We’ve had a bit of a heat wave, and I haven’t felt like doing much cooking, but I decided to surprise my family with this no-bake treat! This lunch lady peanut butter bar recipe I found on My Baking Addiction was super simple to make, put big smiles on everyone’s face, and didn’t heat my house while making them.

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Bars:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup salted butter, cubed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, about 15 graham cracker sheets, crushed into fine crumbs
• 1¾ cups powdered sugar

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Layer:

• 10 oz dark chocolate melting wafers
• 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Optional Toppings:

• Crushed peanuts, optional
• Flaky sea salt, optional

How to Make Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars:

Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easier removal.

Make the bars by melting the creamy peanut butter and salted butter until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla until well combined.

Prepare the graham crackers by using a food processor to crush them into fine crumbs.

Add the graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar, and stir until well combined.

Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate & peanut butter topping.

Make the chocolate & peanut butter topping by combining the melting wafers, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted.

Pour the chocolate & peanut butter mixture over the graham cracker base and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with crushed peanuts and flaky sea salt, if desired.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.

Once set, slice into bars and serve chilled.

Store in an airtight container, layers separated by parchment paper. Enjoy.

Print

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Refrigerating Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 22 minutes minutes

Servings 16 - 20 (depending on size)

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 9 x 9-inch Glass Baking Dish
• Food Processor
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

Bars:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup salted butter cubed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 15 graham cracker sheets, crushed into fine crumbs
• 1¾ cups powdered sugar

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Layer:

• 10 oz dark chocolate melting wafers
• 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Optional Toppings:

• Crushed peanuts optional
• Flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

• Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easier removal.
• Make the bars by melting the creamy peanut butter and salted butter until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla until well combined.
• Prepare the graham crackers by using a food processor to crush them into fine crumbs.
• Add the graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar, and stir until well combined.
• Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate & peanut butter topping.
• Make the chocolate & peanut butter topping by combining the melting wafers, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted.
• Pour the chocolate & peanut butter mixture over the graham cracker base and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with crushed peanuts and flaky sea salt, if desired. 
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.
• Once set, slice into bars and serve chilled.
• Store in an airtight container, layers separated by parchment paper. Enjoy.

I’ve always wanted to make a key lime pie, so when I stumbled upon a whole bunch of key limes on sale at my grocery store, I scooped them up. I decided to make a recipe for mini key lime pies from Sally’s Baking Addiction that looked fun. The key limes take time to juice, but it’s worth the effort. The mini key lime pies were delicious, with a sweet, buttery crust and a perfect tart-and-sweet filling.

Mini Key Lime Pies

Crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

• 4 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 (14-oz) can of full-fat sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup key lime juice (about 20 key limes)

Serving:

• Whipped cream
• Lime zest

How to Make Mini Key Lime Pies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin trays, 1 with 12 cupcake liners and 4 in a second tray (since this recipe makes only around 16). Set pans aside.

Prepare the crust by placing 12 whole graham cracker sheets in a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs.

Combine the fine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a small bowl until well combined. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy.

Press a heaping tablespoon of graham cracker mixture down into each liner, making sure the crust is tight and very compact.

Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Prepare the filling by beating the cream cheese on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

On medium-high speed, beat in the egg yolks, scraping down the sides as needed. On high speed, beat in the sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until combined.

Pour the filling evenly into each crust.

Place in the oven and bake for 15–16 minutes, or until the centers of the pies only slightly jiggle.

Remove from oven and allow the pies to cool at room temperature in the pan set on a wire cooling rack.

Once cool, place the muffin trays in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

To serve, once chilled, top the key lime pies with whipped cream and lime zest if desired. Enjoy.

Store leftover pies in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 1 week.

