Get the party started with this easy no-bake funfetti dessert lasagna. Tastes like my childhood, licking funfetti batter off the beaters.

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All these years of blogging and I’ve only missed posting on my birthday once. It was 2019 and I was in Italy for our belated honeymoon. I was too busy eating gelato for breakfast – good enough excuse right? For 41, I decided that every new recipe I share this month will be inspired by one of my favorite things. I started with a Hawaiian SPAM pizza because I love a fruited pizza, especially the OG.

Since my birthday is also May the Fourth be with you I often post a Star Wars-inspired recipe today for my actual birthday but decided to take my Funfetti stuffed cookie for one into a multi-serving dessert instead. No-bake dessert lasagnas are one of my favorite desserts in general especially the first one I ever made – peanut butter cup dessert lasagna. I have made several variations over the years and it was finally time to make a funfetti dessert lasagna.

I debated using birthday cake Oreos instead of graham crackers but I didn’t want this to be an Oreo and Funfetti desert lasagna because the grocery only had the classic chocolate Oreo version, none of the vanilla Oreos. Although Oreo Funfetti would be delicious I wanted the cake batter flavor to shine – and if I’m being honest I find the cake batter creme in those Oreos is extra artificial tasting. I’d rather a classic Oreo than the birthday ones and that defeats the purpose of using the Oreos in the first place. But I digress.

This Funfetti dessert lasagna is pretty simple but has all the birthday vibes. Layers of graham cracker soften overnight between layers of a filling reminiscent of Funfetti batter/cheesecake Finished with a layer of whipped toping and lots of sprinkles! And yes I did eat a slice of this for breakfast this morning.

FUNFETTI DESSERT LASAGNA

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Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 6 Hours 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (3.4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding
• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup white or yellow dry cake mix*
• 1 tsp cake batter flavor (or vanilla extract)
• 24 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1 (14 oz.) box classic graham crackers
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles**, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whip together the heavy cream and instant pudding mix. Add cream cheese, cake mix, and vanilla. Whip for 2-3 minutes until fully combined and smooth. Add 16 ounces of the thawed whipped topping, 1 cup at a time. Continue to whip until fluffy and light. Fold in the rainbow sprinkles. Set aside.
2. In a 9 x 13 inch dish place one layer of graham crackers (I used 7-1/2 per layer). Spread 1/3 of the filling mixture over the graham crackers. Gently press the next layer of graham crackers into the filling and repeat, ending with the final third of the filling.
3. Cover and chill for at least 4-6 hours (overnight for best results). When ready to serve, top with remaining 8 oz. of whipped topping and decorate with more rainbow sprinkles before cutting into 24 squares.

Notes

*Heat treat raw flour before consuming. Toast it in the oven at 350F for about 5 minutes, or microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds, until an instant thermometer reads 160F. **Use jimmies as the nonpareils color bleeds easily.

Source: Adapted from my No-Bake Peaches and Cream Dessert Lasagna.

If potato soup and a Reuben sandwich got together they would create this Reuben soup. Can use leftover corned beef but it’s worth making some just for this!

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How many things can be Reuben-inspired? I feel like when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, this little blog of mine is putting that question to the test. I may not have any recipes for an actual Reuben sandwich but over the years I have shared recipes for Reuben Taquitos, Reuben Pizza, Reuben Dip, Reuben Burgers, Reuben Mac & Cheese, and Reuben Stromboli. Today I am adding one more to that list – Reuben soup!

This is Reuben soup actually a different version of my Cheddar Baked Potato Soup that has been heavily adapted to incorporate all the things a Reuben should have – sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, corned beef, and your choice of Thousand Island or Russian dressing. I recently learned that Russian dressing is technically the more traditional option but Thousand Island became more popular because it is sweeter and balances out the sauerkraut and corned beef.

While technically this was meant as a way to use up leftover corned beef I honestly think it is worth preparing corned beef just so you can make this Reuben soup. It’s that good. Better yet, I used the corned beef broth that ultimately was created when cooking my corned beef in a slow cooker as the broth in this recipe as opposed to using regular beef broth. Waste not! Of course don’t forget a slice of toasted rye bread for swiping up any soup that’s left in your bowl.

