The Pioneer Woman's Top 10 Cooking Shortcuts in the Kitchen
A simple can of biscuits might just change your life.
Ree Drummond knows that cooking from scratch is wonderful—but sometimes, life calls for a few smart shortcuts. Between ranch chores, weeknight dinners, and a house full of hungry kids, she's learned when to go all out and when to grab the store-bought stuff. These are the cooking shortcuts Ree swears by...and she's never shy about sharing them. Whether it's a rotisserie chicken that saves you an hour of prep or a pie crust from the freezer instead of the rolling pin, Ree is all for making life easier in the kitchen.
She has built her entire approach to food around real life: 30-minute meals that still taste like they took all day, make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes that keep you sane, and easy desserts that convince people you're a magician. Some of these tricks came from years of trial and error (we're looking at you, biscuit dough doughnuts!), while others were happy discoveries, like how a splash of jarred spaghetti sauce can instantly level up a homemade recipe.
At the end of the day, Ree isn't chasing perfection. She's just feeding people she loves and she knows shortcuts don't take away from that—they're exactly what makes it possible! So grab your frozen ravioli, your box of cake mix, and maybe even a can of soda, and let's get cooking The Pioneer Woman way.
Store-Bought Pie Crust
Ree will always stand by her homemade crust ("It's flaky, buttery, and beyond delicious atop the creamy filling"), but she's quick to say there's nothing wrong with shortcuts. "Any store-bought refrigerated crust will work just fine, too," she promises. And if you happen to have some extra puff pastry in the freezer, it also makes a great pot pie crust.
Get Ree's Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Rotisserie Chicken
When Ree needs to get dinner on the table fast, she heads straight for a rotisserie chicken. It's perfectly cooked, easy to shred, and ready to toss into casseroles, soups, tacos, or anything else you're in the mood for. It's one of her favorite ways to save time without sacrificing that homemade flavor!
Get Ree's Chicken Noodle Casserole recipe.
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce
Ree is not above giving her homemade pasta sauce a little help from the jarred stuff. Just a splash can add extra depth and richness, almost like someone else has been simmering sauce all day just for you. "It's almost like adding a dash of something," Ree says.
Get Ree's Spaghetti Sauce recipe.
Biscuit Dough for Doughnuts
"It took me years to finally figure out how to make classic risen doughnuts like the ones from the bakery," Ree admits. "But sometimes, I don't have time for yeast to do its thing or the patience for oil to heat up. I need a doughnut, and I need it now." Her solution? Air fryer doughnuts made from canned biscuit dough. They puff up perfectly golden and taste like a morning miracle.
Get Ree's Air Fryer Doughnuts recipe.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ree says making mashed potatoes ahead of Thanksgiving has been "life-changing." You can make them days in advance, stash them in the fridge, and reheat just before dinner. "This recipe has made a world of difference in my peace, blood pressure, and hormone levels," she says.
Get Ree's Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Cake Mix for Cookies
Ree loves a good shortcut that still tastes homemade, and cake mix cookies are one of her favorites. All you need is a box mix, a few simple add-ins, and a baking sheet. No one ever has to know!
Get the Cake Mix Cookies recipe.
Store-Bought Ravioli
Ree knows that dinner doesn’t have to take all night to be delicious. Fresh or frozen ravioli makes it easy to put a comforting meal on the table in minutes. She’ll toss it with sauce (store-bought pesto for the win!), veggies, or cheese, and everyone's happy.
Get Ree's Baked Spinach Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce recipe.
Soda Pop for Flavor
Dr Pepper in chicken wings and pulled pork, Coke in chocolate cake, Sprite in pound cake—Ree has tried it all. She calls soda her "secret weapon for flavor," and once you taste how it caramelizes and sweetens, you'll see why. It might sound unusual, but it works like magic!
Get Ree's Dr Pepper BBQ Chicken recipe.
Canned Chili in Soup
Ree knows that not every ingredient needs to be fancy to taste delicious. “Admittedly, canned chili isn’t the most glamorous ingredient in the world,” she says. "But it tastes great in this soup!” It adds rich flavor and extra oomph with very little effort.
Get Ree's 7-Can Soup recipe.
French Bread Pizza Dough
Ree's pizza night hack is pure genius: grab a loaf of store-bought French bread, top it with marinara and cheese, and bake. "There's no homemade pizza dough to knead and stretch," she says. (And no one will miss it!) It's quick and endlessly customizable for the whole family.
Get Ree's French Bread Pizza recipe.
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