Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love One-Pot Tortellini Alfredo
• Ingredients
• How to Make One-Pot Tortellini Alfredo
• Tips for Success
• More Easy Pasta Recipes

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

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’m a huge fan of one-pot pasta dishes. I created this creamy one-pot pumpkin pasta years ago, and when I’m craving more veggies, I go for this one-pot pasta primavera.

The … selective … eater in our house (ahem, not naming names, love you kiddo!) has recently been adding more pasta into their rotation, and is a fan of Alfredo, so I thought this one-pot tortellini Alfredo would go over well. And, yay! It did!

Not only is the kid a fan, the grown-ups are too. I love how easy this one pot tortellini Alfredo is to make, and it’s one of those great versatile recipes that is as perfect for weeknight dinners as it is for a little dinner party.

Why You’ll Love One-Pot Tortellini Alfredo

• SO delicious – The garlicky creamy sauce with parmesan is to die for. So good!
• Simple & easy – Just a few ingredients and a bit of prep time and your creamy tortellini Alfredo is ready to serve!

Ingredients

• Tortellini – I like to use refrigerated pasta for this creamy garlic parmesan tortellini. Because I’m a vegetarian, I go for cheese tortellini, but you can swap in any kind.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the shallot and garlic
• Shallot – Sautéed at the beginning of the process, the shallot creates the backbone of a flavorful Alfredo-inspired sauce. If you don’t have any shallots on hand, a small onion will work just fine.
• Garlic – You’ll want three cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced.
• Italian seasoning mix – Grab some in the seasonings section of just about any grocery store, or make your own Italian seasoning mix at home (it’s super easy to whip up!)
• Vegetable broth – Helps create a full-of-flavor, rich sauce.
• Heavy cream – For that thick, rich, glorious sauce!
• Nutmeg – Optional, but highly recommended.
• Salt & pepper
• Spinach – You don’t have to add it, but I like to throw a little in there at the end of the process to get some veggies in.
• Parmesan cheese – For the best BEST creamy sauce. 1/2 cup, plus more for topping your one-pot tortellini.
• Fresh basil or parsley – Also optional but lovely for additional flavor and pretty color.

Tips for Success

• The sauce will thicken up when serving. It might seem thin at first, but have faith in the process!
• For smaller pieces of spinach that all but disappears into the dish, chop it up a bit before adding it.

I hope you love this One-Pot Creamy Tortellini Alfredo as much as my family does! This has become a great go-to easy recipe for us. It’s creamy and comforting and cozy and garlicky and everything good about tortellini + Alfredo.

If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Please come back and leave a review.

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One-Pot Tortellini Alfredo Recipe

Tender cheese tortellini in a rich and creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. Comes together in a single pot and under 30 minutes to make!

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword one pot tortellini, one pot tortellini alfredo, tortellini alfredo

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 696kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 medium-size dutch oven or deep skillet

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot finely chopped; can substitute 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
• 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini 1 package
• 1 ounce baby spinach, chopped small 1 cup packed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonaded for garnish; can substitute parsley

Instructions

• Set a medium to large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and shallot. Sauté, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the Italian seasoning, then stream in the broth and cream. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
• Add the tortellini to the simmering sauce. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce thickens slightly, 9-10 minutes. The sauce will seem thin at first, but it will continue to thicken as it cooks and thicken even more once it's done cooking.
• Stir in the spinach and Parmesan until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is creamy and smooth.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of extra Parmesan and basil. Serve.

Notes

Meat option:

Add crisp prosciutto or pancetta on top for a salty crunch

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1396mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2524IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 360mg | Iron: 3mg

More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Lazy Cheese Lasagna
• One Pot Pumpkin Pasta
• Baked Boursin Pasta
• Butternut Squash & Spinach Pasta Pie

The post One-Pot Creamy Tortellini Alfredo Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Snowy days, Christmas, cozy nights in … there are so many reasons to enjoy hot chocolate! This Crock Pot Hot Chocolate makes whipping up a big, rich batch super easy – and it’s rich, creamy, and super chocolatey. Plus, we’re talking just a couple minutes prep time and only 5 ingredients!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
• Tips for Success
• More Crock Pot Drink Recipes

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

The Story Behind the Recipe

I wanted to create a large-batch hot chocolate recipe that was super easy to make, stayed nice and warm for whenever the crowd is ready to start sipping, and was pretty hands-off. Needless to say, the Crock Pot was the answer!

