Caramel Nut Bars

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These caramel nut bars are soft, gooey and overall delicious! The caramel nut bars recipe starts off with a buttery shortbread crust which then gets topped with a gooey caramel that's mixed with an array of nuts. It then gets baked so the caramel sets and topped with a sprinkling of sea salt. These bars can be dangerous!You can mix it up a little with this recipe too, which is nice if you have a certain nut allergy. You can use any type of nut or mix it really doesn't matter. Use all peanuts if you'd like and make it a caramel peanut bar and then drizzle some chocolate over the top after it cools down. This recipe requires honey, but if you aren't a fan of honey than you can easily substitute it. Just use light corn syrup instead of the honey. Overall these caramel nut bars are a great treat for an afternoon snack

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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caramel nut bars

a buttery shortbread crust that is topped with mixed nuts and lots of gooey caramel and sea salt

shortbread

• 1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

caramel

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup honey (you can use light corn syrup if you don't like honey)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cup mixed nuts; walnuts (cashews, peanuts, pistachios)
• sea salt (for topping)

shortbread

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the sugars and the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the side of the bowl and then add in the egg and vanilla. add in the salt and flour and mix until combined. press the dough onto the bottom of the pan and bake for 18 minutes.

caramel

1. place the water, honey and sugar into a pot and place over medium high heat. let boil until it becomes a light caramel color, this will take about 15 minutes. once it's a nice light caramel color, remove from heat and slowly stir in the butter and heavy cream. mix in the vanilla and nuts. pour the caramel mixture on top of the shortbread crust and put back into the oven for 8-10 minutes. let cool until the caramel is set, you can put it into the fridge to further the process. cut into 12 pieces and sprinkle with sea salt on top.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.Hopefully we are still all social distancing like kuzco here on this no touchy chocolate sheet cake. Meaning that no one can touchy my chocolate cake because it's mine and I won't share! But you can still make your own!Want to learn how to get images onto cookies and even cakes and chocolates? Then check out my new online edible printing course that will guide you through everything you need to know about edible printing, from start to finish! You won't regret it! Not too sure if you want to buy something so pricey if you aren't sure you'd like it? Then you can certainly check out my array of edible paper images you buy and try out before making such a huge purchase.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. Want to make the most of a really good baked good? Get yourself a high quality vanilla! I always use mexican vanilla and it enhances the flavor of whatever I use it in. It's a thick and potent vanilla and it's a decent price too!

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chocolate sheet cake

a deep dark chocolate cake with chocolate chips throughout and surrounded with a simple buttercream.

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F and grease and line a 9.25 x 13.25 inch pan. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking  soda, and salt and mix to combine. In another bowl combine the eggs, oil, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla and whisk together. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then sprinkle as much chocolate chips as you want on top of the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center (although be careful to not mistake melted chocolate chips for batter). let the cake cool completely.
2. Once the cake is done, let cool and then frost with your choice of frosting!

Vegan Cranberry Almond Chai Cookies

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These vegan cranberry almond chai cookies are one of my favorites. We make a version of these cookies at work and I fell in love with them. They are so addicting that you can't have just one. The original recipe calls for different ingredients, like chai concentrate and hazelnuts plus a whole lot more things to also make it gluten free (which my recipe is not). But just because these guys aren't gluten free doesn't mean that they are mouthwatering and delicious!Not a fan of almonds? You can substitute them out for the hazelnuts like in the original recipe as I've stated above or you could even use cashews or macadamia nuts! Want to add in some white chocolate chips? That would be amazing in these cookies too! Cookies are so easy to make your own by adding in the mix-ins that you want and love into them. Use dried apricots or cherries instead of cranberries, instead of chai spice use just simple cinnamon or don't even add it in if that's something you'd prefer! Overall these vegan cranberry almond chai spice cookies are delicious and I personally wouldn't change the recipe in either way.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly suggest getting this chai spice from King Arthur Flour for this recipe. Otherwise another really great option is to make your own chai spice! It's super easy and you can find a recipe easily online.

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vegan cranberry almond chia cookies

vegan cookies packed with flavor! contains chai spice, dried cranberries and a bit of crunch from some slivered almonds.

