Posts

Liven up dinnertime with these Chicken Birria Tacos. Filled with juicy, flavorful chicken and a crispy shell, these are everyone’s favorite! (aka – Chicken Birra Tacos)

Today, I’m going to take you on a culinary journey with a recipe that’s a fiesta on a plate – Chicken Birria Tacos. Birria tacos are one of my absolute favorite kinds of tacos, and soon you’ll know why. These are soft, warm tortillas filled with juicy, shredded chicken that’s been simmering in a rich, flavorful birria sauce, and then seared to golden-brown perfection.

Topped with melty cheese, fresh cilantro, and crunchy onions, these tacos are a mouth-watering fusion of savory, spicy, and utterly delicious flavors. They’re not just tacos; they’re a celebration of tradition and taste!

View post

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Tiramisu Cupcakes are loaded with expresso and Kahlua flavors and topped with sweet mascarpone frosting and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Get ready to be whisked away to a little piece of dessert heaven! You love tiramisu cake, right? I mean, does cake really get any better than that?

Well, maybe it does. What if we could take that amazing tiramisu flavor that we all know and love and shrink it down to cupcake size?

View post

Struffoli

Struffoli is a deep-fried dough or pastry that is covered with honey or syrup and topped with sprinkles. It is thought to bring good luck to the home it is made in.

When it comes to the holidays, I’m all about making traditional and nostalgic treats. So I’m always looking back at old family photos to see what was included in the holiday spread.

I’ll often see something I had completely forgotten about or something that I had been trying to pinpoint for years so I could recreate it now for the family to enjoy. One of those recipes is Struffoli.

View post

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies (Thumbprint Jam Cookies) are a classic holiday treat that everyone loves! They are simple to make and easily customizable too!

Thumbprint cookies make wonderful Christmas or holiday gifts. We love these cookies because they are also very easy to decorate for any holiday or occasion, making them suitable even for children to help with.

These cookies can be decorated with icing and sprinkles, candies, nuts, or almost anything that will fit inside the thumbprint indentation! We loved making them for neighbors in the past and love that they can even be made in many different flavors.

I can’t remember a time growing up when these cookies didn’t make an appearance during the holiday season. This is why they continue to be a holiday staple around our house each and every year!

Thumbprints come together quickly and will keep for up to a week if kept airtight. They really are the perfect edible gift and definitely a delicious treat for any holiday party.

raspberry thumbprint cookies

Here are some commonly asked questions

What are thumbprint cookies?

Thumbprint cookies are the classic holiday cookie. They are also known as Thumbprint Jam Cookies or Thimble Cookies for the manner in which they were prepared when they were first created.

These cookies are very simple to make and require minimal prep time. Thumbprint cookies are basically a simple shortbread cookie dough with added jam. They can be made in many flavors and can even be found filled with jelly or chocolate!

Thumbprint cookies were traditionally decorated with the thumb of the person who baked them (giving them their name), but today these classic cookies can be wonderfully decorated for any holiday or occasion.

Can these cookies be made ahead of time?

You bet. This cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before rolling and baking.

thumbprint cookies recipe

How to store thumbprint cookies

These cookies are very easy to store. They will last about a week if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can these cookies be frozen?

Yes, these cookies can be frozen for up to three months. They are also very good when made ahead of time and enjoyed later!

jam thumbprint cookies

Ingredients for Thumbprint Cookies

all-purpose flour
confectioner’s sugar
granulated sugar
butter – softened
egg
ground walnut
vanilla extract
baking powder
table salt
jam

Can these be made without the ground walnuts?

I’m sure you can find a recipe out there that doesn’t call for finely chopped nuts – but in my experience, they are essential to making this classic cookie.

Not only does it work as a replacement for additional flour, which helps hold the dough together – but it also gives a wonderfully nutty flavor and texture to the cookies once they are baked.

jelly cookies

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, using a paddle, mix the flour, confectioner’s sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg, ground walnuts, vanilla extract, baking powder and salt together. Make sure you scrape down the sides periodically as it mixes. Pause to make sure you get all of the ingredients. Once the paddle has pulled in all of the dough, its ready.
With a cookie scooper, scoop one cookie at a time. With your hands, take the dough and roll that amount of dough into a ball.
Place the cookie on the baking sheet, and using the bottom of a balloon whisk, or something round like the back of a measuring spoon, press into the cookie to make an indentation. I don’t actually recommend using your thumb – despite these being called thumbprint cookies.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the bottom start to turn golden.
Remove from the oven and let them cool.
Spoon the jam into the indentations you created before baking.
Serve and enjoy!
Optional: If you would like more of a holiday look to your cookies, once you remove them from the oven, you can roll them in additional confectioner’s sugar before you add the jam to them.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.

jam cookies

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

Isn’t the jam baked into the cookies?

For this recipe – no, we aren’t baking the jam into the cookies. However – there are recipes out there that do call for that. If you want to do that, make use to use a small amount of jam so that it doesn’t drip out of the indentation once it becomes liquified when it gets hot.

It will eventually solidify and become stickier once the cookies cool down again – but you want to make sure to keep it intact while they are baking. For this reason, we choose to add the jam after they are baked.

jam filled cookies

What jam do you recommend for these cookies?

This is the best part about these cookies – you can add just about any jam, jelly, or preserves to the center. You can even add melted chocolate or caramel to the center if you like. My favorite version is with our homemade mixed berry jam or with our 3-ingredient blackberry jam. However- the most popular version this time of year for most people uses raspberry jam.

Why do my cookies go flat?

Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder. Please make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly and that they are at room temperature when you start the mixing.

Also – something to keep in mind- make sure you are placing the dough on a cool baking sheet. The cookies will bake differently if you are placing the dough on the hot baking sheet you just removed from the oven. Make sure you have a rotation of baking sheets so you can always place the unbaked dough on a cool tray.

classic thumbprint cookies

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

Baking Tips

Don’t overbake the cookies- bake them until they just start to turn golden on the bottom. You don’t want a dry, crumbly cookie.
Don’t chill the dough – you want the dough pliable so you can roll it and create the indentation. If you need to chill it to make them later – be sure to bring it to room temperature before starting the rolling and baking process.
I highly recommend adding the coating of confectioner’s sugar after baking. I think it just adds that extra something special to the cookies. You can also roll them in granulated sugar or sprinkles prior to baking if you like.

thumbprint jam cookies

Products I love when making thumbprint cookies…

This cookies recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made cookies with jam before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this classic cookie recipe.

cookies with jam in the middle

If you love this EasyThumbprint Cookies recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Cookies and Cream Cookies are soft, buttery cookies loaded with crushed Oreos, melty chocolate chunks, and white chocolate chips – DELISH!

Easiest Snowball Cookies

With just 6 simple ingredients, this is by far the Easiest Snowball Cookies recipe ever. Perfect for all your cookie platter gifts for friends & neighbors.

Andes Mint Cookies

Andes Mint Cookies are super soft green cake mix cookies packed with your favorite Andes mint chocolate pieces and mint morsels. So good!

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Making snickerdoodle cookies just got easier! These SUPER SOFT Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are made with just 5 ingredients and are SO QUICK and SIMPLE to make.

Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Santa’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect treat to leave out with a glass of milk on Christmas Eve.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe for soft & chewy sugar cookies that come out perfect every time – no chill time required. Great for any holiday & super delicious gifts. You'll love them.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are an easy & nostalgic Christmas cookie recipe that makes a great gift for neighbors, holiday parties & friends! Delish!

Quarter Pound Chocolate Chip Cookies

Quarter Pound Chocolate Chip Cookies are an easy to make, soft & chewy cookie recipe to WOW the crowd. Truly 1/4 pound of buttery, chocolaty goodness.

Classic Shortbread Cookies

Buttery goodness in these easy to make cookies everyone loves.

If you love this recipe for Thumbprint Cookies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies (Thumbprint Jam Cookies) are a classic holiday treat that everyone loves! They are simple to make and easily customizable too!

Prep Time12

Cook Time18

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookies, holiday, jam, thumbprint

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioner's sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup + 1 tbsp butter – softened
1 egg
¾ cup ground walnut
1 teaspoon vanilla extact
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ – 3 tablespoons jam – flavor of your choice- I used blackberry with raspberry jam

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, using a paddle, mix the flour, confectioner’s sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg, ground walnuts, vanilla extract, baking powder and salt together. Make sure you scrape down the sides periodically as it mixes. Pause to make sure you get all of the ingredients. Once the paddle has pulled in all of the dough, its ready.
With a cookie scooper, scoop one cookie at a time. With your hands, take the dough and roll that amount of dough into a ball.
Place the cookie on the baking sheet, and using the bottom of a balloon whisk, or something round like the back of a measuring spoon, press into the cookie to make an indentation. I don’t actually recommend using your thumb – despite these being called thumbprint cookies.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the bottom start to turn golden.
Remove from the oven and let them cool.
Spoon the jam into the indentations you created before baking.
Serve and enjoy!
Optional: If you would like more of a holiday look to your cookies, once you remove them from the oven, you can roll them in additional confectioner’s sugar before you add the jam to them.

Gingerbread Cake

Rudolph Gingerbread Cookies

Our moist and deliciously spiced gingerbread cake is a holiday tradition. It’s perfectly festive for the holidays – Thanksgiving to Christmas!

This gingerbread cake is perfect for the holidays and will make you feel at home with the sweetness and zing of molasses and spices. (Be sure to check out my Spiced Eggnog Cupcakes with Eggnog Frosting and my Sugar Cookie Hot Chocolate Bombs too)

When decorated with orange and rosemary is a great holiday dessert. It’s not only delicious and so moist but decorating it is also very easy and fun.

You can go as simple as you like with this Gingerbread Cake; it is the perfect holiday centerpiece!

I don’t often feel like going through all of the prep and work to make a traditional Gingerbread House, Gingerbread Men, or even Gingerbread Cookies this time of year. But, I still want that wonderful holiday flavor of gingerbread.

I love this cake because it is simple to make yet packs a big punch when it comes to serving it. It is beautiful on the holiday table and everyone always loves this Gingerbread Cake.

gingerbread loaf cake

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is gingerbread cake?

Gingerbread cake is a popular dessert during the holiday. Gingerbread cake is made with ginger spice and molasses. This cake can be decorated in several different ways; you can decorate it like Gingerbread Cookies or even Gingerbread Men.

Do you recommend this as gifts for the neighbors?

These make fabulous gifts for all your friends & neighbors. We like to pick up these disposable pans for gift giving. You could also just use the reuseable, baking pan & make that part of the gift.

gingerbread cake recipe

What pan do you recommend for this recipe?

I really love this baking pan. It is so versatile & works great for all my loaf cakes recipes & bread recipes.

Can Gingerbread Loaf Cake be frozen?

Yes, it can. Remove the cake from the pan & wrap it first in plastic wrap & then in foil before placing it in the freezer. I recommend doing this before decorating as it will last the longest.

The wrapping is the best way to ensure that the cake stays moist & doesn’t dry out. Be sure to label with the date before freezing. Also, if you are adding the glaze, be sure that it has set before wrapping the cake.

gingerbread loaf

Ingredients for Gingerbread Cake

granulated sugar
milk
mild molasses
vegetable oil
all-purpose flour
baking powder
pure vanilla extract
cinnamon
ginger
table salt
orange zest

Icing

heavy cream
confectioner’s sugar

For decoration:

pomegranate seeds
dried orange slices
Rosemary

What does gingerbread cake taste like?

Gingerbread Cake is a classic holiday dessert. This cake is known for its spicy flavor and it is often served with Gingerbread Chai Tea, Gingerbread Coffee, or sometimes even a Gingerbread Smoothie.

This classic holiday cake uses ginger spice and molasses as the main ingredients which give Gingerbread Cake its rich taste. Interestingly it can even be made vegan with the right ingredients!

easy recipe for gingerbread

How to Make Gingerbread Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and molasses for 3 minutes.
Add oil and milk and mix again.
Place a sieve over the bowl and put all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger) into the sieve. Sift into the liquid mixture. and mix well.
Grate the orange peel into the mixture and mix it with a spatula.
Bake at 350ºF degrees for 40-50 minutes. (until the toothpick test comes out clean or when the top springs back when lightly pressed)

Icing

Whisk the cold cream and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.
Spread with a spoon on the cooled cake.

For decoration:

Decorate with orange, pomegranate and rosemary and serve.

More Great Gingerbread Recipes

Gingerbread Cookie Bark

Homemade Gingerbread Pancakes

White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

recipe for gingerbred cake

How do you store Gingerbread Cake?

You can keep this loaf cake in the baking pan & cover it with plastic wrap or foil. If you have removed it from the pan for decorating and serving, place any remaining cake slices in an airtight container at room temperature.

You can also keep it refrigerated until you are ready to enjoy it. This extends its freshness & flavor. Just heat the individual slices in the microwave for about 8-12 seconds on a microwave-safe dish before eating.

Why you’ll love this gingerbread cake

Gingerbread Cake is a classic.
If this cake is your favorite of all cakes, you can find it almost everywhere during the holiday season – in restaurants, at your friends’ and family member’s homes, etc.
Gingerbread cake comes with a lot of tradition attached to it.
You don’t have to go for anything more complicated.
Easy to make.
Rich molasses flavor.
Not overly sweet.
Great as a snack or dessert.

What is the best way to freeze this cake?

Once baked – this cake can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove the freshly baked and cooled cakes from the pan, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for later use.

Often times I will get a cake to this stage days before the event I’m making for. Then just finish up the decorating the night before.

You can also gently wrap the completely decorated cake and freeze it until you need it. Remember that the frosting won’t be completely firm and can still be dented if something gets pushed up against it while in the freezer.

Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before as it does taste best when not frozen. I also like to leave it at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting is more creamy than stiff.

gingerbreaf loaf cake

Can I change the icing on this Gingerbread Cake?

Absolutely. You can replace or add vanilla extract to this glaze recipe. Or you can use something delicious like a cinnamon or sugar cookie syrup in place of the milk for a completely different twist.

Is gingerbread a bread?

Gingerbread is a cake, not bread. This cake is made with molasses and spices, baked in an oven.

Gingerbread cookies, however, are gingerbread’s savory cousin. However, the cookies only have flour, baking soda, spices, and butter. They use the same ingredients as Gingerbread Cake but there are some changes to the preparation method. In contrast, gingerbread cake has flour, baking powder, butter, brown sugar, molasses, and spices.

What is bakers release?

Bakers release is a combination of oil, flour, and shortening that makes releasing cakes and other baked goods almost effortless.

To make Bakers Release – it is as simple as 1,1 & 1.

equal parts of all-purpose flour, shortening, and cooking oil – I like to do 1 cup of each.

Mix the ingredients together – whisking well. Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator. When ready to use, dip a pastry brush into the mixture and spread it over the cake pan.

loaf cake

Products I love when making gingerbread cake…

This cake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a homemade cake loaf before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cake recipe.

If you love this Gingerbread Cake recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Homemade Gingerbread Pancakes

These easy to make Homemade Gingerbread Pancakes are a delicious breakfast recipe that’s perfect for Christmas morning.

Rudolph Gingerbread Cookies

These super soft & chewy Rudolph Gingerbread Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday celebrations & are sure to bring BIG smiles from everyone!

Gingerbread Cookie Bark

Milk chocolate topped with a layer of white chocolate & gingerbread cookie crumbles makes this easy Gingerbread Cookie Bark that’s a wonderful holiday gift.

Gingerbread & Eggnog Monkey Bread

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Be sure to check out…

Fruit Cocktail Cake

Struffoli

Rum Cake

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Gingerbread Cake

Our moist and deliciously spiced gingerbread cake is a holiday tradition. It’s perfectly festive for the holidays – Thanksgiving to Christmas!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Decorating10

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, gingerbread

Servings: loaf

Ingredients

2 eggs
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup mild molasses
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 pinch salt
1 orange zest

Icing

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

For decoration:

½ cup pomegranate
3 dried orange slices
Rosemary

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and molasses for 3 minutes.
Add oil and milk and mix again.
Place a sieve over the bowl and put all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger) into the sieve. Sift into the liquid mixture. and mix well.
Grate the orange peel into the mixture and mix it with a spatula.
Bake at 350ºF degrees for 40-50 minutes. (until the toothpick test comes out clean or when the top springs back when lightly pressed)

Icing

Whisk the cold cream and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.
Spread with a spoon on the cooled cake.

For decoration:

Decorate with orange, pomegranate and rosemary and serve.

Sugar Cookie Cheesecake

Lush creamy cheesecake infused with vanilla flavor over sugar cookie crust and loaded with Christmas-colored sprinkles. It is a creamy, rich, and delicious dessert for the holiday season.

Do you love sugar cookie flavor? And what about cheesecake?

View post

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Making snickerdoodle cookies just got easier! These SUPER SOFT Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are made with just 5 ingredients and are SO QUICK and SIMPLE to make. Perfect for gifting, holidays and so much more.

When it comes to cookies, snickerdoodles top the list around our house. It could be because they are coated in cinnamon and sugar and everyone in our house is crazy for cinnamon.

I had a request for snickerdoodles, but it was right during apple harvest time and I needed something quick. So I decided to give them a try with my cake mix cookie recipe to create these Cake Mix Snickerdoodles.

I have to say they were a hit! Super quick and so easy. If you want traditional snickerdoodles – be sure to try my classic Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe that you can make with or without white chocolate chips.

View post

Pistachio Pudding Cookies

Thick buttery pistachio pudding cookies packed with vanilla, melting white chocolate chips, and chopped pistachios, all colored green like a true pistachio! The best part? They come together in 20 minutes!

If you are bored with chocolate chip cookies and you need something chewy and loaded with flavors, try my twist on the amazing Italian pistachio cookies.

View post

Turkey Tetrazzini

For real comfort food, try this Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe. It’s a turkey casserole that’s so creamy and delicious, perfect for leftover turkey.

Do you have leftover Thanksgiving turkey and don’t know what to do with it? You absolutely MUST try making this Turkey Tetrazzini.

It is so cheesy and creamy saucy, and we absolutely love it! (If you love easy recipes made with spaghetti noodles – be sure to check out our Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti and our Quick Spaghetti and Meatballs recipes – both made FAST using the Instant Pot.)

This time of year life is too busy for complicated recipes. Fortunately, this pasta is not only perfect for using up all that leftover holiday turkey but is so simple to make – you’ll want to make it year-round.

View post

Cajun Turkey Breast

By Kleinworth & Co 1 Comment

Spice up your holiday with this easy-to-make Cajun Turkey Breast recipe roasted in the oven to juicy perfection. It’s positively delicious!

We make a lot of turkey in our house. That’s probably because we love recipes that make leftovers because I’m all about knocking out the cooking on one day and then keeping prep light for a few days after that.

This is why recipes like this super simple oven-roasted turkey breast that is flavored with Cajun seasonings is a favorite around here. When you want to jazz things up and make something different from the traditional turkey recipe – this is the one to make.

I also love this meal because it makes just enough for our reduced crowd. Now that the kids are out of the house and often can’t make it back for holidays – we don’t need to make a massive amount of food.

A small, 3-pound turkey breast is not only just perfect for a lovely dinner for two – but it gives us just enough leftovers that we can have the same meal again the next night or toss it into a soup or casserole if we want something different.

So good – I know you’ll love it!

Cajun Turkey

Here are some commonly asked questions

What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?

The best way for a turkey to be cooked is with high heat, which will kill all the bacteria in the turkey. The USDA recommends cooking a full-size turkey at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes per pound of weight when using a conventional oven.

