Bars

Name: Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 bars
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree; 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground cardamom; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/8 tsp ground cloves; Pinch black pepper; Pinch salt; 4 Tbsp vegan butter; 6 cups + 2 cups mini marshmallows; 6 cups crisp rice cereal

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats (DF)

September 4, 2019 by Rachael Ng 3 Comments

It’s officially pumpkin season in the baking world! Yeah, yeah, I know it’s technically still summer, and we’ve got a couple of weeks to go, but school’s in session, apples are in season, and we’re all just excited for the cozy days of fall! These Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats are the perfect blend of warm spices and fall pumpkin flavor that we all love (well, most of us). I bumped these treats up a notch from the traditional pumpkin spice, opting to add ground cardamom and black pepper for a delicious chai spice flavoring.

As far as desserts go, I’m not sure you can get much easier. These treats are quick, easy, and so so rewarding. Maybe it’s because they remind me of childhood, but these bars are so satisfying. Feel free to add more or less spice, leave out the pumpkin, or make them even more gooey by adding an extra two cups of mini marshmallows to the melted mixture! Or, ya know, follow the recipe as-is and enjoy yourself a cozy, sweet treat.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!) adds a hint of pumpkin flavor. You’ll have a ton leftover if you’re opening a new can, so be sure to keep your pumpkin baking going!

Ground cardamom is one of my favorite dessert spices. It adds to the chai spice flavoring, and I highly recommend getting yourself some if you don’t already have it on hand.

Black pepper also lends a hand to the traditional chai spice flavor.

Vegan butter makes these treats dairy-free! Feel free to use whatever version of butter you have on hand.

Yield: 12 bars

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Classic Rice Krispie Treats bumped up for fall with pumpkin purée and warm chai spices! A delicious twist on a childhood favorite!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Pinch black pepper
Pinch salt
4 Tbsp vegan butter
6 cups + 2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crisp rice cereal

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" baking dish or pan with non-stick spray. Then line with one long, thin piece of parchment paper, folding the excess over two of the sides.
Spoon the pumpkin puree onto a paper towel and gently squeeze out the excess juice; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and salt; set aside.
Melt the vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 6 cups of the mini marshmallows and continue heating until marshmallows are just melted. Turn heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree and spices. Turn off the heat and mix in the crisp rice cereal and then the 2 cups of mini marshmallows.
Dump mixture into your prepared dish and gently press into an even layer (I like to use a spatula covered in non-stick spray). Avoid pressing too firmly as that will lead to hard rice krispie treats.
Allow treats to cool. Use the excess parchment paper to life the bar up and out of the dish. Slice into 12 bars and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For extra gooey treats, melt an additional 1-2 cups of mini marshmallows with the 6 cups of marshmallows

If you don't have ground cardamom on hand, you can use a mix of 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars (V + GF)

September 2, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Clearly I’m still on a chocolate + peanut butter kick. I. Can’t. Get. Enough. I’d like to blame the baby in my belly, but let’s be honest, who doesn’t jump at the opportunity to enjoy a chocolate PB treat?! And these No-Bake Chocolate PB Oat Bars? They’re the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter, and they’ve got a delicious texture thanks to the uncooked oats. They’re fairly low in sugar (compared to other similar bars) and packed with a bit of protein to boot.

This recipe comes together a bit like a no-bake cookie, but you won’t need to boil the chocolate mixture. Once you have all of your ingredients on hand, everything comes together pretty quickly – and easily – and the hardest part is waiting for them to set up in the fridge! I like to use natural peanut butter for these bars as it’s got no added sugar or oils, and it’s just so tasty!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is a low GI, unrefined sugar (that doesn’t taste like coconut!). It sweetens up these bars while also acting as a binder for the chocolate oat layer.

Natural peanut butter is nothing but ground up peanuts (and sometimes a little salt). No added oils or sugars.

Dutch process cocoa powder lends a deeper chocolate flavor and darker color to these bars.

Arrowroot starch helps thicken the chocolate mixture so it will set up in the refrigerator.

