Tag Archives: cream cheese

Peanut Butter Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on by

Peanut Butter Banana BarsThis was one healthy tasting dessert. Probably because it was. It has no flour, it has no sugar. It was quite dense, but that is to be expected. Sometimes gluten-free desserts just have a different texture than you are expecting. All in all though, they were pretty good. The peanut butter flavour is very strong in these bars, and as I am nuts about peanut butter, I was quite pleased with that. The cream cheese frosting is very thick, and just has a subtle taste of maple. Try this recipe out if you are looking for a gluten-free treat, chances are you may even have all the ingredients all ready in your house!

Recipe from Mangia!

  • 2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 c. smooth, creamy, all-natural peanut butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 T. pure maple syrup
  • 1 t. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 t. apple cider vinegar
  • ½ t. baking soda
  • For the frosting:
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • ¼ c. pure maple syrup
  • ½ t. pure vanilla extract
  1. Grease a 8×8 inch baking dish.
  2. Beat together first 7 ingredients. Place in baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Check at 25 with toothpick , to see if they have finished cooking through in the middle. Cool completely.
  3. Beat together frosting ingredients and frost bars. Place in fridge until ready to eat. Cut and serve.
  4. Eat and enjoy!

Grasshopper Cheesecake Brownies

Posted on by

Grasshopper CheesecakeThere are few things my husband and I agree on, at least in the area of food. I am most lucky to have been married to him for a wonderful 18 years (Happy Anniversary Hubby), and in those years I have learned he will pretty much eat whatever I put in front of him. I appreciate this about him, as I do love variety. I think he could quite happily eat the very same thing every single day. One of the rare things we do agree on is the mint, chocolate combo. It is pleasant, it is delightful. So what better recipe to share than these gorgeous brownies.

Recipe very slightly adapted from Yummy Crumble – Thanks! They were a big hit!

For the Brownie Layer
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 3 large room temperature eggs
  • ½ cup melted salted butter
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cheesecake
  • 12 oz. softened cream cheese
  • 6 tbsp. sugar
  • 6 tbsp. sour cream
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • ¼-1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • green food colouring
  • 15 chopped Oreo cookies

For the  topping

  • 6 Oreos
  • 1 cup Andes Mint Chocolate Pieces- divided
  1. Combine brownie ingredients with hand mixer until completely combined. Layer a 13×9 inch baking pan with tinfoil. Then scoop in brownie batter. It is thick, so just smooth out as evenly as possible.
  2. Wash your beater sticks. Beat cream cheese until smooth. A good 3 minutes. Add sugar. Beat until mixed in. Add sour cream, vanilla and salt. Beat until mixed. Add egg. Again, beat until mixed. Then add peppermint extract and food colouring. Fold in Oreos. Scoop cheesecake batter onto brownie batter, and  smooth out with spatula.
  3. Place in oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 50 minutes.
  4. Chop remaining 6 Oreos for topping, sprinkle over cheesecake. Melt 1/2 cup of the Andes and sprinkle melted chocolate over Oreos. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Andes, then place in refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours. Use a hot knife to cut into bars.
  5. Eat and enjoy!

Gluten-Free Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on by

Coconut CakeGluten-Free can certainly be hit or miss, at least for me. When I saw that this recipe didn’t have any expensive ingredients that I would have to buy, and to be honest probably not even know what it was, I thought it would be a good one to try. Nobody in our house has to live by a gluten-free diet, however we do entertain families, and in fact my bestie, is gluten-free as well, so always good to have a few stand by recipes. I would certainly make this one again, and besides cream cheese, it uses all ingredients that I keep in the pantry (or fridge), so it would be good throw together dessert. Very Simple, and very tasty too!

Recipe from The Recipe Rebel

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • ½ cup quick oats
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cornstarch
Frosting:
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered icing sugar
  • sprinkles
  1. Place all cake ingredients, except cornstarch, in blender. Puree for 3 minutes. Add cornstarch. Puree until smooth. Use spatula to scrape down sides, and puree again for good measure.
  2. Pour batter into round cake pan that has been lined with parchment paper and greased.
  3. Bake for 23 minutes at 350 degrees. Test that middle has cooked through with toothpick. Cool. Remove from pan to serving plate.
  4. Beat together cream cheese (softened), vanilla, and icing sugar 1 cup at a time. Frost cake and sprinkle edges with sprinkles.
  5. Eat and enjoy!

No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake

Posted on by

Peppermint CheesecakeWhen Christmas time comes around we are usually all about the small treats, cookies and squares abound. We like to grab a cookie on the go, then come back for another, and another. You get the idea. I make the one “big” treat, for our bestie Christmas celebration. This usually happens a few days before the actual “big” day, so it is nice to have the leftovers as extra munchies roll around. This year mint was our theme, and I knew hubby would love this Peppermint Cheesecake from Cincy Shopper. He said the best part were the bites that contained the crushed candy canes, next time I will sprinkle them over the whole pan. Keep this in mind when Christmas comes rolling back in to town. Or heck, just make it for yourself , right away!

  • Crust:
  • 22 Oreo Cookies, crushed fine. You can use a blender.
  • 3 tbsp melted Butter
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • Filling:
  • 16 oz softened Cream Cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 16 oz Heavy Cream
  • 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
  • 6 drops Pink Food Colouring
  • 2 candy canes crushed
  1. Combine crust ingredients and press into 9 inch springform pan. place in fridge while you make filling.
  2. Beat together cream cheese and sugar until combined a fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract and food colouring.
  3. Beat together heavy cream with powdered sugar until you get airy peaks. Fold gently into cream cheese mixture. Pour into pan over crust and smooth top with spatula.
  4. Sprinkle candy canes along edge. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or over night. Serve with additional whipped cream if desired.