“I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they pass.”

Welcome to “Moments” here on JoyFoodSunshine. At the end of every month I share a recap of our family’s favorite moments! So here it is for February 2024!

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Things I’m loving

Here are some things I’ve been loving lately…

• Mesh Laundry Bags. I am not someone who will take my clothes to the dry cleaners. Maybe I need to change – but for now – my friend told me about these laundry bags and they have been an absolute game changer. I wash my more delicate wardrobe pieces in these bags on the delicate or hand wash cycle and it works really well.
• Sheet cake pan. I use this for so many things in the kitchen! A great purchase for sure!
• Cake Face Kit. I use this to make unicorn cakes, bunny cakes, etc. I’ve had it for many years!
• Puppy chow. I made this recipe a ton this month!

Life Lately

This month was a fairly normal month for us! I went on a trip, Keilah turned 5, we plugged away at homeschool and went skiing!

K turns 5!

We kicked it off with another birthday (that’s 3 so far in 2024)! My sweet Keilah turned 5 and she had such a great day. She requested donuts for breakfast, mac and cheese for lunch and Shake Shack for dinner.

For her birthday cake she chose a chocolate cake and wanted it to be a “princess bunny.” Which totally fits her personality.

She was thoroughly celebrated and felt so special on her day! I’m so grateful for this little sweetheart.

Mexico Trip

A couple days after Keilah’s birthday I traveled solo to Mexico for work. It was absolutely wonderful to get away alone and get to spend a few days thinking about JoyFoodSunshine!

The best part of work trips is connecting with other website owners. Melissa from Modern Honey is my closest blogging friend! I have known her for almost 7 years and enjoyed spending time with her – she is as kind as she is beautiful, check out her site!

We stayed at a great resort right on the beach and it was so fun to get to dress up, be wined and dined and mingle with other amazing women business owners like these ladies from The Modern Proper and A Couple Cooks!

Skiing

We got back into our skiing rhythm and it has been so great. The weather has been a little warmer and less snowy than last year, but it’s still worked out for us to ski about once a week.

My kids get better every time we get up on the mountain, and I am feeling more confident as well. My absolute favorite is when we get to ski with friends. What a gift it is to live in such a beautiful place!

Ear Piercing

For her birthday, Bethany asked to get her ears double pierced with her friends. So, we all went out to brunch and then got our ears pierced. I am so grateful for the beautiful friends God has gifted to Bethany, and it was so fun getting to spend a day together.

The girls did amazing and went through with the piercing even though they were nervous. I even got my ears pierced for the first time at 38! Overall it was just such a fun day getting to celebrate Bethany with dear friends.

Life & Faith

I feel like the Lord showed me many things this month – too much to share here. But the biggest “aha!” moment in my heart came when I was meeting with a wiser sister who shared this with me, “Never use the Word of God without having the heart of God.”

This struck me to my core. The Word of God is a sword, and the condition of your heart determines if you use it to cut people down or fight for them (and there is an enormous difference).

I’ve seen what’s in man, I’ve been bludgeoned by those who use God’s word to tear down, destroy and puff themselves up. To hear these words from my sister were like balm to my soul. The enemy used God’s words in the Garden and in the wilderness to tempt, destroy and distract. The Pharisees used God’s word to burden people with the law while their hearts were far from Him.

Just because someone uses the bible does not mean God’s love rules and reigns in their hearts. Just because someone can win an argument, or appears to be a wealth of biblical knowledge – does not mean they have been transformed by the radical love and grace of Jesus.

I cannot express how much these simple words, “Never use the Word of God without having the heart of God.” helped begin healing parts of my heart that were so confused and broken. I’m so grateful for those who have jumped into the trenches to fight with me – with hearts overflowing with the love, grace, kindness, goodness and patience of the Lord.

Once I went to brunch in a ski town near us and had a scone served with the best lemon curd I ever had in my life. I immediately set out to recreate that sweet spread, and I achieved my goal with this recipe.

Vanilla beans make this homemade lemon curd extra-special. They add a rich depth of flavor that really make this recipe shine!

This lemon curd recipe is easy to make from scratch with only 8 ingredients. You can prepare it in advance to serve on scones, waffles, crepes, pancakes, etc. for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Granulated sugar. fine, white sugar works best in this recipe.
• Cornstarch. Tapioca starch is a good substitute for cornstarch.
• Fresh lemon juice. Bottled works too, but fresh is always best.
• Vanilla bean. if you don’t have access to vanilla beans, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract can be used in place of the beans. If using extract, add with the butter.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.

How to Make Lemon Curd

Let’s walk through this lemon curd recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video for extra guidance.

Begin by putting the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, egg yolks, lemon zest and the seeds from one vanilla bean in a small saucepan (preferably thick-bottomed).

Then, cook the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue cooking and whisking constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken.

Keep cooking until the curd lightens in color, looks like a yellow pudding and coats the back of a spatula, this takes about 5 minutes.

Then, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it’s melted, and the mixture is smooth.

