Category: Desserts


Jun
2021

Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake

categories: Cakes, Desserts
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My Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake recipe (from scratch) was handed down to me 45 years ago and has been a delicious family favorite ever since!My Grandma's Red Velvet Cake recipe (from scratch) was handed down to me 45 years ago and has been a delicious family favorite ever since!

For the past several years, red velvet cakes have been all the rage, and that makes me happy. For me personally, red velvet cakes are a part of my heritage. My Grandma Grace in Texas made them, then gave her recipe to my mom (her daughter-in-law), who then gave me Grandma’s recipe over 45 years ago. Talk about handing down traditions! Grandma’s red velvet cake has always been special to me, because my mom made them for our birthdays when I was growing up. Guess what? I loved them then as much then as I do now.

There’s just something about seeing that gorgeous red color in each slice that flood my heart with so many wonderful memories! A lot of red velvet cakes nowadays top the cake with cream cheese frosting, but my Grandma’s recipe uses a fluffy white frosting (without cream cheese). It takes just a bit longer to make the frosting, but that’s part of the charm! Plus, it’s delicious! Today I want to share my recipe for Grandma’s red velvet cake with you, and hope you will enjoy it, too. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare the Cake Batter

Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together granulated sugar and vegetable shortening until well combined. Add the red food coloring and two eggs. Continue mixing until the batter is deep red in color and creamy in texture.

Granulated sugar and vegetable shortening are creamed together with an electric mixer.Red food coloring and eggs are added and mixed into the cake batter.

In a separate bowl, SIFT together flour, salt and cocoa powder. Add these dry ingredients to the batter, and beat on low speed until the flour mixture has been fully incorporated.

Mix buttermilk and baking soda together in a separate bowl, and fold them into the batter. Next, add the vanilla extract and vinegar to the batter and stir until combined. This is the batter for Grandma’s red velvet cake.

Dry ingredients (with flour and cocoa, etc.) are added to the cake batter.After adding more ingredients, the batter for Grandma's Red Velvet Cake is ready for baking.

Bake Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake

Now it’s time to bake the cake. Generously grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans OR a 13×9″ baking pan on the bottom and sides, and then pour the batter into the pan(s). If using two round cake pans, evenly divide the batter between them.

Bake in a preheated 350°F. oven (on middle rack) for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top of the cake comes out clean. Once done, transfer the cake pans to a wire rack to cool.

Greased/floured cake pans are filled with batter for the red velvet cake, and put in oven to bake.Two pans of red velvet cake cooling on wire racks after baking.

Make The Frosting For The Cake

While the cake is baking, you can make the fluffy white frosting for the finished cake. Mix milk, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Cook this on low heat, stirring often until the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat, and set it aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, (or stand mixer bowl) place vegetable shortening, butter, granulated sugar, and part of the powdered sugar (2/3 cup). Beat these ingredients really well for 15 minutes (yes… 15 minutes!). When done, the sugar will have dissolved and no longer be “grainy”, and the mixture should be light and fluffy in texture. Add vanilla extract and the cooled, thickened milk mixture. Beat well, then add the remaining cup of powdered sugar, and mix well, until combined. This is your fluffy white frosting.

Milk, cornstarch and salt (for the cake frosting) cook until thickened.The frosting for Grandma's red velvet cake is mixed for at least 15 minutes, until very fluffy.

Frosting the Cake

If you baked this in a 13×9″ baking pan, you are ready to frost the cake (in the pan), once it has cooled completely. If you are using two round cake pans, you will need to remove them from the pans (by inverting pan upside down), once they have cooled completely. Place one layer onto a serving plate, and frost the top.

Lay the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Continue to frost the cake on top and and on all sides. Garnish or decorate the frosted cake any way you wish once fully frosted. This time I went simple, as you can tell from the photos below.

Layers of cake are frosted, and then the sides of the cake are frosted, too.Grandma's red velvet cake is completely frosted and ready to slice and eat!

Time For A Slice of Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake!

All that is left to do is cut a nice big slice of Grandma’s red velvet cake, grab a fork, and dig in! The fluffy white frosting is a nice, light touch that contrasts well with the beautiful red hue of the cake. Grandma’s red velvet cake is so yummy, moist, and RED! Sure hope you enjoy it, too!

A slice of Grandma's red velvet cake ready to eat, on a white plate.

Thank you for stopping by today. I really hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious dessert for those you love. Please come back again soon for more recipes. Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CAKE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few cake recipes you’re gonna love, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: my Grandma, Grace B.

5 from 3 votes
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Grandma's Red Velvet Cake
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

My Grandma's Red Velvet Cake recipe (from scratch) was handed down to me 45 years ago and has been a delicious family favorite ever since!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grandma's red velvet cake
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 545 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Cake:
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces red food color
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (for baking)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
For Frosting:
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1½ Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • ½ cup butter , softened
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1⅔ cups powdered sugar , divided use
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour two 9" round cake pans or one 13"x9" baking pan on bottom and sides.

  2. Using electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together granulated sugar and vegetable shortening until well combined. Add red food coloring and eggs. Continue mixing until batter is deep red in color and creamy in texture.

  3. In separate bowl, SIFT together flour, salt and cocoa powder. Add this mixture to the batter; beat on low speed until fully incorporated. Mix buttermilk and baking soda together in a separate bowl; fold them into batter. Add vanilla and vinegar; stir until combined.

  4. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). If using two round cake pans, evenly divide batter between them. Bake at 350°F. (on middle rack) for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into top of the cake comes out clean. Transfer pan(s) to a wire rack to cool.

Make Frosting While Cake Is Baking:

  1. Mix milk, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring often until mixture thickens. Remove pan from heat; set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, (or stand mixer bowl) place shortening, butter, granulated sugar, and 2/3 cup of powdered sugar. Beat really well for 15 minutes (yes... 15 minutes!). When done, sugar will have dissolved and no longer be "grainy"; frosting should be light/fluffy in texture. Add vanilla extract and cooled, thickened milk mixture. Beat well, then add remaining cup of powdered sugar, and mix well, until combined.

Frost Cake After It Cools Completely:

  1. If using a 13x9" baking pan, frost the cake (still in the pan), once it has cooled completely. If using two round cake pans, remove them from the pans (by inverting pan upside down), once they have cooled completely. Place one layer onto a serving plate, and frost the top. Lay the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Continue to frost the cake on the top and and side. Once cake is completely frosted, decorate it any way you want. Slice and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Grandma's Red Velvet Cake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/12th of total))
Calories 545 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 3g
Cholesterol 55mg18%
Sodium 400mg17%
Potassium 110mg3%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 55g61%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 353IU7%
Calcium 60mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!My Grandma's Red Velvet Cake recipe (from scratch) was handed down to me 45 years ago and has been a delicious family favorite ever since!


Jun
2021

Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting

categories: Cakes, Tip Of The Day
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Make my Grandma’s fluffy white frosting to decorate your favorite cakes or cupcakes! It’s a simple recipe I’ve used for over 45 years.

Today I want to share my Grandma’s recipe for fluffy white frosting, which can be used to decorate cakes and cupcakes. This recipe was given to my Mom (her daughter-in-law) MANY years ago, who then handed down the recipe to me over 45 years ago. I feel a wonderful connection to my Grandma Grace whenever I have made this frosting over the years.

Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting is simple to make, but it DOES take a while to beat with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to make it fluffy and fully dissolve the sugar. That being said, the end result is a light, fluffy frosting you will enjoy using. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting

Place the milk, cornstarch and a dash of salt in a medium saucepan. Use a spoon or wire whisk to combine these ingredients, and then cook on LOW heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens. Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat and set it aside to FULLY cool. 

Milk, cornstarch and salt are cooked in saucepan until thickened.Thickened milk, cornstarch and salt mixture is set aside to cool after it is cooked.

