Category Archives: Dessert

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Dessert, ,

 

The deliciousness of fall is in full swing!

 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Glaze:
2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons Milk
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and butter until fully blended.  Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla.

Slowly add the flour mixture while mixing until just combined.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets  Bake until edges start to brown, about 15-18 minutes.

Prepare the glaze while the cookies are baking by stirring together all glaze ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Add additional milk as needed to make a smooth glaze that will drizzle easily.

Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.  Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.

 

Yield: about 36 Cookies

-Recipe from Very Best Baking–

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Breakfast, Dessert, , , , ,

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins are exactly what they sound like – Delicious!

 

Ingredients:
4 Overripe Bananas
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Honey
3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup Canola Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Bread Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Mini Chocolate Chips

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.

Combine bananas, brown sugar, honey, peanut butter, eggs, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix until smooth.

Add flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter between the 12 muffin cups.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.

 

Yield: 12 Muffins

-Recipes from two-tarts.com–

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Breakfast, Dessert, , , ,

 

Try baking cinnamon rolls in a muffin tin.  Cinnamon Roll Muffins make serving breakfast a breeze.

 

Ingredients:
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Egg
¼ Cup Canola Oil
1/3 Cup Sugar
3½ Cups Bread Flour
1 Tablespoon Yeast
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3-4 Tablespoons Milk

 

Combine warm water, egg, oil, sugar, bread flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix until a ball of dough forms.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Punch down the dough and turn onto a floured surface.  Roll out dough into a 12 inch by 24 inch rectangle.

Combine softened butter, sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.  Spread butter mixture on dough.  Roll tightly to make a 24 inch long dough log.

Butter 2 muffin tins (24 muffins total).  Slice dough with a pizza cutter or pastry scraper into 1 inch slices and place in pans.  Let rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, vanilla and milk together.  Drizzle over the cinnamon roll muffins.

 

Note: This can be prepared the night before to bake in the morning.  Refrigerate covered before final rise.  Let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Yield: 24 Muffins

Chocolate Angel Pie

Dessert, , ,

 

 

This Chocolate Angel Pie is really amazing.  It is made of a meringue crust which is filled with a sweet chocolate mousse filling and topped with homemade whipped cream.  It looks so fancy too!  I used chocolate chips for my pie, but a bar of chocolate would work too; just chop it before melting.  This Chocolate Angel Pie calls for 3 egg yolks in the filling, but save the whites for the meringue crust.  I have learned from watching America’s Test Kitchen that it is best to chill your mixing bowl before whipping up heavy cream.  So, chill your bowl and get ready to make a delicious Chocolate Angel Pie.

 

Ingredients:
Filling-
9 oz Milk Chocolate
5 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
3 Egg Yolks
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Half-and-Half
1 1/4 Cups Heavy Cream
Meringue Crust-
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch, plus extra
1/2 Cup Sugar (3 1/2 oz)
3 Egg Whites
1 pinch Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Topping-
1 1/3 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

 

Prepare the filling by melting the milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave.  Heat at 50 percent power for 1 minute intervals.  Stir after each minute until melted.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and salt for 1 minute.  In a small saucepan, heat half-and-half over medium heat until simmering.  Slowly whisk the warm half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture.  Pour back into the saucepan and heat over low until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir into the large bowl of melted chocolate.  Let cool slightly, 5-10 minutes.

Use a stand mixer with whisk to whip the heavy cream.  Start on medium-low until cream is foamy, about 1 minute.  Turn to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 1-3 minutes.  Gently whisk 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  Fold in the remaining cream until completely combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Prepare the meringue crust now.  Lower oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 275°F.  Grease a 9 inch pie plate and dust with cornstarch.

Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Add egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer.  Whip with whisk attachment on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute.  Turn to medium-high until the eggs are soft and billowy mounds, 1-3 minutes.  Slowly add sugar mixture and whip until stiff peaks form, 3-5 minutes.  Whisk in vanilla.

Spread meringue into the prepared pie plate, covering the bottom and sides completely and evenly.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Rotate pie plate and reduce oven temperature to 200°F.  Bake until dry, about 1 hour.  Let cool for 30 minutes.

Pour chilled chocolate mixture into cooled meringue crust and spread evenly.

Prepare the topping by whisking together heavy cream and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-low until foamy, 1 minute.  Turn to high and whisk until stiff peaks form, 1-3 minutes.  Spread whipped cream evenly over the pie.  Refrigerate until chocolate filling is set, about 1 hour.

Dust with cocoa powder before serving.  Slice with a shape knife.  Serve within 3 hours of chilling.

 

 

Yield: 9 inch Pie – about 8-10 servings

Note: Between chilling and baking, give yourself about 5 hours to complete this pie.

-Recipe from Cook’s Country magazine-

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Biscotti

Dessert, , , , , , ,

 

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Biscotti is a super delicious and crunchy treat that goes great with coffee.  We sure drink a lot of coffee in our house!  These Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Biscotti have just the right amount of delicious!

 

Ingredients:
10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 3/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter, room temp
1 1/4 Cups Dry Roasted Peanuts
1 1/4 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 2 large baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.

Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan until browned and smells nutty, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium size bowl.

Beat eggs in a large bowl until light yellow, about 2 minutes.  While mixing, add sugar then butter and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Mix in peanut butter until evenly combined.

Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, mixing to combine.  Stir in peanuts and chocolate.

Divide the dough in thirds and shape into 15 inch by 2 inch logs on the baking sheets.  Bake until set and browned around the edges, about 25-30 minutes.  Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking.  Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes on the baking sheets.

Cut into 1/2 inch strips at a 45 degree angle.  Place the strips cut side down on the baking sheets.  Bake for 8 minutes, flip them and bake an additional 8 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets.

 

 

Yield: about 5 dozen Biscotti

-Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network-

Zucchini Brownies

Dessert, , , ,

 

These Zucchini Brownies are actually quite delicious!  They are moist and don’t taste like zucchini at all!  You could even shred the zucchini really small to hide it better if you like.  Zucchini Brownies are one of those healthy desserts that you just keep eating and eating and eating…is it still healthy if you eat half the pan?

 

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Cups Grated Zucchini

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

Stir together oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.

In another bowl, combine salt, baking soda, cocoa powder and both flours.  Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet.  This will be very dry when mixed together.

Add grated zucchini and mix until combined and moistened.  Transfer to the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the brownie comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.

 

Yield: 9X13 Pan of Brownies

-Recipe by Savory Seasonings–