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Apple Hand Pies! (paleo)

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Thanksgiving is fast approaching and my all-time favorite holiday. It’s a time to rejoice with family and loved ones, give thanks, enjoy a good meal together, and end the day with a plethora of desserts. What could be better than that? And while, unfortunately, this year people may not be able to gather together with loved ones as they have in years prior, it is my deep hope that everyone is still able to enjoy a special meal and be grateful for all that we still have. And if a special meal seemslike too much, then at least a special holiday-esque, fall-inspired dessert! These (paleo) Apple Hand Pies pack all the flavors and warm cozy goodness of an apple pie without having to commit to, well, a whole pie. And they are made better-for-you! Plus, you can eat them with your hands, which means less plates to clean! Unless, that is, you want to top these with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. At which point, a plate is probably best.

What Do These Apple Hand Pies Taste Like?

These healthified, single serve pies taste exactly like a classic apple pie. An inviting flakey golden-brown crust encases an apple filling that is perfectly spiced with the likes of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. These mini-pies have the perfect ratio of crust to apple filling. They are so incredibly delicious I suspect that even the harshest of critics would not guess that they are made better-for-you. And while a traditional apple pie requires at least one hour of cooling before being able to slice, these are best served warm when just slightly cooled from the oven.

How Do You Make Them?

These Apple Hand Pies are fairly easy to make! I will say that these do require a bit of time, patience, and some rolling out of dough. That being said, this dough is exceptionally easy to work with. It is made with almond flour and contains no gluten, so there is no need to worry about overworking the dough. If you see that the dough is starting to get a bit sticky or break, just pop it back in the freezer for a few minutes to help it firm back up. The Apple Hand Pies are definitely worth the time to make. Here’s a quick rundown of the steps and check out step-by-photos of the recipe below:

  1. Make the dough by mixing together the dry ingredients, mashing in the coconut oil and maple syrup, then sprinkling in ice water until a soft dough comes together. I made this by hand, but this can absolutely be made in a food processor.
  2. Separate dough into two discs and wrap in parchment paper.
  3. Let dough chill in the fridge for two hours and up to two days. Or, if you’re short on time, chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
  4. Roll out the dough.
  5. Cut 3-inch circles from the dough. I used the largest circle from this set (which I bought for my Homemade Thin Mints recipes) but you can use the rim of a wide glass or the lid of a wide mouth mason jar instead. These will be the bases for the pies.
  6. Roll and cut out circles with second half of the dough, then gently roll out the second batch of circles so they become a slightly larger 3 ½ inch wide circle. These will become the tops of the hand pies.
  7. Make the filling while the dough circles rest in the fridge.
  8. Brush base rounds with egg wash or dairy free milk to make vegan.
  9. Fill the base rounds with a small mound of filling.
  10. Cover the filling with the top (larger) dough rounds.
  11. Seal the pies with your fingers then close the edges with a fork.
  12. Brush with egg wash (or vegan alternative), cut air vents in the top of the crust, and finish with a dusting of coarse sugar.
  13. Bake, let cool slightly, and enjoy!

These can be baked in advance, stored, covered, in the freezer, then reheated in the oven for a few minutes before serving!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

These Apple Hand Pies are made healthier as they contain no refined sugars, flours, or oils. They are also paleo-friendly meaning they are free from gluten, grain, and dairy. Plus, they are easily made vegan by omitting the egg wash and substituting with a dairy-free milk of choice or melted and cooled coconut oil. Here’s a rundown of the ingredients:

  • Almond Flour – The base of the pastry dough and makes them gluten and grain free!
  • Tapioca Flour – Tapioca flour is used in both the pastry to help crisp and brown the dough and in the filling, which thickens the apple mixture.
  • Maple Syrup – Adds moisture and the perfect amount of sweetness to the pastry.
  • Coconut Oil – Instead of butter or hydrogenated oil, coconut oil helps makes the dough wonderfully chewy while still being crisp! Use refined coconut oil for a no-coconut flavor.
  • Egg – To help the filling stick and add color to the exterior of the pastry when baked. If vegan, brush the pastry with your favorite non-dairy milk or some more melted and slightly cooled coconut oil.
  • Apples – The recipe only uses two to three apples. I tend to go for Granny Smiths when making pies because they are inherently tart and create a nicely balanced filling. Use any apple you like, I recommend Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, or McIntosh.
  • Coconut Sugar – To make these mini pies refined sugar free and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the filling.
  • Lemon Juice – Adds moisture to the filling and brings out the sweetness of the apples in contrast to the tart citrus juice.
  •  Spices! – All the classic spices you’d expect in an Apple Pie, ample cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
  • Sprinkling Sugar – The finishing touch to these Apple Hand Pies is a dusting of coarse sugar. I used organic cane sugar but turbinado or demerara sugar are also great options. Or leave this out to make these strictly refined sugar free.

