Keep It Sweet Desserts

This fresh blueberry bundt cake with a sweet vanilla bean glaze might be the highlight of your summer desserts!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 – 20 servings

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the blueberries:

530g (4 cups) blueberries
16g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour

For the batter:

395g (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
80 milliliters (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
235g (~1 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
105g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
150g (~3 large) whole eggs at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Glaze:

160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
30-45 milliliters (2-3 tablespoons) milk (see directions)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
1 whole vanilla bean

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Liberally grease and flour a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan; set aside
In a medium bowl, lightly toss the blueberries with flour, set aside
In another medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, oil and sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes; mix in eggs and vanilla on low-medium speed until combined
Scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula and carefully add the dry ingredients while mixer is on low speed just until combined
Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the blueberries; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 44-48 minutes, or until cake is lightly browned and a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack and lifting pan off of cake; set aside to cool while preparing glaze

To make the Glaze:

Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth; add up to one tablespoon if mixture is too thick (should be able to drizzle from whisk)
Whisk in the inside of vanilla bean
Drizzle glaze over cake and serve

Notes

Adapted from this Apple Bundt Cake
Cake best enjoyed same day it is made but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or well covered for up to three days at room temperature

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

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Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

June 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Summer’s favorite dessert in the form of a buttery, chewy and delicious cookie!

Yes, I’m still here! Between life’s craziness and some computer issues I haven’t been able to post much over these last few weeks but I’m back… with cookies!

And not just any cookie, but perhaps summer’s favorite cookie. I love a warm fruit crisp with melting ice cream as much as anyone else, but it isn’t the best dessert to take and share with friends (because, well, mess). Cookies, however, are always good for sharing with friends. And to be honest, I’m pretty sure I need to bring these blueberry cookies to every summer party I go to. Chewy, oaty, fruity, sweet and buttery, these cookies will be an instant hit!

Make them, eat them, enjoy. Repeat!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

Summer’s favorite dessert in the form of a buttery, chewy and delicious cookie!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 28 large cookies

Ingredients

66g (1/2 cup) grams all-purpose flour
78g (1/2 cup) white whole wheat flour
8g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1 teaspoon) cinnamon
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
234g (1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
106g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla
320g (4 cups) old-fashioned oats
250g (2 cups) fresh blueberries

Instructions

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy
Mix in eggs and vanilla
Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture
Once combined, stir in the oatmeal; then carefully stir in blueberries
Chill dough in refrigerator for at least two hours (see note)
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
With a large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons), place cookie dough balls about 2-3 inches apart from one another
Bake cookies 15-17 min until edges are golden brown and center still looks slightly underbaked (they will continue to set as they cool)
Slide parchment paper with cookies onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before eating (see note)

Notes

Cookie dough must be chilled at least two hours and may be chilled up to two days before baking
Allow cookies to cool completely and set before removing from parchment paper or they will break and fall apart
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to three days or in freezer up to one month

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Summer Berry Skillet Fruit Crisp

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No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

August 3, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Another amazing no churn ice cream recipe full of homemade blueberry sauce and buttery crisp topping. No ice cream maker, no problem!

Sometimes weeks are just insane. Last week was crazy for numerous reasons, add to that, my husband didn’t have an operating cell phone for five days, but I managed to make this ice cream and that made everything better.

That’s a lie, it didn’t fix everything, but it made the stress of what we were going through much more palatable. Besides, this isn’t any old ice cream. This ice cream is basically two desserts in one.

So if you are completely strange anything like my sister, and you like fruit crisp and you like ice cream but DON’T like them together because of the contrasting temperatures (seriously, who are you?), this ice cream pretty much has solved your life’s biggest problem.

