This classic waffle recipe results in crispy-edged, perfectly golden waffles with fluffy interiors and those classic divots that fill with butter and syrup and result in breakfast nirvana.

There are a couple of tricks to getting the perfect crispy homemade waffles, and I’m going to share everything you need to know to make delicious, easy waffles from scratch. Let’s get our breakfast on!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love These Waffles
• Homemade Waffle Recipe Ingredients
• Adaptation/Variation
• How to Make Waffles
• Tips for Success
• More Waffle Recipes
• More Waffle Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I have a handful of waffle recipes on Kitchen Treaty, like these impossibly light and crisp vegan waffles, almond butter waffles, and pumpkin waffles. But the waffle recipe that we actually make most often? These classic homemade waffles!

This waffle recipe is THE waffle recipe around our house. Yes, it’s a little fussy because it involves whipping the egg whites until fluffy, but trust me … it’s worth it. That’s tip #1: You’ve got to whip the egg whites. I purposely skip that step in my pancake recipes because I find they get fluffy enough with the baking powder/baking soda, but for the waffles, I think it’s really necessary.

These waffles make the perfect weekend morning breakfast. Along with fluffy buttermilk pancakes or banana pancakes, it’s our fave on Saturday and Sunday

Why You’ll Love These Waffles

• No surprises – These homemade waffles are EXACTLY what you’re expecting when you’re looking to make classic waffles.
• Crispy golden deliciousness – They cook up perfectly golden, a little fluffy inside, crispy on the edges. Waffle perfection.
• Freezer friendly – Because we’re a family of three, we can’t eat an entire batch of these waffles. That’s a good problem to have! Because they freeze perfectly. Then it’s just a matter of pulling them out of the freezer and popping them in the toaster for quick and easy breakfasts later on.

Homemade Waffle Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so I can better control the amount of salt in recipes. You’ll want to melt it and let it cool a bit.
• Flour – I prefer to use all-purpose flour for a nice light waffle. Swapping in some whole wheat flour works well though, though I wouldn’t swap more than half.
• Baking powder
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt or table salt as opposed to kosher salt (the grains are too big in kosher in my opinion)
• Sugar – Granulated sugar helps these homemade waffles get nice and caramelized-golden-brown, plus a bit of sweetness is needed in a good waffle recipe, in my opinion!
• Milk – Whole or 2% dairy milk work great, though I often will use unsweetened oat milk.
• Eggs – You’ll want four total, and you’ll be separating them.
• Vanilla – A must for flavor!
• Syrup, butter, berries, peanut butter, and whatever else you want for topping. Yum!

Adaptation/Variation

• Dairy-free waffles: Use vegan butter and plant-based milk. Or, if you want completely vegan waffles, I highly recommend this light and crispy vegan waffle recipe – they’re SO good and easy!

How to Make Waffles

Click here to jump down to the full, printable recipe

1. First, melt the butter so that it has a chance to cool a bit. Then preheat your waffle iron so it’s nice and hot when your batter is ready.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – flour, banking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Set up two medium bowls. In one, mix together the milk, 2 egg yolks (whites go into the second bowl!), and vanilla. Drizzle in the butter and whisk until blended. Crack two more egg whites into the second bowl and discard the yolks (or save them for some other eggy goodness later on).
4. Whip the egg whites until they form peaks.
5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold in the egg whites.
6. Spray your waffle iron with some non-stick cooking spray or brush with melted butter if needed, then cook your waffles. My waffle iron takes about 1/3 cup of batter per side. You don’t want it to go all of the way to the edges – that will happen when you close the waffle iron.
7. Cook until golden brown and perfect.
8. I like to stack cooked waffles on a plate and cover them with a clean dry dishtowel to keep them warm until it’s time to serve them.

Tips for Success

Separating Egg Whites

Crack your egg on a flat surface, then open it just slightly over your bowl. Let the white slide out while holding the yolk in with the shell. Gently pass the yolk back and forth between the shell halves, letting the rest of the white drip into the bowl below. Place the yolk in a separate bowl.

If a little yolk slips in or a tiny bit of shell falls in, scoop it out with a clean piece of shell. Even a small amount can keep the whites from whipping properly.

Whipping Egg Whites

Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. The whites should look fluffy and hold their shape, but the tips will gently fold over when you lift the beaters.

Make sure there’s no yolk in the bowl and no grease on your equipment, or the whites won’t fluff up as well.

I hope this waffle recipe becomes your family’s very favorite, too! They’re golden, perfect, and everything you want when you’re craving waffles. If you love this recipe (or even if you don’t!) please scroll down to leave a review – that helps others find the recipe and helps me to make sure it’s the best waffle recipe there is!

More Waffle Recipes

• Vegan Waffles – light and crispy vegan vanilla waffles made in one bowl. So good.
• Almond Butter Waffles – a bit more protein and wonderfully crispy!
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles – yummy!

Print

Homemade Waffle Recipe

This classic waffle recipe makes golden, crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside waffles using simple pantry ingredients. Perfect every time.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 waffles

Calories 195kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted; 1 stick
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 grams
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 11 g
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt; 4 g
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
• 1 1/2 cups milk whole or 2% or unsweetened plant-based milk like oat milk all work great; 34 g
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 g

Instructions

Melt the butter & preheat waffle iron

• I like to start by melting the stick of butter, so I've listed it first in the list of ingredients though it's one of the last ingredients added to the batter.
• Place the butter in a microwave-safe container and heat until melted or place in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat and warm until melted. Then you'll want to set it aside to cool a bit so that it doesn't cook the eggs when you mix it into the batter.
• I also like to start heating my waffle iron now so that it's ready to go once my batter is made.

Mix together the dry ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Mix together the wet ingredients

• Set up two medium bowls. In one, mix together the milk, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla until completely combined. When adding the egg yolks to the first bowl, crack the egg whites into the second bowl.
• Whisk the melted but slightly cooled butter into the milk mixture.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together

• Pour the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients together just until a batter forms – a few small lumps are okay.

Whip the egg whites

• Add two more egg whites to whites bowl. Using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment – or a clean whisk if you feel like getting an arm workout – whip the egg whites until stiff. They should be white, fluffy, and hold a peak when you lift the mixer/whisk out of them.