Yield: 16 bars

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars (V + GF)

An easy, no-bake bar made with lots of natural peanut butter, chocolate, and oats. Vegan and gluten-free, these delicious bars are perfect for many special diets.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Bars

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil or vegan butter
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/8-1/4 tsp salt*
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
2 cups old fashioned oats

Chocolate + PB Topping

3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tsp coconut oil
2-3 Tbsp natural peanut butter (to drizzle)

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray (like olive oil) and lining with parchment paper, leaving excess paper hanging over two of the sides.
In a medium saucepan, add the coconut sugar, coconut oil or vegan butter, peanut butter, and salt. Heat over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder and arrowroot starch. Continue heating until mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the oats. Firmly press mixture into the prepared baking dish. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil until smooth. Remove bars from the refrigerator (they'll still be warm) and pour melted chocolate over the bars. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the bars. Gently shake/tap your baking dish to smooth out the chocolate layer. Refrigerate bars until firm.
Melt the 2-3 Tbsp of peanut butter. Use a spoon to drizzle over bars. Return bars to the refrigerator (optional) to allow peanut butter to set a bit.
Allow bars to thaw at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges without parchment paper, and then use the excess parchment paper to lift the bars up and out of your baking dish. Carefully slice into 16 squares, wiping your knife clean between each cut.
Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them thaw at room temp for a few minutes before enjoying!

Notes

*1/8 tsp if your PB is salted; 1/4 tsp if it's unsalted

You can use regular cocoa powder in place of the dutch process cocoa powder; the bars just won't be as deep in flavor/color

Corn starch or tapioca starch can be used in place of the arrowroot starch since you only need it to thicken the chocolate mixture

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 296 Total Fat: 21g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 143mg Carbohydrates: 24g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 12g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 8g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

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Walnut Spelt Blondies (dairy-free!)

May 20, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

The first time I had a blondie bar was way back when I was still baking with an Easy Bake Oven. I remember being confused because what even is a blondie? And I’ll be honest, before setting out to bake this recipe, I looked online to figure what exactly a blondie bar really is. Some people say they’re the vanilla version of a brownie, but I don’t find the textures to be very similar.

What I do know for sure is that a butterscotch flavor, brought on by using butter and brown sugar, is a hallmark to a traditional blondie. For me, they’re a bit like chewy cookie bars, but with the delicate, crackly top of a brownie. In fact, for this recipe you’ll whisk the eggs and sugar the same way you would to make brownies. This helps lift the batter as it’s baking to create that flaky top!

I chose to use vegan butter and a mix of 50/50 coconut sugar + brown sugar in this recipe because I really wanted these to taste like a real deal blondie bar. And I find that chopped walnuts or pecans really add to that butterscotch flavor we’re after, so I added lots of walnuts, too.

The add-ins for this recipe are super adaptable, so you should feel free to add your favorite chocolate chips, candy bits, or even white chocolate chips, depending on your diet (most varieties contain milk). As for the rest of the ingredients, I recommend following the recipe exactly as-is. This was my third test, and it’s very easy to end up with results that are less than stellar (trust me!).

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Spelt flour is an ancient whole grain flour and a good source of carbs, protein, and fiber. The flavor adds a bit of nuttiness to these blondies, which I love. But if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, that will work, too.

Arrowroot starch adds a bit of chewiness to these bars. Corn starch will do the same, so feel free to use that instead.

Vegan butter is a must for this recipe. I can only recommend Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks (not sponsored – just love them!). It adds that necessary “butter” flavor while helping to keep these bars moist.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sugar, which means it won’t spike your blood sugar as high as regular sugar, maple syrup, or honey may. And it doesn’t taste like coconut!

Brown sugar is necessary for that true blondie flavor. Since brown sugar has molasses in it, it adds moisture and lends a hand to a delicious butterscotch flavor.

Egg helps give these bars a little lift and (when whisked with the sugar) creates a delicate, crackly top to the blondies.

Yield: 12 bars

Walnut Spelt Blondies

Deliciously nutty Blondies made better-for-you with coconut sugar and spelt flour! These dairy-free bars taste just as good as a traditional, butterscotch flavored blondie!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp vegan butter (I recommend Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
6 Tbsp coconut sugar
6 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare an 8x8 baking dish. Spray your dish with olive oil and then line with parchment paper. I like to cut one long strip to cover the bottom + 2 sides and then fold the excess over the sides (to use as handles later when I pull the blondies out to slice).
Place 1/2 cup of walnuts on a baking sheet and pop them in your preheating oven to toast. This can take 5-10 minutes, and the moment you smell the walnuts, it's time to take them out of the oven - don't forget about them! You can also bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, arrowroot starch, and salt; set aside.
Melt your vegan butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil before removing from the heat; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the sugars and egg. Set speed to medium-high, adding in the vanilla. Whisk the mixture until is light brown, fluffy, and thick, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. You'll know it's ready when you lift the whisk out the batter and the "ribbons" take 2-3 seconds to disappear.
Slowly pour the melted vegan butter into the egg and sugar mixture bit by bit, gently folding it in between each pour. Once totally combined, add the dry ingredients and gently fold. Finally, fold in the toasted chopped walnuts.
Scrape batter (it will be thick) into your prepared baking dish and use a spatula to evenly distribute it. Smooth out the top and then sprinkle with the 1/4 cup of extra walnuts.
Bake at 325°F for 15-20 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Allow to cool completely. Run a butter knife around the edges and use the parchment paper overhang to pull the entire blondie up and out of the dish. Slice into 12 bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

I don't recommend most substitutes for this recipe as blondies can be a bit finicky. But you can use all-purpose flour in place of the spelt flour and corn starch in place of the arrowroot starch.

