Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

Desserts

Acorn Muffin Bites

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This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and Entenmann’s® Little Bites. All opinions are mine alone. #SeasonOfLittleBites

When I decided to homeschool my daughter this year, I was excited at the freedom and the possibilities to venture beyond the books and discover new ways of learning through hands-on activities and adventures. The fall season is the perfect time to venture outdoors and study nature, and we’ve been enjoying collecting and gathering acorns, twigs, pinecones, and things of that nature to study more in our at-home kindergarten classroom.

Acorn Muffin Bites

After a recent outdoor scavenger hunt, my daughter’s fascination with acorns was beginning to bloom. She loved how they all had little “hats” on top, and she started her own collection of them inside an old glass jar. This prompted the wheels in my brain to begin turning up new ideas to spark her curiosity and imagination. I opened up a package of Entenmann’s Little Bites® Chocolate Chip muffins for her to enjoy for her afternoon snack, and the idea to create these Acorn Muffin Bites was quickly born!

Acorn Muffin Bites

Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins have been a staple in our pantry for years. I love them because they contain no high fructose corn syrup and zero (0) grams of trans fat per serving, and she loves them because they’re perfectly soft, easy, and mess-free for her little hands, plus they contain real ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, and in this case – real chocolate chips! The muffins were already the perfect shape to use as the base of the acorn, so while she was snacking I headed back to the pantry to search for some melting chocolate, pretzel sticks and a few chocolate sprinkles to create our own little snack-craft project.

Acorn Muffin Bites

Realizing I needed to add a few things to my grocery list, I hopped online and added more Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins to my cart, plus a few other things we needed around the house using Walmart’s Online Grocery service. I love being able to conveniently add items I need to my cart from my computer or phone and choosing a time to pick up my groceries at the store that works for me. With a busy homeschooling schedule, I’m thankful to be able to spend less time in-store and more learning and playtime with my girls!

Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins are available nationwide and come in more than 8 varieties, so there’s truly a flavor to fit every snacking occasion. In addition to the chocolate chip muffins, I also picked up a package of Entenmann’s Little Bites® Blueberry Muffins and Entenmann’s Little Bites® Pumpkin muffins to further celebrate the fall season!

Acorn Muffin Bites

Once I had all ingredients needed on hand, I explained to my daughter that we were going to add a few new acorns to her beloved collection, but this time we weren’t going to keep them in a jar – we were going to eat them! She looked a little puzzled, but she was so excited when I told her that chocolate and sprinkles were involved. These acorn muffin bites are a perfect craft for little hands to get involved with, as there’s no actual cooking or baking required. All we needed was a little melted chocolate almond bark, chocolate sprinkles, and pretzel sticks that were broken in half.

Once the chocolate was melted in the microwave, we dipped the tops of the chocolate chip muffins into the melted chocolate and then added sprinkles on top. We then set them out on a plate to dry and inserted the pretzel stick in the top to serve as the stem. After about 20 minutes, the chocolate was dry and we began to snack away!

Acorn Muffin Bites

Creating these cute little acorn muffin bites using Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins was a perfect homeschool (or anytime) activity to do with my daughter, and they were a wonderful way to celebrate the goodness found in the changing of the season this year! In addition to making fun snacks like these, we love to enjoy Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins for any occasion, and we’ll soon be taking them with us on many more outdoor adventures! I love that they’re perfectly pre-portioned and portable your on-the-go needs. They’re a must-have in our house, and they certainly keep the smiles coming!

Acorn Muffin Bites

Next time you’re shopping in-store or online at Walmart, make sure you check out the variety of Entenmann’s Little Bites® muffins (like Pumpkin!) and other varieties such as Entenmann’s Little Bites® Fudge Brownies, plus other NEW flavors coming soon!

Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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These Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats are a spook-tacular treat to serve this Halloween! They’re not your average rice krispie treats, either. They’re packed with peanut butter goodness, plus a smidge of white chocolate that makes them frighteningly scrumptious!

Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Halloween is lurking right around the corner, and I’ve been conjuring up a little Halloween-magic in the kitchen this weekend getting my girls into the spooky-spirit! My oldest really loves rice krispie treats, so we put together these delicious Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats using a slightly more sophisticated version of traditional rice krispie treats. 

For these treats, I used my White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats recipe that I shared here a few weeks ago. Instead of these rice krispie treats having a sticky texture, they have a creamy and smooth bite to them thanks to a blend of chunky peanut butter and white chocolate almond bark! Add a little drizzle over the top to create a “mummified” look and a few candy eyes and you’ve got an instant Halloween hit! 

