Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

July 25, 2018 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 3 reviews

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Blondies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Blondies

Makes: 24 blondies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Jewish Apple Cake

April 30, 2017 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

Photo credit: Raúl Velasco with Alejandro Photography

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Ljuba’s Shabbos Apple Cake

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the cake batter:

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

For the topping:

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Mini Moon Pies

April 17, 2017 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

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

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

My favorite kitchen helper

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 4 reviews

Mini Moon Pies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 6 mini moon pies

Ingredients

For the dough:

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

For assembly:

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/28/16

January 28, 2017 Keep It Sweet Leave a comment

Happy weekend! I don’t have any new recipes to share yet, but I have been making some old favorites (see below). Along with that, I’ve been enjoying some time to cook and bake from other blogs. Below are some recipes that my family and I have enjoyed over the last few weeks:

Grain-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites from Texanerin (My sister and I are mildly obsessed)

Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles from Bakerita (These were a great gluten-free treat to have for friends around the holidays)

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast from Averie Cooks (This was perfect doubled for an easy New Year’s Day brunch paired with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and lots of coffee)

Vegetarian Baked Ziti Recipe from She Wears Many Hats (We added some roasted cauliflower to this dish and served this along with roasted filet, sautéed shrimp, roasted carrots and salad for New Year’s Eve)

Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Chili from Andie Mitchell (A super easy weeknight meal. Matt and I loved it, L ate the beans only lol)

Paleo Shephards Pie from Heather Christo (This is a go-to comfort food recipe for us)

Pear, Parmesan & Balsamic Glaze Salad from Two Red Bowls (Was a perfect compliment to DIY pizzas at a friend’s)

Italian Turkey Meatballs from Cookin Canuk (I subbed almond flour for the bread crumbs and they were great)

Peanut Butter and Fig Granola from Keep It Sweet Desserts (I subbed in almond butter and dried apples for a new variation)

Triple Chip Cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts (always a crowd pleaser)

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies from Keep It Sweet Desserts (I may or may not make these whenever I get a chance)

Gingersnaps from Keep It Sweet Desserts (even without the lemon cream cheese filling these are a holiday favorite)

I do have some new cookbooks that I’m going to work my way through and hopefully will have some of those recipes to share with you soon. What have you been cooking lately? Please leave links to favorites in the comments!

Now for the regular updates….

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2016

December 27, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

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

The ten most visited recipe posts from 2016:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My ten favorite recipes from 2016:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You might also like:

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2015

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2014

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2012

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2011

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 12/20/16

December 20, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

I’m still here! I had no idea I’d take such a hiatus from blogging, but moving into a house under construction was all-consuming. We are just now finishing up the last touches (or are we???) and even my kitchen is still being finished. It’s been operational since right after Thanksgiving, but it’s almost, almost done now!

Right now, I’m feeling in a bit of a personal rut. It seems the work on the house, toddler mom life and some other personal challenges have (hopefully temporarily) shut down my creativity. So rather than dive back into recipe creating and forced posts, I’m going to post when I’m really inspired. When I share a recipe, you will know that I love it and am excited about it!

In the mean time, I’ve been keeping busy in the kitchen with some friends’ recipes and some of my own. Here are some recipes that I’ve made and enjoyed:

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes from Dessert for Two (L had been requesting cupcakes and this was the perfect quick recipe!)

Soft Almond Flour Sugar Cookies from Ambitious Kitchen (they had amazing texture, especially for a gluten-free cookie)

Big Cranberry Crumb Cake from Keep It Sweet Desserts (I wanted to have something special in the freezer for holiday entertaining)

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts (always a hit!)

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts (a great gift)

On a much more positive note regarding our move, we’ve been having a great time meeting people and making friends in a new town. L’s school has been a great place for me to meet other moms and I’ve already found a circle of other women that I look forward to seeing regularly. It’s been really nice and L is very happy with pre-school (he adores his teachers).

Very excited to play in the snow!

First adventure snowman building adventure!

I hope you have some fun and fulfilling holiday plans. I’m looking forward to visiting with family and friends and settling into our home.

Now for the regular updates….

New recipe/blog posts:

Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Keep It Sweet Thanksgiving Favorites

Six Peppermint Chocolate Desserts You Need To Try

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Chocolate Covered Oreos Three Ways

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Peppermint Mocha Layer Cake from Baker by Nature

Peppermint Bark White Chocolate Cheesecake from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Chocolate Tiramisu from Dessert for Two

Chocolate and Pumpkin Self-Saucing Pudding Cake from The Flavor Bender

Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake from Sugar Hero

I hope that you all are having a wonderful week!

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

Blog, Recipes

Six Peppermint Chocolate Desserts You Need To Try

November 28, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

Double Dip Mints

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Covered Oreos

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits (gluten-free)

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Truffles (gluten-free)

Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

Blog, Recipes

Keep It Sweet Thanksgiving Favorites

November 14, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

Big Crumb Cranberry Coffee Cake

Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Blondies

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Fancy Holiday Chocolate Pecan Pie

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

One Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Pie Glaze

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping

Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake

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Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 26, 2016 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

Big Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 large cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 10/9/16

October 9, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

How is everyone doing as we settle into fall? I’m admittedly all over the place these days. Between the house, L’s upcoming 2nd birthday, holidays, and the general back and forth to everywhere, I feel like my head is spinning round and round! I’ve prioritized all of that real life “stuff” and as a result have been slacking over here. I do have a delicious cookie recipe coming soon, though, and hopefully, once we are settled into the house (and once we have a working kitchen), my baking inspiration will come back in full force.

In the mean time, I’ve been using up odds and ends of ingredients to bake (and cook) for some of the occasions that have been keeping us busy. Here are some recipes that I’ve made and enjoyed:

Cauliflower Kale Chickpea Curry Pot from The First Mess (L helped with this and was a big fan)

Snickerdoodle Apple Bread from Cookies and Cups

Apple Crumb Cake from Bakerita

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Bakerita (we actually haven’t tried these yet, I stuck the whole batch directly into the freezer)

Perfected Yellow Cake from Mel’s Kitchen with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream from Keep It Sweet Desserts (for Matt’s birthday)

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies from Keep It Sweet Desserts (currently my favorite brownie recipe)

One-Bowl Pumpkin Blondies (with chocolate instead of cinnamon chips) from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Lighter Chocolate Chip Banana Cake from Keep It Sweet Desserts

The very good news is that we are moving in just a few weeks! Whether the house is “ready” or not, we are moving on October 31! It might be completely chaotic and the house might still be a bit of a mess, but at least we can trick-or-treat in our new neighborhood. I’ve already got L excited about getting candy and wearing his costume. He’s going to be the firefighter dog from Paw Patrol (I think his name is Marshall?). L likes to put the backpack and hat on and walk around the apartment saying “Ready to go to preschool now!”

My almost 2-year old is getting so big!

Now for this week’s updates….

New recipe/blog posts:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

One-Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Mocha Coffee Cake from My Baking Addiction

Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake from Life, Love, and Sugar

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread from Shugary Sweets

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread from Running to the Kitchen

Pumpkin Beer Ice Cream from We Are Not Martha

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

September 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 11 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16-24

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 9/10/16

September 10, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Where do I even begin? So much has been going on around here that sometimes I feel like I’m running around with my head about to fall off. Normal?

We wrapped up the summer with my sister’s amazing wedding (it was SO much fun and she was GORGEOUS), a couple of birthday celebrations for me (aka ice cream) and some fun family time. The unofficial start to fall has been crazy and hectic. Work on the house is going well but I sure wish we could make it go faster. Things are on track for the most part but as of now it looks like we will be moving at the end of next month. We’ve got a new roof, new plumbing, new electric… I’m just excited for new walls to come up and to start to see real progress.

The exciting event of this week, though, was L starting pre-school! It’s just a short three-day-a -week program but it will be good for him (and me)! Now if only we could move into our house so the thirty-minute pre-school commute would shrink to three!

He kept asking me to take “more pictures” lol!

Oh and I almost forgot, we did a bit of a website update over here. The biggest changes that I’m really happy about are 1) a new searchable recipe index AND 2) the site is FINALLY mobile-friendly. I’m still working out a few kinks here and there, though, so if you have trouble with anything please let me know!

Now for this week’s updates….

New recipe/blog posts:

Vanilla Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts and Dark Chocolate

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

One-Bowl Pumpkin Blondies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Oatmeal Lace Ice Cream from Two Red Bowls

Donut Gooey Butter Cake from Dessert for Two

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes from The Crepes of Wrath

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Donuts from Baker by Nature

Apple Pie Cake from Foodess

I hope that you all are having a wonderful week!

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

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Vanilla Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts and Dark Chocolate

September 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

Super creamy no churn vanilla ice cream with salty candied peanuts and dark chocolate chunks.

I had to share just one more ice cream recipe with you before summer is (unofficially) over. Truth be told, I made this ice cream almost two months ago, and ate it so quickly I almost forgot about it. Don’t let that fool you, though, it’s not forgettable at all. This ice cream is creamy, delicious and full of sweet and salty crunch bites. The rich dark chocolate, the salty candied peanuts and the vanilla bean base make for a seriously delicious and satisfying treat.

So if you are like me and eat ice cream all year round, keep this recipe on hand. Otherwise, whip up a batch for the last hurrah and enjoy eating it all Labor Day Weekend long!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Vanilla Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts and Dark Chocolate

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Super creamy no churn vanilla ice cream with salty candied peanuts and dark chocolate chunks.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

16 fluid ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free, but any type would work)
5 millimeters (1 teaspoon) vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
125g (1¼ cup) salty candied peanuts peanuts (see recipe below)
220g 55% dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
While whipping cream, in a separate large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, candied peanuts and vanilla
Fold cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan
In a small microwave-safe dish, heat chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted
Pour half of chocolate over ice cream; use a knife to marbleize chocolate and ice cream
Top with remaining ice cream and repeat
Wrap well with seran wrap or in an ice cream container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Salty Candied Peanuts and Dark Chocolate

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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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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 8/16/16

August 16, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Things are continuing to be crazy but exciting here! The house renovation is underway (see the demo photos below) and Matt and I are working our way through all of the details and decisions that wan to be made. Can someone just explain to me how there are so many faucet options? Sometimes I’m tempted to close my eyes and point my finger blindly to decide!

We actually spent this past weekend doing ALL house stuff. Liam stayed with my parents and had a blast while we were running from design stores to furniture stores to mopping up a basement flood (hello, home ownership)! It was super productive and now I’m just trying not to second guess any of our selections.

Here’s the view from our future mudroom through to our kitchen and then den.

View from the front door!

The next few weeks are more of the same and NEXT WEEK is my sister’s wedding. Anyone want to help me write my maid of honor speech??

Big boy got his second haircut!

Now for this week’s updates….

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Fluffernutter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Peanut Butter Banana Icebox Cake from Taste and Tell

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake from Smitten Kitchen

Peanut Butter Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting from Bake 350

Buckwheat, Banana, Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate Pancakes from Yammie’s Noshery

Milk and Cookies Cake from Sweet Style CA

I hope that you all are having a wonderful week!

