Chewy Molasses Cookies

October 8, 2012 18 Comments

Chewy molasses cookies…need I say more?

Well if you really want to know, here’s the truth: I made a whole batch of these and Jason and I ate them all. In one sitting. Moderation and discipline disappeared once we bit into these chewy, sweet, and spicy pieces of pure joy. And the stomach ache was well worth it.

Oh, the risks I face as a food blogger.

So when you make these, beware. They are highly addictive. You may find yourself licking the remnants off the baking sheet, searching for your self-control.

Chewy Molasses Cookies
makes about a dozen
*this recipe was inspired by Martha Stewart’s Molasses Spice Cookies  

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp molasses

1/4 cup sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl or stand up mixer beat vegan butter and and sugar until light and fluffy. Add oil and molasses and mix to combine. In several batches add the dry ingredients until a dough begins to form. Don’t overmix.

Place rolling sugar in a small bowl. Pinch off about 1 tbsp of dough and roll into a ball. Coat with sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on baking sheet about two inches apart and bake for 10-13 minutes until the edges begin to firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cookies to cool completely.

Enjoy!
(I dare you to save some for tomorrow)

Keep your eye on The Sweet Life this week because in honor of my 6-month blogoversary (that’s right, I’m turning 1/2 year old) I am having a very exciting giveaway. 

Filed Under: sweets, sweets, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Caramel Apple Crumble

September 3, 2012 4 Comments

Happy happy autumn, my favorite time of year. Okay I know it’s not technically the fall, but as I mentioned the other day, I defy calendars (and the earth and the moon) this time of year. Autumn, in my opinion, begins with Labor Day. So as I was saying, happy happy autumn, I’m so glad you’re here!

There are so many things I love about the fall.
The color pallet.
The holidays.
The food.
I love the way it makes me feel contentedly nostalgic.
And pulling out my knitting needles for the first time in the season and getting to work on Christmas gifts for my nieces.
I love warm spicy chai
And fires in the fireplace.

And apple pie. I love apple pie. But better yet, caramel apple pie. I LOVE caramel apple pie.

Caramel Apple Crumble
*revised from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook
makes (1) 9” pie or (4-5) 4” pies

Crumb Crust
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) vegan butter (I use earth balance)

Apple Pie Filling
8-9 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegan butter

Caramel Sauce
makes 1 cup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegan creamer or coconut milk

This crumb crust is a simplified substitution for pie crust. With no rolling or shaping involved, it is an easy solution for even the most novice of bakers. And in my opinion, the taste is far superior.

Begin by making your caramel sauce. Here is my method.  Allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the pie. *Caramel Sauce has a long shelf life and can be made days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. This time of year I’ll often make larger batches so that I always have a little caramel on hand.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil your pie pan and set aside.

Mix together flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add vegan butter in small chunks and with a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut into the dough until it resembles small pea sized pieces (a few larger ones are okay). Using half the dough, press firmly into the bottom and sides of the pie pan so that the crust evenly covers the inside of the pan. Place in freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare filling.

Core, peel, and slice the apples then mix with lemon juice, sugar, spices, and salt until apples are well coated. Place apple mixture into chilled crust, creating a mound in the center. Dot the top with vegan butter and drizzle 3-4 tbsp of caramel sauce over the apple mixture. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs in clumps so that the entire top is covered.

Bake for 45-60 minutes until apple filling starts to bubble and crumb top begins to golden. Let cool completely before serving.

Top with extra caramel sauce and serve with Coconut Whipped Cream or Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Do you love the fall? Or are you sad to see summer go? If you are excited about autumn’s arrival, what are some of your favorite things about the season?

Beyond the things I mentioned I love:
Listening to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack
Everything about Halloween
Fall equinox parties
The world series
Sweet potato pies
And cold rainy nights (from the window of a warm cozy house)

 

Filed Under: Eating in Season, Fall, sweets Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Marionberry Lavender Pie for one

July 6, 2012 4 Comments

Did you know it’s National Pie week? I just found out yesterday via Facebook. Good thing I did because I found another pint of marionberries in my farm crate and I wanted to do something very special for them.

You know how mason jars are the big thing these days? If you’re on Pinterest you know what I’m talking about. There are numerous blog posts about ways to use old mason jars, from decorating to gift giving to baking. And I love it all. So it was time to try my own Mason Jar experiment.

Marionberry Lavender Pie
serves: one
1/2 pint mason jar (wide mouth)

Pie Crust
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup pastry flour (all purpose will work)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cold water


Marionberry Pie Filing
1 cup fresh marrionberries
1 tbsp agave
1 tsp crushed lavender
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt


* I chose coconut oil for this recipe because it’s healthier than margarine but because it resembles shortening in texture it will still allow for a flaky crust. For this recipe keep the coconut oil in it’s solid form, do not melt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil mason jar.
To make crust combine flour and salt in small bowl. Add coconut oil and cut in until dough is crumbly. It will be very dry. Add cold water a little at a time and combine until dough starts to form. Do not over-mix.

Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8th inch thick. Using the top ring of the mason jar cut out your circle for the top. Press in the remaining dough inside the mason jar, about a quarter inch past the top lip.

*Please note, my pictures have a shorter pie with a lattice top. This is because I skimped on the dough and realized it too late. I doubled the dough recipe so you will be enough to cover sides and top.

Place in refrigerator while making the filling.

