dairy-free

Name: Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 cups marshmallows (10oz bag or 45 large mallows) + 3 cups mini marshmallows; 1/4 cup vegan butter; Zest from 3-4 medium oranges; 6 cups crisp rice cereal

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats (dairy-free)

April 10, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

My toddler has been on a marshmallow kick lately. And by that I mean she’ll randomly think about marshmallows, talk about marshmallows, ask for a marshmallow, and pretend she’s roasting marshmallows on a stick (we’ve never actually done this). Every time we go down the baking aisle and see the bags of mallows, she begs for me to buy some. Whenever I give in (an undoubtedly let her eat a few in the car), I’m left with a bag of marshmallows that’s 95% full and taking up precious pantry space.

This time I decided we would make rice krispie treats. They’re easy. Sort of fun for her (because she gets to eat marshmallows while we “bake”). And they’re one of those treats that us ’90s kids get all nostalgic about. Oh, and they can easily be made dairy-free – or vegan with the right brand of marshmallows – with plant-based butter. And since I’ve been so into orange here lately, I figured we’d spice things up a bit by adding fresh orange zest to these treats. The end result is a delicious, orange-spiked rice krispie treat that tastes like an orange creamsicle. In other words, so much flavor bang with hardly any extra work. Yes!!

Most marshmallow brands have the same (or extremely similar) recipe on the backs of their bags. My recipe follows this standard, aside from a few extra mini marshmallows added in at the end and, of course, the orange zest. While you’re melting the marshmallows into the butter, you’ll add in fresh zest from three medium oranges. Once the marshmallows are melted, you’ll mix in the cereal and extra mini mallows, and then all you’ve left to do is gently press the mixture into a greased baking dish! Then slice and enjoy your gooey, orangey marshmallow treats!

More citrus recipes:

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (vegan option)

Soft Iced Lemon Cookies

Soft & Chewy Orange Sugar Cookies

Orange Loaf with Almond Buttercream (vegan option)

Yield: 9-16 Treats

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

Gooey rice krispie treats made with fresh orange zest and extra marshmallow! A super quick and easy dessert easily made dairy-free or vegan.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups marshmallows (10oz bag or 45 large mallows) + 3 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup vegan butter
Zest from 3-4 medium oranges
6 cups crisp rice cereal

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" dish or pan with non-stick spray. Then add parchment paper - cut one long piece and fold the excess over the two sides for easy removal of the treats.
In a medium bowl, toss together the rice cereal and 3 cups of mini marshmallows; set aside.
In a large sauce pan or stock pot, melt the vegan butter over medium-low heat. Add the 6 cups of marshmallows and zest from 3 oranges and stir until the marshmallows are totally melted.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the rice cereal/mini mallows until everything is well combined.
Scoop the mixture into your prepared baking dish/pan. Use the back of a greased spoon or spatula to gently press the mixture into the pan - I spray mine with non-stick spray. You want to press the mixture into an even layer without over-pressing it (this would create harder, more compact treats).
Top the treats with the leftover orange zest (from 1 orange).
Allow the treats to cool/set for at least 10 minutes before slicing into 9 or 16 squares. For perfect slices, remove the whole dessert from the pan and slice on a cutting board.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

I bought two bags of marshmallows for this recipe. In total you will need 9 cups of marshmallows.
The extra mini marshmallows are optional but I totally recommend adding them for ultra marshmallow goodness!
For vegan treats, use vegan marshmallows

Did you make this recipe?

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Olive Oil Brownie Cookies (DF)

March 17, 2020 by Rachael Ng 28 Comments

These cookies are literal brownies in cookie form. They taste like brownies, look kinda like brownies, and come together just like brownies! The batter is basically brownie batter but with a little more flour and a bit of baking powder.

For these cookies, you’ll whisk the eggs and sugar together until they’re nice and thick – this helps add lift to the cookies. You’ll want to make sure your eggs are room temperature for maximum thickness. Then you’ll add in the melted chocolate and oil and then the dry ingredients. Allowing the sticky batter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes allows it to thicken just enough that you can scoop the cookie dough without trouble. If you prefer extra round cookies, like me, you can even roll and shape the scooped dough balls on the cookie sheet. The batter will be very soft, but it’s still roll-able. You’ll bake the cookies until they’re cracked and puffy and the centers no longer look wet.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Chocolate chips bring tons of moisture and chocolate flavor to these cookies! I recommend using semi-sweet chips and steering clear of any chocolate bars – I’ve found the chips help with the crackly textured top.

Olive oil is a delicious, dairy-free alternative to butter. It’s better for you and, of course, lends a hand to the chewy texture of these cookies.

Instant coffee deepens the chocolate flavor of these cookies. Instant espresso powder works, too. If you don’t have any on hand, don’t fret, the cookies will still be delicious.

