Category: Baking

Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal

Well friends, I jumped on the bandwagon. I had to give the single serving baked oatmeal a try, and boy, I was not disappointed! After looking through a few different recipes, I came up with my own take it. I don’t love chocolate in the morning (after lunch, totally different story), so I went with a banana nut baked oatmeal. Holy…yum. 

If you haven’t noticed or you’re new to my little cozy corner of the Internet (Welcome!), you know I am a fan of a couple things: food from scratch and cooking with what I have on hand. Generally speaking, you won’t find nichy ingredients here, and I think this recipe holds true. 

Rather than buy oat flour, I made my own using my food processor. It’s so simple my friends. Just put some old fashioned oats into your processor and hit blend until your texture is very coarse flour (I use my Kitchen Aid 7 Cup and it’s grand!). I poured a few cups of oats into my mixture, ground them up, and stored them in an air tight container. 

I have a few other recipes that call for ground oats like these simple energy balls or my banana bread, so having some on hand isn’t a bad idea. 

Anywho, banana nut baked oatmeal is quickly becoming my go to breakfast on the weekend when I have a touch more time. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a great weekday breakfast; I am just a fine oiled machine in the morning during the week, and overnight oats are my jam. 

Ready to get mixing and baking? I hope so! Let’s make some banana nut baked oatmeal!

Your Ingredients for Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal

  • ½ banana, mashed
  • ⅓ cup oat flour
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk 
  • ⅛-¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional 

Your Steps to Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a ramekin with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing until well combined. Pour into greased ramekin. Bake on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes, depending on the texture you want your oatmeal to be. I like it to feel more like a bread than goo-ey, so I shoot for the 20 minute mark. Either way, it’s filling and delicious; something you can feel good about putting into your body. Yum!

  • First, banana.
  • Mash it up!
  • Add the remaining ingredients (I waited on the almond milk)
  • Mix it together and add the almond milk.
  • Pour into the ramekin and bake!
  • Dig in!

Banana Nut Baked Oatmeal

A wholesome, simple breakfast sure to fill your belly with good for you food and make your tastebuds do a little dance!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • ½ banana mashed
  • ⅓ cup oat flour
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ⅛-¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a ramekin with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing until well combined.
  • Pour into greased ramekin.
  • Bake on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes, depending on the texture you want your oatmeal to be.
Keyword baked oatmeal, Banana, banana nut, oatmeal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Sourdough Chocolate Banana Walnut Scones

I’ve been in a baking mood lately. Cookies, sourdough bread, scones, donuts, you name it. Recently, my mom was in town. It also happened that I had some extra sourdough discard that I needed to use up. Generally, I default to sourdough scones when that’s the case. Problem is, I ADORE cinnamon scones. My mom? She doesn’t like cinnamon (GASP!). I don’t get it, but I mean, you’ve got to keep the mama happy, right? So I experimented with sourdough chocolate banana walnut scones, and I am digging the outcome! 

This chocolate banana walnut scone perhaps has the feel of a banana bread, but a little less moist. It pairs well with coffee or tea and isn’t too sweet. And you know I dig a recipe that I always have the ingredients on hand for, and this one is just that! 

I am certain it will be a work in progress, but let’s share it out and see what you guys think, right? I’m a firm believer in embracing the mentality that we are always growing and we don’t just arrive; that can’t do that unless I share parts of the beautiful mess that is learning.

Ready to get baking? Let’s do it! 

Your Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1- 1 ⅓ cup sourdough starter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla 
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar 
  • 1 banana, sliced and quartered
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts 

Your Steps to Sourdough Chocolate Banana Walnut Scones

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Add butter. Use your fingers to mix and “smush” the butter, working it into the flour mixture. Complete the smushing until you have sand-like texture. Set aside. 

In a large liquid measuring cup, add 1 cup sourdough starter discard, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar is fully dissolved. Add to flour mixture, adding additional starter as needed to bring the flour together (up to about ⅓ cup). Once combined, gently fold in the bananas and walnuts. The dough will be moist. 

Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Form these pieces into discs and place on lined baking sheets. Slice into 6-8 pie pieces. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until just firm to the touch. Once cooled, feel free to add a chocolate drizzle for an extra touch of sweetness or beauty, but we thought they were great on their own!

  • Whisk the dry ingredients.
  • Cut up the butter, the smaller and colder, the better!
  • Starter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Let them mingle.
  • Add the bananas and walnuts. Just mix in.
  • Yum!

