The Story Behind the Recipe

I wanted to share an easy, kid-friendly, adorable Christmas dessert this year, and these Reindeer Cupcakes were perfect! I love how easy they are to make – just pipe on the chocolate buttercream, plop on the antlers, nose, and eyes, and adorableness awaits.

Why You’ll Love These Reindeer Cupcakes

• From scratch recipe – The homemade cupcakes and that chocolate buttercream are to die for! But no shade if you go with cake mix and premade frosting – you can still easily add antlers, eyes, and nose for Reindeer Cupcakes!
• SUPER easy – I love that there’s no extra work to prepping the elements for decorating your reindeer cupcakes. All you need are store-bought chocolate covered pretzels, red M&Ms, and candy eyes.
• Make ahead – You can make these reindeer cupcakes ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to serve them. Less work over the busy holidays!

Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• Cocoa powder – You’ll want unsweetened cocoa powder; Dutch process is the way to go. I use straight up Hershey’s or Ghirardelli for my cocoa powder.
• Coffee – Freshly brewed coffee. I promise your chocolate cupcakes won’t taste like coffee! Just a half cup or so really highlights the chocolate flavors.
• Eggs – Two large eggs.
• Sour cream – I like to use full-fat sour cream. You can substitute buttermilk here, too, if that’s all you have.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract.
• Flour – All-purpose flour.
• Baking soda & baking powder
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baking.

For the chocolate buttercream:

• Butter – Make sure it’s at room temp so it’s nice and soft, otherwise it will be hard to blend.
• Powdered sugar
• Salt
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla
• Heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• Chocolate covered pretzels – You can find these in the snack section or sometimes I find them in bulk.
• M&Ms – Red M&Ms make the perfect nose. Buy a bag of M&Ms and pick out the red ones, then enjoy the rest while you’re whipping up your reindeer cupcakes!
• Candy eyes – Found the baking section of many grocery stores.

How to Make the Cupcakes & Frosting

1. First, make your cupcakes. You’ll want to whisk together the cocoa powder and the coffee in a small bowl until liquified into chocolatey goodness.
2. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients, then sift the dry ingredients over the top. Mix together just until combined, and fill your lined muffin cups.
3. Bake the cupcakes just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, then pull them out to cool.
4. Whip up the frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together, then drizzle in the vanilla and heavy whipping cream and whip until light and fluffy.

How to Decorate Reindeer Cupcakes

1. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with an open-star tip.
2. Press the pretzels into each side of the frosting.
3. Gently press in the nose and the eyes.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

I hope you love these Reindeer Cupcakes as much as my family and I do! They’re cute and festive and absolutely delicious. Rudolph approves!

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Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe

These cute Christmas cupcakes are guaranteed to steal the show at any holiday potluck or party! The cake is rich, moist, and tender and topped with the creamiest whipped chocolate buttercream frosting. Chocolate covered pretzels make the perfect antlers, then they're finished with candy eyes and an M&M nose.

Course Dessert

Keyword christmas cupcakes, reindeer cupcakes, rudolph cupcakes

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 385kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 standard-size muffin tin
• 1 stand mixer or hand-held mixer

Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup freshly brewed black coffee*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt

For the chocolate buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature; 2 sticks
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• 24 chocolate-covered pretzels
• 12 red M&Ms
• 24 candy eyes

Instructions

Make the chocolate cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
• In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot coffee until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla until well-combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk again until the batter is uniform in color.
• Place a sifter over the bowl and sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together just until combined. The batter will be thin – this is exactly how it should look.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
• Bake in the center of the oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22-28 minutes (for my oven, it took more like 28 minutes, but if your oven runs hotter, it may more on the 22 minute side. I suggest checking them early on.) The cupcakes will be flat on top, not rounded like a muffin.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the chocolate buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and mix on low speed until the mixture looks combined but still crumbly.
• Slowly add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the cream while on low speed, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick to pipe onto the cupcakes, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream.
• Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star top (such as Wilton 1M). Pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake.
• Press two pretzels into the top for antlers, add a red M&M nose, and finish with two candy eyes.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days until ready to serve.

Notes

* If you prefer not to use coffee, you can simply replace it with ½ cup of boiling water instead. The purpose of the coffee is to intensify the chocolate flavor, not to add a coffee taste, so the cupcakes will still be deliciously chocolatey without it.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

Storage

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Keeps up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Reindeer Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Plus, they’re no more difficult to make than your typical chocolate chip cookie. The egg is replaced with a “flax egg,” simply a mix of ground flaxseed and water. And it works perfectly!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Developing This Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Tips for Success
• How to Freeze No-Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies
• More Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies are my comfort baking recipe. When times are tough, it’s the first thing I want to bake to help bring back a sense of normalcy.

When my kid was 6 weeks old, I broke my ankle thanks to two enthusiastic dogs and a flight of stairs (luckily, I was holding a laundry basket, not my baby!) In hindsight, caring for a cuddly newborn instead of an active toddler while not being able to walk is definitely a better situation. But at the time, there was something that felt so helpless about my sudden injury … and when everything in your being tells you that you have to keep this baby alive at all costs (thank you hormones!), not being able to walk can feel pretty dire.

