This classic French Toast recipe is so delicious, easy to make and perfect for breakfast or brunch! Enjoy the BEST French toast in minutes with this recipe and helpful tips!
This classic French Toast recipe is so delicious, easy to make and perfect for breakfast or brunch! Enjoy the BEST French toast in minutes with this recipe and helpful tips!
White chocolate brownies are like Blondies in disguise. You THINK they are just a less-cool, less-flavorful version of chocolate brownies, but oh are you wrong. They are basically Clark Kent with the glasses. Let’s see you take that shirt off Clark. Okay it got weird, just try these brownies, the white chocolate flavor is unreal!…
White chocolate brownies are like Blondies in disguise. You THINK they are just a less-cool, less-flavorful version of chocolate brownies, but oh are you wrong. They are basically Clark Kent with the glasses. Let’s see you take that shirt off Clark. Okay it got weird, just try these brownies, the white chocolate flavor is unreal! They are rich, fudgy, not at all cake-y, and taste exactly like true white chocolate because we are using the real stuff, no chips here 🙅♀️
Last weekend I was on the team in charge of throwing our church’s annual Trunk or Treat and Chili Cookoff, it was so much fun! I was running around like a crazy person checking carnival games, restocking utensils, and making sure there was enough hot apple cider for 150 people. Here I am last year as Weird Barbie, stirring my cauldron:
This year Eric and I dressed as The Swedish Chef and his Popcorn Shrimp. The kids are obsessed with The Swedish Chef (specifically that popcorn video) and when we surprised them with our costumes, they cheered as if we were celebrities for a solid 2 minutes. 😂 (Charlotte is Disgust from Inside Out, and Truman spent HOURS making his own homemade proton pack for his Ghostbusters costume!! I love how into it my kids are!)
Happy anniversary to The Food Charlatan!
More fun: October marks 13 years since I started this little blog! Sharing recipes here at The Food Charlatan has been one of the funnest parts of my life, truly!
I call the blog my 5th baby, because I like to love on it, just like a little baby (maintaining it takes up about the same time and attention as a fussy baby, too 😂) The blog, in it’s teen-hood, has grown into something that can sustain our family, and we are so grateful.
Eric and I run the blog together these days, and just like real parenthood, it makes us want to tear our hair out sometimes!! But it’s always worth it in the end. I just don’t think I’ll ever run out of recipes I want to share with you, the ideas never stop.
I can’t let another year pass without telling you how much your support of my blog and business means to me! A blog without a community is nothing, and I’m so grateful for all your comments, emails, photos, tags, etc., that let me know you are enjoying and using the content we work to hard to create. It makes me so incredibly happy to think that people all over the world (18 million so far this year) are making my own family’s beloved recipes. What an honor! Thank you for being here.
Anniversaries from yesteryear
Every year, I bake myself a cake for my blog anniversary. (Or brownies, this year!) If you want to take a walk down memory lane, here is my first blog post, and all of my anniversary posts over the years:
These White Chocolate Brownies, you guys!!! I can’t even explain how good they are. I know what you are thinking: they can’t possibly be as good as a regular brownies. But oh boy, are you wrong.
They are a true brownie, with all the fudginess and texture you are looking for, but the taste is completely different. White chocolate and regular chocolate are just not the same! They have totally different flavor profiles.
I started out making Absolutely the Best Brownies I Have Ever Made, and just swapping the chocolate bar called for in the recipe with white chocolate. It was a bust. Browning the butter overwhelmed the flavor (white chocolate is delicate) and the texture was not right. They barely baked up properly. Several tests later, we have our winner.
We’re adding 12 ounces of white chocolate to a 9×9 square pan. It’s a LOT of chocolate, because I really wanted these brownies to bring the flavor, and white chocolate is pretty subtle. To compensate for all the extra chocolate, we are adding in a higher ratio of eggs, a bit more flour to make them hold together, and skipping browning the butter (the crowning technique of my favorite regular brownies) because browned butter overwhelms the white chocolate flavor.
We are even tossing the vanilla out of this recipe. (I know, WHAT?) We are so used to all white desserts being vanilla flavored, it just seems natural to add it in, and I did on my first 3 tests. But I realized eventually, after trying over and over to amp up that white chocolate flavor, that even gentle, subtle vanilla was overwhelming the white chocolate in this recipe.
So! Off with the vanilla and a 7 ingredient recipe becomes a 6 ingredient recipe. When you have a recipe with so few parts, you HAVE to make sure those parts are high quality. And that means: REAL white chocolate, my friends.
White Chocolate Chips are not White Chocolate. I will die on this hill.
Not going to lie, these brownies are a bit of an investment. REAL white chocolate does not come cheap. But I swear, it’s worth it.
The only white chocolate I ever had growing up was in the form of white chocolate chips, or as a coating on cheap candy. I’ve never been a fan. It’s waxy and kinda bland tasting to me.
But a few years ago I was researching white chocolate for this Penuche Fudge recipe, and discovered that White Chocolate Chips are not made from white chocolate; it is mostly sugar and palm kernel oil. Whaaaaatt
The only way to know if you have REAL white chocolate is if Cocoa butter is listed in the ingredients. There is no grocery-store brand of white chocolate chips that has Cocoa butter in the ingredients (this is because real white chocolate is too delicate to hold its shape as a chocolate chip.)
I like to use chopped Ghirardelli Premium Baking White Chocolate for these brownies, Lindt or Guittard will do as well. The flavor, texture, and smoothness of the melted chocolate is absolutely incomparable to white baking chips.
Can I substitute white baking chips for white chocolate?
NO. I mean fine, I guess you can. They will still be great brownies. But they will not have reached their full potential! White chocolate baking chips are made from sugar and palm kernel oil and other solidifiers that help them maintain the chip-shape. They do not melt well and are rather chalky. They are a cheap and sugary substitute for the real thing. A high quality bar of white chocolate that you chop yourself is going to be infinitely better. Save up your pennies, and join the real white chocolate lovers!
Here’s what you need to make this:
This is just a quick glance. Head down to the recipe card for all the recipe details!
butter
real, actual white chocolate bars
sugar
kosher salt
eggs
flour
How to Make White Chocolate Brownies
You only need two bowls and a microwave for this recipe! It’s so easy. I mean, 6 ingredients, come on.
First up, add some sugar, salt, and eggs to a large bowl:
Use a hand mixer (or even just a whisk and some elbow grease) to beat the eggs and sugar together for about 2 minutes, until it looks light and fluffy, like this:
Meanwhile, add 2 bars of white chocolate and a stick of butter to another microwave safe bowl. Melt until allllllmost melted, not more. You don’t want to scorch it. White chocolate is delicate, be careful! I stopped when it looked like this:
Stir it until the white chocolate melts. Then scrape it into the bowl with the beaten eggs.
Now for the last ingredient: flour.
Do NOT over-mix your flour. This will make your brownies tough! Scrape the batter into the pan.
Then, chop up your last bar of chocolate and dump it on top of the batter. Gently fold it into the batter with a spatula. I like this method better than stirring the chopped chocolate directly into the batter (in the bowl) because white chocolate melts SO easily. If your batter is still warm at all, it could melt all your “chips.”
Then: the hour long bake time. Feels weird, I know. Regular brownies usually take about half the time! There is so much chocolate in this recipe (and so little flour, necessary for that FUDGY texture) that they need a long, lower bake time in order to set up.
And now: a waiting game. These brownies absolutely unequivocally must come to near-room temperature before cutting into them. Trust me. They will melt into a complete mess if you cut into them while warm. (You can chill in the fridge if you’re impatient.)
Once they have set up, you can reheat a single serving of brownies in the microwave if you want to eat it warm, no problem!
And voila! That’s it! Super easy.
How to store fudgy white chocolate brownies
Store these white chocolate brownies on the counter at room temperature! Just make sure they are in a container with an airtight lid or wrapped well in plastic wrap. They will last 3-5 days before they start getting stale.
Can you freeze these brownies?
Totally my friend! Just like most cookies and bars, they hold up really well in the freezer. The best way to do it is to cut whatever is left into squares, place them on a cookie sheet, and flash freeze for about 30 minutes. At that point, they should be frozen enough to handle (and not stick to each other), so you can place all the pieces in a freezer ziplock bag. The brownies will stay fresh in the freezer for about 2-3 months. To eat, set the bag out on the counter to thaw for an hour or two. You can also take one piece at a time for those surreptitious snacks when the kids aren’t looking! ;)
Frequently asked questions
what is white chocolate?
