Brownie cups are brownies made in a cupcake pan. They are a perfect little ‘to go' dessert or you can step it up and make it even better and make a brownie sundae with brownie cups!

Ever since I can remember, I have loved brownie sundaes. They are soooo easy to make and yet they feel so indulgent when I take a bite into an amazing brownie sundae.

I’m so excited to organize this Valentine’s Day event again! We'll get to the brownie cups recipe in a second…this is the fourth year for our event and we want to continue to make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Cancer is the #1 cause of death of children by disease in the U.S. There are 40,000 U.S. children actively battling cancer right now. The National Cancer Institute’s budget for childhood cancer is less than 4%. It’s such a small number and that’s why I got involved.

Help us make a difference by donating to Cookies for Kids' Cancer!

Our goal is to raise at least $3000. Because these three companies: OXO, Mediavine amd Dixie Crystals have each pledged to match our donations raised through this campaign up to $3000! That means when we raise $1, it turns into $4!

A HUGE thank you to these brands for continually supporting this cause and this event for four years in a row!

Thank you to so many of you who have already donated, please help us reach our goal so we can get the full matching donations and help us make an even bigger difference!

Donate here today.

Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post so you can check out all of the wonderful Valentine's Day inspired recipes my blogger friends have shared on their blogs in support of Cookies for Kids' Cancer!

What are brownie cups?

Brownie cups are wonderful little brownies that are baked in a cupcake tin or pan. I have done mini brownies stuffed with candy before, they are wonderful! But these brownie cups are a little different, I use a regular sized cupcake tin. You want to make sure you use a nonstick pan or they may stick.

Brownie cups take a lot less time to bake in the oven and they freeze really well.

Brownie Sundae Ingredients

A brownie sundae is more than a brownie with ice cream, so much more! Here are some suggested ingredients for the perfect brownie sundae!

Use a fudge brownie mix to make brownie sundaes, they are the best! Other ingredients include:

• caramel sauce
• fudge sauce
• your favorite chopped nuts
• sprinkles
• whipped cream
• cherries (for topping it off!)

How to make brownie cups

First start out with a fudge brownie mix, for this recipe, I used Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix and I found that it worked well.

Heat oven according to brownie mix box instructions. Spray your nonstick muffin tin generously with nonstick baking spray. (Using an actual nonstick pan is so important for this recipe!)

ix ingredients according to brownie mix instructions being careful to not over mix. If you over mix, your brownies will be cake-like and not fudge-like.

Add brownie batter to the prepared muffin tin with a cookie scoop.

Bake according to the package instructions. (The mix I used instructed me to use a lower oven temperate, 325 degrees, for darker pans. You'll definitely want to do this if you're using a dark metal pan.)

Remove pan from oven and place on a cooling rack. Using a measuring spoon, press down the middle of each brownie cup so it's indented.

Allow the brownie cups to cool for 5 to 6 minutes in the muffin tin on the cooling rack.

sing an angled spatula, remove the brownie cups from the muffin tin. 

Place the brownie cups on a piece of parchment paper on top of the cooling rack.

While the brownie cups are cooling, make the whipped cream. I love homemade whipped cream.

Add the Dixie Crystals granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl.

Add the heavy cream.

and the vanilla extract.

Using an electric mixer on low, mix it until stiff peaks form. I usually gradually increase the speed as more air is being put into the cream.

This will take about 2 to 3 minutes.

It looks so good!

How to make a brownie sundae

1. Place brownie cups in a small bowl and scoop your favorite ice cream into each brownie cup.
2. Drizzle caramel and/or fudge sauce on the ice cream. Add sprinkles and/or nuts.
3. Top with whipped cream and add a cherry on top!

Brownie sundaes that are made with brownie cups are just so cute, aren't they? And even better, they taste amazing! These are the perfect little dessert to enjoy with your loved ones on Valentine's Day!

They are so simple to make and yet feel so special, I think that's why brownie sundaes are one of my favorite desserts!

Print

Brownie Cups Recipe

Ingredients

• brownie mix I used Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix 17.6 ounces
• ingredients for the brownie mix usually eggs, oil + water
• your favorite ice cream
• homemade caramel sauce or store bought
• sprinkles
• maraschino cherries

whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Dixie Crystals granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Heat oven according to brownie mix box instructions. Spray nonstick muffin tin generously with nonstick baking spray.
• Mix ingredients according to brownie mix instructions. (I prefer a fudge brownie mix for this recipe).
• Add brownie batter to the prepared muffin tin with a cookie scoop. I used an OXO 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop.
• Bake according to package instructions.
• Remove pan from oven and place on a cooling rack. Using a measuring spoon, press down the middle of each brownie cup so it's indented.
• Allow the brownie cups to cool for 5 to 6 minutes in the muffin tin on the cooling rack.
• Using an angled spatula, remove the brownie cups from the muffin tin. Place the brownie cups on a piece of parchment paper on top of the cooling rack.
• Allow the brownie cups to cool and then place into an airtight container.

