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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are crispy and full of flavor. They’re easy to make and everyone loves them. Also, I’m sharing our best honey-mustard sauce recipe for dipping, and it only needs five ingredients!

We’re obsessed with the air fryer these days — try some of our other favorite air-fried recipes like these Southwest Egg Rolls or this Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies.

Not sure about Air Fryers? Check out our Air Fryer Guide!

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Wow! If this recipe doesn’t convince you that having an air fryer is one of the best uses of kitchen space, I don’t know what will! I mean, maybe this Air Fryer Pizookie already convinced you?! These chicken tenders come together so easily and are cooked ridiculously fast in the air fryer. They’re crispy, crunchy, and loaded with texture and flavor.

However, if you don’t have an air fryer, don’t leave just yet; you can make these in the oven too! They’re slightly less crispy and take just a bit longer, but I’m certain you’ll still be pleased with the outcome!

Let’s Talk Chicken Tenders

Ok, first things first. We use chicken tenders for this recipe. You can use chicken breasts, but you’ll need to cut them into thin strips — so they’re the size of tenders. Depending on the breast size, you can get 3-4 tenders from one breast.

To prepare the chicken tenders, you’ll need to remove the tendons. This may seem like a tedious task (I used to hate it), but wait till you see and try this easy hack!

There are two options at this point:

Marinate the chicken tenders. There are few things as tasty as buttermilk-marinated chicken tenders! The buttermilk acts as a tenderizer and will make the chicken ultra juicy and flavorful. Even as little as 20-30 minutes can make a difference! We’ve also marinated tenders in coconut milk before which yields very tender juicy chicken. There is a hint of coconut flavor though (which pairs so nicely with coconut flakes if you want to add those to the breading).
Use as is. If you want to skip the marinating, no problem, we’ll still get you crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders! Pat the chicken tenders well with a paper towel and proceed with the recipe.

Air Fryer Chicken Tender Breading Notes

Once the chicken is prepped (either marinated and dried or just dried with a paper towel), it’s time to dredge it in the batter, then the breading, and then throw it in the air fryer. Here’s a quick breakdown of the batter and breading in this Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe:

First, the batter:

Egg and mayo. These two ingredients contribute flavor and are the main components of liquid in this batter.
Dijon mustard. Here we use Dijon because it’s less intense. If you want to cut down an ingredient though, yellow mustard (used in the sauce) works here too; the flavor is just slightly more pronounced.
Flour. A little flour thickens the breading to ensure it stays on the chicken.
Spices. I like to add the spices to the batter, not the breading, to ensure the chicken gets that spice blend all over it. We use pretty standard spices here — paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.

Then, the three-ingredient breading:

Panko. Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. Here’s an article to explain it further. I use panko as opposed to breadcrumbs in pretty much every recipe on this site — you can use leftovers from this package in this Turkey Meatloaf, these Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells, or this baked Chicken Tortellini.
Cornmeal. Our favorite to use is Alber’s® Yellow Cornmeal. It’s got a great fine-ground consistency and adds a perfect flavor and texture to the chicken. We got this idea from a good friend — Carlsbad Cravings!
Flour. We use regular all-purpose white flour for this breading.

QUICK TIP

Once all the tenderloins are battered and breaded, they need to be generously sprayed with cooking spray. This promotes crisp, even browning in the air fryer.

Dipping Sauce Tips

The sauce is a must-have for these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders — it’s got so much flavor and truly makes the chicken unforgettable! I have a few tips to share:

Use good mayo. I highly recommend real, full-fat mayo for the best possible dipping sauce. Hellmanns/Best Foods® is my favorite brand (not sponsored).
For this sauce, we’re using yellow mustard, not Dijon–which won’t taste quite right here.
Sweeten to taste. I wouldn’t consider this sauce overly sweet, but it does have a touch of sweetness. If you’re concerned about that, add the honey slowly and to taste.
Don’t forget to season. A little pinch of salt and pepper goes a long way in rounding out flavors and balancing ingredients.
Add a flavorful honey BBQ sauce. We like Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ® sauce best in this recipe (not sponsored).

Air Fryer Chicken Tender Sides

Nothing hits the spot quite like French fries, so why not throw some in the air fryer while it’s out? If you make fries this way, I recommend cooking them before the chicken and then adding them back in to warm through for another 1-3 minutes. Alternatively, grab a bag of frozen fries from the freezer section of the grocery store — most of them now have directions for air frying! We love Alexia’s® sea salt sweet potato fries (not sponsored).
Some quick roasted veggies are a nice balancing side. We love this Roasted Broccoli or this Roasted Asparagus. Again, either of these veggies can also be thrown in the air fryer.
A quick salad is another nice balancing act. This cucumber salad, Italian salad or Olive Garden salad would make a nice pairing.

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders FAQs

1Can you put raw chicken in an air fryer?

Yes absolutely! It’s a quick and efficient way to cook chicken.

2How do I cook chicken tenderloins in the Air Fryer?

After the chicken has been breaded and generously sprayed with cooking spray, add it to the air fryer. Cook for 7-8 minutes, flip the tenders, spray the other side with cooking spray, and cook for another 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F (carryover heat will bring it up to 165 degrees F).

Layer the chicken in one even layer– don’t stack tenders on top of one another. You may need to cook the chicken in batches if you can’t fit it all in at once.

3How long should you air fry raw chicken?

The time will vary depending on a few factors:

You exact air fryer model
The actual size of chicken tenders (they can surprisingly vary quite a bit)
How much chicken is in the air fryer

Once you’ve done tenders a time or two in your air fryer, you’ll know the exact cooking times, but until then I do recommend checking them a few times near the end by inserting a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer removes any guesswork on your end!

4Can I make this recipe in the oven?

Yes! Totally can do! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Follow the recipe exactly as written, but instead of air frying, add all the breaded (and sprayed with cooking spray) tenders to a wire rack. Place the rack on top of a baking sheet and place in the fully preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake for another 7-10 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees F).

More easy chicken recipes

Chicken Melts with Cheddar cheese on French bread
Chicken Chili made in the slow cooker
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos super-fast prep!
Chicken Shawarma Wraps with a speedy Tzatziki sauce
Chicken Ramen Noodles with broccoli and a quick sauce

QUICK TIP

I use, love, and recommend this air fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so timing may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model when making these chicken tenders

Chicken Ramen Noodles

by Chelsea Lords

These saucy Chicken Ramen Noodles with broccoli and a simple stir-fry sauce makes an easy weeknight meal the whole family will be obsessed with!

Try some of our other easy ramen recipes — this Ground Beef Ramen, these Egg Roll Noodles, or this veggie Chicken Ramen.

Chicken Ramen Noodles

This Beef and Broccoli Ramen has been a reader favorite for years ever since it was published! So I decided it would be fun to make a twist on that recipe with chicken and broccoli, instead of beef. And coming from my chicken-obsessed boys, they declared this “the best meal ever.”

I’ll admit they’ll claim meals as the “best ever” rather frequently, but these noodles were slurped up in record time nonetheless!

Chicken Ramen Noodles are easy to make, especially with some recipe shortcuts I’ll share below.

Shortcut Prep Ideas

Chicken Ramen Noodles are fairly quick to make, and here are some ideas to shorten the prep even more.

