Category Archives: No Bake Desserts

Speculoos Cookie Spread {recipe}

Cookies, No Bake Desserts

Speculoos Cookie Spread

If you have been following food trends you have definitely heard of hazelnut spread such as Nutella.  You have also come across millions of ways to use it from cookies to cakes, pies, tarts…you name it, and you can find it.  The newest food trend to hit involves speculoos cookies.  These crispy cinnamon spice cookies, or caramelised bisuits are similar to gingersnaps and are usually served around the holiday season.  They originated in Belgium and are the official cookie of Delta Airlines.  Needless to say, they are amazing and every blogger seems to be getting in on this trend including my friend Melinda of Kitchen Tested, and Chanie of Busy in Brooklyn.  Melinda made her own speculoos cookies and then turned that into a cookie spread (she also made vegan speculoos ice cream).  Chanie took the ready made packaged cookies and used them to make Lotus cookie cinnamon buns with speculoos cream cheese frosting.  I am going somewhere in between, using the store bought cookies to create my own non-dairy spread.  I used the Lotus Brand Biscoff Cookies since they are aaaahmazing.  They are sweet, salty, crispy, and perfectly spiced.  I tried to make my own cookies; they tasted good, but didn’t come close to the original.   And since the cookie spreads I have seen are not yet kosher certified, I made my own.  It is probably not quite as smooth as the original secret recipe, but it definitely does the trick!

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Speculoos Cookie Spread
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1 cup
 
Ingredients
  • 24 speculoos cookies (I used Lotus Brand)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup refined coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 2 Tbs. vegetable shortening
Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, grind the cookies with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until fine.
  2. With the machine running, stream in the coconut oil and mix until combined. You may need to scrape down the sides and mix again to make sure the whole mixture is combined.
  3. Add in the vegetable shortening and mix until smooth.

 

Crispy Peanut Butter Cups {Recipe}

No Bake Desserts

Crispy Peanut Butter Cups

I’m so glad that I am finally sharing this recipe!  I have been meaning to post this recipe for ages but every time I made these delicious gems, I didn’t get a chance to photograph them; until now!  These peanut butter and chocolate treats are so easy to make.  They don’t even require an oven!

Stack of Crispy Peanut Butter Cups

These peanut butter cups get their crunch from crushed up graham crackers.  I like to sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs on top of each cup to make them look a little more special.  I also like using these brown mini cupcake liners to make them look more official, but you can use any kind you like!  I ordered these cupcake liners from Bakers Stock.  They are a great source for bulk orders of greaseproof white and brown cupcake liners.

To make these easy and non dairy delights, first prepare the crispy peanut butter filling and shape into round balls.  Line your mini muffin tins with mini cupcake liners.  Melt your chocolate and spoon into each cup.  Place one peanut butter ball in each and gently press down.  Cover each peanut butter ball with more melted chocolate.  Tap the whole tray on the counter to even everything out.  Then sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs on top!  I like to freeze the whole tray to help the chocolate set up quickly.

Inside of Crispy Peanut Butter Cup

This recipe makes about 3 dozen mini peanut butter bites.  You can definitely halve the recipe if you like, but these freeze perfectly!  Since you are doing all the work anyway, just make the whole recipe and freeze them until you are ready to eat them.  They are also make great gifts!  Enjoy this dairy-free, no-bake treat!  The recipe is adapted from my sister in law, Lee-Ron, and The Brown Eyed Baker.

4.7 from 3 reviews
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Crispy Peanut Butter Cups
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 dozen
 
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • ¼ cup margarine
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1¼ cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 graham crackers, crushed
Chocolate Shell
  • 4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup vegetable shortening
Instructions
  1. Line 3 dozen mini muffin tins with mini muffin liners.
  2. Crush the graham crackers in mini food processor.
  3. In a small pot over low heat, warm the peanut butter, margarine, and brown sugar until smooth and melted.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the confectioners sugar a little bit at a time. The mixture will be thick.
  5. Reserve 2 Tbs. crushed graham crackers in a small bowl (will be used as a topping) and stir the remaining graham crackers into the peanut butter mixture.
  6. Using a small cookie scoop, divide peanut butter mixture into 3 dozen balls.
  7. Roll each peanut butter scoop into a ball and set aside.
  8. In a double boiler (a bowl set atop a pot that is filled with an inch of water on low heat) melt the chocolate chips with the vegetable shortening and stir until smooth.
  9. Using a small cookie scoop, spoon one scoop of melted chocolate into each muffin cup.
  10. Place one peanut butter ball into each chocolate filled muffin cup.
  11. Use the cookie scoop to spoon one more scoop of chocolate on top of each peanut butter ball.
  12. Gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to smooth everything out.
  13. Sprinkle a little bit of the reserved graham cracker crumbs onto each peanut butter cup.
  14. Freeze until firm.

Here are some more fun mini recipes that I think you would love to try!


Strawberries Dressed to the Nines

No Bake Desserts, ,

When the weather heats up, the last thing I want to do is heat up my oven and bake.  How do I satisfy my chocolate fix during the hot and humid New York summer?  Chocolate covered strawberries!  Just thinking about red, juicy strawberries enrobed in sweet, velvety chocolate makes my mouth water.

chocolate covered strawberries

I love using long stemmed strawberries but they are not always available.  These are just regular strawberries dipped in melted milk chocolate.  I melted the chocolate using the double boiler method.  If you have never done this, it’s simple!  Fill a pot with an inch or so of water and over low heat bring to a simmer.  Then place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot.  Make sure the bowl is not too small, it shouldn’t fall into the pot, you should be able to remove the bowl easily.  The steam that hits the bottom of the bowl will gently melt the chocolate.  Be careful because the bowl will get hot.  If you want to dress up the classic chocolate dipped strawberry, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it on top once the milk chocolate is set and dry.

White Chocolate Drizzle

Not so confident in your drizzling abilities?  Here is my new favorite idea.  Crush up some pretzels.  First dip the strawberry in chocolate and then immediately in the pretzels. These are ridiculously good!  The sweet and salty combination is divine.

Pretzel Covered Strawberries

If your strawberries are invited to a black tie event you might want to try these.  What is cuter than a strawberry in a tiny tuxedo?

Strawberry Tuxedos

These are a little more difficult to do.  The best strawberries to use are big and flat.  The bigger the better (and easier).  First dip the strawberries in melted white chocolate.

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries

They are delicious just like this!  They can also be drizzled with milk chocolate or dipped in crushed pretzels.  However, if you want them to wear tiny tuxedos, allow them to dry completely.  Then tilt the strawberry to one side and dip it in milk chocolate.  Then do the same for the other side.

Step TwoThe last step is to add the buttons and bow tie.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tiny round tip and fill with melted chocolate.  Pipe three buttons and two triangles for a bow tie.

All Dressed Up!

I bet you could use an edible food coloring marker to draw on the buttons and bow tie, but I haven’t tried it.  Let me know if you try it!

PS-What is your favorite no bake dessert?