Make the whipped cream

• Add heavy cream, Dixie Crystals granulated sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on low, mix it until stiff peaks form. About 2 to 3 minutes. (Gradually increase the speed as you go along.)

Assemble the Brownie Sundae

• Place brownie cups in a small bowl and scoop your favorite ice cream into each brownie cup.
• Drizzle caramel and/or fudge sauce on the ice cream. Add sprinkles and/or nuts.
• Top with whipped cream and add a cherry on top!

Notes

Notes:
You can totally make the brownie cups a couple of days ahead of time, just make sure they are sealed in an airtight container.

You can also freeze them. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet that will fit in your freezer, about 1/2″ apart. Allow each brownie cup to freeze for at least 30 minutes. Place into a zippered plastic bag and write the date and what's in the bag. Place back into the freezer. You can remove them one by one and allow to thaw on your counter when you're ready to eat them!

Be sure to visit the other bloggers participating in the Valentine’s Day event and check out their recipes!

Brownie Cups from Julie of The Little Kitchen
Valentine’s Day Delight Recipe from Jennifer of The Rebel Chick
Strawberry Cake Rolls from Coleen of The Redhead Baker
Perfect M&M Cookies from Carlee of Cooking With Carlee
Paleo Almond Butter Cookies from Taryn of Hot Pan Kitchen
Black Tahini Truffles from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pink Glitter Drink fo Valentine's Day from Jenn of Ever After in the Woods
Vegan Matcha Rose Shortbread from Carolann of Apron Warrior
Star Wars Kylo Ren Emoji Cookies from Jenn of justJENN recipes
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from Faith of An Edible Mosaic
Andes Mint Cookies from Rebekah of Kitchen Gidget
Chocolate Pots from Kristin of On the Home Front
Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookie Bars from Melissa of Persnickety Plates
Dark Chocolate and Smokey Blue Cheese Gougères from Lisa of Taste Cook Sip
Nutella Cookies from Raquel of Organized Island
Strawberry Sandwich Cookies from Heather of Delicious Not Gorgeous
Mini Chocolate Lava Kiss Cakes from Sue of It's Okay to Eat the Cupcake
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with White Chocolate from Lisa of Blogghetti
Chewy Dark Chocolate Coconut Cookies from Jessica of A Kitchen Addiction
Butterscotch Cookies from Marlynn of Urban Bliss Life
Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Cookies from Elaine of Small Farm Big Life
Cherry and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cutter Cookies from Brenda of Meal Planning Magic
Cherry Cheesecake Bars from Laura of Untwisted Vintage
Grapefruit Gin Spritz from Sarah of Chef Sarah Elizabeth
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies from Brianna of Flippin' Delicious
chocolate heart cookies from Meaghan of the decorated cookie
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies from Gwynn of Swirls of Flavor
Salted Caramel Bars from Marybeth of Baby Savers
Cotton Candy Buttercream Cupcakes from Nina of Crazy for Cookies and More
Valentine's Day Cookie Cake from Bree of Baked Bree
Red Velvet White Chocolate Chips Cookies from Maria of The Cookware Geek
Valentine's Blondie Bars from Becca of The Salted Cookie
Confetti Cookies from Amy of The Nifty Foodie
Heart of Gold Chocolate Sprinkle Blossoms from Erin of The Spiffy Cookie
Ancho Chili Brownies from Dee of Meatloaf and Melodrama
Heart Shaped Spritz Cookies from Holly of A Baker's House
Strawberry Macarons from April of April Erhard
Sweetheart Chocolate Pretzel Bites from Nicole of For the Love of Food
Gluten-free Peanut Butter M&M Cookies from Michelle of My Gluten-free Kitchen
Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls from Rose of Rose Bakes
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies from Courtney of Know Your Produce
Nutella Chocolate Cupcakes for Two from Sara of Confectionary Tales
Butter Almond Mushroom Cookies from Jamie of Southern Revivals

There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Brownie Cups appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post contains affiliate links.

If you've never heard of Sugar Pie before, you may know this Canadian pastry by its French name: tarte au sucre. And if you haven't heard of either, well, then you're in for a treat.

By the way, it's November, I planned a Friendsgiving event with a few of my blogger friends, scroll down to the end for more information!

I first had sugar pie in Quebec City a few years back. We had dinner at L'Echaude and it was amazing! I was okay with not having dessert. But then our host ordered a slice of sugar pie and I was intrigued. Once I had a bite, I knew I would need to try to make it at home.

It totally reminded me of pecan pie, without the pecans. Creamy and so good, you have to make it!

Sugar pie is a great dessert if you're looking to switch things up this Thanksgiving or if you're the ambitious type who likes to offer a few different pie options. I topped mine with whipped cream and strawberries, but toasted or candied nuts would be delish scattered over the whipped cream if you can't get Florida strawberries where you live. The Florida strawberry season is from November to March!

