Costco's 12-inch cheesecake is a staple in the warehouse's cakes and pies section.

Although $19 is a good price for such a big cheesecake, it's one of the most expensive items I purchased.

I liked that this cheesecake wasn't dense. Instead, it was incredibly fluffy with a texture that reminded me of a soufflé.

It was so light that it started to fall apart when I pulled a slice onto my plate. The taste made up for the messy slice — this cheesecake was super creamy and not overly sweet, with a slight tanginess to balance its flavors.

I can't wait to try it again with fresh fruit.

During one shopping trip, I looked at desserts just a few weeks before the Easter holiday.

I found a pretty bar cake with layers of carrot cake and cream-cheese frosting, plus a smattering of toasted walnuts on top.

At $19 for a cake that's almost 3 pounds, it seemed like an affordable option to bring to a holiday gathering.

I love carrot cake, but I wished this one had more flavor and moisture in the cake layers.

In my opinion, they were quite dry and tasted a bit bland. I wished the cake had a more spiced flavor.

For the most part, I could only taste the sweet, tangy frosting, which was nice but a little too much for the cake.

The banana cream pie was about as big as the other cakes in this section, which are 10 inches, and cost $16.

The pie had a good balance of flavors and textures. The crunchy graham-cracker crust held together well and added a contrast to all the creamy layers.

I liked that the banana pudding had a natural taste, not an artificial one. The caramel on top added some depth in flavor, but it was subtle.

I wish there had been more caramel, and I think I'd slice some fresh banana on top for serving next time, but overall this was one of my favorite Costco desserts.

The chocolate-covered strawberries were in their own little cooler toward the front of the bakery section, and they were marked down from $13 to $6.

On this trip, I went to Costco one day after Mother's Day, so I assumed these were leftovers from the holiday.

Some of the strawberries looked a little worse for wear, but I managed to find some that didn't look past their prime.

The strawberries selected for this dessert were impressively big, yet they were no match for all of the chocolate they were dipped and drizzled in.

With each bite, I only tasted the rich, hardened chocolate, despite how ripe and juicy the berries were. I'd probably skip these in the future.

Although this dessert was among the most expensive desserts I tried at $19, it was well worth that price based on presentation alone.

It has really pretty layers of strawberries, cream, and vanilla cake, plus striped white-chocolate decorations on top.

This cake seems to be a seasonal one that Costco sometimes brings back in the summer months.

I wished this one tasted as good as it looked. I expected it to be sweet — it is dessert, after all — but this cake was too overly sweet to me.

I think it would've had more balanced flavors if it had a little less strawberry filling and thicker layers of cream.

Like the strawberries-and-cream cake, the tuxedo cake is a long, rectangular layer cake with a pretty design and white-chocolate decorations on top.

I loved the look of this $18 cake and thought it was the most attractive dessert I purchased.

This dessert is extremely rich and dense, with chocolate in mousse, ganache, and cake forms.

There were fudgy, brownie-like pieces between the layers of mousse and they ended up being my favorite part of the dessert.

I'd like more of the vanilla mousse filling to balance out all of the chocolate, and I'd probably serve this with some strawberries for a fresh element, but this is a tasty and impressive dessert I would buy again.

The chocolate-chunk cookies are a staple in the bakery section of Costco. I got 24 cookies for just $10, and I thought they'd be perfect to pick up for a potluck or other gathering.

They looked great, too — they seemed soft with some crispness on the edges.

Although I prefer baking my own cookies when my sweet tooth strikes, these were a fine alternative.

The cookie was soft without falling apart, and I liked that the chocolate had a strong, sharp flavor to cut through the sweetness of the cookie.

However, these cookies were a little dry, so if I bought them again, I'd also get milk to serve them with.

In the bakery section, I saw a pack of what looked like six cupcakes, but once I got closer, I realized they were pretty large cupcakes or "mini cakes."

The Mini All-American Cakes are seasonal, and a few packs were available during my shopping trip to Costco.

One cake in each pack had a red frosting heart. Most of the packs had the red frosting stuck to the container, but I did find one package with an unblemished frosting heart.

Every mini cake included a generous portion of super fudgy frosting on top, and the pack of six cost $9.

I thought the tuxedo chocolate-mousse cake was chocolaty, but these mini cakes put that dessert to shame in terms of chocolate flavor.

It was so intense and rich I could only take one bite, and the chocolate flavor lingered for a long time in my mouth.

These mini cakes are best shared, and I'd need a lot of milk to finish even half of one. In the future, I'd skip these and instead grab a full-size chocolate cake.

The 10-inch chocolate cake with chocolate mousse was available in a few different designs — no personalization needed.

There was a plain option, a birthday option, and a really cute springtime design with floral frosting decorations, which is what I ended up selecting.

This massive cake, which had light cutting guidelines for 16 slices in the frosting, was $16.

Although the chocolate cake and the mini cakes are similar, the chocolate mousse layer in the full-size cake added a much-needed lighter, creamy element to balance out the fudgy icing and rich cake.

Because of the added mousse, I'd be more likely to buy this cake again, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the mini cakes.

I picked up Costco's 2-pound lemon-blueberry loaf in the spring.

The loaves looked incredible, with heaps of crumble topping and an icing drizzle all over. It also seemed like a good deal at $9.

I cut out a slice and was happy to see blueberries toward the top and middle of the loaf — they hadn't all sunk to the bottom.

The loaf itself was light and spongy with a good lemon flavor, which paired well with the chewy blueberries and crunchy crumble topping. I'd happily buy this dessert again, and I'd love to try it warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

I love vanilla cake and cheesecake, so I was particularly intrigued by Costco's 10-inch white cake filled with vanilla-cheesecake mousse.

The entire cake seemed like a great deal, too, at $16. It had a wavy frosting design that could easily be personalized with a message.

This was an instant favorite of mine, and I knew right away I'd buy it again for any celebrations I have coming up.

The cake was so light it reminded me of angel-food cake, and the cheesecake was rich, a little dense, and creamy. The thin frosting layer on top was just the right amount to keep the cake from being overly sweet.

It would be even better with fresh fruit on top.

I was intrigued by this springtime pie, which is filled with apples, strawberries, and raspberries. It had a lattice crust that looked perfectly golden along the edges, but it was a bit pale in the center.

At $16, the pie was one of the more affordable desserts, especially considering how large it was at nearly 5 pounds.

The Kirkland Signature apple-berry pie will certainly satisfy a sweet tooth.

I found the filling, which was very thick, gooey, and sticky, to be extremely sweet. Even just a couple of bites of this pie felt overwhelming to me.

The outer parts of the crust were perfectly crisp and buttery and melted in my mouth. However, the paler center pieces were soft and slightly soggy.

I could see pieces of strawberry and apple in the filling, but the raspberries seemed to have broken down entirely. I also noticed a lot of seeds in the filling; I didn't taste or feel them in my bites, but they didn't look the most appetizing.

Still, the pie was good, at least in small quantities.

Costco's classic cheesecake was a hit for me, so I had high hopes for a tiramisu version of it.

This variety had a simple, but pretty, design with piped whipped cream around the top and a light dusting of cocoa powder to mimic tiramisu.

This was the most expensive dessert I tried at $24, but it seems like it could serve a pretty big crowd, given it's 4 ½ pounds.

Costco's tiramisu cheesecake was certainly worth the price.

