Gluten Free Mint Brownie Recipe
For each holiday I like to make a special treat for my kids, and St. Patrick’s Day is no different. These gluten free peppermint brownies fit the bill! They would be a perfect St. Patty’s Day dessert. A gooey, chewy brownie base, with a light peppermint filling, and topped with rich chocolate glaze are just the ticket for my two hungry boys!
These brownies are amazing and I may have indulged in one too many of these myself! Not only are they gooey, chocolatey, and minty; they meet my goal of continually creating a gluten free baked treat that doesn’t taste gluten free… you know, the gritty, odd tasting gluten free products I’m sure you’ve tried. I have three great taste testers at my house; my husband and two boys. Unlike me, they can eat gluten and if they devour my gluten free goodies, I know they pass the test. I kind of feel sorry for my husband in those early years in my gluten free journey… he was a good sport about trying my unique baking experiments. Good thing I have had many years since to tweak my flour, experiment with recipes, and whip up new creations.
Brownie Base
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1⁄2teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend
Filling
1⁄2cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops of green food coloring
Icing
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
In double boiler, melt baking chocolate and 1 cup butter over simmering water. Let the chocolate slightly cool. In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until blended. Next, add the 2 cups sugar, one cup at a time. Continue whisking until mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the salt, vanilla, and flour. Lastly, slowly add in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until blended. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake 25 -30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the edge has slightly pulled away from the pan. Remove from oven and allow brownies to cool in the pan.
To make the filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the 1/2 cup butter, slowly adding in the powdered sugar together, mix until well blended. Stir in the peppermint extract and 3-4 drops of green food coloring. Blend well. Spread of the cooled brownies. Allow the icing to set by refrigerating the frosted brownies until firm. About 30 minutes.
Next, do NOT let any frosting go to waste. Go ahead and lick the beater clean! This could be my favorite part of making these brownies!
To make the icing: Melt the chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Pour the warm chocolate glaze over the hardened filling. Spread evenly by tilting the pan to distribute the glaze. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Allow brownies to warm to room temperature before serving. This will prevent the chocolate from cracking when cutting pieces and the brownie base will be easier to remove from the pan. Store in refrigerator. And most importantly, enjoy!
- Brownies
- 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1⁄2teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend
- Filling
- 1⁄2cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 to 4 drops of green food coloring
- Icing
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With cooking spray, spray a 9x13 baking pan.
- In double boiler, melt baking chocolate and 1 cup butter over simmering water. Let the chocolate slightly cool. In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until blended. Next, the 2 cups sugar, one cup at a time. Continue whisking until mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the salt, vanilla, and flour. Lastly, slowly add in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until blended. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake 25 -30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow brownies to cool in the pan.
- To make the filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the 1/2 cup butter, slowly adding in the powdered sugar together, mix until well blended. Stir in the peppermint extract and 3-4 drops of green food coloring. Blend well. Spread of the cooled brownies. Allow the icing to set by refrigerating the frosted brownies until firm. About 30 minutes.
- To make the icing: Melt the chocolate chips and 6 T butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Pour the warm chocolate glaze over the hardened filling. Spread evenly by tilting the pan to distribute the glaze. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Allow brownies to warm to room temperature before serving. This will prevent the chocolate from cracking and the brownie base will be easier to remove from the pan. Store in refrigerator.
Naturally Gluten Free Monster Cookies
As for me, I have many memories of “helping” my mom bake cookies, or at least many memories of eating a lot of cookie dough as she made the cookies! Chocolate chip cookies and Monster cookies were hands down my favorite cookies as a child and still are favorites of mine! I refuse to let being gluten intolerant stand in my way of enjoying these nostalgic treats as an adult. Thank goodness Monster Cookies can be made naturally gluten free!
These are cookies that everybody can enjoy…which is something that can be tricky. The whole gluten free thing can seem overwhelming when you are trying to accommodate a friend or family member who cannot eat gluten. It is easiest to make a dessert that all your guests can enjoy with out making a gluten free option and a gluten filled option, which make these Monster Cookies great!