Looking for some other baking recipes? Check out my baking page below!

baking

Sourdough Chocolate Banana Walnut Scones

A cross between your traditional scones and a banana bread, these sourdough chocolate banana walnut scones make a sweet treat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Sourdough
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
  • 1- 1 ⅓ cup sourdough starter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar
  • 1 banana sliced and quartered
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
  • Add butter. Use your fingers to mix and “smush” the butter, working it into the flour mixture.
  • Complete the smushing until you have sand-like texture. Set aside.
  • In a large liquid measuring cup, add 1 cup sourdough starter discard, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar is fully dissolved.
  • Add to flour mixture, adding additional starter as needed to bring the flour together (up to about ⅓ cup).
  • Once combined, gently fold in the bananas and walnuts. The dough will be moist.
  • Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Form these pieces into discs and place on lined baking sheets. Slice into 6-8 pie pieces.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes, until just firm to the touch.
  • Once cooled, feel free to add a chocolate drizzle for an extra touch of sweetness or beauty, but we thought they were great on their own!
Keyword Banana, chocolate, sourdough, sourdough baking, sourdough scones
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Soft Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

In terms of baking, cookies are my jam. I think they are my favorite because they provide little goals: one baking sheet of cookies at a time. Maybe it’s because they have a longer shelf life or perhaps it’s the fact that I can make them bite size so they are perfect for an on the go sweet treat. Whatever it is, cookies are the bread and butter of my baking, including these soft double chocolate peanut butter cookie

For the past few weeks, I had been daydreaming of a “healthier” chocolate cookie. Thinking of ways to lighten it, somehow. Now, this soft double chocolate peanut butter cookie isn’t a health food, but I did cut the refined sugar by using honey instead. I also made it a “small batch” cookie so you don’t feel like you need to eat 48 cookies. Good luck if you have a guy like my husband who eats 6 cookies in about 2 minutes…then I recommend hiding a few 😉 

Generally, you’ll find the cookies I make to be chewy and a little crisp. I like the bite in them. These are soft, almost cake like. The batter made me think of a brownie with a hint of peanut butter. That doesn’t sound so bad, right? Let’s give them a try! 

Your Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped milk chocolate candy bar (I used a Symphony bar), but chocolate chips will work in a pinch

Your Steps to Soft Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add honey and stir until combined. Add egg and vanilla. Stir until smooth. In another bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to peanut butter mixture and stir until just combined. (Truth be told: I hate extra dishes. I never use a second bowl, but I know it’s what you should do. You do you friends. You do you.) Add chocolate chips and fold in. 

I recommend chilling the dough for 10-15 minutes before baking. But I know that it’s hard to wait sometimes. Once chilled, drop by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet. The dough will be soft and sticky still. That’s okay. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until just firm to touch. These cookies go from under to overdone on the bottom quickly so start with 8 minutes and add only a minute at a time if needed. 

  • Creamed peanut butter and butter until smooth!
  • Sweeten it up!
  • Egg and vanilla
  • Yes, you should use a separate bowl, but I hate extra dishes
  • Chop it up or use chocolate chips!
  • Almost there!
  • Fold it in
  • Chill it first!
  • Complete!

Looking for other baking inspiration? Check out all these sweet recipes on my baking page!

Soft Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

With a dough reminiscent of brownie batter, you'd never guess that this cookie is sweetened with honey! Yum!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped milk chocolate candy bar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter.
  • Add honey and stir until combined.
  • Add egg and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
  • In another bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to peanut butter mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Add chocolate chips and fold in.
  • Chill the dough for 10-15 minutes before baking.
  • Once chilled, drop by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet. The dough will be soft and sticky.
  • Bake for 8-9 minutes, until just firm to touch.
Keyword chocolate, chocolate and peanut butter, cookie recipe, Honey, peanut butter, sweets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Salty and Sweet Puppy Chow

My very first memory of puppy chow comes from junior high family and consumer education class. I am certain all the upperclassmen knew and perhaps helped schedule puppy chow day as they found all the kids who made it and immediately requested that they share it. It’s one of those oh so simple, yet delightful treats for that I will always had the ingredients on hand. Then a friend shared that she added pretzels to hers for a salty and sweet puppy chow and oh man, it’s a game changer. Add pretzels, dry roasted peanuts, and Chex cereal to your shopping lists friends. This is a must for a quick sweet treat!