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Another amazing no churn ice cream recipe full of homemade blueberry sauce and buttery crisp topping. No ice cream maker, no problem!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

Crumble:

55g (~1/2 cup) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
40g (~1/2 cup) old fashioned oatmeal*
70g (~1/3 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
55g (1/4 cup / ½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Blueberry filling:

140g (~1 cup) fresh blueberries (frozen can be substituted for slightly longer cooking time)
25g (~2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
5g (~1/2 tablespoon) cornstarch

Ice cream:

16 fluid ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
5 millimeters (1 teaspoon) vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Instructions

Make crumble

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium bowl, prepare topping; mix together oat flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon
Add butter and use fingers to combine until mixture is slightly lumpy
Spread mixture out in parchment paper and bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside to cool

While crumble is baking, make blueberry sauce

Place blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot stove with medium heat
Stir occasionally until some of the berries begin to break down and juice begins to form (~4 minutes)
Turn the heat to high, add cornstarch and stir quickly until sauce reaches desired thickness (1-2 minutes)
Place sauce in refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes

Once ready, finish making ice cream

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
While whipping cream, in a separate large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk and vanilla bean; fold in blueberry sauce
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan and drop one third of crumble over top (use fingers to break into pieces); top with remaining ice cream and then with half of remaining crumble; wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving
Use remaining crumble for serving

Notes

Sauce and crumble can be made up to one week before putting ice cream together, refrigerate each in an airtight container until ready to use
Blueberry filling from this mixed berry sauce
Topping from this fruit crisp

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Summer Berry Skillet Crisp

No Bake Blueberry Pie

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Brown Butter Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

July 13, 2015 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Chewy brown butter blondies bursting with fresh blueberries and dark chocolate chunks.

I guess I’m on a blondie bender. Is that a thing? After this recipe, I made a monster batch of my famous KISD blondies for a friend, last week I ran into the kitchen to make this new recipe and then I actually doubled it to make it again for a crowd but swapped cherries for the blueberries.

Oh brown butter. I made a brown butter blueberry cookie last summer and loved them so much I just knew this blondie would be good. And if my lack of self-control immediately after taking pictures of the blondies is any indication, the recipe is seriously good. It’s a good thing I brought a few to a friend because otherwise I would have eaten the entire batch that day.

*This post has been edited to include the recipe*

Brown Butter Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Chewy brown butter blondies bursting with fresh blueberries and dark chocolate chunks.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

112 grams / 4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
350 grams / 12⅜ ounces (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
200 grams / 7 ounces (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
8 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110 grams / 3⅞ ounces (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
112 grams / 4 ounces (~3/4 cup) dark chocolate chunks
100 grams / 3½ ounces (~3/4 cup) fresh blueberries

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat
Whisk in sugar until well combined and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture
Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula
Fold in chocolate and blueberries until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool before cutting

Notes

Blondies will stay fresh for up to two days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread

June 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

My go-to banana bread recipe loaded with blueberries is perfect for easy summer baking.

There are a few basic recipes everyone should have in their back pocket. A chocolate chip cookie, a basic dependable chocolate cake, and fudgy brownies. You should also have a go-to banana bread recipe. Need something to bring to brunch? Banana bread. A bazillion almost-rotten bananas on your counter? Banana bread. Want an easy after-school treat for your kids? Banana bread.

I’ve made a few and shared them here, but this is my favorite. I think of it as an every day banana bread because it’s made with whole wheat flour and very little butter and it’s super easy to make (no mixer required). Plus, the light and moist base lends itself to any kind of mix-in you would like (blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or even peanut butter chips!) making it extra handy. Have I sold you yet? If so, head over to Meyer’s Styles for the recipe. Save it and use it all the time!

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Healthy Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bake

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No Bake Blueberry Pie

July 28, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

No need to turn on the oven for this pie! The no-bake pie includes a thick graham cracker crust, luscious cream cheese layer and homemade blueberry pie filling.

I don’t really think of myself as a pie person. My sister? She loves pie. My dad, too. I like pies a lot, but don’t get all that excited about them too often. However, I have a history with this blueberry pie (it pretty much blows every other pie out of the water). This summer I decided to make a no-bake version. It simplifies things and adds a nice item to the “don’t-have-to-turn-on-your-oven” repertoire. Traditional pie crust fans, I’m sorry. But to the rest of us who are all about the filling anyway, the graham cracker crust is still a great compliment to this perfect specimen of a fruit filling.

