Dessert Recipes & Other Sweet Treats

It’s no secret that I love sweets. But not just any sweets…really good homemade ones, none of that store-bought nonsense for me. So I have a huge arsenal of the best dessert recipes across a wide spectrum—from more traditional cakes, pies, puddings, and cookies, to slightly more exotic babkas, biscotti, pavlovas, and choux.

I’ve got some great family secret recipes (like my mom’s amazing molasses cookies), a bunch of great gluten-free desserts if you need them, and desserts that are perfect for summer parties or holiday gatherings.

Not sure where to start?? Here are a few of my faves:

You can browse my full recipe index or a more visual index here, or explore the archives below…

The Absolute Best, Easiest Classic Shortbread (Plain or Flavored)

May 22, 2023

Getting to the absolute best shortbread recipe has been a weird sort of “baking Everest” for me. I sometimes find that the seemingly-simplest foods are the hardest to get *perfect*, probably because there’s nowhere to hide.

But after trying out several different recipes over a year or two, I finally found a winner—for me, this is the easiest, best classic shortbread!

One thing I love about shortbread is that it’s naturally unleavened, so it’s a great dessert for Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread (see my usual disclaimer here). And while I love the cookies, it also makes a lovely base for tarts and bars.

One of the keys I’ve learned with this recipe is a low and slow bake, which helps provide a delicate, crumbly texture that’s not too dry.

While this is a classic shortbread recipe, you can also flavor it any way you crave. Dry ingredients that really pack a flavor punch are best, so as not to mess with the texture…think a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, citrus zest, extracts, or fresh minced herbs.

Personally I’ve been obsessed lately with adding lemon or orange zest and fresh minced rosemary…I use a light hand, and it adds an interesting freshness without being overwhelming.

This is a Smitten Kitchen recipe that I’ve tweaked a bit, and another example of her never steering me wrong. One thing she provides are pretty detailed recommendations for shaping and cutting, which I’ve largely included in my recipe below as well.

They sound fussy, but are actually easy and DO work (even though I didn’t have a tiny-enough wooden dowel so had to improvise). BUT, the extra shaping step isn’t necessary if you don’t want to hassle with it.

I definitely recommend doing the cutting midway through the bake, though. If you wait to cut til the end, there’s a good chance these delicate cookies will fall apart.

Traditional Finnish Cinnamon Buns (Korvapuusti)

May 16, 2023

It’s well-known that when I travel, I seek out all the local pastries I can get my hands on. And Finland was no different…despite only spending about a day and a half in Helsinki, I devoured a crazy amount of Finnish cinnamon rolls, called korvapuusti.

A few days after I got home, I was struck with a craving for these comforting, heavily-spiced, somewhat-dense buns, so decided to try my hand at making them.

What are korvapuusti?

Traditional Finnish cinnamon buns are usually called korvapuusti due to their ear-like shape (“korvapuustit” means “little ear buns”).

They are pretty different from the rich, sweet, gooey American cinnamon rolls we’re used to…instead, they are spiced with cardamom in the dough and a lot less sweet, and have a denser and much less gooey texture.

These Finnish korvapuusti ended up identical to the ones in Finland in both taste and texture. My shaping results were a little mixed, but good overall.

Because the dough is a little dense, it can help to shape it into a square or rectangle to make rolling it out easier…you’re wanting to get the dough as thin as possible, and in a rectangle.

The final recipe I share below wasn’t my first try. In fact, at first I loved the first recipe I tried out (this one), and I used this shaping technique. I was so excited when I put them in the oven, because they looked PERFECT!

Buuuuut….they exploded in the oven, which you can see below. No idea why or what happened. I did love the super soft texture of the baked dough, though it wasn’t as true to the traditional Finnish cinnamon roll texture. So I scrapped this approach and went with the final one below.

Buckeye Brownies a.k.a. Layered Peanut Butter Brownies (+ a GF Option)

May 2, 2023

WARNING: These layered peanut butter brownies are completely addictive. I can’t stop making them. And I can’t stop eating them.

They’re a quite different take on a traditional buckeye brownies recipe, but with the same flavor profile and layering approach. And I’ve been on such an intense peanut butter-chocolate kick lately, it’s kind of getting out of control.

I also keep failing at getting good pictures of the finished product, because I am always taking them to people’s houses, and they get devoured before I can grab a clean shot.

These double chocolate peanut butter brownies aren’t difficult at all, they just take some extra time due to the chilling/freezing steps at the beginning (to get your beautiful layers).

I’ve adapted this recipe slightly, mostly by eliminating one of the chocolate layers—personally I wanted a bit more brownie ratio and thought the peanut butter amount was perfect, and that second chocolate layer was just overkill for me. But I speak to both options in the recipe notes.

One other note…these can easily be made gluten-free by substituting a gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose. You won’t notice a difference!

Let’s talk about the best chocolate peanut butter layers…

Chocolate: I strongly prefer a darker chocolate (I went with 70% cocoa solids, like these Guittard bars that are a fave). Definitely go with a bar if possible for the melting portion…chocolate chips are designed *not* to melt and tend to have more waxy ingredients in them so they hold shape.
Peanut butter: Mine was a creamy natural JIF, but crunchy works fine as well. Don’t use the natural peanut butter with the oil on top. You could sub almond, cashew or even sun butter, but the taste will be quite different.

I do have a few tips that help make these layered peanut butter brownies even more amazing.

To make sure you get an extra shiny top for your brownies, there are two key tips. First, make sure you whisk everything super well…you want the sugar to really melt into the butter. Secondly, make sure your chocolate is chopped SUPER fine.

The pan you bake these in does matter as well. Ideally you use a 9-inch square, LIGHT metal pan (you can use an 8-inch but it’ll take longer to bake; dark metal bakes quicker and will be drier at the edges). I have also used white ceramic, just avoid glass/Pyrex.

10-Minute Super Easy Lime Curd

April 1, 2023

In what has become an annual tradition, I’m launching into spring with a new delightfully-tart citrus curd…this time deciding to take lime curd for a spin!

As with my other citrus versions, this recipe is SO easy. Most people hear “curd” and think that it’s complicated and time-consuming. But this easy lime curd comes together in just a few minutes, with no special techniques or equipment.

Similar to my lemon curd, the flavor is quite sharp and it definitely needs a little bit more sugar than a “gentler” citrus like blood orange, pink grapefruit, or orange (which are a little more sweet and floral).

This lime curd is absolutely perfect on top of a (sweet, marshmallowy) pavlova, with fruit and whipped cream inside of crepes, or maybe slathered between cake layers.

There are a few tips for making sure you get the best end result. First, make sure you avoid an aluminum saucepan, as it can react with the citrus juice. I use stainless steel instead.

Also, don’t add the lime juice to the egg and sugar mixture until you’re ready to start heating it and whisking…if the citrus juice sits with the egg, it can “cook” it and cause little bits of white cooked egg that need sieved out. If it happens, it’s not a big deal, just sieve it out.

Weekday Indulgence: Easy Triple Dark Chocolate Cookies

March 12, 2023

Forget double chocolate cookies. Today we’re talking TRIPLE chocolate cookies! And not just any run-of-the-mill, but amazing triple dark chocolate cookies that are both indulgently rich, without being nauseatingly sweet.

The original recipe was waaaaaayyyy too rich for my blood, though a true chocaholic might disagree. I just felt it was way too sweet and rich, without nuance. So my first step was to back off the sugar a bit and sub in some whole wheat flour to add some depth.

I also tweaked the three chocolates a bit. In addition to a punchy dutch-process cocoa (richer and darker), I used a really dark (~72%) chocolate (like this or this) paired with a semi-dark (around 63%, like these). The original recipe has one element as milk chocolate, but I’m not a fan.

When I can get it, I’m partial to bars vs. chips or disks, as the latter don’t melt as nicely. But I’ve used a mixture of things here and it always turns out awesome.

Trader Joe’s is a great source for various types of chocolate bars that are great for baking, and I use a mixture of Ghiradelli/Guittard from the grocery store as well as Amazon usually.