I always need help eating these yummy Monster Cookies, bu I need help making them too. I have my kiddos help measure out the chocolate chips, M & M’s, oats etc.
Somethings to note:
*Use certified gluten free oats. While oats are naturally free, unfortunately they are usually processed with wheat. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill or Trader Joes oats.
*Basic milk chocolate M&M’s do not contain gluten. However, the package does not indicate that they are produced in a gluten free facility, making it possible to come into contact with gluten.
- ½ cup multi-colored chocolate candies
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- 1 stick of softened butter
- 1 ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 ½ cups gluten free quick-cooking oatmeal
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the eggs and sugars. Once it is mixed well, add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, butter, and mix until combined. Add the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, baking soda, and oatmeal. Stir until combined. Drop dough (about 2 tablespoons) on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes. Do not let them get crispy. Let stand for a few minutes and then remove from baking sheets. Enjoy!
- *Use certified gluten free oats. While oats are naturally free, unfortunately they are usually processed with wheat. I recommend using Bob's Red Mill or Trader Joes certified gluten free oats.
- *Basic milk chocolate candies do not contain gluten. They may not be produced in a gluten free facility and make come into contact with gluten.
Recipe Makeover: The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have an ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe that I have been using for many years. It makes the best cookies…soft, gooey, melt in your mouth perfection. But when converting this recipe into a gluten free recipe…well they are anything but a soft and gooey. Instead they are flat, crispy cookies. They are technically edible, but I certainly wouldn’t serve them to guests. Fortunately with a few tweaks, I have finally created just the right gluten free recipe that duplicates the original recipe with gluten. They are actually fluffy, soft, chewy etc., which sometimes is a trick to create in a gluten free cookie. Please give this recipe a try, I know you will love it! My boys and husband are always a good litmus test to determining the quality of a gluten free recipe. If they cannot tell a particular recipe is gluten free and it tastes great, it is a win-win in my book! And according to my nine year old, “These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever!” So give the recipe a try and let me know what you think.
Start these cookies off with creaming COLD butter, not room temperature, along with both the sugars. The cold butter is key to producing these yummy, fluffy cookies. Add in the eggs & vanilla and blend well. On a side note, I love my Kitchen Aide mixer that I have had for 15 years and always use it to whip up a batch of cookies.
Next, add in the baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. The cornstarch also helps to create these ultimate fluffy cookies and is an extra ingredient that I added to the recipe. Once blended, slowly cup by cup, mix in the gluten free flour. I use my own blend of gluten free flour for these cookies. For the new recipe, I added extra flour, going from 2 1/4 cups to a full 3 cups, also a crucial component to getting the just right cookie.
Finally, toss in a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix. Scoop cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and pop into the oven. I did test out chilling the dough before baking versus immediately putting the dough into the oven and I did not see a significant difference in the shape and fluffiness of the cookie. Bake on 375 for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!
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Lemon Blackberry Scones
Hello readers…I been a bit absent on the blog lately. This past winter my husband was out of state for several weeks training for a new job, followed by some serious cleaning, organizing, and purging of junk preparing to put our house on the market to sell. And with a house on the market…one tries desperately to keep the house clean with two busy boys and a black lab! Which also means I have not doing a lot of cooking and baking. But I have squeezed in some time to share my favorite spring scone recipe!
There are things I miss about being able to eat gluten and going to local bakery or restaurant to indulge in baked goods is one of them. There is no longer a quick trip through through the Starbucks’ drive through to order a scone or a stop in to a donut shop for a chocolate glazed donut… and so I make my own, and luckily I enjoy spending lots of time in my kitchen. I often make these EASY yummy lemon blackberry scones and I do so with my own gluten free flour blend, but you can also swap it out with wheat four if you are a gluten eater. Give the recipe a try, they are quite scrumptious! A little sweet with a bit of tartness. Perfect paired with a cup of Joe!
Begin by heating your oven to 400 degrees.