Yellow onion: A lot of grocery stores have pre-diced onions in the produce section of the grocery store you can use for this recipe. Otherwise, frozen diced onions work too. Cook frozen onions just until water is evaporated. Another option is using a food processor to quickly chop the onion.
Garlic: Use jarred, minced garlic for quicker prep.
Ginger: Again, speed things along with ginger paste. If you don’t have fresh ginger or ginger paste, add 1-4/ to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (depending on desired flavor intensity) instead.
Broccoli: A lot of grocery stores have pre-chopped broccoli in the produce section of the store. You’ll still need to chop these down a bit, but this does save a bit of time.
Rotisserie chicken: If you’d like to skip cooking raw chicken, add in diced rotisserie chicken with the sauce — quickly warm it through as the sauce thickens. Be careful to not cook it for too long, as it will dry out.
Make the sauce ahead of time: This isn’t really a shortcut, but if you whip up the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, these Chicken Ramen Noodles come together that much quicker at dinner time.

Soy sauce: Use reduced or low-sodium soy sauce so this dish isn’t too salty. After all, you can always add some salt at the end, but you can’t take it away.
Chicken broth or stock: Again, I recommend low-sodium products so you can control the amount of salt in this dish.
Corn starch: This helps thicken the sauce. Here is a list of substitutes if needed.
Sesame oil: For a great authentic flavor, sesame oil really delivers! (This oil is typically found with the Asian ingredients area, rather than with the other oils in the grocery store.) We love the flavor of toasted sesame oil best in this meal.
Rice vinegar: This balances the sauce and adds a subtle tang. If you see a label saying rice wine vinegar, it’s the same thing.

Sauce Ingredients, Continued

Honey ensures the dish is not too spicy and adds a nice soft sweetness.
Hoisin sauce is thick and fragrant with a sweet and salty taste; it’s another “secret” to the amazing flavor in this dish.
Ground white pepper is a common spice, found among other spices in the grocery store.
Oyster sauce makes this dish taste like it’s from a restaurant by adding a delicious, rich flavor.
Sriracha® sauce adds heat and flavor to these Chicken Ramen Noodles. You can of course reduce (or even leave out) this if you’re not a fan of heat. And of course, add more or drizzle extra on your bowl if you love the burn!

Chicken Ramen Noodle Toppings

This ramen is delicious right out of the skillet, but here are some of our favorite toppings. Add as many or few as you’d like; cashews and green onions are our favorite toppings.

Sesame oil is a finishing oil that is great to drizzle on at the end. Even though there is some in the sauce, we like to add a little to individual dishes as well.
Sriracha® sauce adds some heat to individual plates for those that like things a bit spicier.
Green onions add a bright, crisp, and fresh aspect to these Chicken Ramen Noodles.
Toasted sesame seeds add a soft sweet taste and smell with a nutty flavor.
Cashews add a great crunch and finishing touch of seasoning. We love dry-roasted and lightly salted cashews best.

More Saucy Asian-Inspired Meals

General Tso Chickpeas with lots of veggies
Asian Ground Turkey with Sriracha-mayo sauce
Korean Beef Tacos with tasty marinated beef
Sweet and Sour Meatballs with juicy pineapple
Asian Chicken Tacos with a mango slaw

Quinoa Salad

by Chelsea Lords

This Quinoa Salad recipe is our all-time favorite! We combine perfectly cooked quinoa with an array of fresh, vibrant veggies and the ultimate lemon vinaigrette for a salad you’ll want seconds of!

We’ve shared so many variations on this Quinoa Salad throughout the years; the most popular being: Greek Quinoa Salad, Thai Quinoa Salad, Sweet Potato-Quinoa Salad, and Citrus Quinoa Salad.

Quinoa Salad

We’re obsessed with Quinoa Salad. Not only is it such a nutritious salad, packed with good-for-you ingredients, but it’s also so incredibly flavorful! It’s nice to feel like you’re fueling your body with good ingredients, but it’s amazing to thoroughly enjoy that process — and that’s what you get with this salad.

Quinoa is one of my favorite “superfoods” and in salad form, it combines with vegetables to make a well-rounded, nutritious meal. Quinoa Salad is fresh, light, a little tangy, filling, and loaded with texture. The veggies work so well with the quinoa and the dressing is the perfect finishing touch.

Quinoa Tips

Make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter. Pour the uncooked quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to a minute. A lot of packaged quinoa now comes pre-rinsed, so check your package to potentially save a step!
You can improve the flavor of quinoa by seasoning it generously. A little bit of salt goes a long way, so don’t forget to add it in. To 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, I add 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Sea salt has large flakes, so if you use table salt, you’ll use much less.
Let the quinoa steam. Once the liquid is absorbed, don’t rush to cool the quinoa; instead, let it stand (covered) for at least 10 minutes. Letting the quinoa stand allows it to fully “pop” and ensures it doesn’t end up watery or mushy. If the quinoa has cooked through, but there is still liquid in the pot, make sure to drain off that liquid.
Let the cooked quinoa cool completely before adding the other ingredients. (See the “quick tip” below.)

QUICK TIP

To speed up the cooling process: Spread the cooked and fluffed quinoa on a sheet pan in one even layer. Place the sheet pan in the fridge (or freezer) for 10-15 minutes or until cooled to room temperature. My favorite way to make a quinoa salad is with leftover cooled quinoa (the process is so much quicker). So next time you’re prepping food for the week or preparing a dish with quinoa in it, cook up extra quinoa and use it straight from the fridge in this Quinoa Salad.

Other Quinoa Salad Toppings

Beyond the quinoa, below is a quick description of the other salad ingredients.

Baby spinach. To give the salad bulk, additional nutrients, and even more staying power I like adding salad greens. Baby spinach is our favorite with all these veggies and it holds the quinoa and dressing nicely — especially if it’s coarsely chopped first.
Cherry tomatoes. While any tomatoes will work, we love the sweetness and juiciness of cherry tomatoes. Quarter especially large cherry tomatoes or halve smaller ones.
Fresh avocados. The avocados lend an amazing creamy texture making this salad taste indulgent. Wait for perfectly ripe avocados, as they make a huge difference — you can tell an avocado is ripe if it yields to firm gentle pressure (feels slightly soft, but not squishy).
English or Persian cucumbers (sometimes labeled as mini cucumbers). I don’t recommend regular cucumbers because they lack flavor and texture. They also break down more quickly, which isn’t ideal in this salad. You’ll love the crispness of English/Persian cucumbers!
Red onion. We love the bite that red onion adds, but with such a small amount in this salad, it’s very subtle. If you are sensitive to red onion, feel free to reduce or leave it out. Alternatively, it can be replaced with green onions or shallots which are both even milder. And on the flip side, if you love red onion, increase the amount added to this salad.
Feta cheese. This salty addition pulls everything together in this salad. If you’d prefer a dairy-free salad, this quinoa salad is still tasty without the cheese. I made Quinoa Salad all throughout my pregnancy and still thoroughly enjoyed it without the cheese.
Cilantro. I love adding fresh herbs to salad and cilantro is a nice complementary flavor here. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, we’ve also made this salad with flat-leaf Italian parsley and fresh basil — both are delicious!

Adding Protein to Quinoa Salad

While it may seem this vegetarian salad is missing protein, it’s actually loaded with protein, thanks to the quinoa (and the feta cheese). One cup of cooked quinoa has 24 grams of protein. Plus, when you pair the protein in this salad with the healthy fats (olive oil in the dressing and avocado), you’ll be amazed at how satiating this salad is!

That said, this Quinoa Salad lends well to additional protein being added; I’d recommend leftover shredded rotisserie chicken — a lemon-herb flavored rotisserie chicken if you can find it! A side of grilled chicken is also a great option.

