Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipes
Cracker Barrel's southern comfort food brings back memories. Our copycat recipes capture that homestyle flavor.
7 recipes
Cracker Barrel built a national chain on a single feeling: a country grandmother's kitchen. The food is unfussy Southern comfort cooking done consistently, from buttermilk biscuits with a tender crumb to a meatloaf bound with crushed crackers under a sweet ketchup glaze, chicken and dumplings made with flat rolled dumplings rather than fluffy drop ones, and a hashbrown casserole that's basically the platonic potato-and-cheese bake. The techniques are simple but specific: cold butter and a light hand for the biscuits, low-and-slow simmering for the dumplings, and shredded potatoes plus colby cheese for the casserole. Our Cracker Barrel copycats cover the most-ordered comfort plates: the meatloaf, the biscuits, chicken and dumplings, buttermilk pancakes, hashbrown casserole, cinnamon-glazed fried apples, and the chicken fried steak with its peppery cream gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Cracker Barrel's dumplings different?
They're flat, rolled dumplings simmered until tender, not fluffy biscuit-style drop dumplings. They thicken the broth as they cook, which is what gives the dish its signature creamy, almost gravy-like texture.
How do I get Cracker Barrel-style biscuits?
Keep everything cold, don't overwork the dough, and use real buttermilk. Pat the dough out rather than rolling, cut straight down without twisting the cutter so the layers can rise, and bake hot. Brush with butter the moment they come out.
What's in the hashbrown casserole?
Shredded potatoes, colby (or colby-jack) cheese, a creamy base, and onion, baked until the top is golden. Our copycat hits the ratio that keeps it creamy inside with a lightly crisp top.
Are the fried apples a side or a dessert?
Both. Cracker Barrel serves the cinnamon fried apples as a side, but warm with a scoop of ice cream they're a dessert. They're tart apples cooked down with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until just tender.
Can I make the meatloaf ahead?
Yes. Mix and shape it a day ahead and refrigerate, which lets the cracker binder and seasonings meld. Add the ketchup-and-brown-sugar glaze right before baking so it caramelizes on top.