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Pistachio Fluff Salad

Who remembers this Watergate salad? Pistachio Fluff is a retro dessert made with crushed pineapple, instant pudding mix, and whipped topping. This delicious Jello salad recipe comes together in minutes and is the perfect side dish for any occasion. 

Love dessert salad? You will enjoy this orange fluff salad and this banana split fluff too.

A red bowl filled with green fluff and topped with a red maraschino cherry.
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Growing up, I remember a bowl of this green fluff being a staple at every church potluck or holiday dinner we went to. It is a classic recipe that has been around since the 70's and goes by many different names.

Maybe you have had it and heard it called pistachio dessert, Watergate salad, green goop, or pistachio pudding salad. It doesn't matter what name you call it, as long as you call it delicious and amazing!

Why You'll Love This Pistachio Fluff Recipe

  • Takes less than 5 minutes to stir together the light and fluffy mixture.
  • Great side dish or dessert for potlucks, picnics, or Christmas dinners.
  • Made with 5 simple, easy to find ingredients.
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Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Ever been disappointed when you open a half gallon of Cookies and Cream Ice Cream and discovered they skimped on the cookies? Never again. Take control with the best cookies and cream ice cream recipe.

This creamy ice cream is simple to make, does not have eggs, and you can add as many cookies as your heart desires.

Love Oreo desserts? This cookies and cream pie and these cookies and cream cookies are some of our favorites.

A metal pan filled with Cookies and Cream Ice Cream with an ice cream scoop lifting some out.
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Homemade Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

We recently purchased a new ice cream machine, and I have been having way too much fun making homemade ice cream. I love how easy it is to whisk together a few ingredients and then churn it into a delicious frozen treat.

So far, we have made cherry vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and Oreo ice cream. But the cookies n cream ice cream is the one that stole my heart. Cookies and cream is the number one ice cream flavor in stores, but the problem with store-bought ice cream is that there are never enough cookies in the carton.

To fix the skimpy cookie-to-ice-cream ratio, I make homemade cookies and cream ice cream with lots and lots of Oreos. Trust me...there are plenty of cookie chunks in every single bite. 

Another great thing about this homemade ice cream is that it is made without using any eggs or cooking. I'm all about simple recipes, so this Philadelphia-style ice cream is perfect.

Calling all Oreo lovers! This is seriously the best cookies and cream ice cream I have ever tasted. It is smooth, creamy, and loaded with Oreo cookies.

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How to Measure Flour

Did you know that most baking problems come from not measuring flour correctly? Learning How to Measure Flour the right way can make the difference in your recipes turning out accurately every time.

A black measuring cup with a mounded hill of flour on top and a flour container behind it.
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Have you followed a recipe exactly but ended up with dense cake, crumbly cookies, or bread that never rises the way you want?

If any of these problems sound familiar, then there's a good chance that you are measuring flour the wrong way.

Don't worry, you're not alone! It's easy to underestimate how much damage too much or too little flour can affect your recipes. Baking is a science, and requires accurate measurements for baked goods.

There are two basic ways to measure flour: by weight or by volume. Here is everything you need to know on how to measure flour the right way, so your recipes turn out every time.

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Banana Zucchini Cake

This Banana Zucchini Cake has all the warm and cozy flavors of banana bread and zucchini bread baked into an easy sheet cake. A creamy caramel frosting and chopped pecans on top make every slice incredible. If you have ripe bananas on the counter and zucchini in the garden, this cake was made for you.

A square of banana zucchini cake on a white plate.

The Zucchini Banana Cake post was first published in July 2016. The post and pictures were updated and republished in August 2021.

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I'm always on the lookout for fun and exciting ways to use zucchini. Yes, it's delicious for dinner, but I would rather use it in muffins, cookies, or brownies.

Baking with zucchini is the best because it adds moisture and makes everything soft and delicious.

One of my favorite recipes is this chocolate chip zucchini cake.  I changed the recipe slightly because I had extra zucchini. This time, instead of adding chocolate, I added some mashed banana. Best idea ever! 

Why Make This Banana Zucchini Cake Recipe

  • Like banana zucchini bread, but better. It has the same warm, cozy flavors you love, topped with sweet frosting and salty nuts.
  • So moist and tender. Ripe bananas and garden zucchinis keep this cake soft and delicious for days.
  • Made in a 9x13 pan. Easy to make and perfect for sharing. Bring it to your next barbecue and watch it disappear fast.
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Caramel Marshmallow Topped Brownies

What could possibly be better than Marshmallow Topped Brownies? How about topping them with caramel and chocolate candies? One bite of these Caramel Marshmallow Brownies will definitely satisfy every sugar craving you have. 

Three caramel marshmallow brownies topped with M&M's on a white board.

These gooey chocolate brownies have three delicious layers and are the ultimate party dessert. The brownies are fudgy, the caramel and marshmallows are gooey, and the M&M candies give it a delicious color and crunch.

I love these brownies because you can use holiday M&M's to make them for any season.

The other thing I love about these brownies is just how easy they are to make. You can literally have a pan of gooey marshmallow brownies on your counter in under 30 minutes. 

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Why You Will Love These Caramel Marshmallow Brownies

What makes these brownies so amazing is the layer of caramel that is hiding under the toasted marshmallows. 