White chocolate comes from the same cocoa beans as regular chocolate but doesn’t have the same kind of processing. Specifically, it does not have cocoa solids, which are the dark portion of the cocoa bean. White chocolate is made with only cocoa butter (which is why it’s SUPER important to look at your ingredients before buying), sugar, and milk.
What is a blondie vs a brownie?
A typical pan of brownies has cocoa powder mixed in, as well as chocolate chips. These white brownies are a riff on that, leaving out the cocoa powder and replacing the semi-sweet chocolate chips in most versions with delicate white chocolate. A true brownie, just white!
A blondie is really similar! Typically, the base of the bar uses brown sugar and vanilla to create a butterscotch-y, caramel-y flavor. Even if chocolate chips are added, the flavor of the base balances out and holds its own with the chocolate – unlike brownies, where even if other things are added the chocolate (whether dark or white) is the main flavor.
More brownies and bars you’ll love
I’m a sucker for bars. Just as tasty as cookies, but so much easier and faster to throw together. Check out some of my favorites!
White chocolate brownies are like Blondies in disguise. You THINK they are just a less-cool, less-flavorful version of chocolate brownies, but oh are you wrong. They are basically Clark Kent with the glasses. Let's see you take that shirt off Clark. Okay it got weird, just try these brownies, the white chocolate flavor is unreal! They are rich, fudgy, not at all cake-y, and taste exactly like true white chocolate because we are using the real stuff, no chips here.
8ounceswhite chocolatetwo 4-ounce bars, high quality
1/2cupbutter
1 and 1/2cups + 2 tablespoonsall purpose flour
4ounceswhite chocolateone 4-ounce bar, high quality
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9×9 inch square GLASS* pan with parchment paper. You can also line it with aluminum foil (be sure to spray the foil with nonstick spray). Or you can just spray the pan.
In a medium bowl, (or stand mixer) add 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 large eggs, and 1 large egg yolk.
Use a hand mixer (or the whisk attachment on your mixer) to beat the eggs and sugar together. Beat well for about 2 minutes until very light and fluffy.
Meanwhile, in a medium microwaveable bowl, add two (4-ounce) bars of white chocolate, roughly broken up with your hands. Add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick). Melt in the microwave for about 1 minute, stirring halfway. Melt until the butter is mostly melted, but the white chocolate still has some solid pieces. Then stir it together completely until the butter is incorporated, and the white chocolate has all melted completely.
Beat the egg and sugar mixture one more time, to make sure it's good and whipped. Pour the white chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir it all together.
Add 1 and 1/2 cups PLUS 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled. That means take a large spoon and add flour to your measuring cup, then level off the top with something flat like a butter knife. Stir in the flour with the rubber spatula until just barely incorporated.
Do NOT over mix. Over-mixed batter makes for a tough brownie, which is not what we're going for. You want soft, tender brownies! Once you don't see any more flour streaks, stop messing with it.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread to the edges.
Use a knife to chop the remaining bar of white chocolate. Sprinkle it evenly over the batter. Use your spatula to gently fold it in. If you add the chocolate chips to the batter before pouring it into the pan, they tend to melt and swirl on you, and we want these chunks to hold their shape.
Place the brownies on the center rack of the oven that is preheated to 325. Gently place a sheet of foil over the top of the pan, not touching the brownies.
Bake for about 55-65 minutes. YES, really, it's a long bake time! Remove the foil from the top of the brownies about 10 minutes before they are done, especially if the top of the brownies look raw still.**You will know the brownies are done when the edges are completely firm, set, and golden. The center of the brownies will still be white. The center of the brownies will wobble a little bit when you shake the pan, but it should not look sloshy or too liquid-y. The center of the brownies will still be a little shiny. See notes for more cues.
When the brownies are done, remove from the oven and let cool for at least 2-3 hours. I know, I KNOW, it's torture. But this recipe needs a little TLC. The brownies need time to set up, or they will just melt into a hot mess.
To cut these into nice looking squares, once the brownies have cooled, lift the parchment paper or foil out of the pan. Cut with a sharp knife, wiping the knife on a clean wet towel in between slices.
Store covered on the counter!
Notes
*A metal pan will work fine, it just browns the edges more aggressively. **It’s tricky to know when these brownies are done. They could potentially look quite undone on top when the instructed bake time is over. This is okay. If they have been in the oven at least an hour, and still look too-wobbly, take them out (you can go up to 65 mins). Then let cool completely before cutting into them. They will firm up, and be ultra tender and soft in the middle.On one of my tests, a small amount of butter pooled on the top of my brownies. If this happens, don’t worry, just take it out at the normal bake time and it will melt into the brownies as they cool.Remember to use bars of REAL white chocolate! White chocolate chips are not the same.
This Texas Sheet Cake recipe is THE ONE, you guys! As in, the only one you will ever need. Sour cream in the cake and the glaze, brown sugar, and extra cocoa make this the BEST chocolate sheet cake of your life!! Originally posted July 3, 2018. Here’s how my summer is going so far:…
This Texas Sheet Cake recipe is THE ONE, you guys! As in, the only one you will ever need. Sour cream in the cake and the glaze, brown sugar, and extra cocoa make this the BEST chocolate sheet cake of your life!!Originally posted July 3, 2018.
Morning time: Poke around the house with the kids until they start strangling each other.
Lunchish: Get kids out of the house to run errands. Forget to feed them lunch. (??? Okay I’ll be honest I think I was in denial about preparing another meal and just fled the house instead)
Target time: Party Poppers! Firework Oreos! Water balloons! So much fun stuff for the 4th, but the food court in Target (what do you call it? You know, where they have the pizza and popcorn.) was CLOSED. The guy’s walking off and I’m like hold up! And he’s like, naw I’m on my lunch break. (???)
Pool time: I promised the kids we would go to the pool in the afternoon, but it’s already 3pm and still no lunch. So I head to McDonald’s and get in the 100-car-length drive through line. Then I realize that the pool closes at 4 and if we don’t leave immediately we won’t get to swim. So we leave and go swim. My kids at this point have had nothing to eat since a 10am muffin. (That we made together!! Fun in the kitchen! See, sometimes I feed them!!)
McDonald’s time: When the pool closes at 4pm, I feel so bad that the kids haven’t eaten that I give in when they ask me to go to the slightly-farther-away McDonald’s that has a Play Place.
Nope: Play Place is closed. We don’t get our food until 4:45. (Why is there so much traffic in Sacramento??)
After that I took the kids to Costco for some stuff we needed, because I like to torture myself on days when I skip the baby’s nap and drag it out even longer. But they loved the samples! Making up for missed lunch.
This Texas Sheet Cake recipe is perfect for big parties because it’s SUPER easy and makes a ton. I made this last week, and then immediately sent the leftovers to work with Eric.
Three days later I made it again because I was regretting sending it in to work. Had one piece and realized I had an entire cake to myself and that is bad news. I distributed between neighbors.
Then last week I was writing out the final recipe and was doing some serious Texas Sheet Cake pondering, and decided I wanted to add brown sugar and even more cocoa, so I started making it again. Eric heard me get the pan out and turn on the gas burner and said, “Again??” It was 10:30pm.
It was worth it guys. The final batch of this cake was definitely the best. Traditional Texas chocolate sheet cake calls for all white sugar and about 1/4 cup of cocoa. In this cake, we’re using half brown sugar and half white sugar, and doubling the cocoa. It makes it extra rich and chocolatey! And it’s so moist!
What is a sheet cake?
A sheet cake is a single layer cake baked in a large, flat pan, usually rectangular. It’s usually 2 inches deep, but as you can see in this recipe, the height of the cake will vary by the length and width of the pan you use.
What’s the difference between sheet cake and regular cake?
All sheet cakes are “regular” cakes, but not all “regular” cakes are sheet cakes. Sheet cakes have just one layer and are wide, thin, and rectangular. Think of a big rectangular grocery store birthday cake meant to serve a horde of hungry kids. When someone thinks of a “regular” cake, they might imagine a round cake with multiple layers, but technically that could be called a “layer” cake. Sheet cake, schmeet cake, I say – they’re all delicious!
