Category Archives: Recipes

Easy Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

January 26, 2015 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

An easy cookie to make with the wonderful flavor of meyer lemons.

Today we are celebrating sweet Caroline’s second virtual baby shower! I adore Caroline and am happy to help her celebrate the birth of baby number two!

Today’s shower theme is citrus (one of Caroline’s current cravings!) and I just had to go with the sweet and tart flavors of meyer lemons. They are only around for a couple of months so it’s fun to take advantage of them for baking. I have a couple extras and may have to put together a cocktail or two as well;-)

These cookies are nice and crips around the edges with a buttery chewy center. There is just enough meyer lemon flavor without overpowering the cookies at all!

*Scroll down to see the other citrus treats*

Easy Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

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An easy cookie to make with the wonderful flavor of meyer lemons.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
½ tablespoon grated meyer lemon zest (~1 lemon)
29 milliliters / 2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice (~2 lemons)
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 ½g (1/2 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 with lemon zest until light and fluffy
Add lemon juice, vanilla 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
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

Notes

Barely adapted from these lemon cookies

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See what else is being shared for the shower!

Mini Lemon Curd Tarts from Texanerin Baking
Lemon Yogurt Baked Donuts with Chocolate Drizzle from The Lemon Bowl
Berry Tart with Lime Glaze from Katie’s Cucina
Super Soft Clementine Sugar Cookies from The Comfort of Cooking
Grapefruit Salad with Avocado, Honey and Mint from Eating Made Easy
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins from Oh, Sweet Basil
Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Pull-Apart Muffins from Eats Well With Others
Flourless Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies from Sweet Treats and More
Quinoa Granola Parfaits with Grapefruit & Mint from Climbing Grier Mountain
Orange Pecan French Toast from The Baker Mama
Creamy Lemon Pasta from Barefeet In The Kitchen
Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts

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Super Fun Cookies (aka Oreo, Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Chunk Cookies)

January 12, 2015 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Cookies loaded with chunks of Oreos, Peanut Butter Cups and dark chocolate!

Sometimes you just need a cookie full of fun things. For this version, I loaded up my favorite cookie dough with chunks of chocolate, peanut butter cups and chopped Oreos. How could it not be love at first bite?

Super Fun Cookies (aka Oreo, Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Chunk Cookies)

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Cookies loaded with chunks of Oreos, Peanut Butter Cups and dark chocolate!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3-3½ dozen large cookies

Ingredients

525g (~4 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
15g (3 teaspoons) salt
340g /12 ounces (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
470g (~2 cups packed) light brown sugar
213g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
44 milliliters / 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
150g (~3 large) whole eggs eggs
160g / 5⅝ ounces (~3/4 cup) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chunks
200g (~1 cup) chopped peanut Butter cups
112g (~1½ cups) chopped Oreos

Instructions

:
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed for a few minutes until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla on medium speed until a mixture is a lighter creamy color
On low speed, stir in flour mixture
Stir in chips
Chill rough in refrigerator for 24-72 hours (I find 48 hours+ to be best!)
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets (note it is normal for cookie dough to be very hard, you can dip your scoop in hot water to make it easier to scoop)
Bake cookies 17-19 minutes or until centers appear set and they are brown around the edges

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Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls {gluten-free, vegan}

January 5, 2015 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

A no-bake treat and healthy snack made with just a few ingredients. These naturally gluten-free energy balls are so convenient to have on hand!

Every day since L was born, you would think I hadn’t eaten in a week. Seriously, I’m so hungry ALL the time. He eats every three hours and I do too. Sometimes I have time to make myself a big salad and inhale it in about three minutes. Sometimes I have him on my lap while I try to cut the chicken on my plate into bite sized pieces with just one hand. Other times I have him in the Baby K’tan and try not to spill food on his head (there may or may not have been an incident with turkey). And sometimes I just need something to grab. While I definitely eat a lot and have my fair share of dessert, I’ve been trying to eat mostly healthy every day since having him. Snacks like these little energy balls have saved me. I’ll often grab three or four out of the freezer and pair them with a couple sticks of string cheese for a surprisingly filling and healthy snack that you can eat with one hand. New mom win!

Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls {gluten-free, vegan}

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A no-bake treat and healthy snack made with just a few ingredients. These naturally gluten-free energy balls are so convenient to have on hand!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 bite-sized energy balls

Ingredients

245g(~2 medium) ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
32g (2 tablespoons) creamy natural peanut butter (I prefer salted)
20g (2 tablespoons) chia seeds
1g (~1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
80g (1 cup) old-fashioned oats
80g (1 cup) old-fashioned oats, ground
24g (¼ cup) PB2, peanut flour or protein powder

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and set aside
In a medium bowl, combine bananas, peanut butter, chia seeds and cinnamon
Stir in oatmeal, ground oats and PB2 until well combined
Use a tablespoon or small cookie dough scoop to divide up dough and then use your hands to roll into balls; place on prepared baking sheet
Freeze for two hours before placing balls to store in a ziplock bag or Tupperware container
Freeze for up to one month; energy balls can be enjoyed frozen or at room temperature

Notes

*If making for someone with a gluten sensitivity, make sure that all ingredients are certified gluten-free
These run about 40 calories / piece; I like eating a few at a time with some string cheese for a filling snack

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Vegan & Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Fig Granola

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The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2014

December 24, 2014 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Every December, I like to see what blog posts you enjoyed the most and compare them to my favorites. There are usually a few surprises but definitely some that I agree with. Scroll down to see the most popular recipe posts of 2014 and take a look at which I loved the most.

The ten most visited recipe posts from 2014:

10. (Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies—Definitely one of my favorite cookies, too

9. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins (gf)—A good excuse to eat pumpkin year round!

8. Chocolate Truffles, Three Ways (gf)—Who doesn’t like truffles?

7. No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream – My friends, Matt and I all loved this

6. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Dough Balls – Who doesn’t love a healthy-ish no-bake treat?

5. How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer (gf)– Definitely one of the most useful (and important???) posts on the blog!

4. Salted Caramel Oreo Bars – I’m not surprised, these are so easy and I’ve made them a few times!

3. Mixed Berry Sauce (gf) – An all around great recipe

2. Pink Champagne Cake Pops– It doesn’t get more festive than this

1. Easy Low Fat Pumpkin Sheet Cake– Just a few ingredients and voila!

My ten favorite recipes from 2014:

10. Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce (gf)—Brown butter sauce, need I repeat myself?

9. Double Dip Mints (gf)—I may or may not have eaten the whole batch myself

8. Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites—One word: addicting.

7. Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches—Definitely one of Matt’s favorite cookies, who can blame him?

6. Fudgy Black and White Devil’s Food Cake—I made this for my mom’s birthday in March and she hasn’t stopped mentioning it since!

5. Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream (gf)— I got on a huge ice cream kick over the summer and this was one of my favorites!

4. Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes—The cake, the filling, the frosting… all perfection!

3. Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping—My sister, the pie lover, dubbed this the BEST pie she had ever eaten

2. New York Crumb Cake Ice Cream— Not only was this ice cream unbelievable, but it was SO easy to make. No-churn recipes are the best!

1. Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun with Cream Cheese Glaze—This was worth all the extra clean up because it was one of the best things I’ve ever made

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! Cheers to a 2015 full of many, many delicious sweets!

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2012

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2011

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Fluffernutter Mini Pies {Guest Post}

December 18, 2014 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Madison, a blogger that I’ve been virtual friends with for years now. We even got to meet over dinner a few years ago! She has her own little one due at the end of this winter (a wonderful miracle that you should read about). Visit her blog and take a look at some of my favorite recipes she has posted (Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, Classic Apple Pie with an Ultra Flaky Crust, and Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies).

Hi, Keep It Sweet readers! I’m so excited that Lauren asked me to share a recipe with you while she is enjoying some much-deserved time with her new little one! Lauren and I have been blog friends almost as long as our blogs have been around and I couldn’t be happier for Lauren and Matt as they journey into parenthood.

It’s a little intimidating to share a desert recipe on Lauren’s site. That girl can bake! I think her blondies are my husband’s all-time favorite dessert. But I’m going to give it a go anyway!

The recipe that I’m sharing with you today, Fluffernutter Mini Pies, is a scaled-down dessert that makes just four small pies and can be whipped together in no time. I find that having too many sweets in the house is a recipe for disaster since my willpower is just not that strong, so sometimes it’s nice to have something that makes just a few servings.

I didn’t grow up on the marshmallow crème and peanut butter combination known as fluffernutter, but I’ve come to love the combo as an adult. These pies combine cream cheese, peanut butter and marshmallow crème into an easy pie filling. Not into mini desserts? Just double the filling amount and use a regular pie shell and you’re good to go for larger groups. Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Fluffernutter Mini Pies {Guest Post}

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Author: Madison Mayberry

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 4 mini pies

Ingredients

⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla
4 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup marshmallow crème
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 miniature graham cracker crust pie shells
Salted peanuts and miniature marshmallows for garnishing

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream and vanilla until firm peaks form. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside.
With your electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, marshmallow crème and powdered sugar until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream until evenly combined.
Spoon or pipe mixture into the prepared pie shells. Garnish mini pies with the peanuts and miniature marshmallows and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until mixture is firm and set.

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Madison Mayberry Hofmeyer is a wife to Joe and food editor (yes, that’s a real job!) for The Betty Crocker Kitchens living in Edina. They are expecting their first baby in March who will join their two fur babies, dogs Nutmeg and Pippa. Madison blogs about all things food and life over at Espresso and Cream.

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Smoked Sea Salt Chocolate Fudge Caramel Cookies

December 15, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Rich and fudgy chocolate cookies filled with caramel and dark chocolate chips and seasoned with smoked sea salt.

Are you still adding to your cookie baking list for the holidays? I hope so, because these babies are very deserving of a spot. The cookie itself is ultra rich and like a fudgy brownie in the center. Outside there is a slice crisp around the edges. To top that off, the flavor of the chocolate is dark and almost sinful but balanced with sweet caramels and flaky smoked sea salt. And by the way, they are pretty easy too. They bake up consistently EVERY time I make them. And bonus, you don’t have to chill the dough at all. These cookies will be ready for your enjoyment within an hour from start to finish. If you are making big batches for holiday gifts, just double the recipe below!

Smoked Sea Salt Chocolate Fudge Caramel Cookies

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Rich and fudgy chocolate cookies filled with caramel and dark chocolate chips and seasoned with smoked sea salt.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
170g semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
200g 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
227g (1 cup) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
160g (1 cup) caramel bits
Smoked sea salt

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 caramel bits
Use a large cookie dough scoop and place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart; lightly sprinkle top of cookie dough with smoked sea salt
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

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Yes, they are as good as they look.

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

This post contains affiliate links.

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Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

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Double Dip Mints (aka Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Patties)

December 8, 2014 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

This recipe for Double Dip Mints was inspired by one of my favorite candy stores. Homemade milk chocolate dipped peppermint patties are even better than the original candy you are used to!

In all of my summers of going down the shore, there are definitely mixed memories of people and events that seem to be somewhat of a blur at this point. Aside from a few special moments, without a doubt, one of my favorite things about the annual trips is visiting Jagielky’s, an unbelievable chocolate store with a vast selection of homemade sweets. I’m not even really a candy person in general, I can usually take it or leave it, but their chocolates are to-die-for. The homemade caramel in the cashew turtles is just perfect and their almond butter crunch bars (milk chocolate and almond covered toffee) are one of my favorite treats in the world. My mom and sister love their homemade marshmallow-filled chocolates and I never leave without a chocolate covered Oreo for Matt. But there is one candy that always seemed to me so simple yet so genius and I had to recreate it, the Double Dip Mint.

The Double Dip Mint is really very straight forward. It is basically like someone took a peppermint patty and then dipped it in milk chocolate. So instead of one type of chocolate coating, you get two. So for those of you who haven’t picked sides on milk versus dark, these are perfect for you. My homemade version might not be quite as delicious as the specialty treat I’ve been buying for years, but it’s pretty darn close. Plus, this time of year I’m not heading to the shore so making them myself is necessary.

I worked off of Christina’s peppermint patty recipe and increased the volume so that you could sneak a few for yourself and then gift a dozen to a friend for the holidays. Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed!

Double Dip Mints (aka Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Patties)

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This recipe for Double Dip Mints was inspired by one of my favorite candy stores. Homemade milk chocolate dipped peppermint patties are even better than the original candy you are used to!

Makes: 18-20 pieces

Ingredients

240g (~1½ cups) powdered sugar, plus additional for rolling
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) water
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) light corn syrup
2 milliliters (¼- ½ teaspoon) peppermint extract
170g good quality dark chocolate (I like using something 65% cocoa or higher)
227g good quality milk chocolate
42g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter or shortening, separated

Instructions

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and peppermint extract in the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed for several minutes, until it forms large clumps
Remove bowl from mixer and use your hands to knead the dough together
Place a sheet of parchment paper (about the size of a baking sheet) on counter and dust with powdered sugar; place dough on top and sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top; top with another piece of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough out to be about ¼ inch thick; freeze dough (still between parchment paper) for at thirty minutes
Remove dough from freezer and use a round cookie cutter or small glass (I used a shot glass!) to cut circles ~1 ½ inches in diameter; roll out remaining dough scraps and cut out additional circles until almost no dough remains
Chill cut dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in freezer for one hour or up to one day
When ready, take out a clean piece of parchment
Melt dark chocolate and half of butter or shortening in microwave of a double boiler; once completely melted, remove peppermints from freezer and dunk each one and then place on clean parchment paper
Chill peppermint patties in freezer for one hour and repeat dipping process with milk chocolate and remaining butter or shortening; freeze again until completely cooled
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in freezer up to one month

Notes

Recipe for peppermint patties from Dessert for Two
Inspired by my favorite chocolate candy store

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Peppermint Mocha Brownies

Mint Cookies & Cream Buttercream Cups

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Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

December 1, 2014 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Super rich and fudgy brownies infused with the infamous peppermint mocha holiday flavor.

Sometimes you just need a great brownie. These peppermint mocha brownies are the perfect holiday brownie for this season’s festivities. Thick, fudgy, rich and decadent… the peppermint mocha combination is a holiday favorite around here and it is hard to beat in brownie form. I’m partial to a super fudgy brownie with a crackly top and that is exactly what you get with this treat!

Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

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Super rich and fudgy brownies infused with the infamous peppermint mocha holiday flavor.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

128g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
150g (~3 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoon strong brewed espresso (1g (1/2 tablespoon) espresso + 3 tablespoons water))
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
146g (~1 cup + 1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
105g (~3/4 cup) peppermint crunch baking chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; Grease a 9×9 brownie pan or baking dish with cookie spray or butter OR line it with parchment paper; set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large sauce pan over low to medium heat; stir in sugar; stir in eggs, espresso and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix; fold in peppermint baking chips
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake 33-36 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool completely before slicing and serving
Note: These brownies are great for making in advance of the holidays. Just wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the freezer for up to one month.

Notes

Adapted from Baker’s

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Fudgy Double Creme de Menthe Brownies

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Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

November 24, 2014 Keep It Sweet 24 Comments

An easy last minute dessert recipe for Thanksgiving. These cranberry apple shortbread bars are a delicious holiday treat.

I love any excuse to use this shortbread recipe. It’s seriously buttery, slightly chewy and lightly crispy on the outside. Plus, the basic flavor lends itself to almost any type of filling. I’ve done Meyer Lemon Shorbread Bars, Blueberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bars and even adapted it into an Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookie. I kind of wish I didn’t love it so much because… well, so.much.butter., but I just can’t help myself.

For the holidays I thought it was time to break out the shortbread recipe and layer it with a seasonal fruit filling. I’ve always loved apples and cranberries together and they work really well here. Both fruits are on the tart side so it isn’t a super sweet filling, but sometimes you actually want a dessert that doesn’t kill you with an overwhelming sensation of “hello, sugar.”

These bars were one of the last desserts I made pre-baby. After eating an entire row of them (whoops, that’s what 39 weeks plus will do to you), I froze the rest to save for the bris or baby visitors. They defrosted wonderfully and now I wish I had more!

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away but this recipe is easy enough to add in as a last minute treat. Make them tomorrow or Wednesday and they will be perfect for serving on Thursday. Just make sure they are stored in the pan and tightly wrapped with foil or removed and tightly wrapped that way.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

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An easy last minute dessert recipe for Thanksgiving. These cranberry apple shortbread bars are a delicious holiday treat.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24-30 servings

Ingredients

Dough
530g (~4 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
454g (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
240g (1 ½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
200g (~1 cup) granulated sugar, separated
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
Filling
360g (4 cups) fresh cranberries (frozen will likely work, filling cooking time may differ)
100g (~½ cup) granulated sugar
59 milliliters (2 fluid ounces) water
8g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
5g (1 teaspoon) minced ginger
2g (1 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
340g (~3 cups / 2 medium) chopped apples (I prefer to use a crisp apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper so that some parchment paper hangs over sides and set aside
Beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy; mix in vanilla until well-combined
Stir in flour just until combined
Press half of the dough into prepared baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown; shape remaining dough into a disk and wrap tightly with seran wrap; chill in refrigerator
While bottom layer is cooking, prepare filling
Combine cranberries, granulated sugar, water, cornstarch, ginger and nutmeg in a heavy duty saucepan over medium heat; stir occasionally and let mixture cook until fruit has formed a thick jam-like consistency (cranberries will be very soft but some still whole), about 8 minutes
Remove from heat and fold in chopped apples
Pour fruit filling over crust; remove remainder of dough from refrigerator and use all of it by dropping large crumbs over fruit layer so that the layer is completely covered
Place back into oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until edges are very lightly golden brown and top feels set / firm
Set aside to cool before cutting into bars and serving

Notes

Shortbread recipe from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey
Filling adapted from Blueberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bars
These bars are not overly sweet at all, the sweetness is mostly in the shortbread and the fruit filling adds a tart balance
Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to two days or freeze for up to one month

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Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies

November 20, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Chewy ginger-flavored brown sugar cookies filled with milk chocolate chunks. This is a great holiday cookie!

I have a bit of a weakness for ginger cookies. My dad loves gingersnaps, but unless they are super crunchy (ahem, teeth-breakingly so), he will probably tell you they are underbaked. I, on the other hand, like crunchy, chewy, crispy, really any texture as long as you have a great ginger flavor.

This cookie is a spin on the cookies I made for these ice cream sandwiches over the summer. I made a couple of small changes including enhancing the ginger flavor in order to balance the addition of the sweet milk chocolate. Again, this is definitely NOT a gingersnap, but a brown-sugar-based cookie full of ginger flavor. Make them now and maybe double the batch so you can freeze some for Christmas. They would also make a great addition to any cookie gifts you are putting together. Just make sure you chill the dough as directed to ensure that the flavor is in full force and the texture is the perfect balance of a chewy center and crispy edge.

Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies

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Chewy ginger-flavored brown sugar cookies filled with milk chocolate chunks. This is a great holiday cookie!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen medium-sized cookies

Ingredients

260g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
7 ½g (1/2 tablespoon) salt
3g (1/2 tablespoon) ground ginger
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
170g (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
350g (~1½ cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
5g (1 teaspoon) minced ginger
100g (2 large) whole eggs
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
180g (~1¼ cups) milk chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

Whisk together flour, salt, ginger and baking soda; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and minced ginger on medium-high speed until light and well mixed; scrape sides of bowl
Add eggs and vanilla, mix well; scrape sides of bowl
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined (do not overmix); stir in chocolate
Chill dough for 24-48 hours (the longer chilling time helps the flavor and texture)
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Use a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1½ tablespoons each) about 2 inches apart from one another
Bake 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set on top and very lightly brown around the edges
Allow cookies to cool before serving
Store in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to one week; freeze up to two months

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Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

Ginger and Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Brown Butter Apple Tart {Guest Post}

November 17, 2014 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

The warm smells and flavors of fall come alive in this custardy brown butter apple tart.

Today’s guest post is from Joanne at Eats Well With Others, who you already know I adore! If you somehow are not already reading her blog on a regular basis, that should definitely change. Some of my favorite posts include her Salted Caramel “Ding Dong” Cake, Bananas Foster Chia Pudding and this Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette.

I know I’m probably in the minority here, but for me, Thanksgiving menu planning is not just another item on my to-do list, but a way.of.life.

It starts on October 1st, when I break out my stash of November food magazines, open up my Thanksgiving! Pinterest board, and start strategizing.

When I consider how much time my fiance spends deciding who he’s going to play on his Fantasy Football team every week, it’s not so crazy, but let’s just say a lot of energy goes into figuring out how many sweet potato recipes I can try before the Big Day and which pies are really worth my time, energy, and the gray hairs I will inevitably start growing from crust stress.

(Please tell me I’m not alone in this.)

So when I say that this brown butter apple tart is worth it’s place on your holiday table and then some. You’ll know not to take it lightly.

I’ve actually made it twice in the past few years, which says a lot given my seeming inability to make the same recipe more than once (it’s a food blogger thing). But there’s something about the rich nuttiness of the brown butter custard filling paired with the apple pie flavors that keeps me coming back for more. Also, the fact that the crust is so easy to put together and makes double the amount that you need in a two-for-the-time-of-one kind of way, is a selling point in a major way.

Brown Butter Apple Tart {Guest Post}

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The warm smells and flavors of fall come alive in this custardy brown butter apple tart.

Author: Joanne Bruno

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 10-inch tart

Ingredients

For the crust
· 1 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
· 1 cup sugar
· ¼ tsp salt
· 1 large egg, beaten
· 2 tbsp heavy cream
· 2 tsp vanilla extract
· 3½ cups all purpose flour
For the filling
· 4 large eggs
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 cup unsalted butter
· 1 vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
· ½ cup all purpose flour
· ½ tsp kosher salt
· 3 firm, tart apples, peeled, cored and cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick rings

Instructions

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla. Combine until smooth. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a flat disc. Wrap each in plastic wrap and store one in the freezer for future use. Put the other in the refrigerate and chill for 2-3 hours or overnight.
The next day, roll out the refrigerated disc on a lightly floured work surface until it is ⅛-inch thick and 2-inches wider than the tart pan. Spray a 10-inch tart pan with nonstick spray. Press the dough into the tart pan and up the sides. Trim the edges and use the excess to repair any tears or fill any holes. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350F. Remove the crust from the freezer and line with parchment paper or foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl until combined. Put the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow to melt and then cook, stirring frequently, until the butter becomes an amber color and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scrape the insides from the vanilla bean into the butter and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk the brown butter into the egg/sugar mixture. Stir in the flour and salt.
Place the tart shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Layer the apples in the tart shell. Pour the filling over the apples until just covered (you may have extra). Bake until the apples are a golden brown and the filling is set in the center, about 70-80 minutes.
Let the tart cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream to garnish.

Notes

adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

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Which pretty much means that after you inhale it with reckless abandon, and find yourself in brown butter apple withdrawal you’ll already be halfway to putting a second tart in your oven. In my world, that is absolutely a win.

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

You might also like:

Vanilla Bean Apple Cake

Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce

Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun

Blog, Recipes

Soft Batch Apple Butter Cookies with Caramel Icing {Guest Post}

November 13, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

Today I have a special guest post from my friend Rachel. She is generously sharing this recipe for Soft Batch Apple Butter Cookies as a favor while I take some time to be with my family. Be sure to head over to her blog and check out some of her other amazing recipes like Apple Cinnamon English Muffin Bread, Whole Wheat Buffalo Chicken Pizza (all of her pizzas look so good!), Cinnamon Graham S’more Cupcakes and Apple Cinnamon Poptarts to name a few…

When Lauren asked me to guest post for her while she was on maternity leave, I couldn’t have been happier to help out. And being Fall, I knew I had to share something with a fun seasonal twist!

I have a bit of an obsession with all things apple, so since I’ve already made a basic vanilla and pumpkin soft batch cookie, apple was clearly next on the list!

Apples and cookies seem to be a rare combination, but it works so well, especially when you use apple butter. No need for eggs here. And there’s no risk of wondering if the apples will be too firm or too soft.

No chunks or lumps here. Smooth, soft and flavorful apple butter cookies that stay soft! They’re just like your favorite Lofthouse style cookie with the flavors of Fall! Let’s not forget the sweet caramel icing, it’s a must and the perfect finish to these apple butter cookies!

4.0 from 1 reviews

Soft Batch Apple Butter Cookies with Caramel Icing {Guest Post}

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Author: Baked by Rachel

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Cookie:
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup cinnamon apple butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
2¼ cups all purpose flour
Frosting:
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon caramel syrup
2 tablespoon water

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Mix in apple butter and vanilla, followed by salt, baking powder and flour. Continue mixing until no streaks remain.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or until completely chilled.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Shape dough into golfball sized balls, flatten to ½-inch thickness. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Allow cookies to rest for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar and butter. Mix in caramel syrup and water to desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies and immediately top off with sprinkles.
Allow frosting to set or enjoy immediately.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

A Baked by Rachel original recipe.

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Be sure to add these fun cookies to your plans soon!

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

You might also like:

Graham Cracker Cookies with Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling

Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blog, Recipes

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

November 10, 2014 Keep It Sweet 43 Comments

Flaky pie crust, flavorful roasted butternut squash filling and a sweet toasted brown sugar marshmallow topping make an amazing fall dessert. This is the perfect Thanksgiving pie!

Today we are celebrating with a virtual bridal shower for a very dear friend of mine! Joanne is getting married in just a few weeks and I’m so happy to be a part of the celebration. Not only am I partaking in this virtual shower, but I was also honored to be asked to be a bridesmaid in the wedding.

I’ve known Joanne for four years now and she is truly such a wonderful person. We met over dinner and then quickly bonded later as we flew across the country without a moment of silence on the plane. Our friendship was instantaneous. In the past four years we’ve shared highs and lows and now we are celebrating a very wonderful high. Her happiness is contagious!

Among many other things, Joanne and I share a love of winter squash. For her fall-themed virtual shower, I thought it would be the perfect ingredient to focus on. I wanted to make a very special dessert and I have a feeling that this pie, packed with our favorite vegetable (seriously, look at that bright orange hue in the photo above) was the perfect choice. The marshmallow topping adds a wonderful sweetness and the flavor from the brown sugar really compliments the pie. Thinking about what to make in a few weeks for Thanksgiving? This pie will not let you down.

Scroll down to see what our other blogging friends are sharing!

