Dainty pink sparkly cookies are for fairies, princesses and charming people who love pretty, petite treats. These pink shortbread hearts are as cute as a button and so tender and delicious. They’re very simple to make and go perfectly with tea or lemonade. They also make a nice gift for Mother’s Day, baby showers, and especially for Valentine’s Day and Galentine celebrations.
Dainty Pink Shortbread Hearts
by Mari Vasseur
Tender, buttery mini shortbread cookies with sparkling sugar
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour and powdered sugar together until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the extracts until well combined. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. The dough may seem crumbly at first, but it will come together.
Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the parchment-covered dough onto trays and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cut out 36 heart shapes with a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place the hearts about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Sprinkle the cookies with sparkling sugar. Bake until the edges start to turn light golden brown, about 8-9 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
My personal eating philosophy is to eat everything in moderation. As you may know, I love enjoying desserts on occasion, but in my daily life I try to eat a variety of foods, mostly plants. One of my favorite plant foods, which happen to be loaded with antioxidants, are blueberries. Wild blueberries are especially rich in antioxidants. Wild blueberry season is during the summer, but luckily the frozen ones are available year around. I can happily eat a handful of blueberries, but it’s so much fun to make blueberry recipes too! I reached for my bag of frozen wild blueberries to make this subtly sweet breakfast cake. It reminds me of blueberry muffins or fluffy blueberry pancakes. For this recipe, I topped the cake with whipped cream and homemade Blueberry Maple Syrup, which is perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch. For a more simple, cozy breakfast, try this cake served warm with butter and maple syrup. So delicious and comforting!
Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake
Subtly sweet, rustic wild blueberry and maple cake, topped with whipped cream and homemade blueberry maple syrup by Brownie Mischief
2teaspoons pure maple extract or natural maple flavoring
½cup (118ml)whole milk, room temperature
â…“cup (75g)sour cream, room temperature
1cup (142g)wild blueberries, fresh or frozenSee note below*
Blueberry Maple Syrup
1cup (142g)wild blueberries, fresh or frozen
¼cup (60ml)real maple syrup
1pinchfine sea salt
â…“ cup (78ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15ml)water, divided
2teaspoonscornstarch
Sweetened Whipped Cream
¾cup (177ml)cold heavy whipping cream
2tablespoons (15g)powdered sugar, sifted
¼teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and maple extract in three additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the batter by hand, in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Gently stir in the blueberries.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Blueberry Maple Syrup
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the blueberries, maple syrup, salt and 1/3 cup (78ml) of water until the blueberries are softened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water. Stir the slurry into the blueberry mixture. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened, about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until frothy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping, at medium-high speed, until medium peaks form. Do not over whip. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
*If you're using frozen blueberries, there's no need to defrost them first. Just gently pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to your batter. If your blueberries are very icy, rinse them with cold water, then gently pat them dry with paper towels.
Chocolate is the most popular cake flavor, so there’s no doubt that Chocolate Cake Cookies would be well-loved also. These cookies are so tempting that they’ll be the most popular cookies on your cookie platter. These soft, rich cookies have the elements we all love about chocolate cake, without the cake mix. The perfectly silky, smooth chocolate buttercream makes them absolutely delicious! They look so festive and nostalgic with sprinkles on top. They remind me of the popular grocery store cookies, but better. Make sure to make a pot of coffee or grab a jug of milk to enjoy with these chocolatey treats.
Â
Chocolate Cake Cookies
Mari Vasseur
Soft, rich chocolate cookies with silky, smooth chocolate frosting
â…”cup (60g)unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
1teaspoonbaking powder
½ teaspoonfine sea salt
1cup (227g)unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼cups (250g)granulated sugar
2largeeggsroom temperature
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
sprinklesoptional
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
¼cup (74ml)maple syrup
2tablespoons (30ml)water
¼cup plus 2 tablespoons (34g)Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
4ounces (113g)bittersweet 70-72%) or semisweet chocolate, choppedsee note below*
10tablespoons (142g)unsalted butter, softened
â…”cup (80g)powdered sugar, sifted
1pinchfine sea salt
Instructions
Cookies
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. On low speed, or by hand, stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Refrigerate the dough just until it's easier to work with, about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the cookie dough into 24 portions, about 2 tablespoons (35g) each. (I used a #30 portion scoop.**) Roll them into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are puffed and start to darken around the edges, about 9-11 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Chocolate Frosting
In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the maple syrup, water, and cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Melt the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir gently until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and pale. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
Gradually add the cooled maple syrup mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the melted chocolate until well combined. Smooth out any air bubbles by stirring gently with a rubber spatula.
