Category Archives: Recipes

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

July 25, 2018 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Decadent brown butter blondies with fresh cherries and rich dark chocolate are a perfect summer treat!

Well, it’s been a few minutes since I last blogged. So many minutes in fact, that I didn’t remember how to login and create a new blog post at first! I’m back, though, to share an amazing recipe with some mediocre phone pictures (keeping it real). Plus, what better excuse than blondies to introduce you to my chunk-a-luscious baby boy?

To catch you up a bit, life has been good around here. I’ve got a true three-nager oh my hands (while still being the sweetest best big brother) and a sweet and edible baby E. I’m currently home with both of them and loving life / struggling to figure out exactly where I stand as an individual all at the same time. Normal?

In the meantime, I’ve made these blondies a few times. They were so outrageously delicious that I decided I needed to come back here for a few minutes and share. I hope you make them and enjoy!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

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Decadent brown butter blondies with fresh cherries and rich dark chocolate are a perfect summer treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Blondies

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

254 grams (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
700 grams (~3 cups packed) light brown sugar
400 grams (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
16 grams (2 teaspoon) salt
6 grams (1 teaspoon) baking powder
220 grams (4 large) whole eggs
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
285 grams (~2 cups) fresh chopped and pitted cherries (320 grams whole)*
224 grams (~1½ cup) dark chocolate roughly chopped (I like 70% cocoa or darker to balance the sweetness of the cherries)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat; stir in sugar until well combined and set aside to cool slightly
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk into 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 cherries until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 52-55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool**

Notes

*Red cherries look the prettiest but Ranier are good as well; Halve small cherries, quarter big ones
**For best results cool completely (about 4 hours at room temperature) and then cover with foil and chill in refrigerator before cutting
Wrap well with foil and store in refrigerator for up to four days or freezer for up to two months

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Jewish Apple Cake

April 30, 2017 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Traditional Jewish apple cake made the perfect addition to a Shabbat dinner or weekend brunch.

Photo credit: Raúl Velasco with Alejandro Photography

You know I love making new and interesting versions of traditional desserts: Vanilla Bean Apple Cake; Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread; Mocha Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt; etc. But sometimes, holidays come around or family comes over and you just want the original, unadulterated version.

Well, good news for you and me! My friend Liz at The Lemon Bowl has written a series of e-cookbooks that do just that. Her third and latest e-book, Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Jewish Shabbat Dinner, was written with the help of her Ema Ljuba. The two women spent time re-creating dishes that Ljuba has made for Liz’s family for years. The recipes are familiar and approachable traditional Jewish staples like challah (I can’t wait to try this one) and brisket. Of course I chose to make a cake first and I”m happy that I did.

This apple cake has the warm familiar flavors of the apple cake my mom made growing up. It’s a cinnamon scented, moist cake with generous layers of apples. Just the way any apple cake should be! The best part? It’s a fairly easy recipe that serves a large group of people and there is no mixer required. All stirring can be done by hand!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Ljuba’s Shabbos Apple Cake

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Traditional Jewish apple cake is the perfect addition to a Shabbat dinner or weekend brunch.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the cake batter:

4 apples, peeled and sliced (granny smith recommended)
2 cups + 5 tablespoons granulated sugar (separated)
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup oil (I used canola)
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract’

For the topping:

½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter (or parev margarine), cut into small cubes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; grease and flour an angel food tube pan and set aside
In a large bowl, toss apple slices to coat with 5 tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon; set aside
In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining 2 cups of sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a third small bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, orange juice and vanilla; slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined (do not overmix)
Pour ⅓ of batter into tube pan then layer with ½ of the apples; add in another ⅓ of the batter and layer with remaining apples; pour in the final ⅓ of the batter on top
In another small bowl, make the topping; mix the brown sugar with flour and sprinkle evenly on top of the cake batter; dot with butter
Bake for 1½ hours or until toothpick comes out clean

Notes

Recipe printed with permission from Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Jewish Shabbat Dinner

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Mini Moon Pies

April 17, 2017 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

Shortbread cookies sandwiched with marshmallow filling and covered in a generous rich chocolate coating.

You know it’s been a long time since you blogged a recipe when you barely remember how to use your camera! Things have been busy and I’ve been occupied with life in our new house and my favorite boy over the last few months.

My favorite kitchen helper

However, I knew it was time to come out of my blogging hibernation when I received Christina’s beautiful new book in the mail. Sweet & Simple: Dessert for Two is her latest (third!!!!!) cookbook and I think my favorite so far. Christina’s been a friend of mine for years and I’ve always enjoyed baking recipes from her site, but this cookbook really takes the cake (sorry). The photos are beautiful and I basically want to bake everything (um, Doughnut Gooey Butter Cake anyone?!) in it.

L tasted the cookies before and after dipping in chocolate, he approved both times

And while you know I love making huge batch desserts, I’ve found that small batch-baking is one of the best ways to get in the kitchen with L. He loves cooking and baking with me, but most of all, he loves eating his sweets (it runs in our DNA). We can make a recipe for two that is just the right size for us to share (maybe saving a bite for Daddy). It keeps my child from turning into too much of a sugar maniac on a regular basis (that’s what birthdays are for).

As for these cookies, I highly recommend them. Aside from my toddler wanting to eat the whole batch, we made some to share with some new friends over brunch and I think we’ve now solidified the relationship. No shame in buying friends with cookies over here!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Mini Moon Pies

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Shortbread cookies sandwiched with marshmallow filling and covered in a generous rich chocolate coating.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 mini moon pies

Ingredients

For the dough:

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
40g (1/4 cup) powdered sugar
5 milliliters (1 tablespoon) honey
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
1g (1/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
66g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling

For assembly:

24g (1/4 cup) marshmallow fluff
170g (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) coconut oil

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl with an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar, honey and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy
Add flour and salt, beat on low just until combined
Chill dough in refrigerator for about thirty minutes
While dough is chilling, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
When dough is ready, heavily flour a clean counter or board
(I taped some parchment paper to the counter to manage the extra mess of baking with a two-year old); Use your fingers or a rolling pin to press the dough into a six-inch square; add flour to prevent sticking if needed
Use a two-inch wide biscuit cutter to cut twelve circles from the dough and place on prepared baking sheet
Bake for ~10 minutes or until edges turn golden brown; allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet
Once cookies are cooled, line a large plate with parchment or wax paper and set aside
Melt the chocolate chips and oil in a double boiler (or microwave at fifty percent power,stirring every thirty seconds until melted)
Turn half of cookies over and spread a thin layer of fluff on top of them; press remaining cookies down to make sandwiches;
Dunk sandwiches into melted chocolate and place on prepared plate; chill in fridge for a few minutes before serving

Notes

Cookies stay fresh in freezer for a few days or well wrapped in freezer for up to a month; the cookies will get slightly softer over time
I also doubled the recipe with no problem

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*This post contains affiliate links*

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The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2016

December 27, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

It seems everyone has some mixed feelings about 2016. The year definitely had its challenges but I’m now choosing to look back on all the good. I’ve recently been reminded how lucky I am to have such a wonderful and supportive family. L brings me constant joy (and headache as only a two-year old can), we renovated and moved into a house that’s now starting to feel like a home, and we have friends, new and old, that we can truly count on. Beyond that, it’s really just all the “stuff”. So on that note, I’m looking back on all the good that happened this year, including some of my favorite sweets, to share them with you. Some of the reader favorites have been constant year-to-year, but there are a couple of new ones. And for me, well, you know that I love ice cream. It’ can’t come as a surprise that I included multiple frozen sweet treats in my top ten list.

I hope this new year brings you and your families health and happiness.

The ten most visited recipe posts from 2016:

10. Drumstick Ice Cream Cake – I loved making AND eating this cake!

9. Lemon Truffles (gf)– These are one of the prettiest treats you can make!

8. Mini M&M Cookies – These disappeared at L’s first birthday party.

7. One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies – I make these every year!

6. No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream – Currently Craving!

5. Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – Perfect for a quick cookie-craving fix!

4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies – A breastfeeding mom’s best friend!

3. Pink Champagne Cake Pops– I adore these so I’m glad you to too!

2. Fluffernutter Cookies – One of the best peanut butter cookie recipes!

1. Mixed Berry Sauce (gf) – So simple but this is always a reader favorite!

My ten favorite recipes from 2016:

10. S’mores Layer Cake – The frostings for this cake are everything!

9. Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream – It might sound simple, but this no-churn recipe tastes anything but!

8. Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups – These are creamy, refreshing and oh so cute!

7. Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies – These bakery-style cookies are my secret to making friends!

6. The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies – An instant crowd and chocolate craving pleaser!

5. Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream – My second favorite ice cream of the year, I can’t wait to make this again!

4. Peanut Butter Cup Football Cake – Hands down, the best cookie cake I’ve ever eaten!

3. Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Cream – Inspired by a favorite vacation dessert, this was a huge hit at a dinner party we hosted!

2. Brownie Krispie Treats – One of the most fun recipes I made all year and such a showstopper!

1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream – I made and ate this ice cream on repeat, a serious favorite!

You might also like:

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2015

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2014

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2012

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2011

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

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Six Peppermint Chocolate Desserts You Need To Try

November 28, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Six peppermint and chocolate dessert recipes to kick off the holiday season.

Peppermint Mocha are my favorite holiday season guilty pleasure and it’s no surprise that I’ve translated a variation of that drink flavor into a few different desserts. The holiday season is upon us so it’s time to get baking!

Double Dip Mints

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Covered Oreos

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits (gluten-free)

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Truffles (gluten-free)

Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

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Keep It Sweet Thanksgiving Favorites

November 14, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

This is such a weird holiday year for me. There has been so much going on and now Thanksgiving is somehow approaching. We don’t have an operating kitchen yet, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about all of my favorite holiday foods. Here’s what I’m dreaming about baking right now:

Big Crumb Cranberry Coffee Cake

Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Blondies

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Pie Glaze

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake

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Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 26, 2016 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

Perfect pumpkin cookies! These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are chewy in the middle and crispy around the edges.

!!!!! I’m trying not to go crazy with anxiousness right now. We move into our house in just a few days and I can barely believe it. It’s been a long road since we closed early in the summer. Now, after three months of construction, we are moving into a bit of chaos . There are just a few more weeks of work left to go but so much to do. Luckily, L’s bedroom will be completely finished along with one of the other bedrooms that Matt and I will move into. Other than that, everything is still a work in progress and the remainder of our belongings will be in the basement. All food will be takeout cooked via microwave or toaster oven and we are going to try not to bounce off the walls as the work gets completed.

And packing? It’s definitely a different process with a toddler around. Matt stayed home by himself last weekend to get a head start, but there is only so much we can do and only so many boxes we can stack with L running around. We just have to bust our butts next weekend to get it all done!

So to cope with all that, I’ve been emotionally eating like it’s my job. Not my best move, but that’s life. The other night I was very happy to find a few of these pumpkin cookies left in the freezer and the bliss of eating them was exactly what I needed to forget any house-related anxiety. The only thing better would be a full batch of them reappearing before my eyes.

These cookies are outrageous. In all the chaos of moving, I almost skipped sharing this recipe, but it’s just too good to keep to myself. The big pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are spiced to perfection and bake up amazingly. Chewy middles, crispy edges and cookie heaven right there.

Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Perfect pumpkin cookies! These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are chewy in the middle and crispy around the edges.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 large cookies

Ingredients

170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
81g (1/3 cup) canned pumpkin
262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (1 ½ teaspoons) ground cinnamon
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
234g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
106g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
240g (~1⅓ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Melt butter and pumpkin in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; set aside to cool
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter mixture, sugars and vanilla for several minutes on medium speed or until well-combined
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chocolate chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 24 hours (you can do less chilling, but texture will not be as good)
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~1/4 cup) onto prepared baking sheets so that cookies are spaced one inch apart
Bake cookies 16-18 minutes or until centers are set and appear firm; edges should be slightly browned
Set aside to cool
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week (texture best first day or two) or freeze up to two months

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

September 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Super easy homemade peanut butter and chocolate fudge made with just four ingredients!

Life has been so hectic here, and I suspect I’m not alone. With busy work schedules, back-to-school time and life in general, sometimes cooking or baking for the family can take a back seat. There are so many weeks that I’m scrambling to find a few things in my fridge to throw together so that L, Matt and I are well fed. Keeping those last minute meals interesting without going crazy sometimes seems to be an impossible task.

That’s why I was really excited to receive a copy of Five-Ingredient Recipes, A Cookbook for Busy People in the mail a few weeks ago. Not only are there interesting dinner recipes that most families will enjoy, but there are also fun and super easy dessert recipes as well. I’ve been seriously slacking in the baking department lately so I was thrilled to find a sweet treat recipe that required minimal time and ingredients. Something that I can make with ingredients in my pantry AND get done while L takes his (sometimes way too short) nap is a huge win.

For some crazy reason I’ve never made fudge before, so when I found the recipe for Peanut Butter Fudge in Phi’s cookbook I couldn’t wait to get “cooking.” And I use that term lightly because All I had to do was microwave, stir and chill. This recipe is beyond easy to make and the result is rich, delicious and kind of addicting. Exactly what you want out of a dessert.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

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Super easy homemade peanut butter and chocolate fudge made with just four ingredients!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16-24

Ingredients

130g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)
20g (2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
340g (2 cups) good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
114-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Flaky sea salt (optional, my addition)

Instructions

Line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang for pan removal later; set aside
In a small microwaveable bowl, heat peanut butter for thirty seconds on high heat; stir in powdered sugar; set aside
Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large microwaveable bowl; heat for thirty seconds on high and stir; repeat once or twice until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth (it will get thick quickly); immediately spread in prepared baking pan
Spoon peanut butter mixture over chocolate and use a knife to swirl peanut butter into chocolate; sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired
Chill pan in freezer for thirty minutes or fridge for one hour; once chilled, remove fudge from pan by using sides of parchment paper to lift it up; place on a cutting board and slice
Serve immediately or store leftovers in fridge for up to a week

Notes

Notes:
Recipe from Five-Ingredient Recipes, A Cookbook for Busy People

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received a copy of Five-Ingredient Recipes, A Cookbook for Busy People for free but as always, all opinions are my own.

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

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Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

August 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Rich and creamy no-churn peanut butter ice cream with swirls of milk chocolate and peanut butter.

Part of me wants to apologize for the fact that all I want to make and eat is ice cream. I can’t even blame pregnancy or breastfeeding for this summer’s obsession. But you know what? No churn ice cream is freaking easy and so delicious. No apologies over here!

And since I did figure out the ultimate peanut butter ice cream recipe this past Spring, I figure I should really take advantage of that and make every single version of peanut butter ice cream I can think of. Makes sense, right? Well, this time around I kept it simple with a peanut butter base, peanut butter swirl and milk chocolate ripple. Okay, maybe that sounds complicated, but I promise it’s not. Just four ingredients is necessary to make an ice cream that tastes exactly like a peanut butter cup. Summer eating does not get much better than this!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

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Rich and creamy no-churn peanut butter ice cream with swirls of milk chocolate and peanut butter.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

For the ice cream base:

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
130g (1/2 cup) salted creamy all-natural peanut butter
475 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream

For the peanut butter swirl:

150 (~2/3 cup) salted creamy all-natural peanut butter

For the chocolate swirl:

240g good quality milk chocolate disks or bars, roughly chopped

Instructions

Make ice cream base:

In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk and sea salt until smooth
In the separate bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
Once cream is ready, fold it into peanut butter mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan or ice cream storage container
Make peanut butter swirl:
Microwave peanut butter for 15 seconds
Drizzle half of peanut butter swirl over top
Make chocolate swirl:
In a small microwave-safe dish, heat chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted
Pour half of milk chocolate over ice cream; use a knife to marbleize chocolate and peanut butter into ice cream
Repeat with remaining ice cream, peanut butter and chocolate
Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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You might also like:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

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Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze

July 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

I’ve been so busy making ice cream this summer (seriously, it’s almost embarrassing how much ice cream I’ve made and eaten) that I forgot how much I like to actually bake, you know, with an oven.

Sure, I’ve a couple of quick cookie batches here and there (<- my go-to quick cookie dough base), but sometimes nothing compares to the love, labor and nerves that come along with a cake, especially a bundt cake. I’m sure that many regular bakers would agree that no matter how many bundts you’ve successfully made, every single one will still give you that 10-second anxiety of removing the cake from the pan and hoping that it holds together.

My biggest piece of advice when baking a bundt is to go liberal on the non-stick spray. I like to use the baking spray that contains flour for greasing my cake pans and really coat every crevice. Add to that an adequate cooling time in the pan and you will have a much better chance of your bundt cake coming out in one piece.

This blueberry cake came together beautifully, and despite being super moist and full of berries (they could have made for a gooey mess), it came out of the pan beautifully as well. Before the cake was completely cool, though, I slathered it with a vanilla bean glaze that really complimented the tartness of the blueberries. I ate a slice as soon as I finished taking photos. Matt and L shared one over the counter, not even waiting to find a place to sit to devour theirs.

Of course as soon as we finished the cake, I made yet another batch of ice cream. I just couldn’t help myself!

Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze

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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

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

You might also like:

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Blog, Recipes

Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

July 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Rich chocolate ice cream full of dark chocolate chunks; no churn ice cream for the chocolate lover!

Anyone who has raised a toddler knows that meal time can go in any direction. On a good day, your child will happily eat everything on his or her plate. On a bad day, a child yelling “no eat” or food tossed “accidentally” onto the floor may result. Some days a little game playing (“oh, do you want to use my fork today?” or “how about mommy gets you some special sauce?”) will do the trick. Then there are days when chicken is too much effort to chew and half of it gets spit out.

So when we recently had to give L a medicine that was combined with food, I decided ice cream would be the best bet if we wanted to be 100% sure he would finish it. He is my child, after all. So when I ran out of the all-natural Turkey Hill chocolate he’d been eating, I had to dig into my own stash (what, you think I share my ice cream?). I wasn’t so sure he’d be able to eat those big chocolate chunks but what do you know, my kid who can’t always chew his chicken made his way through every.single.bite. My child for sure!

And really, I can’t blame him. This double chocolate chunk ice cream is the ultimate ice cream flavor for the chocolate lover. The rich dark chocolate base is creamy and basically perfected with the addition of chocolate chunks. And since it’s toddler approved, you know it’s good.

Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

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Rich chocolate ice cream full of dark chocolate chunks; no churn ice cream for the chocolate lover!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

473 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
50g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) dark unsweetened cocoa powder high quality
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
195g (1¼ cups) roughly chopped 55% dark chocolate

Instructions

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together sweetened condensed milk, cocoa and vanilla; mixture will be very thick and you want to remove any cocoa clumps; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
Once cream is ready, gently fold half of it into sweetened condensed milk mixture; gently fold in remaining cream until fully combined; fold in chocolate chunks
Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan or ice cream storage container; wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

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

You might also like:

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Blog, Recipes

Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

June 28, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

No churn graham cracker ice cream with rich milk chocolate chunks.

I’m here! Our internet is fixed, I survived my sister’s bachelorette party (I came back in almost one piece), and I have so many recipes piling up and ready to be shared. There are a few that I’m quite in love with, but since the Fourth of July is this weekend, ice cream seemed like the first priority.

I almost don’t want anyone to know about this ice cream, because there’s a quart of it in my freezer and I”m not quite ready to share. It’s rich, creamy, loaded with graham cracker flavor (and pieces!) and swirled with pure milk chocolate. Important to note, per my usual, it’s an easy no-churn flavor. No ice cream maker needed. There’s so much goodness in every scoop, I’m most definitely in love.

If you want to go sundae crazy, I’d recommend a warm marshmallow sauce to get a s’mores-like impact. Or maybe pile it high with fresh whipped cream and some warm blueberry sauce. For now, I’ll be scooping bowlfuls sans topping to enjoy all the flavor and texture this ice cream has to offer.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

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No churn graham cracker ice cream with rich milk chocolate chunks.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

475 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
140g (~1 cup + 2 tablespoons) finely ground crackers (~ 12 sheets)
80g (1¾ cups) graham cracker broken into bite-sized pieces (~5 sheets)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
240g good quality milk chocolate disks or bars, roughly chopped

Instructions

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, graham cracker crumbs, graham cracker pieces and vanilla
Fold cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan
In a small microwave-safe dish, heat chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted
Pour half of milk chocolate over ice cream; use a knife to marbleize chocolate and ice cream
Top with remaining ice cream and repeat
Wrap well with seran wrap or in an ice cream container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

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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

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

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No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

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Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream

May 24, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

No churn ice cream swirled with cinnamon roll filling and full of cinnamon roll cookie pieces!

Every time I make a new ice cream flavor, I convince myself that it’s a new favorite and I can’t possibly come up with another that I will enjoy as much. The last batch, which was so good that I actually am not allowed to make it again (I had no self-control whatsoever!), was no different. However, this Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream is giving all previous ice cream experiences a run for their money!

Creamy no churn vanilla ice cream is the base. In that, we have cinnamon roll filling (uh, yes!) and chopped chunks of cinnamon bun Oreos (yes, they do exist). Is it me, or were Oreos created soley for being folded into ice cream? My husband might beg to disagree, but I will pile my Oreos into ice cream each and every chance I get!

I may have shed a small tear when I ate the last bowl of this cinnamon bun ice cream. It was that good, really.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream

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No churn ice cream swirled with cinnamon roll filling and full of cinnamon roll cookie pieces!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

475 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
230g (3 cups) roughly chopped cinnamon roll Oreos, roughly chopped (16 cookies)
120g (~1/2 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
6g (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon

Instructions

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; stir in Oreos
In a separate small bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon; set aside
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan and drop half of brown sugar mixture over top; top with remaining ice cream and top with remaining brown sugar mixture; wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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New York Crumb Cake Ice Cream

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Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Cookies {Gluten-free} {Vegan}

May 12, 2016 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

These easy-to-make soft and chewy cookies are made with wholesome ingredients that make them the perfect kid-friendly snack!

Before I tell you all about my new snack obsession these cookies, I need to tell you about the cookbook, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Flight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body.

Before you think I’m crazy or hypocritical for talking about a detox book, let me assure you that I’m not telling you to forego all desserts and sweet treats. But I do want to introduce you to this cookbook, written by my friend Amie Valpone, that talks about finding the best diet for you. Amie used her experience and long arduous journey of healing her body (read more here) as the inspiration for her book. In it, she discusses what foods she learned work for her body and what don’t. She then walks you through how to do an elimination diet and slowly add foods back to find out what is best for you. I found this very informative and fascinating because it’s not all about dairy and gluten (the usual suspects), but also addresses peanuts, canned foods and eggs. While eliminating a food group is not right for me, I know there are many people who experience digestive issues and auto-immune diseases that could greatly benefit from the exercise. What I appreciated most from the book is that Amie is thoughtful and knowledgeable and not judgmental at all. She’s sharing her story to help other people that may be suffering like she was.

The book has so many recipes that I want to try (Honey Cinnamon Quinoa Granola, Curried Lentil Soup, Peach Arugula Salad…) but I started with these Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Cookies because they looked super easy and I had most of the ingredients on hand!

The cookie recipe came together really quickly. You basically just stir a bunch of ingredients together, scoop and bake. No mixer, no chilling dough, easy! Once baked, the cookies are soft and chewy with enough chocolate to feel like a real treat and the warming flavors of cinnamon and cardamom (<- great surprise flavor). However, the other ingredients made me feel good enough to share them with L for snacking. If the chocolate covered hands and mouth was any indication, I’d say he was as much a fan as I was.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Cookies

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These easy-to-make soft and chewy cookies are made with wholesome ingredients that make them the perfect kid-friendly snack! They are gluten-free and vegan, too.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert, Snack

Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients

7g (1 tablespoon) ground flaxseed
45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) water
250g (2 large) very ripe bananas
128g (1/2 cup) almond butter (I used a salted creamy almond butter)
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) maple syrup
13g (1 tablespoon) melted coconut oil (I substituted butter because that’s what I had)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
200g (2½ cups) gluten-free rolled oats
50g (1/3 cup) gluten-free dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) aluminum-free baking powder
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside
In a small bowl, combine the flaxseeds and water, let sit for five minutes
In a large bowl, mash bananas; stir in almond butter, maple syrup, oil and vanilla; add flax mixture and stir until combined
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined (do not overmix)
Use a tablespoon or small cookie dough scoop to drop small mounds (~2 tablespoons each)onto prepared baking sheet
Bake cookies 12-14 minutes or until golden brown and center appears set; allow to sit on pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool

Notes

Recipe from Eating CleanIf baking for someone with a gluten-allergy, make sure to check all ingredient labels for gluten-free
I found that the cookies were best enjoyed the day of baking and then stored frozen in a ziplock bag after that. I let them thaw for about twenty minutes or in the microwave before enjoying them.

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This post contains affiliate links. I received the cookbook, Eating Clean, for free but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

May 2, 2016 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

No churn peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter chunks and chocolate covered pretzel pieces.

I’ve been working very hard to bring you the very best no churn peanut butter ice cream you will ever eat. And by working hard, I mean eating my weight in peanut butter ice cream. No regrets over here!

While I basically eat and breathe peanut butter, I wanted to find a balance between incredible peanut butter flavor and whoa this is pure frozen peanut butter (<—- not that there’s anything wrong with that!). I found that in order to do that, dividing the peanut butter into two parts: 1) peanut butter ice cream base and 2) peanut butter ripple was necessary. I know, I really took one for the team figuring that out.

