Category: <span>Sweet Treats</span>

Apple Squares

My apple-loving husband John absolutely loves these sweet treats. I love them, too, since they are so easy to make. No electric mixer is needed!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped apple
• ½ cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon into a medium bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons white sugar and the remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon together in a small bowl.
3. Mix brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, and melted butter together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in apple and walnuts. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over top.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the top springs back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 squares.

From Allrecipes by BarbiAnn

Raspberry Crumb Bars

My neighbor Pam and I frequently share sweet treats with each other. Lucky for us, she and her husband are both particularly good bakers.

These cookies are perfect. Not too sweet with a good texture of both crunchy and gooey. Vanilla ice cream on top is not necessary, but certainly makes it more festive and delicious!

 Ingredients

 1 ¼ cups flour
1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup cold butter cubed
8 oz raspberry preserves
¾ cup frozen raspberries (optional)

 Instructions

 Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Line an 8×8 baking dish with a parchment sling and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix together until evenly combined. Add pieces of butter and work into the dry ingredients using hands or a pastry cutter. Squeeze butter and dry mixture between fingers until the mixture crumbles and sticks together for easy handling.
3. Pour two cups of the crumb mixture into the prepared baking dish. Lightly press to form an even crust. Spread raspberry preserves over the crust. Sprinkle with frozen raspberries. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Do not press crumbs, just sprinkle over the top.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the top turns slightly browned and puffed in the middle, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool at least four hours before slicing into serving-size bar cookies.

Pie Crust Cookies

North Carolina Our State magazine recently published a few retro recipes. I learned these pie crust cookies were the kind of small bites offered to travelers in the first half of the 20^th century at roadside tea rooms. I used a refrigerated pie crust and can’t imagine that a homemade pie crust was any better. They are delicious!

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies.

1 (2-roll) box refrigerated pie crust
1½ cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cups pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Thaw pie dough according to package instructions. Place pie dough rounds on a lightly floured surface.
2. Mix together sugar, eggs, pecans, and vanilla.
3. Spoon mixture on top of pie dough rounds, making sure to spread to the edges.
4. Using hands, roll each pie dough round into a log and cover with plastic wrap, twisting at both ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is better.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°. Remove plastic from dough logs. Slice logs into ½-inch thick rounds, and place slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Be sure to use parchment paper on the baking sheets or you’ll have a sticky hard-to-clean mess.)
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
7. Once cool, cut off excess sugar around the edges or leave on for a more rustic look.

Tip: Cut the recipe in half using only one pie crust.

Strawberry Cream Jello Dessert

6 oz strawberry Jello
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
8 oz Cool Whip

Instructions:

In a bowl, dissolve the strawberry Jello in the boiling water; stir for 2 minutes. Then add the cold water.

Add sliced strawberries to your Jello mold or Bundt pan then cover with about 2 cups of the Jello mixture. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Place the bowl with the remaining gelatin in the fridge as well until it cools and starts to thicken. Check in about 20 minutes.

After the plain Jello is thickened a bit, blend it with the Cool Whip.

Pour Cool Whip mixture on top of chilled and firm layer of Jello and strawberries. Put it back in the fridge and chill for an additional 4 or more hours before serving.

To unmold the Jello, submerge the mold in warm water for about 20 seconds. Loosen around the edges with a warm rubber spatula. Place the serving platter on top of the loosened Jello mold and flip it over. The Jello mold should release on the plate easily. If not, use the spatula to loosen it again and give it another try.

Fig Preserves Cake

Our fig trees have been overflowing this year from lots of rain and southern summer heat. After making countless batches of my yummy Fig Orange Jam, I needed to branch out. I discovered this Fig Preserves Cake recipe so I could use my homemade fig jam. Win-win! I decided the caramel glaze was over the top, so I didn’t make it. The cake did not need it all! Make the cake a day ahead to enhance both flavor and moistness.

For the Fig Cake:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (I substituted cloves)
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fig preserves or jam
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Caramel Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
Dash salt

Make the Fig Cake:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add the melted butter and vegetable oil and beat until blended.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the eggs to the first mixture and beat until blended.

Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Add the fig preserves and chopped pecans. Stir to blend.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Slide a knife around the sides of the cake to ensure it isn’t sticking, and then carefully invert it onto a cake plate and let it cool completely.

Make the Caramel Glaze:

Combine the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and a dash of salt in a small saucepan.

Place the pan over medium heat and cook for 1 minute, or until bubbling, stirring constantly.