Fold in the egg whites

• Using a spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the batter. They don't have to be perfectly incorporated, just enough to where you don't see huge streaks. The idea is to keep the batter light and fluffy.

Cook

• If needed, spray your preheated waffle maker with a little cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Pour the batter into your waffle maker according to manufacturer instructions – for my waffle maker, I scoop 1/3 cup per waffle.
• Cook until golden brown, as per your individual waffle maker. Serve warm with butter, pure maple syrup, fruit, peanut butter, or whatever else you love to top your waffles with!

Storing leftovers

• Keep leftover waffles in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. Reheat in the toaster. You can also freeze these waffles for up to 3 months – I just pull them straight out of the freezer and toast them.

Nutrition

Serving: 2waffles | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 329IU | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg

More Waffle Recipes

• Vegan Waffles – light and crispy vegan vanilla waffles made in one bowl. So good.
• Almond Butter Waffles – a bit more protein and wonderfully crispy!
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles – yummy!

The post Homemade Waffle Recipe (Crispy Outside, Fluffy Inside) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

We’re talking 6 ingredients + a skillet and you’re on your way to the simplest yet most delicious Alfredo Sauce ever.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Homemade Alfredo Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make Easy Alfredo Sauce
• Tips for Success
• Serving Suggestions
• More Pasta Sauce Recipes
• FAQs

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Alfredo Sauce

• Simple and easy – No roux, nothing finicky in this easy alfredo sauce recipe – just garlic, cream, and cheese simmered together until thick, rich, and perfect.
• Versatile – Use this Alfredo sauce for pasta, gnocchi, rice, as a pizza sauce, to dip breadsticks into … we basically consider this our “house” Alfredo sauce that we use in myriad ways.
• Delicious – It’s creamy, cheesy, and the perfect consistency. If you’re looking for an easy yet rich Alfredo sauce, this is it!

Alfredo Sauce Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – To sauté the garlic and to add flavor to your homemade Alfredo sauce. If you prefer olive oil, that works too!
• Garlic – I like to use fresh, finely minced garlic in my Alfredo for best flavor. If you’re short on time and would rather not chop, you can sub in 1/2 teaspoon or so of garlic powder. No need to sauté it for a minute, though.
• Italian seasoning – Grab it at the store in the spices and seasonings section, or make your own Italian seasoning blend at home (it’s super easy!)
• Heavy whipping cream – Makes a super thick and rich Alfredo sauce without needing to make a roux (a blend of butter/oil and flour that helps thicken sauces)
• Salt – To help highlight the flavors. My standard for cooking is kosher salt.
• Parmesan cheese – Shredded Parm adds cheesy flavor and helps to thicken your homemade Alfredo.

Tips for Success

• Don’t boil it! This homemade Alfredo sauce is made with heavy whipping cream, which can curdle if heated too high. Bring it just to a gentle simmer.
• Practice mise en place. This means having all of your ingredients measured and ready to go before you start cooking. The process goes rather quickly, so for me at least, making Alfredo sauce goes much more smoothly when I have everything ready before starting.

Serving Suggestions

• Toss with pasta (especially fettuccine!) for the most creamy and decadent dish.
• Quickly cook up some gnocchi, drain, and toss with this easy alfredo sauce. Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, and it’s SO good.
• My kid, who is obsessed with breadsticks + alfredo sauce, would be so sad if I didn’t mention that homemade alfredo sauce is excellent as a dipping sauce for bread (especially breadsticks).
• Toss with veggies such as steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
• If you’re a meat-eater, homemade alfredo sauce is also excellent with chicken or shrimp.
• Alfredo sauce is excellent in place of pizza sauce! It’s a creamy base that pairs especially well with veggies.

I hope you love our house Alfredo sauce as much as we do! This Alfredo sauce recipe is one of those “back pocket” recipes that’s perfect for whipping out when I need to get an easy, family-friendly meal on the table, fast.

More Pasta Sauce Recipes

• Vegan Alfredo Sauce (this one’s ready in 5 minutes, and uses cashews [trust me]. It’s perfect for if you’re feeding vegans or limiting dairy.
• Red Lentil Pasta Sauce – with an added dose of protein and fiber thanks to hidden red lentils!
• Bean Bolognese – Legumes create a “beefy” bolognese that’s healthy and delicious.
• Magic 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce – The sauce that Marcella Hazan made famous. It’s delicious!
• 10 Quick & Easy Pasta Sauces – A list of many of my favorites!

Print

Easy Alfredo Sauce Recipe

All you need are 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to make the most luxurious, creamy, cheesy garlic Alfredo sauce recipe. Perfect for pasta, gnocchi, and everything else!

Keyword alfredo sauce, alfredo sauce recipe, easy alfredo sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 476kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups Parmesan cheese 6 ounces

Instructions

• Place a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the skillet.
• Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, for one minute, until fragrant.
• Add the heavy whipping cream and the salt. Bring just to a simmer, stirring frequently, then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Heat until thickened and warmed through. Toss with pasta or gnocchi and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1532IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 641mg | Iron: 1mg

FAQs

Can I make Alfredo sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely. Homemade Alfredo sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat or on low heat in the microwave, stirring frequently.

How do you reheat Alfredo sauce without it separating?
Reheat VERY slowly over VERY low heat and add a splash of milk or cream while stirring. Avoid microwaving on high heat, which can cause the sauce to break.

Can I make this Alfredo sauce without heavy cream?
Yes, you can substitute whole milk or half-and-half, though the sauce will be thinner.

Is Alfredo sauce gluten-free?
Yes, traditional Alfredo sauce is naturally gluten-free. Just be sure your Parmesan cheese and butter are certified gluten-free if needed.

What can I serve with Alfredo sauce besides pasta?
Alfredo sauce is great with chicken, shrimp, roasted vegetables, gnocchi, or as a white sauce for pizza.

The post Easy Alfredo Sauce appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

It’s super simple to make, too! With only four ingredients (plus any optional toppings) and only about 10 minutes hands-on time, it makes a nice big batch of holiday deliciousness with not a lot of effort.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Saltine Toffee
• Tip for Success
• More Christmas Sweets Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I first shared this recipe back in 2010, on my first blog. It was called “pine bark” back then, which understandably is a name that didn’t stand the test of time, considering pine bark is more commonly known as, you know, the bark of a pine tree.