In a separate large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), use an electric mixer to cream together the vegetable shortening, butter, granulated sugar and a portion of the powdered sugar. Mix these ingredients REALLY WELL for 15 minutes, until creamy. I use my stand mixer for this, because I can turn it on, walk away, and let it mix the frosting on its own.

NOTE:  It is important to take the time to mix these ingredients really well, so the granulated sugar is dissolved and no longer “grainy”.

Shortening, butter, powdered and granulated sugar are beaten well until creamy.

Time To Finish Making Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting

Add vanilla extract to Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting, and then add the cooled and thickened milk mixture. Make sure the thickened milk mixture has fully cooled before adding, so it doesn’t melt the frosting! Beat these ingredients well, until fully incorporated.

Vanilla extract is added to the frosting mixture in stand mixer.Cooled and thickened milk mixture is added to Grandma's fluffy white frosting mixture and combined.

Add the remaining portion of powdered sugar to the frosting, and mix well until fully combined. Now this yummy frosting is done, and it should be fluffy and light in texture, and ready to use.

More powdered sugar is mixed into Grandma's fluffy white frosting to finish.A bowl of Grandma's fluffy white frosting is ready to use for decorating cakes or cupcakes.

Decorating With Grandma’s Fluffy White Frosting

There will be enough frosting made to easily decorate a two layer round cake fully with frosting, or cover 2 dozen cupcakes. I ALWAYS use this frosting on my Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake. When I was growing up, this was my favorite birthday cake that my Mom made. This light, fluffy frosting was the perfect topping! YUM! 

Spreading Grandma's Fluffy White Frosting onto a red velvet cake.

I hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe- it’s never failed me yet after all these years. If you’re looking for other cake or cupcake frosting recipes, you will love my recipe for Mom’s Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.  Thanks for stopping by this website today. I hope you have a wonderful day, and trust you will come back soon.

Looking For More DESSERT Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of yummy dessert recipes that might interest you, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: My grandma Grace B.

5 from 1 vote
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Grandma's Fluffy White Frosting
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Make my Grandma's fluffy white frosting to decorate your favorite cakes or cupcakes! It's a simple recipe I've used for over 45 years.

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grandma's Fluffy White Frosting
Servings: 1 (total amount)
Calories Per Serving: 3170 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1½ Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 dash salt
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • ½ cup butter (or margarine) , softened
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1⅔ cup powdered sugar , divided use
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place milk, cornstarch and a dash of salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk to combine ingredients. Cook on LOW heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens. Once mixture thickens, remove it from the heat; set it aside to cool.

  2. In a separate large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), mix together vegetable shortening, butter, granulated sugar and a portion (2/3 cup) of the powdered sugar. Beat these ingredients REALLY WELL for about 15 minutes, until creamy. NOTE:  It is important to take the time to mix really well, so the granulated sugar is dissolved and is no longer "grainy".

  3. Add vanilla extract, and the completely cooled, thickened milk mixture. Beat ingredients well, until fully incorporated into the frosting.

  4. Add remaining cup of powdered sugar to the frosting. Mix well until fully combined. Now the frosting is done. It should be fluffy and light in texture, and ready to use. Will make enough frosting to fully cover a 2 layer round cake or 2 dozen cupcakes.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The total amount of frosting is enough to cover two round cake layers, OR a 13x9 cake, OR 2 dozen cupcakes. * Caloric calculation is for total amount of frosting, using butter.

Nutrition Facts
Grandma's Fluffy White Frosting
Amount Per Serving (1 (TOTAL AMT.))
Calories 3170 Calories from Fat 1773
% Daily Value*
Fat 197g303%
Saturated Fat 85g531%
Trans Fat 17g
Cholesterol 256mg85%
Sodium 964mg42%
Potassium 394mg11%
Carbohydrates 356g119%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 342g380%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 3299IU66%
Calcium 327mg33%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make my Grandma's fluffy white frosting to decorate your favorite cakes or cupcakes! It's a simple recipe I've used for over 45 years.

 


Apr
2021

Making Stabilized Whipped Cream

categories: Desserts, Tip Of The Day
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Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it’s shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!
Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!

Ever baked a gorgeous pie or dessert, topped it with some piped whipped cream, only to see that whipped cream collapse or lose it’s shape after a few hours (or the next day)? I have, and that’s why I make and decorate with STABILIZED whipped cream which holds it’s shape for days, just like the pretty pies at a bakery!

Did you know making stabilized whipped cream is EASY to make by adding a simple ingredient? Yep that’s right! By adding unsweetened gelatin, you will be able to pipe gorgeous whipped cream decorations onto your favorite desserts, and they will still look fantastic 3-4 days later!  I’ve used stabilized whipped cream quite recently to decorate a Mint Brownie Pie (shown above), and on a Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Making Stabilized Whipped Cream

TIP: Before beginning, place a large mixing bowl and a whisk attachment (for stand mixer or electric mixer) in the freezer for 5 minutes to get them chilled. This will help the whipped cream to thicken a bit quicker when you make it!

Okay… here we go. Unflavored gelatin (or gelatin) is the secret ingredient! You can find this at most grocery stores in either the baking section or the jello section. The way I buy it is in small envelopes (see photo below). This recipe yields two cups of whipped cream, and will only use a TEASPOON of gelatin powder, which is less than one envelope of the powder, and this stuff will last a long time, so it’s a good investment.

Add 4 teaspoons of water to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder on top, and let it sit, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Then place the bowl of gelatin in the microwave. Cook on high for 10 seconds… just long enough to fully dissolve the gelatin! Give it a stir, then let the gelatin cool a little before adding it to the whipped cream (as shown below).

Unflavored gelatin powder is used to make stabilized whipped cream.Gelatin powder is sprinkled on top of water and is left to sit for 3-4 minutes.

Preparing The Whipped Cream

Remove the bowl and whisk attachment from the freezer. It should be nice and COLD! Whip heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until it starts to thicken a bit and soft peaks can be formed.

Whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla are beaten until soft peaks form.

Slowly add the microwaved and cooled gelatin to the whipped cream while whipping on medium speed until stiff peaks form. TIP: It’s important to not just DUMP the gelatin all at once into the whipping cream mixture or else it might get clumpy, okay? 

Gelatin and water are microwaved until powder dissolves, then let cool.Gelatin mixture is slowly added to whipped cream, as it is being beaten.

How Do I Know When It Is Ready To Use?

You can tell if the peaks are stiff enough by turning off the mixer, and lifting the whisk attachment up from the whipping cream several times. When “done”, stiff peaks of whipping cream will stand up firmly on their own, and they shouldn’t collapse or fall over in the bowl.

That is how you will know the stabilized whipped cream is ready! You can transfer it to a pastry bag and refrigerate it until you are ready to decorate or serve your dessert. You can store the stabilized whipped cream for several days in the pastry bag or in a sealed container. It will hold it’s shape for several days on a refrigerated dessert.

Whipping cream is beaten until it easily forms stiff peaks.Making stabilized whipped cream lets you pipe it onto desserts and it will hold it's shape.

That’s it! See how easy it is? Pretty soon you can be making stabilized whipped cream, too! Your beautiful desserts with their nice whipped cream decorations will thank you for it!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: Danielle, at livewellbakeoften.com.how-to-make-stabilized-whipped-cream/

0 from 0 votes
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Making Stabilized Whipped Cream
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!

Category: Dessert, Tip, Topping
Cuisine: American
Keyword: stabilized whipped cream
Servings: 1 (2 cups total)
Calories Per Serving: 957 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 teaspoons water
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar (confectioner's)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Before beginning, place a large mixing bowl and a whisk attachment (for stand mixer or electric mixer) in the freezer for 5 minutes to get them cold. This helps whipped cream to thicken quicker!

  2. Add 4 tsp. water to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top; let it sit, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Place bowl of gelatin in microwave. Cook on high for 10 seconds... just long enough to dissolve gelatin! Stir, then let gelatin cool before adding to whipped cream

  3. Remove bowl and whisk attachment from freezer. Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla (using whisk attachment) on HIGH until it begins thickening and soft peaks can be formed.

