What iS Trail Mix Made Of?

Trail mix (also known as scroggin) is simply a mix of nuts, seeds, fruit, and sometimes other ingredients. With every handful of this simple snack mix you get a nice combination of sweet and savory flavors, protein, carbs, and fat, plus tons of texture and color, making it fun to eat. It’s an easy snack to eat on the go (no heating or utensils required) and is a great source of energy during activities where you don’t want a super full stomach, like hiking.

Everyone makes trail mix a little bit different, but the classic mix that you’ll find in stores is usually peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, and sometimes a second nut like almonds or cashews. I love how flexible trail mix is because it allows you to make any combination of ingredients that fits your budget, the ingredients you have on hand, and the flavors you prefer.

Other Ingredients for Trail Mix

Trail Mix Flavor Combinations

How to Store Trail Mix

Because trail mix is made out of all dry, shelf stable ingredients, you’ll want to store it the same way you store the individual ingredients–in an air-tight container away from sunlight and moisture. I highly suggest keeping the trail mix in something clear, like a glass jar or zip top baggies, so you’ll see and remember that you have the trail mix on hand. Even better yet, divide it into small single-serving containers so you’ve got snacks ready to grab and go for the day!

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Trail Mix

Making homemade trail mix is a quick and easy way to make a delicious snack AND use up leftover ingredients in your pantry.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 ½ cup each

Calories 372kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanuts $0.70
• 1/4 cup raisins $0.39
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) $0.50
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips $0.49
• 1/4 cup shaved coconut $0.42
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries $0.31

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl or resealable container and stir to combine. Enjoy one handful at a time!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 13mg | Fiber: 6g

What’s your favorite ingredient or ingredient combination for trail mix? Let us know in the comments below!

More Snack Recipes

Spicy Chex Mix

Homemade Granola

Candied Almonds

The post Trail Mix appeared first on Budget Bytes.

What is Texas Sheet Cake?

Texas Sheet Cake is a very simple chocolate cake recipe made in a 10×15 sheet pan that’s two inches deep (also known as a jelly roll pan). You can also use a 12 x18 baking pan, but the cake won’t be as thick and will cook faster. Once cooled, you cover the sheet cake in a thick layer of warm, buttery homemade chocolate icing, right in the pan.

The difference between Texas Sheet Cake and regular cake is the thickness of the cake. Traditional cakes are thicker and sometimes layered. You also remove the cakes from the pans and then frost. Texas Sheet Cake is made in one pan. The thin layer of batter bakes quicker than traditional cakes. You then frost the cake right in the pan.

Ingredients For Texas Sheet Cake

Can You Make The Cake Ahead?

Yes, you can make Texas Sheet Cake ahead of time. However, to keep the icing glossy, I would frost it the day of. Bake the cake up to 2 days ahead of time. Let it cool, wrap it in plastic, and then aluminum. Leave it at room temperature or freeze and then thaw. Make your icing when you’re ready to serve.

How To Cut Texas Sheet Cake

The beauty of this cake is that it’s simple to slice. You don’t have to cut through multiple layers hoping your slices are even. Instead, you cut through one layer in easy-to-manage squares or rectangles. We did brownie-sized 3×3 slices and got 15 pieces out of it. But you can cut 2×3 pieces and get 25 servings! This is the perfect cake for large gatherings like potlucks or school bake sales.

How To Store Texas Sheet Cake

Texas sheet cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. To prevent it from drying out, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in a layer of aluminum foil. You can also freeze the double-wrapped cake for up to 2 months. It’s perfect for chocolate emergencies. (Beth and I have those at least once a week). You can thaw it at room temperature overnight. But you don’t have to bring it to room temperature to enjoy it. On hot summer days, I eat it straight from the freezer.

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Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake might be the ultimate chocolate cake. It's incredibly easy to make and has a luscious buttery richness with a pure chocolate punch!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($11.27 recipe / $0.75 serving)

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 15 slices

Calories 546kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Enamelware Sheet Pan

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting $0.28
• 1 cup granulated sugar $0.40
• 1 cup brown sugar, light or dark $0.44
• 1/2 tsp salt $0.04
• 2 tsp baking powder $0.12
• 1/2 tsp baking soda $0.02
• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) $2.50
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted $0.31
• 1 cup coffee, hot $0.15
• 2 eggs $0.78
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise $0.87
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.72

Icing

• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) $2.50
• 1/4 cup heavy cream $0.40
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted $0.31
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.72
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted $0.71

Instructions

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. Grease a jelly roll pan (10×15) with a 2-inch rim with melted butter. Lightly flour the pan. Shake off any excess and place in the freezer.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then brown it. Take the pan off the heat.
• Add the unsweetened cocoa powder to the brown butter, and stir to incorporate.
• Place the pan back over medium heat. Add the hot coffee, and stir. Take the pan off the heat.
• Add the eggs and vanilla to the mayonnaise and combine. Add a few tablespoons of chocolate to temper (warm) the egg mixture.
• Once the egg mixture is warm, mix the chocolate and egg mixture together.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just enough to combine.
• Add the batter to the sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake has a slight spring when you press a finger on its surface and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Once the cake is out of the oven, make the icing. Set a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the butter, heavy cream, cocoa, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir until incorporated.
• Pour 3/4 of the warm frosting over the center of the cooled cake. Begin to spread it over the cake with a spatula and add more frosting if necessary to cover the cake from end to end. Cut, serve, then sit back and enjoy the marathon of compliments you're going to get!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 33g | Sodium: 428mg | Fiber: 2g

How to Make Texas Sheet Cake – Step by Step Photos

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to grease a jelly roll pan (10×15) with a 2-inch rim with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Lightly flour the pan. Shake off any excess and place in the freezer.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) in a light-colored pan. It will foam, then begin to brown. Stir constantly to distribute the heat evenly. As soon as it turns a light caramel color take it off the heat.

