Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe the next time you prepare a Mexican meal. It’s bright, sunny and fresh! This dressing is boldly flavored with fresh lime, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin and Dijon mustard. You can make it creamy or spicy if you wish.

Drizzle this dressing over crisp greens with sliced avocado and toasted pepitas for a perfectly simple side salad. You’ll find a longer list of salad toppings to choose from below.

I improvised this dressing to make a green salad with leftovers from my Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls, and I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with you. It’s almost as versatile as my favorite Lemon Vinaigrette and suits some flavors even better.

This dressing comes together quickly in the food processor and keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. Sometimes having a vibrant sauce on hand makes all the difference!

How to Serve Cilantro Lime Dressing

Drizzle this cilantro lime dressing over greens to serve alongside Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. This fresh dressing comes together quickly and lightens heavy entrées. Serve it with Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas, Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls or Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

This dressing is suitable for any green, from mild lettuces like Bibb lettuce and romaine to hearty greens like kale and arugula.

Here’s a list of salad ingredients that go well with this dressing:

• Avocado
• Bell pepper, raw or roasted
• Black beans
• Brown rice and wild rice
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower, grated or roasted
• Chickpeas, canned or crispy
• Cotija, feta and goat cheese
• Corn, especially grilled
• Cucumber
• Farro
• Jalapeños
• Lentils
• Pepitas and sunflower seeds
• Radish
• Red onion and green onion
• Tomatoes, raw or roasted

Watch How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing

Flavor Variations

Make it creamy

Add tahini or Greek yogurt. I love the light nuttiness and intrigue that tahini brings. The recipe below includes suggested amounts for each option.

Make it spicy

Add a fresh jalapeño or red pepper flakes. Start small and blend in more to taste.

Skip the cilantro

For the cilantro-averse, yes, you can omit the cilantro! You’ll end up with a lovely lime dressing. It’s especially good with jalapeño for some extra flavor, which will be very similar to the Jalapeño-Lime Dressing in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 53).

Salads Featuring Similar Dressings

These dressings are tailored to each recipe. I hope they offer additional inspiration.

• Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
• Grilled Summer Salad with Corn, Peppers and Chili-Lime Dressing
• Kale, Clementine and Feta Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
• Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing

Please let me know how your cilantro lime dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you. You can check out more salad dressings here.

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Cilantro Lime Dressing

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews

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Make this cilantro lime dressing recipe for your next green salad! It’s the perfect burst of freshness to accompany your Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. You can make the dressing creamy or spicy, if you wish! Recipe yields 1 ¼ cups.

Ingredients

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup lime juice (from about 4 to 6 limes)
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro (mostly leaves, small stems are ok, from about 1 small bunch) 
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Scant ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• Optional, for spice: 1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and roughly chopped, and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes
• Optional, for creamy dressing: 2 tablespoons tahini or ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

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Instructions

1. In a food processor or small blender, combine all of the ingredients. Process until the mixture is completely smooth with tiny flecks of cilantro. 
2. Taste, and adjust as necessary—if the dressing is overwhelmingly tart, add more honey by the teaspoon. If it tastes a little bitter or needs extra oomph, add another pinch or two of salt. For more spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Blend again. 
3. Serve immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey. For a creamy dressing, choose tahini.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad dressing
• Method: Blended
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Cilantro Lime Dressing appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

These almond flour pancakes offer fantastic flavor. Truly, I’d pick these over buttermilk pancakes at a diner. They’re golden, tender and so flavorful that I often enjoy them with just a spread of almond butter on top. Our two-year-old is a fan, too.

Since these pancakes are made entirely with almond flour, they’re gluten free. Of all the wholesome pancake recipes on this blog, these win the “lowest in carbohydrates” award, so they don’t spike my blood sugar. This pancake recipe is a real winner.

If you’re new to almond flour, this recipe is worth buying a bag. I’ve fallen in love with baking with almond flour and have several more recipes coming soon. I’ve realized that regular flour, whether it’s all-purpose or whole wheat, tends to dull other flavors within the recipe, whereas almond flour lets them shine. It’s magical!

Almond Flour Pancake Tips

These pancakes are more delicate and prone to burning than most. These tips will help as you make your first batch.

Make sure your batter is the right consistency. When I switched brands and types (plain cow’s milk vs. almond milk, etc.), I found that I needed different amounts of milk. You may need to stir in more milk to achieve the desired consistency (see photos). The batter should not be runny or so thick that it’s difficult to stir. It’s just right when you can pour some batter into a pan to make a nice round shape without helping it spread out.

Lightly coat your griddle or skillet with butter or coconut oil in between batches. Be sure to wipe off the excess butter or oil with a paper towel so it doesn’t burn.

The pancakes are ready to flip when about 1/2-inch of the perimeter has turned from glossy to matte. If you’re uncertain, it’s best to wait a little longer than end up with a doughy mess.

As time goes on, dial down the heat. The skillet gets hotter with time, so turn the heat down a smidge after every four pancakes or so. If your pancakes are burning on the outside before they are cooked through on the inside, your skillet is too hot.

Watch How to Make Almond Flour Pancakes

Almond Flour Pancake Ingredient Notes

Blanched fine almond flour is the way to go. Unblanched almond flour (or almond meal) will yield pancakes that are not as tender, tasty or pretty. I don’t recommend it. I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill and Whole Foods 365 brands.

Maple syrup is optional or can be reduced if you’re watching your sugar intake. Otherwise, it offers a lovely, low level of sweetness—I often don’t drizzle more on top. Maple syrup also helps prevent the pancakes from burning on the skillet.

Vanilla extract is key. Don’t skip it or your pancakes won’t taste nearly as nice.

Almond extract is optional. Add it if you want to play up the almond flavor in your pancakes and make them taste reminiscent of almond cookies.

