The Ultimate Homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe

Meredith Holser
Apr 01, 2024
Pimento Cheese Recipe

Growing up in the South, my fridge was always stocked with pimento cheese. The snacky spread (or dip, depending on how you look at it), made up of sharp cheddar cheese, creamy mayo, and tangy pimento peppers, provided cheesy comfort every time whether I put it on wraps or dipped some crackers into a big bowl of it. And though you could buy pimento cheese at the store, making a homemade pimento cheese recipe is so much more worth it – and a lot easier than you’d expect.

This pimento cheese recipe exudes nostalgia and delicious flavor in every bite. Scroll on to unlock the secrets to crafting this iconic Southern staple, perfect for any occasion from laid-backpicnics to summertime potlucks.

Ingredients

Photo by Ivan Torres / PEXELS

  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup diced pimentos (see notes)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

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  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimentos, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper (if using).
  2. Mix everything together with a spatula or hand mixer until well combined. Make sure the mixture is smooth and all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  3. Taste the mixture and season it with salt and pepper, according to your preference. The sharpness of the cheddar cheese can vary, so adjust the seasoning accordingly.
  4. Once the mixture is seasoned to your liking, transfer it to a serving bowl or container with a lid.
  5. Cover the pimento cheese and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before serving. Chilling helps the flavors meld together and enhances the texture!
  6. Serve this pimento cheese recipe with your fave crackers, a sliced baguette, celery sticks, or as a tasty spread for sandwiches, wraps, or burgers!

Notes: Homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe

Image via StableDiffusion

  • For the sharp cheddar cheese, we recommend using a fresh block of cheese and grating it yourself for the freshest flavor. If you’re short on time, store-bought shredded cheese is okay, too.
  • For the pimentos, we recommend using fresh pimento peppers and dicing them yourself. Canned pimentos will work just as well, but the fresh peppers bring the freshest flavors!
  • You can store this pimento cheese recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week – though it probably won’t last that long!

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The Taylor Swift Chai Cookies Are Unbelievably Easy To Make – Get The Recipe

Turns out, Taylor Swift has quite the knack for baking. Her most famous recipe is for chai sugar cookies – it makes its rounds just about every year when cozy season (AKA “evermore” season) rolls around. The season has officially started, and instead of marveling at others' creations like I’ve done in years past, I finally decided to tackle the Taylor Swift chai cookies this fall.

The original food blogger (in which Taylor adapted her recipe from), Joy the Baker, notes that these cookies are totally “chewy and tender,” and “perfect for the autumn girlie aesthetic” – just the energy I need from a seasonal sweet treat!

I followed Taylor Swift’s chai cookies recipe as closely as I could, and I was starstruck, honestly, by how painless they were to make! Plus, they came out insanely tasty. Read on as I tackle the ultimatefall dessert recipe and stay tuned for my findings.

Meredith Holser

Enjoying a chai cookie with some hot tea, as Taylor intended! This combo will literally be the best culinary experience you have at home this fall.

The recipe for Taylor Swift's chai cookies is fairly straightforward. All you need to do is measure out and combine every ingredient into a large bowl and mix it all together! After chilling the dough for an hour or so, you'll be ready to roll it into balls before baking in the oven. All in all, making the chai cookies took me under an hour – so this could make for a great weeknight baking project, or a weekend activity to beat a cold-weather slump. I've made them several times for friends' parties!

Ingredients For Taylor Swift's Chai Sugar Cookies

Reddit

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil, since I didn’t have any vegetable oil)
  • ½ cup white sugar, plus more for topping
  • ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for the icing
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 chai tea bag, plus more for the icing

How To Make The Taylor Swift Chai Cookies

Meredith Holser

Rolling the cookie dough in sugar before baking them was a really sweet extra touch.