Once the lemon curd is smooth, pour it into an 8 oz glass jar or glass container with a lid. (it’s preferable to use a glass jar because the curd will fill the jar and no air will touch the top).

Let it cool completely in the refrigerator (preferably overnight).

What to Serve with Lemon Curd

Once cooled, open the jar and give it a good stir to mix in any bits that may have hardened on the top.

Then, serve it with your favorite foods. Here are some suggestions:

• Scones. this tastes amazing spread on top of scones.
• Crepes. Spread some lemon curd inside of crepes along with some homemade whipped cream.
• Cake or Cupcake filling. Use it as a filling for lemon cupcakes, yellow cake, etc.
• Cheesecake. Use as a topping for cheesecake or no bake cheesecake.
• Pancakes. spread it on your favorite pancake recipes like buttermilk pancakes, homemade pancakes, etc.
• Waffles. Spread some curd on top of homemade waffles.
• Swirl some into Greek yogurt, or homemade vanilla pudding.
• Spread it onto toast.

Store/Freeze

Store lemon curd in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. That overnight in the refrigerator.

Lemon Curd Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

This LemonCurd recipe is rich and smooth with a bold lemon flavor & hints of vanilla.Learn how to make lemon curd at home that's better than store-bought!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, sauce

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 106kcal

Author Laura

Cost $4

Equipment

• thick-bottomed pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• whisk
• 8 oz mason jars

Ingredients

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup lemon juice (fresh, from 4 to 6 lemons)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (finely grated)
• 1 vanilla bean (seeds)
• ½ cup unsalted butter cubed

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, egg yolks, lemon zest and the seeds from one vanilla bean in a small saucepan (preferably thick-bottomed).
• Cook over medium-low heat while whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
• Continue cooking and whisking constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, lightens in color, looks like a yellow pudding and coats the back of a spatula. This takes about 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it’s melted, and the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the lemon curd into an 8 oz glass jar or glass container with a lid. (it’s preferable to use a glass jar because the curd will fill the jar and no air will touch the top).
• Cool completely.
• Once cooled, stir and serve with scones, etc.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Granulated sugar. fine, white sugar works best in this recipe.
• Cornstarch. Tapioca starch is a good substitute for cornstarch.
• Fresh lemon juice. Bottled works too, but fresh is always best.
• Vanilla bean. if you don’t have access to vanilla beans, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract can be used in place of the beans. If using extract, add with the butter.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.

Store/Freeze

Store lemon curd in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. That overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TBS | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Try these recipes

Lemon Cookies

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon Glaze (Lemon Icing)

Lemon Cupcakes

This homemade caramel sauce is so rich and delicious you will want to serve it over everything – vanilla ice cream, brownies, skillet cookies, etc.

This caramel sauce recipe is easy to make with whole-food ingredients (no condensed milk) in only 20 minutes. Plus, it’s rich caramel flavor and smooth texture make it worlds better than any jarred, store-bought sauce!

Caramel Sauce: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Light brown sugar. If you like a richer molasses taste, use dark brown sugar (or substitute up to half the light brown sugar with dark).
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.

How to Make Caramel Sauce

Let’s walk through this caramel sauce recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video for further help!

Begin by adding water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.

Then, add the butter to the water/sugar mixture and whisk until the butter is melted.

Once the butter is melted, bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook/boil over medium heat until mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally.

Whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth, bring the mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.

After 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Transfer to a glass storage dish or jar and let cool completely before serving. The caramel sauce thickens as it cools.

Serve

There are so many ways to enjoy this homemade caramel sauce. Here are a few suggestions:

• Ice cream. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, or (my husband’s favorite) Oreo ice cream.
• Brownies. Who doesn’t love a brownie sundae topped with caramel sauce? Try it over these fudgy homemade brownies or even better – caramel brownies (you can use it to make these brownies)!
• Cookies. Serve it over this skillet cookie or chocolate chip cookie bars – yum.

Store

Store homeamde caramel sauce in an airtight container (glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Caramel Sauce Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

This homemade caramel sauce recipe is easy to make from scratch with 6 ingredients including butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. Learn how to make caramel sauce and never buy store-bought varieties again!

Course Dessert, sauce

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 22 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 154kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• thick-bottomed pan
• spatula
• whisk
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup salted butter (diced into ½” cubes)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: serve with flaky sea salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.
• Add butter and whisk until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook/boil over medium heat until mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally. (started 9:23)
• Whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla.
• Transfer to a glass storage dish or jar and let cool completely before serving (mixture thickens as it cools).

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Light brown sugar. If you like a richer molasses taste, use dark brown sugar (or substitute up to half the light brown sugar with dark).
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. An equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.

Store

Store homemade caramel sauce in an airtight container (glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 34mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.1mg

More Delicious Recipes

Caramel Brownies

Caramel Cookies

Caramel Apple Dip

Millionaire Shortbread Recipe

Homemade Caramel Recipe

Homemade Caramel Apples

There is something about oatmeal raisin cookies that is just pure nostalgia. One bite into a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie elicits memories of Christmas and grandma’s house and all this cozy and wam.

