Once I went to brunch in a ski town near us and had a scone served with the best lemon curd I ever had in my life. I immediately set out to recreate that sweet spread, and I achieved my goal with this recipe.

Vanilla beans make this homemade lemon curd extra-special. They add a rich depth of flavor that really make this recipe shine!

This lemon curd recipe is easy to make from scratch with only 8 ingredients. You can prepare it in advance to serve on scones, waffles, crepes, pancakes, etc. for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Granulated sugar. fine, white sugar works best in this recipe.
• Cornstarch. Tapioca starch is a good substitute for cornstarch.
• Fresh lemon juice. Bottled works too, but fresh is always best.
• Vanilla bean. if you don’t have access to vanilla beans, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract can be used in place of the beans. If using extract, add with the butter.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.

How to Make Lemon Curd

Let’s walk through this lemon curd recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video for extra guidance.

Begin by putting the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, egg yolks, lemon zest and the seeds from one vanilla bean in a small saucepan (preferably thick-bottomed).

Then, cook the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue cooking and whisking constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken.

Keep cooking until the curd lightens in color, looks like a yellow pudding and coats the back of a spatula, this takes about 5 minutes.

Then, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it’s melted, and the mixture is smooth.

Once the lemon curd is smooth, pour it into an 8 oz glass jar or glass container with a lid. (it’s preferable to use a glass jar because the curd will fill the jar and no air will touch the top).

Let it cool completely in the refrigerator (preferably overnight).

What to Serve with Lemon Curd

Once cooled, open the jar and give it a good stir to mix in any bits that may have hardened on the top.

Then, serve it with your favorite foods. Here are some suggestions:

• Scones. this tastes amazing spread on top of scones.
• Crepes. Spread some lemon curd inside of crepes along with some homemade whipped cream.
• Cake or Cupcake filling. Use it as a filling for lemon cupcakes, yellow cake, etc.
• Cheesecake. Use as a topping for cheesecake or no bake cheesecake.
• Pancakes. spread it on your favorite pancake recipes like buttermilk pancakes, homemade pancakes, etc.
• Waffles. Spread some curd on top of homemade waffles.
• Swirl some into Greek yogurt, or homemade vanilla pudding.
• Spread it onto toast.

Store/Freeze

Store lemon curd in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. That overnight in the refrigerator.

Lemon Curd Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Easy Lemon Curd Recipe

This LemonCurd recipe is rich and smooth with a bold lemon flavor & hints of vanilla.Learn how to make lemon curd at home that's better than store-bought!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, sauce

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 106kcal

Author Laura

Cost $4

Equipment

• thick-bottomed pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• whisk
• 8 oz mason jars

Ingredients

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup lemon juice (fresh, from 4 to 6 lemons)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (finely grated)
• 1 vanilla bean (seeds)
• ½ cup unsalted butter cubed

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, egg yolks, lemon zest and the seeds from one vanilla bean in a small saucepan (preferably thick-bottomed).
• Cook over medium-low heat while whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
• Continue cooking and whisking constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, lightens in color, looks like a yellow pudding and coats the back of a spatula. This takes about 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it’s melted, and the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the lemon curd into an 8 oz glass jar or glass container with a lid. (it’s preferable to use a glass jar because the curd will fill the jar and no air will touch the top).
• Cool completely.
• Once cooled, stir and serve with scones, etc.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Granulated sugar. fine, white sugar works best in this recipe.
• Cornstarch. Tapioca starch is a good substitute for cornstarch.
• Fresh lemon juice. Bottled works too, but fresh is always best.
• Vanilla bean. if you don’t have access to vanilla beans, 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract can be used in place of the beans. If using extract, add with the butter.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.

Store/Freeze

Store lemon curd in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. That overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TBS | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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Lemon Cookies

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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon Glaze (Lemon Icing)

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This homemade caramel sauce is so rich and delicious you will want to serve it over everything – vanilla ice cream, brownies, skillet cookies, etc.

This caramel sauce recipe is easy to make with whole-food ingredients (no condensed milk) in only 20 minutes. Plus, it’s rich caramel flavor and smooth texture make it worlds better than any jarred, store-bought sauce!