It melts and soaks into the brownie layer while the marshmallows are toasting, making the brownies rich and delicious. 

Trust me if you like marshmallows and brownies you need to make a pan of these marshmallow brownies ASAP!

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Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

These Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars are a decadent dessert! They combine chocolate chip cookie dough and Oreos with a creamy cheesecake filling, making this recipe irresistible.

Bonus: For more cheesecake, be sure to check out our 37 cheesecake recipes!

Three chocolate chip cheesecake bars stacked on top of each other on a white plate.
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Cheesecake cookie bars are one of my favorite desserts. They are easy to make, and they combine two of the best desserts into one amazing treat. 

A creamy cheesecake filling baked between two layers of homemade chocolate chip cookie dough makes these dessert bars hard to resist. I changed the recipe for these chocolate chip cheesecake bars by adding chunks of Oreo cookies to the dough.

This was the best idea ever! The Oreo cookie pieces give the cheesecake bars a delicious cookies and cream flavor. We fell in love with them right away.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Make these cookie cheesecake bars if you need an easy dessert that will wow all your friends and family.

  • The recipe is simple and uses basic ingredients.
  • Each bar tastes rich and delicious and is loaded with cookie chunks.
  • Everyone will want the recipe!

BruCrew Tip: Looking for a chocolate version? Try these chocolate peanut butter cheesecake cookie bars.

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake

This Banana Pudding Cheesecake combines the best banana cheesecake recipe with a classic banana pudding. Layer it with fresh bananas and whipped topping and you get an amazing banana dessert!

If you are a fan of banana and cheesecake, you need to try this mini chocolate banana cheesecake too.

A white plate with a slice of Banana Pudding Cheesecake on it and the rest behind it.

Why This Works

Cheesecake is one of our favorite things to make for dessert.  Over the years we have come up with so many recipes for cheesecake bars, full sized cheesecake, mini cheesecakes, and no bake cheesecakes.

This banana cheesecake recipe is a combination of two of our favorite classic desserts...banana pudding and banana cheesecake. A few years ago we made this Banana Split Cheesecake, and it is still one of our our all time favorites because it is made with real bananas.

I decided to make that same banana cheesecake, but this time I added a simple banana pudding layer on top. The combination of thick creamy cheesecake with light fluffy pudding turned out so good. It may be our new favorite cheesecake.

Packed with banana pudding flavor, this twist on banana cheesecake will be a new favorite with your family too.

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Keep breakfast simple with this easy coffee cake. This Sour Cream Coffee Cake is loaded with cinnamon sugar and has a crunchy streusel topping. It's a classic coffee cake recipe that you will make over and over again for breakfast or brunch.

A white plate with square of sour cream coffee cake with glaze on it.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

This coffee cake recipe is one that I found in an old church cookbook years and years ago. It's one of those recipes that you can still taste and drool over even if it's been years since making it.

It had been a while since I had made one, so I couldn't wait to make this homemade coffee cake again.  One bite and it confirmed to me that this is still the best sour cream coffee cake recipe ever! I'm pretty sure the double filling that I like to add is what makes it so incredible.

Usually, I am a big fan of using baking mixes, but I love this coffee cake because it is entirely from scratch. And it's so easy to put together, too.

But don't take my word for it. Try it out yourself! It's a classic coffee cake recipe that you will make over and over again.

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Chocolate Zucchini Donuts

Chocolate for breakfast? Three kinds of chocolate make these moist and fluffy Chocolate Zucchini Donuts so good. The soft baked chocolate donuts are a delicious and acceptable way to eat your "greens" for breakfast.

If you love chocolate zucchini recipes, you need to try this Choc Zucchini Cake recipe with the rest of your green veggies.

Two glazed baked chocolate donuts stacked on top of each other on a white plate with a bite out of the top one.

Why Make Zucchini Donuts

Do you spell it doughnut or donut??? I always wonder that when I go to write that word. Then I find myself typing the shorter version...probably because I'm too lazy to type the extra letters.

We had an extra zucchini after making dinner the other night, so I decided to turn it into an easy baked donut with lots of chocolate goodness. They were so moist and delicious because of the shredded zucchini and yogurt.

The chocolate zucchini donuts did not last long at all in our house! Our kids ate them for breakfast and snack time.

And I may have even eaten one (or more) for dinner because they have yogurt and zucchini in them. That sounds like a perfectly acceptable dinner to me! Wink, wink.

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Skinny Banana Bread

Get ready for this Skinny Banana Bread to win you over with its amazing flavor and texture. This healthy banana bread recipe is made with extra bananas, oat flour, and coconut milk. Who knew a gluten free, vegan, and dairy free sweet bread could be so good?!

A loaf of healthy skinny banana bread on a cutting board with a few slices falling down in front.

About This Recipe

I love using bananas in baked goods because you can cut out sugar since the bananas add so much extra sweetness. Once they turn dark and spotty, it's time to start baking some type of banana bread recipe.

For this skinny banana bread, I cut out all of the refined sugar and used extra bananas and our favorite sweetener. After a few test runs with different ingredients, we ended up with a dairy free banana bread recipe.

Each bite tastes like baked oatmeal and banana bread in every bite. It is absolutely heavenly! 

Trust me and eat a slice of this amazing banana bread while it is still warm from the oven. You can thank me later for the best banana bread recipe around.

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