Sugared & Stirred

dairy-free. still delicious.

Vegan

Banana Caramel Frappé

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This Banana Caramel Frappé is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Skip the line at the coffee shop and make your own homemade frappé! With banana and caramel flavors, this blended coffee drink is just the wake-up your morning needs.

Banana Caramel Frappé

Blended coffee drinks are one of life’s simple pleasures. While I make my own iced coffee at home every morning, I love indulging in a sweet, blended coffee here and there. The fun, festive flavors and icy texture are just too, too good. This Banana Caramel Frappé combines the taste of banana with sweet caramel. And, of course, your favorite coffee.

Homemade frappés are so easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients. The best part? All you need to do is throw the ingredients in a blender and blend! Voila! You’ve got a homemade frappé for a fraction of the cost. And you can stay in your pajamas 😉

Where Does the Flavor Come From?

For this drink, you’ll use both fresh banana and Torani’s sweet and creamy Crème de Banana Syrup for the banana flavor. Their syrups mix seamlessly into any kind of drink – hot or cold – for a delightful spin on traditional coffees, milkshakes, and cocktails. For the caramel flavor, I recommend any caramel sauce or syrup! Seriously, whatever you love will work in this recipe. While we all dream of having homemade caramel sauce on hand, any flavorful store-bought caramel will work. Torani actually makes a caramel syrup (my favorite flavor!) that would work wonderfully in this recipe. I’m talking maximum caramel and banana flavor! YUM.

What You’ll Need

  • Torani Crème de Banana Syrup adds a sweet and creamy banana flavor.
  • Coffee makes this blended drink a frappé. I recommend using a very strongly brewed coffee for this recipe.
  • Plant-based milk adds creaminess. You can use your favorite milk or cream.
  • Caramel sauce or syrup adds the caramel flavor. I recommend using a homemade caramel, Torani’s Caramel Syrup, or a tried-and-true store-bought caramel with a strong flavor.
  • Fresh banana fluffs up this frappé and helps thicken the texture.
  • Ice turns this drink into a traditional, icy frappé.

More Coffee & Banana Treats

Chocolate Coffee Baked Donuts

Coffee Banana Layer Cake

Healthier Banana Nut Bread

Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

Yield: 2 Servings

Banana Caramel Frappé

Banana Caramel Frappé

Skip the line at the coffee shop and make your own homemade frappé! With banana and caramel flavors, this blended coffee drink is just the wake-up your morning needs.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup STRONG brewed coffee (see Note 1)
  • 1/4 cup oat milk (or regular milk)
  • 3 Tbsp Torani Crème de Banana Syrup
  • 1-2 Tbsp caramel sauce or syrup (more caramel = more flavor/sweetness)
  • 1/2 of a medium banana
  • 1 1/2-2 cups ice (add 2 cups for an icier frappé)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until combined and smooth. Divide the liquid into two glasses. Top with extra caramel, whipped cream, or fresh sliced bananas and enjoy!

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Category: Drinks

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Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

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This recipe is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Rich and flavorful Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa is so easy to make and takes only 4 ingredients! This decadent, homemade hot cocoa is uniquely sweetened with Torani’s Flavor of the Year: Salted Egg Yolk – a delightful sweet/savory flavor with custard, caramel, and umami notes. This may just be the best hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

If you’re here then there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with the salted egg yolk flavor. And if not, then you’re curious enough to learn more about it! Having originated in China centuries ago, this sweet & savory flavor has been gaining popularity in Southeast Asia in recent years. It has a sweet, custard-like flavor with notes of savory umami. And coincidentally, it pairs perfectly well with chocolate!

You can think of this hot cocoa as an elevated, more complex version of the cozy drink we all know and love. The Salted Egg Yolk adds a hint of egg custard flavor and even more richness to an already decadent hot cocoa. Check out the simple, 4-ingredient recipe below and let me know what you think!

What You’ll Need for this Hot Cocoa

  • Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup is essential to getting the rich, custard-like flavor of this hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder creates the chocolate flavor. You can use natural or Dutched cocoa powder. I chose to use a mix of the two. Dutched cocoa powder is richer in flavor and darker in color.
  • Milk makes up the bulk of the hot cocoa. It adds a creaminess that water could never replace. Feel free to use whatever milk product you like. I prefer oat or almond milk, but, of course, if you aren’t dairy-free then cow’s milk works as well.
  • Mini marshmallows melt together with a bit of the Torani syrup to make a lovely (and sweet!) marshmallow “fluff” topping; this is totally optional, but also super delicious!

