Tag: Desserts

Candy Bar Bars

This recipe comes from Jeff’s Mitchell Family Cookbook, so I definitely wanted to include it. The taste is similar to No Bake Cookies, but with a nice crunch from the peanut butter. Haha, it may be the only time I ever buy crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.

For gluten free, you just need to use gluten free oats and make sure you use a new jar of peanut butter or one not contaminated with crumbs.

Candy Bar Bars

  • Servings: 12?
  • Difficulty: medium
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From the Mitchell Family Cookbook.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 c. Butter

  • 1 c. Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. Vanilla
  • 1/2 c. Corn Syrup
  • 4 c. Quick Cooking Oats (or gluten free oats)
  • 1 c. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
  • 2/3 c. Crunchy Peanut Butter

Directions

Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Mix in the vanilla, corn syrup, and oats. Pat this dough into the greased pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (don’t overbake). Meanwhile, over low heat, melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Allow the cookie base to cool slightly, spread the chocolate peanut butter mixture on top. Cool completely and cut into bars.

 


Alice’s Best Sugar Cookies

This recipe comes from Grandma Alice, and I just love whenever cookies have almond extract in them. It makes such an amazing flavor.

FYI, I found a recipe a few years ago for sugar cookies, and they just rolled out the dough onto Silpats right after it was made and still room temperature, then covered it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for half an hour. Then you cut them after. Ever since then, I’ve been rolling cookies like that because it’s much easier than trying to flatten out a block of cold dough.

I haven’t made this one gluten free yet, but of course you’d want to switch out the flour for a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum and maybe add a few tablespoons extra. Also, you may have to add a few minutes to the cook time.

Alice's Best Sugar Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen
  • Difficulty: medium
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Almond extract gives them a wonderful flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 c. Butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar, sifted

  • 1 Egg

  • 1 tsp. Vanilla

  • 1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

  • 2 1/2 c. Flour, sifted

  • 1 tsp. Baking Soda

  • 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

Directions

Cream sugar and butter. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and almond flavoring. Sift and measure flour and blend dry ingredients; stir into mixture. Refrigerate 2-3 hours. Heat oven to 375°. Divide dough in half and roll out on a lightly floured area to 3/16″ thick. Cut with floured cookie cutters (dip in flour and shake off extra before cutting). Sprinkle with sugar. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7-8 minutes or until delicately golden. Makes 4 dozen 3″ cookies.

 


 

Lemon Bars

Jeff loves lemon, and I enjoy making him lemon treats because I love him so much. This recipe comes from the family cookbook that Grandma Marilyn Mitchell compiled, with this recipe attributed to Louise Durman, Food Editor, Knoxville News-Sentinel. It’s great and less expensive than many lemon bar recipes because you may already have all the ingredients. Lots of lemon bar recipes require lemon zest, and I was afraid the lemon flavor wouldn’t be as strong without it, but Jeff says it tastes good as is. So it’s great just to use your bottle of lemon juice instead of having to buy and zest lemons.

I haven’t made this one gluten free yet, but of course you’d want to switch out the flour for a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum.

Lemon Bars

  • Servings: about 12
  • Difficulty: easy-medium
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Cool before serving and use a wire strainer to cover with powdered sugar.

Ingredients

  • 1 c. Butter, softened

  • 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar (plus more to sprinkle over top when finished)

  • 2 c. Flour (or gluten free flour with xanthan gum, plus a few tablespoons extra)

  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

  • 4 Eggs

  • 2 c. Sugar

  • 5 Tbsp. Real Lemon® Juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar. Blend in flour and salt. Press mixture into a buttered 9×13 pan. Bake crust at 300° for 20 minutes. While the crust is baking, in a medium bowl, blend together eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Cool on rack; when cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut into rectangles.

 


 

Cinnamas Cookies

In 2021, Jeff and I entered a Christmas cookie contest for Go Bold with Butter. Jeff wanted a fun cinnamon cookie, and this was the recipe he developed, adapted from a delicious sugar cookie recipe.

