Jenny's Cookbook

Plant Based (Vegan) Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2026-02-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

Plant-Based Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

These plant-based banana chocolate chip cookies are soft, naturally sweetened, and perfect for using up ripe bananas. Made with oats and simple pantry ingredients, they’re an easy, cozy bake for everyday snacking or sharing.

They come together quickly, with no mixer needed, and are just the right balance of comforting banana flavor and melty chocolate.

Ingredients

1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup date syrup or maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups rolled oats, ground into flour
¼ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the flax egg and set aside to thicken.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and mix in the flax egg, vanilla, syrup, and apple cider vinegar.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Scoop the dough and divide into balls on the prepared baking sheet, gently pressing down if desired.
Bake for 12–16 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
- These cookies are dairy-free and oil-free.
- They are refined sugar–free when made with date syrup or maple syrup and date-sweetened chocolate chips.
- The texture is soft and cake-like rather than crispy.
- For extra texture, sprinkle a few additional oats or chocolate chips on top before baking.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for later.

Millet Bread Loaf (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Oil-free, Refined Sugar-Free, WFPB)

2025-10-18T20:30:00.004-04:00

Oil-Free | Refined Sugar-Free | Whole-Food Plant-Based

Looking for the easiest gluten-free bread that’s also vegan, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and made with whole ingredients? You’re in the right place. This Millet Flour Loaf Bread is soft, sliceable, and incredibly simple to make—no kneading, no gums, and no strange ingredients required! When I saw a video for this bread on YouTube, I just had to try it! I'm so glad I did.

Perfect for sandwiches, toast, or slathered with your favorite nut butter, this recipe is a game-changer for gluten-free and whole food plant-based eaters.

🌾 Why Millet Flour?

Millet is an ancient grain that’s naturally gluten-free, mild in flavor, and packed with nutrients like magnesium, iron, and fiber. It also happens to make a fantastic flour for baking when used correctly—giving you a tender crumb without the dense texture common in many gluten-free loaves.

✅ What Makes This Bread Special?

100% Gluten-Free – Made entirely with millet flour and other simple ingredients.
Vegan & Egg-Free – No eggs, dairy, or animal products.
Oil-Free & WFPB-Compliant – Moist and tender without a drop of oil.
No Refined Sugar – Naturally sweetened (optional) with maple syrup.
No Xanthan Gum or Starches – Just clean, whole ingredients.

🧠 Tips for Success

Let it cool fully before slicing—it continues to set as it cools.
Customize the flavor with herbs, seeds, or even sun-dried tomatoes for a savory twist!

🥪 How to Enjoy It

Toast with avocado, tomato & black pepper
Topped with almond butter & banana slices
Grilled as a sandwich or panini
Diced into croutons for salads

🌱 Eat Clean, Feel Great

This loaf is proof that gluten-free, oil-free baking doesn’t have to be complicated or bland. It's a simple, nourishing staple you'll want to make again and again.

Happy baking, friends!

Your body will thank you for this one. 💛

Millet Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Oil-free, Refined Sugar-Free, WFPB)

Original Recipe by Healthy Vegan Eating

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups millet flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp ground flax
¾ tsp salt (optional)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup whole psyllium husks
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
Sesame seeds for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine millet flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground flas, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients and the psyllium husks. Let rest for 5 minutes until it forms a gel.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then add the dough to a loaf pan (no parchment paper is needed). Use wet hands to spread the dough evenly into the pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting.

Notes:

I have also used this dough to form bagels and buns. You can also cut it into cubes to make croutons.

Top the bread with everything bagel seasoning for a delicious variation.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

2025-03-14T21:23:00.001-04:00

Peanut butter blossom cookies are probably one of my favourite cookies of all time. This recipe for peanut butter blossoms makes a soft cookie with just the right amount of chocolate from the Hershey’s Kisses.