Your Ingredients

  • 5 cups Chex cereal
  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter 
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided

Your Steps to Salty and Sweet Puppy Chow

In a large container (that has a cover. I love these containers for all things Chex and also for my sourdough bread baking), combine the cereal, pretzels, and roasted peanuts. Set aside. In a microwave safe container, contain chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, and butter. Microwave on high for 90 seconds, stirring after 60 seconds. Once smooth, stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal mixture and stir well. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 cup powdered sugar. Cover the container and shake and shake and shake some more. You may need to stir it a bit to break it apart from the side, but sure as heck don’t dirty another bowl or container here.

Once fully coated, allow to cool for 5-10 more minutes. Add remaining powered sugar and shake once more. Now, in theory, you should spread this out on a cookie sheet and allow to cool completely to room temperature. In theory. But I am seriously against making extra dirty dishes. I avoid it at all costs. If you are like me, simply stir it every 10-15 minutes to allow it to cool all the way through.

  • Break up the pretzels, but don’t destroy them completely
  • Smooth and velvety chocolate and peanut butter!
  • Drizzle over the cereal!
  • Stir, but don’t stop here!
  • Fully coated cereal!
  • Good luck having this last more than 48 hours!

Looking to bake something else to satisfy your sweet tooth? Maybe check out my baking page for information! Click the button below!

Baking

Tools of the Trade

I seriously dig these containers. I use them for all sorts of things in our kitchen. Baked sourdough bread? Throw it in a container. Mixing my bread together? Put it in a container. Making Chex Mix or Puppy Chow? It goes into these containers!

Salty and Sweet Puppy Chow

Two great pairings: salty and sweet and chocolate and peanut butter come together in this twist on a familiar recipe!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups Chex cereal
  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • 1 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • In a large container with a lid, combine cereal, pretzels, and peanuts.
  • Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave safe container. Microwave for 90 seconds, stirring after 60 seconds. Heat until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
  • Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal mixture. Stir until coated completely. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes.
  • Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, cover and shake until fully coated. Allow to rest an additional 5-10 minutes.
  • Add remaining powdered sugar. Cover and shake once more.
  • Spread on a baking sheet and allow to fully cool before returning to the airtight container.
Keyword chocolate, dessert, holiday treats, no bake, peanut butter, salty and sweet, sweets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies: Little Sweet, Little Savory

I know what you’re thinking, “Rosemary? In a cookie?” But yes, these lemon rosemary shortbread cookies are the type of cookies that make your tastebuds rejoice simply because they such a unique combination of flavors!

I’m a sucker for rosemary. Once I discovered the herb as a college student in a wild rice pilaf my mom started to make as a staple potluck dish, my world was changed.

I always search for places to add it, try recipes that all for it, and you can bet when I go out and find it listed on a fancy drink menu or in a sweet dish, I am intrigued. I almost always give it a try!

Recently, I saw rosemary in a shortbread cookie at a local restaurant. I gave it a try, and LOVED the flavor of a lemon-rosemary shortbread. It was light and buttery and just that hint of herb was a pleasant surprise. I had to try to duplicate it, and I think I did a bang up job (as my dad would say ). I hope you take a step outside your flavor comfort zone and try these sweet and savory lemon rosemary shortbread cookies.

Your ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened (I let mine sit on the counter for a number of hours)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • zest from 1/3 of a lemon
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (I freshly squeezed it)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup all purpose flour

Your Steps for Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar well. To this, mix in lemon juice, zest, ground rosemary, and honey. Mix well. Stir in flour until combined. I like small, bite sized cookies, so I rolled about 1 Tablespoon of the dough into a ball and placed on an ungreased cookie sheet. You choose your size.