Here’s a better look at the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
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Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb white almond bark (note: most packages are 1 lb exactly)
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 1/2 cups rice krispies cereal
  • 1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
  • extra melted white almond bark for drizzle
  • Candy eyes

Instructions

  • In a double boiler, melt white almond bark and peanut butter together, stirring frequently
  • In a large bowl, combine cereal and marshmallows
  • Once peanut butter mixture is melted, pour over cereal and stir until well combined and marshmallows are melted
  • Spray 8x8 baking dish or brownie pan with non-stick cooking spray
  • Pour mixture into pan and gently press down with the back of a spoon to flatten and fill the space of the pan
  • Allow to set for 2-3 hours, or until treats are dried enough to hold their shape when cut
  • Melt additional almond bark (just a little bit will do!) and drizzle over treats to make the mummy wraps. While the almond bark is still wet, add candy eyes.
  • Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Halloween Hack: There’s no need to cast a spell on your treats to get them to cut evenly every time! When making brownies and rice krispie treats, I love to use this brownie pan with a built in slicer to get perfect portions every time! 

Mummy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

If you like these fun treats, you’ll LOVE these other fun Halloween snacks found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats | Candy Corn Cookies | The Ultimate Halloween Charcuterie Board | Sweet & Salty Halloween Cookies | Haunted Halloween Pancakes | Halloween Deep Dish Skillet Cookie | Mummy Treats | Halloween Sugar Wafers | Freaky Frankenstein Oreo Pops

 

Do you like to make special treats for Halloween? What are some of your favorite confections to devour this time of year? Leave a comment below and share the Halloween-love! 

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats so hauntingly good, you’ll snap, crackle and pop for more! 

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

A few weeks ago I shared a recipe for White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, and ever since then I’ve had this slight obsession with finding more ways to capture those flavors and textures in other treats. Peanut butter and chocolate go together better than just about anything in this world, and adding in the light crispy and crunchy flakes from rice cereal creates this irresistible concoction that good right down to the bone.

Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

These aren’t your typical back-of-the-box rice krispie treats, but don’t let that frighten you away from making them! You can certainly make these with original rice cereal, but I reached for the cocoa krispies to make these chocolaty treats instead. You’ll also need half of a package of chocolate almond bark, a cup of peanut butter, a cup of Reese’s Pieces and miniature marshmallows.
Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Using a double boiler (I called it my cauldron when making Halloween treats) 😉 melt down 1/2 of a package of chocolate almond bark. Add in the cup of peanut butter and stir until it’s perfectly creamy and smooth. Add in cereal, marshmallows and candy in a large bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal and stir until everything is well coated.

Pour into a well greased brownie pan or 8×8 casserole dish. Pro tip: Spray your hand or the back of a spoon with nonstick cooking spray so you can press the mixture down evenly into the pan without making a total mess.

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
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Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups coco rice krispies cereal
  • 1 lb chocolate almond bark (most packages of almond bark contain 2 lbs, so just break 1 package in half)
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup Reese's pieces

Instructions

  • In a double boiler, melt chocolate almond bark and stir continuously until smooth
  • Add in peanut butter and stir until well combined
  • In a large bowl, combine cereal, marshmallows and Reese's Pieces
  • Pour melted chocolate and peanut butter over cereal mixture and stir until well combined
  • Spray a brownie pan or 8X8 baking dish thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray
  • Pour mixture into pan and press into all corners using your hand or a well greased spoon to make sure mixture spreads as evenly as possible
  • While mixture is still wet, add a few more candy pieces and cereal for garnish if desired
  • Allow to sit on counter until mixture firms up enough to cut - at least 2 hours
  • Cut into squares and enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Also, if you’re looking for a fool-proof way to get perfect and evenly cut bars, use a brownie pan like this one! I own this same one, and it’s a workhorse in my kitchen. 

Once the treats have dried and set, just slice and serve!  These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats go great with a tall glass of milk, and they’re perfect to serve for Halloween or fall celebrations!

Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Looking for more hauntingly fun Halloween treats? I’ve got it all right here on Southern Made Simple!

The Ultimate Halloween Charcuterie Board | Sweet & Salty Halloween Cookies | Haunted Halloween Pancakes | Halloween Deep Dish Skillet Cookie | Mummy Treats | Halloween Sugar Wafers | Freaky Frankenstein Oreo Pops

Fresh Apple Cake

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This recipe for Fresh Apple Cake is truly like biting into a slice of old school southern baked goodness. The fresh apples keep the cake perfectly moist, and the pound-cake-like crust takes it over the top!

Fresh Apple Cake

Let’s talk about cake for just a minute, shall we? You can never go wrong with a good old fashioned cake, but when it comes right down to it, I prefer mine without the icing. Sure, the icing on the cake is always the prettiest part, but too much sugar isn’t always a good thing, and I believe a cake being able to stand it’s own without adding all the frills really says a lot about the quality and goodness of the cake itself. 

You wouldn’t cover up the golden delicious crust on a pound cake with icing, would you? Of course not! I prefer my cakes to be like that. Give me ALL the golden sugar-y crust and hold the icing, please!

Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh apple cake has always been a favorite of mine. The fresh apples baked inside keep the cake amazingly moist, but perhaps the best part about this particular recipes is, as I mentioned earlier, the pound cake crust. There’s a special trick to accomplishing that crust, and it all has to do with how you grease your pan.

Sometimes we can be prone to reach for the non-stick cooking spray when a recipe calls for greasing the pan, but your cake will truly be lacking something special if you go that route. As I’ve said in previous posts, I do not cook with Crisco like so many old school southern recipes call for. My ONLY exception to that rule is when I’m baking a cake, especially a pound cake or a fresh apple cake like this one.

Fresh Apple Cake

When baking a cake, you’ll want to “grease and flour” the pan to prevent your cake from sticking to the sides and falling apart. To grease the pan, you’re going to need to get your hands a little dirty. Technically, I suppose you could find a way around getting your hands dirty, but I prefer to use my hands to really get down into all of the crevices of the pan. You’ll want to take a scoop of Crisco and smear it ALL around the inside of the tube pan, making sure to not leave any area ungreased. Next, you’ll want to “flour” the pan, or in this case, use powdered sugar instead of flour. Trust me on this one.

Dusting the pan with flour or powdered sugar creates a line of defense between the Crisco and the cake batter. It prevents the Crisco from seeping into the batter as the cake bakes, yet still lets the batter rise up the sides of the pan. The Crisco creates a perfectly golden crunchy layer that is one of my favorite parts of this recipe, and you won’t have a difficult time releasing the bread from the pan. Before you pour the batter in the pan, be sure to dump any excess powdered sugar that didn’t stick to the Crisco into the trashcan.

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

Fresh Apple Cake
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Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 cups all purpose flour (Divide flour into 2 3/4 cups + 1/4 cup)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans optional
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 apples (I use Red Delicious) peeled and chopped
  • Crisco and about 1/4 cup powdered sugar for greasing and dusting the pan

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 F
  • Using a stand mixer, combine vegetable oil and sugar.
  • Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
  • In a separate bowl, mix pecans and 1/4 cup flour
  • In a separate large bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt and gradually add into the sugar mixture
  • Add floured pecans and vanilla
  • Fold in apples
  • Thoroughly grease a tube pan with crisco and "flour" the pan with powdered sugar. This creates an AMAZING crust, so don't skip this part!
  • Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 1 hr and 20 minutes
  • Test for doneness before removing from oven
  • Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Here are a few of my favorite must-have’s in the kitchen when baking a fresh apple cake, or any cake for that matter!

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Cake | Banana Nut Squash Bread | Lemon Poppy Seed Summer Squash Bread | Lemon Poppy Seed Bread | Grandmama’s Mini Lemon Cakes

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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These White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats will absolutely melt in your mouth, and are a perfect combination of traditional rice krispie treats and a creamy peanut butter fudge that is absolutely irresistible!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

I’m a big time peanut butter fan. My two girls share my same obsession with the creamy and peanut-buttery goodness of a spoonful of Jif, and it’s not an uncommon occurrence for us all to be snacking on a spoonful of peanut butter for our afternoon snack each day. Marshmallows come in at a close second with my girls when it comes to a favorite snack. I’ve been known to keep a handful of marshmallows sitting by my stove that I hand off to the girls when they start creeping into the kitchen and playing under my feet while I’m trying to cook. It keeps them occupied for .2 seconds – that is until they come marching back in snooping around for another one.

With an abundance of marshmallows and peanut butter on hand, it just felt right to whip up a batch of peanut butter rice krispie treats, but these aren’t just your ordinary rice krispie treats. These are made even sweeter with white almond bark, which is very similar to white chocolate that causes these treats to melt right in your mouth after your very first bite. They are divine!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
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White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb white almond bark most packages are 1 lb exactly
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 cups rice krispies cereal
  • 1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Instructions

  • In a double boiler, melt white almond bark and peanut butter together, stirring frequently
  • In a large bowl, combine cereal and marshmallows
  • Once peanut butter mixture is melted, pour over cereal and stir until well combined and marshmallows are melted
  • Spray 8x8 baking dish or brownie pan with non-stick cooking spray
  • Pour mixture into pan and gently press down with the back of a spoon to flatten and fill the space of the pan
  • Allow to set for 2-3 hours, or until treats are dried enough to hold their shape when cut
  • Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Have you ever wondered how others are able to get their rice krispie treats to look so clean and pristine? It riddled my brain for years, as my rice krispie treats always looked very, well, homemade. To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! But my heart longed for my White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treatsto have neater edges and to have a fresh-from-the-bakery look to them. I spent so much time thinking people just had a steadier hand and a clearer eye for precision than I did when cutting their treats, only to realize that’s not the case at all. All of those clean edged confections and brownies are more than likely cut using a brownie pan with a built in slicer – and let me tell you, it’s a game changer!