I haven’t made this one gluten free yet, but if you’re making it gluten free, of course just use a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum, plus a few tablespoons extra. 

“Cinnamas Cookies

  • Servings: about 36 cookies
  • Difficulty: medium
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Don’t chill the dough–the Red Hots tend melt out more when chilled.

Ingredients

  • 1 c. Butter, softened

  • 1 1/2 c. Sugar

  • 1/2 tsp. (1/2 dram) Super Strength Cinnamon Candy/Baking Flavoring (aka cinnamon candy oil)

  • 1 Egg

  • 2 1/2 c. Flour (or gluten free flour with xanthan gum, plus a few tablespoons extra)

  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder

  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

  • Red Food Coloring to desired color

  • 1/3 c. Red Hots cinnamon candies

  • 1/2 c. Sugar for rolling cookies

  • 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

  • 1/2 c. White Candy Melts or vanilla candy coating, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. For the tallest cookies, line the cookie sheets with parchment paper. Beat the butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and mix well. Pour in the cinnamon oil and mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. Add red food coloring as desired and mix well. Place the red cinnamon candies in a zippered plastic bag, then crush with a rolling pin until they’re small pieces about 1/3 their normal size. (Large pieces can melt out.) Stir the broken candy into the dough. In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and stir. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons into the cinnamon sugar and roll around to coat. Use a cookie scoop for best results. Afterwards place the dough on the lined cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Do not overbrown. When the cookies are cooled, melt the white candy melts and spoon into a plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a small corner of the bag and quickly stripe the cookies with vertical lines.

 


 

“Frosting the Snowman” Carrot Cake Cookies

Haha, Jeff and I decided to enter a Christmas cookie contest in 2021 for Go Bold with Butter. I wanted something that was visually interesting but easy to create–a snowman! But how do you make a cookie look like a snowman? Then it hit me in the middle of the night when I was brainstorming–frosting! Frosting the snowman! And it could be a carrot cake cookie, so his carrot nose would be perfect! How could it not win some sort of prize, with a clever name, a cute look, delicious cream cheese frosting, and even a gluten free option? Haha, needless to say, the recipe didn’t win ANY sort of prize. Seems like the prizes all went to the cookies with coffee or alcohol in them. Haha. Oh well, I enjoyed my cookies.

If you’re making it gluten free, of course just use a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum. Also make sure your nuts don’t say that they may contain wheat.

“Frosting the Snowman” Carrot Cake Cookies

  • Servings: 40-42 cookies
  • Difficulty: medium-hard
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Time-consuming but festive for Christmas.

Ingredients

Cookie batter:

  • 1 c. Butter, softened

  • ¾ c. Sugar

  • ¾ c. Brown Sugar, packed

  • 2 Eggs

  • 1 tsp. Vanilla

  • 2 ½ c. Flour (or 2 ¾ c. gluten free cup-for-cup flour)

  • 2 tsp. Baking Soda

  • 2 tsp. Cinnamon

  • ½ tsp. Ginger

  • ½ tsp. Ground Cloves

  • ½ tsp. Nutmeg

  • ½ tsp. Salt

  • 2 c. Grated Carrots (generally 4-6 carrots, depending on size)

  • 1 ½ c. Chopped Pecans (optionally toasted for best flavor) (check for gluten free)

Frosting:

  • ½ c. Butter, softened

  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

  • 2 tsp. Vanilla

  • 3 c. Powdered Sugar

  • 1/8 tsp. Salt (optional)

  • Orange and black food coloring

Directions

For cookie batter: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and lighter in color. Scrape down sides, then add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt) and mix well. Add the carrots and pecans and mix well. On a greased cookie sheet, spoon a rounded tablespoon in a nice circular, tall mound for the snowman’s head. Leave 1-2 inches between each mound. (The cookies will spread a little and have a cakey texture.) Bake 11-13 minutes until golden brown.

For frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, salt (if using), and mix until smooth. Set aside ½ cup frosting to color for the face. Color half the reserved frosting orange and the other half black.