Pancake Serving Suggestions

These pancakes taste terrific with traditional pancake toppings and healthier options. Here’s a list of options you might enjoy with your pancakes.

• Almond butter or peanut butter
• Bananas
• Butter
• Fresh berries or The Easiest Berry Chia Jam
• Greek yogurt
• Maple syrup
• Scrambled eggs
• Whipped cream

More Gluten-Free Breakfasts

• 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes with oat or buckwheat flour
• Blender Oatmeal Pancakes
• Buckwheat Pancakes
• Crêpes with buckwheat flour
• Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)

Please let me know how your pancakes turn out in the comments! These take some practice, but I hope they become your new favorite pancakes.

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Almond Flour Pancakes

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 7 reviews

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These almond flour pancakes are tender, hearty and delicious. Plus, they’re gluten-free and lower in carbohydrates than most. The recipe yields about 12 pancakes (it can be easily halved, but extra pancakes freeze well, so I suggest making the full batch). 

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups (185 grams) fine blanched almond flour, spooned and leveled 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• ½ teaspoon fine salt 

Wet ingredients

• 3 eggs, ideally at room temperature
• ½ cup milk (any milk will do), more as needed
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or melted coconut oil 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• Avocado oil, butter, or coconut oil, for greasing the pan

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Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and gently whisk until combined. 
2. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until combined. If the butter solidifies upon contact with cold ingredients, let it warm for a few minutes at room temperature or microwave it in 10-second increments.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until combined. Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat (or heat an electric skillet to 325 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s warm enough when a few drops of water immediately sizzle upon contact and promptly evaporate. 
4. Check the batter’s consistency; you may need to stir in more milk (2 tablespoons at a time) to achieve the desired consistency (see photos). The batter should not be runny or so thick that it’s difficult to stir. It’s just right when you can pour some batter into a pan to make a nice round shape without helping it spread out.
5. Lightly oil the skillet and wipe out any excess with a paper towel (or evenly distribute about ½ teaspoon oil with a silicone brush). Scoop a scant ¼ cup batter into the skillet. Wait until the perimeter is turning matte and you see bubbles forming all over, then gently flip the pancake and cook until the other side is lightly browned. 
6. Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly oiling between each round. Reduce the heat as necessary if the pancakes are becoming too dark before cooking through (almond flour pancakes brown more quickly than regular pancakes, and I am constantly turning down the heat as I cook these pancakes in a skillet). 
7. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate or keep them warm in a 200-degree oven. Serve warm. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or up to 4 months in the freezer.

Notes

Make it dairy free: Choose dairy-free milk, such as almond milk, and use coconut oil instead of butter.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

The post Almond Flour Pancakes appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Looking for a wholesome, make-ahead breakfast recipe? Muesli is the answer! Muesli is essentially homemade oat cereal, which originated in Switzerland. Just add milk, and maybe some fresh fruit. It stores well in the freezer for up to six months.

Not all mueslis are created equally—some are bland and blah. Not this one! This nutritious muesli recipe offers loads of texture and flavor. It features old-fashioned oats, nuts and seeds, optional coconut, and chopped dried fruit.

Toasting the muesli in the oven makes a world of difference. It brings out the savory, nutty flavors in the oats, nuts and seeds and makes your kitchen smell lovely. The oven’s heat also firms up the oats a bit, offering even more texture. It’s absolutely worth the effort!

My other trick is adding a maple syrup splash to the mixture before toasting. The subtle sweetness substantially improves the flavor.

You probably have everything you need to make muesli already, so let’s preheat the oven and start mixing. Below, you’ll find many options for adapting the recipe to your pantry.

Muesli Ingredients

Muesli is a very flexible recipe, so check out the alternatives offered below. The full recipe and instructional video are further down the page.

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

Oats form the backbone for all muesli recipes. Choose old-fashioned oats for the most chew. Hypothetically, quick-cooking oats will work in this recipe but quickly turn to mush in milk.

Slivered Almonds

Slivered almonds offer a crunchy texture and roasted nut flavor. If you don’t have slivered almonds in your pantry, roughly chop whole almonds instead.

Alternatives: Equal amounts of roughly chopped pecans, walnuts, cashews, or whole pistachios. For nut-free muesli, substitute additional pepitas or sunflower seeds.

Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Unsweetened coconut (flaked or shredded) offers extra chewiness and coconut flavor. If you don’t like coconut, simply omit it.

Pepitas

Pepitas are green pumpkin seeds. They offer nice pops of green color and more toasty, “nutty” flavor. They’re nutritious, too!

Alternatives: Raw sunflower seeds or additional chopped nuts. You could substitute flaxseeds, though you will need to stir them into the pan halfway through baking so they don’t burn.

Ground Cinnamon & Salt

Cinnamon offers some warming spice and salt brings out the best in the other ingredients.

Alternatives: You can omit the cinnamon or substitute other warming spices, like pumpkin spice blend, ginger, or half as much nutmeg.

Maple Syrup (optional)

A touch of maple syrup offers some natural sweetness, making this muesli more enticing. It also adds a subtle glimmer to the nuts, which is pretty. One to two tablespoons makes quite a difference in the final flavor.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla is another ingredient that, while technically optional, makes this muesli extra nice and fragrant!

Chopped Dried Cranberries

Chopped dried cranberries contribute little bursts of sweetness and color.

Alternatives: Any dried fruit that is not too sticky will work nicely once chopped. Try cherries or apricots. Or, substitute mini chocolate chips, cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate (be sure the muesli has cooled completely before adding). You can skip the dried fruit and add fresh fruit to your bowl, like berries or thinly sliced apple or banana.

Hemp Hearts

Hemp hearts are sensitive to heat, so they’re stirred into the muesli after it cools. They ramp up the protein content and contribute magnesium, phosphorus, and plant-based omega-3s. They don’t offer a lot of flavor, but they are a very nutritious addition. You can omit the hemp hearts if you don’t have them.

