Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (Best Snickerdoodles Ever!)

Snickerdoodles! Just saying the name brings a smile! Rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked to perfection, this easy-to-make cookie is a year-round classic.

When I think of snickerdoodles, I always think of my dad, snapping up a cookie still warm off the rack as he passed through the kitchen on his way outside.

Snickerdoodles, I have found, are cookies that brings up memories; and memories are one of the best things I can make for my family.

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**Where did the name for Snickerdoodles come from?**

According to The Joy of Cooking, “snickerdoodle” is most likely a corruption of the German word Schneckennudel (which literally translates to “snail noodle”), a German word for cinnamon roll. (Finally getting to put that three years of high school German to good use!)

I’m not sure I’m convinced of the German connection though. While Snickerdoodles do have the same basic ingredient list as a cinnamon roll, there are some glaring differences; namely, one is a formed pastry, and the other is a cookie. This corruption seems vague at best, and Germans tend to be international champs when it comes to simultaneously infusing specificity and nuance into a single noun. (The German language includes some of the best compound nouns on the planet!)

There are a handful of additional etymological theories about where the name snickerdoodle came from, most with ties to Scotland and England, but none are particularly compelling. Instead, I prefer the theory that speaks to me best: that snickerdoodle is just bit of whimsy, conjured by some witty bygone baker in a cinnamon-filled, sunlit kitchen.

I am a big supporter of Whimsy. We need more of it in this life: all the more reason to make a batch of Snickerdoodles asap!

Snickerdoodle Recipe Ingredient Notes

You can only tinker with a basic recipe so much. Compare ten snickerdoodles recipes and you’ll see that the list of ingredients varies little from one to the other. However, one of the things that makes this recipe unique is Brown Sugar.

Traditionally, Snickerdoodles are made with all white sugar. However, as my girls all know, if there is any rhyme or reason to add brown sugar to a recipe, I probably already do it. I put at least a teaspoon or three in everything from spaghetti sauce to pumpkin curry.

Snickerdoodles are no exception. I like the subtle, caramelly flavor brown sugar adds to snickerdoodles, and I personally think it improves the texture of the cookies over an all-white sugar recipe as well.

Here are a few more notes about the ingredients in our Snickerdoodle cookie recipe:

“Scant” cup – A scant cup is just a little bit less than a standard cup measurement; traditionally by about 1 to 2 tablespoons. (I tend to be a little freewheeling when it comes to measuring ingredients, so I use “scant” in this recipe to remind myself not to heap the cup.)
Kosher salt – I use kosher salt because I like the tiny pops of saltiness in the cookie. If you use table salt or sea salt, reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
Vanilla – My family knows that “1 teaspoon of vanilla” really means at least 2 teaspoons. Just saying.
Cream of Tartar – Did you know that Cream of Tartar is a byproduct of wine production? (Check this great little non-Wiki explanation on CakeSpy to learn more.)
Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon has a shelf-life of 6-12 months. How old is yours?

Should Snickerdoodle dough be chilled before baking?

You can bake these Snickerdoodles immediately after you mix them up, or put the dough in the fridge and chill it for a few hours. (Of course, then you may discover that you have significantly less dough when you pull the bowl out of the fridge than you had when you put it in. That happens a lot at our house.)

Baking the dough immediately yields a slightly wider, flatter cookie, and the texture is a bit more dense. It does not, however, affect the flavor at all.

When Baking Snickerdoodles, Timing is Everything

Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on your first batch when it goes in. When it comes to baking snickerdoodles, a minute or two one way or the other can make the difference between raw dough and soft, chewy perfection.

Snickerdoodle cookies typically rise up to a smooth flat dome shape, and then fall and wrinkle slightly after being removed from the oven.

Do you prefer your Snickerdoodle cookies soft and chewy, or crisp and crunchy? Either way, it’s all in the bake.

For soft, chewy snickerdoodle cookies, set oven to 325°F, and bake chilled dough balls for 10-12 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, the underside should be barely golden brown when done. Add 1-2 minute(s) to baking time for refrigerated dough.
For slightly more crunchy snickerdoodles, raise the oven temp to 350°F, and bake 12-14 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, the underside should be uniformly golden brown when done. Add 1-2 minute(s) to baking time for refrigerated dough.

Post Updated April 13, 2021 (Originally published March 7, 2016)

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Sweet and simple, Snickerdoodles are the kind of cookie memories are made of.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time13 mins

Total Time33 mins

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Course: Cookies, Dessert

Servings: cookies

Calories: 124kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

3 cups flour Scant
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.
Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients: ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar, by hand or with an electric mixer.
Beat in eggs and vanilla, mixing until completely incorporated.
Slowly add sifted flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not over-mix.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (I use a 1" cookie scoop for this.)
Roll dough-balls in the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place cookie balls on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.

Notes

For soft, chewy snickerdoodle cookies, set oven to 325°F, and bake chilled dough balls for 10-12 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, the underside should be barely golden brown when done. Add 1-2 minute(s) to baking time for refrigerated dough.

For slightly more crunchy snickerdoodles, raise the oven temp to 350°F, and bake 12-14 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, the underside should be uniformly golden brown when done. Add 1-2 minute(s) to baking time for refrigerated dough.

Nutrition

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FUN FACT: In the Portland area, in the latter 20th Century, if someone said they were making “snickerdoodles,” it was just as likely that they were making a cinnamon-sugar topped coffee cake as it was that they were making cookies. Snickerdoodles (the cake) were a regular staple on local school and summer camp menus.

Cookies! Cookies! Here are some more of our favorite cookie recipes:

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Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)

December 9 By Renée 7 Comments

Fresh, crisp, and warmly spiced, this Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) is fancy enough for the most elaborate menu, yet simple enough for any night of the year.

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What could be more perfect than Apple Strudel? (Or, as my high school German teacher Frau Müller would say, Apfelstrudel.) Fresh, crisp, and warmly spiced, this Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) is fancy enough for the most elaborate Oktoberfest menu, yet simple enough for any night of the year.

Strudel is an Austrian-inspired layered pastry dessert that is enjoyed around the world. Making strudel pastry from scratch is talent I have yet to master: the delicate dough must be rolled so thin that you can read a newspaper through it. So while some traditionalists may cringe at the idea of using store-bought phyllo dough, I embrace it.

Not only do I love the flaky, paper-thin crunch that the phyllo lends to the finished pastry, but the substitution makes this Easy Apple Strudel recipe incredibly easy, and (nearly) foolproof.

What kind of apples work best for apple strudel?

Good strudel starts with choosing the right apples. My preference when making strudel (or pie, or applesauce) is to use at least two types of apples: this improves the texture and makes the flavors more interesting.

For apple strudel, I usually go with a tart baking apple and a sweet or sweet-tart apple. (The strudel pictured here was made with a mixture of two-thirds Granny Smith apples, and one-third Jonagolds.)

Post Updated December 9, 2020 (Originally published October 8, 2014)

Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)

Made with phyllo dough and fresh apples, this Easy Apple Strudel {Apfelstrudel} is fancy enough for the most elaborate Oktoberfest menu, yet simple enough for any night of the year.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time50 mins

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: German

Keyword: apples

Servings: servings

Calories: 291kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1½ pounds thinly sliced baking apples about 5 cups | i.e.,Jonagold, Granny Smith, etc.
¾ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest zest of one lemon
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup almonds ground
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
1¼ cups butter divided
12 leaves phyllo pastry thawed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Apple Strudel Filling

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.
Melt ¼ cup of the butter, and then add breadcrumbs.
Saute breadcrumbs in melted butter until toasty.
Set aside.
Mix together sliced apples, raisins, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and ground almonds.
It is very important that you do this immediately before you assemble the strudels. Do not allow the mixture to set after mixing, or it will become too juicy for the delicate phyllo leaves before the strudel bakes.