When cooking just a small turkey breast, it can be done at 350 degrees and until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

***NOTE: Due to some safety concerns with baking glass cookware at high temperatures, please use a Metal Baking Dish, Corningware or Enameled cast iron dish.

What to make with leftover turkey

We love to have leftover turkey because it makes for great soups and sandwiches. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (also can be made stovetop or in the Instant Pot)
Crockpot Turkey and Rice Soup

boneless turkey breast recipe

Can you tell me the concern about clear glass bakeware?

There have been countless reports of the glassware exploding – I even had one of my readers tell me that when she was pulling out the dish at the end of baking another recipe, the whole thing exploded, sending glass & all the hot juices all over her oven, kitchen & herself.

I don’t recommend using the glass baking dishes for baking over 350 degrees. Some say that it is because they set the hot dish on a cool countertop, but many people report that it happened when they were pulling it out before it left the oven, and in some cases, when it wasn’t even being touched with the door closed.

You can see more information here and there are many images on the internet if you search glass bakeware exploding.

How much turkey breast do you need per person?

First – if you know that those you are feeding like to go back for seconds – always keep that in mind. I almost always double what I think I will need because not only does my family love seconds – but we love leftovers too.

The rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person.

Something to also factor, that will change this is whether or not you will be providing side dishes. If you are making this for Thanksgiving – then you will most likely be serving side dishes too. So people may serve themselves a bit less turkey if they plan on loading up their plate with a lot of extras.

To make it easier to remove the netting after baking – wrap the turkey breast in foil while the breast rests after cooking.

How to Carve a Turkey Breast

The key here is to be patient so you get the best possible result.

First, start by allowing the turkey breast to rest after cooking. You want to make sure to give it at least 15 minutes. To keep it warm and allow the juices to distribute throughout the breast – tent it loosely with foil.
Make sure you are using a sharp knife.
Make your slice along the side of the breast bone – making smooth, long even strokes. You can saw back and forth if using a serrated knife.
When the knife reaches the edge the slice should fall. You can continue to follow this pattern until all of the turkey is removed from the breast.

bake a turkey breast

Ingredients for Cajun Turkey Breast

boneless turkey breast – approx 3 pounds
olive oil
paprika
granulated garlic
table salt
oregano
thyme
onion powder
cayenne pepper
crushed red pepper

Can leftover turkey be frozen?

You bet. We like to keep the leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days for quick and easy meals. But if it looks like we aren’t going to be able to eat it all within 3-4 days – then I toss the remaining leftovers in a zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 2 months.

It’s great to add it to a last-minute dinner-like soup in the Instant Pot. I don’t even have to thaw it first.

Why don’t you rinse the turkey first?

I know there are people out there that are passionate about rinsing poultry before cooking it. However, most cooking schools these days don’t recommend the practice.

This just spreads salmonella to more parts of your kitchen – leaving more room for issues and more places to clean. Plus, anything that you may be trying to wash off isn’t going to come off without soap. You wouldn’t just rinse your hands after touching poultry, you would vigorously use soap.

Since you aren’t going to use soap on your poultry, rinsing doesn’t help. Anything that could be on there, will bake off /out as long as you are cooking the turkey to the right temperature.

seasoning a turkey breast

How to Make Cajun Turkey Breast

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray a small casserole/baking dish with oil to coat the bottom.
Remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator and remove the wrapper. If it is already tied with a net, leave it on and place it in the prepared dish. If it is not tied, you will need to tie it first.
Brush the turkey breast with olive oil. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, granulated garlic, salt, oregano, thyme, onion powder, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper. Stir until completely mixed.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the top of the oiled turkey breast and then press in to help it adhere to the turkey.
Place in the oven and roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting for another 35-40 minutes OR UNTIL THE THICKEST PART OF THE TURKEY BREAST HAS REACHED 165 DEGREES. (see notes below)
Remove and let rest for about 15 minutes before removing the net or twine and slicing.

If cooking more than 1 turkey breast at a time – the total baking time will increase, but the exact time can vary depending on a multitude of factors. The estimated time is about 15 minutes per pound.

Because I was doing two – 3-pound turkey breasts at the same time – I cooked mine for about 90 minutes after the initial 15-minute high-heat period.

How long is cooked turkey good for?

Providing that the turkey didn’t sit out too long before it was transferred to an airtight container, it should last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.

Cooking a Turkey Breast In Oven

How to store leftover turkey breast

If you happen to have any turkey leftovers after serving – just transfer the remaining turkey to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve again.

To reheat – microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until hot again.

The key to reheating the turkey is to steam it. We like to place it in a microwave-safe container with a splash of water.

Then we lightly cover the container with either a paper towel, the lid to the container if it is also microwave-safe, or even an inverted paper plate.

Then we reheat and let the water steam the turkey. It comes out moist and delicious every single time.

What to serve with Cajun Turkey Breast

While the list is long as to what we like to pair with our turkey dinner – here are the recipes we make the most frequently for our family holidays.

Tips for the Best Cajun Turkey Breast

The overall time will depend on the size of the turkey breast you are cooking. Be sure to always guage doneness by measuring the internal temp and not only by the cooking time listed in the recipe.
Make sure you are starting with a fresh or fully thawed turkey.
Use fresh seasonings.
Don’t skip the olive oil. Not only does it help the seasonings stick but the key here is the fat and the flavor that comes with the oil. It is lighter and more “waistline-friendly” than using butter but it helps get that outside to the perfect texture.
You can brine the turkey overnight in a large bowl if desired.

Cajun Turkey Recipe

Products I love when making Cajun Turkey Breast…

This easy turkey recipe is SUPER delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a homemade turkey before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this holiday staple.

If you love this Easy Cajun Turkey Breast recipe, you’re going to love these other turkey recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Applewood Smoked Turkey for Traeger

Make Thanksgiving EASY with this Applewood Smoked Turkey for Traeger! This practically effortless turkey recipe on a pellet grill is so juicy & delicious. You’ll never bake a turkey in the oven again.

Traeger recipe - Applewood Smoked Turkey - pellet grille

Turkey Panini

This Turkey Panini is made with leftover holiday turkey, apple butter, cheddar cheese, and apple slices on deliciously hearty bread. Super easy and a perfect meal for those lazy days following the holiday.

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Instant Pot Turkey Breast will be your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day go-to recipe for juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is a simple dump & go crockpot recipe that is perfect for those Thanksgiving leftovers. It’s the best comfort food recipe for fall.

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This season, ditch the oven and the mess. Feed your family a juicy and flavorful holiday turkey with this air fryer turkey breast recipe.

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Crock Pot Turkey and Rice Soup is the perfect recipe to make with all those Thanksgiving leftovers. This also makes for an easy dinner on those super cold days when you just want to curl up by the fire.

Crock Pot Turkey Rice Soup for thanksgiving leftovers

Perfect Roast Turkey

Easy, simple & delicious recipe for How to Roast a Turkey will have your guests swooning.

If you love this recipe for Cajun Turkey Breast as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cajun Turkey Breast

Spice up your holiday with this easy-to-make Cajun Turkey Breast recipe roasted in the oven to juicy perfection. It’s positively delicious!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: breast, Cajun, thanksgiving, turkey

Servings:

Ingredients

1 boneless turkey breast – approx 3 pounds
2 tbsp olive oil
2½ tsp paprika
2 tsp granulated garlic
1½ tsp table salt
1¼ tsp oregano
1¼ tsp thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray a small casserole/baking dish with oil to coat the bottom.
Remove the turkey breast from the refrigerator and remove the wrapper. If it is already tied with a net, leave it on and place it in the prepared dish. If it is not tied, you will need to tie it first.
Brush the turkey breast with olive oil. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, granulated garlic, salt, oregano, thyme, onion powder, cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper. Stir until completely mixed.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the top of the oiled turkey breast and then press in to help it adhere to the turkey.
Place in the oven and roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting for another 35-40 minutes OR UNTIL THE THICKEST PART OF THE TURKEY BREAST HAS REACHED 165 DEGREES. (see notes below)
Remove and let rest for about 15 minutes before removing the net or twine and slicing.

Notes

***NOTE: Due to some safety concerns with baking glass cookware, please use a metal, Corningware or Enameled Cast Iron baking dish.

****If cooking more than 1 turkey breast at a time – the total baking time will increase, but the exact time can vary depending on a multitude of factors. The estimated time is about 15 minutes per pound. Because I was doing two – 3-pound turkey breasts at the same time – I cooked mine for about 90 minutes after the initial 15-minute high-heat period.

****To make it easier to remove the netting after baking – wrap the turkey breast in foil while the breast rests after cooking.

Turkey Panini

Grilled sandwich recipes are seasonal favorites during winter/holiday time. It makes sense because you typically have a lot of leftovers from the holiday feast.

So why not pile all those ingredients into one delicious sandwich. But then take it up a couple of notches and grill that sandwich on a panini maker or in the skillet.

The buttery grilled bread with the melted cheese blends so perfectly with the warm apple butter and turkey. It’s the perfect way to enjoy those leftovers -SO GOOD!

What I love about this recipe is that you can really take any of your favorite sandwich ingredients or your favorite leftovers and stuff them all in there to make an awesome lunch.

We love to do apple butter – because we have a ton of it around here with our harvest this season. But you can add your favorite jam or leftover cranberry sauce too.

easy panini recipes

Here are some commonly asked questions

Can this recipe be doubled?

You can, and we do it often. Definitely a good idea to double the recipe if you are making leftovers as your meal the next night for the whole family.

What can I add to this sandwich?

This sandwich is so versatile – you can add all your favorites on there. Cranberry sauce, a little bit of stuffing, some sliced veggies and so much more.

You can definitely make this on any hearty bread you prefer. You can even give it a try with a hoagie style, chewy french bread. Some other options are pickle slices, Havarti cheese &/or mustard.

best panini recipes

Can I Make This Without a Panini Maker?

Yes – if you don’t have a panini maker – you can use a George Foreman grill (which is quite similar to a panini maker) or you can use a skillet with the help of a meat press.

If you don’t have a meat press – you can try wrapping a brick or some other non-flammable item in foil before placing it on top of your sandwich to press it down as it cooks. It isn’t the best option – but will work in a pinch.

Can these sandwiches be enjoyed cold?

Generally, yes. If you want to just assemble these & enjoy them right away without grilling them, that is fine too.

leftover turkey sandwich

Ingredients for Turkey Panini

hearty bread
butter – softened
apple butter
sharp cheddar cheese – thinly sliced
apple – thinly sliced
sliced deli turkey – or thin pieces of turkey leftovers
fresh sage – opt

Is turkey bland tasting?

Turkey is a protein and proteins typically don’t have strong flavors on their own. Turkey meat has a mild savory flavor with slightly sweet poultry notes when cooked properly. It absorbs flavors from its surrounding marinade/condiments – which is why your seasonings while cooking the turkey are so important.

turkey panini recipes

How to Make a Turkey Panini

Pre-heat the panini maker.
Get all of the ingredients ready as you will need to assemble the sandwich once the first slice of bread is placed on the hot panini maker – working quickly.
Spread the butter evenly on one side of each slice of the bread.
Place one slice of the bread on the preheated panini maker, buttered side of bread down.
Working quickly, spread apple butter evenly on that piece of bread.
Add the cheese, then the apples.
Layer the turkey evenly, followed by the sage.
Top with more apples and then cheese.
Add apple butter to the other side of the remaining piece of buttered bread.
Place that piece of bread on top of the sandwich.
Close the panini lid and press the sandwiches together.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the bread is crispy and browned. Serve warm.

Thanksgiving Sandwich

breads for panini

The key to choosing a bread is that you want it to not have an overpowering taste – so the inside flavors are the star. But you also need to consider the structure of the bread – anything too soft and light will fall apart.

It needs to be hearty and a bit dense to stand up to the structure of a panini. Here are some of our favorite options.

mild sourdough
flatbread
pita
rye
multigrain
baguette
ciabatta
focaccia

How to Make Sure the Leftover Turkey Isn’t Dry the Following Day

The key to reheating the turkey is to steam it. We like to place it in a microwave-safe container with a splash of water.

Then we lightly cover the container with either a paper towel, the lid to the container if it is also microwave-safe, or even an inverted paper plate.

Then we reheat and let the water steam the turkey. It comes out moist and delicious every single time.

Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich

What is the best way to store leftover turkey sandwiches?

Place any leftover sandwiches in an airtight container or zip-top bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

What to serve with a Turkey Panini

Turkey goes with so many things. You can serve it with cucumber, pickle, or fresh pickled cucumber on the side.

Also pair it with salad mix, coleslaw, potato chips, pasta salad, red cabbage that is marinated or pickled, potato salad, or onion rings. We like to add these recipes with this sandwich…

panini ideas

Products I love when making paninis…

This grilled sandwich recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a grilled sandwich before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this delicious snack recipe.

If you love this Easy Turkey Panini recipe, you’re going to love these other snacks too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Grilled Hot Pastrami Sandwich

Summer grilling just got better with this Grilled Hot Pastrami Sandwich. Combining foil grilling & the love for a pastrami sandwich, it’s delicious & easy!

Oven-Baked Meatball Sandwiches

These Oven-Baked Meatball Sandwiches are so incredibly easy to make. Loaded with melted cheese & marinara making these perfect for your game day crowd.

How to make Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches

Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich is loaded with breaded chicken, marinara, mozzarella & spinach & grilled to perfection. It’s the BEST grilled cheese you’ll ever eat!

Chicken & Spinach Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich

Chicken & Spinach Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich is a quick & easy dinner idea that is ready in 10 minutes. Perfect for busy families on the go. YUM!

Prosciutto & French Onion Tea Sandwiches {Summer Refreshments}

Prosciutto & French Onion Tea Sandwiches are perfect for bridal or baby showers, Mother's day celebrations, or backyard pool parties. Super easy & delicious.

If you love this Turkey Panini as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Turkey Panini

Prep Time7

Cook Time5

Course: dinner, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple, cheddar, panini, sandwich, turkey

Servings: sandwiches

Ingredients

4 slices of hearty bread
2 tbsp butter softened
¼ cup apple butter
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese thinly sliced
1 apple thinly sliced
½ pound sliced deli turkey – or thin pieces of turkey leftovers
8 leaves fresh sage

Instructions

Pre-heat the panini maker.
Get all of the ingredients ready as you will need to assemble the sandwich once the first slice of bread is placed on the hot panini maker – working quickly.
Spread the butter evenly on one side of each slice of the bread.
Place one slice of the bread on the preheated panini maker, buttered side of bread down.
Working quickly, spread apple butter evenly on that piece of bread.
Add the cheese, then the apples.
Layer the turkey evenly, followed by the sage.
Top with more apples and then cheese.
Add apple butter to the other side of the remaining piece of buttered bread.
Place that piece of bread on top of the sandwich.
Close the panini lid and press the sandwiches together.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the bread is crispy and browned. Serve warm.

Notes

**Note – many panini makers have settings that you can adjust to control the heat for both the top and the bottom. I like to set the bottom on low so the sandwich will cook slowly, giving me time to assemble. Then I set the top to a hotter setting so it can cook faster and catch up to where the bottom has already cooked to. This helps to have an evenly cooked sandwich.

Easy Pecan Pie

This Easy Pecan Pie recipe is an excellent recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It can be easily prepared and it’s simply delicious! This recipe will provide you with one 9-inch pie that serves about 8 people.

What’s your favorite pie when it comes to the holidays? I know that pumpkin is super popular this time of year but I think that one pie that often doesn’t get the attention that it deserves is pecan pie.

In the southern region of the United States, the recipe for pecan pie was extremely popular as far back as the early 1800s. In fact, American recipes for pecan pie were first published as early as 1828.

View post

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme are super easy to make and the perfect addition to your weeknight dinners or holiday feast. Done in 15 minutes.

Oven Roasted Mushrooms are one of those wonderful recipes that is just as healthy as it is delicious. Our family loves to have seasoned mushrooms on the side of just about any dinner we are making.

The best part is that these are so simple to make and take only 15 minutes – which makes it easy to serve these whenever the craving strikes. These mushrooms are just about the easiest side dish recipe you could make.

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

The mushrooms are loaded with healthy nutrients, but when combined with the garlic and herbs the mushrooms become even more nutritious. The mushrooms stand alone as a delicious meal if you wanted to toss in your favorite protein to serve with them.

They are great for lunch or dinner. Plus, this recipe is very easy to make, and you can’t beat how quickly they are ready to enjoy.

baked mushrooms

Here are some commonly asked questions

How to store roasted mushrooms

Roasted mushrooms can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The best way to store them is in an airtight container.

Can you freeze roasted mushrooms?

To freeze mushrooms put mushrooms in an airtight container or freezer bag. Put mushrooms in the freezer for 6 months to 1 year. Unfortunately, the mushrooms will go bad if you do not use them within that time frame.

HOW DO YOU CLEAN MUSHROOMS?

Mushrooms should be wiped with a damp paper towel before slicing and preparing. Do not wash them underwater because they are porous.

How to pick fresh mushrooms at the store?

Look for mushrooms that are plump and have a fresh look. Avoid mushrooms that have any bruises, cuts or black spots on mushrooms.

roasted mushrooms

what to serve with oven roasted mushrooms

These roasted mushrooms are so versatile – they can be served with just about anything. But here are a few of the things we like to make these with for our holiday meals. Mashed potatoes, rice, salad, or even bruschetta would be the perfect side dish for this recipe.

30-Minute Dinner Rolls
Applewood Traeger Smoked Turkey
Roasted Cornish Hens
Best Roated Turkey – How to Roast a Turkey
Pumpkin Roll Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Best Pumpkin Pie
Holiday Party Punch
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Thanksgiving Punch

Can roasted mushrooms be prepared ahead of time?

Yes, mushrooms can be prepared ahead of time. After mushrooms are done roasting let them stand for about 10 minutes so they cool down a bit before putting in an airtight container or freezer bag and placing in the fridge.

Then mushrooms can be stored in the fridge for 4 – 5 days until ready to use.

cooking mushrooms

Ingredients for Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Ingredients for Roasted Mushrooms

cremini or button mushrooms
olive oil
garlic – minced
fresh thyme minced
kosher salt
black pepper
Fresh herbs parsley, chives, or thyme, for garnish

What mushrooms are best for roasting?

Any mushroom is great for roasting. However, portobello and these cremini/button mushrooms are the most popular mushrooms to use for oven-roasted mushrooms.

garlic roasted mushrooms

How to Cook Mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Use a damp towel or sponge or rub any dirt off the outside of the mushrooms.
Place the mushrooms on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle over the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Roast the mushrooms for 8-10 minutes, or until they are just tender. Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs and enjoy.
Store any leftover mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Can these roasted mushrooms be made in the air fryer?

Yes – you can make these mushrooms in the air fryer. You might need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

To make – place the prepared mushrooms in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 400 for 5 minutes, turn the mushrooms over, and then cook another 5 minutes or until fork-tender. If they start to brown too much, you can tent the top with foil to keep them cooking evenly.

mushrooms in oven

ARE MUSHROOMS GOOD FOR YOU?

Yes, mushrooms are good for you. They contain protein and some mushrooms also have iron, Vitamin A or Vitamin B-6.

Mushrooms are available all year but they are more plentiful in the fall. Mushrooms go bad very quickly so it is important to store mushrooms properly once mushrooms are bought fresh from a grocery store.