This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is truly the best. Just like my famous oatmeal cookies, these delicious morsels are easy to make and do not require any chilling. They are loaded with raisins and are beloved by all who try them.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. Use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter also works well.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, but using them will change the texture.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
• Raisins. Use traditional or golden raisins.

How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Let’s walk through this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe step-by-step, and remember to watch the video for additional guidance.

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, then set the dry ingredients aside.

Then, beat together the softened butter and sugars for 1 minute.

Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light – about 1 minute.

Then add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Once the mixture is smooth, add the oatmeal and beat on low speed.

Then, add raisins and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.

Use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough, then roll it into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake the oatmeal raisin cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the top is just set. Be very careful not to over-bake.

Let the cookies sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve

Enjoy the oatmeal raisin cookies slightly warm or room temperature. They are delicious when included on a cookie tray with some of our other favorite cookie recipes!

How to Store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze baked oatmeal raisin cookies cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Or, you can freeze the dough and bake them fresh (preferred method).

To freeze the dough: 

1. Form the dough into balls and place them on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the dough is frozen. 
3. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
4. Freeze for up to 2 months.
5. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it thaw to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe instructions. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are the best Oatmeal Raisin cookies! They have crispy edges, soft and chewy centers, a rich vanilla flavor and plenty of raisins! They are easy to make with simple ingredients – no chilling required.

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 151kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• baking sheet
• KitchenAid Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• silicone baking mat

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup salted butter softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• ¾ cup raisins

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Place softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until combined. (or beat in large bowl with a handheld mixer)
• Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds).
• Add dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
• Add oatmeal and beat on low speed until combined.
• Add raisins and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
• Use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to measure out the dough.
• Roll the dough into a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.
• Gently and very slightly press down tops of cookies until they are flat.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the top is just set.
• Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. Use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter also works well.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, but using them will change the texture.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
• Raisins. Use traditional or golden raisins.

Store

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze baked oatmeal raisin cookies cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Or, you can freeze the dough and bake them fresh (preferred method).

To freeze the dough: 

1. Form the dough into balls and place them on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the dough is frozen. 
3. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
4. Freeze for up to 2 months.
5. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it thaw to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe instructions. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Try these recipes

Best Oatmeal Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Coffee Cookies

If you’re looking for a meatless meal that is hearty and satisfying, I suggest making this vegetable lasagna recipe.

It’s a delicious vegetarian lasagna that’s perfect to serve to guests (alongside a pan of this beef lasagna for the meat lovers).

In this recipe, a flavorful, veggie-packed marinara sauce is layered with an herbed ricotta filling between lasagna noodles. Then, it’s topped with even more cheese and baked to bubbly perfection.

It’s easy to make veggie lasagna at home that is just as delicious as your favorite Italian restaurant!

Vegetable Lasagna: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Marinara sauce. choose your favorite variety, I suggest tomato basil.
• Parmesan cheese. Romano is a good substitute.
• Fresh basil & parsley. I highly recommend fresh herbs for this recipe, however you can use freeze-dried herbs if necessary.
• Vegetables. This recipe is highly customizable. You can choose any of your favorite veggies and add them to this vegetarian lasagna.

How to Make Vegetable Lasagna

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and remember to watch the video for additional guidance.

Begin by cooking the lasagna noodles until they are al dente. Then, drain the noodles but do not rinse.

Make the Vegetable Marinara

Prepare the marinara layer by cooking the firmer veggies – onion, garlic, and bell pepper – until the onions are soft (5 minutes).

Then, add the softer vegetables – zucchini and yellow squash – and cook until soft they are slightly soft, about 3 minutes.

Next, stir in the marinara sauce, spinach, salt and pepper and heat until the sauce just begins to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preferences.

Once the sauce is finished, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Make the Ricotta Filling

While the sauce is cooling, combine the ricotta filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir until they are combined.

Assemble the Vegetarian Lasagna

Once all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the veggie lasagna. Start by spreading 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13” baking dish.

Then, top the sauce with a layer of lasagna noodles (5 lasagna noodles per layer).

Then, spread one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.

Next, spread 1 cup of sauce over the cheese. 

Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 3 layers of cheese/sauce.

Top with the last layer with noodles and the spread the remaining sauce over the noodles.

Then, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese evenly over top sauce layer.

Loosely cover with aluminum foil (tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese).

Bake the vegetable lasagna recipe in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.

Once it has finished baking, let the vegetarian lasagna cool slightly and serve garnished with fresh parsley and basil.

Serve

I suggest serving this recipe with your favorite Italian recipes, here are some ideas:

• If you’re feeding a crowd, make this beef lasagna for meat lovers!
• Tomato bruschetta is a perfect appetizer.
• A side salad – like panzanella salad or burrata salad pair beautifully with this lasagna.
• We love serving it with homemade french bread or no knead bread to sop up all the yummy sauce.
• A vegetable side like roasted broccoli or balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts are great choices.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven set to warm.

Freeze

You can freeze this vegetable lasagna two ways.

