Brownie Bites

Here are some little brownie bites for the holiday baking season. This recipe is

very light and can be made with or without pecans. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet morsels
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line mini muffin tray with paper liners

2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth

3. Add pecans, stir until well coated 

4. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla

5. Fold in chocolate mixture

6. Fill paper-lined cups ²/₃ full

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Please find original recipe here: Brownie Bites

Mini Pumpkin Pies

Happy Thanksgiving! These mini treats are a perfect alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.  This recipe is so mild and creamy, I absolutely loved how they turned out.  I paired the pies with a simple homemade whipped cream topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  They can be served without topping or with a small spoon of vanilla ice cream. These little pies received rave reviews so definitely give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie

• 2 refrigerated ready to roll pie crust (one box)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (small can of pumpkin is plenty)
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice)
• Drinking glass about 3.5” wide

Whip Cream Topping

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cinnamon to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Roll out pie crust, use rolling pin to roll the dough slightly thinner than how it comes out of the box

3. Using rim of the glass, press circles from the rolled pie crust

4. Press circles of dough into a mini muffin tray – make sure to alternate the cups so the crusts don’t overlap (see picture below)

5. Brush egg whites from one egg on the edges of each pie

6. In large mixing bowl mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined 

7. Spoon mixture into pie crusts – fill to the top

8. Bake for 15 minutes

9. Remove pies to cool completely. Place the muffin tin in the freezer to cool quickly before re-using

10. For topping: beat together heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla 

11. Fill a zip lock bag with topping and cut one of the bottom corners. Pipe on to mini pies and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Recipe yields about 24 mini pies.

Please find original recipe here: Pumpkin Pie Bites

Blueberry Muffins

Here is a simple recipe for homemade blueberry muffins – this is definitely one of my favorites. They can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries and I have made this recipe with both.  If using frozen berries make sure to rinse them thoroughly in order to avoid dying the entire batter blue (I didn’t rinse them enough and the muffins were a little more blue than I would I have liked). Simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup whole milk (I have substituted skim here)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups + 1 tablespoon sugar divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 – 2 ½ cups fresh blueberries (if blueberries are large you might want to use 2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Whisk butter, eggs, and milk in a medium mixing bowl

3. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt

4. Stir wet ingredients into dry 

5. Once combined, gently fold in blueberries

6. Fill each muffin cup ^2/₃ full and sprinkle with remaining sugar

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown

Yields 18 – 24 muffins.

Classic Chocolate Frosting

This week my roommate and I took 'Cupcakes 101' at a cupcakery in our neighborhood, Butter Lane.  We learned their classic buttercream recipes, variations of the classics, and how to decorate like the pros. The addition of cream cheese to each frosting makes it very light and not too sweet.  Add this chocolate frosting to your recipe box to be used year-round.  Stay tuned for variations of the classics!

Ingredients

• 1½ lb of butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 12 oz melted bittersweet chocolate
• 1 splash vanilla extract

1. Combine butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl, mix on medium speed for 5 minutes

2. Add melted chocolate and mix for one minute more

3. While mixing in at low speed add sugar

4. Once combined, add splash of vanilla extract and mix on medium to high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and fully combined

Please find the original recipe at Butter Lane 

Applesauce Muffins

Try these quick and simple applesauce muffins this fall.  The recipe is based on the classic streusel cake.   I would recommend using a little less ginger and clove than suggested because it took away from applesauce  flavor.  Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients
Muffin

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 lightly beaten egg
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups self-rising flour (if using all-purpose flour, use 1 ½ tsp baking powder per cup of flour and  ½ tsp salt per cup of flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Topping

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons oats
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place 12 baking papers in muffin tin

2. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with electric mixer until pale and creamy

3. Slowly add the egg and then the applesauce, beating well after each addition

4. Add the flour, baking powder, and spices, mixing until just combined

5. Topping: combine all ingredients in small bowl, mix with a fork until topping resembles coarse breadcrumbs - set aside

6. Spoon batter into cups and sprinkle topping on each muffin

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes

8. Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove and cool on rack

Original Recipe: 500 Cupcakes