Notes for Roasting Mushrooms

This recipe calls for cremini or button mushrooms but shitake or king oyster would also work! If using portobello, I recommend slicing them into ½” slices.
I’m using olive oil but feel free to use your favorite neutral cooking oil.
Fresh garlic and thyme are my seasonings of choice but feel free to swap out your favorite herbs– rosemary and sage would also be delicious!
Salt and pepper are key to delicious mushrooms! Don’t forget to season them

What’s The Difference Between Roasted Mushrooms And Baked Mushrooms?

The words roasted and bake are often interchangeable – but the definitions, while similar, are a bit different. Roasted mushrooms are mushrooms that have been cooked in an oven at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Baked mushrooms are mushrooms that have been cooked in the oven at a lower temperature and for a longer period of time.

roasted mushroom recipe

Products I love when making roasted mushrooms…

This roasted mushroom recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made roasted mushrooms before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this side dish recipe.

If you love this Oven Roasted Mushrooms recipe, you’re going to love these other sides too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts Roasted with Cranberries

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts roasted with cranberries is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday celebration.

roasted Brussel Sprouts with cranberries

Apple Stuffing with Sausage

This isn’t your Grandma’s stuffing. This Apple Stuffing with Sausage is everything you’ve been dreaming about and the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast.

Roasted Fall Vegetables

Roasted Fall Vegetables are a perfect side dish for fall and Thanksgiving dinners. Easy to make in less than an hour.

Honey Glazed Carrots

Honey Glazed Carrots are the perfect side dish for holiday meals like Easter and Thanksgiving, and also great for weeknight dinners too. Simple, easy & delicious, and ready in just 15 minutes.

Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Deliciously flavored with cinnamon & orange juice, this Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe is ready in 20 minutes. Never serve it from a can again.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

This classic holiday side dish recipe for Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes is so incredibly simple to make. Free up your oven with this easy dish.

Loaded Green Bean Casserole

Everyone’s favorite side dish, Loaded Green Bean Casserole is an easy side dish made with one pot and takes just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights and holidays alike.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes, an easy side dish dinner recipe & perfect for all of those holiday feasts too. So delicious topped with butter or gravy. YUM!

A bowl of creamy garlic mashed potatoes, topped with melted butter and garnished with fresh herbs. The smooth, fluffy texture of the potatoes is highlighted by the rich, buttery sheen, making the dish look warm, comforting, and flavorful. Perfect as a savory side dish for any meal.

Easy Sausage Stuffing

Savory pork sausage, onions, celery & stuffing mix, made in 30 minutes on the stovetop making this Easy Sausage Stuffing the perfect holiday side dish.

If you love this recipe for Oven Roasted Mushrooms as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme

Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme are super easy to make and the perfect addition to your weeknight dinners or holiday feast. Done in 15 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic, mushrooms, roasted, thyme

Servings:

Ingredients

1 pound cremini or button mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Fresh herbs parsley, chives, or thyme, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Use a damp towel or sponge or rub any dirt off the outside of the mushrooms.
Place the mushrooms on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle over the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Roast the mushrooms for 8-10 minutes, or until they are just tender. Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs and enjoy.
Store any leftover mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Notes

This recipe calls for cremini or button mushrooms but shitake or king oyster would also work! If using portobello, I recommend slicing them into ½” slices.
I’m using olive oil but feel free to use your favorite neutral cooking oil.
Fresh garlic and thyme are my seasonings of choice but feel free to swap out your favorite herbs– rosemary and sage would also be delicious!
Salt and pepper are key to delicious mushrooms! Don’t forget to season them

Cinnamon Cookies Recipe

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

Fall is a favorite time of year because cinnamon smells so good when it’s baked, which is why this Cinnamon Cookies Recipe is always a hit!

Cinnamon is such a popular spice and is used in many types of desserts because it makes them really tasty. In fact, cinnamon cookies are my favorite type of cookie!

I love to bake cinnamon cookies – especially this time of year. So warm and inviting – the family can’t wait for these cookies to even cool down before they are devouring them one by one.

View post

Mini Pumpkin Pies

There’s nothing like a big slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but that much pie can be difficult to finish! I made these mini pumpkin pies last year and they were a huge hit.

They’re kind of like little individual pumpkin pies made with or without homemade crust and much easier to eat than a slice. (Make them with my no-fail favorite homemade pie crust recipe!)

The great thing about these mini pumpkin pies is they’re easy to make and most of the pumpkin pie ingredients are probably already in your pantry!

I love these little pumpkin pies because not only does it make serving super easy. Everyone can just grab their own and go. But they help keep portions small instead of the possibility of a much larger piece of pie.

Besides – with the kids gone, our holidays are smaller now. Having individual pies makes it easy for me to serve a couple for what we want for the holiday and a day or two after. Then I’ll wrap up and freeze the remaining pies for us to enjoy whenever the craving strikes.

best pumpkin pie

Here are some commonly asked questions

Why do I need pumpkin puree instead of pie filling?

This is really important when making pumpkin recipes. Pay close attention to the recipe & see if it calls for one or the other.

This recipe calls for pumpkin puree, which is just pumpkin that is cooked & pureed. Pumpkin pie filling is the puree mixed with sweeteners & spices – which isn’t what is usually called for when it comes to most recipes that use pumpkin.

They are not usually interchangeable because it will change the flavor & possibly the consistency of the recipe you are making.

What is the best way to store leftover pumpkin pie?

I like to transfer the pies to an airtight container or cover each tightly with plastic wrap or foil and keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Keep in mind that the homemade whipped cream won’t be so pretty when you remove the cover the next day.

I recommend just scraping that whipped cream off and adding some fresh whipped cream when serving.

Can pumpkin pie be made in advance?

Yes, pumpkin pie is best when it’s had time to sit in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 3 hours, but you can also make pumpkin pies 1-2 days in advance.

pumpkin mini pies

Can I use whipped topping instead of homemade whipped cream?

You bet and it is super easy. Just thaw the tub and then transfer it to the piping bag to add your decoration.

You can also just add a nice large dollop on top of the pie and spread it in a whipped fashion instead of piping it on in a design.

Can I use this recipe for a normal 9” Pumpkin Pie?

You can. Instead of cutting out the smaller crusts, keep it whole and line the pie dish. Bake at 375°F for about 50 minutes. You may need to protect the edges of the crust halfway, keep an eye on it.

How long does pumpkin pie last?

Pumpkin Pie will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

mini pumpkin pie recipe

Ingredients for Mini Pumpkin Pies

refrigerated pie crust
granulated sugar
cinnamon
ginger
nutmeg
ground cloves
table salt
pureed pumpkin canned – not pie filling
buttermilk
large eggs

Whipped Cream

heavy whipping cream
vanilla extract
confectioner’s sugar
pinch pumpkin pie spice

Can I use fresh pumpkin?

You could, although it’ll be a little more watery. I have not made it using fresh pumpkin so I can’t tell you exactly how much to use, but I would definitely make sure the cooked pumpkin has completely cooled before you start using it.

Can pumpkin pie be served warm?

Pumpkin pie is best served at room temperature or cold, but it can also be warmed before serving. To warm pumpkin pie place in the oven at 325°F for about 10 minutes.

individual pumpkin pies

How to Make Mini Pumpkin Pies

Pies

Roll out the refrigerated pie crust and using a 3” Cookie cutter, cut out 12 discs. You’ll need to take the cutoffs and roll it out again to get 12.
Place each disc into a cupcake pan (you don’t need to grease the pan) and press it into the cavity.
Once each is evenly sitting in the cupcake pan you can flute the edges if you like, or use a knife to decorate. You can also leave it plain to have a more rustic look.
Once you have the cupcake pan lined with the pastry crust place it back in the refrigerator to keep it cold while you move onto the next step.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a medium mixing bowl add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pureed pumpkin, buttermilk and eggs. Mix well.
After 20 minutes has passed take the cupcake pan out of the refrigerator and put 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin filling into each crust.
Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes then turn down the oven to 325°F for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator to completely set for a minimum of 3 hours.

Whipped Cream

In a medium mixing bowl add the cream, vanilla and confectioner’s sugar and beat until stiff peaks have formed.
Add to a piping bag and pipe little dollops of cream onto each mini pumpkin pie.
Dust with a pinch of Pumpkin Pie spice.

Can I eat these warm or cold?

It is best to eat these pumpkin pies cold, also there is whipped cream on top so heating is not an option.

best pumpkin pie recipe

Can these mini pumpkin pies be frozen?

Absolutely! Wrap each mini pumpkin pie tightly with plastic wrap before adding the whipped cream on top and freeze for up to 6 months.

Can I use canned whipped cream?

Yes, absolutely, that will work just fine. The squirt top variety in the can will give you a similar look but does not contain the stabilizer to keep it looking pretty for a long period of time.

small pumpkin pie

Products I love when making mini pumpkin pies…

This mini pumpkin pie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a homemade pie before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love these. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this pie recipe.

If you love this Easy Mini Pumpkin Pies recipe, you’re going to love these other pie recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Mini Apple Pies

Small pies, big flavor! All there is to love about apple pie right at your fingertips. These mini apple pies are the perfect handheld fall treat. They’ve got a classic apple pie filling flavor with the help and ease of using store-bought dough or make them with my no-fail favorite homemade pie crust recipe!

Cherry Pie Bars or Kuchen Bars

Cherry Pie Bars or Kuchen Bars have a moist and chewy cake-like base topped with cherry pie filling, more pockets of tender crumble, & a sweet sugar glaze. Better than traditional pie & easy to make.

Best Pumpkin Pie

Best Pumpkin Pie is my great-grandmother’s award-winning recipe. This creamy pumpkin pie decorated with piped whipped cream and sprinkled with chopped pecans will have your guests begging for the recipe.

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies are the perfect fall dessert! They are easy and quick to make in the air fryer and positively delicious too.

No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

This easy to make No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake is rich and decadent making it the perfect dessert for any holiday or occasion.

best recipe for No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Pie

If you love peanut butter then this no-bake peanut butter pie will be your new favorite dessert. Simple & easy no-bake goodness that everyone will love.

French Apple Pie

This French Apple Pie is loaded with cinnamon, nutmeg & topped with buttery, brown sugar crumbles. The perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving holiday feast.

Easy Cherry Pie – Air Fryer

Light and flaky pie crust filled with sweet cherry pie filling made easily in the air fryer, no oven required. Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Easy Oreo Cannoli Cream Pie

Easy Oreo Cannoli Cream Pie is a simple no-bake pie recipe that is perfect for all the holiday parties & family gatherings. It will top the favorites list!

If you love this recipe for Mini Pumpkin Pies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Mini Pumpkin Pies

There’s nothing like a big slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but that much pie can be difficult to finish! I made these Mini Pumpkin Pies last year and they were a huge hit.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Cooling3

Total Time3 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pie, pumpkin

Servings: mini pies

Ingredients

Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin canned – not pie filling
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 large eggs

Whipped Cream

½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
pinch pumpkin pie spice garnish

Instructions

Pies

Roll out the refrigerated pie crust and using a 3” Cookie cutter, cut out 12 discs. You’ll need to take the cutoffs and roll it out again to get 12.
Place each disc into a cupcake pan (you don’t need to grease the pan) and press it into the cavity.
Once each is evenly sitting in the cupcake pan you can flute the edges if you like, or use a knife to decorate. You can also leave it plain to have a more rustic look.
Once you have the cupcake pan lined with the pastry crust place it back in the refrigerator to keep it cold while you move onto the next step.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a medium mixing bowl add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, pureed pumpkin, buttermilk and eggs. Mix well.
After 20 minutes has passed take the cupcake pan out of the refrigerator and put 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin filling into each crust.
Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes then turn down the oven to 325°F for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator to completely set for a minimum of 3 hours.

Whipped Cream

In a medium mixing bowl add the cream, vanilla and confectioner’s sugar and beat until stiff peaks have formed.
Add to a piping bag and pipe little dollops of cream onto each mini pumpkin pie.
Dust with a pinch of Pumpkin Pie spice.

Dry Chicken Chili

Discover the bold flavors of Chinese cuisine with our Dry Chicken Chili recipe, marrying tender marinated chicken with vibrant bell peppers, onions, and aromatic spices, creating a harmonious and fiery dish that’s perfect for spice enthusiasts and food lovers alike.

Elevate your culinary experience with this zesty and satisfying Chinese classic and make some delicious restaurant-style Chilli chicken at home to snack on like finger food with some beer, or serve as a complete dinner with some buttery rice.

View post

Roasted Cornish Hens

Now, more than ever, families are looking for ways to make traditional holiday meals healthier, but still tasty. Fortunately, this roasted cornish hen recipe provides a healthy alternative that is just as delicious as the traditional turkey dinner. This versatile meal goes great with any side dish or even on its own when you’re looking for a light meal after the holidays.

When it comes to meals I have always preferred to pick and nibble rather than feast and stuff myself. This is probably why I like to have appetizers far more than I do 3 meals. I could definitely live on appetizers.

So this is why I love to roast these little cornish game hens in place of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. These days the kids are moved out and can’t always come home for the holidays – so it doesn’t make sense to make a huge meal. These game hens are a perfect alternative. Small portions, easy to make – SO DELICIOUS!

But don’t think that these little hens are only for the holidays. They are the perfect dinner for two – even for busy weeknights or for a romantic weekend dinner.

Simple, easy, and delicious. Just prep, pop them in the oven and you can whip up your side dishes while you wait for them to bake.

cornish hens

Here are some commonly asked questions

What are Cornish Hens?

Cornish hen, also called Rock Cornish game hen, is a small chicken-like bird with dark meat. They are young chickens of 4 to 6 weeks of age that weigh between 1.5 and 2 pounds each. Though they are eaten in many countries across the world, they are not common in these countries. They were first developed in the United States.

Cornish game hens are available fresh and frozen all year round. A single Cornish game hen is very small; it weighs 2 pounds on average. Each hen yields only one serving of meat at a meal.

What temperature should the hen reach?

The internal temperature of a whole roasted bird should be 165°F (74°C). This is important because bacteria are killed at temperatures above 160°F (71°C) so heating the bird to this temperature ensures that harmful bacteria will be eliminated.

A meat thermometer inserted into the thigh or thickest part of a whole hen can be an accurate measure of the internal temperature.

Why is it important to use the thermometer on the thickest part of the bird?

The most important thing to remember when using a meat thermometer is that it needs to be in the thickest part of the meat since that will take the longest to heat all the way through and come to the proper temperature.

The tip of a digital thermometer should be inserted into the center of a large roast, turkey, or other whole bird. The probe should not touch the bone or any other cold spot.

Insert the probe slowly and carefully until it touches an internal part of the meat and takes its reading without touching or moving any internal parts such as bones or fat.

cornish game hens

How should I store my roasted hen?

Typically, cooked poultry is stored in a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or less for no more than two days. Refrigerated leftovers will be safe to eat for up to 4 days.

To freeze leftovers, wrap them securely in a freezer-safe container or place them in a freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months.

Other Serving Suggestions

Hens can be served with almost any type of side dishes and meal ideas, and the possibilities are virtually endless. However, some good combinations would be:

roasted asparagus
mashed sweet potatoes
green beans almondine
sauteed spinach
garlic polenta fries write more suggestions for side dishes
baked stuffed acorn squash
roasted heirloom potatoes

baked cornish hens

How many calories are in a whole roasted Cornish hen?

On average, there are 793 in a whole roasted hen – including the skins. There are 160 calories per serving of meat from a whole roasted Cornish game hen with the skin removed prior to cooking.

What to serve with Cornish Game Hens

Cornish game hens are an incredibly versatile main dish. We like to pair these hens with the same side dishes that we would serve at any other traditional holiday dinner or even a weeknight meal. Here are some of our favorites we make along with these game hens.

cornish hens in oven

Ingredients to Make Cornish Hens

cornish hens
olive oil
kosher salt
garlic powder
dried thyme
onion powder
paprika
black pepper
carrot
celery
garlic smashed and peeled
rosemary

How long to cook cornish hens?

Roasting time for a whole hen is about one hour and 15 minutes at 375°F (175°C). If the oven temperature is 400°F (190°C), the cook time decreases to about one hour.

How to Cook Cornish Hens

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Pat the cornish hens dry with a paper towel and place them in a large rimmed baking dish or roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper.
Drizzle the oil mixture over the cornish hens and rub it all over, making sure to coat the hens on all sides.
Fill the cavity of each hen with two quarters of onion, half of the carrot, half of the celery, one clove of garlic, and one sprig of rosemary.
Tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird— this will prevent them from burning in the oven.
Roast the hens uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160F.
Baste the hens with juices from the pan after 25 minutes.
Remove the hens from the oven and carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Rest the hens for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165F.
Serve the cornish hens whole or carved with a garnish of fresh herbs or flakey sea salt.
Enjoy warm.
Store any leftover hen in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Meal ideas for a Roasted Cornish Hen include:

Pair the meat with other poultry meats, such as turkey or chicken.
Serve with rice pilaf and steamed vegetables.
Make an open faced sandwich using whole grain bread, mashed potatoes and stuffing; top with Cornish hen meat.
Toss cooked whole grain pasta with a small amount of olive oil and some chopped fresh parsley. Top with the Cornish hen meat and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Make a pot pie using whole wheat pastry dough, mashed potatoes and stuffing; top with Cornish hen meat pieces before baking in the oven.

cornish game hens recipes

Products I love when making game hens filling…

This game hen recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made roasted cornish hens before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this delicious dinner recipe.

If you love this Easy Cornish Hens recipe, you’re going to love these other recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Instant Pot Turkey Breast will be your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day go-to recipe for juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast.

Applewood Smoked Turkey for Traeger

Pork Loin Roast

This Pork Loin Roast is easy to make and ready in about an hour, which makes it perfect for holiday meals and weeknight dinners alike.

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This season, ditch the oven and the mess. Feed your family a juicy and flavorful holiday turkey with this air fryer turkey breast recipe.

Perfect Roast Turkey

Easy, simple & delicious recipe for How to Roast a Turkey will have your guests swooning.

Pressure Cooker Brown Sugar Ham

Pressure Cooker Brown Sugar Ham made in about 30 minutes. Break out that Instant Pot & make the best holiday ham, no oven required. So easy!

If you love this recipe for Roasted Cornish Hens as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Roasted Cornish Hens

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cornish hens, game hens

Servings:

Ingredients

2 cornish hens about 3 pounds each
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 carrot cut into 1” pieces
1 stalk celery cut into 1” pieces
2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
2 sprigs rosemary

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Pat the cornish hens dry with a paper towel and place them in a large rimmed baking dish or roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper.
Drizzle the oil mixture over the cornish hens and rub it all over, making sure to coat the hens on all sides.
Fill the cavity of each hen with two quarters of onion, half of the carrot, half of the celery, one clove of garlic, and one sprig of rosemary.
Tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird— this will prevent them from burning in the oven.
Roast the hens uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160F.
Baste the hens with juices from the pan after 25 minutes.
Remove the hens from the oven and carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Rest the hens for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165F.
Serve the cornish hens whole or carved with a garnish of fresh herbs or flakey sea salt.
Enjoy warm.
Store any leftover hen in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Notes

Serving Notes

Cornish hens can be served with an array of sides such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, grilled asparagus, and salad!
For a one-pan meal, add your favorite root vegetables to the pan with the cornish hens and roast following the recipe. Some of my favorites are: carrots (peeled and cut into 1” slices), baby potatoes (halved), shallots (peeled), onion (quartered), and garlic (peeled).