My plan for Thanksgiving is to serve this tarte au sucre alongside my favorite easy pumpkin pie. I always make crockpot turkey, but I'm still deciding on the sides – maybe sauteed green beans, mac and cheese with almond milk, and slow cooker mashed potatoes? Every year I think I'll have my menu planned by the end of October, but it seems like I'm always still planning and making changes the week of Thanksgiving! Can you relate?

What Is Sugar Pie?

How to Make Sugar Pie

How to Make the Crust for Sugar Pie

As I mentioned above, the process of making crust for sugar pie is pretty much the same as any other pie or tart. Start with a large bowl and mix together all the dry ingredients.

You can use butter substitute or dairy butter for this crust. Cut it into small cubes.

Drop the little cubes of butter into the dry mixture. Use a pastry blender or two butterknives to incorporate the butter into flour, until you're left with a crumbly dough.

Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork between tablespoons. You'll know you've added enough water when the dough becomes shaggy.

Cut some plastic wrap and turn out the dough onto it. Press it into a round disk and wrap it up.

Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Take the dough out of the fridge and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.

Use a rolling pin to roll it out to a 12-inch circle.

Peel the top sheet of parchment paper off.

Take that circle of dough and caaaaarefully bring it over to the tart pan.

If it tears a little, it's not the end of the world – just press it back together.

Press the dough into the pan…

It will take a few minutes.

…then trim away any excess dough from the edges.

Fun tip: you can roll out these dough scraps again and cut them into cute seasonal shapes like acorns or leaves. Bake them on a cookie sheet and use them to decorate this or any other pie you're whipping up for Thanksgiving.

Heat your oven to 375ºF. While you're waiting for the oven to heat up, pop the tart pan in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Using a fork, stab holes into the pie crust. Get that frustration out!

Press a sheet of foil over the crust.

Another fun pie tip: you can use dried beans as pie weights. If you bake a lot, it's probably worth investing in real pie weights, but if pie-making is only an occasional activity for you, dried beans will do the trick. Use a cup or two – you don't have to spray them with cooking spray or anything.

Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Place the finished crust on a rack to cool while you work on the pie filling. Remove the foil with the pie weights, otherwise, the pie crust will continue to bake from the residual heat.

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350ºF.

Sugar Pie Filling Ingredients

Remember when I mentioned that sugar pie and sugar cream pie are different? Despite the differences in form and texture, sugar cream pie filling ingredients and sugar pie ingredients have a lot of overlap. For this sugar pie, you'll need:

• light brown sugar
• all-purpose flour
• two large eggs (one whole, one yolk)
• heavy whipping cream

Whisk the flour and the sugar together in one bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the whole egg and the egg yolk.

Whisk the beaten eggs into the flour and sugar mixture.

Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Quickly and carefully, remove it from heat so it doesn't scald. Pour in the sugar pie filling mixture and whisk to incorporate.

Pour filling through a mesh sieve.

Place tart pan on a baking sheet.

Pour the filling through a strainer. Then pour the strained filling into the sugar pie crust.

You're almost done! Bake the pie for 34 to 36 minutes, or until set. Let the sugar pie cool on a cooling rack while you make the whipped cream topping.

Yum.

When I make this pie, I can't resist and I have more than one slice. If you make this for your friends at Friendsgiving dinner this year or your family at Thanksgiving, they will LOVE it!

Print

Sugar Pie

With a rich, caramel-like filling, this Sugar Pie recipe is sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving gathering.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter substitute or real butter, cut into cubes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
• To use for pie weights - 1 to 2 cups of beans

Pie Filling

• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Pie Topping

• Strawberries
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Pie Crust

• In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt together. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender or two butterknives. Do this until the mixture is crumbly. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time. Mix together with a fork. The dough will become scraggly. Press it into a round disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. (You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate overnight.)
• Put the dough in between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll out to a 12-inch circle. Press into a 9-inch tart pan (with removable bottom). Press the sides and trim and any excess from the top.
• Heat the oven at 375 degrees F. Refrigerate the pan with the pie crust for 15 minutes.
• Using a fork, stab holes into the pie crust. Line the pie crust with foil and use dried beans as pie weights. About 1 or 2 cups. Bake at 375 degrees F or 18 to 20 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool as you work on the pie filling. (Remove the foil with the pie weights so the pie crust can continue cooling.)

Pie Filling

• Change temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk flour and sugar together. Beat both the egg and the egg yolk in a small bowl. Add beaten eggs to the flour & sugar. Whisk together.
• Add heavy cream to small saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly and carefully remove from heat. Add filling mixture together and whisk together.
• Pour filling through a strainer (sieve). Place tart pan on a baking sheet. Then, pour the filling into the already baked pie crust.
• Bake pie at 350 degrees F for 34 to 36 minutes. Carefully remove from the tart pan from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack.

Pie Topping

• Hull the strawberries and quarter them. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract to a medium sized mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, mix together. Gradually increase to high and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.
• Top slices of sugar pie with whipped cream and strawberries.

Notes

Adapted from Canadian Living

I have joined up with a bunch of blogger friends for a Friendsgiving Virtual Potluck! Be sure to check the recipes below out for wonderful Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving recipe and craft ideas!

