Tag: Peanut Free

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Looking for that perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie? Look no further, because I have it for you! Chocolate Chip cookies undoubtedly a staple, and finding the perfect one can be a challenge. Clearly, you have come to the right place, to find the perfect cookie!

Chocolate Chip Cookies can vary greatly. Too much flour, not enough butter. Without a doubt, it takes time to find the perfect combination. I am glad you found my blog for the perfect cookie!

Why is this Chocolate Chip Cookie So Good?

This cookie has the perfect texture. In addition to the little crunch it has, you’ll find it still has a gooey center! If your like me and don’t like a flat and too crunchy cookie, this is the perfect cookie for you!

I have seen a lot of recipes that call for melted butter…I have never loved the way those turn out. I prefer the butter to be at room temp, but not overly soft. This way the cookie will not spread as much! The less spread you have the thicker the cookie.

Should I refrigerate my Cookie Dough?

This is totally up to you. I usually do not plan my cookies far enough in advance so I don’t have the time. However, refrigeration further prevents spreading, while making your cookie more ideal if you like them thicker and chewier.

The best allergen free chocolate chips!

Since I have a lot of food allergies, I read labels and try new things all the time. I am always on the hunt for chocolate chips without soy. There are several brands that have these, Nestle, Enjoy life, and I have seen some generic brands as well. They are a little more expensive, but definitely worth it. Without a doubt, I found the best deal at Costco! Organic Artisan Kettle Organic Chocolate chips. 32 Ounces for $9!! Usually the 8 ounce bags cost $4-$5, so this is a huge deal and they taste the best!

Can these be gluten free?

Absolutely!! I have made them gluten free and liked them just as much. My kids didn’t even notice a difference. All you have to do is substitute the all purpose flour for gluten free flour. Make sure the GF flour says cup for cup or 1:1! You will not be disappointed, and will still get the perfect chocolate chip cookie!

Now let’s get to the Ingredients!

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature – (this is also optional)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Mix together the butter and sugars
  • Add in the vanilla and eggs
  • In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients
  • Slowly add in the dry ingredients with the wet
  • Once fully incorporated add in the chocolate chips
  • Roll into balls and place on the cookie sheet
  • Bake for 15 minutes – Do not overbake!
  • Let cool and eat!

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do! Let me know what you think!

If you want to try something a little different than a traditional Chocolate Chip cookie, try these!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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Baking Essentials from The Prepared Pantry

Pumpkin Pie Bars

It’s that time of year! Pumpkin Pie Time 🙂 Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I have the perfect recipe for you! Pumpkin Pie bars taste like pumpkin pie, but better. They are very moist, just like pie, but the crust on these is sooo good! Could you imagine the holidays without a pumpkin dessert?!

If you like pumpkin, these are a must! I have made these for years and they are always a crowd pleaser.

I got this recipe off the tasty kitchen back in 2011. I have made it every year since! Hats off to the person who came up with this delicious dessert.

This recipe can be soy free, dairy free and gluten free! It’s all in the cake mix! Choose a soy free mix or get the gluten free yellow cake mix! You can also substitute the milk and butter for non dairy options!

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CRUST:
  • 1 box Yellow Cake Mix, 18 Ounce Box, Reserve 1 Cup
  • ½ cups Melted Butter
  • 1 whole Egg, Beaten
  • FOR THE MIDDLE LAYER:
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • ⅔ cups Evaporated Milk
  • ¼ cups White Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 15 ounces, weight Canned Pumpkin
  • ½ cups Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • FOR THE TOPPING:
  • 1 cup Reserved Cake Mix
  • ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
  • ½ cups White Sugar
  • ½ cups Melted Butter

Instructions

  • Mix together the first 3 ingredients (make sure to reserve 1 cup of the cake mix and set that aside) and press into a 9×13 ungreased pan.
  • Combine the eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and pour over the crust.
  • Lastly, mix together the topping ingredients: reserved cake mix, cinnamon, white sugar, and melted butter. Spoon over pumpkin filling.
  • Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes (it will be a bit soft still).
  • Serve with whipped topping, warm. OR even better, serve it the next day, cold!
I definitely prefer these cold! They are so delicious and make me so happy!