Ingredient Notes

I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to monitor the cooking of the hens! Undercooking could result in food-borne illness while overcooking will result in dry hens.
Olive oil helps lock in moisture and create brown and crispy skin.
I’m making a homemade spice rub with salt, garlic powder, thyme, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. Feel free to substitute 2 tablespoons of your favorite spice rub.
Filling the cavity of the hen with onion, garlic, carrot celery, and rosemary helps flavor the meat from the inside out but it is completely optional! You could also swap fresh thyme, sage, shallot, or leek if you prefer. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

This Pumpkin Muffins Recipe is great for breakfast or a snack. These jumbo-sized, bakery-style muffins are moist and fluffy, with a perfect sweetness.

Do you love standard muffins or do you prefer jumbo muffins? You know the kind you get at the bakery? Or Costco muffins that are all the rage?

For me – if I am going to go through the trouble of having breakfast – it better be worth it. So I’m a “go big or go home” kind of person when it comes to food. This is why I’m all about the jumbo, bakery-style muffins like these pumpkin muffins here. They are INCREDIBLE!

easy pumpkin muffins

Not only are these scrumptious – but they are so incredibly easy to make too. If you can dump ingredients into a bowl and whisk them together – you can make these muffins.

Nothing too complicated and they are ready in just over 30 minutes – which I love because I am definitely not known for my patience.

When the pumpkin craving strikes, or when the family says they are really wanting a big, perfectly moist pumpkin muffin to pair with their coffee on a chilly fall morning – these muffins whip up in no time. You can’t beat that. I know you’ll LOVE them.

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the best way to store leftover pumpkin muffins?

These muffins will keep well for up to 5 days at room temperature when placed in an airtight container or ziptop bag. You can refrigerate them to give them another couple of days if needed. I recommend refrigeration if you live in a hot or humid climate.

How do I properly measure the flour?

With some recipes – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that can work. HOWEVER- FOR THIS RECIPE – PLEASE USE THE SPOON AND LEVEL METHOD.

pumpkin muffins

What other recipes can be made with pumpkin?

We love pumpkin recipes in this house – so we definitely have a lot of recommendations on what to make using pumpkin. Here is a small list of our favorites.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Best Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Caramel
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
Air Fryer Pumpkin Bread

Why do I need pumpkin puree instead of pie filling?

This is really important when making pumpkin recipes. Pay close attention to the recipe & see if it calls for one or the other.

They are not usually interchangeable because it will change the flavor & possibly the consistency of the recipe you are making.

muffins pumpkin

ingredients for Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients for Pumpkin Muffins

pumpkin puree
all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
eggs
vegetable oil
pumpkin pie spice
baking powder
vanilla extract
baking soda
table salt

What if I don’t have pumpkin pie spice?

I understand that you might not keep pumpkin pie spice on hand – or maybe you used so much last season that you may have run out. No problem – just blend the following ingredients together and you will have your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.

1/3 cup cinnamon
1 tbsp each of ground ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves
2 tsp Allspice

bakery style pumpkin muffins

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a jumbo muffin pan with 6 liners. Set aside.
Combine the pumpkin puree, flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk well until fully combined.
Spoon or ladle the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees.
Without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are tall and spring back when gently pressed.
Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Muffins

All-purpose flour is a great neutral flour to use in this recipe. Just makes sure you’re measuring it correctly using the spoon and level technique.
I opted for granulated sugar because it sweetens the muffins but feel free to substitute light brown sugar if desired.
The pumpkin pie spice adds great warmth and spice to the muffins. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg if needed.
The baking powder and baking soda help the muffins rise.
Eggs hold the muffins together.
The pumpkin puree adds the pumpkin flavor and color. Please don’t use pumpkin pie filling.
Vegetable oil adds richness and helps keep the muffins moist.
The vanilla enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and spices.

recipe for pumpkin muffins

how to make Bakery-Style Pumpkin Muffins

Can these muffins be frozen?

You bet! These muffins freeze quite well. I recommend waiting until they have completely cooled. Then wrap them individually with plastic wrap. Then place them in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving again.

Why bake at different temperatures?

We bake the muffins at a higher temperature for the first 5 minutes because it helps the sides of the muffins bake at a faster rate during that time. This then forces the batter to then bake upwards instead of outwards while baking slowly at the lower temperature for the remainder of the time.

This allows for a nice tall muffin with a perfectly domed top – instead of a flat muffin that reaches the top of the liner and then spills out and bakes in a random shape.

best pumpkin muffins

Can these be made into different size muffins?

Yes, this recipe is incredibly versatile. That’s why I love it so much.

You can use this batter to make 12 standard-size muffins. Bake at 425 degrees for the first 5 minutes and then at 350 degrees for another 15 minutes. You’ll probably get 14-15 standard-size muffins, so be sure to have 2 pans ready.

This batter can also be made into mini muffins. The batter yields approx 40 muffins. Bake them at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. When making mini muffins, please don’t use the high temp at the beginning of the baking process.

Can I add chocolate chips to these muffins?

Yes – that would be absolutely delicious. I recommend using regular-sized chocolate chips instead of mini chocolate chips because these muffins are so large. Also, I highly recommend the GHIRARDELLI 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Premium Baking Chips because they offer a larger chocolate chip that is almost as large as Hershey’s drops.

Of course, if you choose to make this recipe as standard muffins – then either regular chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips would be perfect.

If making mini muffins – I only recommend using mini chocolate chips.

best pumpkin muffins recipe

What is bakers release?

Bakers release is a combination of oil, flour, and shortening that makes releasing cakes and other baked goods almost effortless.

To make Bakers Release – it is as simple as 1,1 & 1.

equal parts of all-purpose flour, shortening, and cooking oil – I like to do 1 cup of each.

Mix the ingredients together – whisking well. Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator. When ready to use, dip a pastry brush into the mixture and spread it over the cake pan.

moist pumpkin muffins

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

Top Thanksgiving Recipes

Top Halloween Recipes

Products I love when making jumbo pumpkin muffins…

This jumbo muffin recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you probably already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made jumbo muffins before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this breakfast recipe.

If you love this Easy Pumpkin Muffins recipe, you’re going to love these other breakfast recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Brioche French Toast

Rich and tender brioche bread, thickly sliced and coated in a sweet cinnamon egg custard makes this Brioche French Toast the perfect breakfast. Topped with fresh fruit and maple syrup, it’s delish!

Pumpkin Butter Donuts

Pumpkin Butter Donuts, an easy baked mini donut recipe with homemade pumpkin butter. Makes a delicious treat with your morning coffee or an afternoon snack.

Mini Pancake Cereal

Mini Pancake Cereal has taken over the internet. Teeny tiny pillowy pancakes with a crispy outer texture are great with syrup, fruit, & more!

Easy Cruffin Recipe

This Easy Cruffin Recipe is a cross between a croissant & a muffin. Made with puff pastry OR crescent roll dough & coated in cinnamon & sugar. Taste & texture similar to churros & positively heavenly.

Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

This Pumpkin Waffles Recipe is made with pumpkin puree PLUS a secret ingredient in the batter to create a sweet, fall-inspired breakfast!

Apple Cider Donut Holes

Apple Cider Donut Holes are an easy breakfast recipe made with a simple apple cider batter and baked in a mini muffin tin, then rolled in a cinnamon and sugar coating. They are positively scrumptious!

JUMBO Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

JUMBO Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins are deliciously moist, packed with chocolate chips, and the perfect way to start the day!

JUMBO Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Apple Butter Pancakes

Apple Butter Pancakes are an easy fall breakfast recipe. Loaded with sweet, cinnamon apple butter. These are the perfect way to start the day.

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

This super easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is made with milk, eggs, butter, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. What a great start to the day!

recipe for Ham and Cheese Hash Brown Casserole

If you love this recipe for Pumpkin Muffins as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

This Pumpkin Muffins Recipe is great for breakfast or a snack. These jumbo-sized, bakery-style muffins are moist and fluffy, with a perfect sweetness.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jumbo, muffins, pumpkin

Servings: Jumbo Muffins

Ingredients

15 ounces pumpkin puree NOT pie filling
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp table salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Line a jumbo muffin pan with 6 liners. Set aside. (or you can coat with baker's release instead of using liners)
Combine the pumpkin puree, flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk well until fully combined.
Spoon or ladle the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees.
Without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are tall and spring back when gently pressed.
Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container.

Notes

Spring Seven Layer Bars

Colorful Spring Funfetti® Cake

Colorful Spring Roll Cake

Cute Rainbow Truffles

Cute Rainbow Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes are made with an apple and caramel homemade cupcake recipe then topped with a delicious caramel buttercream frosting, a fresh apple wedge, and a drizzle of caramel to make them the most delicious fall cupcake ever!

Do you love cupcakes? Our house is split with half of the house preferring treats like pie for holiday celebrations & the rest of us prefer something like cake or cookies.

So when it comes to the holidays – I like to offer a nice variety of goodies so everyone is happy and fulfilled. That’s where these caramel apple cupcakes come into play.

What could be more fall-like than caramel and apples? I suppose many would say pumpkin – and you wouldn’t be wrong. But since we have an abundance of apples here from our orchard – I’m all about the apple.

But for me – apples simply MUST be paired with caramel. The two go hand in hand and make these cupcakes so scrumptious that your eyes will roll back and you will be in heaven from the first bite. I can’t get enough and I know you will love them too.

Don’t miss these adorable owl cupcakes for fall!

apple cupcakes recipes

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the best way to store leftover caramel apple cupcakes?

Don’t let them sit out for too long. After serving, please them in an airtight container.

Because of the buttercream frosting, I like to keep them refrigerated and then remove what we plan to have for dessert when I am serving dinner. This way they can come to room temperature while we have dinner and they are just perfect for dessert.

They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I properly measure the flour?

Should I use light or dark brown sugar?

Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But Light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.

Want to know how to make your own brown sugar – visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.

cupcakes apple

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

Third

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

caramel cupcakes

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cupcakes

all-purpose flour
light brown sugar
baking powder
ground cinnamon
whole milk
vegetable oil
unsweetened applesauce
good quality caramel sauce
large eggs
pure vanilla extract
shredded granny smith apple

Frosting

butter softened
good quality caramel sauce
confectioner’s sugar

Can these cupcakes be made ahead of time?

You bet. The cupcakes can be made and decorated ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to serving – EXCEPT FOR THE APPLE WEDGE. The apples will turn brown as they are exposed to the air – as you probably know. I recommend adding those right before serving.

Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.

caramel apple cake

How to Make Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, applesauce, caramel sauce, eggs, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.
Next, add the shredded apple and fold it into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins making sure to fill each one ¾ of the way full.
Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean- or when the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, absolutely. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes – So if you need more – maybe for your Thanksgiving dessert as an alternative to pie – doubling is super easy.

fall cupcakes

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use unsalted butter.

I use salted butter when cooking most of the time. If using unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Ingredient Notes

Flour adds structure to the cupcakes. Make sure to measure using the scoop and level technique as adding too much flour can cause dry cupcakes.
I love the flavor of light brown sugar with apple! Feel free to use granulated sugar if you prefer.
Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise.
Cinnamon enhances the flavor of the apple.
I used whole milk in this recipe but buttermilk is even more delicious.
Vegetable oil adds richness to the cupcakes.
Applesauce adds moisture and enhances the apple flavor in the cupcakes.
Vanilla enhances the flavor of the apple and the caramel.
Shredded apple adds a bit more apple flavor, but it is completely optional!
Butter gives the icing structure– make sure it’s fully softened or you’ll end up with lumpy frosting!
Caramel sauce flavors the frosting– make sure it’s a good quality caramel sauce!
Confectioner’s sugar also gives the frosting structure, as well as a bit of sweetness

Can caramel apple cupcakes be frozen?

You bet they can. Once baked – these cupcakes can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove the freshly baked and cooled cupcakes from the pan, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for later use. (this is also handy when you want to work with cold cakes to keep the frosting from getting too soft.)

You can also gently wrap the completely decorated cupcakes and freeze them until you need them. Remember that the frosting won’t be completely firm and can still be dented if something gets pushed up against it while in the freezer.

Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before as they do taste best when not frozen. I also like to leave them at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting is more creamy than stiff.

apple cinnamon cupcakes

How to Make Caramel Frosting

Add the softened butter and caramel sauce to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until they are fully combined.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar.
Once all the confectioner’s sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and decorate as desired.
Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Can these be made with a box mix?

Sure! If you are tight on time and want to just whip up the cupcakes using a box mix – that will work fine too. That being said – I am not sure how the box mix will perform if you are adding the shredded apples and caramel. You might want to leave those out.

You can even use the canned frosting – I think it is available in caramel flavor.

That being said – this recipe is so scrumptious and doesn’t really take that much longer than using the pre-made mix. I highly recommend you giving it a try.

apple cupcake recipes

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

If you love this Apple Cupcake recipe, you’re going to love these other fall treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

If you love Pumpkin Spice Lattes, then you’ll love these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes topped with pumpkin espresso frosting. So deliciously perfect for fall!

Mini Apple Pies

Fall Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe ever. No chilling, no spread, perfect edges, and still soft and chewy. They are the best fall sugar cookies to make!

Fall Sugar Cookies, soft sugar cookies, sugar cookie recipe

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Festive Candy Corn Cupcakes made with a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe and topped with colorful vanilla buttercream frosting. They’ll be the perfect holiday dessert to serve at any kid or adult Halloween party!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Spice Cookies are one of the most popular desserts for fall. These are a no-chill cookie recipe, quick to make & packed with pumpkin spice chips & white chocolate chips too. SO GOOD!

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe is the perfect dessert for fall. Simple to make & loaded with apples, cinnamon & oats. Top a warm slice with ice cream, so good.

Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These sweet and moist Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are the most delicious way to add the flavor of summer to dessert.

Best Pumpkin Pie

Products I love when making caramel apple cupcakes…

This cupcake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cupcakes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this fall treat recipe.

If you love this recipe for Caramel Apple Cupcakes as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes are made with an apple and caramel homemade cupcake recipe then topped with a delicious caramel buttercream frosting, a fresh apple wedge, and a drizzle of caramel!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple, caramel, cupcakes

Servings: cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup whole milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup good quality caramel sauce
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded granny smith apple

Frosting

½ cup butter softened
¼ cup good quality caramel sauce
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, applesauce, caramel sauce, eggs, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.
Next, add the shredded apple and fold it into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins making sure to fill each one ¾ of the way full.
Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean- or when the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Frosting

Add the softened butter and caramel sauce to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until they are fully combined.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar.
Once all the confectioner’s sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and decorate as desired.
Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts roasted with cranberries is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday celebration.

These Balsamic Brussel sprouts are roasted in the oven and tossed with cranberries to give them a tart and sweet flavor. This recipe can be made in about 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for holidays and everyday dinners too.

If you love to bring a delicious pop of gorgeous color to your holiday table – these Brussel Sprouts are the perfect dish. I know your family will go crazy for them as much as we do.

View post

Thanksgiving Punch

By Kleinworth & Co 4 Comments

Cozy up with a glass of this Thanksgiving Punch! It’s a fruity holiday drink that is perfect for holiday gatherings with friends and family.

This is the perfect recipe for Thanksgiving. The taste of the apple and orange juice blends perfectly with the lemonade and sparkling water to give this drink that perfect Thanksgiving flavor.

We serve this drink – or variations of it – each and every year for the holidays. Everyone loves it and it is always one of the first things we run out of.

Fortunately, this punch recipe is so simple to make that we can have several pitchers going at the same time and whip up more in about 5 minutes when we run out.

Not only is it delicious – but it’s so pretty too. Just look at that gorgeous orange drink – so perfect for a fall holiday gathering.

fall punch

Here are some commonly asked questions

Where can I find that pitcher?

I picked up mine on Amazon – however, I have found the same Tall Glass Pitcher here. I love it because not only is it pretty and simple and elegant – but it is large enough to hold a whole lot of punch, which is great for holiday parties.

What to serve with Thanksgiving Punch

You can really serve this punch recipe with just about anything. But since we are serving it for the holidays – here is a list of the recipes we typically serve with this delicious drink.

What is the best way to store leftover punch?

This drink is best when enjoyed immediately because of the carbonated component added. It also doesn’t keep too well for longer periods of time if you are adding any alcohol to the pitcher.

Try to enjoy this recipe freshly made – cutting the ingredients in half or even to 1/4 if it is too much.

autumn harvest

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes – this recipe is easily doubled, tripled, or whatever you like. We have even made this and served it in one of those huge coolers with the spigot that you see on the sidelines of football games. You know the ones that usually hold Gatorade. Because this punch is served cold- it is easy to store it in whatever you need and make as much as you like.

Can I use soda instead of sparking water?

Yes, if you don’t want to use sparkling water you can use 7-Up, ginger ale, Sprite, or lemon/lime-flavored soda. Any clear, carbonated drink of choice should do the trick. You can even use those flavored sparkling waters if you want.

Can I use frozen juice concentrate?

Frozen juice concentrate will still need to be made into juice before you can use it for this recipe. But once you do that, it is fine to use.

holiday punch recipes

Can I use diet beverages for this drink?

You bet! Diet juices and soda will work just fine with this drink recipe.

Ingredients for Thanksgiving Punch

apple cider
sparkling water
lemonade
orange juice
maple syrup
apples
orange
Rosemary sprigs – optional

Can I use a different type of juice?

Absolutely. If you want to use cran-apple or pomegranate-cranberry juice in place of the straight apple juice, that will be just as delicious. You can also sub in lime juice or pineapple juice depending on your preference instead of the orange juice.

Awesome Holiday Drinks to Try

Thanksgiving Punch Recipes

Can I use apple cider instead of apple juice?

I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say how that would turn out. But I would imagine that would taste very similar and be just as delicious.

How to Make Thanksgiving Punch

Combine the apple cider, sparking water, lemonade, orange juice, and maple syru in a tall pitcher. Stir to mix all of the ingredients.
Cut the apples and the oranges into slices and add them to the pitcher.
Add the rosemary sprigs if desired. Stir.
Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hour prior to serving.

How do you keep the punch cold?

I like to make a double batch of this punch, leaving out the soda & any alcohol that might get added in addition to the punch when making the second batch.

Then I pour it into a bundt pan or jello mold & freeze it. Then I have a large “ice cube” that is not only pretty but won’t dilute the punch when it melts.

You can also freeze the fruit before adding it to the punch and they will work like ice. Also, try adding frozen cranberries, they can help act as ice cubes as well.

Can I convert this recipe into a spiked drink?

Yes. Just add 1 oz. of bourbon or light rum per serving. So for this 6 cup recipe, (serving 1/2 cup servings) – you would add 12 ounces of your alcohol of choice.

fall punch recipes

Products I love when making Thanskgiving Punch…

This holiday punch recipe is so simple to make – and you probably already have many of these items on hand this time of year just like I do! OR If you’ve never made your own punch before, you might be hesitant – but you & your guests are going to love this recipe for your holiday parties. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this punch recipe.

If you love this Easy Thanksgiving Punch recipe, you’re going to love these other drinks too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Holiday Party Punch

Holiday Party Punch is a delicious holiday party drink packed with cranberry, pineapple & lemon. Keep it “kid-friendly” or spike with rum or vodka for adult parties.

Sparkling Champagne Margarita

Sparkling Champagne Margarita takes a classic margarita and adds a champagne twist making it perfect for special celebrations like New Year’s or birthdays.

Slow Cooker Wassail

This recipe for Slow Cooker Wassail is an easy way to celebrate Christmas with your guests. This delicious no-fuss, alcoholic beverage, made in the Crockpot will surely be one of the best at your holiday gathering.

