Desserts

Name: Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs. brioche bread (about 1 1/2 loaves); 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided,; 1 1/2 cups half & half, room temp; 1 cup whole milk, room temp; 1/2 cup sugar; 3 eggs, room temp; 1 tbsp. vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 cup dark chocolate chips; 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips; 1/2 cup white chocolate chips; 3 tbsp. raw sugar, optional; 1 cup half & half; 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 egg yolks, room temperature

Triple chocolate bread pudding

January 20, 2022

Home » Desserts

Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding with crème anglaise is a deliciously decadent dessert. Cubes of buttery brioche bread are soaked in custard with milk, white and dark chocolate chips, then baked until golden brown to make this delicious bread pudding recipe.

As if that’s not enough, it is served with a crème anglaise, or custard sauce – a sauce that tastes like melted ice cream.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

Brioche chocolate chip bread pudding

For this bread pudding, I prefer brioche. Brioche is a rich, buttery bread. If you can’t find it, a good substitution is challah bread.

Chocolate chip bread pudding with creme anglaise.

There really isn’t much to making this triple-chocolate bread pudding – cut up some bread, mix it up with a handful of ingredients, let it soak for a bit while you get on with other things and then put it in the oven to bake. I mean really, what else can you ask for in a dessert?

Ingredients

One of the nice things about a dessert like bread pudding is the ingredient list. You probably have almost everything you need to make it.

Brioche – This French bread has a high butter and egg content, making it rich and delicious.
Dairy – Whole milk and cream form part of the base of our custard for the bread pudding. Butter is unsalted.
Eggs – They give the bread pudding some lift as well as structure.
Chocolate chips – the triple chocolate part of the recipe comes from white, milk and dark chocolate.
Sugar – Regular, granulated sugar.
Salt – I used fine sea salt.
Vanilla – pure extract, please, if possible.
Raw sugar – Provides a bit of texture (and sparkle) on top.

Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding

I always have half-empty bags of chocolate chips in the pantry. Not enough for a batch of cookies, but more than a handful. This is a great way to use up those little bits and tidy up.

You can use whatever chocolate chips you have, you could also add in a handful of dried fruit, like raisins or dried cranberries.

Make sure that you spread them evenly throughout the bread pudding – you’ll want a little chocolate in every bite!

How to make bread pudding

This bread pudding with crème anglaise is a really easy dessert, and it can be made ahead of time.

First, cube the brioche bread and place it into a buttered baking dish with the chocolate chips. Then mix up the custard and pour it over the bread.

I like to let the bread soak for about 30 minutes before baking – leave it on the counter, covered, it will be fine. Before sliding it into the oven, dot the top with a couple of tablespoons of diced butter.

Finally, sprinkle the top of your triple chocolate bread pudding with a few tablespoons of raw sugar for a bit of texture, then bake for 30 – 40 minutes.

How to make crème anglaise

Watch my web story to see me making this sauce from start to finish.

This is an easy sauce with a fancy name, here’s how you make it:

Scrape out half of a vanilla bean. Pour cream into a small sauce pot and add vanilla bean seeds and the scraped out pod.
Heat it over moderate heat until steaming and it just barely comes to a simmer.
Whisk egg yolks with sugar in a small bowl, then slowly drizzle in warm milk while whisking constantly.
Return egg and milk mixture to the sauce pot and heat over medium low heat until thickened.
Strain through fine mesh strainer set inside chilled bowl.

The color of your crème anglaise will depend on your egg yolks. The eggs I use have deep yellow/orange yolks, and this makes my sauce darker. I’ve used eggs with paler yolks and this yields an almost white sauce.

Chocolate chip bread pudding on plate with creme anglaise.

What do I need to make this recipe?

For this chocolate chip brioche bread pudding, you’ll need the following:

I used this 13 x 9 baking dish with handles – the handles made it much easier to lift out of the oven.
Glass mixing bowls that nest inside each other are perfect when making the creme anglaise.
Small balloon whisk for whisking custard and crème anglaise.

Brioche bread pudding on stacked white plates.

Make ahead options

You can make triple chocolate bread pudding a day ahead and warm in the oven, covered for about 30 minutes, before serving. The crème anglaise can also be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

More chocolate desserts

Please share

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love this triple chocolate bread pudding as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 12 servings

Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

Triple chocolate bread pudding made with milk, dark and white chocolate chips.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Soaking Time (optional) 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE BREAD PUDDING

1 1/2 lbs. brioche bread (about 1 1/2 loaves)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided,
1 1/2 cups half & half, room temp
1 cup whole milk, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temp
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3 tbsp. raw sugar, optional

FOR THE CREME ANGLAISE

1 cup half & half
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, room temperature

Instructions

Make the triple chocolate bread pudding

Cube bread into 1 inch pieces.
Melt 6 tbsp. butter, cut the remaining 2 tbsp. into small pieces.
Brush a 13 x 9 baking dish with 1 tbsp. melted butter.
Add chocolate chips to cubed brioche and toss to combine.
Whisk together the remaining butter, half and half, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.
Add bread and chocolate chips to baking dish.
Pour custard mixture evenly over the bread and gently press down any pieces of dry bread so they are soaked in the cream mixture.
Let it soak for 30 minutes - optional, but recommended.
Preheat oven to 325°F convection (350°F without), then dot the top with the remaining pieces of butter and sprinkle raw sugar evenly over the top.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. The bread pudding should be barely set, with the tiniest wobble in the middle.
Let it stand for about 20 minutes before cutting.

Make the Crème Anglaise

Set a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Place the medium bowl into a slightly larger bowl filled halfway with ice water. (We'll need this later in step 6)
In a small saucepan, heat the half and half with the vanilla bean over medium heat. Cook just until it barely comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove vanilla bean and discard.
In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together.
VERY slowly, add the hot milk to the egg yolks and sugar in a thin stream, while quickly whisking constantly. This is called "tempering" the eggs so they don't scramble.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to stay separated when you run a finger through it on the back of a spoon.
Strain the crème anglaise through the fine mesh strainer into the chilled bowl. This stops the cooking immediately.
Pour the crème anglaise over the bread pudding. Refrigerate any leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

Crème anglaise can easily be DOUBLED to make a larger batch. If you like lots of sauce, I'd recommend it.

Easy maple rum balls for the holidays

December 6, 2021

Home » Desserts

Maple rum balls are an easy, no bake holiday treat for grownups. This easy rum ball recipe is made with maple cookies and rolled in maple sugar. They are a great nibble for holiday gatherings and for shipping to friends and family.

Maple rum balls in red glass bowl with silver ribbon in front.

I like to have an easy no bake recipe that I can make ahead for holiday parties or Christmas cookie platters. Rum balls are perfect for this because they are incredibly easy and fast.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

Maple rum balls for Christmas

Most often, I roll rum balls in powdered sugar or a mixture of granulated sugar and powdered sugar. However, these are maple rum balls, so these little treats get their holiday sparkle from maple sugar.

