Blog - Page 16 of 40 - Ahead of Thyme

Peppermint Macarons

Peppermint Macarons with festive red shells, creamy peppermint buttercream, and a white chocolate candy cane topping are the ultimate Christmas cookies. They're delicate and melt-in-your-mouth - crisp on the outside and chewy inside.

These Christmas macarons are perfect for holiday gatherings, as part of holiday cookie boxes, or wrapped up as stocking stuffers. These cookies look like they came from a fancy bakery and are seriously worthy of a magazine cover - but you will be pleasantly surprised that making candy cane macarons from scratch at home are actually a lot easier than you think!

Why You'll Love these Peppermint Macarons

Delicate and chewy texture. Macarons are well-known (and loved!) for the delicate crispness of the outer shells that gives way to a chewy interior. Paired with the melt-in-your-mouth creaminess of the peppermint buttercream, it's impossible not to love these peppermint macarons.
Fancy but not difficult. Though the number of steps may look longer than you're used to for cookies, these candy cane macarons are easier to make than you might think. They look elegant and complicated, but when broken down, the steps are quite simple!
Festive peppermint flavor. Vibrant red food coloring, peppermint extract, and a white chocolate topping with real crushed candy canes makes these Christmas macarons the ultimate holiday cookie with classic peppermint flavor.
Quicker than you think. It only takes one hour to create Christmas macarons. You'll just need to follow nine easy steps to create the shiny, dainty shells, white chocolate candy cane topping, and silky buttercream before assembling these exquisite peppermint macarons.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious and festive Peppermint Macaroons, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

For the macarons:

almond flour - you need to use super fine almond flour for macarons. You can actually make your own almond flour at home if you want by finely grinding blanched almonds until you have a grainy powder.
confectioners' sugar - use your preferred powdered sugar or sugar substitute like powdered cane sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, stevia, or Swerve.
egg whites - you can bring these up to room temperature faster by placing the whole egg in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before cracking and separating them.
super fine white sugar
red gel food coloring - if you don't want red macarons, you can use whatever color you like. Just make sure to use powdered or gel food colouring as liquid coloring will change the consistency of your macarons.

For the macaron tops and peppermint buttercream:

white chocolate
crushed peppermint candy canes - carefully smash candy canes in a sealed, flattened Ziploc bag with a rolling pin.
butter - make sure the butter is room temperature for the best result. Cut it into smaller pieces to soften more quickly.
confectioners' sugar
peppermint extract - create different variations of these macarons by switching using other extract flavors.

Baking Tools

To make macarons, you will need the following baking tools and equipment

measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
mixing bowl
piping bag and large ½ inch round tip
silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
large half sheet baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Peppermint Macarons

Prep. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or if you have enough, prepare 2 baking sheets).
Combine dry ingredients. Using a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl on a scale, sift almond flour until you reach 140 grams. Discard any large pieces of almond flour. Repeat with the confectioners' sugar. Whisk together the almond flour and confectioners' sugar until very well-combined. Set aside.

Beat egg whites and sugar. Add egg whites to the bowl of your stand mixer. Using a whip attachment, beat the mixture, starting on low. Once soft peaks have been formed (about 2 minutes), add the sugar and increase the speed to medium. Once medium peaks are achieved, increase the speed to high. Beat on high until stiff peaks have formed, about 2 minutes.

Color. Add in the food colouring and beat until just combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and place a sieve over top. Pour the dry mixture into the sieve, then sift the dry ingredients into the meringue.

Fold. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue. Be careful not to overmix and over-deflate the meringue.
- The mixture is ready to be piped when it ribbons off your spatula. The batter, when lifted with a spatula, should keep flowing off the spatula in ribbon shapes nonstop, without drizzling off too quickly. If it is coming off in large V shaped chunks it needs to be folded more.
- Another test is the figure 8 test: If you can lift some batter up and use it to draw several figure 8's without the stream breaking, it is ready!

Pipe macaron shells. Add batter to a piping bag with a medium to large sized round tip (I recommend a large ½-inch top). Pipe 1 to 1 ½-inch small circles of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the piping bag is held straight up and perpendicular to the baking sheet.
Tap. After you've piped all the macarons, gently tap the baking sheet multiple times against the counter to remove any air bubbles from the macarons. If some air bubbles still remain, use a tooth pick to gently poke them out.
Rest. Preheat oven to 300°F. While the oven is preheating, allow the macarons to sit and form a "skin". This "skin" should form anywhere from 8 minutes to an hour. You know the macarons are ready to be baked when you can touch them lightly without having the batter stick to your finger. Keep checking them periodically to see if they have formed a skin.

Bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check at 15 minutes, and if they are not ready then keep checking every minute. The macarons are ready when the tops are firm and do not move around their base at all. Allow the macarons to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the silicone mat.

Decorating the Macaron Tops

Melt chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Dip macaron tops. Dip the tops of half of the macarons into the melted white chocolate.
Add candy canes. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes on top.
Chill. Set aside in the fridge to harden.

How to Make Peppermint Buttercream

Add butter to a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on high until butter is doubled in volume, and looks light and fluffy.

Turn the stand mixer to low and slowly add the confectioners sugar. Beat until completely incorporated, then add in the peppermint extract. Beat until well-combined and fully incorporated.

Assembling Macarons

Place buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large ½ inch round tip.
Pipe the buttercream onto the bottom half of the macaron shells (undecorated half).
Top each bottom half with the decorated macaron tops.
Place into the fridge overnight to mature and meld together.

Peppermint Macaron Variations

There a few ways you can customize these Christmas macarons:

Drizzle in chocolate. Instead of dipping the tops in white chocolate, add a drizzle of melted chocolate on top. Sprinkle some chopped candy canes on the drizzle and let it set. Then shake off any excess candy.
Omit the chocolate. Omit the chocolate off the macaron tops completely. Instead assemble the macaron sandwich cookies and roll the edges in crushed candy canes.
Make chocolate peppermint buttercream. Add ¼ cup natural cocoa powder to the buttercream. Add a teaspoon of water at a time if needed to thin out the icing to the right consistency.
Simplify it. Or just keep it simple without decorating the macaron tops with chocolate and candy canes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a template to get uniform macarons. The best way to get uniform macaron shells is to use a silicone macaron mat with circles already outlined or create your own template on parchment paper as a cheat-sheet for making all your Christmas macarons exactly the same shape and size!
Use an oven thermometer. Temperature is key in making macarons. Use an oven thermometer to verify the actual temperature in your oven to prevent macaron mishaps like over- or undercooking.
Stay grease-free. Give all your bowls, utensils, and mixers a quick wash and dry before starting the recipe, as even the tiniest amount of greasy residue or oils left on your tools can affect the outcome of these peppermint macarons.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store macarons in a sealed ziploc bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

To store in the fridge, Gently transfer macarons into an airtight container in a single layer, being careful not to crack the delicate shells. Refrigerate for up to 6 weeks.

How to Freeze

Allow macarons to sit at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing in a single layer on a parchment paper lined sheet pan until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once completely frozen, carefully stack the peppermint macarons in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge.

You can also store unassembled macaron shells in this same way. Allow the shells to thaw in the fridge overnight before coating the tops, making the buttercream, and assembling.

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Butter Pecan Cookies

Butter Pecan Cookies are soft and chewy, have perfect golden crisp edges, and are loaded with crunchy toasted pecans throughout. They are quick and easy to make in under 20 minutes making them ideal for a last minute craving situation.

Switch things up this season and add these butter pecan cookies to your holiday baking list - or for any time of the year. These chewy cookies with pecans and with a rich buttery flavor will leave you wanting more. Luckily both the cookie dough and baked cookies are freezer-friendly, so go ahead and make a double or triple batch! You will thank me later.

Butter Pecan Cookies are soft and chewy, have perfect golden crisp edges and loaded with crunchy toasted pecans. Quick and easy to make in under 20 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Butter Pecan Cookies

Classic butter pecan flavor. These soft and chewy cookies have the best flavor. They taste like chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate but with buttery pecans instead. These pecan cookies were created with butter pecan fans in mind. If you know, you know.
Ready in under 30 minutes. These butter pecan cookies are fast to bake. After only 15 minutes of active preparation and 10 minutes of baking time, you can have warm butter pecan cookies out of the oven. It's the perfect last minute cookie to make whenever a craving hits.
Simple ingredients. Along with standard baking components like butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and flour, easy to find ingredients like pecans and cornstarch are what gives these simple cookies their complex flavor.
Easy to make. After you toast the pecans and cream the butter, you'll start to incorporate all of the ingredients to create the dough base. Then you'll add the toasted pecans, scoop the cookies, and bake them. It truly couldn't be any easier to make these!

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Butter Pecan Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

pecan halves - walnuts would also work similarly, but you'll lose the signature pecan look and taste of the recipe.
butter - if you're out of unsalted butter, you can use salted butter if it's what you have on hand. Just don't add any extra salt that is called for in the recipe.
dark brown sugar - use light brown sugar if you don't have the dark version, or try white sugar and molasses if you need to find a replacement.
granulated sugar - you can use your favorite granulated sugar or sugar substitute here, like coconut sugar, date sugar, erythritol, stevia, or monk fruit.
eggs
vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste can be used in place of extract at a 1:1 ratio for richer flavor.
all-purpose flour - if you or someone in your family has a sensitivity to gluten, use a measure-for-measure gluten free flour instead.
cornstarch - potato starch is a close enough swap for cornstarch. You could even leave out the cornstarch if you don't have any on hand. The cornstarch makes the cookies more tender.
baking soda - 3 teaspoons of baking powder can be used in place of every one teaspoon in the recipe if you're in a pinch, but the texture of the cookies may change slightly.
salt

Baking Tools Needed

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Butter Pecan Cookies

Toast pecans. Toast chopped pecans in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant and browned (roughly one shade darker), about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Make cookie dough. Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat on low speed until combined. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined.
Fold in pecans. Fold in the toasted pecans, reserving ¼ cup for the tops of the cookies.

Scoop cookies. Line large cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1.5-2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Use your hands to roll it into a ball (this will ensure cookies with smooth edges). Place the cookie balls onto the lined baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Press the extra pecans on top of the cookie balls.
Bake. Bake cookies in a 350F preheated oven for 8-11 minutes, until starting to brown on the edges but still soft or slightly underdone in the middle.

Cool. Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Variations

There a few ways that you can customize these pecan cookies with different ingredients and flavors.

Add chocolate chips. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips into the cookie dough for a pecan chocolate chip cookie!
Use different nuts. Switch up the nuts for different flavors. Try this with walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.
Add cocoa powder. Substitute ¼ cup of flour with cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist for chocolate lovers.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Serve à la mode. These cookies are perfect companions to a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also double down on the flavor and serve them warm with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream!
Brown the butter. If you have extra time, you can brown and cool the butter before making the dough to make the flavor richer. You can also brown large batches of butter and freeze them for use in recipes like this one to save time.
Top with a candied pecan. Go the extra mile and top these with an individual candied pecan instead for a glittery, sugar-crusted embellishment.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Keep leftover butter pecan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store the in the fridge for up to one month, but they may lose some of their chewiness.

How to Freeze

Butter pecan cookies freeze really well too. Let them cool completely first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

To freeze the pecan cookie dough before baking, scoop out the cookie balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 1 hour until hard. Then, transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake according to recipe instructions. You may need to add a couple minutes to the cook time if the cookie dough is not at room temperature before baking.

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Almond Crescent Cookies

Almond Crescent Cookies are delicious and crumbly half-moon shaped cookies with a fragrant, sweet almond flavor and a delicate dusting of powdered sugar on top. The best part? They're quick and easy to make in 40 minutes.

These almond crescents are also known as Vanillekipferl - a popular Austrian or German Christmas cookie that is perfect for your holiday baking list, cookie exchanges, or wrapped up as gifts. Although they're popular during Christmas, there is no reason not to make these tea cookies all year long.

Why You'll Love these Almond Crescent Cookies

They're a traditional holiday cookie. Almond crescent cookies have long been a Christmastime favorite in several European countries before coming to America, where they've cemented themselves as a classic holiday treat. It's the perfect cookie to add to a Holiday Cookie Box. They are also known as Kourabiedes in Greek or Vanillekipferl in German.
Delicate and crunchy. These almond cookies have an addictingly light crispness to them that makes them irresistible. Once you try these almond crescents, you'll crave them all season long.
Sweet and buttery almond flavor. The two most pronounced flavors in this recipe are the butter and almond extract, which pair together nicely to create these delightful almond crescents.
Quick and easy. These almond crescents take just 40 minutes to make with just 7 simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry or can easily find at the grocery store or online.

Ingredient Notes

To make these simple Almond Crescent Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - unsalted butter works best in this recipe (not salted butter), otherwise the cookies will be overly salty.
sugar - you can use a granulated sugar substitute if you prefer, like coconut sugar or date sugar.
vanilla extract - use the same amount of vanilla bean paste for a slight flavor boost.
almond extract - if you don't have almond extract on hand, use the same amount of almond liqueur or a different nut extract in its place.
all-purpose flour - you can use a measure-for-measure gluten free flour to make this recipe friendlier to those with celiac or gluten intolerance.
almond flour - you can use ground blanched almonds if you can't find almond flour - the texture might be slightly more grainy but the taste will be the same.
confectioners' sugar - you can swap the confectioners' sugar for an equal amount of any powdered sugar substitute like powdered Swerve, powdered stevia, or monk fruit powder.

Baking Tools Needed

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
sifter or fine mesh sieve
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Almond Crescent Cookies

Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add wet ingredients. Then, add vanilla and almond extract, and beat on low until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients. Add flour and almond flour and beat until combined. The dough will be quite crumbly and dry at first but will become smooth as it is combined and forms into a dough.

Shape cookies. Line a large half sheet baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Use your hands to roll it into a 1-inch ball. Then use your hands to shape it into a crescent (half-moon) shape.

Bake. Place the crescents onto the lined baking sheet, spaced about an inch apart. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until light golden brown.

Cool and dust. Allow the cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a sifter (or fine mesh sieve) to dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar on top. Carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Dust on more confectioners' sugar as needed.

How to Serve

These almond crescents pair beautifully with a hot beverage like a decadent hot chocolate or a piping hot mug of earl grey or English breakfast tea. Some of our favorites to serve with this are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Try a glaze instead. Not a fan of the powdered sugar dusting? Try making a glaze instead with powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of water or milk for a similar flavor with a different texture! Just drizzle some over top of the almond cookies.
Customize the flavor. Though these cookies are traditionally almond flavored, you can easily customize them to your tastes by changing the type of extract used or by adding citrus zest, a drizzle of melted chocolate, cocoa powder, or other similar ingredients.
Dip in chocolate. Instead of confectioners' sugar, coat the cookies with chocolate. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments and dip the cooled almond crescent cookies in halfway or coat them completely.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

You can store almond cresent cookies in an airtight container or cookie tin at room temperature for up to 4 days. I suggest storing each in a mini cupcake liners so that they don't smudge into each other. You can extend their shelf life by storing in the fridge for up to 10 days.

How to Freeze

Almond crescents can also be frozen but the texture of the confectioners' sugar coating is best fresh. Arrange them in an airtight container, in single layers layered in between pieces of parchment paper. Another way to freeze them is to place cookies on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies into a freezer bag and freeze. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, allow the cookies to thaw overnight in the fridge. The confectioners' sugar gets a little sticky after thawing so I recommend dusting a new layer of confectioners' sugar on top before serving.

Tried this recipe?

Red Velvet Cookies

These moist and chewy Red Velvet Cookies are every cookie lover's dream come true with their delicious chocolate and vanilla flavor, velvety cake-like texture, and striking red color! Generously speckled with chunks of chopped white chocolate, every bite will give you a rush of rich chocolate goodness. Plus, these delicious cookies are ready in just 20 minutes with no chilling required!

These red velvet cookies with white chocolate are reminiscent of my Red Velvet Crinkles, but instead of a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar, I used a liberal amount of white chocolate to give them pockets of gooey goodness! This from-scratch recipe is tried and true, all you have to do is follow the recipe to a T and you'll be rewarded with the best Red Velvet Cookies ever! Once you have tried them, you'll may never go back to buying them from the bakery. With their festive red color, these homemade cookies are perfect for Christmas and Valentine's Day, and every holiday in between.

Why You'll Love these Red Velvet Cookies

A simple and easy cookie recipe. Even if you are not an avid baker, this super easy cookie recipe will make you proud. These red velvet cookies with white chocolate are made of simple baking essentials and you can get bite into a freshly baked cookie in about 20 minutes - including prep!
Plenty of festive charm. We added drops of red food coloring to give it a bright ruby hue which is the perfect backdrop for the white chocolate chunks. You can add more edible embellishments to make them even more festive-looking.
Moist and chewy texture. You'll get all the lusciousness of a red velvet cake but in a compact cookie form loaded with sweetness and velvety goodness. These cookies are moist, soft, and chewy. All the best things!
Can be made gluten-free and vegan. With some simple substitutions, you can make these cookies friendly to your plant-based and gluten-allergic friends and family. Read our recipe tips below for all the substitutions.

Ingredient Notes

To make these festive Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - unsalted and softened to room temperature. This will give the cookies tender crumbs and a rich and moist texture. You can also use applesauce 1:1 or half the amount of coconut oil.
sugars - I used light brown sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe. These are both essential in the texture development of the cookies. While white sugar helps make the cookies thick when creamed with butter, brown sugar allows the cookies to spread as they bake, making them softer and chewier.
eggs - aside from binding the ingredients together and adding a richer taste, eggs also help in making the cookies rise and spread as they bake to give them the perfect texture.
vanilla extract - gives the cookies a delicate flavor and aroma while further enhancing the cocoa and chocolate flavor.
red food coloring - this makes the cookies more pleasing to the eye! You can also use gel food color or another natural food coloring you like. Take note that the vibrancy of color would depend on what brand and type you use.
all-purpose flour - this is ideal for making cookies with tender and moist crumbs.
baking soda - the leavening agent used to make these cookies.
cocoa powder - use natural and not dutch processed or dark cocoa powder because they tend to result in darker cookies and they will not be as vibrantly red.
white chocolate - I used roughly chopped white chocolate because they give the cookies more texture. Their bigger size also makes the cookies more indulgent compared to chocolate chips. But you can choose to substitute with white chocolate chips if you prefer.
salt

Baking Tools

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Red Velvet Cookies

Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low until incorporated. Add the red food coloring and beat until incorporated.
Add dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.

Fold in chocolate. Fold in 1 ¼ cup of chopped white chocolate (reserving the remaining ¼ cup for the tops).

Scoop cookies. Line a large half sheet baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1.5-2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the cookie balls onto the lined baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake cookies in a 350F preheated oven for 8-11 minutes, until starting to brown on the edges but still soft or slightly underdone in the middle.
Add chocolate. After a minute, press in the extra chocolate on the top of the cookies. Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Variations for Red Velvet Cookies

Make it gluten-free- All you have to do is to swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free brand. As for the rest of the ingredients, they should all be naturally free of gluten, but it is always best to check as some may be contaminated upon manufacturing.
Make vegan red velvet cookies. Not only will these substitutions make the cookies vegan-friendly, but they will also be lighter and healthier. Here are the possible alternatives: use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of regular butter. You can also swap the eggs with mashed bananas or applesauce and use vegan white chocolate.
Make red velvet cookie sandwiches. Your kids will go bonkers over this one! Spread vanilla cream over the bottom of one cookie and place another cookie on top - you instantly have a delicious cookie sandwich with double the chocolate and velvety goodness!
Make it more Christmas-y! Sprinkle Christmas sprinkles or sugar dust on top of the cookies before baking to double up on the holiday vibes! You can also add a dash of cinnamon powder to give the cookies a warmer flavor.
Drizzle with cream cheese glaze. Adding a drizzle of cream cheese glaze will add a layer of tangy-sweetness to the cookies!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

The butter should be softened but not melted. This is important to achieve a fudgier texture and allows the sugar to properly cream with the butter.
Do not over mix the cookie dough. Mix only until just combined. Mixing it too much will create lots of air pockets that will pop later on and make the cookies flat and hard. Exactly the opposite of what we want!
Use your hands to form the cookie into balls. This will result in cookies with smooth edges. You can skip this part and just scoop out your cookie dough onto the baking sheet but the edges will be more rustic rather than smooth.
Place them with space. Place the cookies at least 2 inches apart in the baking pan to give them space to spread and cook evenly.
Do not over bake the cookies. I always take them out of the oven once the edges start to brown and they are still soft in the middle. They will continue to bake with the residual heat but not enough to make them hard and crisp.
Cooling time. Leave the cookies on the baking pan to cool after taking them out of the oven. They will still be soft and pliant after baking so moving them right away will result in tearing. They will firm up after a few minutes then you can transfer them to the wire rack to fully cool

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat the cookie dough raw?

No, I do not recommend this because it contains eggs and flour. If you enjoy eating raw cookie dough, swap eggs with mashed bananas or applesauce instead. You also cannot eat raw cookie dough because of the flour. It needs to at least be toasted first.

What rack should I place the cookies on?

Always place the baking pan on the middle rack because that is where the hot air circulates evenly. This way, the cookies will be uniformly baked.

Can I skip the food color?

Yes, you can. Or you can just use natural food coloring if you are averse to use artificial coloring. But take note that they will not turn as vibrantly red as you see them in the pictures above.

Can I make the Red velvet cookie dough ahead of time?

Sure you can! Place the dough in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, scoop and bake when you want some!

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Make sure that the cookies are cool before storing them in airtight containers. If you store cookies while they are still warm, it will create steam and make them soggy.

How to Store

Place leftover red velvet cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry area on your counter or pantry and they should last for about 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for a week, however, the longer they are stored the less moist they will be.

How to Freeze

Red velvet cookies freeze well both baked and before baking. To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat or place on the counter to bring them up to room temperature (about 15-20 minutes).

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

To freeze red velvet cookie dough, scoop out the cookie balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake according to recipe instructions.

More Cookie Recipes

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Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons are crispy on the outside with a soft and chewy center. Dip or drizzle with chocolate for an even more delicious flavor combo. Macaroons might just be the most perfect coconut cookie ever created.

Coconut macaroons are a classic for a reason - your family will ask you to make them every opportunity they get. So it's a good thing that they're a lot easier to make than you think. You can serve bakery-style macaroons in under an hour.

Coconut macaroons are crispy on the outside with a soft and chewy center. Dip or drizzle with chocolate for an even more delicious flavor combo. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love the Coconut Macaroons

Simple ingredients. There are only 6 ingredients required to make coconut macaroons - and none of them are uncommon or hard to find. You may already have everything you need!
Chocolatey coconut flavor. When the coconut cookies are out of the oven, they get a quick dip in chocolate (if you want) before they're ready to eat. Sweet, fragrant coconut and luscious chocolate are a perfect combination that makes these macaroons nearly impossible to eat just one at a time.
So easy to make. This coconut macaroon recipe is simple and straightforward. They're easy to prepare with a little help from a hand or stand mixer. You'll mix ingredients together, beat egg whites to give the cookies structure, and then combine them to bake to get their signature golden color and crunch.
They're fast. You can get them in the oven after just 15 minutes of prep.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Coconut Macaroons, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

sweetened coconut flakes - you can also use unsweetened coconut flakes if you prefer less-sweet macaroons.
sweetened condensed milk
vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste can be used in place of extract at a 1:1 ratio for richer flavor.
almond extract - if you don't have almond extract on hand, use the same amount of almond liqueur or a different nut extract in its place.
egg whites - you can use fresh egg whites or egg whites from a carton to save a little time.
salt
semi-sweet chocolate - chocolate is optional if you want to dip your macarons in chocolate. If so, I recommend semi-sweet chocolate but milk chocolate or dark chocolate works too.

Baking Tools

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Coconut Macaroons

Beat egg whites. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer (or stand mixer) to beat the egg whites and salt together until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Add to dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Scoop cookies. Line two large half sheet baking pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoons of the batter and place on the line baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake. Bake in a 325F preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops and edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt chocolate. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in microwave, stopping and stirring at every 30-second interval until smooth or creamy, or melt in a double broiler over a pot of boiling water.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Dip macaroons in chocolate. Dip the bottoms of the cooled macaroons in the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the macaroons back onto the lined baking sheets.

Cool. Let them completely cool and set before serving. You can speed up the time by placing in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until set.

Coconut Macaroon Variations

Add more chocolate. Want to up the chocolate factor? Drizzle a little extra melted chocolate over the top of the macaroons or coat a larger portion of the bottom to add a little more indulgence.
Add sprinkles. After dipping the macaroons in chocolate, add sprinkles and place the macaroons upside down to let them dry.
Add nuts. Similarly, after dipping in chocolate, sprinkle on some nuts such as chopped peanuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.
Add color. Use semi-sweet chocolate instead and add food coloring to make it festive based on the holiday that you are making these cookies for.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use the 2-spoon method. If you don't have a cookie scoop handy, you can use two spoons to scoop and shape balls of the macaroon mixture into uniform shapes. Take a spoon in each hand, scoop the amount you wish to shape, and pass the dough between the two spoons a few times until a ball forms.
Intensify the coconut flavor. Using toasted coconut or toasting the coconut flakes yourself will make the coconut flavor a bit richer than using raw coconut flakes. Toast the flakes in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat for a few seconds, just until the coconut starts to change color.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store coconut macaroons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If planning to store a little longer, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

How to Freeze

To freeze, place cooled coconut cookies on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen solid, or wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Then, transfer the macaroons into a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Eggnog Cookies

Eggnog cookies are a delicious soft and chewy holiday cookie with a perfect crackly top. They are made with eggnog, spiced warmly with cinnamon and nutmeg, and have a drizzle of homemade eggnog glaze on top. The coziest Christmas cookie ever!