Add 6 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and stir to incorporate.

Place the pan back over medium heat. Add 1 cup of hot coffee, and stir. Then take the pan off the heat.

In a large bowl combine the two eggs,1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.

Add a few tablespoons of chocolate to temper the egg mixture. Tempering raises the temperature of the egg mixture slowly so that the eggs don’t heat too quickly and solidify into scrambled eggs.

Once the egg mixture is warm, add the tempered egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and combine.

Next, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just enough to combine.

Then add the batter to the sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake has a slight spring when you press a finger on its surface and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Once the cake is out of the oven make the icing. Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add 1 cup of butter (two sticks), 1/4 cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted to prevent lumps), 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (sifted to prevent lumps). Stir until incorporated. Do not boil.

Pour 3/4 of the warm frosting over the center of the cooled cake. There might be extra frosting depending on the depth of your pan and how much your cake has risen. Begin to spread it over the cake with a spatula and add more frosting if necessary to cover the cake from end to end. Cut, serve, then sit back and enjoy the marathon of compliments you’re going to get!

More Delicious Cake Recipes

Chocolate Depression Cake (egg-free, dairy-free)

Hummingbird Cake

Blueberry Lemon Curd Shortcakes

The post Texas Sheet Cake appeared first on Budget Bytes.

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are Italian biscuits (or cookies) that are baked twice to yield a deliciously crunchy texture that is perfect for dunking into your favorite hot beverage. The American version of biscotti are typically slightly softer and sweeter than traditional Italian biscotti, they come in a variety of flavors, and are often dipped in chocolate. The recipe we have here today is definitely an American-style biscotti, similar to what you’d find in coffee shops across the U.S.

Ingredients for Biscotti

What Else Can I Add?

Need some flavor combination ideas? Try Almond Apricot Biscotti, Cinnamon Spice Biscotti, Cranberry Almond Biscotti, double chocolate (cocoa dough with chocolate chips), cranberry pecan, dark chocolate orange, coconut matcha, pumpkin spice, white chocolate cranberry, or chocolate peppermint.

How to Store Biscotti

Make sure to allow your homemade biscotti to cool completely to room temperature before storing to avoid trapping any steam or moisture. Once cooled, store your biscotti in an air-tight container for up to two weeks. Biscotti can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for longer storage. Thaw frozen biscotti at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

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Homemade Biscotti

Homemade biscotti are a simple sweet treat that are endlessly customizable and are the perfect companion for a hot cup of homemade coffee.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Total Cost $3.46 recipe / $0.19 each

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 18 biscotti

Calories 158kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Enamelware Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour $0.28
• 1 tsp baking powder $0.06
• 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg $0.02
• 1 cup granulated sugar $0.39
• 4 Tbsp butter, room temperature $0.62
• 2 large eggs $0.78
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract $0.29
• 1/4 lb. white chocolate (optional for decorating) $1.00

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract with a mixer until mostly smooth (a few small lumps of butter is okay).
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and stir together until it forms a ball of dough.
• Divide the dough into two and shape each one into a flattened log about eight inches long and 2-3 inches wide. Place the logs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake the biscotti logs for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges and there are a few cracks in the top of the dough.
• Remove the biscotti from the oven and carefully transfer to a cutting board. Use a finely serrated bread knife to slice the biscotti, on a diagonal, into ½-inch wide slices.
• Place the slices back onto the baking sheet, laying flat, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet, flip the biscotti, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove the biscotti from the oven and allow them to cool completely before decorating with melted chocolate (if desired). Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscotti | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 90mg | Fiber: 0.4g

How to Make Biscotti – Step by Step Photos

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, add 1 cup sugar, 4 Tbsp room temperature butter, 2 large eggs, and ½ tsp vanilla extract.

Use a mixer to combine the wet ingredients until mostly smooth (there may still be a few small pieces of butter).

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until it forms a ball of dough.

Divide the dough in half and form each half into a flattened log about 8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. Place the logs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake the biscotti logs for about 25 minutes, or just until the edges are slightly golden brown and the tops have small cracks.

Carefully transfer the biscotti logs to a cutting board and use a finely serrated bread knife to slice the biscotti on a diagonal into ½-inch wide pieces.

Place the sliced biscotti back on the baking sheet, laying flat, and place it back into the oven for five minutes.

Remove the biscotti from the oven, flip them over to the other side, and then bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.

Allow the biscotti to cool completely, decorate with melted chocolate or icing if desired, then serve with a hot cup of coffee!