One of the best things about making these boozy bites is that you can swap out the cookies, the spices and the alcohol used to make as many variations as you can dream up. Believe me, I’ve made at least a dozen and there are more coming.

Maple rum balls in red bowl with white twinkle lights in the background.

Rum balls were originally a way for bakeries to use up leftover cookie and cake scraps. They mixed up the crumbs with a bit of alcohol and jam or honey, rolled them into sugar-coated balls and sold them.

The bakeries were trying to avoid food waste and profit loss, I think it was a moment of absolute genius.

Ingredients

The only ingredient you will likely have to shop for are the maple cookies. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s, but any maple cookies will do.

If you’ve already started stocking up for holiday baking, you probably have everything else already. I’ve made rum balls with both walnuts and pecans – use whichever you prefer, or whatever you have in the pantry.

Please do not skip the salt in the recipe. All sweet recipes benefit from a bit of salt to help balance the sweetness.

How to make rum balls

First, grind the cookies and nuts in the bowl of a food processor. This is what it should look like – large crumbs, but you should still see small pieces of nuts or cookies.

Ground nuts and cookies in the bowl of a food processor.

Next, sift the powdered sugar with the salt and allspice. Then stir in the rum and maple syrup.

Mixture for rum balls with maple in stainless mixing bowl.

Finally, add the cookie mixture to the bowl and stir it all together. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill for about 30 minutes. Do not skip this step – the mixture needs time to absorb the liquid and set up.

After half an hour, the mixture will be firmer and scoopable. Use a small cookie scoop to portion rum balls. Then toss in a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar, maple sugar or powdered sugar.

Rum balls in red glass bowl with Christmas garland in the background.

Rum ball Q & A

Do rum balls need to be refrigerated?

Rum balls do not to be refrigerated, but they should be stored in a cool area. Refrigerating them will extend the “shelf life” to a few weeks.

Can I make rum balls with bourbon?

YES! You can swap out the rum for bourbon to make these into maple bourbon balls.

Can you freeze rum balls?

Rum balls freeze really well, actually. If you plan on freezing them, don’t roll them in sugar. It is best to coat them when you plan to serve them.

Can I make them ahead of time?

Rum balls get even better after a day or two, so making them ahead is not only ideal, it is ENCOURAGED.

Rum balls on red and white tablecloth with pinecones in the background.

This is a great time to get together with a friend or neighbor, share your resources and make a big batch of rum balls for holiday parties or shipping cookies to family.

They keep really well and they are even better after a day or two, so making them a few days before you’ll need them is perfect.

Rum ball recipes

These easy, no bake treats are so simple to make, you can whip up a few batches in no time! Try a few of these recipes for your holiday gatherings.

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love these maple rum balls as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

A worthy cause

This year, we’re raising money in support of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. We’d love if you could join us in supporting a worthy cause this holiday season. Here is our fundraising page.

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments. Since 2008, they have granted nearly $17 million to research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.

Yield: 40 pieces

Maple Rum Balls

Quick and easy, maple rum balls are the perfect make ahead, boozy holiday treat for grownups.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For rum balls

12 ounces maple sandwich cookies
1 1/4 cups toasted walnuts
1 cup powdered (icing) sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup amber rum
2 tbsp. maple syrup

For sugar coating

1/2 cup maple sugar

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, process maple cookies and walnuts until finely ground. Set aside. (You may have to do this batches if you have a smaller food processor)
In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar, salt and allspice.
Stir in rum and maple syrup.
Add cookie and nut mixture to the bowl and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Scoop out tablespoon sized portions and use your hands to roll into balls.
Toss in maple sugar to coat.
Place on baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving, to allow the sugar to adhere.

Notes

Instead of maple sugar, you can use 1/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 cup light brown sugar to coat the rum balls.

Holiday peanut butter whiskey balls

December 2, 2021

Home » Desserts

Peanut butter whiskey balls are an easy, no bake holiday treat for grownups. A variation of my traditional rum ball recipe, these boozy bites are made with peanut butter cookies and rolled in cinnamon sugar. They are perfect for holiday gatherings and shipping to friends and family.

Peanut butter whisky balls in small white bowl on red tablecloth.

This simple no bake sweet comes together in no time and because the flavor develops even more overnight, it’s the perfect make ahead treat for Christmas.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

Peanut butter whiskey balls

Earlier this year, a friend of mine gifted me a bottle of peanut butter whiskey for my birthday. I was skeptical, because, I’ll be honest, it sounded unappealing. Boy, was I wrong. It is actually quite tasty!

However, I’ve barely made a dent in it. So, instead of letting this perfectly good bottle of booze collect dust, we’re making whisky balls.

Whiskey balls coated in sugar in small bowl with Christmas lights.

I’ve made my fair share of rum ball recipes over the years, so it wasn’t much of a leap to start including different spirits.

No peanut butter whisky? No problem! Swap in your favorite rum in place of the whisky to make peanut butter rum balls. This recipe, like all of my rum ball recipes, is made entirely in the food processor.

Bowl of peanut butter whiskey balls on wooden board.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these peanut butter whiskey balls:

Peanut butter sandwich cookies (I used Nutter Butters)
Peanuts or pecans
Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar)
Peanut butter whiskey
Salt
Honey
Peanut butter
Cinnamon

Peanut butter balls with whisky on a baking sheet.

I’ve made several batches of these no bake cookies, swapping out different nuts and spices.

The peanuts obviously give them the most peanut flavor, but if you only have pecans or walnuts for holiday baking, feel free to use them. To give them added peanut flavor, you could increase the peanut butter by a tablespoon.

The cinnamon goes really well with the honey and peanut butter, but allspice or nutmeg is also nice here. There are no shortage of ways to change up this recipe to make different variations.

How to make peanut butter whiskey balls

First, grind the cookies and nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Next, mix the powdered sugar, whiskey, honey, and peanut butter together in a separate bowl.

How to make whiskey balls in food processor.

Then add the cookie mixture to the powdered sugar mixture and stir until it is uniform. Cover and refrigerate to let it firm up a little – this makes it easier to scoop and roll.

Scooping whiskey balls and rolling in sugar.

Use a small cookie scoop to portion the peanut butter whiskey balls, then roll in your hands to smooth them out and make them perfectly round.

Toss in cinnamon sugar to give them a bit of sparkle and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Boozy whiskey balls in bowl with trees in background.

They make excellent homemade gifts for friends and neighbors, and they are ideal for shipping.

These simple, no-bake cookies are perfect for Christmas parties. Grab a few friends and make a double batch for all of your holiday gatherings or cookie exchanges.

