Adventures of Mel

Category: Recipes

  • Mom’s Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

    Mom’s Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

    How to make the best cut out sugar cookie recipe. My mom’s recipe for crisp, soft sugar cookies you can decorate with icing and sprinkles.

    Cutout sugar cookies are definitely one of my favorite Christmas treats. I’ve made these soft cut out sugar cookies every Christmas for as long as I can remember.

    hands holding homemade cut out sugar cookie Christmas tree with green icing and rainbow nonpareils sprinkles

    What makes this recipe special is that my mom taught me how to make it, just like a lot of recipes I love to make. She’s the best at making these yummy Christmas sugar cookies, and she taught me everything I know about baking them.

    To make these cut out cookies special, all the Christmas cookie cutters come out, along with my old friend, the rolling pin. We roll and re-roll the dough, cutting out snowmen, Christmas trees, bells, and stars.

    After the cookies have baked and cooled, it’s time to decorate, and the kids have so much fun with this. Jaden’s cookies are usually decorated to the hilt; they make my teeth hurt just looking at them.

    We keep the decorating simple, using butter knives to spread the icing on… Then sprinkle a few of our favorite sprinkles to add a little crunch.

    Rolled sugar cookies, along with our favorite mint chocolate crinkle cookies and reindeer thumbprint cookies, usually end up on a plate with a glass of milk come Christmas Eve. And they always disappear, so apparently, Santa likes them too.

    Of course, like my pumpkin sugar cookie recipe in the fall, you can also make these cookies for other holidays (like Valentine’s Day) and even in between as an everyday cookie recipe. My boys love using their race car, dinosaur, and Bigfoot cookie cutter too. And sometimes I even use this recipe to make sugar cookies for mini fruit pizzas!

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    decorated cutout sugar cookies on wire rack

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Sifter – to sift the flour and other dry ingredients together.

    Pastry Blender – to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.

    Mixer – My stand mixer makes mixing up cookie dough so much easier.

    Rolling Pin and Christmas Cookie Cutters – for cutting out all sorts of festive shapes.

    Cookie Sheet – for baking the cookies.

    Wire Rack – This will give your cookies a place to cool.

    Before you get started, be sure to gather all of your ingredients. This recipe has multiple stages, from mixing up the dough to rolling it out and cutting out the cookies.

    1. Sift, then measure the flour.
    2. Sift or mix the flour with the baking soda, salt, sugar, and nutmeg.
    mixing together dry ingredients for cut out sugar cookie recipe in metal mixing bowl
    1. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
    cutting butter into dry ingredients for cut out cookies with pastry blender in silver mixing bowl
    1. Work the butter in until the mixture is as fine as corn meal.
    dry ingredients for sugar cookies mixed with cold butter in silver and red mixing bowl, 'til it's as fine as corn meal
    1. Give the eggs a slight beating with a whisk.
    slightly beaten eggs for rolled sugar cookies in small blue bowl
    1. Then in a separate mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract with the slightly beaten eggs.
    combining buttermilk with vanilla extract and eggs in large KitchenAid mixing bowl
    1. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients.
    dry ingredients added to liquid ingredients for sugar cookies in large bowl
    1. Mix ’til you have a smooth cookie dough.
    sugar cookie dough mixed up in large silver mixing bowl

    HOW LONG TO CHILL THE DOUGH

    At this point, you’ll need to cover the dough closely with wax paper or plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator overnight or at least 3-4 hours.

    Be sure to pre-heat your oven to 425°F.

    1. When you’re ready to roll out the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, coating the dough with flour and kneading it until it’s less sticky and more pliable.
    dough for soft cut out sugar cookies on floured surface with rolling pin
    1. Then roll the dough out to about a 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness.
    rolled sugar cookies dough on floured surface with rolling pin
    1. Cut out the cookies with floured cookie cutters.
    Christmas cookie cutters cutting sugar cookie dough on floured surface
    1. Place the cutout cookies on an un-greased baking sheet, and bake at 425°F for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn slightly golden. Allow them to cool on a wire rack.

    Icing Alternative: If you don’t want to decorate your cookies with icing, you can sprinkle each cookie shape with sugar before baking. Colored sugar is especially festive.

    Christmas cut out cookies before baking on cookie sheet

    WAYS TO DECORATE CUTOUT SUGAR COOKIES

    As I’ve said before, around here, baking cutout sugar cookies is a family tradition. Every Christmas I always looked forward to decorating these cookies with my mom, and now it’s no different with my own kids.

    hands spreading white sugar cookie icing on star shaped Christmas sugar cookies with table knife

    Decorating sugar cookies is a great way to spend some much-needed time with the family, and there is no limit to creativity with this recipe. Here are some of the ways that we like to decorate our own cookies.

    • Sugar cookie icing – I make my own powdered sugar icing, but you can even use a can from the store if desired. You can use cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, whipped cream frosting, or even a simple powdered sugar glaze.
    • Sprinkles – This is another no-brainer, and it’s easily my kids’ favorite decoration, probably due to the wide variety of different shapes and colors available in the supermarket. With kids, they also make a big mess!
    • Rainbow Nonpareils – This is my personal favorite way to decorate after icing the cookies. These tiny sprinkles give a little crunch to each sugar cookie.
    • Colored sugar – This is a great option if you’d like to keep it easy; you can even use regular sugar. Just sprinkle it on before the cookies are loaded into the oven.
    hands adding rainbow nonpareils sprinkles to frosted star shaped sugar cookie

    HOW TO STORE DECORATED SUGAR COOKIES

    Decorated sugar cookies must be stored in layers in between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. The wax paper is essential in keeping the icing in-tact, preventing the cookies from sitting on top of each other and bleeding into each other.

    Rolled sugar cookies are best enjoyed the first few days after baking.

    WHY ARE MY SUGAR COOKIES HARD?

    There are many possibilities as to why your cut out cookies are hard, but the most common and overlooked reason is that they’re overcooked.

    Sugar cookies are fully cooked when the edges have just reached a light golden brown and the middle has begun to form miniature cracks, around 8-10 minutes at 425°F for this recipe. Any more than this will result in sugar rocks, not cookies.

    It’s also possible that you’re overworking the dough; this can work the gluten in the flour to the point of elasticity, which makes for a hard, chewy cookie. When it comes to working the dough, keep it to the bare minimum!

    decorated Christmas cut out cookies on black wire rack

    HOW TO PREVENT CUT OUT COOKIES FROM SPREADING

    Although this is a very common problem, it can be easily avoided. Here are some tips to keep your sugar cookies from spreading.

    • Chill the dough – Chilling the dough helps tremendously to prevent spreading. The colder the temperature, the less greasy your dough will be; this is essential.
    • Don’t over-mix – Over-mixing will destroy the natural structure of your cookies, and they simply won’t hold together; in fact, the excessive amount of air introduced into the dough during this process can actually cause your cookies to collapse in the oven! Don’t mix any more than you have to.
    • Use colder butter – Using room temperature butter is best. If the butter is too warm, it will melt into the dough and create a greasy mess with no structure whatsoever.
    • Work the dough properly – Don’t overwork the dough, and don’t roll it out more than you have to. As you work the dough, the heat of your hands will melt the butter, creating an excessive amount of grease that will most certainly cause your cookies to spread in the oven.
    • Use plenty of flour – Having enough flour is crucial in baking a spread-resistant sugar cookie. These cookies are naturally fatty, and they need just the right amount of flour to soak up any grease that forms; be precise.
    soft cut out sugar cookies decorated with colored icing and rainbow nonpareils sprinkles, sitting on black wire rack

    Yes, there are a couple of ways to freeze raw sugar cookie dough, depending on whether you plan to freeze the entire dough ball or freeze individual cutout cookies. Raw dough will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

    • To freeze the dough before cutting out the cookies, simply roll it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container in the freezer.
    • Otherwise, you can go ahead and cut out the cookies beforehand, placing them in between alternating layers of wax paper in an airtight container.

    Bake the frozen cutout cookies as normal, adding a few minutes to make up for the frozen state. On the other hand, a glob of uncooked dough will need to be thawed until you are able to cut through the dough with a sharp knife, around 30 minutes at room temperature, or several hours in the refrigerator.

    CAN YOU FREEZE BAKED OR DECORATED COOKIES?

    Yes, you can absolutely freeze baked and decorated sugar cookies.

    Once they are decorated, place the completely cooled cookies in sealed freezer bags, ensuring that they each have plenty of space. Next, stack these freezer bags into airtight containers in the freezer.

    When you pull the cookies out of the freezer, let them thaw for several hours at room temperature. Never let your decorated cookies thaw in the refrigerator, as the resulting condensation will ruin your icing.

    MORE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS COOKIES

    You can find even more holiday recipes on my list of favorite Christmas recipes!

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love these Christmas cut out cookies as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    double image of Mom's cut out sugar cookie recipe, including top image of hands holding Christmas tree shaped sugar cookie decorated with green icing and rainbow nonpareils sprinkles, and bottom image of decorated Christmas cookies on black wire rack

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

    How to make the best cut out sugar cookie recipe. My mom's recipe for crisp, soft sugar cookies you can decorate with icing and sprinkles.

    • Stand Mixer
    • Pastry Blender
    • Rolling Pin
    • Cookie Sheet
    • Cookie Cutters
    • Wire Rack

    Cookie Dough:

    • 4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs (slightly beaten)

    Cookie Icing:

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter (softened)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 6 cups powdered sugar
    • Food coloring ((optional))

    Sugar Cookies:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground nutmeg, salt, and sugar.

    2. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is as fine as corn meal.

    3. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and slightly beaten eggs.

    4. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients, mixing ’til you have a smooth cookie dough.

    5. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours.

    6. Pre-heat the oven to 425° F.

    7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, coating the dough with flour and kneading it until it's less sticky and more pliable.

    8. Then roll the dough out to about a 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness.

    9. Cut out cookies with floured cookie cutters.

    10. Place the cutout cookies on an un-greased cookie sheet, and bake at 425° F for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn slightly golden.

    11. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

    Cookie Icing:

    1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. 

    2. Add the milk to the mixture.

    3. Slowly add the powdered sugar to the mixture, mixing it in as you go; the finished icing should be smooth, creamy, and spreadable.

    4. Optional Step: At this point, you can add food coloring, if desired.

    5. Decorate the sugar cookies with icing, sprinkles, and nonpareils.

    *I make my own buttermilk or sour milk by adding about a tablespoon of vinegar to a glass measuring cup, then adding milk to the 1/2 cup line. The vinegar sours the milk, so it becomes an excellent substitute for buttermilk.

    *Icing Alternative: If you don’t want to decorate your cookies with icing, you can sprinkle each cookie shape with sugar before baking. Colored sugar is especially festive.

    WAYS TO DECORATE CUTOUT SUGAR COOKIES

    As I’ve said before, around here, baking cutout sugar cookies is a family tradition. Every Christmas I always looked forward to decorating these cookies with my mom, and now it’s no different with my own kids.

    Decorating sugar cookies is a great way to way to spend some much-needed time with the family, and there is no limit to creativity with this recipe. Here are some of the ways that we like to decorate our own cookies.

    • Sugar cookie icing – I make my own powdered sugar icing (linked in the ingredients list above), but you can even use a can from the store if desired. You can use cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, whipped cream frosting, or even a simple powdered sugar glaze.
    • Sprinkles – this is another no-brainer, and it’s easily my kids’ favorite decoration, probably due to the wide variety of different shapes and colors available in the supermarket. With kids, they also make a big mess!
    • Rainbow Nonpareils – This is my personal favorite way to decorate after icing the cookies.
    • Colored sugar – this is a great option if you’d like to keep it easy; you can even use regular sugar. Just sprinkle it on before the cookies are loaded into the oven.

    HOW TO STORE DECORATED SUGAR COOKIES

    Decorated sugar cookies must be stored in layers in between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. The wax paper is essential in keeping the icing in-tact, preventing the cookies from sitting on top of each other and bleeding into each other.

    Rolled sugar cookies are best enjoyed the first few days after baking.

    HOW TO PREVENT CUT OUT COOKIES FROM SPREADING

    Although this is a very common problem, it can be easily avoided. Here are some tips to keep your sugar cookies from spreading.

    • Chill the dough – Chilling the dough helps tremendously to prevent spreading. The colder the temperature, the less greasy your dough will be; this is essential.
    • Don’t over-mix – Over-mixing will destroy the natural structure of your cookies, and they simply won’t hold together; in fact, the excessive amount of air introduced into the dough during this process can actually cause your cookies to collapse in the oven! Don’t mix any more than you have to.
    • Use colder butter – Using room temperature butter is best. If the butter is too warm, it will melt into the dough and create a greasy mess with no structure whatsoever.
    • Work the dough properly – Don’t overwork the dough, and don’t roll it out more than you have to. As you work the dough, the heat of your hands will melt the butter, creating an excessive amount of grease that will most certainly cause your cookies to spread in the oven.
    • Use plenty of flour – Having enough flour is crucial in baking a spread-resistant sugar cookie. These cookies are naturally fatty, and they need just the right amount of flour to soak up any grease that forms; be precise.

    CAN YOU FREEZE SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH?

    Yes, raw dough will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

    • To freeze the dough before cutting out the cookies, simply roll it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container in the freezer.
    • Otherwise, you can go ahead and cut out the cookies beforehand, placing them in between alternating layers of wax paper in an airtight container.

    Bake the frozen cutout cookies as normal, adding a few minutes to to make up for the frozen state. On the other hand, a glob of uncooked dough will need to be thawed until you are able to cut through the dough with a sharp knife, around 30 minutes at room temperature, or several hours in the refrigerator.

    CAN YOU FREEZE BAKED OR DECORATED COOKIES?

    Yes. Once they are decorated, place the completely cooled cookies in sealed freezer bags, ensuring that they each have plenty of space. Next, stack these freezer bags into airtight containers in the freezer.

    When you pull the cookies out of the freezer, let them thaw for several hours at room temperature. Never let your decorated cookies thaw in the refrigerator, as the resulting condensation will ruin your icing.

    Cookies & Bars, Desserts
    American
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  • Easy Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls

    Easy Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls

    Mix up an easy 5 ingredient recipe for Rice Krispie peanut butter balls. Crispy no bake chocolate covered candy perfect for the holidays!

    Nothing says Christmas quite like a batch of 4 ingredient buckeyes candy, chocolate covered Ritz crackers with peanut butter, or better yet, peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies. These chocolate covered candies take the smooth out of buckeyes and give them a crispy texture that is oh so scrumptious and curbs those cravings for something sweet and crunchy.

    Rice Krispie peanut butter balls in rainbow polka dot snack cup with bitten candy ball on top of pile

    Not to mention that once again, we’re marrying chocolate and peanut butter together. The two together make a delicious candy that’s hard to resist.

    Chocolate crispy balls are easy to make and take just a handful of ingredients. I’ll take you through the simple process, step by step, as you read further.

    Kids can get in on the fun of making chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies too. I know my own kids love to help roll the balls and dip them in the melted chocolate.

    While I love to make rice crispy peanut butter balls at Christmas, they make an excellent Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or Easter candy. And if you want even quicker and easier, try making this peanut butter chocolate bars recipe.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Mixing Bowl

    Baking Sheet with Wax Paper

    Double Boiler – Or you can use a glass container, like my favorite 2-Cup Pyrex Measuring Cup, in the microwave; or make it a family affair with a fondue pot.

    Toothpicks or Candy Dipping Tools

    Airtight Storage Container or Festive Christmas Tin

    HOW TO MAKE RICE KRISPIE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

    1. Mix together the melted butter and peanut butter.
    peanut butter and melted butter in KitchenAid mixing bowl
    1. Add the powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture, and combine.
    mixing powdered sugar in with peanut butter mixture in large bowl
    1. Add and mix in the crispy rice cereal.
    making peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies in large bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Mix everything together until it’s blended well.
    rice crispy peanut butter balls dough with red spatula in large bowl

    HOW TO SHAPE THE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

    1. At this point, you’ll need to shape all of the crispy dough into 1-inch peanut butter balls. You’ll take about a tablespoonful of the peanut butter mixture and begin to roll it between your hands. Shape it into as round of a ball as you can and place it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
    rolled crispy peanut butter balls on wax paper lined baking sheet
    1. Continue rolling the rest of the dough into balls.
    2. Add toothpicks for dipping to each peanut butter ball.
    toothpicks added to peanut butter Rice Krispies balls on baking sheet lined with wax paper
    1. Once all of the dough is rolled into balls, chill the whole sheet in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes.

    HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE FOR PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

    While your peanut butter balls are chilling, it’s a good time to melt the chocolate and get it ready to go.

    Depending on the chocolate you decide to use, you can melt it a few different ways:

    • Melt it using a double boiler on the stove – This is basically a pan inside of another pan with boiling water in the bottom pan. It allows for more even melting without burning, and it also keeps the chocolate warm for dipping.
    • Use a fondue pot and make it a family affair.
    • Melt it in the microwave – This is usually the route I go. Just follow package directions.
    melting dark chocolate wafers in glass Pyrex measuring cup

    Also, depending on the type of chocolate used, some people like to add shortening or paraffin wax to their chocolate as it melts. This allows for a thinner coating and stretches your chocolate a little further.

    If you use a good quality chocolate, you likely won’t need this step.

    I started using Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers a few years ago, and I love them so much better than almond bark. They’re so much easier to work with, and they have fantastic flavor. They also have milk chocolate wafers now.

    HOW TO DIP THE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

    1. Using the inserted toothpicks, dip every single peanut butter ball, fully immersing each one into the melted chocolate.
    hand dipping peanut butter rice crispy balls in melted chocolate with toothpicks

    Tip: If you don’t have toothpicks… We’ve used a regular table fork in the past, as well as tongs. You can also use a dipping fork or tool to dip your peanut butter balls into the chocolate.

    1. Place the dipped balls back onto the wax paper lined baking sheet (or you can place the dipped balls into a festive paper cup). Remove the toothpicks, and cover over the hole by dabbing the chocolate with the end of the toothpick.
    just dipped chocolate crispy balls on wax paper lined baking sheet
    1. Chill the peanut butter Rice Krispies balls ’til set, probably about 15 to 20 minutes or so.
    chocolate covered Rice Krispie peanut butter balls on wax paper lined baking sheet

    HOW TO STORE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

    Rice Krispie peanut butter balls are best stored in between layers of wax paper in an airtight container or a festive Christmas tin in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    CAN YOU USE WHITE CHOCOLATE OR DARK CHOCOLATE FOR THIS RECIPE?

    Yes, you can. In fact, I prefer a rich, high quality dark chocolate because it’s easier to work with and melts far more efficiently.

    Aside from the differences in flavor, milk chocolate and dark chocolate both have different melting properties, so be sure to adjust the cook time accordingly.

    Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with different melting chocolates! You can try chocolate chips, chocolate bars, almond bark, etc., to see what you prefer.

    chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies piled up in rainbow polka dot snack cup with bite out of top peanut butter ball

    CAN YOU FREEZE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS WITH RICE KRISPIES?

    Absolutely! You can freeze them either before dipping or after dipping, and they will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

    As always, be sure to store them in between layers of wax paper in an airtight container or a festive Christmas tin to avoid freezer burn.

    bite out of chocolate crispy balls on wax paper

    MORE PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE TREATS:

    IMPORTANT TIPS THAT WILL HELP

    Make sure the peanut butter you’re using isn’t a super greasy peanut butter. If it’s too oily, the chocolate may have trouble coating the peanut butter mixture.

    Put the melted chocolate in a deeper dish or measuring cup for dipping. I prefer my 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup because I can use it in the microwave, and it’s the perfect size for dipping.

    fingers holding rice crispy peanut butter ball with bite taken out

    My chocolate covered candy sometimes has kind of a chocolate ring around the bottom. You can avoid this by letting excess chocolate drip off the candy after dipping; and just lightly press the bottom of the candy on a separate sheet of wax paper before putting it back on your cookie sheet.

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love these peanut butter rice crispy balls as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    triple image of Rice Krispie peanut butter balls, including left top image of peanut butter balls on wax paper with toothpicks stuck in top, top right image of bite taken out of chocolate crispy balls, and bottom image of pile of peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies with bite taken out of top peanut butter ball

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls

    Mix up an easy 5 ingredient recipe for Rice Krispie peanut butter balls. Crispy no bake chocolate covered candy perfect for the holidays!

    • Glass Measuring Cup
    • Candy Dipping Tools
    • Christmas Tins
    • Baking Sheet
    • Wax Paper
    • Double Boiler
    • 3 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
    • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
    • 10 ounces chocolate melting wafers ((or chocolate chips))

    1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter and peanut butter.

    2. Add the powdered sugar to the mixture, and combine.

    3. Stir in the crispy rice cereal, mixing everything together 'til well blended.

    4. Shape all of the crispy dough into 1-inch peanut butter balls. Take about a tablespoonful of the peanut butter mixture and begin to roll it between your hands. Shape it into as round of a ball as you can, and place it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Continue rolling the rest of the dough into balls.