So I was thrilled when, after just a few days, I was able to get around pretty well in a walking cast. And one of the first things I did after a very emotional handful of days was strap my tiny baby into a carrier, hobble into the kitchen, and whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

My go-to recipe is typically the Nestle tollhouse classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s what my mom made, too, and I figure if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

But that recipe calls for two eggs, and as we all know, eggs are hard to come by right now. And when we finally do pay a small fortune to get some, it can be hard to sacrifice two of them to a baking recipe!

So I did some experimenting and came up with a spin on the tollhouse cookie recipe that uses flax eggs – a mix of ground flaxseed and water – instead of chicken eggs. And these no-egg chocolate chip cookies are absolutely delicious!

Why You’ll Love Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies

• They save you money. Unless you have a backyard flock (total goals), eggs are expensive right now, if you’re able to find any at all. A couple of tablespoons of flaxseed meal are way more accessible and will cost you a LOT less.
• They taste amazing! The aforementioned kid is now a teenager and is basically a super-taster who can detect the most minuscule change in a recipe. But said kid declares these chocolate chip cookies with no egg exactly the same as my typical chocolate chip cookie.

Developing This Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I started with the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe as my base recipe and experimented with adjusting the flour and a couple of other ingredients + chilling the dough until I came up with the perfect Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies!

• Test 1: I made two flax eggs (mixed flaxseed meal with water and let it sit for 20 minutes) and swapped it in for the chicken eggs. I kept everything else the same. Result: Delicious no egg chocolate chip cookies, but they didn’t quite spread enough. It seemed the traditional amount of flour wasn’t quite needed with flax eggs vs. chicken eggs.
• Test 2: I took half of the dough from test 1 and chilled it for 20 minutes to see if allowing the flour to hydrate would change the outcome of the cookies. It did change them, a little – oddly, they spread a little better. But not quite enough. I also felt they needed a bit more salt and vanilla.
• Test 3: I reduced the flour by 1/4 cup, doubled the vanilla, and added 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bingo! These cookies spread perfectly and had just enough extra flavor to be perfect.
• Test 4: I chilled the dough just to see what would happen. Honestly, I didn’t see much difference between the chilled dough vs. straight out of the mixer dough, except that the chilled cookies were slightly thicker and browned a tiny bit more on the top. Ultimately, I didn’t think it was worth the extra 20 minutes (though I wrote it into the recipe as an option!)
• Test 5: Repeat test 3 one more time just to make sure it’s spot-on. It was! Perfect Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Ingredients

• Flaxseed meal – Flaxseeds are, you guessed it, the seeds from flax plants. They’re a great source of Omega-3s and other nutrients (source). And, as it turns out, when the ground-up seeds soak with water, they form a gel that makes a perfect binder that works amazingly in place of eggs in recipes!
• Butter – I start with unsalted butter to ensure consistency (different brands of salted butter have different levels of salt). Make sure it’s room temp/softened so it whips up perfectly!
• White sugar & brown sugar – Equal amounts of both. Feel free to use light brown sugar OR dark brown sugar, whichever you prefer.
• Pure vanilla extract
• Flour – You can use whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour, but I tend to go with straight up white all-purpose flour for my eggless chocolate chip cookies.
• Baking soda
• Salt – I like to use a fine-grain salt like sea salt or table salt.
• Chocolate chips – I tend to use classic semi-sweet, but if you prefer milk chocolate or dark chocolate, go for it! Chocolate chunks are great too.

Tips for Success

• Use warm water for the flax egg. Not super hot, just warm. This will help it develop into its gel-like consistency faster.
• Don’t over-mix the dough. Mix it just until it comes together so that you don’t develop the gluten, which can make the cookies less tender.
• These are rather thin cookies. They’re not wafer thin, but they’re just not super thick chocolate chip cookies. I love them this way, but if you prefer a thicker cookie, I suggest adding 1/4 cup more of the all-purpose flour to your dough.

How to Freeze No-Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies

Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag, or you can freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet then transfer them to a freezer bag for longer-term storage. Bake a few or a lot of cookies at a time! I suggest adding 1-2 minutes of baking time if you start with frozen cookie dough balls. 

I hope these Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies hit the spot for you, whether you’re having a hard time finding eggs, conserving the eggs you do have, or allergic to eggs.

No matter your reason to make your chocolate chip cookies egg-free, I think you’re going to love these cookies! I think I’ll be making these just as much (if not more) as my beloved classic version.

More Cookie Recipes

• Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (dairy-free, gluten-free)
• Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
• Chocolate Snickerdoodles
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

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Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Chewy, buttery, and perfectly golden – these egg-free chocolate chip cookies are just as good as a typical chocolate chip cookie recipe with eggs!