• 1 1/2 sticks vegan butter (room temp (i used country crock almond oil butter))
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp chai spice
• 2 cup almond flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond slivers
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a sheet pan with parchment paper. place the vegan butter and the sugars into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the almond milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated. place the almond flour, flour, salt, baking soda, and chai spice in another bowl and whisk together. gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. fold in the almonds and cranberries and scoop the cookies out on the sheet pan and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

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*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure to learn moreSitting at home bored out of your mind with nothing to do because of the virus? How about making some banana chocolate cupcakes to snack on? These little guys aren't too sweet and the chocolate buttercream on top is delicious thanks to the black cocoa powder I had on hand. All's you need is some overripe bananas and some good tunes.Not sure you want banana chocolate cupcakes but would prefer to mix it up a bit instead? You can certainly add in some chopped walnuts or pecans into the cake batter. Add in some chocolate chips too while you're at it! And then instead of using chocolate buttercream, then I suggest either a good cream cheese buttercream or even a peanut butter buttercream to pair with the banana cupcakes. Anything goes well with bananas, you just need to find the right kind of mix-ins that you want to add to them.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. For the buttercream I highly suggest using the King Arthur Flour black cocoa. It gives any baked good this beautiful dark chocolate color to it and it's not overly sweet. It's perfect for these banana cupcakes as it pairs so well together.

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banana chocolate cupcakes

these soft banana cupcakes wouldn't be complete without the mound of chocolate buttercream swirled on top.

cake

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 3 ripe bananas (i use frozen bananas, thawed)

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream

cake

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place cupcake liners into the cupcake tins. in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. in another bowl, mix together the egg, oil, yogurt, bananas, milk and vanilla. add the wet into the dry and mix until everything is fully incorporated. using an cookie scoop, distribute the batter into the cupcake tins and bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Ginger Carrot Cake

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.This ginger carrot cake is perfect for a quick easter dessert. It's so simple and straight forward and all of the mix-ins can be substituted or even omitted if you aren't a fan of raisins. Use walnuts instead of pecans, try dried cherries or apricots instead of raisins. You can't go wrong with a good carrot cake and since we are all stuck at home for easter why not try something new and mix up the classic carrot cake a bit?Want to make this carrot cake even more unique for your holiday? Instead of carrots, you could use zucchini or even parsnips! Both vegetables pair perfectly with these ingredients in the ginger carrot cake and you wouldn't even notice the difference. Or you can always go check out my brown butter coconut carrot cake too if that's something you'd like to try instead!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that I collect are cake stands. I love a good cake stand that is not only adorable, but is also a good quality too. This little easter bunny cake stand is perfect for the holiday but also as a fun spring cake stand to have around the house for all your treats!

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ginger carrot cake

carrot cake made with fresh ginger, raisins and a cream cheese buttercream to top it off

cake

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (or regular milk)
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger root
• 2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup raisins

buttercream

• 8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt

cake

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 8 x 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper. in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda and powder, salt and cinnamon and whisk together. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla, grated ginger, and coconut milk and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. add in the carrots, pecans and raisins and fold in until everything is evenly distributed. place the batter in the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove them from the pans to continue cooling. wrap in cling wrap until ready to use.

buttercream

1. place the butter and cream cheese into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. mix until smooth. scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients. mix on slow speed and gradually increase the speed. let mix until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3 minutes.

Mango Orange Peeps

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.Easter is just around the corner and with these trying times being stuck at home, these homemade mango orange peeps are just what the doctor ordered. Making homemade marshmallows is super easy and most will have all of the ingredients already in their pantry. Only calling for some simple ingredients like sugar, water, gelatin, and corn syrup and the flavor is completely versatile too! You don't have to make them mango and orange, but can do strawberry or just plain lemon. The possibilities are endless!To make the peeps, you'll need either to get a bunny shaped silicone mold to get the cute shapes. The mold will also help to create less waste. Or you can pour the marshmallows directly into a pan and use a cookie cutter and cut out little bunny shapes. This all depends on you and what you are willing to do to get the desired peep shape. You can make these mango orange peeps any way and form you like.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that you 100% need when making marshmallows is a candy thermometer. It won't be accurate if you use a meat thermometer, plus a candy thermometer is nice since you can just clip it to the side of your pot and not have to hold it over the blistering heat while the sugar cooks. It also tells you what the sugar stage is which is helpful when making marshmallows or any other form of candy.