Watch How to Make Muesli

Muesli Variations

This recipe is a great template for creating your own favorite muesli recipe. Here are a few more of my favorite variations:

• Cherry Pecan Muesli
• Homemade Bircher Muesli, which is closer to the original Swiss recipe and features fresh apples
• Toasted Muesli with Almonds, Coconut and Dark Chocolate

Muesli Serving Suggestions

Serve muesli with your milk or yogurt of choice. Dairy-free milks like cashew milk and pecan milk are delicious options. Enjoy it as-is or top your bowl with fresh fruit, such as berries or sliced bananas.

Enjoy your muesli right away for the most texture and chew. For a softer texture closer to classic Bircher muesli or overnight oats, let the mixture soak in milk for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Muesli Storage

Store your muesli properly and it will last longer than a box of store-bought cereal! Once your muesli has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer bag and squeeze the excess air out before sealing it.

Muesli will keep at room temperature for about one month, but is best kept in the freezer for up to six months. You can use it straight from the freezer—no defrosting necessary. Since the dried fruit hardens in the freezer, let your bowl of frozen muesli and milk rest for a few minutes before eating.

Always stir muesli well before serving, as the seeds and nuts tend to settle.

More Oat-Based Breakfast Recipes

If you enjoy this muesli, you’ll also love these recipes:

• Blender Oatmeal Pancakes
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• How to Make the Best Oatmeal
• Overnight Oats
• The Very Best Granola

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Muesli

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 8 cups
• Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 10 reviews

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This wholesome muesli recipe is quick, easy and delicious! Make a big batch and enjoy it for many breakfasts. Recipe yields 8 cups, enough for 16 servings.

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded unsweetened coconut
• ½ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• Optional: Up to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped dried cranberries or cherries
• 1 cup hemp hearts

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, pepitas, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the maple syrup, if using, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly combined.
3. Pour the mixture onto your baking sheet and bake until the oats and coconut flakes are lightly golden and fragrant, tossing halfway, about 13 to 15 minutes. Let the muesli cool to room temperature, then stir in the dried cranberries and hemp hearts.
4. Store cooled muesli in a freezer-safe bag with the air squeezed out. Stir before serving. Muesli will keep well at room temperature for about 1 month, but keeps best in the freezer for up to 6 months (no defrosting necessary; just let your bowl of frozen muesli and milk rest for a few minutes before eating).

Notes

Make it gluten free: Be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats.

Change it up: See the post for your full list of options! Substitute another chopped nut (or seeds) for the almonds, omit the coconut if you don’t like it, choose other warming spices than cinnamon, substitute other chopped dried fruit (or omit), and skip the hemp seeds if you don’t have them.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Swiss

The post Muesli appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Friends coming over? Make this baked goat cheese! It’s warm, creamy, tangy but lightly sweetened with honey, and a touch savory.

This irresistible appetizer comes together quickly in a food processor with simple ingredients. We’ll whip the goat cheese with cream cheese, honey, garlic and seasonings. Once baked, this dip is your favorite restaurant-level delicious.

I modeled this recipe after the lovely goat cheese dip at Rye, a restaurant in Kansas City. We visited a couple of times to research the French Blond Cocktail (reportedly Taylor Swift’s favorite!) and I remembered how much I love their goat cheese appetizer.

I asked about the ingredients and came home determined to recreate it. I’ve simplified the ingredients a bit, but this dip is just as nice. I hope you’ll try it!

How to Make Baked Goat Cheese

You’ll find the full recipe below. Here’s a brief preview with additional notes:

1) Blend until whipped

In a food processor, combine goat cheese, a lesser amount of cream cheese, honey, garlic, and basic seasonings—salt, pepper and optional red pepper flakes.

The goat cheese and cream cheese will blend just fine even if they’re coming straight from the refrigerator, but the blending process is smoother and quieter if those ingredients have come to room temperature beforehand. This dip is made predominantly with goat cheese (10 ounces), but a small amount of cream cheese (2 ounces) yields a significantly more luscious and creamy dip.

2) Transfer to a baking dish

Transfer the dip to a small oven-safe baking dish with a 3- to 4-cup (1 quart) capacity. We used a small cast iron skillet for these photos, which was barely large enough. Pyrex or stoneware baking dishes also work well.

3) Drizzle and bake

Before baking, drizzle the dip all over with a little more honey. Bake on the upper rack for 13 to 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden.

4) Drizzle and serve

Give the hot dip at least five minutes to cool before serving. Drizzle it once again with honey, and serve as desired.

Baked Goat Cheese Serving Suggestions

This baked goat cheese recipe is an easy, impromptu appetizer. It’s the perfect recipe to make when friends are on their way and your refrigerator is low on fresh produce. It’s also a great starter for almost any special dinner, from traditional to Mediterranean feasts.

Serve your goat cheese with a vehicle for dipping. Try toasted slices of sourdough bread, pita chips or toasted pita wedges. For a gluten-free option, try sturdy crackers or carrots cut on the diagonal.

For a full appetizer spread, serve with fresh berries, crudités like carrot or cucumber, olives or tapenade, or nuts. You could serve this dip with a fresh salad for contrasting textures—try my Easy Tomato Salad or Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado.

More Creamy Dips to Enjoy

• Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes
• Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Green Goddess Tahini Dip
• Pimento Cheese
• Pomegranate Salsa
• Spicy Red Pepper & Feta Dip

Please let me know how your baked goat cheese turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Baked Goat Cheese

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

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This creamy, honey-swirled baked goat cheese recipe is easy to make at a moment’s notice! Recipe yields a scant 2 cups, enough for 4 to 6 appetizer servings.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces goat cheese
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey, plus 2 teaspoons more for drizzling, divided
• 1 small-to-medium garlic clove, cut into several pieces
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
• For serving: Crusty sourdough or crostini or toasted pita wedges, berries, olives or tapenade, etc.