Appetizers
Baked Brie with Honey & Walnuts from Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks
Reindeer Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball from Julie of Julie Blanner

Salads
Sauteed Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts from Shashi of Savory Spin
Creamy Brussels Sprouts Salad from Faith of An Edible Mosaic

Main Dishes
Savory Vegetable Crisp from Bree of Baked Bree
Rosemary Lamb Steaks from Danyelle of The Cubicle Chick
Turkey Pot Pie from Kelly of Eat Picks

Side Dishes
Fried Brussels Sprouts from Erin of The Almond Eater
Cheesy Horseradish Mashed Potato Casserole from Renee of Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip from April of April Golightly
Sauteed Garlic-Butter Mushrooms from Linda of Simply Healthyish Recipes
Easy Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe from Mel of Adventures of Mel
Cornbread Stuffing with Chorizo from Isabel of Isabel Eats
Bacon Brussels Sprouts from Kara of Kara J. Miller
Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole from Jennifer of Show Me the Yummy
Amazing Gluten Free Thanksgiving Stuffing from Sommer of A Spicy Perspective
Pumpkin Caramelized Onion Gratin from Denise of Chez Us
Crockpot Mac & Cheese from Leanette Fernandez of Funtastic Life
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts au Gratin from Rachel Gurk of Rachel Cooks

Drinks
Spiced Pumpkin Margarita from Sharon of Cupcakes and Cutlery

Breads
Sourdough Pull Apart Rolls from Erica of Buttered Side Up
How to Make Homemade Butterhorn Rolls from Mel of Flour on My Fingers
Sweet Dinner Rolls from Jocelyn of Grandbaby Cakes
Parker House Rolls from Irvin of Eat the Love

Desserts
Sugar Pie from Julie of The Little Kitchen
Oatmeal Apple Crisp from Julie of Peanut Butter Fingers
Pumpkin Pie Milkshake from Eden of Sugar and Charm
Strudel Pastry from Justine of The Typical Mom
Tahini Hawaij Pumpkin Pie from Amy of What Jew Wanna Eat
Turkey Cookies from Meaghan of The Decorated Cookie
Mini Apple Pie Bites from Lynsey of MoscatoMom
Kabocha squash pie from Hilah of hilahcooking
Pecan Pie Cupcakes from Courtney of Pizzazzerie
Coconut Cream Pie from Schnelle of Brooklyn Active Mama
Chocolate chip cheesecake from Jeannette of Hispana Global
Chocolate Pecan Pie from Kate of I Heart Eating
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes from Chelsea of Someday I'll Learn
Turkey Donut Race Cars For Thanksgiving Treats from Theresa of Chewable Structures

Crafts and Centerpieces
Cinnamon Stick Holiday Candle Place Setting from Alli of Made with HAPPY
Metallic Pumpkin Luminaries from Amy of As The Bunny Hops
Easy centerpiece that will stun + party favor from Noelle of Oh Happy Play

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

The post Sugar Pie (Tarte au Sucre) appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.

I have an obsession with shortbread cookies. They are buttery and flakey and with a little bit of Nielsen-Massey's amazing Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, they are the perfect cookie to me! I have made funfetti shortbread cookies and cranberry white chocolate shortbreads too! These cookies would go perfect with a cup of hot matcha green tea or even a cup of coconut almond milk tea with boba.

I encourage you to “Better Your Bake” by making your favorite desserts with great “Better Your Bake tips” from Nielsen-Massey at BetterYourBake.com. I love baking especially when I'm baking for family and friends.

With “Better Your Bake” tips, you can uplevel your baking skills utilizing their step by step videos, pro tips and recipes! I decided to focus on their tips for how to roll cookie dough and how to temper chocolate, but they also have other videos that you need to check out!

How to make cookie dough

Most cookie dough recipes are pretty similar. I usually start by mixing all of the dry ingredients together. You want to make sure you measure flour correctly and not pack it into the measuring cup.

Then, in a separate mixing bowl, add butter and sugar(s) and use a stand mixer or an electric mixer to cream them together. Next, add pure vanilla extract (such as Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract) and any other liquid ingredients. Once they are well blended, I usually add the flour mixture in batches into the wet ingredients with an electric mixer or a rubber spatula.

Matcha Cookies Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons matcha green tea powder
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 8 ounces dark chocolate

How to Make Chocolate Dipped Matcha Cookies

First, mix the flour and salt together.

Then, add the matcha green tea powder.

And mix it thoroughly.

In another bowl, add the butter and brown sugar.

I use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together.

Then, add 2 teaspoons of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

It's my favorite vanilla extract! I love the sweet and creamy flavor!

After you add the vanilla extract, you'll want to mix it again until it's thoroughly combined.

Next add the flour mixture in batches, I usually do two or three batches.

Mix to combine with a rubber spatula.

This is how the cookie dough looks after all of the flour is mixed in.

Split the dough in half. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

How to Roll Cookie Dough

I love rolling cookie dough and even pie dough in between two pieces of parchment paper. It way less mess and you don't use tons of extra flour which could make your cookies not taste as good as they should!

