Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups

Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 – 3 cups ripe or slightly over-ripe diced fruit
• sweetener to taste: honey, sugar, agave, etc.
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• optional: seasonings, spices, extracts to taste

See full recipes on : www.ourbestbites.com

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English Toffee

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (only real butter can be used in this recipe)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares or 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup coarsely broken pecans

Directions:

1. In heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt.
2. Cook to hard-crack stage (300°F) stirring constantly and watching carefully.
3. Immediately pour into ungreased 13"x9" pan.
4. Cool until hard.
5. Melt chocolate over hot, but not boiling water.
6. Spread over toffee; sprinkle with nuts, pressing them into chocolate.
7. Let stand 2-3 hours or chill 30 minutes.
8. Break into bite-size pieces.

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Santa Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 ounce) packages white chocolate baking squares, chopped
• 1 (1 lb) package Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
• red sugar crystals
• 32 vanilla chips or 32 white chocolate chips
• 64 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 32 red-hot candies

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring occasionally.
2. Dip one end of each cookie into melted chocolate.
3. Place on wire racks.
4. For santa's hat, sprinkle red sugar on top part of chocolate.
5. Press one vanilla chip off-center on hat for pom-pom, let stand until set. Note: you can also use a mini marshmallow cut in half for the pom-pom.
6. Dip other end of each cookie into melted chocolate for beard, leaving center of cookie uncovered.
7. Place on wire racks.
8. With a dab of melted chocolate, attach semisweet chips for the eyes and a red-hot for the nose.
9. Place on waxed paper until chocolate sets.

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Christmas Carrot Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup grated potato
• 1 cup flour, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fruit cake fruit
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 -3 tablespoons rum (optional) or 2 -3 tablespoons brandy (optional)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over fruit & mix, set aside.
2. Grate carrot & potato, set aside.
3. Cream sugar & butter, add egg & beat.
4. Add carrot & 1/2 of potato.
5. Mix well & add remaining flour & spices.
6. Dissolve baking soda in remaining 1/2 of potato.
7. Add to pudding & mix lightly.
8. Add floured fruit & mix lightly.
9. Add rum or brandy if using.
10. Pour into large buttered pudding bowl.
11. Cover with greased parchment or waxed paper.
12. Cover with clean cotton cloth, tied down.
13. This recipe makes 1 large & 1 small pudding. You can make 2 medium puddings.
14. Steam on stovetop for three hours, watching water level.
15. Water should not come more than halfway up the bowl.
16. At this point you can either serve it, refrigerate for a few days or put in the freezer.
17. I try to make mine about a month ahead, put in the freezer, take it out the day before you want it, thaw in fridge.
18. Steam for one hour before serving.
19. Serve with egg nog sauce, or your favorite hard sauce.

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Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box white cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) can whipped cream cheese frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove 2 tablespoons lemonade concentrate from can and discard or reserve for other use.
3. Combine remaining concentrate, cake mix, sour cream, cream cheese and eggs in large bowl.
4. Beat with mixer until well blended.
5. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full.
6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through

Cool completely before frosting.

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Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot
• 1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 -2 very ripe banana (about 3/4 to 1 cup mashed)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, grapeseed oil and agave and then stir in mashed bananas.
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry.
4. Scoop batter one heaping 1/4 cup at a time into lined cupcake tins.
5. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, allow to cool, then frost with Whipped Cream Frosting.
7. Serve.

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Jelly Donut Cupcakes

Ingredients:

for the cupcakes

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

for the filling

• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot
• for the topping
• 2 tablespoons xylitol sugar

Directions:

1. In a food processor combine eggs, apple sauce, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla and pulse together.
2. Pulse in coconut flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Allow batter to sit and thicken just a bit.
4. To prepare filling, combine raspberry jam and arrowroot powder in a small bowl and stir vigorously.
5. Next, line a cupcake tin with unbleached paper liners.
6. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons cupcake batter into each cupcake liner.
7. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of jam mixture (on top of batter) into each cupcake liner.
8. Spoon another tablespoon of batter onto cupcakes to cover jam mixture.
9. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
10. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
11. Spoon a scant ½ teaspoon of xylitol "sugar" onto top of each cupcake.
12. Cool and serve.

