I only have been in Greece a few time, but I clearly remember the Greek food I ate there. Like keftedes, they’re Greek meatballs, but slightly different from the ones (like these Dutch meatballs) I usually make at home.

They’re extra tasty thanks to the addition of mint. Eating keftedes transported me back to Greece for a moment, and I’ll definitely be making them again. They go together really well with a Greek salad or some pita bread. And if you love meatballs you might want to check these meatballs in apricot chipotle sauce too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• all the flavors of Greece without needing to bring your passport!
• easy – making these delicious meatballs is super easy and very tasty as a snack or as part of a meal focused on greek cuisine.

Recipe Ingredients

• ground meat – you can use ground lamb, ground pork, or whatever meatball mixture you prefer. I’ve gone with a beef and pork mixture as I find that gives the best juicy meatballs
• herbs – for making the keftedes, you will need fresh mint and fresh parsley
• shallot – you can replace this with red onion instead or regular yellow onion if you prefer

For full recipe ingredients and quantities, make sure to check the recipe card below. Another fun twist on these keftedes is to add some feta cheese through the meat. Not traditional, but so tasty!

How To Make Keftedes

Start by slicing the shallot, garlic, and the fresh herbs. Then mix it all together using your hands. I use a large bowl and start with two tablespoons of the bread crumbs. I add more if needed. Depending on how wet the meat mixture is. Instead of breadcrumbs, you can also use stale bread for this.

Now form small balls of around 4 cm in diameter (about 1.5 inches). Using a large skillet fry the meatballs in a pan with a little oil or butter. Cook for about 10 minutes or until they’re fully cooked. Serve with homemade tzatziki.

Lately, I’ve been busy checking recipes off my baking list. First, it was the red velvet marble cake, then the no-knead bread, and now I’m making my own Oreos.

Those chocolate cookies had been on my list for over three years, waiting to be made. I knew exactly how I wanted to make them, and the process isn’t that complicated. No idea why I never got around to it before, but the moment has finally arrived!

These homemade Oreo cookies are not exactly the same as store bought, but we thought they were very close to the original. We also had a lot of fun with the photography. I planned to build the tallest possible Oreo tower that would disappear from the frame.

The tower fell over a few times, but we finally succeeded! Okay, it probably helped that Lian was holding her finger on top of the tower, but you can’t see that in the photo. You can see the photo of our tallest Oreo tower at the bottom of this article.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• what’s not to love? – If you love Oreo Cookies, this is an absolute must try! Easy and so tasty!
• variations – the fun part about making your own homemade Oreo cookies is that you can make endless variations! They’re essentially sandwich cookies, so you can sandwich whatever you like in between.

Recipe Ingredients

• butter – I used unsalted butter at room temperature
• sugar – I used a mixture of white and dark brown caster sugar.
• all-purpose flour – don’t use self-rising flour for these
• cocoa powder – I used the unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder. Find out what the difference is between using chocolate or cocoa powder.

Oreo cookies are dark chocolate cookies with just a bit of a different flavor. Check full ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.

How To Make Homemade Oreo Cookies

The first step is to cream the butter and the two sugars together. Add the egg and mix until it is fully combined. Add the flour and cocoa powder until you have a firm cookie dough. Roll into two parts of dough and wrap in plastic wrap.

Make sure to chill the dough for about an hour before proceeding to the next step. Check why you want to chill your dough.

After cooling roll out the dough on a work surface sprinkled with a bit of cocoa powder. Cut out a total of 60 circles with each measuring around 5 cm/2 inches in diameter and place them on a with parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake them at 180˚C/350˚F for about 10-12 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool down on the baking tray and let them cool on a wire rack completely.

Now the best part is finishing the cookies with the cream filling. I used a mixture of butter with icing sugar and just a bit of vanilla and heavy cream. This is one of my favorite fillings for sandwich cookies.

You first mix the butter with the icing sugar and once that starts to blend together you add the heavy cream and the vanilla. Continue mixing until you have a smooth firm cream.

