Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookies

March 9, 2017 Kate Criswell

I pretty much love all things peanut butter and this cookie is no different! This recipe came about after falling in love with Kite Hill's Dairy Free Cream Cheese made from almond milk (the chive flavor is amazing as well). So not only is this recipe grain free, it's dairy free too!!

I haven't had cream cheese in decades after eliminating for many reasons. So often I have come across sugar cookie recipes made with cream cheese and am always bummed I can't try them. The added cream cheese adds creaminess and moisture to a baked good along with acting as the fat in the recipe. After discovering and loving this cream cheese....I may be creating many cookie and baked goods in the months to come! These Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookies are just the beginning!! I would describe these as a mild peanut butter soft batch cookie that melts in your mouth!

Ingredients:

1 cup natural peanut butter
8 oz Kite Hill Cream Cheese (full fat cream cheese will work)
1 generous cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve and coconut sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 scant cup cassava flour (I used Otto's)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

Cream together the peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add in eggs one at a time
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and soda and add to the wet ingredients
Roll dough (should be thick) into 1- 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Press down the dough with your palm or use a fork like traditional peanut butter cookies. They do not spread very much, so they will be about the size you press them into.
Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes
Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet
Store in an airtight glass container

I buy Kite Hill Cream Cheese from Whole Foods or Natural Grocers. You can find Otto's Cassava Flour online or from Natural Grocers

Enjoy!

__________

Many of you know I am a consultant with Beautycounter and advocate for more health protective laws in the personal care industry. An industry that includes over 10,000 chemicals with only 10% of those being tested for human health! An industry that has banned 1,400 ingredients in the European Union while the U.S has only banned 30 to date! I feel I have an enormous responsibility to educate and empower you to make changes to safer products for you and your family. We deserve better! Beautycounter has banned 1,500 ingredients and is not only safe, but also high performing!

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I will be posting about: Beauycounter products and my favorite clean beauty products outside of Beautycounter, educational articles and tools, makeup tutorials, product GIVEAWAYS and MONTHLY PROMOS, clean living ideas, recipes for nourishing the skin from the inside out, DIY ideas and more!

Thank you so much for all your continued support!!! Please message me with any product questions!!

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies

November 23, 2016 Kate Criswell

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!! Now it's time to start thinking about holiday baking. I love to bake, hence all the desserts I have on my website. Check out all the holiday recipes here, including Peanut Butter Fudge, Macadamia Lace Cookies, Hazelnut Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pizzelles, Mexican Wedding Cookies and so much more!! These Flourless Chocolate Orange Cookies are fantastic and need to be added to your holiday baking list!!

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa/cacao powder
1 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
1/2 cup grass-fed butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 drops of orange essential oil (I used Wild Orange from Doterra)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life dairy free chips)

Instructions

Combine the cocoa, soda and salt in a bowl, set aside
Place sweetener and butter in a food processor or a large bowl and mix well
Add in the egg (whisk if using a mixing bowl), vanilla and orange oil
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and combine until mixed well
Fold in chocolate chips (batter should be thick)
Use a cookie scoop or roll dough into a ball and place dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not press down, they will spread
Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.
Let cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack
Store in a glass container

Happy Holidays!!

Raw Pumpkin Cookie Balls and Fall Favorites

November 17, 2016 Kate Criswell

Are you pumkined out yet? Truth be told, I am not a huge pumpkin person, but these cookie balls are so good! They almost taste like cookie dough and they definitely take care of a sweet craving!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup granulated sweetener (Maple Sugar would be awesome. I used Swerve for a low sugar alternative)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (optional, use almond flour as replacement)
1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life for dairy free option)

Instructions:

Combine the pumpkin, almond butter, sweetener, flour, protein powder, spice and salt
Add in the coconut and chocolate chip, stir until combined
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Roll the dough into golf ball size balls and place them on the cookie sheet
Place in the fridge to harden
Store in a glass container in the fridge

Enjoy!

Favorite Fall Finds

I wanted to share a few of my favorite finds for fall. I am in love with Primal Palate's Organic Spices and have almost completely stocked my spice rack with them! Their blends are seriously the best and the Pumpkin and Apple Pie Spice blends are a must for this time of year. They also have a Gingersnap and Cinnamon Sugar Cookie blend that I cannot wait to try in recipes. I could eat the Sugar Cookie one with a spoon...I'm not kidding!! The best part is, they are available on Amazon Prime!!!

I have missed burning candles, but gave them up after learning how toxic most candles are. Everything from the wax to the wick and especially the fragrances are not good for us. I love my diffuser, but there is something about burning a candle and enjoying the glow of a candle in the winter time. I was recently introduced to Woodlot, a small apothecary out of Canada and am in love with their candles! I also love supporting small business owners! Their eco-friendly candles are free of petroleum, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and gmo's. They are made with coconut oil and non gmo soy wax, cotton core wicks and are scented with pure essential oils. I ordered three different candles, Cinder for fall with scents of cedarwood, cinnamon and orange, Wildwoods for Christmas with an evergreen, pine and clove scent and the Original. These will be the perfect hostess gift and they arrived just a few days after I ordered them!!

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XOXO,

If you are an Amazon shopper, would you be so kind to use my affiliate link to make your purchases. It is at no cost to you, it does provide a tiny kickback to Kate’s Healthy Cupboard. This allows me to continue making and testing recipes for free. Thanks so much!!