Lemon vinaigrette

As mentioned, Quinoa Salad is drizzled in a light, fresh, healthy, and tangy vinaigrette. Here are a few tips:

Dress to your preference. I love a generously dressed salad, but you may feel differently. Add the dressing slowly and to your personal preference. You probably won’t want the entire batch of dressing on this salad, but then again, you just might want it all! I’d rather you have more than not enough. Leftover dressing stores nicely for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. (See “quick tip” below.)
- We often use leftover dressing on roasted vegetables, side salads, and raw garden veggies.
Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t pack the same flavor as fresh, and lemon is the main flavor here, so I highly recommend a real lemon!
Sweeten to taste. If you’d prefer the dressing to be more on the tangy side, reduce or omit the honey. Alternatively, if you’d like a sweeter dressing, feel free to increase the honey.

QUICK TIP

Leftover dressing will separate and solidify a bit since olive oil solidifies at cold temperatures. Simply let the dressing stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes and then shake to re-combine– and it’s ready to use! If you don’t want extra dressing (and prefer a minimally dressed salad) feel free to make a half recipe of the dressing — it halves nicely!

Quinoa Salad FAQs

1Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Parts of Quinoa Salad can be made ahead of time, but it is best enjoyed shortly after being dressed and assembled. You can prep the quinoa, dressing, and all the veggies (minus the avocado) ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, chop the avocado (you’ll want the avocado prepped as close to eating as possible) and add it to the salad, along with the dressing.

If you aren’t planning on finishing this salad all in one day, I’d recommend keeping the dressing separate from the salad and only dressing what you’ll be eating.

And you can, of course, always halve the recipe, but you’ll probably want to make a full batch of the dressing to have on hand because it is THAT good. 🙂

2What is Quinoa Salad made of?

This salad combines baby spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs, cooked and cooled quinoa, and an oregano-lemon vinaigrette.

3Is quinoa healthier than rice?

Quinoa is very nutritious — it’s full of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. From purely a calorie perspective: one cup of cooked quinoa has approximately 40 fewer calories than an equal amount of white rice. From a nutritional profile, white rice has almost 15 times more grams of carbohydrates while quinoa provides 5 more grams of fiber and double the protein.

4Is Quinoa Salad served hot or cold?

This salad is best served cold!

It comes together even quicker if you’ve made the quinoa ahead of time and have it stored in the fridge!

5What can I add to quinoa for flavor?

Add some salt: One of the biggest mistakes with making quinoa is not seasoning it. Just like pasta or rice, quinoa needs salt!

6What does quinoa taste like?

Quinoa has a sweet, almost nutty flavor. It should never taste bitter, but if it does, it’s because quinoa has a bitter saponin coating that needs to be rinsed off before cooking. Either purchase pre-rinsed quinoa or rinse it in a fine-mesh sieve under cool water.

One of my favorite things about quinoa is that it nicely takes on the surrounding flavors. It absorbs the dressing nicely which infuses it with a lovely lemon flavor.

7Is quinoa gluten free?

Short answer: naturally yes. However, a lot of quinoa is produced in facilities where cross contamination could occur. Make sure to check the label on your package!

More Healthy Salad Recipes

Kale and Quinoa Salad with berries
Steak Salad Recipe with an herb vinaigrette
Creamy Balsamic Dressing on a Cobb salad
Chicken Spinach Salad with a balsamic vinaigrette
Panzanella Salad with homemade croutons

Oatmeal Scotchies

by Chelsea Lords

These sweet Oatmeal Scotchies have a thick and chewy center with crisp edges. You’ll love the deep caramel notes with a hint of cinnamon spice and all that butterscotch and crushed toffee!

Try some of our other favorite oatmeal cookies — these Coconut Oatmeal Cookies or these Caramel Oatmeal Cookies.

Oatmeal Scotchies

If you’ve never tried Oatmeal Scotchies, you’re going to love them! These cookies are super sweet and full of deep caramel flavors. They have a few special tricks that make them the best Oatmeal Scotchies ever!

Read through the post and recipe before starting for ingredient notes and tips to help you be successful in baking these. I hope your family loves these as much as mine does!

Oatmeal Scotchies FAQs

1What is a Scotchie?

A Scotchie is a soft and chewy oatmeal cookie typically spiced with cinnamon and made with brown sugar, oats, and lots of butterscotch baking chips. These cookies have deep caramel and toffee notes of flavor. Scotchie is short for butterscotch.

2What kind of oats are best for cookies?

Oatmeal Scotchies are best with old-fashioned oats. You can read more about the differences between steel-cut oats, old-fashioned (or rolled) oats, and instant (or quick) oats here.

3Can you use quick oats in cookies?

While it may seem like old-fashioned oats and quick oats can be interchanged easily enough, they don’t work the same when baking. Because of their small size, quick oats act more like flour, absorbing more liquid which results in a drier, less flavorful cookie. This recipe relies on old-fashioned oats, and won’t work the same with any other oat type.

Unless the recipe specifically calls for quick oats, I would not use them in place of old-fashioned (rolled) oats.

4Why are my oatmeal cookies flat?

A few different things to consider:

Cookies often flatten because the dough did not chill long enough. Since there is melted butter in the batter, it needs a chance to firm up again.
If the melted butter was too hot when you added in the sugars, the cookies will likely end up a bit flat and greasy. Hot butter melts sugars so wait for the butter to cool a bit before adding in the sugars.
If the melted butter and sugars weren’t whisked together thoroughly this can result in flatter cookies.
Oatmeal cookies can also go flat if the flour was under-measured.
One other factor that comes into play is if you live in a high-altitude area.

5How many calories are in an Oatmeal Scotchie?

There are 197 calories in these cookies.

Process shots: images of the butter and sugar being mixed together and eggs, molasses, vanilla, baking agents, and oats being mixed together

Oatmeal Scotchie Ingredients

Four ingredients really make these Oatmeal Scotchies unique and unforgettable: molasses, dark brown sugar, toffee bits, and butterscotch baking chips or morsels. I’ll discuss each of these ingredients below:

Molasses. We use just a little in these cookies, so it doesn’t take over the taste. It gives a hint of toffee flavor without making the cookies taste too much like molasses. This small amount makes the cookies soft and chewy in the middle and adds sweetness. I suggest using dark molasses (also called “robust” or “full-flavored”), like Grandma’s® Molasses. There are many types of molasses at the store, from light to blackstrap.
Dark brown sugar.You can find dark brown sugar close to the light brown and powdered sugar in the baking section of the grocery store. It looks like light brown sugar but is darker because it has more molasses in it. This extra molasses gives dark brown sugar a stronger taste and makes it sweeter.
Toffee bits/crushed toffee. Putting milk chocolate English toffee bits in these cookies isn’t common, but it really makes them special! I like adding the toffee because it makes the caramel flavors in the cookies even better.
Butterscotch baking chips. Butterscotch morsels or baking chips are the classic choice for Oatmeal Scotchies. These morsels can be found in the baking aisle among other baking chips–just down the way from the brown sugar!

Recipe Tips

Don’t forget to chill the dough! The butter has to harden again after melting, so your cookies don’t turn into pancakes! While the dough chills, the sugar and oats slowly soak up liquid, which also helps stop the cookies from spreading too much.
Wait for the right ingredients. This cookie recipe has been tried many times to get it just right. To make the best cookies, use the exact ingredients the recipe says. I know it asks for some unusual ingredients, but it’s better to wait until you have them instead of guessing with other things. Baking can be tricky, and it’s hard to know if different ingredients will work as well as the ones in the recipe.
Start with room temperature ingredients. Using eggs that are the same temperature as your room makes them mix into the dough better, which makes the cookies feel nicer to eat (the eggs help trap air). To warm up cold eggs fast, put them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes. Or, just take the eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start.
Spoon and level the flour. When measuring flour, use a spoon to fill your measuring cup and then level it off. This way, you won’t use too much or too little flour. If you use too much flour, your Oatmeal Scotchies will be more like cake, and if you use too little, they’ll be too wet and spread out too much.
Leave ample room on the baking sheet. These cookies are large and do spread out quite a bit on a cookie sheet! I only bake 6-8 cookies at a time on a standard-size cookie sheet.
Roll large even-sized balls. If you have a kitchen scale, it makes things easier. Each ball of cookie dough should weigh exactly 40 grams. This way, all the cookies will bake evenly, and you won’t have some that are not cooked enough and others that are burnt!
Slightly underbake. These cookies are best when they’re a little underbaked. They keep getting firmer after you take them out of the oven. When they cool down, they become super soft and chewy!

