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Apple Cider Caramels (+ Video)

October 10, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

Made with boiled cider, brown sugar, and butter these apple cider caramels are absolutely delicious and easily made in the microwave!

You might also like our easy microwave caramels, our boiled cider (cider syrup) recipe, or our English toffee!

Watch our step by step video!

Apple Cider Caramels

I wasn't sure if homemade caramels could get any better, but apple cider caramels are p-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n. Sweet, buttery, with a hint of tartness from the apple cider concentrate. They are so delicious and perfect for fall. One batch makes 36-48 pieces of candy. I used my homemade microwave caramels recipe and adjusted the cooking time to allow for the addition of apple cider syrup to the recipe. I've also used that same recipe for homemade caramel apples in the fall. It's a great base for homemade caramels.

Boiled Cider

I discovered boiled cider this year and am a huge fan! Boiled cider is an apple cider reduction made from 100% apple cider. That's it! It's simmered down until it produces a syrup that is absolutely delicious added to recipes or reconstituted into cider by adding hot water.

You can make these caramels by simmering a quart of cider down to ½ cup, but I HIGHLY recommend following our boiled cider recipe/method and using an entire gallon of cider so that you'll have extra. I promise that you'll find so many ways to use it (hot cider, pour over pancakes, add to muffin, donut, or pancake batter----so many possibilities!). One gallon will reduce to 2 cups of boiled cider syrup which is shelf stable and lasts a long time. Follow my instructions for the best results.

Apple Cider Caramels Ingredients

Butter: you can use salted or unsalted, but I always bake with salted butter.

Brown sugar: I like using brown sugar in my caramel candy recipes. I think it gives them great flavor.

Boiled cider (cider syrup): This is where the tangy apple flavoring comes from. Absolutely delicious.

Sweetened condensed milk: I've used both regular sweetened condensed milk and reduced fat and haven't noticed a difference.

Cinnamon: ground cinnamon perfectly compliments the cider flavoring.

Salt: just a pinch for flavoring.

Corn syrup: do not substitute the corn syrup. It is necessary for the right texture for homemade caramels.

Sea salt flakes: optional to sprinkle over finished caramel candies.

How To Make Apple Caramels

Line a baking dish with parchment paper, making sure to have a bit of excess paper folded over the ends.

Microwave a stick of butter (½ cup) in a large microwave-safe bowl for 60 seconds.

Add brown sugar, boiled cider, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, salt, and corn syrup. Mix thoroughly.

Microwave for 8 minutes. Stir.

Microwave for an additional 60 seconds. Drop a small amount of caramel into a cup of ice water. If it becomes firm, and chewy, and can be formed into a soft ball with your fingers it is done. If it is still runny, microwave for an additional 30-60 seconds.

Pour caramel into the prepared baking dish and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

Remove caramels by pulling up the sides of the parchment paper and slice into squares.

Wrap caramel squares in pieces of wax or parchment paper.

Caramels are soft at room temperature and chewy/firm when refrigerated. I prefer storing mine in the refrigerator. They can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for two weeks, but probably won't last that long.

Homemade Caramels Tips

If the caramels seem too hard to slice into pieces straight from the refrigerator, let the baking dish stand at room temperature for a few minutes. They will soften at room temperature. If the caramels start sticking to the knife while slicing into squares, you can chill them just a bit longer.
Microwaves can vary. I find that cooking my caramels for 8 minutes and then an additional 60-90 seconds works best. You can test your caramels at the 9-minute mark by using a candy thermometer (245-248 degrees is ideal) or dropping a small amount of caramel into a cup of ice water. If it becomes firm, chewy, and formed into a small ball with your fingers, it's done. If it isn't ready you can heat it in the microwave for an additional 30-60 seconds.
Make sure to simmer the cider down properly. I highly recommend using my boiled cider syrup recipe. You aren't just reducing the cider, you are turning it into a syrup by allowing the moisture to evaporate out. Don't want to make your own boiled cider? You can purchase a bottle here. It's not as cost-effective, but delicious just the same.

Apple Cider Caramels

(Printable version---there is an option to print without the images.)

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5 from 1 vote

Apple Cider Caramels Made In the Microwave

Made with boiled cider, brown sugar, and butter these apple cider caramels are absolutely delicious and easily made in the microwave!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 9

chill 30

Total Time 44

Servings pieces

Calories 65kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Equipment

parchment paper
8x8 baking dish
glass microwave-safe bowl

Ingredients

½ cup butter 1 stick
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup boiled cider
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
sea salt for sprinkling optional

Instructions

Line an 8x8" baking dish with parchment paper.
In a glass microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 stick of butter (heat for 60 seconds).
Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, boiled cider, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Microwave for 8 minutes. Stir.
Microwave an additional 60-90 seconds. Stir.
Note: If you have a candy thermometer, the caramels are the perfect soft consistency at 245-248 degrees. You can also drop a small amount of caramel into a cup of ice water and if it sets up enough to be chewy and roll up into a soft ball it is done. I've made these enough that I know that they are done when cooked for 8 minutes and then an additional 90 seconds. Every microwave is different so it's better to err on the side of having slightly softer caramels vs. overheating them.
Pour caramel into the prepared baking dish.
Let set up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Note: You can leave it in the refrigerator longer, but if the caramels get too cold they will be hard to get out of the pan. That's ok though, just let them sit on the counter until they come to room temperature and they'll be perfect again.
Remove caramels from dish by pulling up on the parchment paper.
Slice into squares.
Wrap squares in parchment paper or waxed paper.
This recipe makes 36-48 pieces of caramel.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal

Mini Pumpkin Cookies With Chocolate Chips

October 3, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

Mini pumpkin cookies because everything in miniature is better! Loaded with mini chocolate chips, these are so fun to eat! One batch makes 100 itty bitty cookies!

