Category Archives: Sweets

Gluten free cookies, cakes and treats

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins – Gluten Free

Posted in Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, muffins and quick breads by

When I was about 25 or so, I was out of town and I took my twins and my young foster sister to McDonalds. It was chaos. Three little kids, a busy Sunday morning, and of course this Mcd's had no play place so the kids had nothing to do except sit beside me and bicker. Here I was, 25 years old, with three kids, in the middle of the storm. Kids fighting, milk spilling, when an older man leaned down to me, smiled and said, “Happy Mother's Day, Mama.”

Little girl sitting at a messy counter, baking.

Motherhood

Mother's Day. We don't really celebrate it. It somehow doesn't seem right to recognize mothers en masse. Your mother is special. She deserves special recognition. Right here, I could write you an essay on Motherhood and what it means to love a child, whether you gave birth to her or not, but instead, I'm going to give you something you can give your mom or that special lady in your life who loves you like a mom. Chocolate.

 

Recipe options: If your mom has special health needs, you're fine to use an egg replacement, vegetable oil instead of butter and another sweetener. The muffins will still tastes amazing.

 

This recipe is dedicated to my mom.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins – gluten free

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2-3 bananas
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1T baking powder
  • 1T vanilla
  • 1/2 – 1 cup mini chocolate chips

 

Directions:

  1. In a blender or magic bullet, coming the bananas, butter and eggs.
  2. Blend until smooth and pour into a large bowl.
  3. Add remaining ingredients, except for chocolate chips.
  4. Beat until smooth. (I use an electric mixer for this)
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Fill lined muffin tins almost to the top (this makes about 15 for me)
  7. Bake at 400F for about 12 minutes or until the tops are light gold and spring back when touched.

Looking for more quick and easy quick breads and muffins? Check out these:

Gluten Free, Grain Free Raisin “Bran” Muffins
Gluten Free, Grain Free Pumpkin Muffins
Fast, Easy, Coconut Flour Cupcakes
Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingerbread with Lemon Curd
Basic Gluten Free Banana Bread

This recipe is linked up with:

Vegetarian Mamma’s Gluten Free Fridays for the first time! Stop over and check it out. Lots of great gluten free recipes!

Click the link below for a printable recipe:
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins – Gluten Free

 

Five things to do with Make and Mold Candy Wafers

Posted in Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, Sweets, Tips by

Here's a fun post. I recently needed to buy melting chocolate, the kind you use to make your own fun chocolate shapes. (actually needed, for the girls' birthday party, seriously. Well, the first time I bought them I actually needed them.) And I found Make and Mold brand clearly states Gluten Free on the label. The other popular brand is also made with gluten free ingredients, but Make and Mold took the time and the ink to reassure the consumer and so, this post.

 

5 Things to do with Gluten Free Make and Mold Candy Wafers

 

1. Eat them right out of the bag:

Okay, this might not sound that sophisticated, but hey, the bag's open. Oh, wait, now the bag's open.

2. Make chocolate covered fruit:

Melt a few wafers in the microwave and dip in your favorite fruit. Let sit on parchment paper until the chocolate hardens. No need to refrigerate, (unless you live in the tropics with no air conditioner) they harden at room temperature.

3. Chocolate fondue:

This requires much less self control than chocolate covered fruit. Dip your fruit (or marshmallows, or gluten-free cookies, or spoon, or fingers, see what I mean about self control?) in the melted chocolate, eat immediately.

4. Chocolate covered bananas:

(See chocolate fondue) but seriously guys, these are so good they need their own category.

5. Drizzle over baking:

Melted chocolate that hardens into a soft chocolate-bar topping is probably the best thing to eat on a cupcake.

A note: Not all gluten free labeling is equal. Tomorrow, I'll share what to look for when shopping for gluten free packaged food.

Lower Fat Coconut Flour Cupcakes with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Icing

Posted in Cakes, Entertaining, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, muffins and quick breads, Sweets by

My house is populated by health conscious teens and I was scolded for my flagrant butter abuse in my coconut flour cupcakes. This morning I made a lower fat version and they turned out to be just as tasty! I replaced the 1/2 cup butter with 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce. My main victim taste tester, the 3 year old, also approved.

I made a big batch for the twins' sweet 16 so the 3 year old would have a lower sugar snack than the gluten-free cake mix cupcakes, and I would have a lower energy 3 year old. Sissy decorated 3 year old's cupcakes with little fondant shapes and I frosted them with pink cream cheese icing so that they would be as pretty as the big kids.

Lower Fat Coconut Flour Cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Spoon by 1/4 cups into a lined muffin tin.
  3. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 block cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2-3 drops red food coloring (optional)

 

Directions:

  1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl, frosting will be slightly runny.
  2. When cupcakes are still warm, spoon about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each, smoothing slightly with the back of a spoon to ensure even coverage.

