Have I made it obvious that I love peanut butter and chocolate yet? I love it in cakes, I love it in cupcakes, I love it from the jar and off a spoon, and now I love it in macaroon form.

Sometimes I miss walking in to a bakery and picking out the most absurd, delicious, and oversized baked good they have. Wildflour is good for that but far away and expensive, so I try now and again to bring the bakery into my kitchen.

These cookies are as easy as they are impressive. There are only 5 ingredients and yet have a rich and sophisticated flavor. And who wouldn’t love being handed a macaroon the size of there fists?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Ingredients(Makes 9 large macaroons or 20 regular-sized):

• 3 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup natural salted peanut butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3oz bittersweet chocolate chunks OR 6 Tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1/4-1/3 cup water

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, peanut butter, maple syrup, and chocolate chunks. Slowly add in water just enough so that the dough holds itself together.

For large macaroons, press the dough into an ice cream scoop and drop it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 80-90 minutes until you can lift the macaroons up without cracking or denting the surface.

For small macaroons, do the same method with a melon baller and bake for 50-60 minutes until set.

Mmm, I would suggest eating one when it comes out of the oven and the chocolate is melted and messy. Using a good brand of chocolate in these makes all the difference since the ingredients are so simple.

Who’s ready to make whoopie?

I shouldn’t have been allowed to watch The Newlywed Game growing up; those euphemisms were not hard for a 6 year old to figure out. Also The Match Game; you don’t have to tell me where Alice told Frank to stick his blank.

I got side-tracked. I meant to tell you a different childhood memory.

My grandmother-in-law(I’m not sure if that’s a real thing but that’s basically what she was) always made the best whoopie pies for celebrations. She also made the best molasses cookies, peanut butter cookies, and soft butter taffy specially for Christmas, but let’s start with whoopie pies. Between losing her and finding out I can’t eat gluten, I haven’t had a whoopie pie in probably 6 years. That’s too long.

I tried making these last December but didn’t get the recipe right and ended up making fudge pies instead. This time the cookies held their shape and tasted as well as they photographed. While the thought of making them scared me before, it won’t ever again.

This recipe uses xanthan gum, a hyper-powerful fiber that simulates the support of gluten in baked goods. I generally try to avoid using such a specialty item but every recipe for gluten-free whoopie pies I looked up stressed this ingredient and the last time I tried making these without it the cookies fell flat. It really is an essential ingredient in this recipe.

Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies(adapted from this recipe)

For the cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk

For the filling:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4oz butter, room temperature
• 2 egg whites, cold
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum and mix until emulsified.
4. Add in the coconut milk, egg, egg yolk, and scant 1/4 cup of water and mix it into the dough. The dough should be heavy and stick to itself.
5. Roll chunks of dough into 1-inch balls and put a few inches apart on the baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes until the top is firm.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.
7. In a bowl(chilled is best), beat on high the sugar, butter, egg whites, and vanilla together for 4-5 minutes until light and airy.
8. Scoop 1/2 tablespoon onto one cookie and press another down on top.
9. Repeat until all of the cookies are used.

It’s always a good sign when all the desserts are eaten, and these are long gone. I was more interested in this cake but if whoopie pies are your cup of tea and you’re gluten-free, let this be a treat for you.

I’ll keep things short and sweet because that’s exactly what this recipe is: Short and sweet. And delicious. And addicting. And pretty fattening. But I can’t make a paragraph all those things.

I saw a recipe for something like this in the latest Food Network magazine and was dead set on making it myself. It has chocolate and fruit so it’s totally healthy and Summer appropriate. I used homemade cookies and chocolate mousse but store-bought would be great, too. However, if you do make your own chocolate mousse, adding a touch of liqueur takes this dessert over the top.

Chocolate, Raspberry, and Amaretti Parfaits

• 2 cups chocolate mousse
• 6 amaretti cookies
• 1 pint raspberries

Assemble by putting raspberries at the bottom of a parfait glass and layering on top a layer of mousse, 1 1/2 cookies crushed into pieces, more raspberries, and another dollop of mousse. Garnish with whip cream if desired. Serve at room temperature.

The best bites are always the one with a taste of each flavor in them. Rumor has it stores sell vodka-infused whipped cream now; if you want to spray that on top, I wouldn’t judge.