REUBEN SOUP

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Yield: 8-10 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (~1 cup)
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped (~1 cup)
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth*
• 3 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire
• 1 tsp carraway seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground white black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole or 2% milk
• 2 cups cooked corned beef, chopped
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese, plus more for serving
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Thousand Island or Russian dressing, for serving
• Green onion, sliced, for serving
• Toasted rye bread, for serving

Directions

1. In a stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
2. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture, stir to coat, and continue to stir while cooking for 3 minutes.
3. Add the broth, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the potatoes, sauerkraut, Worcestershire, carraway seeds, white pepper, thyme, and paprika then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Stir in the cream, milk, and corned beef. Add Swiss cheese 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Add hot sauce, salt* and more pepper, to taste. Serve topped with more Swiss cheese, dressing, Green onion, and toasted rye bread.

Notes

*Salt needed will depend on the salt content of the beef broth used. I used the liquid beef broth leftover from making slow cooker corned beef.

Source: Adapted from my Cheddar Baked Potato Soup, inspired by Poggiolieats.

Chocolate covered strawberries but add peanut butter – that’s what these chocolate strawberry shortcakes are all about. Made with both peanut butter and peanut butter whipped cream.

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Usually I reserve 12/31 for the top 10 countdown of the best recipes of the year but with the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes playing #10 Miami Hurricanes tonight in the Cotton Bowl I obviously had to adjust for one last peanut butter chocolate recipe in 2025! I have to admit todays recipe might cause an upset in my personal top 10 that I listed yesterday but hopefully not sending that energy into the game (being an upset, I mean).

While strawberries aren’t really in season right now, the official state cake of Florida is strawberry shortcake so you know I had to keep with my trend from last years successful CFP and make an Ohio State Buckeye version. Afterall, we already know both chocolate and peanut butter pair with strawberry so why not all three? Inspired by my dark chocolate strawberry shortcakes with amaretto cream I came up with these chocolate strawberry shortcakes with peanut butter whipped cream.

You can’t see it, but similar to my peanut butter oreo banana pudding there is a layer of creamy peanut butter underneath the first layer of whipped cream. The peanut butter whipped cream is delicious but I had to make sure the peanut butter flavor was not lacking.

Basically, these chocolate strawberry shortcakes taste like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with fresh strawberry jam but instead of regular bread it’s on chocolate bread and there’s some fluffy whipped cream action going on in as well. Doesn’t sound like a bad time to me at all. Would be a great dessert idea for Valentine’s Day, too.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

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Yield: Serves 6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 17 Minutes 17 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

SHORTCAKES

• 2/3 cup 2% milk
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted cold butter, chopped
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 lbs. sliced strawberries, reserving a few for garnish

PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter***

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat (or grease pan well).
2. Place 2/3 cup milk and dark chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool.
3. Meanwhile, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, and whisk together until combined. Add butter and cut in with fork until crumbly in texture. Slowly add milk and chocolate chip mixture and stir in until just combined.
4. Using an extra large cookie scoop, spoon mixture into 6 large circles onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing.
5. In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and powdered peanut butter and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
6. To assemble, place the bottom slice of the chocolate shortcakes on serving plate then top each with 2 tablespoons of peanut butte, half of the peanut butter whipped cream, and the strawberries; end with the top slice of the shortcake. Top with remaining whipped cream and strawberries if desired. 

Source: Adapted from my Dark Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes and Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Pudding.

When life hands you chocolate, make peanut butter French silk pie bars – because obviously peanut butter is the logical next step.

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It’s Saturday which means it’s peanut butter chocolate time! I realize that most of my new recipes lately are for #PBchocSat but it’s about all I have time for these days. I have a pretty demanding mouse experiment at work and I barely cook at all as a result. Heck last night I ate Cheetos for dinner. But I digress.

Since it’s pie season I decided to whip up these French silk pie bars with peanut butter layered in. I could have mixed it into the chocolate layer itself but I wanted to make sure you knew there was peanut butter in there just by looking at them.