1. Freeze before baking. To do this, completely assemble the lasagna, then put it in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil (or the baking dish lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe instructions.
2. Freeze baked leftovers. If you wind up with a lot of leftovers, you can flash-freeze individual pieces on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or vacuum seal them and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Vegetable Lasagna Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Vegetable Lasagna Recipe

In this vegetable lasagna recipe, a delicious veggie-packed marinara sauce is layered with an herbed ricotta filling between lasagna noodles. Then it's topped with more cheese and baked to bubbly perfection. An authentic vegetarian lasagna just as delicious as your favoriteItalian restaurant!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 369kcal

Author Laura

Cost $10

Equipment

• saute pan
• spatula
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• glass batter bowl
• 9×13″ baking dish

Ingredients

• 16 ounces lasagna noodles cooked al dente
• 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese divided

Sauce

• ½ onion finely diced (about 1 cup onion)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1 yellow squash diced
• 2 cups baby spinach chopped
• 26 ounces marinara sauce
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Ricotta mixture

• 30 ounces Ricotta Cheese
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tablespon fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon Pepper

Topping

• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the Sauce

• In a 5-quart saucepan, cook the onion, garlic, and bell pepper over medium-high heat (covered) until the onions are soft (5 minutes).
• Add zucchini and yellow squash and cook until soft, 3 minutes.
• Stir in marinara sauce, spinach, salt and pepper and heat until the sauce just begins to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preferences.
• Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the Ricotta Filling

• Combine ricotta, eggs, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Assemble

• Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13” baking dish.
• Top with a layer of lasagna noodles (5 lasagna noodles per layer).
• Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles, then spread 1 cup sauce over the cheese.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients, making 3 layers of cheese/sauce.
• Top with the last layer with noodles and the spread the remaining sauce over the noodles.
• Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.

Bake, Cool & Serve

• Loosely cover with aluminum foil (tenting it slightly so the foil does not touch the cheese).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.
• Let cool slightly and serve garnished with fresh parsley and basil.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Marinara sauce. choose your favorite variety, I suggest tomato basil.
• Parmesan cheese. Romano is a good substitute.
• Fresh basil & parsley. I highly recommend fresh herbs for this recipe, however you can use freeze-dried herbs if necessary.
• Vegetables. This recipe is highly customizable. You can choose any of your favorite veggies and add them to this vegetarian lasagna.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven set to warm.

Freeze

You can freeze this vegetable lasagna two ways.

1. 1. Freeze before baking. To do this, completely assemble the lasagna, then put it in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil (or the baking dish lid) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking according to the recipe instructions.

1. 1. Freeze baked leftovers. If you wind up with a lot of leftovers, you can flash-freeze individual pieces on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container or vacuum seal them and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 742mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1449IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 383mg | Iron: 2mg

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Homemade Meatballs Recipe

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Butter popcorn is one of my favorite savory snacks, and this recipe is truly the best. It’s a must-have on our family movie nights (along with this homemade kettle corn).

My husband perfected this buttered popcorn recipe – and let me tell you it’s addictingly delicious. Using real, high quality ingredients makes it so good you can’t just take one handful.

Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to make butter popcorn that tastes significantly better than the movie theater popcorn. My 2 year old son loves helping. As soon as a movie starts, he clammers around the kitchen collecting all the supplies and ingredients needed to make this recipe – it’s adorable.

Butter Popcorn: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Popcorn kernels. Choose your favorite brand/variety.
• Coconut oil. This is used to pop the popcorn kernels. I have tried canola oil, butter, and olive oil (which all work) and nothing pops corn as well as coconut oil. It does not impart a coconut flavor to the recipe either.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well, you may just need to slightly increase the popcorn salt.
• Popcorn salt. This Redmond popcorn salt is the only brand we buy. It’s delicious, full of minerals and is so fine that it sticks well to the kernels.

How to Make Butter Popcorn

This recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes (or less). However, I’ll walk you through some tips and trips to ensure it turns our perfectly every time.

Begin by melting the butter in the microwave, then set it aside.

Then, put 1 Tablespoon coconut oil and 3 kernels of popcorn into a stovetop popcorn maker (we use a Whirley Pop).

Next, heat the popcorn maker over medium heat and stir to combine the oil and 3 kernels of popcorn.

Then, cook the 3 kernels and coconut oil over medium heat until the kernels pop (this indicates that the oil is hot enough to cook the rest of the popcorn).

Once the three kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels and stir vigorously to combine with the lid on.

Stir continuously as the popcorn begins to pop.

When the popping slows down, turn off the heat and continue stirring over the warm burner until the popping stops.

Immediately pour the popcorn into a large bowl (preferably one with a lid, although you can use a large bowl and then use a baking sheet as a “lid” for stirring.

Next, evenly drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn.

Then sprinkle with popcorn salt.

 Then, secure the lid, invert the bowl, and shake vigorously (the goal is to coat the popcorn with both butter and salt). Taste and add more salt as desired.

Serve

Serve immediately – it’s best when it’s warm and fresh from the stovetop.

Store

Store leftover buttered popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days – although we never have leftovers.

