Desserts Archives - A Beautiful Mess

Snowball Cookies

Emma Chapman — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Snowball cookies are such a fun and delicious seasonal baking project. If you’ve never had them before, here’s what you need to know: They look like snowballs, they have a nutty buttery flavor, and they are melt-in-your-mouth amazing!

Snowball cookies go great with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. But look out, as they are shockingly addictive.

All-purpose flour
Pecans (or other nuts)
Butter
Salt
Vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

Directions:

Snowball cookies have three main steps for success. First, toast the nuts for maximum flavor. Then, make and bake the cookies.

Last, roll the still-warm cookies in powdered sugar for that snowball effect and melt-in-your-mouth flavor. I like to roll them once, and after I’ve rolled them all, I will roll each one more time for maximum snow effect!

Tips for Making:

Nuts – I like pecans, but sometimes snowball cookies are made with walnuts or other nuts. It’s up to your preference (or if allergies are an issue). Whatever nut you use, give them a good toasting before chopping them well.
Roll each dough ball so it’s a 2-3 bite cookie. These don’t bake for long, so you don’t necessarily want oversized cookies.
Roll the snowball cookies in powdered sugar while they are still warm, and then once more. The first layer will melt some (a good thing!), but for that snowy look, you’ll want a second layer.

Serving Suggestion – Coffee!

Snowball cookies go great with a hot beverage like coffee or tea (see our favorite herbal tea-it’s tastes like red hots candy!).

Here’s how to take your at-home coffee game to the next level:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my snowball cookies turn out flat?

Caramel Apples

Laura Gummerman — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Nothing says fall weather like a caramel apple and we’ve got the easiest way to make one at home! While you can do a complete homemade caramel apple and make your own caramel from scratch, this recipe uses store-bought caramels so you can get to the dipping (and eating!) part of your treat sooner—no candy thermometer needed!

Caramel apples also make great gifts so you can make a batch to hand out at Halloween parties, as a thank-you present, or just make a few for your family on a crisp fall day. Add fun toppings to make it a gourmet treat!

Looking for more fall recipes? Check out:

What kind of apples are best for caramel apples?

The variety of apple that you choose for your caramel apple depends entirely on your taste! If you have a sweet tooth, you would probably enjoy a sweeter variety like a Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, or a Pink Lady as your apple base. For a more tart contrast to your sweet caramel topping, Granny Smith apples are the most popular choice. These are all firmer choices than say a softer Macintosh variety and give you a better crunch factor when eating your treat.

Caramel Apple Tip! Look for apples that are small to medium in size and round in shape for that perfect caramel apple look!

Caramel Apple Ingredients:

Wrapped Caramels: Using premade caramels is the fastest and easiest way to go about making your caramel apples. Most grocery stores sell these in the baking area or right next to the apples in fall, but you can also get them online if your local store doesn’t carry them.

Fresh Apples: Choose a firm apple that is either more sweet or more tart depending on how much sweetness you want to add to the caramel layer. Make sure to wash off the wax before dipping your apple so that the caramel has a better chance of sticking and won’t slide off.

Heavy Cream or Milk: Just adding a little heavy cream or milk to the caramel will help thin it out a bit to make it more “dippable.”

Toppings (optional): For a gourmet caramel apple, you can do a second dip after the caramel into fun toppings like crushed candy bars like Butterfingers or mini M&Ms, pretzels, sprinkles, flaked sea salt, chopped pecans or other nuts, crushed Oreos, or coconut! You can also use chopped dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate chips as well.

Looking for a delicious caramel dip to eat with apples? Try our Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (4 Ways!)

Tools You Need To Make Caramel Apples:

Skewers: While the classic caramel apple is usually perched upon a wooden stick, you can also use a popsicle stick, or, in a pinch, even just stick a fork into it if you don’t have any thick skewers at home.

Melting tools: To melt your caramel, you want either a microwave and microwave-safe bowl, a saucepan, a double-boiler pot, or a glass Pyrex-type bowl to set on top of a saucepan of boiling water.

Nonstick Cooking Spray: You’ll want to make sure your apples don’t stick to the plate or pan you are placing them on, so use some nonstick cooking spray on the surface first to make sure you can remove them easily. You can also use a lined baking sheet to cool your apples on, so just lay some wax paper on a baking sheet or flat surface.

Dipping container (optional but helpful): While you can just roll your apple around in the bowl or pot you melted the caramel in, for smaller batches it’s also nice to have a Pyrex glass measuring cup to melt the caramel in so you have a nice little container to dunk the apple right in to.

Tips for Making Caramel Apples:

Remove the wax from your apples. You’ll want to wash your apples and try to remove the wax from the apples before dipping them so the caramel will stick better. Run the apples under some hot water and use a fruit wash or dish soap and a clean scrubby pad or textured towel to rub vigorously over the apples to help remove some of the wax. Dry apples very well so no moisture remains.

Chill apples before and after dipping. After you add your skewer, you can chill your apples in the fridge so that the caramel sets up faster and less will run off the surface when dipping (and then put them back in the fridge so the caramel will set up faster).

Have toppings already prepped. If you are dipping your apple into toppings, make sure you already have your bowls of toppings ready so the caramel doesn’t set before you can get your toppings together.

Drizzle chocolate after cooling: You can also drizzle melted chocolate over your apple for a yummy addition, but wait until the apples are cool so the warm caramel doesn’t melt the chocolate.