These easy to make cookies are perfect for Christmas or any other holiday.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Makes 42 Cookies

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
42 Hershey Kisses or Hugs, unwrapped
White sugar for rolling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F and line some baking trays with parchment paper.
Beat shortening, peanut butter, and sugars in a large bowl until well combined.
Beat in vanilla and eggs until fluffy.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.
Scoop out walnut size balls of dough and roll between your hands to shape a ball, then roll the balls in sugar before placing 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden.
Remove from the oven and place the kisses in the middle of the cookies while they are still warm.
Transfer the cookies to cooling racks and allow the chocolate to cool completely before stacking.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate or freeze the dough. If you refrigerate or freeze the baked cookies, just note that the chocolate will look a little frosty once you take them out of the fridge or freezer.

Stuffed Mushrooms With Imitation Crab, Cream Cheese, & Chives

2025-03-14T17:50:00.001-04:00

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favourite appetizers. I could make them just for myself and eat them as a meal but I probably wouldn't feel great after eating that much cheese. It's best to make this recipe and share it with our loved ones instead.

Stuffed Mushrooms With Imitation Crab, Cream Cheese, & Chives

Number of mushrooms depends on the size of your mushrooms

Ingredients

30-40 white button mushrooms (washed with stems removed)
olive oil and butter for sautéing
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup minced imitation crab
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (If you don't like Swiss, use mozzarella)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced chives for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.
Line a glass baking dish parchment. Whatever size dish fits your mushrooms and is at least 1"tall.
In a large bowl, combine ingredients from cream cheese to lemon juice.
Sautee the mushroom caps in a little butter and olive oil for 2-3 minutes per side until slightly softened, then transfer open side up into your prepared baking dish. You may have to do this in batches.
Divide mixture among mushrooms.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until your mushrooms are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Time will depend on the size of your mushrooms.
Garnish with chives and allow to cool slightly before eating as they are very hot just out of the oven.

Tip: Keep the mushroom stems in the freezer for whenever you make broth.

One Bowl Berry Coffee Cake

2025-02-14T21:06:00.005-05:00

I had some berries they weren’t being eaten so I made this delicious berry cake. I had fresh berries but you could also use frozen. This cake is so easy to make, and you only need one bowl. I think it would also taste great with cranberries and lemon extract instead of almond.

One Bowl Berry Coffee Cake

Makes 1 11x7” Cake

Ingredients

2 cups fresh berries (I used blueberries and strawberries)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sliced or sliced almonds
Brown sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 11”x7” baking dish.
Combine berries and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat in the eggs and extracts until well combined.
Stir in sour cream and milk.
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Stir in the berries. The batter will be thick.
Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds and some brown sugar.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the came to cool before eating.

No Bake Nutella Balls (chocolate truffles)

2024-12-30T21:56:00.000-05:00

Here’s a new favourite truffle I added to our Christmas cookie boxes this year. I’ll share with you how to make No Bake Nutella Balls covered in chocolate with a few sprinkles to make them look festive. These were so delicious. I had a hard time not eating all of them myself.

You can crush the graham crackers yourself, but I just purchased a box of crumbs.

No Bake Nutella Balls

Makes about 50 balls

Adapted from The Carefree Kitchen

Ingredients

For the filling

1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 1/4 cup Nutella
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the coating

1 1/2 cups meting chocolate (I used milk)

Directions

Combine all filling ingredients until a dough forms. You can add more Nutella or graham crumbs if you feel the dough is too soft or dry. The dough should hold its shape once rolled.

Roll teaspoon size balls and place in a single layer in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or bowl over a simmering pot of water. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate.

Remove from the heat keeping the bowl on top of the hot water so the chocolate stays warm.

Use a fork to dip the Nutella balls, one at a time into the melted chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet to dry. If you want to add sprinkles, be sure to do it quickly before the chocolate dries.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be refrigerated or frozen.

Maple Pecan Blondies

2023-10-12T18:03:00.003-04:00

Here’s a blondie recipe that I have made many times!

Mine are never as gooey as Gemma’s and that’s probably because I over-bake them. I should keep a better eye on them next time. I like to brown the butter first but it’s not necessary. Enjoy!

