Dorothy’s Testing Notes

• If you only have Salted Butter, that works too, just omit the salt from the filling.
• While making this candy from scratch is actually easy, it is time consuming and can be a bit messy, so read through the instructions and have everything planned out and ready to go before you start.
• I call for a lot more pecans and caramel than other recipes you’ll find on the internet, and that’s because I hate running out in the middle. It’s always good to have more ready to go just in case.
• If you have caramel and pecans left over, it’s really easy to make turtles! Just mix them together and drop on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with melted chocolate and you have another perfect Christmas candy!
• I place my bowl of caramels over a pot of boiling water to act as a double boiler. You can also use my griddle method for keeping the caramel warm (it’s what I do to melt chocolate without crying).

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Pecan Logs Recipe

A Classic Christmas Candy made with caramel and pecans with a divinity like center.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Chill Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 32 servings

Calories 298kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $9

Ingredients

Center:

• ½ cup (113g) Challenge unsalted butter
• ½ cup (167g or 118ml) light corn syrup
• ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 4 cups (452g) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (64g) nonfat powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Coating:

• Approximately 25 ounces caramel candies see note
• 2-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (28g) Challenge Unsalted Butter see note
• 4 cups (372g) chopped pecans

Instructions

• Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper.
• Whisk powdered sugar, powdered milk, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine butter, corn syrup, and granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture just begins to boil, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir until mixture clumps, then comes together in a solid ball. If needed, you can use a stand mixer for this.
• Spread mixture in prepared pan. Let sit 15 minutes.
• Cut candy into 4 equal strips then cut crosswise in middle, creating 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a 4 1/2- to 5-inch-long log and wrap in wax or parchment paper. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour (or up to 1 month).
• Melt caramel, cream, and butter in top of a double boiler over medium. Place chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Unwrap frozen candy logs. Carefully dip each log into hot caramel, letting excess drip off. Roll in chopped pecans until evenly coated. Wrap in parchment paper or wax paper, and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Video

Notes

Caramel Notes:

• Kraft Caramel Squares or Bits: These come in approximately 11 ounce bags; buy two bags. Add butter and 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (start with 2 and add more as needed; you don’t want the caramel runny but it needs to be thin enough when melted to coat the center).
• Werther’s Chewy Caramels: These come in approximately 10.8 ounce or 25 ounce bags. Buy 2 small or one large bag. Add butter and 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (start with 2 and add more as needed; you don’t want the caramel runny but it needs to be thin enough when melted to coat the center).
• Werther’s SOFT Caramels: These come in approximately 10.8 ounce or 25 ounce bags. Buy 2 small or one large bag. You’ll want to use about 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream and omit the butter (start with 3 and add more as needed; you don’t want the caramel runny but it needs to be thin enough when melted to coat the center).

Other Notes:

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can keep the centers frozen for up to a month before dipping in caramel.
• Any nuts may be used for the outside. Toast the nuts for even deeper flavor.
• Do not substitute for the nonfat powdered milk or the corn syrup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 0.4mg

How to make Pecan Logs

1. Don’t start the timer until it’s a rolling boil.

2. Once the corn syrup mixture is mixed with the powdered sugar mixture it will be a thick, white ball that’s squishy and doesn’t transfer to your fingers.

3. This recipe fits perfectly in an 8-inch square pan. Be sure to use foil or parchment paper for easy removal.

4. This will make 8 logs.

5. Roll each into a log of desired thickness and wrap it wax paper. It will be too soft to dip until it’s chilled.

6. The caramel should be thick but liquid. Use a bowl big enough to fit the logs in.

7. Use a fork to help drizzle off the excess caramel.

8. It’s easiest if the chopped nuts are on a shallow plate for coating.

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Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies are such a classic cookie recipe! Soft and chewy with crisp edges and a sweet icing that dries hard, these will become your new favorite cookie to make from scratch.