Assemble Apple Strudel

Place one phyllo leaf on a kitchen towel and brush with melted butter.
Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Place a second leaf on top and brush with butter again.
Sprinkle with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Repeat until 6 leaves have been used.
Spread filling in a 3-inch strip along the narrow end of the phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border on the sides.
Lift towel and use it to help you roll up the strudel.
Press the ends down to seal. (I don't worry too much about this - some filling may come out, but it always turns out fine.)
Brush top of the strudel with butter and sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs.
Repeat to make the second strudel.
Bake the strudels at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned.

Notes

This recipe makes two large strudels.

Nutrition

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Oom-PahPah! More German Recipes!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Blueberry Banana Muffins (Naturally Low-Fat)

October 16 By Renée 3 Comments

These tender, delicious Blueberry Banana Muffins are naturally low in fat, high in flavor, and bursting with fresh blueberries!

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Moist and tender, these Blueberry Banana Muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries; plus they are naturally low in fat and added sugars! Great for grab-n-go breakfasts and easy snacks, they mix up in just minutes.

**A Truly Moist, Delicious Blueberry Muffin that Just Happens to Be Low Fat**

Whenever I see the term “low-fat” called out in a recipe, the first thing that usually pops into my head is a pile of shredded wheat atop a sandy dune. Dry. Desolate. Void of flavor or life.

This blueberry muffin recipe is the opposite of that! Bananas and applesauce in the batter reduce the need for added sugars and take the place of added fats; making these moist, easy-to make muffins naturally low in fat and high in flavor!

**What is Demerara sugar?**

Demerara is a minimally-refined raw cane sugar with a large, rectangular grain; blond in color. It has a light flavor similar in flavor to brown sugar.

Demerara sugar is especially great for sprinkling on top of baked goods to get that bakery-fresh sugar crunch on top. It gives baked goods bit of sparkle as well.

You might be surprised at the number of different kinds of sugars that are used around the world! In addition to the standard US pantry staples of heavily refined white sugar and brown sugar, there are a number of other less-refined sugars that bring unique depth, texture, and aromatic flavor to your recipes.

More popular Raw and Less Refined Sugars Used in Cooking

• Turbinado is slightly refined raw cane sugar. It is similar in appearance to Demerara, but has a lighter, more caramelly flavor. Turbinado is a good replacement for white or light brown sugar in baked goods and beverages. Turbinado is made from the first pressing of sugar cane and retains some natural molasses.

Like Demerara, a sprinkle of the tops of baked goods will yield a crystally, crunchy bite.

• Jaggery is an unrefined “brick sugar” that is made from palm, coconut, or java plants. Color can range from light golden to dark brown, and it is purchased in the form of a cone.

• Muscovado is a very sticky, sandy cane sugar with a strong molasses flavor. It can be used in place of brown sugar, but it has a much stronger flavor, and is best for savory dishes like barbecue sauces and marinades.

• Piloncilo is a raw cane sugar commonly used in Mexican cooking. Often referred to as Mexican brown sugar, it’s probably one of the secret ingredients in your favorite mole.

• Sucanat (short for sucre de canne naturel) is natural cane sugar, made from crystallized pure cane sugar. Sucanat granules are a tan-brown color, with an intense molasses flavor.

Most of the sugars on this list are classified as “raw,” and can often be found in your bakery aisle or at natural foods markets.

Post Updated October 16, 2020 (Originally published January 11, 2014)

Naturally Lowfat Blueberry Banana Muffins

These tender, deliciousBlueberry Banana Muffins are naturally low in fat, high in flavor, and bursting with fresh blueberries!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time18 mins

Total Time28 mins

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Course: Breakfast or Brunch, Snack

Keyword: baking

Servings:

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Standard Muffin Tin
Muffin Tin Liners

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

10 ounces mashed bananas about 2 medium bananas; 1¼ cups
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg lightly beaten
1/3 cup chunky applesauce

Berries & Topping

2/3 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C].
Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers and/or spray with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a large bowl, stir bananas, sugar, egg, and applesauce until evenly mixed.
Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredient mixture into the dry mixture, mixing only no more dry flour is visible.
The batter will be a little lumpy and about the same consistency as thick cake batter.
Do not over mix.
Stir in blueberries.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of Demerara sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool on wire rack.

Notes

These muffins freeze well, so make a couple of batches to keep on hand for a fast, easy breakfast or snack.

Nutrition

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DID YOU KNOW?

Most quickbread recipes can be made into muffins, so be sure to check our Zucchini-Banana Bread, Classic Banana Bread, and Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread recipes! They can all easily be made into muffins! Just mix up the batter as directed, fill a standard muffin tin, and bake at 375°F [190°C] for 15-20 minutes!

So Thankful for Our Reader Comments & Advice!

As the update notice above the recipe card indicates, this recipe was originally posted some years ago. In fact, the only thing about this post that looks like the old one is the list of ingredients in the recipe: everything else is new and improved.

There is one small change to the recipe: the muffins are now sprinkled with Demerara sugar instead of Turbinado sugar before going into the oven.

This wasn’t so much a change as it was a correction. When I originally wrote up this recipe, I didn’t understand that Demerara sugar and Turbinado sugar are actually two different things, so I listed the latter when I meant the former.

This all came to my attention when a kind reader named Judy chimed with a lovely comment on the original post. In her note, Judy mentioned that she had used Demerara sugar for the top instead of Turbinado. She went on to say that doing so gave the muffins a nice crunchy bite after they cool.

And just like that, I realized I’d been calling Demerara sugar by the wrong name all these years!

We are so grateful to our readers for their helpful, uplifting comments! Thank you, Judy!

If you love blueberries, be sure to check out our Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie recipe!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Easy Pie Dough Roses {Pastry Roses}

August 18 By Renée 8 Comments

These lovely little pie dough roses are ridiculously easy to make, and will immediately up your pie-making game!

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These sweet little pie dough roses are so easy to make that, until an eleventh hour change of heart, this entire post was just another paragraph in my Sweet & Easy Pie Crust recipe.

Made from leftover dough, you can make two of these easy pastry roses in less than a minute. (Really!)

I’ve always been a little intimidated by people who can make fancy, ornate pies; the kind most of us see only in the front windows of fine European-style bakeries.

One pie artist whom I particularly admire, Helen Nugent, elevates pie decorating to fine art; festooning her pastries with delicate, carefully braided strands of pastry dough, interwoven and laced with intricate, winding organic details. If you’re looking for some next-level pie-decorating inspiration, you definitely need to check out her amazing work @batterednbaked. (I can hardly wait for the September release of her new book, Pie Style!)

While I don’t think I’ll ever even walk in the same pie-decorating neighborhood as Helen, I did recently pick up one simple trick that has measurably upped my pastry embellishment game.

How to Make a 4-Circle Pastry Rose

Four-circle pie dough roses are so easy to make; it’s almost embarrassing. They each take just seconds to form, and immediately raise your pastry aesthetic to a whole new level!