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need–simple ingredients you likely have in your pantry! (Ingredients listed again in the recipe below.)
Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter is also fine.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Sour cream. A lot of recipes call for buttermilk, which would work great too, but I never have buttermilk on hand. I always have sour cream though. Sour cream adds the same tanginess that you’re going for. It’s perfection!
Brown sugar
Vanilla extract
Flour. I used all-purpose flour.
Sugar
Salt
Baking soda
Large eggs
Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake Frosting Ingredients
Butter. Again, salted or unsalted butter is fine.
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Sour cream. Buttermilk can be substituted for sour cream if you prefer.
Vanillaextract
Powdered sugar
Chopped pecans. (Optional.) Needs to be very chopped. Super chopped. You basically can’t over chop!
How to make a Texas Sheet Cake
Here’s a basic overview! Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for complete instructions.
Prepare a jelly roll pan (see pan size options below) by lining the pan with parchment paper, or spray well with nonstick spray.
In a saucepan, bring the butter, water, and cocoa to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat.
Stir in brown sugar and vanilla.
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda and add dry ingredients to the saucepan. Stir until well combined.
Stir in sour cream and eggs until lumps are gone.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the sides.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutesor until a toothpick comes out of the center with no wet batter on it. The sides of the cake should just be starting to pull away from the edge of the pan. Don’t over bake!
Pan Sizes: (Ovens vary! Be sure to check your cake with a toothpick!)
If you are baking this in a 9×13” pan, bake for 23-25 minutes.
If you do a 10×15” pan, bake for about 20 minutes.
If you bake it in a 12×18” pan, bake for about 18-20 minutes.
Next, the frosting. DON’T forget the frosting!
How to make Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake frosting
Bring to a boil butter and cocoa over medium heat. Remove from heat.
Add sour cream and vanilla extract.
Use a whisk to stir in the powdered sugar.
After cake has cooled for 15-20 minutes, pour glaze over the top.
How to store Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
Does Texas sheet cake need to be refrigerated?
You’re going to want to store this well-covered on your counter top at room temperature. If you don’t seal it, it’s going to dry out faster than a scone from Starbucks. Don’t put it in the fridge, it will just dry out faster that way. Plus, who wants cold cake? Are you a monster? Texas Sheet Cake is meant to be served warm or room temp, y’all.
If you don’t have a lid that covers the pan above the frosting line, just wait until the frosting has cooled completely before covering. You can cover it with plastic wrap as soon as that “shell” appears on top of the frosting. If you do it while the frosting is hot, you will have a sad sticky mess.
Does Texas Sheet Cake freeze well?
For leftovers, yes! Freeze your sheet cake. Just make sure the cake is completely cool, then use plastic wrap and foil to completely seal the cake. You could also transfer the cake to a tupperware and freeze the whole thing.
If you plan to make this recipe ahead for a party, I recommend freezing the cake by itself and making the frosting on the day of the party. You want that glaze to be shiny and new.
Speaking of parties, what else is on your menu? If you’re entertaining enough people to warrant a Texas sheet cake, you might need other ideas for a large crowd!
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe FAQs
Great party dishes for large crowds
The Best Cheese Sauce Ever (Shake Shack Copycat) << The best cheese sauce for fries, roasted potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, nachos, burgers, hot dogs, enchiladas, burritos, the list is endless!
Carol’s Legendary 7 Layer Dip << Spicy bean dip on the bottom plus sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes and cheese . . . you just can’t beat it.
Mississippi Mud Cake << kinda like Texas Sheet Cake…except there’s also a layer of marshmallow cream.
Almond Sheet Cake << this is one of my personal favorites!! You could decorate the top of this with strawberries and blueberries for your 4th of July festivities this week.
Texas Cowboy Cookies << one of the top recipes on the blog! I know this isn’t a sheet cake, but it is a TEXAS recipe, so I feel like I need to include it :)
This Texas Sheet Cake recipe is THE ONE, you guys! As in, the only one you will ever need. Sour cream in the cake and the glaze, brown sugar, and extra cocoa make this the BEST chocolate sheet cake of your life!!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan* with parchment paper, or spray well with nonstick spray.
Make the cake batter. In a medium or large saucepan, add 1 cup butter, 1 cup water, and 3/4 cup cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, sticking around to stir it. Once it boils, take it off the heat.
Let it cool for a minute or two, then stir in 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat well with a whisk.
Add 2 cups flour, making sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off. Add 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or sea salt) and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Use a small spoon to blend the salt and soda into the flour a little bit. Use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients into the batter thoroughly. Mix only until well combined and there are only a few lumps. (Don't over mix, or you will get a tough cake)
In a glass measuring cup, add 3/4 cup of sour cream. Add 2 eggs and beat well until combined.
Add the sour cream and eggs to the saucepan and fold the mixture in using a spatula, stirring only until it is just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the sides.
Bake at 350 for about 17-20 minutes* (check times below), until a toothpick comes out of the center with no wet batter on it. The sides of the cake should just be starting to pull away from the edge of the pan. Don't over bake!
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Clean out the saucepan you used for the batter** and add 3/4 cup butter and mounded 1/2 cup cocoa. Stir together over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Add 2 cups powdered sugar and whisk well.
Add 1/2 cup mounded sour cream and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir well.
Use a whisk to stir in the remaining and 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt. Beat very well with the whisk. If you can't get all the powdered sugar lumps out, bust out your hand mixer and beat on high until it is smooth.
If your cake is not done baking (or still too hot) when you finish the glaze, stir the frosting every now and then to break up the hardened shell on top.
When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. Spread the glaze over the cake, moving quickly, as it sets pretty fast. Let the frosting set up for at least 20-60 minutes before serving. (Or, you know. Don't.)
Serve this with milk. No, seriously.
The Jackie: my friend Jackie showed me her favorite way to eat this cake. Take two slices and stack them together so there is frosting in the middle and on top. Then stick it in the microwave. Whaaaat yes please it's so good you need to try it!!
Notes
*The size of your jelly roll pan is a matter of debate. You can make this cake in a 9×13 inch cake pan (thick cake), a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan (thinnish cake) or an 12×18 inch half baking sheet (thinnest cake). I prefer the 12×18. The first time I made it, I did it in a 10×15, and found myself only wanting to eat the top half of my slice of cake so that there was a higher ratio of frosting. (The photos of this cake is of one that was baked in a 10×15.) The 12×18 gives you the perfect ratio of cake to frosting in my opinion.If you are baking this in a 9×13 bake for 23-25 minutes. If you do a 10×15, bake for about 20 minutes. If you bake it in a 12×18, bake for about 18-20 minutes.All of these times are going to vary because everyone’s oven is different.** I actually never do this. I just start making the frosting in the same pan without washing or even wiping it out. The danger is that the remaining batter up the sides of the pan that you couldn’t scrape out all the way could scorch. I use the butter to rub the sides of the pan occasionally to avoid this. I can’t even believe I added this note, probably washing the pan is easier! These are the kind of risks that make me feel like I’m living a dangerous life.
Making a Classic Cheesecake Recipe at home is totally doable, and pretty easy once you know these tips and tricks! This New York style cheesecake is rich, creamy, and smooth. Amazing flavor from a secret ingredient makes it the best cheesecake you’ll ever have! Bonus: you don’t even need to use a water bath. Originally…
Making a Classic Cheesecake Recipe at home is totally doable, and pretty easy once you know these tips and tricks! This New York style cheesecake is rich, creamy, and smooth. Amazing flavor from a secret ingredient makes it the best cheesecake you’ll ever have! Bonus: you don’t even need to use a water bath.Originally published October 9, 2021.
Ten years ago, I sat down at my computer to write the story about this one time when Eric and I knocked on the neighbor’s door to share a plate of cookies. Dude answered the door in nothing but a towel. We all just stared at each other for a moment, eyes wide, and he finally said, “I thought you were someone else.”
Well, here we are years later, and I’m still telling slightly inappropriate stories and throwing my food at strangers. I guess things haven’t changed much??
This month marks 10 years since I wrote my first story and shared my first recipe here on The Food Charlatan. 10 years of blogging you guys!! (Who’s been here from the beginning, or early on? I want to hear from you in the comments!)
Instead of getting mushy and whimsical about all the amazing opportunities, personal growth, friends, income, and ridiculously good food that has resulted from this bloggity-blog, I decided to throw myself a giant party to celebrate!
