Carolina Gelen immigrated from Transylvania to the U.S. in 2021 to focus on her career as a food content creator. She has an online community of over 2 million cooking-enthusiasts. Carolina is a former Food52 resident, and her goal as a food content creator and recipe developer is making your experience in the kitchen more fun, affordable and approachable. Some of her most popular recipes include her upside down orange olive oil cake, roasted cherry tomato soup, or fudgy chocolate feta cookies.
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Get ready to tackle holiday baking mayhem with Pyrex’s essential glass mixing bowl set — an essential addition to every home chef’s arsenal. It’s no wonder so many go wild for Pyrex: It’s high-quality cookware, has glowing reviews, and has a culinary legacy that spans a century. Not only is this set popular, but it’s a steal at a mere $18 for three. That’s probably less than what you spend on your baking ingredients alone! So, if you’re serious about whipping up sensational desserts without draining your bank account, these mixing bowls are your kitchen savior. Join the Pyrex fan club and elevate your holiday baking game without wreaking havoc on your budget — because who doesn’t love scoring a sweet deal in the kitchen?
What Is the Pyrex Smart Essentials 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set?
The versatile set includes a 1-quart, a 1.5-quart, and a 2.5-quart bowl, skillfully designed for easy nesting and convenient storage. Pyrex offers customers the assurance that these bowls are not only easily stowed away but also pre-heated oven-, microwave-, fridge-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe. Their functionality means that you can confidently tackle a wide range of cooking or baking tasks with ease.
What Amazon Reviewers Are Saying:
For only $17.95, Pyrex’s bowl set comes in three sizes (1 to 2.5 quarts), is easy to stack, and is perfect for anything from baking to leftovers. Plus, it’s tough enough for the oven, microwave, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher. Basically, it’s your all-in-one kitchen sidekick!
Add the remaining Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, and 1 cup heavy cream. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer gently, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed, until the sauce reduces slightly and turns golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. If the meatballs are not ready yet, take the sauce off the heat.
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Leading up to the first Thanksgiving I spent with my now-husband at his childhood home, he only talked about one thing — his mom’s legendary stuffing. The stuffing dates back to his grandfather, who would make it every year before his mom took over the duty. He waxed poetic about how it was always the first thing to go among the many dishes and that the entire family looked forward to it the most.
How I Make My Version of Mother-In-Law’s Stuffing
Marrying into the family meant marrying this stuffing. Seeing as how I grew up on Stovetop stuffing, I had no qualms about that. However, since I develop recipes for a living, I also couldn’t help but make a couple of tiny tweaks to the recipe my mother-in-law scribbled down for me in anticipation of hosting my first Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. Of course, the goal wasn’t to dress it up, but to fine tune it in my own way.
So, I replaced the packaged bread cubes with cubes from a fresh loaf of bread that I let dry out overnight. For seasoning, I reached into my pantry for the only poultry seasoning that matters given my New England roots: Bell’s. This salt-free blend of dried rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, marjoram, thyme, and pepper was invented in Boston over 150 years ago and is sold in a decidedly retro cardboard box with the image of a turkey stamped on it. While any poultry seasoning can be used, if you can find Bell’s, I do think it tastes more of the holiday than any others I’ve tried.
Make ahead: Assemble the casserole without the onion topping, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. Let the casserole sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Uncover and top with the fried onions. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, covering the top with aluminum foil in the final 10 minutes if the onions brown too quickly.
Substitutions: 3 (about 15-ounce) cans green beans can be substituted for the fresh green beans. Drain well before adding to the mushroom sauce.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Taylor is a freelance writer, food blogger, and baker from Eastern Pennsylvania. She loves exploring new cities and has helped teach cooking classes and assisted a private chef. When not working, you’ll probably find her whipping up something sweet in the kitchen or binging Food Network. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their cat, Nala.
Rachel Perlmutter is a recipe developer, food stylist, and culinary producer at The Kitchn. Originally from Houston, Texas, she spends her free time trying to perfect kolaches and breakfast tacos that taste like home. Rachel currently lives in Brooklyn with her partner, dog, cat and rabbit, where they all share a love of seasonal local produce.