*I have recently switched all of my skincare and makeup to a company that is free of 1,500 chemicals!! I am so particular about what goes into my body, I need to be just as picky as to what goes on my body! Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream faster than the gut does! I am vain when it comes to my skin and was so thrilled to find products that are anti-aging and work!!! Check out BeautyCounter for more info!! You will love it!!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

February 8, 2015 Kate

You just can't ever mess up any recipe that includes peanut butter and chocolate! I typically choose other nut butters over peanut butter, but I have been enjoying it lately. This recipe can be made with any nut or seed butter, but there's just something about this combo that is hard to replace!

It's close to Valentine's Day and I wanted to give you some new chocolate recipes to enjoy, including these truffles. I personally don't need a holiday or reason to have chocolate, it makes me happy everyday of the year!! The best part is that when you choose dark chocolate, it's low in sugar and typically dairy free if it's really dark! I used Swerve as the sweetener to make these low carb, but any sweetener will work. I hope these last longer in your house than they did in mine!!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Ingredients

1 cup natural peanut butter (I prefer fresh grind that is chunky)
2 tbsp butter, melted or softened (depends on how runny the peanut butter is)
1/4 cup Swerve or other sweetener (I added a tiny bit of coconut palm sugar with the Swerve)
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt (omit if your PB is already salted)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine granulated sweetener, cacao powder and sea salt in a bowl and set aside
Stir the peanut butter, butter and vanilla until combined
Pour the cacao mixture into the peanut butter mixture, stir until combined
Place the batter into the fridge or freezer to harden so you can form balls with it
Place the chocolate chips in a double broiler over low heat and melt
Once the dough is hard enough, roll the batter into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Dip each truffle into the chocolate with a slotted spoon and place back onto the cookie sheet
Place cookie sheet back in the fridge or freezer to set up
Store in a glass container in the fridge

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Blondies

February 13, 2013 Kate

Chocolate covered cherries may be a favorite Valentine's treat for some of you, and if so, you will love these. You don't have to like chocolate covered cherries to like these blondies! Blondies, what the heck is that really? Basically they are brownies without the cocoa. According to wikipedia:

A blondie (also known as a "blond[e] brownie" or "blondie bar") is a rich, sweet dessert bar. It is made fromflour, brown sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder and vanilla and may also contain walnuts or pecans Chocolate chip blondies may contain white or dark chocolate chips. A blondie may have a taste reminiscent of butterscotch.

Blondies resemble the traditional chocolate brownie, but are based on brown sugar instead of cocoa; they are sometimes referred to as blonde brownies. They are baked in a pan in the oven similar to how traditional brownies are baked, then cut into rectangular shapes for serving.

Like brownies, blondies may include chocolate chips. They may also contain coconut, nuts, toffee, or any other chunky candy for added texture. Blondies aren't usually frosted; the brown sugar flavor tends to be sweet enough.

Technically I think these could be called Chocolate Cherry Cookie Bars as well, but I like blondie for this recipe. Since brown sugar is an ingredient in blondies, I had to come up with an alternative. I chose to add a bit of coconut palm sugar to give it that caramel, molasses taste. Another option would be to add a bit of molasses to granulated sugar since that's basically what brown sugar is. I used Swerve for my sweetener to keep these low sugar and added just a bit of coconut palm sugar. They turned out perfect, moist but with a crisp crackly top!

Chocolate Cherry Blondies

Ingredients

2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
5 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil, softened
1/2 – 3/4 cup granulated sweetener (I used almost 3/4 cupSwerve*and 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life Choclate Chips orEnjoy Life Chocolate Chunks
to make dairy free)
1/2 – 3/4 cup cherries (cut into fourths)**

Instructions

Place the softened butter/oil and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream with a hand mixer or in a stand up mixer until fluffy
Add the egg and vanilla and continue to blend
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, soda and salt
Slowly add the flour mixture as you continue to beat until well combined
Fold in the chocolate chips and lastly, fold in the cherries
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes until slightly brown
Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting into them (I prefer these out of the refrigerator cold)

Quick notes

*If you want to order Swerve, they have given my readers an extra 10% off your online order with code KATE10.

**It is almost impossible to find fresh cherries this time of year, so frozen is what you will use. They tend to be very dark in color and that is why this looks like a blueberry blondie. It is best to keep them frozen until you have added the chocolate chips so they do not melt and bleed into the dough.

As Wikipedia says above, any nut or candy can be used in blondie recipes. Use this as a base and add what ever nuts, fruits, chocolates you would like!

If you want to try Swerve or need to order more, use coupon code KATE10 for a 10% discount. Swerve is my favorite sugar replacement. It is the only sugar alcohol that will not cause tummy troubles and it does not raise blood glucose levels.

Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Chocolate Cherry No Bake Cookies

February 6, 2013 Kate

I'm going to keep this short and sweet and to the point. If you haven't tried the Chocolate Drop Cookies recipe yet, you need to! You will love them, unless you are not a coconut person and that is why I created a coconut free no bake cookie! I loooove the coconut chocolate cookies, but these are darn good as well...different good! And, no bake cookies are so easy and quick!

Chocolate Cherry No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

3 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil* (or combo)
1/8 cup vanilla dairy free milk (I prefer So Delicious no sugar vanilla coconut milk)
1/2 cup granulated sweetener** (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
3/4 cup raw almonds
1/2 – 2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup almond butter
1 generous tbsp cocoa/cacao powder

Instructions

Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are ground into pieces. Add the cherries and pulse again, set aside
In a saucepan, melt the butter/oil with the milk, sugar and cocoa/cacao powder. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes
Remove from heat and add the almond butter, nuts and cherry mixture and stir until combined
Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment lined plate or small cookie sheet
Place the cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set
Store cookies in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container

Quick notes

*Make sure the oil is expeller pressed (Tropical Traditions sells this) or refined coconut oil so you do not have coconut tones in the cookies.