Yes, real invitations that I sent in the mail. It still happens!
The kids raided the Italian Soda Bar before the guests arrived, can’t blame em!
The taco truck we hired was amazing! Look up Tacos La Familia if you are in Sacramento!I know this picture is blurry, but I need to share evidence that we danced. And it was SO FUN!My friends are seriously the best!
I wish I could have invited all of you to this party, so that I could show my appreciation for all your support over the years! Google and Pinterest passers-by will come and go, but if you are reading this, you are a cut above the rest. Thank you so much for being here, for all your comments and questions, for every “like” and 5 star review, for sending me pictures of your creations. YOU are the community that I set out to build 10 years ago, and look at all we’ve done together!
Sharing recipes and stories with people who love to cook and connect is still the heart of The Food Charlatan. I feel so blessed to have a space like this where I can spend my time and energy. Isn’t The Food Charlatan a cozy place to be? Thank you so much for hanging out in my virtual kitchen over the years!
Every year I bake a cake for my anniversary. Here are all the posts if you want to take a walk down memory lane!
Are you a cheesecake person? I feel like it’s a love it or hate it kind of thing, and I LOVE IT. If you are in the hate-it category, might I suggest this recipe? It might just change your mind!! It is a thick and dreamy combination of rich, decadent ingredients, with an extra flavor boost from a secret ingredient. But before we get into that, let’s clear up a few things:
What’s the difference between New York Cheesecake and regular cheesecake?
“Regular” cheesecake, as it was originally made, is nothing more than cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. It is quite simple. (and maybe a lil boring…sorry regular)
New York Cheesecake, on the other hand, is much more decadent and rich. It typically uses even more cream cheese, and often has the addition of either sour cream or heavy cream, making the cheesecake richer and heavier. Extra eggs or egg yolks are also sometimes added. It’s like regular cheesecake 2.0, basically.
If you live in the United States, most cheesecake you have tried is New York style. Because Americans don’t really do simple desserts. It is just not our thing. Go big or go home. Bring on the rich, decadent, over-the-top-flavor! Today’s recipe is a New York style cheesecake, and in addition to the extra sour cream and egg yolks, we’re adding one more flavor element…
The secret to my Homemade Cheesecake
This recipe has the classic texture and richness of a New York cheesecake, but there is one unique ingredient that you won’t find in other recipes: browned butter. Yes, I’ve done it again. Browned butter just makes everydessertbetter, okay??
Cheesecake is no exception. It adds a boost of flavor without distracting from the cheesecakey-ness of it all. When people taste it, they will say, holy smokes, this is an amazing cheesecake. They are not going to ask what your secret ingredient is, because it’s not obvious that there is one. Browned butter just makes your cheesecake next-level-rich-and-tasty.
If you squint, you can see tiny little browned butter bits in the cheesecake itself. Tiny little specks, huge boatloads of flavor!
How to make Classic Cheesecake
I will show you step by step how to make this glorious cheesecake!
First you should know though: cheesecake is a lesson in patience. It is not hard, but there is a lot of waiting involved. So plan ahead! Here’s what you need:
Baked Cheesecake ingredients
For the crust:
Graham crackers
Sugar
Salt
Butter
For the cheesecake:
Cream cheese
Sugar
Sour cream
Vanilla
Lemon juice
Eggs
Salt
How to make the Best Cheesecake Recipe Ever
Step 1. Use room temperature cream cheese.
Soften your cream cheese! This is really important, otherwise you will end up with lumps in your cheesecake (the opposite of what we’re going for). I like to let my cream cheese sit on the counter for at least 1-4 hours. You can speed it up by microwaving the cream cheese on low power on a plate (be sure to remove all the foil!) But it still is going to soften unevenly. Waiting is really the best option for cheesecake! While you’re at it, set out your 4 eggs to come to room temperature too.
Next make your graham cracker crust! We are browning the butter for the crust, in addition to adding browned butter to the cheesecake itself. You can skip browning butter for the crust and it will turn out just fine! But I truly love the flavor it adds. It provides an interesting and slightly salty contrast to the creamy cheesecake!
Be sure to press it into the pan with a measuring cup to get yourself a nice firm crust that doesn’t crumble when you slice your cheesecake later. Bake it for about 12 minutes and set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and egg yolk, the sour cream, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice. This is not a lemon cheesecake, but you need the lemon to brighten up the flavors of all the other ingredients!
Step 2. Do not over beat your cheesecake batter.
Over mixing cream cheese whips too much air into the batter, making your cheesecake bubbly and more likely to fall and crack. We don’t want it to be light and airy. This is CHEESECAKE people. We live for its dense creamy glory.
But! We need to beat those eggs really well to make sure we don’t get any weird egg lumps in our final cake. Solution? Beat all the ingredients together BEFORE adding the cream cheese.
This is the sour cream mixture. Do you see all those lumpy egg whites? Beat it longer. We don’t want any lumps in our cake. Beat the heck out of it until they are gone! You can beat til your heart’s content before mixing in the cream cheese.
Use the same pot from before to brown another stick of butter. If your butter is still hot, add it while the mixer is on so you don’t scramble your eggs!
Then, pour the whole mixture into another bowl, or the pot that you browned the butter in. It’s cream cheese time.
Make sure you buy Philadelphia cream cheese. It really is the best on the market.
Don’t bother washing your bowl, just toss in the cream cheese. Add 2 cups of granulated sugar.
I know I said not to over beat, but you have to get all the lumps out. On the left: not quite beat enough. On the right: dreamy creamy cream cheese perfection.
Add in the sour cream mixture. Mix until it is completely combined and lump free, stopping often to scrape down the sides.
The completed batter isn’t too thick.
Pour it into your (completely cooled!) crust, and shake and smooth it a little to make the batter even on top.
Pick up the whole pan about an inch from the counter and drop it a few times. You want to get rid of all the air bubbles in your cheesecake. Wait 10 minutes for more air bubbles to rise, then use a toothpick to poke as many bubbles as you can find.
Now it’s time to bake! I love to bake this cheesecake with NO water bath.
Best Cheesecake Recipe Tips
How to bake Homemade Cheesecake without a water bath
Water baths are useful because they provide a very humid environment for a cheesecake to bake in. Without this humidity, the eggs in your cheesecake will rise too quickly (and fall too quickly!) It makes the cheesecake dry out and then the texture is all wrong.
The problem with water baths is that you run the risk of making your graham cracker crust soggy if your foil gets a tear in it (this has happened to me and it’s THE WORST.) Plus water baths are just kind of a pain to put together.
The solution? Steam!
Boil a pot of water. Place your cheesecake in the preheated oven. Pour the boiling water into a 9×13 inch metal pan directly below the cheesecake. Shut the oven door and DO NOT OPEN IT AGAIN! Voila! Humidity heaven!
Do not open the oven door while baking cheesecake. Not even once!
A rapid change in temperature is what causes cheesecake to crack on top. Keeping a very steady temperature and humidity level in your oven is going to help your cheesecake bake evenly. Opening the oven door even once can mess with the temperature and humidity enough to ruin your beautiful cheesecake with a crack. Don’t do it! Turn on the oven light and check it through the window. This rule applies for baking in a water bath or using the steam method.
It’s not necessary, but I also recommend baking your cheesecake on a pizza stone if you have one. You can see mine in the photo up there. Pizza stones are designed to help regulate the temperature of your oven, which helps a cheesecake bake evenly. Read all about stones on my Homemade Pizza post! If you don’t have one that’s okay.
How to bake Homemade Cheesecake WITH a water bath
If it sounds safer to make your cheesecake using a water bath, here are some more details!
A water bath is made by wrapping the springform pan in heavy duty foil, then placing the whole pan inside of another pan that is filled with boiling water. The cheesecake bakes directly in a pan of water.
Pros: It is much easier to make sure your cheesecake doesn’t crack if you use a water bath. It is also a faster process because you can put it in the fridge to chill only a relatively short time after baking. (Because even when you remove the cheesecake from the oven, it’s still in a nice warm bath for a while. Remember: temperature changes are what cause cheesecake cracks.)
Cons: If there is even a tiny tear in your layers of foil, your crust will be get waterlogged and soggy-sad. This is the bane of my existence. I cannot stand a soggy crust. That is why I prefer to use the steam method rather than a water bath.