I strived to keep this Crock Pot hot chocolate recipe as simple as possible. If you’re using the Crock Pot, you’re probably already looking for hands-off and easy. I know I am! So I pared it down to what, I feel, are only the necessary ingredients yet still deliver a creamy, dreamy, chocolatey hot cocoa situation.

And you can even pare down even further, if you like, by subbing milk for the whipping cream and using a sweeter chocolate chip then skipping the sugar.

Ingredients

• Heavy whipping cream – Rich and creamy heavy whipping cream makes a luxurious hot chocolate. If you want a simpler, lighter hot cocoa, you can sub in 2 additional cups of milk.
• Milk – Whole milk or 2%, preferably.
• Chocolate chips – I like to go with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Sugar – Start with two tablespoons, then stir in a third if you think it needs to be a bit sweeter.
• Salt – Optional, but a hefty pinch of salt helps to highlight the chocolate flavors while helping tame the sweetness.
• Pure vanilla extract – Adds another note of sweet, cozy flavor.

Adaptations/Variations

• Vegan/dairy-free hot cocoa: Substitute the whole milk and heavy whipping cream with 6 cups of full-fat unsweetened oat milk and make sure your chocolate chips and whipping cream are dairy-free. If vegan, skip the marshmallows or buy vegan marshmallows like Dandies brand. 
• Almond hot cocoa: I once accidentally dumped almond extract into a warm batch of Crock Pot hot cocoa. Almond extract is strong – you need a lot less of almond vs. vanilla! But when I cautiously tasted it to see if I could salvage it, it was absolutely delicious! Though I recommend maybe only 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of the full teaspoon if you try this.

How to Make Crock Pot Hot Cocoa

It’s super easy to make this hot chocolate recipe in the Crock Pot. Just add all of the ingredients, except the vanilla, to your Crock Pot, and turn it up to high. Stir every 30 minutes or so until steaming hot and the chocolate chips are melted. Switch the Crock Pot to the “warm” setting to keep the hot cocoa warm without it boiling.

Add the vanilla extract, taste and add more sugar if you like, and serve with copious amounts of whipped cream and/or marshmallows!

Tips for Success

• This is more of a hands-on Crock Pot recipe than most. While it is super simple and easy, you’ll want to be around so that you can stir it every 30 minutes or so to help the chocolate chips melt and distribute without sticking to the bottom of the Crock Pot.
• Make it a hot cocoa bar. Serve the warm Crock Pot of hot cocoa alongside a variety of toppings like marshmallows, whipped cream, candy canes, nuts, toffee, cookies, coffee syrups, chocolate syrup, and more. You can even provide disposable travel mugs with lids and sleeves if they need to take their hot cocoa on the go!

I hope you love this Crock Pot Hot Chocolate recipe as much as we do! It’s simple and easy, the perfect way to get piping hot cocoa into the hands of a gaggle of kids or group of grown-ups.

More Crock Pot Drink Recipes

• Gingerbread Pumpkin Latte
• Vanilla Latte
• Mulled Apple Cider
• Cranberry Orange Mulled Wine
• Eggnog Latte
• Peppermint Mochas
• Mulled Cranberry Apple Cider

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Crock Pot Hot Chocolate Recipe

Rich, creamy, and chocolatey! A big batch of hot cocoa that stays warm for a crowd. Only 5 ingredients and almost entirely hands off!

Servings 8

Calories 555kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 [16-ounce] container
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 bag
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except for the vanilla extract to your Crock Pot.
• Switch the Crock Pot to high and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so until the chocolate chips are melted and the hot cocoa is steaming hot, at which point you should switch the Crock Pot to “warm.”
• Stir in the vanilla and ladle into cups to serve. Top with whipped cream and/or marshmallows.

