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Honey Oat Banana Muffins
With the warm flavors of honey and oats, these banana muffins are dairy-free and can be made with your choice of healthy oils. If opting for olive oil, make sure to select one that is mild and more fruity than peppery to complement the delicious banana flavor. I love these for breakfast and also with an abundant lunch salad full of seasonal produce. They’re so versatile I know you will find plenty of ways to enjoy them. Bananas should be allowed to ripen fully before baking with them, which means having a highly speckled to almost entirely darkened peel. This will lend the maximum amount of natural sweetness. If you…
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Cranberry Sparkle Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate
In my holiday baking classes, we have a tradition of making these cranberry shortbread cookies. They’re the perfect sweets to get you in the spirit early in the season and can easily be scaled up to bake for a crowd. With raw sugar as the gold topping and flaky sea salt for a touch of silver, you will feel good about using natural ingredients without sacrificing that festive holiday touch. I find them nice and sparkly for New Year’s celebrations! Shortbread has a tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture, here with bright pops of chopped dried cranberries and plenty of dark chocolate. For more holiday flavor and cheer, additions such as finely…
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Cheddar and Parmesan Gougères (Cheese Puffs)
Light and airy on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside, gougères make crowd-pleasing appetizers, snacks, or accompaniments to your favorite mocktail or glass of wine. Watch them puff in the oven then try one, and you’ll know why the French often serve these cheese puffs as the hot bite at an apéro, that beautiful moment to gather before dinner and unwind. Traditionally gougères are made with Comté or Gruyère, but I love the combination of aged cheddar and parmesan in this recipe. The base is pâte à choux, a versatile pastry from which you can make a variety of savory and sweet treats such as éclairs and cream puffs. Instead…
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Coconut Cookies with Lemon Curd Filling
Springtime calls for sunny desserts that brighten the season’s celebrations. With zesty lemon curd sandwiched between toasty coconut cookies, this recipe hits all the bright and lightly sweet notes we need this time of year. Beyond these cookies, you will find so many uses for the lemon curd itself. Serve it with fresh fruit, dollop it on a slice of pound cake, fill cupcakes, or enjoy it by the spoonful. Much as the winter holidays wouldn’t be complete without a linzer cookie on the dessert table, these coconut sandwich cookies have become a spring staple in my home. Flower cut-outs allow the sunny color of the filling to pop through.…
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Pine Nut Cookie Bars
Festive ingredients and a simple baking method make for the perfect holiday cookie. With pine nuts in caramel topping a shortbread base, these cookie bars satisfy the need for something golden and toasty on the dessert table. Still tender when baked, the nuts lend a delicate texture and their nuanced, buttery flavor. Whether you’re making Christmas cookie boxes, looking ahead to New Year’s Eve, or sharing dessert at a holiday gathering, think about the shape of your cookie bars before serving. They can be cut in a variety of ways with a knife or cookie cutter and always come out looking like lacy gold ornaments. Just be sure to save…