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

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Flaky pie crust, flavorful roasted butternut squash filling and a sweet toasted brown sugar marshmallow topping make an amazing fall dessert. This is the perfect Thanksgiving pie!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 9-inch pie; 8-10 servubgs

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie crust dough, cold* (I used Audra’s pie crust recipe – so flaky!)
Butternut Squash Filling
900g (~4 cups) cubed butternut squash (from ~2 ½ pound squash)
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
1g (1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
½g (1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
118g light brown sugar, tightly packed
150g (3 large) whole eggs at room temperature
148 milliliters (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) heavy cream
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) bourbon (optional, can replace with vanilla)
Toasted Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping
115g (1/2 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
60g (3 large) egg whites at room temperature
1g (1/4 teaspoon) cream of tartar

Instructions

Roast squash: pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit; Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray
Place squash on baking sheet and toss with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger; cook in oven for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender; set aside to cool
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare to par-bake pie crust
Roll out pie crust and press into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate (do not overwork the crust); neatly trim the edges and crimp crust as desired; refrigerate pie place with crust for ten minutes so that dough is once again chilled
When ready, line pie shell with foil and fill with pie weights, change or dried beans
Bake for 25 minutes and then remove pie crust from oven; remove foil and pie weights; return to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until crust appears to be a very light gold (remember, you will be baking the rest of the pie for additional time)
While crust is baking, prepare pie filling (you can use a large bowl with an immersion blender or a high-speed blender); place all filling ingredients in bowl or blender and combine on high speed until smooth (if using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, start blender on low and gradually increase speed to high; blending will only take a couple of minutes)
Pour filling into pie shell and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until filling is set; if crust begins to brown too much during baking, cover lightly with foil
Set pie aside on cooling rack and prepare topping
Place sugars, egg whites and cream of tartar in a the large bowl of an electric mixer or another heatproof bowl set up with a candy thermometer
Place bowl over a medium pot or saucepan of simmering water, being careful that the water does not reach the bowl
Whisk the topping ingredients constantly for several minutes or until sugar has dissolved and temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit
Remove bowl from heat and use the whisk attachment on electric mixer to finish topping; beat on high speed for about six minutes minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form
Spread or pipe decoratively over pie and use a torch or broiler to (carefully without burning) brown the marshmallow topping

Notes

Adapted from Food and Wine
Pie can be made one day in advance and refrigerated (you can wait to torch or broil the topping until prior to serving if desired)

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My pie-loving (but super-picky-dessert-eating) sister said this was the best pie she has ever eaten!
And now for the rest of the shower!

Cocktails:

Pumpkin Spice White Russian – Nutmeg Nanny

Warm Apple Pie Cocktail – Miss In The Kitchen

Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail– Cook Like A Champion

Snacks/Savory:

Baked Brie with Honey and Sliced Almonds – The Lemon Bowl

Butternut Squash and Apple Galette – Warm Vanilla Sugar

Roasted Pumpkin Crostini – Annie’s Eats

Kale Salad with Maple Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Dressing – Blahnik Baker

Lemony-Pasta Stuffed Zucchini – Very Culinary

Pumpkin Dip with Apple Chips– Meadows Cooks

Sweet:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake – The Baker Chick

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel– Taste and Tell

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake – Chocolate and Carrots

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping – Keep It Sweet

Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies – The Cooking Actress

Caramel Cranberry Apple Galette – Bakeaholic Mama

Coconut Pecan Tarts – Bake or Break

Cranberry Margarita Cupcakes – Baker by Nature

Gingerbread Truffles – Dinners Dishes and Desserts

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

Blog, Recipes

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (and 30 recipes that are perfect for that)

November 6, 2014 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

Baking and freezing cookies is a great way to reduce holiday stress. Here are 30 of my favorite recipes for cookies that you can bake ahead of time and freeze for a month or two for holiday gifting!

I learned from my mom. When it comes to entertaining, she and I are a lot alike. We plan in advance, we make lists, and we think about desserts as if they are the most important thing on the planet (duh). For years, my parents threw a big holiday party for of their friends. It was nice to see them work together to plan, execute and host… it’s definitely influenced how I go about celebrating holidays and special occasions today. Anyway, when it came to dessert, my mom was notorious for a major dessert table (before dessert tables were even a thing). We joked that she would have an entire dessert per couple (or per person??) but really what could be more fun? The thing is, you can’t possibly entertain thirty plus people and expect to make everything two to three days in advance. Well, unless you want your kitchen to be a disaster, your sleep to be non-existent and your stress level to be through the roof. Instead, my mom developed a system of baking and freezing in advance for the items that would be just as good as freshly made. Among those items, cookies always worked so well. Just bake them when you have some time, stick them in a ziplock bag, label that bag (I admit that this is one thing I actually taught my mom), and freeze for up to two months. It’s also helpful to keep a running list of what you actually have baked so that you don’t have to check your freezer inventory every day! The morning of your party, keep the cookies sealed in their bags and let them defrost at room temperature. Within a few hours your cookies will be ready to go!

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts

1. Bake cookie of choice as directed.

2. Allow cookies to cool completely.

3. Place cooled cookies in flat layers in ziplock bags.

If the cookies are gooey or tend to stick to one another, separate layers in the bag with parchment paper.

4. Use a permanent marker to label the bags (include number of cookies, type, date of baking). Add cookies to a running inventory list.

5. Store cookies in freezer for up to two months.

6. When ready to defrost, take bags of cookies out of freezer. Keep the bags sealed and allow the cookies to defrost at room temperature for several hours.

7. Plate cookies when ready to serve or package them for gifting.

Thirty Cookies to Bake and Freeze for Holiday Gifts

Fun Flavors

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies (how-to video here)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (a great basic)

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread (a family favorite)

Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites

Doughy Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies

Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies (<-one of last year’s favorites)

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

Rugelach, Three Ways (Cinnamon & Chocolate, PB&J, Milk Chocolate Toffee)

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

Spiked Mocha Chip Cookies

The Best Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookie Sandwiches

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling (<-one of my favorite early recipes)

Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cookie Butter and Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches (<-one of the most popular recipes on the blog)

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing (<-got SO many recipe requests from friends on this one)

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache

Mini Confetti Cookie Sandwiches (Just swap the colors to whatever holiday you are celebrating!)

Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches

Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches

Gluten-Free Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF) (<-you won’t be able to tell they are gluten-free)

Chewy Ginger Cookies (GF)

Chocolate Chunk Meringues (GF)

Easy Chocolate Chunk Cookies (GF)

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies (GF) (<-beyond easy)

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues (GF)

Happy holiday baking!

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

Blog, Recipes

Pumpkin and Ginger Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie Cake {Guest Post}

November 3, 2014 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Today I have a guest post from my friend Erin. If you don’t know her blog, The Spiffy Cookie, you definitely need to head over there and explore. Erin and I both have a big love of chocolate, peanut butter and all things sweet. Some of my favorite recipes of hers are the Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies, Biscoff Cheesecake Ice Cream and the Mini Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Cheesecakes. Also, Erin is awesome. She is seriously smart (she just got her PhD!) and does things like die her hair purple. Now if only she was smart enough to make this gigantic ice cream sandwich appear before my eyes… PS feel free to flashback to this guest post Erin shared over THREE years ago:-)

Hello Keep It Sweet readers! My name is Erin and I blog over on The Spiffy Cookie. While Lauren takes a break to soak up every last minute with her adorable new baby son, I am here to distract you with delicious sweets.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Lauren last year and got to try many of her amazing cookies and bars available through her former baking business. She’s also the culprit who got me hooked on caramelized white chocolate! Obviously she knows her stuff and I am honored to be guest posting for her today.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying ice cream during the fall and winter months especially when it can be transformed into any flavor you would like, including all your favorite fall flavors. Ginger may not be one that first comes to mind but it is a wonderful flavor to add to others such as pumpkin, which is why I didn’t stop after making the candied ginger ice cream.

Pumpkin and Ginger Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie Cake {Guest Post}

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Author: Erin Vasicek

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8-12 servings

Ingredients

Ice Cream
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ can sweetened condensed milk (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup chopped candied ginger
Cookie Cake
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp allspice
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
4 oz. (1/2 cup) chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

Line a 10-inch (or 9-inch) cake pan or springform pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a large, chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the ground ginger and whip to stiff peaks.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream. Fold in chopped candied ginger.
Pour ice cream into the plastic lined cake pan, cover with more plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper in the bottom of two 10-inch (or 9-inch) cake pans or springform pans. Grease the sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture until combined. Fold in chopped chocolate.
Divide and spread the cookie dough out evenly into the pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until set.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Once completely cooled, arrange one layer of the cookie cake on a large plate or platter. Remove ice cream from freezer, unwrap, and place on top. Sandwich with the second layer of the cookie cake. Slice and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the freezer covered in foil or plastic wrap.

Notes

Source: Ice cream adapted from my No-Churn Chocolate Almond Ice Cream. Cookie Cake adapted from my Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cake.

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Sandwiched around the ice cream is a pumpkin dark chocolate chip cookie cake creating in one giant ice cream cookie sandwich. Slice it up, serve, and devour!

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

Blog, Recipes

Butternut-Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting {Guest Post}

October 30, 2014 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

Today’s guest post is from a fellow new mom (how adorable is Avery?!) and talented baker. Steph from Girl Versus Dough makes some terrific baked goods and even had an e-book published earlier this year! Be sure to visit her blog and check out some of her other amazing recipes like Peaches and Cream Streusel Bread, S’mores Pretzel Hand Pies, and Sweet Potato Marshmallow Cinnamon Rolls!

Hi there, fellow dessert lovers! My name is Stephanie and I write about my adventures in baking bread and other tasty, unique recipes over at Girl Versus Dough. I’m so honored to be a guest on Lauren’s blog today so she can have some extra snuggle time with her new baby boy.

It was just five short months ago that my own little one was born – and let me tell you, it’s the best thing ever. Getting to spend every day with my daughter is a joy and a treasure, and I am sure Lauren will tell you the same about her own experiences with her baby (well, when she can catch up on some sleep, that is! ;)). There’s just nothing like it. Of course, there’s also nothing like changing a verrrry full diaper or doing the fifth load of laundry in one day or downing that extra cup of coffee just to keep your eyelids open – but I digress.

Having a little one to care for also makes it a wee more difficult to bake – and because you all love dessert as much as I do (I know this because you are on Lauren’s blog right now, where all the dessert yumminess in all the land resides), you know how upsetting this can be. But I’m happy to report that you can, in fact, have a baby and eat your cake, too, if you’ve got easy recipes on hand.

This butternut-pumpkin spice sheet cake (with a bourbon-vanilla cream cheese frosting, hello!) may sound like a complicated recipe, but it’s really very easy. I love it because it’s the perfect embodiment of fall flavors in cake form, it’s quick and simple to put together and because you bake it on a sheet pan, it serves a crowd (it also means the cake to frosting ratio is perfection).

The cake base is made with pureed pumpkin and butternut squash mixed with classic autumn spices, like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Once baked, the result is perfectly soft and dense with a moist crumb. Then you spread on the smooth cream cheese buttercream flavored with a bit of bourbon and vanilla, sprinkle some chopped pecans on top and wowza – it’s so good, it almost makes up for having to do that fifth load of laundry.

Forget the Halloween candy this year – I’m going straight for a slice (or three) of this cake. I highly recommend you do the same.

Butternut-Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting {Guest Post}

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Author: Stephanie Wise

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake
1 cup canned pumpkin (or mashed, cooked pumpkin)
¾ cup mashed, cooked butternut squash
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped pecans, for topping
For the Frosting
10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons bourbon
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 to 6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 15-by-10 or 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet (or a 13-by-9-inch pan*).
In a large bowl, beat canned pumpkin, mashed butternut squash, sugars, oil and eggs until well combined. In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom, cloves and salt until combined.
Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients; stir just until combined.
Pour and spread batter evenly into prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely in baking sheet on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter 1 minute until well combined. Add bourbon, vanilla and 4 cups powdered sugar. Stir on medium speed until combined. Add more powdered sugar as needed to create a smooth, spreadable frosting.
Spread frosting evenly over the top of the fully cooled cake (you may want to refrigerate the cooled cake for about 1 hour before frosting it so it's easier to frost). Top with chopped pecans.

Notes

If using a 13-by-9-inch pan, you may need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.

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

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Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

October 27, 2014 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Big, chewy oatmeal cookies full of crunchy peanuts and chewy caramel.

So I actually had to make this cookie recipe twice. The first time, I was working off of a different recipe of mine that I cut in half. Easy enough. Well, except I think my pregnancy brain got the best of me and I forgot to cut the oatmeal in half. While I was adding it to the dough I kept thinking, this just doesn’t seem right. But I forged on, not wanting to waste all of the ingredients, and baked the dough anyway. To be honest, the cookies actually weren’t too bad. They were definitely heartier and not as moist as they should have been, but the flavors were great.

Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

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Big, chewy oatmeal cookies full of crunchy peanuts and chewy caramel.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 15 large cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
117g (~1/2 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
55g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
55g (1 large whole) eggs
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
65g (~1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
4g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
160g (~1 ¾ cup) oatmeal (I prefer old-fashioned oats)
110g (~3/4 cup) unsalted chopped peanuts
110g (~2/3 cup) caramel bits caramel bitsor chopped caramel squares
Flaky Sea Salt

Instructions

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
Beat butter and sugars in an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy
Mix in eggs and vanilla on medium speed; scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula
Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture
Once combined, stir in the oatmeal; then stir in peanuts and caramel bits; do not overmix dough
Chill dough in refrigerator for 2 hours (or up to 24 hours), the longer the better
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
When ready to bake, use a large cookie dough scoop to place cookie dough balls (about ¼ cup each) on top of parchment paper, 2-3 inches apart; sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt
Bake cookies 15-17 minutes or until cookies are golden brown; they should look slightly underbaked in the center
Set aside to cool on wire racks before eating

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This time around, though, I double checked what I was doing and the result was wonderful. The oatmeal cookies are nice and chewy and the sweet and salty flavors are spot on. It kind of feels like a Payday jumped into an oatmeal cookie and a star was born. These cookies are addicting.

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

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3-Layer Cookies ‘n Cream Cake

October 20, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Chocolate and vanilla bean cake layers slathered in cookies ‘n cream frosting

Year after year there seems to be more pressure when it comes to birthday cakes. I always want to outdo the previous year’s dessert but at the same time, I need to bake something true to what the birthday girl or boy loves. In the case of Matt’s birthday I’ve previously made Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies (those photos, OUCH) and this M&M Kit Kat Cake (I know there are others but somehow they aren’t on the blog??). This year I wanted to do a real cake again, but I went with his love of Oreos and vanilla bean and let those two things shine.

This sweet treat is built with two layers of fluffy vanilla bean cake (Matt LOVED it), one layer of dark chocolate cake, and lots and lots of cookies ‘n cream buttercream. The extra Oreos used for decorating were great for an eye appeal but also added a nice textural component to a few bites of each slice. Since it was a birthday cake I didn’t get any glamour slice photos, but you can see another picture of the inside here.

3-Layer Cookies 'n Cream Cake

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Chocolate and vanilla bean cake layers slathered in cookies ‘n cream frosting

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 recipe (2 full layers) Vanilla Bean Cake (do not slice cake layers horizontally)
½ recipe (1 layer) Dark Chocolate Cake
Cookies ‘n Cream Buttercream (recipe below)

Instructions

Prepare vanilla bean cake and dark chocolate cake as directed and set aside layers to cool
Once cake layers are cooled, prepare buttercream
Place one layer of vanilla cake down on desired cake plate and top with about [ ] cup buttercream and spread evenly
Place chocolate cake layer down carefully and repeat layer of frosting
Top that layer with second vanilla cake layer and cover cake with remaining buttercream; decorate with additional Oreos as desired

Notes

Store cake in refrigerator and serve at room temperature; best eaten within one day of frosting (will be good up to three days)

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3-Layer Cookies 'n Cream Cake

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

340 grams / 12 ounces (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
227 grams / 8 ounces regular or light cream cheese
160 grams / 1 pound 7 ounces (~5 cups) powdered sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
50 grams / 1¾ ounces (~1/2 cup) finely ground Oreo crumbs (~6 cookies) PLUS additional cookies for decorating

Instructions

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 Oreo crumbs until evenly distributed

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Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Pie Glaze

October 13, 2014 Keep It Sweet 16 Comments

This moist and flavorful pumpkin bundt cake is topped with a pecan pie glaze. Have the best of both worlds in one dessert!

I actually made this cake way back in August and the smells in the kitchen that day immediately brought me to Fall. I realize that is something people say all the time, but it’s especially apparent when you are baking with the traditional pumpkin spices mid-Summer. There is something so comforting about the aromas. Because really, on a cool, crisp day, one where you are running around in your favorite pair of jeans and knee-high boots, what could be better than coming home to a kitchen that smells of cinnamon and a freshly baked Autumn dessert?

For me, the pumpkin cake can truly stand alone. It’s moist and flavorful and completely fulfilling sans topping. However, this is a baking blog, and I wanted to bring something different to the table than the traditional pumpkin bundt cake. So I thought about other fall desserts and what people love to eat and my head went to Thanksgiving. It might not be my favorite thing in the world but no one can deny that pecan pie is a Thanksgiving crowd pleaser. So I brought the two together! The pecan pie glaze is just like a traditional pecan pie filling; sweet and goopy, full of pecan chunks. Pour it over the pumpkin cake and you add an extra sweetness and crunchy texture to the dessert. Plus, a the bundt cake dripping with pecan pie glaze will look beautiful set up on a cake stand on your dessert table.

4.0 from 1 reviews

Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Pie Glaze

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This moist and flavorful pumpkin bundt cake is topped with a pecan pie glaze. Have the best of both worlds in one dessert!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16-20 servings

Ingredients

240g (~2¼ cups) cake flour
7 ½g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (½ teaspoon) ground cloves
2 ½g (½ teaspoon) salt
170g (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
122g (½ cup) unsweetened applesauce
234g (~1 cup packed) brown sugar
213g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
200g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
425gs (~2 cups) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
10 milliliters / 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan; set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, applesauce and sugars in large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy; scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition; beat in pumpkin and vanilla
Gradually add flour with mixer on low speed just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake 46-50 minutes until a knife inserted into cake comes out clean
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack; set aside to cool while preparing pecan pie glaze

Notes

Adapted from an Autumn Day’s Cake in an old Gold Medal magazine
Cake can be made day before serving, just wait to make the glaze until that day. Store leftovers tightly wrapped with seran or in an airtight container up to five days. Cake can also be made and frozen in advance but glaze should be made day of serving in that case as well.

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Pecan Pie Glaze

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Ingredients

80g (~3/4 cup) chopped pecans
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
53g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees; line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread the pecans out on pan
Toast pecans in oven for about 7 minutes, being careful not to burn; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; stir in pecans and pour over pumpkin cake

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Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce {gluten-free}

October 9, 2014 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Served warm, this skillet apple crisp is just what you need to fill you up at the end of a cool Fall day!

This apple crisp is warm and hearty and perfect for the end of a chilly day (or in my case, mid-morning on a hot day in mid-August…). You can make it in a skillet which I love, it gives the dessert a nice rustic feel and encourages everyone at the table to help themselves to a generous serving. The brown butter sauce is the perfect addition because the crisp itself is almost light. The sauce basically adds a richness that you might not be able to find in a fruit heavy dessert.

Of course you can still add some vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, but I found that the addition of that brown butter topping really makes this a very satisfying dessert on its own. I’m not kidding when I say I enjoyed this mid-morning. It was impossible to resist fresh out of the oven once the photos were taken. Besides, all of those fresh apple chunks and oats make this sort of kind of healthy. Right???

Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce {gluten-free}

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Served warm, this skillet apple crisp is just what you need to fill you up at the end of a cool Fall day!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

Topping:
55g (~1/2 cup) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
40g (~1/2 cup) old fashioned oatmeal*
70g (~1/3 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
55g (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Filling:
~8 cups chopped apples, peeling optional (from 908 grams or about 7 medium whole apples) (preferably granny smith or honeycrisp)
28g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
15g (~2 tablespoons) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
14g (1 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, prepare topping; mix together oat flour, oatmeal and brown sugar
Add butter and use fingers to combine until mixture is slightly lumpy; set aside
Prepare filling; in 10 or 12-inch skillet, stir together apples, granulated sugar, oat flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly with topping
Bake for 30-35 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
Remove crisp from oven and immediately prepare brown butter glaze

Notes

Adapted from my Summer Berry Skillet Crisp
*If serving to someone with a gluten allergy make sure your ingredients are labeled gluten-free
The apple crisp can be made ahead of time and kept in refrigerator until ready to bake; may require extra cooking time if cold

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Brown Butter Sauce

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
100g (~3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon milk, any type
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Brown the butter; heat butter in a small 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 butter into a medium heat-proof bowl (do NOT leave behind the sediment, it adds flavor); whisk in sugar, milk and vanilla
Immediately pour glaze over hot apple crisp and serve

Notes

Recipe from Martha Stewart, originally seen on i am baker

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Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches

October 6, 2014 Keep It Sweet 16 Comments

Chewy pretzel infused cookies sandwiched together with buttercream.

I got the crazy idea that I needed to make a cookie that was flavored like a pretzel. It happened sometime after these Oreo cookies disappeared. However the crazy idea popped into my head, I’m so glad it did. These chewy cookies were pretty addicting. Frankly they didn’t need any buttercream at all but I thought it would be fun to play on the salty pretzel theme with some salted caramel buttercream (and why not?). Next time I’ll leave them be……. or sandwich them with chocoalate or peanut butter buttercream. Uhoh!

Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches

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Chewy pretzel infused cookies sandwiched together with buttercream.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 13 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

165g (~1¼ cup) all-purpose flour
105g (~1 cup) finely ground salted pretzels (I started with ~5 cups of large pretzel thins)
2g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
105g (~1/2) cup granulated sugar
120g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
50g (1 whole large) egg at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream (or other filling of choice)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Whisk flour, pretzel crumbs, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy
Beat in egg and vanilla on medium speed just until combined
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients but do not overmix; use a spatula to make sure all cookie batter is combined
Use a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1½ tablespoons each)
Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes or until edges have slightly darkened and centers appear set
Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack; once cool, match each cookie with a second cookie of same size
Spread or pipe frosting onto bottom of half of the cookie sandwiches, about 1½ tablespoons each; lightly press remaining cookies down onto frosting to create sandwiches

Notes

Cookie adapted from these Oreo Overload Cookies and these Graham Cracker Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container up to four days (eat within two for best texture). Can be frozen up to one month.

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Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

September 29, 2014 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

These rich dark chocolate biscotti are extra crunchy, perfect for coffee dunking!

I’m not usually one to choose biscotti as a dessert of choice. Often times, they are dry, super hard and not all that flavorful. These biscotti here, they are a different story. The rich dark chocolate and espresso salt ensure that every bite is full of flavor. And yes they are very crunchy, but that just makes them perfect for dunking into coffee, milk or even hot chocolate. This is a biscotti I can get behind!

Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

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These rich dark chocolate biscotti are extra crunchy, perfect for coffee dunking!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~18 biscotti

Ingredients

265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
80g (3/4 cup) dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
1g (¼ teaspoon) salt
165g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar
115g (~1/2 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
150g (~3 large) whole eggs
59 milliliters (¼ cup) canola oil
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) pure vanilla extract
220g (~1½ cups) dark chocolate, chopped (I used 72%)
6g (1 tablespoon) espresso salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla; scrape sides of bowl with a spatula
Reduce speed to low and stir in dry ingredients just until combined; stir in chopped chocolate and but not overmix
Put half of dough on each prepared baking sheet and use lightly flowered hands to form into loaves (~9x5 inches and ¾ inch thick); the dough will be wet and sticky
Sprinkle each loaf heavily with espresso salt
Bake for 30 minutes
Remove from oven and slice each loaf (1-inch slices); turn each slice over onto its side and bake for an additional 10 minutes
Flip slices over once more and bake for an additional 10
Store biscotti in an airtight container or ziplock bag up to one week or freeze up to one month

Notes

Adapted from Food and Wine

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Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

September 25, 2014 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Mini cinnamon chip blondies are topped with the perfect cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting!

So I realize I’ve been posting a ton of cinnamon-seasoned desserts lately, but can you blame me? Cinnamon enhances all things pumpkin and apple, but it really shines on its own as well. As a result, I gave these blondies the full addicted-to-cinnamon treatment.

These perfect fudgy blondie bites are full of cinnamon chips and then topped with an incredible cinnamon roll cream cheese icing. Either one is delicious on its own, but together you have an incredibly indulgent bite-sized treat.

Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Mini cinnamon chip blondies are topped with the perfect cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

350g (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar
113g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
170g (~1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
1g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
100g (2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
160g (1 cup) cinnamon chips
Frosting recipe below

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350; a 24-cup mini muffin tin with paper or foil cupcake liners and set aside
Melt butter and brown sugar in a heavy duty saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder
In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla; add melted butter and brown sugar mixture and whisk until combined
Slowly whisk in dry ingredients just until combined
Fold in cinnamon chips
Use a small ladle or medium cookie dough scoop to distribute batter evenly between cups; bake in oven for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of blondies; do not overbake
Allow to cool and prepare frosting
Store blondies in an airtight container up to three days (if it is warm, keep them stored in the refrigerator)

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Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites

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Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Cinnamon Mixture
78g (~1/3 cup packed) light brown sugar
21g (1½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1g (1/2 teaspoon) cinnamon
Buttercream Base
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
113g regular or light cream cheese, softened at room temperature
320g (~2 cups) powdered sugar
2 ½ milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy; add the sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined then increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the brown sugar mixture but do not mix completely
Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled blondie bites

Notes

Adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

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Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

September 22, 2014 Keep It Sweet 23 Comments

This warm sweet and salty cookie pie is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

This is just one of those posts where I’m going to cringe looking at the pictures, but the recipe is too good not to share and frankly, sometimes the most UN-photogenic desserts are the tastiest.

Way back on our first Valentine’s Day together (2004!), Matt took me to dinner at Murphy’s in Atlanta. Pretty much everyone who went to Emory has gone there at least once (likely during a parental visit where there was a rental car and someone else’s credit card involved). This was actually my second date at the restaurant but I don’t think I told that fact to Matt that night… Anyway, our meal involved some delicious food (to this day Matt still talks about the grouper he had) and ended on a sweet note with Toll House Pie. I had no idea that this was a thing at the time, but apparently it was and anyone who went to Murphy’s had to have it (a sign that my first date there was definitely not meant to be). When the server brought out the warm slice of pie oozing with melted chocolate and topped with creamy vanilla ice cream melting away, we were in dessert heaven. Way back then I was a bit on the stricter side (ahem, very strict) when it came to indulging, but you better believe I ate my fair share of that pie.

Since then I’ve made the traditional version once (sans nuts), but this time around I wanted to make it sweet and salty. Swapping out the chopped nuts for pretzel pieces and loading it with big milk chocolate chunks was a good move. As was the sprinkling of smoked sea salt on top!

Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

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This warm sweet and salty cookie pie is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie crust dough, cold* (I used
Audra’s pie crust recipe– so flaky!)
100g (~2 large) whole eggs
10 milliliters / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
235g (~1 cup packed) light brown sugar
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
64g (~1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 ½g (½ teaspoon) salt
150g (~1 cup) milk chocolate, roughly chopped
40g (~1 cup) broken salted pretzel pieces
2g (1 teaspoon) flaky sea salt, preferably smoked

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Roll out pie crust and press into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie-plate; set aside
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs and vanilla on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and foamy
Beat in sugar and butter on medium-high speed until well-combined; use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl
Put mixer on low and slowly add in flour mix
Stir in chocolate and pretzels but do not overmix
Carefully spread filling into pie shell; top with flaky sea salt
Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from side of pie, center should still be moist
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with ice cream

Notes

Adapted from the original Nestle Toll House Pie

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Black and White Cookie Cake

September 18, 2014 Keep It Sweet 16 Comments

This giant black and white cookie is a huge version of the classic New York treat!

Before moving to New York City eight years ago, or I guess before I lived here the summer before that, I didn’t understand the fixation on the Black and White Cookie. Matt loves them and you can find them in almost every bagel shop and deli throughout the city. A basic glaze on a cakey cookie just seemed like a weird in-between dessert to me (is it a cookie or a cake? where is the buttercream?), but when I tried my first good one I finally understood.
What you really want is a FRESH black and white cookie, one where the bottom is soft and cake-like but firm. The icing should be sweet but not too sweet (that’s tough with a glaze). I’m biased to the dark side but that works out perfectly since Matt prefers the white. This giant version fulfills those requirements and even has a bit of lemon zest in the cookie giving it a hint of flavor that isn’t just sugar.

Black and White Cookie Cake

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This giant black and white cookie is a huge version of the classic New York treat!

Author: Lauren

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: one giant cookie, serves 8-12

Ingredients

Cookie Cake:
166g (~1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
145g (~1¼ cups) cake flour
1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking powder
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
113g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
175g (~3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
1g (~1 teaspoon) lemon zest
105g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
177 milliliters (3/4 cup) milk at room temperature
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Icing:
320g (~2 cups) powdered sugar
45-60 milliliters (3 tablespoons – ¼ cup) cup boiled water
43g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest on high speed until light and fluffy
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt; set aside
Reduce speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time; add milk and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined and then scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add half of dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined; add remaining dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined; do not overmix
Use your spatula spread dough into a large round cookie shape (10 inches in diameter)
Bake for ~20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from center
Cool cake completely before making icing
To make icing, place powdered sugar in a large heat-safe bowl
Whisk in about ¼ cup of boiling water; continue to whisk and add water, about one tablespoon at a time, until you have a thick but spreadable mixture; be careful not too add too much water or icing will be too runny
Carefully turn cookie cake upside down (you will want flat side on top)
Spread icing over half of cookie
Place remaining icing over a pot of simmering water and whisk in unsweetened chocolate until melted; stir in light corn syrup and remove from heat
Ice the “naked” half of the cookie with chocolate frosting; if the frosting becomes to dry to spread, whisk in an additional teaspoon of hot water as needed, again careful not to make icing too runny
Allow icing to set before serving
Cookie cake is best enjoyed the day it is made but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag up to three days

Notes

Adapted from Zabar’s via New York Times (seen on Smitten Kitchen)

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Cinnamon Chip Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

September 15, 2014 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

Lightly sweetened pumpkin scones filled with rich and flavorful cinnamon chips.

I haven’t had many weird pregnancy cravings, but there were a few times that I could have killed for a scone from this bakery. I don’t know what it is about them that is so good, but they are insanely addicting. I think it has to do with that lightly sweetened carb effect. Just enough sweetness to keep the cravings coming. Anyway, it was high time I got into the kitchen to make my own. This recipe calls for white whole wheat flour and only half a stick of butter. There also isn’t any heavy cream in them so they really are a slightly better-for-you choice than the typical scone.

These pumpkin scones were so easy to make; the food processor did most of the work (actually, getting the food processor out of my pantry was the hardest part). Other than that, you just knead the dough together for a minute by hand and you are ready to bake.

The result? A light but hearty scone full of pumpkin and spices. Hello, Fall!

Cinnamon Chip Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

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Lightly sweetened pumpkin scones filled with rich and flavorful cinnamon chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: 8 scones

Ingredients

Dough:
270g (~1¾ cup) white whole wheat flour
135g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
90g (~7 tablespoons) granulated sugar
10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
2g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (¼ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
57g (4 tablespoons) cold butter, cubed
55g (1 large) whole egg, at room temperature
240g (1 cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) cold milk (I used almond milk)
5 milliliters 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
95g (3/4 cup) cinnamon chips
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
18g (~1½ tablespoons) granulated sugar
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees; line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, egg and vanilla; set aside
In a food processor with blade attachment, pulse to combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
Add butter and pulse just until mixture is crumbly
Stir contents of food processor and cinnamon chips into wet ingredients
Use your hands to knead the dough together for a minute or two just until smooth; do not overwork the dough
Press the dough into an 8-10 inch circle on prepared baking sheet
Mix together topping and sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar mixture
Cut dough into 8 wedges and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean
Place on a wire rack to cool before serving

Notes

Adapted from Fabtastic Eats

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Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun with Cream Cheese Glaze

September 10, 2014 Keep It Sweet 24 Comments

This giant cinnamon roll is oozing with a gooey caramel apple and topped with a perfect cream cheese glaze.

I think Matt put it perfectly when he said, “You know how when you eat a cinnamon roll and the middle is the best part? This is like getting almost only the middle!”

Seriously, though. I’ve been drooling over Audra’s giant cinnamon roll for months. I’m always a little leery of baking with yeast so I procrastinated making one of my own for a while. Well, if I regret anything, it’s waiting so long to make this because it’s definitely one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my kitchen. In fact, I had given a slice to someone in our building and an hour later he called me just to say it was the best cinnamon bun he has ever had.

Since I so rarely bake something special like this, I wanted to make it extra special by loading it up with a caramel apple filling. After cooking the chopped apples in a skillet with some butter and brown sugar they pretty much tasted like candy. I was tempted to just start spooning them into my mouth but I wanted to make sure there were apples everywhere in this giant cinnamon bun.

While the process to make this is a bit on the messy side and there are a few different steps, it’s actually quite easy. The hardest part is waiting for your cinnamon bun to finish baking (and photographing in my case). Oh and maybe scrubbing the gooey dough off of the counter…

Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun with Cream Cheese Glaze

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This giant cinnamon roll is oozing with a gooey caramel apple and topped with a perfect cream cheese glaze.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: 1 giant cinnamon roll; serves ~8

Ingredients

Filling:

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, separated
340g (~3 cups / 2 medium) chopped apples (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

Dough:

177 milliliters (3/4 cup) milk (any type is fine)
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
430g (~3¼ cups) all-purpose flour
50g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
7g (usually 1 package) instant yeast
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
59 milliliters / 2 fluid ounces (1/4 cup) water
50g (~1 whole) large egg at room temperature

Cream Cheese Glaze:

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
57g cream cheese, softened at room temperature (light or regular)
190g (~1 cup) powdered sugar
8 milliliters (½ tablespoon) vanilla extract
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) milk

Instructions

Filling

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt ½ of 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 make dough

Dough

In a large glass measuring cup, heat the milk and butter in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or until warm and the butter has melted (do not bring to a boil); set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together ⅔ of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt; add the milk mixture, egg and water, and mix until combined (it will be very sticky); add the remaining flour and knead it into the dough with your hands until it comes together in a soft ball
At this point, knead dough for a couple of minutes on a lightly-floured surface until it is smooth and elastic (if you press a finger into the dough it should bounce back); return dough to bowl and cover with a damp cloth; let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Assembly

Grease a round 10-inch cake pan or skillet; line bottom with parchment paper and grease top of that as well; set aside
Roll the dough on a clean floured surface into a large rectangle about ⅓ of an inch thick; melt the remaining butter for filling and use a pastry brush to coat the dough; spread apple filling so that entire surface of dough is covered
Using a pastry wheel, pizza cutter or knife cut the dough into strips that are ~2 inches wide; start with one strip and roll it from one end to the other forming a swirl; continue by attaching the end of a second strip and rolling so that the swirl is even bigger; repeat and then place in center of pan or skillet; cut remaining strips in half horizontally so that they are easier to handle and wrap them around the dough so that you are expanding the spiral towards the edges of the pan (it will not fill the entire pan) until no dough remains
Cover the pan with a damp cloth, and leave in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in size
Once dough has finished growing, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; when ready, bake cinnamon roll for 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown; make the glaze

Glaze

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and creamy; add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy; add milk and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy
Spread on warm cinnamon bun and serve immediately
Cover leftovers (if they actually exist) with seran wrap and gently reheat before eating (they should be good for up to two days)

Notes

Adapted from The Baker Chick
Note: Prepare for about an hour of proofing time in addition to the prep and baking time (total time from start to finish should be about 2 hours)

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Lighter Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

September 8, 2014 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

Super moist banana cake loaded with chocolate but not loaded with fat!

My mom has made some version of this banana cake at least once (usually more) a year every year for as long as I can remember. Chocolate chip filled for a holiday, chipless and stacked with chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting for an amazing layer cake, and loaded with cinnamon and chocolate chips just for fun. We even made the cake completely fat free a couple of times years ago. While the fat free version wasn’t bad at all, it was always pretty dense. Adding some fat back into the cake (only 4 ounces for this large dessert), helped keep a bit of lightness. And thanks to the bananas, you don’t have to worry about any dryness. Of course the chocolate finds itself throughout the cake in a way that you definitely feel like you are indulging. Win win!

I see this as the perfect brunch cake (or Yom Kippur /Break the Fast for those observing). The sweet moist cake and crackly top is packed with bananas. So really, you are actually adding another fruit dish to your meal…. right?!?!?!

Lighter Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

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Super moist banana cake loaded with chocolate but not loaded with fat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) fat free plain Greek yogurt
10g (2 teaspoons) baking soda
320g (~3 cups) cake flour
2g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
2 ½g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
122g (1/2 cup) unsweetened applesauce
530g (1 pound 2 ¾ ounces) (~2 ½) cups granulated sugar
200g (~4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
20g (~1 large) egg whites at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
570g (~2½ cups) mashed very ripe bananas (~4 large bananas)
245g grated or finely chopped chocolate

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan (you could also use a large bundt pan)
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, butter and applesauce 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; fold in chocolate
Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean from the center; set pan aside on a wire rack and allow to cool for one hour
When ready to remove cake from pans; run a knife around the edges of cake and then carefully pull the inside of the tube pan up to remove the cake (if you notice it is stuck at all, run your knife around the sides again, do not force); then run a knife underneath the cake and around center of tube and use your hands to gently lift cake and place on serving plate (again be careful not to force and make sure cake is completely cool)
Best enjoyed within 24 hours; store leftovers tightly wrapped with seran

Notes

Adapted from the Har Zion Cookbook
Note: Entire cake can be frozen whole or in slices wrapped well with seran and foil up to one month; defrost at room temperature a few hours before serving

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Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

September 4, 2014 Keep It Sweet 27 Comments

Dense and fudgy pumpkin blondies with a rich caramelized white chocolate swirl.

About a year ago, I absolutely fell in love with caramelized white chocolate. Luscious, creamy, sweet, decadent; so many reasons to love it. And thanks to that wonderful ingredient, these pumpkin cupcakes are one of my favorite recipes on the blog. This time around, I’m taking one of my favorite things, a dense and fudgy blondie, and infusing it with those fantastic flavors. The pumpkin blondies are enhanced with cinnamon and nutmeg but seriously, the caramelized white chocolate swirl is where it’s at.

I know, I know, it might be a little early for pumpkin, but I made these blondies a couple of months ago and I didn’t think you would want to wait. Pumpkin makes me happy year-round, but I figured that September was the socially acceptable time to start sharing my pumpkin sweets on the blog.

Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

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Dense and fudgy pumpkin blondies with a rich caramelized white chocolate swirl.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

Caramelized white chocolate*:
280g good quality white chocolate
5g (1 teaspoon) sea salt
Blondies:
700g (~3 cups firmly packed)
light brown sugar
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
120g (½ cup) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
460g (~3 cups + 6 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g salt (1 teaspoon)
4g (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
1g (½ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
220g (~4 large) whole eggs at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the caramelized white chocolate; 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 twenty to thirty (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, stir in sea salt; place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with seran wrap until ready to use
Prepare the blondies; 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; set aside
Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside
In a separate large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until combined
Whisk brown sugar butter mixture into bowl with eggs and vanilla
Slowly whisk in flour mixture just until combined
Pour batter into prepared pan; drizzle caramelized white chocolate over batter and use the back of a knife to cut through and create a white chocolate swirl
Bake for 38-42 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

Notes

*Caramelized white chocolate can be prepared up to one week ahead of time. If needed, microwave for about fifteen seconds prior to drizzling over blondie batter

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How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

August 28, 2014 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Beanilla. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. *

I seriously love vanilla beans. I tend to hoard them and save them for desserts that seem extra special and worth the high-end ingredient splurge, and when I do use them, I find that the flavor is always so much better. A few examples of recipes that are packed and enhanced with serious vanilla bean flavor:

No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake (Matt was obsessed with this one)
Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Vanilla Bean Bourbon Nectarine Bundt Cake <-I used the Beanilla bourbon vanilla beans in this one!

So when I had the opportunity to work with Beanilla, I jumped at the chance to sample their products and expand my pantry collection of just basic vanilla beans. In addition to vanilla-related products (I really need to try their vanilla bean paste next!) and different flavor extracts, they offer vanilla extract kits and nice jars for making your own vanilla extract at home. Since, when it comes to baking, I’m always adamant that the quality of certain products (in particular baking chocolate, cocoa and vanilla extract) makes a huge difference in the dessert, I thought it would be fun and worthwhile to make my own vanilla extract.

Turns out it is extremely easy and definitely worthwhile. All you need is a few vanilla beans, an alcohol of choice and a resealable jar. Plus, homemade extract can make a great gift for any of your friends that like baking. If you start now, you can make a few batches to give out for the holidays!

For this batch, I chose to pair the bourbon vanilla beans with, well, bourbon, so that I end up with a vanilla that has a nice rich flavor. Plus, Matt loves all things bourbon and desserts that are full of that great vanilla bean flavor so I have a feeling he will be very happy when I start baking with this.

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Ingredients

5-8 vanilla beans
237 milliliters / 8 fluid ounces alcohol of choice (I recommend a mid-level vodka, rum, bourbon or brandy)

Instructions

Slice vanilla beans open lengthwise (do not cut pod in half) so that inside beans will be exposed; you can cut them in half in the other direction if they are too tall to fit into your container
Place vanilla beans in container of choice and pour in alcohol; make sure vanilla beans are completely submerged in the liquid
Seal jar and give it a shake
Store in a cool dark place for two months, checking on the jar every couple of weeks and giving it a shake at that point
After two months, use vanilla extract as desired

Notes

You will need an 8-ounce (or larger) resealable glass or jar
Make vanilla extract two months (or more) in advance for best results

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Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

August 25, 2014 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Mini dessert parfaits layered with graham cracker crumble, peanut butter marshmallow mousse, milk chocolate ganache and toasted marshmallows!

I haven’t posted any s’mores recipes for you this summer, I was waiting until I had something extra special. These little parfaits… they certainly are that! Peanut butter and milk chocolate play starring rolls, but the other classic s’mores components are here and prominent. There is marshmallow infused into the peanut butter mousse (gotta love marshmallow fluff!) and then toasted marshmallows top each adorable shot-glass dessert.

I couldn’t resist digging into one for… you know, the good of the photo shoot. Ha, who am I kidding? I just couldn’t resist.

Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 dozen mini parfaits

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crumble (recipe below)
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Mousse (recipe below)
Milk Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)
28g (~1/2 cup) mini marshmallows

Instructions

Put about one teaspoon of graham cracker crumble on the bottom of each shot glass
Pipe peanut butter mousse into each parfait glass so that they are ⅓ of the way full (you can also use a spoon but I find that this helps for a “cleaner” look)
Layer each parfait with about one teaspoon of chocolate ganache
Repeat layers and top each parfait with mini marshmallows; chill in refrigerator until ready to eat
When ready to serve, use a blow torch to gently char the marshmallows right before serving

Notes

You will need 12 tall shot glasses (alternatively, you can use four larger sized glasses of choice for full-sized desserts, just scale up the size of each layer when putting them together)
I recommend making the components below around the same time, the mousse can be made earlier in the day if needed
Parfaits are best enjoyed immediately but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed for up to five days
If making for someone who is gluten-intolerant, make sure all ingredients are labeled “gluten-free”
Inspired by these No-Bake S’mores Cheesecakes

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Graham Cracker Crumble

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

85g (3/4 cups) finely ground graham cracker crumbs (~5 full sheets)
42g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Stir together graham cracker crumbs and butter; set aside until ready to use

Notes

Use gluten-free graham crackers if making gluten-free

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Peanut Butter Marshmallow Mousse

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Ingredients

155g (~1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter, do not use a natural version
70g (~1/3 cup) marshmallow fluff
175 milliliters (3/4 cup) heavy whipping cream, cold

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine peanut butter and fluff on low to medium speed until well combined; set aside
In a separate large bowl for the electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on medium-high speed just until stiff peaks form (will take a few minutes); mix in the peanut butter mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy

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Milk Chocolate Ganache

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Ingredients

113g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
120 milliliters ( ½ cup) heavy cream

Instructions

Place chocolate in a medium heat-safe bowl and set aside
Pour cream into a medium heavy duty sauce-pan and place over medium heat; bring to boil and remove from heat immediately
Pour hot cream over chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes; whisk mixture until smooth; use before ganache is set and hard

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Fudgy Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

August 21, 2014 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

This ice cream sandwich recipe is perfect for summer entertaining! The brownie and ice cream combination is one of my favorites.

Since it is my 30th birthday, I thought I should share a recipe that includes one of my favorite things in the whole world… ice cream (hello, obvious). These Fudgy Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches were no let down. The brownie layers are thick, and are definitely the standout part of the sandwich. The flavor and richness of them is the perfect balance to a light and creamy ice cream (I wouldn’t use a super premium heavy variety). I used the Turkey Hill All Natural vanilla and chocolate to keep it classic, that brand is my current favorite super market option (no weird ingredients and super creamy).

Wrapping the ice cream sandwiches in parchment paper and tying them with cute little ribbons makes them the perfect late summer party treat. Or if you are me, this is an any time of year treat… You can even make them half the size if you are feeding kids. Hello perfect birthday party dessert!

Fudgy Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

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This ice cream sandwich recipe is perfect for summer entertaining! The brownie and ice cream combination is one of my favorites.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 sandwiches

Ingredients

90g (~2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
150g (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter
72g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
155g unsweetened chocolate, chopped
55g (~2 large) whole eggs at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
177g (~3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
78g (~1/3 cup tightly packed) light packed brown sugar
3 cups ice cream of choice (I used vanilla on half and chocolate on the other half, the classics!)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper
Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly
Remove from heat and whisk in sugars
Whisk in eggs, one at a time; whisk in vanilla
Fold in flour mixture; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 18-20 min or until edges appear a little firm and knife comes out clean from center
Allow to cool and then cover pan and freeze for 2 hours before preparing sandwiches
Once chilled, cut brownie in half horizontally
Turn one half of brownie upside down on a large piece of foil on top of a cutting board
Note: for following steps move quickly to avoid your ice cream melting too much
Spread a layer about ½ – 1 inch thick of ice cream; top with other half of brownie and press down to flatten evenly; you will want to do this
With a sharp knife, cut into sandwiches (cut once in half across and then in thirds in the other direction) but do NOT separate
Wrap tightly with foil and place in freezer at least one hour before serving
While sandwiches are freezing, cut parchment paper into pieces that are about 8 x 5 inches inches
Wrap sandwiches with parchment prior to serving to keep them together and avoid major dripping

Notes

You will need several hours of freezing brownie and sandwiches for best results

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Vanilla Bean Bourbon Nectarine Bundt Cake (with vanilla bean caramel drizzle)

August 11, 2014 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

The summer’s best nectarines are cooked with vanilla bean and bourbon then folded into a delicious cake batter. Of course the vanilla bean caramel sauce doesn’t hurt!

Summer’s stone fruits are really peaking where we are. I’ve had some super delicious peaches and nectarines in the last few weeks… I just can’t get enough of them. As with any fruit I love, I stock up and then have a million ripen at once. Earlier this summer I solved that issue with muffins, and then a few weeks ago I made this really delicious bundt cake. The cake is full of super sweet ripe nectarines, but peaches would work just as well. The caramel sauce poured generously over the top seals the deal. I actually was on the verge of burning my caramel and that extra darkness really happened to work with this cake. Between the vanilla bean, the bit of bourbon and the juicy flavorful summer fruit, this cake is a real win.

Vanilla Bean Bourbon Nectarine Bundt Cake (with vanilla bean caramel drizzle)

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The summer’s best nectarines are cooked with vanilla bean and bourbon then folded into a delicious cake batter. Of course the vanilla bean caramel sauce doesn’t hurt!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 – 20

Ingredients

For the nectarines:
60 milliliters (¼ cup) bourbon
1 whole vanilla bean (Madagascar bourbon if you have them!)
14g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter at room temperature
14g (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
680g (~5) ripe but still firm nectarines (567g (4 cups) chopped; peeling optional)
For the cake:
395g (~3 cups) all-purpose flour
3g (1/2 tablespoon) ground cinnamon
2g (1 teaspoon) nutmeg
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
227g (1 cup) unsalted butter melted and cooled
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) vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan; set aside
Pour the bourbon into a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat; bring to a boil for one minute; reduce the heat to medium; add the inside of vanilla bean (do not discard pod), butter and sugar; cook and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved
Add pod from vanilla bean and nectarine; let cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until nectarines are softened and most of liquid has evaporated
Remove from heat and set aside; discard vanilla bean pod
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large mixing bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter, oil, sugars and eggs for 3 minutes on low to medium speed; add vanilla extract and mix 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 fold in the cooked nectarines; 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; set aside to cool while preparing caramel

Notes

Adapted from this Apple Bundt Cake

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Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

160g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean (Madagascar bourbon if you have them!)
45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) water
120 milliliters (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) milk, any type
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) sea salt

Instructions

In a heavy duty saucepan, combine granulated sugar, seeds scraped from vanilla bean, and water
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved
Continue to cook for a few minutes until caramel reaches a deep amber (do not stir)
Remove from heat and immediately whisk in heavy cream
Stir in milk and sea salt
Drizzle liberally over apple cake or refrigerate until ready to serve
Make ahead tip:
Caramel sauce can be made up to one week ahead of time. Heat it gently over the stove or in microwave just prior to pouring over cake and serving
Cake best enjoyed within 24 hours of baking

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Ginger and Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

August 7, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Chewy ginger cookies sandwiched with homemade creamy lemon ice cream make amazing ice cream sandwiches!

I sure hope you listened to me on Monday and got your lemon ice cream ready! If so, time to whip up these chewy ginger cookies and prepare for ice cream sandwich heaven. If not, get to the ice cream stat. Lucky for you it’s easy to make, you just need to be patient during the freezing time.

Anyway, I’m pretty obsessed with these sandwiches. The ginger cookies are chewy, even after freezing, and just so delicious. If you eat a few while making the ice cream sandwiches, I won’t tell anyone. Just don’t mistake them for a traditional gingersnap. These are more like a brown sugar cookie with a nice ginger flavor. No overpowering ginger to be found.

Ginger and Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 ice cream sandwiches

Ingredients

32 chewy ginger cookies (recipe below)
1 batch (6 cups) lemon ice cream

Instructions

Pair cookies so that they are closely matching in size; turn one cookie from each pair upside down
Place a scoop of ice cream (about ⅓ cup) on top of an upside down cookie; press matching cookie down to form an ice cream sandwich; repeat with a few ice cream sandwiches and then place in in the freezer (in a ziplock bag or tupperware) while making remaining ice cream sandwiches; repeat until finished
Store ice cream sandwiches in a ziplock bag or airtight container in freezer up to one month; keep frozen until serving

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Chewy Ginger Cookies

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 32 cookies for 16 ice cream sandwiches

Ingredients

260g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
7 ½g (1 ½ teaspoons) salt
2g (1 teaspoon) ground ginger
2 ½g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
350g (~1½ cup packed) light brown sugar
5g (1 teaspoon) minced ginger
100g (2 large) whole eggs
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk together flour, salt, ginger and baking soda; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and minced ginger on medium-high speed until light and well mixed; scrape sides of bowl
Add eggs and vanilla, mix well; scrape sides of bowl
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined (do not overmix)
Chill dough for 2 – 24 hours
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Use a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1½ tablespoons each) about 2 inches apart from one another
Bake 13-14 minutes or until cookies are set on top and very lightly brown around the edges

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Creamy and Refreshing Lemon Ice Cream (No Churn)

August 4, 2014 Keep It Sweet 18 Comments

Another ice cream recipe that doesn’t require an ice cream maker! This Lemon Ice Cream is super creamy and quite refreshing, a wonderful summer treat!

Sometimes when I enjoy a lemon dessert, I feel like a traitor to my former self. I was so sworn against lemon anything forever and now I feel like such a hypocrite. But you know what, I’ll get over that, because now is the time to embrace new tastes and delicious, refreshing summer flavors.

That isn’t to say that I’m not ultra picky about lemon sweets (even more picky than I am about all sweets, hard to believe). Lemon bars still kind of gross me out, as does lemon meringue pie. But when lemon desserts are done right, they can be quite delicious. Not too sweet and not too tart are the most important factors. And then there is texture. This ice cream for example, has just enough lemon flavor to make it a refreshing treat, but it is also ultra creamy and has the potential to fulfill all of your ice cream loving needs. Have a small scoop on a hot night or use it in an ice cream sundae. This blueberry sauce would probably be perfect for that. If you are really smart, you will make this ice cream right now so it’s ready for my recipe that’s coming on Thursday. Hint, hint!

5.0 from 3 reviews

No Churn Lemon Ice Cream

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Another ice cream recipe that doesn’t require an ice cream maker! This Lemon Ice Cream is super creamy and quite refreshing, a wonderful summer treat!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1½ quarts

Ingredients

(2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6g (~2 tablespoons) lemon zest (from ~2 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ~1 lemon)

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, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan or ice cream storage container
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

July 31, 2014 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Perfect fluffy vanilla cupcakes stuffed with a homemade blackberry jam filling and topped with creamy peanut butter frosting. These peanut butter and jelly cupcakes would be perfect for a summer potluck!

Lately it feels like the productive hours in my day are decreasing on a regular basis. I’m not knocked out tired like I was in my first trimester, but I’m definitely feeling some new afternoon exhaustion creep in. I guess lugging around a growing baby and somewhere around 20 extra pounds in front of my body will do that to you! It’s a little annoying because I still have a lot I’d like to do in the next couple of months, but I’m learning to work around the exhaustion and do what I can. Namely that means being as productive as possible during the first six or seven hours of my day. Because come 2pm, it’s a very good day if I am still on my feet and getting things done. I try to push myself to do some dinner prep a bit later in the afternoon, but that second wind doesn’t always come through.

