Something I hear WAY TOO MUCH in my house – “What’s for snack?” Even from two teenage boys and sometimes a husband. It’s always a good idea to have snacks on hand for your family but sometimes those store-bought snacks can be pricey. I have a few ideas and recipes for some great snacks to save money.
Cheap Cookie Recipe
Making cookies from scratch is so much cheaper than buying cookies. A package of tasty, chewy chocolate chip cookies with 24 (small) cookies in a box is close to $3. I can buy a bag of chocolate chip cookies and make three to four times that amount. Using the Penny Pincher way, I double the recipe yet only use one bag of chocolate chips. Shhh…don’t tell the boys. They have no idea!!!
To save even more money, I make snickerdoodles. These cookies happen to be a favorite. I am going to make some today as the weather is pretty crummy. I will include a photo!! Any favorite cookie will do.
Recipe:
- 1 cup unsalted, room temperature butter
- 1 and 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large bowl using a mixer, cream butter until smooth and add sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cream of tartar
- Mix the wet and dry together
- Spoon dough onto cookie sheet
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
- Bake for 11-12 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown around the edges
- Granola Bars
Frugal Granola Bar Recipe
Granola bars are also very inexpensive. You can add whatever you want to these snacks; nuts, dried fruit or seeds. Add some chocolate or butterscotch chips, and they become a sweet treat!
Recipe:
- 2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 2 cups uncooked oats
- 1/2 raisins or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 nut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
- Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl
- Heat nut butter, brown sugar, and syrup in saucepan pan until nut butter is melted
- Add vanilla
- Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Press firmly into a 9 x 13 pan and let cool completely before slicing into bars
Budget Brownie Recipe
Brownies…Oh. My. Gosh. I JUST started making brownies from scratch about a year ago. For some reason, the idea really intimidated me! I am not really even sure why but I faced my fears and never looked back!! I have never tasted anything so decadent as these brownies in my life!
Recipe:
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 c butter melted, then cooled
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Sift dry ingredients
- Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly
- In a medium bowl, beat two eggs with the vanilla
- Add in and gently stir dry ingredients
- Pour the melted butter into brownie mixture and mix until just blended. Spread batter in a greased 8 x 8 square pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Thrifty Chocolate Pudding Recipe
Chocolate pudding…from SCRATCH? Heck yeah – AND – in the microwave!!! Could it be any easier?!?
Recipe:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Directions:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch
- Whisk in milk a little at a time to avoid lumps
- Place in microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high, stir
- Cook at one minute intervals stirring after each minute for 3 more minutes or until shiny and thick
- Serve cold
Simple Snack Cake Recipe
Banana Snack Cake is essentially banana bread baked in an 8 x 8 pan and cut into square pieces. You could top with a vanilla frosting if you wanted the added sugar or add chocolate chips. It is funny when you make banana bread and then call it a “snack cake,” it seems to be much more interesting!! You can do this to any of your favorite quick bread recipes; pumpkin, apple, zucchini. The possibilities are ENDLESS!
Recipe:
- 3-4 ripe bananas mashed
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- With a wooden spoon, mix butter into mashed bananas in a large bowl
- Mix in sugar, egg, and vanilla
- Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the wet ingredients and mix well
- Add flour.
- Pour into greased baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
Be sure to check out the FREE eBook on how to save money for your entire family at the grocery store. Many more recipes are included.
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