There are a few recipes that didn’t make the transition from my first blog to Kitchen Treaty, and this saltine toffee, sadly, was one of those casualties. But, today, I’m here to remedy that, with a classic, off-the-charts delicious treat that I make every Christmas without fail.

I remember the first time I made this recipe, many years ago, I wasn’t sure about the idea of using saltine crackers as the base. I thought it was weird. I WAS WRONG. Because it is glorious. The crispy crunch of the crackers + the salt + toffee + chocolate?! Nirvana.

Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee

This saltine toffee recipe is SUPER easy to make. Sugar cookies and gingerbread people have their place, sure, but they take some effort.

Saltine toffee, meanwhile, makes an awesomely large quantity of Christmas goodness with very little hands-on effort. Okay, so it’s not quite as easy as classic peppermint bark, but it’s darn close!

Ingredients

• Saltine crackers – You’ll need one sleeve of saltine crackers, or about 35 crackers. Make sure you get salted crackers!
• Butter – I almost always buy unsalted butter just so I can better control the salt level in my recipe. In this case, the salt on the crackers is plenty.
• Brown sugar – Light or dark both work. Make sure it’s packed into your cup!
• Chocolate chips – I go with plain ol’ classic semi-sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate are also good!

Adaptations/Variations

• Mix up the toppings: Top the chocolate with flaky sea salt (as pictured), M&Ms, or colorful sprinkles.
• Add extract: A dash of almond or vanilla in the cooked toffee is always a great addition!

How to Make Saltine Toffee

First, you’ll line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then you’ll line your saltine crackers up on the baking sheet. Then, you’ll create your toffee in a saucepan by boiling the butter and brown sugar together.

Pour the toffee over the saltine crackers, then slip it into the oven to bake for a few minutes. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, pour the chocolate chips over the top, then let them rest for a few minutes to get melty.

Once the chocolate chips have melted, use an offset spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with toppings, if you want (I’m partial to an extra dose of salt in the form of flaky Maldon sea salt).

From there, let your saltine toffee cool to room temperature. The chocolate and toffee will solidify, and you’ll be left with a glorious slab of saltine toffee! Just lift the parchment off of the pan, and use a big chef’s knife to cut the toffee into smaller pieces.

Tip for Success

• Take care when cooking your toffee. This is really the only tricky part about this recipe. If you undercook the toffee, it might end up grainy. Overcooked toffee can be crystalized and burned tasting. So follow the directions exactly: As SOON as it comes to a full boil, set a time for 3 minutes, then remove it from the heat at exactly the 3 minute mark.

I hope you’re as big a fan of saltine toffee as we are! It’s a must-have for our holiday cookie platters and I’d be so honored if some of this toffee found its way to yours.

More Christmas Sweets Recipes

• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies (coming soon!)
• Gingerbread Trees
• Fruit & Nut Chocolate Clusters
• Oreo Bark

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Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack) Recipe

Crisp saltine crackers smothered in buttery brown sugar toffee and covered with chocolate. Sweet, a little salty, and super addicting! Just 4 ingredients and only about 10 minutes hands-on time.

Keyword christmas crack, pine bark, saltine toffee

Prep Time 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 49 minutes minutes

Servings 35 pieces

Calories 142kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 35 salted saltine crackers 1 sleeve
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Optional toppings

• Christmas themed sprinkles
• Red & green mini M&Ms or regular size M&Ms

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 15"x10" cookie sheet with rims with parchment paper.
• Lay a single layer of crackers in the pan.
• Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. As soon as it comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for exactly 3 minutes (set a timer!), stirring constantly.
• Pour the brown sugar butter mix over the saltine crackers, so that it's evenly distributed.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. It will be very bubbly when you pull it out. Place it on a cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
• Wait a couple of minutes for the chocolate chips to begin melting, then use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the saltines and caramel.
• If you'd like, you can add Christmas themed sprinkles and/or M&Ms. I love to use mini M&Ms on these. A light layer of flaky sea salt is always good, too!
• Let the saltine toffee cool until hard (this may take an hour or more). If you want to accelerate the process you can place it in the fridge to cool.
• Cut into squares to serve.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Saltine Toffee Recipe (Christmas Crack) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I know that garlic bread is pretty straightforward, but over the years, I’ve perfected the recipe for amazing garlic herb bread, and I thought it was time I share!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Garlic Bread
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Garlic Bread
• Tips for Success
• What to Serve with Garlic Bread

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I know, I know – garlic herb bread is super easy, so why publish recipe for it? Well … I’ve made a lot of it over the years, and I just thought it was overdue! So here I am. Everyone needs a good simple garlic bread recipe!

That’s it – that’s the story.

Why You’ll Love This Garlic Bread

My recipe calls for chopped fresh garlic that’s first lightly sautéed in olive oil to help tame the spicy bite that fresh garlic sometimes delivers.

The bonus is that this warm olive oil helps soften the butter for spreading over your French bread. Perfect!

It’s SO easy to make, and it’s a hit with everyone every time.

Ingredients

• French bread – The typical big loaf of French bread that you find in the bakery department of most grocery stores.
• Garlic – Lots of it! You’ll want four medium fresh cloves of garlic, minced finely.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the garlic and adding a bit of flavor.
• Butter – I start with unsalted to better control the level of salt in the recipe. Try to start with room temp butter or butter that’s close to it. The warm olive oil will help, too.
• Parsley – I like a good amount of chopped fresh parsley in my garlic bread. It adds some visual interest and tastes great!
• Salt – I like to use a coarse kosher salt in my garlic bread recipe, which really helps to highlight the flavors.

Adaptations/Variations

• Extra herby garlic herb bread – Include some fresh thyme or rosemary for more herbal deliciousness.
• More garlic, mo’ better! – Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder for extra garlic goodness!
• Vegan/dairy-free – Sub in your favorite vegan/dairy buttery substitute.
• Gluten-free – You can use the garlic butter spread on just about any bread you like, including a GF loaf!
• Garlic bread from baguette – Just smear the filling inside a baguette instead of French bread. The instructions will be the same.