How do I know my cheesecake is done baking?
Water bath or steam method, get your cheesecake baked. The next question is when to turn off the oven.
You will know your cheesecake is done when the edges of the cheesecake look set. The whole center of the cheesecake should still be slightly wobbly, but not liquid-y. I know, this is hard to tell when you are not supposed to open the oven door. More details in the recipe! The top of the cheesecake should not be brown when you turn off the oven.
I’m going to make a bold statement here and say that the problem with every bad cheesecake you’ve ever had was OVER BAKING. I can’t emphasize this enough. Write it down in your soul. Etch it into your heart. (There is no such thing as an under baked cheesecake, in my opinion. Those ones are just extra-creamy 😉)
But over baked cheesecakes will ruin your dessert bliss faster than you can say “spongey texture.” (SAY NO TO THE SPOOONGE!)
Why did my Baked Cheesecake crack?
Because the temperature changed too quickly. You cooled it down too fast. It’s as simple as that. When you take cheesecake out of it’s warm and cozy oven environment, it starts to fall (all those eggs made it rise up!) Falling creates cracks and imperfections. We want to cool our cheesecake as sloooowwwwwly as possible.
I leave my cheesecake to cool in the oven for hours, even overnight. Leaving it in the oven for a while is really the only foolproof way to make sure your cheesecake doesn’t crack. When the timer goes off and you have determined that the cheesecake is set on the edges (okay fine, you can open the oven door to shake the pan a little bit), turn the oven off but do NOT take the cheesecake out of the oven. Leave the door ajar for at least an hour (or longer!) to slowly let the oven and cheesecake come to room temperature. See the recipe for more details!
Cheesecake Toppings
With a plain cheesecake like this one, you can really take it in any direction with the toppings! Fresh berries of any kind are always delicious if you want to keep it simple. I jazzed up my raspberries with a sauce similar to this Fresh Strawberry Topping (which would also be delicious!) The recipe is in the notes on the recipe.
Cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator. Make sure you cover it with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. I like to keep mine stored in the springform pan that I baked it in, and stretch plastic over the top.
Can you freeze cheesecake?
Yes, totally! If you want to freeze the whole cheesecake, let it cool completely. Then cover well several times with plastic wrap. Then wrap in heavy duty foil a couple times. Freeze for 3-4 months. Let thaw in the fridge. It will take at least 12-24 hours to thaw completely.
If you want to freeze individual slices of cheesecake, it’s best to flash freeze. Slice completely cooled cheesecake and place each slice on a pan, not touching. Freeze the pan of slices for about 3 hours. (Set a timer so you don’t forget!) Then wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap, and then store in a ziplock bag. Let thaw in the fridge. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t have cheesecake on a random Tuesday afternoon! Treat yoself.
Making a Classic Cheesecake Recipe at home is totally doable, and pretty easy once you know these tips and tricks! This New York style cheesecake is rich, creamy, and smooth. Amazing flavor from a secret ingredient makes it the best cheesecake you'll ever have! Bonus: you don't even need to use a water bath.
Cream cheese and eggs. The first thing you must do is set out your cream cheese to soften! It must be room temperature when you beat it, or you will have lumps. Let it sit on the counter at room temperature for at least an hour or two, or up to 4 hours. You can speed it up by microwaving the cream cheese in increments on power level 1 on a plate (be sure to remove all the foil!) But it still is going to soften unevenly. Waiting is really the best option for cheesecake! Set out 4 eggs to come to room temperature as well.
Make the crust. Add a 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter to a small pot and set over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After a couple minutes it will turn white on top, then it will foam up. Once it is foamy, it will start forming brown colored milk solids, or "bits". They will swirl up when you stir. The scent of the butter will change to a "nutty" or toffee like aroma. Once you see brown bits, remove the pan from the heat and be careful not to let it burn!
Let the browned butter cool for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the crust. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
Add 18 full graham cracker sheets to a food processor and pulse until they have been crushed to fine crumbs. (Or place them in a ziplock and smash them with a rolling pin.) Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Once the browned butter has cooled, add it to the food processor (or you can combine it in a bowl) and mix until all the crumbs are moistened. (Don't bother washing the pot you browned the butter in. We need it later.)
Spray the edges of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides using a measuring cup to press it in well. The more tightly packed your crust is, the better your final crust will hold it's shape when you slice your cheesecake later. Make sure you press the crust up on the sides of the pan at least 1 inch.
Bake the crust at 325 degrees F for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to let cool completely. (If you choose to bake with a water bath, once your pan is cool, triple wrap your pan with heavy duty foil. See notes for water bath details.)
Make the cheesecake. Brown another stick of butter (1/2 cup butter) in the same pot that you used earlier to brown the butter for the crust. See step 2 for all the details. Set the second pot of browned butter aside to cool.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 3/4 cup sour cream, 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk (discard the white), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half a lemon), and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (or a hand mixer is fine) to beat this mixture very well for at least 2 minutes, scraping the sides as you go. Check to make sure there are none of those weird jiggly egg solids in the mixture (if there are after a few minutes of beating, discard them). See photos.
Once your browned butter has cooled, add it to the sour cream mixture. If it is not quite cool, make sure to add it while the mixer is on, so you don't scramble your eggs. Beat well, scraping the sides. Once the mixture is combined, use a spatula to scrape the whole mixture back into the same pot that you browned the butter in (Unless it is hot. If it's hot, add the mixture to a bowl.)
Don't bother washing your bowl or beaters. Add 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese to the bowl. Make sure they are completely softened! Beat using the whisk attachment (if you have one) until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping the bottom and sides as you go. Get all the lumps out but don't over beat it. If there are lumps in your cream cheese now, there will be lumps in your cheesecake. But we don't want to beat in too much air. See photos! Use discretion!
Add 2 cups granulated sugar to the cream cheese and beat only just until smooth and combined, then stop!
Add the sour cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat only until combined, scraping the sides as you go. Again, if there are lumps in this mixture, there will be lumps in your cheesecake. Beat them out!
At this point, if you are REALLY dedicated to no lumps, you can strain the mixture through a sieve as you pour it into the completely cooled crust. I never bother! Pour the batter into the crust and don't worry if the batter goes up over the edge of the crust. Smooth the top.
Pick up the pan about an inch from the counter and drop it a couple times. Shake the pan a little. You are trying to get air bubbles to rise to the surface. Wait about 10 minutes. If you see any bubbles, use a toothpick to poke them to get the air out.
Meanwhile, while the cheesecake rests, heat a large covered pot of water over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil.
To bake the cheesecake with STEAM: (see notes for water bath instructions) Place a metal (not glass!) 9×13 inch pan on the lowest rack in your oven. (The oven should still be heated to 325 degrees.) Position the second rack in the center of the oven. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the bottom rack with the 9×13 pan sitting on top of it. (It's okay if you don't have one.)
Once the water is at a rolling boil, place your cheesecake in the oven in the center of the rack. Pull out the bottom rack and carefully pour the boiling water into the 9×13 inch pan. Make sure the water goes at least halfway up the sides of the pan. Working quickly, carefully push the rack back into the oven and make sure the cheesecake is positioned directly over the pan of water (the crust is going to drip butter into the pan). Shut the oven door as fast as you can to help maintain the oven temperature!
Set a timer for 70 minutes. Do not open the oven door! Not even once!
After 70 minutes, turn the oven off, but DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR! Your cheesecake will still be wobbly in the middle but you shouldn't even know this because you haven't opened the oven door to check, right? The cheesecake is not quite baked yet. It's going to finish baking in the cooling oven.
Leave the cheesecake in the turned off oven with the door shut for at least 4 hours. I leave it in overnight usually. Your oven must be COMPLETELY back to room temperature before you should even consider taking this cheesecake out! The cheesecake may have turned a light golden on the top and edges after it's time in the oven. (This is all to avoid cracks by the way. If you don't care about cracks, you can take it out after 1 hour and stick it in the fridge.)
After 4 hours of cooling in the turned off oven, remove the cheesecake from the oven and place in the refrigerator for another 4 hours, or 8 hours is even better. You can cover your cheesecake with plastic wrap, but be aware that condensation will form and could get water on the top of your cheesecake. I usually don't cover it for this initial chill.