Eggs are necessary for traditional brownies, and I don’t recommend using any egg substitutes – the batter may spread in the oven and never set up into cookies.

Dutch process cocoa powder is a richer cocoa powder with more chocolate flavor. These cookies are best with Dutched cocoa! I’ve made them with regular, natural cocoa powder and though the cookies will turn out, they’re not as chocolate-y.

Yield: 11 Cookies

Olive Oil Brownie Cookies

Big, chewy chocolate cookies made from the most delicious homemade brownie batter!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup sugar (coconut or white cane)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a small, microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips along with the olive oil and instant coffee. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until chips are melted and smooth; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick, fluffy, and light in color, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined and uniform in color; set aside.
Once the egg/sugar mixture has fluffed up and thickened, whisk in the vanilla. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and gently fold it into the egg/sugar mixture until totally combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
The dough will be like a very sticky, thick brownie batter. Allow it to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to stiffen up a bit so you can roll the dough balls.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cookies, six at a time, 3 Tbsp in size onto one baking sheet. Gently roll and smooth each dough ball (optional). Flatten the tops of the dough balls so they look like thick discs or hockey pucks.
Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies look a bit crackly all over and the centers no longer look wet. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, use the room temperature baking sheet to bake the rest of the cookies.
Enjoy these cookies warm - my favorite way! Then store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

More chocolate recipes:

Triple Chocolate Inside Out Cookies (dairy-free)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (vegan option)

Classic Weeknight Brownies (dairy-free)

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies (dairy-free)

Vegan Double Chocolate Muddy Buddies

January 9, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow) is another one of those super sweet desserts I remember eating as a kid. It’s so simple, easy to make, and combines three of my favorite things: chocolate, peanut butter, and sugar. Yes. the original recipe has loads of powdered sugar. I haven’t made original Muddy Buddies in ages as it’s tooth-achingly sweet and totally addictive!

I had a box of Chex cereal – a peanut butter flavored one that I bought on a whim during a major hunger strike at Target last week – that wasn’t going to get eaten (apparently I don’t like PB Chex), so I decided to whip up a quick batch of my own Muddy Buddies with ingredients that are a bit better for you. And, of course, I toned down on the powdered sugar coating by swapping some of the sugar with cocoa powder and arrowroot starch. The starch is flavorless while adding bulk to the necessary powder coating.

I’ve also used a smaller portion of fat – coconut oil – and opted for natural peanut butter instead of the oil and sugar-laden kind. If you prefer dark chocolate vs semi-sweet (which is what I used) you can make these with even less sugar! Choose whatever Chex cereal you’d like, and you’re on your way to an easy and delicious weeknight snack.

If you’ve never had Muddy Buddies before, then I promise you’re in for such an easy snack. You’ll basically coat the cereal with the melted chocolate, peanut butter, and oil and then toss it all in a mixture of powdered sugar, cocoa, and arrowroot. So. Simple. And you don’t even need to wait for it to set – you can dig in right away! Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature, but I promise these won’t last long.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut oil replaces margarine or butter in this recipe and helps thin the chocolate peanut butter mixture. Feel free to use vegan butter instead!

Natural peanut butter adds that traditional peanut butter flavor without any of the added oils or sugar. For a nut free option, try using tahini or sunflower butter.

Arrowroot starch mixes with the powdered sugar to add volume to the powdered ingredients. It’s flavorless and makes for a great substitute in this recipe that traditionally calls for only powdered sugar.

Cocoa powder is another better-for-you alternative to the all-powdered sugar original recipe. It also adds a double chocolate element to this recipe, so feel free to use even more – replacing some/all of the starch – if you’d like!

Powdered sugar is necessary for that traditional, sweet Muddy Buddies flavor! If you opt for a powdered coconut sugar or sugar-free powdered “sugar” then the taste will be affected (and I cannot vouch for this).

Yield: 6 Cups

Vegan Double Chocolate Muddy Buddies

Classic chocolate peanut butter Muddy Buddy treats made better-for-you with coconut oil, natural peanut butter, and less powdered sugar! With a double does of chocolate, this indulgent treat is the perfect sweet snack!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups Chex cereal
2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (semi-sweet or dark)
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder

Instructions

Line a baking sheet (or a portion of your counter) with parchment paper, wax paper, or foil. In a large bowl, measure out 6 cups of Chex cereal and set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar, arrowroot starch, and cocoa powder. Whisk until totally combined and uniform in color; set aside.
In a small bowl, melt together the chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut oil. If microwaving, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula.
In another large bowl, add the powdered sugar mixture and chocolate covered cereal. Cover the top with a lid or a flat object like a baking sheet or cutting board and shake the bowl until cereal is evenly coated with the powder.
Pour Muddy Buddies onto your prepared baking sheet to set or eat right away! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