While I obviously made these for the Ohio State vs UCLA game tonight, these peanut butter French silk pie bars would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving menu. A chocolate pie might not be the most traditional for the holiday but I am not that traditional of a person so I see nothing wrong with it. You should make what you think sounds good!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, some of my family is coming into town for it and I have yet to plan any of the menu yet for the same reason that all I’ve posted lately is peanut butter and chocolate recipes. Do you think they would be okay with a full peanut butter and chocolate coursed menu? I could think of worse things…

PEANUT BUTTER FRENCH SILK PIE BARS

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Yield: 16 Servings Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 3/4 cup finely crushed chocolate graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter**

TOPPING

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper with overhang; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in melted butter until evenly distributed then dump into the prepared baking dish and press into the bottom evenly. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
3. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate, sugar, and butter, whisking constantly until smooth, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir for one minute to cool slightly.
4. Whisk in beaten egg yolk then return to medium-low heat. Continue stirring until mixture starts to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat*.
5. Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice water, stir in heavy cream until incorporated and continue to stir occasionally until filling becomes hard to stir, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer filling to a medium bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and airy, about 2-3 minutes set aside.
7. Spread peanut butter** evenly over the top of the cooled crust, followed by the filling. Place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes or until firm.
8. While the filling sets, prepare the ganache. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and whipping cream. Microwave on high for 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted.
9. Pour ganache over the top of the chilled mousse and spread to cover evenly. Cover and chill for another 30 minutes or overnight until firm.
10. Lift bars out of pan using the parchment paper overhangs. Cut into 16 bars and store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

*Don't worry if it looks slightly curdled. **Microwave the peanut butter for a few seconds to make spreading easier.

Source: Adapted slightly from A Kitchen Addiction.

Cranberry cinnamon roll casserole is an easy festive fall breakfast or brunch dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes thanks to a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls.

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Like many recipes, this cranberry cinnamon roll casserole is not 100% my creation. I am often inspired by various recipes from cookbooks, other recipe bloggers, social media, or trying to recreate something I had at a restaurant. This one falls into the social media category.

I had two versions of a similar recipe saved, one using peach pie filling and another with fresh blueberries, and I thought to myself why not fresh cranberries for the fall? I modified the filling and topping a little bit based on my own experience making similar things but obviously kept the can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls on the ingredient list.

Could you make cranberry cinnamon roll casserole with homemade cinnamon rolls? Sure, homemade will almost always taste best. But the point I was going for with this recipe was the speed at which it comes together. No planning ahead of time necessary beyond ensuring you have the ingredients on hand. Another great halfway homemade option to feed a crowd during the holidays would be to make Sheet Pan Pancakes From Mix.

Technically you could use any fruit you desire. Heck maybe you don’t want any fruit in it. Add some chocolate or nuts instead. All you technically need to make this cranberry cinnamon roll casserole is a refrigerated can of cinnamon rolls, fresh cranberries, and heavy cream. Skip the crumbly topping if you don’t want to be bothered and just stick to the icing. It’s an easily adaptable recipe which is one of my favorite types of recipe.

• Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Apple Chai Scones by Blogghetti
• Ginger Spiced Pear Compote with Cranberriesl by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Sicilian Eggplant Parmigiana by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Spiced Maple Toffee Apple Smoothie Bowl by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Pumpkin Bagels by Art of Natural Living
• Crispy Molasses Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Easy Peach Ginger Skillet Crisp by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Apple Gorgonzola Salad by Easy Recipes For One
• Kale and Kabocha Paratha by Magical Ingredients

CRANBERRY CINNAMON ROLL CASSEROLE

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Yield: 6 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

TOPPING

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

FILLING

• 1 can (12.4 oz.*) cinnamon rolls, quartered (icing reserved for topping)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 cup fresh cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan; set aside.
2. To make the topping, in a medium bowl blend together the butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the prepared pie pan, evenly spread the quartered cinnamon rolls. Drizzle with heavy cream and evenly distribute cranberries over the top. Crumble the topping over the top.
4. Place is preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbling. Immediately top with icing from the can of cinnamon rolls and serve.

Notes

*Not the grands, the one with 8 rolls.

Source: Adapted from Taste with Nikki.

Potato leek soup is too short to truly describe all the flavors that make this bowl of deliciousness. Make it tonight and serve it with a slice of crusty bread to scoop up every last drop.

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Not to be confused with my cheddar baked potato soup or slow cooker potato soup, this potato leek soup has the added benefit of leeks and a slew of seasonings. It still tastes like comfort food but with a slightly fresher flavor profile. It may be warming up outside, putting a damper on soup season, but you might want to squeeze this one in real quick. Truly, it’s a quick one. And I got to use my favorite kitchen appliance – the immersion blender!