You might also like our pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting (they are insane!), our chewy pumpkin cookies, or our double chocolate pumpkin bread.

Basket of mini pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Mini pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are fun to eat and fun to make. You’d need 4-6 of these babies to equal one regular-sized cookie! These always go so fast and are a hit with kids. The perfect size for little hands.

Why I Like This Recipe

Quick recipe. They bake up quickly (6-7 minutes) and are so fun to pop right into your mouth.
Loaded with fall spices. Not only do these cookies have pumpkin pie spice in them, but they also have cinnamon. No need to burn a candle while baking mini pumpkin cookies, your house will smell amazing already!
Makes a great gift. How cute would these be packaged up in a tiny cellophane bag with ribbon or twine? I brought mini cookies to a youth activity a while back and they were such a hit! The trend lately seems to be giant bakery cookies (ahem, Crumbl), but I think itty bitty cookies need to rise in popularity. They are way more fun to eat!

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Tips and Tricks

Use an electric mixer. A stand mixer or electric hand mixer works great. You can make cookies by hand, but an electric mixer is best for creaming the butter and sugar together.
Use room temperature ingredients. Butter can be slightly chilled, but should be soft when your thumb is pressed into it.
Chill the cookie dough. If you've been here a minute, you know how much I love no chill recipes, and only chill when absolutely necessary. The cookie dough in this recipe is stickier due to the moisture content from the pumpkin puree. Giving these a quick 1-hour chill makes the dough much easier to handle, and the cookies don't spread more than they should.
Use a mini cookie scoop. When I make my mini chocolate chip cookies, the dough is firmer and easier to handle with my hands. I simply pinch off tiny pieces and place them on the baking sheet. Even after chilling, the pumpkin cookie dough remains softer. For that reason, I recommend using a TINY (1 teaspoon) cookie scoop. You can also use two spoons to slide tiny portions of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake on light cookie sheets. All of my recipes are aimed at baking with light metal cookie sheets. That’s all I bake with. If you use dark sheets, you’ll need to keep an eye on the cookies and adjust the baking times, if necessary.

Ingredients

Bowls of flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt, chocolate chips, piles of cinnamon and pumpkin spice, bowl of brown sugar, egg and a stick of butter.

Butter: I always use salted butter (room temp or slightly softened), but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Sugars: You’ll need brown and white sugar for the perfect sweetness and texture.
Eggs: Room-temperature eggs give the cookies structure.
Vanilla extract: for flavor.
All-purpose flour: bleached flour, unbleached flour, bread flour. Any of these will work.
Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: for leavening, texture, and flavor.
Ground cinnamon: Measure the cinnamon with your heart. For me, 1 teaspoon is perfect.
Pumpkin pie spice: If you don't have any pumpkin spice on hand, you can make your own using this recipe.
Canned pumpkin: not pumpkin pie filling, just the plain pureed kind.
Chocolate Chips: Mini semisweet chocolate chips are perfect, but you can use whatever you’d like.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Mini Pumpkin Cookies

Stand mixer bowl with butter, sugar, egg and pumpkin puree.

Step 1: Cream butter and sugars together. Mix in eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.

Stand mixer mixing pumpkin cookie dough.

Step 2: Add dry ingredients and mix until soft dough forms. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

regular cookie scoop and mini cookie scoop

Step 3: Use a small 1-teaspoon cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. For reference, the image above shows a regular 2 Tbsp. scoop on the left and a teaspoon scoop on the right.

mini balls of pumpkin cookie dough on baking sheet

Step 4: Space the cookies about 2" apart.

Step 5: Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 7 minutes, or until the bottoms are light brown. Tap the cookie sheet against the counter a few times to flatten the cookies. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.

Can I use regular chocolate chips in pumpkin cookies?

You absolutely can. I like using mini chocolate chips for better distribution throughout the dough. Every tiny cookie is loaded with mini chips for the perfect bite!

How do you store pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?

Store cookies in an airtight container and they’ll stay fresh for at least 3 days.

Basket of mini pumpkin cookies and hand holding stack of cookies.

More Pumpkin Cookies To Make

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Mini Pumpkin Cookies

Mini pumpkin cookies because everything in miniature is better! Loaded with mini chocolate chips these are so fun to eat! One batch makes 100 itty bitty cookies!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

chill 1

Total Time 1 17

Servings cookies (+ or -)

Calories 33kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

½ cup butter softened
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer.
Mix in egg and canned pumpkin.
Add dry ingredients and mix just until the cookie dough comes together.
Stir in mini chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic and chill the cookie dough for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Scoop cookie dough into teaspoon-sized balls on parchment paper-lined baking sheets (24 cookies to a sheet).
Bake the cookies for 7 minutes. Tap the cookie sheet against the counter a few times to flatten cookies.
Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pumpkin cookies can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

TIPS FOR Baking The Best COOKIES

Use room temperature ingredients. Butter can be slightly chilled, but should be soft when your thumb is pressed into it.
Use an electric mixer. A stand mixer or electric hand mixer works great. You can make cookies by hand, but an electric mixer is best for creaming the butter and sugar together.
Bake on light cookie sheets. All of my recipes are aimed at baking with light metal cookie sheets. That’s all I bake with. If you use dark sheets you’ll need to keep an eye on the cookies and adjust the baking times, if necessary.

Nutrition

Witch Leg Brownies

October 2, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

These darling witch leg brownies are easy to make and so fun for Halloween. Frosted in chocolate buttercream with hilarious witch leg decorations!

You might also like our Frankenstein cookies, copycat Reese's peanut butter ghosts, or bat brownies!

I don't like spooky things, but I'm also about spooky-cute. Especially when it comes to treats. I saw these little witch legs on Amazon and knew I needed to make something with them. They are hilarious! I trimmed them a bit shorter and added them to the top of a batch of brownies. Talk about easy!

Why I Like This Recipe

Quick and easy. These witch brownies are a dream to make and assemble. A fun recipe for kids to make, too!
Rich frosting. The brownies are frosted in homemade chocolate frosting and are so smooth and fudgy.
Semi-homemade recipe. If you'd prefer to make homemade brownies instead of using a boxed mix, you can use my bat brownies recipe. It's easy and delicious. I love boxed mixes and use them just as often, so feel free to use whatever you prefer!

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Tips and Tricks

Witch legs. The ones that I used come in and out of stock. If you're unable to find them, I've linked an alternative that is very similar. You can also make your own using paper straws and cardstock paper.
Square brownies. I have a divided brownie pan which makes a dozen perfectly square brownies with edges. You can bake these in a muffin pan if you'd like, but I love the square shape! There are so many uses for the divided brownie pan, and it's affordable, so I highly recommend adding a divided brownie pan to your baking cupboard!

Ingredients

Brownie mix, eggs, oil, bottle of vanilla, bottle of milk, cup of water, bowls of cocoa powder and powder sugar, stick of butter.

Brownie mix: If you'd like to make homemade brownies instead, you can my bat brownies recipe.
Eggs, water, and oil (according to package)
Butter
Powdered Sugar
Cocoa Powder
Vanilla
Milk

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Witch Brownies

Brownie batter in large glass mixing bowl.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the divided brownie pan (or muffin pan) with nonstick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie batter according to the box instructions.

Brownie batter scooped into square brownie baking pan.

Step 2: Scoop batter into the 12 square sections, evenly.

Bake brownies for 15-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out dry.

chocolate buttercream rosette on brownies

Step 3: Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.

Carefully remove the brownies and set them on a rack or platter while you decorate them.

Beat frosting ingredients together then pipe the frosting over brownies using a large frosting tip.

Step 4: Add sprinkles, if desired. Insert the witch legs into the brownies.

One batch makes a dozen witch leg brownies.

Witch Brownies FAQs

What is the best pan for baking brownies?

I prefer using metal baking pans vs. glass pans when possible because metal pans bake more evenly. My favorite metal pans are light-colored and made of aluminum.

Can I use an egg substitute or egg whites in brownies?

Yes, you can use an egg substitute. If the brownie mix calls for 2 eggs you can use ½ cup of egg substitute or 3 egg whites instead.

Is it ok for brownie batter to be a little lumpy?

Brownie batter often contains small lumps of flour and sugar that may not fully hydrate during mixing. These will dissolve during the baking process.

What can I use for witch legs for brownies and cupcakes?

The witch legs that I used come in and out of stock. If you're unable to find them, I've linked an alternative that is very similar. You can also make your own using paper straws and cardstock paper.

More Halloween Recipes To Make

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Witch Leg Brownies

These darling witch leg brownies are easy to make and so fun for Halloween. Frosted in buttercream with hilarious witch leg decorations!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Total Time 33

Servings brownies

Calories 166kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

1 18 oz. box brownie mix (plus eggs, water and oil according to package)

Frosting

½ cup butter softened
2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray the brownie pan with nonstick cooking spray. I used a divided brownie pan.
These can also be made in a muffin pan.
Make brownie batter according to the package instructions.
Divide batter in to the 12 sections of the brownie pan.
Bake for 15-18 minutes (for a divided brownie pan) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
Carefully remove the brownies from the pan.
Beat frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Piped rosettes over the brownies with a large frosting tip, or spread frosting with a butter knife or rubber spatula.
Add witch leg decorations.

Video

Notes

Cover brownies with plastic and store at room temperature or chilled up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Peanut Butter Ghosts (Copycat Reese's) + Video

September 29, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

If you like Reese's peanut butter ghosts, you'll love our copycat version! Covered in white chocolate, these little ghosts are easy to make and fun for Halloween!

You might like our homemade Butterfingers, our 3-ingredient Twix bites, or our Halloween Brownie Pops!

Candy corn-shaped bowl of copycat Reese's peanut butter ghosts.

These little peanut butter ghosts are as cute as they are delicious. They taste just like Reese's white ghosts and are fun to make. Add mini chocolate chips or sprinkle eyes. These would be fun served on a lollipop stick, too!

Why I Like This Recipe

Simple ingredients. The ingredients are inexpensive and basic; you probably have most of them on hand already.
Versatile filling. I use the same peanut butter filling for the ghosts as my peanut butter eggs (Reese's copycat) and copycat peanut butter trees. You can also make these in pumpkin shapes by forming them with your hands, or rolling the peanut butter filling out with a rolling pin and cutting out the shapes with a small pumpkin cookie cutter!
One batch makes a lot! These come together fairly quickly, so it's easy to make 20 ghosts in no time. They store well, too, so feel free to make an entire batch to enjoy for the week!

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Tips and Tricks

How to heat candy melts. I microwaved mine at 50% power in 30-second increments. This is the best method for working with candy melts. When I use chocolate chips, I microwave at full power in 20-30 second increments. If you find that your chocolate isn't as thin as you'd like for dipping, you can add a teaspoon of solid vegetable shortening or coconut oil to thin it out (solid vegetable shortening is preferred).
Tip for dipping ghosts in chocolate. The peanut butter filling may start to soften by the time you get to the last few ghosts. No worries, just pop them back into the freezer for a few minutes. You can also keep half of the undipped ghosts in the freezer while you dip the first half and then pull them out later.
How to store peanut butter ghosts. Layer the ghosts between pieces of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients

Bowl of powdered sugar, stick of butter, bottles of vanilla and milk, jar of peanut butter, and bag of white candy melts.

Butter: just a small amount to make the filling smooth and easy to handle. I use salted butter exclusively for all of my baking and cooking, but you can use unsalted.
Peanut butter: obviously. I prefer creamy peanut butter to closely resemble Reese's peanut butter filling.
Vanilla: just a splash for flavor. Have you tried making your own vanilla extract?
Powdered sugar: for texture. The powdered sugar gives the dough stability and makes it easy to form into shapes.
Milk: This helps thin the dough a bit. You can use more or less than what I used to achieve the perfect consistency.
White chocolate: you can use almond bark, chocolate chips, or melting wafers. I used melting wafers this time.
Sprinkles: I used these sprinkles for the eyes. You can also use black sugar balls or mini chocolate chips.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Peanut Butter Ghosts

hand holding ball of peanut butter dough filling

Step 1: Combine softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and milk in a mixing bowl. Mix until a soft dough forms. If your dough feels a little dry, you can add an additional teaspoon of milk. The dough will be soft and easy to form.

Hands forming ball of peanut butter into ghost shape.

Step 2: Pinch off the dough (or use a small cookie scoop), 1 Tablespoon at a time, and roll into balls. Flatten slightly and make an oval shape, tapering at the top and wider at the bottom.

Step 3: Place the ghosts onto a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until hard. The colder the ghosts, the easier they are to dip.

Step 4: Melt the white chocolate according to the package instructions, or in a double boiler.

fork sliding peanut butter ghost onto baking sheet

Step 5: Dip frozen peanut butter ghosts into the white chocolate using a fork. Drag the fork against the side of the bowl to remove even more chocolate, then slide the ghost onto the parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet.

Step 6: Working quickly, add the candy eyes before the chocolate hardens.

Copycat Reese's Ghosts FAQs

What kind of chocolate is best for dipping?

The easiest "chocolate" to work with for dipping is almond bark or candy melts. You can also use chocolate chips with a bit of coconut oil or shortening to thin them out for dipping.

How do you store homemade peanut butter ghosts?

Layer the ghosts between pieces of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

What brand of peanut butter is best for copycat Reese's ghosts?

The brand doesn't matter as much as the texture. Smooth peanut butter works best for a copycat Reese's, but crunchy is delicious if you'd like to add a bit of crunch to the peanut butter ghosts.

More Halloween Treats To Make

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Peanut Butter Ghosts

If you like Reese's ghosts you'll love our peanut butter ghosts! Covered in white chocolate these little ghosts are fun for Halloween!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

freezing 30

Total Time 36

Servings ghosts

Calories 196kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. butter softened
1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons milk
12 oz. white melting chocolate wafers
black sprinkles

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together (except for white chocolate and sprinkles) using an electric stand mixer until it forms a soft dough. Start with 1 Tablespoon of milk and add more, 1 teaspoon at a time if necessary.
Scoop peanut butter mixture with a small (1 tablespoon size) cookie scoop. Roll into a ball then form into a ghost shape (oval) and press down to flatten, slightly.
Place peanut butter ghosts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes or until hard.
Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (in the microwave) at 50% heat in 30-second intervals (stirring after each interval) until melted and smooth.
DO NOT overheat or chocolate will not be usable.
Dip peanut butter ghosts in chocolate, tapping the fork against the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Drag the bottom of the fork against the edge of the bowl to allow even more chocolate to dip off.
Set the ghost on the baking sheet lined with wax paper. Add sprinkle eyes immediately before the chocolate hardens.
If you find that the ghosts are softening and losing their shape while dipping, place them back into the freezer for 10 minutes to harden back up. You can also keep half in the freezer while you dip the others, then pull the remaining ones out of the freezer.
Allow chocolate to harden.

Video

Notes

You can also use white chocolate chips melted with a teaspoon of coconut oil mixed in, in place of the melting chocolate wafers.

You can add a small amount of shortening to your melting wafers if you find that it isn't thin enough for dipping.

Layer ghosts between pieces of parchment or waxed paper, in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Easy Macrame Ghosts (+ Video)

September 28, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

These easy macrame ghosts are made out of cording and yarn. Super easy to make and so fun for Halloween! You can make a tiny wall hanging or keychain!

You might also like our felt Halloween candy pouches, our Pop Tart haunted houses, or our EASY sock pumpkins!

Watch our step by step video!

I came up with a simple rainbow macrame craft a few years ago for a youth summer camp. The teenage girls loved making the rainbow keychains and they turned out so cute! I used that same technique to make a fun Halloween version---ghosts! These little ghosts are so easy to make. You can turn them into a keychain or simply add a yarn loop on the back for hanging.

My first grader claimed these ones and immediately put them into his backpack. He said he's going to give one to his teacher and then deliver one to his former kindergarten teacher too. I hope they enjoy having these little ghosts in their classroom!

Macrame Yarn Ghosts

Macrame is a technique of knotting strands of rope, cording, or yarn together to create wall hangings and other textiles. These little ghosts aren't a true macrame craft, but many rope and yarn crafts have been lumped in the same category lately. I used cotton cording wrapped in yarn to create these spooky characters. I'll show you how to make a 2" ghost, but you can adjust the length of the ropes to make a taller ghost.

Macrame Ghost Supplies

white yarn: an all-purpose yarn works great.
cotton rope: 5mm wide, comes in a spool at Michael’s in the jewelry-making section.
masking tape: any 1″ wide tape will work.
scissors
felt: just a small scrap.
scissors
black fabric paint (for eyes and a mouth) You can also use black felt scraps for the eyes and mouth and hot glue them onto the ghost.

Easy Macrame Ghost Instructions

Make sure to watch my video for the best visual tutorial. It plays directly under the first image of the blog post.

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Mini Macrame Ghost

These easy macrame ghosts are made out of cording and yarn. Super easy for kids or adults to make and so fun for Halloween!

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings keychain

Author Brandy Nelson

Cost $1

Equipment

scissors
hot glue gun
measuring tape

Ingredients

cotton rope 5mm wide
white yarn
masking tape
felt

Instructions

Cutting Guide & Yardage

Cut the cording/rope into the following lengths (1 of each): 6.5", 5.5" and 5"
Cut a long piece of white yarn for each piece of rope. It's better to have too much vs. not enough so cut a strand around 45" long.

Wrapping The Rope

Tape the longest piece of rope to the table using a piece of masking tape. Line the edge of the masking tape with the edge of the rope. This is important. You only want an inch of the rope covered by tape.
Wrap the yarn around the rope and tie a knot just below the masking tape. Do not cut off the excess yarn. Hold it against the rope as you wrap the rope in yarn (it will get wrapped as you go).
Wrap the yarn TIGHTLY around the rope, making sure you can't see the rope through the rows of yarn as you go.
Continue wrapping until you only have an inch of rope left. Tie knot at the end and trim off any excess.
Cover the knot in a small dot of hot glue. This will reinforce the end and keep it from unraveling.
Repeat the steps above for the second and third pieces of rope.

Creating The Ghost Shape

Fold the shortest rope in half and hot glue it to a scrap of felt. Make sure the frayed edges are not glued to the felt. They should hang down.
Glue the other two ropes to the felt, making sure to add the longest rope last.
Use scissors to trim away any excess felt. Be careful to NOT cut the yarn!
Unravel the unwrapped edges of the rope to create a fringe edge.
Glue a loop of yarn to the back to hang the ghost, if desired.
Add eyes and a mouth using the black craft paint (puffy paint). Let dry completely.

Video

Notes

If you'd rather make a keychain, follow the directions in this post for adding a keychain and jump ring.

Easiest TikTok Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

September 25, 2023 By Brandy 3 Comments

Copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls at home! These viral TikTok cinnamon rolls are so easy to make and are loaded with cinnamon flavor, creamy frosting, and fluffy texture.

You might also like our quick-rise cinnamon rolls (90 minutes start to finish!) mini cinnamon rolls, or our pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Baking pan of cinnamon rolls with icing.

I'm not on TikTok so it takes viral trends a bit longer to make their way to me. Chances are, if you haven't heard of TikTok cinnamon rolls, you are in the same boat. I have a killer quick cinnamon roll recipe that I've used for years but was intrigued by the doctored-up cinnamon rolls that were making their way around online. I made them, then made my own tweaks, and OH. MY. GOODNESS. You'd never know that they are made from refrigerated cinnamon rolls.

Why I Like This Recipe

Semi-homemade. The ingredients are a combination of packaged ingredients and simple tweaks that give them a homemade taste.
Unique method for gooey cinnamon rolls. Refrigerated cinnamon rolls are coated in a mixture of heavy whipping cream, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon (with extra added), and vanilla (my own addition), then baked until golden. You can use whatever frosting you'd like, but I stuck with the frosting that came with the cinnamon rolls. EASY.
Quick cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are ready to eat in under an hour, 45 minutes to be exact! Even my quickest cinnamon roll recipe isn't that fast.

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Tips and Tricks

Use the frosting from the cinnamon roll package. No need to make your own homemade frosting; when combined with the cream and cinnamon mixture, the packaged frosting totally hits the spot!
Longer bake time. Most cinnamon rolls bake up in under 20 minutes, but because these ones have a creamy base that needs to soak in, they require a longer baking time of 35 minutes. Don't worry, they will be gooey and delicious and not overdone.
How to keep cinnamon rolls fresh. Cinnamon rolls are best served fresh, but can be reheated in the microwave for a few seconds. Wrap leftover cinnamon rolls in plastic for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

two cans of cinnamon rolls, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and cream in bowls

Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls: If you use a different brand or size of cinnamon rolls, you'll need to adjust the baking time since they will probably be smaller.
Heavy whipping cream
Butter
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Vanilla

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Viral TikTok Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1: Lightly spray a 9"x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place cinnamon rolls in the baking dish. There will be 10 cinnamon rolls, which won't fit perfectly in rows. I do 2 rows with 3 rolls and 2 rows with 2 rolls. Set the containers of frosting to the side.

unbaked cinnamon rolls with cream and brown sugar glaze drizzled over them

Step 2: Pour heavy whipping cream into the bottom of the pan and in between the rolls. Melt butter and mix with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the rolls.

Step 3: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the rolls to brown to your liking.

Step 4: Let cinnamon rolls cool for 10-15 minutes before spreading with frosting.

spoon drizzling sauce over cinnamon rolls

Serve warm.

TikTok Cinnamon Roll Adaptations

Adjust the amount of butter/cinnamon/brown sugar glaze that you pour over the rolls. I think this amount is just right, but it's easy to adjust to your liking.
Sprinkle cinnamon rolls with chopped pecans before baking.
Spread rolls with homemade cream cheese frosting (you can mix the tubs of frosting that the packages came with into the homemade frosting).
Add pumpkin spice to the butter/cinnamon/brown sugar glaze for a fall variation. Spread with maple frosting.

Cinnamon Rolls FAQs

How do you keep cinnamon rolls fresh?

Cinnamon rolls are best served fresh but can be reheated in the microwave for a few seconds. Wrap leftover cinnamon rolls in plastic for up to 3 days.

Do TikTok cinnamon rolls need to rise?

Most cinnamon rolls, even store-bought frozen ones, need to rise, but the pre-packaged cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator section do not. You can simply open and bake.

More Sweet Roll Recipes To Make

MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💛 Please leave a STAR rating and COMMENT below! Post it to Facebook or Pinterest to easily share with friends!

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5 from 2 votes

TikTok Cinnamon Rolls

Copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls at home! These viral TikTok cinnamon rolls are so easy to make and are loaded with cinnamon flavor, creamy frosting, and fluffy texture.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

cooling 10

Total Time 1

Servings rolls

Calories 392kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

2 17 ounce packages of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls (each package comes with 5 jumbo cinnamon rolls plus a small container of frosting)*
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
4 Tbsp. butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9"x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray.
Open two packages of cinnamon rolls and place cinnamon rolls in the baking dish.
Set the containers of frosting to the side.
Pour heavy whipping cream into the bottom of the pan and in between the rolls.
Melt butter and mix with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the rolls.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the rolls to brown.
Let cinnamon rolls cool for 10-15 minutes before spreading with frosting.
Serve warm.

Video

Notes

*If you use a different brand or size of cinnamon rolls you'll most likely need to adjust the baking time since they will probably be smaller cinnamon rolls.

Nutrition

Oreo Witch Hat Cookies (+ Video)

September 25, 2023 By Brandy Leave a Comment

These witch hat cookies are one of the easiest Halloween treats to make! An Oreo cookie topped with frosting and a Hershey's kiss. Perfect for Halloween parties!

You might also like our Halloween bark, our Pop Tart Haunted Houses, or our Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bites!

Watch our step by step video!

These witch hat cookies can be made with ANY kind of chocolate cookie (Keebler Fudge Stripes, Fudge Covered Oreos, Grasshopper Cookies, etc.). You can even use my classic chocolate cookie recipe to make a homemade version! I used Oreos because Oreos are my favorite store-bought cookie, and not just any kind of Oreos---I used Halloween ones! I love the added stripe of orange filling. I think it makes the witch hats even cuter.

If you're looking for Halloween treats to bring to a party it doesn't get any easier or faster than these. You can make a dozen witch hats in about 5 minutes. If stored in an airtight container you can make these the day before you need them. I'll share my recipe for frosting, but store-bought frosting works great too. I tinted my frosting orange. These would be cute tinted green or purple too!

5 More Halloween Treats To Make

Witch Cookie Ingredients

12 Oreo Cookies
½ cup vanilla frosting (homemade or storebought)
food coloring
sprinkles
12 Hershey's Kisses

Homemade Vanilla Frosting

2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth. Tint with orange food coloring.

Fit a piping bag with a large round or star frosting tip. Fill with frosting.

Pipe a dollop of frosting into the center of each Oreo cookie.

Add sprinkles to each dollop.

Gently press an unwrapped chocolate kiss into the center of the frosting.

If you watch my video you'll notice that I made two versions; one with regular Oreos and another with Fudge Covered Oreos. I used a round tip for the other version and added a mini M&M candy for a hat buckle. There are so many ways to customize these cute treats!

Witch Hat Cookies (Homemade Version)

If you'd like to make your own cookies you can make a batch of these chocolate cookies (minus the Reese's cups on top). Let them cool completely then add a dollop of frosting to each one, add sprinkles, then press each cookie gently with a chocolate kiss.

Oreo Witch Hat Cookies

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Oreo Witch Hat Cookies

These witch hat cookies are one of the easiest Halloween treats to make! An Oreo cookie topped with frosting and a Hershey's kiss. Perfect for Halloween parties!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings cookies

Calories 88kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

12 Oreo cookies
½ cup vanilla frosting tinted whatever color you'd like
Halloween sprinkles
12 chocolate kisses

Instructions

Pipe a small amount of frosting into the center of each Oreo cookie. I used a star frosting tip, but you can use whatever you'd like.
Add sprinkles.
Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each dollop of frosting and gently press down.

Video

Notes

Cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal

Reese's Pumpkin Bites

September 22, 2023 By Brandy 1 Comment

You'll love these Reese's pumpkin bites. Made with Nilla wafers, mini Reese's peanut butter cups, and orange melting chocolate. They are as cute as they are delicious!

These are an adaptation of our viral Twix bites and our Tagalong bites. You might also like our York peppermint bites!

Reese's pumpkin bites on parchment paper.

Turning our favorite treats into holiday versions is one of my favorite things to do. I took our 3-ingredient Twix bites (and our peanut butter version) and made a fun Halloween treat. Tiny Reese's peanut butter balls of goodness covered in orange candy melts and topped with half of an M&M candy.

Why I Like This Recipe

Crunchy and creamy. There's an added crunch from the Nilla wafers that are topped with creamy mini Reese’s peanut butter cups (you can buy these unwrapped in bags).
Minimal ingredients. It only takes 4 ingredients to make these semi-homemade treats. One batch makes 36 cookie bites.
Easy to make. These treats come together in minutes. The most time-consuming part is dipping them in orange melting chocolate, but that's easy!
Perfect bite-sized treat. I use mini Nilla wafers, which are quite a bit smaller than original Nilla wafers, as well as mini unwrapped Reese's peanut butter cups, which are quite a bit smaller than even the snack-size cups. These pumpkins are the perfect bite-sized treat.
Fun to customize. These pumpkin bites are incredibly good, and they make the perfect bite-sized treat. If you want to add eyes, you can. The little faces make me laugh, but I don't like eating candy eyes, so I made some with faces and some without.

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Hand holding a Reese's peanut butter pumpkin bite that has been cut in half.

Tips and Tricks

Only bake for 90 seconds. Now hear me out, I know that 90 seconds sounds very specific, but trust me on this. I experimented with baking temps. 2-3 minutes is too long, and the caramel will begin to ooze out of the cookie. 1 minute isn't long enough to soften the Rolo. 90 seconds is just right to soften the chocolate slightly, but the caramel is still a little firm. We're NOT squishing or completely flattening the Rolo, just adding a cookie on top and slightly pressing down.
Use mini nilla wafers. You can purchase Nilla wafers in two sizes, mini and original. I prefer mini cookies or this recipe because you get more chocolate and caramel in each bite. The mini cookies are the perfect size and balance of flavor.
How to melt candy melts for dipping. Melt the orange candy melts in a double boiler or in the microwave. I used 8 ounces of wafers and a teaspoon or two of coconut oil, then microwaved it for 60 seconds and stirred it until everything was melted and smooth.
Use a chocolate dipping tool. The swirly design on the top of my Twix bites comes from using the chocolate dipping tool that I use. It's easy to use and makes dipping items in chocolate a breeze. If you use a fork, the tops of yours will be smooth.

Ingredients

Bag of orange melting chocolate, box of mini Nilla wafers, bowl of M&M candies, bag of mini Reese's peanut butter cups.

72 MINI Nilla Wafer cookies: you can use regular-sized cookies, but I think the mini ones are a better cookie-candy ratio. The smaller size also makes them easier to dip, and they are the perfect size to pop into your mouth.
1 (7-ounce) bag of mini unwrapped Reese’s peanut butter cups: the teeny tiny ones
1 (12-ounce) bag of orange melting chocolates
18 green M&M candies

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Reese's Pumpkin Bites

Nilla wafers on baking sheet with peanut butter cups on top

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Place 36 MINI vanilla wafer cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat in the oven for 90 seconds*.

Mini Nilla wafers with mini Reese's cups sandwiched in between.

Step 2: Remove from the oven and place another cookie on top of each peanut butter cup, pressing down slightly.

Chill the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

*Note: I know that 90 seconds sounds very specific, but trust me. I experimented with baking temps. Two to three minutes is too long, and one minute is too short. 90 seconds is just right to soften the chocolate slightly, but the peanut butter is still a little firm. We’re NOT squishing or completely flattening the Reese’s, just adding a cookie on top and gently pressing down.

Reese's pumpkin bite dipped in chocolate and on dipping tool.

Step 3: Melt the orange melting wafers according to the package.

Dip cookie sandwiches into chocolate using a chocolate dipping tool or fork. Tap the dipping tool or fork against the side of the bowl to allow the excess chocolate to drip off before transferring the cookie back to the baking sheet.

Hand adding half of an M&m candy to the top of the pumpkin bite.

Step 4: Add an M&M stem (the M&Ms are cut in half). Refrigerate cookies until the chocolate has hardened. Store the cookie bites in an airtight container for up to two weeks!

Reese's Pumpkin Bites FAQs

What is the best tool for dipping chocolate?

The pretty swirly design on the top of my cookie bites comes from using the dipping tool. If you use a fork, the tops of yours will be smooth. I prefer using a chocolate dipping tool as it allows more of the excess chocolate to drip off, allowing it to coat evenly.

How do you melt candy wafers?

It is essential to NOT overheat the candy.
Microwave at 50% power or on defrost setting for 1 minute.
Stir. Return to the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the candy is melted.
If you find that your melted wafers aren't as smooth and dippable as you'd like, you can add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the melted chocolate.

How do you store Nilla cookie bites?

Store the cookie bites in an airtight container for up to two weeks!

More Halloween Treats To Make

MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💛 Please leave a STAR rating and COMMENT below! Post it to Facebook or Pinterest to easily share with friends!

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Reese's Pumpkin Bites

You'll love these Reese's pumpkin bites. Made with Nilla wafers, mini Reese's peanut butter cups, and orange melting chocolate. They are as cute as they are delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

chill 30

Total Time 41

Servings pieces

Calories 110kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

72 MINI Nilla Wafer cookies (can use regular sized as well)
1 7-ounce bag of MINI peanut butter cups unwrapped
12 oz. package of orange candy melts
18 green M&M candies cut in half

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
Place 36 mini Nilla wafer cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place a mini peanut butter cup in the center of each one.
Heat in oven for 90 seconds.
Note: DO NOT heat longer than 90 seconds.
Remove from the oven and place another cookie on top of each peanut butter cup. We're NOT squishing or flattening the peanut butter cup, just adding a cookie on top and slightly pressing down.
Immediately chill the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate has set.
Melt the orange candy melts according to the directions on the package.
Dip cookie sandwiches into the orange melting chocolate. Tap the tool or fork against the side of the bowl to allow the excess chocolate to drip off before transferring the cookie back to the baking sheet.
Add an M&M stem.
Refrigerate cookie bites until the chocolate has hardened.

Video

Notes

Store homemade peanut butter pumpkin bites in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Note: if using regular-sized Nilla wafers you will need a little more melted chocolate.

Nutrition

Quick Apple Danish Braid (+ Video)

September 19, 2023 By Brandy 1 Comment

Store-bought puff pastry, homemade apple filling, and a 2-ingredient icing. Making an apple Danish braid doesn't get any easier than this!

You might also like our quick homemade puff pastry recipe, our copycat Cracker Barrel fried apples, or our apple cinnamon pull-apart bread. For an easy after-school snack, try our easy baked apple chips!

Watch our step-by-step video!

Puff Pastry Sheets

I have a weakness for pastries. Pie, turnovers, croissants---send them my way! I've made my own puff pastry dough many times, but I have to say that the store-bought puff pastry sheets, found in the freezer dessert section at the store, are pretty awesome. They bake up beautifully, are easy to work with, and are perfect when you want a delicious dessert in less than an hour. I made an apple cinnamon braid that is perfect for fall gatherings.

Apple Danish Braid

You can use any kind of apple that you'd like, but just remember that this is a sweet dessert so a mixture of sweet and tart apples, or sticking with tart apples is recommended. I used Granny Smith and Cosmic Crisp. The apples are cooked in a skillet with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a flavorful filling.

Quick Apple Danish Braid Ingredients

puff pastry sheets: you can find a 17-ounce box in the freezer dessert section at the grocery store. The box comes with two pastry sheets. You'll only be using one for this recipe and can save the other sheet for another day. Thaw the sheet according to the instructions on the package.

apples: 2-3 apples (one pound) peeled, cored and sliced.

1 Tbsp. butter: a small amount for flavor and to prevent the apples from burning.

½ cup brown sugar: for sweetness and rich flavor.

½ teaspoon cinnamon: ground cinnamon for the flavors of fall. You can also add other spices like nutmeg or cloves. A little bit goes a long way.

1 Tbsp. cornstarch and water: this makes a slurry to slightly thicken the filling.

egg and 1 Tbsp. water: these are whisked together to create an egg wash to brush over the braid before placing it into the oven.

coarse sugar: I use these sprinkles to sprinkle over turnovers and puff pastry after brushing the pastry with the egg wash. It gives them a sweetness and crunch.

½ cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp. milk: mixed together they create a delicious glaze to drizzle over the baked braid.

How To Make An Apple Danish Braid

Apple Filling

Step 1: melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 2: add brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Step 3: mix cornstarch and water together and pour over apples. Stir. Raise the heat slightly and cook for 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Pastry Braid

Step 1: Place the puff pastry sheet onto your work surface. With a rolling pin, roll it in one direction so that it measures 10" x 12". It comes as a square and we need it to be a rectangle. It should only take a few passes over the pastry with a rolling pin to achieve this.

Step 2: Using a slotted spoon, spoon apples down the center, leaving 1" at the top and the bottom. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to avoid having an excess of sauce dripping through the braid.

Step 3: Cut 1" slits down both sides of the pastry using a sharp knife. Fold the top of the pastry down then begin braiding from right to left, bringing the strips to the center and laying them on an angle.

Step 4: When you reach the bottom fold the bottom over before braiding the last 2 strips. Transfer the braid to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Note: you can prepare the braid ON a baking sheet instead of transferring it to a baking sheet if you want.

Step 5: brush the braid with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.

Step 6: Bake the braid at 400 degrees for 22-25 minutes. The top should be golden.

Step 7: Let the apple braid cool until room temperature before drizzling the icing over the braid.

It's easiest to cut and enjoy the braid at room temperature.

Note: If you watch my video you might see that I used quite a few apple slices in my skillet. That is because I made 2 braids that day and doubled the recipe for the filling. Unless you have a double oven or a baking sheet large enough to cook two braids at once, I'd recommend only making one braid at a time. You want the braid to be perfectly golden on the top and the bottom, and cooking on one rack achieves this.

Quick Apple Danish Braid Recipe (Printable Version)

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Quick Apple Danish Bread

Store-bought puff pastry, homemade apple filling, and a 2-ingredient icing. Making an apple Danish braid doesn't get any easier than this!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 22

cool 30

Total Time 1 2

Servings slices

Calories 240kcal

Author Brandy Nelson

Ingredients

1 store-bought puff pastry sheet (thawed)
1 lb. apples (2-3 apples peeled, cored and sliced)
1 Tbsp. butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 Tbsp. water

Egg Wash

1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
coarse sugar optional

Icing

½ cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

Thaw one pastry sheet according to the package instructions. Boxes typically come with two puff pastry sheets.
You can double the recipe and make two braids if you'd like. Unless you have a double oven you'll need to fit them both onto one baking sheet.
Melt butter in a skillet. Add sliced apples and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Mix cornstarch and water together. Pour over apples. Raise heat slightly and cook for 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Remove the pan from heat and let the apples stand while you prepare the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
Place the puff pastry sheet onto your work surface. Roll it in one direction with a rolling pin until it measures about 10" x 12" (It comes as a square and we want a rectangle).
Spoon apples along the center of the puff pastry sheet using a slotted spoon (this allows the excess sauce to drip off and not leak out of the braid). Leave 1" at the top and the bottom of the puff pastry sheet.
Cut 1" strips along each side, leaving about ½" of space between the end of the strip and the apple filling.
Fold down the top flap of dough and begin folding the side strips, alternating left to right on a diagonal angle.
When you reach the bottom, fold up the bottom before folding the last two slits over.
Transfer the braid to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Note: you can prepare the braid ON a baking sheet instead of transferring it to a baking sheet if you want.
Mix the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush over braid.
Sprinkle the danish braid with coarse sugar, if desired.
Bake the braid for 22-25 minutes. The top should be golden.
Allow the braid to cool to room temperature.
Mix powdered sugar and water together then drizzle over the braid.

Video

Notes

Cover leftovers with plastic or store them in an airtight container to enjoy the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal

Watch our step by step video!

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