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. 
2. In a food processor, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of the honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). 
3. Process until the mixture comes together completely and is lightly whipped, about 2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides and base as necessary. The mixture will ball up in the food processor and eventually smooth out. If in doubt, process a little longer. 
4. Taste, and adjust as necessary—add another pinch of red pepper flakes for more heat, or another teaspoon or two of honey if you’d like it sweeter (we will drizzle it with more honey next, so the finished dip will be a little sweeter than you’re tasting now).
5. Transfer the dip to a small oven-safe baking dish with a 3- to 4-cup (1 quart) capacity. Spread it evenly across the base of the dish, with some texture remaining on top. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon of additional honey. 
6. Bake the dip on the upper rack for 13 to 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden in places, and bubbling and puffed around the edges. Drizzle it with another teaspoon or so of honey, and let it cool for about 5 minutes (it’s hot). Serve with your desired accompaniments. 

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

The post Baked Goat Cheese appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Have you tasted a great whiskey sour? One made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and quality whiskey? They’re bold yet balanced, with a lovely lemony flavor.

Whiskey sours are one of my favorite drinks to order at swanky cocktail bars. If you have sworn off the whiskey sours of your college days, the ones made with cheap whiskey and fake sour mix, I assure you that legitimate whiskey sours are worth your while.

Whiskey sours are also fun to make at home. Serve them during the holidays, on game days, or for date nights in. If you have already enjoyed my Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour or New York Sour, I have no doubt you’ll love the original.

To make a whiskey sour, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients—good whiskey, fresh lemons, a little sweetener, and an optional egg white. Fancy cocktail cherries, such as Luxardo, are a worthwhile investment and keep for quite a while in a dark cabinet.

Whether you like your whiskey sour with no foam, extra foam, up or on the rocks, you’ll find all the details you need to craft your ideal whiskey sour in the recipe below. Gather your ingredients and your cocktail shaker!

How to Make a Whiskey Sour (Two Ways)

Before you make a whiskey sour, first decide how you want to serve it. You have two options.

Do you want a foamy top and smooth flavor?

If so, you’ll incorporate an egg white and a “dry shake” in the cocktail shaker. This version of a whiskey sour is technically called a “Boston sour,” but it’s generally billed as a whiskey sour on fancy bar menus. It’s best served up in a coupe glass, as pouring it over ice cubes breaks up the foam.

Safety note: Even when mixed with alcohol, there is always a slight risk of salmonella poisoning with raw egg (one in 20,000). To mitigate this risk, you can buy pasteurized eggs at the store, or pasteurize your own eggs before making this recipe. Here’s the CDC’s information on egg safety. Aquafaba, which is the liquid surrounding cooked chickpeas, is often recommended as an alternative to egg whites in cocktails, but I tried it in this recipe and did not enjoy the flavor (it also foamed about half as much).

Or a bold whiskey sour on the rocks?

If so, skip the egg white and the extra shaking step. Your choice of whiskey really shines in this version. At home, I like to make perfect cubes of ice with this ice cube tray.

Watch How to Make a Whiskey Sour

Whiskey Sour Variations

Whiskey sours have two well-known variations, one for each coast. The New York Sour features a float of red wine on top. New York Sours are so pretty and festive for the holidays.

The second, The Brown Derby, is two variations removed from the classic recipe. Instead of lemon juice, it calls for grapefruit juice, and instead of plain simple syrup, it calls for honey simple syrup. I love this drink and its subtle pink hue so much that I included it in my cookbook, Love Real Food, on page 132.

Simple Flavor Adjustments

You can easily adjust the flavor of your whiskey sour with your choice of sweetener. Plain simple syrup is the classic choice, but imparts sweetness alone.

I love to replace plain simple syrup with maple syrup, which blends right into the drink and offers subtle maple flavor. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—maple syrup and whiskey were made for each other.

Honey lovers, you should try honey simple syrup, which is also complementary in flavor. Straight honey doesn’t mix into cold drinks well, so that’s why we’ll turn it into a simple syrup by mixing it with equal parts hot water (learn more here).

You can also add a dash of cinnamon to your drink, as I’ve done in my Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour. If you’re serving your drink on the rocks, you might like a cinnamon stick garnish.

The Best Whiskey for Whiskey Sours

If you dare, choose a 90-proof whiskey for some extra kick that balances the sweetness of the drink and stands out against the strong lemon flavor. I recommend Bulleit, Buffalo Trace or Weller, which are all 90 proof. These are all bourbon whiskeys (all bourbons are whiskey), so it’s safe to say that bourbon is particularly well-suited for whiskey sours.

For a more mellow whiskey flavor, choose a Canadian whiskey like Crown Royal.

More Whiskey Cocktails to Try

• Classic Hot Toddy
• Irish Coffee
• Manhattan Cocktail
• The New Old Fashioned Cocktail

Please let me know how your whiskey sour turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Whiskey Sour

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 drink

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

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Make the best whiskey sour with this recipe! Fresh lemon juice is key. Serve your whiskey sour up with foamy egg white or on the rocks—the recipe includes instructions for either option. Recipe yields 1 cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bourbon whiskey, such as Bulleit
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup or ½ ounce simple syrup
• Optional: 1 egg white 
• Orange wedge and Luxardo cocktail cherry, for garnish

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Instructions

Egg white option (Boston Sour served up)

1. Chill your coupe glass by filling it to the brim with ice and water. Set your glass aside.
2. Pour the bourbon, lemon juice, syrup and egg white into an empty cocktail shaker. Now we’ll do a dry shake—either shake the mixture well for 30 seconds or for maximum foam, blend it with an immersion blender on high for 30 seconds. 
3. Add a big scoop of ice to the shaker and shake for about 10 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is absolutely ice cold. 
4. Discard the ice water in your glass and gently shake out any stubborn water droplets. Strain the mixture into your prepared glass. Garnish with an orange wedge and a cocktail cherry on a cocktail skewer. Serve at once. 