The cheesecake had a crunchy, chocolaty base with a thick layer of coffee-flavored cheesecake and a top layer of whipped cream.

Its combination of fluffy whipped cream, rich and tangy cheesecake, and crunchy chocolate worked both texturally and flavor-wise.

The only things that would improve this cheesecake would be a side of sliced strawberries and a mug of piping hot coffee.

Overall, this was one of my favorite desserts from Costco.

All in all, I'd buy nine of these 13 desserts again.

There's a tie for my favorite between the banana cream pie and the white cake with vanilla-cheesecake mousse. Both the classic and tiramisu cheesecakes are also high on my list.

I'd skip the chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberries-and-cream bar cake, the carrot bar cake, and the Mini All-American Cakes.

Of course, regardless of which desserts I'd buy again, I'd make sure to get them when I plan to be with friends or family because most of them were massive.

This story was originally published on June 3, 2024, and most recently updated on April 11, 2025.

I was a vegetarian for nearly 10 years, but recently began incorporating meat into my diet for health reasons.

However, I was quickly appalled by how much money meat added to my grocery bill, even when splitting costs with my partner.

To use less meat while still ensuring our meals would be satisfying, I decided to load plant-based protein sources and produce into every dish.

Instead of expensive eggs and breakfast meats, I started my days with oatmeal and yogurt topped with fruit I wanted to use up and seeds or nuts for protein.

I also used lunches and dinners to load up on produce and reduce food waste, from cooking veggies close to spoiling in quick curry sauces to tossing them onto store-bought frozen flatbreads.

Whenever I felt like I didn't have much time to prepare meals, I relied on premade ingredients.

For example, it's easy to spruce up a frozen flatbread with my favorite toppings. Jarred sauce, boxed pasta, and pre-grated cheese can also be great in a pinch.

This was rarely the most cost-effective option, but premade items helped me stay on track on especially busy days. There's no shame in not making every component of a dish from scratch.

The month of this experiment included a lot of celebrations, including multiple date nights.

I was worried they wouldn't feel as special if we didn't go out, but we made restaurant-worthy meals and shared special moments — all while saving money.

One date-night meal included chicken cutlets, lemon-garlic pasta, and Broccolini, and another featured lamb chops, asparagus, and smashed potatoes.

Either of those dishes would easily be over $25 each at a nice restaurant. The groceries to make them cost less (and sometimes gave us leftovers).

With at-home date nights, we saved money by sharing bottles of wine at home instead of ordering marked-up glasses while out at dinner.

Since we were home, I also had the time and resources to make mocktails using sparkling water that I made with a carbonator. This was way cheaper than ordering spirit-free drinks at restaurants, which often cost almost as much as a cocktail.

Overall, eating at home helped curb expensive food (and bar) tabs while still allowing us to treat ourselves and celebrate.

During the experiment, my mom and younger sister visited for a weekend. Instead of dining out, we took time to cook together.

We made homemade pasta, which we paired with kale, mushrooms, and jarred sauce. Then, we finished our meal with chocolate-covered and cheesecake-filled strawberries. They were ugly and messy, but delicious.

I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly our dishes came together and how fun it was to make them with my family.

When my partner is out of town for work, I usually treat myself to takeout. Instead, I decided my treat would be preparing myself easy but delicious homemade meals.

I made white-cheddar pasta with apples, kale, and bacon; Parmesan-crusted grilled cheese with basil-tomato soup; and an easy spaghetti dinner with lentils.

All in all, it was fun to find new ways to make dinner feel special that didn't involve complex recipes or ordering food online.

In a typical month, I eat nearly every breakfast and lunch at home, but dinners easily veer off track.

When my partner and I are tired from a long day, we often ditch whatever dinner we'd planned to make at home and go out to eat instead.

So, this month, I had to learn to embrace leftovers when I was tired of cooking. To keep myself from getting bored, I looked for ways to spruce them up.

I found certain leftover foods, like cooked chicken or roasted vegetables, were easy to turn into something fresh by changing up my sides and sauces.

Finding new recipes to throw in the mix helped me prevent boredom in the kitchen.

Throughout the month, I tried lots of new recipes, like a carrot-and-arugula salad, coconut-crusted chicken tenders, and lamb cutlets — all of which are now in our regular rotation.

Plus, keeping fruits and veggies in the freezer and staples like seeds, nuts, beans, and legumes in the pantry made it easier to throw together simple dinners when I didn't feel like cooking.

My partner and I typically dine out casually one to three times a week (about $30 to $50 each time), and go on a nicer date night around once a month (easily $150 to $300 a meal).

Before this, I'd estimate we usually spend at least $100 on dining out a week in addition to regular grocery spending.

Groceries certainly aren't cheap right now, but when they were our only food expense this month, we saved so much money.

Much to my surprise, our grocery spending (typically around $70 to $120 a week) didn't increase much over the month — probably because I spent more time planning our meals. We also wasted less food.

It's a lot easier to not let produce go bad or forget about it when you're pushing yourself to cook every meal at home and not giving yourself an easy out by ordering delivery from a restaurant.

Throughout the month, I loaded up on a lot more veggies and fruit than I would've had I been regularly dining out.

I felt a lot more energy toward the latter half of the month, which I attributed partially to the healthier meals (and partially to some warmer, spring-like weather). I found I was able to go for longer walks and spend more time at the gym than usual, too.

I'd also argue having mocktails at home instead of ordering cocktails out contributed to my feeling better physically over the month.

Ultimately, from the start of the year until the end of the cooking-from-home experiment, I lost about 10 pounds and felt much better mentally and physically.

After a month of eating only home-cooked meals, I saved a lot of money and felt much more energized, but I never felt left out of any celebrations.

I love dining out, but this process reminded my partner just how much we could save by making meals at home. I feel inspired to save going to restaurants for fewer, more special occasions — especially now that I've added so many great recipes to our repertoire.

Although cooking can still feel like a chore, I learned combining new recipes with repeat staples is my ideal way to keep meals feeling exciting and appealing.

Plus, I realized just how much leaning on premade ingredients, like jarred sauces or frozen flatbreads, can make cooking more accessible, especially on busy nights.

Fortunately, these results were so impressive that it's already been easier for me to cook more meals at home since the month ended.

If you're already starting to crave some classic cookout flavors, try this pulled pork mac and cheese flatbread from Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen.

Loaded with smoked pulled pork, barbecue sauce, and smoky cheddar mac and cheese, each flatbread will give you a taste of summer without requiring you to break out your grill or smoker.

Plus, they're only $6 each.

Aldi gives classic dinosaur chicken nuggets a makeover with fun new shapes for springtime like bunnies, ducks, flowers, and butterflies.

A 24-ounce bag costs just over $6.

Southern Grove has two new limited-edition flavors of trail mix this season.

The springtime mix includes "yummy chow" cereal pieces, pastel-colored candies, peanuts, peanut butter drops, mini peanut butter cups, and dark-chocolate chips.

The honey-bunny mix includes honey-roasted peanuts, pastel-colored candies, bits of white chocolate, marshmallows, yogurt-covered raisins, and graham cracker pieces.

Try one or both flavors for just over $4 a bag.

Before heading to your next family gathering, grab a pack (or two) of Bake Shop's carrot cake sandwich cookies.

Each sandwich features a rich, creamy layer of cream cheese frosting between two soft carrot-cake-style cookies.