Buttered Popcorn Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Butter Popcorn Recipe

This Butter popcorn recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes with4 ingredients (including real butter) & is even more delicious than movie theater popcorn!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 4 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 128kcal

Author Laura

Cost $4

Equipment

• Whirley Pop
• measuring spoons
• large bowl with lid

Ingredients

• ½ cup popcorn kernels
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
• ½ teaspoon popcorn salt (or to taste)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside.
• Place 1 Tablespoon coconut oil and 3 kernels of popcorn into a stovetop popcorn maker.
• Heat the popcorn maker over medium heat and stir to combine the oil and 3 kernels of popcorn.
• Cook over medium heat until the 3 kernels in the oil pop (this indicates that the oil is hot enough to cook the rest of the popcorn).
• Once the three kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels and stir vigorously to combine with the lid on.
• Stir continuously as the popcorn begins to pop.
• When the popping slows down, turn off the heat and continue stirring over the warm burner until you do not hear any more popping.
• Immediately pour the popcorn into a large bowl (preferably one with a lid, although you can use a large bowl and then use a baking sheet as a “lid” for stirring.
• Evenly drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn. Then sprinkle with popcorn salt.
• Secure the lid, invert the bowl, and shake vigorously (the goal is to coat the popcorn). Taste and adjust salt as desired.
• Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Coconut oil. This is used to pop the popcorn kernels. I have tried canola oil, butter, and olive oil (which all work) and nothing pops corn as well as coconut oil. It does not impart a coconut flavor to the recipe either.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well, you may just need to slightly increase the popcorn salt.
• Popcorn salt. This Redmond popcorn salt is the only brand we buy. It’s delicious, full of minerals and is so fine that it sticks well to the kernels.

How to Store Butter Popcorn

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies)

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

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Candied Almonds (Cinnamon Roasted Almonds)

Easy Guacamole Recipe (5 Minutes)

We often find ourselves with lots of leftover chicken – from baked chicken breasts, slow cooker pulled chicken, rotisserie chicken, etc. and I love using it to make this chicken tetrazzini recipe.

This chicken tetrazzini is made with a rich and flavorful from-scratch sauce, and doesn’t use any canned soup. It’s a hearty main dish that your whole family will love, and the perfect way to use leftover chicken.

This recipe is a meal all by itself, and is a great one to make for friends and neighbors!

Chicken Tetrazzini: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Spaghetti. We use regular spaghetti noodles but any shape of pasta works well in this recipe. I also have used chickpea pasta (gluten-free) with great results.
• Chicken. Use leftover pulled chicken, baked chicken breasts, or a rotisserie chicken!
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• All-purpose flour. Gluten-free all-purpose works well in this recipe.
• Whole milk. You need 1 cup of liquid dairy. Half and half is a great substitute for whole milk. Or you can use ½ cup whole milk and  ½ cup heavy cream.
• Broccoli. I use frozen broccoli because it’s easy. Fresh broccoli cut in small pieces works well too. If you don’t love broccoli you can substitute your favorite vegetable(s) or omit it.

How to Make Chicken Tetrazzini

We’ll walk through how to make chicken tetrazzini step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by cooking the spaghetti. First, break the spaghetti noodles in half.

Then, cook the noodles according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl but do not rinse.

Make the Sauce

While the spaghetti is cooking, make the sauce. Start by melting butter in a large pot.

Then, add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft (about 4 minutes).

Next, add the flour, sea salt and pepper and whisk to combine and cook for 30-60 seconds until the mixture starts bubbling.

Then, add chicken broth, whole milk and Italian seasoning, whisk to combine, and cook until the mixture starts to thicken (it will boil).

Once the mixture is thickened, whisk in the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses until melted.

Assemble the Chicken Tetrazzini

When the sauce is finished, turn off the heat, and add the spaghetti, broccoli and chicken to the sauce and stir to combine.

Then, in a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients.

Then, pour the chicken tetrazzini mixture into the prepared 9×9″ baking dish.

Next, evenly sprinkle the mixture over the top of the chicken tetrazzini in the pan.

Bake

Then, cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil.

Bake the chicken tetrazzini for an additional 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.  

Serve

Serve warm with a garnish of fresh parsley (if desired). The great thing about this chicken tetrazzini is that it’s an entire meal in one baking dish.

Sometimes we like to serve it with some homemade bread (homemade french bread, no knead bread, or homemade dinner rolls) and a green salad like kale salad or burrata salad.