Print

Mini Key Lime Pies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Cooling/Refrigerating Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16 mini pies

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 2 Muffin Tray plus 16 Cupcake Liners
• Food Processor
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs about 12 full sheet graham crackers
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

• 4 oz full-fat brick cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 (14-oz) can of full-fat sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup key lime juice about 20 key limes

Serving:

• Whipped cream
• Lime zest

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin trays, 1 with 12 cupcake liners and 4 in a second tray (since this recipe makes only around 16). Set trays aside.
• Prepare the crust by placing 12 whole graham cracker sheets in a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs.
• Combine the fine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a small bowl until well combined. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy.
• Press a heaping tablespoon of graham cracker mixture down into each liner, making sure the crust is tight and very compact.
• Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Prepare the filling by beating the cream cheese on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• On medium-high speed in a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat in the egg yolks, scraping down the sides as needed. On high speed, beat in the sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until combined.
• Pour the filling evenly into each crust.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15–16 minutes or until the centers of the pies only slightly jiggle.
• Remove from oven and allow the pies to cool at room temperature in the tray set on a wire cooling rack.
• Once cool, place the muffin trays in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• To serve, once chilled, top the key lime pies with whipped cream and lime zest if desired. Enjoy.
• Store leftover pies in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 1 week.

We all love a fruit crisp, and since I had some peaches and raspberries that weren’t getting eaten, I made these mini peach raspberry crisps. The recipe is super easy to throw together, smells amazing while baking, and makes my family very happy.

Mini Peach Raspberry Crisps

Almond Topping:

• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cardamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold & diced
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Peach Raspberry Filling:

• 2½ cups fresh peaches, peeled & sliced (about 5 large)
• ½ cup fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1½ tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

How to Make Mini Peach Raspberry Crisps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat 4 ramekins with butter or cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the almond topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and diced cold butter in a small bowl; work the mixture with your fingers until crumbly and well combined. Add the sliced almonds and work them into the flour mixture; set aside until needed.

Make the filling by combining the peaches, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl, then mix until the fruit is evenly coated.

Divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins.

Sprinkle the almond topping evenly over each dish.

Bake the mini crisps for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender.

Allow them to cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving as is or with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy.

Print

Mini Peach Raspberry Crisps

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 4 Small Baking Dishes or Ramekins
• Baking Sheet
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Almond Topping:

• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cardamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold & diced
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Peach Raspberry Filling:

• 2½ cups fresh peaches peeled & sliced (about 5 large)
• ½ cup fresh raspberries
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1½ tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat 4 ramekins with butter or cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Make the almond topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and diced cold butter in a small bowl; work the mixture with your fingers until crumbly and well combined. Add the sliced almonds and work them into the flour mixture; set aside until needed.
• Make the filling by combining the peaches, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl, then mix until the fruit is evenly coated.
• Divide the mixture evenly into the ramekins.
• Sprinkle the almond topping evenly over each dish.
• Bake the mini crisps for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender.
• Allow them to cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving as is or with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy.

This fun & easy dessert bar recipe takes classic Rice Krispie treats to a whole new level! I made these brown butter Golden Grahams s’mores bars after my sister sent me an Instagram video of them being made. Browning the butter and lightly torching the marshmallows really make this easy s’more bars recipe extra special. These tasty s’mores bars were a big hit with my whole family, and I’ll definitely be making them again.

Brown Butter Golden Grahams S’mores Bars

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 12 oz of mini marshmallows, divided
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups of Golden Grahams cereal
• 1-2 Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, separated into pieces, to taste
• Flaky sea salt, to taste, optional

How to Make Brown Butter Golden Grahams S’mores Bars:

You need to move quickly when making this recipe, so prepare all ingredients before starting the cooking process.

Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with a strip of parchment paper with sides overhanging. Coat with cooking spray.

Brown the butter in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Stir the butter often once it has melted. It will start to foam at the top, turn brown, and start smelling nutty. This process takes about 3-5 minutes, and the turn happens quickly, so watch carefully.

Remove 1½ cups of mini marshmallows from the bag and set aside until later.

Add the remaining marshmallows to the brown butter. Lightly toast the marshmallows with a cooking torch before, stirring constantly until melted and smooth, about 3-4 minutes.  

Once melted, add the vanilla extract and stir to mix well.

Immediately add the Golden Grahams and 1 cup of the remaining marshmallows, and stir until well combined and evenly coated.

Immediately spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer, using parchment paper to protect your hands, if desired.

Press the separated chocolate pieces, and the remaining ½ cup of marshmallows on top.

Place in the fridge to cook for 20 minutes.