QUICK TIP

We like these cookies best on days 1 and 2 of being made. They are softest and chewiest on day 1 and get more crunchy, less chewy every day after that. They do last up to a week, but they begin to lose texture and flavor. To store: Place in an airtight container and keep at room temperature. Wait until cookies are completely cooled before adding to the container. The unbaked dough for these cookies freezes wonderfully — read instruction #10 on the recipe card for more details!

More cookie recipes

Gingersnap Cookies with the best blend of spices
Magic Cookie Bars with a graham cracker crust
Brown Sugar Cookies with a crisp sugar coating
Animal Circus Cookies with cream cheese frosting
Avalanche Cookies no baking required!

Black Bean Wraps

by Chelsea Lords

These vegetarian Black Bean Wraps with a creamy cilantro-avocado topping and a quick chili-lime sauce are the perfect complement of flavors and textures. These easy-to-make wraps can be ready in about 30 minutes or less and make a great lunch or dinner!

If serving these wraps for dinner, I recommend a salad on the side like this Costco Kale Salad.

Black Bean Wraps

Talk about a flavor explosion! We are completely obsessed with these meatless wraps and luckily, with how often they’ve appeared on our dinner table lately, they’re so quick to make.

These wraps start with a seasoned black bean and veggie mix which is then topped with an avocado, cilantro, and tomato topping. Drizzle on a quick chili-lime sauce and these wraps are ready to be enjoyed.

Below I’ll break down the three components of these wraps (the black beans, cilantro-avocado topping, and sauce) as well as ingredient tips.

Black Beans

The black bean mixture employs a sautéed red onion and sweet pepper, a quick seasoning blend, and (of course) black beans. The result is a fantastic black bean mixture that is honestly good enough to pass as a side dish on its own!

While this mixture isn’t overly time-consuming to make, you can make it even quicker by using leftover made-from-scratch black beans. The quick black bean mixture in this recipe is adapted from that recipe.

A few quick tips:

Save time. Quickly chop the pepper and onion in a food processor.
Toast the seasonings. We’re adding layers of flavor by heating up the seasonings before adding in the beans. This will give the wraps a more robust flavor.
Don’t forget the salt. Be sure to taste the black bean mixture before adding it to the wraps and add a pinch of two more of salt as needed.

Cilantro-Avocado Topping

After the black beans have been prepared, give them a few minutes to cool off a bit and whip up this easy salad topping.

A few quick tips:

Fresh avocado. The avocado lends an amazing creamy texture to these Black Bean Wraps. Only use perfectly ripe avocados– they make a big difference. You can tell an avocado is ripe if it yields to firm gentle pressure (feels slightly soft, but not mushy).
Don’t forget the lime juice. The lime has dual purposes here — it adds a hit of acid and freshness to the wraps, but it also helps the avocado taste fresh and keeps it from browning as you assemble the wraps. If you use a lot of citrus in cooking, this citrus juicer is a game changer! It will transform your limes into juice in seconds!
If you hate cilantro, use fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley instead.

The Sauce

The quick chili-lime sauce is spread on the tortilla to help hold the black beans on. It’s then drizzled over everything to ensure plenty of flavor. If you have any extra sauce after the four wraps are made, you can even use it as a dipping sauce for anyone that wants even more sauce with their wraps. (Trust me, it’s addicting!)

A few quick tips:

We love Hellman’s/Best Foods® mayonnaise in the sauce (not sponsored). It has a robust flavor without being too sweet.
As for spiciness, I’d rate the sauce to be slightly spicy. If you’d like to make it milder, reduce or omit the Sriracha/hot sauce and be sure to use McCormick® seasonings. (We find them very mild.) Alternatively, amp up the heat by adding in 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

QUICK TIP

Don’t want to make the sauce? Use about 1 tablespoon of low-fat or lite sour cream instead and spread that on first, down the left-hand side of the tortilla!

Black Bean Variation Ideas

Warm Black Bean and Cheddar wraps. Leave off the sauce and avocado topping. Top tortillas with sour cream, black bean mixture, and freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Roll up the wraps and warm them through by cooking in a skillet for about 2-4 minutes per side, or until crispy.
Add in some fresh or frozen corn. Stir about 1/2 up to 3/4 cup frozen or fresh corn into the black bean mixture.
More veggies. Bulk up these Black Bean Wraps with more veggies, if desired. You could add some baby spinach or romaine lettuce as well.

More vegetarian recipes

Vegetarian Gyrosmade with chickpeas
Healthy Tacos with black beans and corn
Bean and Cheese Burritos with seasoned rice
Moroccan Stew with couscous
Vegetarian Tikka Masala with a citrus-snap pea topping

Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies

by Chelsea Lords

We’re pulling out the air fryer to make this ridiculously easy Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies! Chicken sausage, carrots, and broccoli are tossed with herbs, and air fried. They’re served on a bed of quinoa and mixed greens with a quick honey mustard sauce that coats everything. This meal is nutritious, filling, and can be ready in under 30 minutes!

Try another favorite air fryer meal — these Southwest Egg Rolls!

Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies

I put off getting an air fryer for so long thinking it would just be another kitchen gadget taking up precious space in the kitchen. Oh, was I wrong! The air fryer has now claimed prime real estate on the kitchen counter because we can’t stop using it. To say I’m totally hooked would be an understatement!

We’ve mostly air-fried lots of veggies as quick side dishes to meals, but egg rolls and crispy Bean and Cheese Burritos have also frequented the air fryer.

Today I’m sharing something I whipped together as a super-quick dinner the other night. The aim of this Chicken Sausage and Veggies recipe is to be ready on the table in 30 minutes or less. We use a few store-bought shortcuts to keep the prep time short, which I’ll discuss below. But first, let’s talk about the delicious honey mustard sauce!

Sauce Tips

Use good mayo. I highly recommend real, full-fat mayonnaise for the best possible sauce. Hellmanns/Best Foods® is my favorite brand (not sponsored).
I know it seems strange and is different than most honey-mustard salad dressings, but we’re using yellow mustard, not Dijon mustard in this dressing. Trust me, it works!
Sweeten to taste. Depending on your sweetness preference, you may want slightly less (or even slightly more!) honey. Add anywhere from 1 up to 3 tablespoons, adding gradually to personal preference.
Make in advance. This sauce can be prepared in advance (it only gets more flavorful as it chills!) and it tastes better slightly chilled. If you’d like dinner prep to go even quicker, whip up the sauce earlier in the day or as part of your meal prepping at the beginning of the week. The sauce will stay good for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge; just give it a quick stir before topping these Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies bowls.

Let’s talk air frying (and an alternate cooking method)

I use, love, and recommend this Air Fryer (affiliate link). Air fryers do vary a bit from brand to brand, so timing may need to be slightly tweaked for your specific model.

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still enjoy this recipe.