  1. Set your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
  2. While the oven warms, beat the butter in a large bowl. After it gets fluffy, add the vegetable oil.
  3. Add the sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and the chai tea to the bowl, and mix.
  5. Chill the dough for about an hour.
  6. Pour a small amount of white sugar onto a plate, for rolling the cookie dough in.
  7. Roll the dough into 12 balls using your hands, covering each one in the white sugar before placing them on your cookie sheet.
  8. Bake for “9ish” minutes. I ended up baking them for 10.
  9. While the cookies are baking, make your chai icing – mix together a small amount (I used about ½ cup) of powdered sugar and half of a chai tea bag. Adding a capful of milk at a time, stir together until you reach your desired icing consistency.
  10. When the cookies are done and completely cool, cover the tops with the chai icing. Then you’re ready to dig in!

Meredith Holser

The cookie dough didn't need too long in the oven to bake – about 12 minutes for me!

Recipe notes:

  • For step 1, pro tip: use the wrapper from your butter to grease your cookie sheet!
  • For step 2, I used an electric hand mixer to beat the butter – much less physical work on the baker’s part.
  • For step 4, I found that mixing with a fork helped incorporate the mixture really well. I then used a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl that I missed.
  • For step 5, I didn’t end up chilling the dough, but the cookies turned out just fine!
  • For step 8, Taylor’s recipe says to bake for 9 minutes, but I found I had to bake mine a little longer, around 12 minutes. This might be because I baked them at a higher altitude here in Colorado!

Meredith Holser

Voila! Now you can treat yourself like Taylor Swift would! Happy baking!

Loved this Taylor Swift chai cookies recipe? Try baking our chai latte cupcakes, chocolate-pumpkin banana bread, or a yummy apple cider cake!

Photos by Meredith Holser.

This post has been updated.

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17 Vegan Starbucks Drinks & Foods Plant-Based Eaters Need To Know About

Eating out as a vegan can be a true challenge, especially if you don’t exactly know that what you’re ordering is 100% vegan. Fast food faves like McDonald’s and Taco Bell are secretly packed with vegan items, and Starbucks is no exception. From oat milk coffees to satisfyingly savory snacks, you’ve actually got plenty of plant-based choices when you pull up at your local Starbucks.

Scroll on to explore every vegan Starbucks drink and food item you can add to your order!

Vegan Starbucks Drinks

Starbucks

1. Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado

This new-to-the-menu espresso drink combines brown sugar syrup and oat milk to balance out the punchy coffee notes.

Starbucks

2. Latte (Iced + Hot)

You can totally enjoy a latte at Starbucks if you're vegan. Their oat, almond, coconut, and soy milks are vegan, plus many of their syrups qualify as vegan, too, if you want to flavor up your drink. According to this Starbucks supervisor, all of Starbucks "clear" syrups are vegan and dairy-free. Starbucks' regular and white mocha sauces and caramel drizzle are also vegan and dairy-free.

Starbucks

3. Americano (Iced + Hot)

Starbucks' Americanos are just water and espresso, so you don't have to worry about any dairy being in there. Optionally, you could ask for a splash of non-dairy milk and pumps of your fave syrup.

Starbucks

4. Brewed Coffee (Iced + Hot)

Same goes for their brewed coffees, including iced coffee. Easily ask your barista to add in some non-dairy milk and a few pumps of syrup if you desire!

Starbucks

5. Nondairy Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

This vegan cold brew drink is crafted with non-dairy cold foam that's flavored with salted caramel – and it's delish!

Starbucks

6. Nitro Cold Brew

A plain nitro cold brew from Starbucks is fully vegan and dairy-free. You can choose to add a splash of non-dairy milk, if you wish your sip to be a bit smoother and creamier.

Starbucks

7. Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso

This one's a classic: shots of espresso get shaken up with ice and brown sugar syrup to create a frothy foam, then the drink is topped off with oat milk to cut the bitterness. It's quite a delectable order, even if you're not eating fully vegan.

Starbucks

8. Starbucks Refreshers

All of Starbucks' fruity Refreshers are vegan. Plus, you can can add lemonade, tea, other flavor inclusions like strawberry and peach to add some extra oomph.

Starbucks

9. Iced Black Tea

Their refreshing iced black tea is certifiably vegan, too.

Starbucks

10. Iced Green Tea

If you prefer green tea, Starbucks' offering is vegan-friendly. If you tend to take your tea a bit sweeter, just order it with however many packets of your preferred sweetener, and your barista will add it in.

