double maple mummy cookies

SO PART of me can’t believe it’s almost Halloween and the other part is like ‘didn’t we do that 3 weeks ago?’ Maybe it’s because there has been Halloween stuff in the stores since July or because our weather has been so spectacular that it still feels like we’re tiptoeing away from Summer. In any case, my boys had their last Flag Football games of the season yesterday and it felt like treats were in order, so I figured I’d stick with the spooky theme until the bitter end. I saw these Runamok x Lenox Bakery Maple Mummy Cookies the other day and they looked so fun + yummy [and EASY]. And it turns out they are even better [and easier] than I expected, like SO so delicious that we might need to just give them all away. My boys were gushing and my little woke up this morning asking if he could have a cookie for breakfast [um, no, but I love the enthusiasm for my baking]. And if you leave off the goofy eyeballs, they’d be a fantastic treat anytime of the year, like maybe right next to the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

THIS RECIPE calls for Runamok maple syrup, but obvs use whatever kind you like. I will say, the Cinnamon + Vanilla infusion I used in the glaze was next level and I’m guessing any of Runamok’s Infused [Cardamom would be amazing] or Barrel Aged syrups would be super delicious. I modified the original recipe slightly to accommodate my family’s dietary needs and it worked perfectly. SO, if you still need a fun + scrumptious treat for this season or the next [or the next], give these little mummies a whirl and enjoy eating them with your favorite ghouls + ghosts [or little turkeys]. xo

Double Maple Mummy Cookies Recipe

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE cookies…

• 1/2 cup butter

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup [I used Runamok Sugarmaker’s Cut]

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

• 2 1/3 cup flour (I use King Arthur Measure for Measure GF)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• candy eye balls

FOR THE glaze…

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1/3 cup maple syrup [ I used Runamok Cinnamon + Vanilla Infused]

• 1-2 teaspoons milk (I used almond, but you could probs just use water, too)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350

• With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and light brown sugar

• Add in the eggs, maple syrup + vanilla

• Mix in the flour + baking soda

• Line a baking sheet with parchment and scoop the batter into little ping pong-sized balls

• Bake for about 10 minutes or until they have just started to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven to let cool. 

• Make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar, maple syrup and milk until well combined, then drizzle it on the cookies to make the cutie mummies. I started with 1 tsp of almond milk and then added a bit more to thin it enough for drizzling.

• Add the candy eyeballs if you’re making mummies

• Gobble them up with your favorite ghosts and ghouls [or little turkeys]

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super hero muffins

I LOVE TO bake, but I don’t always want the sweet tempting fruits of my labor starting me down on the kitchen counter. If I’m honest, will power is NOT my strongest suit [or even my 42nd strongest]. So I was thrilled when my friend Lisa at Joyful Balance introduced me to these Super Hero Muffins. They’re from the cookbook Rise & Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day and they may not be the prettiest, but they are SUPER delicious. They’re packed with protein, fiber and other good stuff to keep you nourished, perfect for a grab + go breakfast or after a workout. There are a bunch of different savory and sweet iterations of the recipe in the book and even this one has lots of room for modification to include the things you love - this is the version that I like, but you can swap out any nuts, seeds or fruit that you like. They’re a hit everywhere I bring them and a really nice alternative to sweet treats when you want to spoil someone who may not appreciate the temptation of a sugary snack. They’re GF and refined sugar-free, too. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1 cup rolled oats or quinoa flakes if GF [I’ve used both and they’re both perfect]

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds [can swap with chopped walnuts or other nuts you like]

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips [can swap with raisins or chopped dates]

• 3 eggs beaten

• 1 cup grated zucchini [about 1 whole zucchini unless it’s massive]

• 1 cup grated carrots [around 2 carrots]

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted [or dairy-free alternative]

• 1/2 cup real maple syrup

• 1 tps vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350

• Line a muffin tin with muffin cups

• In a large bowl combine the almond flour, oats or quinoa flakes, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, almonds and chocolate chips

• In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrots, butter, maple syrup and vanilla

• Mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined, the batter will be thick

• Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim

• Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top, around 25-35 minutes

• Gobble them all up, share with a friend or freeze some for a busy day

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brookie-crownies

OH MY. These Brookie-Crownies are SO SO good. I didn’t know what to call them, so I gave them two names and they totally deserve it. They have a layer of super chocolatey brownie on bottom and the best chocolate chip cookie on top, combining two perfect desserts into one AND if you top it with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream [we LOVE this], it’ll be a solid 3-in-1. YUM.

I WAS totally inspired by Mountain Mama Cooks’ version, which uses a secret-weapon BOXED brownie mix in the recipe [shhh!] and then I added my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie dough on top for the cookie layer. The final product is super delicious and a total crowd-pleaser. I made mine GF with King Arthur’s awesome Gluten Free Fudge Brownie Mix, which I always keep on hand for easy treat ‘emergencies.’ The mix is nut-free, too, so it’s a great option for a group of sweet-lovers with a variety of food allergies, but they’re objectively gooey and yummy even if you don’t. Though this recipe calls for a few extra steps to get the 2-in-1, it’s super easy and totally worth it. Our crew eats them 4 at a time and loves every bite. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box of brownie mix + the ingredients it calls for [eggs, etc]

• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, whisked

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup all purpose flour (I use King Arthur GF Measure for Measure and it’s perfect)

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven according to your brownie package directions

• Mix the brownies according to the package directions and spread them in a greased 9x13 pan

• Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes LESS than recipe advises and take them out of the oven to cool for a few minutes [they will still be jiggly]

• Put oven temp to 375

• Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer) for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy

• Add the egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute

• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and slowly incorporate into the butter and egg mixture

• Mix until combined then pour in the chocolate chips and stir

• Drop blobs of the dough gently onto the brownie layer, then spread evenly to reach across the pan [I honestly used my hands for this, but do whatever works for you]

• Bake the whole thing for 20 more minutes, or until the cookie layer is golden brown

• Cool, slice and share with your favorite treat-lovers

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end of the rainbow cookies

YOU KNOW I’d never miss a chance to celebrate a holiday, but when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, I’m not much of a green food gal. All of those green bagels and green beer and green pancakes kind of weird me out a bit. So I kept this one super simple and gussied up some store-bought sandwich cookies to make super festive and cute ‘End of the Rainbow’ cookies for my little leprechauns in just a few minutes. They were totally wowed and it was SO easy, so total win-win. I hope your littles [or bigs] love them, too. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

End of the Rainbow Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• Vanilla sandwich cookies of your choice [I used Glutino to keep them GF]

• Frosting [I used Miss Jones for a ‘healthier’ option]

• Green food coloring

• SPRINKLES! I used a mix of rainbow jimmies, green + white sanding sugar, white non-pareils and those cute little gold ‘coin’ ones, but you can obvs use whatever you want.

DIRECTIONS

• Mix the frosting with a few drops of green food coloring until it’s a shade you like

• frost half of the top and sides of the sandwich cookies [I didn’t do the bottom side]

• SPRINKLE away. That’s it! You have adorable cookies in no time flat.

• Enjoy with your favorite little leprechaun.

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cinnamon donut muffins

OH LORDY, these are yummy. My younger son and I had a little time to spare this afternoon, so we whipped up a batch of these delish Donut Muffins for no good reason at all. They look like a muffin, but taste like a cinnamon cake donut, so basically amazing. And they look super impressive. They’d be awesome for a brunch or dessert with a little dollop of vanilla ice cream or a super special snack treat.

I ADAPTED the original King Arthur recipe just a bit because my guys don’t love the taste of nutmeg, so I replaced it with cinnamon and they were a huge hit. They’re filling and sweet and satisfying, but not a total gut bomb. We made the GF version, but King Arthur also has a recipe with regular flour that looks totally amazing if gluten isn’t a concern for your family. I think they’re best served warm and fresh. Enjoy! xo

GF cinnamon donut muffin recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

• 2 large eggs

• 1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 + 2/3 cups flour [I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure]

• 1 cup milk [I used almond milk]
  +

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar [for the topping]

• 2-3 tablespoons butter, melted [for the topping]

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 425°

• Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with paper muffin cups

• In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, oil and sugars until smooth

• Add the eggs and beat to combine

• Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla

• Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined

• Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the cups nearly full

• Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they're a pale golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean

• Let them cool for a couple of minutes, or until you can handle them. While they're cooling, melt the butter for the topping

• Use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with the butter or dip the top in the butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar

• Enjoy them warm with your favorite donut lover

A few Muffin-baking Supplies I love

+ I love my Great Jones Stud Muffin, it’s gorgeous and makes me feel like a pro +

+ A Golden Rabbit Enamel Cake Stand is the perfect canvas to display your beautiful finished product +

+ I use this Duralex Lys 9-piece Mixing Bowl Set every darn day +

+ Caraway’s Muffin Pans are pretty, non-stick and non-toxic +

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