Author: maggieinla

Easy Halloween Party Food Recipes by Maggie Jackson on KTLA Morning News

Featured on TV: Last-Minute Halloween Party Food Recipe Ideas

Cooking, Holidays, kids

Imagine this: Halloween is one day away (or today!!), and you signed up to bring treats to the class party, or perhaps you offered to host your neighbors for a get-together before trick-or-treating… Or, maybe you simply want to surprise your kids with a spooky spread when they get home from school… And, you still haven’t figured out what food you’re making! AHHHH!! Last-minute party prep is scarier than Halloween movie flicks!! Look, I’ve been in these situations, too, so I get it! I’m a busy mom balancing school drop-offs/pickups, work, children’s activities, housework, marriage and volunteer commitments all while trying to squeeze in workouts and self-care… Phew! Can’t you relate?

Thankfully, my last-minute habit (some may call it “procrastination”) has made me quick and creative when it comes to pulling together fun, festive food for parties and holidays. And, thankfully, with our fab grocery stores in Southern California, like Smart & Final, there’s so many ways to make fast and festive semi-homemade food for Halloween or any themed party!

Monster Rice Krispy Treats – scroll to find the recipe!

Smart & Final sponsored a KTLA Morning News segment that I hosted about last-minute Halloween food, and I’m sharing my tips below. I have 7 of my favorite wicked Halloween party food ideas that you can pull together in no time! From dips to treats and drinks, you can create a spooktacular spread with these recipes! If you’d like to watch the full TV segment featuring these recipes, scroll to the bottom of this blog post.

Frankenstein Layered Dip with Spooky Tortilla Crisps

Frankenstein Layered Dip and Spooky Tortilla Crisps

This is a spooktacular twist on a crowd-pleasing layered dip! Mexican food is one of my favorites, and this dip combines all the best “South of the Border” flavors with sour cream, taco seasoning, pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and black beans. Make this recipe even more frightfully fun with Halloween-themed tortilla crisps created with spooky-themed cookie cutters, flour tortillas, butter and garlic salt. This recipe is available on my blog here.

Candy Corn Fruit Cups

Candy Corn Fruit Cups (Credit: cozycadence.com)

Here’s a recipe that’s semi-healthy, pretty-looking and SO EASY to put together! To create these candy-corn inspired fruit cocktail cups, use a clear cup and simply layer yellow pineapple on the bottom, mandarin oranges in the middle and whipped cream on top. Add a sprinkle of real candy corn (optional), and voila! Yummy, sweet candy corn fruit cups that the whole family will love!

My Candy Corn Fruit Parfait (without the candy corn candy topping)

Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps

Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps (Credit: ourbestbites.com)

Here’s a treat that’s as adorable as it is spooky: the Nutella Banana Mummy Wraps (credit: Our Best Bites). Ripe bananas wrapped snugly in buttery crescent-dough, layered with creamy Nutella and topped with candy eyes that peer out from their “bandages” — it’s the perfect mix of playful and delicious. With minimal fuss, you’ve got a quick assembly that invites kids to help (who doesn’t love wrapping their “mummies”?), and the bake time means you’ll have fresh pastries just as your little ghouls arrive for trick-or-treating or Halloween party. Serve them warm, let the chocolate and banana mingle in every bite, and watch your gathering light up with “oohs” and “ahhs.” For the complete recipe, visit Our Best Bites here.

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats (Credit: Macy Blackwell)

These Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats are the perfect savory spell for your Halloween spread! 🧙‍♀️✨ With only 3 ingredients — buttery crescent rolls, gooey melted cheese, and a couple spooky pepperoni stars — they’re delightfully simple to make yet look like something straight out of a witch’s kitchen. Kids will love helping roll the dough into “pointy hats,” and adults will appreciate that they’re warm, flaky, and ready in minutes. Serve them as a snack, side, or appetizer at your Halloween party — they’re frightfully festive, crowd-pleasing, and guaranteed to disappear faster than you can say abracadabra!

All you need is a can of Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls, three mozzarella cheese sticks and pepperoni slices. Use a mini cookie cutter to cut the pepperoni into spellbinding stars and moons.

Cheesy Crescent Witch Hats Recipe Directions:

  1. Unroll crescent dough on a baking sheet.
  2. Cut cheese sticks into thirds, and place each of the small cheese stick pieces in the middle of the wide base of each crescent dough triangle.
  3. Roll the base of each hat over the cheese to cover completely. Pinch the sides of the hat to seal.
  4. Cut pepperonis into mini stars and moons, and place on top of hats.
  5. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve with ranch, marinara or pizza sauce for dipping!

Graveyard Trifle

My Graveyard Trifle on KTLA Morning News

This Graveyard Trifle is a frightfully fun and decadent no-bake dessert that’s guaranteed to steal the show at any Halloween gathering! Layers of rich, moist chocolate bundt cake (I purchased two at the bakery section at Smart & Final), creamy chocolate pudding, and fluffy whipped cream create a deliciously spooky trifle cake, while the top transforms into an edible “graveyard.” Milano cookies and Hershey bars serve as tombstones, ghostly marshmallow Peeps rise from the “dirt,” and candy pumpkins add the perfect festive touch. It’s the ultimate combination of playful presentation and irresistible flavor — easy to assemble, fun for kids to decorate, and a total crowd-pleaser for anyone with a sweet tooth. A dessert so good, it’s to die for!

Tools needed for Graveyard Trifle:

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cut bundt cakes into small bite-size pieces. Save a small portion to crumble for the trifle’s topping at the end.
  2. In a large trifle bowl, add half of the bundt cake pieces. Next, layer 10 Snack Pack cups of chocolate pudding, then half of the large Cool Whip container. Repeat layers once more: cake, pudding, Cool Whip.
  3. Use saved crumbled cake pieces to create “dirt” on the last layer of Cool Whip. Make a graveyard scene on top with decorations like Milano cookies, Hershey chocolate bars, Peep marshmallow ghosts and candy pumpkins.
  4. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Monster Rice Krispies Treats

Monster Rice Krispy Treats

These Monster Rice Krispies Treats are my kids’ favorite! You can make your own Rice Krispy Treats or cut corners, like I did, and use store-bought. These are so easy, it’s scary! Your kids will love helping you make them! Plus, I love that the process of making them does not have to be perfect. Odd-looking monsters is what makes these treats perfect for a ghoulish Halloween party!

Ingredients:

  • Large Box of Rice Krispy Treats (includes 40 individually wrapped treats)
  • Four (4) cups white chocolate
  • Four (4) different colors of food coloring (I used orange, green, purple and blue)
  • Sprinkles (use the same colors as chosen food coloring)
  • A variety of different sized candy eyeballs

Directions:

  1. Unwrap 10 Rice Krispy Treats while melting 1 cup of white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until smooth. Add a couple drops of food coloring of choice to chocolate and stir until color is completely well mixed.
  2. Dip one end of the Rice Krispy Treat into the colored chocolate. Dip each treat slightly different to make each coating look odd and spooky. Place dipped treat on parchment paper.
  3. Add a variety of candy eyeballs to each treat. Get creative with different sizes and 1-3 eyeballs per treat to make them look creepy.
  4. Make “hair” on the monster treat by adding sprinkles to the tops of the treats.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other three food coloring colors.
  6. Allow treats to dry for 30 minutes and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for several days.