Plus, this quick and easy no chill cookie recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make using simple pantry staple ingredients - meaning you likely already have them in your pantry and fridge. These cookies with eggnog might just become your all-time favorite holiday treat.

Why You'll Love these Eggnog Cookies

Delicious holiday flavor. If you're the type of person that waits all year long for eggnog season to begin, these soft and chewy eggnog cookies are perfect for you. There's eggnog in the cookie batter and eggnog in the glaze. It's a two-in-one deal.
A quick and easy 20 minute recipe. If their delightful seasonal flavor wasn't enough reason to start a batch of these as soon as possible, the fact that they take less than 20 minutes to make from scratch might further entice you. It's perfect for a last minute dessert craving!
The best texture. These eggnog cookies are soft and chewy with a perfect crackly top. They get a boost of even more tenderness and Christmas flavor with the addition of real eggnog and warming spices.
Great for Christmas parties. These simple cookies are an excellent offering for the dessert table at holiday parties everywhere. Next year, guests will petition you to bring your famous cookies with eggnog. They're also great for holiday cookie exchanges, bake sales, and Christmas cookie boxes.

Ingredient Notes

To make these soft and chewy Eggnog Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

eggnog - you can use a traditional eggnog with alcohol, or use a Non-Alcoholic Eggnog. You can also try a plant-based eggnog if you're sensitive to dairy!
all-purpose flour - try an equal-exchange gluten free flour to make this recipe gluten free. The texture of the cookies may change slightly but it should produce a similar result.
baking powder
salt
nutmeg - you can use ground nutmeg from the grocery store or grind your own at home using a spice grinder, if you have extra time on your hands.
cinnamon - the same goes for the cinnamon! Store bought and freshly ground work equally as well in this eggnog cookie recipe.
butter - unsalted butter works best in these cookies, but you can use salted butter if you prefer. It will slightly alter the taste of the cookies. You can also use a plant-based butter alternative to make these cookies dairy-free.
granulated sugar - you can use your favorite granulated sugar or sugar substitute here, like coconut sugar, date sugar, erythritol, stevia, or monk fruit.
egg yolks - use a yolk separator tool to easily remove the yolk from the whites, or use egg yolks from a carton if you need to! 2 tablespoons is typically equal to one yolk.
vanilla extract - if you have some on hand, an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of extract.
eggnog glaze - optional, to drizzle over the cookies. The glaze is made with powdered sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg. You can swap the confectioners' sugar for an equal measure of any powdered sugar substitute like powdered Swerve, powdered stevia, or monk fruit powder.

Baking Tools

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Eggnog Cookies

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Whisk well to combine, then set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. In another large mixing bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggnog, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk until well combined and smooth.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the edges of the bowl. Ensure the batter is well combined, but do not overmix.

Scoop cookie dough. Prepare 3 half sheet baking pans with parchment paper (or one, if working in batches). Using your hands or a cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Place the cookie balls evenly onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart (I do about 6 per sheet).
Bake. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to fully cool before glazing.

How to Make Eggnog Glaze

Add all of the ingredients (confectioners' sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg) to a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set for an hour before enjoying.

How to Serve

Serve Eggnog Cookies with a glass of Homemade Eggnog, a warm glass of milk, or another hot drink. Some of our favorites are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead to speed up holiday prep. You have two options to check these off your baking list prior to big holiday engagements: making the dough and refrigerating or freezing it, or baking the cookies as directed and then freezing them to enjoy at a later date. If you fully bake them ahead of time, leave the icing off until you're ready to serve them.
Make them colorful. These cookies are eye-catching as made here, but if you're craving a little more Christmas color, a few drops of red or green food coloring in the batter or glaze (or both!) will transform them without affecting the flavor. You could also add Christmas sprinkes on top before the icing sets.
Add some crunch. Want to add a touch more texture to these soft and chewy cookies? Chop up walnuts, pecans, or pistachios and add them to the dough before baking to mix things up a little.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover eggnog cookies (unglazed) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Once glazed, these cookies will need to stored in the refrigerator because of the eggnog in the glaze. Store them for up to 1 week in the fridge.

How to Freeze

Freeze eggnog cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. If possible, it is best to freeze them before icing for the best results. Then, when ready to eat, allow the cookie to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the eggnog icing before serving.

You can also freeze the rolled cookie balls for up to 3 months. Simply scoop the cookies and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until hard. Then, transfer the hard cookie balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply allow the cookie dough to defrost in the refrigerator, overnight before baking.

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Coffee Cookies

Coffee Cookies are soft and chewy, loaded with real coffee, and sweetened with chocolate chunks. Plus, they are quick and easy to make. This one bowl cookie recipe takes under 20 minutes to prep, bake, and serve (no chilling required!). It's the perfect chocolate chip cookie for coffee lovers!

Make these for your next gathering and watch your guests' faces light up as they realize these aren't ordinary chocolate chip cookies - they're coffee chocolate chip cookies! We love playing around with different ingredients to give the quintessential Chocolate Chip Cookie new twists, and these coffee cookies are our latest creation. Some other fun variations we have made are Smores Cookies, Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Butter Pecan Cookies.

Why You'll Love these Coffee Cookies

Rich coffee flavor. Coffee and chocolate are a popular pairing, and for good reason. The flavors are said to enhance one another and bring out the best in each, enhancing the sweet earthiness of chocolate and the bold, roasty, bitterness of coffee. It's a perfect match.
They're soft and chewy. Phenomenal flavor aside, these coffee cookies have what many dub the perfect cookie texture: they're not fluffy like cake or crunchy, but they have just the right amount of give when you bite into them.
Minimal work for maximum flavor. These incredible chocolate chip coffee cookies take no more than 10 minutes to prep before popping into the oven to bake for 8 minutes. You can toss them together while dinner is cooking for freshly baked cookies after supper, or add them to your roster of desserts to make for the holidays.
Chocolate chip cookies with a twist. You may never see a chocolate chip cookie the same way after trying out these coffee cookies. This recipe upgrades America's favorite cookie by adding real espresso grounds for a complex flavor you won't soon forget.

Ingredient Notes

To make these chocolate chip Coffee Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - use unsalted butter when baking cookies, or use salted butter and omit the additional salt to offset the salt in the butter.
brown sugar - out of brown sugar? Mix one tablespoon of molasses with one cup of white sugar instead.
white sugar - you can use whatever version of granulated sugar you like, including coconut sugar, cane sugar, or Swerve sugar alternative.
eggs
vanilla extract - an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be substituted for the vanilla extract.
flour - make these coffee chocolate chip cookies gluten free by replacing the flour with a measure-for-measure gluten free flour instead.
espresso grounds - you can use instant coffee or ground coffee granules as well, instead of espresso powder.
baking soda
salt
chocolate - we use coarsely chopped chocolate but chocolate chips will also work.
flaked salt - optional, for sprinkling on top when serving.

Equipment Needed

You will also need the following kitchen tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Coffee Cookies

Cream butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add wet ingredients. Next, add egg and vanilla, and beat on low until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients. Add in flour, coffee grounds, baking soda, and salt and beat until just combined.

Fold in chocolate. Reserve ¼ cup of the chocolate for the tops and set aside. Fold in the remaining chocolate chunks.

Scoop cookies. Line a large half sheet baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the cookie balls onto the lined baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (you can fit about 6-8 on a large cookie sheet). If you don't care to have smooth edges, you can just drop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet without smoothing it into a ball.
Bake. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until edges just start to brown. Do not overbake. The cookies may not look done in the middle, but they will continue to cook as they are cooling.

Cool. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully press in some the chocolate chunks into the top of the cookies, and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Serve

These Coffee Cookies are delicious paired with a tall glass of milk or a warm drink such as:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Mix up the flavors. You can put your own spin on these chocolate chip coffee cookies to mimic your usual coffee order. Try adding butterscotch chips or caramel to make a cookie version of your favorite latte.
Watch the acidity. Coffee beans can come from different regions of the world and have different flavor profiles, and some are more acidic than others. Stick to whichever espresso that you like. We prefer medium or dark roast.
Add nuts for some crunch. The flavors in these coffee chocolate chip cookies are perfect for pairing with chopped walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pecans.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover chocolate chip coffee cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store the in the fridge for up to one month, but they may lose some of their chewiness.

How to Freeze

These coffee cookies also freeze well. To freeze, let the cookies cool completely to room temperature first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

The cookie dough is also freezer-friendly. Scoop out the cookie balls and place on the lined baking sheet. Then, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Once frozen, transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the amount of cookie balls that you want overnight in the refrigerator. Then, bake according to recipe instructions.

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are a soft, tender, and chewy Christmas cookie that is easy to make with no chilling required! They're coated in powdered sugar, with cracks thoughout exposing the rich, fudgy, red velvet center.

Welcome the holidays the right way by making a big batch of red velvet crinkle cookies! These festive delights are a true wintertime treat and aren't as hard to make as you might think. It's the perfect holiday cookie to make for new bakers as well as seasoned pros.

Why You'll Love these Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

So easy to make. Red velvet crinkle cookies only take 25 minutes to make from scratch and don't require any special tools or advanced baking skills. Just make the dough, roll the balls in the powdered sugar, and bake!
They're visually stunning. Once baked, these cookies have a pretty, powdery white exterior that is contrasted by bright veins of red velvet marbled over the surface. They're picture-perfect with minimal effort!
Festive for the holidays. Red velvet is a hallmark of the holidays, and the coat of powdered sugar on these crinkle cookies looks like fresh snow. They're great for holiday parties, cookie boxes, and potlucks.
Delicious red velvet flavor. Get the luscious flavor of red velvet without having to make an entire cake! The heavenly scent of cocoa and vanilla will fill the house when these red velvet cookies are fresh out of the oven.

Ingredient Notes

To make these festive Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

flour - if you're sensitive to gluten, make these cookies gluten free by using a measure-for-measure gluten free flour in its place.
cocoa powder - make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder so the cookies don't accidentally get a double-dose of sugar.
baking powder
salt
butter - be sure to use unsalted butter when baking cookies, or if salted is all you have, don't add the salt called for in the recipe.
white sugar - use your favorite granulated sugar alternative if you want. Just beware that alternatives like stevia will alter the overall taste of the cookies.
brown sugar
vanilla extract - use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste for more intense flavor if you have some on hand.
red food coloring - you can choose to omit the food coloring, but they'll no longer be red velvet cookies - they'll just be cocoa cookies.
eggs
confectioners' sugar - you can also use powdered Swerve for the most similar flavor.

Baking Equipment

You will also need the following kitchen tools and baking equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer (or stand mixer)
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or silicone mat
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Cream butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add wet ingredients. Add vanilla and food coloring and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat to incorporate.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides.

Prep for baking. Line 2 large half sheet baking pans with parchment paper. Place confectioners' sugar into a shallow plate.
Scoop cookies. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Roll the cookie ball into the confectioners' sugar and coat it completely with a thick layer of sugar. Place the cookie balls 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough.

Bake. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until just set. They will be soft to the touch and may appear slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Let frozen dough thaw first. You can totally refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough before you bake it, but let it come up to room temperature before you toss it in the oven or the cookies won't spread correctly.
Go heavy on the confectioner's sugar. Some of the confectioner's sugar may dissolve with the moisture of the cookie while they're baking, so make sure you've got a nice, thick coat on the surface to ensure you get the signature look!
Watch the timer. These cookies are known for being soft and chewy, but it's easy to overbake them and make them dry and overly crisp. The centers should still be a little gooey when you take them out of the oven, and they should set a little more as they cool.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover red velvet crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I recommend storing in a signal layer to prevent the sugar coating from getting too smudged.

How to Freeze

You can freeze the rolled dough balls (before they are coated in confectioners' sugar) in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To bake, allow the dough balls to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then roll in confectioners' sugar and bake as per recipe instructions.

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Italian Christmas Cookies (Ricotta Cookies)

Super moist and sweet Italian Christmas Cookies are easy, festive holiday treats ready in just 30 minutes! These soft, fluffy, and buttery ricotta cookies are topped with homemade icing and colorful sprinkles. Made of simple pantry ingredients, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how these holiday cookies taste.

Italian Christmas Cookies can also be made ahead of time and stored for months so you can enjoy them anytime the craving hits. They are perfect for snacking with hot chocolate or coffee, sweet enough for dessert, great for a cookie exchange, and would make adorable holiday gifts too.

Super moist, soft, and sweet Italian Christmas Cookies (Ricotta Cookies) are easy festive holiday treats that are ready in just 30 minutes! | aheadofthyme.com

If you love baking cookies for the holidays as much as we do, then you are in for a real treat! These traditional Italian Christmas cookies are the newest addition to our Holiday Cookie Box this year. The cookies are infused with whole-milk ricotta cheese and vanilla extract, giving them a creamy, cake-like texture and mildly sweet and tangy tones.

Topping them with sweet, from-scratch icing and sprinkles gives these goodies a touch of decadence and jolly vibes! They would look so cute next to Linzer Cookies, Candy Cane Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, and Christmas Sugar Cookies (just to name a few!).

Why You'll Love these Italian Christmas Cookies

Quick, easy, and fuss-free. Making these Italian Christmas Cookies are super easy, even novice bakers can ace them! All you have to do is to cream the butter, add the wet ingredients, stir in the dry ingredients, shape the dough, and bake and you'll have delicious ricotta cookies in no time. The icing is made using 3 ingredients and a bowl - plus, the hand mixer will do the work for you.
Not just a Christmas cookie. Though this is traditionally made for the merriest time of the year, nothing is stopping you from enjoying this cookie all year round. Just swap the red and green sprinkles with red and pink heart-shaped sprinkles for Valentine's day, green for St. Patrick's day, or blue and pink for baby showers. These ricotta cookies can be enjoyed all year long.
Tastes like it's from a bakery. These homemade Italian cookies are super delicious and would rival any that you can buy at your local bakery - without any preservatives or unnecessary additives that commercial cookies sometimes contain. It's amazing how delicious and bakery-quality cookies you can make at home in no time!

Ingredient Notes

To make these festive Italian Christmas Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in the recipe card below):

ricotta cheese - we recommend using whole milk (not part skim) for this recipe because it gives has more fat content and is creamier, which results in moister and softer cookies. Giving these ricotta cookies the right texture that they need.
all-purpose flour - the perfect base for soft and moist cookies. If you want to make them gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour brand and sub 1:1.
baking soda - is the leavening agent for this recipe.
butter - you will need butter both in the cookies and also for the icing. Aside from adding a richer taste to the cookies, the fats and moisture content in butter also help in their overall texture and structure.
sugar - aside from sweetening the cookies, sugar also helps in locking the moisture of the cookies so they do not dry out easily after baking.
egg - binds all the ingredients together and aids in the rising and spreading of the cookies as they bake.
vanilla extract - for flavor and fragrance.
salt
confectioners' sugar - also called powdered sugar or icing sugar. They incorporate easier compared to granulated sugar and are important when making smooth and silky icing.
milk - to help thin out the icing. Add more or less until you reach the desired consistency.
Christmas sprinkles

Equipment Needed

You will also need the following baking equipment and tools:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Italian Christmas Cookies (Ricotta Cookies)

Cream butter and sugar. In a medium to large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add wet ingredients. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add ricotta cheese and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.

Scoop dough. Line large half sheet baking pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop up 1 tablespoon of dough. Place the cookie balls 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms start to turn golden brown (the tops will remain pretty pale). Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before very carefully transferring them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Make Icing for Italian Ricotta Cookies

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and confectioners' sugar, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and whisk to combine. If the icing is too thick, whisk in more milk (1 teaspoon at a time), if it is too runny, add more sugar.

Spread the icing on the cookies or turn the cookies upside down and dip into the icing. Place the cookies back upright on the wire rack and add sprinkles on top while the icing is still wet. (Note that the sprinkles may start to bleed the next day or two - avoid this by icing the cookies just before serving).

Recipe Variations

Use a different flavoring: Instead of vanilla extract, you can use almond, coconut, or anise extract if you prefer. This will give the cookies a different taste.
Have fun with toppings: Instead of sprinkles, you can try topping these ricotta cookies with coconut flakes, edible glitters, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, crushed peppermint candies, or whatever your heart desires. Get creative!
Add flavor to the icing: A few drops of lemon, lime, or orange zest to the icing will instantly brighten it up and give it a nice flavor. You can also add vanilla or almond extract to the mixture if you please.

How to Serve

These Italian Christmas Cookies are best enjoyed with a steaming cup of milk, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, or Hot Apple Cider to chase the cold away! Take note that if you are planning on serving them at a later date, it is much better to store them unfrosted. Just add the icing and sprinkles right before you serve them to keep them intact and pretty.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure that you take the butter and eggs out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before. This makes it easier for you to combine everything together and prevent overmixing the dough.
Space the cookie dough balls apart. Place them at least 2 inches away from each other to give room for them to spread.
Do not over-bake. The goal is to have very moist and tender cookies, so take them out of the oven as soon as the bottoms start to turn golden brown. The more you bake them, the drier they will be!
Let them cool. The cookies will still be pliant and prone to breaking after baking. They need to firm up for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.
Do not add icing to warm cookies. This is big no-no! The cookies should be completely cool before icing them. If they are still warm, the icing will melt and seep into the cookies, making them mushy and overly sweet!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to strain the ricotta before using it?

If it is too watery then yes, you should. This will prevent the dough from becoming soggy.

Why are my cookies tough and crumbly?

It can be because of two things. First, you might have over-mixed the dough, or second, they are over-baked.

Can I double the recipe?

For sure! If you are planning to make more to keep, give away to loved ones, or sell on bake sales just double the amount of ingredients on the recipe card below. The cookies last days at room temperature and months in the fridge so you don't have to worry about them spoiling right away.

Storing and Freezing Italian Christmas Cookies

How to Store

Place baked Italian Christmas Cookies in a jar or tightly lidded container. They will remain moist and tender for a week as long as you keep them in a cool area in your pantry or counter. If your kitchen is warm, place them in the fridge instead. Note that the sprinkles may start to bleed the next day or two - avoid this by icing the cookies just before serving.

How to Freeze

They can also be frozen for up to three months. Refrain from adding icing and sprinkles right away if you plan to freeze the cookies. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and let them come to room temperature for a few minutes before assembling and serving.

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Easy Baked Meatballs

Easy Baked Meatballs are tender, loaded with flavor, and kid-friendly. Enjoy delicious, protein-packed homemade meatballs that are juicy (no dry meatballs here!) in under an hour using simple ingredients that you know and love. They are a delicious appetizer served with Marinara Sauce, or pair it with some sides for a filling, family dinner.

If you are looking for a quick and easy recipe that is a true fan favorite, then you have found it in these baked meatballs. Plus, they can be customized with different seasoning to switch up the flavors. They also store really well too and are freezer-friendly (both before and after cooking) making them perfect for meal prep throughout the week or for months to come.

Why You'll Love these Baked Meatballs

Quick and easy. Meatballs are our go to weeknight dinner because they're so easy to make. This recipe takes under an hour to make - 20 minutes of which are spent in the oven. See our 15 Best Meatball Recipes for more easy favorites.
Loaded with flavor. These baked meatballs are well-seasoned with a few simple ingredients that pack on the flavor, including onions and garlic. We also share a few ways that you can customize the recipe to create different variations of meatballs.
Great for meal prep. These easy baked meatballs are perfect for meal prep. They freeze well both before and after baking. If storing after baking, portion them out into meal prep containers along with mashed potatoes (or rice) and veggies which will last for easy to reheat lunches for 3-4 days .

Ingredient Notes

To make these Easy Baked Meatballs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

ground beef - use this recipe for meatballs made with any meat. You can easily wrap out the ground beef for ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork.
onion
garlic - if you don't fresh garlic on hand, you can use 2 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic for this recipe.
breadcrumbs - toasted almond flour or a gluten-free breadcrumb blend works for those who have gluten intolerance or allergy.
parmesan cheese - a similar cheese like Pecorino Romano or asiago can be substituted for the parmesan. If you're lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy, then a parmesan-style vegan cheese alternative or nutritional yeast will work in its place instead.
Worcestershire sauce - if you're out of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or coconut aminos can be a good substitute.
egg - you can use one tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water as a binder in the meatballs instead of egg.
salt and pepper

Kitchen Tools and Equipment

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and quarter sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Other useful tools are a meat thermometer for checking for doneness, and disposable gloves for easy clean up after handling raw meat.

How to Make the Best Baked Meatballs

Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Shape meatballs. Take 2 spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time and use your hands to roll into meatballs. (I recommend using disposable gloves for easy clean up). Transfer the meatballs to a quarter sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until fully cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer. Serve warm.

How to Cook Meatballs in the Air Fryer or Deep Fryer

In the air fryer: Place the meatballs in a single layer into the air fryer basket and lightly coat with some cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking. Air fry the meatballs at 350F for 13-15 minutes until browned nicely and fully cooked through, gently shaking the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly. The internal temperature for the beef should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer. You will have to cook in multiple batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
In the deep fryer: Cook meatballs in a deep fryer or a deep cooking pot or skillet with high sides. Add cooking oil to fill up the pot with 1-2 inches of oil (enough to submerge the meatballs). Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 300F. Use a slotted spoon to add the meatballs in. Deep fry for 5-7 minutes until cooked.

Recipe Variations

Asian style. Add soy sauce, ginger, and Shaoxing wine. See our Teriyaki Meatballs.
A Middle Eastern twist. Add fresh parsley, ground cumin, cardamom, and sumac. See our Beef Kofta Kebabs.
Mediterranean style. Add lemon juice, fresh dill, and feta. See our Greek Meatballs.
Mexican version. Add cilantro, jalapeño, ground cumin, and paprika.

How to Serve

Serve these easy Baked Meatballs as an appetizer with some dipping sauce. Our recommendation sauces are:

Meatballs are also a delicious and filling meal for lunch or dinner paired with some sides. Try it with:

Rice: Steamed Rice, Coconut Rice, or Vegetarian Fried Rice.
Mashed potatoes: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.
Bread: Ciabatta Rolls, French Baguettes, or Potato Dinner Rolls.
Vegetables: Oven Roasted Vegetables, Mashed Cauliflower, or Sautéed Garlic Mushrooms.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead of time for easy prep. Looking for a way to make dinner easier? Prep the meatballs in the morning and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to pop into the oven. Once ready to bake, allow the meatballs to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Taste test ahead of time. Want to know a simple trick to figuring out if you've seasoned your meatballs well before you cook the entire batch? Here's the hack - fry off a forkful of the meatball mixture and taste it. Then, adjust the seasoning as necessary, fry and try again, and repeat until you get the exact balance you're looking for.
Use a small cookie scoop for uniform meatballs. This trick reduces the amount of mess and ensures that the meatballs are all exactly the same size, which helps them cook evenly at the same rate.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Place leftover baked meatballs in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days.

How to Freeze

These meatballs freeze well both before and after baking.

To freeze uncooked meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer the meatballs into a frezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then cook as per recipe instructions in the oven.
To freeze cooked meatballs: Once cooled, store the meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to reheat.

I would recommend separating the meatballs into individual serving sizes or family servings and freeze in freezer bags. This way, you can easily defrost the exact portion that you want.

How to Reheat

Reheat meatballs in a 350F preheated oven for 10 minutes until warmed through, or air fryer for 5 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave until warm.

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One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

This Chili Mac and Cheese recipe combines the goodness of two of the best classic comfort dishes using one pot only in just 30 minutes. It is meaty, gooey, and perfectly spiced - the ideal weeknight dinner that you can enjoy all year round! You can even make this flavor-packed pasta dish in less time using your Instant Pot.

This Chili Mac and Cheese recipe combines two of the best classic comfort dishes using one pot only in just 30 minutes. A family-friendly weeknight dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Nothing is more satisfying than homemade comfort food to go home to after a busy day. And when you are in the mood for something savory and filling, this recipe is exactly what you need to make! It is a mash-up of our all-time favorites: Chili and Mac and Cheese! You'll enjoy all the cheesy delights of classic macaroni and cheese but with the added meatiness and appetizing punch of heat from the chili. It is a hearty, soul-warming meal that you will find yourself making again and again!

Why You'll Love this One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

Quick and easy. It will only take you 30 minutes to make this using your stovetop - and even less if you are using your Instant Pot. Just sauté the aromatics, veggies, and beef, then stir in the rest of the ingredients to the pot (including the pasta), so no pre-cooking is required. You'll have a delicious dinner on your table in no time!
A simple and wholesome dish. This pasta dish is made using pantry staples and fresh ingredients. We do not use ready-made cheese sauce or bottled chili because it is super easy to make everything from scratch. It is a carb-loaded, protein-rich, family-friendly dish that is perfect for sharing.
Ideal for meal prep. Since this chili with macaroni a freezer-friendly dish, you can make a big batch over the weekend and keep it chilled and ready for warming any time you are in the mood for good food! It' so convenient! Just place your portions in freezer bags, reheat and enjoy.
Versatile and adaptable. You can make this chili macaroni and cheese as cheesy, beefy, and spicy as you want it to be by tweaking the measurements to your liking. The ingredients are easy to find, but can also be easily substituted with what you have on hand. Have fun with it by sprucing it up with simple add-ons too. It is also very easy to modify to fit certain dietary needs. It can be adapted for vegetarians and vegans, and be made gluten-free as well.