A 12-pack retails for just under $5.

Carrot cake is a popular dessert this time of year, but if you're looking for something lighter to snack on, try Clancy's carrot-cake-flavored kettle corn.

Or, if carrot cake isn't your thing, try the brand's sweet vanilla flavor.

Each 5-ounce bag retails for just over $2.

For those slower weekend mornings, skip the usual buttermilk pancakes and go for a fun spring variety from Baker's Corner.

Choose from raspberries and cream with white chocolate icing or carrot cake with cream cheese flavored icing for $4 a box.

This month, Baker's Corner is offering two fun twists on classic blondie recipes.

Choose from either strawberry and white chocolate or snickerdoodle flavors for just $3 each.

The new Earth Grown dumplings make the perfect vegan dinner.

Tofu-vegetable and Thai-basil varieties are available for $4 a box, and both come with a sweet and savory soy sauce for dipping.

For all spring's celebrations, make the moment special with a delicious mocktail mimosa from Summit. Four packs are available for just under $6.

In addition to non-alcoholic beverages, Aldi has classic cocktail options like this mango mimosa from Resting Brunch Face for $6.

Spring is just starting, but it's never too early to enjoy some summer flavors.

This month, Aldi is offering four flavors of Emporium Selection goat cheese logs — hot honey, double cream Amarena cherry, mango chili, and spring garden — for just under $4 each.

This month, Aldi is stocking its shelves with edible cookie dough cups featuring either a gooey fudge or caramel center.

Each box retails for $5 and contains four cups of cookie dough.

Aldi, which has long been popular for its gluten-free offerings, is bringing back its gluten-free pizza dough in mid-April.

The fresh, refrigerated dough comes ready to roll out, but it can also be frozen to use at a later time.

Each 12-ounce package costs just over $3.

With two cinnamon-churro-flavored cookies and a thick middle layer of caramel-flavored ice cream, these sweet treats are sure to hit the spot as the weather warms up.

Each box retails for $5 and includes four ice cream sandwiches.

Mother's Day is quickly approaching, so make sure to grab a box of Moser Roth chocolate truffles, coming to Aldi in late April.

Each box includes 12 truffles with flavors like passionfruit, caramel-macchiato, dark chocolate, and strawberry for only $4.50.

The recipe calls for six ingredients: 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen broccoli, 4 ounces of a short pasta (penne is recommended), 2 ½ ounces (⅓ cup) of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, ½ ounce (⅓ cup) of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt. Black pepper is also optional, but I decided to use it.

I opted for frozen broccoli since I always keep florets in the freezer, and because it reduced my prep time.

The only minor obstacle I faced during the prep process was measuring the Parmigiano-Reggiano. I used my kitchen scale to weigh the ½ ounce (⅓ cup) of cheese, but when I added it to the measuring cup, it quickly overflowed despite the scale only reading 0.1 ounces.

I had to tightly pack the finely grated cheese into the cup to get the desired ½ ounce.

I started by boiling the penne pasta in salted water. The recipe said to boil the noodles two minutes short of al dente, so I let them cook for nine minutes rather than the box's recommended 10-12 minutes.

When time was up, I scooped out 1 cup of pasta water to use later and added in the frozen broccoli. I let the broccoli cook with the pasta for two minutes before draining the water and setting aside them aside.

From there, I simmered the butter, cream cheese, and ⅔ of the cup of pasta water in my empty pot.

The cream cheese didn't initially break down in the pasta water, so I had to use a whisk to smooth out the sauce, which was a small inconvenience.

Then, I added the pasta, broccoli, and Parmigiano-Reggiano into the pot and stirred until the sauce completely coated the noodles.

The ½ ounce of cheese ended up being the right amount for the sauce, which was cheesy, but not overly salty, gritty, or stringy.

I didn't even need to add the final ⅓ cup of pasta water because the sauce was already clinging well to the noodles, creating a creamy, silky coating.

I finished the dish with an extra sprinkle of freshly grated cheese and some black pepper, as recommended.

The final pasta had some tanginess from the cream cheese, but plenty of saltiness from the Parmigiano-Reggiano and some earthy notes from the broccoli.

I also loved how quickly this recipe came together. I had a creamy, comforting pasta dish ready for lunch in a matter of minutes on a very busy workday.

Although Stewart's recipe called for broccoli, it also said peas or cauliflower florets would be good alternatives. I think this recipe would taste good with lots of different vegetables, like asparagus and mushrooms, so I'm looking forward to experimenting in the future.

The Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix was the most expensive, but it looked promising. I paid $5.99 for a 24-ounce bag.

The label says it's made with stone-ground ingredients, like whole-grain cornmeal and whole-wheat flour. 

I simply combined some of the mix with water, oil, and an egg.

This was the only mix I tried that didn't call for the entire package, however, it didn't contain enough for me to make two full batches, either. 

I put the tray in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 30 minutes.

Instead of coming out yellow or golden, this cornbread had a pale, brownish color. Still, the batter rose well in the oven, and the final result looked fluffy. 

Unfortunately, the texture was a little too dry for me. A thick smear of butter could probably make it softer and moister.

The flavor was OK — it was earthy and not very sweet. 

Marie Callender's "just add water" mix seemed wonderfully convenient.

The 16-ounce bag cost me $3.79.

I opened the package, dumped it in a bowl, and added cool water before combining the ingredients with a whisk. I then popped the mix into the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

The package said it would take 30 to 35 minutes to bake, but after half an hour, the center was still very wobbly. It took about 40 minutes for a toothpick inserted in the center to come out clean.

I had pretty low expectations for a "just add water" mix but was pleasantly surprised.

It had a deep, golden color on the top and sides. When I cut a slice, it seemed denser and more crumbly than the option from Bob's Red Mill. 

Although the texture was dense, it had a nice amount of moisture.

It was slightly sweet but mostly sported a strong corn flavor. 

At my store, there were both classic and vegetarian Jiffy mixes.

As a vegetarian at the time of writing, I was slightly confused since none of the other options I tried had ingredients that would be an issue for me. 

Turns out, the classic mix contains lard while the vegetarian one uses vegetable shortening. 

I opted for the vegetarian mix, and both 8-½-ounce boxes only cost $0.65. 

I only needed to add an egg and a little bit of milk. This box also lists plant-based alternatives for both ingredients. 

This prepackaged mix didn't yield as much batter as the others but still called for an 8-by-8-inch pan.

The batter barely covered the bottom of the pan, but I still put it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 17 minutes.

The cooked cornbread was light yellow with darker, golden-brown edges.

Although the batter didn't fill the pan very well, it rose a decent amount in the oven. The Jiffy cornbread pieces were still on the smaller side, but their flavor and texture made up for the size. 

This option had a sweet corn flavor, but it wasn't too sugary. Plus, it was moist and held together well with a light, spongy texture.

It didn't need any extra butter or toppings to make it better — it was delicious all on its own.

Made with organic ingredients, this 16-ounce box was the second-most expensive cornbread mix for me at $4.79.

It's also gluten-free, so it's a good option when serving guests with certain dietary restrictions. 

This cornbread required an egg, oil, and milk. I had to bake the mixture at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 27 minutes for it to seem done, even though the package suggested 22 to 24 minutes. 

The top center got dark brown in the oven, even more so than the edges or bottom of the cornbread.

Additionally, the batter rose a lot while baking.

