. This will ensure you have a smooth, creamy mixture going into the ice cream maker.
- Try not to overfill the ice cream canister in your ice cream maker. Overfilling will lead to one big mess if it overflows while freezing. Remember… Freezing means expansion. Always leave room for expansion, and don’t go over the fill line on your ice cream maker.
- When freezing the ice cream in an ice cream maker, place the maker down in a sink, or freeze it outside on a porch. You’ll flood your countertop with a mess from all the ice, water, and rock salt if you don’t.
- When the ice cream is done, don’t open the lid ’til you’ve wiped all the rock salt and ice off the top. That way you avoid getting any of the gunk in your ice cream.
As long as you follow specific old-fashioned ice cream maker instructions for your ice cream maker, you’ll be fine.

Favorite Toppings and Mix-Ins for Old-Fashioned Ice Cream

There are so many things you can mix into your ice cream to make it even more fun, especially with kids.
- Fruit or Fruit Jam – We especially love mixing strawberry jam or old fashioned blackberry jam into our ice cream or on top of our ice cream to make ice cream sundaes.
- Chocolate Syrup, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Sauce, etc. – With whipped cream and a cherry on top, classic.
- Oreo Cookies – I especially love crushing up Oreo Minis. It’s my favorite way to add mix-ins, especially when enjoying a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
- Chocolate candies – Like M&M’s, Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and more treats.
- Chocolate Chips and Sliced Strawberries
- Brownies or Cookies
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

How should you store leftover homemade ice cream?
We always have a lot of leftover ice cream when we make it homemade, so we purchased some of these freezer containers to hold all the leftovers. Each storage container is big enough to hold 2-3+ servings of ice cream. Then we just stick each airtight container down in the freezer. If you have an upright, I’d place it on the shelves, rather than the door, so it doesn’t melt or have a higher risk of freezer burn. Homemade ice cream usually keeps for up to about a month in the freezer.

How can I get a more firm consistency to this ice cream?
If you prefer a more firm ice cream than soft-serve that you can actually scoop, just place your ice cream in ice cream containers and stick it in the freezer, ’til it reaches the preferred consistency. It’ll usually firm up enough to scoop onto an ice cream cone within 3-4 hours.

Why do you put raw eggs in homemade ice cream?
Eggs give rich flavor to homemade ice cream, and they give that characteristic yellow color, as well. They act as a stabilizer and provide a custard base that turns to smooth, creamy ice cream when finished.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes for Ice Cream Makers

If you love this ice cream recipe as much as we do (isn’t it a great recipe?!), you’ll love these flavors too…
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream
- Homemade Peach Ice Cream
- Butterfinger ice cream recipe
- Mint Oreo ice cream
- Fruity Pebbles ice cream recipe
- And if you want a no-churn recipe, my friend Kelly from Eat Picks makes a delicious no-churn cherry chocolate chunk ice cream.
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Our homemade vanilla ice cream recipe has been a summer staple for as long as I can remember. How to make it the old fashioned way using an ice cream maker.
Mixer
Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Maker
Ice Cream Storage Containers
Ice Cream Scoop
Ice Cream:
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups cane sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
24 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 cups whole milk
Freezing Supplies:
16 pounds ice
3 cups rock salt
Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs and the sugar together using a mixer.
Then add in the vanilla extract.
Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.
Add both cans of evaporated milk.
Add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon, and mix everything together well.
Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
Finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
Put the lid on, and place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker.
Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
Let the motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning.
Unplug it immediately. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen.
Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid.
Carefully remove the churning paddle.
Serve the ice cream immediately. If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold.
*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Some people prefer to temper and heat the eggs up to at least 160ºF in order to prevent any possible food poisoning. Here’s a great guide on how and why to temper eggs for custard-based ice creams. You can temper the eggs with the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk called for in this recipe, while following the instructions in that guide. Then just whisk everything else in as I explain in the recipe card instructions above.

*You can use Half & Half in place of the whole milk if you want an even creamier texture to your ice cream.

How to Store Leftover Vanilla Ice Cream

We always have a lot of leftover ice cream when we make it homemade, so we purchased some of these freezer containers to hold all the leftovers. They’re big enough to hold 2-3+ servings of ice cream. Then we just stick it down in the freezer. If you have an upright, I’d place it on the shelves, rather than the door, so it doesn’t melt or have a higher risk of freezer burn. Homemade ice cream usually keeps for up to about a month in the freezer.