More boozy treats

Gingerbread rum balls
Peppermint hot chocolate (with schnapps)
Cinnamon rum balls
Peppermint rum balls

Please share

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love these peanut butter whiskey balls as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 30 pieces

Peanut butter whiskey balls

Easy, no-bake peanut butter whiskey balls are the perfect make ahead holiday treat for grownups.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

10 ounces peanut butter sandwich cookies (like Nutter Butters)
1 cup unsalted peanuts (or pecans)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup peanut butter whiskey
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*See note for cinnamon sugar coating

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, process peanut butter cookies and peanuts (or pecans) until finely ground. Set aside. (You may have to do this batches if you have a smaller food processor)
In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Stir peanut butter, honey and peanut butter whiskey into the powdered sugar mixture until completely incorporated.
Add cookie and nut mixture, then stir until it is uniform. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon (see note!). Whisk to combine and set aside.
Using a small cookie scoop, portion whiskey balls and roll with your hands to smooth and shape. Toss in cinnamon sugar, a few at a time, to completely coat.
Set on baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow sugar to adhere.

Notes

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

Combine 1/4 cup granulated and 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Toss whiskey balls in sugar, a few at a time, to full coat.

Best classic Christmas sugar cookies recipe

November 30, 2021

Home » Desserts

These buttery classic Christmas sugar cookies are the perfect roll out cookies for the holiday season. They bake up nice and tall with defined edges and a soft interior. Decorate with fluffy buttercream frosting or royal icing and lots of sprinkles. If you are serious about your cut out cookies, this recipe is for you!

Cut out sugar Christmas cookies with sprinkles.

Along with my easy rum balls recipe, the one Christmas classic that can’t be left out are sugar cookies. They are almost everyone’s favorite and decorating them is something everyone can take part in – whether you have lots of skill or not much at all, it doesn’t matter.

So well tested and such a clear recipe. The perfect taste and texture. A new holiday classic for my family!
– Jenni

Perfect roll out sugar cookies

This is by far the most tested recipe on my blog. It’s been years in the making. The goal with this recipe was a sugar cookie that did not spread, held its shape perfectly with no “cookie bloat”, baked up nice and tall with golden edges, and also tasted good.

Cut out Christmas cookies on cooling rack.

One would assume this is an easy task, but I’m here to tell you that it isn’t quite as straightforward as one might think. If you’ve ever been disappointed with your cookies for any reason, that’s about to end.

There are some tips and tricks to getting the perfect classic Christmas sugar cookies, so let’s get to it.

The effort you put into this beautiful cookies is apparent not just in your pictures but in every delicious bite of the batch I just made. Thanks for sharing your hard work and wisdom with us.
-Beth

Classic Christmas cookies recipe

This recipe for cut out Christmas cookies is a combination of the bakery-style sugar cookies and the type of roll out sugar cookies we all grew up eating.

The texture, or crumb, of these cookies is a bit more refined, but the flavor is exactly what you’d expect and want from this type of cookie.

Cut out cookies on rack with sprinkles and icing.

Ingredients

To make classic Christmas sugar cookies, you’ll need the following 9 ingredients: all purpose flour, cake flour, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder and milk or cream.

I used half and half for my cookies and it worked really well. I would not recommend low-fat milk. For the best results, use whole milk, half and half or cream.

What makes this recipe different from all the others?

This recipe is not like all of the other sugar cookie recipes out there. The biggest difference is the addition of cake flour. It gives the cookies a delicate, soft and crumbly texture that just can’t be beat.

I’ve adjusted the sugar and butter several times, baked with and without baking powder, with and without cream, without cake flour and with it – trust me when I tell you that this recipe works, and it will work for you.

Recipe testing on parchment paper. — *So much recipe testing for these cookies!*

The other big difference is freezing the dough, not just chilling it. I’ve tested this recipe more times than I can count to get it just perfect, and freezing the dough is key to getting nice, sharp, golden brown edges with no cookie bloat.

You can see on the sides of the cookie, they are nice and straight, not rounded. There is a defined line, or edge, on top – which is what you’d expect from a bakery cookie.

Dough for cut out Christmas sugar cookies

The first step is creaming the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes, don’t rush it. If the color of your mixture has not lightened, you’re not done yet.

Next, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the eggs and beat until they are well incorporated.

Step by step instructions for classic Christmas sugar cookies.

Combine all of the dry ingredients, and add in two batches, alternating with the cream. Lastly, roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness between two sheets of parchment paper, then chill or freeze the dough until it is firm enough to cleanly cut out shapes.

Tips and tricks for perfect classic Christmas sugar cookies

Follow these tips for perfect Christmas cut out cookies:

Chill the dough before cutting out cookie shapes – if the dough is slack (too soft), you won’t get nice edges.
Dip cookie cutter in flour before cutting dough – keeps the dough from sticking when you release the dough from the cutter.
Place cut out cookie dough shapes on baking mat (or parchment paper) on sheet pan, then place in freezer.
Bake cookies straight from the freezer.

Cut out sugar cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

My last tip is to make your own sanding sugar mix. You can get very creative for a fraction of the price of one small bottle at the store.

Tools, equipment and fun extras

You’ll need a few things to make this classic Christmas sugar cookies recipe, but the one item (aside from the mixer), that is imperative, is the scale. The luster dust is just for fun, but I really hope you get it, because it’s gorgeous.

Food scale – An absolute must for bakers. Weighing ingredients is far more accurate than measuring with cups and spoons, and I cannot recommend owning a scale strongly enough.
Silicone baking mat – This yielded the best results. I preferred baking on this over baking on parchment paper.
Classic Christmas cookie cutter set – metal cutters with comfort grip, 8 different shapes.
Gel food color – This is the brand that I have. Avoid liquid food coloring, it won’t give you the same results and it will make the icing runny.
Luster dust is an edible food color that comes in powdered form. By mixing it with a drop or two of vodka, it becomes a “paint” to color the frosting or the cookie itself. It comes in every imaginable color and looks beautiful on iced cookies. It can deepen the colors of the frosting or just add a little shine or sparkle to give them an extra special look.
Stand mixer – This is the mixer that I’ve had for almost 10 years. It gets a TON of use and is worth every penny.
Sheet pans – Invest in heavy duty, commercial baking sheets. They aren’t pretty, but they don’t warp and they last a lifetime.

