Tag: dessert

Categories
breakfast desserts donuts food sweet breakfast

baked banana donuts with chocolate frosting.

I decided to turn banana bread into donuts! There’s something so satisfying about making your own desserts – it’s even more fun to eat them when you create them yourself. Cover these donuts and chocolate frosting and you have yourself a delicious treat!

Recipe:

for the donuts:

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 & 1/4 cups Kodiak Cakes buttermilk mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 Tablespoons butter, melted

for the frosting:

  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted over a double boiler
  • half and half – for consistency

Intructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, add mashed bananas, egg and vanilla.
  3. Mix together until combined.
  4. Add brown sugar and mix.
  5. Add Kodiak Cakes mix and baking powder and mix until mixture is smooth.
  6. Add melted butter and mix until combined.
  7. Grease a donut pan and fill 3/4 the way full with batter.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
  9. Let donuts cool on a cooling rack – meanwhile make the frosting.
  10. In a medium-size bowl, mix butter. melted chocolate and vanilla together.
  11. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and mix – adding half and half until mixture is smooth – not watery and not too thick. (You want to be able to dip the donuts in the frosting)
  12. When donuts are cool, dip them into the frosting and use a knife to coat the whole top of the donut.
  13. Add sprinkles and ENJOY!
Categories
cupcakes/cake desserts food muffins

mini carrot cake loaves.

These are the cutest little loaves… perfect for Easter! They’re topped with my favorite cream cheese icing and lots of it. You could also make these into cupcakes or a full loaf.

To see my youtube video on how I made these, click HERE!

Recipe:

for the loaves:

  • 1 & 1/2 cups flour OR Kodiak Cakes Cinnamon Oat mix
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 2 cups finely shredded carrots

for the icing:

  • 8 oz pack cream cheese, room temp
  • 1 stick butter, room temp
  • 2 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.
  2. Add in apple sauce, eggs, coconut oil and almond milk.
  3. Mix together until smooth.
  4. Add raisins and carrots and carefully fold into batter until just combined.
  5. Grease a loaf pan, mini loaf pan or cupcake pan.
  6. Disperse the batter evenly, filling 3/4 with batter.
  7. Bake at 350 – times vary:
    • for the mini loaves: 18-20 minutes
    • full size loaf: 45-50 minutes
    • cupcakes: 12-15 minutes
  8. Make the icing! Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl.
  9. With an electric mixer, beat until smooth.
  10. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.
  11. Add vanilla and mix until smooth.
  12. Once your loaves, loaf or cupcakes are cooled, top with icing, sprinkles, etc.
  13. Serve!
Categories
cookies desserts food

oatmeal cinnamon roll cookies.

I feel like I always say this.. but this may be the best thing I’ve ever made. I just happen to love ALL sweets though… I’m not kidding when I say that these smelled like straight cinnamon rolls coming out of the oven. Nothing is better than that smell.

Click HERE for a video on how to make these!

Recipe:

for the dough:

  • 1 & 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 & 1/2 cups Kodiak Cakes Cinnamon Oat mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

for the cinnamon filling:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • splash vanilla

for the cream cheese icing:

  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • splash vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Using an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar and mix.
  2. Add egg and vanilla then mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add Kodiak Cakes Cinnamon Oat mix and baking soda in about 2 increments, mixing after each addition.
  4. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
  5. Meanwhile, make the cinnamon filling – in a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and melted butter.
  6. Mix until smooth and set aside.
  7. Make your cream cheese icing – in a small bowl, combine butter and cream cheese and mix until smooth.
  8. Add vanilla and powdered sugar in about 3 increments, mixing after each addition and mix until creamy and smooth.
  9. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface.
  10. Roll the dough out into a square until it’s about 1/2 inch thick.
  11. Spread your cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough.
  12. Carefully roll up as you would cinnamon rolls.
  13. Wrap your log of dough in plastic wrap and chill once again for about 30 minutes.
  14. Slice your cookies – about 1 inch thick – and place them on a cookie sheet.
  15. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes – they will expand and be big cookies, but who doesn’t like a big cookie?!
  16. Let cookies cool, then add your cream cheese icing to a piping bag.
  17. Drizzle icing over each cookie and serve!

Yield: 24 cookies

Nutrition (1 cookie): 266 calories, 11g fat, 34g fat, 3g fiber, 20g sugar, 8g protein

Categories
cookies desserts food

mint chip ice cream cookie sandwiches.

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I recently found a brand of ice cream that I cannot live without.. it’s called Cool Haus.  They have flavors like Milkshake & Fries, Balsamic Fig & Mascarpone and Street Cart Churro Dough.. I always get the Dirty Mint Chip!  Why is it called Dirty Mint?  Because the pint has fresh mint leaves in every bite.  This is what makes it super unique and tasty!  Cool Haus also sells ice cream cookie sandwiches, but I decided to make a cookie to match their Dirty Mint Chip ice cream.  I put fresh mint in a chocolate chip cookie!  The combination is just perfect.