To decorate: Frost each cookie with a circle of white frosting. Place the orange and black frosting in plastic sandwich bags and cut off a tiny corner. Then pipe an orange carrot in the middle of the cookie for a nose. Finish by piping black eyes and a smile.

(Tip: For the gluten free version, make sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife.)

 


Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I’m sure this cake is wonderful with regular flour, but I’ve only made it with gluten free flour. And my family can’t tell the difference. I found the recipe after my celiac diagnosis and was very interested because it only requires 1 cup of expensive gluten free flour, most of the body and fluff of the cake comes from beaten egg whites, and it has nuts. It does take a little extra time because you have to separate and whip the egg whites. I don’t have a 9×9 pan, so I’ve used an 11×7 and it works great but needs extra time to bake.

I’m including the link to the original recipe from Taste of Home. Of course if you’re making it gluten free, just use gluten free flour with xanthan gum plus 3 Tbsp., and a little extra baking powder. Also check your nuts that they don’t say they may contain wheat.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

  • Servings: 9
  • Difficulty: medium
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Takes a little extra time because of bringing eggs to room temperature and whipping egg whites, but it’s delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c. Melted Butter
  • 2/3 c. Brown Sugar
  • 1 can Sliced Pineapple
  • 1/2 c. Pecans (chopped or halves) (check for gluten free)
  • 3 Eggs, separated and at room temperature
  • 1 c. Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 c. Flour (or 1 c. +3 Tbsp. Gluten Free Flour with xanthan gum)
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder (or 1 rounded tsp.)
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 9+ Maraschino Cherries
  • Whipped Cream for topping (optional)

Directions

In a greased 9×9 or 11×7 pan, combine butter and brown sugar. Drain pineapple and save 1/3 c. juice. Arrange the pineapple slices on top of the sugar, place cherries in the middle of each pineapple, then sprinkle pecans over all. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar and blend well. Blend in vanilla and pineapple juice. Then add flour, baking powder, and salt and beat well. In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Then fold the egg whites into the batter. Spoon into the pan over the pineapple. Bake at 375° for 35+ minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate. Serve warm with whipped cream.

 


Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies

Jeff grew up making these cookies and even made them one year for a Christmas cookie auction, so I wanted to preserve it as a family recipe. The shortening makes the cookies nice and chewy. Note that the dough does tend to spread and flatten quite a bit in the oven.

I haven’t made this one gluten free yet, but make sure you use a gluten free flour blend (maybe with a few extra tablespoons), gluten free oats, and uncontaminated other ingredients.

Coconut & Oatmeal Cookies

  • Servings: 2 1/2 doz
  • Difficulty: medium
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Don’t place the dough balls too close together because they will spread in the oven.

Ingredients

  • 2 c. Sugar
  • 3 1/2 c. Flour (or gluten free flour with a few tablespoons extra)
  • 2 1/2 c. Rolled Oats (or gluten free oats)
  • 1 1/2 c. Coconut Flakes
  • 4 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 2 tsp. Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 1/2 c. Shortening
  • 3/4 c. Corn Syrup
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, oats, coconut, baking powder, soda, and salt. Blend in shortening until the mixture is crumbly like pie dough. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the corn syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Roll into balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies should be light golden on the bottom.

 


Marshmallow & Cream Cheese Dip

Jeff’s family made this all the time growing up, and I love it–especially with apples. You could consider it an appetizer or dessert, since it’s such a sweet and delicious thing to serve with fruit. You can also make it more festive by adding food coloring–we colored it green for St. Patrick’s Day.

And this one is naturally gluten free–just serve it with fruit and stay away from graham crackers.

Marshmallow & Cream Cheese Dip

  • Servings: 8?
  • Difficulty: easy
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Simple, yet incredibly delicious. Just remember to soften the cream cheese beforehand.

Ingredients

  • 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (7 oz.) pkg. Marshmallow Creme
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

Blend cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth. Add vanilla and mix. Serve with fresh apples, fruit, or sweet crackers.