More holiday treats

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love these classic Christmas sugar cookies as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 30 - 3 inch cookies

Classic Christmas sugar cookies

The perfect recipe for soft and buttery classic Christmas sugar cookies.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

Cut out sugar cookies

3 cups all- purpose flour (13.25 ounces)
2 cups cake flour (8 ounces)
2 tsp. sea salt/kosher salt
3 1/2 tsps. baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sugar (11 ounces)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk, half and half or heavy cream (2 ounces)

Royal icing

1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tbsps. meringue powder

Instructions

Whisk all purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and light in color, about 5 minutes. (If using a hand mixer about 7 - 8 minutes.)
Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until incorporated, then add the vanilla and beat until mixture is uniform.
Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the cream, and mix until just combined.
Divide the dough into thirds and roll out to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of parchment paper. (You'll have 3 pieces of dough, you'll need 6 sheets of parchment)
Put the sheets of dough (and the paper!) on a sheet pan to keep them flat, then freeze for an hour until dough is very firm.
Dip cookie cutter in flour, then cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Freeze the dough for a minimum of 2 hours. (I wrapped my sheet pans up and froze overnight).
Preheat oven to 325°F with convection or 350°F without convection.
Remove sheet pan from freezer and bake for 18 minutes. (This is for 3 inch cookies. If your cookies are smaller or larger, adjust the time by a minute or two)
Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely.

Royal Icing

1. Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and water in a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer.

2. Beat on high for 2 - 3 minutes, until completely smooth.

3. Use assorted food coloring to dye the frosting. Place in piping bag with tip to decorate.

Add sprinkles or sanding sugar to your cookies immediately after frosting. Use luster dust after royal icing has set completely.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 247Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 231mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂

Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!

Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe without prior written permission. Thank you!

Originally published 12/7/11, most recent update 11/30/21.

Easy Halloween rum balls

October 5, 2021

Home » Desserts

Made with spiced rum, these easy chocolate covered Halloween rum balls are the perfect grown-up sweet. Full of fall flavors from pumpkin cookies, pecans and maple syrup, these no bake treats get even better the next day.

Rum balls for Halloween on black plate with pumpkins in background.

Last year, I made pumpkin rum balls with pumpkin purée to enjoy during the Halloween season. They were one of my favorite versions of this boozy treat. This variation uses pumpkin sandwich cookies as the base.

Halloween rum balls

Rum balls are great for this time of the year. They are a quick and easy no-bake treat for grown-ups, plus they are really delicious.

My easy rum balls recipe is one I make every holiday season. I needed an easy Halloween treat for adults only, and these immediately came to mind.

Halloween rum balls on black plate with one rum ball on skull napkin.

Do they need to be refrigerated?

Halloween rum balls do not to be refrigerated, but they should be stored in a cool area. Refrigerating will extend the life of them and if kept in a sealed container in the fridge, they will last a few weeks.

You can freeze the rum balls before you dip them in chocolate, if you are making ahead. Thaw in the refrigerator, then dip and decorate with sprinkles.

Ingredients for pumpkin pecan rum balls

Halloween is a great time to make fun treats, but why should kids get all the sweets? Grownups need something too and these no bake boozy balls are just the thing.

Only 7 simple ingredients make up this easy recipe. I used pumpkin sandwich cookies as the base, you can use any kind of pumpkin cookie that you find at the grocery store. I bought these at Trader Joe’s, but I’m sure plenty of markets have their own variety.

How to make rum balls for Halloween

The first step is toasting the pecans. It only takes about 6 – 8 minutes in the oven, but it makes a big difference. It’s not mandatory, but suggested.

How to toast nuts – Place pecans on a baking sheet and roast at 350°F / 177°C for 6 – 8 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Then, combine the pumpkin sandwich cookies and the pecans in the food processor. Pulse a few times to break them up, then run the machine until the mixture looks like fairly fine crumbs.

How to make rum balls for Halloween photo instructions.

Sift powdered sugar and spices together, stir into cookies. Next, mix rum and maple syrup together, then add to cookie and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Now we’re ready to make rum balls.

Scooping cookie balls with scoop on baking sheet.

I used a small cookie scoop to portion the Halloween cookie balls. This will ensure that they are all the same size. Roll them in your hands to round and smooth them out.

Carefully dip into melted chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the top with sprinkles and let them sit at room temperature to set. If you are in a hurry, you can put them in the fridge for about 15 minutes to speed up the process.

Rum ball with black and orange sprinkles.

These boozy Halloween bites are super tasty and really easy to make. They are also great for gifting to friends and neighbors while everyone is out trick-or-treating.

Tips and tricks for success

Here are some answers to a few FAQ’s about rum balls.

Can I make rum balls in advance?

The flavor of a rum ball develops even more overnight, so it is the perfect make ahead sweet. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they will last for a few weeks.

My rum balls fall apart when I’m rolling them. What am I doing wrong?

If the mixture is dry and crumbly, you may need a bit more liquid. Try adding a tablespoon of rum or maple syrup to the mixture. The other issue could be that you need to lightly pack it into a ball to help it hold its shape.

How do I melt chocolate?

The easiest way to melt chocolate is to break it into small pieces and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 – 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until you have pieces no bigger than a pea. Stir until completely smooth.

Halloween rum balls with orange and black sprinkles on black plate.

Halloween themed desserts

If you are celebrating this spooky holiday, here are a few more sweet treats to make.

Day of the Dead chocolate cupcakes
Easy pumpkin empanadas (with store-bought dough)
Pumpkin cookies
Pumpkin empanadas (from scratch recipe)
Halloween rice krispie treats

If you love these Halloween rum balls, please give the recipe 5 stars!

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Rum ball recipes

Looking for a few more rum ball recipes? These are great for the holiday season:

Yield: 3 dozen

Halloween rum balls

Halloween rum balls are an easy and delicious no bake treat for grownups only!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Inactive Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

10 oz. pumpkin sandwich cookies
1 cup toasted pecans (see note)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup spiced rum
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

Dip and decorate

1 cup melted dark chocolate
2 tbsp. black and orange nonpareils

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, process pumpkin cookies and pecans until finely ground. Set aside. (You may have to do this batches if you have a smaller food processor.)
In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir into cookie and nut mixture until thoroughly combined.
Combine rum and maple syrup in a small bowl, then add to cookie mixture. Mix well.
Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Melt dark chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. (Not too much, it should be warm to the touch, but not hot).
Scoop out portions and roll into balls.
Use a fork to lower into chocolate and turn to coat all over, then lift out of bowl with fork, dragging the bottom of the tines across the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with sprinkles, and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour to allow the chocolate to set.

Notes

How to toast nuts

Place pecans on a baking sheet and roast at 350°F / 177°C for 6 - 8 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Day of The Dead Cupcakes

September 28, 2021

Home » Desserts

Celebrate Halloween with these chocolaty Day of the Dead cupcakes. Perfect for a Día de los Muertos party, these Mexican chocolate cupcakes are festive and delicious. With colorful sugar skull decorations and fun sprinkles, these cupcakes will be the hit of your Día de los Muertos fiesta! But, that’s not all. These delicious cupcakes have a unique ingredient, scroll down to find out what it is!

Day of the Dead Cupcakes on black background

For a Mexican-themed Halloween party, add these easy pumpkin empanadas to your menu!

