Do you ever get a craving for a specialty from your favorite restaurant, cafe, or coffee shop? Maybe the hankering hits on the specific day they’re closed. Possibly the time involved, fuel, tips, parking hassles, and fees plus the overall expense of the outing pushes you over the brink and breaks your bank account. That’s when we put down the childhood negativity and forge ahead into becoming a full-fledged copycat!
These days though, copying is considered a compliment that speaks volumes about your favorite restaurant! Now you can duplicate their standouts at home with these copycat recipes! So, how about we serve entrees backward and start with the sweetest part of any meal, dessert!
BJ’s Pizookie
You either know it well or need to get acquainted with a Pizookie! Just as the name says, it’s a cookie and pizza explosion! BJ’s famous Pizookie starts with a chocolate chip cookie that has been baked inside a personal-sized pizza pan. It exits the oven in the form of a warm, gooey, and golden brown decadent dessert that is calling for its topping of rich vanilla bean ice cream!
Ingredients
- 1 package of premade, premium chocolate chip cookie dough or your favorite homemade recipe
- 2-4 Scoops Ice cream
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to the instructions on the cookie package.
- Spray a cast iron skillet, or shallow pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the cookie dough into the dish and spread with your hands by pressing the dough into a flat even layer to cover the entire dish.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes.
- The cookie dough will puff as it cooks. When removed from the oven, use a spoon to flatten the center of the dough to give it a pie-shell appearance.
- Let the cookie cool slightly.
- Serve with a scoop or two of premium vanilla ice cream.
Disney’s Dole Whip
No trip to Disney is complete without their ice-cold Dole Whip! You can wait in line for an hour, or you can make it any time at home and enjoy a dish of this famous non-dairy Pineapple Dole Whip dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip or Truwhip)
- 3 tablespoons honey or 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 6 ounces of pineapple juice
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until thoroughly whipped.
- If mixture is too thin, add 1/4 cup of ice and blend until smooth.
- To create a creamy, swirly look, transfer mixture to a piping bag and pipe into cups.
Cheesecake Factory Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Two of life’s greatest treasures in desserts are carrot cake and cheesecake. Can you even imagine the mind-blowing, taste bud explosion when the two are combined? Well, The Cheesecake Factory has done just that and we are ready and waiting to copy it!
Ingredients
Cheesecake:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Carrot Cake:
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 generous pinch of salt
- 1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Grease a 9 or 9-1/2-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together two packages of cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.
- Beat in 1 tablespoon flour, 3 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
For the carrot cake:
- In a large bowl, combine oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla, blending thoroughly.
- Stir in 1 cup flour, baking soda, cinnamon and pinch of salt, mixing well.
- Stir in drained pineapple, carrots, coconut and walnuts.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of carrot cake batter over bottom of prepared pan.
- Drop large spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over carrot cake batter, using approximately 1/2 of the mixture.
- Top with large spoonfuls of remaining carrot cake batter.
- Repeat with remaining cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly with a knife. (Do not marble it in.)
- Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until cake is set and cooked through.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours or until completely chilled.
- When cake is cold, prepare the frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2-ounce cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice, and a dash of salt.
- Beat until smooth and spreadable consistency.
- Run a thin knife or metal spatula between the edge of the pan and the cake, then release the springform band.
- Frost top of cheesecake.
- Refrigerate for several more hours before serving. It can be made up to two days ahead.
Starbucks Chestnut Praline Latte
When you’re caught somewhere in the middle of dessert and coffee, have both! You’ll get a caffeine boost with a crunchy, nutty satisfying nudge for your sweet tooth, all in one cup of coffee!
Ingredients
For the syrup:
- ½ cup raw pecans
- 5-6 peeled cooked chestnuts
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
For the latte:
- 2 shots of espresso
- ½ cup oat milk
- 1-2 tbsp chestnut praline syrup (or to taste)
- Whipped cream
Instructions
Chestnut praline syrup:
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Break up the chestnuts into quarters or halves and add them to a baking sheet along with pecans.
- Roast for 10 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
- Chop both roughly and add to a medium saucepan with dark brown sugar, cane sugar, and water.
- Bring everything to a boil, stirring often to make sure the sugar dissolves and doesn’t burn.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Take the mixture off the heat, add vanilla extract and sea salt.
- Stir and let cool for another 10 minutes.
- Strain the syrup into a jar and allow it to cool completely before closing it with a lid and storing it in the fridge.
Latte:
- Brew two shots of espresso.
- While it’s brewing, froth the warmed milk.
- Pour warm frothy milk into a glass cup and add espresso and the syrup.
- Top with whipped cream and praline topping.