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.
Everyone will find something to love in these bars. On the bottom you’ve got a buttery gingersnap crust, topped with a layer of rich and creamy pumpkin cheesecake. Next, you’ve got a tart, tangy layer of apples and cranberries, and the whole thing is finished off with a cinnamon-pecan crumble.
This Sweet Potato Pie is easy to make and a wonderful addition to any holiday gathering!
If you love this pie you may want to try out Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie. It’s a combination of a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie and it’s delicious.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
This pie is made with a fresh sweet potato but you can use canned. It’s so easy to put together and the spices with the sweet potato are delicious. We also make our own pie crust but you can always use a store-bought one to save time.
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
Sweet potatoes, mashed (You can use canned or fresh)
Butter
Eggs
Evaporated milk
White sugar
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ground cloves
Ginger
Vanilla
All-purpose flour
9 inch pie shell
SWAPS
You can easily change out the spices in this pie to your liking. If you are not a fan of nutmeg you can easily leave it out.
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
This sweet potato pie is easy to make, if you are using fresh sweet potatoes, the longest part will be cooking your potatoes.
COOKING STEPS
Step 1 1 (1lb.) sweet potato equals 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes if you decide to not use canned sweet potatoes. The above pie was made by boiling a 1 lb. sweet potato for about 40 minutes until cooked. Then, immediately put under cold water to stop the cooking process, peel and mash for pie.
Step 2 Mash sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mix with butter, eggs, sugars, and milk using a mixer.
Step 3 Add spices, vanilla, flour and continue mixing. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes until knife inserted into the pie comes out clean.
⭐TIP
1 (1lb.) sweet potato equals 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes if you decide to not use canned sweet potatoes.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
This pie is a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving dessert table and if you want to check out some more, this list of Thanksgiving Desserts is always a good place to start. With our Bourbon Pumpkin Cake, Sweet Chocolate Pie, you will find many more you will love.
SERVE THIS WITH
We love this pie topped with ice cream or whipped cream. Both are delicious!
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why does the pie have a different look on the top?
We didnt’ go over with a spatula to make it smooth, because we actually like this look and it still taste great.
We don’t like nutmeg, can I leave it out?
Yes, you can.
STORING AND REHEATING
We store this in a pie container in a cool place and we just reheat a slice in the microwave if we want it warmed up.
This Sweet Potato Pie is easy to make, can be made with canned sweet potatoes or fresh and always a great addition to any holiday gathering.
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Cook Time 55 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Cuisine American, southern
1cupsweet potatoesmashed (You can use canned or fresh)
1stick butter softened
2eggs
1/2cupevaporated milk
1/2cupwhite sugar
1/2cupbrown sugar
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonnutmeg
1/4teaspoonground cloves
1/4teaspoonginger
1teaspoonvanilla
1tablespoonall-purpose flour
1unbaked 9 inch pie shell
Mash sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mix with butter, eggs, sugars, and milk using a mixer
Add spices, vanilla, flour and continue mixing. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes until knife inserted into the pie comes out clean.
1 (1lb.) sweet potato equals 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes if you decide to not use canned sweet potatoes. The above pie was made with boiling a 1 lb. sweet potato for about 40 minutes until cooked. Then immediately put under cold water to stop the cooking process, peel and mash for pie. You can make your crust or use a bought one.
As everyone sets down for their feast of choice on Thanksgiving – the right drink only makes it all the better. For some it is water or tea, others a good wine, but to bring out some nuance, whiskey could be the perfect partner at the end of the meal. Like a tango, whiskey adds and uplifts the flavors of desserts.
Artful pairing of whiskey with savory foods is certainly possible, but it can be challenging, Higher-proof than beer and wine, whiskey can mask or overpower delicate flavors, and having more than one or two glasses of whiskey over the course of dinner might spell disaster, especially if this year’s conversation turns to politics.
But by the time dessert rolls around, most of us are simply too full to be rowdy, and we need something big and bold to cut through the buttery crust of our final indulgences. Here are the whiskey and pie pairings I’ll be reaching for this year:
Wild Turkey Rare Breed | Pumpkin Pie
Bourbon is a natural match with the spicy, rich flavor of pumpkin pie, and Wild Turkey Rare Breedhas the spice and high proof to stand up to the toasty flavor of a well-browned crust. Both also exemplify the best of New World culinary traditions, making this pairing satisfying from a gustatory and intellectual perspective.
Lock Stock & Barrel Rye | Pecan Pie
Lock Stock & Barrel is a big, spicy rye with an incredible punch of flavor – just the right companion for that heady concoction of sugar, fat, and carbohydrates that is pecan pie. All that spice cuts through the sweet heaviness of the pie, while dark herbal flavors in the whiskey accentuate the nutty flavor of the pecans.
Apple pie might be quintessentially American, but it sure pairs well with this import. Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or spends 12 years maturing in casks that once held Sauternes, a French dessert wine made from botrytis-infected grapes. Honeyed and delicate, it’s the perfect balance of sweetness, spice, and an underlying freshness, just like apple pie.
Lagavulin 16 | Chocolate Pie
Ah, the dessert of champions. Lagavulin’s rich malty body, sweet flavor, and pungent peat smoke pair beautifully with the flavor of high-quality dark chocolate. Instead of clashing, Lagavulin 16’smarine smoke accentuates the earthy flavors of chocolate just like a few grains of sea salt, and dark chocolate’s slightly bitter note makes Lagavulin taste sweeter and more refined than ever before.