Then, true to form, I also added a bit of whiskey to bring out a totally new layer of flavor.

This definitely isn’t required, but I love what it brings…if you do add it, I recommend using a quality whiskey somewhere between 90 and 100 proof (I love Woodford Reserve, Old Forester 100 proof, or Jack Daniel’s Bonded, as I always have them on hand due to work).

And I have to say, the end result of all these tweaks is a nuanced, rich but not sickeningly-sweet intensely-chocolate cookie, with a crunch of flaky sea salt on top to offset the sweetness.

(If you’re into this idea, check out these Woodford Double Oaked chocolate chip cookies!!)

Healthy 5-Ingredient Banana Brownies (GF, Grain-Free, No Sugar, Vegan)

February 26, 2023

As a fudgy, gooey brownie lover, these healthy banana brownies are right up my alley. I have been on a chocolate + peanut butter kick recently…I’ve always loved the flavor combo, but lately I can’t get it out of my mind!

And the fact that I can whip these babies up in just a few minutes?? Awesome and dangerous.

5-Ingredient Healthy Brownies | These delicious healthy banana brownies are made in the blender with only 5 ingredients & about 15 minutes, with no sugar, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and egg-free...and yet still delicious! A great healthy dessert recipe that's fast and easy. #healthydessert #gf #grainfree #dessertrecipe #blenderdessert

I’ve played around with gluten-free brownies in the past (like these delish black bean ones), but they weren’t what I’d call *healthy*.

But these tick that box…they’re grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, naturally vegan, and don’t have refined sugar added (outside of a tiny bit of optional maple syrup). And yet, addictively gooey and rich. This is a weeknight treat I don’t have to feel any guilt over.

These delicious healthy banana brownies are made in the blender with only 5 ingredients & about 15 minutes

Now, some people may be put off by the idea that these are healthy banana brownies. But the banana is really providing the bulk and a great creamy texture, when blended with peanut butter—it’s not meant for a strong flavor.

I do recommend using a high-quality cocoa powder because when you only have a few ingredients, that flavor really shines through. This is my everyday cocoa powder, gives a great taste.

These delicious healthy banana brownies are made in the blender with only 5 ingredients & about 15 minutes, with no sugar, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and egg-free...and yet still delicious! READ THE POST

Easy Cranberry Snack Cake (a.k.a. My Platonic Ideal for a Cake)

February 12, 2023

I kind of don’t know what to call this…the recipe is called “cranberry snack cake” but my waistline cannot take snacks like this. Can it be cranberry coffee cake if it doesn’t have streusel? I’ve been describing it as a cranberry vanilla cake, I guess? But that sounds boring.

Regardless of what we decide to call, it GUYS I’M SO IN LOVE WITH IT.

My sis brought this cranberry cake to Thanksgiving last year, and while most people went for the rich pies and bars, I zeroed in on this right away (and immediately begged her for the recipe).

Since then it’s gone into my regular comfort food rotation. It’s also SO easy…you can have it in the oven in about 15 minutes and using only the bowl of your stand mixer, making it a perfect no-fuss dessert or treat.

The cake can be made with either fresh or frozen cranberries. I’ve only made it with frozen (since I had them in my freezer), but it’s worth knowing that frozen berries create one big issue—it can make the batter seize up and harden. It’s totally fixable (you have to just use your hands to smoosh it into the cake pan), but good to be aware of.

I’ve made a few adjustments to the recipe, including lowering the sugar a bit and adding a little white whole wheat flour (both of which I think improves the taste a bit). You don’t have to use the whole wheat flour if you prefer not to, but I think it gives it a nice depth of flavor.

The original recipe is for a 9×9 pan, but I’ve also included ingredient amounts for a 9×13 pan…basically you’ll want to increase the amounts by 50% rather than double them. My pics below are a mixture of the two pan sizes.

The Lazy Person’s Kouign Amann

January 17, 2023

I am obsessed with the wavy four-leaf clover shape and golden caramelized crust that these pastries have. As soon as I saw Nicoletta Lamb sharing instructions for an easy kouign amann recipe, my ears perked up.

It promised to be the lazy person’s kouign amann, cutting the time and steps in half (or more). And HONESTLY? It lives up to the hype.

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What is kouign amann?

Pronounced “queen uh-mahn,” kouign-amann is a cake from Brittany, which was a coastal province that’s now part of France. The name means “butter cake” in Breton, and it’s a curious combination of laminated dough, yeast, and sugar weighing it down. Kind of like a denser, sweeter, caramelized croissant.

It was pretty obscure in both the U.S. and France until pretty recently. I first learned of it on the Great British Bake-Off, and got kind of obsessed with the idea. But all that laminating seemed a bit daunting and I never got around to it.

So when I saw a “lazy person’s kouign amann”, I was intrigued…

How long does it take to make kouign amann?

It will definitely depend on the recipe you use, but on average between six to seven hours. You’ll see recipes ranging from about four and a half hours and upward. This is largely due to lots of resting and chilling between the layers.

This easy kouign amann recipe cuts that down to about 3 hours from start to finish (which includes an hour rise and a 45-minute bake). That’s a win in my book!

The texture of these is kind of fascinating…I can’t think of anything to compare it to. It’s dense and moist, obviously buttery, with all the caramelized sugar and little hits of salt. I wouldn’t say it’s identical to an authentic kouign amann (which I have had), but it’s pretty awesome!

One thing to watch out for is making sure that your final dough rollout (before cutting it) is thin enough. The first few times I made this, mine was too thick and it made the inside doughier and not quite cooked. You want about 1/4-inch.

While you don’t really *need* special tools to make this, there are a few that will help a lot.

First off, I STRONGLY recommend using a stand mixer for this, vs. doing by hand.
A digital kitchen scale is invaluable for all baking, but really does make a difference here (the recipe is in grams)
This scraper tool is super helpful for keeping the dough from sticking to the counter, as well as actually cutting the pieces.
I like a nice thin rolling pin to better control the dough, these bamboo ones are perfect.
These silicone basting brushes make it easy to brush the melted butter on (and clean up well).
Similarly, the quality of your butter is essential. Kerrygold is amazing, or look for some other very high fat percentage butter.

I’ve given even more photos and instructions than usual below, but don’t be intimidated by that! It’s really quite easy, I just wanted the steps to be as clear as possible.READ THE POST

Spiced Fig & Walnut Biscotti

January 8, 2023

This spiced fig and walnut biscotti is so subtly lovely and unexpected.

The flavor combo is kind of fascinating, and I absolutely loved the tiny little pops of crunch from the fig seeds.

Plus, combined with the orange zest and spices, your house will smell amazing while it’s baking!

(I will say that it’s great *with* coffee, but not dunked in it, flavor-wise…)

Making biscotti is so much easier than most people think. Biscotto (the singular of the plural “biscotti”) literally means “twice baked”, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do with these.

You make up a simple dough that you bake in a log shape until *just* baked, then let it cool a bit and slice it up. Then the slices go BACK in the oven for quite a while (for me it’s always longer than recipes say, more like 15-20 minutes on each side).

The result is solid, crisp, and definitely harder than a normal cookie, but not rock hard. And that’s so they can stand up to time (they’ll last up to two weeks) and dunking. They’re great for having on hand for company, or sending in a care package.

Creamy 5-Minute Peanut Butter Pudding (Dairy-Free)

December 16, 2022

A while back, someone close to me was on a super strict elimination diet…no gluten, dairy, etc. plus staying away from refined sugars. As we were planning a dinner party, my eyes lit on this creamy peanut butter pudding that I’d had bookmarked for a while…specifically, a dairy-free pudding (obviously gluten-free) with just a hint of maple syrup.

I decided to give it a whirl, and fell in love with this recipe because it is shockingly easy.

(One quick caveat on the “5-minute” piece…it only takes five minutes to make this pudding. However, it does need to cool in the fridge for a minimum of three hours, and ideally longer. So just keep that in mind when making.)

The peanut butter is strong enough to overpower the coconut-y flavor of the milk base, though other nut butters should work as well. It’s minimally sweetened by maple syrup, but I would love to try honey at some point, to give this a “peanut butter & honey” vibe.