Take a flat bottomed glass, press into additional powdered sugar and flattened the cookies to about 1/4 of an inch thick. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until just starting to get golden brown on the edges. Let cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cool. Shortbread cookies are best a few days later, but I bet you won’t be able to stop enjoying these! (This is a small batch recipe, making about 20 cookies)

  • soft butter creamed with sugar
    Make sure your butter is super soft for easy creaming.
  • Mix it together!
    Get the rest of those ingredients in there!
  • cookie balls
    I kind of love rows of perfect cookies.
  • flatten them up
    Flatten those guys!
  • cookies with lemon
    Sweet with a little savory. Yum.


cookies with lemon

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Lemon and rosemary pair together in these sweet and savory lemon rosemary shortbread cookies that will melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • zest from 1/3 of a lemon
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup all purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar well.
  • To this, mix in lemon juice, zest, ground rosemary, and honey. Mix well.
  • Stir in flour until combined.
  • Roll about 1 Tablespoon of the dough into a ball and placed on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Take a flat bottomed glass, press into additional powdered sugar and flattened the cookies to about 1/4 of an inch thick.
  • Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until just starting to get golden brown on the edges.
  • Let cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cool.
Keyword Cookies, lemon, lemon cookies, rosemary, Shortbread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Baking

JessLeave a comment

A Sugar Cookie to Write Home About

Holidays and baking. They go hand in hand, don’t they? I don’t know what it is about the holiday season, but it seems to bring out the baker in all of us. Maybe it’s the fact that we have less daylight, and we need to do something with our evenings. Maybe it’s because it’s chilly outside and we would just like to warm up the house a little with a preheated oven. Or maybe it’s simply that we are in the giving spirit and we love to show our family and friends we love them with delicious food. I know I can check yes to all those boxes. Because of this, we all need a great sugar cookie recipe in our back pocket. Guess what? I’ve got you covered 😉 

This sugar cookie recipe has been my go to for years and years. My sister in law claims it’s the only cookie that comes close to her mother’s recipe. My aunt makes special requests for these at all holidays. And my dad. He’s a health nut, but can’t say no to a perfectly baked sugar cookie. It warms my heart just thinking of him. 

I am leaving you here with simply the sugar cookie recipe. How you decorate is up to you. Me? I am a light glaze made with almond extract kind of gal. But others live in the school of thought that they love a regular frosting. Or perhaps you add sprinkles before baking and that’s it. Either way, you will have an amazing base of a sugar cookie to add to your cookie tray. 

Oh, and one more thing: This recipe doubles nicely! I’ll leave you will the smaller batch recipe and let you decide if you need to double it (you probably will want to 😉 )

Your Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Your Steps 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and almond extract. Beat until well combined. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Form into a log, cover in plastic wrap, and chill at least 3 hours (or overnight). 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a well floured surface, roll out dough, ⅓ of the log at a time. Roll ⅛” to ¼” of an inch thick, to your desired thickness. Cut using cookie cutters. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. 

Bake 6-8 minutes, until the edges are just about to brown. Allow to cool 2 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream it
Cream the butter and sugar!
Eggs and almond extract
Eggs and almond extract!
dry ingredients!
Add the dry ingredients!
Chill it up!
Chill it up!
Roll it out!
Roll it out!
Bake it up!
Bake it up!
Yum!
…and yum!

Looking for other baking treats? Check out my baking page below!

Baking

Tools of the Trade

These are some of my favorite tools in the kitchen!

Yum!

A Sugar Cookie to Write Home About

Sugar Cookies: the quintessential holiday baking treat! You're seven ingredients and a few hours from the best sugar cookie you'll ever eat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Rest Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs and almond extract. Beat until well combined.
  • Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Form into a log, cover in plastic wrap, and chill at least 3 hours (or overnight).
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • On a well floured surface, roll out dough, ⅓ of the log at a time. Roll ⅛” to ¼” of an inch thick, to your desired thickness.
  • Cut using cookie cutters. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Bake 6-8 minutes, until the edges are just about to brown.
  • Allow to cool 2 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
Keyword baking, Cookies, holiday treats, sugar cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other cookie inspiration?

Check out one of the recipes below!

JessLeave a comment

Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Do you ever envision a recipe and simply crave it for weeks? Thinking about how it might come together and how good it can taste? No? I am alone in this? I hope not. While I know it is still fall and not even Thanksgiving, I have been daydreaming about Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies for weeks. 

I am a sucker for all things peppermint. Candy Cane Chapstick? I stock up while they are in stores so have them year round. Peppermint mocha creamer? I can’t get enough. I even find myself treating myself to an Andes Candies Candy Bar at Kwik Trip whenever we have long car trips. Since we are living in the craziness of 2020, all the early Christmas decorations have me wanting peppermint even more. 

And while peppermint is divine, mixing it with chocolate takes it to a new level. I knew I needed a simple drop chocolate and peppermint cookie in my life, and I was certain others did too. This Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookie came together nicely. Since it is drop cookie, it takes minimal work. Beyond the peppermint chips, the ingredients are pantry items that you likely have on hand. Always a big win in my book. 