Store/Freeze

Store leftover chicken tetrazzini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

In this chicken tetrazzini recipe, spaghetti, chicken, broccoli and cheese are mixed with a from-scratch sauce (no canned soups), and baked until bubbly. A delicious, hearty dinner, that's a perfect way to use leftover chicken.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 193kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• 5 Quart Sauce Pan
• 9×9″ baking pan

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti
• Salted water
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ cup onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk or half and half
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound broccoli fresh or frozen, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups cooked chicken cubed or shredded
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Break spaghetti noodles in half, then cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl but do not rinse.
• While spaghetti is cooking, in a large stockpot melt butter.
• Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft (about 4 minutes).
• Add flour, sea salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Cook for 30-60 seconds until mixture starts bubbling.
• Add chicken broth and whole milk and whisk to combine. Cook until the mixture just starts to thicken.
• Whisk in parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and 1 cup mozzarella cheese until melted.
• Add sauce, broccoli and chicken to the spaghetti and stir to combine.
• Pour mixture into a 9×9” pan. Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 or until bubbly. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Spaghetti. We use regular spaghetti noodles but any shape of pasta works well in this recipe. I also have used chickpea pasta (gluten-free) with great results.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• All-purpose flour. Gluten-free all-purpose works well in this recipe.
• Whole milk. You need 1 cup of liquid dairy. Half and half is a great substitute for whole milk. Or you can use ½ cup whole milk and  ½ cup heavy cream.
• Broccoli. I use frozen broccoli because it’s easy. Fresh broccoli cut in small pieces works well too. If you don’t love broccoli you can substitute your favorite vegetable(s) or omit it.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 419IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg

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Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

This homemade spaghetti os recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Unlike their canned counterpart, I absolutely cannot stop eating these spaghettios whenever I make them – which is often because they’re easy to make in 20 minutes!

O-shaped pasta is cooked then combined with a rich, flavorful tomato-based sauce that is out of this world delicious. Seriously, it’s so good your kid (ok, I really mean you), will lick the bowl clean.

Plus, with homemade spaghetti os, you skip the preservatives, dyes, and additives used in the canned varieties – especially if you use organic ingredients.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• O-shaped pasta (Anellini). You really can use any pasta shape you’d like in this recipe and it will taste great. For nostalgia’s sake, I use O-shaped noodles.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
• Tomato sauce & paste. I suggest using organic varieties for the best results.
• Heavy cream. this makes the sauce super rich and delicious. You can substitute half and half or whole milk if you must.
• Garlic/Onion powder. I chose to use powders for the most authentic taste, and because some of my kids don’t like onions. You can sauté minced garlic and finely diced onions instead of the powders if you prefer.
• Honey. granulated sugar is good substitute.
• Cheddar cheese. I prefer medium cheddar for this recipe, but any kind will do.

How to Make Homemade Spaghetti O’s

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by cooking the Anellini pasta in salted water until al dente.

Then, drain the pasta but do not rinse, because unrinsed pasta will absorb the sauce best.

Next, make the sauce by combining butter, tomato sauce, tomato paste, heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika sea salt, pepper, and honey in a 5 quart saucepan.

Heat over medium heat until it just begins to bubble (when you see one or two bubbles) and the butter is melted, stirring often.

Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and add cheddar cheese, whisk until melted.

Finally, stir in the in cooked pasta.

Serve

Serve these homemade spaghettios warm as a meal all their own, or with your favorite sides. Here are some suggestions:

• Serve with roasted vegetables like: roasted broccoli, roasted carrots, asparagus and Brussels sprouts.
• Try these green salads: burrata salad, kale salad, panzanella salad, spinach salad, and broccoli salad.
• In true nostalgic food fashion, you can serve them with homemade chicken nuggets or homemade meatballs.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave.

Spaghetti Os Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Spaghetti Os Recipe

This homemade Spaghetti Os recipe is significantly more delicious than canned varieties. It's easy to make in 20 minutes and is so good your kids will lick the bowl clean!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 274kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• 5 Quart Sauce Pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• whisk

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 2 cups O-shaped pasta (Anellini Pasta)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
• Drain but do not rinse
• Combine butter, tomato sauce, tomato paste, heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika sea salt, pepper, and honey in a 5 quart saucepan.
• Heat over medium heat until it just begins to bubble (when you see one or two bubbles).
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add cheddar cheese, whisk until melted.
• Stir in cooked pasta.
• Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• O-shaped pasta (Anellini). You really can use any pasta shape you’d like in this recipe and it will taste great. For nostalgia’s sake, I use O-shaped noodles.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
• Tomato sauce & paste. I suggest using organic varieties for the best results.
• Heavy cream. this makes the sauce super rich and delicious. You can substitute half and half or whole milk if you must.
• Garlic/Onion powder. I chose to use powders for the most authentic taste, and because some of my kids don’t like onions. You can sauté minced garlic and finely diced onions instead of the powders if you prefer.
• Honey. granulated sugar is good substitute.
• Cheddar cheese. I prefer medium cheddar for this recipe, but any kind will do.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 691IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg

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Stuffed Shells

Every time I go to a famous “Cheesecake” restaurant, I order chocolate cheesecake – it’s my favorite. So, I created this easy no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe and it’s seriously the best.

My husband said he could not even tell it was different from my chocolate cheesecake recipe – it’s that good! It’s silky smooth, super creamy with a rich chocolate flavor.

This no bake chocolate cheesecake is made with 10 ingredients in under 20 minutes – so you can satisfy that chocolate cheesecake craving quickly without having to make a trip to a pricey restaurant or even turn on your oven.

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake: Ingredients & Substitutions

The most important note about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except for the heavy whipping cream) must be room temperature. If you use cold cream cheese, eggs, or sour cream it will cause the melted chocolate to solidify and not mix well into the filling.