3-Ingredient Halloween Punch

3-ingredient Halloween Punch (credit: iheartnaptime.net)

This Halloween punch from the I Heart Naptime blog is as easy as it is eerie, and it’s sure to be your new go-to. With just three ingredients (chilled orange soda or Sprite, pineapple juice, and scoops of orange sherbet), this recipe brings bright, spooky color and fizzy fun in minutes. The vivid orange hue fits perfectly into any Halloween spread, and the sherbet floating on top adds a playful, kid-friendly float effect that will have little trick-or-treaters and grown-ups alike reaching for seconds. What I love most: it’s practically no-stress — prep the soda and juice ahead of time, scoop in the sherbet right before guests arrive, and you’ve got a drink that looks festive, tastes delicious, and leaves you free to chat and celebrate instead of hiding in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2-liter) bottle Sprite or Orange Soda, chilled
  • 1 cup pineapple juice , chilled
  • 1 pint orange sherbet
  • Optional decoration: Plastic eyeballs

Directions:

  • In a punch bowl or pitcher, stir together the Sprite and pineapple juice. Scoop the sherbet into the bowl just before serving.
  • Place plastic eyeballs or other decoration on top, if desired. Serve immediately.

Halloween Recipes on TV!

Watch all these recipes in action during my KTLA Morning News TV segment about family-friendly, last-minute Halloween party food below.

I’d love to hear what you think of these Halloween recipes! Leave a comment below, or connect with me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Halloween Party Food - Frankenstein Layered Dip

Halloween Party Food Recipe: Frankenstein Layered Taco Dip with Spooky Tortilla Crisps

Cooking, Holidays

Get Spooky & Satisfy with Frankenstein Layered Dip & Halloween Tortilla Crisps 🎃

As the leaves outside turn golden, the air crisp, and the pumpkin-candles flicker, it’s time to bring a little themed magic into your get-togethers. Enter the show-stopper: the Frankenstein Layered Dip with Halloween Tortilla Crisps (thanks to Ralphs for the inspiration!) — a booo-tiful, effortless, crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for families, Halloween gatherings, and friendly potlucks. For the complete step-by-step recipe, please scroll to the bottom of this post.

Why it’s a winner for families and get-togethers

  • Easy to throw together: The recipe lists a prep time of just about 35 minutes and a cook/assembly time of around 8 minutes (total approx. 43 minutes). Perfect for squeezing in after the kids’ homework or while you’re prepping other dishes.
  • Layered fun for little helpers: Kids can help build the “Franken-look” layers — spreading the sour cream/cream-cheese base, layering pico de gallo, shredded cheese, guacamole, beans … it becomes a hands-on mini-project.
  • Festive and thematic without being fussy: With a clever Frankenstein-inspired presentation (think green guacamole “skin”, black olive “bolts”, bean “scars” or whatever you choose), it brings Halloween décor to the table without requiring a twenty-step gourmet process.
  • Feeds a crowd: The recipe serves about 24 (so you’ve got more than enough for neighbours, trick-or-treaters, and family members alike) according to the original listing (Ralphs)
  • Kid-friendly & adjustable: You can dial the spice up or down, skip or swap ingredients, and still maintain the layered visual and flavor impact.
  • Great for mingling: One dish everyone can graze on while chatting, costumed kids dart about, and adults sip something seasonal. No one stuck in the kitchen.
Frankenstein Inspired Taco Dip for Halloween Parties

How to turn it into a Halloween hit

  • Presentation is everything: Use a rectangular or oval dish and layer in the “Frankenstein colours”. Spread the sour cream/cream cheese mix as a base (that’s the “face”). On top, layer green guacamole (the “skin”) and then arrange black olives to look like hair or bolts. Maybe a drizzle of taco-seasoning-spiced sour cream to look like “scars”.
  • Use themed chips: Create Halloween tortilla chips by using cookie cutters to make pumpkins, bats and ghosts out of tortillas (recipe below). If you don’t have time to make those, serve the dip with green spinach tortilla chips, or black corn chips, or even pumpkin-shaped tortilla chips if you find them. Adds extra fun for the kids.
  • Add spooky bite markers: Place little plastic picks shaped like skulls or use toothpicks with mini flags labeled “Bite the monster!” to make it interactive.
  • Pair it with a family-friendly drink: Maybe a “Witch’s Brew” punch or just sparkling apple cider in orange cups—this dish hits the savoury snack spot, so you can keep beverages simple.
  • Let the kids get creative: After you’ve done the main layers, let each child add one extra decoration on top—a cherry-tomato “eye”, a slice of jalapeño “mouth”, etc. Great for bonding and gives them a sense of ownership.
  • Prep ahead: Because the layered dip is simple, you can assemble most of it earlier in the day (or even the night before) and just finish any fresh toppings just before guests arrive. That means more time to greet people, help with costumes, and enjoy the moment.

Final spooky bite

So, whether you’re hosting a mini Halloween party, prepping for costume night, or simply want a snack that says festive + family + easy, the Frankenstein Layered Dip is your go-to. It brings flavor, visual fun, and zero fuss.

Photo credit: Ralphs.com

RECIPE: Frankenstein Layered Taco Dip with Spooky Tortilla Crisps

Serves: 24 | Prep Time: Minutes | Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Sour Cream
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
  • 2 cups pico de gallo
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 2 cups prepared guacamole
  • 2 large black olives
  • 2⁄3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 (10”) flour tortillas
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • Garlic salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Combine sour cream, cream cheese and taco seasoning in a bowl until well blended.
  2. In an 8”x 8” casserole dish evenly spread sour cream mixture, top with a layer each of pico, cheese and guacamole. Arrange black olive and black beans to create Frankenstein’s hair, eyes, brows and mouth. Refrigerate until serving.
  3. Heat oven to 400°F.
  4. Cut tortillas with a 2½”-3” Halloween themed cookie cutter. Place on baking sheets; brush with melted butter on one side. Flip brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake 6-8 minutes until browned and crispy; cool.
  5. Serve tortilla crisps with layered dip.
  6. Refrigerate leftover dip. Store crisps at room temperature in an airtight container.

This recipe was featured in my KTLA Morning News segment about easy Halloween party food. You can watch the segment below and find more recipes on my blog here.

Watch Halloween Party Food Ideas on KTLA Morning News in Los Angeles below!

Do you have any favorite Halloween party food recipes? Let me know in the comments below! Don’t forget to connect with me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Last-Minute Valentine’s Party Ideas for Kids!

Holidays, kids

I’ve always appreciated Valentine’s Day, but I love the holiday more now that I have kids. My son especially loves Valentine’s Day and has declared it as his second favorite holiday after Christmas. Every year, we have so much fun making Valentine’s crafts, heart-shaped treats and finding thoughtful ways to tell our family, teachers and friends that we love them.

This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday, and our school district has the President’s Day holiday (this year, President’s Day is Feb. 17 — it always the third Monday in February) listed as a 4-day weekend, instead of the typical 3-day weekend that I grew up with. So, the kids will be home for Valentine’s Day! Curious about how we should spend the holiday, I decided we’ll host a last-minute mini Valentine’s Day party. As I’m typing this, we’re only two days away from Valentine’s Day, so we need food, decor and activities that we can pull together fast and easy!

Below, I’ve listed my favorite ideas for hosting a last-minute Valentine’s Day party for kids, including heart-shaped food, festive decor and love-themed crafts and games! I also shared these ideas on KTLA Morning News – scroll to the bottom to watch the clip!

Sharing my last-minute Valentine’s Party ideas for kids on KTLA Morning News

VALENTINE’S DAY FOOD FOR KIDS

Heart Shaped Mini Tortilla Pizzas

I love that these pizzas are only three ingredients – so easy! Thanks to TheBakerMama for this cute recipe!