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Recipe:

  • 3 cups Kodiak Cakes All-purpose baking mix OR AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 & 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, room temp
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 salted dark chocolate bar – I used Alter Eco, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 pint Cool Haus Dirty Mint Chip ice cream, or your choice of ice cream
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil

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Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. With an electric mixer, cream softened butter and light brown sugar together until fluffy.
  3. Add vanilla and one egg at a time, mixing after each addition.
  4. Add chopped mint and mix until combine.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine Kodiak Cakes mix or flour, salt and baking soda.
  6. Add in flour mixture in thirds, mixing after each addition.
  7. Fold in salted dark chocolate pieces.
  8. Disperse cookie dough (about 1 & 1/2 Tablespoon per cookie) onto a greased baking sheet – I fit 12 cookies on a sheet.
  9. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until desired crispiness – I like mine softer, so I tend to under-bake them.  If you want them crispier, bake for 10-11 minutes.
  10. While cookies cool on a cooling rack, make your melted chocolate to dip your sandwiches.
  11. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, add dark chocolate chips and melted coconut oil.
  12. Microwave your chocolate and coconut oil for 30 seconds – 1 minute.
  13. Stir until chocolate is smooth.
  14. Once your cookies are cool, make your ice cream sandwiches!  Scoop desired amount of ice cream and sandwich it in the middle of two cookies.
  15. Dip 1/2 of your sandwich in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
  16. Let chocolate harden on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet.
  17. Place in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes and serve!

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Categories
breakfast desserts donuts food sweet breakfast

grain-free strawberry donuts.

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I’ve been playing around with the idea of baking with different flours – to satisfy the gluten-free people in the world!  I found a fabulous flour called Cassava Flour.  Cassava flour is actually Yuca, which is a dense and starchy root vegetable. It is ideal for gluten-free baking because, unlike other gluten-free flours, it is neutral in flavor and not grainy or gritty at all!  I mixed cassava flour and almond flour to make these donuts because I LOVE almond flour, but the cassava flour balanced out the texture and taste.  With the addition of fresh strawberries, these donuts are a WIN!

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Recipe:

for the donuts: 

  • 1 & 1/2 cup cassava flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup refined coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced small

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cassava flour, almond flour, flax seed, baking powder and salt.
  3. Whisk together until combined.
  4. Add eggs, almond milk, coconut sugar and vanilla and whisk until combined.
  5. Add melted coconut oil and fold in until batter is smooth.
  6. Gently fold in diced strawberries.
  7. Disperse batter into a greased donut pan –  you can fill up all the way because they will rise but not overflow.
  8. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick or knife comes clean.
  9. Cool on a wire rack.

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For the glaze: 

  • 1/4 cup diced strawberries
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 & 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

  1. Place strawberries and lemon juice into a small sauce pan.
  2. Bring to a simmer and let strawberries liquefy.
  3. Transfer to a strainer held over a bowl and, using a spoon or rubber spatula, press the strawberry mixture down to strain out any big lumps – all you want is the juice!
  4. Add powdered sugar to the strained strawberry mixture, 1/4 cup at a time (so you don’t make a huge mess), until you get a smooth, thick glaze that you can drizzle or dip your donuts into.
  5. Dip cooled donuts into the glazed, and put back on the wire rack.
  6. Immediately sprinkle your choice of sprinkles onto each donut before glaze hardens.
  7. Serve!

Note: These donuts will not last more than 1-2 days because of the fresh strawberries in the batter – if you want them to last longer, omit the strawberries in the batter and just use them for the glaze.  OR you can use freeze dried strawberries for the flavor! 

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Categories
cookies desserts food

peaches ‘n cream cookies.

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These cookies… YUM!  The combination of dried peaches and white chocolate is so so tasty.  I used Kodiak Cakes all-purpose baking mix to add some protein, then mixed in dried peaches and white chocolate chips before baking.  It’s a perfect summer variation of the classic chocolate chip cookie.

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Recipe: (makes about 24 cookies)

  • 1 & 1/2 cup Kodiak Cakes all-purpose baking mix OR all-purpose flour
  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup ground dried peaches (pulsed in a food processor into smaller pieces)
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Whip butter and brown sugar together until fluffy.
  3. Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix baking mix or flour and baking soda together.
  5. Add dry mixture to butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and mixing after each addition until everything is just combined.
  6. Fold in ground peaches and white chocolate chips.
  7. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop your dough onto a baking sheet (12 cookies per sheet), roll into balls and then flatten the top of each ball of dough slightly with your hands.
  8. Bake for 9-11 minutes (I usually bake for 9 since I like them softer – you choose!
  9. Let cool (or don’t) and devour!

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Categories
breakfast desserts food sweet breakfast

vegan blueberry pop-tarts.

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Blueberries are in season!  I’ve always wanted to make homemade pop tarts.. these are DELICIOUS!  I used Earth Balance butter and Ripple Foods dairy-free half & half in this recipe to make it vegan.  YUM!