    5. Add toothpicks for dipping to each peanut butter ball.

    6. Chill the whole sheet in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes.

    7. Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl; and melt, starting at 30 seconds, then stirring every 15-20 seconds, 'til melted and smooth.

    8. Remove the peanut butter balls from the freezer, and using the inserted toothpicks, dip every single peanut butter ball, fully immersing each one into the melted chocolate.
    9. Place the dipped balls back onto the wax paper lined baking sheet. Remove the toothpicks, and cover over the hole by dabbing the chocolate with the end of the toothpick.

    10. Chill the Krispie balls 'til set, probably about 15 to 20 minutes or so.

    11. Rice Krispie peanut butter balls are best stored in between layers of wax paper, in an airtight container or festive Christmas tin, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    *Preferably a regular peanut butter rather than a natural peanut butter, so it’s not so greasy.

    *If you don’t have toothpicks… We’ve used a regular table fork in the past, as well as tongs. You can also use a dipping fork or tool to dip your peanut butter balls into the chocolate.

    Depending on the chocolate you decide to use, you can melt it a few different ways:

    • Melt it using a double boiler on the stove – This is basically a pan inside of another pan with boiling water in the bottom pan. It allows for more even melting without burning, and it also keeps the chocolate warm for dipping.
    • Melt it in the microwave – This is usually the route I go. Just follow package directions.
    • Use a fondue pot and make it a family affair.

    Depending on the type of chocolate used, some people like to add shortening or paraffin wax to their chocolate as it melts. This allows for a thinner coating and stretches your chocolate a little further. If you use a good quality chocolate, you likely won’t need this step.

    I started using Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers a few years ago, and I love them so much better than almond bark. They’re so much easier to work with, and they have fantastic flavor. They also have milk chocolate wafers now.

    CAN YOU FREEZE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS WITH RICE KRISPIES?

    Absolutely! You can freeze them either before dipping or after dipping, and they will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

    As always, be sure to store them in between layers of wax paper in an airtight container or a festive Christmas tin to avoid freezer burn.

    2 IMPORTANT TIPS THAT WILL HELP

    1. Put the melted chocolate in a deeper dish or measuring cup for dipping; I prefer my 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup because I can use it in the microwave, and it’s the perfect size for dipping.
    2. My chocolate covered candy sometimes has kind of a chocolate ring around the bottom. You can avoid this by letting excess chocolate drip off the candy after dipping; and just lightly press the bottom of the candy on a separate sheet of wax paper before putting it back on your cookie sheet.
    Candy, Desserts
    American
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  • Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes the Easy Way

    Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes the Easy Way

    How to make easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes to eat whole, mashed, or use in your favorite recipes. Healthy side dish, perfect for casserole!

    This time of year gets me thinking about one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts, my Great Aunt Jennie’s sweet potato pie. In order to make all my family’s favorite holiday recipes, it’s a given that I’ll need to cook up a bunch of sweet potatoes.

    Now I’ve found a much easier way to make all the sweet potato purée I need for sweet potato casserole, Aunt Jennie’s pie, candied sweet potatoes, and more.

    Instant Pot sweet potatoes sliced open on cutting board with dollop of whipped cinnamon butter

    Of course, we can also just make sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot for a healthy side with our meals. Baked or mashed, we can add our choice of toppings and have a hint of the holidays year round.

    Making pressure cooker sweet potatoes only takes 2 ingredients, and it’s so, so easy to do. It’s as easy as scrubbing your potatoes, placing them in your Instant Pot with a little bit of water, and setting it to cook.

    Don’t you just love an easy side dish? I know I do.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    ingredients for Instant Pot sweet potatoes, including sweet potatoes on a wooden cutting board, water, and an Instant Pot

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    • Medium-sized sweet potatoes
    • Water

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Scrub Brush – A good potato brush makes all the difference in washing potatoes.

    Instant Pot – We use our 8 quart Instant Pot on most occasions.

    Steaming Trivet for the Instant Pot – You’ll need this to keep the potatoes up out of the water.

    WHY COOK SWEET POTATOES IN THE INSTANT POT?

    Making sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot definitely has its advantages.

    • It’s faster. Baking sweet potatoes in the oven can sometimes take well over an hour, but the Instant Pot will have them ready within 30 minutes.
    • It’s easy and convenient. You clean your potatoes, place them in the Instant Pot, and cook; it doesn’t get any easier than that!
    • Pressure cooker sweet potatoes have a far better flavor. The Instant Pot creates a perfectly moist inside with a rich, creamy flavor that’s simply hard to resist.
    pressure cooker sweet potatoes topped with whipped cinnamon butter on wooden cutting board with cinnamon sticks and blue woven placemat

    IS IT BETTER TO BOIL OR STEAM SWEET POTATOES?

    While boiling sweet potatoes may actually retain more nutrients, it’s best to cook sweet potatoes however works best and most efficiently for you.

    I actually prefer to steam my sweet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes can typically gain a soggy texture that I just don’t care for.

    Instead I prefer a rich and creamy, melt-in-your-mouth sweet potato, and steaming is the way to go for that. It’s quicker, it’s easier, and the result is far superior in both flavor and texture.

    HOW TO COOK INSTANT POT SWEET POTATOES

    Cooking whole sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker requires very little prep time. Be sure to rinse and scrub your sweet potatoes before getting started, so they’re ready to go.

    Let’s walk through the recipe steps…

    1. Add the water to your Instant Pot, and place a steaming trivet down inside.
    water and steaming trivet in Instant Pot with sweet potatoes on wooden cutting board
    1. Lay the potatoes on top of the trivet. It’s ok to stack the potatoes; the steam in the Instant Pot will cook them thru and thru.
    cooking whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot on a steaming trivet

    HOW LONG TO STEAM SWEET POTATOES IN THE INSTANT POT

    1. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the vent, and press Manual mode, setting to high-pressure cook for about 15 minutes. If your sweet potatoes are larger, they’ll need more cooking time.
    2. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
    3. Then manually release any remaining pressure. Just be careful of the steam, so it doesn’t burn your fingers.

    Tip: To manually release the valve, I like to use the long handle of a wooden spoon covered in a kitchen towel, with my hand under the towel on the other end of the spoon.

    1. Carefully remove the lid, and remove the sweet potatoes to a cutting board or plates.
    pressure cooked whole sweet potatoes with water in Instant Pot
    1. Serve with butter or other toppings of your choice.
    steamed sweet potatoes cooked in the Instant Pot, sitting on wooden cutting board and sliced open

    HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SWEET POTATOES ARE DONE

    It’s fairly easy to tell when sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Just poke the sweet potatoes with a fork or table knife; if your fork slides into the sweet potato easily, it’s done.

    HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT STEAMED SWEET POTATOES

    You can refrigerate leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    To reheat, just pop them into the microwave (in a microwave-safe dish) and heat on high ’til the sweet potato is heated through and through, probably about 2 minutes or so.

    HOW TO SERVE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

    When it comes to topping your baked sweet potatoes, the sky’s the limit. Here are some simple ideas to serve your sweet potatoes in a manner that your family will be sure to enjoy!

    • Spread butter, salt and pepper for a savory snack, much like a regular baked potato. You could even throw on some sour cream and chives!
    • Mix up a quick batch of whipped cinnamon butter to spread on your baked sweet potatoes.
    • Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter for an irresistible sweet treat.
    • Throw some marshmallows on top. This would pair wonderfully with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and you could even throw some pecans on top to imitate a traditional sweet potato casserole.
    • Finish them off in the oven with some melted cheese; cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and even grated parmesan cheese would all be wonderful candidates. You could even add caramelized garlic and onions and sliced tomatoes to this mixture.
    • Make taco stuffed sweet potatoes! Split the potato open, add your taco meat (taco beef or taco chicken), salsa, cheese, and all of the normal taco fixings.
    pressure cooked sweet potatoes on wooden cutting board with cinnamon sticks, on blue woven placemat with white plates, fork, spoon, and small bowl of whipped cinnamon butter

    DO SWEET POTATOES AND REGULAR POTATOES COOK THE SAME?

    Sweet potatoes cook very differently from regular baked potatoes, and I would not recommend substituting one for the other.

    Sweet potatoes are more fibrous and typically contain quite a bit more moisture, which considerably lengthens their cooking time. They are much softer and far creamier with a higher sugar content than that of a regular potato.

    On the other hand, regular potatoes have a much drier, starchier flesh, which is why they’re almost exclusively reserved for use in savory dishes.

    CAN I USE THIS METHOD FOR MAKING SWEET POTATO PUREE FOR CASSEROLE AND OTHER SIDE DISHES?

    Yes, you can use this Instant Pot sweet potato recipe to make sweet potato purée. Just follow the recipe all the way to the end, at which point you will need to peel and mash the potatoes into a smooth, creamy purée.

    Making mashed sweet potatoes can easily be done in a blender or with a hand mixer.

    steamed sweet potatoes and whole sweet potatoes sitting on wooden tray with cinnamon sticks and woven blue placemat

    WAYS TO USE PRESSURE COOKER SWEET POTATOES

    Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest recipes, such as quick and easy creamy mashed sweet potatoes. Also, this sweet potato breakfast hash makes a killer meal for the family.

    Sweet potato chips are a delicious side for burger night, and they’re a great alternative to potato chips if you’re looking for a bit more variety!

    Drenched in a butter and brown sugar sauce, these delicious Traeger grilled sweet potatoes are simply hard to beat.

    Perhaps the most unique of all, this sweet potato crunch bread goes great with a steaming cup of coffee, perfect for that late weekend brunch.

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    doublie image of Instant Pot sweet potatoes, including top image of cooked sweet potatoes in Instant Pot with water and bottom image of cooked sweet potato sliced open and topped with dollop of whipped cinnamon butter

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes the Easy Way

    How to make easy Instant Pot sweet potatoes to eat whole, mashed, or use in your favorite recipes. Healthy side dish, perfect for casserole!

    • OXO Good Grips Vegetable Brush
    • The Step-by-Step Instant Pot Cookbook: 100 Simple Recipes for Spectacular Results — with Photographs of Every Step
    • Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker 11 in 1, 8 Qt with Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate and more
    • 22 Pcs Accessories for Instant Pot 6 8 Qt
    • Instant Pot Stainless Steel Official Wire Roasting Rack, Compatible with 6-quart and 8-quart cookers
    • Watkins Gourmet Spice Tin, Pure Ground Cinnamon, 6 oz. Tin, 1-Count
    • 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
    • 1 cup water
    1. Rinse and scrub your sweet potatoes before getting started, so they’re ready to go.
    2. Add the water to your Instant Pot, and place a steaming trivet down inside.
    3. Lay the potatoes on top of the trivet. It’s ok to stack the potatoes; the steam in the Instant Pot will cook them thru and thru.
    4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the vent, and press Manual mode, setting to high-pressure cook for about 15 minutes. If your sweet potatoes are larger, they’ll need more cooking time.
    5. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
    6. Then manually release any remaining pressure. Just be careful of the steam, so it doesn’t burn your fingers.*
    7. Carefully remove the lid, and remove the sweet potatoes to a cutting board or plates.
    8. Serve with butter or other toppings of your choice.*

    *Tip: To manually release the valve, I like to use the long handle of a wooden spoon covered in a kitchen towel, with my hand under the towel on the other end of the spoon.

    *When it comes to topping your baked sweet potatoes, the sky’s the limit. Here are some simple ideas to serve your sweet potatoes in a manner that your family will be sure to enjoy!

    • Spread butter, salt and pepper for a savory snack, much like a regular baked potato. You could even throw on some sour cream and chives!
    • Mix up a quick batch of whipped cinnamon butter to spread on your baked sweet potatoes.
    • Sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter for an irresistible sweet treat.
    • Throw some marshmallows on top. This would pair wonderfully with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and you could even throw some pecans on top to imitate a traditional sweet potato casserole.
    • Finish them off in the oven with some melted cheese; cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and even grated parmesan cheese would all be wonderful candidates. You could even add caramelized garlic and onions and sliced tomatoes to this mixture.
    • Make taco stuffed sweet potatoes! Split the potato open, add your taco meat (taco beef or taco chicken), salsa, cheese, and all of the normal taco fixings.

    HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SWEET POTATOES ARE DONE

    It’s fairly easy to tell when sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Just poke the sweet potatoes with a fork or table knife; if your fork slides into the sweet potato easily, it’s done.

    HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT STEAMED SWEET POTATOES

    You can refrigerate leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    To reheat, just pop them into the microwave (in a microwave-safe dish) and heat on high ’til the sweet potato is heated through and through, probably about 2 minutes or so.

    CAN I USE THIS METHOD FOR MAKING SWEET POTATO PUREE FOR CASSEROLE AND OTHER SIDE DISHES?

    Yes, you can use sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot to make sweet potato purée. Follow this recipe all the way to the end, at which point you will simply peel and mash the potatoes into a smooth, creamy purée. This can also be more easily done in a blender.

    Instant Pot Recipes
    American
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  • Creamy Cheesy CrockPot Corn Casserole

    Creamy Cheesy CrockPot Corn Casserole

    Throw together CrockPot corn casserole with cream cheese and Jiffy mix. Easy side dish recipe for a crowd. Make ahead for Thanksgiving and Easter.

    Every Thanksgiving (and sometimes Easter too), I make my family’s favorite Jiffy corn casserole. It’s one of our favorite holiday side dish recipes.

    Last Thanksgiving I was away from home and didn’t have an oven; however, I did have a slow cooker. So I decided to take my recipe and make it into a slow cooker corn casserole.

    wooden spoon scooping CrockPot corn casserole out of gray slow cooker

    You talk about delicious. I love this CrockPot cheesy corn casserole even more than the traditional oven baked casserole, if that’s possible.

    What I love even more about this slow cooker rendition is that I literally throw everything in the slow cooker, give it all a good stir, set it to cook, and walk away. It’s perfect for the morning before a big holiday dinner. It also goes great at a potluck, served up with a good CrockPot pork roast or CrockPot whole chicken and alongside my family’s favorite green bean casserole!

    Plus you can keep this Jiffy CrockPot corn casserole warm while waiting for dinner to be served. It’s a win win!

    Now if you’re like me and love a little Tex-Mex, you can change it up and make a Mexican corn casserole too.

    serving of slow cooker corn casserole, sprinkled with green onions, on teal plate with fork, on wooden countertop

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    IS CROCKPOT CORN CASSEROLE THE SAME AS CROCK POT CORN PUDDING?

    Yes, it’s the same as Crock Pot corn pudding. Just like corn pudding, you are basically mixing a bunch of ingredients together all at once to make a creamy side dish.

    On the other hand, this is far different from corn bread. Corn bread is stable, and you can eat it with your hands; creamy corn casserole is spooned onto your plate.

    close up look at CrockPot corn casserole in slow cooker

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    • Cream cheese
    • Heavy whipping cream
    • Salted butter
    • Sugar
    • Sour cream
    • Frozen corn
    • Corn muffin mix – I prefer to use either Jiffy mix or Aldi’s gluten-free cornbread mix.
    • Salt and pepper
    • Green onions
    • Extra sharp cheddar cheese
    • Colby Jack cheese

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Slow Cooker – I use my 7-quart slow cooker.

    Cutting Board and Knife – for chopping the green onions.

    Cheese Grater

    HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER CORN CASSEROLE

    Before you get started making corn casserole in the slow cooker, be sure to chop the green onions. You’ll also need to grease the slow cooker with cooking spray to help prevent sticking and scorching.

    1. Add the cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, salted butter, sugar, sour cream, thawed frozen corn, corn muffin mix, salt, black pepper, and green onions to the slow cooker.
    CrockPot corn casserole ingredients in gray slow cooker
    1. Combine everything together with a good stir.
    stirred ingredients for Crock Pot corn casserole in gray slow cooker

    HOW LONG TO COOK CROCKPOT CORN CASSEROLE WITH CREAM CHEESE

    1. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
    2. Then sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the cooked casserole, and stir into the casserole ’til it’s melted.
    grated cheddar cheese on top of CrockPot corn casserole in gray slow cooker

    And that’s it. Your slow cooker corn pudding is done and ready to serve!

    scoop of Crock Pot corn pudding on wooden spoon over gray slow cooker

    CAN I MAKE CORN CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?

    Absolutely! Jiffy CrockPot corn casserole is a great make-ahead recipe; in fact, it’s a great recipe to dump into the slow cooker later in the morning, allowing it to cook for the rest of the day until dinner.

    One way to make this recipe even farther ahead of time is to mix everything together except the cheese, waiting to add the cheese until you’re ready to cook. Store the mixture in an airtight container up to 2 days in your refrigerator before cooking.

    You can also mix it up and cook it all at once as the recipe states, later storing the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. To reheat your casserole, bake it in the oven at 300°F for 10-20 minutes, or until warmed throughout.

    The latter storage method will result in a slightly drier, less creamy texture. That being said, it is still delicious.

    serving of Jiffy CrockPot corn casserole on teal plate with fork

    HOW TO FREEZE CORN CASSEROLE

    CrockPot corn casserole with cream cheese can freeze just fine; in fact, it’ll store up to 3 months in the freezer. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

    Although this casserole will be delicious whether or not you freeze it, freezing it will somewhat alter the flavor and texture. After thawing, it may not be quite as rich, and it will be less creamy. This is where you’ll have to make your own judgment based on your schedule and preferences.

    slow cooker corn pudding in slow cooker and on teal plate with fork, on wooden countertop

    CORN CASSEROLE SUBSTITUTIONS YOU CAN MAKE

    • You can make this recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free corn bread mix; I prefer to use Aldi’s gluten-free mix because it tastes very similar to Jiffy and makes a delicious corn casserole. You can also make your own Gluten-Free Jiffy-Style Corn Muffin Mix. Of course, if you are trying to make the casserole gluten-free, be sure to check labels on all your ingredients to ensure they’re truly gluten-free.
    • Sprinkle corn bread over the top for a crunchier texture.
    • Use creamed corn. This will add more moisture to the casserole, so be sure to cut down on the heavy whipping cream accordingly.
    • Adapt the liquid to your preference. Some people prefer to use whole milk instead of heavy whipping cream for an even creamier but less rich result, and some people just use half and half for the best of both worlds!
    • Add more cheese. Other cheeses that might pair well with this casserole include parmesan, mozzarella, asiago, Monterey jack, and even pepper Jack.
    • Add some jalapeños for an extra kick, or chopped bell peppers for added texture and flavor.
    • Diced ham and bacon pair delightfully well with this recipe.
    CrockPot corn casserole with cream cheese baked in gray slow cooker

    MORE CORN RECIPES:

    Here are a few more corn recipes you may enjoy:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love Crock Pot corn casserole as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    double image of CrockPot Corn Casserole, including top image of scoop of corn casserole on wooden spoon and bottom image of serving of slow cooker corn casserole on teal plate with fork

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Creamy Cheesy CrockPot Corn Casserole

    Throw together CrockPot corn casserole with cream cheese and Jiffy mix. Easy side dish recipe for a crowd. Make ahead for Thanksgiving and Easter.

    • Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liners, Regular (Fits 3-8 Quarts), 12 Total, 6 Count (Pack of 2)
    • Taste of Home Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups: 515 Hot & Hearty Dishes Your Family Will Love
    • BLACK+DECKER Slow Cooker, 7 quart, Teal Wave
    • Professional Box Grater, Stainless Steel with 4 Sides, XL Size, Black
    • Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, 8.5 oz (Pack of 2)
    • Slow Cooker Travel Bag with Easy to Clean Lining, Insulated Carrier with Zippered Accessory Pocket, Carry Case Compatible with Crock Pot 6-8 Quart
    • 8 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 4 tablespoons salted butter (cubed)
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 tablespoon sour cream
    • 32 ounces frozen corn (thawed)
    • 1/2 box (4.25 ounces corn muffin mix*)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 3 green onions (chopped)
    • 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
    • 1/2 cup Colby Jack cheese (grated)
    • Optional Ingredient: 6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
    1. Before you get started, be sure to chop the green onions. You’ll also need to grease the slow cooker with cooking spray to help prevent sticking and scorching.
    2. Add the cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, salted butter, sugar, sour cream, thawed frozen corn, corn muffin mix, salt, black pepper, and green onions to the slow cooker. You can also add the bacon, if desired.
    3. Combine everything together with a good stir.
    4. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
    5. Then sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the cooked casserole, and stir into the casserole ’til it’s melted.
    6. And that’s it. It’s done and ready to serve!

    *You can make this recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free corn bread mix. I prefer to use Aldi’s gluten-free mix because it tastes very similar to Jiffy and makes a delicious corn casserole. Of course, if you are trying to make the casserole gluten-free, be sure to check labels on all your ingredients to ensure they’re truly gluten-free.