I hope you enjoy these Pumpkin Pie Bars as much as I do! Follow me on Pinterest or right here on my blog for more recipe ideas!

Easy Carrot Cake

Easter is almost here, and Carrot Cake is a “Go to” dessert for this holiday! However, this year is a little different…we can’t celebrate with extended family and friends, because of the Coronovirus that’s got us on lock down, but we can still eat!!

We aren’t making a huge Easter dinner this year, but one thing is for sure, we definitely still need dessert! Not to mention, this dessert has veggies in it! How bad can it be?!

Carrot cake is usually a lot of work, and let’s be honest, you only make this once a year. I like to make things easy, so I came up with this recipe! This recipe uses boxed cake mix! It doesn’t get much easier than that! With a few added ingredients you will have carrot cake in no time at all!

This carrot cake is very moist, fluffy and delicious of course! Topped with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon sugar, it’s a winner. Typically carrot cake has nuts incorporated in the recipe. I am allergic so this recipe does not call for any, but it would be a very easy add!

Cream Cheese Frosting

What is carrot cake without cream cheese frosting? It isn’t…You can opt to make homemade cream cheese frosting or you can use store bought. Either way it will be delicious. I have provided my cream cheese frosting recipe below, in case you want to make it! (You will only need to make half of the recipe) Let me tell you it is delicious, and actually simple to make.

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 Box yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup of Milk
  • 1/4 cup of canola oil (or vegetable)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 – 1 cup of shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
  • Cinnamon sugar (to sprinkle on the top)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Grease an 9×11 baking dish / 11×7 if you want the cake thicker
  • Mix together the yellow cake mix, egg, milk and oil
  • Add in the vanilla and cinnamon until well incorporated
  • Mix in the carrots
  • Evenly spread into baking dish
  • Bake for 22 minutes
  • Let cool before frosting
  • Top the frosting with Cinnamon sugar

Enjoy!!!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!!! Follow me for more ideas on Pinterest! https://www.pinterest.com/FunandFrosted/

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookies + Lemon = Absolute deliciousness! I am so excited about these! They have the right amount of lemon flavor and the perfect cookie texture!!

Typically, when I think of sugar cookies, it’s usually in a “cut out” shape and is for some sort of occasion; Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day or in many cases Birthdays. Cutouts are great, but can be a lot of work. Making them into a cookie bar takes out all of that extra work, but they are still delicious!!

I love that these Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars are so easy to make! Also, you can easily substitute different flavors, and top them with frosting! Lemon is surely a hit, but I’m thinking lime or orange would be great as well! I included a recipe for the glaze, but it’s definitely not needed, it just adds a little more lemon flavor!

Also, whenever we have lemons, my kids cannot resist eating them to to see who can handle the sourness!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Don’t Be Afraid to “Zest”

This recipe calls for the zest of a lemon. If you haven’t used zest from a citrus fruit before, don’t let that scare you. It’s super easy and it really gives it a lot of flavor. I take a cheese grater and scrape the side of the lemon until you see the white part, keep rotating the lemon until there is nothing left to zest! Easy as that!

Here Is What You Need

For the Sugar Cookie
  • 1 cup (2 Sticks) of Unsalted Butter – room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar + 3 Tbsp for the top
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tbsp juice from a lemon + (1-2 Tbsp for the glaze)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp lemon Zest (1 Lemon)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
For The Glaze
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tbsp juice from a lemon
  • 3-4 Tbsp Milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F
  • Grease a 9×13 dish with baking spray, or you can use my cake release recipe
  • Using your stand mixer or an electric mixer, mix butter and sugar until well combined
  • Mix in the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients; Flour, baking powder, salt and the lemon zest

Slowly pour incorporate the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients

  • Press the dough into the 9×13 baking dish
  • Top with 3 tbsp of sugar
  • Bake for 22-25 minutes
  • For the glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, and lemon juice.
  • Slowly mix in the milk until you get the consistency you desire. More milk for a thinner glaze, less for thicker

  • Wait for the cookies to cool before drizzling the glaze over top. You can glaze the whole dish or individual pieces, whatever you like!
  • Enjoy!