Ingredient Notes

To make this quick and easy One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in the recipe card below):

oil - I used avocado oil but feel free to use other neutral oils like canola or sunflower.
aromatics - you will need red onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to make the savory chili base.
ground beef - use an 80/20 meat-to-fat ratio for best results. This will give you a meaty and less greasy sauce. If you are looking for a lighter alternative, use ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
spices - a combination of ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and salt will give your homemade chili the perfect balance of warm, spicy, and earthy flavor.
fire-roasted diced tomatoes - using fire-roasted tomatoes gives the mac and cheese a hint of smokiness that makes it all the more delicious. However, if you do not have this, you can use regular diced tomatoes too.
broth - you can use either chicken or beef broth for this recipe. It is easier to buy them and there are a lot of great brands that sell organic, low-sodium broth nowadays. Or you can make one from scratch using our Bone Broth recipe.
red kidney beans - rinsed and drained. Pinto and black beans are also great for this recipe.
elbow macaroni pasta - no pre-boiling needed at all - just throw the dry noodles into the pot. Althrough elbow macaroni is used for classic mac and cheese, you can also use other tubular noodles like ziti and penne or shells like orecchiette or conchigliette.
shredded cheddar cheese - cheddar gives the pasta sauce an amazing cheesy flavor and melty, gooey texture! Monterey Jack and mozzarella are great options too, or you can use a combination of different cheeses.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large cooking pot. We used our 4 quart Dutch oven.

How to Make the Best One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

You can cook this one pot chili mac and cheese on the stove or in an Instant Pot. We're included step-by-step instructions for both methods. To cook this on the stove:

Cook beef. Heat oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven or a large pot over medium-high heat until the hot oil is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned, stirring well. Use a spatula to break up the beef into small pieces.
Sauté aromatics. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Add seasoning. Stir in the all the seasoning, including salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano. Mix until well combined.
Add soup base. Add diced tomatoes, broth, and kidney beans. Stir well and bring it to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Add pasta. Add pasta and mix well to incorporate it in. Cover the lid and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes (or according to package instructions).

Stir in cheese. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Mix until it is melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top (if desired) and serve immediately.

How to Cook Chili Mac and Cheese in an Instant Pot

Cook beef. On the Instant Pot, turn the Sauté function on high. Add oil and heat until the hot oil is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned, stirring well. Use a spatula to break up the beef into small pieces.
Sauté aromatics. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the all the seasoning, including salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano. Mix until well combined. Add diced tomatoes, broth, kidney beans, and pasta. Stir to incorporate.
Pressure cook. Seal the lid and turn the steam release knob to SEAL position. Pressure cook for 5-7 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position.
Stir in cheese. Stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

Make it meatier! Aside from ground beef, you can also add bacon, sliced sausages, or ham to make it heftier. Your kids would go bonkers if you add hotdogs too!
Go vegetarian or vegan. If you are having plant-eaters over for dinner, you can simply omit the beef and use vegetable broth. Beans are actually one of the best plant proteins, so you will still enjoy a hearty dish without the meat. To make it wholly vegan, use vegan cheddar cheese.
Gluten-free chili mac and cheese. All the ingredients used are free of gluten except the pasta. Use a certified gluten-free macaroni pasta brand instead.

How to Serve

One pot chili mac and cheese is best served immediately while the sauce is warm and ooey-gooey! It goes great with a side of bread to wipe all the yummy sauce clean off the bowl. Try some of our favorites like:

A serving of fresh salad to balance all the robust savory and spicy taste would also not go amiss. A Mexican Caesar Salad, a sweet and refreshing Strawberry Avocado Salad or a zesty Lemon Kale Salad would make an awesome accompaniment to this pasta.

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Tips and Tricks

How to perfectly brown beef: For perfectly browned beef, make sure it is at room temperature before cooking. Once it is in the pot, break them into smaller pieces and distribute them evenly on the surface. Allow it to cook without stirring for a few minutes. Only stir once you see the edges becoming brown and crisp.
Pasta cooking tip: Pasta typically takes about 10 minutes to cook until al dente. However, check on the package instruction when cooking the pasta. Make sure to not overcook it because it will turn mushy and unappetizing.
How to change the consistency: If the pasta sauce becomes too thick after boiling the pasta, add more broth to make it thinner. Take note that it will further thicken on the cheese is added and melted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pasta sauce instead of diced tomatoes?

Yes, you can, however, ready-mix pasta sauces already have spices and herbs included so make sure to adjust the recipe accordingly.

What add-ons can I use to jazz it up?

I sprinkled freshly chopped parsley (optional) before serving to give it a touch of freshness and color. You can also use chives, cilantro, or green onions if you please. You can have fun with toppings too! A dollop of sour cream or yogurt, more cheese, and a sprinkling of crushed chips, tortilla strips, or jalapeno rounds would be awesome!

Can I make a Kid-friendly version?

If your kids are not into spicy food (most are probably not), you can reduce the amount of chili powder. Or you can try our Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe instead. You will still get the same meaty and cheesy mac and cheese, but not the hot spices that are included in this recipe.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

If you have leftovers or are planning to store portions for your weekly meal prep, allow the Chili Mac and Cheese to cool down before transferring it to a lidded container.

How to Store

If you are planning to eat it in the next few days, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to Reheat

Reheat for 30 seconds to a minute (depending on portion size) using your microwave. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the mac and cheese has thickened too much when stored.

How to Freeze

Use a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container and keep the pasta frozen for up to three months. Make sure to write the storage date so you know up until when it is good to consume. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave or stovetop before serving.

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Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze are a quick and easy brunch recipe that is flavorful and flaky. These delicious scones are soft and moist on the inside yet crisp and crumbly on the outside. They are loaded with fresh cranberries with a drizzle of orange glaze for the best combination of sweet and tangy flavor. Enjoy freshly baked cranberry orange scones in under 30 minutes using simple ingredients.

Cranberries and oranges are an absolute match made in food heaven. Cranberry scones with orange glaze channel these two festive holiday flavors into a soft, crumbly, convenient package for breakfast, snacking, or dessert. They are perfect for the holiday season - or serve them any time of the year!

Why You'll Love these Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

They have the best texture. These cranberry orange scones are soft and moist in the inside, yet crunchy and golden brown outside with the perfect crumbly edges. Your whole family will fall in love with these scones.
No complicated baking skills required. Scones can seem intimidating, but they're actually really simple to make - and you don't even need a fancy KitchenAid mixer to do it. The process for making these cranberry scones with an orange glaze is similar to a cross between a biscuit and a cookie, so if you have experience with either, these scones will be a snap. Just mix the ingredients, form the scones, bake, and serve!
A quick brunch recipe. You can quickly gather your ingredients and prepare these holiday scones in about 20 minutes before you are ready to pop them into the oven. Which means that you can even decide to bake these on the morning of, and be enjoying them with a cup of coffee or tea within the hour!
They're made with real fruit. No artificial flavors here. The fruity flavors in these glazed scones come from fresh cranberries and real orange juice. As an added bonus, using real fruit gives them the prettiest pops of color. Cranberry scones are the perfect treat while fresh cranberries are in season (or any time since you could even use frozen cranberries!).
They're great for holiday breakfast. Cranberry and orange are a popular holiday flavor pairing, and these cranberry orange scones are just elaborate enough for a special occasion. They're festive, fast, and easy to make, which are all the top qualities for holiday breakfast dishes. For more, see our 50 Best Christmas Brunch Recipes.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour - if you're sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease, try using a gluten free measure-for-measure flour instead.
sugar - a sugar substitute like Swerve, monk fruit, or stevia will work instead of the sugar but may change the overall taste of the finished product.
baking powder
salt
ground cinnamon
unsalted butter - if you only have salted butter on hand, reduce or disregard the rest of the salt called for in the recipe.
fresh cranberries - we love making these when cranberries are in season and there is an abundance of fresh cranberries at the local grocery store. But you can make these any time of the year with frozen cranberries - and don't need to be thawed before adding to the batter as long as they're individually frozen.
heavy cream - half and half will also work if you don't have heavy cream.
eggs
vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste used in the same amount will intensify the flavor a little bit.
confectioner's sugar - powdered or confectioner's sugar is best for making a light glaze. Granulated sugar won't quite result in the right texture.
orange juice - freshly squeezed orange juice is best, but store-bought will also work in its place if you can't get your hands on oranges.

Equipment Needed for Making Scones

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
pastry cutter (optional)
bench scraper or knife
half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
silicone brush or pastry brush
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Cranberry Scones

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cut in butter. Add butter and using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until they are the size of peas, working quickly so the butter stays cold. Then, carefully fold in the cranberries. Set aside.

Combine wet ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine ½ cup heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Pour the liquid mixture into the well. Use a spatula to carefully fold the ingredients until the liquid is just incorporated.

Shape dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and pat it into a small rectangle, measuring about 6-inches by 8-inches, and approximately 1-inch thick. (Add more flour to the surface as needed if the dough is too sticky).

Cut dough. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough in half horizontally (1 cut) and into thirds vertically (2 cuts) to create 6 equal rectangles. Slice each rectangle in half diagonally to form 12 triangle-shaped scones.

Arrange scones. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Carefully transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches apart.
Add egg wash. In a small mixing bowl, beat the remaining egg. Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream and whisk together. Use a silicone brush to brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Bake. Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until scones are lightly golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes in the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Make Orange Glaze for Cranberry Scones

While the scones are cooling, combine confectioners' sugar and half the orange juice in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, adding more orange juice as needed to reach desired glaze consistency.

When the scones are completely cool, drizzle the orange glaze on top. Let set and serve.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

The colder the butter, the better. The butter in the dough should be as cold as possible to get the best texture and rise from your scones. Keep it in a chilled bowl and cut it with a chilled knife to prevent it from warming up too much.
Serve in a breakfast spread. These scones are irresistible on a buffet of scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, muffins, bagels, and more. Be the host with the most and create a continental breakfast spread worthy of a 5-star hotel!
Serve warm with spreadable butter. Though these cranberry orange scones certainly don't need anything else, you can always choose to serve them the traditional way: warmed up with butter.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

Make cranberry scones ahead and freeze for easy serving. You can freeze fully baked scones for up to three months before serving them, which makes them great for busy holiday prep. Don't glaze them if you freeze them first, so you can add the glaze once they've been reheated.

How to Store

Transfer cooled scones to an airtight container or large Ziploc and store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How to Freeze

Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the oven until warm or microwave in ten second bursts until heated through.

If making a batch to freeze, I recommend not adding the glaze before freezing. Once you are ready to serve, whip up a batch of glaze and drizzle on top, if desired.

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Florentines

If you've ever had Almond Florentines, you already know there's nothing else quite like them. They're made with sliced almonds, a sticky-sweet coating that acts like hardened caramel, and a layer of dark chocolate to round out the flavors. These delicious cookies are sweet, crunchy, and so good.

Florentine cookies are an Italian classic, and like many Italian cookies, they're simple enough to make regularly but they look and taste like they came straight from a bakery. You can perfect your own batch in a little over an hour, leaving you plenty of time to finish holiday preparations.

These crunchy Almond Florentines are made with sliced almonds, a sticky sweet coating that acts like hardened caramel, and a layer of dark chocolate. | aheadofthyme.com

What are Florentines?

Florentine cooked are thin and crispy cookies made with nuts (usually almonds), butter, and cream. They often also contain candied cherries.

The first time I tried florentines was at my local Whole Foods years ago and I was hooked. Many florentine cookie recipes are made with almonds that are processed into a fine crumb in a food processor, but the Whole Foods version uses sliced almonds in tact. Hence, our copycat cookies are made this way too.

Why You'll Love these Florentines

Chocolate-almond flavor. The classic combination of dark chocolate and real almonds in this florentine recipe is simple but oh so satisfying. The almonds add a crunch, while the chocolate just adds delicious and complimentary flavor.
A cookie-candy hybrid. These almond lace cookies are the best of both worlds so you won't have to choose between cookies and candy. Florentine cookies are a hybrid of crunchy almond cookies with a chewy, caramel-like web that holds it all together to satisfy both cravings at once. It's so good.
They're naturally gluten-free. These almond florentines aren't made with wheat flour like most cookies. The foundation is instead made of slivered almonds, making these naturally gluten-free, no substitutions needed! Perfect for those who are celiac or have dietary restrictions.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Florentines, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - salted and unsalted butter are both fine in this recipe, so use whichever you prefer.
sugar
heavy cream
honey - you can swap an equal measure of maple syrup or brown sugar for the honey in this recipe.
sliced almonds - it should be easy to find sliced almonds without skins in the store, but you can blanch your own at home if needed (see tips below).
dark chocolate - semisweet or bittersweet chocolate would also work for a different flavor.

Baking Equipment

You will also need the following baking equipment and kitchen tools:

measuring cups and spoons
cooking pot
half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
bowl (to melt the chocolate in)

How to Make the Best Florentines

Make almond mixture. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in sugar, cream, and honey. Heat over medium heat and then cook at a rolling boil (full boil) for 90 seconds. Remove from heat and gently stir in the sliced almonds.

Scoop cookies. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Once cool enough to touch, scoop out a tablespoonful of the mixture and shape into a 1-inch ball. Place them 4 inches apart on the prepared baking pan and use the back of a spoon to flatten them into 2-inch discs. (You should only fit about 6 on a baking sheet as they will spread a lot).

Bake. Bake in a 375 F preheated oven for 11-14 minutes depending on your oven. They need to be dark golden brown or the candy will not set. If it is hasn't browned, cook for a few minutes longer but keep a close eye on them so they don't burn. Do not undercook.

Cool. Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to the fridge until hard, about 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate. Melt the dark chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Add chocolate. Use a spatula or knife to spread the melted on the smooth side (bottom) of candy. You can also use a fork to make a wave-like pattern in the chocolate. Place face down back on the baking sheet (chocolate side up) to set.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Blanch your own almonds. Blanching almonds at home is simple! Add almonds to a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds, then drain and rinse with cold water. Immediately peel the skins away - they should slip right off. Then, slice almonds to desired thickness.
Don't skimp on the spacing. We're all tempted from time to time to ignore spacing directions in between cookies. In some cases you can get away with fudging the margins to add more cookies and speed up the baking process, but spacing is especially important for these almond florentines. They spread more than your average cookie, so if you don't give them a lot of space, you'll end up with one solid sheet of florentine mess.
Add fruit for more texture and flavor variation. Some recipes for florentine cookies call for dried cranberries, candied ginger pieces, or candied orange peels to add a pop of color and just a hint of fruity flavor. Feel free to add some into your almond mixture.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store baked florentine cookies in an airtight container in a single layer or stacked with parchment paper or wax paper in between. They will last for up to 3 weeks at room temperature in a cool place, or 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

How to Freeze

Once cooled and the chocolate has set, tightly wrap the cookies in plastic cling wrap (separated in between layers of parchment paper). Wrap again in a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the florentines that overnight in the fridge before serving.

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Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup is a hearty, vegan soup that is delicious, flavorful, and easy to make. Loaded with all kinds of veggies in a savory broth, this nourishing meal will heat you up from the inside out.

Dreary winter days call for the soul-warming power of a bowl of veggie soup, and this recipe is one of the best. Set aside ten minutes to sauté a few aromatics, add the broth, and the rest of the vegetables, then let the soup simmer so all the flavors can mingle. That's it. This veggie soup will make a great addition to your weeknight recipe rotation.

Why You'll Love this Vegetarian Soup

Packed with veggies. It's probably pretty obvious that a dish with "vegetable" in the title would contain a lot of vegetables, but this one in particular contains nine different kinds of vegetables in one recipe.
Healthy and nutritious. Since this soup is loaded with 9 different veggies, it's rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. It's also vegan, gluten-free, and low in calories.
Serve as a main or a side. Vegetable soup is great as a standalone dish, but it also partners well with almost any entree. Try it with hot sandwiches, roasted chicken, braised beef, or seared pork.
It's versatile. Vegetable soup is versatile and you can customize it by using any seasonal vegetables that you like. Popular options include potatoes, butternut squash, and spinach. You can also add beans such as red kidney beans or black beans.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious and easy Vegetable Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

olive oil - any neutral oil like avocado oil or even coconut oil would work in place of the olive oil.
onion - I recommend yellow onion, but white onion works if you don't have yellow.
garlic - use fresh garlic if you can get it, but pre-minced garlic will also work in a pinch. Add one teaspoon of minced garlic per clove in the recipe.
carrots
celery
potato - high starch potatoes like Yukon golds and russets are the best for soup because they don't get mushy and fall apart as easily as some other varieties.
Italian seasoning
green beans - fresh green beans tend to retain their texture a little better in soups, but you can use frozen or rinsed canned beans instead.
diced tomatoes - this recipe calls for 2 cans of diced tomatoes to make things easy, but you can also dice your own at home. Just make sure you have around 3-4 cups.
vegetable stock - if you aren't sticking to a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can substitute with chicken broth or beef broth instead, depending on your preferences.
corn - use whatever kind of corn is readily available, whether it's fresh off the cob, frozen, or canned.
peas - likewise, you can use fresh, frozen, or canned peas - whatever is easiest for you!
kale - use any variety of kale that you want. A great option is Lacinato kale because they are the most nutritious and have tender leaves. Or you can use the common curly kale found in the market.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and large cooking pot. We used our 4 qt. Dutch oven.

How to Make the Best Vegetable Soup

Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 1-2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and Italian seasoning. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Simmer. Add green beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Cover the lid and bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir in corn, peas, and kale. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes.
Season. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make homemade broth. Making your own broth allows you to control the flavor (and sodium level) of the soup base! Use kitchen scraps like onion skins, carrot peels, and other discarded veggie bits, pop them in the oven with a light coating of olive oil for a quick roast, and then let them simmer in a pot for an hour with your favorite herbs for a rich soup base tailored to your taste.
Add a kick. Heat things up by adding ½ teaspoon of chili paste to the broth, drizzling your favorite hot sauce over the top, or garnish the bowls with red chili flakes.
Thicken the base. If you want to add a little more body to the soup, you can easily thicken the base (and keep it vegetarian) by adding a little cornstarch to the sauteed vegetables before pouring in the stock, adding canned coconut cream, or by blending a handful of cashews with a cup of broth and then adding it all back to the pot.

How to Serve

Serve this easy vegetable soup warm on a chilly day for a cozy lunch or dinner. We love serving it with crusty bread, biscuits, sandwiches, or salad on the side. Try some of our favorite soup sides:

For more soup sides, see our 25 Side Dishes for Soup.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer leftover vegetable soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

How to Freeze

Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the leftover veggie soup to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If you have a large batch, I recommend portioning them out before freezing for easy reheating. Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat

Reheat vegetable soup in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the soup has thickened too much when stored. You can also reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe container, covered with a microwave-safe lid leaving a slight gap (vent). Heat in 30-60 second increments until warmed through.

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes

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Oreo Truffles (Cookie Balls)

These Oreo Truffles (Cookie Balls) are a quick and easy no bake dessert that is rich, sweet, fudgy, and delicious. Crushed oreos are shaped and molded into balls before being dipped in sweet white chocolate. They're so good!

Made with just 3 simple ingredients, oreo cookie balls are an easy dessert to make for holiday cookie boxes, parties, or to satisfy a last-minute sweet craving. Plus, they store well and are freezer-friendly too!

Oreo Truffles (Cookie Balls) are a quick and easy no bake dessert that is rich, sweet, fudgy, and delicious — and made with just 3 simple ingredients. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Oreo Truffles

Only three ingredients. Oreo truffles are simplicity at its finest. There are only three ingredients in this recipe: oreos, cream cheese, and white chocolate. A recipe so simple, you can memorize it.
Quick and easy. It only takes 30 minutes of your actual time to make the truffle batter, shape into balls, and coat in chocolate. Then, set aside about 1 hour for chilling before you can bite into these delectable cookies-and-cream treats. The secret to speeding things up? Tossing oreo cookies and cream cheese into a food processor and letting it do all the work! There's also a quick and easy manual method (see instructions below).
They're easy to serve. These oreo cookie balls are super portable, require no cutting or slicing to make individual servings, and are visually appetizing without complicated decorations. Make them for holiday gatherings, work parties, birthdays, or any occasion that calls for sweet treats!
Customize them for any holiday. You can customize these white chocolate oreo truffles for any holiday you are celebrating by switching up the color of the white chocolate by adding in some food coloring and/or adding different colored sprinkles on top to fit your theme.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Oreo Truffles, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

oreos - you aren't limited to standard oreos in this recipe. Use your favorite kind, like golden oreos, double chocolate, birthday cake, mint oreos, and so on. The choice is yours.
cream cheese - for the proper texture, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese in this recipe. If you want to make oreo cookies without cream cheese, there are several possible substitutes. The closest substitute is 1 cup mascarpone cheese (slightly richer and creamier than cream cheese). You can also substitute with ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk or ¾ cup buttercream frosting. Note that these two alternatives will result in much sweeter truffles.
white chocolate - you can use white candy melts instead, or try milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you're not a fan of white chocolate.

Equipment

You will also need then following kitchen tools and equipment:

food processor (or ziploc bag and rolling pin)
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
small mixing bowl (for melting the chocolate in)

How to Make the Best Oreo Truffles

Crush oreos. Add oreos to a food processor or blender and mix on low until crumbled. You can also transfer cookies to a large ziploc bag, seal the bag, and roll a rolling pin on top to crush into crumbs. Remove 2 tablespoons and set aside (for topping the truffles later).
Add cream cheese. Add cream cheese and and mix on low until combined.

Shape cookie balls. Use a small cookie scoop to take a tablespoon of the mixture and use your hands to roll into balls. Place the cookie balls on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Chill. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Dip truffles in chocolate. Dip each chilled ball into the melted white chocolate to fully coat and scoop it out with a fork allowing any excess chocolate to drip back in the bowl. Place back on the lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle the reserved crushed oreos on top.

Chill. Place the coated truffles back into the fridge to allow the chocolate to set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Decorate your way. This recipe for oreo cookie balls makes things easy by using crumbled oreo on top of the balls, but you can really finish them any way you see fit: by adding sprinkles, an extra drizzle of white or dark chocolate, an embedded oreo half, or by leaving them plain.
Get the family involved. This is the type of treat that's easy enough for the kids to join in. Make an assembly line to make things go faster: have one person roll the balls, the other person dips, and the last person arranges them on the final tray and sprinkles them with oreo crumbs.
Turn them into truffle pops. Make these oreo truffles even easier to dip in chocolate (and easier to eat!) by adding lollipop sticks. You should be able to get them in the baking aisle at your local grocery store or find them easily on Amazon.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once the chocolate shells have completely cooled and hardened, place the finished oreo truffles in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

How to Freeze

Place leftover oreo balls in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for about an hour or two at room temperature in a dry, cool place.

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Leftover Turkey Salad

This Leftover Turkey Salad is a creamy and filling salad that is quick and easy to make - and your new go-to recipe for using Thanksgiving leftovers! Serve it as a filling in turkey salad sandwiches, as a salad over lettuce, or as a dip with crackers.

Using pre-cooked turkey makes this dish easy to prepare, and the rest of the ingredients are ones you probably already have on hand. The whole recipe takes less than ten minutes from beginning to end, so you can get turkey sandwiches on the table quickly with minimal effort.

Why You'll Love this Leftover Turkey Salad

A great way to use leftover turkey. Put that leftover roasted turkey from your Thanksgiving spread to good use in this turkey salad. Plus, it helps to clear up some space in your refrigerator. For more leftover turkey recipes, see our 15 Best Leftover Turkey Recipes.
Fast and easy lunch. Because this recipe is made with leftover turkey and a handful of other common ingredients, it makes a speedy but satisfying lunch - which is all you can ask for after spending days preparing a feast. You simply shred the turkey and combine the ingredients. It takes less than 10 minutes to make.
Simple ingredients. These turkey salad sandwiches had got all the trimmings of a tasty chicken salad, but swaps the main ingredient for turkey instead.
Better than store-bought. Making turkey salad from scratch at home gives you complete control over the ingredients and the flavor. No additives or preservatives included! Plus, it's too easy to make at home, so why not give it a go?

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Leftover Turkey Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

shredded cooked turkey - both light meat and dark meat will work, so use whichever you prefer.
celery - celery adds crunch and a hint of flavor, but if you're out, you can add a similar flavor with a dash of celery seed.
green onions
mayonnaise - use store-bought for convenience or make your own!
Dijon mustard - you can use any kind of stone-ground mustard here. Plain yellow mustard will also work in a pinch.
paprika - paprika or chili powder will add a smoky flavor to the turkey salad.
salt and pepper
bread - optional, for serving as a sandwich. Use whatever kind of bread you like: white or wheat sandwich loaf, ciabatta, croissant, or even pretzel buns. You can also use homemade bread if you have time to make some!

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a mixing bowl.

How to Make the Best Leftover Turkey Salad

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients including cooked shredded turkey, celery, green onions, mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Serve as is over iceberg lettuce, as a filling in between sandwich bread or pita bread, or in a grilled cheese.

How to Shred Turkey

You can shred leftover cooked turkey in two different ways:

Shred into small pieces using 2 fork.
Shred in just a few seconds using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. This is one of my favorite cooking hacks!

Shredded chicken is quick and easy to make (in three ways) and shred. It's a staple ingredient to add to other recipes such as soup, salads, and sandwiches. | aheadofthyme.com

How to Serve

Turkey Salad is delicious served on its own in iceberg lettuce, or as a filling for a turkey salad sandwich. Some of my favorite bread to use are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Serve as a dip. Thanksgiving crowd sticking around for a few days after the big feast? Serve leftover turkey salad as dip instead of sandwiches with toast points, crackers, pita chips, or baguette slices.
Create a moisture barrier. Banish soggy turkey salad sandwiches for good by adding a crisp lettuce leaf between the salad and the bread. Not only will it keep the juices from saturating the bread, a lettuce leaf also adds a nice contrasting crunch to the otherwise soft sandwich.
Make it your own. Everyone has a favorite family chicken salad recipe, and this turkey salad is no different! Add your own personal touches to tailor the turkey sandwich to your tastes, like fresh herbs, cranberries, grapes, raisins, figs, or special seasonings.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

For best results, store leftover turkey salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For turkey salad sandwiches, first wrap them in a paper towel and then wrap them tightly in plastic cling film and eat within 24 hours before the bread gets soggy.