    CAN I MAKE CROCKPOT CHEESY CORN CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?

    Absolutely! Jiffy CrockPot corn casserole is a great make-ahead recipe; in fact, it’s a great recipe to dump into the slow cooker later in the morning, allowing it to cook for the rest of the day until dinner.

    One way to make this recipe even farther ahead of time is to mix everything together except the cheese, waiting to add the cheese until you’re ready to cook. Store the mixture in an airtight container up to 2 days in your refrigerator before cooking.

    You can also mix it up and cook it all at once as the recipe states, later storing the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days. To reheat your casserole, bake it in the oven at 300°F for 10-20 minutes, or until warmed throughout.

    The latter storage method will result in a slightly drier, less creamy texture. That being said, it is still delicious.

    HOW TO FREEZE CORN CASSEROLE

    CrockPot corn casserole with cream cheese can freeze just fine; in fact, it’ll store up to 3 months in the freezer. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

    Although this casserole will be delicious whether or not you freeze it, freezing it will somewhat alter the flavor and texture. After thawing, it may not be quite as rich, and it will be less creamy. This is where you’ll have to make your own judgment based on your schedule and preferences.

    Side Dish
    American
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  • Cheesy CrockPot Funeral Potatoes Casserole Recipe

    Cheesy CrockPot Funeral Potatoes Casserole Recipe

    How to make cheesy CrockPot funeral potatoes. Easy slow cooker hashbrown casserole, a family favorite side dish, breakfast, or brunch recipe.

    Remember that wonderful hash brown casserole with Corn Flakes we made in the oven a little while ago? It was such a big hit with y’all, that I decided to adapt it and make it into a CrockPot hash brown casserole.

    wooden spoonful of CrockPot funeral potatoes with green onions over gray slow cooker with casserole

    Only this time, I added one secret ingredient that really gives it a kick. What a difference one powerful, little ingredient can make.

    CrockPot cheesy hashbrowns are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter; they also make the perfect breakfast or brunch idea, especially if you add a little bit of protein like ham, bacon, or sausage. Yum!

    One of the many things I love about slow cooker hash brown casserole is that it’s very easy to mix up. It’s as easy as dumping, mixing, and spreading in your slow cooker.

    And it only takes 2-3 hours to cook, so you can easily make it morning of for a family dinner, served up alongside a good slow cooker pork roast or whole slow cooker chicken and this easy green bean casserole recipe.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    WHY ARE THEY CALLED FUNERAL POTATOES?

    Well, Southern Living states that although they are consumed all across the country, funeral potatoes are really more of a southern tradition, and the reasoning is in the name. To put it simply, cheesy hash brown casserole is an easy make-ahead recipe that can feed a crowd, and that’s perfect for a funeral.

    white plate full of CrockPot hash brown casserole with fork, with gray slow cooker and small bowl of green onions

    To be honest, here in the South and even living in the Midwest, I can’t remember ever attending a funeral or potluck at which funeral potatoes weren’t served!

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Small and Large Mixing Bowls

    Cutting Board and Knife (or Vegetable Chopper)

    Slow Cooker – My favorite slow cooker is a beast of a cooker.

    HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT FUNERAL POTATOES

    Before getting started, be sure to spray your CrockPot or slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking or scorching.

    1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the hashbrowns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, minced onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream.
    ingredients for CrockPot cheesy hashbrowns in metal mixing bowl with red handle
    1. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
    stirring cheddar cheese into hash brown mixture in metal mixing bowl with spatula
    1. Spread the mixture into your greased slow cooker.
    2. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
    mixture for slow cooker hash brown casserole spread in gray slow cooker
    1. In a small bowl, mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and the melted butter.
    2. Sprinkle the Corn Flakes over the hash brown mixture in the slow cooker; then cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
    slightly crushed Corn Flakes sprinkled on top of hash brown casserole in gray slow cooker

    And that’s it! When it’s done, it’s ready to serve while warm. You can sprinkle it with chopped green onions, if preferred.

    serving of CrockPot hashbrown casserole, sprinkled with green onions, on white plate with fork

    CAN I PUT FROZEN POTATOES IN THE SLOW COOKER, OR DO I HAVE TO COOK THEM FIRST?

    Yes, the potatoes can be put straight into the slow cooker, but it’s important to ensure that they are thawed beforehand. Just follow the instructions on the package, and be sure to allow ample time for thawing.

    HANDY TIP: HOW TO CRUSH CORN FLAKES

    The quickest and least messy way that I have found to crush Corn Flakes is to place them in a quart sized plastic bag and seal the bag. Be sure that all of the air inside the bag escapes.

    Using either your hands or a rolling pin, you can now crush the Corn Flakes. For this recipe, they only need to be slightly crushed, so don’t spend too much time on it.

    serving of slow cooker funeral potatoes, sprinkled with green onions, on wooden spoon over CrockPot

    WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR SOUR CREAM?

    The best 1:1 substitute for sour cream that I have found is plain Greek yogurt. For every cup of sour cream, it is also possible to substitute 1 cup of milk or cream mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

    If a vegan substitute is desired, you can simply use a vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, both of which can be found in most grocery stores and health food stores.

    That being said, I highly recommend that you keep the sour cream in these CrockPot funeral potatoes, as nothing else really comes close to the flavor and richness sour cream provides.

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH CROCKPOT HASH BROWN CASSEROLE:

    Crockpot hash brown casserole pairs wonderfully with the following dishes:

    serving of CrockPot cheesy hashbrown potatoes on white plate with fork

    HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT CROCKPOT CHEESY HASHBROWNS

    Thankfully, this recipe is a great make-ahead side dish. It can be made the night before, the day before, etc. This casserole will store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Although it is certainly possible to cook it beforehand, for the best results I recommend mixing it up to store in the fridge, waiting to cook until you’re ready to eat.

    For longer storage time, cook your funeral potatoes in the slow cooker beforehand, and place them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, simply let your potatoes thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bake them at 350° F for 30 minutes to an hour.

    wooden spoonful of CrockPot funeral potatoes hash brown casserole, sprinkled with green onions, over gray slow cooker side dish

    IS CROCKPOT HASHBROWN CASSEROLE GLUTEN-FREE?

    Unfortunately, CrockPot hashbrown casserole is not typically gluten-free, reason being that cream of chicken soup and hash browns are rarely gluten-free. Corn Flakes aren’t either.

    That being said, there are options for both gluten-free cream of chicken soup and gluten-free frozen hashbrowns in most grocery stores and health food stores. I’ve found that Ore-Ida makes delicious gluten-free frozen hash browns.

    As for the Corn Flakes, I haven’t found a gluten-free option yet; but you could always substitute slightly crushed potato chips or maybe a gluten-free Corn Chex cereal.

    Always be sure to check all of your ingredient labels to ensure that they’re truly gluten-free.

    MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:

    GET THE PRINTABLE CASSEROLE RECIPE

    If you love this slow cooker hash brown casserole as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

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    CrockPot Funeral Potatoes

    How to make cheesy CrockPot funeral potatoes. Easy slow cooker hashbrown casserole, a family favorite side dish, breakfast, or brunch recipe.

    • Vegetable Chopper
    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • 7-Quart Slow Cooker
    • 30 ounces frozen hash browns (thawed)
    • 1/2 cup salted butter (melted)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1/2 cup yellow onion (minced)
    • 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
    • 16 ounces sour cream
    • 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

    Topping:

    • 2 cups Corn Flakes (slightly crushed)
    • 1/4 cup salted butter (melted)
    • 4 green onions (chopped (optional))

    1. Spray the inside of the CrockPot or slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking or scorching.

    2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the hashbrowns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, minced onion, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream.

    3. Stir in the cheddar cheese.

    4. Spread the mixture into the greased slow cooker.

    5. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.

    Topping:

    1. In a small bowl, mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter.

    2. Sprinkle the Corn Flakes over the hash brown mixture in the slow cooker; then cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.

    3. Sprinkle with chopped green onions, if desired, and serve while warm.

    CAN I PUT FROZEN POTATOES IN THE SLOW COOKER, OR DO I HAVE TO COOK THEM FIRST?

    Yes, the potatoes can be put straight into the slow cooker, but it’s important to ensure that they are thawed beforehand. Just follow the instructions on the package, and be sure to allow ample time for thawing.

    HANDY TIP: HOW TO CRUSH CORN FLAKES

    The quickest and least messy way that I have found to crush Corn Flakes is to place them in a quart sized plastic bag and seal the bag. Be sure that all of the air inside the bag escapes. Using either your hands or a rolling pin, you can now crush the Corn Flakes. For this recipe, they only need to be slightly crushed, so don’t spend too much time on it.

    HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT CROCKPOT CHEESY HASHBROWNS

    Thankfully, this recipe is a great make-ahead meal. It can be made the night before, the day before, etc. This casserole will store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Although it is certainly possible to cook it beforehand, for the best results I recommend mixing it up to store in the fridge, waiting to cook until you’re ready to eat.

    For longer storage time, cook your funeral potatoes in the slow cooker beforehand, and place them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, simply let your potatoes thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bake them at 350° F for 30 minutes to an hour.

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  • Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

    Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

    How to make the best southern sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans. Classic Thanksgiving side dish you can easily make ahead.

    Thanksgiving will soon be upon us, and nothing says Thanksgiving dinner quite like a delicious sweet potato casserole covered in a gooey marshmallow pecan topping.

    spoonful of sweet potato casserole with marshmallows scooped from white baking dish

    I have never been a huge fan of sweet potatoes by themselves. But throw together a good, old-fashioned, southern sweet potato casserole, and I can eat it by the spoonful; it’s so good!

    My grandma made sweet potato and marshmallow casserole every single Thanksgiving. I still remember waiting on the marshmallows to get just brown enough that dinner was finally ready to eat.

    This side dish is really easy to make and doesn’t take a lot of time to bake, maybe 25 to 30 minutes in all. You can make it the day of, or you can make it ahead of time.

    Whether you’re serving it as a side dish or on the dessert table, your crowd is definitely going to love this sweet potato casserole recipe. Speaking of dessert, sweet potato pie is another crowd-pleasing favorite.

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    ingredients for sweet potato casserole on white countertop

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Cutting Board and Paring Knife (or Vegetable Peeler) and Chef’s Knife

    Large Stock Pot

    Potato Masher or Hand Mixer

    Large Mixing Bowl and Whisk

    9×13 Baking Dish

    HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH MARSHMALLOWS

    Making sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a two-part process, involving both prepping the sweet potatoes and then layering the casserole.

    HOW TO PREPARE THE SWEET POTATOES

    1. Peel and cut the washed sweet potatoes into cubes.
    2. Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a large stock pot, and cover them with water. Bring to a boil on the stove over medium heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork.
    3. When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain the water, and add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
    4. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer, so they’re ready to go into the casserole.
    4 steps for how to prepare the sweet potatoes for homemade sweet potato casserole, including cubing sweet potatoes, adding them to large black stock pot and covering with water, placing cooked sweet potatoes in large green mixing bowl, and mashing sweet potatoes with potato masher

    If you don’t want to go through the process of boiling your sweet potatoes, you can go the easier route and just make pressure cooker sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot. Then peel them and mash them right in the pot with an immersion blender or hand mixer.

    HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE FROM SCRATCH

    At this point, you can pre-heat your oven to 375°F, and lightly spray the sides and bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

    1. Add the softened butter, brown sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt to the sweet potatoes in the mixing bowl, and whisk until everything is well combined.
    2. Stir the chopped pecans into the sweet potato mixture.
    3. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
    4. Sprinkle the top with marshmallows and the remaining pecans.
    steps for how to make sweet potato casserole from scratch, including mixing ingredients in green mixing bowl, whisking pecans into sweet potato mixture, layering sweet potato mixture in white baking dish, and sprinkling mini marshmallows and chopped pecans on top of casserole

    At this point, it’s ready to bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown. Serve it immediately while warm, and store any leftovers in the fridge.

    baked sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans in white casserole dish

    CAN I MAKE IT IN ADVANCE?

    Yes, sweet potato casserole is a great make-ahead recipe.

    It’s best to mix everything together, leaving the topping off until it is time to bake. You can then place the raw filling in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

    When you’re ready to bake the casserole, place the pre-made filling in your baking dish and top with mini marshmallows and pecans. Bake it as normal, at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

    spoon scooping southern sweet potato casserole out of white baking dish and onto small white plate

    HOW TO STORE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

    A baked sweet potato casserole is best stored in the refrigerator. It will typically keep for up to 4-5 days.

    You can either keep it in your baking dish, covering the top with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or you can alternatively dish it out into an airtight container. Both ways work equally as well!

    To reheat, cover your casserole with aluminum foil, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes. It is now ready to serve!

    CAN I FREEZE THIS CASSEROLE?

    Yes, you can freeze this casserole, although it’s best to freeze it before baking.

    Simply spread both the filling and the topping in your pan, and cover it with a double layer of aluminum foil. Place it in the freezer, and it will keep for around 3 months.

    You can also freeze just the filling in an airtight container, waiting until it’s time to bake to spread it in your pan with the topping.

    Be sure to let it warm up at room temperature for around 30 minutes before baking. Bake as the recipe directs, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

    serving of sweet potato and marshmallow casserole on gray plate with fork

    WHAT GOES WELL WITH SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE?

    Sweet potato casserole pairs well with just about anything, but here are some of my favorite recipes.

    WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A YAM AND A SWEET POTATO?

    This is a good question. Bon Appétit states, “At most grocery stores, absolutely nothing.”

    Most yams that you see in the grocery store are, in fact, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. However, back in the 1930’s, Louisiana market growers decided to name their orange-fleshed sweet potatoes “yams,” and the name has stuck even to this day.

    Real yams are a different root vegetable altogether, more comparable to a white russet potato than a sweet potato. Real yams are not typically easy to find in the U.S.

    CAN YOU USE CANNED YAMS FOR THIS RECIPE?

    Real yams will definitely not work. They are far different from a sweet potato.

    That being said, most canned yams that are available in American grocery stores are really orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Usually it will state on the can whether or not it is actually a sweet potato product.

    If your canned yams are just sweet potatoes, they will make a fine 1:1 substitute for this recipe.

    spoon in sweet potato casserole in white baking dish

    VARIOUS WAYS TO MAKE SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

    When it comes to making sweet potato casserole, the sky is the limit. Toppings are a great place to start.

    • Instead of topping with marshmallows, try making a brown sugar and pecan streusel topping. This makes for a delicious casserole.
    • Try using a different nut. Pecans are not the only option; almonds and walnuts come to mind.
    • You can also change up the seasonings; sometimes a hint of pumpkin pie spice or just cinnamon goes a long way. Be creative!

    HOW TO MAKE THIS CASSEROLE A LITTLE BIT HEALTHIER

    Here are some ideas to make southern sweet potato casserole a little bit healthier.

    • If you are looking for a gluten-free casserole, this recipe pretty much fits the bill. Just be sure to check all of your ingredients to ensure that they really are gluten-free.
    • To make this recipe lactose-free, you can substitute just about any dairy-free milk, like almond milk or cashew milk, and you can use ghee in place of butter. These products can be found in most grocery stores and health food stores.
    • You can eliminate the marshmallow topping and simply use a pecan streusel topping.

    MORE THANKSGIVING RECIPES:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love homemade sweet potato casserole as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    double image of sweet potato casserole, including top image of spoonful of sweet potato casserole over white baking dish, and bottom image of serving of sweet potato casserole on gray plate with fork

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    Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

    How to make the best southern sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and pecans. Classic Thanksgiving side dish you can easily make ahead.

    • Vegetable Peeler
    • Large Stockpot
    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • Hand Mixer
    • 9×13 Baking Dish

    Casserole:

    • 4 pounds sweet potatoes
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
    • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup whole milk
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 cup chopped pecans

    Topping:

    • 2 cups mini marshmallows
    • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
    1. Peel and cut the washed sweet potatoes into cubes.

    2. Add the cubed sweet potatoes to a large stockpot, and cover them with water. Bring to a boil on the stove over medium heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork.

    3. When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain the water and add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.

    4. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer, so they're ready to go into the casserole.

    5. Pre-heat your oven to 375° F, and lightly spray the sides and bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

    6. Add the softened butter, brown sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt to the sweet potatoes in the mixing bowl, and whisk until everything is well combined.

    7. Stir the chopped pecans into the sweet potato mixture.
    8. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
    9. Sprinkle the top with marshmallows and the remaining pecans.

    10. Bake at 375° F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

    11. Serve it immediately while warm, and store any leftovers in the fridge.

    *If you don’t want to go through the process of boiling your sweet potatoes, you can go the easier route and just make Instant Pot sweet potatoes. Then peel them and mash them right in the pot with an immersion blender or hand mixer.

    CAN I MAKE IT IN ADVANCE?

    Yes, sweet potato casserole is a great make-ahead recipe.

    It’s best to mix everything together, leaving the topping off until it is time to bake. You can then place the raw filling in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

    When you’re ready to bake the casserole, place the pre-made filling in your baking dish and top with mini marshmallows and pecans. Bake it as normal, at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

    HOW TO STORE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

    A baked sweet potato casserole is best stored in the refrigerator. It will typically keep for up to 4-5 days. You can either keep it in your baking dish, covering the top with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or you can alternatively dish it out into an airtight container. Both ways work equally as well!

    To reheat, cover your casserole with aluminum foil, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes. It is now ready to serve!

    CAN I FREEZE THIS CASSEROLE?

    Yes, you can freeze this casserole, although it’s best to freeze it before baking. Simply spread both the filling and the topping in your pan, and cover it with a double layer of aluminum foil. Place it in the freezer, and it will keep for around 3 months.

    You can also freeze just the filling in an airtight container, waiting until it’s time to bake to spread it in your pan with the topping.

    Be sure to let it warm up at room temperature for around 30 minutes before baking. Bake as the recipe directs, or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

    CAN YOU USE CANNED YAMS FOR THIS RECIPE?

    Real yams will definitely not work. They are far different from a sweet potato.

    That being said, most canned yams that are available in American grocery stores are really orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Usually it will state on the can whether or not it is actually a sweet potato product.

    If your canned yams are just sweet potatoes, they will make a fine 1:1 substitute for this recipe.

    Side Dish
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  • Traditional Meatloaf Recipe with Easy Sauce Topping

    Traditional Meatloaf Recipe with Easy Sauce Topping

    How to make the most amazing traditional meatloaf recipe with beef, bread crumbs, and an easy homemade sauce. Classic, nourishing comfort food at its best.

    It’s no secret I love a good oatmeal meatloaf. It makes me sad that meatloaf gets such a bad rap because made right, it’s oh so delicious.

    Meatloaf is the quintessential dinner recipe because usually, my family can get 2 meals out of 1. One night we’ll eat meatloaf with mashed potatoes and vegetables; the next night we’ll have the best meatloaf sandwiches.

    slices of traditional meatloaf on gray plate with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob

    A traditional meatloaf is super easy to mix up, as it involves dumping and mixing all the ingredients into one bowl. There is a sauce to go over the top, but even that only has 3 simple ingredients.

    You can pat the ground beef into a larger loaf and bake it in a 9×13 pan; we’ve also made it by patting the meatloaf into a large baking sheet or into muffin tins to make meatloaf muffins. If you do choose to make it in a sheet pan, it likely won’t need as long to bake.

    Either way you bake a classic meatloaf recipe, I highly recommend you use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat has come to temp and is fully cooked. We’ll talk about how to tell when it’s done as you keep reading.

    Want everything to cook as a one pot meal? Instant Pot meatloaf with potatoes is the way to go!

    above gray plate of classic meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob, with fork, on green and white flowered linen and tan burlap

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    MEATLOAF INGREDIENTS:

    SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Large and small mixing bowls – You’ll need a large bowl for the meatloaf, and a small bowl for mixing the sauce.

    9×13 baking dish or large baking sheet – I love using a 9×13 baking dish to make a big almost 2-pound meatloaf that will stretch to give our family of five more than one meal.

    Meat thermometer – We use ours all the time; it really helps to tell if the meat has come to temp and is fully cooked.

    WHAT TYPE OF MEAT MAKES REALLY GOOD MEATLOAF?

    We really prefer to use 90/10 ground beef in our meatloaf, which we also use for pretty much everything else too.

    sliced traditional meatloaf in white baking dish

    In our experience, this leaner mixture of ground beef results in less grease around the finished meatloaf, and it’s a healthier choice. We also prefer the flavor profile of ground beef as opposed to other meats.

    CAN I USE GROUND TURKEY FOR MEATLOAF?

    Yes, turkey actually makes a wonderful ground beef substitute, but it will change the look, texture, and flavor of your finished meatloaf.