And while that was ultimately awesome on its own, I wanted to add a mix-in, because ice cream with mix-ins is almost always better than ice cream without! The peanut butter was just calling for something crunchy and chocolaty so chunks of chocolate covered pretzel were a clear choice. I chopped up some Bark Thins because I’m mildly obsessed with them and the chocolate is rich, dark and not too sweet. Peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter ripple and chocolate covered pretzel in almost every bite. Sweet, salty, indulgent.

In case it’s not already been made clear, this was complete peanut butter ice cream perfection.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

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No churn peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter chunks and chocolate covered pretzel pieces.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
130g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter (if using salted natural peanut butter, omit sea salt)
3g (½ teaspoon) sea salt
210g (2 cups) chopped chocolate covered pretzels (I used Bark Thins because I’m obsessed with them)
475 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream

For the peanut butter swirl:

130- 200g (1/2- ¾ cup) creamy peanut butter (see notes*) (if using salted natural peanut butter, omit sea salt)
1g (¼ teaspoon) sea salt

Instructions

Make ice cream base:

In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk and sea salt until smooth; stir in chocolate covered pretzels
In the separate bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
Once cream is ready, fold it into peanut butter mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan or ice cream storage container

Make peanut butter swirl:

Microwave peanut butter for 15 seconds and stir in salt
Drizzle half of peanut butter swirl over top then run a knife through peanut butter to marbleize; repeat with remaining ice cream and peanut butter
Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart
*I prefer to use the full 200g of peanut butter but that can make the ice cream very peanut buttery; use less if you aren’t quite as peanut butter crazy as I am

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

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Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

April 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Cheesecake bars are an easier but equally delicious way to enjoy cheesecake.

To be honest, I’ve barely baked over the last few weeks. Last week I made ice cream (recipe coming soon, it was pretty much the best ever) and a simple Passover dessert, but that was it. Between our week in Florida and every day life chasing L around the apartment, it’s tough to get something into the oven. Plus, I think I’ve subconsciously been taking a break to get extra pumped up to bake for my sister’s upcoming shower.

So these cheesecake bars are already from about two months ago now. Matt had requested vanilla bean cheesecake at some point and I used the excuse of having friends over for dinner to indulge him. Instead of making a regular cheesecake, though, I decided to keep things simple and make cheesecake bars. For any of you who are nervous to bake cheesecake for the first time, that is the way to go. It’s so much easier!

The vanilla bean cheesecake bars were a huge hit. The Oreo crust was chocolaty and crisp and the filling was ultra creamy with vanilla beans speckled throughout. We each enjoyed more than our fair share of cheesecake because it really was delicious. I might have also eaten a couple pieces too many out of the leftovers the next day.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

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Cheesecake bars are an easier but equally delicious way to enjoy cheesecake.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 36 small bars

Ingredients

Crust:

250g (2⅓ cups) Oreo cookie crumbs (about 20 cookies)
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
27g (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

Cheesecake Filling:

454g (2 8-ounce packages) light cream cheese softened at room temperature
370g (1¾ cups) granulated sugar
165g (3 large) whole eggs at room temperature
16g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
The inside of 1 vanilla bean (if leaving this out, replace with 1 tablespoon of additional vanilla extract)
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray, set aside

Make the crust:

In a medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar
Press crumb mixture into prepared baking pan; spread evenly using fingers to push down crust and set aside
To make your cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese in mixer until light, creamy and lumps are gone (about 5 minutes)
Add sugar and combine on medium-high speed well until light and creamy
Beat in eggs, one at a time, on medium speed
Mix in flour on medium speed
Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean and salt and beat until mixture is thick and creamy
Pour cheesecake batter over crust and bake for 36-40 minutes or until edges begin to separate from foil and middle bounces slightly when touched
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
Remove cheesecake from pan and cut into bars
Store in refrigerator and enjoy within five days of baking

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

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Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

April 21, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Big bakery-style chocolate and pistachio cookies are the ultimate cookie treat!

I feel a little bad because I’ve been keeping these cookies to myself for a few weeks now.

They are exactly what I expect a perfect bakery-style cookie to be:

BIG (when it comes to cookies, bigger really is better)
Full of contrasting texture (crispy edges, chewy center and crunchy pistachios)
Major depth of flavor (deep essence of caramel from the brown sugar in the dough, subtle sweetness and richness from dark chocolate, just enough salty from pistachios and flaky sea salt)

Just look at these beauties! Straight out of the oven the chocolate is just perfectly melted through and through. The chopped dark chocolate makes a huge difference in getting that richness in every bite. However, if you have it in you to let them cool, the texture of the cookie will really develop. It’s a win either way!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

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Big bakery-style cookies full of dark chocolate chunks, crunchy pistachios and the perfect hint of salt.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 large cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
130g (1 cup) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g (¾ cup) salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Overfill a large cookie dough scoop (~4 tablespoons total) for each cookie and place onto prepared baking sheets
Bake large cookies 17-19 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool
Texture of cookies best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week at room temperature or one month frozen if stored in an air-tight container

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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This post contains affiliate links.

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Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

April 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Raspberry-swirled lemon cheesecake cups filled with fresh whipped cream and raspberries are the perfect Spring treat!

Today we are channeling SPRING to celebrate my favorite blogger and good friend, Joanne!

Joanne is for sure one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She’s a also good friend, so thoughtful, super smart, extremely creative, funny and talented in multiple arenas (blogging, running, SCIENCE). We’ve been friends for several years now and I can say for sure that she is going to be an amazing mom. I’m so excited for her to welcome her baby girl (and to come give that baby lots of snuggles!!!).

Since Joanne is the queen of seasonal cooking, we are channeling her love of fresh produce with a SPRING-themed virtual baby shower (scroll down for the full menu!). I thought that these little lemon cheesecake cups would be perfect because they are fresh and bright and light for the occasion. The lemon cheesecake batter is simple to make (I had mine in the oven within twenty minutes of starting) and swirled with your favorite raspberry jam. They are then topped off with a lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh raspberries. The tartness from the lemon and berries is perfect for balancing the sweetness of the cheesecake. And for those of you who are timid with lemon desserts (as am I), these are lemony but definitely not lip-puckeringly so.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

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Raspberry-swirled lemon cheesecake cups filled with fresh whipped cream and raspberries are the perfect Spring treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 14 cheesecakes

Ingredients

Cheesecake:

14 vanilla wafer cookies
454g (2 8-ounce packages) light cream cheese softened at room temperature
370g (1¾ cups) granulated sugar
165g (3 large) whole eggs at room temperature
16g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon zest (1 lemon)
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
90g (1/3 cup) raspberry jam, stirred

For the whipped cream

158 milliliters( ⅔ cup) heavy whipping cream, cold
9g (2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
75g (1/2 pint) fresh raspberries, washed and dried

Instructions

For cheesecake:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Line two regular-sized muffin tin with 14 paper cupcake liners; place a cookie on the bottom of each cup
To make your cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese in mixer until light, creamy and lumps are gone (about 5 minutes)
Add granulated sugar and lemon zest and combine on medium-high speed well until light and creamy
Beat in eggs, one at a time, on medium speed
Mix in flour on medium speed
Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt and beat until mixture is thick and creamy
Spoon cheesecake batter into cups; top each with about a teaspoon of raspberry jam
Use a toothpick to carefully swirl the jam into the batter
Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges of cheesecakes are firm and centers are just slightly jiggly
Refrigerate for at least one hour before removing from pan to fill with whipped cream and berries

For the whipped cream:

Beat cream in the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed for several minutes or just until foamy; gradually add sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form
Spoon whipped cream into cheesecake cups and top with fresh berries

Notes

Cheesecake needs at least one hour of chill time before serving but can be made up to three days in advance if kept refrigerated; fill cheesecake cups with whipped cream and berries when ready to serve

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Be sure to check out the rest of the shower menu!

Orange Ginger Spritzer from The Lemon Bowl

Asparagus and Pea Puff Pastry Tarts from Belly Full

Blood Orange Doughnuts from Cook Like a Champion

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups from Keep It Sweet Dessert

Meyer Lemon Soufflé from Blahnik Baker

Strawberry Tartlets from The Cooking Actress

New York-Style Rhubarb Crumb Cake from Warm Vanilla Sugar

Berry Fool Tarts From Bake or Break

Lemon Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Baker Chick

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes from Baker by Nature

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

Blog, Recipes

The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies

April 5, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

The fudgiest brownies you will ever eat topped with fleur de sel are rich, decadent and completely satisfying.

These brownies are, what I like to call, a piece of ultimate chocolate bliss. They are thick and ultra fudgy, studded with chocolate chips, layered with a naturally crackly top and sprinkled with fleur de sel. They aren’t too sweet but they are chocolatey and rich. The salt sprinkled on top helps cut the sweetness, though, with just the right amount of contrast. Eaten alone, with a cup of dark coffee or warm topped with vanilla ice cream, they are pure brownie perfection.

In fact, I’m having major regrets that I brought them to my brother-in-law’s house for a family event and had to leave before dessert was served. Of course I got to taste them beforehand, but ever since that day I’ve had the biggest brownie craving ever. Luckily, brownies are generally very easy to make and, if I dare, I might just have to whip up a batch soon.

Make them for your next party, new mom friend or to keep in the freezer as a secret stash. I won’t tell!

5.0 from 2 reviews

The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies

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The fudgiest brownies you will ever eat topped with fleur de sel are rich, decadent and completely satisfying.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30

Ingredients

Brownies:
256g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
340g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
400g (~1¾ cups, packed) light brown sugar
275g (~5 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) vanilla extract
290g (~2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
135g (3/4 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
135g (3/4 cup) milk chocolate chips
1g (3/4 teaspoon) fleur de sel

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix; fold in chocolate chips
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with fleur de sel
Bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Set brownies aside to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting

Notes

Brownies can be baked ahead of time (store well-wrapped in freezer up to two months or at room temperature up to three days); frost day of serving for best results

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Heart-Shaped Brownie Pops

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

March 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Moist cupcakes bursting with lemon flavor and bursts of poppy seeds are topped with a creamy vanilla bean frosting.

Before I tell you all about these pretty spring cupcakes, we have to talk about a special cookbook that is officially launching TODAY. My friend Andie (author of this book that I love), just published her brand new cookbook, Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook. Not only is the cookbook beautiful (every recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous photo), but it’s also full of stories and background on Andie, her life, and how she eats.

The overall theme is that of balance. The book starts off with recipes for delicious food made with healthy ingredients. Think Brown Sugar & Chili-Rubbed Salmon and Creamy Farro with White Beans & Kale. The lighter section of the book is then followed by more indulgent recipes for special occasions and sharing with friends like Barbecue Chicken Pop Pie and Peanut Butter Mousse Pie. Her balanced approach to eating that prioritizes health without deprivation is so refreshing. It’s the way I try to live and so much more liberating than a life of diets and restrictions. I never really understood that until recently but am so happy that I now have a cookbook that embraces all of that.

Now onto the cupcakes! These moist little cakes pack an intense citrus punch for the true lemon dessert lover in your life! They are a little on the denser side (in a rich and satisfying way), thanks to the sour cream / Greek yogurt in the recipe. They were made especially for my dad who has always adored lemon poppy seed desserts. He enjoyed his cupcakes sans frosting, but for the rest of us, they were topped with a light and creamy vanilla bean frosting. Such a lovely spring birthday treat!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

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Moist cupcakes bursting with lemon flavor and bursts of poppy seeds are topped with a creamy vanilla bean frosting.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

197g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
9g (1¾ teaspoon baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
142g (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
212g (1 cup) granulated sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs
113g (1/2 cup) sour cream (I substituted nonfat plain greek yogurt)
59 milliliters (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
1g (2 tablespoons) grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
17g (2 tablespoons) poppy seeds

Buttercream:

[ ] 6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
56g light cream cheese, cold
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
160g (1 cup) powdered sugar

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a regular-sized cupcake tin with paper or foil liners
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed for several minutes or until light and fluffy
Add eggs and mix on medium speed for one minute; add sour cream or yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and poppy seeds and mix on medium speed just until combined
Reduce mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture but do not overmix; batter will be thick
Spoon batter evenly between cupcake liners (each should be almost full); bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cupcake
Let cupcakes cool for two minutes in tin and then move to a wire rack to cool completely; make frosting while cupcakes are cooling

Buttercream:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for several minutes or until light, creamy and smooth
Add vanilla bean and half of sugar, mix on low speed just until sugar is incorporated; add remaining sugar and mix on low speed for one minute then increase to medium-high speed and mix for a few minutes or until frosting is light and creamy
Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes

Notes

Cupcake recipe from Eating in the Middle
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in refrigerator up to four days

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Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Cream

March 16, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

Classic homemade banana pudding is even better when topped with fresh peanut butter whipped cream!

Ever since our trip to Charleston (yes, I really owe you a post on that!), I’ve been craving banana pudding like crazy. On our last night of vacation, we ordered dinner to the room. I had ratatouille with a fried egg (for the second time on the trip!) and the most amazing banana pudding for dessert! It was made with caramelized bananas and… wait for it… peanut butter whipped cream. All of the deliciousness was crammed into a cute little jar and despite how full I was, I ate every last bite.

I’ve made peanut butter whipped cream before and was already in love. Banana pudding with peanut butter whipped cream ended up being an amazing twist on a classic southern dessert.

So when we had our friends over for dinner a few weeks ago, I was really excited for an excuse to make an entertaining-worthy dessert like banana pudding. Cookies are great and everything, but I can make them any day of the week. Banana pudding? It deserves to be a special party treat.

While I didn’t caramelize the bananas (I have to be picky about where I use my time!), the dessert was every bit as good as I remember it being while we were away. The from-scratch vanilla and rum infused pudding was so luscious, creamy and indulgent. The thinly sliced bananas and softened cookies complimented it beautifully. And the peanut butter whipped cream? Let’s just say that when we indulge in a special dessert, we really do it right around here. Everything worked.

5.0 from 1 reviews

The Ultimate Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

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Classic homemade banana pudding is even better when topped with fresh peanut butter whipped cream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Vanilla Custard

3⁄4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup (35 grams) cornstarch
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
90g (6 large) egg yolks at room temperature
830 milliliters (3 1⁄2 cups) milk, preferably whole
28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, sliced
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla bean paste
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) dark rum (optional but recommended)

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

237 milliliters (1 cup) heavy whipping cream, cold
20g (2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
75 grams (3 tablespoons) creamy peanut butter (do not use “natural”)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
8 medium-sized glasses (~240 milliliters or at least 1 cup each)

40-50 vanilla wafers

3 just ripe (firm) bananas, thinly sliced

Instructions

See notes on preparation timing below

Vanilla Custard

In a large heavy-duty pot, whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch and salt; drizzle in milk and whisk continuously while pouring
Once combined, place pot on stove over medium heat and stir continuously as mixture comes to a simmer; once simmering, continue to stir and cook until thick, about five minutes
Remove from heat and immediately whisk in butter, vanilla and rum; place custard in a heat-proof airtight container overnight in refrigerator before continuing with recipe

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

When ready to make parfaits, prepare whipped cream
Place all ingredients into the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment
Beat on medium-high speed for two to three minutes or until stiff peaks form

To put it all together

Place two cookies on the bottom of each glass; top cookies with about ½ cup of custard; follow custard with 6 thin banana slices and then three additional cookies; top each with remaining custard (should be about ½ cup per glass) and then whipped cream (1/4 –1/3 cup per glass)
Top with additional wafer cookie just before serving if desired

Notes

I highly recommend making pudding the night before serving (it needs time to set) and prepping the parfaits several hours before enjoying. This will ensure that the pudding has set and the cookies have time to soften. If covered well with seran, parfaits can be stored up to 24 hours before serving.
Custard from Smitten Kitchen

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Triple Chip Cookies

March 14, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Crispy, chewy and loaded with three types of chocolate chips, these triple chip cookies are divine!

Life has felt a little bit all over the place lately. Things are really good, but having a toddler has kept me on my toes to say the least! L’s the best little one-year-old you will ever meet, but to describe him as “busy” is an understatement. We’re building blocks and playing with stickers. We are climbing the bed and reaching for all the things I didn’t realize were at arms length. On non-freezing days we are at the park. He tells me to “sit” when we are playing at home (and you better believe he has a specific place for me to land). We talk and sing and dance and pull out all the pots and pans. There are booboos, toddler tantrums and frustrating meals in-between. And when I get the opportunity, hugs and kisses galore. It’s all so much good stuff but let me tell you, it’s exhausting!

And for me, when I feel a little crazed, and don’t have time for complicated recipes, I come back to the classic comforts in the kitchen. At the top of that list, always, is chocolate chip cookies.

These Triple Chip Cookies, are chocolate chip cookies to the max. Don’t even dare to look for a chipless bite because you won’t find one. Packed with semi-sweet, milk chocolate and white chocolate chips, these perfect little cookies are just what I needed to find my moment of peace in all the mom-of-a-one-year-old chaos! They are oh so crisp right around the edges but chewy and chocolaty in the middle. They taste incredible as they melt in your mouth right out of the oven, but save some for later to dip in a glass of milk and you will be oh so happy. Cookie zen as I like to call it!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Triple Chip Cookies

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Crispy, chewy and loaded with three types of chocolate chips, these triple chip cookies are divine!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
75g (2/3) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
75g (2/3) milk chocolate chips
75g (2/3) white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix); fold in chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with medium cookie dough scoop(about 2 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets
Bake cookies 14-17 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results
Texture of cookies best when eaten within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week at room temperature or one month frozen if stored in an air-tight container

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Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

March 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Rich and decadent dark chocolate truffles with a hint of blood orange. These are the best homemade candy!

Over the last few years it’s gotten increasingly harder to schedule plans with friends. Between kids, family obligations and the seemingly speed-of-light passing of time, everyone’s schedules fill up fast. The “let’s do this again, and soon this time!” inevitably turns into the passing of another two months until another date is made. Top that with the winter season leading to at least one child being sick and getting friends together really becomes an unfortunate challenge.

So when we were able to get four of our favorite couples (plus kids!) to our place for dinner, we wanted to make it lots of fun. The night started early (5pm ha!) so that everyone could bring their babies without worrying about childcare. It was definitely a risk to sign up for 4 children under the age of three in one apartment during the witching hour, but we went for it.

Matt and I decided to go Mexican with dinner and break all the rules by making a recipe for chicken enchiladas we hadn’t cooked before (luckily America’s Test Kitchen is always dependable!). Plus, there was plenty of chips and guacamole to go around, even after L ate half of the guac. Add to that cilantro lime rice, Mexican-spiced beans, cumin-roasted cauliflower and salad.

I kept things seasonal and festive with spicy blood orange margaritas (that I’m still thinking about) and thought, why not have a blood orange dessert as well? So these Blood Orange truffles (along with a soon-to-come recipe for banana pudding) made their appearance.

Now, I know that orange and chocolate is a traditional flavor pairing that some people love, but historically it really hasn’t appealed to me. However, these truffles were quite extraordinary. The blood orange brought a fruitfulness to the truffles that complimented the bitterness of the dark chocolate at just the right level. That flavor, with a sensational melt-in-your-mouth richness made them a huge hit. In fact, my friends were a bit in disbelief that I had in fact made the truffles myself.

I promise you, though, that these are a lot easier than you might think. The most complicated part is tediously rolling the individual truffles but it’s very much worth the effort. Additionally, you can make these up to one week ahead of time if stored in the fridge. Just make sure not to eat them all before you gift or serve them. That is no easy feat.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

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Rich and decadent dark chocolate truffles with a hint of blood orange. These are the best homemade candy!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
1g (1 teaspoon) blood orange zest (~1 orange)
142g chopped semi-sweet chocolate
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) blood orange juice (~1/3 orange)
10g (2 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder (you won’t use all of it)

Instructions

Combine heavy whipping cream and orange zest in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat; immediately pour through a mesh strainer over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and orange juice until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles; they will be slightly soft and sticky; freeze for fifteen minutes to set
Once set, roll truffles in cocoa powder and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from my lemon truffles
May store in refrigerator up to one week

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Fluffernutter Cookies

February 26, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies sandwiched together with marshmallow buttercream.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a fluffernutter sandwich, but the memories of soft white Wonder Bread slathered with creamy Skippy (most definitely not all natural) and sweet marshmallow fluff are still vivid in my mind. Everything just melded together in one perfect bite with the soft bread and the sticky sweet and salty combination of peanut butter and fluff. How this ever made its way into my lunch box on occasion I’ll never know (best mom ever?), but I am glad that it did. No turkey, tuna or even the similar but not even close peanut butter and jelly could compare.

And while not much could be better than that classic fluffernutter sandwich, these cookies really do get you to that ultimate flavor and texture profile. The peanut butter cookies are just pure peanut butter goodness. They are soft, chewy and uninterrupted. I chose to keep the chips and nuts out of the picture to make it that way. And then the marshmallow buttercream holds it together and the cookies and icing just melt into each other in every bite. If you are looking to have a love affair with a cookie, I’d suggest this one.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Fluffernutter Cookies

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Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies sandwiched together with marshmallow buttercream.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 dozen cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookies:

130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
12g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking soda
113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
258g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter
160g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar
117g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Marshmallow Frosting

170g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
200g (1¾ cup) marshmallow fluff
240g (1½ cups) powdered sugar
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

For Cookies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside
Using a mixer, in a large bowl beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture just until combined
Chill dough for 2 hours or overnight
After chilling the dough, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Use a small cookie dough scoop to place cookie dough balls (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart; lightly press palm into scoops to flatten
Bake ~8 minutes until cookies are brown around the edges

For Frosting:

Cream butter on high speed until light and fluffy; add fluff and combine on high speed until smooth
Add sugar and mix on low speed until combined; increase speed to high until light and fluffy
Mix in vanilla on high speed until combined

To Make Cookie Sandwiches:

Match cookies in pairs so that each side is about the same size
Spread or pipe about 2 teaspoons of frosting on the bottom of one cookie from each pair
Top other cookie and press down lightly
Store cookies in an airtight container up to three days; may be frozen for up to one month

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Brown Sugar Caramel Pear Crisp

February 19, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Warm caramel pear crisp topped with a crisp oatmeal topping is perfect the cold late winter days.

Every February I get that feeling that Spring isn’t too far away. And while in some parts of the states that is probably true, here in the Northeast we don’t get real spring weather until close to May. So to make it through that long cold stretch, we need warm, comforting dessert.

Crisps, crumbles and cobblers never fail to disappoint. Warm sweet fruit topped with a flavorful crumbly topping, often served with ice cream… what’s not to like? Here I took advantage of the plethora of pears we had while they are still in season. They paired so well with a brown sugar caramel. If you want, you can serve the crisp with ice cream and additional caramel sauce (the recipe makes more than enough for the crisp itself). However, this was really good enough to stand on it’s own. The pears almost melt in your mouth and the oatmeal-ful topping is so satisfying.

Brown Sugar Caramel Pear Crisp

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Warm caramel pear crisp topped with a crisp oatmeal topping is perfect the cold late winter days.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Serves 6

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
½g (¼ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
55g (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Filling:

700g sliced ripe pears (about 4 large)
15g (~2 tablespoons) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
⅓ cup brown sugar caramel sauce (recipe below)

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 9-inch round shallow baking dish (like a pie plate), stir together pears, oat flour and caramel sauce
Distribute topping evenly over top of fruit
Bake for about 20-25 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

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Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

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Brown sugar-based caramel sauce adds a special element to the pear crisp!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

234g (1 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) whole milk
5g (1 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Place the sugar, butter, and salt in a medium-sized heavy-duty pot over medium heat; stir until the butter and sugar have dissolved
Sir in milk; increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook for four minutes (mixture should come to a boil within one minute); immediately remove from heat and stir; pour into a heat-proof bowl to cool
Store in refrigerator up to one week before using; re-heat gently in microwave to loosen before using

Notes

Adapted from Recipe from The Level Headed Chef

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Red Velvet Blondies

February 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Chewy red velvet blondies with white chocolate chips are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! They are chewy, fudgy and delicious.

*This post is sponsored by T-Sugars. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Chewy, gooey, red velvety perfection. If you are looking for an easy but ultra delicious recipe to celebrate Valentine’s Day, this is for you. Thanks to being spiked with cocoa powder and red food coloring, I’ve turned your traditional blonde hued dessert into a festive holiday treat.

You might argue that this is no longer a blondie based on its shade, but I beg to differ. That important base of butter and brown sugar is intact. In fact, I used T-Sugars’ Belgium Cassonade Sugar in this recipe and thanks to its ultra soft texture and caramelized flavor, the blondie feel and flavor is not only there, but actually prominent in a very good way. Chewy but crackly, Sweet but flavorful. And while there is cocoa powder in the recipe, the hint of chocolate is like a treat to the palate, not an overbearing forethought.

The blondies have been filled with white chocolate chips which add a nice texture and sweetness to the mix. And that powdered sugar dusting? It’s a special touch for appearance made easy with the Icing Sugar Mill I received in my T-Sugars package. Gourmet finely powdered sugar without the massive mess? Yes!

Wondering what’s so special about T-Sugars? The company specializes in gourmet high-quality sugars and while traditional brown sugar can be used in this recipe, I found that the T-Sugars’ Belgian Cassonade Sugar resulted in a stronger caramel flavor and better chewy texture in this blondie. It wasn’t even a contest.