How to Make Garlic Bread

I first like to start by warming my fresh garlic with some olive oil to help cook it. Then, mix the garlic and olive oil with the butter, salt, and parsley.

Cut your French bread loaf in half lengthwise, and smear the garlic butter equally on each half. Place the loaf back together, and wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake.

Then, open it up, keeping the foil on the baking sheet to help with easy clean-up, and bake it a bit more until completely melted and crisped up around the edges.

Place the two halves of the bread back together, slice, and serve!

Tips for Success

• Make sure your butter is as soft as possible. Move it out of the fridge an hour or two in advance, or in a pinch, you can try microwaving it to brown it, but try to avoid completely melting it, because it’s harder to spread that way.
• Do NOT let the garlic turn brown in the olive oil. When I was taking a culinary course, I participated in an exercise that demonstrated how browned/burned garlic can add an unpleasant bitter flavor. We cooked up two batches of garlic, allowing one to brown, and then placed both batches in water and had to taste the water. The brown garlic colored the water brown and, yup, it tasted SO bitter! I am SO careful not to let my garlic get super golden or brown in all of my recipes now.

I hope this becomes your go-to garlic bread recipe like it has become mine! It’s a super delicious way to make a buttery, garlicky bread that goes well with so many different dishes.

What to Serve with Garlic Bread

• Soup! In a few days, I’m sharing a Vegetable Lasagna Soup that practically begs for buttery, garlicky bread, so stay tuned! It’s equally delicious with a thicker soup like this Roasted Winter Veggie Chowder or Hearty Bean Stew.
• Pasta! Serve it up with red lentil pasta sauce over spaghetti or with creamy pumpkin pasta.

Print

Easy Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe

Buttery, garlicky perfection! This homemade garlic bread is easy and delicious, with a couple of tricks for perfect garlic bread goodness.

Keyword garlic bread, garlic herb bread, homemade garlic bread

Servings 8

Calories 272kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced finely
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced finely
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a large sheet of foil on a large baking sheet.
• Cut your loaf of French bread in half length-wise (horizontally), so that you have two big slabs, a top and a bottom. Set it on the foil with the cut part up.
• Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and tender but not browned at all. Remove from heat.
• Place the butter in a small or medium bowl and mash it with a fork. Add the garlic and olive oil mix, salt, and parsley. Mix well.
• Using a spatula or butter knife, slather the butter mixture onto the two halves of your French bread.
• Put the bread together and wrap it with foil.
• Bake in the foil for 10 minutes, then open up the foil and lay it on the pan, and open up the bread so that the buttered sides are facing up. Bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the butter is completely melted and the edges of the bread are lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven, place the halves back together, and cut into slices. Serve.

Notes

Vegan/dairy-free option:

Sub in your favorite vegan/dairy buttery substitute.

Gluten-free option:

You can use the garlic butter spread on just about any bread you like, including a GF loaf!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 513IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Garlic Bread Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are the BEST. EVER. Fluffy yet creamy, with a silky, luxurious texture that tastes absolutely phenomenal with my easy, full-of-flavor vegetarian gravy. You have to try this easy + delicious mashed potato recipe!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
• Tips for Success
• Make-Ahead Tip
• Can I Freeze Mashed Potatoes?
• What to Serve with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
• More Mashed Potato Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I first published this cream cheese mashed potatoes recipe in 2012. It’s been awhile! Here’s the story I told about them back then:

For years and years, I whipped potatoes into a frenzy in a frenetic attempt to achieve the perfect silky-smooth consistency. Then I heard somewhere that you shouldn’t beat your potatoes with a mixer to within an inch of their lives, because it breaks down the starches in the potatoes and makes them gummy. Oooohhhhh. Mashed potato learning curve, what can I say.

And so the next batch was all by hand with a potato masher. Were they super, duper smooth? No. Were they oh-so delicious and, with their little lumps here and there, unmistakably and perfectly homemade? Oh, yes.

And then I found this recipe from Queen Martha, and I gave cream cheese a spin. Peel and boil the potatoes and drain, as usual. Then hand-mash them with copious amounts of butter, an entire block of cream cheese, and milk. I hand-mashed and left a few lumps here and there, and they were glorious.

Why You’ll Love Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese

I call these “Best-Ever Mashed Potatoes” because they’re the best I’ve ever made (or tasted, for that matter). Please don’t take it as my bashing your granny’s recipe. Just, to my family and to me, they’re the best ever.

The cream cheese gives them such a decadent, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture, plus just a tad bit of tang that you don’t get otherwise.

Ingredients

• Potatoes – I use russet potatoes. You could also use Yukon Gold potatoes. I wouldn’t recommend veering from either of those options.
• Cream cheese – Yes, an entire block. Trust me.
• Butter – Use room temp butter if you can. It’s so much easier to melt it into your potatoes. You’ll want a stick for the potatoes and a couple of generous pats for the top. Unsalted or salted are both fine.
• Milk – Whole milk is perfect, though you can also use half and half if you prefer an even richer mashed potato recipe.
• Salt & pepper – Lots of both is my preference!

Adaptations/Variations

• Dairy-free/vegan version: You might be better off making these dairy-free mashed potatoes, but it is possible to make these mashed potatoes dairy free by swapping the butter, cream cheese, and milk for plant-based options. Unsweetened oat milk is especially nice in mashed potatoes.
• Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes: For a spin on the ever-popular Boursin mashed potatoes, you could either swap in some Boursin for the cream cheese or make your own garlic and herb cream cheese to add to your mashed potatoes. Transcendent!

How to Make Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese

First, fill a pot about halfway with water and set it over your burner to boil. Grab a vegetable peeler and peel your potatoes, then add them to the pot. Boil them until tender (I use a fork to make sure it easily goes through a potato).

Drain the potatoes in a colander and place them back in the pot. Add the cream cheese, butter, 1/2 cup of the milk, and some salt and pepper. Start mashing!

You can mash them by hand, leaving them lumpy or making them more smooth, whichever is your preference. Or you can use a potato ricer for fluffy yet smooth mashed potatoes. Your choice!

Add more milk until the mashed potatoes have reached the consistency you like. Taste them (yummm) and then add more salt and pepper until they’re perfect.

