Sometimes the simplest of ingredients can have the most impact on flavor. Take compound butter, for example. A small and simple addition – usually at the end of cooking – but packing a wallop of flavor. If you have ever wondered how to make compound butter or are looking for inspired flavored butter recipes, you’re in the right place. It’s pretty easy to make compound butter from scratch, and I’ll help you get started on making your own today.

Compound butter is simply a mixture of butter with additional flavoring ingredients like herbs, spices, or zests. This ends up being a vehicle for flavor that can take your cooking to the next level. It’s the true definition of something being more than the sum of its parts.

Learning how to make compound butter is both simple and rewarding, offering endless possibilities to enhance the taste and presentation of your meals. The great part is that it’s also easy to make your own flavors with whatever you’ve got on hand. So let’s get to mixing!

What is Compound Butter?

At its core, compound butter is just butter that has been mixed with other ingredients. But not so many ingredients that it outcompetes the butter itself. It can be either sweet or savory, depending on the mix-ins you choose. This process not only infuses the butter with unique flavors but also allows it to be shaped and stored conveniently for later use.

The versatility of compound butter can make it a staple in your kitchen. It can be used as a finishing touch to add richness and depth to grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or even your morning pancakes or toast.

Beyond its use as a topping, compound butter can also be incorporated into sauces, baked goods, or used to sauté vegetables. It’s a burst of flavor with minimal effort. With the best compound butter variations at your fingertips, every meal can become a gourmet experience.

Why Make Compound Butter?

Compound butter is a simple yet transformative ingredient that can enhance any dish.

For home cooking, compound butter is a powerhouse when it comes to infusing dishes with depth and richness. First off, you have the butter itself. Rich, fatty, and a bit creamy. Who doesn’t want to add butter into their recipe?

Then you can add in and mix together whatever flavors you imagine to complement your final dish. The variety of flavored butter mix-ins, such as fresh herbs, spices, and citrus zest, allows you to customize the butter to your desires.

Moreover, compound butter is versatile. It can be used as a finishing touch to meats, a spread on bread, a topping for vegetables, or even incorporated into sauces. The ability to create and store different flavored butters in your fridge ensures you have a quick and flavorful option ready to enhance any meal.

Integrating compound butter into your cooking is an easy way to add a gourmet touch to everyday meals. Just slice off a round of butter and top your finished dish.

The secret lies in the quality of the ingredients and the creativity of the mix-ins, which can transform even the simplest of meals into something memorable. Embrace the art of compound butter, and you’ll find yourself inspired to experiment and elevate every dish you serve.

The Basics of How to Make Compound Butter

Understanding the basics of how to make compound butter will set the stage for creating your own flavored butter recipes. Let’s dive into the essentials. Creating compound butter is a simple process that involves softening, mixing, and shaping.

To create the perfect compound butter, you begin with one primary ingredient: high-quality butter. Get a good quality butter, or even make your own homemade butter. It’s easier than you probably think. And you can’t get any fresher than homemade.

Salted vs. Unsalted

– Unsalted Butter: Technically the preferred choice for compound butter, unsalted butter allows for total control over the salt levels. But don’t forget to add your own salt in to one without it. Otherwise, you’re headed to bland city.

– Salted Butter: While less common for making compound butter, salted butter can be used if you don’t want to fiddle with adding salt. However, be cautious if you’re planning to add more salt or other salty ingredients to maintain balance.

Honestly, though, I don’t think it really matters much which kind of butter you use as a base for your recipe. Just know which one you’re using and adjust accordingly. Include salt with unsalted butter, and maybe hold off on the salt if already salted.

Softening and Preparing the Butter

For smooth, well-incorporated compound butter, it is helpful to start with room-temperature butter. A softened butter blends more easily with your chosen mix-ins. This will ensure an even distribution of flavors. Letting your butter sit out for about 10-20 minutes should achieve the right consistency without becoming overly soft.

But adjust according to your climate. In my current home kitchen in Hawaii, it takes hardly any time at all to get softened butter at room temperature. But in winter when I lived in Utah it took much longer.

1. Measure and Slice: Start by getting out and measuring the desired amount of butter. Generally, I use one stick (½ cup). It’s a decent amount for a small batch. Adjust amounts based on your needs. To speed up softening, you can slice it into smaller chunks. We’ll be mashing it all together anyways, so we don’t need to start with a uniform block.

2. Softening: Leave the butter at room temperature to soften. Allow 10-20 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is. This step is helpful as it allows for easier mixing and ensures a smoother, more cohesive compound. You could attempt microwave softening – microwave the butter for 5 seconds at a time until soft. But be careful because we don’t want melted butter.

Chop, Prepare, and Measure Mix-ins

Prepare the ingredients you’ll be mixing into the butter. Wash, peel, chop, mince, shred, zest, squeeze, and measure. (And any other kitchen verbs I missed!) Basically, get out and prep anything you’ll be adding in. Aim for size uniformity if you’re cutting or mincing anything.

In general, I prefer to use fresh herbs and spices where possible. They have much more potent flavors. But dried and powdered ones may be used as well. Raiding the spice cabinet is a great way to throw together a last-minute compound butter to compliment your final dish.

Add the ingredients in to the bowl with the softened butter. Then get ready to mix it all together.

Mixing Techniques: By Hand vs. Using a Mixer

– By Hand: Use a fork, spatula, or wooden spoon to mash the butter and your mix-ins in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. We want things as uniformly distributed as possible. This method gives you a bit more control and usually won’t lead to over-mixing.

– Using a Mixer: For speed, use an electric mixer. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer will both work well. Mix on low speed initially to avoid splatters, then slowly increase until fully incorporated. This method is particularly useful when working with larger batches or firmer ingredients.

Be careful not to over-mix. The butter can start to either separate or incorporate too much air. You shouldn’t need more than 5 minutes of mixing, especially with an electric tool. We’re just trying to distribute things evenly.

Flavored Butter Recipes: Enhancing Your Culinary Creations

One thing I love about cooking is the fact that you can easily change, experiment, and try different things. This is especially true with a flavored butter recipe.

Honestly, you don’t really need much of a recipe, just some general guidelines. Then you can make unique flavors to your heart’s content. (Though it can get expensive cause butter ain’t cheap…)

But if you do want some specific recipes before you try your hand at making up your own, I have a few recipes already on the site that include flavored butters. My pumpkin spice butter (seen atop a stack of pancakes above) is a sweet one meant to showcase those delicious warm fall spices.

My Thanksgiving sage roasted turkey recipe involves making a sage-heavy compound butter to slather over the bird before cooking. This gives it flavor the whole time it is roasting in the oven – and then also used to baste the turkey throughout.

And one of my all-time favorite meals involves topping grilled steak with a salty and tangy gorgonzola butter. It’s just a match made in culinary heaven. Mmm… Excuse me while I go fire up the grill…

How to Use Your Compound Butter Creations

In professional kitchens, flavored butters are used to finish dishes with a flourish. Atop steaks, fish, and vegetables, they melt deliciously, releasing their flavors to complement the dish’s main components. Restaurants also use them in baking and pastries, integrating sweet compound butters into desserts or breakfast items for added taste and texture.

You can do the same at home. Flavored butters offer an easy way to elevate everyday meals. Make your own butter batch in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer. Then it’s ready to be sliced and used whenever needed.

Think of places you’d normally use butter and use a flavored one instead. Buttering up homemade bread or flaky biscuits. Topping grilled or roasted proteins like steak, fish, and chicken. Dolloping on mashed potatoes for a unique flash of flavor. Toss it together with pasta and parmesan. Sauté some veggies in a compound butter for added aromas. Melt it over hot corn on the cob. Slather it on a stack of pancakes or buttermilk waffles.

The possibilities are nearly endless. Basically, just use it as a butter replacement wherever the flavor profile makes sense.

Basic Ratios to Get Started

Creating your own gourmet compound butter flavors is an exciting and rewarding endeavor. To start, you’ll need a basic ratio that ensures a balanced and cohesive mixture. A common starting point is:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2-4 tablespoons of total mix-ins

The mix-ins can be anything from fresh herbs like parsley and chives, to spices such as smoked paprika or cinnamon, aromatics like minced garlic or celery, or even sweet elements like honey and brown sugar. You can include liquids (sparingly) like lemon/lime juice or vanilla extract.

By 2 to 4 tablespoons of total mix-ins, I mean all mix-ins combined. Not 2 to 4 tbsp of each ingredient. That would be too much and you’ll end up with not enough butter to carry everything you’ve added in.

Adjust these proportions based on the potency of your chosen ingredients and your personal taste preferences. Once you have your flavored butter ready, shape it into logs or molds, wrap it in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate to chill or freeze for longer-term storage.

Make sure to write down the ingredients you use when experimenting. You don’t want to make the perfect butter and then not be able to recreate it!