No Bake Blueberry Pie

No need to turn on the oven for this pie! The no-bake pie includes a thick graham cracker crust, luscious cream cheese layer and homemade blueberry pie filling.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

180g (1 ½ cups) finely ground graham cracker crumbs (10-11 full sheets)
55g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Layer

113g light or regular cream cheese, at room temperature
41g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) heavy cream
2 milliliters (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract

Blueberry Pie Filling

165g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
25g (3 tablespoons) cornstarch
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
570g (4 cups) blueberries, separated in half (if you can, group the best looking blueberries together, you will want to cook the blueberries that aren’t “perfect”)
60 milliliters (¼ cup) water
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (from ~1/2 lemon)
14g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

Instructions

Prepare pie crust; in a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter
Press crust ingredients down with your hands into a 9-inch pie plate
Place crust in refrigerator and make cream cheese layer and filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer use whisk attachment to combine ingredients until creamy, light and smooth; set aside and prepare blueberry pie filling
In a medium heavy duty pot, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt; add half of the blueberries and water
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until blueberry mixture turns thickens and turns a very dark purple; this will take several minutes
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter
Fold in remaining blueberries
Assemble the pie; remove crust from refrigerator and spread cream cheese layer evenly over top; gently spread blueberry filling into pie, making sure to keep cream cheese layer intact
Chill in refrigerator at least one hour before serving and store leftovers in refrigerator; serve at room temperature

Notes

Slightly adapted from this pie which I blogged about here
Crust can be made up to 24 hours before filling, just cover it in seran and keep refrigerated
Pie should be enjoyed within three days of making

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(Fresh) Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

July 21, 2014 Keep It Sweet 29 Comments

Chewy brown butter cookies with the perfect crispy edge are filled with fresh blueberries and white chocolate chips.

When Matt told me we were going to a barbecue with his co-workers, I knew I had to bring my baking A-game. They’ve actually all been eating my desserts for years, but I didn’t want to let them down when I met some of them for the first time. A cookie made with brown butter is a surefire crowd-pleaser, and I figured that blueberries would be the perfect way to make them a special summer treat. My cookie with fresh blueberry obsession started a couple of years ago and I love that most people are still impressed with the element of fresh fruit in a cookie. This version was inspired by this winter cookie I made for the holidays.

If Matt gets a promotion any time soon, I’ll be taking full credit;-) The blueberry pie I brought will be on the blog next week!

5.0 from 1 reviews

(Fresh) Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

Chewy brown butter cookies with the perfect crispy edge are filled with fresh blueberries and white chocolate chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 large cookies

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
310g (~1⅓ cups packed) light brown sugar
110g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
400g (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoons) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
227g (~1 cup) white chocolate chips
210g (~1½ cups) fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Instructions

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and set aside to cool
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well combined
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed; do not over mix
Slowly stir in white chocolate chips; remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in blueberries
Chill dough for 24 hours for best results (minimum of 2 hours) before baking
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) on to prepared baking sheets (note it is normal for cookie dough to be very hard, you can let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes prior to scooping); be careful not to pack dough too tightly as to avoid crushing blueberries before baking
Bake cookies until firm: 17-19 minutes or until edges are golden brown and blueberries have popped
Allow to cool before serving; best enjoyed within 24 hours or frozen until a few hours before ready to eat

Notes

Adapted from my (Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies

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{Gluten-Free} Summer Berry Skillet Crisp

June 16, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

A summer berry crisp topped with buttery oat crumble. It just so happens to be gluten-free!

I know I’ve talked about this before, but I have a serious issue when I see summer fruit at Costco. I can NOT buy enough. A few weeks ago, I needed food for five days, just five. Now, given my current insatiable pregnancy hunger, I do eat enough for an extra person, but I’m pretty sure that either way, Matt and I can not possibly consume 4 pounds of blueberries, 4 pounds of strawberries and 1 pound of blackberries in just five days. Believe me, I’ve tried. So what’s a person to do when they have an excessive amount of fruit? Bake of course.

