sweet treats

Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies

With it being all things pumpkin season I want to share with you a sweet recipe I fell in love with last year. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I made it. What is this creation? It is Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies from Allrecipes. The name blondies is a bit misleading for this recipe because it is much more cake like than blondie like but that said it is delicious! We have eaten it plain, drizzled with caramel, with vanilla ice cream and caramel on top. Every way we have tried it we have loved.

The problem with the recipe it is that I don’t eat gluten anymore so I had to convert the cake to a gluten free recipe if I wanted to continue enjoying it. Which is something I most definitely want to do. So I tested it out and I am so glad I did. I now have a gluten free and vegan pumpkin pie blondie recipe that my family loves!

If you love pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavored things as much as my family and I do that I am sure you will love it too! Try it for yourself!

Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies |Country Girl Gourmet

 

Gluten Free and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Blondies

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Xanthan gum
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. Sift flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. Stir pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla extract into flour mixture until a thick batter forms. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 minutes.
  4. Serve plain, with caramel sauce, ice cream, cream cheese frosting etc.

Sweetheart Cookies

I may not be big into Valentine’s day but I do try to make the day special for my kid’s. This has meant in the past making treats for the classes. Usually this includes things like cookies and cupcakes. If you are still looking for a treat to make then I have a sweet treat for you, Sweetheart Cookies. Sweetheart cookies are a yummy mix of a chocolate chip cookies and M&M cookies that my chocolate loving children and husband loved and I am sure you will too!

Sweetheart Cookies | Country Girl Gourmet

Sweetheart Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar (you can substitute light brown sugar)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup Valentine M&Ms  or other holiday candy coated chocolate candies
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Beat butter, shortening and sugars together until fluffy.
  3.  Mix in eggs and vanilla until combined well.
  4. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and combine until dough forms.
  5. Stir in M&Ms and white chocolate chips.
  6. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. If desired add a few M&Ms on top of the dough.
  7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
  8. Cool on a wire cooling rack if you can*all butter or all shortening can be used but it will change the texture of your cookie*

Cocoa Can Fudge

Growing up I did not live near my one set of grandparents and every Christmas a package would come our way. In the package there was usually chocolates and chex mix. Once I was older I learned it was my grandpa who made the candy. This is my grandpa’s cocoa can fudge. Truth be told years ago on the side of the Hershey’s cocoa can there was a fudge recipe and that is where this recipe get’s it’s name, Cocoa Can Fudge. It is just as easy and taste better than easy fudge or magic fudge that is made with marshmallow cream. I definitely recommend trying it out!
Cocoa Can Fudge

This is a candy recipe where you will need your candy thermometer.
Cocoa Can Fudge

but it is easy enough that my 7 year old daughter did most of the hard work.

Cocoa Can Fudge

I was in charge of making sure the temp was just right.

Cocoa Can Fudge

Once your temp is right you add the butter and vanilla and remove from the heat and allow to cool to 110*. This may take a couple hours. DO NOT STIR.

Cocoa Can Fudge

Once at 110* your job is to stir until the shiny chocolate “soup” in the pic above turns into a thicker dull looking chocolate “soup”

Cocoa Can Fudge

Once you achieve this pour into a foil lined square pan and allow to cool.

Cocoa Can Fudge

Once cool cut into small bite size squares.

Cocoa Can Fudge

Then all that is left is to enjoy for yourself or package up and give to friends and family.

Cocoa Can Fudge

Cocoa Can Fudge

originally from Hershey’s

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup real butter, no substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Line 8-or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil.

2. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in heavy 4-quart saucepan; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to full rolling boil. Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water, forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water. (Bulb of candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of saucepan.)

3. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. DO NOT STIR. Cool at room temperature to 110°F (lukewarm). Beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and just begins to lose some of its gloss. Quickly spread in prepared pan; cool completely. Cut into squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature. About 36 pieces or 1-3/4 pounds.

Cocoa Can Fudge

1 … 3 4 5