  4. Slowly add cooled gelatin to whipped cream while whipping on LOW speed. Once combined, turn mixer to MEDIUM speed; beat until stiff peaks form. TIP: Don't dump gelatin all at once into whipping cream or it might clump.

  5. You can tell if the peaks are stiff by turning off the mixer. Lift up the whisk attachment from the whipping cream several times. Stiff peaks of whipping cream will stand up firmly on their own, and won't collapse or fall over. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag to decorate. Store stabilized whipped cream for several days in pastry bag or sealed container. It will hold it's shape for several days on a refrigerated dessert.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric total is for the entire 2 cups of prepared whipped cream.

Nutrition Facts
Making Stabilized Whipped Cream
Amount Per Serving (1 TOTAL AMOUNT (2 cups))
Calories 957 Calories from Fat 792
% Daily Value*
Fat 88g135%
Saturated Fat 55g344%
Cholesterol 326mg109%
Sodium 100mg4%
Potassium 183mg5%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 3499IU70%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 158mg16%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Making stabilized whipped cream is easy! This sweetened cream will hold it's shape for days- perfect for decorating pies, cheesecakes, etc.!


Apr
2021

Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

categories: Desserts, Pies/Tarts
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This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.
This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.

Recently I made a Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, which my husband and I enjoyed on a snow and ice-covered Valentines Day. We each enjoyed a piece, and then gave the remaining slices to several neighbors as a Valentines treat (since we were snowbound, AND so we wouldn’t gobble up the entire thing ourselves!). It is so incredibly GOOD!

At 7pm on Valentines night, our power went out due to snow and ice, so we were glad we had enjoyed our homemade dinner and dessert earlier! Our power ended up being out Sunday night through Tuesday afternoon, but our generator helped keep the food in our fridge cold (hooray). Candles and flashlights also quickly became our best friends!

All that said… this lemon cream cheese tart tastes wonderful! The foundation for it is a shortbread-style crust, and the yummy lemon and cream cheese filling is amazing! Put them together, and top with sweetened whipped cream… it’s dessert perfection!

I received a printed recipe card for this dessert at a women’s event over 15 years ago (which indicated the original recipe was from Bon Appetit magazine). This dessert is sooo delicious, and we love it! It’s also fairly simple and straightforward to make. Here’s how:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Crust

The first thing you will do is to preheat your oven to 425°F. The next thing to do is make the crust! The easiest way to make it is with a food processor, but you can also use a hand-held pastry blender or two forks for this step, if desired.

Place flour and powdered sugar in a food processor, and add chunks of really cold butter. Pulse until the butter becomes about the size of peas and mixture forms small clumps. NOTE: If using pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in the butter into the flour mixture in a bowl until it reaches the same consistency.

Pour the crumbly crust mixture into a 9″ tart pan (that has a removable bottom).

Butter, flour and powdered sugar are processed until tiny crumbs form for crust.Crumbly crust mixture is poured into a tart pan (with a removable bottom).

Time To Bake The Crust

FIRMLY press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Continue to press until you have a firm crust and sides. Once the crust is pretty solid, put the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes (this helps really chill the butter).

Remove the pan from the freezer. Place it on the middle rack in a preheated 425°F. oven. Bake the tart crust for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. When done, remove the crust from the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350° F. Place the pan on a wire rack, and allow it to cool completely before adding the lemon filling.

Crust mixture is firmly pressed into the tart pan to form a solid base and sides.After baking, the crust for the lemon cream cheese tart is golden brown.

Prepare The Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

You can make the lemon cream cheese filling while the tart crust bakes OR while the tart crust is cooling after baking. Your choice. You can beat the filling with an electric mixer OR you can place the ingredients in a food processor to thoroughly mix.

I like to use a food processor, because I feel like it really gets the filling smooth and mixed well. I have tried it with electric mixers, but sometimes, if the cream cheese isn’t soft enough, the cream cheese doesn’t “break down” as completely. You will just have to continue beating until it becomes smooth.

Beat (or process) softened cream cheese until very smooth. Add granulated sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and finely grated lemon zest (peel). Continue to process until smooth and well-blended.

A lemon and cream cheese filling is mixed together for the tart.

Bake The Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

Pour the lemon cream cheese mixture over the top of the COOLED tart crust. It will come almost up to the top of the pan. Carefully place the lemon cream cheese tart on the middle rack in the oven. Bake the lemon cream cheese tart 350°F. for 30 minutes.

When done, transfer the tart pan to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, cover the tart with plastic wrap. Place tart pan in the refrigerator to chill at LEAST one hour, but more if you have time. This tart can be prepared, covered and refrigerated up to one day ahead.

The tart crust is covered with the lemon cream cheese filling and then baked.

Once the lemon cream cheese tart has been completely chilled, carefully remove the tart from the pan, by carefully pushing up from the bottom. TIP: If it does not release easily, run a butter knife carefully around the sides of the pan.

When ready to serve, the chilled lemon cream cheese tart is removed from the pan.

Garnish And Serve The Lemon Cream Cheese Tart

The lemon cream cheese tart is now ready to serve, as is, OR you can “fancy it up” a bit with whipped cream. I make stabilized whipped cream to decorate this dessert, which means the cream will hold it’s shape for several days, so I can decorate the entire tart. It’s also fun to garnish the tart with lemon slices and/or fresh mint leaves, for extra color!

You also slice pieces, and then garnish each slice with aerosol whipped cream or you can make your own whipped cream (not stabilized) to decorate each slice. I have included instructions for homemade in the Notes section of the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

Lemon Cream Cheese Tart, garnished with whipped cream, lemon slice and mint leaf.A slice of lemon cream cheese tart, served on a white plate.

I truly hope you will have the opportunity to make this delicious lemon tart! The crust is sturdy, very easy to cut, and pairs well with the sweetness and tartness of the lemon topping in this dessert.

Thank you for stopping by, and I trust you will come back soon for more yummy recipes. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More Delicious TART Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several delicious fruit tart recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
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Original recipe source: Bon Appetit Magazine, (October 1995 edition).

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Lemon Cream Cheese Tart
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Refrigeration Time (minimum-inactive)
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 

This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon cream cheese tart
Servings: 8 (or 10 smaller slices)
Calories Per Serving: 282 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Crust:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 8 Tablespoons COLD butter =1 stick
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar confectioner's sugar
For Filling:
  • 5 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 7 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
  • 2 large eggs
Optional: whipping cream, lemon slice, mint leaves for topping (see NOTE below)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

    2. MAKE CRUST: Place flour and powdered sugar in food processor; add cold butter chunks. Pulse until butter becomes the size of peas and mixture forms small clumps. (If using pastry blender or forks in a bowl for this step, cut in butter until it reaches the same consistency). Place crust mixture in a 9" tart pan (with removable bottom).

    3. FIRMLY press crust mixture onto bottom and up the sides of tart pan. Continue to press until you have a solid crust and sides. Put pan in the freezer for 15 minutes (to chill butter). Remove pan from freezer. Place on middle rack in a preheated oven. Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. When done, remove pan from oven- REDUCE OVEN TEMP TO 350° F. Place pan on a wire rack; let crust cool completely before adding lemon filling.

    4. MAKE LEMON FILLING: Using a food processor or electric mixer, process or beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon zest. Continue to process until smooth and well-blended.

    5. Pour the lemon filling into the COOLED tart crust (it will come almost to top of the pan). Carefully place tart on middle rack in oven. Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes. When done, transfer tart pan to a wire rack; allow tart to cool to room temp. Once at room temp., cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at LEAST one hour, (but more if you have the time). Tart can be prepared, covered and refrigerated up to one day ahead.

    6. Once completely chilled, carefully remove the tart from the pan, by carefully pushing up from the bottom. TIP: If it does not release easily, run a butter knife carefully around the sides of the pan to loosen the crust.

