33 Easy Snacks to Make at Home (That Aren’t Cheese and Crackers for the Millionth Time)
Stuck at home with a pantry full of munchies? Ugh, we wish. We know the feeling of going on a grocery run, only to inhale half of your crackers, chips and cookies before you even put them away, which is why we’ve got your back with a ton of fresh ideas (many using pantry staples you likely *still* have on hand, post-grocery binge). Behold: 33 easy snacks to make at home, so you always have something sweet or salty to indulge in. Whether it’s before bed or between first and second lunch, these recipes will not disappoint.
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1. 15-Minute Mezze Plate with Toasted Za’atar Pita Bread
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
This beauty is practically no-cook, since all the recipe calls for is toasting the pita bread in a skillet. The rest is all store-bought ingredients like hummus, marinated artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.
2. Sesame-Soy Deviled Eggs
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
The timeless party appetizer was overdue for an umami-rich makeover. Not only is the filling infused with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, but each egg is finished with black sesame seeds and roasted seaweed for good measure.
3. Ritz Crackers with Whipped Honey Ricotta and Bacon
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
We said no cheese and crackers...but this over-the-top version of the last-minute snack is fair game. Bonus points for candying the bacon in maple syrup and brown sugar.
4. Homemade Cheese Crackers
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
These Cheez-Its replicas are extremely easy to make, and you can customize the type of cheese you use to suit your palate (although we're partial to cheddar and Parmesan).
5. Spicy Avocado Hummus
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, vegan, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <30 minutes
Part guacamole, part hummus, this dip is fabulous for the indecisive. (And yes, you can dip both pita and tortilla chips into this pretty chickpea snack.)
6. Grilled Cheese Crostini
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
These two-bite cuties are the best snack for when you’re contemplating your next meal. Brie and bread make them filling, while fresh mint and balsamic strawberries fancy the dish up.
7. Broiler S’mores
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
No tent or campfire necessary—these s’mores are sofa-friendly and just as good as the real thing. Sing-along and ghost stories optional (but recommended).
8. Roasted Veggie Chips
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegan
High heat and a mandoline are all you need to make these crispy baked chips. Using a variety of root vegetables offers a beautiful range of color, flavor and texture, but if you only have one or two of the suggested ingredients, that’s OK, too.
9. Easy Homemade Potato Chips
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, vegan, make ahead
If standard potato chips are more your thing, we've got you covered. Broiling thinly sliced spuds coated in oil creates a crispy chip that’s even better than its bagged counterparts.
10. Easy Homemade Pickles
Time Commitment: 48 hours
Why We Love It: vegan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Pickling is a great way to preserve your produce and transform it into a new snack. These Kirby cukes turn mouth-puckering and zingy after two days in vinegar solution.
11. Chocolate Granola
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
This granola hits that sweet spot between snack and dessert, thanks to hearty brown sugar oats, chocolate chunks and almonds. Eat it by the handful or with milk.
12. Easy Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
You'll never buy granola bars again when you see how easy it is to make your own. They're pretty nutritious, but that won't stop us from finishing them with a drizzle of chocolate.
13. Sourdough with Whipped Cottage Cheese and Raspberry Chia Jam
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
You deserve a fancy toast. In fact, you deserve many fancy toasts. Start your snacking on the right foot with this one, which is pretty enough to serve at brunch.
14. Roasted Mixed Nuts
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
We all know that nuts are a healthy snack, but they can also be so boring. Spice them up and eat them warm for some fancy flair.
15. Spring Crudites with Romesco Sauce
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegan, make ahead
Consider this your challenge to do a little better than eating baby carrots out of the bag and plummeting them straight into a jar of dip. A beautiful presentation gives you the mental break you deserve for snack time.
16. Mini Yogurt Cheesecakes
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Greek yogurt makes up most of the filling for these sweet cuties, so yes, they’re a healthy-ish snack. (In our book, that means we're going for seconds. And thirds.)
17. Roasted Edamame
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegan
If you have a bag of frozen edamame in your fridge, you essentially have everything you need to make this vitamin-packed finger food. The recipe makes four to six servings, but we have a hard time sharing.
18. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Soft pretzels stuffed with cheese are the epitome of self-care. Go the extra mile by finishing them with everything bagel seasoning instead of coarse salt.
19. Tater Tot Nachos
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein
This tray of tots is serving big snack energy. Add as much hot sauce, salsa verde and pickled onions as you can stomach.
20. One-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet
Time Commitment: 4 hours (includes freezing time)
Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Have a watermelon? Make this frozen dessert that is 100 percent fruit and lasts for weeks in your freezer (if you don’t eat it all in one sitting, that is).
21. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Blueberry Cauliflower Smoothie
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan
Adding cauliflower to boost a smoothie’s creaminess may be the best thing GP’s ever done. Mix things up with whatever berries or greens you have on hand.
22. Salted Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, high protein, dairy free
Replace your candy bar cravings with this smoothie that mimics everything that’s great about a peanut butter cup, from the chocolatey cocoa powder to the flaky sea salt.
23. Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead
Your Taco Tuesday spread just got a million times more impressive. Serve them with plenty of guac and salsa. (Might we suggest this grilled mango variety?)
24. Jalapeño Poppers
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, high protein
So much better than the version from the freezer aisle, these poppers are super easy to make—and even easier to eat. No game day is complete without 'em.
25. Fruit Roll-Ups
Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Congrats on adulthood: You can finally eat as many fruit roll-ups as you want—and from scratch! It’s not hard at all, we promise.
26. Best-Ever Brownies
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, one bowl, beginner-friendly
Sometimes you just need a brownie break in the middle of the day. These easy handhelds (which are loaded with crumbled Oreos, BTW) are here for you.
27. Roasted Chickpea Snack
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe
A healthy alternative to grains, chickpeas crisp up nicely and are snackable by the handful.
28. Five-Ingredient Golden Milk Snack Bites
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, gluten free, vegan
Cashew butter is the base for these creamy, sweet and turmeric-filled bites. Melted coconut butter can double as frosting, if you're feeling decadent.
29. Vegan Banana Bread
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegan
Walnuts and sweet bananas add so much texture to this snackable bread. Slather it with butter or cream cheese, or just enjoy a plain slice.
30. Garlic Parmesan Popcorn
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
This salty, savory gem with a glass of wine? Swoon. The seasonings are mashed into the melted butter before it's poured on, so each piece of popcorn is dripping with garlicky, cheesy splendor.
31. Smoky, Savory Fire Crackers
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Dress up a regular pack of saltines with this easy recipe that makes the plain crackers equal parts sweet, spicy and crispy.
32. Vegan, Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Tahini and Maple
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, vegan, beginner-friendly
These cookies have everything: tahini, maple syrup, oatmeal, our hearts. Keep a batch of dough in the freezer and pop some in the oven whenever snack time rolls around.
33. Jammy Soft-Boiled Eggs
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one pot, beginner-friendly
Sometimes an impeccably cooked egg just hits the spot. This high-protein snack takes only minutes to make (and seconds to scarf down).
RELATED: 27 Pantry Staples You Should Always Have on Hand (and How to Cook with Them)
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.