Growing up, my mom would always buy those packaged Iced Oatmeal Cookies from the grocery store. My dad loved them, but the problem was no one in my family liked crunchy cookies (#teamchewysoft all day). To combat this problem (with Chips Ahoy and Oreos too) my mom would leave the package open to “soften” them. As an adult I enjoy both crunchy and soft cookies, but when I want them soft I make my own so I can adjust the ingredients to make them the desired texture.

I have a favorite chewy oatmeal cookie recipe I make all the time, but these are different. How? While my other oatmeal cookies are all soft and chewy, these have a soft chewy center with crisp edges of the cookie. They’re also flatter, spread more and are topped with that telltale white crackly icing. These are just as easy to make with just a couple of extra steps (that are worth it!) Never buy that packaged cookie again once you know how to make these.

Iced Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Ingredients

• While most of my oatmeal cookie recipes use quick oats, this one needs Old Fashioned Oats for that chewy texture. However, we’re also going to pulse the oats in a food processor a few times, so there is a mix of oat textures. Why not just use quick oats? Because you want the larger and smaller sizes (as well as some of the oat flour created) to give is the desired texture of the cookies. It’s a little extra step but worth it!
• Because I want a thinner cookie with more spread, I used a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. Adding white sugar helps with the spread that brown sugar alone cannot.
• You want your unsalted butter softened (not greasy) and if you only have salted, just reduce added salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Besides those, you need all the regular cookie ingredients: all-purpose flour, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
• Because we’re adding icing, you’ll need powdered sugar and vanilla. To make sure the glaze hardens you’ll need a bit of melted butter as well as heavy cream or whole milk (or a full-fat nondairy milk).

Dorothy’s Testing Notes

• Only pulse the oats a few times (you don’t want them fully into flour). Aim for a combination of whole old-fashioned oats, instant oats, and powder.
• You do not need to chill this dough, but you can. You’ll just want to let it come to room temperature before baking.
• These do spread, especially because we start them off by pressing them lightly before baking. I like using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop so they don’t get too big.
• Remember that the fat content of the milk you add to the icing will affect the overall outcome. More fat = more needed. More fat (i.e. heavy cream) will yield a thicker, whiter icing that dries harder than whole milk or fat free. Always start by adding the least amount and add very slowly as you go.

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Iced Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Classic old fashioned iced oatmeal cookies better than from the store: crisp edges, chewy soft centers, and a glaze that dries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 14 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 14 minutes minutes

Servings 32 cookies

Calories 149kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $5

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 ¾ cups (156g) old fashioned oats
• 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the icing:

• 1 ½ cups (170g) powdered sugar
• ½ tablespoon (7g) unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse the oats until they are broken down into crumbs, but not so fine that they become flour.
• Add the pulsed oats to a medium mixing bowl along with the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until the dough is just combined. The dough will be thick.
• Use a 1- or 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each portion into a ball, then place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the bottom of a jar or glass dipped in water, gently flatten each dough ball slightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 11-15 minutes (depending on size), or until the tops are no longer shiny and the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Once the cookies have completely cooled, whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the milk or cream in a medium bowl until smooth. If needed, add the additional ½ tablespoon of milk to reach the desired consistency; you should be able to dip the tops of the cookies into the icing. (If using whole milk you’ll need less than if using heavy cream; if using heavy cream you may need up to 4 tablespoons).
• Briefly dip the top of each cookie into the icing. Let the icing set before serving.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg

How to make Iced Oatmeal Cookies

1. You can see that the oats aren’t fully processed; some are, some are smaller, some are dusty.
2. Once creamed, the butter mixture will be thick and soft and light brown.
3. Once the eggs and vanilla are added, the mixture will be wet.
4. The flour and oats will tighten up the batter.
5. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this recipe.
6. Once you scoop the cookies, flatten slightly to help them start spreading.

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These M&M Brownies are rich, fudgy, and extra chocolatey, with colorful M&M candies in every bite. The candy adds just the right amount of crunch, and you can use classic M&M’s or switch them out for seasonal colors or your favorite variety.