There you have it! Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars (Say that fast 3 times!) They are delicious and one of my absolute favorites!

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S’mores Cookie Bars

Now that I have had a S’more’s Cookie Bar, I don’t know how I have survived without them. Life surely just got better! Any type of “cookie bar” is really my favorite kind of dessert. They are easy to make, easy to eat, and the possibilities are endless!

Marshmallow Fluff

We are still in isolation here in Michigan, due to the Coronavirus. Therefore, I stare for hours on end into my pantry. Then I see it- Marshmallow fluff. This has been sitting in my pantry for months and months. I can’t remember why I bought it, I can only imagine I told myself I would need it someday. Well guess what? That day came, I definitely needed it!

I’ll be honest, S’mores are not a “go to” dessert for me. Although delicious, and I won’t turn down a s’more, they aren’t something I have to have. However, I’ve been watching my husband build our fire pit and patio in the backyard this past few weeks and I keep thinking about the fun bonfire’s we will have! Now, I’ve got s’mores on my mind.

Like I said earlier, I really wanted to use the Marshmallow fluffy stuff, so S’mores cookie bars, here we come! They are very easy to whip up and they don’t take that much time. The are delicious, rich with chocolate and marshmallow, but have a great cookie texture. Part S’more and part cookie! You will not be able to stop eating these! These are best eaten warm in my opinion. Stick them in the microwave for a few seconds to heat them up and…yummy!

Here’s What You Need

  • 1 Cup all purpose flour
  • 1 Cup graham cracker crumbs (I used Nabisco, because they are Soy Free!!)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter (8 Tbsp)
  • 3/4 Cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 7oz. container of marshmallow fluff (or you could substitute for marshamallows – just enought to cover the surface)
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can also use chocolate bars) (I used Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious – they are soy free!)

How To Make

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Grease a 8″ square pan (If you don’t have baking spray you can use my cake release recipe and it works great!)
  • Crush your graham crackers into crumbs. You can use a food processor or put the crackers in a bag and hit with a mallet, rolling pin or crush with fist)
  • In a small to medium bowl, mix together graham crackers, flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or your stand mixer to mix the butter and sugar
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla, beat until well mixed and scrape the sides of the bowl
  • Slowly add in the flour mixture
  • Divide the dough in two.
  • Press half of the dough into the bottom of your greased pan. You may want to coat a spatula or your hand in flour, so the dough sticks to the pan and not your fingers!
  • Spread the marshmallow fluff onto the dough
  • Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the marshmallow
  • Take the remaining dough and crumble over the top. It doesn’t not need to be even.
  • Bake for 28-20 minutes. Or until the top and the marshmallow turns a golden brown.
  • Enjoy!!!

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Harry Potter Birthday Cake

How fun is a Harry Potter Birthday Cake?!! My son is turning eight and he wanted a Harry Potter Birthday Cake! We love Harry Potter we have just finished watching all of the movies with the kids. We even have a dog named Gryffindor!

Besides actually frosting the cake with white, piping the details was easy. For some reason I find it more challenging to get a smooth frosted cake, with out any hiccups. I always find that the frosting pulls up and starts to rip the cake…just being honest here. We definitely had to do some frosting “surgery” on one of the corners.

I like to make things as easy as I can when making cakes. So, yes I used cake from a box… I mixed together Rainbow chip and Cherry Chip. Yes it tasted good, in fact, it tasted really good! I had some dad’s at the party ask me what flavor cake it was, because it was that good!

What Size Cake?

I opted to make a little bit of a smaller cake than I normally do; 15×21. Two boxes of cake mix did the trick and I baked it for about 30 minutes. Definitely check it when the timer goes off because every oven bakes differently.