It was hard work but someone had to do it. We searched for the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe and today we are sharing it with all of you!!
Why are pumpkin chocolate chip cookies so popular? Even if you don’t like them, you probably know someone who can’t get enough of these festive cookies. We are going to walk you through the steps for making them.
These pumpkin cookies thick and chewy, loaded with chocolate chips and perfectly spiced with those fall flavors we love!
Creating This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
You know where this all started for us, don’t you? The grocery store. It’s not very often that I buy cookies at the grocery store because:
We enjoy making cookies together.
We love cookie dough (don’t you dare pull the egg thing on me. I know, I know).
I happen to think we make really good cookies, so why buy them?
None of that matters when it comes to pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We tried so many recipes and just didn’t love them so we kept buying the big, pillowy cookies on a tray from the store. Until last year. Last year everything changed. We discovered the most melt in your mouth pumpkin cookie recipe EVER.
You see, Pinterest was bonkers about pumpkin last year. I’d say it was one of the biggest pumpkin years ever, and with all of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipes we just had to start testing them all. And you know what, it was the one that was plastered all over Pinterest we liked the least.
We discovered that often those really high cookies were either too dense and soggy or 90% of the time way too dry. So scratch that. We needed pillowy but height was no longer a concern.
Too little or too much pumpkin led to flavorless or eating squash tasting cookies. We found that 1 cup was the perfect amount. Recipes that were doubled or even tripled didn’t come out as well so we stuck to our 3 dozen batch.
It took some time and patience, but now that we’ve discovered the secret to making truly phenomenal pumpkin cookies with gooey chocolate chips, we’ll never go back to the store-bought kind.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
The ingredients for these pumpkin cookies are nothing out of the ordinary, but the amount of certain ingredients is what makes these cookies so addicting. For these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you’ll need:
Oil: vegetable oil works great
Granulated Sugar: adds sweetness
Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and rich flavor
Pumpkin Puree: make sure you get pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling
Egg: adds structure to the cookies and binds everything together
Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
Flour: just regular all-purpose flour is all you need
Baking Powder: acts as a leavening agent to give the cookies rise
Baking Soda: acts as a leavening agent to give the cookies rise
Salt: balances and enhances all the flavors
Pumpkin Pie Spice: a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
Chocolate Chips: We like the flavor of semisweet chocolate chips in these, but you could use milk chocolate or even white chocolate if you want!
See? Nothing fancy here. We didn’t want to think too far outside the box for this cookie recipe since we wanted to stay true to the classic flavor and texture we love.
All the measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end of the this post.
Variations
If you want to change things up with this recipe, you can take out the chocolate chips and replace them with chopped pecans, walnuts or raisins. Another delicious option would be to top them with cream cheese frosting! Yum!
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve made classic chocolate chip cookies before, you can certainly handle this pumpkin version! Here’s how to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies:
Prep: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
Wet Ingredients: Start by creaming together the oil and sugars in a large bowl, then add the remaining wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Dry Ingredients: Add all the dry ingredients to a separate bowl and add the chocolate chips and fold them in until they are coated in the dry ingredients. Then combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Scoop: Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake: Bake until the edges are set and the tops look firm. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to Make Gluten and Dairy Free
We had a reader reach out to us with some tips on making this recipe gluten free and dairy free that we wanted to share with you. The butter was replaced with fake butter, Bob’s 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour was a substitute for the regular flour, replace the baking powder with baking soda and vinegar, and swap the chocolate chips for dairy free chocolate chips. The reader said you couldn’t taste the difference at all!
Why You Will Love This Cookie Recipe
Easy: My 8yo has been making these this fall. They are that easy!
Pantry Ingredients: All the ingredients are likely items that you’ll have in the pantry or fridge already.
Texture: These cookies are thick, cakey, and so soft with the perfect amount of crumble. You will love the chewiness!
Flavor: The pumpkin with the perfect amount of warm spices creates the best flavor in these cookies.
Tips for Making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
To ensure the chocolate chips get evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough, we tossed them with the dry ingredients before mixing them into the wet dough. Coating the chocolate chips in the flour mixture prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the dough and makes for a prettier cookie!
You can use any chocolate chips you’d like in these pumpkin cookies, but MINI chocolate chips work the best. Semi-sweet chocolate chips pair nicely with the sweet cookie dough and warm spices, but milk or even white chocolate chips would work here too.
Lastly, make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling in these cookies! Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and would make these cookies far too sweet.
How to Store Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These pillowy, cakey cookies can be stored for 2-3 days in at room temperature in an airtight container. Pumpkin cookies are very soft and cake like, so when storing you’ll want to place them in an even layer at the bottom of a large cake pan or tupperware. Place a sheet of parchment on top, add more cookies and then cover with plastic wrap.
You can also wrap them up and freeze them for later. When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen cookie, either reheat it in the oven or microwave.
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
You can safely freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. Honestly, ours has never kept that long. Because once you know you have cookie dough you can pull out and bake quickly, there’s no stopping late night cookie cravings. Just make sure to freeze the cookie dough after you’ve rolled it into balls, because it’s impossible to scoop it into balls once frozen.
After testing and testing different recipes and ingredient ratios, we have created the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! Celebrate the arrival of fall with these thick and chewy pumpkin cookies with mini chocolate chips!