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 8/6/16

August 6, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

This summer is just crazy. One day we are kicking off my sister’s wedding festivities and the next we are buying a house. It feels like we’ve been running around since then and now we are about to start the big house renovation (!!!!!) and my sister’s wedding is this month. What a summer!

Even though the big demolition day isn’t until Monday, I’ve basically spent every free moment of the last three months on Houzz. Apparently when you gut most of your house, there are a lot of decisions to make. It’s super exciting but also overwhelming. I’m dying to see the changes start happening but know I’ve also got to make a ton of decisions in the next couple of weeks to make that happen. Who knew picking out the handle for a kitchen cabinet would feel like such a big deal? I might have to recruit L to start making some decisions for me. Toddlers very strong opinions, you know.

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Brownie Krispie Treats

Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

No-Bake Blueberry Pie

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

White Chocolate Cherry Espresso Bean Cookies from Sweet Recipeas

Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding from Smitten Kitchen

Nectarine Coffee Cake from Kitchen Konfidence

Mint Chocolate Cado Ice Cream from Eating Bird Food

Mixed Berry Confetti Layer Cake from Yes to Yolks

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

August 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

For the ice cream base:

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

For the peanut butter swirl:

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

For the chocolate swirl:

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

Instructions

Make ice cream base:

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

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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

You might also like:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Blog, Recipes

Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze

July 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 16 – 20 servings

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the blueberries:

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

For the batter:

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

Vanilla Bean Glaze:

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

Instructions

To make the cake:

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

To make the Glaze:

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Blog, Recipes

Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

July 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

Double Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

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July 9, 2016 keepitsw Leave a comment

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Brownie Krispie Treats

July 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

Thick, chewy rice krispie treats “glued” to a fudgy brownie base with a layer of marshmallow fluff!

A few weeks ago, my mom and I hosted my sister’s bridal shower. Leading up to the party, my mom and I (and actually, my dad, too) spent hours and hours brainstorming, theme planning, cooking, baking, decorating and so forth. The shower ended up being so much fun, though, and actually pretty stress-free after all of the work we did in advance! The food was a hit, the decorations were festive, the cocktails were strong and my sister was happy! It was basically a massive success.

When we first started planning, my mom and I had a million ideas of things we wanted to incorporate, but in the end, we came up with a theme that embodied Jessica’s favorite foods, drinks and her personality. By settling on a “He Popped The Question” theme (with some Mexican influence <- her favorite food of all time), we were able to come up with a menu and party plan that really worked together. Basically, we took the word “pop” and ran with it!

The food was all pick-up, including mozzerella and tomato skewers (pop-like) and shot glasses full of Mexican street corn salad. We created a special champagne margarita that everyone enjoyed in their personalized glasses- get it, pop / champagne? There was a massive popcorn table (some homemade and some store-bought). And then of course there was a dessert table. It included s’mores pops, champagne cupcakes, funfetti pop rock bars, Mexican blondies (recipe coming soon!) and of course these Brownie Krispie Treats (snap, crackle, POP! anyone?).

You know I don’t mess around when it comes to dessert. Think fudgy brownie, gooey marshmallow fluff and sky-high chewy rice krispie treats all perfectly stacked into a dreamy dessert bar. They were a big hit at the party and I’m now mildly obsessed.

Coming from someone who generally does not enjoy making rice krispie treats (stick hands drive me crazy!), I have to tell you that this dessert is worth every ounce of effort and messy hands. They not only looked outrageous, but also tasted incredible. And going along with the all of the advanced preparation, this is a bar dessert that you can definitely make ahead of time. I made and froze the brownie over a month in advance, then finished the rest the day before the party. After storing leftovers in my fridge for a couple of weeks, though, I can assure you that they stay super fresh for several days after making. So handy when planning for a big party!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Brownie Krispie Treats

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Thick, chewy rice krispie treats “glued” to a fudgy brownie base with a layer of marshmallow fluff!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18-24 servings

Ingredients

Brownie:

128g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
170g (3/4 cups) unsalted butter
208g (~1 cup) granulated sugar
200g (~¾ cup + 2 tablespoons, packed) light brown sugar
140g (~2 whole + 1 yolk) whole eggs, at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
145g (~1 cups + 1 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt

Rice Krispie Treats

71g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
10 cups (425 grams) miniature marshmallows, divided
2g (1/2 teaspoon) kosher salt
1 milliliter (1/4 teaspoon) vanilla extract
160g (3 cups) Rice Krispies cereal

Other:

200g (1¾ cups marshmallow fluff)

Instructions

Make the brownie:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared baking pan
Bake 16-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
Set brownies aside to cool completely before removing from pan with parchment paper and wrap well until ready to use (see notes for storage)

Make rice krispie treats:

Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper big enough to have it fold over each side of pan
In a large pot, melt butter and 300g (7 cups) marshmallows over medium heat; stir constantly until completely melted; stir in vanilla and salt
Remove pot from heat and stir in remaining marshmallows and rice krispies until all cereal is coated
Grease your hands with non-stick cooking spray and press rice krispie treat mixture into prepared baking pan; allow to cool for twenty minutes until completing recipe

To put everything together:

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat marshmallow fluff for 15 seconds; stir well and then carefully spread over brownie base
Using edges of parchment paper, carefully lift rice krispie treats out of pan and turn upside down onto frosted brownie, lightly press onto krispie treats so that dessert becomes intact
Remove parchment paper from top and place entire dessert in refrigerator for one hour to chill before slicing and serving

Notes

Can be doubled by using two 9x13 pans for each component; brownie baking time will increase to about 25 minutes
To make in advance:
Brownie can be baked up to two months in advance if wrapped well in tin foil and frozen (I recommend keeping parchment paper on bottom)
Remainder of recipe can be completed up to one week in advance of serving; store entire dessert well wrapped in tin foil refrigerator
Completed dessert can also be frozen up to one month
Rice Krispie treat recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

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

You might also like:

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats with Mocha Ganache

Cinnamon Bun Krispie Treats

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 7/2/16

July 2, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

There is big news to share today!!! We bought a house!

Finally homeowners!

Picnic dinner in the new house.

Our own outdoor space!

After three months under contract, we finally closed. I’ve been dying to share the news, but I was so nervous that something would fall through that I didn’t want to say anything publicly yet. Luckily, the close went very smoothly and we hugged and shook hands with the previous owners.

While it’s really exciting that the it’s now our house, we won’t actually be moving for a few more months. We are doing a complete house renovation that would be difficult for us (especially L) to live through. Think knocking down walls, new kitchen (!!!!), new floor plan, the works. The good news is that we’ve been working on our plans since we bid on the house and just need to get them approved from the town to start construction. Cross your fingers that it goes smoothly!

So in addition to everything else that’s been keeping my life crazy, the house plans have also taken over my life. Anyone else spend hours each day on Houzz? If you have any experience or words of wisdom on going through this whole process, I’d love to hear them!

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream (no churn)

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Fluffernutter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Homemade Healthy Fudgesicles from Well Plated

Upside Down Berry Cornmeal Coffee Cake from Recipe Girl

Plum and Rhubarb Cobbler from Eat the Love

Milk and Cookies Cake from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Almost No Bake Drumstick Cheesecake from Melanie Makes

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

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June 28, 2016 keepitsw Leave a comment

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June 28, 2016 keepitsw Leave a comment

Blog, Recipes

Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

June 28, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Graham and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

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

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
While whipping cream, in a separate large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, graham cracker crumbs, graham cracker pieces and vanilla
Fold cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan
In a small microwave-safe dish, heat chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted
Pour half of milk chocolate over ice cream; use a knife to marbleize chocolate and ice cream
Top with remaining ice cream and repeat
Wrap well with seran wrap or in an ice cream container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight

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

You might also like:

No Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

No Churn Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream

Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 6/11/16

June 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet Leave a comment

These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Last weekend was my sister’s bridal shower, a major high! I have a lot I want to share (menu, recipes, etc.) from the party… hopefully one of my favorite desserts from the event will be on the blog this week. The shower came together really well after months of planning and I’m so happy that my sister enjoyed it every bit as much as we hoped she would.

Jess and I at her bridal shower!

The last week has been a little less exciting with no big event to plan for and instead was filled with long days with a sick toddler. Poor L has been dealing with a never-ending cold of sorts. Between the medicine and lack of good play time, he and I are both so over it! Luckily we are back with my parents and sister this weekend (it’s Jessica’s fiancé’s bachelor party!) so we have good company to distract us.

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Fluffernutter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Malted Strawberry No Churn Ice Cream from The Whole Bite

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat The Love

Rhubarb Pudding Cakes from Seasons and Suppers

Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake from Brown Eyed Baker

Brown Sugar Crumb Cake from Cookies and Cups

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

June 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

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

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

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

Make them, eat them, enjoy. Repeat!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Blueberry Crisp Oatmeal Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 28 large cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Blueberry White Chocolate Brown Butter Cookies

Summer Berry Skillet Fruit Crisp

Blog, Recipes

Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream

May 24, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ice Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

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

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed for several minutes, just until stiff peaks form
While whipping cream, in a separate large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; stir in Oreos
In a separate small bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon; set aside
Once cream is ready, fold it into sweetened condensed milk mixture
Pour half of ice cream into a regular-sized loaf pan and drop half of brown sugar mixture over top; top with remaining ice cream and top with remaining brown sugar mixture; wrap well with seran wrap or tin foil
Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving

Notes

Base from Martha Stewart

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

You might also like:

New York Crumb Cake Ice Cream

Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream

Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

Blog

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 5/21/16

May 21, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Happy weekend! We are heading up to Boston to for my sister’s tea ceremony! It’s the kick-off to a summer full of wedding celebrations and I’m so excited. Unfortunately it’s a really short trip, so I won’t get to eat my way through the city like I normally would want, but it will be fun. I’m just crossing my fingers that L is a good sport for the 4+ hour drive two days in a row! I’m going armed with books, crayons, stickers and snacks. On the drive back, we are even going to stop at an aquarium. Other than that, I’m hoping that half of each ride is a nap. Otherwise we might be listening to a lot of “Done.” and “No.” along the way!

Rainy day survival at a local play space! Fireman L to the rescue;-)

In the mean time, I promise another all-star ice cream recipe this week in time for Memorial Day Weekend! And if you need some other dessert ideas for Memorial Day, here are some favorites:

Lemon Cookies with White Chocolate Chips & Strawberry Buttercream

Speculoos Sundaes with Warm Blueberry Sauce

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

No Churn Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Cookies

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Fluffernutter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Trashy Treats from Cookies and Cups

Healthy Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie from Well Plated

Neapolitan Popsicles from Cooking Classy

Baked Blueberry Pancake “Cake” from Port and Fin

Peanut Butter & Jelly Pretzel Bars from The Brunette Baker

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

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

May 12, 2016 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert, Snack

Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

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

You might also like:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bites (gluten-free and vegan)

No-Bake Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls (gluten-free and vegan)

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten-free)

Blog

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 5/7/16

May 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day weekend! It’s my second year as a mom and I definitely understand why the holiday can be such a big deal. Being a mom can be hard and while it’s truly rewarding to be a parent, it’s nice to get an extra special thank you on occasion.