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Grain-Free Tahini Swirl Brownies

May 10, 2019 by Rachael Ng 1 Comment

If you haven’t jumped on the tahini + chocolate bandwagon yet, then this is the recipe for you! But also, if you love tahini desserts then this is also the recipe for you. These brownies are ultra fudgy with just the right amount of melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and tahini. All topped with a beautiful tahini swirl! I mean, look at it.

When I set out to make these brownies, I wanted to come up with a totally fudgy, not-too-rich brownie that was free of grains, dairy, and oil. And then, of course, I sweetened them with coconut sugar (along with the chocolate chips) to make these indulgent babies a little bit better for you.

The method that I like best when baking brownies is to use melted chocolate with an oil (in this case, the tahini) and some cocoa powder, and then whisk the eggs and sugar until they’re nice and fluffy. The whisking is what gives these brownies a bit of lift, and all the wet ingredients help them stay totally fudgy.

For this recipe, I took my love for sesame a bit further than your typical tahini brownie by adding a bit of toasted black sesame powder. I highly recommend you make your way to the nearest Asian market, buy a big (and cheap!) bag of black sesame seeds, and spend 10 minutes making the powder. It’s affordable, easy, and adds another element of nuttiness to these brownies. And if you haven’t toasted black sesame seeds before, then you’re in for a treat, because the smell is divine.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Chocolate chips add a ton of moisture, flavor, and sweetness to these brownies. In my experience, with this specific recipe, they also lend a hand to the shiny top crust of the brownies.

Tahini is simply ground sesame seeds – think “peanut butter” but with sesame seeds instead of peanuts. It’s delicious in savory dishes and desserts. I especially love how it pairs with chocolate, and anyone who has ever tasted a tahini dessert from me has loved it!

Dutch-process cocoa powder has a deeper chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder. I like to use Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa because it’s affordable and easy to find. They recently switched from a 50/50 dutched/natural mix to all dutch-process for their Special Dark Cocoa, so check your labels.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sweetener. It doesn’t taste like coconut, and since it’s low GI, it doesn’t spike blood sugar as high as white sugar, honey, or maple syrup would.

Arrowroot starch is a corn allergy-friendly thickener, but if you don’t have this on hand, feel free to use corn starch.

Toasted black sesame powder is simply toasted black sesame seeds that have been ground up in a blender or food processor. It’s aromatic and nutty and elevates the delicious sesame flavor in these brownies.

Yield: 16 brownies

Grain-Free Tahini Swirl Brownies

Ultra fudgy brownies made grain-free, dairy-free, and oil-free! These brownies are loaded with chocolate and tahini and topped with a beautiful tahini swirl!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Brownies

1 ½ cups dairy-free chocolate chips
¾ cup tahini
2 Tbsp dutch-process cocoa powder
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 ½ Tbsp arrowroot starch
¼ cup toasted black sesame powder
½ tsp salt

Tahini Swirl

Instructions

Make your toasted black sesame powder by toasting ½ cup of black sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat (I highly recommend getting these at your local Asian market/grocery store to save money!) . Stir constantly until seeds are toasted - you'll begin to smell a very aromatic nutty scent. Add the toasted seeds to a blender or food processor and blend until a powder forms.
Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 325°F. Prepare your baking dish by spraying it with olive oil and then lining the bottom + 2 sides with a long strip of parchment paper. Crease the excess parchment paper over the sides.
Using the double boiler method (place heatproof bowl over a pot with 1" of water on medium heat, making sure bowl doesn't touch the water), melt the chocolate chips and tahini in a medium bowl until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the coconut sugar and eggs. Begin whisking on medium-high speed and add the vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes thick and light brown in color. It will look very bubbly.
Add the chocolate mixture to the whisked eggs and sugar. Gently fold the chocolate in - this will take a few minutes. Then fold in the arrowroot starch, black sesame powder, and salt until totally combined. The batter will be thick.
Scrape batter into your prepared baking dish and use a spatula to smooth out the top.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ¼ cup of tahini with 2 Tbsp of agave. Drop spoonfuls of the tahini mixture onto the top of the brownie batter, creating 9 blobs - 3 across and 3 down (see photo). Use a chopstick (or wooden skewer) to drag and swirl the tahini into the top of the batter. Be careful not to over-swirl or you won't have the defined swirls.
Bake brownies at 325°F for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a bit of batter. You want to under-bake these a bit for maximum fudginess, but feel free to bake them a little longer if you like your brownies less fudgy.
Allow brownies to cool completely in the dish (I like to sit mine on top of a cooling rack). Run a butter knife along the edges without parchment paper, and then use the parchment paper overhang to pull the brownies up and out of the dish. Slice into 16 squares, wiping your knife between each slice for a cleaner look.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