You can find Nielsen-Massey's video on how to roll cookie dough on BetterYourBake.com!

Roll the dough out to about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness. Then, place the dough (with the parchment paper) in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge and peel off top layer of parchment paper. Dip your cookie cutter(s) into flour and cut out shapes. The dough is cold so work quickly. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put in the oven.

I had some fun with the #BetterYourBake hashtag! You can follow Nielsen-Massey on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest for more baking tips and recipes!

How to Temper Chocolate

Tempering chocolate is a delicate process that’s done by heating and cooling chocolate to a precise temperature. It results in an elegant sheen coating that will elevate your desserts! Be sure to check out Nielsen-Massey’s video on how to temper chocolate at BetterYourBake.com!

I cut up the chocolate and put it in a heat-safe bowl. Take about a quarter of chocolate and put into the refrigerator.

Fill a pot with about 1-2 inches of water and place on the stove. Put the bowl containing chocolate over the pot and bring water to a simmer over medium heat.

Let the chocolate melt about two thirds of the way and gently stir. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature and remove the melted chocolate from the pot once it reaches 115 degrees F.

Remove the bowl from the pot and add the reserved chocolate from the refrigerator to the melted chocolate. Mix continuously until all the pieces have melted and the chocolate has lowered to 79 degrees F.

Place the bowl back on the pot or in the microwave and heat in short bursts until the chocolate reaches 89 degrees F.

Dip the matcha cookies into the chocolate and place on a parchment paper lined cooling rack.

I love the glossy finish the chocolate has when you temper the chocolate. I have to say this was my first time actually taking the time to temper the chocolate and I can't wait to do this with other recipes!

These matcha cookies are perfect on their own or dipped in your favorite cup of tea but something about the specialness of tempering chocolate and dipping these cookies in them so they are chocolate dipped shortbread cookies, it takes them to whole other level! I can't wait to share these cookies with my friends!

“Better Your Bake” is designed to help you master the basics of baking so you can achieve those mindful benefits. Nielsen-Massey has shared a six-part series, each one featuring a different baking technique, on BetterYourBake.com. Each technique will include a step-by-step video, pro tips from their team and delicious, seasonal recipes. Be sure to visit BetterYourBake.com to check out the videos and to follow along on how you can master baking basics!

Print

Matcha Cookies Recipe

Servings 30 to 45 cookies (depends on size)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons matcha green tea powder
• 2 sticks 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 16 to 24 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Instructions

• Add flour, salt and matcha green tea powder to a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix together with a rubber spatula and set aside.
• Add butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Cream butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer, until fluffy. Add Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and mix again, until thoroughly combined.
• In three batches, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, mixing just to combine with a rubber spatula.
• Split the cookie dough in half and cover with plastic wrap in the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place one piece of cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin. Place the rolled out cookie dough with the parchment paper into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the cookie dough.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add some flour to a small bowl and dip your cookie cutter into the flour. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and cut out shapes with your cookie cutters. Place the cut-outs onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, watching carefully because the baking time will depend on the thickness of your cookies.
• When the cookies are done, place the parchment paper with the cookies on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to fully cool before dipping them in chocolate.
• Temper the chocolate using the instructions from this

  "Better Your Bake" video.
• Dip each cookie into the chocolate. Serve and enjoy!

Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. I always share with you my own opinions.

The post Matcha Cookies appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I received a copy of My Little Pony Baking Book for review. There are affiliate links in this post.

You NEED to make this rainbow bundt cake. I mean it. It's the best bundt cake I have ever made! And if you're looking for a cake to make for a party, you can't beat this one. Everyone will ooh and ahh when you cut into the cake to reveal the rainbow swirls.

Look how pretty this rainbow bundt cake is!

(And if you totally love it, you should check out my rainbow birthday cake recipe too.)

I first made this rainbow bundt cake recipe for a friend who was moving away, for our goodbye gathering. Everyone LOVED the cake.

We were at a restaurant and I offered a slice to our server and she declared it the best cake she had ever had!

The rainbow bundt cake is pretty simple to put together; it just takes a few extra bowls than usual but I know you'll love it! This cake is moist and delicious and with a simple vanilla glaze and a scattering of rainbow sprinkles, it's the best!

As a child of the 80s–and as someone who loves all things rainbow–I just adore this cookbook. The My Little Pony Baking Book has 50 fun recipes that both kids and adults will love. Although this rainbow bundt cake is my fave, there are recipes for cupcakes, cookies, brownies and more.

Want to win a copy of My Little Pony Baking Book for yourself? Go enter my giveaway!

How to make Rainbow Cake in a Bundt Pan

I show you how to make a rainbow cake in a bundt pan below with step by step photos.

Christi's recipe uses a cake mix that's doctored up with more ingredients like instant pudding, sour cream, vegetable oil and more water than the box calls for. This makes the cake super moist.

Gather six small bowls and the food coloring and let's go. (I love Americolor food coloring, this set has 8 colors in it though! I love that all six colors you need for the rainbow bundt cake is in this set.)