Colors I Used For The Details

For the details, I used Wilton Buttercup Yellow and Burgundy for the colors. For the black, I bought pre-mixed black in a tube and put it into a piping bag. It’s difficult to get a good black frosting! I had to put a lot of burgundy food coloring in to make it not look like a pinky rose. For the lettering, I Googled “Harry Potter Font” to get the shape of the letters as accurate as I could! See below for my video on how I decorated it!

I hope you enjoy this!! Follow me on Fun and Frosted for more Fun!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes are easy and a great alternative to a regular cupcake! Perfect for parties big or small.

You do not need a lot of ingredients, which is nice, because these use a box of cake mix in the batter! They are part cookie and part cupcake!

The best thing about Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes is that you can top them however you want. There are so many variations.

Different Mix-In’s

  • M&M’s
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Butterscotch Chips
  • White Chocolate Chips
  • Marshmallows
  • Sprinkles

Different Toppings

  • Ice Cream
  • Frosting
  • Whipped Cream
  • Chocolate Sauce
  • Strawberry Sauce
  • Caramel Sauce
  • Sprinkles
  • Cherry on top!

Those are just a few ideas, get creative!

Here is what you need for the recipe:

  • 1 Box of yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream or milk
  • 1/4 cup of canola oil
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (or other mix-in’s you want)

Instructions:

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Mix together the cake mix, egg, oil, and cream in a bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Add in the chocolate chips, stir until well combined
  • Prepare muffin tins with 24 muffin papers
  • Evenly distribute the batter among the 24 cupcake papers
  • Bake 18 minutes
  • Let cool
  • Remove the cupcake paper
  • Serve with desired toppings!

These were so so so delicious! I served them for my son’s birthday and the adults and the kids all loved them! It’s a good alternative to a normal cupcake! It was also very last minute, and they were so quick and easy to make. I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, so it was a win-win!

I hope you enjoy these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes!

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Easy Boxed Brownie Ideas

Hey Brownie lovers!! I know I am always looking for a go to dessert for a crowd, for people of all ages. Brownies happen to be that go-to dessert, especially when you are in a pinch! I always use a boxed brownie mix, but sometimes you want to add a little “extra” to doctor them up. Below you will find some ideas to make them a little more special.

I may sound like a broken record with my allergies, but seriously, I cannot eat store bought baked goods! Making brownies from “scratch” or at least from a box, ensures I can have them…Yay! Keep in mind when feeding a bunch of children, you never know what allergies kids might have! Better be safe than sorry!

Betty Crocker’s Fudge Brownie mix is so good. With that, I always use canola oil, to keep them soy free, and the mix is already, soy free, peanut free, and tree nut free. Perfect for me!

The great thing about brownie mix is you can pretty much put anything in it to make it a little more fun. Here is a list of some of the mix-ins and toppings. When in doubt, ask a child what they would want in their brownies and you will get some great ideas!

  • Caramel – for inside and on top!
  • Chocolate Chips
  • White Chocolate Chips
  • Butterscotch Chips
  • Chocolate Syrup
  • Marshmallow fluff or just marshmallows (they will disappear when baked)
  • Cherry pie filling…yup
  • Sprinkles
  • Rice Krispies cereal – for a crunch!
  • Cookie chunks
  • Frosting on top
  • Chocolate Ganache
  • This list could go on!

For this particular batch, I chose to go with caramel inside and out as well as some chocolate chips inside. I used Nestle Tollhouse Simply Delicious chocolate chips. They are made with 3 ingredients: 100% pure chocolate, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. Additionally, they taste delicious and don’t have all of those filler ingredients like soy lecithin!

What You Need

  • 1 Box of Brownie Mix – I used Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie
  • Oil
  • Eggs
  • 3 Tbsp Caramel from a jar (2 for the mix and 1 for the top)
  • 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions

  • Mix together the brownies according to the box. Usually you don’t even need a hand mixer for this. A whisk will do the trick!
  • Pour in the caramel and swirl it around with a knife
  • Add the chocolate chips on the top
  • Bake according to the directions on the box – 9×13 baking dish at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes should do it
  • Drizzle more caramel on top of the baked brownies
  • Cut with a PLASTIC KNIFE. I cannot stress this enough. You will get a clean cut. Metal knifes pull the brownies and the cut isn’t smooth.