Perfect Fudgy Brownie Ingredients

• You need to use unsalted butter for this recipe since we are browning it – you don’t want to brown salted butter. Don’t have unsalted? Just melt the butter for the brownies – they still taste great.
• Coarsely chopped unsweetened baking chocolate from the baking aisle. I like using Baker’s or Ghiradelli. Chopping the chocolate helps it melt faster and more evenly.
• Granulated sugar is the best and we’re using a lot of it, which is why it’s important to use unsweetened chocolate.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder adds another layer of chocolate flavor. You can use special dark, dutch process or regular cocoa powder.
• Eggs help the brownies be super fudgy.
• Plain M&Ms work great but so do peanut or peanut butter or your favorite!

Dorothy’s Expert Tips

• You can use any M&Ms you like for these brownies. There are so many options these days you can make these brownies over and over and never use the same M&Ms twice!
• Not an M&M fan? You can use other kinds of candy in this recipe – chopped candy bars, peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, or skip the candy and load them up with more chocolate chips.
• For the best fudgy brownies, don’t overbake them. I like to take them out of the oven once I can insert a toothpick in the edge and only a few crumbs come out with it.
• For easy removal, don’t skip the foil! Lining your pan with foil makes it easy to lift the brownies out in one piece for slicing.
• Want clean-cut slices? Use a plastic knife to slice the brownies. Works every time.

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M&M Brownies Recipe

These M&M Brownies might be your new favorite after you try them! They are decadent, rich, fudgy and overloaded with chocolate.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 583kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost 15

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces (113g) unsweetened baking chocolate coarsely chopped
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ⅓ cups (162g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups M&Ms plus more for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13″ pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, about 6 minutes, until it becomes brown in color. It will foam, reduce, then foam again. Once it’s done cooking the foam is a light brown and it will dissipate after you remove it from the heat. Once it starts to brown, keep stirring so it doesn’t burn. Once it gets to an amber color, turn off the flame.
• Add baking chocolate to the butter and stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and cocoa and stir until combined. Stir in flour then stir in M&Ms.
• Pour brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with more M&Ms. Bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick along the edge comes out with just a few crumbs. This results in very fudgy gooey brownies. Cool before slicing into bars.

Video

Notes

• You can use any M&Ms you like for these brownies – there are so many options these days you can make these brownies over and over and never use the same M&Ms twice!
• Not an M&M fan? You can use other kinds of candy in this recipe – chopped candy bars, peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, or skip the candy and load them up with more chocolate chips.
• For the best fudgy brownies, don’t overbake them. I like to take them out of the oven once I can insert a toothpick in the edge and only a few crumbs come out with it.
• Want clean-cut slices? Use a plastic knife to slice the brownies. Works every time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg

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I love pumpkin spice season! These Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies are an easy soft and chewy sugar cookie with warm fall flavors – and they’re so good. I took my favorite sugar cookie recipe and added pumpkin spice to the cookie and the icing. It’s an EPIC fall cookie recipe!

Dorothy’s Expert Tips

• If you don’t have cream of tartar you can use 1 tsp lemon juice in place of it but that should only be done if absolutely necessary.
• Don’t over bake them. Err on the side of underdone – they’ll finish cooking and set as they cool.
• You could also make these semi-homemade with cake mix: use my cake mix sugar cookies and add pumpkin spice!
• I use heavy whipping cream in my frosting. You can also use milk or half and half, or even nondairy milk. Just know you’ll need less of it – the less fat your milk has the less you need to make the frosting thin enough to spread.
• If you want, you can make cream cheese frosting instead and add the pumpkin pie spice. This is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe!