Frost the cooled cookies. Top with sprinkles if desired.
Notes
*For the smoothest results, use chopped bar chocolate for your frosting and make sure the chocolate is completely melted. Do not use chocolate chips. They contain an ingredient which prevents them from melting completely and may make your frosting lumpy.**To find the portion scoop I used, click here.
1 ¼cups (160g)all purpose flour, siftedplus 1 teaspoon for the mini chocolate chips
â…“cup (30g)Dutch process unsweetened dark cocoa powder, sifted
1teaspoon baking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonfine sea salt
¼teaspooncinnamon
½cup (100g)packed brown sugar
6tablespoons (75g)granulated sugar
½cup (115m)vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2largeeggs
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
â…“cup (78ml)buttermilk
â…”cup (160g)mashed very ripe bananas(about 2 medium bananas)
½cup (85g)mini semisweet chocolate chips
Maple Espresso Icing
1 ½tablespoons (23ml)maple syrup
2-3tablespoons (30-45ml)heavy cream
1 teaspoonespresso powder
½teaspoonpure maple extract
1cup (120g)powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
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.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well combined.
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.
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
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.
My mother was allergic to strawberries so my father would make her raspberry desserts instead. He frequently made her a white cake topped with raspberries, which she adored. My parents are no longer with us, but baking this delicious cake brings back happy memories for me. This soft, plush almond cake is topped with naturally pink raspberry icing. The soft pink color makes it so lovely and perfect for Mother’s Day. It looks delightful topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds, which is an effortless way to add a touch of spring or summer.
Â
Pink Raspberry Almond Cake
Soft, fluffy, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing by Brownie Mischief
3tablespoons (43ml)avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
1largeegg, room temperature
1largeegg white, room temperature
1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½teaspoonpure almond extract
¼cup (57g)sour cream, room temperature
½cup (118ml)whole milk, room temperature
Raspberry Icing
8largeraspberries
1 cup (120g)powdered sugar, sifted
1tablespoon (14g)unsalted butter, melted
1small dashfine sea salt
1-2tablespoons (15-30ml)whole milk, room temperature
Fresh raspberries for garnishoptional
Sliced almonds for garnishoptional
Instructions
Almond Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper round.* Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the egg white in two separate additions, beating until smooth and well combined. Beat in the extracts.
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together until well blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
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, making sure not to over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out and transfer it to a cooing rack to cool completely.
Raspberry Icing
In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach an easily spreadable consistency, but not watery. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds if desired.
Notes
*To find 8-inch parchment paper rounds, click here.
Over the holidays, my Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies went viral, so I thought it was time to introduce a spring version of the popular cookies. Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies have homemade blueberry filling with crumble topping and a touch of lemon zest in the dough to brighten them up. The sweet-tart lemon icing gives them the perfect balance. These delightful blueberry cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade.
Â
Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies
Vanilla cookies with a touch of lemon zest, topped blueberry filling, crumble topping and lemon icing by Brownie Mischief
Set aside 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries. Combine the remaining blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are softened and the sauce is a thick jam consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Crumb Topping
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, if using.
Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of the blueberry filling. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping onto the cookies.
Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Icing
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of lemon juice until well combined. Add additional lemon juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
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.