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Blueberries and Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (for cupcakes)
• fresh blueberries (for decorating)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, agave, grapeseed oil and vanilla and blend well with a hand mixer.
3. Mix dry ingredients into wet, blending with a hand mixer.
4. Gently fold in frozen blueberries.
5. Scoop batter one heaping ¼ cup at a time into paper lined cupcake tin.
6. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
7. Cool 1-2 hours and then top with Whipped Cream Frosting.
8. Decorate each cupcake with 4-5 fresh blueberries (place on top of frosting).
9. Serve.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup creamy roasted peanut butter (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 73% cacao

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, with a hand blender, mix peanut butter, agave and eggs until creamy.
2. Blend in salt and baking soda.
3. Mix in peanuts and chocolate.
4. Scoop batter one heaping 1/4 cup at a time into paper lined cupcake tins.
5. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
6. Cool for 2 hours.
7. Top with Vegan Chocolate Frosting.
8. Serve.

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Drunken Butter Rum Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• for the Cupcakes
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) box butter recipe cake mix (or yellow if you cant find it)
• 1 3/4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix (about half a standard packet)
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk, cold
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• for the Butter Rum Glaze
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• for the Rum Buttercream frosting
• 16 ounces confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons dark rum, plus up to 2 tablespoons more, as needed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
3. Toast pecan and coconut over medium heat in a dry skillet for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Combine all cake ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Stir in pecans and coconut flake mixture reserving about 1/3 cup for garnishing later.
5. Pour batter into prepared cups.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center completely clean.
7. Place on a cooling rack. Prick top of cupcakes with toothpick. ALLOW TO COOL COMPLETELY.
8. For glaze:.
9. Melt butter in saucepan.
10. Stir in 1/4 cup of the rum and sugar.
11. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.
12. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of rum.
13. For Frosting:.
14. Before starting, place your stainless steel bowl and the arms for mixer into the freezer, for about 5 minutes. The cold bowl and arms form stiffer peaks in your frosting.
15. In large bowl, with mixer at medium-low speed, beat sugar, butter, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons rum until blended.
16. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
17. Beat in more rum as needed for desire consistency for frosting.
18. To finish cupcakes:.
19. Dip tops of cupcakes into Butter Rum Glaze and allow excess to drop off before placing back down. This part can get a bit messy.
20. Pipe on dollops of frosting, I usually leave some of the cupcake showing cause the glaze is so shiny and pretty.
21. Drizzle a small amount of remaining drizzle over top of frosting. Sprinkle with remaining pecan and coconut.

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Pecan Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
3. Spray a miniature muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. (The spray with flour in it works best!).
4. Fill each 3/4 full.
5. Bake in preheated oven for approx 18 minutes

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Christmas Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• Icing
• 4 ounces butter (8 table spoons)
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Decorations
• colored crystal sugar
• candy sprinkles
• candy
• marshmallow

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla.
5. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
6. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.
7. Add eggs to the mixture.
8. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
9. Scrape bowl again.
10. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.
11. Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.
12. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
13. Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
14. Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost and decorate as you desire. Let your imagination run wild!

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Vegan Golden Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

•  1 cup soymilk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup margarine or 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk the soy milk and the vinegar together and let sit a few minutes until curdled.
3. IF USING MARGARINE:.
4. Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix.
5. In a separate large bowl,use a handheld mixer at medium speed to cream the margarine and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, but don't beat past 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and other extract, if using, alternate beating in the soy milk mixture and the dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
6. IF USING OIL:
7. Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and other extracts, if using, in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until no large lumps remain.
8. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 20 to 22 minutes till done. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

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Gingerbread Cupcakes

Ingredients:

•  1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 dash salt
• 1 slightly beaten egg white
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Directions:

1. Line eight 2 1/2 inch muffin cups with paper bake cups.
2. In a medium mixing bowl stir together th flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, soda, and salt.
3. Set aside.
4. In a small mixing bowl stir together the egg white, molasses, water, and oil.
5. All molasses mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when pressed lightly in center.
7. Remove from pan.
8. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack.

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Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) packet cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. In a medium bowl blend thoroughly butter, brown sugar and flour with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Put 1 cup of the mixture aside for topping.
4. Press remaining mixture into an 8x8x2 inch baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes.
5. In another bowl combine sugar and cream cheese, mixing until smooth.
6. Thoroughly beat in egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.
7. Spread over the baked crust and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.
8. Bake for 25 minutes.
9. Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour.
10. Cut into 16 squares; serve.

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Apple Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups finely chopped apples
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Glaze topping for cake
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, soda and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, oil, apple juice and vanilla. Stir in apples and nuts. Add the egg mixture to dry ingredients, just until moistened.
3. Spread batter in a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes
4. In a small saucepan combine the brown sugar, butter and cream.
5. Cook and stir till bubbly and all of the sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Drizzle warm sauce over cake, when it has cooled for 5 minutes, so it can seep into the cake, keeping it moist.

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Cookie-Crust Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 (18 ounce) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Slice cookie dough as directed on package. Arrange slices in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch glass pan. With lightly floured fingers, press dough evenly in pan. (Even though the cookie dough is cold/just out of the fridge, pressing it down is pretty easy. It'll take the whole roll to cover the 13x9 pan).
3. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
4. In large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder; blend well. Blend together lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon zest. Add lemon mixture to egg-sugar mixture, and pour over warm crust.
5. Bake at 350°F for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; cut into bars.

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Proto Choco Cookies

Ingredients:

• 80 g buckwheat groats
• 60 g oatmeal
• 45 g nonfat yogurt
• 60 g chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 banana
• 15 ml unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 30 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 425f.
2. put the buckwheat, oatmeal and yogurt into a bowl and stir.
3. gradually add almond milk and continue stirring.
4. throw in the banana and keep stirring.
5. throw in the whey protein and keep stirring.
6. throw in the chocolate chips.
7. now dump your dough on a baking pan.
8. let it bake for about 20-25 minutes.

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Almond Heart Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Fisher® Slivered Almonds, ground
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for rolling the cookies
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• powdered sugar (optional)
• Special Equipment
• 2 heart-shaped cookie cutters (or round, 1 1/2-inches and 3/4-inch)
• wax paper (or parchment)
• rolling pin
• 3 baking sheets

Directions:

1. Place almonds in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are ground. Set aside.
2. Whip butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time so the butter and sugar are fully integrated and somewhat “fluffy.” In another bowl, combine and mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Because this dough has a good amount of butter, it needs no “resting” time and needs to be rolled fairly quickly. Lay 3 large pieces of wax paper in a single layer on a flat surface. Sprinkle each one with a light coating of flour. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, blend the flour mixture in with the butter. When the ingredients are fully integrated, place 1/3 of the batter on each of the pieces of wax paper. Coat dough with a light layer of flour, and top with another piece of wax paper of the same length. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a disk to make 3 dough “sandwiches.” Place two of them in the refrigerator and work with remaining disk of dough.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F Roll the first batch into as neat a shape as possible while keeping the waxed paper in place. Avoid creasing or cracking the dough as you roll it to about a 1/8-inch in thickness. When the first batch is rolled, refrigerate it and repeat the same process for the other two.
5. Remove the first rolled sheet from the refrigerator. Place it on a flat surface and remove the top layer of waxed paper. Spread a small amount of flour onto your work surface and invert the dough onto it. Carefully remove the second sheet of waxed paper. Cut as many 1 ½-inch hearts (or rounds) as possible. Reserve the scraps in the refrigerator. Arrange the cut cookies neatly in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other two sheets, reserving any scraps.
6. Cut a heart, with the smaller cutter, out of the center of half of all the cookies to create a heart outline. Roll the scraps in between two of the pieces of wax paper using the method indicated above and cut additional hearts, if desired. Waste dough? No such thing. Simply reroll all the scraps and refrigerate for a few minutes before cutting into additional cookies.
7. Bake the cookies until they are lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and allow them to cool slightly for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a cooling rack. Put the raspberry jam in a bowl and whisk to remove large lumps.
8. Spoon about ½ teaspoon raspberry jam on each bottom and place a “top” heart on each. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
9. Note: Dough can be rolled without waxed paper if allowed to chill in the refrigerator for one hour prior to use.

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Reunion Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup nuts

Directions:

1. Mix together melted margerine and brown sugar.
2. Add eggs, mix.
3. add vanilla and flour, mix.
4. Fold in chips and nuts.
5. Put in 13 x 9 inch greased pan.
6. Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes.
7. Cool completely.
8. Cut into bars about 1 inch each.

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