Tag: Baking

Chocolate Snack Cake

There is something to be said for making something from scratch. It just feels special as you pull all the ingredients down from the cupboard and watch as simple ingredients combine to create something special. For some reason, I feel that is especially true when it comes to a chocolate snack cake. 

I grew up in a house where my mom always baked us our birthday cakes. I don’t know if she ever purchased a cake from a bakery for my sister and me. That being said, it was always Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, or Pillsbury. So while it wasn’t homemade, box cake was a staple in my childhood. It became the thing I would make when my own kiddos. Why would I buy a cake when I can make it for cents on the dollar?

Even as I was becoming a food blogger, I stuck with my box cake mix because that’s what my mom always did. Then one day, I was scrolling instagram and I stumbled on a recipe for a chocolate snack cake and I knew I had to make it. And my goodness, forget those box cakes. This is where it is at! It’s so simple and perfectly chocolatey. 

So what is a snack cake?

Historically, a chocolate snack cake is also known as a depression or war cake. It doesn’t use eggs or milk, ingredients that would have been particularly hard to find during wartime rationing. I love that the secret ingredient is vinegar. I mean, who knew?! And you would never know! For those science minded friends, the vinegar mixes with the baking soda to make the cake light and fluffy 

What results in this chocolate snack cake is a rich and so delicious cake. And one of my favorite parts is that it only makes a 9 by 9 inch pan. I mean, I am here for cake, but sometimes you don’t want a giant one sitting around the house. Perfect for celebrating with a small group!

Now that was way too much talking. Let’s bake together! 

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 
  • 1 cup water 
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil 

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 
  • Pinch of salt 

Your Steps to a Delicious Chocolate Snack Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9 by 9 inch baking dish by spraying with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside. Measure the water, vegetable oil, vanilla, and vinegar in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk for 1 minute. Stir into the dry ingredients quickly and then immediately pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Allow to cool before frosting.

To create the frosting, add the butter to a small bowl and whip until fluffy using a fork. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and pinch of salt. Mix well, incorporating the butter into the dry ingredients. Add milk and vanilla and continue to whip until smooth. Frost cooled cake. Enjoy immediately.

Grab those dry ingredients!
Mix it up!
Get the frosting ready!
I just love the contrast!
Sprinkle with salt for the extra pop.
Freaking yum!

Chocolate Snack Cake

This delicious and simple chocolate cake is perfect for those chocolate cravings, when your shelves are a little bare, or if you don't do egg or dairy. You won't regret having this recipe in your back pocket.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup water
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9 by 9 inch baking dish by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
  • Measure the water, vegetable oil, vanilla, and vinegar in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk for 1 minute.
  • Stir into the dry ingredients quickly and then immediately pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Allow to cool before frosting.
  • To create the frosting, add the butter to a small bowl and whip until fluffy using a fork.
  • Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and pinch of salt.
  • Mix well, incorporating the butter into the dry ingredients. Add milk and vanilla and continue to whip until smooth.
  • Frost cooled cake. Sprinkle with course salt, if desired.
Keyword cake recipe, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate snack cake, depression cake
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Looking for other sweet treats?

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No Bake Cornflake Cookies

I have had a certain fondness for no bake cookies since I was little. I hadn’t made them often, but if they were an option at a bake sale or dessert bar, I generally would go for them; as long as there wasn’t a brownie or Rice Krispy treat as an option, of course. Then came the time I needed a no bake cookie, and these beautiful no bake cornflake cookies were the result! 

Let me take a step back and explain. But where to start….My big kid has become an avid basketball player, and because of this, he plays 2-3 games most weekends in January and February all around the area. Our town hosts said games soon and the parents of my son’s team were assigned baked goods. 

I LOVE baking and making cookies. But…a few weeks ago, my husband was doing some remodeling in our kitchen (yay!) and when he pulled out our range and then put it back, the oven stopped working correctly (booo!) That means for the last three weeks, I have baked exactly two loaves of bread and broiled one dish. Not great news for the baked goods. 

Well, I guess this is a great opportunity to work on a no bake cookie recipe, right? And just a few weekends ago, I had purchased a GIANT box of corn flakes for cheesy potatoes. The stars had aligned for some delicious no bake cornflake cookies.

My issue?

In looking at all the recipes I could find, no bake cookies are just full of sugar and corn syrup. I love me some sugar and butter, but I also try to find balance and replace when I can.  