I did not invent this wheel: the “4-circle rose” technique one employed by bakers around the world. Fast and easy, bakers use this method to shape and adorn all types of doughs; from beautiful rose-shaped soft rolls (like these drool-worthy Cinnamon Roses!) to the simple pastry decorations shared here.

Every successful pie starts with great pie dough: be sure to check out my Sweet & Easy Pie Crust recipe!

Easy Pie Dough Roses

Prep Time 1 minute

Total Time 1 minute

Materials

Fresh pie dough

Tools

Biscuit cutter or other round cutting tool

Instructions

For each pair of pastry roses, roll pastry to about 1/8-inch thick, and cut four pie dough circles of the same size.
Line four pie dough circles up, overlapping each one about 1/3. Gently press the overlap together with your fingertip as shown. You can add a drop of water between the layers to help them adhere better if you want to, but it isn't necessary.
Beginning with the circle on the bottom, begin carefully rolling up the line of dough circles.
Pinch the center together slightly as you roll the circles together.
This will result in a barbell-shape that is slightly fanned on the ends.
Using a sharp knife, cut the barbell in half. Now you have two roses!
To complete, gently fan out the rose petals.

Notes

You can cut out the pastry circles with just about anything. Bottle caps or a melon baller work particularly well.

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See – I told you they were super easy!

LEAVES: To decorate the pastries shown here, I used a one of the cutters from my Mini Autumn Leaf Cookie Cutter Set. (I’ve had this little set of pastry cutters for over 15 years, and find that it comes in handy for all kinds of projects.) Pastry leaves can also easily be cut freehand, using a sharp paring knife.

SIZE: Sizing pastry roses is as easy as changing the size of the dough circles you use: which is to say, smaller circles will yield smaller roses. (I used a biscuit cutter to make the larger circles below, and a melon baller for the smaller ones.)

If you’re looking for more ideas, here are a few more easy ways to decorate pies [BBC Good Food].

Recipe for Blueberry Handpies (with precooked blueberry filling) coming soon!

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of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

August 6 By Renée 8 Comments

Our simple, classic fresh blueberry pie recipe lets the blueberry flavors shine! Made with our homemade sweet pie crust (or store-bought crust) and fresh (or frozen) berries, this delicious pie pairs perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot summer night.

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There really isn’t anything quite like a slice of fresh blueberry pie with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on a hot summer evening.

Our blueberry bushes yielded a bumper crop this year, and I’ve been freezing and baking up berries – including blueberry pies of all shapes and sizes – for a few weeks now. I’d forgotten how much I love baking with fresh blueberries!

As I was developing this blueberry pie recipe, I compared the results against my memories of the best blueberry pie I’ve ever eaten; decades ago at a little boat-in family restaurant called Harmony Falls on the shore of Spirit Lake, at the foot of Mount St. Helens. (Needless to say, it’s been awhile.)

We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of this pie recipe! The filling is sweet, tart, juicy blueberry bliss; and the flaky, tender, slightly sweetened crust adds the perfect finishing touch.

Whether it’s been decades or days since you last ate a slice, this fresh blueberry pie will bring back memories of pies-gone-by like they happened yesterday. You are going to love it!

How many blueberries do I need for this pie?

Reality: This is how I measure berries for a pie.

For the purposes of this post, I weighed the berries I used so I could give an exact measurement in the recipe. (About 42 ounces for a deep dish, and 21 ounces for a standard single pie.)

However, if you fill you pie pan(s) so that the top rounds up just a bit, you will have the exact right amount for your pie. The rest of the ingredient amounts are based making filling for one deep dish blueberry pie (as pictured here) or two standard 9-inch pies.

IMPORTANT: Blueberries used for filling must be room temperature. DO NOT use chilled berries, or your filling will take too long to cook and your pie shell will burn before the filling is done.

Why is it so important to rinse blueberries before baking with them?

As you may know, you should never rinse blueberries until you are ready to use them. Rinsing removes the “bloom,” which is the waxy, silvery-white coating that appears on blueberries, grapes, and some plums. Bloom acts as a barrier against insects and bacteria, and helps to seal in the fruits’ moisture. Rinsing breaks down this protection, ultimately allowing the berries to cook more efficiently.

For the purposes of this recipe, rinsing also adds just enough liquid to the mixture to allow the tapioca to begin working its magic before the berries begin to burst during baking. Do not skip this step, or your filling may not cook correctly.

What about the pie crust?

You can use any pie crust you want for this pie. However, if you want to make your own dough (and I strongly encourage you to do so), my favorite, go-to sweet pie dough recipe is tender, flaky, and easy to make. (And if you follow the directions, it’s next to foolproof!)

Follow these three easy rules for successful pie crust:

Keep everything crust-related ICE COLD! That means; if you aren’t using it, it should be chilling. This includes your pie dish. (DO NOT chill filling ingredients.)
Mix in the fats by hand, and leave pea to peanut-size pieces in the dough.
Do not overmix your dough. Overworking encourages the formation of gluten, which makes pastry dough tough. Pastry dough should never be a uniform color: don’t try to make it so.

One more important Pie-Making Tip:

I have one more tip for successful pie making, blueberry or otherwise: invest in a good 9½-inch rimmed glass pie dish. Get a deep dish or standard pie dish depending on your preference, or both!

I prefer a glass pie dish over metal or ceramic for a couple of reasons; most notably, I can see through glass to check the color of my bottom crust, which is a primary determinate for whether the pie is done or not.

Do I have to make the pie crust all fancy like this pie?

Nope. You can top it with a well-vented solid crust; or better yet, make a simple lattice crust.

Want to fancy it up? Vary the size of your lattice strips, and add a few super simple pie dough roses like I did! [How-to post coming next week.]

If you decide to go with a solid top crust, be sure to cut some large vents, or better yet, use a small cookie cutter to open up the top to allow all that steam to escape while the berries are cooking.

For the top crust, you can go as simple as you want; but if you like this design, it’s super-easy to put together. To make it, I sliced a few random strips of pie dough, cut some simple leaves, and made five simple “4-circle” pie-dough roses.

Pie Crust PRO TIP: Cut the bottom crust larger enough so that, after you add the top crust, the bottom edge can be folded up over it and sealed, as shown in the image above. In my experience, this significantly cuts down on pie shell leakage around the edges.

5 from 4 votes

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

Our simple, classic fresh blueberry pie recipe lets the blueberry flavors shine! Recipe makes enough filling for one 9-inch deep-dish blueberry Pie, or two standard 9-inch pies.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Cooling Time1 hr

Total Time2 hrs 25 mins

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Seasonal

Keyword: blueberries, pie

Servings: servings

Calories: 405kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

9½-inch Pie Dish [1 deep dish or 2 standard]