    HOW TO MAKE THIS TRADITIONAL MEATLOAF RECIPE FROM SCRATCH

    Before mixing up the meatloaf, be sure to pre-heat your oven to 350° F, and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

    Then mix up the ingredients…

    1. Add all of the meatloaf ingredients, including the ground beef, eggs, minced onion, garlic, parsley, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, and bread crumbs to a large bowl.
    traditional meatloaf ingredients, including ground beef, eggs, onion, garlic, parsley, seasoned salt, ketchup, bbq sauce, and bread crumbs in metal mixing bowl
    1. Use a large fork (or your hands) to mix everything together really well.
    classic meatloaf mixture in metal mixing bowl with fork
    1. Transfer the meat mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish, and shape it into a loaf.
    shaped meatloaf in white baking dish

    EASY MEATLOAF SAUCE TOPPING

    To make the sauce…

    1. In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, yellow mustard, and light brown sugar.
    meatloaf sauce ingredients, including ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar in small glass mixing bowl
    1. Spread the sauce evenly all over the top of the meatloaf.
    meatloaf sauce spread on top of meatloaf in white baking dish

    HOW LONG TO COOK MEATLOAF, PER POUND

    Cook time really depends on the size of your meatloaf, as well as your oven, but you’re best to cook meatloaf for 30 to 45 minutes per pound.

    Set your oven to 350° F, and bake the meatloaf for about 1 hour, or ’til the meatloaf is completely cooked thru and done.

    HOW TO TELL WHEN MEATLOAF IS DONE

    Your meatloaf needs to reach an internal temperature of at least 160° F with a meat thermometer.

    Then allow the meatloaf to rest for about 10 minutes before serving with your favorite sides.

    serving homemade meatloaf on spatula flipper over white baking dish

    HOW TO MAKE MEATLOAF MOIST

    The key to making a moist meatloaf lies in the filler, which is usually a bread product of some kind. The goal is to soak up and retain all of the juices that the meatloaf produces; without a filler, all of these juices would simply drain away.

    Believe it or not, meatloaf fillers were originally used to stretch out the recipe. During the Great Depression, it was common for meatloaf to contain up to 50% filler ingredients, typically bread crumbs, which made for an affordable way to feed a family.

    HOW TO MAKE A TRADITIONAL MEATLOAF GLUTEN-FREE

    This meatloaf recipe is fairly easy to make gluten-free. All of the ingredients can be found gluten-free at one place or another, but here are a couple notes.

    • You can use gluten-free bread crumbs, which can be bought at most grocery stores or health food stores.
    • For seasoning, I really like the Badia Complete Seasoning, which is gluten-free and absolutely delicious.
    • Also, be sure to check your Worcestershire sauce because many times, this can contain gluten.

    Just be sure to check all of your ingredient labels to make sure that they’re truly gluten-free.

    traditional meatloaf with bread crumbs, sliced in white baking dish

    WHY DOES MY MEATLOAF FALL APART?

    Raw egg is crucial in making a moist, sliceable meatloaf. The egg is what binds all of the other ingredients together, allowing the meatloaf to hold up to slicing without falling apart.

    If your meatloaf has enough egg and still falls apart, it might be that it’s overcooked, and sometimes it could even be that your ground beef has too much fat.

    Of course, it may also be that your recipe does not include enough filler ingredients, the importance of which I talked about above.

    classic meatloaf sliced and served on gray plate with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob

    ALTERNATIVE VARIATIONS FOR MEATLOAF

    Here are some ideas if you are looking to change up the recipe:

    • Try using a different filler ingredient such as crackers, rolled oats, or potato flakes. You can even combine these ingredients.
    • Add crushed tomatoes. Every summer my mom boils down crushed tomatoes, fresh from the garden, to add to her meatloaf, and it’s amazing.
    • Try a different kind of meat. Many people use ground pork, ground chicken, and sometimes even ground veal!
    bite of classic meatloaf on fork, on gray plate

    CAN I MAKE MEATLOAF AHEAD?

    Yes, meatloaf is a great make-ahead recipe. You can can keep meatloaf in the freezer for up to 6 months (see below), or you can mix it up the night before, wrap it in plastic or foil, and place it in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake.

    CAN YOU FREEZE MEATLOAF?

    Yes, you can freeze meatloaf either before or after baking. Frozen meatloaf will usually keep for up to 6 months.

    slices of traditional meatloaf with meatloaf sauce topping on gray plate

    GREAT SIDES TO SERVE WITH A MEATLOAF DINNER

    GET THE PRINTABLE CLASSIC MEATLOAF RECIPE

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

    double image of traditional meatloaf recipe, including top image of sliced meatloaf in white baking dish, and bottom image of sliced meatloaf with sauce on gray plate

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    Traditional Meatloaf Recipe with Easy Sauce Topping

    How to make the most amazing traditional meatloaf recipe with beef, bread crumbs, and an easy homemade sauce. Classic, nourishing comfort food at its best.

    • Rorence Stainless Steel Non-Slip Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout, Handle and Lid, Nesting Set of 3, Red
    • Badia Complete Seasoning, 6 Pound
    • Nordic Ware Classic Metal 9×13 Covered Cake Pan
    • ThermoPro Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer with Backlight and Magnet
    • Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (10 oz Bottle)
    • Rubbermaid Brilliance Storage 14-Piece Plastic Lids | BPA Free, Clear

    Meatloaf:

    • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1/2 large yellow onion (minced)
    • 1 clove garlic (minced)
    • 2 teaspoons parsley (minced)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/3 cup ketchup
    • 1/3 cup bbq sauce
    • 1 cup dried bread crumbs

    Meatloaf Sauce:

    • 1/4 cup ketchup
    • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
    • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
    1. Pre-heat your oven to 350° F, and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
    2. Add all of the meatloaf ingredients, including the ground beef, eggs, minced onion, seasoned salt, garlic, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, and bread crumbs to a large bowl.
    3. Use a large fork (or your hands) to mix everything together really well.
    4. Transfer the meat mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish, and shape it into a loaf.
    5. To make the sauce, mix together the ketchup, yellow mustard, and light brown sugar in a small bowl.
    6. Spread the sauce evenly all over the top of the meatloaf.
    7. Bake the meatloaf at 350° F for about 1 hour, or ’til the meatloaf is completely cooked thru and done.* Your meatloaf needs to reach an internal temperature of at least 160° F with a meat thermometer.
    8. Allow the meatloaf to rest for about 10 minutes before serving with your favorite sides.

    *Cook time really depends on the size of your meatloaf, as well as your oven, but you’re best to cook meatloaf for 30 to 45 minutes per pound.

    WHAT TYPE OF MEAT MAKES REALLY GOOD MEATLOAF?

    We really prefer to use 90/10 ground beef in our meatloaf, which we use for pretty much everything. In our experience, this leaner mixture of ground beef results in less grease around the finished meatloaf, and it’s a healthier choice. We also prefer the flavor profile of ground beef as opposed to other meats.

    CAN I USE GROUND TURKEY FOR MEATLOAF?

    Yes, turkey actually makes a wonderful ground beef substitute, but it will change the look, texture, and flavor of your finished meatloaf.

    HOW TO MAKE A TRADITIONAL MEATLOAF GLUTEN-FREE

    This meatloaf recipe is fairly easy to make gluten-free. You can use gluten-free bread crumbs, which can be bought at most grocery stores or health food stores, and I really like the Badia Complete Seasoning, which is gluten-free and absolutely delicious. Also, be sure to check your Worcestershire sauce because many times, this can contain gluten.

    Just be sure to check all of your ingredient labels to make sure that they’re truly gluten-free.

    CAN I MAKE MEATLOAF AHEAD?

    Yes, meatloaf is a great make-ahead recipe. You can keep meatloaf in the freezer for up to 6 months (see below), or you can mix it up the night before, wrap it in plastic or foil, and place it in the refrigerator until it’s time to bake.

    CAN YOU FREEZE MEATLOAF?

    Yes, you can freeze meatloaf either before or after baking. Frozen meatloaf will usually keep for up to 6 months.

    Dinner Ideas
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  • Fruity Pebble Christmas Trees Crispy Treats

    Fruity Pebble Christmas Trees Crispy Treats

    How to make festive and easy Fruity Pebble Christmas trees, a colorful holiday Krispie treat recipe for kids. Make it in 10 minutes in the microwave!

    Take a dessert like easy Fruity Pebbles treats or classic Rice Krispie treats, switch out the cereal, cut them out with a Christmas tree cookie cutter, and you’ve got a colorful treat all the kids will love this holiday season.

    Fruity Pebble Christmas trees with Christmas tree cookie cutter and mini marshmallows on white marble countertop

    Heck even I love these festive and colorful Fruity Pebbles Christmas trees. They’re ooey, gooey, chewy, and downright delicious.

    Fruity Pebbles has always been one of my favorite cereals. It’d stand to reason that my kids love it too, which is one reason I also like to make Fruity Pebbles ice cream. Yum!

    Fruity Pebble crispy treats are super easy to make and only take about 10 minutes from start to finish, using the microwave. Cutting them out may take a bit more time if you really sit down and just enjoy the process with your kids.

    You mix them up; your kids do the cutting out and decorating.

    To decorate I like to just add a mini marshmallow for the star at the top of each tree, because the cereal is colorful and festive enough all by itself. Fruity Pebbles treats are just so cute!

    Fruity Pebbles Christmas trees with mini marshmallow stars on white marble countertop

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    You’ll need just a few ingredients to make this Fruity Pebbles Christmas treats recipe…

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Large microwave-safe bowl and spatula or wooden spoon – for mixing all the ingredients together and cooking in the microwave.

    Baking dish – Be sure to grease it with cooking spray.

    Christmas tree cookie cutter – for cutting out Christmas shapes.

    HOW TO MAKE FRUITY PEBBLE CHRISTMAS TREES

    This marshmallow cereal treat only requires a few steps to mix…

    1. Add the mini marshmallows, salted butter, and vanilla extract to a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat on high for 2 minutes, mostly melting everything.
    2. Remove the bowl from the microwave, and stir the mixture ’til smooth; the mixture will finish melting with stirring.
    3. Quickly stir in the cereal.
    4. Gently spread and pat the mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and allow it to cool. (Tip: To prevent your hands from sticking to the cereal mixture, dip your hands in water beforehand, and rub them together; or you can spray them with a light coating of cooking spray.)
    steps for how to make Fruity Pebble treats, 1. adding marshmallows, butter, and vanilla to large microwave-safe mint green bowl, 2. melting mixture in mint green bowl, 3. adding Fruity Pebbles cereal, and 4. spreading mixture in baking dish

    MAKE CHRISTMAS TREE SHAPES

    1. To cut into Christmas tree shapes, use a Christmas tree cookie cutter, and cut shapes right out of the pan.
    cutting Fruity Pebble treats out of blue baking dish with green Christmas tree cookie cutter
    1. Top each Christmas tree with a mini marshmallow star. It’ll stick to the treat with no help needed besides a gentle press of your finger.
    hand adding mini marshmallow star to Fruity Pebbles Christmas treats

    ARE THEY GLUTEN-FREE?

    Yes, they are typically gluten-free. Fruity Pebbles are gluten-free, but some marshmallow brands can contain gluten, so just ensure that your marshmallows are gluten-free.

    As with any other recipe, always check your ingredients over to ensure that they are, in fact, gluten-free. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

    WHAT KIND OF MARSHMALLOWS SHOULD I USE FOR FRUITY PEBBLE CRISPY TREATS?

    While you can use big marshmallows, jumbo marshmallows, or mini marshmallows, it really is best to use mini marshmallows. These melt far more efficiently and quicker than larger marshmallows.

    You can also use marshmallow fluff. Just use 1 jar of marshmallow cream for every 4 cups of mini marshmallows.

    Fruity Pebble crispy treats Christmas trees laying on white marble countertop with blue pan of crispy treats and bowl of mini marshmallows

    CAN I USE MARGARINE INSTEAD OF BUTTER?

    I highly recommend that you use a good salted butter over margarine. Salted butter will give these treats a much richer flavor and texture.

    WHY ARE MY TREATS HARD?

    Sometimes it can be hard to tell what causes Fruity Pebble treats to be hard, but here are a few pointers to avoid that scenario.

    • It’s best to use fresh marshmallows. Often a pack of marshmallows will have an expiration date 4 or 5 months out from the time that it is purchased, and the closer you get to this date, the harder your marshmallows can become; once this date has passed, you may want to buy new marshmallows.
    • It’s easy to get impatient and melt the marshmallows at too high of a temperature, and if they cook too quickly, the resulting mixture will harden. Remember, be patient; slow and steady wins the race!
    • Don’t use too much cereal. You don’t want too dry of a mixture, as this will certainly become tough and chewy!
    hand holding Christmas Fruity Pebbles treat

    VARIATIONS ON FRUITY PEBBLE MARSHMALLOW TREATS

    Here are some ideas to add a little more variety to these treats!

    • Add freeze-dried fruit. Strawberries come to mind!
    • If you need a dairy-free option, try using the same amount of coconut oil in place of the butter.
    • Try different marshmallow flavors. You can often buy a wide variety of different marshmallow flavors at just about any local grocery store.
    • Use a different cereal. I reckon that cocoa pebbles would be amazing for this recipe!
    • Drizzle the treats with a melted white chocolate tinsel.
    Christmas Fruity Pebble marshmallow treat on white marble countertop with mini marshmallows

    HOW TO STORE FRUITY PEBBLES TREATS

    Fruity pebble treats are best freshly made, but they will store in an airtight container for a few days. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

    MORE KRISPIE TREATS RECIPES:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of Fruity Pebble Christmas trees, including top image of mint green bowl with Fruity Pebbles cereal and marshmallow mixture, and bottom image of cookie cutter with Fruity Pebbles Christmas tree shape cut out of pan full of crispy treats

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Fruity Pebble Christmas Trees

    How to make festive and easy Fruity Pebble Christmas trees, a colorful holiday Krispie treat recipe for kids. Make it in 10 minutes in the microwave!

    • Large Microwave-Safe Bowl
    • Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter
    • 9×13 Baking Pan
    • 6 cups mini marshmallows
    • 5 tablespoons salted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 8 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

    1. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

    2. Add the mini marshmallows, salted butter, and vanilla extract to a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat on high for 2 minutes, mostly melting everything.

    3. Remove the bowl from the microwave, and stir the mixture ’til smooth; the mixture will finish melting with stirring.
    4. Quickly stir in the cereal.

    5. Gently spread and pat the mixture into a greased 9×13 baking pan, and allow it to cool. Tip: To prevent your hands from sticking to the cereal mixture, dip your hands in water beforehand, and rub them together; or you can spray them with a light coating of cooking spray.

    6. Use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut the treats into trees.

    7. Top each Christmas tree with a mini marshmallow star. It’ll stick to the treat with no help needed besides a gentle press of your finger.

    8. Then place the trees on a platter and serve!

    WHAT KIND OF MARSHMALLOWS SHOULD I USE FOR FRUITY PEBBLE CRISPY TREATS?

    While you can use big marshmallows, jumbo marshmallows, or mini marshmallows, it really is best to use mini marshmallows. These melt far more efficiently and quicker than larger marshmallows.

    You can also use marshmallow fluff. Use 1 jar of marshmallow cream for every 4 cups of mini marshmallows.

    CAN I USE MARGARINE INSTEAD OF BUTTER?

    I highly recommend that you use a good salted butter over margarine. Salted butter will give these treats a much richer flavor and texture.

    WHY ARE MY TREATS HARD?

    Sometimes it can be hard to tell what causes fruity pebble treats to be hard, but here are a few pointers to avoid that scenario.

    • It’s best to use fresh marshmallows. Often a pack of marshmallows will have an expiration date 4 or 5 months out from the time that it is purchased, and the closer you get to this date, the harder your marshmallows will become; once this date has passed, you might as well buy new marshmallows.
    • It’s easy to get impatient and melt the marshmallows at too high of a temperature, and if they cook too quickly, the resulting mixture will harden. Remember, be patient; slow and steady wins the race!
    • Don’t use too much cereal. You don’t want too dry of a mixture, as this will certainly become tough and chewy!

    HOW TO STORE FRUITY PEBBLES TREATS

    Fruity pebble treats are best freshly made, but they will store in an airtight container for a few days. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

    Sweet Snacks
    American
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  • Minecraft Cupcakes with Easy Grass Frosting

    Minecraft Cupcakes with Easy Grass Frosting

    How to make fluffy chocolate Minecraft cupcakes and decorate them with an easy buttercream grass frosting. Ideas for wrappers and toppers too!

    I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love these easy Minecraft cupcakes just as much as my boys. And not because of Minecraft, probably more so because they are so soft and fluffy!

    Minecraft cupcakes with Minecraft cupcake wrappers and Minecraft TNT cupcake topper on white marble countertop with blue burlap

    I love the green buttercream frosting too, and making grass frosting has never been easier with my handy little secret, which I’ll share with you as you read on.

    This recipe makes wonderful Minecraft birthday cupcakes or cupcakes for whatever occasion you’re celebrating. You don’t even have to have an occasion to make them; you can simply make them just because.

    While I like to make my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe with homemade buttercream frosting, you can use a cake mix to make it even easier. I am partial to homemade, though, because they bake up ultra soft and fluffy, with loads of chocolate flavor.

    If it’s a Minecraft cake you’re after, I’ve got ya covered with a few simple choices:

    I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to make this chocolate Minecraft cupcakes recipe. Let’s get baking!

    BENEFITS OF CUPCAKES OVER CAKE

    Cupcakes are just easier to make. Simply mix up the batter, pour it into cupcake cups, and bake it!

    Whereas big cakes require a little more work. Everything has to be just right, including the cook time, batter consistency, frosting, etc. Cupcakes are simply more forgiving.

    chocolate cupcake with green grass buttercream frosting, with white liner pulled away from cupcake

    If diet is a concern, it is much easier to control your portion size with cupcakes. Believe me, it is easy to pig out on a big cake, eating way more than you should.

    However, cupcakes are already portioned out of the oven. This eliminates the temptation to slice off a bigger piece of cake!

    As I said before, making cupcakes is far more forgiving than baking a large cake. Because of this, you can often be far more creative with all of the different flavors you have to choose from and try.

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    FOR THE CUPCAKES:

    FOR THE FROSTING:

    FOR DECORATING:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    Minecraft birthday cupcakes wrapped in Minecraft wrappers and topped with Creeper cupcake topper

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU NEED FOR CUPCAKES:

    Mixer – I prefer to use my KitchenAid stand mixer for both cupcakes and frosting.

    Egg separator – for separating the whites from the yolks.

    Cupcake batter scoop – Makes putting batter into cupcake liners so much easier and less messy.

    Cupcake liners

    Muffin tin – I love my 6-cup Wilton cupcake tins. They bake the perfect regular-sized cupcake.

    Large grass tip and pastry bag – This is my handy little secret tip for piping grass frosting… I switched to a larger tip for piping grass, and it is amazing! So much more efficient, so much quicker, and so much easier! (Also, I don’t use a coupler because I just don’t see the need.)

    We’ll talk specifically about cupcake wrappers and toppers as you keep reading.

    HOW TO MAKE MINECRAFT CUPCAKES

    Making these cupcakes is fairly simple, and decorating them is even easier. We’ll go through the entire process here.

    FIRST LET’S MAKE SOME BUTTERMILK

    We almost never buy buttermilk. We just never use it because I know I can make my own when I’m baking.

    Just add about a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to a cup (or two) of milk; I usually use a tablespoon for every 1 to 2 cups of milk. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

    making buttermilk in Pyrex measuring cup with vinegar and milk

    Before you know it, you have sour milk or buttermilk. Works like a charm!

    HOW TO BAKE THE PERFECT CUPCAKE

    Now we need to mix up our batter, and if you follow these steps to a t, you’ll come out with the softest, fluffiest cupcakes you’ve ever had.

    1. Cream (or mix) together the butter, canola oil, and sugar for a good 5 to 8 minutes.
    Butter, canola oil, and sugar in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white countertop
    1. You should have already separated your eggs at this point, so go ahead and add the egg yolks and vanilla extract in with the sugar mixture, and mix well.
    egg yolks and vanilla extract with butter and sugar mixture in KitchenAid mixing bowl
    1. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, including the cake flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
    cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in silver mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Begin by adding a small part of the dry ingredients to your creamed mixture, mixing well.
    adding dry ingredients to cupcake batter in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Then alternate adding buttermilk with dry ingredients, mixing after each addition, and ending with the dry ingredients.
    adding buttermilk to chocolate cupcake batter in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Finally, when everything is mixed together, fold in the egg whites and mix together just until the batter is blended.
    adding egg whites to chocolate cupcake batter in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Add cupcake liners to your muffin tins (you’ll need about 24 muffin cups), and pour or dispense the batter into each liner, filling each cup 3/4 of the way full.
    using white cupcake scoop to dispense chocolate cupcake batter into white cupcake liners in muffin tins
    1. Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    2. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling before frosting.
    dark chocolate cupcakes in Wilton muffin tin

    HOW TO MAKE GREEN BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

    1. Mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.
    mixing together butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Add in the powdered sugar, and mix everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, mixing well.
    mixing powdered sugar into buttercream frosting in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop
    1. Using Wilton Leaf Green (or a similar coloring), add green coloring to your frosting, and mix until well blended. Be sure to follow instructions for your specific food coloring.
    green buttercream frosting in KitchenAid mixing bowl on white marble countertop

    You’ll end up with a smooth, creamy, beautifully green buttercream frosting to use for decorating your cupcakes.