Here’s how to prepare this Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Toss carrots with oil and seasoning. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, and toss with a spatula.
Add the sausage, broccoli, remaining oil, and remaining seasoning. Toss with carrots.
Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are roasted to desired preference.

Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies Ingredient Notes

As already mentioned, the aim of this recipe is to be a super-fast and convenient weeknight meal. To save time from measuring out a myriad of seasonings, we opt for a seasoning blend instead. If you have a go-to seasoning blend you love, use that! We like using this garlic & herb seasoning blend or this veggie rub is hugely popular at my home. Even if you just season the sausage and veggies with salt and pepper, it’s going to be delicious with the sauce!
Any smoked sausage will work in this recipe. We personally love Aidells® chicken & apple sausage, but smoked turkey sausage also works nicely in this recipe.
To further cut down on prep time, you can purchase pre-cut broccoli florets in the produce section of the grocery store. Keep in mind you may need to cut a few down since sometimes the florets are pretty large in these bags.

Honey Mustard Chicken Sausage and Veggies Sides

We love serving the sausage and veggies over a bed of mixed greens and quinoa.

To keep this meal super quick and easy, use pre-cooked quinoa packets (here are the ones we’ve tried and enjoyed!) These packets heat through in 90 seconds in the microwave and can be divided into bowls after warmed through.

A big handful of mixed greens added to a bowl and the “sides” for this Chicken Sausage and Veggies meal are done!

More delicious chicken recipes

Chicken Sausage Pesto and Veggies with sun-dried tomatoes
Chipotle Chicken Salad with a chipotle vinaigrette
Chicken Curry Soup with lots of veggies
Chicken Shawarma Wraps with a quick sauce
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers over coconut-lime rice

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

by Chelsea Lords

This Chickpea Salad Sandwich is loaded with a creamy chickpea filling that includes lots of fresh veggies and herbs. Pile it on some toasted bread with lettuce, tomato, and onion for a hearty and flavorful meal.

Try some of my other favorite recipes using chickpeas next — General Tso Chickpeas, Chickpea Curry, or Vegetarian Gyros.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

It’s no secret how much we love creamy Chicken Salad or Tuna Salad here on the site with all the lots of recipe variations I’ve shared over the years (these Jalapeño Chicken Salad Sandwiches have been on repeat lately). And so it’s about time a vegetarian version made it on the site.

Chickpeas are the secret ingredient replacing chicken or tuna, and it’s pretty amazing how meaty these sandwiches end up tasting. It’s hard to believe the filling is basically just veggies and chickpeas.

I also wanted these sandwiches to be high in protein and healthy fats. So, instead of soaking the chickpeas in mayo, we mix in smashed avocado. This adds lots of flavor and makes it creamy!

Chickpea Salad Sandwich Tips

Use a really ripe avocado. This chickpea salad needs a ripe avocado for taste and smoothness. If the avocado isn’t ripe, it won’t mash up and blend quite right. You can check if an avocado is ripe by gently pressing it. If it feels like pressing the tip of your nose, it’s ready.
Wash and drain the chickpeas well. Wet or watery chickpeas will water down the mix and make it less flavorful.
Finely chop the herbs. We want the herbs evenly spread out throughout the mixture. Don’t want to take the time to do this by hand? Throw them in the food processor along with the chickpeas.
Adjust the flavors to your taste. We really enjoy the bold mix of lemon and Dijon in these Chickpea Salad Sandwiches. If you’re not a fan of either, just skip them. This recipe is easy to adjust, so you can change the herbs, spices, or anything else as long as you keep the amounts similar. Go ahead and use what you like best.
Don’t forget to season. Add additional salt, pepper (and even garlic powder) until the chickpea salad filling flavors sing. Canned chickpeas contain different amounts of salt, so you may want less or more than what I’ve said in the recipe card.

Serving suggestions

We like this chickpea salad sandwich filling best on a hearty toasted wholegrain bread. We love adding fresh, ripe tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, and sometimes I’ll throw on some bread and butter pickles (yum!).
For a low-carb meal, layer this sandwich filling on butter lettuce leaves and enjoy it as a lettuce wrap.
Add chickpea filling to warmed pita bread or naan with fresh veggies of your choice. Fold it up and eat it like a taco.
Layer the chickpea filling on small toasted whole grain rolls for a fun appetizer or side dish.
Veggie ideas: quick pickled red onions (recipe on these pinto bean tacos), matchstick carrots, micro-greens, baby spinach, banana peppers.

Tools that make this recipe easier!

While none of these tools are needed to make a Chickpea Salad Sandwich, they do make things easier!

I love using a salad spinner to really dry the chickpeas before blending.
Blending the chickpeas in a food processor takes seconds! A potato masher or a fork can also work, but the result might not be as even.
Use a small cheese grater and a citrus zester or this citrus juicer to make getting lemon zest and juice quick and easy.

STORAGE

Storage: Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should stay fresh for up to 5 days.
If you’ve already made sandwiches, they’re best enjoyed immediately, but you can store them wrapped tightly in the fridge for a day. The salad might make the bread soggy if left longer.

More Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetarian Sushi Bowls with a spicy mayo
Bean and Cheese Burritos with seasoned rice
Black Bean Bowls with coconut-lime rice
Vegetarian Enchiladas with black beans and corn
Caprese Quinoa Salad with a balsamic dressing

BLT Pasta Salad

by Chelsea Lords

BLT Pasta Salad is a fresh, delicious twist on the classic BLT sandwich. Crispy bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, and creamy avocado create a flavor-packed salad that’s sure to be a hit. The vibrant avocado-ranch dressing is nothing short of addicting and ties everything together perfectly!

The BEST BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

BLT Pasta Salad is a delicious, refreshing twist on the classic BLT sandwich, and this recipe is sure to impress! The standout component is the tangy and creamy avocado-ranch dressing that is nothing short of amazing! With a smooth and creamy texture and subtle herbaceous notes, the dressing perfectly complements the richness of the avocado. Fresh dill adds a unique pop of flavor.

The bacon is perfectly cooked to crispy and smoky perfection, adding just the right amount of crunch to the dish. The juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy romaine lettuce, sharp red onion, and creamy avocado chunks come together beautifully to complete this satisfying salad.

This BLT Pasta Salad is not only incredibly flavorful and delicious, but it’s also easy to prepare, especially if you cook and cool the pasta ahead of time and make the dressing in advance. With minimal effort and maximum flavor, this salad is sure to become a new favorite in your recipe collection.

How To Make BLT Pasta Salad

Here are some recipe tips for making BLT Pasta Salad:

Cook the pasta al dente: Be sure not to overcook the pasta–nobody wants mushy, shapeless macaroni! Follow the package instructions and cook it to al dente. Pop it in the fridge after draining it to cool it quickly.
Use fresh ingredients: Fresh ingredients are key to making this pasta salad shine. Use juicy ripe cherry tomatoes and crunchy, fresh lettuce.
Be mindful of how much dressing you use: The salad should be moist, but not overdressed. You can always add more dressing as needed. Use leftover dressing as a dip for veggies or on another salad.
Customize the ingredients: This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to customize the ingredients based on your preferences. You can add other vegetables like cucumber or bell pepper, or swap out the romaine lettuce for spinach.
Taste and adjust the seasoning: Before serving, taste the BLT Pasta Salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to balance the flavors.

Ripe Avocados Make All The Difference!

Avocados are a crucial ingredient in this recipe, adding a creamy texture to the dish and making up the base of the dressing. So, it’s important to use perfectly ripe avocados before making this salad.

When buying avocados, look for ones that are firm but give slightly when you apply gentle pressure with your fingers. Avoid avocados that are too soft or have large dents, as they may be overripe. Additionally, check the color of the avocado’s skin, as it should be dark green and not have any visible blemishes or bruises.

