vegan

Name: Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 16 Truffles
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

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.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232 Total Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 2mg Sodium: 17mg Carbohydrates: 21g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 16g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

Did you make this recipe?

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Other recipes you might like:

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies (DF)

Orange Cranberry Swirl Bread (Vegan)

Dark Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups (Vegan)

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing (DF)

October 30, 2019 by Rachael Ng 4 Comments

It’s Fall and the weather is officially getting straight up cold for us. Somehow, we seem to only get a few weeks of nice, mild weather each Spring and Fall, and the rest of the year is either miserably hot or awfully cold. Muffins always come to mind when I think of something quick, easy, and comforting for an afternoon snack on a chilly day. I’ve been craving fluffy muffins this week and really wanted something without chocolate. So I made my Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread into muffins (without the cinnamon swirl!). And then I added a super simple brown sugar icing spiced with cinnamon because I just couldn’t resist! Glazed and iced breads are just so pretty.

For this recipe you’ll whip up a quick batch of muffins. Really, it only takes two bowls, and 15 minutes in the oven. And then you’ll heat the brown sugar, vegan butter, and plant milk to a boil. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, and voilà! You have a delicious icing that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin muffins! Since the icing is heated up, it will set very quickly. Like, don’t even try to pour or drizzle it over your muffins – that won’t work. You want to dip the tops of each muffin in the icing. When your icing starts to get too thick (which it will), place your saucepan back over the heat until it thins and continue working quickly to get those muffins dipped!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Whole wheat pastry flour gives these muffins maximum fluffiness! It’s a staple in my pantry, because I just love the texture it creates in my quick breads and muffins.

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, low GI sugar. It tastes less sweet than regular sugar, so it balances out the sweetness of the icing.

Coconut oil brings lots of moisture to these muffins. You won’t taste it at all in this recipe, but if you’re skeptical, feel free to use a refined version. Or you can use another vegetable oil.

Brown sugar is essential for the icing in this recipe. It creates a wonderful flavor that just can’t be replaced by another sugar!

Yield: 10 regular muffins

Pumpkin Muffins with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

Fluffy and moist pumpkin muffins dipped in a delicious cinnamon brown sugar icing! A perfect Fall treat that can be made dairy-free or vegan!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs, room temp (or 2 flax eggs, if vegan)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup plant-based milk, room temp or warm
1 cup pumpkin purée

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Icing

1 Tbsp vegan butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp plant-based milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray). Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, eggs (or flax eggs), vanilla, coconut oil, and milk. Whisk in the pumpkin purée. Add liquid ingredients to dry and gently mix with a large spatula until no flour pockets remain.
Spoon batter into 10 muffin wells, filling 2/3-3/4 full. If your batter is thick, you can smooth out the tops with a spoon. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then gently remove them to cool on a cooling rack.
Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small saucepan, add the vegan butter, brown sugar, and milk. Whisk together and bring ingredients to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon and powdered sugar. You may need to add a little more milk at this point if your icing is too thick - since it cools quickly, you'll have to move fast to dip your muffins. I don't recommend pouring the icing.
Quickly dip the tops of each muffin into the icing (you can tilt your saucepan to help you), turning right side up to set. If your icing begins to get too thick as you're working, put your saucepan back on the stove and heat for a few seconds until the icing thins out, stirring constantly.
Enjoy iced muffins right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For vegan muffins, replace the eggs with two flax eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp lukewarm water and allow to thicken for five minutes
You can replace the coconut sugar with white or brown sugar.
The whole wheat pastry flour can be replaced with regular, all-purpose flour, but your muffins may not be as fluffy.