Matt and L have already treated me to flowers, chocolates and a pancake breakfast. We will spend the rest of the morning together (maybe get outside now that it’s not raining for the first time in a week?) and then this afternoon I’m heading out for a manicure and pedicure. Ah that sounds pretty luxurious at the moment. Not a bad Saturday at all! Tomorrow afternoon we are going to see my parents and celebrate some more with them.

So thankful for gym class this week. The weather was terrible and we went three times!

What are your plans? Are you being spoiled for all that you do as a mom or celebrating someone else? If you are still working out your celebration eats here are a few festive suggestions:

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Fluffernutter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Icebox Cake from Life Love and Sugar

Funfetti Coffee Cake from We Are Not Martha

Riesling Rhubarb Crisp Cake from Grandbaby Cakes

Double Layer Cookies from Seasons and Suppers

Cookies and Cream Cookies from Eat the Love

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

May 2, 2016 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Ice Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~1½ quarts

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

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

For the peanut butter swirl:

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

Instructions

Make ice cream base:

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

Make peanut butter swirl:

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

Notes

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

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This post contains affiliate links.

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

You might also like:

No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

No Churn Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Blog

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 4/30/16

April 30, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

It’s been a few weeks since I gave much of a personal update on the blog and while life seems crazy, I don’t think all that much has changed! Our trip to Florida was wonderful but already seems forever ago. The days were full of sunshine, family, friends, swimming and ice cream eating (can you tell we are related?). I don’t know where the last couple of weeks have gone Spring sure is moving along! I’m ready for more warm weather and sunshine.

When the sun is out, so are we!

Life with L is just non-stop busy. I mentioned that before but seriously, the kid gives me a run for my money. He is so darn smart and I can tell his brain is going 100 miles a minute at all times. As a result, I’ve got to be on my toes to keep up! Over the last week he’s been trying to talk so much. He tries to repeat 90% of the words I say (guess I should be careful!) and is so close to being able to string two words together at a time (he has done it a few times). The other day I handed him pretzels and he said “two” because he knew there were two of them. In each book that we read, he identifies every animal and object he can find. And crazy enough, he knows a lot of letters in the alphabet! “D” for daddy might be his favorite but “I” for ice cream is up there too. Now if only he’d listen when I said “no” and take longer naps! Ha!

With all the non-stop mommy energy I’ve been completely wiped out lately. The other night I requested an entire chocolate cake but had to settle for a couple of bowls of ice cream instead. When does parenting get easier? Does it? Maybe don’t answer that!

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Strawberry Confetti Cake from Sweet Style CA

Strawberry Crumb Cake from Baker by Nature

5-Minute No-Knead Bread from Port and Fin

Blackberry Rhubarb Bread from Where is My Spoon

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat the Love

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

April 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 36 small bars

Ingredients

Crust:

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

Cheesecake Filling:

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

Instructions

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

Make the crust:

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

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

You might also like:

Cappuccino Cheesecake Cake Bars

No Bake Cookie Dough Oreo Cheesecakes

Funky Monkey Cheesecake Bars

Blog, Recipes

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

April 21, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 large cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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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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Cranberry and White Chocolate Pistachio Dusted Cookies

Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Blog, Recipes

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

April 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 14 cheesecakes

Ingredients

Cheesecake:

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

For the whipped cream

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

Instructions

For cheesecake:

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

For the whipped cream:

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

Notes

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

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

Orange Ginger Spritzer from The Lemon Bowl

Asparagus and Pea Puff Pastry Tarts from Belly Full

Blood Orange Doughnuts from Cook Like a Champion

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Cups from Keep It Sweet Dessert

Meyer Lemon Soufflé from Blahnik Baker

Strawberry Tartlets from The Cooking Actress

New York-Style Rhubarb Crumb Cake from Warm Vanilla Sugar

Berry Fool Tarts From Bake or Break

Lemon Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Baker Chick

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes from Baker by Nature

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

Blog, Recipes

The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies

April 5, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 2 reviews

The Fudgiest Fleur de Sel Brownies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Heart-Shaped Brownie Pops

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Blog

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 4/2/16

April 2, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Anyone else have a rough week? Poor L has been sick since Sunday and I was just in complete survival mode. Luckily he’s finally on an antibiotic for strep throat and mostly back to normal. Poor Matt caught some L’s germs too. I’m crossing my fingers that (for a change) I don’t catch any of it. We are supposed to go to Florida on Thursday and that needs to happen.

Onto better things… We got some good news on a personal front that I’ll hopefully share soon (yes, I know, annoying) and no, I’m not pregnant! Also, plans for my sister’s bridal shower are coming along nicely. My mom and I have been scheming up a really fun and delicious menu. Now I just need to work on the rest of the bachelorette plans! We decided to go to South Beach so if you have anything that we need to do or eat while there, please let me know.

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Mixed Berry Sauce

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Cherry Poppy Seed Cake from David Lebovitz

Peanut Butter Honey Banana Muffins from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Chocolate Bread from Girl Versus Dough

Healthy ‘Snickers’ Crisp Rice Slice from The Little Loaf

Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Better Homes and Gardens

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

March 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

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

Buttercream:

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

Instructions

Cupcakes:

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

Buttercream:

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

Notes

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

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This post contains affiliate links. I received a copy of Eating in the Middle for free, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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

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Mini Lemon Layer Cake for Two

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 3/27/16

March 27, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

How has everyone’s week been? We’ve got so much going on over here. It’s good and exciting, but so busy! I think that’s just this time in life. Mostly good stuff here like making plans for trips and my sister’s bridal shower and finally finding a dress for Jess’s wedding. I’ll just try to forget the major mom brain moments I’ve been having while trying to book flights or do other mundane daily activities. Seriously, when do I get all my brain cells back?

L going down the slide by himself!

While I feel incapable of handling just one child and a blog half of the time, I have some friends that truly inspire me with all that they do. In particular, my friend, Kristin, who just so happens to have twin 3-year old boys and a son L’s age, is constantly amazing me. She recently started her own business, Birch & Berry Boutique, an Etsy shop that specializes in creating one of a kind handmade monograms, signs, vases and floral arrangements. Everything in the shop is curated especially for home, nursery and event decor and is just beautiful. I highly recommend you check it out. You can find Birch & Berry Boutique on Etsy, Instagram and Facebook (<— check out Facebook for her current promotion).

How gorgeous is this monogram?

*This is NOT sponsored. I just wanted to tell you about my friend’s awesome business!*

Now for this week’s updates….

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Mixed Berry Sauce

Three favorite things I pinned all week:

5-Ingredient Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet from Ambitious Kitchen

Bourbon & Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Drizzle from Butterlust

Carrot Sheet Cake from Handle the Heat

I hope that you all are having a wonderful weekend!

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 3/20/16

March 20, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

I hope everyone’s having a great weekend and kicking off the first day of Spring on a happy note! I’m currently writing from my parents’ in the midst of a big celebratory weekend. My sister, her fiancé, Matt, L and I have been planning to be together this weekend and celebrate my parents’ big birthdays (my dad’s was a couple of weeks ago and my mom’s is next week)! Of course it was fun to all just be together, but it was a very special treat that the 6 of us (adults only) all went out to dinner last night. Can you believe that we hadn’t done that since before L was born? We kicked the evening off with some bubbly and then enjoyed a ton of good food. From fried zucchini chips, to grilled octopus and warm pita bread, it was all delicious. We also brought birthday cake and cupcakes (extra icing for mom and lemon poppy seed cupcakes for dad).

Someone was such a big help with the stroller haha!

A few other things I wanted to mention before the regular updates…

1) I’m really excited to tell you about the launch of Bon Recipé! It’s a service that brings my recipes (and others!) straight to your door , accompanied with coupons, giveaways, and other offers. Even better, proceeds go towards a charity that feeds hungry children around the world. Check it out today!

2) This recipe for chocolate quick-bread is SO good. I made it twice in one week and it disappeared very quickly.

3) This mustard sheet-pan dinner was also a huge hit in my house (L LOVED it). Pretty easy and quite delicious.

Now for this week’s updates….

New Posts on the Blog:

Blood Orange Truffles

Triple Chip Cookies

Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Cream

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Chocolate Meringue Cake from Bake or Break

Rye Brownies with Caramel and Sea Salt from Eat the Love

Magic Mix from The Baker Mama

No-Bake Butterfinger Cheesecake Cups from Cookies and Cups

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Chocolate Chip Pound Cake from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

This post contains affiliate links.

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

Blog, Recipes

Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Cream

March 16, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

The Ultimate Banana Pudding with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Vanilla Custard

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

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

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

40-50 vanilla wafers

3 just ripe (firm) bananas, thinly sliced

Instructions

See notes on preparation timing below

Vanilla Custard

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

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

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

To put it all together

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

Notes

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

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Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

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Blog, Recipes

Triple Chip Cookies

March 14, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Triple Chip Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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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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Blog, Recipes

Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

March 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

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Lemon Truffles

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 3/5/16

March 5, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Hi from the land of I-am-so-behind! I probably could have gotten some recipe posts up for you this week but I gave myself a break for a change and tried to sort of take it easy. L had a bit of a cold that I’m now recovering from (the usual cycle) and it slowed me down quite a bit. Naps were short and I just didn’t have it in me to work much at night. Instead I found myself going to sleep around 8:30 for a couple of nights. Guess I needed that, huh?

I do feel bad about skipping a week of recipe posts, though, because I actually have a pretty awesome backlog of recipes to share. My plan is to get you something awesome and blood orange-y up on Monday so stay tuned! Also waiting to be unloaded from my camera are some really, really good cookies and a spin on banana pudding. I promise they are all coming!

Someone loves to steal my sunglasses

Thanks for the nice notes about being away from L last weekend. The 24-hours was the perfect amount of time and I was only kind of sort of heartbroken when he didn’t seem excited to see me. No biggie. Matt and I had a pretty great time eating our way around the city, though. We had lunch at The Butcher’s Daughter, snacked at Dominique Ansel and dined at Little Prince (<—-excellent).

This weekend we will all be together, though, which is good! Sunday we celebrate my Dad’s birthday (and my parents’ anniversary!!). As of now I’m not bringing any dessert, but that feels all sorts of wrong so we will see.

Now for this week’s updates….

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Snickers Cupcakes from Brown Eyed Baker

Shamrock Mint Cookies from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

No Bake S’mores Bites from A Dash of Sanity

Applesauce Carrot Cake Loaf from Baked by Rachel

Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry Cupcakes from We Are Not Martha

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 2/27/16

February 27, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Weekend time! I’m am pretty excited for this weekend because Matt and I are getting a little 24-hour staycation in the city. Without L. This is actually going to be my very first night without him since he was born over 16 months ago. Kind of crazy! I know I’ll miss him a lot but it will be really nice to have a little adult time, especially since that means sleeping in on Sunday. And by sleeping in, I mean waking up a 5:30 anyway but not moving until I feel like it. Ha! Our agenda consists mainly of eating and eating. Oh yeah, some shopping and walking around sans stroller, too.