More “Hot Cocoa” Treats

Spicy Hot Cocoa Muffins

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies

Yield: 2 Servings

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate sweetened with Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup. Top it with melted marshmallow for an even sweeter treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa

Marshmallow Topping

  • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 Tbsp Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup

Instructions

  1. Make the Hot Cocoa: in a medium saucepan, add the Torani syrup, cocoa powder, and then the milk. Place over medium high heat and whisk until the mixture is hot. Be sure to scrape the bottom of your pan with the whisk as you mix. Set hot cocoa aside.
  2. Make the marshmallow "fluff": add about an inch of water to another clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the water. Add the marshmallows and 1 Tbsp of Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup to the bowl, stirring constantly until melted.
  3. Pour the hot cocoa into two mugs and immediately top with the marshmallow. If the marshmallow begins to cool too much, it will be extremely sticky and difficult to spoon onto the cocoa; it's best to use it right away.
  4. Enjoy!
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Category: Drinks

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

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Your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough made safe to eat! Dunk or drizzle these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares in melted chocolate for the ultimate snack. And go ahead and eat as much as you’d like. These squares are irresistible!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Are you a big fan of eating cookie dough by the spoonful? Yeah, me, too. Give me a classic chocolate chip cookie dough any day and I will be sneaking bites until it’s gone. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares are the ultimate cookie dough snack. I’m talking straight up dough (following my fave one bowl recipe) enveloped, or drizzled, in luscious dark chocolate. They’re made with classic ingredients, so the taste is just like the cookie dough we all grew up with. Sugary, buttery, and filled with chocolate!

To make this cookie dough safe to eat, you’ll replace the egg with unsweetened applesauce (an idea I got after eating my way through three tubs of EatPastry dough – it’s fine, I blame Costco) and use heat-treated flour. Yeah, that means this dough is very conveniently vegan! But don’t fret, if you’re not dairy-free or vegan, regular butter will work just as well in this recipe – just be sure to refrigerate your leftover squares!

What is Heat-Treated Flour?

I have to admit, the idea of treating my flour prior to scarfing down spoonfuls of dough is pretty new to me. Since edible cookie dough became all the rage a few years ago, I saw more bloggers talking about heat-treating flour. Because raw flour can contain harmful bacteria, it’s always recommended that the flour is heated to a specific temperature to kill any bacteria that could make us sick before consuming it. Yes, technically, we could get sick from eating classic cookie dough, even when there are no eggs involved! But don’t fret, heat-treating flour is simple, and you can even buy your flour already heat-treated! 

Here’s how to do it (thanks to Kristen Tomlan):

Microwave
Add 2 cups (a bit extra just in case it clumps) of flour to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the flour in 30 second intervals, stirring and checking the temperature in several spots (with an instant-read thermometer) each time. Once the flour reaches 165°F throughout, remove it from the microwave. Allow the flour to cool completely before fluffing it up and measuring 1 3/4 cup for this recipe.

Oven
Preheat your oven to 300°F and spread 2 cups (a bit extra just in case it clumps) of flour onto a baking sheet. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the temperature in several places every two minutes. Once the flour reaches 165°F throughout, remove it from the oven. Allow the flour to cool completely before fluffing up and measuring 1 3/4 cup for this recipe.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

One Bowl No-Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 25 Squares

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Your favorite classic chocolate chip cookie dough dipped and drizzled in luscious dark chocolate! This safe-to-eat dough is irresistible and tastes just like the dough we all know and love!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened (or regular butter)
  • 1/2 cup (112 grams) brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (55 grams) regular cane sugar (white or unrefined)
  • 1/4 cup (61 grams) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups (240 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, heat-treated (see Step 1)
  • 1 cup (165 grams) chocolate chips (vegan/dairy-free or regular)

Chocolate Coating/Drizzle

  • Up to 3 cups (495 grams) of chocolate chips (see Note 1)

Instructions

Heat Treat the Flour

  1. Heat-treat your flour either by microwaving or oven-baking 2 cups of flour until the temperature of the flour reaches 165°F. Fluff up the flour and allow to cool completely - around 30 minutes. Discard any clumps before measuring out 1 3/4 cup or 240 grams.