More Coffee Treats

Lemon Blueberry Scones

$3.07 recipe / $0.38 each

Chocolate Banana Muffins

$3.97 recipe / $0.33 serving

Yogurt Banana Bread

$3.68 recipe / $0.46 serving

Homemade Blueberry Muffins

$3.83 recipe / $0.48 each

The post Homemade Biscotti appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Hummingbird Cake doesn’t last- you’ll reach for a second slice before you finish your first! If you’ve never heard of it, this luscious banana cake is dotted with pineapple and pecans, then smothered in scrumptious cream cheese frosting. You’ll pay up to $80 for this beauty at a bakery, but I’m showing you how to make Hummingbird Cake for under $20! Here’s the best part: you can slice and freeze it, then gobble it up whenever you crave it!

What is Hummingbird Cake?

Hummingbird cake is a classic Southern recipe that originated in Jamaica. The batter goes heavy on the fruit and nuts; more than half of it is chopped banana, pineapple, and pecans. Once baked, the cake is layered and topped with buttery cream cheese frosting and garnished with more pecans or pineapple.

Can I Make It Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can make your Hummingbird Cake layers ahead of time! Allow them to cool completely before wrapping them in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can keep them at room temperature for up to a day, refrigerate them for up to two days, or freeze them for up to a month. (Frozen cake layers are easier to frost anyway.) You can also make the frosting ahead of time. Keep it in an airtight container with plastic wrap over the surface of the frosting, and refrigerate for up to 5 days

How To Store Hummingbird Cake

You can store Hummingbird Cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Your loved ones will devour it way before then.) Hummingbird Cake also freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in a double layer of foil and plastic for up to 4 months. I usually portion mine in thick slices and keep them in the freezer for future cravings. Frozen cake on a hot summer day is AMAZING.

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Hummingbird Cake

This luscious Hummingbird Cake is dotted with bananas, pineapple, and pecans, then smothered in cream cheese frosting. It's scrumptious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($15.67 recipe / $1.31 serving)

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 12 slices

Calories 914kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Hand Mixer
• Round Cake Pans

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3/4 cup chopped pecans $3.44
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans $0.42
• 1 1/2 cups sugar $0.59
• 1 tsp salt $0.08
• 1 tsp baking soda $0.02
• 1 Tbsp baking powder $0.18
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon $0.10
• 2 large eggs, beaten $0.78
• 1 cup cooking oil $0.75
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.57
• 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained* $0.56
• 3 cups chopped bananas (about 6 medium bananas) $1.50

For the Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese, softened $2.62
• 12 Tbsp salted butter, softened $1.87
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract $0.43
• 1 pinch salt $0.01
• 6 cups powdered sugar $1.75

Instructions

• Set a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. While the oven preheats, set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add the pecans in a thin layer. Toast the pecans for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the pecans toast, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Add the eggs and cooking oil, stirring just until the wet ingredients moisten the dry ingredients and no more.
• Add vanilla, crushed pineapple in its juices, chopped bananas, and toasted pecans. Stir the ingredients as little as possible while fully incorporating them.
• Grease three 9-inch cake pans. Cover the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and lightly dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool pans for 10 minutes before removing the cake layers. Cool layers for 1 hour.
• While the cake bakes, in a very large bowl, add the cream cheese, salted butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar cup by cup, beating at low speed after each addition.
• Once the sugar has been fully incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Place the first cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread 1 cup of the frosting on top, starting from the center and working your way out. You want a layer of frosting that is ¼ inch deep.
• Top with the second cake layer and spread with 1 cup of frosting, working from the center out.
• Top with the third layer, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and lightly around the sides. Garnish the top with pecans, berries, or candied pineapple rings.*

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*An 8 ounce can contains ⅓ cup pineapple juice plus ½ cup crushed pineapple.

*This recipe is for a naked cake, IE the sides are barely frosted. If you’d like to frost the sides with a thicker layer, use 2 sticks of butter, 2 packages of cream cheese, 8 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

*To candy the pineapple rings cover them in a thick layer of brown sugar and fry them in 2 tablespoons of butter per ring over medium heat until golden.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 914kcal | Carbohydrates: 123g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 46g | Sodium: 588mg | Fiber: 3g

How to Make Hummingbird Cake – Step by Step Photos

Set a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. While the oven preheats, set a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add 3/4 cup of chopped pecans in a thin layer. Toast the pecans for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. They’re ready when they have slightly deepened in color and the air smells toasty.

While the pecans toast, whisk together 3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a large bowl.

Add the 2 eggs and 1 cup of cooking oil, stirring just until the wet ingredients moisten the dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 8 ounces of crushed pineapple, 3 cups of chopped bananas, and 3/4 cup of toasted pecans. Then stir the ingredients as little as possible while fully incorporating them.

Grease three 9-inch cake pans. Cover the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and lightly dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour. Use a dry cup measure to divide the batter evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans. Cool the layers on wire racks before frosting for 1 hour.

While the cake bakes, in a very large bowl, add the 12 ounces of cream cheese, the 12 tablespoons of salted butter, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar cup by cup, beating at low speed after each addition until blended.

Is this Hummingbird Cake a beauty, or what?! It’s truly a dessert you can’t get enough of. So much so, that Beth and I have slices of it in the test kitchen freezer for whenever our sweet tooth strikes! (Which is every single day TBH.) We were literally just looking at this post, contemplating driving to the test kitchen to get a slice! Get your cake pans ready for a win that’s way under $20!

More Budget-Friendly Cakes

Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Cranberry Almond Cake

lemon spice cake

The post Hummingbird Cake appeared first on Budget Bytes.

WHAT IS BREAD PUDDING?

Bread Pudding is a sweet or savory casserole made from torn pieces of day-old bread that are dried out, soaked in custard, and baked. Since the need for repurposing old bread is truly universal, ancient recipes for Bread Pudding can be found in pretty much every cultural cuisine on Earth. Our recipe is loosely inspired by one of Princess Diana’s favorite desserts, “Bread and Butter Pudding.” This Old English version of the dish is flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and raisins.

The basics of BREAD PUDDING

What Kind of Bread to Use for Bread Pudding

You can use virtually any kind of bread for Bread Pudding or combine the leftovers of different types to make up a full loaf. (No need to buy more!) Softer styles of bread will give the pudding a custardy texture while harder types will make the pudding more spongy. You want the bread to be dried out, but not so tough or hard it can’t soak up the custard.

Mix it up with mix-ins!

SERVING & STORING

You can serve Bread Pudding warm or cold. Traditionally, it is served with a vanilla-flavored sauce called crème anglaise (a.k.a. melted ice cream). But I love it fresh from the oven, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead. You could also serve it with whipped cream, fresh or cooked fruit, caramel sauce, or chocolate syrup. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat gently in the oven at 325℉ for 10-15 minutes. We also reheated some in the air fryer – it was excellent! I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

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Bread Pudding

This recipe for Bread Pudding is an easy, versatile, and budget-friendly way to transform leftover ingredients into a decadent dessert.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Easy

Cuisine American

Total Cost $6.73 recipe / $0.67 serving

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

SOAKING TIME 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 921kcal

Author Marion – Budget Bytes

Cost $6.73 RECIPE / $0.84 SERVING

Equipment

• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Glass Casserole Dish
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp butter, divided $0.45
• 8 cups day-old bread, torn into 1" pieces $2.00
• 3 large eggs $1.17
• 2 cups half and half* $1.99
• 2/3 cup sugar $0.22
• 2 tsp cinnamon $0.20
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.28
• 1/4 tsp salt $0.01
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips $0.34

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 1 Tbsp sugar $0.02
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon $0.05

Instructions

• Tear the day-old bread into 1” pieces, and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet until dried out but not hard.
• Liberally grease a baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Allow the melted butter to cool slightly but not enough to solidify.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, vanilla extract, ⅔ cup of sugar, 2 tsp of cinnamon, and salt. Once combined, slowly stream in the melted butter, whisking constantly to incorporate.
• Add the pieces of bread to the egg mixture a few handfuls at a time, tossing gently to coat in the custard. Once all the bread has been added to the bowl, let it sit for 1-2 minutes to soak up as much of the mixture as possible.
• Transfer half of the soaked bread to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle in the chocolate chips and any other mix-ins you’d like, and then cover with the rest of the soaked bread. Scrape any liquid left in the bowl on top of the casserole. Tuck in any mix-ins (especially chocolate) visible from the top of the bread pudding to keep them from burning in the oven.
• Cover the filled casserole dish with aluminum foil and let it soak at room temperature for least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours), or refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375℉. If the bread pudding was refridgerated, let it warm slightly before placing in a hot oven (especially if using a glass baking dish).**
• Bake the bread pudding, covered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl and set aside.
• Remove the foil, and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping evenly over the pudding. Continue baking, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes or until the top of the casserole is crunchy and deeply golden brown.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

* You can also substitute the half & half with 1 cup milk + 1 cup heavy cream
** Ice-cold glass dishes can crack or explode in a hot oven if the temperature change is too extreme.

Nutrition

Calories: 921kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Sodium: 1066mg | Fiber: 6g

How to Make bread pudding – Step by Step Photos

Tear 8 cups of bread (about 1 loaf) into 1” pieces, and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet until dried out but not hard. For more guidance on how to properly dry out your bread, check out the tips in the blog post above!

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs, 2 cups of half and half, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ⅔ cup of sugar, 2 tsp of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to make a custard.

Liberally grease a baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Melt the remaining butter (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Let it cool slightly (to prevent it from scrambling the eggs), and then slowly pour the melted butter into the custard, whisking constantly to incorporate it.

Add the pieces of bread to the egg mixture a few handfuls at a time, tossing gently to coat in the custard.

Once all the bread has been added to the bowl, let it sit for 1-2 minutes to soak up as much of the mixture as possible.

Transfer half of the soaked bread to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle in the chocolate chips and any other mix-ins you’d like, and then cover with the rest of the soaked bread. Scrape any liquid left in the bowl on top of the casserole. Tuck in any mix-ins (especially chocolate) visible from the top of the bread pudding to keep them from burning in the oven.

Cover the filled casserole dish with aluminum foil and let it soak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours), or refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 375℉. If the bread pudding was refridgerated, let it warm slightly before placing it in a hot oven (especially if using a glass baking dish). Bake the bread pudding, covered with aluminum foil, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl and set aside. After the bread pudding has baked the first time, take it out of the oven, remove the aluminum foil, and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar topping evenly over the pudding. 

Continue baking, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes or until the top of the casserole is crunchy and deeply golden brown. If desired, dust the top of the baked casserole with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Ooh, girl! Look at that SWIRL!

MORE BREAD PUDDING RECIPES

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Kale Swiss and Mushroom Strata

The post Bread Pudding appeared first on Budget Bytes.

What Is Chocolate Mousse?

Chocolate mousse is a dessert with intensely deep notes of rich chocolate and a creamy, airy texture that melts as soon as it hits your palate. It’s the perfect dessert after a heavy meal. And because you can make it ahead of time, it’s one less thing to think about come dinner time.

What You’ll Need

• Chocolate is the most important ingredient, so steer clear of low-quality chocolate. Semi-sweet or dark baking chocolate is a great choice. Milk chocolate can make the mousse very sweet, so cut it with semi or dark chocolate to balance the sugar.
• Heavy Whipping Cream is necessary to create a mousse’s light texture and silky mouthfeel. Low-fat creams will not work for this recipe. You can also use a non-dairy heavy whipping cream. 
• Egg Whites should be from fresh room temperature eggs, as they whip easier. Be careful when separating, as any yolk in the white will make it next to impossible to whip. If you are using older eggs, add a pinch of cream of tartar to help stabilize the whites.
• Powdered Sugar adds sweetness and helps stabilize the whipped egg whites. Granulated sugar won’t dissolve easily in egg whites and leaves you with a grainy texture. If you only have granulated sugar, process it in a blender until powdery.

What Are Soft And Stiff Peaks?

You make chocolate mousse by whipping heavy cream to soft peaks and whipping egg whites with sugar in it to stiff peaks. A soft peak means that when you take the beater out of the egg whites or cream, a peak will form, but the tip of the peak will curl like an upside-down letter j. A stiff peak means when you take a beater out of the egg whites or cream, it will leave a stiff peak that stands straight up and does not curl over, like the letter i.

How To Store Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse with no Eggs

You can make this mousse without the egg whites, but it won’t be as stable and airy. To substitute the egg whites, whip 1/2 cup more heavy cream and add the sugar to that mixture.

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Chocolate Mousse

When it comes to a perfectly luscious and light dessert, it doesn't get much simpler than this deeply flavored easy chocolate mousse. You are four ingredients away from heaven!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $7.57 recipe / $1.26 serving

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 1-cup servings

Calories 504kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Hand Mixer

Ingredients

• 8 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate*, chopped $2.90
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream, very cold $3.29
• 3 egg whites, room temperature $1.25
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar or sugar substitute $0.13

Instructions

• Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Take it off the heat. Place the chocolate in a bowl and place the bowl in the hot water, being careful not to get any water in the bowl. Leave the bowl there until the chocolate melts.
• Add the heavy cream to a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• In a separate large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed to soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate in thirds. Fold until no white streaks remain.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate in thirds. There should be no white streaks.
• Scoop mousse into serving dishes, cover, and refrigerate for an hour. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream, raspberries, mint, or shaved chocolate.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

*8 ounces of chocolate is about 1 1/2 cups

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 39g | Sodium: 46mg

How to Make Chocolate Mousse – Step by Step Photos

Bring a pot of water to a boil and take it off the heat. Add the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate to a clean, dry bowl and place it in the pan. Leave the bowl in the water for a few minutes, then stir the chocolate until smooth and silky.

Beat the pint of heavy cream on medium speed until it forms soft peaks. When you take the beater out of the bowl, the tips of the whipped cream will look like an upside-down J.

Whip the 3 egg whites on medium speed to soft peaks. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks will stand straight up and remain that way when you remove the beater from the bowl.

Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate in thirds until no white streaks remain. Do not stir.

When the whites are thoroughly mixed in, fold in the whipped cream in thirds. There should be no white streaks. Leave the mousse in the bowl or scoop it into serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream, raspberries, mint, or shaved chocolate. Enjoy the oohs and aahs you’ll get when you put this beauty on the table!

More Easy Dessert Recipes

Easy Apple Crisp

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake for Two

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette

The post Chocolate Mousse appeared first on Budget Bytes.

It’s a genius move to make your cookie dough ahead of time and not just for convenience’s sake. Chilling the dough hardens the butter and helps prevent the spread of your cookies, so they hold their shape better. Resting your dough for multiple days also evaporates moisture, which concentrates flavors and creates a crisper cookie. You can refrigerate cookie dough up to 5 days in advance.

Make Cookies Without A Cutter

You don’t need to buy a special cookie cutter to create the loveliest heart-shaped cookies. Instead, draw or print a heart shape, cut it out, and use it as a guide. Then, all you have to do is trace your knife along the cookie dough to create perfect heart-shaped cookies.

How To Fix Cookie Shapes

If you open your oven to find that your cookies have lost their shape, it can be an easy fix. First, allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for a minute, then reshape them by pressing the cookie cutter into them or tracing a knife around the paper cutout. Work quickly; the more the cookie cools, the more likely it is to shatter.

Storing Valentine’s Day Cookies

You can store these sugar cookies in an air-tight container for up to a week at room temperature. So feel free to make them a few days ahead. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe container, separated with layers of parchment or wax paper, for up to 3 months. Don’t refrigerate sugar cookies, as it can dry them out and dull their flavor.