I like to serve them up in a big dish with a couple of generous pats of butter and some fresh herbs.

Tips for Success

• Use a potato masher or ricer, NOT a mixer. The idea is to keep the potatoes fluffy while you’re mashing them, so don’t go crazy. Mixing them with a hand mixer can release too many starches, which can make mashed potatoes gummy.
• Start with room temp cream cheese and butter. This just helps them melt into the potatoes much easier.
• You can boil your potatoes whole or cut them into halves or quarters. If you make them smaller, they’ll cook faster.

I hope these best-ever mashed potatoes with cream cheese are as big a hit for your family as they have been for mine over the years! They’re luxuriously creamy and taste so amazing … basically taking your already-delicious classic mashed potatoes and making them miles better. We love these mashed potatoes!

Make-Ahead Tip

Make these mashed potatoes up to two days ahead of time. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, then warm them up either in a slow cooker on warm (stir every 30 minutes or so), over the stove top, or in the oven, covered so they don’t dry out. You can also heat them in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

Can I Freeze Mashed Potatoes?

You can freeze mashed potatoes with cream cheese up to one month ahead of time. Place them in an airtight container, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm them up in one of the ways listed above in “make-ahead ideas.”

Print

Ultimate Mashed Potatoes Recipe (with Cream Cheese!)

Our very favorite mashed potato recipe. A special ingredient, cream cheese, makes them extra creamy and oh-so delicious.

Keyword best mashed potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes with cream cheese, mashed potatoes with cream cheese

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 372kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes about 10 medium potatoes; peeled
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature is best
• 1/2 cup butter 1 stick; plus more for serving; room temp is best
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Instructions

• Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully add peeled potatoes.
• Boil over high heat until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat and drain potatoes in a colander. Put drained potatoes back in the pot and put back on the stove over low heat.
• Add the cream cheese, butter, 1/2 cup of the milk, and a hefty pinch salt and pepper.
• Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until they reach desired consistency, adding more milk a little at a time until they're the texture you'd like. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you like.
• Spoon into a large bowl and top with a generous pat of butter and some fresh herbs if you like. Serve.

Notes

Vegan/Dairy-Free Option:

Swap the butter, cream cheese, and milk for plant-based options. Unsweetened oat milk is especially nice in mashed potatoes.

Make-Ahead

Make these mashed potatoes up to two days ahead of time. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, then warm them up either in a slow cooker on warm (stir every 30 minutes or so), over the stove top, or in the oven, covered so they don’t dry out. You can also heat them in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

Can I Freeze Mashed Potatoes?

You can freeze mashed potatoes with cream cheese up to one month ahead of time. Place them in an airtight container, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm them up in one of the ways listed above in “make-ahead ideas.”

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 904mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 775IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg

What to Serve with Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Ahhhh, the possibilities!

• Well first off, we need some gravy! This vegetarian onion gravy is divine (and one of the most popular recipes on my site!), or try mushroom gravy.
• Don’t forget the stuffing! This buttery herb stuffing or cornbread stuffing are both perfect.
• This from-scratch green bean casserole or stuffed delicata squash are both lovely too.

More Mashed Potato Recipes

• Golden Mashed Potatoes
• Dairy-Free Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Loaded Mashed Potatoes
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes

The post Ultimate Creamy Mashed Potatoes (with Cream Cheese) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Made from scratch with a buttery vanilla base layer covered with sweet cream cheese that melds together into ooey gooey butter cake bliss, this rich and indulgent cake is the BEST with a strong cup of coffee. Nothing better!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Gooey Butter Cake
• Ingredients
• How to Make Gooey Butter Cake
• Tips for Success
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Sheet Cake Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Here in the Pacific Northwest, late August brings a hint of fall chill into the air. I’m equal parts excited and resentful. Yes, I absolutely adore fall, but I also can’t help clinging onto our gorgeous (and fleeting) PNW summers.

These past couple of weeks, the weather has been especially fall-like. One particularly cold and gray day, I flipped on the furnace and threw on a pair of fuzzy socks. And then, all of the sudden, I got really, really excited for fall. Pumpkin spice latte excited (yes, PSL is already out!) Curl up with a book and a cozy blanket excited. Roaring fire excited. And, of course, baking excited!

I’ll give you one guess as to what I baked first. Hint: It’s the theme of this post. That’s right – I made a Gooey Butter Cake!

It’s the perfect segue into fall baking. We enjoyed ours plain, but the last of summer’s berries would have been perfect scattered along the top. Equally perfect would have been a pumpkin gooey butter cake recipe, which is on my list to create. For now, we have the classic.

Why You’ll Love Gooey Butter Cake

There are a few versions of Gooey Butter Cake out there, but biased as I am, I think this one is the best!

Many of them use yellow cake mix, which definitely makes it super easy. Others are the reportedly more authentic St. Louis gooey butter cake, which looks amazing, but requires yeast in the base, and I like something a bit faster and easier.

This from-scratch Gooey Butter Cake recipe is the perfect compromise. I love the thick, almost cookie-like from-scratch base layer (it probably resembles a blondie most closely) and the equally thick, buttery cream cheese layer that combines with the base for the gooiest butter cake around!

This cake is so good!

Ingredients

• Sugar – You’ll need granulated (plain white) sugar for the bottom layer, and powdered sugar for both sweetening the top layer, and dusting over the top of your Gooey Butter Cake.
• Butter – Just your standard sticks of butter, though I like going with unsalted to better control the salt level in my baked goods. This Gooey Butter Cake has two, yep two, sticks of butter. It lives up to its name!
• Eggs – You’ll want three eggs and one additional yolk. I just save the white from the yolk for the following morning’s scrambled eggs.
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract – I really like the hint of flavor a smidge of almond extract adds, but you can leave it out if you don’t have it or don’t love it.
• Flour – Straight up all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder
• Salt – I like a fine-grain salt for baked goods.
• Cream cheese – I’ve only made this with full fat, dairy cream cheese, but I think that both lite and vegan would work. (I need to test this recipe both ways and will report back!)

How to Make Gooey Butter Cake

Making Gooey Butter Cake is a bit different than your standard cake recipe, because it’s made in two separate layers.