Make the Cookie Dough

  1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars. Beat in the applesauce and vanilla extract. Beat in the salt.
  2. Add the flour (be sure to use the scoop & level method - see Note 2 - or a kitchen scale) and gently mix until nearly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  3. Line an 8x8" baking dish/pan with two parchment paper strips that criss-cross in the bottom. Add the cookie dough and evenly press it into the dish using your fingers, spoon, or measuring cup. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and use the parchment paper to pull the whole thing up and out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slowly cut 25 even squares, 5 across and 5 down. Chill the squares in the freezer for another 20 minutes.

Add the Chocolate Coating and/or Drizzle

  1. Once the dough squares have chilled, add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring between each one, until all the chocolate is melted.
  2. Remove cookie dough squares from the freezer. Prepare a space with parchment paper. Dip each square in the melted chocolate, totally covering it. Use a fork to gently scoop it up, shaking off the excess chocolate. Place each square onto the parchment paper. Alternatively, add the melted chocolate to a piping bag or ziploc bag and drizzle it onto the cookie dough squares.
  3. Allow the chocolate to set. You can speed this process up by placing the squares back into the freezer. If you've dipped the squares, feel free to cut off any excess chocolate to clean up the squares.
  4. Store cookie dough squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  1. The amount of chocolate chips you need depends on whether you want to coat the cookie dough squares or drizzle chocolate on them. To coat, use 3 cups of chocolate chips. To drizzle, use 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips. For half and half (like I did) melt 1 1/2 cups of chips.
  2. To properly measure the flour without a kitchen scale, fluff up the flour with a spoon and then spoon it into a measuring cup. Level it off with a straight-edge knife.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Candy

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White Peach Blackberry Punch

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This recipe is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

A refreshing and fruity punch made with Torani Puremade White Peach Syrup. This White Peach Blackberry Punch is perfect for your weekend brunch or birthday party! Turn it into an adult beverage by adding white rum!

White Peach Blackberry Punch

Get your ice and glasses ready, because this easy, fruit-filled punch takes just a few minutes to whip up. With bold white peach flavor, fresh blackberries, lemonade, and a hint of ginger, this punch is perfect for the upcoming Easter holiday – hello, spring! And if something a little more “adult” is more your vibe, just add some white rum (as much or as little as you’d like) and get to toastin’.

Torani’s Puremade White Peach Syrup is the star of this punch. It’s amazing. Imagine the taste of a juicy, ripe white peach any month of the year (and without the hassle of juicing a peach!). Their Puremade Syrup is made without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, so you can feel good about adding it to your punch. Plus, it’s versatile enough to add to many different drinks – mojitos, milkshakes, lemonades, etc! Check out www.torani.com to grab a bottle of your own.

What You’ll Need + Alternatives:

  • Torani Puremade White Peach Syrup adds tons of white peach flavor along with sweetness. I don’t recommend any substitutes since this syrup is what brings the peach flavor to the punch.
  • Ginger Ale adds carbonation, sweetness, and a lovely, light ginger flavor. For a less sweet punch, replace up to half of the ginger ale with club soda or sparkling water. If ginger isn’t your thing, you can use another lightly flavored soda or sparkling water.
  • Lemonade pairs wonderfully with the white peach and ginger. It bulks up the punch and also adds sweetness (yes, this punch is sweet!). Feel free to use store-bought or homemade lemonade.
  • Blackberries bring the vibrant color, spring feels, and pretty garnish. I think any berry would be good here, so you can sub the blackberries with blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries.
  • White rum can be added to make this punch alcoholic. I recommend adding 1oz of rum per serving.
Yield: 3-4 Servings

White Peach Blackberry Punch

White Peach Blackberry Punch
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a blender or food processor, add the blackberries and lemonade and blend until smooth. Strain the liquid into a large bowl or pitcher; toss out the remaining blackberry bits.
  2. Add the Torani Syrup, ginger ale, and white rum (optional). Give the mixture a good whisk and serve over ice.
  3. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. For a less sweet punch, replace up to half of the ginger ale with club soda or sparkling water.
  2. To make this an alcoholic punch, add 1oz of white rum per serving, so mix 4oz of rum into the large bowl along with the other ingredients.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

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Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts

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These perfectly fluffy Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts are tender, moist, and sure to become a favorite! They’re topped with a simple and delicious Guinness icing, and I promise you won’t be able to eat just one.

Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts

It’s nearly St. Paddy’s day, which means I’ve got beer on my mind! What’s more classically Irish than a freshly poured Guinness? It wasn’t until I was in Northern Ireland that I realized I actually like Guinness draft. I swear it tastes better over there! Add it to a batch of cake donuts and you’ve got my heart! These donuts are tender, moist, and absolutely delicious. Plus, they go perfectly with a pint (or half pint) of freshly-poured Guinness 😉

For these easy, one-bowl donuts, you’ll reduce the Guinness for maximum flavor. This process takes a little while (about 12 minutes for me on a gas range), but I promise it’s worth it! If you’re going to put your beer into a batch of donuts, then you should be able to taste it! Now, the Guinness flavor here is light, but you’ll have leftover beer to sip alongside these amazing donuts!

What You’ll Need

  • All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the donut batter. I haven’t tested these with any other flours.
  • Cocoa powder (the natural/regular kind) brings the chocolate flavor! For a richer chocolate flavor, up to half of the natural cocoa can be replaced with Dutched cocoa powder.
  • Baking powder & baking soda leaven these donuts perfectly.
  • Salt enhances flavor and cuts sweetness.
  • Brown sugar has molasses in it, so it adds a bit more moisture than regular sugar. You’ll want to “lightly pack” it into your measuring cup as opposed to the standard of smashing it in there. Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar.
  • Eggs bind these donuts together and keep them moist and cakey. For vegan donuts you can use the Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free vegan egg replacer – I tried this and the donuts came out very tender and delicious!
  • Olive oil adds moisture to these donuts. You can use avocado oil, light olive oil, or vegetable oil.
  • Plant-based yogurt makes the donuts extremely moist and tender. I don’t recommend any substitutes as I’ve found that yogurt works best! If you’re not dairy-free, regular yogurt will work as well.
  • Vanilla extract adds flavor to both the donuts and the glaze.
  • Guinness is necessary for these donuts! It’s the classic dark stout beer, and I believe the nitrogen (each can has a nitrogen capsule in it) affects the leavening to create the perfect baked donut!
  • Powdered sugar makes up the bulk of the icing. I don’t recommend any substitutes. 
Yield: 10 Donuts

Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts

Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts

Fluffy and tender baked chocolate donuts made with Guinness! Topped with a Guinness icing, these delicious donuts won't last long.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 16 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Guinness Donuts

  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 large eggs (see Note 3 for vegan option)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup plant-based yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups Guinness, reduced & divided (see Step 1)

Guinness Icing

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup of reduced Guinness (the leftovers from above)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Reduce the Guinness: in a small pot, add the 1 1/4 cup of Guinness. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally (this took me about 12 minutes on a gas range). Pour the reduced beer into a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your donut pan with non-stick spray; set aside.
  3. Make the Donuts: in a large bowl (you can use a stand mixer bowl), sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar.
  4. Add the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the reduced Guinness. Beat with hand mixer (or stand mixer) until smooth, around 30 seconds.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased donut wells, filling nearly to the top (see Note 1).
  6. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with a couple of crumbs. Allow the donuts to rest in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Then turn out onto a cooling rack - you may need to shake the pan up and down to get the donuts to come out.
  7. Once the pan is cool, repeat steps 5 and 6 to finish baking the batter. Allow the donuts to cool completely.
  8. Ice the Donuts: once your donuts are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, remaining 1/4 cup of reduced Guinness, and vanilla extract until totally smooth. If it seems too thick, you can add plant-based milk or water 1 tsp at a time.
  9. Ice the donuts by dipping the top of each donut into the icing and flipping over to set on a cooling rack (see Note 2).
  10. I recommend enjoying these donuts the day they're made. If you have leftovers, you'll want to store them in an airtight container in a cool spot.

Notes

  1. You can pour the batter directly into the wells, or add the batter to a large Ziploc bag (or piping bag) and "pipe" it into the wells. This batter is thin, so if you go the piping route, you'll want to add only 1/2 the batter at a time to the bag.
  2. These donuts are tender and fragile while dipping in the icing. If it's easier for you, you can spoon/spread the icing on instead!
  3. For vegan donuts: replace the eggs with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free and vegan egg replacer. I've tested this and the donuts came out extra tender and delicious!

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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