Mulled Apple Cider Cake with Penuche Frosting (DF)

October 11, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

It’s apple season! And also one of my favorite seasons for indulging in all things sweet. The air is cooling and all of the upcoming holidays just have me feeling extra happy and eager. I’ve been dying to use apple cider in something for a couple of weeks now, and a simple sheet cake (loaded with frosting!) was a no-brainer. I love cake. And since I’m dairy-free I rarely get to indulge in it. Growing up, my grandma would make layered caked with penuche frosting. I didn’t know what exactly it was at the time, I just knew it was delicious and that she would have a plate of the leftovers waiting in the refrigerator for my mom (and me!) to snack on. Yes, I ate a lot of sugar growing up. Penuche frosting is made with brown sugar, so it’s super sweet with its own distinct (and totally mouth watering) flavor.

I was a bit nervous to make the frosting for the first time as I’d attempted it with coconut sugar before and failed. But it came out perfectly! I used vegan stick butter and almond milk, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. You’ll add all of the ingredients, except the powdered sugar, to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and then allow that mixture to cool completely. Then you’ll simply beat in the powdered sugar! It’s time consuming since it can take up to 2-3 hours for the mixture to totally cool, but it’s a pretty simple, fail-proof recipe. The cake itself is easy. You don’t have to use mulled apple cider, but you’ll need to reduce the cider for around 20-30 minutes anyway so why not add in a cinnamon stick (or ground cinnamon) and a few orange slices? The result is a spicy, more flavorful apple cider. Then you’ll add lots of spice into the batter for extra fall flavor. For this, feel free to adjust the spices to your liking!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Whole wheat pastry flour adds fluff to this cake. This flour is a staple in my pantry for baking cakes and quick breads. I love it, and I highly recommend it for this recipe! You can use all-purpose flour in its place, but I promise the WWPF really makes a difference in the cakes texture.

Coconut sugar is my go-to sweetener. It’s unrefined, low GI, and doesn’t taste like coconut. Plus, it tastes less sweet than regular white sugar, which helps balance the sweetness of the penuche frosting.

Mulled apple cider is a delicious and spicy warm cider that bring in lots of fall flavor to this cake. Feel free to reduce your apple cider without the added spice/orange.

Applesauce brings moisture and sweetness to this cake! Plus, it goes along with the apple theme, so I felt it was perfect.

Light brown sugar is necessary for the traditional penuche frosting. The molasses taste adds a unique flavor to the frosting. I don’t recommend any substitutes as I’ve tried coconut sugar in the past with no luck.

Yield: 18 Slices

Mulled Apple Cider Cake with Penuche Frosting

A soft spice cake made with mulled apple cider and applesauce! Topped with a decadent brown sugar frosting, this sheet cake is the perfect fall and holiday dessert!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Apple Cider Cake

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups apple cider, reduced
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1/2 an orange, sliced (optional)
3/4 cup coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
1/2 cup neutral oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temp (or 3 flax eggs)
Heaping 1 cup applesauce

Penuche Frosting

3/4 cup vegan butter (or butter)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Add the apple cider, cinnamon stick, and sliced orange to a small pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer until liquid reduces to a 1/2 cup. This can take up to 30 minutes. Once reduced, set aside to cool and remove cinnamon stick and orange slices. This is also a good time to bring your eggs to room temperature - place them in a glass of warm water until you're ready to make the cake batter.
While the mulled apple cider is cooling, preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13" cake pan with non-stick spray and (optional) line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the mulled apple cider, coconut sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and applesauce until combined. Beat in the dry ingredients until batter is smooth - about 1 minute.
Bake cake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs. To frost the cake out of the pan (like I did) allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Then invert it onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and invert the cake onto another cooling rack so it's right side up. OR allow cake to cool completely in the pan.
While your cake is cooling, start the frosting. Add the vegan butter, brown sugar, and almond milk to a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a full boil then immediately remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl to cool completely - the cooling process can take up to a couple of hours.
Once your cake and brown sugar mixture have totally cooled, add 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar to the brown sugar mixture. Beat with a whisk attachment until smooth. Add powdered sugar by the 1/4 cup until you've reached a thick, smooth, spreadable consistency. If it becomes too thick, add a little plant-based milk 1 tsp at a time.
Frost your cake with an icing spatula, swirling it around the cake. The frosting may shift a bit on the cake, but it'll will eventually set up.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness.