Once your cheesecake is completely chilled, carefully and slowly release it from the springform pan. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut the cheesecake into even slices, wiping off the knife for each slice.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge. Leftovers will last about 2-3 days before the crust gets soggy.
Freezer instructions: If you want to freeze the whole cheesecake, let it cool completely. Then cover well several times with plastic wrap. Then wrap in heavy duty foil a couple times. Freeze for 3-4 months. Let thaw in the fridge. It will take at least 12-24 hours to thaw completely.If you want to freeze individual slices of cheesecake, it's best to flash freeze. Slice completely cooled cheesecake and place each slice on a pan, not touching. Freeze the pan of slices for about 3 hours. (Set a timer so you don't forget!) Then wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap, and then store in a ziplock bag. Let thaw in the fridge.
Notes
To bake the cheesecake in a WATER BATH:
Before adding the cheesecake batter to the crust, line the outsides of the springform pan with heavy duty foil. Make sure you don’t tear it! Line it again. Then line it again! Trust me you do not want a soggy crust!Find a pan (I use a 12 inch oven-going high sided skillet) that your springform pan fits comfortably in. Place the foil-lined springform pan into the large pan. Add the batter and follow all the instructions for getting out air bubbles.Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Make sure your oven is heated to 325 degrees. Place the cheese cake in the oven on the center rack. Carefully pour the boiling water into the large pan, making sure that the water comes up halfway up the sides of the pan at least. Do not get water on your cheesecake! Close the oven door and do not open it again. Bake your cheesecake for about 70-75 minutes. After 60 minutes, you can open the oven door to check it. It should not be browned at all. The center should be wobbly but not liquid-y. The edges should be more set than the center. The cheesecake is not quite done baking; it is going to finish baking with the oven turned off. Turn off the oven and open the door a crack. Leave it open like that for 1 hour at least. The longer the better to avoid cracks. Remove from the oven but leave it in the water bath for another 2 hours at least. Once it is back to room temperature, remove the pan from the water, discard the foil, and chill for 4-8 hours. Serve with toppings.
Fresh Raspberry Topping:
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
12 ounces fresh raspberries, or frozen raspberries work fine too.
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
In a small saucepan, stir together the jam, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat this mixture over medium heat for abut 3 minutes, until bubbly.
Add 12 ounces raspberries to a medium bowl and squeeze about 1 tablespoon lemon juice over the top. Pour the heated jam mixture over the raspberries. Let the mixture chill in the fridge for about an hour. It will thicken as it cools. (If you used frozen berries, leave the sauce at room temperature until all the raspberries have thawed before serving. Store remaining sauce in the fridge.
All the tips and tricks you need to make the BEST Zucchini Bread recipe of your life! This easy bread bakes up moist, tender, and super flavorful! Easily turn it into chocolate chip zucchini bread, or add nuts! Originally published June 15, 2021. I’m sitting here working on this zucchini bread post and Eric (who…
All the tips and tricks you need to make the BEST Zucchini Bread recipe of your life! This easy bread bakes up moist, tender, and super flavorful! Easily turn it into chocolate chip zucchini bread, or add nuts!Originally published June 15, 2021.
I’m sitting here working on this zucchini bread post and Eric (who is still working from home #covid) walks in to change his shirt. He was wearing a pink button up shirt, and he proceeded to change into another pink button up shirt.
I said, “I’m sorry, did you just change from a pink button up shirt…into another pink button up shirt?” Long silence. I’m laughing. He looks up.
“Did you just say something?” I realize he was purposefully ignoring me. “Yes, I asked why you changed from a pink…”
“I HEARD YOU. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt. A white shirt with purple stripes on it. [They are not. They are pink].
He continued defiantly, “THIS one has short sleeves. THIS one is linen. Perfect for SUMMER because it’s HOT outside.”
Uh huh. A few minutes go by and I’m continuing my work, chuckling still. Then I heard something and looked up.
“Are you STEAMING YOUR SHIRT?”
“Of course. It’s new, and it’s got all those new-shirt-wrinkles in it.”
This, for our Friday afternoon at home, where we will see no one but each other and various neighborhood children.
He’s confused because I’m still laughing.
“You’re not writing about this are you? Why are you still laughing? I won’t approve this one!”
Well friends, guess what, he did. And now you know that you can show up at my house anytime day or night and Eric is going to be PRESSED AND READY. He even wears a collared shirt to bed. Not really, I’m kidding, but it is true that he wore a collared shirt with a classy sweater over the top when I went in to the hospital to have our son, and the nurses nicknamed him “Dapper Dad.” Oh Eric, how I love you!
Is summer in full swing in your neck of the woods? I know it’s summertime when traffic on these Rhubarb Shortbread Bars starts going crazy. Bring on the summer bounty!
Have you planted any zucchini? Do you have a ton?? I am what you might call “gardening challenged” so I usually don’t bother. Even zucchini, globally known as the easiest vegetable to grow, has proven too difficult for us. Thank you, farmers of America, for being good at your jobs so that I can make this zucchini bread!
This is the best recipe for Zucchini Bread
If you have never taken a glorious bite of warm, buttered zucchini bread, you are missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. Zucchini bread is a quick bread, meaning it has no yeast and is leavened with baking soda or baking powder (kind of like a muffin, but in loaf shape). It is made with grated zucchini and is usually spiced with cinnamon.
My mom has been making zucchini bread for as long as I can remember. She has a recipe in the family recipe book that she gave all of us kids when we left for college. The title reads, “Zucchini Bread Recipe (you can’t taste the zucchini, I swear!)” Which begs the question…
Why even bake with zucchini?
I mean if you can’t taste it, what’s the point in adding it to your quick bread?? It’s a valid question. The answer is moisture and texture. And abundance, if we’re being honest, right? Who here is looking for a zucchini bread recipe because you have a bajillion zucchini in your garden and don’t know what to do with it all??
Zucchini is mostly water, so it brings tons of moisture to baked goods. Not just any moisture though: flavorless moisture that is basically calorie free. You really can’t taste the zucchini in zucchini bread, just the same way your carrot cake doesn’t really taste like carrots. All you taste is moist delicious cake, and moist delicious zucchini bread!
Best Zucchini Bread ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for the best zucchini bread recipe! Full recipe can be found in the recipe card below!
optional add-ins (try chocolate chips, toasted walnuts or pecans, or raw sugar or granulated sugar to top it off)
How to make the best Zucchini Bread Recipe
There are so many things to consider when making zucchini bread. I tested a whole bunch of different variations of several recipes to see what I liked best. Here are some of the conclusions I came to that help us get to the very best bread!
here are a few of my test loaves. please ignore the carnage, apparently we are animals
A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Many classic zucchini bread recipes call for only white sugar. I found that I like to use a mix of both white and brown to bring in that carmel-y flavor, and of course the extra moistness that brown sugar brings! This does make the bread a bit darker, but I didn’t hear any complaints from my testers.
What spices should we add for flavor? Cinnamon is standard. I tested several spice mixes and landed on a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. I’m a cardamom lover and add it to almost any recipe that has cinnamon (like this Apple Pie), but you can totally skip it if you want. Don’t leave out the nutmeg though! It really rounds out the flavor of this zucchini bread.
I like to add the brown sugar to my wet ingredients so that it’s easier to whisk out lumps.
Moisten the bread with a combination of oil and butter. Two of my biggest issues with quick bread are dryness and lack of flavor. Many recipes call for just oil or just butter. Oil makes cakes and bread supremely moist (it it 100% fat; butter is about 80% fat). But butter brings that rich flavor we all love. Solution? Use both! Ultimate moist texture and delicious buttery flavor. We’re also adding in a little sour cream for moisture!
Just look at that moist texture!
Mix ins. Do you add chocolate chips to your zucchini bread? Nuts? I love it both ways (but not combined.) The photos today show one batch with chocolate chips and one batch with walnuts. If you add chocolate chips, your bread is going to feel more like a slice of cake (no complaints here). If you add nuts, it’s going to taste more like a traditional quick bread.
The squeeze. Texture is everything for me when it comes to zucchini bread. The secret to getting the right texture is squeezing some of the water out of the shredded zucchini before adding it to your bread. Squeezing is kind of annoying, I know. Blotting with a paper towel achieves almost the same effect and is easier. More on that below.
Do you peel zucchini for bread?
No, there’s really no need. The peel on zucchini is thin and soft, so it incorporates easily into zucchini bread without messing with the texture.