Anyway, it’s a good thing I still have enough energy to get a couple of baking projects done in the mornings! These cupcakes are definitely not the simplest of desserts, but when you separate all the components and make one of the three ahead of time (the jelly), they really aren’t too bad. And when you have a dessert come out like these peanut butter and jelly cupcakes did (read: seriously delicious), the extra bit of work and time is very much worth it. The moist vanilla cupcakes are stuffed with a homemade blackberry jam and topped with a hefty serving of peanut butter buttercream. I dare you to resist.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

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Perfect fluffy vanilla cupcakes stuffed with a homemade blackberry jam filling and topped with creamy peanut butter frosting. These peanut butter and jelly cupcakes would be perfect for a summer potluck!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 batch Vanilla Cupcakes (recipe below), cooled
¼-1/2 cup jelly or jam of choice (recipe for homemade Blackberry Chia Jam below), cooled
1 batch Peanut Butter Buttercream (recipe below)

Instructions

Prepare jam and chill in refrigerator as directed below
Bake cupcakes as directed below; allow to cool for one hour
When cupcakes are completely cool, use a small paring knife to cut about one teaspoon out of top center of cupcake
Fill whole of cupcake with a teaspoon jam and repeat with remaining cupcakes (refer to this blog post on stuffing cupcakes for tips and photos)
Prepare Peanut Butter Buttercream as directed below; pipe or spread buttercream over stuffed cupcakes
Store cupcakes in a covered container in refrigerator up to three days (best within 24 hours of making); bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

I recommend making the jam up to one week in advance and cupcakes one day prior to putting everything together and serving.

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Vanilla Cupcakes

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

120 milliliters (1/2 cup) milk, at room temperature separated (skim, low fat or whole will work)
60g (~2 large) egg whites, at room temperature
20g (~1 large) egg yolk, at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
175g (~1½ cups) cake flour, sifted
150g (~3/4 cups) granulated sugar
10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
43g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
43g (3 tablespoons) vegetable shortening

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour two regular sized cupcake tins OR fill them with cupcake liners; set aside
In a medium bowl whisk together the egg whites, egg yolk, 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sifted flour, sugar, vanilla bean, baking powder and salt together on low speed for just 30 seconds
Add the butter and shortening; mix on low speed for 30 seconds; add remaining milk and mix again on low speed until just moistened, about 30 seconds
Increase mixer to medium speed and beat for 1½ minutes
Scrape the sides of the bowl add the egg/milk mixture in 2 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition; do not overmix
Pour batter evenly into cupcake tins (about ⅔ the way full for each cupcake); I like to use a large cookie dough scoop or small ladle
Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; set aside to cool before filling and frosting

Notes

Slightly adapted from Sweetapolita

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Backberry Jam Filling

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1½ cups

Ingredients

460g (~4 cups) fresh or frozen blackberries
45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) real maple syrup
20g (2 tablespoons) chia seeds
2 milliliters (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium heavy duty pot, place blackberries and maple syrup over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until berries soften
Use the back of a wooden spoon to smash about ⅔ of the blackberries; stir in the chia seeds
Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for about fifteen minutes or until jam is thickened to desired consistency
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and vanilla
Store jam in an airtight container in refrigerator up to two weeks

Notes

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
This jam is very seedy from the fresh blackberries. If you prefer something different you can buy a seedless jam to use for the filling instead.

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Peanut Butter Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
485g (1¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
120g (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar

Instructions

Beat butter until light and creamy; beat in peanut butter until creamy and smooth
Mix in confectioners’ sugar on low speed just until combined and then beat for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy

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No Bake Blueberry Pie

July 28, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

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

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

No Bake Blueberry Pie

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

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

Cream Cheese Layer

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

Blueberry Pie Filling

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

July 24, 2014 Keep It Sweet 20 Comments

Creamy chocolate ice cream filled with crunchy sweet and salty candied peanuts. No ice cream maker needed!

I was hesitant to make an ice cream that Matt wouldn’t like (ahem, peanut hater), but ultimately I couldn’t resist. Besides, he’d choose a vanilla base any day while I am a sucker for chocolate. Especially when that chocolate has something fun in it. These crunchy chunks of candied peanuts are the perfect compliment to the creamy chocolate base. Again, this ice cream is so easy to make. It’s joining my ever-growing list of no-churn obsessions.

No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

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Creamy chocolate ice cream filled with crunchy sweet and salty candied peanuts. No ice cream maker needed!

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) 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
1¼ cups Salty Candied Peanuts (recipe below)

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; fold in candied peanuts
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

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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Salty Candied Peanuts

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2½ cups

Ingredients

150g (1 cup) chopped peanuts, roasted and unsalted
110g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
20 milliliters 4 teaspoons water
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) table or kosher salt

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
Cook peanuts, sugar and water in a small heavy duty sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring regularly until sugar begins to caramelize
When mixture begins to bubble, stir quickly until sugar is completely crystalized (it will appear very sandy and dry), about 3 minutes
Continue to cook while stirring constantly until sugar re-melts and turns a dark golden brown (~3 minutes); be careful not to burn
Remove from heat and stir in salt
Spread nuts out onto prepared baking sheet and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes; break peanuts up into small chunks and place in an airtight container until ready to use (up to two weeks)

Notes

From Baking Bites

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I hope you aren’t sick of the ice cream recipes yet…

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(Fresh) Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

July 21, 2014 Keep It Sweet 29 Comments

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

(Fresh) Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 large cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Margarita Birthday Cake

July 7, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

This citrusy layer cake is flavored with lime zest and the frosting is made with tequila, cheers!

A few weeks ago, my friend’s husband threw her a fabulous 30th birthday party. There were chefs cooking Mexican food, plenty of drinks to go around, do-it-yourself ice cream sandwiches and finally this margarita cake. For my friend that loves all things Mexican food and all margaritas, I couldn’t think of a better birthday cake to finish off the event. These cake layers are light and citrusy, flavored with a bit of lime zest, and the frosting has just the right amount of tequila to satisfy any margarita lover.

I didn’t get a photo of the inside of the cake since I didn’t want to slice it ahead of time, but everyone who had a slice loved it. This is such a fun celebration cake during the summer. I’ll definitely be making it again.

Margarita Birthday Cake

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This citrusy layer cake is flavored with lime zest and the frosting is made with tequila, cheers!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 2-layer 9-inch cake; serves 12

Ingredients

Margarita Cake Layers

240 milliliters (1 cup) milk, at room temperature separated (skim, low fat or whole will work)
120g (~4 large) egg whites, at room temperature
50g (~1 large) whole egg, at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
300g (~1-1/2 cups) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lime zest (~2 limes)
350g (~3 cups) cake flour, sifted
9½g (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) baking powder
5g (3/4 teaspoon) salt
85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
85g (6 tablespoons) vegetable shortening

Margarita Frosting

312g ( 2¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
113g regular or light cream cheese
400g (~2½ cups) powdered sugar
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) tequila
1 tablespoon lime zest (~lime)
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Margarita Cake Layers

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper
In a medium bowl whisk together the egg whites, whole egg, ¼ cup of milk and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer use your fingers to rub the lime zest into the granulated sugar, this will help to release the flavor from the zest; then, with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar / lime zest, sifted flour, baking powder and salt together on low speed for just 30 seconds
Add the butter and shortening; mix on low speed for 30 seconds; add remaining milk and mix again on low speed until just moistened, about 30 seconds
Increase mixer to medium speed and beat for 1½ minutes
Scrape the sides of the bowl add the egg/milk mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition; do not overmix
Divide the batter into prepared baking pans; bake for 29-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of each layer
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
Once cake layers are completely cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully cut each layer in half horizontally, creating 4 cake layers; set aside and make buttercreams

Margarita Frosting

Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed or until light and creamy
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; add additional cup and mix on low for one minute again; add remaining sugar, tequila, lime zest and salt
Mix on low speed for one minute and then scrape the sides of the bowl; beat on high speed for several minutes or until buttercream is light and fluffy

Notes

Adapted from this vanilla bean cake
Cake best served within 24 hours; store leftovers tightly covered with seran wrap to avoid drying up to three days

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Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Ripple

July 3, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

This healthy version of ice cream is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

I’ve got another ice cream recipe for you that doesn’t require an ice cream maker! Although, this one is a little different. When I was in the midst of a baking rampage a few weeks ago, Matt asked if I could try to make something healthy. Well, wish granted! This isn’t your typical ice cream, and I’m not going to lie, it’s not as creamy as the fat-filled regular version. But when you want a sweet frozen treat that is on the healthier side, this banana ice cream is perfect.

I’m not the first person to make banana ice cream in a blender, I’ve seen it done about four million times before. But for my purposes, I wanted a flavor that felt a little more indulgent and didn’t leave my sweet tooth and cravings completely unsatisfied. The fudge ripple and chocolate chunks through definitely do the trick!

2.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Ripple

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Fudge Ripple Makes ½ cup Recipe from David Lebovitz via Epicurious

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~3/4 quart (3-6 servings)

Ingredients

610g (~4 large) frozen bananas, sliced
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) almond milk
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
65g dark chocolate, chopped (check to make sure dairy-free if Vegan)
¼ cup chocolate ripple (see below)

Instructions

In a high-speed blender (I used a Vitamix) combine frozen bananas, almond milk and vanilla for several minutes or until completely combined; should be the consistency of soft serve yogurt
Fold in chopped chocolate and pour into a regular sized loaf pan
Drizzle with fudge ripple; cover with seran wrap or tin foil and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving

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2.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Ripple

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Fudge Ripple Makes ½ cup Recipe from David Lebovitz via Epicurious

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ½ cup

Ingredients

50g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
50 milliliters (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) light corn syrup
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) water
25g (~1/4 cup) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 milliliter (1/4 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, water and cocoa powder; whisk constantly until mixture comes to a low boil
Cook for one additional minute, still whisking and then remove from heat
Stir in vanilla
Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour or until ready to use (up to two weeks)

Notes

Recipe from David Lebovitz via Epicurious

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No guilt necessary!

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

June 30, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

This is the best cookie cake that I’ve ever had. It has a a chewy center, crispy edges and a wonderful brown butter flavor.

I’m turning 30 this year. And actually, August 21st isn’t that far away. How I feel about the age is a story for another post, but what I want for dessert on my birthday is always on my mind. I have a few celebrations to plan with family and friends but the first thing that I thought about was what sweet treat each of those celebrations will involve.

Growing up, I detested birthday cake. And even now, it has to be a really good birthday cake to win me over. Homemade layer cakes are a different story but even as a kid they weren’t my first choice. In fact most birthdays involved brownies, ice cream pie or a cookie cake (or all of the above). My poor buttercream loving mom couldn’t win.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a cookie cake, but I imagine that the basic Mrs. Field’s type wouldn’t really appeal to me today. For good or for bad, I’ve become a complete dessert snob when it comes to flavor. Sweet is not a flavor and that’s pretty much what you get with any standard bakery item. So I figured the basic cookie cake was due for an upgrade. A brown butter upgrade to be exact. Chewy center, crispy edges and that nutty caramel-y brown butter flavor. Next time I’ll sprinkle some flaky sea salt over top and really be in grown-up cookie cake heaven.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

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This is the best cookie cake that I’ve ever had. It has a a chewy center, crispy edges and a wonderful brown butter flavor.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
50g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
155g (~2/3 cup) packed light brown sugar
55g (1 large) egg at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
190g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
4g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
3g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
170g (~1½ cup) dark chocolate chunks
Buttercream and sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Instructions

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small 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 small bowl and set aside to cool
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well mixed
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 chocolate chunks
Spread dough evenly into an 11-inch tart pan; chill 24 hours for best results (minimum of 2 hours) before baking
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Bake cookie cake until firm: 18-22 minutes or until edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from center
Allow to cool before serving frosting and serving

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No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

June 26, 2014 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

This easy no-churn Vanilla bean ice cream is full of Oreo chunks and a delicious ribbon of fudge.

Other than the part where my tripod fell over and knocked my camera directly into the ice cream, I loved this. After a slight moment of panic, I gently wiped the mess off of my lens and then used some windex on a soft cloth. Phew! So even though I’m not completely thrilled with the resulting photos, I think they will suffice because this ice cream is so good it shouldn’t even matter what it looks like. Besides, I couldn’t wait another 24 hours for a new photo shoot, this ice cream needed to be eaten (Matt could barely wait the first night for the freezing process!).

This has officially become the summer of “how much ice cream can I possibly eat?” This is only the third ice cream I’ve made, but I’ve been enjoying my fair share of store bought and specialty shop ice creams as well. And I don’t know if there will be an official ice cream tour this summer, but I do have a few new places that I’m dying to try. So between the collection of other flavors floating through my head and all of the above, this summer is already one of my favorites. <—– I wonder how I’ll feel about that statement at the end of Summer when I’m 8 months pregnant and huge.

Anyway, I digress, back to this Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream. Matt had originally requested Cookies and Cream, but I didn’t want to do an old standard, hence the addition of a fudge ripple. It is just enough to really satisfy a chocolate craving but doesn’t take over the entire ice cream flavor. That’s a very good thing because the vanilla base is vanilla bean all the way. Those two factors plus the big Oreo cookie chunks… this is an ice cream that is worth waiting for (even if six hours does feel forever).

No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

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This easy no-churn Vanilla bean ice cream is full of Oreo chunks and a delicious ribbon of fudge.

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)
Inside of one vanilla bean
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
110g (~1 cup) roughly chopped Oreos (about 10 cookies)
1 recipe for fudge ripple, chilled (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, in a separate large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla bean, vanilla extract and Oreos
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan; drizzle with half of fudge ripple and carefully use a knife to cut through the fudge for a light swirl effect; repeat with remaining ice cream mixture and fudge ripple
Wrap well with seran warp or tin foil and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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Fudge Ripple

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Author: Lauren Liling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ½ cup

Ingredients

50g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
40 milliliters (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) light corn syrup
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) water
25g (~1/4 cup) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1 milliliter (1/4 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, water and cocoa powder; whisk constantly until mixture comes to a low boil
Cook for one additional minute, still whisking and then remove from heat
Stir in vanilla
Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour or until ready to use (up to two weeks)

Notes

Recipe from David Lebovitz via Epicurious

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Brown Butter Peach Crumb Muffins

June 23, 2014 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

The perfect summer brunch food. These brown butter muffins are full of juicy peaches and topped with a cinnamon crumble.

Summers for us are always full of travelling to see family. I try to bring a different sweet treat every time, though my family has had its fair share of bakery “scraps”! These muffins were the perfect addition to a recent summer brunch. Even though they are flavored with brown butter and finished with a crumb topping, they really aren’t that heavy. They are heavy on the peaches so you should get a juicy piece of fruit in every bite.

Brown Butter Peach Crumb Muffins

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The perfect summer brunch food. These brown butter muffins are full of juicy peaches and topped with a cinnamon crumble.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

Muffin ingredients:

100g (7 tablespoons) unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
80 milliliters (1/3 cup) milk at room temperature
55g (1 large) egg + 20g (1 large) egg yolk at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
160g (~3/4 cup granulated sugar )
120g (~3/4 cup) white whole wheat flour
100g (~3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
7 ½g (1½ teaspoons) baking powder
3g (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
300g (~2 cups) chopped peaches (~2 large peaches)

Topping Ingredients:

40g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold
65g (~1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
40g (~3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
2g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees; line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners and set aside
Make the muffin batter
Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; when butter turns to an amber/light brown color with dark specks, remove from heat immediately
Pour browned butter into a small bowl and set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk milk, egg, egg yolk and vanilla until combined; whisk in brown butter
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until combined; gently fold in peaches
Distribute batter evenly among cupcake liners and set aside
Make crumb topping by combining the butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon with your fingers until most of the dry ingredients are in small clumps; sprinkle each muffin generously with topping
Bake muffins 18-20 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out of center of a muffin clean

Notes

Adapted from these Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins (original source: Joy the Baker Cookbook)

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{Gluten-Free} Summer Berry Skillet Crisp

June 16, 2014 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

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

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

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

{Gluten-Free} Summer Berry Skillet Crisp

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

Topping:

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

Filling:

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

Brown Butter Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

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Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

June 12, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

This is the best fruit salad for any summer occasion!

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

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

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

Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

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This is the best fruit salad for any summer occasion!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Side Dish

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

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Author: Lauren Liling

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Watermelon Salad with Lemon Cake Croutons and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats

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Mango Summer Cake

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Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

June 9, 2014 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

These decadent cookie sandwiches are for a sophisticated palate. The dark chocolate espresso cookie is sandwiched with a rich salted caramel ganache for the ultimate dessert.

After this weekend, I could use a cookie or ten. We spent all day yesterday and Saturday cleaning out our second bedroom. How is it possible to have so much STUFF in one little room? Luckily we made really good progress. Now we just need to sell a few pieces of furniture on Craig’s List and offload some extra packaging material I have from the business. Making progress! It seems that the baby might have sensed that we were preparing his room for him, because yesterday afternoon I FINALLY felt a kick for the first time. In fact, I felt a few, but it took a couple of times for me to realize what was happening. It really did feel like a “pop” as they say. Totally incredible. I told Matt that I thought it was happening and he managed to put his hand on my belly just in time to feel a tiny kick! That really was an exciting moment to enjoy together.

I made these cookies a few weeks ago but kind of wish they were still around. They are definitely on the dark side, not a sweet sweet cookie by any means. I really enjoyed, that, though, for a more sophisticated cookie option. They would be perfect for an afternoon coffee date or even as a morning pick-me-up. I won’t tell!

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

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These decadent cookie sandwiches are for a sophisticated palate. The dark chocolate espresso cookie is sandwiched with a rich salted caramel ganache for the ultimate dessert.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~21 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

Espresso Cookies

215g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
55g (~1/2 cup) good quality dark cocoa
11g (~3 tablespoons) instant espresso powder
1g (~1/8 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
120g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
50g (1 large whole) egg, room temperature

Salted Caramel Ganache:

170g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I used 72%)
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) salted caramel
120 milliliters (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Make Cookies:

Sift flour, cocoa, espresso and salt into a medium bowl; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined
Add egg and mix on medium until well combined
Stop mixer and scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined, do not overmix; Chill dough for 30 minutes
While dough is chilling, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or slipats
When ready to bake, use a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1 tablespoons each); lightly flatten cookie dough balls with palm of your hand
Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes; cookies should appear set

Make Ganache:

Combine chocolate and caramel in a large heat-proof bowl and set aside
Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat for several minutes until cream begins to bubble (do NOT bring to full boil)
Pour cream over chocolate and caramel; let set for 5 minutes
Whisk together ganache until there are no lumps
For cookies, chill ganache in refrigerator for 35 minutes or until it has thickened to a spreadable consistency

Notes

Cookies barely adapted from Food and Wine
Source for ganache recipe: Chocolate Moosey
There will be extra ganache. Chill it and roll into balls for truffles or eat it with a spoon, I won’t tell!

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Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

June 5, 2014 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

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

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

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

Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 sundae

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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Speculoos Sundae with Warm Blueberry Sauce

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

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No-Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

June 2, 2014 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

You don’t need an ice cream maker to churn a batch of this delicious ice cream! Packed with Cookie Butter, rich and creamy, this is an ice cram that you will love.

Apparently no-churn ice cream is a thing, a big thing. This might be the most dangerous fact I’ve ever learned. In the past I’ve nearly broken an old ice cream maker in frustration. I had no idea how easy it would be to make the real deal sans fancy machine. Seriously, you whip some cream, combine it with a sweetened condensed milk / flavor mixture and freeze for a few hours. I actually stopped myself from buying more than one large container of heavy whipping cream at Costco on Saturday for fear of my baby turning into a giant ice cream cone.

Luckily I did have some help from Matt in eating this batch of Cookie Butter Ice Cream. Infused with cookie butter AND speculoos crumbs, it is heavy on the cookie butter flavor in a very good way. I used it for ice cream sundaes (recipe coming later this week), a fruit crumble (recipe also coming soon) and Matt made a couple of milkshakes (just some skim milk and ice cream blended together). Part of me wants to make this recipe over and over again throughout the summer, but I have too many other flavors I’m dying to try. Although, I would love to have a giant scoop of this ice cream stuffed into these cookies. Um, how many weeks away is my glucose test?

No-Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

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You don’t need an ice cream maker to churn a batch of this delicious ice cream! Packed with Cookie Butter, rich and creamy, this is an ice cram that you will love.

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)
200g (~1/2 cup) Cookie Butter (or other speculoos of choice)
84g (~2/3 cup) finely ground speculoos cookies (approximately 10 cookies)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

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 remaining ingredients
Once cream is ready, fold it into Cookie Butter mixture
Pour ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan and wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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If you love Cookie Butter as much as I do, be sure to check out my growing list of speculoos-based recipes!

Oh, and I also spotted this version of Cookie Butter s’more ice cream last week on Baheaholic Mama, I’ll take both!

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

{Gluten-Free} Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 27, 2014 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are made with quinoa flour and almond meal to satisfy your gluten-free and gluten-loving cookie cravings.

It’s pretty much common knowledge that cookies can cure almost anything. So when a friend of mine was going through a hard time, I immediately wanted to send her some. She happens to be gluten-free so I wanted them to be something special and taste just as good as the gluten-full versions that she misses! Well, these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies definitely fit the bill. They are thick and chewy and oh so satisfying. Between the brown butter, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt, the flavor is full and well-rounded. The combination of quinoa flour and almond meal made them feel substantial and satisfying, not at all dry or bland.

{Gluten-Free} Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are made with quinoa flour and almond meal to satisfy your gluten-free and gluten-loving cookie cravings.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 13 large cookies

Ingredients

110g (~1 cup) quinoa flour
90g (~1 cup) almond meal
3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
4g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
76g (1/3 cup) unsalted browned butter, cooled*
295g (~1¼ cups tightly packed) light brown sugar
50g (1 large) egg at room temperature
17g (1 large) egg yolk at room temperature
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
160g (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined (1-2 minutes); add eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until well-combined (1-2 minutes)
Scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula and add dry ingredients; mix on low speed just until combined; do not overmix
Stir in chocolate chips and place dough in refrigerator to chill for thirty minutes
While dough is chilling, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and two line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipats
When ready to bake, use a large cookie dough scoop to place cookie dough balls (about ¼ cup each) on top of parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart
Bake for 13-14 minutes or until cookies have lightly browned around edges and are slightly firm to the touch

Notes

*To brown the butter, heat it in a 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
Best eaten day of baking; store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to one month

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Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches

May 18, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Chewy cookies infused with Oreo Crumbs and slathered with a Cookies n Cream filling!

I made these cookies on Friday with the full intention of bringing them over to a friend’s yesterday. Apparently I made the mistake of sharing a sample cookie with Matt because he almost lost it when I told him I was going to do that. For a man who lives in a world where there are ALWAYS cookies around (test recipes and bakery leftovers), this was pretty major. Although, I can’t say I’m surprised since he absolutely adores Oreos and this recipe pretty much takes that flavor to full blast.

The cookie dough and the frosting are both infused with Oreo flavor by adding the ground cookies into both components. The only thing I can imagine that might be better is if I make the cookies again and use them to sandwich cookies n cream ice cream. Now we are really talking!

Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches

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Chewy cookies infused with Oreo Crumbs and slathered with a Cookies n Cream filling!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 13 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

165g (~1¼ cup) all-purpose flour
125g (~1 cup) finely ground Oreo crumbs (about 11 cookies)
3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
105g (~1/2) cup granulated sugar
120g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
50g (1 whole large) egg at room temperature
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Cookies ‘n Cream Buttercream:

85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
57g regular or light cream cheese
130g (1 cup) powdered sugar
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
16g (~2 tablespoons) finely ground Oreo crumbs (~1-2 cookies)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Whisk flour, Oreo crumbs, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy
Beat in egg and vanilla on medium speed just until combined
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients but do not overmix; use a spatula to make sure all cookie batter is combined
Use a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1½ tablespoons each)
Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until edges have slightly darkened and centers appear set
Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack; once cool, match each cookie with a second cookie of same size to make the cookie sandwiches and prepare 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 powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined then increase speed of mixer to medium-high and beat for several minutes until frosting is light and fluffy
Stir in Oreo crumbs until evenly distributed
Spread or pipe frosting onto bottom of half of the cookie sandwiches, about 1½ tablespoons each; lightly press remaining cookies down onto frosting to create sandwiches

Notes

Adapted from these graham cracker cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container up to four days (eat within two for best texture).
Can be frozen up to one month.

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I hope my friend’s were satisfied with the brownies I brought instead!

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

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No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

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BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

May 12, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

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

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

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

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

BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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Blueberry Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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

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The Best Mother’s Day Desserts

May 5, 2014 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

Over 15 of the best desserts to make for Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is just 6 days away, and of course you should all send some of these treats to your mom… but if you are looking to bake something sweet, I have my favorite recipes for the special day here for you!

Cookie Butter & Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches

Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Chip Blueberry Peanut Butter Cookies

Lemon Cookies with White Chocolate Chips & Strawberry Buttercream

Meyer Lemon Sprinkle Cookies (can substitute regular lemon)

Cakes and Cupcakes

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Mini Lemon Cupcakes with Perfect Silky Buttercream

Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Other Desserts

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters

Blueberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bars

Fudgy Brownie Crunch Banana Ice Cream Pie

Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

Vanilla Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

And even more… 75 recipes to make for Mother’s Day!

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

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Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

April 28, 2014 Keep It Sweet 16 Comments

Light but satisfying vanilla bean cake layered with vanilla buttercream and covered in a wonderful strawberry cream cheese whipped frosting!

I may not have any real quality photos of this cake, but it was such a hit and so delicious that I wanted to post the recipe anyway. Plus, if I made it again just to photograph, I would absolutely eat half of the cake with a fork by myself. To save my unborn baby from going into a sugar coma, I figured I probably should just work with what we’ve got.

So I had a few different cakes in mind to make for Samara’s 30th birthday celebration, but when Kris raved about a cake she had eaten with this frosting, I knew I had to work around that for the dessert. I wanted the cake to be something that was light enough to let that frosting shine, but still a bit special. The vanilla bean cake felt perfect in terms of light texture and balanced flavor. For the filling I kept it really simple with thin layers of vanilla buttercream. This cake was definitely a winner.

Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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Light but satisfying vanilla bean cake layered with vanilla buttercream and covered in a wonderful strawberry cream cheese whipped frosting!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

237 milliliters (1 cup) milk, at room temperature separated (skim, low fat or whole will work)
120g (~4 large) egg whites, at room temperature
50g (~1 large) whole egg, at room temperature
20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
350g (~3 cups) cake flour, sifted
300g (~1-1/2 cups) granulated sugar
Inside of one vanilla bean
19½g (4 teaspoons) baking powder
5g (3/4 teaspoon) salt
85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
85g (6 tablespoons) vegetable shortening
Vanilla Buttercream Filling (see below)
Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper
In a medium bowl whisk together the egg whites, whole egg, ¼ cup of milk and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the sifted flour, sugar, vanilla bean, baking powder and salt together on low speed for just 30 seconds
Add the butter and shortening; mix on low speed for 30 seconds; add remaining milk and mix again on low speed until just moistened, about 30 seconds
Increase mixer to medium speed and beat for 1½ minutes
Scrape the sides of the bowl add the egg/milk mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition; do not overmix
Divide the batter into prepared baking pans; bake for 29-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of each layer
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
Once cake layers are completely cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully cut each layer in half horizontally, creating 4 cake layers; set aside and make buttercreams

Notes

Cake slightly adapted from Sweetapolita
Be careful with the thin cake layers when lifting as they will be fragile

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Vanilla Buttercream Filling

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

187g (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
200g (1 3/5 cups) powdered sugar
22 milliliters (1½ tablespoons) milk, any type
7 milliliters (1/2 tablespoon) vanilla extract
1g (1/8 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

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 first layer of cake; top with second layer and repeat; top with third layer and repeat; top with fourth layer of cake and set aside to make whipped strawberry cream cheese buttercream

Notes

Source: Sweetapolita

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Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

227g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
280g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar, divided
100g (2/3 cup) chopped fresh strawberries
355 milliliters (1½ cups) heavy cream, cold
44 milliliters (3 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice (~ 1 lemon)

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and half of granulated sugar on medium-high speed with until smooth; add strawberries beat for 30 seconds(some strawberries should blended in, but some chopped strawberries should still remain intact)
In a separate 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 remaining granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form
Gently fold half of cream mixture into cream cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture
Use a flat metal spatula to frost outside of cake
Best served immediately; store leftovers in refrigerator and bring to room temperature until ready to eat (within three days)

Notes

Source: Southern Living

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

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Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Vanilla Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

Lemon Cookies with White Chocolate Chips & Strawberry Buttercream

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The Best Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

April 21, 2014 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

Thick and chewy peanut butter cookies for peanut butter lovers only.

Wow, thank you so much for the kind notes, tweets, Facebook messages, etc. regarding our big news! We really didn’t tell anyone (other than our parents and siblings) until a week or so ago. Let me tell you, that is one hard secret to keep! When you are exhausted constantly, hungry ALL the time and just generally overwhelmed by the big life change coming, it is difficult to look anyone in the eye when they say “what’s going on” and you have to say “nothing.” Phew! So glad to be past that. I have a pregnancy-related post coming later this week and am happy to share even more as long as people want to read about it.

While many women suffer through morning sickness and get crazy food aversions, I was lucky to avoid that for the most part. There were a few foods here and there (mainly random vegetables and fish) that stopped appealing to me, but dessert was never one of them. In fact, anything that was carb-based sounded extra delicious. Cookies excel in that category!

So, a few weeks ago I took a look at my massive baking inventory and decided to make something that revolved around peanut butter. For peanut butter lovers, it’s hard to beat a perfectly chewy peanut-y cookie. This one is full of peanut butter, peanut butter chips, peanuts AND peanut butter cups. (Sorry Matt, this cookie is kind of your worst nightmare.) They were a big hit and I definitely enjoyed a couple myself. The amount of food I consume on a regular basis astounds me. While I’m trying to eat as healthy as possible (I figure that is the least I can do in taking care of the baby), there is definitely room for my sweet tooth cravings. Don’t expect me to start turning my nose up at dessert any time soon.

The Best Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

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Thick and chewy peanut butter cookies for peanut butter lovers only.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 15 cookies

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
105g (~2/3 cup) chopped peanut butter cups
90g (~1/2 cup) peanut butter chips
75g (~1/2 cup) chopped peanuts

Instructions

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, peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts
Chill dough for 2 hours
After, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Use a large cookie dough scoop to place cookie dough balls (about ¼ cup each) on top of parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart
Bake ~14 minutes until cookies are brown around the edges

Notes

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze 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.

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Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

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Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups

April 9, 2014 Keep It Sweet 41 Comments

These dark chocolate candy cups are filled with a delicious creamy buttercream. They are a gluten-free, no-bake treat for any occasion.

Today’s post is exciting because I’m part of a huge group of blogging ladies celebrating Steph’s virtual baby shower! This sweet and talented blogger is due to have a baby girl in just a few weeks and I am so excited for her. I’ve never met Steph in real life, but through talking online I already know what a kind, friendly and lovely person she is. Not to mention she is writing a delicious looking e-cookbook!

For the virtual shower, I went with one of my favorite party staples, a bite-size pickup dessert. I love small desserts at parties because they give guests the chance to try a little bit of everything. These candy cups are a new variation of the Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups I shared a few weeks ago. This version swaps the filling for a simple vanilla buttercream tinted in pink and perfect for a (girl) baby shower. Of course you could make them blue for a boy as well. I also left out the Oreos this time to keep them gluten-free and Passover appropriate (just in time!). I think this will be a nice treat to share at our seder on Tuesday night. Scroll down to see what treats everyone else is sharing!

Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups

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These dark chocolate candy cups are filled with a delicious creamy buttercream. They are a gluten-free, no-bake treat for any occasion.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

227g good quality dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
7g (1/2 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1½ cups Vanilla Buttercream (replace food coloring with just 2 drops red food coloring); 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
Remove pan from fridge and pipe buttercream into center of each cup (about 1 tablespoon)
Spoon melted chocolate over buttercream and around edges so that coated on all sides
Chill for one hour in refrigerator before serving; store in refrigerator up to one week

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Don’t forget to take a look at what the other bloggers are bringing to the shower!

Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes from Sarcastic Cooking

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake with Lemon Drizzle from Greens & Chocolate

Super Chewy M&M Blondies from The Realistic Nutritionist

Strawberry Cinnamon Twist Knots from A Kitchen Addiction

Lemon Shortbread with Salted Chocolate Drizzle from The Lemon Bowl

Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream from A Zesty Bite

Blackberry and Mango Curd Pie from Joanne Eats Well With Others

Pecan Sticky Buns from Warm Vanilla Sugar

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from Garnish with Lemon

Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Susie Freaking Homemaker

Super Simple Sugar Cookies from Espresso and Cream

Raspberry Acai Frozen Margarita from Nutmeg Nanny

Berry Coconut Frozen Yogurt from The Law Student’s Wife

Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups from Keep it Sweet Desserts

Broccoli Salad with Honey Toasted Walnuts from The Roasted Root

Neapolitan Baked Doughnuts from Climbing Grier Mountain

Giant Pink M&M and Raisinette Cookies from Steph’s Bite by Bite

No-Bake Rhubarb Cheesecake Parfait Cups from Hungry Girl Por Vida

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp from A Cedar Spoon

Freckled Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade from Take a Megabite

Vanilla Anise Cupcakes from Blahnik Baker

Mini Vanilla Bean Layer Cakes from The Baker Chick

Mini Blackberry Hazelnut Meringue Cakes from Eat Your Heart Out

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

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Baby Shower Chocolate Clusters

Pink Champagne Pops

Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

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Fudgy Black and White Devil’s Food Cake

March 31, 2014 Keep It Sweet 22 Comments

Four layers of rich chocolate cake filled with vanilla buttercream and covered in a luscious whipped chocolate buttercream.

Not only is my mom an incredible baker, but she also happens to love cake. Actually, love is probably an understatement and I’m not sure that “cake” accurately describes it. Birthday cake is her favorite food group and the buttercream is clearly the most important part. Growing up, whenever we had birthday parties, my friends just knew to give my mom their extra frosting. I actually chose ice cream pies and cookie cakes over birthday cake for quite some time, but eventually I learned that you can actually have both.

So given her passion for all things layer cake, it always amps up the pressure to make the “perfect” dessert for her birthday. Given my mom’s reaction to this cake last weekend (she might have said that it was the “best one ever”), I think I finally nailed it. Now the question is, will I make this cake every year or will I try to top it from now on? Good thing I have some time to figure that out!

This cake really is the perfect birthday cake. The chocolate cake layers are so fudgy that they are even delicious without frosting (a couple of years ago we had a chocolate cake taste test and couldn’t get over how well this cake could stand alone). However, this is a birthday cake, and buttercream is very, very important. So I sliced the 2 cake layers in half horizontally to give room for double the filling, a delicious basic vanilla buttercream. Then I covered the entire cake in whipped chocolate buttercream. Let me tell you, this cake is amazing and rich. Even for me, who can eat dessert like a champ, a thin slice is enough. (That concept makes me wonder if I’m feeling okay.) Save this for your next special occasion, it will not disappoint.

Fudgy Black and White Devil’s Food Cake

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Four layers of rich chocolate cake filled with vanilla buttercream and covered in a luscious whipped chocolate buttercream.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

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) 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) eggs, at room temperature
246g (~2¼ cups) cake flour
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
4g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
240 milliliters (1 cup) buttermilk
Vanilla Buttercream (see below)
Whipped Chocolate Buttercream (see below)

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
Once cake layers are completely cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully cut each layer in half horizontally, creating 4 cake layers; set aside and make buttercreams

Notes

Cake barely adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey
Store cake in refrigerator and serve at room temperature; best eaten within three days

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Vanilla Buttercream Filling

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

187g (13 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
200g (1 3/5 cups) powdered sugar
22 milliliters (1½ tablespoons) milk, any type
7 milliliters (1/2 tablespoon) vanilla extract
1g (1/8) teaspoon salt

Instructions

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 first layer of cake; top with second layer and repeat; top with third layer and repeat; top with fourth layer of cake and set aside to make chocolate buttercream

Notes

Source: Sweetapolita

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Whipped Chocolate Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
250g (2 cups) powdered sugar
7 milliliters (1/2 tablespoon) vanilla extract
1g (1/8 teaspoon) salt
125g dark chocolate (I used 72%), melted and slightly cooled
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed for one minute
Add vanilla and salt; beat on low just for thirty seconds or well until combined
Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed for about two minutes or until smooth; scrape the sides of the bowl with a a rubber spatula
Add whipping cream and beat on medium-high speed for one minute
Use a flat metal spatula to frost the top and outside of cake; serve immediately or chill in refrigerator and bring to room temperature about an hour before serving

Notes

Source: Sweetapolita

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

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Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping

March 17, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

This brown butter pistachio cake is so moist and flavorful that no one will miss the buttercream!

We celebrated my dad’s birthday last night so it was only fitting that I make him another pistachio treat. Last year I baked these cupcakes which were a huge hit with everyone who tried them, but admittedly my dad discarded the frosting. So, I learned my lesson. No buttercream (sorry, Mom!). In a household where that wouldn’t typically pass the “dessert” test, I knew I had to go above and beyond with the cake itself. Well, this brown butter pistachio cake was an enormous hit with everyone, my buttercream-addicted mom included. My sister and dad kept talking about how much they loved the topping. I couldn’t get over how much I enjoyed the cake. The brown butter flavor came through but didn’t overpower the pistachio at all. And the texture… it was slightly dense but extremely moist. The edges had a light crunch to them, kind of like the perfect brownie corner. This definitely isn’t something I’d normally think to make, but I’m definitely adding it to my future baking rotation. My dad even joked, “you should open a bakery.”

Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping

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This brown butter pistachio cake is so moist and flavorful that no one will miss the buttercream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 10-inch round cake; Serves 10

Ingredients

For the cake:

120g (~1 cup minus 1 teaspoon shelled pistachios) salted shelled pistachios, ground in food processor to fine meal (about 1 minute)
100g (~1¼ cups) almonds meal
40g (~1/3 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
250g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and chilled for an hour*
250g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
205g (~4 large) eggs, whisked
1 tablespoon lemon zest (~one large lemon)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

For the candied pistachio topping

127g (~1 cup) salted shelled pistachios
210g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; Grease and flour 1 10-inch round pan and line bottom with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, whisk together ground pistachios, almond meal and flour; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together browned butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula; add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
Remove bowl from mixer and fold in pistachio mixture; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and place in center of oven; bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Place cake on wire wrack to cool for 10 minutes
Once cake has partially cooled, run a knife around the edge cake for easier removal; carefully turn pan upside down to remove cake; set aside and make topping
Make the Candied Pistachio Topping
Place sugar and water in a heavy duty medium saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until mixture comes to a boil and then continue to stir for a few minutes or until it becomes a thick syrupy consistency; remove from heat and stir in pistachios
Spread evenly over center of cake
Slice and serve

Notes

Slightly adapted from Baker by Nature
Candied Pistachio Topping Adapted from My Kitchen Stories
*To brown the butter, heat it in a 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
Store leftovers covered in a cool dry spot for up to four days for best results

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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 Chunk Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Pistachio Muffins

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9 Perfect St. Patrick’s Day Treats

March 10, 2014 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

9 sweet treats that are perfect for St. Paddy’s Day! Craving something green or baked with beer? We have got you covered!

Keep It Sweet Desserts’ Peppermint Patty Stuffed Triple Chocolate Cookies (order this month)

St. Patrick’s Day Mint Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches (no-bake)

Double Chocolate Mint Krispie Treats (no-bake)

Fudgy Double Crème de Menthe Brownies

Chewy No-Bake “Thin Mint” Bars (no-bake)

Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups (no-bake)

(Real) Pistachio Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Double Chocolate Stout Mini Cupcakes

Chocolate Stout Celebration Cake

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

Blog, Recipes

Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups

March 3, 2014 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Rich dark chocolate candy cups filled with crème de menthe buttercream and crushed oreos.

I’m not feeling all that great today so I’m going to keep this short. These candy cups will kind of win over anyone who loves a little 2-bite treat. My mom, while a buttercream lover, isn’t usually a fan of mint desserts and loved these. I’m currently coming up with many excuses to make other versions and flavors.

Plus, I actually had some extra buttercream in the freezer so these were super easy to make. Plus they are cute. Plus you can pop one in your mouth whenever you have a sweet tooth. Plus they are killer for chocolate cravings.

Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups

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Rich dark chocolate candy cups filled with crème de menthe buttercream and crushed oreos.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

227 ounces good quality dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
7g (1/2 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1 cup Crème de Menthe Buttercream
¾ cup finely crushed Oreos (from 6 Oreos)

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
Combine buttercream with Oreo crumbs in an electric mixer with paddle attachment or with a spoon
Remove pan from fridge and pipe buttercream into center of each cup (about 1 tablespoon)
Spoon melted chocolate over buttercream and around edges so that coated on all sides
Chill for one hour in refrigerator before serving; store in refrigerator up to one week

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

Extra Dark Chocolate Cake with Cookie Butter Buttercream

February 25, 2014 Keep It Sweet 22 Comments

This light and moist dark chocolate cake is the perfect pairing for the creamy cookie butter frosting. This is the perfect birthday cake or just because cake.

Confession time: I have all sorts of stuff going on that I can’t talk about here and it is driving me insane.

I should just be super excited to tell you about this cake which Matt deemed one of his favorite combinations to date. But I’m so distracted with everything else going in in my head that it’s hard to talk or write about other things. Such is life, though, and hopefully soon that won’t be a problem anymore! And no, I’m not holding out on a cookbook announcement or anything like that. A Keep It Sweet Desserts cookbook would be fun, though, wouldn’t it?

Okay, I’ll talk about this cake for a second. Like I said, Matt loved it. He is pretty used to enjoying my desserts so when something gets an extra compliment it means I really did something right. We had a few friends over who seemed to agree with the sentiment and considering I may or may not have had two big slices yesterday afternoon, I guess I liked it too (ahem). The cake turned out perfect- it is the chocolate cake recipe my mom made for me growing up (my favorite used to always be chocolate on chocolate). I added to the intensity by swapping water for coffee (she had just tried that too). And the buttercream…. I almost forgot how much I loved egg white based buttercreams. It is SO worth the effort. I actually could have done with about 30% more buttercream for the cake. Next time!

Extra Dark Chocolate Cake with Cookie Butter Buttercream

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This light and moist dark chocolate cake is the perfect pairing for the creamy cookie butter frosting. This is the perfect birthday cake or just because cake.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

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

Cookie 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
180g (~3/4 cup) Cookie Butter (or other speculoos of choice)

Instructions

Make cake

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 8 or 9-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 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
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; set aside to finish cooling and make buttercream
When buttercream is ready, put a spoonful on center of cake plate (this will help hold cake in place)
Place one layer down and if rounded, use a serrated knife to cut off very top of cake; frost that layer and top with second cake layer; frost with remaining buttercream

To make 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 cookie butter and combine on medium speed until well incorporated and buttercream is light and creamy
Use immediately or store in an airtight container in refrigerator and beat with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer before using

Notes

Keep cake in a cool dry place (best kept refrigerated during summer)
Best served within 3 days of baking
Cake slightly adapted from Hershey
Buttercream slightly adapted from the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook

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

This post contains affiliate links.

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Chocolate Stout Celebration Cake

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No-Bake Cookie Dough Oreo Cheesecakes

February 17, 2014 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

Individual no-bake cheesecakes full of edible cookie dough chunks and sitting on top of a cookie dough Oreo crust

I don’t have a lot of pictures for you today (this dessert was not photogenic, but it was tasty!) and I am having major writer’s block. I’ll just blame the winter, it seems to be the cause of most problems lately.

I’ll tell you this much, though, these mini cheesecakes are pretty fantastic. Maybe I would put them in a parfait form next time just to make them a little prettier. I do have some extra cookie dough in my freezer so that might not be the worst idea…

No-Bake Cookie Dough Oreo Cheesecakes

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Individual no-bake cheesecakes full of edible cookie dough chunks and sitting on top of a cookie dough Oreo crust

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

½ batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (see below)
12 Cookie Dough Oreos
454g (2 8-ounce packages) cream cheese (light or regular), at room temperature
177 milliliters (3/4 cup) sweetened condensed milk (fat free is okay)
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

Instructions

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners; place a an Oreo on the bottom of each
Make cheesecake filling; in the large bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese for several minutes until smooth and creamy
Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; mix until combined
Remove bowl from mixer and use a spatula to fold in cookie dough balls
Use a ladle or large cookie dough scoop to distribute filling over each Oreo
Cover with seran wrap and chill in overnight

Notes

Enjoy within one week
Cheesecakes might be a little messy, just be careful when you unwrap them

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No-Bake Cookie Dough Oreo Cheesecakes

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
117g (~1/2 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
53g (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) milk
130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour
1g (1/4 teaspoon) table salt
65g (~1/3 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; stir in milk
Gradually stir in flour and salt just until combined
Stir in chocolate chips
Use a teaspoon to scoop dough and roll into balls (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon in size); Place in an airtight container and chill in freezer until ready for use

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Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

February 10, 2014 Keep It Sweet 16 Comments

Fudgy brownie bites full of mini chocolate chips and topped with a pretty in pink marshmallow buttercream, perfect for Valentine’s Day!

This weekend completely flew by! I’ve had a lot going on lately (work-wise and personally) so I feel like my weekend relaxing and me-time is extra precious. I know myself, and I really need to get a chance to refresh and recharge when possible to stay motivated and keep working hard.

This weekend was fun, though. We celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday (which is today, happy birthday Marcia AND Sara!) by seeing Motown on broadway. What a fun show! The music was fantastic and the entire thing was so entertaining. Yesterday we went to a housewarming party for friends and brought these brownies. It was so nice to see some of our friends and steal time with their baby. She is an adorable 9-month old that is happy ALL the time. It is amazing.

And these brownies? What brownie doesn’t do well with a little buttercream on top? You could of course leave out the food coloring and eat them any time of year, but the pink is perfect for Friday’s holiday. If you do nothing else for Valentine’s Day, I’m pretty sure that eating chocolate is required.

Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

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Fudgy brownie bites full of mini chocolate chips and topped with a pretty in pink marshmallow buttercream, perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 brownie bites

Ingredients

Brownie Bites

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
9 ¾ ounces(~1⅓ cups) sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2⅞ ounces (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ounces (~1/2 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

6 ounces (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
7 ounces marshmallow fluff (1 small jar)
7 ounces (~1½) cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)

Instructions

Make the brownies

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease or line mini muffin pan
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large sauce pan over low to medium heat; stir in sugar; stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix; fold in chocolate chips
Use a small ladle or medium cookie dough scoop to evenly distribute batter into muffin tin
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until tops are puffed up slightly and knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool

Make the buttercream

Beat butter with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light and creamy; add marshmallow fluff and beat on medium high speed until creamy
Add sugar, vanilla and food coloring; mix on low and then increase speed to high, mixing for several minutes until light and fluffy
Remove brownies from pan and pipe buttercream onto cooled brownie bites

Notes

Brownies can be stored in a covered container at room temperature up to two days or frozen up to one month
Brownie adapted from Baker’s

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Meyer Lemon Sprinkle Cookies

February 3, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

These Meyer Lemon Sprinkle Cookies are the ray of sunshine you need in the middle of winter. They are chewy in the middle, crispy around the edges, and rounded out with the flavors of fresh meyer lemon zest.

I’m going to fast forward past the winter-hating rant that you could probably spew out yourself and / or have heard a million times. You know the one… we can just skip to the part where I tell you that these cookies are the bright and fresh comfort food that you need to channel your inner sunshine. Because while we still need lots and lots of cold weather comfort food, we are craving things that remind us of spring and summer. The brightness of the lemon zest does just that. Pack the cookies with the brightest colored sprinkles you can find (pink for Valentine’s Day perhaps?) and they will instantly make you smile.

I’m not a huge lemon lover, in fact citrus is not my go-to dessert flavor, but there is something about a these cookies that is pretty addicting. But then again, I find most cookies addicting…

Meyer Lemon Sprinkle Cookies

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

8 ounces (~1 cup) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon meyer lemon zest (~2 meyer lemons)
9.25 ounces (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
4 ounces (~1/2 cup packed) light brown sugar
1 x-large egg + 1 x-large egg yolk at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup bright colored sprinkles

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper or a slipat and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, use your fingers to rub the meyer lemon zest into the granulated sugar; set aside for five minutes
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, table salt and baking soda; set aside
Add butter and brown sugar to granulated sugar / zest mixture, cream high speed until light and fluffy
Scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula; add egg, egg yolk and vanilla; beat at medium speed until well-combined
Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture just until combined; stop mixer and scrape sides of the bowl with spatula
On low speed, add in sprinkles
Use a medium cookie dough scoop and place scoops of cookie dough on prepared baking sheets 1-2 inches apart
Bake cookies 11-12 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown
Set aside to cool before eating
Store in an airtight container for several days at room temperature or freeze for up to one month

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cookies

January 27, 2014 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

These giant cookies are fudgy and chewy in the center but perfectly crisp around the edges. The salted caramel enhances the flavor to create a well-balanced treat.

When I originally came up with the recipe for these cookies, I thought I might end up with a chocolate cookie that came out of the oven with oozing caramel. Rather, the cookie dough absorbed the salted caramel in the process of baking and the result was quite different. A rich and fudgy chocolate cookie with the salted caramel undertone and perfect crispy edges happened instead. I can’t say I was disappointed.

The dough is easy to make, it just requires some chilling for ease of use. After that, giant cookie dough mounds are formed with a well for the caramel to sit.

A littler caramel oozed out the edges while baking in some of them, and it wasn’t such a bad thing.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cookies

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These giant cookies are fudgy and chewy in the center but perfectly crisp around the edges. The salted caramel enhances the flavor to create a well-balanced treat.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 22 cookies

Ingredients

9 ¼ ounces (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
2⅛ ounces (~¾ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
10 ounces (1 ¼ cup / 2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
15 ounces (~2 cups) granulated Sugar
2 large eggs (1 x-large + 1 yolk)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup Salted Caramel

Instructions

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy
Add eggs and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula and then slowly add dry ingredients with mixer on low just until combined
Stir in chocolate chips
Chill dough for at least two hours or up to twenty four hours for best results (dough will also be easier to work with)
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 375 and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Using a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon, drop 11 scoops of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper 2-3 inches apart (cookies will spread a lot)
Use your thumb to make a well in center of cookie dough
Carefully spoon about a teaspoon of caramel into well of cookie dough being careful not to overflow
Scoop remaining dough over caramel-filled cookie dough to cover
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are set on top
Allow to cool on cooling rack before serving

Notes

Cookies adapted from Hershey’s

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Salted Caramel Oreo Bars

January 23, 2014 Keep It Sweet 23 Comments

These sweet and salty dessert bars are packed with an Oreo crust, chocolate, pretzels and salted caramel. You won’t believe how easy these are to make.

Of all the salted caramel recipes I’ve made, these are by far the most dangerous.

The first time I made them, Matt joked about how ugly they were and then we proceeded to devour the pan…. warm with ice cream.

But a few days later, after they had disappeared, I decided that I simply must make them again because it just wouldn’t be fair to you if I didn’t share the recipe. Let’s not talk about how much of both batches I inhaled. Sweet and salty recipes just do it for me.

When I decided that January was going to be Salted Caramel Month, I wanted to make some spin on the ever famous Seven Layer Bars / Magic bars / Hello Dolly Bars. These are quite different from that but conceptually the building blocks are the same. Oreos instead of graham crackers, salted caramel instead of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and pretzel pieces to replace the other toppings you may be used to (you know how I feel about coconut… just no). Once you have your caramel, they are super easy to put together… and just as easy to eat!

Salted Caramel Oreo Bars

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These sweet and salty dessert bars are packed with an Oreo crust, chocolate, pretzels and salted caramel. You won’t believe how easy these are to make.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 9-12 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces (~2 cups / 20 cookies) finely crushed Oreos
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8½ ounces (~1¼) cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 ounces (~1½ cups) salted pretzel pieces
1 cup salted caramel

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside
In a medium bowl, combine Oreo crumbs and melted butter; press mixture down evenly into prepared baking dish
Pour about half of chocolate chips over crust
Combine pretzel pieces and salted caramel, pour mixture over chocolate chip layer
Pour remaining chocolate chips over top of bars
Bake for about 25 minutes or until caramel is bubbling around edges and bars appear set
Allow to cool before slicing
Store leftover bars covered at room temperature up to four days

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Salted Caramel Sheet Cake

January 20, 2014 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

This salted caramel cake is light and fluffy with a rich salted caramel buttercream and salted caramel sauce infused into the cake.

I made this cake on Christmas Eve. Matt and I had no plans so it was definitely a dangerous move, one large cake, two people. We probably did more damage than I care to admit but the cake was so good, I don’t even regret it. The white cake layer is nice and light which balances well with the rich creamy salted caramel buttercream. Oh yes, and that salted caramel layer in between, that might have been my favorite part.

This would be a nice special occasion dessert as a layer cake as well, but baking a sheet cake is a little less overwhelming and definitely easier to put together. In fact, now that I think about it, this cake is so easy I might have to make another one…. soon!

