Category: All Recipes

PEPPERMINT HOT COCOA MIX

With the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate, you can make those chilly winter mornings a little more cozy with a warm cup of peppermint hot cocoa.

It’s the holidays, and peppermint is “in,” and pumpkin is “out” – just kidding, pumpkin is never out! But seriously, it is the season of all-things-peppermint! And for those of you who love hot cocoa, it’s time to welcome the Christmas season with a cup of indulgent peppermint hot cocoa. But no rule says you can only drink this during the holidays, so you have my permission to indulge whenever the mood strikes!

My kids go crazy for this peppermint hot cocoa. I decided to create this recipe because, for one, Starbucks is expensive (that’s where I used to buy it), and two, it’s too easy not to make it at home. So if you have 10 minutes to spare, you can make homemade peppermint hot cocoa. This is a bulk recipe and will yield about 20 servings, so this recipe should last you a few months.

For this Recipe:

I started with my basic Hot Cocoa mix recipe and added crushed peppermint candy. A small change but a completely different, indulgent drink.

The recipe has four ingredients: confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), powdered cocoa, peppermint candy, and salt. The salt brings out the chocolate flavor, so don’t omit the salt.

You can use either candy canes or Peppermint Starlight Mints. Place them in a food processer and pulse into very fine crumbs, basically pulverizing them into candy dust. This only takes a few seconds.

When making hot cocoa mix, it’s important to sift all your ingredients. This removes any clumps and helps to get everything incorporated thoroughly.

Store in an airtight container; it will stay fresh for up to 6 months. But if your kids are anything like mine, it won’t last that long!

To Serve:

  • Stove Top: Mix 1 cup of milk with 2-3 tablespoons (depending on sweetness preference) of peppermint hot cocoa mix in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Bring just to a simmer – but do not boil. Stir so the milk does not scald. Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Garnish with crushed candy canes or mints.
  • Microwave: Mix 1 cup of milk with 2-3 tablespoons (depending on sweetness preference) of peppermint hot cocoa mix. Heat in the microwave until hot and steaming. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Garnish with crushed candy canes or mints.

**Pro-tip from my kids: Add a splash of French Vanilla creamer to the hot cocoa for a truly decadent experience!

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix

With the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate, you can make those chilly winter mornings a little more cozy with a warm cup of peppermint hot cocoa.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 20 servings (roughly)

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup finely crushed candy canes or Peppermint Starlight Mints (about 40 candy mints)
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 1 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa, regular or dark
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor, process the candy canes or mints until you have fine candy dust. Set aside.
  • Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl to remove any clumps. Next, sift the cocoa powder into the same bowl.
  • Add the salt and crushed peppermint candy, mix.
  • Sift the mixture one last time.
  • Store in an airtight container.

To Make a Cup of Peppermint Hot Cocoa: (Single serving)

  • Stove Top: Mix 1 cup of milk with 2-3 tablespoons of peppermint hot cocoa mix (depending on how sweet you like it) in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Bring to a simmer – but do not boil. Stir so the milk does not scald. Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Garnish with crushed candy canes or mints.
  • Microwave: Mix 1 cup of milk with 2-3 tablespoons of peppermint hot cocoa mix (depending on how sweet you like it). Heat in the microwave until hot and steaming. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Garnish with crushed candy canes or mints.

Notes

Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
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BLACKBERRY-BACON GRILLED CHEESE

This adult version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich brings sweet and savory together with perfection. Made with bacon, sweet blackberry jam, smoky cheese, and jalapenos. One bite, and you’ll never think of grilled cheese sandwiches as “kids’ food” again!

Why should kids be the only ones who get to enjoy this classic sandwich? The crunch of the toasted bread, the stringy melted cheese, greasy fingers. Well, now you can have your sandwich and eat it too! This is grilled cheese for adults!

I’ve seen other food bloggers, who I follow, do varying versions of this sandwich, and I thought, “Yes, a grilled cheese sandwich for me!” My favorite food as a kid was grilled cheese. You could take me to any restaurant in town, fine dining or otherwise, and there I was, ordering a grilled cheese sandwich every time! Of course, my parents were slightly annoyed with my eating rut and lack of dining adventure, but hey, this girl likes her grilled cheese! All that to say, this sandwich makes me happy!! This is my comfort food!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Bread
  • Smoky cheese (I like to use gouda, but any smoky cheese will do)
  • Bacon
  • Jalapeno
  • Blackberry jam

The first step is frying up the bacon – the crispier, the better. While the bacon is frying, slice the jalapenos. Remove the seeds if you want less heat. Also, thinly slice the cheese. I always use gouda for this recipe. It’s a soft cheese with a mild smoky flavor. I find that it just complements the other flavors perfectly.