Ingredients

42 ounces fresh blueberries room temperature (Defrost to room temp if using frozen berries)
4 tablespoons instant tapioca
2/3 cup white sugar See Notes below.
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter cut into small pieces
1 batch Sweet Pie Dough per pie (or your favorite double-crust pie dough)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F [200°C].
Pour fresh berries into your pie dish to measure out proper amount.
PRO TIP: Chill pie plate in refrigerator for 30 minutes before beginning.
Gather and prep all ingredients.
Rinse blueberries in colander. This step is NOT OPTIONAL.
In a large bowl, combine berries, tapioca, sugar, flour, zest, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Gently toss to mix. Sprinkle with lemon juice, toss one more time, and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
While the pie filling is setting out, take the pie plate and one half of your pie dough out of the refrigerator.
Roll out bottom crust and line pie dish. (Continue to chill other half of crust.)
Put rolled bottom crust in freezer for 5 minutes before proceeding.
Fill chilled pie crust with prepared filling.
Sprinkle lemon juice over top of pie. Dot with butter pieces.
Remove dough for top crust from refrigerator. Roll out on lightly floured board. Add top crust to pie as desired. You can simply top it with a solid crust, or make it as fancy as you like.
If you use a solid top crust, be sure to cut a few vents.
If you pie dough seems saggy or too warm when you get done adding the top crust, put the whole thing back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Baking times will vary somewhat, depending upon your pie dish, oven, and depth of filling. Keep an eye on your pie after the first 30 minutes of baking to avoid burning.
• 9½" Deep Dish Pie: Bake at 400° [200°C] for 45-55 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Standard 9" Pie: Bake at 400° [200°C] for 40-50 minutes, or until lightly browned.
After the first 30 minutes of baking, gently lay a sheet of plain, flat aluminum foil over the top of the entire pie to avoid over-browning the top. Do not press down or otherwise form the foil: just lay it gently, like a feather.
Pie is done when crust is light golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Allow pie to cool completely before serving.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of sugar based on the tartness of your berries and your personal tastes. Add up to an additional 1/3 cup sugar if your berries are very tart, or if you prefer your pies very sweet.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

The pastry roses on this pie are ridiculously easy to make, and will immediately up your pie-making game!

Why does this blueberry pie recipe include both flour and tapioca as thickeners?

Thickening the natural fruit juices from any berry is tricky, especially when the filling is cooked in the pie. (As opposed to pre-cooking the filling.) Blueberries are particularly pesky, natural pectin-wise, and it seems that some varieties gel better than others.

You want your pie-fruit to be thick enough to sit on a fork, but you don’t want a gummy, gelatinous mess that feels weird on your tongue and totally overwhelms the fresh, natural flavors of the berries. You also need that crust to bake up nice and flaky. It’s a balancing act.

That said, I am not a fan of cornstarch for thickening pies, and I avoid it whenever possible. Sure, thickening with cornstarch is easy, but it often results in what I can only describe as a gloppy, bouncy filling.

For this pie, I use my pie thickener of choice – instant tapioca, plus just a little flour and butter to seal the deal. This combination gives me the most consistent results with my blueberry pie filling, yielding a thick, juicy filling that highlights (instead of hides) all those delicious fresh berry flavors.

Blueberry pies, in particular, thicken a lot when they cool. Don’t be concerned if your filling seems thin when you first take it out of the oven. For best results, allow pies to set up completely before cutting in.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Sweet & Easy Homemade Pie Crust

July 28 By Renée 10 Comments

Homemade pie crust is easy if you know a few simple secrets! This easy pie crust recipe is slightly sweet, and makes enough for one standard double-crust pie, two standard single-crust pies, or ten 6-inch hand-pies.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

My mother made the best pies: berry pies of all kinds, pumpkin pies, and of course, her famous cherry-rhubarb pie. The secret, she always said, was in the crust.

It was magic, watching Mama make a pie crust, like a dancer on a stage. I can still see her – bending over our shiny yellow Formica kitchen table, dusting the surface with a sweep of her hand and flouring her rolling pin in one graceful motion. Then leaning forward, she would roll out the dough in smooth, perfect strokes.

Mama’s crust was always even and flawless. Once rolled, she turned the pie plate upside-down on the dough and cut a clean circle with her paring knife exactly two inches away from the edge, all the way around. Then, lifting the edge of the pastry circle, she would roll the dough up onto the pin and then gently roll it out again over the righted pie plate, forming it to the dish’s curves; her delicate hands deftly fluting the edges with perfectly practiced pinches.

Look for these recipes, coming soon to GHW: Classic Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Hand-Pies (with precooked pie filling), and Easy Pie Dough Roses.

Three Secrets to a Perfect Pie Crust

Mom taught me three simple rules for making pie crust.

Keep everything COLD. – Refrigerate or freeze everything you are using to make your pastry dough, including your mixing bowl! The colder you can keep things, the more successful your crust will be. If your dough starts feeling melty or too soft to work with, immediately put everything back in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes. You will never ruin your crust by taking some extra chill time.
Incorporate fats by hand. – This allows you to keep the bits of shortening and butter bigger, up to the size of a cooked butter bean. One of the leading causes of tough crust is that bits of fat in it are too small. (This is why I avoid using a food processor for making pastry crust.) I do, however, always grate my butter. (I usually chill it in the freezer for about an hour first.) I find that this allows me to distribute it quicker, therein keeping everything colder.
Do not overmix. – The more you mix the dough, the more gluten strands are formed. Gluten formation in pastry dough results a tough, chewy crust, and is to be avoided whenever possible. DO NOT, under any circumstances, knead your pastry dough.

There are plenty more tips and tricks out there to help you achieve that perfect pie crust, but in my experience, the three guidelines above are the ones that make or break your pastry crust.

This tender, flaky, slightly sweet crust recipe is perfect making pastries like our Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie (pictured below), and holiday favorite Triple-Ginger Pumpkin Pie.

The pastry roses on this pie are ridiculously easy to make, and will immediately up your pie-making game!

How long should I bake pastry dough?

Standard Pastry Baking Times

These are general guidelines only. Please consult the recipe for which you employ the pie dough for specific baking times and temperatures.

Single Crust Pie [Filled] • 400 – 425°F [205-218 °C] • 30-40 minutes
Pie Shell Only [Unfilled] • 400°F [232°C] • 15-17 minutes (blind bake) | 28-30 minutes (fully baked)
Double-Crust [Uncooked Filling] • 400 – 425°F [205-218°C] • 45-55 minutes
Double-Crust [Cooked Filling] • 425 – 450°F [205-232°C] • 30-45 minutes
Turnovers & Hand-Pies [Cooked Filling] • 425 – 450°F [205-232 °C] • 20-22 minutes

5 from 6 votes

Sweet & Easy Homemade Pie Crust

Homemade pie crust is easy if you know a few simple secrets! This easy pie crust recipe is slightly sweet, and makes enough for one standard double-crust pie, two standard single-crust pies, or ten 6-inch hand-pies.

Prep Time15 mins

Chilling Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

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Course: Basic, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Keyword: baking, pastry

Servings: standard double-crust pie

Calories: 3363kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening chilled for one hour
1/2 cup butter chilled & coarsely grated
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons white sugar
¼ cup ice water
¼ cup vodka* [Optional: If omitted, use an additional ¼ cup ice water.]
½ teaspoon table salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt together with a fork.
Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers (my personal choice) work the cold shortening into the flour mixture until the texture resembles that of strudel crumble.
Add grated or cut ice-cold butter to flour mixture.
Work butter in using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers. It's OK to leave large pieces of butter (balls up to the size of a lima bean): this is what makes your pie crust flakey!
[Optional] Cool flour mixture in freezer 5 minutes before proceeding.
[Optional] If you are using vodka, mix ice water and vodka together.
Sprinkle ½ cup ice cold liquid (ice water, or ice water+vodka) over the top of the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a ball begins to form.
IMPORTANT: Do not pour liquid onto flour mixture: sprinkle it.
Turn dough out onto counter.
Press together into a large ball or disk.
Divide dough in half. (This will make it easier to work with later.)
Press each half into a disk. (Do not overwork the dough. Just press it together.)
Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate prepared dough for at least one hour, and up to two days.
Roll out and bake according to directions for whatever you are making.
TIP: I like to roll pastry dough out between sheets of parchment. It allows me to flip the dough easily, and place it without concerns over tearing.