More COOKIE RECIPES You’re Going to Love:
Servings: 36cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutesmins
Cook Time: 12 minutesmins
Total Time: 22 minutesmins
Description
It was hard work but someone had to do it. We searched for the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe and today we are sharing it with all of you!!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place a silpat or parchment paper on each cookie sheet.
Add the oil and sugars to a standing mixer and beat for 2 minutes.
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil, 1/2 Cup White Sugar, 2/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
Add the egg and beat for 30 seconds.
1 Large Egg
Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix on low, gradually increasing the speed until smooth.
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree, 3/4 teaspoon Vanilla
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
After thoroughly mixing the dry ingredients, add in the chocolate chips and stir. The flour will help the chocolate chips be evenly distributed throughout the cookie.
1 3/4 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips
Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough on to cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until dry looking on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container.
If you don’t have Pumpkin Spice
1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves Pumpkin cookies are very soft and cake like, so when storing you’ll want to place them in an even layer at the bottom of a large cake pan or Tupperware. Place a sheet of parchment on top, add more cookies and then cover with saran wrap. Doing too many layers will weigh down that bottom layer too much.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
There are a lot of ways to describe a pumpkin pie — spice-filled, custard-y, sweet — but fluffy isn’t usually one of them. So when I saw that Julia Child‘s version is called Aunt Helen’s Fluffy Pumpkin Pie, I was intrigued. Would I enjoy a mousse-like, air-filled pie filling, or would I miss the creamy and dense filling that I’ve grown used to?
But Julia Child taught me how to poach perfect eggs, whip up mayonnaise by hand, and to not be afraid of butter, so I had no doubt she could teach me how to make the best pumpkin pie (and a fluffy one, at that). I headed to the kitchen to see if I was right.
Julia’s recipe yields two 9-inch pies or one 11-inch pie, so if you’re working with a 9-inch pie dish (the standard size), and you only need one pie, you’ll need to halve the recipe. Luckily, the ingredient amounts make that pretty easy to do. Julia’s recipe doesn’t include instructions for a crust, so start by making it yourself or buying one, then roll it out into your pie plate.
For the filling, you’ll start by separating the egg yolks from the whites. Then you’ll place canned pumpkin, brown and white sugars, salt, molasses, a splash of bourbon or dark rum, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, heavy cream, and whole milk in a stand mixer, blender, or large bowl and mix well until smooth and combined.
Here’s where things get interesting.You’ll whip the egg whites in a bowl with a bit of sugar and salt until stiff peaks form, stir a quarter of the whipped whites into the pumpkin filling, then gently fold in the rest. The filling gets ladled into the unbaked pie shell and baked at 450°F for 10 to 15 minutes until the crust starts to brown. Then the temperature is reduced to 375°F and the pie is baked for another half hour until the filling is set. When the pie is done, rather than removing it from the oven straight away, you’ll turn the oven off but leave the pie inside for another half hour. Julia says this prevents the filling from becoming watery. The pie can then be served warm or cooled completely before slicing.
My Honest Review of Julia Child’s Fluffy Pumpkin Pie
There are a few things about this pie that immediately stood out to me, even before I sliced into it. Julia uses molasses in the filling, which isn’t common, and she also spikes it with bourbon. She also asks you to separate the eggs (and then whip the egg whites) rather than whisking whole eggs into the filling. As I was making the pie, I kept thinking, this thing will have to be delicious for these extra steps to be worth it.
It was. This is a high-effort, high-reward pumpkin pie. To be honest, the flavor of the filling surprised me at first. The molasses and bourbon (or dark rum, if you so choose) are prominent, giving it robust, mildly smoky characteristics. Yet it’s still full of all the classic warm spices — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves — so it’s not far off from the classic pumpkin pies you know and love. Each bite is complex, and better than the last.
The texture, though, is really where this pie shines. The added step of whipping the egg whites results in a pumpkin pie that is indeed fluffy. It’s so light, it’s almost soufflé-like. It’s a smart technique I could see applying to other pumpkin pie recipes, in order to make a pie that’s not too dense and heavy after a big meal.
Simply dump canned (whole berry) cranberry sauce and apple pie filling into a baking dish, sprinkle cake mix on top, dot it with thinly sliced butter, and bake. Everyone at your holiday table will want seconds of the cinnamon-spiced apples and tart cranberries under a buttery crunch of the cobbler-esque topping. Here’s how to make it.
This Walnut Maple Pie will quickly become a family favorite. The combination of walnuts and maple syrup is wonderful and it’s a great pie for the holiday season too.
If you love this pie you will also love our Southern Maple Pecan Pie. It has wonderful reviews and it’s a family favorite.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
Walnut maple pie is so easy to make and it’s delicious. I know most people really enjoy the traditional pecan pie but this walnut pie is just as good. The maple syrup really compliments the walnuts. This pie would be fabulous for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Plus, it takes no time to prepare and is better the longer it sits so you can easily make it a day ahead of any gathering or event.
🍴KEY INGREDIENTS
brown sugar
maple syrup (pure maple syrup)
eggs
butter
vanilla extract
salt
walnuts, chopped or whole
unbaked 9 inch pie crust
SWAPS
This pie is wonderful the way it is, but you could always switch out the extract to rum extract, or add bourbon to this pie too. This is made with English Walnuts and you could use Black Walnuts. It will be a different taste as black walnuts are very strong. We make our own pie crust but you can easily buy the roll out kind from Pillsbury to save time in the kitchen!