Add the cream to the sugar mixture and bring the glaze mixture to a boil. Continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Let the glaze mixture cool slightly; drizzle the warm glaze over the cooled cake.

From www.thespruceeats.com

Almond Granola

This fabulous granola was created by my sister-in-law Tommi. It needs a warning label on it – Beware! Addiction is Possible! The simple ingredients and mild almond flavor is perfect.

Mix together in a large bowl and set aside:

4 cups original oats
1 small pkg slivered almonds
3/4 c dried cranberries

In microwave bowl put:

1/3 cup coconut oil (use solid coconut oil sold in jars)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 generous Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat ingredients until melted. Mix into oat mixture and stir until all dry ingredients are coated.

Place this mixture in a sided jellyroll pan covered with parchment paper. Spread and press evenly to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.

Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Before putting back in the oven, lightly press back into the pan using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Watch it very carefully as it bakes the last 8-15 minutes. It browns very fast. The granola should only be light golden brown when done.

Remove from oven and place on rack. Press granola again into pan to cover the bottom completely. I use a piece of parchment on top and press into pan with my hand. Let granola cool totally. When cold, it should crack into large pieces.

Store in zip lock bags.

A few notes from Tommi:

You can add other ingredients such as dried cherries, seeds, or other nuts. Be sure you maintain about the same ratio of oats to other ingredients otherwise it won’t set and break apart.

Tommi doubles this recipe because it keeps well and can be frozen in zip lock bags.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp strong brewed coffee (or 1 Tbsp instant coffee and 1 Tbsp hot water)
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 cup softened butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mini-chocolate chips

Preparation:

 Preheat oven to 400°.  Line or grease muffin trays. (Liners really not needed)

Bowl 1:  Stir together dry ingredients.

Bowl 2:  Mash bananas and combine with coffee.

Bowl 3:

1. Beat together butter and sugar.
2. Add egg. Mix until combined.
3. Add banana. Mix until combined.
4. Stir in dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
5. Stir in chips.

Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-23 minutes.

Unfortunately, I do not know the origin of this recipe. I apologize to the creator for being unable to give attribution.

Heath Bar Bundt Cake

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ cups English toffee bits (Heath Bits ‘O Brickle)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. Set aside.
• To make the streusel – in a small bowl, mix the toffee bits, walnuts, chocolate chips, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Beat together for 5 minutes on medium speed of electric mixer the cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, and sour cream.
• Spread a small amount of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the ¼ cup of the streusel mixture. Add ½ of the remaining batter, ½ the remaining streusel, then add the rest of the batter and sprinkle with the rest of the streusel.
• Bake 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees. Done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10-15 minutes then remove from pan.

Recipe found on Cook’n recipe app.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Cups (Muffins)

Ingredients

1 and 1/3 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
3 cups old-fashioned whole oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup optional add-ins: chocolate chips chopped pecans or walnuts or dried cranberries

Optional topping: coarse sugar for topping

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray. If using muffin liners, spray them with nonstick spray. The oatmeal cups stick to the liners a bit regardless, so I recommend skipping them.
• Whisk all of the ingredients together, except for the optional add-ins and coarse sugar, in 1 large bowl. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Batter will be a little liquid-y. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, making sure both the oats/add-ins and liquid are in each. Fill all the way to the top. If desired for extra crunch, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and tops appear set. If the tops appear to brown very quickly, tent a piece of aluminum foil on top.
• Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Cover leftover oatmeal cups tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

For more variations, freezing instructions, and nutrition info, go to: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-baked-oatmeal-cups/

Cranberry Apple Raspberry Pie

1 box refrigerated pie crust – 2 count – or homemade pie crust
3 cups cored, peeled, chopped granny smith apples (about 3 medium)
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
1 10-oz package frozen dry pack raspberries thawed or 2 packages fresh raspberries (reserve the second package to add when tossing fruit before adding to pie shell)
1 ½ cup sugar
3 Tbs quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp almond extract
1 large egg
1 Tbs water
sugar

• Combine apples, cranberries, and raspberries in large bowl. Cook in large pot for 20-30 minutes until cooked down.
• Mix sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt, and almond extract in small bowl. Add to cooked fruit mixture, toss well. If using fresh raspberries, add the reserved package to this mixture. Spoon into unbaked crust.
• Roll out dough for top crust. Place onto filled pie or create a lattice top crust. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge. Fold top crust under bottom crust to seal. Crimp and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to allow steam to escape.
• Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush on surface of pie. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edge with foil before placing in the oven.
• Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 25-35 minutes or until filling in center is bubbly. Serve warm.