My go to replacement for sugar is maple syrup (my family and I started tapping trees a few years ago. Learn about it here!) I was worried it wouldn’t allow the cookies to set, but it worked great! And because the only other real ingredients are corn flakes and peanut butter, I would ALMOST venture to say you could call these breakfast cookies. I mean, I won’t stop you…hehe. 

Now let’s get creating! For this recipe, I’ll leave it in small batch format. You can easily double it to get more delicious no bake cookies, but as it is written, this will give you about 20 cookies. 

Your Ingredients 

  • ½ cup maple syrup 
  • ½ cup peanut butter 
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • Nice pinch of salt 
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2-2 ½ cups corn flakes
  • ½ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

Your Steps to No Bake Cornflake Cookies 

Prepare two baking sheets with wax or parchment paper to place the cookies on when they are cooling. 

In a medium saucepan, combine syrup, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and the pinch of salt. Heat over a medium heat until the sauce JUST reaches a full boil. Remove the kettle from the heat and stir in the vanilla, corn flakes and nuts (if using) until well coated, adding more flakes if needed. 

Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop the cookies onto prepared baking sheets. They will stay together better if you give them a little squeeze. Allow to cool until set, about 30-60 minutes. Once set, store in an airtight container. 

Peanut butter, cocoa, and maple syrup
Create that lovely chocolate goodness
All the chocolate is melted and ready to go
Melted and delicious
Mix it up!
Mix it all together for no bake cookies
Add some nuts for extra crunch if you care to!
Let them rest!
No Bake Cookies completed
Oh so good!

No Bake Cornflake Cookies

Looking for a no bake cookie but want to skip on a bit of the refined sugar? Give this great no bake cornflake cookie a try!
3 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour
Course Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • Nice pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2-2 ½ cups corn flakes
  • ½ cup finely chopped nuts optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare two baking sheets with wax or parchment paper to place the cookies on when they are cooling.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine syrup, peanut butter, cocoa powder and the pinch of salt. Heat over a medium heat until the sauce JUST reaches a full boil.
  • Remove the kettle from the heat and stir in the vanilla, corn flakes, and nuts (if using) until well coated, adding more flakes if needed.
  • Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop the cookies onto prepared baking sheets.
  • Allow to cool until set, about 30 minutes. Once set, store in an airtight container.
Keyword chocolate and peanut butter, chocolate cookies, corn flake cookies, no bake cookies, no bake desserts, peanut butter, quick cookies, quick treats
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Jess2 Comments

Apple Pie Donuts

How is an apple pie donuts recipe created in the last month of the year in Wisconsin? Picture this: 

It’s December 20th and my mini me gets to bring a treat to school for the holiday party. All year, she has brought apples for a snack for herself, so she naturally chooses apples (and candy canes) as her treat. So off to the store we go to buy bags of apples for her and her classmates. Then a winter storm hits and school is canceled, canceling her party and leaving us with A LOT of apples. 

Don’t get me wrong, my family eats a lot of fruit, but I had JUST finished creating apple sauce with the last of our fall apples and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Then I spied my donut pan (a gift for the Mr. with a donut cookbook a few Valentine’s Days ago), and got to thinking, “I haven’t played with a donut recipe in a lonnnggg time.” 

And that winter storm? It was still going so I had nothing but time on my hands. I set to work. 

If you know me, you likely know I live for more simple, from scratch recipes with a healthy twist. I wanted these donuts to have the flavor of apple without a whole lot of chunks of apple in them. So out went some of the butter and oil I usually add and in went applesauce (Healthy and flavor! Big win!). To give a greater apple pie flavor, I amped up the cinnamon and nutmeg. And the frosting? Oh my goodness, it’s the best part. To give an apple flavor, I swapped more applesauce for the milk and it worked SO well. I can’t wait for you to give them a try!

Ready to get baking? Let’s go!

Your Ingredients for Apple Pie Donuts

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (or low sugar vanilla)
  • 2 tablespoons milk 
  • 2 ¼ cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
  • ¼  teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon salt 
  • ½ cup apples, diced finely

Donut Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Your Steps to Apple Pie Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a regular donut pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in applesauce, milk, and yogurt. Whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Add to wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in the apples.

Divide the batter among 16 donut cavities, filling ¾ of the way full. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until firm to the touch or passes the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the donuts from the pan and place on a cooling rack. 

While the donuts finish cooling, mix donut frosting. Using a fork, cream the butter. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Mix in applesauce, still using the fork. Whisk in the powdered sugar with the fork until smooth. 

When cool, frost or dip each donut in the frosting. It is a great consistency that you can dip it like a glaze but it will hold up like a frosting. Cover them anyway you choose!