Simple Truth Organic's cornbread had a super-crispy outside and a dense yet moist interior. I really liked this contrast in textures.

The flavor was very sweet, almost too much so for my liking. It'd probably be best with some butter and flaky sea salt to balance out the sugar. 

I liked most of these cornbreads, but I'll mostly stick to Jiffy's vegetarian mix going forward.

It's incredibly affordable, plus I thought it had the best texture and a good balance of corn flavor and sweetness.

I'd make Simple Truth Organic or Marie Callender's mixes again, but probably skip the Bob's Red Mill cornbread. Although the flavor was fine, I didn't love the texture, and it was the most expensive package.

This story was originally published on October 25, 2022, and most recently updated on March 11, 2025.

This recipe calls for coating the potatoes in a flavorful herb mix before baking.

Garten combines fresh rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest with sea salt to create a tasty coating for the skins.

I started by washing my potato and poking holes before setting it aside.

Then I combined the sea salt, rosemary, and lemon zest in a small food processor and transferred it to a plate. I dislike the taste of thyme, so I omitted it. 

I completely coated the baked potato in olive oil and rolled it in the salt mixture.

Instead of wrapping the potato in foil, Garten just covers a baking sheet with foil and places the spuds on top. I followed suit, placing my seasoned potato on a foil-covered tray.

Once the oven was preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I baked the potato for one hour.

The unique herb mixture on the potato doesn't exactly complement toppings like shredded cheddar or bacon.

Instead, Garten calls for a homemade whipped feta topping and fresh chives.

To make the topping, I combined crumbled feta cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a food processor.

It smelled incredible, and I couldn't wait to taste it on the potato.

After an hour in the oven, the potato was ready.

The skin looked crispy and fancy, thanks to the sea salt. I cut it open and stuffed the interior with plenty of whipped feta and a generous sprinkle of chives.

The potato was even more delicious than it looked. The skin was super crispy and flaky and had so much flavor from the salt and herbs. The crunchy exterior also went well with the soft, creamy interior. 

The cold, whipped topping contrasted with the hot potato, and the chives added a fresh, bright flavor, balancing the otherwise heavy dish.

Baked potatoes are hard to mess up, but I've never had one that checked every box like Garten's did.

It tasted amazing, with various textures to keep each bite exciting, and it looked good enough to snap a few pictures for Instagram.

It was a nice twist from the standard cheddar, butter, and sour cream varieties I know and love. 

Garten's method for making baked potatoes is now my go-to, especially for nice dinners with family or friends.

This story was originally published in 2022 and most recently updated on March 5, 2025.

I first tested my recipe with flaxseed.

I had a bit of sticker shock paying $9 for a 16-ounce bag of the stuff, but it's shelf-stable and should last a long time in my pantry since most recipes only require a small amount.

To replace one egg, I mixed a tablespoon of flaxseed with about 3 tablespoons of water. Then, I let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken and become a "flax egg."

From there, I continued to follow my cookie recipe by creaming the butter and sugars, then adding vanilla and the "flax egg."

In a separate bowl, I whisked flour, baking soda, and salt together, then added these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Once the dough was incorporated, I mixed in chocolate chips and scooped the cookies onto a baking tray. The dough seemed dry and crumbly, which had me worried that the cookies would fall apart during or after baking.

I baked the flaxseed cookies for a total of 17 minutes. They needed more time than my usual recipe, as they seemed too underbaked on top after the 14-minute mark.

Despite my worries with the dough, the finished cookies looked golden and very similar to my usual batch.

After letting the cookies cool slightly, I was treated to a delicious cookie with an appealing texture.

The flaxseed added a nutty flavor to them that reminded me of browned butter. The cookies were crisp on the edges and chewy in the center.

The commercial egg replacer also felt a bit pricey upfront at $5.89 for a 12-ounce bag. However, it should also last a long time in the pantry as it only calls for one tablespoon to replace one egg.

Like the flaxseed, the replacer had to be mixed with a few tablespoons of water to create a thicker substance. It only needed to sit for one minute to thicken to the right consistency.

I followed the cookie recipe as expected, and the dough came out moist with smaller crumbs.

Once I finally incorporated all the small crumbs, the dough had the consistency of Play-Doh. It seemed similar to my dough with egg.

After about 12 minutes in the oven, the egg-replacer cookies finally fell out of their rounded, scooped shapes and looked more like what I expected.

It took another five minutes (for a total of 17) before they were golden and baked through. The resulting cookie still retained a lot of height in the oven.

The bottoms of the cookies were dark golden and very crispy, and the top had some crispiness as well. The center was gooey and soft, just shy of being underbaked.

As for flavor, these tasted very close to the original recipe with egg, but I did get an extra hint of starch that had a very slight floury taste. That could be because the egg replacer contains potato starch, baking soda, tapioca flour, and psyllium husk.

I don't think this flavor would be noticeable to someone who wasn't closely examining the cookie, though.

According to Business Insider's egg-replacement chart, applesauce would be helpful for binding the dough and thickening the cookies, but it wouldn't be too great for leavening.

By comparison, flaxseed was good for binding only, while egg replacer was ideal for binding, emulsifying, and leavening.

Of the alternatives I tried, applesauce felt especially accessible — especially since I typically keep it on hand anyway, and it has many uses (including being eaten on its own).

For this experiment, I bought the cheapest option at my local grocery store: six small cups of applesauce for $3. I used 1/4 cup of applesauce (nearly all of one single-serving cup) to replace one egg.

My dough certainly smelled good, but the applesauce made it dense and sticky.

The cookie scoop I used packed the dense dough in so much that this batch made only 11 cookies instead of 12.

These cookies took about 19 minutes to bake, as they were staying too soft on top and looked pale for longer than expected.

After they'd cooled, they looked very thick but much lighter in color than my other batches.

These had a good flavor and tasted like standard chocolate chip cookies, with no hint of apple at all.

However, perhaps because of the added sugar in applesauce, they were very chewy and tougher than the others I baked.

They weren't unpleasant to eat by any means, but the texture just wasn't as good as the other batches.

I use plain yogurt for smoothies, bowls, and even as a sour-cream alternative, so I always have a tub of it in the fridge.

For this test, I used a scoop from my 24-ounce tub of 2% fat plain yogurt from a local dairy producer that cost me $7.50. However, a small, single-serving cup of store-brand yogurt could work for this recipe for a lower upfront cost.

Based on my internet queries, it only takes 1/4 cup of yogurt to replace an egg.

This dough smelled very strongly of yogurt, with a tangy scent that was pretty unpleasant. It felt dense but also crumbly.

Yogurt can be good for emulsifying and leavening, so it's no surprise that this batch had cookies with the most height.

They barely flattened as they baked, which meant the centers of the cookies needed more time in the oven. In total, these took 21 minutes to bake — the longest time of the five batches.

The texture of the yogurt cookies was nice, with a slightly chewy bottom and a very soft but dense center. They reminded me of a brownie or blondie.

I didn't notice much of a difference in the flavor of the cookies compared to the original recipe.

For the final batch, I reserved some aquafaba from a can of chickpeas. This is a popular egg substitute in vegan recipes.

The can of chickpeas cost under $2, and I was using the legumes to make lunch. I don't normally reserve this liquid, so it felt nice to use up something that I usually just strain down the sink.