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Every time I see a picture of babka, I find myself mesmerized by all of its lovely twists, turns, and swirly patterns. Whether it’s filled with spices and nuts or stuffed with a savory filling, babkas are beautiful yeasted labors of love.
Chocolate babkas are popular for a reason — their dark chocolate filling melts right into a slightly sweet dough and becomes pure magic as it bakes and rises into a soft, pillowy loaf. Babkas may look complicated to make, but their signature pattern is achieved by a simple cutting-and-braiding technique that looks amazing, even if you don’t pull it off perfectly. Here’s how you can make your very own babka at home.
The Main Ingredients You’ll Need for Chocolate Babka
This recipe makes two loaves, so that you can keep one and give the other away — or keep both for yourself!
Here are the ingredients you’ll need.
The Two Things That Take This Chocolate Babka Over the Top
To make this version super delicious, I incorporated two things that I learned from Breads Bakery in New York. The first tip is that, in addition to a spreadable chocolate filling, more chopped-up chocolate should be sprinkled over the filling before the dough is rolled up. This chocolate melts during baking and adds an extra boost of pure chocolaty flavor.
The second tip involves the use of a glaze. A simple sugar syrup is brushed on the top of the babka as soon as it comes out of the oven. This glaze gives it a gorgeous sheen, but also adds a layer of moisture and helps keep the babka from drying out too quickly.
How to Make Chocolate Babka
Babka is beautiful because of the swirls of chocolate running throughout. To get that signature look, roll out the dough, top it with the chocolate filling, and roll it up into a log. Chill the log for 15 minutes, then cut it in half lengthwise. Turn the halves cut-side up — you’ll see lines of chocolate running down the length of the dough.
To braid the babka, cross the halves at the center point to form an “X.” Starting at the center point, twist the two halves toward one end, then repeat with twisting toward the other end. Twisting from the center keeps the dough from stretching out too much and getting too long. As you work, keep the cut-side up as much as possible to evenly distribute the chocolate layers. Once twisted, transfer the babka to the loaf pan, tucking the ends underneath itself — and again, make sure the chocolate layers are close to the top.
Babkas freeze wonderfully well, so just wrap up a cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then wrap again in aluminum foil or place in a plastic zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months and thaw on the counter for a few hours when you’re ready to eat. If you like your babka toasted, skip using a standard toaster because the chocolate can burn. Place slices on a baking sheet, and toast in a toaster oven or regular oven instead. If you’re feeling extra, turn those slices into an over-the-top French toast!
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Winter is almost here, which means you’ll want to make sure your cooking arsenal is fully stocked with everything you’ll need to make hearty comfort meals from home. In other words, now’s the time to pick up a bread oven, stand mixer, pie plate, and all the other tools that’ll take your holiday baking to the next level. Without a doubt, Le Creuset is the go-to brand for most of these picks, mainly because of their signature stoneware line. Our staffers own and love many of the pieces from the collection, so when we find a good deal on one of them, we run to share it with you. Right now, you can save on a particularly popular piece of Le Creuset stoneware: the Heritage 4-quart square casserole dish. It’s going for $70 at QVC right now, which is a steal for this brand. Available in five colors, the dish is also a stunner, but you’ll want to act fast — inventory is sure to sell quickly!
What is the Heritage 4-Quart Square Casserole Dish?
Thanks to its mid-sized, square design, this casserole dish is perfect for smaller households and entertaining. Bake and serve everything from bread to cinnamon rolls to lasagna inside its deep interior, and keep the contents covered and warm for hours after you take them out of the oven with the dish’s matching stoneware lid. The lid also locks in moisture while your eats are baking, and it makes this piece easy to transport from oven to table or from your home to someone else’s. Afterward, you can use the dish to store leftovers in the fridge and reheat them in the oven when round two of the holiday feasting rolls around. With a piece this versatile, functional, and beautiful, you won’t need much else when it comes to wintertime baking.
For one, you’ll love using the square casserole dish simply because of its striking appearance. But don’t be fooled, as its glaze also acts as a nonstick coating on the dish’s interior. Consequently, you’ll find that cleanup is a breeze, no matter how stuck-on your meal remnants appear to be. What’s more, the dish and lid are both dishwasher-safe, so you can focus on the festivities instead of the chores that await afterward. Also of note are the baker’s exceptional heat distribution capabilities. The stoneware spreads heat evenly throughout the dish, so your eats come out without overly hot or cold spots, no matter how dense they are.