Apple Cranberry Spritzer

Apple Cranberry Spritzer is a deliciously easy party drink that can be made with or without alcohol. Perfect for holidays or any celebration.

Bourbon Apple Cider

Bourbon Apple Cider is an easy spiked hot cider recipe made in the slow cooker. Perfect for holiday parties, cozy fall evenings & more.

Spiced Old Fashioned

Spiced Old Fashioned gives a seasonal holiday twist to this classic cocktail with a homemade cinnamon thyme syrup. Perfect for celebrating.

Thanksgiving cocktail Spiced Old Fashioned

Crock Pot Cranberry Cider

Crock Pot Cranberry Cider a delicious hard cider made in the slow cooker. Perfect Thanksgiving drink, non-alcoholic or with a splash of rum!

Classic Homemade Eggnog

Classic Homemade Eggnog is the perfect drink for all your holiday entertaining and when cozying up by the fire (with or without alcohol).

Cinnamon Spiced Moscow Mule

Cinnamon Spiced Moscow Mule gives a holiday twist to the classic Russian Mule cocktail. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s celebrations.

Cranberry Orange Mimosa

Cranberry Orange Mimosa, a twist on the classic celebration drink that adds the holiday flavor of cranberry to the orange & champagne mix.

If you love this recipe for Thanksgiving Punch as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Thanksgiving Punch

Cozy up with a glass of this Thanksgiving Punch! It’s a fruity holiday drink that is perfect for holiday gatherings with friends and family.

Prep Time5

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider, lemonade, orange juice, punch, thanksgiving

Servings: cups

Ingredients

2 cups apple cider
2 cups sparkling water
1 cup lemonade
¾ cup orange juice
1 Tbps maple syrup
2 medium-sized apples
1 medium-sized orange
Rosemary sprigs optional

Instructions

Combine the apple cider, sparking water, lemonade, orange juice, and maple syru in a tall pitcher. Stir to mix all of the ingredients.
Cut the apples and the oranges into slices and add them to the pitcher.
Add the rosemary sprigs if desired. Stir.
Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hour prior to serving.

Turkey Cupcakes

These adorable Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes are fun treats packed with chocolate flavor and make an amazing sweet party snack.

An easy twist on your favorite chocolate cupcakes to turn them into cute little turkeys for your Thanksgiving party.

View post

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

By Kleinworth & Co 1 Comment

Instant Pot Turkey Breast will be your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day go-to recipe for juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast.

This Instant Pot turkey breast recipe is perfect for a quick and easy dinner. Cook it in the pressure cooker and you’ll have a moist and flavorful meal in minutes!

I just love how quick and easy this Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe makes our holiday meal prep. No more running the oven for hours on end – this gives us delicious turkey and it is practically effortless.

I really love this recipe because now that our oven runs on the same fuel as one of our heating sources and that source isn’t unlimited – I am far more conscious of how long I am using the oven. I don’t want to make anything in there that will cook for longer than an hour.

Fortunately, we have great little countertop appliances like the air fryer and pressure cooker that can do the same job in a short amount of time and save my fuel source in the process.

Not only that – but it makes clean up a breeze because everything is contained to the one little pot. Super simple and the turkey is just so tender and juicy too. I know you’ll love it.

Instant Pot Turkey

Here are some commonly asked questions

How much turkey breast do you need per person?

The rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person.

Keep in mind how many side dishes you will be offering along with the turkey. If you are making this for Thanksgiving – then you will most likely be serving side dishes too. So people may serve themselves a bit less turkey if they plan on loading up their plate with a lot of extras.

Something else to keep in mind – do you expect your guests to go back for seconds – always keep that in mind. I almost always double what I think I will need because not only does my family love seconds – but we love leftovers too.

The most important thing to do before you get started – even before you unwrap the turkey— is to make sure it will fit inside the pressure cooker pot.

Place the wrapped turkey in the pot on top of the trivet and make sure the lid will still close properly. You don’t want to get to the critical part of adding the turkey to the pot only to find out it doesn’t fit.

In general – a 6 Qt pot should be able to hold a 5-6.5 pound turkey and the 8 Qt pot should hold 7-8.5 pounds.

If the turkey will only fit without the trivet – that is okay because you can use the veggies in the bottom of the pot as a make-shift trivet. Just make sure to keep the skin side up so that the skin doesn’t find its way to the bottom of the pot and get stuck there.

What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?

The best way for a turkey to be cooked is with high heat, which will kill all the bacteria in the turkey. The USDA recommends cooking your turkey at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes per pound of weight when using a conventional oven.

When cooking with an Instant Pot it is sealing in the heat and steam to cook the turkey and therefore it will cook the food much faster than what you get with an oven.

Pressure cooking a turkey breast can be done on manual high pressure until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees.

Can leftover turkey be frozen?

pressure cooking a turkey breast

How long do I pressure cook a turkey in the Instant Pot?

Well – this will depend on the size and thickness of the turkey you are wanting to cook.

If you are cooking a BONE-IN turkey breast – the cooking time will be based on the weight. I generally cook mine for 30 minutes with 10 minutes for a natural pressure release when cooking a 6-7 pound BONE-IN turkey. You can reduce it to about 25 minutes for a 3-4 pound turkey breast and 27-28 minutes for a 4-5 pound turkey breast.

Now- when cooking a BONELESS turkey breast you will be focusing on the thickest part of the turkey because they will range in shape. Keep in mind that the long skinny ones will take less time than the rounded, fatter ones. Start your time at about 30-35 minutes with a 10-minute natural pressure release when cooking a ROUND turkey breast that is roughly 3 pounds.

How do I make this recipe at high altitude?

**Live at High Altitude – Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, and pressure cooking requires water to boil in order to work, some foods may need a little more cooking time.

When pressure cooking at high altitudes you want to make sure to add 5 percent to your cook time for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. For example, when we lived at 4,000+ feet I would add 10 percent to my cook time.

For a recipe that called for 20-minutes of cooking time, I would then cook for 22 minutes. When pressure cooking, 1-2 minutes can make all the difference in a recipe, unlike when cooking by traditional methods.

I got a burn notification – now what?

This probably happened because the pot was not deglazed after something else was cooked in there. Anything that is stuck onto the bottom of the pot can affect how the cooker comes to pressure – resulting in it not cooking correctly. This can also happen if the mixture of what you have in there is too thick. If the mixture isn’t stirred well – it will cause the burn notice. For this recipe – that part shouldn’t be a problem.

Make sure that the bottom of the pot is clean by scraping up any food stuck to it using a wooden spoon. Make sure there is adequate liquid in the pot – you can always add 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup more depending on your elevation and climate.

Why is it important to use the thermometer on the thickest part of the bird?

The tip of a digital thermometer should be inserted into the center of a large roast, turkey, or other whole bird. The probe should not touch the bone or any other cold spot.

Insert the probe slowly and carefully until it touches an internal part of the meat and takes its reading without touching or moving any internal parts such as bones or fat.

turkey breast in presure cooker

HOW TO MAKE GRAVY IN THE INSTANT POT

This is the best part. You will have all those juices in the bottom of the pot once you remove that turkey. These are great for making a super flavorful gravy.

To do so – drain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer so you can separate it out from all of the other veggie pieces and other little floating things in the juices.

Add back to the pot 2 cups of the juices along with 1/4 cup of water and 2 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk it really well. Set the Instant Pot to the saute setting and continue to whisk as it heats up until the gravy thickens. Remove from the heat and serve alongside your turkey and fixings.

Be sure to hold onto the remaining liquid – you can use that for turkey soup with any leftovers you might have from your meal.

What is “natural pressure release”?

Often, an Instant Pot recipe would call for you to release all the pressure at the end of the timed pressure cycle. However, the cooking process stops when the pressure is released.

For recipes that call for a natural pressure release, you would refrain from releasing the pressure from the unit for a set amount of time. This allows for a little extra cooking time as the pressure inside naturally goes down.

At the end of the natural pressure release cycle, you would then use the valve to release the remaining pressure and stop the cooking process.

What is the difference between a pressure cooker and an instant pot?

By today’s definition, they are virtually the same – if you are talking about an electric pressure cooker. However, a traditional pressure cooker and an instant pot are two different cooking methods.

A traditional pressure cooker is a sealed metal container that cooks food quickly by steam under increased atmospheric pressure and heats the pot to boiling point.

An Instant Pot, on the other hand, is an electric-style pressure cooker that uses the same idea for cooking foods but can do so with very little liquid. They are incredibly efficient, safer than a traditional pressure cooker, and super easy to use too. Plus they come with a multitude of other functions making them great for quick meal prep.

Turkey Breast Instant Pot

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

Third

What to serve with Instant Pot Turkey Breast

While this turkey breast is very versatile and can be served with just about anything – here is a list of our favorite recipes that we pair with this great main dish.

Can you cook a turkey breast frozen?

While you can do this – that doesn’t mean that you should. I highly recommend that you don’t try to do this with a frozen turkey breast.

Usually, the pressure cooker is great for cooking meat from a frozen state – but because we are working with a very thick piece – the likelihood of you having to overcook the outside so you can get the inside to cook to the proper temperature is pretty high.

This won’t result in a very good meal. You will likely have dry, tough turkey on the outside and potentially unsafe turkey on the inside. Please use a fresh or fully thawed turkey for this recipe.

pressure cooker turkey breast

ingredients for Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Tips for the BEST Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Chicken stock helps prevent the bottom of the Instant Pot from burning– plus, it can be used to make a gravy once the turkey is cooked. Feel free to use water if you prefer.
The bed of vegetables is optional but it provides a place for the turkey to sit, as well as extra flavor to the turkey.
Butter keeps the turkey breast moist and holds the herbs and garlic on the meat.
I’m using a combination of garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage to flavor the turkey but feel free to use any combination of fresh herbs that you like!
I highly recommend a boneless turkey breast as they cook faster and more evenly in the Instant Pot.
Olive oil helps lock in the juices on the outside of the turkey so it stays moist.
Salt and black pepper season the turkey as well.
Make sure you are starting with a fresh or fully thawed turkey.
Use real butter – the key here is the fat and the flavor that comes with that. You won’t find that using margarine and it might tend to burn faster too when you get to the browning part of the recipe.
You can brine the turkey overnight in a large bowl if desired.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Turkey Breast

chicken stock
onions – quartered
carrots – cut into 1.5” slices
celery – cut into 1.5” slices
butter – softened
garlic – minced
parsley – minced
sage – minced
thyme – minced
rosemary – minced
boneless skin-on turkey breast
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Turkey Instant Pot

How to make Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Add the trivet insert to the Instant Pot.
Then add the chicken stock, onions, carrots, and celery. Make sure the vegetables are in an even layer so they create a bed for the turkey breast to sit on.
In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary until combined.
Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel and gently lift the skin away from the meat.
Rub the butter mixture between the skin and the breast meat making sure to cover it evenly.
Drizzle the outside of the turkey breast with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
Rub seasoning all over the turkey to make sure it’s evenly coated on all sides.
Place the turkey breast in the Instant Pot skin side up.
Close the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position.
Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 35 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. Then, release any additional pressure by switching the valve to the venting position.
Remove the turkey from the Instant Pot and slice into your desired size. Enjoy.
**SEE NOTES BELOW FOR BROWNING
Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

BROWNING

If you want to brown the turkey skin after cooking, transfer the cooked turkey breast to a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes or until your desired doneness. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

How to store leftover turkey breast

If you happen to have any turkey leftovers after serving – just transfer the remaining turkey to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve again.

To reheat – microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until hot again.

You can also place your serving in a small cake pan and place it on a trivet in the Instant Pot. Be sure to add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot before cooking – then reheat on manual pressure for about 5 minutes – although the total time will depend on how much you are reheating.

Boneless Turkey Breast Instant Pot

how to make pressure cooker Turkey Breast

How to Carve a Turkey Breast

The key here is to be patient so you get the best possible result.

First, start by allowing the turkey breast to rest after cooking. You want to make sure to give it at least 15 minutes. To keep it warm and allow the juices to distribute throughout the breast – tent it loosely with foil.
Make sure you are using a sharp knife.
Make your slice along the side of the breast bone – making smooth, long even strokes. You can saw back and forth if using a serrated knife.
When the knife reaches the edge the slice should fall. You can continue to follow this pattern until all of the turkey is removed from the breast.

What size Instant Pot do you use for this recipe?

I am currently using an 8-quart pot, but this recipe can be made in the 6-quart pot too. If you have one of the smaller versions (3-quart mini), I recommend cutting this recipe in half.

Here are my favorite Instant Pot Tools and Accessories!

Instant Pot
Non-Stick Instant Pot Insert with Silicone Lid
Accessory Set
Glass Lid
Sealing Rings
Silicone Egg Bites Mold
Large Mesh Steamer Basket
Complete Cook & Bake Set

If you love this Easy Turkey Breast recipe, you’re going to love these other turkey recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Applewood Smoked Turkey for Traeger

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This season, ditch the oven and the mess. Feed your family a juicy and flavorful holiday turkey with this air fryer turkey breast recipe.

Turkey Cranberry Sliders

These turkey cranberry sliders are a mouthwatering addition to anyone’s Thanksgiving feast or great use for holiday leftovers. They are a perfect blend of turkey, cranberry sauce, and sweet Hawaiian rolls that make it easy to serve guests something they will love.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is a simple dump & go crockpot recipe that is perfect for those Thanksgiving leftovers. It’s the best comfort food recipe for fall.

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Perfect Roast Turkey

Easy, simple & delicious recipe for How to Roast a Turkey will have your guests swooning.

If you love this recipe for Instant Pot Turkey Breast as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Instant Pot Turkey Breast will be your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day go-to recipe for juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey breast.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Nature Release15

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot, pressure cooker, turkey

Servings:

Ingredients

1 ½ cups chicken stock
2 large onions quartered
3 large carrots cut into 1.5” slices
2 stalks celery cut into 1.5” slices
4 tablespoons butter softened
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
2 teaspoons fresh sage minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
1 boneless skin-on turkey breast 3 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Add the trivet insert to the Instant Pot.
Then add the chicken stock, onions, carrots, and celery. Make sure the vegetables are in an even layer so they create a bed for the turkey breast to sit on.
In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary until combined.
Pat the turkey breast dry with a paper towel and gently lift the skin away from the meat.
Rub the butter mixture between the skin and the breast meat making sure to cover it evenly.
Drizzle the outside of the turkey breast with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
Rub seasoning all over the turkey to make sure it’s evenly coated on all sides.
Place the turkey breast in the Instant Pot skin side up.
Close the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position.
Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 35 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. Then, release any additional pressure by switching the valve to the venting position.
Remove the turkey from the Instant Pot and slice into your desired size. Enjoy.
**SEE NOTES BELOW FOR BROWNING
Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Notes

Apple Cider Donut Holes

Apple Cider Donut Holes are an easy breakfast recipe made with a simple apple cider batter and baked in a mini muffin tin, then rolled in a cinnamon and sugar coating. They are positively scrumptious!

I sure get excited about fall and all the flavors that come with it. Fall has always been my favorite season – but now that we have this property my fall days are full of picking apples from our orchard and making all sorts of apple recipes – fall is all the more fun.

easy donut holes

So here I was picking through all of my apple recipes in grandma’s cookbooks this season because we had a massive crop of apples this year. I knew I would be making apple recipes for FOREVER. We had already made a ton of cider and wanted to make some recipes with that cider. I think these little donut holes were a perfect choice.

Be sure to try our Instant Pot Apple Cider & Apple Cider Donut Cake!

I’m so in love with these little donut holes. My daughter has been begging me to make more since she ate the last of this batch. Fortunately, the recipe is so easy that I can just hand it off to her and let her make her own.

These are the perfect little breakfast to enjoy throughout the fall season. I know I will be making these for guests coming this Thanksgiving – they are definitely a hit.

apple cider donuts

Here are some commonly asked questions

How to store leftover donut holes

These mini muffins/donut holes are super easy to store. Just place leftovers in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. I don’t recommend refrigerating as the cooler air will moisten the sugar coating and make it dissolve and soak into the donut holes.

baked apple cider donuts

Why are these called donut holes?

While these are technically mini muffins – when they are baked and then rolled in the cinnamon and sugar mixture they take on the flavor and texture of a donut hole. Because they are also the same size and shape as a donut hole – the name just sort of stuck and became the popular and more common way to refer to these tasty little gems.

apple cider donut

Can these be made as a regular-size muffin?

Sure – these can be made in a standard muffin tin. If you would like to do that – bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden on top and spring back when they are gently pressed on the tops.

apple cider donut recipe

Ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Holes

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
baking powder
cinnamon
apple cider
sour cream
eggs – gently beaten
vanilla extract
molasses

Coating

butter – melted
granulated sugar
cinnamon

How to Make Apple Cider Donut Holes

Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil or grease a mini muffin tin – set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
Whisk in the cider, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and molasses until the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients are combined.
Spoon into the prepared baking pan – you should be able to get about 1-2 tbsp of batter in each well of the ini muffin tin. I filled each until they were just below the tops.
Bake 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

How to Make Apple Cider Donut Hole Coating

While the muffins are baking – combine the sugar with the cinnamon and stir well.
Once the muffins are done baking – immediately remove one muffin and dip it in the melted butter, then immediately roll it in the cinnamon/sugar mixture until coated.
Set the coated “donut hole” on a plate or in a bowl and continue with the remaining donut holes until they are all coated.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

apple cider muffins

What type of apple cider should I use?

I used homemade cider (which I will be linking to here once I get that post written) but you can use the jug of cider that you can find at either the local farmers market or the grocery store. Keep in mind that if you are using a commercial brand vs something made locally and found at the orchard – the cider will most likely be thinner.

My cider had a thicker consistency which made for a thicker batter. Either is okay.

Also – you can use either the spiced cider or the plain cider – that is up to you if you want to have a stronger spiced flavor to the donut holes. I used spiced cider – but they are delicious either way.

apple cider baked donuts

coating ingredients for Apple Cider Donut Holes

Can these be baked into regular donuts?

Yes – if you have a standard donut pan, you can add the batter to the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. I don’t recommend trying to fry this dough as it is meant to be baked.

apple donut recipe

Can this recipe be cut in half?

Yes – this recipe makes 48 donut holes – which was enough for the 3 of us here to enjoy for a whole weekend. I made this recipe because I had the larger mini muffin pan and I had completely forgotten that I also had a couple of smaller mini muffin pans I could have used. Either way – this recipe easily reduces to make half or you can double it if you need a whole lot of donut holes.

apple cider donut muffins

If you love these donut holes – check out these other apple recipes!

Since we have quite a few apple trees on our property – it is no surprise that we make a ton of apple recipes. Here are just a handful of our favorites.

Can these be made with apple juice?

Theoretically yes, however, the apple juice will give you a very light apple flavor compared to what you get with the apple cider. In addition to that, it will be a much thinner consistency, resulting in a thinner batter – so you will want to make sure your sour cream is thick and doesn’t have too much whey mixed in before you add it.

donut holes

Products I love when making these donut holes…

This mini muffin/donut hole recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made donuts or muffins before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this breakfast recipe.

If you love this Easy Apple Cider Donut Holes recipe, you’re going to love these other breakfast recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Easy Cruffin Recipe

JUMBO Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins

JUMBO Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins are deliciously moist, packed with chocolate chips, and the perfect way to start the day!

Apple Butter Pancakes

Apple Butter Pancakes are an easy fall breakfast recipe. Loaded with sweet, cinnamon apple butter. These are the perfect way to start the day.