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing by Brownie Mischief
1 ¼cups (159g)all purpose flour, siftedplus 1 teaspoon for the blueberries
1teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspooncinnamon
½teaspoonfine sea salt
¼teaspoonground ginger
¼teaspoon ground nutmeg
½cup (100g)granulated sugar
½cup (100g)packed brown sugar
â…”cup (148ml)avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
2largeeggs
1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾cup (80g)finely shredded carrots
1cup (142g)blueberriesplus extra for the top of the cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
3ounces (85g)cream cheese, room temperature
6tablespoons (85g)unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼cups (150g)powdered sugar, sifted
½teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1pinchfine sea salt
2tablespoons (14g)frozen defrosted blueberries, with the liquidTo use fresh blueberries instead of frozen, see notes below.
1tablespoon (15ml)whole milk or half & half, room temperature
Food-safe or edible pesticide free flowersoptional
Instructions
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well blended. 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.
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
Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
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.
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 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.
Â
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
â…“cup (74ml)avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
2largeeggs
1teaspoonpure vanila extract
1cup (227g)mashed very ripe bananasabout 3 small or 2 large bananas
¼cup (57g)sour cream, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
½cup (113g)cream cheese, softened
½cup (113g)unsalted butter, softened
2 ½cups (300g)powdered sugar, sifted
¾teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1-2teaspoonsheavy cream, room temperature
1pinchfine sea salt
¼cup (70g)salted caramel saucestore bought or homemade*
Instructions
Banana Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
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 blended, 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.
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
In a medium-sized 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 blended.
Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well blended. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
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.
Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if it’s snowing where you live, you might be craving something deliciously bright, like this Sunshine Picnic Cake made with fresh orange juice and orange zest. The soft, moist cake is topped with a subtly tart citrus icing. It’s perfect for a spring or summer picnic, a tea party, weekend brunch or even an anytime snack. This recipe is so versatile that you can easily switch it up to make it a lemon cake if you wish.*
Â
Sunshine Picnic Cake
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
½cup (111ml)vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2largeeggsroom temperature
¼cup (59ml)orange juice
1teaspoonpure orange extract**
1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾cup (170g)sour creamroom temperature
Icing
1cup (120g)powdered sugar, sifted
1tablespoon (14g)unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon (15ml)lemon juice
1-2tablespoons (15-30ml)orange juice
1dashfine sea salt
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, and oil, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and creamy. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until blended. With the mixer on low speed or by hand, beat in the flour mixture in two additions followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined.
Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Alternately, if you want to transport the cake in the pan, you can let it cool in the pan.
Icing
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well blended. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing on the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Notes
*To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange juice with lemon juice. Replace the orange zest with the lemon zest of two medium lemons. Replace the orange extract with pure lemon extract. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.**To find pure orange extract, click here.
Crumb bars are easy-to-make, rustic dessert bars. These Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars might be the most sumptuous crumb bars I’ve ever made. They have a tender shortbread crust topped with a layer of raspberry jam, followed by chocolate chips, a generous crumb topping, then finished with a drizzle of icing. The raspberry jam and chocolate chips melt together in the oven creating a delicious filling that will remind you of raspberry truffles.
Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
Tender shortbread crust topped with raspberry jam, chocolate chips, crumb topping and a drizzle of icing
¼cup plus 2 tablespoons (43g)powdered sugar, sifted
1teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoon fine sea salt
¾cup (170g)unsalted butter, softened
Crumb Topping
1cup (128g)all purpose flour
â…“cup (66g)packed brown sugar
3tablespoons (37g)granulated sugar
¼teaspoon fine sea salt
6tablespoons (85g)cold, unsalted butter, cubed
Filling
1cup (312g)raspberry jam or fruit spread
¾cup (128g)semisweet or dark chocolate chips
Icing
¾cup (90g)powdered sugar, sifted
1tablespoon (14g)unsalted butter, melted
¼teaspoonpure vanilla extract
â…›teaspoonpure almond extract
1pinchfine sea salt
2tablespoons (30ml)whole milk or half & half
Instructions
Crust
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat just until the dough comes together.
Press the dough evenly into the baking pan. Bake until the surface is light golden born, about 20-23 minutes.
Crumb Topping
Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand, with no large pieces of butter remaining Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Filling
Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the warm crust. Top with the chocolate chips. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
Icing
In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, butter, extracts, salt and 1 tablespoon of milk together. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Remove the cooled bars from the pan and drizzle with icing. Cut the bars into 2 inch squares.