To replace one full egg, I reserved 3 tablespoons of aquafaba. Then, I used a handheld milk frother to whip it until foamy.

The aquafaba didn't smell great at first, but the fragrance seemed to neutralize after whipping.

Fortunately, the dough didn't take on any odd or chickpea smells. Still, it was somewhat dense and pretty sticky.

The cookies made with aquafaba took the shortest time in the oven, requiring only 15 minutes.

In that time, the cookies spread out more than the other batches. They just didn't have much of that rise that an egg can give.

The flavor was nearly identical to my standard cookie recipe with egg, and I was impressed that the aquafaba didn't leave behind an earthy taste at all.

The cookies fell apart as I handled them, though, a problem that none of the other cookies had. Because of that, I think these might be best suited for crumbling over ice cream.

Overall, I was pretty impressed with most of these egg substitutes. Every batch tasted great, so most issues came down to texture.

I'd probably skip the applesauce for chocolate chip cookies because they turned out too chewy for my liking.

The aquafaba cookies tasted great, but this substitute isn't my top choice because these cookies were a bit thinner and more crumbly than the others. The yogurt-based cookies were fine, if a little dense and chewy.

My favorites of the bunch were the flaxseed and the egg-replacer cookies. Both ingredients resulted in cookies with excellent taste and texture.

In my house, we particularly liked the nutty flavor of the flaxseed eggs, and that will be our go-to egg alternative for our favorite cookie recipe.

According to Olivia Roszkowski, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, the air fryer is great for making jalapeño poppers.

She said the appliance allows the exterior breading or batter to stay crunchy and golden while the cheesy center becomes "molten" without getting too stringy.

Chef Maricel Gentile, owner at Maricel's Kitchen, recommends making homemade vegetable or pork spring rolls as an impressive appetizer.

She said these are easy to make and can be prepped and frozen ahead of time.

According to Gentile, the air fryer makes the spring rolls light and crispy and prevents them from getting overbaked, soggy, or greasy.

When it comes to appetizers, mushrooms are often skipped over because they can lose water and become too soggy.

However, both Christopher Lindsay — a chef-instructor at the University of Nevada — and Roszkowski love making stuffed mushrooms in the air fryer.

"Stuffed mushrooms are delicious when made in the air fryer because the mushrooms themselves do not lose too much volume, which often happens in a conventional or convection oven," Roszkowski told BI.

Lindsay recommends thoroughly cleaning and drying the mushrooms and lightly spraying the bottom of the air-fryer basket to prevent sticking.

Then, the chef places the stuffed mushrooms inside, being careful to avoid overcrowding, and cooks the dish at 390 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheesy stuffing is golden and bubbly.

Roszkowski told BI it's a good idea to make a dish like spinach-artichoke dip in the air fryer. She said this method takes about one-third of the time it would in the oven and still turns out golden and gooey.

To make the dip, Roszkowski suggests prepping it in an oven-safe ceramic dish. Then, cook the dip in the air fryer until golden and bubbling, and pair it with warm bread, pita chips, or sliced veggies.

Ukoy is a crispy, comforting, fried Filipino fritter made with unpeeled shrimp, shredded vegetables, and a simple batter of cornstarch, flour, and water.

Gentile likes to make these fritters in the air fryer to skip the time it takes to deep-fry them. The chef said this dish could also be made without shrimp for a vegetarian alternative.

Bacon-wrapped dates, a popular go-to appetizer for dinner parties and potlucks, are another great option for the air fryer. The appliance quickly crisps up the bacon while letting the cheese filling (if used) soften without burning.

"I've been perfecting bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with gorgonzola and a smoked almond in my convection oven for years, typically baking them for 25 to 30 minutes," Lindsay said.

However, if you want to make the appetizer in a slightly shorter timeframe, the chef recommends preheating the air fryer for five minutes and baking the dates for 15 to 20 minutes.

Roszkowski is all for going big on game day with freshly made nachos served with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream on the side.

"The tortilla chips don't get soggy because of the hot, dry circulating air and the quicker cooking time," Roszkowski said. "This allows you to be generous with your toppings."

The chef also recommends lining the air fryer tray with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

Store-bought puff pastry is arguably one of the most popular appetizer ingredients, especially for wrapped or rolled air-fryer dishes.

Lindsay likes to stuff puff pastry with chorizo, corn, red bell peppers, jalapeños, cotija cheese, and seasonings. Then, he folds the pastry and air-fries the dish until golden.

He serves the appetizer with fresh guacamole and salsa for a crowd-pleasing dish.

If you want an elevated appetizer that requires little prep time, Lindsay recommends covering a slab of Brie with pears or Cosmic Crisp apples cut batonnet style (into straight strips) and fresh thyme.

Then, the chef rolls the ingredients into ham slices cut off the bone, places the dish seam-side down in the air fryer, and heats it up.

Level up game night or family dinner with hot, fresh garlic bread.

"Garlic bread is the perfect appetizer to make in an air fryer because the generous blast of hot air simultaneously toasts the bread, melts the Parmesan cheese, and cooks the garlic without getting too brown and crusty," Roszkowski said. 

The chef suggests finishing the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley to really wow dinner guests.

Risotto can be a famously time-consuming dish to make from scratch. However, Aldi's Specially Selected boxed risotto may help you prepare the decadent meal in record time.

This month, the goat-cheese risotto comes in three flavors— black pepper, garlic-herb, or truffle — for only $2.50 a box.

Get dinner on the table quickly with a Priano pasta bake. Each premade meal requires little prep work or cleanup.

This month's Bolognese, carbonara, and four-cheese options are only $3 each.

After enjoying some creamy risotto or cheesy pasta, round out an Italian-inspired dinner with Sundae Shoppe gelato cups.

Each features layers of gelato, chocolate, and fluffy whipped topping. Choose from pistachio, cappuccino, or chocolate-hazelnut flavors for $4 per pack of two.

If it feels a little too cold for gelato, consider trying some of the other seasonal Italian desserts at Aldi this month.

Single-serve raspberry mousse and tiramisu are both set to be available this month for just over $2.50 each.

A combination of two comfort foods, these cheesy garlic-bread-flavored potato chips can be found in the snack aisle.

Enjoy them as-is, or try crumbling them as a topping for mashed potatoes, homemade mac and cheese, or an omelet inspired by "The Bear."

Grab a bag for just under $2.

This February, Aldi is set to stock shelves with new varieties of pretzel bites from Park Street Deli.

The popular game-day bites come paired with either a dulce-de-leche sauce or cinnamon dip. Each 9.25-ounce box is about $4.50.

Just ahead of Valentine's Day, Aldi's beloved Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen brand is set to release a heat-and-serve confetti pizza cookie.

Just heat the sugar cookie up at home and decorate it to your heart's content with fruit, icing, and sprinkles.

One 9-ounce cookie retails for $4.

Friendly Farms whipped dairy toppings can be used to finish off a seasonal coffee, hot cocoa, or ice-cream sundae.

A can retails for $3.

This month, Aldi is set to stock its shelves with more seasonal Specially Selected soups. Flavors include creamy curry bisque and a Thai coconut-ginger soup.

Each 24-ounce jar retails for just under $4.

Cheese? Check. Bacon? Check. Potatoes? Check.

These loaded potato tots from Season's Choice have all the makings of the ultimate comfort food — just add your favorite dipping sauce.

The tots also come in a cheesy-jalapeño flavor, with each box retailing for just over $4.