I know what you're thinking: this rainbow bundt cake looks complicated to make. I promise, it's not! Let me show you how it's done, step-by-step.

Quick tip! First thing, I actually put the water in my measuring cup first if I'm baking with water and oil.

Then, measure the oil out. That way the oil sticks to the measuring cup A LOT less.

First, combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

How to mix bundt cake

Next, use a stand or hand mixer to combine all of the ingredients. You want to make sure that the dry and wet ingredients are well-combined, while also being careful not to over-mix.

Here's where the fun starts! Divide the cake batter evenly between six bowls.

For each bowl of batter, add 1-2 drops of food coloring and stir well. If more color is desired, add additional drops of food coloring until desired color is reached. Repeat with each bowl. I just adore this rainbow bundt cake, but you can also switch things up by trying different colors or adding a little bit less food coloring for muted pastel layers.

How to keep cake from sticking to the bundt pan

Is there anything more frustrating than having your bundt cake stick to the pan? To keep that from happening, generously spray a standard sized Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Generously generously. Like more than you think.

How to fill bundt cake

Usually if your cake batter is all one color, you would just pour the batter in and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top of the batter.

To make this rainbow bundt cake, we're layering the colors in order.

Now it's time to make our pretty rainbow layers. Starting with red, spoon the bundt cake batter into bottom of the pan.

The cake batter should go around the bottom of the pan in a complete circle. (I use an angled spatula to smooth out each layer so it's even across the bottom.)

Carefully spoon the orange cake batter into pan, placing it in an even layer over the red cake batter, making sure the red layer is completely covered.

Try not to mix the different colored cake batters or the rainbow layers will bleed together; simply spoon one color on top of the other.

So fun, right?! Repeat the rainbow bundt cake layers with all of the remaining colors.

There's green. I love how bright it is!

Blue…

then purple!

Place your bundt cake in the oven at 350ºF and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

When to flip bundt cake

The trick to knowing when to flip a bundt cake? Patience, my friends. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in pan, on a wire rack, for 10-15 minutes. If you try to flip the bundt cake too soon, you risk it falling apart. Don't do it!

I put a paper towel on the wire rack and then put that on top of the bundt cake pan, then flip over…

just like that.

Allow the cake to cool completely prior to adding glaze.

How to frost bundt cake

The easiest way to frost this rainbow bundt cake is to make a glaze. No muss, no fuss, just spoon the glaze over your bundt cake and add some sprinkles if you want. (To me, sprinkles are never not an option. Always use ALL THE SPRINKLES.)

Or you can use store bought frosting and microwave and pour it. I learned this from my friend Courtney who shows you the easiest way to frost a cake. I used her technique the first time I made this cake for friends.

Pictured in the photos, I used store bought cream cheese frosting and I frosted it with my angled spatula. Any way you do it, it's super simple! I know you can do it!

Print

Rainbow Bundt Cake Recipe

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 standard size box white or vanilla cake mix
• 1 3.4-oz pkg vanilla instant pudding (dry mix, unprepared)
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water
• Food coloring -- red orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple

Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine all cake ingredients and mix with a mixer until combined. Do not overmix, but make sure all dry ingredients and wet ingredients are well-combined.
• Divide cake batter evenly between six bowls.
• For each bowl, add 1-2 drops of food coloring and mix. If more color is desired, add additional drops of food coloring until desired color is reached. Repeat with each bowl.
• Generously spray a standard sized Bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Starting with the red batter, spoon cake batter into bottom of pan. The cake batter should go around the bottom of the pan in a complete circle.
• Carefully spoon the orange cake batter into pan, placing it directly on the red cake batter, once again making sure it goes completely around the red cake batter. Try not to mix the different colored cake batters; simply spoon one on top of the other. Repeat with remaining colors in the following order: yellow, green, blue, purple.
• Place in oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan, on a wire rack, for 10-15 minutes.
• Tap the pan firmly a few times on the countertop, gently shaking it to help loosen the cake. Carefully invert the pan onto a cake plate and lift the pan off of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely prior to adding glaze.
• To make glaze, place powdered sugar and milk into a bowl and stir well to combine. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Glaze should be thin enough to spoon over cake, but not runny. If glaze is too thick, add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time, until a spoonable consistency is reached.
• Spoon glaze over the top of cake.
• If desired, garnish with rainbow sprinkles.

Other Rainbow Foods

Now that you've got your rainbow bundt cake which is such a colorful cake! Let's make it a whole rainbow party with these recipes:

Rainbow Birthday Cake

Pastel Deviled Eggs

Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies

The post How to Make a Rainbow Bundt Cake appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

It's that time of year again, where I'm sharing a heart shaped dessert and sharing with you our wonderful Good Cookie Food Bloggers' Valentine's Day event that benefits Cookies for Kids' Cancer (C4KC).

For seven years now, I have been fundraising for this wonderful charity because childhood cancer is the #1 cause of death of children by disease in the US and because we need more pediatric cancer research money!