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Valentine’s Day Cookies

Say the sweetest I love you with these soft, buttery, chocolate-dipped Valentine's Cookies! Customize them with a white, dark, or milk chocolate dip.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($7.37 recipe / $0.61 serving)

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 27 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 233kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

• 12 Tbsp salted butter, softened* $1.78
• 1 cup sugar $0.32
• 1 tsp vanilla $0.57
• 1 large egg $0.42
• 2 cups all-purpose flour $0.24
• 3/4 tsp baking powder $0.05
• 1 lb melting chocolate* $3.99

Instructions

• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the softened butter & cup of sugar until fluffy.
• Add the beaten egg and vanilla to the creamed butter and mix to incorporate.
• In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour and the baking powder.
• Add half the flour to the creamed butter and mix just until a wet dough forms. Add the second half of the flour and mix gently until a stiffer dough forms. Roll the dough into a ball.
• Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough ¼ inch thick. Cool for thirty minutes in the fridge. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Once the dough has hardened, cut out the cookies, remove the scraps from the cookie sheet, and leave the cookies behind. Roll any scraps out on a separate piece of parchment, and chill before cutting them into cookies.
• Place the sheet of parchment paper with the cookies on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 3 minutes. Next, rotate the pan, so the front faces the back—then bake for 3 to 4 minutes until they slightly lighten in color.
• Cool the cookies in the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Decorate when cookies have cooled.

To Melt the Chocolate in the Microwave: Melt the chocolate in a bowl wide enough to dip the cookies into but small enough to create a deep pool of chocolate. If using a microwave, melt in 20-second increments, stirring after each.

To Melt the Chocolate on the Stove Top: If using the stove, place a small wide-mouthed bowl in a pan filled a third of the way with water. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Leave the bowl in the water and stir until the chocolate melts.

• Dip half of the cookie in the chocolate and garnish if you'd like to. Then place back on the cooling rack, allowing the chocolate to harden.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground salt (like fine sea salt) or 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground salt (like kosher salt) to the butter

*Use dark, milk, or white melting chocolate to decorate cookies. You can also use chocolate chips, but they will dry with a foggy finish.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 63mg | Fiber: 2g

How to Make Valentine’s Day Cookies – Step by Step Photos

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the 12 tablespoons of softened butter & cup of sugar until fluffy.

Add the beaten egg and the teaspoon of vanilla to the creamed butter and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix the 2 cups of all-purpose flour and the 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder.

Add half the flour to the creamed butter and mix just until a wet dough forms. Add the second half of the flour and mix gently until a stiffer dough forms.

Roll the dough into a ball, but do so quickly. You don’t want to overwork the dough, as it will create a tough texture.

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough ¼ inch thick, or about the thickness of an ear lobe. Cool for thirty minutes in the fridge. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F.

Once the dough has hardened, cut out the cookies, remove the scraps from the cookie sheet, and leave the cookies behind. Roll any scraps out on a separate piece of parchment, and chill before cutting them into cookies.

Place the sheet of parchment paper with the cookies on a cookie sheet or sheet pan. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 3 minutes. Next, rotate the sheet pan so the front faces the back—then bake for 3 to 4 minutes until they slightly lighten in color.

Cool the cookies in the sheet pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Decorate when cookies have cooled.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl wide enough for to dip the cookies into but small enough to create a deep pool of chocolate. If using a microwave, melt in 20-second increments, stirring after each. If using the stove, place the bowl in a pan filled a third of the way with water. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Leave the bowl in the water and stir until the chocolate melts.

Dip half of the cookie in the chocolate and garnish if you’d like to. Then place it back on the cooling rack, allowing the chocolate to harden. Give these amazingly cute Valentine’s Day cookies out to your loved ones, but make sure to save some for yourself!!

Other Great Cookie Recipes

Peanut Butter Blossoms

$4.10 recipe / $0.23 each

Chocolate Chip Cookies

$4.58 recipe / $0.25 serving

Sugar Cookies

$4.41 recipe / $0.37 serving

Snickerdoodles

$3.83 recipe / $0.24 serving

The post Valentine’s Day Cookies appeared first on Budget Bytes.

What Is A Snickerdoodle?

A snickerdoodle is a sugar cookie made with cream of tartar. The dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, creating a crackly pattern all over the surface as it cooks. Some historians say the snickerdoodle scored its name from the German term schnecke knödel which translates to “snail dumpling.” Others say the cookie was named by New England cooks that loved to give baked goods goofy names. Either way, it’s a must-have recipe in your cookie arsenal.

Why Cream Of Tartar?

Cream of tartar stops the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, yielding a chewy cookie instead of a crunchy one. It’s also what gives snickerdoodles their signature tang. Since most snickerdoodle recipes use a combination of cream of tartar and baking soda, I used baking powder to reduce the list of ingredients. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar, with a touch of cornstarch thrown in to keep the two powders from clumping.

Can I Freeze The Dough?

You can absolutely freeze snickerdoodle dough. First, shape it into two-inch dough balls, but do not roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Freeze the balls on a sheet pan in a single layer, and once they are frozen solid, place them in an airtight container. Separate layers with parchment paper. Defrost them in the fridge in a single layer. When you are ready to bake, roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

How To Store Snickerdoodles

You have two options for storing snickerdoodles: keep them at room temperature or freeze them. Avoid refrigerating the cookies, as it can dry them out and dull their flavor. Wait for the cookies to cool completely before storing them in an air-tight container lined with a paper towel to soak up moisture. They’ll stay fresh on your countertop for up to five days and in your freezer for up to six months.