Toward the end of February, Aldi is set to start prepping for St. Patrick's Day.

Shoppers can look for these seasonal Moser Roth truffles, complete with chocolate-cream, Irish-coffee, salted-caramel, and vanilla flavors.

A box of eight truffles retails for just over $3.

Aldi's wine selection is known to be fairly affordable and extensive.

This month, Aldi plans to return its fan-favorite Pacific Fruit Vineyards sweet mango to shelves for just $4 a bottle.

For a vegan-friendly snack or side dish, pick up a bag of Season's Choice veggie fries.

The fries come in black-bean or ranch flavors and are made with at least seven different vegetables. A 10-ounce bag is just under $5.

Aldi's Simply Nature legume rice is vegan and gluten-free.

Each $3 box of rice is made with either legumes or chickpeas and lentils and can be used as a base for lunches or dinners.

Aldi's selection of gluten-free products is getting bigger this month with liveGfree fettuccine and linguine.

Each refrigerated 9-ounce pack is $4 each and can pair nicely with olive oil or your favorite pasta sauce.

This month, Sundae Shoppe is releasing two flavors of no-sugar-added gelato. For just under $4 a pint, you can choose between the flavors fudgy cookie dough or chocolate peanut butter.

It's never too early to start planning Valentine's Day surprises for your significant other. To start, pick up a package of Moser Roth's macarons, which are set to arrive at Aldi in early January.

Each pack contains 10 Belgian-chocolate macarons with decorative toppings — all for only $4.

The end of peppermint-bark season may be drawing near, but you can still enjoy other flavors of bark from Aldi this month.

One bark has a white-chocolate-style base and strawberries-and-cream toppings, and the other has a milk-chocolate-style base with red-velvet-cookies-and-cream toppings.

Each 5-ounce bag of bark is $4.

Prepare a warm, festive drink using Choceur's filled heart-shaped hot-cocoa bombs that are only $2 each.

Choose between a white-chocolate-strawberry cocoa bomb filled with milk-chocolate chips and marshmallows or a milk-chocolate one filled with milk-chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen is one of Aldi shoppers' favorite brands, and this January, they can enjoy new flavors of its wood-fired pizza.

The pizzas are available in a five-mushroom blend with white, portabella, shiitake, crimini, and roasted mushrooms or a Greek-style pizza with garlic sauce, chicken, black olives, artichokes, red onions, and mushrooms.

Each wood-fired pie is $5.

For a unique dinner side or a tasty appetizer on game day, pick up the Season's Choice waffle fries slated to arrive at Aldi in mid-January.

The fiery-hot sweet-potato waffle fries can pair well with chicken wings and ranch or blue cheese — and the chili-lime waffle fries could be a unique base for "nachos."

Each 16-ounce bag is $4.

Aldi has plenty of options for a Valentine's Day dinner at home this year, including Priano heart-shaped ravioli filled with Parmigiano Reggiano and truffle.

Each pack of pasta is $4.

Those who'd be happy to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner may love the Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen breakfast pizzas.

They have biscuit crusts and come in two different flavors: sausage and cheese or pork belly, bacon, onion, and pepper.

Try one or both for $5 each.

Whether you're hosting a party or just want delicious appetizers with dinner, you may want to pick up Appetitos crab rangoon to keep in the freezer.

Each 6-ounce box has crispy wonton wrappers stuffed with a cream-cheese-crab filling and costs under $4.

For game day or other festive gatherings, serve Fremont Fish Market shrimp-queso and cheddar-bacon-scallop bites.

The frozen bites can be heated up or air-fried in just a few minutes, and they come in 11-ounce bags for $5 each.

The Super Bowl is scheduled for February 9, and why not bring Appetitos breaded cheese curds to the party?

Set to be available at the end of January, the curds feature Wisconsin cheese and a crispy, golden brown breading — perfect for enjoying as-is or with a wide selection of dips.

Grab a box (or two) for just over $4 each.

Fieri's recipe had some ingredients that made his roasted fingerling potatoes stand out.

For one, it contained nearly as many mushrooms as it did potatoes. But I love mushrooms, so this wasn't a problem for me.

The recipe also said to include thyme and rosemary, but I subbed thyme for oregano because I really dislike thyme.

Fieri's recipe instructions were simple.

I tossed all of the ingredients together except the butter, spread the potato and mushroom mixture on a sheet pan, and then placed little cubes of butter all over.

Although I expected the little fingerling potatoes to cook fairly quickly, I was skeptical they'd be done in 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

I was right.

After 20 minutes in the oven, my potatoes couldn't be pierced by a fork at all. They needed closer to 40 minutes at this lower temperature.

These potatoes tasted good, but they needed to be paired with a mushroom in every bite for the full flavor effect. The mushrooms seemed to absorb most of the herbs.

Fieri's potatoes weren't crispy — like I usually prefer — thanks to the added moisture from the mushrooms and butter. But these were a tasty alternative to my usual side dish.

Garten's garlic-roasted potatoes sounded delicious to me.

Aside from garlic and potatoes, other ingredients included salt, pepper, olive oil, and some fresh parsley.

Garten called for small red or white potatoes. I like both, but I used white for this recipe.

Because I have a mincing tool for garlic, it took very little time to prep this recipe.

I just needed to mix all the ingredients (minus the parsley) in a single bowl and lay the potatoes in a flat layer on a sheet pan.

Once my oven preheated to 400 degrees, I baked the potatoes for about 45 minutes. I turned them a couple of times while cooking, which helped make sure they got crispy all around.

When they were done, I quickly tossed them with a bit of fresh parsley.

After 45 minutes, the potatoes were nice and crispy, just how I like them.

I loved the texture, and the parsley added some freshness. But I would have loved even more herbs, like rosemary, for a more vibrant flavor.

Ray is known for her 30-minute recipes, and this hearty side dish is no exception.

The prep time only took me about five minutes, and there were only five ingredients.

Ray said to mix the ingredients right on the sheet pan rather than dirtying an extra dish, which made the prep even easier.

Then I popped the potatoes in the oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.

Ray's potatoes turned out to be a good balance of crispy, salty, and herby.

I could taste the rosemary in every bite. I also liked that the exteriors were slightly crisped, but the insides were really soft.

These didn't get quite as crispy as Garten's, but I still enjoyed them — especially since they only took 20 minutes.

It was really difficult to choose a favorite because I loved each recipe for different reasons.

Garten's potatoes were extra crispy, which I loved. And the mushrooms and herbs in Fieri's potatoes made them very flavorful.

If I had to choose a favorite, I'd go with Ray's roasted baby potatoes with rosemary. They were flavorful, and I liked that they were a little crispy but still really soft inside. Plus, they were super quick and easy.

This story was originally published on December 23, 2023, and most recently updated on December 20, 2024.

My first thought upon opening the frosting-filled gingerbread sandwich cookies was, "Wow, that's a lot of cookies!"

Each box held 18 sandwich cookies, which were on the softer side.

I was a little concerned about how the cookies would be texture-wise because the box I picked up had large oil spots seeping through the packaging.

The gingerbread sandwich cookies were a hit in my house.

The cookies were soft, the filling was creamy, and the top had a slight crunch from a sugary coating.

I also thought the cookies had a good balance of spice and sweetness.

I love chocolate-covered pretzels and combinations of sweet and savory flavors.

