Ingredient: cinnamon

Caramel Pecan Banana Brownies

If you love the flavors of chocolate and bananas together, these Caramel Pecan Banana Brownies are for you! These rich, fudgy brownies are the perfect decadent chocolate-banana dessert. The addition of caramel, pecans and sea salt gives them texture and balance. This recipe was a challenge to create because, while adding bananas to a brownie recipe does add moisture, it can also give the brownies a cake-like texture. That’s desirable in banana bread, but for brownies, most of us love a traditional fudgy texture. I solved that issue and I’m excited to share this fudgy, gooey Banana Brownie recipe with you!

These brownies are on the sweeter side, so I like adding dark chocolate chips or a combination of dark and semisweet chocolate chips. Adding the nuts to the top of the batter, rather than stirring them in, gives them a toasty flavor and helps maintain their crunch. An optional sprinkle of flaky sea salt adds the perfect finishing touch. They’re TDF served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Print Recipe
 Caramel Pecan Banana Brownies
Fudgy banana brownies with chocolate chips, topped with pecans, caramel and sea salt
Course Dessert
Keyword brownies, caramel pecan banana
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword brownies, caramel pecan banana
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  2. In a medium-size light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and salt until well combined.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well blended and most of the brown sugar is dissolved. Mix in the cocoa powder and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Stir in the mashed bananas. Mix in the flour, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Arrange the pecan halves on top of the batter or if you're using pecan pieces, sprinkle them evenly on top of the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes. (If you hit a melted chocolate chip with the toothpick, test again in a different spot.) Do not over bake!
  5. Let the brownies cool in the pan. Remove the cooled brownies from the pan and drizzle with caramel sauce. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Fresh apples + flaky pie crust + buttery streusel topping + caramel drizzle = a heavenly combination of autumn flavors, textures and aromas in one handheld treat. These Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies are irresistible and even a little addicting. They’re the perfect bake for a crisp autumn day and they go beautifully with all of the warm, cozy fall drinks from lattes to teas.

With this recipe, I’m sharing an idea I use to fill the pies with even more apples, which is cutting the top crusts a bit larger than the bottom crusts. It’s also helpful to arrange the apples on the crusts by hand which helps to avoid any air pockets.

The buttery crumb topping takes these hand pies to another level. You can add as much or as little of the crumb topping as you like. Typically I say to follow measurements strictly when baking, because it’s an exact science, but with this streusel crumb topping, go ahead and measure with your heart when topping your hand pies.

Print Recipe
 Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies
Fresh apple hand pies with buttery streusel crumb topping and caramel drizzle
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel apple crumble, hand pies, pie
Servings
hand pies
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Apple Filling
Crumb Topping
Assembly
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword caramel apple crumble, hand pies, pie
Servings
hand pies
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Apple Filling
Crumb Topping
Assembly
Instructions
Pie Crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Work in the shortening with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed. Work in the butter until flat dime-sized pieces are formed.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Sprinkle the ice water mixture over the flour mixture a little at a time and stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Do not overwork the dough! Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form the portions into 1/2-inch thick rectangular blocks. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Apple Filling
  1. In a small bowl whisk the apple juice together with the cornstarch. Set aside. Toss the apples and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and starts to sizzle add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently until well combined. Cook until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the apples soften a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until no large pieces of butter are remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assembly
  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 by 4 1/2-inches for the bottoms. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 1/4 by 4 3/4-inches for the tops.
  2. Chill the cut dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Place the 6 bottom pieces on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the perimeter edges of the dough with egg wash. Top with filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Pinch off pieces of the softened butter and dot the tops of the filling. Place on the top pieces of dough and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a 1/2-inch ventilation slit in the top of each one. Top with crumb topping, pressing it lightly to adhere.
  3. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Drizzle the warm or room temperature pies with caramel sauce.
Recipe Notes

*Slice the apples about 3/8-inch thick, then cut the slices in half

**For my Homemade Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For my Easy Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For store bought caramel sauce, click here.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing


Print Recipe


Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Tender, moist chocolate banana bread loaded with mini chocolate chips, topped with maple espresso icing by Brownie Mischief

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Servings
loaf


Ingredients
Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Maple Espresso Icing

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Servings
loaf


Ingredients
Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Maple Espresso Icing


Instructions
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the inside of the baking pan with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder.

