Snacks Recipes

It's a game-changer.

Should we all just agree that we really go apple picking for the warm cider donuts and freshly pressed apple cider? Eating those fried donuts is one of my fondest food memories from the two years I lived on the East Coast, but unfortunately they’re harder to find now that I’m back in California. The best solution was to head into my kitchen and make a batch myself.

It uses a full pound of zucchini.

The cheesecake filling is dangerously good.

The no-bake cake that goes for the gold!

And they're ready in less than 30 minutes.

It’s just creamy enough.

It's a must before summer's over.

Esquites + creamed corn = heaven on a tortilla chip.

Here’s how to use up that bumper crop.

The cinnamon-walnut streusel is a game-changer.

As the days get longer and the weather warms up, my excitement for zucchini season grows. I love zucchini in any and all forms; whether they’re grilled, added to pasta, or shredded into savory pancakes.But my absolute favorite way to enjoy zucchini is when it’s breaded and fried into crisp, golden-brown batons. There’s just something about the crunchy outside contrasting against the tender zucchini center that can’t be beat.

So light and creamy.

Popular with kids and adults alike.

It only takes three ingredients to level up your iced coffee.

Deliciously dippable.

Puppy chow (also known as muddy buddies) is dangerous stuff. I had never even heard of the snack until my friend Beth, an Iowa native, left some at my house after a holiday gathering and I found myself eating handful after handful of the sweet, crunchy, nutty mixture. Why wasn’t there a warning label? It didn’t last the night.

The Italian dessert might make you forget all about gelato.

Cool, briny pickles straight from the fridge are one of the simplest pleasures of summer. Quick pickling is also a brilliant solution for preserving a plethora of summer vegetables from the market or your garden. Quick pickling doesn’t require canning or a bushel of vegetables. Best of all, you can adapt this simple formula for any fresh vegetables; try a mixture of vinegars and spices for a truly custom pickle pleasure. Here’s how to make these easy quick pickles in just 20 minutes.

Calling all banana bread lovers.

Meant to bee.

My grandmother kept a tidy little vegetable garden outside her New England home. While she did a decent job of growing summer squash, cucumbers, and some tomatoes, her best results always came out of her snap bean plants. This also meant my annual August trips to visit her were filled by snapping beans on her porch (a job reserved strictly for grandchildren) and putting jars of quick-pickled green beans in her refrigerator.

Get your toast ready.

It’s so delicious.

Cooler than the original.

Gotta love salad on a stick!

You’ll never guess these aren’t fried.

“I already want to make another batch.”

Butter mochi is a staple at almost any party in Hawai‘i, and it’s easy to see why. The coconut custard glutinous rice cake is perfectly chewy, slightly sticky, and just dense enough, with a hint of vanilla and salt. Growing up Japanese-American, or hapa, in Hawai‘i, I’ve had my fair share of butter mochi.

Cool and crunchy, delightfully sour and capable of going from a quick snack to a crunchy addition to a hearty sandwich without a hitch — that’s what I call a good pickle. Did you know they’re a cinch to make at home? You don’t even need to set aside the afternoon; you can make a few pint jars in less than 30 minutes. Here’s everything you need to know to make your own batch of homemade dill pickles right now.

Every bite is perfection.

It's the perfect summer potluck dish.

Everyone will love it.

Move over, granola.

Just trust me on this one.

Simpler than shortcake.

It's always the first thing gone at any barbecue.

The combination of rice cakes and sausages is incredibly delicious.

They’re decadent and deeply chocolaty.

They’re perfectly plush and tender.

Everything you love about lemon bars … but better.

It takes less than 20 minutes to make.

My dad has an intense sweet tooth, just like me. One afternoon when I was around 10 years old, Dad got a hankering and he enlisted me to help him make Toll House chocolate chip cookies. That was the first time he and I had ever baked together. Since then, whenever I make chocolate chip cookies, including the ones from this recipe, I think of him and that special afternoon we spent together in the kitchen. I developed this recipe over the years.

We love roasted peanuts in everything from homemade granola to crunchy slaws and vibrant salads. But we found found that it’s much cheaper to buy raw peanuts in bulk and to roast them at home. It’s quick and easy, and it lets us control the roasted flavor more precisely. It’s so easy! You start with raw, shelled peanuts, spread them on a baking sheet, then roast them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. That’s it! They taste better than store-bought roasted peanuts.

Plus, a foolproof technique to make sure it slides right out of the pan.

The technique is a game-changer.

They’re soft, tangy, and oh-so tender.

With fresh or frozen bananas.

Caution: These are extremely delicious.

Even if you're not a cake person, you'll appreciate this.

Oh, and it's so easy to make.

They’re simply adorable.

Before my fellow Southerners read this and start thinking, “Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t know how to make sweet tea?” — hear me out. I am Florida-born and Georgia-raised, but when I moved to California, one of the first things I noticed was that no one drinks sweet tea out here! I always keep a pitcher ready in my fridge, and my friends inevitably ask me, “How do you make this?” Today you’re going to find out how.

It’s bursting with berries.

Summer rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls, are one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant. They are made from rice paper wrappers rolled around fresh crunchy vegetables partnered with cold proteins, fresh herbs, and sometimes noodles. Gỏi cuốn are Vietnamese in origin (along with chả giò, which are fried spring rolls) but there are countless variations of fillings made with an assortment of veggies and proteins.Summer rolls are also easy to make at home!

Easy, cheesy, beautiful.

Perfect with a cup of Joe.

More feta = more happiness.

Drench it in the spiced, sweet syrup.

Like strawberry shortcake — but better.