Starbucks

11. Lemonade

You truly can't go wrong with a lemonade!

Starbucks

12. Hot Teas

Starbucks' hot teas are totally vegan, too. If you want to make them fancier, ask for an additional splash of your go-to non-dairy milk!

Vegan Starbucks Foods

Starbucks

1. Rolled & Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Now onto the food! First up is Starbucks' oatmeal, which you can fancy up with nuts, berries, and brown sugar. Make sure to order it with water to ensure it stays vegan.

Starbucks

2. Plain Bagel

Surprisingly, Starbucks' bagels are also vegan.

Starbucks

3. Everything Bagel

The plain and everything bagels will work for any vegan eater.

Starbucks

4. Avocado Spread

Plus, you can order your bagel with a side of this delicious avocado spread for a nutritious boost!

Starbucks

5. Spicy Falafel Pocket

This 100% vegan snack pocket is new to the Starbucks menu, but it's already become a fan-favorite amongst vegans and non-vegans alike.

Starbucks

6. Chipotle Almond Dip

You can order the Spicy Falafel Pocket with a side of this fully-vegan Chipotle Almond Dip (AKA Bitchin’ Sauce). Yum.

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more amazing Starbucks orders!

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These 10-Minute Apple Pie Bites Are The Best Breakfast Hack

Nothing says "Hello, Fall!" quite like the sweet smell of an apple-forward recipe baking in the oven. From apple tarts and apple cider recipes to inventive concoctions like apple pie tacos — our love for the quintessential autumn flavor runs deep.

Though, with our increasingly busy schedules, we're always looking for shortcuts that allow us to prep our favorite dishes in half the time. Enter these no-bake apple pie bites. Like their namesake inspo, they're packed with delicious fall ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, honey, and nutmeg. This recipe can also be customized to your preferences and prominently features your go-to nut butter (we like cashew butter for this) and your favorite seasonal apple variety. If you plan to go apple picking this year, be sure to set a bundle of apples aside for this super simple recipe.

Another great thing about these snackable bites? If you get an apple pie craving when it's still warm out, you can skip turning on a hot oven and get instant satisfaction by mixing up a batch of these tasty treats. Best of all, you now have an excuse to feast on your favorite fall dessert anytime of day, as these apple pie bites make for the perfect on-the-go breakfast or midday snack.

Keep reading for the step-by-step recipe, and rejoice that you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to get your apple pie fix this year.

Ingredients for No-Bake Apple Pie Bites

Sarah Anderson/Brit+Co

  • 1 cup cashew butter
  • 5 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 cup unflavored protein powder
  • 1/2 cup dried apples, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh Honeycrisp apples, finely chopped

Sarah Anderson/Brit+Co

How To Make No-Bake Apple Pie Bites

1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, except for the freshly chopped apples. The mixture will be quite thick, so feel free to use your hands to get it mixed well together.

2. Scoop out the bites using a cookie scooper (about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons) and roll in the fresh chopped apple bits. Then roll the bite to form an evenly curved ball shape. Set aside on parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough.

Sarah Anderson/Brit+Co

These apple pie bites are ready to eat as is, or you can place them in the refrigerator to firm them up a bit. The perfect fall energy snack!

Love this apple pie bites recipe and want to be the first to try our newest ideas for mealtime? Subscribe to our newsletter!

This post has been updated.

Header image and recipe development via Sarah Anderson

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Jenna Bush Hager's New Book Club Pick Is A Family Drama That "Will Sweep You Off Your Feet"

What is it about family sagas that seem to make book clubs more interesting? Maybe it's because we know interpersonal relationships can be a little dysfunctional. It could be that we still don't know how to communicate with the people we love the most. Even if we love our parents and siblings, reading about other families' fictional twists and turns gives us a rush of adrenaline.

So it's no wonder Jenna Bush Hager's January book club pick feels like something we can read without putting down. It's full of complicated relationship dynamics, love, and reconciling one's identity with their past. You can say it's the perfect read to kick off your 2025 reading goals!

Learn more about Jenna Bush Hager's 2025 book club pick and fall in love with one character's journey of self-discovery.