    HOW TO PIPE GRASS FROSTING ONTO YOUR CUPCAKES

    1. Place the cooled cupcakes in the Minecraft liners of your choosing before decorating.
    chocolate cupcakes in Minecraft cupcake wrappers on white marble countertop
    1. Using this large grass tip (or a similar grass tip), add grass to each cupcake with your green buttercream frosting. Make sure the icing is thin enough to squeeze through the tip but not so thin it’ll just melt away. Your technique should be to squeeze thru, and pull up or away (see my technique video).
    how to pipe grass frosting onto chocolate Minecraft cupcakes
    1. When finished, plop a cupcake topper into each cupcake if you want.
    Minecraft TNT cupcake topper in Minecraft birthday cupcake

    SPEAKING OF MINECRAFT CUPCAKE WRAPPERS AND TOPPERS

    I used these cupcake wrappers and these Minecraft toppers. They are affordable and sturdy and worked really well.

    Plus my boys love them, so that right there is the real winner.

    HOW TO STORE MINECRAFT BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES

    Because of the buttercream frosting in this recipe, I recommend refrigerating these cupcakes after they have completely cooled. I think these cupcakes taste better cold anyway!

    bite out of chocolate Minecraft cupcake sitting on white cupcake liner

    EASIEST WAY TO TRANSPORT CUPCAKES

    This collapsible cupcake carrier (and cake carrier) holds 24 cupcakes, making it easy to transport your cupcakes wherever they need to go. I love that it’s collapsible, so it’s easy to store too.

    WHAT CAN YOU PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF CUPCAKES?

    • You can try piping frosting into the center of cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer to core the cupcake and pipe frosting, berry jam, or whipped cream into the center. This can be a delicious surprise to anyone who takes a bite!
    • Try layering fruit in your cupcake cups before filling them with batter. For this recipe, strawberries come to mind.
    • Add small candies to the center, like mini M&M’s or peanut butter cups.

    Get creative and have fun with it!

    MINECRAFT PARTY IDEAS AND SUPPLIES

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of Minecraft cupcakes recipe with top image piping grass frosting onto top of chocolate cupcake with grass cake tip, text saying Homemade Minecraft Cupcakes, and bottom image of bite out of chocolate Minecraft cupcake on white cupcake liner

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Minecraft Cupcakes with Easy Grass Frosting

    How to make fluffy chocolate Minecraft cupcakes and decorate them with an easy buttercream grass frosting. Ideas for wrappers and toppers too!

    • Wilton Recipe Right Muffin Pan, 6-cups
    • Collapsible Cupcake and Cake Carrier, 24 Cupcakes, 2 Layer, Easy to Transport
    • Miner Themed Pixel Grass Cupcake Wrappers, Set of 24
    • Pixel Cupcake Wrappers and Toppers for Minecraft Birthday Party (24 SET)
    • Wilton Leaf Green Icing Color, 1 oz.
    • Symphony Wire Tips, 3 Pcs Grass Stainless Steel Icing Piping Nozzles
    • Wilton Batter Spoons, Set of 3
    • OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Egg Separator
    • KitchenAid 5-Qt. Artisan Design Series with Glass Bowl – Candy Apple Red

    Chocolate Cupcakes:

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
    • 1/2 cup canola oil
    • 1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar
    • 2 large eggs (separated)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
    • 2 cups cake flour*
    • 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Buttercream Frosting:

    • 1 cup salted butter (softened)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • Wilton Leaf Green icing color
    1. Cream (or mix) together the butter, canola oil, and sugar for a good 5 to 8 minutes.
    2. You should have already separated your eggs at this point, so go ahead and add the egg yolks and vanilla extract in with the sugar mixture, and mix well.
    3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, including the cake flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
    4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk to your creamed mixture, mixing after each addition.
    5. Finally, when everything is mixed together, fold in the egg whites and mix together just until the batter is blended.
    6. Add cupcake liners to your muffin tins (you’ll need about 24 muffin cups), and pour or dispense the batter into each liner, filling each cup 3/4 of the way full.
    7. Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    8. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling before frosting.
    9. To make green buttercream frosting, mix together the softened butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy whipping cream.
    10. Add in the powdered sugar, and mix everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, mixing well.
    11. Using Wilton Leaf Green (or a similar coloring), add green coloring to your frosting, and mix until well blended. Be sure to follow instructions for your specific food coloring.
    12. Place the cooled cupcakes in the Minecraft liners of your choosing before decorating.
    13. Using this large grass tip (or a similar grass tip), add grass to each cupcake with your green buttercream frosting. Make sure the icing is thin enough to squeeze through the tip but not so thin it’ll just melt away. Your technique should be to squeeze thru, and pull up or away (see video above).
    14. When finished, plop a cupcake topper into each cupcake if you want.

    *To make your own buttermilk or sour milk, just add about a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to a cup (or two) of milk; I usually use a tablespoon for every 1 to 2 cups of milk. Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

    *You can use a good gluten-free flour, along with xanthan gum, instead. This is my go to brand of gluten-free cake flour.

    HOW TO STORE MINECRAFT BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES

    Because of the buttercream frosting in this recipe, I recommend refrigerating these cupcakes after they have completely cooled. I think these cupcakes taste better cold anyway!

    EASIEST WAY TO TRANSPORT CUPCAKES

    This collapsible cupcake carrier (and cake carrier) holds 24 cupcakes, making it easy to transport your cupcakes wherever they need to go. I love that it’s collapsible, so it’s easy to store too.

    Cakes & Cupcakes
    American
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  • Quick and Easy Hot Dog Bun Breadsticks

    Quick and Easy Hot Dog Bun Breadsticks

    How to make soft and fluffy hot dog bun breadsticks with just 3 simple ingredients. Quick and easy recipe you can serve with dinner tonight!

    Thumbing through Grandma’s recipe box some time ago, I noticed a card that had the words, “Good, Good, Good” written across the top. If Grandma said these quick garlic breadsticks were good, I knew they were going to be delicious.

    I don’t know how I hadn’t seen this recipe before, especially considering our love for anything bread-related, especially breadsticks. You can make these with leftover hot dog buns.

    pile of hot dog bun breadsticks in white and blue striped flour sack towel, bite taken out of one breadstick

    Hot dog bun bread sticks are super easy to make, including only 3 ingredients and maybe 5 to 10 minutes of prep time.

    You can serve these Salad Supreme breadsticks with your favorite Italian dinner or traditional meal of meat and potatoes. I’ll give you a few ideas below of meals that pair really well with these delicious bread sticks.

    McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning has flavors from ingredients like paprika, black pepper, red pepper, Romano cheese, garlic, and cheddar cheese. Since we’re seasoning our breadsticks with this blend of spices and cheese, we get a very flavorful breadstick that just flies off the table.

    Now if you’d rather spend a little more time in the kitchen, Grandma’s bread rolls are a very delicious alternative, especially during the holidays.

    baked hot dog bun bread sticks on baking sheet

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED FOR QUICK GARLIC BREADSTICKS:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Pyrex Measuring Cup or Mixing Bowl

    Cutting Board and Knife or Pizza Cutter

    Baking Sheet

    HOW TO MAKE EASY HOT DOG BUN BREADSTICKS

    Making quick and easy breadsticks from hot dog buns is a super easy process.

    1. First slice the hot dog buns into length-wise quarters on a cutting board.
    2. In a measuring cup or mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter and Salad Supreme seasoning.
    3. You can either spread the butter mixture on the sliced hot dog buns with a brush, or do like me and just dip each breadstick into the mixture.
    4. Place each breadstick on a baking sheet, and bake at 300° F for about 20 minutes, or to your desired crispness. You can go longer if needed.
    steps for how to make hot dog bun breadsticks, including slicing hot dog buns in quarters on cutting board, mixing butter and Salad Supreme Seasoning in glass dish, dipping breadsticks in seasoning mixture, and placing breadsticks on baking sheet

    CAN I DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE RECIPE?

    Yes, you can double the recipe; in fact, if your family is like mine, you may want to double this recipe! These bread sticks are so good that they’re typically devoured.

    Although do note that you will already get 16 breadsticks out of 4 quartered hot dug buns. That being said, simply use more hot dug buns and adjust the other ingredients as necessary.

    pile of quick garlic breadsticks on gray plate

    CAN I ADD OTHER SEASONINGS?

    Yes, the choices for seasoning breadsticks are endless.

    • Some of our favorite breadstick seasonings and herbs include garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, and even rosemary.
    • You can lightly sprinkle parmesan cheese on the breadsticks before they bake, giving it plenty of time to blend with the other ingredients!
    • You can even omit the garlic seasoning and go for an entirely different flavor, such as everything bagel or sour cream ‘n’ onion breadsticks!

    Don’t be afraid to get creative when it comes to flavoring your homemade breadsticks.

    CAN I MAKE A GLUTEN-FREE VERSION?

    Making hot dog bun bread sticks gluten-free is especially easy to do. You can simply use gluten-free hot dug buns, and there is an equally delicious gluten-free version of the Salad Supreme Seasoning.

    Just be sure to always check all of your ingredient labels to ensure that they are gluten-free!

    stack of Salad Supreme breadsticks in white and blue striped towel on white marble countertop

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH BREADSTICKS

    CAN I FREEZE LEFTOVER BREADSTICKS?

    Yes, you can simply bag the leftovers and place them in the freezer for a later date. Be sure to put them in a freezer bag or sealed container.

    You can also tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil if you don’t have any bags or containers.

    stack of quick and easy breadsticks from hot dog buns in white and blue striped towel on white marble countertop

    MORE BREAD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:

    Homemade bread is the best, and butterhorn rolls are no exception; they’re absolutely delicious topped with butter and honey.

    My grandma’s biscuits from scratch are a tried and true family favorite!

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of hot dog bun breadsticks, including top image of stack of breadsticks in white and blue striped towel, and bottom image of baked bread sticks on baking sheet

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Quick and Easy Hot Dog Bun Breadsticks

    How to make soft and fluffy hot dog bun breadsticks with just 3 simple ingredients. Quick and easy recipe you can serve with dinner tonight!

    • Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup Set (3-Piece, Microwave and Oven Safe),Clear
    • McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning, 8.25 OZ (Pack of 1)
    • Checkered Chef Pizza Cutter Sharp Rocker Blade With Cover | Heavy Duty Stainless Steel
    • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece Set, Nesting, Microwave and Dishwasher Safe)
    • Basting Brush Silicone, Pastry Brushes Set Heat Resistant Spread Oil Butter Sauce Marinades Set of 5
    • Wildone Baking Sheet & Rack Set Size 16 x 12 x 1 Inch, Non Toxic & Heavy Duty & Easy Clean
    • 8 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
    • 4 teaspoons Salad Supreme Seasoning
    • 4 hot dog buns
    1. First slice the hot dog buns into length-wise quarters on a cutting board.
    2. In a measuring cup or mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter and Salad Supreme seasoning.
    3. You can either spread the butter mixture on the sliced hot dog buns with a brush, or do like me and just dip each breadsticks into the mixture.
    4. Place each breadstick on a baking sheet, and bake at 300° F for about 20 minutes, or to your desired crispness. You can go longer if needed.

    CAN I DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE RECIPE?

    Yes, you can double the recipe; in fact, if your family is like mine, you may want to double this recipe! These bread sticks are so good that they’re typically devoured. Although do note that you will already get 16 breadsticks out of 4 quartered hot dug buns. That being said, simply use more hot dug buns and adjust the other ingredients as necessary.

    CAN I MAKE A GLUTEN-FREE VERSION?

    Making hot dog bun bread sticks gluten-free is especially easy to do. You can simply use gluten-free hot dug buns, and there is an equally delicious gluten-free version of the Salad Supreme Seasoning. Just be sure to always check all of your ingredient labels to ensure that they are gluten-free!

    CAN I ADD OTHER SEASONINGS?

    Yes, the choices for seasoning breadsticks are endless.

    • Some of our favorite breadstick seasonings and herbs include garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, and even rosemary.
    • You can lightly sprinkle parmesan cheese on these breadsticks before they bake, giving it plenty of time to blend with the other ingredients!
    • You can even omit the garlic seasoning and go for an entirely different flavor, such as everything bagel or sour cream ‘n’ onion breadsticks!

    Don’t be afraid to get creative when it comes to flavoring your homemade breadsticks.

    CAN I FREEZE LEFTOVER BREADSTICKS?

    Yes, you can simply bag the leftovers and place them in the freezer for a later date. Be sure to put them in a freezer bag or sealed container. You can also tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil if you don’t have any bags or containers.

    Breads & Muffins
    Italian
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  • Homemade Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips

    Homemade Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips

    How to make rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate with chocolate chips. Best with marshmallows or whipped cream; easy 3-ingredient recipe for Christmas!

    When it comes to hot chocolate, there is nothing quite as dreamy and creamy as a nice warm cup of homemade hot chocolate with chocolate chips paired with my favorite hot chocolate cookies. I’m telling you, it is the absolute BEST!

    light blue mug of hot chocolate with chocolate chips, topped with mini marshmallows, sitting on gray plate with spoon and more marshmallows

    I’ve always enjoyed Swiss Miss and homemade hot chocolate mix; but I’ll tell you what, after making this hot chocolate recipe with chocolate chips, I’m sold on this way of making my favorite wintertime treat.

    Hot cocoa with chocolate chips is very creamy and slightly thicker than regular cocoa. It’s got a richness to it that just can’t be beat.

    There’s something pretty special about replacing cocoa powder with chocolate chips. It creates a silky smooth drink that slides right down your throat and gives you a craving for more, especially if you’re a chocolate fanatic like me.

    Keep reading because I’ll share tips for making your favorite chocolate drink even tastier, with ideas for extra flavors and ingredients you can add.

    pouring creamy hot chocolate from saucepan into light blue-green cup, sitting on gray plate with mini marshmallows

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    • Whole milk
    • Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I recommend Ghirardelli. You want a good brand of chocolate. I also prefer semi-sweet; but you can use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
    • Sea salt – You can use regular table salt too.

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Saucepan – You can use a small saucepan or a medium-sized saucepan.

    Whisk and Heat-Resistant Spatula – I like to whisk everything together in the beginning, and then as it cooks, switch to my favorite spatula.

    Your Favorite Mug

    HOW TO MAKE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

    Making hot chocolate with chocolate chips is really simple and easy to do. Yet another reason why I love making this creamy hot chocolate recipe.

    1. Add the milk to a small saucepan over low to medium heat.
    whole milk in medium saucepan on stove
    1. When the milk has slightly warmed for about 2 to 3 minutes, add in the chocolate chips, whisking until melted.
    adding chocolate chips to milk in saucepan to make hot chocolate from chocolate chips
    1. Add a pinch of salt, and stir that into the mixture.
    adding salt to saucepan while making hot chocolate with chocolate chips
    1. Warm the mixture, stirring constantly, until small bubbles start to form around the edge of the liquid on the sides of the pan; but don’t let it boil, or it will very likely curdle.
    cooking homemade hot cocoa with chocolate chips in saucepan on stove

    Now you’re ready to pour your homemade hot chocolate into your favorite mug, and top it off with mini marshmallows, whipped topping, or peppermint whipped cream.

    light blue mug with creamy hot chocolate and mini marshmallows, sitting on gray plate

    CAN I USE CHOCOLATE MILK FOR HOT CHOCOLATE?

    You can use chocolate milk if you want, but it’s going to add an intense amount of chocolate flavor.

    Instead I prefer to let the chocolate chips do the work of flavoring, and that’s why I say to use a good brand of chocolate chips for making homemade hot chocolate from scratch.

    When you use a good chocolate, it’ll add a thickness, richness, and all the chocolate flavor you will ever need.

    light blue mug of hot cocoa with chocolate chips, sitting on gray plate with mini marshmallows

    IS IT BETTER TO MAKE HOT CHOCOLATE WITH MILK OR WATER?

    You can use water, which will actually allow the chocolate chips to stand out with flavor.

    But without the milk, you lose both the creaminess and richness of your hot chocolate. To me, milk is a no brainer.

    If by chance you follow a dairy-free diet, you can use a different type of milk like almond milk. And of course, you’d want to use dairy-free chocolate chips, as well.

    CAN I REPLACE CHOCOLATE CHIPS WITH CHOCOLATE BAR?

    Yes, you can use your favorite chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips. Just be sure to use the same amount of chocolate.

    creamy hot chocolate with mini marshmallows in light blue-green mug on gray plate

    WHAT CAN I ADD TO THIS HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS?

    Oh boy, the things you can add to make this recipe even more decadent and rich. Here are a few ideas…

    • I love adding a splash of vanilla extract or almond extract; I’m talking maybe 1/4 teaspoon of each. Both really enhance the flavors of the chocolate chips.
    • Instead of chocolate chips, you can use white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips (or half peanut butter, half chocolate), mint chocolate chips, etc. Oh the possibilities here!
    • Add a spicy kick to your hot chocolate… Think cinnamon or cayenne pepper.
    • If you’re into boozy drinks, add a splash of your favorite spirits.
    • Add creamer to your finished mug. I love adding a little bit of raspberry creamer to make raspberry hot chocolate. It’s so good!
    • Add in a little bit of coffee.
    • Or how about a flavored syrup, like caramel or butterscotch syrup?
    • Give it a minty flavor and festive feel with a few drops of peppermint extract.
    • Add in a touch of caramel with caramel extract.
    • If you like to top off your hot cocoa with marshmallows or whipped cream, give it a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
    • Sprinkle a few pieces of peppermint candy, or drop in a candy cane. I sometimes like to take peppermint candies and crush them up, then sprinkle them over the marshmallows.
    light blue mug of homemade hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and peppermint, sitting on gray plate

    HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER HOT CHOCOLATE

    Keep leftover hot chocolate in a pitcher with a lid or sealed container in the refrigerator. It should be consumed within 2 to 3 days.

    Can hot chocolate be reheated?

    Yes, you can reheat hot chocolate. Just be sure to heat it back up on the stove, and again, don’t let it boil.

    MORE FESTIVE BEVERAGE RECIPES:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of homemade hot chocolate with chocolate chips, with top image of hot cocoa in blue mug with mini marshmallows, crushed peppermints, and spoon; and bottom image of pouring hot chocolate into light blue-green mug from saucepan

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Homemade Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips

    How to make rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate with chocolate chips. Best with marshmallows or whipped cream; easy 3-ingredient recipe for Christmas!

    • 3-Quart Saucepan
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

    1. Add the milk to a small saucepan over low to medium heat on the stove.

    2. When the milk has slightly warmed for about 2 to 3 minutes, add in the chocolate chips, whisking until melted.
    3. Add a pinch of salt, and stir that into the mixture.

    4. Warm the mixture, stirring constantly, until small bubbles start to form around the edge of the liquid on the sides of the pan; don't let it boil, or it will very likely curdle.

    5. Pour it into your favorite mug, and top with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.

    *I recommend Ghirardelli chocolate chips. You want a good brand of chocolate. I also prefer semi-sweet; but you can use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.

    *You can use regular table salt too.

    CAN I REPLACE CHOCOLATE CHIPS WITH CHOCOLATE BAR?

    Yes, you can use your favorite chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips. Just be sure to use the same amount of chocolate.

    WHAT CAN I ADD TO THIS HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS?

    • Add a splash of vanilla extract or almond extract; I’m talking maybe 1/4 teaspoon of each. Both really enhance the flavors of the chocolate chips.
    • Instead of chocolate chips, use white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips (or half peanut butter, half chocolate), mint chocolate chips, etc.
    • Add cinnamon or cayenne pepper.
    • If you’re into boozy drinks, add a splash of your favorite spirits.
    • Add creamer to your finished mug. I love adding a little bit of raspberry creamer to make raspberry hot chocolate.
    • Add in a little bit of coffee.
    • Or how about a flavored syrup, like caramel or butterscotch syrup?
    • Give it a minty flavor and festive feel with a few drops of peppermint extract.
    • Add in a touch of caramel with caramel extract.
    • If you like to top off your hot cocoa with marshmallows or whipped cream, give it a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
    • Sprinkle a few pieces of peppermint candy, or drop in a candy cane. I like to take peppermint candies and crush them up, then sprinkle them over the marshmallows.

    HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER HOT CHOCOLATE

    Keep leftover hot chocolate in a pitcher with a lid or sealed container in the refrigerator. It should be consumed within 2 to 3 days.

    CAN HOT CHOCOLATE BE REHEATED?