To make the filling mixall ingredients in a medium pot and place on stove over med-high heat, stirring often. Bring to a boil, stir constantly for 1 minute then remove from heat. Pour into chilled dough. Top with dough circle and press sides together like this:

This picture is not mine, it’s from here. But this is how it ought to look before baking.

At this point, it you made a larger batch, you could cover jars with lids and freeze, baking individually whenever you have a craving. Or you can bake right away. Brush top with soy milk, melted margarine, or melted coconut oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite thing to do with Mason Jars? I do a lot of decorating with mine, candle holders, vases, things like that. I also like making cookie or cake mixes (drys only) and gifting them. These pies could also make great gifts around the holidays.

Filed Under: Eating in Season, Summer, sweets Tagged With: , , , ,

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Creamsicles

June 22, 2012 31 Comments


One of the best thing about living in Oregon is the fresh and local strawberries. And then of course there are the hazelnuts. Oh and the coffee. And the mountains. The coast. The gorge. And of course Portland’s naked bike ride.  Let me rephrase: there are so many great things about living in Oregon, among which are the fresh, local strawberries. If you have been following me over the past week, you already know that I have an abundance of strawberries and yesterday in between consoling, playing, and feeding my daughter, I de-stemed, washed, and froze bags and bags of berries. In the process I got hungry and paused to whip up a batch of Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Creamsicles. Thanks goodness I did!

You ready for an incredible easy yet fantastic summer dessert?

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Creamsicles
makes about 10 creamsicles

2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1 can full fat coconut milk
1-2 tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp coconut oil

In a food processor, blend together strawberries until smooth. Add coconut milk, agave nectar, and vanilla and process until combined. Pour into popsicle molds and place in freezer until frozen all the way through.

Combine chocolate and coconut oil and melt in a microwave or double boiler.

Prepare a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or waxed paper. Dip frozen creamsicles into melted chocolate and set on cookie sheet. Return to freezer for a couple minutes. Enjoy!

Hope you all have a wonderful summer weekend! Get excited for next week; The Sweet Life is having it’s very first giveaway!

Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, Summer, sweets Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

no bake oatmeal raisin cookie bites

June 15, 2012 4 Comments

The other day I had walnuts soaking overnight for a raw “tuna” salad but the next morning I just wasn’t in the mood. I wanted something sweet. I scanned through my pantry, trying to figure out what ingredients I could throw together to get my sweet fix and ta da! the No Bake Cookie Bites were born.

No Bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bites
gluten-free, sugar-free, and soy-free
makes 12

1 cup soaked walnuts
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup oats, 1/2 ground together (use gf oats to make the cookies gluten-free)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp raisins

In a food processor mix together dates, walnuts, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla until it is a fairly smooth paste. Add 1/4 cup oats and blend into the mixture. Remove dough from food processor and place in a medium sized bowl. Fold in the remaining oats and raisins.
Scoop dough into 2 Tbsp sized pieces and roll into balls. Allow cookie bites to set up in the refrigerator for an hour. Store in fridge.

Enjoy!
I’ll be experimenting with a lot of flavor combinations. These cookies are so easy, good, and healthy! Next up…Peanut Butter Cookie Bites.
What is your favorite kind of cookie?
Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, sweets Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Coconut Lime Cream Cake

June 4, 2012 15 Comments

Sweet Summer, how I love you! And this summer is going to be a good one. Wanna know why? Because it hasn’t even started and I’m already enjoying a coconut lime cream cake. And now you can too. Get excited about this delicious, creamy, and refreshing dessert because it’s so easy, so quick, and one that everyone can enjoy.

Coconut Lime Cream Cake
raw, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free
yields: 4 small tarts or cakes
prep time: 20 minutes + 2 hours freezer time

Crust
1 cup unsalted pistachios
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
pinch of salt

Filling
1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight.
1 avocado
6 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tsp coconut extract
zest of 1lime

Topping
1 can coconut milk, chilled overnight

Lightly spray four small tart shells or an individual cake pan.
Side note: This is what I’m talking about when I say individual cake or brownie pan.

I use this pan all the time (remember the raw chocolate cheesecake and orange creamsicle) and
it has become one of my favorite ways to make individual servings. But if you don’t have small tart shells or a pan similar to this, a muffin tin works great for individual servings.

Okay, back to recipe
Mix the crust ingredients (pistachios, agave, and salt) together in a food processor until pistachios are ground up and hold together. Divide evenly between the four tart, cake, or muffin pans. Press pistachios into the bottom of the pans and set aside to make a filling.

In a food processor combine the rest of the ingredients. You only want to use the fatty, cream part of the coconut milk which, if chilled the night before, will be nicely separated to the top of the can and will scoop out easily.  Mix ingredients until well combined. Scoop batter into the tart shells almost to the top and place in freezer.

To make the topping use your second can of coconut milk the same way as the first, scooping out only the solids. Blend with hand mixture until it resembles whipped cream. You may want to sweeten the coconut whipped cream a little in which case you can add about 1 tbsp agave nectar.

Pull cream cakes out of the freezer and create a smooth top with coconut whipped cream. Place back in freezer and allow to set up for 2 hours.

When ready to serve remove from the freezer, take cream cakes out of pans (you may have to run a hot knife around the edges and give it a few thumps upside down) and allow to thaw 15-20 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!

Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, sweets Tagged With: , , , , ,
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