Notes

A neutral oil is one with a light taste, like extra light olive oil, refined coconut oil, or avocado oil. For this recipe, I used extra light olive oil.
For the penuche frosting, your brown sugar mixture must be completely cool in order for the frosting to turn out. This took a couple of hours for me, so it's important to start your frosting while your cake is cooling!

Black Sesame Caramel Frappé

October 8, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

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

Halloween is around the corner, and I am in the mood for all things spooky! I’ve never been super into dressing up, but give me the best horror movies, pumpkin everything, and all things cutesy and festive! I think I’ve checked out the same Halloween section at the store no less than five times already. But anyways, when Torani reached out to me about creating a Halloween themed drink with one of their delicious syrups, I was so in. With nutty black sesame, lots of buttery, rich caramel flavor, and a bit of activated charcoal coconut powder for that hint of Halloween, this Black Sesame Caramel Frappé is just what I needed. And let’s just say I was way too satisfied with the work of my sugar sprinkle rims.

Once you’ve got the toasted black sesame powder – which is super simple to make! – you’ll basically add all of the ingredients to a blender and you’re all set and ready for a lightly caffeinated, sweet and icy beverage! I added a whopping 6 Tbsp of the Torani Caramel Syrup to this recipe (which serves 2) because I just couldn’t resist, but feel free to play around with the syrup and add 2 or 4 Tbsp as the suggested serving size is 2 Tbsp per 1 cup of liquid. I topped it all off with whipped cream, extra black sesame powder, and black sesame seeds. For even more sweetness, feel free to add a caramel drizzle! And head over to www.Torani.com to get your hands on their Caramel Syrup!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut cream gives this recipe a creamier texture. You can opt for 2 cups of frozen coconut cream, or skip it all together and use ice.

Sugar adds a touch more sweetness. Feel free to adjust to your liking.

Toasted black sesame powder is a delicious and nutty add-in that pairs so well with the rich caramel syrup flavor.

Torani Caramel Syrup is a quick and easy way to deliver caramel goodness to these frappés. Plus, you can use it to create endless recipes, or just add a spoonful to your morning coffee for a buttery caramel flavor!

Activated charcoal coconut powder is a natural way to make these frappés darker in color. It is tasteless in this recipe, and adds depth to the gray.

Yield: 2 Frappes

Black Sesame Caramel Frappé

A delicious and creamy frappé made with nutty black sesame and sweet Torani Caramel Syrup! A vegan-friendly treat to get you in the mood for Halloween!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups ice or frozen coconut cream
2 tsp espresso powder
1/4 cup toasted black sesame powder
4-6 Tbsp Torani Caramel Syrup, depending on taste
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup plant-based milk
2-3 tsp activated charcoal coconut powder (optional)**

Instructions

Make your toasted black sesame powder. Place 1/4 cup of black sesame seeds (or more if you desire to have extra!) in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the seeds begin to toast - you'll notice a strong nutty aroma and, if using stainless steel, the pan will begin to smoke. Remove from heat and blend toasted seeds in a food processor or blender until the seeds breakdown into a chunky powder.
In a blender, add the ice or frozen coconut cream (or mix of both), espresso powder, black sesame powder, Torani Caramel Syrup, sugar, milk, and charcoal coconut powder. Blend until smooth.
Serve immediately and add your favorite toppings - whipped cream, caramel sauce, black sesame powder, or sprinkles!

Notes

You can empty out one to two cans of coconut cream into ice cube trays (or onto a parchment lined baking sheet) and freeze for a creamier drink
Your black sesame seeds must be toasted in order to blend into a powder as the toasting softens the seeds
Recipe can be halved for one serving
For the sprinkle rim, melt 2 Tbsp of chocolate chips. Use a mini spatula to lightly spread chocolate around rim of glass. Douse in sprinkles and immediately chill in the refrigerator
**Disclaimer: activated charcoal may reduce or prevent absorption of certain medications, drugs, or supplements

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred and @torani on Instagram and hashtag #AToraniHalloween

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