Red Velvet Blondies

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Chewy red velvet blondies with white chocolate chips are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! They are chewy, fudgy and delicious.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

350 grams (~1½ cups firmly packed) T-Sugars' Cassonade Sugar (gourmet brown sugar)
113 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
130g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
20g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
21/2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110 grams (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) red food coloring
170 grams (1 cup) white chocolate chips
T-Sugars' Icing Sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium saucepan, heat Cassonade Sugar and butter over medium heat and stir constantly until melted into a thick golden brown mixture; set aside
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk eggs vanilla, and red food coloring until combined
Whisk in brown sugar butter mixture
Slowly whisk in flour mixture just until combined
Stir in chips
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-34 minutes or until top begins to crack and a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool; sprinkle with Icing Sugar before serving

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Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

February 8, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Healthier banana chocolate chip muffins are easy to make and great for grab-and-go breakfasts. No mixer needed to make this muffin recipe!

L’s appetite hasn’t been that great over the last week (teething? cold? toddler-itis? who knows!). But you better believe when I gave him one of these banana chocolate chip muffins that within minutes the muffin had disappeared and there was chocolate smeared all over his face. It took a lot of convincing to get him to go back to eating his hard boiled egg afterwards.

I’ve made a few different versions of this healthified banana muffin but this is my favorite one. It’s moist from the bananas while still hearty thanks to the whole wheat flour and oat bran. Plus, there are just enough chocolate chips to make the muffins feel treat-like while still being snack and even breakfast-friendly.

Did I mention that these banana muffins are easy to make? No mixing bowl required! In fact, this is one of those recipes I can actually make while L is toddling around the apartment (aka sprinkling a trail of cheerios all over the floor and yelling “ha” (hot) at the oven.

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Healthier banana chocolate chip muffins are easy to make and great for grab-and-go breakfasts. No mixer needed to make this muffin recipe!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

155g (1 cup) whole wheat flour
55g (1/2 cup) oat bran
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
1g (¼ teaspoon) salt
(1/2g) ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
210g (2/3 cup) mashed ripe bananas (~2 medium)
106g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar ->106g
60g (1/4 cup, packed) light brown sugar ->60g
80g ( 2 x-large) egg whites
2 milliliters (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
237 milliliters (1 cup) low fat buttermilk
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) canola oil
110g (2/3 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oat bran, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except for chocolate chips (bananas through buttermilk)
Add dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (batter will be wet); fold in chocolate chips
Use a large cookie dough scoop or ladle to evenly distribute batter into cups (each cup should be about ¾ full)
Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature up to three days or in freezer up to one month (defrost overnight in container or in microwave for about 30 seconds)

Notes

Significantly adapted from these muffins.

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Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

February 3, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Super thick and fudgy brownies covered in bakery-style vanilla frosting. A great alternative to cake for a celebration.

I’ve talked in the past about how, as a kid, I never wanted traditional birthday cake. For years my first choice dessert was a Baskin-Robbins’ ice cream pie followed by brownies as a close second. Cookie cake didn’t fall too far behind. My poor buttercream-loving mother is probably hanging her head remembering those days.

I’ve since come around and love birthday cake, but all of those other desserts still hold a special place in my sweets-loving heart.

Of course the brownies I remember were just brownies. Fudgy? Yes. Delicious? Yes? But frosting, definitely not. I really was missing out as a child. This fluffy buttercream isn’t necessary but man oh man does it add something special to the brownies. It’s creamy and light and makes the thick fudgy brownie extra indulgent. Brownies never looked so good for a birthday before!

Not celebrating any birthdays any time soon? Make them for Super Bowl. Your football-loving friends will love you too!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

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Super thick and fudgy brownies covered in bakery-style vanilla frosting. A great alternative to cake for a celebration.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30

Ingredients

Brownies:

256g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
340g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
400g (~1¾ cups, packed) light brown sugar
275g (~5 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
89 milliliters (6 tablespoon) strong brewed espresso (4 grams (1½ tablespoons) espresso + 89 milliliters (6 tablespoons) water))
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
290g (~2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Vanilla Buttercream

280g (19½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
300g (1⅞ cups) powdered sugar
33 milliliters (2¼ tablespoons) milk, any type
11 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
1g (1/8) teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Brownies:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs, espresso and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool completely before removing from pan prepare frosting

For the Buttercream:

In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for eight minutes or until pale and creamy
Add half of powdered sugar, mix on low for 30 seconds
Add remaining powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; mix on low for one minute and then increase speed to medium and beat for six minutes or until very light and fluffy
Use a flat metal spatula to frost the brownies

Notes

Buttercream recipe source: Sweetapolita
Brownies can be baked ahead of time (store well-wrapped in freezer up to one month or at room temperature up to three days); frost day of serving for best results

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Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt

Fudgy Double Creme de Menthe Brownies

Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies

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Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

February 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

I love that there are plenty of excuses to bake around Valentine’s Day. Kid’s class parties, sweet treats for friends, and of course something special just for two. I’ve been spreading the love to some neighbors, doormen and even real estate brokers. And you know what, I don’t hear any complaining;-)

These cookies are fairly easy to make and appear so simple (while pretty), but I assure you they are anything but boring. The vanilla bean paste adds an extra special flavor element to the buttery shortbread cookie and then of course, there are M&Ms. I don’t know what it is about an M&M cookie that is so appealing but they never, ever disappoint. Make these to spread some Valentine’s Day love in your world.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

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Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or replace with additional teaspoon of vanilla extract)
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
320g (1⅓ cups) M&MS

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt and beat until well combined
Stir in flour; stir in M&Ms
Scoop dough with a medium cookie dough scoop (~2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months

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

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Blog, Recipes

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

February 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

Save Print

Vanilla bean shortbread cookies are even better when there are M&Ms in them! These shortbread cookies are easy to make and delicious to eat. Use pretty pink M&Ms for a Valentine’s Day treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or replace with additional teaspoon of vanilla extract)
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
320g (1⅓ cups) M&MS

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt and beat until well combined
Stir in flour; stir in M&Ms
Scoop dough with a medium cookie dough scoop (~2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months

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

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Blog, Recipes

The Thirty Best Dessert Dips To Make for The Super Bowl

January 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

The Super Bowl is infamous for being the snacking holiday of the year. Chips and dips are synonymous for watching football games and I just don’t understand why cookies and sweet dips don’t get the same attention. Well, it’s time to change that. Here are the 30 best dessert dips that you should make for the Super Bowl. Slice up some apples and stock up on graham crackers and pretzels for your sweet dipping needs!

3-Ingredient Chocolate Lava Dip from Two Healthy Kitchens

5-Minute Whipped Caramel Apple Dip from Country Cleaver

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Brown Sugar Chai-Spiced Caramel Fondue from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Brownie Batter Dip from Tammilee Tips

Candy Cane S’mores Dip from Cafe Delites

Cannoli Dip from Wine Lady Cooks

Cherry Cheesecake Dip from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fruit Dip from The Lemon Bowl

Cookie Dough Dip from Belly Full

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip from Diethood

Creamy Lemon Dip from Cooking on the Front Burners

Fruit Salsa from Culinary Hill

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip from Running to the Kitchen

Homemade Cookie Butter from Donuts, Dresses and Dirt

Hot Chocolate Dip from Neighbor Food Blog

Hot Fudge Malt Dip from Crumbs and Chaos

Lime Curd Dip from Always Order Dessert

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip from Chocolate Moosey

Nutella Cheesecake Dip from Snappy Gourmet

Peanut Butter Brownie Batter Dip from Crazy For Crust

Peanut Butter Cup Apple Dip from Crumbs and Chaos

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip from Country Cleaver

Pumpkin Yogurt Dip from The Lean Green Bean

Skinny Cookie Dough Dip from With Salt and Whit

Skinny Red Velvet Cookie Dough from With Salt and Whit

Slow Cookie Caramel Apple Pie Dip from The Magical Slow Cooker

Strawberry Cheesecake Dip from Julies Eats and Treats

Tagalong Cookie Dough Dip from Wine and Glue

Tiramisu Dip from Lemon Tree Dwelling

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

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

January 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

Cookie dough dip made with brown butter, cream cheese and lots of chocolate chips is a perfect super bowl treat!

Sometimes I’m a really good wife.

And sometimes, I make pure crack cookie dough dip when my husband’s on a diet. Sorry, Matt.

But can you blame me? We were in the midst of a massive snowstorm with an animal a toddler to keep busy and Super Bowl recipes to create. Brown butter cookie dough was clearly the only option.

Truthfully, if Matt had caved and eaten some, I think he would have agreed that each bite was worth every.single.calorie. But he stuck to his healthy eating and I was left to enjoy the creamy, sweet, deliciousness all to myself. Well, almost… I actually brought some to my neighbors (snow day mvp?), because I like to fit into my jeans, too.

I think I made a version of cookie dough dip a few years ago when it was first making waves around the internet. It was good and everything, but this brown butter version is even better. It’s a super indulgent and delicious way to enjoy the nuttiness of a deep brown butter-infused dessert. And cookie dough dip is pretty much the ultimate recipe to make for the Super Bowl because it’s a dip. It goes perfectly with the pretzels everyone’s already snacking on but also pairs well with graham crackers and animal crackers. Plus, it’s super easy to whip up and you can make it ahead of time and then keep it in the fridge until party time. One more bonus? It’s accidentally gluten-free. Extra party friendly.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

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Cookie dough dip made with brown butter, cream cheese and lots of chocolate chips is a perfect super bowl treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert, Snack

Makes: 3 cups

Ingredients

142g (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
226g (1 8-ounce package) light cream cheese, softened at room temperature
117g (1/2 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
80g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
190g (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

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 place in fridge until completely cooled for (about 30 minutes)
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment; add cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed or until well combined
Add sugars, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed until completely combined
Stir in chocolate chips
Serve immediately or store covered in refrigerator up to three days
Serve with graham crackers and pretzels

Notes

*Make sure you give yourself enough time to completely cool the brown butter(about thirty minutes); once that is done the dip takes only about five minutes to make!
Adapted from the many recipes online found by searching “cookie dough dip”

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars

M&M Cookie Dough Cups

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Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake

January 18, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Peanut butter cup cookie cake shaped and decorated like a football for Super Bowl!

While you should be excited about making a fun football-themed treat for Super Bowl, you should be really, really excited about how good this cookie cake is. I warned you about the peanut butter treats this month and this cookie cake packs a serious peanut butter punch. The cookie dough bakes up so that the cookie cake is chewy and fudgy (can something be fudgy if it isn’t chocolate based?). Bonus points for chunks of peanut butter cups in every bite. You probably won’t care so much about who wins the game because this dessert is clearly winning.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake

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Peanut butter cup cookie cake shaped and decorated like a football for Super Bowl!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Cake:

130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
12g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking soda
113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
258g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter (not all natural)
160g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar
117g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
290g (1 3/5 cup) chopped peanut butter cups

Milk Chocolate Glaze

120g (3/4 cup) milk chic chips
43g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) corn syrup
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

For decorating:

20g (3 tablespoons) white chocolate chips

Instructions

Make the cookie cake:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees ; put square piece of parchment paper on bottom of an 11-inch tart pan (corners should slightly overlap edges of pan) and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside
Using a mixer, in a large bowl beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined; reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture just until combined; stir in peanut butter cups
Evenly press cookie dough into tart pan; bake 18-20 minutes until edges are brown and a toothpick comes out clean from center
Allow to cool completely (about three hours) and then carefully remove from pan by sliding onto a cutting board with parchment paper still on bottom
Cut a two inch strip out from center of cookie cake (each slice should be 4 ½ inches from edge of cookie cake); carefully place two outside pieces of cookie cake on a large serving plate; push them together so that cut edges are touching and cookie is now shaped like a football

Make glaze

Combine chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a small pot over low-medium heat whisking constantly until melted and smoothie; remove from heat and stir in vanilla
Pour glaze carefully over cookie cake so that all surface except for edges is covered
Allow to cool for 15 minutes
Decorate with white chocolate chips for football appearance

Notes

Cover carefully with seran wrap and store at room temperature; best enjoyed within two days
Cookie cake can be frozen without decorations; wrap well with tin foil and freeze up to one month

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

Black and White Cookie Cake

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Valentine’s Day Brownie Pops

January 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Fudgy delicious brownie pops made from scratch! These heart-shaped treats are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

I was in the mood to make something pretty, fun and ultra delicious for Valentine’s Day this year. And while I love cake pops, the idea of brownie pops came to mind for a change. So instead of making a cake AND buttercream I made the ultimate fudgy brownies and turned them into pops. The texture of the brownies is actually perfect for molding (they are that fudgy) so no frosting needed! Plus, dipping the pops in chocolate really seals in the moisture. It makes them ideal for when you need to make a treat ahead of time. Class parties, Valentine’s Day soirees, or even bridal showers would be perfect excuses for these pretty heart-shaped pops.

When I started making them, I actually made balls at first. And then in a moment of déjà vu, I remembered that my mom and I had made hundreds of heart-shaped cake pops a few years ago for an Anthropologie event. And what do you know, making a ball shape into a heart is actually super easy. You just have to pinch the bottom, press a thumb into the top and voila. Something extra festive for a love-themed occasion.

And a little confession so you know just how much we loved these. The recipe makes about 50 heart-shaped brownie pops and I only shared a few of them. Maybe a dozen at most? I just couldn’t bring myself to give any more away. Oops.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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Fudgy delicious brownie pops made from scratch! These heart-shaped treats are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 4 dozen pops (easily doubles)

Ingredients

½ pan of The Ultimate Fudgy Brownies, cooled
4-dozen 6-inch lollipop sticks
600g semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped or in disks
½ - 1 cup colored sprinkles

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
Cut sharp edges and corners off of brownies; break remaining brownie into pieces and place in a large bowl; mush together into a fudgy consistency
Use a small cookie dough scoop or large spoon to scoop balls (about 1 tablespoon each) of dough onto wax paper
Use your hands to roll the scoops into balls
Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place in freezer for at least two hours
Prepare another baking sheet with wax paper for finished pops, alternatively, have a large piece of styrofoam available for drying brownie pops
Once balls are frozen, you can make the pops
Put chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and place in over a pot of simmering water; stir chocolate constantly until melted (you can also melt in the microwave)
Remove balls from freezer; dip the top of each lollipop stick about ¼ of an inch into the melted chocolate and immediately press into brownie ball two thirds of the way through
(Optional) To make hearts: Pinch the bottom of each ball together with your fingers to form a rounded upside down triangle. Then, press your thumb into the top of the pop to create a dip for the top of the heart. Smooth out any imperfections by carefully using your fingers to mold the shape. Chill pops in freezer for an additional 15- 30 minutes or until firm again
Once complete, dip each pop, one at a time, into melted chocolate; lightly tap off excess chocolate and place cake pop on wax paper or stick into styrofoam; decorate with sprinkles immediately before chocolate hardens
Repeat until all pops are dipped and decorated
Allow to cool and for chocolate to harden before serving

Notes

Brownie can be made one day before making pops; just make sure it is wrapped tightly with seran or tin foil (can also freeze well-wrapped up to one month)
Cake pops can be made up to one week in advance of serving

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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The fudgiest brownies ever.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: One 9x13 pan of brownies

Ingredients

256g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
340g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
400g (~1¾ cups, packed) light brown sugar
275g (~5 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
89 milliliters (6 tablespoon) strong brewed espresso (4 grams (1½ tablespoons) espresso + 89 milliliters (6 tablespoons) water))
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
290g (~2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs, espresso and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool completely before using

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Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

Hot Cocoa Cookies

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Grown Up Puppy Chow Popcorn

January 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Salted chocolate and peanut butter popcorn dusted with a light layer of powdered sugar.

I grew up in a popcorn family. During high school, we’d eat gigantic bowls of air-popped popcorn doused in Old Bay seasoning as an afternoon snack. At night, it’s a frequent TV-watching accessories at my parents’. And around Christmas, my mom and I bought at least 5 big popcorn tins between the two of us. So when we were planning Christmas day festivities with an afternoon of gingerbread house making, an indulgent popcorn treat seemed to be the perfect snack.

In fact, my sister and I have been talking about making puppy chow popcorn forever. Chocolate, peanut butter, crunchy popcorn, how could we not?

I made a couple of changes to the original recipe like reducing the powdered sugar (trust me, you don’t need it any more sweet) and adding some sea salt, because, duh. This recipe makes a huge batch of chocolate and peanut butter covered popcorn for any snacking occasion. And since the biggest snacking occasion of the year is coming up soon (ahem, the Super Bowl), I just had to share it. Trust me when I tell you to make this. My popcorn-loving family was very, very happy.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Grown Up Puppy Chow Popcorn

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Salted chocolate and peanut butter popcorn dusted with a light layer of powdered sugar.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Snack, Dessert

Makes: 12 cups

Ingredients

70g (10 cups) popped popcorn
250g (1½ cups) semi sweet chocolate chips or disks
130g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, in ½ inch thick slices
4g (1 teaspoon) sea salt
55g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
Place popcorn in a very large bowl (you will need room for stirring)
Place chocolate, peanut butter and butter in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup; heat in microwave for 30 seconds and then stir; repeat until mixture is completely melted; stir in salt
Pour over popcorn and stir until completely coated
Sprinkle powdered sugar over popcorn and then stir until completely mixed; spread out over prepared baking sheet and place in fridge to chill for 45 minutes or until set

Notes

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Over 30 Gluten-Free Desserts Without Any Weird Ingredients

January 8, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Over 30 delicious gluten-free desserts made with ingredients that are already in your kitchen!

You probably have at least one friend who avoids eating gluten. And with new year’s resolutions underway, they might be even more common. When you don’t bake gluten-free recipes often, it can be intimidating to try to make one. Many recipes call for a variety of specialty flours or gums. While I’ve used almond flour and quinoa flour, I’ve never been motivated to invest in an array of gluten-free flours beyond that (and they can be expensive!). As a result, when baking for friends or family members who don’t eat gluten, I stick with dessert recipes that are naturally gluten-free. This tends to be a successful strategy because as you can see below, there are still a ton of options.

One important note, though. If you are baking for someone who has a serious gluten-allergy, cross contamination of flours can be a serious issue. Make sure that your dishes, utensils and counter surfaces are completely clean and that all ingredients are specifically labeled gluten-free. Something like oatmeal, for example, is naturally gluten-free, but some brands may be made in facilities that are not completely gluten-free.

Looking for more? Some of my favorite gluten-free bloggers are:

London Bakes

Feed Me Phoebe

All Day I Dream About Food

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

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Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

January 6, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Brown butter, peanut butter AND snickers all in one seriously good cookie!

As it turns out I have lots of peanut butter recipes coming this month. So, if your resolution was to eat more peanut butter (perfectly reasonable), I’ve got you covered! Alternatively, if you are watching your sweets consumption, I promise that all of the desserts I’m posting this month are absolutely worth every.single.calorie.

Worth-it desserts. My motto, always!

And to make sure these cookies are absolutely worthy of your indulging, I had to test a few batches to make sure that you can really taste all of the important components. What’s the point of having brown butter and peanut butter if you can’t taste both? Lucky for you, I did the hard part.

(And actually, I’m still making my way through some of the earlier versions because while they weren’t perfect, they still taste quite good. No cookie waste around here!)

As you can see from these photos, the Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies are completely loaded with good stuff. The caramel from the snickers oozes in almost every bite. The dough itself is a little dense, chewy and also crisps around the edges. And the flavor? I can’t emphasize enough how well the peanut butter and brown butter really come through. There is just enough of each and they somehow share the spotlight very well. My friends who sampled these cookies couldn’t say enough about how good they were.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

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Brown butter, peanut butter AND snickers all in one seriously good cookie!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 large cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
170g (2/3 cup) creamy peanut butter (do not use all natural)
255g (~1 cups packed) light brown sugar
165g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
110g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
400g (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
300g (~2½ cups) chopped Snickers
Optional, but recommended: flaky sea salt

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 place in fridge to cool for fifteen minutes
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with peanut butter and sugars; beat on medium-high speed until well combined (will be the texture of wet sand)
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium-high 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 snickers
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); if dough is crumbly, make sure to tightly pack the scoops before baking
Top scoops of cookie dough with flaky sea salt
Bake cookies ~15 minutes or until firm and edges are golden brown
Allow to cool before serving; best enjoyed within four days or frozen up to two months

Notes

Cookie dough requires at least two hours of chilling for best results

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

January 4, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StartWithJifPowder #CollectiveBias

A green smoothie that tastes like a sweet treat! This peanut butter, chocolate and banana smoothie is a perfect way to start your new year.

I mentioned in my weekly post that I’m trying to continue to eat intuitively. Since being pregnant and having L, I’ve learned a lot more about what works for my body. Apparently nonstop dieting isn’t the only answer. It’s surprising to me, and actually, I’m almost afraid to say it out loud, but listening to my body seems to work.

For me that means eating a balanced diet (lots of produce, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts) about 80% of the time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are generally in that capacity. Well-rounded snacks are also important. In fact, what I’ve learned keeps me feeling my best is eating regularly and avoiding that “I’m starving and need to eat everything in sight feeling.” No resulting binging. No uncontrollable cravings. And then at the end of the day, I don’t feel bad having my cookies or ice cream.

This self-discovery has been completely freeing. I’m no longer overwhelmed by self-imposed restrictions and find myself feeling generally better on a regular basis. Food hangovers are few and far between and I’ve been wearing the same size jeans since May (seriously, I myself am shocked). Plus, and maybe even the biggest benefit, is that I’m setting a positive example for L. This is the new me that I hope to hold onto through 2016 and beyond!

Now, it’s no secret that I am and always have been a peanut-buttter-aholic. My brother and sister-in-law even bought me a peanut butter of the month club for my birthday! I’m always excited to try different versions but almost always go back to the basics. Peanuts or peanuts and salt. That’s why I was eager to try the new Jif Peanut Powder. It is made from just one ingredient, you guessed it, (fresh roasted) peanuts. As a result, you can personalize it to your peanut butter eating preferences.

You can find the Jif Peanut Powder in the peanut butter section at Walmart!

It really is a perfect new addition to my pantry. I’ve started adding it to smoothies for some extra protein and fiber along with a delicious peanut butter flavor. It blends really well and doesn’t add a ton of calories (which is good, because let’s be honest, a smoothie is never going to replace a full meal). So when I pump up a smoothie with balanced ingredients like spinach, fruit and Jif Peanut Powder, I’m left feeling satisfied until my next meal.

The smoothie I’m sharing here is super easy (only seven ingredients including ice), full of nutrition (hello green veggie) and completely satisfying for your early morning or afternoon sweet tooth. Go get yourself some peanut powder and make it as part of your breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Trust me, it will leave you feeling good. And for me, that’s what eating intuitively is all about.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

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A green smoothie that tastes like a sweet treat! This peanut butter, chocolate and banana smoothie is a perfect way to start your new year.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Snack, Breakfast

Makes: 1 large smoothie or 2 small smoothies (475 milliliters / 2 cups total)

Ingredients

¾ cup Silk Almond Milk (I like unsweetened original or vanilla)
15g (3 tablespoons) JIF Peanut Powder
5g (1 tablespoon) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
28g (1 cup) loosely packed fresh spinach
150g (~1 large) frozen ripe banana, sliced
80g (½ cup) ice cubes

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender in order listed above
Turn on low speed and slowly increase to high speed; blend for two minutes or until completely blended and smooth (time may vary depending on blender strength)

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This post contains affiliate links.

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Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bites

Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Ripple

Blog, Recipes

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2015

December 29, 2015 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

2015 was a big year for me. It started out slow on the blog as I was consumed with a newborn baby. But as L grew, I became more comfortable as a mom and found my blogging groove again. It felt good to put hard work into something I was passionate about and as I look back through the year of posts, I’m actually pretty proud of myself for all that I did. Take a look at reader favorites and mine as well. Let me know what yours was, too!

The ten most visited recipe posts from 2015:

10. Fresh Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies – Many readers have made and loved them.

9. How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer (gf)– I make this recipe ALL the time.

8. Easy Low Fat Pumpkin Sheet Cake– Super easy and only a few ingredients needed!

7. No Churn Lemon Ice Cream (gf) – So refreshing!

6. Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups (gf) – Not surprising at all, look at those babies.

5. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Dough Balls – Easy, healthy and no-bake!

4. Pink Champagne Cake Pops– One of my very favorite party treats!

3. The 30 Best Ice Cream Recipes to Make Without an Ice Cream Maker – Great round-up from KISD and others.

2. Mixed Berry Sauce (gf) – Year after year, this is always a reader favorite!

1. No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream – I clearly need to make this again soon!

My ten favorite recipes from 2015:

10. Lemon Truffles (gf) – I know, lemon AND white chocolate in my top ten. That speaks volumes for this recipe!

9. Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – I’ve gotten great feedback from friends and readers on this cookie.

8. Oreo Pound Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing – This cake was such a hit that it was requested for multiple birthdays this year.

7. Drumstick Ice cream Cake – This was so much fun to make and eat.

6. Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust – Only four ingredients and no-bake but decadent and fancy at the same time!

5. Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream – Don’t forget the brown butter and bourbon in there.

4. Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream (gf) – Let’s just say that the calories I burned breastfeeding were well-used.

3. Peanut Butter Caramel Bars – Peanut butter, caramel and chocolate. Need I say more?

2. Brown Butter Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing – One of the best cakes I’ve ever made, no question.

1. Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt – My new go-to brownie recipe and one I’ve now made many times.

You might also like:

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2014

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2012

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2011

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

Blog, Recipes

Five Champagne Desserts for New Year’s Eve

December 25, 2015 Keep It Sweet Leave a comment

The top five desserts made with champagne to make your holiday celebration extra festive!

Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean the holiday baking is! Whip up one of these special treats for your New Year’s Eve celebration to make it extra special. Another excuse for some bubbly? Don’t mind if I do!

Pink Champagne Cake Pops from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Pomegranate Champagne Sorbet from The Cookie Rookie

Sparkling Champagne Cookie-wiches from The Frugal Foodie Mama

Sparkling Wine Tiramisu from Peas and Peonies

White Grapes Champagne Granita from Diethood

Blog, Recipes

Lemon Truffles

December 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

No-bake white chocolate lemon truffles are a refreshing change of pace for the holidays. Make this sparkly treat for your New Year’s Eve festivities!

Sometimes you just want to make something that tastes good and is extra pretty.

These lemon truffles are such a gorgeous little treat that you can’t help but ooooh and aaaaah over. They sparkle on the outside while the inside showcases an ultra creamy filling. The essence of lemon is present but not lip-puckeringly so and balances perfectly with the sweet white chocolate.

The truffles do require some lead time because you want to make sure there is plenty of time for chilling. Otherwise, you will end up with a bit of a sticky mess. It’s worth it, though. You can display them in a fancy candy dish and most people would assume that they were the result of a high-end candy shop purchase. They are gorgeous and festive which lends them quite well to a New Year’s Eve celebration. And thinking way ahead, keep them in mind for special Valentine’s Day gifts.

Lemon Truffles

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No-bake white chocolate lemon truffles are a refreshing change of pace for the holidays. Make this sparkly treat for your New Year’s Eve festivities!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
1g lemon zest (~1 lemon)
142g chopped white chocolate
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) lemon juice (~1/3 lemon)
½ cup shimmering sprinkles

Instructions

Combine heavy whipping cream and lemon zest in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat; immediately pour through a mesh strainer over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and lemon juice until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles; they will be slightly soft and sticky; freeze for fifteen minutes to set
Once set, roll truffles in topping and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from these white chocolate truffles

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You might also like:

No Churn Lemon Ice Cream

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

Mini Lemon Cupcakes

Blog, Recipes

Gingerbread French Toast

December 21, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

A perfect breakfast for Christmas morning! Homemade gingerbread cooked in the skillet makes a delicious holiday breakfast treat.

It’s normal to have French toast as a mid-morning snack, right? Oh, that’s just me? Oops.

I’d actually been wanting to make this Gingerbread French Toast for a while now. And luckily, thanks to recipe testing for this recipe, I had an extra gingerbread loaf to play around with. I sliced it, stuck it in the freezer and then took it out the night before I was set to make the French toast. While the rainy dreary day was pretty bad planning for photographs, the final product was reward enough.

The French toast was so, so good that when I took a bite for tasting purposes, I immediately decided that I should eat an entire slice. Never mind the fact that I wasn’t really hungry and had brunch plans. #worthit

And while it’s not surprising that the Gingerbread French Toast was delicious fresh out of the pan, it is even better to note that upon eating the leftovers the next morning my husband said that the french toast was so good it should be on a restaurant menu. Not bad!

So if you are looking for the perfect holiday brunch item, look no further. This GIngerbread French Toast is exactly what you need on your Christmas morning menu. You can make the gingerbread loaf in advance and then just cook the French toast like you would with regular bread right before you want to eat. It’s easy at that point and doesn’t require a lot of time working in the kitchen. Do it!

Gingerbread French Toast

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Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 slices day-old gingerbread(1/2 inch thick)
220g (4 large) whole eggs
80 milliliters (1/3 cup) milk (I used almond milk but any type would work)
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
28g(2 tablespoons) unsalted butter for pan

Instructions

Place gingerbread slices in a 9-13 baking dish (or comparable sized dish) and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon
Pour over gingerbread slices making sure each slice is wet
Flip slices over to make sure both sides are coated; allow to soak while you get pan ready
Melt half of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and tilt pan to coat
When butter is melted and pan is hot, place slices in pan (do not overlap)
Cook for two minutes (or until lightly browned on one side) and then carefully flip each slice over; cook an additional two minutes on second side
Remove French toast from pan and repeat with remaining slices
Enjoy immediately

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Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun

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Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

December 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Fudgy and gooey chocolate cookies full of intense chocolate flavor, melted marshmallows and peppermint pieces make the best Christmas dessert.

It’s beginning to smell a lot like… cookies! I made this batch of Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies for Matt’s co-workers as a holiday treat, but struggled not to eat many, many of them myself. Even L got to try a few bites and was not happy when I told him they were all gone. Sorry, buddy! I know the feeling.

Actually, these are similar (er, almost the same) as my other Hot Cocoa Cookies. But I didn’t feel like those photos did the cookies justice and I wanted to make another version that just screamed holiday flavors. Plus, the people in Matt’s office have been big fans of some other peppermint chocolate desserts and I knew these would be a hit.

A few things to note about these cookies: 1) They are big! They spread a lot during baking and get just a little bit gooey (in a good way) from the marshmallows so make sure to leave plenty of space between them for baking 2) They are ultra rich. If you love chocolate, like really love chocolate, like I do, these will make you very happy. 3) As a result of the gooeyness, be careful when storing them. I had no problems when I layered them with parchment paper before freezing.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

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Fudgy and gooey chocolate cookies full of intense chocolate flavor, melted marshmallows and peppermint pieces make the best Christmas dessert.

Makes: ~2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
170g (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
200g (7 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
160g (~1 cup + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
2g (1/2 teaspoon salt)
150g (~3 large whole) eggs at room temperature
215g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
235g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
90g (1⅓ cups) mini marshmallows
105g 2/.3 cup peppermint crunch baking pieces
100g (~1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Place semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate with butter in a microwave-safe bowl
Microwave the ingredients for a minute and stir; microwave again for 30-second increments until everything is almost melted; stir the remaining lumps until smooth (alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate in a heavy duty pop over medium heat stirring constantly); set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugars and vanilla; beat on high speed for about 5 minutes or until mixture is light and pale in color
Reduce the speed of your mixer and add in melted chocolate
When that is well-combined, stir in flour mixture but do not over-mix; stir in marshmallows, peppermint pieces and chocolate chips
Use a large cookie dough scoop and place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart (cookies will spread while baking)
Bake cookies for 12 minutes and set aside on a wire rack to cool

Notes

Adapted from these Hot Cocoa Cookies
Recipe can be doubled
Store cookies at room temperature up to 5 days in a ziplock bag or freeze for up to two months; separate layers of cookies with parchment paper to avoid sticking

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Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

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Gingerbread Loaf with Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

December 14, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

This Christmas dessert is a lightened up gingerbread loaf topped with an indulgent caramelized white chocolate ganache.

Something very major happened this weekend.

I had an entire day (over six hours straight!) to myself. If you are wondering why this is such a big deal I must tell you, this is the longest period of time I’ve had to do whatever I wanted since before L (almost 14 months old) was born. Seriously, it was blissful. I went to the gym, got a pedicure, painted my finger nails (who has the patience to sit at a nail salon for both?) and got a little work done. In fact, I am really proud of myself for not working the whole time.

After a full year plus of breastfeeding, it’s weird to be able to just be able to be away from L. I got so used to working everything around his feeding schedule that I forgot how to live otherwise. Freedom!

And let’s be honest, I still spent twenty minutes of my me time watching L videos. I couldn’t help myself.

I did put together this post in the final hour of my alone time so that it would be ready to publish and kick off the week. It’s a little Christmas treat that I am excited about because it you can convince yourself that it is brunch food or dessert food. The gingerbread loaf itself is sort of healthy. Some whole wheat flour snuck into the batter and I even replaced some of the butter with applesauce. As a result, it pairs perfectly with the caramelized white chocolate ganache. Together you get a wonderful sweet and spiced bite. It’s not too much sweet for a holiday brunch but it’s indulgent enough to end your Christmas dinner.

The gingerbread loaf is easy to make, it’s a basic quick-bread. The caramelized white chocolate ganache isn’t hard, but it does require a little extra attention. Caramelized white chocolate might just be one of my favorite dessert surprises (and seriously, I dislike white chocolate very much). It’s flavor is so much more complex than you might expect. It’s definitely worth the little bit of time it takes to get the white chocolate just right. Once it’s done caramelizing, you just mix it with some boiled heavy cream and pour it over your loaf! Your family and holiday guests will love this treat.

Gingerbread Loaf with Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

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This Christmas dessert is a lightened up gingerbread loaf topped with an indulgent caramelized white chocolate ganache.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Gingerbread Loaf

· 135g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
· 155g (~1 cup) white whole wheat flour
· 5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
· 1½g (1½ teaspoons) ginger
· 1½g (¾ teaspoon) nutmeg
· 2½g (½ teaspoon) salt
57]g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
· 175g (2/3 cup) unsweetened applesauce
· 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
· 30g (2 tablespoons, packed) light brown sugar
· 80 milliliters] (1/3 cup) molasses (original unsulphered)
· 110g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
· 7 milliliters (1 ½) teaspoons vanilla
237 milliliters·(1 cup) buttermilk

Ganache

140g good quality white chocolate, roughly chopped (make sure to use real white chocolate, white chocolate chips will not work as well)
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) sea salt
45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) heavy cream

Instructions

Gingerbread Loaf

Pr-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray and set aside (you can also line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal)
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, mix together butter, applesauce and sugars on low-medium speed until well combined
Mix in molasses on medium speed until combined; mix in eggs and vanilla
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined; slowly add buttermilk while mixer is on low speed; add remaining dry ingredients and mix just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center, do not overbake; allow to cool for ten minutes before running a knife along the edges and removing from pan
While loaf is cooling, make ganache
Make caramelized white chocolate

Ganache

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees and place wrack in center of oven
Spread white chocolate evenly over a clean rimmed baking sheet
Put in oven for ten minutes; remove pan and use a rubber spatula to stir and spread white chocolate
Place in oven again and repeat for additional fifteen to twenty (stirring every five to ten minutes) minutes or until white chocolate begins to darken into a light brown
I recommend reducing the increments to five minutes towards the end of caramelizing to prevent burning
When caramelized white chocolate is done, place in a heat-safe bowl and stir in sea salt
In a small sauce pan, place cream over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil (do not stir); immediately pour over white chocolate
Allow cream and chocolate to sit for one minute then whisk vigorously until smooth
Drizzle ganache over loaf and serve
Best enjoyed that day
Make ahead tips: Bake gingerbread loaf and wrap well in seran wrap; store at room temperature for one day before making ganache or in freezer up to one month

Notes

Adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T’s

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

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Gingersnap Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

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Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

December 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Holiday parfaits layered with peppermint whipped cream, fluffy meringue and shaved chocolate.

I’m having a bit of a moment with pavlovas. Something seemingly simple can be playful and surprising when you translate it into a new and different flavor combination. Over the summer we enjoyed a refreshing lemon berry combo then warmed up in the fall with cinnamon and caramelized apples. Now we are turning towards Christmas with peppermint and chocolate.

I’m going to be honest and tell you that my main motivation for a new pavlova recipe was the extra meringue stored in my freezer. Since I’d bagged it up and then packed a million more things in there it was somewhat crumbled so I decided to make another pavlova parfait. It’s actually the perfect dessert for serving at a dinner party because you can make pretty individual servings for everyone to enjoy. On top of that, it’s naturally gluten-free so if you have a crowd, you don’t have to worry about some dietary constraints. Dessert storage win!

This dessert was a huge hit with my friends who didn’t even get the pretty servings. Theirs got compiled into a big tupperware for easy transporting. Besides, with peppermint whipped cream no one was overly concerned with how their dessert looked.

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

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Holiday parfaits layered with peppermint whipped cream, fluffy meringue and shaved chocolate.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

12 cocktail glasses or glass bowls
1 pavlova broken into bite sized pieces (can substitute broken meringue cookies as well)
591 milliliters (2 ½ cups) heavy whipping cream
4 milliliters (3/4 teaspoon) peppermint extract
80g (6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
8g shaved dark chocolate

Instructions

Prepare peppermint whipped cream; in the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream and peppermint extract at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form
Put about ¼ of a cup of whipped cream on the bottom of each glass; top each with about ½ tablespoon shaved chocolate; layer with ⅓ cup of broken pavlova in each glass;
Dollop remaining whipped cream on top of each parfait along with additional shaved chocolate
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator until ready to enjoy

Notes

Make ahead tips:
Pavlova can be made and kept at room temperature up to two days or frozen up to one month (store in a ziplock bag carefully because it is delicate)
Parfaits best prepared and served on same day but can be enjoyed within three days

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Chocolate Covered Oreos, Three Ways

December 7, 2015 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Chocolate covered Oreos are the best homemade Christmas gift! The three different recipes for this easy no-bake treat are so much fun.

Chocolate covered Oreos aren’t exactly a new thing. I’ve been making them for years and have seen them sold in many candy stores. Usually, though, they are plain milk or dark chocolate. After spotting a variety of flavors at Trader Joe’s (and yes, I know, they aren’t technically “Oreos”), and using lots of self-restraint not to buy the big tin, I decided to make my own. That way, I was able to pick my favorite flavor combinations and control what chocolate I use! Bonus, they make a great treat for gift giving and bringing to holiday parties.

For this post I made three variations of Chocolate Covered Oreos:

Milk chocolate with dark chocolate drizzle
Peppermint dark chocolate (perfect for Christmas!)
Milk chocolate peanut butter (peanut butter IN the chocolate AND topping!)

Even though I love baking holiday cookies, it’s nice to change it up once and a while with something that looks extra pretty and fancy (people are always impressed with chocolate dipped anything). Plus, I can’t bring myself to give someone store-bought food gifts. Sidenote: I actually love when people buy me food gifts. Is that weird?

5.0 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Milk chocolate covered sandwich cookies drizzled with dark chocolate.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

500g [url:1]good quality milk chocolate[/hturl], in disks or roughly chopped
10g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
110g good quality dark chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped

Instructions

Place milk chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate
Place dark chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Drizzle dark chocolate over cookies
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Chocolate sandwich cookies coated in a peanut butter milk chocolate shell and topped with peanut butter chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

460g good quality milk chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped
40g (2 tablespoons) creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
80g (1/2 cup) peanut butter chips, roughly chopped

Instructions

Place milk chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate; immediately sprinkle with peanut butter chips
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Peppermint chocolate covered sandwich cookies are perfect for Christmas.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

500g good quality dark chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped
10g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) peppermint extract
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
70g (1/2 cup) peppermint baking pieces

Instructions

Place dark chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth; stir in peppermint extract
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate; immediately sprinkle with peppermint baking pieces
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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Happy Hanukkah!!

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

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Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream

December 2, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

A light and airy cinnamon cake frosted with the fluffiest, creamiest chile chocolate buttercream.

Here’s the thing. This post is all about the buttercream.

The buttercream, it is so stinking good. Can you see the little flecks of cayenne pepper hiding in there? Can you see how light, creamy and just spoonable it is? I wish I could pass the spatula full of frosting around to each and every one of you because this buttercream is on a different level. It’s spicy, but not really spicy. In fact, my mom noted that the spices actually enhance the chocolate flavor. You can tell there is a little something special in the frosting, but without having an explanation, you might not be able to pinpoint the combination of ancho chile powder, cinnamon and cayenne.

The frosting was a perfect compliment to a cinnamon flavored cake. And while I do love cinnamon I can’t wait to make the frosting again and slather it all over my favorite chocolate cake. I actually went back and forth on posting this cake at all, because the texture of the cinnamon cake didn’t blow me out of the water. But like I said, the buttercream was phenomenal. So do yourself a favor and make the frosting immediately.

Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream

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A light and airy cinnamon cake frosted with the fluffiest, creamiest chile chocolate buttercream.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 recipe for two-layer cinnamon cake, cooled completely

Chile Chocolate Buttercream:

227g milk chocolate, melted and cooled for 30 minutes
450g (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
360g (2¼ cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) cold heavy cream
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
2g (1 teaspoon) ancho chile powder
1 ½g (3/4 teaspoon) cinnamon
1g (1/2 teaspoon) cayenne pepper

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until very light and creamy
Add half of sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; add remaining sugar and mix again on low speed
Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy; reduce speed to low and slowly add cream, vanilla, and seasonings; scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on low again and slowly add the melted chocolate
Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is creamy and light
Use a flat metal spatula to frost the first layer of cake; top with second layer and cover entire cake with frosting
Store cake in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving
Cake is best enjoyed within three days of frosting

Notes

Frosting adapted from Food and Wine
I love, love this frosting but only “liked” the cake. As a result, I’m posting a link to the cake recipe shown in the photos but recommending that you slather the frosting all over my favorite chocolate cake or add 1½ grams (3/4 teaspoon) of ground cinnamon to the recipe for vanilla bean cake layers (just add it with the salt).

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Easy Chai Cookies

November 30, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Crispy buttery shorbread cookies with the warm and spicy flavors of chai.

Have you recovered from your Thanksgiving food coma enough to start making Christmas cookies yet? I’m so ready! Last year, I think I only made one batch (newborn mom life) and the years prior it was business cookie baking 24/7. I’m looking forward to a holiday season that is a little bit of a compromise. These hot cocoa cookies were technically my first batch, a warm-up you could say. These Chai Shortbread Cookies are pretty much the opposite and a very nice follow up.

In fact, sometimes I bake something that I don’t think I’ll like all that much. If it’s not screaming peanut butter, chocolate, or salted caramel, it’s not an obvious sell. But these cookies, they surprised me in a very good way. Much like the chai-spiced fondue I shared a couple of weeks ago, these cookies are full of warm spices that are so comforting. I love how you can even see the specks of spice in the cookies. Between the delicious flavor, the crisp exterior and the buttery mouth feel, these cookies really do deserve a spot on your Christmas cookie tray. And don’t forget, you can make them now and freeze them until you need them. Easy holiday planning for sure!

Easy Chai Cookies

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Chai –spiced shortbread cookies that are chewy, buttery and delicious.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
⅓ teaspoon black pepper
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
Add vanilla, spices and salt and beat until well combined
Stir in flour
Scoop with a medium cookie dough scoop (2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months

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Peppermint Mocha Truffles

November 25, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Rich dark chocolate truffles with a hint of coffee and splash of peppermint. The best no-bake edible Christmas gift!

Peppermint mocha is my ultimate holiday weakness. The drink, the sweets, everything. In fact, despite the fact that I’ve mostly given up fake sweeteners and usually drink coffee sans sugar, the skinny peppermint mocha latte is my once or twice a year guilty pleasure treat that I truly savor. Last year I remember drinking one as we took L, just a newborn then, on a walk. It was a chilly late fall day and he seemed to be going through an eat-every-hour growth spurt. That peppermint mocha latte was my little break.

There is something so sinful about peppermint mocha treats. The rich deep chocolate flavor combined with a pop of mint is so satisfying. In making these truffles, I chose to go with an extra-dark chocolate for a base to keep them from being too sweet. That, combined with some instant espresso and a splash of peppermint extract, creates a great balanced flavor.

The recipe isn’t all that complicated. In fact, the hardest part is just rolling out all the truffles. I’d even recommend doubling or tripling the batch if you plan on making them for gifts or parties.

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

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Rich dark chocolate truffles with a hint of coffee and splash of peppermint. The best no-bake edible Christmas gift!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
3g (1 teaspoon) instant espresso
142g finely chopped dark chocolate (72% or higher), any type
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ milliliter (1/8 teaspoon) peppermint extract
Toppings-I like peppermint baking pieces (finely chopped), crushed candy canes and holiday sprinkles

Instructions

Whisk together heavy whipping cream and espresso in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat and immediately pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and peppermint extract until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for two hours or until it is firm
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles
Roll truffles in topping and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from the Lindt Chocolate Passion Recipe Book
Truffles should be enjoyed within two weeks for best results
Recipe can be easily doubled

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Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

November 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Thick buttermilk pancakes with a maple bourbon banana pecan sauce. This is the ultimate breakfast for dinner!

It might seem a bit odd to share a pancake recipe the week of Thanksgiving, but I have a few reasons for this.

You probably already have your Thanksgiving menu planned out so giving you an additional recipe for the holiday might just stress you out.
Holiday weekends call for holiday brunch. Scale the recipe up for a crowd or enjoy an intimate treat after the big family get together.
If you are hosting the holiday or travelling, you probably don’t have much time for additional cooking. Enter breakfast for dinner, an easy and delicious solution!

This recipe comes from the new cookbook, Dinner for Two by Julie Wampler. You might know Julie from the blog Table for Two. Her cookbook features 70 dinners recipes for (duh) two. Most recipes can easily be scaled up for a family as well. I’m excited to try some of the savory dishes for Matt, L and me, but for the blog, I wanted to stick with something on the sweet side. And what could be better than indulging in a sweet pancake dinner? It’s such a treat for once and a while. Pair it with some scrambled eggs and a steamed vegetable or side salad and you have a pretty balanced meal.

This name of this recipe may make you think that it’s a lot of work, but in reality, like most of the recipes in Julie’s book, it’s actually pretty simple. If you use two separate skillets, you can basically make the topping and the pancakes at the same time and get dinner (or breakfast) on the table in less than twenty minutes. Just get your banana topping started first and let it cook while you then prepare and cook the pancakes.

A note on the final product: The pancakes and topping are quite delicious. The pancakes themselves aren’t very sweet, so I definitely recommend pairing them with the bourbon banana nut topping. If you aren’t into nuts, just leave them out. Either way, the topping is a great alternative to plain old maple syrup.

Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

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Thick buttermilk pancakes with a maple bourbon banana pecan sauce. This is the ultimate breakfast for dinner!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Banana Pecan Bourbon Topping:

2 bananas, sliced into rounds
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey
½ cup roughly chopped pecans

Pancakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

Make the topping:

Place ingredients in a small skillet over medium heat and bring to a skimmer; allow to thicken for ten minutes, stirring occasionally
When the topping is a thick syrupy consistency, remove from heat until ready to use
Make the pancakes:
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the egg and buttermilk; whisk batter until no lumps remain; batter will be thick
Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium heat
Once skillet is hot, use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to drop batter onto skillet
Cook pancakes on one side for about two minutes or until bubbles start to form then flip and cook additional two minutes; repeat with remaining pancake batter
Serve pancakes immediately with banana pecan bourbon topping

Notes

Recipe from Dinner for Two by Julie Wampler
If you use two separate skillets, you can basically make the topping and the pancakes at the same time and get dinner (or breakfast) on the table in less than twenty minutes. Just get your banana topping started first and let it cook while you then prepare and cook the pancakes.

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Brown Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue

November 20, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

A chai spiced caramel sauce perfect for holiday entertaining.

I’m very enthusiastically jumping onto the chai bandwagon! There’s no looking back now. (In fact, can we take a quick moment to drool over Christina’s chewy chai bars?)

In all serious, though, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be joining me. The flavors of chai are so warm and comforting. Cardamom is what really makes it special, but the clove, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper (yes, black pepper!), round it out. The spicy flavor tones end up being perfect to balance out a sweet brown-sugar based caramel.

I served this caramel fondue as a dip when we had friends over on a recent Sunday afternoon. It was able to sit out for a few hours as the flavors developed. And actually, there was a little bit leftover and it tasted even better the next day (a dream for holiday entertaining plans)! I loved dunking graham crackers into the fondue along side my almond milk latte, but I did catch some people even dunking their blondies. Yes, my friends are geniuses.

Brown Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue

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A chai spiced caramel sauce perfect for holiday entertaining.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1¼ cups

Ingredients

195g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) light brown sugar, tightly packed
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) water
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) heavy cream
9g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Whisk together brown sugar and water in a small heavy-duty saucepan; place over medium-high heat and cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes or until a deep amber brown and bubbling; remove from heat and immediately whisk in heavy cream and butter until smooth (be careful as the hot caramel may bubble up)
Stir in remaining ingredients and then briefly stir over medium heat until smooth
Serve warm; for a thicker dip (and for flavor more intensified), allow to cool in refrigerator for several hours before gently reheating

Notes

Adapted from Food and Wine
Can be stored in refrigerator up to one week

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Hot Cocoa Cookies

November 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SweetenTheSeason #CollectiveBias #ad

Rich, fudgy and ultra chocolatey cookies with melted marshmallows taste like the best cup of hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

It’s no secret that I love baking cookies, especially for the holidays. While I don’t bake and ship thousands of cookies to customers anymore, I still go through many, many batches to give as gifts and bring to parties. Holiday season is cookie season!

Since I like to do a lot of baking throughout the holidays, it helps to have some good go-to recipes that are fairly easy (none of that messy rolling dough, etc.) and exceptionally delicious. It’s even better when I can find some inexpensive ingredients (thanks, Walmart!) that happen to come together to make an ultra rich and satisfying cookie. And this Hot Cocoa Cookie is all that and more. In fact, quite a few people said it was the “best” cookie they’d ever had.

(Just an aside, I had to go to Walmart TWICE to get the ingredients I needed because the first time I actually FORGOT my wallet. Each time, I was happy to find all of the baking ingredients conveniently set up for holiday baking.)

These cookies start with a lot of chocolate (BAKER’S Unsweetened Chocolate and BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate), almost a full POUND in one batch. Then they are finished with more chocolate (chips) and JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows. The cookies are super fudgy and the ultimate chocolate experience. Imagine the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had, not the kind from the packet, the kind where you are basically drinking liquid heaven, and then transform that hot chocolate into a cookie.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Hot Cocoa Cookies

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Rich, fudgy and ultra chocolatey cookies with melted marshmallows taste like the best cup of hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
170g (6 ounces) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, roughly chopped
200g (7 ounces) BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate, roughly chopped
160g (~1 cup + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
2g (1/2 teaspoon salt)
150g (~3 large whole) eggs at room temperature
215g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
235g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
10 milliliters / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200g (~1 cup) milk chocolate chips
100g (1½ cups) JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Place semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate with butter in a microwave-safe bowl
Microwave the ingredients for a minute and stir; microwave again for 30-second increments until everything is almost melted; stir the remaining lumps until smooth (alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate in a heavy duty pop over medium heat stirring constantly); set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugars and vanilla; beat on high speed for about 5 minutes or until mixture is light and pale in color
Reduce the speed of your mixer and add in melted chocolate
When that is well-combined, stir in flour mixture but do not over-mix; stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows
Use a large cookie dough scoop and place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart;
Bake cookies for 12 minutes and set aside on a wire rack to cool

Notes

Recipe can be doubled
Store cookies at room temperature up to 5 days in a ziplock bag or freeze for up to two months; separate layers of cookies with parchment paper to avoid sticking

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Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

November 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Rich brown butter blondies with toasted pecans and rich dark chocolate are a perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

It was very difficult for me to set aside my own personal distaste for nuts in blondies and brownies and throw some crunchy toasted pecans into these blondies. But Thanksgiving is coming and it would be a shame to let it pass by without a dessert that combines my love for blondies with an infamous Thanksgiving dessert.

I actually never cared for pecan pie until I started putting chocolate in it. So, I figured if I put enough chocolate in these blondies, all would be right with the world and they would actually be quite delicious. Mission accomplished!

These blondies start with everyone’s favorite brown butter which adds a warm, nutty flavor to the bars. Then they are loaded with brown sugar (necessary), chopped dark chocolate (also necessary to maximize chocolate enjoyment) and toasted pecans (important for flavor development). They won’t take you too long to make and don’t require any complex baking skills. In fact, you don’t even need a mixer to make these blondies (or any of my blondies for that matter).

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

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Rich brown butter blondies with toasted pecans and rich dark chocolate are a perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

100g (1 cup) pecans, roughly chopped
112g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
350g (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
200g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
8g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
110g (2 large) whole eggs
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract (bourbon based preferred)
112g (~3/4 cup) good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped (use the highest percent cocoa you enjoy)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper
Spread pecans out in baking pan and place in oven for five minutes to toast; do not let burn
Remove from oven and set aside to cool
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat; stir in sugar until well combined and set aside to cool slightly
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 toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 33-37 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool for an hour 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.
These blondies are somewhat on the cakier side, be very careful not to overbake.

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Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust

November 13, 2015 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

An easy no-bake dessert that only uses four ingredients! This tart is simple but impressive.

I’m currently joining in on the chorus of everyone asking how Thanksgiving is now less than two weeks away. My theory is that the warm fall weather we have had was actually a huge mind trick. How could Thanksgiving be coming if I barely need a jacket?

The good news is that I’ve got a dessert recipe for you that is perfect for dealing with limited holiday prep time. This milk chocolate tart looks impressive and complicated, but it actually is super easy. In fact, this tart is no-bake. Yes, three cheers for a dessert that won’t put pressure on your oven itinerary for Thanksgiving!

And beyond all that, the tart tastes pretty extraordinary. The peanut butter pretzel crust is kind of amazing. It’s crunchy and salty and, well, it’s made with peanut butter. The filling? The filling is creamy, rich and decadent. I’ve noticed that milk chocolate doesn’t get enough praise in the elevated dessert world and this tart is telling me it really should get some more love.

So while I’m still mildly panicked about all the things I want to do before Thanksgiving, I’m just going to go ahead and enjoy a big slice of this chocolate tart and not worry about it too much.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust

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An easy no-bake dessert that only uses four ingredients! This tart is simple but impressive.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

Filling:

340g (12 ounces) good quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped
355 milliliters (1 ½ cups) heavy cream

Crust:

130g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
200g (2 cups) crushed salted pretzels plus additional for topping tart (optional)

Instructions

Make the filling:

Place chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl and set aside
In a small saucepan, bring cream to a rolling boil over medium high heat (do not stir) and then immediately pour over chocolate; let sit for five minutes and then whisk until completely smooth
Let cool at room temperature for one hour and make crust

Prepare crust:

In a medium bowl, melt peanut butter in microwave by heating for 15 seconds, stirring and repeating until easy to stir; stir in pretzel crumbs
Press mixture into a 11-inch tart pan so that it is evenly spread out and up the edges; place in refrigerator until ready to use
Once ready, pour chocolate mixture into chilled crust; then chill tart in refrigerator 4 hours (or up to 24 hours)
Use additional pretzels to decorate tart before serving if desired

Notes

Significantly adapted from Food and Wine
The filling requires one hour of cool time and then the tart requires four hours of chill time before serving.
The crust may be a little crumbly when you remove it from tart pan.

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Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

November 11, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Gooey peanut butter cookie bars are layered with chocolate and salted caramel for a decadent bite-sized treat.

Sometimes you need a dessert that makes you feel good on all levels. When it’s dreary outside or you want to eat your feelings (ahem, me.) there are only certain desserts that will cut it. You need a dessert that just screams comfort. Something decadent, almost familiar, and just plain old delicious.

For me, that’s something that is made with peanut butter and chocolate. Throw in a layer of salted caramel and, well, it just doesn’t get much better than that. These cookie bars are the solution to your bad day. Peanut butter cookie dough (with peanut butter chips!) is layered with melted dark chocolate and rich salted caramel. Then, it’s sealed together with another layer of peanut butter cookie dough. Four perfect layers, one perfect bite-sized treat.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

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Gooey peanut butter cookie bars are layered with chocolate and salted caramel for a decadent bite-sized treat.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 bite-sized bars

Ingredients

130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
12g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking soda
113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
258 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter
160g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar
117g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
180g (~1 cup) peanut butter chips
180g (~1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
⅔ cup salted caramel (preferably homemade)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper with edges coming up the sides and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside
Using a mixer, in a large bowl beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture just until combined
Stir in peanut butter chips
Wrap half of dough with seran wrap and place in refrigerator; press remaining dough into bottom of prepared baking pan and bake for 15 minutes
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over top; let sit for ~6 minutes and then carefully spread chocolate chips so that the cookie dough layer is mostly covered
Pour salted caramel over chocolate
Take chilled dough out of fridge and drop tablespoon-sized chunks of dough over top
Place baking pan back in oven for 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned
Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting

Notes

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze wrapped well in tin foil for up to two months

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Big Crumb Cranberry Coffee Cake

November 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

New York style crumb cake layered with fresh cranberries. This is the perfect holiday coffee cake!

There are people who eat coffee cake as it’s probably intended, all of the components in one bite. And then there are the rest of us (most of us?), who are inclined to eat all the crumbs off the top to leave behind a sad and naked cake. For my fellow crumb lovers, this cake is for you.

Thick crumb topping, and I’m not messing around, we’ve got a real 1:1 ratio of cake to crumb, tart cranberries and a light vanilla cake base come together for the ultimate New York style crumb cake. This is the quintessential cake for breakfast or the “surprise, I wasn’t expecting that for dessert but I’m oh so glad it’s here” cake. This big crumb cranberry coffee cake would add a lovely surprise to your Thanksgiving dessert spread. Or, if you are really planning ahead, store this in your recipe box for Christmas brunch. The cake makes a substantial 15 servings which is perfect for a big holiday brunch or even better for picking at throughout the day. A slice here, a slice there, and a few extra crumbs off the top is exactly how I’d like it.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Big Crumb Cranberry Coffee Cake

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Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

55 mins

Total time

1 hour 35 mins

New York style crumb cake layered with fresh cranberries. This is the perfect holiday coffee cake!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: brunch, breakfast

Makes: 15 servings

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

234g (1 cup) firmly packed light brown sugar
106g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
9g (1½ tablespoons) cinnamon
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
330g (~2½ cups) all-purpose flour

For the cranberries:

250g (3 cups) fresh cranberries
14g (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
1g (1/2 tablespoon) orange zest (from ~1 orange)
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (½ teaspoon) ground ginger

For the cake:

330g (~2½ cups) all-purpose flour
4g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
318g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
110g (2 large) whole eggs
284g (1¼ cups) plain greek yogurt (I used nonfat but any type will work)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
Additionally, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside

Prepare the crumb topping

In a medium bowl, stir together sugars, salt and cinnamon; whisk in melted butter; whisk in flour until it is completely absorbed
Spread topping mix out on prepared baking sheet set aside

Prepare cranberries

In a medium bowl, stir together cranberries, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and ginger; set aside

Prepare cake

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed in-between; beat just until incorporated
Scrape the bowl again and add yogurt and vanilla and mix on medium speed just until combined
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and stir on low speed just until combined; repeat with remaining dry ingredients in two parts and do not over-mix; pour cake batter into prepared baking pan
Sprinkle cranberries over top and then drop chunks of the topping over cake layer until completely covered with a thick layer of topping
Bake for about 55 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from center; if topping starts to brown too much while cooking, lightly cover with a layer of tin foil and continue to bake as directed
Allow to cool for several minutes before slicing and serving; keep well covered at room temperature up to three days or wrap well and store in freezer up to one month

Notes

Adapted from Fake Ginger

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Fall Pavlova with Caramelized Apples and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

November 4, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

A special Thanksgiving dessert that happens to be gluten-free. This fall inspired pavlova is layered with cinnamon whipped cream and caramelized apples.

While I have a hard time understanding the idea of being “too full” for dessert, some people have brought this concept to my attention in the past. And apparently, at Thanksgiving, this can be a thing. So with the tables full of pies (and, at our house, cookies, brownies and cakes, too), I thought it would be nice to (in addition to all the other good stuff of course) add a lighter dessert option so that even if you can’t have one more bite, you really can.

The beauty of a pavlova, is that you start with a light and airy meringue shell that can be topped however you may please. I usually think of pavlova as a summer dessert, but given that the meringue is generally a neutral flavor, putting a fall twist on it wasn’t so farfetched. Swapping berries out and caramelized apples in is a good start. Then, plain old whipped cream gets amped up a bit with a hint of cinnamon. A slice of this dessert is sweet but satisfying.

Fall Pavlova with Caramelized Apples and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

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A special Thanksgiving dessert that happens to be gluten-free. This fall inspired pavlova is layered with cinnamon whipped cream and caramelized apples.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8-12 servings

Ingredients

1 pavlova prepared at least three hours in advance (it must have time to completely cool)

Caramelized apples:

28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
340g (~3 cups / 2 medium) apples, thinly sliced (I prefer to use a crisp apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
235g (~1 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (from ~1/2 lemon)
5g (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Cinnamon whipped cream:

237 milliliters (1 cup) heavy whipping cream
1g (2/3 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
27g (~2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the caramelized apples:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; stir in apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and vanilla;
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened and liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes; remove from heat and allow to cool completely (whipped cream will become soupy if they are too warm)

Make whipped cream

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream and cinnamon at medium speed until
foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form
When everything is ready, generously top pavlova with whipped cream and then with Caramelized apples
Serve immediately

Notes

Make ahead tips:
Pavlova can be made and kept at room temperature up to two days or frozen up to one month (store in a ziplock bag carefully because it is delicate)
Apples can be cooked a few hours in advance and stored in refrigerator; bring to room temperature before putting dessert together

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How to Make a Monkey Smash Cake

November 2, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

A chocolate smash cake that looks like a monkey! This first birthday cake is made from scratch and delicious.

Most people were pretty shocked to find out that L’s first taste of something “sweet” was at his first birthday party. It took a lot of restraint, but it definitely made his first experience with sugar a little more special. And of course I wanted to be the one to take credit for my child falling in love with dessert.

I mentioned before that his birthday party wasn’t all smiles, in fact, there were a lot of tears. So when a bunch of people sang happy birthday and we dared to put him in a high chair to try his cake he kind of lost it. Luckily, after some prodding, we managed to get him to eat a few joyful bites.

And later in the day, after a little afternoon nap and in the quiet of our own apartment, the kid went to town. Watching him go at his birthday cake with such delight (two-handed at times) was priceless. I sized down the cake to be 6 inches, but it was still more than enough for a little boy so Matt and I proceeded to grab our own forks and dig in as well. Slices are so overrated.

Anyway, my original plan was just to make L a chocolate cake with chocolate icing because that was my all-time favorite growing up. But when I came across this adorable monkey cake, I changed my plan just a bit. A couple of months ago, L started doing the monkey sound any time you mentioned monkeys or showed them to him in a book, and I just can’t get over it. As a result, I ordered him a monkey Halloween costume and ultimately decided to make a monkey birthday cake.

It’s clearly not perfect, and actually, the very finished product was a little better than the photo above (I lined his face with mini chocolate chips), but I was happy with it. I love that it was pretty easy and you really don’t need any real decorating skills to accomplish the fun design. Plus, the cake was seriously delicious. The chocolate cake was flavorful and moist and the chocolate buttercream was good enough for a few extra finger swipes. The insane sugar high L was on that night, well, it was worth it.

5.0 from 1 reviews

How to Make a Monkey Smash Cake

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A chocolate smash cake that looks like a monkey! This first birthday cake is made from scratch and delicious.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: One 6-inch cake

Ingredients

2 6-inch layers of chocolate cake (recipe below)
Light chocolate buttercream (recipe below)
Dark chocolate buttercream (recipe below)
Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
2 regular Oreos

Instructions

Spread about ¼ cup light chocolate buttercream over one layer of cake; top with second layer of cake
With a small offset spatula, spread, use the light chocolate buttercream and spread a circle in center of top cake layer; spread additional light chocolate buttercream under the circle in a big arc rounding the edges to make “cheeks” for the monkey
Use a clean offset spatula to spread dark chocolate buttercream around the face of the monkey (careful around the edges) and around sides of cake
Use chocolate chips OR pipe dark chocolate buttercream to make eyes, nose and mouth for monkey; line the edges of monkey’s face with chocolate chips where different buttercreams meet if desired
Take each Oreo and carefully tuck them in (1/3 of the cookie) to each side of the cake where layers meet for monkey’s ears

Notes

You may have extra buttercream
Store cake lightly covered in a cake box or with seran wrap at room temperature up to two days

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Cake

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Two 6-inch cake layers

Ingredients

175g (~1⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
40g (~1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
250g (~1 cup + 3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
75g (1 large whole + 1 egg yolk) eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla
215 milliliters (7 fluid ounces) water

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 6-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla and beat one minute at medium speed
Reduce speed of mixer to low and add ⅓ of the dry ingredients; add ½ of water then repeat
Add remainder of dry ingredients and turn off mixer; make sure not to overbeat; if there are any lumps fold them in with a spatula
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-34 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cakes
Set cake layers aside to cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove each layer from pans; run a knife around the edge of each layer for easier removal

Notes

Cake slightly adapted from Hershey

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Light Chocolate Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

56g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
3 milliliters (1/2) teaspoon vanilla
30g (6 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until light and creamy
Add powdered sugar and mix until combined; mix in vanilla
Add cocoa and mix on medium high speed for three minutes or until light and creamy

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Light Chocolate Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

63g (4½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
3 milliliters (1/2) teaspoon vanilla
40g (8 tablespoons) unsweetened extra-dark cocoa

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until light and creamy
Add powdered sugar and mix until combined; mix in vanilla
Add cocoa and mix on medium high speed for three minutes or until light and creamy

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Mini Funfetti Cupcakes

October 30, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Everyone’s favorite funfetti cupcake in mini form! Homemade funfetti cupcakes from scratch.

I’ve been wanting to bake something from the Sweetapolita cookbook since I got it months ago, but really needed a special occasion to do any of her gorgeous creations justice. L’s birthday seemed the right time! And just a note, I bought Rosie’s cookbook with my own money. Her blog is one of my favorites and every single recipe I’ve ever made of hers has come out amazing. I had no doubt that the cookbook would be incredible (it is!).

So while I could have made one of the many layer cakes included in the cookbook, I wanted to continue with the theme of mini cupcakes instead. The mini desserts really lent themselves to a party where people were sampling several desserts and doing a lot of eating while standing and chatting. These mini funfetti cupcakes, with adorable little animal sprinkles I’d found at TJ Maxx a while ago, were the most popular dessert by far. We refilled the plate of cupcakes a couple of times because they just kept disappearing!

The cupcakes were light, fluffy and sweet. The buttercream? It was sweet but flavored with vanilla bean making it extra delicious. I’m going to risk being ostracized by the blog community by saying this, but I don’t usually like funfetti desserts. I’m just not a sprinkles person (insert GASP). But these cupcakes, yeah, they had me at fluffy frosting.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mini Funfetti Cupcakes

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Everyone’s favorite funfetti cupcake in mini form! Homemade funfetti cupcakes from scratch.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~4 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

200g (1¾ cup) cake flour, sifted
240g (1 cup + 3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
90g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into tablespoons
180 milliliters (3/4 cup) milk, at room temperature (I’ve had success with any type of milk)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
3 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) lemon juice
160g (4 large) egg whites at room temperature
60g (~1/2 cup) confetti quins (use something like this for best results, regular sprinkles or jimmies will melt into the batter)

Frosting

280g (1¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 gram (1/8 teaspoon) salt
410g (3¼ cup) powdered sugar, sifted
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) whole milk (use whole for best results; if using low fat or fat free milk, start with smaller amount)
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla bean past or pure vanilla extract
Additional confetti quins or sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

Cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line mini cupcake pans with cupcake liners or grease the cups with butter flour or non-stick cooking spray; set aside
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the large bowl of an electric mixer; use paddle attachment to mix on low speed while adding butter one piece at a time; mix until combined (butter pieces should be in pea-sized clumps with dry ingredients)
In a medium bowl or small cup, whisk together half of milk, vanilla and lemon juice and set aside
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, lightly whisk together egg whites and remaining milk; set aside
Turn mixer to medium-low speed and gradually add the vanilla mixture; beat on medium-low speed for five minutes (do not overmix)
Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl; add ⅓ of the egg white mixture and mix on low speed until combined; repeat with remaining egg white mixture (do not overmix!)
Use a spatula to fold in confetti quins
Distribute batter evenly among cupcake cups (filling each cup about ⅔ of the way full) with a small ladle or cookie dough scoop
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cupcakes
Allow cupcakes to cool for five minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely; set aside and make frosting

Frosting

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and salt on medium speed until pale and creamy (5-10 minutes)
Add ⅓ of sugar and mix on low speed until combined; repeat until all sugar is incorporated; add milk and vanilla and mix on low for one minute; increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about six minutes
Pipe immediately or store in refrigerator up to three days and bring to room temperature before using (may need to beat again before use)
Sprinkle additional confetti quins over frosting
Cupcakes best enjoyed within two days; keep lightly covered at room temperature

Notes

Recipes barely adapted from The Seetapolita Bakebook
Cupcakes can be baked in advanced and frozen in an airtight container for one month before frosting and serving; bring to room temperature before frosting

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Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

October 28, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a light and super creamy peanut butter frosting.

L’s birthday party might not have been the picture perfect event I had planned (have I learned nothing after a year of being a mom?), but the desserts, they were pretty on point if I do say so myself. We had the best mini cookies (these and these), brownies, and two kinds of mini cupcakes. I might have overheard parents bribing their kids to eat some salad with the promise of another cupcake. Sounds reasonable to me!

These cupcakes are a chocolate and peanut butter lover’s dream. The beauty of the mini cupcake is that it is so much easier to get adequate frosting in each bite without getting it all over your face. Plus, you can eat quite a few before you feel like it’s a crime. Or, if you dare to stray from the classic peanut butter and chocolate combo, you will have plenty of room for tasting other desserts as well.

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream

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Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a light and super creamy peanut butter frosting.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 5 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes:

260g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
65g (~3/4 cup) good quality dark unsweetened cocoa powder
10g (1¼ teaspoon) baking soda
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
375g (~1¾ cup) granulated sugar
100g (2 large whole) eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla
325 milliliters (1⅓ cups) brewed coffee

Peanut Butter Buttercream

75g (~1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) egg whites
32g (~3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
Additional 150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
50 milliliters (~3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) water
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch cubes
195g (~3/4 cup) creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line mini cupcake pans with cupcake liners or grease the cups with butter flour or non-stick cooking spray; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla and beat one minute at medium speed
Reduce speed of mixer to low and add ⅓ of the dry ingredients; add ½ of coffee and repeat
Add remainder of dry ingredients and turn off mixer; make sure not to overbeat; if there are any lumps fold them in with a spatula
Distribute batter evenly among cupcake cups (just below rim of cupcake liner) with a small ladle or cookie dough scoop
Bake in center of oven for 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; do not overbake
Set cupcakes aside to cool and make frosting

Peanut Butter Buttercream

Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk attachment, whisk, spatula and candy thermometer with a paper towel and vinegar to clean (if any grease is on these items your meringue will not work)
Place egg whites in large bowl with whisk attachment and mix on medium speed; gradually add the 1⅛ ounces sugar; keep mixer on
In a medium heavy duty saucepan, combine water and remaining 5¼ ounces of sugar over medium-high heat and whisk together; whisk occasionally until temperature of syrup reaches 248 degrees Fahrenheit
Meanwhile, egg whites should begin to form loose peaks; if this happens before syrup is hot enough, reduce mixer speed to low
Once syrup is hot enough, reduce mixer speed to medium-low and slowly and slowly add syrup to the mixer
Increase speed to medium-high and keep mixer on for 10-15 minutes or until it holds stiff peaks AND bowl has cooled to room temperature
Reduce the speed to medium and add softened butter, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until fully combined; mixture should be smooth and creamy
If there are any lumps, increase speed to high until frosting becomes smooth
Add peanut butter and combine on medium speed until well incorporated and buttercream is light and creamy
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes

Notes

Keep in a cool dry place (best kept refrigerated during summer), covered
Best served within 3 days of baking
Cupcakes slightly adapted from Hershey
Buttercream adapted from the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook
Buttercream best used immediately or store in an airtight container in refrigerator and beat with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer before using

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Pumpkin Spice Cookie Butter Cookie Sandwiches

October 19, 2015 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

Chewy pumpkin spiced COOKIE BUTTER cookies sandwiched with buttercream, what could be better?

I try to have some self-restraint when I bake. Sometimes it works, other times, not so much. I tell myself “I’ll just taste a bite” and then find myself three cookies deep in a hole. At that point, I know it’s time to immediately step away. With these cookie sandwiches? That’s what happened. I thought I could handle a bite or two but I was so wrong. A few cookies later and I was grabbing a tupperware to get them in the freezer and out of my sight asap. I even designated them as Matt’s “work cookies” in order to stop myself from eating them frozen. We all have our moments.

See that empty cookie butter jar above? I purposely used the whole thing in the recipe. Because like the cookies, a near empty jar of cookie butter (and especially this pumpkin spice version) is the equivalent of crack. Dangerous, just dangerous.

The cookies end up being on the thinner side, which lends them perfectly to being sandwiched with buttercream. Chilling the dough is necessary, though, or else your cookies will spread too much. If you bake them on the shorter end of timing, they will be chewier. The longer you bake them, the crunchier they will get. I like them soft and chewy so they melt in your mouth with the frosting.

Did I mention that the cookies AND the buttercream are made with pumpkin pie spice cookie butter? The good news is that you could make these with regular cookie butter (speculoos, Biscoff, whatever) as well. Or, you could use the regular version and add a bit of pumpkin pie spice. Trust me, you can’t go wrong either way.

Pumpkin Spice Cookie Butter Cookie Sandwiches

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Chewy pumpkin spiced COOKIE BUTTER cookies sandwiched with buttercream, what could be better?

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2½ dozen cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookie Butter Cookies:

130g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
113g (½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
285g (1 cup) pumpkin pie spice cookie butter (found at Trader Joe's)*
160g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
117g (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
110g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookie Butter Buttercream:

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
100g pumpkin pie spice cookie butter (found at Trader Joe's)*
160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cookies:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside
Using a mixer, in a large bowl beat speculoos, butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture just until combined
Chill dough for 24 hours** for best results
After dough has been chilled, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Use a small cookie dough scoop to place cookie dough balls (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart
Bake 8-10 minutes and until cookies are lightly browned around the edges***

For the buttercream:

Beat butter and cookie butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed or until light and creamy
Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed for one minute; scrape the sides of the bowl; beat on high speed for several minutes or until buttercream is light and fluffy

To Make Cookie Sandwiches:

Match cookies in pairs so that each side is about the same size
Spread about 2 teaspoons of frosting on the bottom of one cookie from each pair
Top other cookie and press down lightly
Store cookies in an airtight container up to three days; may be frozen for up to one month

Notes

*You could make these with regular cookie butter (speculoos, Biscoff, whatever) as well. Or, you could use the regular version and add a bit of pumpkin pie spice.
**Chilling the dough is necessary, though, or else your cookies will spread too much.
***If you bake them on the shorter end of timing, they will be chewier. The longer you bake them, the crunchier they will get. I like them soft and chewy so they melt in your mouth with the frosting.

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Peanut Butter Snack Cake

October 14, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Moist peanut butter cake studded with chocolate chips for an indulgent snack or simple dessert.

I’m so excited to share another blogger cookbook with you today! Jennifer of Bake or Break just released her first cookbook, Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Baking: Cookies, Cakes, Bars & More that are Easier than Ever to Make. I’ve known Jennifer for a few years now (she is a sweetheart!!) and was lucky enough to get an early copy of the cookbook from her publisher.

The theme behind the book is easy desserts. There are recipes as simple as Vanilla Bean Tea Cakes and as complex as Coffee Caramel Chocolate Poke Cake (yes please), but all of them limit themselves to a maximum of five ingredients beyond your normal pantry necessities. Such a great idea to minimize excess grocery trips. Plus, you are likely to have everything you need for a ton of the recipes in the book.

In going with the book’s theme, I opted to make a pretty easy recipe. And even better than that, it’s a dessert disguising itself as a snack so I can pretty much eat it all day long. This Peanut Butter Snack Cake was very easy to put together, no advanced baking skills needed! Plus, I didn’t have to do any extra grocery shopping because I had all of the ingredients on hand. And as an added bonus, Jennifer included volume AND weight measurements which made me extra happy. I ALWAYS weight my ingredients when I bake.

The results? This snack cake was very much enjoyed. The cake was moist, the chocolate chips were plentiful, and the peanut butter flavor actually seemed to develop more overnight (I love when you can bake a cake a day in advance without stressing that it won’t be as good).

5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Snack Cake

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Moist peanut butter cake studded with chocolate chips for an indulgent snack or simple dessert.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert, snack

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

180g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
128g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
50g (1/4 cup firmly packed) light brown sugar
110g (2 large) whole eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
120 milliliters (1/2 cup) milk (I used almond milk)
170 (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees; grease an 8x8 baking pan (I used a 9-inch round cake pan); and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each; mix in vanilla
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ½ of the milk; repeat until no flour is remaining and mix just until combined; stir in chocolate chips
Spread batter into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from center; allow to cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan
Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over cake before serving if desired

Notes

From Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Baking: Cookies, Cakes, Bars & More that are Easier than Ever to Make

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Pumpkin Cookie Ice Cream

October 12, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Creamy pumpkin ice cream with huge chunks of pumpkin sandwich cookies. You don’t need an ice cream maker for this fun fall treat!

The other week I picked up a bunch of fun fall treats from Trader Joe’s and Target. When I got home, I set them on my counter and said, “inspire me”.

And while this move usually works pretty well with me, I ended up with a million ideas that just didn’t seem interesting enough. But then I thought, what do I always like to make and eat? Ice cream, obviously. And thanks to a few big can’s of pumpkin and some pumpkin sandwich cookies (you can find Oreo and Trader Joe’s versions), a new no churn ice cream was born.

This no churn ice cream recipe is so easy to make (as usual). It starts with the typical whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk combo but is enhanced with canned, pumpkin, a couple of different spices and huge chunks of cookies. Fall ice cream for the win! And if you are smart, you might just stock up on your pumpkin sandwich cookies so you can make this all year round.

And just so you know, some things I bake for the blog and give away or use for entertaining. This ice cream? I ate the whole batch myself. I’m not sure if that should be embarrassing or not.

Pumpkin Cookie Ice Cream

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Super creamy pumpkin ice cream filled with pumpkin sandwich cookies. No ice cream maker needed for this recipe!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 quarts

Ingredients

475 milliliters (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
160g (2/3 cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
2g (3/4 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
218g (~2 cups) chopped pumpkin sandwich cookies (14 cookies)

Instructions

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, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture; stir in cookies
Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan; wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 10 hours or overnight before serving

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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Apple and Pear Crisp

October 7, 2015 Keep It Sweet 26 Comments

Warm apple and pear crisp is comforting and delicious, especially with ice cream!

***This post was originally published five years ago! It’s one of my favorite recipes and was worth sharing again with new photos and an easily printable recipe. And yes, once again, we ate the whole thing in one weekend.***

I call this a weekend dessert because it won’t last you more than 2 days. Whether you live alone or with a significant other, or especially if you have kids, this dessert will be eaten in less than 2 days. I speak the truth because I baked mine last night and now there is none left.

One week after a trip to Costco, we still had a ton of apples and pears left uneaten. The apples wouldn’t go bad, but I knew the pears would be browned and bruised in a few days. Obviously the only solution is baking:-) Since I have seen so many apple crisps in the blogworld lately, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and make one of my own.

Yesterday was an amazing day. I had no real agenda and was able to take advantage of the cloudless sky and perfect temperatures with a walk along the west side of Manhattan. It was my first weekend in MONTHS without an event or travelling. It was amazing! And really, there aren’t many things better than a perfect fall day that ends with a warm Apple and Pear Crisp topped with vanilla ice cream.

I used 3 bartlett pears and 3 honeycrisp apples (great deal on those at Costco, fyi) to make a crisp that should serve 6. We got 4 servings…

Sidenote, any dessert served warm with ice cream is a winner in my book

Apple and Pear Crisp

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Warm apple and pear crisp is comforting and delicious, especially with ice cream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Filling:

3 large honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced*
3 ripe but firm medium pears, thinly sliced**
40g (1/4 cup) white whole wheat flour
50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Topping:

80g (1/2 cup) white whole wheat flour
115g (1/2 cup, tightly packed) brown sugar (light or dark)
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Make filling:

Place apples and pears into a large mixing bowl
Stir in the flour, sugar, and cinnamon until all fruit is coated
Spread out the filling in a 9×9 pan or baking dish

Make topping:

Cut your butter into the mixture of brown sugar, flour and cinnamon
Use fingers to combine until you are left with small lumps and pour it over the apples
Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until fruit is tender and bubbling and the topping is browned
Allow to cool for a few minutes and then serve topped with ice cream and or whipped cream

Notes

*honeycrisp worked really well, a mixture of braeburn and granny smith would be good for a sweet and tart combination; peeling optional
**I used bartlett but bosc would also work; peeling optional

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Amazing pear and apple crisp, we are obsessed

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Oreo Pound Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

October 5, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Rich and ultra delicious oreo pound cake layered with luscious chocolate cream cheese icing.

When you are a dessert blogger AND have run your own bakery, the expectations for birthday desserts are exponential. Not only that, but I always want to top the previous year’s birthday dessert with something new and better. Combine that with the fact that Matt actually baked for my birthday this year and last, his birthday dessert had to be pretty epic.

Luckily, this cake is epic. I took an always successful cream cheese pound cake and loaded it up with oreos and baked it in layers to make way for some extra perfect chocolate cream cheese icing. This cake is no joke. The amount of butter and cream cheese used is pretty shameful, but it is completely worth it. In fact, Matt wouldn’t even share the leftovers with anyone (except me, phew!) and my father-in-law requested a re-make for his birthday as well.

I promise, if you bake this it will not disappoint!

Oreo Pound Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

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Rich and ultra delicious oreo pound cake layered with luscious chocolate cream cheese icing.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake

340g (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
227g (1 8-ounce block regular or light cream cheese)
640g (~3 cups) granulated sugar
330g (6 whole large) eggs at room temperature
325g (~3 cups) cake flour, sifted
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
The inside of 1 vanilla bean
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
127g (~1½ cups) chopped regular Oreos (from 10 cookies)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

227g (1 8-ounce block) regular or light cream cheese, softened at room temperature
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
480g (3 cups) powdered sugar
75g (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the parchment paper; set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and creamy; add sugar and beat mixture until light and fluffy; scrape the sides of the bowl
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed between each one until incorporated; mix in vanilla bean and extract on medium speed until combined and then scrape the sides of the bowl
With mixer on low, slowly add the flour and the salt just until combined; do not overmix
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in Oreos
Pour batter into prepared baking pans and bake 40-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center of each layer; edges will brown slightly; do not overbake
Set aside cake to cool and prepare icing

Make the icing:

Beat cream cheese on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth
Add butter and beat until light and creamy; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat for another minute
Add cocoa powder and mix on low speed until combined
Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined
Add remaining powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined; scrape the sides of the bowl again and beat on high speed until icing is light and fluffy

Notes

Cake very slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Oatmeal Cookie Wedges with Cinnamon & Chocolate Chips

September 30, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Chewy oatmeal cookie bars filled with cinnamon and chocolate chips then drizzled with extra chocolate make a delicious and pretty party treat.

It’s so exciting when one of my friends publishes a cookbook! And in the world of blog friends, it seems to be happening more and more often. Lucky for me, my friend Miriam at Overtime Cook was generous enough to send me a copy of her newly published Something Sweet!

Miriam is a Jewish blogger from NYC that often has holiday-friendly desserts, but her cookbook is really just perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. And given that she offers many dairy-free baking options (helpful if you are keeping kosher), it could even be useful for the dairy allergy dessert lovers in your life. Delicious dessert for everybody!

The cookbook is full of gorgeous photos and a huge variety of desserts. In addition to these oatmeal cookie wedges, I really want to try Miriam’s fruity pebble cookies and peanut butter and banana chocolate chip bundt cake (duh). It was actually really hard to pick what recipe to try first but alas I settled on something that would be easy and fast to make.

These oatmeal cookie wedges are just that, easy! They are chewy, crunchy and full of flavor (lots of cinnamon plus bursts of chocolate!) but unlike baking cookies, you don’t have to spoon out each individual serving. Instead, you spread the batter into two cake pans and bake that way. So simple!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Oatmeal Cookie Wedges with Cinnamon & Chocolate Chips

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Chewy oatmeal cookie bars filled with cinnamon and chocolate chips then drizzled with extra chocolate make a delicious and pretty party treat.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients

237 milliliters (1 cup) oil (I used canola)
212g (1 cup) granulated sugar
234g (1 cup tightly packed) brown sugar
165g (3 whole large) eggs
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) milk (I used almond milk)
262g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
120g (1½ cups) old-fashioned oats
90g (3/4 cup) cinnamon chips*
90g (1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips* (original recipe calls for 1 cup total of add-ins)
optional: additional chocolate for drizzling

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease 2 9-inch round baking pans (I recommend lining with parchment paper for easy removal) and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat oil and sugars on medium speed until combined
Add eggs, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and milk; beat until smooth
With mixer speed reduced to low, carefully add flour and mix just until combined; add oatmeal and mix just until combined; stir in chips and do not overmix
Divide cookie dough evenly between baking pans
Bake for 30 minutes or until center has just set; do not overbake
Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and slicing
Optional: once cookies have cooled, melt chocolate and drizzle over cookies
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag; best enjoyed within 4 days of baking kept frozen up to two months

Notes

Recipe from Something Sweet (with permission)
*replace cinnamon chips and chocolate chips with DAIRY-FREE chocolate chips if making dairy-free

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Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

September 28, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

A kid-friendly breakfast or snack, these healthy apple muffins are made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened!

When I think back to the first month after L was born, it comes back as a haze. Of course I remember the unbelievable sense of contentment I got when I’d snuggle on the couch with L curled up on my chest and the incredible connection that we seemed to make immediately. But while it was an amazing month, the limited broken sleep and c-section recovery turned my memories into a bit of a blur.

Want to know what else I remember clearly though? The hunger. There were only a couple of hours between feedings to rest and catch up on sleep so I’d sometimes choose my bed over food. But then, I’d wake up, I’d find myself starving with limited time to digest anything. I’d need food at that moment. Even more than that, food I could likely eat while holding and/or nursing a baby.

So when my new neice was born a few weeks ago, I wanted to make something for my sister-in-law that could help with those moments of starvation when you don’t have time to think about what you are going to eat. You just need something ready and one-hand friendly. These healthy apple muffins really are the perfect solution for that kind of moment. They are full of whole grains, chopped apples and limited in sugars. In fact, I used maple syrup so there is no refined sugar at all! A healthy snack that tastes good and is quick to make and eat. It doesn’t get better than that when you have a newborn (okay, chocolate chunk cookies might be better than that).

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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A kid-friendly breakfast or snack, these healthy apple muffins are made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

118 milliliters (1/2 cup) skim milk
59 milliliters(1/4 cup) canola oil
57g (1/4 cup) fat free plain greek yogurt
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) maple syrup
55g (1 large) whole egg at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
160g (~1 cup) white whole wheat flour
130g(~1 cup) all purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
165g (1¾ cups) finely chopped Granny Smith apples (1-2 depending on size)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a regular sized muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray
In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (milk through vanilla) and set aside
In a large bowl, whisk dry ingredients (flour through salt); form a well in center of dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into the well
Stir just until combined
Fold in apples
Distribute batter evenly in muffin pan and bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center
Allow to cool for five minutes before carefully removing muffins from pan; best served immediately
Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for a couple of days or in freezer for a few weeks

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One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

September 24, 2015 Keep It Sweet 30 Comments

Amazing pumpkin blondies that are easy to make. With chewy centers and crispy crackly tops, you will love this one-bowl dessert.

My sister’s engagement party is just a couple of weeks away and I’m so excited! It feels like a big kick off to about a year of celebrations. Of course for her shower and bachelorette party I’ll have to do a ton of planning, but for this event, I didn’t have a lot of responsibilities. In fact, my mom will have about 64 different desserts (or so it seems), and just asked me to make pumpkin blondies. Of course I was happy to oblige.

Lucky for me, these pumpkin blondies are not only delicious, but they are also so easy to make. Only one bowl (okay, really a pot) is required so there is less cleanup, too! A recipe that allows me to stir by hand, put something in the oven and do a yoga workout during naptime is pretty ideal. I really need to start making one-bowl desserts more often.

5.0 from 2 reviews

One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

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Amazing pumpkin blondies that are easy to make. With chewy centers and crispy crackly tops, you will love this one-bowl dessert.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

700g (~3 cups firmly packed) light brown sugar
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
120g (½ cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
110 (~2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
460g (~3 cups + 6 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
3g (1½ teaspoons) ground cinnamon
1g (½ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
90g (3/4 cup) white chocolate chips
90g (3/4 cup) cinnamon chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium heavy duty saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter and pumpkin over medium heat and stir constantly until melted into a thick golden brown mixture; remove from heat
Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined
Whisk in flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg just until combined; stir in chips
Pour batter into prepared pan; Bake for 36-40 minutes or until top begins to crack and a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool before removing from pan and slicing; wrap leftovers tightly in seran wrap or tin foil and enjoy within one week; can be frozen for up to one month

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Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

September 21, 2015 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Rich dark chocolate pound cake topped with creamy, light and delicious peanut butter whipped cream.

I have to be honest, when I first made this recipe, I was nervous that it wouldn’t meet my high expectations for dessert, but I was proved wrong. That says a lot because finding a chocolate cake that can stand up on its own is pretty darn hard. But this chocolate pound cake, full of rich dark cocoa powder and a ton of grated chocolate (hello, arm workout!) is certainly a cake that is good enough to eat alone. The dark chocolate flavor is poignant and the cake is dense and rich just like a pound cake should be.

But while you can eat the cake alone, I kind of think it calls for whipped cream. And while regular whipped cream would work, peanut butter whipped cream really seals the deal. I mean, if we are going to go there, you might as well really go there! Chocolate and peanut butter lovers, rejoice!

For those observing the holiday, I hope you all have an easy fast!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

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Rich dark chocolate pound cake topped with creamy, light and delicious peanut butter whipped cream.

Makes: 8 –12 servings

Ingredients

For the pound cake

140g (~1¼ cups) cake flour
56g (2/3 cup) high quality dark unsweetened cocoa
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) whole milk
2g (2 teaspoons) espresso powder
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
248g (1¼ cups) granulated sugar
165g (3 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
120g grated dark chocolate (I used 72%)

For the whipped cream

237 milliliters (1 cup) heavy whipping cream, cold
20g (2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
50 grams (3 tablespoons) creamy peanut butter (do not use “natural”)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

For the pound cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; generously grease a regular sized loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter
Sift cake flour, cocoa powder and salt into a medium bowl; set aside
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together milk and espresso powder; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium high speed for several minutes or until light and fluffy
Reduce speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined; mix in vanilla
Reduce speed to low and slowly add half of sifted dry ingredients; carefully add all of milk and then add remaining dry ingredients mixing just until combined
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in grated chocolate
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in center of oven for 60-70 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for twenty minutes; run a knife around edges of loaf before carefully removing from pan

For the whipped cream

While pound cake is cooling, chill the large bowl and whisk from an electric mixer in refrigerator
When ready to make whipped cream (right before serving), place all ingredients into bowl
Beat on medium-high speed for two to three minutes or until stiff peaks form
Serve in a bowl alongside pound cake or dollop onto slices before serving

Notes

Cake barely adapted from Sugar Hero
Store cake wrapped tightly with seran wrap. Enjoy within two days of baking for best results, or freeze for up to one month
Whipped cream should be made just prior to serving for best results

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Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

These are the perfect pumpkin cookie. Crispy edges, chewy middle and lots of chocolate chips!

We are getting closer to L’s birthday, just under a month to go. In fact, I can see so many ways he is now transitioning from baby to toddler (insert many, many tears). There’s the way he arches his back and immediately turns around to stand in his car seat and play rather than sit so I can buckle him in. There are the moments when we are reading books and he is very, very opinionated about which ones we read. Farm books are almost a guaranteed win but my favorite Little Blue Truck is not so popular these days. Oh yeah, and last week he started diving towards his crib instead of letting me walk him around with his head rested on my shoulder before naps and bedtime. So amazing to watch him grow, yet so very bittersweet.

And as we are getting closer to his birthday, I’m realizing I really need to get my you-know-what together for a menu plan. I already told you about all the mini cookies I want to make but after that I’m still all over the place. I’m also thinking about doing cookie favors (it’s a mostly adult / family party) but I don’t even know what flavors to make. I think I’m in a little bit of denial that his birthday will be here before we know it.

The good news? These cookies. If the only thing to eat at the party is these perfect mini pumpkin cookies, I don’t think anyone will mind. Seriously. I knew they were going to be winners before they even went into the oven (hello, delicious cookie dough). The flavor and texture is insanely perfect. It’s hard to get that in a pumpkin cookie but here are a few reasons they are still the perfect balance of crispy and chewy:

1) Canned pumpkin is limited to just 1/3 of a cup (high amounts of canned pumpkin = cakey cookies). Don’t worry, we make up for it with seasonings!
2) The pumpkin is cooked with the butter to reduce some of the excess liquid and enhance flavor.
3) There are no eggs! Eggs sometimes make baked goods cakey so I took them out. Pumpkin cookie dough for everyone!

So if you make one new cookie recipe this month, please do me a favor and make it this recipe for mini pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These are the perfect pumpkin cookie. Crispy edges, chewy middle and lots of chocolate chips!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
81g (1/3 cup) canned pumpkin
262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (1 ½ teaspoons) ground cinnamon
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
234g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
106g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
215g (~1¼ cups) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Melt butter and pumpkin in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; set aside to cool
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter mixture, sugars and vanilla for several minutes on medium speed or until well-combined
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chocolate chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 24 hours (you can do less chilling, but texture will not be as good)
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with small cookie dough scoop (~1 tablespoon) onto prepared baking sheets so that cookies are spaced one inch apart
Bake cookies 8-10 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to a week (texture best first day or two) or freeze up to two months

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

September 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

A no-bake treat that every kid and adult will love, these chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz sandwiches are almost too good to be true!

These hardly need any explanation or recipe.

Except, they kind of do.

This past spring in Florida, when I took a brief break from eating Kilwins’ ice cream, I picked up an array of chocolates to bring back to the house and hide in my room share with everyone. When I saw that they had chocolate covered peanut butter and Ritz sandwiches, I couldn’t resist getting a few. But to be honest, I was a little disappointed in the finished product. They weren’t bad, per say, but you really couldn’t taste the peanut butter.

Well, it took me about four months to finally pick up a box of Ritz crackers (those would not typically be safe in my pantry), but I’m glad I did. I recreated the treat (and put it all on snapchat because I couldn’t resist), this time with the right amount of peanut butter, and then proceeded to eat too many to count. I wish I was kidding.

Anyway, this is definitely one of the easiest no-bake desserts (or really I’d prefer to call them snacks) you could possibly make. Buttery crackers topped with peanut butter and then dipped in chocolate should happen in your kitchen immediately.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

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A no-bake treat that every kid and adult will love, these chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz sandwiches are almost too good to be true!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen sandwiches

Ingredients

4 dozen Ritz crackers
120g (~1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
500 grams good quality dark chocolate chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped (can substitute good quality milk chocolate if preferred)
14g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter

Instructions

Lay half of your crackers (24) out on a baking sheet; spread about 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of peanut butter into each cracker (don't use much less or you won't be able to taste it!)
Top each with a second Ritz cracker
Place tray in freezer for a half hour to chill
When ready, place chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Use two forks to dip sandwiches into melted chocolate
Place dipped sandwiches onto parchment or wax paper and chill in refrigerator one hour
Keep stored in an airtight container in a cool room or refrigerator until ready to enjoy
Enjoy within one week for best results

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Vegan Apple Cake

September 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

A healthier spin on the classic apple dessert, this cake does not disappoint. No mixer needed for this apple cake!

I’m pretty lucky that any photos of this cake exist. I baked it one morning while L was napping and then was setting up my shoot that afternoon while he decided that an afternoon nap just wasn’t necessary. So I took the pictures quickly and then proceeded to rock / feed L to sleep. There are worse things. I know those moments are fleeting these days so rather than be frustrated by the lack of “real” nap, I try to enjoy the sweet moment of a sleeping baby while I can. However, I don’t recommend that move with a full bladder. Just saying.

In the end it all worked out. L slept enough to play the late afternoon away, I got photos AND cuddle time. Oh yeah, and we got a pretty delicious cake. What’s interesting about this recipe is that you separate the apples so that you can top the batter with slices (which then end up on the bottom of the cake). I wasn’t sure how that would translate but I actually think it really helped seal in the moisture. That’s always a good thing when baking with whole wheat flour and less fat than a typical dessert.

Need a last minute high holiday dessert? This is dairy-free and perfect for your Rosh Hashanah spread. Don’t let the “vegan” scare you. There are no weird ingredients and you wouldn’t even know with the taste.

4.5 from 2 reviews

Vegan Apple Cake

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A healthier spin on the classic apple dessert, this cake does not disappoint. No mixer needed for this apple cake!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

237 milliliters (1 cup) almond milk
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) apple cider vinegar
450g (~2 large) apples, peeled
zest and juice of one lemon
160g (~1 cup + 2 ½ tablespoons) all-purpose flour
150g (~1 cup) white whole wheat flour
10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground ginger
160g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) canola oil
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
15g (1 tablespoon, packed) light brown sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease a bundt pan with non-stick baking spray
Combine milk and vinegar; set aside
Slice one of the two apples (1/8 -¼ inch in thickness) into half-moons; mix with half of lemon juice and set aside
Chop other apple into ¼-inch cubes and in another bowl, mix with remaining lemon juice; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger; set aside
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the milk and vinegar, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla
Slowly whisk in dry ingredients just until combined; fold in chopped apple
Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan
Place sliced apple on top of the batter and sprinkle with brown sugar
Bake in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean

Notes

Adapted from Cake Duchess

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Mini M&M Cookies

August 31, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Mini cookies loaded with M&Ms. These are the perfect party cookie!

Now that I’m thinking about a special someone’s first birthday, I’m fully focused on what his first sweet treat should be and what kinds of sweets we will have at his party. I change my mind constantly going back and forth on different ideas, but thought that having a variety of mini cookies at the celebration would be fun.

The first recipe I decided to try out was this Mini M&M Cookie recipe. They are made from a pretty fabulous brown-sugar based cookie dough that bakes up so nicely. Usually I find that a larger cookie is best for maximizing texture quality, but this dough really worked well this way. Crispy edges? Check. Chewy middle? Check. Sweet and delicious? You bet!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mini M&M Cookies

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Mini cookies loaded with M&Ms. These are the perfect party cookie!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
170g (~1½ cups) mini M&Ms

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in M&Ms
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with small cookie dough scoop (~1 teaspoons) onto prepared baking sheets
Bake cookies ~10 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool
Texture of cookies best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week at room temperature or one month frozen if stored in an air-tight container

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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Easy Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah

August 26, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

An easy and traditional Rosh Hashanah dessert to celebrate a sweet new year.

The Jewish holidays are so early this year so it’s a bit of a rush to get organized. Granted, I don’t have that much to do for the holidays, just some baking, but it’s hard to think about those warm fall flavors that we are used to when menu planning in August.

So I eased into things and started with this honey cake. At first glance the honey cake might be overlooked in its simplicity, but this version is so moist and full of warm comforting flavors (lots of cinnamon and some nutmeg, too) that it’s worth of a spot on your table. It’s sweet (for a sweet new year of course) so while there is a part of me that wants to fancy things up with whipped cream or powdered sugar at least, the smarter side of me knows that a slice of this honey cake just calls for a cup of hot tea or dark coffee.

You know what else made this cake exciting? See that photo above? We got two huge jars of beautiful raw local honey through our CSA. At first I didn’t know what to do with it, we really don’t use honey often, but it was perfect to have on hand when I wanted to bake this honey cake. Some people discourage baking with raw honey because it kind of defeats the purpose of it being “raw”, but if you have a lot of honey, I say you should bake this cake!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Easy Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah

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An easy and traditional Rosh Hashanah dessert to celebrate a sweet new year.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Jewish

Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients

440g (~3⅓ cups)all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
8g (4 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
½g (1/2 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
¼g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cloves
237 milliliters (1 cup) vegetable or canola oil
340g (1 cup) honey
300g (~1⅓ cups) granulated sugar
95g (~1/3 cup, tightly packed) brown sugar
165g (3 whole large) eggs at room temperature
237 milliliters (1 cup) warm coffee
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) orange juice
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) whiskey
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) vanilla extract

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and lightly butter or spray well with nonstick cooking spray
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; set aside
In the large bowl of electric mixer combine remaining ingredients (oil through vanilla) on low speed until well combined
While mixer is still on low, slowly add dry ingredients; continue mixing for several minutes just until combined.; batter should be smooth and have a little thickness
Pour batter into baking pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from center
Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes before carefully removing from pan
Cake can be wrapped well in seran and stored at room temperature up to five days or frozen up to one month

Notes

Barely adapted from Smitten Kitchen (who got the recipe from this cookbook)

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Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 24, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

A small batch of chocolate chip cookies that’s perfect a cookie craving!

Let’s be honest, one cookie is never, ever enough. And a whole big batch, while appealing, is too many to eat in one sitting. Plus, sometimes you just want a homemade cookie and you want it fast. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is exactly what you need when you:

1) …want homemade cookies in just twenty minutes (not exaggerating!),
2) …want enough cookies to satisfy a craving and maybe share
3) …don’t want to be tempted by a giant batch of baked goods

In fact, not only do you need this recipe, but you need to get your hands on a copy of Christina’s wonderful Dessert for Two Cookbook. (And while you are at it, pre-order her next cookbook!) I’ve been drooling over her cookbook for months now and while I pretty much wanted to make everything (hello chocolate covered key lime pie and oatmeal cream sandwich cookies…), chocolate chip cookies seemed the best place to start.

Oh, and I think Matt agreed since the only complaint I got was the lack of milk in the fridge. Oops!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Small Batch Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Desserts

Makes: 8-12 cookies

Ingredients

60g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
24g (2 tablespoons) solid vegetable shortening (I subbed softened unsalted butter)
45g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar
39g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
25g (1 large) egg yolk
4 milliliters (3/4 teaspoon) vanilla extract
75g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking powder
½g (1/8) teaspoon fine salt
⅛ teaspoon instant espresso powder
55g (1/3 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening and sugars on medium-high speed until well combined (about one minute); add egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined
In a separate small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder; slowly add to mixer while on low speed and mix just until combined; stir in chocolate chips
Spoon cookie dough into prepared baking sheet (I used a medium cookie dough scoop) and bake 8-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned; remove from baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool (or better yet, eat warm out of the oven!)

Notes

I got 10 cookies with a medium cookie dough scoop
From the Dessert for Two Cookbook

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Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

August 17, 2015 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Other title considerations: Brown Butter Gingersnap Crumble Ice Cream; Peach Cobbler Ice Cream with Gingersnap Crumbs; Gingersnap Crunch Ice Cream with Peach Filling; Peach Cobbler Ice Cream; Bourbon Peach Crumble Ice Cream with Gingersnap Crumbs. Decisions, decisions.

It’s my birthday week which means that nothing but ice cream will do! I wanted to make one more batch of homemade ice cream before the summer ended (though I have a few other ideas so it might not be my last) and asked on Facebook what it should be. A few of you had some good ideas so I combined a couple of them into one!

It actually was the perfect week to make peach ice cream because Matt had bought the biggest white peaches I’ve ever seen at Costco. No joke, these peaches were as big as grapefruits. My mom actually walked into my apartment and asked “what are these?!”

The gingersnap crumble is all sorts of awesome… it’s just brown butter and and gingersnap crumbs. Thank you, Gerry, for the fabulous idea! The peach filling is easy to make, barely any sugar, just the sweetness of perfect late summer peaches to carry it. And then the no churn ice cream base, you know the drill: cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla. Oh yeah, and bourbon. Because with peach and ginger it just seemed right!

Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

Crumble:

120g (~1 cup) ground gingersnaps* (16 cookies)
71g (5 tablespoons ) unsalted butter

Peach filling:

360g (~2½ cups) fresh peeled and chopped ripe peaches (~2-3 medium peaches)
16g (~1 tablespoon, packed) light brown sugar
15 millimeters (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
10g (~1 tablespoon) cornstarch
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Ice cream:

237 millimeters (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
30 millimeters (2 tablespoons) bourbon
5 millimeters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

Make crumble
Melt butter in a heavy-duty pan over medium heat; once melted, stir constantly until browned and then remove from heat; stir in gingersnap crumbs; set aside to cool
Make peach filling
Place peaches, sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot stove with medium heat
Stir occasionally for several minutes until some of the fruit begins to break down and juice begins to form
Turn the heat to high, add cornstarch and stir quickly until sauce reaches desired thickness (1-2 minutes); stir in cinnamon
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, vanilla, and bourbon
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Fold in peach filling
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan and drop one half of crumble over top; top with remaining ice cream and then with remaining crumble; wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

*Can easily be adapted to be gluten-free by using gluten-free gingersnaps
Sauce and crumble can be made up to one day before putting ice cream together, refrigerate the filling in an airtight container until ready to use and store the gingersnap crumble in an airtight container at room temperature

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Cranberry and White Chocolate Pistachio Dusted Cookies

August 10, 2015 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Chewy cookies loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips then coated with layers of MORE white chocolate AND pistachios.

Last week I needed a dessert to use as a thank you gift and wanted something pretty and portable. Cookies are always great for that sort of thing but this time I felt like jazzing mine up. I started with a brown sugar cookie dough base, loaded them up with white chocolate and cranberries (always a good sweet and tart flavor combination) and then dipped them in more white chocolate. The addition of pistachios was key for a bit of salt and a nice little crunch. Who needs sprinkles when pistachios are pretty AND add flavor?!

I’ll definitely be keeping this recipe up my sleeve when it comes time for holiday baking. Maybe I’ll even swap in fresh cranberries when the season permits!

Cranberry and White Chocolate Pistachio Dusted Cookies

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Chewy cookies loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips then coated with layers of MORE white chocolate AND pistachios.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~20 cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
175g (~1 cup) white chocolate chips
120g (~3/4 cup) dried cranberries
450g good quality white chocolate in disks or roughly chopped
75g (~1/2 cup) salted pistachios in a mix of finely chopped and crumbs

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in craisins and chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets
Bake large cookies 16-18 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool and lay out wax or parchment paper for when you dip your cookies
Once cookies have cooled, melt your white chocolate for dipping; place it in a heat-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between each, until melted
One at a time, dip half of a cookie into white chocolate and immediately sprinkle with pistachio crumbs
Place cookies on wax or parchment paper and allow white chocolate to harden before serving or wrapping as a gift

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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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

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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

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Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

July 27, 2015 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

An ice cream cake with all the important components of the classic Drumstick treat!

You didn’t think I’d let National Ice Cream Month pass without a new ice cream related recipe on the blog, did you? Please, I wouldn’t dare! Actually, I almost forgot, but last week I finally got around to making this pretty epic ice cream cake.

This cake was entirely inspired by the Drumstick cake that Kristan made a couple of months ago. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to do an ice cream version and I’m so glad that I finally did!

This ice cream cake uses one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes (I wanted something on the fudgier side), store-bought vanilla ice cream (homemade would be even better), rich chocolate ganache (the unexpected mvp?), and a mix of crushed peanuts and ice cream cones. So much good stuff, such a good cake. I keep on cutting myself massive slices and rationalize that I won’t be burning breastfeeding calories forever so I might as well live it up.

So I realize that the recipe looks long, but it really isn’t all that hard. It just takes a little bit of planning ahead for freezer time and you can actually do 90% of the work while your chocolate cake is baking / cooling. As a mom of a 9-month old that does not stop moving and climbing and crawling, I have to do my baking during naps. I actually did the ice cream and cake prep one day and then finished everything else plus took photos the next. Poor little L doesn’t know what he’s missing while he sleeps!

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

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Fudgy Chocolate Cake Barely adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Make ahead note: chocolate cake can be made and frozen for up to two weeks before putting cake together

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12

Ingredients

1 recipe for fudgy chocolate cake (see below)
½ gallon vanilla ice cream
1 recipe for chocolate ganache (see below)
62g (~1½ cup crushed) ice cream cones (5 cones) plus one optional additional cone for decoration
90g (~3/4 cup) chopped peanuts (use salted and roasted for the most flavor)
56g dark chocolate (I used 72%) roughly chopped (optional for decorating)

Instructions

Bake cake according to below directions and do the following steps while cake layers are cooling
Line a 9-inch cake pan with seran wrap and press ice cream down into pan; cover completely and then put this layer in the freezer until firm, about 1 hour
Combine crushed ice cream cones and peanuts and set aside
Make chocolate ganache and set aside to cool
Optional: Place dark chocolate in small heat-safe dish and melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring between each; dip open end of cone into chocolate and coat with spoon so that a some of the outside of the cone is covered; sprinkle with peanut and cone pieces and then set aside on wax or parchment paper to dry
Once cake has cooled completely, you will start to put your full cake together (do these steps quickly)
Place first layer of cake down on a cake plate; top cake with unwrapped ice cream layer; top ice cream with second layer of cake and press down lightly
Cover cake with saran wrap and re-freeze until ice cream is frozen again, about 20 minutes
Once cake has frozen, remove from freezer to finish
Remove seran wrap and spread ganache over top of cake with some dripping down the sides
Coat sides of cake with chopped cone and peanut mixture
Place entire cake back in freezer to chill for one hour or until ready to serve
Optional: Place decorated ice cream cone on top of cake for serving
Allow a few minutes for cake to soften before slicing
Store in freezer for up to two weeks

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Fudgy Chocolate Cake

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Ingredients

43g (~1/3 cup) good quality dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1g (1 teaspoon) instant espresso powder
112g dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
240 milliliters (1 cup) ounces boiling water
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
232g (~1 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
210g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
150g (~3 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
246g (~2¼ cups) cake flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
4g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
240 millilters (1 cup) buttermilk

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper
In a medium heat-proof bowl, combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder and chocolate; pour boiling water over mixture and whisk together until melted and smooth; stir in vanilla; set aside to cool
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter until light and creamy; add sugars and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, mixing at medium speed between each
Sift cake flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside
Whisk buttermilk into cooled chocolate mixture
Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix on low speed just until combined; add half of chocolate mixture and mix on low again, just until combined; scrape the sides of the mixing bowl and repeat with ⅓ of flour mixture remaining chocolate mixture; remove bowl from mixer and fold in remaining dry ingredients; be careful not to overmix the batter
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cakes
Set cake layers aside to cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove each layer from pans; run a knife around the edge of each layer for easier removal
Allow to cool completely before building cake

Notes

Barely adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey
Make ahead note: chocolate cake can be made and frozen for up to two weeks before putting cake together

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Chocolate Ganache

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

225g dark chocolate (I used 72%), finely chopped
237 milliliters (1 cup) heavy cream
28 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) light corn syrup

Instructions

Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside
Put remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat; stir constantly until butter is melted
When cream mixture comes to a boil and bubbles begin to rise on entire surface, remove from heat and pour over chocolate
Allow chocolate to sit for one minute then stir to combine until smooth and creamy
Allow to cool before using on ice cream cake

Notes

Source: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

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You know you want that slice.

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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

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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.

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Gluten free Banana Cake with White Chocolate Whipped Cream

July 6, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Moist, flavorful gluten-free banana cake topped with a sweet light white chocolate whipped cream.

I’ve mentioned it before, but when I bake gluten-free treats, I tend to steer towards those that are lower maintenance on the ingredient spectrum. I don’t like to keep stock of a ton of different flours because I can’t use them fast enough. Almond meal/flour, though, is pretty versatile. I’ve used it in a few different recipes. It’s even used in macarons. If I was smart, I’d use it more often in savory cooking as well (think veggie burgers, meatloaf, etc.).

Anyway, this cake is right there in the simple ingredient list. Just almond meal and other ingredients most bakers regularly have stocked in their pantries. The best part? It was seriously good. Matt almost always turns his head at gluten-free desserts but went for seconds (maybe thirds?).

And let’s take a minute to talk about the white chocolate whipped cream. If you love white chocolate you will go crazy over it. If you don’t, like me, just trust me and put this whipped cream on your cake. It is the perfect flavor compliment. Just so, so good.

I served this cake to a friend who doesn’t eat much gluten anymore. It was a few days after her birthday so I knew there had to be a dessert to celebrate. Seriously, when you have friends that cook dinner for you right before AND after your baby is born, you make them birthday cake. End of story!

Gluten free Banana Cake with White Chocolate Whipped Cream

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Gluten free Banana Cake with White Chocolate Whipped Cream

Makes: 6-8

Ingredients

White Chocolate Whipped Cream
115g good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
177 milliliters / 6 fluid ounces (3/4 cup) heavy whipping cream
44 milliliters (3 tablespoons) water
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
Cinnamon for topping (optional)
Gluten-Free Banana Cake
411g (~1⅓ cups / 4 medium) ripe bananas, mashed
250g (~5 large) whole eggs at room temperature
235g (~1 cup packed) light brown sugar
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g (~2½ cups) almond meal or flour
6g (1 ¼ teaspoons) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon baking soda)
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
3g (½ teaspoon) salt
1g (½ teaspoon) ground nutmeg

Instructions

Start the whipped cream
Place chocolate in the large bowl of an electric mixer
In a small pot, bring the cream and water to a low rolling boil in a saucepan and immediately pour over the chocolate; let stand for 30 seconds and then stir well
Let stand for 10 minutes and then whisk until mixture is smooth; whisk in salt
Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator for three hours or overnight
Make the cake
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper; grease top of parchment paper as well; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together bananas, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla
In a separate large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients
Whisk dry ingredients into wet but do not overmix
Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 –60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Let the cake cool for ten to fifteen minutes before carefully removing from pan and placing on wire rack
Allow cake to cool completely
Finish making whipped cream
Once mixture is completely chilled, use whisk attachment of mixer and beat on high speed for about three minutes or just until stiff peaks begin form, do not overbeat
Spread over the cooled cake immediately; sprinkle with cinnamon if desired
Keep cake in refrigerator until about a half our prior to serving; best enjoyed day of making

Notes

Cake barely adapted Delicious Every Day
Whipped Cream from Food 52

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Mango Summer Cake

July 1, 2015 Keep It Sweet 40 Comments

A light chiffon cake topped with mango glaze and a layer of whipped cream. The perfect light and refreshing summer cake.

So last week I overloaded you with chocolate because that’s what I was craving. Today, though, I have a dessert to satisfy someone else’s cravings. Sweet Zainab is having a baby boy and loves all things tropical. As a result, her big group (seriously, everyone loves this girl and for good reason) of blog friends are throwing her a tropical virtual baby shower!

You know I don’t do coconut, and actually, I don’t really bake with tropical fruit all that often so it took me some time to find the right dessert. My first try was a mango shortbread bar but the mango was a bit muddled and it just wasn’t all that great. This cake, however, has a really sweet layer of mango glaze that I love, though, that brings out the bright and fruity flavor. The cake and whipped cream topping surrounding that are super light and really perfect for summer dessert eating. While this wasn’t my typical dessert of choice, I really did like it. It definitely fulfills its obligations of being a light tropical summer treat!

Zainab, I wish we could sit down together with a fork and enjoy this cake! I’m so excited for you and all that you have to come. Baby boys are the best (not that I’m bias or anything) and you are going to be such an amazing mom!

Scroll down for the recipe and links for everyone else participating in the shower.

Mango Summer Cake

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Cake:
1 9.6-fluid ounce can mango nectar (~1 ¼ cups)
130g (1¼ cups) sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
150g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar + additional 6 grams (½ tablespoon)
8g (1½ teaspoons) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
65g (3 large) egg yolks, at room temperature
59 milliliters / 2 fluid ounces (1/4 cup) canola oil
2g (1/2 tablespoon) lime zest (~1 lime) plus additional for serving
160g (~4 large) egg whites, at room temperature
Glaze:
90 milliliters / 3 fluid ounces (6 tablespoons) mango syrup (see directions below*)
50g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (~1/2 lime)
Whipped Cream:
237 milliliters / 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) whipping cream, cold
25g (~2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the Cake:
In a small heavy-duty medium saucepan, make mango syrup* by simmering mango nectar over medium heat for about twenty minutes or until reduced to just under ¾ cup; remove from heat and set in fridge to cool to room temperature
While mango syrup is cooling, make cake
Pre-heat oven to 325; line a 9x13 cake pan with parchment paper and set aside
Sift together flour, sugar (excluding additional amount), baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside
In a separate large bowl, whisk egg yolks, canola oil, lime zest, and half of mango syrup (90 milliliters / 3 fluid ounces) until well combined (set aside remaining mango syrup); whisk in dry ingredients but do not overmix
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on medium high until soft peaks form; add and beat until stiff
Gently fold one half of egg whites into yolk mixture; fold in remaining egg whites
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 24-28 minutes or until golden and knife comes out clean from center (do not overbake!)
Set pan aside on a cake rack to cool
Make the glaze:
In a small heavy duty saucepan, boil sugar, lime juice, and mango syrup* until liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup (~5 minutes); pour glaze over cake
Make whipped cream:
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine whipping cream and sugar on medium-high speed for several minutes or until stiff peaks begin to form
Carefully spread whipped cream over cake and cover and chill cake until ready to serve
Top with additional lime zest before serving
Enjoy within 1-2 days for best results

Notes

Adapted from Epicurious

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Check out all the other recipes!

Blackberry Coconut Cupcakes, by Baking a Moment
Blueberry Coconut Meusli Bars, by The Spiffy Cookie
Blueberry-Ginger Coconut Cheesecake Popsicles, by Floating Kitchen
Caramel Coconut Cluster Bars, by Eats Well with Others
Chocolate Coconut Cake, by Brunch with Joy
Coconut Breakfast Pudding with Sauteed Nectarines, by Cooking and Beer
Coconut Cake, by I am Baker
Coconut Cream Pie Ice Cream, by The Recipe Rebel
Coconut Energy Bites, by The Kitchenarium
Coconut Key Lime Angel Food Cake Roll, by Flavor the Moments
Coconut Key Lime Pie Cookie Bars, by Two in the Kitchen
Coconut Key Lime Macarons, by Life Made Sweeter
Coconut, Lime, and White Chocolate Milkshake, by A Clean Bake
Coconut Pineapple Banana Smoothie, by The Bitter Side of Sweet
Coconut Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp, by Healthy Nibbles and Bits
Coconut Sweet Potato Muffins, by Luci’s Morsels
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Coconut, by The Cooking Actress
Key Lime Coconut Button Sandwich Cookies, by Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Key Lime Coconut Pound Cake, by Grandbaby Cakes
Lavender Coconut Macarons, by Broma Bakery
Macaroon Tarts with Ginger Coconut Whipped Cream and Pineapple, by A Cookie Named Desire
Mango Coconut Donuts, by Chez Catey Lou
Mango Coconut Smoothie, by Jessica in the Kitchen
Mango Summer Cake, by Keep it Sweet Desserts
Mini Coconut Cream Pies, by Hip Foodie Mom
Pina Colada Pie, by Life, Love, and Sugar
Skinny Blueberry Lime Scones, by Club Narwhal
Spiced Lentils with Toasted Coconut, by This Gal Cooks
Toasted Coconut Banana Meringue Pie, by The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Triple Coconut Rum Layer Cake, by bethcakes
Tropical Pineapple Coconut Sangria, by Shared Appetite
White Chocolate Coconut Key Lime Cookies, by Culinary Couture

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

Blog, Recipes

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt

June 22, 2015 Keep It Sweet 18 Comments

The fudgiest brownies with a hint of mocha and touch of salt to kick any chocolate craving in the butt.

Kind of like my beloved blondies, it’s been too long since I’ve made brownies. I know it’s summer and time for light fruit desserts or frozen ice cream treats, but all I wanted last week was a rich fudgy chocolaty brownie.

These brownies turned out to be perfect. They are thick and crazy fudgy. If anyone was looking for an end piece, I’m sorry but I pretty much ate all of the edges while cutting them for photos. I just couldn’t help myself and I don’t regret it one bit. And even though I don’t usually choose to put chips in my brownies, for some reason they seemed appropriate here. The dark chocolate mocha brownies are full of semi-sweet chips (you could use milk chocolate if you want to go sweeter) and they help the brownie to have layers of flavor. The mocha flavor is more an essence than overpowering and the espresso salt helps enhance it. If you don’t have espresso salt don’t expect too much coffee to come through.

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt

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The fudgiest brownies with a hint of mocha and touch of salt to kick any chocolate craving in the butt.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24-30 servings

Ingredients

256g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
340g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
400g (~1¾ cups, packed) light brown sugar
275g (~5 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
89 milliliters (6 tablespoon) strong brewed espresso (4 grams (1½ tablespoons) espresso + 89 milliliters (6 tablespoons) water))
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
290g (~2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
270g (1½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips*
½g (1 teaspoon) espresso salt (can substitute flaky sea salt**)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs, espresso and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix; fold in chocolate chips
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with espresso salt
Bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool completely before slicing and serving
Notes:
*You can use milk chocolate chips instead if you want to enhance the sweetness of the brownies instead of the rich chocolate flavor
**If you don’t have espresso salt don’t expect too much coffee to come through
These brownies are great for making in advance. Just wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the freezer for up to one month. They might also taste good right out of the freezer. Not like I would know.

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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 Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

June 8, 2015 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

Chewy gooey blondies loaded with sweet cinnamon chips.

Until this, I hadn’t made Blondies since L was born.

Which is a shame. Because 1) blondies are really my thing and 2) they are pretty much the easiest way to bake for a crowd. After churning out hundreds and thousands of them for a couple of years, I guess I just needed a little blondies hiatus. Don’t worry, though, because blondies are back!

This recipe, in particular, comes with a punch of cinnamon and that chewy gooey blondie we have all grown to love. Oh yeah and there is oatmeal for extra health chew.

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Blondies

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Chewy gooey blondies loaded with sweet cinnamon chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter
700g (~3 cups packed) light brown sugar
270g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
120g(1½ cups) Old fashioned oats
10g (2 teaspoons) table salt
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
220g (4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
430g (2¼ cups) cinnamon chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, 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 cinnamon chips so that they are evenly distributed throughout batter
Pour into prepared baking pan
Bake for 41-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set aside to cool for one our before cutting
Note: Blondies will stay fresh for several days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.

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

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Apple Cinnamon Blondies

Oatmeal Cookie Wedges with Cinnamon & Chocolate Chips

Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Sublime Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

June 1, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

This no-bake ice cream pie is the ultimate summer dessert! Oreo crust, peanut butter ripple ice cream, tons of peanut butter cups and whipped cream!

This dessert wavers back and forth between hot mess and best thing ever. I’m going with best thing ever.

This ice cream I shared with you? It was already pretty heavenly but I just had to take it even further. All my life I’ve been a pretty big ice cream pie fanatic (as a kid I used to get one every year for my birthday from Baskin Robbins). It makes sense. You usually start with an Oreo crust (always, always good) and then load it up with your favorite ice cream. Here I decided a full pound of peanut butter cups should be used as well, because why not? Make this dessert when you are having some friends over for a barbeque because it’s something worth sharing. Just know that it may be a little messy to cut. Call it “homey” if you will.

Sublime Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

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This no-bake ice cream pie is the ultimate summer dessert! Oreo crust, peanut butter ripple ice cream, tons of peanut butter cups and whipped cream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

285g (~2¼ cups / 25 cookies) finely crushed Oreos
71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 Recipe for Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream
454g (~3 ½ cups) chopped peanut butter cups (from about 22 large)
2 cups Stabilized Whipped Cream (recipe here)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine Oreo crumbs and melted butter; press mixture down evenly into the bottom of a spring form pan; chill in refrigerator for thirty minutes
A few minutes before crust is ready to fill, take ice cream out of freezer to soften slightly
Carefully spread half of ice cream over crust; top with chopped peanut butter cups
Cover pan with foil and freeze; make stabilized whipped cream
Spread whipped cream over peanut butter cup layer and place pie back in freezer for at least one hour or until ready to serve

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

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Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

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Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

May 26, 2015 Keep It Sweet 18 Comments

You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this ice cream! Rich chocolate ice cream with a ribbon of salty peanut butter.

If you love chocolate and peanut butter as much as I do, you’ve no doubt had a variation of this ice cream flavor before. I know, not as creative as this recipe or this one, but trust me, necessary. Because, one: you can always use another no churn ice cream recipe and two: I have a follow-up dessert that revolves around this one and trust me, you don’t want to miss it.

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

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You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this ice cream! Rich chocolate ice cream with a ribbon of salty peanut butter.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

16 fluid ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
50g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder (any kind will work, I used a lighter cocoa powder for a more milk-chocolatey flavor)
15 milliliters 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
200g (~¾ cup) creamy peanut butter
1g (¼ teaspoon) salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, cocoa and vanilla; mixture will be very thick; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
Once cream is ready, gently fold ⅓ of it into sweetened condensed milk mixture; gently fold in remaining cream until fully combined
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan or ice cream storage container; microwave peanut butter for 15 seconds and stir in salt; drizzle half of salted peanut butter over top then run a knife through peanut butter to marbleize; repeat with remaining ice cream and peanut butter
Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

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5 Desserts You Should Probably Make for Memorial Day Weekend

May 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Five desserts full of berries and bright colors for your unofficial summer kick-off!

We got back from the best vacation yesterday and I can’t wait to share some pictures of all the fun we had. Going away has always been a treat, but it was so much more fun with L! Even though it is a bummer to be back (I think L is missing all of the family members loving him 24/7), we timed it well since Memorial Day weekend is just a few days away. I started thinking about ways to celebrate and wanted to share a few desserts that should find their way to your table! Some of them are red, white and blue but all of them are delicious.

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

No-Bake Blueberry Pie (although the original is pretty darn good, too)

Summer Berry Skillet (gluten-free)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

Bonus Holiday Recipe:

Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

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

Blog, Recipes

Brown Butter Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

April 27, 2015 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Three layers of brown butter banana cake slathered with amazing brown butter cream cheese icing.

If there ever was a cake worthy of remaking for better photos it would be this one. I don’t typically like to make a huge cake (ahem, three layers) without an occasion, but this one was too good to hold off on. Originally I baked it for a friend’s birthday a few weeks ago but the pictures I took were semi-atrocious and just not worthy of the dessert. So when I finally had a big pile of extra-brown bananas again It was completely necessary for me to make this unbelievable banana cake just for the purpose of shooting and eating a gigantic slice.

The cake layers are moist, flavorful, and every bit worthy of standing alone. However, the frosting just made it. I’m a cream cheese icing lover, but this… this brown butter cream cheese icing… just another level. Those lovely brown specks that you can see throughout the frosting? They just carry so much rich and nutty brown butter flavor. But also, you can still taste the tangy cream cheese.

Generally my biggest pet peeve with bakery cakes is that the flavor is… sweet. And seriously, sweet is not a flavor. This cake? The flavor is banana. The flavor is tang. The flavor is BROWN BUTTER. I wish I could share a slice with every one of you but instead I guess I should just tell you to make it as soon as possible. Hoard those brown bananas!

Brown Butter Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

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Three layers of brown butter banana cake slathered with amazing brown butter cream cheese icing.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16

Ingredients

Cake
113g (1/2 cup) plain Greek yogurt
10g (2 teaspoons) baking soda
320g (~3 cups) cake flour
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
2 ½ g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
226g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled to room temperature* PLUS 28g (2 tablespoons / ¼ stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
530g (~2 ½) cups granulated sugar
200g (~4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
20g (~1 large) egg whites at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
570g (~2½ cups) mashed very ripe bananas (~4 large bananas)
Frosting
227g regular or light cream cheese at room temperature
227g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and chilled in refrigerator for one hour
640g (~4 cups) powdered sugar
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Cake
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans
In a small bowl, stir baking soda into Greek yogurt and let stand to dissolve
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, cinnamon and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy
Add eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula
Add bananas and mix on low speed; add flour and mix again on low speed low speed just until combined
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in Greek yogurt
Pour batter into prepared pans; bake 24-29 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean from the centers; set pan aside on a wire rack and allow to cool
When ready to remove cake from pans; run a knife around the edges of cake and then carefully turn each cake pan upside down onto a cooling rack; allow to cool completely before frosting
Frosting
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on low speed for one minute and then increase to high speed for two or until there are no clumps from the cream cheese
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add one cup of powdered sugar; beat on low speed until combined; repeat with each additional cup of powdered sugar (make sure to mix between each cup)
Add vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for two minutes and then increase speed to medium-high for one minute
Once cake has cooled and icing is ready, use a flat metal spatula to frost the first layer of cake (use ⅓ – ½ cup of frosting); repeat with second layer of cake and frosting then top with third layer and use remaining icing to frost outside of cake

Notes

Adapted from the Har Zion Cookbook
Entire cake layers can be frozen whole wrapped well with seran up to one month; defrost at room temperature before frosting; cake is best enjoyed within two days of frosting
Store frosted cake in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving
Leftovers can be wrapped well with seran wrap and frozen up to one month
*To brown the butter: Heat butter in a heavy duty 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 bowl

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

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Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

April 20, 2015 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

The prettiest parfaits layered with lemon whipped cream, fluffy meringue and fresh berries.

I’d love to say that I had this big “creative” idea to turn a pavlova into a parfait but that would be a lie. In fact, I had all intentions of sharing a perfectly pretty pavlova with you until mine crumbled a bit too much and looked like an all around hot mess.

But while it looked eh it tasted perfect. The baked meringue was light and crispy on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside. It was way too delicious to throw away. And while the resulting dessert wasn’t exactly what I planned, it actually worked out better. I really enjoyed serving the individual glasses to friends. It’s not my usual serving choice but it was just right.

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

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The prettiest parfaits layered with lemon whipped cream, fluffy meringue and fresh berries.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 individual servings

Ingredients

6 cocktail glasses or glass bowls
1 pavlova broken into bite sized pieces (can substitute broken meringue cookies as well)
355 milliliters (1½ cups) heavy whipping cream
44 milliliters (3 tablespoons) lemon juice (~1 lemon)
53g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
2½ cup fresh berries washed and dried (I used a mix of raspberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries)

Instructions

Prepare lemon whipped cream; in the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream and lemon juice at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form
Put about ⅓ of a cup of whipped cream on the bottom of each glass; layer with ⅓ cup of berries in each glass; follow that layer with crumbled pavlova (enough to reach the rim of each glass)
Dollop remaining whipped cream on top of each parfait along with a couple of berries
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator until ready to enjoy

Notes

Pavlova can be baked up to three days in advance. Just store in an airtight container and break into pieces right before putting together parfaits
Parfaits prepared and served on same day but can be enjoyed within three days

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Get some of everything at once for the perfect bite!

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

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Mini Lemon Layer Cake for Two

April 14, 2015 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

Light and fluffy lemon layer cake slathered with delicious cream cheese frosting. This cake is sized perfectly for two people!

Today we are celebrating a virtual baby shower for one of my very favorite bloggers. Christina and I became friends a few years ago by commenting on each other’s blogs (you must read Dessert for Two) and exchanging a few emails. She was always so kind and generous with her blogging knowledge.

When I went to Foodbuzz in San Francisco, she met me in the city to be my “date” to one of the events. She’s just as wonderful in person as you’d imagine. The best combination of sweet and sass!

Now Christina is having a baby girl and I am so incredibly happy for her. Tina, from almost six months of experience, I can tell you that being a mom is pretty much the best thing ever.

Now, onto this cake! Given her love of lemon desserts and small batch treats, I thought this mini lemon cake would be the perfect recipe to share for the shower. It’s light and fluffy and topped with a generous helping of cream cheese icing. I made it the first time for Valentine’s Day and Matt loved it, but I made it a second time last week with a couple of tweaks and it was even better.

Scroll down to see what everyone else made!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mini Lemon Layer Cake for Two

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Light and fluffy lemon layer cake slathered with delicious cream cheese frosting. This cake is sized perfectly for two people!

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

Lemon Cake:
73g (~1/2 cup + 5 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
1½g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
28g (2 tablespoons) plain greek yogurt (I used fat free)
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) milk (I used skim)
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice (~1/2 of a lemon)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (~1/2 lemon)
2½ milliliters (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
57g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
80g (~6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
50g (~1 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Icing
85g light or regular cream cheese, cold
71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
160g (1 cup) powdered sugar
2½ milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Lemon Cake:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour two four-inch cake pans (lining the bottom of each pan with parchment paper will make for easier removal as well); set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla; set aside
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for several minutes or until light and fluffy; at this point you can’t really overbeat the batter, you want to get as much lightness at this stage as you can; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add egg and beat at medium speed for one minute; scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula
Reduce speed to low and slowly add ½ of flour mixture and then all of the wet ingredients; finish with the remaining flour mixture and remove from mixer immediately (there should still be lumps in the batter)
Gently fold batter so that you can no longer see any dry ingredients but there are still some small lumps; do not overmix
Evenly distribute batter between cake pans
Bake 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center; do not overbake
Set aside to cool and prepare frosting
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 additional cup of sugar
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for one minute and then on high speed for at least five minutes and until frosting is light and creamy
Once cake has cooled and icing is ready, use a flat metal spatula to frost the first layer of cake; top with second layer and frost outside of cake

Notes

Adapted from these lemon cupcakes
Store cake in refrigerator and store at room temperature (best enjoyed within 24 hours but can be eaten within 4 days)
For additional lemon flavor, add some lemon zest to the frosting; just add it at the beginning with the butter and cream cheese

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Other Shower Treats:

Fizzy Grapefruit Margaritas from Well Plated

Earl Grey Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream from Country Cleaver

Mini Bourbon and Bacon Tater Tot Casseroles from Climbing Grier Mountain

Maple-Chia Overnight Oatmeal from Feed Me Phoebe

Lemon Cake for Two from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Mini Raspberry Rhubarb Pavlovas from The Baker Chick

Almond Berry Cake Parfaits for Two from Edible Perspective

Peanut Butter Bourbon Blondies from The Frosted Vegan

Mixed Berry Mascarpone Scones from Bluebonnet Baker

Greek Yogurt Funfetti Cupcakes for Two from The Housewife in Training Files

Bourbon Barbeque Sliders with Bleu Cheese from Saucy Pear

Steak Fajita Tacos for Two from The Sweetphi Blog

Mango Madeleines from Stetted

Citrus Salad with Mint, Honey, and Lime from Rachel Cooks

Parfaits for Two from Order in the Kitchen

Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse with Coconut Whipped Cream from Joyful Healthy Eats

French Breakfast Puffs from Stephie Cooks

Blueberry Vanilla Cream Hand Pies from Eats Well With Others

Banana Pudding Cheesecake from The Domestic Rebel

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

Blog, Recipes

Mega M&M Cookies

April 7, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Big chocolatey cookies full of Mega M&Ms.

I’m very aware that I eat my feelings. Tired, sad and stressed always lead me to chocolate, carbs, ice cream, cookies or all of the above. I try not to go overboard and realize that this isn’t the healthiest way to deal with emotions. But frankly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with a cookie or two to lift the spirits.

The last month or so has been a bit of a roller coaster and after a particularly rough ten days my daily dose of chocolate was part of what was keeping me sane. I was overdue for some baking and decided to make something that could fulfill everything I was craving; warm, chocolatey and comforting carbs. Baking, photographing, and then also eating these cookies made me feel just a bit better. The bright colored M&Ms and pretty napkins were another visual way to boost my mood. I took advantage of a few minutes when the sun was actually out to take capture that.

And most importantly for you, this recipe was a success. The chocolatey base and gigantic chocolate candies (where have these Mega M&Ms been all my life?) will cure any chocolate craving you might have. Oh yeah, and they are fast and easy, too. You don’t need to chill the dough at all before baking them.

Head over to my friend Katie’s blog for the recipe! You don’t want to miss it. This is my first post as a contributor to Meyer’s Styles.

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

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Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Mini M&M Cookies

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Upside-down Caramel Banana Coffee Cake

March 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Dense and moist coffee-flavored cake topped with gooey caramelized bananas!

Every year it’s the same challenge for my dad’s birthday: What special dessert can I make that isn’t too sweet and doesn’t include frosting (well, I did sneak in frosting one year)? Since last year’s dessert was such a hit, I decided to find another cake with a fun topping that I thought he would like.

This upside down cake definitely fit the bill! It’s sweet enough to be dessert but mild enough to be served for brunch (his kind of dessert). It’s also looks special with the beautiful layer of caramelized bananas on top. The cake itself is dense and moist (though I think using a higher fat Greek yogurt would lighten the results just a bit; I used nonfat) and so very satisfying.

Upside-down Caramel Banana Coffee Cake

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Dense and moist coffee-flavored cake topped with gooey caramelized bananas!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake batter
200g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
50g (3 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
130g (~1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon, packed) light brown sugar
100g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) strong espresso or coffee (~1 tablespoon instant coffee granules mixed with 1 tablespoon boiling water)
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
200g (~3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons) plain Greek yogurt
Banana topping
2 large ripe but firm bananas (do not use overly ripe bananas here)
40g (~2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) unsalted butter, melted
80g (~1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon packed) light brown sugar
3g (1 ½ teaspoons) ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside
Prepare cake batter; sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) into a medium bowl and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy
Add the eggs, coffee and vanilla and mix on medium speed
Reduce speed to low and add yogurt; add dry ingredients but do not overmix; batter will be thick
Set aside cake batter and prepare topping
Carefully slice bananas lengthwise (3-4 slices / banana) and use to line cake pan (keep in mind this is how the top of your cake will look)
Combine melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; carefully spread over bananas
Spread cake batter evenly top and bake in center of oven for 27-32 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center of cake; do not overbake
Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes before arefully removing from pan; serve immediately

Notes

Adapted from Nutmegs Sven

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Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)

March 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

Vanilla ice cream loaded with monster cookie dough (peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough with M&Ms and chocolate chips!). You will enjoy cookie dough in every bite!

I think the deep freeze is over (said crossing fingers and knocking on wood). And in case it’s not obvious, I (and everyone else in the northeast) am more than ready. I’m ready for shorts, flip-flops (okay, I’d settle for being outside without a puffy coat), walks with L and warm weather food. I’m ready for ice cream, lots of it.

Okay, let’s be real. I’ve been eating ice cream all winter long. Maybe not quite as much ice cream as I ate last summer, but plenty still. The main difference is that I currently eat it with the heat turned up while wearing a massive sweatshirt and wool socks. Last week, when I remembered that I had some heavy cream about to expire, I was inspired to go churn up make some super easy and delicious ice cream once again. I asked on Facebook and Twitter what flavor I should make and Erin suggested monster cookie dough. Genius much?

Monster cookies are typically peanut butter oatmeal cookies loaded with M&Ms. How could that possibly be a bad thing? And what tastes good as a cookie almost always tastes better as cookie dough. So translated into ice cream we are in clear delicious territory. Not to mention that this ice cream really is LOADED with cookie dough. No searching with the spoon to find the little chunks (don’t pretend you don’t do that). Seriously, cookie dough in every bite.

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)

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Vanilla ice cream loaded with monster cookie dough (peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough with M&Ms and chocolate chips!). You will enjoy cookie dough in every bite!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Makes ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

16 fluid ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
1 recipe for oatmeal cookie dough (see below)

Instructions

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, pour sweetened condensed milk into a separate large bowl and mix with vanilla
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture; fold in cookie dough
Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan
Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream (No Churn!)

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Edible Monster Cookie Dough

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

65g (~1/4 cup) creamy peanut butter
14g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
28 g (~2 tablespoons packed) light brown sugar, firmly packed
25g (~2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
60g (~¾ cup) rolled oats
½g (¼ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
56g (~1/4 cup) mini M&Ms
53g (~1/4 cup) mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla
Gradually stir in oats, cinnamon salt just until combined
Stir in M&Ms and chocolate chips
Set aside to make ice cream

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

March 2, 2015 Keep It Sweet 25 Comments

Chewy chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies that just so happen to be perfect for breastfeeding moms! Loaded with oats, brewer’s yeast, flax and whole wheat flour, these are a delicious way to get your milk supply up!

If you had asked me a year ago if I’d ever make lactation cookies, I’d probably look at your cross-eyed. I barely even know that that was a thing. Well, there obviously was a lot I didn’t know about breastfeeding. And when I think back on it, I realize how naive I was.

Once I got pregnant with L, my plan was to breastfeed if possible… maybe for a month, or maybe for a few months. But no pressure, none. I didn’t realize that there was an inbetween of possible and impossible where there are many challenges but you can make it work. I also had no idea that I’d care so much and be so emotionally attached to being able to nurse. It’s hard to explain, because I never felt like breastfeeding was a big bonding moment with L, but there was some other emotional pull that I can’t put into words.

Anyway, one of the issues that I’ve faced is milk supply. I don’t know what happened, but by the end of the first month, I felt like my supply was really suffering. I’d been eating oatmeal every day and drinking a ton of water but that apparently had not been enough. Maybe I wasn’t eating enough calories that first month (hard to believe)? Maybe it was the lack of regular sleep? Whatever it was, I immediately started doing anything I felt comfortable doing to help the problem.

I dabbled in fenugreek (eh, not for me), started drinking stout beers on occasion, drank even more water, and stocked up on snacks that contained flaxseed. I also started baking lactation cookies. While my supply isn’t massive, at some point it became at least enough for L’s daily feedings (this fluctuates and he still gets supplemented with formula for multiple reasons). I don’t know if the lactation cookies did it, but I do think they help. I eat a couple of them most days and whether or not they are “the” solution, they taste delicious so that works for me. Originally I made Audra’s recipe (really good!) but have since tweaked them to be slightly different. They aren’t health food but there are quite a few ingredients that are good for you (whole wheat flour, oatmeal, flax seed, brewer’s yeast and peanut butter). That helps me justify the daily consumption.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 cookies

Ingredients

120 milliliters / 4 fluid ounces water
26g (~4 tablespoons) ground flaxseed
130g (~1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter (recipe not yet tested with natural)
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
234g (~1 cup packed) light brown sugar
100g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
126g (~1 cup) whole wheat pastry flour (or 158 grams / 5½ ounces white whole wheat flour)
130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
48g (~6 tablespoons brewer’s yeast)
8g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
200g (~2½ cups) rolled oats
125g (~3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
125g (~3/4 cup) milk chocolate chips
regular or smoked flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
In a small bowl, stir together flaxseed and water; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, brewer’s yeast, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on medium-high speed for several minutes or until light and fluffy; scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add flaxseed mixture and vanilla and mix on medium speed for one minute; reduce speed to low and add flour mixture
Stir in oats and chocolate chips
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets; top with flaky sea salt
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies appear set and edges are lightly browned; allow to cool before eating
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or freeze up to two months

Notes

Heavily adapted from The Baker Chick

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Comfort Food Chocolate Chunk Cookies

February 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Perfect chocolate chunk cookies. Chewy in the center and crispy around the edges, these cookies are pure comfort.

A good friend of mine recently brought her second baby home from the hospital. Even though I’m still getting a handle on some aspects of life with a baby, I realized it was time I started returning the favors of all the people who visited us with food and gifts after L was born. And while a homemade meal is even better (and will definitely happen for her), one of the things I enjoyed most post-baby was a seriously good sweet treat. Nothing like a good sugary carb for an instant energy boost!

I wanted to go with a classic comforting cookie; basically, the best version of a chocolate chip cookie you could ask for. The base of the dough bakes up nice and thick with a chewy center and crispy edges (the big size doesn’t hurt). I used rich high quality dark chocolate disks to really satisfy and topped them with a smoked flaky sea salt, though any flaky sea salt would do. While you can leave that off, I really find that the bit of salty contrast just enhances the cookie flavor.

Comfort Food Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Perfect chocolate chunk cookies. Chewy in the center and crispy around the edges, these cookies are pure comfort.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~20 cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup / 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
234g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
106g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
340g (~2 cups) good quality dark chocolate disksor chunks (at least 55% cocoa)
Flaky sea salt (I like this Smoked sea salt)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chocolate
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets; top with flaky sea salt
Bake large cookies 16-18 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results
Texture of cookies (crispy edges with chewy center) best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week after baking if stored at room temperature or up to a month if frozen.

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Thin Mint Cookie Cake

February 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Thick and fudgy cookie cake loaded with Thin Mints and topped with Thin Mint Buttercream!

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, one of the reasons I’ve loved blogging so much (and probably why I’ve stuck with it for almost five years) is that I’ve made some great friends. Not only have I established relationships with people who live near me, but I also have wonderful friends spread out all over the country. Today we are celebrating my friend Madison! We’ve been virtual friends for years and I was lucky enough to meet her in person as well. In case you were wondering, she is just as sweet (and pretty!) in real life as she seems on the blog.

Madison’s shower is truly special because I know how badly she wanted a baby and she has been through so much along the way. We don’t know yet if she is having a boy or girl (it’s a secret), but I do know that baby will be LOVED. I’m just so happy for her and Joey. And Madison, from experience, it might be hard to believe, but being a mom is even better than you think it will be!

For Madison’s shower we are serving all things sweet (like her!) and of course I wanted to bring something rich and chocolatey. Plus, it’s Girl Scouts’ season and given the fact that we still had Thin Mints from last year (I cut myself off after I ate an entire sleeve in one sitting), I thought it was time I finally baked with them. This cookie cake was the perfect choice. It’s rich and fudgy (almost brownie like) with crunchy chunks of Thin Mints throughout. Oh yeah, and the Thin Mint buttercream is something to get excited about as well. The extra frosting in my freezer is calling my name…

Thin Mint Cookie Cake

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Thick and fudgy cookie cake loaded with Thin Mints and topped with Thin Mint Buttercream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
170g semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
198g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
159g (~1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
4g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon salt)
200g (~4 large) eggs at room temperature
213g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
234g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
10 milliliters / 2 teaspoons vanilla
130g (~1 ½ cups) roughly chopped thin mints (~16 cookies)
Thin Mint Buttercream
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
114gregular or light cream cheese
320g (~2 cups) powdered sugar
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
40g (~1/3 cup) finely ground Thin Mint crumbs (~5 cookies)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease or use non-stick cooking spray to prepare an 11-inch tart pan; set aside
Place semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate with butter in a microwave-safe bowl
Microwave the ingredients for a minute and stir; microwave again for 30-second increments until everything is almost melted; stir the remaining lumps until smooth; set aside
Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside
In the large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine eggs, sugars and vanilla; beat on high speed for about 5 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy
Reduce the speed of your mixer and add in melted chocolate and butter
When that is well-combined, stir in flour mixture but do not over-mix; fold in chopped thin mints
Spread dough evenly into prepared tart pan
Bake cookie cake for ~30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center (do not overbake)
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from pan
Once cookie cake is completely cooled, carefully remove from tart pan; pipe frosting as desired
To make the buttercream:
Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for several minutes until butter is light and creamy
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined; add remaining powdered sugar and vanilla and increase speed of mixer to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy
Stir in Thin Mint crumbs until evenly distributed

Notes

Best enjoyed within two days (cover carefully with seran wrap)
Cookie cake can be wrapped in seran and frozen up to one month

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Be sure to check out all of the other sweets for Madison’s shower!

Thin Mint Cookie Cake from Keep It Sweet Desserts
Mini Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes from Greens & Chocolate
Gingered Pear Coffee Cake from Food Loves Writing
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chippers from Urban Wife Diaries
Lemon meringue pie cupcakes from Heather’s Dish
Chocolate Malt Milkshakes from The Avid Appetite

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Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

February 12, 2015 Keep It Sweet 18 Comments

Rich homemade candy cups filled with peanut butter caramel sauce and topped with the perfect amount of flaky sea salt.

I told you I had something up my sleeve for the caramel sauce. I don’t even think I need to talk too much about these little candy cups, the pictures say it all. Last minute Valentine’s Day treat perhaps?

4.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

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Rich homemade candy cups filled with peanut butter caramel sauce and topped with the perfect amount of flaky sea salt.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

10 ounces good quality dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce
Flaky sea salt (optional)

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 for fifteen minutes or until chocolate is set
Remove pan from fridge and spoon caramel sauce into center of each cup (about 1 tablespoon); if caramel sauce has been chilled and is firm, microwave for 10-20 seconds and stir for a more workable consistency
Spoon melted chocolate over caramel and around edges so that coated on all sides; sprinkle tops with flaky sea salt if desired (and it should be desired)
Chill for one hour in refrigerator before serving; store in refrigerator up to one week

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Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

February 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Everybody loves caramel sauce but peanut butter caramel sauce takes your traditional ice cream topping to another level!

I haven’t been doing a ton of baking since L was born. I’ve been having a little trouble motivating myself and finding my creativity. In fact, when I made these cookies, I ended up taking more pictures of L than I did the cookies. Whoops! He is just too cute sometimes and I can’t help myself.

So when I saw this recipe, I was obviously excited.since I decided to make peanut butter caramel sauce the next day. My mom was here helping with L and I took about ten minutes in the kitchen to whip this up. Basically the best way to spend a few minutes away from that little monkey if I have to.

The sauce turned out pretty darn amazing… I kind of feel like I should always have a batch of it on hand. Other than eating it straight from the jar with a spoon you can do so many things with this sauce… ice cream sundaes (obviously), cake, Oreo bars….. the list goes on! AND I have a new idea coming to you later this week.

Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

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Everybody loves caramel sauce but peanut butter caramel sauce takes your traditional ice cream topping to another level!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1¼ cups

Ingredients

160 grams / 5⅝ ounces (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
[45] milliliters / 3 tablespoons water
117 milliliters / 4 fluid ounces ( ½ cup) heavy cream
29 milliliters / 1 fluid ounces (2 tablespoons) milk (any type)
2 grams (1 teaspoon) coarse or flaky sea salt
77 grams / 2 ¾ ounces (¼ cup) creamy peanut butter (not all natural)

Instructions

Combine the sugar and water in a medium* heavy-duty saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves
Let boil for several minutes without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, watching closely so it doesn’t burn; Once the caramel begins to darken, the rest of the process happens very quickly (see photos above for caramelization process)
As soon as most of the sugar water mixture is a deep amber, whisk in the cream (be careful as mixture will bubble up) and remove from heat immediately
Whisk in milk and sea salt
Place pot back over low heat and quickly whisk in peanut butter; remove from heat as soon as combined
Serve warm or store covered in refrigerator up to two weeks**

Notes

Adapted from my salted caramel and this peanut butter caramel
*If doubling, use a large pot and allow extra time for caramelization
**For thicker sauce, chill in refrigerator for a few hours before using or serving; re-heat gently before serving

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