It’s a dairy-free pudding (and vegan, I might add) by virtue of a coconut milk base. We’re talking the good canned stuff, not the boxed “for drinking” nonsense.

I will note that the quality of your coconut milk really does matter, and in particular whether it has additives and stabilizers. I use this Chakoah coconut milk (I order it by the case, since I go through so much, for curries and such). Trader Joe’s full-fat canned coconut milk is usually a good mass option too.

What I love about this peanut butter pudding recipe is that it’s very flexible, so can scale up or down as needed…like when I made the dressing for my delicious thai chicken salad, but it only used half the can of coconut milk, I just roughly halved the rest of the ingredients and VOILA!

Healthy Banana Almond Butter Donuts with Chocolate Glaze (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, No Refined Sugar)

December 4, 2022

I can feel some of you judging me from afar. And let me be clear, I haven’t lost my mind…I’m not going to tell you that these banana almond butter donuts are the best, most indulgent treat you’ve ever had. These are truly HEALTHY donuts.

How healthy, you ask? Well, they’re gluten-free (in fact, grain-free), dairy-free, and free of refined sugars. (NOT, as some of you are snarkily saying, “fun-free”.) In fact, they taste great. So that is quite a feat.

Many of us have someone in our lives who is facing health challenges and has to be on a very restricted diet (or, perhaps, *we* are that person). And those people still want a treat every now and then, but it is very hard to find the right recipes to meet all those dietary needs.

These healthy baked donuts are pretty impressive on that front, and were surprisingly light and moist. They’d make a great healthy breakfast treat regardless of your diet, but are really effective in creating a special treat for someone who rarely gets them.

The original recipe (linked at the bottom) gives them a nut butter glaze, but I went with one made from dark chocolate chips to satisfy the choco-holics (and because my sister was almost out of almond butter at that point). The batter came together in just five minutes, and they were totally ready in a half hour.

Cranberry-Apricot Brioche Babka with White Chocolate

November 2, 2022

I realize that name is quite a mouthful, but I promise you that THIS mouthful is worth it. I mean, who can resist a soft, pillowy cranberry apricot babka, made with buttery brioche dough and studded with little gooey pockets of white chocolate??

When I shared my amazing O.G. chocolate brioche babka (Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, natch), I talked about how it lends itself to playing around with different flavor and filling combinations. And that’s where this particular cranberry babka was born.

Who doesn’t have a partially-used bag of cranberries sitting in their freezer? I was trying to figure out what to do with frozen cranberries and then inspiration struck.

And while the messy twisted half-logs of jammy dough are even harder to move and hold together than their chocolate counterparts, they’re super delicious and totally worth the mess!

I know that this type of recipe can feel a bit daunting to some people, I promise that it’s really not difficult at all. It does require time and patience, but the steps themselves are pretty easy.

While you don’t *need* special tools to make this babka, there are a few that I think help.

First off, I STRONGLY recommend using a stand mixer for this, vs. doing by hand. The dough has so much butter worked in that it would be very challenging by hand.
Speaking of butter, the quality of your butter is CRITICAL to the flavor of your babka. Kerrygold is amazing, or look for some other very high fat percentage butter. And make sure it’s really softened before incorporating.
I like a nice thin rolling pin to better control the dough, these bamboo ones are perfect.
This scraper tool is super helpful for everything, and I use it to cut my dough logs in half (vs. a knife).
These silicone basting brushes make it easy to brush the glaze on (and they clean up easily).

The Most Epic Single-Serving Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

September 17, 2022

What if I told you that you could have the most amazing delicious bittersweet single-serving chocolate lava cake…in 15 minutes??

And if I told you that it’s also naturally gluten-free and *mostly* dairy-free?? (It does have some butter and whatever’s in the chocolate, so your mileage may vary if you’re crazy sensitive…)

So, yeah, this is one of the most dangerous recipes I’ve ever made.

This is a true unicorn recipe, requiring only a few ingredients, a very short amount of time, and yielding an indulgent treat that’s the perfect texture and JUST the right amount of sweet/rich (for me, I keep mine more on the bittersweet side, but the recipe gives you options).

The texture of these single-serving chocolate lava cakes is more like a sturdier chocolate chocolate soufflé or my flourless chocolate cake rather than an actual CAKE. It’s delicate and melts in your mouth.

And while they’re perfect on their own, I also love playing around with different fillings. I think my favorite is still a dollop of peanut butter, but I’ve also tested some unique ones like my peanut butter balsamic caramel sauce and tart Morello cherry jam (with lemon zest in the batter).

The Most Addictive, Indulgent-Feeling Dark Chocolate Banana “Nice Cream”

August 7, 2022

I can feel about half of you rolling your eyes, and about half of you going, “ooooh, I’m intrigued!” And I understand both responses, because calling chocolate “nice cream” made from frozen bananas *indulgent* seems like it might be an overstatement.

EXCEPT IT’S NOT. Seriously, this dark chocolate banana “nice cream” is crazy delicious.

It’s rich, complex, and sweet enough but not sickly. And it’s exactly the thing I’ve needed for the occasional treat during this 3+-month gut health diet and protocol.

Honestly, it will be one of my go-to treats even after I can eat more normally—it’s truly that good.

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

One of the keys here is using a really good dark cocoa powder—ideally dutch-process (this Rodelle is my everyday one), and use more than seems sane. If you don’t have that or don’t want to buy it, Hershey’s Special Dark is my backup for non-dutch.

Look at the color it imparts! The dark cocoa powder flavors really balance out the banana-ness so you don’t even really realize you’re eating frozen bananas.

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Shortbread

June 24, 2022

Figuring out this salted peanut butter chocolate shortbread recipe has been the BANE of my existence, and yet somehow I couldn’t give up on it.

Initially, I found a recipe and was like “oooh yes please!” But after trying to make it a couple different times and having trouble—the dough was dry and crumbly, wasn’t flavorful enough, etc.—I set it aside.

Then a year or so later I decided to try it again, with different alterations. Better…but still not there. And finally, Nicola Lamb came to the rescue by solving a lot of the recipe problems I’d been having with SCIENCE!

I love her Kitchen Projects newsletter, where she takes an incredibly rigorous approach to recipe testing, particularly the chemistry element…for instance, how various proportions of fat impact a particular recipe, how much liquid it needs, etc. It’s nerdy but even if you don’t want to get that detailed, you can benefit from what she learns.

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And so finally I had a peanut butter chocolate shortbread recipe that I loved and could depend on. The cookies aren’t too sweet, which is a selling point for me (and the flaky sea salt helps a bit too with that sweet-savory feel).

Part of why they aren’t too sweet is that I accidentally left out the brown sugar once when making them, and I actually think they were more delicious that way (the recipe below reflects both options).

You could also omit the chocolate bits and instead melt some dark chocolate and coconut oil, and dip the cookies in that instead. Or do both because I’m not the boss of you.

The (IMO) Best Homemade Key Lime Pie

May 7, 2022

I’ve always loved key lime pie, and I have no earthly idea why I’d never tried making it myself. But *then* a few months ago I did an awesome roadtrip through the Florida Keys and made it my mission to try and find the best key lime pie in the Keys. I succeeded, and it inspired me to search for the best homemade key lime pie recipe.

What makes the best homemade key lime pie?

Traditional key lime pie has only six ingredients—graham crackers, butter, sugar, key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk.

I am a key lime pie purist, when it comes to it. I want my filling to be a perfect balance of tart and sweet, with the lime flavor really punching through. I like a creamy custard-y texture, rather than something more solid (like a cheesecake), or super light (with a whipped texture).

Then, I want a graham cracker crust that is buttery and a little sweet, with a bit of crumble to it. Beyond that…I don’t love piling on meringue or whipped cream or whatever. I feel it detracts from the flavor, rather than enhances. But you do you.

See my ranking of the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys!