Grab the wet ingredients!
Add some applesauce and yogurt.
Mix in the wet ingredients
Fold in the apples.
Portion it out.
Frost them up!
Yum!

Apple Pie Donuts

Love apple pie? These baked apple pie donuts with a great frosting  will give you that warm comforting feeling you get from pie and ice cream!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Sweets
Cuisine American
Servings 16 donuts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or low sugar vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 ¼ cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup apples diced finely

Donut Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a regular donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in applesauce, milk and yogurt. Whisk until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add to wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in the apples
  • Divide the batter among 16 donut cavities, filling ¾ of the way full.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes, until firm to the touch or passes the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the donuts from the pan and place on a cooling rack.
  • While the donuts finish cooling, mix donut frosting. Using a fork, cream the butter. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Mix in applesauce, still using the fork. Whisk in the powdered sugar with the fork until smooth.
  • When cool, frost or dip each donut in the frosting. It is a great consistency that you can dip it like a glaze but it will hold up like a frosting.
Keyword apple and cinnamon, apple pie, apple recipe, apples, baked donuts, Breakfast, donut recipe, donuts
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Buckeye Balls

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t heard of Buckeye Balls until about ten years ago. I was pursuing a foodie magazine a number of years ago around the holidays, and they had a section on holiday candy making. And I don’t know about you, but the pairing of chocolate and peanut butter ranks right up there in the top of flavor pairings in my world. So I quickly mixed up a batch, and instantly fell in love. 

Now, they have become a staple in my holiday baking and candy baking. It’s the number one request from my sissy when I am baking for our Winter Solstice celebration (I grew up celebrating the solstice more than Christmas). What I love about Buckeye Balls is that they mix up SUPER quick. They are no bake. And the chill time isn’t even terribly long. Forgot you were supposed to bring a treat for a party in the evening? These are a perfect idea!

This recipe will result in about 50 teaspoon sized treats. (I know many recipes call for larger Buckeye Balls, but I dig bite size treats.) 

Your Ingredients

  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil 

Your Steps to Buckeye Balls

Combine sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and butter. Cream well, being sure to get all “corners” of the bowl. Use a teaspoon to measure and your hands to form balls with the mixture. Place on a lined baking sheet and chill for 1-2 hours. 

Once chilled, melt coconut oil and chocolate chips in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until smooth. Dip balls into chocolate using a toothpick (or fingers, but this is crazy messy). You can cover the hole formed from the toothpick, leave it, or drizzle the leftover chocolate like (this is what I like to do!) If you are going to drizzle, you truly don’t need anything fancy. Simply spoon the leftover chocolate into a small zipper baggy, snip the corner (smaller rather than larger), and squeeze and drizzle!

Mix it up!
Form into balls by the spoonful
Drizzle and chill!
So dang good!

Buckeye Balls

Peanut butter and chocolate pair so nicely in these quick and delicious Buckeye Balls. Great for any holiday treat tray!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 50 candies

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Combine sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and butter. Cream well, being sure to get all “corners” of the bowl.
  • Use a teaspoon to measure and your hands to form balls with the mixture. Place on a lined baking sheet and chill for 1-2 hours.
  • Once chilled, melt coconut oil and chocolate chips in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until smooth.
  • Dip balls into chocolate using a toothpick.
  • You can cover the hole formed from the toothpick, leave it, or drizzle with the leftover chocolate.
Keyword buckeye balls, candies, candy making, chocolate, chocolate and peanut butter, peanut butter
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Looking for other sweets and treats?

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Jess2 Comments

Homemade Quick Fudge

For most of my adult life, I have been the Christmas cookie baker for all our get-togethers. I adore making batch after batch of cookies and candies to share with the people I love most. In the years before COVID, I would also bring a huge cookie tray to school to share with all my students. I mean, I said I want to share with the people I love, right? These cookie trays ALWAYS have a selection of this homemade quick fudge and it is loved by everyone. 

Everyone so much, in fact, that even my nephew (at the age of maybe 10) asked me to teach him how to make his own batch. It’s that good. And did I mention how easy it is? It mixes up in minutes flat and chills quickly. Better yet, you can add any sort of mix-ins you want. Want nuts? Put them in. Love coconut and almonds? Toast them up. 

Whatever flavor you dig, this homemade quick fudge will be sure to bring extra delight to your holiday treat display. Let’s get started!