    7. To serve: Cut tart into slices. Garnish each slice (or top of the tart) with a dollop (or dollops) of whipped cream, a lemon slice, and a fresh mint leaf, if desired. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: It is recommended you top each slice (at serving) with whipped cream if you are NOT using a stabilized whipped cream (to prevent whipped cream from losing shape). Can also use aerosol whipped cream, OR can beat 1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar in a chilled bowl until stiff peaks form, then pipe decoratively around the top of the tart or individual slices before serving.

    Nutrition Facts
    Lemon Cream Cheese Tart
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/8 of total))
    Calories 282 Calories from Fat 135
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 15g23%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 86mg29%
    Sodium 202mg9%
    Potassium 97mg3%
    Carbohydrates 32g11%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 19g21%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 516IU10%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 41mg4%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This Lemon Cream Cheese Tart is a bit tangy, a bit sweet, and tastes fantastic! A creamy lemon filling is baked on a shortbread-style crust.


    Mar
    2021

    Mint Brownie Pie

    categories: Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays!, Pies/Tarts
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    Mint Brownie Pie is a perfect St. Patrick’s Day (or any other day) dessert! Mint cream cheese filling tops a brownie base. Easy and yummy!
    Mint Brownie Pie is a perfect St. Patrick's Day (or any other day) dessert! Mint cream cheese filling tops a brownie base. Easy and yummy!

    If you’re looking for a fantastic dessert to have on St. Patrick’s Day, or Christmas, OR any other day of the year, may I suggest this mint brownie pie? It tastes wonderful, due to a brownie layer on bottom and a creamy mint filling on top! It is sooo good!

    A couple of months ago I made (and photographed) this delicious dessert, and was able to share quite a few pieces with several of our neighbors.

    It was so yummy I could have eaten the entire thing by myself (seriously!)… but my husband and I decided to share this treat (and the calories) with others!

    I had the recipe because it came from one of my “Taste of Home” magazines (from 1999) that I have saved for many, many years. This mint brownie pie is a favorite, and decided this was the time to share the recipe on my blog. Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Prepare The Brownie Base Layer

    The first thing (after preheating your oven) you will do is make a brownie base for the dessert. To do this, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in a medium saucepan, stirring often.

    Once melted, add granulated sugar, and stir well, to fully blend ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat.

    Unsweetened chocolate and butter are melted in a saucepan.Granulated sugar is added to the melted chocolate and butter in saucepan.

    Whisk 2 eggs and vanilla extract in a small bowl, and add this to the chocolate mixture. Mix well, to combine. Stir in  flour, a little at a time. Continue to stir after each addition until all the flour has been blended into the chocolate.

    Whisked eggs and vanilla extract are added to chocolate in saucepan.Flour is stirred into the chocolate mixture, a little at a time.

    Bake The Brownie Base

    Pour the mint brownie pie batter into a greased (bottom and sides) 9″ springform pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of a preheated oven.

    Bake at 350° F. for 18-20 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownie pie comes out clean and free of batter.

    Remove the mint brownie pie from the oven and let it cool (still in pan) on a wire rack. Do not open the pan or remove the brownie base from the pan.

    Mint brownie pie batter is poured into a greased springform pan.After baking, the mint brownie pie chocolate layer cools in the pan on a wire rack.

    Make The Mint Cream Cheese Topping

    Now it’s time to make the mint cream cheese topping while the brownie base cools to room temperature. Using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until it becomes smooth.

    Add green food coloring (if using) and peppermint extract to the cream cheese filling, and mix well until combined and all color has blended in. The food coloring is optional, but I recommend it, especially if you’re making this dessert for St. Patrick’s Day!

    Use a few drops or as much as you wish to achieve a mint green color. Once the filling is fully tinted and blended, gently fold in whipped topping.

    When the brownie layer has completely cooled, gently add the mint cream cheese filling on top. Spread the filling to cover the entire top surface. Cover the pan, and refrigerate the mint brownie pie for one hour (at least).

    Whipped topping is gently folded into the green tinted cream cheese filling.The mint cream cheese filling is spread on the surface of the mint brownie pie.

    Refrigerate Then Decorate The Mint Brownie Pie!

    After the mint brownie pie has been chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour, it’s ready to remove from the springform pan and decorate for serving. Run a butter knife all the way around between the pan and the pie to assist in releasing the pie from the pan.

    Melt chocolate chips and drizzle the chocolate decoratively over the surface of the mint brownie pie, any way you wish.

    I also like to pipe stabilized whipped cream (which holds its shape for days) on top and sprinkle with finely grated chocolate. Those are optional, but really do make the dessert look great.

    If you’re using aerosol whipped cream, spray onto individual pieces just before serving, as it will not hold it’s shape for any length of time.

    Melted chocolate is drizzled decoratively over the top of the mint brownie pie.Whipped cream is piped on top of the mint brownie pie and grated chocolate is added for garnish.

    Grab A Slice Of Mint Brownie Pie… And Dig In!

    Slice the mint brownie pie into 10 wedges, serve… and enjoy this decadent dessert! I’m confident you and those you love will really love this yummy treat!

    The dense, fudgy bottom layer, and the creamy, mint cream cheese topping makes a wonderful treat for the ol’ taste buds. YUM!

    A slice of mint brownie pie, served on a white plate.

    Thank you for stopping by to check out this scrumptious recipe. If you’re looking for more St. Patrick’s day dishes, check out my recipes for Irish Chocolate Pots de Créme, Irish Soda Bread, Guinness Baked Cheese Dip, Irish Colcannon With Bacon, and Corned Beef and Cabbage.

    I hope you will be able to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day, and may God bless you.

    Looking For More DESSERT Recipes?

    You can find more dessert recipes in my Recipe Index, which is located located at the top of this page. I have many dessert recipes you will really love, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
    Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
    You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, February/March 1999 edition, page 67, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Mint Brownie Pie
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Inactive Refrigeration Time
    1 hr
    Total Time
    1 hr 35 mins
     

    Mint Brownie Pie is a perfect St. Patrick's Day (or any other day) dessert! Mint cream cheese filling tops a brownie base. Easy and yummy!

    Category: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: mint brownie pie
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories Per Serving: 362 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Brownie Layer:
    • 6 Tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
    • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (2 one oz. squares)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup all purpose flour
    Mint Cream Cheese Layer:
    • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
    • green food coloring (optional, but recommended)
    • 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
    For Decorating:
    • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , melted
    • 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
    • Piped whipped cream and grated chocolate (optional)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in medium saucepan, stirring often. Once melted, add granulated sugar, and stir to fully blend ingredients. Remove pan from heat. Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in small bowl; add to chocolate mixture. Stir well, to combine. Stir in flour, a little at a time. Stir after each addition until all flour has been blended into chocolate.

    2. Pour batter into greased (bottom and sides) 9" springform pan. Place pan on middle rack in preheated oven. Bake at 350° F. for 18-20 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in middle of brownie layer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool (still in pan) on a wire rack. Do not remove brownie base from pan.

    3. Make mint cream cheese topping while brownie layer cools. Using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese and sugar until it becomes smooth. Add green food coloring (if using) and peppermint extract to cream cheese; mix well until combined and all color is blended in. Use a few drops or as much as you wish to achieve a mint green color. Once filling is tinted and blended, gently fold in whipped topping. When brownie layer is completely cooled, add cream cheese filling on top. Spread filling to cover top surface. Cover pan; refrigerate for one hour (at least).

    4. Remove chilled dessert from refrigerator. Release dessert from springform pan and decorate for serving. Melt chocolate chips; drizzle chocolate decoratively over surface of pie, any way you wish. Slice into wedges and serve. NOTE: I also decorate top with piped on stabilized whipped cream (which holds its shape for days) and sprinkle with finely grated chocolate. Those are optional, but really make the dessert look great. If using aerosol whipped cream, spray onto individual pieces just before serving, as it will not hold it's shape for any length of time. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

    Nutrition Facts
    Mint Brownie Pie
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
    Calories 362 Calories from Fat 153
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17g26%
    Saturated Fat 10g63%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 34mg11%
    Sodium 185mg8%
    Potassium 163mg5%
    Carbohydrates 51g17%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 42g47%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 377IU8%
    Calcium 70mg7%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Mint Brownie Pie is a perfect St. Patricks Day (or any other day) dessert! Mint cream cheese filling tops a brownie base. Easy and yummy!