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mango orange peeps

a chewy sugary treat that's made with mangoes and fresh orange juice.

• 1 cup mango (fresh or frozen)
• 1 large lemon or orange (zested and juiced)
• 2 tbsp powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cup mango orange puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup mango orange puree (add water if it doesn't equal a 1/4 cup)
• pinch salt
• food color (optional)
• colored sanding sugar for decoration

1. place the mango, zest and juice into a blender and blend until smooth. strain through a fine mesh sieve.
2. place the 1/2 cup puree, vanilla and gelatin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and let sit until the gelatin blooms. in the mean time place the sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining 1/4 cup puree into a small pot with a candy thermometer. put over high heat and bring to a boil until it reaches 240 degrees, or softball stage. turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the hot sugar into the gelatin mixture. increase the speed and whip until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the mixture is light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. spray the bottom of a pan with non-stick spray and then pour the marshmallow into the pan. (i used this cute bunny mold and piped the marshmallow in) sprinkle with the colored sanding sugar and let sit until the marshmallow is set, preferably overnight. cut into pieces and sprinkle with more colored sugar around the sides and enjoy.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.This lemon blueberry cheesecake ice cream is addicting. I couldn't stop eating it. Literally. I ate all of it, it was that good. Add an ice cream cone? That would be delicious. Throw it into a milkshake, even better!Don't want to make it a lemon blueberry cheesecake ice cream? You can make always replace the blueberries with dried raspberries or even strawberries if you'd like! Have a favorite cheesecake recipe? Use that instead of the one I listed for you below! It doesn't need to be lemon blueberry, it can be a plain and simple strawberry cheesecake ice cream instead. Either way it will be a delicious treat!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I cannot recommend this ice cream machine enough! It's such a great price and it's so easy to use. The directions are so simple and it's easy to clean. I use it for all of my ice cream recipes, whether it's sorbet, sherbet or just a simple vanilla ice cream this is the tool that I will always go back to.

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lemon cheesecake recipe is here from amy in the kitchen.

lemon blueberry cheesecake ice cream

a sweet vanilla ice cream that's mixed with dried blueberries and lemon cheesecake pieces.

• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/4 milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup freeze dried blueberries
• lemon cheesecake pieces i used this recipe here (from amy in the kitchen. just make a 1/4 of the recipe and bake it in a small casserole dish. you don't need the crust, just the cheesecake base. after it's baked, let cool and then cut into small little bite sized pieces.)

1. place the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla into a pot and bring to a boil, whisking to make sure the sugar dissolves. place the ice cream base into the fridge overnight to cool and to let the flavor increase. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. fold in the freeze dried blueberries and the cheesecake pieces. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.

Cowboy Cookies

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I made these cowboy cookies in mind of my dad. He loves cookies, and these guys are filled with chocolate candies and frosted with a peanut butter frosting. Not only that but they are topped with the cutest cowboy images! They are so fun, simple and just down right yummy!Want to learn how to get images onto cookies and even cakes and chocolates? Then check out my new online edible printing course that will guide you through everything you need to know about edible printing, from start to finish! You won't regret it! Not too sure if you want to buy something so pricey if you aren't sure you'd like it? Then you can certainly check out my array of edible paper images you buy and try out before making such a huge purchase. You can even buy these images here in my shop!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One main thing that you will need in this recipe is the meringue powder for the buttercream. Meringue powder helps make the buttercream form a crust so that it won't make a mess and smudge everywhere. If you prefer to not use meringue powder, than I suggest making a crusting buttercream or a royal icing.

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m&m cookies with peanut butter buttercream

i call these cookies cowboy cookies, as they remind me of my western loving dad. incorporated with chocolate candies and peanut butter makes these an absolute favorite household staple

cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup mini m&ms

buttercream

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tsp meringue powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp water

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the sugars and the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the side of the bowl and then add in the egg and vanilla. in another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. scrape down the sides of the bowl then on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients. add in the mini m&ms. wrap the dough into cling-wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with desired shapes and bake for 8-10 minutes.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. frost the cookies.