How do you grate zucchini for bread without a grater?
No grater? No problem! There are plenty of other ways you can create perfect zucchini shreds for this zucchini bread recipe:
Food processor: If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, you can easily feed the zucchini through that to create shreds.
Vegetable peeler: This one is a little more labor intensive, but will work great if that’s what you have. After peeling, use a knife to chop into shred-size pieces.
Spiralizer: A spiralizer won’t create small shreds, but you can use it in a pinch to create longer spirals, then use a knife to chop it up into smaller pieces.
How to know when your bread is done
There is nothing sadder than slicing into your loaf of bread to find that it’s raw in the middle. Usually zucchini bread takes about an hour to bake, but sometimes it takes even longer.
Zucchini bread is kind of tricky because there are so many variables, like the type of pan you’re using, the temperature of your oven, the level of moisture in your bread.
My favorite method for testing doneness is a regular old toothpick. Poke it deep into the center of your bread. If it comes out with any wet batter, add another 4-5 minutes to your bake time. You might have to repeat this process several times! (Especially since every time you open your oven to check, you’re lowering the temperature.) Don’t take your bread out until there is no batter on the toothpick. If the top of your bread is over browning, cover it with foil.
The only thing you need to worry about is if you added chocolate chips to your bread. Poke it in a few places to make sure it’s just chocolate on the toothpick, not wet batter. Zucchini bread is quite moist because of all the liquid from the zucchini, so I always err on the side of over baking slightly rather than risking a raw center (I will happily eat over baked bread. I will throw raw bread directly in the trash.)
Pro tip: I tried baking this using the convection setting on my oven and I found that it had absolutely no effect. Usually convection helps bake things faster, but zucchini bread is so dense that even if that oven air is being fanned around, it’s going to take just as long.
Don’t forget to sprinkle the top of your bread with a little somethin somethin. For the chocolate chip bread, I sprinkled on mini chips. For the walnut bread, I sprinkled on raw sugar.
Zucchini Bread Recipe tips
How to shred zucchini for bread
A regular old box grater works just fine. No need to peel it first.
Pro tip: don’t chop off the little knobby end. Use it as a handle! Then you don’t accidentally grate your fingers. (Been there!) Or you can use the grating tool on a food processor. Either way works great!
You are going to want 12 ounces of zucchini for this recipe. That’s about 2 cups. Make sure you pack the zucchini into the measuring cup if you are not weighing it. If you have huge zucchini with seeds in it, scrape out and discard the seeds before grating.
Do you squeeze out the liquid from zucchini for bread?
To squeeze or not to squeeze, that is the question. The answer is maybe, maybe not; it depends entirely on what texture you prefer in your zucchini bread.
I tested it both ways, all things being equal except I squeezed one and didn’t squeeze the other. Both resultant breads were delicious, but the one that hadn’t been squeezed had my least favorite quick bread quality: gumminess.
All that moisture from the zucchini gets baked into the bread. The edges don’t get as crispy, and it has a heavier weight.
The squozen bread, on the other hand, is light and airy. It is fluffy, and, well, bread-like, with perfectly crispy edges. The ultimate goal for a quick bread, right? The bread was not dry at all. I definitely recommend blotting or squeezing liquid out of your zucchini before adding it to your bread!
(Last year I did a bunch of testing with banana bread. I found that the main thing that defines good banana bread vs. bad banana bread is a gummy texture. The trick is to not add too much banana. You can read all about it on my Banana Bread post. For zucchini, the amount that you add is not as important as making sure you blot or squeeze out some of the liquid.)
Here’s how I like to blot shredded zucchini. Layer it between two paper towels and press until both towels are wet. Blotting and squeezing are both effective ways of removing excess moisture from zucchini!
Quick tip to avoid squeezing
Even if you skip blotting or squeezing the zucchini, there is still one thing you can do to help absorb some of the moisture from the zucchini:
Toss your zucchini into your flour mixture and stir it up. The flour will absorb some of the liquid. This is a must for improved texture! I always toss with the flour whether or not I squeeze/blot.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Do not over mix your batter. This will make the finished bread tough instead of soft and tender.
Best Zucchini Bread Recipe Variations
I love this zucchini bread just the way it is, but you can mix it up with mix-ins.
Add chocolate chips (or a high quality bar of chocolate, chopped).
Sprinkle the top with raw sugar, granulated sugar, or, if you’re really livin’ it up, cinnamon sugar (no, you don’t need to buy a shaker of cinnamon sugar, just mix some cinnamon with your sugar).
Add nuts. Chopped walnuts or pecans are a sure bet (toast them first if you know what’s good for you).
Cool zucchini bread on its side for crispier edges
We all know the best part of zucchini bread is the crispy crackly top. The other 3 edges tend to get soggy pretty fast. The faster you take it out of the pan, the crispier your edges will be, but another trick is to cool bread on it’s side (on a cooling rack, once you’ve removed it from the pan). The bottom of the bread is the hottest part, and cooling on it’s side can help the bread cool down faster, resulting in crispier edges. This can also help prevent your bread from falling in the center (although you shouldn’t have a problem at all with today’s recipe.)
Once the bread is completely cool (okay well, maybe not ALLL the way cool), use a sharp serrated knife and use a sawing motion to slice the bread.
Zucchini Bread Recipe Serving Suggestions
Spread your zucchini bread with butter!
Why? Because it’s bread. And butter goes on bread. I feel a little silly adding this here, but one of my food blogger friends (hi Dorothy) posted on Instagram recently about buttering zucchini bread, and someone commented that they had never thought to try it with butter. This blew my mind, because of COURSE you butter zucchini bread, and I just want to make sure that if there is even a tiny tiny percentage of you out there who don’t know about slathering massive thick slices of zucchini bread with copious soft, melty butter…
then I need to educate you. I just want you to live your best life here guys. Buttered zucchini bread forever!
How to store the best Zucchini Bread
How long does it take for zucchini bread to cool?
I like to wait about 15-30 minutes before slicing into my zucchini bread. If you do it too early your bread can collapse.
Take the pan out of the oven and immediately set on a cooling rack so the bottom of the bread can start cooling. After 15-30 minutes, remove from the pan. If you have lined the pan with parchment paper or foil, you can lift the bread out of the pan easily. If not, gently flip the bread over into your hand (or on a plate), remove the pan, and set the bread on a cooling rack.
Can this Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe be frozen?
Yes! Bread freezes beautifully and zucchini bread is no exception. Make sure that it is completely cool, then wrap the entire loaf in plastic. Stick it in ziplock bag and store in the freezer. Or to stash individual slices, wrap each cooled slice in plastic wrap, and store them all in a large ziplock. Then you can have a pre-portioned slice as a little breakfast gift to yourself anytime you want! Let thaw (still wrapped) at room temperature on the counter.
If you are in a hurry you can try heating it up in the microwave at a lower power level, or using the defrost button. Once thaw, we love to toast individual slices of zucchini bread to get them nice and toasty on the edges. And then of course…
FAQs
Why does zucchini bread crack on top?
Quick bread like zucchini bread and banana bread often come out of the oven with a big crack down the center of the top of the bread.
Don’t panic! This is a good thing! Quick breads crack as steam from the bread escapes from the center. The other reason is because the edges of the bread set faster than the center, so as the unbaked center rises, the edges pull on the top of the loaf, resulting in a crack. A crack is a sign of a well baked loaf, because it means that the bread has risen properly. The center will be fluffy and tender instead of dense. Embrace it!
Why is my zucchini bread soggy?
It’s because your bread still needs more time in the oven! Sometimes it can take over an hour to bake thoroughly. Zucchini bread is a diva, okay? Give it some TLC. The best way to know if it’s done is to use a thermometer to test that the internal temperature of the bread has reached 200 degrees F.
How can I make my bread more moist?
The best way to ensure that your quick bread turns out supremely moist is to add sour cream and oil to your batter. In today’s recipe, we are using sour cream, oil, AND butter to get the perfect level of moisture in our bread.
Why is my zucchini bread too moist?
Say no to gummy zucchini bread! Too-moist bread is usually the result of not squeezing the extra liquid out of your zucchini before adding it to the batter. Don’t skip it!
Can you taste zucchini in zucchini bread?
Nope! Zucchini has a pretty mild flavor, so all it does in baked goods is add moisture. No zucchini flavor. Just delicious sweet bread.