We also love that the baker boasts generous side handles, meaning you won’t struggle to pull it out of the oven. And despite how pretty it looks, this workhorse won’t chip or crack, so you can rest assured that it’ll remain a fixture in your kitchen for years to come. With all of these wonderful qualities, $70 is really a small price to pay. We suggest picking up a casserole dish before the festivities arrive. This smart purchase will undoubtedly make for a smooth holiday season — and beyond.
This is a chocolate lover’s dream cake, and makes me happy just to have it in the house! There are lots of recipes for this cake, but this one is my favorite. The classic cake is so moist because of the coke and buttermilk, and the frosting is fudgy and delicious! The marshmallows are a must in this cake! I promise you’re gonna love this old-fashioned Southern cake.
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
Sugar
All-purpose flour
Ground cinnamon (Optional) (I think the cinnamon brings out the chocolate flavor even more)
Butter
Coca-Cola (I always use regular Coke, do not use diet)
Pure cocoa
Buttermilk
Baking soda
Miniature marshmallows
Eggs
Vanilla extract
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
Butter
100% pure cocoa
Coca-cola
Powdered sugar ( Note: 1 pound of unsifted powdered sugar= about 4 1/4 cups. 1 lb. of sifted powdered sugar = about 4 3/4 cups. I used 4 cups of unsifted powdered sugar, and it works fine for this frosting)
Vanilla extract
Pecans or nuts of your choice (Optional)
SUBSTITUTES
✔Please see the comments on this cake to see how others have used different colas in it. Many have had great success with cherry coke, and several loved it with Sprite.
👩🍳HOW TO MAKE
This cake is so easy; you don’t even have to pull out the mixer!
COOKING
Step 1: Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well using a wire whisk.
Step 2: Combine butter, 1 cup of Coca-Cola, and cocoa in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil, stirring often.
Step 3: Remove from heat and pour over the flour mixture. Mix with a spoon.
Step 4: Mix buttermilk and baking soda together and pour into the cake mixture. Add marshmallows and continue stirring (your marshmallows will not melt). Add in eggs and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, testing for doneness.
FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
Bring margarine, cocoa, and Coca-Cola to a boil on top of the stove. Remove from heat and add vanilla and powdered sugar until the frosting is of a spreading consistency. You can either stir in nuts or sprinkle them on top of the cake. Spread over hot cake.
⭐PRO TIP
Make the frosting while the cake is in the oven baking. Then, you’re ready to frost the cake while it’s still warm.
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I don’t like Buttermilk. Can I use regular milk?
Buttermilk is an essential ingredient when baking. It adds flavor and texture to cakes. You don’t taste the buttermilk. I don’t recommend using regular milk; it will change the texture and moisture of this cake. However, if you don’t have buttermilk, here is a substitute that will work.
Does it taste like Coke?
Ironically, no! You don’t taste Coca-Cola in this cake. It just produces a very moist cake with a fudge-like frosting.
STORING AND FREEZING
Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can easily freeze this cake. Just bake and frost it, and then I do recommend cutting it. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
Coca-Cola cake is a southern classic. This old-fashioned chocolate cake is decadent and the frosting is delicious. No doubt this coca-cola cake will quickly become a family favorite!
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 35 minutesmins
Total Time 55 minutesmins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, southern
1 3/4cupssugar
2cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonground cinnamonOptional (I think the cinnamon brings out the chocolate flavor even more)
1cupbutter or margarine or two sticks or 16 tablespoons
1cupcoca colaI always use regular coke and have not tried it with any other kind
3tablespoons100% pure cocoa
1/2cupbuttermilk
1teaspoonbaking soda
1 1/2cupsminiature marshmallows
2eggsbeaten
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Frosting for Coca Cola Cake
1/2cupbutter or margarine or 1 stick or 8 tablespoons
3tablespoon100% pure cocoa
6tablespoonscoca cola
11 pound package powdered sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cuppecans or nuts of your choiceOptional
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well using a wire whisk.
Combine butter, the 1 cup of coca cola and cocoa in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil stirring often.
Remove from heat and pour over flour mixture. Mix with a spoon.