These Apple Hand Pies are the perfect fall treat! They are great to enjoy on your own or to impress your loved ones with personal pies! Either way, these are sure to satisfy any apple pie craving while being made better-for-you. And as with most Apple Pies, these are exceptionally delicious when paired with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, easily vegan

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Healthy Apple Hand Pies

These healthified, single serve pies are even better than a classic Apple Pie. They pack all the flavor of a regular pie without having to commit to baking an entire pie. They have a perfect ratio of crust to filling, and you can eat them with your hands!

paleo-friendly, refined sugar free, easily made vegan

Ingredients

Pie Dough

  • 2 cups almond flour 240 grams
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour 60 grams
  • 1 tsp baking powder 4 grams
  • 1/2 tsp salt 1 gram
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup 85 grams
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil 55 grams room temperature. if liquid, chill in fridge a few minutes until solid.
  • 2-3 tbsp ice water 28-42 grams

Apple Filling

  • 2 medium or 3 small apples 12 ounces, cut into ¼ inch chunks
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar 36 grams
  • 1 tbsp tapioca flour 7 grams
  • 2 tsp lemon juice 8 grams
  • 1 tsp cinnamon 4 grams
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ¼ tsp salt

Finishing Touches

  • Egg wash: 1 egg whisked with 2 tsp milk of choice. If vegan use dairy free milk or melted and slightly cooled coconut oil.
  • 2 tbsp Sprinkling Sugar Organic cane sugar, turbinado, or demerara.

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and sea salt with a large fork until well combined.
  2. Add the maple syrup and coconut oil to the bowl and using the fork, mash everything together until the largest pieces of coconut oil are the size of small peas and the mixture has the texture of damp sand.
  3. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water and gently stir the dough with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add additional water in small splashes if necessary to form a dough.
  4. Separate the dough into two even discs. Wrap discs tightly in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. If short on time, chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

  5. Once chilled, roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, into a large rectangle ¼ in thick. Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, a similarly sized glass rim, or wide mouth mason jar lid to cut out circles from the dough. Remove the scraps, re-roll the dough, and cut out circles until all dough is used. You should get 10 dough rounds from one dough disc. These will be the base rounds of the pies. *See original post for step-by-step photos*

  6. Place the discs on a piece of parchment paper and slide onto the bottom of a baking sheet or a large cutting board to help easily transport the dough rounds to the fridge or, ideally, the freezer.
  7. Repeat steps to roll out the second disc of dough. Once you cut out 10 circles, use the rolling pin, or a straight sided glass to gently flatten the dough rounds into thinner, 3 ½ inch wide circles. Try to keep the circular shape as much as possible. These larger circles will become the upper crusts.
  8. Place larger rounds on a piece of parchment paper and place in the fridge or freezer. You can stack these on top of the other dough rounds.
  9. Arrange one rack in the bottom third of the oven and one in the center, heat oven to 375 degrees, and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
  10. Make the filling. Place chopped apples in a medium bowl, add all remaining filling ingredients, and stir until everything is well coated.
  11. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the egg with 2 tsp of dairy free milk in a small bowl. Or if vegan, use 2 tsp of dairy free milk of choice or 1 tbsp melted coconut oil.
  12. Remove (smaller) base dough rounds from the fridge/freezer and brush the surfaces with egg wash.
  13. Add a small heap of apple filling (without the juice) in the center of each dough round leaving a ¼ inch border around the edges.
  14. Remove the (larger) top crust dough rounds from the fridge/freezer and gently place over each the filling. Close the edges with your fingers and press a fork along the perimeter to seal the pie.
  15. Brush tops with egg wash. Using a sharp knife cut four air vents in the center of each pie. Then dust with sprinkling sugar.
  16. Bake on the bottom rack for 9 minutes, then move to center rack to bake for an additional 9-10 minutes.
  17. Hand pies are done when they are crisp and golden all over.
  18. Let cool slightly, then serve! Add a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream for Apple Hand Pie ala mode!

Recipe Notes

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links):  round cookie cutter, silicon spatula, kitchen scale, pastry brush

Apple Options: Choose any slightly tart and not overly sweet apples. Good options are: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Fuji, or McIntosh.

To Make Dough in a Food Processor: Pulse the dry ingredients together a few times, add the coconut oil and maple syrup, pulse until coconut oil is the size of small peas, drizzle in water, and pulse a few final times until a soft dough forms.

Assembly Tips: The dough will be easiest to work with when it's cold. Ensure that there is enough room in your fridge or, ideally, freezer to accommodate the pieces of dough between steps. I like to use a large cutting board to transport the dough to and from the fridge.