Little chocolate donuts are a fun, nostalgic treat from my childhood. I’m talking about the ones at the local market that come in a plastic sleeve. I remember sharing the waxy little donuts with a friend, and at the time we thought they were delicious. Now that I’m an adult, I realize that homemade ones taste soo much better and they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make. They’re delicious with either naturally pink strawberry icing or chocolate glaze. I shared the recipe for both options below.
For Valentine’s Day, I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan for the donuts shown in the photo, but a standard round mini donut pan works too. A sprinkle of pink sparkling sugar makes them extra special, especially for Galentine’s Day.
1-2tablespoons (15-30ml)whole milk, room temperature
Chocolate Glaze
6tablespoons (85g)unsalted butter
4ounces (113g)semisweet chocolate, chopped
2teaspoonslight corn syrup
Instructions
Little Chocolate Donuts
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray a mini donut pan with nonstick spray. (I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan** but a standard round mini donut pan***works too.)
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
Transfer the batter to the donut pan, using a piping bag or a plastic food storage bag with the corner cut off. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the donuts comes out clean, about 6-8 minutes. Do not over bake or the donuts will dry out. Transfer the donuts to a cooling rack. Clean the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
In a heat safe bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and corn syrup together, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Dunk the top surface of the cooled donuts into the glaze or spoon it over the tops.
Notes
*To find pink sparkling sugar, click here.**To find the heart-shaped mini donut pan I used, click here.***To find a standard mini donut pan, click here.
If you’re a fan of the movie, My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll love these cute little tarts with bellies full of blueberry filling. I watched this movie multiple times over my break from Christmas to New Year’s Day. 2024 was such a roller coaster, that I needed something that brings happiness and comfort. I hope these yummy little cuties will bring you happiness too!
I shared my flaky pie crust recipe below along with the filling. If you want to streamline the process, you can certainly use store bought pie crust. But I must say that that I’ve made them both ways and the homemade crust tastes so much better! You can use a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* to make the pies or you can use the free printable pattern** I provided below. For best results, make sure your dough is nice and cold when cutting it out. You can also use any leftover pie scraps to make tiny Chibi Totoros if you like. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for a few minutes until light golden brown.
2 ½cups (312-340g)blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
1teaspoonlemon juice
6tablespoons (75g)sugar
4teaspoons (13g)cornstarch
1dashfine sea salt
½teaspoon pure vanila extract
Icing
1 ½cups (180g)powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½tablespoons (21g)unsalted butter, melted
2-3tablespoons (30-45ml)milk
½teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1dashfine sea salt
Decor
1tablespoon (11g)chopped semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
Crust
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed. Work in the butter until flat, dime-size pieces are formed.
In a glass measuring cup, stir the ice water and the vinegar together. Sprinkle it over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring the dough until it 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 few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Form the portions into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Filling & Assembly
Set aside 1/2 cup of blueberries. In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of blueberries and the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberries and the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 9-10 Totoro shapes out of each dough portion using a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* or cut with a paring knife using the provided pattern.** You should get 20 Totoro cut-outs out of the homemade dough, only re-rolling the dough scraps once. Store bought dough will yield about 18 cut-outs, re-rolling the scraps once. (Let the re-rolled dough scraps rest in the refrigerator until firm before cutting.) Place half of the Totoro cut-outs, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets.
Brush the edges of the Totoro cut-outs with egg wash, using your finger or a small pastry brush. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Place a second cut-out over each one. Press the edges together with your fingers, beginning at the bottom and working your way up the sides. Wipe up any excess blueberry drips with a paper towel. Crimp the edges with a small fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small ventilation slit into the center of each tart. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. (If the ears start to brown too fast, you can cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.) Transfer the tarts to a cooling rack.
Icing & Decor
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla and salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the bellies of the cooled Totoro tarts. Pipe dots for the eyes. When the icing has dried, you can use melted chocolate to make the eyeballs, noses and decorate the bellies.
Notes
*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.