Notes

Standard Pastry Baking Times

Single Crust Pie [Filled] • 400 - 425 °F [205-218 °C] • 30-40 minutes
Pie Shell Only [Unfilled] • 450 °F [232 °C] • 12-12 minutes
Double-Crust [Uncooked Filling] • 400 - 425 °F [205-218 °C] • 45-55 minutes
Double-Crust [Cooked Filling] • 425 - 450 °F [205-232 °C] • 30-45 minutes
Turnovers & Hand-Pies [Cooked Filling] • 425 - 450 °F [205-232 °C] • 20-22 minutes

Nutrition

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Looking for a savory pie crust recipe? Try our delicious Herbed Pie Crust – perfect for pot pies and other savory baked treats!

Does your recipe call for pre-baking or blind baking the crust? Here are some great tips for successful blind baking!

Does vodka in pie crust really make a difference?

I first read about using vodka in a pie crust recipe in a long-forgotten issue of Cook’s Illustrated. The science behind it is that the alcohol in the vodka adds moisture to the dough without encouraging gluten formation, since gluten doesn’t form in alcohol. Also, the vodka evaporates more efficiently than water during the baking process, removing more moisture and resulting in a flakier and crispier crust.

I wanted to know if the theory plays out in real life, so I did a side by side comparison to see if there was any noticeable difference between crust made with vodka and crust made with plain ice water.

The hand-pie below on the left has vodka in the dough; the dough on the right was made with ice-water only. They were baked at the same time on the same baking tray.

I expected there to be a more noticeable distinction, but there really wasn’t any significant differences in taste or texture between the two pastries once they were baked. (You cannot taste any alcohol, of course, because it has all cooks out.)

There were, however, a few differences in the dough before baking. The vodka dough was a bit softer than the all ice-water dough, and while it did require slightly longer chilling time, it was also more supple and easier to roll out.

Final Thoughts: The vodka in this recipe is optional, and using the all ice water method will still result in a delicious, flaky crust as long as you keep everything ice-cold. However, if you have the vodka and want to give it a try, I encourage you to do so; you may find that this is just the trick to raise your pastry making to the next level.

Can I freeze this pie dough?

Absolutely! Pie dough keeps very well in the freezer. Wrap it tightly in freezer-weight plastic wrap and seal it in a freezer bag. (Or do what I do and suck-n-seal it with a FoodSaver.) Tightly-wrapped dough should keep up to six months in the freezer.

For even easier use later, roll the dough out ahead of time and freeze pie crusts in the pan.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake

April 30 By Renée 3 Comments

In this moist, buttery Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake, fresh cranberries provide a tart contrast to the sweet vanilla pound cake and double layer of rich, walnut-crumb topping. Perfect for a relaxing weekend morning or afternoon snack.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

If you’ve not yet jumped on the Sourdough Train, this Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake might just be the thing that punches your ticket!

My mom use to mix up a coffee cake on Sunday mornings once or twice a month. It took nearly an hour to bake, and in that time, our house would fill with the scents of roasting walnuts, caramelizing brown sugar, and warm vanilla cake.

There were only two things wrong with Mama’s coffee cake: it took way too long to bake, and there was never enough of that sweet, nutty, crumb topping!

I can’t change the baking time problem – it’s still going to take almost an hour to bake. But I’ve definitely resolved the crumb dilemma! This recipe makes double the amount of crumb traditionally used. (If you prefer your coffee cake with less crumb topping, it’s an easy fix: just make less of the topping.)

This sourdough coffee cake is an excellent way to use up extra sourdough starter, too! It’s easy to make, tastes amazing, and is perfect for any occasion when you want a little something sweet.

You can use a hand mixer if you want, but I prefer mixing this cake entirely by hand. Either way, it will take you about 15 minutes to get it in the oven.

No cranberries? No problem! You can use any berry you want (blueberries work especially well!) or leave the berries out altogether. Any way you make it, it’s going to be delicious!

5 from 2 votes

Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake

In this moist, buttery Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake, fresh cranberries provide a tart contrast to the sweet vanilla pound cake and double-layer of rich, walnut-crumb topping.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

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Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, cranberries, sourdough

Servings: servings

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

9" Square Baking Pan
Wooden Spoon or Hand Mixer
Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Crumble Topping

2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans, or filberts, or almonds
2/3 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter melted

Cake Batter

1/2 cup butter room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sourdough starter UNFED
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries room temperature

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F | 176°C.
Grease a 9" square pan, or spray with cooking spray.

Crumb Topping

Chop walnuts.
I usually chop nuts for recipes by hand, but for this recipe, you want them a little finer. I use a small food processor for this step, processing the nuts a handful at a time, pulsing quickly a few times with each batch. You want most of the walnuts to be finely chopped, but you don't want to make nut butter. It's good to have a few bigger pieces here and there. It gives the Crumb Topping a more interesting texture, too.
Whisk together nuts, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
Add vanilla and melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to break down butter.
It is critical that the butter be at least 65°F [18.3°C] or it will be too hard to mix the cake. Optimally, butter should be about 70°-72°F.
In a large mixing bowl, use a spatula to combine sugar and butter. It doesn't need to be pretty; just mix it in thoroughly.
Add eggs to butter and sugar mixture one at a time, stirring thoroughly to combine after each addition.
Stir in vanilla and sourdough starter. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to Starter mixture and stir to combine. Add milk and mix until smooth.
Stir in orange zest and cranberries.
[A] Spread one-half cake batter in the bottom of a prepared pan.
[B] Sprinkle one-half crumble mixture over the top. Press the crumble down very lightly with your hands.
[C] CAREFULLY distribute the rest of the batter on top of the first crumb layer. The idea is to mix in as little of the crumb mixture into the cake batter as possible.
I do this by dropping dollops of batter over the top of the crumb layer, and then carefully spreading it to the edges using a frosting spatula or the back of a spoon.
[D] Sprinkle the second half of the crumble mixture over the top. Press the crumble down very lightly with your hands.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Open the oven door and gently cover the cake top with a piece of foil. Basically, just lay the foil over the top.
This will keep the topping from over browning during the final minutes of baking.
Close the oven and continue baking for an additional 10-20 minutes (for a total of 45-55 minutes cooking time), or until a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Notes

This coffee cake can be stored at room temperature for several days. It also freezes well.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Making this Coffee Coffee Cake Recipe: A Closer Look

I usually chop nuts for recipes by hand, but for this recipe, you want them a little finer. I use a small food processor for this step, processing the nuts a handful at a time, pulsing quickly a few times with each batch. You want most of the walnuts to be finely chopped, but you don’t want to make nut butter, and it’s good to have a few bigger pieces here and there. It gives the Crumb Topping a more interesting texture, too.

Assembling the coffee cake is easy, but Step C does takes just a bit of patience.

[A] Spread one-half cake batter in the bottom of a prepared pan.

[B] Sprinkle one-half crumble mixture over the top. Press the crumble down very lightly with your hands.

[C] CAREFULLY distribute the rest of the batter on top of the first crumb layer. The idea is to mix in as little of the crumb mixture into the cake batter as possible.

I do this by dropping dollops of batter over the top of the crumb layer, and then carefully spreading it to the edges using a frosting spatula or the back of a spoon.