    Yes, you can reheat hot chocolate. Just be sure to heat it back up on the stove, and again, don’t let it boil.

    Beverage, Drinks
    American
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  • Easy Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe the Old Fashioned Way

    Easy Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe the Old Fashioned Way

    This is absolutely my favorite stovetop apple butter recipe made the old fashioned way with fresh, crisp apples and delicious cinnamon spice. It’s my go to recipe every apple season, and while I love to can it, I include both freezing and canning instructions for whichever works best for you.

    Just a bit ago, I gave you my favorite CrockPot apple butter recipe. I’ve had a lot of readers ask for a stovetop version of both that and my quick Instant Pot apple butter recipe. So, drumroll… I leave here my best apple butter recipe, stovetop edition.

    blue Dutch oven with old-fashioned stovetop apple butter recipe and wooden spoon

    That’s right; you don’t need any special appliances to make this more traditional apple butter recipe. All you need is your stove and a stock pot or Dutch oven.

    Now as I’ve mentioned before, I do highly recommend an apple peeler for easy stovetop apple butter. It really does make the job of coring, peeling, and slicing apples so much quicker and easier.

    When I make homemade apple butter, I also like to add a secret ingredient that really adds to the flavor and gives it an even cozier feel than it already has.

    What’s the Difference Between Apple Butter and Applesauce?

    This old fashioned apple butter recipe is a mixture of apples and spices, with a texture that’s very similar to canned applesauce and Instant Pot cinnamon applesauce; but the taste is a little sweeter, a little darker, and filled with cinnamon spice flavors.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    You are going to love this easy stovetop apple butter because it…

    • Is super easy to make – Coring, peeling (if you choose to peel the apples), and slicing the apples is a job made much easier and quicker with a Johnny apple peeler. Then it’s just a matter of mixing everything together in a Dutch oven and letting it simmer, ’til it’s ready to mash up with a blender. Easy peasy.
    • Doesn’t require a ton of stirring – Once you get it cooking, you can just stir occasionally as it simmers. There’s no need to stand over the stove with this recipe.
    • Smells like heaven – I always know it’s fall when the aroma of apple butter lingers in the air. It’s such a cozy, comforting scent… Why have they not made an apple butter candle yet?
    • Tastes downright heavenly – I like to use spices like nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to really give it a delicious flavor. I also add my favorite secret ingredient (keep reading to find out what it is).
    • Is budget-friendly – Depending where you buy your apples and your spices, you can make a batch of 5-6 half-pints or 2-3 pints for less than $10. A bit of advice… I’m very partial to canning apple butter in the fall because it’s usually pretty easy to find apple seconds at a local orchard or farmer’s market. Buying seconds means you can buy a HUGE box of less-than-perfect apples for a lot less than normal cost, which is going to save you a ton of money. I also like to buy spices in bulk at our local grocery discount store and sometimes thru Amazon; I especially love Badia spices and seasonings. When you compare the cost of making homemade to store bought apple butter, you’re saving money. Plus homemade is just better all ’round. You can even use this DIY apple pie spice instead!
    ingredients for stovetop apple butter recipe on white marble countertop

    Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

    • Fresh apples – When it comes to picking the kind of apples to use, I recommend apples that are both sweet and tart to really give it a flavor kick. Some of the best apples for making apple butter include Jonathan, Jonagold, Braeburn, McIntosh Red, Winesap, Cortland, Fuji, and Gala. Jonathan and Jonagold are two of my favorites; I’ve also combined Fuji with Gala to make a really delicious apple butter.
    • Molasses – I prefer to use just regular molasses over blackstrap molasses.
    • Lemon juice – I prefer to use a fresh lemon juice, either straight from a lemon or my favorite shortcut, Minute Maid lemon juice you can find in the freezer section of some grocery stores; I’ve been able to find it at my local Walmart. There are multiple reasons for adding lemon juice to apple butter, but it’s usually to help preserve or protect the color of your apples over time (making your apple butter stay pretty), and/or to make the apple butter more acidic for home canning. Wind fallen apples (including seconds) can have a lower acidity and a higher mold/bacteria count than umblemished apples.
    • Vanilla extract – This is my secret ingredient, and you’ll understand why I add it when you take your first bite. It’s so good!

    How to Make This Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe

    Before starting anything, it’s important to wash your apples. I always soak mine in a vinegar/water bath for at least 10 minutes, then rinse. You’ll need about 4 pounds of apples.

    It’s also important to prep your jars for canning or freezing. That means washing, sterilizing, etc.

    Follow These Steps to Make This Apple Butter Recipe, Stovetop Edition

    1. Core, peel, and slice the apples; again, an apple peeler for apple butter makes this step so easy. Cut out any worm holes or bad spots, as well. Note: While I do leave the peeling on when making applesauce, and you can do that for apple butter too, I usually choose not to for this recipe.
    Johnny apple peeler for peeling, coring, and slicing apples on white countertop
    1. Put the sliced apples in your Dutch oven pan.
    peeled and sliced apples for apple butter in blue Dutch oven
    1. Add molasses, sugar, brown sugar, spices, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the apples.
    adding molasses, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and spices to sliced apples in blue Dutch oven
    1. Stir everything together well.
    stirring apple butter ingredients in blue Dutch oven with wooden spoon
    1. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; then reduce the heat to low and simmer, with the lid on the Dutch oven, for about an hour, or ’til the apples are softened and tender. How long it needs to cook will depend on the type and texture of your apples. If using a harder, crisper apple, it may take longer.
    cooking traditional apple butter recipe in blue Dutch oven with wooden spoon
    1. Remove the lid, turn off the heat, and remove your Dutch oven from the stove. Allow the apple butter to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
    2. Then using an immersion blender, blend the apples into smooth apple butter, or ’til you reach the consistency/texture you want. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor, or for a chunkier texture, a potato masher.
    blending stovetop apple butter in blue Dutch oven with immersion blender

    Freezing Instructions:

    I stored apple butter in the freezer quite a bit before I learned how to can it, so it works just fine without any worries. And frozen apple butter should keep for at least a year.

    1. When your apple butter has cooked, allow it to cool to room temperature.
    2. Then just ladle or pour it into freezer safe containers that seal; leave 1/2 inch headroom at the top, to allow for expansion as it freezes.
    3. Label the containers, and place them in the freezer.

    Canning Instructions:

    I prefer water bath canning apple butter. Canned apple butter should keep for 1-2 years in the pantry.

    1. While your apple butter is cooking, wash half-pint jars (jelly jars) or pint jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and keep warm. We like to place ours on a baking sheet in a lower temp oven to stay hot.
    2. Once you’ve mashed up the apples, promptly ladle or pour the resulting apple butter mixture into the hot jars you prepared ahead of time. This is where a funnel pitcher comes in super handy. Be sure to leave about a 1/2-inch gap at the top of each jar.
    pouring easy stovetop apple butter from funnel pitcher into jelly jar using red jar funnel and funnel pitcher
    1. Wipe the rim of each jar with a wet towel or rag, place the lid on, and tighten the band.
    2. Then place the hot jars down in a boiling hot water bath canner with 1-2 inches of water over the jars, and process those jars in the hot water bath for about 20 minutes.
    hot water bath canning jars of apple butter in water bath canner
    1. Allow your jars to rest for at least 24 hours, but be sure to check every lid to make sure it’s sealed shortly after canning.
    2. Before moving to the pantry, write what it is and the year on the lid, so you know when you made it. There are plenty of options for pretty jar labels for apple butter, and you can even turn your home canned apple butter into holiday gifts or hostess gifts.

    If you choose to can it, Ball has wonderful Canning Guides to guide you through the process. You can also consult the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.

    Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

    How do you make homemade apple butter thicker?

    After blending the apples into apple butter, you can place the apple butter back on low heat on the stove, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes to 1 hour if you want it to thicken up more. While I have never had to do this, it’s a good way to make homemade apple butter thicker.

    How should I store it?

    If you’re not freezing or canning your apple butter, it should be kept in the refrigerator. It should keep in the fridge for about 2-3 months.

    What are some ways I can use apple butter?

    I really enjoy apple butter on my toast in the mornings with breakfast. It’s also really delicious on Grandma’s biscuits and Grandma’s dinner rolls. And I especially love making my soda scones recipe and adding a dollop of apple butter on my buttered scone. So good! My friend Heather actually adds apple butter to the meatloaf in her meatloaf sandwich recipe, and I want to try this; it sounds so delicious.

    spoonful of easy old fashioned stovetop apple butter over jelly jar with drips of apple butter on rim

    MORE APPLE RECIPES:

    If you love apple recipes, you’re going to love these 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!

    Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe

    How to make the best stovetop apple butter recipe the old fashioned way with crisp apples and delicious spices. Easy freezing and canning instructions included.

    • Johnny apple peeler
    • Dutch oven
    • Immersion blender
    • Funnel pitcher
    • Canning Funnel
    • Pint jars
    • Jar Lifter
    • Hot Water Bath Canner
    • 4 pounds apples
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/4 cup molasses
    • 1/2 cup cane sugar
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1. Before starting anything, it’s important to wash your apples. I always soak mine in a vinegar/water bath for at least 10 minutes, then rinse. It’s also important to prep your jars for canning or freezing. So, that means washing, sterilizing, etc.

    2. Core, peel, and slice the apples; again, an apple peeler for apple butter makes this step so easy. Cut out any worm holes or bad spots, as well.

    3. Put the sliced apples in your Dutch oven pan.

    4. Add molasses, sugar, brown sugar, spices, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the apples.
    5. Stir everything together well.

    6. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; then reduce the heat to low and simmer, with the lid on the Dutch oven, for about an hour, or 'til the apples are softened and tender.

    7. Remove the lid, turn off the heat, and remove your Dutch oven from the stove. Allow the apple butter to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

    8. Then using an immersion blender or standing blender, blend the apples into smooth apple butter, or 'til you reach the consistency/texture you want.

    Freezing Instructions:

    1. When your apple butter has cooked, allow it to cool to room temperature.

    2. Then just ladle or pour it into freezer safe containers that seal; leave 1/2 inch headroom at the top, to allow for expansion as it freezes.

    3. Label the containers, and place them in the freezer.

    Canning Instructions:

    1. While your apple butter is cooking, wash half-pint jars (jelly jars) or pint jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and keep warm. We like to place ours on a baking sheet in a lower temp oven to stay hot.

    2. Once you've mashed up the apples, promptly ladle or pour the resulting apple butter mixture into the hot jars you prepared ahead of time. This is where a funnel pitcher comes in super handy. Be sure to leave about a 1/2-inch gap at the top of each jar.

    3. Wipe the rim of each jar with a wet towel or rag, place the lid on, and tighten the band.

    4. Then place the hot jars down in a boiling hot water bath canner with 1-2 inches of water over the jars, and process those jars in the hot water bath for about 20 minutes.

    5. Allow your jars to rest for at least 24 hours, but be sure to check every lid to make sure it's sealed shortly after canning.

    6. Before moving to the pantry, write what it is and the year on the lid, so you know when you made it.

    *How long it needs to cook will depend on the type and texture of your apples. If using a harder, crisper apple, it may take longer.

    *A hand blender (or immersion blender) really allows you to get the texture or consistency that you want. It makes it easy to purée the apples when they’ve fully cooked, without having to take them out and put them in a food processor or blender. You can just blend them up right in your cooking pot. If you like your apple butter a bit chunky, a potato masher will work well too.

    How do you make homemade apple butter thicker?

    After blending the apples into apple butter, you can place the apple butter back on low heat on the stove, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes to 1 hour if you want it to thicken up more. While I have never had to do this, it’s a good way to make homemade apple butter thicker.

    How should I store it, and how long will it last?

    • Canned apple butter will last about 2 years on the shelf.
    • Frozen apple butter will last about 1 year in the freezer.
    • In the fridge, apple butter will last about 2-3 months.
    apple recipes, Canning & Freezing
    American
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  • Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice (with Recipes)

    Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice (with Recipes)

    How to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice for all your favorite recipes and desserts, including cookies, cakes, breads, pies, and more. Easy DIY mix!

    You’re right in the middle of making Grandma’s pumpkin pie recipe, and you realize you’re completely out of pumpkin pie spice. Believe me when I say, been there done that.

    small mason jar with homemade pumpkin pie spice and small wooden spoon

    But I have a really quick and easy solution for you. Provided you already have just a handful of spices in your pantry, you can make your own pumpkin pie spice in a cinch.

    If you’ve ever smelled the scent of pumpkin pie seasoning, you can tell it contains something more than just cinnamon and allspice. In fact, if you read the label on a jar of pumpkin spice seasoning, you’ll see it contains a few very simple fall spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

    5 ingredients and 5 minutes are all it takes to make pumpkin spice mix you can use in all your favorite fall and Thanksgiving recipes.

    As long as you store your homemade pumpkin spice blend in an airtight container or spice jar that closes tight, it can last you 2 to 3 years.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    spices and seasonings used to make pumpkin spice seasoning, on white countertop with small wooden spoons and tan checkered gingham towel

    PUMPKIN SPICE INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Small Mixing Bowl and Whisk

    Airtight Container or Spice Jar – Make sure whatever you use seals well.

    Spice Labels

    HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE FROM SCRATCH

    Making homemade pumpkin pie spice is as simple, quick, and easy as whisking up your ingredients.

    1. Place the ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves in a small bowl.
    small glass bowl of pumpkin pie spice ingredients with whisk
    1. Whisk everything together until well blended.
    small glass bowl of pumpkin spice mix with whisk
    1. Then just store your homemade pumpkin spice in an airtight container or spice jar that seals well.
    make your own pumpkin pie spice in small glass spice jar with sealable lid and metal clasp

    IS HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE GLUTEN-FREE?

    Homemade pumpkin spice mix is only gluten-free if you use gluten-free spices and seasonings. There can be cross-contamination, so always make sure your ingredients are labeled gluten-free.

    WHAT FLAVORS GO WELL WITH PUMPKIN SPICE?

    A lot of ingredients pair well with this pumpkin pie spice blend.

    Think fall flavors like pumpkin (of course), apple pie spice, vanilla, cream cheese, almonds, pecans, walnuts, oats, and more.

    You might even spice things up with a little bit of Cajun spice or hot pepper blend.

    homemade pumpkin spice blend in small mason jar on white marble countertop with cinnamon sticks and small wooden spoon

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST SPICES?

    You can find good spices at just about any grocery store, including Walmart.

    Personally, I love using Badia spices and seasonings, which I order on Amazon, because all of their single spices are gluten-free (always check labels to be sure). Their spices and seasonings are excellent quality too.

    Pumpkin pie spice blend in small glass jar on white marble countertop and slice of pumpkin pie on red rimmed white plate with fork

    If you want to save money overall, buying in bulk is probably the option for you. Check local health food stores, Whole Foods, etc., because a lot of them will offer bulk spices you can go in and bag yourself. You might also check a bulk food store like Costco or Sam’s Club.

    And if you want to order bulk elsewhere online, there are many sites that carry spices, like Watkins, Frontier Co-op, and Bulk Apothecary.

    Pumpkin Spice Recipes and Desserts

    Ways to use pumpkin pie spice in your kitchen this fall, Thanksgiving, and holiday season!

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of homemade pumpkin pie spice with top image of pumpkin spice mix in small mason jar with small wooden spoon and bottom image of pumpkin spice ingredients in small glass bowl

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    Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

    How to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice for all your favorite recipes and desserts, including cookies, cakes, breads, pies, and more. Easy recipe you can make in 5 minutes with 5 simple ingredients!

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Spice Jars with Labels
    • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

    1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, 'til well blended.

    2. Store your homemade pumpkin spice in an airtight container or spice jar that seals well.

    3. Then use as needed.

    Is this gluten-free?

    Homemade pumpkin spice mix is only gluten-free if you use gluten-free spices and seasonings. There can be cross-contamination, so always make sure your ingredients are labeled gluten-free.

    Pantry Staples, Spices and Seasonings
    American
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  • Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Ground Beef Style

    Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Ground Beef Style

    How to make the best Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers, ground beef style. Easy to prep recipe for a delicious, family-friendly dinner!

    Does your family love a good Philly cheesesteak as much as my family does? My favorite are Philly cheesesteak sliders, but we enjoy making Crock Pot Philly cheesesteak and this Philly cheesesteak with hamburger.

    colorful Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers ground beef style, sprinkled with parsley, on baking sheet

    Cheesesteak stuffed peppers are a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite sandwich, only without the bread, making it a healthier option overall.

    While Philly cheesesteak peppers may seem complicated, they’re not at all.

    Basically, you just cook up the ground beef mixture and spoon it into the peppers. Then bake the peppers for a short amount of time, and voila, you’ve got dinner on the table.

    Now I like to add both provolone and Cheez Whiz to my stuffed bell peppers, but the choice is up to you, whether you add Cheez Whiz or not. My motto is, the more cheese the better.

    cheesesteak stuffed pepper with Cheez Whiz on top, on white plate with fork

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    • Bell peppers – whatever colors you want. I like to use a variety of colors when making stuffed peppers.
    • Oil of choice – You can use butter, olive oil, bacon grease, etc.
    • Garlic cloves
    • Yellow onion
    • Green bell pepper
    • Fresh mushrooms
    • Ground beef
    • Beef broth – I usually use a bullion base to make broth.
    • All-purpose flour
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Dry mustard
    • Salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Provolone cheese
    • Cheez Whiz (optional)

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Ninja Food Chopper Express or Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife

    Large Skillet and Wooden Spatula – We use our cast iron skillets for pretty much everything.

    Hamburger Chopper – This handy dandy tool makes it easy to chop up the meat into a much looser mixture.

    Baking Sheet or Baking Dish

    Whisk and Glass Measuring Cup – Great for mixing the broth and flour.

    baked Philly cheese stuffed peppers, sprinkled with parsley, on baking sheet

    HOW TO MAKE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK STUFFED PEPPERS, GROUND BEEF STYLE

    Before you really dive into the recipe, I’d suggest pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees, and wash 5 large bell peppers.

    If you need a refresher on how to cut a bell pepper, I’ve got you covered.

    Now some cooks like to boil bell peppers before stuffing them. I don’t, because I feel like it makes the peppers more mushy, and I like them to be somewhat crisp.

    However, I do like to slice them in half, remove the seeds and membranes, place them on a baking sheet, and then cook the peppers in the oven for about 20 minutes while they’re still empty. That way they start to soften just slightly, and they’re warm when I go to stuff in the meat mixture.

    MEANWHILE, COOK UP THE GROUND BEEF MIXTURE…

    Prep your minced garlic and mushrooms, as well as chopped onion and green bell pepper.

    1. Heat the oil of your choice (I prefer bacon grease) in a large skillet, on medium heat, ’til hot. Then sauté the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and green bell pepper for 5 to 8 minutes, or ’til softened.
    sautéing peppers and onions and mushrooms for cheesesteaks in cast iron skillet with wooden spatula
    1. Add the ground beef into the skillet, stirring the veggies into the meat. Cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meat is browned. Be sure to drain off any excess oil when the meat has finished cooking.
    ground beef with peppers and onions and mushrooms, cooking in cast iron skillet with wooden spatula for stirring
    1. Whisk together the beef broth and flour in a separate measuring cup.
    whisking beef broth with flour in glass Pyrex measuring cup
    1. Mix the beef broth mixture, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into the meat, stirring until combined. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
    2. Finally, top the meat with the slices of Provolone right in the skillet and let it melt. Then stir the melted cheese into the meat mixture. It will help the cheese to melt a little faster if you place a lid on the skillet.
    provolone cheese on cheesesteak ground beef mixture in cast iron skillet with wooden spatula

    HOW TO COOK CHEESESTEAK STUFFED PEPPERS

    Just spoon the meat mixture into the warmed bell pepper halves.

    spooned ground beef mixture into Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers on baking sheet

    Then bake them at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F with a meat thermometer.

    Philly cheesesteak peppers, baked and sprinkled with parsley, on baking sheet

    BEST BEEF FOR PHILLY CHEESE STUFFED PEPPERS

    While Philly cheesesteaks use, you guessed it, steak… I prefer to use ground beef when making stuffed peppers.

    Now that’s not to say you couldn’t make this recipe with ribeye, top round steak, or a good sirloin steak like we do in our more authentic and traditional Philly cheesesteak recipe; but ground beef makes a really good stuffed pepper.

    The ground meat adds a moister texture than steak. And it really meshes with the veggies and bell peppers for a delicious flavor that’s out of this world.

    HOW LONG IS A STUFFED PEPPER GOOD FOR?

    While you can make these peppers about a day ahead of time, they’ll last about 3-4 days after baking.

    Philly cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers, including green stuffed pepper, on baking sheet

    ARE STUFFED PEPPERS FREEZABLE?

    Yes, you can definitely freeze stuffed peppers.

    AFTER THEY’VE COOKED AND HAVE COOLED…

    Store them in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. You can even wrap them up individually and place them in freezer bags if you want personal sized meals for one.