For best results it is easiest to use a piping bag to add just the perfect amount of cream to the Oreo cookies. Pipe on 30 of the cookies and place the remaining 30 cookies on top. Press down gently until the filling is spread across the cookie.

More Oreo Recipes

Once you’ve made these cookies you can go wild with all the Oreo recipes on the site!

• Oreo cheesecake
• Oreo Valentines truffles
• Oreo mug cake
• Oreo ice cream

The spooky season isn’t really celebrated here in the Netherlands, although it does seem to have become more popular in recent years. But regardless of that, I love getting into the kitchen and whipping up some cute Halloween treats.

These chocolate bat cupcakes are made from delicious chocolate cupcakes. The only kind of bat that’s actually a good idea to snack on.  And honestly, my Halloween creations aren’t all that scary, I prefer to whip up cute, spooky treats with a playful twist.

Why You’ll Love This Halloween Recipe

Not so scary, but perfect for baking with kids. They’re fun and most importantly: delicious too! Will you be making these easy Halloween bat cupcakes?

Recipe Ingredients

• all-purpose flour – you can replace flour and baking powder with self-rising flour. Check how to do that here.
• butter – make sure to use unsalted butter
• eggs – I use medium sized eggs
• buttercream – I use ermine frosting here (which is a flour based buttercream)
• Oreo cookies – the bat wings are made with regular sized Oreo cookies and the eye is made with mini Oreo’s.
• candy eyes – candy eyes are the things that make these easy cupcakes come to life!

Make sure to check all the ingredients and the quantities in the recipe card below.

How To Make Halloween Bat Cupcakes

The first step for making these sweet treats is to bake the chocolate cupcakes. That’s just a regular cupcake so nothing special is required here. The second step is making the ermine frosting and adding the hazelnut spread (Nutella or similar) to it. Make sure the cupcakes are cooled completely before you start decorating.

Now comes the fun part, and that is decorating the adorable bat cupcakes. Pipe a generous swirl of the buttercream on top of each cupcake. Split the Oreo cookies in half and remove the filling. Break them neatly into two halves. These halves are going to be your Oreo wings.

Stick the wings into the buttercream and place one mini Oreo in the middle. The eye can be attached by adding a bit of the Oreo filling, or a little bit of buttercream works too. You can give them one eye or two eyes. You can see in the photos how it looks!

And that’s it! Perfect for Halloween parties!

You can also make these with different flavored cupcakes like the vanilla cupcakes or even with strawberry cupcakes, but they will be even less spooky!

Baking a lemon ricotta cake had been on my list for a long time. It’s a moist, soft cake with a hint of lemon. It sounded delicious, but it turned out even better than expected. You really must try this easy lemon ricotta cake!

What Does A Lemon Ricotta Cake Taste Like?

It’s a specialty of Italian dessert cuisine. Ricotta cakes are soft and slightly airy, yet deliciously moist. Add a hint of lemon, and you have a delicious cake. That’s exactly what you want in a cake, right? It was high time I gave it a try.

Since it’s a classic Italian recipe, I drew inspiration from several Italian recipes and created my own Lemon Ricotta Cake. I reduced the amount of sugar and adjusted the recipe so the end result would be a fluffy, creamy cake. It’s almost a cross between a cheesecake and a regular cake.

Recipe Ingredients

• Ricotta – an important thing to keep in mind is that some ricotta brands can be a bit watery. If that is the case, make sure to drain the ricotta to prevent the cake becoming too wet. Ideally let it drain for 24 hours in the fridge.
• Fresh lemons – I use the juice and zest of 1 lemon. If you want to add more lemon flavor use only extra zest. Not extra juice.
• Sugar – I like to use fine granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Self-Rising flour – you can also use all-purpose flour in combination with baking powder. Make sure to double check the article on how to substitute flour for self-rising flour and vice versa.

Check for full quantities and ingredients in the recipe card below.

How To Make Lemon Ricotta Cake

This easy ricotta cake is not complicated to make. You start by mixing the butter and part of the sugar until you have a creamy consistency. Add the ricotta and mix for about 5 minutes until light and creamy. You can use a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl or use the bowl of a stand mixer. Since you need to whisk for quite a few minutes, a stand mixer is easier than an electric hand mixer.