L loves to give hugs to his friends

Any good stories for me about the first time you spent a night away from your children (if you have)? In a few months I’ll be away for two nights (I know, crazy talk) for my sister’s bachelorette party so this will be good practice.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Blood Orange Pancakes (made with Greek Yogurt & Whole Wheat Flour)

Fluffernutter Cookies

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Over Thirty Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes Without Any Weird Ingredients

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars from Bake or Break

Mint Chocolate Chip Semifreddo Cake from Gringalicious

Thin Mint Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches from Country Cleaver

Buckeye Blondies from Melanie Makes

Soft-Baked Skillet Cookie from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Fluffernutter Cookies

February 26, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

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

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

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

5.0 from 4 reviews

Fluffernutter Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 dozen cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookies:

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

Marshmallow Frosting

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

Instructions

For Cookies:

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

For Frosting:

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

To Make Cookie Sandwiches:

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

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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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Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

Fluffernutter Chocolate Cake

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Blood Orange Pancakes

February 24, 2016 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

Fluffy whole wheat Greek yogurt pancakes infused with the flavors of a blood orange make the best winter breakfast!

It’s a special day today, and that’s not just because we are having mid-week pancakes. Today is the day we celebrate Audra’s growing family! My friend, The Baker Chick, has a baby girl on the way and I’m so darn excited for her.

It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating her first baby, but somehow that was over two years ago. Time flies when you are building a family!

It’s been so wonderful watching Audra grow as a mom. You can tell that she is so loving and this baby girl is going to be a part of a pretty wonderful family. I might be a tiny bit jealous of all the baby cuddles that are about to be had.

Since Audra does brunch better than anyone else I know (hello, cinnamon rolls), it seemed appropriate to throw her a brunch-themed shower. My Blood Orange Pancakes would make any soon-to-be mom happy. And actually, since they are freezer friendly, they’d make any new mom happy, too. The pancakes are light and fluffy thanks to a generous helping of Greek yogurt. There isn’t a ton of added sugar so you can enjoy the flavor of the blood orange instead of being overwhelmed with sweet. Plus, it leaves room to pour on as much maple syrup as your heart desires.

Blood Orange Pancakes made with Greek Yogurt

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Fluffy whole wheat Greek yogurt pancakes infused with the flavors of a blood orange make the best winter breakfast!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 12 pancakes

Ingredients

165g (3 large) whole eggs, at room
227g (1 cup) fat-free plain Greek yogurt
60 milliliters (1/4 cup) milk (any type)
45g (3 tablespoons) light brown sugar, packed
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed blood orange juice (~1/2 orange)
1g (1 teaspoon) zest from a blood orange
75g (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
45g (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
13g (2½ teaspoons) baking powder
2½ g (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, brown sugar, vanilla,orange juice and orange zest; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt
Whisk dry ingredients into wet but do not overmix; batter should still be slightly clumpy
Grease a large skillet with cooking spray or butter; heat on stove over low-medium heat
When skillet is hot (a drop of water should sizzle on pan), ladle scoops of batter (1/4 cup – ½ cup each) into pan about two inches apart from one another
Cook for about three minutes or until top of each pancake is bubbling; flip and cook for additional minute or until cooked through
Repeat with remaining batter

Notes

Slightly adapted from Baker by Nature
Pancakes can be stored and frozen in a ziplock bag up to one month. Re-heat in microwave before serving.

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Don’t forget to check out the rest of Audra’s Shower menu!

Eggs Benedict Poutine from Warm Vanilla Sugar

Breakfast Quinoa Burrito Bowls from The Spiffy Cookie

Blood Orange Pancakes from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Naked Salted Caramel Layer Cake from Girl Versus Dough

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake from Steph’s Bite by Bite

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake from Eats Well With Others

Berry Cream Cheese Pastry Swirls from Bake or Break

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

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Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

Gingerbread French Toast

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 2/20/16

February 20, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Happy weekend! How was your (hopefully) short week? Things were pretty good around here and I’m looking forward to enjoying the weekend. We have a bunch of friends coming over for Mexican food tonight. I hand-juiced a lot of limes last night for margaritas so you know it will be fun. Guacamole, enchiladas and some fun desserts don’t hurt either. Mostly I’m looking forward to catching up with friends, though. We don’t get to see them nearly as often as I like these days!

Then tomorrow we are celebrating my sister’s birthday (February / March are birthday crazy around here). With her new business and summer wedding I think this is going to be a pretty amazing year for Jess.

This bathrobe used to be SO big on him…

Oh, and speaking of margaritas, CruiseOne (a friend of mine works there) has declared Wednesday National Umbrella Drink Day. Now that is a holiday worth celebrating!!! Perhaps a Spicy Skinny Tequila Cocktail is in order? If you decide to celebrate (which you should), post a photo of your drink on social media with #UmbrellaDrinkDay on Wednesday to enter for some awesome prices like a hotel stay in Cancun! In conjunction with the promotion, CruiseOne is donating $1 to Make-A-Wish for every new 2016 booking made between now and February 29th.<—-Not sponsored, just wanted to share!

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

S’mores Layer Cake

Brown Sugar Caramel Pear Crisp

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Peanut Butter Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls from Yes to Yolks

Cake Batter Macarons from Bakers Royale

Junk Food Brownies from Baking a Moment

Dark & Dreamy Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes from Sweetapolita

Yellow Cake with Cookie Dough Filling & Fudge Frosting from Bake 350

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Brown Sugar Caramel Pear Crisp

February 19, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

Brown Sugar Caramel Pear Crisp

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Serves 6

Ingredients

Topping:

55g (~1/2 cup) oat flour* (I pulsed my oatmeal in the food processor until it was the consistency of flour)
40g (~1/2 cup) old fashioned oatmeal*
70g (~1/3 cup, tightly packed) light brown sugar
½g (¼ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
55g (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Filling:

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

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, prepare topping; mix together oat flour, oatmeal and brown sugar
Add butter and use fingers to combine until mixture is slightly lumpy; set aside
Prepare filling; in 9-inch round shallow baking dish (like a pie plate), stir together pears, oat flour and caramel sauce
Distribute topping evenly over top of fruit
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbling and topping is lightly browned, if you see that topping has started to get to brown early, lightly cover with tin foil for remainder of baking time

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Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Adapted from Recipe from The Level Headed Chef

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

You might also like:

Apple and Pear Crisp

Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce

Winter Fruit Crisp

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S’mores Layer Cake

February 15, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more!

It’s ~~cake~~ birthday season here! We kicked things off with a bang last weekend celebrating Matt’s Mom’s and my sister-in-law’s overlapping birthdays. And since it was a double birthday, I knew that the dessert had to be extra special.

And what could be more special than a four-layer cake made to embody the flavors of a classic s’more? We start with a cake batter infused with graham cracker crumbs, ice a couple of layers with toasted marshmallow buttercream, and then slather the whole thing in the lightest creamiest milk chocolate frosting you will ever have.

While I don’t believe in “naked” cakes (who ever decided that less frosting was better than more?), it was fun to photograph the pre-frosted cake because the layers were oh so pretty. I didn’t want to slice into the finished product before serving and this ended up working out nicely. But as I said, I’m partial to more frosting than less, so be sure to slather your cake generously. It will insure that you have an extra special cake for any birthday celebration.

5.0 from 1 reviews

S'mores Layer Cake

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Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Serves 16

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Cake:

340g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
212g (1 cup) granulated sugar
117g (½ cup) light brown sugar, packed
330g (3 cups) cake flour
112g (1 cup) finely ground graham cracker crumbs (plus optional additional crumbs for decorating) :
7½g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking powder
2 ½g (½ teaspoon) salt
150 milliliters (10 tablespoons) whole milk
330g (6 large) whole eggs at room temperature
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) pure vanilla extract

Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream:

80g (1 ½ cups) mini marshmallows
80g (½ cup) powdered sugar
113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
115g (¾ cup) marshmallow fluff
½ teaspoon vanilla

Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

130g milk chocolate, melted and cooled for 30 minutes
225g (1 cups) unsalted butter, softened
180g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) confectioners' sugar, sifted
15 milliliters (1 tablespoons) cold whole milk
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Graham Cracker Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy
Reduce mixer to low speed and slowly add one third of the dry ingredients; add half of the wet ingredients and repeat with both until just combined; do not overmix
Divide batter evenly into prepared baking pans and bake in center of the oven for 33-37 minutes or until a knife comes out clean or with very few moist crumbs from center of cake
Let cake layers cool on a cooling rack for ten minutes before carefully removing from pans to cool completely
When cake layers have completely cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully cot each layer horizontally to create four total cake layers (continue with directions below or see note for advance preparation)

Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream:

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 one to two minutes until nicely browned on top; remove pan and spray a set of tongs with cooking spray; use them to carefully flip marshmallows over onto other sides
Broil marshmallows again for one to two minutes 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 and vanilla and mix on medium high speed until light and creamy (about three minutes); scrape sides of the bowl with spatula
Add half of toasted marshmallows and mix on medium speed for thirty seconds; add remaining marshmallows and mix on medium speed two minutes (there will still be bits of crunch marshmallow but they should be mostly combined)

Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until very light and creamy
Add half of sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; add remaining sugar and mix again on low speed
Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy; reduce speed to low and slowly add milk, vanilla, and cinnamon; scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on low again and slowly add the melted chocolate
Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is creamy and light

To put cake together:

Place one layer of cake on serving plate; top with half of toasted marshmallow buttercream and spread evenly to cover cake layer; top with second layer of cake and spread ⅔ cup milk chocolate frosting over that layer
Place third layer of cake down and spread remaining marshmallow frosting over that; place fourth cake layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining milk chocolate frosting

Notes

For advance preparation, wrap cooled cake layers well with seran and store at room temperature overnight or for one month in freezer
Make sure milk chocolate has cooled for 30 minutes before making chocolate frosting
Frostings best made right before building cake
Store cake in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving; best best enjoyed same day
Graham cracker cake slightly adapted from Food and Wine
Toasted marshmallow frosting from Sweetapolita
Milk chocolate buttercream adapted from chile chocolate buttercream

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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

Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Blog

S’mores Layer Cake

February 15, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more!