Once you have drained the bacon, assemble your sandwich by layering the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos. Spread one side of the bread generously with blackberry jam. Butter the outside of the sandwich on both sides. Heat your skillet over medium-low to medium heat (depending on your stove).

**I like to preheat my skillet on medium, and right before I add the sandwich, I lower the heat to medium-low. The key is to slowly toast your bread to give the cheese enough time to melt completely. If your heat is too high, your bread will be completely toasted (or burnt), but your cheese will not have had enough time to melt. Low and slow is the key.

Once one side is golden-brown, flip and brown the other side. This pairs perfectly with a bowl of tomato soup or any soup of your liking. Enjoy!

Blackberry-Bacon Grilled Cheese

This adult version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich brings sweet and savory together with perfection. Made with bacon, sweet blackberry jam, smoky cheese, and jalapenos. One bite, and you'll never think of grilled cheese sandwiches as "kids' food" again!
4 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
 

  • 4 slices bread
  • cheese, Gouda or other smoky cheese
  • 6-8 slices bacon
  • 1-2 jalapenos, sliced
  • blackberry jam
  • butter

Instructions
 

  • Start by frying up the bacon in a medium skillet until nice and crispy. Then drain the bacon on a paper towel.
  • Assemble the sandwich by layering the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos.
  • Generously spread blackberry jam on one side of the bread.
  • Butter the outside of the sandwich on both sides.
  • Heat a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Grill the sandwich until the bread is golden-brown and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and repeat on the other side. **The key is to heat the sandwich slowly, allowing the cheese to melt completely.
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EGGNOG DONUTS

These festive holiday donuts are a must-have if you love eggnog! Topped with eggnog frosting and warm spices, these are sure to put you in the holiday spirit!

Eggnog – to me – is synonymous with the Christmas season. I usually start checking the stores for my favorite brand of eggnog at the end of October. You might even call me an “eggnog snob.” I won’t just purchase any brand of eggnog, but I scrutinize the ingredients very carefully. I want “real” eggnog without high fructose corn syrup, artificial thickeners, and flavors. Sometimes that means leaving the store without buying any because so many of them are just full of bad things. I know you can always make homemade eggnog – and it’s something that is on my list to try – but for now, I buy it. 

This year I figured, why not eggnog donuts? After several rounds of tweaking the recipe, I was finally happy with the results. Below I’ve listed some tips and tricks for making the perfect donuts.

Check out my other donut recipes:

Tips and Tricks:

Tools: You’ll need to be able to cut out your donuts. You can buy a donut cutter that will cut out the donut and donut hole simultaneously. These tend to measure from 3 inches to 3 1/2 inches. Or you can use pastry cutters. I have a set of pastry cutters that have 12 different sizes of circular cutters. For these donuts, I use the 3-inch cutter and the smallest 1-inch cutter to make the perfect size donuts and donut holes. They will be smaller than the large bakery donuts, but then I can eat two and not feel too guilty about it! You can always make larger donuts, but keep in mind the recipe will yield fewer donuts than the recipe indicates. You can always whip up another batch if you need a few more donuts, too, as this recipe is so quick and easy to make.

Dough: Donut dough should be sticky but not so sticky that you find it hard to work with. The key is flour. If the dough seems a bit sticky, add a little flour, no more than a tablespoon at a time. Also, it is important that you lightly flour the surface you plan on rolling the dough out on – including the top of the dough and the rolling pin. Before you use the cutters, dip them in flour. After cutting one or two donuts, dip the cutters in flour again to keep the dough from sticking. Once you cut the donuts, place them on a cutting board or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough will not stick to the parchment paper.