  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well combined.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together, by hand or with an electric mixer, the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. In a small bowl, toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of flour, then stir them into the batter.

  4. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. If you hit melted chocolate chips, insert another toothpick in a different spot. You can also use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be approximately 200ºF (95ºC). Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.

Maple Espresso Icing
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cream, the espresso powder and maple extract, until the espresso powder is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and continue whisking until well combined. Add additional cream until the desired consistency is reached. whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cooled loaf.


Recipe Notes

To find the loaf pan I used, click here.

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Spring is here and it’s the season to eat carrot cake! Many people have strong opinions about which add-ins are best to use in carrot cake. Some popular ones, besides the carrots themselves, include nuts, pineapple, raisins, and even coconut. My Blueberry Carrot Cake came about when I was thinking about making a breakfast carrot cake. I replaced the typical add-ins with blueberries and the results were so delicious. I originally made this cake with a maple-butter glaze which was perfect for a breakfast cake. For Easter brunch, I opted to dress up the cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting, fresh blueberries and lilacs. This combination is magical.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Carrot Cake
Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Blueberry Carrot Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the carrots. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 37-43 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  3. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the smashed blueberries and beat until smooth. Add milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.
Recipe Notes

To use fresh blueberries for the frosting, place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries start to soften. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher. Press this mixture through a sieve into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana bread is typically everyone’s go-to when we have overripe bananas on our countertops. There’s something so wholesome and comforting about a slice of homemade banana bread. This Banana Cake recipe gives you all of those heart-warming feelings, but it’s a little more flavorful, rich and satisfying. The cake is moist, soft and fluffy. The silky Cream Cheese Frosting pairs beautifully with the spices in the cake. A swirl of salted caramel adds the perfect, decadently delicious finishing touch.

Print Recipe
 Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Moist, flavorful banana sheet cake topped with silky cream cheese icing and salted caramel sauce by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Instructions
Banana Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
  1. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Beat in the butter, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth and well combined.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well combined. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  3. Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the frosting with a spoon, adding more if desired.
Recipe Notes

*For my homemade caramel sauce recipe, click here.

For my easy caramel sauce recipe, click here.

To find premade salted caramel sauce, click here.

I Love You Beary Much Cookies

"I Love You Beary Much" sugar cookies shaped like bears with bear cubs

Have you seen those cute Teddy bear cookies on social media with the bear holding an almond or a heart? I’m not sure where they originated but they’re sometimes called Pinterest cookies because so many people have found them there. I had an idea to have the Teddy bears hold baby bear cookies instead of nuts and I was going to save them for Mother’s Day. But then I thought they would also be so cute for Valentine’s Day. I made them in three different flavors to represent our beautiful human diversity.

Print Recipe
 I Love You Beary Much Cookies
Teddy bear cookies with baby bear cookies in vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate variations
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, sugar
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, sugar
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth. Add both sugars and the salt and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well combined then beat in the extracts. On low speed, beat in the flour just until combined.
  2. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Mix the cinnamon into one portion of dough. Mix the cocoa powder into another portion of dough. Form the dough portions into disks, wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  3. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 24 bears using a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter* and 24 mini bears using a 1 3/4-inch or smaller cookie cutter.** (Re-roll the dough scraps as needed, letting the dough rest in the refrigerator until chilled before cutting again.) Place the bears onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Top each one with a mini bear. Fold over one or both arms of each bear. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the cookies until set and the edges barely start to brown, about 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.
  5. Using food coloring and a toothpick, draw the bears faces. With a small food safe paintbrush apply luster dust to make rosy cheeks. Use a dab of icing or melted chocolate to apply the candy hearts.
Recipe Notes

*To find the bear cookie cutter I used, click here.

**To find mini bear cookie cutters click here.

Mini Banana Bread Puddings

These delightful Mini Banana Bread Puddings are a great way to use up leftover banana bread. At my house, we rarely have any leftover banana bread so I like to bake a special loaf of banana bread just for this recipe, a couple of days before I want to serve the bread puddings. If you need a banana bread recipe, try My Favorite Banana Bread, click here for the recipe. These personal bread puddings make an equally delicious brunch or dessert. You can top them with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream which makes them even more delicious.

Print Recipe
 Mini Banana Bread Puddings
Individual banana bread puddings with caramel sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword banana, bread pudding
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Cuisine American
Keyword banana, bread pudding
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the banana bread cubes on the baking sheet. Bake until dry and slightly crisp, about 10-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar and cinnamon together until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, salt and the cinnamon-sugar mixture together until well combined. Add the cooled banana bread cubes to the egg mixture and gently toss to coat. Let sit until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180º). Generously butter six 7 or 8-ounce ramekins or a 6-serving jumbo muffin pan. (You can also line the bottoms of the ramekins or the muffin pan with parchment paper rounds to make them easier to release. The parchment isn't necessary if you want to serve the bread puddings in ramekins.) Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
  5. Spoon the banana bread cubes into the ramekins or the muffin pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Top each one with a few pecans.
  6. Bake until the bread puddings are golden brown and the center is set, about 25-33 minutes. Let the puddings cool for about 5 minutes, then turn them out if you're using a muffin pan. Drizzle the warm bread puddings with caramel sauce and top with whipped cream if desired.
Recipe Notes

To find 7-ounce ramekins, click here.

To find 8-ounce ramekins, click here.

To find a jumbo muffin pan, click here.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies

Pecan Pie Cookies

My Peach Crumble Pie Cookies were so popular that I decided to make a Pecan Pie version. These buttery little tarts have a sweet, gooey pecan filling that’s the perfect contrast to the tender shortbread crusts. They taste like autumn and Thanksgiving in a cute little pie. They also make a delightful addition to your Christmas cookie platter. Make sure to use good quality butter, so your shortbread crusts will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Print Recipe
 Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies
Tender, buttery shortbread crusts topped with rich, gooey pecan pie filling in a cute mini size
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Instructions
Shortbread Crusts
  1. Lightly spray a 12-serving muffin pan* with nonstick spray. (If you're concerned about the cookies sticking to the pan, see notes below.**)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed or by hand, just until combined.
  4. Press generous tablespoon size (about 20g each) portions of dough into the bottoms and 1/4-inch up the insides of the muffin pan cups with a pastry tamper dipped in flour. You can also use the bottom of a flat shot glass. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the pecan filling.
Pecan Filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a medium-size saucepan, combine the pecans, butter, brown sugar and maple syrup over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let the mixture bubble gently for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, cinnamon and salt. Return the pan to the heat and let the mixture bubble gently on low heat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the vanilla and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
  2. Top the cookie crusts evenly with the pecan filling mixture. Bake until the cookies are set and the topping is golden brown and bubbly, about 14-16 minutes. Cool the cookies completely in the pan. Once cool, remove the cookies from the pan by running a small offset spatula or paring knife around the inside perimeter of the muffin cups to loosen them.
Recipe Notes

*To find the12-serving  muffin pan I used, click here.

** You can line the bottoms of the muffin cups with 2-inch parchment circles to make sure your cookies release. I don't recommend cupcake liners because the cookies stick to the ridges of the liners. You can, however, cut the circles from the bottom of the cupcake liners if you don't have parchment paper.

Maple Blueberry Buckle

Maple Blueberry Buckle

A “buckle” is a single layer cake made with fruit. It often has a crumb topping similar to a crumb cake or a coffee cake. My version of a buckle is made with blueberries and maple icing. Although blueberry desserts are typically made when blueberries are in season, this delicious cake can be made year around, because the recipe also works well with frozen blueberries. The maple flavor pairs beautifully with the blueberries and brown sugar in the cake and gives it a cozy autumn feeling.

Print Recipe
 Maple Blueberry Buckle
Tender maple brown sugar cake topped with blueberries, crumb topping and maple icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword buckle, cake, maple blueberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword buckle, cake, maple blueberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Work in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to make chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 9-inch square cake pan* with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the extracts until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream together. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Mix just until combined.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Set aside 1/4 cup (38g) of blueberries. Top the cake batter evenly with the remaining blueberries, then the topping mixture. Top with the reserved blueberries. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool the cake in the pan. Remove the cake from pan and transfer it to a serving platter.**
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter, maple extract, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

*To find the 9-inch square cake pan I used, click here.

**To remove the cake from the pan, tilt the cake pan and lift one end of the cake using the parchment paper as a handle. Gently slide the cake onto a serving platter or cutting board. You can also serve the cake directly out of the pan if you prefer.

Apple Cinnamon Mini Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Mini Muffins

These delicious little two-bite muffins are the apple version of my viral Pumpkin Cinnamon Mini Muffins. They have fresh apples in the batter which helps to make them soft and moist. They’re rolled in cinnamon sugar after baking, which gives them a subtle crunch on the outside. These delightful mini muffins have the flavor and texture of cake donuts. They’re perfect on their own, but I love to serve them with caramel sauce for dipping which takes them over the top.

Print Recipe
 Apple Cinnamon Mini Muffins
Soft, tender apple mini muffins rolled in cinnamon sugar
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, cinnamon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
Cinnamon Sugar
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, cinnamon, muffins
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
Cinnamon Sugar
Instructions
Muffins
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a 24-serving mini muffin pan.* Do not use muffin liners. (The muffins need to form an outer crust. This prevents them from absorbing too much melted butter in the last step.)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla extract together until smooth and well combined. Stir in the puréed apples. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. The batter will be thick.
  4. Transfer the batter to prepared pan, filling the muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 9-11 minutes. Do not over bake! Be diligent, since over baking can happen very quickly with mini muffins. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out and place on a cooling rack.
Cinnamon Sugar
  1. Whisk the cinnamon and granulated sugar together in a shallow bowl until well combined. Briefly dunk the warm muffins in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
Recipe Notes

*To find the mini muffin pan I used, click here.

**If your applesauce is very watery, drain the excess liquid before measuring.

Brown Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are the most nostalgic and comforting cookies. A warm, freshly baked oatmeal cookie is like a hug from your grandmother. For this recipe, I kept the cozy, nostalgic flavor we all love about oatmeal cookies, but enhanced them with toasty, brown butter. I also added dark chocolate, which gives them a bit of decadence and modern sophistication. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, you can use semisweet chocolate instead.

Print Recipe
 Brown Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies made with toasty, fragrant brown butter and cinnamon and studded with dark chocolate pieces
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate oatmeal, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate oatmeal, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
  4. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the cooled brown butter and mix until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix in the flour mixture, just until combined. Stir in the oats.
  5. Set aside a few chocolate pieces for the tops. Stir the remaining chocolate pieces and the pecans (if using) into the dough. Form the dough into 12 portions, about 3 tablespoons each. Roll into balls and place about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Top the dough balls with the reserved chocolate pieces. Bake until the centers puff up and the edges start to turn light golden brown, about 9-11 minutes.
  6. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. (If your cookies spread too much** you can immediately use a large round cookie cutter or a small bowl to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve perfectly round cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.)
Recipe Notes

*If you want a sweeter cookie, you can use a semisweet chocolate bar instead.

**You can also try chilling your dough balls for 20 minutes to prevent excess spreading. Bake a test cookie before baking the entire batch when trying a new recipe.

Apple Fritter Cake with Brown Butter Icing

If you love apple fritters, you’ll adore this moist, tender cake that’s loaded with fresh apples and topped with rich brown butter icing. This is the best Apple Fritter Cake recipe I’ve ever tasted! A couple of simple steps give it the most flavor and the best texture. The apples are cooked briefly on the stovetop before being added to the batter. This gives the apples a better flavor and texture and prevents soggy spots in your cake. The juices that the apples release during this step are saved to add to the icing. The browned butter in the icing adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes this cake over the top.

Print Recipe
 Apple Fritter Cake with Brown Butter Icing
A moist, tender, subtly spiced cake loaded with fresh apples and topped with rich brown butter icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword apple, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Apples
Cake
Icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword apple, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Apples
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Apples
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the apples. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples release their juices and start to become tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Drain the cooled apples, reserving the juice for the icing.
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. (I used a ceramic baking dish.*)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla extract.
  4. Stir in the flour mixture in 2 additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the cooled, drained apples.
  5. Transfer the batter to the baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will be clean or have a few moist crumbs attached, about 23-28 minutes. Do not over bake.
Icing
  1. In a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer it to a small bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the cooled brown butter with the powdered sugar, reserved apple juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk and the salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

*To find an 8-inch ceramic baking dish, click here.