Notes

Vegan/dairy-free option:

Substitute the whole milk and heavy whipping cream with 6 cups of full-fat unsweetened oat milk and make sure your chocolate chips and whipping cream are dairy-free. If vegan, skip the marshmallows or buy vegan marshmallows like Dandies brand. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1mug | Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Crock Pot Hot Chocolate Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

But make no mistake. This Stove-Top Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese recipe is over-the-top rich, creamy, and – yeah – pretty divine, too.

I have a favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. I even boldly declared it the best ever. But I admit it – I’m waffling now.

I threw this recipe together with what I happened to have on hand. I was attempting a butternut squash white bean soup in the slow cooker (it was a bit of a fail), and I had some squash cubes left over. I was also craving some mac and  cheese, dangit, so I thought, why not put that squash to use?

I was out of milk, so I used heavy whipping cream (and not a small amount). I didn’t have much in the way of seasonings – just some fresh thyme sitting in the fridge, starting to look little withered. It needed to be used. And then a little scoop of Dijon mustard, for giggles. I pureed the cooked squash together with the jazzed-up whipping cream mixture, and then stirred in the cheddar.

Sweet holy velvety sauce!

I knew this was going to be good, but when I took my first bite, my eyes opened wide. Oh, it was good. TOO good. I devoured the entire (generous) bowl. I’m not proud.

I decided this gloriously decadent macaroni and cheese was going to have to be reserved for special occasions. Luckily, my birthday was a couple of days away. So I made it again.

Confirmed: There will always be a special place in my heart for that other mac and cheese recipe, but, yeah. This is my new favorite. And – I’ve got to admit – way easier to make.

Next up: Thanksgiving. I can hardly wait for more cheesy goodness.

P.S.: If you want to sneak more veggies into your family’s diet, this is the dish to do it with.

(more…)

The post Stove-Top Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

The first time I tried this recipe, this is what I added to my recipe notes:

“SOOOO tender and good, very cinnamony and rich.”

And I’d say that pretty much nails it, and even though “SOOOO” and “cinnamony” aren’t words, I understand what I meant, and I’m pretty sure you must, too. I’ve been thinking about the recipe ever since, and I could not wait to make them again and share them here.

I. Love. These scones. And I really love homemade scones, but these scones? Super extra sublime. The cinnamon imparts its signature sweet warmth while the brown sugar adds such a divine rich note – and also, on occasion, creates these glorious crispy bits along the bottom of the scones that are particularly heavenly.

They’re super tender, flaky, and … just … aaah. Especially with a piping-hot cup of coffee.

I’m in love with a scone. Please send help.

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating! And, if you find it share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #kitchentreaty on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes!

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Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scones Recipe

With warm cinnamon and rich brown sugar, these tender, flaky scones are simply sublime.

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 331kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch squares) (salted butter is fine, I just suggest you reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You may have a few brown sugar lumps; that’s fine. Work in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla.
• Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. With a wooden spoon, stir just until a dough forms.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and form into a disc about 1-inch tall. Cut into 8 wedges.
• Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet (a cookie sheet lined with a silpat is great, too) at 350 degrees for about 12 – 14 minutes until the scones begin to brown on the bottom.
• Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Food Network.  I use Alton Brown’s recipe as a jumping-off point for nearly all my scones recipes. It’s fabulous.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Nutella icing is perfect for vanilla or banana cupcakes, chocolate cake, or pumpkin anything. If you or a loved one are Nutella lovers, this Nutella frosting is definitely going to be your love language!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Fluffy Nutella Buttercream
• Ingredients
• How to Make Nutella Buttercream
• Tips for Success
• What to Frost with this Buttercream

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

The Story Behind the Recipe

Dessert is beautiful in many, many ways, but in our house, we especially appreciate its ability to bridge the divide between my vegetarianism and his carnivorous diet.

Because, unless we’re putting lard in our pie crusts or sprinkling bacon on our ice cream (and even my bacon-loving guy isn’t really on board with the bacon-in-desserts thing), dessert is naturally vegetarian!