Photo courtesy of @thebakermama

Photo courtesy of @thebakermama

Ingredients:

  • 12 street taco size tortillas
  • 12 slices mozzarella cheese
  • 36 pepperoni slices
  • 1/2 cup prepared pizza or marina sauce, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Cut each tortillas into a heart shape with a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter or shape the tortillas into hearts with kitchen scissors. Place the heart-shaped tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes until they start to lightly brown and crisp around the edges. 
  3. While the tortillas are baking, cut slices of mozzarella cheese with the same heart-shaped cookie cutter you used to cut the tortillas.
  4. Use a mini (1-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the pepperoni into heart shapes or shape the pepperoni into hearts with kitchen scissors.
  5. Once the heart-shaped tortillas have baked, place a slice of heart-shaped mozzarella cheese onto each tortilla and then 3 mini heart-shaped pepperonis.
  6. Return the topped tortillas to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to turn golden brown in spots.
  7. Serve with pizza or marinara sauce for dipping.

Deviled Strawberries

This is an adorable healthy-ish treat from one of my favorite TV chef Katie Lee Biegel. The deviled strawberries’ filling is the same recipe – marshmallow creme and cream cheese – used for fruit dip at parties when I was growing up in the 90s. Top your deviled strawberries with coconut, chocolate shavings or sprinkles. Find the full recipe here.

Photo courtesy of Food Network, Katie Lee Biegel

Assorted Treats from Cheryl’s Cookies and 1800 Flowers

It’t not a Valentine’s Day party without heart-shaped treats and chocolate, of course! Cheryl’s Cookies and 1800 Flowers has you covered with a large variety of beautiful and playful treats perfect for a kids Valentine’s Day party! Plus, Cheryl’s and 1800 Flowers offer same day or next day delivery in many zip codes throughout the United States. This is a perfect last-minute option for treats when hosting a party. Here are three of my favorite Valentine’s treats for kids from Cheryls.com and 1800flowers.com:

Cheryl’s Cookies Valentine Gift Tin Treats Assortment – This cute heart cookie tin comes with 15 snack size butter shortbread heart cookies plus 17 other different treats, like raspberry galettes, buttercream frosted red heart cutout cookies, cheesecake flavored buttercream frosted raspberry cookie, gourmet drizzled chocolate pretzel and a raspberry crumb bar, so all your party guests can choose their favorite goodies. Purchase this cookie tin here.

Photo courtesy of Cheryls.com

1800 Flowers Fleur de Chocolate Belgian Chocolate Roses – This box of chocolate roses not only looks stunning on your party table, it’s fun to eat while letting each guest pick their favorite rose! This also could be a fabulous hostess gift! Purchase the beautiful chocolate rose box here.

Photo courtesy of 1800flowers.com

Disney Princess Explosion Box with Spinning Music Stand – Add some excitement to your Valentine’s treat table with this show-stopping explosion music box that’s perfect for a Disney princess fan! When your kids open the box, they’ll feel completely enchanted by the flurry of bright butterflies and a delicious strawberry shortcake topped with an edible bow. Purchase this fun music box with strawberry cake here.

Photo courtesy of 1800flowers.com

VALENTINE’S DAY DECOR FOR KIDS

Florals from 1800 Flowers

Flowers are an iconic symbol of Valentine’s Day, and 1800Flowers.com is the floral and gift authority with 49 years of helping consumer’s celebrate the love-filled holiday! In fact, this year they plan to deliver 24 million stems with 15.5 million of them being roses! They have a curated collection of fun gifts and floral bouquets that are perfect celebrating with your littlest sweethearts and are available for next-day and same-day delivery on Valentine’s Day. A favorite arrangement of mine is the Fields of Europe Romance Bouquet. This vibrant mixed bouquet includes a variety of pink and red blooms. On special request, the blooms can feature a whimsical heart banner that says “Happy Valentine’s Day.” I also adore this Love Pup Arrangement for kids, which includes a plush puppy! Arrangements from 1800 Flowers are designed and delivered by a local florist in your community. If you’re looking to support a local business, this is a great way to do that!

Photo courtesy of 1800flowers.com

Photo Courtesy of 1800flowers.com

Heart Shaped Table Runner

Sprucing up your dining table for Valentine’s Day is easier than you think with foam paper! I love using foam paper for easy crafts, like the heart-shaped table runner. I used pre-cut foam hearts, but you could also cut them yourself from regular foam paper. You could always use construction paper to create a similar table runner, but I prefer foam paper because I think it looks nicer, and it lasts longer!

Photo Courtesy of ANightOwlBlog.com

Tissue Paper Wreath

This was a craft my mother taught me in the 90s, and now I love that I get to share it with my children! To make this wreath, cut a large heart out of a piece of cardboard. You’ll also need Elmer’s liquid glue, a pencil with an eraser, and LOTS of squares of tissue paper – preferably in red and pink Valentine’s colors! If you want to hang it inside or outside, attach a ribbon or decorative pipe cleaner as a hook on the back of the wreath once complete.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Station by Baker Ross

VALENTINE’S DAY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

XO Tic-Tac-Toe

In my opinion, there’s not a more fitting kids’ game for Valentine’s Day than tic-tac-toe because of its X’s and O’s! I used foam paper and decorative craft tape to make one version of a tic-tac-toe board and painted wooden hearts for another. You can create X’s and O’s out of pipe cleaners (bonus points if you shape the O into a heart!) or use different colored candies for opposing players. I used Dove milk chocolate hearts for one player and Dove dark chocolate hearts for another.

Valentine’s Themed Tumble Tower

Put a love-themed spin on the classic tumble tower game! I got this cute idea from Vanessa at the Tried and True Creative Blog. Jazz up your blocks with some red hearts, then write Valentine’s themed instructions on each block. Every time your child pulls out a block, they have to follow the instructions. Blocks could say, “Show us how dogs say I love you,” “Give me Eskimo kisses,” or “What do you love most about yourself?” I’ve seen many different versions of Tumble Towers available on Amazon and at Target, Dollar Tree and craft stores, and I used paint pens to write on the blocks.

Photo Courtesy of TriedandTrueBlog.com

Photo Courtesy of TriedandTrueBlog.com

Melissa & Doug Heart Themed Crafts

Sometimes, we don’t have the time or energy to make our own crafts, so I adore Melissa & Doug for helping out with their heart themed craft kits. Melissa & Doug has long been one of my favorite children’s toy and activity brands. From classic wooden toys to realistic pretend play sets, Melissa & Doug products inspire creative thinking through screen-free, open-ended play. They intentionally make well-crafted toys that are developed with care to be passed down from generation to generation or shared family to family. Here’s some of their great heart-themed craft products to consider adding to your Valentine’s Day party:

Created By Me! Heart Beads Wooden Bead Kit

Created by Me! Heart Box Wooden Craft Kit

Wooden Stamp Set – Friendship

All these crafts are so fun to do with friends and guaranteed to last!

Photo Courtesy of Melissa & Doug

Watch the full TV segment featuring all these ideas on YouTube, linked below!

What other ideas do you have for a kids Valentine’s Day party? Share in the comments below or connect with me on Instagram at @maggiehjackson.

Easy Family-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Cooking, Health & Wellness, kids

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

It’s back-to-school season, so mornings are early and rushed! Unfortunately, this often leaves little time to feed our families a nutritious breakfast. But, as the saying goes, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and its imperative that our kiddos get a healthy start before their long day at school and activities.

I know that with the early mornings’ limited time, plus a house full of picky eaters and different taste preferences, it feels much easier to resort to packaged donuts and pastries or swing through the fast food drive-through for a chicken biscuit for a quick breakfast. However, I’m here to assure you that making a fast, healthful breakfast for your family does not have to be hard, time consuming or expensive. As long as you’re willing to put in just a little prep work, you and your family can eat a variety of delicious and nutritious every day of the week! Plus, you’ll save money from avoiding coffee shops and fast food restaurants!

Check out my top family-friendly breakfast recipe ideas below!