**I have not tried this with a liquid sweetener. I think it will work, but I would start with only a 1/4 cup.

Variations

These can be made with any dried fruit, nut and nut butter. I used sliced almonds to avoid skins in this recipe, but whole almonds will work.

I have recently switched all of my skincare and makeup to a company that is free of 1,500 chemicals!! I am so particular about what goes into my body, I need to be just as picky as to what goes on my body! Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream faster than the gut does! I am vain when it comes to my skin and was so thrilled to find products that are anti-aging and work!!! Check out my Beauty Counter link for more info!! You will love it!!

Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Cookies

January 24, 2013 Kate

I tried to stay away from chocolate for awhile...it was a short while! Now it's time for Valentine's Day recipes and it just wouldn't be right to not include chocolate! The good news is that these are made with cocoa powder and Swerve Sweetener (my favorite natural sweetener than contains no sugar!) and dark chocolate chips, so they are fairly low in sugar.

I debated over using cherries or strawberries in this recipe. I think both are a part of many Valentine's celebrations with chocolate covered cherries found in most assorted chocolate boxes and chocolate dipped strawberries a favorite of many this time of year. I chose strawberries since fresh organic berries are available right now and cherries are only found frozen this time of year. I highly suggest fresh fruit for the lower moisture content. Frozen fruit lets off more moisture and will make these extra gooey. These cookies are already gooey and that's why they are named brownie cookies. These can also be made with no fruit, but I would add an extra tablespoon of coconut milk to create more moisture. Either way, these are delicious!!!

You will see in the instructions that you melt the butter/oil and add in the cacao/cocoa powder. I learned that cocoa powder gives a better chocolate flavor to baked goods instead of using unsweetened chocolate. But...to bring out the flavor of the powder, it must be added to a warm liquid to bring out the flavor molecules. These turned out very chocolatey and maybe this is why, I only tried it this way. I certainly don't need to make another batch to test this theory, two batches were enough to consume this week!!!

Swerve is on sale until the end of the month, you receive 40 single serve packs with your order! Use Coupon Code KATE10 for an additional 10% off!!

Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder
1/3 cup grass-fed butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I prefer Swerve or erythritol for a sugar free option)
3 tbsp full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips*
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, chopped**

Instructions

Melt the butter/oil in a saucepan. Once melted, add the cocoa/cacao powder and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and remove from heat
Once the chocolate chips have melted, add the coconut milk, sweetener and vanilla and blend with hand mixer
Combine the almond flour, salt and soda in a mixing bowl. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir well
Fold in the additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips and strawberries
Bake at 350 on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 11-13 minutes
Let cookies set up on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes or they will fall apart
Let cool on a cooling rack to continue to set up
Store in an airtight container

Quick notes

I highly recommend using Honeyville flour or these may turn out very very gooey.

Variations

*To make these dairy free, use Enjoy Life Choclate Chips or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks and coconut oil.
**Any fruit would work in these, but please read the text above about fresh versus frozen fruit. If you want to leave the fruit out, read the text above as well for modifications.

These may also work in an 8×8 greased pan to create brownies. The cooking time will be longer and the inside may not get cooked through. I have not tried this, but I’d be just fine eating these with a spoon if need be!!!

*To make these dairy free, use Enjoy Life Choclate Chips or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks and coconut oil. **Any fruit would work in these, but please read the text above about fresh versus frozen fruit. If you want to leave the fruit out, read the text above as well for modifications.

These may also work in an 8x8 greased pan to create brownies. The cooking time will be longer and the inside may not get cooked through. I have not tried this, but I'd be just fine eating these with a spoon if need be!!!

I have recently switched all of my skincare and makeup to a company that is free of 1,500 chemicals!! I am so particular about what goes into my body, I need to be just as picky as to what goes on my body! Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream faster than the gut does! I am vain when it comes to my skin and was so thrilled to find products that are anti-aging and work!!! Check out BeautyCounter for more info!! You will love it!! Give the gift of safe skincare this holiday season, gift sets available.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

December 23, 2012 Kate

One last cookie recipe for the Holidays! These shortbread cookies have the perfect crunch and buttery flavor. I am learning to really like the cranberry and orange flavor pairing and it's the perfect combo for Christmas.

Cranberries are a very low sugar fruit making them a great low carb option for cakes, cookies and muffins. I did have to add arrowroot flour t0 this recipe to get them to hold together and retain their crunch. It does add a bit of starch to this recipe, but it's such a minimal amount! The fourth cup only adds about two carbs per cookie. I also used Swerve as the sweetener in this recipe to keep the sugar amount low, that way you can have more than one without guilt!!!

Recipe: Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour/powder
1/2 cup grass-fed butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2-2/3 cup granulated sweetener (I used 2/3 cup Swerve)
couple dashes of sea salt
1 heaping tbsp orange zest (Microplane that I love for zesting)
1 tsp fresh juice of the orange
1 tsp granulated sweetener or Swerve
1/3 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

Instructions

Place the cranberries in a food processor with 1 tsp sweetener and pulse
Toss cranberries with juice and zest, set aside
In the food processor, add flour, arrowroot, sugar and salt. Pulse until combined
Add the butter to the flour and pulse until dough forms
Remove the dough and place in a mixing bowl. Fold in the cranberry mixture
Roll dough into a log shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for at least an hour
Slice frozen dough into at least 1/4 inch pieces and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until edges become a tiny bit brown
Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then move to a cooling rack for cookies to set

I have found these to be a perfect breakfast cookie!!!