How to Freeze

It's not recommended to freeze turkey salad because the mayonnaise will separate in the freezer and the dressing will become watery.

More Recipes

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Sweet Potato Croquettes

Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and an assortment of seasoning. They have the perfect crisp on the outside, and soft and tender inside. The best bite-sized comfort food ever.

The best part? Sweet potato balls are easy to make ahead, freeze well, and can be cooked from frozen. Plus, you can deep fry them on the stove, bake in the oven, or cook in the air fryer.

Sweet Potato Croquettes are delicious, flavorful, savory balls of mashed sweet potatoes, cheese, and seasoning — crisp outside and soft and tender inside. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Sweet Potato Croquettes

Bite-sized comfort food. Think Mashed Potato Balls but with sweet potatoes. These appetizers are creamy, cheesy, and full of carbs, which makes them a total comfort food appy. Perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But just as perfect for a cozy lunch or a game day snack.
The best texture. These sweet potato croquettes have a perfect crispy, golden, outer layer with a soft and creamy inside. It's the best of both worlds.
Easy to make. Croquettes may seem complicated to make, but they are surprisingly very easy, All you need to do is combine the ingredients, roll into balls and cook. It's a perfect recipe for beginners to try, but seasoned home cooks will love it too!
You can fry, bake, air fry them. I personally love making these sweet potato croquettes in the air fryer because it cooks fast, requires no preheating, and the results are delicious. But luckily, even if you don't have an air fryer, you can easily cook these bites in the oven or deep fry them in a cooking pot.
Great for meal prep. These croquettes are easy to make ahead. You can make them and store in the fridge for hours or days before cooking, or freeze them for up to 3 months for a stress-free appy or snack to make on demand from frozen.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Sweet Potato Croquettes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

mashed sweet potatoes - you can also use leftover Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Candied Yams from a holiday dinner. Using this will change the taste of these sweet potato balls, so I would recommend adding then ingredients up to and before the egg. Give it a taste and adjust the amount if seasonings to add, as needed.
milk
cheese - Most hard cheese will work. I recommend using cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese for a complementary flavor.
meat - add in some ham or bacon or leave it out completely to keep the recipe vegetarian. We used deli ham but this is a good recipe for using a baked ham from your Christmas leftovers too.
green onions
seasoning - we use garlic powder, paprika (or chili powder for a spicier kick), salt, and pepper.
panko breadcrumbs - adds a crispy coating to these sweet potato balls. We like the texture of panko breadcrumbs, but regular breadcrumbs will work well too.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a cooking pot, sheet pan, or air fryer (depending on the cooking method that you choose).

How to Make the Best Sweet Potato Croquettes

Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, milk, cheese, ham, green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If you are preparing mashed sweet potatoes from scratch, add peeled sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted boiling water and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well and mash with a potato masher.

Shape balls. Take 2 tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture at a time and use your hands to shape into balls like meatballs. Alternatively, you can use an ice cream scoop to shape into even balls.
Coat. Add breadcrumbs to a large bowl or shallow plate. Dip the mashed potato balls in the breadcrumbs and gently press the crumbs to coat.
Freeze. Arrange the mashed potato balls evenly in a parchment lined half sheet baking pan and transfer into the freezer. Freeze for 15-20 minutes to firm up (and help the croquettes hold their shape while cooking).

Cook. You can cook the croquettes on the stove, in the oven, or in the air fryer.

Three Ways to Cook Croquettes

Deep Fry

Add oil to a cooking pot to cover at least 2-inches high. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the oil is shimmering and sizzling hot.
Deep fry the croquettes in batches (about 4-5 pieces each time) until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the balls occasionally to get an even golden crust on all sides.
Transfer the croquettes to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Bake in the Oven

Preheat oven to 375F.
Place the croquettes evenly on a parchment paper lined half sheet baking pan. Spray with cooking oil spray to coat.
Bake for 20 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.

Air Fry

Place the croquettes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray evenly with cooking oil spray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do this in batches.
Air fry at 350F for 13-15 minutes until the crust becomes golden brown.

How to Serve

Serve mashed sweet potato balls as a hot appetizer on its own or with a side of mayo or your favorite dipping sauce. Try it with:

You can also serve these air fryer sweet potato balls over salads too that need a little extra to make them more filling.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Experiment with different flavors. Play around with different seasoning, cheeses, garnishes, and dipping sauce to create different flavored croquettes.
Serve as an appy, side, or snack. These sweet potato balls are meant to be serve as an appetizer, but don't let that stop you. You can serve them as a side dish or snack too. There's never a bad time!
Best way to use leftover sweet potatoes. Got leftover sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Use it to make these baked sweet potato croquettes. For more inspo, check out our 25 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead Instructions

For easy party prep, you can prepare a whole batch of these sweet potato bites and store in the refrigerator or freezer for hours, days, or months ahead of time.

Cook when you are ready to host your guests for fresh appys on call. Quickly fry them up or pop into the oven or air fryer. You could also cook them in advance, refrigerate, and reheat.

How to Store

Allow the sweet potato croquettes cool to room temperature first (otherwise you'll end up with soggy croquettes). Then, transfer the balls to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

How to Reheat

Reheat leftover cooked mashed sweet potato balls in a single layer in a 375F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 350F for 5-10 minutes until warm and crisp on the outside.

How to Freeze

Freeze sweet potato croquettes before you cook them. Prepare them up to the point of cooking, then arrange the balls in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan. Freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can cook directly from frozen.

To cook from frozen, just cook in the same way that you would when following the recipe. Add a few extra minutes to the cook time as it will take slightly longer to cook until crisp and golden brown.

More Appetizer Recipes

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Lofthouse Cookies (Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies)

Lofthouse Cookies are super soft, moist, thick, and delicious. These classic grocery store cookies are made of a cakey sugar cookie base and sweet buttercream frosting on top with colorful sprinkles.

The best part? Soft frosted sugar cookies are incredibly easy to make, and they're even easier to eat! They are perfect for holiday cookie boxes, birthday parties, and bake sales - just don't forget to keep some for yourself.

Lofthouse Cookies are super soft, moist, and thick, classic grocery store cookies made of a cakey sugar cookie, sweet buttercream frosting, and sprinkles. | aheadofthyme.com

What are Lofthouse Cookies?

Lofthouse Cookies are iconic sugar cookies topped with pink buttercream icing and sprinkles. These classic grocery store cookies were made popular in the 1990s by a local grocery store in Utah called Lofthouse Foods. They sold the cookies bakeries and supermarkets across the country.

Why You'll Love the Lofthouse Cookies

They have the best soft texture. There's nothing better than a soft cookie. Made with sour cream, these lofthouse cookies are extra soft and moist. The texture of these copycat Lofthouse cookies fall somewhere in between Classic Sugar Cookies and Vanilla Cupcakes.
Easy to make. You don't need to be an expert baker to perfect these delectable soft frosted sugar cookies. Follow this recipe, and you'll have the best soft sugar cookies. When you're done making them, your only regret will be that you didn't make more.
They're fast. These soft sugar cookies do require a bit of waiting for the dough to chill. But once the dough is ready, you can bite into a freshly baked cooke in just 25 short minutes. Time will fly by as you bake, and you'll see that good things come to those who wait.
The homemade frosting. The frosting for these lofthouse cookies are light and fluffy. To make the frosting for these soft frosted sugar cookies, you'll need just 4 pantry and refrigerator staples. Then, add your favorite food coloring. It's so simple, yet so delicious!

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious copycat Lofthouse Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
cornstarch
baking powder + soda
salt
butter - the butter should be brought up to room temperature before you start to make the dough. This helps it cream with the sugars and wet ingredients for a consistent texture. You also want to use unsalted butter. If using salted butter, just leave out the salt in the recipe.
full-fat sour cream - using full-fat sour cream as opposed to sour cream with less fat is important as it gives these lofthouse cookies their super soft texture. You can also substitute it for full-fat Greek yogurt.
granulated sugar - you can substitute with confectioners' sugar instead. Confectioners' sugar will create a finer and more crumbly texture.
eggs
vanilla extract
almond extract - this is optional, to add a hint of nutty flavor.

Ingredients for the frosting:

butter - you will need to use unsalted butter, otherwise the frosting will be too salty. Remember to also leave it out to bring it to room temperature.
confectioners' sugar
vanilla extract - you can substitute with almond extract for a different flavor.
milk
food coloring - we used pink food coloring to dye the icing pink, but you can leave out the food coloring for white frosting or use any color you'd like.
sprinkles - we used classic sprinkes, but you can use any color or shape that you'd like.

Required Baking Equipment

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
rolling pin
round 2-inch cookie cutters (or round 3-inch cookie cutters)
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Lofthouse Cookies

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Combine wet ingredients. In another large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), to beat together butter, sour cream, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.

Chill. Transfer the cookie dough to a sheet of plastic cling wrap and shape it into a disc. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 1 hour).

Cut out cookies. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to ½ inch thick. Use a round 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out circles.

Chill again. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Transfer the cookies to the lined cookie sheets, placing them 1-inch apart. Re-roll any scraps and repeat to cut out more cookies. Place the cookies in the fridge while the oven preheats to 350F.
Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the edges just start to brown. The cookies will be light and pale. Do not overbake. Allow cookies to chill on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Make Frosting for Lofthouse Cookies

Cream butter and sugar. In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until combined.
Add wet ingredients. Then, add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk and beat until incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Add food coloring. Add pink food coloring and beat to incorporate.
Spread frosting on cookies. Top the completely cooled cookies with a thin layer of buttercream and add sprinkles on top. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until the frosting sets before storing (it should form a crust).

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don't skip the chill. Chilling the cookie dough before baking is essential to making sure that these cut out sugar cookies don't spread. Make sure the dough gets at least 1 hour in the fridge. You can even chill the dough overnight for the next couple of days.
Cut up your butter to help soften it faster. To get your butter to warm up to room temperature a little faster, cut it up into slices or cubes and set it out. It will save you a few minutes and get to those delicious cookies faster.
Add food coloring. We add pink food coloring to make these copycat lofthouse cookies as accurate as possible, but you can dye them any color that you want. Make it festive for almost any holiday by switching up the color of the frosting and sprinkles.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once iced, these soft frosted sugar cookies can be left at room temperature for about six hours before they need to be stored. Keep leftover frosted cookies in an airtight container in a single layer the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you must double layer, separate cookies with pieces of wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking.

How to Freeze

You can freeze these lofthouse cookies to extend their life for up to three months. Just freeze them on a baking tray until hard, before transferring them to a freezer-safe container.

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Lemon Drop Cookies (Anginetti)

Italian Lemon Drop Cookies (also known as Anginetti) are light, cake-like, classic Italian cookies that have bursts of citrus flavor throughout. They are topped with an easy lemon glaze for added flavor and sweetness.

These lemon cookies are quick and easy to make in 30 minutes, and requires no chilling. Like most Italian cookies, they're not overly sweet and make the perfect after-dinner treat when you're not ready to dive into a whole slice of pie. Add it to your holiday baking list today!

Italian Lemon Drop Cookies (Anginetti) are light, cake-like, classic Italian cookies with citrus flavor throughout. Quick and easy to make in 30 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Italian Lemon Drop Cookies

Classic Italian holiday cookie. These lemon drop cookies are well-known and loved in Italy for their simple ye sophisticated look and taste. They're a great addition to any holiday cookie spread for people that aren't fans of chocolate, sprinkles, and colorful frosting.
Sweet citrus flavor. Real lemon juice and lemon zest transform standard baking ingredients into these classic Italian cookies. The fresh, lemony glaze helps sweeten up these subtly-flavored cookies. The result is the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a soft, crumbly texture.
They're ready in half an hour. From start to finish, these fancy-looking cookies only take 30 minutes to make and bake - and no chilling required! Start them before dinner to enjoy them warm at the end of the meal.
An easy baking recipe. These easy cookies After a few minutes of mixing ingredients, you'll skip the typical chill and pop these easy anginetti cookies straight into the oven. These will transport your taste buds to the Italian countryside and are sure to impress family and friends.

Ingredient Notes

To make easy Italian Lemon Drop Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour - you could try using a gluten free measure-for-measure flour instead of a wheat-based flour if you're sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease.
baking powder
salt - finely ground salt distributes throughout the dough the most evenly.
butter - for cookies, butter should be brought up to room temperature before you start to make the dough. This helps it cream with the sugars and wet ingredients for a consistent texture. You also want to use unsalted butter. If using salted butter, just leave out the salt in the recipe.
granulated sugar - you can substitute with confectioners' sugar instead. Confectioners' sugar will create a finer texture in these cookies.
eggs
lemon juice - fresh squeezed lemon juice will offer the best lemon flavor with no additives, but you can use store-bought lemon juice if you need to. You can also substitute the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with 1 teaspoon lemon extract.
lemon zest - you can omit this if necessary, but lemon zest adds flavor and color.
lemon glaze - so easy to make with confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, and water (as needed).
topping - we topped the glaze with lemon zest, but you can leave it out, or top it with sprinkles instead.

Baking Equipment Needed

You will also need the following kitchen tools and baking equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Italian Lemon Drop Cookies (Anginetti)

Combine wet ingredients. Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and lemon juice and beat until incorporated.

Add dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined (The dough will be sticky).

Scoop cookies. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Drop on the prepared cookie sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown and firm. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Make Glaze for Lemon Drop Cookies

Combine ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together. If the icing is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin it out.
Dip cookies. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze. Flip them back over and return to the wire cooling rack.
Add topping. Immediately top with a sprinkle of lemon zest. Allow the icing to set before storing.

How to Serve

Lemon Drop Cookies are the perfect tea time cookie with a warm cup of tea or coffee. Some of my favorite cozy drinks to serve with these lemon cookies are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use spoons if you don't have a scoop. If you don't have a cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop handy, you can use two spoons to form and drop your dough onto the sheet pan, and round things out using the back of the spoon. Using spoons keeps your hands clean and makes sure the cookies are roughly the same size.
Decorate with candied lemon slices. Want to make them even more Pinterest-worthy for holiday parties? Make these lemon cookies even cuter by candying a few lemon slices and arranging them on top or around the cookies. Your guests will stop to take snaps of the dessert table all night long.
Serve with vanilla ice cream. These not-too-sweet cookies pair well with vanilla ice cream when you're craving a creamy, cold dessert. Leave them whole on top or crumble them over a few scoops for crunchy bits of lemony cookie in every bite.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store lemon drop cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Store in a single layer to prevent the icing from smudging. You could also store each cookie in mini cupcake liners so that they don't touch each other and cause the icing to smudge off on each other.

How to Freeze

If planning to make a large batch to freeze, I would recommend not icing them until you are ready to serve, as the icing doesn't so well in the freezer and tends to crack when frozen.

Arrange the unfrosted lemon cookies n an airtight container, in single layers layered in between pieces of parchment paper. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Store and Freeze Cookie Dough

Storing cookie dough: Shape the dough into a ball or disc and wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days before baking. You may need to increase the bake time by 1-2 minutes to account for the cooler temperature of the dough.
Freezing cookie dough: Shape the dough into a ball or disc and wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the dough to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

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Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy, easy to make, and so satisfying. In under 20 minutes, you can enjoy these delicious chocolate cookies with perfect crisp edges, loaded with double the chocolate, and no chilling required! It's the easiest cookie recipe to make for a last minute sweet craving.

The quintessential chocolate chip cookie (arguably the most popular cookie in the world) gets an upgrade in this recipe with the only thing that could possibly make it any better: even more chocolate. Adding cocoa powder to the rest of the pantry staples in this classic cookie recipe transforms them into a chocolate lover's dream dessert.

Why You'll Love these Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rich chocolatey flavor. Chocolate chip cookies are great, but double chocolate cookies are even better, and require one simple change. Cocoa powder instills the cookie base with a rich flavor that pairs perfectly with melty bites of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Double chocolate chip cookies are a chocolate lover's dream!
Easy to make. In addition to being unbelievably fast, they're some of the easiest cookies to make. No special skills needed and no exotic ingredients required (only simple pantry staple ingredients), so you can make them any time for any occasion.
Simple steps. These cookies come together in just a few easy steps: cream the butter and sugar, add the remaining wet ingredients, mix in the dry ingredients, fold in the chocolate chips, form the cookies, and bake!
Done in under 20 minutes. Some cookies need hours of chill time, but this recipe gets cookies in the oven ASAP. Immediately after ten minutes of prep, your chocolate cookie dough goes in the oven and comes out less than ten minutes later. Imagine fresh, gooey double chocolate chip cookies in under half an hour.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

unsalted butter - use unsalted butter for more control over the flavor in this recipe. If you only have access to salted butter, disregard the rest of the salt called for in this recipe
light brown sugar
granulated sugar
eggs
vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste can also be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.
cocoa powder - use an unsweetened natural cocoa powder so the cookies don't get over-sweetened. You can also use Dutch process cocoa powder, but the flavor will be richer and color will be darker.
baking soda
salt - if you choose to use salted butter in this recipe, adjust or omit the additional salt.
chocolate chips - semi-sweet chocolate chips will balance the sweetness perfectly, but you can use the same amount of your favorite chocolate chips including dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.

Equipment Needed

You will also need the following kitchen tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat on low until incorporated.
Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add dry ingredient to wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.
Add chocolate chips. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop cookies. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Use your hands to roll it into a ball. Line a couple large half sheet baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the cookie balls onto the lined baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (you can fit 8 on a large cookie sheet).
Bake. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until edges just start to brown. Do not overbake. The cookies may not look done in the middle, but they will continue to cook as they are cooling.

Cool. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully press in some extra chocolate chips into the top of the cookies (if desired), and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Serve

Nothing is better than a warm freshly baked double chocolate chip cookie with a cup of fresh milk. Some other drinks to pair with these cookies are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Intensify the flavor. Kick things up another notch by browning (and then cooling) the butter first, then add a few crystals of large-flake salt on top for some seriously impressive, bakery-caliber chocolate cookies. Your friends will beg you for the recipe!
Add nuts. For a nutty twist, fold in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts. They add flavor as well as a delicious crunch.
Prepare the dough ahead. Frozen cookie dough keeps for months and keeping a cache of ready-to-bake balls of dough on hand will make your baking life easier, especially during the busy holiday season.
Set cold ingredients out ahead of time. Bringing all the ingredients up to room temperature will give you the best cookies (and is crucial especially when it comes to creaming the butter and sugars properly). Eggs and butter can be set out around an hour before you start to prepare the dough so they have time to slowly warm up to room temperature.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Keep leftover double chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also store them in the fridge for up to one month, but they will lose some of their chewiness over time. To add the moisture back in, reheat the cookies in the microwave.

How to Freeze

Double chocolate chip cookies freeze really well. To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Storing Cookie Dough

How to store cookie dough: Store the cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to bake, roll into balls and bake as directed in the recipe.
How to freeze cookie dough: To freeze double chocolate chip cookie dough before baking, scoop out the cookie balls and place on the lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze for 1 hour until hard. Then, transfer the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
How to bake frozen cookie dough: To bake, thaw the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator overnight. Then, bake according to recipe instructions. You may need to add a couple minutes to the bake time to account for the cooler dough.

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Turkey Enchiladas

Turkey Enchiladas are a cheesy, filling, and comforting meal that is quick and easy to make. Made with a handful of ingredients including leftover turkey, enchilada sauce, flour tortillas, and melty cheese, this oven-baked meal is a lot easier to make than you think!

Whether you're trying to use up holiday leftovers or whip up a satisfying dinner in a limited amount of time, these baked enchiladas are the perfect choice. Plus, picky eaters love them too so it's the perfect meal to make for the whole family.

Turkey Enchiladas are a cheesy, filling, and comforting meal that is quick and easy to make using a handful of ingredients including leftover turkey. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love the Turkey Enchiladas

A great way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey. If you're hosting this year, you may get saddled with a lot of leftover roasted turkey. These enchiladas with leftover turkey help you repurpose those leftovers into a creative and tasty new way. See all our leftover turkey recipes.
Ready in less than an hour. You can have a full meal in just 40 minutes with these leftover turkey enchiladas, and most of that time is passive baking time! You can quickly whip up sides and clean up while they're baking for a fast and efficient meal. Just mix up the filling, assemble, bake, and enjoy.
They're healthier than fried enchiladas. Because the turkey enchiladas get baked, they don't require the same amount of oil that typical pan-fried enchiladas do, making them lower in fat and calories than the fried versions.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious leftover Turkey Enchiladas, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

red enchilada sauce - if you prefer green enchilada sauce, you can use it in place of the red sauce at a 1:1 ratio. If you like to make yours from scratch, you can do that as well! We made a batch of our homemade red enchilada sauce in just minutes.
cooked turkey breast - you can also use thigh meat if you have a ton left over, but the texture will be slightly different.
black beans - black beans are classic in many enchilada recipes, but pinto beans would also be an acceptable substitute.
marble cheddar - sub for Monterey Jack , mozzarella, or your favorite shredded cheese, if desired. Any cheese that melts well will work.
cilantro - if you don't like cilantro, feel free to omit it or use your favorite soft herbs in its place.
flour tortillas - flour tortillas will be the most flexible and easy to work with, but you can use corn tortillas instead. Warming them up before filling them will help prevent them from crumbling and breaking.
toppings - we added sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice, but toppings are completely optional. Many people like to use greek yogurt as a high-protein alternative to sour cream. You could also add avocado, green onions, or guacamole.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a 9x13 casserole pan.

How to Make the Best Turkey Enchiladas

Make turkey filling. In a large mixing bowl, add shredded turkey, beans, 1 cup of cheese, cilantro, and ¼ cup enchilada sauce. Mix well until evenly combined.

Roll up the enchiladas. Add approximately ⅓ cup of the turkey mixture across the centre of each tortilla, and carefully roll them up.

Assemble:
- Spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce into a 9x13-inch casserole pan.
- Arrange the rolled enchiladas in the baking pan with the seam side down.
- Spread the remaining enchilada sauce evenly on top and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 8-10 minutes until the melted cheese turns golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Serve. Serve warm with sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime juice, if desired.

How to Serve

Turkey Enchiladas are delicious served on its own, or with beans and rice or on a bed of greens. We like to pair it with some of my favorite Mexican-inspired sides including:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Add them to your freezer stash. These make a great freezer meal. If you don't want to eat them right way, prep them as directed in a freezer-safe casserole pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. And instead of baking in the oven, put it in the freezer. Once you're ready to bake, preheat the oven as normal and increase the baking time to get perfectly-cooked enchiladas.
Top with your favorite garnishes. Sliced avocado, green onions, fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, cilantro, and a finishing squeeze of lime juice take these already-tasty turkey enchiladas to the next level.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once the enchiladas have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze

Place leftover turkey enchiladas in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the enchiladas to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat

You can reheat enchiladas in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.

Reheat in the microwave: Cover the top, but allow the air to escape in they are in a container. Reheat in 20-second increments until hot.
Reheat in the oven or air fryer: Reheat turkey enchiladas in the oven at 350F for 15 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes until hot.

More Leftover Turkey Recipes

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White Bean Soup with Kale

White Bean Soup with Kale is a healthy one-pot dish that is super flavorful and easy to make! Enjoy tender, protein-packed white beans and vitamin-rich kale in a creamy, perfectly spiced broth in just 30 minutes using simple, good-for-you ingredients.

If you are looking for a comforting fall recipe brimming with beautiful flavors and hearty goodness, then this Mediterranean white bean and kale soup ticks all the right boxes! Made with select veggies and spices to create a nutritious soup with just the right amount of warmth and zing that will have even the pickiest eater beg for more. Serve it with slices of Homemade Sourdough Bread or Ciabatta Rolls to mop up all the creamy goodness until the last drop!

Why You'll love this White Bean Soup with Kale

It is a nutrition powerhouse! White beans are one of the best sources of plant protein and are also rich in fiber and antioxidants. While kale is known to be one of the most nutrient-dense cruciferous vegetables out there. It is rich in vitamins A, K, and C, as well as minerals like calcium and magnesium. You'll get all these in your system in a form of a delicious soup!
It is a dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-calorie dish. This recipe does not need dairy to be creamy! We mashed half of the bean mixture to give the Mediterranean white bean soup a rich and thick texture. This also makes the dish a good low-calorie option for those looking to maintain a healthy weight. It's vegetarian too if you choose to make it with vegetable broth.
An easy and simple comfort food. You only need one pot, a few wholesome ingredients, and 30 minutes to get this yummy white bean soup with kale on the table. All you have to do is to sauté, season, boil, and mash! We even used canned white beans to reduce the cooking time. It is perfect for hectic weeknights - quick yet filling!
The perfect addition to your meal prep rotation. You can easily make it ahead of time and store portions in the fridge ready for reheating when you need them! This is also a freezer-friendly dish, so you can make a huge batch to last for months!
It is also versatile! This recipe can be modified to fit your preferences. Feel free to add other veggies, spices, and herbs to your liking.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Mediterranean White Bean Soup with Kale, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

vegetable oil - you can also use other neutral-tasting oils like avocado, canola, sunflower, or coconut oil.
veggies - onion, carrots, and celery make the savory base of the soup! This trio of aromatics is a common starter when cooking Western soups and stews.
garlic - we recommend freshly minced garlic for the best flavor, but for convenience, free free to substitute the 2 cloves with 2 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic.
Italian seasoning - usually a mix of dried basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, and marjoram. You can also use the herbs and spices separately if you prefer.
chili powder - adds a pinch of heat that makes the soup even more appetizing! You can use paprika powder or rep pepper flakes as alternatives.
white cannellini beans - canned, drained, and rinsed before use. They have a slight nutty taste and turn soft and creamy when cooked. If you do not have this, you can also use Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans.
chicken broth - gives the soup more layers of flavor that you won't get with just water. You can also use vegetable stock as a lighter option, or try our homemade, collagen-rich Bone Broth if you prefer.
kale - use any variety of kale that you want. A great option is Lacinato kale because they are the most nutritious and have tender leaves. Or you can use the common curly kale found in the market.
salt and pepper (to taste)

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, and a large cooking pot (we used our 5.5 quart Dutch oven).