QUICK TIP

Once you’ve purchased the avocados, let them ripen properly before using them in this BLT Pasta Salad. To speed up the ripening process, place them in a paper bag with an apple or banana, as these fruits release a natural gas called ethylene that helps to ripen the avocado faster. Alternatively, you can leave them on the counter at room temperature for a few days until they’re ready to use.

STORAGE

Storage

To ensure the best taste, it’s important to serve this BLT Pasta Salad as soon as it’s been prepared. The longer it sits, the more the ingredients will begin to lose their freshness and texture.

If you’d like to enjoy leftovers, only dress what will be eaten at serving time. Keep the dressing, avocado, and salad separate to prevent the lettuce from wilting/becoming soggy and the avocado from browning.

To make ahead: Prep all of the ingredients in advance (except the avocado) and store them in separate containers in the fridge. Cut the avocado and assemble; then dress the salad just before serving.

More Pasta Salad Recipes:

Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad with black beans and corn
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with a delicious lemon vinaigrette
Asian Pasta Salad with mandarin oranges
Autumn Crunch Pasta Salad with apples and pecans
Taco Pasta Salad with the best creamy dressing

Easter Cookies

by Chelsea Lords

These festive Easter Cookies are rich, sweet, soft, and chewy! Thanks to a “secret” ingredient — molasses –they have a deep toffee flavor, with bright pops of sweet milk chocolate and crunchy Cadbury® eggs.

Try some of our other fun Easter treats this year: these Coconut Macaroons (with a free Easter printable), Easter Pretzels, or these Spring Magic Bars.

Easter Cookies

I couldn’t be more excited to share these oatmeal Easter cookies with you all –they’re the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made! After making Gingersnap Cookies last year, I just had to use molasses in cookies again. Molasses makes cookies taste amazing, adding a deep, rich caramel and toffee flavor and making them super chewy. I love chewy oatmeal cookies that taste like toffee, so adding molasses to them is perfect.

It’s just a small amount, but you’ll be amazed at what it does for flavor and texture in these Easter Cookies!

Let’s talk molasses

The molasses in these cookies isn’t too strong (we don’t use a lot of it). It doesn’t make the cookies taste just like molasses. Instead, it gives them a gentle caramel or toffee flavor. The cool thing about molasses is that it’s the secret ingredient that keeps the cookies soft and chewy in the middle. Plus, molasses makes these Easter cookies a little sweet.

When you go to the store, you’ll see many types of molasses, from light to very dark called blackstrap. Blackstrap molasses is really strong and might not taste good in baked stuff. Instead, use dark molasses, which could also be called “robust” or “full-flavored.” I tried these cookies with Brer Rabbit® and Grandma’s® brands, and both are good. We didn’t see a big difference between them.

In a pinch, you can use pure maple syrup in place of the molasses in these cookies.

QUICK TIP

Molasses is thick and sticky! It will stick to the measuring spoon so I do recommend scraping every bit of it out with a spoon to ensure you get the full level tablespoon of molasses in these cookies. To make that process easier, spray the measuring spoon with nonstick vegetable spray.

Dark Brown vs. Light Brown Sugar

Besides the molasses in these cookies, we also use dark and light brown sugar, which have molasses in them too. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, making it darker, tastier, and stronger in flavor. It’s a bit more acidic and moist. I think dark brown sugar makes things taste more like caramel and adds a rich sweetness.

You can use either sugar in this recipe, but mixing both kinds of sugar is best for these cookies. If you want to use just one kind, I suggest using dark brown sugar. With only dark brown sugar, the cookies turn out a bit more crisp and flat.

QUICK TIP

Dark brown sugar is sold near the light brown and powdered sugar in the grocery store. The two look similar, yet dark brown sugar is darker overall in color. In a pinch, you can even make your own dark brown sugar.

Easter Cookie Add-ins

Mini Cadbury Eggs® put the “Easter” in these Easter cookies! I used shimmer Cadbury eggs in these specific cookies, but either works great — shimmer or original. Easter M&M’s also work well in these cookies.

And if you don’t want either, replace the Cadbury eggs with equal amounts of chocolate chips.

Another fun idea? Swap out the milk chocolate chips for white chocolate chips.

Chilling the cookie dough

Chilling cookie dough can definitely be an inconvenience. I mean, when you want these Easter Cookies, you want them now, right?! That said, chilling this dough is especially important. It’s like marinating meat; the wait is worth it. Here are a few reasons why we chill the dough:

The dough becomes more flavorful as it sits.
For texture reasons, the butter is melted. If the dough is baked immediately with melted butter in it, the cookies will spread and become thin, hard, and crispy while baking. This is because the fat (butter) hasn’t had a chance to re-solidify. The longer the fat stays solid, the less the cookies will spread.
The sugar and old-fashioned oats in the dough gradually absorb liquid so when you chill the dough, the sugar has a chance to absorb more liquid, and that further prevents spreading.

Easter Cookie Tips

Don’t substitute ingredients. This cookie recipe has been tested (and re-tested some more!). For best results, follow the recipe carefully using the right ingredients. I know there are some unique ingredients called for, but I recommend waiting to make these cookies with those ingredients instead of trying random substitutes. Baking is finicky — it’s hard to say what will and won’t work out in place of what has been tested.
- Use old-fashioned oats. While it may seem like old-fashioned oats and quick oats can be interchanged, they don’t work the same when baking. Because of their small size, quick oats act more like flour, absorbing more liquid which results in a drier, less flavorful cookie. This recipe relies on old-fashioned oats, and won’t work the same with any other oat type.
Start with room-temperature ingredients. Using room-temperature eggs ensures that the eggs disperse more evenly into the batter, giving these cookies a better texture (the eggs trap air). Soaking refrigerated eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes is a quick way to get warm eggs. Otherwise, pull the eggs out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before use.
Spoon and level the flour. When you measure the flour, be sure to spoon and level the measuring cup so you aren’t adding in too much or too little flour. Too much flour yields more cake-like cookies and too little flour and these cookies will be too wet and spread too much.
Leave ample room on the baking sheet. These cookies are large and do spread a good amount on a cookie sheet! I only bake 6-8 cookies at a time on a standard size cookie sheet.

More Easter fun

Four simple Easter Treat Ideas
Easter Cupcakes made to look like a bird’s nest
Easter Treats with free printables
Rice Krispie Treats add pastel sprinkles for a fun Easter treat!
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with lemon cake bites

Ground Beef Stroganoff

by Chelsea Lords

Simple, 30-minute Ground Beef Stroganoff has sautéed and tender onions, mushrooms, and a luscious creamy sauce. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for a complete crowd-pleasing meal.

Serve this stroganoff alongside a garden Italian Salad or with some Roasted Vegetables.

30-Minute Pantry Staple Meal

Another day, another pantry staple recipe! I hope these “pantry staple meals” are helpful for you!

Two of the most common ingredients many of you have (when polled on Instagram) are ground beef and noodles.

This Goulash recipe I shared the other day features both beef and noodles just like this stroganoff does. The rest of the ingredients in this recipe rely on pantry and fridge staples like beef stock/broth, beef bouillon, spices, and Dijon mustard. And with the fresh ingredients required, most of them are shelf stable for quite a good amount of time — onions, garlic, sour cream, butter, and heavy cream.

This ground beef stroganoff meal comes together quickly; it’s ready in about 30 minutes and is a meal the whole family will enjoy.

QUICK TIP

Portabella or portabello? Is there a difference in the names of these mushrooms? It’s just personal preference, so spell it however you like. Portabellas are extra-large cremini mushrooms, and their size changes their texture a bit.

Ingredients In Ground Beef Stroganoff

Olive oil: Used to cook the onions, garlic, and beef, preventing them from sticking to the pan and adding flavor.
Yellow onion & garlic: These vegetables are the flavor base for the dish, giving it a savory depth.
Ground beef: This is the protein of the dish, providing texture and substance.
Butter: Adds richness and helps to cook the mushrooms evenly.
Cremini mushrooms: They add an earthy flavor and a different texture to the dish.
Dried thyme, salt, and pepper: Seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
Flour: It thickens the sauce, so it’s not too liquidy.
Beef stock or broth & beef bouillon powder: These add a concentrated meaty flavor to the sauce.
Heavy cream and sour cream: It creates a creamy texture and adds a bit of sweetness to the sauce.
Worcestershire sauce & Dijon mustard: They provide a kick of tangy and complex flavors to enhance the overall taste.
Egg noodles: Serve as the base for the stroganoff, soaking up the sauce.

How To Make Beef Stroganoff With Ground Beef

Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Be sure to use a nice, heavy pan, such as this one.
Cook the ground beef, crumbling as you go, until browned through. To get a nice browning on the meat (browning = flavor), leave the beef undisturbed for about 30 seconds per side before breaking it up.
Cook the mushrooms. Once the meat is browned, the mushrooms are added in, along with some butter. Once the mushrooms start to get tender, add in the seasonings and flour. The flour will thicken the sauce we’re about to make.
Create the sauce. After the seasonings and flour have been added, it’s time to finish the sauce. Pour in beef stock (or broth) and then stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Simmer everything until thickened and tender.
Finish the ground beef stroganoff. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the sour cream and then finish it with fresh herbs.

VARIATIONS

Variations

Switch up the mushrooms. We like cremini mushrooms best, but white mushrooms or portobello would also work. You can even use a combination of a few different kinds of mushrooms.
Prepare Ground Beef Stroganoff without sour cream by replacing with plain Greek yogurt; it will slightly change the flavor though. I personally like fat-free or light sour cream in this dish best!
Make a healthy Ground Beef Stroganoff by using lean ground beef and light sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Add in 1 teaspoon paprika and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little spice.
Add in 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme in place of dried if you have it on hand.

More Recipes That Use Ground Beef:

Taco Lasagna reader favorite recipe!
Beef Lettuce Wraps with coconut rice and pickled red onions
Beef Tacos baked and ready in 30 minutes or less
Taco Pasta Hamburger Helper inspired
Pasta e Fagioli Olive Garden copycat

Try these variations next — the original beef Stroganoff or this delicious Chicken Stroganoff!

Magic Bars

by Chelsea Lords

Magic Bars are the perfect treat, starting with a thick graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, M&M’s, and oats. Simply swap the pastel M&M’s for other colors to fit any holiday. Sweetened condensed milk makes them gooey and sweet.

Try our other variations on Magic Bars next time — these 7 Layer Bars or these 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars.

Magic Bars

These Spring Confetti Bars are consistently one of the most-made and loved recipes every year as springtime rolls around. So, it’s about time we add another holiday dessert bar! And while these bars certainly aren’t limited to Easter or springtime, they do make for a beautiful festive treat.

And BTW, Magic Bars are even easier to make than Confetti Bars — they come together ridiculously quickly!

Before we get too far, by way of a disclaimer, Magic Bars are incredibly rich and very sweet. If you don’t love super-sweet desserts, I’d recommend this Carrot Cake instead for a springtime treat.

Graham cracker crust

This is my favorite graham cracker crust. It’s sweet, buttery, and comes out perfect every time! Here are a few tips:

Let the melted butter cool: Once the butter is melted, it needs to cool back to room temperature. If the butter is hot, it will melt the graham cracker crumbs, and that will cause a greasy crust.
Measure the crumbs. While it’s easiest to just count graham cracker sheets to throw in the blender, there can be a good amount of variation from cracker to cracker and brand to brand. For a fool-proof crust, measure the crumbs instead of counting out graham cracker sheets.
Blend crumbs thoroughly. To be sure there aren’t large chunks of graham cracker in the crust (which will affect how nicely you can cut the Magic Bars), thoroughly blend the graham crackers until they are in fine crumbs. Add any large chunks back into the blender to fully blend into fine crumbs. Depending on the type of blender you have, you may want to blend crackers in batches.
Press down firmly. I like to use the bottom of a one-cup measuring cup to compress the crust and press it into a nice even layer. The tighter and more compact the crust, the better the bars cut.
Add salt. It may sound odd, but the salt in the crust helps cut through and balance the sweetness in these bars. While you can decrease the amount, I don’t recommend leaving it out entirely.

Magic Bars Toppings

After the crust, here’s what we add on top and a few notes about the ingredients:

Quick oats. So we can call these bars healthy of course! 😉 While you can use old-fashioned oats, we do like quick oats best in these bars — they soften better and are less over-powering than old-fashioned. Don’t use steel-cut oats.
Milk chocolate chips. We love the richness and sweetness of milk chocolate, but truly any type of chocolate works here. If you like dark chocolate best, use dark chocolate. If you want to cut down on sweetness, use semi-sweet chocolate.
Butterscotch and white chocolate chips. We love a combo of both of these chips, but you can use just one type of chocolate chip instead (1 cup butterscotch or 1 cup white chocolate instead of 1/2 cup of each).
M&M’s®. Any color of M&M’s work, but for a spring-focused treat, go with Easter or pastel colors. I don’t recommend large ones– peanut, peanut butter, or some of the special flavors– because they don’t hold in the bars as nicely.
Sweetened condensed milk. This is the “magic” ingredient that holds everything together and makes these bars gooey and sweet. See “quick tip” below.

QUICK TIP

It’s easy to pick evaporated milk or a similar product by mistake, but only sweetened condensed milk works in this Magic Bars recipe. Be sure to get the full-fat variety and avoid sugar-free cans. I personally use and love Eagle Brand’s® (not sponsored) sweetened condensed milk.

Magic Bar Tips

Line the pan with parchment paper. These bars are nearly impossible to remove without first lining the pan. Don’t line the pan with foil or wax paper for this recipe. Leave an overhang of parchment paper to easily remove the bars and cut into them on a cutting board.
These bars are gooey and sticky! I recommend waiting for them to cool completely before cutting into them.
If the bars are too soft/gooey to cut into, cover them and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until firm enough to cut into.
Use a sharp chef’s knife and make decisive cuts. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.

Magic Bar Storage

Store any leftover cookie bars in an airtight container, separating the layers with parchment or wax paper. Store in the fridge if the temperature is warm where you’re at or on the counter for cooler temperatures. There is nothing about these bars that requires refrigeration, but if you prefer them to be less gooey and more firm, store them in the fridge.

These bars are best enjoyed within 3-5 days.

We haven’t personally tried freezing and thawing these bars (there have never been leftovers!), but here’s an article to read for tips on freezing/thawing baked goods.

Magic Cookie Bars FAQs

1Do you have to refrigerate Magic Cookie Bars?

Store in the fridge if the temperature is warm where you’re at, or on the counter for cooler temperatures. There is nothing about these bars that requires refrigeration, but if you prefer them to be less gooey and firmer, store them in the fridge.

2What do you use sweetened condensed milk for?

Beyond these amazing Magic Cookie Bars, here are some other recipes to use sweetened condensed milk in:

3How do you cut Magic Cookie Bars?

These bars are gooey and sticky! I recommend waiting for them to cool completely before cutting into them.
If the bars are too soft/gooey to cut into, cover them and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until firm enough to cut into.
Use a sharp chef’s knife and make decisive cuts. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.