But I wasn't sure how the pieces of peppermint candy would taste with the salty pretzel slims.

I first noticed a strong peppermint flavor when I took a bite.

Then I got the flavor of the pretzel and a hint of the candy coating, which tasted like white chocolate.

I liked the combination of a thin pretzel and a thick candy coating, as it made for a crispy yet chewy texture that's good for snacking.

The pretzel bites were better than I thought they'd be, but I don't know if I'd grab them again.

As a vegetarian, there are a lot of gummy candies out there that I don't eat because they contain gelatin, so I loved that the Scandinavian Tidings gummies were an option I could enjoy.

In the package, the tree, star, and ornament-shaped candies looked cute.

However, I didn't love the smell of this candy because the scent reminded me of cherry-flavored medicine.

I tried Trader Joe's Scandinavian Swimmers earlier this year, and I think I'd prefer them over the holiday gummies.

I didn't notice a flavor difference between the various shapes or colors of the gummies. They were all chewy with a mildly sweet flavor.

Though they weren't my favorite, my partner really liked them. For that reason alone, I'll buy them again for stocking stuffers.

The shelves at my local Trader Joe's were packed with sweet holiday snacks and desserts, so it was nice to see a savory snack option, the Nuts About Rosemary mix.

I liked that the mix had a good variety, with almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews.

Rosemary can be a strong flavor, but I thought the nuts had a pretty mild taste.

They were good and not too salty, but I wished they had more garlic or black pepper.

Still, I'd buy the mix again to eat as-is or use as a salad topping.

Earlier this year, I tried Trader Joe's snacky clusters, which has chocolate-covered potato chips, corn chips, and mini pretzel nuggets.

I loved those, so I hoped this snack mix would be similar.

I was excited to try the half-dipped, chocolate-covered potato chips in the holiday sweet and salty snack mix.

When I opened the bag, it seemed like the mix mainly had pretzel and popcorn pieces, which was a bit disappointing.

I thought the pretzels were fine. They seemed like a smaller version of Trader Joe's peanut butter-filled pretzels, but this version didn't have quite enough filling.

The peanuts tasted pretty standard, but I liked the dark-chocolate-drizzled popcorn.

Out of all of the components, the chip pieces were the best. They had a sweet yet slightly bitter taste from the dark chocolate and saltiness that blended well together.

Trader Joe's Danish butter cookies' packaging was too cute to pass up.

I didn't expect much in terms of the flavor, but I liked that the reusable tin housed a variety of cookie shapes.

The cookies were light and crisp, and they melted in my mouth when I took a bite.

They had a subtle sweetness that reminded me of cookies I'd had as a kid.

I don't know that I'd buy these again for myself, but they could be useful in a gift box.

I don't usually eat a lot of popcorn, but I was intrigued by the cinnamon-bun-inspired kettle corn.

I expected it to be pretty sticky and chewy from the flavor coating.

When I opened the bag, I was a bit confused by the smell. The popcorn didn't smell like kettle corn or a cinnamon bun to me.

The kettle corn was light and airy without any of the stickiness, density, or chewiness I predicted it would have.

The cinnamon glaze was strong but not overly sweet, which was nice.

Because this kettle corn wasn't super sweet, I think it'd be good for holiday popcorn balls.

When I walked into Trader Joe's, the big, brightly colored box of Astounding multi-flavor mini pretzels was front and center by the entrance.

The flavors sounded fun and festive: dark-chocolate peppermint, milk chocolate with rainbow pearl sprinkles, peanut butter and candy-coated pretzels with cookie pieces and chocolate gems, and coffee and dark chocolate.

The box contained four smaller bags of each flavor of pretzel. I liked that the flavors were separated, but I wish the bags were resealable.

I had the same issues with the peppermint and dark chocolate pretzels as I did with Trader Joe's peppermint pretzel slims. To me, the peppermint and salty pretzel were a weird food combination.

I thought the milk-chocolate pretzels with pearls tasted OK, but I didn't like the texture of the sprinkles.

The pretzels with the coffee-flavored coating and dark-chocolate drizzle and the ones coated in peanut butter were my favorites.

However, I wish the cookie and candy pieces stuck to the peanut-butter-coated pretzels better. Most of the cookie and candy pieces were loose in the bag.

The Baton Lover's Quartet came in a canister that looked ready to be gifted and included four flavors: chocolate orange, cookies and cream, cocoa, and hazelnut.

When I opened the tin, I saw that each flavor was individually packaged.

I tried the cookies-and-cream baton first and thought it was very chocolaty and tasty. It didn't really taste like cookies and cream to me, though.

I thought the chocolate-orange baton's wafer overwhelmingly tasted like artificial orange, though the chocolate center mellowed it.

The cocoa baton's wafer exterior didn't really have any strong flavor but the filling was rich and chocolaty.

The hazelnut baton tasted more chocolaty to me than anything else.

The texture of all the wafer batons was nice, as the exteriors were light and crisp and the fillings were rich and creamy.

But overall, I didn't love any of the flavors enough to warrant buying the multipack again.

Each year, I eagerly head to Trader Joe's in search of the brand's Jingle Jangle mix.

The container includes a range of milk- and dark-chocolate-covered treats, like pieces of Joe-Joe's cookies and mini pretzels.

I always love to get this mix, eat all the dark-chocolate-covered pieces, and offer my partner the milk-chocolate ones.

The mix was just as delicious as I remembered it.

The Jingle Jangle is pretty rich because each piece has a thick chocolate coating. Due to its intensity, I typically enjoy only a few bites at a time.

One tin tends to last me all season long. I already have my tin for this year, but I already know I'll buy this again next winter.

Whether you're looking for a gift for a friend or a little treat to get you through the holiday season, these snack gift boxes are sure to be a hit.

Choose from chocolate-and-caramel-covered pretzels or the mistletoe mix, which includes sweets like chocolate-coated pretzels and candies. Each gift box costs $4.

It may be too chilly to roast marshmallows over a firepit, but you can still spruce up your hot cocoa or coffee with these flavored marshmallows coming to Aldi in early December.

Try the vanilla-bean or cinnamon-churro flavors for just $3.50 per bag.

The new Specially Selected sweet spreads would be great on anything from pancakes and French toast to fruit.

The spread comes in two unique flavors: cinnamon bun or gingerbread caramel. Stock up on your favorite flavor, or try both for $2.80 per jar.

If you love gingerbread, you'll want to grab these Bake Shop cookie sandwiches at Aldi this month.

Each sandwich features two soft, chewy gingerbread cookies and a gooey cream-cheese filling.

Each container of 12 cookies is available for $4.80.

Aldi is known for its unique cheese selection, and during the winter holidays, there's no shortage of festive options for charcuterie spreads.

This month, shoppers will find a tree-shaped whiskey cheddar, a star-shaped mature cheddar, a sweater-shaped cheddar with black pepper, and a snowman-shaped cheddar with caramelized onion, each for just $4.30.

Starting in early December, Aldi will be selling 16-ounce packs of high-quality wagyu ground beef for $5 each. Consider stocking up before they're gone.

December is a busy time of year for many people. So, if you're looking for quick lunch or dinner options, check out the new Specially Selected flatbreads at Aldi.

Choose from spinach crème fraîche or mushroom for just $5 each.