To figure out what the best homemade key lime pie recipe is, I sifted through a number of different recipes and also dug into Pancake Princess’s key lime pie bake-off. And, like her, I ended up going with the O.G. recipe, from Cooks Illustrated. Why mess with perfection??

I made this pie twice, once with fresh regular (Persian) lime juice and once with bottled key lime juice. First off, I realize it’s not *technically* key lime pie if it’s made with regular limes but it tastes almost identical and most of us can’t get fresh key limes. SO DON’T COME AT ME INTERNET!

But my ultimate conclusion was that I couldn’t tell a major difference between the two types of juice. Maybe if I’d tried them side-by-side, but generally speaking you can go with whichever you prefer. I think I have maybe a slight preference for the fresh regular lime juice, but go with your heart.

So what you’ll see through this recipe is a combination of photos from both pies. You can ignore variations of color in the photos, it was hard to get the lighting exactly right, but they were basically identical.

Because mine has 4 egg yolks, it might be a bit more yellow than some, but all key lime pies should be some shade of pale to medium yellow—never green!

I was also honestly surprised how easy this key lime pie is to make. I feel like, in my head, key lime pie was tricky (maybe because of the custard texture), which is why I never tried it before. But it is wicked easy.

Super Easy 10-Minute Stovetop Orange Curd

April 15, 2022

It now seems tradition to start the spring season with a sweet and tart citrus curd (see last year’s grapefruit delight). So when I got the hankerin’ for something bright, tart, and sweet, I decided to whip up some crazy easy orange curd.

And when I say “whip up”, I really mean that…sometimes people are intimidated by curds, but this stovetop curd recipe that I’ve been adapting to different citrus fruits is seriously the easiest thing ever! Once you have your citrus juiced and zested, it only takes 5 minutes to cook.

Rather like with my grapefruit and blood orange versions, this orange curd is a little less thick and a tad sweeter than the original lemon version (or my lime one), since the fruit itself is a bit more sweet and floral, less tart.

The recipe below backs off the sugar a bit to account for that, and you could even sub in a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to up the acidity a bit.

Peanut Butter Balsamic Caramel Sauce

March 20, 2022

This is the caramel for people who hate caramel. *raises hand*

I’m not remotely joking…when I first stuck my finger in this peanut butter balsamic caramel and tasted it, I said out loud (to myself, and the cats) WHOAAA.

For me, caramel is usually way too sickly sweet. But the addition of the peanut butter and balsamic vinegar bring a salty umami or savory-ness plus a brightness and acidity that completely elevate this. And I am on board!!

GOOD balsamic vinegar is key here, because you want something that is really bringing flavor to the party. I used this Brightland balsamic from California that’s double fermented with zinfandel grapes and ripe Triple Crown blackberries. It is SO GOOD!!! I love their products and highly recommend!

Amazing Intense Dark Chocolate Sable Cookies

March 16, 2022

These “intensely” chocolate sables are the ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” experience. These cookies are like being punched in the face with rich, bittersweet dark chocolate. I felt like I had to lead with that.

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These dark chocolate sables bring such an intense flavor and it kind of explodes when you take a bite. In my opinion this is the best chocolate cookie recipe, FULL STOP. Yes, it’s unorthodox, but trust me on this.

Now, if you prefer super sweet milk chocolate type cookies, then I’ll tell you upfront that these are not the ones for you. But if you gravitate toward rich, dark, complex, bittersweet chocolate flavors that aren’t sickly sweet…then keep reading!

So a few notes about the dough for these dark chocolate sables…I have to level with you, the dough is not the easiest to work with. Rolling was HARD because the dough kept coming apart.

But that’s okay! They still turned out delicious and looked fine. I’ve found that chilling it too long made it hard to work with, and I tend to use my palms quite a bit (for warmth to make the dough more pliable, which is counterintuitive with dough, I know).

Rather than rolling it like bread dough, I made very small, light movements with the rolling pin, kind of little wiggles. My bamboo rolling pin was perfect, and then my scraper tool was critical for picking up the cut-out dough.

The Best, Easy Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes (Naturally Gluten-Free)

February 27, 2022

These chocolate molten lava cakes are a dangerous thing. Why, you ask??

Well, when you find the best chocolate lava cake recipe and it only takes a few ingredients, plus it’s the best texture, plus it’s naturally gluten-free, PLUS it only takes like 15 minutes from start to finish…yeah, that’s dangerous. I may or may not have made it multiple times just this week.

This recipe uses some of my must-have kitchen tools!

I got the recipe from the always-reliable Smitten Kitchen…she calls them chocolate puddle cakes, and she’s not wrong, because they are ooey gooey.

Texturally they’re more along the lines of my flourless chocolate cake or a more sturdy chocolate soufflé, rather than cake-y or “fondant” as the Brits say (which I’m not mad at). It’s a beautiful delicate texture that’s a blast to cut into.

I’ve included a lot of notes along with the molten lava cake recipe below, not because it’s difficult but because there are a few choices you can make based on your tastes.

For instance, I prefer them less sweet (closer to 1 tablespoon of sugar rather than 2 tablespoons) and I do prefer to put a little dollop of something in the middle to cut the intensity of the chocolate.

I give you a bunch of ideas on that in the recipe notes, but some of my favorites are peanut butter, my unique peanut butter balsamic caramel, and tart cherry jam (with lemon zest in the batter). It’s endlessly adaptable!

Side note, I’ve also developed a single-serving version of this recipe which is delicious (and dangerous)!

Check out some other of the best gluten-free dessert recipes around!
READ THE POST

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (Levain Bakery Copycat)

February 12, 2022

Yeah, that’s a mouthful. But these double chocolate peanut butter chip cookies deserve all of that name and more. They probably are the best cookies I’ve had in my life.

So…this all goes back to December several years ago, when a media sales rep sent us a box of cookies at work from Levain Bakery in New York. These cookies weighed like 5 pounds each and were the size of your fist.

Now honestly I’m rarely that tempted by store-bought or bakery cookies. I’m a homemade girl all the way. But I was stressed and there were these chocolate ones with chocolate and peanut butter chips that were calling my name.

So I broke off a piece of one and took it into a meeting with me…GAME OVER. I became instantly obsessed (and I ate the rest of that cookie, duh). We decided to order more and then found out it was $75 for four cookies, which…NO. So I decided that, hell or high water, I was going to find my perfect Levain copycat cookie recipe.

And I believe I’ve gotten like 99% of the way there. I tried a couple different copycat recipes and this was definitely the closest. I also read through a lot of the comments and suggestions and found a couple that make a big difference, so I’ve incorporated them into my recipe below.

One other thing I’ve found is that I actually like them better the next day, vs. fresh. The texture sets and they become moist and amazing and dense, and a little less rich than fresh out of the oven.

Fair warning, each cookie is like 550-600 calories. But it’s definitely worth it on occasion. Trust me and make these NOW.

How To Make the Best, Creamiest Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

February 12, 2022

For some completely inexplicable reason, kheer is one of my ultimate comfort foods. I didn’t grow up with it at all. In fact, I didn’t grow up with any kind of rice pudding. But now it instantly transports me to a cozy happy place.

In 12 or so years of falling in love with the amazing Indian, Thai, and Chinese takeout that surrounded me in Atlanta, kheer became one of my shorthands for a “treat yo self” moment. Sadly, where I live now kheer is harder to find, as Indian takeout is an hour away roundtrip.

So I assumed it would be simple to recreate myself, and I’d been mildly offended that every single recipe and technique I tried had fallen short.

Then I stumbled upon this kheer recipe from Chetna (of GBBO fame!) on YouTube and was intrigued. After trying it a couple times, this is definitely my ONLY recipe for kheer!

How can I made my kheer thicker?

My early tries at kheer were thinner than I wanted, and the texture just wasn’t great. The way I’ve made my kheer lovely & thicker with a creamier texture came from a few techniques Chetna’s recipe gave me.

The first is crushing the rice so it’s in small even pieces, letting it thicken evenly. The second is not starting with ghee and rice, but rather by heating the milk. Thirdly, using sweetened condensed milk rather than just sugar.

There are a couple variables I’ve tested out, including trying it in both a big saucepan (like a stock pot) and a wider shallow pan (Chetna uses a giant bowl-shaped pan).

I also have played it by ear on whether or not I needed the extra milk at the end. If I’m serving it and eating it mostly right away, I don’t always use it because I do like my kheer on the thicker side. But it does really thicken in the fridge over a few days, so if you’ll be eating it mostly as leftovers you may want to add it.

I also always add a couple drops of either rose water or orange blossom water, because that’s just the flavor profile I find nostalgic…but JUST literally a drop or two.

Smitten Kitchen’s Mind-Blowing Date Cake with Toffee Sauce

January 11, 2022

All this cold weather has me craving COOOZZZZYYY food, and this sticky date cake with toffee sauce absolutely fits the bill.

I’ve shared a “traditional” sticky toffee pudding recipe that is also absolutely amazing, but couldn’t keep this date cake a secret from you any longer. It’s got some similarities, but is definitely not identical.

I’ve made this toffee date cake twice, and the batter looked pretty different each time…one was very dark (likely more date-forward) and the other much lighter. But both baked up deliciously.

Pro tip: splurge on the medjool dates without pits, to save yourself some time.

Simple & Amazing Chocolate Brioche Babka

January 4, 2022

We’re going “back to basics” with this chocolate brioche babka…why mess with perfection??

Now, I say “basics” not because it’s plain but because this marries two traditional dishes—buttery brioche and a chocolate babka—and executes them perfectly. We’re not trying to get fancy here, no exotic flavors or crazy techniques. Simplicity is the goal.

For this I’ve used Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, and she never steers me wrong. She made a few tweaks to hers that I’ve mostly picked up here as well.

I agree with her on the orange zest front (not that lemon’s bad, it’s delish, but orange is perfect). I also skipped the optional pecans and extra sugar for the filling, because I didn’t feel it was necessary (and I’m not a nut person). This brioche babka isn’t super sweet, so if you want it sweeter you could sprinkle some sugar on top of your filling.

Because this makes two loaves, you also could experiment with other flavors…make one loaf the traditional chocolate babka, then play around with the other. The sky’s the limit. I recently tested a cranberry-apricot one with white chocolate which will be coming your way soon.

While you don’t really *need* special tools to make this, there are a few that will help a lot.

First off, I STRONGLY recommend using a stand mixer for this, vs. doing by hand. The dough has so much butter worked in that it would be very challenging by hand.
This scraper tool is super helpful for everything, and I use it to cut my dough logs in half.
I like a nice thin rolling pin to better control the dough, these bamboo ones are perfect.
These silicone basting brushes make it easy to brush the glaze on (and clean up well).
The quality of your cocoa powder and chocolate is critical. I use this Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder and either these Ghiradelli chocolate discs or Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bars.
Similarly, the quality of your butter is essential. Kerrygold is amazing, or look for some other very high fat percentage butter.

Citrus Poppyseed Babka with White Chocolate

December 18, 2021

I’m on a weird kick when it comes to soft twisty breads, but this citrus poppyseed babka is definitely the most unique of the bunch. And it’s a total winner…featuring super soft, pillowy, fragrant dough with a slightly crunchy filling, studded with bits of melty white chocolate.

What’s not to love???

I only made one small tweak to the original poppyseed babka recipe, adding in orange zest to the lemon zest for a more robust and sweet citrus punch.

And that citrus blend goes so well with the gooey pockets of white chocolate…you don’t really taste the white chocolate (which is good, since I’m not a huge fan), but rather it adds some sweetness and moisture to the overall loaf as it melts in.

This dough was really fun to work with as well. You want it really sticky to start with, and that can be a bit terrifying.

But avoid the temptation to add too much flour—both in the initial mix and while rolling it out—and you’ll be rewarded with this super stretchy, soft dough that becomes an amazing fluffy loaf.

Lemon-Cherry Almond Tart with Rosemary Shortbread Crust

December 4, 2021

WHOA, is all I can say about these dreamy lemon-cherry tarts. This was my first time attempting anything like this—on a very last-second timeframe, no less—and I was blown away.

First off, they’re so pretty!!!

I’ll be honest, I kind of flew by the seat of my pants on these. At the last minute I decided I wanted to bring a gift with me for a friend’s surprise 40th birthday party, but couldn’t think of what. A special dessert! Okay, with only a few hours and the ingredients on hand, what could that be??

After quite a bit of poking around I found a great recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction that was just right for tweaking. Add a dash of fresh rosemary to the buttery dough, a little almond extract to the filling, and a thick swirl of tart cherry jam…and voila, birthday greatness!

These lemon-cherry tarts use a simpler filling based on sweetened condensed milk rather than a true custard, and even with the fresh lemon juice and zest was *just* this side of too sweet for me. Along with the jam, a few sea salt flakes help balance this out.

I used my amazing bourbon cherry jam in these tarts and highly recommend it, but any similar jam will do (for instance, Bonne Maman makes a delicious cherry or four-fruits that is perfect).

Caramelized White Chocolate & Coffee Tarts (Happy Birthday Part 2)

November 13, 2021

I have to say, these 100% met my criteria for birthday desserts. Unique, totally delish, and something that was a bit more complicated than my usual…stretched my skills a bit. Yep, these caramelized white chocolate and coffee tarts are a WINNER on every level.

I was a bit all over the place when it came to choosing my birthday dessert this year, partly because my birthday fell during our Feast of Tabernacles so I was out of town.

I also just had trouble deciding…so I didn’t. Just like my 30th birthday when I made BOTH a whole lemon tart and chocolate stout cake, I gave myself a two-fer. First I tackled this complicated and insane 10-layer Russian burnt honey cake (which my sister declared should make all other cakes feel embarrassed).

And now I’ve got something for you that just captured my imagination. When I first read about caramelizing white chocolate, I was intrigued since I hate white chocolate. The science of it was really interesting, so I gave it a try and was obsessed!

And I’d been toying with the idea of a coffee tart, so when I realized that the recipe I was considering had white chocolate as the base, I knew I needed to mash up the two. The caramelized white chocolate adds such depth to the overall flavor, bringing a slightly bitter note of burnt toffee that cuts the sickly sweetness.

These coffee tarts are the perfect make-ahead dessert as well, since they require several hours of chilling once you pour the filling in. So you can make them a day or two ahead of when you need them, as long as you have the fridge space for them to hang out.

They’re also not difficult. The main thing is planning ahead enough for the various stages, since both the tart dough and the filling require chilling.

Pear Fritters with Maple-Honey Glaze

November 7, 2021

It seems fitting that this recipe blends two of my greatest loves—pears and fritter donuts. I’ve been a massive apple fritter obsessive for years, but when I saw this recipe for pear fritters my internal monologue went YUP THAT’S HAPPENING.

The daunting thing that’s always kept me from trying to make them myself has been the deep-frying part. It just terrifies me. These side-step that slightly, frying in a skillet vs. a deep fryer. But it’s still kind of disconcerting for me.

And I also gravitate toward the ones that are dough-based (like a donut) rather than batter. However, the major upside to batter is that it comes together so fast…no time to rise, cut, re-rise. These are ready to devour in less than 30 minutes, which is BOMB.

And then there’s the absolutely crave-worthy glaze. It was originally just a honey glaze, but maple and pear are such good friends that I couldn’t resist. If you’re feeling really EXTRA, you could swap bourbon for the milk, because…why not??

Happy Birthday to Me + Russian Burnt Honey Cake

October 31, 2021

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that making my own birthday cake has become an unbreakable tradition. In particular I like to use it as an excuse to try something indulgent and a bit more complicated than my usual…and BOY does this Russian burnt honey cake qualify!

This year we’re going QUITE belated, since my birthday was in late September and I’m just now getting this posted (and even later now have posted these caramelized white chocolate and coffee tarts, birthday dessert part 2).

This is one of those intriguing foods that I see and think…wouldn’t that be cool?? But then I kind of avoid and delay tackling it because it seems so complex. But the important thing to know on this Russian honey cake (also called medovik) is that it’s complicated but not difficult.

It takes time and focus and a lot of steps, but none of them are hard. It’s a very cool thing to try for a special occasion, and would be great with an extra set of hands as well.

This post is really long because I’ve tried to be super detailed on the techniques, and I’ve also put a list of kitchen tools at the bottom of the post by the recipe that will make this much easier.

I looked at like 6 different recipes for Russian honey cake and narrowed it down to one main one that has a couple small changes and uses burnt honey for depth of flavor.

But then also decided to use sour cream in my filling (like this one), and then also took a couple things from Nadiya’s (specifically adding in some chopped toasted hazelnuts and a bit of salt to the outer crumb covering).

The result is both traditional and a little unique, and 100% delicious. Mine was also incredibly tilty, not the most beautiful thing, but that’s life.

How To Make Caramelized White Chocolate (“Blonde Chocolate”)

October 17, 2021

I hate white chocolate. HATE. It sits on a throne of lies because it is not even chocolate. I feel like that’s a confession I have to make at the outset of this journey together, because when I heard about this whole caramelized white chocolate trend (also known as “blonde chocolate”), I’ll admit I was intrigued.

(side note, apparently I’m incorrect on it not being chocolate but I stand by my hatred)

As the white chocolate slowly caramelizes, it loses some of its sickly sweet flavor (blech) and begins to give off some much more complex notes of toffee, butterscotch, and caramel…there’s a bit more acidity or bitterness that offsets the cloying nature of white chocolate.

Some people describe the tastes and smells as also having nutty notes (like toasted nuts) or almost shortbread-like scents, and I can definitely see how you get both of those as well.

And it’s SO easy! Plus, the overall process of the color changing and deepening is super pretty and kind of mesmerizing.

The colors in my photos below are all over the place due to lighting, but it shifts from the original cream to such a gorgeous butterscotch-like color. DREAMY.

The most important thing to know is that you MUST use high-quality eating (not baking) white chocolate. I used Valrhona 35% white chocolate (Valrhona actually invented this technique) and it was perfection. Some other good brands are Green & Black’s, Lindt, Cacao Barry, Fruition, and Guittard. Do not use white chocolate chips or baking white chocolate.

Yes, the Valrhona is a little pricey (though I bought 2 pounds and didn’t use nearly that much for my blonde chocolate adventures so have a ton left), but it’s worth it.

Sweet Corn Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze

September 3, 2021

Somehow I’ve gone all summer without making a recipe using fresh sweet corn. And that is a travesty. To be fair, it’s been a strange summer with foot surgery laying me up the last six weeks (and thereby no baking), but my corn-less summer can’t stand. So when I got an email from Bill Clark about his sweet corn cake, I was intrigued.

This recipe was from his A Piece of Cake newsletter #36, but Clark recommends—and in fact it’s the main reason for the recipe, I think—a Crisco and Country Time lemonade powder frosting. I don’t keep Crisco on hand (or lemonade powder), and it didn’t feel up my alley as much.

I’m really not a frosting person in general, and “grease icing” doesn’t make me go MMMM! But I liked the idea of some tart lemon (citric acid) to play a balancing role between the rich, moist, lightly sweet corn flavor, so whipped up a super easy lemon glaze.

I also made one other big change to the original recipe, subbing in oil for half of the butter. I don’t tend to favor butter cakes as much, as they’re denser and drier, and in this case I was really craving a moist, lightly sweet cake that would be an afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

While the recipe already called for a tiny bit of oil, I wanted to up that quite a bit, but still maintain some butter for flavor. The result is a perfect balance of flavorful and moist, with the subtle sweetness of the fresh corn shining through.

I was tempted to add an herbal note to either the batter or a bit to the lemon glaze, such as a little basil, rosemary, thyme, or tarragon. I ended up deciding not to mess with the recipe more in my first time making it, but would definitely play around with that in the glaze the next time.

Easy Bourbon Cherry Jam (With or Without Pectin)

July 13, 2021

I look forward to cherry season all year. For a month or so I buy as many dark sweet cherries as I can get my hands on, and absolutely gorge myself. But sometimes I go a bit overboard and have to figure out what to do with the rest of my bounty. Enter…delicious bourbon cherry jam!

The great thing about this recipe is that if you’re looking for a cherry jam without pectin, this one has got you covered…but if you’ve got pectin on hand and you’re looking for a thicker, more “set” jam then this recipe is perfect as well.

As with most jam recipes, this one is really forgiving on quantities. Basically, you want roughly a 2:1 fruit-to-sugar ratio, so a kitchen scale will be helpful.

So for this batch I had 570g (a little over half a pound) of dark sweet cherries, and so used around 280g of sugar (I backed off just a tiny bit because my cherries were quite sweet).

It will seem like way too much sugar, but that ratio is really important…if you cut back too much, the jam won’t set well (especially if you’re not using pectin). The sugar plays a critical role in the jam science. JAM SCIENCE!

Best-Ever Banana Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting

July 5, 2021

It might look like I’m on a “peanut butter and banana” roll (see these cream puffs), but I actually first made this banana cake with peanut butter frosting at the very beginning of the quarantine. Yep, back in March 2020 when we thought we were having a little two-week blip.

Sighhh, those were simpler times….

This cake is perfect for using up all those overripe bananas sitting on your counter, but when you’re like UGH I cannot deal with more banana bread!

One important note, this is not the healthiest form of banana cake, but it IS maybe the best banana cake recipe out there.

And then pair that banana cake with AMAZEBALLS peanut butter frosting, and you have a total winner. Childhood, in cake form.

Sweet & Gooey Lemon Cardamom Buns

June 26, 2021

I don’t know when and I don’t know how, but these gooey, sweet lemon cardamom buns popped into my head as a full-blown “I must make this now” idea.

This flavor combo is super interesting and not terribly common…I’m guessing that in my many MANY hours of watching Great British Bake-Off, I’ve soaked in the idea of using fresh green cardamom with lemon or orange from a few of my favorite bakers (hi, Nadiya!).

I’ve been really into citrus or fruit plus herbal or warm spice flavors lately, particularly in cocktails (like this basil gin gimlet) but a bit in baking too (helloooo orange cinnamon twist bread!).

As I was spreading on the amazing lemon-cardamom filling in this recipe, I had another brainwave and realized that lemon basil would be absolutely delicious too!

I initially tried this with a different dough, but it didn’t rise and turned out super dense…I’m not sure why since I’ve had success with that dough before (I may have killed the yeast with too-hot liquid).

So I switched to using the dough from Paul Hollywood’s chelsea buns, which is simple but I know is delightfully soft. I added a little sugar and tweaked the flavorings to infuse both fresh and dried cardamom and some lemon zest.

The result is a fascinating, addictive flavor combo and a soft, sticky, sweet, gooey breakfast-maybe-dessert bun.

13+ Delicious Desserts For Any Summer Party

June 11, 2021

Soooo…last spring I had started a post that pulled together my best summer desserts for parties.

And then COVID hit, so the *last* thing that people were doing last summer was having large gatherings. I decided to hold off. And so here we are again, and it’s time for awesome summer get-togethers!

What makes for a good summer party dessert?? Well, to me it’s 1) amazing and addictive, 2) great for hot weather, and 3) ideally can be made pretty easily in a large quantity. This rules out anything fussy, requiring long baking times (wow, the heat!), or that can’t deal with sitting around for a while (lookin’ at you, chocolate).

Because let’s face it, when you’re at a summer gathering—be it a pool party, family gathering, picnic, whatever—those desserts sit out for a while! So without further ado, here are some of my favorite desserts for summer parties and get-togethers!

Strawberry Shortcake for a Big Group

We’ll start with my all-timer—strawberry shortcake for a big group. Strawberry shortcake is truly my ultimate summer dessert, but often harder to do for more than a few people. READ THE POST

How To Make An Easy Pouring Dark Chocolate Ganache For Cakes

May 24, 2021

Ganache. It sound so fancy, but in reality is one of the easiest and versatile weapons a baker can have in their arsenal. So I’m going to share how to make ganache—in fact, two different methods—and specifically, my favorite dark chocolate ganache.