5.0 from 1 reviews

S'mores Layer Cake

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Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: Serves 16

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Cake:

340g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
212g (1 cup) granulated sugar
117g (½ cup) light brown sugar, packed
330g (3 cups) cake flour
112g (1 cup) finely ground graham cracker crumbs (plus optional additional crumbs for decorating) :
7½g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking powder
2 ½g (½ teaspoon) salt
150 milliliters (10 tablespoons) whole milk
330g (6 large) whole eggs at room temperature
30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) pure vanilla extract

Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream:

80g (1 ½ cups) mini marshmallows
80g (½ cup) powdered sugar
113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
115g (¾ cup) marshmallow fluff
½ teaspoon vanilla

Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

130g milk chocolate, melted and cooled for 30 minutes
225g (1 cups) unsalted butter, softened
180g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) confectioners' sugar, sifted
15 milliliters (1 tablespoons) cold whole milk
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Graham Cracker Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; set aside
In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars on medium-high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy
Reduce mixer to low speed and slowly add one third of the dry ingredients; add half of the wet ingredients and repeat with both until just combined; do not overmix
Divide batter evenly into prepared baking pans and bake in center of the oven for 33-37 minutes or until a knife comes out clean or with very few moist crumbs from center of cake
Let cake layers cool on a cooling rack for ten minutes before carefully removing from pans to cool completely
When cake layers have completely cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully cot each layer horizontally to create four total cake layers (continue with directions below or see note for advance preparation)

Toasted Marshmallow Buttercream:

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 one to two minutes until nicely browned on top; remove pan and spray a set of tongs with cooking spray; use them to carefully flip marshmallows over onto other sides
Broil marshmallows again for one to two minutes 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 and vanilla and mix on medium high speed until light and creamy (about three minutes); scrape sides of the bowl with spatula
Add half of toasted marshmallows and mix on medium speed for thirty seconds; add remaining marshmallows and mix on medium speed two minutes (there will still be bits of crunch marshmallow but they should be mostly combined)

Milk Chocolate Buttercream:

In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until very light and creamy
Add half of sugar and mix on low speed for one minute; add remaining sugar and mix again on low speed
Beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy; reduce speed to low and slowly add milk, vanilla, and cinnamon; scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on low again and slowly add the melted chocolate
Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is creamy and light

To put cake together:

Place one layer of cake on serving plate; top with half of toasted marshmallow buttercream and spread evenly to cover cake layer; top with second layer of cake and spread ⅔ cup milk chocolate frosting over that layer
Place third layer of cake down and spread remaining marshmallow frosting over that; place fourth cake layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining milk chocolate frosting

Notes

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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

Peanut Butter S’mores Parfaits

Hot Cocoa Cookies

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 2/13/16

February 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

As we navigate through the challenge that is the transition from two naps to one, things are definitely improving. L’s at least willing to nap in his crib, it’s just not for nearly as much time as I’d like. So dramatic, isn’t it? Before being a mom I never understood why parents would obsess over their kids’ sleep so much but now I get it. Sleep (for parent and child) = key to happiness. Ha!

Overall, though, things are good. L’s starting to try to say so many different words, Current favorites include “sit” (especially amusing while popping up and down in the bathtub), “ha” for hi (while holing a phone to his head) and “stih” for stir (while doing the action of course). It’s so cute. He’s also growing so well socially, becoming more outgoing and adventurous every day. And daring, too. The kid gives me 10,000 heart attacks a day.

L decided it was his own personal puppet show at our gym class

This weekend we are all going to my parents’ which will be fun. An added bonus? Matt and I get a real date on Valentine’s Day. Historically we’ve chosen to spend the holiday in with pizza and champagne, but it will be nice to take advantage of the opportunity to have a child-free restaurant meal.

And on that note, here are a few of my favorite recipes for Valentine’s Day:

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes <-decadent and amazing
Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream <- cute and delicious
Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Frosting <- everyone loves these!
Valentine’s Day Brownie Pops <- HEART shaped!
Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies <-super easy
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing <- so pretty
Lemon Truffles <- perfect for gifting
Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust <- only 4 ingredients and no-bake
Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups <- fun and different

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Red Velvet Blondies

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Mixed Berry Sauce

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Cinnamon Bun Oreo Cheesecake Bars from We Are Not Martha

Truffle Brownies from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Shortbread Animal Cracker Cookies from Baked by Rachel

Roasted Grapefruit Margaritas with Smoked Sea Salt from Heather Christo

Homemade Do-Si-Dos from Baking a Moment

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Red Velvet Blondies

February 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Red Velvet Blondies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing

Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Buttercream

Blog, Recipes

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

February 8, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

Easy Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Significantly adapted from these muffins.

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

You might also like:

Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread

Lighter Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 2/6/16

February 6, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

What a difference a week makes! Things have been going a lot better here and I’m feeling SO much more human. I actually had a pretty productive week and got a couple of things done that weren’t even on my to-do list. Shocking! We have a fun weekend planned including birthday celebrations and Super Bowl eating watching. Speaking of which, here are some desserts you should add to your list for the big game:

Brown Butter Cookie Dough Dip (dessert dip!)
Chewy Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bars (super easy crowd-pleaser)
Ginger Pecan Candy Crack (because crack.)
Grown-up Puppy Chow Popcorn (we loved this)
Hot Cocoa Cookies (who doesn’t love super chocolatey cookies?)
Mini M&M Cookies (mini cookies are great for snacking)
Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake (so festive and insanely delicious)
Sweet and Salty Candy Bar Blondies (a long-time reader favorite)

Someone was surprisingly enthusiastic about wearing a hat!

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Cookie Monster Cake from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes from Handle the Heat

Lemon Pound Cake Bars from Bake or Break

Banana-Graham S’mores Cake Supreme from Sweetapolita

Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Mousse Jars from Gastro Senses

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

February 3, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 2 reviews

Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30

Ingredients

Brownies:

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

Vanilla Buttercream

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

Instructions

For the Brownies:

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

For the Buttercream:

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Fudgy Mocha Chip Brownies with Espresso Sea Salt

Fudgy Double Creme de Menthe Brownies

Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies

Blog, Recipes

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

February 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

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

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

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

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Blog, Recipes

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

February 1, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Vanilla M&M Shortbread Cookies

Save Print

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Mini M&M Cookies

Mega M&M Cookies

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/30/16

January 30, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

This was not my proudest week. In the world of parenting, it’s been tough, and I have not been the best at dealing it. I’ve been taking out my lack of patience on too many people and really need to turn that around asap, or at least before my husband and mom decide to ignore my phone calls! Hopefully things will turn themselves around soon (dear nap gds, make that happen!), but until then, someone just remind me to take deep breathes.

Take me that way!

This weekend should help, though. Today we have some plans for the three of us and then tomorrow I”m going bridesmaid dress shopping with my sister. Girl’s day! We don’t get opportunities for that nearly enough, so I hope Jess doesn’t mind that I plan on taking as much of her time as she is willing to give. Never mind that she just started her own business, I’m sure she will be fine shopping all day with me.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

The 30 Best Dessert Dips to Make for the Super Bowl

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Bean Wafers from Smitten Kitchen

One Bowl Red Velvet Cupcakes from Baker by Nature

Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookies from Brown Eyed Baker

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie from Bakerita

Pumpkin Oat Bread from Naturally Ella

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

The Thirty Best Dessert Dips To Make for The Super Bowl

January 29, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

3-Ingredient Chocolate Lava Dip from Two Healthy Kitchens

5-Minute Whipped Caramel Apple Dip from Country Cleaver

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

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

Brownie Batter Dip from Tammilee Tips

Candy Cane S’mores Dip from Cafe Delites

Cannoli Dip from Wine Lady Cooks

Cherry Cheesecake Dip from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fruit Dip from The Lemon Bowl

Cookie Dough Dip from Belly Full

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip from Diethood

Creamy Lemon Dip from Cooking on the Front Burners

Fruit Salsa from Culinary Hill

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip from Running to the Kitchen

Homemade Cookie Butter from Donuts, Dresses and Dirt

Hot Chocolate Dip from Neighbor Food Blog

Hot Fudge Malt Dip from Crumbs and Chaos

Lime Curd Dip from Always Order Dessert

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip from Chocolate Moosey

Nutella Cheesecake Dip from Snappy Gourmet

Peanut Butter Brownie Batter Dip from Crazy For Crust

Peanut Butter Cup Apple Dip from Crumbs and Chaos

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip from Country Cleaver

Pumpkin Yogurt Dip from The Lean Green Bean

Skinny Cookie Dough Dip from With Salt and Whit

Skinny Red Velvet Cookie Dough from With Salt and Whit

Slow Cookie Caramel Apple Pie Dip from The Magical Slow Cooker

Strawberry Cheesecake Dip from Julies Eats and Treats

Tagalong Cookie Dough Dip from Wine and Glue

Tiramisu Dip from Lemon Tree Dwelling

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

Blog, Recipes

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

January 25, 2016 Keep It Sweet 6 Comments

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

Sometimes I’m a really good wife.

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert, Snack

Makes: 3 cups

Ingredients

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

Instructions

*Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and place in fridge until completely cooled for (about 30 minutes)
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment; add cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed or until well combined
Add sugars, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed until completely combined
Stir in chocolate chips
Serve immediately or store covered in refrigerator up to three days
Serve with graham crackers and pretzels

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars

M&M Cookie Dough Cups

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/23/16

January 23, 2016 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Boy am I feeling behind on life! We had an amazing vacation but it’s been a rough week trying to get back to work since a certain little someone has decided to boycott all naps. I have so many recipes waiting to be made and vacation pictures to share but they are just going to be a little bit delayed. I promise they upcoming recipes are worth the wait, though!

L’s first time actually “jumping” on the trampoline!

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Grown-Up Puppy Chow Popcorn

Valentine’s Day Heart-Shaped Brownie Pops

Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Three favorite things I pinned all week:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies from Bakerita

Ultimate Sampler Cake from Sprinkle Bakes

Dark and Dreamy Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake from Sweetapolita

All-in-One Breakfast Muffins from Port and Fin

Double Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies from Warm Vanilla Sugar

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake

January 18, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Football Cookie Cake

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Cake:

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

Milk Chocolate Glaze

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

For decorating:

20g (3 tablespoons) white chocolate chips

Instructions

Make the cookie cake:

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

Make glaze

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Cake

Black and White Cookie Cake

Thin Mint Cookie Cake

Blog, Recipes

Valentine’s Day Brownie Pops

January 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 4 dozen pops (easily doubles)

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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The fudgiest brownies ever.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: One 9x13 pan of brownies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Blog, Recipes

Grown Up Puppy Chow Popcorn

January 11, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Grown Up Puppy Chow Popcorn

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Snack, Dessert

Makes: 12 cups

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/9/16

January 9, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

As you read this, I’m headed to Charleston with Matt and L. I’m so excited for a week for the three of us to explore the city, eat all the food, and just get some quality family time. Anything we must see or do while we are in town?

This will be our first flight with L since he was seven months so that will be interesting… We actually downloaded a bunch of Mickey Mouse videos on the iPad for backup. Between that, a few of his favorite books and some toys, hopefully we will all get there in one piece! Follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (@keepitsweet_LL) if you are interested in vacation photos.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

Over 30 Gluten-Free Desserts Without Any Weird Ingredients

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Three favorite things I pinned all week:

Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Bars from Simply Quinoa

Peanut Butter Cup Flourless Chocolate Cake Roll from Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Raspberry Marshmallows from Dessert for Two

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Over 30 Gluten-Free Desserts Without Any Weird Ingredients

January 8, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

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

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

Cookies:

Chocolate Chunk Meringues

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues

Specialty Desserts

Blackberry, Peach and Pistachio Crisp

Fall Pavlova with Caramelized Apples and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

Light-as-Air Banana Cheesecake

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

Skillet Apple Crisp with Brown Butter Sauce

Winter Fruit Crisp

Ice Cream

Blueberry Chocolate Chunk Frozen Yogurt

Blueberry Crisp Ice Cream

Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Fudge Ripple

Chocolate Ice Cream with Salty Candied Peanuts

Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Lemon Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream

Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream

Homemade Candy

Blueberry Buttercream Cups

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover’s Bark

Double Dip Mints

Ginger Pecan Candy Crack

Lemon Truffles

Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Crack

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

Dips and Sauces

Brown Sugar Chai-Spiced Caramel Fondue

Hot Fudge

Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sauce

Salted Caramel

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

London Bakes

Feed Me Phoebe

All Day I Dream About Food

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

This post contains affiliate links.

Blog, Recipes

Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

January 6, 2016 Keep It Sweet 12 Comments

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

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

Worth-it desserts. My motto, always!