I generally don’t let a season pass without making at least one warm fruit crumble of sorts. They are almost too easy to make and compared to some of my typical baking, they are definitely on the lighter side. Of course a generous helping of ice cream is always necessary, but hey, a pregnant lady needs calcium! This might be one of my favorites because it is heavy on the blueberries. There was one summer where I swear, we made blueberry crisp multiple times a week throughout the entire season. So between the nostalgia, and the wonderful bursts of flavor, this crisp definitely made me happy.

{Gluten-Free} Summer Berry Skillet Crisp

A summer berry crisp topped with buttery oat crumble. It just so happens to be gluten-free!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Topping:

55g (~1/2 cup) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
40g (~1/2 cup) old fashioned oatmeal*
70g (~1/3 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
55g (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Filling:

450g (~4 cups) blueberries
370g chopped strawberries (from 465 grams / 1 pound whole)
400g (~4 cups) blackberries
57g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
15g (~2 tablespoons) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
14g (1 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, prepare topping; mix together oat flour, oatmeal and brown sugar
Add butter and use fingers to combine until mixture is slightly lumpy; set aside
Prepare filling; in 10 or 12-inch skillet, stir together fruit, granulated sugar, oat flour, lemon juice and butter; sprinkle evenly with topping
Bake for about 30 minutes or until filling is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, if you see that topping has started to get to brown early, lightly cover with tin foil for remainder of baking time

Notes

Adapted from my Winter Fruit Crisp and Blackberry, Peach and Pistachio Crisp*
If serving to someone with a gluten allergy make sure your ingredients are labeled gluten-free
You can replace fresh berries with frozen but cooking time may increase
This warm berry crisp is best served family style with generous scoops of ice cream
The entire dish can be made ahead of time and kept in refrigerator until ready to bake; may require extra cooking time if cold

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

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Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

June 12, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

This is the best fruit salad for any summer occasion!

First of all, I have to give a shout-out for a HAPPY 4 Years to my wonderful husband. I have a feeling that our fifth year is going to be the most exciting yet!

Do you ever eat something at a restaurant that seems so simple yet so special at the same time? The kind of dish that sticks with you for years? A couple of summers ago, Matt and I had one of the most delicious meals at ad hoc in Yountville. Everything tasted amazing, but I left the restaurant thinking nonstop about the watermelon salad. It was served as an appetizer yet it was topped with financier croutons… cake for dinner! It was a lovely combination of sweet and savory to kick off a fantastic meal.

This fruit salad was highly inspired by that wonderful dinner in Napa. However, I took the flavor profile to a different direction. Sweet and juicy watermelon is tossed with fresh blueberries and basil then topped with a savory blueberry balsamic glaze (that sauce would be good on anything, even chicken or pork chops) and lemon cake croutons. I enjoyed the salad as is for a snack but it also made a perfect appetizer with the addition of feta cheese. Pair it with some grilled chicken for a light but satisfying summer dinner.

Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

This is the best fruit salad for any summer occasion!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Side Dish

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

760g (6 cups) watermelon cut into small cubes (~1/2 – 1 inch size)
140g (1 cup) fresh blueberries
55g (1/2 cup) feta cheese (optional but recommended)
10g (~1/2 cup) chopped fresh basil
1 cup lemon cake croutons (see below)
90 milliliters (6 tablespoons) blueberry balsamic glaze (see below)

Instructions

Toss watermelon, blueberries, cheese and basil carefully in a large bowl
Top with croutons and drizzle with glaze; serve immediately

Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

Author: Lauren Liling

Ingredients

1 cup cubed day old lemon pound cake cut into small cubes (~1/2 inch size) – I used this recipe

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees; line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray
Place cake cubes onto prepared baking sheet and bake in oven for 7 minutes or until lightly browned on top; flip cubes over and bake for an additional 3 minutes or until lightly browned

Notes

Croutons can be used warm and are best served within several hours of preparation; store in an airtight container after making

Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

Author: Lauren Lilling

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

120 milliliters (1/2 cup) good quality balsamic vinegar
280g (2 cups) fresh blueberries, washed and dried
30g (~2 tablespoons) light brown sugar, tightly packed
1g (1/4) teaspoon salt
dash of lemon zest

Instructions

Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a medium-sized heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the balsamic has thickened and reduced to about two tablespoons
Stir in blueberries, brown sugar, salt and lemon zest; increase heat to medium and bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for ~10 minutes until sauce is reduced and thick, stirring occasionally to crush berries
Remove from heat and serve or chill in refrigerator up to one week

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats

Ginger and Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Mango Summer Cake

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Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

June 5, 2014 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

Homemade speculoos (or Cookie Butter) ice cream layered with crushed speculoos cookies and a warm homemade blueberry sauce.

This ice cream is now a serious obsession. In case you couldn’t tell in Monday’s post.

The thing is, despite the fact that it has so much flavor you can most definitely enjoy it thoroughly on its own, I couldn’t leave well enough alone. So I dressed it up with a sauce made from my favorite summer fruit (seriously, I might turn blue this summer) and some cookie crumbs for extra texture. The blueberry sauce is so pretty that this sundae will brighten up your summer table. You can even make a few sundaes ahead of time for entertaining (just wrap and freeze), though, I definitely prefer the blueberry sauce warmed up before serving. It’s sweet but definitely not too sweet (you wouldn’t want an ultra sweet sauce for the cookie butter ice cream) and since you are adding a fruit so high in antioxidants to your ice cream, an extra-large sundae is perfectly acceptable.

Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

Homemade speculoos (or Cookie Butter) ice cream layered with crushed speculoos cookies and a warm homemade blueberry sauce.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 sundae

Ingredients

2 scoops Cookie Butter Ice Cream
2-3 tablespoons Blueberry Sauce (see below)
1-2 speculoos cookies broken into small pieces

Instructions

Layer ice cream, warmed blueberry sauce, and broken cookies; serve and enjoy!

Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

285g (~2 cups) fresh blueberries (frozen can be substituted for slightly longer cooking time)
70g (~1/3 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
10g (~1 tablespoon) cornstarch

Instructions

Place blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot stove with medium heat
Stir occasionally until some of the berries begin to break down and juice begins to form (~4 minutes)
Turn the heat to high, add cornstarch and stir quickly until sauce reaches desired thickness (1-2 minutes)
Serve immediately or reheat gently before using; store leftovers covered or in an airtight container up to one week

No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

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Extra Dark Chocolate Cake with Cookie Butter Buttercream

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BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

May 12, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

These Blueberry Buttercream Cups are the perfect no-bake chocolate treats. They are so easy to make.

I think I might be a little obsessed with buttercream candy cups now. First there were the Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups and then I made these Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups. The thing is, this is such an easy dessert to make. I was able to do all of the work and clean up in the time it took Matt to go to the driving range. I could have eaten them all and he wouldn’t even have had a clue. Sometimes that is the best kind of dessert.

So when I was thinking endlessly of some sort of fancy gender reveal post, I’m glad that it finally occurred to me to make some buttercream cups again. I still don’t have high energy levels so it’s hard to motivate myself to make anything overly complicated. Besides, blueberry buttercream plus chocolate – it’s like a gourmet truffle on crack.

Wait, what? Did I say gender reveal? The filling might not be super blue (I’m trying to stay away from artificial coloring right now), but it is blue! And that’s pretty much my favorite color since we found out that we are having a boy a couple of weeks ago! It actually wasn’t a shock, everyone seemed convinced of that a couple of months ago. If I had been told anything else, I wouldn’t have believed the doctor anyway. I grew up with a sister so this whole boy world is new and exciting for me. And besides that, finding out the sex made things feel SO much more real. We’ve even started looking at furniture and all of the cute room decorations out there. Seriously, how is everything baby so darn cute? And Matt? I don’t think I’ve seen him this happy in the entire 10+ years we’ve been together. That might be the best part!

BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

These Blueberry Buttercream Cups are the perfect no-bake chocolate treats. They are so easy to make.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

227g good quality dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
7g (1/2 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1½ cups Blueberry Buttercream (see below)

Instructions

Line a mini muffin pan with 12 tin foil cupcake wrappers and set aside
Place chocolate and butter in a medium microwave safe bowl; melt by microwaving the chocolate and butter in 30-second increments and stirring in-between
Use a teaspoon to coat the bottom of each cup with melted chocolate; place muffin pan in fridge
Remove pan from fridge and pipe buttercream into center of each cup (about 1 tablespoon)
Spoon melted chocolate over buttercream and around edges so that coated on all sides
Chill for one hour in refrigerator before serving; store in refrigerator up to one week

Blueberry Buttercream

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
240g (1½ cups) powdered sugar
⅛ cup blueberry puree (made from ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries)
½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar; beat on high speed until combined
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add blueberry puree, vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for one minute; beat on high speed for at least five minutes and until frosting is light and creamy; if it appears too thick, continue to beat for another couple of minutes or until it reaches desired consistency

Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups

Dear Pottery Barn Kids – you might just be the end of my bank account.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

Blog, Recipes

Lollie’s Blueberry Pie

July 1, 2013 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

There are so many reasons that I’ve been dying to make this pie for years. One reason is that the original is truly the BEST blueberry pie I have ever had.

Mom, Jess, I think you can agree that it really is THE BEST!

But beyond that, there are memories. Summers at the Jersey Shore. 4th of July spent with family at a time when everyone seemed to get along. Hysterical laughter over the silliest things (namely my sister toasting to “having crabs” but I guess you had to be there). The day Matt asked for permission to marry me (he was smart enough to include my dad, mom AND sister). My complete oblivion to that while anxiously waiting for his proposal (we looked at rings together and then I proceeded to stare at an empty ring finger for two months wondering if he had changed his mind). Hard shell crabs, corn on the cob, brownies, ice cream and of course the PIE.

I guess I should take a step back, huh? Lollie is my grandfather’s neighbor at the Jersey Shore. For my whole life, my family would spend summer weekends (sometimes a lot, sometimes just a few) visiting my grandfather there. And if we were lucky, Lollie would invite our entire family to join in on her huge 4th of July feast. She had children and grandchildren galore, but adding our entire family (cousins, aunts, uncles, and so on) was never too much. There were always plenty of hard shells to go around. And if you are like me, and get too impatient to eat enough crab to fill you, there was dessert. Year after year she made the BEST blueberry pie.

Well, finally, a few years ago, we asked Lollie for the recipe. She said she was happy to share it, but somehow, that little piece of paper that was supposed to be delivered to us on the beach never made it. I think she must have known that by keeping the recipe to herself, she would keep everyone coming back to her. While I don’t think I will ever turn down an invitation to come over and eat her pie, I have been determined to find something almost as good to make on my own. So a few years ago I found this recipe online. It seemed to fit the description of hers: Cook some of the blueberries but fold in the biggest, plumpest berries at the end. Spread a little cream cheese filling over the super flaky crust.

This might not be the pie, but it doesn’t really matter. It is symbolic of a moment in time, well, moments in time, that just make me smile. Despite my discomfort at making pie crust (ahem, this blog is very light on pies), baking it just took me back to a time filled with joy. And in case you were wondering, this pie is actually quite amazing. I think Lollie would even approve.

For the recipe that seems to be pretty close to Lollie’s blueberry pie, click here! I didn’t make any changes!

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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No Bake Blueberry Pie

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Blog, Recipes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

June 23, 2013 Keep It Sweet 22 Comments

I blame this on the cupcake wrappers.

I’m actually not kidding. It has been way too long since I shared a recipe on the blog and I thought that since 4th of July is right around the corner, it was about time I used the cute little American Flag cupcake wrappers that have been in my drawer for over a year.