Maple Pecan Blondies
Makes 9-12 servings

Original recipe from Bigger Bolder Baking

Ingredients

¾ cup butter, melted or browned

1¼ cups dark brown sugar

½ cup maple syrup

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

I ¼ cups pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease and line a 9x13” baking pan with parchment. Gemma used 8x8 but I like my bars thinner.

Whisk together the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and salt.

Stir in the flour and baking soda just until combined.

Stir in the pecans.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. They middle should be slightly jiggly but they still taste yummy if you over-bake them.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or freeze to enjoy later.

Quiche With Ham & Cheese

2023-09-25T11:24:00.029-04:00

Quiche is my favourite way to use leftover ham from Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I cut the ham in chunks and freeze it.

You can make a pie crust or use a frozen one like I do. If your crust is frozen, be sure to thaw it first. Cooking it from frozen will make your quiche soggy.

Some people use evaporated milk in their quiche but I don’t like the taste of that. Milk works just fine. Use what you have.

You can use Swiss cheese in this recipe to change it up a bit.

Quiche With Ham and Cheese
Makes 1 quiche

Ingredients
1 deep dish pie shell, thawed
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
Green onions, chopped
Salt
Pepper
Leftover ham

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F
Beat together the eggs, milk, onions, salt, and pepper. Pour over the cheese.
Sprinkle the ham and cheese on top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the centre is firm.
Cover the edges of the crust with foil if they start to get too dark.
Sometimes they leak, so be sure to bake on some foil or a baking sheet.

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

2023-02-05T10:42:00.009-05:00

My cousin makes this crock pot brown sugar pineapple ham recipe for most holidays and it's delicious! She got this recipe from My Incredible Recipes.

Get yourself a good quality, spiral cut ham and throw away the flavour packet that comes with it. Use this recipe instead, you'll love it!

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

Ingredients

1 spiral cut ham, cooked (I like bone in)
3 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 20oz can of pineapple, do not drain (we use rings)

Directions

Spread 2 cups of the brown sugar over the bottom of a large crock pot.
Place the ham on top.
Spread the spirals slightly and drizzle the honey over the ham.
Add the pineapple, with its juices, to the top and around the sides of the ham.
Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on top of the ham.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve this crock pot (slow cooker) brown sugar pineapple ham recipe at your Christmas dinner, Easter lunch or Thanksgiving feast. It's good for all occasions and I love to keep leftover ham chopped up in the freezer to use for quiche.

The best way to make this ham is in the crock pot. I have never made it in the oven, but I don't think there's any reason why it wouldn't work out if you placed the ingredients in a covered roaster and cooked it on low.

Looking for more PORK recipes? Click Here!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2023-01-04T12:41:00.004-05:00

I've been using this cream cheese frosting recipe on my bundt cakes and sheet cakes regularly. I especially love it on carrot cake and banana bread / cake or cupcakes. You could also use it to frost cinnamon rolls!

This recipe is adapted from Baked by an Introvert. I cut the recipe in half and left out the orange zest. This is enough for a good layer of frosting on one bundt cake.

Above: Frosted Carrot Cake

Above: Frosted Banana Cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened (full fat - brick form)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tablespoon meringue powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Directions

Whip the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Use a large bowl so the sugar doesn't fly everywhere when you add it.
Add sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low to combine (so you don't make a mess), then on high until the frosting is fluffy.
This can be used immediately on cooled cakes, cupcakes, bars, squares, or warm cinnamon rolls. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Italian Lemon Cake

2021-07-22T00:32:00.002-04:00

This Italian lemon pound cake is a recipe that I'd had my eye on for a long time. I finally made it back in April!

I skipped adding frosting but if you visit the original recipe it'll tell you how to make it.

The glaze needed a lot more lemon juice than the recipe called for. I used 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and it was still very thick. The cake itself isn’t very lemony so you really do need either the glaze or the frosting to bring the lemon flavour to this recipe. I'm not complaining though, it was still really delicious!

Italian Lemon Cake

Adapted from My Recipe Confessions

Makes 1 Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5+ tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease and flour a bundt or cake pan.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs.
Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Mix half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add all of the buttermilk followed by the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning the cake out on to a platter.
In the meantime, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together and mix until the glaze is smooth.
Spread the glaze over the warm cake.