With a pastry attachment in a food processor, blend the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Slowly add the butter, pulsing until it becomes a coarse meal. Next, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Zest lemons over the bowl and stir to blend. Carefully add the blackberries. Coat the berries with the mixture, making sure not to smash the berries.
Add the cream, mixing carefully. It is helpful to tuck the berries inside the dough to keep them safe.
Shape the dough into a circular slab…careful of the berries. And cut into triangular pieces (about 8 pieces). It’s okay to steal a bite of dough too… it’s good!
Transfer scones to a baking sheet and brush the top of each scone with cream. Then lightly sprinkle with sugar, raw sugar is great, but regular granulated sugar works too.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on top. Enjoy!
- 2 Cups gluten free flour
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold & cut into pieces
- 1 Cup blackberries
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Additional sugar to sprinkle on top of scones, raw or granulated
- Begin by heating your oven to 400 degrees. With a pastry attachment in a food processor, blend the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Slowly add the butter, pulsing until it becomes a coarse meal. Next, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
- Zest lemons over the bowl and stir to blend. Carefully add the blackberries. Coat the berries with the mixture, making sure not to smash the berries.
- Add the cream, mixing carefully. Shape the dough into a circular slab...careful of the berries. It is helpful to tuck the berries inside the dough to keep them safe. And cut into triangular pieces (about 8 pieces). Transfer scones to a baking sheet and brush the top of each scone with cream. Then lightly sprinkle with sugar, raw sugar is great, but regular granulated sugar works too. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on top.
Starbucks Copycat Dream Bar Recipe
Starbucks’ has done a fantastic job of offering gluten free snack and meal options in their shops. In the past it was difficult to find good gluten free food while traveling and dining out with friends. I am so thankful that there are more and more options, and good options at that. In fact, Starbucks has this tasty will little “Dream” bar loaded with crispy rice cereal and marshmallows and of course is conveniently located right on the counter where you check out. And if you have been road tripping in the car for hours and you stop in for a coffee, that little dream bar will practically jump into your hand. Very clever Starbucks! At first bite, I noticed that these “Dream” bars tasted very similar to my own recipe for crispy marshmallow bars. I decided that I could tweak my recipe just a bit to make these same bars at home. And so I went to work whipping up a batch of these very dreamy dream bars. But first I had to get my hands a good crispy rice cereal that was gluten free. The hunt was on!
At first glance you may think Rice Krispies cereal is naturally gluten free. Wheat is not listed on the ingredient list. Awe, but that gluten can be sneaky and sure enough it is hidden in the malt flavor. So what to do if you are craving good old fashioned Rice Krispie bars? For awhile Kellogg’s had a gluten free Rice Krispie cereal out on store shelves, but it is no longer and truthfully, it did not taste the same as the regular cereal. Thankfully, there is another option! I searched far and wide, but have found the best tasting gluten free crispy rice cereal which is made by Malt O’Meal in which I purchased at Walmart.
This is the easiest recipe! Begin by buttering an 8 x 8 pan. Melt butter and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl for two minutes, stirring every minute. A helpful trick that I have learned is to spray the spatula with cooking spray before I stir this gooey marshmallow concoction, so that it does not glob onto the spatula.
Immediately, pour the Malt O’Meal Crispy Rice cereal into the mixture until well mixed.
Then add in the extra miniature marshmallows.
Once combined, press into the pan and let cool. Lastly, cut into squares and enjoy! Admittedly, sometimes this marshmallowy goodness doesn’t even make it into the pan. Oops!
- 1/4 cup butter
- 4 cups of marshmallows, plus an additional 1 1/2 cups of miniature marshmallows
- 5 cups of gluten free crispy rice cereal
- Begin by buttering an 8 x 8 pan. Melt butter and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl for two minutes, stirring every minute. A helpful trick that I have learned is to spray the spatula with cooking spray before I stir this gooey marshmallow concoction, so that it does not glob onto the spatula. Immediately, pour the Malt O'Meal Crispy Rice cereal into the mixture until well mixed. Add in the additional 1 1/2 cup of miniature marshmallows and stir until combined. Once combined, press into the pan and let cool. Lastly, cut into squares and enjoy!