Given my current obsession with blueberries (they are a required part of my daily breakfast), I wanted to incorporate them into the dessert somehow. For inspiration, I started to flip through my United Cakes of America cookbook and immediately stopped on the red velvet cupcake page. I’ve actually made this recipe before and loved it so I was happy to have an excuse to make it again. And every real red velvet cake lover knows that cream cheese icing is absolutely necessary. So, why not infuse the blueberries into the frosting for a full-on patriotic cupcake?

Looking for more delicious ways to incorporate blueberries into desserts? Here are some of my other favorites:

Blueberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bars

Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate Chip Blueberry Peanut Butter Cookies

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Gluten-Free}

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

Fluffy red velvet cupcakes topped with a fantastic blueberry cream cheese icing!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

10 ounces (2¼ cups) cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature (low fat is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
12 ounces (1½ cups) granulated sugar
2 x-large eggs at room temperature
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) red food dye

Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

6 ounces regular cream cheese at room temperature
3 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup blueberry puree (made from ½ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

Pre-heat oven to 335 degrees; grease and flour two regular sized cupcake tins OR fill them with cupcake liners; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt) and set aside
in a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (buttermilk, vanilla and vinegar) and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy
Scrape sides of the bowl; add eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed between each one; mix in red food dye until combined
Scrape sides of bowl again and then with mixer on low speed, add remaining ingredients- add one third of dry ingredients, then one half of wet ingredients and repeat until everything is added; stop mixer immediately to avoid overmixing
If some ingredients are not well mixed, lightly fold into batter with a spatula
Pour batter evenly into cupcake tins (about ⅔ the way full for each cupcake); I like to use a large cookie dough scoop or small ladle
Bake 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cupcake
Allow cupcakes to cool and make the icing

Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and shortening on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy; make sure there are no clumps from the cream cheese
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add one cup of powdered sugar; beat on high speed until combined; repeat with three additional cups of powdered sugar (make sure to mix between each cup)
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add blueberry puree, vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for one minute
Add remaining powdered sugar, again one cup at a time; after last cup is added, beat on high speed for at least five minutes and until frosting is light and creamy; if it appears to thick, continue to beat for another couple of minutes or until it reaches desired consistency
Pipe as desired onto cooled cupcakes
Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature up to three days

Notes

Cupcake recipe from United Cakes of America
Frosting adapted from this recipe (unsure of original origin)

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Blog, Recipes

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Gluten-Free}

June 25, 2012 Keep It Sweet 43 Comments

Gluten-free banana bread that is moist and just as delicious as regular. No crazy ingredients needed.

Besides my tight shorts, another symptom of my less than stellar gym attendance is an abundance of browning bananas in my kitchen. They are the pre-workout snack of choice in our apartment and when they don’t get eaten it means Matt and I are slacking.

Let’s just say that this recipe and that pie are not the last banana recipes you will see for a while. Oops.

I claimed to have made this gluten-free treat for my sister, but after eating slice after slice of this surprisingly moist and flavorful banana bread, I’ll call myself out. It may be made with almond meal, but you will not miss the flour at all. The texture is almost spot-on and the blueberries and chocolate more than make up for anything you could possibly be missing.

Again, I chose the recipe because it is no-fuss gluten-free baking. Some other almond-meal based desserts I’ve made include Chewy Ginger Cookies and Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Gluten-Free}

Gluten-free banana bread that is moist and just as delicious as regular. No crazy ingredients needed.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Serves 8-12

Ingredients

120 grams / 4¼ ounces (~1½ cups) almond meal
100 grams (2 whole) eggs + 90 grams (3) egg whites, lightly whisked
2 fluid ounces / ¼ cup canola oil
170 grams / 6 ounces (~3/4 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
200 grams / 7 ounces (~1 cup or 2 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried
½ cup dark chocolate chunks

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 5x10 loaf pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for blueberries and chocolate chunks; whisk just until combined
Gently fold in blueberries and chocolate chunks
Pour batter into prepared baking pan; bake for 45-55 minutes or until top is no longer wet and a knife comes out clean from center
Allow to cool before removing from pan and slicing

Notes

Adapted from The Wannabe Chef