These Air Fryer Caramel Apple Donuts are super easy to make with refrigerator biscuits and apple pie filling. Bits of chopped caramel get added to the apples with a cinnamon sugar topping for the perfect fall breakfast.
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Specializing in Brunch, Desserts and Cocktails
These Air Fryer Caramel Apple Donuts are super easy to make with refrigerator biscuits and apple pie filling. Bits of chopped caramel get added to the apples with a cinnamon sugar topping for the perfect fall breakfast.
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This easy, Pumpkin Dump Cake is sure to be a hit this fall. Vanilla cake mix is used as the base with pumpkin, evaporated milk and a pecan and butterscotch chip topping. Serve it warm with whipped cream and a caramel sauce topping for a truly decadent treat.
Dump cakes are such an easy dessert to make when you are entertaining over the holidays. I love the variations of textures with the crispy addition of this pecan and butterscotch chip topping. I would 100%, take a dump cake or this Pumpkin Poke Cake over pie for dessert this Thanksgiving.
If you want to ensure to get an even coating of butter without having any dry cake mix, I recommend cutting the butter into fine slices. Just be sure to layer it evenly over the top of the cake for best results. If you are in a hurry, you can also melt the butter and pour it evenly over the cake.
The butterscotch chips ended up being such a great extra bit of flavor with the pumpkin. I just roughly chopped them up after after I prepped the pecans. Toffee bits could also be substituted as well. Just ensure that you sprinkle them evenly over the cake mix with the almonds before adding the butter.
Don’t forget to add a Fireball Apple Cider Sangria or Pumpkin Spice White Russian to your holiday menus. If you loved this Pumpkin Dump Cake, be sure to check out my favorite Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. The topping is to die for!
This easy, Pumpkin Dump Cake is sure to be a hit this fall. Vanilla cake mix is used as the base with pumpkin, evaporated milk and a pecan and butterscotch chip topping. Serve it warm with whipped cream and a caramel sauce topping for a truly decadent treat.
This cake gets baked at 350 degrees in a greased, 9x13-inch baking pan.
Combine the cake mix with the drink ingredients including the, white and brown sugar, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and salt.
Add the eggs, evaporated milk and pumpkin.
Lightly beat together until combined and smooth.
Add the cake mix to the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the chopped pecans and butterscotch chips.
Top with butter slices; ensuring to evenly cover the entire top of the cake.
Bake for around 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
Serve warm and top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
These Funfetti Cookies are the perfect combination of soft and chewy. Vanilla pudding gets added for additional flavor and moisture. Plenty of festive sprinkles makes them a great addition for everyday enjoyment or special celebrations.
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by Holly 2 Comments
This Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie is perfect for summer BBQ’s and 4th of July. It is easily prepared with pre-made pie crust with a fresh strawberry filling that is thickened with a bit of Jell-O and cornstarch.
I made this recipe for Father’s Day and it was a huge hit. It goes great with BBQ and is so refreshing and easy to make. Check out my tips below for no-fuss tips for prepping fresh strawberries. The addition of a few blueberries is great for a patriotic, 4th of July dessert.
Increase the longevity of your whipped cream by simply mixing in a bit of vanilla pudding. I use a chilled mixing bowl and beat around 1 1/2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream on high until thickened and then, whip in around 2 tbsp. of vanilla pudding. This is great for extra flavor as well!
If you love this Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie, be sure to check out some of my other favorite summer desserts and cocktails including this Easy Fruit Pizza and Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler!
This Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie is perfect for summer BBQ's and 4th of July. It is easily prepared with pre-made pie crust with a fresh strawberry filling that is thickened with a bit of Jell-O and cornstarch.
Mix together the cornstarch and sugar.
Add water and sugar mixture to a pot over medium heat; whisky until combined and thickened.
Remove pot from heat and stir in Jell-O and allow to cool.
Prepare pie crust according to package instructions.
Allow crust to cool completely.
Thoroughly rinse the strawberries, pat dry with paper towels, mull and cut in half (see tips above). Add to a mixing bowl.
Lightly stir in cooled Jell-O mixture with the fresh strawberries until coated. Evenly spread into the bottom of the cooled pie crust.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours until thickened before serving.
Garnish with whipped cream and fresh blueberries before serving (see tips above for stabilized whipped cream).
by Holly 4 Comments
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Icing are so festive and easy for the holidays. Add decorator icing and candies to make a gingerbread man or enjoy them plain for a quick addition to your cookie platter.
I worked on this recipe for a couple of days before I was happy with the results. The result is a nice, soft cookie that is easy to roll out with your favorite Christmas shapes. It requires minimal chilling in the refrigerator and it is really fun to make with the kids.
I have been using this icing recipe since I was making cookies in elementary school. It dries perfectly and is great to work with for piping. I kept my icing white for the gingerbread men, but tripled the recipe so I would have enough to decorate my Sour Cream Cut-out Cookies.