Meatballs 3 (Beef)

2021-07-15T17:33:00.007-04:00

My kids have always loved meatballs.

I recently made a batch of burgers and had the brilliant idea to turn some of the burger mixture into meatballs for easy week-day lunches.

Just heat them up from frozen in your favourite sauce or gravy and serve over pasta or rice. It doesn't get any easier.

The burger recipe can be found here >> click me. Simply take this recipe and roll it into walnut size balls.

Meatballs 3 (Beef)

Here are some other meatball recipes that I have up on the blog.

Meatballs

Meatballs 2

Meatballs with Hidden Vegetables

Mom's Meatballs

Juicy Chicken Meatballs

More Juicy Chicken Meatballs

Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

Peanut Butter, Banana & Oat Dog / Squirrel Treats

2021-01-16T01:08:00.003-05:00

Tired of banana bread? Use your brown bananas to make dog treats. Squirrels also LOVE these, and humans can eat them too! If you’re making this recipe for humans, you may want to consider adding a little maple syrup or honey to the mix.

Peanut Butter, Banana & Oat Dog / Squirrel Treats

Ingredients

4 mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup of natural peanut butter (peanuts should be the only ingredient)
a sprinkle of turmeric powder (optional)
1/3 cup coconut flour (optional)
rolled oats

Directions

Preheat your oven to 250F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Add oats until the mixture is firm enough to roll balls without sticking to your hands too much. Start with 1 cup and see how it is.
Use a mini cookie scoop or teaspoon to scoop the mixture and then roll into balls. Flatten slightly on a baking sheet. They don’t spread so you can place them close together.
You may also press the mixture onto the baking sheet and flatten it into a rectangle. The thinner it is, the faster it will cook. Use a pizza cutter to cut squares before baking. I prefer this method.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until one side is lightly golden, then flip and continue to bake until the other side is golden. Mine took about an hour. If you went with the rectangle you can try to flip the whole thing at once and then break the squares apart for the second half of the baking. Or break and flip one by one. Either way, they need to be flipped.
Cool on cookie sheets completely and then transfer to a container. The treats will get soft if you place the lid on. I leave the lid off so they remain crunchier.

Olivia’s Quarantine Brownies

2020-11-23T19:34:00.002-05:00

During quarantine, my 13 year old kept in touch with her friends by having baking conference calls. It was 3 of them with us moms “helping” out. I’m so glad I was allowed to join because I really don’t want to know what brownies with 11 cups of flour and egg shells taste like.

Here's a delicious brownie recipe given to us by one of the girls. This recipe is dangerous. Once you have one slice, you won't be able to stop until they're all gone.

Olivia’s Quarantine Brownies

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

2 cups of chocolate chips
1 cup of butter
1 1/4 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler.
Combine the dry ingredients and stir them into the chocolate mixture.
Stir in the eggs.
Pour batter into an 9x13 parchment lined baking dish and bake in a preheated 350F oven for approximately 30-40 minutes. We used an 8x8 dish last time when we made 1/2 the recipe.
You can sprinkle the 1/3 cup chocolate chips on top before baking, or wait until the brownies come out of the oven, that way they’ll melt and you can spread the chocolate over the top.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

2020-11-15T19:30:00.001-05:00

This cake is really yummy! It was like one giant doughnut. I bet if you add chopped apples it would resemble an apple fritter.

I didn’t mix the cinnamon swirl into the cake well enough and ended up with delicious gooey cinnamon pockets. I may or may not have made this a few times 2 or 3 times in one week.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Makes 12 servings

Original recipe by The Country Cook

Ingredients

For the Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Filling

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease and line a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and parchment.
In a large bowl, beat together all cake ingredients except melted butter on medium speed.
Slowly add the butter with the mixer running. Mix just until combined.
Spread the batter evenly into the baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients until well combined.
Drop the filling by the spoonful on top of the cake batter. Swirl the filling into the batter with a butter knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
When the came comes out, whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the warm cake.
Allow to cool before serving.