[D] Sprinkle the second half of the crumble mixture over the top. Press the crumble down very lightly with your hands.

Stages of a Healthy Sourdough Starter

Use Unfed Starter or Discard for this recipe.

Fed Starter – Fed Starter is active, healthy starter that has been fed within about 2 hours. By hour 2, it will be producing little bubbles on the surface.
Active Starter – Starter is Active about 5 hours after feeding. By hour 5, you should be able to watch large bubbles actively rising through the Starter and making their way to surface.
Ripe Starter – Starter is considered Ripe about 8 hours after feeding. The volume has doubled, and the top is just beginning to show signs of sagging under its own weight.
Unfed Starter – Unfed Starter is healthy, vigorous Starter that has not been fed for 12 hours or more. By hour 12, it collapsed after Ripening, and is ready to be fed again or put in the fridge until next time. (Note that this is NOT neglected Starter that hasn’t been fed in days.)
Discard – Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that you get rid of when you do a feeding. It should be healthy and vigorous, with some small bubbling activity.

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Easy Bread Pudding {4 Ways} with Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce

April 22 By Renée 28 Comments

Easy Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce (or, alcohol-free UnWhiskey Vanilla Butter Sauce) is the very definition of Scrumptious! Recipe is adaptable and foolproof, with variations including: Traditional Cinnamon, Cinnamon-Orange, Cranberry-Orange, and Cranberry White Chocolate.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Bread pudding is a delicious way to use up old bread. Growing up, if any part of a loaf of bread went stale, my mom would never even think of throwing it out. Waste not, want not. Instead, she would make one of my all-time favorite desserts: bread pudding.

Post Updated April 22, 2020 (Originally published May 6, 2014)

When I grew up, I adopted Mom’s thrifty practice of saving old bread. I keep a large resealable bag in the freezer, and whenever we have a lone slice of bread or a part of a loaf goes stale, I throw the extra bread in the bag. When I have enough, I make bread pudding.

You don’t need to be picky about the kind of breads that go into your bread pudding. (I mean, that’s kind of the point, right?) I do like to use a variety if I have it, though. Don’t be afraid to use breads with unique flavors or textures, either! Rye bread is one of my favorite breads to use.

This Easy Bread Pudding is full of sugar and spice and everything nice – and the recipe almost impossible to flub. The foundation recipe below (i.e., Basic Bread Pudding), even without any additions or sauces, makes a perfectly delicious dessert just as written.

Cranberry-Orange Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Spiced Whiskey Sauce

Cinnamon-Orange Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Orange Whiskey Butter Sauce is one of our favorite combos!

By now though, you probably know that I like Options. I need to change things up from time to time, and bread pudding is no different. I’ve included four of our favorite bread pudding variations on the recipe card below:

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding
Cinnamon-Orange Bread Pudding
Cranberry-Orange Bread Pudding
Cranberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

It all just depends upon the extras you throw in.

Once you master the basic recipe, you’ll find yourself coming up with all kinds of combinations of your own.

5 from 7 votes

Easy Bread Pudding (4 Ways)

This Easy Bread Pudding is absolutely scrumptious! Extremely adaptable recipe, with variations including Traditional Cinnamon, Cinnamon-Orange, Cranberry-Orange, and Cranberry White Chocolate.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

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Course: Brunch, Comfort Food, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Keyword: bread, leftovers

Servings:

Calories: 325kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Basic Bread Pudding

1 pound day-old bread roughly 10 cups, cubed
7 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white
4 cups milk or half & half
1 tablespoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 batch Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce OPTIONAL: SEE NOTES | or Cinnamon-Orange Sauce, or Un-Whiskey Sauce

For Traditional Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding

½ - ¾ cup golden raisins or raisins (As always, raisins are optional)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon additional

For Cinnamon-Orange Bread Pudding

½ cup golden raisins or raisins
1½ teaspoons fresh orange zest
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon additional

For Cranberry-Orange Bread Pudding

½ cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

For Cranberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F [163°C].
Grease a large, heavy baking dish with a thin coating of butter, or spray it with cooking spray.
A 10" cast iron skillet is my preferred baking pan for this recipe. However, you can use whatever works best for you: a 9x13 baking or casserole dish is another good choice.
Cut bread into ¾" - 1" cubes. (You should have roughly 10 cups of bread cubes.)
Put the bread cubes into buttered baking pan or dish.
Sprinkle dried fruit and/or baking chips over bread cubes (i.e., raisins, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, etc.). Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk 7 eggs until frothy.
Add sugars to beaten eggs and thoroughly whisk together.
Whisk in ground spices (i.e., cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg), salt, and vanilla.
If you are using orange zest, mix it now as well.
Mixture should be a thick, eggy syrup right now.
Stir in milk (or half & half).
Pour the egg mixture over the bread cube mixture in the pan.
Press it down a little with your hands. You should see a little of the liquid rise up in between the bread cubes.
At this point, if the bread pudding seems really dry, I will mix up another egg with about 3/4 cup of milk and drizzle that over the top. It really depends on the density of the bread you are using.
Allow everything to rest for about 20 minutes to give the bread cubes time to absorb the egg mixture.
Bake 45-60 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.
Insert a toothpick or skewer into the bread pudding – it should come out clean.
Allow bread pudding to cool on a wire rack.
I usually loosely tent it with aluminum foil to keep it from losing too much moisture as it cools.
When bread pudding has mostly cooled, drizzle with ⅔ of the cooled, prepared Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce.
Reserve the last ⅓ of the sauce.
When you are ready to serve the bread pudding, heat the reserve sauce slightly and serve on the side as you would syrup for pancakes.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes

CINNAMON WHISKEY BUTTER SAUCE is totally optional. (However, adding it will take your bread pudding to the next level!)

Nutrition information includes the "Basic Bread Pudding" recipe ingredients only. It does not take into account additional ingredients listed in the recipe options (i.e., dried fruit, baking chips, etc.) or ingredients in the Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Basic Whiskey Butter Sauce Recipe

My mom never made a sauce for our bread pudding when I was a kid (hers was heavenly all by itself), so I didn’t discover spirit-infused butter sauce until I was in my late twenties.

Back then, we used to stop at a sweet little diner down in Netarts (if I remember right) on the Oregon Coast, just for their bread pudding. I can still remember the first time a warm piece of bread pudding arrived at our table soaked with decadent, buttery rum sauce – Oh.My.Gosh!

Ever since, I’ve always enjoyed a spirited butter sauce with my bread pudding. (As if it isn’t already decadent enough!)

This buttery Cinnamon-Orange Whiskey Butter Sauce is soooo amazing!

Topping off this Easy Bread Pudding recipe is an amazing Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce. Like my Easy Bread Pudding recipe, this basic butter sauce recipe can be adapted as desired.

Variations listed on the recipe card include Cinnamon-Orange Whiskey Butter Sauce, and an alcohol-free Un-Whiskey Vanilla Butter Sauce.

Pro Tip: Substitute rum for whiskey, and Boom! You’ve got Rum Sauce!

5 from 7 votes

Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce for Bread Pudding

Cinnamon Whiskey Butter Sauce is absolutely amazing over bread pudding! Variations include: Cinnamon-Orange Whiskey Butter Sauce, and even an alcohol-free Un-Whiskey Vanilla Butter Sauce.