Apple “Donuts”

Recipe: Food Network

Not only do Apple “Donuts” encourage your children to eat more fruit — it’s also a great recipe for little hands to get involved in making! Slice apples into 1/2-inch circles, and use a small circular cookie cutter or small melon baller to cut a hole in the center of each to make a “donut.” Top apples with better-for-you “frosting,” like peanut butter, cream cheese and greek yogurt. Add more fun with additional toppings, like sprinkles, sliced strawberries, granola and chocolate chips.

One-Bowl, Multi-Flavor Mini Muffins

Recipe: The Baker Mama

This one-bowl muffin batter recipe is easy to make. After adding the batter to muffin tins, simply drop in your favorite mix-ins, like blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, bananas or sprinkles, to create multiple flavors in one batch. This recipe is perfect for all the different taste preferences in your house or if your kiddos get bored of eating the same flavor every morning. 

Super Pancakes

Don’t settle for boring regular pancakes when you can have “Super Pancakes” filled with superpower ingredients! This recipe is especially beneficial for kids who need help eating more protein, fruits and vegetables. I make these pancakes with Kodiak Protein-Packed Flapjack and Waffle Mix and mix in milk and egg instead of water for added protein! After the batter is made, I mix in mashed banana and grated zucchini (you can’t even taste the zucchini, I promise!). Make a large batch of these Super Pancakes on Sunday morning to quickly heat up for breakfast for 3-4 days!

Photo credit: Confessions of a Midnight Baker

Coffee Shop Dupe Egg Bites

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef

Save time and money by skipping the coffee shop for your favorite egg bites and making them at home! The secret ingredient in these egg, bacon and cheese egg bites is cottage cheese and tabasco sauce! They’re so flavorful and easy to make ahead of time. Store in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 2 months. You won’t miss your pricey store-bought egg bites!

Quick Caprese Breakfast Sandwich

Recipe: Jones Dairy Farm

This sandwich is low on prep time but full on flavor! Most breakfast sandwiches are time consuming to make, but not this Caprese Breakfast Sandwich with the help of Jones Dairy Farm Canadian Bacon, Egg Life Egg White Wraps and pre-sliced BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella. Cut the egg wrap down into 4-6 pieces. Lightly toast the English muffin. Top one half with basil leaves, 2-3 slices of mozzarella, 2-3 slices of tomato. Finish with 2-3 egg slices and 2 slices of Canadian bacon.  

Protein Yogurt Parfait

Recipe: Created by ME! My full recipe is available in a previous blog post here

When you’re challenged with food allergies and diet restrictions but still want a high-protein breakfast, this make-ahead dairy, egg and gluten free yogurt parfait is a delectable choice! It’s made with my favorite Super Granola and Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder from Kroma Wellness, along with creamy Coconut Yogurt and Berries. You could add more toppings, too, like honey, chia seeds, hemp seeds, nut butter, etc. Customize it to your preference! This is a great recipe to make ahead in a mason jar to bring on-the-go during busy mornings!

Which of these recipes do you want to try? Let me know in the comments below! For more family-friendly products, activities and recipe ideas, be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Best Protein Yogurt Parfait – Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free!

Cooking, Health & Wellness

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

Scroll to the end of this post for my gluten, egg and dairy free yogurt parfait recipe!

The creamiest dreamiest yogurt parfait for a nutritious breakfast!

First, some background on why I made this recipe…

So, this is a bit awkward and embarrassing for me to admit, but because I know my readership is made up of incredibly supportive ladies, I’m going to follow Natasha Bedingfield‘s advice and “release my inhibitions”…

By the way, I saw Natasha perform at a fundraising gala this past year, and she was phenomenal! “Unwritten” was the best I’ve ever heard it since it was released 20 years ago! Okay, I’ve digressed and aged myself, so let’s get back on track…

Back to what I was saying… Here it goes… I’m embarrassed to admit that I HAVE HORMONAL ACNE.

UGH! I hate seeing that in writing because it makes my hormonal acne so real. It’s not that I don’t believe that I have acne – clearly, I do, as my face doesn’t lie to me in the mirror! It’s just that I’ve had to come to the brutal realization that this is not a random breakout from sleeping with makeup on or “just a phase.” I’ve been dealing with hormonal acne on-and-off ever since having children 6 years ago. It will sometimes clear up for a couple months, so I’ll think I’ve moved past it. Then, low and behold… painful, ugly, annoying cystic acne reappears on my jawline again. I hate this acne, because it feels so odd to have as an adult. I was extremely lucky and did not have acne problems during puberty or my teenage years. The acne didn’t start until pregnancy.

In the past, I’ve managed my hormonal acne with topical prescription products. For this round of acne that started about 9 months ago, I waited a few months before getting back into my dermatologist’s office to start prescriptions again. I was hoping it would clear up on its own. However, I’ve now been on my topical prescriptions (Clindamycin, Winlevi and Tretinoin) for 3+ months and nothing is getting better. In fact, my skin is just getting really, really dry and flaking, which is probably not helpful either.

I’ve decided its time to try a different approach: a holistic treatment encompassing diet and mental health. I’ve gone down a very big internet and podcast rabbit hole exploring hormonal acne treatments, and a common theme I’ve seen is eliminating dairy and eggs (and sometimes gluten) in diet on top of stress management. So, here I go… ready to conquer this approach! Although, it won’t be easy…

You see, I’m a protein girly, so eliminating eggs and dairy throws a major wrench into my usual breakfast eats. I typically love to eat greek yogurt topped with nuts and berries or make a veggie and cheese-filled omelette. The idea of eating oatmeal, toast, pancakes or waffles does not sound satisfying to me, nor do those meals usually have a good amount of protein in them for starting my day and meeting my daily protein requirements. As I discovered in my research for hormonal acne solutions, protein is a key conductor in balancing our hormones, and I try to eat at least 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal.

Loving my protein parfait made with Kroma protein and granola

Then, I remembered Kroma Wellness, a brand dedicated to simplifying eating nutritious, anti-inflammatory, clean food that makes you feel your very best. I’m so grateful that I found Kroma 2 years ago when I did their 5-Day Reset (you can read about my life-changing experience with the Kroma Reset here). I took a look at two of my favorite Kroma products that I always keep in stock – Super Granola and Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder – and got the idea for a dairy-free, protein yogurt parfait!

I have avoided dairy-free yogurt in the past, because it’s usually filled with alien junk ingredients and sugar with minimal protein. But, blending the Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder with a quality pure coconut yogurt (like Cocojune Pure Coconut) amps up the protein content while still getting rich taste, healthy fats and tons of probiotics.

Kroma’s Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder adds a decadent dessert-like flavor to dairy-free yogurt, milk, smoothies and baked goods. The powder boasts 20g of protein per serving, has 9/9 Essential Amino Acids, and is loaded with superfoods and adaptogens.

Now let’s talk about what we’re topping our yogurt parfaits with: Super Granola! This is the best granola ever made with a wholesome medley of 10 superfoods that’s light yet satisfyingly crunchy and an irresistible vanilla cinnamon flavor. There is no gluten or refined sugar, which is so rare compared to most granola on grocery store shelves! It’s made with high-quality ingredients and functional superfoods, like crunchy clusters of gluten-free rolled oats, cashews, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, dried blueberries, and mulberries. And, it’s boosted with adaptogenic maca to enhance mood and energy. This granola is the perfect topping to a yogurt parfait, but it’s also great to eat alone as a snack!

Watch me make this Protein Yogurt Parfait on Instagram here:

This DEG Free (Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free) Protein Parfait has now become a go-to breakfast of mine. It makes two small parfaits, so I’ll often make them in mason jars, so I can save the second one for tomorrow. I look forward to this creamy dreamy parfait every morning! Below is the recipe, and I can’t wait to hear what you think after you try it!