How to Cook the Best White Bean Soup with Kale

Sauté veggies. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high until sizzling hot, about 1-2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Stir well and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and chili powder until well combined.
Add beans and simmer. Add white beans and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Puree. Turn off the heat. Use a handheld immersion blender to mash half the bean mixture. This makes the soup thicker and creamier. You can also add half of the soup mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add kale. Stir in kale until wilted, about 1 minute.
Season. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

Recipe Variations

As good as this recipe is as it is, you can make some modifications and make it your own! Here are some add-ons and variation ideas that you can try:

Add more veggies. If you want to make this dish heartier and more filling, potatoes are the way to go. You can use Yukon gold or russet for this recipe (along with a bit more broth). Aside from that, you can also add spinach, leeks, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
Lemon juice. A squeeze of lemon juice will instantly brighten the soup and give it a zesty freshness.
Grated cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top before serving for a more savory and cheesy finish.
Make it meaty. Though beans are rich in proteins, you can still bump it up by adding meat like bacon, sausage, or chicken strips.

How to Serve White Bean Soup with Kale

Serve this Mediterranean soup steaming hot on a frosty day to warm your bellies right up! It is perfect with crusty bread, soft rolls, biscuits, sandwiches, or fresh salad on the side. Try some of our favorites:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make it chunky! If you like an even chunkier version of this soup, you can skip the blending part and use a spatula to break the beans down instead. Or just blend on low until you are satisfied with the consistency.
Get the perfect consistency. If your soup becomes too thick, add more broth or water to give it a silkier texture. If you accidentally added too much broth and made it watery, keep simmering to allow the excess water to evaporate, or add a splash of cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
Make it kid-friendly. The chili powder adds a very subtle flavor, but leave it out to let the kids and picky eaters enjoy this recipe.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Absolutely! Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it 100% plant-based.

I have dried white beans, can I use these instead?

Yes, if that is what you have. You will need ¾ cup of dried beans instead. Make sure to soak them in water overnight (at least 8 hours) before using them. Then, drain the beans and add to a pot of boiling water and cook until they are tender, about 25-45 minutes.

Do I need to massage the kale leaves in oil before cooking them?

This is only applicable if you are eating it raw, so no, you do not have to. They will soften and wilt when added to the hot soup.

Can I use kale stems?

We prefer not to because they are fibrous and tough and usually require longer cook time to become edible.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer leftover cannellini bean soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

How to Freeze

Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the leftover bean soup to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend portioning them out before freezing to easily reheat the exact amount you want. Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat

Reheat in a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the soup has thickened too much when stored. You can also reheat this soup in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. Cover with a microwave-safe lid leaving a slight gap (vent). Heat in 30-60 second increments until warmed through.

More Soup Recipes

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Cranberry Meatballs

Cranberry Meatballs are sticky, sweet, and tangy. These delicious bites are the perfect appy to serve for the holidays, or a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce after a holiday dinner. Whenever you decide to serve it, your family and friends will rave about them all year round!

Plus, cranberry sauce meatballs are quick and easy to make with baked meatballs made from scratch (or easily substitute with pre-cooked meatballs!) that are tossed into a simple cranberry sauce based glaze. It's delicious and flavorful with the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Cranberry Meatballs are sticky, sweet and tangy. These delicious bites are the perfect holiday appetizer, or a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Cranberry Meatballs

Quick and easy to make. These meatballs with cranberry sauce aren't as complicated as they sound. This recipe takes just 40 minutes to make (20 minutes of which are spent in the oven). And if you decide to use frozen pre-cooked meatballs, then you can prepare these meatballs in half the time.
A delicious way to use leftover cranberry sauce. We love finding new and creative ways to use up leftover cranberry sauce from a big holiday meal. So don't throw away that cranberry sauce! You can repurpose it into something new in these cranberry meatballs. See our most popular Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes for more inspo.
Perfect as a holiday appetizer. Not only are these meatballs great to make the day after the holidays, you can serve them on the holidays as an appy. The cranberry sauce really dresses up the meatballs with festive winter flavors perfect the upcoming winter holidays. Serve it on Thanksgiving or Christmas - it's a classic party hit every time.
Great for meal prep. These holiday meatballs are also great for meal prep. Portion them out into meal prep containers, along with mashed potatoes (or rice) and veggies which will last for 3-4 days. That means you have weekday meals for the whole week just from this one recipe.
Great for carry-ins and parties! 'Tis the season for workplace parties and Friendsgivings! These leftover cranberry sauce meatballs may become your go-to. Keep the ingredients on hand and whip up a batch whenever you need something simple-yet-satisfying to impress friends and colleagues during the holiday season.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy and delicious Cranberry Meatballs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

ground beef - if you don't eat red meat, you can swap the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
onion
garlic - you can use pre-minced garlic if you don't have time to freshly mince some. Use 1 teaspoon of minced garlic for this recipe.
breadcrumbs - toasted almond flour or a gluten-free breadcrumb blend works for those who have gluten intolerance or allergy.
parmesan cheese - a similar cheese like Pecorino Romano or asiago can be substituted for the parmesan. If you're lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy, then a parmesan-style vegan cheese alternative or nutritional yeast will work in its place instead.
Worcestershire sauce - if you're out of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or coconut aminos will do the trick in a pinch.
egg - you can use one tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water as a binder in the meatballs instead of egg.
cranberry sauce - you can use a store-bought sauce or a homemade version - either works! We love using our Easy Cranberry Sauce, made in minutes with just a handful of ingredients. Plus, it stores well in the fridge and months in the freezer.
tomato paste - feel free to substitute with ketchup.
honey - maple syrup, agave, or simple syrup can be used instead at a 1:1 ratio.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, half sheet baking pan (if baking the meatballs), and large skillet (we used our cast-iron skillet).

How to Make the Best Cranberry Meatballs

Make meatball mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Shape meatballs. Take 2 spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time and use your hands to roll into meatballs (I recommend using disposable gloves for easy clean up).
Bake. Transfer the meatballs to a parchment paper lined half sheet baking pan. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until fully cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F, as read on a meat thermometer. Set aside on a plate.

How to Cook Meatballs in the Air Fryer or Deep Fryer

In the air fryer: Cook meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer at 350F for 12-14 minutes. shaking the basket halfway through to promote even browning. You will have to cook in multiple batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
In the deep fryer: Cook meatballs in a deep fryer or a deep cooking pot or skillet with high sides. Add cooking oil to fill up the pot with 1-2 inches of oil (enough to submerge the meatballs). Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 300F. Use a slotted spoon to add the meatballs in. Deep fry for 5-7 minutes until cooked.

Make sauce. While the meatballs are baking, add cranberry sauce, tomato paste, honey, and salt in a large skillet. Stir to combine and heat over low heat until smooth and warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.
Toss in meatballs. Add the cooked meatballs to the skillet and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Cranberry Meatballs are delicious served on their own as an appetizer, or paired with some sides for a complete meal. Try it with:

Mashed potatoes: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Mashed Red Potatoes.
Rice: Steamed Rice or Coconut Rice.
Bread: Ciabatta Rolls, French Baguettes, or Potato Dinner Rolls.
Vegetables: Crispy Leaf Potatoes, Mashed Cauliflower, or Mashed Butternut Squash.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead of time for easy party prep. Looking for a way to make it even easier on yourself? Prepare the sauce and the meatballs separately a day or two before you plan to serve them and refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Then, just toss together and warm up before ready to serve.
Use frozen meatballs. You can save even more time by making these with frozen pre-cooked meatballs. Then, all you really have to do is make the sauce and toss in the thawed frozen meatballs. Toss to coat and cook until warm.
Taste test ahead of time. Every experienced meatball-maker knows this simple trick to figuring out if you've seasoned your meatballs well before you cook the entire batch: fry off a forkful of the meatball mixture and taste it. Then, adjust the seasoning as necessary, fry and try again, and repeat until you get the exact balance you're looking for.
Use a small dough scoop for uniform meatballs. This trick reduces the amount of mess and ensures that the meatballs are all exactly the same size, which helps them cook evenly at the same rate.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Place leftover cranberry sauce meatballs in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days.

How to Freeze

Freeze leftover meatballs (once cooled to room temperature) in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. I would recommend separating the meatballs into individual serving sizes or family servings and freeze in freezer bags. This way, you can easily defrost the exact portion that you want. When ready to eat, defrost the meatballs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat

Reheat meatballs in a shallow saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may need to add a little water if the sauce thickened up too much in the refrigerator. You can also reheat in the microwave until warm.

More Meatball Recipes

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Oven Roasted Vegetables

Oven Roasted Vegetables are a delicious and flavorful side dish that goes well with almost any dinner main. It's a vegetable medley packed with our favorite veggies including broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes. Plus, this easy sheet recipe can be customized with whatever veggies you have on hand.

If you are wondering how to cook vegetables in the oven, then you will be pleasantly surprised on how easy it is. Simply chop, season, toss, and pop into the oven. That's all it takes as the oven does most of the cooking.

Oven Roasted Vegetables are a delicious flavorful side dish that goes well with almost any dinner main. Customize it with whatever veggies you have on hand. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Oven Roasted Vegetables

Veggies have never tasted so good. This roasted vegetable medley is seasoned with just a few ingredients that bring out the natural flavors of the veggies and make them taste so good. Plus, roasting them enhances their flavours even more. You'll be pleasantly surprised when even the picky eaters ask for seconds.
Quick and easy to make. These oven roasted vegetables are so easy to prepare, especially if you use pre-cut veggies. You will spend most of your prep time cutting up the veggies, then throw everything into a sheet pan, season, toss, and roast. It's that simple.
They have the best texture. The vegetables in these sheet pan veggies are crisp on the edges, yet soft and tender inside. Plus, you can get them even more crisp by turning on the broiler for a few minutes.
Serve it all year long. Oven roasted vegetables are a great side dish to serve during the holidays, but they are our go-to side to serve with dinners all year round. We simply switch up the veggies for what's in season or with whatever we have on hand.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Oven Roasted Vegetables, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

brussels sprouts - if you don't have brussels sprouts on hand, you can substitute them for roughly chopped cabbage. It will be similar in flavor but you may have to adjust cooking time to make sure you don't overcook the cabbage.
red onion - we like using red onions because of the flavor and the beautiful color they add to this vegetable medley. Feel free to substitute with white or yellow onions.
carrots
bell peppers - you can use bell peppers of any color. We used yellow and orange bell peppers.
broccoli florets - or substitute with cauliflower florets
yellow potatoes
olive oil - you can also use coconut oil or avocado oil.
balsamic vinegar - you can also use red wine vinegar for a similar flavor.
Italian seasoning - feel free to substitute with other dried herbs for a different flavor profile such as dried oregano, thyme, or dill.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a half sheet baking pan.

How to Make the Best Oven Roasted Vegetables

Prep vegetables. Wash the veggies, remove any seeds, and chop them up into similar sized pieces (1-inch pieces)
Season vegetables. In a large mixing bowl, add all the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Toss to combine with a spatula until evenly coated.
Bake. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Roast in 400F preheated oven for 40 minutes until tender.
Serve. Serve warm.

How to Serve

These Oven Roasted Vegetables are a classic side dish that goes with almost anything, and can be served all year round. Some of our favorite dinner entrees to serve with these veggies are:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover oven roasted vegetables in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 425F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until warm and crisp, or in the air fryer at 400F for 10 minutes until warm.

How to Freeze

Spread leftover vegetable medley on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then transfer the frozen veggies to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat them straight out of the freezer (no need to thaw them first) by sautéing until heated through and crisped up. You can also reheat them in a 450℉ preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 400F for 10-15 minutes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Prep the vegetables ahead of time. The most time consuming part of this recipe is cutting up the veggies. Save yourself a bit of prep work before dinner by cutting the vegetables a day or two beforehand. You can store them separately or together in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then, just use them as directed in the recipe.
Customize the veggies. Use this recipe with any combination of vegetables that you want. Make sure to cut them in similar sizes (about 1 inch). You also want to pick veggies with a similar cook time so that they cook evenly.
Crisp them up more. If you would like it the sheet pan vegetables to be a little more crispier and charred, place the sheet pan under the broiler for a couple minutes. But keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn fast in there.
Repurpose the leftovers. Leftover roasted vegetable medley make a great addition to omelets, salads, soups and stocks, and quiches. Use them in our Vegetable Frittata or Thanksgiving Salad.

More Roasted Vegetable Recipes

Tried this recipe?

50 Friendsgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is all about celebrating with food, laughter, and family. But, some of us don't live close to home anymore or don't have family nearby to celebrate with. Thankfully, we can still celebrate all the things that we love about Thanksgiving with our loved ones - our friends. If you are hosting Friendsgiving this year (aka Thanksgiving with friends) and are wondering, "what to make for Friendsgiving", we have got you covered with over 50 of our best and most popular Friendsgiving recipes.

We are sharing our top recommendations for classic Thanksgiving main courses, soups, salads, sides, and dessert, with all the nostalgic classics because we need all the holiday feels when it comes to Friendsgiving. Plus, we have lots of ideas on what you can do with those leftovers.

Over 50 Friendsgiving recipes for hosting Thanksgiving with friends, with all the nostalgic classics including mains, soup, salads, sides, and dessert. | aheadofthyme.com

Best Friendsgiving Recipes

First, pick your main course dish.

Whole Turkey

Make Thanksgiving easier with the best and juiciest roast turkey ever! It cooks faster and requires NO brining! | aheadofthyme.com

Asian five-spice roast turkey is tender and juicy, marinated with a delicious flavourful Asian rub and has a crispy brown skin. The perfect holiday dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Juicy Roast Turkey. Make Thanksgiving easier with the best and juiciest roast turkey ever! It cooks faster and requires NO brining!
Asian Five-Spice Roast Turkey. Asian five-spice roast turkey is tender and juicy, marinated with a delicious flavourful Asian rub and has a crispy brown skin. The perfect holiday dinner.
Instant Pot Whole Turkey. Instant pot whole turkey is a tender, juicy, and delicious holiday main. Ready in under 2 hours, it's the fastest and easiest way to cook a whole turkey!

Turkey Breast for small gatherings

Easy juicy roasted turkey breast is the PERFECT holiday dinner, minus the headache...tender meat, crispy skin, and a layer of roasted onions. | aheadofthyme.com

Instant pot turkey breast is the most tender and juicy turkey you'll ever try. It's so easy to make in the pressure cooker and requires little prep. | aheadofthyme.com

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast. Easy juicy roasted turkey breast is the PERFECT holiday dinner, minus the headache…tender meat, crispy skin, and a layer of roasted onions.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast. Instant pot turkey breast is the most tender and juicy turkey you'll ever try. It's so easy to make in the pressure cooker and requires little prep.
Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner. This Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner is the easiest way to serve a small turkey dinner with sides. Ready in just an hour and half, this will change your life! One of our favorite friendsgiving recipes.

Turkey Roast for small gatherings

Instant pot turkey roast with homemade gravy is easy to prepare in minutes, the fastest way to cook turkey, and delivers flavorful, juicy, tender turkey. | aheadofthyme.com

Tender juicy Asian sesame soy turkey roast is a creative take on a holiday classic, packed with sweet, salty, and savoury umami flavours in every bite. | aheadofthyme.com

Instant Pot Turkey Roast. Instant pot turkey roast with homemade gravy is easy to prepare in minutes, the fastest way to cook turkey, and delivers flavorful, juicy, tender turkey.
Asian Sesame Soy Turkey Roast. Tender juicy Asian sesame soy turkey roast is a creative take on a holiday classic, packed with sweet, salty, and savoury umami flavours in every bite.

Whole Chicken

Instant Pot Whole Chicken. Instant pot whole chicken with gravy is tender, juicy, and flavorful. It's the fastest way to cook a whole rotisserie chicken for dinner in just 40 minutes.
Pesto Whole Chicken. Pesto whole chicken baked over a bed of vegetables is the juiciest and most flavorful chicken you'll ever taste. Quick and easy to prep and pop in the oven.
Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken. Easy Dutch oven whole roast chicken with the crispiest golden skin is juicy, tender and succulent and packed with flavour. Just takes 15 minutes to prep.

Vegetarian Mains

Healthy hearty and wholesome stuffed butternut squash with wild rice and mushrooms is an easy cozy vegetarian fall dinner or side. The best comfort food. | aheadofthyme.com

Butternut squash lasagna is a delicious, warm and cozy vegetarian lasagna to make this fall when the your family is craving major comfort food this fall. | aheadofthyme.com

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice. Healthy hearty and wholesome stuffed butternut squash with wild rice and mushrooms is an easy cozy vegetarian fall dinner or side. The best comfort food. One of our favorite friendsgiving recipes for vegetarians.
Butternut Squash Lasagna. Butternut squash lasagna is a delicious, warm and cozy vegetarian lasagna to make this fall when the your family is craving major comfort food this fall.
Curried Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash. Wholesome, hearty, curried chickpea stuffed acorn squash with curry flavours is the perfect vegan and gluten-free fall comfort food for your holiday dinner.

More Thanksgiving Mains

For more Thanksgiving mains that are not just turkey or poultry, see our 25 Best Thanksgiving Main Dishes.

Next, pick the first course.

Friendsgiving Soup

Instant pot butternut squash soup is the perfect fall dish to cook in your pressure cooker - warm, cozy, comforting, and creamy. Make in 15 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is smooth and velvety, packed with veggies, and loaded with fall flavor. Serve for a cozy lunch, dinner, or on Thanksgiving. | aheadofthyme.com

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. This easy, delicious, vegan roasted butternut squash soup sums up the taste of the holidays in one spoon. Rosemary, sage and thyme, need I say more?
Acorn Squash Soup. Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is smooth and velvety, packed with veggies, and loaded with fall flavor. Serve for a cozy lunch, dinner, or on Thanksgiving.
Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Soup. Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Soup is creamy and healthy. This vegetarian soup is ready in 45 minutes with a handful of wholesome ingredients and a few steps.

Friendsgiving Salad

Fall harvest salad with roasted butternut squash and apple is the only salad recipe you need this fall or winter. It's healthy, wholesome, and nourishing. | aheadofthyme.com

This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is easy to make, ready in under an hour, delicious, and loaded with health benefits. It's the perfect fall salad. | aheadofthyme.com

Fall Harvest Salad. Fall harvest salad with roasted butternut squash and apple is the only salad recipe you need this fall or winter. It's healthy, wholesome, and nourishing.
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad. This Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is easy to make, ready in under an hour, delicious, and loaded with health benefits. It's the perfect fall salad.
Apple Arugula Salad. Arugula salad with apple and pecan is a quick and easy fall salad made with fresh seasonal ingredients in just minutes. Perfect Friendsgiving recipe for a holiday dinner table.

More Thanksgiving Soup and Salads

For more Thanksgiving soups, see our 20 Thanksgiving Soup Recipes.

For more Thanksgiving salads, see our 15 Thanksgiving Salad Recipes.

Then, pick the sides.

Pick 2-4 sides for a small Thanksgiving gathering. Pick more depending on the number of people that are attending your Friendsgiving dinner.

Stuffing

Cranberry walnut bread paired with sautéed apples, onions and rosemary is exactly what your holiday table needs! Hello cranberry walnut apple stuffing! | aheadofthyme.com

Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing. Easy vegetarian cornbread stuffing is the perfect make-ahead side dish to serve this Thanksgiving. So flavourful, moist and soft, yet crispy golden on top.
Cranberry Walnut Apple Stuffing. Cranberry walnut bread paired with sautéed apples, onions and rosemary is exactly what your holiday table needs! Hello cranberry walnut apple stuffing!

Sauces

Take the stress out of the holidays and prepare easy make-ahead cranberry sauce days before Thanksgiving dinner in 15 minutes with just 3 ingredients. | aheadofthyme.com

Cranberry Sauce. Take the stress out of the holidays and prepare easy make-ahead cranberry sauce days before Thanksgiving dinner in 15 minutes with just 3 ingredients.
Classic Turkey Gravy. Thanksgiving is not the same without thick and delicious, classic homemade turkey gravy made using leftover drippings and homemade turkey stock.
Mushroom Gravy. Vegetarian mushroom gravy is creamy, savory and thick, easy to make, loaded with flavor, and pairs well with everything! Make it vegan and dairy-free too. Perfect for a vegetarian friendsgiving.

Mashed Potatoes

The Best Creamiest Mashed Potatoes. Creamy, buttery, and delicious, this is the best and creamiest mashed potatoes recipe you will ever find. It's velvety, smooth, and melts in your mouth.
Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes. Mascarpone mashed potatoes are creamy, smooth, and comforting. Classic mashed potatoes are given a twist resulting in a super silky and rich mash.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Instant pot mashed potatoes are the quickest and easiest mashed potatoes you'll make in under 20 minutes (including prep!) in the pressure cooker.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream. Velvety and smooth, garlic mashed potatoes with sour cream are the best, flavourful make-ahead side dish ever. Garlicky, buttery, creamy, and pure comfort.

Brussels Sprouts

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts are a quick and easy side dish made with just 5 ingredients and ready to serve in only 15 minutes. They're vegan and keto too.
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Brussels Sprouts with Bacon is a quick and easy side dish with the best flavor and texture. The best part? This holiday side is ready in under 15 minutes.
Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake. Delicious, garlicky, cheesy and creamy brussels sprouts bake is the ultimate comfort food side dish. So flavourful and the best way to eat brussels sprouts.

Squash

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash. Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash are a quick, easy, flavorful, and delicious Thanksgiving side dish that you need this holiday season.
Mashed Butternut Squash. Mashed butternut squash is the perfect side dish for fall - creamy, smooth, and delicious, with the perfect balance between sweet and savory fall flavors.
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash. Maple Roasted Acorn Squash is savory and sweet, with its flavor intensified when tossed and roasted in a homemade maple glaze with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Roasted Butternut Squash. Roasted butternut squash is the easiest vegan side dish you need this fall. It has a ton of flavour with just a few simple pantry staples.

Green Beans

Green Bean Casserole. This green bean casserole is a classic holiday side dish packed with fresh green beans in a delicious creamy mushroom sauce, and topped with crispy fried onions. A classic side dish makes for a perfect Friendsgiving recipe.
Green Beans Almondine. Green Beans Almondine is buttery, garlicky, and nutty. This classic French side dish is quick and easy to make, and loaded with flavor and texture. | aheadofthyme.com
Sautéed Garlic Green Beans. Buttery sautéed garlic green beans is a simple side dish that is quick, easy and delicious. Make these vibrant, crispy and tender green beans in 10 minutes.

Corn

Creamed Corn. Homemade Creamed Corn is creamy, delicious, and simple. It's quick and easy to make at home and so much better than store-bought canned creamed corn.
Corn Casserole. Creamy corn casserole is a comforting side dish that is creamy, savory, slightly sweet, and filling - a classic and traditional Thanksgiving holiday side.
Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob. Oven-roasted corn on the cob with homemade garlic butter is buttery, juicy, crunchy, and perfectly charred on the outside - without a grill.

Other Vegetables

Creamed spinach is a rich, creamy, and delicious side dish to make this fall. Easy to make ahead and reheats well - perfect for Thanksgiving holiday dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Creamed Spinach. Creamed spinach is a rich, creamy, and delicious side dish to make this fall. Easy to make ahead and reheats well - perfect for Thanksgiving holiday dinner.
Oven Roasted Vegetables. Oven Roasted Vegetables are a delicious flavorful side dish that goes well with almost any dinner main. Customize it with whatever veggies you have on hand.
Mashed Cauliflower. Mashed Cauliflower is a fluffy and buttery side dish and a low carb, keto-friendly alternative to mashed potatoes. Plus, it's easier and quicker too!

Mac and Cheese

White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. Quick and easy, creamy stovetop mac and cheese with white cheddar is a delicious and comforting one pot 20-minute meal packed with three types of cheese.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. Butternut squash mac and cheese is a flavorful and delicious fall twist on a classic, with a rich and creamy sauce that is secretly loaded with veggies.
Baked Mac and Cheese. Classic baked mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food - creamy, cheesy, and cozy, topped with a crunchy breadcrumb topping. It's quick and easy too.

Bread

Potato Dinner Rolls are soft, light, and fluffy. These quick and easy dinner rolls are loaded with leftover mashed potatoes and simple pantry staples. | aheadofthyme.com

Pumpkin Cornbread. Pumpkin Cornbread is a sweet and savory side dish loaded with real pumpkin, and is moist, fluffy, and crumbly with crisp edges.
Potato Dinner Rolls. Potato Dinner Rolls are soft, light, and fluffy. These quick and easy dinner rolls are loaded with leftover mashed potatoes and simple pantry staples.
Garlic Cheddar Biscuits. Flaky Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes prep.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

For more Thanksgiving side dishes, see our 50 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

Finally, end the meal with dessert.

Pie

Old-fashioned pecan pie is a classic fall dessert with a homemade pie crust and sweet custard filling loaded with crunchy pecans - perfect for Thanksgiving. | aheadofthyme.com

Thanksgiving just isn't the same without a slice of classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with flaky crust, smooth pumpkin filling, and topped with whipped cream and pecans. | aheadofthyme.com

Pecan Pie. Old-fashioned pecan pie is a classic fall dessert with a homemade pie crust and sweet custard filling loaded with crunchy pecans - perfect for Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Pie. Thanksgiving just isn't the same without a slice of classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with flaky crust, smooth pumpkin filling, and topped with whipped cream and pecans.
Apple Pie. This braided lattice apple pie is packed with cinnamon apples tossed in a caramel sauce and sealed in a buttery, flaky pie crust with a braided lattice top.