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
If you use a store-bought pie crust, this pie will come together in about 5 minutes, which is always a plus!
COOKING STEPS
Step 1 Whisk sugar, syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt together in bowl. Add walnuts. Pour into crust.
Step 2 Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook approximately 30 – 40 minutes longer until filling is set in center.
Step 3 Let pie cool and sit for 3-4 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream or ice creamfor a wonderful dessert.
⭐TIP
This pie will need to set up once you take it out of the oven. We like to let it sit for a few hours. If you are making this pie for an event you can easily make it a day in advance.
SERVE THIS WITH
We love to top this with ice cream or whipped cream. I think this pie is great hot or cold and we will heat up a slice in the microwave ONCE it has had time to set up.
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
We use unsalted butter in this recipe but it really won’t make much of a difference.
Mine didn’t set up very well, what did I do wrong?
You need to bake it longer. All ovens vary.
STORING AND REHEATING
We store this pie in a cool place in a pie container or just covered in foil and we reheat in the microwave.
This Walnut Maple Pie is one your family will love. Made with English walnuts and maple syrup and topped with vanilla ice cream and you have a wonderful treat.
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Cook Time 50 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr
Course Dessert, Pie
Cuisine American
1cupbrown sugar
1cupmaple syruppure maple syrup
3eggs
1/2stick of butter melted or 4 tablespoons
2teaspoonvanilla extract
2cupsof english walnutschopped or whole
1unbaked 9 inch pie crust
Whisk sugar, syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, and together in bowl. Add walnuts. Pour into crust.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook approximately 30 – 40 minutes longer until filling is set in center.
Let pie cool and sit for 3-4 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream or ice cream for a wonderful dessert. Enjoy!
Not Yo Momma’s Paula Deen Banana Pudding is a fluffy mixture of creamy pudding and whipped cream with cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Plus it’s served with Chessman Cookies on the bottom and on top!
I loved banana pudding anything as a little girl. If lip smackers had been smart when I was entering jr high they would have made bank off of a lip gloss for banana pudding anything.
Did you buy Lip Smackers as well? Something like, white cake batter, or Dr Pepper? Those were the good ol’ days.
Paula Deen’s Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding
Paula Deen Banana Pudding, or the full name, Paula Deen’s Not Yo Momma’s (or Mama’s) Banana Pudding is a little bit deceiving so I just want to get this out of the way first, it’s not a banana pudding recipe.
I mean, it is. There are banana slices under the pudding. But the actual pudding is a french vanilla pudding whipped up with sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese.
That’s a legit pudding dessert.
Ingredients for Not Yo Momma’s Banana Pudding
Here’s your quick grocery list to make your banana pudding with Chessman Cookies.
Chessman Cookies: traditionally used in a classic recipe for banana pudding and can be found on the cookie aisle
Fun Fact: This recipe is sometimes known as Chessman banana pudding!
French Vanilla Instant Pudding Box: make sure it is instant pudding and not cook & serve pudding
Cool Whip: if you can’t find a 12oz tub of Cool Whip, use 1 and half of the 8oz tubs
Cream Cheese: make sure it is room temperature so that it doesn’t get lumpy
Sweetened Condensed Milk: adds sweetness and creaminess to the dessert
Milk: combines with the pudding mix the create the pudding
Bananas: ripe bananas are the best for their sweetness and bold banana flavor
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Substitute for Chessman Cookies
Vanilla Wafers are the best substitute for Chessman cookies if you can’t find them. Chessman Cookies are usually by the Pepperidge Farm brand so look by the Mint Milano cookies.
How to Make Paula Deen Banana Pudding
Set the Cool Whip in the fridge or on the counter for a faster thaw.
Whisk milk and the instant pudding mix together in a small bowl.
In another bowl, blend the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk with a handheld electric mixer.
Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.
Stir together the vanilla pudding mixture and cream cheese mixture.
Layer 1 bagof cookies on the bottom of a 9×13 dish, top the cookies with a layer of bananas.
Pile on the pudding.
Top with the remaining cookies.
Refrigerate until set.
The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling down for all the details.
How Do You Keep Bananas from Turning Brown in Banana Pudding?
You can toss your bananas in a little lemon juice before adding them to the pudding to help keep them from browning. But I feel this isn’t necessary. You merely need to place the pudding directly on the bananas and spread evenly to seal it from the air.
How Long Will Banana Pudding Keep?
Banana pudding will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. It should be well wrapped in plastic wrap.
Can You Substitute Real Whipped Cream Instead Of Cool Whip In Recipes?
To use real whipped cream instead of Cool Whip, you will need to add a stabilizing ingredient to the whipped cream, so that it holds its shape after being added to the recipe. This is done by making a stabilized whipped cream with gelatin.
What Is The Difference Between Sweetened Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk?
The difference is sugar. Evaporated milk has no added sugar to it so it’s not sweet. Sweetened condensed milk has been sweetened with sugar and is thick and delicious.
Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
I’ve actually been knocking around the idea of making a homemade banana pudding, but are people still into pudding? I love pudding, no that’s not true. I do not usually eat chocolate pudding, or chocolate ice cream actually; Cade loooooves it.
What do you all think? Would you like to learn how to make banana pudding from scratch? I’ve created a homemade banana pudding recipe for our banana cream pie. It is dreamy!