Lightly toast the marshmallows on top of the bars with the cooking torch. Top with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, if desired.

Lift parchment paper sides and transfer to a cutting board.

To cut, spray a portion of a paper towel with cooking spray, and grease a sharp knife before cutting treats into squares.

Serve and enjoy.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

Print

Brown Butter Golden Grahams S’mores Bars

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Refrigerating Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 8x8-inch Baking Pan
• Large, Wide Pot
• Cooking Torch
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 12 oz of mini marshmallows divided
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups of Golden Grahams cereal
• 1-2 Hershey's milk chocolate bars separated into pieces, to taste
• Flaky sea salt to taste, optional

Instructions

• You need to move quickly when making this recipe, so prepare all ingredients before starting the cooking process.
• Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with a strip of parchment paper with sides overhanging. Coat with cooking spray.
• Brown the butter in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Stir the butter often once it has melted. It will start to foam at the top, turn brown, and start smelling nutty. This process takes about 3-5 minutes, and the turn happens quickly, so watch carefully.
• Remove 1½ cups of mini marshmallows from the bag and set aside until later.
• Add the remaining marshmallows to the brown butter. Lightly toast the marshmallows with a cooking torch, then stir constantly until melted and smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
• Once melted, add the vanilla extract and stir to mix well.
• Immediately add the Golden Grahams and 1 cup of the remaining marshmallows, and stir until well combined and evenly coated.
• Immediately spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer, using parchment paper to protect your hands, if desired.
• Press the separated chocolate pieces, and the remaining ½ cup of marshmallows on top.
• Place in the fridge to cook for 20 minutes.
• Lightly toast the marshmallows on top of the bars with the cooking torch. Top with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, if desired. 
• Lift parchment paper sides and transfer to a cutting board.
• To cut, spray a portion of a paper towel with cooking spray, and grease a sharp knife before cutting treats into squares.
• Serve and enjoy.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

My grocery store had a nice sale on fresh raspberries, so I made these lemon cheesecake bars with raspberries from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles. The recipe is easy to prepare, but you have to be patient and let them set in the fridge. These lemon raspberry cheesecake bars were perfectly tart & sweet, and put big smiles on my family’s faces.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 16 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon zest from 2 large lemons
• 1 cup fresh raspberries, more for serving if desired

Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries:

Print

Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Raspberries

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 54 minutes minutes

Refrigerating Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 9 minutes minutes

Servings 9 - 16 depending on cut size

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 8 x 8-inch Baking Dish
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted

Filling:

• 16 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ¼ cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon zest from 2 large lemons
• 1 cup fresh raspberries more for serving if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with overlapping ends. Coat with cooking spray.
• Prepare the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir until well-combined. Press evenly into the prepared pan.
• Par-cook the crust by baking for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Set on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Prepare the filling with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) by creaming the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and beat on medium speed until combined.
• Spread the mixture evenly over the cooled crust, then tap the pan gently on the counter a couple of times to settle the filling.
• Scatter the top with raspberries, then gently press them into the cheesecake filling–enough to completely cover each raspberry with cheesecake filling.
• Place in the oven to bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cheesecake barely wobbles in the center, and the edges are lightly golden.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• Refrigerate to allow them to set for at least 3-24 hours.
• To serve, slice into individual bars, and carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan by pulling up on the overhanging parchment ends.
• Place the cheesecake on a cutting board and slice it into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

  Side Note: Use a warm (not hot), sharp, non-serrated knife, wiping the knife clean between each slice.

We had some strawberries and blueberries that had been in the fridge for a while, so I decided to make this simple strawberry-blueberry snack cake recipe I found on Nourish and Fete with them. The cake was incredibly easy to prepare, smelled great while baking, and was moist, flavorful, and delicious. We enjoyed it plain, but it would also be tasty with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Simple Strawberry-Blueberry Snack Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp of white sugar, divided
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 cup of buttermilk (you can also use ½ cup milk & ½ cup yogurt)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries

How to Make a Simple Strawberry-Blueberry Snack Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper with overhanging sides, or coat well with cooking spray, and set aside.