Keyword chocoalte chip cookies no eggs, chocolate chip cookie recipe without eggs, chocolate chip cookies without eggs, egg free chocolate chip cookies, eggless chocolate chip cookies, no egg chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 235kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed aka flaxseed meal
• 6 tablespoons warm water 1/3 cup; I just tend to use my tablespoon measure because I already used it for the ground flaxseed
• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; room temp/softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips 1 [12-ounce] package

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal and 6 tablespoons warm water. Allow it to thicken up for about 20 minutes; it will be thick but pourable with a slightly gel-like consistency.
• Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter at medium speed until creamy, then add the 3/4 granulated sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until it begins to lighten up a little.
• Add the flaxseed mixture and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix at low speed until well-combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and turn the stand mixer on low, mixing just until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides if necessary. Add the 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips, mixing for another couple of seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the dough together with a sturdy spatula until completely combined.
• Optional: Chill for 20-30 minutes for thicker cookies. This might be a good idea if you're in a warmer kitchen/climate or if you started with very soft butter. My kitchen is 69-70 degrees and I started with room temp butter; I found chilling doesn't make enough of a difference to be worthwhile.
• Form the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each (I use a cookie scoop). Place on your baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake until golden around the edges, about 8 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Bake the next batch of cookies the same way, until you're all the way through the dough.
• Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Prep time includes 20 minutes for the flax eggs to set up.

These are rather thin cookies. They’re not wafer thin, but they’re just not super thick chocolate chip cookies. I love them this way, but if you prefer a thicker cookie, I suggest adding 1/4 cup more of the all-purpose flour to your dough.

Storage notes:

Cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temp for 4-5 days. They also freeze well. Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag, or you can freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet then transfer them to a freezer bag for longer-term storage. Bake a few or a lot of cookies at a time! I suggest adding 1-2 minutes of baking time if you start with frozen cookie dough balls. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

It’s super simple to make, too! With only four ingredients (plus any optional toppings) and only about 10 minutes hands-on time, it makes a nice big batch of holiday deliciousness with not a lot of effort.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Saltine Toffee
• Tip for Success
• More Christmas Sweets Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I first shared this recipe back in 2010, on my first blog. It was called “pine bark” back then, which understandably is a name that didn’t stand the test of time, considering pine bark is more commonly known as, you know, the bark of a pine tree.

There are a few recipes that didn’t make the transition from my first blog to Kitchen Treaty, and this saltine toffee, sadly, was one of those casualties. But, today, I’m here to remedy that, with a classic, off-the-charts delicious treat that I make every Christmas without fail.

I remember the first time I made this recipe, many years ago, I wasn’t sure about the idea of using saltine crackers as the base. I thought it was weird. I WAS WRONG. Because it is glorious. The crispy crunch of the crackers + the salt + toffee + chocolate?! Nirvana.

Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee

This saltine toffee recipe is SUPER easy to make. Sugar cookies and gingerbread people have their place, sure, but they take some effort.

Saltine toffee, meanwhile, makes an awesomely large quantity of Christmas goodness with very little hands-on effort. Okay, so it’s not quite as easy as classic peppermint bark, but it’s darn close!

Ingredients

• Saltine crackers – You’ll need one sleeve of saltine crackers, or about 35 crackers. Make sure you get salted crackers!
• Butter – I almost always buy unsalted butter just so I can better control the salt level in my recipe. In this case, the salt on the crackers is plenty.
• Brown sugar – Light or dark both work. Make sure it’s packed into your cup!
• Chocolate chips – I go with plain ol’ classic semi-sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate are also good!

Adaptations/Variations

• Mix up the toppings: Top the chocolate with flaky sea salt (as pictured), M&Ms, or colorful sprinkles.
• Add extract: A dash of almond or vanilla in the cooked toffee is always a great addition!

How to Make Saltine Toffee

First, you’ll line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then you’ll line your saltine crackers up on the baking sheet. Then, you’ll create your toffee in a saucepan by boiling the butter and brown sugar together.

Pour the toffee over the saltine crackers, then slip it into the oven to bake for a few minutes. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, pour the chocolate chips over the top, then let them rest for a few minutes to get melty.

Once the chocolate chips have melted, use an offset spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with toppings, if you want (I’m partial to an extra dose of salt in the form of flaky Maldon sea salt).

From there, let your saltine toffee cool to room temperature. The chocolate and toffee will solidify, and you’ll be left with a glorious slab of saltine toffee! Just lift the parchment off of the pan, and use a big chef’s knife to cut the toffee into smaller pieces.

Tip for Success

• Take care when cooking your toffee. This is really the only tricky part about this recipe. If you undercook the toffee, it might end up grainy. Overcooked toffee can be crystalized and burned tasting. So follow the directions exactly: As SOON as it comes to a full boil, set a time for 3 minutes, then remove it from the heat at exactly the 3 minute mark.

I hope you’re as big a fan of saltine toffee as we are! It’s a must-have for our holiday cookie platters and I’d be so honored if some of this toffee found its way to yours.

More Christmas Sweets Recipes

• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies (coming soon!)
• Gingerbread Trees
• Fruit & Nut Chocolate Clusters
• Oreo Bark

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Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack) Recipe

Crisp saltine crackers smothered in buttery brown sugar toffee and covered with chocolate. Sweet, a little salty, and super addicting! Just 4 ingredients and only about 10 minutes hands-on time.