In the meantime, indulge in this Paula Deen Banana PuddingRecipe! It is pure comfort food in dessert form! There’s a reason it is served at almost every restaurant in the South…it’s heavenly.
Box Pudding Recipes
Banana Recipes
Servings: 24
Prep Time: 15 minutesmins
1 hourhr
Total Time: 1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Description
Paula Deen’s Not Yo Momma’s Banana Pudding is a fluffy mixture of creamy pudding and whipped cream with cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Line a 9×13” pan with 1 bag of cookies and top with bananas.
2 Bags Cookies, 6 Bananas
In a bowl, whisk together the pudding and milk. Set aside.
1 Box Pudding Mix, 2 Cups Milk
In another bowl, using a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
8 oz Cream Cheese, 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.
12 oz Cool Whip
Fold the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture and spread over the bananas.
Cover with the last bag of cookies and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight.
2 Bags Cookies
This will keep for about 3 days. Wrap tightly with plastic and store in the refrigerator.
Some things just belong together…like raspberries and summertime or raspberry pretzel jello salad and your next BBQ! Three layers of jello salad joy.
Now I don’t know if this is a salad or a dessert, but it is so delicious that it doesn’t matter! It has a sweet and salty pretzel crust layer, a sweet cream cheese filling layer and a fruity tart jello layer on top.
I’m realizing people have a bigger opinion on berries than I ever knew. Are you a lover of raspberries and hater of blueberries?
If you had to pick would you go strawberry or raspberry?
Our strawberry pretzel jello salad brought up so many requests for one vs the other and since I happen to love both, I tend to pull for team strawberry, but I really had no choice but to create a raspberry pretzel jello version. I mean, it’s all in the name of research, am I right? 😉
Plus it tastes like cheesecake but you serve it as a side dish. Who in the world is the genius that brought this first to Thanksgiving dinner?
Ingredients Needed for Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Here is your grocery list for each of the three layers of this salad:
Pretzel Layer
Pretzels: any brand or shape of pretzel will work great since they crushed into small pieces
Butter: helps bind the crust together and adds rich yummy flavor
Brown Sugar: adds flavor and sweetness
Sugar: adds more sweetness
Cream Layer
Sugar: adds sweetness to the creamy layer
Cream Cheese: make sure it is softened to room temperature so it doesn’t get lumpy
Cool Whip: adds sweetness, structure and creaminess to the cream layer
Jello Layer
Raspberry Jello: you will follow the instructions on the Jello box to make this layer
Water: used to make the Jello
Raspberries: fresh or frozen can be used and will work great
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Raspberry Pretzel Salad
The steps for making this recipe are simple. Here they are broken down by layer:
Pretzel Layer
Preheat oven.
Combine all the ingredients well.
Press into baking dish.
Bake and let cool completely.
Cream Layer
Beat the sugar and cream cheese together.
Fold in Cool Whip.
Spread over cooled pretzel layer.
Jello Layer
Mix the jello powder and boiling water until the powder is dissolved.
Stir in the raspberries.
Put in fridge and let it cool.
Pour over the cream layer.
Refrigerate until firm (3-4 hours)
All the details for making this salad can be found in the recipe card below this post. Check the next section for all our tips and tricks for making this salad.
Where Does Pretzel Salad Come From?
From my research, it appears that pretzel Jello salad comes from the South. In 1963, Jello published a cookbook that contained a recipe for pretzel Jello salad so many people believe that is where it started. I’ve also seen Midwesterner claiming it as their own. I suppose it doesn’t matter when all is said and done! It just needs to be made and eaten!
Tips for Making Raspberry Pretzel Salad
There are a few tips that make this salad turn out perfectly every time. Don’t miss these!
Measure the 2 cups of pretzels whole before chopping them up.
Chop the pretzels on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
PRO TIP: You could also use a blender or food processor but you want crushed pretzels not powder pretzels. Another option would be to put all the pretzels in a ziploc bag and then use a rolling pin to crush them.
Spread the cream cheese mixture all the way to the sides of the pan so it seals the crust and protects it from the jello layer.
Dissolve the jello as the directions state for this recipe. Don’t follow the directions on the box of jello.
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. That will help the cream layer be smooth.
Cooling the Jello in the fridge will bring the temperature down. Putting hot liquid on the cream layer will crack that layer and ruin the salad. It is critical to chill the dish in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Ideally, I prefer to chill it overnight.
Are Raspberries Good For You?
Raspberries are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Can I Use Frozen Raspberries?
Yes, but I would always recommend fresh! If you can’t get fresh or they are just too darn expensive, grab a bag of frozen and let them thaw in the fridge. Drain them thoroughly. You don’t want to introduce extra liquid to the jello layer.
Can I Substitute the Cool Whip?
I know a lot of people have issues with Cool Whip, so you can definitely substitute whipped cream for the Cool Whip if you want. You will want to whip a cup of heavy cream and add about 1/2 cup of sugar to it to match the sweetness of the Cool Whip. It will taste fabulous! I have found that using whipped cream makes the pretzel crust get soggy more quickly than with Cool Whip.
How Long Will Jello Salad Keep?
Jello salad will keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Cover well before storing Jello salad.
Can You Make Jello Salad Ahead?
Jello Salad can be made 2-3 days in advance. Cover the salad and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
What to Eat with Jello Salad?