 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Gingerbread with Lemon Curd

Posted in Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, muffins and quick breads, Sweets by

I'm looking at the weather reports back “home” in Canada, and it's still so COLD!! Yesterday my daughter's boyfriend actually had a SNOW DAY! In April! I'm so sorry. I feel that sympathetic sinking in my stomach every time I see those little snowflakes dance across the weather app on my phone. So in honor of all you cold sufferers, here's a tasty winter worthy treat. Enjoy with a warm cup of chai tea.

 

Pumpkin Gingerbread with Lemon Curd

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 15oz can pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1 T baking powder
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch cloves
  • 2 tsp vanilla

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.
  2. Bake at 400F in a 9×13 cake pan for 20-25 mins or until a knife comes clean.
  3. Let cool completely before serving.
  4. Top each piece with a tablespoon of lemon curd or lemon whipped cream.


Topping: jar of lemon curd or sweetened whipped cream with lemon zest


 

Fast, Easy Coconut Flour Cupcakes – Grain Free

Posted in Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, grain free, muffins and quick breads, Sweets by

I originally discovered this recipe when searching for a strawberry shortcake made with coconut flour. Honestly, it's one of the fastest easiest recipes I've come across. If I hadn't had helpers, I could have made these in less than half an hour start to finish. The cupcakes are sweet, but not too sweet, but definitely not shortcakes (which I seem to remember being more like a biscuit). That didn't stop us from having them smothered in strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast. I baked some in little silicon muffin cups to make them sturdier and we just ate them plain on our picnic this afternoon. This recipe made 15 cupcakes.

I'll be making a lower fat version this afternoon, (the teens protested the 1/2 cup of butter) if they turn out I'll share the recipe.

Coconut Flour Cupcakes

click the link below for a printable recipe

Gluten Free Grain Free Coconut Flour Cupcakes From Knowgluten.me

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup browned butter
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend with electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin tin.
  3. Cook at 350 for about 12 mins or until tops are golden and spring back.

 

Looking for more grain free recipes?

Grain Free, Dairy Free Apple Crisp
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free Cashew Meal Pancakes
Grain Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
Gluten Free Chewy Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
Gluten Free, Grain Free Pumpkin Muffins

 

Gluten Free Rum and Spice Apple Tart

Posted in Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, muffins and quick breads, Sweets by

This is a fantastic, easy cake made with apple sauce and spices. The apples on top are beautiful and add a bit of flavor and texture, but if you're pressed for time, you can just add the brown sugar topping mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon. I've served this for brunch and brought it to friends as a dessert. It's a small thin cake, but the recipe is easily doubled. I use Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour for a nice light texture.

Gluten Free Rum and Spice Apple Tart

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce
  • 2 T melted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp rum extract
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients.
  2. Pour into a 9″ round cake pan lined with parchment paper.
  3. Top with apple slices.
  4. Bake at 400F for 12-15 mins or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 2 T brown sugar.
  5. Return to oven until sugar begins to melt (about 2 mins).

Topping Ingredients:

  • 1/2 apple, cored, peeled and thinly slices
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Combine slices, sugar, juice and cinnamon in a ziplock bag and lightly massage to coat slices.
  2. Lay slices on cake before baking.

 

Gluten Free Date Balls

Posted in Cookies, Entertaining, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, Sweets, Vegetarian by

I like novelty. I like to travel and move and meet new people and try new foods. But at Christmas I like tradition. Part of my Christmas tradition as a little kid was date balls. My grandma made them. Your grandma probably made them. They were one of those things that only grandmas made and only at Christmas. The gluten in original Rice Krispies has kept me from enjoying date balls for almost a decade, so I was thrilled to be able to buy (cue angelic choir) gluten free Rice Krispies. If you make these make sure you use the gluten free Rice Krispies (clearly marked on the box). Regular Rice Krispies contain barley malt, and barley malt has gluten.

 

When I made these I had two little kitchen helpers, so I put the butter on the stove on low to melt while they beat the egg and mixed the sugar in with it in a bowl, then I poured the egg sugar mixture into the pot and added the cup of dates. I bought “dried hard dates in a box” so after they softened a bit, I needed to mash them with a potato masher. If you buy the gorgeous sticky dried dates from the produce section they'll melt more easily.