I hope you give them a try. They dip so well in milk and get better the next day, taking on a brownie flavor that’s “close your eyes and enjoy” worthy. Yum. 

Your Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Your Steps to Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined. 

If you are an awesome baker, you’ll mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda) in a separate bowl and then gradually add it to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. I HATE creating more dishes than I need to (the dishwasher here is named “Jess”), so I simply put the dry ingredients on top of one another, stir slightly to distribute the salt and baking soda, and call it good. This method has served me well. You do you though 😉 

Once the dry ingredients have been mixed in, add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes. Enjoy as all good cookies should, straight out of the oven (Okay, wait maybe 2 minutes so you don’t burn your mouth, but seriously, aren’t fresh baked cookies the best?!). Also, I ten out of ten recommend dipping in milk. Freaking yum. 

Butter and sugar…the beginning of a beautiful cookie!
Add the extract and eggs.
Yes, I know we should use another bowl, but really, who wants more dishes?!
Almost there!
Getting ready to bake!
A simple pleasure: fresh baked cookies!

Looking for other sweet treats? Check out my baking page below!

Baking

I love baking on silicone baking mats. Eliminates the waste that comes from parchment. Something I am passionate about.

I was gifted this baking sheet set for Christmas a few years ago and it’s my go to when I bake cookies. Love it!

I can’t bake without wooden spoons. That’s all there is to it.

Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Is there any greater combination that chocolate and peppermint? They come together in an easy drop cookie!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients slowly, stirring until just incorporated.
  • Add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in.
  • Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes.
Keyword chocolate and peppermint, Cookies, drop cookies, peppermint cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other cookie recipes?

Check out some of my favorites below!

JessLeave a comment

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins: Clean Eating Style

Recently, I put together some delightful sourdough pumpkin muffins. However, all my friends who aren’t sourdough bakers yet (You know you want to! Here’s a great link by King Arthur’s Flour on how to get started!) requested a non-sourdough pumpkin muffin, preferably of the healthy persuasion. After a little bit of testing and trying, here it is! Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins (with chocolate chips!). 

This Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffin pairs well with a warm cup of coffee in the morning. I love that it isn’t overly sweet and that it’s a baked good I can feel good about putting into my body. While it pains me at times, I just can’t do too much sweet in the morning. It leaves me a feeling out of sorts and not fueled the right way to tackle all the big goals I have! 

One more note: This recipe was created using a home roasted pumpkin. If you haven’t tried roasting your own pumpkin yet, I highly recommend it and the time is still right. Pick up a pumpkin or two from the local market, roast them up using the directions you can find here. Then freeze some so you can have fresh pumpkin baked goods all year round!

Okay, enough talking, let’s get baking some Oatmeal Pumpkin muffins my friends! 

Your Ingredients (about 18 muffins)

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree 
  • 2 eggs, room temperature 
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup (if you like things on the sweeter side, up this to ½ cup) 
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour 
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice (or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg with a dash of clove)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts 
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips 

Your Steps to great Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin tins with muffin cups or by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine puree, eggs, and maple syrup. Combine flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts, and chocolate chips. Add coconut oil and stir once more. 

Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling approximately ¾ of the way. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked all the way through. Marvel at the beautiful texture and promptly pop one in your mouth. Aren’t the melty chocolate chips just the best?!

  • It’s as simple as wet ingredients…
  • …dry ingredients…
  • …spoon into the tin..
  • …and marvel at their beauty!

Tools of the trade

If you’re baking, you need a great muffin tin. If you are fortunate enough to have a pumpkin to roast, I recommend a nice thick baking sheet lined in foil. Looking to get a new one? Check out the links below!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins: Good for you ingredients combine in these pumpkin muffins made from freshly roasted pumpkin!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup if you like things on the sweeter side, up this to ½ cup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg with a dash of clove
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin tins with muffin cups or by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine puree, eggs, and maple syrup.
  • Combine flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Fold in the walnuts, and chocolate chips.
  • Add coconut oil and stir once more.
  • Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling approximately ¾ of the way.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked all the way through.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!)