For some reason, I always think of jello salad as being a side for a summer BBQ potlucks, but it can totally be made all year round. Here are few ideas for main dishes (BBQ and non BBQ):
It goes great with just about any main dish!
Team raspberry? Team strawberry? It actually doesn’t matter at all! They are all so dang good, and fresh berries means summer which I’m totally craving! This also makes the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Make raspberry jello pretzel salad as a side dish for your next shindig!!
More Jello Recipes You’ll Love:
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 25 minutesmins
Refrigerate: 4 hourshrs
Total Time: 4 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Description
Some things just belong together…like raspberries and summertime or raspberry pretzel jello salad and your next BBQ! Three layers of jello salad joy.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Pretzel Layer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine pretzels, melted butter, brown sugar and sugar, stirring well until combined.
2 Cups Pretzels, 1/2 Cup Butter, 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Sugar
Press into a 9×13” baking dish
Bake for 6-7 minutes and then cool completely.
Cream Layer
Beat the 1 cup sugar with the cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the cool whip.
1 Cup Sugar, 8 oz. Cream Cheese, 8 oz. Cool Whip
Gently spread over the the pretzels, pressing the cream cheese totally against the sides of the pan to seal the crust so the Jello won’t leak.
Jello Layer
Mix Jello and boiling water until all sugar is dissolved. Stir in the berries.
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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!
Oh, pumpkin pie, oh pumpkin pie, thy flavor is so lovely… Who needs the Christmas tree song when we could be singing about pie? In fact, I’m pretty sure a song about pie would not only be awesome but certainly the most delicious song ever.
Our classic pumpkin pie totally made from scratch, from the best pie crust recipe ever to a pumpkin filling that is perfectly spiced and creamy, it is a must-make every Thanksgiving.
I know we have some haters out there (haters gonna hate, hate, hate. Thank you Taylor Swift.) I can’t even understand the hate, but it’s fine. It exists. I believe that every blog should share their favorite classic recipes and this one is one of my favorites. Well this, and Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie.
Thanksgiving For Me Growing Up
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. As a kid we always celebrated with more people than even fit into a house. Seriously, I remember going to my grandpa’s house in Le Grande, Oregon and all of the cousins, aunts and uncles would pile into the house, set up tables and chairs in every nook and cranny and still some of us kids would end up parking it on the floor somewhere because there just wasn’t enough room for so many people.
If we didn’t travel then we would have as much family at our house in Vancouver, Washington as possible and then Dad would make sure that everyone at church had a place to go and often we would end up with a few extra families that had nowhere to go. It was awesome! The cousins ran around playing, everyone was snacking and finally we had a prayer and “dinner” which usually happened mid afternoon so it wasn’t dinner at all.
Then we would clean up (always paper products as dishes for that many people would have been insane), the ladies and kids would do fun Christmas crafts, the men would sleep or watch football and then pie for all!
And my favorite part? Well, the pie of course, but I actually loved the next day even more. We would be lazy and watch movies all day, snacking on leftovers and making turkey sandwiches on rolls. I love those sandwiches more than the actual dinner!
Thanksgiving at Our House Now
Most importantly it had been a time to be together, no matter who we were. Everyone always had a place to go, which I’ll be honest has been a little hard living where we live. Most people have lived here their whole lives and have so much family that they make their own plans and stick closely with their fam. If you aren’t from here and aren’t going anywhere it kind of feels lonely now. It’s not the holiday I grew up with, but it has taught me that I must be like Dad, always reach out and see if anyone else is alone instead of only focusing on my family. But, we do have pie, and pie makes everything ok.
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is one of the easiest pies you can make. It is literally, mix everything together and pour it into the crust. That’s it! Here are the basic steps:
Preheat the oven.
Mix the pumpkin, heavy cream and half and half together in a large bowl.
Add the salt, sugars, eggs, and spices and mix everything together until smooth.
Pour all of the mixture into an unbaked pie shell.
Bake at a high heat for 15 minutes and then at a lower heat for 45-55 minutes.
Check the pie with about 20 minutes left and make sure the crust isn’t getting too brown. You can cover the crust with foil to keep it from getting too dark.
PRO TIP: You will know the pie is cooked through when it is puffed up a little in the middle and barely moves in the center.
Remove the pie from the oven and put it on a cooling rack. Let it sit for 2 hours to allow it to set up.
Yes! Pumpkin pie holds up great in the freezer. It should be completely cooled, and then wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and then placed in a sealed bag.
Place pumpkin pie in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To serve, remove from the freezer and let sit in the refrigerator of 10-12 hours before you serve it.
Can Pumpkin Pie Be Kept at Room Temperature?
Pumpkin pie should be kept in the refrigerator.
Wrap loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Can Pumpkin Pie Be Made Ahead?
Pumpkin pie is a great make-ahead pie, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving. It is one less thing we have to make on Thanksgiving day. Make and bake as directed in the instructions and let it cool completely. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days before your meal. Top with whipped cream just before serving.
Is Pumpkin Pie Filling Gluten Free?
Pumpkin pie filling contains no wheat or other sources of gluten.
Pumpkin pie filling is gluten free.
Should I Use Fresh or Canned Pumpkin?
Nine times out of ten, when asked this question about any ingredient, I would say fresh. For pumpkin pie, I say absolutely canned pumpkin is the way you want to go. It sets up better, has a better texture, and tastes better.
