Lemon Cream Crumb Bars

Lemon Crumb Bars || Granola Girl Bakes-1

 

Well, hello July! ๐Ÿ™‚ Summer is officially here and really nothing goes better with summer than citrus! Sunday rolled around and I wanted to bake{with my schedule baking has become randomly non-existent}. I was making a Clam Alfredo over Angle Hair for dinner and I instantly thought, “lemon bars!!!” But not just any lemon bar, Lemon Cream Crumb Bars{recipe adapted this recipe from Williams Sonoma}. They were a hit! Citrusy lemon with a creamy twist and just add crumb for the perfect summer dessert! ๐Ÿ™‚

Yields 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 stick{8 TBS} cold butter {cubed!}

For the filling:

  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 TBS flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice{or bottled!}
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

For the crumb:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Stick {8 TBS} cold butter {cubed!}

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat an oven to 350ยฐF. Lightly grease an 9×13 inch pyrex and line with parchment.
  2. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, & salt. Add the butter and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched{30 seconds-1 minute}. There should be no trace of dryness. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, lightly flouring your fingertips if necessary to prevent them from sticking. Bake the crust until pale golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool slightly!
  3. To make the filling, in a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, and salt. Add the eggs, lemon juice and cream and whisk until just blended. Carefully pour the mixture over the baked crust. Bake for 14 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the crumb! In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon & salt. Add the butter and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched{30 seconds-1 minute}. There should be no trace of dryness. Crumble over slightly cooked bars and return bars to oven for 7-10 minutes or until crumb topping is lightly browned!
  5. Cool completely. Cut into 12 small rectangles. Using a spatula, carefully remove the bars from the dish. Just before serving, sift a dusting of confectioners sugar over the bars.
  6. ENJOY!!!

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Say what?! It’s National Donut day!!!!!!!

Or is it “doughnut” day? Regardless of how you spell it, I will admit… I โ™ก DONUTS!! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Glazed, sprinkled, chocolate, or plain, they are definitely delicious. So y’all, this post is dedicated to those round sweet things with the hole in the middle! Grab a donut or three and enjoy. Happy National Donut Day! ๐Ÿ˜€

Favorite Donut: Lamar’s Long John from Kansas City, MO! About the size of my head and filled full of white fluff. ๐Ÿ˜‰ What’s your favorite donut??

All photos credits go to pinterest. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes!

Granola Girl bakes :: Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes 11

So, who wants to join me for a Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcake?! ๐Ÿ™‚ It had been literally weeks since I baked anything new and I had this recipe going through my mind. So the weekend found its way to me and I found myself in the kitchen! From my posts y’all probably know I have a weakness for a couple few things; coffee, cupcakes, and cream cheese icing. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Strawberries are in season and it had been quite some time since I baked cupcakes so it only seemed natural to combine the two and add a few of my favorite things to the mix. ๐Ÿ˜€ For the frosting I made a slightly cream cheesier icing with a bit of salt and topped it off with lightly toasted graham cracker crumbs. The result, simply delicious! Y’all will have to give it a try for yourself and see! ๐Ÿ™‚

Strawberry Cupcakes 6

Yields 24 cupcakes

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter{softened}
  • 4 oz cream cheese{softened}
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract{optional}
  • 1 1/2 cups white flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 pint fresh strawberries diced

Icing

  • 1 stick butter{softened}
  • 6 oz cream cheese{softened}
  • 3 cups powder sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract{optional}
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Topping

  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ยฐ Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper!
  2. Cream butter, 4 oz cream cheese, and sugar in an electric mixer on high-speed for 3 minutes.
  3. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each egg. Stir in Vanilla & almond extract and scrape sides.
  4. Turn mixer on low and slowly add flour 1/2 cup at a time and salt until completely combined!
  5. With a rubber spatula, gentle fold in strawberries. Place 1/4 cup batter in each muffin cup. Bake for 14-17 minutes or until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean!
  6. Allow to completely cool while you make the icing!

For the icing:

  1. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat on high for 3 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and mix for another minute!
  2. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with graham cracker crumbs!
  3. Enjoy!!

 

Granola Girl bakes :: Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes

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Granola Girl bakes :: Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes 7

 

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Granola Girl bakes :: Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes 8

ย  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!-Ps 119:103

Espresso Floats with Caramel and Whip!

Espresso Float 2

Spring is here and it is getting warm! ๐Ÿ™‚ No longer the season for hot lattes but rather iced Americanos… and Espresso Floats. ๐Ÿ˜‰ These floats were originally created by my highly caffeinated sister but after many many days seeing her drink them it was time I try one! Perfection! ๐Ÿ™‚ Like aย frappuccino but SO much better. Be warned, cut back on the espresso if you don’t like your coffee too strong!

Yields 1 float

Ingredients:

  • 2 Shots Espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  • 2 large scoops Vanilla Ice cream
  • 2 TBS Caramel
  • Fresh Whipped Cream

Directions:

  1. Drizzle 1TBS caramel on the inside of a glass.
  2. Add Ice cream then pour espresso over the ice cream.
  3. Top with whipped cream and remaining caramel!
  4. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

Espresso Float

Espresso Float 1

 

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. ”
Psalm 34:8

 

Whipped Cream Sweetened with Maple!

Fresh Whipped Cream 1

Okay, I know what y’all are thinking, “whipped cream isn’t that hard to make!” True. ๐Ÿ™‚ But I often post pictures of my coffee creations on instagram and am always asked for my whipped cream recipe. So, here it is! About 3 years ago we decided to move away from refined sugar as much as possible and started using pure maple syrup for much of our baking and sweetening. At first I was extremely skeptical but since the first taste I can say it doesn’t get much better than pure maple in freshly whipped cream! Delicious on coffee, fresh strawberries, or(if your like me) just by the spoonful! ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

Yields 2 or more cups whipped cream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Fresh Heavy Cream
  • 3-4 TBS Pure Maple{I use 3 but if you prefer less/more sweet adjust accordingly!}

Directions

  1. Place cream and maple syrup in mixer bowl and beat on high until fluffy and stiff peaks form!
  2. ENJOY!

Fresh Whipped Cream

Fresh Whipped Cream 2

Chocolate Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting!

 

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How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalms 119:103

Friday cupcakes! I made a vanilla pound cake base and needed the perfect icing. Chocolate was necessary and a bit of coffee wouldn’t hurt a bit! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Add a bit of cream cheese? Yes please! Chocolate Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting was developed and very much enjoyed this weekend and I thought I would share the recipe with you! ๐Ÿ™‚

Ingredients:

  • 6-7 cups powdered confectioner sugar
  • 2 sticks butter {softened}
  • 1 oz package cream cheese {softened}
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Dissolve instant coffee in milk. Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat with kitchen aid or mixer and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes!
  2. Scrap sides and bottom of bowl and beat for an additional minute.
  3. Generously ice your dessert and enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

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Delightfully Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Fluffy Cookies Granola Girl Bakes 3

Some like them crispy, some like them soft, I like them fluffy! ๐Ÿ™‚ Chocolate Chip Cookies have never been my specialty and considering I don’t use crisco/shortening to keep things a bit more healthy when baking it makes perfecting a cookie all the harder. I usually mix up a batch, carefully scoop the dough on the tray with high hopes of a fluffy outcome, put them in the oven, then 10 minutes later they have run all over the tray and the smoke alarm is making it’s delightful noise! ๐Ÿ˜‰ But, I finally found a recipe that turns out fluffy and soft EVERY TIME! The creator boasts that this recipe creates the “puffiest” cookie and, though they aren’t the fluffiest I have seen, they definitely hit the “fluffy cookie” spot for me. ๐Ÿ™‚ So, what makes this recipe different than others? Chilled butter & baking powder! Most Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes just have baking soda and call for “softened” butter. These simple modifications definitely did the trick! ๐Ÿ™‚ How about you? Do you prefer them crispy or soft?

Original recipe from bunsinmyoven.com with a few modifications from me!

Yields 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 stickย cold butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 large egg, cold
  • 1 TBS vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 heapingย tsp salt
  • 1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place parchment on large baking sheet.
  2. Beat the cold butter and sugar until barely combined (not creamed, not fluffy, not runny- still very cold)ย Then beat inย the egg and vanilla until combined.
  3. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add them in 2 batches to the wet dough. Once mixed together, add in the chocolate chips, and be liberal with them! You only make puffy chocolate cookies for the first time once ๐Ÿ™‚
  4. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out the cookie dough onto your baking. Bake your cookiesย for 11-13 minutes or until the outsides are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes or as long as your willpower holds.
  5. Then devour!
Fluffy Cookies Granola Girl Bakes
Fluffy Cookies Granola Girl Bakes 2

Swiss Miss Cupcakes

cupcake

I have often day-dreamed about opening a coffee & cupcake shop! But until then I will just have fun filling my Saturday afternoons with cupcake baking. (; My sweet Washington friend was married today but due to distance and work we sadly couldn’t attend the wedding so we celebrated with cupcakes! Plus, I like to make the kids “valentine’s treats” a bit early. I thought perhaps I would make Vanilla Cupcakes but then I had an idea pop into my head. Swiss Miss Cupcake! ๐Ÿ™‚ I used to love swiss miss rolls way back but haven’t had one for years and the combination as a cupcake sounded too good to be true! So, a delightful combination of rich chocolate cake, cream filling, a thin layer of chocolate ganache, and finish of this combination with a cream cheese frosting! I know, y’all are thinking “wowza, that’s too rich!” Well, you will just have to give them a try and see for yourself!

Swiss Miss Cupcake GranolaGirlBakes 3

Yields 24-30 irresistibly delicious cupcakes

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

cream filling

  • 7oz jar marshmallow fluff
  • 1/2 cup butter {softened}
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup powder sugar

ganache

  • 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1tsp vanilla extract

frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter {softened}
  • 8oz cream cheese {softened}
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powder sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin cups with liners. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the dissolved coffee and buttermilk. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
  4. While cooling, blend cream filling ingredients until fluffy. Place into a prepared piping bag! Once cupcakes are completely cooled, gently placing tip into cupcake and fill each cupcake{as pictured}.
  5. To prepare ganache: Place chocolate chips and vanilla{1 tsp} in a bowl. Bring butter and heavy cream to a boil and then pour over chocolate chips. Allow to set for 3 minutes then whisk together with a fork. Spread approximately 1 tbs over each cupcake!
  6. Frosting: Place cream cheese, butter, powder sugar, & vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk until fluffy! Generously pipe on top of each cupcake!
  7. Brew a giant pot of coffee and devour a cupcake or three. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Swiss Miss Cupcake GranolaGirlBakes 4

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Swiss Miss Cupcake GranolaGirlBakes 17

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“How sweet Your word is to my taste– sweeter than honey in my mouth. “

Psalm 119:103

Nathanael’s famous Ice Cream Sandwiches

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One of the 10,564,245 blessings of having so many siblings is there is always somebody to bake when your in need of a sweet treat! ๐Ÿ˜‰ I have a sweet tooth. Okay, it’s a HUGE sweet tooth! When Nathanael{age 10} said he wanted to make Chocolate Chip Ice cream Sandwiches I doubted whether he would really follow through and make them. He planned and searched allrecipes for the “perfect” chocolate chip cookie recipe and I still doubted. He double & triple checked our ice cream supply{yep, I was still a little doubtful}, he patiently waited for Friday to come and then he conquered! Needless to say, Iย  was shocked. ๐Ÿ˜‰ And a little more than slightly surprised by how exquisite these cookies looked. But proof is in the bite, right? Well, they tasted even better than they looked! Bravo Nathanael! ๐Ÿ™‚ So, today’s recipe is brought to y’all by Nathanael. I think he is a keeper! ๐Ÿ˜‰

Yields 12-13 extremely large Cookie Sandwiches!

Original Cookie recipe credits go to AllRecipes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 gallon Vanilla Icecream

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
  5. Slightly soften icecream and scoop a healthy scoop onto 1 cookie. Then top it off with another cookie!
  6. Repeat with remaining cookies. Place back in freezer and allow soft icecream to harden!
  7. Gather your favorite people and ENJOY!!

icecream sandwiches .jpg-2 icecream sandwiches .jpg-1 icecream sandwiches .jpg-4

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.”
Psalm 34:8-9

Cranberry Orange Muffins

GB 12.24.13.2

When I was putting together a few gift boxes of baked goods, I instantly knew I needed to make a muffin. But what type? Suddenly I eyed the leftover bag of fresh cranberries{I bought 1 too many for a pie} and then I saw the radiant oranges which were suppose to be used for a wassail but who would miss just 1?!ย  ๐Ÿ˜‰ The delightful combination of Cranberry & Orange in an outrageously moist slightly sweet muffin… you really can’t go wrong! ๐Ÿ™‚

Original recipe from addapinch.com with a few minor tweaks from me! :)Yields 12 moist muffins

Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (+ 2 teaspoons for coating fresh cranberries, if used)
  • 1ยฝ tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • ยฝ cup butter {room temperature}
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 LARGE orange
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened plain or Greek yogurt {I used greek!}
  • 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375ยบ F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or butter & flour tray.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. Toss together fresh cranberries and 2 teaspoons of flour to coat cranberries in a separate bowl. Set aside. If using dried cranberries, simply skip this step.
  4. Cream together butter and sugar until lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add an egg, one at a time, taking care to fully incorporate before adding the other. Mix in vanilla and orange zest.
  5. Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with yogurt/milk. Stir until just combined. Fold in cranberriesย  and scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling about โ…” to ยพ full. Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
  6. Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
  7. Pour a delicious mug of coffee and enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚
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