If you believe it's never too cold for ice cream, these new festive Sundae Shoppe ice-cream sandwiches are for you. Starting in mid-December, Aldi's freezer section will have them in peppermint-shortbread and gingerbread flavors.

Grab one or both for $3.50 each.

No charcuterie board is complete without goat cheese, and luckily, Aldi will have two new options available this month.

Choose from gingerbread- or sweet-cranberry-stuffing-flavored goat cheese for $2.50 each.

This month, Aldi is carrying new alcohol-infused cheddar cheeses.

Options include a petite-sirah-infused cheddar, an espresso martini-steeped cheddar, or a craft-beer-soaked cheddar, each for only $4.50.

Winter is all about comfort, and that's exactly what the beer-cheese-stuffed ravioli by Priano provides. Try a bag for only $4.

It's not all gingerbread and peppermint at the grocery store this month. Busy households will also find these convenient loaded-potato pizzas by the Aldi fan-favorite brand Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen.

Each pizza features a cheesy sauce, roasted potatoes, crispy bacon, and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, all for just $5 per pizza.

If you're looking for a snack to please everyone at your next holiday party, grab a bag of these cauliflower-based tortilla chips for only $3.

Available in sea-salt or nacho flavors, these chips are gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free, making them a good option for many different dietary needs.

I chose three similar crust products from the freezer section. Each came in an oven-safe disposable pan, and I used the same premade pie filling for all three.

The crusts had pretty similar prep instructions, so I thawed each for 20 minutes and baked my pies at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes.

None of the instructions called for blind baking (baking the crust before adding filling), so I didn't do so.

I bought the Pillsbury pie crust on sale for $3.50, although it usually costs $4.49 at my local grocery store.

The other two brands instructed me to remove one pie crust and let it thaw on wax paper before adding it over the base crust for fruit-filling pies — Pillsbury did not.

Instead, I had to cut the crimped edges off of one crust, immediately place it over the filled base crust, then let it thaw.

Even before thawing, this crust felt very pliable and easy to shape.

I didn't do anything fancy with my crust, but the dough was so soft I felt like I could've easily cut it and used strips to create a basket-weave design.

My pie looked almost perfect when I removed it from the oven with just a few super-small cracks.

The Pillsbury crust was noticeably thin, but it held its shape fairly well when I cut a slice and put it on my plate. It held together better than the other two crusts I tried.

This crust was slightly buttery, very flaky, and not dry at all.

The store-brand Giant Eagle pie crust was the least expensive at just $2.49.

I liked the edges of this crust, which looked neater than the ones on Pillsbury's. Unfortunately, I had to cover them because my pie needed a top.

It took a lot of work to get the second piece of dough to sit on top of my pie.

This crust felt so dry that, even after thawing, I couldn't get the top portion to lie flat and neatly over the base.

It kept ripping apart and I eventually used a rolling pin to get the pieces to stick back together.

My pie had a few cracks on top and this crust didn't quite hold together as well as the one from Pillsbury.

Of the three crusts I tried, I found this one to be the driest and least flavorful. Unfortunately, the berry filling also leaked through the bottom crust, leaving my pie fairly soggy underneath.

The Marie Callender's crust was the most expensive at $5.69, so I had high expectations.

The edges looked very neat, so I was once again sad I had to cover them with a top crust.

As with the Giant Eagle dough, the Marie Callender's crust was also difficult to work with.

The crust fell apart as I tried to secure it to my base. With my fingers, a fork, and patience, I was able to cobble it together before getting the pie into the oven.

Once this pie came out of the oven, the top had quite a few cracks.

When I grabbed a slice, the crust completely fell apart onto my plate. It hadn't held up nearly as well as the other two pies.

But what the pie lacked in presentation, it made up for in flavor. The nice, thick crust was buttery and flaky.

I'd buy Marie Callender's crust again, especially for a one-crust pie. Although it was the most expensive and the dough was tough to work with, I thought it had the best texture and flavor.

For future double-crust pies, I'd choose Pillsbury. The dough was so easy to maneuver, and the resulting crust had good flavor.

However, for all three brands, I'd ignore some of the package directions and blind bake the crusts to create a more stable base.

If I were serving these to a group, I'd also add egg wash and sugar to the top crust before baking so it could easily become sparkly and golden.

The recipe has just six ingredients: Yukon Gold potatoes, unsalted butter, whole milk, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

It serves four to six people, so I cut all the measurements in half for my household of two.

I was interested in Garten's choice of potato for this recipe. Some mashed potatoes call for russet, others call for Yukon Gold, and others still include a combination of both.

Russet potatoes have a higher starch content, which makes for lighter, fluffier potatoes. Yukon Golds have a medium starch content, which makes for denser, creamier potatoes with a natural buttery flavor. 

I figured with all of the butter in this recipe, plus the creamy Yukon Gold potatoes, the lemon zest would be pretty handy in balancing the richer flavors.

The cooking directions were straightforward and similar to many other recipes I've made.

I started by peeling and cutting the potatoes into about 1 ½-inch chunks.

I placed them in a pot and covered them with cold water and salt before bringing everything to a boil. Once boiling, I cooked them for 20 minutes until they were soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.

Garten calls for a food mill to puree the potatoes. I don't have one, so I used my trusty ricer for that step. 

Just before the potatoes were done cooking, I put ½ cup of whole milk in a small pot to simmer on the stove.

By using warm milk instead of cold, the potatoes can absorb the liquid better, which evidently keeps them from becoming too gummy.

While the potatoes were cooking, I cut a full stick of butter into ½-inch pieces and kept them in the fridge.

Unlike the milk, the butter was meant to be whisked into the potatoes while it was still very cold and fresh from the fridge.

Had I warmed up the butter like the milk, it might have separated.

After ricing the potatoes, I started whisking in a little bit of butter at a time.

It was impressive to watch how quickly the potatoes became silky and creamy even before I started pouring in the warm milk.

Once the full stick of butter was incorporated, the instructions said to pour in just enough milk to make the potatoes "creamy but still thick." 

Ultimately, I only needed about ¼ of the milk to reach my desired consistency before stirring in the salt and pepper. 

Once the salt and pepper were thoroughly mixed into the potatoes, I whisked in the zest of one lemon.

Unsurprisingly, the full stick of butter and warm milk turned the potatoes into a silky-smooth, buttery-soft pile of fluff on my plate.

They were ultra-creamy without being soupy, and they were still able to hold their shape and form peaks when I spooned them into a dish.

These potatoes had an amazing texture that was both light and decadent at the same time.

Including salt, fat, acid, and heat in a recipe has become a common adage, so I couldn't believe I'd never thought to add lemon to my mashed potatoes before.

Mashed potatoes always include plenty of salt and fat from the butter or heavy cream, and there's a hint of heat when you add black pepper. 

But the lemon zest adds just enough acidity to cut through all of the rich textures and flavors, adding a nice brightness and freshness to help balance out the heavier ingredients.

I loved the taste and texture of Garten's mashed potatoes. They were somehow both rich and creamy and light and vibrant.

Although I loved the addition of lemon, I'd cut back slightly and use the zest of about ½ to ¾ of a lemon for a slightly more subtle brightness. I also think some fresh herbs, like chives or parsley, would complement the lemon and make the potatoes even better.

Overall, thanks to Garten's recipe, I'll keep a lemon handy anytime I want to make mashed potatoes.

This story was originally published on November 15, 2022, and most recently updated on November 25, 2024.