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Snickers Brown Butter Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 30 large cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

Brown the butter: Heat butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately (You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter) pour browned butter immediately into a small bowl and place in fridge to cool for fifteen minutes
Once butter has cooled, place in the large bowl of an electric mixer with peanut butter and sugars; beat on medium-high speed until well combined (will be the texture of wet sand)
Add egg and vanilla, mix on medium-high speed until well combined
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to wet ingredients with mixer on low speed; do not over mix
Slowly stir in snickers
Chill dough for 24 hours for best results (minimum of 2 hours) before baking
When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) on to prepared baking sheets (note it is normal for cookie dough to be very hard, you can let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes prior to scooping); if dough is crumbly, make sure to tightly pack the scoops before baking
Top scoops of cookie dough with flaky sea salt
Bake cookies ~15 minutes or until firm and edges are golden brown
Allow to cool before serving; best enjoyed within four days or frozen up to two months

Notes

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

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

January 4, 2016 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Snack, Breakfast

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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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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Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bites

Peanut Butter Banana Energy Balls

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Ripple

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 1/2/16

January 2, 2016 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

Happy New Year! 2015 sure had some bumps (let’s make 2016 a healthy one, everybody!) but as a whole, it was a really great year.

As for resolutions? I’m not really setting any. Maybe I want to try to find a little more balance of me time, family time and blog time but that seems to be a continuous work in progress. I’m not trying to lose weight (phew!), though I’m going to continue to work on trusting myself to eat intuitively. I do have blog goals but I don’t like to set them as resolutions because I put enough pressure on myself that way, anyway. What about you? Do you make resolutions?

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2015

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

Three favorite things I pinned all week:

Flourless Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies from Le Creme de la Crumb

Mini Buche de Noel (no-bake) from Sugar Hero

What to do with Leftover Cookies from Craftsy via Cakespy

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2015

December 29, 2015 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

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

The ten most visited recipe posts from 2015:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My ten favorite recipes from 2015:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You might also like:

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2014

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2013

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2012

The Top Keep It Sweet Desserts of 2011

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 12/26/15

December 26, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

I hope you all had a wonderful coupe of days celebrating Christmas or just enjoying an extended weekend! We kicked holiday off by seeing some friends on Christmas Eve and then an afternoon of eating Chinese food, dinking and building gingerbread houses with my family. The adults did all the building and then L proceeded to deconstruct and eat the treats off of the houses. Ha! The rest of the weekend will include more family time and hopefully some relaxing!

L is currently obsessed with dogs! Got him to sit still at the bank for about two minutes with that magazine.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Gingerbread French Toast

Lemon Truffles

Five Champagne Desserts for New Year’s Eve

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Crockpot Hot Chocolate and Hot Chocolate Bar from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

How to Make Hot Chocolate on a Stick from Baking Bites

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes from Baker by Nature

Nutella Stuffed Deep Dish Gingerbread Cookie from Cafe Delights

Soft Gingerbread Cookies from Fake Ginger

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Five Champagne Desserts for New Year’s Eve

December 25, 2015 Keep It Sweet Leave a comment

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

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

Pink Champagne Cake Pops from Keep It Sweet Desserts

Pomegranate Champagne Sorbet from The Cookie Rookie

Sparkling Champagne Cookie-wiches from The Frugal Foodie Mama

Sparkling Wine Tiramisu from Peas and Peonies

White Grapes Champagne Granita from Diethood

Blog, Recipes

Lemon Truffles

December 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

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

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

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

Lemon Truffles

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Adapted from these white chocolate truffles

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

You might also like:

No Churn Lemon Ice Cream

Lemon Berry Pavlova Parfaits

Mini Lemon Cupcakes

Blog, Recipes

Gingerbread French Toast

December 21, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gingerbread French Toast

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Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

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Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

Giant Caramel Apple Cinnamon Bun

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 12/19/15

December 19, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

I am beyond happy for this week to be over. The second half of the week wasn’t so bad but on Monday night I was in a car accident with L. Thankfully neither of us was hurt (I’ve been counting my blessings all week), but it was definitely the scariest car accident I’ve ever been in. The other car ran a red light and my poor car took a beating but will be okay. L was super secure in his car seat and back to his happy self a few Cheerios later. I, on the other hand, am still recovering mentally. It took all of a lot of extra will power to keep myself from emotionally eating my way through every dessert in the house.

We really are okay, though, and I have a lot of good things to look forward to this weekend and in the next couple of weeks. Today I’m actually heading to my 18th (I think?) annual “Christmas Eve” brunch with my best friends from growing up. Clearly it’s not exactly Christmas Eve, but that’s when it started. This year I’m bringing pumpkin chocolate crumb cake and ginger pecan candy crack. Other than that, I’ll spend the next couple of weeks trying to soak up all of the good holiday cheer.

Happy as usual building blocks!

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Gingerbread Loaf with Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

Ginger Pecan Candy Crack

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes with Molasses Buttercream from Blahnik Baker

Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars from Willow Bird Baking

Mini Chocolate Gingerbread Men Sandwich Cookies from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

DIY Cookie Butter from Handle the Heat

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches from Perpetually Hungry

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Blog, Recipes

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

December 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

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

Makes: ~2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

Thick and Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies

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Ginger Pecan Candy Crack

December 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

Crazy addicting Christmas candy in a very good way. This sweet and salty “crack” is made with toasted pecans, ginger spiced caramel and dark chocolate.

Last week my sister and fiancé had us over for a fun weeknight Chanukah dinner. Jess and Quoc made a delicious dinner that included perfectly crispy latkes, salmon with dill yogurt sauce and salad with roasted squash. Just ask L, he hijacked most of my salmon and ate his weight in latkes. Chanukah success! I brought a green vegetable along with some cookies (my sister thought these tasted like a chai latte).

There were also “cookies” there, though, that tasted like some sort of ginger toffee caramel hybrid. I had one bite and then couldn’t stop going back for more. The sweet and salty flavor combination with the added ginger spice was addicting. And to torture treat myself, I made my own interpretation to share with you.

This crunchy, sweet and salty candy treat is currently calling to me from a tupperware inside my fridge. I made a big batch and take a couple of bites worth almost every time I open the door. I just can’t help myself! What I love about this treat is that it differs from the other “crack” recipes out there by having an added spice and a hefty dose of toasted pecans. Oh, and don’t let the term “candy” fool you. There are no candy thermometers used in this recipe and it’s actually pretty straightforward. The ease of making it is either really great or really dangerous, You decide.

Ginger Pecan Candy Crack

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Crazy addicting Christmas candy in a very good way. This sweet and salty “crack” is made with toasted pecans, ginger spiced caramel and dark chocolate.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~5 cups

Ingredients

340g (3 cups) pecans
227 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter
230 grams (1 cup packed) light brown sugar
2½g (1/2 teaspoon) table salt
1g (1 teaspoon) ground ginger
½g (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
255 grams (1½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
flaky sea salt to taste (I used about ¾ teaspoon)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper
Top parchment paper with pecans and toast in oven for 8 minutes or until fragrant; set aside
In a large heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, stirring over medium heat until it begins to boil; once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes; it will thicken a bit as it cooks
Remove from the heat and add the table salt, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the pecans
Bake the for 12-15 minutes or until all of the caramel topping is lightly bubbling (watch carefully at end of cooking to make sure it doesn’t burn burn; if it appears to be browning too much, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees)
Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips; let stand five minutes, and then carefully spread them evenly across the caramel and sprinkle with flaky sea salt
Chill in refrigerator for about two hours or until firm; break into pieces by hand
Store it in an air-tight container in refrigerator or cool space for best results
Enjoy within one week

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

You might also like:

Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Cinnamon Ginger Buttercream and Ginger Cookie Pecan Brittle

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

Blog, Recipes

Gingerbread Loaf with Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

December 14, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

Something very major happened this weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

Gingerbread Loaf with Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Gingerbread Loaf

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

Ganache

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

Instructions

Gingerbread Loaf

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

Ganache

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

Notes

Adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T’s

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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:

Gingersnap Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Gingersnap Peach Crumble Ice Cream

Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 12/12/15

December 12, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

It’s been a bit of a busy week so I’m going to keep this short and sweet! I hope you’ve been keeping up with my holiday recipes because I really love the ones I’ve shared so far. And good news for you, I’ve got some others up my sleeves! As always, check in with my snapchat (@Keepitsweet_LL) for some sneak peaks.

Someone hasn’t wanted to get out of his crib after naps!

Thanks to everyone who entered the cookbook giveaway (winner announced on post). If you missed it, be sure to check out the list of my favorite cookbooks.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Chocolate Covered Oreos, Three Ways

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

Keeping it Sweet with Milk Sugar Love (interview with the owner!)

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Pull-Apart Rugelach from Smitten Kitchen

Salted Toffee Cookie Bars from Foodess

Peanut Butter Chocolate Crinkle Cookies from Well Plated

Five Minute Pistachio Cranberry Fudge from Sprinkle Bakes

Buttery Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sift & Whisk

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

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Keeping it Sweet with Milk Sugar Love

December 11, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

An interview with Emma Taylor of Milk Sugar Love!

I’ve known Emma, the creative and talented owner of Milk Sugar Love, my very favorite ice cream store in Jersey City, for a few years now. We met while working in a shared commercial kitchen (I still remember the day I fell in love with her lemon olive oil ice cream ice cream). She had just left her corporate job and completed culinary school to start an ice cream business. At the time, she was just managing a cart at farmers markets and events but dreaming of a storefront. Since then, she opened her beautiful shop in Jersey City, featuring a plethora of incredible ice cream flavors and sweet treats. Her warm and welcoming personality is part of what has made Milk Sugar Love a neighborhood favorite among the locals, but the unique artisanal organic sweets are what keep them coming back. I’m so happy to be able to feature her and her business on the blog. Bonus: In case you missed it in the gift guide, Emma is offering a special discount for KISD readers! Just mention Keep It Sweet Desserts at your next visit for 20% off any single holiday menu item! One discount per person.

KISD: What did you do before Milk Sugar Love and what made you want to leave your career for the food world?

MSL: I began my career as a graphic designer. I enjoyed generating ideas but I did not enjoy the corporate atmosphere. I wanted to be more hands-on with my creativity, so I quit my job and went to culinary school.

KISD: What is so special about the ice cream you make?

MSL: Our ice cream is special (and delicious!) because we use only grass-fed, organic milk and cream in our ice cream. We also churn it in a gelato machine so the ice cream tastes extra creamy because it has less air incorporated into it. We also like to create more modern flavors, like Lemon Olive Oil, Earl Grey Fudge and Non-Dairy Cookie Butter. We keep a few of the old-school classics around, but mainly we offer more inventive flavors.

KISD: How do you decide which flavors to offer and how do you come up with new ideas?

MSL: We rotate all our flavors based on what produce is available seasonally. The seasons also inspire the majority of our flavors. I also had a chance to come up with new flavors in a series of collaborations this past year. We ran a special series of sundaes this summer (Summer of Sundaes) where I created an ice cream flavor and toppings in partnership with other local Jersey City chefs. It was a great chance for me to explore some unique international flavor profiles.

KISD: How do you keep yourself from eating all of your products? (I got asked this all the time!) And on that note, what’s your favorite flavor?