How to Make Caramel Apples:

Prepare the apples: Once clean, make sure the apples are thoroughly dry before dipping! Skewer your apple with your stick or fork and set aside.

Melt the caramel: Put your caramels and heavy cream/milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30-second increments, stirring well between each heating session, until the caramel is smooth and melted. If the mixture seems thin, let it sit for a minute or two to thicken up a bit before dipping.

Can I make caramel apples on the stovetop without a microwave?

Yes! If you don’t have a microwave, you can still make caramel apples easily in a saucepan, a double-boiler pot, or a glass Pyrex-type bowl set on top of a saucepan of boiling water (it will take longer to melt this way, so be patient).

For a regular saucepan, add caramels and milk to the pan and heat on medium-low heat, stirring until melted. If using the double-boiler or bowl on top method, just bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot, set the top of the double boiler or glass bowl on top with your caramel and milk, reduce the heat to a low boil/simmer and stir occasionally until melted.

Dip apples: Now that your caramel is melted, spray a tray or plate with nonstick cooking spray and dip your apple into the melted caramel at an angle, twisting it around until the apple is coated as well as you would like.

Lift the apple to let the excess caramel drip off and scrape the bottom over the side of the bowl to get extra excess. As the caramel gets lower in the bowl, you can also use a spoon to pour the caramel over the apple to cover the sides or tilt the bowl or pan so the caramel pools in one spot.

After dipping in your caramel, you can do a second dip into your topping of choice to give it some added flavor before setting it on your tray or plate. Try some black and orange sprinkles for a Halloween caramel apple treat!

If your caramel starts to set as you continue dipping your apples, reheat it for 15 seconds at a time in the microwave until the texture is dippable again.

Let the caramel set: Let your apples cool in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes to allow the caramel to fully set on your nonstick sprayed parchment paper or lined wax paper surface. Now your apple is ready to eat!

How do I store caramel apples?

You can store caramel apples in the fridge for up to two weeks and you can also wrap them in cellophane or clear treat bags individually to give as gifts!

Caramel Apple Tip: Don’t cut into your apples until you are ready to eat them, otherwise they will start to turn brown.

Looking for more apple recipes? Check out:

Easiest Homemade Caramel Apple

Make delicious caramel apples at home and add gourmet toppings

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword caramel apple, homemade caramel apple

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 97kcal

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $15

Equipment

8-10 wooden skewers
microwave or saucepan or double boiler if using the stove
microwave or heatproof bowl

Ingredients

2 11-ounce bag of wrapped caramels like Kraft brand
8-10 small to medium apples
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk
chopped toppings of your choice

Instructions

Prepare the apples: Make sure the apples are thoroughly dry before dipping! Skewer your apple with your stick or fork and set aside.
Melt the caramel: Put your caramels and heavy cream/milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30-second increments, stirring well between each heating session, until the caramel is smooth and melted. If the caramel seems thin, let it sit for a minute or two to thicken up a bit before dipping.
Dip the apples: Now that your caramel is melted, spray a tray or plate with nonstick cooking spray and dip your apple into the melted caramel at an angle, twisting it around until the apple is coated as well as you would like. Lift the apple to let the excess caramel drip off and scrape the bottom over the side of the bowl to get extra excess. As the caramel gets lower in the bowl, you can also use a spoon to pour the caramel over the apple to cover the sides or tilt the bowl or pan so the caramel pools in one spot.
After dipping in your caramel, you can do a second dip into your topping of choice to give it some added flavor before setting it on your tray or plate. Try some black and orange sprinkles for a Halloween caramel apple treat!
If your caramel starts to set as you continue dipping your apples, reheat it for 15 seconds at a time in the microwave until the texture is dippable again.
Let the caramel set: Let your apples cool in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes to allow the caramel to fully set. Now your apple is ready to eat!

Notes

Can I make caramel apples on the stovetop without a microwave?

Yes! If you don’t have a microwave, you can still make caramel apples easily in a saucepan, a double-boiler pot, or a glass pyrex-type bowl set on top of a saucepan of boiling water (it will take longer to melt this way, so be patient). For a regular saucepan, add caramels and milk to the pan and heat on medium-low heat, stirring until melted. If using the double-boiler or bowl on top method, just bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot, set the top of the double boiler or glass bowl on top with your caramel and milk, reduce the heat to a low boil/simmer and stir occasionally until melted.

You can store caramel apples in the fridge for up to two weeks and you can also wrap them in clear treat bags individually to give as gifts!

Nutrition

Candy Apples

Laura Gummerman — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:01:00 +0000

Red candy apples are a classic fall treat with their shiny bright color, hard candy coating, and sweet or tart crisp apple underneath. It’s the best thing to make after apple picking, for a Halloween party, or just when you feel nostalgic and want to be a kid again.

Candy apples may look like an impressive dessert (and hard to make), but it’s actually pretty easy (just like our Easy Caramel Apples!)! We’ll show you how …

And just as a side note, since the sugar is extremely hot and you can get burned if not careful, we don’t recommend doing this project with kids. Just let them eat the final result rather than help with this one.

Looking for more fall treats? Check out:

What are candy apples?