How to Avoid Cracked Pumpkin Pie
The biggest culprit of cracked pumpkin pie is over-baking. Doing that quick high heat bake and then baking at a lower temperature for the rest of the time will help you have a smooth pumpkin pie. Look for that puffed up middle and little movement in the middle. Then pull it from the oven. Letting it sit for at least 2 hours will also allow it to finish setting up.
How to Top Pumpkin Pie
Have you seen the meme of the pumpkin pie covered on all sides with like 4 inches of whipped cream? It makes me laugh every time. Whipped cream is delicious on top of pumpkin pie. I recommend making stabilized whipped cream so you can make those pretty piped dollops on top.
I’m also sort of obsessed with the pie stamps shown in these photos. Don’t they look so cute?! And I normally don’t do cute. They are super easy too. Roll out your extra half of pie crust and stamp the leaves. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F.
It’s just not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie! Gather your family, friends, or anyone who needs a place to feel loved around your table and serve up a perfect pumpkin pie!
More PIE RECIPES You’ll Love:
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutesmins
Cook Time: 1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr25 minutesmins
Prevent your screen from going dark
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Prepare your pie crust, set in the fridge as per the recipe and then form the crust in the pie plate, pricking the bottom of the crust and set back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Add pie weights to the crust and drape foil over to prevent browning, bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, In a large pot, mix the pumpkin, salt sugars and spices. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a simmer, cooking for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pie from the oven.
Add the heavy cream and half and half, stirring for another minute over medium to medium high heat until sputtering and popping as a simmer.
In a bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add a tablespoon of the pumpkin to the eggs while stirring then slowly pour the eggs into the pumpkin and stir again. Pour the entire mixture into a baked pie shell.
Bake at 400 for 25 minutes then immediately turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the pie is puffed up and barely moves in the center. The edges will probably be a little cracked. You may want to place tin foil around the crust the last 20 minutes if it it getting too brown.
Place the pie on a wire cooling rack and allow to sit without touching for 2 hours to set up.
Serve with fresh whipped cream or powdered sugar.
This pie crust recipe makes enough for two pie crusts, so you’ll only use half the dough to make this pumpkin pie. Wrap the other half in plastic wrap and place in a ziploc bag and store in the freezer. Keep pie in the refrigerator
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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
Brownies stuffed with a creamy white chocolate cream cheese filling and a big juicy strawberry on top. These tuxedo brownie cups are elegant and delicious!
Brownies are delicious and they go with just about any occasion or meal so they are the perfect “go to” dessert when you’ve got a lot going on, but it’s time to give brownies a little dressing up. We made it a black tie affair with these tuxedo brownie bites and I’m so glad we did!
The cream cheese filling is absolutely divine, but really can you EVER go wrong with cream cheese filling? It’s creamy and perfect along with that bold chocolate and the fresh, sweet berry.
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients for Tuxedo Brownie Bites
Fudge Brownie Mix: Make the brownies following the cake like instructions. You will need eggs, water and vegetable oil.
White Chocolate: adds a delicious rich flavor to the filling
Milk: thins out the filling a little and adds creaminess
Cream Cheese: use full fat cream cheese and make sure it is at room temperature (see section below for avoiding lumps)
Powdered Sugar: adds sweetness
Frozen Whipped Topping: adds structure to the filling
Strawberries: adds flavor and freshness and pairs so well with chocolate
Orange Zest: This is totally optional but it adds a beautiful depth of flavor. Mint or chocolate could also be used to garnish.
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Lumps in Cream Cheese
Remember, when cooking or baking with cream cheese you need to either set it out for a bit so that you can soften the brick, making a smooth spread, or fill a sink with warm water and let it sit, still in its foil until soft. There’s nothing worse than lumpy cream cheese filling and no amount of beating will smooth out those pieces.
How to Make Tuxedo Brownie Bites
The beautiful thing about these brownie bites (besides how good they taste) is that they seem so decadent and fancy but they couldn’t be easier to make! Here are the basic steps:
Prep: Preheat the oven and spray all the muffin cups with cooking spray.
Brownie Mix: Prepare the brownie mix according to the cake like directions.
Bake: Using a small cookie scoop, fill the cups 2/3 full with brownie batter and bake.
Create: When the brownies are done baking, use the back of the small scoop the indent the middle of each brownie to create a “brownie cup”.
Filling: While the brownies cool, make the filling (see section below for more details).
Assemble: Add the filling to the brownie cups (more details below) and top with a slice of strawberry.
Refrigerate: Allow the brownie bites to finish setting up in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. Keep scrolling down for all the details.
Cream Cheese Filling for Brownies
The cream cheese filling is really simple to make and we often make cream cheese filling ahead of time.
This is a white chocolate cream cheese filling so it’s going to take an extra step but not only is the flavor worth it, it’s incredibly simple so don’t panic.
In a microwave safe bowl, add the baking white chocolate and milk and melt down smooth. We like to do 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between.
Allow the chocolate to cool completely.
Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and add in remaining ingredients except the white chocolate. Once the cream cheese is smooth and everything is incorporated, stir in the white chocolate with a spatula.
How to Fill the Brownie Cups
It’s best to use a piping bag, though I know you might be tempted (we, especially Cade, always are!) to use a spoon but it just won’t look as pretty. If you don’t have these simple piping bags, we recommend you get some since they are a great price and you will end up using them from time to time, but if you don’t have time to shop, just use a sealable bag and snip the corner.
Why Did My Brownie Bites Sink in the Middle?
There are two likely suspects for brownie bites that sink in the middle — overmixing or underbaking. When making the brownies, mix everything together until just combined. Don’t overdo it! Bake for the suggested time and then test with a toothpick. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
How Do You Get Brownie Bites Out of a Mini Muffin Tin?
If you’ve sprayed the cups thoroughly, the brownie bites should almost fall out, but if they get stuck, slide a small paring knife around the edges of each cup. You can also use a knife to pry up each brownie so that it’s easier to grab and pull out.
Variations
With just a hint of orange zest in the filling and a sweet little strawberry on top the whole bite comes to life in your mouth.
For Christmas I like to add a little peppermint to the filling and sprinkle with crushed candy canes instead of the strawberry. They make a great neighbor gift for the holidays!
The flavors and toppings can be totally customizable for whatever the occasion is. It’s the perfect treat for any party!
Storage Tips
Tuxedo brownie bites should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep for a day or two. Don’t add the strawberry slices until just before serving.
These brownie cups will freeze very well. Place them all in a single layer on a baking sheet and stick them in the freezer. Once frozen through, you can layer them in a freezer safe container or a ziploc bag. They will keep for up to 3 months.
These tuxedo brownie bites are chocolatey, fudgy in the middle and crispy around the edges with delicious white chocolate cream cheese filling. We like to top it with a fresh strawberry slice. I’ll bet you anything you won’t stop at just one!
More Tasty Dessert Bites:
Servings: 48
Prep Time: 30 minutesmins
Cook Time: 14 minutesmins
Total Time: 44 minutesmins
Description
Brownies stuffed with a creamy white chocolate cream cheese filling and a big juicy strawberry on top. These tuxedo brownie cups are elegant and delicious!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease mini muffin cups.
Prepare brownie mix according to cake like directions.
1 Package Fudge Brownie Mix
Using small scoop, fill cups 2/3 full.
Bake 14 min or until edges are set. Do not overbake.
Remove pan to cooling rack.
Press tops of brownies with mini tart shaper to make indentations.
Cool 15 min.
Loosen edges and remove to cool completely.
Microwave white chocolate and milk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
2 oz White Chocolate, 2 Tablespoons Milk
Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a small bowl.
1 Package Cream Cheese, 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
Gradually stir in white chocolate until smooth.
Fold in whipped topping.
1 Cup Frozen Whipped Topping
Fill cups with cream cheese mixture. Add orange zest, mint or chocolate at this step if using.
Orange Zest
Arrange strawberries on top like tuxedo or just use them to garnish if you are in a hurry.
OH-IO! Alright regardless if you’re a The Ohio State University Buckeye fan or not, if you like peanut butter and chocolate, you’ll love this dessert.
Theses Vegan Buckeyes are what I deem to be truly the best version of my hometown’s classic treat. With added peanut flour rich in plant-based protein, these healthy buckeyes take under 20 minutes to make and 5 ingredients!
Fun fact, Ohio’s state tree is a buckeye and buckeyes (the actual nut-like seed on the tree) are not editable, in fact, they’re toxic. As a way to celebrate the Ohio state tree and actually enjoy the buckeye, it was transformed into a treat.
I have some of the fondest memories making buckeyes not just around the holiday season, but year-round with my mother. It was such a fun process rolling the peanut butter into balls then carefully dipping them in chocolate to look like a buckeye while she told me stories of why we make them and not eat the real thing found in the backyard. Fast forward to my undergrad and graduate years at Ohio State wearing t-shirts, necklaces, and keychains with the buckeye on them, it was a right of passage to honor this nut-like seed.
Protein Boosted Vegan Buckeyes
Traditionally the buckeyes are made with pretty straight forward ingredients. For the filling, it includes peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, and milk chocolate as the coating. To give this a Nutrition Stripped spin, I wanted to boost the protein just a bit to balance out the macronutrients so we add in a satiety factor with the protein as well and the added benefit of stabilizing blood sugars a bit more than we would if we didn’t have as much protein present. All without sacrificing the flavor!
In addition, instead of powdered sugar, I use maple syrup and a little goes a long way so you can adjust to your specific tastes. The real curveball in my recipe is using peanut flour, which is basically a process of stripping the fat from the protein in peanut butter and you’re left with something that resembled a protein powder except rich in peanut flavor while retaining the protein.
If you don’t have peanut flour, which I found at Trader Joes and Whole Foods, you can order some organic peanut flour online or just use your favorite vanilla plant-based protein powder. Enjoy these vegan Buckeyes!
Stripped
Peanut allergy?
Peanut allergies are believed to affect up to 8% of children and 2% of adults. While it is usually a lifelong condition, 15-22% of children outgrow their allergy before they reach their teenage years (1).
Symptoms can range in severity but can cause life-threatening complications like anaphylaxis in some cases. Additionally, although peanuts are not considered tree nuts, around 30% of those who are allergic to peanuts may also be allergic to tree nuts as well (2).
If you have a peanut allergy, instead of using peanut butter you can use cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. Instead of the peanut flour, you can use your favorite vanilla plant-based protein powder and you might need to adjust the texture by adding a little water depending on how much moisture the protein powder absorbs. Start slow and build up one teaspoon of water at a time.
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.