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Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Cookies are an easy sugar cookie recipe filled with warm fall pumpkin spices, both in the cookie and the easy frosting!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 22 cookies

Calories 198kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $6

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter softened
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour

For the Frosting:

• 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter softened
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silpat liners or parchment paper.
• Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in egg and extract. Mix in pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour.
• Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough (use a cookie scoop if you have one) onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 9-10 minutes. Take them out just as you notice the bottoms start to turn golden (or right before). They’ll finish cooking as they cool. If they get too golden on the bottom before you remove them, they won’t be as pillowy and soft!
• Cool 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets. Place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Beat butter until creamy with a hand or a stand mixer. Mix in salt. Slowly add in powdered sugar until mixture is crumbly. (It will be very crumbly if using a hand mixer, more smooth if using a stand mixer.) Add vanilla, pumpkin spice and 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream. Mix until the frosting comes together and becomes smooth, adding remaining tablespoon of heavy whipping cream as needed for consistency. Frost.
• Store at room temperature loosely covered. Frosting will semi-dry and cookies are stackable but some frosting may transfer.

Video

Notes

To make the frosting with Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer instead:

Mix 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 2 cups powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons pumpkin spice coffee creamer until smooth. Frost as desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

How to make Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1. Butter and sugar should be creamed until light and fluffy.
2. Once egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spices are mixed in you’ll get a looser light brown batter.
3. The flour will make these stable enough to bake without chilling.

1. Mix powdered sugar and butter until crumbly before adding anything else.
2. Salt should be mixed into the crumbly batter.
3. Add cream a bit at a time until smooth and you reach your desired consistency for frosting.
4. Know that if you’re using a hand mixer the mixture will be crumbly when you start adding the cream. In a stand mixer it might be smoother and need less. This is because a hand mixer is not as strong as a stand mixer and needs more help.

Peanut Butter Sauce is perfect as an ice cream topping or on pancakes, waffles, as a dip…or on a spoon. This creamy, thick and delicious dessert sauce has just 4 ingredients and is the perfect sweetened peanut butter flavor!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Topping is the best sauce ever – perfect for any sundae or just eating with a spoon. It’s like eating liquid peanut butter that’s been sweetened with condensed milk. All I can think about is drizzling this sauce over ice cream along with my thick homemade chocolate sauce so that my ice cream will taste like a peanut butter cup.

I’ve been making this recipe for many years and have added some testing notes below fso that your sauce comes out perfect. If you have dreams of drizzling peanut butter over ice cream or just drinking liquid peanut butter then this is the recipe for you.

Peanut Butter Sauce for Ice Cream Ingredients

• Peanut Butter: It’s important to use a shelf-stable (no stir) peanut butter for this. Natural peanut butters will be too oily and grainy for a smooth final product. (You can use Skippy or Jif Naturals as they’re a no-stir, shelf-stable option.)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is a thickened, reduced milk product with sugar. Make sure to read the can – it is not evaporated milk. There are two kinds of sweetened condensed milk: regular and fat free. Note which type you buy because it makes a difference in how much water you’ll add.
• Vanilla Extract is for flavor. You could also use vanilla bean paste.

Dorothy’s Testing Notes

• Because this uses sweetened condensed milk it tastes a lot like peanut butter fudge in liquid form.
• Fat free vs regular sweetened condensed milk: Fat free is thinner and will require less water. I’ve added a note to the recipe about using regular, that you’ll need to add a bit more water as you go to get it pourable.
• The sauce thickens when it cools. You store it in the refrigerator, where it will thicken like a soft fudge. Simply reheat to thin and use as a sauce.