Chicken Curry Soup Served With Chutney and Rice
Hospitality: a friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers.
I am so thankful that being hospitable has nothing to do with perfection, the size of your house, or how gourmet of a meal you are cooking. Instead it is about a feeling. I hope to provide you with meals that you can easily feed your family, friends, and even strangers that exude a feeling of warmth and friendliness. One recipe that is a guaranteed winner is chicken curry topped with rice and a flavorful chutney. Be prepared to make a double the batch, because your people will want a second helping…it is that good! In fact, I am getting hungry for some right now simply by writing this. This is a perfect meal to make for hosting friends, delivering to new moms, or for a family who could use some cheer.
This recipe is written gluten free, but you are a gluten eater, simply swap out the gluten free flour for wheat flour. And, I have given you dairy free options as well. Enjoy!
Will you do my a favor? When you make this will you please take a pic and share on Instagram? Don’t forget to tag me at @magbocollective and use the hashtag #magboeats. Thanks!
- 3 Tbl. butter (for dairy free, use Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks)
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced (we tend to prefer less onion in most recipes and use about a half an onion)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 Tbl. curry powder or more (add more if you like a little more zip)
- 2 1/2 Tbl. gluten free flour
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 cup of milk (for DF use 1 cup of almond milk)
- 1 cup of heavy cream (for DF use 1 cup of coconut milk)
- 3 cups of chopped cooked chicken
- sugar, salt, and pepper to taste
- Rice (I cook up about 3 cups of minute rice)
- 1/2 yellow onion sliced thin
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 cup peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. black ground pepper
- In a saucepan, combine chicken stock, milk, and cream and bring to a simmer.
- Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the curry powder and flour, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the milk mixture and stir continually. Simmer for 5 minute. Toss in the chicken and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper, to your liking. Serve in a bowl topped with a scoop of rice and a big spoonful of chutney.
- In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until the raisins are softened and the chutney has a syrupy consistency. I like to double the batch and store in the freezer.
Monday Must Haves: Statement Sleeves
Statement sleeves…ruffled sleeves, flutter sleeves, bell sleeves; they are hot, hot, hot! We are seeing them everywhere from sweaters to blouses to tees. It’s time to make room in your closet for “Statement Sleeves”! Follow the links below to find where you can find some of my favorite statement sleeve tops.
Black & white ruffle sleeve blouse
Super Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Cake
Alright mamas, sometimes we just need easy. Easy dinners, easy recipes, easy desserts. Simple and quick with no fuss, those recipes that are in your back pocket that you can pull out in a moments notice. But often adding in an allergy or food intolerance into the mix can simply seem overwhelming and can complicate your meal planning. So it is incredibly helpful to have some tried and true recipes that you can count on; for when company is coming over or for simply wanting to provide a meal for your family that tastes good. I desire to be a gluten free resource for you for recipes just like that! I want to share my tried and true recipes with you, that are easy, not complicated, and that your family will love.
This Chocolate Cherry Cake is just that! It is easy ✔️ It is quick ✔️ Your family will love it ✔️
It is NOT, fancy, gourmet, or expensive. But it is good! My mom often made this cake when I was a kid and I have continued making it. However, recreating it into a gluten free cake wasn’t as easy following her recipe. It unfortunately turned out dry and the texture was strange. The cake needed more moisture and an extra egg and some oil did just trick to take this gluten free cake up a notch.
I start with a simple store bought gluten free cake mix. I chose Pillsbury’s gluten free Devil’s Food cake mix, because not only is it a good mix, it is under $3, helping me keep my cake inexpensive and on budget, a win -win! Yay for Pillsbury!