Exploring Flavored Butter Mix-Ins

When it comes to transforming ordinary butter into a gourmet delight, the magic lies in the mix-ins. It all comes down to infusing butter with flavors that will complement and pair well with your final dish.

Compound butter is simple and forgiving. You don’t need to overthink it.

Remember – to try a lot of variations without drowning in extra butter, you can make super small batches with just a tablespoon or two of butter and a teaspoon or so of mix-ins.

Flavor Ideas

Here’s an idea of different mix-ins. Do not consider this an exhaustive list. It is just here for some ideas. Remember that we’re typically mixing and matching multiple mix-ins to make a rounded flavor. I’ve included a breakdown by type of mix-in, with some common ratios per stick of butter:

Savory Compound Butters (e.g., for steak, chicken, vegetables, bread):

• Herbs like parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, dill, sage, and cilantro: 1 to 3 tablespoons
• Garlic (minced or grated): 1-2 cloves (about 1-2 teaspoons minced)
• Aromatics like green onion, shallots, and celery: 1-2 tablespoons
• Zest or juice from limes, lemons, and oranges: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
• Spices like black pepper, smoked paprika, chili flakes, chipotle powder, cumin: 1/4 to 1 teaspoon
• Salt: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, to taste. Start with less and add more if needed, especially if using salted butter (though unsalted is generally recommended for control).
• Mustard of any variety like Dijon, stone ground, or honey mustard: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
• Vinegar like balsamic, red wine, and white wine: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon
• Worcestershire Sauce: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
• Cheese finely grated, like Parmesan or gorgonzola: 1-2 tablespoons
• Miso: 1/2 to 1 tablespoon

Sweet Compound Butters (e.g., for pancakes, toast, scones, baked goods):

• Sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, powdered sugar, molasses, and brown sugar: 1-2 tablespoons
• Spices like cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander, and ginger: 1/4 to 1 teaspoon
• Zest or juice from limes, oranges, lemons: 1/2 teaspoon zest, 1-2 teaspoons juice
• Flavor extracts like vanilla or almond: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
• Fruit finely chopped or pureed like berries, pineapple, peaches, cranberries, and mango: 1-2 tablespoons chopped, 1 tablespoon pureed

Choosing the Right Mix-Ins: Fresh vs. Dried Ingredients

The first step in creating flavored butter recipes is selecting the mix-ins. Both fresh and dried ingredients can impart unique flavors, and each have their own pros and cons.

Fresh ingredients like herbs, citrus zest, and minced garlic offer vibrant flavors and aromas. However, they can have a shorter shelf life and may add moisture to your butter, potentially altering its texture.

Dried ingredients such as ground spices and dried herbs provide concentrated flavors and longer shelf life. They’re also usually conveniently located in your spice cabinet for ease of use. Just be aware that those jars of dried and ground herbs and spices do lose potency over time. So be a bit wary of that one jar at the back of the cabinet that hasn’t seen the light of day in 5 years.

The key is to balance all of these elements. Use what makes sense, and what is available to you.

You could even sweat some of your ingredients in a small portion of your butter (or other liquid you’re interested in mixing in) and then mix it back into the butter.

Balancing Flavors: Sweet, Savory, and Spicy Options

A well-crafted compound butter should offer a delicious blend of flavors. When considering mix-ins, think about how sweet, savory, and spicy flavors can complement each other. Sweet options like honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar pair beautifully with breakfast spreads or baked goods. For savory dishes, consider adding fresh herbs, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, or caramelized onions.

If you’re a fan of a little heat, don’t shy away from incorporating spicy elements like chili flakes, chipotle powder, or even a touch of sriracha. Balance is key. Your mix-ins should enhance the butter without overpowering its natural creaminess. Experiment with different combinations to find your ideal flavor profile.

Creative Mix-In Ideas for Inspired Compound Butters

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into some creative mix-in ideas that can inspire your next batch of compound butter:

1. Dill and Lemon Zest Butter: Combine fresh parsley, dill, lemon juice, salt, and a touch of lemon zest for a bright and fresh butter perfect for seafood or steamed vegetables
2. Honey Cinnamon Butter: Sweeten your breakfast with butter infused with honey, a bit of cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla—ideal for pancakes, waffles, or some fresh rolls (looking at you Texas Roadhouse!)
3. Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Butter: Elevate savory dishes with roasted garlic and fresh rosemary, a classic pairing that complements grilled meats and roasted potatoes
4. Chili Lime Butter: Add a zesty kick to your butter using chili flakes or powder, lime juice, and some lime zest, perfect for corn on the cob or grilled shrimp
5. Truffle and Parmesan Butter: For a luxurious twist, mix in truffle oil and grated Parmesan cheese, an indulgent complement to pasta or risotto
6. Old Bay Butter: Mix some Old Bay seasoning into butter for a delicious topping on seafood – I’ve especially loved it over lobster tail

Remember these are just some suggestions to get things going. Go experiment! Get crazy and go wild pairing things together. You have my permission as an internet chef.

Just tell me in the comments if you discover something that I just have to try myself.

Adjusting Flavors for Balance and Intensity

Creating the best compound butter variations often involves fine-tuning the balance of flavors. Start with small amounts of mix-ins and gradually adjust to taste.

After using the butter for the first time, you can make adjustments. Unfortunately, it isn’t the most pleasant to try and test on its own. Unlike most of my cooking, I don’t stop and taste test this mid-mixing. If you really wanted to, maybe try melting a small amount in a bowl and dipping a bit of bread in it to taste.

If when you first taste test it isn’t quite right, let the remaining butter come to room temperature. Then add in and adjust based on what you tasted. Wasn’t strong enough? Add in more mix-ins. Too strong? Mix in some more softened butter. Not quite the right flavor? Add in another mix-in that you think will round it out.

For a balanced blend, consider the strength of your ingredients: robust flavors like garlic or blue cheese require moderation, while milder ingredients like some herbs can be used more liberally. Soon you’ll master the art of making compound butter. Don’t be afraid, it’s hard to mess up and most things can be saved with the suggestions above.

Storage and Shelf Life of Homemade Compound Butter

Stored properly in the fridge, homemade compound butter should be used within 1-2 weeks for optimal flavor and safety. Always check for any off smells or discoloration before use. If you’ve incorporated fresh ingredients like herbs or garlic, keep in mind these can shorten shelf life due to their moisture content.

You can also freeze the compound butter for an even longer shelf life – up to 3 months. When using frozen compound butter, allow it to thaw gradually in the fridge to maintain its creamy texture.

Proper Wrapping and Freezing Techniques

Once you’ve crafted your gourmet compound butter flavors, proper storage is key to maintaining taste and texture.

Storing it in log form: This method lends itself to easily slicing off a pat when you need it. Begin by placing your freshly mixed butter onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Shape the butter into a log, ensuring it’s compact and uniform. Roll it tightly, and twist the ends to seal. Tie off the ends to really seal them up. This method prevents air exposure, which can lead to oxidation and spoilage.

For unique shapes: Use a silicone mold with lots of small molds. Keep in mind that we don’t want too much of the butter in one spot, it won’t fully melt and infuse the whole dish. So don’t get a mold with cavities that are extra large. I especially like the variety options of small flowers and the even smaller little flower dollops. Use a spoon or silicon spatula to push the mixed butter into the molds. Then chill in the fridge. If you’re storing them longer or want to keep them out of the molds, pop them into a ziploc or reusable sealing bag for optimal freshness.

For long-term storage, consider freezing your butter. Once wrapped, place the butter log into a freezer-safe bag to provide an extra layer of protection against freezer burn. Properly stored, compound butter can last up to three months in the freezer.

Key Takeaways on Making Compound Butter:

Compound butter is a culinary staple that can elevate your dishes to gourmet status with minimal effort. Remember:

1. Simplicity Meets Versatility – At its core, compound butter combines softened butter with a variety of mix-ins that will complement your final dish. Just think about flavors that pair well together.
2. Ease of Preparation – Making compound butter is straightforward. Simply allow your butter to soften, blend with your chosen ingredients, and reshape it for easy storage and use.
3. Remember the Ratio – Half a cup of butter (one stick) to 2-4 tablespoons of total mix-ins. This ensures things are balanced and the butter
4. Storage and Shelf Life – Properly stored, compound butter can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator and even longer in the freezer, making it a convenient option for both everyday cooking and special events.

Don’t be afraid to let your creativity shine when crafting your own gourmet compound butter flavors. Whether you’re inspired by seasonal produce, a favorite dish, or a particular cuisine, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. Experimenting with different textures, like crunchy nuts or velvety cheeses, can further enhance the depth of your creations.