Soft Banana Bread Cookies w/ Walnuts

2020-10-21T09:33:00.007-04:00

Banana consumption at my house is unpredictable. One week, I can't replenish them fast enough, and other weeks nobody eats them at all. I can't freeze them all or I'd have a freezer full of bananas. So here's yet another way to use up those brown bananas sitting on your counter.

These cookies actually remind me of muffin tops. You can add chocolate chips or other things in place of the nuts if your heart desires.

Soft Banana Bread Cookies w/ Walnuts

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F and line some baking sheets with parchment.
Beat together the ingredients from butter through to vanilla until smooth.
Beat in everything else except the nuts until the lumps are gone.
Stir in the nuts.
Drop by the tablespoon onto prepared sheets 2” apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes just until the bottoms start to turn golden.
Rest on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container for a few days. You may refrigerate or freeze these if you wish.

Cake Mix Doughnut Cupcakes with Nutmeg or Cardamom and Rosewater

2020-10-13T15:54:00.013-04:00

If you're looking for something super fast to make for dessert, try this recipe! The texture of these is not as fluffy as if you were to just follow the recipe on the box. These are a little more dense and dough-nutty.

I divided the batter in half and made 2 flavours, but you could just do one or the other.

Cake Mix Doughnut Cupcakes with Nutmeg or Cardamom and Rosewater

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients

1 box vanilla cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unflavoured oil
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (or more) ground cardamom
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)
milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners (I use ones made of parchment).
In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream and milk with a whisk until smooth.
Place half of the batter into a second bowl.
Stir the nutmeg into one bowl, and the cardamom and rosewater into the other.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups.
I added a pistachio to the cardamom rosewater cupcakes so we could identify them easily once removed from the muffin tray.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and a tiny drizzle of milk together until smooth. Add more milk slowly if needed. It should be thinner than toothpaste but not runny.
Spread or drizzle over the cupcakes while they are still warm.

Cinnamon Swirl Doughnut Bread

2020-10-05T15:28:00.006-04:00

This recipe is a keeper! This cake is so DELICIOUS you'll want to make it over and over again! The sweet taste of cinnamon and nutmeg gives you a cozy feeling inside.

Cinnamon Swirl Doughnut Bread

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

Makes 1 Loaf

Ingredients

For the Cake

1/4 cup unflavoured oil
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon molasses

For the Coating

1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a loaf pan with parchment and a little oil. In large bowl, mix oil, butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in the dry ingredients and buttermilk until the mixture turns into a smooth batter.
Remove 1/2 cup batter and place into a separate bowl. Add cinnamon and molasses to the 1/2 cup of batter. Pour half of the remaining batter into the loaf pan. Add half of the cinnamon batter in small dollops on top of the batter. Pour remaining plain batter over the top followed by more dollops of the cinnamon batter.
Swirl the batters together with a butter knife or skewer.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until tester comes out with a few crumbs. Prepare the coating while the loaf is baking.
Pour melted butter into a large shallow dish.
Combine sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in another large shallow dish. Once the cake comes out of the oven, allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
run a knife along the edges to loosen the loaf and remove it from the pan. It will be warm.
Gently roll the loaf into melted butter until fully coated. Spoon remaining melted butter over any areas that seem crisp. Transfer the buttered loaf to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and press into the sides and top to coat. Serve with your favourite hot beverage.

Fluffy Pancakes - Revisited

2020-09-30T00:34:00.001-04:00

I've revised the pancake recipe we've been using since 2011 >> The Best Fluffy Pancakes Ever. These pancakes are still delicious and fluffy! I really like the addition of nutmeg because it gives the pancakes a doughnut-like flavour. Who's ready for breakfast?!

Fluffy Pancakes - Revisited

Makes 10-12 pancakes

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Butter for frying

Directions

Combine milk and lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes to sour.
Combine the dry ingredients in a big bowl.
Beat eggs and vanilla into sour milk and then whisk the wet mixture into the dry just until there are no lumps.
Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-low heat (closer to low on my stove).
Brush some butter into the pan and then drop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. You can make them bigger or smaller if you wish. Fry until golden on one side and the sides start to look slightly dry. Flip and cook until the other side is golden. Repeat until you finish the batter.
Makes 10-12 pancakes and 2 was filling enough for us.
Serve with fruit and maple syrup.