Your Ingredients 

  • 2 cups chocolate chips, any flavor
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk 
  • ¼ cup butter
  • Optional: ½ cup any sort of mix ins: toasted coconut, nuts, dried fruit
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon extract for flavor (think peppermint, orange, almond) 

YouR Ingredients for Homemade Quick Fudge

In a large, microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. Grease and line a 9×9 inch baking dish. Microwave chocolate chips in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. 

Stir in mix-ins and extract, reserving some to sprinkle on top. Pour into the lined pan and smooth them out. Sprinkle reserved mix-ins on top, cover, and chill for three hours. Remove the fudge from the fridge and from the pan. Cut into bite size pieces. Store in the fridge until serving. 

Combine the ingredients
Heat it up and stir it up!
So dang good!

Homemade Quick Fudge

Just three simple ingredients creates this homemade quick fudge that is perfect for any holiday treat tray!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups chocolate chips any flavor
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • Optional: ½ cup any sort of mix ins: toasted coconut nuts, dried fruit
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon extract for flavor think peppermint, orange, almond

Instructions
 

  • In a large, microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter.
  • Grease and line a 9×9 inch baking dish.
  • Microwave chocolate chips in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
  • Stir in mix-ins and extract, reserving some to sprinkle on top.
  • Pour into the lined pan and smooth them out. Sprinkle reserved mix-ins on top, cover, and chill for three hours.
  • Remove the fudge from the fridge and from the pan. Cut into bite size pieces. Store in the fridge until serving.
Keyword candy, candy recipes, chocolate, chocolate fudge, fudge, holiday treats
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Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bread

Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bread

“Mama! Will you make more chocolate zucchini bread?” That’s what I heard a few weekends back, and while I really love my chocolate zucchini bread recipe (Find it here!) I wanted to skip the chocolate and go for a new recipe; A spiced zucchini oatmeal bread. 

The goal? Make a zucchini bread my kids would gobble up while making some healthy swaps. If you’ve been here a while, you know my MO is maple syrup (or honey!) instead of sugar, whole wheat flour rather than white, and oatmeal is so heart-healthy I have to throw it in there! 

And while lots of my recipes are gluten-free (because darn it, I care about you, gluten-free friends!), this recipe uses some Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Wheat Flour. If you are gluten-free, I highly recommend checking out their flour. They are well known in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area for creating heritage wheat that is more digestible. Freaking dang cool, right? 

This recipe was a great breakfast for my mini me and mid morning snack for myself. I eat breakfast at 6 am and lunch at 12:20 pm. I don’t know about you, but this girl can not last that long. There is definitely a second breakfast around 9:30 with some form of granola, graham cracker, or bread and a piece of fruit. It’s how this active teacher rolls. But enough about my eating habits, let’s get baking! 

Your Ingredients for Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bread 

  • ¾ cup maple syrup 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs 
  • ⅓ cup oil 
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour 
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats 
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • ⅛  teaspoon ground cloves 
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 2 ½ – 3 cups shredded zucchini

Your Steps

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9×5 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Mix maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and oil in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and shredded zucchini. 

Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, without raw batter. 

Grab your wet ingredients..
…and then your dry!
Add the final touches..
…mix it up!
Almost ready to bake!
And done!

Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bread

Cinnamon, maple syrup, and some oatmeal make this heart healthy zucchini bread a delight while still being kid friendly!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅓ cup oil
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 2 ½ – 3 cups shredded zucchini

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9×5 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and oil. Whisk until well combined.
  • Add whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix until just combined.
  • Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and shredded zucchini.
  • Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
  • Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, without raw batter.
Keyword Breakfast Bread, chocolate zucchini bread, oatmeal, Quick Bread, whole wheat flour, zucchini, zucchini bread, zucchini recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Coconut and Raisin Spiced Muffins

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may know that I have a couple of fun foodie groups that I get to be a part of: Around the World in 80 Dishes where we pick a different country every month to cook from and One Book, Three Recipes where we pick a different cookbook off our shelves each month and we cook three recipes from it. This fun coconut and raisin spiced muffins recipe was a child that came from the later challenge. 

I had been debating on a few different recipes from one particular book and then turned to a page that had a recipe for coconut bread. I set out to make the recipe, and I found myself saying, “huh…there’s none of this ingredient? Or that one? And yet another? This seems strange.” What I had was some sand-textured ingredients in a bowl. There was no way it was going to create a loaf of bread. A few typos that missed the editor’s desk, I presume.

And so I played with it and was instantly in love with the results. Now, if you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I usually sub maple syrup for sugar and try to give a healthy twist. These coconut and raisin spiced muffins are not that. They are dense, warming, and delicious; totally different from my average fruit muffin. Give them a try! 