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

Sugar skull cupcakes

When I was thinking about this recipe, the one thing I knew I wanted to use was a colorful sugar skull as decoration. I found the perfect edible cupcake toppers for these day of the dead cupcakes and am absolutely enamored with them. They are full of color and they’re the exact size needed to top a standard cupcake.

Day of the dead desserts with sugar skull decorations and sprinkles.

Day of the dead cupcakes

Halloween is a fun time of year, lots of ghostly treats and goblin eats. I mean, all you have to do is say “trick or treat” and people give you candy. For FREE. That’s a holiday I can get behind.

I used this colorful sprinkle mix to decorate the cupcakes, then topped them with an edible sugar skull decoration.

What is Día de los Muertos?

Since the movie Coco came out, I think people have a better understanding that it is not the Mexican version of Halloween. It is a time to remember friends and family who have passed on. In Mexico, people go to the cemeteries to give the departed offerings of their favorite things.

Day of the dead cupcake with sugar skull decoration and flower

They’ll often leave food and drinks, candles, photos and little trinkets. It may sound a bit morbid, but it’s quite the opposite. It’s a celebration of life and it’s full of color, which is why I wanted to share these Day of the Dead cupcakes with you.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes

What makes Mexican chocolate different? It has cinnamon in it, which gives it a really nice flavor and makes these Mexican chocolate cupcakes extra delicious.

I remember a long time ago having chocolate in Mexico that had ground almonds in it as well. If you don’t have an allergy and you won’t be serving these to anyone with a nut allergy, a tablespoon of very finely ground almonds or a drop of almond extract would be great here.

Mexican chocolate is sold in round tablets that are scored in wedges (like a pie). Because it has sugar in the chocolate, you can melt it into hot milk for “instant” Mexican hot chocolate.

Day of the Dead cupcakes with sugar skull decorations and Mexican chocolate

Día de los Muertos cupcakes

Skulls are often decorated with marigolds, so I gave my cupcakes a little floral flair. Totally edible. All of it, even the flowers!

If you can’t find marigolds, nasturtiums are also edible or you can look for edible flowers in your local gourmet market.

Day of the dead cupcakes with flowers and sugar skulls

The flowers are of course optional, but I love how they look on this cupcake and they give it an authentic feel.

Day of the Dead recipes

If you are having a Día de los Muertos celebration, here are a few recipes to make your party auténtica!

• Atole – a thick, creamy drink made from corn. Add a bit of Mexican chocolate to turn it into champurrado
• Pan de Muerto – literally translates as “bread of the dead”
• Make your own Sugar Skulls – found all over Mexico during the month leading up to day of the dead

What can I serve with these day of the dead cupcakes?

If you love these day of the dead cupcakes, please give the recipe 5 stars!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

More cupcake recipes

Yield: 14 cupcakes

Day of the Dead Cupcakes

Day of the dead cupcakes are bright, colorful and so chocolaty.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

3 oz chocolate, mexican
1/2 cup water, boiling
1/3 cup cocoa powder, dark, not Dutch-processed
1 cup flour, all purpose
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp butter, unsalted
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla, mexican
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper , (optional)

Buttercream

3 sticks butter, unsalted, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla

Decorations

sprinkles
sugar skulls

Instructions

Make Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and line cupcake pans with 14 papers.
In a small bowl, combine chocolate, cocoa powder and boiling water. Stir to melt and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt, whisk to combine and set aside.
(add cayenne if using)
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
Add half of the flour mixture and beat just to combine.
Add half of the chocolate mixture and beat just to combine.
Repeat with remaining flour mixture and chocolate.
Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool on wire rack.

Make Buttercream

Combine butter and half of the powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat together until combined, then slowly add the remaining sugar. Add salt, milk and vanilla.
Beat for 4 - 5 minutes until very fluffy.

Decorate with sprinkles and edible sugar skulls.

Notes

Mexican chocolate substitute: to replicate the flavor of Mexican chocolate, use 3 oz of semi-sweet chocolate, plus 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon and a drop of almond extract, if you have it.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes Apple Cider Buttercream

September 27, 2021

Home » Desserts

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Apple Cider Swiss Meringue Buttercream are full of flavor. Fresh apple cupcakes topped with soft, billowy apple cider buttercream make the perfect autumn treat.

Caramel apple cupcakes on clear glass dessert stand. — *Caramel apple cupcakes are the perfect dessert for fall parties*

If you are a fan of apple desserts, you are sure to love this cupcake. Filled with warm spices, like cinnamon, this cupcake is sweet without overdoing it.

The cupcakes are topped with a swirl of fluffy Swiss meringue buttercream flecked with an apple cider reduction. Hands down one of my favorite cupcakes of all time.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

While everyone is currently pumpkin-crazed, here I am in a corner with my apples. I like pumpkin as much as the next girl, but I feel like apple gets pushed out of the spotlight because of everything pumpkin-spiced.

Don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin, but fall apples are coming in and this is the time of year when they are at their peak and shouldn’t be missed.

I have had the idea for this recipe rolling around in my head for years. It’s one of those things that sounded like a great idea, but I wasn’t sure if I could really pull it off with the intense apple/caramel/cider flavors that I craved.

The combination had to taste like caramel apple cider when eaten all together, and it does! One of the best fall cupcake flavors I’ve ever had.

Caramel apple cupcake with caramel drizzle.

The apple buttercream is everything I hoped it would be. It balances the flavor of the cupcake perfectly.

Caramel Apple Cupcake Recipe

These toffee apple cupcakes do require a smidgen of effort. You already know that the majority of the recipes here are made from scratch. So, before we get into the recipe, let me say a few things.

To make these fresh apple cupcakes, you do need to sauté the apples and let them cool before adding them into the batter. This is something you can do the night before if you are short on time.

Melting caramels into the apple cider is necessary. It gives a much better flavor than tossing caramel bits or chips into the batter (believe me, I tried it).

Does it take a few extra minutes? Yes. Is it worth it? Hell yes. You will be richly rewarded for your effort. These caramel apple cupcakes are no joke. They take a little extra time, but man oh man, they are so dang good!

Procedure

Because there are a few elements to these cupcakes, I wanted to give you the steps in order.

The first thing you want to do is bring the butter to room temp. I usually set it on the counter the night before.

Next step is reducing the apple cider. This takes about 30 minutes, so put a small pot on the back burner and just let it cook down.

Then, get your apples cooked and cooled. While they are cooking, start pulling out your ingredients to measure for the cupcake batter.

Once the apple cupcakes are in the oven, start on the apple cider buttercream.

Apple cupcake with apple buttercream on clear glass tray.

How to make Swiss meringue buttercream

If you’ve never made Swiss meringue buttercream, you are in for a treat. It is the best frosting for cakes and cupcakes. It takes patience, so don’t rush through it.

Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved before taking it off of the stove.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until glossy peaks. Then, start adding softened butter.

When adding the butter – add in small pieces, not big chunks. It needs to incorporate properly before adding in more. This does take time, but if you try to do it too quickly, you will be disappointed in the result.

The good news is – this is another thing you can make the night before. It will be fine overnight in a cool room-temp location.

When the apple cider buttercream is made and you are ready to frost the cupcakes, make sure they are completely cooled. Because there is quite a bit of butter in the frosting, if the cupcakes are a bit warm, it will melt.

FAQ’s

Here are a few helpful tips and tricks for success:

What should I do if my meringue is runny?

Refrigerate it. Odds are that it is too warm and the butter has melted. Once you cool it down and give the butter a chance to firm up again, it will be fine!

What do I do if my buttercream looks curdled?

Warm it up a bit! The butter is likely a little too cold and needs to be warmed up a couple of degrees. If it is just a little lumpy, I hold the bowl with my hands to warm it up. If it is really stiff and curdled looking, set it over the pot of simmering water for a few seconds, then continue whipping.

How to reduce apple cider

Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let it cook down for about 30 minutes until it is thick and syrupy. You should have roughly 2 tablespoons when it is done.

Cupcake Baking Tips

Piping lovely cupcakes didn’t happen overnight, it took practice, just like everything in life. If you are a beginner, don’t fret that they aren’t perfect, just keep at it.

I used an open star piping tip for these cupcakes. It is my FAVORITE. I use it on most of the cupcakes I make. Fill your piping bag and practice on a plate for a few minutes to get the feel of it, then scoop that buttercream back into the bag and frost the cupcakes.

Something that I do religiously is measure out all of my ingredients before I begin. I mean everything, down to the salt. That way, I know that I actually have everything I need and also, it makes the baking process go much smoother when I’m in the middle of it.

It is also a big timesaver when you prep ingredients beforehand. Because the ingredients were measured carefully, the butter has been softened, I have everything ready to go; when it’s time to bake, it’s a snap.

Lastly, use a scoop. Why use a scoop? All of the cupcakes will be uniform in size, nothing will spill over and no more sad half-filled cupcake that no one wants.

How to drizzle caramel on apple cupcakes

I used a small whisk to drizzle the caramel on these apple cupcakes. The key is to let some of it run off of the whisk before you start to drizzle.

How to drizzle caramel on cupcakes with a whisk.

If you have too much on the whisk (or spoon), it will look like globs of caramel instead of a drizzle. Practice on a cupcake or two to get the feel of it.

Then, it is simply a matter of quickly flicking your wrist back and forth over the apple cupcake and the caramel will fall in thin ribbons.

These cupcakes will be the hit of your fall parties. You really must make them, they are so very tasty!

How to store frosted cupcakes

These caramel apple cupcakes can sit at a cool room temperature. If it is warm, it’s best to refrigerate.

If you need to store these cupcakes for a few days, place in the fridge. They will need to be taken out roughly 30 minutes before being served for the frosting to soften. Remember there is a lot of butter and it will harden when refrigerated.

They can also be frozen, however, you’ll need to take them out a couple of hours before serving.

More cupcake recipes

Cupcake lover should check out these recipes too!

Shop This Recipe:

Muffin/Cupcake Pan – I like this one because of the wide edges. It is easy to grab without sticking the thumb of your oven glove into a cupcake.
Disposable piping bags – they come in handy for so many uses.
Piping tip set – This basic set contains the ones you will use most often.
Red Gingham Cupcake Papers

Your shares help this site to grow. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting. I love hearing from you! Did you make these caramel apple cupcakes? Tag me on Instagram @pookspantry or share it in the Fabulous Foodie Friends Facebook group! I can’t wait to see your version!

Yield: 16

Caramel Apple Cupcake with Apple Cider Buttercream

Caramel apple cupcakes are the perfect fall treat!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the CUPCAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup apple cider
2 cups granny smith apple, peeled and finely diced (or grated)
1 tablespoon butter, for sauteing apples
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
10 caramel candies - I used Kraft

For the BUTTERCREAM

6 egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups apple cider, reduced to 2 tablespoons

For the CARAMEL DRIZZLE

10 caramel candies
1/3 cup half and half or cream

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small pot, heat apple cider over medium heat and add the (unwrapped!) caramel candies. Slowly melt them together, stirring very frequently. This should take about 5 - 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Cook apples in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook just to soften, not too mushy. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stir to barely combine. Add the cider/caramel mixture, then the rest of the flour mixture. Finally, fold in the apples, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Portion into cupcake pan and bake for 15 - 18 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the cupcake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream

Place a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water below.
Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl and whisk very frequently, until sugar has melted into the egg whites. Test this by swiping your finger through a stream from the whisk and rub your thumb and finger together. If you feel any grains, it's not ready yet. It should be completely smooth. When the sugar has melted, remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg white mixture until you have firm, glossy peaks.
On low speed, add a tablespoon of butter at a time, waiting until it is fully incorporated before adding more. When all of the butter is incorporated, add the cider reduction and the vanilla.
Whip on medium high speed until soft, fluffy but firm peaks that hold their shape.

Drizzle

Melt caramels and cream together in the microwave or on the stove, stirring frequently.
Frost cooled cupcakes and drizzle with caramel.

Notes

The apple cider reduction for the buttercream will take about 30 minutes over medium heat. It will be thick and syrupy when it's done.
If the buttercream begins to look curdled, fear not! Just keep whipping, it will come back, I promise.

Clementine Upside Down Cake Recipe

September 20, 2021

Home » Desserts

This clementine upside down cake recipe is a light, citrusy dessert that is sure to impress. Crowned in paper-thin slices of glazed clementine, it is stunning yet deceptively easy to make. Make this clementine cake while these jewels are in season and enjoy this cake all week.

Upside down cakes are a favorite of mine. There is something so satisfying about turning it over and watching the reveal of the beautiful top. One of my favorite fall versions is a cranberry upside down cake. Both of these are great to have around for snacking during the holidays.

Clementine upside down cake on white platter with slice of cake on a small square plate on teal napkin in the background.

You can also find a gluten free clementine cake using almond flour.

Upside down clementine cake recipe

This is a cake that I make almost every Christmas. It looks like it took all day, when in fact, it did not.

Made with buttermilk to give it a little tang, this cake is just barely sweet. It goes really well with a cup of coffee or tea as a breakfast treat or a dessert.

Upside down clementine cake on large white platter.

Clementine Upside Down Cake

A version of a clementine cake made an appearance in the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” a few years back and apparently, it became all the rage. I’ve been making this cake since 2001, who knew that versions of this cake would pop up everywhere?

Because it is so delicious, I guess it shouldn’t be a big surprise.

What kind of pan do I need to bake this clementine cake?