No egg white (Whiskey Sour on the rocks)

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the bourbon, lemon juice and syrup. Shake the mixture for about 10 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is absolutely ice cold. 
2. Fill a rocks glass with ice. Strain the mixture into your prepared glass. Garnish with an orange wedge and a cocktail cherry. Serve at once.

Notes

Measurement tips: Two ounces is ¼ cup, one ounce is 2 tablespoons, and ½ ounce is 1 tablespoon. I like to use this stainless steel jigger (affiliate link) for measuring small amounts of liquid.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Cocktail
• Method: Shaken
• Cuisine: American

The post Whiskey Sour appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

These fluffy cranberry orange muffins will make your house smell like the holidays! I hope they become your new favorite holiday muffin recipe. They’re fluffy and moist and delicious—everything I want a muffin to be.

These muffins are bursting with fresh cranberry and orange flavor. This recipe calls for fresh cranberries, which are generally available in United States grocery stores from October or November through December. You can also use frozen cranberries, but I don’t recommend dried cranberries here.

These muffins are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt. They’re naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. You can keep those details to yourself, though—no one will guess that these muffins are healthier than most.

You can easily mix these together by hand. No mixer required. Serve them for breakfast or brunch, or bring them to your holiday parties!

It took me eight tries to get these muffins just right, but they were absolutely worth the effort. I’m sharing the recipe again because they’re just so wonderful this time of year.

Cranberry Orange Muffin Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these cranberry-studded beauties:

Flour

I like to use white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour to make these muffins a little healthier. White whole wheat flour (available in health food stores or well-stocked grocery stores) is made with white wheat berries instead of red, and has a more mild flavor as a result. As long as your whole wheat flour hasn’t been sitting on the shelf too long, your muffins will not have a strong “whole wheat” taste. In fact, if your flour smells rancid or your muffins taste bitter, your flour has gone bad.

You can also use all-purpose flour for the most traditional muffin flavor and fluff. To make these muffins gluten free, choose Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free all-purpose blend. No adjustment to quantity needed with either one.

Tip: The proper way to measure flour is to spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Do not scoop flour into your cups, or you could end up with way too much flour, and dry/tough muffins.

Baking powder and baking soda

These are leavening agents, which help the muffins rise so they are light and fluffy. These ingredients are not the same thing and are not interchangeable, so be careful with your measurements!

Coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil or butter

Like all muffins, this recipe requires some fat to yield tender, rich and delicious results. I typically use virgin coconut oil and can hardly taste it. If you use olive oil, I recommend a mildly flavored one, like California Olive Ranch’s Everyday variety. You certainly can’t go wrong with unsalted butter.

Honey or maple syrup

Instead of sugar, these muffins are naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup! These do impart some delicious flavor, so choose your favorite.

Eggs

Eggs also act as a leavener, helping the muffins rise while also imparting richness. If you have an egg allergy or you’re a vegan, you can substitute flax eggs (see recipe notes).

Greek yogurt

Yogurt replaces sour cream, but offers the same delicious richness and tang. Yum! Check the recipe notes for a buttermilk alternative (which can be made vegan).

Vanilla extract

You know, for some luscious vanilla flavor.

Orange zest

The zest of one orange to infuse these muffins with flavor. After you take the zest off the orange, you can slice it up and eat it. I do recommend buying on organic orange if you can find one, since pesticide residue sticks to the rind.

Fresh cranberries

One bag is more than enough. You’ll blitz these in the food processor before folding them into the batter. If you’re using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before using. Blitz them in the food processor as directed and promptly fold them into the batter. If you have leftover cranberries, you can freeze them for up to one year.

Dried cranberries are not a good substitute for fresh cranberries, for reasons elaborated in the next section.

Turbinado (raw) sugar

This is optional, but I recommend it. Turbinado sugar is large crystal sugar that lends an irresistible sparkling, crunchy top to the muffins. I bet you could even take a tiny bag of raw sugar home from your local coffee shop!

Cranberry Orange Muffin Recipe Development

I thought this recipe was going to be so easy. Take my blueberry muffin recipe, substitute cranberries for the blueberries, add orange zest—done. Not so fast, Kate!

Problem: The fresh cranberries were so much bigger than blueberries and so tart that they left mouth-puckering polka dots in the muffins. Fortunately, I found a clue in America’s Test Kitchen’s cranberry muffin recipe.

Solution: Blitz the fresh cranberries in a food processor for a few seconds to break them up. That way, you get delicious little bits of cranberries in every bite. This also allowed me to double the amount of cranberries for maximum cranberry flavor.

Problem: The muffins were still far too tart, though (and I like tart).

Solution: To counteract the tartness of the cranberries, I added 1/4 cup more honey or maple syrup, which made these muffins perfectly sweet—not too much, not too little.

Problem: The extra moisture from the additional liquid sweetener made the muffins flatten out on the top. I wanted beautifully domed, fluffy muffins, so I tried decreasing the amount of yogurt, tweaking the baking powder and baking soda, and I was almost ready to give up…

Solution: I went back to the original formula and added 1/4 cup more flour. The muffins rose like a dream!

Eight tries later, I landed on perfect cranberry orange muffins! I hope you’ll make them while cranberries are still in season.

Watch How to Make Fluffy Cranberry Orange Muffins

Recommended Equipment

This section contains affiliate links.

USA-made muffin tin: This sturdy muffin tin bakes beautiful muffins and has a non-toxic, non-stick silicone coating. I never have to grease the cups!

11-cup food processor: This Cuisinart is not too big or too small, and blitzes the cranberries in five seconds.