    Feb
    2021

    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp

    categories: Cobblers and Crisps, Desserts
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    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp, with sweet blueberries, tangy cranberries and a buttery streusel topping is an easy to make, delicious dessert!
    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp, with sweet blueberries, tangy cranberries and a buttery streusel topping is an easy to make, delicious dessert!

    Fruit cobblers and crisps are a delicious way to enjoy dessert (and fruit)! They can be enjoyed year round thanks in part to many flash-frozen fruits that are available in grocery stores. This recipe for blueberry cranberry crisp can be made with either fresh or frozen fruit, which is great news!

    I always try to keep a bag of blueberries and a bag of cranberries in my freezer, so they can be easily used in any recipe that calls for them, year-round.

    Today I want to share this super simple dessert recipe a fruit crisp that I’m positive you’re gonna enjoy! It’s delicious, and hardly takes any time or effort at all to make. Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Prepare The Fruit Filling

    Before beginning, preheat your oven to 350°F, and lightly spray or grease an 8″ x 8″ baking dish. Now it’s time to make the fruit filling for the crisp! It’s EASY!

    Place blueberries, cranberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice and a dash of salt in a large mixing bowl. Gently stir these ingredients until fully combined.

    NOTE: You can use frozen OR fresh blueberries and cranberries. If using frozen berries, just toss ’em frozen into the bowl, cause they will thaw quickly! Once combined, pour them into the lightly greased or sprayed baking dish. See how easy that was?

    Blueberries and cranberries are mixed with dry ingredients for the fruit crisp.Blueberry Cranberry Crisp mixture in greased baking dish before baking

    Make The Streusel Topping

    Now it’s time to make the buttery streusel topping for the fruit crisp. Place flour, brown sugar, COLD butter chunks, ground cinnamon and old fashioned rolled oats in a medium sized bowl.

    Use a pastry blender (shown in photo), two forks, or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the crumb topping. Continue until the butter is about the size of peas, and is fully incorporated into a crumbly mixture.

    NOTE: You can also do this step in a food processor, if desired. Pulse off and on until the mixture is crumbly.

    A crumb topping for the fruit crisp is mixed with a pastry blender.Butter has been cut into the crumb topping until it's the size of peas.

    Time To Bake The Blueberry Cranberry Crisp

    Evenly spread the crumb streusel topping over the surface of the fruit filling. Place the blueberry cranberry crisp on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 350°F. for approximately 32-35 minutes.

    When done, the fruit juices will be bubbly around the edges, and the top of the crisp will be golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer it to a wire rack. Let the blueberry cranberry crisp cool down for approximately 5 minutes before serving.

    Crumb topping is sprinkled onto the Blueberry Cranberry Crisp before baking.After baking, the blueberry cranberry crisp is golden brown on top.

    Serve The Blueberry Cranberry Crisp

    Serve the blueberry cranberry crisp warm or at room temperature, whichever way you prefer. Top each portion with a nice scoop of ice cream, or give it a dollop or spray of sweet whipped cream.

    Grab a spoon, dig in, and enjoy this simple, tasty dessert. The blueberries are nice and sweet, and the cranberries are sweet, but with a bit of tang to balance it out.

    A spoonful of fruit crisp has been removed, revealing the inside of the dessert.A small bowl of blueberry cranberry crisp, topped with whipped cream.A spoonful of the blueberry cranberry crisp, ready to eat!

    I hope you enjoy this recipe. It really is so easy to make, and has great flavor! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it, and hope you will come back soon. Have a great day!

    Looking For More Crisp or Cobbler Recipes?

    You can find all of my crisp/coble recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
    Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
    You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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    Author's signature

    Recipe Adapted from the cookbook “What’s For Dinner?”, by Maryana Vollstedt, published by Chronicle books, 1997, page 259.

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    35 mins
    Total Time
    45 mins
     

    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp, with sweet blueberries, tangy cranberries and a buttery streusel topping is an easy to make, delicious dessert!

    Category: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: blueberry cranberry crisp
    Servings: 6
    Calories Per Serving: 314 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Fruit Filling:
    • 2 cups blueberries fresh OR frozen
    • 2 cups cranberries fresh OR frozen
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup all purpose flour
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 dash salt
    Streusel Topping:
    • ½ cup all purpose flour
    • ¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats
    • ¼ cup cold butter 1/2 stick, cut in chunks
    • ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray or grease an 8" x 8" baking dish.

    2. Place blueberries, cranberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice and dash of salt in a large bowl. Gently stir until combined. NOTE: You can use frozen OR fresh blueberries and cranberries. If using frozen berries, toss 'em frozen into bowl- they thaw quickly! Once combined, pour fruit filling into prepared baking dish.

    3. Place flour, brown sugar, COLD butter chunks, ground cinnamon and oats in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the crumb topping. Continue until the butter is about the size of peas. NOTE: You can also do this step in a food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is crumbly.

    4. Evenly spread crumb topping over fruit filling. Bake at 350°F. on middle rack for 32-35 minutes. When done, fruit juices will be bubbly around the edges, and top will be golden brown. Remove pan from oven; transfer to a wire rack. Let blueberry cranberry crisp cool for 5 minutes before serving.

    5. Serve warm or at room temperature, whatever you prefer. Top each portion with a scoop of ice cream, or whipped cream. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Blueberry Cranberry Crisp
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
    Calories 314 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 20mg7%
    Sodium 79mg3%
    Potassium 116mg3%
    Carbohydrates 60g20%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 40g44%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 284IU6%
    Vitamin C 11mg13%
    Calcium 21mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Blueberry Cranberry Crisp, with sweet blueberries, tangy cranberries and a buttery streusel topping is an easy to make, delicious dessert!


    Jan
    2021

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    categories: Cakes, Desserts
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    Flourless Chocolate Cake is a decadent dessert with only 5 ingredients! Easy to make, it’s a dense and fudgy cake, with incredible flavor!
    Flourless Chocolate Cake is a decadent dessert with only 5 ingredients! Easy to make, it's a dense and fudgy cake, with incredible flavor!

    Years ago I first tasted a flourless chocolate cake at a friends home, and it was AMAZING! Our friend, Shari, served the slices of cake with a scoop of raspberry sorbet on the side, and I was hooked! A couple weeks later I was able to track down the recipe she used, and the rest is history! This flourless chocolate cake tastes awesome, and is simple to make… what could be better than that?

    Valentines Day is right around the corner, and this would be a delicious dessert to make and serve to that special person or persons in your life. Families or sweethearts will love this fudgy chocolate cake, and a few simple garnishes to “make it look good” will take it right over the top. Here’s how to make this yummy dessert cake:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Cake?

    The ingredients you will need for this cake are bittersweet chocolate, butter, eggs, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder. That’s it! You will also need an 8″ round cake pan and some wax paper for baking this dessert. Got it? Okay. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

    The cake ingredients are sugar, cocoa, butter, eggs, and bittersweet chocolate.

    Preparing The Cake Pan

    You will need a piece of wax paper, cut to fit the bottom of the 8″ cake pan you will use for the cake. I place the cake pan on top of the wax paper, trace around it, then cut the circle out with scissors.

    Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with a small amount of butter, This will help the cake to release easily from the pan once baked (it will also hold the wax paper you will add, in place). Lay the wax paper cutout onto the butter in the bottom of the cake pan. Now butter the wax paper, as well. Set the pan aside while you make the cake batter.

    Tracing the cake pan outline on wax paper to fit it into the pan.Pan is buttered, and wax paper insert on bottom of pan is buttered.