This is the pouring ganache that I use for my epic chocolate stout cake (and the gluten-free version), and it’s become my go-to any time I need this particular consistency. The key to chocolate ganache is in the proportions…more or less chocolate will impact how solid it gets once set.

For instance, this recipe is 6 ounces to 6 tablespoons for a pouring consistency to top cakes, while I used a more chocolate-heavy ratio of 2/3 cup chocolate to 1/2 cup cream for a filling solid enough to sit between cake layers (like in this peanut butter cake). You can see more on how the ratios work here.

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting

May 7, 2021

I have allllllll the peanut butter for you today! It is one of my favorite flavors in desserts, and today we have a one-two punch of peanut butter with a chocolate surprise in the middle.

This peanut butter cake with chocolate ganache and peanut butter frosting is indulgent and packed with flavor, but NOT too sweet. It’s perfect for any occasion, and somewhat strangely I’ve now made it for two separate baby showers.

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting | This delicious peanut butter chocolate cake is perfect for any occasion. Fluffy peanut butter cake recipe with a salted dark chocolate ganache filling, and then slathered with super peanut butter-y frosting! Maybe the best cake ever! #peanutbutter #cake #ganache

It starts with an easy and super moist, fluffy peanut butter cake. Then we whip up a dark chocolate ganache (which like, sounds fancy, but is seriously the easiest thing in the world) and sandwich that in the middle.

Top that all off with my most amazing peanut butter frosting ever, and you’ve got a winner!

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting | This delicious peanut butter chocolate cake is perfect for any occasion. Fluffy peanut butter cake recipe with a salted dark chocolate ganache filling, and then slathered with super peanut butter-y frosting! Maybe the best cake ever! #peanutbutter #cake #ganache

For me, this is everything I want in a cake. And that moistness is a big part of it…I just find so many cakes dry and unappetizing. But between using oil (instead of butter), the peanut butter, and buttermilk, everything about this peanut butter cake recipe ticks my boxes.

You could even experiment with other fillings and frostings (I have plans for my salted honey custard…). A chocolate glaze would be delicious, or maybe a Chambord-flavored icing??

Tahini Pistachio Biscotti with Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt

April 6, 2021

I kind of forget about biscotti a lot of the time. In fact it’s been almost three years since I last posted a new biscotti recipe. But that accidental streak breaks here and now…because these tahini pistachio biscotti are the BOMB.

Add a drizzle of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt, and you’ve got a winner.

The thing about making biscotti is that, while the overall time from start to finish can look daunting, the actual hands-on time is pretty minimal.

The dough comes together in just a few minutes, you make dough logs (nothing fancy!), then some slicing. Chocolate dipping if you like. Bing bang boom.

Biscotti dough can sometimes be a little temperamental from a texture standpoint, and in this case I had to add an extra egg to the original recipe (and that’s reflected in my recipe below).

You don’t want your dough too wet, but you DO need it to hold together in your dough logs. But obviously that extra egg (plus the tahini in the recipe) makes these a little more moist even after the second bake.

So you won’t get these tahini pistachio biscotti truly dried out and crunchy like some biscotti recipes, but that doesn’t matter—they’re delicious.

Mini Pavlovas with Grapefruit Curd & Berries

April 2, 2021

For whatever reason, pavlovas feel super fancy, and I always have to remind myself that they’re actually really simple. And these mini pavlovas piled high with tart grapefruit curd, berries, and pillowy whipped cream are sheer heaven no matter the occasion.

So whether you want an easy make-ahead dessert for a dinner party, or just want to treat yourself, you need these in your life.

What’s pretty great is that they’re also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free (though you’d need to top them with something else), and unleavened. WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE???

If you’re wondering how the chemistry works in this mini pavlova recipe, here are a few things to know about it:

The vinegar (or some recipes use lemon juice, cream of tartar, some kind of acid) helps stabilize the egg white foam, and interferes with clumping; it helps prevent the effects of “overbeating” as well, usually where the egg whites collapse and weep (boy, don’t we all). Ultimately, it helps make the meringue a little chewy.
Adding cornstarch to the egg white foam interferes with the egg proteins and provides a buffer to prevent overcooking. But too much cornstarch can make it almost chalky and too chewy, so don’t overdo it.
The cornstarch and vinegar both act as stabilizers and help create that soft marshmallow-y center that the pavlova is known for.

Most Amazing Peanut Butter Frosting Ever

March 28, 2021

I’ve found it, guys. A frosting that I adore…I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it’s peanut butter.

I really hate frosting. I actually had a co-worker at my last job that was my perfect match—whenever there was cake around, she’d eat the frosting and I’d eat the cake. But this peanut butter frosting is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Crazy peanut butter-y, some good saltiness, not too sweet.

I could eat it by itself with a spoon. Until I look at the calorie count, but still…

The Best Peanut Butter Frosting Ever | This super peanut butter-y icing is delicious and packed with flavor, super easy to make and great on tons of different cakes. If you're looking for a peanut icing recipe, this is the one.

It’s packed with flavor and a little goes a long way. If you’re wanting to frost a cake more traditionally (which takes a LOT of frosting) then this may not be quite the right frosting…a truly traditional buttercream or cream cheese frosting might be better.

The Best Peanut Butter Frosting Ever | This super peanut butter-y icing is delicious and packed with flavor, super easy to make and great on tons of different cakes. If you're looking for a peanut icing recipe, this is the one. #peanutbutter #frosting #cakeicing READ THE POST

Paul Hollywood’s Chocolate Cherry Bread

March 20, 2021

I’m obsessed with this pink, shaggy mess! Ever since seeing Paul Hollywood make his chocolate cherry bread with Mary Berry on Great British Bake-Off Masterclass, I knew I needed it in my life.

I *have* thrown in the towel on trying to make my loaf look beautiful and neat, though. That shaggy mess becomes this golden, messy monster, and despite making it like 10 times at this point, nothing I do changes that.

But it is DELICIOUS and so its “informal” nature (to use a Mary Berry term) can be forgiven.

What elevates this from a basic loaf of bread is the incorporation of dark sweet cherries and a lot of dark and white chocolate.

The dark chocolate and cherries pair wonderfully, and the white chocolate ends up kind of melting away into gooey sweet pockets of sweet that burst in your mouth. I’M OBSESSED.

I have always started this in my stand mixer, but have tried mixing in the chocolate and cherries both in the mixer and kneading in by hand. Personally the mixer is way better and less messy, so I recommend going that way.

Traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding (Cake)

February 21, 2021

Despite being a massive Great British Bake Off superfan, I often find myself underwhelmed with a lot of Brit desserts (as they’re often a bit less moist than I prefer myself). But as I discovered on a trip to Scotland several years ago, sticky toffee pudding does NOT fall into that category.

In fact, I’m obsessed. This has a very “fall” feel to it (and that’s when I first made it), but this is true cold weather comfort food all winter long.

The thing is, I don’t like “toffee” at all, so I’d never paid this dessert any attention. I was excited to find that it doesn’t actually include any toffee, and instead is a moist treacly cake doused with buttery, sugary sauce.

(And even describing it like that would make me think I wouldn’t like it…BUT I DO. The world is a mystery.)

So is it a pudding or a cake?? Yes. British people call desserts “pudding”, which is baffling, and it’s definitely a cake. And if I understand correctly, it’s considered a “pudding” due to being more moist and having a sauce, rather than being super cake-like??

Brits, hit me up in the comments and help me understand…I’m reading between the lines of GBBO episode critiques.

As I’m one person and didn’t want to gain 32 pounds just from this recipe, I halved the recipe and it made 4 small ramekins. Halving is tricky with some of the amounts, but for any time I need to half a “3/4” amount, I shoot for halfway between 1/3 and 1/2.

How To Make a Cute (& Easy) Onesie Cake For a Baby Shower

January 30, 2021

I am known for many things, but my cake decorating skills (or generally making desserts that are aesthetically pleasing) is NOT one of those things. I make delicious things, but they’re not always pretty and that’s okay. When I try cake decorating, it looks like a two-year-old did it.