Microplane: It’s so easy to remove the zest from citrus with this handy tool.

Love these muffins?

Here are more of my favorite naturally sweetened, whole-wheat muffin recipes!

• Healthy Apple Muffins
• Healthy Banana Muffins
• Healthy Blueberry Muffins
• Healthy Carrot Muffins
• Healthy Raspberry Muffins
• Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
• Healthy Zucchini Muffins

Please let me know how these muffins turn out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you, and hope the recipe is a big hit.

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Fresh Cranberry Orange Muffins

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 221 reviews

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These cranberry muffins will be your family’s new favorite! Don’t tell them the recipe calls for healthy ingredients. These fluffy muffins are bursting with fresh cranberry and orange flavor, plus they’re whole grain and naturally sweetened! Recipe yields 12 muffins.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
• ¾ cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Zest from 1 medium orange (about 1 teaspoon), preferably organic
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin or line them with papers, if necessary.
2. In a food processor, process the cranberries for about 5 seconds, until they are broken into little bits (but not puréed—see photos). Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk to combine, then add the yogurt, vanilla and orange zest. Mix well.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Gently fold the cranberry pieces into the batter.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups (they will be quite full). Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake the muffins for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
7. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my healthy blueberry muffins. 

*Note on Greek yogurt: I’ve used a variety of fat percentages and the muffins have always turned out well. Higher fat yogurt will yield a somewhat more rich muffin. You can also substitute plain (not Greek) yogurt, but your muffins might not rise quite as high.

Make it vegan: You can replace the eggs with flax eggs. Replace the yogurt with a smaller amount of vegan buttermilk—just mix ⅔ cup non-dairy milk with 2 teaspoons vinegar. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients. Or, use 1 cup thick vegan yogurt.

Make it dairy free: See buttermilk option above.

Make it egg free: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.

Make it gluten free: Substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill makes a gluten-free blend that works well.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Baked good
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

The post Fresh Cranberry Orange Muffins appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Homemade lemon vinaigrette is one of the most versatile salad dressings! Today, I’m sharing my go-to lemon dressing recipe for all of your salad needs. It’s light and lively, and goes with nearly any salad.

Lemon juice shines in this simple recipe using basic, high quality ingredients. No store-bought salad dressing can compete with these vibrant, freshly-squeezed flavors.

To make this lovely dressing, you’ll need just five basic ingredients. Fresh lemons and garlic are key—please no pre-squeezed juice or pre-minced garlic here. You’ll also need extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. The Dijon mustard rounds out the flavor and helps emulsify the ingredients so they stay blended together.

This dressing yields enough for six generous side salads and keeps in the refrigerator for up to ten days. I’ve enjoyed this dressing for years and know you will, too!

How to Serve Lemon Vinaigrette

Lemon vinaigrette is one of my go-to dressings throughout the year. This dressing recipe relies entirely on lemon juice for its acidity. Technically, you could call it a citronette since it’s vinegar free, but this oil-based dressing is similar in flavor and mouthfeel to a classic vinaigrette.

Any green is fair game but I tend to use this dressing with more mild lettuces, including Bibb lettuce, spring greens and baby arugula. Lemon vinaigrette goes well with all fresh fruits, and any salad-friendly nut or cheese.

In summary, lemon vinaigrette is quite versatile. Here’s a short list of flavors that go particularly well with this dressing:

• Apple
• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Chickpeas
• Citrus, including grapefruit and orange
• Cucumber
• Farro
• Fennel
• Feta and goat cheese
• Lentils
• Pear
• Radish
• Strawberries
• Sunflower seeds
• Wild rice

Watch How to Make Lemon Dressing

Salads Featuring Lemon Vinaigrette

The following salads on Cookie and Kate feature lemon vinaigrettes tailored to each recipe.

• Arugula and Wild Rice Salad with Zippy Lemon Dressing
• Lemony Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Radish and Herbs
• Lemony Roasted Broccoli, Arugula & Lentil Salad
• Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad
• Vibrant Orange & Arugula Salad

Please let me know how your lemon salad dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you. If you find yourself on a homemade dressing kick, be sure to check out more salad dressings here.

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Lemon Vinaigrette

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 3/4 cup
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews

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Homemade lemon vinaigrette is far superior to store-bought salad dressings! Fresh lemon shines in this simple recipe using quality ingredients. Recipe yields ¾ cup.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

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Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until blended. 
2. Season generously with black pepper and adjust to taste by adding more honey if the dressing tastes too tart. This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 10 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from the Liquid Gold salad dressing in my cookbook, Love Real Food. 

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup, not honey.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad dressing
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

The post Lemon Vinaigrette appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Make this spinach salad recipe to serve with your favorite main dishes! This fresh spinach salad features seasonal fruit, creamy goat cheese, toasted pecans, just enough red onion, and the perfect amount of vinaigrette. It’s finished with a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze.

This spinach salad is beautiful, absolutely delicious, and holiday worthy. It’s also easily adjusted to the changing seasons, and simple enough to make on a weeknight. Hooray!

You’ll see raspberries in these photos, which are wonderful. You’re not limited to raspberries, though—this spinach salad would be equally great with apples, pears, strawberries and more. You’ll find a full list of options below.

I’ve created quite a few green salad recipes over the years, but not a lot of spinach salad recipes. Arugula, kale, romaine and spring greens are usually my fresh greens of choice. The other day, I tried a spinach salad at a local French restaurant that inspired me to give fresh spinach in salads another chance. Let me tell you, this spinach salad is worth making! I love it and hope you do, too.

Seasonal Spinach Salad Toppings

This spinach salad recipe is shown here with raspberries, but it’s easily adjusted to the changing seasons. Choose the best option available at the markets!

• Spring: Strawberries (about two handfuls thinly sliced)
• Summer: Raspberries, strawberries, peaches or nectarines (one large, thinly sliced)
• Fall: Apple or pear (one large, thinly sliced), or raspberries
• Winter: Roasted root vegetables, like roasted beets, roasted carrots or roasted sweet potatoes. Each of my roasted vegetable recipes fill a whole sheet pan, so you’ll just need a couple of handfuls and will have extra for another meal.

Watch How to Make Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad Serving Suggestions

This fresh green salad can round out any supper with a healthy dose of greens. Try it with hearty stews, pasta dishes, sandwiches, pizzas and more. Here are a few of my top picks:

• Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
• Best Lentil Soup
• Caprese Sandwich
• Homemade Vegetarian Chili
• Margherita Pizza
• Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

More Green Salads to Enjoy

Here are a few more green salads to serve with your favorite dishes. View more salad recipes here.

• Arugula and Wild Rice Salad with Zippy Lemon Dressing
• Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas
• Homemade Caesar Salad
• Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Pistachios
• Super Simple Arugula Salad

Please let me know how your spinach salad turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Spinach Salad

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: 6 salads
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

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Make this delicious spinach salad recipe to serve with your main dish! It features fresh spinach, creamy goat cheese and seasonal fruit. Recipe yields 6 side salads.

Ingredients

Salad

• 5 ounces baby spinach
• ¼ medium red onion, very thinly sliced 
• 4 to 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup pecan halves
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries or see note for additional options
• 1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar* or balsamic glaze, drizzled over the top
• Freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
• Several twists of freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Toast the pecan halves in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they are warm and smell fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
3. To assemble the salad, place the spinach and sliced onion in a large serving bowl. Drizzle in all of the dressing, and gently toss until the spinach is lightly coated. 
4. Top the salad with the goat cheese, toasted pecans, and raspberries. Sprinkle a few twists of black pepper on top, then drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top. 
5. Serve promptly. Leftovers keep well for a couple of days, covered and refrigerated.

Notes

Raspberry alternatives: Thinly sliced apple, pear, peach or nectarine, strawberries, or roasted root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, or sweet potatoes.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the goat cheese.

*Balsamic vinegar note: For a beautiful drizzle and impactful flavor, you must use high-quality, thick balsamic vinegar (like Napa Valley Naturals’ Grand Reserve Vinegar—make sure you get the bottle with “25 stars” on it) or balsamic glaze/reduction (DeLallo and Alessi make them). Or, make your own balsamic reduction with regular runny balsamic!

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

The post Seasonal Spinach Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

This luscious peach crisp recipe is full of warm, gooey, lightly cinnamon-y summer peaches. It’s finished with a crisp-but-tender oat and almond topping. Add a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream for the perfect late summer dessert.

Like my other crisp recipes, the recipe just-so-happens to be gluten free, so you can share it with more of your friends. Please don’t dismiss this recipe if you’re not gluten free (I’m not). It’s simply the best peach crisp I’ve ever had!

As a bonus, this crisp is a healthier option than most others. I replaced half of the butter with yogurt, which gives it an awesome, faint tang. It also has less sugar in it than most, because ripe, juicy peaches are plenty sweet as is. Frozen peaches are not nearly as nice.

Peach season is in full swing, so load up the cart with fresh peaches while you still can. Enjoy the leftovers for breakfast with Greek yogurt. You can’t beat that!

How to Make Peach Crisp

Confession: This peach crisp recipe was supposed to be a cobbler. I tried four times to get that cobbler just right, but during each attempt, I found myself wondering why I wasn’t making a crisp instead.

Crisps are so easy to make. They’re perfect every time. Tastier, too, if you ask me. I’d order a crisp over a cobbler any day. Over pie, too! I’m a crisp girl, through and through.

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown:

1. In a baking dish, you’ll mix together sliced peaches, honey, arrowroot or cornstarch, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
2. In a mixing bowl, you’ll stir together oats, almond meal, sliced almonds, coconut or brown sugar, ginger and salt.
3. Mix in the melted butter and yogurt until it’s all evenly moistened, then dollop the topping over the fruit.
4. Bake until it’s bubbling around the edges and your kitchen smells amazing, about 30 minutes.

Watch How to Make Peach Crisp

Extra Peaches?

Try these peachy recipes on Cookie and Kate:

• Balsamic Stone Fruit Sundae
• Creamy Peach & Honey Popsicles
• Erin’s Peach & Avocado Green Salad
• Individual Peach Crisps
• Simple Peach, Basil and Ricotta Flatbread

More Crisps to Make

• Apple Crisp
• Blueberry Crisp
• Dark Cherry Crisp in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 198)
• Mixed Berry Crisp
• Plum Crisp

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.

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Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 104 reviews

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This healthier peach crisp features juicy summer peaches and a delicious oat and almond topping, which happens to be gluten free. See recipe notes for special diet adjustments. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients

Peach Filling

• 2 ¼ pounds ripe peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5 to 6 peaches)
• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crisp topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
• ½ cup almond meal or almond flour, lightly packed
• ⅓ cup sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 to 4 tablespoons plain yogurt (regular or Greek)

Don’t forget vanilla ice cream!

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. To prepare the filling: In a 9 by 9-inch baking dish, mix together the sliced peaches, honey, arrowroot starch, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. To prepare the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond meal, sliced almonds, coconut sugar, ginger and salt. Mix in the melted butter and yogurt. Stir until the mixture is moistened throughout, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of yogurt if it seems dry.
4. Dollop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the filling and use your fingers to break up the mixture until it is evenly distributed (no need to pack it down). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden.
5. Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my plum crisp with pistachios.

Make it vegan: I believe you could use melted coconut oil or olive oil in place of the butter and yogurt (use 4 tablespoons oil and add up to 3 more, until the topping mixture is moistened throughout) and maple syrup instead of the honey.

Make it nut free: Omit the sliced almonds and use ¾ cup whole wheat flour and ¾ cup oats instead of the almond meal and oats specified above. It will no longer be gluten free. If you want to keep it gluten free, I suspect that you could replace the almond meal with oat flour or more oats (haven’t tried that, please comment if you do!).

Storage suggestions: Store this crisp in the refrigerator, covered. It will be good for 4 days or so.

Change it up: Substitute any variety of stone fruit or berries for the peaches, by weight. Cherries, plums, sliced strawberries, blackberries or blueberries would be lovely.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

The post Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Maybe the world needs more banana pancakes. Yes, that’s just what we’re missing. Yes, that’s what I’m telling myself right now. This thirteen-year-old (!) recipe website already has several banana pancake recipes, each wonderful in its own way, and here I am with another.

My whole wheat banana pancakes are so nice and fluffy. My banana oat pancakes are tender and flavorful with oatmeal-like interiors. This blender oatmeal pancake recipe yields an all-around great pancake that’s less banana-y than the others. I even have banana waffle recipes—whole wheat and oat-based—those are great, too.

These are the banana pancakes I’m making most often at the moment. They are the simplest pancakes by far, with only three ingredients at the core: mashed banana, eggs and whole-grain flour (you have several flour options here). I often add cinnamon and hemp hearts or flaxseeds, but even then, they require fewer ingredients than the rest.

Nutritionally, these banana pancakes are about as healthy as pancakes can be. They’re significantly lower in carbohydrates than the other recipes, and slightly higher in protein. That’s a win! They don’t taste as much like a treat as the other recipes, but they’re truly very nice.

These pancakes are easy to throw together in the morning while Grace toddles around the kitchen. She loves them and I feel good about them. So, these banana pancakes are definitely baby-friendly and kid-friendly. These simple pancakes are for everyone!

3-Ingredient Banana Pancake Notes

I tried two-ingredient banana pancakes a long time ago (banana and egg only) and found nothing to like about them—they’re much too wet and eggy. Frankly, you’re better off eating scrambled eggs with a side of banana. Adding a little flour makes all the difference with these pancakes.

Your flour options for these pancakes include whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour or oat flour. They work equally well. Buckwheat flour has the most bold flavor, while whole wheat is the most subtle. Oat flour is hearty and offers a light oatmeal-like flavor. For gluten-free pancakes, choose certified gluten-free buckwheat or oat flour.

The eggs in this recipe are absolutely essential. Flax eggs will not work in this recipe. Do not attempt or you will end up with sad banana-flax mush. I know because I tried.

Use overripe bananas for this recipe. Ideally, they have at least a few brown spots. Overripe bananas are sweeter and impart more banana flavor.

You’ll need to dial down the heat as you cook these pancakes. Most pancakes contain some sugar, which not only makes the pancakes sweeter, but also helps prevent them from burning as they cook. Since these pancakes are entirely naturally sweetened with bananas (no added sweetener, not even maple syrup), they are especially sensitive to heat. If you notice that your pancakes are turning too golden on the outside before the insides are cooked, the skillet has become too hot.

Watch How to Make 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Nutritious Mix-In Options & Serving Suggestions

These banana pancakes are very good in their most simple form, containing only banana, egg and flour. If you’d like to boost the flavor or nutrition, add any of the following:

• Ground cinnamon: I always add cinnamon because I love the flavor.
• Hemp hearts and/or ground flaxseed: Both offer healthy fat and fiber.
• Unsweetened shredded coconut: You could stir a couple tablespoons into the batter. You’ll get even better toasted flavor if you sprinkle a little coconut over the uncooked side of the pancake before flipping.
• Pinch of salt: I don’t think you’ll miss it, but a little bit of salt should amp up the overall flavor. Use up to 1/4 teaspoon.

For serving our daughter, I often add a light spread of runny almond butter sprinkled with hemp hearts or a pat of butter. I like them that way myself! For more of a breakfast treat, try a spread of peanut or almond butter or Greek yogurt for protein, plus additional sliced banana and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

More Banana Breakfast Treats to Try

• Banana Coconut Muffins
• Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)
• Healthy Banana Bread
• Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins
• Vegan Banana Nut Scones

Please let me know how your banana pancakes turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 81 reviews

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These 3-ingredient banana pancakes are healthy and so easy to make. This recipe is family friendly as well—babies, kids and adults alike love these pancakes. Yields 8 pancakes (each about 4 inches in diameter, enough for 2 to 4 servings).

Ingredients

• 2 medium-to-large ripe bananas
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour or ⅔ cup oat flour
• Optional flavor/nutrition boosters: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, up to 2 tablespoons hemp hearts and/or ground flaxseed, up to ¼ teaspoon salt
• Butter, avocado oil or ghee, for cooking

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Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana with a large fork until it’s shiny and mostly smooth. Add the eggs and whisk until the eggs are evenly incorporated into the banana.
2. Add the flour and any optional boosters. Gently stir until combined. Set aside while you preheat the skillet (the batter can rest for up to 1 hour if need be).
3. Heat a large skillet (stainless steel, cast iron or nonstick) over medium-low heat (if using an electric griddle, heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit). You’re ready to start cooking pancakes once a drop of water sizzles on contact with the hot surface. If necessary, lightly oil the cooking surface with a pat of butter or oil, carefully wiping up excess with a paper towel (nonstick surfaces likely won’t require any oil).
4. Scoop ¼ cup batter onto the hot skillet, leaving a couple of inches around each pancake for expansion. Cook until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Flip the pancakes, then cook until lightly golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter and dialing down the heat if the pancakes are turning dark on the outside before they are cooked through on the inside.
6. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven. Leftover pancakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, stack leftover pancakes and wrap them in a paper towel before gently reheating in the microwave.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free oat flour or buckwheat flour.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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