Desserts
American
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March 18, 2019
No Bake Blueberry Yum Yum Dessert Recipe
Whip up a dreamy no bake blueberry dessert, aka blueberry yum yum recipe, layered with cream cheese, Dream Whip, blueberry pie filling, and a pecan crust. Easy recipe that’s perfect for potlucks and family gatherings!

If you’ve been blueberry picking and have fresh blueberries, I’ve got the perfect blueberry yum yum dessert recipe for you. Made with the best pecan crust, blueberry pie filling, and a creamy layer of cream cheese lush, it’s just as dreamy as fresh strawberry yum yum and blueberry cobbler.

Growing up, my mom always made what she called a cherry crunch; it was my dad’s favorite dessert. Well, this blueberry delight is a twist on that classic cherry yum yum dessert.

While the pie crust does require bake time, the rest of this recipe is no bake. We’ll talk about other crust options too, just in case you don’t really want to bake a crust.

Another no bake dessert and Dream Whip recipe perfect for Thanksgiving is no bake pumpkin dessert.

Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:
- Crust – We’ll talk about crust options, both baked and no bake crusts, below. I’ll also show you how to make my favorite pecan crust recipe for this dessert, even though it’s baked.
- Dream Whip – You can also use Cool Whip, but I really prefer the angelic fluff of Dream Whip. It’s like pudding, only lighter in texture.
- Powdered sugar or Confectioners Sugar
- Cream cheese – I recommend using fall fat cream cheese to make blueberry lush; however, you can use Neufchatel cheese, as well.
- Blueberry pie filling – While I prefer to make this homemade with fresh or frozen (but thawed) blueberries, you can just buy cans of blueberry pie filling if you’d rather; they definitely work well and make the recipe a lot quicker in a pinch.
- Homemade Whipped Cream – This really is optional; I’ve even saved back just a little bit of Dream Whip to add a dollop to the top of our dessert.
Alternative Crust Options for Blueberry Yum Yum

You can get creative with the crust, as well, especially if you’d rather have a fully no bake option. For instance…
- Graham cracker crust – Crush graham crackers into graham cracker crumbs to make this crust, with or without bake time.
- Pecan Sandies crust – Make it like you would a graham cracker crumbs crust.
- Easy shortcut no-roll pie crust (without nuts)
- Vanilla Wafer crust – Again, use Nilla Wafer crumbs to make this crust.
- Buy a store bought crust and press pecans into it. (This would likely make a smaller pie.)
- Line a graham cracker crust with sliced bananas.
How to Make This Blueberry Yum Yum Recipe

Since this is a layered blueberry dessert, we’ll start with the bottom layer first.

How to Make the 3-Ingredient Pie Crust

If you want a baked crust, making the crust is so simple and easy and requires just a few minutes of bake time. It requires only 4 steps…
1. Melt the butter.
2. Mix the butter with the flour and pecans.
3. Press the dough into a 13″x9″ baking dish.
4. Then just bake and cool.
Ok, you’ve got your crust made and ready to go. And hopefully, you’ve got your blueberry purée or pie filling ready to go, as well.

How to Make the Dream Whip Filling for No Bake Blueberry Dessert

Before you get started, be sure to soften and whip your cream cheese with a whisking paddle, and then set it aside. This will help the cream cheese to soften up more, and it will blend in better with the Dream Whip, once you’re ready for that step.

Now you can follow these steps to make blueberry delight with a Dream Whip filling…
1. In a separate mixer bowl with an electric mixer, whisk together the Dream Whip with the milk and vanilla, according to package directions.
2. Whisk the whipped cream mixture until it begins to form soft peaks, about 4 minutes. You can also follow this tutorial for how to make Dream Whip.
3. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar into the Dream Whip mixture.
4. Whisk the cream cheese mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it’s velvety smooth and creamy.
Layer Your No Bake Dessert
1. Spread the Dream Whip cream cheese filling onto the prepared and cooled pie crust.
1. Then top it all off with a layer of blueberry pie filling for a sensational blueberry topping.
1. Cover your no bake blueberry dessert and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible.
And that’s it! You can save back a little bit of Dream Whip and use the remaining whipped topping for the top, maybe add a dollop on each slice you serve.