Combine 1 cup of white sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub the mixture lightly between your fingertips for 1 minute, to infuse the sugar with the lemon zest oil and scent.

Whisk the eggs into the sugar mixture until it is smooth and buttery yellow.

Whisk in the buttermilk, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.  Side Note: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice into a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill it with milk until it reaches 1 cup. Set aside for a few minutes, then use in place of buttermilk. 

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture until combined; it will be a little lumpy, but it will even out.

Add most of the berries, reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the cake. Gently fold two or three more times, then scrape the batter out into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.

Scatter the reserved strawberries and blueberries on top.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of white sugar evenly over the top of the cake.

Place in the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes, pr until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the baking pan.

If you lined the pan with parchment, you can use the parchment edges to lift the cake out, set it on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, then slice and serve. Otherwise, leave the cake in the pan and serve from there.

Enjoy.

Print

Simple Strawberry-Blueberry Snack Cake

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 9 Inch Square Baking Pan
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp of white sugar divided
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 cup of buttermilk you can also use ½ cup milk & ½ cup yogurt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup fresh strawberries washed, hulled, and sliced
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries washed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper with overhanging sides, or coat well with cooking spray, and set aside.
• Combine 1 cup of white sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub the mixture lightly between your fingertips for 1 minute, to infuse the sugar with the lemon zest oil and scent.
• Whisk the eggs into the sugar mixture until it is smooth and buttery yellow.
• Whisk in the buttermilk, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. 

  Side Note: If you don't have buttermilk, you can pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice into a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill it with milk until it reaches 1 cup. Set aside for a few minutes, then use in place of buttermilk.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture until combined; it will be a little lumpy, but it will even out.
• Add most of the berries, reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the cake. Gently fold two or three more times, then scrape the batter out into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.
• Scatter the reserved strawberries and blueberries on top.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of white sugar evenly over the top of the cake.
• Place in the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes, pr until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the baking pan.
• If you lined the pan with parchment, you can use the parchment edges to lift the cake out, set it on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, then slice and serve. Otherwise, leave the cake in the pan and serve from there.
• Enjoy.

My family loves biscotti–whether to dunk while drinking tea, hot chocolate, or a latte, or just as a light treat for dessert. I had some butterscotch chips in the cupboard calling my name, so I put them to use and made this easy butterscotch-pecan biscotti recipe. My husband snuck two before I had even photographed them, and said he loved them, and my kids did too. I especially loved the little caramelized bits of butterscotch baked throughout each biscotti.

Butterscotch-Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2½ tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp table salt
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• ½ cup toasted pecans, crushed

How to Make Butterscotch-Pecan Biscotti

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Prepare the biscotti by beating the butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer until creamy and well combined.

Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring until completely combined.

Stir in the butterscotch chips and crushed pecans.

The dough is very sticky at this point. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Form dough into two separate logs, approximately 9-11 inches long and 2-3 inches wide, and be sure to space them at least 3 inches apart, as biscotti will spread.

Bake the biscotti by placing the baking sheet in the oven for 25-27 minutes, or until the top and sides of the biscotti slabs are lightly browned.

Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat.  Allow the slabs to cool for 10 minutes.

Once they have cooled enough to handle, cut each slab on a diagonal into 1-inch wide slices, then carefully place the slices back on the baking sheet, cut sides upright, ¼-inch apart.

Return to the oven to bake for 9 minutes.

Carefully turn the biscotti over and continue to bake for 9 minutes.

The cookies will be slightly soft in the centers and harder on the edges. Side Note: They will get crunchier as they cool.

Prepare the dipping chocolate by placing the white chocolate wafers in a glass bowl with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, then microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, then return to the microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir, then place back into the microwave for 10 seconds. Remove and stir until completely melted. If needed, continue cooking for 10-second increments. Be careful not to overcook the white chocolate!

Dip one end of each biscotti at an angle into the melted white chocolate and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Drizzle a bit of remaining melted white chocolate over the dipped portion of each biscotti, if desired.