Candy apples are a whole apple on a stick dipped in hot melted sugars which hardens to form a thin candy shell. While usually red, they can also be dyed other colors and they first appeared in 1908 in New Jersey when candy maker William Kolb created them. Red Hots candies were a popular choice to use for the outer coating, so some prefer to make theirs a cinnamon flavor coating to mimic that nostalgic flavor.

Ingredients for candy apples:

Apples: Using smaller apples will get you more finished apples out of one batch of candy coating. Try and pick ones with a nice round shape for the best looking candy apples.
White sugar: This candy apple recipe uses plain granulated white sugar to give the candy coating its sweetness.
Light corn syrup: Corn syrup helps you get that smooth candy finish.
Water: The water mostly boils off while the candy rises up to the proper hard crack stage temperature.
Red food coloring: Gel food coloring is preferred if you have it since it’s more concentrated so the color is brighter for the best candy apples.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of apples are best to use for candy apples?

Homemade Cookie Butter

Laura Gummerman — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:56:00 +0000

Yes. Yes, it’s true. All your problems are solved now that this information has come into your life.

Homemade cookie butter from any cookie! I hope you appreciate the hours I’ve spent with cookies over the last couple of days—all the tasting and sampling of cookie after cookie. It was all for you guys!

But seriously, we wanted to bring you a recipe that would work for any cookie. So we searched until we found the perfect base for our cookie butter, and I think we found it!

You can either make one of our many delish cookie recipes to use for this, or you can buy some at the store to get started.

Cookie Butter (with any cookie!), makes 1 1/2 cups

2 cups cookie crumbs
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup evaporated milk
water as needed
jars with lids for gifting/storage

First, you’ll want to make your cookie crumbs. If you have a cookie with no creamy middle filling (like a chocolate chip or sugar cookie), then you can put them straight into the food processor.

If you do have a filling (like an Oreo or Nutter Butter would), then you’ll want to open the cookie and scrape out the filling with a butter knife first. You want a dry crumb to work with, so the filling has to be removed.

Some cookies have a solid middle that you can’t open and get to (like a Milano cookie), but I think that would be OK since the chocolate chip cookies have some chocolate bits mixed in and they turned out fine.

Place your cookies into a food processor and blend until it forms a very fine powder.

You’ll need 2 cups, so just keep blending cookies until you get there (since all the cookies are different sizes or have two sides per cookie, the number of cookies needed won’t be the same).

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted, and then stir in your sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk until it’s all melted together.

Starting with 1/2 cup of the liquid, pour it into your cookie crumbs and mix together with a spoon. Keep adding small amounts of the liquid until the cookie butter is just wet enough to stay together.

Depending on how dry the cookie is to begin with, you’ll need more or less liquid. Really buttery cookies (like the sugar cookies) didn’t need nearly as much as the drier Oreo cookies, so just keep checking and stirring as you add the liquid.

Once your cookie butter is blended, allow it to cool in the fridge for an hour or two. If you want to, you can actually stop at this point, and it will taste delicious.

But if you want to make the cookie butter smoother and easier to dip things in, then remove the cookie butter from the fridge and stir very small amounts of water (start with 1/8 teaspoon) into the dough.

At first it will look like the water is separating from the dough, but just keep stirring and mashing.

You should start to notice that the cookie butter loosens up a bit as you stir in more water. Keep adding and stirring until you get to a consistency you like and refrigerate the mixture again.

Store your cookie butter in the fridge and it should be good for at least a week or two. It may be good for even longer but it usually doesn’t last long enough to find out! And here’s a quick video tutorial of the process:

I love all my cookie butter children equally, buuuut, the Oreo is my secret favorite. I am addicted to chocolate-covered pretzels, so you can imagine how good dipping pretzels into the Oreo cookie butter is. Elsie ate it with apples one morning for breakfast!

And of course, spooning the cookie butter into jars (these small jars with wooden lids are really cute for gifting) and adding a simple paper label makes your homemade treat the perfect gift!

If you’d rather just skip to the eating part, you can also just buy some already made cookie butter and get to the good part faster.

If you are gifting these, they would be a great gift with a cute apron or some pretty kitchen utensils, too. What cookies would you use to make yours? xo. Laura

Homemade Cookie Butter

an easy homemade cookie butter recipe (using any cookie!)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie butter

Servings cups

Calories 1307kcal

Ingredients

2 cups cookie crumbs
½ stick butter
½ cup condensed milk sweetened
¼ cup milk evaporated
water as needed