Pour the cake mix into a bowl, add the eggs and oil. Beat with an electric mixer until blended. Then stir the cherry pie filling in by hand. Pour into a greased pan. A 9 x13″ pan works great, but for this recipe I baked the cake in two 8″ round pans. Follow the temperature directions for your kind of pan on the back of the cake box. Pop into the oven and bake. Let cook and enjoy! It tastes great alone without frosting, but let’s face it, frosting makes everything better. I like a cocoa based chocolate frosting. *Note: if you are a gluten eating person and would like to make this cake with a gluten filled cake mix, omit the oil and reduce the eggs to 3.
For the creamy chocolate frosting, you will need:
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter for about 30 seconds. Add in the cocoa powder and slowly, while mixing add in one cup of powdered sugar. I like to beat until blended and then add 2 tablespoons of milk in. Repeat, with the next cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk. Before I add the remaining powdered sugar, I check to see how the consistency is. Do I want it thicker or creamier? Test it along the way, determining f you want all six tablespoons of milk. Add in the last cup of powdered sugar and tablespoons of milk along with the vanilla. Blend with the electric mixer until smooth and creamy. And honestly, with most frostings, I do not follow a recipe. I start with a stick of softened butter and a cup of powdered sugar and add in more powdered sugar, milk, and flavoring until I get a consistency and flavor that I like.
- 1 store bought gluten free chocolate cake mix
- 1/4 cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 can of cherry pie filling
- Pour the cake mix into a bowl, add the eggs and oil. Beat with an electric mixer until blended. Then stir the cherry pie filling in by hand. Pour into a greased pan. A 9 x13" pan works great or two 8" round pans. Follow the temperature directions and specific baking times for your kind of pan on the back of the cake box. Pop into the oven and bake. Let cook and enjoy!
Dairy Free Whipped Cream
Oh how I love whipped cream! Atop waffles, hot chocolate, angel food cake, berries, and the list goes on. But as someone who does not react well to dairy, my stomach does not love whipped cream…unless it does not have dairy in it that is. So coconut whipped cream to the rescue! I have experimented a bit with freezing, refrigerating etc. to achieve my favorite dairy free whipped cream. And admittedly, I was nervous that there would be too much coconut flavor, but with a few additions, it tastes like the familiar dairy filled whipped cream that I love. I hope you enjoy it too!
- 1 can coconut cream or full fat coconut coconut milk
- 1 to 2 Tbl. of powdered sugar
- Optional: 1 tsp of vanilla
- Optional: 1/4 tsp. of almond extract
- Put a can of coconut cream (or coconut milk) upside down in the freezer. Let freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
- Remove can from the freezer (do not shake it) and open it. Scoop the cream into a bowl. It should not be so hard that you have to chisel the cream out of the can. If it is, let it warm up on the counter for awhile.
- Mix with an electric mixer until mixed, about 30 seconds.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and/or almond extract. If you want it a little thicker, add additional powder sugar. I love the flavor of adding in both the vanilla and almond extract.
- Beat at high speed until it is creamy and peaks.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Reindeer Slush
Hey ya’ll! It’s been a busy Christmas season with lots of kids activities and traveling to see family, but I wanted to sneak in one last recipe before the year’s end. Today I am sharing a great holiday drink recipe from my mother in-law…Jean’s Famous Reindeer Slush, made with yummy cranberry and orange juices with a splash of brandy for the adults. And for my gluten free friends, brandy is made from grapes and is naturally gluten free. And so friends, I hope 2017 has treated you well, go enjoy a reindeer slush and have a happy new year!
- 2 cups of brandy (no need to buy the expensive kind)
- 1 32 oz. bottle of cranberry cocktail juice
- 1 12 oz. can of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 1 12 oz. can of frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
- 2 bottles (1 liter each) of lemon lime soda such as sprite. If serving just a few people, an 8-pack of 12 oz. bottles may be more ideal.
- Mix all ingredients, except the lemon lime soda, in a non-metal container. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours or until slushy.
- Mix equal parts of such mixture and lemon lime soda for each guest.
- *Make a non-alcoholic version by swapping out the brandy for an additional 2 cups of cranberry cocktail juice.
- *I divide the recipe by 2, into an "adults only" batch and a kids, non alcoholic batch.