Frying:

*Honest moment* Frying things in oil used to intimidate me. But I’ve done it enough times to be pretty comfortable with it now. Just use common sense and be careful. So here are a couple of tips on frying:

  • First, the temperature is so important! When frying anything in oil, you need a frying thermometer or candy thermometer. You have to know your oil temperature to cook the food correctly. If your oil is not hot enough, your food will be under-cooked. If the oil is too hot, you will burn your food. For frying donuts, you want your oil to be between 355°F and 365°F. The hardest part of making donuts is keeping your oil between those two temperatures. You will discover that your temperature will drop as soon as you put the donuts in the oil. That is why you should never fry more than three donuts at a time because your temperature will drop too low. Just keep a close eye on your thermometer, and take the time to adjust the oil temperature. If you need to, wait a few minutes in between batches to allow your oil to get back to 365°F. But you also don’t want to put your donuts in oil that is over 365°F, because they will be overcooked on the outside and most likely undercooked on the inside. If your oil is getting too hot, you can carefully remove it from the burner for a few minutes to let the oil cool down.
  • Never drop the donuts into the hot oil! You will get splashed and burned. Most people, myself included, assume that the oil will sizzle and pop when you add the donuts, kind of like the trials of frying bacon. However, if the temperature is correct (not too hot), when you put the donuts in the hot oil, they will sizzle, but they will do that under the surface, not splattering or spitting at you. The technique I use is to lay the donuts gently in the oil. They will initially sink to the bottom, but they will float to the top after a few seconds.
  • Flip the donuts after about a minute or when they are golden-brown. You will need something to flip and remove the donuts from the oil when they are done. A pair of forks will work, or a large meat fork. They even make a tool called a spider strainer for frying food. The strainer looks like a spider web, hence the name.
  • When you are done frying your donuts, don’t throw the oil out! You can reuse it. Once you’ve finished frying, let the oil cool. When it’s reached a safe temperature, place a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth (even better if you use both!) over the container you plan to store it in and strain the oil. Label the oil with the date and what you fried in the oil; you don’t want to fry donuts in oil that previously was used for frying fish…Gross! Store the oil in a cool, dry place for no longer than three months. Always check your oil before reusing it. If it is cloudy or rancid-smelling, throw it out!

 

       

 

Eggnog Donuts

These festive holiday donuts are a must-have if you love eggnog! Topped with eggnog frosting and warm spices, these are sure to put you in the holiday spirit!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Servings 12 donuts

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon rum extract
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 4-5 cups vegetable oil, for frying, (see notes)

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons eggnog
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Pour enough oil into a large pot to give you about an inch to two inches of oil. Heat oil to 365°F, over medium-high heat. Use a frying thermometer or a candy thermometer to ensure proper temperature. While oil is heating prepare donuts, (keep an eye on the oil temperature).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vanilla, rum extract, and melted butter.
  • Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, and using a fork, mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½-inch thickness with a floured rolling pin. Then use a 3-inch pastry cutter and a 1-inch pastry cutter, cut out donuts and donut holes, placing cut-donuts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or cutting board. Re-roll as needed to use all the dough.
  • Once your oil has reached 365°F, place no more than 3 donuts in the oil at a time (or you run the risk of cooling your oil too much). Fry for about 2 minutes, flipping once. Donuts are done when they are golden-brown on both sides. Move to a paper towel-lined cooling rack to cool.
    **Keep an eye on your oil temperature and adjust the heat up or down to maintain a temperature of 355°F to 365°F.**
  • Allow fried donuts to cool to room temperature before dipping them in frosting.

To make the glaze:

  • Add all the glaze ingredients to a small bowl. Stir with a small whisk or a fork until the frosting is smooth.
  • The glaze should be thick enough to cling well to the cooled donut without running off the donut. If the glaze is too thick, add a teaspoon of eggnog and stir, adding more, one teaspoon at a time, until you've reached the desired consistency. To thicken the glaze, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar, stir.
  • Dip the tops of the donuts in the glaze twice, gently shaking off the excess.
  • Allow the donuts to sit for a couple of minutes to allow the glaze to set slightly.

Notes

The amount of oil you need will depend on the size of the pot you use. You’ll want the pot big enough for three donuts to float freely. So an easy rule of thumb is, use enough oil to have at least an inch or two of oil in your pot.
You can reuse your oil. Allow the oil to cool completely, strain (to remove any food particles), and store in an airtight jar.  I recommend labeling your oil jar with what was last cooked in it and the date. 
I don’t recommend keeping leftover donuts. They just do not taste the same the next day. So if you need to, make half of the recipe.
 