Salted Caramel Sheet Cake

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This salted caramel cake is light and fluffy with a rich salted caramel buttercream and salted caramel sauce infused into the cake.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 15 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup Salted Caramel, cooled (note that you will need additional for buttercream)
1 White Sheet Cake (recipe below), baked and cooled
1 batch Salted Caramel Buttercream (recipe below)

Instructions

Use a fork to poke holes in cake that go about an inch below the surface; go all the way across the cake (both ways) leaving about an inch between each set of holes
Pour salted caramel evenly over cake
Spread buttercream carefully over caramel layer
Slice and serve! Leftover cake should be covered with seran wrap and eaten within four days; make sure to cover well or edges will get stale

Notes

Inspired by The Baker Chick

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White Sheet Cake

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

8 fluid ounces (1 cup) milk (any type), at room temperature
6 egg whites, at room temperature
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
8⅝ ounces (~2¼) cups cake flour
13⅛ ounces (~1¾ cups) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
6 ounces (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan; set aside
Whisk together milk, egg whites and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, mix cake flour sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed just until combined
Add butter and beat on low speed just until the mixture looks like wet sand with small clumps; scrape the sides of the bowl with spatula
Add half of milk mixture and beat on medium speed for 1½ minutes only; scrape sides of bowl with spatula and add remaining milk; mix on medium speed for just thirty seconds
Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake for 32-36 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Set cake aside to cool and prepare buttercream

Notes

Recipe from Baking Bites

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Salted Caramel Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup Salted Caramel

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy; add powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed for several minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy; add caramel sauce and beat on medium speed for one minute
Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week; bring to room temperature before using

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Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats with Mocha Ganache

January 13, 2014 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Rice Krispie treats are all grown up with the addition of salted caramel and a rich mocha ganache. Make this special treat for Super Bowl or your next gathering and watch the Rice Krispie treats disappear!

Last Monday we talked the how-tos on making salted caramel. Just a few ingredients and no thermometer; the basics really aren’t that hard. Now that we have that covered, I figured you could use some new recipes for the salted caramel that you won’t want to stop making (and eating).

These sweet and salty rice krispie treats are a fun and easy no-bake treat to make. They might be the perfect pick-up treat for the Super Bowl in a few weeks. The salted caramel krispie treat base is slightly gooey so they are best stored in the refrigerator. The mocha ganache is rich and really makes them something special. I liked them with and without the ganache topping, though.

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats with Mocha Ganache

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients

Mocha Ganache

10 ounces dark chocolate (I used 70%), coarsely chopped
4 fluid ounces cup extra-strong brewed coffee (4 fluid ounces hot water + 1 heaping
teaspoon + of instant coffee)
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature and sliced

Rice Krispie Treats

1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows
6 fluid ounces (3/4 cup) salted caramel sauce
7 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Mocha Ganache

Set up a double boiler; bring water to a simmer in medium pot over
low-medium heat
Place heat-proof bowl of chocolate over the pot
Pour the coffee over chocolate
Continuously stir until chocolate is melted and smooth
Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the butter until creamy
Set ganache aside to cool, stirring occasionally

Rice Krispie Treats

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray; set aside
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted
Remove from heat and stir in caramel sauce until well combined
Stir in Rice Krispies
Use a greased spatula to press mixture down into prepared baking dish
Spread mocha ganache evenly over top of treats and sprinkle with flaky sea salt
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until set
Cut and serve; leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to one week

Notes

Heavily adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer

January 6, 2014 Keep It Sweet 25 Comments

This basic recipe for salted caramel is all you need for the perfect sauce or dessert component.

I’ve decided that January will be salted caramel month on the blog. There are a few recipes that I’ll be sharing over the next few weeks that incorporate one of my favorite dessert components, but I didn’t want to dive into them without going over the basics. This salted caramel sauce recipe is easy to make, even if you don’t have a candy thermometer! It only requires a few basic ingredients, your stove, a heavy duty pot and a whisk. The sauce is perfect for topping ice cream, fruit crisps, pies and other desserts but it also is great for enhancing things like cookies and cakes. After you try it once, you might never go back to store-bought caramel!

How to Make Salted Caramel Without a Candy Thermometer

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This basic recipe for salted caramel is all you need for the perfect sauce or dessert component.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons milk (any type)
½ tablespoon coarse or flaky sea salt*

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; serve warm or store covered in refrigerator up to two weeks***

Notes

*If looking to make a basic caramel sauce without the extra salt flair, reduce to ½ teaspoon
**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 if desired

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The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

December 30, 2013 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Around this time every year, I like to see what blog posts you enjoyed the most and compare them to my favorites. There are always a few surprises but definitely some that I agree with (I’m glad you like cookies as much as I do!). Scroll down to see the most popular posts of 2013 and take a look at which recipes I loved the most.

The ten most visited blog posts from 2013:

10. Cookie Butter and Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches -I ate these out of the freezer, they were that good, can’t say I’m surprised they made the list!

9. Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing –I loved how pretty these cupcakes were. Plus the cupcake itself had the best texture!

8. Big Chewy Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies – You can also see the video for making these cookies here!

7. (Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies – These were a huge hit in real life as well.

6. Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies -You can personalize these blondies based on the candy you have on hand.

5. Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies – You love candy and brown butter, and I love you for it.

4. Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars – I first posted this recipe three years ago! The photos are not good but the recipe is a winner. I made them for Thanksgiving this year.

3. Easy Low Fat Pumpkin Sheet Cake – Sometimes a box mix is the way to go. Easiest cake ever.

2. Mixed Berry Sauce – This sauce was good but I’m always surprised at how popular it is. Go and figure!

1. 22 Easy Dessert Recipes that Make You Seem Like a Pro – These were super popular in 2012 as well.

My ten favorite posts from 2013:

10. Blackberry, Peach and Pistachio Crisp (Gluten-free) – This was a really easy weeknight dessert and perfect for a summer get together. Swap the fruits based on the season.

9. Sweet & Salty Party Cookies (with caramel corn!) – I just loved this cookie.

8. Pistachio Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream – I made these cupcakes for my dad’s birthday and he definitely approved. When I brought some for a girl’s night they were an enormous hit.

7. Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache – This cake is definitely a splurge but it is so good for a special occasion.

6. Fluffernutter Chocolate Cake – Another cake mix special. The frosting makes it.

6. Lollie’s Blueberry Pie – The sentiment behind this pie is half of why I love it. Plus it tastes amazing.

4. Pink Champagne Cake Pops – I was so excited about these photos and the magazine feature. The thing is, the cake pops also tasted amazing.

3. Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce – Matt has not stopped talking about this cake since I made it.

2. Graham Cracker Cookies With Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling – These cookies did not get the attention they deserved. The filling was unreal and the graham cracker cookies were chewy and delicious.

1. Caramelized White Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Cupcakes – My love affair with caramelized white chocolate started here. These cupcakes are one of the best things I ate in 2013.

Happy New Year, everyone! Cheers to a 2014 full of many, many delicious sweets!

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

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Pistachio Muffins

December 16, 2013 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

Make these hearty pistachio muffins for a holiday brunch with friends!

I made it through the weekend, and pretty much in one piece.

The last seven days were by far the busiest, craziest and most overwhelming of the season so far. I could not be more thankful for my family and friends that chipped in on baking, packaging, box making, card writing and over-the-phone stress calming (there may have been tears).

But enough of that (because I’m still in too much of a haze to really reflect and write). Onto these muffins! My pistachio loving dad has been requesting pistachio muffins forever so when we went to my parents for brunch a few weeks ago (feels like forever ago!), I knew I had to finally make him some. I opted to make mine slightly healthier than recipes I’ve seen and omitted the green food coloring, but you can definitely add a few drops if you want GREEN pistachio muffins!

Pistachio Muffins

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Make these hearty pistachio muffins for a holiday brunch with friends!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast; Brunch

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

4⅜ ounces (~1 cup) roasted and salted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
5 ½ ounces (~1 cup) white whole wheat flour
2 ounces (~½ cup) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
7.5 ounces (~1 cup) granulated sugar
2 ounces (4 tablespoons / ½ stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 fluid ounces (½ cup) low fat buttermilk at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375' F
Line a muffin pan and set aside
In a food processor, process 2 ounces (slightly less than ½ cup) of pistachios until pureed; set aside
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, applesauce and sugar for a few minutes or until light and fluffy
Add pureed pistachios and beat on medium high speed for a minute or until well combined
Add egg and vanilla; mix on medium speed just until combined; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
With the mixer on low, add half of the sifted ingredients;
Add buttermilk and then remainder of sifted ingredients with mixer on low, just until incorporated; do not overmix
Remove bowl from mixer and use a spatula to fold in the chopped pistachios
Use a large cookie dough scoop or small ladle to evenly distribute batter into muffin cups
Bake for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
Allow to cool slightly before eating

Notes

Adapted from Peaceful Cooking

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Funky Monkey Cheesecake Bars

December 9, 2013 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Fudgy brownie topped with a creamy layer of peanut butter banana cheesecake!

Sometimes you just have to go back to your roots.

I’ve been having fun with pumpkin and cookie butter and white chocolate, but let’s be honest. Chocolate and peanut butter will always have my heart. And as I look back over the last few months of blogging, there is just not enough of it. So in case you had any doubt, let me reassure you that I will always and forever love that combination.

The other thing I realized I haven’t done in a while is cheesecake. In fact, I think the last cheesecake I made was this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake. I guess it was hard to come up with anything close to as good as that one. But let me tell you, we are in major cheesecake territory here.

These Funky Monkey Cheesecake Bars are pretty much dessert rock stars. The base is a fudgy brownie just thick enough to get your chocolate fix, but thin enough that it doesn’t overpower the bars. The cheesecake filling is a light and creamy, yet rich, combination of banana and peanut butter that will have you craving them well after your last bite. I thought about adding another layer of caramel and peanuts or chocolate ganache but I actually think that would have been too much. Sometimes you just shouldn’t mess with a really good thing.

Funky Monkey Cheesecake Bars

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Fudgy brownie topped with a creamy layer of peanut butter banana cheesecake!

Makes: 24 bars

Ingredients

Brownie Layer:

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
3 ounces (6 tablespoons / ¾ stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
15 ounces (~1 cup) granulated sugar
2 large eggs OR 1 x-large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ ounces (~1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Layer:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature (light or regular)
11¼ ounces (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
7 ounces (~3/4 cup) mashed banana (~2 medium bananas)
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs or 1 x-large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 13×9 pan with tin foil and coat with cooking spray; set aside
Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low to heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat
Stir in sugar
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla
Whisk in flour and salt just until smooth (do not overmix)
Spread brownie batter evenly in prepared baking pan and set aside to make cheesecake layer
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on high speed for until it is light and creamy (about 6 minutes)
Mix in sugar on medium-high speed for two minutes; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add the banana, peanut butter, vanilla and salt and mix on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes), again scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
Then, add your eggs, one at a time, mixing at medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 30 seconds)
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until edges begin to come apart from sides of pan and cheesecake is set
Refrigerate a couple of hours until cool and completely set
Cut into squares and serve; store remaining cheesecake in the refrigerator up o three days

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

And while we are talking about it, here are a few of my favorite peanut butter and chocolate recipes:

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Brownie Bites

Fluffernutter Chocolate Cake

Peanut Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Icing and Chocolate Ganache

Thick and Chewy Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Toffee Bars

Blog, Recipes

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites for Audra’s Virtual Shower

December 4, 2013 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

Fudgy chocolaty brownie bites topped with an extra special buttercream are a fun mini dessert for any occasion.

Today we are celebrating one of my favorite people! My friend Audra (The Baker Chick) is having a baby so a few of us got together to throw a virtual party.

I’ve actually been thinking about this for months. Back in July over an afternoon coffee date, Audra told Jacqueline and I she was pregnant. We both were so excited and immediately said we wanted to throw her a virtual baby shower. Now here we are, months later, and it’s almost time for Audra to have her baby boy!

I met Audra at the Foodbuzz Festival a couple of years ago. Lucky for me, Audra also lives in New York so I get to see her somewhat regularly. She is one of the friendliest and most genuine people I have met through blogging and I am so happy we are now real-life friends. It came as no surprise to me when a couple of bloggers actually asked to join in on the shower when they heard about it from other bloggers. Everyone loves Audra:-)

I always like mini desserts for parties like showers where people are mingling and may want to sample a few different things. Plus, Audra is the queen of salted caramel so I knew I had to incorporate it somehow. I actually had picked up this Espresso Salt when I was in Boston and had been excited to finally use it for something sweet. This felt like the perfect place.

And don’t forget to see what the other bloggers are sharing for the shower!

Cocktails:

Grapefruit Rosemary and Sage Spritzer from Brandy

Small Bites:

Sausage and Cheese Wonton Cups from Erin

Honey and Tangerine Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini from Liz

Desserts!

Bananas Foster Cupcakes from Meriem

Chocolate-Caramel Tart with Sea Salt from Joanne

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter from Katrina

Chocolate Mousse Mini Cupcakes from Jennifer

Cinnamon Nut Stuffed Persimmons from Gina

Coconut-Cream Meringue Cupcakes from Tracey

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites from Lauren

Gluten-Free Cranberry Bread from Jacqueline

Mini Eggnog Bundt Cakes with Salted Caramel Icing from Kelli

Mini Gingerbread Whoopie Pies from Julie

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream from Rachel

Sugar & Spice Layer Cake from Stephanie

Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites

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Fudgy chocolaty brownie bites topped with an extra special buttercream are a fun mini dessert for any occasion.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 brownie bites

Ingredients

For the Fudgy Brownie Bites

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter
9 ¾ ounces(~1⅓ cups) sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2⅞ ounces (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ teaspoon salt

For the Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream

8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup espresso salted caramel (see below, can substitute regular salted caramel if desired)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease or line mini muffin pan
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large sauce pan over low to medium heat; stir in sugar; stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
Use a small ladle or medium cookie dough scoop to evenly distribute batter into muffin tin
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until tops are puffed up slightly and knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool
For the Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream
Beat butter with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light and creamy; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy
Beat in salted caramel until combined
Remove brownies from pan and pipe buttercream onto cooled brownie bites

Notes

Brownie adapted from Baker’s
Brownies can be stored in a covered container at room temperature up to two days or frozen up to one month

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Espresso Salted Caramel

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

5⅝ ounces (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) heavy cream
1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) milk, any type
2-3 teaspoons espresso salt (to taste)

Instructions

Whisk the sugar and water in a medium heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil
Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, watching closely so it doesn't burn
Quickly whisk in the cream (be careful; it will bubble up) and remove from the heat
Whisk in milk and sea salt and chill in refrigerator until ready to use

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

This post contains affiliate links.

You might also like:

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt

Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

Blog, Recipes

Pink Champagne Cake Pops–A New Years Eve Treat!

December 2, 2013 Keep It Sweet 35 Comments

These Pink Champagne Cake Pops are going to be your new go-to celebration treat! Make them to ring in the New Year or for your next birthday party. They are as delicious as they are pretty!

This is one of the most fun photo shoots I’ve ever put together and I’m excited to finally post all about these gorgeous cake pops!

The recipe was put together for this year’s holiday issue of Celebrity Cooking Magazine. I was so honored to be featured in the magazine amongst great chefs like Giada De Laurentiis and Fabio Viviani. If you skip to page 72 of the magazine, you will find a Keep It Sweet Desserts feature along with a couple of my holiday dessert recipes. Since they didn’t include the recipe for these Pink Champagne Cake Pops (just a photo), I figured I just had to share them here!

Cake pops are a fun treat and can take a little bit of time to put together, but when you use a good recipe, they will taste just as delicious as they look (you can’t say that for all store-bought cake pops and mixes). Also, since they are dipped in chocolate, the cake balls retain their moisture for a little longer than cupcakes or regular cake so they can be prepared up to one week in advance.

New Years Eve parties, bridal showers and 21st birthdays are just some of the occasions to celebrate with these cake pops.

And imagine your guests delight when they bite into the sweet champagne flavored cake pop and find a pretty pink center!

Sorry for the photo overload, I just couldn’t resist!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

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These Pink Champagne Cake Pops are going to be your new go-to celebration treat! Make them to ring in the New Year or for your next birthday party. They are as delicious as they are pretty!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 60 cake pops

Ingredients

1 Pink Champagne Cake
1 batch Pink Champagne Buttercream
60 6-inch lollipop sticks
32 ounces white chocolate or white chocolate melts, roughly chopped
½ - 1 cup diamond sugar (optional but recommended)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
Break cake into pieces and place in a large bowl; crumble cake into small crumbs with fingers
Add buttercream to cake and mix with a spoon until all cake crumbs are coated
Use a small cookie dough scoop or large spoon to scoop balls of dough onto wax paper
Use your hands to roll the cake 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 cake pops
Once cake balls are frozen, you can make the cake pops
Put white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and place in over a pot of simmering water; stir chocolate constantly until melted (you can also melt the white chocolate in the microwave)
Remove balls from freezer; dip the top of each lollipop stick about ¼ of an inch into the white chocolate and immediately press into cake ball two thirds of the way through
Once complete, dip each cake pop, one at a time, into white chocolate; lightly tap off excess chocolate and place cake pop on wax paper or stick into styrofoam; decorate with diamond sugar immediately before chocolate hardens
Repeat until all cake pops are dipped and decorated
Allow to cool and for chocolate to harden before serving

Notes

Cake pops inspired by Bakerella
Cake can be made one day before making cake pops; just make sure it is covered tightly with seran wrap overnight
Cake pops can be made up to one week in advance of serving

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Pink Champagne Cake and Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Pink Champagne Cake

13⅞ ounces (3 cups) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
15 ounces (2 cups) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 x-large egg whites at room temperature
4 drops red food coloring
2 cups champagne (make sure to choose champagne that you like the taste of)

Pink Champagne Buttercream

2 ounces (1/4 cup / ½ stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1¼ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons champagne
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 drop red food coloring

Instructions

Make the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour 9x13-inch cake pan or baking dish; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt); set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Reduce speed to medium and add egg whites, one at a time; add vanilla
Mix in food coloring
Stop mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and champagne in three alternating additions, starting and ending with dry ingredients
Pour into prepared cake pan or baking dish and bake 25-35 minutes or until knife comes out clean from center

Make the buttercream:

Beat butter for several minutes until light and fluffy
Add sugar, champagne, vanilla and food coloring and beat for several minutes until light and creamy

Notes

Cake and buttercream slightly adapted from Booze Cakes

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

This post contains affiliate links.

You might also like:

Baby Blue Cake Pops

Blog, Recipes

Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake

November 25, 2013 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

This moist cake is loaded with chunks of apples. The vanilla bean in the cake and the caramel sauce enhances the flavor in a wonderful way.

After tasting my mom’s version of Audra’s apple cake over the Jewish holidays, I couldn’t wait to put a spin on it myself. My mom substituted butter for some of the oil and frosted it with cinnamon buttercream. It was heavenly. Of course I couldn’t leave well enough alone.

I made this cake almost a month ago but wanted to save it as the big Thanksgiving week post! So if you have already finalized your dessert menu for Thursday, you might want to make some room because this cake needs to happen.

So many apples, moist cake, vanilla bean throughout AND in the caramel sauce… it is a winner. I definitely ate more than my share but it was completely worth it. Matt, actually, has not stopped talking about it.

And if you can’t figure out a way to make this happen for Thanksgiving, add the recipe to your list of desserts to make asap. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake

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Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake Serves 16 – 20 Adapted from the Baker Chick

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 – 20 servings

Ingredients

For the apples:
1½ pounds (~3) granny smith apples (4 cups peeled and chopped)
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 whole vanilla bean
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the cake:
13⅞ ounces all-purpose flour (~3 cups)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter melted and cooled
⅓ cup vegetable oil
8¼ ounces (~1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar)
3¾ ounces (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
2 x-large eggs + 1 x-large yolk OR 3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat over to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan; set aside
Cut the vanilla bean open and scrape the seeds from inside into a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter; place skillet over stove on medium heat and stir until butter is melted
Add pod from vanilla bean, apples, and tablespoon of sugar; let cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until apples are softened
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large mixing bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter, oil, sugars and eggs for 3 minutes on low to medium speed; add vanilla extract and mix 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 fold in the apples; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 33-37 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; set aside to cool while preparing caramel

Notes

Adapted from the Baker Chick
Make ahead tip: Prepare cake up to two days ahead of time and wrap tightly with seran wrap.

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Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

5⅝ ounces (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean
3 tablespoons water
4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons milk, any type
½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

In a heavy duty saucepan, combine granulated sugar, seeds scraped from vanilla bean, and water
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved
Continue to cook for a few minutes until caramel reaches a deep amber (do not stir)
Remove from heat and immediately whisk in heavy cream
Stir in milk and sea salt
Drizzle liberally over apple cake or refrigerate until ready to serve

Notes

Make ahead tip: Caramel sauce can be made up to one week ahead of time. Just heat it gently over the stove or in microwave just prior to pouring over cake and serving

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

You might also like:

Apple Cinnamon Blondies

Vegan Apple Cake

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Blog, Recipes

Cranberry Apple Pie and Pie Week Giveaway

November 22, 2013 Keep It Sweet 20 Comments

This double crusted cranberry apple pie is full of a melt-in-your-mouth fruit filling and covered in flaky pastry dough. Wow your Thanksgiving guests with this holiday pie.

Scroll to end of post for giveaway details.

After making my Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie, I couldn’t wait to use my new pan again. And since I knew I wanted this pie to be another showstopper, I decided it was time to overcome my fear of top-layer pie crust. I had to go big or go home.

As I mentioned before, I am up to my ears in cranberries so it wasn’t hard to decide to use them in a pie. I’ve had huge success with cranberries and apples before so I figured that a cranberry apple pie would be perfect. I used the same base dough as the pecan pie but went to Cooks Illustrated for the method of putting the pie together. It gave me a lot more confidence in putting this dessert together to have very clearly laid out instructions. And excuse me while I do pat myself on the back for a second because look at that gorgeous crust!

I’m almost sad that Pie Week is ending because I think I just got hooked on pies.

Have you checked out all of the amazing recipes? Which ones will you be making for Thanksgiving?

Toasted Coconut Caramel Cream Pie – The Baker Chick

Chocolate Drizzled Pecan Pie Bites– Nutmeg Nanny

S’mores Hand Pies– Chocolate and Carrots

Pumpkin Coconut Pie– Dessert for Two

Chocolate Pudding Pie– Eats Well with Others

Cranberry Apple Pie– Keep it Sweet Desserts

Caramel Chess Tart- Bake or Break

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Almond Bark- Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Pie– Dinners Dishes and Desserts

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Quiche– Country Cleaver

Apple Pie Ice Cream– Carla’s Confections

Triple Fruit Slab Pie– Foodie with Family

Cranberry Apple Pie and Pie Week Giveaway

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This double crusted cranberry apple pie is full of a melt-in-your-mouth fruit filling and covered in flaky pastry dough. Wow your Thanksgiving guests with this holiday pie.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

⅔ recipe of 1 double crusted pie crust (I used this Martha Stewart recipe)

Cranberry Filling:

4 ounces (~1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries)
2 ounces (~1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
1 fluid ounce fresh lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 fluid ounce water

Apple Filling:

1¾ pound (~3 – 4) granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
1¾ ounces (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
½ tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt

Finishing:

1 egg white at room temperature, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare pie crust according to recipe directions and chill dough until ready to use
When ready to bake, place a baking sheet on the lowest rack of oven and pre-heat to 425 degrees
Prepare cranberry filling; cook cranberries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a small heavy duty saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook for several minutes or until all cranberries have burst and filling is thick; remove from heat, stir in water, and set aside to cool
Prepare cranberry filling; combine apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt in a large microwaveable bowl; cover with seran wrap and microwave for 6 minutes, stopping occasionally to stir; apples should be slightly softened and limp when done; set aside to cool
Roll half of dough out in a long rectangle (at least 16 inches long and 7 inches wide), dough should be ~1/8 inch thick
Carefully press dough into tart pan, tightly into corners and edges; cut off any crust that hangs over more than ½ inch; wrap in seran wrap and chill in refrigerator for thirty minutes
Roll other half of dough out in a long rectangle (at least 16 inches long and 7 inches wide), dough should be ~1/8 inch thick; place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly cover with seran wrap; chill in refrigerator until ready for use
Once fillings have cooled and pie crust has been chilled for allotted thirty minutes, put together pie; gently spread cranberry filling along bottom of crust; carefully top with apple filling
Carefully top pie with remaining dough; use your fingers to pinch dough from both layers together around the edges
Brush egg white over top layer of crust (you do not need to use all of it) and sprinkle with sugar; use a sharp knife to cut three or four openings into top layer of crust, about ½ inch each
Place pie on baking sheet that has been in oven and bake on lowest rack for 30 minutes or until crust is a nice golden brown
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 25 minutes or until filling is bubbling
Set aside to cool before serving
Pie can be stored tightly wrapped in foil at room temperature up to two days

Notes

Requires 1 13.75 x 4.25 tart pan (this inexpensive pan from Amazon does the job)
Pie adapted from Cooks Illustrated

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And let me just say, we are ending Pie Week on a high here because I have ANOTHER extra special giveaway, this time from Kitchen Aid!

Thank you so much to Kitchen Aid for sponsoring this giveaway!
And if you haven’t entered them yet, there is still a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift certificate and a Cabot Cheese / King Arthur Flour package!

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

This post contains affiliate links.

You might also like:

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies

Winter Fruit Crisp

Blog, Recipes

Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie and Pie Week Giveaway

November 18, 2013 Keep It Sweet 25 Comments

This chocolate pecan pie is the perfect addition to your fall holiday table!

Get excited because in addition to yesterday’s awesome Amazon gift certificate giveaway, I have a few more giveaways coming your way this week (scroll down for details). Oh right, and lot’s of pie! A few other bloggers and I are sharing pie recipes all week long. The perfect week before Thanksgiving treat, I’d say!

To start things off, I’ve got what I decided to call a “Fancy” Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie. I’m completely enamored with the shape of this pie and the pile of pecans above crust level. This is the sort of thing that will look gorgeous on your Thanksgiving table.

Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie and Pie Week Giveaway

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This chocolate pecan pie is the perfect addition to your fall holiday table!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

⅓ recipe of 1 double crusted pie crust (I used this Martha Stewart recipe)
2 eggs at room temperature
2 ounces (~1/4 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
1⅝ ounces (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
2½ cups pecans
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Prepare pie crust according to recipe directions and chill dough until ready to use
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Roll dough out in a long rectangle (at least 16 inches long and 7 inches wide), dough should be ~1/8 inch thick
Carefully press dough into tart pan, tightly into corners and edges; cut off any crust that hangs over
Whisk together filling (eggs, sugars, corn syrup, vanilla and salt); set aside
Mix pecans and chocolate chips together and pile evenly into pie crust
Drizzle filling over pie being careful not to have any spill over
Place pan in center of oven and bake for ~35 minutes or until filling is set; check occasionally and if pecans on top start to brown, lightly cover with foil for remainder of baking
Notes:
I suggest placing a large piece of foil on rack below pie in oven in case of any drips
*If you do not have a pan this size, you can make the recipe into an 8 or 9-inch pie, just use one half of pie crust recipe, NOT one third and increase filling by fifty percent; increase baking time as needed

Notes

Requires 1 13.75 x 4.25 tart pan (this inexpensive pan from Amazon does the job)

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And now for the giveaway! Today through November 25th you can enter to win a pretty awesome prize pack from King Arthur Flour (flour, spices, a pie plate AND a rolling pin) and Cabot (gift basket full of cheese and other fun products)! There will be two winners which is really exciting. US entrants only.