If you or someone you know makes homemade soups at any frequency, you should get an immersion blender. One of my least favorite kitchen appliances is the regular blender because blending hot liquids can be literally explosive, so I’d pick my immersion blender 10/10 times. I pretty much only use my blender for smoothies.

The best part of using an immersion blender is that I can easily see and control how blended I make my soups. I prefer soups like this potato leek soup and broccoli cheddar soup to still have chunks. In all honestly, I prefer most soups to be a bit chunky rather than creamy, unless it’s tomato soup.

But I’ve gushed over immersion blenders enough. Regardless of which type of blender you have, this soup will be a hit. With the usual suspects of onion and carrot as the base, with leek as a special friend, this potato leek soup is seasoned to perfection with dill, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Make it extra special with homemade chicken or vegetable broth and finish it with heavy cream before blending it up how you like it.

POTATO LEEK SOUP

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Yield: 6 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced (scant 1 cup)
• 2 leeks sliced (about 1 cup)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 5 large potatoes peeled and chopped (about 5 heaping cups)
• 3 carrots, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground white black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 cup cream
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When warmed, add onion and leeks and cook 5 minutes or until softened and starting to brown.
2. Stir in the broth, potatoes, carrots, dill, Italian seasoning, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a boil over high head, then turn town to medium-low, cover, and cook about 30 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are soft. Season to taste with more salt or pepper if needed.
3. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream. Using an immersion blender*, blend until half of it is blended in, leaving half with chunks. blend part or all of the vegetables if desired.
4. Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley and a slice of good bread.

Notes

*You can also transfer into a regular blender if you don't have an immersion blender.

Source: Adapted from Savory with Soul.

Who needs vanilla wafers in banana pudding when you can have layers of creamy peanut butter, fluffy peanut butter whipped cream, and an Oreo crumble on top? This peanut butter Oreo banana pudding is unapologetically delicious.

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It’s time for the first ever round 1 of the new College Football Playoffs and my Ohio State Buckeyes are hosting the Tennessee Volunteers tonight at 8pm! Friends from TN even came up for the event so hopefully we are still friends after today :-P. I may have gone to UT (Health Science Center in Memphis) for graduate school, but you all know where my allegiance lies.

So of course you know what that means… a post-regular season #PBchocSat of course! I had no intention of posting any more new recipes before the end of 2024, but this cause is obviously a worthy exception.

In the past I have drawn inspiration from the state desserts of teams we play, making a peanut butter and chocolate version worth of the Buckeye State and #PBchocSat. Some of my favorites are the Buckeye Sugar Cream Pie when we played Indiana and the Peanut Butter Chocolate Bumpy Cake from Michigan and Buckeye Blackout Whoopie Pies to for the blackout against Penn State to counter their white out game.

What is Tennessee’s state desert? Banana pudding! Even though Elvis was known to love a classic banana pudding, he also loved the combination of peanut butter and banana so I don’t think it’s that crazy to combine the two and add a little chocolate while I am at it to create this peanut butter Oreo banana pudding. If strawberry banana pudding is a thing, why not peanut butter Oreo banana pudding?

I based this Buckeye version of banana pudding on the original recipe for Miss B’s Banana Pudding from Hot Chicken Takeover. Sadly under new ownership they have abandoned the recipe for the best damn banana pudding I’ve ever had. Thankfully THE Miss B gave me the recipe, making it the perfect dessert today for THE Ohio State Buckeyes!

While I tweaked the base of her recipe oh-so slightly, the real trick is cooking the already ripe bananas in butter just enough to soften them, and blending that into vanilla pudding. Don’t try to feed me fake banana flavored pudding.

Obviously the original recipe also used vanilla wafers, but I decided to shake things up with my favorite peanut butter creme filled Oreos. If you can’t find peanut butter Oreos, regular will do, or try crushing up some chocolate graham crackers. But what you see on top isn’t just crushed up Oreos, they are crushed, coated in butter, tossed in sugar and a little bit of salt and baked into a crumble. I then layer it in the bottom of the cup and on top because you’re going to want it to be more than just on top – the crunchy texture the sweet and salt crumble adds is next level.