I hope this guide helps you to start experimenting with compound butter in your own kitchen. I’d love to hear about your unique ideas and the delicious concoctions you’ve crafted. Feel free to share your experiences, suggestions, and feedback in the comments below. Happy butter-making!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try making any flavor of compound butter! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

How to Make Compound Butter from Scratch

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Sauces and CondimentsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Fridge Time

15

Total time

30

minutes

Elevate your cooking with a homemade compound butter. Simply mix together some butter with flavorful mix-ins for a delicious topping to nearly any dish.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2-4 tablespoons of total mix-ins

Directions

• Soften the butter by leaving it out in a medium-sized bowl at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, cut the butter into chunks to speed up the process
• Prepare the mix-ins by washing, peeling, chopping, mincing, shredding, zesting, squeezing, and measuring your mix-in ingredients (or anything else you must do to prepare them for mixing)
• Add the mix-ins to the bowl with the butter and mix with a fork, spoon, or electric mixer until everything is evenly distributed
• Prepare the butter for storage by either forming it into a log on a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and rolling and twisting the ends or pressing the butter into molds to shape them
• Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes until firm, then use it by putting a slice on your final dish or keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months

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The post Compound Butter 101: How to Make Compound Butter from Scratch appeared first on Do You Roux?.

I love shrimp. They’re fairly easy and quick to both defrost and cook. So I love keeping a bag of frozen shrimp on hand for a quick meal. Add in an extra bit of flair and you’ve got a simple garlic butter shrimp scampi.

Tender shrimp swimming in a garlic butter sauce with just a hint of white wine and lemon. It’s an Italian-American classic that seems fancy but is shockingly easy to make at home. So, whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or a seasoned cook, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your meal rotation.

The best part about this easy shrimp scampi recipe? It takes just 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish, making it the perfect dish for busy weeknights. No need for takeout when you can whip up restaurant-quality classic shrimp scampi quicker than it takes to watch an episode of your favorite show. This fresh and flavorful dish comes together in one skillet with a few simple ingredients. Serve it over pasta or rice to soak up all that buttery garlic sauce.

Gather Ingredients for the Simple Shrimp Scampi Recipe

First things first, what is a classic shrimp scampi? It is, of course, a fun historical culinary adventure that gets us here. Scampi is the Italian name for a type of smaller lobster-like crustacean. Scampi aren’t typically found in the ocean near the US and Italian chefs in America likely substituted the next closest thing – shrimp. So it is shrimp that are cooked scampi-style. Which has also evolved a bit over the years. But today we’ll delve into an easy shrimp scampi recipe. Shrimp in a garlic butter and olive oil sauce with some lemon juice, white wine, and parsley.

Ingredients for Classic Shrimp Scampi

First off, we’re going to use two pounds of raw shrimp. Large-sized shrimp work best for this simple shrimp scampi recipe, but you can adjust based on your preference. Next, get your hands on some quality olive oil and butter. You’ll need 1/2 cup of each to help create that luscious, velvety sauce.

Now, for the real star of the show: garlic. Grab ten to twelve cloves of fresh garlic. The more garlic, the better in my opinion. Add some more flavor with red pepper flakes, white wine, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste, as always.

To finish off our list, stock up on some fresh parsley. The green punch of color totally transforms the presentation of this dish.

Prepare the Shrimp

The shrimp are the main focus of the simple shrimp scampi recipe, even though I like to think that it is really the garlic.

Choosing the right kind of shrimp for your dish is helpful. It will mostly affect the amount of preparation you have to take before starting on the recipe proper.

And it depends on your own preferences. You may want to peel and devein the shrimp yourself. It’s a bit more work, but it does give a certain satisfaction knowing you prepared every bit of your meal. Plus, you can keep the shells for making a good shrimp stock.

On the other hand, if you’re not keen on the extra hassle, pre-peeled shrimp is the way to go. It’s convenient and gets you straight to the cooking part, which is great if you’re short on time.

You can remove the tail or leave it on. Tail-on makes for better presentation and a bit more shrimp flavor in the sauce. Tail-off makes for easier eating.

Just make sure that you get RAW shrimp. We don’t want any pre-cooked shrimp. They just won’t take on enough of the flavor from our sauce and it would be such a waste in this recipe. Plus, shrimp cook fast, so it doesn’t save much time and just gives a worse final dish.

Defrosting, If Necessary

If you’ve bought frozen shrimp, then you’ll have to defrost them first. Frozen shrimp is typically my go-to. Defrosting them isn’t a big deal and I’ll guide you through it.

Here’s my go-to method: Place your shrimp in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and let them defrost for about 20 minutes. You can change the water part way through to speed up the process a bit. Alternatively, you can put your shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them for about 5 to 10 minutes. But this uses up a lot more water, so I tend to do it the first way.

Just make sure it’s cold water. We don’t want to start cooking the shrimp early.

Once they’ve thawed out, pat them dry with some paper towels.

Seasoning the Shrimp

When it comes to seasoning, I like to keep things simple. I suggest a balanced blend of salt and pepper. Just spread the shrimp out into a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Then generously season them, flip them, and season again.

Don’t be shy and make sure every piece gets some love.

Once you’ve seasoned your shrimp, set them aside until you’re ready to throw them into the pan. If you aren’t moving on to cooking immediately, then put the shrimp in the fridge until you begin.

Beginning with the Scampi Sauce

It’s finally time to kick off the garlic butter shrimp scampi sauce. First, we’ll melt the butter with some olive oil – to get the best of both worlds. Next, we’re gonna toss in some garlic and red pepper flakes to start building that flavor. Lastly, we’ll add a splash of lemon juice and white wine for that tangy kick. This method will give your sauce a full-bodied flavor that’s to die for. And it smells amazing. Now, let’s get cooking!

Melting Butter with Olive Oil

The first step in creating a classic shrimp scampi sauce is to melt butter with olive oil. I know what you’re thinking. Butter and oil together? Trust me, it’s a culinary match made in heaven. It’s all about balance; the olive oil prevents the butter from burning while the butter lends richness to the olive oil’s flavor.

To melt them together, you’ll want to put a generous amount of both in a large skillet over medium heat. As the butter begins to melt, you’ll notice it starting to bubble and foam, mixing beautifully with the olive oil. Stir them together to create a warm, inviting pool of liquid gold.

The aroma of the melting butter and olive oil blend is something truly remarkable. It’s warm, comforting, and makes you feel like you’re in an Italian grandmother’s kitchen. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that?

Adding Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic sauteeing in a pan is one of the best smells in the world. It’s like a big, aromatic hug that screams out – ‘Get ready for some tasty food!’

Garlic will be the main flavor in our sauce. So there’s a lot of it. I can never get enough – just reference my roasted garlic recipe. But it is also not the only flavor we’ll want to add to our sauce.

So let’s introduce some spice with a pinch of red pepper flakes. This adds a subtle kick that makes the dish come to life. Remember, we’re not looking to set anyone’s mouth on fire here. We’re aiming for a gentle warmth that complements the garlic and makes your taste buds tingle. Though if you’re a bit fan of that spicy heat you can add a little extra – or even try adding some hot sauce to the mix.

It’s all about finding that perfect balance. You don’t want the garlic to overpower the other flavors, and you certainly don’t want the red pepper flakes to take over. Follow the recipe and then adjust to fit your own tastes.

Incorporating Lemon Juice and White Wine

Now it’s time to round out the flavor of our sauce. Here’s where we’ll blend in the tangy lemon juice and crisp white wine.

You’ll want to squeeze fresh lemons to get the juice for this recipe. Trust me, it’s worth the effort. The store-bought shelf-stable stuff just can’t match that zesty freshness. Pour it in, and let that zing mingle with the warm butter and oil.

Grab some white wine. I don’t drink so I know nothing about the wine world. I use a cooking wine in my recipes. You can probably do better than that. And based on my research a dry white wine is best… whatever that means. It’s a liquid so I don’t think dry really works as a descriptor.

This combination of the tart lemon and the wine’s acidity creates a beautifully balanced sauce. It’s the perfect complement to our shrimp, enhancing their flavor without overpowering it. And with the sauce ready, we’re good to start adding in the shrimp.

Cooking the Shrimp

Alright, let’s get to the heart of cooking our shrimp. First up, we’ll be sautéing the little guys right in the sauce. It’s a joy to watch them turn pink. (Which happens quickly – you can see in my photo below that the hot sauce has already started turning some of the tails even though it was off the direct heat.) Then, we’ll cook them until they’re perfectly done. Remember to stir regularly.

Sautéing the Shrimp in the Sauce

Here’s the part where the magic truly happens – sautéing the shrimp in that garlicky sauce. It’s what transforms those little shellfish into succulent bites of joy.

Toss the shrimp into the pan with the sauce. Try to get them into a single layer, so they all have space to cook evenly. Then let them cook. After a few minutes begin flipping the shrimp so both sides can cook through.

And while they’re cooking, douse the shrimp in the sauce. Make sure every single one is coated in it. Hear that sizzle?