The first layer is like a combination between a chewy bar cookie and a blondie. You can mix these ingredients by hand, combining the melted butter and the sugar first, then stir in the egg yolk, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. From there, sift in your flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir until combined.

The batter will be very stiff. Pour it into your baking pan (line it with parchment for easy clean-up, if you like), and press it with your fingers or a measuring cup so that it’s in an even layer across the bottom of the pan.

Now, it’s time for the topping! Grab your hand mixer to make this part easier.

Whip the cream cheese until super creamy, then add the eggs and vanilla and combine well. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time.

Then, pour the cream cheese topping over the cookie/cake layer.

And spread it until even.

Now, it’s time to bake! You’ll want to bake ooey gooey butter cake until the edges have lifted away slightly from the pan and the whole thing is lightly golden.

If it still wobbles a little in the middle, that’s okay!

Once the cake has cooled, it’s time to cut it into squares.

Dust with powdered sugar, and dig in!

Tips for Success

• Make sure your cream cheese isn’t super cold. 30-60 minutes at room temperature before you begin is fine.
• Line your pan with parchment paper. It’s not a must, but it helps make it super easy to lift your cake out of the pan.
• Eat it COMPLETELY COLD. Cool the cake in the pan, then refrigerate it until it’s cold. In my opinion, it tastes the best when it’s chilled.
• To get clean slices, run your knife under hot water, dry it, and then slice the cake. You’ll want to do this after every cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when Gooey Butter Cake is done? Should it be jiggly in the middle?

The cake will be lightly golden, and slightly darker around the edges. The edges will have lifted away from the side of the pan a bit, and the center will jiggle a tiny bit when shaken

Do I eat Gooey Butter Cake warm or cold?

You can eat it either way, but I recommend enjoying it cold, straight out of the fridge. It just tastes better!

How do I store Gooey Butter Cake?

Extra cake should be stored in an airtight container and placed in the fridge for up to 5 days.

What can I serve with butter cake?

If you like, you could top your Gooey Butter Cake with fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or raspberries. A berry puree or berry sauce (like this blueberry lemon sauce) is amazing with gooey butter cake, too. Honestly, I like mine simple, with a dusting of powered sugar only. With the buttery vanilla flavor and the gooey texture, I find it plenty rich and satisfying plain with a cup of coffee.

More Sheet Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Wacky Cake
• Banana Spice Cake
• Lemon Cake
• American Flag Cake

Print

Gooey Butter Cake Recipe (from Scratch)

So moist it's gooey – in the BEST possible way! This buttery vanilla cake is made in two layers, with a soft blondie-style base and cream cheese top. Serve with your morning coffee or enjoy it at the end of the day as a decadent dessert. Or both!

Keyword gooey butter cake, ooey gooey butter cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 15

Calories 427kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the cake base:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted; one stick
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt

For the cream cheese layer:

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus more for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and melted butter. Next add the egg yolk, one egg, vanilla and almond extracts, and stir to combine.
• Set a sifter over the top and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift it into the wet ingredients, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir just until combined. The dough will be thick, like the texture of cookie dough.
• Pour the dough into the prepared baking pan and press into the baking pan, creating an even layer, by flattening the dough with your hands or by using the bottom of a measuring cup to lightly press it in. Place the dough in the fridge to chill while you make the cream cheese layer.
• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese with the melted butter until light and creamy.
• Add the remaining two eggs and the vanilla extract, mixing until well-combined.
• Add the powdered sugar in batches, mixing until combined.
• Spoon the filling onto the chilled dough and smooth it out with a butter knife or an offset spatula, making sure to get it into all the corners.
• Bake until the top is lightly golden, the edges have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pan, and the center is only slightly jiggly – 35 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Alternatively, you can chill it at this point so that it's completely cold when served (my favorite way to serve it!)
• Cut the cake into equal-sized squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving. 
• Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 226mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Gooey Butter Cake Recipe (from Scratch) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Honeynut squash is like a baby butternut – at barely two pounds each, you can hold them comfortably in the palm of your hand. Honeynut squash’s petite size makes it perfect for roasted squash for just one or two. And, after familiarizing myself with this this sweet and velvety squash, I knew I had to make a twice-baked version, because those half shells make for perfect individual portions.

This Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash is perfect for your Thanksgiving table (or anytime!) With sour cream and chives or scallions, it takes its cue from classic twice-baked potatoes. The tangy sour cream pairs perfectly with the ultra-creamy, mild and sweet squash. A bit of white pepper lends a hint of heat but without the black speckles. And the panko breadcrumb topping gives a satisfying buttery crunch to the whole situation.

Plus, the presentation is just cute!

Okay, so here’s where I go into annoying teaser mode. I’ve been working on a HUGE new project that I am super, duper excited about. I created this recipe awhile ago for that project, but darnit, I just can’t bring myself to wait for it to be ready before I share this recipe on Kitchen Treaty. Thanksgiving is this week, after all – and I needed to share it now. (No, it’s not a cookbook! But it is going to be awesome. A little weird. But a lot awesome.)

So back to Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash. Here’s what we’ve got:

Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash Ingredients

• Honeynut squash in all its gloriousness: Four of them! Even though you only end up with five or six half-shells once the filling cooks down.
• Sour cream: Because every twice-baked and stuffed situation needs sour cream! Feel free to sub in a vegan version if you prefer.
• Chives or chopped scallions
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper
• Panko bread crumbs: For the irresistible topping
• Olive oil (for roasting the squash) and butter (for the panko topping)

How to Make Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash

First, you roast up your honeynut squash. Then, you scoop out the squash, leaving enough around the edge of your shell so that the cooked shell holds up. Mix the squash with your sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper – so simple! – then stuff your squash shells and top with your buttery panko. Bake some more until the breadcrumbs are golden, arrange on a platter with some pretty herbs, and dive in!

Honeynut squash is still a little hard to find. I’ve seen it at my local Sprouts Market and Whole Foods. My advice is, if you see it, grab it! You never know when you see it again and trust me when I say it is worth it.

Honeynut squash is still a little hard to find. I’ve seen it at my local Sprouts Market and Whole Foods. My advice is, if you see it, grab it! You never know when you see it again and trust me when I say it is worth it.