Speaking of the next level, you will add a layer of creamy peanut butter to this ensemble, to then be finished off with peanut butter whipped cream and more Oreo crumble. My reaction after the first bite of this peanut butter Oreo banana pudding extravaganza? “Holy sweet goddamn!”

PEANUT BUTTER OREO BANANA PUDDING

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

SALTED OREO CRUMBLE TOPPING

• 1 (17 oz.) package Oreos with peanut butter flavor creme*
• 1 (1/2 cup) stick unsalted butter*, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar

BANANA PUDDING

• 2 (5.1 oz.) boxes of vanilla instant pudding
• 1 (14 oz.) can (1-3/4 cups) evaporated milk
• 2-1/4 cups + 3 Tbsp cold milk, divided
• 2 ripe bananas, diced
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter, melted (for garnish)

PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter***

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Roughly chop the Oreo cookies. Transfer to a large bowl and add the melted butter and salt, stirring to coat. Add sugar and stir to coat evenly. Transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet, spreading evenly. Bake 10 minutes then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, break up into a crumble.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once melted, add the bananas and cook just until they start to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer bananas to a blender or food processor, add remaining 3 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until cool.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding, evaporated milk, and 2-1/4 cups cold milk until smooth. Whisk in cooled banana, cover and refrigerate for at least 5 minutes.
6. In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and powdered peanut butter and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.  
7. Assemble/divide into eight cups with a little bit of Oreo crumble on the bottom followed by a tablespoon of melted peanut butter, banana pudding, another tablespoon of peanut butter, peanut butter whipped cream, and finished with more Oreo crumble****.

Notes

*Could also use traditional Oreos or graham crackers. **If using salted butter, omit the 1 teaspoon of salt. ***Substitute 2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter with creamy peanut butter if needed. ****Best served immediately or at least within 24 hours. If not, wait to assemble until ready.

Source: Adapted from Miss B’s Banana Pudding, originally from Hot Chicken Takeover in Columbus, OH.

Buckeye sugar cream pie is Ohio’s version of the Indiana Hoosier sugar cream pie made with a chocolate pie crust and sweet peanut butter cream filling.

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Sugar cream pie may be the unofficial state pie of Indiana, but today instead of a Hoosier sugar cream pie I made a Buckeye sugar cream pie! Shockingly Indiana has been climbing the ranks in college football this year and today it’s our turn to take them on – thankfully at home.

Obviously I had to take the opportunity to buckeye their state pie in honor of the occasion. Especially since today is also my dad’s 80th birthday! It’s the perfect pie to make for this day because he was born in Ohio but grew up in Indiana. It was just meant to be.

Despite the long history of this pie, The only ingredient that people can agree upon is that it has to contain sugar. Otherwise, the filling can be made with milk or cream (or anything in between), flour or cornstarch, sometimes butter, but definitely not eggs. This sweetened dairy mixture is then best thickened on the stove top and poured into a pre-baked crust for a more reliable consistency.

So how did I make this Indiana staple a Buckeye sugar cream pie? First I made a chocolate pie crust, which honestly takes the majority of the prep and cooking time of this recipe. I don’t pre-bake crusts often, but it’s always fun to pull out my pie weights for the occasion.

Once the crust was prepped and ready to go, all I had to do to the filling was substitute out the butter for peanut butter. I almost used powdered peanut butter but since this pie was born out “desperation”, using ingredients found in many Hoosier pantries, I figured most people don’t have powdered peanut butter lying around and opted for classic creamy peanut butter instead.

The end result was better than I imagined. A buttery, slightly chocolate crust, filled with a creamy peanut butter filling reminiscent of creme brulee, with a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg on top. I even added a tiny buckeye candy on top.