Allow them to dry completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Print

Butterscotch-Pecan Biscotti

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 43 minutes minutes

Refrigerating Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 13 minutes minutes

Servings 20 +/-

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp butter softened
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 2½ tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp table salt
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• ½ cup toasted pecans crushed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prepare the biscotti by beating the butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer until creamy and well combined.
• Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring until completely combined.
• Stir in the butterscotch chips and crushed pecans.
• The dough is very sticky at this point. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture.
• Divide the dough into two equal pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Form dough into two separate logs, approximately 9-11 inches long and 2-3 inches wide, and be sure to space them at least 3 inches apart, as biscotti will spread.
• Bake the biscotti by placing the baking sheet in the oven for 25-27 minutes, or until the top and sides of the biscotti slabs are lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat.  Allow the slabs to cool for 10 minutes.
• Once they have cooled enough to handle, cut each slab on a diagonal into 1-inch wide slices, then carefully place the slices back on the baking sheet, cut sides upright, ¼-inch apart.
• Return to the oven to bake for 9 minutes.
• Carefully turn the biscotti over and continue to bake for 9 minutes.
• The cookies will be slightly soft in the centers and harder on the edges. Side Note: They will get crunchier as they cool.
• Prepare the dipping chocolate by placing the white chocolate wafers in a glass bowl with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, then microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, then return to the microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir, then place back into the microwave for 10 seconds. Remove and stir until completely melted. If needed, continue cooking for 10-second increments. Be careful not to overcook the white chocolate!
• Dip one end of each biscotti at an angle into the melted white chocolate and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Drizzle a bit of remaining melted white chocolate over the dipped portion of each biscotti, if desired.
• Allow them to dry completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

I had a very ripe banana waiting to be used up, so when I stumbled on this easy banana cookies recipe from Baked by an Introvert, I made them right away. I liked the idea of using some cornstarch in the recipe, which helped give the cookies a soft & fluffy center and slightly crisp edges. My daughter and her friend tried this simple banana cookie recipe straight from the oven and loved the banana flavor and cookie texture. Simple to make and ready in 30 minutes or less.

Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1⅔ flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup very ripe banana, very mashed (the riper the banana, the stronger the banana flavor will be)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How to Make Banana Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl until well-mixed.

Using a hand mixer in a large bowl or in a stand mixer bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Beat in the mashed banana, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Using a silicone spatula, gradually stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Use a cookie scoop and drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.

Cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container. Enjoy.

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Banana Cookies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 18

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

• 1⅔ flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup very ripe banana very mashed (the riper the banana, the stronger the banana flavor will be)
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl until well-mixed.
• Using a hand mixer in large bowl or in a stand mixer bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the mashed banana, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Using a silicone spatula, gradually stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Scoop dough using a cookie scoop, drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.
• Store in an airtight container. Enjoy.

On the last Thanksgiving with my dad before he passed, my daughter made him a homemade apple pie, as it was one of his favorite desserts. Instead of ice cream, my dad liked topping his apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese. We just passed the 6th anniversary of his passing, and my daughter said she wanted to make an apple pie for him. Since I had store-bought pie crusts in the fridge, we used them, but a homemade crust would be amazing too. The two of us had fun collaborating on this classic apple pie recipe from Food Charlatan, which she deemed the best apple pie, and I think she is right! I prepared the filling, and my daughter did a great job on the lattice crust. Although this recipe takes a lot of time & patience, it is worth it! My daughter and I shared the first slice topped with cheddar cheese in honor of my dad, and I know he was tickled. This delicious apple pie recipe is a keeper!

Classic Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 store-bought pie crusts or homemade crusts
• ¼ tsp lemon zest
• Juice from half a lemon (about 2 tbsp)
• 5 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly (I used a mix of Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Gala apples)   ***5 pounds before peeling and coring* (about 11 large apples)
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cardamom, optional
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk, for brushing on the pie
• 1 tbsp beaten egg, optional, for brushing on the pie
• 1 tbsp raw sugar or turbinado sugar, for topping the pie

How to Make a Classic Apple Pie

Prepare the filling by combining the lemon zest and lemon juice in a large skillet.

Peel the apples and slice them into ⅛-inch pieces.   Side Note: Peeling and slicing one apple at a time, then tossing them in the lemon juice, so they don’t get brown, and then move on to peeling the next apple.  