Now, separate the eggs and add the yolks one by one while you keep the machine on medium speed. Add vanilla, fresh lemon juice of half a lemon, zest of the whole lemon, baking soda, and salt. The last part is to mix in the self-rising flour until it is incorporated.

Beat the egg whites in a grease-free bowl with the remaining sugar until you have stiff peaks. Now, first add a bit of the batter to the egg whites and fold them in. Once that is absorbed, you add the remaining egg whites to the batter and try and keep it light and airy. You want a cake with that fluffy texture.

Now add the batter into a springform pan or cake pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50-55 minutes or until the cake is done.

If the cake is getting too brown, cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil. Make sure to let the cake cool in the form for the first 15 minutes before taking it out. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

You can serve it as is or with a little dusting of icing sugar. Of course, adding fresh berries is always a good idea. Alternatively, you can also make a lemon glaze for this lemon ricotta cake recipe.

Lemon Ricotta Cake Toppings

This cake goes well with all kinds of toppings. This means you can make a different cake every time. Fancy some variety? Then try this:

• decorate the cake with heavy cream and red berries
• replace the lemon in the recipe with fresh orange zest
• top the cake with mascarpone cream mixed with lemon juice and zest (Check what the difference is between various kind of creams). Serve with fresh fruit to complete the dish.

Lemon Recipes

I love using lemon in baked goods. That’s why you’ll find plenty of lemon recipes on Laura’s Bakery. I’ve listed some of your favorites below:

• Mini lemon meringue tarts
• Lemon fudge (just 4 ingredients!)
• Lemon bars
• Lemon rosemary scones

Today, I’m sharing a fantastic recipe from one of my cookbooks: Meatballs in apricot chipotle sauce. While I usually lean toward sweet bakes, I truly love a good savory snack too – and the cookbook this recipe comes from is filled with them.

This particular meatball recipe is one of my favorites. The book is currently only available in Dutch, but I love sharing bits and pieces here, so let’s dive in!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A Flavor Twist – If you’re a meatball fan, this unique variation will surprise and delight you.
• Sweet & Spicy – The smoky heat of chipotle paired with the sweet tang of apricot jam? It’s simply irresistible.
• Quick & Easy – No complicated steps – just simple pantry staples and a one-pan finish.

Recipe Ingredients

• Minced Chicken – I used chicken for a lighter twist, but you can use any meatball recipe you love (like my classic Dutch meatballs)
• Chipotle Sauce – I used a ready-made chipotle sauce for convenience, but feel free to use chipotle peppers in adobo – just mince them finely.
• Apricot Jam – I used apricot jam for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, but other apricot preserves will work just fine too.

How To Make Meatballs with Apricot-Chipotle Sauce

The real star here is the sauce – it’s bold, sweet, and smoky with just the right amount of heat.

• Start with your meatballs. Use homemade or store-bought, whatever suits your time and taste.
• Make the sauce. Combine chipotle sauce and apricot jam in a small bowl – yes, it’s that simple.
• Simmer together. Add the sauce to the meatballs in a pan and let everything simmer gently. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks and coat the meatballs beautifully.

Serve warm and enjoy every sticky, flavorful bite.

Storing Meatballs with Apricot Chipotle Sauce

These meatballs store well and taste just as delicious the next day!

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating tip: Warm gently on the stovetop to bring the sauce back to a glossy, fresh-from-the-pan shine.

For a different twist on meatballs also check this recipe for Greek meatballs: keftedes.

This biscuit always reminds me of my trip to Peru. It was there that I first tasted alfajores, which are delicious soft sandwich biscuits with a layer of dulce de leche in between.

What Are Alfajores?

They are an Argentine specialty consisting of two round cornflour biscuits with a rich layer of dulce de leche in between.

The biscuits are often rolled in grated coconut and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They suddenly became popular in the Netherlands when Queen Máxima made them for her 49th birthday in 2020 and shared the recipe.