Prep Time15 mins

Cooling time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Keyword: Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Whisk
Heavy Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

1½ cups white sugar
¾ cups butter
½ cup corn syrup
4 ounces cinnamon whiskey [Fireball] OR 2 ounces Spiced Rum, plus 2 ounces cinnamon whiskey (For Cinnamon-Orange and/or alcohol-free options, SEE NOTES)
¼ cup half & half or milk, or almond milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put a small, clean plate in the refrigerator.
Put sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan.
Set pan on burner, and then turn burner on LOW.
Stir over low heat until mixture begins to boil.
Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a full, rolling boil. (A boil that cannot be stirred down.)
Remove from heat and stir in alcohol. Step back from pan for a moment.
Mixture will bubble up almost immediately and release all of alcohol.
DO NOT have your face directly over the pan when you add the alcohol. All of this happens very quickly, and you can get a nasty steam burn if you stand too close.
Take the plate out of the refrigerator. Drop a teaspoon of sauce on the plate, and determine if the sauce on the plate is thick enough for your tastes.
If the sauce is thick enough for you, move on to the next step.
If you would like your sauce to be thicker, return to the pan to the stove over MEDIUM-LOW. Stirring constantly, allow it to reduce for a few more minutes. Try the plate test again.
When you are satisfied with the thickness of your sauce, pour it into a clean container and allow it to cool.
Serve sauce over warm bread pudding.

Notes

Cinnamon-Orange Whiskey Butter Sauce

Use 2 ounces of cinnamon whiskey, plus 2 ounces of plain whiskey, plus 1 teaspoon orange zest.
OR, Use 2 ounces of cinnamon whiskey, plus 2 ounces of Grand Marnier.

Un-Whiskey Vanilla Butter Sauce

All of the alcohol cooks out of this sauce when made as directed. However, if you prefer not to use alcohol in your cooking at all:

Omit all alcohol
Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon when you add the sugar.
Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla when you remove the sauce from the heat.

The resulting sauce will be a much milder, but still delicious.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

If dessert sauces are something you crave, checkout our round-up of caramel and butterscotch recipes! (And find out what the difference between them is, too!)

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of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Chocolate Wacky Cake (No Eggs, No Dairy, No Clean-up!)

March 12 By Renée 21 Comments

Chocolate Wacky Cake is the easiest scratch cake you will ever make! (No eggs, no milk, no butter, no clean-up.) Made exclusively with pantry staples, this surprisingly moist, delicious snack cake mixes up in a jiffy, right in the pan!

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Chocolate Wacky Cake was the first “scratch” cake I ever baked all by myself. (I think I was eight.) So named because it requires no eggs, no milk, no butter, and is mixed directly in the pan, Wacky Cake is a surprisingly moist, delicious chocolate cake that is easy enough for a child to make.

Wacky Cake is dead simple to make, but the origins of the recipe – also known as Crazy Cake, War Cake, Depression Cake, Magic Cake, and even 3-Hole Cake – are somewhat murky.

Wacky Cake is a recipe created for difficult times, passed down from one generation of frugal bakers to the next. There are references to similar cake recipes dating back over a hundred years; clear back to World War I, when War Cake could be found in a 1918 Food Administration Department pamphlet entitled “War Economy in Food,” under “Recipes for Conservation Sweets.”

After The War to End All Wars ended in 1918, Crazy Cake recipes made their way into 1930’s Depression Era kitchens, when budgets were tight, and milk, eggs, and butter were luxuries. Still later, mothers on the home front during World War II relied on this unusual cake recipe as a way to deal with wartime shortages, when milk and eggs were scarce, and other staples (like sugar and coffee) were rationed and in short supply.

Wacky Cake is the easiest scratch cake you will ever make. It is mixed in one pan with a fork. The trick to this cake is the three-hole method of mixing that allows the vinegar and baking soda to combine at the last moment and act as a leavening agent.

Six Simple Steps for Chocolate Wacky Cake

Start your cake now, and it will be ready to eat in less than an hour!

[Actual amounts can be found in the recipe card below]

Sift together the dry ingredients into a greased 8×8 (or 9×9) cake pan.
Form three wells in the sifted mix.
Fill the depressions with [1] Oil, [2] Vanilla, and [3] Vinegar.
Flood the pan with 1 cup of water.
Stir with a fork until thoroughly mixed. (Check the corners! I use a spoon to do the initial mixing, and finish by whisking it with a fork.)
Bake in a 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes.

That’s literally all there this to it. If you work super slow, you might need 15 minutes to mix it up.

BONUS POINTS: No raw eggs in this batter! Go ahead and let the kids lick the fork!

So what does Wacky Cake taste like? It is an exceptionally moist, delicious chocolate snack cake. Surprisingly so, in fact. It’s perhaps not as quite as rich as a true, butter-filled Devil’s Food Cake, but it will definitely satisfy those chocolate cake cravings.

For 1970’s Kids Only: Remember Betty Crocker’s Snackin’ Cakes? Wacky Cake is a lot like those little cakes as far as texture goes, and it tastes something like a Hostess Cupcake without the cream filling, only a little softer and richer.

Recipe Updated March 12, 2020 (Originally published July 30, 2013)

5 from 5 votes

Chocolate Wacky Cake

Chocolate Wacky Cake is the easiest scratch cake you will ever make! (No eggs, no milk, no butter, no clean-up.) Made exclusively with pantry staples, this surprisingly moist, delicious snack cake mixes up in a jiffy, right in the pan!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Dessert, Sweets

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, chocolate, Dairy-free, eggless, vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 236kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F [177°C].
Spray an 8x8 pan (or 9x9) with cooking spray.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together directly into the pan.
Flatten the sifted dry ingredeints and form three depressions in the top - one large and two small.
Pour oil into the large depression, vanilla into the second depression, and vinegar into the third.
Pour water over the whole thing.
Stir with spoon or fork until thoroughly mixed. Be sure to check the corners.
The cake batter will produce bubbles on the top of the cake.
Gently tamp the cake pan on the countertop once or twice to release gas.
Bake at 350°F [177°C] for 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back when touched.
Allow cake to cool.
Wacky Cake can be served as is, or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or iced with your favorite frosting.

Notes

Be sure to use natural cocoa if possible, and not Dutch-pressed (which is also sometimes called European-style or alkalized). Dutch-pressed cocoa is washed with a solution of potassium carbonate which lessens its acidity, and Wacky Cake depends on that acidity to strengthen the gluten and help the cake rise.

Nutrition

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Looking for a good STEAM activity? Consider Wacky Cake as a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of baking soda and vinegar outside a volcano! (Whoohoo kitchen science!)

P.S. If you love baking cakes, be sure to try my scratch-made Triple-layer Strawberry Cake. It’s amazing!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Creamy Fresh Strawberry Crêpes {with Basic Vanilla Crêpe Recipe}

February 23 By Renée 16 Comments

These easy-to-make Fresh Strawberry Crepes are light, creamy, and perfect for everything from an elegant brunch to a lazy summer back porch afternoon.

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If Freshalicious was a real word, and that word was in a real dictionary (Urban Dictionary does not count), these Fresh Strawberry Crêpes would be the picture they would use to illustrate it!

Despite their “fancy” vibe, Fresh Strawberry Crepes are super easy to make, and most of the work can be done ahead of time. These light, airy crepes are perfect for special occasions: birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Mid-Summer Back-Porch Sittin’ Day (I may have made that one up).

I was so tickled when one of my daughter’s made Strawberry Crepes for me for Mother’s Day brunch a few years ago! In her version, she used plain whipped cream on the top, plus a little chocolate syrup for flare.