I recommend using a clean bowl to shake the powdered sugar mixture with the chocolate covered cereal so the powder doesn't stick to the sides of a chocolate-y bowl.
Recipe adapted from Chex

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (DF)

December 16, 2019 by Rachael Ng 2 Comments

These simple and sweet oatmeal cookie bars couldn’t get any easier! I took the oatmeal cookie dough that we always used when I was growing up (my mom says it came from a canister of Always Save oats), added chocolate chips and dried cherries, and threw it all into a baking dish. So. Easy. No fiddling around with a cookie scoop, or worrying that your cookies will spread. Just pop the dough into the oven and you’ll get a giant cookie bar that can be sliced into snack-able, individual bars! I drizzled mine with a bit of melted white chocolate for some holiday pizazz given that these are a part of my 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies countdown, but feel free to leave these babes as-is, or press extra chocolate chips into the batter pre-bake!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my favorite, better-for-you replacement for white granulated sugar. It’s low GI, unrefined, and doesn’t taste like coconut!

Brown sugar adds moisture and sweetness to these bars. You can use coconut sugar instead, if you’d like, but I really like the flavor brown sugar lends to these.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a no-brainer when it comes to anything cherry. I love a good cherry + chocolate dessert, and I’ve found that dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips are easier, and more affordable, to come by than dark chocolate (which is surprising!).

White chocolate chips add a bit of sweet and some “color” to these bars. I love the contrast between the dark browns of the cookie bar, the red of the cherries, and the bright white of the white chips and drizzle.

Yield: 16 Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chewy oatmeal cookie bars loaded with chocolate chips and dried cherries! An easy and quick spin on a traditional oatmeal cookie.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegan butter stick, softened
1 large egg, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips + ~3 Tbsp more for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I used olive oil) and parchment paper. I like to cut one, long-ish strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and 2 of the 4 sides, creasing it over the sides and trimming with scissors. Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter, coconut sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg. And then the vanilla.
Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently stir in oats. Finally, stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Press cookie dough into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Since we used both coconut sugar and brown sugar, the cookie bars will naturally be dark in color.
Allow cookie bars to cool in the dish on top of a cooling rack until firm enough to lift out (around 30-40 minutes). Lift the cookie bars out of the dish and allow to cool completely. Slice into 16 bars.
If desired, melt ~3 Tbsp of white chocolate chips in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Add melted chocolate to a small ziploc bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over each individual cookie bar.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from Always Save

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles (Vegan)

November 25, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Chocolate truffles are one of those simple desserts that always remind me of the holiday season. The combinations are endless, and who doesn’t want to bite into a big ball of chocolate on Thanksgiving or Christmas? They’re simple to put together (though the chocolate does take some time to firm up), and they’re also a fun treat to make with kids. My toddler loved helping me roll the truffles and dip them in chocolate sprinkles! But I did have to keep her from licking a couple of the truffles – ha!

For these truffles, you’ll make a simple chocolate ganache with your favorite chopped chocolate, coconut cream, and olive oil. The coconut cream helps give the ganache that thick and creamy texture – perfect for making truffles (and you can’t taste it in the final product). Then you’ll stir in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans, refrigerate the chocolate until firm, and then roll the truffles! This recipe is super customizable so you can leave out what you don’t like and add what you do. And you can roll your truffles in any topping you’d like or dip them in tempered chocolate for even more decadence!

Yield: 16 Truffles

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles

Simple and decadent olive oil chocolate truffles filled with dried cranberries and chopped pecans! These vegan-friendly truffles are ultra-creamy and so delicious!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

8oz chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate
1/2 cup canned coconut cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
6 Tbsp chopped pecan pieces
Cocoa powder, sprinkles, or extra chopped pecans to roll truffles

Instructions

Add the chopped chocolate to a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of about 1" of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir the chocolate until totally melted; remove from heat.
Whisk in the coconut cream and olive oil until totally combined - mixture will thicken up. Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Allow mixture to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate chocolate mixture for 3-4 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop truffles 1.5 Tbsp in size. Freeze for 5 minutes before rolling the truffles into smooth balls.
If the truffles are sticky, put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling them in the topping(s) of your choice (sprinkles, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, etc). If your truffles needed to be chilled again, gently roll them in your hands to heat up the surface before rolling them in the topping - this helps the topping stick.
Store truffles in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

Shake your can of coconut cream prior to opening. If the cream has hardened, scoop out all of the contents and heat them up until melted and combined. Then measure out 1/2 cup.

dairy-free

Fresh Orange Rice Krispie Treats

More citrus recipes:

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

Did you make this recipe?

More chocolate recipes:

Triple Chocolate Inside Out Cookies (dairy-free)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (vegan option)

Classic Weeknight Brownies (dairy-free)

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies (dairy-free)

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

Did you make this recipe?

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Ingredients

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Serving Size:

Did you make this recipe?

More oatmeal desserts:

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