Remember, we’re sautéing, not scorching. Keep the heat at a medium, and keep those shrimp moving in the pan.

Ensuring Perfect Doneness

Ensuring the perfect doneness of the shrimp is crucial in achieving a great dish. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to end up with rubbery or undercooked shrimp; it can ruin the whole experience.

Shrimp cooks incredibly quickly, usually in about four to five minutes for large ones. You’ll want to keep a close eye on it. And it’ll also depend on how crowded your pan is. As it cooks, the shrimp will start to curl and turn pinkish-orange. If all of your shrimp have reached that color, that’s your sign that it’s done.

Be sure to stir and flip the shrimp so all sides of all shrimp are evenly cooked in the sauce.

Remember, the key to perfectly done shrimp is vigilance.

Once the shrimp have cooked through, remove them from the heat and add in the minced parsley. This adds a pop of green color that completely transforms the presentation.

Adjusting Seasoning to Taste

Now that we’ve got our garlic butter shrimp scampi, let’s adjust the seasoning to taste. This step is all about your palate; it’s your chance to show off your culinary artistry in full swing.

Taste the sauce. Yes, go ahead and give it a good taste. What do you think? Does it need a little more salt? Maybe a dash of red pepper flakes? Too acidic? Add some more butter. Doesn’t pop enough on the palate? Add some more lemon juice. The beauty of seasoning is that it’s all up to you.

Remember, you want to enhance the natural flavors of the seafood, not overpower it. So, tread lightly with the additions. A little can go a long way. Take your time, taste often, and adjust as you go.

Serving Suggestions for this Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Rice, Pasta, and Other Bases

The dish itself is complete. But it is typically not served alone. We need something to pair with our easy shrimp scampi recipe to help soak up all of that buttery sauce.

Pasta is most commonly paired with the classic shrimp scampi. Linguine, fettuccine, or even some penne can be a fantastic base. The key is to cook it until it’s al dente, so it has a slight bite to it. You could even go all-out and try your hand at making homemade pasta.

Rice is also one of my favorites. Whether you go for fluffy white or brown rice, it’s the perfect compliment to our seafood star. It absorbs all those wonderful flavors and adds a satisfying, comforting texture to your dish.

And let’s not rule out other options. Cauliflower rice, veggie noodles made with a spiralizer, or quinoa could all be great options.

Side Dishes For Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi

Now that we’ve put the finishing touches on our main dish, we can start thinking about what to serve alongside it.

For our seafood dish, I’d recommend sides that can absorb the sauce or pair well with the flavors. Try a classic Caesar salad or a simple spring mix salad with a tangy vinaigrette. it’s a perfect contrast.

Or, if you’re after something a little heartier, roasted potatoes with rosemary would be a fantastic choice. The potatoes take on a lovely crispy exterior while remaining fluffy inside, and the rosemary adds an aromatic touch that will make your kitchen smell divine.

And of course, you can’t forget about bread. Try making my dutch oven crusty bread to go along with this meal. Or a crusty baguette or some warm garlic bread would be excellent for mopping up any leftover sauce – just be sure not to fill up on it before the main event!

Remember, the side dishes are there to enhance the meal, not overpower it. So choose wisely!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this garlic butter shrimp scampi! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: MainDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Learn how to make this easy shrimp scampi recipe! This quick 20-minute skillet meal features tender shrimp swimming in an irresistible garlic butter sauce. The perfect classic shrimp scampi recipe for busy weeknights – restaurant quality results with minimal effort.

Ingredients

• 10-12 large cloves of garlic

• 4 tablespoons minced parsley

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail optional)

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup salted butter

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 6 tablespoons white wine

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• Prepared pasta or rice for serving

Directions

• Mince the garlic and the parsley and set them aside
• Make sure the shrimp are defrosted if using frozen shrimp, then season them with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside
• In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally
• Once the butter is fully melted, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and then sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning
• Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and let it simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes
• Add the shrimp in as close to a single layer as possible and cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to turn pink
• Flip the shrimp and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are opaque, pink-orange, and fully cooked through
• Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley
• Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more lemon, salt, pepper, or red pepper if desired
• Serve the shrimp immediately over cooked pasta, rice, quinoa, or veggie noodles

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Fresh herbs and vegetables are always a great addition to any meal, but when you add garlic to the mix, you really can’t go wrong. This delicious snow peas recipe is a perfect side dish for a light and fresh lunch or dinner.

I have long loved sugar snap peas and about two years ago made a recipe for some sugar snap peas with a bit of spice to them. But for some reason, I haven’t really ever gotten into snow peas.

That changes now.

The key to this garlic butter and basil snow peas recipe is having fresh ingredients. If you happen to have a garden and grow the ingredients yourself, then you are in for a truly fresh treat. But you can also find the ingredients at a farmer’s market or grocery store as well.

So, gather everything up and get ready for a simple and delicious side dish.

What Are Snow Peas?

Snow peas are small, crunchy vegetables. With a mild flavor and crunchy texture, what makes snow peas special? Well, it is their thin skin.

Not because they get offended easily, but because their skin doesn’t contain an inedible membrane like most peas. Snow peas have edible pods. So they can be eaten whole without shelling.

Snow pea pods are commonly available in spring and again in fall. However, this can vary widely depending on your local climate. They are a cooler-season crop but (despite their name) don’t actually grow in the snow.

Though the pods are typically eaten fresh, they are also often cooked in stir-fries. Which is kind of how we’re using them in this recipe.

Prep Your Ingredients

Before you begin cooking, it’s important to properly prepare your ingredients to ensure a successful and delicious dish. For this recipe, you’ll need to slice the garlic, chiffonade the basil, wash the snow peas, and remove any damaged pods.

To prep the ingredients for this snow peas recipe, we’ll start with the peas themselves. Wash the snow peas thoroughly. To wash the snow peas, place them in a colander and rinse them under cold water. Then, remove any damaged or discolored pods and discard them.

For a chiffonade, we want thin strips of basil leaves. Begin prepping the basil by washing it. Pat the leaves dry and then stack about 5 leaves together.

Then roll the stack of leaves up tightly. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise to make thin strips. Look at the example photos above for a simple demonstration.

For the garlic, I decided to go with thin slices for this basil snow peas recipe. I wanted the garlic to have enough of a presence to feel like a full ingredient rather than just a small flavor addition. First, peel off the skin and then slice off the ends of the garlic. Then, using a sharp knife, delicately slice the garlic into thin pieces that almost look like little garlic rounds.

Cook the Snow Peas

With the ingredients all prepped, it’s time to actually start cooking. Which begins with a pan and some butter.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large frying pan and then add in the sliced garlic.

Stir everything around to coat the garlic in the butter.

Let the garlic saute for a few minutes until fragrant. Keep stirring them around occasionally to get a more even cook.

Now add in the washed snow peas. Stir them around to mix them with the garlic and coat them in the butter as well.

Even though we’re cooking the snow peas, we don’t want them to get too soft. They should still retain a nice bite and crunch when we eat them. So timing on the cook is key.

Saute the garlic and snow peas for

We still need a little pop of flavor for this snow peas recipe.

So add in the cut basil, salt, and pepper for the last few minutes of cooking in the pan. This will give it all just enough time to meld together the flavors without overcooking the fresh herbs.

You should end up with a buttery, garlicky  savory side dish of just barely cooked snow peas and basil.

Plate and Garnish the Snow Peas

Everything’s cooked and ready to eat. But we now have to show it off well. Let’s plate and add some finishing touches. Look below for some ideas for plating and garnishing your garlic butter and basil snow peas.

For serving the snow peas, you could arrange them on a serving platter or individual plates. You can stack them neatly or scatter them in an artful way. Or just pour them straight from the frying pan into a serving bowl with a spoon or tongs.

Try adding some extra garnish to add some fresh flair to the dish. If you have any leftover basil or other herbs, chop them finely and sprinkle them over the snow peas. This will add some color and freshness to the dish.

Or mix it up and add a little citrus. For a tangy and bright flavor, you can grate some lemon or lime zest over the snow peas. This will also add some texture and contrast to the dish. Or just serve the snow peas with some lemon wedges on the side. Squeezing the lemon juice over the snow peas will add some zing and balance to the dish.

With these plating and garnishing tips, your garlic butter and basil snow peas will not only taste delicious but also look stunning on the plate. Enjoy!

What to Serve with This Snow Pea Recipe

Though this snow pea recipe is delicious, it isn’t a main dish. So we’ll need something else to pair with this.

The great thing is that this side complements a wide variety of meals. Feel free to try and match this side dish with whatever meal you plan on having for dinner.