Keyword christmas crack, pine bark, saltine toffee

Prep Time 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 49 minutes minutes

Servings 35 pieces

Calories 142kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 35 salted saltine crackers 1 sleeve
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Optional toppings

• Christmas themed sprinkles
• Red & green mini M&Ms or regular size M&Ms

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 15"x10" cookie sheet with rims with parchment paper.
• Lay a single layer of crackers in the pan.
• Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. As soon as it comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for exactly 3 minutes (set a timer!), stirring constantly.
• Pour the brown sugar butter mix over the saltine crackers, so that it's evenly distributed.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. It will be very bubbly when you pull it out. Place it on a cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
• Wait a couple of minutes for the chocolate chips to begin melting, then use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the saltines and caramel.
• If you'd like, you can add Christmas themed sprinkles and/or M&Ms. I love to use mini M&Ms on these. A light layer of flaky sea salt is always good, too!
• Let the saltine toffee cool until hard (this may take an hour or more). If you want to accelerate the process you can place it in the fridge to cool.
• Cut into squares to serve.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to one week. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Saltine Toffee Recipe (Christmas Crack) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

With cutie pumpkins, apple “nachos,” string cheese brooms and more, it’s full of a variety of healthy Halloween snacks and a few treats for a well-balanced Halloween diet (totally a thing!)

Children’s Halloween snacks have never been more fun! This snack board features a mix of healthy and sweet ideas for Halloween party snacks, and it’s super easy to put together and adapt to individual needs and tastes.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love this Halloween Snack Board
• Ingredients
• Equipment Notes
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make a Halloween Snack Board
• How to Make it Ahead of Time
• More Halloween Snack Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I think Halloween party snacks are so fun. It’s the ultimate excuse to get cutesy with your food, and I’m all over that. So I thought I’d assemble some of my faves and make a Halloween snack board.

I wanted to call this Halloween Snack Board a Halloween Charcuterie Board, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I know that charcuterie has come to mean any assortment of foods gathered on a board (I even call this Christmas board a charcuterie board), but officially, charcuterie means cured meats, and this is pretty far from having meat.

I mean, it can, if you want to (and might I suggest this amazing prosciutto hand if you’re going there?), but this Halloween snack board is more of a fruit and vegetable affair with some chocolate, caramel, and fruit dip thrown into the mix. More Halloween party snacks than charcuterie board.

Why You’ll Love this Halloween Snack Board

A Halloween snack board is such a fun and easy way to display Halloween party snacks! This one is super easy to assemble, with the components easily made in advance then quickly assembled right before serving.

Ingredients

• Apple “nachos” – Colorful apples, arranged in slices, and drizzled with caramel sauce and Halloween-themed sprinkles. I suggest tossing the apple slices in a little lemon juice to help prevent them from browning.
• Marshmallow fluff fruit dip – This easy fruit dip is the centerpiece of the display.
• String cheese pretzel broomsticks – String cheese and pretzel sticks make adorable simple broomsticks! Bonus: a little protein for your Halloween party snacks! I’ve written a full post about how to make string cheese broomsticks, but it’s really easy.
• Clementine pumpkins – Basically tangerines or “cutie” oranges, peeled, with celery stems plopped in the top. I love these!
• Mixed nuts
• Candy corns
• Gingersnaps – Any store-bought gingersnap will do, or if you’e like to make your own gingersnaps, go for it! I love the looks of this crispy gingersnap cookie recipe.
• Halloween-shaped chocolates – I don’t have a recipe or blog post about these, but basically all you do is temper chocolate (here’s an excellent guide about how to temper chocolate) and pour it into a silicone Halloween-shaped chocolate mold and let harden for a couple of hours. This is the mold I use (affiliate link) but there are tons out there so grab the one you like best!

Equipment Notes

• Slate cheese board – We have a food-safe slate board here, but any wood board will do. If I’m using wood, I prefer to use a large dark wooden board for the spookiest vibes.
• Cauldron bowl – A cauldron-shaped bowl is super cute on this board! Here’s a similar one.

Adaptations/Variations

• Allergy Friendly Halloween Snack Board: It’s easy to adapt this board to be more of a classroom-friendly, allergy-friendly station. Leave off the mixed nuts and anything else that’s on the not-safe list, then add in some allergy free goodies.
• Vegan Halloween Snack Board: Use the vegan adaptation of the marshmallow fluff fruit dip, vegan string cheese, vegan caramel sauce, and vegan chocolate.

As I’m sure you can imagine, the sky’s the limit for this Halloween board! Here are some food ideas to add:

• Witch finger breadsticks or another witch finger treat
• Garlic bread mummies
• Mummy hot dogs (maybe with an assortment of condiments arranged around)
• Deviled egg eyeballs or classic deviled eggs with pickle or olive “pupils”
• Pumpkin hummus
• Pumpkin cookies and/or double chocolate oatmeal cookies
• Graham crackers
• Carrot sticks
• Goldfish crackers
• Make-a-monster snack mix
• Banana ghosts

How to Make a Halloween Snack Board

I like to build out from the center when making a charcuterie style board. For this board, place the bowl of fruit dip in the center, then surround the bowl with apple slices. Drizzle with caramel and Halloween-themed sprinkles.

Arrange the clementine pumpkins in the upper right corner, and the string cheese broomsticks in the bottom left corner. Add the gingersnaps and mixed nuts to the remaining corners. Fill in the gaps with candy corns. That’s it!