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

First you’ll want to make your cookie crumbs. If you have a cookie with no creamy middle filling (like a chocolate chip or sugar cookie), then you can put them straight into the food processor.
If you do have a filling (like an Oreo or Nutter Butter would), then you’ll want to open the cookie and scrape out the filling with a butter knife first.
You want a dry crumb to work with, so the filling has to be removed. Some cookies have a solid middle that you can’t open and get to (like a Milano cookie), but I think that would be OK since the chocolate chip cookies have some chocolate bits mixed in and they turned out fine.
Place your cookies into the food processor and blend until it forms a very fine powder.
You’ll need 2 cups, so just keep blending cookies until you get there (since all the cookies are different sizes or have two sides per cookie, the number of cookies needed won’t be the same).
In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted, and then stir in your sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk until it’s all melted together.
Starting with 1/2 cup of the liquid, pour it into your cookie crumbs and mix together with a spoon.
Keep adding small amounts of the liquid until the cookie butter is just wet enough to stay together. Depending on how dry the cookie is to begin with, you’ll need more or less liquid.
Really buttery cookies (like the sugar cookies) didn’t need nearly as much as the drier Oreo cookies, so just keep checking and stirring as you add the liquid.
Once your cookie butter is blended, allow it to cool in the fridge for an hour or two. If you want to, you can actually stop at this point, and it will taste delicious.
But if you want to make the cookie butter smoother and easier to dip things in, then remove the cookie butter from the fridge and stir very small amounts of water (start with 1/8 teaspoon) into the dough.
At first it will look like the water is separating from the dough, but just keep stirring and mashing.
You should start to notice that the cookie butter loosens up a bit as you stir in more water. Keep adding and stirring until you get to a consistency you like and refrigerate the mixture again.
Store your cookie butter in the fridge and it should be good for at least a week or two. It may be good for even longer but it usually doesn’t last long enough to find out! And here’s a quick video tutorial of the process:

Nutrition

Super Easy Funnel Cake

Emma Chapman — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 20:45:00 +0000

Funnel cake is an essential when it comes to theme parks or county fairs IMO. I love it! Traditionally, it’s made by pouring batter through a funnel into hot oil to quickly deep fry the cake. I believe it’s somewhat regional to areas of the US but I’m honestly not totally sure as it’s very much a staple of many childhood memories for me so it seems universal.

Making homemade funnel cake is super easy . It’s very similar to pancake batter—we are basically deep frying pancakes!

Related: And if you love pancakes then you should also try our crepes and french toast recipes next.

Ingredients

Pancake mix
Water
Vanilla extract
Oil – canola or vegetable
Powdered Sugar, also called Confectioner’s Sugar

How to make Funnel Cake

Mix together the pancake mix and water. Add to a squeeze bottle or pour through a funnel.

Heat the oil to right around 350°F or a little less. Then pour the batter in, making a spider web type shape. Wait 20-30 seconds, flip, then fry for another 15-20 seconds. Remove to a bed of paper towels to remove excess oil.

Dust with powder sugar before serving.

Notes & Tips

I tried three different store bought pancake mixes. The one that worked best was Bisquick.
In the process of testing a few mixes, I learned that it’s all about batter texture. If your batter is super runny, like you could drink it through a straw, it won’t hold together well when you go to deep fry it. You want a thick paste consistency.
I like making smaller, two to three bite-sized funnel cakes as they are easier to maneuver in the hot oil. But you can use this same recipe to make large size funnel cakes, like the fair, if you prefer.
It works best if you pour the batter through a squeeze bottle (like the one pictured above) rather than a funnel into the oil. This gives me a little more control as I work.

More Fun Dessert Recipes

Easy Funnel Cake

deep fried pancake batter makes the best funnel cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword funnel cake

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 67kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

squeeze bottle

Ingredients

1 cup pancake mix
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Mix together the pancake mix and water. Add to a squeeze bottle.
Heat the oil to right around 350°F or a little less.
Then pour the batter in, making a spider web type shape. Wait 20-30 seconds, flip, then fry for another 15-20 seconds.
Remove to a bed of paper towels to remove excess oil.
Dust with powder sugar before serving.

Notes

You will also need enough canola or vegetable oil for the cakes to float while frying. This maybe 1-2 cups depending on your size pot / dutch oven.

I tried three different store bought pancake mixes. The one that worked best was Bisquick.

In the process of testing a few mixes, I learned that it’s all about batter texture. If your batter is super runny, like you could drink it through a straw, it won’t hold together well when you go to deep fry it. You want a thick paste consistency.

I like making smaller, two to three bite-sized funnel cakes as they are easier to maneuver in the hot oil. But you can use this same recipe to make large size funnel cakes, like the fair, if you prefer.

It works best if you pour the batter through a squeeze bottle (like the one pictured above) rather than a funnel into the oil. This gives me a little more control as I work.

Nutrition

Flan – Easy 5 Ingredient Dessert

Emma Chapman — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:27:00 +0000

Flan has other names including crème caramel or simply custard. This flan recipe is a version of Spanish flan or crème caramel—a simple caramel topped baked custard. This classic dessert only has five ingredients and it’s super simple to make. I posted this originally years and years ago and have updated it to make it even more simple and straight-forward.

Flan will always remind me of my late grandmother, Corina. She was from Venezuela. My grandmother was not passionate about cooking, but she did have a few dishes she made us grandchildren now and again. Flan was one of them. I have always had a sweet tooth so my memories of her flan have a lot of staying power.

Ingredients

Granulated white sugar
Eggs
Sweetened condensed milk
Evaporated milk
Vanilla bean

How to make Flan

In a small pot heat the sugar over medium heat until dissolves and turns a light brown color. It should begin to smell like caramel. Remove from heat and pour the liquid into the ramekins, distributing it equally.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and seeds from the vanilla bean. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Pour into the ramekins.

Bake at 350°F in a water bath for 45 minutes. They will still have a slight jiggle even after baking. Allow to fully cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour. I like to make flan the day before I plan to serve it so it can refrigerate overnight.

Run a thin knife around the edge of the flan, between the custard and the ramekin dish. Then place a small plate over the ramekin and flip over. The flan should easily remove from the ramekin, if not give it a few light taps to loosen the bottom. Some of the caramel will pour out the sides, this is normal and adds to the presentation.