Caramel Sauce: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Light brown sugar. If you like a richer molasses taste, use dark brown sugar (or substitute up to half the light brown sugar with dark).
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.

How to Make Caramel Sauce

Let’s walk through this caramel sauce recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video for further help!

Begin by adding water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.

Then, add the butter to the water/sugar mixture and whisk until the butter is melted.

Once the butter is melted, bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook/boil over medium heat until mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally.

Whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth, bring the mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.

After 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Transfer to a glass storage dish or jar and let cool completely before serving. The caramel sauce thickens as it cools.

Serve

There are so many ways to enjoy this homemade caramel sauce. Here are a few suggestions:

• Ice cream. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, or (my husband’s favorite) Oreo ice cream.
• Brownies. Who doesn’t love a brownie sundae topped with caramel sauce? Try it over these fudgy homemade brownies or even better – caramel brownies (you can use it to make these brownies)!
• Cookies. Serve it over this skillet cookie or chocolate chip cookie bars – yum.

Store

Store homeamde caramel sauce in an airtight container (glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Caramel Sauce Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

This homemade caramel sauce recipe is easy to make from scratch with 6 ingredients including butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. Learn how to make caramel sauce and never buy store-bought varieties again!

Course Dessert, sauce

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 22 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 154kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• thick-bottomed pan
• spatula
• whisk
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup salted butter (diced into ½” cubes)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: serve with flaky sea salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add water and brown sugar to a heavy-bottom pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, whisking often.
• Add butter and whisk until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook/boil over medium heat until mixture is thick and pulls away from the sides (about 10 minutes), whisking occasionally. (started 9:23)
• Whisk in the heavy cream and sea salt until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil again and boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla.
• Transfer to a glass storage dish or jar and let cool completely before serving (mixture thickens as it cools).

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Light brown sugar. If you like a richer molasses taste, use dark brown sugar (or substitute up to half the light brown sugar with dark).
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Heavy cream. There is no substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. An equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract.

Store

Store homemade caramel sauce in an airtight container (glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 34mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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Caramel Brownies

Caramel Cookies

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Millionaire Shortbread Recipe

Homemade Caramel Recipe

Homemade Caramel Apples

There is something about oatmeal raisin cookies that is just pure nostalgia. One bite into a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie elicits memories of Christmas and grandma’s house and all this cozy and wam.

This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is truly the best. Just like my famous oatmeal cookies, these delicious morsels are easy to make and do not require any chilling. They are loaded with raisins and are beloved by all who try them.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. Use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter also works well.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, but using them will change the texture.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
• Raisins. Use traditional or golden raisins.

How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Let’s walk through this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe step-by-step, and remember to watch the video for additional guidance.

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, then set the dry ingredients aside.

Then, beat together the softened butter and sugars for 1 minute.

Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light – about 1 minute.

Then add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Once the mixture is smooth, add the oatmeal and beat on low speed.

Then, add raisins and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.

Use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough, then roll it into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake the oatmeal raisin cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the top is just set. Be very careful not to over-bake.

Let the cookies sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve

Enjoy the oatmeal raisin cookies slightly warm or room temperature. They are delicious when included on a cookie tray with some of our other favorite cookie recipes!

How to Store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze baked oatmeal raisin cookies cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Or, you can freeze the dough and bake them fresh (preferred method).

To freeze the dough: 

1. Form the dough into balls and place them on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the dough is frozen. 
3. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
4. Freeze for up to 2 months.
5. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it thaw to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe instructions. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are the best Oatmeal Raisin cookies! They have crispy edges, soft and chewy centers, a rich vanilla flavor and plenty of raisins! They are easy to make with simple ingredients – no chilling required.

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 151kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• baking sheet
• KitchenAid Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• silicone baking mat

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup salted butter softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• ¾ cup raisins

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Place softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until combined. (or beat in large bowl with a handheld mixer)
• Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds).
• Add dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
• Add oatmeal and beat on low speed until combined.
• Add raisins and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
• Use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to measure out the dough.
• Roll the dough into a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.
• Gently and very slightly press down tops of cookies until they are flat.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the top is just set.
• Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. Use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free baking flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter also works well.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, but using them will change the texture.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
• Raisins. Use traditional or golden raisins.

Store

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze baked oatmeal raisin cookies cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Or, you can freeze the dough and bake them fresh (preferred method).

To freeze the dough: 

1. Form the dough into balls and place them on a non-stick cookie sheet.
2. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the dough is frozen. 
3. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
4. Freeze for up to 2 months.
5. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it thaw to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe instructions. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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Every time I go to a famous “Cheesecake” restaurant, I order chocolate cheesecake – it’s my favorite. So, I created this easy no bake chocolate cheesecake recipe and it’s seriously the best.

My husband said he could not even tell it was different from my chocolate cheesecake recipe – it’s that good! It’s silky smooth, super creamy with a rich chocolate flavor.

This no bake chocolate cheesecake is made with 10 ingredients in under 20 minutes – so you can satisfy that chocolate cheesecake craving quickly without having to make a trip to a pricey restaurant or even turn on your oven.

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake: Ingredients & Substitutions

The most important note about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except for the heavy whipping cream) must be room temperature. If you use cold cream cheese, eggs, or sour cream it will cause the melted chocolate to solidify and not mix well into the filling.

• Oreo Crust. You can use a store-bought Oreo cracker crust instead of making your own, if you prefer. Check out this post on how to make a Oreo pie crust (although it is not baked in this recipe) for more helpful tips!
• Cream cheese. I suggest using two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese. Do not use whipped cream cheese.
• Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.
• Semisweet chocolate. You can use chips or chopped chocolate bars. It will be melted so the form doesn’t matter.
• Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean are great substitutes for extract.

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and be sure to watch the video for extra guidance.

Make the Oreo Crust

Since the crust needs to be put in the freezer to harden, it’s the first thing we make in this recipe. Begin by tracing the bottom of a springform pan on a piece of parchment paper, cut out the circle and place it in the bottom of the springform pan.

Then, put the Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade and process until they are the texture of fine crumbs.

Then, transfer the the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and melted butter and stir until the mixture clumps and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Next, pour the crust mixture into a 9” springform pan, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides.

Transfer the crust to the freezer while you make the filling.

Make the Filling

While the crust is in the freezer, make the filling.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Beating the cream cheese alone ensures it will not be lumpy.

Then, add the sour cream, remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar, melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Then fold in the whipped cream mixture until smooth.

Assemble & Chill

Once the filling is done, spread it evenly over the frozen Oreo crust and freeze until set.

Once set, remove the no bake chocolate cheesecake from the baking pan and transfer it to a serving plate.

Garnish with fresh berries, chocolate curls, homemade whipped cream, chocolate ganache, or your favorite toppings.

Serve

Serve the no bake chocolate cheesecake chilled/cold. I suggest cutting it into slices, and a little goes a long way because it is so rich.

Store

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this recipe in 2 ways:

1. Freeze the whole no bake chocolate cheesecake. Make the recipe then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 
2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

This No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake recipe is smooth and creamy with a rich chocolate flavor. It's easy to make in 20 minutes and best topped with homemade whipped cream.

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 14 Sercings

Calories 487kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• springform pan

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

• 22 Double Stuffed Oreo Cookies about 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (12 oz)
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar divided
• 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate melted (9 oz)
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 Tablespoons full-fat sour cream room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toppings

• Homemade whipped cream
• Chocolate Curls

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the Oreo Crust

• Trace the bottom of a springform pan on a piece of parchment paper, cut out the circle and place it in the bottom of the springform pan.
• Put Oreo cookies in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade and process until they reach the texture of fine crumbs.
• Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl.
• Add the granulated sugar and melted butter and stir until the mixture clumps and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Pour the crust mixture into a 9” springform pan, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides.
• Transfer to freezer while you make the filling.

Make the Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and ½ cup powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the sour cream, remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Add whipped cream mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Assemble & Chill

• Spread the filling evenly over the frozen Oreo crust. Freeze until hardened.
• Once set, remove the no bake chocolate cheesecake from the baking pan and transfer it to a serving plate.
• Garnish with chocolate curls, homemade whipped cream or your favorite toppings and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

The most important note about this recipe is that all the ingredients (except for the heavy whipping cream) must be room temperature. If you use cold cream cheese, eggs, or sour cream it will cause the melted chocolate to solidify and not mix well into the filling.

Oreo Crust. You can use a store-bought Oreo cracker crust instead of making your own, if you prefer. Check out this post on how to make a Oreo pie crust (although it is not baked in this recipe) for more helpful tips!

Cream cheese. I suggest using two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese. Do not use whipped cream cheese.

Powdered sugar. You can make your own refined-sugar free powdered sugar.

Semisweet chocolate. You can use chips or chopped chocolate bars. It will be melted so the form doesn’t matter.

Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean are great substitutes for extract.

 

Store

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on the serving plate covered in plastic wrap for 3-5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this recipe in 2 ways:

1. Freeze the whole no bake chocolate cheesecake. Make the recipe then put it in the freezer to harden for 1-2 hours. Once it is hardened, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving. 
   2. Freeze individual slices. If you have a few leftover slices you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 930IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg

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Two of my absolute favorite foods on the planet (coffee & brownies) come together to make an out-of-this-world delicious dessert – coffee brownies.

These espresso brownies are fudgy with crackly tops and a rich coffee flavor. Perfect for your chocolate/coffee loving friends, they’re easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients in 40 minutes!

Serve them as it, frost them with chocolate buttercream, or make a coffee brownie sundae with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce!

Coffee Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder is the best choice. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• Espresso powder. I always have this on hand to use in baked goods (chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, etc.). In a pinch, you can substitute finely ground instant coffee or coffee beans, but if you can get it – I suggest sticking with espresso powder.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Choose a high-quality chocolate. Since the chocolate is melted the “form” of chocolate doesn’t matter. Use chocolate chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. The quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this brownie recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
• Mix ins. Optional but taste great.

How to Make Coffee Brownies

We’ll walk through this espresso brownies recipe step-by-step, and make sure to watch the video.

Begin by mixing flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and sea salt together in a small bowl. Then, set the dry ingredients aside.

Next, melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy, then set the mixture aside.

Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.

Next, add the sugar and beat for an additional 60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.

Then, add the melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).

Next, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until they are just incorporated and there are no lumps.

Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips or other mix-ins by hand.

Then, pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is set and the coffee brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes. If you like extra-fudgy brownies, bake for 25 minutes. For firmer brownies bake for 30 minutes.

Then, place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 Once cooled, cut the espresso brownies into squares and serve.

You can also frost the coffee brownies if you wish. I suggest chocolate buttercream frosting or chocolate ganache. You can even add a pinch of espresso powder to those recipe for extra coffee flavor.

Serve

Serve the brownies at room temperature, or slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade chocolate sauce for a coffee brownie sundae!

Store

Store coffee brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

I recommend wrapping the brownies tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum sealing them, then storing the wrapped brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Coffee Brownies Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Coffee Brownies

These coffee brownies are easy to make from scratch. They're fudgy and chocolatey with a rich coffee flavor. Espresso brownies are the perfect dessert for the coffee lovers in your life!

Course brownies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 brownies

Calories 168kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• KitchenAid Mixer
• 9×9″ baking pan
• spatula

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 5 oz semisweet chocolate* (1 cup)
• ½ cup salted butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc. if desired)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease an 9×9” baking dish, set aside.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
• Add sugar and beat for an additional 60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.
• Add melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).
• Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.
• Stir in chocolate chips or other mix-ins by hand.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**
• Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

• If you like gooey brownies, bake for 25 minutes. If you like them firmer bake for 30 minutes. Remember all ovens bake differently so baking times can vary.
• To double this recipe, simply double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13” pan for 25-30 minutes.

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Espresso powder. I always have this on hand to use in baked goods (chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, etc.). In a pinch, you can substitute finely ground instant coffee or coffee beans, but if you can get it – I suggest sticking with espresso powder.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Choose a high-quality chocolate. Since the chocolate is melted the “form” of chocolate doesn’t matter. Use chocolate chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. The quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this brownie recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
• Mix ins. These are optional. Suggestions include, chocolate chip, chocolate covered espresso beans, white chocolate chips, etc. 

Store

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

I recommend wrapping the brownies tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum sealing them, then storing the wrapped brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Try these Brownie Recipes

Best Fudgy Homemade Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

M & M Brownies

Pumpkin Brownies

Best Flourless Brownies (Gluten-Free, Paleo)

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

We are well-known for our chocolate chip cookies, and for good reason, they are the best. Well, I took that recipe and modified it to make these small batch chocolate chip cookies.

These small batch cookies are just as delicious as a larger batch but use a fraction of the ingredients. They are buttery, perfectly sweet, with crisp edges and chewy centers. And (of course) they are loaded with melty chocolate chips!

Use this recipe to make eight perfect chocolate chip cookies today! You won’t regret it!

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
• Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half. 
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, ghee or vegan butter sticks (like Earth’s Balance) work well.
• Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
• Light brown sugar.  dark brown sugar will impart a more pronounced molasses taste.
• Egg yolk. you can use egg replacer, or 1 tablespoon heavy cream in place of the yolk if desired.
• Chocolate chips. use your favorite variety, or use chopped chocolate bars, etc.

How to Make Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s walk through this recipe step-by-step, and make sure to watch the video.

Begin by combining the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt in a small bowl, then set it aside.

Then, in a medium bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined.

Next, add vanilla and egg yolk and beat until light and fluffy.

Then, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat well. The dough should easily clump together.

Next, stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Then, use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll it into balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes or until set around the edges and just barely starting to turn light brown top.

Do not over-bake, they will look slightly underdone and that is exactly how you want them (see this post for help: chocolate chip cookies).

Then, let the Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve

I love enjoying these Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies slightly warm with a cold glass of milk.

Store

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Freeze

If you’d like to freeze these cookies (even though this recipe only makes 8), here’s how. (honestly, if you want to make cookies to freeze I recommend making a full batch of chocolate chip cookies so you have plenty in the freezer, that’s just my two cents).

• Freeze the dough before baking.  Portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Then place it on a baking sheet and flash-freeze the balls until hardened. Once hardened, transfer to an airtight container until you’re ready to bake.
  • To bake: remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking according to the recipe instructions. 
• Freeze baked cookies. To freeze baked cookies, let them cool to room temperature. Then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 mont
  • To thaw: let the cookies sit at room temperature until thawed. You can also warm them in the oven set to 250 degrees F, in a baking dish covered with foil (or a lid) until warmed through. 

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

This Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is adapted from our famous chocolate chip cookies (tastes just like them) and makes 8 cookies! The perfect recipe when you want to satisfy your sweet tooth but only want to make a small batch of cookies.

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 8 cookies

Calories 195kcal

Author Laura

Cost $3

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• KitchenAid Mixer
• baking sheet
• silicone baking mat

Ingredients

• ¼ cup salted butter
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined.
• Add vanilla and egg yolk and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add dry ingredients and beat well. Dough should easily clump together.
• Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
• Use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to portion dough, then roll it into balls and place evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes or until set around the edges and just barely starting to turn light brown top. Do not overbake
• Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version use 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
• Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half. 
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, ghee or vegan butter sticks (like Earth’s Balance) work well.
• Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
• Light brown sugar.  dark brown sugar will impart a more pronounced molasses taste.
• Egg yolk. you can use egg replacer, or 1 tablespoon heavy cream in place of the yolk if desired.
• Chocolate chips. use your favorite variety, or use chopped chocolate bars, etc.

Store

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Try These Recipes

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Double Chocolate Cookies

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever

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There’s no better way to enjoy zucchini than shredded and baked into a delicious loaf of zucchini bread (or chocolate zucchini bread)!

And this is the best zucchini bread recipe ever!

This zucchini bread is moist with a beautiful crumb, buttery with the perfect amount of sweetness. It’s infused with rich notes cinnamon and vanilla and absolutely packed with shredded zucchini.

Plus, this recipe is easy to make – no mixer required!

Zucchini Bread: Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are a few notes about the ingredients and possible substitutions in this zucchini bread recipe.

• Butter/canola oil. This recipe calls for a total of 1 cup of fat – half butter half canola oil. I believe this ratio and combination yields the best results. However, you can use all butter, or all canola oil. Coconut oil and ghee are also acceptable substitutions for both ingredients. You can replace the canola oil with applesauce.
• Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar are the best choices for this zucchini bread recipe.
• Brown Sugar. both light and dark brown sugar work perfectly. 
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
• Sea salt. If you use regular table salt I recommend cutting the amount in half. 

How to Make Zucchini Bread. 

Making the best zucchini bread is really easy! You don’t need a mixer and it comes together in 5 minutes (plus baking time). As always, we’ll walk through it step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by combining the dry ingredients (not the sugars) in a medium bowl. Set them aside to use later.

Then, whisk together melted butter, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Next, add the sugars and stir until the mixture is smooth. It’s important to add the sugars with the wet ingredients to ensure they are fully incorporated and that there are no lumps. 

Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large bowl and stir or whisk to combine.

Once the batter is smooth, gently stir in the grated zucchini until it’s evenly distributed throughout the batter. 

Bake the Zucchini Bread

Grease a 9×5″ loaf pan with cooking spread, or butter and flour the pan.

Then, evenly spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Next, bake the zucchini bread on the lower rack in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool

Let the baked zucchini bread cool completely in the loaf pan on a wire cooling rack for about 6 hours or overnight. 

Serve

Once it’s cooled, remove the zucchini bread from loaf pan, releasing the sides with a sharp knife. Turn it out onto a cutting board, slice and serve with a generous slather of this homemade cinnamon honey butter – yum.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freeze

Cut the zucchini bread into slices. Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Zucchini Bread Recipe FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions about making this best zucchini bread recipe!

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Best Zucchini Bread Recipe

This is the best zucchini bread recipe! It's moist, richly spiced, perfectly sweet and loaded with zucchini! This zucchini bread is easy to make – no mixer required! It will become your favorite way to enjoy zucchini!

Course bread, Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Cooling time 6 hours hours

Total Time 7 hours hours 6 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Slices

Calories 348kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• 9×5″ loaf pan
• glass batter bowl
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• whisk
• spatula

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter melted
• ½ cup canola oil
• 3 eggs beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups zucchini grated (about 2 medium zucchini)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease or butter and flour a 9×5” loaf pan, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• Add white and brown sugars and stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth.
• Add dry ingredients and stir until combined and there are no lumps or pockets of flour.
• Gently fold in the grated zucchini.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake on the lower rack in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool completely in the loaf pan (about 6 hours or overnight).
• Remove from loaf pan, releasing the sides with a sharp knife. Turn it out onto a cutting board, slice and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions:

• Butter/canola oil. You can use all butter or all canola oil. Or you can substitute coconut oil or ghee. You can replace the ½ cup canola oil with applesauce. 
• Granulated sugar. use white sugar or organic cane sugar.
• Brown Sugar. both light and dark brown sugar work well. 
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
• Sea salt. If you use regular table salt I recommend cutting the amount in half. 

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freeze

Cut the zucchini bread into slices. Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

How to Use Frozen Zucchini

Place frozen, shredded zucchini in a colander. Let it thaw and drain, pressing out some of the water. Use in the recipe as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

More Zucchini Recipes

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Muffins

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Zucchini Bars

Zucchini Cookies

The peanut butter & chocolate is my all-time favorite flavor combination, so naturally I had to take my recipe for the best peanut butter cookies and add chocolate, resulting in these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients. They have the perfect texture, a rich peanut butter flavor and plenty of chocolate chips!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.
• Peanut Butter. I recommend using peanut butter that is solid at room temperature You can use natural peanut butter, but be aware that the cookies may spread more and be more on the crispy side than the soft side. Also, many natural peanut butters are unsalted, so you may need to increase the amount of salt in the recipe by ¼ tsp. 
• Whole Milk. you can substitute 2% milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. White sugar or organic cane sugar are both great options.
• Cinnamon.  I think the touch of cinnamon is the chef’s kiss in this recipe, however you can omit it if you prefer.
• Sea salt. I only bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 

How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a simple cookie recipe that’s easy to make. We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by creaming the butter and peanut butter together in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Then, add the sugars and beat until combined.

Next, add the eggs, vanilla and milk and beat for 30-60 seconds on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and the sugar is dissolved.

Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet peanut butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Chill the dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

After the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.

Then, use a cookie scoop to measure 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon portions of dough and roll them into balls. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Place 12 cookies on each large baking sheet.

Then use a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern into the top of each cookie.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 9-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown, puffed and just start to crackle.

Then, let the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.

Store

Store peanut butter chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

To freeze

Freeze baked cookies for up to 1 month in an airtight container in the freezer.

Freeze the cookie dough by rolling it into balls and placing it in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for up to 1 month.

To bake, thaw cookie dough to room temperature and follow recipe instructions on pressing the tops with a fork and baking.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies recipe ever. They have chewy edges, soft centers, lots of peanut butter and chocolate chips!

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes minutes

chilling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 19 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Cookies

Calories 196kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• baking sheet
• KitchenAid Mixer
• silicone baking mat

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar packed
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chips

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
• Add sugars and beat until combined.
• Add eggs, vanilla and milk and beat for 30-60 seconds on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and sugar is dissolved.
• Add the flour, baking soda, sea salt, baking powder and cinnamon, then beat until incorporated.
• Add the chocolate chips and stir until combined.
• Transfer the dough to an airtight glass container with a lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes, and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
• Use a cookie scoop to measure 1 ½ to 2 TBS dough and roll it into a ball. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
• Place 12 cookies on each large baking sheet.
• Use a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern into the top of each cookie.
• Bake in preheated oven for approximately 9-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown, puffed and just start to crackle.
• Let the cookies sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.

Video

Notes

Store: 

Store peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Freeze: 

Freeze baked cookies for up to 1 month in an airtight container in the freezer.

Or, freeze the cookie dough by rolling it into balls and placing it in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for up to 1 month.

To bake, thaw cookie dough to room temperature and follow recipe instructions on pressing the tops with a fork and baking.

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.
• Peanut Butter. I recommend using peanut butter that is solid at room temperature You can use natural peanut butter, but be aware that the cookies may spread more and be more on the crispy side than the soft side. Also, many natural peanut butters are unsalted, so you may need to increase the amount of salt in the recipe by ¼ tsp. 
• Whole Milk. you can substitute 2% milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. White sugar or organic cane sugar are both great options.
• Cinnamon.  I think the touch of cinnamon is the chef’s kiss in this recipe, however you can omit it if you prefer.
• Sea salt. I only bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

More Cookie Recipes

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Shortbread cookies are a testimony to the fact that there is so much beauty in simplicity.

Recipes don’t have to be complicated to be amazing, and this shortbread recipe is delicious proof.

Six common ingredients come together beautifully to make shortbread cookies that are buttery and perfectly sweet. They have crispy edges and chewy centers and are complete cookie perfection.

Shortbread Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. 
• Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or white sugar.
• Egg yolks. There are no substitutes for egg yolks in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. You can substitute up to ½ teaspoon of vanilla with different flavor extracts such as lemon, orange, peppermint, almond, etc.
• All-purpose flour.  For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
• Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half. 

How to Make Shortbread Cookies

We’ll walk through this shortbread recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video!

Begin by beating the butter and sugar for 1 minute, either in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer.

Then, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt and beat for an additional minute.

Next, add the flour and beat until the mixture begins to clump together (60-90 seconds).

Once the mixture clumps together, gather the dough and roll it into a log that is 2” in diameter (about 16 inches long).

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mats.

Then, slice the cookie dough into ½ inch thick circles.

Then, evenly space the shortbread cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

Once they’re on the baking sheet, bake them in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until the cookies look set and the bottom edges just barely start to turn brown.

Let the shortbread cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve

If you are a shortbread purist, you will probably opt to serve them plain. However, you can also add icing or frosting to the cookies if you wish. Here are some suggestions:

• Dip them in chocolate ganache or slather with chocolate buttercream frosting.
• Make them fruity with lemon glaze, lemon frosting or strawberry glaze.
• Make a simple vanilla glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk and ½ tsp vanilla extract.

Store/Freeze

Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

You can also slice, then flash-freeze the cookie dough. Freeze it in an airtight container then thaw and bake fresh according to the recipe instructions.

Shortbread Cookies Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

Print

Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These are the best shortbread cookies – buttery with crispy edges and soft centers. It only takes 6 ingredients to make the most delicious shortbread recipe ever!

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chilling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 22 minutes minutes

Servings 32 Cookies

Calories 101kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• glass batter bowl
• KitchenAid Mixer
• Parchment Paper
• baking sheet
• silicone baking mat

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together butter and sugar for 1 minute.
• Add egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt and beat for an additional minute.
• Add the flour and beat until the mixture begins to clump together (60-90 seconds).
• Gather the dough and roll it into a log that is 2” in diameter (about 16 inches long).
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
• After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mats.
• Carefully slice the cookies into ½ inch thick circles.
• Evenly space the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until the cookies look set and the bottom edges just barely start to turn brown.
• Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. 
• Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or white sugar.
• Egg yolks. There are no substitutes for egg yolks in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract. You can substitute up to ½ teaspoon of vanilla with different flavor extracts such as lemon, orange, peppermint, almond, etc.
• All-purpose flour.  For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
• Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half. 

Store/Freeze

Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

You can also slice, then flash-freeze the cookie dough. Freeze it in an airtight container then thaw and bake fresh according to the recipe instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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Bread pudding is a nostalgic and cozy dessert. It’s so easy to make with 9 simple ingredients, but tastes absolutely gourmet!

This bread pudding recipe is truly the best. A rich, vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old brioche bread (or bread of your choosing) and baked to perfection. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, you will wow family and friends with this delectable treat.

In this post you will learn how to make bread pudding at home that’s fully customizable. Add cinnamon, raisins, or mix-ins of your choosing to make it your own.

Bread Pudding: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Brioche bread. Use your favorite bread! I love brioche because it’s buttery and soft, but many other breads work great including cinnamon bread, french bread, etc. Be sure to use 12 oz of bread, or about 8 cups.
• Light brown sugar. If you like a stronger molasses taste, you can use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for white sugar.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
• Whole milk/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 4 cups of liquid. I prefer using a 1 : 1 ratio of milk to cream, you can adjust that to your liking. I do not recommend using anything with a lower fat content than whole milk.

How to Make Bread Pudding

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by preheating your oven and greasing a 9×13” baking dish (preferably glass or ceramic). Then, arrange the torn bread pieces in the pan evenly.

Next, whisk the eggs together in a large bowl.

Then, whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the eggs until it’s mostly dissolved.

Next, whisk in butter, milk, cream, vanilla and sea salt until combined.

If desired, at this point you can add mix-ins like cinnamon, raisins, etc. into the custard mixture.

Then, pour the custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish.

Gently press the bread down with a spatula until every piece is absorbing the liquid.

Then, bake the bread pudding, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set and springs back lightly when pressed.

Serve

Once it has finished baking, let the bread pudding cool slightly. Then serve it warm with whipped cream, homemade vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, etc.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven to restore the fresh-from-the-oven taste!

Bread Pudding Recipe FAQS

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Easy Bread Pudding Recipe

This is the best bread pudding recipe – a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection! Learn how to make bread pudding that is moist & delicious. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for a crowd-pleasing dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 246kcal

Author Laura

Cost $9

Equipment

• glass batter bowl
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• whisk
• 9×13″ baking dish

Ingredients

• 12 oz day-old brioche bread torn into pieces (about 8 cups of bread)
• 6 eggs beaten
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 2 cups whole milk room temperature
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• More butter for greasing the pan.

Optional add-ins:

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup raisins

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9×13” pan. Arrange torn bread pieces in the pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs until smooth.
• Then, whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the eggs.
• Next, whisk in butter, milk, cream, vanilla and sea salt until combined.
• If desired, at this point you can add mix-ins like cinnamon, raisins, etc. into the custard mixture.
• Pour custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish.
• Gently press the bread down with a spatula until every piece is absorbing the liquid.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set and springs back lightly when touched or the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
• Let cool slightly, then serve warm with whipped cream, caramel sauce, etc.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Brioche bread. Use your favorite bread! I love brioche because it’s buttery and soft, but many other breads work great including cinnamon bread, french bread, etc. Be sure to use 12 oz of bread, or about 8 cups.
• Light brown sugar. If you like a stronger molasses taste, you can use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for white sugar.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
• Whole milk/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 4 cups of liquid. I prefer using a 1 : 1 ratio of milk to cream, you can adjust that to your liking. I do not recommend using anything with a lower fat content than whole milk.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven to restore the fresh-from-the-oven taste!

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 665IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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