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Snickerdoodles

Score all the bear hugs from the cinnamon lover in your life with this easy recipe for tangy cinnamon-sugar-crusted snickerdoodles.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($3.83 recipe / $0.24 serving)

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cookies

Calories 205kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp salted butter, softened $1.20
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided $0.40
• 1/4 cup brown sugar $0.18
• 2 large eggs $0.78
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.57
• 2 tsp baking powder* $0.13
• 1/2 tsp salt $0.03
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted $0.30
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon $0.24

Instructions

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Add the softened butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and the brown sugar to a bowl.
• Mix with a hand beater or stand mixer until the butter has lightened in color and has the consistency of a mousse, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add one egg. Mix to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Add the second egg and the vanilla. Mix to incorporate.
• In a separate bowl, mix the baking powder, salt, and sifted flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, incorporating it fully between additions, until a dough forms. Rest the dough, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the tablespoon of cinnamon. Shape 2-tablespoon portions of the cookie dough into balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar twice.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan front to back. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until the sides of the cookies deepen in color. Wait a few minutes before placing them on a cooling rack.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Use aluminum-free baking powder; otherwise, you will have a metallic aftertaste. If you don’t have baking powder, you can make your own with 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 180mg | Fiber: 1g

How to Make Snickerdoodles – Step by Step Photos

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Add 8 tablespoons of softened butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar to a bowl.

Mix with a hand beater until the butter has lightened in color and has the consistency of a mousse, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add one egg. Mix to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Add the second egg and the teaspoon of vanilla. Mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix the 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 2 1/2 cups of sifted flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, incorporating it fully between additions, until a dough forms. Rest the dough, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the tablespoon of cinnamon. Shape 2-tablespoon portions of the cookie dough into balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roll all of the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture once. Then repeat.

Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan front to back. Bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the sides of the cookies deepen in color, and the tops have a distinctive crackle pattern. Cool the cookies on the sheet pan for a few minutes before using a spatula to place them on a cooling rack. Try not to eat them all in one sitting! (Beth and I failed.)

The post Snickerdoodles appeared first on Budget Bytes.

What is a Thumbprint Cookie?

Thumbprint cookies are made with a rich shortbread dough that is shaped into small balls with small depressions, or “thumbprints,” in the center filled with jam or other sweet treats. The slightly salty shortbread is the perfect contrast to the sweet jam center and together they make beautiful little jewel-like additions to a cookie platter or afternoon tea.

Coconut or no Coconut?

If you’re not into coconut, you can absolutely make these thumbprint cookies without the coconut coating. Simply skip dipping the cookie in egg whites and rolling in the coconut, and continue with the rest of the directions as usual. Another great option is to roll the cookie in granulated or powdered sugar for an icy or snow-like finish!

What Kind of Jam to Use

This is where these cookies get fun. You can use any flavor of jam you’d like, so this recipe is a great way to use up the odds and ends of jam jars in your fridge. We used a combination of raspberry, strawberry, and orange marmalade for the cookies in the photos. You can also fill them with other spreads, like lemon curd, caramel, Nutella, or even candies like Rolos or chocolate kisses.

How to Store Thumbprint cookies

Make sure to the thumbprint cookies to cool completely to room temperature before storage. Once fully cooled, keep them in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. For longer storage, the cookies can be frozen. Thaw the frozen thumbprint cookies at room temperature before enjoying.

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Thumbprint Cookies

Jam Thumbprint Cookies are a Christmas cookie classic made with a shortbread dough, sweet fruit jam, and a nutty coconut coating.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $2.69 recipe / $0.17 serving

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Chill time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cookies

Calories 133kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Enamelware Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper
• Hand Mixer
• Measuring Cups Spoons

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature $1.00
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar $0.11
• 1 large egg, separated $0.21
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract $0.14
• 1 cup all-purpose flour $0.12
• 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
• 1 cup sweetened coconut $0.83
• 8 tsp fruit jam $0.26

Instructions

• Add the room-temperature butter and sugar to a bowl. Use a mixer to cream the sugar and butter together on high speed until the mixture is light in color and creamy in texture.
• Separate the egg yolk from the egg white. Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and mix to combine. Set the egg white aside for later.
• In a separate bowl, combine the four and salt until evenly mixed. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl with the butter mixture, and mix on low speed until a slightly crumbly dough forms. No dry flour should remain on the bottom of the bowl.
• Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white until it's slightly runny. Place the shredded coconut in a separate bowl.
• Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces and roll each one into a ball. Dip each ball into the egg white, then roll it around in the shredded coconut to coat. Place the coated cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
• Use the back of a round ½ tsp measuring spoon or your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each indentation with about ½ tsp jam.
• Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or just until the coconut becomes slightly golden on the edges. Allow the cookies to cool before serving.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies – Step By Step Photos

Use a mixer to cream together 8 Tbsp salted butter and ⅓ cup sugar until the mixture is light in color and creamy in texture. Separate one large egg and set the whites aside. Add the yolk and ¼ tsp vanilla extract to the butter and sugar and mix until light and creamy again.