Here’s a few of my top picks on Amazon for making these White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats:

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie | Peanut Butter Corn flake Candy | Peanut Butter Fudge | Guilt Free Peanut Butter Balls | Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Fried Apple Pies

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These Fried Apple Pies are a classic dessert that’s perfect with a little powdered sugar or a scoop of ice cream on top and a tall glass of milk. Enjoy!

Fried Apple Pies

There’s just something almost magical about taking a bite into a fresh warm fried apple pie. The sweet cinnamon filling and the chunks of perfectly tender apples tucked inside bring out all the goodness of a classic apple pie, while the flaky buttermilk biscuit that holds it all together brings back memories of devouring fruit filled hand pies growing up. Every time I bite into a fried apple pie, I instantly think about walking the fairway at the county fair during the cooler months. The aroma of fried confections fills the air as you walk from booth to booth scoping out the latest food craze, and if you’re lucky you can find a fruit filled pie sprinkled with a layer of powdery white sugar, just like these.

Fried Apple Pies

Making fried apple pies is simple and inexpensive. You’ll need 4 apples, a can of refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits, butter and a few pantry staples such as sugar, all purpose flour, cinnamon and a smidge of allspice. This is a great recipe for little hands to to help with in the kitchen, too. I used to love using a rolling pin to flatten dough when I was little, and flouring the surface (aka getting to make a mess on purpose) was always a highlight for me!

Once the apples are peeled and chopped, you’ll toss them into a pan with a little butter and cook on medium low for about 5 minutes, or until they’re tender. Remove the apples from heat and add in the sugar, flour, cinnamon and allspice and stir until well combined.

Fried Apple Pies

Allow the apples to cool down while the biscuit dough is flattened and the oil for frying is heating up. I highly recommend using a heavy rolling pin such as a marble rolling pin for rolling out dough. The weight helps make the biscuits perfectly flat and evenly thin. 

Once the apples have cooled considerably, spoon a small amount into the center of each biscuit and fold the dough over. Use a fork to crimp the dough closed, as pictured below.

Fried Apple Pies

Here’s a few of my top kitchen picks to have when making fried pies:

Fried Apple Pies

Once the oil has reached the proper temperature, drop the hand pies in one at a time and cook for 2 minutes, making sure to flip them over at the halfway mark so they cook evenly. Place fried pies on a drying rack with paper towels positioned underneath to catch any excess grease dripping off the pies. Serve hot with powdered sugar or vanilla ice cream.

Here’s a free copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

Fried Apple Pies
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Fried Apple Pies

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings: 8
Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

  • 4 apples peeled, cored and diced
  • 3 Tbsp butter cubed
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1 can 8ct Refrigerated Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuits
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Additional flour for dusting

Instructions

  • Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 F
  • In a large skillet, combine apples and butter and cook over medium low for about 5 minutes, or until apples are slightly tender. Stir frequently
  • Remove from heat in stir in flour, sugar, cinnamon and allspice until ingredients are well incorporated
  • Set aside to allow to cool
  • Using a heavy rolling pin roll out each biscuit on a well floured surface
  • Once apples are mostly cool, spoon a small amount onto the center of each flattened biscuit, being sure not to spread apples too close to the sides
  • Fold flattened biscuit over and crimp closed with a fork
  • Place in deep fryer basket and cook for 2 minutes, being sure to flip over after 1 minute
  • Remove from oil and set out on drying rack over paper towels
  • Serve warm with powdered sugar or ice cream
  • Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

 

Fried Apple Pies

If you like this recipe for fried apple pies, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Fried Peach Pies | Fried Fig Pies | Cinnamon Stewed Apples | Homemade Apple Cobbler | Apple Pie Cheesecake Trifles | Homemade Apple Butter | Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I only promote what I truly love!

Butternut Squash Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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While this recipe for Butternut Squash Oatmeal Raisin Cookies may be giving off Fall vibes, it’s a perfect treat to enjoy any time of year. Grab a tall glass of milk and a cookie or two. You definitely can’t have just one!

Butternut Squash Oatmeal Raisin Cookies…

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Apple Pie Cheesecake Parfaits

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These Apple Pie Cheesecake Trifles are a simple, no-bake dessert that are perfect for the 4th of July! 

They say there’s nothing more American than homemade apple pie, and throughout the years it’s become an iconic representation of American culture that is enjoyed all year round – especially on the 4th of July. There are few things better than enjoying a sweet and delicious golden apple pie with a flaky buttery crust and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The thought alone is enough to make anyone’s mouth water! And because I love a classic apple pie as much as the next person, it’s really no surprise that it stands as the inspiration behind my latest recipe concoction: Apple Pie Cheesecake Trifles.

Apple Pie Cheesecake Trifles…

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