Mix buttermilk and baking soda together and pour into cake mixture. Add marshmallows and continue stirring.(Your marshmallows will not melt) Add in eggs and vanilla extract.
Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, testing for doneness. Frost.
Frosting Instructions
Bring margarine, cocoa and coca cola to a boil on top of the stove. Remove from heat and add vanilla and powdered sugar until frosting is of spreading consistency. You can either stir in nuts or sprinkle on top of the cake. Spread over hot cake.
1 pound of unsifted powdered sugar= about 4 1/4 cups. 1 lb. of sifted powdered sugar = about 4 3/4 cups. I used 4 cups of unsifted powdered sugar and it worked fine in this frosting
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Of all the different varieties of quiche out there, spinach is my absolute favorite. Whether it’s for brunch, lunch, or dinner, there is just something about its understated simplicity that makes it a timeless classic. This version is as easy as it gets and delivers the most custardy, cheesy result you could hope for.
Does Spinach Need to Be Cooked Before Putting It in a Quiche?
This recipe calls for either fresh baby spinach or thawed frozen chopped spinach. Whichever you choose to use, neither need to be cooked before adding them to the custard filling. While the thawed frozen spinach is already cooked, the fresh spinach will cook in the heat of the oven.
What Is the Best Cheese to Use for Spinach Quiche?
A great quiche is as much about the vegetable you add to it as it is the cheese you use. Here, we opt for sharp cheddar, which lends a salty bite to offset the richness of the custard, yet it is still nice and melty. Feel free to experiment with the cheese — smoked Gouda provides an even bolder, nuttier flavor, while Fontina gives added creaminess.
Olivia is a food stylist, recipe developer and mom based in NYC. If she’s not on set making recipes come to life in front of the camera, she’s developing them in her tiny kitchen. All of her recipes have passed a few tests: easy, delicious, and approachable — on occasion baby-approved as well!
Place 2 large eggs, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and fold with a flexible spatula until no streaks of dry flour are left.
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During fall, pumpkin spice-flavored treats make their appearance just about, well, everywhere. But do you even know what’s in it? Here’s what it is and why you should make it at home. (Hint: It’s as easy as it gets!)
Is There Actually Pumpkin in Pumpkin Spice?
For years, I thought pumpkin pie spice really had pumpkin in it. But there’s no actual pumpkin in pumpkin pie spice. It’s simply a blend of the traditional spices that go into a good ol’ fashioned pumpkin pie.
Read more: Pumpkin Spice Is Not Actually What Pumpkin Tastes Like
What’s in Pumpkin Pie Spice?
If you go the store-bought route, pumpkin pie spice blends can vary by manufacturer, but typically contain the more sweet-smelling spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. Allspice and mace are also common ingredients.
What’s the Best Ratio of Spices?
The most classic blend puts cinnamon front and center, with slightly less ginger and just a pinch of allspice, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. But making the blend from scratch means you get to choose the ratio!
Go for some extra ginger, or skip the cloves if you can’t stand the flavor. Trust me, once you’ve made your own, you’ll never want to buy a commercial blend again.
Why Should I Make My Own?
In addition to being able to customize it to your liking, making your own spice blend costs less than buying a big jar of something pre-made, especially if you already have most of the spices. It’s also better to make smaller batches so you use up the blend before it starts to go stale and loses its flavor.
How Do I Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?
While you can use it to flavor your morning latte, pies, and other baked goods, you can also sprinkle it over hard squash before roasting, spice up some whipped cream, or mix it into some yogurt or ice cream base — it’s quite a versatile spice blend.
These Butterfinger Cookies have crisp buttery edges, a soft and chewy middle and are loaded with chopped butterfinger candy bar pieces. This recipe will yield 40 cookies.
Love butterfinger candybars? I’ve got you.
If you happen to find your self with a few extra butterfinger candy bars, I highly suggest your make these cookies. I was going to write that these cookies are a great way to use up leftover butterfingers… but I don’t even know what that means. lol.
So incredibly simple. Basically, it’s just a a soft, chewy cookie studded with big hunks of Butterfinger candy bars.
What’s not to love?