• Oreo Crust. You can use a store-bought Oreo cracker crust instead of making your own, if you prefer. Check out this post on how to make a Oreo pie crust (although it is not baked in this recipe) for more helpful tips!
• Cream cheese. I suggest using two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese. Do not use whipped cream cheese.
• Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.
• Semisweet chocolate. You can use chips or chopped chocolate bars. It will be melted so the form doesn’t matter.
• Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean are great substitutes for extract.

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and be sure to watch the video for extra guidance.

Make the Oreo Crust

Since the crust needs to be put in the freezer to harden, it’s the first thing we make in this recipe. Begin by tracing the bottom of a springform pan on a piece of parchment paper, cut out the circle and place it in the bottom of the springform pan.

Then, put the Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade and process until they are the texture of fine crumbs.

Then, transfer the the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and melted butter and stir until the mixture clumps and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Next, pour the crust mixture into a 9” springform pan, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides.

Transfer the crust to the freezer while you make the filling.

Make the Filling

While the crust is in the freezer, make the filling.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Beating the cream cheese alone ensures it will not be lumpy.

Then, add the sour cream, remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar, melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Then fold in the whipped cream mixture until smooth.

Assemble & Chill

Once the filling is done, spread it evenly over the frozen Oreo crust and freeze until set.

Once set, remove the no bake chocolate cheesecake from the baking pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

Garnish with fresh berries, chocolate curls, homemade whipped cream, chocolate ganache, or your favorite toppings.

Serve

Serve the no bake chocolate cheesecake chilled/cold. I suggest cutting it into slices, and a little goes a long way because it is so rich.

Store

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this recipe in 2 ways:

1. Freeze the whole no bake chocolate cheesecake. Make the recipe then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 
2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

This No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is smooth and creamy with a rich chocolate flavor. It's easy to make in 20 minutes and best topped with homemade whipped cream.

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 14 Sercings

Calories 487kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• springform pan

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

• 22 Double Stuffed Oreo Cookies about 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (12 oz)
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar divided
• 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate melted (9 oz)
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 Tablespoons full-fat sour cream room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toppings

• Homemade whipped cream
• Chocolate Curls

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the Oreo Crust

• Trace the bottom of a springform pan on a piece of parchment paper, cut out the circle and place it in the bottom of the springform pan.
• Put Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade and process until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
• Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl.
• Add the granulated sugar and melted butter and stir until the mixture clumps and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Pour the crust mixture into a 9” springform pan, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides.
• Transfer to freezer while you make the filling.

Make the Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the sour cream, remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Add whipped cream mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Assemble & Chill

• Spread the filling evenly over the frozen Oreo crust. Freeze until hardened.
• Once set, remove the no bake chocolate cheesecake from the baking pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
• Garnish with chocolate curls, homemade whipped cream or your favorite toppings and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

The most important note about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except for the heavy whipping cream) must be room temperature. If you use cold cream cheese, eggs, or sour cream it will cause the melted chocolate to solidify and not mix well into the filling.

Oreo Crust. You can use a store-bought Oreo cracker crust instead of making your own, if you prefer. Check out this post on how to make a Oreo pie crust (although it is not baked in this recipe) for more helpful tips!

Cream cheese. I suggest using two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese. Do not use whipped cream cheese.

Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.

Semisweet chocolate. You can use chips or chopped chocolate bars. It will be melted so the form doesn’t matter.

Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean are great substitutes for extract.

 

Store

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this recipe in 2 ways:

1. Freeze the whole no bake chocolate cheesecake. Make the recipe then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 
   2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 930IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg

More Cheesecake Recipes

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“I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they pass.”

Welcome to “Moments” here on JoyFoodSunshine. At the end of every month I share a recap of our family’s favorite moments! So here it is for January 2024!

In order to view this exclusive content you will need to subscribe in the form below or sign into your account.

Things I’m loving

Here are some things I’ve been loving lately…

• These cute little undies for Z. I got him the size 3T and they fit so well (I also bought the size up because I was nervous these would be too small and they were way too big – but I’m saving them for him as he grows). I love that they’re organic and soft.
• Organic Collagen. I use this in my smoothies every morning and love this. I went through many brands of organic collagen to find the best one and this is it! Also – you can save 20% every month using subscribe and save (which I do and love).
• Zip-Up Kids Rash Guard. These were life savers on our vacation this month. I love the zip-up rash guards because they’re easier to get on and off. I bought 3 of them and my girls wore them for 2 weeks straight!

Life Lately

So far, 2024 has been good to us. We celebrated two birthdays, enjoyed skiing and went on vacation to the beach!

Z turns THREE

I can’t even believe I’m typing this – but my baby is three. This little bear is just the absolute sweetest. He had the best day being celebrated with his favorite things – “cheese fries” from Shake Shack and a guitar cake.

I have never had a three year old without also having a 1 year old running around (and usually was pregnant again). It has been so fun to be able to enjoy every second with Zach. I was often so busy with a new baby or sick from pregnancy that I didn’t get to fully experience some of the adorable 3-year-old-isms.