Cook the apples in the large skillet over medium heat. Getnly stir in the brown and white sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

Once the mixture is all moistened and you don’t see patches of flour or cinnamon, set a timer for 20 minutes. Cover the mixture with a lid, and stir the mixture every 3-5 minutes, replacing the lid each time, adding water if the apples stick to the skillet. After 20 minutes, the apples should be fork-tender but still hold their shape.  Side Note: The apples will finish cooking while baking in the oven. 

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Transfer the apple pie filling (including all the brown caramel gooeyness) to a rimmed baking sheet and spread the apples all the way to the edges. Completely cool the apple pie filling by placing it in the fridge or the freezer; it only takes 30 minutes.

Coat a deep 9-inch pie dish with butter or cooking spray.

Roll out your pie dough and place it in the prepared baking dish, with any excess hanging over the edges.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape up every last bit of the chilled apple pie filling into the pie dish.

Top your pie with the other pie crust, crimping the edges and cutting a few vents in the center.

To make a lattice top crust, roll out the second crust and cut out strips using a pizza cutter. You can make the strips as wide or as thin as you want.

Weave your lattice by taking every other strip of pie dough and laying it across your pie, with a little space in between each strip.

Peel back every other strip that is on your pie, all the way to the edge.

Lay an edge piece of dough perpendicular to the others, tucked up right against the edge. Replace the peeled-back strips of dough to lay flat on top of the pie.

Take the strips that are underneath and peel them back. Lay out your next strip of dough. Replace the peeled-back strips.

Continue until the pie is completely woven.   Side Note: If at ANY point your pie dough becomes soft, place everything in the refrigerator. If you have a strip that tears, use a tiny bit of ice water to patch it with your fingers.

Fold up and crimp the edges, if you have them. Our crust was not overhanging, so we tucked it in the best we could.

Place the whole pie in the refrigerator for  30 minutes for a really flaky crust.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the center rack of your oven while it preheats to make sure it’s really hot.

Right before putting the apple pie in the oven, mix the milk and egg well, then brush the top crust all over with it.

Sprinkle the whole pie with raw sugar, turbinado sugar, or white sugar.

Bake by placing the chilled pie on the heated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The crust on the edge should be turning light brown.

Meanwhile, get a square of foil that is the same size as your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again. Cut out the center. Open it up again. You should have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Remove the pie from the oven and place the foil on top.  Side Note: This helps prevent the crust from burning.

Place the pie back on the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 more minutes.

You will know the pie is done when the edges are brown and the center is light golden brown. If you did a lattice crust, you should see the filling bubbling away nicely.

Let the pie cool on a wire cooling rack for about 4 hours.  Side Note: You must wait for it to cool to room temperature to achieve the right texture for the filling; if not, the filling will spill out. 

Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or cheddar cheese.

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Classic Apple Pie

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Refrigerating & Cooling Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time 7 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 pie

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large Skillet with Lid
• 9-Inch Pie Dish
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

• 2 store-bought pie crusts
• ¼ tsp lemon zest
• Juice from half a lemon about 2 tbsp
• 5 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly (about 11 large apples) (I used a mix of Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Gala apples) ***5 pounds before peeling and coring*
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cardamom optional
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk for brushing on the pie
• 1 tbsp beaten egg optional, for brushing on the pie
• 1 tbsp raw sugar or turbinado sugar for topping the pie