How to Make it Ahead of Time

Up to 2 days ahead of time:

1. Make your orange pumpkins and cheese broomsticks ahead of time and store them separately in an airtight container in the fridge.
2. Slice your apples and toss them in lemon juice so they won’t brown, and refrigerate.
3. Make your Halloween chocolates.
4. Make your fruit dip and refrigerate.
5. Gather your board and bowl so that you’re ready to go when it’s time to assemble.
6. Then, right before it’s time to put together your Halloween party snacks, assemble the platter. It comes together quickly, easily, and impressively!

More Halloween Snack Recipes

• Witches Finger Breadsticks
• Mozzarella Mummy English Muffins
• Pumpkin Scones
• 3-Ingredient Healthy Caramel Apple Dip or Easy Caramel Apple Dip
• Pumpkin Gingerbread
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Make-a-Monster Halloween Snack Mix
• Deviled Egg Eyes

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Halloween Snack Board

This epic Halloween snack board is so fun for kids (or adults!) With healthy options plus a few treats, it's a centerpiece-worthy party platter – no tricks!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword halloween charcuterie board, halloween party foods, halloween snack board, halloween snacks for kids

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

• string cheese broomsticks
• clementine pumpkins
• apple nachos
• marshmallow fluff fruit dip
• Halloween-shaped chocolates
• candy corns
• mixed nuts

Instructions

• Place the bowl of fruit dip in the center of a large food-safe board, then surround the bowl with apple slices. Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with Halloween-themed sprinkles.
• Arrange the orange pumpkins in a corner, and the string cheese broomsticks in another corner. Place the gingersnaps and mixed nuts in the remaining corners. Fill in the gaps with candy corns. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead:

Up to 2 days ahead of time:

• Make your orange pumpkins and cheese broomsticks ahead of time and store them separately in an airtight container in the fridge
• Slice your apples and toss them in lemon juice so they won’t brown, and refrigerate
• Make your Halloween chocolates
• Make your fruit dip and refrigerate
• Gather your board and bowl so that you’re ready to go when it’s time to assemble
• Then, right before it’s time to put together your Halloween party snacks, assemble the platter. It comes together quickly, easily, and impressively!

The post Halloween Snack Board appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

These 3-Seed Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies are extraordinary, and I am SO excited to be sharing this cookie recipe with you today!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Developing This Recipe for Tahini Seed Breakfast Cookies
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies
• Tips for Success
• How to Store
• Can I Freeze Tahini Breakfast Cookies?

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Every August for the past 10 years, our family has headed up to Salt Spring Island in British Columbia for a week of relaxation and fun. It’s the most gorgeous place, tightly packed with tall evergreens along narrow winding roads that open up to blue water vistas.

My kid is there for pretty much solely for a week in the lake at the center of the island, and to catch up with friends who return to the same place every year, too. But for me, one of the best things about Salt Spring is that it’s a straight-up foodie paradise.

One of the reasons for that is that there are farm stands along the sides of the roads everywhere, and in August, these stands are usually overflowing with the locals’ garden abundance.

While some farm stands are what you’d expect – a cart and a roof with maybe some eggs in an ice chest, flowers, a few squash and other vegetables – some are a full-on experience.

Last year, we discovered a huge covered farm stand tucked up a hill on the side of the road. Once we’d parked, climbed up, and picked out homemade cupcakes, we turned around and were greeted by the stunning blue of the bay below us. A long, rustic slab of wood served as a bar facing the view, with stools lined up underneath. We sat down, enjoyed our cupcakes, sipped coffee, and enjoyed the quiet and the scenery.

This past August, I decided to head out by myself late one morning to see what types of squash and other goodies I could find at the local farm stands. After a few stops, I entered the gate of Stowel Lake Farm, crunched up the gravel drive, and parked, then wandered up the flagstone path surrounded by flowers that are always buzzing with butterflies and bees. As usual, this farm stand had gorgeous plants, lots of produce, and a few baked goods.

And it was here that their Tahini Seed Cookies stopped me in my tracks.

There was one left. It was huge, glorious-looking, and mine. Forgetting about everything else, I tucked my four dollars into the honor slot, grabbed the cookie, and carried it back to my car. I quickly decided I was going to wait to find the perfect oat milk latte before I ate it, so I ventured down the road and, as luck would have it, found a coffee stand pretty quickly. They made me the most excellent latte, and I sat down at one of their umbrella-covered tables and dug into the latte and the cookie.

Ohmygosh. This cookie.

It was a vanilla-and-sea-salt-laced cookie PACKED full of seeds, a hint of cardamom and tahini, and a glorious chocolate chunk now and then.

I immediately knew I wanted to recreate these cookies at home, but there is no recipe like that out there – all I had to go on was the list of ingredients on the side of the cookie jar. Stowel Farm’s website mentions their popular cookies, but no recipe.

Soooooo … I set out to recreate this incredible seed cookie that I just had to have in my life year-round. And that’s how these Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies came to be!

I have to note that it took me awhile to realize that these tahini cookies are actually what’s considered to be a breakfast cookie. Which makes perfect sense because I have found myself grabbing one or two for breakfast – and felt great about it because of all of those glorious fiber-and-protein-and-omega-packed seeds. They’re excellent for a satiating snack, too!