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CRANBERRY SAUCE

This homemade cranberry sauce is full of warm, fragrant spices with a hint of refreshing orange zest. One bite, and you’ll vow to never buy canned cranberry sauce again! The best part is, it comes together in under 30 minutes!

 

The classic Thanksgiving table tends to look pretty similar across America: a giant roasted turkey surrounded by mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and, of course, cranberry sauce. Cranberries — along with concord grapes and blueberries — are widely known as the only commercially grown fruits native to the United States. So if you’re going to pick a fruit to represent the American harvest, this is it. 

Then the debate becomes canned cranberry sauce or fresh cranberry sauce? I will confess, for years, more than I care to admit, I bought canned cranberry sauce. I didn’t like it, so my husband was the only one that ate it. But then through a conversation that a friend and I were having, I realized how easy fresh cranberry sauce was to make, and for obvious reasons, tastes a whole lot better!! So began the process of developing my own, delicious cranberry sauce! I thought I just didn’t like cranberries since all I had tried was canned cranberry sauce – can you blame me? But once I tried fresh, homemade cranberry sauce, I was officially hooked! I now fully understand why cranberry sauce makes its way onto the table every Thanksgiving and often reappears at Christmas!

For this recipe:

This recipe really is easy! A few simple ingredients, 30 minutes of your time, and you’ll have an amazing cranberry sauce to impress everyone sitting around your table for the holidays!

All you need:

  • Orange juice
  • Sugar (white or brown)
  • Cinnamon Sticks
  • Cloves
  • Salt
  • Cranberries
  • Orange Zest

Start by bringing the orange juice, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. **It is easiest to put the cloves in a spice bag or cheesecloth, so they can be easily removed. It is almost impossible to find and fish out the cloves at the end. Believe me, I’ve tried!

Once the mixture is boiling, add the cranberries and orange zest. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 – 25 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and are soft. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves.

Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

That’s it! Super-easy, but so delicious!!

I love these little spice bags! They make it easy to remove the cloves:

 

Cranberry Sauce

This homemade cranberry sauce is full of warm, fragrant spices with a hint of refreshing orange zest. One bite and you'll vow to never buy canned cranberry sauce again! The best part is it comes together in under 30 minutes.
No ratings yet
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ¾ cup sugar (white or brown) **See notes
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole cloves, most easily retrieved if put into a spice bag or cheesecloth
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Instructions
 

  • Bring orange juice, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. **It is easiest to put the cloves in a spice bag or cheesecloth so they can be easily removed.
  • Once the mixture is boiling, add the cranberries and orange zest. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and are soft. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves.
  • Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

Notes

**Sugar – For this recipe, you can either use granulated white sugar or brown sugar. Brown sugar will give you a slightly richer favor because of the molasses in the sugar. This recipe is delicious either way.
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BIG M&M COOKIES

All the kids in your life will go crazy over these extra-large, M&M-filled cookies…I haven’t heard any adults complain either! I mean, who wouldn’t like an extra-large, super delicious, chocolate candy-filled cookie?

Our local cookie shop sells HUGE M&M cookies, and my youngest child’s eyes would light up at the prospect of me buying one for him. Finally, I decided to do better than just buy him a huge M&M cookie, I’d make him a whole batch!

I started with my chocolate chip cookie recipe, made a few minor ingredient tweaks, added loads of M&Ms, used a much bigger cookie scoop, and adjusted the baking time. And just like that my son can have, not just one huge M&M cookie but an entire cookie jar full of these large, scrumptious homemade cookies! The only downside is trying to keep him from eating them all in a day!

Tips and Tricks for Soft, Plump Cookies:

