Dessert

Fruit Pizza

January 17, 2021~ Dessert, Main, The Platefull Blog, Uncategorized

It’s been a minute, but I’m back with a really fun recipe! As we’ve added people to our family, this recipe is often highly debated. When I was a kid, we ate this for dinner, but as our family has grown, no one else seems to consider this a meal….weird. They all consider it dessert. Whatever you want to consider it, it’s delicious! I will admit, I make this as a super-fun-special-treat for my kids. They think its awesome when they get to basically eat cookies for dinner. While fueling their bodies with nourishing food is very important to me, you only live once! My family makes this Fruit Pizza every Christmas Eve, as part of our Christmas Eve Appetizer tradition.

It’s super simple to make. Roll out refrigerated sugar cookie dough into the shape of a pizza and bake according to package directions.

Make the cream cheese frosting and spread over the cooled sugar cookie crust. Set out different types of cut fruit and let people top their fruit pizza the way they like!

Fruit Pizza

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 roll of sugar cookie dough

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Assorted fruit, washed and cut

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Instructions

Spread the sugar cookie dough in a pizza sized circle on a pizza pan. Bake at 375 for 12 min. Using a mixer, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. When the cookie dough is finished cooking, let cool completely. Once cool, spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cookie. Top with cut fruit of your choice. (I use berries, apples, kiwi, banana).

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 10, 2019~ Baking, Dessert, The Platefull Blog

This is my Mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe and I think they are the absolute best! My kids haven’t ever turned one down, so I guess they think they are pretty good too. 😉

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup Crisco

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup quick oatmeal

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Beat the crisco, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tarter and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and oatmeal. Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, scoop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Squares

December 9, 2019~ Baking, Dessert, The Platefull Blog

My mom made these when I was a kid and they’ve always been one of my favorites. I make these every Christmas when I’m doing my holiday baking. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Start by combining the flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt, and melted butter to make the crust.

Press about 2/3 of the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour the caramel evenly over the top.

Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Squares

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 cup flour

1 cup quick oatmeal

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup melted butter

32 Kraft caramels, unwrapped (or 1 bag Kraft ready to melt caramel balls)

5 Tbsp evaporated milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, soda, salt and melted butter. Put about 2/3 of the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish, pressing evenly into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, melt the caramels in the microwave. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla and stir well to combine until smooth. Remove the crust from the oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Pour the caramel evenly over the top. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Candy Cane Bars

December 8, 2019~ Baking, Dessert, The Platefull Blog

Candy cane bars are a nice break from chocolate in holiday baking (don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate…like, a lot…). These bars are both beautiful and delicious!

First, make the cookie crust and press into a 9×3 prepared baking dish (lined with foil and coated with baking spray). Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes, until barely light golden.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Then, using the edges of the foil, lift the bars out of the pan and slide off of the foil onto a cutting board. Spread the frosting over the top.

Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes and snowflake sprinkles (if using).

Cut into triangles to serve. Aren’t they beautiful?!

Candy Cane Bars

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

For the bars

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

4 Tbsp plain greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

For the frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

For topping

1/4 cup finely crushed candy canes

Snowflake sprinkles (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with foil coated in cooking spray. In a mixer bowl, cream together 1/2 cup of softened butter with granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Add in the egg, greek yogurt, and vanilla and mix well to combine. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until the dough is no longer crumbly.

Press the dough into the lined baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until just starting to turn light golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the frosting, whip the softened 1/2 cup of butter until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and peppermint extract and mix to combine. Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and mix well.

Using the edges of the foil, lift the crust out of the baking dish and slide off of the foil onto a cutting board. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bars. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and snowflake sprinkles. Cut into triangles to serve.

Notes

You can find pre-crushed candy cane pieces at some specialty stores like World Market. Williams Sonoma has beautiful snowflake sprinkles.

Apple Crisp

November 23, 2019~ Dessert, The Platefull Blog

In the Fall, I much prefer apple desserts to pumpkin. My favorite dessert is my homemade apple pie, but an apple crisp accomplishes essentially the same thing, with a lot less work!

I like to use a combination of different apple types in my pies and apple crips. I always do half Granny Smith and half of another kind (usually honey crisp, pink lady, or gala).