No need for our usual fork-in-the-road recipes, which really isn’t such a bad way to live, but there’s something fun about being able to nosedive simultaneously into, for instance, the same Fluffy Nutella Buttercream frosted cupcakes.

I first created this recipe all the way back in 2012, so it’s been around a long time! It’s consistently been one of the most popular and well-loved on my website, and I hope you’ll love it, too.

Why You’ll Love Fluffy Nutella Buttercream

This fluffy, light buttercream combines your traditional buttercream ingredients, butter and powdered sugar, with a nice dose of Nutella. A little vanilla adds a perfect note, and a good pinch of kosher salt rounds out the sweetness while also highlighting that delicious chocolate-hazelnut flavor that’s uniquely Nutella.

And lastly, it’s got heavy whipping cream, which I love, love, love adding to my buttercream recipes. It gives an otherwise heavy frosting such a wonderfully airy texture.

In the case of the photos here, I topped basic vanilla cupcakes (from the same vanilla sponge cake recipe I used for my Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes) with Nutella icing. Pure, simple perfection!

Ingredients

• Butter – I recommend starting with unsalted butter so that you can better control the salt content in your Nutella buttercream. Make sure it’s room temp so it’s easy to blend.
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
• Nutella – Or another chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• Vanilla extract – The mellow sweetness of pure vanilla extract helps enhance the chocolate-hazelnut flavors.
• Salt – Just a pinch to help round out the sweetness.
• Heavy whipping cream – Only a couple of tablespoons needed, but key to achieving the fluffiest fluffy Nutella buttercream!

How to Make Nutella Buttercream

It’s really, really easy to make this Nutella Buttercream recipe! Just whip the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer …

Then it’s time to add the Nutella. Increase the speed to medium and beat for around two minutes until fluffy and luscious.

Mix in the vanilla and salt, then add the heavy whipping cream and beat for around one more minute. Your Nutella frosting will lighten a shade or two in color and become even more fluffy.

SO DELICIOUS!

Now, it’s time to slather the Nutella icing of your dreams onto your cake of choice. You can use a piping tip and pastry bag, or just pile it into a plastic bag and snip the corner off. Pile it high!

Tips for Success

• Start with room-temperature butter. This way, the powdered sugar can completely mix with the butter and get nice and fluffy.
• Start with unsalted butter, too. This way, you can control the exact amount of salt that you add to your Nutella buttercream.
• Start mixing slowly. If you turn the mixer on high, it’ll probably look like a blizzard just hit your kitchen, thanks to the powdered sugar that’s sprayed all over. Start nice and low and slow, until the powdered sugar is blended into the butter. You can increase the speed after that.
• Make ahead. Make this buttercream up to 7 days ahead of time. Place it in the refrigerator to keep, then move it back to room temp about 30 minutes before you want to use it.

What to Frost with this Buttercream

• Chocolate Crazy Cake
• Chocolate Layer Cake
• Banana Spice Cake
• Pumpkin Spice Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Nutella in buttercream form. Pure heaven.

Dessert – especially this one – is a beautiful thing indeed.

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Fluffy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe

This fluffy – and super easy – buttercream frosting recipe features everyone’s favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella. Pure perfection. One batch of this buttercream should be plenty to frost one standard-sized layer cake or generously top a dozen cupcakes.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword nutella buttercream, nutella frosting, nutella icing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 313kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar aka confectioner's sugar
• 2/3 cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch fine-grain sea salt or table salt up to 1/4 teaspoon, to taste
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• In a stand mixer afixed with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and powdered sugar on low until well-blended. Add the Nutella and increase the speed to medium. Beat for two minutes.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt and whip for an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the whipping cream and beat for about one minute, until the frosting lightens slightly in both color and texture.

Notes

1 batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes or one 8- or 9-inch layer cake. 

Recipe update 9/16/2024: Updated photos. Change recipe to call for fine-grain sea salt or table salt instead of kosher salt. I find I like finer grain salt in my baked goods these days. If you prefer a larger-grain salt, kosher salt will still work!