But the following are some good options if you are looking for some meal ideas to go with this snow pea recipe:

• Orange Maple Soy Glazed Salmon
• Family Three-Cheese Lasagna
• Easy Ramen Omelet
• Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

No matter what you choose to serve with these snow peas, they are sure to add a touch of freshness and flavor to any meal. Enjoy!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out garlic butter and basil snow peas! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Garlic Butter and Basil Snow Peas

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Sides, AppetizersDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

A simple, tasty recipe to make with fresh snow peas. This quick, easy, delicious side dish will make you feel like you’re eating spring in a dish.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic

• 10 medium basil leaves

• 3 cups snow peas

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

• Wash the snow peas and basil leaves, remove any damaged pea pods, and then pat everything dry
• Chiffonade the basil by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them tightly together, and then thinly slicing across the roll to create long, thin strips of basil
• Remove the skin from the garlic cloves, chop off the root end, and then finely slice the garlic
• Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat
• Add the sliced garlic to the pan and cook in the melted butter for about 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally
• Pour the snow peas into the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender-crisp
• Stir the basil, salt, and pepper into the snow peas and garlic, and stir while cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the basil is wilted
• Remove from the heat and serve

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The post Garlic Butter and Basil Snow Peas Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Mirepoix is a classic French vegetable base that is traditionally used to add depth and flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. Mirepoix is an essential element in many recipes. Once you master the technique, you’ll find that it’s an easy way to elevate the flavor of any dish.

In this post, I’ll take you step-by-step through the process of making mirepoix, and provide some tips and tricks for cutting and preparing everything. This recipe will give you the tools you need to make mirepoix like a pro.

The best part is, you can adjust the flavors according to your liking. I’ll go over the traditional method in this recipe but will outline some different methods. And, in the end, cooking is a creative process so you can mix it up any way you’d like.

So grab your cutting board and knife, and let’s get started!

What Is Mirepoix and Where Did it Come From?

Mirepoix (pronounced “meer-PWAH”) is one of the most important building blocks in French cooking. It is used to make sauces, soups, stews, braises, casseroles, and more.

A traditional mirepoix is a combination of diced onions, carrots, and celery. This mixture is sautéed together over low heat to create a flavorful base for various recipes. Its flavor profile can add depth and complexity to dishes.

The exact origins of mirepoix are not clear, since this combination of ingredients has likely been used for quite a long time.

But the term mirepoix is derived from the unnecessarily complicated name of a French aristocrat. Charles-Pierre-Gaston François de Lévis, duc de Lévis-Mirepoix.

I know, right?

And what is crazy is that it was not like it was the aristocrat doing the cooking. But I guess he liked it enough and his chef(s?) were good enough at making things based on this combination that it became a whole thing. Thus the name was born as people began describing recipes “à la mirepoix” in 18th-century France. Then I guess it just stuck.

What Is the “Holy Trinity” in Cooking?

While the mirepoix is a staple of French cuisine, a similar combination of vegetables known as the “holy trinity” is a key ingredient in Cajun and Creole cooking in the southern United States. Like the mirepoix, the holy trinity uses onions and celery. However, green bell peppers are substituted in place of carrots.

The holy trinity likely evolved from French influence on Louisiana cuisine. The French colonists who settled in Louisiana brought with them their culinary traditions, including the use of mirepoix. However, they adapted to local ingredients and flavors and began to substitute green bell peppers for carrots.

The holy trinity provides a base of aromatic vegetables that add depth and flavor to dishes just like mirepoix. However, adding green bell peppers gives the holy trinity a distinct flavor profile. The sweetness of the peppers creates a unique blend of flavors that is essential to many Cajun and Creole dishes.

This holy trinity base is used to create dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya, and étouffée.

Whether you’re making a classic French dish or a Cajun/Creole favorite, understanding the role of these vegetable bases is essential to creating flavorful and delicious dishes.

What’s in a Mirepoix?

A basic, traditional mirepoix is a combination of just three vegetables: onions, carrots, and celery. While the basic formula is simple, there are a few key details that can make a big difference in the flavor and texture of your mirepoix.

Onions are an essential part of any mirepoix, providing a base of savory flavor. White onions are the most commonly used. But you can also use yellow onions, sweet onions, or shallots depending on your preference and the dish you’re making.

Carrots add sweetness and depth to the mirepoix, while also providing a splash of color to the finished dish. You can use regular or baby carrots, and it’s important to wash them before dicing. I like to use full, large carrots because they tend to have more flavor. Baby carrots tend to be watery.

Celery provides a subtle herbal flavor to the mirepoix. Be sure to wash the celery and trim the ends and any tough, stringy bits from the celery before dicing it.

The ratio of the ingredients in the mirepoix can vary depending on the dish you’re making. But a common ratio is 2 parts onion to 1 part each carrot and celery. But you can adjust the ratio to suit your tastes and the flavor profile of your dish.

By choosing high-quality ingredients and dicing them finely and evenly, you can create a flavorful and aromatic base to elevate your cooking.

Alternate Versions of a Mirepoix

Different regions and cultures have their own unique bases that are similar to a mirepoix. Usually, the differences are due to locally available ingredients.

A classic mirepoix consists of onions, carrots, and celery. There are a few variations that can add new flavors and textures to your dishes. Here are some alternate versions of a mirepoix to consider:

• The ‘holy trinity’: The cajun/creole twist on mirepoix substitutes green bell peppers for the carrots in the traditional mix
• Soffritto: This Italian version is the same mix of carrots, celery, and onion but usually cooked in olive oil versus the traditional butter
• Sofrito/refogado: The Spanish/Portuguese mix is garlic, onion, and peppers cooked in olive oil, with tomatoes or carrots optional – note that it is also usually chopped much smaller than a regular mirepoix
• Suppengrün: The German mix literally meaning ‘soup greens’ consists of carrots, leeks, and celeriac
• Włoszczyzna: The Polish version meaning ‘Italian stuff’ includes celery, parsley, carrots, and leeks
• Pinçage: Cooking a traditional mirepoix longer and adding tomato purée creates this darkened brown mixture

Remember, the ratio of the ingredients in your mirepoix can vary depending on the dish you’re making and your personal taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations of vegetables to create the perfect mirepoix for your dish.

Cutting the Onion

I’m not crying, you’re crying. Cutting onions for a mirepoix is a simple but important task. Follow the steps below for the simplest way to get an even dice every time.

Start by cutting off the non-root end of the onion. Then cut the onion in half from the top to the root end. Peel the skin off of each onion half, being careful not to remove too much of the onion flesh.

Place each half flat-side down on the cutting board.

Use a sharp knife to make vertical cuts into the onion, cutting down to but not through the root end. Make the cuts about a quarter-inch apart and try to be evenly spaced. This will help you get similar-sized pieces.

Turn the onion halves 90 degrees and make horizontal cuts across the onion. The size of the pieces will depend on how finely you want to dice the onion for your mirepoix.

As I noted before in my post on how to caramelize onions, there are some methods to avoid eye irritation:

• #1 – Cut the onions under your stove vent with the fan running
• #2 – Freeze the onions for 10 to 15 minutes before removing them from the freezer and cutting them

Once you’ve diced the onions, you’re ready to chop the other vegetables to create a flavorful mirepoix.

Cutting the Carrot

Cutting carrots for a mirepoix is another important task in kitchen prep. Here’s how I do it:

Start by thoroughly washing your carrots. You can peel them if you’d like to. Then begin cutting by trimming off the stem end of the carrot and the pointed tip at the other end. If the carrot is long, cut it in half to make it easier to handle.

Carefully slice the carrot into quarter-inch thin strips. Place the strips flat-end down on the cutting board.

Cut the strips in halves or thirds to get roughly quarter-inch carrot cross-sections. Then line all of them up and cut them into thin slices. See the photos above for general guidelines.

Now that you’ve mastered cutting the onions and carrots, it’s time to move on to the celery and start creating your delicious mirepoix.

Cutting the Celery

Cutting celery for a mirepoix is the final step in preparing this flavorful base for many dishes.

Start by trimming off the root and tip ends and any brown or damaged parts of the celery. Cut the celery into 3 to 5 thin strips lengthwise. Make the strips about a quarter-inch thick.

Then line up all of the celery strips and chop them into pieces.

Try to get roughly equal sizes for the onion, carrot, and celery. Even sizes will help everything cook at the same rate so that nothing gets under or over-cooked compared to anything else.

Now that you’ve mastered cutting the onions, carrots, and celery, you’re ready to start creating your delicious mirepoix.

Recipes to Use Mirepoix

Now that you know how to make a mirepoix, you’re ready to start using it as the base for a variety of delicious dishes. Soups, stews, sauces, and casseroles. Mirepoix can add depth and flavor to any recipe. In this section, we’ll explore some of the most popular dishes that use a mirepoix base and provide you with easy-to-follow recipes that you can try at home.

As you experiment with different recipes, you’ll find that the proportions of each ingredient can be adjusted to suit your taste and the dish you’re making.