    They’ll last about 3 months in the freezer.

    When you’re ready to eat the peppers, you can bake them frozen for 30 to 45 minutes or so; or you can let them thaw in the fridge for a few hours to help shorten the cook time.

    BEFORE THEY’VE BEEN COOKED…

    So while everything together is uncooked, the meat mixture still has to be cooked before freezing. And the bell peppers will need to be boiled for just a few minutes, in order to blanch them.

    After blanching, you’d need to allow the peppers to cool, then stuff them and freeze them according to the same instructions as for already cooked peppers above.

    When you’re ready to eat the peppers, you’ll need to add an extra 30 or so minutes to your recipe cook time, just to make sure they cook thru.

    orange Philly cheesesteak stuffed pepper on baking sheet

    WHAT IS A GOOD ACCOMPANIMENT TO STUFFED PEPPERS?

    We love eating stuffed peppers with baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. They also pair well with green beans or corn on the cob.

    red Philly cheesesteak stuffed pepper with ground beef, sprinkled with parsley, on white plate with fork

    MORE STUFFED BELL PEPPER RECIPES WITH GROUND BEEF:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers ground beef style, with top image of stuffed orange bell pepper and bottom image of colorful cheesesteak stuffed peppers, sprinkled with parsley, on baking sheet

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    Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers Ground Beef Style

    How to make the best Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers, ground beef style. Easy to prep recipe for a delicious, family-friendly dinner!

    • Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop with 200-Watt, 16-Ounce Bowl for Mincing, Chopping, Grinding, Blending and Meal Prep
    • The Pampered Chef Mix N Chop
    • The Great Philly Cheesesteak Book
    • AMAGARM Meat Food Thermometer for Grill and Cooking, 2S Best Ultra Fast Instant Read Waterproof Digital Kitchen Thermometer
    • Universal Lid for Pots, Pans and Skillets, Stainless Steel and Tempered Glass, Fits All 7 Inch to 12 Inch Pots and Pans
    • Lodge 13.25 Pre Seasoned Inch Cast Iron Skillet for Family Size Meals
    • 5 large bell peppers
    • 2 tablespoons bacon grease*
    • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
    • 1 large green bell pepper (chopped)
    • 4 ounces fresh mushrooms (minced)
    • 2 pounds ground beef
    • 1 cup beef broth*
    • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 4 teaspoons dry mustard
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 16 ounces provolone cheese
    • Cheez Whiz (optional)
    1. Before you dive into making this recipe, I’d suggest pre-heating your oven to 350° F, and wash 5 large bell peppers.
    2. Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membranes, place them on a baking sheet, and then cook the peppers in the oven for about 20 minutes while they’re still empty.
    3. Meanwhile, heat the oil of your choice (I prefer bacon grease) in a large skillet, on medium heat, ’til hot. Then sauté the garlic, onion, mushrooms, and green bell pepper for 5 to 8 minutes, or ’til softened.
    4. Add the ground beef into the skillet, stirring the veggies into the meat. Cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meat is browned. Be sure to drain off any excess oil when the meat has finished cooking.
    5. Whisk together the beef broth and flour in a separate measuring cup.
    6. Mix the beef broth mixture, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into the meat, stirring until combined. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
    7. Finally, top the meat with the slices of Provolone right in the skillet and let it melt. Then stir the melted cheese into the meat mixture. It will help the cheese to melt a little faster if you place a lid on the skillet.
    8. Spoon the meat mixture into the warmed bell pepper halves.
    9. Then bake them at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F with a meat thermometer.
    10. Serve the stuffed peppers while warm. Add Cheez Whiz if desired.

    *You can use butter, olive oil, bacon grease, etc.

    *I usually use a bullion base to make broth.

    HOW LONG IS A STUFFED PEPPER GOOD FOR?

    While you can make these peppers about a day ahead of time, they’ll last about 3-4 days after baking.

    ARE STUFFED PEPPERS FREEZABLE?

    Yes, you can definitely freeze stuffed peppers.

    AFTER THEY’VE COOKED AND COOLED…

    Store them in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. You can even wrap them up individually and place them in freezer bags if you want personal sized meals for one. They’ll last about 3 months in the freezer.

    When you’re ready to eat the peppers, you can bake them frozen for 30 to 45 minutes or so; or you can let them thaw in the fridge for a few hours to help shorten the cook time.

    BEFORE THEY’VE BEEN COOKED…

    The meat mixture still has to be cooked before freezing. And the bell peppers will need to be boiled for just a few minutes, in order to blanch them.

    After blanching, you need to allow the peppers to cool, then stuff them and freeze them according to the same instructions as for already cooked peppers above.

    When you’re ready to eat the peppers, you’ll need to add an extra 30 or so minutes to your recipe cook time, just to make sure they cook thru.

    main dish
    American
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  • Easy Apple Crumble without Oats

    Easy Apple Crumble without Oats

    One of my favorite things to make every fall is this easy apple crumble without oats, straight from my grandma’s recipe box. It’s amazing how good sliced apples with a cinnamon brown sugar topping can taste.

    It seems Grandma collected recipes everywhere she went; and this apple crisp without oats was no exception.

    serving of apple crumble without oats, with scoop of vanilla ice cream on white plate with fork

    As with all my favorite apple recipes, I use my favorite apple peeler tool to help me make quick work of this beloved old-fashioned apple crumble. It cores, peels, and slices the apples all in one shot.

    The streusel topping comes together in about 5-10 minutes. Made with flour, sugar, and cinnamon, you can crumble it right on top of the apples and then bake. It’s so easy! Sometimes I even mix in a pinch of homemade apple pie spice.

    While my favorite Dutch apple crumb pie involves a little more work, it’s yet another family favorite dessert this time of year. You may also enjoy stuffed pears without oats.

    [mv_video jsonLd=”true” key=”xuvexg3ryrms3tlkfue4″ ratio=”16:9″ thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1632781717/dabjdpj2wbhu7vtrk09j.jpg” title=”Easy Apple Crumble without Oats”]

    Why This Recipe Works

    • The apples alone are delicious, like warm baked cinnamon apples.
    • You don’t even need a crust for this apple crumble recipe, because you’ll crumble the crust right on top.
    • Then the butter allows that crust to melt down into the apples, giving a crispy flavorful kick to every single bite of this delicious dessert.
    ingredients for making apple crumble recipe on white marble countertop

    Ingredient Notes

    • Apples – For any kind of apple crisp, cobbler, crumble, or pie, I love using seconds; seconds are imperfect apples you can often buy cheaper and in bulk at an orchard or farmer’s market. I prefer to use Jonathan apples or Jonagold apples. Jonagolds are a cross between Jonathans and Golden Delicious, and they are so sweet, tart, and crisp. Some more of the best apples to use include Granny Smith apples, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Northern Spy. According to Bob’s Red Mill, Northern Spy is a rare apple and hard to find; but if you love apple pie, it’s definitely one you may want to hunt down.
    • All-purpose flour – You can also make this with gluten-free flour.
    • Light brown sugar – I prefer to use light over dark because of the texture and slight fluffiness it gives to the topping.
    • Salted butter – You can also use unsalted butter, if preferred; but you may want to add a bit more salt to the topping if you do.

    How to Make Apple Crumble without Oats

    This apple crisp recipe without oats is so easy to make; it involves just a few steps…

    1. Core, peel, and slice the washed apples, and add them to a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.
    3. Using a pastry blender, mix the dry ingredients with the unbeaten eggs and melted butter, forming a kind of crumble topping.
    4. Crumble the topping right over the apples.
    steps for how to make apple crumble without oats, including adding sliced apples to white baking dish, mixing dry ingredients together in mint green mixing bowl, blending eggs and melted butter with dry ingredients in mint green mixing bowl, and crumbling topping over apples in white casserole dish
    1. And that’s it. Just bake it uncovered for the first 20 minutes (at 425° F); it should be a nice golden brown. Then cover it with foil, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, ’til the apples are tender.
    2. Once you’ve removed it from the oven, allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
    easy apple crumble baked in white baking dish and scooped

    How to Serve Apple Crisp

    Serving apple crumble with vanilla ice cream is the absolute best! You can serve it with whipped cream too, but personally, I go for the ice cream every time.

    While it’s delicious when served warm from the oven, especially with a nice warm mug of coffee, it’s equally as delicious when it’s cold. So no worries if you’re making this dessert in advance.

    Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

    Is there a difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?

    Here in the States, the terms can be used interchangeably. However, most of the time a crisp involves oats; not always, but most of the time. Grandma called this an apple crisp. I’m mostly calling it an apple crumble because of the brown sugar cookie-like crisp topping and no oats. Crumble is what comes to my mind when I think about this dessert.

    Can I make it gluten-free?

    Yes, you most definitely can; in fact, I use my favorite gluten-free flour to make this recipe. Just make sure all of your other ingredients are gluten-free too.

    How should I store it?

    We usually let apple crumble sit out on the counter for 2-3 days just fine. Any longer, and you may want to throw it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this dessert, baked or unbaked. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container or baking dish, so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

    Why is my apple crumble dry?

    This particular crumble is so moist and delicious. However, I suppose it could depend on the apples you use and the cook time. It could also depend on the amount of butter you use in the recipe. 8 tablespoons seems to be the right amount of butter to give this topping the right amount of crispness and moisture that blends right in with the apples.

    Why is my crumble topping not crispy?

    This has to do with ingredient quantities. You may not have just the right ratio of flour, butter, or sugar. The light brown sugar also plays a role in giving it a crunchier texture.

    apple crisp without oats served on white plate with vanilla ice cream on top

    MORE APPLE DESSERTS AND 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!

    Apple Crumble without Oats

    How to make an easy homemade apple crumble without oats, from Grandma's recipe box. Sliced apples with the best cinnamon brown sugar topping.

    • Johnny apple peeler
    • 9×13 Baking Dish
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Whisk
    • Pastry Blender
    • 12 to 15 apples (cored, peeled, and sliced)
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup cane sugar
    • 1 cup light brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 8 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
    1. Pre-heat the oven to 425° F.

    2. Core, peel, and slice the washed apples, and add them to a greased 9×13 baking dish.

    3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.

    4. Using a pastry blender, mix the dry ingredients with the unbeaten eggs and melted butter, forming a kind of crumble topping.

    5. Crumble the topping right over the apples.

    6. Bake, uncovered, at 425° F for about 20 minutes; the crust should be a nice golden brown. Then cover with aluminum foil, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, 'til the apples are tender.

    7. Once you’ve removed it from the oven, allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

    8. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a swirl of whipped cream.

    *You can also make this with gluten-free flour.

    How should I store it?

    We usually let apple crumble sit out on the counter for 2-3 days just fine. Any longer, and you may want to throw it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this dessert, baked or unbaked. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container or baking dish, so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

    Desserts, Pies & Pastries
    American
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  • Easy CrockPot Apple Butter Recipe

    Easy CrockPot Apple Butter Recipe

    How to make homemade CrockPot apple butter filled with cinnamon spice flavors! Easy slow cooker recipe perfect for canning or freezing.

    Every year in August and September, I love to make apple butter. So far I’ve written an Instant Pot apple butter recipe; and now I’m sharing how to make apple butter in a CrockPot.

    While I normally like to wait for Jonathan or JonaGold seconds in the fall, I used a mix of Gala and Fuji for this batch, since it’s all I could find. And I have to say, they made a really delicious homemade apple butter. I’d go so far as to say it’s been my best batch yet.

    tiny wooden spoon in jar of CrockPot apple butter with apple butter dripping down side of jar

    There’s not a whole lot of work to this recipe, besides peeling and slicing the apples. And even that’s made easy with the apple peeler/slicer/corer I prefer to use; it makes the job a whole lot quicker and easier.

    I love eating slow cooker apple butter on my toast in the mornings at breakfast; it’s perfectly delicious on Grandma’s homemade biscuits too.

    If you’re wondering whether or not I’ve made a stovetop version of apple butter, fret no more. You now have your choice of how to make it, including a delicious stovetop apple butter.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    spreading homemade apple butter on toast with butter knife, on gray plate

    WONDERING, “WHAT IS APPLE BUTTER?” HERE’S THE ANSWER!

    According to Wikipedia, “Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown.”

    Apple butter is a mixture of apples and spices, very similar to applesauce and cinnamon applesauce, but a little sweeter, a little darker, and filled with cinnamon spice flavors.

    For this recipe, we use spices like nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. You could also use homemade apple pie spice. And we put everything in the slow cooker and slow cook it for 6 to 8 hours.

    slow cooker apple butter in jelly jar with small wooden spoon

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer – I’m telling you, this tool is so worth every penny we spent at the thrift store, but I’d order one brand new too. My advice is to go with the one that clamps to your tabletop versus the apple peeler with a suction cup.

    Paring Knife and Cutting Board – for trimming off any bad spots or slicing the apples.

    Slow Cooker – Mine is a 7-quart Crock-Pot slow cooker.

    Immersion Blender or Potato Masher – This will allow you to get the texture or consistency that you want. An immersion blender makes it easy to purée the apples when they’ve fully cooked, without having to take them out and put them in a food processor or blender. You can just blend them up right in the CrockPot.

    Jar Funnel for canning apple butter – This helps to pour the apple butter into the jars without making a huge mess.

    Ladle or Cupcake Scoop or Funnel Pitcher – to pour the apple butter into the jars.

    Jars – You can use 4-ounce jelly jars or pint jars. I’ve found 8-ounce jelly jars are just the right size for us with the amount of jam and apple butter we eat in a 3-week period. If you already have jars, you may need new lids or a pack of lids and bands.

    Water Bath Canner or Pressure Canner and Cooker

    Sharpie and/or Jar Labels – so you can label your jars and know what it is and when you made this particular batch.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST APPLES FOR APPLE BUTTER?

    Fall is the best time to find apples, but you can use any apples you can get, whether you’re shopping at an orchard, a farmer’s market, or buying store bought apples.

    However, in the fall, you can usually buy seconds at just about any orchard, and sometimes at the farmer’s market. Meaning you can buy a HUGE box of apples for a lot less than normal cost, which is going to save you a ton of money.

    Now I will say… It takes a LOT of apples to get very little apple juice, apple jelly, apple butter, or homemade applesauce. But in my opinion, it’s totally worth it.

    toast on gray plate, spread with easy homemade apple butter, jar of apple butter and butter knife behind toast

    WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES TO USE?

    There are certain types of apples that are sweeter and certain types of apples that have a more tart taste. Galas and Fujis are sweeter with a slightly tart taste.

    The best apples for apple butter may include:

    • Jonathan
    • Jonagold
    • Braeburn
    • Fuji
    • Gala
    • McIntosh Red
    • Cortland
    • Winesap

    HOW TO MAKE APPLE BUTTER IN A CROCKPOT

    You can make this recipe on the stovetop, and you can even make it in the Instant Pot. Of course, cooking times will differ.

    Before starting anything, it’s important to wash your apples. I usually like to soak mine in a vinegar/water bath for at least 10 minutes, then rinse.

    You’ll need 4 pounds of apples.

    It’s also important to prep your jars for canning or freezing.

    THEN JUST FOLLOW THESE STEPS…

    1. Core, peel, and slice the apples; again, an apple slicer, corer, parer for apple butter makes this step so easy. Cut out any bad spots, as well. Note: While I do leave the peeling on when making homemade applesauce, and you can do that for apple butter too, I chose not to for this recipe.
    2. Put the sliced apples in the slow cooker.
    3. Add molasses, sugar, brown sugar, spices, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the apples.
    4. Stir everything together well.
    steps for how to make apple butter in a CrockPot, including coring, peeling, and slicing the apples; placing apples in slow cooker; adding ingredients with apples; and stirring everything together in CrockPot

    Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, or ’til the apples are tender.

    HOW TO MAKE APPLE BUTTER SMOOTH

    Once your apples are tender and it’s fully cooked, it’s ready to blend.

    cooked and tender apples in black slow cooker, ready to blend into apple butter

    Uncover your slow cooker, and use an immersion blender to purée the apple butter ’til it’s smooth. If you feel it needs to thicken, you can cook it on high with the lid off for an additional hour.

    blending up slow cooker apple butter with immersion blender right in black CrockPot slow cooker

    TIPS FOR FREEZING OR CANNING APPLE BUTTER

    Using a jar funnel, pour the apple butter into each prepared jar… You can use a ladle, but I like to use my cupcake batter scoop or funnel pitcher to dip and pour. It makes the process so easy and less messy.

    pouring CrockPot apple butter into 8-ounce jelly jars for canning

    Wipe the top rim of each jar with a wet towel or rag, place the lid on, and tighten the band.

    Choose to can or freeze it…

    • You can freeze apple butter, but be sure to leave about a 1/2-inch gap at the top of each jar to allow for expansion in the freezer. Also, allow the jars to completely cool before placing in the freezer.
    • We prefer to use a hot water bath canning method (at least 15 minutes in a hot water bath) to can the apple butter. If you choose to can it, Ball has wonderful Canning Guides to guide you through the process. You can also consult the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.
    canning homemade apple butter in hot water bath in large enamel water bath canner

    Before you put your apple butter in the freezer or the pantry, be sure to write what it is and the year on the lid, so you know when you made it. There are plenty of options for pretty jar labels for apple butter too.

    This recipe makes probably about 4-6 pints.

    spoonful of easy CrockPot apple butter over jar with drips down side

    HOW LONG WILL APPLE BUTTER LAST?

    Canned apple butter will last about 2 years; frozen apple butter will last about 1 year.

    MORE APPLE RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of CrockPot apple butter with text, including top image of apple butter in jar with small wooden spoon and bottom image of slow cooker apple butter spreading on toast with butter knife

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Easy CrockPot Apple Butter Recipe

    How to make homemade CrockPot apple butter filled with cinnamon spice flavors! Easy slow cooker recipe perfect for canning or freezing.

    • Johnny Apple Peeler Cast Iron Clamp Base, Apple Slicer, Corer, Parer & Pie maker, Red
    • Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender
    • 1.5″ Homemade with Love Canning Labels for Jars / 500 Labels Per Roll
    • Mason Jars 8 OZ with Regular Lids, 15 PACK
    • Granite Ware Enamel-on-Steel Canning Kit, 9-Piece
    • All American Canner Pressure Cooker, 30 qt, Silver
    • 4 pounds apples
    • 1/4 cup molasses
    • 1/2 cup pure cane sugar*
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1. Before starting anything, it’s important to wash your apples. I usually like to soak mine in a vinegar/water bath for at least 10 minutes, then rinse.
    2. It’s also important to prep and sterilize your jars for canning or freezing.
    3. Core, peel, and slice the apples; an apple slicer, corer, parer for apple butter makes this step so easy. Cut out any bad spots, as well. Note: While I do leave the peeling on when making applesauce, and you can do that for apple butter too, I chose not to for this recipe.
    4. Put the sliced apples in the slow cooker.
    5. Add molasses, sugar, brown sugar, spices, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the apples.
    6. Stir everything together well.
    7. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, or ’til the apples are tender.
    8. Once your apples are tender and it’s fully cooked, uncover your slow cooker, and use an immersion blender to purée the apple butter ’til it’s smooth. At this point, if you feel it needs to thicken, you can cook it on high with the lid off for an additional hour.
    9. Using a jar funnel, pour the apple butter into each prepared jar… You can use a ladle, but I like to use my funnel pitcher or cupcake batter scoop to dip and pour. It makes the process so easy and less messy.
    10. Wipe the top rim of each jar with a wet towel or rag, place the lid on, and tighten the band.
    11. You can freeze apple butter, but be sure to leave about a 1/2-inch gap at the top of each jar to allow for expansion in the freezer. Also, allow the jars to completely cool before placing in the freezer.
    12. We prefer to use a hot water bath canning method to can the apple butter, immersing the closed jars in boiling water for at least 15 minutes. If you choose to can it, Ball has wonderful Canning Guides to guide you through the process. You can also consult the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.
    13. Before you put your apple butter in the freezer or the pantry, be sure to write what it is and the year on the lid, so you know when you made it.

    *You can also use granulated sugar.

    You can make this recipe on the stovetop, and you can even make it in the Instant Pot. Of course, cooking times will differ.

    Canned apple butter will last about 2 years; frozen apple butter will last about 1 year.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST APPLES FOR APPLE BUTTER?

    Fall is the best time to find apples, but you can use any apples you can get, whether you’re shopping at an orchard, a farmer’s market, or buying store bought apples.

    However, in the fall, you can usually buy seconds at just about any orchard, and sometimes at the farmer’s market. Meaning you can buy a HUGE box of apples for a lot less than normal cost, which is going to save you a ton of money.

    WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES TO USE?

    There are certain types of apples that are sweeter and certain types of apples that have a more tart taste. Galas and Fujis are sweeter with a slightly tart taste.