Your Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar 
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅔ cup milk 
  • 2 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
  • ¾ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 cup dried unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, etc) 
  • ½ cup chopped nuts 

Your Steps to Coconut and Raisin Spiced Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 18 muffin vessels with liners or by greasing them. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Add to wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in coconut, dried fruit, and nuts. Place the mixture into the prepared tin, filling ¾ of the full.

Bake for 20-24 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Always with the butter and sugar.
I adore all the textures!
Almost ready to go!
Yum! Let’s get a cup of coffee!
Coconut and Raisin Spiced Muffins

Coconut and Raisin Spiced Muffins

These coconut and raisin spiced muffins are full of texture and flavor, creating a delicious and dense muffin full of warming spices.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 18 muffins

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 2 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dried unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit cranberries, cherries, etc
  • ½ cup chopped nuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 18 muffin vessels with liners or by greasing them.
  • Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Stir until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Add to wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in coconut, dried fruit, and nuts.
  • Place the mixture into the prepared tin, filling ¾ of the full.
  • Bake for 20-24 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Keyword Breakfast, coconut, coconut muffins, muffins, Quick Bread, raisins, spiced bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Check out any of the recipes below or just head to my breakfast page for more ideas!

JessLeave a comment

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Who here has a kiddo who is much more likely to eat something that is chocolatey? *Raises hand.* Who here likes chocolate zucchini bread themselves? *Raises hand again* 

I love zucchini bread in all forms, but my big kiddo isn’t a zucchini fan and will complain if it isn’t disguised well. Knowing that we have the intent to send our kids to school with more home lunches this year, I set out to create a chocolate zucchini bread that had some healthier ingredients while still pleasing the 12 year old. 

Upon taking it from the oven, he was questioning it. “Zucchini bread, really?” Then he cut himself a warm slice. He smiled and finished it with his eyes closed (the tell-tale sign that I won his tastebuds over). Then he cut another and finally stopped after ⅓ of the loaf was gone. When he and his sister finished the loaf a few days later, he immediately asked me to make more.

I played with the recipe in a few more batches, but the first one was “the one.” The one I will be baking this summer in this fun petite pan from Epicure. From there, I will freeze the portions and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. I think they will be perfect in lunch boxes. What do you think? 

Don’t worry if you don’t have that sweet pan. The original recipe was baked in a 9 inch loaf pan, so you are set to go! Want muffins? That’s cool too! Cut the bake time to 20 minutes and you’ll be set! 

Ready to start creating? Let’s go!

Your Ingredients for Chocolate Zucchini Bread

  • ¼ cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt 
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour 
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼-½ cup chocolate chips
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini, water squeezed out 
  • ½ cup chopped nuts, optional

Your Steps

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine oil, syrup, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, baking powder, flours, and cocoa powder. Stir into the wet ingredients until just combined. 

Add zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts, if using. Fold into batter. 

Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 min, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with no raw batter. 

eggs, oil, and maple syrup
It ALMOST looks like a face!
dry ingredients
Grab those dry ingredients.
zucchini and chocolate chips
Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips!
ready to bake
Almost ready!
Just a perfect loaf!
Completed chocolate zucchini bread
Let’s eat!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

A classic chocolate zucchini bread with a bit of a healthy twist that is still kid approved!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼-½ cup chocolate chips
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini water squeezed out
  • ½ cup chopped nuts optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine oil, syrup, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, baking powder, flours, and cocoa powder.
  • Stir into the wet ingredients until just combined.
  • Add zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts, if using. Fold into batter.
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with no raw batter.

Notes

This recipe bakes up nicely as a muffin too! Just prepare a muffin tin by greasing or using liners and drop the bake time to 20 minutes or so. 
 
Keyword chocolate, chocolate zucchini bread, Quick Bread, zucchini, zucchini bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great recipes?

Check out a few suggestions below! Or feel free to head to my baking or cooking pages for all sorts of inspiration!

Summer Garden Orzo Salad

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Blueberry Currant Muffins

For the last ten years, I have slowly (okay, not so slowly) become an avid gardener, preserver, and aspiring homesteader. I often joke the Mr. that I can’t wait for him to ‘make all the monies’ so I can stay home and grow and create good food. One of most favorite parts of gardening is the harvesting of the berries, which we grow by the pounds. It’s mediative for me. But with all those berries, must come preservation and I dig a good muffin! As the red currants and blueberries came in, I knew I had to combine them to get that beautiful pop of color. And so, I proudly present blueberry currant muffins. 