So, let’s get started and explore some of the delicious dishes that you can create using a mirepoix base:

• Simple Chicken Noodle Soup
• From Scratch Chicken Pot Pie
• Rotisserie Chicken and Lentil Soup
• Garbanzo Lemon Orzo Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Traditional Lobster Bisque

That’s it! Making a mirepoix is a simple but essential technique for any home cook. With just a few ingredients and some basic cooking skills, you can add depth and flavor to all of your favorite recipes.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try making a mirepoix! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

How to Make the Perfect Mirepoix

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Soups, Sauces and CondimentsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

A perfect mirepoix is an essential mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that is used as the base building block for a variety of other recipes

Ingredients

• 2 parts onion

• 1 part carrot

• 1 part celery

• Butter

Directions

• Wash the celery and carrots thoroughly and peel the onion
• Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, evenly-sized pieces
• Heat about 1 tablespoon of butter for every two cups of chopped vegetables in a large skillet or Dutch oven over low heat
• Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pan and stir to coat in the butter
• Cook the vegetables for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and fragrant
• The mirepoix is now ready for the next steps to use as a base for a variety of dishes

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The post How to Make the Perfect Mirepoix appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Soft, chewy, and packed with flavor – these homemade pretzels are the perfect snack or appetizer for parties, family gatherings, and other special events. Follow this simple pretzel recipe to make some terrific twisted baked goods for yourself.

Pretzels became my go-to lunch in middle school. I could get a huge pretzel with a side packet of cream cheese for under 2 bucks. Which, in my mind, was a deal that couldn’t be beat.

I know cream cheese sounds weird, but don’t knock it until you try it.

This homemade pretzel recipe is so chewy and delicious, you’ll want to make them for everyone in your life. These soft homemade pretzels are perfect to serve up as an appetizer or as a side alongside a large bowl of soup. Or even mix it up by making pretzel bites or buns.

So, whether you’re trying them plain, with cream cheese, or some other dipping sauce, get to mixing, baking and salting!

Steps to Making the Pretzels

If you’re looking to make homemade pretzel dough, then you should know that you can use a stand mixer to help with this process, but I used hand mixing and hand kneading. Either method will work, but you’ll want to follow these steps to get your pretzel recipe ready for baking:

1. Activate the yeast

2. Mix in the flour, salt, and sugar

3. Stir until it makes a loose, shaggy dough

4. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about ten minutes

5. Put the dough in a bowl, cover it, and let the dough rise for 1 hour

6. Bake the baking soda

7. Cut the dough into 8 even pieces, and roll and stretch them all into long, thin ropes

8. Shape and twist the ropes into pretzels, then let them rise, covered for 30 to 45 minutes

9. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and bring water to a boil in a large pot

10. Add brown sugar and baking soda to the boiling water and turn the heat down

11. Soak the pretzels in the water for 1 minute on each side then remove them to a baking sheet

12. Bake the pretzels for 10-15 minutes until dark brown

13. Brush the pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle them with salt or other desired toppings

Follow this simple pretzel recipe to get amazing results every time.

Ingredients for a Homemade Pretzel Recipe

This pretzel recipe uses many of the basic baking ingredients – yeast, water, flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and brown sugar. Note that this recipe does use active dry yeast and not instant yeast. It just means we’ll have to activate the yeast with warm water before mixing the dough together.

We’ll also use butter and salt to top the pretzels when they’re finished baking. For the salt, you can just use some kosher salt. But to be truly authentic you can buy some coarse, crunchy pretzel salt for topping.

Baking some baking soda in the oven seems like a strange concept. But, it helps in this recipe.

Traditional pretzels are soaked in a lye bath before baking. The baking soda imitates a lye bath but isn’t as caustic. It causes the baking soda to become more alkali. By baking the baking soda, you can get results closer to what would come from using true lye.

Preparing Pretzel Recipe Dough

Pretzel dough follows the same basic steps as most bread doughs.

After activating the yeast and mixing together the ingredients to make a shaggy dough (as seen in the photo below), it takes time to knead the dough. Kneading the dough helps to form gluten and will take it from a loose, shaggy mess to a smooth, round ball of dough.

Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes until it forms a smooth dough that holds its shape relatively well.

Next, place the dough into a clean bowl and loosely cover it. I’d recommend using a clean kitchen towel to cover the bowl. I used plastic wrap here to get better photos and videos of the dough rising. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until roughly doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen and looks nice and puffy, it is ready to go.

Shaping the Pretzels

Pretzel shaping is easier than you may think. They can honestly take any shape you want, but I’ll be covering the traditional pretzel shape in this post.

This traditional shape looks kind of like a bow or a knot, but to start making it we will need to cut the dough into individual pieces. Roll the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a bench scraper or knife to cut it into 8 roughly equal pieces. You can weigh the pieces for an accurate measure, but rough estimates work well enough.

Cover the divided-up dough with a clean towel and then take out one piece at a time to begin shaping. Roll and stretch them into a long, thin rope.

Then take both ends of the dough rope and begin turning them up into a ‘U’ shape. Bring the ends together and put one end over the other. Twist the two ends around each other once, and then rest them atop the base of the pretzel.

To help the ends stick down to the rest of the pretzel, you can use a dab of water underneath each end before lightly pressing the ends down onto the pretzel base. When all of the pretzels are formed, cover them loosely with a towel and let them rise again for 30 to 40 minutes until they look visibly puffed up.

Bathing and Baking Homemade Pretzels

Putting your food in a bath may seem a bit strange. But, for this pretzel recipe, it is an integral part of the process.

The brown sugar and baking soda bath create an alkaline bath that prevents the dough from springing up while baking in the way that traditional bread does. This gives pretzels their chewy texture, dark color, thicker ‘crust’, and unique density. It also helps to create the pretzel flavor.

Though traditionally this bath is done with lye, it can be a dangerous chemical and may not be widely available. So we’ll use baking soda. And, as noted above, we’ll bake the baking soda to make it even more alkaline to get closer to the traditional lye results.

Mix the brown sugar and baking soda into boiling water until dissolved and turn the heat down to a simmer. Then place the pretzels into the water and let them soak for a minute on each side. Then remove them to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake the pretzels in an oven preheated to 450°F (230°C). Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until they are dark brown in color.

Tips for the Best Pretzel Recipe

Here are a few simple tips for making the best pretzels:

Be careful when adding the baking soda to the boiling water. Use a wide, tall pot to give room for the water to boil a bit violently when adding the baking soda. And, rather than dumping it all in at once, slowly pour it in.

When soaking the shaped dough in the alkaline bath, use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove them from the bath and let them easily drain.

When you’re ready to top the pretzels, it is useful to set up a sort of topping station. I used a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with a cooling rack set inside it. The baking sheet will catch any dripping butter or extra toppings to make cleanup much easier.

Note that you can coat the pretzels in an egg wash before baking them to get an even darker color on the pretzels.

Variations and Toppings for Homemade Pretzels

You don’t have to make just the traditional shape when using this recipe. The dough can be formed and shaped into a variety of different foods, for example, buns, bites, and breadsticks.

Buns: Prepare the dough as directed, but when shaping form each piece of dough into a ball instead of a rope. Soak the dough balls in the alkaline bath for a minute on each side and place them on a lined baking sheet. Before baking, cut a shallow “X” on top of each bun.

Bites: Prepare, rise, and cut the dough as directed and then roll the pieces of dough into long ropes just as with regular shaping. But instead of twisting them together, cut the ropes into small one to two-inch pieces. These can then be soaked and baked with the same methods.

Bread Sticks: Prepare the dough, but cut it into twice as many (16) pieces. Roll the pieces into small logs and soak them in the baking soda bath. Then bake them as directed.

But the shapes aren’t the only options for customization, instead of the usual pretzel salt try some different flavor toppings or dipping sauces to mix things up with this same recipe.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel – After basting the baked pretzels with butter, generously sprinkle them with a cinnamon sugar mixture. The best ratio seems to be 1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar.

Everything Pretzels – After basting the baked pretzels with butter, generously sprinkle them with an everything bagel seasoning. You can find a recipe to make your own seasoning or buy a premade everything bagel seasoning.

Parmesan Garlic – Sprinkle the parmesan garlic seasoning over the buttered pretzels. My recommendation is to find a garlic parmesan popcorn seasoning to do the trick here.

For dipping sauces, try any of the following: nacho cheese, cream cheese (try it, I promise you’ll love it!), honey mustard, garlic sauce, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, chocolate, and peanut butter.

You could even try dipping in some of the sauces or condiments we have here on the site:

• Chipotle Hot Honey
• Buttery Salted Caramel Sauce
• Brown Sugar Pumpkin Spice Butter

However you customize your pretzels, follow this recipe to make it the most delicious snack.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try making homemade pretzels! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Soft and Chewy Homemade Pretzels

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Appetizers, SnacksDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

15

minutes

Rise Time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

45

minutes

Follow this homemade pretzel recipe in your own kitchen for perfectly soft and chewy pretzels that are a great snack or party appetizer.