 

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake

This recipe comes from Valerie Bertinelli from the Food Network. I was excited because I really missed the strawberry shortcake ice cream bars since being diagnosed with celiac disease, and I saw that I could easily make this recipe gluten free if I use the Great Value gluten free golden Oreo knockoffs (just buy two bags). Gluten free or not, this recipe is delicious. It does take a fair amount of time, but you don’t have to cook anything, and everyone loves it. I’ve even made it for a birthday cake.

I opted for using the cheaper Kroger ice cream because the ice cream in the original bars isn’t like a high quality Breyer’s vanilla bean or strawberry. And for the cheapest freeze dried strawberries, I also get them at Walmart. I may also consider doubling the strawberry topping because it’s delicious and my topping doesn’t look as thick as the picture on the Food Network (maybe gluten free golden Oreos are smaller than regular ones).

As I mentioned, if you’re making it gluten free, just use a gluten free version of golden Oreos, such as the Great Value variety. The other ingredients should be gluten free (just check the label in case).

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy-medium
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Let the ice cream cake soften on the counter for a few minutes before eating.

Ingredients

Crust:

Shortcake Crumbs (you may want to double or make 1.5):

Filling:

  • 7 c. Vanilla ice cream (buy 2 containers), slightly thawed in the fridge
  • 3 c. Strawberry ice cream, slightly thawed in the fridge

Directions

For the crust: Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To a  blender or a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the sandwich cookies, slightly breaking them up as you add them. Process until the cookies are completely broken up. While the machine is running, slowly stream in the melted butter. The mixture should now resemble wet sand and should hold together when pressed in your hands. Add the mixture to the prepared pan and evenly spread all over the base and about 1/2 inch up the sides. Place the crust in the freezer for 30 minutes. Reserve the blender to make the shortcake crumbs.

For the shortcake crumbs: To the blender or food processor, add the sandwich cookies, slightly breaking them up as you add them. Add the freeze-dried strawberries. Process the mixture until it’s a very fine, cohesive consistency. With the machine running, slowly stream in the melted butter, then set aside.

For the filling: When the crust is frozen, scoop on half of the softened vanilla ice cream. Use a small offset spatula to smooth the ice cream into an even layer. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the shortcake crumbs over the ice cream, slightly pressing in to adhere. Freeze for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, scoop on the softened strawberry ice cream. Use a small offset spatula to smooth the ice cream into an even layer. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the shortcake crumbs over the ice cream, slightly pressing to adhere. Freeze for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, scoop on the remaining vanilla ice cream. Smooth with an offset spatula and top with the remaining shortcake crumbs. Freeze for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

To serve, run a knife or offset spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Remove the springform ring and slice the cake into wedges. Let the wedges sit for several minutes to soften slightly for best results.

 


Sweet Potato Casserole

I’m not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, but my daughter loved them when she was a baby, so I looked up something to use them for Thanksgiving. And wow, this is amazing! I guess technically it’s a side dish, but it’s more of a sweet dessert, with all the butter and brown sugar. Grandma Alice had a similar recipe, so I combined a few elements of hers with the one from Food Network.

If you’re making it gluten free, just replace the regular flour with gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill.

Make it a meal with:

Sweet Potato Casserole

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: medium
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Whether side dish or dessert, it’s perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 3/4 lb. Sweet Potatoes (about 2-3 large), peeled and cubed (or 2 cans, about 3 c.)

  • 1/4 c. Melted Butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

  • 1/2 c. Brown Sugar

  • 1/2 c. Milk or Evaporated Milk
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 2 Eggs

Topping

  • 1/4 c. Melted Butter
  • 1/2 c. Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 c. Flour (or 1/2 c. gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 3/4 c. Chopped Pecans

Directions

For the sweet potatoes: Add 1 3/4 pounds peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil , then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool, then mash.

For the filling: Preheat to 350° and butter a 2-quart baking dish (11×7). Whisk together the butter, mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, salt, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

For the topping: Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl until moist and the mixture clumps together. Stir in the pecans. Spread the mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes in an even layer. Bake until mostly set in the center and golden on top, 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.