These Vanilla Pistachio and Strawberry Mini Loaf Cakes are a great choice for entertaining. The easy to make cakes have a buttermilk and vanilla base, and they are studded with chopped pistachios and strawberries. I used freeze dried strawberries in these cakes, which give nice pops of both color and strawberry flavor without weighing down the crumb or making it soggy. While I typically prefer to use toasted nuts in my recipes, I opted for raw pistachios in this one. Raw pistachios have a nice sweetness to them and a vibrant green color, both of which I wanted to capture here to contrast with ..read more

Peanut butter and chocolate are a great combination in any format. In many desserts, chocolate takes center stage and peanut butter adds a salty, supporting element. In these Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache, peanut butter is the star. The cookies are crisp, peanut butter cookies that are sandwiched together with a chocolate and peanut butter ganache. The result is a cookie that is reminiscent of a peanut butter cup, but with even more peanut butter flavor! I’ve long been a fan of sandwich cookies, from the first time that I dunked an Oreo in a glass of milk ..read more

These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies are a bright, fresh twist on a classic blondie recipe for an easy-to-make treat that citrus-lovers will love. Blondies are bar cookies that are similar in texture to brownies – dense and chewy – but don’t use cocoa powder or chocolate in the same way that brownies do. In fact, many of them don’t use chocolate at all. These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies do use chocolate and come so close to the texture of traditional brownies that I was tempted to call them a white chocolate brownie, even though “blondie” is a bit more accurate here ..read more

Nutella is a delicious chocolate and hazelnut spread that I regularly use in baking. The spread is rich and creamy, with a flavor that translates very well to a variety of different desserts. These Nutella Raspberries Cupcakes are brownie-like cupcakes made with Nutella that have a couple of raspberries inside and are topped with a dollop of creamy hazelnut spread. The batter is easy to make and contains a generous amount of Nutella. There is cocoa powder in the mix, but only enough to accent the chocolate in the Nutella and not so much that it overpowers the nutty flavor of the hazelnut spre ..read more

I say it all the time, but I am a huge coconut fan and enjoy it in just about every form it comes in, from coconut cream pie to pina coladas. Coconut is also an excellent addition to cookies, where it can add both flavor and texture to an otherwise ordinary cookie recipe. Coconut macaroons are one cookie that probably comes straight to mind when you think of a coconut baked good, but one taste of these Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies and you just might have a new favorite. The cookies have a perfectly crisp, buttery edge and a chewy center – made chewier by the presence of plenty of shredded c ..read more

Brown sugar is a staple ingredient in my pantry, but there are times when I find myself running out of it and needing a replacement in a pinch. Usually, I would zip over to the store and buy some brown sugar, but you can also make brown sugar easily at home. This basic recipe will produce a brown sugar that is similar in color and flavor to the “golden brown” brown sugar that you can buy at most grocery stores, a great all purpose brown sugar that can be used in any recipe. How to Make Homemade Brown SugarCombine 1 cup of white sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses. Mix until completely combine ..read more

I am a huge fan of banana bread variations, adding a wide variety of mix-ins and other flavors to my recipes. But when you’re focusing on mix-ins like chocolate chips and coconut, you tend to forget about the fact that you can also make healthier changes, such as switching out all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. This is exactly how to make this delicious Whole Wheat Banana Bread, an easy quick bread that is loaded with sweet bananas and more whole grains than your usual recipe has! Switching to a whole wheat flour not only helps you get more whole grains in your diet – because I’m not go ..read more

A cannele is a classic French pastry that is completely unique in both its flavor and texture. Sometimes described as a handheld creme brulee, they have a crisp and darkly caramelized exterior, yet have a surprisingly dense and custardy interior. Canneles are typically flavored with vanilla and rum, both of which are a good match for any custardy dessert. These Cinnamon Canneles do include vanilla, but cinnamon is the primary flavoring, adding a delicious aroma and warm spice to this classic French favorite. For me, the cinnamon adds a nod to one of my other favorite pastries – a churro – whi ..read more

Peppermint and chocolate is a wonderful combination, whether you are eating a chocolate-dipped peppermint candy or stirring a candy cane into a mug of hot cocoa. Peppermint doesn’t get paired quite as often with vanilla, but I believe that the two flavors just might be an even better combination – especially when you are combining them in a recipe like this Vanilla Bean Peppermint Bundt Cake. The soft, tender cake is perfect for the holidays, when you want something with lots of seasonal flavor that isn’t so heavy it will prevent you from indulging in other cakes, cookies and candies that mig ..read more

Peppermint shows up in lots of holiday treats, and baked goods are no exception. The bright, cool flavor of peppermint seems to fit the season – especially when it is combined with chocolate in a peppermint mocha or chocolate and peppermint layer cake. The combination is now so common that adding peppermint to any chocolate goodie is going to transform it from an everyday treat to one that seems just right for the holiday season. These Peppermint Cacao Nib Chocolate Chip Cookies are a simple twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, yet they instantly make you think of chilly nights, w ..read more