Coconut Truffles

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These little coconut truffles are little bites of heaven. They aren't to terribly sweet, bite sized, and just delicious that you will want to eat all of them in one sitting. They are also incredibly easy to make! all you have to do is throw everything into a food process, mix it all up, chill and dip into white chocolate. Then stuff your face of course with all of the coconut truffles.Want to have some fun with these coconut truffles? Add some mini chocolate chips or freeze dried strawberries into the mix and give it some extra flavor. If you want some crunch you could add in some nuts, like some chopped almonds or pistachios! Not a big fan of white chocolate? Use dark or milk chocolate coating instead and make it the way that you want it to be.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. You'll definitely want a mini cookie scoop for this project. It an get a little messy and it will also ensure that each truffle is the same size.

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coconut truffles

a creamy coconut truffle filling that is coated in a white chocolate

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• white candy coating
• sprinkles (optional)

1. place the sweetened condensed milk, coconut, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt into a food processor and pulse until everything comes together and the coconut is in smaller pieces. transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and then place into the fridge for about an hour to firm up. once firm, take a small cookie scoop and form little balls. place into the freezer to make them solid. melt the white candy coating and then dip the frozen coconut candy and then top with sprinkles. let set.

Apricot Almond Tart

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.This apricot almond tart is luscious and creamy. It's filled with an almond frangipane and freshly picked apricots that have been cut in half that's topped with a fluffy meringue topping that is lightly torched to perfection. This tart is perfect for a late summer dessert. It's incredibly simple to make too! It may require a few steps to get the end result but it's worth it! You of course have to start off with a crust, so these guys are made with a shortbread crust. Then come the best part; the almond frangipane! This filling is a go to of mine because it's soft and full of flavor! And it's so easy to pair it with so many different things, like fruit or even chocolate! These tarts obviously have fresh apricot halves in them, which is perfect as a late summer/early fall treat when apricots are at their highest peak in season. And finally, you top these little tarts with a mound of fluffy meringue on top that you toast to perfection. so why not enjoy yourself one of these apricot almond tart this year?

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Here are a list of the main tools you will need to make these apricot almond tarts. You will need some tart pans, of course, as well as a torch. Above are some amazon links to a few options that i recommend.

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apricot almond tart

a shortbread crust filled with a frangipane filling and a fresh apricot that is topped with a mound of toasted meringue

crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)

almond cream

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 whole apricots (pitted and cut in half)

meringue

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar

crust

1. for the crust, mix all of the flour, sugar and butter together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. press into 4 mini tart pans or 1 large pan.

almond cream

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute. add in the egg and extracts and continue mixing. mix in the almond flour and flour until everything comes together. portion evenly into the unbaked tart shells. place the apricot halves into the center of the tarts. bake for 20-25 minutes or until the almond cream is set. let cool.

meringue

1. in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy and then add the cream of tartar. continue whipping on high until soft peaks start to form and then gradually add in the sugar and whip until stiff peaks form and the meringue is nice and glossy. swirl or pipe on top of the apricot tarts and torch the meringue until golden brown.

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Peanut Butter Caramel Kiss Cookies

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A plate of delicious cookies that are typically requested from the family during the holidays. There's the basic peanut butter kiss cookies that I like to spice up a little bit. I like to use caramel kiss chocolates rather than the regular ones. And that creates the peanut butter caramel kiss cookies! It adds another dimension of texture and flavor to the cookies and they are absolutely, in my opinion, better this way.Have any of you ever switched up the chocolate kiss on these cookies before? What's your favorite one to use or do you prefer to keep it the classic, traditional way? There are so many different flavors of these chocolate kisses available out in stores that you can play around with! Let me know in the comments what you like to use!The other cookie in the photos is the gingersnap that is dipped in white chocolate which you can find the recipe for right here!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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peanut butter caramel kiss cookies

tender peanut butter cookies topped with a caramel filled chocolate kiss

• 1 stick unsalted butter (room-temp)
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 bag caramel chocolate kisses
• granulated sugar for rolling

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add in the eggs and vanilla. continue mixing until combined and then scrape the bowl down again. add in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. roll out the cookie dough into a tablespoon sized ball and then roll in the granulated sugar. place on a lined sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. remove from the oven and then add the caramel kisses to each cookie and bake for another 2-3 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool.

