Lunch Lady Brownies

image credit life-in-the-lofthouse.com

Ingredients

1. 1 cup butter, melted
2. ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3. 2 cups all-purpose flour
4. 2 cups granulated sugar
5. 4 large eggs
6. 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

1. ¼ cup butter, softened
2. ¼ cup milk ( I use 2%)
3. ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand-mixer, add the melted butter and cocoa powder. Using the paddle attachment, blend until smooth.
3. Add the flour and sugar. Beat together then add eggs and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Don't over mix. (Batter will be thick)
4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove brownies from oven and let stand 15 minutes before frosting. You want the brownies still warm when you frost them!
5. FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Beat together all the frosting ingredients until smooth. Pour and spread over warm brownies. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

For more detail life-in-the-lofthouse.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

image credit www.justsotasty.com

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter*
2. 2 cups white sugar
3. 1/4 cup cocoa powder
4. 1/2 cup milk
5. 3/4 cup peanut butter
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7. 3 cups quick oats**

Instructions

1. Add the butter, sugar, cocoa & milk to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Melt the ingredients together while stirring gently.
3. After the butter is fully melted, bring the mixture to a boil for 3 minutes while whisking constantly.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the oats.
6. Drop the mixture into tablespoon-sized mounds on the lined cookie sheets.
7. Place in the fridge to harden for 30 minutes.

For more detail www.justsotasty.com

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

image credit amandascookin.com

INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2 cup shortening or butter flavored shortening (you can substitute butter but the texture may be a little different)
2. 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3. 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
4. 3 tbsp milk
5. 1 tsp vanilla
6. 1 large egg
7. 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
8. 1/2 cup cocoa
9. 3/4 tsp salt
10. 3/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
4. Drop by heaping tablespoonsful (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
5. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.

For more detail amandascookin.com

No Bake Summer Berry Icebox Cake

image credit cakescottage

Ingredients

1. 19 oz graham crackers
2. 8 oz cream cheese, softened
3. 2 (3.4 oz) packages Vanilla Instant Pudding
4. 2-1/2 cups cold milk
5. 12 oz Cool whip (or homemade whipped cream)
6. 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
7. 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
8. 2 oz white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Beat cream cheese and dry pudding mixes in large bowl with mixer until blended.
2. Gradually beat in milk.
3. Gently stir in Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream, reserving ½ cup.
4. Spread a thin layer of cool whip in a 9x13 pan just to coat the bottom.
5. Layer 5 graham crackers across the center of the pan, then 2 more, breaking them as needed to fit around the top and bottom edges.
6. Spread a layer of pudding mixture over grahams and top with a layer of blueberries and sliced strawberries.
7. Place graham crackers on top of berries, then pudding mixture, then layer of berries again.
8. Repeat the graham-pudding-berries layers 1 more time (3 times total) and you should reach the top of the pan.
9. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until the graham crackers have softened completely.
10. When ready to serve, melt white chocolate chips in a bowl as directed on package and drizzle over dessert.
11. You can use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the berries or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy "piping bag."

For more detail cakescottage

gluten free chocolate cupcakes

image credit veggiebalance

ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
2. 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons gluten-free baking flour
3. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4. 1 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. 2 eggs, room temperature
7. 1/4 cup cane sugar
8. 1/4 cup brown sugar
9. 3 Tablespoons butter or DF option, melted
10. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11. 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
12. 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
13. Low-Sugar Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Prepare muffin pan with baking cupcake liners.
3. In a small bowl combine almond milk, vinegar.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, brown sugar.
5. Make a well. Add eggs, vanilla extract, butter, and milk/vinegar mixture. Whisk together until fully incorporated.
6. Spoon 2 Tablespoons into each cupcake liner. (This works phenomenally)
7. Bake 21-24 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow to fully cool before piping on frosting.

For more detail veggiebalance

Banana Bread Bars

image credit tastesbetterfromscratch

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread Bars:

1. 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
3. 1/2 cup butter softened
4. 2 large eggs
5. 3-4 ripe bananas mashed
6. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7. 2 cups all-purpose flour
8. 1 teaspoon baking soda
9. 3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Brown Butter Glaze:

1. 6 Tablespoons butter
2. 3 cups powdered sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4. 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan, or a 9x13’’ pan (depending on if you want thin “sheet cake” style bars or thicker bars).

For the bars:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the sour cream and eggs, bananas and vanilla extract.
2. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and mix just until moistened. Stir in walnuts, if using.
3. Spread batter evenly into greased pan. For a jelly roll pan, bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs. For a 9x13’’ pan, bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs.

For the Glaze:

1. (I usually cut the glaze recipe in HALF if making these in a 9x13’’ pan).

2. In a large skillet heat the butter over medium heat. Allow it to come to a summer or very low boil and turns a delicate brown (watch carefully so you don't burn the butter) and remove from heat immediately.
3. Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the warm bars (this is easiest when the bars are warm). Spread gently with the back of a spoon.

For more detail tastesbetterfromscratch

Naturally Sweetened Banana Bread Scones

image credit alattefood

Ingredients

Naturally Sweetened Banana Bread Scones

1. 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
3. 2 tsp baking powder
4. 8 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
5. 4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
6. 1 tsp vanilla extract
7. 1 large banana, mashed
8. 1/4 cup milk
9. 1/4 cup light sour cream, or greek yogurt

Naturally Sweetened Cream Cheese Icing

1. 4 Tbsp butter, softened
2. 4 oz cream cheese, softened
3. 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Topping
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, and baking powder together. Add in cold butter, and mix with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add in the mashed banana, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and mix until combined.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and pat the dough into a circle, about 1" thick. Cut into 8 equal triangles.
5. Press walnuts onto the tops of each scones.
6. Bake for 16-17 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
7. While the scones are cooling, mix butter and cream cheese together until combined. Add in maple syrup and mix until combined. Put cream cheese icing into a pastry bag and drizzle over each scone.
8. Enjoy!

For more detail alattefood