Quick Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits with Strawberries

I’m backkkk! I whipped up these super quick cheesecake mousse parfaits and can see them showing up on occasion since these are so tasty and so simple. They’d be easy to customize. I nabbed the end of strawberry season which made me love these that much more but top as you like your cheesecake- any berry, chocolate sauce, caramel drizzle, or whatever!

The Three Bite Rule - Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits

Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits with Strawberries

Ingredients: (for 4-6 servings)

1 box cheesecake pudding mix (prepared according to package)
2 cups strawberries
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar
4 oz cool whip (1/2 of a container)
1 cup granola

Directions:

Mix the pudding according to the package and refrigerate.
Slice the strawberries and stir in water and sugar. Refrigerate until serving.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits
Before serving, mix in the cool whip. Serve mousse with strawberries and top with a sprinkle of granola.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheesecake Mousse ParfaitsEnjoy!

Swap out the granola for graham cracker crumbles or vanilla cookie crumbles too.

I had this on the brain for awhile but whipped it up (literally, whipped the pudding! Ha!) on a random weeknight. Now I’d be ready to bring this anywhere. It’d pack really well to mix just before serving.

Psssst! Use the rest of the cool whip for this lemon fruit dip!

Mint Coconut Macaroons

My colleague brought macaroons into the office and there were regular and mint with mini chocolate chips. They were SO good and it got me thinking that with so few ingredients I should try making them! They worked, though it was a little touch and go there.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons

Macaroons = (mac-a-roooon) easy, minimal ingredients- mostly coconut & egg whites
Macarons = (mac-ron) complex, French,

Mint Chocolate Chips Coconut Macaroons (makes 12 large, or 24 small)

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops green food coloring
4 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
With a hand or stand mixer, whisk together the eggwhites, sugar, salt, extracts, and food coloring until frothy.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
By hand, stir in the coconut and the chocolate chips.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
Scoop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking sheet.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
Bake ~25 minutes until toasted. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
Enjoy!

I freaked when I saw some liquid spreading out around them. They seariously each got a little skirt. I don’t know what that was. I lifted the cookie part that stayed together off the pan and they were good. They were delicious. I loved the mint amount – nothing like mouthwash.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I’m not hosting Easter so I figured I’d bring a little dessert and these cookies could not be easier. Seriously, I’m no baker so the cheat is cake mix. I made the same with red velvet mix that are always such a hit and I was thinking this would be a fun variation. Since I don’t bake often, I like that the dough is always the same instead of my butter temperature vastly impacting the texture like in some doughs!

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Lemon Crinkle Cookies (makes ~24 cookies)

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix
2 tablespoons of flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla (or lemon) extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Mix the cake mix, flour, eggs, oil, and extract with a stand or hand mixer until well combined.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Take heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into balls then roll in the powdered sugar.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Place onto a baking sheet ~2 inches apart.
Bake 9 minutes and let sit 1 minute out of oven, then cool on a cooling rack.
The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Enjoy!

I love how soft and lightly flavored these are! The lemon flavor would really be amped up with lemon extract (I used vanilla) and lemon zest but I took the seriously easy route. Also a box makes ~24 cookies so it is just 2 pans into the oven. I set 2 timers and didn’t leave anything to chance.

The Three Bite Rule - Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Mini Fruit Tarts

I’m back! I’ve resurfaced for air now that work is quieting down. Phew! I made these cute buggers back for Easter, and I took a little shortcut to make them even easier. I used sugar cookie dough for the bottom and it made them come together so quickly! I baked the cookie base the night before and whipped up the pastry cream. The Three Bite Rule - Mini Fruit Tarts

Sugar Cookie Fruit Tarts

Ingredients:

refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon light colored jelly (apricot, marmalade, apple, peach)

Directions:

Warm the milk over medium low heat until it steams, but doesn’t boil.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and egg yolks into a paste.  (I used a stand mixer.) Add in a little of the milk and keep mixing. Pour in the rest of the milk slowly while mixing.
Pour it back into the pot and warm over low. Stir while it cooks and thickens. Don’t let it boil!
Spoon through a mesh strainer to strain any lumps out.
Refrigerate at least an hour, or until ready to serve. Lay a piece of plastic wrap ontop of the pastry cream so the top doesn’t form a pudding skin.
Bake the cookie into cups by pressing into muffin tin cups. Allow to cool then spoon the pastry cream into the cookie cups.
The Three Bite Rule - Mini Fruit Tarts
Top with berries or sliced fruit.
The Three Bite Rule - Mini Fruit Tarts
Then, brush with some jelly, microwaved for 10 seconds.
The Three Bite Rule - Mini Fruit Tarts
So cute! The pastry cream is light and tasty. I was glad for the cookie crunch and a little fruit for freshness. They’re cute as mini cups but would be pretty in a springform or tart pan.

I made these for Easter brunch along with Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Everything Bagel Bake. These worked well together since I had egg whites left from the pastry cream!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

I baked! Hazzzah! One of our family get togethers included Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and a birthday! Mr. J made a pistachio cake but since I didn’t plan any other desserts I decided to sneak a cookie into the schedule. These were such a winner. I was nervous the whole time but they worked! Using cake mix made it so easy.
The Three Bite Rule - Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix
2 tablespoons flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix together the cake mix, flour, eggs, oil, and vanilla with a mixer.
The Three Bite Rule - Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
Roll the dough into balls and toss in a bowl of the powdered sugar.
The Three Bite Rule - Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Place the cookies onto a baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes. (They won’t look crinkled until they puff and then set.)
The Three Bite Rule - Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
I loved these! They were super cute, so good, and perfectly cooked. Now I want to try other cake mixes! Lemon seems Easter-y. Funfetti would be festive anytime! I’ll totally make these again. Making red velvet from scratch costs a fortune for how much red dye. Cake mix makes these cookies so easy. Success!