This is our third year for our V-Day event and I love love that these brands, OXO, Mediavine and Dixie Crystals are all matching funds raised up to $3000.

I do want to mention that I don't make any money on this event…this is all volunteer for me and all of the money goes directly to C4KC! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post where you can see the full list of bloggers participating and links to their recipes!

I also launched a shop and the first items for sale are Baked with Love t-shirts and tote bags. I'm donating all of the proceeds from these sales to C4KC too!

Hurry though, we the presale for these items go through the end of this week (Friday). We have to have enough orders in order to print the shirts and tote bags! Thank you for your huge support!

Can you freeze chocolate chip cookie cake?

Yes, you can free a chocolate chip cookie cake! Just make sure it's sealed and it taste just fine when you defrost it to eat later. It will be better if you cut it up first before freezing.

How to make chocolate chip cookie cake from scratch

Here's how to make a chocolate chip cookie cake from scratch. It's really easy. Just follow the steps and step by step photos below.

Mix flour, salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix together and set aside.

Pack the sugar when measuring, I use a teaspoon to pack it.

Add butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a medium sized mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together.

Add vanilla extract and the egg…

and continue mixing with the electric mixer.

Add the dry ingredients in two batches and combine with a rubber spatula, don’t over mix.

The dough is ready for the chocolate chips.

Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir into the cookie dough with a rubber spatula.

Spray heart shaped cookie cake pan with baking spray.

Pour cookie dough into the cookie cake pan.

Spray an offset spatula with baking spray and spread the dough out.

You don’t have to spread it all the way to the edge because it will spread when it bakes. I add the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

While the cookie cake is baking in the oven. Make the dark chocolate ganache frosting.

Add dark chocolate to a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan on your stove at low heat. Once it has melted, turn the heat to medium. Watch the butter carefully (don’t allow it to brown), when it starts to bubbling, turn your timer to one minute. Allow the butter to bubble for about a minute.

Then take the melted butter over the chocolate in the bowl. Let the chocolate sit for minutes, don’t stir it.

After the five minutes, stir with a rubber spatula until it’s completely mixed together and all of the chocolate is melted.

Let the chocolate sit and cool completely and set, about 45 minutes.

After the cookie cake has cooled. Place the chocolate frosting into a decorator bag and using a 1M tip, pipe stars on the edge of the cookie cake.

I pipe some more frosting onto each piece after I cut it, before serving.

The cookie is super soft because I use more brown sugar than granulated sugar! It's so so good! You'll need this heart-shaped cookie cake pan to make this recipe. You can also use a round cake pan, just be sure to spray it thoroughly with baking spray.

Print

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 Stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• sprinkles optional

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

• Turn your oven on to 350 degrees F. Spray heart shaped cookie cake pan with baking spray.
• Mix flour, salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix together and set aside.
• Add butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a medium sized mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add vanilla extract and the egg and continue mixing.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches and combine with a rubber spatula, don’t over mix.
• Add chocolate chips and stir into the cookie dough with a rubber spatula.
• Pour cookie dough into the cookie cake pan. Spray an offset spatula with baking spray and spread the dough out. You don’t have to spread it all the way to the edge because it will spread when it bakes.
• I add the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a couple of cookie cups comes out with crumbs.
• Remove from the oven and place the cookie cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing. Allow to completely cool before decorating and cutting.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• Add dark chocolate to a stainless steel mixing bowl.
• Melt butter in a small sauce pan on your stove at low heat. Once it has melted, turn the heat to medium. Watch the butter carefully (don’t allow it to brown), when it starts to bubbling, turn your timer to one minute. Allow the butter to bubble for about a minute.
• Then take the melted butter over the chocolate in the bowl.
• Let the chocolate sit for minutes, don’t stir it. After the five minutes, stir with a rubber spatula until it’s completely mixed together and all of the chocolate is melted.
• Let the chocolate sit and cool completely and set, about 45 minutes.
• Add to a decorator bag with a star tip. Add swirls of chocolate ganache to the edge of the cookie cake. You can add sprinkles after adding the swirls if you want!

Be sure to check out these other Valentine's Day inspired recipes from my blogger friends!