To make these cuties, you will need to have your favorite cut-outs. I used 3 different gingerbread men cookie cutters. A star or round biscuit cutter also works great for these. I highly recommend using parchment paper whenever making these cookies. Nothing is worse than having your hard work ruined when the cookie crumbles from sticking to the pan. A good Silicone Pastry Mat makes the dreaded clean up so much easier. I purchased this one this year and I’m wondering why I didn’t get one sooner. A cooling rack is needed to transfer the cookies to after baking.
It is essential that you chill your dough for at least 1 hour prior to rolling it out. This will keep the cookie from spreading in the oven and looking like a blob instead of a gingerbread man. Ensure that you separate your dough into two separate balls and lightly press down so that it is disk-shaped. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap before chilling.
Once the dough is chilled, roll the dough out over a light dusting of flour until at is around 1/4″ thick. Repeat the process with any scraps if it is still moist enough to make a smooth surface. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for around 8 minutes or until the edges become lightly browned. Do not overbake if you want your cookies to remain soft.
After the cookies are done baking, place them on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating them with icing.
Ensure the icing has hardened before transferring the cookies into storage containers. Place wax paper between the cookie layers if stacking them. Cookies are best if consumed within 7-10 days. If baking them early, they may be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
If you loved these Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Icing, check out more amazing Christmas delights! A Gingerbread Martini is a great no-fuss way to drink your dessert.
These Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Icing are so festive and easy for the holidays. Add decorator icing and candies to make a gingerbread man or enjoy them plain for a quick addition to your cookie platter.
In a large bowl; combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Beat together butter and brown sugar; beat in the egg, vanilla and molasses.
Slowly beat in the flour mixture until combined and smooth.
Separate the dough into two equal sections. Roll each section into a ball and lightly push down until it is a large disk.
Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Lightly flour a pastry mat or surface before rolling the dough. Roll the dough out evenly until around 1/4" thick. Use desired cookie cutters to make shapes and place cookies on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for around 8 minutes or until edges become a light golden brown.
Add cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before decorating.
Begin beating the softened butter and gradually add the powdered sugar.
Add 2 tbsp. of milk and vanilla; continue beating. If icing still seems too thick; add around 1/2 tbsp. more of milk.
Place icing in pastry bags with a plain piping tip. Top with desired icing patterns and candies.
Allow icing to dry and harden before placing cookies in storage containers. Use wax paper between cookie layers when stacking to avoid sticking. Cookies are best if consumed within 7-10 days if stored in Tupperware.
Freeze cookies as needed in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
This Vanilla Pudding Banana Bread is so moist and flavorful with chocolate chunks and pecan pieces. Make it in a bundt or loaf pan and personalize it with your favorite nuts and chocolate. This is hands down my favorite banana bread recipe of all time!
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A Moscato Dole Whip will be your new favorite boozy dessert this summer. Vanilla ice cream gets blended with frozen pineapples, pineapple juice, lime juice and your favorite, Moscato wine. Leave out the wine and add extra pineapple juice for the kids to enjoy.
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This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Lasagna makes a quick and easy holiday dessert. It has layers of cinnamon graham crackers, caramel sauce, pumpkin cheesecake, pudding and toffee bits for plenty of flavor. Freeze it the night before for a no-fuss holiday dessert.
I’m not a huge fan of the traditional Thanksgiving desserts, so you will find me feasting on some of this Cheesecake Lasagna, Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake, or Pumpkin Pie Martini come Thanksgiving. A dessert martini is a good way to get things started before ending on a high note with some of this beautiful cake. Just remember that elastic is our friend for the holidays.
I’ve learned a very valuable lesson today. Besides, always having snacks and refreshments on hand at all times. Never leave the window for a future blog post open on my computer! Imagine my surprise when I happened to check my website and saw that I had a new post not of my own doing. My kindergartner’s computer class really seems to be paying off! Apparently, that blue “Publish” button makes fun things happen. She told me she wanted a camera for Christmas, so I guess we are on our way to a future food blogger. We already have the first published post out of the way. Anyway, she has forced my hand in actually getting this dessert posted before the holiday as planned.
This dessert is super simple to make without needing to take up space in the oven. Just piece it together and let it sit in the freezer to thicken for at least 4 hour for maximum enjoyment. I actually left most of it in my freezer for a couple of weeks and it still tasted amazing after letting it thaw for a bit. Don’t forget to leave a plentiful dollop of whipped cream on top with more toffee bits for a completely satisfying dessert experience.
This No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Lasagna makes a quick and easy holiday dessert. It has layers of cinnamon graham crackers, caramel sauce, pumpkin cheesecake, pudding and toffee bits for plenty of flavor. Freeze it the night before for a no-fuss holiday dessert.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and 1 tsp. of cinnamon.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the pudding mix, maple syrup, cool whip and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon.
Place a layer of 6 graham crackers onto bottom of an 11x7 baking pan.
Spread half of the cheesecake mixture over the top of the graham crackers.
Top the cheesecake mixture with another layer of graham crackers.
Drizzle 1/3 c. of caramel sundae sauce over the top of the graham cracker layer.
Spread the remaining cheesecake mixture over the graham crackers.
Spread the cool whip mixture over the cheesecake layer.
Drizzle with 1/3 c. of caramel sauce and top with toffee bits.
Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Allow to thaw before cutting if frozen.
Top with a dollop of whipped cream and more toffee bits before serving.
These Chocolate Spider Whoopie Pies are so fun to make with the kids for Halloween! The cookies are easily made with a chocolate fudge cake mix and a dreamy, chocolate marshmallow creme filling.
My daughter loves to help me in the kitchen and I promised her we would make a fun treat for Halloween. I’ve been wanting to make a fall themed whoopie pie for awhile, so these spider cookies were perfect. Cake mix cookies such as my Pumpkin Gooey Butter, are a great way to add plenty of flavor without all of the extra ingredients and measuring. Chocolate Fudge cake mix makes the perfect, soft cookie with the addition of a bit of cream cheese and butter.
You could make this recipe even easier by using ready-made icing, but I think the best part of any whoopie pie is that rich, creamy filling. Let me tell you, this filling is do delectable with the addition of melted chocolate chips and a bit of marshmallow fluff. It is really hard not to eat it by the spoonful while piecing these cuties together.
Using a cookie scoop for measuring and lightly pressing each dough ball with the back of a glass helps to ensure symmetry. These cute little eye candies were at my local grocery store, but you can also order from a large variety of them on Amazon. Kitchen scissors can be used to cut the Chocolate Twizzlers in half lengthwise for these perfect little spider legs. I bent each Twizzler a bit in the middle to have them face up at the top and down towards the bottom. An extra dollop of filling on top of the Twizzlers helps to keep the top of the cookie in place. A little bit of the chocolate filling works great to secure the eyes. I trimmed a bit off of the ends of each leg to avoid legs for days (which isn’t always a bad thing).
When making these Chocolate Spider Whoopie Pies, be sure to treat yourself with a fall cocktail. It helps to alleviate the stress of your kids trying to eat all the Twizzlers and leaving cookie debris all over the kitchen. A pitcher of Caramel Apple Sangria or Pumpkin Spice White Russian always hits the spot.
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These Chocolate Spider Whoopie Pies are so fun to make with the kids for Halloween! The cookies are easily made with a chocolate fudge cake mix and a dreamy, chocolate marshmallow creme filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut Chocolate Twizzlers in half lengthwise using kitchen scissors.
Prepare the cookies: In a mixing bowl; cream together the butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla.
Beat in the cake mix until smooth.
Using a cookie scoop; make level size dough balls. Place on a nonstick cookie sheet or parchment paper at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
Lightly press dough balls with the base of a cup to flatten slightly.
Bake for around 11-12 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.
Prepare the filling.
Microwave on 50%; stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
In a mixing bowl; beat together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add melted chocolate chips and beat lightly until smooth.
Spread the chocolate filling on half the cookies.
Bend the Twizzlers slightly in the center. Place 4 of the halved Twizzlers on top of the chocolate filling.
Add a dollop of filling on top of the Twizzlers and top with another chocolate cookie.
Add 2 small dollops of the chocolate filling for the eyes and place candy eyes on top.
Store in a sealed container.
These Black Bean Brownie Bites are gluten and guilt-free without sacrificing that rich, chewy taste. They stay moist with the addition of applesauce and get their sweetness from pure maple syrup and chocolate chips. It’s hard to believe how good these really are!
“Pack me something sweet in my lunch”, they say. Okay, my sneaky self replies…”let’s make Black Bean Brownies”. There is no way they are going to go for this and they probably will turn out horrible the first time around I think to myself, but let’s do it anyway. It really was the best decision ever and sporadic recipes tend to always be the best ones. My kids would have eaten a dozen of these at time if I let them, but I packed away most of them in the freezer to save for the dreaded packed lunches. Let’s face it, packing lunches is exhausting! Pinwheels, crust-less sandwiches, bagels, perfectly sliced fruits, star-shaped vegetables are the new norm around here. What ever happened to brown bagging it with the soggy peanut butter and jelly sandwich and frozen Twinkies? These kids don’t even know how good they have it.
I really wanted to be able to eat one (or five) of these without feeling guilty. I’ve been trying to avoid most gluten due to health issues and decided to use oats instead of flour and applesauce to replace most of the fat from oil. Maple syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness with an extra sprinkle of cocoa powder and chocolate chips. I didn’t do any separate mixing of dry ingredients with the first batch and they turned out just fine. However, I decided to mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl the second time around and it seemed just as easy to ensure even distribution. Feel free to stir in some chopped pecans with chocolate chips. I decided to just add the pecans on the top for half of the brownies in case my kids didn’t like them.
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Add oatmeal to a food processor; pulse until it becomes a fine powder.
Pour oatmeal into a separate bowl. Mix in baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.
Add black beans to the food processor bowl; pulse until mostly smooth.
Add vanilla, maple syrup, canola oil and applesauce. Pulse until combined.
Add oatmeal mixture and pulse until combined.
Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
Spray the mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Fill the muffin cups around 3/4 of the way full. Top with a few chocolate chips and a sprinkle of chopped almonds if desired.
Allow muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
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