I have this great banana bread recipe. In fact, I had declared it THE best banana bread. It was clean and gluten free, which, let’s be honest, when combined can mean it doesn’t taste that great. But my friends and family will agree, it is darn good banana bread. You can get the recipe by clicking here. 

However, THE best banana bread requires the baker to create oat flour by putting all the dry ingredients in a food processor. I love my food processor, but the other evening, I was not interested in heading to the basement to grab it to make banana bread. Yes, I know this is slightly lazy. Okay, a lot lazy. But out of my refusal to grab an appliance, another great recipe was born. 

This recipe is STILL gluten free. While I am not gluten free myself, I dig being able to create for my friends who are. It still doesn’t have refined sugar. While I still love me some sugar, I enjoy finding good substitutes for my friends who try hard to cut extra sugar from their life. So if you are gluten free, watching your sugar, or you’re like me who really just loves a great banana bread recipe, I hope you give this a try. My husband (who doesn’t love banana bread) definitely went for seconds. And thirds. 

Ready? Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts 
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips 

Your Steps for Great Banana Bread 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. If you want it to look extra beautiful, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through. 

  • Start with the best–a few overly ripe bananas
  • Mix up some wet ingredients
  • Add the dry.
  • Stir it up. It will be moist. That’s okay!
  • Baked to perfection. Freaking yum.

Looking to bake other delicious treats? Head on over to my baking page for more inspiration!

Baking

Tools of the Trade

There isn’t much you need for a quick bread, but I want to share out the tools I love when I am baking!

Oh So Good Banana Bread

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!): Clean eating doesn't have to be flavorless. This banana bread is to die for and is gluten free too!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 3 very ripe bananas mashed
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  • Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture.
  • Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through.
Keyword Banana Bread, bananas, Breakfast, Quick Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Happy Mistake Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Isn’t it grand when a “happy little mistake” turns out to be a delight? While I have recently adopted the mentality of “what’s the worst that can happen?” when I am cooking and experimenting (by the way the worst that can happen is I learn what DOESN’T work and I throw away a little food), it is always exciting when the experiment turns out to be the best case scenario. That happened for me a week or so ago when I set out to make pumpkin scones. Scones were not the result, but the sourdough pumpkin muffins I created were a hit! 

Let me backtrack A little bit…

I have a great standard scone recipe that I adapt for all sorts of flavors of scones. You can check out one of my sourdough scone recipes here. I generally modify the spices and maybe add some diced fruit or lemon zest. This time, I had freshly roasted pumpkin that I was excited to use and figured it would mix well into the scone recipe. Needless to say, it became a little more damp than I am accustomed to, and I knew scones would be a no go. 

A few minutes of thinking and a few additional ingredients resulted in a batter the perfect consistency for muffins. I allowed it to rest (like a good sourdough bread should do), and lo and behold, a light, full of spice sourdough pumpkin muffins were born. I was so excited to share it with all of you! 

As an aside, it may not be traditional to share the mishaps turned to beauty in the kitchen. I believe in being real in life and on social media, and man, cooking isn’t always pretty. We make mistakes. Burn things, forget the salt, add one too many eggs, or forget just how many cups of flour you put in (Seriously, I use the least amount of measuring cups possible so if that means I have to use the ½ cup 5 times, I am down for it. Sometimes I lose track though. What can I say?) Bottom line, being in the kitchen should be an adventure. Take chances, embrace the mishaps and love the learning. It’s the only way to get better. 

Now let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients for Sourdough Pumpkin muffins

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh, active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips (optional)

Your Steps for Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners. Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish. To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips. Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl. Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes. Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean). 

Round out the fall flavor sensation by pairing your freshly baked muffins with some warm apple cider or maybe even a pumpkin spice latte. 

  • Dry ingredients..easy to measure!
  • Wet ingredients, starter and pumpkin, a great pair!
  • Mix by hand and let it rest 20 minutes!
  • Scoop into the muffin tin…
  • ..and perfection!

Tools of the Trade

If you’re baking, you need a great muffin tin. If you are fortunate enough to have a pumpkin to roast, I recommend a nice thick baking sheet lined in foil. Looking to get a new one? Check out the links below!

Roasted Pumpkin Recipe

Looking to roast your own pie pumpkin? Click here to get the recipe!

Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Sourdough discard mixed with fresh roasted pumpkin puree make for a delightful sourdough pumpkin muffin.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 16 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners.
  • Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.
  • Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish.
  • To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips.
  • Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes.
  • Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment