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7 Homemade Candy Recipes

Written on October 29, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

2 days from Halloween and it almost slipped my mind to post about candy recipes. I guess this hurricane talk has really distracted me.

I’ve been noticing some of these recipes getting more attention lately but didn’t realize why until just this weekend. Of course the only thing better than fattening, sugary candy is homemade sugary candy and now is definitely the right time of year to treat yourself.

Here are my 7 favorite candy recipes I’ve made over the past couple years. I don’t think any of them disappoint.

Chocolate Covered S’mores

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Peanuts & Pretzels Bark

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

White Chocolate Candy Corn Bark

Homemade Mounds Bars

Homemade Peanut Butter Pumpkins

If you make any of these, please comment on the original recipe page and tell how it went! I love hearing from readers who’ve tried recipes.

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Candy Party Mix

Written on October 26, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

This kind of treat has a lot of names. “Monster mix” and “Trash mix” come to mind; let’s call it a party mix since that sounds more elegant when you’re stuffing your face with candy at 8pm.

After Halloween everyone’s always stuffed with more candy than they know what to do with. This is a great recipe to use it up and have something fun and festive to put out at a party or the office. Adding some salted nuts helps to break up the sweetness and add a little crunch factor without making it into a “healthy, boring” treat.

Adapt to use what you have; swap out chocolate covered raisins instead of the almonds or use pretzel M&Ms. It’s entirely versatile.

Candy Party Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

1 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup chocolate covered almonds
1/2 cup M&Ms
1/2 cup Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups(or regular sized peanut butter cups cut into quarters)
3/4 cup small Swedish Fish

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients together and enjoy.

You’re welcome for the sugar rush.

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Peanut Butter Snack Squares

Written on October 24, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

Every afternoon around 3pm I run into the problem of something healthy to snack on. I’d usually just prefer a bag of M&Ms and some Reese’s peanut butter cups and call it a day, but apparently that’s not good for you(who knew?). I went ahead and tried to make a healthy snack since it’s a lot easier and cheaper than finding tasty ones in the grocery store. And wouldn’t you know you can still have your peanut butter and chocolate and eat well, too?

These definitely aren’t fudgy enough to be blondies or airy enough to be cake; that’s why I’d call them “squares” and say they’re the perfect afternoon pick-me-up when you’re not sure what to have. They’re filled with whole grains, peanut butter, and low-fat yogurt so they must be a better choice than anything from the vending machine.

If you want to make these really healthy, swap out the chocolate chips for raisins. Then again if you want to use both I won’t tell anyone.

Peanut Butter Snack Squares

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 9 squares):

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour(or regular flour)
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 egg
2-4 Tablespoons water
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, and sugar.
Add in the peanut butter, yogurt, and egg and beat well.
Slowly add in water just until the batter is wet enough for you to stir with a whisk or spatula to mix it.
Lastly fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the greased baking tray. Bake for about 25 minutes until the edges start to brown.
Let the pan cool before cutting it into 9 squares. Store sealed in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

After a few days these start to stiffen up. Just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds on a low setting and it’ll be just like they came out of the oven again!

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Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

Written on October 22, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Last weekend I tried to make gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes; the result was a little disappointing and I’ll have to try again to come up with a recipe that isn’t. But what can never disappoint is frosting.

Although there texture was a little rough, the cupcakes still tasted fine so I went ahead and frosted and served them. Frosting can fix just about any cake disaster. Instead of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, pumpkin pie spice gives the perfect earthy flavor for Fall. You could easily pair this with a yellow or chocolate cupcake and it’d be just as good.

You can easily make this recipe non-dairy by using a dairy-free margarine and non-dairy milk. Don’t go too heavy-handed with the spice because the sugar really turns up the flavor.

Pumpkin Spice Buttercream

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes enough for about 10 cupcakes):

1 stick butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1-3 teaspoons milk(optional)

Method:

Beat together the room temperature butter, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until the frosting has an even consistency.
If your frosting is on the thick side, add milk by the teaspoon until it’s at an easier consistency to work with.
Make sure to use the frosting within 2-4 hours of preparing.

Hopefully I’ll get the cupcakes right. Eventually. For now eating the frosting is just fine.

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Homemade Pumpkin Granola

Written on October 19, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

It was really only a matter of time before I combined pumpkin and granola, wasn’t it?

If you like granola and yogurt with a cup of tea on crisp Fall morning, this is definitely a recipe for you. Most of the flavor comes from the pumpkin spice rather than the actual pumpkin. Still it tastes(and smells!) delicious.

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, just use a mix of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to get the same flavor. You can also add in an extra 1/2 cup of raisins or dried apple slices if you want to add a touch of sweetness.

Homemade Pumpkin Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, maple syrup, pumpkin, oil, spice and salt thoroughly.
Lay the wet oats out on a non-stick baking surface in a thin layer.
Bake for 25 minutes, breaking up the oats around 10-15 minutes before taking them out of the oven.
Let the oats cool completely once they’re done.
Mix in the walnuts and store the granola in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

You can also feel free to add white chocolate chips and candy corn. I can say from experience that that’s a winning combination.

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Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Written on October 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

I used to be obsessed with Panera Bread and their cinnamon crunch bagels and fancy cream cheeses; it’s not nearly as much fun to go to when you can’t have gluten so it’s been a while. But this week I had extra cream cheese to use up and a hankering for gluten-free bagels and knew exactly what to make.

This cream cheese is simple and delicious. It has just the right amount of spice to make a plain bagel really taste special. I always catch myself licking the knife clean after I’m done spreading it on because it’s too good not to.

You don’t need to use particularly fancy ingredients for this recipe. If you don’t have maple syrup you can substitute honey or molasses. Use just as much sweetener as you prefer for the flavor.

Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 8 servings):

1/2 cup cream cheese
3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
~2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Method:

In a small bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until there are no lumps left.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks after making.

It almost makes you wonder how something so simple can be so good.

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Easy Polenta And Eggs

Written on October 15, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Real Italians look away; this recipe definitely isn’t for you. Otherwise keep reading.

Now that it’s getting darker earlier and earlier I can’t help but be lazier when it comes to cooking meals. I’ve been looking for simpler things I can throw together in 10 minutes or so that still pack a lot of flavor. I’ve started keep a tube of pre-cooked polenta(the horror!) around to heat up in sauce whenever I need a quick Italian fix. Gourmet? Not at all. But it’s healthy, gluten-free, and much cheaper than take-out options.

This is hardly a “recipe”; more like a list of ingredients to throw together for a quick meal. If you’re not a vegetarian, you can skip the eggs entirely and use a meat sauce instead. But I think there’s nothing better on a cold night than warm marinara sauce and runny yolks.

I’d generally say to expect 3-4 polenta slices, 3/4 cup sauce, and 2-3 eggs per person but you can customize this to perfectly fit your appetite.

Polenta And Eggs

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked polenta
Marinara sauce
Eggs

Method:

Add enough marinara to fill a frying pan.
Slice the polenta 1/2 an inch thick and spread it out on the sauce in a single layer.
Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium in a covered pan, flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Move the polenta onto a dish but reserve the sauce in the pan. Add a little bit of water if it looks dry or is thinning.
Poach the eggs in the tomato sauce until the tops are cooked but keeping the yolks runny.
Serve the poached eggs and marinara sauce over the plated polenta.

Of course if you have time you can cook your own polenta and make the marinara sauce from scratch. But then again if you have time for all of that something tells me you aren’t looking at this recipe.

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Raw Walnut Brownies

Written on October 12, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. I don’t think that’s true always, but certainly in this case it is. It’s amazing what you can make with just dates, walnuts, and cocoa powder.

This is something I’ve been making for years now. I think I learned the originally recipe from a food blog that no longer exists; it’s simple enough that you don’t have to write it down or bookmark a page to remember it. The trick to making these well is recognizing what consistency the dough should be; thankfully these are very forgiving and it’s easy to figure out after making a few batches(and you’ll want to make a few batches).

You can use any nut for this but I think walnuts are the best both for flavor and texture. They also pack a lot of omega-3s which are great for anyone’s diet. I’d suggest adding crushed walnuts into the batter dough after processing to give these a crunch.

Raw Walnut Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 squares):

2 cups pitted dates
1 cup walnuts
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1-2 Tablespoons water

Method:

Blend the dates in a food processor until they are pulverized and start to stick together.
Add the walnuts and continue blending until the dough starts to stick to itself. Add water as necessary if your ingredients are too dry to clump.
Lastly add the cocoa powder and continue blending until it’s mixed in.
Dump the processed ingredients onto a piece of parchment paper. With your hands, clump them together into a square or rectangle.
Freeze the dough for 5-10 minutes until it’s firm and cut it into even sized squares. Store in the refrigerator for freshness.

You can add chocolate chips or other dried fruit to make this a little more exciting, but I think this is a perfect snack or pick-me-up for after a meal all on its own.

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Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Written on October 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Greek yogurt is one of those foods I always keep on hand. I was so excited when Stonyfield asked me to be a part of their Clean Plate Club to make and submit recipes using their yogurts. Substituting yogurt in dips or baked goods for fattier dairy products is a great and easy way to make recipes healthier.

When I’m busy I’d much rather have a meal or snack that I can eat with my hands and don’t have to worry about it getting cold. Dips and spread are great for that. I made this dip and it lasted me over a few days of snacking and went with just about everything.

You can serve this with chopped up fruit or cut up french toast and waffles for breakfast or with some gingersnaps and snickerdoodle cookies for a fun dessert. It keeps well in the refrigerator so it’s easy to

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1/2 cup):

2 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup plain Oikos greek yogurt

Method:

In a small bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until there aren’t any clumps(you may want to use a whisk or hand mixer).
Serve with fruit, waffles, french toast, or any other dippable breakfasts.

And in case you were wondering, Van’s gluten-free french toast sticks are excellent, especially when you’re sure the last time you had french toast sticks was at least 10 years ago.

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Written on October 5, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Pumpkin manages to find its way into everything this time of year. I haven’t quite figured out why it belongs in a latte; cookies make a lot more sense to me.

You really can’t go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice add a little bit of fun flavor and color and let you cut back on the butter while still making something delicious.

These are definitely cakey cookies. I find that most pumpkin cookie recipes turn out that way. If you don’t want to make them gluten-free, use cake or all-purpose flour so that they’ll still come out light and airy.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 14 cookies):

1 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour(I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
6 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a lined baking tray.
Sift together the gluten-free flour, sugar, spice, baking soda and salt.
Mix in the butter and pumpkin puree well.
Beat in the egg until the batter is evenly wet.
Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.
Taking the dough between your hands, roll it into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them on the baking tray about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the bottoms begin to brown and the top is firm. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before moving them.

‘Tis the season for delicious treats. These would also be excellent with walnuts mixed in, too, or made into cookie sandwiches.

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