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Dessert

All In Cookie Bars

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All In

All in. These All In Cookie Bars have a thick chocolate chip cookie base packed full with add-ins you have in your pantry. To create these, I literally grabbed bits and pieces of ingredients from half empty packages. This is the perfect recipe to use up that random bag of pecans, different chocolate ships, etc. Toss them all in! With that in mind, you won’t need to stick exactly to the add-ins I used here. We’ll get into that as we get to each step of the recipe.

Cookie bar with chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, and pecans.

Step By Step

Let’s get into the details of these All In Cookie Bars! In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. This makes for even distribution when you mix into the wet ingredients. Set the dry ingredients to the side and grab a large mixing bowl. I like to use a stand mixer but you can absolutely use a hand mixer. In the large bowl, beat together both sugars with the butter until light in texture. Mix in the eggs and vanilla then gradually add in those dry ingredients until just combined.

Cookie bar with chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, and pecans.

Add Ins

Here is where the All In Cookie Bars get fun and can be customized. Let me start by telling you what I used: pecan pieces, semi-sweet chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, pretzel pieces. Ultimately, you want a mix of sweet and salty add ins and don’t skimp on whichever ingredient is your favorite. No pretzels on hand? Use plain potato chips or gold fish crackers. No pecans? Use walnuts or peanuts. Use whatever type of chocolate you have on hand – dark, milk, white, whatever. Toffee bits are another fun sweet option. If you have large marshmallows instead of minis, just cut them up and toss the pieces in. Get creative! Whatever add ins you use, toss them all into the dough together and stir them in by hand so as to not over mix the dough. Feel free to sprinkle a few on top before baking as well.

Cookie bar with chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, and pecans.

All In Cookie Bars

Sarah Baade
Thick chocolate chip cookie base packed full with add-ins you have in your pantry.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 16 cookie bars

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
  • 1 8×8 baking pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add Ins – can be customized based on what you have on hand

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 2/3 cup pretzel pieces
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup pecan pieces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until light in texture.
  • Mix in eggs and vanilla.
  • Gradually stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
  • With a sturdy wooden spoon, stir in add ins of your choice.
  • Press dough into prepared baking pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until golden in color and a test stick comes out clean.
  • Once cooled, cut into 16 squares and enjoy!

Notes

Use whatever add ins you happen to have in your pantry. Possible options: toffee bits, walnuts, peanuts, potato chips, gold fish, chocolate of any type (dark, milk, white, etc).
Keyword All In Cookie Bars, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookie Bars

More Cookies With Chocolate Chips:

Perfect Dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond Monster Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

APPLE COMPOTE

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Apple Season

Fall is prime apple season and I’m taking full advantage. If you live near an orchard, I highly encourage you to get out there and pick your own. You can’t beat the pricing or the freshness. That being said, your local grocers will likely have a wide variety of apples to choose from. For this Apple Compote recipe, I have used Empire apples and Cortland apples. My personal preference is the Empire variety as they hold their shape a bit better as they cook. The Cortlands were still delicious but break down a bit more as they cook. With either variety, you will still end up with a delicious and sweet compote.

Black bowl of apple compote on a tray with a spoon and an apple.

Six Ingredients

Yes, this Apple Compote comes together with just six ingredients (plus a pinch of salt). If you do even semi-frequent baking, I’m confident you’ll already have everything but the fresh produce on hand. For me the longest part of this recipe is peeling and chopping the apples. I peeled them with a knife but you could also use an apple peeler. As you chop the apples, go ahead and put them directly into a medium sauce pan. with all of the other ingredients. Stir over medium low heat – the sugar, butter, and spices will simmer into a sauce and coat the apples with warm Fall flavors. Once the apples are fork tender, you are ready to serve up this Apple Compote.

Black bowl of apple compote on a tray with a spoon and an apple.

Versatility

What I love most about this easy Apple Compote recipe is how versatile it is. Feel free to eat it by the spoonful – I won’t judge you, I’ll join you. Or, use it in a more traditional sense as a topping for other dishes. I’m daydreaming about these apples on pancakes, waffles, or french toast. This would make a fantastic topping over ice cream or vanilla yogurt. I’m also looking forward to pairing this recipe with my favorite homemade granola. Let me know how you end up eating this cozy Apple Compote.

Black bowl of apple compote on a tray with a spoon and an apple.

Apple Compote

Sarah Baade
Warm spices and sweet apples – this apple compote makes the perfect topping on a variety of dishes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Empire apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients n a medium saucepan.
  • While stirring, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
  • When apples are fork tender, remove from heat.
  • Serve hot or warm.
  • Serving suggestions: Serve over pancakes, waffles, french toast, ice cream, yogurt, or as desired.
Keyword Apple Compote, Apple Spice, Apples, Compote, Fruit, Fruit Compote

ALMOND MONSTER COOKIES

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My Dietary Changes

I’ve been making some changes in my day-to-day eating habits… again. I promise the end result in this post is a recipe for my incredible Almond Monster Cookies but hear me out on the journey. If you’ve been following me for very long, you might know that I was vegetarian for a while. There is so much that I love about a vegetarian diet but right now, it just isn’t realistic for me. If you’re curious, about the details, you can read more here. Family members of mine recently changed their diet to include gluten-free, dairy-free, and intermittent fasting. I know that intermittent fasting is not something I want to follow but their changes got me thinking and exploring. I’ve been curious about anti-inflammatory foods for a long time and have been reading up on some beginner level information. I certainly don’t claim to have a background in nutrition or medicine. Please don’t look to my choices as any type of advice or expert recommendation. I am simply sharing what is currently working for myself. Right now, I am significantly reducing gluten, dairy, and caffeine in my diet. As I do not have a true allergy to any of these items, I am not holding a strict elimination of these items.

Four rows of cookie dough balls on a tray with a scooper of dough above it.

What I’m Noticing

That Almond Monster Cookie recipe is still coming. First, let’s talk about what I am noticing most by reducing gluten, dairy, and caffeine. An INCREASE in energy. That’s right, more energy with less caffeine! It seems almost counterintuitive but it is a remarkable change. I have an easier time waking up in the morning. My energy maintains throughout the day rather than crashing once the coffee wears off. The other big difference I’m noticing is reduced puffiness under my eyes. I’m not talking slight puffiness from not sleeping well, I’m talking significant puffiness for which I’ve seen multiple doctors for. My docs have happily offered me lots of allergy meds and even botox type of injections. Not one of them ever mentioned diet change to me. I am so thankful to say the puffiness under my eyes has reduced significantly. No it isn’t completely gone, but I’m not self-conscience about it like I have been for a few years now.

Tray of monster cookies with three small plates, each with a cookie on it.

Challenge Accepted

Alright, let’s get down to the Almond Monster Cookies – that’s really why you’re all here, right?! I’m sure many of you have at least tried a gluten free and/or dairy free dessert at some point. You know how bad that experience can be. Listen, I love baked goods and I am not willing to completely give them up. You know what? I’m also not willing to give up quality flavor or texture in those baked goods. In other words, I’m up for the challenge of creating fantastic gluten-free, dairy-free dessert options. These Almond Monster Cookies are definitely monster sized and absolutely delicious. They have a lighter flavor and texture compared to the traditional peanut version but still include the candies and oats you expect in a monster cookie. Give these a try and tell me, do you miss the gluten? I think you’ll be too busy reaching for a second cookie to even reply here.

Large cookie in the palm of a hand.
Tray of monster cookies with three small plates, each with a cookie on it.

Almond Monster Cookies

Sarah Baade
These almond monster cookies are definitely monster sized and absolutely delicious. They have a lighter flavor and texture compared to the traditional peanut version but still include the candies and oats you expect in a monster cookie.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening (butter flavored)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup creamy almond butter
  • 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup plain m&m candies
  • ½ cup almond slivers

Instructions
 

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together shortening, brown sugar, and sugar.
  • Beat eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture.
  • Mix in almond butter.
  • Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
  • Stir in oats, chocolate chips, m&m's, and almond slivers.
  • Cover and chill dough for a minimum of 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Roll dough tightly into golf ball sized balls and space out six on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake 18-20 minutes or until cookies are golden in color.

Notes

  • If you are baking these for someone who has a gluten allergy, please be sure to use gluten-free certified products.
  • I used an ice cream scoop to make it easier to get the dough into such a large ball.
  • I have made this dough up to 2 days ahead of when I planned to bake the cookies. Just be sure the bowl is covered with a lid or plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
Keyword Almond Cookies, Almond Monster Cookies, GF Cookies, Gluten Free, Homemade Cookies, Monster Cookies

LEMON DELIGHT

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When I look back on memories of visiting my grandparents, one thing that stands out to me is simplicity. I recall finding joy in very simple activities such as exploring the vegetable garden, playing dominos, or stomping on the bubble wrap Grandpa had saved for us. While some states are a bit more open, Texas is still a hotbed for this COVID19 so my family and I are still staying home as much as possible. We are relearning to embrace simple activities with our little girl. We love splashing in puddles after the occasional rain we get. We planted our own vegetable garden. We play with building blocks and read books. Yes, we still watch TV on the weekends but we are really making memories through these simple activities.

Our kitchen has also become a place of simplicity and family time lately. This recipe came from my grandmother’s recipe box and is perfect for letting the kids help. Three ingredients and, as suggested by the name, this treat is absolutely delightful. Pull out your blender, pour all the ingredients in, mix it up and enjoy! I made this recipe with pink lemonade but the original version used regular lemonade. Take your pick, change it up based on you mood. Either way, this is a fast and fun recipe to indulge in this summer.

Lemon Delight

Sweet and slightly tart, this frozen treat is perfect for summer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream
  • 1.5 cups milk
  • 12 oz frozen lemonade (regular or pink)

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Keyword Ice Cream, Lemon, Lemonade

Looking for additional frozen treats? I’ve got you covered! Click on the links below to help keep cool this summer.

CHERRY LIMEADE POPSICLES

NO CHURN BOURBON PECAN ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE SWIRLS

CREAMY CHAI SPICED POPSICLES

BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE NO CHURN ICE CREAM

NO CHURN CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE ICE CREAM

BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE NO CHURN ICE CREAM

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I have lived in several states during my adult life – Kansas, Missouri, New York, Colorado, California, Texas. Most places I’ve lived were simply because I felt like moving and exploring a new city/state. However, my journey to Western New York is a little different. Deciding to pursue a degree in Audiology required me to look outside of my home state of Kansas. At the time, there were no doctoral programs in Kansas – that has changed since then. As I was filling out grad school applications, I was initially drawn to places with a nice climate or places where I already had friends. I had a huge stack of applications and most of them were not distinct from one another. However, I vividly recall grabbing the application to SUNY at Buffalo and thinking “Why would I want to live there?” as I tossed it into the garbage. I was getting burned out on completing applications and I had senioritis in a bad way. At some point, I realized that I should probably apply to just one more school – acceptance into specialty programs can be competitive and there are no guarantees. So, I browsed online and discovered SUNY at Buffalo had an incredibly easy online application. I filled it out and didn’t really think twice about it because I had full intention of attending one of the other schools on my list. I think we can all see where this is heading, right? Each school I applied to had a unique situation as to why I ended up not going there. I’ll spare you those details but yes, I ultimately ended up moving to Buffalo and completing my degree there.

I spent a total of six years in Buffalo and surrounding towns. There were ups and there were so many more downs. To be honest, I have a hard time looking back and seeing the high points but I know there were some good times had in the midst of it all. One thing that I do recall fondly, though, is the food. Buffalo wings, anyone?!?! But also, the pizza and sub sandwiches. And even better? Perry’s ice cream. Now living in Texas, Blue Bell is the go-to option in the stores. However, I’m convinced it is only because Perry’s is not available here. (Sorry, Blue Bell.) My all-time favorite flavor was blackberry cheesecake. It was only available occasionally, and only at the local ice cream stands. It was never available in the stores. But man, oh man, this was THE flavor for me! I haven’t found it in any other brand since then. Naturally, the next best thing was to create my own version. My friend, Nicolas, from Blogtastic Food challenged me to create a new no churn ice cream and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I truly hope this no churn blackberry cheesecake ice cream gives you the same joy I experienced when I had the original from Perry’s back in the day.

Tips:

  • Be sure to cool the berry mixture before adding it into the whipped cream mixture so that it doesn’t melt the whipped cream.
  • Don’t sub out the homemade whipped cream for the premade stuff. There is a difference in texture and sweetness.

Blackberry Cheesecake No Churn Ice Cream

Sarah Baade
No Churn ice cream is easy to make – no ice cream maker needed. This blackberry cheese cake ice cream is the new favorite in our house.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz fresh blackberries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 16 oz heavy cream
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 9" premade graham cracker pie crust

Instructions
 

  • Stir blackberries in a medium pan over low heat until berries start to break down.
  • Stir in vanilla extract and cream cheese until cream cheese is melted and mostly incorporated with berries.
  • Remove berry mixture from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  • In a large, chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form.
  • Mix sweetened condensed milk into heavy cream until fully incorporated.
  • Add berry mixture into cream mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
  • Gently stir in entire graham cracker crust – do not fully incorporate the crust – chunks are fine here.
  • Pour ice cream mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Keyword Blackberry, Blackberry Cheesecake No Churn Ice Cream, Blackberry Ice Cream, Cheesecake, Cheesecake Ice Cream, Dessert, Easy Recipe, Ice Cream, No Churn, No Churn Ice Cream

More No churn Ice Cream Recipes

This recipe was developed as part of a collaboration with several other talented food bloggers. I am including the links to their recipes for you to try out as well.

Bonus Recipe

You can also check out my own No Churn Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream here.

PEANUT BUTTER CUT-OUT COOKIES

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In high school I was known for being the girl who was nice to everyone. Not a bad thing to be known for but that doesn’t necessarily make a girl particularly popular. Most people knew who I was and which activities I was involved in. I had a solid couple of groups of friends but I certainly wasn’t getting invited to any big parties on the weekends. In fact, the one time did attend a party with the popular kids, I found the scene to be boring and didn’t understand what the draw was. The get-togethers that stand out in my mind are actually almost juvenile. One of my friends would invite a few of us over at Easter and Valentine’s Day for cookie decorating. Her mom was the one who actually wanted her to host these decorating parties, my friend might have even been embarrassed to have us over for cookies and hot chocolate. I hope she looks back at it as fondly as I do though. I remember there being tons of cookies, tons of frosting, tons of sprinkles, and tons of laughter. There was no pressure to impress boys or to do something that might get us into trouble. It was just pure fun. I’m hoping my daughter will want to host similar parties as she grows up.

Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies - Slice of Honey Blog

As I’ve gotten older, I still occasionally spend days decorating cookies but I’ve expanded beyond sugar cookies. Over the past few years I’ve favored gingerbread but February doesn’t exactly feel like gingerbread season. The cooler temperatures still have me thinking deep flavors – I’m just not quite ready for light floral/spring flavors. With Valentine’s Day coming up I still wanted to incorporate chocolate without making it the main event. What could pair better with chocolate than peanut butter?! So, I’ve created peanut butter cut-out cookies. The flavor is traditional but they are just as fun to decorate as a sugar cookie.

Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies - Slice of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • While you don’t have to refrigerate this dough before rolling and cutting it, you can if you want to. Feel free to make the dough a day ahead, wrap it in plastic wrap and then chill in the fridge. Just be sure to pull it out and get it back to room temperature before rolling it.
  • I know it can be tempting to dunk the entire cookie in chocolate but try to show some restraint. Honestly, if you cover more than about half of the cookie, the chocolate will overwhelm the peanut butter flavor.

Peanut butter cookies dipped in dark chocolate – the perfect cut-out cookie for Valentine’s Day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 36 Cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups creamy style peanut butter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10 oz dark chocolate melting wafers
  • variety of sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. 
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then set aside. 
    In a large mixing bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. 
    Beat in eggs and vanilla. 
    Gradually stir in flour mixture. 
    Once flour is fully incorporated, place 1/3 of the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll to ¼” thick. 
    Remove top layer of plastic wrap and cut dough with cookie cutters. 
    Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for 11-13 minutes or until edges start to brown. 
    Cool cookies completely before decorating. 
    Melt chocolate wafers according to package. 
    Dip cookies in chocolate then add sprinkles as desired. Alternatively, drizzle chocolate over cookies.
Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies - Slice of Honey Blog

SOFT BATCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Slice Of Honey Blog

The other night we were invited to a friends’ house for an impromptu dinner – with no need to bring a contributing dish. What?! These friends were just wanting to love on our family and spend time together in community. How awesome is that??? An evening filled with conversation, kids running around playing and adults catching up on life. This is what sharing a meal is really all about. That being said, I struggle to just show up at someone’s house for a meal without having some sort of food in hand. I looked through the pantry, found some basic baking ingredients and whipped up some chocolate chip cookies.

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Slice Of Honey Blog

A classic, simple dessert that is always a crowd pleaser. One of the neat things about chocolate chip cookies is how many variations are out there. And people have strong opinions on what they prefer. Soft batch (like this recipe), chewy or crisp. The way to vary the outcome is through changing the flour, the sweetener and the leavening agent. The other thing I like to do is use more than one kind of chocolate in my cookies just to add a little more depth to each bite. If you’re ever creating your own recipe, play around with these variables and see what you come up with!

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:

  • If you have left your cookies out too long when cooling them and they end up dry, put them in a zip lock bag with a slice of bread. You’ll be amazed at how much moisture those cookies will absorb!
  • If you don’t need three dozen cookies at one time, you can scoop the dough into individual servings and freeze it. Later on, you can pull out what you need and bake just a few at a time.

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sarah Baade
This classic cookie is elevated by using maple syrup and two types of chocolate.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 4 oz 70% cocao extra bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into chunks

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar with butter. Add eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Ingredients will not fully combine just yet. Mix in dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, until all ingredients are fully combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheet. Leave 2-inches between the cookies. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove cookie sheet from oven and transfer the cookies from the parchment to cooling racks.
Keyword Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Christmas Cookies, Homemade Cookies, Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Slice Of Honey Blog

CREAMY CHAI SPICED POPSICLES

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Creamy Chai Spiced Popsicles - Slice Of Honey Blog

Fall in Texas is not like other places I’ve lived. We’re still hitting 90º temperatures on the regular which makes it hard for me to fully get in the swing of the season. But I’m beyond ready for the smells and flavors of fall. Growing up, my mom would simmer a pot of hot water with spices like cinnamon, cloves and orange peel. These beautiful scents would waft through the entire house and make everything seem just a bit cozier.

Creamy Chai Spiced Popsicles - Slice Of Honey Blog

I’m ready for fall spices but I also want to keep cool in these crazy warm temperatures. Why not combine the two? My answer to this is a creamy chai popsicle. With just three ingredients, this recipe is one of my easiest to make. Oh yeah, and it tastes so good I’d be willing to be you can’t eat just one 😉

Creamy Chai Spiced Popsicles - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:                                                                                           

  • After heating everything on the stovetop, I transferred the mixture to a 2-cup measuring cup for easier pouring into the popsicle molds
  • If the popsicles are sticking to the molds, briefly run them under COLD water, they should loosen right up without actually melting.

 

CREAMY CHAI SPICED POPSICLES

1 ¼ cup whole milk

2 chai tea bags (paper tags removed)

14oz can sweetened condensed milk

 

In a medium pot, over low heat, bring milk and tea bags to a simmer. Gently stir constantly for 5 minutes so that milk does not burn. Milk will turn darker in color as the tea steeps – (almost looking like chocolate milk). Remove tea bags from pot. Remove pot from heat and pour sweetened condensed milk. Stir until milks are fully combined. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

Creamy Chai Spiced Popsicles - Slice Of Honey Blog

 

CREAMY CHAI SPICED POPSICLE
 
Save Print
Fall spices in a sweet dessert
:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 6 Popsicles
Ingredients
  • 1 ¼ cup whole milk
  • 2 chai tea bags (paper tags removed)
  • 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot, over low heat, bring milk and tea bags to a simmer. Gently stir constantly for 5 minutes so that milk does not burn. Milk will turn darker in color as the tea steeps – (almost looking like chocolate milk). Remove tea bags from pot. Remove pot from heat and pour sweetened condensed milk. Stir until milks are fully combined. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

VEGAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

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Vegan Shortbread Cookies With Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Slice Of Honey Blog

Deep down, I’m a competitive person. Candy Land as a little kid, cheer competitions in high school, Scrabble in grad school. It doesn’t really matter the age or the activity, I don’t like to lose. As an adult though, I’ve learned how to internalize the competitive nature and focus on challenging myself rather than competing against others. The benefit of this is that the sky is the limit and I am always working to improve myself in some way or another.

Vegan Shortbread Cookies With Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Slice Of Honey Blog

Last month I was inspired by one of my favorite food bloggers and his recipe for a vegan lemon meringue pie. I have several friends who follow a vegan diet and making a delicious dessert that they can enjoy with everyone else is such a gift. Then came the opportunity to create my own vegan dessert recipe along with several other bloggers. Yes! Count me in! After contemplating several ideas, I decided to go with a classic shortbread cookie. Such an easy to make and easy to share treat that is made with easy to find ingredients.

Vegan Shortbread Cookies With Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Slice Of Honey Blog

 

Tips:                                                                                           

  • I used vegan butter for this recipe in order to give it a more traditional buttery flavor. However, you can sub out for an equal amount of coconut oil if you prefer.
  • As I developed this recipe, I noticed that the amount of flour needed varied slightly based on the amount of moisture in the air – a rainy day meant I needed more flour to reach that slightly crumbly state you want. If you don’t reach that crumbly state, the cookies will still taste delicious but the cookie consistency will be more like a soft sugar cookie.

Vegan Shortbread Cookies With Dark Chocolate Drizzle - Slice Of Honey Blog

 

VEGAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE 

For the cookies:

½ cup cold vegan butter, cut into 1” pieces

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup aquafaba (juice from canned chickpeas)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (add more as needed, see tip above)

 

Cookie Directions:

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until it starts to become fluffy. If mixture starts sticks to sides of bowl, scrape down with a spatula. Add aquafaba, salt and almond extract, mix until ingredients start to blend.

With mixer speed set to low and add flour a ½ cup at a time, beat until fully incorporated. Dough may be slightly crumbly.

Place dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and form dough into a log shape. Fold plastic wrap over dough then roll log on the counter to help smooth it out. Log should be approximately 2” in diameter. Place dough log in freezer for 30 minutes to slightly firm it up.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Remove dough log from freezer and peel off plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice log into ¼” thick rounds. Place rounds on a parchment covered baking sheet, ½”-1” apart. (Cookies won’t spread much so you can fit more onto a sheet than you could with other cookies.)  Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until bottom edges just begin to turn golden brown. Let cookies cool completely before adding chocolate drizzle.

 

For the chocolate drizzle:

3oz vegan dark chocolate bar, broken into 1” pieces

½ teaspoon coconut oil

 

Chocolate Drizzle Directions:

Place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring at each interval, until chocolate is completely melted and is smooth and shiny. Using a spoon or a small zip-lock bag with the tip of one corner cut off, drizzle chocolate over the cooled cookies.

P1030838

 

 

VEGAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
 
Save Print
Easy to make vegan cookies that anyone will enjoy.
:
Cuisine: Dessert
Serves: 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
  • For the cookies:
  • ½ cup cold vegan butter, cut into 1” pieces
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup aquafaba (juice from canned chickpeas)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (add more as needed, see tip above)
  • For the chocolate drizzle:
  • 3oz vegan dark chocolate bar, broken into 1” pieces
  • ½ teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
  1. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until it starts to become fluffy. If mixture starts sticks to sides of bowl, scrape down with a spatula. Add aquafaba, salt and almond extract, mix until ingredients start to blend.
  2. With mixer speed set to low and add flour a ½ cup at a time, beat until fully incorporated. Dough may be slightly crumbly.
  3. Place dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and form dough into a log shape. Fold plastic wrap over dough then roll log on the counter to help smooth it out. Log should be approximately 2” in diameter. Place dough log in freezer for 30 minutes to slightly firm it up.
  4. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  5. Remove dough log from freezer and peel off plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice log into ¼” thick rounds. Place rounds on a parchment covered baking sheet, ½”-1” apart. (Cookies won’t spread much so you can fit more onto a sheet than you could with other cookies.) Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until bottom edges just begin to turn golden brown. Let cookies cool completely before adding chocolate drizzle.
  6. Place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring at each interval, until chocolate is completely melted and is smooth and shiny. Using a spoon or a small zip-lock bag with the tip of one corner cut off, drizzle chocolate over the cooled cookies.
Notes
I used vegan butter for this recipe in order to give it a more traditional buttery flavor. However, you can sub out for an equal amount of coconut oil if you prefer.

As I developed this recipe, I noticed that the amount of flour needed varied slightly based on the amount of moisture in the air – a rainy day meant I needed more flour to reach that slightly crumbly state you want. If you don’t reach that crumbly state, the cookies will still taste delicious but the cookie consistency will be more like a soft sugar cookie.

As I mentioned above, this post was part of a collaboration with eleven other bloggers. Each of us created a unique vegan dessert. Please check them all out – there is quite a variety!
Coconut Lime Vegan Tart
Vegan Chocolate Caramel Tart
Vegan Ginger Coconut Pear Cake
Vegan-beetroot-brownie
Lemon-Coconut-Frangipane-Tart
Vegan Banoffee Pies
Vegan Blackberry Pie with Walnut Cardamom Crumble
Vegan-Lemon-Meringue-Pie
Berry & Brie Vegan Strudel
No Bake Vegan Chocolate Salami
Vegan Biscoff Tiffin

 
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Rhubarb Bread

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Rhubarb Bread - Slice Of Honey Blog

Rhubarb. I feel like I need to admit that prior to this recipe, I had never eaten rhubarb. I’m not a big fan of celery and it just looks like giant pink celery so why would I want to eat it? What is particularly astonishing about this situation is that strawberry rhubarb pie is one of my dad’s favorite desserts. I grew up with this pie being made in my household somewhat regularly. Still, I never tried it. As I sifted through my grandma’s recipe box I knew I needed to get over myself and give this a go.

Rhubarb Bread - Slice Of Honey Blog

I feel like you need to know your fruits and vegetables in raw form before cooking with them. So, I did it.  I took a bite of raw rhubarb – BITTER!!! Clearly sugar is needed to balance this out, no wonder I’ve only ever seen it in desserts. I also tasted the batter before pouring it into the loaf pans (I know, I was risking salmonella with the raw egg). I was expecting it to be sweet like a muffin or pumpkin bread but it was actually quite mild. My second confession for this recipe is that I was starting to think this might be my first fail of Grandma’s recipe box. I. Was. Wrong! The brown sugar crumbles on top added just the right amount of sweetness to make this bread completely delightful and the bitterness of the rhubarb subsided as it baked. Alright, rhubarb lovers of the world, I get it and I’m now a member of your club!

Rhubarb Bread - Slice Of Honey Blog

Tips:                                                                                           

  • Sometimes your hands are better tools than anything you can buy. I found it easiest to mix the topping ingredients together by hand.
  • You can grease your loaf pans if you don’t have parchment paper.

 

Rhubarb Bread

Bread:

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cups diced rhubarb

½ cup walnut pieces

 

Topping:

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, slightly softened

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line two loaf pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together all bread ingredients in order listed. Pour equal amounts of batter into each loaf pan.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients. Sprinkle equal amounts of topping over each pan of batter.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until test until a test stick can be inserted and removed clean. Once loaves are baked, let cool 20 minutes before removing from pans. Slice and serve slightly warm or let loaves finish cooling on a wire rack.

 

Rhubarb Bread - Slice Of Honey Blog

Original recipe source unknown. Recipe has been modified from this version for the purpose of this blog.