  • Shortening vs. butter: This recipe calls for shortening, and for good reason. Shortening is 100% fat, containing no water. Butter has both water and milk, and because of this, it will melt more quickly than shortening. Because butter melts quicker, using butter will result in a cookie that spreads out more, and is flatter and crispier. Cookies made with shortening will tend to be softer and plumper.
  • Sugar: White granulated sugar yields a flatter, crispier cookie. While on the other hand, brown sugar tends to yield softer, chewier cookies. This is because the molasses in the brown sugar adds moisture, and it adds a richer flavor. So for a softer cookie, it’s best to use more brown sugar than white sugar in your recipe.
  • Cornstarch: Yes, you read that correctly! I only learned this recently – but it works! Cornstarch is a thickening agent and will give your cookies an extra lift, and leave them extra soft. And don’t worry, you don’t use enough to alter the taste.
  • Scooping Method: I use a cookie scoop to form my cookie balls. This helps you to have round, uniform cookies. I scoop the cookie dough and press the scoop against the side of the bowl to press the cookie dough into the scoop, packing the dough. This helps to keep them from collapsing while they bake.
  • Baking Sheets: After you have baked a batch of cookies and removed them from the pan, the tendency is to put another batch on the pan right away, especially if you are short on time. For plump, soft cookies, it is important to allow your baking pan to come to room temperature before adding more cookie dough. Adding cookie dough to a hot pan – or even a warm pan – will start the dough softening and melting before it even gets into the oven. This will contribute to a cookie that spreads out too much in the oven. For a quick method of cooling your pans, run them under cool water for 20 to 30 seconds (or longer if needed, until cool), dry, and continue with your baking.
  • Cooling your Cookie: When you take your finished cookies out of the oven, let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes before attempting to remove them from the baking sheet. The cookies are way too soft to transfer right out of the oven. But don’t allow them to sit on the hot baking sheet longer than a couple of minutes. The heat from the cookie sheet will cause your cookies to flatten out even more. After 2 to 3 minutes, use a spatula to move the cookies to a cooling rack, which allows air to circulate around the cookie, and cool it quickly and evenly.

For This Recipe:

The recipe comes together like most cookie recipes. Cream together the shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Separately, mix together the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir only until you no longer see any dry flour. If you over-mix at this point, you will have a tougher, flatter cookie. The more you mix the flour with wet ingredients, the more you activate the gluten in the flour. Since gluten acts as a binder, the more you work the dough, the denser your cookie dough becomes. We want FLUFFY cookies!

With a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. There is no need to chill this cookie dough, it is ready to go!

I use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop. It gives you a nice, large cookie. Because these cookies are larger than a standard cookie, don’t put too many on the baking sheet. I usually put about 5, giving them room to spread out.

**Tip for a perfectly shaped cookie** When you use a cookie scoop, the bottom of the cookie ball will be flat and have an edge around it. I like to very gently shape the dough into a perfect ball, once I take it out of the scoop. Don’t pack the dough or roll it, just gently round out the bottom of the cookie. This is totally optional and completely unnecessary, and probably only matters if you are taking pictures for a blog post that you are putting out there for the world to see! LOL.

Bake your cookies according to the directions. When you take your cookies out of the oven, immediately add more M&Ms to the top of the cookies for that “loaded with M&Ms” look. Allow them to rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Now the hard part – keeping your family from finishing them off in one day. Store them in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days – but trust me, they won’t last that long!

These cookies also freeze well. If you freeze them, it is best to eat them within 6 months.

Enjoy!!

Big M&M Cookies

All the kids in your life will go crazy over these extra-large, M&M-filled cookies…I haven't heard any adults complain either! I mean, who wouldn't like an extra-large, super delicious, chocolate candy-filled cookie?
4.50 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course cookies, Dessert, Snack
Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup shortening
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ – ¾ cups chocolate chips (I prefer dark)
  • 1 cup milk chocolate M&Ms, (more for adding to tops of cookies)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the shortening and sugars until creamy and smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, just until combined. Do not over-mix.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet; mix on a low setting, just until fully incorporated. Do not over-mix.
  • Add chocolate chips and M&Ms, and stir in with a wooden spoon or spatula until evenly incorporated.
  • Using a ¼ cup cookie scoop, place cookie dough on prepared baking sheets, placing only 5 cookies per sheet to allow them room to spread out. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Do not over-bake.
  • Take out of the oven and immediately top with additional M&Ms. Allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to completely cool.
  • Allow your pans to come to room temperature before placing more cookie dough on them. For a quicker method, run your pan under cool water for 20 to 30 seconds, dry, and continue with your baking.

Notes

Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
These cookies freeze well. If you freeze them, it is best to eat them within six months.
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EGGNOG TAPIOCA PUDDING

If you love eggnog, you’ll love this holiday-flavored dessert! Made with eggnog, tapioca, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla – whip up a batch for your next holiday gathering!