You’ll need to use your deepest cake pan. Meaning, the one with the tallest sides. I like to bake this cake in a 9 x 3 cake pan. It will work in a standard 9 x 2 cake pan, but I suggest placing the pan on a baking sheet, just in case it bubbles over.

If you have a 9 x 3 cake pan, this is the time to use it. Those high sides will give your cake nice, straight sides and you won’t have to obsessively look through the oven glass to make sure it isn’t spilling over.

Procedure

First, we’ll boil the thin slices of clementine for a few minutes to soften them. Then the butter and clementine juice go into the pan and the clementine slices are arranged in a circular pattern.

Step by step photo instructions for clementine cake.

Mix up the simple buttermilk batter and gently scoop on top, then bake. You can see the top of the cake flecked with vanilla – the combination of orange and vanilla is so good.

Cool the cake slightly before inverting, cool completely before cutting and serving.

Helpful tools and equipment

Small offset spatula – When you scoop the cake batter on top of the clementines, you’ll need to smooth the top before putting the cake in the oven. This offset spatula is small enough to allow you to get in the pan easily without hitting the side of the cake pan.
Rubber spatulas – I love this set because it includes a scraping spatula! You need that for getting the bottom of the bowl. Love it.
Possibly one of the greatest things ever invented – 9 inch parchment paper rounds. These pre cut pieces of parchment paper go directly on the bottom of your pan creating a layer between the pan and your cake making it easy to remove with no sticking.

You’ll also need the basics like mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons and a hand mixer.

More holiday recipes

Please share

If you love this clementine upside down cake, please give the recipe 5 stars!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 1 cake

Buttermilk Upside Down Clementine Cake Recipe

Clementine upside down cake is a delicious, light citrusy cake - perfect for the holidays.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

5 clementines, thinly sliced and seeds removed
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste, vanilla or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp. clementine zest
1/4 cup fresh clementine juice from 2 -3 clementines
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas mark 4.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add clementine slices. Boil 3 minutes, then drain and arrange slices on a single layer of paper towel.
Place 1/2 cup of butter in a 9x2 or 9x3 inch round cake pan (springform pan will NOT work). Mix half of the vanilla paste, and half of the sugar and add to butter.
Place pan in oven and when butter has melted, whisk to combine and add 2 tbsp. clementine juice. Leave in oven for a few minutes longer.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat zest, butter, 1 cup sugar and remaining vanilla on medium high speed with electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
With mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated, then add flour mixture in 2 batches alternating with the buttermilk and remaining clementine juice.
Arrange clementine slices in pan on top of sugar mixture, starting in the center and working out from middle. Make sure to overlap slices to secure them in place.
Gently scoop batter on top of clementine slices and smooth top with an offset spatula.
Bake until cake is golden and puffed and a cake tester (knife) comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen cake, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely. Let cool before slicing.
If you are not serving the same day, wrap cake very well in plastic wrap while still warm and place in freezer. Thaw at room temp (not in refrigerator) for a few hours before serving.

Notes

**Please note - you'll need 7 - 8 clementines TOTAL for the recipe.

I used a recipe from Martha Stewart as my jumping off point and fiddled with it just a touch. The next time I make this, I would let the sugar caramelize a bit more in the oven.

Pumpkin empanada recipe from scratch

August 25, 2021

Home » Desserts

Sweet pumpkin purée tucked inside of a soft pastry dough make this pumpkin empanada recipe the only one you’ll ever need. They are the perfect hand-held fall treat, filled with cinnamon, cloves and brown sugar.

Pumpkin empanadas on white plate on gray marble backdrop with pumpkins in the background.

Learn how to make pumpkin empanadas with real pumpkin completely from scratch with step by step instructions. They taste just like the ones you’ll find in any Mexican bakery. If you’re craving the empanadas you grew up eating, you’re in the right place.

You can also find a recipe for easy pumpkin empanadas for those days when your energy does not match your craving.

How to prepare pumpkin for empanadas

Fresh pumpkin empanadas do require a little more work than using canned pumpkin. Most recipes call for boiling the pumpkin in a sugar syrup, but I like to roast the pumpkin instead.

Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the pumpkin, without making it watery.

Roasting pumpkin for empanadas de calabaza.

Split the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Then cut each half into quarters and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until soft, then scoop out the flesh.

Pumpkin filling for empanadas

If you want to learn how to make pumpkin filling from scratch for empanadas, there are no shortage of ways to do it. This is how I have always done it, which is not the traditional method of boiling the pumpkin.

After the pumpkin has been roasted and the flesh has been scooped out, combine it with butter, sugar and spices. I use dark brown sugar, because it has more molasses in it than light brown sugar and has a deeper flavor. Use whichever brown sugar you prefer.

Pumpkin empanada dough recipe

To make this soft, bakery-style empanada dough, we’ll need the following ingredients:

Ingredient shot for Mexican pumpkin empanada dough.

When I’m making this particular dough, I like to add a bit of pumpkin spice to amp up the cinnamon flavor. If you prefer to keep your dough lighter in color, don’t add it, but it does make the dough really delicious.

The first step is to bloom the yeast. We need it to get active so it will do its job. I’ve included a photo of what it will look like, in case you’ve never done this before. The yeast will become foamy and it will expand, so you want to make sure you have a small bowl set aside for it.

Next, sift all of the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Finally, add the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir it to make a crumbly dough.

Rough, craggy dough for empanadas before kneading.

This is what the dough will look like before it is kneaded. It will look like it’s never going to come together – it will. Trust me.

Smooth, kneaded empanada dough in mixing bowl.

And just like that, after a few minutes of kneading, it becomes a beautiful, soft dough ready to roll out and fill. This dough makes authentic sweet pumpkin empanadas like the ones you’d find at a Mexican panadería, or bakery.

How to make pumpkin empanadas from scratch

Homemade pumpkin empanadas start with a soft, bakery-style empanada dough. Once the dough has rested for 3o minutes, it’s time to roll it out.

Step by step photos for making empanadas de calabaza recipe.

I use my big rolling dowel for this. It makes quick work of it. Then, use a bench scraper to divide dough into 12 pieces for this pumpkin empanada recipe.

Roll each piece into a ball, borrowing a little from another piece if needed to make them as even as possible. Use your rolling pin to roll each ball of dough into a small 3″ – 4″ circle.

Homemade pumpkin empanada cut in half showing inside, on white plate.

Place a bit of pumpkin filling in the middle of the dough disk, seal and bake.

Tips and tricks for success

There are a couple of suggestions to making this empanada de calabaza, or pumpkin empanada recipe.

First, the dough may be sticky when you are kneading – DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR. Sorry for yelling, but this is very important. If it is sticky, just be patient. It will come together into a smooth ball of dough. Adding more flour will make it dry and you’ll be disappointed.

When rolling the dough out, lightly dust the counter. I like to use a small fine mesh sieve for this so I’m not too heavy-handed with the flour. For the same reason as above.

Pumpkin empanadas from scratch on a large white plate with decorative pumpkins in the background.

If it happens to be a warm, humid day, chill the dough before rolling out. I have made these on a hot day, I speak from experience.

Sign up for the empanada class online and cook along with me. You can watch anytime! Permanent access to the class. Rewind, pause or fast-forward – learn at your own pace. Learn to make two types of empanada dough, a sweet filling and a savory filling – all from scratch!

This recipe might seem a little daunting at first, but it’s not difficult. And you will be rewarded with delicious empanadas to enjoy with your coffee.

More fall recipes

Día de los muertos cupcakes – Mexican chocolate cupcakes decorated with sugar skulls.
Frosted pumpkin cookies – Soft pumpkin cookies frosted with a buttery cinnamon icing.
Pumpkin applesauce muffins – This sparkly muffin is loaded with warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pumpkin tacos with black beans – Roasted pumpkin tossed with chili powder and cumin makes these tacos delicious!

If you love this pumpkin empanada recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 1 dozen

Pumpkin empanada recipe from scratch

This pumpkin empanada recipe makes soft, bakery-style Mexican empanadas.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Pumpkin empanada filling

1 calabaza squash (you can substitute pie pumpkin, butternut or kabocha squash)
2 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. unsalted butter

Soft empanada dough

1 tsp. dry active yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. + 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 1/4 c. AP flour + extra for rolling out (bench flour)
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (5 1/2 tbsp.)
1 egg, room temp. (+ 1 egg for egg wash, if desired)
1/3 c. whole milk, room temp.
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, optional
2 tbsp. cinnamon sugar, optional

Instructions

Make empanada filling

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4.
Cut calabaza in half and use a large spoon to scoop out seeds. Cut each half into 4 pieces.
Line a sheet pan with parchment and put the pieces skin down on tray.
Drizzle calabaza with olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
Roast, covered with foil, for 1 - 1 1/2 hrs., or until you can easily pierce with a knife.
Let cool slightly, until you can easily handle the squash, then use a spoon to scoop the flesh away from the skin.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and remaining salt. Stir to combine, then add 2 cups roasted calabaza flesh.
Use a potato masher to combine spices into squash, then set aside to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make dough and assemble empanadas

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4
Add 1/2 tsp. sugar to 1/4 c. warm water and stir to dissolve. Add 1 tsp. yeast to sugar water and stir to mix. Set aside to bloom for 10 minutes.
Sift 2 1/4 c. flour with 1/4 c. sugar, 1 tsp. salt and pumpkin pie spice, if using, into a large mixing bowl.
Add softened butter, using a fork to cut butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk egg into milk, then add to flour mixture. Use fork to partially work milk/egg mixture into dough.
Pour in bloomed yeast and water mixture. Use fork to mix dough until liquids are fully incorporated.
Lightly knead dough in bowl with an oiled/buttered hand. DOUGH MAY BE VERY STICKY. Use a bench scraper to gather dough back into a ball. Knead the dough as best as you can for about 8 -10 minutes. DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR.
Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes. (If it is a hot day - refrigerate).
Lightly dust counter with flour and turn dough out onto counter. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and shape into a rectangle.
Using your bench scraper, divide dough into 12 equal portions and roll into balls.
Lightly dust your rolling pin with flour and roll each dough ball into a 3 - 4-inch circle. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. filling, then fold over and seal empanada by pinching edges closed or using a fork to crimp the edges.
Brush with egg wash, if desired, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if using. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

How to store empanadas:

Store these as you would any pie. I live in a warm and humid climate, so I don't store things on the counter for more than a couple of days because they tend to spoil quickly.

To store for longer than a week, you can freeze for up to 3 months.

Make ahead:

Filling can be made a day or two ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in fridge.

Cherry clafoutis recipe with amaretto

August 18, 2021

Home » Desserts

Sweet dark cherries suspended in a silky custard and dusted with powdered sugar. That sums up this delicious cherry clafoutis recipe in a single sentence. It is our end of summer dessert these days and it’s so incredibly easy to make, it’ll become one of your favorite fresh cherry recipes as well.

Cherry clafoutis recipe with red and white kitchen towel and white plates in the background.

Ingredients

To make this cherry clafouti recipe, we need a handful of pantry ingredients and about a pound of fresh cherries.

If you don’t have amaretto, or you prefer to keep your dessert alcohol free, substitute with 2 teaspoons of almond extract.

Cherry clafoutis recipe

The first step is pitting the sweet, dark cherries. A cherry pitter is without a doubt your most valuable tool when it comes to working with fresh cherries.

Liberally butter a shallow baking dish and add the cherries, spreading them out evenly to cover the bottom of the dish.

Fresh sweet cherries in buttered shallow baking dish.

Add the remaining ingredients (except the powdered sugar) to a blender and make the custard. Pour this mixture over the cherries and bake. It’s that easy.

Baking – it’s cheaper than therapy

Baking is my therapy and let’s face it… it’s cheaper than $150 dollars an hour and much tastier.

I find solace in the kitchen, the familiar smells and sounds, the warmth of the oven. Being able to “shut off” my brain and do things on autopilot also brings a certain sense of comfort.

Dusting cherry clafoutis with powdered sugar.

Once again, I find myself puttering about in the kitchen late at night when the rest of world is fast asleep. My reward is this cherry clafoutis recipe.

Cherry clafouti in white baking dish with fresh cherries in background.

This recipe for clafoutis with sweet cherries was originally published on my blog back in 2012. The original recipe was a bit heavy and eggy. After reading the post from David Lebovitz, it seems we both used a similar recipe as our original inspiration.

This revised version is basically his revised version as well, with a little tinkering from me. I think it’s absolutely dreamy, I hope you agree.

What other recipes can I make with fresh cherries?

This cherry clafoutis recipe is one of our favorites, but these recipes also make the cut.

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

Yield: 6 servings

Cherry clafoutis recipe with amaretto

Sweet dark cherries nestled in a silky custard - this cherry clafoutis recipe is easy and delicious.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

4 cups sweet cherries, stems and pits removed, about 1 1/4 lbs.
3 large eggs
1/2 cup flour (70 grams)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. amaretto
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup whole milk
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
2 tbsp. powdered sugar - for dusting on top after baking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas mark 5.
Butter a 2 quart, shallow baking dish with 2 tbsp. unsalted butter.
Add pitted cherries to baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom.
To a blender, add eggs, flour, vanilla, amaretto, sugar, milk and sea salt. Blend until batter is thoroughly combined.
Pour custard batter over cherries and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into clafoutis comes out clean.
Let cool, then dust with 2 tbsp. powdered sugar.

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