MSL: Because I am tasting all the time (for flavor, for freshness, for recipe testing), I am less inclined to go ahead and eat more at the end of the day. My favorite flavor changes frequently. I am currently loving one of our Holiday flavors, Chocolate Rosemary. (<——-note from KISD: I tasted it, AMAZING)

KISD: What’s the most rewarding part of having your own business?

MSL: The most rewarding part is getting to call all the shots. I enjoy having the final say on things and having my vision executed exactly as I see it.

KISD: What’s the downside to owning your own business?

MSL: The downside is that it is all-consuming. I think about my business all the time and I am working all the time even if I don’t realize it. My goal this past year was to create some separation and start reclaiming some personal time to refresh and rest, which is so important in any creative process.

KISD: Are there any entrepreneurs or other companies that you look to for inspiration?

MSL: Jeni’s. I have followed her entire career and I think her brand and her ice cream are both amazing. I also admire how she has made sustainability a priority in her business.

KISD: What do you envision for the future of Milk Sugar

MSL: This summer we will be launching our truck! The truck will be at all the large events in the state as well as parked throughout Jersey City during the week. The truck will also be available to rent for private parties or corporate events. We will serve ice cream by the scoop as well well as pre-made and make-your-own ice cream sandwiches.

At Milk Sugar Love, we churn delicious ice cream made form organic milk and cream and all the best New Jersey produce. We craft all our ice cream and sweets by hand in our kitchen in Jersey City. We proudly work with fantastic farmers and local artisan producers to create our delicious, chef-driven flavors. Local orders can be placed online or by phone.

You might also like:

Keeping it Sweet With DO Cookie Dough

Blog, Recipes

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

December 9, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

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

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

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

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

Peppermint Chocolate Pavlova Parfaits

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Chocolate Chunk Meringues

Double Dip Mints

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

Blog, Recipes

Chocolate Covered Oreos, Three Ways

December 7, 2015 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Milk chocolate covered sandwich cookies drizzled with dark chocolate.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Oreos

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Peppermint chocolate covered sandwich cookies are perfect for Christmas.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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Happy Hanukkah!!

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:

Peanut Butter Caramel Candy Cups

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Ritz Sandwiches

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 12/5/15

December 5, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

While the holiday season really snuck up on me, I actually can’t believe Thanksgiving was just last week. I’m in some sort of weird time warp where time speeds up and slows down in strange ways. Regardless, I’m just happy to have made it through this week in one piece! After Thanksgiving I went through three days straight of no voice and even now am just sort of starting to sound normal again. Luckily it took place over a holiday weekend where my husband and family were able to entertain L. It was so weird not really being able to communicate with him!

As soon as I was feeling up to it I made sure to get back in the kitchen with some fun holiday recipes to share over the next few weeks. I have a few that I think you will really enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who entered the DO giveaway (winner announced on post). If you missed it, be sure to check out the list of my favorite food gifts. It’s all unique small businesses that I really love.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Easy Chai Cookies

Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream

Holiday Gift Guide: Cookbooks for Food Lovers

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Health(ier) Chocolate Chunk Molasses Gingerbread Cookies from Running to the Kitchen

Frozen Whipped Cream from Shugary Sweets

Pear Cobbler with Gingerbread Biscuits from Eat the Love

Sweet Potato Cranberry Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Meringue from Bakeaholic Mama

Salted Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Truffles from Half Baked Harvest

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

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Holiday Gift Guide: Cookbooks for Food Lovers

December 4, 2015 Keep It Sweet 7 Comments

The ultimate cookbook gift guide for the holiday season. PLUS, a cookbook giveaway (7 cookbooks!!) for one lucky winner!

I’m so excited to share this gift guide with you today. It’s full of cookbooks I love by bloggers I admire AND one lucky winner is getting a copy of every.single.one. That’s right, the winner gets SEVEN brand new cookbooks. How’s that for spreading the holiday spirit? Check out the list below for ideas for your brother, girlfriend, secret santa, whoever. Cookbooks and delicious food for everyone!

Dessert for Two: Small Batch Cookies, Brownies, Pies and Cakes by Christina Lane

Christina has been my friend for a few years now so it’s been especially wonderful to see the success BOTH of her cookbooks. Her first cookbook, Dessert for Two, is a great go-to for those days when you have a sweet tooth but don’t want to go too crazy. You can find the recipe for her small batch chocolate chip cookies here.

The Sweetapolita Bakebook: 75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies & More to Make & Decorate by Rosie Alyea

If you’ve visited her blog, it’s quite that Rosie is incredibly talented. I’ve been following her creations for years and was very excited when the Sweetapolita Bakebook was available. There are so many recipes I’ve bookmarked to make. The funfetti cupcakes were a massive hit at L’s birthday party. BONUS: Rosie offered to send a signed cookbook to the winner!

Sea Salt Sweet: The Art of Using Salts for the Ultimate Dessert Experience by Heather Baird

I absolutely adore Heather. You can just tell from her blog that she is a good person. What I admire most about her is the true artistry behind all of her creations. Everything is so beautifully put together in appearance as well as flavors and textures. Her second cookbook, Sea Salt Sweet excited me because of my obsession with sweet and salty desserts. I’ve bookmarked several items to make in the near future!

Something Sweet: Desserts, Baked Goods, and Treats for Every Occasion by Miriam Pascal

Miriam’s cookbook has a vast selection of sweet treats in her cookbook. From these oatmeal cookie wedges, to the fruity pebble cookies, there’s something for everyone. Most recipes also have dairy-free options making them perfect for someone with a dairy allergy or who might keep Kosher.

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

Jennifer’s cookbook is a great creative use of pantry ingredients. There are so many dessert variations she has for you with a basic few and then even more when you add one, two, three, four or five more ingredients to that list. I still think about the peanut butter snack cake I made a couple of months ago.

Quick bread Love: 30+ Easy, Tasty Recipes for Loaves, Muffins and Biscuits by Stephanie Wise

There’s nothing more comforting than baking something simple that tastes so good. Stephanie’s e-book has a variety of recipes just like that. From no-yeast cinnamon rolls to triple chocolate buttermilk bread, her cookbook has a lot to offer. And if you’ve been to her blog, you know that the photos will be beautiful and the recipes delicious.

Dinner for Two: Easy and Innovative Recipes for One, Two, or a Few by Julie Wampler

I had to throw one savory cookbook into the mix! And lucky for me, Julie was smart enough to include some sweet breakfast for dinner options as well. This cookbook is perfect for weeknight cooking at home. Her pancakes were a big hit in our house!

Giveaway time!

Each of the above authors (and /or their publishers) is generously offering one reader a copy of their cookbook. Use the widget below to enter by Friday December 11th noon est. Open for delivery in the United States only.

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. However, the cookbook authors and and publishers have generously agreed to share copies of the cookbooks with a select winner. I did receive some cookbooks in the mail to review and some were purchases with my own money. All thoughts are my own. This post does contain affiliate links.

Blog, Recipes

Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream

December 2, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 recipe for two-layer cinnamon cake, cooled completely

Chile Chocolate Buttercream:

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

Instructions

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

Notes

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

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

You might also like:

Fudgy Black and White Devil’s Food Cake

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Stout Celebration Cake

Blog, Recipes

Easy Chai Cookies

November 30, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

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

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

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

Easy Chai Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

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

You might also like:

Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Brown-Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 11/28/15

November 28, 2015 Keep It Sweet 4 Comments

I hope that everyone is enjoying an extra long weekend with their families! We are at my parents and have been enjoying lots of good food and fun. Despite the fact that I lost my voice (blah!) it’s been such a nice weekend. The holidays are much more special with a baby and since L slept through most of last Thanksgiving, this one was even more so. He definitely stole the show and had everyone trying to steal his heart with toys, gifts and crackers (yes, you can definitely bribe my son with food).

Did I mention that L said Ma Ma for the first time this week? Why yes I did freak out. I beat out “nana” (banana) by a day.

Now for this week’s updates….

New posts on the blog:

Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

The Ultimate Food Lover’s Gift Guide (and giveaway!!!)

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Cranberry Apple Shortbread Bars

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Chocolate Gingerbread Muffins from Well Plated

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Candied Pecans from Flourishing Foodie

Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles from Fake GInger

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte from The Cookie Rookie

Cinnamon Angel Food Cake with Caramelized Apples from Blahnik Baker

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

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The Ultimate Food Lover’s Gift Guide

November 27, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

A holiday gift guide for food lovers. This gift guide features the five small food businesses that I love.

People often ask me if I miss running my bakery. It’s a difficult question to answer, because in my current life, I know there is no way that I could do it the way I would want to so I try not to think about it like that. I loved my business but I also love being a mom and wasn’t able to find a way to do both and give 100%. That said, I do miss being a part of such an inspiring community of food-related entrepreneurs. That world is challenging but also amazingly rewarding. I’ve started featuring some small food businesses that I love on the blog and will continue to do so. This holiday gift guide represents some of my current favorites. Check them out, visit their stores (if they have) and order their products. Support the hardworking artisinal community of people that put so much care and love into their products! Bonus: some of the companies have included special promo codes for you AND there is a giveaway (scroll down)!

Who: Cookie DO NYC (NYC and online) ***giveaway below!

What: Edible cookie dough delivered straight to your door. They also have pick-up available in Manhattan. Seasonal flavors include Peppermint Bark and Hot Cocoa (photo below) and I especially love Nuts for Nuts. My friends who shared some of my samples ordered their own immediately. See my interview with the owner here.

How Much? A variety 6-pack sells for $56 plus shipping.

Special promo code: Use code HOLIDAY10 for 10% off your purchase through the end of the year!

Who: Milk Sugar Love (Jersey City)

What: Amazing ice cream made with local organic ingredients. Owner, Emma (who I adore), puts great care into her recipes. From Cinnamon Donut, to Dairy-Free Cookie Butter to Coffee (made with Stumptown’s finest!), the flavors are exceptional. Milk Sugar Love offers holiday gift boxes (think sea salt caramels and peppermint brownies), holiday ice cream cakes and seasonally flavored ice cream pints. Consider the Holiday Chilltown Ice Cream Cake (double chocolate cookies, coquito ice cream and sprinkles) for your next holiday party. Local delivery is available.

How Much? The 6’’ Chilltown Cake is $40

Special promo code: Mention Keep It Sweet Desserts at your next visit for 20% off any single holiday menu item! One discount per person.

Who: Baked (Brooklyn, NYC and online)

What: Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito are extremely talented, as evidenced by the success of their stores, cookbooks AND specialty products sold at Williams Sonoma. Not to mention, they are good people. If you happen to get to their shops in Brooklyn or TriBeca, I highly recommend sampling as many desserts as possible. If you aren’t local, order their infamous brownies, you won’t regret it! They also offer delicious biscotti, granola and homemade marshmallows for your snacking needs.

How Much? 6-packs of brownies (they are big!) are $23 plus shipping.

Special promo code: Use code sweetz for 15% off your purchase through 12/25!

*photo via Baked

Who: Pipcorn (online)

What: My friends Jen and Jeff started Pipcorn a few years ago selling flavorful and delicious mini popcorn. They were featured in Oprah’s favorite things just a few months after launching and last year were featured on Shark Tank! Not only are they two of the nicest people I’ve ever met, but they also make really tasty popcorn.Bonus: it’s all natural, gluten-free and non-GMO. Flavors include Truffle, Sea Salt and Kettle (my favorite).