Protein Yogurt Parfait Recipe:

Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free!

Yield: 2 yogurt parfaits | Servings: 2 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Add coconut yogurt, protein powder and almond milk to a bowl and mix. Add more almond milk, if needed, to reach your desired consistency.
  2. Divide the protein yogurt mixture into two serving bowls. Top with berries, nut butter, granola and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free Yogurt Protein Parfait

I hope you love this breakfast recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you try it in the comments, and be sure to connect with me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Best Classic Children’s Play Clothes for Summer

fashion, kids

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

There’s something so sweet about classic children’s clothes. I grew up in the 80s and 90s in the South (Houston, Memphis and Asheville, to be exact — my family moved a lot!), and if my mother didn’t sew the clothes herself, she always made sure my two older brothers and I were dressed in classic children’s clothing, especially for special occasions!

Now, you might be asking…

What is classic children’s clothing, anyway, and why should I dress my kids this way?

Classic children’s clothing embodies the innocence of childhood while featuring a soft color palette, clean lines, high-quality fabric and simple designs. These timeless pieces can include smocked dresses, oxford shirts, sweaters, and elevated design elements like monograms, appliqués and embroidery.

When I started having children 5 years ago, my mom would mail me products, along with texting me photos and links to adorable classic children’s clothing. But, to be honest, I wasn’t quite sold yet. I thought the style looked “old-fashioned” and like an 80s grandma was dressing my children! But, then, when it came to dressing my children for special occasions, like their first Christmas, Easter or Baptism, I started thinking about those moments in my childhood and maintaining tradition felt important to me. I thought of the photos of those special moments that we’d look back on year after year, and it became clear to me why so many parents love classic children’s clothing. It never goes out of style and always looks cute and appropriate for their age and the occasion! On top of that, the quality of classic children’s clothing is typically very nice, so the items can be passed down to siblings or kept as heirlooms. Classic children’s clothing is more sustainable than fast fashion. Now, as my kids are getting older and not growing as fast, I love that they can wear some of the same pieces year after year without going out of style. Not only that, but I love that dressing my children in classic children’s clothes helps preserve this short-lived sweet time of their lives. They only have a few short years of childhood to wear these sweet clothes, and they have the rest of their lives to dress like adults. 

What are the best classic children’s play clothes for summer?

This summer, we have some fun family vacations, events and activities coming up where I’m excited to dress my children in sweet outfits from Mud Pie, a female-founded and family-operated company that specializes in everyday classic children’s clothing, along with clothing for women, home decor and gifts. Mud Pie has so many cute classic children’s clothes options for baby through toddler for everything from playdates to special occasions.

My babies in their red, white and blue from Mud Pie

Best classic children’s clothes for July 4th holiday:

Nothing is more quintessential summer than Americana themed clothing, and I adore these toddler pieces from Mud Pie, below, featuring an American flag, USA colors and sailboats, along with smocked embroidery, applique details and comfy jersey fabric. These casual classic children’s clothing pieces make me want to take the family on a sailing excursion followed by a New England style clambake! These outfits are going to be perfect for our Memorial Day celebrations, annual July 4th pool party, and all the fun summer moments in between!

Sailboat Toddler T-Shirt Dress
Sail Away Smocked Toddler Tee

I’m the type of person who loves to wear Americana themed clothing all summer long, not just on holidays! Below are some more of my favorite USA themed outfits from Mud Pie for your kids to wear while having fun in the sun!

I’m in love with the bow straps on this sailboat dress!

Sailboat Poplin Toddler Dress
Sailboat Anchor Toddler Short Set

Nothing is more American than denim!

Sailboat Denim Jon Jon
Firework Glow PJs

The details of this red and blue seersucker swimsuit are perfection!

Girls Seersucker Crab Swimsuit
Boys Crab Applique Swim Shorts

How cute would a little baby girl be in this classic seersucker swimsuit with ruffles?!

Girls Eyelet Ruffle Suit
Seersucker Anchor Swim Trunks

Best classic children’s play clothes to wear to camps and country clubs:

Our kids are just now getting old enough to participate in summer camps, and I’m so excited that they’ve taken interest in hobbies at our country club (just like their parents!), where they’ll be doing their first golf and tennis camps! Mud Pie’s tennis and golf prints are perfect for your little sports enthusiasts’ upcoming camps or any playtime this summer.

Ready to play in her Toddler Tennis Dress

I’m a big tennis fan, and my daughter adores being like mommy, so we’re both loving this adorable tennis print that comes in a dress for toddlers, as well as a baby longall, sunsuit and sleeper. Check out all the cute tennis outfits from Mud Pie, below!

Lucy is wearing a size 4-5T, which is a smidge large for her at the moment, but I’m excited for her to wear it for multiple summers!
Toddler Tennis Dress

Your kiddo can dream of tennis in these adorable pajamas!

Toddler Tennis PJs
Tennis Longall

How cute is this sunsuit?! Makes me want to have another baby girl!!

Tennis Sunsuit
Tennis Baby Sleeper Set

Seersucker is so classic and perfect for summer!

Tennis Baby Romper

A cute tennis themed romper for the boys!

Tennis Jon Jon
Tennis Bodysuit Set

My 5-year-old son is doing his first golf camp this summer and he’s so excited to be on the course like his golf-loving dad. Whether your child is on the greens or not, the whole family will love Mud Pie’s precious golf themed outfits for kids – everything from a short set, t-shirt set, t-shirt jersey dress, bodysuit, sleeper set and swimsuit. Below are some of my personal favorite Mud Pie outfits for your kids to wear around the pro shop this summer!

Golf Toddler Short Set
Golf Toddler Dress
Golf Cart Jon Jon

This golf cart crochet detail is to die for! Wish my son was still little enough to wear this!

Golf Crochet Bodysuit

Shoes can be just for fun!

At the beginning of this post, I shared about an important characteristic of classic children’s clothing is that it’s timeless, so it can be passed down for generations without going out of style. One way for your children to easily express themselves or have fun wearing something trendy is with shoes and accessories! My kids are obsessed with Mud Pie’s Light Up Toddler Sandals!

I know we’re going to have so much fun wearing them this summer! Can’t wait for them to make memories watching fireworks while their sandals light up the night!

Toddler Light Up Sandals in Navy American Flag (Also comes in Blue Shark!)
Toddler Light Up Sandals, Teal Mermaid (Also Comes in Pink Turtle!)

Let me know which of these Mud Pie summer outfits you’d like to see your little one wearing! What other children’s clothing brands do you like? Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more fun family-friendly products and ideas!

XO Maggie

5 Easter Basket Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Holidays, kids, Lifestyle

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

Orange color themed Easter gift basket for teens

My mother was the best at making holidays magical when I was a kid, and I have such fond memories of Easter Sunday morning. The night before Easter, my parents would help us set out carrots for the Easter bunny to munch on as a thank you for stopping by our house. We’d wake up early, run downstairs, and see our pastel wicker Easter basket filled with goodies! Some of the top Easter basket filler gifts that I remember were coloring books, a Barbie doll, a VHS of “Beauty and the Beast,” a giant chocolate bunny and Cadbury Creme Eggs. Man, those creamy, chocolatey eggs are GOOD!

These days, I hear of parents giving some outrageous gifts to their kids for Easter, like concert tickets and bikes. When I was growing up, Easter basket gifts were never as big as Christmas gifts. Whatever fit into our small baskets is what we got, and I’d like to keep that tradition for my kids. I try to make the gifts even more practical and fun with themed baskets! By sticking to a theme, parents keep from overspending on unnecessary trinkets and toys. I also love a practical theme, like a “summer” themed basket to prep kids for their summer activities and trips. If your kids are growing like weeds, like mine, then they’ve likely outgrown last year’s swimsuit, and they could probably use a swim goggles upgrade along with some summer vacation road trip activities and crafts to keep them entertained while at home on a hot summer day.

Yep, themed baskets are the way to go, and I have 5 fabulous ideas to share for you to recreate for your kids Easter baskets! Below are my recommendations for Easter basket theme ideas for kids aged newborn to teen!

Baby’s First Easter Basket

An adorably personalized basket for newborns and infants celebrating their first Easter!

A personalized baby’s first Easter themed gift basket from Personalization Mall

There’s nothing more precious than creating memories around your baby’s first Easter, and one way to make the memories last forever is with personalized keepsake Easter gifts from Personalization Mall, like a bib and diaper cover. Personalization Mall provides thousands of unique keepsakes that can be delivered quickly for Easter and beyond. They are the go-to resource for creating personalized gifts that are perfect for celebrating Easter with your kids – especially if it’s your baby’s first holiday! Give baby something to love with a personalized security blanket, stuffy and personalized book, too! For Easter 2024, be sure to place your order by March 19 for the personalized book in order for it to arrive in time for Easter, as this item takes 7-10 days to personalize and ship. For all other items, you can order up until March 29 at 9 am PST to receive in time for the holiday. But, if you order by March 25 you will save big on shipping!

Here’s what to put in the basket:

Personalized White Bunny Easter Basket Liner & Natural Basket with Folding Handle
Baby’s First Easter Personalized Bunny Security Blanket
First Easter Embroidered Diaper Cover
Baby’s First Easter Personalized Baby Bib
Personalized 16″ Plush First Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny is Coming To Where I Live Personalized Storybook

Busy Toddler Easter Basket

A basket filled with age-appropriate arts and crafts from Michaels is sure to keep your toddler busy and creative this Easter season!

  • Busy toddler themed Easter basket with lots of activities and crafts from Michaels

I’ve been a fan of shopping at Michaels for holidays for my whole life. Seriously, I’d go with my mom when I was in preschool to buy craft supplies to make our July 4th t-shirts and paint our Keds tennis shoes! Now, Michaels has more than ever, and it’s your one-stop-shop to make festive and creative Easter baskets for your kids, including stuffers, baskets, Easter grass and decorative cellophane wrapping! I love how many options Michaels has for fun and easy crafts for little kids. Create the perfect Easter basket for your busy toddler with the products below:

Large White Decorative Basket with Liner by Ashland®
PEEPS® Marshmallow Scented Play Sand Set, 10ct.
Color In Play Pets Bunny by Creatology™ Easter
Easter Egg Shaped Crayons by Creatology™, 6ct.
Easter Bunny Motif Velvet Poster Kit by Creatology™
Easter Pastel Bunny Shape Bead Kit by Creatology™
10.5″ Gray Plush Easter Bunny by Creatology™
Easter Multi-Character Box of Crafts Activity Kit by Creatology™
Easter Bunnies Pom Pom Craft Kit
Pastel Polka Dot Cello Wrap by Celebrate It™
Pongee Stripes Ribbon by Celebrate It® Easter
Iridescent Easter grass

Summer Themed Easter Basket

A practical basket to get your kids ready for summer activities and trips!

A summer themed Easter basket for kids from Maisonette including swimsuits, goggles, egg and bunny shaped chalk, finger crayons, outdoor toys and “seed pops” for your little one to garden!

Maisonette is one of my most favorite online marketplaces for kids apparel, toys, gifts and home decor, because everything they sell is unique and special. Maisonette is your one-stop shop for the best baby and kids products from around the globe! With the warmer seasons right around the corner, Maisonette has all the essentials you need to get your mini ready for Spring and Summer. Whether you’re staying home, taking a vacation, or gearing up for camp, Maisonette is your online destination for quality products of every kind for the little ones in your life; plus, inspiration and intel that’ll make your shopping experience an easy one! For last minute Easter baskets, outfits, activities and decor select 2-day shipping at checkout to make sure you’re Easter Sunday ready. Here’s what to buy to create your child’s summer themed Easter basket:

Seersucker Easter Bunny Bucket, Pink
Seersucker Easter Bunny Bucket, Blue
Food Grade Silicon Beach Bucket Set
Pollinator Seed Pop Trio
Bunny’s 6 Eggs Handmade Chalk
Spring Watering Can Activity Toy
Big Little Universe Finger Crayons
Bling20 Cake Pop Goggles
Bling20 Fish N Chips Goggles
Pacific Blue Stripe Boardie
Pacific Blue Stripe Crossover One Piece

Tween or Teen Beauty Basket

Your pre-teen or teenager will love these age-appropriate beauty and self-care products from Ulta Beauty!

Lots of beauty and self-care goodies for this Easter basket from Ulta Beauty!

You’ve probably heard that pre-teen skincare is all the rage, so if you have a middle or high school aged kiddo, they’ll love a beauty themed Easter basket! Ulta Beauty has all the best products to introduce your beauty and self-care obsessed kiddo to age-appropriate skincare and makeup. Plus, many of the products come in bright spring colors, so the aesthetic of your basket will be perfect for Easter! Consider all these great skincare, makeup and nail polish ideas for your beauty basket:

Ulta Beauty Electric City Eyeshadow Palette
Ulta Beauty Paradise Pout Lip Plumping Lip Gloss
Ulta Beauty Beach Day Jelly Eyeshadow
Ulta Beauty Flamingo Flush Blush Duo
e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable! Whoa Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen
af94 Acid Patch Salicylic Acid Pimple Patches
Beauty Blender MAKE A SPLASH Blending Duo
Bubble Rise and Shine Brightening Kit
Sally Hansen Insta Dri x HERSHEY’S KISSES Nail Polish Quad Pack

Favorite Color Themed Basket

Surprise your child with an Easter basket filled with goodies of their favorite color!

Pink themed Easter basket with gum, Starbucks pink drink, holiday Lip Smackers, lip mask and Easter candy!
An orange color themed Easter gift basket – great for older kids!

Is it just me, or are older kids so hard to shop for? It seems like all they want is gift cards, which takes the fun out of gifting, in my opinion. For an easy Easter basket idea for teenager, college kid, or even your spouse, make a basket filled with items that are their favorite color. This basket idea is also relatively affordable, as you can buy lots of colorful treats at the dollar store, Target, Walmart or Amazon. Here’s what I bought for an orange color themed basket that I put together:

Assorted Easter Bamboo Basket by Creatology™
Mini Toy Basketball
Cheetos – 3.5 ounce bag
Lume Whole Body Invisible Cream Tube Deodorant
artnaturals Vitamin C Serum
Kinder Joy Easter Chocolates
Reese’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bunny Easter Candy

I’d love to hear what type of Easter basket you’re putting together for your children! Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more fun family-friendly ideas!

XO Maggie

Chocolate Chip Banana Carrot Bread Recipe

Cooking, Lifestyle

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

We’re a big banana bread family. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I made one banana bread for every month that the city of Los Angeles was in “lockdown.” I think I made six banana breads, maybe more, as the city continued on with various restrictions. With all that baking, I was able to perfect the BEST chocolate chip zucchini banana bread recipe ever. You can find a version of that recipe as muffins with healthier swaps for flour and sugar here.

Today, we went to make that amazing bread recipe and realized that we didn’t have zucchini on hand. However, we did have shredded carrots, which I thought was even better with the Easter holiday upon us! The result was even better than expected. This banana bread with chocolate chips and carrots is gooey on the outside with a lightly crispy top, and the flavor is both sweet and savory, making it a perfect bread for breakfast, snacks, desserts, and a yummy treat to pair with coffee or tea.

