Soft and Chewy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

These FLUFFY banana chocolate chip cookies are the cookies of my childhood! You are going to love EVERYTHING about these banana bread cookies! It’s your favorite quick bread in cookie form!

The other day, a neighbor posted on Facebook that she had some ripe bananas that she was going to throw away unless someone wanted them. And then I sprinted to her door! Ok, just kidding, but never ever, under any circumstances, should ripe bananas be thrown away! I’ll take them all!

I’d use them to make these amazing banana cookies, and if there are any left over, I’d make a loaf of our perfect banana bread! Oh shoot, but what about our banana bundt cake?! We can’t forget about that one! Needless to say, don’t throw away the bananas!!

Ingredients for Banana Bread Cookies

• Shortening: Creates a tender, softer texture and helps the cookies hold their shape without spreading too much.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor, moisture, and contributes to slight spreading and a crispy edge.
• Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture, and chewiness thanks to its molasses content.
• Sugar: Balances sweetness and contributes to crisp edges and spreading
• Eggs: Bind the dough, provide structure while also helping with leavening
• All Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies.
• Baking Soda: Neutralizes acidity (from brown sugar and banana) and encourages browning/spread.
• Baking Powder: Provides lift and helps keep cookies light and soft and not dense.
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
• Banana: Adds natural sweetness and banana flavor, moisture, and a soft, tender texture while also reducing need for extra fat.
• Vanilla Extract: Rounds out and enhances the flavor of the dough.
• Chocolate Chips: Add rich bursts of chocolate, balancing the sweetness of the banana cookie base.

Read more

Deep Fried Peaches and Ice Cream [+ Video]

Deep fried peaches are rolled in cinnamon sugar then served up with cold, creamy ice cream! This family-friendly treat is warm, crispy, and tastes like peach pie took a spin through the county fair – only faster and easier!

Making a Comeback!

This recipe for deep fried peaches might just be the best summer idea I’ve ever had. Nearly 20 years ago, it was one of the first recipes on our site to go totally viral – websites everywhere were buzzing about this sweet, cinnamon-kissed peach dessert. I felt like I had cracked the code on peach perfection.

Then I had more kids. Got more distracted. And I forgot.

How do you forget a dessert that good? Easy – life gets full. Kids may sleep through the night, but suddenly it’s sports, homework, and snack duty on repeat. But as I looked back through our 2000+ recipes, this one jumped out at me. It was time to bring it back.

I love mine with vanilla ice cream, maybe a spoonful of whipped cream, but the kids go all out with caramel sauce, raspberry drizzle – or both, because of course they do. The whole thing reminds me of my mom’s Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler and our Peach Crisp – those warm, spiced desserts that made every camping trip feel like a feast, even if we were eating cross-legged in the dirt.

If you’re loving these deep fried peaches, you’ll definitely want to check out these other peach-filled handy snacks: the chewy, wholesome Better For You Peach Oatmeal Bars and the buttery, golden Peach Dumplings with Crescent Rolls and Sprite.

Ingredients for Deep-Fried Peaches

Let’s be honest – anything dipped in batter and tossed in cinnamon sugar is already halfway to dessert heaven. Luckily, this easy recipe has simple ingredients that come together fast so you can get straight to the good stuff!

• Fresh Whipped Cream: Optional fluff to finish it off just right.
• All-purpose Flour: Creates that golden, crispy coating.
• Milk: Keeps the batter smooth – whole milk is best, but any kind works.
• Sugar: Adds just enough sweetness to balance the cinnamon.
• Large Egg: Binds the batter

Brown Sugar Peach Crumble Pie Bars

This recipe for Brown Sugar Peach Crumble Pie Bars is for you, the one who is afraid of pie. Homemade peach crumble pie features a flaky crust and always fresh, sweet peach filling. To take things from yummy to AMAZING we top it off with a brown sugar crumble that you won’t be able to stop eating! This is the ultimate slice of summer dessert.

Tired of peach pies that turn into a soggy mess?

We’ve all been there – cutting into what should be a perfect peach pie, only to find a runny filling and a bottom crust that gave up halfway through baking. These peach crumble bars solve the problem of a weeping pie and soggy crust with a thick, juicy peach filling that holds up beautifully AND a sturdy crust that stays crisp, even under all that sweet summer fruit.

Why This Recipe is Always on Repeat in Our Kitchen

Late summer in Washington meant buckets of peaches and a kitchen that smelled like warm fruit and spice – something special was always baking. Peaches make me feel so content and nostalgic in life and this peach pie bar recipe is our go-to when peaches are perfect and we want something sweet without the fuss.

Ingredients for Brown Sugar Peach Crumb Bars

Nothing complicated here – just fresh peaches, a few pantry basics, and that buttery crumble magic that turns golden and crisp in the oven.

• All Butter Pie Crust: We use one double crust of Mom’s Magic Pie Crust – it’s flaky, foolproof, and our forever favorite.
• Peach Chunks: About 7 cups from 7 fresh peaches, peeled or unpeeled. Big chunks hold their shape better and give more texture.
• Brown Sugar: Adds rich, caramel-y sweetness to both the filling and the crumble.
• Cornaby’s Ultra Gel: Keeps the peach filling thick without tasting starchy. You can sub cornstarch in a pinch, but trust us – Ultra Gel is worth tracking down.
• Lemon Juice: Brightens the fruit and balances the sweetness.
• Cinnamon: A little warm spice in both the peachmixture and the topping.
• All-Purpose Flour: Gives the crumble topping its perfect, sandy texture.
• Salt: Just a pinch brings it all to life.
• Unsalted Butter (Cold): Cold and cubed so the crumble bakes into buttery, golden clumps.

How to Make Brown Sugar Peach Crumble Pie Bars

No fancy steps here, just summery dessert made easy.

1. Prep the crust: Roll out one batch of our Read more

Mom’s Easy Caramel Brownies

My mom’s famous caramel brownies are hands-down the most requested recipe in our family. These cake mix caramel brownies are fudgy, gooey, and unbelievably easy to make. All you need is cake mix, chocolate chips, caramel, butter, and evaporated milk to create the most irresistible brownies ever!

Caramel Brownies with a Cake Mix

My mom has been making these caramel brownies for as long as I can remember. They were the birthday request of choice in our house and a must at every Fourth of July pool party. Everyone looked forward to them. They’re that good. When Cade and I got engaged, I baked a batch for his birthday and left them on his counter as a surprise. Two days passed, and he still hadn’t touched them. He was deep into clean eating and avoiding sugar. I felt crushed. I told him how much it hurt, so he tried one. Ever since, they’ve been his favorite dessert. Now, my mom even mails him a batch every so often.

The secrets? We always use margarine instead of butter. It makes the brownies extra gooey but still hold their shape. Only Betty Crocker German chocolate cake mix and Kraft caramels will do.

Now go make these brownies and leave a little love note for my mom so she feels special.

Can a Chocolate Cake Mix Really Make Brownies?

You know what I love most about this recipe? No tedious sifting of flour, sugar, salt, or cocoa powder. Instead, it uses just a few simple ingredients! And the best part? N