They are not only popular in Argentina, but also in the rest of Latin America and most South American countries. I tried them during my trip through Peru, after a pisco tasting. The baker was a kindred spirit (I don’t like coconut!) because she had left out the grated coconut. These kinds of details differ by country and region.

Recipe Ingredients

• cornstarch – a typical ingredient for alfajores is cornstarch. They’re also sometimes referred to as cornstarch cookies. The combination of regular flour with the cornstarch gives them a lovely crumbly texture.
• butter – I used unsalted butter
• icing sugar – you need some in the dough as well as for decorating the cookies
• coconut – while I don’t particularly like grated coconut, it is traditional for these dulce de leche sandwich cookies to be rolled in coconut. If you like coconut, feel free to do so! And if you don’t: you can leave it out.
• dulce de leche – This insanely delicious caramel sauce is easy to make yourself. I’ll be sharing a recipe for this soon as well! Of course you can use store-bought dulce de leche as well.

You can find the full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card below.

How To Make Alfajores

Making this traditional cookie is not complicated at all. You start by creaming the butter and the sugar together. You can do this in the bowl of a stand mixer or use an electric mixer.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix. Now add the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch and baking powder) all at once. Knead until it is firm. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it refrigerate for at least an hour.

Once it is chilled, roll out and cut circles of around 5 cm (roughly 2 inches), and keep in mind that you will need 40 biscuits to make 20 alfajores.

Now bake on prepared baking sheets or a cookie sheet for about 10-12 minutes at 175˚C/340˚F until the edges start to brown slightly. You do not want these cookies to come out golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack until completely cooled down to room temperature before filling with a dollop of dulce de leche.

They’re my favorite cookie to serve on special occasions. Or just because I feel like making them.

Storing Alfajores

In general, cookies can be stored for quite a long time, but this depends on the type of cookie. Because alfajores have a creamy dulce de leche center between them, these sandwich cookies do not keep as long as most. I recommend storing them in a cookie jar.

How long do alfajores keep?

You can store them in an airtight container for up to a week. After a few days, the biscuits may become slightly softer due to the caramel filling. which is delicious if you ask me.

Can you freeze alfajores?

Freezing them is a good idea because it allows you to keep them for longer. Storing them in an airtight container will keep them fresh in the freezer for up to three months.

More recipes with dulce de leche

I had discovered this South American caramel sauce, dulce de leche, long before my trip to Peru. It’s incredibly delicious, yet the taste is very different from regular caramel sauce.

The preparation method for homemade dulce de leche alone is unusual: you boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for several hours, and then it’s ready!

Dulce de leche is perfect for all kinds of sweet baked goods.

You could even use it to make my favorite Dutch stroopwafel cookies or drizzle the caramel over stroopwafel ice cream.

Also if you have a soft spot for sandwich cookies, be sure to check out the Italian peach cookies and the raspberry whoopie pies! All cookie recipes can be found here!

Royal icing makes your cookies so much more cheerful and appealing. The best part? You only need a few simple ingredients to make it!

Why I Love Making Royal Icing

Baking cookies is always fun right? But making them look extra pretty with this easy royal icing recipe is even more fun.

You can keep it simple or go for really intricate designs. The choice is yours. This recipe is easy to make and can even be used to build and decorate gingerbread houses.

Recipe Ingredients

• confectioners’ sugar – also known as icing sugar or powdered sugar
• water – you can also use something like lemon juice to give your icing a flavor other than sugar
• egg white powder – you can replace the egg white powder with meringue powder but the ratio might be slightly different. Check below for more details on that.

How To Make Royal Icing

Making royal icing is quite easy. You just add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or mixer and on low speed mix it together.

With this recipe you will get a thick consistency that will hold up well for making outlines on your cookies.

If you want something a bit thinner to fill in the lines, you simply add more water to the mixture. Do this a little bit at a time to get the right consistency.