If you’re like me and always looking for ways to sneak veggies into your kids’ food, then this is the perfect recipe for you! My kids are usually veggie adverts, and they devoured this chocolate chip banana carrot bread! My 3-year-old daughter also loved helping me make this recipe. She was the “official banana masher.”

This is a great recipe for your family, and I know you’ll love it! If you kids asked who ate it all, you can just say the “Easter Bunny!”

Watch this gooey delicious bread in action – yum!!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Carrot Bread

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9-inch bread loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and shredded carrots and stir until combined.
  3. In the same bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine well.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips and transfer to prepared baking pan.
  5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

I hope you love this recipe! Let me know if you try it in the comments below, or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok!

XO Maggie

Save on Pinterest to make for later!

Famous 5-Minute Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Cooking

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

The best cookies!

Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie?! That’s right, everybody loves the cookie classic! And, if they say they don’t, I wouldn’t trust them… Or, maybe I would just let them try one of my chocolate chip cookies to help change their mind!

One of the coolest things about chocolate chip cookies is that there’s so many different ways to make and serve them… large, small, soft, gooey, crunchy, thin, fat and with semi-sweet chocolate, milk or dark chocolate… You can even add nuts, sprinkles, candy or dried fruit… But, then is it still a classic chocolate chip cookie? Probably not…

freshly baked famous 5-minute chocolate chip cookies

Anyway, let me tell you about my FAMOUS 5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Now, these are “mini” chocolate chip cookies (about 1.5 inches in diameter), so, it’s okay if you want to eat more than one! In fact, they’re so yummy you can’t help but eat more than one! These mini chocolate chip cookies are also crunchy on the outside but a bit gooey on the inside, which is the ideal texture for a cookie, in my opinion. And, they’re topped with flakey sea salt for that perfect sweet-savory combo finish! The very best part? They only take 5 minutes to bake!

So, I told you these cookies are famous, and they are very well known… in my house. Yeah, I haven’t received any outside awards or special recognition for my 5-minute cookies, but if you make these for your fam, I promise that you, too, will be the most famous person in your house!

The recipe is so easy that my kids love to help me make them, too! My children especially love that they don’t take long to make, so we go from cooking to consuming much faster compared to other classic chocolate chip cookie recipes.

My kids love these cookies!

What ingredients do I need for 5-minute chocolate chip cookies?

Standard chocolate chip cookie ingredients are what you’ll need on hand, like butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking soda and chocolate chips. What makes this recipe stand out compared to other chocolate chip cookies is the type of chocolate I like to use: Hu No Sugar Added Chocolate Chips. I’m a big fan of using as much natural ingredients as possible, and I love that Hu’s baking chocolate is made with just four simple ingredients: organic fair-trade cacao, organic date, organic fair-trade cocoa butter and organic fair-trade vanilla bean. Unlike competitor chocolate chips, Hu has no added sugar, sugar alcohols, lecithins/gums or dairy, and it is keto, paleo and organic certified.

Hu Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Another yummy bonus of these chocolate chip cookies is the small dash of flakey sea salt on top! I was gifted this chic olive wood salt cellar for Christmas, and I’m obsessed! While this is totally not required to make these cookies, a salt cellar is such a chic way to hold your flakey sea salt!

olive wood salt cellar
Add flakey sea salt halfway through baking

What kitchen tools do I need to make 5-minute chocolate chip cookies?

This recipe makes a lot of cookies (our last batch made 95 mini cookies!!), so you’ll want more than one baking pan so you’re not waiting to use the same one over and over again while each batch is cooking. My favorite bakeware set is from Caraway, which comes with 11 pieces for all your baking needs. If you’re not ready to commit to a full bakeware set, Caraway’s Baking Sheet Duo is perfect for making these cookies. First of all, the bakeware is absolutely beautiful. I got the “Iconics Black” color, and it looks so pretty in my kitchen and gives my brain a little boost of happiness when I use it. But, most importantly, it’s the best functioning bakeware I’ve ever used. My favorite part is that it’s the easiest to clean bakeware I’ve ever used with its non-stick coating, which is also non-toxic!

Caraway Baking Sheet Duo

You’ll also need a good mixing bowl. I have adored and gotten so much use out of this 10-piece mixing bowl set. You do not need a mixer, so that’s another easy thing about these cookies! Lastly, you’ll want measuring cups and spoons. It’s time for me to upgrade my measuring tools, so I’m currently lusting after this 22-piece measuring cups and spoon set because it comes with everything you could possibly need!

10-piece mixing bowl set from Williams Sonoma

Success tips for making the best 5-minute chocolate chip cookies:

  1. Keep them small – This recipe is designed to make small cookies, so do not use anymore than 1 teaspoon of dough to make each cookie.
  2. Roll the cookies into a ball – Don’t simply scoop and drop. Use your hands to roll the dough into a perfect tiny ball.
Make sure only 1 teaspoon of dough is rolled into a ball

RECIPE: Easy 5-Minute Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
  2. To the same mixing bowl, add flour, salt and baking soda into the same bowl, and stir to combine. Lastly, stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a teaspoon to scoop dough and roll into a ball. Place cookie dough balls prepared baking sheet, about 12-14 per sheet. Bake for 3 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and add small pinches of flakey sea salt to each cookie. Bake for remaining 2-3 minutes. Do not worry if the centers look soft, as the cookies will continue to set as they cool. Wait about 10 minutes to cool, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Watch us make our famous mini chocolate chip cookies here:

I can’t wait to hear what you think of my famous 5-minute chocolate chip cookies! Let me know if you tried them in the comments below. Be sure to connect with me on Instagram and TikTok, too, for more easy recipes, family product ideas and entertaining tips!

XO Maggie

Aloha Protein Bars: Honest Review From A Busy Health-Conscious Mom

Health & Wellness, Lifestyle

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

Delicious and nutritious: ALOHA Protein Bars Raspberry White Chocolate flavor

As a busy, on-the-go mama, I’m always looking for convenient ways to add more protein into my diet. Protein helps boost my energy, keeps me fuller longer and supports my fitness goals. But, sometimes, it can be challenging to get enough quality protein into my diet in between carting the kids around to school and their activities and my full work and volunteer schedule. I’m always on the lookout for new, delicious protein options, so I was thrilled when ALOHA sent me their Raspberry White Chocolate Protein Bars, which the brand claims is the most popular flavor on social media, to do a taste-test! To really get to know these bars, I went out and purchased for myself the Peanut Butter Cup and Coconut Chocolate Almond flavors to taste. Below, I share my honest review of ALOHA Protein Bars and answer some common questions about these delightful bars. And, if you want to try ALOHA for yourself, make sure you read through to the end to get 20% your first order!

What are ALOHA Protein Bars?

ALOHA Protein Bars are convenient, individually wrapped, plant-based protein bars that come in indulgent flavors like Raspberry White Chocolate (limited edition), Peanut Butter Cup (best seller), Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Mint, Lemon Cashew and other yummy flavor combos. ALOHA Protein Bars are packed with 14g of a nutrient dense protein blend and healthy fats so you can stay energized for hours. Currently, ALOHA sells its protein bars in packs of 12 of the same flavor or two variety pack options. According to the brand’s website, ALOHA’s sustainably sourced plant-based products are high in protein, amazingly low in sugar, USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Vegan. That’s a lot of goodness in one bar!

Are ALOHA Protein Bars good for you?

If your goal is to conveniently add more protein into your diet with clean ingredients, then, yes! ALOHA Protein Bars are good for you, because they’re high in protein and low in sugar while being made with sustainably sourced plant-based products that are USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Vegan.