Enjoy!

Grain Free Thumbprint Cookies (Guest Post)

December 20, 2012 Kate

Today's recipe is a Holiday classic! This grain free thumbprint cookie recipe comes from Leeann, the creator of the blog www.cutthewheatblogspot.com. I decided to make these today and used chocolate as the filling to make them even more decadent and because I didn't have jelly on hand. These are delicious and so buttery! They were a huge hit around here and there aren't many left. My batch spread out a lot more than hers, as you can see. I think I pushed down the batter too much, but that certainly doesn't affect the taste. I used about 4 dark chocolate chips in each cookie and added the chips after they had baked for about 15 minutes and then baked an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy Leeann's story and her recipe below!

Amidst the trays of colorful iced angels, Russian tea cakes, gingerbread men and coconut macaroons lie my favorite cookie of all time: jam thumbprints. These tasty cookies have a buttery, tender dough that gets rolled in crunchy nuts and then topped off with fruit jam. To me, they are the quintessential Christmas cookie. I can almost still feel the slimy raw eggs on my hands as I rolled the dough in the nut mixture as a child. My mom insisted on putting the jam in, though!

When I started reducing, and eventually eliminating, wheat from my diet, I thought I’d bid my favorite cookie goodbye forever. I was willing to do just that, but on a whim, I decided to come up with a test recipe for my beloved cookie this holiday season. I’m proud to announce that with a few hours of hard work, I made myself a fantastic recipe that ‘s so close to the real thing even my husband, daughter and in-laws, all wheat and sugar consumers, couldn’t tell the difference.

These cookies are not only wheat free—they are completely grain free. If you prefer, you can refrain from rolling the cookies in nuts and simply place the jam in the middle. They’re delicious all the same!

Grain Free Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup butter, softened (or 1/2 c coconut oil for vegan)
2/3 cup granulated sweetener (I used erythritol)*
8 drops liquid Stevia
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg (for dough)
1 beaten egg (to help nuts stick to dough balls)
3/4 cup crushed walnuts or pecans (optional)
* Gluten free, sugar-free jam for topping (I used peach, strawberry and raspberry no sugar Polaner)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 and coat cookie sheet in nonstick spray.
In large mixing bowl, cream together butter, erythritol, stevia and vanilla.
Add in the egg and lightly mix until smooth. Slowly mix in almond and coconut flour.
Ball up the dough into one tablespoon servings, and roll each ball in the beaten egg, and then cover in chopped nuts.
Place each cookie a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Use a greased thumb or small spoon to create indents in each cookie, then fill with approx.. ¼ – ½ tsp. of jam.
Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are very slightly browned at the edges. Allow to cool and set for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

*I used Swerve as the sweetener in place of all other sweeteners to keep this a low sugar treat.

Apple Pie Cookie Bars

December 19, 2012 Kate

After making the Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bars....I immediately thought about all of the other bar recipes I could create. These Apple Pie Cookie Bars are perfect for this time of year! I originally wanted to make a dairy free caramel sauce to drizzle over these, but I haven't perfected it yet and wanted to get this recipe out to you! These are the perfect addition to your Holiday breakfast menu or dessert menu!!!

Apples can shrivel up when used in baking, such as in pies. The type of apple can contribute to this, that is why I included Granny Smiths since they hold up well when baked. They also add a bit of tartness paired with a sweeter apple like the Fuji. Feel free to use whatever variety you want or have on hand.

To help retain the apple's structure, I have pre-cooked the apples before placing them in the oven. This allows the pectin to go to work and hold the apple's structure. Pectin is like the mortar that holds the bricks (cellulose) together. If either one of them is destroyed, the apple collapses, loses volume, and releases liquid. The lemon juice is added to the apples to keep them from turning brown.

Apple Pie Cookie Bars

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/4 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
1/2 cup grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted (I used a mix of both)
1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for a sugar free option)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of sea salt

Topping

3 small apples, peeled and diced (I used a mixture of Granny Smith for tart and Fuji for sweet)
2 tsp sweetener (I used 1 tsp palm sugar and 1 tsp Swerve)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

Place the diced apples in a saucepan with the cinnamon and the two teaspoons of sweetener, stir until apples are coated
Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until apples are soft
Remove from heat and place in a single layer on a piece of parchment paper to cool
While the apples are cooling, combine the flour, sweetener, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl
Mix the melted butter/oil with the vanilla and pour into the flour mixture, combine
Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes
While crust is baking, place apples in a bowl and mix in the lemon juice
Once the crust is done, spread the apples on top of the crust and return it to the oven, bake for an additional 10 minutes
Serve hot and store in the refrigerator

If I can perfect the caramel sauce, I will certainly share it! In the meantime, these are fantastic just the way they are!!!

Macadamia Lace Cookies

December 17, 2012 Kate

These thin, crispy and buttery cookies are sure to melt in your mouth and satisfy your sweet tooth!! The toffee like flavor pairs perfectly with the dark chocolate drizzle, but these are delicious without it as well! These may be one of my new favorites...and they are super easy!

This recipe uses a french technique known as browning butter. It adds a nutty flavor and almost a caramel or butterscotch flavor in this particular recipe. It would be a great addition to frosting as well!!

Brown butter is made by cooking butter long enough to turn the milk solids and salt particles brown while cooking out any water present. It has a more complex flavor than melted or clarified butter. Brown butter is traditionally served with fish, but makes for a delicious drizzle for vegetables such as brussels sprout and broccoli! Maybe a brown butter vegetable dish needs to be on my to do list!!!

Inspired by a Fine Cooking Recipe

Macadamia Lace Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, dry toasted and chopped
1/2 cup grass-fed butter
1 cup granulated sugar (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
1 egg, beaten
couple sprinkles of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cups dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions

Slowly toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until slightly brown. Remove and let cool in a single layer in the refrigerator
Place the butter in the skillet and heat over medium heat until browned butter is reach. The butter will boil, bubble and then start to show brown flecks. Remove once it is brown, pour into bowl and let cool for 5 minutes
Once the nuts have cooled, place them in a food processor and ground to rough sand consistency. If they are warm, you will end up with nut butter
Place the nuts, sweetener, salt, egg and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. Add the butter and combine
Place about a tablespoon full of batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. These will double in size so spread them out
Bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes or until edges are slightly brown
Remove from heat and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then move the parchment to the counter to cool completely
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips
Pour the chocolate into a small ziploc once it’s cooled a bit
Cut a tiny piece off the corner of the bag and squeeze the chocolate to drizzle over the cookies
Place in the freezer or refrigerator to set
If these are stored in the refrigerator, they may become not as crispy

Happy Holidays!

Grain Free Pizzelle Cookies

December 13, 2012 Kate

Pizzelles were a Christmas tradition around our house. They were one of my favorite cookies; light, crispy, not to sweet, but full of flavor. I was up to the challenge of creating a grain free version and am very excited to share this recipe with you!!

According to Wikipedia: Pizzelles are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar and butter and flavoring (often vanilla, anise or lemon zest) Pizzelles can be hard and crisp or soft and chewy depending on the ingredients and method of preparation.

Pizzelles were originally made in the Abruzzo region of south-central Italy. The name comes from the Italian word for "round" and "flat" (pizze); this is also the meaning of the word pizza.

The cookie dough or batter is put into a Pizzelle Iron, which resembles a waffle iron. Typically, the iron stamps a snowflake pattern onto both sides of the thin golden-brown cookie, which has a crisp texture once it is cooled. There are also several brands of ready-made pizzelle available in stores.

I obviously used a Pizzelle Iron, but these cookies could be baked in the oven as well. The iron makes them nice and crispy, but I think the butter in this dough will make them spread and become thin as they bake. The iron also leaves a perfect imprint for the holiday season, so if you love these cookies, it's worth buying a Pizzelle Iron!

Grain Free Pizzelle Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Honeyville almond flour
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
3/4 cups granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for sugar free option)
1/2 cup grass-fed butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp or more anise extract*

Instructions

Beat the eggs and sugar together. Add the butter and anise and mix well
In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, arrowroot and soda
Combine the two bowls until smooth
Once the iron is hot, spoon a tablespoon of batter into center of each pattern on the iron. Press down for about 8-10 seconds until golden
Use a metal spatula to remove each cookie and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool in a single layer so they can harden and become crisp.
To make these in the oven, I would spoon out batter on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 until golden brown.

Variations

These can also be made with vanilla extract. Start with a teaspoon and increase to desired flavor.

I tried to make these last season with no luck. I realized this time around, that they needed some starch for the crunch and to help hold this fragile cookie together. I was thrilled that these turned out this year...and got crisp once they cooled!!!!

Happy Holidays!

Dairy Free Coconut Cream Pie

November 21, 2012 Kate

I know you're thinking why on earth is this yellow not white? There are egg yolks in this recipe and I buy pastured eggs from a farm and the yolks are bright yellow-orange in color. It just so happened that one of the yolks was super dark in color...mmmm more nutrients!!! I could almost call this Coconut Custard Pie, it's that creamy!! I found it very easy to keep taste testing the filling over and over even though it tasted perfect the first spoonful. I might just have to make this filling alone and call it a pudding or turn it into an ice cream!!! Who says you need dairy to make things taste good!!!

Recipe: Dairy Free Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp coconut butter or more oil
3 dates, pitted*
1/4 tsp vanilla beans or vanilla ext
1-2 tbsp granulated sweetener (I used combo of Swerve and Palm Sugar)
dash of sea salt

Filling:

2 cans full fat coconut milk, refrigerated (I prefer Thai Kitchen Brand when using the cream portion)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil*
1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve with 2 tbsp palm sugar for the caramel flavor)
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2-3 egg yolks (more yolks means more custard like)
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Crust:

Place the cashews, coconut, sweetener, salt and dates in a food processor and pulse until it looks like rough sand
Add the oil, coconut butter and vanilla and combine until dough forms. If it doesn't start to stick you can add a tiny bit of water
Press dough into the bottom and sides of a glass pie pan
Place in the freezer to set while you make the filling

Filling:

Remove cans of coconut milk that have been refrigerated and scrape out the cream that is on the top of the can. This should be about 3/4 of the can.
Place the cream in a medium saucepan along with the sweetener, coconut, salt and coconut oil. Heat over medium high heat until it simmers, then remove from heat
While that is heating up, whisk the yolks and arrowroot in a small bowl.
Slowly add a ladle full at a time of the milk to the yolks and continue whisking every time you add more. This is tempering the yolks so they are "cooked".Do about 4 ladles worth and then add the yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture and return to MEDIUM heat for 30 seconds and keep mixing the entire time. The mixture should start to bubble. Remove immediately (don't want the eggs to start to cook!) and let cool about 5 minutes
Pour the filling into the crust and place in the freezer for an hour to set.
Move the pie from the freezer to the frig and store there until you are ready to serve it.

Quick notes

*I used deglet dates which are smaller than medjools. You may only need 2 medjools, unless you want it sweeter. Dates are found in the produce section of the grocery store or in the bulk aisle of Whole Foods

*Make sure you use Virgin Coconut Oil that has a coconut taste to it. You want this added flavor in the filling

Variations

Raw almonds should work for the crust as well. Cashews are a sweeter nut and pairs well with coconut.

If you want to get crazy, use your leftover egg whites combined with sweetener and vanilla to form a meringue to place on the of the filling once it's set.

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

November 19, 2012 Kate

Looking for something sweet to make for your Thanksgiving breakfast? These muffins are the perfect combination of tart with a bit of sweetness. I saw this muffin recipe from Cook's Illustrated...made with tons of gluten of course...and I was up for the challenge to make it grain free. It worked and needless to say, two batches were gone in a matter of days around here! The crumbly topping turns crisp once they are cooked and adds so much flavor along with the ground up pecans that make up some of the batter!

Grian Free Cranberry Pecan Muffins

Ingredients

Topping:

1/4 cup pecans
1 tbsp almond flour
1 1/2 – 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sweetener (I used 2 tbsp Swerve plus 1/2 tbsp coconut palm sugar to help it get crisp and add a brown sugar taste to it)
1 tbsp cold grass-fed butter*

Muffins:

1 1/3 cups almond flour
3/4 cup raw pecans, roasted
2 eggs
1/3 – 1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I used 1/2 cup Swerve to reduce sugar amount)
3 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 tbsp additional sweetener (I used Swerve)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 so it’s ready to go. When combining an acid (lemon juice) with baking soda as a leavening agent, you need to get the item in the oven as soon as you mix those two ingredients together.
In a dry skillet, roast the pecans. Remove from heat and place single layer in freezer for later. This is important or pecans will turn to butter if you try to food process them when they are warm
In a Food Processor, combine all of the topping ingredients and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Pour into bowl and set aside
In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, sweetener, salt and soda, set aside
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the butter or oil and lemon juice, set aside
Place the pecans in the Food Processor and pulse until it looks like coarse sand. It may look a bit wet, that’s ok, just don’t let it turn to pecan butter
Add the pecans to the flour mixture and set aside
Place the cranberries and additional sweetener in the Food Processor
and pulse until the cranberries are in small pieces
Make sure your muffin pan is lined and ready to go as you start to combine the wet with the dry ingredients
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and combine. Fold in the cranberries
Spoon batter into muffin tins, you should get 9-10 muffins
Place a spoonful of the topping onto each muffin, spread it out and press down a bit
Bake for 25-28 minutes until a hint of brown on top

Quick notes

*Coconut oil would work, but butter is what gives it the brownie and crispiness as well.

These are so good they could be served for dessert!!!

Grain Free Pumpkin Tart

November 18, 2012 Kate

I have never been a big pumpkin pie person...or pie person for that matter! I find it very easy to turn down dessert after our Thanksgiving meal. However, I loooove how this recipe turned out and will definitely be eating a slice of this for Thanksgiving!

I recently got a tart pan and some mini tart pans to play with. I used a 9 inch tart pan, but a pie pan should work just fine as well. You could even press this crust into the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish and turn these into bars.

I chose to cook the pumpkin a bit to take away a some of the raw flavor that it tends to have straight from the can. It has been pre-cooked before canning, but I felt this step was necessary. Feel free to skip the cooking part and add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.

Recipe: Grain Free Pumpkin Tart

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pecans
3 dates, pitted*
1 tbsp maple syrup*
1 tbsp coconut oil*

Filling:

1 can of pumpkin
3/4 cup full fat coconut milk cream (the hardened cream that forms at the top of the can once it’s been refrigerated)
1/3 cup coconut oil*
2 tbsp grass-fed butter or more coconut oil
1/2 -3/4 cup granulated sweetener (I used 1/2 cup Swerve and 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar to lower the sugar amount)
2 tbsp maple syrup*
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 heaping tsp nutmeg
1/4 heaping tsp ginger
1/4 heaping tsp cloves
dash of sea salt

Instructions

Crust:

Add the nuts and dates to a food processor and combine until the mixture looks like rough sand
Add in the syrup and oil and pulse until dough forms
Press dough evenly into 9 inch tart pan covering the bottom and sides
Place in the freezer while you make the filling so it can set

Filling:

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, oil, butter and sugar and bring to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and add the pumpkin, syrup and seasonings, stir well
Add the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth
Poor filling into the crust and place the tart into the freezer to set-up, about 30 minutes
Remove from freezer and place in the refrigerator, store there until right before you are ready to serve it

Quick notes

*I used Deglet dates which are smaller than Medjools, so you may only need 2 Medjools. Dates are found in the produce section and also in the bulk section of Whole Foods

*I used Xylitol Maple Syrup to lower the sugar amount. I also used mostly Swerve in the filling, it is my favorite completely natural sugar alternative!

*I prefer expeller or refined coconut oil so there is not a coconut taste to the filling or crust.

If you want to top with dairy free whipped cream, use the cream off the top of coconut milk like you did for the filling and blend it with a hand held mixer until fluffy and smooth. Add some vanilla and a bit of sweetener and blend until combined.

Grain Free Pumpkin Bars

November 14, 2012 Kate

Today is World Diabetes Day and the month of November is Diabetes Awareness month. I was asked to partake in a food bloggers event today that Carolyn from All Day I Dream About Food is hosting. She is doing a giveaway for a Kitchen-Aid Mixer. Head over to her page to enter to win and check out all of her low carb recipes while you are there!!!

Did you know that Type 2 Diabetes is no longer known as adult on-set, we are seeing so many cases in young children! This is just one more reason for you and your family to eat a low starch/sugar diet. At the end of the day, carbs are sugar...yes that includes fruits, sweet potatoes, etc. This is why I try to create recipes that are low starch and make going grain free that much easier. I have a sweet tooth so I also always give the option for a natural sugar replacement (my favorite that does not raise blood sugar levels is Swerve...and it's on sale the entire month of November)! There are essential amino acids (from proteins) and essential fatty acids that the body must have, but there is no carbohydrate that is essential! "What about fruit, it has so many nutrients?" I hear this often! There is a vegetable out there that can provide the same amount or more of the same nutrients without raising insulin levels. We just don't need them to thrive and survive!

I was asked to make my Pumpkin Butter Truffles for a family dinner this past weekend. I had some pumpkin leftover and a desire to bake leftover as well. I threw together this recipe and hoped for a delicious result as I stuck them in the oven. The batter tasted fantastic, so I knew they would taste good, but just didn't know if they would rise, fall or something in between! The result...huge hit!!! These are so moist and not to sweet.

Grain Free Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

2/3 cup Honeyville Almond Flour
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cup almond butter (I use the roasted self grind at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup Swerve (Palm sugar* works here if you prefer or a combo of both)
1 -2 tsp pumpkin spice to taste
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp soda

Instructions

Place the pumpkin, eggs, spice and almond butter in a food processor and blend for 1 minute
Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined
Pour the batter into a 9×9 greased pan
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

Quick Notes

Palm sugar is not necessarily diabetic friendly so use sparingly!

Enjoy! Don't forget to go register to win the Kitchen Aid Mixer!!!

Grain Free Chocolate Drop Cookies - No Bake

November 5, 2012 Kate

Some thing came up in conversation with my mom that reminded us of these cookies I used to make as a kid. Remember the chocolate oatmeal and peanut butter cookies you'd just drop on a cookie sheet and a short time later they were ready to eat without ever stepping foot in the oven? I sure do! I dug around for the recipe and realized about half the ingredients aren't allowed in my body. I thought about how I could change this recipe, I needed something with structure to replace the oats and nuts weren't exciting me. The recipe sat on the counter for a couple days and then got put away.

A few weeks ago I was in the mood for fudge or something of that consistency. I got on Pinterest and looked at my Dessert Inspiration Board, (a board full of dessert ideas that I want to try to healthify) which is the board with the most pins, go figure!!! I had pinned, not once, but twice this picture of these no-bake chocolate drop cookies. It was almost the exact same recipe as the one I just spoke of! Into the kitchen I went...and out I came 5 lbs heavier...at least I felt like that! Needless to say, I loved these and have made them a couple more times since.

These have become my go to sweet treat, they have replaced my daily serving of one of my dairy free ice creams up until now. These are delicious and full of healthy fats from butter (optional), coconut oil and almonds. I make mine with a natural sugar alternative, Swerve (erythritol), so they are sugar free as well! I love using Swerve in my recipes!!! It is basically fermented glucose so the sugars have been removed. For those of you that eat fermented foods, such as kraut, kombucha, etc, same concept in terms of the sugar being removed. Erythritol also naturally occurs in many fruits and vegetables like melons, grapes, asparagus as well as fermented foods. It does not affect blood glucose levels and will not upset your stomach. I love it and use it for all of my recipes that call for granulated sugar (I use palm sugar here and there to get a brown sugar, caramel taste at times). Swerve now has a confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) that I am going to try for some holiday baking. I have used Wholesome Sweeteners erythritol in the past and its great, but I think this is better! The Whole Foods at Southglenn, for you locals, sells it, but the best price is on the Swerve website. If you buy 3 packages, you save on the product and get free shipping! Stick around for some more news on Swerve, I just found out they are offering another deal for holiday baking, buy 2 packages of Confectioner (powdered) Swerve get on e free!!!!!! This is a great deal and can also be found at their website the month of November or simply click here!!!

Recipe: Chocolate Drop Cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious no sugar vanilla coconut milk)
1/4 cup grassfed butter or virgin coconut oil (I used a combo of both. I prefer virgin oil over expeller pressed oil so that you get more coconut tones)
3/4-1 cup granulated sweetener (I used 1 cup of Swerve, Start with less palm sugar)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup almond butter*
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of sea salt

Instructions

In a medium size sauce pan, combine the butter/oil, cocoa, sugar and milk
Bring to a boil, let boil for 1-2 minutes
Remove from heat and add in the almond butter, coconut, vanilla and salt. Stir until combined
Place spoonfuls of the mixture on parchment lined cookie sheet or plates
Place in the freezer to for 30 minutes to set
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Variations

*Any nut or seed butter would work here. You could also try coconut butter, but I am not sure I would do 3/4 cup, so start with less, the cookies will still turn out. The original recipe calls for peanut butter. Feel free to use it, but I would start with 1/2 cup. Almond butter isn't as pronounced as peanut butter in taste, therefore I used more of it than the original recipe called for (original called for peanut butter).

Pumpkin Spice Scones

October 15, 2012 Kate

It's that time of year when people get all excited about Pumpkin Lattes and Pumpkin Scones from Starbucks! I have to say I have not tried either one, not a coffee person and have been gluten free for years so the scone was never an option.

What is a scone? They originated in Britain and are thought of as individual light quick breads, made with a small proportion of butter and a high proportion of raising agent. Some may include dried fruit or chocolate chips. Traditionally they were served with butter or cream along side a morning or afternoon tea. My recipe does not include butter or oil, the pumpkin takes the place of that. You will also notice that I use 1 tsp of baking soda (rising agent) which is about double what I would use in a typical baked good.

I'm not tying to recreate the Starbuck's Scone, but here is a recipe that I think you will enjoy! I made a maple almond butter drizzle for the top of mine, but you could simply enjoy these warm with grass-fed butter.

Pumpkin Spice Scones

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond flour (I used Honeyville*)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/3-1/2 cup granulated sweetener (coconut palm sugar)* (I used 1/2 cup erythritol for low sugar option)
2 eggs
1/3 cup canned pumpkin (makes sure it’s not puree or these will be too moist)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (measure all spices as heaping)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

With a handheld mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and pumpkin. Stir in the vanilla after.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, spices, salt and soda
Combine the two bowls and mix well. Make sure the coconut flour is mixed in, it tends to clump
Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips
Dough should be stiff enough to form into two equal balls. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Form into two round loaves about 3/4 to 1 inch in thickness
Cut each loaf into 4 pieces and separate the pieces so they cook evenly
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until browned
Remove from heat and place on a wire cooling rack so they can dry out. Scones should not be real moist

Quick notes

*I suggest using Honeyville, Bob’s may make these too moist. They’ll still be good but not scone like.

*If you want to use less sugar, increase the almond flour amount by the amount of sugar you leave out.

I have found that baked goods that have coconut flour in them are better once they have been refrigerated. Coconut flour absorbs moisture and needs time to set in recipes. I have heard that the cold will condense some moisture onto the baked good. Whatever it is, I suggest doing it!!! Store baked goods in an airtight container,

Variations

For the glaze, I put almond butter, some maple syrup (I used Xylitol Maple Syrup for low sugar option) and a bit of unsweetened vanilla coconut milk (to thin it out) into a blender. Pour the mixture into a small ziploc bag and cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag. This makes drizzling easy and pretty!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Granola

September 21, 2012 Kate

Happy Fall!! Tomorrow is the first day of fall so bring on the pumpkin!

I think one of the biggest concerns for people going grain free is, "what will I eat for breakfast?" We have been so trained to eat cereals, toast, pancakes and waffles with an occasional egg for breakfast, carbs and more carbs! If you are missing your morning cereal, here's the solution! This granola recipe along with my other granola recipes (Banana Nut Granola and Almond Nut Joy Granola) are the perfect high fat and moderate protein breakfast! Enjoy them with unsweetened almond or coconut milk or on top of greek yogurt, if you tolerate dairy or just plain.

If you would prefer to make soft cookies out of this recipe as opposed to crunchy granola, that is an option. I personally like the granola best for the crunch, the cookies are soft and I prefer my nuts crunchy. Dehydration is recommended but certainly not required. If you have been thinking of getting a dehydrator, the one I have is very reasonable and so worth it! I have quite a few recipes that I use it for including, beef jerky, cookies and crackers. So if you have been contemplating, get it!!!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spiced Granola

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups raw nuts, chopped (I used almonds, pecans and walnuts)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup coconut chips (optional, replace with nuts or it may be too soupy)
2/3 cup almond flour
1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (optional or add more flour. I usedJay Robb’s Vanilla Egg White Protein)
1 tsp lucuma (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup, honey or coconut nectar*
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/8 cup almond butter
11/2 -2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
couple dashes of sea salt

Instructions

Combine the chopped nuts, seeds, coconut, protein powder, almond flour, lucuma and all the spices and salt in a bowl and mix well
In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, almond butter, liquid sweetener and vanilla
Combine the two bowls and stir until all the dry ingredients are coated
Place on dehydrator sheets in clumps and dehydrate at 145 for 2 hours, then turn down to 115 until desired crunch is obtained. I left it in there for 24 hrs.
For oven method, place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 175-200 until desired crunch is obtained. Stir every so often to cook evenly

Quick notes

* I used Xylitol Maple Syrup which is far less sweet than regular syrup and honey. I added 1/4 cup of erythritol as well. If you want it sweeter, make sure to add a granulated sweetener, not more liquid. It will make the granola too soupy.

Variations

If you prefer a soft cookie instead of crunchy granola, spoon out the “dough” onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 200 for 2 hours

Apple Cinnamon Upside Down Cakes

September 12, 2012 Kate

A few months ago I posted a recipe for Cherry Almond Upside Down Cakes...well it's time for a fall version! I first thought about trying to do this with pumpkin and pecans, but decided I just can't go wrong with apples and cinnamon. The recipes are very similar and super easy!! These have been a huge hit around here and do not last long after they come out of the oven! I suggest adding a scoop of my Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to the top of them while they are warm...yum!

Apple Cinnamon Upside Down Cakes

Makes 6 large cakes

Ingredients

Cakes:

1 1/4 cups almond flour*
2 eggs
1/4 cup grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey (I used Xylitol honey for lower sugar, or Swerve would also work)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Topping:

3/4 cup apples, skinned and diced (1 apple)
1 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coconut palm sugar or try Swerve

Instructions

Combine diced apples, 1 tbsp butter/oil, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp coconut palm sugar in a bowl and mix well
In a different bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter/oil, 1/4 cup honey and the vanilla extract
In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and soda
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl of egg mixture and stir until combined
Pour the apple mixture into the bottom of 6 holes of a greased muffin tin.
Pour the batter over the apple mixture, it will come close to the top
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until brown
Remove from the tins with a big spoon.

Quick notes

*I used Honeyville Almond Flour. these are already pretty moist so Bob’s Red Mill may make them REALLY moist but still delicious!

Let me know which one you like better, the apple or the cherry. I can't decide, they are both pretty darn good!

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