I love to serve this apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. My favorite store bought caramel sauce is Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce.

Apple Crisp

Author: Sarah
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced apples in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Combine the granulated sugar, 2 tsp flour, and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apple. Pour the 1/4 cup of water over the apples and mix everything together.

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, remaining flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter, stirring with a fork. Crumble over the apple mixture. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until the apples are soft and the topping is starting to brown.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

November 10, 2019~ Baking, Dessert, The Platefull Blog

Every year for Thanksgiving, I make my apple pie. It’s beautiful and delicious and my absolute favorite. But, the weird people in my family love pumpkin pie. I will never understand the love for pumpkin pie, with its mushy texture. But, I do love pumpkin flavor. This cheesecake makes the perfect compromise! Don’t ask me how the mushiness of cheesecake is okay but the mushiness of pumpkin pie is inedible…that’s just the way it is. This cheesecake can be made ahead and refrigerated. On Thanksgiving Day, just decorate and serve!

Start by preparing the crust. Combine the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs and 1 Tbsp of the sugar. I try to buy graham cracker crumbs, but if I can’t find them, I let my kids turn graham crackers into crumbs for me since they are experts at making crumbs.

Then, press the crumb mixture into a springform pan. I used a pan with a bottom that lifts out because I couldn’t find my springform pan and I just wanted to eat the cheesecake already. It worked fine too.

Once you’ve mixed the filling, pour it into the pan and bake for 60-70 minutes at 350.

It will turn golden on top. My cheesecakes always crack, and it really doesn’t bother me because I just cover them with a topping. If you are super fussed about your cheesecake cracking, rumor has it you could try starting with room temperature cream cheese and bake it in a water bath. Sounds like a lot of effort to me for a cheesecake that will taste the same. I say just cover the top with whipped cream and no one will ever know. 😉

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

3 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

Whipped Cream, for serving

Chopped Pecans, for serving

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir with a fork until the mixture is combined well with the butter. It should be crumbly. Pour the crust mixture into an 8 inch springform pan. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and spices and beat until well combined. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before refrigerating.

When ready to serve, top the cheesecake with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Apple Hand Pies

October 1, 2019~ Dessert, The Platefull Blog

With the cool weather that hit this weekend, I’ve got Fall on my mind! My favorite thing in the Fall is my homemade apple pie. I’m famous for it. Pretty much. It doesn’t matter where we have Thanksgiving, or who it’s with, my made-from-scratch apple pie is always requested. It’s definitely a labor of love, but so worth the effort….once or twice a year. When I got my new air fryer, I thought, “Hmmm, could I make my apple pie in 30 minutes or less?” I’ll probably be regretting the decision to try because I certainly don’t need to be shoving down apple pies all season, but I’m delighted with how this recipe turned out! Apple pies for everyone!

Apple Hand Pies

Author: Sarah

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Ingredients

Scale

For the filling:

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced small

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

3 Tablespoons white sugar

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Water

2 Tablespoons butter (cut into 8 small pieces, for topping your pie)

For the crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

6 Tablespoons butter, softened

6 Tablespoons shortening

2–4 Tablespoons ice water

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Instructions

First, dice the apples. Then combine the sugars, cinnamon, and 1 Tablespoon water. Let stand on the counter while you prepare the dough.

For the dough, mix the four, salt, and sugar together. Add the softened butter, shortening, and 2 Tablespoons ice water. Use a pastry cutter to combine the dough. Add more ice water if the dough is too dry. Turn out onto the counter and lightly knead the dough until it comes together. If dough is too dry, add more ice water, a little at a time. If dough is too sticky, add a little flour at a time.

Now preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees.

Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness. Use a 4″ pastry cutter to cut circles in the dough. Place 1 Tablespoon of filling in the center of a dough circle and top with 1 piece of the butter. Gently slightly stretch another dough circle and place on top, letting the edges drape over the filling. Gently stretch and press the top piece of dough to the edges of the bottom piece. Use a fork to crimp the edges.

Spray the tops and bottoms of the pies with cooking spray. Place the pies on the cooking plate and cook in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes, checking carefully as they cook. I am able to fit two pies at a time in my air fryer.

When the pies are cooked, serve plain, or topped with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream!