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Taco Chicken Casserole

Taco Chicken Casserole

Taco Chicken Casserole: Shredded chicken, Rotel, black beans, rice, corn, cheese, tomatoes, and a few other fresh, flavorful ingredients make this easy chicken taco bake a must try!

This Taco Chicken Casserole is quick and easy to make, making it the perfect easy weeknight meal. (Well, and this chicken tater tot casserole too.)

A wood spoon scooping taco chicken casserole out of the casserole dish. You can see that the cheese is melted and stringy.

Don’t have any shredded chicken on hand? Follow my foolproof method to make easy shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Or you can grab a rotisserie chicken and shred that if you’re in a hurry! Don’t throw away the bones and skin though! Save it and make this delicious rotisserie chicken broth to use in other recipes!

Want more tomato-cheese goodness? Rotel Pasta gives you a hit of spice with the same taco-type flavors.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Can I tell you a secret? I LOVE a good taco. Ok, that’s not actually much of a secret because I think I’ve said that a few times on here before and we have just a few different taco-inspired recipes (like a taco soup…and a taco pasta recipe…). Anything taco-related is a hit at our dinner table.

I especially love when you take all the flavors and fixings of a taco and put it in an easy-to-make (and easy-to-eat – my tacos always fall apart all over my plate anyhow) format like this easy chicken taco casserole!

And as an added bonus, this recipe is a great way to use up any leftover slow cooker shredded chicken you might have in the fridge, if you’re not going to make this crispy chicken tacos recipe.

Tip: I find the best way to meal prep is to make a big batch of protein early in the week and use it for multiple recipes in these ground beef dinners throughout the week (like how I sometimes make ground beef for tacos early in the week and then use it in creative ways over the next few days – I have a whole post about what to do with leftover taco meat!). 

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Ingredients

There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, but none of them are hard to find or fancy. You can grab all of these from your local grocery store, but most of them are probably kicking around in your fridge or pantry already!

  • 2 cups slow cooked shredded chicken, cooked
  • 1 – 10 ounce can Rotel
  • 1 cup black beans, cooked
  • 1 cup white rice, cooked
  • ½ cup sweet corn, cooked
  • 1 package taco seasoning (We love using this container of taco seasoning or this chicken taco seasoning recipe.)
  • 2 cups colby jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 cup tortilla chips, broken into large crumbles
  • ¼ cup black olives, sliced
  • cilantro, diced (for garnish)
  • sour cream, as a topping if desired
  • taco sauce, as a topping if desired

The ingredients in this recipe are similar to this hot taco dip recipe!

The ingredients for taco chicken casserole on a counter with labels on the image.

There’s a printable recipe card farther down in this post with quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl combine the 2 cups of chicken, Rotel, black beans, rice, corn, and taco seasoning.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Mix the first 6 ingredients together.
  1. Add combined ingredients to a 9×13 casserole dish.
The mixed ingredients spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish.
Spread into a 9×13 pan.
  1. Evenly spread the Colby jack cheese over the chicken mixture in your casserole dish.
Colby Jack cheese spread evenly over the 9x13 pan of ingredients.
Cover with cheese.
  1. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
The baked casserole with the cheese on top looking melted.
Bake 30 mins, till cheese bubbles.
  1. Remove the casserole from the oven and top with largely crumbled tortilla chips, avocado, tomato, and black olives.
The 9x13 tray of garnished chicken taco casserole sitting next to a plate and cutlery.
Add toppings & enjoy!
  1. Garnish with cilantro and serve with taco sauce and/or sour cream if you prefer, and serve warm.

Substitutions & Variations

Much like tacos themselves, this casserole can be customized in SO many ways!

  • Cheese – instead of colby jack, try experimenting with a sharp cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, or your other favorite cheese. You could even stir an extra ½ cup of cheese into the casserole and then top it with the remaining cheese for a super cheesy taco chicken casserole with rice.
  • Switch Toppings – the sky is the limit here. Top the casserole with your favorite taco fixings. Green chiles, this easy pico de Gallo, bell peppers, homemade guacamole, green onions, Rotel Salsa, a few scoops of sour cream…get creative!
  • Vegetarian – the chicken in this recipe could be replaced with your favorite lentil to make this dish vegetarian.
  • Switch Proteins – instead of shredded chicken, you could also make this recipe with ground beef.
  • Rice – we used white rice for this recipe, but you can make it with brown rice, Mexican rice, or even another cooked grain like quinoa or buckwheat.
  • Sauce – if you like enchiladas, you could swap out the taco seasoning and instead add a can of green enchilada sauce to this recipe, making it more of a chicken enchilada casserole.
  • Gluten Free – if you use corn tortillas, this recipe should be gluten free! For those with serious allergies, we still recommend reading the labels of the ingredients you are using to be safe.
taco casserole serving on wooden server

Storage

This Taco Chicken Casserole should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This casserole tastes great the next day, but the tortilla chips on top may get a bit soggy. You can always pull them off and add some fresh ones before reheating!

It can also be made and frozen for up to 3 months, but we would recommend freezing it without the toppings (tortilla chips, tomatoes, avocados, black olives, and cilantro). You can add those when you are ready to eat it. 

How do I reheat a frozen casserole?

When you are ready to eat your frozen chicken taco casserole, you have two options:

  1. Let it thaw in the refrigerator and bake it as stated in the recipe.
  2. Bake it from frozen. If baking from frozen, you will need to decrease the baking temp to 350° and bake it for about an hour. It’s finished when the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Either way, when it is finished cooking you can top it with tortilla chips, tomatoes, avocados, black olives, and cilantro and enjoy!

Chicken taco casserole serving on white plate

If you’re trying to make something low carb, you should definitely check this Keto Taco Casserole that looks delicious!

Expert Tips and FAQs

Can you freeze casseroles with rice in them?

Absolutely! Rice freezes and reheats well, so it’s not a problem to freeze a casserole with rice in it.

Can you make your own taco seasoning?

You sure can. Taco seasoning is just a mixture of spices. If you’re making your own, we would recommend trying:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon of salt (to your preference)
¼ teaspoon oregano
and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like spice, add more)

A package of taco seasoning mix usually has about 2 tablespoons in it, so once you’ve combined your spices together well you can use 2 tablespoons in this easy chicken taco bake recipe and save the rest in an airtight container for later!

What to Serve With This Taco Chicken Casserole

Whether you’re looking for a side dish that can go with this casserole or a sweet treat for enjoying after, I think you’ll really love these!

Side Dishes: This easy elote dip and my homemade guacamole are easy recipes to prepare and so delicious served with a taco recipe! Or, for a heartier side, consider this fried tacos recipe!

Dessert: Mexican Conchas is a sweet bread that is absolutely lovely to serve after this taco casserole!

More Easy Casserole Recipes

If you’re making a meal plan and you’re looking for more easy casserole recipes like this one, we have a bunch! You love this walking taco casserole recipe if you love this one, and this taquito chicken casserole, along with these:

Cheeseburger Casserole

Southern Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Green Bean Casserole (this one is a fan favorite)

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Did you enjoy this taco chicken casserole recipe? Then you’re in luck because we have a few more recipes we just know you’re going to love like this Doritos Casserole, these crockpot enchiladas, these Chicken Street Tacos (I kid you not, these chicken tacos are so good), and our Easy Taco Layer Dip recipe (this one disappears at a party)!

But go ahead and round out your chicken casserole plans with this Stove Top Stuffing Chicken Casserole.

Recipe

Taco Chicken Casserole on a plate.
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Taco Chicken Casserole

Taco Chicken Casserole: Shredded chicken, Rotel, black beans, rice, corn, cheese, tomatoes, and a few other fresh, flavorful ingredients make this easy chicken taco bake a must try!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 (1 cup) servings
Calories 546kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 2 cups shredded chicken cooked
  • 1 – 10 ounce can Rotel
  • 1 cup black beans cooked
  • 1 cup white rice cooked
  • ½ cup sweet corn cooked
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 2 cups colby jack cheese shredded
  • 2 avocados chopped
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • 1 cup tortilla chips broken into large crumbles
  • ¼ cup black olives sliced
  • cilantro diced, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, rotel, black beans, rice, corn, and taco seasoning.
  • Add combined ingredients to a 9×13 casserole dish.
  • Evenly spread the colby jack cheese over the chicken mixture in your casserole dish.
  • Bake the casserole for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Remove the casserole from the oven and top with largely crumbled tortilla chips, avocado, tomato, and black olives.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 895mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1360IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 2mg

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Wondering what to do with those overripe bananas? Mashed bananas added to a chocolate chip cookie recipe create a delicious new treat – banana chocolate chip cookies!

Psst…if all you have is green bananas on hand, check out this post on how to ripen bananas faster!

A plate of banana chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk and bunch of bananas at the top of the image.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love a good chocolate chip cookie. Whether it’s a classic chocolate chip cookie, a big fat chewy chocolate chip cookie, a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, a chocolate chip cookie pie, or a cookie that tastes like banana bread in cookie form, like this one (maybe we should have called these banana bread chocolate chip cookies)!

Because of the natural sweetness of bananas, you don’t have to add as much sugar as some chocolate chip cookie recipes call for, which is a bonus.

And the one thing that most all chocolate chip cookies have in common is that they are quick, easy, and don’t require any fancy ingredients. This recipe checks all the boxes, and it’s delicious, too! Plus it’s a great way to use up all of your over-ripe bananas (or those brown bananas tucked away in the freezer).

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Ingredients

With some simple ingredients, most of which I bet you already have in the cupboard, you can whip up these banana cookies in no time!

  • ½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups quick oats (or old fashioned oats for a more chunky cookie)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ – ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (½ is usually enough, but if you want to intensify the chocolate flavor add ¾ cup)
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies with ingredients listed.

Check out the printable recipe card for exact quantities and step-by-step instructions for these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a large bowl combine butter and sugars. Beat on low with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. 
  3. Add egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
A bowl with liquid ingredients mixed together in it.
Combine butter & sugar, add egg & vanilla.
  1. In a separate large bowl, combine sifted flour and baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats. Whisk to combine.
Dry ingredients mixed together in a bowl.
Mix together the dry ingredients.
  1. Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients gradually. Add ½ or 1 cup at a time, beat on low until combined, and then continue with the next batch. Mix until ingredients are almost combined. 
Banana chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl (without the chocolate chips).
Combine dry and wet ingredients.
  1. Fold in chocolate chips.
Banana chocolate chip cookie dough in a glass bowl.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
  1. Scoop 2 tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. 
  2. Arrange the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper at least 2 inches apart. Don't press down! 
Balls of banana chocolate chip cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place balls of cookie dough on cookie sheet.
  1. Bake for 11-13 minutes (the time varies due to different ovens) until the cookies are starting to turn golden brown and they look set. The cookies will have a quite soft center inside. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, lots of banana flavor and buttery. 
Baked banana chocolate chip cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 11-13 mins.
  1. Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Substitutions

If you need to swap something out, here’s where we’d start…

  • Gluten Free – substitute the all purpose flour for your favorite gluten free flour blend to make these chewy banana oatmeal cookies gluten free
  • Dairy Free – replace the butter in this recipe for a dairy free alternative and make sure you choose semisweet chocolate chips that say “dairy free” on them to make these banana treats dairy free

Variations

The options for customizing your chocolate chip cookies are ENDLESS. Here are a few of our favourites…

  • Add nuts! If you like a bit of crunch in your cookies, add in some of your favorite chopped nuts. 
  • Switch up the chocolate. Instead of using semi-sweet chocolate chips, try a mixture of white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and semisweet chocolate chips (totaling the same amount called for in the recipe). 
  • Add some cinnamon. If you want these cookies to taste a bit like a banana muffin, try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon!
  • Change the cookie. Sugar cookies with chocolate chips are such a fun twist when it comes to a chocolate chip cookie.

Or, if you love bananas, you may want to try these peanut butter banana cookies or this banana pudding poke cake.

Storage

Store your mashed bananas chocolate chips cookies in an airtight container and they should keep for up to a week on the counter. 

You could also freeze them! After your cookies have cooled completely, place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container or ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. When you are ready to eat them, just thaw them and reheat them in the oven (they taste very good when warm).

Top Tip

I would recommend not substituting sugars in this recipe. You can make these cookies only with white sugar; they will still taste good, but there will definitely be a difference. Both sugars should be used to get the very best buttery and soft cookie.

Can I replace the brown sugar in this recipe with white sugar?

Can I make these cookies ahead of time and freeze them?

Yes, these cookies will freeze very well! When you are ready to eat them, just thaw them and reheat them in the oven (they taste very good when warm). These cookies should keep in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.

What if I like raisins in my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies instead of chocolate chips?

Not to worry, these cookies would taste great either way! This banana chocolate chip cookies oatmeal recipe could absolutely be modified to use raisins instead. Simply replace the chocolate chips with ½ – ¾ cup of raisins and enjoy!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

If you liked these banana chocolate chip cookies, then you totally have to try these banana chocolate brownies, and some of our other banana recipes like our banana bread pudding and the BEST banana bread you’ll ever make (with a secret ingredient that makes it SO moist).

Recipe

A plate of banana chocolate chip cookies.
Print Pin
5 from 6 votes

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies: Mashed bananas added to a chocolate chip cookie recipe create a delicious new cookie recipe!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings 16 cookies
Calories 225kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups quick oats (or old fashioned oats for a more chunky cookie)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ – ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (½ is usually enough, but if you want to intensify the chocolate flavor add ¾ cup)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • In a large bowl combine butter and sugars. Beat on low with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Add egg, vanilla, and mashed banana. Mix on low until combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine sifted flour and baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats. Whisk to combine.
  • Add flour mixture to wet ingredients gradually. Add ½ or 1 cup at a time, beat on low until combined, and then continue with the next batch. Mix until ingredients are almost combined. 
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. 
  • Arrange the cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at least 2 inches apart. Don't press down! 
  • Bake for 11-13 minutes (the time varies due to different ovens) until the cookies are starting to turn golden brown and they look set. The cookies will have a quite soft center inside. Once they cool down they will set well and the texture inside remains soft, lots of banana flavor and buttery. 
  • Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • I would recommend not substituting sugars in this recipe. You can make these cookies only with white sugar; they will still taste good, but there will definitely be a difference. Both sugars should be used to get the very best buttery and soft cookie.
 
STORAGE: Store your mashed bananas chocolate chips cookies in an airtight container and they should keep for up to a week on the counter. 
You could also freeze them! After your cookies have cooled completely, place them in a freezer safe, airtight container or ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. When you are ready to eat them, just thaw them and reheat them in the oven (they taste very good when warm).

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 201IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Iced Caramel Latte

Iced Caramel Latte: This homemade recipe uses basic ingredients making it a light, refreshing easy drink that you can make in minutes!

Quick Overview: Just a few simple ingredients such as coffee, milk, caramel sauce, vanilla, and ice, and you have one of your favorite coffee shop drinks.

iced caramel lattes in clear glasses with blue straw

Why You’ll Love This Iced Latte Recipe

Although a delicious latte can look hard to make, and something that you should get at a local coffee shop, this easy recipe can be made at home at a fraction of the price. (Just like this Dirty Chai Latte recipe that’s a must!)

Bonus: You can add all of the extra whipped cream and caramel that you want!

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Ingredients

This coffeehouse copycat caramel latte has a few simple ingredients as seen below. If you can stir and pour, this indulgent caramel coffee is just minutes away.

The ingredients to make Iced Caramel Lattes are displayed in various sizes of bowls on a white marble background
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of strong coffee, chilled
  • ¾ cup cold milk
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ caramel sauce, warmed
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 3 cups of ice
  • Optional toppings: whipped cream, additional caramel sauce

See the recipe card down toward the bottom of this post for quantities and instructions all in one place!

How to Make an Iced Latte

  1. In a pitcher or large glass mixing cup, stir together the strong brewed coffee, caramel, milk, sugar, and vanilla.
A small bowl of warmed caramel is being poured into strong coffee
Pour caramel sauce
Milk is being poured into coffee
Add milk
  1. Fill two tall glasses with 1 ½ cups of ice and split the coffee mixture between the glasses.
  2. Top each latte with whipped cream.
Coffee with caramel and cream is being poured into a tall glass full of ice
Pour over ice
Two glasses of iced caramel latte have been topped with whipped cream
Top with whipped cream
  1. Drizzle extra caramel sauce over the whipped cream and enjoy.
Caramel from a spoon is being drizzle over the top of a glass of iced coffee topped with whipped cream
Caramel drizzle

How to Serve

You can serve this drink in any glass that you prefer but it’s really fun to serve them in plastic, see-through iced coffee cups!

Substitutions

Don’t worry if you don’t have the exact ingredients in your kitchen. We’ve got a few suggestions so that you can have this

  • Use milk alternatives – There are no fancy ingredients this, so it is easy to substitute a non-dairy milk of your choice like oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or almond milk.
  • Make homemade caramel sauce – Caramel lattes can be made with your favorite caramel sauce from the grocery store or a homemade caramel sauce.
  • Use what you have on hand – I love the creaminess that whole milk adds to iced coffee, but feel free to use half and half, heavy cream or a caramel coffee creamer if that is what you have in your fridge.

Variations

Put on your barista cap and turn your kitchen into your local coffee shop. Here are a few fun variations on a classic ice caramel latte. I’ll take a caramel macchiato!

  • Add an extra shot of espresso to really jump start your day.
  • Make a simple syrup to use in your iced latte instead of granulated sugar.
  • Whip up a kid friendly version. For a coffee-free version of this Starbucks copycat, just omit the coffee and replace it with more milk. But definitely don’t skip the whipped cream and caramel drizzle!
  • Heat it up! In the hot summer months, this iced version is on repeat. However, you can make a hot caramel latte with the same creamy taste and caramel flavor. Simply use hot coffee and skip the ice.
Close up photo of a glass of iced caramel latte, topped with whipped cream and caramel with a teal and white striped straw
Iced caramel coffee

FAQs

We’re answering your burning questions about making this coffeehouse drink at home!

  • What are iced lattes made of? Typically, an iced latte is made with espresso, milk and an optional sweetener.
  • What is the ratio of an iced latte? It is generally made with ⅓ coffee and ⅔ milk, but you can adjust that to your personal taste.
  • What is the difference between iced coffee and a latte? Iced coffee is made with brewed coffee and a latte is made with espresso.
  • Do you need to steam milk for an iced latte? No! While steamed milk is normally used in a hot latte, cold milk is preferred for the iced version.
Close up photo of a two glasses of iced caramel latte, topped with whipped cream and caramel with a teal and white striped straw
Iced coffee recipe

Storage

You can double or triple this recipe and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

I find that the easiest way to freeze any leftover iced caramel latte is in ice cube trays. Then, store the frozen cubes in a freezer bag or airtight container until you are ready for another coffee drink.

Top Tip

Use the frozen cubes of caramel latte to add to your iced coffee to prevent it from getting diluted. You can also blend the frozen coffee cubes with cold brew coffee, milk, and a little extra caramel sauce for a slushy, caramel coffee treat!

If you love coffee shop drinks like this one, then you’ll also love this tutorial on how to make iced coffee, this peppermint latte recipe, and this whipped coffee recipe!

Or if you’re a caramel fan, this no-bake caramel pie recipe is delicious too.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

iced caramel lattes with straw
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Iced Caramel Latte

Make an Iced Caramel Latte at home in minutes with a few simple pantry ingredients! You will love this indulgent coffeehouse copycat drink!
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 lattes
Calories 239kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 1 cup strong coffee chilled
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup caramel sauce warmed
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups ice

Toppings

  • whipped cream
  • caramel sauce

Instructions

  • In a pitcher or large glass mixing cup, stir together the coffee, caramel, milk, sugar and vanilla.
  • Fill two tall glasses with 1 ½ cups of ice and split the coffee mixture between the glasses.
  • Top each latte with whipped cream.
  • Drizzle extra caramel sauce over the whipped cream and enjoy!

Notes

  • Strong coffee, as defined in this recipe, has been brewed by using 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to 2 cups of water. 
  • To help the caramel sauce mix into the coffee, heat it briefly in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
  • This caramel latte can be made using your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, cashew milk, etc.).

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 224mg | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 0.03mg

Candy Corn Cake

Candy Corn Cake: A tri-colored cake is soaked in sweetened condensed milk, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and covered in colorful candy corn. This is pretty much the Halloween cake of your dreams!

When it comes to Halloween cake ideas, we think this is one of the cutest candy corn recipe ideas! If you haven’t taken a look at all of our Halloween food ideas and Halloween party ideas, take a peek. I think these candy corn rice krispie treats, Mummy Rice Krispie Treats and Pumpkin Patch Brownies are a pretty great place to start!

A cut piece of candy corn topped cake is centered, showing the tri-colored layers inside the cake
Candy Corn Cake

Why you’ll love this recipe

This sweet treat has candy corn colors from top to bottom! The cake is striped thanks to white, yellow and orange layers of batter. And we have absolutely covered the top of the cake with candy corn!

Since this is baked in a 9×13 pan, you can serve generous pieces of cake or scale back the size of the pieces you cut as an easy way to feed a crowd at a Halloween party.

If you have never made a poke cake, the sweetened condensed milk soaks into the baked cake while the cake chills, which results in such a soft, tender cake! Our Pumpkin Poke Cake is one of our favorite seasonal poke cake recipes.

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Ingredients

We love candy corn around here. It may be my favorite Halloween candy, so it was only natural that there is a candy corn cake recipe around here.

The ingredients to make this poke cake are easily found at your local grocery stores, which makes it easy to stock up and put this cake recipe on repeat!

The ingredients for a candy corn poke cake are displayed on a white marble background
Ingredients

Ingredients for the candy corn cake:

  • 1 box of white cake mix + the ingredients required on the back of the box
  • Orange gel food coloring
  • Yellow gel food coloring
  • One 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup of candy corn (more if desired)

What you’ll need to make the cream cheese topping:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup of powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 cups of heavy cream

Scroll down for a printable recipe card with the full recipe, ingredients, directions and detailed notes.

Instructions

Believe it or not, this candy corn cake is simple to make and we’ve included step-by-step photos and instructions.

  1. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Mix the cake mix according to the package directions and divide the cake batter into 3 separate bowls. There should be about 1 ½ cups of batter in each bowl.
  3. Leave one bowl of batter as is. Add yellow food coloring to one bowl until you have a bright lemon yellow color. Add orange gel food coloring to the last bowl until you reach a rich orange color. Really, you can just add one drop of food coloring at a time until you get the right color.
  4. Now, pour the yellow batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place it in the freezer on a level surface for about 20 minutes to allow this layer to set up.
Three white bowls filled with white, yellow and orange colored cake batter are displayed on a white marble background
A 9x13 baking dish is filled with a layer of yellow cake batter for Candy Corn Cake
  1. Remove the dish from the freezer and spread the orange batter across the yellow layer and smooth it out evenly. Return the dish to the freezer for another 20 minutes.
  2. Next, spread the final layer of white batter on top of the orange layer and spread it evenly.
A 9x13 baking dish is filled with a layer of orange cake batter for Candy Corn Cake
A 9x13 baking dish is filled with a layer of white cake batter for Candy Corn Cake
  1. Allow the cake batter to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Bake the cake according to the package directions and allow the cake to cool slightly.
  3. Next, use a chopstick, a drinking straw or the end of a wooden spoon handle to poke holes evenly across the top of the cake.
  4. Now, pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake and into all of the holes.
A 9x13 baking dish contains a baked cake with holes poked in the cake for a Candy Corn poke cake
A hand holds a can of sweetened condensed milk that is being poured on a baked cake for a poke cake
  1. Cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Now, it’s time to make the cream cheese topping which includes fresh whipped cream. Place a mixing bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help the whipped cream whip up easily.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until it is smooth.
  4. Remove the chilled bowl from the freezer, add the cream and using a hand mixer or with the whisk attachment in a stand mixer, mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Then, increase the speed to high speed and continue whipping the cream until stiff peaks form.
Cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar were combined into a smooth mixture in a glass bowl on a white marbled background
Fluffy whipped cream in the metal bowl of a stand mixture
  1. Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and mix it on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes and it is well combined.
  2. Spread the gloriously fluffy white frosting over the chilled cake and top it with candy corn. Cut and serve chilled.
A yellow and white striped towel is spread on a marbled background with plates of cut Candy Corn cake and a 9x13 baking dish with rest of the cake
Candy Corn Poke Cake

My favorite thing is that you can see the white layer, orange layer and yellow layer in each slice of this festive cake!

Substitutions

Here are a few ways you can change this recipe to suit your family or the ingredients you have on hand.

  • We used a box cake mix, but you can whip up your favorite from scratch classic vanilla cake recipe.
  • Similarly, we made a homemade cream cheese topping. You can use your favorite store bought frosting to frost this cake.
  • Instead of sweetened condensed milk, you can mix up a box of orange or lemon jello. Pour the liquid jello over the top of cake to add a little fruity flavor. Chill the cake and frost as per the recipe.

Variations

We love sharing a variety of ways to make candy corn treats. Here are a few suggestions:

  • This recipe lends itself well to being made into a bundt cake. Spread the three layers of batter in a bundt pan. You may need to adjust the baking time, so bake according to the instructions on the back of the cake mix.
  • And you know we love a festive cupcake recipe! Divide the three colored batters into two cupcake tins lined with cupcake papers for candy corn cupcakes!
  • If you love the flavor of candy corn, you can add candy corn flavoring oil/extract to the batter. You can find it online or if you’re lucky, in the baking aisle of your local craft stores.
  • Finally, we never say no to sprinkles! You can top this candy corn with your favorite seasonal sprinkles, jimmies or nonpareils.
A piece of Candy Corn topped cake and a 9x13 baking dish with the rest of the cake rest on a yellow and white striped towel

Storage

Store this cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Since the topping contains fresh whipped cream (which can liquify when thawed), we don’t recommend storing it in the freezer.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up photo of a frosted tri-colored piece of cake with candy corn on it
Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Candy Corn Cake

A tri-colored cake is soaked in sweetened condensed milk, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and covered in colorful candy corn for the Halloween cake of your dreams!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Calories 563kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Ingredients for the candy corn cake

  • 1 box white cake mix plus the required ingredients from the back of the box
  • orange gel food coloring
  • yellow gel food coloring
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup candy corn more if desired

For the cream cheese topping

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

To make the candy corn cake

  • Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Mix the cake mix according to the package directions and divide the cake batter into 3 bowls. There should be about 1 ½ cups of batter in each bowl.
  • Leave one bowl of batter as is. Add yellow food coloring to one bowl until you have a bright lemon yellow color. Add orange gel food coloring to the last bowl until you reach a rich orange color.
  • Now, pour the yellow batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place it in the freezer on a level surface for about 20 minutes to allow this layer to set up.
  • Remove the dish from the freezer and spread the orange batter across the yellow layer and smooth it out evenly. Return the dish to the freezer for another 20 minutes.
  • Next, spread the final layer of white batter on top of the orange layer and spread it evenly.
  • Allow the cake batter to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Bake the cake according to the package directions and allow the cake to cool slightly.
  • Next, use a chopstick, a drinking straw or the end of a wood spoon handle to poke holes evenly across the cake.
  • Now, pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake and into all of the holes.
  • Cover the cake and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

For the cream cheese topping

  • Place a mixing bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes – this helps the whipping cream whip easily.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until it is smooth.
  • Remove the chilled bowl from the freezer, add the whipping cream and mix it on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Then, increase the speed to high and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
  • Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and mix it on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes and it is well combined.
  • Spread the topping over the chilled cake and top it with candy corn. Cut and serve chilled.

Notes

  • If you prefer, use your favorite from scratch classic vanilla cake recipe instead of a boxed cake mix.
  • For a fruity cake, mix up a small box of orange or lemon jello and pour the liquid jello over the cake instead of the sweetened condensed milk. Chill and frost the cake as directed.
  • While we made a homemade cream cheese topping, you can use your favorite purchased frosting to frost this cake.
  • This recipe can be made in a bundt cake pan or into cupcakes, too! Adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • Store this cake covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. We don’t recommended freezing this cake since the fresh whipped cream in the frosting can liquify/separate during the thawing process.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 1mg

Halloween Pretzels

Halloween Pretzels: Salty pretzel rods are dipped in sweet, creamy chocolate and decorated to look like ghosts, mummies and spider webs! Get out those Halloween sprinkles and let’s make chocolate Halloween pretzels!

With Halloween just around the corner, we have been sharing Halloween ideas to make your holiday fun and festive! We think Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms, Nutter Butters Mummies and Halloween Snack Mix are perfect for any Halloween bash!

Assorted chocolate dipped pretzel rods decorated in several ways for Halloween are scattered on a black background
Halloween Pretzel Treats

Why you’ll love this recipe

Combine salty pretzels with sweet melted chocolate and you have a delicious, salty sweet Halloween snack! This should please all of the snack lovers in your household!

This is another super simple no-bake recipe. If you can dip, drizzle and sprinkle, then you can make this Halloween dessert!

If you need a sweet little Halloween gift or party favor, just pop these in cellophane pretzel treat bags and tie it closed with a ribbon. Done and done!

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Ingredients for this easy Halloween recipe

Hit the your local grocery store or craft store and pick up the ingredients to make adorable Halloween pretzels!

Pretzel rods, a bowl of chocolate chips, candy eyes and Halloween sprinkles are displayed on a white background
Ingredients
  • 24 pretzel rods
  • 6 ounces of white chocolate chips
  • 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Halloween sprinkles, jimmies or nonpareils
  • 1 package candy eyes

See the printable recipe card below for quantities, full instructions and notes.

Instructions

  1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, wax paper or silicone mats.
  2. Now, melt white chocolte and semi-sweet chocolate in two separate bowls in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Stir between each heating until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.
A bowl of melted white chocolate is in the center with a spoon being pulled from the chocolate. Halloween sprinkles and pretzel rods can be seen in the background.
Smooth melted chocolate
  1. Once the chocolate is smooth, transfer it into two medium/tall thin glasses to dip the pretzel rods in.

Let’s make ghost pretzels

  1. Dip a pretzel rod in the white chocolate, covering about ¾ of the pretzel. Let the chocolate drip off and transfer the pretzel to the lined baking sheet.
A hand holding a prezel rod is dipping it in a tall thin glass filled with melted white chocolate. A glass of melted dark chocolate, candy eyes and pretzel rods are also in the photo
A hand is pulling a pretzel rod from a tall thin glass full of melted white chocolate, allow the excess chocolate to drip off
  1. Next, place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer so the chocolate sets. This should take about 15 minutes.
  2. Use a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip to pipe on dark chocolate eyes and a rounded mouth.

To make Halloween sprinkle pretzels

  1. First, dip pretzel rods in semi-sweet chocolate, covering about ¾ of the pretzel. Let the extra chocolate drip off and move the pretzel to the lined baking sheet. Cover with Halloween sprinkles, jimmies or nonpareils.
  2. Place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for about 15 minutes so the chocolate sets.

Make spider web pretzels

  1. Dip a pretzel rod in melted semi-sweet chocolate until ¾ of the pretzel is covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate to set, about 15 minutes.
  2. Next, use a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip to drizzle melted white chocolate to look like a spider web. Return to the refrigerator or freezer to set.
  3. Finally, to make the spiders, pipe a large dot of semi-sweet chocolate on a pretzel rod. Use a toothpick to drag a small amount of chocolate out to make 8 legs. (See photo below.)
Close up photo of a hand holding a toothpick, creating a tiny spider out of dark chocolate on a chocolate covered prezel rod
Spider web pretzels

For the mummy pretzels

  1. Fill a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip with melted white chocolate. Drizzle the chocolate back and forth over ¾ of the pretzel rod to resemble mummy wrappings.
  2. Then, add two candy eyeballs towards the top of the pretzel rod. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Mummies, ghosts and spiders, oh my!

4 types of Halloween chocolate dips pretzel rods are lined up on a parchment lined baking sheet
Fun Halloween treats

Substitutions

Here are few ways to use the ingredients that you have on hand or can find in your area!

  • Use candy melts, candy coatings or almond bark instead of the chocolate chips.
  • If you can’t find pretzel rods or want smaller versions of these chocolate-dipped Halloween pretzels, use regular pretzel twists or mini pretzel rods.
  • For a totally sweet version, use filled cookie sticks like Pirouette cookies instead of pretzels.

Variations

Here are a few fun ways to make even more Halloween pretzel sticks!

  • Witch fingers – Use green candy melts to dip the prezel rods. Add a slice almond to the end of each pretzel rod for a fingernail.
  • Werewolves – Dip each pretzel rod in melted milk chocolate, add two eyes and lots of chocolate jimmies for werewolf ‘fur’.
  • Frankenstein Pretzels – Dip each pretzel in green candy melts, drizzle dark chocolate for hair at the top of each pretzel, add two candy eye balls and mini chocolate chips on the sides of the pretzel rods for his ‘bolts’
  • Monster Pretzels – Use orange, blue or purple candy melts to dip the pretzel rods in. Add one large candy eye ball or multiple small candy eyes balls to make each little monster.
  • Candy corn pretzels – Dip the pretzel rods in white chocolate. Drizzle stripes of yellow and orange melted chocolate to make the candy corn colors.
Assorted chocolate dipped pretzel rods decorated in several ways for Halloween are scattered on a black background
Chocolate pretzels

Storage

The best way to store these Halloween pretzel rods is in an airtight container at room temperature for up 2-3 weeks. You can freeze them for up to 6 months. If you store these in the freezer, the condensation may cause the candy eyes to smudge so thaw/handle them carefully to prevent the eyes from smudging or running.

Halloween decorated chocolate covered pretzel rods have been placed vertically in a mug. Additional decorated pretzel rods lay around the mug on a moody dark background
Halloween Pretzel Rods

If you love fun Halloween treats like these, then you’ll also love these candy corn treats, this candy corn cake, these mummy rice krispy treats and mummy oreos!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Pretzel rods decorated for Halloween are dislayed on a black marbled background
Print Pin
5 from 6 votes

Halloween Pretzels

Easy to make Halloween Pretzels start with pretzel rods dipped in chocolate and then decorated to look like ghosts, mummies and spider webs!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Decorating & Chill Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 24 pretzels
Calories 83kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 24 pretzel rods
  • 6 oz White chocolate chips melted
  • 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
  • Halloween sprinkles
  • 1 package candy eyes

Instructions

  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, wax paper or silicone mats.
  • Melt white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate in two separate bowls in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir well between each heating until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.
  • Transfer the chocolate into 2 medium-tall thin glasses to dip the prezel rods in.

Let's make ghost pretzels

  • Dip a pretzel rod in the white chocolate, covering about ¾ of the pretzel. Let the excess chocolate drip off and transfer the pretzel to the lined baking sheet.
  • Place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer so the chocolate sets. This should take about 15 minutes.
  • Use a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip to pipe on dark chocolate eyes and a rounded mouth.

To make Halloween sprinkle pretzels

  • Dip pretzel rods in semi-sweet chocolate, covering about ¾ off the pretzel. Let extra chocolate drip off and move the pretzel to the lined baking sheet. Cover with Halloween sprinkles, jimmies or nonpareils.
  • Place the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer so the chocolate sets. This should take about 15 minutes.

Make spider web pretzels

  • Dip a pretzel rod in melted semi-sweet chocolate until ¾ of the pretzel is covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate to set, about 15 minutes.
  • Use a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip to drizzle melted white chocolate to look like a spider web. Return to the refrigerator or freezer to set.
  • Finally, to make the spiders, pipe a large dot of semi-sweet chocolate on the pretzel rod. Use a toothpick to drag out a small amount of the chocolate to make 8 legs.

For the mummy pretzels

  • Fill a disposable piping bag fitted with a small tip with melted white chocolate. Drizzle the chocolate back and forth over ¾ of the preztel rod to resemble mummy wrappings.
  • Add two candy eyeballs towards the top of the pretzel rod. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Notes

  • If you don’t have disposable piping bags and tips, use a small ziploc bag and snip off a corner to pipe the melted chocolate.
  • Instead of using melted chocolate for the mummy eyes and spiders, you can use food decorating gel or purchased decorator icing.
  • Use regular pretzel twists or mini pretzel rods for smaller versions of these Halloween dipped pretzels.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pretzel rod | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs: Traditional deviled eggs get a festive makeover with a creamy, flavorful filling piped to look like pumpkins.

Don’t worry, there is no pumpkin spice in each cute little pumpkin – just hard-boiled eggs and a few pantry ingredients. This adorable appetizer will be the star of all of your Fall celebrations!

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs are displayed on a wooden cutting board
Halloween Deviled Eggs

Why you’ll love this recipe

Deviled eggs are ALWAYS popular at get togethers and these pumpkin themed deviled eggs are an easy appetizer for this holiday season.

The hard boiled eggs can be made in your Instant Pot or you can see my favorite tutorial for how to boil hard boiled eggs!

These pumpkin eggs can be prepped and even assembled a day in advance. So this make ahead recipe can be whipped up the day before your Halloween party or as a Thanksgiving appetizer. We have lots of Halloween food ideas if you are looking for inspiration!

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Ingredients for Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

I’m pretty sure you have all of these ingredients in your kitchen, so these deviled eggs are ready in about 15 minutes!

The ingredients to make Pumpkin Deviled Eggs are displayed on a white marble background
Ingredients
  • 8 hard boiled eggs
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
  • 1-2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • red food coloring
  • yellow food coloring
  • fresh chives

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and the easy steps to make this appetizer recipe.

Instructions

  1. Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and place them in a bowl. Set egg whites aside.
A wooden cutting board displays halved hard boiled eggs, some with the yolks removed
Halve the boiled eggs
A white bowl is filled with the yolks removed from hard boiled eggs in preparation to make Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
Remove yolks
  1. In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise, onions, dijon mustard, paprika and salt. Stir in 2 drops of red food coloring and 1 drop of yellow food coloring.
  2. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the egg yolks. Mix well until the yolk mixture is smooth, creamy and a consistent orange color.
Flavorful deviled egg filling is mixed in a white bowl surrounded by ingredients and a decorative orange napkin
Add food coloring
Bright orange deviled egg filling is displayed in a bowl in preparation to make Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
Orange egg filling
  1. Place the yolk mixture into a disposable piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the filling into the hollow of the egg halves. Add a chive to the top of each egg for the pumpkin stem.
A wooden cutting board displays halved hard boiled eggs, some with piped yolk filling, are in various stages of assembly of Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
Pumpkin eggs
  1. Place the pumpkin deviled eggs on a serving platter and enjoy!
A close up of halved hard boiled eggs filled with orange yolk filling and snipped chives inserted as stems to look like pumpkins
Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

Substitutions & Variations

I know that there are different yolks for different folks, so here are a few suggestions for way to adjust this recipe for your particular preferences.

  • Omit the onions – I think the onions give the filling a nice little crunch, but if your family prefers, you can leave the onions out.
  • Use regular mustard – Dijon mustard can be replaced with regular yellow mustard in this hard boiled egg recipe.
  • Add bacon – If you haven’t had bacon in a deviled egg, you might be missing out!
  • Herbs – feel free to add a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh herbs to the filling. Dill, parsley or even cilanto can add a fresh pop to the filling.
  • Spice it up! – Replace the regular paprika with smoked paprika for a little heat in the yolk mixture filling.
  • Jack-o-lanterns – If you want to transform our pumpkin deviled eggs into a spooky treat, add small bits of black olives as eyes, nose and a mouth for jack-o-lantern deviled eggs.

Storage

You can store the prepared eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

We do not recommend freezing the pumpkin deviled eggs.

Hard boiled eggs halves filled to look like pumpkins are sitting on a white marble background
Halloween deviled eggs recipe

Top tip

Since the filling already has mayonnaise and seasonings, leftover deviled eggs (if there is such a thing!) can be chopped for a quick egg salad!

If you’re a fan of deviled eggs but love mixing things up, then you’ll also want to try these deviled eggs with candied bacon! And I have to tell you… when you have leftover or extra hard boiled eggs, consider making this egg salad recipe that’s really popular!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

A round white plate is filled with halved hard boiled eggs with orange yolk filling piped to look like a pumpkin
Print Pin
5 from 7 votes

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

Pumpkin Deviled Eggs: Traditional deviled eggs get a festive makeover with a creamy, flavorful filling piped to look like pumpkins.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 16 eggs
Calories 63kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 8 hard boiled eggs
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
  • 1-2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • red food coloring
  • yellow food coloring
  • fresh chives

Instructions

  • Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and put them in a bowl. Set egg whites aside.
  • In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise, onions, dijon mustard and spices. Stir in 2 drops of red food coloring and 1 drop of yellow food coloring.
  • Add the mayonnaise mixture to the egg yolks. Mix well until the yolk mixture is smooth, creamy and a consistent orange color.
  • Place the yolk mixture into a disposable piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
  • Pipe the filling into the hollow of the egg halves. Add a chive to the top of the egg for the pumpkin stem.
  • Place the eggs on a serving platter and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • I used gel food coloring for this recipe but you can use liquid food coloring as well, just make sure it is food safe.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can transfer the egg yolk mixture into a ziploc bag, squeeze the air out and seal the bag. Using scissors, cut off a corner of the bag and squeeze the mixture into the eggs to make the pumpkin design.
  • You can definitely make these deviled eggs ahead of time. Boil the eggs, prepare the yolk mixture and store them in the refrigerator. When you are ready to make the eggs, allow the yolk to soften up a bit, pipe the filling, add the chives and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Mummy Oreos

Mummy Oreos: Oreo cookies are dipped in creamy white chocolate and decorated with candy eyes and white chocolate bandages for fun Halloween treats!

Spooky season is upon us and we have been sharing tons of Halloween food ideas: Nutter Butter Mummies, Mummy Rice Krispie Treats and Pumpkin Patch Brownies. And now, the cutest Halloween Oreos are making their debut!

A black plate is filled with Oreos decorated to look like mummies. Around the plate, there are a scattering of candy eyes and several more Mummy Oreos
Mummy Oreos

Why you’ll want to make these mummy cookies for Halloween

There are only 3 ingredients and a few simple steps. This is one easy Halloween recipe!

Since this is a no bake dessert (we LOVE no bake recipes), these fun Halloween treats can be made and enjoyed in about 15 minutes!

These simple treats can be made by kids of all ages at a class party, play date or homeschool co-op.

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Ingredients

What do you need to make mummy cookies for Halloween? Three simple ingredients!

The ingredients used to make chocolate dipped Mummy Oreos are displayed on a white background
  • 15 Oreo sandwich cookies
  • 2 cups white chocolate candy melts
  • 1 package candy eyeballs

See the printable recipe card below for the full recipe, detailed instructions and additional notes.

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
  2. Place the white chocoalte in the microwave and heat according to the package instructions. Stir and continue heating in 15 second intervals until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
  3. Place an Oreo cookie on a fork and dip it into the chocolate, covering the entire cookie. Lift the cookie from the chocolate and allow the excess white chocolate to drip off. Wipe the extra chocolate off the back of the cookie using the edge of the bowl.
An Oreo cookie is resting on the tines of a fork waiting to be dipped in a small bowl of melted white chocolate
Oreo cookie
An Oreo cookie that has been dipped in chocolate is poised over a bowl of melted white chocolate
Dip in white chocolate
  1. Place the dipped Oreos onto the cookie sheet and add two candy eyes to each cookie. Continue until all Oreos are dipped and have eyes.
A metal baking sheet lined in parchment paper holds chocolate dipped Oreos with candy eyes
Add candy eyes
  1. Microwave any remaining melted chocolate (add more chocolate melts if necessary) until it is smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag and twist the top closed.
  2. Use scissors to snip off of the tip of the piping bag so the chocolate is piped in a thin line for the mummy bandages.
  3. Pipe lines of chocolate in multiple directions across the top of the cookies, avoiding the eyes.
A baking sheet lined in parchment paper holds Oreo cookies that have been dipped in white chocolate and are decorated to look like mummies
Drizzle white chocolate
  1. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Remove the excess chocolate from around the cookies, place on a plate and serve.
A close up photo of Oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate and decorated to look like mummies
Oreo mummy cookies

Substitutions

We’ve got a few ways that you can adjust this recipe to fit what you have on hand!

  • Oreos – Use your favorite flavor of Oreos, Golden Oreos or even double stuff Oreos.
  • Candy eyes – If you can’t find candy eyes, you can use mini chocolate chips, round candy sprinkles or even piped black icing.
  • White chocolate – We used white candy melts, but you can use white almond bark or any other white/vanilla candy coating for these white chocolate Oreo mummies.

Variations

If you want to get creative, try these fun variations.

  • Make Oreo mummy pops – Before dipping the Oreos, insert a popsicle stick or lollipop stick into the center of the cookie. Then, dip the cookie, add the eyes and drizzle the mummy wrapping. These mummy Oreo pops would make cute Halloween party favors for your Halloween parties.
  • Create Oreo ghosts – If you don’t add the white chocolate drizzle, you’ve got Oreo ghosts!
  • More Halloween Oreos – Change the color of the candy wafers/candy melts to make different Halloween Oreos. Green candy melts can become witches or Frankenstein. Orange candy melts can transform Oreos into jack-o-lanterns. Milk chocolate melts and brown sprinkles are perfect to make Oreo werewolves.

Storage

Store any leftover Oreo mummy cookies in a zip-top bag or airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and up to one month in the freezer. Thaw frozen cookies in the refrigerator before eating.

A photo of white chocolate dipped Oreos decorated to look like mummies
Mummy Oreo cookies

If you loved these mummies, then you’ll also love these mummy rice krispie treats and the quick dessert ideas in this Halloween party!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

A black plate in the center of the photo is filled with Mummy Oreos
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Mummy Oreos

Mummy Oreos: Oreo cookies are dipped in creamy white chocolate and decorated with candy eyes and white chocolate bandages for a sweet and spooky treat!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Setting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 15 cookies
Calories 185kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 15 Oreo cookies
  • 2 cups white chocolate melts
  • 1 package candy eyes

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
  • Place the white chocolate in the microwave and heat according to package instructions. Stir and continue heating in 15 second intervals until chocolate is smooth and melted.
  • Place an Oreo cookie on a fork and dip into the chocolate, covering the entire cookie. Lift the cookie from the chocolate and allow the excess white chocolate to drip off. Wipe the extra chocolate off of the back of the cookie using the edge of the bowl.
  • Place the dipped Oreo onto the cookie sheet and add two candy eyes. Continue until all Oreos are dipped and have eyes.
  • Microwave any remaining melted chocolate (add more chocolate melts if necessary) until it is smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag and twist the top closed.
  • Use scissors to snip off the tip of the piping bag so the chocolate is piped in a thin line for the mummy bandages.
  • Pipe lines of chocolate in multiple directions across the top of the cookie, avoiding the eyes.
  • Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Remove the excess chocolate from around the cookies, place on a plate and serve.

Notes

  • This recipe is for 15 mummy Oreos, but if you want to use all of the cookies in the package, you will need to purchase more white chocolate melts and candy eyes.
  • The black pupils on the candy eyes smudge easily, so I prefer to handle them with tweezers or tongs.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a ziploc bag or even a spoon to drizzle the mummy bandages.
  • If you can’t find the candy eyes at the grocery store, try your local Walmart, the baking aisle of the craft store or Amazon. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

Dirt Cupcakes

Dirt Cupcakes: Each rich chocolate fudge cupcake is topped with fluffy homemade chocolate buttercream, Oreo dirt, and a wiggly gummy worm for a whimsical dessert that is fun for kids of all ages!

This is our take on a classic worms in dirt dessert but in cupcake form. You may remember seeing the Oreo crumbs on our Pumpkin Patch Brownies. I think a few gummy worms in that dirt would be pretty darn cute, too!

Frosted chocolate cupcakes are topped with Oreo crumbs and gummy worms, surrounded by plastic spiders, gummy worms and Oreo crumbs
Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Works

Why you’ll love this recipe for dirt cake cupcakes

Who doesn’t love a cute cupcake? Cupcakes with gummy worms are perfect for a garden party, bug themed birthday or a Halloween party. And boy, have we got lots of Halloween food ideas for your parties. I even think these cupcakes are a fun dessert for an Earth Day celebration!

You can make this easy recipe with ingredients from your local grocery store: a chocolate cake mix, chocolate frosting, Oreo cookies and gummy worms. I love recipes with simple ingredients and easy directions.

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Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make gummy worm dirt cupcakes:

The ingredients for Dirt Cupcakes with gummy worms are displayed on a white background
Ingredients

To make the cupcakes

  • One box of chocolate fudge cake mix + the ingredients required on the box

For the chocolate cream cheese frosting

  • ½ cup milk chocolate chips, melted
  • 8 oz. (one block) of cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (1 stick) of butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder

For the Oreo dirt

  • 15 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs

Cupcake toppings

  • 24 Gummy worms
  • Plastic spider rings, optional

See the recipe card for quantities, full instructions and notes.

Frosted chocolate cupcakes are topped with Oreo crumbs and gummy worms, surrounded by plastic spiders, gummy worms and Oreo crumbs
Worms & Dirt Cupcakes

How to Make Gummy Worm Dirt Cupcakes

Bake the cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven according to the directions on the chocolate cake mix. Line two cupcake pans/muffins tins with cupcakes papers and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to package instructions.
  3. Spoon the cupcake batter into the liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake as per the instructions on the box and allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
A 12 cup muffin tin is filled with chocolate cupcake batter ready to be baked
Cupcake batter
12 baked chocolate cupcakes are cooling on a rectangle shaped wire cooling rack
Let cupcakes cool

Make the chocolate cream cheese frosting

  1. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds and stir. Continuing microwaving the chocolate in 15 second intervals until it is melted and smooth.
  2. In a large mixing bowl using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add the powdered sugar gradually until it is combined. Mix in the cocoa powder. Add the vanilla extract and mix one more time. Set frosting aside.
A hand is holding a bowl of powdered sugar ready to be added to a bowl of chocolate cream cheese frosting
Add powdered sugar
A metal bowl of fluffy, whipped chocolate cream cheese frosting is centered on a white background
Chocolate cream cheese buttercream

For the Oreo dirt crumbs

  1. Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse them until they are crumbs. Set aside.
Oreo cookies are in the food processor ready to be made into Oreo crumbs or Oreo dirt
Add Oreo cookies
A bowl full of fine Oreo cookie crumbs is centered on a white background
Oreo cookie dirt

Let’s decorate the cupcake

  1. Frost each cupcake with the chocolate buttercream. You can spread the frosting with an offset spatula or use a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip (the large open star) to pipe the frosting onto the top of the cupcakes.
  2. Dip the cupcake into the bowl of Oreo dirt or sprinkle a few spoonfuls of Oreo dirt on top of the frosting. Place a gummy worm in the center of each cupcake.
  3. For a spooky twist, add a plastic spider ring to the top of the cupcakes. Or, you can poke the gummy worms into the frosting so they look like they are wiggling out.
Chocolate cupcakes are displayed on a wire cooling rack. Half of them are frosting with chocolate frosting and half of them are topped with Oreo crumbs
12 chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and Oreo crumbs are displayed on a wire cooling rack
A close up photo of 12 chocolate cupcake that have been frosted with chocolate and topped with Oreo crumbs and gummy worms are sitting on a wire cooling rack
Gummy worm cupcakes

Substitutions

Feel free to use any of the suggested substitutions below if you need to know how to make gummy worm cupcakes fit for your family and lifestyle.

  • Homemade chocolate cake – We love the time saving step of using a cake mix, but if you have a favorite chocolate cake or cupcake recipe, you can use that instead.
  • Store-bought frosting – While the homemade frosting in this recipe is amazing, you can absolutely use your favorite purchased frosting if you are in a time crunch.
  • Cookie crumbs – Substitute your favorite chocolate cookies or for the crumbs

Variations

There are so many ways to switch up elements in this recipe for Oreo dirt cupcakes to fit your family!

  • Gummy worms – Use your favorite brand or type of gummy worms. Classic gummy worms or even sour worms will work. You can even use gummy bugs and add chocolate rocks.
  • Oreo flavors – You can get creative and use different flavors of Oreos for the Oreo dirt. We prefer the dark chocolate cookies, but you can use the golden Oreos if that is what you can find.
  • Frosting flavors – Try making classic chocolate buttercream, caramel buttercream or even Oreo buttercream to top these cupcakes.
  • Add a pudding center – If you really want to up the chocolate factor of these cupcakes, hollow out a small piece of each cupcake center (keep the piece of cake!) and spoon in a tablespoon of chocolate pudding. Replace the piece of cake and continue frosting and topping the cupcakes.
  • Make dino dig cupcakes – If you aren’t into wiggly worms, this cupcake base with Oreo dirt could easily become dinosaur themed. Just add a dinosaur cupcake topper or chocolate dinosaurs to the top of each cupcake. Around Halloween, you may even be able to find candy bones to add to the dinosaur dig cupcakes.

Storage

We recommend storing any leftover dirt worm cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. If you prefer, you can store the cupcakes in the refrigerator, but they could dry out.

The Oreo crumbs will soften after cupcake assembly but they will still taste delicious!

A hand is holding a chocolate frosted cupcake topped with Oreo crumbs and a colorful gummy worm

Love cupcake recipes? Then we think you’ll also love these Oreo cupcakes and caramel cupcakes!

Or, if you’re looking for Halloween treats, then you’re really going to love these mummy cookies, Halloween snack mix, and mummy rice krispy treats!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

A plate full of Dirt Cupcakes with gummy worms is centered and surrounded by plastic spiders, Oreo crumbs and a glass of milk
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Dirt Cupcakes

Dirt Cupcakes: Chocolate fudge cupcakes are topped with fluffy homemade chocolate buttercream, Oreo dirt and a wiggly gummy worm for a whimsical dessert that is fun for kids of all ages!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 cupcakes
Calories 268kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

To Make the cupcakes

  • 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix plus ingredients required on the package

For the chocolate cream cheese frosting

  • ½ cup milk chocolate chips melted
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder

For the Oreo dirt

  • 15 Oreo cookies crushed into crumbs

Toppings

  • 24 gummy worms
  • plastic spider rings optional

Instructions

Bake the Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven according to the directions on the chocolate cake mix. Line two cupcake/muffin pans with cupcake papers and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to package instructions.
  • Spoon the cupake batter into the liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake as per the instructions on the box and allow cupcakes to cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds and stir. Continue microwaving in 15 seconds intervals just until the chocoalte is melted and smooth.
  • In a large mixing bowl using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add the powdered sugar gradually until it is combined. Mix in the cocoa powder. Add the vanilla extract and mix one more time. Set frosting aside.

For the Oreo crumbs

  • Place the Oreo cookies into a food processor and pulse them until they are crumbs. Set aside.

To Decorate the cupcakes

  • Frost each cupcake with the chocolate butter cream. You can spread the frosting with an offset spatula or use a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip (the large open star) to pipe the frosting onto the top of the cupcake.
  • Dip the cupcake into the bowl of Oreo dirt or sprinkle a few spoonfuls of Oreo dirt on top of the frosting and place a gummy worm in the center of each cupcake.
  • For a spooky twist, add a plastic spider ring to the top of the cupcakes. Or, you can poke the gummy worms into the frosting so they look like they are wiggling out.

Video

Notes

  • If you prefer, use your favorite chocolate cake recipe instead of a boxed mix.
  • You can also use a tub of store-bought chocolate frosting instead of making homemade chocolate buttercream. Tip: Whip the purchased frosting with a hand mixer to make it light and fluffy.
  • Use your favorite candy for the dirt and worms cupcakes – classic gummy worms or sour worms, gummy bugs/spiders and candy rocks are all fun options.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 246IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

Mummy Rice Krispie Treats

Mummy Rice Krispie Treats: Classic rice krispie treats are covered in white chocolate, then decorated to look like mummies and spider webs! These easy Halloween treats have just 4 ingredients and can be made in minutes!

If you are looking for a Halloween dessert this time of year, you have come to the right place. If these fun treats don’t say Happy Halloween, I don’t know what will! (You’re also really going to love these Mummy Oreo Cookies!)

A plate full of Mummy Rice Krispie Treats is displayed with a glass of milk and another krispie treat is in the foreground beside a decorative black and white towel
Mummy Rice Krispies Treats

Why you’ll love this recipe

This is a no bake Halloween dessert so it is quick and easy!

You don’t need any special tools or fancy ingredients. Everything can be found at your grocery store or the baking aisle of your local Walmart.

This is the perfect easy recipe to let the kids help with! Little hands can unwrap the krispy treats, place the candy eyes, stir the white candy melts and of course, taste test.

Festive, easy Halloween desserts like our Nutter Butters Mummies and these super simple mummy treats are perfect for your next Halloween party.

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Ingredients

You only need four ingredients to make a batch of cute mummy rice krispie treats!

The ingredients to make Mummy Rice Krispie Treats are displayed on a marble background
Ingredients
  • 24 rice krispie treats bars
  • Two 10 oz. bags of white chocolate melting wafers
  • One or two packages of candy eyes
  • 8 oz. black decorating icing bag with removable tips (with coupler and #3 decorating tip)

See the recipe card below for quantities, full instructions and helpful notes.

Instructions

  1. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the krispie treats and place them a few inches apart on the baking sheets.
  2. Melt half of the candy melts (one bag or 10 oz.) in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate or it will dry out and clump.
  3. Spread about one tablespoon of melted white chocolate on the top of each of the krispie treats with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Add two candy eyeballs before the chocolate sets. If you are decorating some of the treats with spider webs, leave several of the coated krispie treats with no eyes.
Nine unwrapped rice krispie treats are arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet
Line tray
Spread chocolate
  1. To make the mummy wrap or bandages, start by melting the remaining white chocolate in the microwave. Pour it into a disposable piping bag and twist it closed at the top.
  2. Using scissors, snip a tiny corner of the piping bag so the chocolate pipes out in thin lines.
  3. Squeeze the filled piping bag gently and drizzle the melted chocolate in different directions over the coated treats, avoiding the eyes. Set the tray(s) aside to allow the bandages to set up.
A hand is holding a piping bag of white chocolate over a pan of chocolate covered rice krispie treats with candy eyes
Drizzle chocolate
  1. To pipe the spider webs, first remove the tip that was included with the black decorating icing. Replace it with a coupler (a piece to connect the piping tip) and a #3 decorating tip.
  2. Using the picture below as a guide, pipe spider webs on the coated rice krispie treats. You may want to practice first on an extra piece of parchment or wax paper.
Add decorating tip
Chocolate covered Rice krispie treats are decorated with black piped spider webs and laid on a parchment lined baking sheet
Pipe spider webs
  1. Allow the spider web krispie treats to set up for about 15 minutes.
  2. Remove any extra white chocolate drizzle from the sides of the mummies and put both the mummies and spider web treats on a plate. Enjoy!
Rice krispie treats decorated to look like mummies and spider webs are displayed on a marble surface accented by a black and white towel
Easy Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

Substitutions & Variations

Since this is such an easy Halloween recipe and you may want to make it again and again, we’ve included a few different ways to make our Halloween rice krispie treats. You can find all of our Halloween food ideas here!

Instead of store bought rice krispie treats, you can easily make a batch of homemade rice krispies treats with rice cereal, mini marshmallows and butter. If you’re feeling really festive, try one of our flavored krispie treats – caramel krispie treats, chocolate krispie treats or even Oreo krispie treats!

While we made mummies and spider web rice krispie treats, get creative with the color of the chocolate melts and the decorations. You can make frankenstein rice krispie treats using green candy melts or ghost krispie treats if you don’t add the mummy bandages.

If you can’t find the candy googly eyes, you can use the black icing or mini chocolate chips.

Insert a popsicle stick or lollipop stick into the bottom of the krispie treats and make rice krispie treat pops! They would make adorable classroom treats, favors for a Halloween party or a fun activity for school parties.

Storage

We recommend storing these spooky rice krispie treats at room temperature in an airtight container. For the best results, enjoy these within 1-2 days.

A plate full of Mummy Rice Krispie Treats is displayed with a glass of milk
Halloween dessert idea

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

A plate full of Mummy Rice Krispie Treats is centered in the photo and a glass of milk, a decorate black and white towel and another krispie treat surround the plate
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Mummy Rice Krispie Treats

For these Mummy Rice Krispie Treats, classic rice krispie treats are covered in white chocolate, then decorated to look like mummies and spider webs! These easy Halloween treats have just 4 ingredients and can be made in minutes!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Setting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24 krispie treats
Calories 257kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 24 rice krispie treats bars
  • 20 oz white chocolate melting wafers
  • 1-2 packages candy eyes
  • 8 oz. black icing

Instructions

  • Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the krispie treats and place them a few inches apart on the baking sheets.
  • Melt half of the candy melts (one bag / 10 oz.) in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions.
  • Spread about one tablespoon of melted white chocolate on the top of each of the krispie treats with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Add two candy eyeballs before the chocolate sets. If you are decorating some of the treats with spider webs, leave several fo the coated krispie treats with no eyes.
  • To make the mummy wrap or bandages, start by melting the remaining white chocolate in the microwave. Pour it into a disposable piping bag and twist it closed at the top.
  • Using scissors, snip a tiny corner of the piping bag so the chocolate pipes out in thin lines.
  • Squeeze the piping bag gently and drizzle the melted chocolate in different directions over the coated treats, avoiding the eyes. Set the tray(s) aside to allow the bandages to set up.
  • To pipe the spider webs, first remove the tip that was included with the black decorating icing. Replace it with a coupler (a piece to connect the piping tip) and a #3 decorating tip.
  • Using the picture in the post as a guide, pipe spider webs on the coated rice krispie treats. You may want to practice first on an extra piece of parchment or wax paper.
  • Allow the spider web krispie treats to set up for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove any extra white chocolate drizzle from the sides of the mummies and put both the mummies and spice web treats on a plate to serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The white chocolate sets quickly, so you may need to microwave it in 15 to 30-second intervals to keep it melted.
  • The black dots on the candy eyes smear easily, so I prefer to handle them with tongs or tweezers.
  • If you don’t have piping bags, you can pour the white chocolate into a ziplock bag and snip of one of the corners. Or, use a small spoon to drizzle a small amount of chocolate across the chocolate coated rice krispie treats.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.05g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutter Butter Mummies

Nutter Butter Mummies: Crunchy peanut butter cookies dipped in white chocolate get an adorable Halloween makeover with candy eyes and white chocolate bandages! These no bake mummy cookies will be a monstrous hit at all of your Halloween parties!

Nutter Butter mummies cookies on black plate
Nutter Butter Mummies

Why You’ll Love These Halloween Cookies

There are only three ingredients that you can grab on your next trip to the grocery store.

Since this is a no bake recipe, your family will have a batch of Halloween treats in no time!

We love recipes that the kids can help with. These adorable Nutter Butter mummy cookies have minimal ingredients and simple steps, a lot like these Oreo mummies. Kids will love to get in the kitchen. My mummy rice krispy treats, and Halloween snack mix are a few more Halloween food ideas that your family will love to make!

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Ingredients for Mummy Nutter Butters

With just three ingredients that can be found at your local grocery store, you can have little Nutter Butter mummies ready by snack time!

The ingredients for Nutter Butter Mummies - white chocolate melts, Nutter Butter cookies and candy eyes - are laid out on a white surface
Ingredients
  • One family-size package of Nutter Butter cookies
  • One package of candy eyeballs
  • Two 10 oz. bags of white candy melts

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Instructions

  1. Line several baking trays with parchment paper, wax paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
  2. Place the white chocolate melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat according to package directions. Continue to microwave until the melted white chocolate is smooth and creamy.
A small white bowl is full of melted white chocolate melts. This will be used to dip Nutter Butter cookies into to make Nutter Butter Mummies
Melt white chocolate
  1. Dip the Nutter Butters one at a time into the melted chocolate, dipping about ¾ of each cookie. Remove the excess chocolate from the back of the cookies and place the dipped cookies on the baking sheet. Leave a few inches of space between each cookie.
  2. Add the candy eyes before the chocolate sets. Repeat until all cookies are dipped and have eyes.
A hand is dipping a Nutter Butter in white chocolate as the first step in making Nutter Butter Mummies
Dip cookies
A hand is placing a candy eye on a chocolate dipped Nutter Butter Mummies cookie
Add candy eyes
  1. Microwave the remaining chocolate in the bowl and add more chocolate melts as necessary. Fill a disposable piping bag with the chocolate and twist the bag slightly to close.

    Snip the tiniest bit off of the tip of the bag and squeeze gently to make sure the chocolate flows out in a small piped line. This will be used to make the mummy wrap or mummy bandages so you don’t want to cut off too much of the tip of the bag or the bandages will be too thick.
A hand is holding a piping bag that is filled with melted white chocolate
Piping bag
  1. Holding the piping bag firmly, gently pipe small lines of white chocolate in multiple directions across each coated cookie, avoiding the eyes.
A tray of Nutter Butter Mummies cookies are displayed and a hand is drizzling melted white chocolate on the cookies for the mummy bandages
Pipe or drizzle
  1. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow them to set/harden.
  2. Once set, remove the cookies from the fridge and carefully snap off the excess candy-coating pieces from around each cookie. Place cookies on a plate and serve!
A hand holds a single Nutter Butter mummy cookie with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in the background
Chocolate covered Nutter Butters

Substitutions

Here are a few easy substitutions to fit the ingredients and tools you have on hand.

  • Cookies – If you can’t find the Nutter Butters or need an option without peanut butter, we like using Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies since they are the same general shape and size
  • White chocolate – You can also use a package of white almond bark or melt white chocolate chips over a double boiler instead of the white candy melts.
  • Candy eyes – I found the candy eyes at my local Walmart but you can also purchase them online or try the food crafting section of the craft store. If you can’t find them, you can also use mini chocolate chips for eyes.

Variations

  • Ghosts – If you don’t pipe the mummy bandages, you can add a chocolate chip mouth for a batch of little Nutter Butter ghosts.
  • Make mummy cookie pops – Insert a lollipop stick or popsicle stick into the cookie filling of each mummy to make a cookie pop. Slip each cookie pop into a cellophane bag and tie with a festive ribbon to make easy favors for your Halloween party!

How to Store Mummy Nutter Butter Cookies

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw the frozen cookies in the fridge before eating.

While you can store these cookies in the refrigerator/freezer, the black dots on the candy eyes may smudge or smear due to the condensation in the cool environment. So, we really like to enjoy these the day they are made.

A black plate in the center of the photo is filled with Nutter Butter Mummies cookies and a glass of milk is waiting in the background
Mummy Nutters Butters

I have a feeling you’ll also love these chocolate-covered Halloween pretzels too!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Nutter Butter Mummies Cookies are displayed on a black plate on a decorative white & black cloth in the center of the photo
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Nutter Butter Mummies

Nutter Butter Mummies are simply cookies dipped in white chocolate that get an adorable Halloween make over with candy eyes and white chocolate bandages! These no bake mummy cookies will be a monstrous hit at your Halloween parties!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Setting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 30 cookies
Calories 167kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 30 Nutter Butter cookies from a family size package
  • 20 ounces white chocolate candy melts
  • 1 package candy eyes

Instructions

  • Line several baking trays with parchment paper, wax paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
  • Place the white chocolate melts in a microwave safe bowl and heat according to package directions. Continue to microwave until the melted white chocolate is smooth and creamy.
  • Dip the Nutter Butter cookies one at a time into the melted chocolate, dipping about ¾ of each cookie. Remove the excess chocolate from the back of the cookies and place the dipped cookies on the baking sheet.
  • Add the candy eyes before the chocolate sets. Repeat until all cookies are dipped and have eyes.
  • Microwave the remaining chocolate in the bowl and add more chocolate melts as necessary. Fill a disposable piping bag with the chocolate and twist the bag slightly to close. Snip the tiniest bit off of the tip of the bag and squeeze gently to make sure the chocolate flows out in a small piped line.
  • Holding the piping bag firmly, gently pipe small lines of white chocolate in multiple directions across each coated cookie, avoiding the eyes.
  • Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow them to set/harden.
  • Once set, remove the cookies from the refrigerator and carefully snap off the excess candy coating pieces from around each cookie. Place cookies on plate and serve!

Notes

  • The white chocolate sets quickly, so you may need to microwave it in 15 second intervals to keep it melted.
  • I was able to make about 30 cookies with one package of candy eyes.
  • The black dots on the candy eyes smear easily, so I prefer to handle them with tongs or tweezers.
  • While you can store these cookies in the refrigerator/freezer, the black dots on the candy eyes may smudge or smear due to the condensation in the cool environment. So, we really like to enjoy these the day they are made.
  • If you don’t have piping bags, you can pour the white chocolate into a ziploc bag and snip of one of the corners. Or, use a small spoon to drizzle a small amount of chocolate across the dipped cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 0.05mg

Cream Cheese Pasta

Cream Cheese Pasta: This linguine covered in cream cheese pasta sauce is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner idea! It’s ready in 20 minutes, only calls for 7 simple ingredients, tastes like Alfredo sauce (but with less fuss), and the whole family will love it!

Cream cheese pasta on a plate being scooped up with a fork.

We love pasta recipes around here (shocking, I know), but cream cheese pasta recipes like this one might just be our new favorite pasta dish when it comes to main courses, much like this creamy lemon chicken pasta.

When the weather starts to cool off, I start to crave cream cheese recipes. Whether it’s a simple cheese ball served with crackers, a loaded cream cheese dip, or a pasta recipe with a cream cheese sauce like this one!

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Why This Recipe Works:

  1. Quick and Easy: It’s so quick and easy to make.
  2. Simple Ingredients: The ingredients are easy and simple, and picky eaters love it!
  3. Add Protein: You can add items like grilled shrimp, steak bites, chicken bites, or vegetables like roasted broccoli to this dish!

Ingredients

I've highlighted a couple of ingredients with some relevant notes. Aside from this, the ingredients needed are pretty basic.

The ingredients for cream cheese pasta laid out on a counter with labels on the image.
  • Pasta: the linguine noodles in this are the perfect width, for a hearty dish, that wraps around the creamy sauce.
  • Butter: We use salted butter for this recipe, and it gives the cream cheese sauce the richness you’re looking for.
  • Cream Cheese: We like to use the Philadelphia cream cheese, block style, but any will work.

Substitutions

If you need to swap out an ingredient, here are a few of our suggestions!

  • Linguine – if you don’t have linguine on hand, you can use whatever pasta you like! Using another long noodle like spaghetti or spaghettini will give you the most similar finished dish, but you could use a shell noodle, rotini noodle, bowtie pasta, or other short pasta too! We even use egg noodles in our chicken and noodles recipe, and that has a great texture!
  • Gluten Free – use your favorite gluten-free pasta instead of wheat noodles to make this yummy pasta recipe gluten free.
  • Garlic Pepper Seasoning – if you don’t have garlic pepper seasoning on hand, you can make your own by mixing together 8 teaspoons of garlic powder and 4 ½ teaspoons of black pepper. You can keep the rest on hand for future recipes and use 1 tablespoon of it in this recipe!

Variations

Pasta recipes are so fun because they are super easy to customize! Here are a few fun ideas we have for variations on this easy cream cheese pasta recipe.

  • Spicy – the cayenne pepper in this recipe is optional, but if you want some heat add the cayenne and consider adding a pinch of chili flakes as well.
  • Parmesan Cheese – although this recipe makes the cream cheese pasta sauce without parmesan, cheese lovers know that you can add parmesan to any pasta dish and it only gets better. Feel free to add ½ cup parmesan cheese into the sauce to your liking, and garnish the pasta with more parmesan!
  • Add Your Favorite Protein – To make this pasta dish a bit more hearty, you can add your favorite cooked meat into it! Try mixing in cooked chicken breast, Italian sausage, chopped bacon, or shrimp.
  • More Flavor – If you want to add a bit of extra flavor to this recipe, you can swap out ½ of the pasta water for my homemade chicken broth. You could also add some chopped fresh garlic and a pinch of onion powder to really up the flavor!
  • Add Tomatoes-If you’re a fan of tomatoes, you can stir in some chopped cherry tomatoes or even sun-dried tomatoes!

Instructions for Making This Easy Pasta Dish

There are just a few steps to make this spaghetti sauce with cream cheese.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Boiled linguine noodles in a pot with butter, cream cheese, and parsley placed around the pot.
Linguine noodles, butter, and cream cheese in a pot.

STEP 1: Boil the Noodles. Boil the linguine pasta al dente, as directed on the box (about 10 minutes) reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water (Image 1).

STEP 2: Combine. In a large saute pan or pot, add the hot-cooked pasta, butter, and cream cheese. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to let the butter and cream cheese soften (Image 2).

Seasonings, butter, and cream cheese in the pot with the linguine. There is a measuring cup of pasta water poised to be poured into the pot.
Cream cheese pasta in a pot being stirred together.

STEP 3: Season. Remove the cover and add the garlic pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, and ½ of the hot pasta water. Stir to combine (Image 3).

TIP: If the pasta is still too thick for your liking add more pasta water a little at a time until smooth and creamy.

STEP 4. Garnish & Serve. Add the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately. Optionally, you can choose to top your creamy pasta sauce with freshly grated parmesan cheese and more parsley (Image 4). Enjoy!

Cream cheese pasta in a pot with fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on it.
Garnish & enjoy!

Top Tip

  • How to Avoid Overcooking the Pasta Noodles: When cooking pasta in general, it’s important not to overcook it or it will become mushy. A great tip is to stop the cooking process when it comes to al dente. You can remove the pasta from the hot water, drain and rinse cool/warm water over it to stop the process. When the time to serve, simply run hot water over the pasta again in the colander, to warm it back up!

Expert Tips and FAQs

Which cheese should be used for pasta?

You can use any type of cheese for pasta! Some of the popular favorites are parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, etc. However, keep in mind how you’re using the cheese. If it’s for melting, some cheese will melt better than others.

Can you melt cream cheese?

100% you can! Cream cheese melts into a delicious, creamy smooth consistency making it the perfect base for dips and sauces.

Can I use cream cheese instead of heavy cream for pasta?

Absolutely! If you are looking to thicken up any pasta dish, you can replace the heavy cream called for with cream cheese.

What thickens pasta sauce?

Depending on the type of sauce, the answer will be different. If it’s a tomato based sauce, you can thicken it by simmering it on a low heat for a long period of time (letting some of the liquid evaporate). If it’s a cream based sauce, you can add some flour and water into the sauce and boil it to thicken it, or you can add some extra cheese to the sauce!

Additional Mix-in Ideas

This pasta is delicious all by itself but you can add some shrimp, chicken, crab meat (similar to this crab pasta bake recipe) or any protein you wish!

What to Serve with this Delicious Pasta Recipe

Of course you could eat this linguine with its cheesy sauce and call it a day, but we’re big believers in side dishes to round out a meal. Here are a few ideas for things you could serve with this pasta recipe.

Storage

Store any leftover cream cheese pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to reheat the pasta, add a little extra butter and warm it in the microwave (the sauce becomes thicker when it cools, so the extra butter will help thin it out again). It may be fun to try making this cream cheese pasta as a fried spaghetti recipe too!

Cream cheese pasta sauce won’t freeze well, so we wouldn’t recommend freezing this pasta dish.

Bite of cream cheese pasta on fork
Enjoy a bite!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

More Pasta Recipes

Did your family like this cream cheese pasta recipe? If they did, you’re in luck because we have a lot of easy pasta recipes just like this one on the blog. Next time you’re meal planning, consider adding one of our other creamy pasta recipes like our Instant Pot buffalo chicken pasta, this easy baked feta pasta, or this fan favorite beef stroganoff recipe!

Or, choose from these easy dinner recipes that are some of our favorites:

Recipe

Cream Cheese Pasta being scooped up and held above the plate.
Print Pin
5 from 11 votes

Cream Cheese Pasta

Cream Cheese Pasta: This linguine covered in cream cheese pasta sauce is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight dinner! It's ready in 20 minutes, & only calls for 7 simple ingredients
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 516kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces linguine uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon garlic pepper seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese optional
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Boil the linguine pasta al dente, as directed on the box (about 10 minutes) reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  • In a large saute pan or pot add the hot cooked pasta, butter, and cream cheese. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to let the butter and cream cheese soften.
  • Remove the cover and add the garlic pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, ½ of the hot pasta water and parmesan cheese (if using). Stir to combine, if the pasta is still too thick for your liking add more pasta water a little at a time until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately. Optionally, you can choose to top your pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese and more parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

Top Tip:
How to Avoid Overcooking the Pasta Noodles: When cooking pasta in general, it’s important not to overcook it or it will become mushy. See the blog post for our favorite tip on how to help prevent this!
Storage of Leftovers:
Store any leftover cream cheese pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to reheat the pasta, add a little extra butter and warm it in the microwave (the sauce becomes thicker when it cools, so the extra butter will help thin it out again).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

Ghost Craft for Kids

Ghost Craft for Kids: Such a fun project for the kids at Halloween. Just a few items, that you probably even have on hand, for craft time success!

two ghost craft projects on table
Ghost Craft for Halloween

When Halloween rolls around in our house, a craft is a MUST and this Ghost Halloween Craft is one of our favorites! It’s easy to make, and uses items that we usually have in our craft bin anyway!

Materials Needed:

  • White Cardstock, Small Posterboard, or White Construction Paper (Card Stock is thicker, so I chose this so it would hold up better}
  • Black Construction Paper
  • Scissors
  • Cotton Balls (amount depends on size of ghost you cut out. We used 35-40)
  • Googley Eyes
  • Glue (we use glue sticks to keep it less messy)

Just for fun, you’ll also love snacking on this Monster Mix or these Halloween pretzel sticks, while you’re crafting!

Instructions:

  1. Start by using white cardstock, and cut a “bell” shape (or upside down “U”) and feel free to add a scalloped edge to the bottom, to give the ghost a “flowy” look.
Ghost template on white cardstock
Ghost template
  1. Next, cut out the ghost shape with scissors.
Cutting ghost template out of paper
Cut out ghost
  1. Then, using black construction paper, cut out a small round or oval shape, to create the mouth of the ghost. Glue on to ghost where the mouth should go.
Scissors cutting out mouth, from black construction paper
Cut out mouth
  1. Using adhesive craft eyes, stick the eyes on to the ghost. (Or, if not adhesive eyes, glue the eyes on.)
Attaching eyes to ghost paper
Add eyes to ghost
Both eyes on ghost
Both eyes added
  1. Next, using glue (we use a glue stick but you can use Elmer’s glue if desired) spread glue on the white parts of the ghost.
Stick glue spread on ghost
Use a glue stick
  1. Begin sticking cotton balls on to glue, pressing down to secure each ball.
Hand sticking cotton balls on to ghost
Stick cotton balls on to ghost
  1. Cover the entire ghost with as many cotton balls as it takes, making sure the eyes and mouth still show.
ghost craft being held up by kid hands
Ghost Craft Idea
cotton ball ghost craft being held by kiddo hand
Kids Ghost Craft

Then it’s done! Hang it up on the refrigerator, in their bedroom or out on a display for all the trick-or-treaters to see!

Hint: Save it for next year as a little keepsake, and you can display it for Halloween again!

Related Halloween Ideas

I also think you’ll love this pumpkin patch dessert that we love making this time of year!

Recipe

Yield: 1 ghost

Ghost Craft

cotton ball ghosts craft

Ghost Craft for Kids: Such a fun project for the kids at Halloween. Just a few items, that you probably even have on hand, for craft time success!

Active Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • white card stock (or mini poster board)
  • black construction paper
  • cotton balls
  • glue stick (or Elmer's Glue)
  • googly eyes

Tools

  • scissors

Instructions

    1. Start by using white cardstock, or mini white poster board, and cut out a "bell" shape or an upside-down "U" shape. Feel free to scallop the bottom if desired, or keep it straight across.
    2. Next, cut out that shape with the scissors.
    3. Then, using black construction paper, cut out a round or oval shape, for the ghost's mouth. Glue on.
    4. Using adhesive googly eyes, stick two on the ghost. Or, if they're not adhesive, glue them on.
    5. Next, using glue, spread glue on to the whites of the ghost, around the eyes and mouth.
    6. Begin sticking cotton balls to glue, pressing down to secure each cotton ball.
    7. Cover the entire ghost with cotton balls.
    8. Allow to dry!
© Jessica

A flashback to when my toddler made this for the first time and I had to help him. Now, he did it all on his own!

Halloween Ghost Craft for Kids-5
Toddler Halloween Craft, Ghost Halloween Craft for Kids

How to Make Iced Coffee

How to Make Iced Coffee: Skip the busy lines at your favorite coffee shop, save money, and make a delicious iced coffee recipe at home!

tall glass filled with iced coffee and ice cubes

This recipe teaches you how to make iced coffee in minutes, and you can customize it to your desired taste, sweetness, strength and temperature! If you want to add more flavor to your coffee, you may want to try this iced caramel latte recipe or this dirty chai recipe too!

The best part… once you have your extract, you can make your iced coffee faster than you could, placing your drive-through order!

Or make this espresso martini later for fun!

Friends, I am THRILLED to have Charlotte from Pretty Mindful Mama Life with us today, sharing how she makes her favorite iced coffee recipe…

How to Make Iced Coffee

As a busy mom of 4 very active boys, it is no secret that I am FUELED BY COFFEE! I love it in any form!

Latte, cappuccino, americano…once that aroma hits me I’m ready to start my day! When it’s hot, my go-to is definitely an iced coffee which is a treat in a glass.

I usually enjoy my coffee with no sugar but iced coffee is really elevated with a little bit of sweetness.

Side note: Jessica LOVES her Ninja Coffee Bar if you’re in the market for a new coffee machine!

Make Your Cold Brew

The only part of this process that takes a bit of time is creating your cold brew coffee extract.

It’s not difficult but requires you to wait patiently for your coffee to brew in cold water in the fridge overnight.

The great news is, once you’ve made a batch of your cold brew you can use it all week for your favorite coffee drinks hot or cold.

Wanting something faster? You may LOVE the Ninja Coffee Bar that Jessica uses since it has an iced brew setting! Or, brew your coffee like normal and let it sit overnight!

Learn more about the machine HERE or just head over and buy the Ninja Coffee Maker HERE!

French Press or No French Press…

A french press is not required for the cold brew process but I find it super handy and convenient for this task and love the flavor it gives the iced coffee.

If you don’t have a french press, never fear…all you need is a container to pour your water and coffee in. You would then need a coffee filter or cheesecloth to strain the grinds.

Step 1: Add Water

Pour 4 cups of cold filtered water into your french press (or container of choice, a mason jar works great!)

Step 2: Ground Coffee Beans

Add ½ cup of course ground coffee beans of your choice to the water. I use a medium – dark roast, organic.

Give it a gentle stir just to moisten the grounds and your coffee is ready to be transformed into a delicious cold brew.

You will have to cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to brew for about 12-18 hrs in the fridge.

When you wake up, you will be ready to use your coffee extract!

Cold Brew Coffee Extract

After the brewing process, if you are using a french press, simply press your grounds slowly and decant your coffee extract into a mason jar. (If you are not using a french press, use a wet coffee filter or cheesecloth to strain the grounds and then decant).

Coffee Extract for the Week…

Now that you have made your coffee extract you can store it in the fridge and use it for the rest of the week!

TIP: If you would like to drink it hot, just pour a third of a cup into your coffee cup and fill with boiling water.

Then add your favorite mix-ins! Coffee that’s ready for the week? Yes Please!

Making the Iced Coffee

Step 1: Add Ice

Fill your serving glass with ice!

Step 2: Fill with Cold Brew

Fill a ⅓ to ½ the cup with your cold brew!

Step 3: Add Milk + Sweetener

Fill the remainder of the cup with your favorite milk and sweetener.

I like a mix of half and half with 2 tablespoons of condensed milk! SO GOOD!

You could use 2% milk, almond milk, coconut milk whatever you like. Whatever you do, DO NOT use regular sugar to sweeten. It will not dissolve.

Sweeteners for Iced Coffee

You can go unsweetened if that’s your jam too.

But if you want to sweeten with something other than the condensed milk you can use a sugar syrup (or simple syrup) that you can purchase or easily make yourself.

How to Make Your Own Simple Syrup

Boil equal parts of sugar and water. I like to do 1 of cup sugar and 1 cup of water and once cooled I store it in a pretty bottle in my coffee station!

You can even flavor your sugar syrup with different coffee flavor extracts.

I like adding a whole scraped vanilla bean, or you can also use coconut sugar for your syrup.

Honey or real maple syrup can also work as a sweetener.

Before you know it you’ll be a master barista creating your own signature drinks!

Step 4: Enjoy Iced Coffee at Home

Enjoy!

It’s THAT easy! Who would have thought? This recipe will be sure to quench your coffee thirst on a hot day or give you a much needed afternoon boost when energy is low.

It will also save you a ton of money and time and most importantly you can have your drink the way YOU want it! Don’t even get me started on how you could take these over the top when you are entertaining!

You could add whipped cream and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or grated dark chocolate or a drizzle of salted caramel or dulce de leche!

How Do YOU Make Iced Coffee?

Let us know how you enjoy this super easy and delicious iced coffee and what your favorite mix-ins and toppings are! Drop a note in the comments so we can hear your wonderful ideas too!

Recipe

tall clear glass of iced coffee
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

How to Make Iced Coffee

How to Make Iced Coffee: Skip the busy lines at your favorite coffee shop, save money, and make a delicious iced coffee recipe at home!
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 5 coffees
Calories 33kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Cold Filtered Water
  • ½ cup Coarse Ground Coffee I use medium dark roast.
  • ¼ cup milk of choice I use half & half.
  • 2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk You may use liquid sweetener of your choice.
  • Ice

Instructions

To make Cold Brew Coffee Extract:

  • Pour 4 cups of water into a french press or container of your choice.
  • Add coffee and gently stir to moisten grounds.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-18 hours.
  • Once the coffee has brewed, press grounds with french press or strain with a wet coffee filter or cheesecloth. Pour strained cold brew into a mason jar. Cold Brew can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

To make Iced Coffee:

  • Fill a glass tumbler with ice.
  • Fill ⅓ to ½ the tumbler with cold brew.
  • Mix ¼ cup milk of choice with sweetener of choice and pour over cold brew. 
  • Stir and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1coffee | Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 48mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 0.02mg

Looking for More Drink Recipes?

If you love easy, and you love making your own drinks, then you’ll ADORE the super popular and super easy drink recipes here on the blog, already waiting for you!

Pumpkin Poke Cake

Pumpkin Poke Cake Recipe: With only 4 ingredients, this may just be your new favorite easy pumpkin dessert! It uses a cake mix, pudding mix, milk, and pumpkin puree!

Quick Overview: You’ll bake this cake recipe for 25 minutes and then chill for 2 hours! Simple, easy, sweet, and perfect for fall! Next, you’ll want to try these pumpkin cheesecake bites, so you can really capture the taste of fall!

Pumpkin Poke Cake on Plate with bite on fork

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

During pumpkin season, pumpkin spice poke cake or, if you choose, to add caramel, this pumpkin caramel poke cake, will be one of your new favorite pumpkin desserts! (Well, besides these pumpkin cheesecake bars and this pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust, of course!)

You will want to make this easy poke cake recipe a few hours in advance, as it has a 2 hour chill time but it’s going to be WORTH IT! (Since this has a chill time, you might as well make this no bake peanut butter pie while you’re at, so it can be chilling too!)

Although this pumpkin pie poke cake calls for a spice cake mix, you can easily use a white cake mix or yellow cake mix, and choose which pudding mix you prefer, making this a totally customizable dessert! (See more about this below!) And if you’re looking for a poke cake with a more tropical flavor, this coconut poke cake fits the bill.

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Ingredients

Like our lemon poke cake, you won’t need a lot of ingredients to make this dessert, so go ahead, grab your favorite flavors from the grocery store, and get ready to make this dessert on repeat during the time of year where you crave fall flavors!

pumpkin poke cake recipe ingredients
Ingredients for pumpkin poke cake
  • 15.25 ounce Spice Cake mix (or yellow cake mix or white cake mix if you prefer – it may just lack the “spice” of fall flavors, so you may want to add a little pumpkin pie spice.)
  • 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
  • 2 – 3.4 ounce instant pudding mix (Use can choose to use 2 cheesecake flavor puddings or combine 1 white chocolate pudding with 1 vanilla pudding!)
  • 4 cups of milk (for the standard pudding box directions)

Instructions

  1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
pumpkin puree in bowl with cake mix
Cake Mix and pumpkin puree
  1. Next, in a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and pumpkin puree until fully mixed. 
Pumpkin puree and cake mix, mixed together
Pumpkin puree and spiced cake mix in bowl, mixed together
  1. Pour the cake batter in to a greased 8×10, 9×9 square or 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly.
    (This recipe was made in an 8×10 size baking dish so if you do use a bigger cake pan, the bake time may vary if a larger. So be sure to watch the cake, as a bigger baking dish will make the batter more thin, and cook faster.
Pour cake mix and pumpkin in to baking dish
Pour cake mix batter in to baking dish
  1. Then, bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in to the center, comes out clean.
Baking dish filled with pumpkin cake batter
Cake batter in baking dish ready for baking

Poke and Fill

  1. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, grab a wooden spoon that has a narrow end, and poke holes, about 1 inch apart, over the entire top of the cake.
holes poked in to baked cake
Once baked, poke holes in top of cake with wood spoon handle
  1. In a small bowl, mix the instant pudding according to the package directions.
Pudding mixture - in mixing bowl
Prepare instant pudding
  1. Next, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and pour the pudding over the top of the cake, slowly, allowing the mixture to settle into the holes. 
Pour pudding over the top of warm cake
Pour instant pudding mix over cake and in to holes
  1. Next, refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
After cake has chilled, remove from refrigerator
Chill cake in refrigerator for 2 hours

Finally, decorate with sprinkles, cinnamon, or white chocolate chips if preferred! See our list of ideas below!

Sliced pumpkin poke cake on plate
Serve chilled

Or, if desired, you can drizzle with Torani Pumpkin Pie syrup, caramel syrup or chocolate syrup!

Drizzle caramel sauce on cake
If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce or favorite toppings

How to Serve Pumpkin Poke Cake

Surprisingly, this cake is delicious, served cold! But it can also be served at room temperature if desired.

Slice of pumpkin poke cake with bite on fork
Pumpkin Caramel Drizzle Cake

Substitutions

If you don’t have spice cake mix on hand, you can use different flavors of cake mix. Such as white cake mix, or yellow cake mix. However, when using a different cake mix flavor, it can lack the fall flavors of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, etc. So it may not give the exact flavor of this exact recipe but I’m sure it would still be delicious!

Topping Ideas

If you’d like to top the top layer of this cake, you can add:

  • nuts (pecans, walnuts)
  • mini chocolate chips
  • chopped candies
  • syrups
  • cinnamon
  • sprinkles
  • toffee bits
  • brown sugar
  • ice cream toppings (like caramel sundae sauce)
  • whipped topping (or Cool Whip)

Storage

If you have leftover pumpkin cake, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, to stay moist. If desired, you can also freeze the cake, in an airtight container, for up to 1 month.

More Pumpkin Desserts and Cake Recipes

Poke cake recipes are so easy! If you love easy dessert recipes, then I know you’ll also love this pumpkin fluff, pumpkin cream cheese bread, and this ugly duckling cake!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Slice of pumpkin poke cake on plate with fork
Print Pin
5 from 8 votes

Pumpkin Poke Cake

Pumpkin Poke Cake Recipe: With only 4 ingredients, this may just be your new favorite easy pumkin dessert! You'll need: a cake mix, pudding mix, milk and pumpkin puree!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 33 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 281kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 15.25 ounces boxed spice cake mix 1 box
  • 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 boxes instant pudding mix (2 Cheesecakes or 1 vanilla and 1 white chocolate) 3.4 ounces each
  • 4 cups milk to make standard pudding directions
  • optional toppings (caramel drizzle, chocolate chips, etc.)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Using a spoon, mix together the cake mix and pumpkin puree in a mixing bowl, until fully combined. 
  • Spread the batter evenly in to a greased 8×10, 9×9 square or 9×13 baking pan. (This recipe was made in an 8×10 size baking dish so bake time may vary if larger, wider pan is used.) 
  • Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in to the center, comes out clean.
  • As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, poke holes, that are about 1 inch apart, with the skinny, with the end of a wooden spoon, over the entire surface of the cake.
  • Prepare the instant pudding, using the 4 cups of milk, according to package directions.
  • Pour the pudding liquid over the surface of the cake, slowly, allowing the mixture to settle into the holes. 
  • Place the baking dish/cake in the refrigerator, for at least 2 hours before serving.
  • Decorate with sprinkles, cinnamon, Torani Pumpkin Pie sauce or white chocolate chips if desired. (See blog post for more ideas!)

Video

Notes

I haven’t tested this in an 8×8 pan yet, although I do believe it would fit. However all of the frosting/topping may struggle to fit in your pan. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 5648IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies: This cocoa powder chocolate cookie recipe with maraschino cherries is quick and easy to make but sure to be a hit with the whole family!

Lover of chocolate cookies? Then don’t miss this rocky road cookie recipe and this Devil’s Food Cookie recipe, that also uses a chocolate cake mix!

A stack of chocolate cherry cookies, the top cookie has a bite out of it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Chocolate and cherries are a classic combination! If you like chocolate-covered cherries, you’re going to love these cookies. The chewy chocolate cookies are tender and moist, and the chopped maraschino cherries add a yummy pop of cherry flavor. They basically taste like chocolate-covered cherry cookies. For the same flavor profile but in cake form, this Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake is not to be missed. Super easy to make and guaranteed to disappear fast.

These cookies are quick and easy to make but look so fancy, so they are perfect for a potluck, Valentine’s Day party, cookie exchange, baby shower, or any other event where you want to bring something impressive without a lot of fuss.

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Ingredients

These maraschino chocolate cherry cookies use simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores!

Ingredients for chocolate cherry cookies laid out on a counter with labels on the image.
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (or 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled)
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup maraschino cherries (stems removed, chopped and blotted dry)

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand or in a large bowl with a hand mixer on low speed, cream the butter until smooth (about 30 seconds). 
Butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Cream the butter.
  1. Add sugar, egg, vanilla, cocoa powder, and buttermilk. Mix well.
Butter, sugar, cocoa powder, egg, and buttermilk in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add egg, sugar, cocoa powder & buttermilk.
  1. Add in flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they are well combined. 
Flour on top of other cookie batter ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add flour, salt & baking soda.
  1. Fold in cherries until well combined. Make sure the cherries are well mixed into the dough so that they're evenly distributed. 

Note: Be sure to dry out the chopped cherries very well on paper towel to soak up all the cherry juice, otherwise the dough will be wet and it could thin out.

Maraschino cherries on top of cookie dough inside of the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add chopped cherries.
Chocolate cherry cookie dough.
Fold in until combined.
  1. Drop 1-2 rounded tablespoons (1-inch balls) or scoops from a small cookie scoop onto parchment lined cookie trays, spacing 2 inches apart. The cookies don't spread very much when baked, so use bigger scoops of dough for bigger cookies.
Balls of chocolate cherry cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Drop scoops onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
  1. Bake dough balls for 8-10 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched. Keep an eye on the baking time – make sure you don't keep the cookies in the oven too long, or the bottoms will burn.
  2. Let your maraschino cherry cookies cool on a wire rack and then enjoy!
Baked chocolate cherry cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes.

Substitutions & Variations

We like to give you a few suggestions for ways to switch up the ingredients in these cherry chocolate chip cookies (or customize them to make them uniquely your own), because there’s nothing worse than realizing you’re out of something when you had your heart set on a cookie!

  • Buttermilk – don’t have buttermilk? No problem! You can use powdered buttermilk (you just add water) or you can make your own. Simply add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to your measuring cup, fill to ⅓ with milk (the higher fat percentage the better) and let it sit for 5 mins. It will start to curdle a bit, that’s normal – and there you have it, your buttermilk substitute.
  • Cocoa powder – instead of cocoa powder, you can use 2 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled.
  • Swap fruits – not a fan of maraschino cherries? You could replace them with other fruits! I think that dried fruits, chopped up, would work best (like apricots, peaches, raisins, etc).
  • More chocolate – for the chocolate lovers out there, you can fold in some chocolate chunks when you fold in the chopped cherry to make these double chocolate cherry cookies! You could also add white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips instead of chunks of chocolate (or if you’re a big fan of chocolate, add multiple kinds).

Or if you have a chocolate cake mix and are looking for a way to make cookies with it, you’ll love this turtle cookie recipe too.

Storage

Store any leftover cherry chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. These cookies are very soft and sticky, so it's best to separate layers with waxed paper if you’re stacking them.  You could also put them in the fridge in an airtight container (with wax paper between layers) and they should keep for 3-5 days.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I do think that these cookies would freeze nicely as well! Put them in a freezer safe, airtight container and they should keep for a month or so.

A chocolate cherry cookie on a spatula being held above the baking sheet filled with cookies.
Warm cookies

Expert Tips and FAQs

How do I make my cookies more fudgy?

The best way to achieve a more fudge cookie is by watching your bake time! Avoid overcooking at all costs. Remove your cookies as soon as the edges are slightly brown and the center is set (it looks firm and doesn’t jiggle when you move the sheet, but it will still look moist).

What makes a chewy cookie chewy?

Chewy cookies typically have more moisture added to them! The butter, buttermilk, and maraschino cherries in this recipe all add to the moisture and help to create a moist, chewy cookie.

Should I chill the dough before baking?

It’s not necessary but if you want your cookies to be more puffy, you can cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. 

How do you store chocolate covered cherries?

If you found this recipe, chances are that you love a good chocolate covered cherry, too! If you’ve ever wondered how to store those after you’ve bought them or made them, the answer is in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-6 days.

These cookies, however, should be stored in an airtight container and will keep for 2-3 days.

Recipe

A chocolate cherry cookie on a plate leaning against a stack of cookies.
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies: This cocoa powder chocolate cookie recipe with maraschino cherries is quick and easy to make but sure to be a hit with the whole family! 
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 121kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (or 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled)
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup maraschino cherries stems removed, chopped and blotted dry

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand or in a large bowl with a hand mixer on low speed, cream the butter until smooth (about 30 seconds).
  • Add sugar, egg, vanilla, cocoa powder, and buttermilk. Mix well.
  • Add in flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well.
  • Fold in cherries until well combined. 
  • Drop 1-2 rounded tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched. 
  • Let cool and enjoy!

Notes

  • Be sure to dry out the chopped cherries very well on paper towels, otherwise the dough will be wet and it could thin out.
  • Make sure the cherries are well mixed into the dough so that they're evenly distributed.
  • The cookies don't spread very much when baked, so use bigger scoops of dough for bigger cookies.
  • Don't keep the cookies in the oven for too long, otherwise the bottoms will burn.
 
STORAGE: Store any leftover cherry chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. These cookies are very soft and sticky, so it’s best to separate layers with waxed paper if you’re stacking them.  You could also put them in the fridge in an airtight container (with wax paper between layers) and they should keep for 3-5 days.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I do think that these cookies would freeze nicely as well! Put them in a freezer safe, airtight container and they should keep for a month or so.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Instant Pot Raspberry Jam

Instant Pot Raspberry Jam: It doesn’t get any easier than this sweet Instant Pot jam, and you are only 6 ingredients and about 20 minutes away from a homemade jam that you’ll want to put on everything!

We use our Instant Pot all the time and have a long list of Instant Pot recipes! Some of our favorites are Instant Pot Orange Chicken, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, and these Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs. We think you will love this time saving kitchen appliance! (Check out my video review of my Instant Pot if you haven’t used one!)

Jam in a jar in front of Instant Pot
Instant Pot Raspberry Jam

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Homemade Jam

Simple ingredients: Fresh berries, in this case, fresh raspberries, and a few pantry staples are all you need for this Instant Pot jam – no pectin!

Quick recipe: The entire process from start to finish is just about 20 minutes so you’ll have raspberry preserves on the table in no time at all.

Great for gift giving: This easy raspberry jam made with fresh fruit makes thoughtful gifts for teachers, friends, family, and workers. Tie a decorative tag with ribbon or twine around the top of the jar to dress up this jam for gift giving.

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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with the instructions below!

  • 3 cups raspberries, rinsed and dried
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon water
Photo of the ingredients for Instant Pot Raspberry jam including raspberries, lemons, sugar, water, cornstarch and vanilla extract
raspberry jam ingredients

Instructions

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do I make jam in my Instant Pot?”, then you have come to the right place! Here are step-by-step photos and detailed instructions to make homemade raspberry jam. Even if this is your first time making jam, we’ve made it easy!

  1. Place the raspberries into the Instant Pot.
  2. Cover the berries with the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. (Don’t skip this step – it starts to break the fruit down and activates the natural pectin in the raspberries.)
The inside of an Instant Pot pressure cooker is filled with fresh raspberries, sugar and lemon juice ready to make Instant Pot raspberry jam
raspberries in the Instant Pot
  1. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the quick release valve is set to sealed.
  2. Cook on manual pressure for 3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch (or arrow root powder) and water into a slurry in a small bowl and set aside.
  4. Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes and carefully flip the quick release valve to release the rest of the pressure.
  5. When the pin has dropped, open the lid.
  6. Stir in the cornstarch slurry.
The inside of an Instant Pot displays softened raspberries after they have been cooked with sugar and lemon juice - they are ready to be blended to make Instant Pot raspberry jam
Cooked raspberries
A small bowl of cornstarch slurry is surrounded by yellow lemons and a metal whisk. The slurry will be added to thicken Instant Pot raspberry jam
Add the cornstarch slurry
  1. If you like the jam smoother, use an immersion blender to blend the jam until it is at the desired consistency. However, if you prefer a few larger pieces of fruit or a thicker consistency, blend part of the jam and leave the rest of the jam untouched.
  2. Let the hot jam cool and give it one last stir.
  3. Pour this fruity pressure cooker jam into clean jars.
An immersion blender is hovering above a batch of Instant Pot raspberry jam ready to be blended
Blend jam
A mason jar full of Instant Pot raspberry jam is centered and surrounded by lemons, a bowl of raspberries and a decorative gingham towel
Fill jars with jam

Just look at the vibrant red jam bursting with fresh raspberry flavor!

Close up photo of a spoon full of bright red raspberry jam centered over a mason jar filled with the same jam

How to Serve Raspberry Jam

Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve this delicious recipe for homemade raspberry jam:

Vibrant red raspberry jam is spread on multigrain toast on a white plate. It is surround by lemons, a decorative gingham towel, fresh raspberries and a jar of jam
Instant Pot jam recipe

FAQs

Can you can jam in an Instant Pot? The Instant Pot works for steam canning/preserving high acid food like jams and jellies.

Will this recipe work with less sugar? The low sugar raspberry jam will be less sweet but you can reduce the sugar to your personal tastes.

Can you use other fruit to make Instant Pot jam? Yes! You can use the same amount of your favorite fruit to make homemade strawberry jam, peach jam, mixed berry Instant Pot jam or blackberry jam.

Instant Pot raspberry jam fills a mason jar
Pressure cooker jam

Equipment

Apart from basic kitchen equipment, you will need an Instant Pot pressure cooker and clean mason jars or other food safe storage jars.

Storage

We recommend storing this homemade jam in a jar or airtight container for up to 10-12 days in the refrigerator.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

A mason jar of Instant Pot raspberry jam sits in front on of Instant Pot pressure cooker that is surrounded by lemons and berries
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Raspberry Jam

Instant Pot Raspberry Jam: It doesn't get any easier than this sweet and tangy Instant Pot jam, and you are just 6 ingredients and about 20 minutes away from homemade jam to top french toast, add to charcuterie boards and drizzle over ice cream!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Instant Pot coming to temperature 10 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 14 ounces
Calories 59kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh raspberries rinsed and dried
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Place the raspberries in the Instant Pot.
  • Cover the berries with sugar, lemon juice and vanilla and let them sit for about 10 minutes. (Don't skip this step – it starts to break the fruit down and release the natural pectin in the raspberries.
  • Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the quick release valve is set to sealed.
  • Cook on manual pressure for 3 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) and water into a slurry in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes and carefully flip the quick release valve to release the rest of the pressure.
  • When the pin has dropped, open the lid.
  • Stir in the cornstarch slurry.
  • If you like the jam smoother, use an immersion blender to blend the jam until it is at the desired consistency. If you prefer a few larger pieces of fruit, blend part of the jam and lease the rest of the jam untouched.
  • Let the hot jam cool and give it one last stir.
  • Pour the jam into clean jars.

Notes

Each batch of jam yields about 14 ounces of raspberry jam.
We recommend storing this homemade jam for up to 10-12 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Shrimp Baked Potato

This shrimp baked potato is not only easy but the cajun sauce makes this the best loaded baked potato yet! Perfect as a main course, lunch, or even an appetizer for a dinner party.

Quick Overview: Bake the potatoes in the oven at 425 degrees and cook the shrimp on the stovetop as well as the creamy cajun sauce, and pour over the cooked baked potato.

Shrimp baked potato on plate

This potato recipe is a great way to make a perfect meal for a weeknight dinner, and fancy enough to serve guests, and will impress anyone that sits down to enjoy a hearty meal.

Pair it with a dish such as this steak recipe or even something like these grilled ribs, and it will be a well-rounded dish that’s sure to please!

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Ingredients

It may look like there’s a lot to this recipe but there’s really not! However each ingredient plays a large role to give it the amazing flavor!

ingredients for shrimp baked potato
Ingredients

Potatoes

  • 4 medium russet potatoes 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or course salt)

Creamy Shrimp Sauce: 

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
  • 1 pound raw medium shrimp, cleaned and shelled 
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 1 teaspoon seafood bouillon, optional 
  • 2 cups heavy cream 
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 
  • ½ cup Asiago cheese, shredded 
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped – optional
  • 1 green onions, sliced – optional

Make sure to see the full recipe card toward the bottom of this post for all of the ingredients and instructions all in one place!

Instructions

It’s simple to make these loaded shrimp potatoes but I still want to walk you through the steps in case you find it helpful to achieve best results!

  1. First, preheat the oven to 425°.
  2. Next, rub the potatoes with the olive oil and salt. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, and bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until a fork can easily be inserted into the middle of the potato.
uncooked baked potatoes on cookie sheet
Bake potatoes
  1. While the potatoes are baking, melt a tablespoon of butter in a saute pan (big enough to hold the sauce you’ll cook next) on the stovetop, and cook the shrimp over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until they turn pink.  Season the shrimp with the cajun seasoning and the Old Bay spice.

    Remove shrimp from the pan so it does not continue to cook and become rubbery, and so you can make the Cajun sauce.
uncooked shrimp in frying pan
Cook shrimp
Seasoned shrimp in pan
Season shrimp
  1. Melt the remaining butter in the same sauce pan and cook the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the bouillon and heavy cream. Heat until it starts to simmer. 
garlic and butter in frying pan
Cook garlic
cream added to frying pan
Add bouillon and cream
  1. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and asiago cheese and the lemon juice.  Add the shrimp back into the sauce and stir to coat.
cheese added to mixture in pan
Add cheese
cooked shrimp added in
Add shrimp
  1. Cut the baked potatoes open, by splitting end to end, without cutting all the way down (this will form a bowl for the shrimp to rest in), and spoon the shrimp mixture over the potatoes, to get a stuffed baked potato.
  2. Top with parsley and green onion, if desired.  Serve.
cooked potatoes sliced open
Slice potatoes
baked potatoes filled with shrimp
Fill potatoes with shrimp

Topping Ideas

Although we love the recipe just the way it’s listed, you may find that you’d love other toppings such as:

  • sour cream
  • paprika
  • black pepper
  • more Cajun seasoning
  • garlic powder
  • melted butter
  • cheese sauce
  • bacon bits
  • red pepper flakes
  • hot sauce

Substitutions

If you find that you’re missing ingredients, there are some substitutions you can make! For instance:

  • Potatoes: We find that russet potatoes are best for baking but you can use different kinds
  • Shrimp: Feel free to use a different size of shrimp if needed. Just know that you may want to use more if using smaller shrimp, and less if larger shrimp.
  • Bouillon: If you have trouble finding seafood bouillon, you can use chicken bouillon instead.

Storage

If you have leftover potatoes and shrimp, store them separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

loaded shrimp baked potato on plate
Loaded shrimp baked potato

Top Tips

  • Do not wrap the potatoes in tin foil, so they’ll get a nice crispy skin on them, which adds to the flavor!
  • Do not overcook the shrimp or they’ll become too rubbery.
  • For a “Wow” factor, leave the tails on a few of the shrimp and place them on top of the sauce when serving.
  • To allow the sauce to absorb even better, use a fork to fluff the potato middles before topping with the creamy shrimp sauce.

FAQs

How long does it take to bake a potato at 425 degrees?

It takes 50-60 minutes or until a fork can be inserted in the middle easily.

Should baked potatoes be wrapped in foil?

Do not wrap in aluminum foil for this recipe, so it will develop a nice, crispy skin.

Can you overcook a baked potato?

You can. If overcooked, it can become hard like it does before even cooking.

Bite of shrimp on fork, above potato

If you love seafood recipes like this one, I know you’re also going to love this bang bang shrimp, popular fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, air fryer tilapia, and shrimp macaroni salad!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

shrimp baked potato close up
Print Pin
5 from 12 votes

Shrimp Baked Potato

This shrimp baked potato is not only easy but the cajun sauce makes this the best loaded baked potato yet!
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 potatoes
Calories 661kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 4 medium russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt or course salt
  • 2 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 pound raw, medium shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning we used "Slap ya Mama" but any will do
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon seafood bouillon optional but fantastic
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Asiago cheese shredded
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, optional
  • 1 green onion chopped, optional

Instructions

  • First, preheat the oven to 425°.
  • Next, rub the potatoes with the olive oil and salt. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, and bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until a fork can easily be inserted into the middle of the potato.
  • While the potatoes are baking, melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan (big enough to hold the sauce you'll cook next) on the stovetop, and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side or until they turn pink. 
  • Season the shrimp with the cajun seasoning and the Old Bay spice.  Remove shrimp from the pan so it does not continue to cook and become rubbery, and so you can make the Cajun sauce.
  • Melt the remaining butter in the same frying pan and cook the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the bouillon and heavy cream. Heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and asiago cheese and the lemon juice. 
  • Add the shrimp back into the sauce and stir to coat.
  • Cut the baked potatoes open, by splitting end to end, without cutting all the way down (this will form a bowl for the shrimp to rest in), and spoon the shrimp and sauce over the potatoes. 
  • Top with parsley and green onion, if desired.  Serve.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato | Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 349mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3103IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 463mg | Iron: 2mg

My 10 Favorite Stores to Shop at for Mom Clothes

As a mom, and some over 30 (pushing 40 now) I was feeling stuck for a long time on where to shop for clothes. I wasn’t sure if I’d feel silly shopping at Forever21 (but stay tuned to see what I shop for there now!) and found it hard to find a pair of jeans that didn’t make my “mom pooch” stick out like a sore… uh… thumb. (Yeah, that’s it. Sore thumb.)

Woman in overalls standing in front of mirror

Shop the overalls!

I’m a 30-somethin’ year old gal, who has two little, mud-lovin’, boys at home.

In a perfect world, I’d love to dress up every day in something like a fancy all-white trench suit, or a fun dress.

But let’s face it. I’d have that gorgeous white pants suit on, and my youngest would chuck his melted chocolate chip muffin at it, and game over.

You have littles too? You’ll LOVE these “mom life” shirts that I’ve found for us mamas!

So if I’m not wearing one of my favorite “mom life shirts“, as a mom, on-the-go, I have to think practical, versatile, and affordable. (You know, for those outfits that can’t see the light of day again, because of the chocolate chip muffin incident I mentioned a second ago.)  So when shopping at my favorite stores, I always try to keep those three main bullet points in mind:

3 Things to Keep in Mind While Shopping

There are a few things I like to keep in mind when I’m shopping for clothes and when I’m looking for stores to shop at.

• Practical

I’m a mom, so even though I’d love to play “dress up” every single day… it’s not going to happen. We may be off to the park, wrestling in the living room, or sitting and doing homeschool multiple hours a day. So I make sure to only buy clothes that I TRULY think I’ll wear.

No more “I may need that one day” conversations with myself, as I’m buying something I know good and well will just hang in the closet.

Woman posing in yoga pants and a black jacket

• Versatile

I work at home so I don’t want to be sitting on my laptop, wearing a pair of stiff jeans every day. So you’ll normally find me wearing a pair of comfortable jeans or even yoga pants that are suitable for going out in public. (See my tips for staying active as a stay at home mom too!)

This makes it easy to wear something comfortable at home but yet ready to hop up and run to Home Goods down the road if the mood strikes.

Woman wearing jeans and a tank top

• Affordable

I’m notorious for trying to quickly make lunch for my kids, forgetting to my apron on. This usually results in staining one of my favorite shirts… so considering I’m almost 40 and haven’t learned my lesson yet, I have to make sure my clothes are affordable, in case I ruin them.

woman wearing blue romper

Clothing Stores for Moms over 30 and 40

Are there endless stores and boutiques out there that women over 30 can shop at? Of course. So just because I don’t mention them, doesn’t mean that you should stay away from it. All I’m doing is listing my favorite stores that seem to compliment the three bullet points that I shop by…

1. Target

Can I get an amen!? Target will totally come to my rescue for the best fashion finds, when I run in for shampoo. They do have styles at times that aren’t my favorite but I can usually find a t-shirt or casual top that will be a winner. (The overalls at the top of the post??? Target.)

woman wearing yoga pants and athletic shirt

2. H&M

It’s been a favorite for years. It’s also a “hit or miss.” Then there are also those times I walk in there, (shop online) and see a “Whaaaaa?! Is that seriously in style now?” item.

But more times than not, I find basics and super cute items that are great for mom-life and looking stylish. The red and black buffalo plaid shirt in the photo below? That came from H&M. It’s one of my faves.

Fashion for moms tips ideas and the stores that she loves to shop at that are affordable and practical. fantabulosity.com

See the outfit details in the photo above here: Best Leggings Ever + Red Buffalo Plaid

3. Nordstrom

Ok, don’t get scared budgeting mama. I hear you loud and clear. The name Nordstrom scared me to death for years. I didn’t even want to look over to the store window when I’d bypass it at the mall. I had heard how expensive it was and made sure to stay away from there, in case I accidentally bought something by staring at it.

That was until a good friend of mine wanted to go in to look one day, and I had already gone to the bathroom, had a Starbucks in hand, and couldn’t think of another excuse of why I couldn’t walk inside there with her.

To my surprise, she headed right towards a section of clothes that had price tags on it, that was VERY comparable to other stores that I shopped at. I couldn’t believe it. She explained to me that they have different sections of brands/designers, and there were definitely more expensive items in the store, but that I could feel safe hanging out with her in the comfortable price range area. So give it a whirl.

4. Modcloth

I’m a sucker for dresses. Sundresses at that. They tend to pull off a timeless look, aren’t too short, and can be classy, casual, and dressy all at the same time if need be. When I have a blog photo session coming up, or family photos, I make sure to check here.

I’ve had wonderful experiences with them with all of my orders too! This green dress was purchased from there, and it’s by FAR, one of my favorites. Shop Modcloth HERE!

Fashion for moms tips ideas and the stores that she loves to shop at that are affordable and practical. fantabulosity.com

5. Amazon

More and more these days, I find adorable clothes on Amazon. It has a HUGE selection so that can be overwhelming at times but if I have an idea of what I’m looking for (i.e. pink dress with white polka dots) and I can type that in and get a ton of results to choose from. That’s really nice, as opposed to going to some other online store and they may not even have a pink dress in stock.

woman wearing a pink polka dot dress

Shop this pink dress I’m wearing and shop this hat from Gigi Pip hats, using code: JESSICAB10 to get 10% off!

Woman wearing fitness attire

I also love buying workout clothes from Amazon, and my white tennis shoes!

6. LOFT

I was scared of LOFT too for a long time because I thought it would be crazy expensive. But when I realized the quality of their clothes… it was a game-changer.
I may only pay $24.99 or so for a shirt at Target, and a full-price shirt at Loft may be closer to $40.00 for the same type… but it seems to last SO much longer.

Plus, LOFT is just like any online store… they run SALES and I stock up when my favorites are on sale.

What are my favorites from LOFT?

Their tops and their dresses. When I need something classy for say, a date night, I love their flowy tops that I can pair with a dark pair of denim jeans.

Mom Clothes - floral dress from LOFT

7. J.Crew Factory Outlet

Now I do love J.Crew, but it’s so much more enjoyable while shopping at the J. Crew Factory Outlet, simply because of the price. Everything seems to always be at least 50% off, and I feel like I’ve found a deal every time I shop online there.

I’ll mostly snag cute tops, like this adorable scalloped cami and leopard flats below, from J.Crew Factory Outlet or puffy vests in the winter season.

8. SheIn

This is a newer love, and to be honest, I didn’t really trust this store when I saw it online. Why? Because their prices just seemed way too good to be true.

But I decided to risk it and buy a couple items one day, and I was VERY pleased with it and continue to buy from here. I tend to buy a LOT of dresses from Shein and a lot of workout clothes and undergarments! Shop SheIn here!

Woman wearing light blue dress
Woman wearing red workout pants
woman wearing tan dress

9. American Eagle

Up until a few months ago, I hadn’t shopped at American Eagle since high school. But desperate to find jeans that weren’t high rise, I thought I’d give it a chance. I didn’t find any jeans but I did find this super cute dress and now go in there to see what I may randomly find! I can usually find something casual and super cute… if I just ignore the items that are not my style.

Woman wearing denim dress

10. Forever21

Now, I will say that I RARELY find anything at Forever21 these days… EXCEPT swimming suits. I absolutely love how they fit and how affordable they are! They usually have the tops and bottoms separate which is nice if you need different sizes than what they may pair together themselves.

Woman wearing light blue swimming suit
woman in swimming suit by pool

What is YOUR Favorite Store for Mom Clothes?

I SO hope that you found at least a little outfit inspiration for your mom-self, in this post!

I don’t always get to share new outfits on the blog, but I do tend to share most of them on my Instagram, so head over there for up to date trends!

See my CURRENT favorite fashion finds, and shop my Instagram HERE!

I’d love to hear what your favorite store to shop at is! Let me know in the comments below because I’d LOVE to add it to my online shopping routine.

Some of my Old Favorite Pieces

This post has been up since 2015 or so… but my thoughts and opinions have changed over the years so I’ve made sure to update accordingly. But I thought it would be fun to leave the old items up as well for a look down memory lane at some of the most popular outfits here on the blog!

fashion for moms over 30, and stores to shop at
Fashion for moms tips ideas and the stores that she loves to shop at that are affordable and practical. fantabulosity.com

See the outfit details in the photo above here: Cozy Neutrals + A Bootie Must-Have

J.Crew Vests paired with Hunter Boots. One of my FAVORITE outfits in the winter! fantabulosity.com

See the outfit details in the photo above here: Vests are Best + Hunter Boots

Fashion for moms tips ideas and the stores that she loves to shop at that are affordable and practical. fantabulosity.com

See the outfit details of the photo above here: Dressy Trench + Winter Neutrals

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Chocolate Bread Pudding: Buttery brioche bread cubes, eggs, milk, sugar, chocolate chips, and a few other simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy dessert!

We love a good bread pudding over here, whether it’s this popular bread pudding, banana bread pudding, bread pudding made with donuts (seriously, so good), or filled with chocolate! For all the chocolate lovers like me, this one might just be the best one yet.

Close up of chocolate bread pudding in baking dish

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bread pudding is one of the best comfort foods – it’s easy to make, doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, and it’s so darn delicious. It’s also a great way to use up any bread that might be getting a bit stale.

This old-fashioned bread pudding is made even better by adding some yummy chocolate flavor! This may just be your new favorite dessert. Love chocolate bread recipes like this? Then this chocolate bread recipe is a must-make too!

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Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients that you can find at most grocery stores to make this simple chocolate bread pudding.

The ingredients for chocolate bread pudding laid out with labels on the image.
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces brioche bread cut into small cubes
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

See the printable recipe card below for the full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions for making this chocolate bread pudding recipe.

Instructions

It’s so easy to make this chocolate bread pudding with cocoa powder. Follow along and see!

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and whisk together the milk, eggs, 1 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl until well combined.
Milk, egg, sugar, and butter being whisked together in a bowl.
Whisk together milk, egg, sugar, butter.
  1. Add in the cocoa powder and cinnamon and whisk the ingredient again until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated into the mixture.
Cocoa powder and cinnamon being whisked into milk mixture.
Add cinnamon and cocoa powder.
  1. Place the diced bread in an 8×8 baking dish and pour the egg mixture over the bread. Sprinkle the top of the bread pudding with chocolate chips.
Chocolate chips scattered over unbaked bread pudding.
Pour egg over bread, sprinkle chocolate chips.
  1. Bake the bread pudding for 1 hour, or until the middle of the pan no longer jiggles.
Baked bread pudding with melted chocolate chips on top.
Bake till it no longer jiggles.
  1. Serve immediately and enjoy!
A spoonful of chocolate bread pudding being held up above the dish of baked chocolate bread pudding. There is a glass of milk in the background.
Serve and enjoy!

Substitutions

If you need to make a few changes, we have some suggestions!

  • Dairy free – substitute the butter with a dairy-free alternative or your favorite cooking oil, and substitute the whole milk with your favorite dairy-free milk (note: thicker dairy-free alternatives will give the best result).
  • Gluten free – use cubes of your favorite gluten free bread instead of white bread to make this gluten free.
  • Milk – instead of whole milk, you can also use heavy cream for an even more moist and rich bread pudding.

Variations

This recipe is a variation of traditional bread pudding, which should tell you that bread pudding is definitely a customizable recipe! You can make a few or a lot of changes to turn this into a dish with some personal flair.

  • Chocolate – instead of milk chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips, you could use dark chocolate chips (or even bittersweet chocolate if you like your chocolate flavor really dark and intense). You could also experiment with white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips!
  • Bread – you can use 1-inch cubes of basically any type of bread to make this bread pudding. Try French bread, challah bread, Italian bread, sourdough bread, or if you are really adventurous you could try cinnamon-raisin bread! If you use fresh bread it will result in a bit of a softer pudding, or you can use stale bread pieces for a bit of a firmer end result.
  • Flavor – you can play around with a second flavor in addition to chocolate. Try stirring some sliced bananas into the bread cubes for a chocolate banana bread pudding. Add some orange zest (be sure to wash your orange peel first) to the bread cubes for a chocolate orange bread pudding (this might be a fun one for Christmas time, topped with some chopped Terry’s chocolate orange pieces)!
Spoonful of chocolate bread pudding, raising out of baking dish
Enjoy a serving

What do I Serve with Bread Pudding?

You can serve this chocolate bread pudding recipe just as it is, but it would also be delicious with a scoop of ice cream or topped with whipped cream!

Storage

You can store any leftover chocolate bread pudding in a dish covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Plate of chocolate bread pudding serving

Expert Tips and FAQs

What does chocolate bread pudding taste like?

The obvious answer to this is that it tastes like bread pudding with melted chocolate in it! Bread pudding is a delicious dessert that’s sort of a cross between cake and pudding. It’s soft like pudding, but has some of the texture of a cake. Altogether, it’s delicious!

Can you freeze chocolate bread pudding?

I do not recommend freezing this bread pudding dish. It changes the texture and flavor a little bit.

Do you eat bread pudding hot or cold?

You know what? You can eat it either way! Warm bread pudding is delicious fresh out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but it’s also good chilled and served with a cup of coffee. It’s even delicious at room temperature; there’s really not a wrong way to eat this easy chocolate bread pudding.

Another Recipe to Try

If you love bread pudding as much as we do, then you’ll want to give this croissant bread and butter pudding a try too!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

chocolate bread pudding in a baking dish
Print Pin
5 from 8 votes

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Chocolate Bread Pudding: Buttery brioche bread cubes, eggs, milk, sugar, chocolate chips and a few other simple ingredients are all you need to make this easy dessert! 
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 365kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces brioche bread cut into small cubes
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, and melted butter until well combined.
  • Add in the cocoa powder and cinnamon and whisk the ingredient again until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated into the mixture.
  • Place the diced bread in an 8×8 baking pan and pour the egg mixture over the bread.
  • Sprinkle the top of the dish with chocolate chips and bake the bread pudding for 1 hour, or until the middle of the pan no longer jiggles.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

STORAGE: You can store any leftover chocolate bread pudding in a dish covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 516IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 1mg

Peppermint Latte Recipe

Peppermint Latte Recipe: Save money and make your favorite seasonal latte at home, using your favorite vanilla creamer, peppermint extract, coffee, and a few other simple ingredients!

We love making our favorite coffee shop drinks at home, so make sure to check out our iced coffee recipe and our whipped coffee recipe too!

Peppermint Vanilla Latte Recipe - Perfect for the holidays

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Every holiday season, if you look forward to all of the peppermint drinks at the coffee shop but aren’t a fan of the amount of money you spend each time you get one… then this may just be your new best friend! (I fell in love with a Dirty Chai latte at our local coffee shop, so it was a must to make it at home.)

This peppermint latte can be made to suit your favorite flavors and uses simple ingredients to help you get that holiday feeling, in your own home! (Serve it with this No-Bake Candy Cane Pie recipe, for the ultimate peppermint experience!)

Fill ⅔ full of coffee and then spray the One Touch Latte in!

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup black coffee
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla creamer
  • whipped cream, optional
  • crushed peppermint candies for garnish; optional
It's a latte in a jiffy! Peppermint vanilla latte

Instructions

If you’d love to have the crushed peppermint candy around the rim as you see here:

  1. Take 3-4 peppermint candies and place them into a plastic ziptop bag.
  2. Using a mallet or rolling pin, crush the peppermints into small pieces.
  3. Using your finger, wet the rim of your coffee cup with water. Dip the rim of your cup into a saucer of crushed peppermints.
Rim your coffee glass with crushed peppermint for an added flair to your holiday latte!
  1. Fill your coffee cup ⅔ full, with black coffee.
Peppermint Vanilla Latte Recipe - One Touch Latte
  1. Next, add about a teaspoon of peppermint extract and stir.
Add teaspoon of peppermint extract to your coffee
  1. Pour the amount of vanilla creamer in to your coffee, as you’d prefer.
  2. If desired, add whipped cream to the top of the latte (or use a frother to reach the “look” as you see in the photos).
Use the Vanilla International Delight Vanilla One Touch Latte
  1. Optional: Sprinkle in a little more crushed peppermint on top of the froth, and serve!
Sprinkle in a little more crushed peppermint for the vanilla latte

Substitutions

You can easily change things up to reflect different flavors if you’re not looking for, or want top change things up from a peppermint latte recipe! You can use items such as:

  • almond whipped cream
  • different crushed candies
  • different flavors of extract (think butterscotch, or vanilla)
  • sprinkles on mini chocolate chips and drizzle chocolate syrup for a peppermint mocha
Peppermint Vanilla Latte Recipe - Perfect holiday latte drink idea!

I’d love to hear what kind of latte you want to make now! Let me know in the comments below!

Mmmm! A peppermint vanilla latte sounds incredible.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

peppermint latte in glass mug
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Peppermint Latte Recipe

Peppermint Latte: Save money and make your favorite seasonal latte at home, using your favorite vanilla creamer, peppermint extract, coffee, and a few other simple ingredients!
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 latte
Calories 52kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup black coffee
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla creamer
  • crushed peppermint candies for garnish; optional

Instructions

  • Take 3-4 peppermint candies and place them into a plastic ziptop bag.
  • Using a mallet or rolling pin, crush the peppermints into small pieces.
  • Using your finger, wet the rim of your coffee cup with water. Dip the rim of your cup into a saucer of crushed peppermints.
  • Fill your coffee cup ⅔ full, of black coffee.
  • Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, stir.
  • Pour in vanilla creamer, and stir or use a frother to achieve the "foam" look that so many lattes have.
  • If desired, sprinkle in a little more crushed peppermint candies to the top of your latte, and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1latte | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 126mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Calcium: 31mg

Halloween Snack Mix

Halloween Snack Mix: If needing easy recipes and sweet treats for a Halloween party, a large bowl of this sweet and salty snack mix will be a hit!

Quick Overview: You’ll only need 45 minutes to whip up this Halloween Chex mix recipe (30 minutes of baking required) to blend all the delicious flavors of this yummy snack! Serve with these fun mummy cookies and mummy treats, and it will all be a hit!

Halloween snack mix in orange bowl and black background
Halloween Snack Mix

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

What’s not to love about this fun little monster munch? But you’ll especially love that:

  • it’s a great way to easy Halloween snacks for Halloween parties or while watching a scary movie on movie nights! (As well as this pumpkin patch dessert!)
  • that you can combine all of your favorite Halloween candy, in one bowl!
  • it has a variety of ingredients, so everyone is sure to find something they’ll love in this Halloween mix.
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Ingredients

Although I give the ingredients below, feel free to change up some items to make it exactly how you want it! Or, see the substitution ideas below as well, in case you’d like to mix things up!

ingredients on table for Halloween snack mix
Ingredients
  • 3 cups Chex cereal (flavor of your choice)
  • 2 cups Bugles (original or caramel flavor)
  • 2 cups salty pretzels, regular or twists
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup Reese's Pieces
  • ½ cup candy corn (Use any leftover candy corn in this candy corn cake recipe!)
  • ½ cup candy corn pumpkins
  • ½ cup mint M&M's
  • ¼ cup candy eyes

Instructions

  1. Begin by preheating the oven to 250°F.
  2. Then, line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil and spray it with cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the Bugles, pretzels, and cereal. Set aside.
cookies sheet with parchment paper
Baking sheet
dry ingredients in clear mixing bowl
Dry ingredients
  1. Next, in a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix it until it is combined.

Don't overmix the sugar mixture, otherwise it will become too thick to pour over thecereal mixture. You’ll want it a little runny to easily pour over the cereal mixture.

  1. Pour the sugar mixture over the cereal mixture slowly, while stirring, to coat all the ingredients well.
sugar mixture in clear mixing bowl
Sugar mixture
sugar mixture poured over dry ingredients
Mix together
  1. Spread the mix evenly on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time.
  2. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
  3. Pour the mix into an extra large bowl and add the candies.

Make sure that the mixture from the oven cools completely before adding the candy,unless you like the chocolate candies to become a bit melty.

halloween mix spread on baking sheet
Bake
mix added to bowl with candy
Add candy
  1. Mix well and serve!
Halloween mixture in bowl
Mix

Substitutions

As mentioned earlier, you can switch out some of your favorite ingredients or simply add more! Here are some ideas that you may love:

  • caramel corn
  • nuts (such as peanuts, cashews)
  • different cereal (think Cocoa Puffs, Cheerio’s, Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
  • cheese crackers
  • different candy (such as Rolo’s, mini Snickers, or chocolate candy)
  • chocolate-covered pretzels or mini pretzels
  • oyster crackers
  • marshmallows
  • chocolate chips
  • mini Oreo cookies
Orange bowl with Halloween mix inside
Halloween Party Mix

Storage

If there are leftovers, it’s best to store it in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

Spoon scooping Halloween mix out of bowl
Halloween Mix

Do I have to bake this in the oven?

Yes. Baking this in the oven gives the snack a delicious coating texture, so it’s not sticky. Or, it will be runny and wet, and of course, messy.

More Halloween Ideas

If you love this easy Halloween snack mix, then you’ll also love this similar Nuts and Bolts recipe, or if you like spice, this Honey Sriracha Chex Mix fits the bill! Then, if you need another fun Halloween recipe, you’ll love this pumpkin dip, and mummy Oreos! Make sure you also check out this Halloween Party I designed for Martha Stewart!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Halloween snack mix, close-up
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Halloween Snack Mix

Halloween Snack Mix: If needing easy recipes and sweet treats for a Halloween party, a large bowl of this sweet and salty snack mix will be a hit!
Course Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 675kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Chex cereal flavor of your choice
  • 2 cups Bugles original or caramel flavor
  • 2 cups pretzels regular or twists
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Reese's Pieces
  • ½ cup candy corn
  • ½ cup candy pumpkins
  • ½ cup mint M&M's
  • ¼ cup candy eyes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250°F. Then, line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil and spraywith cooking spray.
  • Next, in a large bowl, mix together the Bugles, pretzels, and cereal. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix together untilcombined, but leave it still a little runny to easily pour over the cereal mixture. (If you mix it too much, it can become thick.)
  • Pour the sugar mixture slowly over the cereal mixture while stirring to coat all the ingredients well.
  • Spread the mixture, evenly, on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfwaythrough. Remove fromthe oven and let cool completely.
  • Pour Halloween mix into an extra large bowl and add the candies. Mix well and serve.

Notes

Do you have to bake this sweet snack mix?
Yes. Baking this in the oven gives the snack a delicious coating texture, so it’s not sticky. Or, it will be runny and wet, and of course, messy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 9mg

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Coffee Cake: This tender cinnamon vanilla cake has sweet cinnamon streusel swirled in the batter and baked on top, making it the perfect treat to pair with a warm cup of coffee!

Is there anything better than a piece of homemade coffee cake? I am so excited to add this old-fashioned cinnamon coffee cake recipe to our lineup of cinnamon breakfast treats like our easy slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal, cinnamon roll casserole,sock it to me cake, and cinnamon french toast sticks!

slice of coffee cake on white plate

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You’ll have this glorious coffee cake mixed, topped with oodles of cinnamon crumb topping, baked, and ready to eat in less than 45 minutes!

With common ingredients from your pantry and refrigerator, this homemade cinnamon coffee cake recipe is a go-to for breakfast, brunch or even a mid-day snack with something like this whipped coffee recipe.

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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with instructions below!

All of the wet and dry ingredients for Cinnamon Coffee Cake are displayed in small bowls on a marble counter top

For the coffee cake batter:

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
The ingredients for the cinnamon crumb topping for Cinnamon Coffee Cake are displayed in small bowls on a marble surface

For the streusel topping:

  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease an 8×8 inch cake pan.
  2. Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir until fully moistened and the topping resembles course crumbs. Set topping aside.
A bowl displays melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour - these ingredients will be combined to make the cinnamon crumb topping for Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Mix topping
A glass bowl displays the cinnamon streusel crumb topping for Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Streusel topping
  1. Make the cake batter: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, melted butter and sour cream until no lumps remain. Add the egg and beat well.
  2. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine. Add ¾ of the cinnamon topping to the bowl with the coffee cake batter and mix well.
A glass bowl is filled with melted butter, sour cream, an egg and vanilla - these are the wet ingredients for Cinnamon Coffee Cake that will be whisked together
Cake batter
A glass bowl is filled with Cinnamon Coffee Cake batter and a scoop of cinnamon streusel crumb topping waiting to be mixed together
Mix in crumb topping
  1. Pour into the cake pan and spread evenly.
  2. Top with the remaining cinnamon mixture.
An 8x8 inch cake pan is in the center filled with the cinnamon cake batter for Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Spread evenly
A cake pan is in the center of the photo displaying the cinnamon streusel topping on the top of a Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Add remaining topping
  1. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times may vary so adjust according, but be careful not to overbake or the cake will become very dry.
A slice of Cinnamon Coffee Cake is displayed on a spatula above the cake pan

Substitutions and Variations

This is the best cinnamon coffee cake and I can’t wait for you to make it! Here are a few tips and a

  • Sour cream – if you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of full-fat Greek yogurt
  • Sugar – if you want a sweeter cake and streusel topping, add an additional ½ cup brown or granulated sugar to the topping
  • Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake – For a delicious twist on this recipe, layer half of the batter in the cake pan and sprinkle the top of the batter with ½ of the streusel crumb topping. This creates a cinnamon layer with BIG cinnamon flavor right in the middle of the cake. Spread the remaining batter and then add the final layer of crumb topping.

Storage

For freshness, store this sour cream coffee cake in an airtight container and eat within 2-3 days.

Bit of coffee cake on fork above piece on a plate
Coffee Cake Recipe

FAQs

What is coffee cake made of?

Surprisingly, there is NO coffee in coffee cake. Rather, it is a tender cake usually made with cinnamon, vanilla and basic baking ingredients. In many classic recipes for coffee cake (like this one), sour cream is added to make the cake moist. You may have also heard this type of cake called crumb cake due to the spiced crumb topping on the top of the cake.

Why is it called coffee cake?

The warm comforting flavor of this easy cinnamon coffee cake makes it the most complementary pairing for this iced coffee recipe or hot coffee.

Can you freeze cinnamon coffee cake?

Yes! Cut the cake into pieces and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place the wrapped slices in a freezer bag. Wrapped cake can be frozen for 2-3 months. What a great way to have cinnamon coffee cake any day!

How do you thaw a frozen coffee cake?

Remove cake slices and allow to thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can also place the frozen slices of coffee cake in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.

How do you reheat frozen coffee cake?

Place the frozen slices of cake on a baking sheet in a 250° F oven until warmed through and ready to serve. This will take about 8-15 minutes.

A slice of Cinnamon Coffee Cake on a white plate is in the center of the photo with the pan of cake in the background

More Cinnamon Dessert Recipes

If you love cinnamon recipes like this one, then trying these Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes is a must! And, this shoofly cake features molasses and cinnamon for a bold old-fashioned dessert flavor.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up photo of a slice of Cinnamon Coffee Cake showing texture of the fluffy cake and cinnamon crumb topping
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Coffee Cake: This tender cinnamon vanilla cake has sweet cinnamon streusel swirled in the batter and baked on top, making it the perfect treat to pair with a warm cup of coffee!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 9 squares
Calories 333kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

For the coffee cake batter

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the streusel topping

  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° F . Grease an 8×8 inch cake pan.
  • Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir until fully moistened and the topping resembles course crumbs. Set topping aside.
  • Make the cake batter: In a separate large bowl, whis together the sugar, milk, melted butter and sour cream until no lunch remain. Add the eggs.
  • Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine. Add ¾ of the cinnamon topping to the bowl with the coffee cake batter and mix well.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan.
  • Top with the remaining cinnamon mixture.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Video

Notes

  • Baking times may vary so be sure not to overbake this coffee cake or it will become very dry.
  • If you like a sweeter cake and topping, add an additional ½ of brown sugar or granulated sugar to the topping mixture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta: Perfectly al dente pasta is drenched in a rich creamy lemon sauce and topped with flavorful chicken for a simple but hearty pasta dish!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta in white bowl

It should not come as a surprise that we are big pasta people around here. From comforting Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta to this TikTok famous Baked Feta Pasta Recipe, if there is pasta, we are in! (You’ve got to check out what kind of pasta I use instead of noodles in the BEST Chicken Noodle Soup.)

Whether it is a busy weeknight or a special occasion, this lemon chicken pasta will wow your entire family when they dig into the bright lemon flavor, tender, seasoned chicken, and noodles coated in a silky Parmesan cream sauce.

Rotate this recipe on the menu along with this cream cheese pasta and this creamy caesar chicken recipe, and you’ll have a couple of pasta recipes that everyone will love! Then to keep the lemon flavor going, make this lemon pie recipe for dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Simple ingredients – a few staples from your pantry and fridge and fresh produce are all you need to whip up a big pan of creamy pasta (similar to our cream cheese pasta!)
  • Big lemon flavor – the lemon pasta sauce gets citrus flavor from both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. If you have leftover lemons, these lemon blondies will be a great dessert choice after.
  • Easily vegetarian – we topped our creamy lemon pasta with chicken, but you can use mushrooms, tofu or roasted veggies.
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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with instructions below!

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 12 – 13 oz. of spaghetti (about ¾ of a standard 16 oz. box)
  • 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
All of the fresh ingredients for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta are artfully arranged on a white marble counter top

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of water as directed on the packaging.
  2. In a small bowl, add flour and garlic powder and stir together.
  3. Place each chicken breast in the flour mixture and press on all sides to cover it.
Cooked spaghetti noodles for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta are sitting in a colander surrounded by lemons, garlic, parsley and Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta
Photo of a flour coated chicken breast ready to saute for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Coat & season chicken
  1. In a large deep skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat oil and add the chicken breasts. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  2. In the same skillet (leave all of those flavorful brown bits!), add the rest of the olive oil (1 tbsp), add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Browned chicken breasts are displayed in a skillet surrounded by lemons, parsley, Parmesan cheese and garlic
Brown chicken breasts
A pan is centered with onions and garlic sauteeing in olive oil for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Cook onion and garlic
  1. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice; stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
A pan with sauteed onion and garlic is in the background while a measuring cup of heavy cream is waiting to be poured in the pan for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Add heavy cream
A pan is centered with cooked onions, garlic, heavy cream and shredded Parmesan cheese - this is the beginning of the sauce for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Add Parmesan, lemon zest and juice
  1. Add the cooked pasta, and stir until the pasta is covered with the creamy sauce. Remove from heat.
  2. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
  3. Serve and top with sliced chicken breast. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Cooked spaghetti noodles for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta have been stirred into the creamy sauce and then topped with parsley
Stir in pasta
Close up of cooked spaghetti noodles coated with creamy lemon Parmesan sauce and topped with a sliced chicken breast and fresh parsley
Top with chicken

Substitutions and Variations

One of our favorite things about this creamy lemon chicken pasta recipe (and most pasta dishes) is how flexible it is! Here are a few ways that you can adjust this recipe to fit your family or what you might have on hand.

  • Chicken – We used chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can use dark meat like chicken thighs if you prefer. If you are in a time crunch, you can also use shredded rotisserie chicken.
  • Pasta – While we used spaghetti noodles, any long pasta (fettucini, linguini or angel hair pasta) will work. Gluten-free pasta is also an option.
  • Add ins – Feel free to stir in sweet peas or cooked broccoli florets for some added veggies. Add a tablespoon or two of cream cheese to the sauce to make it even more creamy.
  • Toppings – Sprinkle bite sized pieces of chopped crispy bacon on top, add fresh basil or fresh parsley or for a little heat, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
Creamy lemon pasta on fork

Storage

Store this lemon pasta with chicken in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since this dish is made with dairy, freezing it is not recommended.

FAQs

  • What does adding lemon to chicken do? Lemon not only adds flavor to the chicken but it can also tenderize the chicken. However, I don’t recommend marinating chicken for longer than about 12 hours as it can make the chicken rubbery or tough.
  • Can I make this recipe ahead of time? Yes! When you are going to reheat the pasta, stir in about ¼ cup of water or chicken stock (or broth) to keep the sauce creamy.

If you loved this pasta recipe, then you’ll also love this pasta dish with corn and tomatoes, this leftover spaghetti recipe, easy beef stroganoff recipe, as well as this bbq chicken pasta!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up photo of Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta and a fork in a white speckled serving bowl garnished with lemon slices and fresh parsley
Print Pin
5 from 5 votes

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta: Perfectly al dente pasta is drenched in a rich creamy lemon sauce and topped with flavorful chicken for a simple but hearty pasta dish!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 817kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 2 boneless skinless, chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 12 oz spaghetti noodles
  • 3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in a large pot of water as directed on the packaging.
  • In a small bowl, add flour and garlic powder and stir together.
  • Place each chicken breast in the flour mixture and press on all side to cover it.
  • In a large deep skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat olive oil and add the chicken breasts to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  • In the same skillet (leave all of those flavorful brown bits!), add the rest of the olive oil (1 tablespoon), add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Add the cooked pasta, and stir until the pasta is covered in sauce. Remove from heat.
  • Adjust the seasoning to taste.
  • Serve and top with sliced chicken breast. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 817kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 4mg

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins: Delicious pumpkin muffins with an incredible streusel topping that sits on top of the muffins, all made with simple ingredients!

This post was originally written as a recipe using Stevia in the Raw but was updated in 2022 with a new, fresh recipe, without the Stevia product. You may still choose to use Stevia as a substitute for the baking sugar but please remember to follow the guidelines on the package for how to use in place of regular sugar.

Close up of stacked pumpkin streusel muffins

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Muffins are always an amazing choice for a breakfast recipe that can be on-the-go or served as a sweet treat on something such as a coffee bar area!
  • When Fall rolls around, there’s nothing better than pumpkin flavors in some of our favorite easy recipes, and this recipe is perfect for a cool Fall morning, along with a cup of coffee!
  • They’re super moist muffins, packed with pumpkin and spices. Topped with a streusel for the perfect amount of crunch and finished off with a drizzle of cinnamon glaze. But I think you’ll also love our easy pumpkin bread, especially if you’re a cream cheese lover!
  • If you were a fan of our cheesecake pumpkin bars, our pumpkin cheesecake bites, and our no-bake pumpkin pie, then you’ll also love this similar recipe!

Ingredients

When you see the list of ingredients below for these pumpkin crumb muffins, don’t worry about the amount! Many of them are the same ingredient but we just use them in the muffins, streusel and icing!

Muffins

  • 1¾ cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ cup Vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup Milk
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Rum extract
  • ½ cup Granulated sugar (white sugar)
  • ½ cup Light brown sugar
  • 1½ cup Pumpkin puree 

Streusel topping

  • ¾ cup All-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup Granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup Light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoon Melted butter, unsalted

Icing

  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon Milk
Pumpkin streusel muffins on white counter
Pumpkin Muffins

Instructions

Much like the simple ingredients, the instructions are simple too! Here’s how to make this pumpkin streusel muffins recipe:

For Muffins

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. To begin the muffins, add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into a large bowl.
  3. Whisk and add in the vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and extracts.
sugar and cinnamon in mixing bowl
Dry Ingredients
Egg added to dry mixture
Add wet ingredients
  1. Mix until well combined.
  2. Add in the sugars and mix.
  3. Lastly, add in the pumpkin puree and mix until the batter is streak free. 
Sugars added in to pumpkin mix
Add sugars
pumpkin puree added to mixture
Add pumpkin
  1. In a muffin pan lined with paper liners, pour the batter in to the muffin cups until the liner is ¾ of the way full.
  2. Set aside and begin preparing the topping.
Pumpkin muffin batter in mixing bowl
Mix
Muffin batter in muffin tins and liners
Pour in liners

Streusel Topping

  1. In a small bowl, (or clean out the same mixing bowl) add in all the ingredients and mix until a coarse crumble has formed. 
Wet ingredients in dry ingredients in mixing bowl for streusel topping
Streusel Ingredients
  1. Place 1-2 Tbsp. of the streusel on top of each of the batter filled liners for a little added pumpkin flavor and texture.
  2. Lightly tap the streusel into the batter. 
streusel topping in metal mixing bowl
Streusel mixture
Streusel added to top of muffin batter in muffin tin
Add streusel

Bake Time

  1. Bake for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 16-17 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. 
  2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.
Pumpkin muffins on white counter
Pumpkin Muffins with Glaze

Cinnamon Glaze

  1. Prepare the icing by placing the sugar, cinnamon, and milk into a bowl.
  2. Whisk until the icing is clump free and smooth.
  3. Pour the icing into a piping bag and cut a tiny hole at the end of the bag.
  4. Drizzle the icing over each muffin. 
  5. Serve and enjoy. 

Storage

If you have leftover muffins, store in an airtight container, or securely wrap in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days at room temperature. (You can also place them in the refrigerator to keep even more fresh.)

Substitutions and Variations

You don’t have to include the glaze on these muffins but it’s highly recommend as it adds the best texture combined with the streusel topping!

Top Tips

  • Be sure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling! Pumpkin puree is plain pumpkin, where pumpkin pie filling has spices and other ingredients in it!
  • Use an ice cream scoop to pour muffin batter in to liners to make it easier!

Related Recipes

If you love muffin recipes like this one, then I think you’ll also love these strawberry chocolate chip muffins and these buttermilk blueberry muffins!

Or, if you’re looking for muffins for breakfast, definitely check out these healthy breakfast muffins.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up of pumpkin streusel muffins stacked on top of one another
Print Pin
5 from 8 votes

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins: Delicious pumpkin muffins with an incredible streusel topping that sits on top of the muffins, all made with simple ingredients!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 16 muffins
Calories 296kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon rum extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree 

Streusel

  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Muffins

  • To begin the muffins, add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  • Whisk and add in the vegetable oil, milk, eggs, and extracts. Mix until well combined.
  • Add in the sugars and mix.
  • Lastly, add in the pumpkin puree and mix until the batter is streak free. 
  • In a muffin pan lined with liners, pour the batter until the liner is ¾ of the way full.Set aside and begin preparing the streusel topping.

Streusel

  • In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients and mix until a coarse crumble has formed. 
  • Place 1-2 Tbsp. of the streusel on top of each of the batter filled liners. Lightly tap the streusel into the batter. 
  • Bake for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 16-17 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes.

Icing

  • Prepare the icing by placing the sugar, cinnamon, and milk into a bowl.Whisk until the icing is clump free and smooth.
  • Pour the icing into a piping bag and cut a tiny hole at the end of the bag.Drizzle the icing over each muffin. Serve and enjoy. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 3749IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine. #PBLove Originally posted in 2017. Updated in 2022.

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: Did you know that there’s a certain way to make a pb&j even better? It’s true. Keep reading!

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches stacked on top of one another
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Do you know that 2400 people search google a month, asking:

How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

It’s true! But I love it because even though there are many tricks and different ways to make one, I’m sharing my favorite way with you today. So keep reading because you may find one of my favorite tricks is your new favorite!

However, if you’re wanting the best way to make a peanut butter and jelly, you’ll love this fried pb&j and may never go back.

What is the correct way to make a peanut butter and jelly?

My mind was blown the other day when I stumbled upon a post on Facebook of someone arguing with another person when asked,

“What is the correct way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?”

…and I promise you, there were hundreds… HUNDREDS of comments on this thread of people backing one another up, arguing with who was right, wrong and why.

But I’ll tell you… I DID learn something from that thread and even though there’s a part of me that wishes I had that 15 minutes of my life back, I kind of feel like I owe it to those who taught me something that day.

  1. Apply peanut butter to both sides first and then jelly on top of both peanut buttered sides – Why? Because that way it keeps the jelly from soaking through the bread, especially if you’re making a PB&J for someone to take with them for the day, and they can’t eat it until later. (School, work, field trip, etc.) Ok ok… so that’s something I didn’t know until I spent 15 minutes of my one life here on Earth, reading these Facebook comments.
  2. Apply peanut butter to one side and jelly to the other – Why? Because the jelly sticks MUCH better to the sandwich creation, whereas when you put peanut butter on both sides, sometimes it’s hard to get the jelly to stick inside of the sandwich and it can seep out.

So from above, there is no wrong or right way… unless you discuss it in a Facebook group and then someone will surely tell you you’re wrong. However, here’s my favorite tip for making a peanut butter and jelly the best:

Should you use a spoon or knife to spread peanut butter?

A spoon? Hear me out…

Our assignment in college was to prepare a speech on giving a tutorial for the class. I remember one speech - and one speech only - from that day, and it wasn't mine. A fellow classmate stood up and said,

"Today I'm going to teach you how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

We all chuckled because we didn’t know how he was going to make an entire speech on this topic. But to my surprise, my classmate taught me something that day. I was making a peanut butter and jelly ALL wrong.

Ingredients:

You only need three ingredients to make a classic peanut butter and jelly.

  • peanut butter (Crunchy or creamy)
  • jelly (Your favorite flavor. We prefer strawberry or grape.)
  • bread (White, wheat, or your favorite type of bread.)
ingredients on table for peanut butter and jelly

How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich better?

I'll show you below what I learned that day, and how it changed my peanut butter and jelly sandwich-making life.

If only I would have known back then that in 15 years I'd have little boys at home who want a PB&J every single day for lunch, I'd probably give that guy a big hug.

hand spreading peanut butter on bread with spoon

1. Use a Spoon:

So many people that I know use a butter knife to spread their peanut butter and jelly, and it rips their bread and gets so messy.

  1. A spoon scoops the peanut butter and jelly out easier than a knife.
  2. Using the back of the spoon, spread the peanut butter and jelly onto each piece of bread.

I promise, if you’re still using a butter knife to make your pb&j’s, use a spoon next time to see if it works better for you. It’s just one of those little life hacks that is so simple, but incredibly helpful!

hand using spoon to spread jelly on bread

Place the two pieces of bread together, making sure the peanut butter and jelly are touching.

peanut butter and jelly sandwich on counter

2. Criss-Cross Cuts:

With a house full of little boys, I’ve learned that cutting their sandwiches diagonal both ways helps keep the mess down. Their little hands hold on to the small triangles MUCH easier than a whole sandwich, or even half of a sandwich.

If you choose to cut this way:

  1. Cut from corner to corner, in a diagonal way, twice.
Knife cutting one corner in the sandwich
Cut one diagonal
Hand cutting the other corner of the sandwich
Cut the other corner
Sandwich cut in to 4 triangles

What to Use Instead of Peanut Butter for PB&J

If you can’t have peanut butter, you may love this almond butter recipe!

You can also use something such as Nutella or even omit the peanut butter completely or even the jelly!

Stacked small triangles of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

What is Your Favorite Way to Make a PB&J?

When we had a big family gathering a few weeks ago, and I was thinking about this blog post… I asked everyone in the room how they make and prefer their pb&j. It was hilarious how different everyone prefers a simple pb&j.

If you’re making a PB&J for a school lunch, you’ll love these “school lunch love notes”.

Love quick sandwiches? Then you’ll also love this egg salad sandwich, this hot ham and cheese and this tuna salad! They’re some of our favorite lunch recipes to date!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up of peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Print Pin
5 from 7 votes

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: Did you know that there's a certain way to make a pb&j even better? It's true. Keep reading!
Course Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 305kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bread white, wheat or favorite type of bread
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter creamy or crunchy
  • 1 tablespoon jelly or jam – any flavor

Instructions

  • Using a spoon, scoop about a tablespoon of peanut butter and simply spread on one slice of bread. After the majority of the peanut butter is on the bread, turn the spoon over, and using the back of the spoon, spread the peanut butter to the corners. (Using a knife for this can cut the bread and tear it.)
  • Using a different spoon (or clean the first one) scoop about a tablespoon of jelly or jam, and pour on to the other slice of bread, and spread to the edges using the back of the spoon, as you did with the peanut butter.
  • Place the peanut butter bread and the jelly bread together, so the peanut butter and jelly are touching. Enjoy!
  • If desired, cut in to half or cut in to 4 small triangular shapes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

Old Fashioned Pea Salad

Old Fashioned Pea Salad: This simple pea salad (often known as an English pea salad) is light, fresh, and the perfect side dish! Peas, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and onion are topped with creamy mayo and sour cream dressing to create this classic salad recipe.

pea salad in white bowl with spoon sticking out

More old-fashioned favorites? Fry up some Old-Fashioned Salmon Patties for a tasty lunch or make a good old tuna noodle casserole for supper.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy cold salads like this easy red skin potato salad and crab salad recipe, have stood the test of time for a good reason – they are so simple to make!

This easy pea salad recipe makes one seriously delicious salad; the peas add a slight crunch, the creamy dressing make the salad very light and fresh, the bacon and cheese make it hearty and filling. It’s perfect for your next potluck, summer barbecue, baby showers, or as a simple side dish for your next dinner party.

Most pea salad recipes have some bacon and cheese in them, but you’ll find that this recipe has a generous dose of both…because we like bacon and cheese around here.

But the best part of green pea salads? You can make them however you want! This salad is super easy to adapt to fit your lifestyle and diet – just one of the many reasons we love it. See the substitutions and variations section for a few ideas I had.

Safety Tip

If you are bringing this old-fashioned pea salad to a potluck, serve in a temp-controlled container due to the dairy-based dressing (i.e. set your salad bowl in another bowl that has some ice in the bottom to help keep the salad chilled).

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Ingredients

The ingredients for this green pea salad are as simple as can be. You probably have most of these on hand already!

Ingredients for pea salad laid out with labels on the image.
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 – 10 ounce bags frozen peas (about 4-6 cups) – thawed halfway
  • 1 cup cooked bacon, chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
  • ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • Optional: fresh parsley for garnish

See the printable recipe card below for a list of the ingredients and step-by-step instructions!

Instructions for this easy pea salad recipe

** To thaw peas, I like to set them out in a small bowl while I am cooking the bacon and prepping the cheese and onion. Prep time for these steps takes about 15 minutes and that is usually enough time for the peas to be "halfway thawed".

Chopped bacon, chopped onion, and cubed cheddar cheese on a cutting board.
Let peas thaw while you prep ingredients.
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. 
Mayo and sour cream being whisked together in a bowl.
Whisk together may and sour cream.
  1. Add the green peas, cheese, and red onion and toss in the prepared dressing until well combined. 
Peas, bacon, onion, and cheese in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.
  1. Top with chopped fresh parsley (if desired) and serve salad chilled. You can serve this right away, but if you have a chance to let it chill in the fridge for a couple of hours the flavor will be even better.
Pea salad being mixed together in a bowl.

Substitutions & Variations

Cold salads like this are so fun to make because they are SO easy to adapt and play around with. You can get creative with this salad and make it your own! Here are a few substitution + variation ideas I had:

  • Make this cold pea salad dairy-free by substituting the mayo, sour cream and cheese with your favorite dairy alternative. 
  • Swap out the bacon for leftover ham for a fun twist (a great way to use up leftovers, too). 
  • Instead of red onion, you can use chopped green onions in this recipe. Green onion has a bit of a milder flavor, so this is perfect if you don’t want a super strong onion flavor in your salad.
  • Omit meat completely to make it vegetarian. 
  • Try some fun add-ins like: hard boiled eggs, fresh herbs, chopped green bell pepper, a pinch of paprika or cayenne for some spice.
  • You can use fresh peas for this. Just steam them and cool them in the fridge, first. DO NOT use canned peas for this recipe. They are too soft and your salad will become a mushy bowl of goo.
Old fashioned pea salad in a bowl.
Customize this cold salad to your liking!

Storage

You can make this simple peas salad recipe ahead of time, which is super convenient. Just cover it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge to serve later that day or even the next day.

Store any leftover creamy pea salad for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not freeze.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Do you put eggs in pea salad?

You sure can! That’s one of the best things about pea salad; it’s totally flexible. Adding chopped hard boiled eggs to this salad is a fun way to up the protein a bit.

Are frozen peas already cooked?

Frozen peas are flash-steamed before they are frozen, so really all you need to do is warm them up. For this recipe, we let them thaw at room temperature (but not all the way, only about half) so that the peas don’t get mushy while you are mixing the salad.

What goes well with pea salad?

This classic pea salad is great to pair with bbq foods for a summer backyard get together, but it’s also well suited as a hearty side dish for a comfort food meal in the cooler months. Try serving this as a side dish with this Instant Pot lemon and herb chicken for a quick and delicious dinner!

Pea salad in a bowl with a spoon dipping into it.
Pea salad – yum!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

If you loved this old fashioned pea salad and you’re looking for more classic recipes, then I bet you’ll love this easy broccoli salad (it has raisins and bacon in it, need I say more? ).

Then, use any leftover peas in the easy chicken pot pie recipe!

Recipe

Close up image of old fashioned pea salad in a bowl.
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Old Fashioned Pea Salad

Old Fashioned Pea Salad: This simple pea salad (often known as an English pea salad) is light, fresh, and the perfect side dish! Peas, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and onion are topped with a creamy mayo and sour cream dressing to create this classic salad. 
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 169kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 – 10 ounce bags frozen peas (about 4-6 cups) – thawed halfway
  • 1 cup cooked bacon chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese cubed
  • ½ cup red onion finely chopped
  • Optional: fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • ** To thaw peas, I like to set them out while I am cooking the bacon and prepping the cheese and onion. Prep time for these steps takes about 15 minutes and that is usually enough time for the peas to be "halfway thawed".
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. 
  • Add the green peas, cheese and red onion and toss in the prepared dressing until well combined. 
  • Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve salad chilled. You can serve this right away, but if you have a chance to let it chill in the fridge for a couple of hours the flavor will be even better. 

Notes

STORAGE: Store any leftover pea salad for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not freeze.
 
SAFETY: If you are bringing this recipe to a potluck, serve in a temp controlled container due to the dairy based dressing (i.e. set your salad bowl in another bowl that has some ice in the bottom to help keep the salad chilled). 

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Candied Carrots

Candied Carrots: Tender carrots are simmered in a butter, brown sugar glaze for one of our favorite side dishes for a holiday meal or easy weeknight dinner!

Whether you call them candied carrots or glazed carrots, this great recipe will turn fresh carrots into a sweet and savory side dish that pairs well with ham, steak, chicken, turkey, and meatloaf.

Cooked Candied Carrots are shown in a white serving bowl with a spoon in the upper right hand corner and an orange patterned napkin in the bottom left corner

Why You’ll Love These Candied Carrots

  • Simple ingredients: There are just five ingredients needed to make this easy candied carrot recipe
  • Quick side dish: You can have these stovetop candied carrots on the table in just about 20 minutes
  • Veggies: the sweet glaze on our candied carrots make them a delicious way to encourage your picky eaters to eat more veggies
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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with instructions below!

  • 1 ½ lbs whole carrots
  • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • Parsley (optional for garnish)
Photo of bowls containing the ingredients for Candied Carrots - carrots, parsley, butter, salt and brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Place peeled, cut carrots in a medium saucepan with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Cover the carrots completely with cold water at least 1 inch above the carrots.
  2. Bring the carrots to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook for about 10-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
  3. Drain carrots and return them to the saucepan.
Cut carrot coins are submerged in water in a medium sized saucepan getting ready to boil
Cook carrots
  1. Turn the heat to medium and add the butter to the pan. Once the butter is almost melted, add the brown sugar to the pan.
Cooked carrots and several pats of butter are shown in a medium sized saucepan ready to heat to make Candied Carrots
Add butter
Cooked carrots and brown sugar are shown in a medium sized saucepan ready to heat to make Candied Carrots
Add brown sugar
  1. Continue to cook over medium heat until the brown sugar is melted and starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and stir. Garnish with parsley (optional).
Close up up cooked candied carrots topped with bright green parsley in a white serving bowl

With their bright orange color and a simple glaze of just butter and brown sugar, this vegetable side dish is one of those classic recipes that your family will request over and over!

A spoon filled with cooked carrots is displayed in front of a bowl of cooked Candied Carrots
Candied Carrots

Substitutions and Variations

Easy candied carrots are one of the most simple side dishes to make and I’ve got a few ways to adjust this recipe to your personal preference.

  • Carrots – instead of carrots, you can use this same cooking method for sweet potatoes
  • Sweet Flavors – use an equal amount of maple syrup, honey, dark brown sugar, agave syrup or coconut sugar if you don’t have brown sugar on hand. Carrots have a natural sweetness, so if you want to make this recipe with less sugar, reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons.
  • Orange – add a splash of orange juice before you add the brown sugar or stir in orange peel or zest for a fresh citrus boost
  • Spices – Sprinkle the carrots with black pepper to taste or add ½ to 1 teaspoon of your favorites spices like cinnamon, allspice or pumpkin pie spice

FAQs

  • What type of carrots can I use? You can use regular carrots, baby carrots or even colorful rainbow carrots. I use fresh carrots for air fryer carrots too.
  • What are glazed carrots made of? Very simply, candied glazed carrots are made of cooked carrots simmered in a butter and brown sugar glaze
  • Are glazed carrots healthy? Carrots are naturally low in calories and packed with vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, potassium and fiber. We’ve used less than 2 tablespoons of butter in this recipe and while there is brown sugar in the glaze, you can reduce the amount you use or use an alternate sweetener to fit the way you eat.
  • Can glazed carrots be made a day ahead? Yes! If you plan to make these candied carrots ahead of time, reduce the cooking time for a few minutes since they will have additional cook time when you reheat them. To reheat leftover glazed carrots, return them to the sauce pan to simmer until warm.

Storage

Store any leftover carrots with the brown sugar glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

More Simple Side Dishes

If you like this candied carrots recipe, then I bet you’ll love our Carrot Salad. If you haven’t tried it yet, this is the absolute BEST Side Salad Recipe and you can’t go wrong with Garlic Roasted Broccoli!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up of cooked carrots covered in a butter brown sugar glaze and garnished with fresh parsley
Print Pin
5 from 5 votes

Candied Carrots

Candied Carrots: Tender carrots are simmered in a butter, brown sugar glaze in the perfect side dish for a holiday meal or weeknight dinner!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 141kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs carrots peeled, sliced and cut on the bias into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoon salt divided
  • 1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • parsley chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Place the peeled, cut carrots in a medium saucepan with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Cover the carrots completely with cold water at least 1 inch above the carrots.
  • Bring the carrots to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook for about 10-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
  • Drain the carrots and return them to the saucepan.
  • Turn the heat to medium and add the butter to the pan. Once the butter is almost melted, add the brown sugar to the pan.
  • Continue to cook over medium heat until the brown sugar is melted and starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and stir. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Notes

  • When cutting carrots on the bias, make diagonal cuts with your knife and cut ½ inch pieces. Another option is to use baby carrots.
  • Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the pieces of carrots and how soft or firm you like them.
  • If you prefer sweeter glazed carrots, omit the last ½ teaspoon of salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 881mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 19032IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip: A sweet dessert dip made with peanut butter, Greek yogurt, honey, and cinnamon that is perfect for dipping fresh fruit, graham crackers, or pretzels.

If you love peanut butter recipes, (like our peanut butter fudge) the recipe for this peanut butter Greek yogurt dip has just six ingredients and stirs together in five minutes, so it is a quick healthy snack and a sweet addition to any fruit board, and paired alongside this other yogurt fruit dip recipe.

Creamy peanut butter yogurt dip is shown in the center of the photo on an orange background. There is a spoon on the left and graham crackers for dipping on the right.
Peanut Butter Dip

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Whether it is classic easy peanut butter cookies or an old fashioned peanut butter pie, we love easy recipes for peanut butter! This peanut butter dip will satisfy your sweet tooth and quickly become a family favorite.

  • Simple Ingredients: With just 6 ingredients from your pantry and fridge, this dip can be made whenever the craving hits
  • Family Friendly: This is such an easy recipe that the kids can help measure the ingredients, mix the yogurt dip together, prepare different kinds of fruit and serve it, too.
  • Protein Packed: With protein from both the Greek yogurt and peanut butter, this is a great snack that is filling and any leftovers can be frozen to add to your smoothies.
  • Summer Treat: Summer snacks can be so nice to have on hand, that you can just grab and go. This dip is something that can be enjoyed quickly and is a healthier option than some dips!
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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with instructions below!

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
Peanut butter dip ingredients in bowl ready for mixing
Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  2. Use a whisk, silicone spatula, or wooden spoon to gently fold the ingredients together until combined.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip are waiting to be mixed in a white bowl.
Ingredients
A wooden spoon is stirring together peanut butter, yogurt, honey, cinnamon and vanilla extract to make Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
Mix well
  1. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with apple slices, graham crackers, or pretzels. Or, create individual servings and transfer to these chocolate dipped waffle cone bowls.
Close up photo of creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip in a blue serving bowl with graham crackers for dipping
Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Dip

Substitutions and Variations

  • Alternatives to Peanut Butter – If you prefer, use your favorite nut butter like almond butter, cashew butter or sun butter
  • Yogurt – While I used plain Greek yogurt for this version, you could also use vanilla Greek yogurt, honey Green yogurt or even regular yogurt
  • Sweetener – If you don’t have honey on hand, try using maple syrup to sweeten this Greek yogurt peanut butter dip
  • Add Chocolate – Stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder for chocolate peanut butter dip or fold in 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips for a chocolate fruit dip
  • Switch Up Your Dippers – For a fun twist, why not try dipping chocolate or cinnamon graham crackers, strawberry halves, banana chips or cinnamon sugar pita chips in this peanut butter and yogurt dip?
Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip is displayed in a serving bowl with a spoon to the left and graham crackers on the right
Dip, baby, dip!

Yogurt dip FAQ’s

  • What kind of peanut butter can I use? I used natural peanut butter in this recipe for yogurt fruit dip, but you can use chunky peanut butter or creamy peanut butter for a slightly different texture.
  • Can you mix peanut butter and yogurt? Absolutely! The peanut butter and yogurt will combine with the other ingredients and you will end up with a bowl full of irresistible peanut butter yogurt cinnamon dip.

Storage

Store this Greek yogurt peanut butter dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Top tip

Freeze any leftover peanut butter yogurt fruit dip in ice cube trays as a protein packed addition to your smoothies!

What to serve with peanut butter dip

You can serve so many things with this no bake dip but here are some of our favorites:

  • fresh fruit (apple slices, strawberries)
  • graham crackers
  • pretzels
  • Teddy Grahams (or even these fun chocolate-covered Teddy Grahams.)
  • cookies
  • sweet breads

More dessert and fruit dip recipes

This Oreo Dip is perfect for the cookies and cream lovers. Pudding fans will go wild for our creamy dreamy Banana Pudding Dip. Then no fruit tray or platter is complete without this Fruit Dip with Marshmallow Fluff!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Close up of Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip in a bowl
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip: A sweet dessert dip made with peanut butter, Greek yogurt, honey and cinnamon that is perfect for dipping fresh fruit, graham crackers or pretzels.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 388kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
  • Use a whisk, silicone spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the ingredients together until combined.
  • Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with fresh fruit, graham crackers and pretzels.

Notes

  • You can use natural peanut butter, creamy peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter or even your favorite nut butter in this recipe.
  • Plain Greek yogurt, vanilla Greek yogurt or honey Greek yogurt can be used for this peanut butter yogurt cinnamon dip.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal: An easy breakfast recipe that’s perfect for a crowd or for a comforting breakfast!

With a prep time of only 5 minutes, this oatmeal recipe is made with little effort and ready to cook for 4 hours, and is deliciously warm and comforting, making it one of our favorite breakfasts and one of our favorite slow cooker recipes.

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Why you’ll love this recipe

I’m not sure if there’s anything better than smelling the sweet, comforting smell of “fall spice” cooking in the kitchen. The smell of a fresh baked apple pie in the fall is something that makes me feel all warm and cozy inside… (especially when this cinnamon coffee cake is baking) but now this crockpot apple cinnamon oatmeal is right there with it!

And whether or not you’re looking for a warm and healthy breakfast idea to feed a crowd or if you’re looking for (one of our favorites) a recipe to have “breakfast” for “dinner” you’re going to LOVE this incredibly easy slow cooker oatmeal recipe.

If you have an air fryer, consider making cinnamon rolls (canned or homemade or this cinnamon roll casserole to serve alongside this oatmeal for the ultimate cinnamon treat!

Apples aren’t just for breakfast. I’ve figured out a way to make baked beans a really fun side dish by adding in apple pie filling.

Apple Oatmeal with Fall Ingredients

I’ll never forget the first time I decided to make a big batch of oatmeal for our family and some guests that were staying with us.

I wanted to kick plain ole oatmeal up a notch, so I looked around my kitchen and saw a few apples sitting on my counter, and I knew right then and there that it had to be oatmeal with apples.

Combine the apples with fall spices like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, brown sugar, and even some maple extract… with fresh apples, and you have a slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe with the heavenly aromas, that will give you all the fall feels.

Crockpot Oatmeal

Although slow cooker oatmeal is wonderful for an easy weekend breakfast with family, busy mornings… and it doubles as the perfect breakfast dish if you’re hosting or need a dish to take to brunch!

Think: A delicious recipe for potlucks, Thanksgiving and Christmas morning celebrations, office parties, and more!

What kind of oats to use for slow cooker oatmeal?

For this recipe you’ll use old-fashioned rolled oats.

Can you use quick oats or instant oats?

I wouldn’t use quick oats due to the fact that they’re thinner and will cook fast.

How to Cook Oatmeal in the Crock-Pot

For the printable recipe, you can see the recipe card toward the bottom of this post!

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

  • 3 large apples (diced) – the kind of apple is up to you but we prefer red apples over green apples
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats or steel-cut oats
  • 4 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoon maple extract
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ingredients for slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal
  1. First, coat your slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent the oatmeal from sticking.
  2. Next, in your slow cooker, place your apples on the bottom and then pour your rolled oats on top in an even layer, followed by your brown sugar.
Oats, apples, and brown sugar in crockpot
  1. In your four cups of milk, mix in your maple extract and spices.
milk and spices for slow cooker oatmeal
  1. Stir until mixed thoroughly and then pour evenly over your ingredients that are already in your slow cooker.
Pour milk and spice mixture in slow cooker
  1. Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook on high for 4 hours.
Cover and cook on low for oatmeal
  1. Once it is finished cooking, give it a good stir and then enjoy!
Cooked apple cinnamon oatmeal

Substitutions and Variations

What if you’re missing some of the spices? Although this recipe will be SUPERB with all of the ingredients it calls for, still give it a chance if you’re lacking the maple extract, pumpkin pie spice, and/or nutmeg. It will still be delicious even with some or even just the brown sugar and cinnamon!

Love some extra sweetness? Add a drizzle of maple syrup on top!

Milk: If you prefer to use a different type of milk, something such as unsweetened almond milk will work too!

Quick Tip

If you need to keep the crock pot oatmeal warm, you can keep it on the warm setting. But do know that sometimes this can thicken the oatmeal and make it less creamy. So you can add a splash of milk to thin it out, as it sits, if desired.

Storage

If you have leftover oatmeal, allow it to cool and store in an airtight container, and place it in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Simply reheat the portion you need, the next day for a quick breakfast, in the microwave or place back in the slow cooker and add a little milk to thin it out as desired.

More breakfast recipes you’ll love

If you love easy breakfast recipes as much as I do, then you’ll love these:

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

apple cinnamon oatmeal in a small white bowl with apple pieces on top
Print Pin
4.94 from 15 votes

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal: An easy breakfast recipe that's perfect for a crowd or for a weekend family breakfast!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 311kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 3 large apples diced
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 4 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoon maple extract
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

  • Coat your slow in cooking spray to prevent the oatmeal from sticking
  • In your slow cooker, place your apples on the bottom and then pour the rolled oats on top in an even layer, followed by brown sugar.
  • In your four cups of milk, mix in your maple extract and spices. Stir until mixed thoroughly and then pour evenly over your ingredients that are already in your slow cooker.
  • Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook on high for 4 hours.
  • Once it is finished cooking, give it a good stir and enjoy!

Notes

What if you’re missing some of the spices? Although this recipe will be SUPERB with all of the ingredients it calls for, still give it a shot if you’re lacking the maple extract, pumpkin pie spice, and/or nutmeg. It will still be delicious even with some or even just the brown sugar and cinnamon!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 2mg

Chocolate Belgian Waffles Recipe

Chocolate Belgian Waffles: One of the best waffle recipes for fluffy chocolate waffles that you can top with maple syrup, fresh fruit, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and more!

Quick Overview: In under 20 minutes, you’ll have decadent chocolate waffles and a delicious breakfast recipe, made with simple ingredients, that any chocolate lover will adore. Make them for your weekend breakfast or add them to your waffle charcuterie board.

Chocolate waffles with chocolate syrup and fruit on white plate
Chocolate Belgian Waffles

Why you’ll love this recipe

Simple Ingredients: Just like our Blueberry Waffles, this waffle recipe uses basic pantry staples that you can keep on hand to make Belgian chocolate waffles on a lazy Sunday morning or for a big weekend breakfast! Speaking of simple… these cake mix rainbow waffles are super easy!

Easy to Personalize: Whether you top these homemade waffles with classic maple syrup or with our favorite toppings like fresh berries, whipped cream and chocolate chips, this recipe makes fluffy waffles that everyone in your family will enjoy.

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Ingredients

Get the full recipe card with instructions below!

  • Biscuit baking mix
  • Sugar
  • Cocoa powder
  • Eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Vanilla extract
  • Chocolate chips
ingredients
Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat waffle maker.
  2. Into a large bowl, sift the biscuit mix to get rid of any lumps. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder.
waffle mix in glass bowl
Sift the biscuit mix
dry ingredients in glass bowl
Sugar & cocoa powder
  1. Add the eggs, oil, water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients; mix well.
  2. Stir in chocolate chips.
eggs, and waffle ingredients in glass bowl
Add eggs, oil, water & vanilla
Waffle batter with chocolate chips
Mix well & add chocolate chips
  1. Spray hot waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour batter into the waffle maker until the bottom plate is just barely covered completely (about ¾ cup). Cook for about 2 minutes or until firm.
  2. Carefully remove waffle and serve with toppings if desired.
Raw waffle batter in waffle maker
Add waffle batter to waffle maker
Chocolate waffles in waffle maker
Cook until firm

Hint: Be sure to spray the waffle iron very well before each batch of waffles.

Topping Ideas

And now for my favorite part of this chocolate Belgian waffle recipe: the toppings!! Just look at those glossy sliced bananas, juicy red strawberries, the dusting of powdered sugar and warm chocolate syrup!

Chocolate waffles on white plate with strawberries and bananas
Easy Chocolate Waffles

What is the difference between a waffle and a Belgian waffle?

Belgian waffles are usually thicker than regular waffles! They tend to be soft, fluffy and make a wonderful presentation for breakfast.

Variations

While this chocolate waffle recipe is practically perfect already, here are a few ways to complement their rich chocolate flavor:

  • Add different flavored chips – Add dark chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips or even peanut butter chips to the waffle batter
  • Make a waffle sandwich – sandwich bacon (try my quick Air Fryer Bacon) or sausage patties between two chocolately waffles or be really bold and make a Waffle Burger!
  • Turn up the toppings – Top these waffles with pats of melted butter, toffee chips, raspberry jam, dollops of peanut butter, hot fudge, chocolate sauce, Nutella, your favorite frosting, shredded coconut, toasted nuts, or cinnamon sugar.
close up of chocolate waffles with chocolate sauce, strawberries, bananas and whipped cream
Chocolate Waffles

Equipment

Do you have to use a Belgian waffle maker? No! You can use a regular waffle iron or a mini waffle maker, too. Every waffle maker cooks a little differently, so while my waffles were done is about 2 minutes, watch yours carefully and remove the waffles when they are firm and fully cooked.

Storage

Leftover waffles (if there are any!) should be cooled and then stored in an airtight container or storage bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To freeze extra waffles, lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze for about 2 hours. Separate the frozen waffles with parchment or wax paper and store in a freezer bag for up to several months.

More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love

If you love delicious breakfast recipes, then you’ll also love these french toast sticks, these pancakes from scratch, and these mini waffle breakfast sandwiches.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Chocolate Belgian Waffles on a plate topped with fruit, chocolate syrup and whipped cream
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Chocolate Belgian Waffles

Chocolate Belgian Waffles: One of the best waffle recipes for fluffy chocolate waffles that you can top with maple syrup, fresh fruit, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and more!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4 waffles
Calories 616kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • 1 waffle maker

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups biscuit baking mix (I used Bisquick)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • Assorted toppings (powdered sugar, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, strawberries, raspberries, banana slices, whipped cream, ice cream, additional chocolate chips, etc.)

Instructions

  • Heat waffle maker.
  • Into a large bowl, sift the biscuit mix to get rid of any lumps. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder. Add in water, eggs, oil, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips until well combined.
  • Spray hot waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour batter into the waffle maker until the bottom plate is just barely covered completely (about ¾ cup but amount may vary depending on the size of your waffle maker). Cook for about 2 minutes or until firm.
  • Carefully remove waffle and serve with toppings if desired.

Notes

  • Chocolate chips are optional but they really amp up the rich chocolate flavor of these waffles.
  • You can use a Belgian waffle maker, standard waffle maker or even a mini waffle maker for this recipe.
  • Each waffle maker cooks a little differently, so while my waffles took about 2 minutes to cook, watch your waffles and remove them when they are firm and fully cooked.
  • Use non-stick cooking spray and spray the waffle maker well before each batch of waffles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1waffle | Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 626mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 3mg

Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken: This easy recipe, using boneless skinless chicken breasts, is the best way to cook chicken for all of your favorite chicken dishes.

We absolutely love slow cooker recipes around here, and when you can make a batch of crock pot chicken for dishes like this taco chicken casserole, chicken street tacos, taco salad, or other delicious recipes, it makes things so much easier!

Shredded Chicken in Slow Cooker with text on image

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy: This easy slow cooker recipe for shredded chicken, may just become your new favorite way to cook a large batch of chicken. With only a 5-minute prep time, this chicken is ready for cooking in just a short time.

Easy Meal Prep: Imagine the possibilities of what you can do with this crockpot shredded chicken when it has cooked! With little effort, and a 4 hour cook time on “high” or 6-8 hours on “low” you’ll have a protein for busy weeknights, or to even place in freezer bags for small batches later for your favorite weeknight meals. (Or even a quicker version of these crock pot chicken enchiladas.)

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Ingredients

  • 3.5 pounds of raw chicken breasts, deboned and skinless
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • parsley to taste for garnish
ingredients out on table for shredded chicken - with ingredient labels in text

Make sure to check out the full recipe card toward the bottom of this post, where you can see everything in one place!

Instructions

  1. Pour chicken broth into a 4-6 quart crockpot along with butter.
  2. Place chicken breasts in a single layer, into the bottom of the cooker, over the butter.
broth and butter melting in slow cooker
Broth & Butter
Uncooked chicken breasts in slow cooker
Add chicken breasts
  1. Evenly sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the chicken breasts.
seasoning on chicken
  1. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Check to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees before removing it from the crock pot.
  2. Once cooked, remove all except 1 inch of broth from the crock pot.
  3. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and top with chopped parsley.
cooked, shredded chicken in slow cooker
Shred cooked chicken
shredded cooked chicken in slow cooker
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
  1. Serve warm in chicken recipes, on sandwiches, or by itself.
cooked shredded chicken in slow cooker

Equipment

Any basic slow cooker should work just fine for this! We actually have an Instant Pot though, and we use this for a lot of our slow cooker recipes, like when we made our Instant Pot pulled pork! The cooking time may be different, as we don’t have a “high” and “low” on our Instant Pot for the slow cooker function so it’s best to check and make sure the middle of the chicken breast with a meat thermometer, to make sure the internal temp as reached 165 degrees.

Electric Mixer vs. Two Forks: Some find that using an electric mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment to shred the chicken, is an easier way. However, using two forks is an option that works well and is something everyone usually has on hand.

Substitutions

  • Type of chicken: The chicken breasts can be substituted with boneless chicken thighs (skinless) if you prefer! Yes, buying a rotisserie chicken in the grocery store can be an easy way to add chicken in to some dishes but this is a great way to get easy shredded chicken, and save money!
  • Garlic: Minced garlic or chopped garlic can be used instead of garlic powder if that’s all you have on hand or prefer a stronger garlic flavor.
  • Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning or aren’t a fan of that flavor, you can use taco seasoning, seasoning salt, or something similar! You can also leave the seasoning out completely if you feel like it will mess with the flavor of the dishes you plan to make with it!
Cooked shredded chicken on wooden spoon

Storage

This crock pot shredded chicken should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in a freezer for up to 6 months.

Pro Tip

Double or triple this recipe, to make large batches of cooked chicken to freeze for later!

FAQs

Should I eat cooked shredded chicken warm or cold?

As long as it’s fully cooked, you can eat shredded chicken warm or cold! Warm in tacos, soups, casseroles, or even cold in salads like chicken salad or a lettuce salad!

Can you freeze shredded chicken?

Yes, you can make this slow cooker shredded chicken ahead of time and freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. Make
sure to thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating or serving.

Cooked shredded chicken on white plate

How to Use Shredded Chicken

Now that you’ve made the shredded chicken, here are some easy recipes that it will be perfect for:

If you love chicken dishes like this one, you’ll definitely want to check out this crack chicken that’s so good!

Or if you love a “kick” to your chicken recipes, this jalapeno crock pot chicken is an easy one to make!

If you love easy slow cooker recipes, such as this one, then you’ll also love this shredded slow cooker pulled pork and these slow cooker bbq meatballs! Or if you’re even thinking of taco recipes, these shredded beef tacos are made in the slow cooker.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

cooked shredded chicken in slow cooker
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Recipe

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken: This easy recipe, using boneless skinless chicken breasts, is the best way to cook chicken for all of your favorite chicken dishes.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Low Fat
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6 cups
Calories 539kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • slow cooker – such as a crock pot

Ingredients

  • 3.5 pounds raw chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • parsley to taste optional

Instructions

  • Pour chicken broth into a 4-6 quart crockpot along with butter.
  • Place chicken breasts into the crock pot over the butter.
  • Evenly sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the chicken breasts.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Check to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees before removing it from the crock pot.
  • Once cooked, remove all except for about 1 inch of broth from the slow cooker.
  • Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and top with chopped parsley.
  • Serve warm in chicken recipes, on sandwiches, or by itself.

Notes

Storage: This crock pot shredded chicken should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in a freezer for up to 6 months.
Can you freeze this chicken? Yes, you can make this slow cooker shredded chicken ahead of time and freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. Make sure to thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating or serving.
Substitute: The chicken breasts can be substituted with boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 907mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 502IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg

French Onion Beef Casserole

French Onion Beef Casserole: This beef casserole recipe is comfort food at its finest! Made with ingredients such as egg noodles, onion soup mix, swiss cheese, and more, it’s a crowd and family favorite!

Quick Overview: With the prep only taking 10 minutes, you’ll have this easy casserole dish ready for the oven and dinner table in no time! Rotate this casserole with this similar hamburger hashbrown casserole recipe.

french onion beef casserole in dish with spoon lifting up serving size

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Feeding a crowd or a family: Casserole recipes are one of those easy recipes that’s great for feeding a crowd or for meal planning for a busy weeknight!
  • Make ahead: Assemble this casserole ahead of time, and bake it when you’re ready.
  • Simple ingredients: This is one of those recipes that you can keep most of the ingredients on hand for, when you need something for dinner at the last minute.

What Makes Something “French Onion”

Carmelized onions are typically found in “French onion” recipes (think: French onion dip and French onion soup) and are usually combined with a meat stock, such as beef broth. For this recipe, the caramelized onions are cooked in beef fat, giving it an incredible base!

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Ingredients

This great dish uses simple ingredients, that you’ll mostly be able to keep on hand for those times you dinner an easy dinner idea! (Then this tater tot casserole of course, as well!)

What you’ll need:

  • 1.5 lbs Ground beef – not super lean ground beef, as you’ll want the drippings to saute the onions (But if you have lean ground beef, you may want to make one of these other ground beef dinner recipes.)
  • 1 – 1oz Bag Lipton onion soup/dip mix – you can also use the generic version
  • 1 Medium sized onion, sliced – we prefer yellow onion but white will be ok too.
  • 2 Cloves garlic, minced – or you can use garlic that has already been minced
  • 2 10.5oz Cans condensed cream of mushroom soup – don’t make the soup with this, you’ll just add it to the recipe from the can
  • 10oz egg noodles, cooked according to instructions on bag – Cooked al dente
  • 8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded – You can shred your own or can use pre-shredded, although we prefer shredding our own so it’s creamier.
  • 1.5 Cups French’s crispy fried onions – you can use the generic instead! But the crunch of the fried onions on top is amazing! So much so, that we put it on our tuna casserole recipe too!
  • Green onions for garnish, sliced (optional) – this adds wonderful color to the dish, and flavor
ingredients on table for french onion beef casserole
Ingredients

See the recipe card toward the bottom of this post for the ingredients and instructions all in one place!

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Prepare a baking dish by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a nonstick skillet, brown the ground beef on medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add the Lipton soup mix halfway through cooking, about 5 minutes. (Make sure your noodles have been cooked, according to package directions too. If not, this is a great time to go ahead and do that as well.)
ground beef in skillet
Add ground beef
onion soup mix added to ground beef
Add onion soup mix
  1. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ground beef to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan to cook the onions.
cooked beef in skillet
Cooked ground beef
Ground beef removed, and fat drippings left in skillet
Remove beef, leave fat
  1. In the same skillet add the sliced onions and cook until caramelized and golden brown, about 5-8 minutes.
onions added to skillet
Cook onion in fat
cooked onions in skillet
Cooked onions
  1. When the onions are caramelized add the garlic and cooked ground beef. Add the 2 cans of mushroom soup and bring to a simmer.
ground beef added back in to skillet
Add ground beef & garlic
Canned soup added
Add soup
  1. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked egg noodles, in to the ground beef mixture.
soup mixed in to beef mixture
Stir
Noodles added in to beef
Add noodles
  1. Add the beef mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
noodles and ground beef stirred
Mix together
Beef mixture poured in to baking dish
Pour in baking dish
  1. Top with the shredded Swiss cheese and the crispy fried onions.
Casserole topped with cheese
Top with cheese
French fried onions on top of casserole
Add fried onions
  1. Cover completely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes.
  4. Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired, and serve.
Baked french onion beef casserole
Baked!

Substitutions

  • Soup: We think cream of mushroom is best for this casserole recipe but if you only have something else that’s similar, on hand, you can try cream of celery, cream of chicken, etc.
  • Noodles: Egg noodles give this casserole dish incredible texture but feel free to use a different noodle such as rotini, elbow macaroni, penne or even bowtie. If you have extra egg noodles in the pantry, you may also want to consider making chicken and noodles later in the week!
  • Meat: This recipe is for ground beef but if you would like to try ground sausage, turkey, or even ground chicken, this should be just fine too!
  • Cheese: We love the flavors of swiss cheese on this, however if you want to use a different kind of shredded cheese, such as mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, or even cheddar cheese, I’m sure that would be delicious as well.
Serving of french onion beef casserole on plate
French Onion Casserole

Storage

To store the casserole put any leftovers in an airtight container, or cover with plastic wrap once it has fully cooled, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze french onion beef casserole?

You can. For best results, assemble the casserole until it’s time to add the fried onions on the top. Wrap tightly and prepare for the freezer, and then it can be stored for up to 2 months.

When ready to bake, remove from freezer, place in refrigerator and allow to thaw, top with fried onions and then bake as instructed in the recipe card.

To Reheat the Casserole:

If reheating an entire casserole, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350° F oven until warmed through (about 20 minutes). If only reheating smaller portions, this can be reheated on a microwaves safe plate, in the microwave, for 1-2 minutes.

Serving of french onion beef casserole being lifted out of baking dish
Creamy casserole

What to Serve with French Onion Ground Beef Casserole

Casseroles are one of the easiest dinner recipes, so we definitely want to keep the side dish recipes easy too, right? Our favorite recipes to serve with this casserole are an easy caesar salad or even a can of green beans! (Make sure you see how to make canned green beans taste better!)

If you thought this was a good casserole, and you love casserole recipes, then you’ll also want to make sure to check out this cheeseburger casserole, Doritos chicken casserole, taco casserole, and this ham casserole which are reader favorites!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

french onion beef casserole scooped up out of white dish
Print Pin
4.34 from 6 votes

French Onion Beef Casserole

French Onion Beef Casserole: This beef casserole recipe is comfort food at its finest! Made with ingredients such as egg noodles, onion soup mix, swiss cheese and more, it's a crowd and family favorite!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 546kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 1 ounce bag onion soup mix
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 10.5 ounce cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 10 ounces egg noodles cooked, according to instructions on bag
  • 8 ounces swiss cheese shredded
  • 1 ½ cups crispy french fried onions
  • green onions for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking dish by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a nonstick skillet, brown the ground beef on medium high heat until no longer pink. Add the Lipton soup mix half way through cooking, about 5 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the ground beef to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan to cook the onions. In the same skillet add the sliced onions and cook untilcaramelized, about 5-8 minutes.
  • When the onions are caramelized add the garlic and cooked ground beef. Add the 2 cans of mushroom soup and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked egg noodles.
  • Add the beef mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with the shredded Swiss cheese and the crispy fried onions.
  • Cover completely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve.

Notes

Storage
To store the casserole put any leftovers in an airtight container, or cover with plastic wrap once it has fully cooled, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze french onion beef casserole?
You can. For best results, assemble the casserole until it’s time to add the fried onions on the top. Wrap tightly and prepare for the freezer, and then it can be stored for up to 2 months.
When ready to bake, remove from freezer, place in refrigerator and allow to thaw, top with fried onions and then bake as instructed in the recipe card.
To Reheat the Casserole:
If reheating an entire casserole, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350° F oven until warmed through (about 20 minutes). If only reheating smaller portions, this can be reheated on a microwaves safe plate, in the microwave, for 1-2 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 2mg

Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto

Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto: This pressure cooker risotto is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight meal, but it’s fancy enough to serve for a dinner party if you want to! Risotto doesn’t have to be difficult; this one is ready in under 30 minutes and is so easy to make!

Instant Pot parmesan risotto in a bowl.
Cheesy Instant Pot risotto

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Risotto is such a classy dish, but traditional risotto often gets a bad reputation for being difficult to make properly. This Instant Pot risotto is a one pot, quick and easy version of risotto that requires minimal effort and will make you wonder why you ever did it any other way!

In just a few simple steps, and using simple ingredients, you can have a fluffy risotto with a creamy texture that’s ready to serve alongside your weeknight meals or your fancy dinner party main course!

If you love cooking with a pressure cooker, make sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes too!

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Ingredients for Instant Pot Risotto Recipe

You will be able to find everything you need to make this creamy rice dish in most grocery stores!

Instant Pot parmesan risotto ingredients with labels on the image.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or any vegetable oil)
  • ⅓ cup chopped onion (I used white, but red or sweet onion works as well)
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter (can use unsalted if you like)
  • ¾ cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

See the printable recipe card below for a full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions for making this easy instant pot risotto!

Instructions

The Instant Pot is by far the easiest way to make risotto! Let me show you how…

  1. Set the Instant Pot to the saute function and add oil, onions, and crushed garlic clove. Using a spatula mix and cook until the onions are softened.
A measuring cup of chopped onions held above an Instant Pot.
Saute garlic and onion.
  1. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes. The rice will start to look transparent; you need to constantly stir so it does not burn or toast.
A cup of arborio rice held above an instant pot.
Add the rice.
  1. Mix in the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder. Mix well to coat.
Spices in a bowl.
Add spices.
  1. Add the chicken stock and mix well, making sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Rice, chicken broth, and spices in the Instant Pot.
Add chicken broth.
  1. Turn off the Sauté mode. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot on high pressure for 6 minutes cooking time. Make sure the valve is sealed.
  2. Once cooked, do a quick release. Once the pressure is out, open the lid.
  3. With a fork, fluff up/stir the risotto. Add in the butter and the cheese.  
A square of butter sitting on top of the cooked rice in the Instant Pot.
Add butter.
Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of the cooked rice in the Instant Pot.
Add parmesan.
  1. Using your fork, mix until butter and cheese is melted, and risotto is creamy. Serve and enjoy your perfect risotto!
Instant Pot parmesan risotto in a bowl.
Serve & enjoy!

Substitutions & Variations

  • When looking for fresh Parmigiano, you will see Grana Padano. You can use Grana Padano as well, it’s also made in Italy. Compared to Parmigiano (made in the region of Parma with strict rules of aging and storage) the Grana Padano is made only a few miles west in the region next to Parma. It’s a hard cheese, milky, but without the strong taste of the Parmigiano. Both cheeses can be interchangeable 
  • You can serve the risotto with more cheese or fresh herbs on top.
  • You could if you want on step 4 add ¼ cup of dry white wine (sweet wine will caramelize and give a weird taste to the Risotto). Keep your IP on Sauté mode, add the wine and mix until the wine has evaporated. Then add the Chicken broth and proceed to cooking. 
  • You can use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth/stock in this recipe.
  • You can also add some bacon bits when sautéing the onions for some extra flavor
  • Wanting to make this risotto a main dish? Try adding some cooked shrimp or cooked, shredded chicken to your parmesan risotto and serving it as a main course!
  • Add a handful of sliced mushrooms to the Instant Pot and saute along with the onions and garlic to turn this into a mushroom risotto!

Equipment

We used an Instant Pot for this recipe, but you could make it with other brands of pressure cookers as well.

Storage

Risotto is best when served immediately. I would not keep the Instant pot on warm as it will overcook the Risotto and become mushy.

You can store your leftover Instant Pot risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When warming up the leftovers, I like to place a wet paper towel on top of my portion, in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minutes, mixing at 30 seconds.

Spoonful of Risotto
Spoonful of Risotto

Expert Tips and FAQs

How do you make risotto in a pressure cooker?

It’s so simple to make risotto in the pressure cooker. First you saute your aromatic ingredients (garlic and onion), add the rice and cook for a few minutes, and then you add the liquid and cook just like you would any other rice! One pot, super simple, and ready in under 30 minutes.

What can I substitute for Parmesan cheese in risotto?

You can use any cheese in place of the parmesan cheese, but a sharp, hard cheese will give you the most similar taste. Pecorino, gruyere, Swiss would all be quite similar but a sharp cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese would also be delicious!

Can I make risotto without white wine?

Absolutely! This recipe doesn’t call for any wine, but it will still create delicious, fluffy risotto. If you do want to use wine, you could if you want on step 4 add ¼ cup of dry white wine (sweet wine will caramelize and give a weird taste to the Risotto). Keep your IP on Sauté mode, add the wine and mix until the wine has evaporated. Then add the Chicken broth and proceed to cooking. 

Can I use a different type of rice?

You sure can, but we would recommend sticking with a short grain rice. Short grain rice has higher amylopectin levels in it than long grain rice, which is what helps make the risotto creamy. You could use a long-grain rice if you like, but the resulting risotto may not be quite as creamy.

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Looking for more easy Instant Pot recipes like this easy risotto recipe? Try our Instant Pot buffalo chicken pasta! This is another quick and easy one pot meal that is sure to be a hit!

Or, if you love using your Instant Pot, then I think you’ll also love seeing how to make Instant Pot White Rice.

Recipe

Instant Pot parmesan risotto in a bowl.
Print Pin
5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto

Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto: This pressure cooker risotto is the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight meal, but it's fancy enough to serve for a dinner party if you want to! Risotto doesn't have to be difficult; this one is ready in under 30 minutes and is so easy to make!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 262kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) or similar

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or any vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup chopped onion I used white, but red or sweet onion works as well
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter can use unsalted if you like
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese fresh grated

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add oil, onions, and crushed garlic clove. Using a spatula mix and cook until the onions are softened.
  • Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes. The rice will start to look transparent; you need to constantly stir so it does not burn or toast.
  • Mix in the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder. Mix well to coat.
  • Add the chicken broth and mix well, making sure nothing is stuck to the bottom or side of the pan.
  • Turn off the Sauté mode. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot on high pressure for 6 minutes. Make sure the valve is sealed.
  • Once cooked, do a quick release. Once the pressure is out, open the lid.
  • With a fork, fluff up/stir the risotto. Add in the butter and the cheese.  
  • Using your fork, mix until butter and cheese is melted, and risotto is creamy. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

STORAGE: Risotto is best when served immediately. I would not keep the Instant pot on warm as it will overcook the Risotto and become mushy. 
You can store your leftover Instant Pot risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When warming up the leftovers, I like to place a wet paper towel on top of my portion, in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minutes, mixing at 30 seconds

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 1mg

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon: Not your grandma’s deviled eggs! These are filled with incredible ingredients such as liquid smoke, dijon mustard, and even a little smoked paprika for the best deviled eggs!

Quick Overview: It’s an easy recipe, that packs a punch of flavor! Make your hard-boiled eggs your favorite way (we prefer to make hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot) and use the simple ingredients to make up the filling! It will be an easy appetizer recipe that you’ll want to take to any party!

Close up of deviled eggs with candied bacon
Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon

Why you’ll love these

  • Classic deviled eggs are delicious but when you can kick things up a notch with a few simple ingredients, you’ll have friends and family asking for the recipe!
  • The flavors of the liquid smoke, the twist of the mustard and the crunch of the sweet and salty bacon, creates a combination that’s hard to resist!
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Ingredients

Candied Bacon

  • 3 slices of bacon
  • 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Eggs

  • 12 eggs
  • ½ cup mayo
  • 2 tablespoon of djion mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
  • pinch of seasoned salt
  • pinch of smoked paprika
ingredients for deviled eggs with candied bacon on counter
Ingredients

Instructions:

  1. First, make hard boiled eggs. The process of how you do that is totally up to you. If you have one, you may like to cook the eggs in the Instant Pot. If you don’t, another easy way is to make boil them on the stove top.

    How to cook the eggs on the stove-top: Place eggs in a sauce pan and cover with water, just enough to make sure there are about 2 inches of water above the eggs.

    Turn the burner to “high” and bring the water to a rolling boil and then shut off the burner and allow it to sit for about 10-12 minutes.

After the time is up, drain the water and place eggs in an ice bath. (Meaning, allow eggs to sit in cold water and ice.) Allow the eggs to sit in the cold for at least 5 minutes. (This stops the cooking process and I find it helps the shells peel off easier.)

Drain, and carefully peel the shells off of the cold eggs. (Believe it or not, this may be the hardest part of the whole recipe, and it’s not even that bad!)

You’ll want them to peel as clean and even as possible, not to mess up the “whites” of the eggs.

Cooked eggs in ice bath
Chill cooked eggs in ice bath
  1. While the eggs cook, you can cook the bacon:

    You can also cook the bacon how you prefer, whether that’s in the microwave, in the oven, or how I do it, in the air fryer.

    Before cooking the bacon, place the uncooked bacon on the cooking surface (air fryer basket, plate, baking sheet, etc.) and drizzle maple syrup on top of each slice. Then, sprinkle brown sugar on top. If you have a silicone brush, or BBQ brush, gently spread the sugar and syrup evenly on top of the bacon.

For air fryer bacon cook times and instructions, you’ll find this method for cooking bacon in the air fryer, handy!

Brushing brown sugar and syrup on bacon
Brush on syrup
Sprinkle on brown sugar
Sprinkle sugar
  1. Slice eggs in half: Using a knife, starting at the most narrow end of the egg, begin slicing the egg in half.
  2. Grab a small bowl, and carefully remove the yellow yolks and place the yolks in the bowl and set the empty whites of the egg, aside, in a single layer, on a plate/platter that you plan to serve or store the deviled eggs when finished.
Eggs sliced in half on cutting board
Slice eggs in half
eggs having yolk removed
Remove yolks from eggs
  1. Add mayo to yellow yolk and stire with a fork to really mash the yolks down, trying to remove any large clumps.
mayo on top of egg yolks in glass bowl
Add mayo to yolk
egg yolk and mayo mixed in bowl
Stir to combine
  1. Add in the dijion mustard, salt, and liquid smoke.
  2. Stir until evenly combined.
mustard being added to yolk
Add other ingredients
seasoning added to yolk
Stir to combine
  1. Optional: You can get a wet paper towel and gently wipe the egg whites if they’re messy, but this is optional.
  2. Place yolk mixture in to a plastic, ziptop bag (or piping bag). (See image below – using a tall drinking glass, place the plastic bag down inside of the glass, and pull the opening to stretch out around the rim. This holds the bag open for easy pouring of the yolk.

    Then, cut the bottom corner of the bag, to create an easy way to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. This acts as a piping bag or you can use an actual piping bag if desired.
yolk in bag, in glass
Pour yolk in bag
cutting corner of bag
Cut corner of bag
  1. Fill egg whites with egg mixture.
Pouring yolk in egg whites
Squeeze in to eggs
yolk filled egg whites
All filled!
  1. Take the cooked bacon and cut it to about 1-in pieces. Then put it on the top of the deviled eggs.
candied bacon on plate
Cut bacon
Small bacon pieces on top of eggs
Add bacon
  1. Sprinkle with a bit of smoked paprika, if desired. Serve! (Or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.)
Deviled eggs sprinkled with paprika
Sprinkle paprika

NOTE: I had 4 egg white halves left over (2 eggs) because I like to REALLY fill up my eggs. But you can put less to make the yolk stretch.

Substitutions

If there’s something in this recipe that you’re not fond of, it should be ok to switch it out for something similar! For instance:

  • Liquid Smoke: If you don’t have any or don’t really like the flavor of liquid smoke, you can omit it but it is HIGHLY recommended!
  • Bacon: You don’t have to “candy” the bacon but it adds a delicious sweet and salty contrast! Also, instead of the slice of bacon on top of the egg, you can make a minced bacon and add it right in to the yolk.
  • Mustard: You can use regular yellow mustard if you prefer. The dijon gives it a slight, sweeter spin which is really fun!

Variations

We prefer this recipe, just the way it is. However, if you want to add some things to experiment, you definitely can! Some ideas we’ve had are:

  • hot sauce
  • hot honey
  • green onions
  • garlic powder
  • pickle juice
  • vinegar
  • jalapeno slices and juice
  • pinch of cayenne
  • worcestershire sauce
Close up of deviled eggs with bacon pieces
Deviled eggs with bacon

Storage

If you have leftover deviled eggs, refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can place them in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap.

Top tips

To keep the cutting of the eggs “clean” (meaning, egg yolks not building up on the egg whites as you cut them) keep a wet paper towel nearby and wipe the knife after each egg cut for a clean cut.

To fill the plastic bag with ease, place the plastic baggie in a clean drinking glass, as shown above. This pries the bag open for easy yolk pouring.

If making these in advance, which is absolutely fine, we’ve found that when deviled eggs sit in the refrigerator for more than a day, they can lose some of the flavor. (As far as “salt” flavors. So you may want to sprinkle a little more seasoning salt on to the eggs just before serving, if needed.)

How do you keep deviled eggs from sliding on a plate?

Sometimes the egg whites and slip around on a slick plate. So you can either use a deviled egg container that’s specifically made for deviled eggs, or you can try lining your platter with parchment paper to help keep the eggs from slipping. Or, try placing a wire rack on your platter and see if that holds the egg halves in place.

What makes a deviled egg deviled?

They’re called deviled eggs because the filling consists of spices and a tangy ingredient.

What to serve with deviled eggs

Usually served as an appetizer, especially at the holidays such as Easter Sunday, deviled eggs can also be a side dish for any meal, any time of year.

Serve alongside a hearty main course such as oven baked turkey, or along other holiday side dish favorites such as this green bean casserole and corn casserole!

Recipe

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon
Print Pin
5 from 6 votes

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon: These are filled with incredible ingredients such as liquid smoke, dijon mustard, and even a little smoked paprika for the best deviled eggs!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 24 egg halves
Calories 82kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Eggs

  • 12 eggs
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 pinch seasoned salt
  • 1 pinch smoked paprika

Candied Bacon

  • 3 slices bacon
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Cooking the Hard Boiled Eggs

  • First, make hard boiled eggs. The process of how you do that is totally up to you. If you have one, you may like to cook the eggs in the Instant Pot. If you don't, another easy way is to make boil them on the stove top.
    How to cook the eggs on the stove-top: Place eggs in a sauce pan and cover with water, just enough to make sure there are about 2 inches of water above the eggs.Turn the burner to "high" and bring the water to a rolling boil and then shut off the burner and allow it to sit for about 10-12 minutes.
  • After eggs have cooked, drain the water and place eggs in an ice bath. (Meaning, allow eggs to sit in cold water and ice.) Allow the eggs to sit in the cold for at least 5 minutes.
    Drain, and carefully peel the shells off of the eggs. You'll want them to peel as clean and even as possible, not to mess up the "whites" of the eggs.

Cooking Bacon

  • While the eggs cook, you can cook the bacon: You can also cook the bacon how you prefer, whether that's in the microwave, in the oven, or how I do it, in the air fryer.
  • Before cooking the bacon, place the uncooked bacon on the cooking surface (air fryer basket, plate, baking sheet, etc.) and drizzle maple syrup on top of each slice. Then, sprinkle brown sugar on top. If you have a silicone brush, or BBQ brush, gently spread the sugar and syrup evenly across each slice.

Assembling Deviled Eggs

  • Slice eggs in half: Using a knife, starting at the most narrow end of the egg, begin slicing the egg in half. Grab a small bowl, and carefully remove the yellow yolks and place the yolks in the bowl and set the empty whites of the egg, aside, on a plate/platter that you plan to serve or store the deviled eggs when finished.
  • Add mayo to yellow yolk and stire with a fork to really mash the yolks down, trying to remove any large clumps.
  • Add in the dijion mustard, salt, and liquid smoke. Stir until evenly combined.
  • Optional: You can get a wet paper towel and gently wipe the egg whites if they're messy, but this is optional.
  • Place yolk mixture in to a plastic, ziptop bag (or piping bag). (See image in post.) Then, cut the bottom corner of the bag, to create an easy way to fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. This acts as a piping bag or you can use an actual piping bag if desired.
  • Fill egg white cavities with yolk mixture.
  • Take the cooked bacon and cut it to about 1-in pieces. Top each egg half with a piece of candied bacon.
  • Sprinkle with a bit of smoked paprika, if desired. Serve! (Or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.)

Notes

If you have leftover deviled eggs, refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can place them in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap.
 
See blog post for more tips to make the best deviled eggs!

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Chilis Southwestern Egg Rolls Copycat & Sauce

Chilis Southwestern Egg Rolls Copycat: An easy recipe that is super popular at a favorite restaurant, along with the delicious dipping sauce that’s a must!

Quick Overview: These southwestern eggrolls, use simple ingredients, ready in about 30 minutes. After wrapping, they’ll be fried in oil for only 2 minutes!

Chilis southwest rolls copycat and dipping sauce
Chilis Southwest Rolls Copycat

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you’ve ever had the egg rolls at Chili’s restaurants, then you know how delicious they are. But I have to say, that the creamy avocado ranch sauce that comes with it, makes them even better! In this recipe, you’ll find out how to make BOTH! It’s one of our favorite copycat recipes to date!

Ingredients

  • Oil for deep frying (vegetable oil or canola oil)
  • Wrappers – either tortillas or eggroll wrappers

Filling:

  • 1 ½ c cooked chicken breast, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 c pepper jack cheese
  • 1 c spinach
  • ½ c canned corn, drained
  • ½ c black beans, drained
  • ⅓ c diced red pepper
  • 2 teaspoon lime juice
Ingredients on table for chili's egg rolls
Ingredients

Avocado Ranch:

  • ½ c mashed avocado
  • ½ c ranch
  • 3 Tbs fresh chopped cilantro
  • 2 ½ Tbs sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for avocado ranch
Ingredients for Sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat 3″ of oil to 375° in a large pot, on the stovetop.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder and salt. Once the chicken and spices are well mixed, add pepper jack cheese, spinach, corn, beans, red peppers and lime juice and mix to combine. Set aside.
Filling ingredients in white bowl
Filling ingredients
Mixed ingredients for filling
Mixed ingredients
  1. Next, place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
Tortillas on wooden cutting board
Warm tortillas
Mixture on center of tortilla
Place mixture on tortilla
  1. Place ¼ cup of the filling onto the center of a tortilla. Fold the outward sides towards the middle, then roll up. 
Hand folding tortilla
Fold together
Hands folding tortilla for egg roll
Fold again
  1. Brush the top edge with water to seal. 
Brushing edges to make tortilla stick
Brush to stick
  1. After all tortillas are rolled, let them sit for 1 minute before frying to allow the water to stick the edges together. 
Egg rolls on counter ready for frying
Ready for frying
Fried egg rolls on counter
Fried Egg Rolls
  1. Place 4 rolls into the preheated oil and fry for 1 minute, then flip and fry for 1 minute, until golden.  Once cooked, carefully remove the rolls from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rolls. 
Chili's Copycat Egg Rolls on cutting board
Chili’s Egg Rolls Copycat

Easy Avocado Ranch Sauce

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the avocado, ranch, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
  2. Mix until well combined and smooth.  Serve alongside the fried eggrolls. 
ingredients in small bowl for dipping sauce
Ingredients for sauce
Avocado ranch dipping sauce
Avocado Ranch Sauce
Open egg rolls with ranch sauce
Enjoy!

Storage

If you happen to have leftovers of these egg rolls, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat the egg rolls in the microwave or in the air fryer if you have one!

Substitutions

  • Cooked shredded chicken – If you’d like to use something other than chicken, you can use cooked beef, tofu, or cooked shredded turkey instead. However keep in mind that this could change the flavor.  
  • Cheese – If you want to use something other than pepper jack cheese, you can. Do note that this could change the flavor a bit. Some ideas for different cheese are, jalapeno jack cheese, monterey jack cheese)
  • Additional ingredients: If you’d like to also add other items to this recipe, you may want to consider: jalapeno peppers, cayenne pepper, green onion, green chiles, white or yellow onion, hot sauce
  • Dip: If you’re not a fan of the dipping sauce that goes with this recipe, you may want to consider dipping them in something like this Texas queso!
Open egg rolls
Chili’s Egg Rolls Copycat

Expert Tips

  • You can insert a toothpick into the filled roll before placing it in the oil to keep the roll closed while frying. 
  • For a smoother, creamier texture, you can use an immersion blender to blend the avocado ranch!

If you loved these chilis southwest egg rolls, and love easy appetizer recipes, then you’ll also love this elote dip, chicken empanadas, and this easy guacamole dip!

Recipe

Chilis Southwestern Egg Rolls Copycat
Print Pin
5 from 7 votes

Chili’s Southwestern Egg Rolls Copycat

Chilis Southwestern Egg Rolls Copycat: An easy recipe that is super popular at a favorite restaurant, along with the delicious dipping sauce that's a must!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 12 egg rolls
Calories 239kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • Oil for Frying

Wrappers

  • 12 Taco size – flour tortillas or egg roll wrappers 

Filling

  • 1 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pepper jack cheese
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • ½ cup canned corn drained
  • ½ cup black beans rinsed and drained
  • ⅓ cup diced red bell pepper
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice

Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce

  • ½ cup mashed avocado
  • ½ cup ranch
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat 3" of oil to 375° in a large pot, on the stovetop.

Egg Roll Filling

  • In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder and salt. Once the chicken and spices are well mixed, add pepper jack cheese, spinach, corn, beans, red peppers and lime juice and mix to combine. Set aside.
  • Next, place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.

Assembly

  • Place ¼ cup of the filling onto the center of a tortilla. Fold the outward sides towards the middle, then roll up.  Brush the top edge with water to seal. 
  • After all tortillas are rolled, let them sit for 1 minute before frying to allow the water to stick the edges together. 

Frying

  • Place 4 rolls into the preheated oil and fry for 1 minute, then flip and fry for 1 minute, until golden.  Once cooked, carefully remove the rolls from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the frying process with the remaining rolls. 

Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the avocado, ranch, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. M
  • Mix until well combined and smooth.  Serve alongside the fried eggrolls. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg roll | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 679IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 2mg

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches: Hamburger buns, slices of cheese, and your favorite ham, toasted in the oven to create an easy lunch or dinner idea!

Quick Overview: A hot and ready sandwich recipe that’s ready to eat in 5 minutes! Customize with your favorites, add more options (like in these Italian sliders) or make as suggested!

Hot ham and cheese sandwich on white plate next to pasta salad
Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Why you’ll love these:

  • Easy: They’re a quick and easy lunch idea that’s warm and comforting or even a main course! Sandwich dinners like this are classic old-fashioned comfort food meals.
  • Make Ahead: Like with cooking burgers in the oven, they’re something that can be made ahead of time, and wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm for a bit!
  • Flexible: Make these sandwiches with your favorites! Whether that’s the type of bun used, cheese, or using your favorite condiments… your hot ham and cheese sandwich will be exactly how you want it!
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Ingredients

  • 7-8 sandwich sliced, thin, ham slices (We use Oscar Mayer’s 9-ounce package to make three sandwiches. However you can use honey ham, black forest ham, etc. Or… try bologna, like we did with our fried bologna sandwiches!)
  • 3 slices of your favorite sliced cheese (We use yellow and white American cheese.)
  • 3 hamburger buns (Regular buns, brioche, or your favorite buns.)
ingredients on table for hot ham and cheese sandwich
Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. On a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper (optional), place buns, insides facing up.
  3. Layer 7-8 slice of ham (or more/less depending on preference) on bottom buns.
  4. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake ham on buns for 2-3 minutes.
ham on bun, on cookie sheet
Ham on bun
  1. Open oven door, and place a slice of cheese on the ham, and bake for an additional minute.
Slice of cheese melted on ham and bun
Melted hot ham and cheese
  1. Remove from oven and top with your favorite condiments or serve!
Hot ham and cheese on white plate next to pasta salad
Hot ham and cheese sandwich

Condiment Ideas

We absolutely LOVE having these hot ham and cheese sandwiches just as they are but if you love condiments, here are some great ideas:

Substitutions

  1. Lunch meat: You can definitely substitute different meats for the ham, such as turkey, roast beef, etc.
  2. Cheese: We used American cheese for these hot ham sandwiches but you may choose different types of cheeses to use, such as Colby jack, pepper jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, swiss cheese and other types, depending on your favorites!
  3. Buns: Brioche buns are a delicious alternative to regular hamburger buns. However you can use gluten free buns, homemade buns, or even something completely different such as something fun like a jalapeno cheddar bagel!

Variations

If you’d like to take things up a notch, here are different variations you may want to try as well:

  • Up-level your buns: If you’d like to make these with sweet Hawaiian rolls or even the Hawaiian hamburger buns, you absolutely can!
    We did this with our cheeseburger sliders and they were a HIT!
    You may also want to create a butter mixture, using melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds for an extra kick of flavor on those buns! Simply melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a small bowl, use a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and seeds, if you prefer, and brush on the bun tops before baking.
  • More Topping Ideas: If you don’t want to stop at condiments, you can top your layers of ham with items such as caramelized onions, lettuce, banana peppers, red onions, and more!

Storage

If you have left over ham and cheese sandwiches, you can store them in an airtight container, and place them in the refrigerator.

For reheating, you can try using the microwave, or place in the oven to reheat. Or, if you have an air fryer, you may find that you like that for reheating as well.

But all in all, it’s best to not assemble and not bake until right before consuming.

Top tip

Feeding a group? Assemble as many of these sandwiches as you need, wrap each one in aluminum foil, and keep on warm until ready to eat! (Usually a maximum of 2 hours.) You can place them in the oven on “warm” or you can even place them in a slow cooker and keep them warm, for traveling!)

If you loved this easy sandwich recipe, you’ll also love this chicken grilled cheese, Caprese sandwich, and this bacon egg and cheese sandwich!

Or, if you love a fun spin on classics, this fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich will be a hit!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Hot ham and cheese sandwich on white plate
Print Pin
5 from 11 votes

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches: Hamburger buns, slices of cheese, and your favorite ham, toasted in the oven to create an easy lunch or dinner idea!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 3 sandwiches
Calories 441kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • oven

Ingredients

  • 9 ounces ham We used a 9 ounce package of Oscar Mayer but any will do
  • 3 slices cheese American, colby, pepperjack, or your favorite
  • 3 hamburger buns or brioche, hawaiian buns, or your favorite
  • Your favorite condiments

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • On a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper (optional), place buns, insides facing up. Layer 7-8 slice of ham (or more/less depending on preference) on bottom buns.
  • Place cookie sheet in oven and bake ham on buns for 2-3 minutes.
  • Open oven door, and place a slice of cheese on the ham, and bake for an additional minute.
  • Remove from oven and top with your favorite condiments or serve!

Notes

Flexible: You can add more ham slices and cheese to each sandwich if you want a really big helping! Just make sure to get enough for what you need! The amount listed here is a great amount but regular size helping.
Tip: Wrap each warm sandwich in aluminum foil to keep for a couple of hours, if feeding a crowd. See post for more tips!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1405mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 281IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 2mg

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta: This is the ultimate comfort food – ready in under 20 minutes and full of delicious cheese, this creamy one pot meal is an easy weeknight meal that’ll wow your taste buds!

Quick Overview: To make this cheesy pasta in the Instant Pot, warm up your olive oil in the Instant Pot on sauté mode and cook your chicken breast pieces. (Or make slow cooker chicken in advance!)
Layer in the rest of the ingredients in the order mentioned, cook on high pressure 5 minutes. Quick release, stir in the cheddar cheese, top with blue cheese crumbles and green onions, and enjoy!

A bowl of instant pot buffalo chicken pasta.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s nothing quite like a creamy, cheesy bowl of pasta to warm you up from the inside out, am I right? My favorite pasta dishes have real cream and cheese (like this cream cheese pasta recipe and this crockpot chicken pasta recipe) and all that yummy goodness (even better if they have a bit of a slight kick of spice)!  BUT, I don’t want to spend hours making it. 

Am I asking for too much? Maybe. Does this recipe deliver all I’m looking for and more? YES! (This is exactly why I love cooking pasta in the Instant Pot.) This one pot buffalo chicken pasta dish is creamy, cheesy, uses real ingredients, AND is so quick and easy to make. That’s a yes, for me. 

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Ingredients

With one pot and a few simple ingredients easily find next time you’re at the grocery store, you can quickly make this delicious Instant Pot pasta recipe the whole family will love!

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta (uncooked)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • blue cheese crumbles (optional)
  • chopped green onion (optional)

Substitutions

If you need to make some substitutions in this Instant Pot buffalo chicken mac and cheese, here are a few suggestions!

  • Gluten Free – There are some great gluten free pasta alternatives out there now! If you need, you can swap the rotini for your favorite gluten free style of pasta and it should work just as well. 
  • Olive Oil – You can use your favorite oil in place of olive oil if you like. Canola, coconut, grapeseed…any of those would work (although coconut will alter the flavor of the finished dish a tiny bit). 
  • Milk – You can substitute cream for the milk if you’d like your sauce to be a bit thicker.

Variations

Pasta dishes are so fun because there are so many ways you can change them up! Here are a few of my favorite ideas for variations on this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta dish.

  • Swap Cheese – Instead of using 4 ounces of cream cheese, try 4 ounces of feta! The sharp taste of feta will add some zing to the recipe!
  • More Spicy – Like in my buffalo chicken dip, you can add a splash of your favorite hot sauce (like Frank’s red hot sauce) along with the buffalo sauce to really kick up the heat. You can even throw in a few sliced jalapeño peppers if you want! 
  • Less Spicy – Buffalo might just be my favorite flavor, but I know it’s not for everyone. If everything in this recipe sounds great to you other than the buffalo sauce, you can omit it! Instead, try adding some Italian seasonings (garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil). You can choose to still top the pasta with blue cheese crumbles or you could switch to parmesan cheese in keeping with the Italian theme! You could also swap out the cheddar cheese for mozzarella cheese – yum!

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and step-by-step instructions on how to make this easy Instant Pot pasta dish!

Instructions

Wondering how to make this easy buffalo chicken pasta recipe? Let me show you!

  1. Add olive oil to the insert of your Instant Pot. 
  2. Plug in your Instant Pot and set it to sauté mode. 
  3. Once the Instant Pot is hot, add the chicken and sauté until cooked through. 
Raw chicken breast pieces in an Instant Pot.
Cook your chicken pieces.
  1. In this order, add the chicken broth, milk, buffalo sauce, pasta and cream cheese. DO NOT STIR.
Pouring chicken broth into the Instant Pot with cooked chicken breast pieces in it.
Add chicken broth.
Pouring milk into the Instant Pot with cooked chicken breast pieces in it.
Add milk.
Pouring buffalo sauce into the Instant Pot with cooked chicken breast pieces in it.
Add buffalo sauce.
Uncooked pasta in the Instant Pot with the other ingredients.
Add pasta.
Cream cheese added on top of the other ingredients.
Add pasta. DO NOT STIR.
  1. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close the pressure valve. Set your Instant Pot to manual for 5 minutes with the pressure on high.
An Instant Pot showing 5 minutes cook time on it.
Set your Instant Pot to 5 minutes (manual). 
  1. When the 5 minute cook time has finished, do a quick release (carefully open the pressure valve and let the pressure release). 
  2. When the pressure is fully released, take the lid off and stir the ingredients together.
Cooked buffalo chicken pasta being stirred up.
Stir everything together. 
  1. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted and combined with the other ingredients.
Cooked buffalo chicken pasta with shredded cheddar cheese on top.
Add shredded cheese. 
  1. Serve your pasta with blue cheese crumbles and chopped green onions on top of the pasta (or a drizzle or ranch dressing if you like), and enjoy!
Instant Pot buffalo chicken pasta with blue cheese crumbles and green onion on top.
Serve with blue cheese crumbles and green onions. 
buffalo chicken pasta in blue bowl
Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Equipment

We used an Instant Pot for this recipe, but you could make it with other brands of electric pressure cooker as well. Always be sure to check meat to ensure it is cooked to the minimum internal temperature of 165 F, regardless of which cooker you use.

Storage

Your Buffalo Chicken Pasta should keep for 2-3 days in the fridge as long as it is in an airtight container. 

I haven’t tried freezing this yet, but I think it would work. Put your Buffalo Chicken Pasta in an airtight, freezer-safe container and it should keep for up to a month!

Expert Tips and FAQs

Can I use pre-cooked chicken for this recipe? 

Absolutely! This is a great way to use leftover chicken. If you have pre-shredded chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken, simply cook the step of cooking the chicken and go straight to layering your ingredients in the warm Instant Pot (starting with the chicken). 

Can I make this on the stove instead of in the Instant Pot?

You sure can, but the cooking time will be longer (that’s the beauty of the Instant Pot, it makes everything faster). To modify this for stove top, cook your chicken pieces in oil in a medium pot. Add in the ingredients just like the recipe states, cover and cook until your noodles are soft (follow the cook times on the package). You may need to stir the noodles a few times while cooking on the stove to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the noodles are done cooking, add the cheddar cheese and stir until everything is melted and well combined. 

buffalo pasta in blue dish

More Buffalo Chicken Recipes

If you like the flavor of buffalo sauce and you enjoy easy pasta dishes, then you absolutely have to try this buffalo chicken lasagna next! It’s one of those dishes people will rave about when you serve it to them (and it’s surprisingly easy to put together). Go check it out!

Looking for more easy meals? Try this easy buffalo chicken soup recipe and these buffalo chicken sliders! And if it’s easy instant pot recipes you’re looking for, I have tons over on the blog. Check them out!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta: This is the ultimate comfort food – ready in under 20 minutes and full of delicious cheese, this creamy one pot meal is an easy weeknight meal that'll wow your taste buds! 
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Pressure Release 1 minute
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 477kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Equipment

  • 1 instant pot or similar pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta uncooked
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • blue cheese crumbles optional
  • chopped green onion optional

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to the insert of your Instant Pot.
  • Plug in your Instant Pot and set it to sauté mode.
  • Once the Instant Pot is hot, add the chicken and sauté until cooked through.
  • In this order, add the chicken broth, milk, buffalo sauce, pasta and cream cheese. DO NOT STIR.
  • Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close the pressure valve. Set your Instant Pot to manual for 5 minutes with the pressure on high.
  • When the 5 minute cook time has finished, do a quick release (carefully open the pressure valve and let the pressure release).
  • When the pressure is fully released, take the lid off and stir the ingredients together.
  • Add the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted and combined with the other ingredients.
  • Serve your pasta with blue cheese crumbles and chopped green onions on top of the pasta (or a drizzle or ranch dressing if you like), and enjoy!

Notes

NOTES: Your Buffalo Chicken Pasta should keep for 2-3 days in the fridge as long as it is in an airtight container. 
I haven’t tried freezing this yet, but I think it would work. Put your Buffalo Chicken Pasta in an airtight, freezer-safe container and it should keep for up to a month!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 1mg

Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich

Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich: This easy breakfast sandwich is made with brioche, over easy egg, cheese and crispy bacon! It definitely makes your breakfast something to brag about!

Next, you’ll want to make these egg rolls for breakfast because they’re such a fun twist! If mini food is more your style, I’ve also got Breakfast Sliders with the same flavor profile.

Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich Sliced Open

Why you’ll love this!

  • This sandwich is a delicious breakfast sandwich but it can also be served all day long or even a late night snack!
  • It’s incredibly easy, uses simple ingredients, and can be changed up to reflect your favorite flavors and textures.
  • If you loved our Hawaiian Rolls Breakfast Sliders and our fried egg and bologna sandwich, then you’re going to love the flavors of this one too!

Ingredients

First, I really recommend using thick cut bacon for this recipe. I use thick cut, because I’m a texture gal, and when I can really taste the thick cut of bacon in a bite… my bacon love language is on high-alert.

  • bacon
  • sliced cheese (we used white American cheese)
  • egg
  • bun (We used brioche but you can use a hamburger bun, Hawaiian bun, etc.)
Bacon in the package - Oscar Mayer
Thick Cut Bacon

Then, you’ll want an egg, a slice of cheese and a bun for each sandwich you want to make!

Egg, brioche and cheese
Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

Cook the bacon. (I’m a “crunchy” bacon kind of gal, but I have friends and family members that prefer it’s not cooked as long. So however you prefer your bacon, feel free to cook it as long as you like! Just make sure it is fully cooked!) Set aside, and keep warm. You can even cook bacon in the air fryer if you have one!

Cooked bacon slices on papertowel
Cooked Bacon

Step 2: Over Easy Egg

If you’ve noticed “over-easy” eggs on sandwiches all over the menus in your favorite restaurants lately, then you know that eggs aren’t just for breakfast anymore. I think it takes sandwiches to a whole new level.

So gently cook your over-easy eggs, being careful not to bust the egg yolk. (You’ll want to bust that yolk when cutting the sandwich in half, right before serving!)

Egg in pan
Over easy egg

Step 3: Assemble!

Slice your brioche bun in half, and layer on a slice of cheese, and then top with two slices of bacon. (I sliced each bacon piece in half, so the bacon pieces would sit better on the sandwich.)

Cheese and bacon on bun
Layer cheese and bacon

Then, carefully top with your over-easy egg, and the top of the brioche bun.

Over easy egg on bacon
Add egg

Serve!

Sometimes, I don’t get so lucky to “pop” the egg yolk when I slice it, but nevertheless, the combination of the crunch of the bacon with the other ingredients is DYNAMITE!

If you won’t be serving the breakfast sandwiches right away, you can wrap them in aluminum foil for easy transportation or to keep warm!

Bacon egg and cheese sandwich
Bacon egg and cheese

Substitutions

Feel free to experiment and substitute items for this sandwich. Such as:

  • Cheese: The type of cheese is up to you! Here are some of our favorites: swiss, provolone, pepper jack, gouda
  • Meat: Turkey Bacon, sausage, ham, turkey (or skip the meat and just do cheese and egg sandwiches)
  • Bun: Hamburger bun, Hawaiian bun, slider, buttermilk biscuit, kaiser roll, bagel
  • Eggs: If you’re not a fan of runny eggs, you can easily cook a fried egg and top with the fluffy egg instead

Topping Ideas

Want to kick things up a notch with some extra fun flavors? Here are some ideas of what you can top this sandwich with:

  • Mayo
  • Hot Sauce
  • Hollandaise

Other Bacon Sandwich Ideas

If you’re looking for other fun bacon sandwich recipes ideas, here are a few ideas you can play around with!

  • Bacon, lettuce, tomato, over-easy egg
  • Bacon, avocado, tomato
  • Bacon, chicken, ranch dressing
  • Bacon grilled cheese

Then for some added extra fun, combine some of those sandwich ideas to make a whole new sandwich!

More Recipes?

If you loved this sandwich recipe, then you’ll also want to make sure you get your hands on this hot ham and cheese sandwich recipe, too! Or, if you’re having this sandwich for breakfast, then you’ll also love to see this biscuits and gravy casserole recipe that you can make soon!

Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!

Recipe

Bacon Egg and Cheese
Print Pin
4.50 from 2 votes

Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich

Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich: This easy breakfast sandwich is made with brioche, over easy egg, cheese and crispy bacon!
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 sandwich
Calories 821kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 slice cheese American, swiss or your favorite
  • 1 brioche bun Or hamburger bun

Instructions

  • Cook bacon. You can place bacon slices on a plate lined with a paper towel, and cook in the microwave for 4 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
  • While bacon in microwaving, you can cook your over easy egg in a skillet on the stove. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Carefully crack egg over skillet, being careful not to bust the yolk.
  • Cook egg for about 2 minutes, and carefully flip egg over, using a spatula and cook for another minute or so. You'll want the egg white fully cooked but the yolk still be runny inside.
  • Build the sandwich: Place slice of cheese on bottom bun, layer cooked bacon and top with over easy egg. Place top bun on top, and serve!

Video

Notes

Feel free to change up the cheese flavor, bun type and more, to create the perfect sandwich! 
This recipe makes one sandwich but simply increase amounts to make as many sandwiches that you need. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 821kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 394mg | Sodium: 1011mg | Potassium: 173mg | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 1604IU | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 2mg

Key Lime Pie Cookies – Crumbl Copycat

Key Lime Pie Cookies – Crumbl Copycat: If you like key lime pie and cookies, you’re going to LOVE this easy recipe! These copycat Crumbl key lime pie cookies are a pie in cookie form and are sure to become a family favorite!

A key lime pie cookie with a bite out of it.
Key Lime Pie Cookie – Crumbl Copycat

Why you’ll love this recipe

This key lime cookie recipe might be a bit more involved than your typical drop cookies, but I promise they are sooo worth it! These soft cookies are perfectly chewy, and the tart key lime filling on the top is out of this world! If you like key lime pie or key lime cheesecake, you’re going to LOVE these.

These would be the best cookies to take to a dinner party because they look super impressive and they taste delicious. But the best part? They are actually super simple to make!

What are Crumbl cookies?

Crumbl is a cookie company that was started by two cousins with a passion for baking and creativity. What started out with one store is now a chain serving much of North America!

Crumbl’s cookie journey began with their infamous milk chocolate chip cookies, but now they develop unique and delicious cookies inspired by popular flavors, foods, desserts of all kinds – from pies to cakes to candies and more. 

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Ingredients

You might need to run to the grocery store to grab a few ingredients for this key lime pie cookies recipe, but you should be able to find everything you need to your local grocery store (and trust me, it’s worth it)!

Key lime pie cookies ingredients on a counter with labels on the image.
Ingredients for key lime pie cookies.

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups graham crackers, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Key lime pie cookie filling ingredients on a counter with labels on the image.

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅓ cup (key) lime juice
  • whipped cream, sliced (key) lime wedges, additional crushed graham cracker crumbs for topping (optional)

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and detailed instructions on how to make these key lime cookies!

How to Make Key Lime Pie Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
Creamed brown and white sugar and butter in a bowl.
Cream butter and sugars.
  1. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, crushed graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well with a whisk.
Graham crumbs, flour, and other dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Combine dry ingredients.
  1. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or stand mixer until the dough forms into clumps.
Wet and dry ingredients mixed together in a bowl.
  1. Take a golf ball sized amount of dough and roll it in your hands. Place it on the prepared baking sheet and flatten it slightly. Do not crowd the cookies, as they will spread and get very large!
  2. Using the rounded back of a tablespoon or a small cup sprayed in nonstick spray, make little indentations into the dough to form a shallow bowl.
Key lime pie cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet, slightly flattened to create a shallow bowl in each cookie dough.
Create a bowl in each dough ball.
  1. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes. 
  2. When the cookies are done, you will need to reshape the shallow bowls on the tops of the cookies with the back of a tablespoon again. Once the shallow bowls have been made, move the cookies to a cooling rack with a large spatula so they can cool.
Key lime pie cookies after being baked and reshaping the shallow bowls on top of them with a spoon.
Reshape the bowls after the cookies finish baking.
  1. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice until smooth and creamy. 
Cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice mixed until smooth in a bowl.
Combine until smooth.
  1. When the cookies have completely cooled, fill the shallow bowls on the tops with the cream cheese mixture and place in the refrigerator to allow centers to “set” until ready to serve.
Key lime pie cookies with the filling added, sitting on a wire rack.
  1. Top the cookies with a dollop of whipped cream, additional crushed graham cracker crumbs, and a slice of (key) lime. Serve and enjoy!
Key lime pie cookies, fully garnished, sitting on a wire cooling rack.

Substitutions

Need to make a swap? I’ve got a few ideas!

  • Butter – instead of butter, you could use margarine and the end result would be similar.
  • Brown Sugar – you can use white granulated sugar instead of brown sugar in the cookies if you need to, but the cookie will likely spread a bit more and will not be quite as soft (will be a bit more crispy around the edges).
  • Gluten Free – I haven’t tested this, but it should be possible to swap the flour for your favorite 1:1 gluten free blend and the graham cracker crumbs for a gluten free version and still get a delicious cookie!

Variations

Are you the creative type who always wants to put their own spin on a recipe? I can relate! Here are a few ideas I had for how to change this one up a bit…

  • Lemon Meringue Cookies – you could easily switch the lime juice for lemon juice, top these cookies with a bit of meringue and then torch or broil it for that classic golden brown lemon meringue pie look. How delicious would that be?!
  • Chocolate Key Lime Pie Cookies – if you swap the crushed graham cracker crumbs for Oreo crumbs, you would get a delicious chocolate twist on this pie inspired cookie! It would be similar to making a key lime pie with a chocolate crust instead of a graham cracker crust.
  • Lime Explosion – if you really love lime, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lime zest to the cookie filling before you add it to the top of the cookies. This will add an extra pop of lime flavor!

If you get creative with this recipe, be sure to let me know in the comments. I love trying new versions of my recipes!

Key lime pie cookies on a wire rack with a bowl of graham crackers and a bowl of key limes next to them.
Key lime pie cookies.

Storage

Your key lime sugar cookies should keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge (because the key lime filling has cream cheese in it, these should not be left out of the fridge for more than 2 hours).

I haven’t tried freezing these cookies, so I’m unsure how they would turn out. The texture of cream cheese often changes after being frozen, so it’s likely that the cream cheese mixture would not freeze/thaw well. I do think you could freeze the cookies separately (in a freezer safe container for up to a month) and then add the filling to the cookies when you are ready to serve them. If you do try it, let me know in the comments below!

Expert Tips and FAQs

I really like lime; can I pump up the lime flavor in this recipe somehow?

If you want even more key lime flavor, you can add about 1-2 teaspoons of key lime zest to the cream cheese mixture before you top the cookies!

Can you substitute regular limes for key limes?

Yes! In most recipes, regular limes can be used in place of key limes. While key limes are touted as being more acidic and more “tangy” than your average grocery store lime, you can absolutely replace the juice in this recipe with regular lime juice.

What flavors go well with key lime?

Lime is a bright, tropical flavor and it goes well with flavors like coconut, blueberry, and raspberry! Try serving these decadent cookies on a tray with some fresh berries and slices of dried coconut for the ultimate dessert!

If you enjoyed this decadent Crumbl key lime pie cookie, you should definitely check out the sugar cookie sandwiches on the blog! They are similarly simple to make but impressive to look at!

And if you like the look of cookies with delicious filling on top, you have to try these Twix cookies – these are perfect for cookie exchanges, bake sales, or any other time you need to wow people with a tasty and impressive looking snack.

Recipe

A key lime pie cookie.
Print Pin
4.91 from 10 votes

Key Lime Pie Cookies – Crumbl Copycat

Key Lime Pie Cookies – Crumbl Copycat: If you like key lime pie and cookies, you're going to LOVE this easy recipe! These copycat Crumbl key lime pie cookies are a pie in cookie form and are sure to become a family favorite!
**Note: these cookies are on the large side to mimic the ones that Crumbl makes.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 33 minutes
Servings 20 cookies
Calories 321kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs crushed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅓ cup (key) lime juice
  • whipped cream, sliced (key) lime wedges, additional crushed graham cracker crumbs for topping (optional)

Instructions

Cookie

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
  • In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, crushed graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well with a whisk.
  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or stand m mixer until the dough forms into clumps.
  • Take a golf ball sized amount of dough and roll it in your hands. Place it on the prepared baking sheet and flatten it slightly. Do not crowd the cookies, as they will spread and get very large!
  • Using the rounded back of a tablespoon or a small cup sprayed in nonstick spray, make little indentations into the dough to form a shallow bowl.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes. 
  • When the cookies are done, you will need to reshape the shallow bowls on the tops of the cookies with the back of a tablespoon again. Once the shallow bowls have been made, move the cookies to a cooling rack with a large spatula so they can cool.

Filling

  • In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice until smooth and creamy. 
  • When the cookies have completely cooled, fill the shallow bowls on the tops with the cream cheese mixture. 
  • Preferred: Refrigerate to allow centers to "set" before serving.
  • Top the cookies with a dollop of whipped cream, additional crushed graham cracker crumbs, and a slice of (key) lime. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

STORAGE: These cookies should keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
I haven’t tried freezing these cookies, so I’m unsure how they would turn out. The texture of cream cheese often changes after being frozen, so it’s likely that the cream cheese mixture would not freeze/thaw well. I do think you could freeze the cookies separately (in a freezer safe container for up to a month) and then add the filling to the cookies when you are ready to serve them. If you do try it, let me know in the comments below!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

Hot Dog Bar Toppings and Ideas for Your Next Party

This post has been sponsored by Kraft Foods. All thoughts and opinions are my own. It’s hot dog bar toppings and ideas for your next party!

Hot Dog Bar Ideas and Toppings Suggestions for a party

Words cannot express how badly I have wanted to style a party at my parent’s farm, and last week… that dream came true, styling this hot dog bar!

Food bars are one of my favorites to style for a party, so I knew this was a MUST.

Hot Dog Bar Ideas

Now ANY hot dog bar, should start out with gathering your favorite toppings and basics.

Hot Dog Bar Basics

For my hot dog bar, I used Oscar Mayer Wieners (the perfect amount for a small group of friends), buns, chips, and a big variety of different toppings for guests to choose from. (Seen below.)

Grilling hot dogs for hot dog bar

Tip: Let guests cook their own dogs on the grill nearby, so they can customize their hot dog even more! (Some may like them cooked longer than others.) Or you can even add some other types of hot dogs like these mini corn dogs or make wiener winks on the grill.

Hot Dog Bar Baskets for individual servings

Boxed Kits

For a little fun, I created a “boxed” style plate for each guest. Each one included a bun, a carton of chips and a fabric napkin. I love the idea of guests being able to grab-&-go, and head right over to the toppings area to make their own creations!

However, using small baskets, boats, or paper plates is perfectly fine too!

Individual Baskets for Hot Dog Bar

Drinks – Keeping it Simple

Since I had the girls on my mind, when styling this chic hot dog bar, I knew lemon water would be PERFECT. It’s simple, thirst quenching for a warm day, and pretty to-boot!

Tip: Fill with a lot of ice, so the water stays chilled and you don’t have to worry about adding ice to the individual cups.

Water with Lemon for outdoor party in drink dispenser

Comfort Food for the Gals

I don’t know about you, but there’s a REASON I have the friends that I do. We know a good comfort-food dish when we see one.

So styling this party with my gal pals in mind, it was with NO hesitation that I’d encourage a “mac & cheese bacon dog.” (You’ll see a bit of that goodness below.)

I included a bowl of mac & cheese on the table, for an easy side dish if guests aren’t in to using it as a topping.

Mac and Cheese - perfect as a side or hot dog topping

Hot Dog Bar Toppings

Alright, let’s get down to the hot dog bar toppings, shall we? I had so much fun creating my own hot dog creation, and I already can’t wait to do this again sometime so I can try something new next time!

To keep things simple, I found the cutest little mason jars, that were the perfect size for the toppings. They came in a 12 pk., and I was able to fill them ahead of time, and top with the lids until it was time to serve!

Hot Dog Bar Topping Ideas

Using mini clothespins I attached little strips of paper to each jar.

Hot Dog Bar Toppings in mason jars

I wish I had thought to put this hot dog sauce on the hot dog bar too because it would be the perfect topping paired with some of these others!

Hot Dog Bar Toppings in small mini glass jars

Topping Ideas:

Hot Dogs in their little boxes, ready for the guests

Mac & Cheese Bacon Dog

Now for real, who WOULDN’T love the combo of cheese and bacon on a hot dog? I know most of my friends would… and I sure did!

Hot dog with mac and cheese with crumbled bacon

Now I’ll go ahead and say that this may be one of my favorite party set-ups so far. (Although I do tend to say that with each one.)

Hot Dog Bar Toppings Ideas for outdoor party

Building Your Own Hot Dog Bar

So remember if you’re styling and hosting your own hot dog bar, start with the basics, and have fun with the topping selections!

This was by far one of the easiest parties I’ve styled, and would be super easy to recreate again!

Kraft, Oscar Mayer, and Heinz products for a hot dog bar party

Recipe

hot dog toppings
Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Hot Dog Bar Ideas & Toppings

Hot Dog Bar Toppings and Ideas for Your Next Party: Indoor or outdoor, this is an easy party food to serve that allows guests to make their hot dogs their own way! Who WOULDN'T love to play around with the different flavors!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 people
Calories 237kcal
Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

  • Cooked Hot Dogs
  • Hot Dog Buns
  • Mustard
  • Relish
  • Barbecue Sauce
  • Bacon
  • Lettuce
  • Onions Red, White or Green
  • Sliced Jalapenos
  • Sauerkraut
  • Chili
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell Peppers
  • Mac & Cheese
  • Cheese Sauce

Instructions

  • Place cooked hot dogs

Nutrition

Serving: 1hot dog | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg

I can’t wait to hear about your very own hot dog bar, and as always… let me know what questions you have, below!