Gluten Free Date Balls – recipe adapted from everybody's grandma's

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 3 cups gluten free Rice Krispies
  • 1 cup shredded coconut for rolling

 

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized sauce pan combine melted butter, egg and sugar and stir until well mixed.
  2. Add dates and stir to coat.
  3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until dates have mostly dissolved (this could take 10 minutes) Use a potato masher if necessary.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in gluten free Rice Krispies until completely coated.
  5. Let cool for about 20 mins. Mixture should be cool enough to touch and should hold together when you form a ball. (It gets stickier as it cools).
  6. Form into 1 1/2″ balls and roll in coconut.
  7. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

Basic Gluten Free Banana Bread

Posted in Breakfast, Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, muffins and quick breads, Sweets by

Every week we buy bananas. It's what responsible grown up people with children do. And some of the bananas get eaten. Maybe 3 of the bananas. The rest of the them sort of sit on the counter waiting to be eaten.

 

So I was very glad to find this fast, easy banana bread recipe from John D Lee.

I've modified it a little bit, reduced the fat by almost a cup (the whole responsible grown-up parent thing, but honestly, I don't think it detracts from the taste at all), and I put a crumb topping on it instead of the lemon (but you should totally try it with the lemon because it's amazing too). This recipe has become the template for almost all the cakes I bake, I just change the fruit and spices and I have a whole new tasty treat.

 

 

Basic Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2-3 bananas
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking power
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon (or to taste) ground cinnamon


Directions:

  1. Place bananas, butter and eggs into a blender, purée until smooth.
  2. Pour banana mixture into a large bowl.
  3. Add remaining ingredients.
  4. Stir until well combined.
  5. Pour batter into a 9×13 baking dish lined with parchment paper (or your favorite no-stick method).
  6. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
  7. Bake at 400F for 20 mins or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
  8. Let cool completely before serving.


Crumb Topping

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, softened.


Directions:

  1. Using the back of a spoon, combine flour, sugar and butter in a small bowl until it's a crumby texture. Add more butter if needed.
  2. Sprinkle over cake before baking.

 

Gluten Free Chewy Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Posted in Cakes, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, Sweets, Vegetarian by

I finally did it. I finally came up with a gluten free brownie that everyone likes. Not only that, they actually like them more than wheat flour based brownies. These are a cashew butter based brownie similar to the controversial peanut butter brownie I shared a while ago. The cashew butter has a blander taste than peanut butter, so you just taste the chocolate. It's also more expensive, so this one will be reserved for very special occasions.

The icing is amazing. That is all.

Print the recipe here

Gluten Free Chewy Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 heaping cup cashew butter
  • 1 1/2 cups cocoa
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 T baking soda
  • 1/3 melted butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Mix well with electric beaters.
  3. Pour into a 9″ baking pan lined with parchment paper.
  4. Bake at 375 for 40 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. In about 5 minutes of cooling the toothpick will come out sticky so don't re-test or you'll mess yourself up.

Icing:

  • 1 8oz brick cream cheese softened
  • 3 T butter softened
  • 4 cups icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa

Directions:

  1. Mix together cream cheese and butter until blended.
  2. Add icing sugar, a bit at a time. Icing will seem loose.
  3. Add the cocoa, this will firm up the icing.
  4. Spread or pipe icing on to the cooled brownies.

 

 

 

Grain Free, Dairy Free Apple Crisp

Posted in Breakfast, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes and Tips, Sweets, Vegetarian by

Last week I was homesick. Not seriously, just a little. Reading everyone's tweets and Facebook posts about cooler weather and back to school supplies made me a bit lonely for those nights curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and a warm spicy dessert.

 

The homesickness was bad enough that I turned the oven on in my already 95F kitchen, and made a grain free, dairy free version of my mom's apple crisp.

 

This is such a simple recipe. Just slice up your apples and lay them in a pan, then combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over top and bake. The cashew meal replaces the flour (and part of the sugar since cashew meal is so sweet) and the slivered almonds replace the oats.

 

To make your own cashew meal, just grind cashews in a coffee grinder, food processor or in a Magic Bullet with the flat blade.

 

print the recipe here

Grain Free Dairy Free Apple Crisp

 

Ingredients For the Apples:

  • 6 Apples, cored and sliced into 1/4″ thick wedges
  • 2 T lemon or lime juice
  • 2 T sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

 

Directions:

  1. Combine juice, sugar and cinnamon.
  2. Add apple slices and stir gently to cover with juice mixture.
  3. Lay in a square baking pan.

 

Ingredients For the Topping:

  • 1 cup cashew meal
  • 2 T sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds roughly chopped with a knife to size of oats (about in quarters)
  • 1-2 T coconut oil

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except oil.
  2. Drizzle oil one tablespoon at a time, and combine with back of spoon until mixture forms small clumps. Add more oil if needed.
  3. Sprinkle topping over apples to cover. Don't worry about getting it perfectly even.
  4. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
  5. Enjoy hot or cold. I like mine with a slice of cheddar cheese.

 

Note: this is my first post using Blogsy for iPad. Have you used it? Have any tips?