Instructions

• Prepare the filling by combining the lemon zest and lemon juice in a large skillet.
• Peel the apples and slice them into ⅛-inch pieces.   Side Note: Peeling and slicing one apple at a time, then tossing them in the lemon juice, so they don't get brown, and then move on to peeling the next apple.
• Cook the apples in the large skillet over medium heat. Getnly stir in the brown and white sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
• Once the mixture is all moistened and you don't see patches of flour or cinnamon, set a timer for 20 minutes. Cover the mixture with a lid, and stir the mixture every 3-5 minutes, replacing the lid each time, adding water if the apples stick to the skillet. After 20 minutes, the apples should be fork-tender but still hold their shape.  Side Note: The apples will finish cooking while baking in the oven. 
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Transfer the apple pie filling (including all the brown caramel gooeyness) to a rimmed baking sheet and spread the apples all the way to the edges.
• Completely cool the apple pie filling by placing it in the fridge or the freezer; it only takes 30 minutes.
• Coat a deep 9-inch pie dish with butter or cooking spray.
• Roll out your pie dough and place it in the prepared baking dish, with any excess hanging over the edges.
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape up every last bit of the chilled apple pie filling into the pie dish.
• Top your pie with the other pie crust, crimping the edges and cutting a few vents in the center.
• To make a lattice top crust, roll out the second crust and cut out strips using a pizza cutter. You can make the strips as wide or as thin as you want.
• Weave your lattice by taking every other strip of pie dough and laying it across your pie, with a little space in between each strip.
• Peel back every other strip that is on your pie, all the way to the edge.
• Lay an edge piece of dough perpendicular to the others, tucked up right against the edge. Replace the peeled-back strips of dough to lay flat on top of the pie.
• Take the strips that are underneath and peel them back. Lay out your next strip of dough. Replace the peeled-back strips.
• Continue until the pie is completely woven.   Side Note: If at ANY point your pie dough becomes soft, place everything in the refrigerator. If you have a strip that tears, use a tiny bit of ice water to patch it with your fingers.
• Fold up and crimp the edges, if you have them. Our crust was not overhanging, so we tucked it in the best we could.
• Place the whole pie in the refrigerator for  30 minutes for a really flaky crust.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the center rack of your oven while it preheats to make sure it’s really hot.
• Right before putting the apple pie in the oven, mix the milk and egg well, then brush the top crust all over with it.
• Sprinkle the whole pie with raw sugar, turbinado sugar, or white sugar.
• Bake by placing the chilled pie on the heated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The crust on the edge should be turning light brown.
• Meanwhile, get a square of foil that is the same size as your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again. Cut out the center. Open it up again. You should have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center.
• Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Remove the pie from the oven and place the foil on top.  Side Note: This helps prevent the crust from burning.
• Place the pie back on the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 more minutes. Side Note: You will know the pie is done when the edges are brown, and the center is light golden brown. If you did a lattice crust, you should see the filling bubbling away nicely.
• Let the pie cool on a wire cooling rack for about 4 hours.  Side Note: You must wait for it to cool to room temperature to achieve the right texture for the filling; if not, the filling will spill out.
• Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or cheddar cheese.

I am always in the mood to bake in the fall, and when I stumbled upon this easy cinnamon sugar apple cake recipe from Pinch of Yum, I made it for my daughter’s birthday. The house smelled like apples and cinnamon while it baked, and my daughter kept reminding me to let her know when she could try it. Thankfully, she ( and the rest of us) loved it and thought the crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping was extra delicious.

Glazed Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Apple Cake:

• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk or (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2½ cups Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced and chopped (no need to peel, unless you want to)

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Glaze:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tsp milk, or more, to achieve the desired consistency
• Dash of vanilla extract

How to Make a Glazed Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter (or cooking spray).

Prepare the cake by combining the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Whisk the brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl until very well combined.

Add your flour mixture to the liquid mixture until just combined.

Fold in your apples.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.

Prepare the cinnamon sugar topping by combining the sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter with a fork until combined and crumbly like damp sand.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the apple cake.

Place in the oven to bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until you achieve your desired thickness.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.

Slice and serve.

Store the cake, covered, in the fridge.

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Glazed Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 +

Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 9x13-inch baking dish
• Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Apple Cake:

• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk or (1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2½ cups Honeycrisp apples thinly sliced and chopped (no need to peel, unless you want to)

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp butter melted

Glaze:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tsp milk or more, to achieve the desired consistency
• Dash of vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter (or cooking spray).
• Prepare the cake by combining the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
• Whisk the brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl until very well combined.
• Add your flour mixture to the liquid mixture until just combined.
• Fold in your apples.
• Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Prepare the cinnamon sugar topping by combining the sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter with a fork until combined and crumbly like damp sand.
• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the apple cake.
• Place in the oven to bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until you achieve your desired thickness.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
• Slice and serve.
• Store the cake, covered, in the fridge.