Frosted Sugar Cookies

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busy busy busy!

This recipe is a few days too late, I've been so busy that I've been lacking on here. I'm trying to grow my business and brand so the past two months have been hectic. I've been working on making all kinds of yummy goodies and treats to sell at a local market (some of these things you can find on my etsy shop!). I'm having a lot of fun taking this next big step.It's a lot of hard work, sometimes it can be slow and bring you down. Other times people who come up to me and want to buy my treats makes my day. Especially when they admire the work I put into everything I made. It's very hard but so rewarding at the end of the day and I can't wait to continue down this path! Now for these cookies!

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These frosted sugar cookies have a crispness to them. They are snappy sugar cookies, which I know some people would prefer to have a soft sugar cookie which you can find in my favorite cookie recipe here! The buttercream that I frosted these cookies with makes the cookies though. It helps to soften the cookies with the fluffy sweetness of the buttercream soaks into the cookies to make them a little softer.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. When I made these cookies I was at my parent's house, so I didn't have any baking tools at all! I had to be creative and buy a minimal amount of tools that I knew I would need from Michael's. Just a simple small round tip to pipe out the details is all you need. Having a collection of tips on hand for creating all kinds of swoops, swirls and boarders.

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frosted sugar cookies

crisp sugar cookies with buttercream that helps soften it and makes it sugary sweet.

cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the side of the bowl and then add in the egg, vanilla and sour cream. in another bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and whisk together. scrape down the sides of the bowl then on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients. wrap the dough into cling-wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with desired shapes and bake for 8-10 minutes.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Scooby Doo Cinnamon Ice Cream Sandwiches

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I was visiting a friend in Texas a couple of weeks ago to go and get pancak. We went to the grocery store to buy a bunch of junk to stuff our faces with. These scooby doo sugar cookies was one of the things that I got and i'm so in love with them! I just had to make something with these cookies and I thought a fun ice cream sandwich would be perfect! These guys are filled with a simple cinnamon ice cream that's not too sweet and not too spicy.I found it a bit difficult to find these cookies when I got back to Nashville and couldn't find them at either walmart or target. But I did find it at kroger! So if you have a kroger in your town, then that is the most likely place you will be able to find these cookies. Otherwise any other kind of sugar cookie works too!When I thought of what kind of ice cream would fit perfectly with these cookies, I thought of cinnamon. Cinnamon ice cream was the perfect choice for this sandwich, and it isn't intense or overly sweet either. But that doesn't mean you have to use cinnamon if you don't want to.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly recommend starting off with the cuisinart ice cream machine as your first ice cream maker. It's the cheapest one on amazon and I personally use it and love it! I also suggest getting a reusable ice cream container as well, it's dishwasher safe and you can use it over and over again!

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scooby doo cinnamon ice cream sandwiches

a cute scooby doo store bought cookie sandwiched with a cinnamon ice cream

• 2 packs scooby sugar cookies (i got mine from kroger)
• sprinkles (for the sides of the sandwich)
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. place all of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, whisking to make sure the sugar dissolves. place the ice cream base into the fridge overnight to cool and to let the flavor increase. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.

assembly

1. take a small ice cream scoop and take a little bit of the cinnamon ice cream and place onto one of the cookies. take another cookie and carefully sandwich them together. roll the sides of the ice cream sandwich in sprinkles. freeze until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Mousse Dessert

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.This pumpkin is no ordinary pumpkin. It's a pumpkin mousse dessert! A chocolate pumpkin that's filled with a creamy deliciousness that will have you replacing the old basic pumpkin pie this year.It's a pumpkin chocolate shell that's filled with a creamy pumpkin mousse with little drops of chocolate ganache and sweetened cream cheese. This dessert is pure heaven in every way for a family event this fall. If you can't find the 3D pumpkin mold, than use a different mold. I'm sure there is a 3D turkey that would be so cute for Thanksgiving!In this dessert I added in some extras as mix-ins. I made a quick chocolate ganache and just cut up a few mini chunks of cream cheese. Now you don't have to use these exact mix-ins I used. You can use chocolate chips, pecans, caramel pieces, and even some ginger cookie chunks too! Make it yours!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. Essentials for making this dessert is the pumpkin mold and the coating chocolate. If you use regular chocolate you won't get that color to make it look like a pumpkin and could bloom. 