A huge thank you to King Arthur Flour and Cabot for sponsoring this giveaway!

Looking for more Pie Week recipes?

Brown Butter Apple Custard Pie from The Baker Chick

Bourbon Apple Hand Pies from Nutmeg Nanny

Pumpkin Pie Croutons from Chocolate and Carrots

Mini Pumpkin Pies from Dessert for Two

Winter Squash Pot Pie with Chickpeas and Swiss Chard from Eats Well With Others

Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Chocolate Pecan Tart from Bake or Break

Apple Cherry Galette with Kettle Chip Crumble from Country Cleaver

This post contains affiliate links.

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

You might also like:

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

Sweet and Salty Toll House Pie

Apple Pie Crumble Bars

Blog, Recipes

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

November 14, 2013 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

This loaf of bread is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table. If there is somehow some leftover, use it the next day it to make french toast for a delicious breakfast treat.

It’s not often that I bake something that requires yeast. In fact, I tend to think of most homemade breads as something that requires too much time. They are saved for those cold winter weekend days where I have nothing else to do but play around in the kitchen. Ahem, where can I find one of those days?

Luckily, making bread isn’t always an all day affair. When I saw this Pumpkin Swirl Bread on Rachel’s blog a couple of months ago, I had to have it. The recipe seemed like it wouldn’t be super work intensive and I was right. I was able to work on other things in the kitchen while the dough was rising and when the apartment began to smell of sweet cinnamon I was very happy I made this bread.

I didn’t make many changes but I did sub in some whole wheat flour to add a little health to this carb treat. It was impossible to resist a slice right out of the oven and even Matt, who doesn’t adore pumpkin as much as I do, enjoyed many slices.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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This loaf of bread is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table. If there is somehow some leftover, use it the next day it to make french toast for a delicious breakfast treat.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: one ten-inch loaf; makes 8 generous slices

Ingredients

For dough:

4 fluid ounces / ½ cup milk warmed to 115 degrees (I used skim)
¼ ounce (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
2⅝ ounces (~1/3 cup) granulated sugar
11 ounces (~2 cups) white whole wheat flour
7 ounces (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour plus additional for rolling dough
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

For Filling:

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2½ ounces granulated sugar (~1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Egg Wash:

1 egg at room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, combine warm milk with yeast and one teaspoon granulated sugar; set aside to proof
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine remaining granulated sugar from bread, egg and pumpkin puree on medium speed until well combined
Scrape sides of the bowl and reduce speed to low; slowly add milk mixture
Stop mixer and switch to dough hook
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed for about two minutes or until dough forms ball and pulls away from sides of the bowl
Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray or oil and place dough into bowl; cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise for one to one and a half hours or until dough has doubled in size
Once dough has doubled, lightly grease a 10-inch loaf pan and set aside
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll dough out in a ten to twelve inch wide rectangle to ¼ of an inch thickness
Rub surface of dough with butter and cover with sugar and cinnamon
Roll dough tightly into log starting with one of the shorter ends and pinch closed at seam
Place dough seam-side down into a 10-inch loaf pan; cover with dish towel and allow to rise for 90 minutes
Once ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Whisk together egg and water; brush over top of loaf (you won't need to use all of the egg wash)
Bake for 30-40 minutes; loaf will be lightly browned and firm
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from loaf pan and placing on wire rack; allow to cool completely
Store bread in an airtight container up to four days or freeze slices in a ziplock bag up to one month

Notes

Slightly adapted from Baked by Rachel

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

You might also like:

My Favorite Pumpkin Bread

Cinnamon Chip Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream

Blog, Recipes

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies

November 11, 2013 Keep It Sweet 47 Comments

Looking for a new way to use up your extra cranberries? Cranberries get an upgrade in these brown butter cookies that are loaded with rich dark chocolate chunks.

I have to tell you, these cookies surprised me! They are so much better than I even expected. Tart cranberries, rich dark chocolate (a lot of it) and chewy brown butter cookie dough work together pretty perfectly.

The idea came about because I have a giant bag of cranberries in my fridge. Thanks to Costco, it is less expensive to buy about one billion pounds of cranberries than it is to buy one pound. Well, something like that. The first thing I made with them was pie (recipe coming soon). That barely made a dent! This past weekend I made my winter fruit crisp but still, SO many cranberries.

Anyway, I thought throwing the fresh cranberries into a cookie would be a fun treat for the holiday season. I was so right. Not only do these cookies taste amazing (and are um, addicting), but they also look pretty too. The pop of fuchsia is a nice addition to your typical cookie plate. Make these cookies for Thanksgiving, Christmas or your next cookie swap. Oh, and probably double the batch. You will want extras.

3.5 from 2 reviews

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies

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Looking for a new way to use up your extra cranberries? Cranberries get an upgrade in these brown butter cookies that are loaded with rich dark chocolate chunks.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 15 large cookies

Ingredients

4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1⅞ ounces (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
5½ ounces (~2/3 cup) packed light brown sugar
1 x-large egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 ounces (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (~1 cup) dark chocolate chunks
3 ounces (~3/4 cup) fresh cranberries, washed and dried

Instructions

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and set aside to cool
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well mixed
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 chocolate chunks and cranberries
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)
Bake cookies until firm: 17-19 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cranberries have popped
Allow to cool before serving

Notes

Adapted from my Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

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

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Cranberry and White Chocolate Pistachio Dusted Cookies

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Cranberry Apple Pie

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Double Chocolate Stout Mini Cupcakes

November 4, 2013 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

Moist chocolate stout cupcakes topped with a creamy chocolate stout buttercream are a fun dessert for any beer lover!

I don’t have a ton of photos of these cupcakes because I was too busy the day of Matt’s party with everything else. However, these cupcakes are too good not to share and were a fun dessert to play into the theme. The flavor of the stout actually comes through really well and the cupcakes themselves are very moist. Typically I’d frost the cupcake with a basic vanilla, but I had extra beer so into the frosting it went!

Double Chocolate Stout Mini Cupcakes

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Moist chocolate stout cupcakes topped with a creamy chocolate stout buttercream are a fun dessert for any beer lover!

Makes: Makes 5 dozen mini cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

8 fluid ounces (1 cups ) stout or dark beer (I used Sam Adams Chocolate Stout)
8 ounces (1 cups / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2⅔ ounces (~1/3 cup) dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
8⅛ ounces (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
13⅝ ounces (~2 cups) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sour cream or greek yogurt, at room temperature (I’ve used fat free and light versions of each successfully)

Chocolate Stout Buttercream

8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
4 ounces stout or dark beer (I used Sam Adams Chocolate Stout)

Instructions

Make the 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 large heavy duty saucepan, melt butter and stout over medium heat, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat and sift in cocoa powder until smooth; pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat eggs and sour cream or yogurt at medium speed until well combined (about three minutes)
Add the stout mixture and mix on low speed until combined; scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined; do not overmix
Distribute batter evenly among cupcake cups (just below rim of cupcake liner)with a small ladle or ice cream scoop
Bake in center of oven for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; do not overbake
Set cupcakes aside to cool and make frosting

Make the buttercream:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy
Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; increase speed to medium high and beat for three minutes or until light and creamy
Add cocoa powder and half of stout and mix on low speed; add more stout if mixture appears dry; use a spatula to scrape sides of the mixing bowl
Increase speed to medium high and beat for several minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy
Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes as desired

Notes

Cake recipe from Sweetapolita who adapted it from King Arthur Flour
Frosted cupcakes are best served day of baking
To make ahead:
Bake cupcakes and make frosting up to one month in advance; cupcakes in a ziplock bag and frosting in a sealed tupperware container
Defrost cupcakes at room temperature and frosting in refrigerator for several hours; frost cupcakes as directed prior to serving

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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 Stout Celebration Cake

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

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Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites

October 31, 2013 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

The chewy Cookie Butter shell is the perfect compliment to the creamy pumpkin flavored Kiss! This is a fun twist on the usual thumbprint cookie.

Raise your hand if you will be heading to Target / CVS / [insert favorite supermarket] tomorrow for the day-after Halloween candy sales? You and me both! I can never resist a candy sale. And assuming the Pumpkin Hershey Kisses are marked down 50% you should probably buy twice as many as you need. That way you can eat half and use half for these cookies!

This is one of those recipes that almost didn’t get published. When the cookies came out of the pan, I eyed them suspiciously and decided that they just weren’t pretty enough. But then as I was getting ready to shove them into the freezer to avoid eating them all, I tasted a bite.

And you know what, at that moment I didn’t care how pretty the cookies might look on the blog. They needed to be shared. If you are already familiar with Cookie Butter (or Biscoff or any other form of speculoos) then you probably don’t need much convincing to make this cookie. The flavor comes through really well in the cookie dough and it is buttery and chewy in a way that it just melts together with the soft pumpkin Kiss when you take a bite.

Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites

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The chewy Cookie Butter shell is the perfect compliment to the creamy pumpkin flavored Kiss! This is a fun twist on the usual thumbprint cookie.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 24 cookies

Ingredients

5¾ ounces (~1¼ cup ) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup Cookie Butter
3¾ ounces (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
4⅛ ounces (~1/2 cup) light brown sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
24 pumpkin Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; take out a mini muffin pan and set aside (do NOT grease)
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter, Cookie Butter, and sugars until light and fluffy; scrape sides of the bowl
Add egg and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients; remove bowl from mixer and make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated
Use a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon (~2 tablespoons each), distribute cookie dough evenly in mini muffin pan for 24 cookies;
Bake 11-13 minutes in center of oven or until lightly browned around the edges and centers appear set
Immediately put one Kiss into each cookie, pressing down lightly into center
Allow to cool for about twenty minutes before gently removing cookies from pan; you can use a butter knife or small metal spatula to loosen each cookie around the edge before taking out
Store in an airtight container up to a week or freeze for up to one month

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And another note – Carrie is giving away some Keep It Sweet Desserts. Head over to her blog to enter!
This post contains affiliate links.

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

Looking for more Cookie Butter recipes? Try these:

Chocolate Covered Cookie Butter Pretzels (SO easy)

Cookie Butter Lava Whole Wheat Banana Muffins (Healthy!)

Cookie Butter & Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches (LOVE)

Blog, Recipes

Healthy Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bake {gluten-free, dairy-free}

October 28, 2013 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

This make-ahead breakfast bake is healthy, hearty and tasty! Full of pumpkin, bananas and oatmeal, you will feel good serving this to your family for breakfast.

Confession: This recipe is already on the blog.

But…. ouch! I realize that something like this is hard to photograph, but those pictures were just so bad. And the writing? I think it took me a year to find my voice. Every time I read an early post it just feels so awkward. It’s almost as bad as reading your diary from middle school. Yikes, was that really me?

I’m hoping to go through some other old posts to do them over as well. I’m sure some of my recipe directions weren’t as clear as they can be and I’d just really love to have better pictures of some poor desserts that are stuck looking ugly. Did this really happen? Did I think this was appetizing (scroll down)?

Healthy Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bake {gluten-free, dairy-free}

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This make-ahead breakfast bake is healthy, hearty and tasty! Full of pumpkin, bananas and oatmeal, you will feel good serving this to your family for breakfast.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

6 ounces (~2 cups) rolled oats*
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1½ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
6 fluid ounces unsweetened vanilla almond milk (skim milk or soy milk can be subbed)
4 fluid ounces egg replacement or egg whites (equivalent of about 3 egg whites)
5 ounces (~1/2 cup) mashed brown ripe bananas (~2 small or 1 large)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until mixed
Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 23-28 minutes in middle of oven, or until a knife comes out clean from center
Serve immediately or store covered at room temperature up to three days; can also be wrapped and frozen for an easy weekday breakfast

Notes

*Check that your ingredients are labeled gluten-free if avoiding gluten
There is no added sugar to this recipe, if you are looking for a very sweet breakfast, I suggest topping with maple syrup
Additional toppings might include greek yogurt, nut butter, sliced almonds and cooked fruit

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And in honor of learning how to use a camera, I created a fun little GIF.

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

P.S. Head over to Erin’s site for a Keep It Sweet Desserts giveaway!

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

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Cinnamon Chip Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

My Favorite Pumpkin Bread

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Whipped Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

October 21, 2013 Keep It Sweet 23 Comments

Whipped Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache can take an ordinary cake, cupcake or cookie and turn it into something very special. If you haven’t tried caramelized white chocolate yet, you are going to want to now!

It’s official, I am obsessed.

Caramelized white chocolate is my new favorite ingredient. It all started with a dessert we ordered at ABC Cocina. We had a rice pudding that could have been ordinary but a touch of caramelized white chocolate made it anything but ordinary. I couldn’t get the flavor out of my head. I remember Kate waxing poetic about it a while back, but truly I didn’t imagine the love affair that I would develop.

Imagine that white chocolate and caramel had a love child. And it’s even better than that because I don’t even like white chocolate. The touch of sea salt added to the rich caramelized white chocolate takes you on a flavor tour. First sweet, then salt, then heaven. If I could come up with better descriptive words I would, but frankly you just need to get in the kitchen and try it yourself. Other than tending to the oven every five to ten minutes, the process is actually quite easy.

If you want to go over-the-top, make these cupcakes. You remember those? If you want to take the caramelized white chocolate and turn it into a pure form of an unadulterated dessert accessory, stay here. It is rich, creamy and light all at the same time.

This Whipped Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache is one of those things than can take an ordinary cake, cupcake or cookie and turn it into something very special. Spread it on a graham cracker or use it to frost chocolate cake. I grabbed some extra cupcakes from my freezer for the photos in this post, but I’m currently dreaming of cookie sandwiches and layered cakes galore. That is if I can stop myself from eating it by the spoonful batch after batch!

Whipped Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: about 2 cups

Ingredients

10 ounces good quality white chocolate (must be real white chocolate, standard supermarket brand white chocolate chips or melts will not work), roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

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 twenty to thirty (stirring every five to ten minutes) minutes or until white chocolate begins to darken into a light brown (as shown in pictures here)
I recommend reducing the increments to five minutes towards the end of caramelizing to prevent burning
When caramelized white chocolate is done, stir in sea salt
Make the ganache; place caramelized white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl
Place cream in a heavy duty saucepan over medium high heat
Bring to a boil and allow to bubble for about thirty seconds (surface will be covered with bubbles)
Remove from heat and pour over caramelized white chocolate; allow to sit for thirty seconds to one minute
Whisk mixture until smooth and creamy
Cover and chill for one to two hours (up to twelve hours) or until ganache is firm
Once ready, place ganache in the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment
Beat on medium-high speed for five minutes, scraping sides of bowl with a spatula occasionally
Ganache is done when it is light, smooth and creamy
Use immediately to frost cupcakes, cake, cookies etc.; store finished products at room temperature up to two days

Notes

Make sure your baking sheet and spatula are clean and dry
For other tips and troubleshooting caramelizing white chocolate I recommend David Lebovitz’s post

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

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Pumpkin Blondies with Caramelized White Chocolate Swirl

Caramelized White Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Cupcakes

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Graham Cracker Cookies with Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling

October 14, 2013 Keep It Sweet 23 Comments

Chewy Graham Cracker flavored cookies filled with a toasted pumpkin marshmallow buttercream are the best cookie for fall! Dip them in chocolate and decorate with colored sprinkles for a festive treat.

These cookies.

Where do I even begin? First of all, the graham cracker cookie is chewy, slightly crispy on the outside, and flavored like a graham cracker (duh) with just the perfect hint of salt. It would make a great dunking cookie (milk, hot chocolate, pumpkin pie coffee, you name it). But, why leave the cookie alone when I could sandwich it with buttercream, dip it in chocolate and decorate it with jimmies? Yeah, exactly.

So second of all, this buttercream. Ever since devouring this cake a couple of weeks ago, I could not get, Sweetapolita’s toasted marshmallow buttercream out of my head. The flavor of the toasted marshmallows is perfectly present, and I actually really like the bits of crunch you get from the browned marshmallows. Well, I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I had to take that buttercream and infuse it with fall’s favorite flavors. Given that I’ve had two huge bags of pumpkin marshmallows in my pantry since last year, this was the perfect opportunity to finally use them!

And third, the chocolate. Honestly, you really don’t need to do this, but I wanted my cookies to really shine as a special fall treat. So, I dipped them in milk chocolate and covered them with some cute Halloween sprinkles. For those of you who enjoy pumpkin treats year round, you could swap the sprinkles for different colors depending on the season.

4.0 from 1 reviews

Graham Cracker Cookies with Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 14 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Chewy Graham Cracker Cookies

4 ¼ ounces (1 cup) honey graham cracker crumbs (about 8 sheets)
5⅝ ounces (~1¼ cup) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces (3/4 cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3 ¾ ounces (1/2) cup granulated sugar
4⅛ ounces (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling

1 ½ cups pumpkin marshmallows (25 marshmallows)
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick)
¾ cup marshmallow fluff
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning

Optional Decorations

12 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped
⅔ cup sprinkles

Instructions

Chewy Graham Cracker Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350
Whisk graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy
Beat in egg and vanilla
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients but do not overmix; use a spatula to make sure all cookie batter is combined
Use a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to make cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about 1½ tablespoons each)
Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes and remove from oven
Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack before serving

Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling

Pre-heat oven to broil; line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray
Put marshmallows on prepared cookie sheet and place on lower rack of oven for thirty to ninety seconds until nicely browned on top; remove pan and use tongs to flip marshmallows over onto other sides
Broil marshmallows again for thirty to ninety seconds or until nicely browned on other side; remove from oven and set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on low speed just until combined; add marshmallow fluff, vanilla and pumpkin pie seasoning and mix on medium high speed until light and creamy (about three minutes); scrape sides of the bowl with spatula
Add toasted marshmallows, mix on medium speed two minutes (there will still be bits of crunch marshmallow but they should be mostly combined)
Spread or pipe frosting onto bottom of half of the cookies, about one tablespoon each; lightly press remaining cookies down onto frosting to create sandwiches

Optional decorations

Once cookies have been cooled and frosted, place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper and set aside
Melt chocolate in the microwave on high heat for thirty seconds; stir well and microwave again for thirty-second increments stirring in-between until melted
Dip cookie sandwiches halfway into melted chocolate, place on and immediately cover with sprinkles
Place baking sheet in fridge for one hour or until chocolate has hardened
Place cookie sandwiches in a ziplock bag or sealed container and store at room temperature in a cool place up to five days

Notes

Cookie adapted from these s’mores cookies and buttercream adapted from Sweetapolita

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Please make them. Just don’t drop them on the floor like I did.

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

This post contains affiliate links.

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Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Bread

October 7, 2013 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

This hearty but moist banana bread is healthy enough for breakfast while still being sweet enough to feel like a treat.

I have so much good stuff for you. There was basically a three-day baking marathon to get ahead on blog posts. The problem is, whenever I build up some recipe inventory, I have the hardest time waiting to share everything.

This banana bread isn’t quite the most exciting recipe of the bunch, but it was necessary. Sometimes you just need a baked good that isn’t going to give you an internal guilt trip if you eat it for breakfast! Plus, with the bazillion brown bananas on my counter, banana bread was inevitable (my frozen banana collection is already out of control).

What I love about this recipe is that the banana bread came out moist but hearty. I had a habit of cutting off a bit at a time until a huge slice was devoured, but Matt also enjoyed it for snacks over the course of a few days. I think his favorite way to eat it was toasted with a smear of almond butter.

Quinoa flour is an ingredient I’ve never used before. It’s actually commonly used in gluten-free recipes (there are some here), which is why I bought it in the first place, but I had bookmarked this high protein banana bread on Madison’s site a few months ago and decided to try it out. Wondering where to get quinoa flour? I actually found it at TJ Maxx (random much?), but Whole Foods, health food stores and Amazon are probably good resources as well. I’m looking forward to playing around with it in future recipes!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Banana Bread

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This hearty but moist banana bread is healthy enough for breakfast while still being sweet enough to feel like a treat.

Makes: 8 nice-sized slices

Ingredients

2 ounces (4 tablespoons / ½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
6⅞ ounces (1¼ cups) white whole wheat flour
2 ounces (~1/2 cup) quinoa flour
10½ ounces (~1 cup) mashed brown banana (~3 medium)
1⅞ ounces (~1/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 x-large egg lightly beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup milk (any type will work, I used almond milk) at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3½ ounces (~1/2 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; lightly grease and flour a loaf pan; set aside
Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and set aside to cool
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours; set aside
In a large bowl, combine banana browned butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla; whisk until all ingredients are combined
Add milk, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; whisk until combined
Slowly whisk in flour mixture and do NOT overmix; when flour is ALMOST combined, fold in chocolate chips; again, do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife comes out clean from center
Set aside to cool before removing from pan to slice

Notes

Very slightly adapted from Espresso and Cream
Store tightly wrapped with seran wrap for a few days; you can also freeze individually wrapped slices for future snacking
The brown butter isn’t prominent and you could likely just melt the butter instead, but I do think it added just a little something to the recipe

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Get ready for more butter, more sugar, and more indulging over the next few weeks.

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

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Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread

Vanilla Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Blueberry Banana Bread

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Caramelized White Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Cupcakes

September 30, 2013 Keep It Sweet 27 Comments

As if moist pumpkin cupcakes weren’t enough, I filled them with a luscious caramelized white chocolate ganache and topped them with caramelized white chocolate buttercream.

These cupcakes are easily one of my favorite recipe creations in the entire life of the blog. I’m not the biggest cupcake lover (I’d rather have layer cake), so when I have cupcakes, they have to be extra special.

These Pumpkin Cupcakes do not disappoint. They are flavorful and extremely moist. And thanks to the caramelized white chocolate (hello new favorite ingredient!), they are unique, over-the-top and pumpkin-neutral-husband approved.

Before you scroll down for the recipe, I’m going to warn you; they are time consuming. The recipe is, to put it lightly, lengthy. You have to make caramelized white chocolate, cupcakes, ganache filling and buttercream. For someone who spends all of their time in the kitchen, they took me a few hours from start to finish (so for most people they are likely an all-day project). It was baking therapy at its finest, though, and the result was hands down worth every second of baking and dishwashing.

Just look at the inside of the cupcakes! The cake actually absorbs the liquid gold caramelized white chocolate ganache so the cupcakes completely melt in your mouth. This is not a dessert for the faint of heart. I recommend saving them for a quiet day in the kitchen and then serving them as the keynote dessert at your dinner party. They are certainly worthy of a spot on the Thanksgiving table as well.

Caramelized White Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Cupcakes

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As if moist pumpkin cupcakes weren’t enough, I filled them with a luscious caramelized white chocolate ganache and topped them with caramelized white chocolate buttercream.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 batch Pumpkin Cupcakes (recipe below)
1 batch Caramelized White Chocolate made with 12 ounces good quality white chocolate (see note below)
1 batch Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)
1 batch Caramelized White Chocolate Buttercream (recipe below)

Instructions

Prepare caramelized white chocolate; upon completion, immediately use ½ cup to make Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache; set aside to cool and make cupcakes
Bake Pumpkin Cupcakes as directed below; allow to cool for one hour
When cupcakes are completely cool, use a small paring knife to cut about one teaspoon out of top center of cupcake
Fill whole of cupcake with a teaspoon of ganache and repeat with remaining cupcakes (refer to this blog post on stuffing cupcakes for tips and photos)
Prepare Caramelized White Chocolate Buttercream as directed below; pipe or spread buttercream over suffed cupcakes
Store cupcakes in a covered container up to three days (best within 24 hours of making)

Notes

This is a more time intensive recipe because you will need to prepare caramelized white chocolate for the filling and the buttercream but I promise, it is entirely worth it; save the project for a fall or winter weekend inside
The cupcakes are moist enough that they don’t quite need a filling, so if you want to leave the ganache out they will still be delicious, just not AS delicious
*Directions on how to make Caramelized White Chocolate can be found here and here. For the full cupcake recipe, use 12 ounces of white chocolate and ½ teaspoon of sea salt
Matt thought these cupcakes could use a bit of crunch. I really liked that perfect melt-in-your mouth bite of cupcake, but if you want to add a little something something, may I suggest this Ginger Cookie Pecan Brittle?
Make ahead tips:
You can bake the Pumpkin Cupcakes up to one month ahead of time, just freeze them until a couple of hours before stuffing with ganache
*Caramelized white chocolate can be made ahead of time and stored in an air-tight container at room temperature up to one month; roughly chop what you will use for the ganache and then follow ganache instructions above
Buttercream can also be made and frozen for up to one month; just defrost in refrigerator for several hours until ready to use; it may need to be re-whipped for best results

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Pumpkin Cupcakes

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

4 ¼ ounces (~1⅛ cups) cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
5 ounces (10 tablespoons / 1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
4⅛ ounces (~½ cup packed) brown sugar
3 ¾ ounces (~½ cup) granulated sugar
1 x-large egg + 1 x-large egg white OR 2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line regular-sized cupcake tins with cupcake wrappers; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition on medium speed
Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix on medium speed until well combined
Carefully add flour with mixer on low speed, mix just until combined; do not overmix
Evenly distribute batter into 18 prepared cupcakes, filling about ⅔ of each cup
Bake 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of cupcakes
Set aside to cool

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Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache Filling

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup prepared caramelized white chocolate* out of the oven
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Place caramelized white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl
In a small heavy-duty saucepan, bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; allow to boil for thirty seconds (entire surface will start to bubble)
Remove from heat and pour over caramelized white chocolate; allow to sit for thirty seconds to one minute
Whisk ganache ingredients until caramelized white chocolate has melted and ganache is smoothe
Allow to cool at room temperature for about an hour before filling cupcakes

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Caramelized White Chocolate Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

8 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup prepared caramelized white chocolate (at room temperature; can be prepared ahead of time)

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat butter on medium high speed until creamy (one or two minutes)
Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix on medium-high speed for two minutes
Add caramelized white chocolate and beat on medium-high speed for three minutes or until buttercream is very creamy and light

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Stay tuned for an upcoming post with more caramelized white chocolate love.

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

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Apple Pie Crumble Bars

September 23, 2013 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

With a buttery crust, thick apple pie filling and crispy crumb topping these Apple Pie Crumble Bars are a fall dessert that is hard to resist.

I don’t know if you remember my Apple Cinnamon Blondies from last year, but they were one of my favorite fall treats. They were a part of Rachel’s An Apple a Day series. Well, this year she is hosting again and of course I had to bring my A-game!

So far over there you can find Apple and Salted Caramel Ice Cream (drool), Caramelized Apple & Cheddar Cheese Soft Pretzels (What?!), and Apple Cider Donuts (three ways!) among other things.

I actually baked these Apple Pie Crumble Bars a few weeks ago, before apple season had really even started. I wanted an apple dessert that I could bake ahead of time for Rosh Hashanah and that would travel well.