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Fluffy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

In between marathon blog redesign sessions, I’ve had a teensy bit of a life. I think it’s still summer – it is, right? I think the weather is pretty nice. I think my dogs and my guy still like me well enough. I think.

As far as my guy is concerned, I’m pretty sure it helped that I took enough of a break over the past couple of weeks to head to the farm stand and load up on beautiful, bright, just-picked Pacific Northwest bing cherries, and then turn a bunch of those bad boys into fresh bing cherry ice cream for him.

I also bought him a case of Hefeweizen and some beef jerky. I aim to please. My dogs, Angel and Lizzie? Psh, they think I hung the moon no matter what, which is pretty handy. Though I did promise to take them to the ocean this weekend. Just in case.

A pound of red, ripe cherries turns this lush ice cream a pretty pale burgundy. Not pink, mind you. Pale burgundy. I feel like there should be a name for pale burgundy, but it’s escaping me. The flavor? Actually a little subtle, until you bite into a chunk of cherry and… {monster truck voice} “IT’S A FLAVOR EXPLOSION! explosion! explosion!”

(By the way, it’s even better with a drizzle of homemade chocolate syrup for a Black Forest type of situation.)

Which is to say, it’s good. Really good. And a great way to showcase those wonderful bing cherries in season. And a great way to feel better about the fact that you’re neglecting your loved ones while you obsess over your blog redesign.

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Homemade Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

This lush, pretty ice cream is the perfect thing to do with those sweet bing cherries. Recipe prep time includes freezing time.

Keyword cherry ice cream, cherry vanilla ice cream, Homemade Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

Prep Time 6 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole or 2% milk
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 pound fresh bing cherries this will amount to 2 cups cherry halves + 1 cup diced cherries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Pit 2/3 of the cherries. I just cut the cherries in half with a paring knife, then carefully pried them apart and removed the pit. You can also use a rigid straw to push against the end of the cherry and force the cherry pit through the other side.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice over the cherry halves and toss lightly. Pit and dice the remaining 1/3 of the cherries. Cut the cherry in half, remove the pit, and then cut each half into fourths. Or, you know, cut 'em how you like.
• And then sprinkle the other teaspoon of lemon juice over the diced cherries and toss a little.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is frothy. This takes a good couple of minutes. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and whipping cream over low heat, until the mixture is very warm – when it forms bubbles around the sides, it's about ready.
• Very slowly pour the hot cream/milk mixture into the beaten eggs, whipping briskly the entire time. You’re tempering the eggs – heating them slowly and evenly so that you don’t make scrambled eggs instead of beautiful custard.
• Return the milk/cream/eggs/sugar mixture to the saucepan and, stirring constantly over medium-low heat, cook until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon – about 10 minutes (sometimes takes as long as 15, but watch carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it's thick). Remove from the heat. Stir in the cherry halves (NOT the diced cherries – those go into the ice cream at the last minute). Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes or so then stir in the vanilla.
• Puree. I use my handy dandy immersion blender. You can also use a good old fashioned blender. Be careful, though. The mixture is still hot. Let it sit for a few more minutes if you're not sure. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve. 
• Let the custard cool completely. This can happen in the fridge, or you can set the container in a bowl or sink of ice water to speed up the process.
• Once it's cooled, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer instructions. I use a Cuisinart ice cream maker.
• When the mixture is just about frozen, add the diced cherries. Now you can eat it, or spread it in a container and freeze the rest of the way.
• We enjoy this plain, and I also whipped up some dark chocolate hot fudge to try over the top. Both are equally, sinfully great.

The post Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Best of all, it can be made the night before for an effortless breakfast come morning!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Overnight Caramel Baked French Toast
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Caramel French Toast
• Tips for Success
• More French Toast Recipes

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

The Story Behind the Recipe

This one is perfect for a holiday morning when time is tight and something special is in order. Put it together the night before, then just pull it out of the fridge and bake up a sinfully delicious breakfast while you’re off taking care of other things.

We’ve also plopped a bit of vanilla ice cream on the top of leftover slices for a quick, almost bread-pudding-like dessert.

I first published this recipe back in 2009, and it’s been a family favorite ever since! My nephew, when he was little, even used to called it “Aunt Karen’s famous French toast,” because it was on the internet and all. I thought that was pretty awesome!

Why You’ll Love Overnight Caramel Baked French Toast

This caramel French toast is super special-occasion worthy. I love that it can be assembled the day before, then the next morning, you can just pop it in the oven to bake. It’s especially great for holiday mornings when things are hectic yet you want something special.

Plus, it tastes amazing! Everyone loves this baked French toast recipe … the bread is lightly custardy and chewy, and the caramel is so rich and buttery. The crunch of pecans go perfectly and totally elevates it from plain old French toast.

Ingredients

• Brown sugar – You can use either light or dark brown sugar, your preference. The difference is in the amount of molasses, so if you want a richer, more deeply molasses flavored French toast, go for the dark brown sugar.
• Light corn syrup – A small amount of corn syrup helps create the caramel sauce and ensures success.
• Butter – If you use unsalted, be sure to add an extra pinch of salt to the batter.
• Heavy whipping cream – For the thick, rich caramel sauce.
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract for a sweet touch of vanilla flavor.
• Pecans – Go for raw pecans and chop them finely.
• French bread – You’ll want to slice them thick, about 3/4-inches.
• Milk – For the French toast batter. I use 2% or whole milk.
• Eggs – You’ll need three of them.
• Salt – Just a pinch (or, again, two if you are using unsalted butter).
• Cinnamon – I love the added flavor that a bit of ground cinnamon brings.

Adaptations/Variations

• Go nut-free – This caramel French toast is excellent without the pecans, too.
• Caramel apple French toast – I haven’t tried this yet, but I think that diced apples in lieu or (or in addition to) the pecans would be glorious. Or, you could just serve it up with some easy sautéed apples on the side.

How to Make Caramel French Toast

Prepare a 9×13 pan and set it aside, then make your caramel sauce in your saucepan.

Pour the caramel sauce into your baking dish.

And then add the pecans, dunk the bread into the batter, and add the bread.

Cover it up and let it sit overnight. In the morning, bake it!

Tips for Success

• Don’t allow the caramel sauce to boil. That’ll result in hard caramel once the French toast is baked. Keep the heat on low and just stir until the butter is melted and the ingredients are smooth.
• Grease your pan first. With butter or non-stick spray – this will help make clean-up easy.

I really hope you love this overnight caramel baked French toast as much as we all do! If it ends up being a family fave, will you please do me a favor and come back and leave a review? Thank you! Happy breakfasting!

More French Toast Recipes

• How to Make the Best French Toast
• Coconut French Toast
• Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole
• Silver Dollar French Toast

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Overnight Caramel Pecan French Toast Recipe

Thick slices of bread are dredged into an egg batter and nestled into a thick, rich caramel sauce, then baked up to ooey, gooey perfection!

Keyword baked french toast, caramel french toast, caramel pecan french toast, overnight caramel french toast, overnight french toast, overnight french toast casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 590kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup pecans chopped
• 6 – 7 slices French bread about 3/4 inches thick
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Grease a 9" x 13" pan with a light layer of butter or non-stick spray.
• Over low heat, combine the brown sugar, light corn syrup, butter, and whipping cream in a medium saucepan.
• Keeping the heat on low (letting it get too hot is bad – and don’t let it boil!), stir constantly until the butter is melted and the ingredients are smooth.
• Remove from heat and add 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Pour the warm caramel mixture into a 9″ x 13″ pan.
• Sprinkle the pecans over the top.
• In a large bowl, beat together the milk, eggs, salt, the other 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Dip the bread into the egg mixture, making sure each piece is well-coated. You want to soak up all of the mixture with your six or seven slices of bread.
• Lay the bread in the pan, over the caramel and pecan mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• It’s morning! Ready for some breakfast? Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove the cover from the pan and bake for 20 minutes, until the bottom is bubbling and the toast is golden brown.
• Let stand for a couple of minutes, then invert onto a platter.
• Eat right away!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1691mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 703IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg

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