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pumpkin mousse dessert

an adorable pumpkin chocolate shell that's filled with pumpkin mousse, chocolate ganache, and cream cheese.

chocolate shell

• pumpkin mold
• orange candy melts
• brown candy melts

pumpkin mousse

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp gelatin
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

fillings

• ganache, cream cheese, chocolate chips, nuts, caramel pieces, etc...

chocolate shell

1. start by taking the orange candy melts and melting it. fill the pumpkin part of the mold and let it sit for about a minute. invert the molds to let the chocolate fall out to create the chocolate shell. scrape down the sides to create that even edge. take the brown chocolate and melt that and fill in the stem part of the pumpkin. i found it easier to have that as a solid part and not inverting the mold to let the chocolate drip out. let the chocolate set. i find it easier to put it into the freezer to pop the chocolate shells out.

pumpkin mousse

1. bloom the gelatin in the 1 tbsp of water and set aside.  in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. meanwhile, bring the milk, vanilla and salt to a simmer. once hot, slowly temper into the yolk mixture. do this by pouring a little amount of the hot milk into the yolks and whisking together. keep doing this until all of the milk is added to the yolks. place the mixture over a double boiler and heat until it reaches 140 degrees F. and then stir in the bloomed gelatin. place the mixture into a bowl and wrap with cling wrap and put in the fridge overnight, or until firm.
2. whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. add in the firm and chilled pumpkin mixture and whip until fully incorporated. place into the fridge until ready to use.

assembly

1. start by taking both parts of the chocolate shell and add in a thin layer of the pumpkin mousse. sprinkle in some of the fillings you have chosen and continue to layer each component.
2. don't overfill the chocolate shells, you want to be able to seal it without having any of the mousse exploding out of the sides.
3. melt a little of the orange candy melts that you have leftover and pipe a thin line along the edges of the chocolate shell. carefully take both parts and carefully put them together to get the 3D pumpkin.
4. use a little bit of green fondant to create the vines and leaves for the pumpkin and glue on with a little more of the orange chocolate.
5. keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Spicy Skull Cakes

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These spicy skull cakes are fun with a lot of oozy edible blood dripping off them. I had a great time pouring the glaze over these mini cakes for a dramatic effect. My mom got me this cake pan last year and I never got the chance to use it at all. This year I finally was able to use it and I'm so glad I did! I had so much fun making these guys and pouring the glaze on top. I find that the glaze on top makes it a show stopper and perfect for a halloween party dessert center piece.Not into spicy food? That's ok! Just adjust the cayenne pepper to how you can handle it or just completely take it out. You can even add in some mini chocolate chips into the batter too if you'd like! It's not even necessary to use the skull cake pan (as fun as it is) but you can make them into cupcakes instead. If you decide to make them into cupcakes, just remember that the time will need to be adjusted in the recipe. If you bake them for that long they will become over baked or even burnt.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. To make these spicy skull cakes I highly recommend getting the mini skull cake pan. It gives the cakes so much detail and just adds that fun halloween aspect to it.

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spicy skull cakes

fun spicy cakes in the shape of skulls that are covered in a bloody red glaze

cake

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup pecans (roughly chopped)

glaze

• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch cayenne pepper
• red food color
• black food color

cake

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray the skull cake pan. in a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper and mix until incorporated. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. fold in the chopped pecans. scoop the batter into the pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

glaze

1. place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine until smooth. add in a tiny drop of black food color and enough red until you get the desired color that resembles blood. pour over the cakes.