To Make These Butterfinger Cookies You Will Need:
unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the cookie dough.
baking soda – Creates a gas while baking which helps the cookies rise.
fine salt – Use either sea salt or pink himalayan.
unsalted butter (softened/room temperature) – Lends richness, tenderness and structure to cookies.
light brown sugar – Adds sweetness and gives the cookies a chewy texture.
granulated sugar (white) – Also lends sweetness but will give the cookies a crispy edge.
pure vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe.
eggs – Add structure, leavening and flavor.
butterfinger candy bars – You will need 12 ounces total. More on this below.
For this recipe, I use 12 ounces very coarsely chopped butterfinger candy bars, which is about 6 full-size bars or about 16 “fun size” (not-so-fun-size if you ask me) candy bars. I chop them into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces because we like big pieces in our cookies and they will break up more when you mix them into the cookie dough.
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper
Start by measuring 2-1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt into a medium mixing bowl.
Use a whisk to stir and combine. Set this off to the side.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup (room temperature) unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar.
Mix on low to medium-low speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Next, measure and add in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
With the vanilla, add in the first egg and mix until incorporated. Then add in the second egg and mix well to combine.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients. Again, stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated.
The dough should be creamy and light in color.
Next, add in 12-ounces roughly chopped butterfinger candy bars.
Give a quick mix just to get the pieces throughout the dough. I like big pieces of butterfinger in my cookies, so I literally only mix it a few times. Alternatively, you could do this step by hand.
Working in batches, use a 2-tablespoon scoop to measure out the dough. Place them a few inches apart onto your prepared pan.
I bake 10 cookies per pan at time to avoid them touching while they bake and spread in the oven.
Slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are crisp and slightly golden.
Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
How to get perfectly shaped cookies?
If perfect circular cookies is what you’re after, this is a trick, or should I say hack, that I only recently leaned. Once you’ve removed the pan of cookies from the oven, working quickly, use a wide mouth drinking glass and place it over a misshapen cookie and swirl the glass. The edge of the cookie will smooth out and in turn, you’ll have a perfectly circular cookie. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. If you need a visual, click here and scroll down a bit.
I love these butterfinger cookies warm out of the oven. However, the day after when the Butterfinger candy pieces have returned back to being their crispy-flaky-selves while suspended in all that delicious cookie goodness – isn’t to shabby either.
My favorite candy bar in cookie form, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner.
HOW TO STORE BUTTERFINGER COOKIES:
Once the cookies have completely cooled, store them in an air-tight container for up to a week.
HOW TO FREEZE BUTTERFINGER COOKIES:
Portion out the dough and freeze the raw dough as is, placing them closed together on a lined baking sheet. Place into your freezer and freeze until frozen solid. Transfer to a freezer safe container or baggie and store up to 2 months. Bake desired amount of cookies following the recipe instructions. There’s no need to thaw before baking.
Enjoy! And if you give this Butterfinger Cookies recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Yield: 40cookies
Butterfinger Candy Bar Cookies
These Butterfinger Cookies have crisp buttery edges, a soft and chewy middle and are loaded with chopped butterfinger candy bar pieces. This recipe will yield 40 cookies.
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).Line two rimmed, metal baking pans with silicone liners or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes.
Add in the vanilla and one egg at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Mix until the flour is incorporated. Add in the chopped candy bars and mix a few times until through the dough – for large chunks of candy bar in your cookies, be careful not to over mix.
Use a 2-tablespoon scoop and place rounded scoops of dough onto prepared pans. I do 10 cookies per pan.
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
See post for storage instructions and the hack I use for perfectly round cookies.
Internationally recognized culinary authority Kristina Vänni is a well-known food writer, engaging TV host, award-winning recipe developer, food stylist, and photographer. In addition to writing for industry-leading websites including Better Homes and Gardens, The Spruce Eats, and Food52, she has been a featured expert on national media such as ABC News’ “World News Tonight” and CBS’ “The Talk” and has served as a spokesperson and recipe developer for national brands such as Finlandia, KitchenAid, Post Foods, Baileys, among many others. Kristina is currently writing her first cookbook, an exploration of the traditional and seasonal cuisine from her family’s dairy farm in Finland. Kristina enthusiastically shares her creative content, behind-the-scenes peeks, and industry expertise with food enthusiasts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn’s Skills content. She’s a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown’s culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn’t I Just Feed You.