But I wouldn’t trade it. I love our family and how close the kids are and all that it entails. Zach is the perfect little caboose – full of energy but still a snuggle bug. All-boy but still sweet and tender. He makes us all laugh all the time and all our lives are better because he is in it!

Also – we took the plunge after Christmas and potty trained him! It took until we went on vacation for him to fully get the hang of it. I honestly think the change of scenery helped him quite a bit.

He made it through two long travel days and lots beach and pool time and did so well. This pic is one of my all-time favorites.

B turns THIRTEEN!

Equally, and possibly even more unbelievable is that the sweet girl who made me a mom turned thirteen!

We officially have a teenager. She is beautiful from the inside out, and always makes people feel included and loved. She’s an amazing baker, excels in her school work and is an all-around incredible person.

This year she learned hard lessons about what the world and the people in it can really be like. She felt the sting of betrayal and is on the road to re-learning to trust again after having her heart broken by people she loved.

It was a hard year for her but she is growing through it. She has learned that joy and pain are often intertwined and that life can change in the blink of an eye.

On her special day she requested cinnamon rolls for breakfast, an eclair cake (of course), breadsticks, orzo salad and potato soup! I loved making the meal of her dreams and she was thoroughly celebrated.

Her big gift is getting her ears double pierced with two of her friends, which we are doing later on in February (we had to wait because of vacation). Looking forward to more growth and fun this year.

Skiing

We went skiing with friends and had so much fun. It’s so good for the kids to have the positive peer pressure of friends on the slopes.

We also brought Keilah up to the mountain one day for her first ski lesson. She did amazing and we can’t wait to get her back out there.

When I went skiing with our friends I basically decided I did not like it! I’m way too cautious and I thought it was way too hard. At one point I looked at Ritch and said, “I think this was a mistake, I think I will just get an Uber and go home.” LOL! But I pushed through and skied but I can’t say I had a great time.

However, since my whole family loves skiing and we live in Utah, I decided I couldn’t give in to defeat and went up and got a private lesson the same day Keilah had a lesson. It helped me immensely and by the end of the day I felt like I actually had control of my skis and wasn’t afraid at all.

I had other private lessons before, but they were years ago and I really needed this to feel confident. Now I’m excited to go back out there and keep improving so I can keep up with the kids!

Florida

Get ready for lots of beach pics! Due to the events of this year, we were encouraged to take a lot of breaks and prioritize rest and healing.

So, we planned this trip to Florida for 2 weeks and it was just what we needed. To be honest, we had some pretty chilly days and I don’t think I’d travel to FL again in January (we far preferred May) – However, it was way warmer than it was at home and a cold day on the beach is better than a warm day anywhere else in my opinion!

We still had some great warm days, and enjoyed our typical, laid-back beach vacation – playing in the sand, finding shells, beach walks and swimming in the pool. We all got sun-kissed and it took away some of our winter blues.

Keilah loved making a “sandman” every day. She literally played with it like it was a human being. Made it sand cupcakes, and danced with it and it was adorbale.

As always, we watched every sunset together on the beach, however clear or cloudy the sky was there was no way we’d miss it!

I did learn on this trip that Zach is way more of a homebody than I thought. At home, he always asks to go out and do things. “Where us going us wake up?” is his most-frequently asked question I think.

But, after the first week or so Z was ready to go home. He kept saying, “Us go our Utah house now.” and “Me miss Utah home. Me go home.” When I asked him what he missed he said his toys, specifically his firetruck and soccer ball!

The best part of the trip was that our friends joined us for a handful of days. We had the best time playing and swimming and talking. B even watched all the kids so the four adults could go on a date – which was the highlight of the trip for me for sure. It was absolutely perfect and made our trip so much better.

One of my favorite things was that my husband got our friend a matching rash guard for Christmas so he could wear it on this trip. There’s way more to the story of the rash guard – but lets just say this pic made my month!

We also went out for ice cream an insane amount of times on this trip. There is a delicious ice cream shop with waffle cones dipped in chocolate and sea salt and we definitely kept them in business the last two weeks! haha!

We had the best time with our friends who we love so much!

Life & Faith

This trip was exactly what we needed.

I read this quote by Jane Austen (from the book Sanditon) and it struck me – especially the idea that “no one wanted strength by the sea.”

“Nobody could catch cold by the sea; nobody wanted appetite by the sea; nobody wanted spirits; nobody wanted strength. Sea air was healing, softening, relaxing – fortifying and bracing – seemingly just as was wanted.”

Jane Austen

After this past year, so many mundane tasks and commonplace responsibilities take an incredible amount of strength on my behalf – even simple things like going to church are weighty and hard. But on this trip I didn’t want strength – nor did I need it.

I could just be. Take walks with the kids. Find seashells. Lay in the sun.

I got to soften a little. I was able to relax. My soul was fortified and braced so I feel better able to face our daily lives with confidence and peace. I’m grateful for this time away to reflect on the grace of God and be reminded that my worth isn’t in what anyone thinks of me but Him.