The only real challenge these creamy Fresh Strawberry Crêpes present is one of self-control: just try to not eat all the fresh strawberry cream before you assemble the crêpes!

Creamy Fresh Strawberry Crêpes

Fresh Strawberry Crème Crêpes are fresh, creamy, and so easy to make!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time35 mins

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Course: Breakfast or Brunch, Dessert

Keyword: brunch, mothers day, strawberries,, strawberry crepes

Servings: crepes

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Crepe Pan
Crepe Turner (or Spatula)
Stand Mixer
Blender

Ingredients

2 pints Strawberries hulled and sliced, divided
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 batch Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes (These can be made ahead of time.)

Instructions

In a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup of the sliced strawberries with about 1/4 cup heavy cream. Set aside. (The remaining sliced strawberries will be used inside and on top of the crepes.

To make Strawberry Crème:

With an electric mixer, whip the remaining 1 3/4 cups heavy cream until it begins to form soft peaks.
Mix in the sugar until stiff peaks begin to form.
Turn mixture on LOW and stir in pureed strawberries.
Refrigerate strawberry crème until you are ready to assemble crêpes.

Assembling the Crêpes

Fill prepared crêpes with strawberry crème and strawberries, fold and garnish with same.

Notes

Nutritional Information includes amounts from Sweet Vanilla Crepe Recipe.

Nutrition

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Cooking the Crêpes

A well-seasoned crêpe pan is the optimal tool for cooking crepes: the sides are short, making flipping a breeze, and bottom is heavy, ensuring consistent heat and even cooking.

If you don’t have a crêpe pan, be sure to use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan. The size of your pan will determine how big your crepes turn out: seven or eight inches is standard.

Crepes can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to two months.

Easy Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes | The Good Hearted Woman

Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes {Recipe}

This versatile sweet vanilla crepe recipe is perfect for all your dessert crepes ideas!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Resting Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 25 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Breakfast or Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: crepes

Servings: crepes

Calories: 137kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk* see note
3 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups flour sifted

Simple fillings or toppings for sweet crêpes include:

A dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice
Fresh fruits or berries
Whipped cream
Jam or jelly

Instructions

Put milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in blender and process to combine. Add flour and process until smooth.
Allow crepe mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.

Prepare Crepes

Heat a crêpe pan (or an 8- or 9-inch non-stick sauté pan) over medium-low heat. It is important to find the right temperature for crêpes. When done, crêpes should be very lightly golden.
Start your pan on medium low and work from there.
If you are worried about your crêpes sticking, rub a little coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil over the surface with a paper towel. Remove any visible oil before proceeding.
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup crêpe batter into the middle of the heated pan. Immediately swirl it around to create a thin flat crepe that reaches just slightly up the sides of the pan.
(I usually lift it off the burner for this step: it makes it much easier to manipulate the pan.)
Cook for about 1 minute.
The crêpe is ready to flip when the edges are just beginning to turn brown and the batter in the middle is no longer glossy or wet looking.
Using a large, thin rubber spatula, loosen the edges, and then gently flip the crepe. Allow it to cook an additional 30 seconds to a minute.
If you are making another crêpe, don’t let the pan set empty on the burner for more than a few seconds or it will get too hot.
Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. The crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is lightly browned. Turn crepe over; cook 30 seconds on other side.

Notes

Flipping Crepes

I usually don't use the spatula to do the actual flipping. I flip the crepe by lifting the edges with the spatula, then I peel it up carefully with my fingers and I flip it over in one fluid motion. If you use this method, be sure to keep you fingers off the hot pan!

Refrigerating Crepe Batter

DO NOT SKIP the refrigeration step.

Refrigerating the batter after it’s been mixed relaxes the gluten, resulting in light, airy crêpes.

Refrigerating and/or Freezing Cooked Crepes

If you wish to store your crepes in the refrigerator, place a stack of cooked, cooled crepes inside a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag.
Crepes may be refrigerated for up to a week, and can be frozen for up to two months.
To defrost frozen crepes, place them in the refrigerator.
Reheat single crepes in a hot, dry pan for a few seconds, or reheat stacks of defrosted crepes in the microwave at 15 seconds intervals.

Nutrition

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Flipping Crêpes

Crêpes are ready to flip when the edges are just beginning to turn brown and the batter in the middle is no longer glossy or wet looking. Usually about a minute to a minute and a half.

Use a rubber spatula to loosen the edges, and then gently flip the crêpe. Allow it to cook an additional 30 seconds to a minute.

I usually don’t use the spatula to do the actual flipping. I flip the crêpe by lifting the edges with the spatula, then I peel it up carefully with my fingers and I flip it over in one fluid motion. If you use this method, be sure to keep you fingers off the hot pan!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Updated Feb. 23.2020. Originally posted June 9, 2014.

Snickerdoodles! Just saying the name brings a smile! Rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked to perfection, this easy-to-make cookie is a year-round classic.

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Where did the name for Snickerdoodles come from?

Snickerdoodle Recipe Ingredient Notes

Should Snickerdoodle dough be chilled before baking?

When Baking Snickerdoodles, Timing is Everything

Post Updated April 13, 2021 (Originally published March 7, 2016)

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients

Topping:

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Cookies! Cookies! Here are some more of our favorite cookie recipes:

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Fresh, crisp, and warmly spiced, this Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) is fancy enough for the most elaborate menu, yet simple enough for any night of the year.

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What kind of apples work best for apple strudel?

Post Updated December 9, 2020 (Originally published October 8, 2014)

Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare Apple Strudel Filling

Assemble Apple Strudel

Notes

Nutrition

Oom-PahPah! More German Recipes!

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These tender, delicious Blueberry Banana Muffins are naturally low in fat, high in flavor, and bursting with fresh blueberries!

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A Truly Moist, Delicious Blueberry Muffin that Just Happens to Be Low Fat

What is Demerara sugar?

More popular Raw and Less Refined Sugars Used in Cooking

Post Updated October 16, 2020 (Originally published January 11, 2014)

Naturally Lowfat Blueberry Banana Muffins

Equipment

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Berries & Topping

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

DID YOU KNOW?

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These lovely little pie dough roses are ridiculously easy to make, and will immediately up your pie-making game!

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How to Make a 4-Circle Pastry Rose

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Notes

Recommended Products

Did you make this project?

See – I told you they were super easy!

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Our simple, classic fresh blueberry pie recipe lets the blueberry flavors shine! Made with our homemade sweet pie crust (or store-bought crust) and fresh (or frozen) berries, this delicious pie pairs perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot summer night.

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How many blueberries do I need for this pie?

Why is it so important to rinse blueberries before baking with them?

What about the pie crust?

Do I have to make the pie crust all fancy like this pie?

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Why does this blueberry pie recipe include both flour and tapioca as thickeners?

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Homemade pie crust is easy if you know a few simple secrets! This easy pie crust recipe is slightly sweet, and makes enough for one standard double-crust pie, two standard single-crust pies, or ten 6-inch hand-pies.

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Three Secrets to a Perfect Pie Crust

How long should I bake pastry dough?

Sweet & Easy Homemade Pie Crust

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Standard Pastry Baking Times

Nutrition

**Where did the name for Snickerdoodles come from?**

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**A Truly Moist, Delicious Blueberry Muffin that Just Happens to Be Low Fat**

**What is Demerara sugar?**

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of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
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I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

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