Difference Egg White Powder vs Meringue Powder

They’re very similar, but not quite the same:

• Egg white powder is simply dehydrated egg whites. When rehydrated with water, it behaves like fresh egg whites. I always use egg white powder for my royal icing.
• Meringue powder usually contains dried egg whites plus other ingredients such as sugar, cornstarch, stabilizers, and sometimes flavorings or acids. It’s designed specifically for making meringues and icings more stable and shelf-stable.

In most royal icing recipes, you can substitute meringue powder for egg white powder. Just keep in mind that the ratio may differ slightly depending on the brand.

For example, Wilton recommends about 4 teaspoons of meringue powder + 4 teaspoons of water to equal 1 egg white.

Because meringue powder has added sugar/starch, the texture may be a little different compared to pure egg white powder.

Which Piping Tips

If you’re going to decorate cookies with royal icing, you’ll need piping tips. In the photo above I used Wilton tips #1 and #3. Since I often get questions about which tips I use, here’s a quick overview of my favorites:

• Wilton #2: for outlining and filling cookies
• Wilton #1: for fine lines or writing (not suitable for thick icing)
• Wilton #3: for filling in larger areas more quickly
• Wilton #129: for drop flowers (only with thick icing)
• PME ST51: for piping leaves
• Wilton #102: for ruffled edges

Of course, there are many more tips you can try, but these are the ones I reach for most often when decorating cookies. If you’re looking for an easy recipe for cookies that are perfect for decorating, try my sugar cookies or these chocolate sugar cookies.

Royal Icing Without Egg White Powder

A common question I get: Can I make royal icing without egg white powder? Usually, this comes up because egg white powder isn’t always available in supermarkets or grocery stores. You can, however, easily buy it online or at specialty cooking shops.

Technically, you can replace it with fresh egg whites – but I don’t recommend using raw egg whites because of the risk of salmonella. These days, pasteurized egg whites are widely available in grocery stores, and that’s a great option.

For reference: the amount of egg white powder in the recipe below is equal to about 2 egg whites. If you’re using actual egg whites, you’ll need little to no extra water (since 10 g/0.35 oz egg white powder + 60 ml/4 tbsp liquid = about 2 egg whites).

I knew a classic mini cheesecake base recipe was a must, they are such a huge hit at parties! So, a little while ago, I got back in the kitchen to perfect it, and even made a few flavor variations, which I’ll be sharing with you soon.

Over the years, I’ve made all kinds of cheesecakes. I think my very first one was a regular cheesecake. I’ve baked many more in a springform pan since, but eventually I started experimenting with different formats. These easy mini cheesecakes are some of my favorite mini desserts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bite-Sized Bliss: These mini cheesecakes are the perfect portion and great for parties, birthdays, or as a sweet treat to share.
• Endlessly Customizable: Once you have the base recipe, you can make all your favorite flavors in mini form!
• Great for Gifting: They look adorable, are easy to transport, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Recipe Ingredients

Use individual silicone cupcake liners for best results.

• crushed biscuits or graham cracker crumbs: you can use any kind of digestive biscuits you like. I love a buttery graham cracker crust.
• unsalted butter: melted
• cream cheese: use a firm natural flavored type.
• fine granulated sugar 
• eggs: you will need about 3 eggs for this recipe.
• sour cream: I love adding a bit of sour cream to the creamy mini cheesecakes as it gives them a slightly fresher flavor.
• all-purpose flour: the flour stabilizes the cream cheese mixture.

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

1. Prepare the crust: Crush the graham crackers finely and mix with melted butter. Divide the mixture among the silicone cupcake molds or muffins cups placed in a muffin tin. Use a cocktail muddler or the bottom of a small glass to press the crumbs down firmly.
2. Make the filling: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. I like to do this in a stand mixer. Add the eggs, sour cream, and flour. Mix until the batter is creamy and uniform.
3. Fill the molds: Spoon the batter into the molds, filling them almost to the top. Leave just 1-2 mm of space from the edge. The batter doesn’t rise much in the oven.
4. Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 20 minutes (conventional oven). Once done, let them cool in the oven with the door slightly open. Then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. Decorate: Once fully chilled, pipe a swirl of mascarpone whipped cream on top of each cheesecake and finish with fresh berries or fresh fruit of choice. Or use your favorite toppings.