Pumpkin Desserts

Pumpkin bread is fluffy, moist, and delicious. This classic fall loaf cake is loaded with real pumpkin and seasonal spices like cinnamon and ginger. | aheadofthyme.com

This rich, creamy pumpkin mousse is a fall dessert favorite. It's beginner-friendly, no bake, and easy to whip up in 15 minutes before ready to chill. | aheadofthyme.com

Pumpkin Bread. This pumpkin bread is fluffy, moist, and delicious. This classic fall loaf cake is loaded with real pumpkin and seasonal spices like cinnamon and ginger.
Pumpkin Mousse. This rich, creamy pumpkin mousse is a fall dessert favorite. It's beginner-friendly, no bake, and easy to whip up in 15 minutes before ready to chill.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake. Pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese icing is a perfect fall dessert to serve this year - super moist inside, with a perfect golden brown crumby crust.

Apple Desserts

Baked Apples are soft, warm, and tender, with a crunchy sweet cinnamon oat filling. This cozy and comforting fall dessert is quick easy to make too. | aheadofthyme.com

Apple crisp with tender cinnamon-sugar apples and crispy oat topping is sweet, tart, and just as delicious as an apple pie but takes a lot less effort. | aheadofthyme.com

Baked Apples. Baked Apples are soft, warm, and tender, with a crunchy sweet cinnamon oat filling. This cozy and comforting fall dessert is quick easy to make too.
Apple Crisp. This apple crisp with tender cinnamon-sugar apples and crispy oat topping is sweet, tart, and just as delicious as an apple pie but takes a lot less effort.
Apple Cake. Easy Apple Cake has a dense and moist crumb and is loaded with fresh apples, cinnamon sugar, and nuts. It's quick, easy, and ready to eat in under an hour.

More Thanksgiving Desserts

For more Thanksgiving desserts, see our 25 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes.

Tips for Planning the Best Thanksgiving Dinner for Friends

Plan your menu ahead of time. You can prepare some of these Thanksgiving dishes in advance. Some can be frozen and reheated from frozen, others can be made and stored in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, according to recipe directions.
- The turkey should be made fresh on the day of serving.
- Some sides should be made fresh on the day of serving, but many can be prepared in advance, stored in the refrigerator and reheated. Some easy make ahead sides are easy make ahead cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and creamy garlic mashed cauliflower.
- All soup can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Salads can be prepared in advance (chopping vegetables and mixing the dressing ingredients together), and assembled before serving.
- Most dessert can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator . Some can even be made weeks in advance, frozen, and reheated in the oven.
You can mix homemade and storebought. There is nothing wrong with getting some help by incorporating storebought items into your menu. If baking a Thanksgiving dessert is stressing you out, then just pick up a pie from the store instead. Does the sound of peeling and cubing a whole butternut squash for a butternut squash soup sound like too much work? No problem, pick up some pre-cubed butternut squash from the local grocery store.
Prep your ingredients as much as possible. Once you have decided on the dishes to serve, prepare as much as you can in advance. Whether that is chopping vegetables, beating eggs, or preparing salad dressings. You can store all your prepared ingredients in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Set the table the night before. Take out the fancy dinnerware, flatware, glasses, placemats, and napkins and set the table the night before. It's one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Dinner Prep Guide

For more of our best Thanksgiving dinner tips including checklist, see our Thanksgiving Dinner Prep Guide.

Got leftovers?

Don't reheat the same leftovers all week, repurpose them into something new and delicious. We have shared over 25 Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Pasta

Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese

Leftover Stuffing Meatballs

Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi

Mashed Potato Casserole

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Did You Make Any of These Friendsgiving Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of Friendsgiving recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more recipe updates.

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies have it all: a crisp exterior, a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a buttery double chocolate finish. Plus, they hold their shape well (no spreading here!), so you can cut them out into any shape for festive cookies on any holiday.

Made with just 5 common ingredients that you probably already have on hand, you can whip up chocolate shortbread in just over an hour (which includes 40 minutes chill time). These chocolate cookies are perfect to add to your holiday dessert spread.

These Chocolate Shortbread Cookies have it all: a crisp exterior, a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a buttery double chocolate finish. Easy to make too. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Made with real chocolate. No artificial ingredients here! This chocolate shortbread recipe calls for real chocolate drizzled on top, as well as cocoa powder in the dough, making these double-chocolate cookies the perfect treat for chocolate lovers.
They're easy to make. Chocolate shortbread cookies only require five ingredients (or 6 if you decide to drizzle chocolate on top). And although this recipe technically takes over an hour to make, 40 minutes of that is for the dough to chill in the fridge.
The melt-in-your-mouth texture. As soon as you bite into one of these cut out shortbread cookies, they give the perfect crumble before nearly melting in your mouth.
They adapt to any shape. We used our chocolate shortbread dough to make cut out cookies with our favorite cookie cutters, but you can use this chocolate dough for slice and bake style cookies too.
They make great holiday treats. Shortbread is a classic holiday cookie, and the chocolatey twist on this traditional recipe makes them absolutely irresistible. They are perfect for a holiday cookie box.

Ingredient Notes

To make these cut out Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

flour - you can also try using a measure-for-measure gluten- free flour to make these cookies more allergen-friendly.
cocoa powder - the type of cocoa powder you use can make a difference in the way your chocolate cookies taste. Try a Dutch process cocoa powder for the richest flavor.
salt
unsalted butter - using unsalted butter gives you the most control over the flavor of the cookies and prevents them from becoming too salty. If you only have salted butter on hand, you'll have to omit the salt in this recipe. It's also important to make sure the butter comes up to room temperature to get the right texture for the cookie dough - too cold and it won't cream, too warm and it won't hold shape.
confectioners' sugar - confectioners' sugar (or powdered sugar) is what makes the shortbread perfectly light and sweet, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Using granulated sugar would change the texture of the dough, so I recommend sticking with a finely-ground sugar.
semi-sweet chocolate - optional, for drizzling on top.

Baking Tools and Equipment

You will also need the following kitchen tools and equipment:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
rolling pin
3-inch cookie cutters
half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until the just combined, about 30 seconds. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky but you should be able to easily shape the dough into a ball using your hands.

Chill. Use your hands to shape the dough into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Roll out dough. Remove the dough from refrigerator and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is ¼-inch thick.
Cut out cookies. Use Christmas cookie cutters (or other cookie cutters) to cut out different the cookies. Line a large cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Transfer the cookies to the lined cookie sheet, placing them 1-inch apart. Re-roll any scraps and repeat to cut out more cookies.

Chill again. Preheat the oven to 350 F. While the oven is preheating, transfer the cookie sheet into the refrigerator to chill (about 10 minutes).
Bake. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Leave the on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Melt chocolate chocolate. Once cool, melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Drizzle chocolate. Add a drizzle of chocolate over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set, then serve.

Chocolate Shortbread Variations

We love making cut out chocolate shortbread cookies, but there are so many ways that you can customize these cookies:

Add royal icing. Decorate the cut out cookies with our meringue based sugar icing. Find the recipe on our Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing recipe.
Dip in chocolate. We drizzled chocolate over our cookies, but you can easily dip the entire cookie in chocolate or dip it halfway in.
Add nuts. Add ½ cup of of your favorite chopped nuts into the cookie batter when you add in the flour. You can also sprinkle chopped nuts over melted chocolate that is drizzled on top or dipped over the cookies.
Add chocolate chips. You can also add ½ cup of chocolate chops into the dough when you add in the flour.
Make slice and bake cookies. Instead of shaping the dough into a disc, divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 logs, measuring 2-inches in diameter. Then, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Once chilled, use a knife to slice the cookies. See our Pecan Sandies for tips on slice and bake cookies.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once cooled, store chocolate shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If drizzling or dipping in chocolate, allow the chocolate to fully set before stacking and storing.

How to Freeze

Once cooled, arrange the cookies in a single layers in an airtight container, layered in between pieces of parchment paper. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Store and Freeze Cookie Dough

Store chocolate shortbread cookie dough once shaped into a disc and wrapped tightly with cling wrap for up to 3 days in the refrigerator before baking. You can also transfer the wrapped dough to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to one hour so that it becomes soft enough to roll out.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don't skip the chill. Chilling the dough before cooking is essential to making cut out chocolate shortbread that doesn't spread. Make sure the dough gets at least 30 minutes in the fridge before you slice or cut them and bake them. You can even chill the dough overnight for the next day (or two).
Cut up your butter to get it to room temperature faster. Butter not warming up as quickly as you'd like? Cut it up into slices or cubes and set it out! It will save you a few minutes and you can get to soft, warm buttery chocolate shortbread cookies faster.
Upgrade your shortbread cookies. Though these chocolate shortbread cookies are awesome on their own, a little experimentation certainly can't hurt. Many people like to dip their shortbread in white or dark chocolate, add sprinkles, or ice them with your favorite homemade or store bought icing.

More Shortbread Recipes

Tried this recipe?

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins are soft, fluffy, buttery, and moist. Loaded with cranberries and orange in every bite, these muffins are winter's answer to blueberry muffins. They are quick and easy too - taking just 10 minutes of prep work with simple baking staples before you have a batch of delicious cranberry muffins for a week's work of snacks, breakfast-on-the-go, or dessert.

These dried cranberry orange muffins check all the boxes: they're sweet, fruity, filling, and easy to grab on your way out of the house or between holiday errands. Plus, you can make them any time of the year with dried cranberries or make them in season with fresh or frozen cranberries.

Cranberry Orange Muffins are soft, fluffy, buttery, and moist. Loaded with cranberries and orange, they are a delicious snack, breakfast, or dessert. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Cranberry Orange Muffins

A perfect pairing of fruity flavors. Some flavor combinations were just made to be, and cranberry-orange is definitely on that list. The sweet citrus flavor of orange juice and zest balances out the tartness of the cranberries. This flavor combo tastes great year-round, but is especially popular during the holiday season.
Serve for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Muffins transport well and can make a speedy breakfast, a snack on-the-go, or that perfect bite of sweet and tart that you're craving after dinner. They are make ahead and freezer-friendly too. I recommend making a double or triple batch of these cranberry orange muffins and storing in the freezer for a quick snack whenever you are craving it.
Made with real fruit. These muffins are made with real cranberries (can use fresh or dried) and fresh orange juice and orange zest. There are no artificial ingredients or preservatives. Since they're made from scratch, you can control exactly what goes into them.
Quick and easy. Muffins are one of my favorite snacks to make because they are so quick and easy to make. The batter in these dried cranberry muffins comes together in just 10 minutes before they are ready to bake in the oven for another 18-20 minutes. It's the perfect recipe to whip up to satisfy a last-minute craving. If you like these, you'll love our Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, or Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Cranberry Orange Muffins, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cranberries - we use dried cranberries in these muffins but you can easily substitute it with 1.5 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries.
all-purpose flour - swap the regular flour for a gluten free measure-for-measure flour to make gluten free muffins. You may have to adjust the cooking time and experiment with the ingredient ratios to make sure the texture is similar.
baking powder + baking soda
salt
butter - use unsalted butter so the muffins don't turn out overly salty. You could use salted butter but then don't any salt as required in the recipe.
brown sugar - you can use either light or dark brown sugar, depending on your preference.
egg
yogurt - we love using our Homemade Yogurt in our baking recipes. You could also substitute plain yogurt with vanilla yogurt, and omit the vanilla extract in this recipe and add 2 tablespoons less granulated sugar.
orange juice + zest - fresh squeezed orange juice will provide the best, freshest flavor, but an all-natural orange juice can work in a pinch.
vanilla extract - you can swap the vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste at a 1:1 ratio.
pecans - adding pecans is optional, but it adds a delicious crunch and nutty flavor. Feel free to substitute with your favorite nuts such as walnuts or almonds.

Equipment Needed

You will also need the following baking tools:

12-tin muffin pan
cupcake liners
measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
cookie scoop
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Cranberry Orange Muffins

Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. Use a hand mixer (or stand mixer) to cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Then, add yogurt, orange juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined. The batter will be lumpy.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined, and no dry flour particles are visible. Fold in the the cranberries and pecans (if using).

Scoop out batter. Line a 12-tin muffin pan with cupcake liners, or spray with cooking spray. Use a medium to large cookie scoop and divide batter evenly into the liners, filling them all the way to the top.
Bake. Bake in a 400F preheated oven. for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Serve

Cranberry Orange Muffins are delicious served as breakfast, a snack, or dessert. We love including them in a holiday brunch, along with some of our favorite winter brunch recipes including:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Allow the dried cranberry muffins to cool completely and then transfer them to an airtight container or sealed plastic bag along with a dry paper towel. Store them at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days (such as an area of the countertop that doesn't get any direct sunlight). You can store them longer in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How to Reheat

Reheat cold muffins in the microwave, oven, or air fryer at 300F for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Place leftover muffins in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the microwave on the defrost setting or reheat in a 350F preheated oven or air fryer for about 10 minutes until thawed and warmed through. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and serve cold or bring to room temperature.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Turn into mini muffins or muffin bars. Make these cranberry muffins more travel-friendly by making mini muffins instead! Pour the batter into a mini muffin tin and adjust the baking time to around 10-15 minutes. If you don't have a muffin tin, you can make muffin bars by pouring the batter onto a lined baking sheet and baking for about 20 minutes.
How to make jumbo muffins: To make 6 jumbo cranberry orange muffins instead, bake for 22-25 minutes until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Create a crunchy sugar crust. Add a little more texture with the tiniest bit of extra effort. Right before putting the muffins in the oven, lightly sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar over the tops. When they're done, the cranberry muffins will have a sweet, glittery crust.
Try eco-friendly muffin liners. Use compostable or reusable muffin liners as an earth-friendly alternative to traditional muffin liners.

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Classic Shortbread Cookies

These crisp, buttery, classic Shortbread Cookies are just what the holiday season calls for. They're sweet, and so light that they practically dissolve in your mouth. They pair well with hot beverages and can hold their own in holiday cookie boxes.

With just a handful of pantry staples, you can make these Scottish shortbread bars from scratch in less than an hour. As an added bonus, the dough freezes well and you can easily stock up on make-ahead batches for the holidays or everyday snacking.

These sweet, crisp, buttery, classic Shortbread Cookies are so light that they practically dissolve in your mouth. They’re easy to make with 5 ingredients. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Classic Shortbread Cookies

One of the easiest cookies to make. These traditional shortbread cookies only require 5 common ingredients and 15 minutes of active preparation before baking in the oven for a satisfying, sweet, buttery cookie.
They last for weeks. These cookies last up to a week at room temperature and can last for months when frozen. Plus, shortbread cookie dough freezes well too so you can have freshly baked cookies on demand.
They're versatile. The simple shortbread cookie can be (thoroughly) enjoyed on its own, or used as a canvas for other flavors. Once you get the classic shortbread recipe down, you can experiment with different ingredients and cookie shapes.
Enjoy them any time of the year. Classic shortbread is one that's come to be associated with Christmas, though you can make them any time of year. A festive tin of homemade Scottish shortbread makes a great stocking stuffer or exchange gift!

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Classic Shortbread Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butter - use unsalted butter so that the cookies don't turn our overly salty. You also want to make sure that your butter is softened to room temperature or it won't cream and incorporate with the rest of the ingredients correctly.
all-purpose flour - you could make this recipe gluten-free by swapping the wheat flour for a gluten free measure-for-measure flour. You may have to play with the ratios of cornstarch and butter to make sure the texture is similar.
cornstarch - if you're out of cornstarch, potato starch is the next best thing. If you can't get your hands on any, you can substitute with flour and make sure to use confectioners' sugar.
salt - use finely ground salt to ensure it gets evenly distributed throughout the dough.
sugar - feel free to use confectioners' sugar or granulated sugar. Confectioners' sugar will give the most melt-in-your mouth texture.

Baking Tools Needed

You will also need the following kitchen equipment and tools:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
9-inch square baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Classic Shortbread Cookies

Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until combined and the dough starts to clump together. (Be careful not to overmix as this will cause the cookies to be too hard). The dough should be breadcrumb like and not too dry. It should be soft and slightly sticky, and you should be able to easily form it into a ball using your hands.

Pack the dough. Use butter to grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use a spatula (or something with a flat surface) to spread it out evenly and smooth the top.

Cut the dough. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 2 columns, each 4.5-inches wide. Cut the columns crosswise into 8 rows, about 1 to 1.5-inches wide, and making sixteen 4.5-inch bars. You could also cut them into 3 columns and 8 rows to make twenty-four 3-inch cookies.
Prick the dough. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops, inserting the fork about halfway down into the dough.

Bake. Bake in a 325F preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and just starting to brown on the edges. Let the shortbread sit for 5 minutes in the pan, then take a sharp knife and re-cut the cookies along the previous cuts. You an also re-poke with your fork if necessary.

Cool. Carefully remove the cookies and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Shortbread Variations

We love making traditional shortbread cookies, but there are so many ways that you can customize shortbread:

Roll and cut. You can take the dough, form it into a ball, chill, and then roll it out and use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. See our Cut Out Shortbread Cookies for all our tips.
Dip in chocolate. Dip these classic shortbread cookies in melted chocolate or melted chocolate over top.
Add dried fruit. Add ½ cup of of your favorite dried fruit (chopped) into the cookie batter when you add in the flour. See our Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies.
Add nuts. You can also add in ½ cup of of your favorite chopped nuts.
Add chocolate chips. You can also add ½ cup of chocolate chops.
Make slice and bake cookies. Instead of packing the dough into a baking pan, divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 logs, measuring 2-inches in diameter. Then, wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Once chilled, use a knife to slice the cookies. See our Pecan Sandies for tips on slice and bake cookies.

How to Serve

We like to serve Scottish shortbread cookies with a warm drink or a tall glass of milk. Some of my favorite cozy drinks to serve these cookies with are:

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once the shortbread cookies have cooled completely, carefully transfer them to a sealed plastic bag or tupperware lined with parchment paper and store at room temperature for up to 7 days.

How to Freeze

Freeze shortbread squares between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

How to Store and Freeze Cookie Dough

Shape the shortbread cookie dough into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking.

You can also transfer the wrapped dough to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to one hour so that it becomes soft enough to pack into the baking pan.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead and freeze. Double the batch and freeze extra dough or the baked cookies. You'll have cookies ready to eat or bake any time you want! Your future self will thank you.
Repurpose any leftovers. Shortbread cookies can actually be repurposed into a completely new dessert. You can crush them up with a food processor and add a little more sugar, salt, and butter to create a shortbread crust for a pie or layer them with other sweet ingredients to create a trifle or freezer cake.

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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts are a quick and easy side dish made with just 5 ingredients including brussels sprouts, garlic, and lemon. Just sauté and toss everything together and be ready to serve it in only 15 minutes.

These keto brussels sprouts are a must on your dinner table this fall (especially on Thanksgiving). The whole family love them. Plus, it's a versatile vegetable that pairs well with everything - chicken, salmon, beef, pasta, rice, and more!

Why You'll Love These Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Quick and easy to make. These sautéed Brussels sprouts are so quick and easy to make. It has only five ingredients and requires four simple steps. Plus, it's ready to serve in just 15 minutes of prep.
A seasonal side dish. We love to eat seasonally - and get our fair share of brussels sprouts every fall. They're a stress-free side dish that are perfect with fall dinners on busy weeknights or during the holidays for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas.
Naturally vegan and gluten-free. There are no animal-based ingredients in these Brussels sprouts, so you can offer it as a vegan-friendly option to friends and family at dinner parties or potlucks. No substitutions needed!
It's keto-friendly. These sautéed Brussels sprouts are a low-carb side dish and all of the additional ingredients (including the olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice) are approved for a ketogenic diet. You need to try this delicious keto side dish.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

Brussels sprouts - we recommend fresh Brussels sprouts for this recipe, however you can use fresh or frozen sliced brussels sprouts. If using frozen, you may have to increase the cooking time to account for excess moisture released from the sprouts as they thaw.
olive oil - for sautéing the sprouts. You can substitute this with avocado oil, coconut oil, or butter.
garlic - fresh garlic has the best flavor that really shines in this dish. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use garlic paste or pre-minced garlic if necessary.
lemon juice - if you don't have any lemkn juice on hand, you can substitute it for a similar acidic kick like balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring spoons and a 10-inch skillet.

How to Make the Best Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Cook brussels sprouts. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until tender.
Serve. Turn off the heat and drizzle with lemon juice. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts is a simple side dish that pairs well with almost entree. Some of our favorite dishes to pair it with are:

Recipe Variations

There are many ways to customize these sautéed brussels sprouts to suit different tastes. You can add, remove, or substitute ingredients in different ways to make these sprouts adhere to your family's preferences or dietary restrictions. Try adding

Bacon. Bacon adds delicious salty flavor that pairs with brussels sprouts so well. They also add a little crunch. See our Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.
Nuts. Counter the tender texture of the soft brussels sprouts by adding more crunch with nuts. Try toasted slivered almonds, chopped roasted pecans, or walnuts.
Cheese. Coat the brussels sprouts with Parmesan cheese for a delicious flavor and crunch. See our Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts.
Balsamic vinegar. Season the sprouts with balsamic vinegar or serve a balsamic reduction or glaze on the side as an optional drizzle or dipping sauce. See our Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts.
Protein. Turn this delicious side dish into a filling dinner by adding more protein such as roasted ham, chicken, turkey, or even tofu.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Allow the sautéed Brussels sprouts to cool to room temperature, the place in an airtight container refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Spread leftover brussels sprouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours, then transfer into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

You can reheat them straight from the freezer by sautéing until heated and crisp or baking at 400℉ for 10-15 minutes. You can also air fry leftovers at 400℉ for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.

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Mashed Cauliflower

If you like mashed potatoes, you'll love this Mashed Cauliflower. This side dish is fluffy and buttery with the slightly sweet and earthy flavor of cauliflower. Plus, it's a low carb and keto too!

Cauliflower mash is quick and easy to make too - easier than mashed potatoes (no peeling potatoes here!) and cooks faster too. Save this recipe and serve it anytime you would serve mashed potatoes at holiday dinners and family meals!

Mashed Cauliflower is a fluffy and buttery side dish and a low carb, keto-friendly alternative to mashed potatoes. Plus, it’s easier and quicker too! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Mashed Cauliflower

So easy to make. Cauliflower mash is incredibly easy to make. Gather the short list of ingredients and then boil, sauté, and blend your way to cheesy, soft, pillowy clouds of mashed cauliflower. So simple!
A great alternative to mashed potatoes. If you're not a fan of mashed potatoes, this mashed cauliflower is an almost undetectable dupe. In fact, some people prefer mashed cauliflower to the potato version because of the cauliflower's slightly more complex flavor profile.
It's keto-friendly. This cauliflower mash is naturally low-carb and all of the additional ingredients (including the butter, full-fat sour cream, and parmesan cheese) are approved for a ketogenic diet. It's the perfect keto side dish.
Nutritious and high in fiber. In addition to naturally having a little more flavor than a potato, cauliflower is a great source of fiber. It's also a great way to sneak one more veggie into a picky eater's diet.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Cauliflower Mash, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cauliflower - you can use fresh cauliflower or frozen, pre-cut florets for the sake of time and convenience. Whichever you prefer!
butter - you can swap the butter for a plant-based butter alternative if you're lactose intolerant or have a dairy sensitivity.
garlic - fresh-minced garlic will always offer the best flavor, but you can use garlic paste or pre-minced garlic if necessary.
sour cream - use an unflavored, dairy free greek yogurt or plant-based sour cream is a great lactose-free alternative.
parmesan cheese - a vegan parmesan-style cheese alternative or nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan cheese.
herbs - soft herbs like parsley, dill, chives, and basil would make beautiful (and delicious) garnishes on this mashed cauliflower.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, cooking pot, skillet, and food processor (or blender).

How to Make the Best Mashed Cauliflower

Cook cauliflower. Bring a large cooking pot of salted water to boil. Add the cauliflower florets and turn the heat down to medium. Cook covered for 15 minutes until cauliflower is soft and tender. When the cauliflower is ready, remove from heat and drain.
Sauté garlic. While the cauliflower is cooking, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes until fragrant and soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mash. In a food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, sautéed garlic with the butter it was cooked in, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Puree on high until smooth, about 1 minute.

Serve. Serve hot with a pat of butter and sprinkle some fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives or rosemary) and freshly cracked black pepper on top.

How to Serve

Mashed Cauliflower is a delicious low carb keto side dish that pairs well with almost anything you would typically serve mashed potatoes with. Try cauliflower mash with:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer leftover cauliflower mash into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How to Reheat

Reheat mashed cauliflower in the microwave or on the stove over low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water if it's thickened up too much when reheating.

How to Freeze

Store leftover mashed cauliflower (once cooled to room temperature) in a freezer bag or airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. To store individual servings, freeze in separate smaller containers. You could also freeze in smaller batches on a sheet pan for 2 hours, then transfer the to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to store: Transfer leftover cauliflower mash into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: Reheat mashed cauliflower in the microwave or on the stove over low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water if it's thickened up too much when reheating.
How to freeze: Store leftover mashed cauliflower (once cooled to room temperature) in a freezer bag or airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. To store individual servings, freeze in separate smaller containers. You could also freeze in smaller batches on a sheet pan for 2 hours, then transfer the to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Try a different tool. If you don't have a food processor handy, you can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, a traditional blender, a hand mixer, or a vegetable ricer to make your cauliflower mash. You could even use a potato mashed or fork for a chunkier consistency.
Serve with cold butter. If serving with extra pats of butter on top, keep the butter in the fridge up until the very last moment when you're ready to add it on top or mix it in. This will make sure it melts evenly. If mixing in extra butter, it will ensure it gets distributed evenly through the mashed cauliflower so that every bite is as buttery as you want.
Strain excess liquid. If you find that your cauliflower mash is runny or soupy, you can strain the excess liquid out using a fine mesh strainer. Just make sure you do it before adding the other ingredients.

