These classic back-of-the-box recipes just might be the best versions out there. We simply turn to them again and again.
The best way for a food brand to get customers that will be loyal to their brand is to teach them how to use their product in the best way. So they develop recipes that get printed on the back of the box, or bag, or can. Some of them are meh, but some of them become legendary. We’ve rounded up some of the best back-of-the-box recipes that have stood the test of time.
Disclaimer: Check for kashrus before purchasing the brands specified.
Nestle’s Toll House Cookies
Nestle Toll House Cookies
This is possibly the most famous back of the box recipe in history. And rightly so!
Author: Credit: nestleusa.com
Serves: approximately 5 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375⁰F.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes: remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Variations:
- Bars: Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Grease 15x10 jelly roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread on prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.Makes 4 dozen bars.
- Slice and Bake Cookies: Prepare dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into a 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (and up to one week). Preheat oven to 375⁰F. Cut into ½ inch thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (Dough logs can be frozen for up to 8 weeks.)
Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
Hershey's Chocolate Cake
You can try others, but chances are you’ll always come back to this classic moist perfect chocolate cake.
Author: Credit: hershey's.com
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk (or pareve milk)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
- ⅔ cup Hershey’s cocoa
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Optional frosting below.
Variations:
- One-pan cake: Use one 9x13 pan and bake 35-40 minutes.
- Three-layer cake: Use three 8-inch round pans. Bake 30-35 minutes.
- Bundt cake: Use a 12-cup Bundt pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and remove to wire rack.
- Cupcakes: Line cupcake pan. Fill cups to ⅔ full. Bake 22-25 minutes. Yields approximately 30 cupcakes.
“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting:
- Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add confectioner’s sugar and milk, beating to spreadable consistency.
- Add a small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.
- Yield: approximately 2 cups of frosting.
Quaker Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies
Quaker Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies
While there may not be anything healthy about these oatmeal cookies, they’re the perfect example of chewy perfection! It’s a good idea to swap the raisins for Craisins.
Author: Credit: quakeroats.com
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1-1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
- 3 Cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
- 1 cup raisins (or Craisins)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
- Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack.
- Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
Serving Tips:
- Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. Yield: 24 bars.
Variations:
- Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts.
- Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon.
- Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit.
High Altitude Adjustment:
- Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups and bake as directed.
Rice Krispies Treats
Rice Krispies Treats
So the kids all love to make these but the adults don’t like the sticky mess. Well, leave it to us to try it in a 9x13 in the oven and eliminate all the mess. Follow the same technique as we shared in our 9x13 Rice Krispies Peanut Butter treats and there will be no cleanup necessary! It’s also easier to use a container of marshmallow fluff instead of melting the marshmallows.
Author: Credit: ricekrispies.com
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 package (10 oz., about 40) marshmallows
- -- OR --
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
Instructions
- In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
- Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 9x13-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.
French’s Crunchy Onion Chicken
French’s Crunchy Onion Chicken
Quick and easy twist on oven-baked schnitzel.
Author: Credit: mccormick.com
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups French’s Crispy Fried Onions, Original
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 (5 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
- Place Crispy Fried Onions and flour into a plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or with rolling pin. Transfer to a pie plate or waxed paper.
- Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere. Place chicken on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
Ronzoni Cheese-Stuffed Shells
Ronzoni Cheese Stuffed Shells
This cheesy pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food. This freezes very well in individual portions for when you need a little self-love. Or, freeze the shells stuffed and assemble fresh with sauce and cheese.
Author: Credit: ronzoni.com
Ingredients
- 12 oz Ronzoni® Jumbo Shells
- 4 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 jar (24 oz.) pasta sauce
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- In 9x13 baking dish, spread ½ cup pasta sauce.
- Fill each cooked shell with about 1-1/2 level tablespoons cheese mixture; layer one-half filled shells in prepared dish.
- Spread one-half remaining sauce over shells; layer remaining filled shells over sauce.
- Spread remaining sauce over shells; sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Cover with foil; bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly (doubling recipe or more may require increased baking time).
Ocean Spray Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Ocean Spray Fresh Cranberry Sauce
The canned stuff just doesn’t compare to fresh. And we give you permission to serve this with stuffed chicken instead of turkey. Or even as a dessert topping. Perfect over baked apples!
Author: Credit: oceanspray.com
Serves: 2¼ Cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 12-ounce package Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil.
- Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.
Do you have any favorite back-of-the-box recipes? Let us know in the comments below!
Muddy buddies!
Yes!
yum! these recipes really remind me of my childhood. thanks bcp for doing it again
I always make the Quaker Oats cookies. I swap the raisins with chocolate chips. Oh so good!
Chocolate chips is the only way!!
Lemon Dill Tilapia on the Dagim bag. I use flounder though. (And oil instead of marg)
Ronzoni Baked Macoroni! YUMMMM!!!!!
You’re missing a basic one. Pecan pie recipe from the karo syrup bottle.
I make the oatmeal cookies using oil instead of the margarine white whole wheat flour and choc chips I dont omit the cinnamon.
Thanks Gila I was eyeing thre recipe on the oats cover but haven’t used margarine/butter in years. I’ll definitely try it!
How much oil do you use instead?
a little less than a cup
When u susitute margarine for oil is it the same amount?
Can I replace the butter in the rice Krispy treat recipe with margarine or betterine? Looking for a Non dairy version. Thanks
That’s the only way I make it, with margarine. Comes our delicious
I make the Quaker oatmeal cookies as bars, just pat down the whole batter onto a lined cookie sheet, and while still warm, cut into bars. So much easier and faster than making them into cookies, and they come out even chewier. I also only use oil, and will use half chocolate chips and half craasins. YUM!
Wow I love the bar idea! Thank you!