Enjoy the heartwarming flavors of classic southern comfort food with these easy Cracker Barrel–inspired recipes. From homestyle favorites like chicken and dumplings and stuffed pork chops to crispy sides and creamy desserts, these dishes bring cozy, old-fashioned goodness right to your kitchen, perfect for any night and family dinners.

French Toast

There is nothing ordinary about this amazing French toast recipe. This copycat will make you feel like you are in the restaurant on a weekend morning.

Serves 2-4 | Prep. time 5 minutes | Cooking time 4–6 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 slices Texas toast or sourdough bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 pinches salt
• Butter and syrup for serving

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Dip each slice of bread in egg mixture, letting it soak for 25–30 seconds on each side.
4. Transfer the slices to the griddle or skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
5. Serve with butter and syrup.

 

 

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is one of Cracker Barrel’s most loved recipes, and this copycat recipe now enables you to make it at home.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 scant cup buttermilk
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked chicken

Directions

1. Make the dumplings by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture. Stir in the milk a little at a time until it forms a dough ball.
2. Cover your countertop with enough flour that the dough will not stick when you roll it out. Roll out the dough relatively thin, then cut into squares to form dumplings.
3. Flour a plate and transfer the dough from the counter to the plate.
4. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan, then drop the dumplings in one by one, stirring continually. The excess flour will thicken the broth. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the dumplings are no longer doughy.
5. Add the chicken, stir to combine, and serve.

 

 

Breaded Fried Okra

There are some vegetables that just scream “I am Southern,” and deep-fried okra is definitely one of them. This copycat recipe makes it easy to make at home.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh okra, rinsed and dried
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• ½ cup self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or deep fryer.
2. Cut the okra into ½-inch pieces.
3. Combine the cornmeal, flour and salt in a large bowl.
4. Drop the okra pieces into the bowl and toss to coat. Allow to rest for a few minutes while the oil heats up.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the okra from the bowl into the hot oil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the okra has turned a nice golden color.
6. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

 

Stuffed Pork Chop

This stuffed pork chop copycat recipe from Cracker Barrel utilizes sausage and poultry seasoning to give your chops a whole new level of flavor.

Serves 8 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 pork chops
• ½ pound sausages
• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
• 1 tablespoon sausage drippings
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Slice each pork chop on one side to create a pocket.
3. Combine the cooked rice, sausage, celery leaves, sausage drippings, parsley, onion, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir well.
4. Stuff the mixture into the pockets you created in the pork chops.
5. Bake, covered, for about 1½–2 hours.
6. About 15 minutes before the chops are done, remove the cover to allow them to brown on top.

 

 

Beef Stew

Cracker Barrel’s beef stew is a perfect dish to eat on a cold winter’s night. With this copycat recipe you can make it at home to help make any night a little cozier.

Serves 4–6 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound stewing beef in medium sized chunks
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 large turnips, cut into chunks
• 1 quart beef stock
• 1 beef bouillon cube (like Herb-Ox)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 cup peas

Directions

1. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chunks of meat to coat.
2. In a large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef along with the flour. Cook, stirring frequently to ensure the meat and flour don’t burn. When the meat has browned, remove from the pot and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pot along with the onions. Cook until the onions have softened, scraping up the bits of browned meat and flour for extra flavor.
4. Return the meat to the pot along with potatoes, carrots and turnips. Stir in the beef stock, thyme and ketchup. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
5. When the stew is ready, remove the thyme sprigs and stir in the peas.

 

 

Banana Pudding

Banana pudding is as Southern a dessert as you will ever find. This copycat recipe from Cracker Barrel pays homage to the famous dessert.

Serves 8–10 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Chill time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk
• 5 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⅛ cups flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¾ pound vanilla wafers
• 3 bananas, peeled
• 8 ounces Cool Whip or 2 cups of whipped cream

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat the milk to about 170°F.
2. Mix the eggs, vanilla, flour, and sugar together in a large bowl.
3. Very slowly add the egg mixture to the warned milk and cook until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency.
4. Layer the vanilla wafers to cover the bottom of a baking pan or glass baking dish. You can also use individual portion dessert dish or glasses.
5. Layer banana slices over the top of the vanilla wafers. Be as liberal with the bananas as you want.
6. Layer the custard mixture on top of the wafers and bananas. Move the pan to the refrigerator and cool for 1½ hours. When ready to serve, spread Cool Whip (or real whipped cream, if you prefer) over the top. Garnish with banana slices and wafers if desired.

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Lina Chang’s Copycat Recipes: Making Cracker Barrel’s Most Popular Dishes at Home. To get your own copy, click on the cover below or click here.

To download or print the featured recipes, click here.