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Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash is savory and sweet, with its flavor intensified when tossed and roasted in a homemade maple glaze with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This seasonal squash makes the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners and holiday parties this fall and winter season.

Plus, it may be the quickest and easiest side dish you'll make this year. Aside from the squash (which you can get at almost any grocery store or farmer's market this time of year) you only need a few pantry staples and 10 minutes of prep to transform this simple squash into a delicious and flavorful side.

Why You'll Love this Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

It's so simple and easy. This maple glazed acorn squash has only five ingredients and requires just four simple steps with a total of ten minutes of prep, before the squash goes into the oven. Its the easiest stress-free side dish that you can add to your Thanksgiving dinner menu.
A seasonal side dish. We love to eat seasonally! Squash and maple are two feature ingredients of the fall season. Both of them are combined in this roasted acorn squash to make it perfect for any occasion from dinners at home to big holiday dinners.
It's naturally vegan and gluten-free. There are no animal-based ingredients in this maple roasted acorn squash, so you can confidently offer it as a vegan-friendly option at carry-ins and dinner parties. No substitutions needed!

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Maple Roasted Acorn Squash, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

acorn squash - you can even make this recipe with any similar squash, like butternut, honey nut, buttercup squash, pumpkin, or even sweet potato! Depending on what you use, you may have to adjust cooking times to ensure the vegetable is thoroughly cooked through.
olive oil - avocado oil or coconut oil can be substituted for olive oil here.
maple syrup - maple syrup provides the most authentic fall flavor, but if you're out you can use honey or agave in a pinch.
ground cinnamon - freshly ground or store bought cinnamon are interchangeable in this recipe. Whichever is most convenient for you is fine!
salt

You will also need measuring spoons, mixing bowls, half sheet baking pan, and parchment paper.

How to Make the Best Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Prepare the squash. Carefully cut squash in half from the top to bottom (tip through the stem). Use a spoon to scrape out the strings and seeds.

Slice the squash. Slice the squash crosswise into ½ inch wide slices. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Toss in glaze. In a small mixing bowl, stir together olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the bowl of squash and toss to combine.

Roast. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper. Transfer the squash to the baking tray in a single layer. Pour any remaining sauce over top. Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until squash is tender when pierced with a knife.

How to Serve

Serve Maple Roasted Acorn Squash as a side dish along with your dinner during the fall and winter months while they're in season. They're also the perfect side dish to serve on Thanksgiving.

Some entrees that pair well with roasted acorn squash are:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Place leftover roasted acorn squash in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Reheat

Reheat leftover squash by roasting in a 350F preheated oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through, or in a 350F air fryer for 5 minutes until warm.

How to Freeze

Spread leftover maple roasted acorn squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then transfer the squash into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat your desired serving size straight out of the freezer by sautéing until heated through and crisped up. You can also bake it from frozen, microwave, or air fry.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Add leftover squash to a grain bowl or a harvest salad. Slices of maple glazed roasted squash look elegant on top of a bowl of quinoa or massaged kale. You'll enjoy eating it just as much the second time around! You can also use it instead of butternut squash in our Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, Fall Harvest Salad, or Thanksgiving Salad.
Recycle into soup. Leftover roasted squash can be your greatest asset when you're craving a quick and easy soup. Add some chicken or vegetable stock, simmer, blend, and top with your favorite soup garnishes. Use it in Acorn Squash Soup or Butternut Squash Soup.
Wear gloves when handling raw acorn squash. Certain varieties of squash, like butternut squash and acorn squash, can cause irritation when they come into contact with bare skin. Prevent irritation by wearing disposable gloves when working with raw squash.

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Pot Roast Soup

Warm up on the chilly winter nights ahead with this easy Pot Roast Soup. Made with leftover beef and veggies simmered in broth, this 30-minute soup is sure to become a weekly staple. It's hearty, flavorful, and nourishing.

Leftover pot roast soup is also made in one pot, easy to store, and freezer-friendly. Serve it on its own, with bread, or a side salad. Either way, it's perfect for busy weeknights when you are craving a bowl of cozy comfort food but don't want to spend a long time in the kitchen.

This easy Pot Roast Soup is made in 30 minutes with leftover beef and veggies simmered in broth. It’s hearty, flavorful, and nourishing comfort food. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Pot Roast Soup

It's ready in half an hour. Contrary to what you might think, it doesn't take hours of simmering to get the rich, deep flavor this soup is typically known for. This classic, rustic dish takes a fraction of the time of similar beef soup recipes from scratch. Thanks to using leftover beef, this soup can be served as a quick and easy weeknight dinner after work or running errands all day.
A one pot meal. This fast and simple leftover beef soup recipe also keeps the mess to a minimum - all the ingredients are thrown into a single pot. This means less mess in the kitchen and less dishes to clean up after.
The best way to use leftover beef. We love making Pot Roast or Roast Beef on Sundays. And a big reason is for the leftovers that we end up. This flavorful and delicious beef soup is one of our favorite ways to repurpose Sunday night leftovers.
Loaded with flavor. Fragrant onions and garlic, tender carrots and potatoes, and fall-apart pre-made pot roast make this soup as flavorful as it is easy.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious leftover Pot Roast Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

vegetable oil - avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil are acceptable substitutes for vegetable oil.
onion
garlic - freshly minced garlic is always the best option for flavor, but pre-minced garlic works too! Just use 1 teaspoon of minced garlic for every clove the recipe calls for.
carrots - try parsnips for a similar result, if carrots aren't an option.
russet potatoes - russets have a high starch content which makes them perfectly soft and tender in this pot roast soup, but yukon gold potatoes would also work.
beef broth - we like using our homemade beef bone broth in here, but store-bought is great too. You can even substitute vegetable broth as a suitable base for this soup.
pot roast beef - using leftover Pot Roast beef is what makes this recipe quick and gets dinner on the table faster! Or make a batch from scratch first and use it in this soup. You can also use any leftover beef. Try it with leftover Roast Beef or leftover Ribeye Steak.
tomato sauce - tomato paste will also work if you don't have sauce on hand. Use ¾ cup tomato paste mixed in ¾ cup water as a substitute.
Italian seasoning - either store-bought or homemade will work. Italian seasoning is typically made of a dried blend of rosemary, oregano, basil, marjoram and thyme.
salt and pepper
parsley - fresh parsley should be abundant in the produce aisle this time of year, but if you can't find it, any fresh herbs will work for topping on this soup - or leave out the garnish completely.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large pot or 5.5 quart Dutch oven.

How to Make the Best Pot Roast Soup

Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a 5.5 quart Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients. Add potatoes and broth. Mix well and bring the soup to a boil. Add leftover beef and tomato sauce.
Simmer. Cover the lid and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are fork tender and the beef is warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Season. Season the soup with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

How to Make Pot Roast Soup in the Slow Cooker

Need to make it ahead of time, but still want it hot? Use a crockpot slow cooker instead of the stovetop. Just sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic as directed, then transfer all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

How to Serve

We like to serve leftover Pot Roast Soup with garnishes. A few extra sprigs of fresh parsley, a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a handful of crackers are the excellent toppers for this leftover soup with pot roast.

This leftover beef soup is delicious served on its own with garnishes or paired with some of my favorite sides including:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer leftover soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warm.

How to Freeze

Once cooled to room temperature, place in a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag, filling it only ¾ of the way to allow for expansion. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or use a warm water bath to release the frozen soup from the container.

Freezing Tip

Freeze the broth and vegetables separately. Want to freeze your pot roast soup? Strain the broth from the vegetables and freeze them separately, then reintroduce them when you're ready to heat things back up to prevent the vegetables from losing their tender texture.

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Pecan Sandies

Pecan Sandies are easy, slice and bake shortbread cookies loaded with pecans and literally melt in your mouth. They're sweet, buttery, nutty, and delicious.

These pecan cookies are easy to make in one bowl with just 4 ingredients. They are slice and bake cookies which means no rolling out dough or cookie cutters needed. Plus, you can make them ahead because both the cookies and dough are freezer-friendly!

Why You'll Love these Pecan Sandies

So easy to make. These one bowl cookies are so easy to make with just 4 ingredients. Once the dough comes together, shape it, chill it, slice it, and bake. That's it!
The different textures. When the main ingredient in these cookies are butter, you know these cookies are going to be good. Along with crunchy pecans and fine confectioners' sugar, these pecan sandies are melt-in-your-mouth buttery with a little crunch.
Serve them any time. Make pecan cookies as part of a cookie exchange on your holiday baking list, or serve them with a warm cup of tea or milk any time of the year.
Make ahead and freezer-friendly. You can even prepare the dough in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking, or in the freezer for up to 3 months! You can enjoy freshly baked pecan shortbread on demand - whenever you want!

Ingredients

To make these easy Pecan Sandies this holiday season, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card at bottom of post):

butter - arguably the most important ingredient in shortbread.
Confectioner's sugar - this creates pecan sandies cookies that melt-in-your-mouth. You could also use granulated sugar for the same taste, but the texture will not be the same.
all-purpose flour
pure vanilla extract - adds a hint of flavor, but you can opt to leave it out.
pecans - you can chop the pecans either by hand or throw them into a heavy duty blender or food processor and pulse mix until coarse (almost fine), but not yet powdery.

Equipment needed

You will also need:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowl
stand mixer or hand mixer
plastic cling wrap
half sheet baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Pecan Sandies

Make the dough: Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and beat on medium until incorporated. Gradually add the flour and beat on low speed until combined. Add pecans and beat until incorporated. The dough will look very dry at this point.
Form the dough. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute until dough starts to clump together becomes more breadcrumb-like and less dry (You should be able to easily shape the dough into a ball using your hands).
Shape the dough into logs: Divide the dough in half and shape each into a ball. Then roll into a log, 2-inches in diameter. You can roll it thicker but you will get less cookies out of it. Wrap the logs tightly with plastic cling wrap.

Chill the dough: Refrigerate for 2 hours, up to overnight. You could even save one log for later and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Slice the cookies: Use a sharp long knife to cut the dough into ¼-inch to ½-inch slices, and place about 1-inch apart on two half sheet baking pans lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges. Allow cookies to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Variations

Want to change up the flavor? Customize Pecan Sandies by doing the following:

Add vanilla extract. I often add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to shortbread cookies because I love the hint of flavor that they add.
Dip in chocolate. Melt a few ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in a double broiler or the microwave and dip these cookies in. You can dip them completely, dip them halfway, or drizzle the chocolate on top.
Customize the nuts. Feel free to substitute the pecans with any other nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.

How to Serve

We like to make Pecan Sandies during Christmas as part of a Holiday Cookie Box to gift to family and friends, along with our favorite holiday cookies such as:

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Baked cookies: Once cooled, store the pecan sandies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Cookie dough: Store shortbread cookie dough once shaped into a log and wrapped tightly with cling wrap for up to 3 days in the refrigerator before baking.

How to Freeze

Baked cookies: Once cooled, arrange the cookies in a single layers in an airtight container, layered in between pieces of parchment paper. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cookie dough: Once the dough has been shaped into a log and wrapped tightly with cling wrap, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. To use, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to one hour before slicing and baking.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead for busy days. The best thing about baking shortbread cookies is that they are freezer-friendly. Whether you want to freeze the dough or freeze the baked cookies - they both work. So if you know the holiday season is going to be a particularly hectic one, you can make these ahead and freeze them (as directed above) and still have fresh-baked cookies right when you need them!
Create perfect circles. Here's a little secret used by pros to get perfectly round cookies every single time: while the cookies are still warm, right out of the oven, quickly swirl them around in a tight circular motion a few times on the pan using a circular cookie cutter. It makes them all uniform without a ton of extra work!
Make different shapes. If slice and bake cookies aren't your thing, you can roll out the dough instead and use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes.

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Pumpkin Pancakes

Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast - light, fluffy, and delicious. They are warmly spiced with fall flavors you can't get enough of. The best part? They're ready in just 15 minutes with simple pantry staples.

A chilly autumn morning is incomplete without pumpkins and pancakes - which is why these pumpkin pancakes from scratch are exactly what you need this year.

Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast — light, fluffy, delicious, and warmly spiced. Ready in just 15 minutes with simple pantry staples. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

Fall flavors for breakfast. These homemade pumpkin pancakes are loaded with fall flavors - pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger to warm you up inside. They deliver serious pumpkin spice latte vibes.
They're fluffy and moist. Pancakes are a superior breakfast item - and pumpkin only makes them better. Adding pumpkin puree (or any vegetable for that matter) to breads and batters makes the final result well-flavored and incredibly moist.
You only need 15 minutes. Fast breakfasts are a must on most days, and these pumpkin pancakes are ready in a flash. Set aside 15 minutes to make pumpkin pancakes from scratch and thank me later.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Pumpkin Pancakes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
baking powder
granulated sugar - feel free to substitute this with brown sugar.
pumpkin pie spice- or substitute with ground cinnamon and/or add a pinch of ground ginger and allspice.
salt
pumpkin puree - use homemade or store-bought pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
milk
egg
butter - you can also replace this for olive oil.
vanilla extract
vegetable oil or cooking spray - for cooking the pancakes.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a griddle or frying pan.

How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pancakes

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine wet ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, egg, butter and vanilla. For fluffier pancakes, add just ¾ cup of milk. If the batter is too thick at the end, then mix in the remaining ¼ cup.

Add wet to dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined (the batter will be slightly lumpy). Do not over mix.

Grease pan. Spray a large frying pan or griddle with cooking spray, or dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil and rub on top of the pan.
Add batter. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and add pancake batter using a ¼ measuring cup. Pour as many that will fit in your pan or griddle (I fit 3 in my 10-inch skillet).
Cook. Cook for 1-2 minutes until small bubbles begin to form on the surface, the edges have set, and the bottom of the pancake turns golden brown. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the other side is also golden brown.
Repeat. Remove the pancakes from the pan and set aside on a plate. Repeat in a few batches until until all the batter is used up.
Serve. Stack the pancakes and top with a pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup.

How to Serve

Pumpkin Pancakes are delicious served on its own with a pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup. Or serve it in a complete fall brunch spread along with other breakfast favorites including:

Storing Instructions

How to Store

Keep leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

Reheat leftover pancakes on the stovetop over medium-low heat, in the air fryer at 300F for 5 minutes until warmed through, or in the microwave in a covered container until warm, about 20-60 seconds.

How to Freeze

Pancakes freeze well too. Allow the pancakes to cool to room temperature on all sides. Then, layer the pancakes in between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe airight container or freezer bag. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don't overmix: Overmixing batters and doughs creates tough bread. You want your pumpkin pancakes to be light and fluffy - so be gentle with the batter.
How to achieve the perfect consistency: For a thicker pancake, add ¾ cup milk instead. For a thinner pancake, add more milk to your batter at the end until you reach your desired consistency.

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Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Once you try Homemade Chocolate Pudding, you'll never want to touch another box of instant pudding mix. This no bake recipe takes the same amount of time to prep (5 minutes!) and uses ingredients you know and likely already have on hand.

And it tastes even better - thanks to real chocolate and cocoa powder. It's rich, creamy, and luscious. Your family will love chocolate pudding from scratch and will ask you to make it all the time!

Once you try Homemade Chocolate Pudding, you’ll never want to touch another box of instant pudding mix. This no bake recipe takes 5 minutes to prep! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Rich chocolatey flavor. Is anything better than chocolate? Chocolate with the luscious, melt-in-your-mouth consistency of this creamy and decadent homemade pudding. It's the best.
Just as easy as instant pudding! Though it may seem daunting, making chocolate pudding from scratch is just as easy as making it from the little instant boxes we're all familiar with. All you need to do is combine the ingredients, then let it set.
Quick to make. It takes just five minutes to mix up the ingredients before you have to let it chill in the fridge for a few hours to set.
No questionable ingredients. Every ingredient used in this homemade chocolate pudding recipe is something you'd typically find in your fridge or pantry. No preservatives or filler ingredients like what you may find in store-bought pudding cups.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Homemade Chocolate Pudding, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

sugar - granulated sugar (not powdered sugar) is necessary to get the right consistency in the pudding. A granulated sugar alternative like Swerve should also work at a 1:1 ratio.
cocoa powder - use your favorite kind - just make sure it's unsweetened or you'll have to adjust the amount of sugar you use in the recipe.
cornstarch - there are several alternatives to cornstarch: arrowroot powder, tapioca powder, and potato starch would work similarly. You'll have to play with the ratios depending on which substitute you use.
salt
egg yolks - the egg yolks in this recipe are responsible for giving the pudding a lush texture and binding the ingredients together. You can try your hand at making a vegan version by swapping the egg yolks for 2 tablespoons of pureed tofu per yolk.
milk - the fat content in the milk is necessary to help the pudding set. If you're lactose-intolerant, you can use a full-fat coconut milk instead.
butter - vegan butter alternatives are also acceptable, but may slightly change the consistency of the finished product.
semi-sweet chocolate - you can also use dark chocolate, but milk chocolate may make the pudding too sweet.
vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio and will offer even more rich vanilla flavor.
ice - for the water bath.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, saucepan, and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Chocolate Pudding from Scratch

Combine ingredients and cook. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until well blended. Whisk in the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking until thickened, whisking often, about 1-2 minutes more. Note that pudding will be pourable but will continue to thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter, melted chocolate, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Remove lumps. If you notice any lumps, pass the pudding through a fine mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl to remove any lumps. Skip this if you don't notice any lumps.

Chill. Prepare a large bowl with some water and ice to make an ice bath. Place the saucepan directly into the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the pudding reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding has chilled through completely, at least 4 hours (up to 2 days).

How to Serve

Chocolate Pudding is delicious served on its own, or topping with some delicious toppings such as:

whipped cream
shaved chocolate
fresh fruit
granola
nuts

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer homemade pudding into a sealed airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Try to avoid leaving your pudding out at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours.

How to Freeze

Freeze leftover pudding for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. You can also freeze smaller portions in ice cube molds. The consistency will turn into a rich and creamy ice cream. You can enjoy it frozen or allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Make Ahead Instructions

You can make chocolate pudding from scratch ahead of time. Homemade chocolate pudding will keep for up to one week in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make pudding pops. If you find yourself with a lot of leftover pudding and no immediate use for it in the next few days, you can create an easy dessert favorite by transferring the chocolate pudding into a popsicle mold and freezing them. Enjoy pudding pops whenever you crave something cold and sweet!
Use the pudding in other recipes. Homemade pudding can be used for other desserts, too - like freezer pies, pudding trifles, dessert dips, and lava cakes.
Try incorporating other flavors. Switch things up now and then by adding other textures and flavors to your chocolate pudding. Chopped strawberries, fresh mint, sprinkles, and mini marshmallows are just a few delicious additions you could mix into your pudding.

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Thanksgiving Salad

While you may have a lot of dishes to worry about when you're whipping up a massive holiday meal, this Thanksgiving salad won't be one of them. This simple and healthy roasted vegetable salad is loaded with greens, seasonal veggies, pomegranate seeds, and pecans, all tossed in a homemade vinaigrette.

It's the perfect dish to balance out the comforting items on the holiday table. Plus, it's fast and easy to make, so you can check it off your list quickly and move on to more energy-intensive dishes like the turkey.

Why You'll Love this Thanksgiving Salad

Quick and easy. This easy salad with roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts requires minimal prep work before it's ready to be tossed together. The most work you will need to do is chopping up the veggies. Then, just pop into the oven, before you are ready to toss all the ingredients together. It's ready in just 40 minutes including prep!
Loaded with roasted vegetables. Whether you're hosting a meal yourself or making this to take to someone else's table, you can feel good about how nutritious and healthy this Thanksgiving salad is thanks to an abundance of vegetables. Plus, this fall salad can is gluten-free and can easily be made vegan with a simple substitute in the dressing.
Bursting with flavor and texture. The tender squash, roasted sprouts, leafy greens, crunchy pecans, and juicy pomegranate seeds are the perfect combination of tastes and textures. Plus, they all get a flavor upgrade thanks to an easy, sweet and savory, homemade vinaigrette dressing.
Serve it at Thanksgiving and beyond. Serve this roasted vegetable salad on the big day itself alongside the turkey and side dishes, take it to a work potluck holiday party, or serve it with leftovers following Thanksgiving. But since these veggies are in season all fall, you can enjoy this salad for a few months.

This simple and healthy Thanksgiving Salad is loaded with greens, seasonal veggies, pomegranate seeds, and pecans, all tossed in a homemade vinaigrette. | aheadofthyme.com

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Thanksgiving Salad with roasted veggies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

butternut squash - acorn squash or honeynut squash are great alternatives to butternut.
brussels sprouts
olive oil - avocado oil or coconut oil (any oil with a high smoke point and a neutral flavor) will work in place of the olive oil.
Italian seasoning - you can easily make your own Italian seasoning by blending a combination of oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, and marjoram.
baby spinach - you can substitute this with your favorite salad greens. Baby kale, arugula, or baby chard are great alternatives for baby spinach. Even a spring mix salad will work well.
pecans - feel free to substitute with your favorite nuts. Walnuts are the best substitute for pecans in this recipe, but some other nuts that will work are almonds and pistachios.
pomegranate
balsamic vinegar - you can also use red wine vinegar for a similar flavor.
dijon mustard - a brown or stone-ground mustard should result in a similar flavor.
honey - you can use maple syrup or agave nectar in place of the honey, especially if you want to make this salad vegan.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a large serving dish or bowl.

How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Salad

Roast the veggies. In a mixing bowl, add butternut squash, brussels sprouts, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat evenly. Spread the veggies evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 425F prehehated oven until the butternut squash is fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Insert a fork to check doneness. If a fork can be easily inserted, then it's fork tender and ready. Otherwise, continue to bake until ready. Remove from the oven and let the vegetables cool to room temperature.

Combine ingredients. Place the spinach, cooked veggies, pecans, and pomegranate in a large serving dish.
Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth. Drizzle over the salad.

Toss and serve. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

We made this Thanksgiving Salad with roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts specifically as a companion for your favorite Thanksgiving dishes such as:

Instant pot whole turkey is a tender, juicy, and delicious holiday main. Ready in under 2 hours, it's the fastest and easiest way to cook a whole turkey! | aheadofthyme.com

Instant pot mashed potatoes are the quickest and easiest mashed potatoes you'll make in under 20 minutes (including prep!) in the pressure cooker. | aheadofthyme.com

Storing Instructions

How to Store

Place leftover salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, although it's best to eat the salad within 1-2 days because the longer it is stored, the more the spinach will wilt.

To preserve the freshness and keep the leftover salad from getting mushy and soggy, you can serve the dressing on the side so that you only mix as much salad and dressing as you can eat at one time. Then, store the greens and vegetables in a separate container from the dressing. When you're ready to use it again, just toss and eat! The salad will last longer this way.

How to Freeze

If you roast a big batch of butternut squash and brussels sprouts, you can freeze the leftovers. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a sealed freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a preheated 350F oven for 10-20 minutes until warm and crisp, sauté on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or air fryer at 350F for 5-10 minutes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Prep the vegetables ahead of time. Reduce the amount of prep time by chopping and dicing the vegetables up to two days in advance. Just leave them raw and wrap them tightly in plastic cling wrap or place them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container, then store in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.
Use leftovers creatively. Consider breakfast or lunch sorted for the next few days! Add cooked protein for a stand-alone meal, scramble with eggs, or saute and slide onto a piece of toasted sourdough.

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Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

Say goodbye to the days of spending all your time in the kitchen to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table. This Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner recipe is the easiest way to serve a small turkey dinner with sides including butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and green beans. Ready in just an hour and half, this hack will change your life!

You'll need to spend about 20 minutes of prep time to make this sheet pan turkey dinner, then kick up your feet and join your family for holiday fun while you wait for dinner to roast in the oven in just over an hour. It's the easiest way to do Thanksgiving for 4, perfect for an intimate group of family and friends.

This Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner is the easiest way to serve a small turkey dinner with sides. Ready in just an hour and half, this will change your life! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

It combines several dishes into one. Knock out your usual main and sides all at once - a juicy roasted turkey breast and three different vegetable side dishes. Sheet pan turkey and vegetables features the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner.
Ready in a fraction of the time. You've probably spent hours upon hours in the kitchen tackling various cooking tasks to prepare a full spread for previous Thanksgivings. But if you are planning a more intimate dinner this year with a smaller group, this Thanksgiving dinner in a sheet pan frees up a ton of your time so you can spend more of it with your loved ones. It is ready from start to finish in an hour and 30 minutes (including prep!)
No complicated cooking steps. Traditionally, roasting a turkey requires hours (if not days) of preparation, special techniques, and constant supervision. Eliminate all the complexities with this turkey breast instead. Plus, the sides are super easy to chop up and toss together too. No complicated steps there either.
Perfect for a smaller Thanksgiving. Whether you are away from family and friends this year, hosting a small gathering, or just craving a solo turkey dinner solo to leave you turkey leftovers, this is the recipe for you. This is a stress-free way to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for 4 or 5 people (or less = more leftovers for you!).

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

olive oil - any vegetable oil will work as a great alternative. Try avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil.
turkey breast - though it's certainly not Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey, you can use chicken breast in place of the turkey breast for easy sheet pan weeknight dinners at home.
butternut squash - sweet potato or hubbard squash can be swapped for the butternut squash.
brussels sprouts
green beans - this recipe calls for fresh green beans, but you could also use canned or frozen if necessary. The texture of the green beans is best when you use fresh beans, though.
seasoning - balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper are some of the seasonings that we use to season the turkey and/or veggies. Put your own spin on this recipe by swapping things out to switch up the flavor. We often use a blend of dried thyme and sage instead of Italian seasoning for the turkey.