Tips:

You can use 1 3/4 cups buttermilk instead of milk and lemon juice.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2020-09-24T00:35:00.091-04:00

We absolutely love this cookie recipe and have made it several times now. These cookies are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. The recipe I posted for Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips back in May is also very delicious, but I like the texture of these ones even more.

Above: I made these ones with a mini cookie scoop. Adjust baking time accordingly.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original recipe by foodelicacy

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips (you choose which kind)

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 375F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a large bowl until fluffy.
Add the egg and beat on low speed until the mixture is smooth.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Beat to combine well.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add it to the wet mixture. Mix on low until it forms a dough.
Stir the chocolate chips in by hand or on low speed.
The original recipe suggests chilling the dough for 30 minutes but I don't.
Use a medium cookie scoop to drop the dough on the prepared sheet about 1" apart.
Bake for 10-12minutes, or until the cookies turn golden brown around the edges.
Remove the sheet from the oven and gently press down on the cookies with a rubber spatula to flatten them.
Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minute and then transfer them to a wire rack once they are firm enough to move without breaking.
Repeat for the rest of the dough.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

2020-09-18T00:41:00.017-04:00

Apple season is upon us and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with apple cake!

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

Original recipe by Cooking with Ruthie

Makes 12-16 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups unflavoured oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups (approx. 3 large) peeled & chopped Granny Smith apples
1 cup chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish if desired

For the Frosting

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
To make the cake; combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Place the sugar, brown sugar, and oil in the bowl and beat on medium speed until the mixture becomes fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Add the vanilla.
Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
Fold in the apples and nuts, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan. The batter will be quite thick so spread it around evenly with the back of a spoon.
Bake on the middle rack for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out onto a serving dish.
To make the frosting; place the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Allow the mixture to cool and then stir in the confectioners' sugar until you reach a consistency that you can spoon over the cake. Add a bit more milk if you want a thinner frosting.
Spoon the frosting over the cake and allow to run down the sides. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Tips:

I froze half of this cake. Slice it and then wrap it up or keep it in an airtight container. Thaw for 20 minutes before consuming.

Soft Pretzels

2020-09-15T14:19:00.001-04:00

I'm having so much fun making bread these days. You can make this recipe without a mixer, but if you are going to be making bread often, you may want to invest in a stand mixer since you can use it for so many other things as well.

I had an egg white left over from another recipe so I brushed that over the pretzels but you could use an egg yolk or even a whole egg if you want to.

There are many different things that you can sprinkle on top of your pretzels but I chose pink salt, sesame seeds and caraway seeds this time.

Soft Pretzels

Makes 12 pretzels

Ingredients

2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (instant or active)
1 teaspoon pink salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted
5 cups all purpose flour
oil for rising
1 egg white
salt, sesame seeds, caraway seeds
1/4 cup baking soda
4 cups water

Directions

Place the warm water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of your mixer and combine with a whisk. Allow yeast to activate for about 10 minutes.
Once your yeast is nice and foamy, add salt and melted butter and give it a stir.
On low speed, start adding the flour one cup at a time. You may need more or less depending on your altitude so add it just until the dough forms a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Five cups was perfect for me.
Increase the speed of your mixer to medium and let the mixer knead for you for 5 minutes. Don't leave it or it may hop off the counter. You can also mix by hand if you don't have a mixer.
Oil the bottom and sides of a large bowl. I actually just used the bowl from the mixer. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic and a clean towel and allow to rise for 1 hour. I placed mine in the oven with the light on.
Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 450F and place the rack in the middle.
Whisk your egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and set aside.
Bring 1/4 cup baking soda and 4 cups of water up to a simmer over medium heat.
Drop the dough out onto your counter-top or board and cut it into 12 pieces. You can make bigger pretzels if you wish, just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.
Roll each piece of dough into a 1 foot long ropes, then form them into a pretzel shape by forming the rope into a U shape, twisting the top twice and then folding the ends back down into the bottom of the U. Here's a quick video showing how to form the pretzel shape. Place the pretzel onto a parchment lined baking sheet while you work on the next one.
One or two at a time, place the pretzels into the simmering pot of water for only 30 seconds. Splash a little water over the top rather than flipping the pretzels over. Remove with a slotted utensil to allow as much water to drip off as possible before placing back onto the parchment paper.
Brush your pretzels with the egg wash and sprinkle on whichever toppings you like.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops turn golden. Allow to cool slightly before eating as they will be very hot straight from the oven.