Tips for the Best Mini Cheesecakes

• Use individual silicone molds: They make it much easier to remove the cheesecakes cleanly and keep their perfect shape.
• Bake ahead: Like all cheesecakes, these need time to chill and set properly. Make them a day in advance for the best texture and flavor.
• No waste: If you only make 12 cheesecakes (one tray), you’ll have a little batter left. Pour it into a small baking dish and bake it alongside the others – nothing goes to waste!

Storage

Store the mini cheesecakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. They’re perfect for making ahead of time! In the freezer they will keep for up to 3 months.

More Cheesecake Recipes

Did I already mention I love to bake cheesecakes? Here are some of my favorites.

• Homemade cheesecake
• Blueberry crumble cheesecake
• Raspberry cheesecake bars
• Cheesecake cookies

Also make sure to check out my article on how to make the best cheesecake.

Bruschetta holds a special place in my heart, so much so that one of my books (all about appetizers) features nine different bruschetta recipes! While the base stays the same, the toppings are where creativity takes over. One of my latest favorites? Pumpkin and Feta Bruschetta.

Lately, I’ve been on a bit of a pumpkin kick, tossing it into everything from pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie to a basic like making your own pumpkin puree. Right now, there’s even a pumpkin sitting on my countertop, just waiting to be turned into something delicious. But for this recipe, I used a bag of pre-cut pumpkin cubes  – a super convenient shortcut that still tastes great.

Although bruschetta is typically served as an appetizer, I love presenting it as a stylish starter. This pumpkin and feta version is both comforting and unexpected – ideal for impressing guests or simply treating yourself.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect Pairing: Pumpkin and feta are an unexpectedly perfect match: creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet.
• A Unique Twist: You won’t find many bruschetta recipes with this combo, making it a standout at any dinner party.
• Quick & Convenient: With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this is an easy yet elegant dish.

Recipe Ingredients

• Pumpkin: Butternut or any firm variety works well. You can stir-fry the cubes or roast them for extra flavor.

• Feta: Opt for authentic feta for the best taste and texture.

• Garlic: Used to infuse the olive oil mixture that’s brushed over the bread before toasting. You can also rub a cut garlic clove directly onto the toast for a stronger hit.

And of course: the bread for the bruschetta base! I used a ciabatta bread.

How To Make Pumpkin and Feta Bruschetta

1. Prepare the Bread: Slice ciabatta and brush it with a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic (or garlic rubbed directly on the bread), sea salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking tray and toast in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
2. Cook the Pumpkin: While the bread is toasting, cook the pumpkin cubes in a pan with a little olive oil, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft, test a piece to be sure.
3. Assemble the Topping: Once the pumpkin is tender, transfer it to a bowl and gently fold in crumbled feta.
4. Serve: Spoon the pumpkin-feta mixture over the toasted ciabatta. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Storing Pumpkin Bruschetta

• Topping: Store the pumpkin-feta mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• Bread base: Toasted ciabatta can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.

Note: Once assembled, bruschetta is best eaten right away for the best texture and flavor.

In the article below, you’ll find a simple recipe for chocolate sugar cookies. These chocolate cookies hold their shape beautifully while baking, which makes them perfect for decorating with royal icing – or just for using your favorite cookie cutters!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy – I use this recipe for just about any cut-out cookies I’m making. Sometimes in chocolate version such as these or in the plain version such as these cut out sugar cookies. Or if you love lemon flavor I also have this delicious recipe for lemon cut out sugar cookies.
• Adjustable – you can use the recipe as it is or ad spices to make a gingerbread version or keep them plain. There is so much you can do.
• Fun shapes – I love making cookies in all sorts of different shapes and like to vary this with the season. These chocolate cut out cookies can be any shape you want them to be!

Recipe Ingredients

• White caster sugar – depending on how you want your cookies to taste you can use different kinds of sugar, but the best results are with plain caster sugar.
• Vanilla sugar – this gives the cookies an extra delicious flavor
• Unsalted butter – softened
• Egg
• All-purpose flour
• Unsweetened natural cocoa powder – check what is the difference between using chocolate or cocoa powder

Make sure to check the recipe card below for full instructions on exact quantities. Other than that you will also need to use cookie cutters to make the shapes.