Five years ago: Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cream Pie

Nine years ago: Chorizo Ragu Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Eleven years ago: Mini Razzle Dazzle Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Twelve years ago: Pumpkin Bagels with Cinnamon-Walnut Cranberry Cream Cheese Spread

Thirteen years ago: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

BUCKEYE SUGAR CREAM PIE

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Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 6 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE PIE CRUST

• 1/4 cup cold milk
• 1 tsp chocolate extract, optional
• 1/2 tsp white vinegar
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup cold shortening, cut into cubes
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

FILLING

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 5 creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

TOPPING

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Make the crust: In a small bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, and chocolate extract (if using); set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and shortening and cut into the flour mixture with a knife or pastry cutter (or pulse in a food processor).
3. Add milk mixture, stirring (or pulsing) until a dough forms. If needed add a little more flour or milk to form a dough that hold itself together without being sticky. Form into a smooth flattened disc of dough, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
4. Roll dough out on a floured surface and fit into a 10-inch pie plate. Trim excess or crimp edges as desired*, pierce the sides and bottom of  crust with a fork, and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place pie crust on a baking sheet. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
6. Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, brush the inside of the crust with egg white, then return to the oven and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool while preparing the filling.
7. Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the cream and peanut butter, then set over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Cook for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat. Immediately add the vanilla and whisk to combine.
8. Pour the filling into the pre-baked cooled pie crust and smooth to fill evenly. Let set for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to broil with an oven rack 6 inches below the element. Drizzle melted butter over the top of the pie, tilting or using a pastry brush to distribute the butter evenly. Sift cinnamon and nutmeg over the top. Place the pie under the broiler until the butter bubbles and the surface browns, about 2 minutes.
10. Cool completely on a wire rack before refrigerating for 4 hours or overnight until fully set. 

Notes

*I used the excess to roll back out and cut out little circles to decorate the edges.

Did You Make This Recipe?

I want to see! Tag me on Instagram at @TheSpiffyCookie and hashtag it #TheSpiffyCookie.

Source: Adapted from Saving Room for Dessert and the crust from my Caramel Apple Pie.

You’ll be a fiend for this no-bake peaches and cream dessert lasagna. With layers of cinnamon graham crackers, juicy peaches, and a creamy filling, it’s the perfect make ahead summer dessert.

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Another year, another dessert lasagna. Seriously, I make a new version nearly every year. The years I don’t I make up for it in the next with more than one. As proof: this will be my thirteenth dessert lasagna in the year 2024 and I started this blog in November of 2010. Although my first, chocolate peanut butter cup lasagna, didn’t happen until 2014. Immediate obsession.

While most of my early renditions were focused on different chocolate pairings, after topping my patriotic dessert lasagna with blueberries and strawberries I knew I had to do more. Shortly after I moved on to the fruit category and I pretty much haven’t looked back.

Since I made my first fruited dessert lasagna in 2017, coconut strawberry shortcake, all of those that I have made since, except for a root beer dessert lasagna, have been fruited. What can I say, other than peanut butter, fruited desserts are my favorite.

Now that you’ve had your history lesson of The Spiffy Cookie’s dessert lasagnas, it’s time for the latest – peaches and cream dessert lasagna! The idea came to me after making peaches and cream pie bars and wishing there was more of the “cream”. This peaches and cream dessert certainly has plenty of cream layered with cinnamon graham crackers, juicy peaches and then topped with whipped cream, more peaches, and crushed graham cracker.

What’s in peaches and cream dessert lasagna?

• A lot of cream cheese
• A lot of frozen whipped topping
• Whole box of cinnamon graham crackers
• Package of instant vanilla pudding
• Five peaches
• Heavy cream

Welcome to this year’s #SummerDessertWeek event hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife. We’ve got 15 spectacular bloggers creating summer-themed dessert recipes that we’re going to be sharing with you all week! You can find them on our blogs (some of those recipe links posted in this post) and on social media with the hashtag #SummerDessertWeek.

Check out today’s recipes:

• Sno-Cone Cupcakes from Hezzi-D’s Recipes Box
• Cherry Crisp from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Lemon Berry Puff Pastry Cups from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Peach Streusel Cake from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Banana Split Pudding Parfait in a Jar from Blogghetti
• Glazed Drumstick Crumb Cake from Sweet ReciPEAs
• Frozen S’Mores from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Chocolate Chip Brookie from Jen Around the World
• Air Fryer Caramelized Pineapple Foster from For the Love of Food
• Summer Fruit Salad from Our Good Life

PEACHES AND CREAM DESSERT LASAGNA

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Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 6 Hours 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (3.4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding
• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 16 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 4 peaches*, thinly sliced
• 1 (14 oz.) box cinnamon graham crackers

TOPPING

• 8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 peach*, cut into 24 thin slices
• 1/2 cinnamon graham cracker sheet, crushed