How Much? 4-packs are $26 plus shipping

Who: ButcherBox (online)

What: A monthly subscription for high quality grass-fed beef delivered straight to your door. Perfect for grilling enthusiasts and meat lovers. Every month is a little bit different but each 8+ pound box always includes burgers and tips. Packages are shipped with dry ice to prevent spoilage and ensure the freshest product possible.

How Much: $129 / month including shipping. As few or as many months as you want!

*photo via ButcherBox

Note: This post is NOT sponsored but does contains affiliate links. These are companies I have carefully selected because I believe in the people behind them and the products. I have received some free samples in the past but I would have bought their products anyway.

Giveaway time!

Cookie DO NYC is generously offering one reader a 3-pack of their delicious holiday cookie do flavors. Use the widget below to enter by Friday December 4th noon est. Open for delivery in the 48 contiguous states only.

gift guide

Blog, Recipes

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

November 25, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

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

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

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

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

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream

3g (1 teaspoon) instant espresso

142g finely chopped dark chocolate (72% or higher), any type

57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

½ milliliter (1/8 teaspoon) peppermint extract

Toppings-I like peppermint baking pieces (finely chopped), crushed candy canes and holiday sprinkles

Instructions

Whisk together heavy whipping cream and espresso in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat

Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat and immediately pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth

Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and peppermint extract until smooth

Chill mixture in refrigerator for two hours or until it is firm

Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles

Roll truffles in topping and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat

Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

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

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Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

November 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

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

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

You probably already have your Thanksgiving menu planned out so giving you an additional recipe for the holiday might just stress you out.

Holiday weekends call for holiday brunch. Scale the recipe up for a crowd or enjoy an intimate treat after the big family get together.

If you are hosting the holiday or travelling, you probably don’t have much time for additional cooking. Enter breakfast for dinner, an easy and delicious solution!

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

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

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

Banana Pecan Bourbon Flapjacks

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Banana Pecan Bourbon Topping:

2 bananas, sliced into rounds

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey

½ cup roughly chopped pecans

Pancakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

Make the topping:

Place ingredients in a small skillet over medium heat and bring to a skimmer; allow to thicken for ten minutes, stirring occasionally

When the topping is a thick syrupy consistency, remove from heat until ready to use

Make the pancakes:

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the egg and buttermilk; whisk batter until no lumps remain; batter will be thick

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium heat

Once skillet is hot, use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to drop batter onto skillet

Cook pancakes on one side for about two minutes or until bubbles start to form then flip and cook additional two minutes; repeat with remaining pancake batter

Serve pancakes immediately with banana pecan bourbon topping

Notes

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

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 11/21/15

November 21, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

What a week! I feel like a lot happened in the last seven days but in a good way. A huge highlight was a Friendsgiving dinner in the city on Thursday. Phoebe, Serena, Anna, and Amie hosted an amazing group of women bloggers at Maman (such a beautiful space!). The group largely consisted of healthy food bloggers with special diets so I made my Vegan Apple Cake along with this vegan caramel sauce. It was so much fun and inspiring to be among a group of talented ladies (think Andie who I’ve been dying to meet forever).

Taking advantage of mild fall temperatures

I have a couple more recipes coming to you before Thanksgiving and then a special gift guide (with a giveaway!) coming on Friday. Meanwhile, if you are looking for Thanksgiving baking inspiration, consider this gorgeous Roasted Butternut Squash Pie, my Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Pie Glaze, or this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake.

And before I finish, I just want to give a big thank you to all of you who visit, read, comment and get in touch with me on social media. This blog is something I truly love and it wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful community of readers. It’s been a special space for me over the last five and a half years. And even over the last year, while L has been my top priority, I’ve found this space even more valuable in helping me maintain my own sense of identity and purpose. So thank you so much! Wishing you and your families a lovely Thanksgiving.

Now for this week’s updates….

Recently updated posts on the blog:

Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies

New posts on the blog:

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Brown Sugar Chai-Spiced Caramel Fondue

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Chewy Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bars

Three favorite things I pinned all week:

Dark Chocolate, Passion Fruit and Hazelnut Layer Cake from Hint of Vanilla

Avocado Brownies from Fake Ginger

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate and Caramel from Floating Kitchen

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up life

Blog, Recipes

Brown Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue

November 20, 2015 Keep It Sweet 2 Comments

A chai spiced caramel sauce perfect for holiday entertaining.

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

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

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

Brown Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue

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A chai spiced caramel sauce perfect for holiday entertaining.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1¼ cups

Ingredients

195g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) light brown sugar, tightly packed

30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) water

118 milliliters (1/2 cup) heavy cream

9g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Whisk together brown sugar and water in a small heavy-duty saucepan; place over medium-high heat and cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes or until a deep amber brown and bubbling; remove from heat and immediately whisk in heavy cream and butter until smooth (be careful as the hot caramel may bubble up)

Stir in remaining ingredients and then briefly stir over medium heat until smooth

Serve warm; for a thicker dip (and for flavor more intensified), allow to cool in refrigerator for several hours before gently reheating

Notes

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

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Hot Cocoa Cookies

November 18, 2015 Keep It Sweet 13 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Hot Cocoa Cookies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~2 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

170g (6 ounces) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, roughly chopped

200g (7 ounces) BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate, roughly chopped

160g (~1 cup + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour

2g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder

2g (1/2 teaspoon salt)

150g (~3 large whole) eggs at room temperature

215g (~1 cup) granulated sugar

235g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar

10 milliliters / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200g (~1 cup) milk chocolate chips

100g (1½ cups) JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside

Place semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate with butter in a microwave-safe bowl

Microwave the ingredients for a minute and stir; microwave again for 30-second increments until everything is almost melted; stir the remaining lumps until smooth (alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate in a heavy duty pop over medium heat stirring constantly); set aside

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugars and vanilla; beat on high speed for about 5 minutes or until mixture is light and pale in color

Reduce the speed of your mixer and add in melted chocolate

When that is well-combined, stir in flour mixture but do not over-mix; stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows

Use a large cookie dough scoop and place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 1-2 inches apart;

Bake cookies for 12 minutes and set aside on a wire rack to cool

Notes

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

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Be sure to visit your local Walmart for your own holiday baking inspiration!

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

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Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

November 16, 2015 Keep It Sweet 9 Comments

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

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

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

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

Brown Butter Chocolate Pecan Blondies

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

100g (1 cup) pecans, roughly chopped

112g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

350g (~1½ cups packed) light brown sugar

200g (~1½ cups) all-purpose flour

8g (1 teaspoon) salt

3g (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder

110g (2 large) whole eggs

10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract (bourbon based preferred)

112g (~3/4 cup) good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped (use the highest percent cocoa you enjoy)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper

Spread pecans out in baking pan and place in oven for five minutes to toast; do not let burn

Remove from oven and set aside to cool

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the butter (stir butter constantly until it turns an amber/light brown color) and remove from heat; stir in sugar until well combined and set aside to cool slightly

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; whisk in butter and sugar mixture

Whisk in flour mixture until almost combined and then fold in any remaining crumbs with a spatula

Fold in chocolate and toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout batter

Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 33-37 minutes or until a knife comes out clean

Set aside to cool for an hour before cutting

Notes

Blondies will stay fresh for up to two days if wrapped or packaged in an air-tight container. They also freeze incredibly well, just wrap them tightly in tin foil.
These blondies are somewhat on the cakier side, be very careful not to overbake.

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Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up 11/14/15

November 14, 2015 Keep It Sweet 1 Comment

Edited to add: This post was scheduled before I heard about the senseless violence that occurred in Paris. My heart and thoughts go out to those affected by the brutal attacks.

This is one of those weeks where I kind of felt like I was running on a wheel. No matter how fast and hard I went, I just couldn’t catch up. I’m not exactly stressed out, I just have so many things I want to accomplish and wish there were more hours in the day (who doesn’t?).

The good news? I did get a lot done, including a visit to one of my favorite places. I came home from the ice cream store with three pints of the best ice cream money can buy. L was quite enamored as well (who can blame him) and hogged my samples. Sorry buddy, but the Cookie Butter, Apple Pie and Cinnamon Donut pints are all mine. Well, I guess I have to share with Matt…

This kid could not get enough of the animals at a birthday party last weekend.

This weekend we actually have a little free time so I’m looking forward to that! Maybe the bit of downtime will help me sort through all of my holiday baking ideas!

Now for this week’s updates….

Recently updated posts on the blog:

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

New posts on the blog:

Big Crumb Cranberry Coffee Cake

Peanut Butter Caramel Bars.

Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust

This week’s most popular recipe/blog post:

Salted Caramel and Brownie Cheesecake Bars

Five favorite things I pinned all week:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cups from We Are Not Martha

Salty Peanut Butter S’mores Truffles from Cookies and Cups

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies from Port and Fin

Salted Caramel Molasses Cookies from Crazy for Crust

Melting Sweet Potatoes from Dessert for Two

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend!

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

Keep It Sweet Desserts Weekly Wrap-up life

Blog, Recipes

Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust

November 13, 2015 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Milk Chocolate Tart with Peanut Butter Pretzel Crust

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

Filling:

340g (12 ounces) good quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped

355 milliliters (1 ½ cups) heavy cream

Crust:

130g (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter

200g (2 cups) crushed salted pretzels plus additional for topping tart (optional)

Instructions

Make the filling:

Place chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl and set aside

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a rolling boil over medium high heat (do not stir) and then immediately pour over chocolate; let sit for five minutes and then whisk until completely smooth

Let cool at room temperature for one hour and make crust

Prepare crust:

In a medium bowl, melt peanut butter in microwave by heating for 15 seconds, stirring and repeating until easy to stir; stir in pretzel crumbs

Press mixture into a 11-inch tart pan so that it is evenly spread out and up the edges; place in refrigerator until ready to use

Once ready, pour chocolate mixture into chilled crust; then chill tart in refrigerator 4 hours (or up to 24 hours)

Use additional pretzels to decorate tart before serving if desired

Notes

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

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Blog, Recipes

Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

November 11, 2015 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

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

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

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

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

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 bite-sized bars

Ingredients

130g (~1 cup) all-purpose flour

12g (1 ½ teaspoons) baking soda

113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

258 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter

160g (~¾ cup) granulated sugar

117g (~1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar

100g (2 large) whole eggs, at room temperature

5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

180g (~1 cup) peanut butter chips

180g (~1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

⅔ cup salted caramel (preferably homemade)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper with edges coming up the sides and set aside

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside

Using a mixer, in a large bowl beat peanut butter, butter and sugars on high until light and fluffy

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined

Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture just until combined

Stir in peanut butter chips

Wrap half of dough with seran wrap and place in refrigerator; press remaining dough into bottom of prepared baking pan and bake for 15 minutes

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over top; let sit for ~6 minutes and then carefully spread chocolate chips so that the cookie dough layer is mostly covered

Pour salted caramel over chocolate

Take chilled dough out of fridge and drop tablespoon-sized chunks of dough over top

Place baking pan back in oven for 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned

Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting

Notes

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

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

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