Developing This Recipe for Tahini Seed Breakfast Cookies

I knew straight away that this was not going to be a normal cookie recipe. For one, these cookies clearly didn’t have any flour (and were labeled at the farm stand as gluten-free, too). But thankfully, the cookie jar at the farm stand listed the ingredients in the cookies (just not the quantities), so I had somewhere to start.

I stirred together some rolled oats with a bunch of seeds (sunflower seeds, pepitas [pumpkin seeds], and sunflower seeds), along with some dark chocolate chunks, vanilla, salt, and cardamom. Then I added what seemed like a good amount of tahini along with some honey.

The “dough” was not dough-like at all, but I persevered, scooping balls onto my baking sheet, then pressing them gently flat.

I shrugged and baked them, figuring it was going to be an epic fail.

I pulled them out of the oven, and they had actually puffed up a little and held together! From there, I let them cool all of the way on the cookie sheet.

Then I lifted one up, and it miraculously held together! I knew that the tahini and honey would act as a binder, but I was still floored that it actually worked. Better yet, the cookie was delicious!

I went through many iterations of this cookie before I settled on the recipe I’m sharing here today. This, in my opinion, has the perfect amount of vanilla and cardamom, holds together well, and tastes amazing!

The inspiration cookies had coconut, by the way, but when I tried adding coconut, the cookies suddenly had a moist quality that had them falling apart by day two. I didn’t feel like it added much to the flavor, so I continued developing the recipe without coconut. I have a hunch that toasted coconut flakes might work, though, I just haven’t tried it yet.

Ingredients

Okay, so what do we have in these little gems?

• Tahini – You want a runny, creamy tahini that you can stir together well so that it is nice and homogenous when you add it to your cookies.
• Honey – Any honey will work, use your fave.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is what I use. I want to try these breakfast cookies with vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla bean but haven’t yet.
• Cardamom – Ground cardamom goes perfectly with the sesame taste of tahini and the mellow sweetness of the vanilla.
• Kosher salt & flaky sea salt – Kosher salt for in the cookies, flaky sea salt like Maldon for sprinkling over the top.
• Oats – I like to use thick rolled oats which I think stand up to the seeds well and add to the hearty quality of these breakfast cookies.
• Pepitas – Also known as pumpkin seeds, these green seeds are so good for you and just so good! I use raw, unsalted pepitas.
• Sunflower seeds – At the time I was testing this recipe, I had the hardest time finding raw sunflower seeds! So I used roasted, salted sunflower seeds. I’m sure raw sunflower seeds will work just as well.
• Sesame seeds – You’ll want raw sesame seeds. They’re found in the spice section of most grocery stores.
• Chocolate chunks – I like dark chocolate chunks for these tahini cookies, but you can use whatever chocolate chips or chunks you like.

Adaptations/Variations

• I plan to test this recipe with other nut butters and seeds/nuts, but haven’t yet. I suspect cashew butter/cashews will be lovely.
• Make ’em vegan: Honey is not vegan, but you can swap in pure maple syrup for a fully vegan version of these breakfast cookies.

How to Make Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies

I think you’re going to LOVE how easy these breakfast cookies are to make.

Preheat your oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grab a medium-sized bowl. Add the tahini, honey, vanilla, cardamom, and kosher salt to the bowl and mix it together until well combined.

Now, pile in all the seeds and the chocolate chunks. Stir until completely combined. The mix will be somewhat loose and will require a bit of muscle to get everything combined.

From there, scoop balls onto your baking sheet. I like to use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop.

Space them about two inches apart, and flatten them gently with your fingers. They’ll be a little fragile, just press the sides back in as you go.

I like to add a couple of extra chocolate chunks to the top of each cookie for presentation, but that’s totally optional.

Then, bake them until the edges are golden. Pull them out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like, and let them sit until completely cool on the cookie sheet. They’ll adhere together as they cool.

Tips for Success

• Mix the wet ingredients together first. This helps to make sure all of the flavors of the vanilla, salt, and cardamom are evenly distributed.
• Let them cool completely on the baking sheet! This is where the magic happens – they bind together the rest of the way while cooling off.

How to Store

Store your tahini seed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze Tahini Breakfast Cookies?

Yes! Not only can you freeze these tahini seed cookies, they’re absolutely delicious straight out of the freezer. Just keep them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month.

I hope you love this unique cookie recipe as much as we do! It’s been so fun to discover a new way to make delicious cookies that are so chockfull of good stuff that we feel good about eating them. AND after talking about them, I’m off to my freezer to snatch one up and eat it with my coconut creamer coffee! 🍪✌️

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Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Densely packed with seeds, dotted with chocolate, held together with tahini and honey and flavored with vanilla and cardamom. I LOVE these slightly sweet, full of flavor, seedy-in-the-best-way, healthy cookies!

Keyword breakfast cookies, flourless seed cookies, seed cookies, sunflower seed cookies, tahini cookies

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Calories 146kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini mixed well
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw unsalted pepitas
• 1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds raw will work too
• 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips; plus a few more for topping if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes for sprinkling on top; optional

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the tahini, honey, vanilla, cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to a medium bowl. Stir together until completely combined.
• Add the dry ingredients except for the flaky sea salt, which you'll sprinkle on after they bake. Mix with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until thoroughly combined.
• Scoop rounds of the cookies onto your baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. I like to use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, and as I'm scooping, I really try to push the cookie dough together to help it stick together.
• With your fingers, gently press the edges of the cookie together while pressing down to flatten it. You might have a few errant seeds fall out; this is okay and normal! Just do your best to push it back into the side of the cookie.
• If desired, top each cookie with two or three more chocolate chunks.
• Bake for 10-13 minutes, until ever so slightly puffed and the edges of the cookie are turning golden.
• IMPORTANT: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until completely hardened and cool, about one hour. They harden and stick together as they cool.
• Remove the cookies from the parchment and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.

Notes

Total time does not include one hour cooling time. 

Storage & freezing notes

Store your tahini seed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not only can you freeze these tahini seed cookies, they’re absolutely delicious straight out of the freezer. Just keep them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Tahini Seed Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Sweet and salty Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix is my favorite snack of all. Just a handful or two is super satisfying – with the protein and fat in the nuts, it quells those hunger pangs. The cherries provide a nice tart sweetness and the dark chocolate chips a decadent touch. Salted almonds give you that glorious sweet/salty situation.

Basically, this crave-able homemade trail mix recipe is one that hits all the notes. So, I thought I’d share! (Plus, it can be made entirely from pantry ingredients too!)

Is Trail Mix Healthy?

“Healthy” is relative! These days, I view “healthy” through the lens of nutrients – how many nutrients are in a food? Trail mix is nutrient dense, and to me, that means it’s healthy. But it’s also dense in calories and fats, so if you’re watching either of those, you may want to keep this in mind. Fortunately, even a small amount of this trail mix is extremely satisfying – and a little goes a long way.

For this Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix, we have almonds, cashews, dried cherries, and dark chocolate – all of which are wonderfully nutrient dense foods.

• Almonds are rich in protein, magnesium, vitamin E, and fiber. (source)
• Cashews have protein, heart-healthy fatty acids, and antioxidants. (source)
• Dried cherries contain potassium, vitamin C, B complex, and antioxidants. (source)
• Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols, iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc. (source)

To make Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix, just dump the four ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. This homemade trail mix recipe makes just enough to fit into a 32-ounce mason jar, with about a handful left over for an immediate snack. The perfect amount!

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating! And, if you find it share-worthy – which I hope you do – please share. Tag #kitchentreaty on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes!

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Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix

This simple trail mix recipe hits all the right notes – sweet, salty, and satisfying.

Course Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 253kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups roasted salted almonds
• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
• 1 (5-ounce) package dried cherries about 1 cup
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

• Pour all ingredients into a medium bowl and stir together to mix. Store at room temperature in a sealed 32-ounce mason jar and enjoy whenever you need a quick and satisfying snack!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.33cup | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Dark Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I started out wanting to create a homemade version of these. We call them “brownie muffins” and they’re a favorite around here. I love that it gets flaxseeds in all their healthy glory into my picky-eater of a kiddo. I ended up at this recipe from The Pastry Affair and, using that as a starting point, went from there.

I’ll be honest, the end result is nothing like the store-bought Chocolate Brownie muffins that I was trying to replicate. These are more tender and cake-y – almost like cupcakes for breakfast (without the frosting) if I’m being honest. But they’ve become a family favorite just as they are, Bridget Jones-style, so I thought it was high time I shared them with y’all!

Do you remember the Life Cereal commercial about Mikey? “He won’t eat it – he hates everything … HE LIKES IT! HEY MIKEY!” Quite honestly, our kid is a bit of a Mikey. An entirely lovable Mikey but a Mikey nonetheless. And she LOVES these tender chocolate oat muffins. Which means, I think, there is likely not anyone in the whole wide world who won’t like them.

I guess they’re sort of grizzly-bear-esque with their rich brown color and the humps on their back? I don’t know, it’s a stretch. But regardless of what you call them, I think you’ll love them!

(more…)

The post Grizzly Bear Muffins (Vegan Chocolate Chunk Oat Muffins) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I don’t know exactly what to call it but the symptoms include: 1) Decreased ability to come up with blog-worthy new recipes and 2) Extreme increased ability to tuck under a blanket on the couch with a square of dark chocolate, watch drivel like The Bachelor, and obsess over every single kitchen remodel detail one can possibly imagine.

The good news? The kitchen is almost done! Finally. We have one more set of cabinet doors to paint, then it’s on to the backsplash plus moving back in. I’m pretty sure once the kitchen remodel is complete I’ll regain some of my blogging mojo. It’s looking bee-you-tiful so I am, in fact, planning on more mojo than ever. (Please, oh please come back, mojo!)

Today’s chocolate cherry smoothie recipe is a super simple one, but so, so delicious. It gives me hope for my mojo and low-cal desserts in equal measure, because it tastes like a decadent milkshake.

In actuality, it’s a fruit-sweetened-only smoothie with a surprising little hit of iron. It has a healthy side but still feels indulgent.

(Okay, even more indulgent if you choose to trash it up a bit with coconut whipped cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate syrup. I won’t judge.)

I mean, I’m always looking for great sources of iron, so I guess I’ll just HAVE to enjoy another Black Forest Smoothie, right? The sacrifices for health, you know.

Hope to be back soon. Bear with me!