Making Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These chocolate sugar cookies are a twist on the classic sugar cookie recipe I shared earlier. I always use that base recipe when decorating with royal icing, since the cookies need to keep their shape in the oven.

Because the recipe uses a relatively high amount of flour, I find the plain sugar cookies taste best with a layer of icing. But this chocolate version? It’s absolutely delicious even without icing! They hold their shape in the oven and smell amazing while baking, also important!

So whether you’re spending the afternoon baking cookies in all shapes and sizes with the kids, or you’re planning to decorate with royal icing (like in this gingerbread cookie version), this recipe is a must-try.

How To Make Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies

For making these delicious buttery cookies, I like to use a paddle attachment and a stand mixer. That said, you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. You start by creaming the butter with the sugar and the vanilla sugar. Mix until creamy and fluffy at which stage you add the egg.

The last step is to add the flour and the cocoa powder. Mix until combined and wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for an hour at least.

Roll out the dough

Next step is roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch/5mm thickness. This is best done on a work surface dusted with a bit of flour or even cocoa powder in the case of chocolate cookies.

Use your favorite cookie cutter to make the shapes and place the cookies on sheets of parchment paper on a baking tray and bake in the oven until golden brown (which might be hard to see as the cookies are already brown in this case). They will need about 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

Keep in mind that the baked cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven. They will firm up as soon as they cool down.

Decorating Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookie recipes are ideal when you want your cookies to keep their shape. Many types of cookie dough spread quite a bit in the oven, but not this one.

You’ll see that the cut-out shape remains perfectly intact after baking. That makes them perfect for decorating with icing or royal icing. I love to decorate these cookies with melted chocolate too!

I will soon be sharing my top tips for royal icing but for now make sure to check out these articles on the best cookies.

• Everything you need to know about baking cookies
• Why you should always chill your dough

Storing the cookies

These cookies will keep for about 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. When frozen, they will keep for up to 3 months in that same airtight container.

More questions about chocolate cookies?

Wondering about your dough, how to roll or store it, or how to make your cookies crispier? I wrote a detailed blog post with all my top tips for perfect cookies – definitely worth a read if you love baking cookies as much as I do!

This Oreo cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser – especially at kids’ parties and birthday celebrations! It’s creamy, rich, and loaded with Oreo flavor, making it a hit with both children and adults alike.

Best of all? The recipe is surprisingly easy to follow, so even if you’re not an experienced baker, you can still create this decadent dessert with confidence.

Topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, it looks festive and tastes even better. Want to mix things up? Feel free to swap in other red fruits like raspberries or red currants for a burst of fresh flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Oreo Cheesecake

• Perfect for Oreo Lovers. Packed with crushed Oreos in both the crust and filling.
• Simple to Make. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list, this cheesecake is easier than it looks!
• Festive & Customizable. Strawberries, whipped cream, ganache – decorate it however you like.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are a few key ingredients you’ll need. Be sure to check the full recipe card for exact quantities, and bring everything to room temperature before starting:

• Oreo Cookies. Crushed, for both the crust and the filling. You can substitute with other cookies if needed, but Oreos deliver the best flavor. You can also make your own oreo cookies!
• Cream Cheese. Use a smooth, firm, and neutral-flavored brand.
• Heavy Cream. Adds richness and creaminess to the filling.
• Sour Cream. A secret ingredient that brightens and balances the flavor.
• Eggs. Help set the cheesecake and give it structure.

How to Make Oreo Cheesecake

Step 1: Prepare the Crust

Crush the Oreos and combine them with melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of your springform pan to form a firm base.

Step 2: Make the Filling

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Then add the sour cream, heavy cream, and eggs one at a time. Once well combined, fold in the flour and additional crushed Oreos.