Directions

1. Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, whip together heavy cream, pudding mix, cream cheese, and vanilla. Whip for 2-3 minutes until fully combined and smooth. Add the thawed whipped topping and continue to whip until fluffy and light. Set aside.
2. In a 9 x 13 inch dish place one layer of graham crackers. Spread 1/3 of the filling over the wafers, followed by half of the peach slices. Gently press the next layer of graham crackers into the filling. Top with a second 1/3 of the filling, peaches, repeat the graham cracker layer, and end with the final 1/3 of the filling.
3. Top with more whipped topping and 24 peach slices. Chill for at least 4-6 hours.
4. When ready to serve, crumble half of a graham cracker on top, cut into 24 squares and serve.

Notes

*I used quartered peaches that I had previously peeled and frozen, and sliced thinner for this recipe.

Source: Adapted from my No-Bake Banana Pudding Dessert Lasagna.

Turn a classic dessert into a springtime treat with lavender lemon creme brulee. A fancy looking dessert that can be made ahead of time!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the week’s recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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It’s time for #SpringSweetsWeek 2024 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box! Spring may not officially start until tomorrow, March 19th, but the sun has been shining and we are celebrating with plenty of spring sweets and a fun giveaway!

This year 17 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 50 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring. So get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, ice cream, pies, cakes, and more!

A huge thanks to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors that are helping us give away some great prizes. Thank you to Melissa’s Produce, Taylor and Colledge, and Selefina Spices for your generosity and support. We have an incredible giveaway this year with three amazing prizes which you can read about HERE before entering using the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

The first thing that I made for this week was lavender lemon creme brulee, made with not just any lemons, but Melissa’s Produce Meyer lemons! And then instead of vanilla I used lavender extract paste from Taylor & Colledge.

While you use the zest from two lemons, you only need the juice from one. Therefore, I decided to slice up the second one and place it on top before torching the sugar. Why be wasteful?

Normally, my husband hates floral flavors in food but lavender is thankfully one he can enjoy. But it’s not overpowering in this lavender lemon creme brulee in case you are apprehensive about it.

I particularly love lavender and lemon together as evident by my list of recipes featuring that combo such as shortbread cookies, whoopie pies, chess pie, madeleines, and even lavender vodka lemonade.

• Banana Dragon Fruit Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Berry Triple Layer Cake from In Our Spare Time
• Blood Orange Crepe Suzette from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Blood Orange Crumb Muffins from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Blood Orange Posset from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Holiday Fruit Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake from Art of Natural Living
• Lemon Mousse Filled Crepe Cups with Berries from Blogghetti
• Lemon Raspberry Crepe Cake from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Meyer Lemon Almond Pound Cake from Cheesecurd In Paradise
• Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Split Seconds Cookies from Shockingly Delicious
• Springtime Chocolate Terrarium Dessert from For the Love of Food
• Sweet Crepes with Luscious Fruits from Our Good Life
• Tangerine Upside Down Cake from Magical Ingredients
• Tangerine Vanilla Fig Preserves from That Recipe

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

LAVENDER LEMON CREME BRULEE

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Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 4 Hours 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 Melissa's Produce meyer lemons
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp
• 1 tsp Taylor and Colledge lavender extract paste
• 4 Tbsp sugar

Directions

1. Zest the two lemons; zest aside. Juice one of the lemons; set aside. Slice the remaining lemon; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line the bottom of a large baking pan with a damp kitchen cloth.
3. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
4. While water is boiling, combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp lemon zest, and salt in saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally 4 -5 minutes, until steam rises.
5. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and lavender extract until smooth. Slowly drizzle hot cream into yolks, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all the cream is incorporated. Pour mixture into four 6 oz ramekins.
6. Place ramekins on towel in baking dish, and place dish on oven rack. Pour boiling water into dish to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover whole pan loosely with foil.
7. Bake 40-45 minutes, until centers are barely set. Chill ramekins in refrigerator 4-6 hours.
8. Before serving, place a lemon slice on top of each, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each. Use a kitchen torch* (or broiler placed 3 inches away) to brown top, 2-3 minutes.

Notes

*If you don't have a kitchen torch, you don't NEED one but they are definitely fun to play with. I found mine a few years ago in the hardware section at Walmart.

Source: Adapted from my Creme Brulee and The Spruce Eats.