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The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

Penn should be excited about advancing her education at the University of Edinburgh, but she can't stop thinking about the secret her parents have been keeping from her. For some reason, she believes she'll uncover it while she's in Scotland because Lord Lennox — her father's friend — is in the area.

Her hunger for the truth leads her to Lord Lennox's estate where she she starts mingling with his family and even discovers love in this moving novel.

@readwithjenna/Instagram

Jenna Bush Hager's Thoughts About The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus

Jenna Bush Hager thinks readers will love The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus because "it's a rich novel" with themes of "friendship and motherhood" (via Instagram). It's so good, she's sure "it will sweep you off your feet (via Instagram).

We hope you enjoy reading about Penn's journey in The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus and encourage you to check out Reese Witherspoon's January book club pick next!

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7 New Trader Joe’s Items Under $5 You Need To Try In January

Trader Joe’s loves to keep us on our toes when it comes to their new arrivals. We’re constantly monitoring the aisles to discover all the new TJ’s sweet treats and savory snacks they launch – and these 7 new picks for January 2025 are not to be missed! All of these Trader Joe’s products will run you less than $5, which only makes sealing the deal on your grocery bill easier.

From delicious dips to a very enticing new frozen meal, these are the 7 best new Trader Joe’s finds you absolutely need to try in January 2025.

Trader Joe's

1. Teensy Candy Bars

These tiny little candy bar bites ($2.99) resemble Snickers in the best way possible: layers of nougat, caramel, and peanuts are enveloped in a delicious chocolate coating for maximum snackage. We're gonna have to resist eating the whole bag! TJ's even suggests using these bits as decoration for other desserts, like sprinkling some on a scoop of ice cream or baking them into some cookies.

Trader Joe's

2. Olive Tapenade Hummus

Trader Joe's array of dips is simply too good to resist, and this newcomer hummus ($3.49) is no exception! It's a tub of "smooth and nutty" hummus topped with a tapenade comprised of black olives, manzanilla olives, capers, and olive oil to give it a salty effect. It's gonna taste so great as a dip for crackers or as a spread on a Mediterranean pita wrap.

Trader Joe's

3. Organic Concord Grape Jelly

This squeezable grape jelly ($3.49) is nothing short of nostalgic. Trader Joe's says it's "super smooth, joyously juicy, and potently purple," which immediately has us sold on making PB&Js every day now.

Trader Joe's

4. Spicy Chicken Nuggets

Oh, yeah. Bring on the spice with these spicy nuggs ($3.99) that make the perfect easy meal no matter the time of day! Made from all-natural chicken breast and rib meat, breaded with wheat, rice and corn flours, then covered in hot sauce and lightly fried, TJ's has their texture down to a tee. You can easily cook 'em in the air fryer, oven, or microwave before chowing down!

Trader Joe's

5. Crispy Potato & Poblano Pepper Tacos

These halved and fried frozen tacos ($4.99) will totally crush your Taco Bell cravings, since they come together super quickly and contain flavors with mind-blowing authenticity! Each taco is filled with a blend of seasoned mashed potatoes and some "ever-so- slightly spicy" poblano peppers that'll work so well with any dipping sauce, from TJ's salsa to their creamy Jalapeño Sauce.

Trader Joe's

6. Strawberry Mini Hold The Cone!

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Trader Joe's is debuting a new flavor ($3.99) of their classic Hold The Cone! frozen dessert: strawberry! These tiny, chocolate-covered cones are lined with even more "rich" chocolate on the inside, then packed with strawberry ice cream, which TJ's says is crafted with plenty of strawberry purée.

Trader Joe's

7. Caesar Salad Dip

Trader Joe's shoppers have said this new Caesar Salad Dip ($3.69) makes a perfect girl dinner addition– which, if you get it, you get it! The tub starts with a "creamy" base that's then loaded up with Caesar-seasoned sour cream, mayo, anchovy paste, Parmesan, and finely shredded Romaine for the crunch. It's best enjoyed with crackers or veggie sticks to dip, but you could also smatter fried chicken or seared steak in it for some ahh-mazing flavor!

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more of the best Trader Joe's new items!

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