    The best apples for apple butter may include:

    • Jonathan
    • Jonagold
    • Braeburn
    • Fuji
    • Gala
    • McIntosh Red
    • Cortland
    • Winesap
    Canning & Freezing
    American
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  • Red White and Blue Poke Cake with Sprinkles

    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.

    slice of red white and blue poke cake with whipped cream and sprinkles on white plate with fork

    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.

    sliced 4th of July poke cake in blue baking dish

    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.
    mixing cake mix with water, eggs, and canola oil in metal KitchenAid mixing bowl
    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.
    white cake batter in 9x13 baking dish on white marble countertop
    1. When the cake is fully baked, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
    white cake baked in 9x13 baking dish
    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.
    stirring berry blue Jello in glass Pyrex measuring cup with fork
    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.
    stirring red strawberry Jello in funnel pitcher with fork
    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.
    poking poke cake with fork in 9x13 baking dish
    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.
    red white and blue Jello cake with red and blue Jello soaking into cake in baking dish
    1. Allow the cake to cool completely.
    2. Then spread Cool Whip or whipped topping over the top of the entire cake.
    spreading Cool Whip whipped topping with spatula over top of patriotic poke cake in baking dish
    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.
    4th of July poke cake covered in whipped topping and mini star sprinkles, sliced in blue baking dish

    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.

    slice of red white and blue patriotic poke cake on white plate with fork

    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.
    red white and blue Fourth of July poke cake with bite taken out with fork on white plate

    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
    1. Pre-heat your oven to 350° F, or whatever temperature it says on your specific cake mix box.
    2. Mix together the cake mix, water, eggs, and canola oil.

    3. Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan, and bake according to the package directions on your cake mix.

    4. When the cake is fully baked, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.

    8. 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.

    9. Allow the cake to cool completely.
    10. Then spread Cool Whip or whipped topping over the top of the entire cake.
    11. Chill the cake for at least 4 hours, or better yet overnight, before serving.

    12. 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
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  • Delicious Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

    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.

    slice of blueberry cream cheese pie with blueberries on top on white plate with fork

    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.

    [mv_video doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement=”false” doNotOptimizePlacement=”false” jsonLd=”true” key=”l6hsp6zlluwl1uqoiby1″ sticky=”false” thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1591223513/xjmvnrzvlzhcp9mnrzhk.jpg” title=”Delicious Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie” volume=”70″]

    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.

    bite of blueberry cream pie on fork, with slice and fresh blueberries on white plate

    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.

    blueberry pie sliced and served on white plate with fresh blueberries and a fork, along with a jar of milk

    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.

    blueberry purée in blender pitcher

    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.
    8 steps for how to make blueberry cream cheese pie, including whisking corn starch and water, then mixing with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon in saucepan; adding blueberry purée and whole blueberries to saucepan, cooking blueberry pie filling in saucepan 'til thickened; cooling pie filling; cream cheese and powdered sugar in green mixing bowl; cream cheese filling in pie crust, and blueberry pie filling on top of cream cheese filling in pie plate

    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!

    bite out of cream cheese blueberry pie slice on white plate with fork and fresh blueberries

    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.

    slice of blueberry cream pie on white plate with fresh blueberries and a fork

    MORE CREAM CHEESE DESSERTS:

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

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

    double image of blueberry cream cheese pie with text; top image is slide of pie on white plate; bottom image is bite taken out of pie on white plate with fork

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    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
    1. 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.
    2. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the water and corn starch first. This will ensure no lumps in your pie filling.
    3. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the corn starch mixture with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon.
    4. 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.
    5. Cook the entire mixture for about 10-15 minutes, bringing it to a slow boil, stirring constantly ’til the mixture begins to thicken.
    6. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Sometimes I even stick it in the fridge to cool more quickly.
    7. Meanwhile in a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk.
    8. Spread the cream cheese filling in the cooled and prepared pie crust.
    9. Top the cream cheese filling with the cooled blueberry pie filling.
    10. Cover and chill the pie for at least 1-2 hours, or overnight.
    11. 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
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  • Easy CrockPot Baked Beans with Bacon

    Easy CrockPot Baked Beans with Bacon

    Stir up an easy recipe for CrockPot baked beans in your slow cooker. Made from scratch with brown sugar and bacon, they’re the ultimate side for a crowd!

    I remember many a family dinner and church potluck, and there was always a big pot of homemade baked beans at every one.

    CrockPot baked beans in white slow cooker and dished out in gray bowl on wooden countertop with light teal kitchen towel and serving spoon

    Whether you’re feeding a crowd with a backyard bbq or just feeding your own family, slow cooker baked beans make the perfect side dish. They pair deliciously well with bacon cheeseburgers and grilled Chicago dogs, slow cooker sloppy joes, crispy baked chicken legs, meatloaf muffins or your roasted turkey at Thanksgiving.

    Now with this particular recipe, I choose to use brown sugar and honey as my sweeteners. I know some recipes call for molasses.

    I also like to add hot dogs, but hot dogs are totally optional. My boys love hot dogs, so a pot of homemade beanie weenies is a big hit. You can also just serve CrockPot hot dogs on the side…

    And then there’s the bacon. You can’t make baked beans without crumbled bacon; it just adds so much flavor, almost a smoky flavor to the beans.

    WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?

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

    WHAT TYPE OF BEANS ARE USED FOR BAKED BEANS?

    Before we go over the ingredients, let’s talk about the beans.

    You can use dried beans that have been soaked, or you can use canned beans. I wanted this to be an easy baked beans recipe, so I made CrockPot baked beans with canned beans.

    close up picture of slow cooker baked beans with spoon

    I like to start with a base of pork and beans for added flavor. And then add in both red kidney beans and chili beans.

    You can also use Great Northern or Navy beans. Some cooks like to use pinto beans or cannellini beans, as well.

    INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

    • Bacon
    • Yellow onion
    • Red kidney beans
    • Pork and Beans
    • Spicy or mild chili beans
    • Hot dogs (optional)
    • Ketchup
    • Yellow mustard
    • Brown sugar
    • Honey
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

    ingredients for baked beans in various bowls on wooden cutting board, including pork and beans, red kidney beans, chili beans, hot dogs, bacon, brown sugar, yellow onion, honey, ketchup, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper

    KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:

    CrockPot or Slow Cooker

    Large Skillet

    Can Colander – This makes it super easy to drain and rinse those kidney beans without having to get out the big strainer.

    HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT BAKED BEANS FROM SCRATCH

    Before you heat up your CrockPot, gather all of your ingredients and prep them for your recipe. This means you’ll need to dice up the onion and slice the bacon into crumble-sized pieces.

    Then add the bacon and onions to a large skillet, and cook both ’til crispy. Drain and set aside.

    cooked and crumbled bacon and chopped onion in large skillet

    Now follow these steps…

    1. Rinse and drain the kidney beans, and add them to the CrockPot. Also, add the pork and beans, as well as the chili beans.
    2. If you want to add hot dogs, slice them and stir them into the beans.
    3. Stir in ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, honey, and salt and pepper to taste.
    4. Then stir in the crispy bacon and onions.
    steps for how to make CrockPot baked beans in gray slow cooker, including adding beans, hot dogs, condiments and seasonings, and bacon and onions

    Cover your slow cooker and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low, stirring occasionally.

    Once they are done cooking and dinner is ready, you can serve them immediately, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

    There is nothing quite like a big spoonful of CrockPot baked beans with bacon. So, so good and so much flavor!

    spoonful of CrockPot baked beans with bacon and hot dogs over gray slow cooker

    BAKED BEAN FLAVOR ALTERNATIVES AND COMBOS

    There are so many things you can do with baked beans to make them unique and give them a different flavor. Some of those options might include…

    • Instead of bacon, add a different meat. Maybe try ham, smoked sausage, ground beef, or pulled pork.
    • Use molasses in place of brown sugar and honey, or just in place of the honey (and keep the brown sugar). If you want the sweetness to have a spicy kick, try Hot Honey.
    • Add a little bit of Worcestershire sauce.
    • If you want more smoky flavor, add a little bit of Liquid Smoke.
    • Add smaller chunks of pineapple for a hint of sweetness.
    • Substitute bbq sauce for all or part of the ketchup.
    • Want more spice? Add a little hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or jalapeño pepper.
    • Speaking of peppers, try adding some minced bell pepper for added fresh flavor.
    gray bowl full of homemade baked beans on wooden countertop with light teal kitchen towel and large holed serving spoon

    CAN YOU FREEZE SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS?

    Yes, you can freeze baked beans for up to about 6 months. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container so they don’t get freezer burn.

    MORE SIDE DISH RECIPES:

    These are just a handful of side dishes that pair really well with baked beans.

    GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE

    If you love this delicious comfort food side dish as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest!

    CrockPot Baked Beans Recipe

    CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates!

    Easy CrockPot Baked Beans with Bacon

    Stir up an easy recipe for CrockPot baked beans in your slow cooker. Made from scratch with brown sugar and bacon, they're the ultimate side for a crowd!

    • Prepworks by Progressive Can Colander , Can Strainer, Vegetable and Fruit Can Strainer, No-Mess Tuna Can Strainer
    • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned with Silicone Hot Handle Holder , 10.25 Inch
    • Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker
    • 8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
    • 1/2 cup yellow onion (diced)
    • 16 ounces 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
    • 22 ounces 2 cans pork and beans
    • 15.5 ounces 1 can chili beans, mild or spicy
    • 4 hot dogs (optional)
    • 1/2 cup ketchup
    • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup honey
    • Salt and pepper (to taste)
    1. Dice the onion, and slice the bacon into crumble-sized pieces. Then add the bacon and onions to a large skillet, and cook both ’til crispy; drain and set aside.
    2. Rinse and drain the kidney beans, and add them to the CrockPot.
    3. Add the pork and beans, as well as the chili beans (but do not rinse).
    4. If you want to add hot dogs, slice them and stir them into the beans.
    5. Stir in ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, honey, and salt and pepper to taste.
    6. Then stir in the crispy bacon and onions.
    7. Cover your slow cooker and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low, stirring occasionally.
    8. Once they are done cooking and dinner is ready, you can serve them immediately, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

    WHAT TYPE OF BEANS ARE USED FOR BAKED BEANS?

    You can use dried beans that have been soaked, or you can use canned beans. I wanted this to be an easy baked beans recipe, so I made CrockPot baked beans with canned beans. I like to start with a base of pork and beans for added flavor. And then add in both red kidney beans and chili beans. You can also use Great Northern or Navy beans. Some cooks like to use pinto beans or cannellini beans, as well.

    BAKED BEAN FLAVOR ALTERNATIVES AND COMBOS

    There are so many things you can do to baked beans to make them unique and give them a different flavor. Some of those options might include…

    • Instead of bacon, add a different meat. Maybe try ham, smoked sausage, ground beef, or pulled pork.
    • Use molasses in place of brown sugar and honey, or just in place of the honey (and keep the brown sugar). If you want the sweetness to have a spicy kick, try Hot Honey.
    • Add a little bit of Worcestershire sauce.
    • If you want more smoky flavor, add a little bit of Liquid Smoke.
    • Add smaller chunks of pineapple for a hint of sweetness.
    • Substitute bbq sauce for all or part of the ketchup.
    • Want more spice? Add a little hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or jalapeño pepper.
    • Speaking of peppers, try adding some minced bell pepper for added fresh flavor.

    CAN YOU FREEZE SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS?

    Yes, you can freeze baked beans for up to about 6 months. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container so they don’t get freezer burn.

    Side Dish
    American
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  • Easy Instant Pot Sausage and Rice (Recipe + Video)

    Easy Instant Pot Sausage and Rice (Recipe + Video)

    Whip up quick and easy Instant Pot sausage and rice for dinner tonight. It’s a hearty one dish recipe you can throw together in minutes and a flavorful weeknight meal everyone will enjoy!

    Don’t you just love it when you can combine 2 or 3 of your favorite foods and create a dish that’s so full of flavor, you want to have it for dinner every night? That’s how this Instant Pot smoked sausage and rice recipe is for me.

    decorative blue bowl with Instant Pot sausage and rice, with green peas, sitting on wooden countertop on gray linen

    I have always loved smoked sausage. When you combine it with rice (or cauliflower rice), onion, garlic, certain spices like smoked paprika, and a dash of green peas, you’ve got a blue ribbon dinner winner.

    Now I do like to use regular white rice, but as I’ve told you before, I have a low carber in the house. So he’ll sometimes make this one pot meal with cauliflower rice, if he even wants any rice at all.

    If you love this Instant Pot kielbasa and rice dish, check out another one-pot meal my family loves, sausage and chicken casserole, also made in the Instant Pot.

    Why You’ll Love This Easy Dinner Recipe

    • This is a delicious dump and go meal, and it really reminds me of a good Cajun dish like this jambalaya recipe, but without all the other ingredients. The smoked paprika gives this a real kick in flavor.
    • This flavorful rice is quick and easy, even with cooking time, and your Instant Pot does the main work for you. I love a good quick meal.
    • It’s a budget-friendly meal. Depending what you already have on hand, this dish can be made for around $5-10, and it can easily feed 5 people.
    • It’s a one pot meal, a rice casserole, per sé. You get your meat, veggies, and carb all in one hearty dish.
    • It’s kid-friendly, a great recipe for kids to help you make.
    Instant Pot kielbasa and rice with peas and wooden spoon in pressure cooker

    Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

    To make this sausage and rice Instant Pot recipe, you’ll need to gather a few simple ingredients…

    • Olive Oil
    • Garlic Cloves – An easy way to add the garlic is to just used already minced garlic you can find in the produce section at the grocery store.
    • Yellow Onion – While you can use sweet onion, I find the yellow onion gives a nice kick; and this dish has enough carbs (with the rice) without added sugar.
    • Sausage Link – I love to use smoked sausage, usually beef smoked sausage, and Polish sausages. You can get great flavor by using kielbasa, andouille sausage, smoked chorizo, etc. You can also use turkey sausage or chicken sausage. Do keep in mind that if you’re trying to make this gluten-free, be sure to look for sausage labeled gluten-free; you’d be surprised at some of the things that do actually contain gluten.
    • Salt and Ground Black Pepper
    • Smoked Paprika – This is my “not so secret” ingredient that adds spice, smoky flavor, and a kick. Without it, this dish just wouldn’t be the same. It is a wonderful seasoning for so many things and just adds a lot of flavor. Again, be sure to look for the gluten-free label if making this gluten-free.
    • Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock – You can mix up bullion or use ready-made broth or chicken stock; however, if you’re making this gluten-free, be sure to check your labels.
    • White Rice – When it comes to the type of rice, I suggest using long grain rice. We prefer to use a long grain rice to make pressure cooker sausage and rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are more great examples of long grain rice. The reason I prefer long grain rice is because it really fluffs up after cooking, and it won’t be so moist; it’ll have a drier texture to it, so it doesn’t just clump up into heaps of cooked rice. You can also make this recipe with brown rice or cauliflower rice, but keep in mind that it will change the texture and taste of the finished dish.
    • Frozen Peas – Just be sure to thaw them. You can also add in other veggies, things like bell peppers, green beans, corn, etc.

    Let’s Talk about the Instant Pot for a Second

    If you haven’t used an Instant Pot for pressure cooking, you’re in for a meal making treat. The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker that allows you to make so many things quickly and easily.

    I love using mine to make one pot dinners and weeknight meals, especially when we’re super busy and just don’t have a lot of time to cook. One pot Instant Pot dinners are the absolute best!

    Not sure how to use your Instant Pot? You’re not alone; I have a lot of friends and readers who’ve ordered one but but have yet to get it out of the box and actually use it. But I’ve got ya covered with my quick and easy Instant Pot guide.

    How to Make Instant Pot Sausage and Rice

    Before you even heat up your Instant Pot, be sure to prep your ingredients and have them ready to go. This means go ahead and mince up your garlic and onion, slice the sausage, and make chicken broth if you’re not using already made broth.

    I’ve used both my 6-quart Instant Pot and 8-quart Instant Pot to make this recipe.

    Just follow these steps…

    1. Press “Sauté” on your Instant Pot, and once it’s heated up, add the olive oil, garlic, and onion, sautéing ’til they become soft and slightly browned.
    2. Add in the sausage slices with the browned bits, and brown for a good 1 to 2 minutes.
    3. Then sprinkle in the seasonings, and add the rice and chicken broth, mixing everything together.
    4. Place the lid on your Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure, with a cooking time of 5 minutes. Allow it to do a natural release, not a quick release.
    5. Once it’s released, go ahead and remove the lid, and stir in the thawed peas. Put the lid back on, and allow those peas to warm for about 5 minutes. No need to turn on the pot; just let everything sit in its own warmth.
    6. Then stir and fluff the rice, and serve it up!
    steps for how to make Instant Pot kielbasa and rice in Instant Pot, first sautéing onions and garlic, then adding sliced sausage, then adding in chicken broth and rice, pressure cooker set to 5 minutes cook time, adding in peas, and fluffing rice after cooked

    It’s such an easy meal to make, and definitely one your family will love!

    wooden spoonful of Instant Pot smoked sausage and rice with green peas over pressure cooker full of rice

    Recipe Variations

    Here are a few ideas and ways you can switch up this Instant Pot rice and sausage recipe to make it even more fun…

    • Add bell peppers. Bell pepper, including green pepper and red bell pepper, gives excellent flavor to just about any dish.
    • To give it a kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
    • Try different seasonings. If you want it to have a Tex-Mex feel, try adding taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. If you want Instant Pot Cajun sausage and rice, try adding Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning. If you want more of a Chinese sausage dish, you can try adding soy sauce.
    • Speaking of Tex-Mex, add salsa to the mix, or picante sauce, or better yet, a green salsa.
    • Make it cheesy by adding either some shredded cheese, or a can of cheddar soup.
    • Try making it with other types of meat… Maybe ground sausage or ground beef, bits of steak, chicken, or shrimp.
    • Sprinkle green onions on top of each serving as you dish it out.
    forkful of smoked sausage and rice, with green peas, in blue and red decorative bowl on wooden countertop with gray linen

    Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

    Can you double the recipe?

    Sure you can! You can double or even triple the recipe, as long as your Instant Pot is big enough to hold all the ingredients. This recipe makes enough to feed about 5 people. So if you have a crowd of 10 or more, feel free to increase as needed.

    What if you get a burn message or burn notice?

    Thankfully, this hasn’t happened when we’ve made this recipe, but different brands and types of pressure cookers may differ. A burn notice can also happen when cooking something more dense and starchy like rice, if it sticks to the bottom of the pot. So to avoid that ominous burn message, avoid stirring everything together when you add the chicken broth. Just make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid, so it will cook properly. Then put the lid on, and pressure cook as instructed.

    How should you store leftovers?

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge; leftovers should keep for 3-5 days in the fridge. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet.

    Can you freeze sausage and rice?

    Yes, you can make smoked sausage with rice ahead of time and freeze it. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

    blue bowl full of pressure cooker sausage and rice with green peas, on wooden countertop with red and white striped kitchen towel

    More Instant Pot Dinners You Can Make in a Jiffy

    If you love this Instant Pot sausage and rice as much as we do, you’re going to love these other Instant Pot recipes you can make 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!

    Instant Pot Sausage and Rice

    Quick and easy Instant Pot sausage and rice. Hearty one dish recipe you can throw together in minutes. Flavorful weeknight meal everyone will enjoy!

    • 6-Qt. Instant Pot
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Cutting Board
    • Chef's Knife
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1 medium yellow onion (minced)
    • 1 pound sliced sausage link*
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup long grain rice*
    • 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
    1. Before you even heat up your Instant Pot, be sure to prep your ingredients and have them ready to go.

    2. Press “Sauté” on your Instant Pot.

    3. Once it's heated up, add the olive oil, garlic, and onion, sautéing 'til they become soft and slightly browned.

    4. Add in the sausage slices with the browned bits, and brown for a good 1 to 2 minutes.

    5. Then sprinkle in the seasonings, and add the rice and chicken broth, mixing everything together.
    6. Place the lid on your Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” with a cook time of 5 minutes. Allow it to do a natural release.
    7. Once it’s released, go ahead and remove the lid, and stir in the thawed peas. Put the lid back on, and allow those peas to warm for about 5 minutes. No need to turn on the pot; just let everything sit in its own warmth.
    8. Then stir and fluff the rice, and serve it up!

    *I love to use smoked sausage, usually beef smoked sausage. You can also get great flavor by using kielbasa, andouille sausage, etc.

    *We prefer to use a long grain rice to make pressure cooker sausage and rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are more great examples of long grain rice. The reason I prefer long grain rice is because it really fluffs up after cooking, and it won’t be so moist; it’ll have a drier texture to it, so it doesn’t just clump up into heaps of cooked rice. You can also make this recipe with brown rice or cauliflower rice, but keep in mind that it will change the texture and taste of the finished dish.

    What If You Get a Burn Message?

    To avoid that ominous burn message, you may want to avoid stirring everything together when you add the chicken broth. Just make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid, so it will cook properly.

    dinner
    American
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