Tips:

Pretzels are usually served with mustard or cheese sauce.

Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2020-09-11T00:40:00.019-04:00

These oatmeal raisin cookies are chewy, cake-y and perfect for dunking in your coffee or tea. You can use chocolate chips in place of the raisins - this was actually a recipe for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, originally.

Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Makes 40 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325F and line some baking sheets with parchment.
Beat butter, sugars and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the bowl. Mix on low just until combined.
Stir in the oats, nuts and raisins by hand.
Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop batter onto the prepared pans about 2" apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges start to turn golden.
Allow to cool on the pans for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container for several days, or freeze for several weeks.

Pavlina's Marble Cake with Blueberries and Chocolate Chips

2020-09-04T00:39:00.027-04:00

There's nothing better than homemade cake, is there? Back in 2011 I posted a recipe for Pavlina's Christmas Cake. I eat that cake every year on December 25th for breakfast. Lina is our friend, next-door neighbour, and someone who has become part of our family. We celebrate all the holidays together.

In early June, Lina and her boys showed up at our door with this beautiful marble cake to surprise one of my girls on her 10th birthday. She shared the recipe with us on her Facebook page (Lina's Decor). I quickly snapped a few photos before the cake was devoured by the kidlets.

Pavlina's Marble Cake with Blueberries and Chocolate Chips

Recipe by Lina's Decor

Makes 12-16 servings

Ingredients

4 large eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup unflavoured oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8th teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Beat eggs and sugar together until combined.
Whisk in the milk, oil and vanilla.
In the same bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir just to combine.
Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
Pour 3/4 of the mixture into the prepared pan.
Arrange the blueberries or any other fruit you may want to use on the top of the batter in the pan (don’t press them in).
Mix 1/4 cup of cocoa powder with the remaining 1/4 of the batter. Swirl it slightly into the vanilla batter.
Bake for around 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for another 30 minute before turning out onto a serving dish.
Allow to cool before decorating.

Tips:

To decorate, use a confectioners' sugar/milk glaze, melted chocolate, sifted powdered sugar or any other decor you like. Lina used sprinkles and candy balls to make her cake look pretty.

Flaky Sesame Rolls

2020-08-28T00:36:00.019-04:00

I'm not sure I'd consider these flaky, they were more like regular bread rolls, but still very tasty. I will try again with more butter between the layers next time!

Flaky Sesame Rolls

Original recipe by Ninik Becker

Makes 16 rolls

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fast acting (instant) yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
sesame seeds for layering/coating
butter for between layers
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

Directions

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, butter, milk and salt in a bowl (or stand mixer) until a ball of dough forms. It will be slightly sticky. turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes (or allow the mixer to knead).
Turn out onto a board and cut into 4 equal parts.
Roll each part into a circle as flat as you can. You want to see through it. If it's giving you a hard time, let the dough relax for a few minutes and then continue.
Place one sheet of dough on your work surface and brush melted butter all over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place another sheet of dough on top of the first and repeat the butter/sesame step. Repeat with the third layer. Place the fourth layer on top and brush with butter (no seeds yet).
Use a pizza cutter to cut 16 rectangles from the circle.
Start rolling the triangles from the fat end to the tip (like a croissant).
Roll the crescents in sesame seeds (no need to pre-toast as they will toast during baking), and set on a parchment lined baking sheet at least 1" apart.
Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine egg yolk and water and brush over the risen rolls.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Tips:

To add a bit more colour I added some nigella seeds to the top. You can also use poppy seeds, black sesame or caraway.