Here’s the full, printable recipe!

More stuffed squash recipes from Kitchen Treaty

Wild Rice & Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash

White Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash Boats (with chicken or tofu)

Chili Cheese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

White Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Print

Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash

Petite honeynut squash – a smaller, sweeter, smoother knockoff of butternut – whipped smooth, served up in its own shell, and topped off with buttery panko breadcrumbs. Can't beat the flavor OR the presentation!

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 5

Calories 133kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 each honeynut squash about 2 pounds each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1/3 cup sour cream or vegan sour cream
• 3 tablespoons minced chives plus a few extra for garnish; can substitute minced scallions
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper can substitute normal black pepper but there will be specks
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or vegan butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set out a large rimmed baking sheet.

Half and seed your honeynut squash

• Leaving as much of the squash as possible (very important so you have enough "boat" to stuff), lay squashes on their sides and with a sharp, heavy knife, carefully trim off the stem and the bottom ends.
• Set the squash on its now-flat bottom end and cut the squash in half vertically.
• Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Discard seeds.

Roast honeynut squash halves

• Place squash halves cut-side-up on your baking sheet. Brush the cut sides of the honeynut squash with olive oil and sprinkle the halves with a pinch of kosher salt. Flip them over so that they are now cut-side down.
• Roast until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork but isn't too mushy, about 25 minutes.
• Remove squash from the oven and let cool until it can be handled, about 30 minutes.

Prepare the filling & topping

• Once the squash is cool enough to be handled, use a spoon to scoop out the insides of the squash, leaving about a 1/4 inch border of squash to help keep the shells sturdy. Set the shells upright to prepare for the filling.
• Add the cooked squash to a bowl along with the sour cream, chives or scallions, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and white pepper. Combine well with a fork or, if you prefer a smoother filling, you can use a hand mixer. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. I use about 3/4 teaspoon salt in the filling but like to call for less in my recipes because tastes differ.
• Spoon the filling into the shells. You will find that you don't have enough filling to fill all the shells. I usually end up with enough for about five, use my five prettiest shells, and discard the rest.
• In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
• Using a spoon or your clean hands, top the filled squash halves with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake again!

• Return honeynut squash to the oven and bake for about 15 more minutes, until the filling is heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Garnish and serve

• To serve, I like to arrange my squash on a platter with some herbs (like a few snipped sage leaves) or greens (such as arugula) tucked here and there. Garnish honeynut halves with additional chopped chives or scallions (something I forgot in my pics but recommend!)

Notes

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Twice-Baked Butternut Squash recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 399IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

When it comes to our kids, time seems to be our greatest commodity – and the lack of it our greatest challenge.

For me, I feel like I am constantly running around the kitchen, trying to get something made, on the table, cleaned up … and my 3-year-old is right there. “Play with me mommy!” “Can you play with me NOW?” “Look at this mommy!” “I want to see!”

It’s so easy to put her off in the interest of just getting stuff done in a speedy manner. But in my heart, it just doesn’t always sit quite right.

Which is why I am loving the new Cooking with Kids campaign from Ikea. Today, I’ve teamed up with them to bring you some fun tips and tricks for getting the little ones more involved in the kitchen.

The campaign is basically a manifesto from children to parents … it’s cheeky and fun, but it also definitely hits home.

How awesome would it be if we could combine quality time with getting dinner (or breakfast) on the table? And not just delegating the boring bits of work like clearing the plates, handing out napkins (our daughter’s current job), or cleaning the lettuce.

Maybe it will take a little more planning and a lot more relaxing. But you know what? It’s really a win-win.

This “5 Tips for Cooking with Parents” video is excellent food for thought.

Ikea also created a video that shows what happens when kids are left to design their own kitchen – and what they end up with is pretty awesome.

You’ll also find several great parent-friendly recipes on Ikea’s website as part of the campaign. Loving these!

My favorite of all is the Real Swedish Pancakes recipe. Swedish Pancakes are sort of like a hybrid between your typical fluffy pancakes and crepes. They’re light, tender, and buttery – an decadent yet super-simple pancake that is absolutely delicious rolled up with jam and sprinkled with a little powdered sugar.

Or a lot.

Best of all, they’re fun for kids AND parents to make – and easy too.

The tip I most took to heart was to just let go – a mess is really no big deal, right? So when my daughter helped me make this recipe, I fought off my usual urge to control every step of the process. When I decided to just step back and let her little three-year-old hands crack open the eggs, that’s when she really started having fun.

Especially when one of the eggs exploded.

But you know what? It cleaned up quickly.

And then … there were these.

(Hugs and kisses not pictured.)

(more…)

The post Swedish Pancakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Iiiits cookie time! It’s the time of year when so many of us bite off more than we can chew. Literally and figuratively. I mean, there are so many cookies to be made this time of year!

In years past, I’ve headed home from the grocery store loaded up with bags of ingredients for no less than eight different types of cookies. And then set out to make all of them inside of one day. Even before I had a kid (and therefore much less leisure time), eight different kinds of cookies were tough to turn out in one day. Let alone one season.

This year, instead of handing out cookie plates with a vast variety of cookies in all shapes and sizes, my labor of love for the season is not quite so laborious. I’m planning to give out mason jars filled with just one delicious variety of cookies: Sparkly Chocolate Snickerdoodles.

Eight of ’em fit perfectly into a wide-mouthed jar. Screw on a jumbo cupcake liner and tie on some kitchen twine and we’re good to go. Who wouldn’t want to receive a jar of chocolate snickerdoodles for Christmas? I’m hoping for no one, because I’ve got a busy week full of mason jars and cinnamon and sugar up my sleeve. Not literally, because that would be uncomfortable and sticky.

Because these cookies are dark, the sugar in the cinnamon-and-sugar coating shimmers and shines. Hence the “sparkly” in the name. Perfect for the season!

Plus, these little suckers are so easy. They’re basically a traditional snickerdoodle recipe with some of the flour swapped out for cocoa powder. Not even “basically” – that’s exactly what they are. I kept everything else the same, down to rolling copiously in cinnamon and sugar before baking.

The result is chewy but a little soft, chocolatey but still clearly snickerdoodles. And crinkly and cracked along the top, just like a good snickerdoodle should be.

Another bonus with these cookies is that they’re great to make with the little ones. My toddler loves forming the dough balls and rolling them in cinnamon and sugar. But they still turn out perfectly round after baking. Win win!

Yup, just one Christmas cookie this year. Simplification is a good thing (and so are Sparkly Chocolate Snickerdoodles).

(more…)

The post Sparkly Chocolate Snickerdoodles appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Easy peasy, pumpkin squeezey. Or, you know … something like that.

These pumpkin spice pancakes cook up surprisingly tall, but they’re not crazy or anything. They’re just right – perfectly fluffy for fall.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Developing this Pumpkin Pancake Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Pumpkin Pancakes
• Tips for Success
• More Pancake Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I just never know when a recipe is going to take off. It’s all one big fat guessing game. I had a feeling people would like this and it would do well (and so far, it has!). On the other hand, I was convinced these would do well, but nope.

And then there are the recipes that are a huge surprise. Fluffy Banana Pancakes are consistently one of the most-visited and most-made recipes on my site. I knew I loved them, but I didn’t realize they would be so popular. And, of course, I am happy they are!

As far as pancakes go, there’s a special place in breakfast heaven for the fluffy, hearty, thick kind.

I decided I needed another fluffy pancake recipe in my life, so I thought I’d take the banana version and get ’em all fallified. (As in, seasonally appropriate for autumn. I like to make up words. It’s a curse.)

Developing this Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

I set out to create a pumpkin pancake recipe that’s full of those favorite fall flavors – pumpkin and pumpkin spices – yet tall and fluffy too. But no whipping egg whites, please, because who wants to do that at 7 a.m.?! Not me.

For this recipe for pumpkin pancakes, it’s all about the fluffy! I took the original recipe and swapped the banana for pumpkin, added a hefty dose of warming pumpkin spices, and increased the sugar – just a bit – to keep them from going over to savoryville. More made-up words. Sorry.

Readers say …

“We just made these! Delicious! My husband (who does not like any kind of pancake except plain ones) said this is the BEST pancakes he’s ever had. Well done! A new family favorite.”

– Rachelle

Ingredients

• Buttermilk – Use store-bought buttermilk or, like I do 95% of the time, make your own! All you do is grab a liquid measuring ups and add 2 tablespoons vinegar (I use white or apple cider) or lemon juice. Then, fill the cup with milk up to the 2 cup mark.
• Pumpkin – You’ll want one cup of pumpkin puree. I know, that’s a lot of pumpkin, but it makes the most full-of-flavor, moist, tender pumpkin pancakes!
• Eggs – You’ll need two eggs for these pancakes.
• Butter – You’ll want it melted and cooled slightly.
• Vanilla – Adds sweet flavor to your buttermilk pumpkin pancakes.
• Flour – I like to use straight-up white all-purpose flour for these.
• Sugar – Again, plain white granulated sugar.
• Baking powder & baking soda – Both leaveners help the pancakes rise and create air pockets for tender, tall, fluffy pumpkin pancakes.
• Pumpkin pie spice – A combo of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice super easily or buy it from the store.
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt or table salt (nor coarse salt) for my pancakes.

Adaptations/Variations

• Dairy-free pumpkin pancakes: Use vegan butter or coconut oil + your favorite plant-based milk.
• Vegan pumpkin pancakes: Use vegan butter/coconut oil, plant-based milk, and 2 flax eggs. Or, follow my recipe for fluffy vegan pumpkin pancakes!
• Chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes: Stir 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips in with the dry ingredients.

Tips for Success

• Mix your pumpkin pancake batter together JUST until it’s well-combined. Don’t over-mix, or you risk developing the gluten in the flour, which can create tough – not tender – pancakes. Nobody wants that!
• Check to make sure your griddle is ready before adding the first pancake. Flick a little water on the griddle. If the droplets hiss and bounce around a bit, it’s ready for pancakes!
• When to flip your pumpkin pancakes? Watch for bubbles. The pancakes are ready to flip when they look a little dry around the edges and start to form little bubbles (about a minute). Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and the cooked through.
• Keep your cooked pancakes warm with a dish towel. I like to pile up pancakes on a large plate and keep a thick, clean dish towel over the top of them to keep them warm until they’re ready to serve.

More Pancake Recipes

• Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pumpkin Chia Pancakes
• Chia Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Fluffy Banana Pancakes
• Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes
• Banana Oatmeal Blender Pancakes
• Swedish Pancakes
• Funfetti Birthday Pancakes

Print

Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

Super-fluffy, tall, yet moist pumpkin pancakes. Yes, you can have it all in a pumpkin pancake recipe!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword pancakes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 527kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups buttermilk see Recipe Notes for how to make your own buttermilk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 each eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter* melted and cooled slightly + more for cooking, if desired
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice** see Recipe Notes for substitution info
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt
• Butter and maple syrup for serving

Instructions

• To a large bowl, add the buttermilk. If using the vinegar plus milk option, let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the milk to turn to buttermilk.
• Add the pumpkin, eggs, butter, and vanilla and stir with a whisk to combine.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
• Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
• Let batter rest for about 5 minutes.
• Heat a non-stick griddle to 325 degrees or set large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a little butter on the cooking surface, spreading it evenly, if desired (if the surface is non-stick, you may not need to do this). Using a 1/3 cup measure (or, my pancake scooping weapon of choice, a trigger-handled ice cream scoop), pour the batter onto the griddle or into the frying pan. The pancakes are ready to flip when they look a little dry around the edges and start to form little bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and completely cooked through, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Serve topped with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Notes

Makes about 12 (5-inch) pancakes – for nutrition calculation purposes, I assumed that’s three pancakes each.

To make buttermilk: Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Fill with enough whole milk, 2% milk, oat milk, soy milk, or unsweetened almond milk to equal 2 cups, then let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. 

* Can sub vegan butter or coconut oil

** Or you can substitute the following if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice blend on hand:

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Dairy-free option:

Substitute unsweetened almond milk for the milk. Substitute vegan butter or coconut oil for the butter.

Adapted from my Fluffy Banana Pancakes recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 3(5-inch) pancakes | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 9993IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 5mg

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