Tips and Notes

Evaporated milk can be substituted for whole milk in this recipe.
I use 6 egg yolks because I love the richness and color it brings to this recipe. That being said you could use 3 eggs (whites + yolks) instead. But if you do use all yolks save the white to make meringue, egg white bites or omelettes.
Vanilla bean can be substituted for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. But I really love using vanilla bean in this recipe as it adds that beautiful speckled look to the flan as well as so much flavor. Spanish flan is a very simple, made of very few ingredients, so using high quality vanilla bean elevates it.
Tips for baking with a water bath. I will place the ramekins in a casserole or roasting pan, whatever I plan to bake them in. Then fill with the caramel and custard batter. I heat water in my gooseneck kettle (to 200°F or around this) and then once I place the baking pan in the oven I carefully fill it with the hot water. Removing the pan from the oven once baking is done is the hardest part—just be careful not to spill the hot water.
Instead of 6 ramekins you could bake this in one, 9-inch glass pie pan for one large flan instead of individual ones. Increase the baking time by 5-8 minutes.

More Latin American and Tex-Mex Recipes

Flan can be served all on it’s own, no styling necessary. But in the above photos you can see I saved the used vanilla bean and styled a few of the flan with that. Another option that I think is super fun is creating crunchy sugar tops to place on top of the flan before serving. The crunchy sugar is a fun juxtaposition to the silky smooth custard—much like crème brûlée.

Sugar Top Ingredients

Granulated white sugar
Light corn syrup
Water

How to make Spun Sugar

First prepare your work surface. Place a few small bowls down on a cutting board. Lightly oil them. Also be sure your work surface is covered with plastic wrap or wax paper in case some of your sugar gets off the cutting board.

In a small pot, stir together the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat up and use a candy thermometer to check the sugar’s temperature. Once it reaches 300°F, remove from the stove top. Allow the mixture to cool to around 280°F.

Dip a fork in the mixture. Pull the sugar up over the oiled bowls and wave it around, like a wand. This will stretch the sugar and give it time to cool some as it drops toward the bowls. I like to wear an oven mit while I do this. Always be careful when you work with really hot sugar. Once that cools, lightly oil your clean hands and gently work the spun sugar off the bowls. Lightly press to form small nests; place over the tops of your inverted flans.

Flan

A creamy baked custard with a caramel top.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Spain

Keyword flan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 477kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

1 cup granulated white sugar
6 egg yolks
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 vanilla bean

Instructions

In a small pot heat the sugar over medium heat until dissolves and turns a light brown color. It should begin to smell like caramel.
Remove from heat and pour the liquid into the ramekins, distributing it equally.
In a large mixing bowl stir together the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and seeds from the vanilla bean. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Pour into the ramekins.
Bake at 350°F in a water bath for 45 minutes. They will still have a slight jiggle even after baking.
Allow to fully cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour. I like to make flan the day before I plan to serve it so it can refrigerate overnight.
Run a thin knife around the edge of the flan, between the custard and the ramekin dish. Then place a small plate over the ramekin and flip over. The flan should easily remove from the ramekin, if not give it a few light taps to loosen the bottom.

Notes

Evaporated milk can be substituted for whole milk in this recipe.
I use 6 egg yolks because I love the richness and color it brings to this recipe. That being said you could use 3 eggs (whites + yolks) instead. But if you do use all yolks save the white to make meringue, egg white bites or omelettes.
Vanilla bean can be substituted for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. But I really love using vanilla bean in this recipe as it adds that beautiful speckled look to the flan as well as so much flavor. Spanish flan is a very simple, made of very few ingredients, so using high quality vanilla bean elevates it.
Tips for baking with a water bath. I will place the ramekins in a casserole or roasting pan, whatever I plan to bake them in. Then fill with the caramel and custard batter. I heat water in my gooseneck kettle (to 200°F or around this) and then once I place the baking pan in the oven I carefully fill it with the hot water. Removing the pan from the oven once baking is done is the hardest part—just be careful not to spill the hot water.
Instead of 6 ramekins you could bake this in one, 9-inch glass pie pan for one large flan instead of individual ones. Increase the baking time by 5-8 minutes.

Nutrition

Disco Ball Cupcakes

Alana Jones-Mann — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 14:12:00 +0000

With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about how you want to ring in the new year. For me, the desserts I’ll be making (and eating) for the occasion are typically the first thing I think about.

To celebrate this year, I thought that I’d make some disco ball cupcakes because what goes more perfectly with NYE than shiny, glittery disco balls?!

You might think these are cupcakes topped with fondant tiles at first glance, but NOPE, no fondant on here! Believe it or not, there isn’t anything on top of these aside from buttercream frosting and a little edible glitter.

I’ve covered all the details below; follow along so that you too can start the new year off on the sweetest, sparkliest note.

Disco Ball Cupcakes, makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1 box chocolate cake mix
silver cupcake liners

For the buttercream frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
black gel food coloring
edible silver luster dust

Mix your box cake with the ingredients listed on the package. Line cupcake pans with silver cupcake liners. Even though the recipe says you’ll be making 12 cupcakes, each disco ball is actually two cupcakes (bonus!), so fill all 24 liners. Bake cupcakes at 325°F for 25 minutes.

Once baked, divide the cupcakes by the shape of their tops. Set the 12 most level cupcakes together to serve as the bases for each disco ball, and the 12 larger (more dome-shaped) cupcakes together. Allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare your buttercream. In a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter on low speed for 1 minute.

Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth. Add in one small drop of black gel food coloring. Mix until the color is combined. If the gray is too light, add a little more until you’ve achieved the most similar shade to silver.

In a bowl, add one of your large (domed) cupcakes and break it down with your hands until you have a bowl of crumbs. Add one large dollop of frosting into the bowl, mix together with your hands (just as you would if you were making a cake pop), and roll the mixture into a ball shape.

Lightly frost the top of one of your smaller (more level) cupcakes, and then position the cake ball on top. Use your palm to gently shape the cake ball to a dome shape.

Frost with a thin layer of gray buttercream, smooth with a spatula (or your finger), and then place the cupcake in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the frosting to set. Repeat the process with your other cupcakes as well, pairing each of the smaller cupcakes with a larger cupcake for the topper.

You’ll notice that once the frosting sets in the freezer it becomes MUCH easier to work with—any uneven spots can easily be smoothed with your fingers once the frosting has firmed.

Take a couple of your cupcakes out of the freezer and allow them to slightly come to room temperature. As they do, make your indentations into the frosting.

Use a trussing needle, toothpick, or any flat edge (ruler, spatula, etc.) to make horizontal and vertical lines across the cupcake, roughly 1/2-inch apart.

If you notice your frosting is cracking as you make the indentations, the frosting is too cold. Allow it to sit untouched for a little longer if you’re having that issue.

Once your lines have been made, use your fingertip to add the silver luster dust onto the surface of each cupcake. Make sure the frosting is still cold while you’re doing this.

If it’s warmed too much while you were adding the lines, place the cupcake back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the frosting is firm to the touch.

And voilà, a disco ball cupcake! Repeat the indenting and glittering steps with your other domed cupcakes until you have a dozen disco balls ready to party!These cupcakes do take some time with all the in-and-out of the freezer business, but they’re totally worth it. If you’re attending or hosting a New Year’s party, they are the perfect treat to ring in the new year with! xo. Alana

Disco Ball Cupcakes

Course Dessert

Keyword cupcakes

Servings

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

1 box chocolate cake mix
silver cupcake liners

For the buttercream frosting:

2 cups unsalted butter softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
gel food coloring black
edible silver luster dust

Instructions

Mix your box cake with the ingredients listed on the package. Line cupcake pans with silver cupcake liners. Even though the recipe says you’ll be making 12 cupcakes, each disco ball is actually two cupcakes (bonus!) so fill all 24 liners. Bake cupcakes at 325°F for 25 minutes. Once baked, divide the cupcakes by the shape of their tops. Set the 12 most level cupcakes together to serve as the bases for each disco ball, and the 12 larger (more dome-shaped) cupcakes together. Allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature.
While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare your buttercream. In a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter on low speed for 1 minute. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth. Add in one small drop of black gel food coloring. Mix until the color is combined. If the gray is too light, add a little more until you’ve achieved the most similar shade to silver.
In a bowl, add one of your large (domed) cupcakes and break it down with your hands until you have a bowl of crumbs. Add one large dollop of frosting into the bowl, mix together with your hands (just as you would if you were making a cake pop), and roll the mixture into a ball shape.
Lightly frost the top of one of your smaller (more level) cupcakes, and then position the cake ball on top. Use your palm to gently shape the cake ball to a dome shape. Frost with a thin layer of gray buttercream, smooth with a spatula (or your finger), and then place the cupcake in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the frosting to set. Repeat the process with your other cupcakes as well, pairing each of the smaller cupcakes with a larger cupcake for the topper. You’ll notice that once the frosting sets in the freezer it becomes MUCH easier to work with—any uneven spots can easily be smoothed with your fingers once the frosting has firmed.
Take a couple of your cupcakes out of the freezer and allow them to slightly come to room temperature. As they do, make your indentations into the frosting. Use a trussing needle, toothpick, or any flat edge (ruler, spatula, etc.) to make horizontal and vertical lines across the cupcake, roughly 1/2-inch apart. If you notice your frosting is cracking as you make the indentations, the frosting is too cold. Allow it to sit untouched for a little longer if you’re having that issue.
Once your lines have been made, use your fingertip to add the silver luster dust onto the surface of each cupcake. Make sure the frosting is still cold while you’re doing this. If it’s warmed too much while you were adding the lines, place the cupcake back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the frosting is firm to the touch. And voilà, a disco ball cupcake! Repeat the indenting and glittering steps with your other domed cupcakes until you have a dozen disco balls ready to party!

Butter Cookies

Emma Chapman — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Butter cookies are a classic cookie that always make me think of the store-bought kind that come in seasonal tins.

While those are yummy, this butter cookie recipe is less crispy. These are soft butter cookies. Think of butter cookies as the perfect cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread.

Butter, softened
Granulated White Sugar
Egg Yolks
Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour
Salt

The dough for these is very straightforward to make; mixing the dry ingredients separate from the wet and then combining them. But, the real “trick” to these is freezing the dough before baking. You can do this a few different ways.

If you want simple/plain looking butter cookies, then I recommend freezing the dough in a log shape. This way you simply slice the cookies from the log before baking.

If you’d like to shape or press the butter cookies, like I have in these photos, then do so before freezing. You can freeze for 30 minutes or up to overnight before baking with this method.

Tips for Making Butter Cookies:

The dough will be soft before freezing, so if you are rolling it out to make cutout shapes (like I have in these photos), be sure to use more flour than the recipe card calls for. This will be for dusting the surface and the rolling pin.
I used cookie stamps to create designs.
You could also use a cookie press gun or cookie stamp roller to create designs.
Another traditional method is to pipe dough using large pastry tips. I don’t recommend this method. Even if your dough is very soft, it takes a lot of hand strength to do this method. Maybe for some it works great, but I’ve never had success with it.

Other Holiday Baking Recipes

If you are looking for more recipes to bake this season, try these!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are butter cookies the same as shortbread?

Christmas Dessert Recipes

Elsie Larson — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 12:22:11 +0000

My family loves the tradition of a baking marathon each year! We always make gingerbread cookies, Oreo truffles and snowball cookies. This year, I am excited to add these retro wreath cookies to the tradition.

This list of Christmas Dessert Recipes includes more than 50 recipes such as cookies, cake pops, pies, bars, cocktails and more!

Melted Snowman Cookies

Create delicious sugar cookies decorated to look like a melting snowman.

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Christmas Cake Pops

Create fun birthday cake pops for your next party!

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Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Flavorful holiday cut out cookies.

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Grinch Cookies (With Cake Mix!)

Make a holiday favorite with these easy green Grinch cookies.

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Christmas Wreath Cookies

Easy Christmas wreath cookies made from cornflake cereal with a marshmallow coating.

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Retro Wreath Cake

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Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas

With two young children, I make a lot of hot chocolate. This season, I decided to create an epic hot cocoa bar for my kids to enjoy. It’s a bit messy and sticky, but the memories are absolutely priceless. In this post, I will share all the items I included in my hot chocolate bar.

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Peppermint White Russian

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Peanut Butter Balls

Learn to make creamy Peanut Butter Balls using peanut butter, graham cracker, butter, salt, milk, powdered sugar, vanilla and melting chocolate.

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Pink Squirrel Cocktail

Learn to make the Pink Squirrel cocktail using creme de noyaux, white creme de cacao, heavy cream and fresh nutmeg.

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Tiramisu

Learn to make this creamy coffee flavored dessert at home.

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Pumpkin Pie – Only 5 Ingredients

An easy homemade pumpkin pie made with only five ingredients.

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Easy Chocolate (Oreo) Truffles

An Oreo truffle recipe that’s perfect for the holidays.

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Butter Cookies

Soft and delicious butter cookies.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

A creamy and decadent pumpkin cheesecake you can bake in a square pan.

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Wassail Recipe

A delicious spiced apple cider served warm with or without alcohol.

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Sweet Potato Pie

A classic sweet potato pie recipe you can top with toasted marshmallows just like the casserole!

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Peppermint Mocha

A classic chocolate espresso drink dressed up for the holidays with peppermint!

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Figgy Pudding – Christmas Pudding

A nontraditional take on this classic pudding.

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Pumpkin Bread

A soft and flavorful pumpkin bread recipe with less than 10 ingredients!

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Spiked Peppermint Mocha Milkshake

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Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

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Grasshopper Cocktail

A delicious and creamy mint and chocolate after-dinner cocktail.

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Candy Apples

Create homemade easy candy apples at home—perfect for fall and Halloween!

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

Learn to make classic homemade hot chocolate.

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Caramel Sauce

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Candy Apples

Create homemade easy candy apples at home—perfect for fall and Halloween!

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Champagne Berries

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Pomegranate Martini

Learn to make a Pomegranate Martini using pomegranate juice, vodka, orange liqueur and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

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Red Velvet Cookies

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Caramel Apples

Make delicious caramel apples at home and add gourmet toppings.

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Washington Apple Shot

Learn to make a Washington Apple Shot at home.

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Apple Dumplings

Apple dumplings made with crescent roll dough.

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Pinwheel Cookies

Vanilla and chocolate flavored cookies with a festive swirl design.

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Pumpkin Pie – Only 5 Ingredients

An easy homemade pumpkin pie made with only five ingredients.

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Peppermint Marshmallows

It’s time for marshmallows! Seriously. It’s time for hot cocoa and spiced lattes. The perfect top to these delicious hot treats? Whipped cream seems obvious, of course. But what about a big, pillowy peppermint marshmallow? Oh yes.

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Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Easy peanut butter fudge made with only four ingredients.

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Fudge Recipe

The best fudge recipe with only three ingredients!

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Jello Salad

A sweet dessert salad made in three layers.

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Thumbprint Cookies

These thumbprint cookies are easy to make and so good!

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Christmas Cupcakes

If you are doing some holiday hosting this season and need a few easy Christmas cupcake decorating ideas, we’ve got ’em! You don’t have to be a professional baker to execute these cute ideas. You also could create any of these with a homemade cupcake and frosting recipe OR store-bought options.

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Meringue Cookies

Melt in your mouth egg white cookies.

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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Simple peanut butter blossom recipe with no chilling required.

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Pumpkin Pasties

Learn to make Pumpkin Pasties inspired by Harry Potter using pie crust, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, spices and egg wash.

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Ricotta Cookies

Soft and pillowy cookies with a simple glaze.

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Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate infused with homemade gingerbread syrup.

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Brandy Alexander

Learn to make a Brandy Alexander using brandy (or cognac), creme de cacao and cream. Garnish with fresh nutmeg.

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Snowball Cookies

Nutty buttery cookies rolled in powdered sugar.

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Scooby Snack Shot

Learn to make this creamy coconut flavored shot—green and red—perfect for the holidays!

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Puppy Chow

Learn to make classic Puppy Chow (aka Muddy Buddies) with this simple recipe.

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More Christmas Ideas:

Figgy Pudding

Emma Chapman — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

This figgy pudding recipe is very much inspired by the classic Christmas song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Even as a child, the lyrics around figgy pudding always perked my ears up.

I have been dessert obsessed my whole life, apparently. So if you are looking for a Christmas pudding dessert, try this easy figgy pudding recipe!

History
Ingredients
How to make Figgy Pudding
Tips for Success
Serving Suggestions – Christmas Dinner
FAQ

My goal with this recipe was to create a bread pudding-esque cake that heavily featured figs, but also just felt festive. The kind of Christmas dessert you might serve at the end of a fancy dinner.

The batter uses fig jam and dried figs, so if you can’t find fresh figs where you live (I couldn’t), don’t worry! The result is a sweet, nutty mini cake with a lightly spiced syrup.

History

While this recipe feels like a classic Christmas dessert to me, it does not resemble what would be traditional figgy pudding. My understanding is the traditional British dish is more like a steamed cake made with raisins, currants, and brandy; it could also include oranges, plums, golden raisins, rum and spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

I’ve also read that figgy pudding could even have referred to a savory dish made with fish. This is a different take.

This reminds me more of a Midwest “poke cake” in that I poke small holes throughout the cake before drizzling on the syrup, which makes the inside moist and gooey, more like a custard.

Ingredients

Butter
Granulated white sugar
Large eggs
Vanilla extract
Fig jam
Self-rising flour
Walnuts
Dried figs

How to make Figgy Pudding

This figgy pudding recipe (or you could call it Christmas pudding, up to you) has three components:

Cake + Syrup + Cream = Christmas pudding

Each of these is important to the final dish. The cake mixture is very easy to make—it’s just as simple as a muffin or baked donut recipe. The syrup is only three ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to make on the stove, but it’s essential.

Once the cake is baked in the oven, you must use a fork or toothpick to poke lots of small holes in the cake. Then, drizzle the syrup over it. The syrup will then ooze into these small holes you created, creating a moist and sort of bread pudding-type texture.

Last, you should serve this with whipped cream or even a scoop of vanilla (or egg nog) ice cream! This adds a creamy component that I think pairs well with the flavors and also just serves to make this dessert feel all the more special.

Tips for Success

I like to use both fig jam and dried figs (chopped up) in the cake batter. You can add chopped walnuts or another nut like pecans. All these add to the flavor and texture of the cake.
Poking holes in the cake before drizzling on the syrup might sound trivial, but I promise it’s not! This is what reminds me of Midwest “poke cake,” which has such a great texture.
I love to use a mini or decorative bundt pan for this! But if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy it for just this recipe, you can also bake these in jumbo muffin tins or a baked donut pan.

Serving Suggestions – Christmas Dinner

If you are looking to host a special Christmas dinner, this makes the perfect dessert. Here are some other recipes you might add to the menu:

Bacon Wrapped Filet – How to Broil Steak
How to cook steak
Baked chicken
Meatloaf
Chicken Alfredo
Easy Vodka Sauce – over gnocchi or any pasta!
Overnight No-Boil Lasagna
Stuffing Risotto
Best Christmas Cocktails

Desserts Archives - A Beautiful Mess

Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookie Ingredients:

Directions:

Tips for Making:

Serving Suggestion – Coffee!

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my snowball cookies turn out flat?

Caramel Apples

Looking for more fall recipes? Check out:

What kind of apples are best for caramel apples?

Caramel Apple Ingredients:

Looking for a delicious caramel dip to eat with apples? Try our Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (4 Ways!)

Tools You Need To Make Caramel Apples:

Tips for Making Caramel Apples:

How to Make Caramel Apples:

Can I make caramel apples on the stovetop without a microwave?

How do I store caramel apples?

Looking for more apple recipes? Check out:

Easiest Homemade Caramel Apple

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Candy Apples

Looking for more fall treats? Check out:

What are candy apples?

Ingredients for candy apples:

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of apples are best to use for candy apples?

Homemade Cookie Butter

Homemade Cookie Butter

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Instructions

Nutrition

Super Easy Funnel Cake

Ingredients

How to make Funnel Cake

Notes & Tips

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Easy Funnel Cake

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Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Flan – Easy 5 Ingredient Dessert

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How to make Flan

Tips and Notes

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Flan

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Instructions

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Nutrition

Disco Ball Cupcakes

Disco Ball Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

For the buttercream frosting:

Instructions

Butter Cookies

Butter Cookie Ingredients

Butter Cookie Directions:

Tips for Making Butter Cookies:

Other Holiday Baking Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Are butter cookies the same as shortbread?

Christmas Dessert Recipes

Melted Snowman Cookies

Christmas Cake Pops

Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Grinch Cookies (With Cake Mix!)

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Retro Wreath Cake