The toasted black sesame powder adds to the delicious sesame flavor in these brownies, but you can replace the powder with ¼ cup of cocoa powder if need be. Your brownies will be more rich and taste less sweet.

Arrowroot starch can be replaced with corn starch.

Dutch-process cocoa can be replaced with natural cocoa powder since this recipe contains no leavening agents (baking soda, etc).

Grain-Free Orange Brownies (dairy-free!)

March 31, 2019 by Rachael Ng 8 Comments

Where are my fudgy brownie lovers at?! I love an ooey-gooey fudgy brownie! You know, the kind that you’re not quite sure are even done. There’s just something so good about warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownies.

These Orange Brownies are by far one of my favorite recipes. They’re made with low GI coconut sugar (and also a cup and a half of chocolate chips!), coconut oil, and arrowroot starch in place of any flour. So they’re gluten/grain-free and dairy-free. And seriously delicious! I adapted this recipe from Amanda at Running with Spoons, and it’s one of the best “healthier” brownie recipes!

For this recipe, you’ll use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and oil together, whip up the sugar and eggs, and zest a few oranges. As long as you follow the recipe and instructions exactly as-is, then you’ll end up with ultra-fudgy, perfectly crinkle-topped brownies that rival any other traditional brownie. For real.

I baked this recipe up three times and found that it’s vital to use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate in order to get that beautiful, shiny top. I used chopped dark chocolate for one batch, and the brownies came out dull and smooth – not crinkly at all! So I suggest only using chocolate chips!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is a low GI, unrefined sugar. This means that it places lower on the glycemic index scale than cane sugar, honey, and maple syrup, so it has less of an effect on blood sugar levels. It tastes nothing like coconut, and, in my opinion, tastes less sweet than regular white sugar.

Coconut oil is a great dairy-free alternative to butter (and it’s better for you!). These brownies are so rich I don’t taste the coconut, but if you prefer a dessert with no trace of coconut then I recommend making these with refined coconut oil.

Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free, corn-free starch that can work with any recipe that calls for corn starch. It lends to a softer, lighter texture in baked goods.

Instant coffee (as well as espresso powder) is great for adding to chocolate baked goods, because it enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor. So your brownies will taste more chocolate-y!

Yield: 16

Grain-Free Orange Brownies

Ultra-fudgy chocolate brownies flavored with freshly grated orange zest. These rich brownies are loaded with delicious chocolate and made with no dairy or grain!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
1 1/2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tsp instant coffee granules
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)
4 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I like to use olive oil spray) and parchment paper. Cut your parchment paper long enough that it hangs over the sides of your dish for easy brownie removal. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate chips, coconut oil, instant coffee, and cocoa powder. Place on top of a pot of simmering water (making sure it's not touching the water), stirring the mixture frequently until everything is melted. Set bowl aside to cool off.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add your eggs and coconut sugar. Set to medium speed and add in the vanilla extract. Whisk for 5-10 minutes or until mixture has thickened and is light brown in color.
Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together until totally combined - move slowly so you don't deflate the mixture. This will take a couple of minutes. Stir in the orange zest and then the arrowroot starch and salt.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the center looks set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a little batter. You want to under-bake these brownies a bit so that they stay fudgy.
Allow brownies to cool in the baking dish on top of a cooling rack (or dig in while they're warm!). Once cool, use the parchment paper to lift the whole dish of brownies up and onto the cooling rack. Slice into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between each slice. For serving, use a fork or small spatula to gently lift each brownie onto a serving dish. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For a richer chocolate flavor, you can use dutch-process cocoa powder instead of regular, natural cocoa powder

I only recommend using chocolate chips for this recipe as my test with chopped chocolate came out with a dull, smooth surface instead of a shiny, crinkly one

Bars

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Did you make this recipe?

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Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Ingredients

Bars

Chocolate + PB Topping

Instructions

Notes