Brownie How To Video

Top with whipped cream or ice cream and more caramel or fudge and you have a winner! Delicious.

I hope I have inspired you to be more creative with your brownies. The best part is they are so easy, and you can call them “homemade”!!

Strawberry Jello Pretzel Bars

Growing up my aunt would always make Strawberry Jello Pretzel Bars. They were by far, my favorite dessert. They always seemed difficult to make because of the different layers, but they are pretty easy! My mom adapted the recipe and made them all the time! My brother and I could not get enough of these things.

Strawberry Jello Pretzel bars are a go-to dessert for family events. They are a crowd-pleaser! They are sweet and salty, fruity and creamy…and above all they are delicious!

I have thought about trying different jello flavors and different crusts, so keep an eye out because I will try them one day and post them! Get creative!

When making these Strawberry Jello Pretzel Bars you are going to need to let them chill at least four hours or overnight, so plan ahead!

Start out by making the strawberry jello. You will need a big box of it. Follow the ingredients on the box and let that sit a bit while you make the rest of the layers.

For the crust you will need to crush up the pretzels. I use my food processor. You can put them in a ziplock back and smash them too. Either way is fine. Mix the pretzels with the melted butter and brown sugar for the crust. Press the pretzels into a greased 9×13 inch pan and bake for 10 minutes on 350 degrees. Let this completely cool before spreading on the middle layer.

For the middle layer you need cream cheese that is at room temperature. This is very important! If it is too cold it will be chunky. No one wants chunky cream cheese. Mix this together with the sugar and then fold in the cool whip. Once the crust is cooled you can spread this on! Make sure the spread all the way to the edges so the jello does not seep through.

Place your sliced strawberries on top of the cream cheese layer. Then pour on the jello very gently. You don’t want to break the middle layer. It will seep into the bottom and you will have chunks of cream cheese floating in the jello…

Refrigerate for at least four hours! I usually make this the night before to make sure the jello has set. This dessert does not disappoint! Enjoy.

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Easy Banana Bread

Baking banana bread is usually an afterthought for me. I only think about it when I go to throw away the really ripe, brown bananas. Then I think, what a waste, (light bulb goes off in head) “I should make Banana bread!” It is always so delicious and I always say I need to make this more often. The loaf gets eaten in one day in my house. The kids LOVE it. In addition, if you don’t have time to make banana bread, but you have the perfect ripe bananas; freeze them until you are ready to bake!

Now that you have your mind set on making banana bread, do you have the rest of the ingredients? That is always the question. Lucky for me I always have ingredients on hand. I usually keep a stock of the necessities; Flour, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda. If you have these on hand at any given time you are usually good for some type of recipe!

Why is Banana Bread so good?

Let’s be honest, banana bread can be eaten at any time of the day. Breakfast = Yes, Lunch = Yes, Dinner = well, maybe, Snack = Yes! Warmed up with butter or honey? Room temp with nothing on it? Count me in! It’s so moist with lots of flavor and not too sweet. Can you tell I love Banana bread? LOL

Here is what you need!

  • 1/2 Cup butter (softened)
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1/4 Light brown sugar
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3 Large ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Grease a 9×5 loaf pan – You can use my Cake Pan Release recipe instead of spray – It’s amazing! (and soy free!)
  • Using a stand mixer (I love my KitchenAid!) with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugars until combined
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla
  • Add in the mashed banana and stir by hand
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined. Do not over mix
  • If you want to do any add-ins now is the time! Chocolate chips, nuts, more cinnamon?
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes depending on your oven.
  • Let the banana bread cool for a few minutes before transferring to a baking rack
  • And because this is Fun and FROSTED – You can Always add on some buttercream once the bread has cooled…just sayin’!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Be sure to check out some of my other great recipes!

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Red Velvet Bundt Cakes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars