Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Cookies without the gluten? Absolutely? Do they taste good? They taste GREAT ! The secret is almond flour. It is a wonderful baking ingredient that takes gluten-free from so-so to superb! Add some dark chocolate cocoa powder and a slew of peanut butter chips and you have one rockin' cookie.

My son follows a gluten-free diet and I am always looking for new baking ideas. I love baking cupcakes - they are my specialty - but cookies are fun, easy and a wonderful way to spice up school lunches.

If peanuts are a no-no at your school the just replace the peanut butter chips for chocolate chips or butterscotch chips and you are in business.

I highly recommend you use a parchment lined baking sheet when baking these cookies. They slide off , don't stick and clean-up is a breeze.

Use top quality almond flour. Though Bob Red Mill's products are lovely, I find their almond flour too grainy. So try some other brands and see which one works for you. I have always used the JK Gourmet brand.


I used my KitchenAid stand mixer for this recipe but a bowl and whisk would work just as well. Just ensure the ingredients are blended well and no almond flour lumps can be seen.

So are you ready? Let's get to it !

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Joyful Abode

WHAT YOU NEED

5 tablespoons butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/8 teaspoons of baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cocoa powder ( I use Cocoa Barry - Extra Brute)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE a baking sheet with parchment paper

IN MED BOWL, thoroughly whisk together first 4 ingredients
IN LARGE BOWL, combine remaining ingredients except chips. Whisk thoroughly
ADD wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk thoroughly until well blended
FOLD in peanut butter chips
DROP batter by teaspoonful onto baking sheet leaving 1/2 inch space between (these do not spread much at all)
BAKE 12 minutes
IMMEDIATELY remove cookies from pan using a stiff spatula and transfer to cooling rack
LET cool completely

ENJOY !


Linked here:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Chip Muffins

I saw this glorious muffins on foodgawker the other day and new I had to make them ! My kids are crazy over PB and chocolate together. These muffins blend both flavors incredibly well. They rise up perfectly too.

This recipe makes 12 regular size muffins. The key to the high dome on them is to fill the liners right to the top. My ice cream scoop did the trick. One scoop per liner and no batter was left over.

They required the full 20 minutes bake time my oven but check at 18 via toothpick in the center to test for doneness.

Rather than reposting the recipe, I will simply re-direct you to The Galley Gourmet's blog post. I did not alter this recipe much at all. I only swapped out the milk chocolate chips for Hershey's dark chocolate chips.

RECIPE: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Chip Muffins

Bake these ! You won't regret it. And you kids will love you all the more too :) And what is parenthood without that art of bribery.

ENJOY !


Linked Here:

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cupcakes

Another fall recipe and expect many more! I love this time of the year and cannot get enough of fall baking. Spices abound!

What better way to welcome in this cooler season with Gingerbread Cupcakes? These are gluten-free and contain coconut flour vs a wheat-based flour. They are rich, super moist and spiced to perfection. I topped them with a vanilla bean buttercream but a cream cheese frosting would also be incredible.

For depth of flavor I added 1/4 cup of molasses to accompany the honey as a sweetener. It adds a dark spicy flavor so well loved in gingerbread.

These little cakes are perfect for back to school treats or to savor with a hot drink on a cool night. I will be making many more of these !

LET'S GET BAKING

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe for cupcakes only: Ginger Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Cupcakes, Elana Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil (preferably grapeseed)
1/4 cup molasses (NOT black strap)
1/4 cup honey

FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
3 tablespoons whipping cream

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 10 muffin cups with paper liners
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 5 ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together remaining wet ingredients
ADD wet ingredients to dry ingredients whisking briskly until fully combined
ADD 1/4 cup of batter to each muffin cup
BAKE 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
LET cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack

MAKE FROSTING

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment
BEAT butter on high speed until light and fluffy
SLOWLY add in powdered sugar and once somewhat combined, mix on HIGH speed for 3 minutes
ADD cream and vanilla
MIX on high speed another 2-3 minutes
PIPE over cooled cupcakes

ENJOY !


Also seen here:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Autumn cannot officially arrive soon enough.
I love fall. Without question, my favorite season of all. The crisp, cool, air, the warm sweaters, the fallen leaves, gorgeous orange pumpkins and warm, steamy cups of lattes and hot chocolates. What isn't to love?

One of my most adored fall treats is Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. It is liquid dessert ! My least favorite feature of the drink? The price. So why not make it at home? I did some searching and found a few copycat recipes but this one on the family kitchen beats them all. Rich, creamy, and perfectly spiced with pumpkin and vanilla. I didn't bother topping mine with whipped cream as this was rich enough for me but a dollop of whipped cream definitely wouldn't hurt either!

You will need to have some pure canned pumpkin handy - not pumpkin pie filling - and some pumpkin pie spice too. The rest of the ingredients you probably have already. I used my Keurig to brew up 1/2 a cup of espresso coffee (a Timothy's K-Cup) but feel free to brew up your espresso any way you prefer. You can add up to 4 shots if you like a stronger coffee taste or just one for a hint of that nutty flavor.

To get it all nice and foamy, I used my immersion blender but if you have a small milk frother then definitely go with that option.

Give this a try and please let me know what you think! I loved it and can see myself making many more as the season progresses.

Let's get percolating !

RECIPE:
*source recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte, the family kitchen

WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups half and half, whole milk reduced fat or skim milk (I prefer the cream option!)
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 – 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-4 shots espresso or very strong coffee (I double the amount of grounds I use per cup to get my strong coffee)

MAKE IT

BREW your espresso or strong coffee. If brewing strong coffee, use double the amount of grounds you would in your regular coffee.
COMBINE half and half or milk, pumpkin, sugar, and pumpkin pie spices in a small saucepan. Heat until very hot, but do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Transfer to a blender or a milk frother and blend until frothy.
POUR 1 cup warm pumpkin milk mixture into coffee mug and add 1-4 coffee shots. Dust with more pumpkin pie spice if desired.

Makes about 2 servings. Simply cut the ingredients in half for a single serving but taste as you go along to find the blend that works for you

Featured on Foodista!

Also seen here:

Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Another fantastic gluten-free cupcake recipe that I wanted to share with all of you. This one is a blend of chocolate and banana. Sweetened with honey and rich with the flavor of dark chocolate cocoa powder. Then topped off with a smooth, creamy and decadent milk chocolate frosting.

I wanted to keep the icing style simple with these so I didn't bother piping the frosting onto the cooled cakes. Instead I simply spread it on with my small icing spatula. Initially, I considered topping them with sprinkles but thought banana chips would be a better idea. I love being able to look at a dessert and know by an "accessory" or decoration what truly rests within. Thank you, Ina Garten, for sharing my thoughts on this !

This cupcake recipe comes from Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam. I love this cookbook and have made many a recipe to date all with tremendous success. Even if you aren't sensitive to gluten you should pick up a copy. These delicious treats are worth baking. These taste amazing! These cupcakes are so moist and truly lovely in each and every way.

The frosting is my own concoction and one I use regularly. Feel free to swap out the milk chocolate for dark chocolate or white chocolate if you prefer. All those options also taste beyond fantastic !

During this baking experience I also had the pleasure to test out Reynolds new StayBrite cupcake liners which are said to be guaranteed not to lose their color as they bake. They did indeed keep their color and are amazing liners. The are stiff and hold their shape very well. The color too does not fade due to the foil interior. I will definitely buy these again.




So without further delay, let's get baking.

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes, Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Elana Amsterdam

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, the darker and richer the better
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 cup mashed banana (2-3 medium very ripe bananas)

FROSTING

4 ounces milk chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 12 muffin cups with paper liners

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 4 ingredients
IN SEPARATE BOWL, whisk together eggs and honey
FOLD wet ingredients into dry ingredients combining until fully blended
STIR in mashed banana
FILL each muffin cup with 1/4 cup of batter
BAKE 18-22 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
LET cool in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER cupcakes to cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting

MAKE FROSTING

IN SMALL DOUBLE BOILER, melt chocolate whisking continuously until smooth
REMOVE FROM HEAT and let come to room temperature
IN STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment, mix butter 2-3 minutes MED speed
ADD melted chocolate
BLEND until combined
ADD icing sugar and vanilla extract
BLEND slow speed 1 minute, scrape down sides and mix 3 minutes MED speed
SPREAD frosting onto cooled cupcakes
TOP with any decoration your little heart desires

ENJOY !

Also seen here:

Banana Yogurt Bread

Yes, me again with another quick bread. So simple to throw together and oh so good! If you haven't guessed it already by the title, I was again faced with more ripe bananas. In fact, 1/2 a dozen. I ended up using 2 in this recipe and another 3 in an upcoming post for Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes (be sure to stay tuned for that recipe too!).

The original recipe, as posted on the English Kitchen, called for sour cream. I went with Greek yogurt instead. Same consistency but with a healthy edge.

This loaf is very moist, rises up perfectly, and is phenomenal plain, with butter or even Nutella!

As I do with all banana breads, I also added nutmeg and cinnamon for added flavor. These spices really bring out the banana flavor and work wonderfully in this bread.

So let's get at it !

RECIPE:
*altered source recipe Sour Cream Banana Loaf, The English Kitchen

WHAT YOU NEED

4 ounces butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)
7 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 1/2 ounces plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
125ml of greek yogurt (or full fat sour cream) (1/2 cup)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
SPRAY 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar MED speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy
ADD in vanilla and 1 egg.
BLEND until combined and add remaining egg
IN SEPARATE BOWL, whisk together remaining dry ingredient
FOLD into wet ingredients until just combined
STIR IN bananas and yogurt
SPOON batter into prepared loaf pan and level the top

BAKE 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

ENJOY !