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Peanut Butter Ice Cream Topping Recipe

Make your own DIY Peanut Butter Ice Cream Topping at home! Easy, just a few ingredients, and it tastes so good!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 79kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $5

Ingredients

• ½ cup (154g) sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup (157g) creamy peanut butter (shelf-stable, no stir only)
• 5 tablespoons water (may need up to ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Place sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth. Add water and stir until it is incorporated.
• If the sauce doesn't seem to want to incorporate or seems too thick (if you've used regular, not fat free SCM) add another tablespoon of water at a time until it's a pourable sauce (approximately liquid hot fudge in consistency).
• Remove from heat then stir in the vanilla.
• Transfer sauce to a jar to cool. It will thicken as it cools. To make it pourable, just heat it in the microwave for a few seconds, then stir and drizzle or pour over your favorite ice cream. Store covered at room temperature.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.2mg

How to make Peanut Butter Sauce for Ice Cream

1. Whisk everything together in a saucepan.
2. You can see the sauce in this photo is still a little grainy. I needed to add more water.
3. Once it’s all incorporated the consistency will be like liquid hot fudge.

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Did you know you can make an Easy Monkey Bread recipe with cinnamon rolls? This is one of the easiest ever breakfast or brunch Pillsbury cinnamon roll recipes – We’ve been making this recipe for Christmas morning breakfast for over 19 years and we look forward to every bite!

When Jordan was four I decided to make Monkey Bread for Christmas morning breakfast. I’d made pancakes the year before and spent an hour flipping while everyone else relaxed and drank coffee, so I wanted something I could make ahead of time and just pop in the oven. That was when I discovered Monkey Bread and I’ve made so many versions ever since (like lemon blueberry and strawberry monkey bread) but this is my absolute favorite!

This is one of the BEST Monkey Bread Recipes you’ll ever eat – PLUS it works in a bundt pan OR a 9×13-inch pan! Once you learn how to make monkey bread with cinnamon rolls you’ll never go back to monkey bread with biscuits!

5 Simple Ingredients

• Canned cinnamon rolls (I use Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls, the larger rolls that come 5 to a can)
• Butter – Unsalted or salted is fine
• Brown Sugar – be sure to pack it!
• Granulated Sugar and Ground Cinnamon – to roll the cinnamon roll pieces in!

Expert Tips

• Remove the bread from the pan to serving platter within 10 minutes of it coming out of the oven so it doesn’t stick to the pan!
• Drizzle the cinnamon roll icing over the top of the monkey bread for presentation.
• Monkey bread is done baking when it’s dark golden on top and cooked all the way through.
• Don’t want to use cinnamon rolls? Make it with canned biscuit dough with this exact same recipe.

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Easy Monkey Bread Recipe

This Easy Monkey Bread Recipe is made with cinnamon rolls instead of biscuits. It's a semi-homemade recipe that can be made with or without a bundt pan – it's the best breakfast or brunch recipe!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10 servings

Calories 155kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $5

Ingredients

• 2  cans (5 rolls each) Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls
• ¼ cup  (50g) granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon  cinnamon
• ½ cup  (100g) packed brown sugar
• ½ cup  (113g) unsalted butter , melted

Instructions

• Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Open each can of cinnamon rolls. Reserve the icing for later. Cut each roll into 4 pieces.
• Place the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a gallon size resealable bag. Add the cut up cinnamon rolls (the pieces will fall apart a little) to the bag. Seal and shake to coat the pieces with cinnamon sugar.
• Stir together the brown sugar and melted butter.
• Place rolls in pan and drizzle with melted butter mixture.
• Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes or until the top is a dark golden brown and the rolls are cooked through.
• Cool 5 minutes then invert the monkey bread onto your serving plate. Do this carefully: the pan is hot! Drizzle cinnamon roll icing over the top of the monkey bread and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Other baking pans:

• 9×13-inch: 30-40 minutes
• Loaf pan (9×5-inch): 30-40 minutes
• Muffin tin (regular size): 10-20 minutes

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

How to make Easy Monkey Bread

1. It’s best to cut each roll into 4-6 pieces.
2. Make sure each piece of dough is coated with cinnamon sugar.
3. The butter and brown sugar will not fully incorporate; just stir as much as you can and make sure all of it makes it onto the rolls in the pan.

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Butterscotch Sauce is a rich dessert sauce made with butter and brown sugar and it takes under 10 minutes to make! It’s easier than you think and tastes way better than the kind you buy at the store. Use this on your banana split or ice cream sundaes all year long.