It’s important to me to have as much natural foods as possible in my diet, so my favorite thing about these bars’ ingredients is that there’s no artificial or or overly refined sweeteners. I’m not into fake sweeteners at all, and I was pleased to see that ALOHA uses monk fruit or tapioca fiber to sweeten their bars. Their protein source is also natural – brown rice or pumpkin seed – which I like more than some competitors’ ingredients, like whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate and soy protein isolate. Consuming too much whey/milk protein isolate can irritate your stomach, and I’ve personally noticed that it makes me bloated. With soy, there’s lots of conflicting studies about whether too much disrupts your hormones, and since I’ve been trying to balance my hormones the last couple of years, I just avoid it to be safe. I also really like that the bars have a good amount of fiber – around 6g-10g per bar – which is great for overall health, especially when consuming lots of protein!

If you’re on low-cal diet and trying to lose weight, I probably wouldn’t eat this bar as a snack, because it has a lot of calories for one bar (220-250 calories per bar). Some may argue that because of its high protein and healthy fat content, the bar will keep you fuller longer, but I’ve never been one to get “full” from eating one bar, no matter what’s in it. ALOHA’s calories per bar are comparable to competitor protein bars, though, so if you’re going to choose to eat a protein bar, I’d choose this one because of its clean ingredients. ALOHA also offers “Protein Minis” which are smaller bars with less calories and protein if you’re calorie-conscious. Calories in the Protein Minis range from 100-110, but there’s less flavor options.

Dessert idea: Raspberry White Chocolate ALOHA Protein Bar!

Why should I eat ALOHA Protein Bars?

First, if you want to easily add protein to your diet, ALOHA Protein Bars have 14 grams of protein and come in a variety of delicious, dessert-like flavors! Win-win!

Next, as previously stated, this product only has USDA organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Vegan ingredients. You get the protein and flavor without all the crap that’s put into most “health bars.” They’re also free from gluten, soy and dairy, which is huge for me. If I’m going to eat a packaged product instead of whole foods, I want it to be as clean as possible.

Additionally, ALOHA is a bar you’ll feel good about eating, not only for your personal health, but also because of the company’s commitment to doing good. ALOHA’s brand really cares about its impact on the environment and is committed to the path of becoming climate neutral. It’s also dedicated to supporting its community while partnering with Kupu, Hawaii’s leading nonprofit working to foster the next generation of environmental and cultural stewards, and Conscious Alliance, a leading non-profit that helps families and children experiencing food insecurities. ALOHA is B Corp Certified, which is a prestigious designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. According to ALOHA’s website, fewer than 4% of all companies that apply to be B Corp Certified make the cut. And those that do, obtain the certification because they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability as well as balance both profit and purpose.

What do ALOHA Protein Bars Taste Like?

I tried three ALOHA Protein Bars flavors: Raspberry White Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cup and Coconut Chocolate Almond. I was elated when ALOHA sent me the Raspberry White Chocolate flavor, because that’s typically my favorite flavor combo for desserts (hello, Cheesecake Factory’s Raspberry White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake!). I chose the other flavors, because Reese’s and Almond Joys were my favorite candies to get in my Halloween trick-or-treating bag growing up. I love that ALOHA’s flavors are decadent, so your mind is tricked into thinking you’re getting a dessert when you’re really eating good-for-you protein! Here’s my thoughts on these three flavors:

Raspberry White Chocolate – This chewy bar has a very delicate raspberry taste with a creamy white chocolate coating. I like that there’s little bits of dried raspberry in the bar to add some interesting consistency. It’s a little dry, but wasn’t grainy. My 3-year-old daughter is always interested in what I’m eating, so she took a bite and thought it was dessert!

ALOHA Protein Bar Raspberry White Chocolate Flavor

Peanut Butter Cup – This flavor doesn’t taste just like a Reese’s, but it is like eating an indulgent candy bar! The savory peanut butter covered in decadent chocolate is the perfect flavor combo. It’s harder to chew than a Reese’s but it’s not too sticky. It’s simple but delicious!

Coconut Chocolate Almond – If you’re a coconut lover like me, this bar is for you! I really love that this bar has bits of coconut shavings and almonds, but it’s not overpowering. I’m a big Almond Joy fan, so this bar is a good replacement for me.

I love that the Raspberry White Chocolate flavor is coated in creamy white chocolate and has small bits of raspberry in the middle

When and how do I eat ALOHA Protein Bars?

My favorite way to eat ALOHA Protein Bars is on-the-go, since they’re individually wrapped and I can easily take them with me everywhere. It’s a great way to eat protein when you can’t have a fresh protein source like meat, dairy or a plant-based protein source that’s a bit harder to travel with like quinoa. Speaking of travel, I love taking convenient health food like these bars with me on long airplane rides when I don’t want to eat airplane food but also don’t want to go through the hassle of packing a full meal with me. I could also see health-conscious people potentially eating these as a convenient dessert, because of the tempting treat-like flavor options. An ALOHA Raspberry White Chocolate Protein Bar is definitely a better choice than cheesecake!

ALOHA’s Raspberry White Chocolate is the most popular flavor on social media!

Where can I buy ALOHA Protein Bars?

I live in Southern California where I’ve seen ALOHA Protein Bars sold in Whole Foods, Erewhon, Sprouts Farmers Market, Ralphs, Gelson’s and Albertson’s. You also can purchase ALOHA Protein Bars on Amazon here and save money by subscribing to a recurring order. I personally prefer to purchase ALOHA Protein Bars direct from the brand’s website where you can build a variety pack of different flavors and get big discounts when purchasing 1-3 packs on auto-ship subscription. Currently, ALOHA’s website offers 1 item for 10% off, 2 items for 15% off and 3 items for 25% off if you select to auto-ship at checkout. So, for example, if you’re buying three 12-packs of the Peanut Butter Cup, that $98.97; But if you choose auto-ship subscription, you save 25% and the cost is $74.23. A great deal! The best part is that you can choose your subscription timing, so you can select whether you want to receive the bars everyone one, two, or three months. You also can get 20% your order with my code: MAGGIEJACKSON

ALOHA Protein Bars Pros

Here’s what I love about ALOHA Protein Bars:

  • Large variety of decadent flavors to choose from, including variety packs and limited edition flavors
  • High in protein
  • Low in sugar
  • Clean ingredients – Free from dairy, soy and gluten; plus, USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Vegan
  • Brand cares about social and environmental responsibility
  • Chewy taste for when you’re craving a treat
  • Conveniently packaged for on-the-go-snacking

ALOHA Protein Bars Cons

I love ALOHA Protein Bars, but they’re not perfect. Here’s what’s not so great about the bars:

  • Not low-carb
  • High in calories
  • Pricey – At the time of writing this, a 12-pack is $23.99 so that comes out to almost $2.75 per bar. A variety pack of 12 bars with three flavors is $36.99. Considering the bars’ high-quality ingredients, though, I think this pricing makes sense.
  • The consistency is a little on the drier side for what I expected for dessert-like flavors
A delicious snack or dessert: ALOHA Protein Bar Raspberry White Chocolate

The Bottom Line: Do I Recommend Aloha Protein Bars? Yes!

ALOHA Protein Bars are going to be my go-to protein bar from now on, because it is a bar I can feel good about eating. ALOHA Protein Bars align with my wellness values with no weird unidentified ingredients, and the bars help meet my health goals with 14g of plant-based protein. Plus, they came in so many yummy flavors! I will definitely be carrying these bars with me in my tote bag for the times I need a protein rich snack on-the-go!

Indulge with me! Get 15% off your order here!

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I love ALOHA Protein Bars and highly recommend trying them for yourself! Use my code MAGGIEJACKSON to get 20% off your first order at Aloha.com. I’d love to know what you think of ALOHA Protein Bars and which flavors are your favorite.

Get 15% off your ALOHA order here!

Let me know if you have any questions about ALOHA Protein Bars in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more healthy lifestyle recommendations.

XO Maggie