Another great tip… You can split the Dream Whip filling (and the blueberry topping) in half to make 2 smaller pies.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use whipped cream or Cool Whip instead of Dream Whip?
I’ve tried making the cream cheese filling with homemade whipped cream; for some reason, it just hasn’t worked as well. So I usually reserve my whipped topping for the top and use Dream Whip for the filling, which is what my mom uses in her cherry crunch. Now some people do make this filling with Cool Whip, but I’ve carried on my mom’s tradition of a creamy Dream Whip filling. I like to call it angel fluff.

How should you store blueberry delight?
This recipe is so easy. If you’re not quite ready to serve it, just cover it and chill in the refrigerator; and it’ll be ready when you are. I do recommend making this no more than 1 day ahead of time. But it should keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, as long as you keep it covered.

Can you freeze this easy blueberry dessert?
You can definitely make this creamy dessert ahead of time, freeze it, and thaw it when you need it. Now one tip… I would definitely freeze it before adding the pie filling. Especially if you’re using canned pie filling, it’d be super easy to just add that later on after you’ve thawed the crust and creamy filling. Just be sure, if you do freeze this dessert, to cover it well so it doesn’t get freezer burnt.

Want More Blueberry Dessert Recipes?

If you’re a fan of blueberry desserts and sweets and you love this creamy blueberry delight recipe as much as I do, you will love these recipes…
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Mini Tarts
- Easy Homemade Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Cream Cheese Blueberry Pie – Anyone who loves cheesecake will love this delicious dessert.
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
No Bake Blueberry Yum Yum Dessert Recipe

Whip up a dreamy no bake blueberry dessert, aka blueberry yum yum recipe, with cream cheese, Dream Whip, blueberry pie filling, and a pecan crust. Easy recipe!
9×13 Baking Pan
Stand Mixer
Rubber Spatula
Pecan Nut Pie Crust:*
12 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans (chopped)
No Bake Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese
2 envelopes Dream Whip ((1 box))
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
42 ounces blueberry pie filling
Crust:
Mix together the melted butter and flour, forming a dough.
Stir in the chopped pecans.
Press the crust into an un-greased 9×13 baking dish.
Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until the crust begins to turn a golden brown.
Let the crust cool before adding any filling.
No Bake Filling:
Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese well.
In a separate mixer bowl, whisk together the Dream Whip with the milk and vanilla, according to package directions. Whisk it until it begins to form soft peaks, about 4 minutes.
Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar to the Dream Whip mixture, and whisk for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it’s smooth and creamy.
Spread the Dream Whip cream cheese filling onto the prepared pie crust.
Then top it all off with blueberry pie filling.
Cover your no bake blueberry dessert and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible.
When it’s ready to serve, you can top it off with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or serve it as is. It’s so delicious!
*Pie Crust Options:

You can get creative with the crust, especially if you’d rather have a fully no bake option. For instance…

Graham cracker crust – with or without bake time.

Pecan Sandies crust – Make it like you would a graham cracker crust.

Easy shortcut no-roll pie crust (without nuts)

Vanilla Wafer crust

Buy a store bought crust and press pecans into it. (This would likely make a smaller pie.)

Line a graham cracker crust with sliced bananas.

You can also split the Dream Whip filling (and the blueberry topping) in half to make 2 smaller pies.

Can I Use Whipped Cream or Cool Whip Instead of Dream Whip?

I’ve tried making the cream cheese filling with homemade whipped cream; for some reason, it just hasn’t worked as well. So I usually reserve my whipped topping for the top and use Dream Whip for the filling, which is what my mom uses in her Cherry Crunch. Now some people do make this filling with Cool Whip, but I’ve carried on my mom’s tradition of a creamy Dream Whip filling. I like to call it angel fluff.

How to Store Blueberry Delight

This recipe is so easy. If you’re not quite ready to serve it, just cover it and chill in the refrigerator; and it’ll be ready when you are. I do recommend making this no more than 1 day ahead of time. But it should keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, as long as you keep it covered.
Desserts
American
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March 7, 2019