Step 3: Bake the Cheesecake

Pour the batter into your crust-lined pan. Bake at 150°C/300℉ for about 60 minutes. The cheesecake should be slightly wobbly in the center but set around the edges. Turn off the oven and let it cool inside with the door ajar. Then chill it in the refrigerator overnight, covered.

Step 4: Decorate

Once the cheesecake has chilled and set, decorate the top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. For an extra indulgent touch, you can add chocolate ganache, white chocolate drizzle, or whole Oreos.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator

The cheesecake will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Let it cool completely before covering and refrigerating.

Freezer

You can freeze the cheesecake, just be sure to add toppings after thawing. Slice it before freezing, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and then place in an airtight freezer bag. Cheesecake (slices) can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Recipes with Oreo cookies

Oreos aren’t just for snacking – they’re one of my favorite ingredients for baking, too! From quick no-bake treats to showstopping desserts, they’re endlessly versatile. Here are a few more of my go-to Oreo creations:

• Oreo ice cream
• Oreo mug cake
• Chocolate-covered Oreo pops
• Oreo truffles

These delicious and easy to make pulled chicken empanadas are my favorite go-to snack when I have leftover chicken. Of course you can make this with regular chicken breasts if you don’t have any leftover shredded chicken.

Why I Love This Recipe

For making this chicken empanada recipe, I use ready-made pie crust, which makes these empanadas super easy and quick.

Of course, you can make homemade empanada dough if you prefer, but that would make the recipe much more extensive.

It is a delicious snack but can also be served as part of a Mexican-themed meal.

What Are Empanadas?

Empanadas are small pastries wrapped in dough with a tasty filling. They are especially popular in Spain, Portugal, and South America.

They vary in size; in Spain, the small, single-serving version is called “empanadillas,” the diminutive form of “empanada”.

This recipe for pulled chicken empanadas falls into the smaller category, but since the term “empanadillas” is not widely known in the Netherlands, I decided just to call them empanadas.

Recipe Ingredients

• Shredded chicken – I used my recipe for Mexican shredded chicken. You can also use leftovers from rotisserie chicken or maybe you’ve prepared a whole chicken on the barbecue.
• Corn – this is optional but I love the added crunch of the corn in the chicken filling. Alternatively you can add things like a little bit of tomato paste, bell peppers or black beans for example.
• Pie crust – as mentioned, I have used store-bought pie crust. You could also buy empanada wrappers, which you can find in grocery stores as well (depending on the store, obviously).
• Egg – you will need the egg for making an egg wash.

For the dip I used a mixture of crème fraîche, with onion powder, lemon and fresh cilantro, but you can make (or buy) any kind of dip you like. The savory filling of the pulled chicken empanadas go together with a lot of different flavors!

How To Make Chicken Empanadas

Once you have your chicken empanada filling, the rest is super easy. The first thing you will need to do is to make rounds for the empanada.

Forming the dough

That half-moon shape of empanadas is easy but if you use squares of dough, as I did, you will need to cut them into a circle. Using a pastry cutter or cookie cutter will work just fine. Or if you don’t have those a sharp knife will do the trick as well.

Now, just add a spoonful of your chicken in the middle of the dough. Make sure you leave about 1.5 cm (0.5 inch) of space on the edges of the empanada discs.

Fold the empanada

Fold the empanadas in half and press the edges together firmly. Use your fingers to twist the folded edge inward so that everything is sealed properly. Or use the tines of a fork to firmly press them so they close. Alternatively, you can also use an empanada press if you have one.

Brush generously with the egg wash and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool slightly before serving with the dip.

Storing The Empanadas

You can store the pulled chicken empanadas in the fridge for up to two days or freeze them for up to three months.

You can also freeze them in a freezer bag, in their unbaked version and bake them fresh out of the freezer. If you bake them frozen, they will need a couple of extra minutes.

Reheating

If you want to reheat the empanadas (at room temperature), place them onto a baking sheet and bake them for 8-10 minutes at 180°C/350˚F.

Love Chicken?

Check out the below chicken recipes as well! I know you will love them

• Pasta salad with chicken
• Crunchy chicken
• Easy chicken skewers