I generally like to keep things healthy around here, but have been straying from that a bit. It’s about balance, right? So I went back to my roots and did a little healthier take on a muffin, using maple syrup (If you’ve never made your own, I can’t recommend it enough. Check out my post on our adventure here!)

I hope you enjoy the bursts of flavor in these muffins as much as we did! Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients

  • ½ cup almond milk 
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup 
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups flour (I do high quality whole wheat from Sunrise Flour Mill) 
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 
  • ¾ cup fresh blueberries 
  • ¼ cup red currants 
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds 

Your Steps to Blueberry Currant Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, syrup, and almond extract. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.

Gently fold in coconut oil, blueberries, and currants. Place in a well greased muffin tin, filling about ¾ of the way.

Top with sliced almonds. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until baked through. 

Pictures of steps of baking the muffins.
Measure it out!
Wet dough and berries
Mix it up!
Muffins in tin.
Portion it out!
Completed blueberry currant muffins
So dang good!
Completed blueberry currant muffins
Serve it up!

Blueberry Currant Muffins

Beautiful pops of color and flavor are abundant in these blueberry currant muffins perfect for breakfast, snacks, and anywhere in between!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • ¾ cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ cup red currants
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, syrup, and almond extract.
  • Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.
  • Gently fold in coconut oil, blueberries, and currants.
  • Place in a well greased muffin tin, filling about ¾ of the way. Top with sliced almonds.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, until baked through.
Keyword blueberries, Breakfast, currant muffins, maple syrup, muffins
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great recipes?

Check out my baking page for all things muffins or maybe check out a recipe below!

JessLeave a comment

Rhubarb and Almond Cookies

Yes, I know I have shared a lot of rhubarb recipes this spring. That’s good, right? And my goodness, I adore baking cooking so rhubarb and almond cookies seemed the next logical step! 

So often, I miss rhubarb season because I am too busy getting the garden ready and ending the school year, that I can’t even think about using the rhubarb. And perhaps I am alone in this, but I always associated rhubarb with only being harvested in the spring. I am not sure where I learned that information, but it’s been in my head for as long as I can remember. However, I learned this year that rhubarb can be harvested late into the summer, although you want to do it before it seeds out. Good news, right?!

Initially, I tried to skip adding oatmeal in these cookies for those non-loving oatmeal friends. It just didn’t fly. The moisture from the rhubarb was simply too much for flour to handle. This cookie bakes up nicely and will seem like a crisp cookie straight out of the oven. However, it will soften up as they rest on the counter. Be careful to store them in a flat, covered container to prevent them from breaking apart before you can enjoy them! 

I love the tartness that can be found in these rhubarb and almond oat cookies. The oats and sliced almonds at the bit of texture we all know and love and the use of almond extract rather than vanilla makes for a surprise! Ready to bake? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar 
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats 
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ¾ cup diced rhubarb, cut small 
  • ½ cup sliced almonds 

Your Steps to Rhubarb and Almond Cookies

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg and almond extract. Beat until incorporated completely. In an additional bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients along with the oats. Stir until just combined. Fold in the rhubarb and sliced almonds. 

Drop by tablespoonsful 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes or until set. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. 

Creamed and dry ingredients!
Some little diced rhubarb and almonds.
Baking time!
A little tart and a little sweet!

Tools of the trade

If I am baking cookies, I am using my Chicago Baking Set. I got it for Christmas from the Mr. a number of years ago and I just love them. The cooling rack is a perfect size and the baking sheets are of great quality! I also recently gifted myself a cookie scoop and holy man, it rocks. If you don’t have one yet and you bake cookies, you probably deserve to gift yourself one too.

Rhubarb and Almond Cookies

These Rhubarb and Almond Cookies are a delight with the tartness of the rhubarb and the texture of the almonds and oats! Give them a try!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 32 cookies

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup diced rhubarb small
  • ½ cup sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg and almond extract.
  • Beat until incorporated completely.
  • In an additional bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients along with the oats.
  • Stir until just combined. Fold in the rhubarb and sliced almonds.
  • Drop by tablespoonsful 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes or until set.
  • Allow to cool a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

These will be a soft cookie. Be sure to keep them in a flat container to make sure they don’t fall apart. 
Keyword almonds, chocolate chip cookies, Rhubarb, rhubarb cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other sweet treats?

Check out the recipes below or head to my Baking page for all the treats!

JessLeave a comment