Farewell Summer ~ S'mores Cookie Bars

Hey friends! I know it's been a while and I'm sorry I've been MIA. I'm getting over some yucky sickness and am ready to share a delicious recipe to celebrate the ending of summer. First, I want to wish my beautiful mom a happy birthday! I am so blessed to have such an awesome mom and don't know what I'd do without her!! (Birthday cupcakes will be posted later this week...)

As it draws closer to fall, we have just a few evenings left to enjoy the warm weather and what better way to do so than with a fun dessert with elements of a summer favorite? I shared this a couple weeks ago over at One Artsy Mama and am now sharing it with all of you....

S'mores Cookie Bars...just the name makes my mouth water! You start with a buttery graham cracker crust, fill with your favorite cookie recipe, and top with toasted marshmallows. Simple, but fabulous!

A plate full of yumminess!

S'mores Cookie Bars

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Mix all ingredients together with a fork and press into the bottom of a nine inch square pan. I then added a layer of semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips...you know...cuz you can never have enough chocolate!

For the cookies, I used my new favorite gluten free chocolate chunk cookie  mix. I know that the graham crackers aren't gluten free so this can't be labeled GF but I just really love this mix! If you have a favorite mix or homemade cookie recipe, feel free to use it! The one I use is a Pamela's gluten free mix that is just fabulous!

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Carefully press the cookie dough over the chocolate chips and crust and bake at 350 degrees until cookies are just about finished (literally, just about finished). I pulled mine out when they were starting to brown on the edges but still soft in the center (I like my cookies soft and chewy...not crispy). Top with marshmallows and place under the broiler until toasted. Once cooled, cut and serve brownies, and be ready for the sighs of bliss.  I also added broken up graham crackers and pieces of a milk chocolate bar. Seriously, these are just delicious! Obviously, you could also make S'mores Brownies by replacing the cookie dough with your favorite brownie batter....yum!

I don't know about you all but I'm totally excited about fall being just around the corner! It's my favorite time of year, especially for baking - pumpkin, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, apples, molasses - oh man! I just can't wait!!

Until next time, happy reading and more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!

Bring on Fall With Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Hey friends! I hope you're all enjoying the long weekend with your family and friends. I headed over to my sister's to help her get the baby's room set up. Today I'm sharing a fabulous gluten free recipe with all of you. As you know, I recently found out that I have a gluten sensitivity so I've had to learn a whole new way of eating. I've already shared GF Blueberry Muffins  and GF Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake which was a huge hit at my office.

Today's GF recipe is for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins in honor of my favorite season just around the corner - fall! I absolutely love this time of year - the changing leaves, beautiful colors, and all of the wonderful fall flavors and scents. I pretty much love pumpkin anything so when I found this recipe I just had to try it! If you've never tried combining chocolate and pumpkin you MUST! The two of them together is a match made in heaven.

GF Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (source)

2 cups white rice flour 
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp allspice
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp GF vanilla 
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Optional: Sprinkle top with raw sugar

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a muffin pan by either greasing with shortening or lining with liners.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the center and add your eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, and canola oil. Gently fold ingredients together. When combined, spoon into your pan. If desired you can sprinkle top with raw sugar and more chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These are really tasty and only get better with time. All the flavors combine really well and come out stronger a day or two after baking.

I'm finding that living gluten free really isn't all that hard and I feel so much better! I encourage you, if you're having any health issues and nothing is working - medicines, therapy, doctor visits - PLEASE look at what you're eating and see if there's something you can change. It is working so well for me and so many others!!

Be sure to stop by One Artsy Mama where yours truly is sharing a delicious S'mores Cookie Bars recipe!!

Until next time, happy reading and more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!

GF Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Hey friends! Today I'm sharing another delicious gluten free recipe. And, seriously, I mean delicious. It was for another birthday at work and the birthday boy loves cheesecake, chocolate, and cherry pie. Sooo...I decided to put them all together into one fabulous dessert!

Doesn't that look heavenly? It consists of a brownie crust, creamy cheesecake, cherry pie filling, and a milk chocolate drizzle. Now, a fellow co-worker and myself are both eating gluten free so I wanted to make sure that we could partake. I turned to my new favorite baking mix company - Pamela's - and used the Chocolate  Brownie Mix for the crust.

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I followed the regular brownie recipe on the package and poured it into a springform pan. 

For the cheesecake I followed a fabulous Ina Garten recipe, only using the part for the filling...

Cheesecake (adapted from here)

• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Pour over unbaked brownie batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Remember, cake will NOT be completely set in the center at this point. It WILL set up in the refrigerator. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving. Top with your favorite GF cherry pie filling ( I used Lucky Leaf ) and drizzle with melted milk chocolate.

Yes, this cheesecake IS as good as it looks. And, GF-ers, feel free to indulge without any repercussions. Well, at least, gluten-related repercussions. I can't account for your scale reading changing or clothes not fitting quite right. I'm not a miracle worker after all! :) Enjoy!

Until next time, happy reading and more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!!