These bars were the perfect solution. They were a little bit of a baking project, but with Matt in the kitchen helping (he made the filling), they really weren’t too complicated. If he hadn’t helped I probably would have just skipped the peeling of the apples:-)

They were a huge hit for the holiday, though I imagine they would have been an even bigger hit warmed up and smothered with ice cream… next time, next time.

Be sure to head over to Baked by Rachel for the Apple Pie Crumble Bar recipe!

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

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Cranberry Apple Pie

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M&M Kit Kat Cake {Appreciation Post}

September 12, 2013 Keep It Sweet 88 Comments

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, MATT!!!!!

Above photo from his surprise party this past Saturday night

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda over at i am baker suggested a day where bloggers write a significant other appreciation post. Since she happened to pick Matt’s birthday, I figured it was the perfect excuse to participate. Scroll down for some fun Q&A with my husband.

To Matt- Whew, 30. It seems like just yesterday we were meeting for the first time. Me at the ripe old age of 19, you at the much older age of 20. I remember the first time we met, thinking you were so cute. Then the second time we met, when you didn’t remember me. I tried to be cool and pretend like I didn’t remember you either. I tried not to like you. We all see how that worked out.

I’d like to say that I can’t believe we made it here, as real (or almost real) live adults. But that would be a lie. I knew from the start that I wanted to be with someone like you long-term. I just didn’t know I’d be lucky enough to end up with you.

This past Saturday night we celebrated your birthday. You, me, your closest friends, and most of our family. It made me happy to see you so happy. I hope that party showed you in some small way how much I appreciate you.

So let’s celebrate YOU today. We might not have any cake left, but I think this post and a fancy dinner will do.

I took Amanda’s questions and did a little face-to-face interview with Matt. Here is what went down.

Lauren: What is my favorite blog called?

Matt: Young Married Chic or Bakerella or the one you get the swiss meringue buttercream from (Sweetapolita). I don’t even think you have a favorite blog, fyi. Note from L – I probably don’t have a favorite blog but it was impressive that he at least remembered two names of other blogs!

L: What is my favorite prop?

M: Prop? For what?

L: Photography

M: The coffee table. It’s the background to every picture you take. Note from L- should I take that as a hint?

L: What is the weirdest thing you have seen me do for a blog post?

M: Weird?

L: If you could have your own blog what would you call it?

M: I had a blog for about four weeks. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about it. I really enjoyed the act of eating, more than waiting to eat while taking a picture of the food. The blog was called Matt Eats Food.

L: What do you do for a living and what are your hobbies?

M: I’m a numbers guy and I like to play golf every chance I get.

L: Who does the dishes?

M: How do you define “doing the dishes”? If it is actually emptying the dishwasher, then it’s Lauren, but if you define it as actually putting things away after they’ve been emptied from the dishwasher, then it is me. Note from L- some things need to dry before putting them away, just saying.

L: What is your favorite recipe from my blog?

M: I liked the Black Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes, the Meyer Lemon Shortbread Bars, and the Blueberry Pretzel Clusters. I also liked the Blueberry Blintz Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes and the Salted Caramel Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars. Note from L- I gave him some help with the titles.

L: What do you wish I would post about?

M: Steak, garlic mashed potatoes, chicken parm, and your top ten favorite golf courses.

L: Anything else you want to tell my blog readers?

M: I’m really impressed with how many close friends you’ve made through blogging and how nice so many of the people out there are. That being said, there are some real crazy ones, too.

Finally, the cake. I first saw the M&M Kit Kat Cake on Lori’s blog a couple of years ago. M&Ms and Kit Kats just happen to be Matt’s favorite candies (Crunch bars and then Twix being next in line), so I knew that it would be the perfect thing for a special occasion. Saving this cake for his surprise party seemed to be the right choice because guests were oohing and ahhhing at it like crazy. Little did they know the cake was extremely easy to put together. I used one of my favorite yellow cake recipes (double the cupcake recipe and bake in 9-inch round cake pans) and Sweetapolita’s perfect whipped chocolate buttercream (you can halve the chocolate frosting ingredients). The result was a show-stopping cake that tasted pretty amazing. I can’t tell you how many people asked if I really made that cake (Maybe my friends forget what I do for a living).

Want to see some of the other significant other appreciation posts?

Rachel from Rachel Cooks made Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shanna from Pineapple & Coconut made Best Ever Chicken Enchiladas
Meaghan from The Decorated Cookie made Homemade SpaghettiOs
Amy from Very Culinary shared a Fabulous Video!
Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Lebanese Meat Pies (Sfeehas)
Cassie from Bake Your Day wrote about The Guy Across The Table
Erin from The Law Students Wife made Chicken Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Sauce
Heather from Sugar Dish Me made Bourbon Apple Shortcakes
Dorothy from Crazy For Crust made Pretzel Toffee Peanut Butter Cookies
Lauren from Climbing Grier Mountain shared At the Table with Mr. B
Tanya from Lemons for Lulu made Reese’s Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
Erin from Texanerin Baking made Healthier New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Jen from Jens Favorite Cookies made Chocolate Pudding
Jamie from Thrifty Veggie Mama made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Diane from Created By Diane made Rocky Road Cookie
Nikki from Seeded at the Table made Oatmeal Cream Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Meagan fron A Zesty Bite made Something Fabulous
Taylor from Greens & Chocolate made Butterfinger Blondies
Amanda from i am baker made Classic Cheesecake with Double Crust
Kristy from Sweet Treats & More made Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Lauren from Healthy. Delicious. shared 10 Guy-Approved Recipes
Erin from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts shared a Round up of Hubbies Favorites
Rachel from Set the Table made Mexican Chocolate Shake
Julie from Julie’s Eats and Treats shared her Hubby’s Top 10
Stefani from Cupcake Project made Graham Cracker Waffle Cones
Katerina from Diethood made Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic and Olives
Betsy from Java Cupcake made White Chocolate Everything!
Kimberly from The Daring Gourmet made French Almond Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

And don’t you worry, more surprise party details coming soon!

Blog, Recipes

Homemade Peanut Butter & Fig Granola {Gluten-free}

September 3, 2013 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

Easy homemade granola with chunks of dried figs and a crunchy peanut butter base.

I made a batch of this granola early in the summer. The first day I made myself a bowl with yogurt and blueberries then proceeded to eat most of the chunks out of the leftovers. Luckily the base was still good and when my sister said she really liked it I decided it was worth blogging.

Granola is so easy to make, but I don’t have a lot of self control when it is around. Luckily in this batch I kept the added sugars to a minimum so it is fairly healthy. Calorie-wise it is about 100 calories per quarter cup.

Homemade Peanut Butter & Fig Granola

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Easy homemade granola with chunks of dried figs and a crunchy peanut butter base.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 3 cups of granola (6-12 servings)

Ingredients

5 tablespoons natural salted creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups old fashioned oats (make sure to choose a gluten-free variety if avoiding gluten)
4 dried figs, chopped into small pieces (about the size of a peanut)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Place peanut butter in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl; microwave for thirty seconds or until peanut butter is slightly melted
Stir in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon
Fold in oatmeal and dried figs
Spread granola out onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes and remove granola from oven; toss on pan and place back into oven immediately
Bake 5 – 10 minutes or or until lightly browned and allow to cool
Store in an air-tight container up to two weeks

Notes

Adapted from Julie’s Peanut Butter Granola

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Reminder: Keep it Sweet Desserts is up for an American Made Award for the second year. Last year we did really well, this year I’m determined to do better! You can VOTE up to SIX times DAILY! I’d really appreciate your votes and sharing with friends. The winner will be selected based on VOTES and will be honored at the American Made workshop in October.

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Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

August 27, 2013 Keep It Sweet 24 Comments

I took a perfect brown butter cookie dough and added chopped pieces of some of my favorite candies: Peanut Butter Cups and Heath Bars. Topped with flaky sea salt, these chewy cookies might just become your new favorite recipe!

Before I get to these crazy good cookies, I just wanted to mention that Keep it Sweet Desserts is up for an American Made Award for the second year. Last year we did really well, this year I’m determined to do better! You can VOTE up to SIX times DAILY! I’d really appreciate your votes and sharing with friends. The winner will be selected based on VOTES and will be honored at the American Made workshop in October. On top of that, Keep It Sweet Desserts would get $10,000 to help grow the business, it couldn’t get much better than that.

“American Made is a movement founded by Martha Stewart that spotlights the maker, supports the local, and celebrates the handmade. It’s made up of people and communities who have turned their passion for quality craftsmanship and well-designed goods into a way of life.”

Okay, back to important things like brown butter.

I made these cookies a few weeks ago. And let me tell you, baking with brown butter when you are on a pre-vacation diet is torture. I’ve gotten used to my usual recipes for the business, but when I try something new, and it incorporates all of the things I love about a cookie, it is self-cruelty at its finest.

They are chewy on the inside and just slightly crisp on the outside (you need to make sure you get that light brown color for the crisp). Chunks of Heath and Peanut Butter Cups, flaky sea salt… really, I don’t need to say more.

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 15 large cookies

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1⅞ ounces (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
5½ ounces (2/3 cup) packed light brown sugar
1 x-large egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 ounces (1½ cups) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (~1 cup) Heath Bars, roughly chopped
4½ ounces (~3/4 cup) Peanut Butter Cups, roughly chopped
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and set aside to cool
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with sugars; beat on high speed until well combined
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium speed until well mixed
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 chopped candy
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
Bake cookies until firm: 15-17 minutes or until edges are golden brown
Allow to cool before serving

Notes

Adapted from Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

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And if you missed it, be sure to check out the announcement of our brand new flavors before they are even available to the public!

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Key Lime Crispy Bars with Toasted Marshmallow Cream {Gluten Free} (Guest Post)

August 12, 2013 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

A refreshing no-bake gluten-free marshmallow treat that is easy to make and perfect for a summer sweet tooth! Topped off with a toasted marshmallow cream, these aren’t your typical marshmallow treats!

Well, we are off to Hawaii tomorrow for our vacation. I couldn’t be more excited! This is the longest vacation I’ve taken since starting Keep It Sweet Desserts, and that is giving me a little anxiety. However, my plan is to zone out as much of the real-life stress as possible and just soak up the Hawaii sunshine and relax for 8 days. In all of the pre-vacation craze, my awesome sister offered to take a little work off my hands and guest blog for me today! The soon-to-be Harvard student made a twist on one of her favorite no-bake treats that I think you will enjoy! Thanks, Jess!!!

I’m not a big dessert person. Chocolate-y things don’t really do it for me, and I don’t ever “crave” sugar. Having said that, though, there are a couple of sweets that I LOVE. 1) Anything to do with marshmallows and 2) Anything to do with Key Lime. Since I am gluten free, S’MORES are a no-go and key lime pie just isn’t the same when you take away the crust. So when I found these key lime marshmallows in my local Walmart, and the new gluten free Vanilla Chex Cereal, I knew what I had to do. I had to make key lime rice crispy treats. And so I did.

Like all rice crispy treat recipes, this is super simple, and all I did was substitute Rice Krispies cereal for Vanilla Chex.

I wasn’t happy with the slime-green color of my crispy bars, so I decided to make a marshmallow cream to drizzle over it. Enter: toasted marshmallow cream.

The best part about these is that there is no waiting involved. Enjoy and happy eating.

Key Lime Crispy Bars with Toasted Marshmallow Cream {Gluten Free}

Serves 24

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons of butter (or margarine), divided
2 cups plain marshmallows
2 cups key lime marshmallows
6 cups gluten-free Vanilla Chex Cereal
1 ½ cups Marshmallow Fluff

Directions:

Spray a 13 x 9 pan with baking spray and set aside
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in large saucepan over low heat; add Marshmallows and stir until completely melted; remove from heat
Add Chex and stir until coated
Press cereal and marshmallow mixture into prepared baking pan
In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with Marshmallow Fluff; stir until thin and creamy
Pour Fluff mixture over cereal
Cut and serve

Don’t forget to enter the fun Keep it Sweet Desserts giveaway!

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Cookie Butter & Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches

August 5, 2013 Keep It Sweet 38 Comments

These speculoos cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are delicious on their own, but the salted caramel buttercream puts them over the top.

I made these cookies a few weeks ago, and while I froze some extras, I may or may not have eaten them straight from the freezer. Oops! Next time I’ll make extra cookies without buttercream to use for ice cream sandwiches.

The cookies themselves are crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. If you slightly underbake them you can keep them completely chewy. The flavor, well, if you like Cookie Butter or Biscoff, you will be in love. They have that great flavor that is somewhere in the middle of a graham cracker and gingersnap with an extra touch of salt. Plus the salted caramel buttercream. Yes, heaven in a cookie sandwich.

Cookie Butter & Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches

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These speculoos cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are delicious on their own, but the salted caramel buttercream puts them over the top.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2½ dozen cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Cookie Butter Cookies

1 cup (4⅝ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cups speculoos of choice (I used Cookie Butter from Trader Joe’s)
5⅝ ounces (¾ cup) granulated sugar
4⅛ ounces (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
2 x-large eggs, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Caramel Buttercream

8 ounces (2 sticks / 1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup salted caramel (store-bought or homemade)

Instructions

Cookie Butter 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, 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

Salted Caramel Buttercream

Beat butter with an electric mixer for several minutes or until light and creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in caramel sauce until combined.
Pipe or spread buttercream onto bottom halves of half of cookies; place another cookie on top of buttercream and gently press down

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to seven days or freeze up to one month
If you prefer a chewier cookie, err on the side of underbaking them.

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Skinny Spicy Tequila Cocktail

July 30, 2013 Keep It Sweet 17 Comments

This cocktail is citrusy, spicy and best of all skinny. At only 150 calories per drink, you will still have plenty of room for ice cream!

I’m actually not a huge drinker. Most of my friends know that, but when I go out with someone new I always get the awkward “is she pregnant” stare. Ahem, a few people have actually come out and asked. Yeah, not recommended for starting conversation with someone you just met.

One of the main reasons I don’t drink often is the calories. Would I like a bazillion calorie margarita or 10 cookies? Cookies, obviously. Crazy mudslide drink or ice cream sundae? The ice cream sundae will always win. You get the point. When I do have a drink or two or three (who am I kidding, I am a lightweight), I usually go for a glass of wine or something simple and light like vodka soda with extra lime. Luckily I never really liked super sweet drinks so that all works for me.

About a year ago I had my first spicy cocktail. Since then, I have never looked back. Give me a drink menu that mentions spicy, jalapeno or cayenne and I will have a hard time saying no. Those drinks with a little heat are kind of addicting.

Anyway, when my sister moved out a couple of weeks ago, she conveniently left behind an almost-full bottle of jalapeno tequila. Well, twist my arm why don’t you! I couldn’t resist putting it to use in a skinny cocktail that satisfied my drink cravings. And you know what the skinny cocktail means? I still get dessert!

This particular drink was inspired by a spicy margarita I ordered (sans sugar) at Jessica’s going away party at Hudson Common. They used just a touch of orange and lime juice to balance out the tequila. In my version I added a splash of pineapple juice since my orange was a tad lackluster.

Skinny Spicy Tequila Cocktail

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This cocktail is citrusy, spicy and best of all skinny. At only 150 calories per drink, you will still have plenty of room for ice cream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Drink

Makes: 1 drink, easily doubles for two

Ingredients

2 fluid ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
1 fluid ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice (about ½ lime)
1 fluid ounce pineapple juice
1½ fluid ounces jalapeno tequila (I used Tanteo)
Ice

Instructions

Pour orange juice, lime juice, pineapple and tequila into a shaker over ice
Shake well for 15 seconds
Strain into glass(es) filled with ice
Garnish with lime and serve

Notes

If you like your drinks really tart, reduce or leave out the pineapple juice
One cocktail is about 150 calories

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Cheers!

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Perfect Chocolate Chip Muffins and a Giveaway

July 22, 2013 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

These Chocolate Chip Muffins are easy to whip up and make the perfect sweet treat for weekend breakfasts or holiday brunch.

I made these muffins a few weeks ago and actually froze a few to bring with us to the shore this past weekend. My grandfather kept raving about the “best cupcake” he has ever had. That cupcake was actually this muffin. The basic recipe is so simple which makes the fact that he loved them even better.

In fact, the recipe came from Lauren’s e-cookbook, Everyday Ingredients Extraordinary Meals. Her book is full of beautiful photos and delicious recipes. Many of them are easy meals and simple desserts. It is family-friendly and reflective of the personality you come to love from her blog. Recipes like fail-proof pizza dough, birthday cupcakes, and and My Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll (ahem, DYING to try that), give it a level of comfort and hominess. Other notable recipes include Lemon Cheesecake Crème Brule Bars and Chocolate Cream Pie. There are family friendly meals as well, but you know me and my sweet tooth. And good news for all of you! Lauren is offering to give a copy of her e-book to one of you! (See end of post for giveaway details).

Perfect Chocolate Chip Muffins and a Giveaway

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These Chocolate Chip Muffins are easy to whip up and make the perfect sweet treat for weekend breakfasts or holiday brunch.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

½ cup skim milk
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup fat free plain greek yogurt
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9¼ ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
5⅝ ounces (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup mini chocolate chips

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 baking soda); form a well in center of dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into the well
Stir just until combined
Fold in chocolate chips
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

Notes

Barely adapted from Everyday Ingredients Extraordinary Meals

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Vanilla Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread that is Low Fat and Whole Wheat

July 9, 2013 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

Healthy banana bread full of delicious vanilla roasted strawberries.

It’s Tuesday but I feel like I am still recovering from the long weekend! I think it has something to do with 13+ hours of driving for a two-day trip, dancing all night long at my cousin’s wedding, and the hotel neighbors that found it necessary to blast music and yell at each other at 2am the night before we had a 6:30 departure time. That’s always fun.

But all in all, it really was a great weekend! The highlight was being reunited with my dad’s side of the family. We realized that it has been about twenty five years since all of the cousins were in the same place at the same time. There were seven of us then. This time around, with marriages, and a new generation, there were twelve of us. While there has been a lot of loss on that side of the family, it is a definite bright spot to see so many of us starting wonderful families of our own. Hopefully the next time we all meet, it won’t be so long from now and there will be even more of us.

I made this banana bread a few weeks ago when Matt’s friends were in town. There were a few extra brown bananas on the counter and I had a little baking marathon. The banana bread wasn’t as big of a hit as the blueberry pie, but it was a good healthy snack and breakfast addition.

The best part of baking this banana bread was the unbelievable aroma from roasting the strawberries. Next time I’m going to roast extra berries and use them as an ice cream topping. It was hard to put them right into the batter instead of eating them straight up!

Vanilla Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread that is Low Fat and Whole Wheat

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Healthy banana bread full of delicious vanilla roasted strawberries. Source: Skinny Taste Makes 8 nice-sized slices

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

7 ounces (~1⅓ cup) sliced strawberries plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for roasting
6⅞ ounces (1¼ cups) white whole wheat flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ ounces (~1/2 cup lightly packed) brown sugar
1 ounces (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 x-large egg whites at room temperature
10½ ounces (~1 cup) mashed brown banana (~3 medium)
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Roast strawberries; pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
Toss sliced strawberries with vanilla and spread out on prepared baking sheet
Roast in oven for 20 minutes
While strawberries are roasting, prepare rest of banana bread
Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt); set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light creamy; add egg whites and mix on medium speed for a minute
Scrape sides of bowl; add banana, applesauce and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
Reduce speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients just until combined, do not overmix batter
Once strawberries are done cooking, gently fold them into batter; bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center of loaf
Allow to cool before removing loaf from pan
Best served immediately; store tightly wrapped in seran wrap up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze up to one month

Notes

Source: Skinny Taste

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Lollie’s Blueberry Pie

July 1, 2013 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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No Bake Blueberry Pie

Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Blog, Recipes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

June 23, 2013 Keep It Sweet 22 Comments

I blame this on the cupcake wrappers.

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

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

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

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Frozen Yogurt

Blueberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bars

Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate Chip Blueberry Peanut Butter Cookies

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Gluten-Free}

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

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

Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

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

Instructions

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

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

Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing:

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

Notes

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

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Blog, Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

May 20, 2013 Keep It Sweet 22 Comments

Rich pound cake layers with delicious fluffy frosting and a rich whipped chocolate ganache.

I don’t know what it is, but when I travel for a weekend, I always have a million different bags. Maybe I just should take 1 big bag and call it a day? I just try so hard to be an efficient and minimalist traveler (ha!).

What if I want to workout? Sneakers. Are we going out to a nice dinner? Heels (maybe). Do I want to look pretty? Makeup. Work to do? Computer (always). Are we celebrating something? Gifts.

Am I supposed to bring some sort of dessert? Wait, that’s not actually a question. Do I want to blog about it? Camera (woops!). I am thankful for my iPhone!

I don’t really go anywhere without some sort of sweet treat, because frankly, I’ll be sent back from where I came if I don’t! For Mother’s Day weekend, however, I was a little behind on my baking. So instead of a finished product, I traveled with cake layers. Completely normal, right? Probably not, but you know what, it was worth it.

I’m actually a huge fan of pound cake. I very rarely make it but when I saw this cake from Michelle a few weeks ago, I was completely inspired to translate her recipe into a layer cake. It did not disappoint!

Since it was Mother’s Day, I knew the cake needed plenty of chocolate. The moist and dense (perfect pound cake texture!) cake layers were filled with chocolate chips and the outside was covered with a rich whipped chocolate ganache. The filling was vanilla buttercream. I was actually experimenting with a shortening-based recipe, but next time I’d just use all butter or at least half butter instead. Okay, now I am completely craving this cake again.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

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Rich pound cake layers with delicious fluffy frosting and a rich whipped chocolate ganache.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake:

12 ounces (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
8 ounces regular cream cheese
1 pound 6½ ounces granulated sugar (~3 cups)
6 eggs at room temperature
11½ ounces (~3 cups) cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
6 ounces (~1 cup) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Basic Vanilla Buttercream with Shortening for filling:

¾ cup shortening
1½ cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Ganache Frosting:

1 pound semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; grease and flour two 8-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 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 chocolate chips
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 filling and ganache
Once cake has cooled, carefully remove layers from pans; run a knife around the edge of each layer for easier removal
Frost bottom layer with filling and top with second cake layer; frost entire outside of cake with whipped ganache

Basic Vanilla Buttercream with Shortening for filling:

Beat shortening in electric mixer on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy; add powdered sugar and mix on low for one minute; scrape sides of the bowl and add vanilla; beat on high speed until light and fluffy; use immediately or covered in refrigerator up to five days; bring to room temperature before using

Whipped Ganache Frosting:

Place chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl and set aside
Pour cream into a medium heavy duty sauce-pan and place over medium heat; bring to boil and remove immediately
Pour hot cream over chocolate, add salt, and let stand for 10 minutes
Whisk mixture until smooth
Chill ganache in refrigerator for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until ganache is thick in texture but not hard
Once chilled, put ganache in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high speed for about four minutes or until light and fluffy and paler in color
Use immediately

Notes

Cake very slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Whipped Ganache Frosting from Martha Stewart
Cake layers can be made ahead of time; wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for one day or in freezer up to one month
Once frosted, serve immediately; cake can be stored in refrigerator up to two days covered lightly with plastic wrap; bring to room temperature before serving

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3-Layer Cookies and Cream Cake

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Blog, Recipes

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies: A How-To Video!

May 15, 2013 Keep It Sweet 26 Comments

Remember when I promised you eHow videos? Well, I’m going to try to get past my embarrassment and share them, yikes! You already have the recipe, but I figured you might like the video for how to make these Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies. I’d love to hear what you think!

Blog, Recipes

Asparagus salad with Wheat Berries, Raisins and Pickled Onions

May 13, 2013 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Yes, you are at the right place. This is still Keep It Sweet Desserts and I still prioritize baking over any savory production in the kitchen, but sometimes I need to get a little creative with mealtime.

In case you are wondering, I’m still working off the cookie weight (as I like to call it) from December. Turns out cookies for lunch, snack and dinner for one month straight without even looking at the gym just didn’t work out so well. Don’t worry, I didn’t completely give up cookies. That is unrealistic for so many reasons, but I do try to limit myself to a few a week. That combined with lots and lots of green vegetables has me finally feeling just a little bit better about myself. Four months later. It’s about time!

So when I got a package from California Raisins and OXO that challenged me to make a fantastic appetizer, I decided to make something healthy that would be a great summer appetizer for entertaining or even double as an entrée for a light dinner. I didn’t realize that a quarter cup of California Raisins is considered a single serving of fruit, what an easy way to get some nutrients into your meal!

This challenge definitely took me out of my element! I cook on a regular basis, but never with the expectation of sharing a recipe with others. Honestly, most of our dinners are pretty repetitive because I get too lazy to think of new dishes to make. Really, it was good for me to be pushed to make something other than roasted veggies, kale chips, or vegetarian lasagna.

My goal, and what I think I achieved, with this dish, was to get a nice balance of sweet, savory and a touch acidic along with a variety of textures. Crunchy asparagus, chewy wheat berries, creamy feta cheese, you get the picture.

Asparagus salad with Wheat Berries, Raisins and Pickled Onions

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Active kitchen time (including pickled onions and wheat berries): 15 minutes Total prep time (including pickled onions and wheat berries): 1 hour 15 minutes

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Side Dish

Makes: ~7½ cups; Serves four as appetizer or serves two as a main course

Ingredients

1½ cups asparagus cut into ½ inch pieces blanched and lightly tossed with salt and pepper (do not overcook, you want the asparagus to be nice and crisp)
1 cup cooked wheat berries (see below for details)
½ cup pickled onions (see below for details)
⅓ cup California Raisins
2 ounces good quality feta cheese

Instructions

Cut prepared pickled onion slices in half or quarters (half if you used a small onion, quarters if you used a large onion)
Place blanched asparagus pieces, wheat berries, pickled onions, raisins and feta in a large bowl; lightly toss
Serve immediately to eat warm or store in fridge and eat cool or at room temperature; best eaten same day

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Asparagus salad with Wheat Berries, Raisins and Pickled Onions

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Side Dish

Makes: ~1/2 cup pickled onions

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ tablespoon table salt
1 small red onion or ½ large red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Whisk together water, vinegar sugar and salt until sugar is dissolved
Place onion in a sealable jar; pour vinegar mixture over onions and cover for one hour
Can prepare onions up to 2 weeks in advance if sealed jar is stored in refrigerator

Notes

Source: Bon Appetit
Prep time: 5 minutes, cook time: 1 hour+
can be made up to two weeks in advance

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Wheat Berries

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Side Dish

Makes: ~1 cup cooked wheat berries

Ingredients

½ cup (uncooked) wheat berries, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Bring wheat berries, water and salt to boil in a medium-sized heavy duty saucepan
Once boiling, reduce to a simmer over low heat and cover for one hour; stir occasionally
Once done, wheat berries should have absorbed most of the water; remove from heat and store covered in refrigerator up to two days before using

Notes

Can be made up to two days in advance

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