In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup of all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp salt. Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the butter and mix on low speed until a slightly crumbly dough forms.

The dough should be just slightly crumbly, but no dry flour should remain on the bottom of the bowl. If you squeeze the dough together in your hand, it should form a cohesive ball of dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized pieces. The easiest way to do this is to first divide it into four, then divide each of those pieces into four again.

Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Lightly whisk the reserved egg white until it is slightly runny. Place 1 cup of shredded coconut in a separate bowl. Dip each cookie ball into the egg white, then roll in the coconut to coat. Place the coated cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

Use the back of a round ½ tsp measuring spoon or your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

Fill each indentation with ½ tsp of your favorite jam (we used raspberry, strawberry, and orange marmalade).

Bake the thumbprint cookies in the preheated 350ºF oven for 15 minutes, or just until the coconut becomes golden brown on the edges.

Allow those beautiful little cookies to cool before serving! 😍

The post Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Why These Are The Best Sugar Cookies

• The dough comes together in minutes.
• They have a subtle vanilla flavor and aren’t overly sweet.
• They bake up firm but are still soft and chewy.
• They don’t shatter when you bite into them.

How To Cut Sugar Cookies

How To Fix Cookies That Have Lost Their Shape

If you open your oven to find that your cookies have lost their shape, it can be an easy fix. First, allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for a minute, then reshape them by pressing the cookie cutter into them and using a butter knife to separate the trimmings from the cookie. Work quickly; the more the cookie cools, the more likely it is to shatter. Don’t throw out those trimmings! They’re crispy and a total delight.

Decorating Sugar Cookies

You can eat plain sugar cookies, but decorating them is always so much fun. Traditionally royal icing is dyed with food coloring and piped onto the cookies to decorate them. But if you prefer a simpler method, you can also garnish the cookies with a bit of icing, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, or a pinch of zest. They will still look and taste amazing. If you want to steer clear of food coloring, grate freeze-dried raspberries or blueberries into a powder and sprinkle them into the icing to create a vibrant pink or purple hue.

How To Store Sugar Cookies

Store sugar cookies in an air-tight container for up to a week at room temperature. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe container, separated with layers of parchment or wax paper, for up to 3 months. Don’t refrigerate sugar cookies, as it can dry them out and dull their flavor.

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Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are budget-friendly, simple to make, and a delicious way to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($4.41 recipe / $0.37 serving)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 47 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 199kcal

Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Enamelware Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• 12 Tbsp salted butter, softened* $1.50
• 1 cup sugar $0.32
• 1 tsp vanilla $0.57
• 1 large egg $0.21
• 2 cups all-purpose flour $0.24
• 3/4 tsp baking powder $0.05

Royal Icing

• 1 lb. powdered sugar* $1.00
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar $0.10
• 2 large egg whites $0.42

Instructions

Sugar Cookies

• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the softened butter & sugar until fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla to the creamed butter and mix to incorporate.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder.
• Add half the flour to the creamed butter and mix just until a wet dough forms. Add the second half of the flour and mix gently until a stiffer dough forms.
• Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough ¼ inch thick. Cool for thirty minutes in the fridge. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Once the dough has hardened, cut out the cookies, remove the scraps from the cookie sheet, and leave the cookies behind. Roll any scraps out on a separate piece of parchment, and chill before cutting them into cookies.
• Place the sheet of parchment paper with the cookies on a sheet pan. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 3 minutes. Next, rotate the sheet pan, so the front faces the back—then bake for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Cool the cookies in the sheet pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Decorate when cookies have cooled completely.

Royal Icing

• To make the royal icing, combine half of the pound of powdered sugar and all of the cream of tartar in a large bowl. Add the egg whites and whip the mixture to soft peaks.
• Add half the sugar and mix it at a lower speed to keep the powdered sugar in the bowl. Next, increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the icing is stiff and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Thicken the icing with as much powdered sugar as necessary to create a piping consistency for outlining—thin the icing with a bit of water for flooding.
• If coloring your icing, separate it into as many bags as necessary to create your palette. Then, follow the directions on the food coloring package to make your palette. Next, close the bag and squeeze and press it to disperse the food coloring throughout.
• Remove as much air as possible and twist the top of the bag to close it. Secure the twisted end with a rubber band. Snip off the tiniest bit of the bottom corner of the bag.
• Next, gently squeeze the top of the bag while moving it steadily to outline the cookie with the stiffer icing.
• Then flood your cookie with the thinner icing. Allow the icing to dry before enjoying your sugar cookie!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground salt (like fine sea salt) or 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground salt (like kosher salt) to the butter

*If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can make your own by processing a pound of sugar in a blender until it forms a fine powder.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 66mg | Fiber: 0.3g

How to Make Sugar Cookies – Step by Step Photos

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the 12 tablespoons of softened butter & cup of sugar until fluffy.

Add the egg and the teaspoon of vanilla to the creamed butter and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, mix the 2 cups of all-purpose flour and the 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder.

Add half the flour to the creamed butter and mix just until a wet dough forms. Add the second half of the flour and mix gently until a stiffer dough forms.

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough ¼ inch thick. Cool for thirty minutes in the fridge. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Place the sheet of parchment paper with the cookies on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.

The post Sugar Cookies appeared first on Budget Bytes.