You can also find this recipe on the Burlington County Agricultural Center blog!  I want to highlight the seasonal fruits and veggies each week from our Farmers’ Market.  Check out the website for Farmers’ Market dates, special events and cooking classes!  

Recipe: (makes 6 pop-tarts)

For the filling: 

  • 2 cups fresh, farmers’ market blueberries 🙂
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds

Instructions:

  1. Place blueberries in a sauce pan and add about 2 Tablespoons of water.
  2. Heat to medium-high heat, stirring until blueberries simmer.
  3. Once blueberries become mostly liquid and a lot of them have “popped”, remove from burner and add chia seeds.
  4. Let sit while chia seeds soak up the liquid, then let mixture cool.
  5. In the meantime, make your dough!

For the crust:

(I tried using all oat flour – came out way too crumbly – you couldn’t even pick them up!  So I used half oat flour and half AP flour – way better!) 

  • 1 & 1/2 cups oat flour
  • 1 & 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegan butter (we used Earth Balance), very cold and cubed or cut into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 3-4 Tablespoons ice water

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Instructions: 

  1. In a large bowl, combine oat flour, wheat flour, sugar and salt.
  2. Add butter, lemon zest and vanilla, then use a pastry cutter or your hands (we recommend using gloves) and incorporate the cold butter into the flour mixture.
  3. Once you have pea-sized crumbs, add cold water, one Tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together into a ball.
  4. Flour a large surface, and roll out dough until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.
  5. Cut into rectangles – you should have 12 rectangles to make 6 tarts!
  6. Place 6 of the rectangles onto a greased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper.
  7. Put about 2 Tablespoons of your cooled blueberry filling in the middle of each rectangle.
  8. Place the matching rectangles of dough on top of filling, using a fork to bind each layer together so filling is enclosed.
  9. Poke a couple holes or make a slit in the top of each tart.
  10. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown, remove from oven and let cool.

For the icing: 

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons vanilla Ripple Foods half & half

Instructions: 

  1. Place powdered sugar into a small bowl.
  2. Add half & half, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until icing is JUST combined – you don’t want it too runny.
  3. Spread icing on top of each cooled pop-tart, add sprinkles and serve!

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Categories
chocolate desserts food

chocolate peppermint rice krispy treats.

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These were such a hit at the ugly sweater party I went to last weekend.  It’s a holiday twist on a classic dessert!

Recipe:

  • 1 box chocolate rice cereal
  • 1 bag marshmallows
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 bar peppermint bark (I used Ghirardelli), chopped
  • white candy melts (I get these at AC Moore or Joann Fabrics)
  • holiday sprinkles

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Instructions:

  • In a large sauce pan, melt your stick of butter.
  • Once melted, add your bag of marshmallows and continuously stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.
  • Add peppermint extract and mix until combined.
  • In a large bowl, add the rice cereal.
  • Pour marshmallow mixture into the bowl with rice cereal and carefully mix until all the cereal is coated.
  • Add your chopped peppermint bark and stir until evenly combined.
  • Pour rice krispy mixture onto a sheet pan and spread it out about 1 inch thick.
  • Let cool for about 10 minutes, then cut your squares.  (it’s easier to cut when they’re still a bit soft!)
  • Melt the white candy melts over a double broiler.
  • Once melted, transfer to a piping bag or use a spoon and drizzle over the rice krispy treats.
  • Add your sprinkles right away so they stick to the chocolate.
  • Place in the freezer until chocolate hardens.
  • Serve!
Categories
breakfast desserts food sweet breakfast

PB&J chia pudding.

 

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Chia pudding is delicious and full of nutrition.  One Tablespoon of chia seeds contain 5g of fiber and 3g of protein.  They also pack lots of omega-3 fatty-acids.  The fat that’s great for your heart!  The addition of peanut butter and chia jam makes this recipe even tastier! PB&J makes everything better!

Recipe:

  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 2 Tablespoons Wild Friends peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup blueberries
  • 1/3 cup raspberries

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Instructions:

  • Add almond milk and 3 Tablespoons chia seeds to a bowl.
  • Mix and let sit for about 20 minutes until chia seeds absorb all the liquid and mixture becomes thick.
  • Add 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter to chia pudding and mix until incorporated.
  • Add berries to a skillet on medium-high heat.
  • Once berries start simmering, use a spoon to mash the berries.
  • Simmer for a couple minutes until berries become thick and add 1 Tablespoon chia seeds to berries – set aside.
  • To assemble your pudding, add chia jam to the bottom of a glass, add chia pudding on top and 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter to top it off. Top with fresh berries if desire.
  • Enjoy!
Categories
chocolate desserts food

chocolate hazelnut bliss hearts.

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This is a perfect, healthy snack/dessert for Valentine’s Day!  I used Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter, which is less than HALF the sugar of Nutella, and tastes almost exactly the same.  I used freeze-dried raspberries to give it the Valentine’s Day look!

Continue reading “chocolate hazelnut bliss hearts.”