Alien French Macarons

*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure to learn moreJust a real quick and basic alien french macarons. Cute little alien faces that are sandwiched with lime buttercream. they're so cute for halloween and they are delicious too. It's not necessary to make them into little aliens if you don't want to or to even use lime buttercream either. You can make them into a basic french macaron or even try and make your own design!Just know that making french macarons can be temperamental. They don't like humidity and you have to whip the egg whites just right. Another important part is to make sure that you let the batter dry before baking. This is a crucial step! If you don't follow it than the macarons will end up as pancakes.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that I highly suggest getting when making french macarons is a silpat. A silpat is a reusable parchment paper and it's such a great investment. I find it easier to use a silpat versus parchment paper when making french macarons because it doesn't move around but it also makes it easier to remove the cookies too.

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alien french macarons

delicious french macaron cookies sandwiched with a lime buttercream that look like cute little aliens

french macarons

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 fresh egg whites
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar
• food coloring

buttercream

• 1 stick salted butter
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1-2 tbsp lime juice

french macarons

1. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy and gradually add in the granulated sugar. whip until stiff peaks form then add in the food coloring. in a large bowl, sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. gradually fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients. put the batter into a piping bag and pipe onto a sheet pan that is lined with a silpat into the shape of a teardrop (parchment works fine). bang the pan really good on the counter to release any air bubbles and then let the macarons sit to dry, about 30 minutes, or until it doesn't stick to your finger. you can test by lightly patting the tops, if it sticks then let it sit a little longer. once dry, bake for 16-20 minutes or until the bottoms of the macarons don't stick and come off the silpat clean. paint alien faces on with black food gel.

buttercream

1. place all of the ingredients into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Boosey Ghost Cream Puffs

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These are an adult only kind of treat. A fun little halloween treat that is filled with alcohol and chocolate that is so delicious and rich in flavor. Plus it's super cute! Now these guys are only for adults. I'm sure if you were to make these and you have kids around that they won't be too happy about that. So if you want to make it kid friendly, just use coffee instead of kahlua. I know it will still be a bit too adult still with coffee but it won't have alcohol in it. On the plus side, if your kids don't like coffee than that means more for you! Or you can just find a different pastry cream recipe.Each cream puff is filled with a chocolate kahlua pastry cream, more strong on the kahlua part too. They are dipped in white chocolate and a scared little face painted on each one. These will be a hit at any halloween party this october! I also discovered that the cream puffs made it look like the ghosts had little arms too, so I added in a little piece of candy corn or whatever you can think of, for them to hold on to!

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. An important part I find that helps a lot when making cream puffs is to have the filling pipping tip. It's so handy, especially with these little ghosts. These cream puffs have a few layers on the inside that you have to poke through; that's what makes the filling tip work so well with these little ghosts.

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boosey ghost cream puff

a cute cream puff that is filled with a Kahlua pastry cream and dipped in white chocolate.

pate a choux

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs

pastry cream

• 1/2 cup kahlua
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate

assembly

• white chocolate coating
• black food coloring

pate a choux

1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. in a small pot, combine the milk, sugar, salt and butter. heat up on medium high heat until the butter is melted and fully incorporated into the milk. once the milk is hot, add in the flour and mix until a dough forms and a film starts to appear on the bottom of the pot. place the dough into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix for about 2 minutes to let the steam out. slowly start to add the eggs and mix until completely incorporated. put the dough into a piping bag with a medium sized round tip.  on a sheet pan lined with parchment, start piping out little ghosts. i did that by thinking of a snowman, starting big on the bottom and adding another smaller mound on top with a nice peak for the ghost's head. bake for 20-25 minutes until nice and golden brown. the tips will be darker, if you don't want the darker or don't care for the ghost shape, then just dab a little bit of water on your finger and pat the tips down gently.

pastry cream

1. in a bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. place the kahlua and milk into a small pot and bring to a simmer. once at a simmer, slowly add in a little of the milk a tablespoon at a time to the yolk mixture, mixing at the same time. add back into the pot and whisk continuously until thick. remove from the heat and add in the chocolate and butter and continue mixing until everything is fully combined. place plastic wrap directly over the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming and put into the fridge to chill.

assembly

1. start by putting the filling tip into a piping bag and then adding in the chocolate pastry cream filling. fill in each cream puff, making sure that it fills the whole thing by using the filling tip and starting from the very top of the cream puff and slowly dragging it down and out to ensure it's completely full.
2. once each cream puff is full, place into the freezer for about 30 minutes to make it easier to dip in the chocolate. while the cream puffs are chilling, start melting the chocolate. dip each cream puff into the chocolate and let the excess drip off. when the chocolate is completely set, use the black food coloring to make the eyes and mouth.