We love eggnog in our house. So we eagerly await its arrival in the grocery stores this time of year. You might even call me an “eggnog snob.” I don’t just purchase any brand of eggnog, but I scrutinize the ingredients very carefully. I want “real” eggnog without high fructose corn syrup, artificial thickeners, and flavors. Sometimes that means leaving the store without buying any because so many of them are just full of bad things. I know you can always make homemade eggnog, and it’s definitely something on my list to try, but I buy it for now. I have my favorite brands, but stores tend to change the brands they carry every year. But this year, when I saw eggnog in the dairy section AND the brand I like, I literally gave a little squeal and high-fived my 12-year-old! I have had this particular recipe rolling around in my head for a couple of months. So I was excited to finally be able to give it a try!

I had to go through several attempts to get this right. The biggest challenge being the thickness of the pudding. With my first attempt, the flavor was amazing, and I got rave reviews from my family, but it was way too thick…Eggnog has a lot of egg in it, so when you cook it, it thickens up…a lot. So I had to play around with the ratio of eggnog to milk. Too much milk and you dilute the eggnog flavor and end up with runny tapioca. Too much eggnog, and it’s too thick. My fourth attempt, I think, is the winner!

Tapioca:

There are several ways to buy tapioca – granules, small pearls, and large pearls. Granules are an instant, quick-cooking form of tapioca that will, basically, cook up quicker, but because they are granules, you will have less texture in your pudding. The next is small and large pearls, which the only difference being the size. They both require soaking ahead of time. I soak the small pearls for 2-3 hours, and the large pearls need to be soaked overnight. My favorite is the small pearl because you get such a nice texture without having to remember to soak them overnight. I usually cannot remember to start a dessert a day in advance, so I write my recipes using the small pearls, but you can use any tapioca types. You skip the soaking step for the granules altogether, and with the large pearls, you soak the pearls overnight.

 

For this Recipe:

  • In a small bowl, soak 1 cup of small tapioca pearls in 2 ½ cups of milk. Stir, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours. This is an important step, as it helps soften your tapioca and shortens the cooking time.
  • After letting the tapioca soak, pour the tapioca and milk into a medium saucepan. Add to the tapioca mixture: 1 ½ cups eggnog, ¼ cup sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat on medium heat, stirring frequently to keep milk from scalding. Once the tapioca mixture has almost reached a boil (do not boil), turn down the heat slightly, just to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the milk from scalding. The tapioca should thicken a lot during this step.
  • Carefully taste-test the tapioca to be sure pearls are soft and no longer chewy. If you need to cook it longer, cook for an additional 5 minutes and check again, repeating until done. If your tapioca takes longer than 20 minutes, turn the heat up a little, and continue stirring.
  • When the tapioca is done, remove it from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and let cool for 15 minutes.
  • While the tapioca is cooling, beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the tapioca. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Serve warm or chilled for 4 hours in the refrigerator. To serve, divide tapioca into individual bowls, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.

Eggnog Tapioca Pudding

If you love eggnog, you'll love this holiday-flavored dessert! Made with eggnog, tapioca, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla – whip up a batch for your next holiday gathering!
4.85 from 26 votes
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 8 – 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup small pearl tapioca, not granulated or quick cooking
  • 2 ½ cups milk
  • 1 ½ cups eggnog
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon, for egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 egg whites

Toppings

  • whipped cream
  • ground nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, soak 1 cup small tapioca pearls in 2 ½ cups of milk. Stir, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  • After letting the tapioca soak, pour the tapioca and milk into a medium saucepan. Add to the tapioca mixture: 1 ½ cups eggnog, ¼ cup sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat on medium heat, stirring frequently to keep milk from scalding. Once the tapioca mixture has almost reached a boil (do not boil), turn down the heat slightly, just to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the milk from scalding. The tapioca should thicken a lot during this step.
  • Carefully taste-test tapioca to be sure pearls are soft and no longer chewy. If you need to cook it longer, cook for an additional 5 minutes and check again, repeating until done. If your tapioca is taking longer than 20 minutes, turn the heat up a little, and continue stirring.
  • When the tapioca is done, remove it from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and let cool for 15 minutes.
  • While the tapioca is cooling, beat egg whites with 1 tablespoon sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the tapioca, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • Serve warm or chilled for 4 hours in the refrigerator. To serve, divide tapioca into individual bowls, and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.

Notes

I write my recipes using the small pearls, but you can use any type of tapioca. For the granules, you skip the soaking step altogether, and with the large pearls, you soak the pearls overnight.
 
 
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