All the tips and tricks you need to make the BEST Zucchini Bread recipe of your life! It's so easy to make, with consistent results every time. The bread bakes up moist, tender, and super flavorful! Easily turn it into chocolate chip zucchini bread, or add nuts!
If you plan to add nuts to your bread, toast them now. Spread about 3/4 cup chopped nuts on a dry baking sheet. Toast at 350 for about 5 minutes. Stir the nuts and continue baking in 2 minute intervals, stirring every time, until the nuts are browned and very fragrant.** Set aside to cool.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled), 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. Whisk together and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. Add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) to a large microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave.
Add 1/4 cup oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar*, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Whisk together until combined.
Shred the zucchini. Shred your zucchini using the side of your box grater with the largest holes. (Don't chop off the knobby end of your zucchini; use it as a handle!) You can also use the grating tool on a food processor to shred your zucchini. You need 12 ounces of zucchini. If you don't have a scale, measure out 2 cups, making sure to pack it in so you get the full amount. Usually this is about 2 smallish-medium zucchini.***
Blot/ Squeeze the zucchini. Once your zucchini is grated, take the time to blot it on a paper towel, or squeeze it out. I like to lay a few paper towels on the counter, spread out the zucchini, then top with another layer of paper towels and press it down until both paper towels are soaked. Blotting your zucchini will keep your bread from being gummy. If you skip this step, you are still going to get great zucchini bread. I prefer the texture when the zucchini is blotted or squeezed.
Add the zucchini to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix only until just combined.
If you plan to add (1 cup) chocolate chips*** or (3/4 cup) nuts, add them to the batter before the flour is even all the way mixed in, see photos. Then stir together with a spatula with as few strokes as possible. Over mixing the batter will result in tough bread.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top your loaf with 1 tablespoon raw or granulated sugar, or a scatter of chocolate chips (or both! But use sparingly, if you add too much it will weigh down your loaf so that it doesn't rise well.)
Bake the bread in the center of the oven at 350 for about 60 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out with no batter on it. You may need to bake the bread for up to 70 or even 80 minutes, so prepare to be patient. Do not take it out of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean. (Be sure that you're not seeing chocolate if you used chocolate chips) Cover your bread with foil as it finishes baking if it is getting over browned.
Let your bread cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. At this point, if you used parchment paper, lift your bread out of the pan and let finish cooling on a wire rack. If you didn't use parchment paper, let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then flip the bread into your hand or a plate, then transfer back to the cooling rack. Let finish cooling on it's side for extra crispy edges.
Store zucchini bread in a sealed container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Freezer instructions: Make sure that your bread is completely cool, then wrap the entire loaf in plastic. Stick it in ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or to stash individual slices, wrap each cooled slice in plastic wrap, and store them all in a large ziplock. Let thaw (still wrapped) at room temperature on the counter. If you are in a hurry you can try heating it up in the microwave at a lower power level, or using the defrost button. Once thaw, we love to toast individual slices of zucchini bread to get them nice and toasty on the edges. And then slather in butter of course.
Notes
*Yes, technically brown sugar is a dry ingredient. I like to add it in with the wet ingredients so that I have a better chance of whisking out any brown sugar lumps. **I read in a Bouchon cookbook a few months ago that one of the chef’s pet peeves is when cooks under toast their nuts. Since then I’ve made sure to toast nuts until they are turning brown, not just fragrant. It makes them so flavorful!***If you are using a giant guitar-sized zucchini that got buried in the recesses of your garden, be sure to scrape out any seeds and discard before shredding. ****For the loaf you see in the photos, I used 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips that I roughly chopped. Milk chocolate will make your bread much sweeter. Cinnamon chips are also a delicious option if you can find them! I like to stock up on these at Christmas time.
From zero to hot cinnamon rolls in one hour flat! These one-hour cinnamon rolls do not skimp on flavor even though they are so easy. The dough is soft and tender, the brown sugar filling is just right. It doesn’t get any better than cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Originally published February 08, 2013. This one’s…
From zero to hot cinnamon rolls in one hour flat! These one-hour cinnamon rolls do not skimp on flavor even though they are so easy. The dough is soft and tender, the brown sugar filling is just right. It doesn’t get any better than cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Originally published February 08, 2013.
This one’s for you, Saturday morning. One hour cinnamon rolls. Seriously, I timed myself. I was stuffing my face with cinnamony goodness almost exactly one hour after I started. Sometimes I crave cinnamon rolls but then I’m like hm, can I wait 3 hours? No, I guess this spoonful of Nutella will have to make do. (Sometimes it kinda scares me how much my body craves sugar. Good thing no one ever offered me heroin as a youngster, otherwise I’d be in the back of an alley somewhere. I’m joking. Kinda.)
My mother-in-law Kris makes these cinnamon rolls whenever all of us come to visit for the holidays. She is one of those on-top-of-it kind of people who is up and dressed by 6 every morning. She is always busy rolling out delightful pastries while the rest of us are barely rolling out of bed. I feel guilty when I finally stumble bleary-eyed down the stairs and she is fully dressed, smiling perkily, breakfast all ready for us. When I tell her thank you, (huge bite of third roll) these are amazing (chug chug chug milk) she always says “It’s no big deal. It’s not hard.”
Kris actually says that a lot, and I’ve taken it to heart. Sometimes I start to complain about things in my head, usually about everyday things, like dishes (shudder), or wiping Charlotte up after she eats, or making the bed. And then I hear Kris, “It’s not hard! It’s easy!!” She’s like my own personal Richard Simmons for housework. And then I don’t feel so grumpy about the laundry I’m folding. Thanks Kris! Next time maybe you could dance around like Richard Simmons though, it might make me even more motivated.
Ingredients for fast cinnamon rolls
I´ll bet you have most of these ingredients already at home. That´s why I love this cinnamon roll recipe. They are perfect for last-minute cravings. Wake up craving cinnamon rolls? No problem. One hour from now you´ll be in cinnamon sugar bliss.
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
sugar
active dry yeast
oil
eggs
flour
salt
butter
cinnamon
brown sugar
milk
powdered sugar
How to make quick cinnamon rolls
This is a quick cinnamon roll recipe, meaning the dough´s rise time is short and sweet–only a few minutes. To make fast cinnamon rolls, combine the sugar, yeast, and oil with warm water and let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. I turned my oven on to warm (170˚), turned it off, then put the bowl inside and set the timer. You can start to sift your flour while you wait. After 15 minutes, add the eggs and flour mix to the yeast. Just know that this is a sticky, soft dough. Don´t add too much flour–you want these cinnamon rolls to be nice and soft. Knead for 5 minutes then shape the rolls and let rise for 10 minutes in a greased pan before you bake them.
Of course, cinnamon rolls are nothing without glaze. To make the glaze, combine the hot milk and butter with a whisk, then add the powdered sugar gradually, whisking as you go. Drizzle over the hot rolls and serve immediately.
From zero to hot cinnamon rolls in one hour flat! These one-hour cinnamon rolls do not skimp on flavor even though they are so easy. The dough is soft and tender, the brown sugar filling is just right. It doesn’t get any better than cinnamon rolls for breakfast!
In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar, yeast, and oil with warm water until dissolved. Cover and let stand in warm place for 15 minutes. I turned my oven on to warm (170˚), turned it off, then put the bowl inside and set the timer. Sift your flour while you wait.
Blend eggs into yeast mixture. Add salt to sifted flour, then gradually add to yeast mixture to make a very soft dough. Resist the urge to add more flour.
Knead dough for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface, or switch to the dough hook on your mixer and let a machine do the work. Roll dough into rectangular shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
Brush dough with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over dough.
Roll up dough and slice into 12. Place in a greased 9×13 pan. Let rest 10 minutes.
Bake at 425˚ for 12-17 minutes. You want them to be nice and brown on top–it’s easy to under bake this recipe.
You can see how brown mine were when I took them out, and I probably should have let them go another minute or two.
To make glaze, combine the hot water (or milk) and butter with a whisk. Add the powdered sugar gradually, whisking as you go. If you’re butter isn’t getting incorporated, just stick it in the microwave for a few seconds. Drizzle over the hot rolls and serve immediately! And everyone will love you!
Notes
Source: Marilyn Chapple, Jean McCray, and Sharon Hansen
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