Candy Cane Brownie Cupcakes

Brownies… in the shape of cupcakes… whipped cream… candy canes… peppermint bark… uh… Yes, please!! They are so rich, fudgey, and minty! I hope you all enjoy these paleo, gluten-free cupcakes. Spend lots of great time with your family, this holiday!

Makes about 16 brownie cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) jar creamy roasted almond butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 tsp real sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Optional Toppings:

1 cup Organic Pastures Dairy raw cream (or coconut cream, for dairy-free)

1 Tbs maple syrup

1 batch Peppermint Bark

5 organic candy canes, crushed

Directions:

1.     Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners (the recipe should yield about 16 cupcakes).

2.     In a stand mixer, blend the almond butter until smooth. Blend in the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Do not over-mix!

3.     Blend in the cacao powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4.     Scoop the batter into the muffin tines, filling each cavity about 5/6 of the way full. Bake the brownies one tin at a time, for about 35 minutes each. Let the brownies cool completely before frosting.

5.     Whip the cream in a stand (or hand) mixer until soft peaks form. Blend in the maple syrup and whip until stiff peaks form.

6.     Top the cooled cupcakes with whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and a small piece of peppermint bark.

Christmas Goodies Recipe Roundup

Christmas time's a-coming, Christmas time's a-coming! Oh my goodness, aren't holiday treats just the best?! I've got many recipes here for you, today! They are all gluten-, grain-, and refined sugar-free. Also, all of them can be made dairy-free, and most are nut-free. Everyone should be able to enjoy holiday treats, no matter what they can/can't eat! I hope you all have a very merry Christmas :)

Gingerbread-Orange Spice Cookies

                Paleo Christmas Cookie Cut-Outs               

Paleo Snickerdoodles

Grain-Free Chocolate Cake

Paleo Gingerbread-Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Peppermint Patties

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Decadent Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

 Mint Brownies

Gingerbread-Orange Spice cookies

‘Tis magic time, cozy, warm

‘Tis loving time, bright, at home

‘Tis time for cookies, spice and all

For it is no longer fall!

Santa is on his way…

‘Tis winter now,

Each and every day.

These cookies are bold and bright, perfect to warm you and your heart on these cold winter nights! They have a crispy outside, and a soft inside. The pleasant gingerbread notes enter your mouth, then followed by a light orange touch. I know that if you gave these cookies to Santa and Rudolf, they would enjoy them thoroughly!

Makes 20 cookies.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup coconut oil, softened (or butter)
¼ cup + 1 Tbs coconut sugar
1 Large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons black strap molasses
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 cup blanched almond flour
½ cup arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons coconut flour
Scant ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ tsp baking soda

Directions:

1.     In a stand mixer, (or an electric mixer and a large bowl) cream together the coconut oil and coconut sugar.

2.    Add the egg, and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla, molasses, and orange zest. Beat until combined. It’s alright if it’s a little lumpy.

3.     In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, and baking soda.

4.     Mix the dry into the wet. Beat until smooth.

5.     Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees .

6.     Roll the dough into balls about the size of a tablespoon, or a walnut in it's shell. Place the balls (there should be about twenty) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten out each ball with the palm of your hand.

7.     Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then devour!!

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… Jack Frost nipping at your nose… yuletide carols being sung by a choir, and folks dressed up like Eskimos…

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today, I have the easiest, most scrumptious recipe for you. It is a family favorite: Peppermint Bark! And, only two ingredients are needed to make this treat. I can’t even contain my excitement!

Now, I know I haven’t posted a new recipe in a while. I am so sorry! I just finished being in a musical, so I didn’t have a lot of time for baking. Even when I am not posting on the blog, I am still cooking! If you follow me on Instagram, you can see all the yummy things I’ve been cooking up, and the ingredients I love.

So, back to the bark: ’Tis full of creamy, rich chocolate, topped with crunchy, minty goodness! Sound good? Heck, yeah! Let’s go make some!

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate (chips or chopped bar)

3 organic candy canes, crushed**

Directions: 

       1.  Place your chocolate in a double boiler on high heat, until it is fully melted. Stir until smooth.  Let the chocolate cool for a few minutes.

 2. Line 2 large plates with parchment paper, and spread the chocolate thinly and evenly onto both. Sprinkle the candy cane pieces evenly on top.

3.     Place the two plates of bark in your freezer (on separate shelves!!). After about fifteen minutes of freezing, remove the plates from the freezer, and break the bark into bits with your hands. I like non-uniform pieces of bark, because I think they look rustic ;) Enjoy, and store uneaten bark in the freezer!

**To crush the candy canes: Unwrap your three candy canes and place them in a small ziplock baggie. Outside, place the sealed baggie on the ground, and whack it a few times with a rubber mallet (or hammer), until they candies are broken into small chunks. Do not crush the candies so much, because you don’t want them to turn into powder!