I did not like butterscotch growing up, not one little bit. But I think that’s because I only ever tasted butterscotch chips or store-bought butterscotch ice cream topping. Both have their uses but a homemade easy butterscotch sauce recipe is unparalleled in flavor. I can eat this stuff right from a spoon, no ice cream or cake or dipper needed.

Butterscotch vs Caramel Sauce

​Both are made in a similar manner and used for similar things but they are very different sauces. Caramel is made from white sugar that’s usually either mixed with corn syrup or cooked using the “dry method” which involves melting the sugar right in the pan until it’s liquid. Butterscotch, on the other hand, is made with brown sugar and butter melted together, then boiled. They look similar and can often be used interchangeably but the taste is very different.

Butterscotch Sauce Ingredients

• Light Brown Sugar is a must when making butterscotch (dark brown sugar may be substituted for a deeper, richer flavor). Any other sugar and you’ll just get caramel.
• Butter is also a must. I recommend unsalted butter and then add salt to your liking.
• Speaking of salt, you must add a little bit to combat the sweetness of the sauce. I also love making salted butterscotch with a bit of kosher salt or flaky sea salt added at the end.
• Heavy Whipping Cream is added to the butter and sugar mixture and creates the richness of the thick sauce. While you can probably use half and half or regular whipping cream, the extra fat in the heavy cream makes a super rich, creamy sauce.
• Vanilla extract adds a depth of flavor. Sauces like this are also a good occasion to use vanilla bean paste if you have it.

Dorothy’s Testing Notes

• You do not need a candy thermometer for this, but instead it’s cooked according to exact cooking time.
• A “full boil” is where the entire pan is bubbling. Do not start the timer until it reaches this full boil.
• Never add salt or vanilla until it’s off the heat to protect the delicate flavors.
• The sauce will thicken as it cools. Once refrigerated it will be soft set (easily scoop-able with a spoon). Reheat to thin.

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Butterscotch Sauce Recipe

Creamy, smooth, rich butterscotch sauce is made with brown sugar, butter, and cream and is perfect on ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, brownies, or as a dip.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 28 servings (or 1 ¾ cups)

Calories 66kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $5

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, sliced
• 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
• ½ cup (118ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Once melted, add brown sugar and heavy whipping cream. Stir until it boils.
• Once it reaches a full boil, let it sit without stirring for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
• Transfer to a jar and let cool before covering.
• Sauce with thicken as it cools. If refrigerated it will become a soft solid. To reheat, microwave for about 30 seconds, then stir and use as desired.

Notes

• Because the sauce thickens, this is perfect for using to top cakes, brownies, pies, etc.
• It’s great on ice cream but will solidify a bit as you drizzle it.
• Store in refrigerator, tightly sealed, for up to one week.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.0625cups | Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.1mg

How to make Butterscotch Sauce

1. Once melted together, the mixture will be dark amber in color and foamy on top.
2. Make sure it’s a full boil before starting the timer and make sure it stays at a boil the entire time.

Favorite Recipes Using Caramel (swap this recipe!)

Brownies & Bars

Caramel Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Pie

Caramel Apple Slab Pie

Cake

Slow Cooker Caramel Cake

Brownies & Bars

Fudgy Caramel Brownies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for a fall twist on a classic soft and chewy cookie. We love them with white chocolate chips!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients

• Quick Oats: I prefer quick oats in my cookie recipes since they are smaller than old fashioned rolled oats. If you don’t have quick cooking oats, pulse rolled oats in a blender or food processor just a few times to make your own quick oats!
• Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Here is how to substitute individual spices. If you want to use individual spices you’ll need ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
• I use softened unsalted butter in this recipe. Omit salt if using salted butter.
• This cookie uses a combination of brown sugar (for flavor and softness) and granulated sugar (to help with spread).
• Egg Yolk: Since pumpkin is so wet, you don’t need the whole egg.
• Pumpkin Puree: Use canned pumpkin puree. If you’re using homemade, make sure it’s not too wet.

Dorothy’s Expert Tips

• The pumpkin adds a touch of flavor and makes these cookies so soft and moist. So when you make a batch, you don’t need to worry about them turning out dry.
• I like using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, but you can also make thes with a smaller scoop (they’ll bake up in less time).
• Once they’re cooled, they keep well for up to three days at room temperature. Or pop them in the freezer for up to two months! Freeze between paper towels to absorb moisture as they thaw.
• You can use all kinds of mix-ins for this recipe. Try chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or any combination of these will work great. Or make my apple oatmeal cookie recipe.

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft and chewy and so easy to make! It’s all about the fall spices and flavors in this recipe!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 162kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $8

Ingredients

• 1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups (67g) quick cooking oats
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ cup (183g) pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ cups (255g) white chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and egg and mix well. Mix in flour mixture and beat until well combined. Stir in white chocolate chips.
• Drop 2-tablespoon scoops onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden around the edges and no longer glossy. Cool on baking sheet at least 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Notes

Use any mix-ins you like – regular chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, dried cranberries or a combination of all of them would be delicious.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1324IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Cookies

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Fluffy Apple Muffins are filled with apple chunks and tons of cinnamon flavor with brown sugar crumble topping. This is the perfect muffin recipe for fall!

Apple Muffin Ingredients

• Apples: Peeled, cored, and diced very small. Use your favorite kind of apple!
• Butter: You’ll need melted butter for the crumble topping. I love using unsalted butter! 
• Vegetable oil: I find oil best for making a tender muffin – plus it makes them easy to mix.
• White vinegar: Interacts with the baking soda and sour cream to help the muffins rise nice and fluffy with the perfect muffin tops.

Dorothy’s Testing Notes

• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of batter (about 1/4 cup per muffin cups) for the best results. I love using a cookie scoop for this!
• If your batter is slightly lumpy after adding the sour cream that’s okay, just make sure it’s fully mixed.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

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Crumb Apple Muffins Recipe

Easy Crumb Apple Muffins – a fluffy cinnamon apple muffin filled with apple chunks and topped with a brown sugar crumble. The perfect breakfast recipe!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 27 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 18 muffins

Calories 254kcal

Author Dorothy Kern

Cost $5

Ingredients

Apples:

• 2 ½ cups about 3 small/medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced very small
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

• ½ cups (62g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter melted

Muffins:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (245g) sour cream
• 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups.
• Make the apples: place the diced apples in a medium sized microwave bowl. Add about 1/2” of water in the bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes, or just until the apples start to get a bit translucent/opaque but aren’t cooked all the way through. Drain them well, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
• Make the topping by stirring together all topping ingredients with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, mix eggs with sugar and oil, beat until creamy. Mix vanilla, vinegar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in sour cream then stir in flour using a wooden spoon. (Batter may be slightly lumpy.) Stir in apples.
• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of batter (about 1/4 cup per muffin cups) Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the muffins.
• Bake for 15-19 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a muffin. Cool 5 minutes in pan then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Video

Notes

• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of batter (about 1/4 cup per muffin cups) for the best results. I love using a cookie scoop for this!
• If your batter is slightly lumpy after adding the sour cream that’s okay.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 1189mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g

How to make Apple Muffins

1. We cook the apples in the microwave for a few minutes so they soften enough to add to the muffin batter. They should be soft and slightly opaque.

2. The crumble should be pea sized chunks.

3. Gently fold the apples into the thick muffin batter at the end.

4. Divide among 12 cupcake liners and top with crumble.

Other Muffin Recipes

Breakfast Recipes

Cream Cheese Banana Muffins

Breakfast Recipes

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Breakfast Recipes

Easy Coffee Cake Muffins

Breakfast Recipes

Easy Bran Muffins Recipe