4How long do Magic Cookie Bars keep?

These bars are best enjoyed within 3-5 days.

We haven’t personally tried freezing and thawing these bars (there have never been leftovers!), but here’s an article to read for tips on freezing/thawing baked goods.

More Easter treats

Easter Treats with free printable bag toppers
4 Simple Easter Treat Ideas Bunny Bum Cookies, Bunny Cinnamon Rolls, Easter Egg Nests, and Egg Petit Fours
Rice Krispie Treats with a white chocolate drizzle
Raspberry Fluff with cheesecake pudding
Easter Cupcakes made to look like a bird’s nest!

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Magic Bars

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

Magic Bars are the perfect treat, starting with a thick graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, M&M's, and oats. Simply swap the pastel M&M's for other colors to fit any holiday. Sweetened condensed milk makes them gooey and sweet.

Print Recipe

Magic Bars

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Magic Bars

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Setting Time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings 24 bars

Chelsea Lords

Calories 262kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $8.46

Ingredients

▢ 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
▢ 2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (measure when crushed into crumbs; about 20 crackers)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
▢ 1 can (14 oz.) full-fat sweetened condensed milk Note 3
▢ 1/2 cup quick oats
▢ 2 cups milk chocolate chips Note 1
▢ 1/2 cup butterscotch chips (or more white chocolate chips instead)
▢ 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (or more butterscotch chips instead)
▢ 1 cup M&M's Note 2

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176C). Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy bar removal. Don't line the pan with wax paper or foil. Melt the butter in the microwave and set aside to cool back to room temperature -- using hot butter makes the crust greasy.
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: Coarsely break up graham crackers and add to a powerful blender (you may need to do this in batches). Pulse/blend until all crackers are fine crumbs. Measure a level 2 and 1/2 cups (288g) of the crumbs and add to a large bowl, along with the salt. Stir in the melted, but cooled, butter and mix to create a thick mixture. Press this mixture into the prepared pan and use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to firmly press the crust into an even layer.
TOPPINGS: Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker crust. Spread it into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Evenly top the condensed milk with quick oats, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, and finally the M&M's. Gently press everything into an even layer.
BAKE: Bake in preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 23-28 minutes. My oven is done right at 25 minutes.
LET COOL AND ENJOY: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely-- about 1-2 hours. Speed up the cooling process by putting them in the fridge after they've cooled for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Use the overhang of parchment paper to remove the bars and use a sharp knife to make decisive cuts in the bars. Run the knife under warm water, dry on a kitchen towel, and repeat for each cut.
STORAGE: Store any leftover cookie bars in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment or wax paper. Store in the fridge if the temperature is warm where you're at or on the counter for cooler temperatures. (There is nothing about these bars that requires refrigeration, but if you prefer them to be less gooey and more firm, store them in the fridge.) These bars are best enjoyed within 3-5 days.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: We love the richness and sweetness of milk chocolate, but any type of chocolate works here. If you like dark chocolate best, use dark chocolate. If you want to cut down on sweetness, use semi-sweet chocolate.

Note 2: Any color M&M's work, but for a spring-focused treat, use Easter or pastel colors. I don't recommend peanut, peanut butter, or larger M&M's because they don't hold in the bars as nicely.

Note 3: It’s easy to pick evaporated milk or a similar product by mistake, but only sweetened condensed milk works in this recipe. Be sure to get the full-fat variety and avoid sugar-free cans. I personally use and love Eagle Brand® (not sponsored).

Nutrition Facts

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Easter Pretzels

by Chelsea Lords

Only three ingredients to make these simple Easter Pretzels — and they can double as a delicious treat and festive table décor.

Easter Pretzels

Pastel spring colors are so fun– especially when they’re channeled into a tasty pop-able treat like these Easter Pretzels!

These make an inexpensive Easter treat for friends and neighbors, a cute edible table décor, and a delicious spring treat to enjoy!

Easter Pretzel Ingredients

Pretzels. I use pretzel snaps since I find they hold in the chocolate better, but pretzel twists are often easier to find (at least, at my local grocery store!). Either will work great, but I don’t recommend getting butter flavored pretzels, they detract flavor-wise. BTW, pretzel snaps are mini pretzels that look something like a hashtag # and they support the chocolate better than standard pretzel shapes.
Chocolates. There are a few fun options for topping your Easter Pretzels; below are the three we like to alternate between (see “quick tip” below):
- Regular chocolate kisses
- Hugs® candies
- Rolos®
M&M’s®. Grab regular or pastel-colored M&M’s to top these Easter pretzels with.

I’m using brand names so you can visualize the candies I’m referring to, but any brand will work with these treats.

QUICK TIP

Top pretzels with just one type of chocolate, or a combination of two or three. Plain chocolate kisses and Rolos do melt a little nicer than hugs — hugs will melt a bit messier, but they’re still so tasty!

Easter Pretzel quick tips

Line the pans: Make sure to use parchment paper or a Silpat liner to prepare the pans before adding the pretzels. This will ensure the candies come up nicely once hardened.
Watch carefully: Watch the chocolates while they’re in the oven; if they bake too long, they’ll get too melty. Spreading out that much will cause them to end up too hard (and can even get crumbly) once they’re cooled.
Work quickly: Press the M&M’s in quickly before the chocolates harden too much.
Embrace the less-than-perfect appearance. The Hugs candies can spread quite a bit once they’re baked and don’t necessarily spread evenly over the pretzel. While they won’t all look amazing, they’ll still taste fantastic! (Baking for shorter amounts of time or at a lower oven temperature won’t melt the chocolate enough to allow for the M&M’s to be pressed in thoroughly).

More Easter Desserts

Magic Bars with Easter M&M’s
Easter Treats with free printable bag toppers
Easter Cupcakes made to look like a bird’s nest
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with lemon cake bites
Rice Krispie Treats with a white chocolate drizzle

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Easter Pretzels

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

Only three ingredients to make these simple Easter Pretzels -- and they can double as a delicious treat and festive table décor.

Print Recipe

Easter Pretzels

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

Print Recipe

Only three ingredients to make these simple Easter Pretzels -- and they can double as a delicious treat and festive table décor.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Easter pretzels

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 3

Setting Time 30

Total Time 43

Servings 30 treats

Chelsea Lords

Calories 64kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $4.12

Ingredients

▢ 30 pretzels Snaps or Twists
▢ 30 unwrapped chocolate candies Hershey's kisses, Hershey's Hugs, or Rolos (or a combination of the 3!)
▢ 30 M&M candies pastel/Easter colors

US - Metric

Instructions

PREP: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line one large, or two smaller, sheet pans with a Silpat liner or parchment paper. (Don't skip lining the pan!)
BAKE: Lay the pretzels out on the sheet pan. Place an unwrapped chocolate kiss, hug, or Rolo on top of each pretzel. Bake for 2-4 minutes (See Note 1) or until the chocolates are soft but not melted.
M&M's: Immediately out of the oven, press an M&M on the top of each chocolate.
ALLOW TO SET UP: Let candies stand at room temperature for about 1 hour or until chocolate is hardened and candies can easily be picked up from the tray. (Place in the fridge to speed up the process; we actually like these best chilled and straight from the fridge!)

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If the chocolate is crumbling, it means the oven was too hot or the chocolate was baked too long. If the M&M's won't press in nicely, the oven was too cool or chocolate wasn't baked long enough. I would recommend baking one Easter pretzel first to test since there is a lot of variance with ovens. Once you've tested it, you'll know the timing easily for the rest in your particular oven! Do not use convection oven settings.

Nutrition Facts

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