    Melting The Bittersweet Chocolate

    Melt chopped bittersweet chocolate and a stick of butter in a double boiler OR in a metal bowl set over the top of a saucepan of lightly simmering water. Stir the chocolate occasionally as it melts. TIP: Be careful to not let ANY of the water underneath get into the chocolate or it will “seize up” (not good).

    Once the chocolate is completely smooth, remove the top pan or bowl from the heat. Now it’s time to add the remaining ingredients, one at a time to the melted chocolate and butter mixture.

    Bittersweet chocolate and butter is melted over a double boiler on stove.Butter and chocolate are melted until smooth then removed from heat.

    Preparing The Batter

    Once the pan is off the heat, whisk the granulated sugar into the melted chocolate. Let the mixture cool for one minute, then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking constantly while you add them.

    Once the eggs are blended in, sift the cocoa powder on top of the chocolate mixture, and whisk only until the cocoa powder has been combined into the batter.

    Granulated sugar is whisked into melted butter and chocolate mixture.Eggs are whisked into the flourless chocolate cake mixture.Cocoa powder is sifted, then whisked into the chocolate cake batter.

    Time To Bake The Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Now it’s time to bake the flourless chocolate cake! Yee Haw! Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and gently spread until it has been evenly dispersed in the pan.

    Place the cake pan on the middle rack of a preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the baked cake (still in the pan) to a wireless rack to cool for 5 minutes.

    Batter for the flourless chocolate cake is spread evenly into prepared cake pan.After baking, the cake cools for 5 minutes before inverting onto a platter.

    After the cake has rested for 5 minutes, it is time to “invert” (turn it upside down) onto a serving platter. To do this, place the platter upside down on top of the cake pan. Holding both the cake pan AND the platter tightly together, quickly flip them over. Once cake releases from the pan onto the platter, remove the cake pan, and peel off the wax paper.

    The cake is inverted onto a serving platter, and then the cake pan is removed.Wax paper is removed from cake after inverting it onto platter.

    Time To Serve The Flourless Chocolate Cake

    After the cake has cooled to room temperature, it’s time to enjoy it! We always enjoy this decadent dessert served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That in itself, makes for a wonderful, fudgy chocolate dessert that just about anyone will love.

    To make it extra special I garnish each serving with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, a fresh mint leaf, and some raspberries (or strawberry slices). Then it’s as “pretty as a picture” for special occasions, like a birthday or Valentines Day, etc. I think it’s worth the little bit more to jazz it up, cause, as they say, we “eat with our eyes first”, right? YUM.

    Flourless chocolate cake is served with ice cream, raspberries, and chocolate syrup.Whipped cream, chocolate syrup and mint leaf garnish the top of the flourless chocolate cake.

    I posted a lot of photos on this post to help you make this flourless chocolate cake absolutely perfect, but honestly, it’s one of the easiest cakes you can make. Sure hope you enjoy it, and trust you will make it for those you love. Have a great day, and come back soon!

    Looking For More CAKE Recipes?

    You can find all of my cake recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious ones, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/flourless-chocolate-cake-14478

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    Flourless Chocolate Cake
    Prep Time
    12 mins
    Cook Time
    23 mins
    Total Time
    35 mins
     

    Flourless Chocolate Cake is a decadent dessert with only 5 ingredients! Easy to make, it's a dense and fudgy cake, with incredible flavor!

    Category: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: flourless chocolate cake
    Servings: 8
    Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate NOT unsweetened
    • ½ cup unsalted butter =1 stick
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder + additional for sprinkling
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease bottom and sides of 8" cake pan with a small amount of butter, This helps cake release easily from pan once baked. Line bottom of pan with round piece of wax paper (cut to fit). Butter wax paper, as well.

    2. Cut chocolate into small chunks. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler OR in metal bowl set over the top of a saucepan of lightly simmering water, (without getting any water into the chocolate). Stir chocolate until it's completely smooth, then remove pan of chocolate from the heat. Whisk granulated sugar into chocolate. Let cool for one minute, then add eggs, one at a time, whisking constantly while adding until combined. Sift cocoa powder onto chocolate mixture; whisk only until cocoa has been incorporated into batter.

    3. Pour batter into prepared cake pan; evenly spread in pan. Place on middle rack of a preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Transfer cake (still in the pan) to wireless rack; cool for 5 minutes.

    4. After cake has rested 5 minutes, carefully "invert" it (turn it upside down) onto a serving platter. Peel off wax paper. Dust cake with additional sifted cocoa powder, if desired. Serve with ice cream, etc. Store leftover, cooled cake in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Flourless Chocolate Cake
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/8 of total))
    Calories 295 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 11g69%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 101mg34%
    Sodium 31mg1%
    Potassium 192mg5%
    Carbohydrates 29g10%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 24g27%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 463IU9%
    Calcium 30mg3%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Flourless Chocolate Cake is a decadent dessert with only 5 ingredients! Easy to make, it's a dense and fudgy cake, with incredible flavor!


    Jan
    2021

    Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

    categories: Cookies, Desserts
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    Make a batch of 4 dozen delicious Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies (with raisins), for family or friends to enjoy! Easy, chewy, and so yummy!
    Make a batch of 4 dozen delicious Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies (with raisins), for family or friends to enjoy! Easy, chewy, and so yummy!

    I don’t know about you, but I really love oatmeal raisin cookies. My husband isn’t the biggest fan (“oatmeal is for breakfast”), but I’ll take one of those cookies any time of day. I’ve had a recipe for many years for the oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies I am sharing with you today. The recipe (from one of my old recipe boxes) had been cut out of a magazine and didn’t have a source listed, so I don’t know who to give credit to for this yummy recipe.

    Cinnamon chips can be a bit difficult to find in the grocery stores (in the chocolate chip section) unless it is around the holidays. I discovered about a year ago that they are available for purchase in bulk (three 10oz. bags per package) on Amazon, so at least I can keep them on hand in my pantry to make cinnamon chip scones or these cookies any time I want!

    This cookie recipe uses a whole bag of cinnamon chips, so the flavor is amazing! It’s such an easy recipe to make, and yields about 4 dozen of these super flavor-filled chewy cookies. Here’s how to make them:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Make The Batter

    Before making the batter, preheat your oven to 350°F. The batter doesn’t take long at all to prepare, so you want your oven heated and ready to go! Place the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and the granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat these ingredients until they become creamy.

    Butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar are beaten well in large bowl.

    Add two eggs and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl, and beat well, until they have been incorporated into the batter. In a separate bowl, combine the all purpose flour and baking soda, and then add these dry ingredients to the mixing bowl full of batter. Beat well, until the flour mixture has been fully incorporated into the batter.

    Eggs and vanilla are mixed into the cookie batter, then dry ingredients are added.

    To finish off the batter for the oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies, it’s time to add the three remaining ingredients. Add old fashioned oats (or substitute quick-cooking oats), raisins, and a 10 oz. bag of cinnamon chips to the bowl. STIR them into the batter. The finished cookie batter will be very thick!

    Cinnamon chips, raisins, and oats are stirred into the cookie batter.

    Time To Bake Some Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies!

    Drop the batter by generous Tablespoons onto UNGREASED cookie sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie. NOTE: You will probably need to make a couple batches, since the recipe makes approximately 48 cookies. I used two baking sheets per batch, so all the cookies were done in two batches.

    Bake the oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. When done they should be light brown on top. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, and let the cookies rest in the pan for 1 minute, before trying to remove them. 

    Batter for the oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies on baking sheet ready for oven.

    After they rest a minute, transfer them from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling. They will firm up a little bit more as they cool, and then they are ready to gobble up! There are a lot of cinnamon chips in these cookies, which makes them POP with cinnamon flavor!

    After baking, the oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies cool on wire racks.Chewy, flavorful oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies taste wonderful!

    I sure hope you get the chance to try these delicious oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies. They’re really good, and truly are a cinch to make! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon.

    Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

    You can find all of my cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of ’em you will enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

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    Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    11 mins
    Total Time
    26 mins
     

    Make a batch of 4 dozen delicious Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies (with raisins), for family or friends to enjoy! Easy, chewy, and so yummy!

    Category: Desssert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies
    Servings: 48 cookies (approx.)
    Calories Per Serving: 129 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup butter, softened *equals 2 sticks
    • 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 10 ounces Hershey's cinnamon chips *equals 1 bag
    • 2½ cups old-fashioned oats *can substitute quick cooking oats
    • ¾ cup raisins
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

    2. Place softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until they become creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well, until incorporated into the batter.

    3. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda; add to the batter. Beat well, until flour mixture has been fully mixed into the batter. Stir in oats, raisins, and cinnamon chips. Cookie batter will be thick!

    4. Drop batter by generous Tablespoons onto UNGREASED cookie sheets, leaving space between each cookie. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. When done they should be lightly browned on top. Remove baking sheets from oven; let cookies rest for 1 minute before removing them from baking sheet. Transfer cookies to wire rack to finish cooling before serving. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies
    Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
    Calories 129 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 18mg6%
    Sodium 76mg3%
    Potassium 70mg2%
    Carbohydrates 17g6%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 129IU3%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 25mg3%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a batch of 4 dozen delicious Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies (with raisins), for family or friends to enjoy! Easy, chewy, and so yummy!


    Dec
    2020

    Crunchy Caramel Corn

    categories: Appetizers, Candy, Desserts
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    Learn how to make yummy, crunchy caramel corn at home! This delicious, easy treat is made with only a few ingredients and will be a big hit!Learn how to make yummy, crunchy caramel corn at home! This delicious, easy treat is made with only a few ingredients and will be a big hit!

    Do you enjoy caramel corn? I sure do! I’ve been making it for over 30 years with the same recipe I drag out of my old and tattered recipe box! It is super easy to make, is NOT sticky, and stays crunchy when stored in an airtight container! I am finally getting around to photographing and sharing the process for making it on the ol’ blog today.

    The recipe as written makes approximately 24 cups of crunchy caramel corn when all is said and done, and did I mention just how absolutely DELICIOUS it is? Uh huh… addictively YUMMY. I have NO CLUE where the original recipe came from all those years ago. It was handwritten on an old 3×5 card with no source noted. Here’s how to make crunchy caramel corn:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    The Ingredients Needed

    The ingredients you will need include popping corn, brown sugar, butter, light corn syrup, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Cream of tartar can be found in grocery stores in the Spices and Seasonings section.

    A photo of the ingredients needed to make this recipe for caramel corn.

    Pop the Popcorn!

    The first thing you will need to do is pop the popcorn! You will need 3/4 cup of UNPOPPED plain popcorn kernels to end up with 6 quarts  of popped corn (approx. 24 cups) , which is necessary for this recipe.

    Make the popcorn (in batches) using an air popper, or your own favorite popping method (stovetop/microwave, etc.). Once it is all popped, make sure to remove and discard any uncooked kernels from the batch. Set the popcorn aside in a very LARGE bowl while you make the caramel sauce. NOTE: It’s important to have the popcorn ready, so as soon as the hot caramel sauce is done, it can be added immediately!

    Plain popcorn is popped and ready to turn into caramel corn.

    Make The Caramel Sauce

    Now it’s time to make the yummy caramel sauce for the popcorn. It’s EASY, and no candy thermometer is needed! Melt butter in a large saucepan. Once it’s melted, add brown sugar, light corn syrup, and salt. Stir well, to fully combine ingredients.

    Bring the sauce to a boil on medium heat. Once it begins to boil, continue boiling for exactly 5 minutes, stirring the caramel sauce often.

    The ingredients for caramel sauce are added to saucepan.Caramel sauce ingredients are cooked in large saucepan.

    The sauce for the crunchy caramel corn will get pretty “foamy” as it continues to boil, and will rise a bit in the pan (which is why you start with a large saucepan!). Just keep on stirring! As it gets close to the 5 minute mark, it will darken in color, as well.

    Once you’ve boiled it for 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat. Immediately stir in the baking soda, and a pinch of the cream of tartar. The cream of tartar and the baking soda add air to the sauce, which is what helps create the crunchy texture on the popcorn!

    Crunchy caramel corn sauce is boiling in pan.Baking soda is added to the finished caramel sauce.

    Pour And MIX, MIX, MIX!

    Immediately pour the hot caramel mixture over the popcorn. Use a large spoon and stir and stir, until all the popcorn is well coated in caramel sauce. Just keep stirring! A word of warning: The sauce is VERY HOT, so be careful. This would NOT be a job for the kids!

    Pouring the hot caramel sauce over the popcorn in large bowl.Popcorn is stirred until coated with the sauce.

    Time To Bake The Crunchy Caramel Corn

    Once the popcorn is well-coated with the caramel sauce, spread it out on two large rimmed cookie sheets. Try to keep the popcorn in a single layer, and separate pieces with your fingers, if necessary, to break up any large “globs”.

    Bake the caramel corn in a preheated 200°F oven for 90 minutes (1½ hours). Stir the caramel corn every 20 minutes during the baking time.  Stirring it that much is important, because it keeps the pieces moved around and broken up (for even heat distribution). This will also help the caramel to crisp up nice and crunchy, just the way it should be. Here’s what I do: Put on a great movie, set a timer, then just get up to give the caramel corn a stir every 20 minutes. It’s a WIN-WIN!

    Once done, remove the pans from the oven, and let the crunchy caramel corn cool to room temperature before serving. Break up any large pieces, once cool. Store the crunchy caramel corn in an airtight container to keep it crunchy and fresh for weeks!

    Crunchy caramel corn is baked until very crispy, turning at times during baking.

    Crunchy Caramel Corn Is A Yummy Homemade Christmas Gift

    Crunchy caramel corn also makes a fantastic food gift to give to those you love during the holidays! I like to buy inexpensive little Christmas goodie bags at the store, and fill them up with this crispy sweet snack!

    Good luck staying out of the entire bowl of crunchy caramel corn… it is so incredibly good! It will be hard to stop eating, once you bite into it and get a taste!

    Christmas goodie bags, filled with crunchy caramel corn are a fun homemade treat!

    Thanks for stopping by! I truly hope you have the opportunity to make some yummy, crunchy caramel corn for yourself or those you love. It’s such a great recipe, and is so easy to make. Come back soon for another visit, and have a great day.

    Looking For More CHRISTMAS GOODIE Recipes?

    You can find all of my Christmas goodie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of them you’ll enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

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    Crunchy Caramel Corn
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 40 mins
     

    Learn how to make yummy, crunchy caramel corn at home! This delicious, easy treat is made with only a few ingredients and will be a big hit!

    Category: Appetizer/Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: crunchy caramel corn
    Servings: 24 approx.
    Calories Per Serving: 177 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ¾ cup popcorn kernels (UNPOPPED) (to make 6 quarts popped)
    • 2 cups light brown sugar
    • 1 cup butter (2 sticks or 16 Tablespoons)
    • ½ cup light corn syrup
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 pinch cream of tartar
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 200°F.

    2. Make popcorn using an air popper, or a favorite popping method (stovetop/microwave, etc.). Once popped, remove/discard any uncooked kernels. Put popcorn in a LARGE bowl; set aside. NOTE: It's important to have popcorn ready before cooking caramel sauce!

    3. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir to combine. Bring sauce to a boil on medium heat. Once boiling, continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring often. Sauce will get "foamy" as it cooks, and will rise in the pan (which is why you use a large saucepan). Keep on stirring! Near the 5 minute mark, it will darken in color, as well. Once it's boiled 5 minutes, remove pan from heat. Stir in baking soda and a pinch of cream of tartar (this helps create crunchy texture-don't skip this).

    4. Immediately pour hot caramel over popcorn. Use a large spoon and stir, until all popcorn is well coated in caramel sauce. Just keep stirring! TIP: Sauce is VERY HOT, so be careful.