Læsø Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Meyer Lemon Cookies from Linda of Simply Healthyish Recipes
Soft & Chewy Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Allie of Miss Allie's Kitchen
Small Batch Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe from Faith of An Edible Mosaic
Chocolate Madeleines from Caroline of Caroline's Cooking
Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats from Bree of Baked Bree
Tiger Butter Candy from Melissa of MamaGourmand
Valentine's Day Gluten Free Sugar Cookies from Brianna of Flippin' Delicious
Chocolate Spritz Sandwich Cookies from Carlee of Cooking With Carlee
Pink Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jenn of Ever After in the Woods
French Butter Cookies from Rebekah of Kitchen Gidget
Brown Sugar M&M Cookies from Sara of Imperfectly Balanced Sara
mini rose cookies from Meaghan of the decorated cookie
Raspberry Linzer Cookies from Stephie of Stephie Cooks
Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting from Coleen of The Redhead Baker
Lemon Poppyseed Cookies from Becca of Two Places at Once
Warn Dark Chocolate Melting Cups from Lisa of Snack Girl
Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies from Jessica of A Kitchen Addiction
Cherry Cordial Bundt Cake from Carolann of Apron Warrior
Nutella Stuffed Cookies from Allison of Celebrating Sweets
Strawberry Pudding Cookies from Holly of A Baker's House
Slice and Bake Whirligig Cookies from Laura of Untwisted Vintage
Raspberry Strawberry Cookies from Heather of Delicious Not Gorgeous
Chocolate Strawberry Hand Pie from Trang of Wild Wild Whisk
White Chocolate Cashew Cranberry Cookies from Brittany of Diary of a Southern Mrs.
The Best Potato Chip Cookies Recipe from Marybeth of Babysavers
Darth Vader Valentine's Day Hug Cookies to Support Cookies for Kid’s Cancer from Jenn of justJENN recipes
Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies with Jam from Lisa of Garlic & Zest
Sprinkled Chocolate Shortbread Heart Cookies from Lisa of Blogghetti
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from Dee of Meatloaf and Melodrama
Homemade Salted Nut Rolls from Shaina of Food for My Family
Valentine Sugar Cookie Cups from Melissa of Persnickety Plates
Chocolate Dipped Cashew Butter Cookies from Ashley of Fit Mitten Kitchen
Chocolate Vanilla Striped Shortbread Cookies from Denise of Chez Us
Pineapple Coconut Bar Cookies from Barbara of Barbara Bakes
Chocolate Raspberry Roll-Ups from Sue of It's Okay to Eat the Cupcake
Raspberry and Rose Meringue Parfaits from Michelle of Cup of Zest
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies from Jade of Jonesin' For Taste
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies from Emilie of Finding Zest
Chocolate Mousse Cups from Miranda of Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
Grain-Free Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart from Gretchen of kumquat
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies from Sara of My Imperfect Kitchen
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie from Angela of About A Mom
Honey Pistachio Shortbread from Megan of Stetted
Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake Cookies from Nicole of For the Love of Food
Chewy Coconut Macaroon Hearts (Gluten Free) from Taryn of Hot Pan Kitchen
Chocolate Peanut Butter Valentine's Cookies from Becca of The Salted Cookie
Chocolate Caramel Pie from Stefanie of Mommy Musings
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Brownies {Dairy-Free} from Audrey of Mama Knows Gluten Free
Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes from Erica of The Crumby Kitchen
Dark Chocolate Bourbon Coconut Cream Mousse from Lisa of Taste Cook Sip
Maple Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jamie of Southern Revivals
Red Velvet Mini Layer Cakes from Gwynn of Swirls of Flavor
The Best Potato Chip Cookies Recipe from Marybeth of babysavers
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Kara of Kara in the Kitchen
Brown Sugar Snickerdoodles from Kristin of On the Home Front
Valentine’s Gummy Hearts from April of April Golightly
Cocoa Sweet Dough Hearts from TammyJo of The Chocolate Cult
Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookie Cutouts from Susannah of Feast + West
Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies from Denise of addicted 2 recipes
Shortbread Cookie Recipe from Raquel of Organized Island
Brown Butter Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies from Samantha of Haute Pepper Bites
Iced Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles from Nina & Cally of Crazy for Cookies and More
Cardamom Rose Sugar Cookies from Sara of Confectionary Tales

There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

Print

Black Tea Lavender Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time 1 hour hour

Servings 32 to 36 cookies (2 x 2.5 inch cutter)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons black tea leaves grounded
• 1 Tablespoon culinary lavender
• 2 sticks 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Glaze

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• about 1 Tablespoon culinary lavender for topping

Instructions

• Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, grounded black tea leaves, and lavender with a whisk in a small mixing bowl.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar together using an electric hand mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
• Add dry ingredients in two to three batches to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined with your hand mixer, being careful not to over mix.
• Split cookie dough in half. Form into round discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.
• Prep a couple of cookie sheets with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove cookie dough discs one at a time and flour a marble surface, I recommend using a marble rolling pin. Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use teabag shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place cut out cookies on one cookie sheet. Once it’s filled, add the cookie sheet to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
• Roll out the rest of the cookie dough until finished.
• Remove one cookie sheet at a time from the refrigerator and use a chopstick to punch a hole for the string.
• Bake one cookie sheet at a time, for 9 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack. (After it cools, you might need to use a toothpick to make sure the hole you created before baking is open enough for the string. I also use the toothpick to help guide the string through.)

Make the glaze

• Add powdered sugar and milk to a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, whisk until thoroughly mixed and no lumps appear. Dip cookies in the glaze and top with lavender. Allow glaze to dry before storing in sealed container.

Note:

• You can totally just slice and bake the cookies too. Shape the dough into logs and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. Slice and bake the cookies according to above instructions.

The post Black Tea Lavender Shortbread Cookies Recipe appeared first on The Little Kitchen.