Neapolitan Cake

meet pancake + neapolitan cake

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meet pancake + neapolitan cake

meet pancake + neapolitan cake

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I got a cat a few weeks ago. He's the cutest, cuddliest, and most vocal kitten I've ever met and I don't know what I'd do without him. His name is pancake! To welcome him to his new home, all the way from Dallas! I wanted to make a special cake with cute little cats all over it. It's a basic neapolitan cake. Vanilla cake. Chocolate ganache. Strawberry buttercream. Nuff said.Want to make this neapolitan cake a little differently? You could skip the ganache and do fresh strawberries in the middle and a chocolate buttercream. Now doesn't that sound like heaven!?!?Want to learn how to get images onto cookies and even cakes and chocolates? Then check out my new online edible printing course that will guide you through everything you need to know about edible printing, from start to finish! You won't regret it! not too sure if you want to buy something so pricey if you aren't sure you'd like it? Then you can certainly check out my array of edible paper images you buy and try out before making such a huge purchase.

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meet pancake + neapolitan cake

vanilla cake that's filled with a chocolate ganache and cloaked in a strawberry buttercream

cake

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk

ganache

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

buttercream

• 3 sticks unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 5 cup powdered sugar

• 2-3 tbsp heavy cream

cake

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line three 6-inch cake pans. in a large bowl combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and buttermilk. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool and then remove from the pans.

ganache

1. combine the heavy cream and chocolate in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute until the chocolate has melted. mix until fully incorporated and let chill until cool.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Butterbeer Cupcakes

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I love harry potter. It was a childhood favorite of mine, and still is! I've read the books a couple of times and watched the movies so many times I can't even keep track. Have you been to the harry potter universe at orlando? I've been wanting to go there so badly to just and try all of the food. Especially a nice glass of butterbeer. But since I can't go I made these butterbeer cupcakes instead.I think that some people have different ideas of what butterbeer tastes like, but for me it's the basic butterscotch and cream soda combination. So these cupcakes have a cream soda cake that is filled with butterscotch! Go here to see a video of these cupcakes being made! Also check out my favorite cookie recipe that features harry and the gang!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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butterbeer cupcakes

a moist cupcake made with cream soda that's filled with a butterscotch ganache and topped with a sweet simple buttercream

cupcakes

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup cream soda

ganache

• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp cream soda

cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with liners. in a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until incorporated. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, vanilla, and cream soda and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. scoop the batter in the cupcake pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

ganache

1. place ingredients into a bowl and microwave until smooth.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Banana Curry Ice Cream

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I know what you're thinking. Who puts curry in ice cream? Or in something that's supposed to be sweet? Well, I do! I'm strange and like to make different and unexpected flavor combinations. Banana and curry go really well together, Which isn't very surprising. If you're too afraid to try it because of the curry, I would just add either some chocolate sauce or even a little bit of melted peanut butter on top and you'll have a delicious banana curry ice cream sundae.Now this ice cream is definitely on the savory side of sweet. There really is nothing to be afraid of! You should always be willing to try something different once in awhile. So give this ice cream a chance and just add some chocolate to it! That way the chocolate will help make the curry flavor less intense.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly recommend starting off with the cuisinart ice cream machine as your first ice cream maker. It's the cheapest one on amazon and I personally use it and love it! I also suggest getting a reusable ice cream container as well, it's dishwasher safe and you can use it over and over again!

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banana curry ice cream

banana ice cream with a hint of curry in it. perfect combination and even better with a little chocolate sauce on top.

• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 bananas (ripe)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp curry powder

1. place the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and bananas into a pot and bring to a boil, whisking to make sure the bananas break apart. in a bowl combine the sugar, curry and egg yolks and mix together. slowly temper the egg yolks by pouring the milk mixture gradually and whisking at the same time. strain the ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of any banana particles. cover with cling wrap and place the ice cream base into the fridge overnight to cool and to let the flavor increase. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.