    5. Spread coated popcorn onto 2 large cookie sheets. Try to keep popcorn in a single layer, separating pieces with your fingers to break up large "globs". Bake at 200°F for 90 minutes (1½ hours), stirring every 20 minutes, to keep pieces moved around and broken up (for even heat distribution). Once done, remove from oven; let caramel corn cool completely. Break up any large pieces before serving. Store in airtight container to keep it crunchy for weeks! Enjoy.

    Nutrition Facts
    Crunchy Caramel Corn
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 177 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Cholesterol 20mg7%
    Sodium 124mg5%
    Potassium 48mg1%
    Carbohydrates 27g9%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 23g26%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 236IU5%
    Calcium 18mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make yummy, crunchy caramel corn at home! This delicious, easy treat is made with only a few ingredients and will be a big hit!


    Dec
    2020

    Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle

    categories: Bar Cookies, Cookies, Desserts
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    Delicious Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle is a very “brittle” slab of chocolate chip coconut pecan cookie broken in chunky pieces. EASY & YUMMY!
    Delicious Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle is a very "brittle" slab of chocolate chip coconut pecan cookie broken in chunky pieces. EASY & YUMMY!

    If you enjoy chocolate chip cookies, then I can practically guarantee you will LOVE this crispy, crunchy chocolate chip pecan brittle. There is also toasted coconut in this treat, which is a wonderful flavor addition. My husband and I love this simple, but decadent crunchy dessert. I originally found the recipe in one of the Christmas cookbooks I have in my collection. IT’S SO GOOD!

    The dough is made, then pressed FIRMLY into a 13×9″ baking pan, then cooked until hard and crunchy. Once done baking, the entire slab of cookie brittle is removed from the pan IN ONE PIECE. It is then broken into irregular shaped pieces for serving. Oh. My. Goodness. This chocolate chip pecan brittle is addictively TASTY! It would also be perfect for gift-giving. Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Toast The Coconut And Pecans

    First Things First… preheat your oven to 350°F. You will need to lightly “toast” the coconut and pecans before making the dough for the “cookie brittle”. It’s EASY. Simply spread the pecans and coconut out on a large baking sheet.

    Bake them at 350°F for 7-8 minutes without disturbing, until the coconut is golden brown. Once done, remove pan from the oven, and set these two ingredients aside to cool for a few minutes before adding to the dough. TIP: While the pecans and coconut are cooling, you can begin making the dough, to save time.

    Coconut and pecans are toasted on a baking sheet in the oven.

    Make The Dough

    In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In a SEPARATE large bowl, stir together melted (and cooled) butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

    Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture, and stir well, combining the ingredients into a soft dough.

    Dry ingredients are added to buttery wet ingredients to form a soft dough.

    Add the chocolate chips and the cooled, toasted pecans and coconut to the dough mixture. Stir well, until all ingredients are incorporated. The chocolate chip pecan brittle dough will appear to be a bit crumbly, once combined.
    Chocolate chips, toasted pecans and coconut are added to the dough.

    Pack The Dough Firmly Into The Baking Pan

    Lightly spray a 13″x9″ baking sheet with rimmed edges with non-stick baking spray. Using clean hands, firmly press the dough evenly in the pan until it is compacted and tightly packed down. This will ensure a crispy slab of chocolate chip pecan brittle once baked! Press the dough all the way to the edges. 

    Chocolate chip pecan brittle dough is pressed firmly into a 13x9" baking pan.

    Bake The Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle

    Once dough is firmly compacted in the pan, I take the back of a spatula and go around the edges of the pan, to create a tiny space between the dough and the pan. It helps to shore up the edges of the chocolate chip pecan brittle for a solid slab later.

    Pop the tray onto the middle rack of a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 19-21 minutes. When done, the “brittle” should be golden browned and firmly crisp. You don’t want soft spots, so you might have to cook it a minute or two longer, as oven temperatures can vary. When done, remove baking sheet from the oven to let the slab of brittle cool. Leave the brittle in the pan until it has cooled COMPLETELY.

    Dough is separated from sides of pan, then baked until crispy and golden brown.

    Time To Bust Out The Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle!

    Once the brittle has completely cooled, it’s time to bust it out of the pan. Remove the entire slab from the pan, and transfer it to a piece of aluminum foil or wax paper. It should be easy to remove in one piece, by lifting one edge, and literally lifting the whole thing out of the pan in a solid slab (as shown below)!

    Using your hands, break the slab into individual portions. Yes, the pieces will be non-uniform in size as you break it up, but you should easily be able to get 24 pieces from this recipe.

    Baked chocolate chip pecan brittle is so firm it can be removed from pan in one piece.Irregular shaped pieces are broken off of the slab before serving.

    Time To Eat!

    Once the chocolate chip pecan brittle is broken up into serving size portions, it’s ready to eat. YUMMO. These delicious treats are so good, and it was all we could do to stay out of it! The brittle can also be placed into cute little cannisters or gift boxes to share some love with friends or family for the holidays or a special occasion!

    These treats are really crunchy and are amazingly delicious! IF you have any leftovers… be sure to store them in an airtight container to ensure maximum crunchiness for several days!

    A white platter full of pieces of chocolate chip pecan brittle.There are many sizes and shapes of chocolate chip pecan brittle on the plate.

    I am positive you will really enjoy these decadent treats as much as we do! Hopefully you will have the opportunity and time to make them for those you love.  Thanks for stopping by today. I truly hope you will come back soon. Have a GREAT day.

    Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

    You can find all of my cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious ones, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: “Christmas With Southern Living 2007” Cookbook, published 2007 by Oxmoor House, page 158

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    Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle
    Prep Time
    17 mins
    Cook Time
    19 mins
    Total Time
    36 mins
     

    Delicious Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle is a very "brittle" slab of chocolate chip coconut pecan cookie broken in chunky pieces. EASY & YUMMY!

    Category: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chocolate chip pecan brittle
    Servings: 24
    Calories Per Serving: 204 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1½ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾ cup butter melted & cooled slightly
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (miniature)
    • 1 cup pecan pieces toasted
    • ½ cup sweetened, flaked coconut toasted
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray or grease a 13"x9" rimmed baking sheet; set aside.

    2. Spread pecans and coconut out on a large baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 7-8 minutes undisturbed, until coconut is golden brown. Remove pan from oven, let ingredients cool before adding to dough.

    3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In a SEPARATE large bowl, stir together melted (cooled) butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir well, combining ingredients into a soft dough. Add chocolate chips and cooled pecans and coconut to dough. Stir well, until all ingredients are incorporated (dough will be a bit crumbly).

    4. Firmly press dough evenly in greased pan until it is compacted and tightly packed down. This will ensure a crispy slab of chocolate chip pecan brittle once baked! Press dough all the way to the edges. Using the back of a spatula, go around edges, creating a tiny space between dough and pan. It helps to shore up the edges of the chocolate chip pecan brittle for a solid slab later.

    5. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of 350°F oven. Bake for 19-21 minutes. When done, "brittle" should be golden brown and very crisp. You don't want soft spots, so you might have to cook it a minute or two longer, as oven temperatures can vary. When done, remove baking sheet from oven. Leave the brittle in the pan until it has cooled COMPLETELY.

    6. Once completely cooled, remove entire slab from the pan. It should be easy to remove in one piece, by lifting up one edge, then lifting the whole thing out of the pan in a solid slab. Break the slab into individual portions. The pieces will be non-uniform in size as you break it up, but you should easily get 24 pieces. Serve, and enjoy! Store leftovers in airtight container.

    Nutrition Facts
    Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 204 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Cholesterol 16mg5%
    Sodium 94mg4%
    Potassium 112mg3%
    Carbohydrates 20g7%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 12g13%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 185IU4%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 22mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious Chocolate Chip Pecan Brittle is a very "brittle" slab of chocolate chip coconut pecan cookie broken in chunky pieces. EASY & YUMMY!