You will also need measuring spoons, half sheet baking pan, and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner

Prepare the turkey breast. Use a paper towel to pat the turkey breast completely dry. In a small mixing bowl, combine oil, salt, pepper paprika, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, until combined. Rub the mixture all over the turkey breast and set it aside on a plate for 15 minutes at room temperature. It's ideal to bring the seasoned turkey to room temperature to achieve more tender and juicier meat.
Roast. Place the turkey breast on the centre of a large half sheet baking pan and bake in a 375F preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Prepare the vegetable sides. While the turkey is cooking, prepare the veggies by tossing the ingredients together in separate mixing bowls.
- For the butternut squash: In a large mixing bowl, toss together butternut squash, oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- For the Brussels sprouts: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together sprouts, oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- For the green beans: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together green beans, oil, salt and pepper.
Add veggies. Once the turkey has been roasted for 30 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully arrange the seasoned vegetables around the turkey breast in a single layer. Be careful as the pan will be very hot.
Bake. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until the butternut squash is fork tender and the turkey breast is fully through. The internal temperature for the turkey should reach at least 160F as read on a meat thermometer.

Rest. Let the turkey breast sit for 10-20 minutes before slicing. Serve with the vegetables.

How to Serve

This Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner covers most of the bases, but it does miss some classics such as Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, and Cranberry Sauce are typically present at this holiday dinner. Remedy that by serving this roasted turkey and veggies on a bed of mashed potatoes with gravy and cranberry sauce.

Here are some more side dishes you can serve this with:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze

Spread leftovers on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours, then transfer into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight out of the freezer by sautéing until heated through or in the air fryer at 300F until warmed through.

How to Use Leftovers

You've probably heard of the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, but what about Thanksgiving leftover stir-fry or Thanksgiving leftover quiche? Use the leftovers to craft an entirely new dish! Some of our favorite leftover dishes to make using any leftover turkey from this recipe are:

Browse all our favorite 15 Leftover Turkey Recipes.

Creamy turkey gnocchi soup is the ultimate comfort food - creamy, rich, and delicious, made with good carbs, clean protein, and veggies in 25 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Leftover turkey stuffed peppers are a nutritious, wholesome and healthy dinner that you can throw together easily and quickly. A total crowd-pleaser. | aheadofthyme.com

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Pinwheel Cookies

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are a Christmastime classic. They are sweet, buttery, and melt in your mouth delicious. Making these festive swirl cookies from scratch is a lot easier than you think. They are a simple slice-and-bake cookie - meaning no cookie cutters needed!

Include these chocolate-and-vanilla cookies as part of a cookie exchange on your holiday baking list, in a holiday cookie box to gift to family and friends, or for any time of the year. You will find yourself baking these over and over again!

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are a Christmastime classic — sweet, buttery, and melt in your mouth delicious. Plus, an easy to make slice-and-bake cookie. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love these Pinwheel Cookies

Easy to make. There are no special skills needed to make these chocolate swirl cookies. You'll just need a few ingredients and about 15 minutes of preparation time using standard kitchen tools before rolling and chilling the dough for a few hours. Once the log has firmed up sufficiently, you'll slice and bake the cookies for ten minutes.
Made with simple baking staples. You won't have to hunt down any specialty ingredients to make these slice and bake cookies - everything you need is likely already in your pantry or can easily be acquired from your local grocery store.
Festive for Christmas. These pinwheel cookies are one of many cookies that mark the holiday season, which makes this the perfect recipe to bust out for the office Christmas party or a Christmas Eve dinner with your in-laws. It's gorgeous without too much effort (no cookie cutters needed or icing intricate patterns here!)
Freezer-friendly. These Christmas cookies are easy to make ahead because you can freeze them before or after baking. I love to just freeze a roll of cookie dough and be ready to bake a batch whenever I please. Some other freezer-friendly holiday cookies to bake are M&M Christmas Cookies, Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, and Gingersnaps.

Ingredient Notes

To make this holiday Pinwheel Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour - a gluten free measure-for-measure flour will make these cookies friendlier to those with gluten sensitivity, but it may change the texture.
baking powder
salt - a finely ground salt is best for cookie dough. A coarse or flaked salt will result in inconsistent flavor - some bites will be too salty, some will be bland.
butter - setting the butter out to come up to room temperature is incredibly important in almost any cookie recipe - cold butter won't cream with the sugar easily and warmed butter will change the texture of the dough.
sugar - any granulated sugar should work. Use coconut sugar, raw sugar, or an equivalent sugar substitute if you prefer. The taste will change slightly depending on what you use.
eggs
vanilla extract - you can use a standard alcohol-based vanilla extract or use a vanilla bean paste at equal measure.
unsweetened chocolate - also known as baker's chocolate. You could also use dark chocolate or bittersweet, though you may have to adjust the sugar measurement to make sure the cookies aren't overly sweet.

Equipment needed

You will also need the following baking equipment and tools:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowl
stand mixer or hand mixer
parchment paper
rolling pin
plastic cling wrap
knife
half sheet baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Pinwheel Cookies

Melt the chocolate. Melt the chocolate either on the stove or in the microwave. Then, set the chocolate aside and allow it to cool slightly.

How to Melt Chocolate

You can melt chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave.

On the stove: Bring about 2 inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and place a medium heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (you can also use a steamer insert). Add the chocolate and stir constantly as it melts. Continue stirring until completely smooth and gloss. This should take just a few minutes.
In the microwave: For a quicker method, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one. Continue until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir between intervals to prevent overheating or scorching.

Make the cookie dough. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add sugar and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat until combined.

Divide. Divide the dough in half. In one half, pour in the cooled melted chocolate. Use the mixer to beat it until just incorporated. You will have one white dough and one chocolate dough.

Roll the dough. Take the white dough and place on a large sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to shape it into a square rectangle about 4 inches long. Place another large sheet of parchment paper on top, and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle that is ½-inch thick. It should measure roughly 9x7-inches.

Repeat. Repeat with the chocolate dough.

Chill. Transfer parchment paper with the rolled out dough inside into the fridge and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

How to Roll and Slice Pinwheel Cookies

Combine layers. Once chilled, place the white dough and the chocolate dough on the counter. Carefully peel off the top layer of parchment paper on each. Take the chocolate dough and careful flip it over on top of the white dough.

Press together. Use a rolling pin and give it a couple gentle rolls to get the 2 pieces of dough to stick together. Remove the parchment paper off of the top of the chocolate layer.
Smooth it out. Use a knife to cut along the edges to create a smooth rectangle.

Roll. Carefully pinch one side of the dough (on the longer side) and roll it in to form a log.

Wrap. Place the log on a piece of plastic cling wrap and wrap it tightly. Twist the ends to secure it tightly.

Chill. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it on the counter (still in the plastic cling wrap) to smooth out the flattened area on the bottom and make it round. Transfer the dough back to the refrigerator for 2 hours until firm. You can also place in the freezer for about an hour to speed up the process.
Slice. Remove the plastic cling wrap from the dough and use a knife to slice the log into ¼-inch slices.

Baking Cookies

Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Transfer the slices to the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1.5-inches apart.

Bake the cookies in a 350F preheated oven for 9-11 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges. Allow the cookies to cool in the baking pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Serve

Nothing says cookies better than a tall glass of milk or a warm drink. Some of my favorite cozy drinks to serve alongside these cookies are:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once the cookies have cooled completely, transfer them to a sealed plastic bag or tupperware lined with parchment paper and store at room temperature for up to 7 days.

How to Freeze

Freezing baked cookies. Freeze the baked cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Freezing cookie dough. Freeze the entire uncooked entire log wrapped tightly in plastic cling wrap and then placed in a freezer bag. When ready to slice, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight to make it easier to slice. You can also freeze sliced cookie dough between layers of parchment for up to 3 months.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead for busy days. If you know the holiday season is going to be a particularly hectic one, you can make these ahead and freeze the dough (as directed above) and still have fresh-baked cookies right when you need them!
Add food coloring. You can add red food coloring to the chocolate and green food coloring to the vanilla dough to make it more festive.
Heat your knife before slicing. Make things easier on yourself (and a little less messy) by running the blade of your knife under hot water and drying it before attempting to cut through the frozen log of cookie dough. It should cut like butter!
Round them out. Here's a little-known secret used by pros to get perfectly round cookies every single time: while the cookies are still warm, right out of the oven, quickly swirl them around in a tight circular motion a few times on the pan using a circular cookie cutter. It makes them all uniform without a ton of extra work!

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Chicken Potato Soup

Chicken Potato Soup is cozy, hearty, and delicious. Loaded with chicken, potatoes, veggies, and greens simmered in a slightly creamy broth, this chicken soup is nourishing and healthy. It's the perfect comfort food to serve on a chilly night.

Plus, it's quick and easy to make in one pot and freezer-friendly too. Whether you're fighting sickness in your household or just trying to get a hot meal on the table in a hurry, this recipe for creamy chicken potato soup will be your new go-to comfort food on chilly weeknights.

Chicken Potato Soup is cozy, hearty, and delicious — loaded with chicken, potatoes, veggies, and greens simmered in a creamy broth. Ready in 40 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Chicken Potato Soup

It's ready in under an hour. Some soups take a notoriously long time to cook, but this one can be made from scratch and served in only forty minutes - making it perfect for busy days with the family. Plus, you can make it even faster by using leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
The best flavor and texture. Italian seasoning and simmered veggies give the soup a rich, savory flavor, while the chicken and potato create hefty spoonfuls of dense texture.
Loaded with nutritious ingredients. Not only is this creamy chicken soup with potato delicious - it's also healthy. The vegetables, chicken, broth, and greens make this soup nourishing, wholesome, and filling. It's gluten-free too.
Perfect for chilly evenings. Chicken soup is good for the soul. Warm yourself up from the inside out when the weather takes a turn for the worse with a cozy steamy bowl of homemade chicken soup. Nothing is better!
Chicken and potatoes are the best combination. Chicken soup is a staple recipe in any cook's arsenal of dishes, but this creamy chicken potato soup is guaranteed to replace your usual favorite recipe. It has all the classic goodness of soup with added tender potatoes for a satisfying one-pot meal.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Chicken Potato Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

vegetable oil - I used avocado oil, but olive oil or coconut oil will also work. As long as it's got a high smoke point and a neutral flavor profile, whatever oil you have on hand will work fine.
vegetables - this soup is packed with veggies including onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and spinach.
chicken broth - you can also use vegetable broth if you don't have chicken broth in stock. Homemade and store-bought are both great!
chicken breasts - you could substitute chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer dark meat, though the cooking time will need to be adjusted and the texture will be slightly different.
potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes typically hold up better compared to other varieties of potatoes - they don't go mushy as quickly.
half and half - heavy cream is an acceptable swap for half and half here. If someone in your family has a sensitivity to dairy, you can also use full-fat canned coconut milk in its place.
baby spinach - baby spinach will wilt and become tender when added to the hot broth. You can use either fresh or frozen. If you want to exchange it for another green, try chopped kale, chard, or watercress for a similar experience.
Italian seasoning - Italian seasoning is a blend of several different spices: rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, and marjoram. If you have all (or most) of these ingredients, you can make your own blend.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large pot (I used a 4 qt. Dutch oven), and a hand mixer, stand mixer, or 2 forks (for shredding the chicken).

How to Make the Best Chicken Potato Soup

Sauté veggies. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until sizzling hot, about 1-2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning until well combined.
Add chicken and potatoes. Add chicken broth, chicken breasts, and potatoes. Bring it to a boil and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 12 minutes. (If using leftover cooked chicken, just cook for a few minutes until warmed through).

Shred chicken. Remove the chicken and shred into small pieces in just seconds using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. You can also shred the chicken using 2 forks.

Add shredded chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in heavy cream. Cook until warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.
Add spinach. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

How to Serve

What's a good soup without something to soak up the broth? Serve this chicken and potato soup with your favorite variety of crackers or croutons for a delightful crunch.

You can serve this soup on its own, or pair with some of my favorite soup sides including:

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer leftover chicken soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

How to Freeze

Once cooled to room temperature, transfer leftover chicken potato soup to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend portioning them out before freezing to easily reheat the exact amount you want. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight before you want to use the leftovers.

How to Reheat

Reheat on the stovetop on medium-low heat until warmed through or in the microwave until warm. You can also reheat straight from frozen in a crockpot after thawing it just enough to release it from the container.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make it spicy! If you like things on the spicier side, add chili flakes or your preferred hot sauce.
Use leftover chicken to speed things up. Have some leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken from a meal a day or two before? Put it to good use in this soup! Adjust the cooking time to account for the already cooked shredded chicken .

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Cranberry Brie Bites

Cranberry Brie Bites made with flaky puff pastry, gooey melty brie, and sweet cranberry sauce is loaded with sweet and savory flavor. These holiday appetizers are quick and easy to make with 5 ingredients, can be made days ahead, and are freezer-friendly too.

Plus, they look stunning in a spread and taste unbelievably good. Become the hit of the holiday season by whipping up a batch or two of these Cranberry Brie Bites before your next gathering. You might never make another appy for Christmas again!

Cranberry Brie Bites are quick and easy to make with flaky puff pastry, gooey melty brie, and sweet cranberry sauce. The perfect holiday appetizer. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love These Cranberry Brie Bites

The perfect blend of sweet and savory. Gooey salty cheese, sweet fruity cranberry sauce, and crunchy pecans. This brie appy has it all - flavor and texture.
Made with just 5 ingredients. Cranberry brie bites are easy to make with just 5 simple ingredients - puff pasty, cranberry sauce, brie, pecans, and rosemary.
Picture-worthy without a ton of hassle. Though these baked brie bites will look like you spend hours painstakingly crafting each one, you can finish a batch in only 30 minutes!
Quick to make. Brie cheese, frozen puff pastry, and pre-made cranberry sauce are the secrets to making this delicious holiday appetizer quick! Once the puff pastry has thawed, it will only take a few minutes to assemble them before baking them to perfection.
Great for holiday parties. This cranberry brie appetizer is guaranteed to be a hit wherever you serve them! They are festive and loaded with fall flavors. These handheld bites are easy to snack on so you may need to make a double batch!
Easy to transport. They're easy to transport and can go anywhere you take them. Unlike Cranberry Baked Brie (which is just as delicious but hard to take to go).

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Cranberry Brie Bites, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cooking oil spray - pick one with a subtle flavor like coconut oil spray, avocado oil spray, or a blend of the two.
frozen puff pastry - if you're in the practice of making your own puff pastry from scratch, you can use it here. Otherwise, frozen puff pastry (thawed) does the trick nicely and saves a ton of time.
all-purpose flour - the flour is just for dusting the dough and preventing it from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin when it's being worked.
brie cheese - brie has a naturally sweet, slightly nutty flavor and a soft, creamy texture. Some substitutes that would yield a similar result would be Camembert or goat cheese.
whole berry cranberry sauce - it's important to make sure you get the cranberry sauce that contains whole berries (or make your own Homemade Cranberry Sauce) and not just the jellied cranberry sauce. The berries give the baked brie appetizer a more substantial bite and offer better texture.
pecans - walnuts, slivered almonds, pine nuts or pistachios would also work. You can also choose to omit the nuts altogether, though they add a nice crunch and festive flavor.
rosemary - the fresh rosemary adds a delicious aroma and a seasonal flair to the appetizer, but you can omit it or replace it with a similar herb if you don't have rosemary.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mini muffin pan, knife, and fork.

How to Make the Best Cranberry Brie Bites

Cut out puff pastry. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the thawed sheet of puff pastry into a 10x14-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 squares (4 columns and 6 rows).

Place into pan. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray oil. Gently take each square and place them into the muffin tin slots to create a little pastry cup. Use a fork to lightly prick the bottom of each pastry cup.

Fill. Chop the brie into 24 small pieces (½-inch pieces), and place one piece into each of the pastry cups in the mini muffin tray. Top each piece of Brie with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce. Evenly divide the pecans on top and top with a piece of rosemary.

Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown on the edges.
Serve. Let the bites cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature. Optionally, sprinkle a little flaky salt on top and serve.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Transfer any leftover baked brie bites into an airtight container or place in a large sealed plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

How to Reheat

Reheat in the oven at 350F for about 5 minutes or in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp up the puff pastry.

How to Freeze

To freeze, let the brie bites cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Place in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature for several hours and reheat in the oven or air fryer.

Make Ahead Instructions

Assemble these cranberry brie bites up to 2 days ahead of time. Store the mini muffin pan with the assembled bites in the fridge, covered with plastic cling wrap. Then, pop into the oven when ready to bake. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the cook time.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make ahead for easy party prep. You can prepare a whole tray of these and stash it in the refrigerator or freezer hours (or days) ahead of time to be baked while you're getting ready to host, freeing up time in your schedule and eliminating a potential kitchen mess right before guests arrive.
Experiment with different flavors. You can easily try different jellies, sauces, cheeses and garnishes to create different flavors and tailor these bites to any occasion.
Serve before, during, or after the main course. Even though these are technically meant to be an appetizer, you can serve them as a side dish in a holiday spread or a late-night snack after the main meal has conclude - there's no bad time to serve these!
Best way to use leftover cranberry sauce. Got leftover cranberry sauce from your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Use it to make these baked brie appys. For more inspo, check out our 15 Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes.

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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is a unique and delicious fall salad packed with fresh Brussels sprouts, crisp apples, sweet cranberries, and crunchy pumpkin seeds, all tossed in a homemade vinaigrette. It's quick, easy, and simple.

Brussels sprouts are a highly underrated ingredient, and may even be harder to sell when prepared raw, but this shredded brussels sprouts salad will make you fall in love with them in their truest, simplest form. Serve it for a light lunch or as a side for dinner.

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is a delicious fall salad packed with fresh sprouts, apples, cranberries, and crunchy seeds, tossed in a homemade vinaigrette. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad

Complex flavors. Salty shaved parmesan cheese, crisp apples, sweet bursts of dried cranberries, and crunchy pepitas help transform humble brussels sprouts into a complex palette of flavors and textures in this shredded brussels sprouts salad recipe.
Easy to make. Like most salads, this one is a quick toss together salad that takes jyst minutes to prepare. You will spend most of the prep time shredding the Brussels sprouts before tossing them with the rest of the ingredients.
It's versatile. Serve this shaved brussels sprout salad up as a side at a family Thanksgiving dinner or eat it as a quick vegetarian lunch - it's appropriate for almost any occasion you can think of in the fall.
No cooking necessary. Perhaps the best part about this recipe is that it involves zero cooking. No microwave, oven, or stovetop necessary. Just chop, mix, and enjoy!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

brussels sprouts
honeycrisp apples - if you don't like or can't find Honeycrisp apples, try Fuji apples, Pink Lady, or Galas in their place.
parmesan cheese - asiago or pecorino would also work as a good substitute.
dried cranberries - raisins, dried cherries, or other similar fruits would yield a similar result.
pepitas - pepitas are just shelled pumpkin seeds. You can also try pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans instead.
olive oil - olive oil can be swapped with avocado oil or coconut oil.
lemon juice - fresh squeezed lemon juice will yield the brightest flavor, but you can also use lemon juice concentrate if necessary.
red wine vinegar - if you don't have any red wine vinegar on hand, try using balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar.
salt and pepper
honey or maple syrup - choosing one or the other will make only the slightest difference in taste, so choose whichever you prefer. Honey is typically thicker and may take a little more effort to incorporate. And adding honey or maple syrup is optional if you want to add some sweetness to your salad.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Shred brussels sprouts. Cut brussels sprouts in half through the core. Place them down on a flat surface and thinly slice until all the sprouts are shredded.

Combine ingredients. Transfer the shredded brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl or platter. Add apples and Parmesan cheese. Scatter the dried cranberries and pepitas on top.

Make dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until combined, including olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Serve. Pour dressing over salad and serve as is, or toss to combine.

How to Serve

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is delicious served on its own for a light lunch, or paired with some of my favorite fall dinners including:

For more dinner ideas, see our 60+ Fall Dinner Ideas.

Storage Instructions

Place leftover shredded Brussels sprout salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezing salad of any kind usually results in limp or mushy vegetables once it's thawed, but if you want to use the leftovers as ingredients in other dishes (keep reading for some tips) you can freeze the leftover brussels sprouts in a sealed freezer bag for 3-6 months!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Repurpose leftover brussels sprouts salad. If you have a ton of leftover salad or you want to freeze it, you can use the leftovers in other way - especially because brussels sprouts are very versatile. Separate out the brussels sprouts and add the leftovers (frozen or fresh) to a stir fry, bake in a casserole, or sauté and serve alongside roasted chicken.
Upgrade your salad with protein. If you want to serve as a one-and-done entrée, add a significant source of protein to make the meal go further. Shredded chicken, sautéed tofu, diced steak, or hard-boiled eggs are great choices to add to this already filling salad.

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Jamaican Oxtail

Jamaican Oxtail is a juicy, delicious, and flavorful dish, made with tender oxtails that fall off the bone and slow braised in a rich well-seasoned sauce with carrots and butter beans.

It takes minimal prep work before you can let it simmer on the stove for over an hour. This oxtail stew is perfect to serve on a cold and chilly night. Plus, leftovers might even taste better the next day!

Jamaican Oxtail is juicy, delicious, and flavorful dish made with tender oxtails that fall off the bone and slow braised in a rich sauce with butter beans. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Jamaican Oxtail Recipe

There's a reason low and slow is the best way to cook beef. This recipe takes just under 2 hours to cook, but it's well worth the investment in time - especially because it doesn't require much active prep time. Jamaican oxtails become so tender as they cook. They will literally fall off the bone that you'll hardly need to chew. And the flavor that cooking slowly brings is amazing.
Delicious flavors bring out the best in this cut of beef. Oxtails are a unique cut of beef that many people have ever even tried - and that needs to change. Oxtails have a big bone in the center and beautiful marbling that delivers amazing flavor, especially when cooked with the right blend of ingredients found in this Jamaican oxtail recipe.
It's a complete meal when you serve it with rice. This Jamaican oxtail recipe is packed with protein from beef and beans. Carrots and onion add additional nutrients, and when paired with Steamed White Rice, Jamaican oxtails make a satisfying and balanced meal.

Ingredients Notes

To make this delicious Jamaican oxtail, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

beef oxtails - when picking oxtails at the store, look for the large thick ones with lots of meat. These oxtails are closer to the body of the cow. If you can't find any, adding in oxtails from closer to the tip of the tail works too.
vegetable oil
dark soy sauce - adds flavor but also a rich color to this dish.
onion
ginger and garlic
cinnamon stick - or substitute with 1 teaspoon of Jamaican allspice berries.
bay leaves
ketchup - you can also substitute with tomato paste.
oyster sauce - or substitute with soy sauce for a similar tangy kick.
water
brown sugar - adds a hint of sweetness to balance out the flavors.
all-purpose flour - helps to thicken up the sauce.
carrots
butter beans - these creamy beans are also known as lima beans. You can feel free to replace with white kidney beans instead.
salt and pepper
green onions - to garnish on top. You can substitute with chives or leave them out if your prefer.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a 4 quart Dutch oven or pot.

How to Make the Best Jamaican Oxtail

Prepare the oxtails. Use a paper towel to pat the beef oxtails completely dry. Set aside.
Sear oxtails. Heat oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven or large pot until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Sear oxtails in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. The oxtails don't need to be fully cooked at this point. Add soy sauce and brown the oxtails for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside on a clean plate.
Sauté aromatics. Add onions, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add sauce. Stir in ketchup, oyster sauce, water, sugar, and flour. Mix well until smooth.
Add carrots. Add carrots and return the seared oxtails to the pot. The liquid should just cover the oxtails. If not, add a little bit more water.

Simmer. Cover with the lid and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours until tender (and the meat falls off the bone). Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning. If the sauce thickens a bit too much, stir in some water (2 tablespoons at a time) to thin it out.
Add beans. Stir in butter beans and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Serve

Serve Jamaican Oxtail on its own with a garnish of greens, or paired with some delicious sides such as:

Easy coconut rice is light, fluffy, delicious, and flavorful. It's a quick and easy side dish that compliments all Thai, South Asian, and tropical dishes. | aheadofthyme.com

Easy Cornbread Muffins are moist, fluffy, tender, and sweet. They're the perfect side dish to serve with a Southern barbecue or Thanksgiving holiday dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Storage Instructions

How to store: Keep Jamaican oxtails in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to freeze: Once cooled to room temperature, freeze leftover oxtails in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months.
Reheating: The best way to reheat leftover Jamaican oxtails is on a pan on the stovetop. Heat oxtails, covered, over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Add water if the sauce looks too thick or dry.

Why You'll Love these Peppermint Macarons

Ingredient Notes

For the macarons:

For the macaron tops and peppermint buttercream:

Baking Tools

How to Make the Best Peppermint Macarons

Decorating the Macaron Tops

How to Melt Chocolate

How to Make Peppermint Buttercream

Assembling Macarons

Peppermint Macaron Variations

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

How to Freeze

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Why You'll Love these Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredient Notes

Baking Tools Needed

How to Make the Best Butter Pecan Cookies

Recipe Variations

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Why You'll Love these Almond Crescent Cookies

Ingredient Notes

Baking Tools Needed

How to Make the Best Almond Crescent Cookies

How to Serve

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Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

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Why You'll Love these Red Velvet Cookies

Ingredient Notes

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Variations for Red Velvet Cookies

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Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and Freezing Instructions

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Why You'll Love the Coconut Macaroons

Ingredient Notes

Baking Tools

How to Make the Best Coconut Macaroons

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Coconut Macaroon Variations

Recipe Tips and Tricks

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Why You'll Love these Eggnog Cookies

Ingredient Notes

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Why You'll Love these Coffee Cookies

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