And I still didn’t do an *amazing* job on this adorable onesie cake, but I’m PRETTY DARN PROUD OF IT and also think the idea/technique is awesome.

For this shower, the mom-to-be had requested her favorite cake—regular yellow box cake with chocolate frosting. And what mama wants, mama gets.

HOWEVER, this hurt my baker’s soul, so I tried to figure out some way to make it special. Well, and I also made a second (delicious) cake 🙂

While sifting through baby shower cake ideas, I stumbled upon this onesie-shaped cake, and it actually looked super easy so it felt I could tackle it. It’s mainly just some simple cutting or carving of a 9×13 cake and then doing the frosting and just a bit of piping.

Mine is definitely not perfect (definitely looks wonkus in the diaper region especially), but I’ll talk about a few of the techniques I used below.

One-Bowl Easy King Cake

January 24, 2021

I kind of have to preface this post by saying that this is not much like a traditional king cake. But it IS easier and faster. And delicious. It might make NOLA peeps upset, but sometimes you just need an easy king cake recipe that bucks tradition a bit.

An alternative king cake, if you will.

Listen, a real king cake is awesome (and I’ve got one coming your way). But it’s a lot of work to make, and a lot of store-bought ones are just NOT GREAT. I don’t celebrate Mardi Gras or know tons about it, but I’ve always loved the flavor profile and textures of a really good king cake.

So when Joy the Baker (a New Orleans-ite and king cake connoisseur herself) offered up this one-bowl easy king cake recipe that’s…actually more like a cake…I was intrigued.

And it’s delish! I think of it as a fancy coffee cake-like thing that also can claim some king cake DNA?? And you know I’m always 100% IN on coffee cake (see this, this, and this).

“Elvis” Banana, Salted Honey, & Peanut Butter Cream Puffs + A Super Late Happy Birthday

December 25, 2020

Every year I make my own birthday cake, using it as an excuse to try something indulgent and a bit more complicated than my usual. But this year’s orange and salted honey cake was a disappointment. Just kind of meh. So about a month later I decided I deserved a re-do…and THUS these peanut butter, banana, and salted honey cream puffs were born!

This idea came out of two different things…I had wanted to to try my hand at choux pastry for quite a while. It’s an entirely new baking technique for me, and my obsession with the Great British Bake-Off had finally pushed me to needing to try it.

Secondly, the one bright spot in my sad birthday cake debacle was trying out pastry cream (custard) for the first time and falling in love with this subtle, addictive salted honey pastry cream. So I wanted that to play a role in this recipe somehow.

So then I thought, what goes with honey?? Peanut butter, of course! And if you’re a lover of the traditional “Elvis” sandwich, then banana as well. I liked that the banana brought a fresh flavor and different texture to the whole thing.

Overall, making the choux was really easy! Like, shockingly easy. Piping it was a bit tricky since I’m terrible at piping. My biggest frustration was that I didn’t have a piping tip big enough for good-size eclairs. So I mostly went with the cream puffs since those turned out awesome.

Fresh Orange Ricotta-Mascarpone Tart with Rosemary Crust

November 22, 2020

Yeah, I know that’s a mouthful. But while this orange ricotta-mascarpone tart feels fancy, and like it should be fussy and difficult, it’s actually really simple.

While it’s not a traditional holiday dessert, I think it would be a perfect addition to Thanksgiving or other holiday meals because it’s so light…the opposite of the desserts you usually have.

The star in this ricotta-mascarpone tart is the fresh orange zest and juice giving a great citrus flavor. I add the zest of half a lemon as well though, which brings a bit more of the tart citrus through…otherwise it can be a bit sweet.

And while it’s totally optional, adding fresh rosemary in the pastry crust really elevates the entire tart, and the rosemary and orange are a match made in heavy. The herb flavor isn’t strong, just a hint that balances everything really nicely.

Subtle & Delicious Salted Honey Custard

November 15, 2020

Y’all, I feel so fancy. After a billion hours of watching Great British Bake-Off, I actually undertook the omnipresent pastry cream or “creme patissiere” myself with this absolutely delish salted honey custard.

And here’s the thing—IT’S SHOCKINGLY EASY. (Side note, why don’t American desserts have more pastry cream?? Missed opportunities…)

Now granted, this recipe uses cornstarch (or “corn flour”, as the Brits call it), which Mary Berry seems to consider a cheat for the skill levels of GBBO contestants.

But it’s normal in most pastry cream recipes, and is definitely our friend here in achieving a thick, pipe-able pastry cream that is great for filling cakes, cream puffs, and more (you can see it trying to spill out of the cream puffs below).

And let’s talk about this flavor, which is so DREAMMMMMY. It’s sweet enough, but the salt balances it out nicely. Quite subtle. I’m not a caramel person and so have never really understood the appeal of salted caramel. Now I know that *this* is my own personal salted caramel.

I discovered this salted honey custard as a component in the cake I initially made for my birthday…”salted honey orange cake” sounded right up my alley. But I ended up finding that neither the cake nor the frosting really did anything for me.

This custard on the other hand was my everything, and so I did a birthday cake re-do recently—“Elvis” peanut butter, banana, & honey cream puffs with this as the filling.

Easy, Awesome Homemade Caramel Popcorn

November 10, 2020

It’s weird because I don’t really like caramel, and I’m not super into popcorn…but I’m ALL IN on this homemade caramel popcorn.

My mom’s been making it since I was a kid, and it’s a must-have on Thanksgiving for my family. It’s just SO GOOD! She makes a massive tub and we munch on it all afternoon while playing cards and watching .

It’s also so easy…caramel can feel quite daunting. I’ve watched approximately 1,250 hours of Great British Bake-Off and caramel is always tripping up the bakers.

But the caramel we’re making today is the opposite of fiddly. And the actual hands-on portion of this recipe is quite minimal.

The Best Thanksgiving Recipes: 20+ Of My Family’s Favorites

November 8, 2020

Thanksgiving is a BIG deal in my family. And that includes the food…which is why I feel like I have some of the best Thanksgiving recipes around. You know, the tried-and-true ones that the family requests over and over.

See, I have a big extended family, and we spend the day before baking, cooking, and prepping. The morning of Thanksgiving is always insane—my mom’s up super early with the turkey, then leaves around 10:30 to get down to my grandma’s. I get up a little later, go for a run, finish up all the remaining dishes, and head down around noon.

We eat a huge lunch, then graze all afternoon and have leftovers for dinner. We play football, watch football, play cards, and talk. Chase the kids around.

When you’re cooking for a big crowd (anywhere from 25 to 50 in past years; usually around 25-30 these days), there are some realities in the kinds of dishes that make sense. Anything super time-intensive that doesn’t yield a lot of servings is automatically out.

So these are some of my favorite relatively easy Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve contributed over the years, and it’s all about the sides, breads, desserts, and cocktails. Turkey just…exists. Hope you enjoy and everyone has a safe, happy (American) Thanksgiving with family and friends!

10-Minute Stovetop Blood Orange Curd

October 31, 2020

It’s like I’m sandwiching the seasons with curd, somehow. I talked about falling in love with my easy pink grapefruit curd as the cool, sunny spring days gave way to summer. And now I’m clinging onto that feeling with this unique blood orange curd, as I cling to denial in a chilly, rainy fall taking a nosedive into true winter.

This recipe is similar to my pink grapefruit curd, in that I use a little less butter and go scant on sugar so as to not overpower the more delicate citrus flavor of the blood orange. While a lemon or lime can really punch through, I find that orange, grapefruit, and blood orange are a little more subtle and need a lighter hand.

I ended up using 2 blood oranges…just the zest of one but most of the juice of both (about 1/3 cup total). A little bit of extra lemon juice can help brighten just a bit, and a tiny pinch of salt just brings everything into balance.

The natural color of this curd will be a duller dark pink, possibly closer to a light brown. You can add a tiny bit of pink or red gel coloring if you want it to be a brighter pink, red, or orange…I didn’t here, but it would be super easy.