Pumpkin Butter Donuts

Pumpkin Butter Donuts, an easy baked mini donut recipe with homemade pumpkin butter. Makes a delicious treat with your morning coffee or an afternoon snack.

Chocolate Overload Muffins

Brioche French Toast

Rich and tender brioche bread, thickly sliced and coated in a sweet cinnamon egg custard makes this Brioche French Toast the perfect breakfast. Topped with fresh fruit and maple syrup, it’s delish!

Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

This Pumpkin Waffles Recipe is made with pumpkin puree PLUS a secret ingredient in the batter to create a sweet, fall-inspired breakfast!

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

This Blueberry Baked Oatmeal is an easy breakfast recipe that’s a great way to start the day and will keep you full all morning long.

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

This super easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is made with milk, eggs, butter, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. What a great start to the day!

Mini Pancake Cereal

Mini Pancake Cereal has taken over the internet. Teeny tiny pillowy pancakes with a crispy outer texture are great with syrup, fruit, & more!

Air Fryer Doughnut Holes with Chocolate Sauce

Air Fryer Doughnut Holes with Chocolate Sauce are a quick and easy breakfast recipe with a delicious coating of cinnamon-sugar on the outside that will have the whole family coming back for more.

If you love this recipe for Apple Cider Donut Holes as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Apple Cider Donut Holes

Prep Time10

Cook Time13

Total Time23

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider, cinnamon, donut, mini muffins, muffins

Servings: mini donuts

Ingredients

Donuts

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup apple cider
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs – gently beaten
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp molasses

Coating

½ cup butter – melted
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil or grease a mini muffin tin – set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
Whisk in the cider, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and molasses until the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients are combined.
Spoon into the prepared baking pan – you should be able to get about 1-2 tbsp of batter in each well of the ini muffin tin. I filled each until they were just below the tops.
Bake 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Coating

While the muffins are baking – combine the sugar with the cinnamon and stir well.
Once the muffins are done baking – immediately remove one muffin and dip it in the melted butter, then immediately roll it in the cinnamon/sugar mixture until coated.
Set the coated “donut hole” on a plate or in a bowl and continue with the remaining donut holes until they are all coated.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

This recipe can be made into regular-sized muffins. Bake those for 15-18 minutes.

You can use milk in place of sour cream

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are fluffy, tender, flaky, perfect with butter and honey or jam. A deliciously simple dinner and holiday side dish.

These buttermilk biscuits are just the ticket for serving at any meal. They’re great for breakfast, lunch, and even afternoon tea. The ingredients and cooking time are minimal and this recipe is really easy to make.

As you know, I’m a sucker for easy recipes – especially ones that the family raves over. When I find something everyone loves and it is simple for me to whip up in a short time – it ends up being a recipe we make countless times. This biscuit recipe is one of those – because everyone can’t get enough.

Pair these biscuits with our Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie recipe for a delicious dinner.

We all know that there is nothing like a warm biscuit with butter on it in the morning. These biscuits really are the best breakfast ever. They are fluffy and delicious with a mildly sweet taste that is perfect for dunking in your morning coffee or tea.

We love these Buttermilk Biscuits! They are absolutely perfect as a side dish for weeknight dinners, holiday feasts and, we love to serve them for our guests, and we’re sure you’ll love them too.

buttermilk biscuits from scratch

Here are some commonly asked questions

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

No problem. If you happen to not have buttermilk, you can place 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup. Then fill the rest up to the 1-cup mark with regular milk. Then let it sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before mixing into the batter.

But since this recipe calls for COLD buttermilk – you can then pop the “buttermilk” you have made into the fridge until it becomes very cold again before you use it for these biscuits.

OR you can use the buttermilk powder I have linked at the bottom of this post and you can just whisk it into water to make buttermilk whenever you need it.

In addition – you can use 4 tbsp of milk + enough sour cream to make a cup, OR 2 tbsp of milk + enough plain yogurt to make a cup. Note – don’t use Greek yogurt – it doesn’t have the right consistency to make this work.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use salted butter.

I usually use whatever I have on hand & I really don’t pay too close attention to what butter I have. But I typically keep salted butter on hand & I love that little bit of extra salt with the sweet in this recipe.

These days with groceries being more difficult to find – I basically get whatever the store has available at the time and make it work.

buttermilk biscuits

Where did biscuits come from?

Originally the biscuit dates back to the days of Louis XIV. The name comes from the French name “bis” (twice) “cuit” (cooked) because it was originally a flat cake that was baked, removed from its pan, and then baked again.

It was a staple for many years with soldiers because it was hard and dry (often called stone bread) – and therefore would last a long time compared to regular bread made with yeast.

Today – the light and flaky biscuits we are familiar with originated in Southern plantation kitchens. They consist of dough that has been worked into layers of flour and butter – folded a multitude of times to create that tender texture.

My dough didn’t rise, what happened?

Because we aren’t dealing with yeast – most of the time this means that your baking powder has expired. When making yeast rolls or bread you would want to check and make sure the temperature of the liquid you were using to proof the yeast was correct.

But with these biscuits, the baking powder (along with the buttermilk) is our leavening agent and that will make the dough rise. If that isn’t fresh you will end up with flat, dense biscuits.

buttermilk biscuits recipe

ingredients for Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients for Buttermilk Biscuits

all-purpose flour
baking powder
salt
unsalted – very cold butter cubed **see notes
cold buttermilk

Can buttermilk biscuits be frozen?

Yes, I do it often. You can wrap each biscuit individually with plastic wrap once they have been baked and cooled to room temperature. Then place all of the wrapped biscuits in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the dough once it has been worked AND the biscuits have been cut. You can do this by placing the cut dough on a baking sheet that has been lined with plastic wrap. Place the tray in the freezer until the dough has completely frozen. Then remove and wrap each one tightly.

When ready to make – remove from the freezer, preheat the oven, unwrap the frozen biscuits and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake according to the directions below.

homemade buttermilk biscuits

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl or food processor. Whisk to combine or pulse processor lightly.
Add the butter to the dry ingredients and combine until crumbs form. If using a bowl, use a pastry cutter, if using the food processor, pulse several times.
If using processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk.
Fold together until the dough begins to come together.
Flour a smooth work surface and transfer the dough from the bowl.
Generously flour your hands and begin working the dough together.
Form or roll into ¾ inch thick rectangle.
Fold one long side into the center, then fold the other long side in **see notes
Rotate the dough so that it is horizontal to you.
Gently flatten the dough into a rectangle and fold the sides into the middle again.
Turn the dough again and fold the sides into the middle again.
Turn horizontally again and flatten dough into a rectangle about 1 ¼ inches thick.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Generously butter a cast iron skillet or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Use a 2 ½ or 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough. Cut straight down and pull straight up, do not twist the cutter **see notes
Place the biscuits in the prepared cast iron skillet or on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little extra milk, if you like.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter, if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

southern buttermilk biscuits

What is the best way to store leftover buttermilk biscuits?

I must say, we never have leftovers of these. However, if you happen to have a few extras lying around, place the leftover biscuits in a zip-top bag or airtight container. This recipe should keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

What to serve with buttermilk biscuits

There are so many different things you can add to these biscuits or pair these biscuits with. Here are some of the recipes we make the most frequently with this biscuit recipe.

best buttermilk biscuits

Tips for the BEST Buttermilk Biscuits

Butter – cut the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to using.
Folding – it’s important to fold the dough according to the directions, as this process creates the layers in the biscuits.
Cutting – be sure not to twist the cutter, it can seal the edges of the biscuits and prevent them from rising. You need the edges to not be sealed so you get those flaky layers.

How do I properly measure the flour?

While there are some recipes where you can get away with gently fluffing and scooping the flour – these biscuits will become hard and dense if you do not follow the spoon and level method for measuring.

southern homemade biscuits

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, absolutely this can be doubled. You can even bake the sheets side-by-side or just do them in batches back to back. I like to double the recipe and bake them on my larger 3/4 sheet pan so I have enough for everyone and some leftovers too.

Why is the cooked dough so dense?

This biscuit dough will be dense before it is baked but should be light and fluffy like you see in the images here once they have been baked. If you find that your dough comes out more dense, please see the following suggestions below.

Folding. Make sure you are following the instructions for folding the dough – these folds and the cold butter worked throughout the dough is what makes those tender, flaky layers. Without that step the biscuits will be dense.
Too much flour. Too much flour will make the dough dense and dry. I know the inclination is to add more when the dough is sticky – but make sure you are using the spoon and level method for measuring the flour If you live in a lower elevation, or higher humidity, you probably won’t need as much flour on your surface when working the dough.

old fashioned buttermilk biscuits

These don’t need yeast?

Nope, that is what makes making biscuits so easy. No yeast, no need to wait for them to rise. Just mix & bake.

Can I use Gluten-Free flour?

I have not tried that yet. If you decide to give it a go, I would suggest using one that has a 1:1 ratio for the best possible results. Please let me know how it turns out. I’d love to share that with others.

flaky buttermilk biscuits

Products I love when making biscuits…

This biscuit recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade biscuits before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this biscuit recipe.

If you love this easy biscuit recipe, you’re going to love these other side dish bread too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Biscuits

Refrigerator biscuits, Italian garlic butter & Parmesan cheese make these Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Biscuits. A simple side with easy family dinner ideas.

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Biscuits - loaded with homemade Italian Garlic Butter & Parmesan cheese. Ready in 20 minutes. Don't miss the recipe for the butter too! It's AMAZING on everything.

Incredibly Easy Crusty Artisan Bread

Incredibly Easy Crusty Artisan Bread is a simple, 4-ingredient homemade dutch oven bread recipe that is absolutely foolproof. Perfect alongside every meal. Pair with a delicious cinnamon spreadable honey & it’s pure heaven.

Skillet Biscuits

Skillet Biscuits- So good!

30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls

30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls, the perfect bread recipe to serve with any meal. Great for holidays, so simple to make. Cheesy, garlicky goodness!

20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits

20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits are the perfect side dish. You can’t beat this copycat red lobster biscuit recipe that’s ready in about 20 minutes.

One Hour Dinner Rolls

One Hour Dinner Rolls are made with this easy yeast rolls recipe. Buttery, soft, fluffy dinner rolls are undeniably delicious & literally, take just 60 minutes to make! My favorite roll recipe ever! The perfect recipe for holidays & gatherings.

15 Minute Drop Biscuits

15-Minute Drop Biscuits are an easy homemade biscuit recipe that is perfect for every dinner. It brings Easy Family Dinner Ideas to a whole new level.

Heavenly One Hour Dinner Rolls

Heavenly One Hour Dinner Rolls that are so light & fluffy. Delicious & buttery, they’re perfect for holidays but easy enough for every night of the week.

One Hour Brown Bread Dinner Rolls

One Hour Brown Bread Dinner Rolls-Buttery, soft, fluffy dinner rolls literally take just 60 minutes to make! Just like your favorite steakhouse! The perfect recipe for holidays & gatherings.

20-Minute Cheddar Biscuits

More Biscuit Recipes

3-Ingredient Skillet Biscuits

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Biscuits

7-Up Biscuits

If you love this recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are fluffy, tender, flaky, perfect with butter and honey or jam. A deliciously simple dinner and holiday side dish.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: biscuits, buttermilk

Servings: biscuits

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted very cold butter cubed **see notes (1 stick)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk

Instructions

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl or food processor. Whisk to combine or pulse processor lightly.
Add the butter to the dry ingredients and combine until crumbs form. If using a bowl, use a pastry cutter, if using the food processor, pulse several times.
If using processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk.
Fold together until the dough begins to come together.
Flour a smooth work surface and transfer the dough from the bowl.
Generously flour your hands and begin working the dough together.
Form or roll into ¾ inch thick rectangle.
Fold one long side into the center, then fold the other long side in **see notes
Rotate the dough so that it is horizontal to you.
Gently flatten the dough into a rectangle and fold the sides into the middle again.
Turn the dough again and fold the sides into the middle again.
Turn horizontally again and flatten dough into a rectangle about 1 ¼ inches thick.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Generously butter a cast iron skillet or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Use a 2 ½ or 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough. Cut straight down and pull straight up, do not twist the cutter **see notes
Place the biscuits in the prepared cast iron skillet or on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little extra milk, if you like.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter, if desired.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Butter – cut the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to using.
Folding – it’s important to fold the dough according to the directions, as this process creates the layers in the biscuits.
Cutting – be sure not to twist the cutter, it can seal the edges of the biscuits and prevent them from rising. You need the edges to not be sealed so you get those flaky layers.

Apple Stuffing

This isn’t your Grandma’s stuffing. This Apple Stuffing with Sausage is everything you’ve been dreaming about and the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast.

This simple side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or any day of the year. It’s hearty, filling, and very easy to make. When it comes to the holidays – people sure do love the stuffing with their family dinner.

For as long as I can remember, our family always made my grandmother’s “New England” stuffing that is made with ground beef, ground sausage, and potatoes. I always wondered why people would have stuffing made with bread. That is until I made some of this apple stuffing with sausage.

I love this stuffing because we have a ton of apples here from our trees and I’m always looking for different ways we can use them up. There are so many things you can do with apples – and adding them to this stuffing brings a wonderful flavor that is absolutely divine when served with a holiday turkey.

Plus the sweetness of the apples paired with the savory sausage is perfect. Sort of like pork chops pair with applesauce – only better. I don’t know about you – but I REALLY love to balance the flavors with notes from opposite ends of the spectrum. This is probably why I love salty/sweet combos too.

sausage apple stuffing

Here are some commonly asked questions

How to store leftover stuffing

If you happen to have any stuffing leftovers after serving – just transfer the remaining stuffing to a shallow airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve again.

To reheat – microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until hot again.

Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?

Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.

As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.

apple stuffing recipe

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

This is really a personal preference. If you are watching your salt intake, then use unsalted butter.

I usually use whatever I have on hand because when I’m busy preparing for the holidays, I really don’t care about what butter I have. But I typically keep salted butter on hand & I love that little bit of extra salt that it adds to this recipe because we aren’t adding any other seasonings here.

Can I use dried veggies instead of fresh?

Yes, absolutely, that will work fine. I often keep those on hand more so than fresh – so we have made it both ways.

sausage and apple stuffing

Ingredients for Apple Stuffing with Sausage

ground sage breakfast sausage or your favorite ground breakfast sausage
butter
apples – chopped
onion – chopped
celery with leaves – chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
chicken broth stock
premade cornbread
loaf bread torn (brioche, french, italian)
eggs – beaten

Apple Equivalents & Measures – rough estimates

1 bushel of apples is the dry equivalent to 2 gallons of produce
2 large apples = 1 pound
3-4 medium apples = 1 pound

3 cups cored, sliced or chopped apples = 1 pound
1-1/3 cups applesauce = 1 pound of apples
1 pound dried apples = 8 cups cooked apples

1 pound dried apples = 4 1/3 cups
4 pounds fresh apples = 1 pound dried apples
4 pounds of fresh apples = 4 cups of applesauce

1/2 cup mashed apples = 1 medium apple
3/4 cup cored, chopped apples = 1 medium apple
1 cup cored, sliced apples = 1 medium apple

2 pounds fresh apples = filling for ONE 9″ pie
Small apples are approx 2 1/4 inches in diameter.
Medium apples are approx 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
Large apples are approx 3 3/4 inches in diameter.

Can this be stuffed and baked into the turkey?

I don’t personally recommend eating stuffing that has been cooked inside the turkey. You can make this to stuff inside the turkey to add flavor to the turkey – but you would have to make an entirely different batch for serving as a side dish.

Stuffing is porous, and during the cooking process, juices from the turkey that may contain bacteria are absorbed by the stuffing. Additionally, when checking the temperature, many people neglect to check the temperature of the stuffing, which also needs to be cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

As a result, bacteria remain in the stuffing, which can cause guests to get sick and puts them at risk for salmonella poisoning. Any stuffing that contains meat juices must be cooked to the same minimum internal temperature as the meat itself in order to ensure any bacteria is killed during the cooking process.

Also – it will increase the cooking time. The difficult part is that the turkey and the stuffing would require different cooking times and one would end up being overcooked in order to make sure the other reaches the proper temperature.

apple stuffing for turkey

How to Make Apple Stuffing

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Add the sausage and cook until it browns and crumbles.
Add the onion, celery and apple to the sausage and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour in the chicken stock and add the remaining butter to the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and stir in the bread and cornbread.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then add them to the stuffing mixture, stirring gently to blend.
Place the stuffing a greased 9×13 dish. If you started by using a cast iron skillet – you can bake it in the skillet instead of transferring to a baking dish.
Bake for 60 minutes until golden brown.

Can this recipe be doubled?

You can double this recipe, but the issue will be the size of the skillet. You might want to make the batches in 2 skillets simultaneously and bake them side-by-side.

apple sausage stuffing recipe

Can I use ground turkey instead of sausage?

Yes, absolutely, that will work just fine. Any type or flavor of ground meat – chicken, turkey, sausage or even beef that you prefer will work great.

What to Serve with Apple Stuffing

While the possibilities are endless when it comes to flavor pairings for this delicious apple stuffing with sausage – here are a few of our favorites that we will be serving this holiday season.

sausage apple dressing

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

Products I love when making stuffing…

This holiday stuffing recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade stuffing before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this holiday recipe.

If you love this Easy Apple Stuffing recipe, you’re going to love these other holiday recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Roasted Fall Vegetables

Roasted Fall Vegetables are a perfect side dish for fall and Thanksgiving dinners. Easy to make in less than an hour.

Pork Loin Roast

This Pork Loin Roast is easy to make and ready in about an hour, which makes it perfect for holiday meals and weeknight dinners alike.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes

This classic holiday side dish recipe for Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes is so incredibly simple to make. Free up your oven with this easy dish.

Easy Roasted Balsamic Potatoes

Easy Roasted Balsamic Potatoes- the perfect side dish!

Roasted Sheet Pan Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Roasted Sheet Pan Balsamic Pork Tenderloin is a quick & easy pork tenderloin recipe the whole family will love for dinner. Just glaze & bake- so simple.

Roasted Sheet Pan Balsamic Pork Tenderloin Dinner

Easy Sausage Stuffing

Savory pork sausage, onions, celery & stuffing mix, made in 30 minutes on the stovetop making this Easy Sausage Stuffing the perfect holiday side dish.

30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls

30-Minute Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls, the perfect bread recipe to serve with any meal. Great for holidays, so simple to make. Cheesy, garlicky goodness!

Perfect Roast Turkey

Easy, simple & delicious recipe for How to Roast a Turkey will have your guests swooning.

If you love this recipe for Apple Stuffing with Sausage as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Apple Stuffing with Sausage

This isn’t your Grandma’s stuffing. This Apple Stuffing with Sausage is everything you’ve been dreaming about and the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple, sausage, stuffing

Ingredients

16 ounce roll of ground sage breakfast sausage or your favorite ground breakfast sausage
1/2 cup butter plus more for buttering the pan
3 medium apples chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth stock
16 ounces premade cornbread
4 cups of loaf bread torn (brioche, french, italian)
2 large eggs beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Add the sausage and cook until it browns and crumbles.
Add the onion, celery and apple to the sausage and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour in the chicken stock and add the remaining butter to the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and stir in the bread and cornbread.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then add them to the stuffing mixture, stirring gently to blend.
Place the stuffing a greased 9×13 dish. If you started by using a cast iron skillet – you can bake it in the skillet instead of transferring to a baking dish.
Bake for 60 minutes until golden brown.

Ghost Cupcakes

Ghost cupcakes will make your guests scream with delight. They’re super simple to make starting with a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe and topped with a deliciously sweet frosting decorated like ghosts for Halloween!

I love making super cute Halloween treats. Not sure why – because otherwise we aren’t super big Halloween people. But when it comes to the treats – I get so excited and come up with so many ideas.

Like these super adorable candy corn-inspired Ghost Cupcakes. The general idea became really popular a few years back when one of the large magazines featured a recipe for them. Here we have the same design decorating with the ghost and the candy corn colors – only we paired it with our own homemade cupcake and frosting recipes.

Be sure to add these Broken Glass Cupcakes or our other cute Ghost Cupcakes to your Halloween celebrations too!

These are just too stinkin’ cute. I’m such a sucker for those candy eyes. They give so much personality when added to treats – no matter the holiday.

I just think these are just the perfect little treat for a Halloween party – either for a kid’s classroom party, an office party, a potluck, or even a trunk or treat gathering with friends. Everyone loves these delicious little goodies.

Don’t miss our Ghosts in the Graveyard Dessert too!

ghost cakes

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the best way to store leftover ghost cupcakes?

The most important thing is to keep them in an airtight container. I like to keep them refrigerated since the frosting does have milk and butter in it.

I’ll remove however many we plan to have after dinner when I am getting ready to serve dinner. This way they can come to room temperature while we have dinner and they are just perfect for dessert. They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Can ghost cupcakes be frozen?

Yes, I do it often. Once baked – these cupcakes can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove the freshly baked and cooled cupcakes from the pan, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for later use. (this is also handy when you want to work with cold cakes to keep the frosting from getting too soft.)

Halloween Ghost Cupcakes

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

Third

Halloween Cupcakes

Notes for Making Ghost Cupcakes

Flour is the base of our cupcakes– make sure to measure using the spoon and level method so you don’t add too much (which can cause your cupcakes to be too dry).
Granulated sugar sweetens our cupcakes!
Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise and become light and airy.
Butter adds fats – which adds richness to the cupcakes and helps them stay fresher longer.
Milk adds moisture and richness to the cupcakes.
Eggs bind the cupcakes together.
Vanilla enhances the sweetness of the cupcakes and makes them vanilla flavored!
Butter is also the base of the frosting– make sure it’s fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps.
Confectioner’s sugar sweetens the icing and helps give it structure so we can pipe it into the shape we want.

Can these cupcakes be made ahead of time?

You bet. The cupcakes can be made and decorated ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to serving – EXCEPT FOR THE CANDY EYES. The candy eye color will bleed and won’t be very appealing once they are exposed to the cool, moist air. I recommend adding those right before serving.

Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.

ghostly cupcakes

Ingredients for Ghost Cupcakes

all-purpose flour
baking powder
Kosher salt
granulated sugar
unsalted butter at room temperature
egg plus egg white at room temperature
pure vanilla extract
skim milk

How do I properly measure the flour?

How to Make Ghost Cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and add the cupcake liners to the pan, set aside.
Add flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl, mix well.
In a separate large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until
it becomes light and fluffy.
Beat the egg into the mixture until well combined, then beat in the egg white and add the vanilla.
Mix well.
Alternating, add the flour and milk as you continue to blend ingredients until fully combined.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, each cup should be ¾ full.
Bake until the tops are golden, about 20 minutes. They are done when they spring back when gently pressed on the tops.
Remove from oven and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack for cooling.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, absolutely. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes – So if you need more – maybe for a Halloween party – doubling is super easy.

how to make vanilla cupcakes for Halloween

Ghost Cupcake Frosting Ingredients

unsalted butter – softened
confectioner’s sugar
pure vanilla extract
heavy cream
Kosher salt
yellow food coloring
orange food coloring

Decorating

Candy eyes for garnish
Pastry bags and tips

What food color do you recommend?

I really love using a soft gel food color because the pigment is more intense and makes the dough less watery. For these cookies, I use electric yellow and electric orange.

How to Make the Frosting

Beat the butter in a large bowl using hand or stand mixer until slightly whipped.
Add 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar at a time and mix on low until blended.
Increase speed to high and continue beating.
Reduce speed with each addition of confectioner’s sugar – increasing after it has been mostly combined so that each cup is well blended before adding the next one.
Beat in 2 tbsp of the heavy cream and the vanilla extract until combined. You can add in more heavy cream if needed for desired consistency.
Add salt and mix to combine.
Evenly divide the frosting into 3 separate bowls, color one bowl with the yellow food coloring drops and the other with the orange drops. Just drop and then stir well until you reach the desired shade – keeping in mind that the color will intensify over time.

Can these be made with a box mix?

Sure! If you are tight on time and want to just whip up the cupcakes using a box mix – that will work fine too. You can even use the canned frosting and either tint it yourself or buy the colors pre-made.

That being said – this recipe is so scrumptious and doesn’t really take that much longer than using the pre-made mix. I highly recommend you giving it a try.

How to Decorate Ghost Cupcakes

Fill 3 pastry bags – one with each color. Use a closed star tip for the yellow and orange, use a round tip for the white pastry bag.
Pipe 3 layers (one of each color) with each pastry bag of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, swirling the white taller to form the ghost shape.
Finish by adding the candy eyes to each cupcake.

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

Top Halloween Recipes

Products I love when making these ghost cupcakes…

This cute cupcake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cupcakes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this adorable treat recipe.

If you love this Cute Ghost Cupcake recipe, you’re going to love these other Halloween treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Mummy Rice Krispie Treats

Mummy Rice Krispie Treats are an easy and quick Halloween recipe. Perfect for kids or school parties or the inner kid in us all!

Halloween Snack Mix

Our Halloween Snack Mix includes a combination of sweet and salty, crunchy and chocolaty treats that will have your guests feeling delighted. Positively delicious with all the favorites for fall!

Chocolate M&M Cookies

Chocolate M&M Cookies are an easy no-chill cookie recipe. Packed with M&M’s & super soft and chewy – perfect for any occasion. Made super dark without food coloring – making them perfect for Halloween.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Zombie Cookies

These are not your average cake mix cookies. These Zombie Cookies are creepy and ghastly – just like the undead who want to eat your brains.

Halloween Bark

Candy Lovers! This spooky Halloween Bark Recipe is made with white & dark chocolate, candy & more- perfect for all your ghoulish celebrations.

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies are a soft, pinwheel sugar cookie recipe, made with fun holiday colors like green, orange, purple and black! Perfect for your Halloween celebrations.

Monster Cupcakes

Monster Cupcakes are the perfect treat for your Halloween party. Funny eyes & colorful frosting, these easy desserts will delight all the ghools & goblins.

Mummy French Macarons with Maple Cinnamon Filling

Mummy French Macarons with Maple Cinnamon Filling are an adorable and delicious treat to serve for Halloween packed with fall flavors!

Monster Bark

Looking for a fun & easy Halloween treat? This adorable Monster Bark takes just a couple ingredients & a few minutes to make. The kids just love it!

If you love this recipe for Ghost Cupcakes as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Two

Print Recipe

Ghost Cupcakes

Ghost Cupcakes will make your guests scream with delight. They’re super simple to make starting with a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe and topped with a deliciously sweet frosting for Halloween!

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Cool30

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: candy corn, cupcakes, ghost, halloween

Servings: cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg plus 1 egg white at room temperature
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup skim milk

Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter – softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
4 tbsp pure vanilla extract
4 tbsp heavy cream
½ tsp Kosher salt
1-3 drops yellow food coloring
1-3 drops orange food coloring

Decorating

Candy eyes for garnish
Pastry bags and tips

Instructions

Cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and add the cupcake liners to the pan, set aside.
Add flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl, mix well.
In a separate large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until
it becomes light and fluffy.
Beat the egg into the mixture until well combined, then beat in the egg white and add the vanilla.
Mix well.
Alternating, add the flour and milk as you continue to blend ingredients until fully combined.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners, each cup should be ¾ full.
Bake until the tops are golden, about 20 minutes. They are done when they spring back when gently pressed on the tops.
Remove from oven and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack for cooling.

Frosting

Beat the butter in a large bowl using hand or stand mixer until slightly whipped.
Add 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar at a time and mix on low until blended.
Increase speed to high and continue beating.
Reduce speed with each addition of confectioner’s sugar – increasing after it has been mostly combined so that each cup is well blended before adding the next one.
Beat in 2 tbsp of the heavy cream and the vanilla extract until combined. You can add in more heavy cream if needed for desired consistency.
Add salt and mix to combine.
Evenly divide the frosting into 3 separate bowls, color one bowl with the yellow food coloring drops and the other with the orange drops. Just drop and then stir well until you reach the desired shade – keeping in mind that the color will intensify over time.

Decorate

Fill 3 pastry bags – one with each color. Use a closed star tip for the yellow and orange, use a round tip for the white pastry bag.
Pipe 3 layers (one of each color) with each pastry bag of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, swirling the white taller to form the ghost shape.
Finish by adding the candy eyes to each cupcake.

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

By Kleinworth & Co 2 Comments

This season, ditch the oven and the mess. Feed your family a juicy and flavorful holiday turkey with this air fryer turkey breast recipe.

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to get your holiday meal prepared this season? Turkey breast, the leanest and healthiest cut of poultry, is easy to prepare in a variety of ways. But one of the best ways to cook turkey breast is in the air fryer.

Air-fried turkey is so much easier than making it in the oven. Not only that – but it cuts down on the mess. This turkey is so juicy and packed full of flavor- you’ll never want to make a turkey the conventional way ever again.

You see – now that most of the kids are out of the house – we don’t need to make a big spread for the holiday. Only one of them will be able to be here to celebrate with us – which means cooking for 3 is so much easier and takes so much less preparation than cooking for 5 or more.

That means I don’t need to make a huge turkey – a small turkey breast will do. It seems silly to run the big huge oven for a tiny little turkey breast – so once again, it’s the air fryer to the rescue.

Now I usually make a huge traditional roasted turkey and then a few years ago we started making this Applewood Smoked Turkey on the Traeger – which is amazing. But we just don’t need to do all that now that we don’t need a feast.

Plus – now that our oven runs on propane, I’m always looking for alternative ways to cook our meals so I can leave that propane for our alternate heat instead. I’m all about conserving one of our heat sources – especially as we enter the colder months.

turkey air fryer

Here are some commonly asked questions

How much turkey breast do you need per person?

The rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per person.

How Air Frying Works

While air fryers are relatively new to the market, the technology isn’t really a new concept. They basically work like tiny convection ovens that you can use on your countertop.

Similar to a convection oven, it circulates the hot air within the cooking area using a high-powered fan. This helps evenly distribute the heat around the food which not only creates more evenly cooked food but also reduced cooking times.

By circulating the hot air, which contains the fine oil droplets from adding a light mist layer before cooking, and allows you to remove the need for submerging our foods in heavy oils to create the deliciously crunchy foods we all love.

What temperature should a turkey be cooked to?

When cooking with an air fryer it is much like cooking with a convection oven and therefore it will cook the food much faster with a lot less air around the food to keep hot.

Air frying a turkey breast can be done at 350 degrees and until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees.

air fried turkey breast

What are the benefits of air frying?

Healthier

It’s no secret that fried foods are more fattening – but did you know that there are 9 calories in every gram of fat? With air frying, we can reduce the fat by removing most of the oils usually needed to create crunchy foods. This helps to drastically reduce fat intake and calories.

Convenience

I love being able to cook with my air fryer and eliminate the need for large baking sheets and lots of pots and pans. Most of my air fryer recipes can be made with just a mixing bowl or two or a small saucepan in addition to my air fryer.

Energy Efficient

Someone said to me once, “why make this in the air fryer if you can do it the conventional way in the same amount of time?” Well, air frying helps eliminate the need for a conventional oven.

Not only can you keep your home cooler in the summer by not using the oven, but you are saving money with reduced energy consumption costs as well.

Time Saver

I don’t know about you, but if I can avoid turning on the oven and having to wait 20 minutes for it to preheat, I’m happy about that. Most air fryer recipes either don’t require that you preheat the fryer – or the preheat time is 5 minutes or less. That is a huge time saver over using the oven.

Take it on the go

I love that the air fryer is compact and easy to take along on trips. We pack ours in our RV and find that air fryer cooking while camping is so much easier than trying to deep fry foods on a small RV stove or camping burner.

How to store leftover turkey breast

If you happen to have any turkey leftovers after serving – just transfer the remaining turkey to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve again.

To reheat – microwave for about 30-60 seconds or until hot again. You can also place your serving back into the air fryer and cook for a couple of minutes until hot again. Don’t overheat though- the turkey will dry out if overcooked.

turkey breast in air fryer

Ingredients for Air Fried Turkey Breast

turkey breast – bone-in, skin-on, fully thawed
butter – softened
poultry seasoning – I love Traegers Fin & Feathers Seasoning
garlic salt
black pepper
paprika

Tips for the Best Air Fried Turkey Breast

The overall time will depend on the size of the turkey breast you are cooking. Since air fryers vary greatly in size and performance – always guage doneness by measuring the internal temp and not only by the cooking time listed in the recipe.
Make sure you are starting with a fresh or fully thawed turkey. Unlike cooking in the instant pot – you shouldn’t try to cook a frozen turkey breast in the air fryer.
Most of the larger air fryers on the market these days (or ones marketed as large) can accomodate up to a 5 pound turkey breast. The key is to just make sure the top of the turkey breast isn’t higher than the top of the basket – if using that style air fryer. If you are using a tray style – you should be able to adjust the trays to accomodate the size of your turkey breast.
Use real butter – the key here is the fat and the flavor that comes with that. You won’t find that using margarine and it might tend to burn faster too.
You can brine the turkey overnight in a large bowl if desired.

What to make with leftover turkey

We love to have leftover turkey because it makes for great soups and sandwiches. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (also can be made stovetop or in the Instant Pot)
Crockpot Turkey and Rice Soup

How to Make Air Fried Turkey Breast

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
Then, place the turkey breast in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray depending on your air fryer model.
Rub the softened butter all over the turkey and the under the skin.
Mix together the poultry seasoning, garlic salt, pepper and paprika in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the whole turkey with the combined seasonings.
Cook in the air fryer for approx 55 minutes. Remove from the air fryer when an internal temperature of 160 degrees has been reached and the skin is golden brown and crisp. If it is browning too much but it still needs more time to cook, you can tent the turkey breast with foil and continue to cook until it reaches the proper internal temperature.
Let rest slightly before slicing.

How to Carve a Turkey Breast

The key here is to be patient so you get the best possible result.

First, start by allowing the turkey breast to rest after cooking. You want to make sure to give it at least 15 minutes. To keep it warm and allow the juices to distribute throughout the breast – tent it loosely with foil.
Make sure you are using a sharp knife.
Make your slice along the side of the breast bone – making smooth, long even strokes. You can saw back and forth if using a serrated knife.
When the knife reaches the edge the slice should fall. You can continue to follow this pattern until all of the turkey is removed from the breast.

Can leftover turkey be frozen?

Air Frying Doneness Tip

Every air fryer is a bit different and they all cook at different rates – so in general, all cooking times are approximate based on the pan and temperature.

You can always cook the recipe longer if needed and reduce the heat a bit. If needed, you can tent the top if it is browning too much.

Why is it important to use the thermometer on the thickest part of the bird?

The tip of a digital thermometer should be inserted into the center of a large roast, turkey, or other whole bird. The probe should not touch the bone or any other cold spot.

Insert the probe slowly and carefully until it touches an internal part of the meat and takes its reading without touching or moving any internal parts such as bones or fat.

air fryer turkey time chart

How to prevent sticking in the air fryer

Sticking can often happen when using an air fryer. I understand that most would think to add non-stick spray to the basket to prevent this. I strongly encourage you to not do that. Non-stick spray leaves a coating that won’t come off, even when washed. Over time – this will build up and cause smoking when you use our air fryer.

I also do not recommend putting down a sheet of foil. The idea behind air frying is to allow the air to circulate around the food. This is why the basket or tray has holes in it. If you put foil down – this prevents the air from reaching all of the areas it needs to in order for it to cook properly.

Instead – I recommend spraying the basket with olive oil using this spray bottle. You can line the air fryer with perforated parchment paper. Or you can use one of these really great silicone liners that still allow for airflow but are reusable and easily cleanable.

What air fryer do you use?

We actually have 3 air fryers. I have a smaller one from Phillips that we started with. I have since given that to my son since he’s only cooking for 1.

But the more I used the air fryer I realized I really wanted a digital screen. It wasn’t any more expensive, in fact- our XL air fryer from GoWISE was less expensive than the Phillips and I love its ease & extra functions.

Plus it comes with a lot of the extra accessories I like to use when cooking with my fryer.

But I when I started working on my second air fryer book, I wanted to change things up. I picked up this Chefman 6.3 Quart Digital Air Fryer+ Rotisserie, Dehydrator, Convection Oven. It has 8 Touch Screen Presets (Fry, Roast, Dehydrate & Bake, BPA-Free, Auto Shutoff) & Accessories Included. It is XL Family Size, which is great!

What to serve with Air Fried Turkey Breast

While the list is long as to what we like to pair with our turkey dinner – here are the recipes we make the most frequently for our family holidays.

turkey in air fryer

I have a bake option and other special features on my air fryer, is that the setting? Or do you put it on “air fry” setting?

All of my recipes were created with an air fryer that had only a temperature & timer setting – since not all air fryers have all the additional settings.

You can use the bake setting when making recipes that you would traditionally bake – but if possible, please just set the temperature & time for this recipe.

If you love this recipe – You might also love my air frying cookbook too!

The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Two also makes everything fast and easy. Most recipes take 30 minutes or less and they’re designed with simple prep and minimal clean-up in mind. Nutritional information, serving size descriptions, and recipes for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free are also included. There’s so much to savor.

Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthier Fried Favorites

ORDER THE BOOK HERE

Air Fryer Thanksgiving Turkey

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

Products I love when making air fried turkey breast…

This turkey breast recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a turkey in the air fryer before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this holiday favorite.

poultry seasoning I love Traegers Fin & Feathers Seasoning
garlic salt
black pepper
paprika
silicone Reuse Air Fryer liner
air fryer liners
Chefman Digital Air Fryer
Instant read thermometer

If you love this Easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe, you’re going to love these other air fryer recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Herb Honey Mustard

Easy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Herb Honey Mustard are perfect as a side to the holiday feast or paired with a quick weeknight dinner.

Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham

Did you know you can make a delicious holiday ham without ever turning on the oven? Check out this Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham that is simple & oh so tasty!

Air Fryer Cannoli

A twist on Sicilian cuisine, this Air Fryer Cannoli recipe is easily made with air-fried shells & a sweet & creamy filling made from scratch.

Air Fryer Panko Crusted Pork Chops

Juicy boneless pork chops are coated in a seasoned panko crust &air fried until crispy to make Air Fryer Panko Crusted Pork Chops. A quick and easy dinner recipe everyone loves.

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Honey Sriracha Sauce

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Honey Sriracha Sauce make a great side dish at all your holiday dinners. They are great for snacking on game day too.

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts game day snack

Easy Cherry Pie – Air Fryer

Light and flaky pie crust filled with sweet cherry pie filling made easily in the air fryer, no oven required. Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Air Fryer Apricot Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Air Fryer Apricot Glazed Chicken Drumsticks are a sweet and spicy dinner. Made with apricot preserves and Dijon mustard these are ready in under 1 hour.

Sweet & Spicy Air Fryer Apricot Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Air Fryer Angel Food Cake Churro Bites

Air Fryer Angel Food Cake Churro Bites made from soft & chewy angel food cake & smothered in cinnamon & sugar. Tastes just like your favorite churros.

Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken

Air Fryer Angel Food Cake Churro Bites Dessert Recipe

Other Air Fryer Dishes

Air Fryer Ravioli

Ham and Cheese Sliders – Air Fryer

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

If you love this recipe for Air Fryer Turkey Breast as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

This season, ditch the oven and the mess. Feed your family a juicy and flavorful holiday turkey with this air fryer turkey breast recipe.

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fried, air fryer, turkey

Servings:

Ingredients

3 to 5- pound turkey breast bone-in, skin-on, fully thawed
1/2 cup butter – softened
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning I love Traegers Fin & Feathers Seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
Then, place the turkey breast in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray depending on your air fryer model.
Rub the softened butter all over the turkey and the under the skin.
Mix together the poultry seasoning, garlic salt, pepper and paprika in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the whole turkey with the combined seasonings.
Cook in the air fryer for approx 55 minutes. Remove from the air fryer when an internal temperature of 160 degrees has been reached and the skin is golden brown and crisp. If it is browning too much but it still needs more time to cook, you can tent the turkey breast with foil and continue to cook until it reaches the proper internal temperature.
Let rest slightly before slicing.

Mini Apple Pies

Who loves PIE???? This time of year we are in full pie mode around here. The family can never get enough pie and who can blame them.

Since we have an abundance of apples around here with all the trees over-producing this season – so we are up to our eyeballs in apples. So that means we are making these mini apple pies in bulk to enjoy all year long.

Now I know that fall is typically the time for apple pie. But we love to enjoy these all year round. You see – the hubs grew up in an orchard. So things like apple pie happened all the time.

This is why it seems I can never make enough for him. But instead of making a whole lot of regular-sized pies this time – we opted for mini pies. I love them because you can regulate your portion control and they are so easy to just grab one instead of having to cut a slice from a large pie.

I especially love that it makes the holiday dessert easier to serve and keeps the buffet line moving quickly. No one can resist these beautiful little treats!

mini apple pie recipe

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the best way to store leftover mini apple pies?

Place the remaining mini apple pies in an airtight container & keep refrigerated. When ready to enjoy again, just microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot before adding any whipped cream, heavy cream, or ice cream on top. They should keep for 3-4 days.

individual apple pies

Can I use canned pie filling for these mini pies?

Absolutely. If you are tight on time or you are missing ingredients – but you happen to have a can or two of pie filling in the back of the pantry – you can definitely use that in place of the fresh apples and other ingredients.

small apple pies

What supplies will I need to complete this recipe?

You will need:

Mixing bowl and mixing tools
3.5 inch round cookie cutter
Suggested: pizza cutter OR knife
Baking Brush
Muffin pan (12 cavities)

mini apple pies with puff pastry

Ingredients for Mini Apple Pies

Apples – We chose a mix of Honeycrisp and granny smith apples. Honeycrisp apples have a nice sweet taste and don’t become mushy when baked in the oven. Granny Smith apples are on the tart side, and we love to mix a sweet and tart apple for apple pie filling! Whatever kind of apple you use, you’ll want about two cups worth of apple chunks diced to ¼-½ inch pieces. This was two large apples in our case.
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Pie crust – To make things easy, we used store-bought Pilsbury dough sheets, but you can absolutely use homemade dough!
Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water, whisked
Turbinado sugar

How to create the lattice tops for these mini apple pies:

Take six strips of dough and braid them across the top of one of the pies: alternating over and under each strip. Trim the strips to the length of the mini pie and gently press down around the edges to secure the top.

mini pies muffin tin

What other kind of other crust could I do for these mini apple pies?

You could keep the crust simple and create a solid crust top for the mini pies. Use a round cookie cutter to create the shape and slash three air holes in the center. Gently press down around the edges to secure. This option would also reduce the prep time.

Another way to top these mini apple pies would be to create a crumble topping!

muffin tin apple pies

How to Make Mini Apple Pies

Preheat the oven to 425℉.
Add the chopped apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl and stir together until the apples are evenly coated with the spice and sugars.
Unroll ther sheets of pie crusts.
Using a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds.
Keep the dough scraps for building the lattice crust.
Press each of the rounds into the cavities of the muffin tins. They should just fit each tin.
Whisk together the egg and water with a fork to create the egg wash.
Lightly brush the inside bottom of the pie crusts with the egg wash.
Roll the dough scraps into a ball and then roll it out into a flat sheet.
Use a pizza cutter to cut ½ thick strips to create a lattice top crust for the mini pies.
Cut the strips length accordingly and gently press the edge of the strips down to secure.
Brush the lattice crusts with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar on top, if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. You should be able to hear the filling crackling and bubbling when you pull the pies out of the oven. Let the pies sit in the pan for 10 minutes out of the oven.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Can this recipe be doubled?

YES – I love to double & continue to double this recipe. Generally, if we are having friends or family over for the holiday I’ll definitely double this. Because the boys almost always have at least 2 of these pies – which takes up most of them.

I like to have leftovers to curb that sweet tooth that happens after dinner. Plus my cinnamon-loving family can never get enough apple pie – so more is always welcome.

individual apple pie recipe

Can this be made with another flavor of pie filling?

You can replace the apples with a canned pie filling in any flavor you have available. You can also check out my blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, and my caramelized pear pie filling that would all be great in these little mini pies.

fall pie recipe

Can this be made with homemade crust?

Absolutely! We do that all the time using my Easy Pie Crust recipe. That is the easiest – NO-FAIL pie crust and it only takes a couple of ingredients to make.

Apple Equivalents & Measures – rough estimates

1 bushel of apples is the dry equivalent to 2 gallons of produce
2 large apples = 1 pound
3-4 medium apples = 1 pound

3 cups cored, sliced or chopped apples = 1 pound
1-1/3 cups applesauce = 1 pound of apples
1 pound dried apples = 8 cups cooked apples

1 pound dried apples = 4 1/3 cups
4 pounds fresh apples = 1 pound dried apples
4 pounds of fresh apples = 4 cups of applesauce

1/2 cup mashed apples = 1 medium apple
3/4 cup cored, chopped apples = 1 medium apple
1 cup cored, sliced apples = 1 medium apple

2 pounds fresh apples = filling for ONE 9″ pie
Small apples are approx 2 1/4 inches in diameter.
Medium apples are approx 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
Large apples are approx 3 3/4 inches in diameter.

Thanksgiving Pie

Can I make this with another type of crust?

Yes, absolutely. If you want to use a regular graham cracker crust, that works great too.

These tools make the process so much faster!

apple slicer
apple peeler corer

Best Pies for Thanksgiving

Can these mini apple pies be frozen?

Absolutely! Wrap each pie individually tightly with plastic wrap after they are baked and freeze for up to 6 months.

You can also freeze these once they are prepped before baking – but you will have to freeze in the tin and then remove them from the tin once they are frozen.

The easiest way to do this is to place a piece of plastic wrap in the tin before assembling the pies. Then once they are frozen you can lift each one out and wrap it with that piece of plastic wrap until you are ready to bake.

When you are ready to bake these – just unwrap from the plastic and place them into the muffin tin again. You will probably need to bake for a few minutes longer if baking from frozen or you can let them thaw in the pan on the counter while you let the oven pre-heat.

A side note – you might want to toss the cut apples in a lemon water bath prior to prepping if you plan on freezing these so the apples don’t brown.

Easy Individual Apple Pies

What other pie recipes do you recommend?

Our family loves pie – here are some of our favorites that we love to make for the holiday!

Small apple pies

What to Serve with these Mini Pies

I know that we typically serve these mini pies as dessert for Thanksgiving. So we are usually serving them with the following Thanksgiving recipes. However- apple pie is also a great summer classic to serve for all those great summer holidays too – so I have included a few other recipes that we pair with these.

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

Little Apple Pies

Products I love when making mini apple pies…

This mini apple pie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made a homemade pie before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this pie recipe.

If you love this Easy Mini Apple Pie recipe, you’re going to love these other apple recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Instant Pot Applesauce

Learn how to make Instant Pot Applesauce, a simple and easy fall recipe that can be made with just a 30 minute cook time. It takes just 2 ingredients and it’s sugar-free!

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies are the perfect fall dessert! They are easy and quick to make in the air fryer and positively delicious too.

Apple Pie Mug Cake

Apple Pie Mug Cake, everything you love about cinnamon & apple pie in an easy 3-minute mug cake. Quick & easy desserts don’t get any better than this.

A warm apple pie mug cake in a white mug, topped with bite on a spoon showcasing the rich, comforting dessert in a cozy setting.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies are a deliciously soft and chewy, no-chill cookie recipe that’s easy to make in under 30 minutes and so perfect for fall.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe is the perfect dessert for fall. Simple to make & loaded with apples, cinnamon & oats. Top a warm slice with ice cream, so good.

Applesauce Muffin Recipe

This super easy Applesauce Muffin Recipe is made from scratch with ground cinnamon, allspice, and raisins. They’re a great start to the day.

French Apple Pie

This French Apple Pie is loaded with cinnamon, nutmeg & topped with buttery, brown sugar crumbles. The perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving holiday feast.

Apple Butter Pancakes

Apple Butter Pancakes are an easy fall breakfast recipe. Loaded with sweet, cinnamon apple butter. These are the perfect way to start the day.

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Cake is a simple cake recipe that is packed full of apples & just perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This is a hit for any apple lover.

A close-up of a slice of Irish apple cake, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, showing the cake's dense crumb and chunks of apple, served on a plate.

If you love this recipe for Homemade Mini Apple Pies as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Print Recipe

Mini Apple Pies

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Cool10

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple, hand pies, mini pies, pie crust

Servings: mini pies

Ingredients

1 large honeycrisp apple chopped to roughly ¼ – ½ inch sized pieces
1 large granny smith apple chopped roughly to ¼ – ½ inch sized pieces
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
2 sheets of pie crust thawed according to box instructions OR USE HOMEMADE CRUST
1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water whisked together (this is the egg wash)
turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425℉.
Add the chopped apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl and stir together until the apples are evenly coated with the spice and sugars.
Unroll ther sheets of pie crusts.
Using a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds.
Keep the dough scraps for building the lattice crust.
Press each of the rounds into the cavities of the muffin tins. They should just fit each tin.
Whisk together the egg and water with a fork to create the egg wash.
Lightly brush the inside bottom of the pie crusts with the egg wash.
Roll the dough scraps into a ball and then roll it out into a flat sheet.
Use a pizza cutter to cut ½ thick strips to create a lattice top crust for the mini pies.
Cut the strips length accordingly and gently press the edge of the strips down to secure.
Brush the lattice crusts with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar on top, if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. You should be able to hear the filling crackling and bubbling when you pull the pies out of the oven. Let the pies sit in the pan for 10 minutes out of the oven.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Baker’s Notes
* Use a butter knife to help release. Gently insert the knife in between the crust and the pan and then carefully lift the pie out. You’ll be able to feel when the pie is loosened and ready to be removed.

Pumpkin Cruffins

These Pumpkin Cruffins take your regular cinnamon-filled cruffin and add pumpkin pie filling to make the ultimate fall breakfast.

Imagine a soft and flaky pastry, reminding you of a croissant, but with the delightful twist of pumpkin and a hint of cinnamon sugar. Yes, that’s the dreamy Pumpkin Cruffin we’re talking about today.

As the fall season approaches, these delicious muffins are the perfect addition to your morning coffee or tea. Their golden brown exterior, combined with the warm spices of pumpkin, are bound to make your taste buds dance with joy.

View post

Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Chicken Enchiladas Verde is made with a homemade green tomatillo sauce, stuffed with Instant Pot shredded chicken, and topped with cheese.

Chicken Enchiladas Verde is an authentic Mexican dish that is sure to please. The green tomatillo sauce provides a refreshing change from the traditional red sauce, and the shredded chicken combined with cheese and tortillas makes the most delicious combination.

We made these enchiladas here with homemade green sauce – which is 100% addicting – I could literally drizzle it on everything. Just the smell of that tomatillo sauce just makes me swoon.

I don’t know about you – but I literally can’t get enough Mexican food. Once I took a trip with my son and for 48 hours – we ate nothing but Mexican food. It wasn’t intentional – just how it happened and what was calling to us at the time. We never get tired of it.

But growing up in So Cal with an aunt who is Hispanic – I was raised on recipes like this. I always loved being in the kitchen with her learning how she made all the delicious things we would enjoy for dinner.

This enchilada recipe is one of our family favorites that we make again and again. I know you’ll love it too.

chicken enchiladas

Here are some commonly asked questions

Can this be made with canned sauce?

You bet – if you want to speed up the dinner-making process – a canned sauce is fine to use. I keep a stockpile of it on hand – because tomatillos are hard to find up here where we are.

Can this be made with flour tortillas?

Theoretically yes you can make the enchiladas with flour tortillas – but they tend to get a bit soggy over time with the sauce. It’s not necessarily bad – just a completely different texture in the end product.

chicken enchiladas recipe

What is the best way to store leftover chicken enchiladas?

After serving, place any leftover enchiladas in a shallow airtight container. Be sure to label with the date before refrigerating. The enchiladas should keep for up to 3 days. As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.

green chicken enchiladas

Ingredients for Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Chicken

chicken breasts – boneless, skinless
water
onion
garlic clove
salt

Sauce

tomatillos
Serrano Chiles
water
chopped cilantro
onion
garlic cloves
salt
pepper

Tortillas

Corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Assemble

prepared- cooked and shredded chicken
prepared tomatillo sauce
sour cream
shredded Mozzarella cheese

green enchiladas

making Instant Pot chicken for enchiladas

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Add chicken, two cups of water, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 garlic clove to the Instant Pot insert.
Cook on high for 10 minutes. (If you are using the stove do the same. Add the ingredients to a pot but let the chicken cook for about 40 minutes until it is well cooked, and easy to shred.) Quick release is once done.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine 2 cups of water and the tomatillos and boil for about 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the tomatillos are boiling AND once the chicken is ready, remove it from the Instant Pot and shred it by using 2 forks and pulling it apart. Set aside.
In a skillet., add 1 tablespoon of oil, and heat the tortillas one at a time for just a couple of minutes – letting them get hot and adequately covered in oil – but don’t cook them to the point where they start to harden or they won’t roll. You want them pliable. (This will help the tortillas remain in intact and not break while you are rolling the enchiladas.)
In a blender, blend the cooked tomatillos, the water used to boil them, chiles, cilantro, onion, and the remaining two garlic cloves.
Transfer the blended mixture to a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper to taste. If you would like your sauce to be thinner, you can add the extra water. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat.
Take your baking dish and add a layer of sauce – about 1/2 cup or just enough to cover the bottom. Set aside.

Assemble

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Dip a heated tortilla in the sauce and then place it on a plate and add about 1 tablespoon of shredded chicken done the center.
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of sauce over the chicken.
Roll the tortilla and place it in the baking dish.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas and place them all next to each other until you fill your dish.
Once they are all placed, pour some of the sauce over the top – about 1 cup or to your liking depending on if you like it saucy or with just a little sauce.
Add the sour cream and add the cheese in an even layer on top.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?

As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.

Salsa Verde Enchiladas

What size Instant Pot do you use for this recipe?

I am currently using an 8-quart pot, but this recipe can be made in the 6-quart pot too. If you have one of the smaller versions (3-quart mini), I recommend cutting this recipe in half.

Can this be made with another type of protein or even without meat?

Absolutely – we love to use my sweet pork barbacoa for these enchiladas. But you can also completely leave out the protein from chicken, beef or pork and just fill these with beans instead.

green enchiladas recipe

What is the difference between a pressure cooker and an instant pot?

A traditional pressure cooker is a sealed metal container that cooks food quickly by steam under increased atmospheric pressure and heats the pot to boiling point.

best chicken enchilada recipe

What is “natural pressure release”?

Often, an Instant Pot recipe would call for you to release all the pressure at the end of the timed pressure cycle. However, the cooking process stops when the pressure is released.

At the end of the natural pressure release cycle, you would then use the valve to release the remaining pressure and stop the cooking process.

homemade tomatillo sauce

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, you can double this recipe. However, you will have to use 2 casserole dishes to accommodate the volume once everything is mixed together. But you can bake them side-by-side.

enchilada bake

Useful Tips for Making the Best Chicken Enchiladas

***The chicken for this recipe can be made with the Instant pot or a regular pot on the stove. The time is different, which is mentioned above. You can also use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.

***If using frozen chicken in the Instant Pot – the exact cook time will depend on how large the chicken breasts are, although for me 13-15 minutes should be plenty.

***This recipe was created using the 6-quart instant pot. If you are using a different size pot or a different pressure cooker brand entirely, cooking times may be off by a couple of minutes.

***Live at High Altitude – Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, and pressure cooking requires water to boil in order to work, some foods may need a little more cooking time. When pressure cooking at high altitudes you want to make sure to add 5 percent to your cook time for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. For example, when we lived at 4,000+ feet I would add 10 percent to my cook time. For a recipe that called for 20-minutes of cooking time, I would then cook for 22 minutes. When pressure cooking, 1-2 minutes can make all the difference in a recipe, unlike when cooking by traditional methods.

easy enchiladas

What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas

We love making recipes like this – they are a favorite. While these enchiladas can be a stand-alone dish – we typically like to pair it with the following recipes.

Shredded Chicken Enchiladas

Can this be made with frozen chicken?

If you are making this recipe as written – using the Instant Pot to cook the chicken, then yes you can use frozen chicken – the time to cook it will increase. This recipe also works great with leftover or rotisserie chicken. You can also use canned chicken if needed.

easy chicken enchiladas

Products I love when making enchiladas…

This chicken enchiladas recipe is SUPER delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade enchiladas before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this dinner recipe.

If you love this Chicken Enchiladas Verde recipe, you’re going to love these other dinner recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Chicken Black Bean Taco Soup

Chicken Black Bean Taco Soup is a quick 20-minute dinner recipe with rotisserie chicken. Simple & easy- BONUS- it can also be made in the slow cooker. Mmm!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

This incredibly easy slow cooker chicken recipe is the perfect "dump and go" dinner. Delicious in tacos, burritos, nachos and more.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Southwest Chicken Casserole

Southwest Chicken Casserole is a quick & easy dinner idea that the whole family will love. Loaded with everything you love about tacos, this is comfort food at it’s best.

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole is a super easy weeknight dinner that’s great for using leftover or rotisserie chicken. It’s a family favorite!

Rotisserie Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos

Rotisserie Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos are a quick & easy dinner or game day recipe that is ready in less than 30 minutes. Family dinner nights made simple.

taco dinner recipe - Rotisserie Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos

Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole

Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole brings the old classic from your childhood & makes it fast with the pressure cooker in less than 30 min.

Salsa Pulled Pork Tacos

Salsa Pulled Pork Tacos is an easy slow cooker dinner recipe the whole family will love. If you love juicy, tender pulled pork that is almost effortless to make – this is the recipe for you. Everyone loves these tacos! ***BONUS – Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker version too!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Other Mexican-inspired Dishes

Mexican Chicken Bubble-Up Casserole

Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Taco Casserole

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Taco Pasta

If you love this recipe for Chicken Enchiladas Verde as much as I do, please write a five-star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!

CONNECT WITH YUMMI HAUS!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!