(more…)

The post Black Forest Smoothie appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

A few months ago, I was out with some preschool moms, and we managed to stay out until midnight. I came home, woke my guy, and practically did a happy dance at the foot of the bed – so proud was I for staying out so late. In his sleepy haze, he didn’t really appreciate the high-five requests.

Yeah … I still high-five.

The truth is, more often than not, my guy and I are in bed by 8:30 p.m. I mean, we really have transformed into morning people (parenthood helped), so I try to justify our elderly bedtime. I mean, I do generally wake between 4 – 5 a.m. and work for a couple of hours. The house is so quiet! I do my best work then! On the flip side, by 6 p.m., my brain has officially shut down.

So, as you can imagine, a wild night packed full of green beers and Irish jigs and rad t-shirts is not exactly on our agenda for Saint Patrick’s Day. Preschool crafts, yes. Maybe some green mac and cheese. And I can even manage this mug cake after 6 in the evening, because it’s darn near the easiest thing to make, ever. (Well, aside from this one, which is even easier.) Plus, chocolate.

Mug cakes are both dangerous and awesome. They’re so easy to make – cake in an instant! So it’s kind of hazardous thing to have in your cooking arsenal. But they’re also great for eating sweets in moderation. This Vegan Double Chocolate Mint Mug Cake is an indulgence, yes. But when that single serving is gone, it’s gone. No tempting half-rounds of cake beckoning me from the kitchen. That’s the awesome part – at least, when I’m counting calories (which I perpetually am).

This mug cake is uber-chocolatey with both actual chocolate melted in plus cocoa powder to boot. Hence the “double!” It’s moist with a nice crumb, and absolutely otherworldly with a dollop of vanilla-touched coconut whipped cream. I mean, otherworldly for a mug cake.

Would a non-lame person ever describe a mug cake as “otherworldly?” Yeah … don’t answer that.

More Vegan Cake Recipes

• Looking for a full-size chocolate cake recipe? This dairy-free and vegan chocolate cake is a keeper recipe around here.
• Who doesn’t love a good flag cake?! American flag sheet cake is vegan and the frosting can be adapted to be vegan also.
• This vegan pineapple upside down cake is so moist and decadent!

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Vegan Double Chocolate Mint Mug Cake

This uber-chocolatey mug cake just happens to be vegan, but everyone is sure to appreciate this decadent little indulgence.

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 1-ounce square bittersweet or dark chocolate, broken into pieces, or 2 tablespoons semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I’ve been using Ghiradelli 60% baking chocolate as that’s what I have on hand)
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil can substitute vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
• 1/16 teaspoon or about 6 drops peppermint extract

Optional toppings:

• Coconut whipped cream or, for a non-vegan version, dairy whipped cream
• Mini chocolate chips
• Fresh mint

Instructions

• Place the chocolate and the coconut oil into a microwave-proof mug. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds and stir. If the chocolate is not yet melted, microwave again at 50% power in 15-second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted. It usually takes me about one minute total.
• Add the remaining ingredients except optional toppings. Stir with a fork until combined.
• Microwave on high until risen and just until dry to the touch, 1-2 minutes (in my microwave it takes 1 minute 15 seconds).
• Add toppings if you like and serve.

The post Double Chocolate Mint Mug Cake appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

The black beans give these brownies a fudgy, almost truffle-like consistency. But no bean taste – none! No one would ever guess they’re in there. Plus, thanks in part to the beans, there’s no need for flour in this recipe. So we’re talking gluten-free goodness right here, too.

Are they health food? Well, no, I wouldn’t go that far.

But are they a healthy alternative to straight-up sweets? Absolutely! How thrilled would you be to find one of these decadent goodies in your lunchbox?

Almost as thrilled as you might be knowing that your kids are getting a dose of protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium in that rich, chocolaty dessert of theirs. Win.

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Fudgy Black Bean Brownie Bites

Rich, decadent, chocolaty … these almost truffle-like brownie bites have a secret ingredient they’ll never guess.

Keyword black bean brownie bites, black bean brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 brownie bites

Calories 83kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate I use 65% bittersweet chocolate chips or baking bar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Grade A pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
•  

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the cups of a 24-cup mini muffin pan liberally with coconut oil or use an oil mister.
• Add the chocolate chips or baking bar (broken up) to a heat-proof bowl set over pan of simmering water, double-boiler style. Add the coconut oil and heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted. Carefully remove the bowl (use an oven mitt to help avoid steam burns!) and set aside.
• Add the black beans, cocoa powder, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract to the pitcher of a blender (you can also use a food processor fitted with the S-blade). Pour in the melted chocolate and coconut oil mix. Puree until completely smooth. Add the eggs and puree again until completely blended.
• Divide the mixture between the mini muffin cups. I pour it straight out of the blender right into the cups – easy peasy! Top with mini chocolate chips.
• Bake until set, no longer wobbly, and your finger springs back when you gently poke the top, 12-15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen any stuck edges, carefully remove the brownie bites from the muffin pan, and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Brownie bites keep in an airtight container refrigerated for 4-5 days. I like to keep them in the freezer, too – I think they taste even better and more truffle-like when frozen!

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Black Bean Brownie Bites appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.