Ingredients

• 11 grams active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)

• 430 grams warm water (1 3/4 cups) (around 105°F/41°C)

• 885 grams bread flour (6 cups)

• 28 grams granulated sugar (2 tablespoons)

• 21 grams salt (1 tablespoon)

• 210 grams baking soda (3/4 cup)

• 3,775 grams water (16 cups)

• 21 grams dark brown sugar (2 tablespoons)

• Butter and pretzel salt for topping

Directions

• Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C)
• Stir together the yeast and warm water in a large bowl, and let it sit about 10 minutes until a bit foamy
• Add in the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them together to form a shaggy dough
• Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 10 to 15 minutes until it forms a smooth, elastic ball
• Place the dough in a clean bowl and let it rise, covered for about 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size
• While the dough is rising, spread the baking soda onto a foil-lined baking sheet and put it in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for an hour, then remove and let cool
• When the dough has risen, divide the dough into 8 even pieces, cover them to keep them from drying out, and then take each one and roll them into long, thin ropes
• Shape the pretzels by turning the ends up into a U shape, then bringing the ends together and putting one end over the other, twist the ends around each other once, and then place them atop the base of the initial U shape – use a dab of water underneath each end to help them stick to the pretzel
• Loosely cover the shaped pretzels and let them rise for 30 to 40 minutes until noticeably puffy
• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C)
• In a wide, tall pot heat about 16 cups of water to a boil, add in the brown sugar and the baked baking soda, stir until dissolved, and then turn the heat down to a simmer
• Take each shaped pretzel and place them in the water bath to soak for 1 minute on each side then remove them to a parchment paper lined baking sheet – do not crowd the pot, just work in batches until all have been soaked
• Bake the pretzels at 450°F (230°C) for 10 to 15 minutes until dark brown
• Brush the pretzels with melted butter and generously sprinkle with pretzel salt – or top with other flavorings as desired

Recipe Video

Notes

• You can also make pretzel buns, bites, or breadsticks with this recipe, just look in the post above for specific shaping instructions

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The post Amazing Soft and Chewy Homemade Pretzel Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.

This buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks recipe features the best of both worlds—it’s easy to prepare and is delicious, but doesn’t taste like your average chicken drumstick.

This one is a twist on the classic buffalo wing. So make these if you are feeling like chicken wings, but want a bit more smoky, tender flavor. Make these as an appetizer for your next gathering, or even as a main course with a few sides.

If you’re a fan of spicy, smoked chicken—then buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks are for you. I call these buffalo wings, but they’re really drumsticks. The recipe is simple and fun. The result is juicy, smoky drumsticks, flavored with a simple mixture of ground peppers, garlic, and salt then tossed in a buffalo sauce. The perfect recipe for game night or tailgating!

This recipe is great if you’re looking for something a little different as an appetizer or for the main course and want to serve up some delicious drumsticks.

Using a Dry Rub to Season the Drumsticks

Chicken is ubiquitous. It’s delicious and can be nutritious, and healthy. But maybe a little bit less health-conscious with our preparation today.

However, we’ll be focusing on a little less popular cut of chicken – the drumstick. And thankfully, because they are a little less popular, chicken drumsticks can usually be found on the cheap. I got the ones for this recipe at just 99 cents per pound.

To season the chicken drumsticks, we’ll use a dry rub. A dry rub is a mixture typically consisting of salt and various powders and seasonings.

I love using dry rubs to season my chicken drumsticks. They are fast, cheap, and give me more control over the flavor profile of my finished chicken. As a bonus, most people will have the ingredients needed to make a dry rub in a decently stocked spice pantry.

Dry rubs can be very useful for adding flavor to meats. It can help to impart flavor and tenderness to your meat. For smoking, dry rubs tend to be easier than wet sauces. Wet sauces can burn and change the flavors unless added much later in the cooking process.

For this rub, we’ll combine salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, and chipotle powder to make a spicy, smoky flavor. Before applying the rub, brush a bit of melted butter on the drumsticks.

How to Smoke Chicken Drumsticks

Smoking chicken drumsticks is a pretty straightforward process. You may want to check out my top ten summer grilling tips for a few helpful hints.

The smoking process will help the chicken stay moist and become tender. Smoking is easy to do if you own equipment. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then lay the drumsticks out on the grates with some space in between for smoke to flow.

We’ll cook the chicken for about an hour. You can flip halfway through to try and give both sides some grill marks.

Smoking is an easy way to prepare chicken. You should remember that smoking does take time, so you should start cooking early. Once you have everything prepared, it is time to put the chicken on a rack over the pan. The chicken should be above the smoke, so it shouldn’t touch it. Smoking is all about cooking low and slow. You should remove the chicken from the smoke before the skin turns black.

Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked properly. When the temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken is done. Then we will turn up the heat to 400 degrees to try and crisp up the skin a bit.

Saucing Your Drumsticks

After you have smoked your chicken and ensured they are cooked through and crisp, it’s time to add some buffalo sauce. This adds even more flavor to the chicken. If you want a few different flavor options, look to the next section for some good ideas.

I highly recommend following my classic hot buffalo wing sauce recipe. But you can also prepare or buy whatever buffalo sauce you prefer.

To mix the smoked chicken drumsticks with the buffalo sauce, you will need to put them in a bowl and pour buffalo sauce on top. Pick the bowl up and toss the drumsticks around in the sauce. Depending on the size of bowls you have available and how much you want to handle at once, you may want to do this in batches.

Once you have fully coated the drumsticks, remove them from the bowl and out of any excess sauce. Now, you’re ready to serve them however you’d like.

Variations on the Drumsticks

Now, I had always planned on saucing these drumsticks after smoking them on the Traeger. But after they finished cooking I knew I had to give them a try without any sauce whatsoever. Just straight smoked chicken drumstick with the homemade dry rub.

And they are certainly delicious straight from the smoker with no added sauce. So if you want something a little simpler, then just omit saucing the drumsticks altogether.

The regular recipe calls for turning the heat up to 400 for 15 minutes at the end of the cooking time. But, you can crisp up the skin a few different ways. Try using an air fryer or deep fryer set to 400 to crisp the skin for 2 to 5 minutes. You can also use the oven to crisp up the skin at 450 degrees if you don’t want to keep using the smoker to cook.

Finally, you can try using a different sauce entirely on these drumsticks. Try any of the following options to flavor your chicken:

• Black Cherry BBQ Sauce
• Honey BBQ Sauce
• Sticky Sriracha Soy Sauce
• Parmesan Garlic Wing Sauce

What to Serve with Buffalo Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

They’re small enough to eat while standing up at a bar but hearty enough to satisfy a big appetite. So, they make a great appetizer at a party or as a main course for dinner. These are a great appetizer and you can serve them up just about any time of day.

Now that you’ve got the buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks all cooked, it is time to decide what to serve on the side.

If you are serving these as an appetizer, then consider some dip options and maybe some veggie options. Give these a try:

• Creamy Ranch Dressing
• Carrot and Celery Sticks
• Blue Cheese Dip
• Blistered Shishito Peppers
• Jalapeño Cream Cheese Poppers

There are many different foods that you can serve with buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks when serving it as a main course. So if you are looking for something to serve with your drumsticks, here are a few ideas that you might want to consider:

• Comfort Food Mac and Cheese
• Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
• Simple Cornbread and Butter
• Baked Sweet Potatoes

This is a chicken drumstick recipe with a unique flavor and aroma that you will surely enjoy!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try making buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Buffalo Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Appetizers, MainDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

This is the perfect buffalo smoked chicken drumsticks recipe, with a smoky, tangy flavor on tender, juicy chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder

• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

• 8-10 pounds chicken drumsticks

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 and 1/2 cups buffalo wing sauce

Directions

• Preheat the smoker to around 225°F (110°C)
• Make the dry rub by combining the salt, garlic powder, paprika, ancho powder, and chipotle powder in a small bowl and mix thoroughly
• Lay the drumsticks out on a large baking sheet, brush them with the melted butter, and sprinkle both sides of the drumsticks with the rub
• Place the drumsticks on the preheated smoker and cook for about 1 hour, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C)
• Once the drumsticks are at 165°F, turn the heat up on the smoker to 400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes to crisp up the skin, or take them inside and fry or air fry them until crisp
• Place the cooked drumsticks in a bowl with the buffalo sauce and toss them to coat, doing so in batches if necessary
• Remove the coated drumsticks from the bowl, serve, and enjoy

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The post Buffalo Smoked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation appeared first on Do You Roux?.

This classic hot buffalo wing sauce recipe is literally finger-licking good. It’s the perfect blend of spice and flavor with that special tang that is unique to buffalo sauce.

Last year it was sometimes difficult to find buffalo wings available on any menu because of a wing shortage. But there were still a lot of options for the home cook, as long as you have a good buffalo sauce of your own. If you can’t find buffalo wings on the menu at your favorite restaurant, this recipe will turn you into a master wing maker.

Every once in a while my wife and I will have friends and family over for what we call a “wing party.” With everyone over, we fry up some chicken and then sauce it all up with 6 or 7 different flavors. Without fail we always have a classic buffalo sauce to serve.

The best part is how simple this sauce actually is to make.

When you make hot buffalo wings, you really want to make sure that the sauce is on point. Sure, it’s all about the chicken and you really want that smoky hot flavor to be the star of the show, but without a proper wing sauce, you’re really missing out on some serious flavor.

You can use this recipe for chicken wings or as a sauce for all sorts of things: pizza, nachos, fries, salads, burgers, grilled cheese, etc. So let’s dig in.

Buffalo Wing Sauce Ingredients

There are a few ways to mix up the ingredients in a buffalo wing sauce, but it always starts with a base of hot sauce and butter. Vinegar, ground peppers, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce are then commonly added to help round out the flavor of the sauce.

For the hot sauce, the true classic original is Frank’s RedHot Original. This is a vinegary hot sauce that is a bit milder than most other hot sauces. This is the hot sauce I typically use for making buffalo wing sauce at home. However, you can use any hot sauce that you prefer.

The next step is to add some butter. The amount of butter will affect the heat and thickness of your final sauce. A lot of people like their hot sauces on the spicy side, but I tend to prefer a more balanced mix especially since my wife doesn’t love things too spicy. I like to use 1/2 cup of butter.

Once you’ve got the butter in the sauce, you can add some spices for more flavor. This is where you can get creative. You can add any spice that you’d like. I like to add some garlic powder and various ground peppers. These spices really round out the flavor of the sauce.

For the ground peppers, the most commonly used is cayenne powder. However, I also like to add in some ancho and chipotle powders to give even more mix of flavors.

How Spicy Is It?

Buffalo wing sauce doesn’t have to be extremely spicy. The best sauces are subtle with layers of flavor. I still want to be able to taste everything else, rather than having an inferno in my mouth. A good wing sauce can add heat without being overwhelming.

What makes a spicy wing sauce hot? Peppers. It starts with the hot sauce used, where I call for Frank’s RedHot Original. You can choose a spicier or milder hot sauce to use as the base of this sauce. The Frank’s sauce is the one originally used in the first buffalo sauce, so it is the one I still use today.

The second part that affects the spice levels is the ground peppers added. If you aren’t into spicy foods, just omit all of the added peppers. On the other hand, if you are into that sweet burning sensation, be a little more generous when adding the cayenne, ancho, or chipotle powders.

The best way to determine if your wing sauce is hot enough is to taste it. Remember, though, that it is much easier to add more spice to the sauce and much more difficult to tone it down. So start on the lower side of things and then add more hot sauce or ground peppers until you’re satisfied.

And remember, you can always tame it down with a bit of ranch dressing.

How to Make the Buffalo Wing Sauce

The sauce starts with butter melting in a base of Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. Just add them both to a saucepan over medium-low heat. It is important not to heat the sauce on high, because it will be more likely to split.

While the butter is melting, measure and add in all of the remaining ingredients. Whisk it all together to mix everything well. Then stir occasionally and let the sauce come to a simmer. If needed, you can turn the temperature up slightly higher to medium heat. But be careful and make sure to watch it well.

As the sauce heats up, it will thicken ever so slightly. But remember that this is still a fairly runny sauce.

Once the sauce just begins to simmer, remove it from the heat and continue to stir it for about a minute. Then you can either use it right away or let it cool and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

For different ideas on serving the sauce, make sure to check out the next section.

Ways to Use Your Sauce

Coat, dip, or drizzle.

If you’re a fan of buffalo wing sauce, there are plenty of ways to use it. You can simply enjoy it on the side or top of your pizza, and use it in dips, stir-fry, salads, or pasta. It’s a versatile condiment that you can add to a variety of dishes. Or if you’re feeling creative, you can even experiment with it.

Now, it’s time to put the sauce to good use. Marinades, basting, aiolis, salad dressings. Let your buffalo-coated imagination run wild.

I love using this sauce as a base for buffalo chicken pizza. It is one of my all-time favorite dishes. My wife can attest that if that is an option on the menu, I will almost always order it to try out their creation. But, it is that much better to make your own homemade pizza with buffalo chicken on top.

Try out the following recipes:

• Fried Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Hot Honey Biscuit Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
• Buffalo Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
• Homemade Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Share your favorite way to use this sauce in the comments below.

Top Tips

Always keep an eye on your sauce. The sauce should only be heated up just to a simmer and then removed from the heat.

You can use your buffalo sauce in a variety of ways. Try it on fried chicken, as a salad dressing, marinade, dip, and on top of popcorn.

Store your sauce in a refrigerator when it has cooled off. It’ll keep for up to 2 weeks.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this buffalo sauce! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Classic Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: SauceDifficulty: Easy

Servings

5

servings

Prep time

2

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

12

minutes

Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce is a spicy, tangy sauce that is relatively simple to make at home. So try making your own homemade buffalo sauce to spice things up.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup Frank’s red hot sauce

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ancho or chipotle powder

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

• Add the hot sauce and butter to a saucepan over medium-low heat
• As the butter is melting add in all remaining ingredients
• Whisk everything together to combine and continue whisking as the butter melts
• Bring the sauce just to a simmer, then remove it from heat and continue to stir for a minute
• Use the sauce immediately or let it cool and store it in the fridge

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The post Classic Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe appeared first on Do You Roux?.

Thin, delicate, buttery goodness that can be paired with toppings to your heart’s content. Learn how to make crepes for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Basically pancakes that lost weight and got all French and fancy, crepes are a delight.

From batter to pan-frying, the most difficult part of crepe making is getting them perfectly thin. It takes starting off with a thin batter that can spread around the pan. Then working quickly when you add batter to the pan to swirl it evenly around the pan. And finally, making sure not to overcook the crepes.

While you can make savory crepes, I tend to go with sweet toppings and fillings with them. For a more savory breakfast option try breakfast burritos, quiche lorraine, or buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy.

Dessert for breakfast!

Crepe Making Equipment

You can probably make crepes with the items you currently have in your kitchen. But there are a few more specialized tools to have handy that can help things out.

The first few times that I made crepes, I found it somewhat difficult to just plop the batter down and swirl it to get those perfectly thin pancakes. Maybe my batter wasn’t as good as it is now – you do need just the right consistency.

But I find it helpful to have a squeeze bottle to pour the batter out onto the pan and then swirl it around. It just seems to work better for me.

To make the batter itself, it is easy to use a blender or hand mixer. This will whip things together in no time flat and is a bit easier than hand mixing. Though the tried and true hand mixing method will work if you don’t have either tool available.

You can use a regular frying pan or a special crepe pan – but the special pan is probably only useful if you really plan on making a lot of crepes in your life. So for me, a regular frying pan always works. I recommend a 6 to 8-inch pan to get the perfect size crepes.

Make Crepes Taste Even Better

Let’s face it, you aren’t learning how to make crepes just to roll one up plain and eat it. Though it would still be tasty, crepes are merely vehicles for other fillings and toppings.

As I said above, these are mostly sweet and not savory crepes. And so my toppings and fillings fall in line with the sweetness. And making these always seems like the perfect excuse to eat dessert for breakfast. It is truly a win-win all around.

Fill, top, sprinkle, spread, and mix and match any of the following on your crepes for pure delight:

• Salted Caramel Sauce
• Homemade Whipped Cream
• Triple Berry Syrup
• Cookie Butter
• Sweet & Spiced Ricotta Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Banana
• Nutella
• Chocolate Sauce
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Lemon or Orange Juice

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try making crepes for the first time! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

How to Make Crepes

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Breakfast, DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

5 to 6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Resting Time

30

minutes

Total time

55

minutes

Learn how to make sweet and buttery aromatic crepes that are pillow-soft for all your fillings and toppings

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup water

• 3 large eggs

• 2 cups flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 3 tablespoons butter

Directions

• Blend or whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla, water, and eggs
• Add in the flour, salt, and sugar and then blend or whisk together until smooth
• Put the batter in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day – pour it into a squeeze bottle if you plan to use one for dispensing the batter
• Place a small pan over medium heat
• Grease the pan with a small amount of butter
• Pour or squeeze 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter into the hot pan, and swirl it around to create a thin layer of batter
• Cook 60 to 90 seconds, until the top of the crepe is set and has lost its sheen, then flip it to the other side
• Cook another 30 to 60 seconds and then remove the crepe to a warm plate
• Repeat steps 5 through 8 until all of the batter is used up
• Serve the crepes hot with desired toppings and fillings

Notes

• If you are storing the batter overnight, then make sure to cover the top so that it doesn’t form a film

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