Storage: These can be made in advance, stored in the freezer in an airtight container, then just reheated in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. No need to bring them to room temperature before re-heating. Or make ahead and freeze and bake/toaster oven one at time when ready to enjoy!

Make Ahead:  Pie dough can be made up to two days in advance stored in the fridge. The dough can be rolled out and cut into rounds and stored, covered tightly, in the freezer for up to a week. These can be made completely in advance and simply reheated in a hot oven (see above for heat/time) before ready to serve.

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Sweet Potato Cookie Skillet (paleo & nut free)

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A fall inspired twist on the popular cookie skillet! This Sweet Potato Cookie Skillet is perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall occasion when you feel like enjoying something incredibly delicious without all the fuss. This giant deep dish autumnal cookie is made in just one bowl, bakes up in just about 20 minutes, has the perfect amount of cozy warming spices, a healthy dose of chocolate, and so delicious you’ll be saying, “Pumpkin, who?”.

What Does This Cookie Skillet Taste Like?

This Sweet Potato Cookie Skillet is like one big cookie that’s perfectly soft and just melts in your mouth. It is packed with one whole cup of sweet potato puree and an easy blend of warming spices. It has incredibly satisfying crispy crust and edges and the center is addictingly moist and just perfectly dense. Although it’s incredibly similar in flavor to pumpkin, sweet potato is a bit more subtle which I found to be incredibly refreshing. The cookie is simply spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger which really lets the sweet potato shine in all its glory. These earthy flavors are well complemented by a heavy hand of dark chocolate chips.

How Is This Cookie Skillet Made?

The steps to making this super comforting dessert could not be any easier! You can go from empty bowl to completed cookie skillet in just about 30 minutes! Here’s a rundown of the steps:

  1. Heat oven & prepare skillet or other baking dish.
  2. Mix wet ingredients together in a large bowl if mixing by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  3. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until a thick dough forms.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Pour the dough into prepared skillet.
  6. Add additional chocolate chips to the top. This is totally optional, butttt really, it’s not. Just throw those chippies on and never look back. You’ll thank me later.
  7. Bake for 21-22 minutes. Or slightly less/more if using a different type of baking dish.
  8. Let cool, then slice, and enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget the ice cream.

This is amazing served warmed. And if you’re enjoying this with an intimate party I highly recommend ditching the plates, topping this with a few big scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream, and diving right in. There’s something incredibly satisfying about eating straight out of the baking vessel and, somehow, makes it taste even better. This might just be the peak of cozy fall enjoyment. This cookie skillet can also be made ahead and either served at room temperature or to serve warm, reheat the whole pan for a few minutes in the oven, let cool slightly, then slice!

Don’t Have A Skillet? No Problem!

I used a large 10 1/4 inch deep dish cast iron skillet and love how the extra hot pan creates crispy edges while keeping the center moist. So, using a similar heavy pan is ideal. However, if you do not have a cast iron you can absolutely make this in any similarly size, oven-safe pan. Alternatively, you can use a baking dish such as a 9 or 10 inch round cake/pie pan, or an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Just keep in mind that these will change the baking time, bake for 18 minutes and then start to keep an eye on the cookie. The edges should be golden brown and the center set and slightly puffed. Test for doneness by piercing the center with a toothpick, it should come out clean, with no batter, but potentially some melty chocolate.

What Ingredients Are Used?

This healthified dessert is made better-for-you as it contains no refined sugars, flours, or oils. It is paleo-friendly meaning it has no gluten, grain, or dairy. Plus it’s nut-free! Here’s a look at the main ingredients and some subs/variations.

  • Sunflower Seed Butter – I love using sunflower seed butter for this recipe as it is thick and creamy and gives the cookie a delicious moistness. The flavor is fairly neutral so it does not overshadow the sweet potato and spices. Use any other thick and creamy nut or seed butter that contains only one ingredient (no added sugar or oil). Some good options are almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter.
  • Sweet Potato Puree – I used canned sweet potato because it was easiest but this is a great way to maximize your (Thanksgiving) meal prep. Just steam, boil, or roast some extra sweet potato and puree or mash until it becomes a smooth and even mixture.
  • Avocado Oil – This adds more moisture and helps the cookie crisp! Feel free to use olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil. I use and love Chosen Foods Avocado oil which I buy from Costco for the best pricing.
  • Coconut Sugar – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness and keeps the dessert free from any refined sugars! I use and love Nutiva’s organic coconut sugar.
  • Eggs – To help puff the cookie!
  • Vanilla – Adds depth of flavor to the cookie.
  • Cassava Flour –  A gluten and grain free flour very similar to white flour but is not bleached, refined, or overly processed. Cassava flour is nut free and paleo!
  • Tapioca Flour – Tapioca flour helps thicken the dough without making it too floury.
  • Chocolate Chips – I’ll be honest, when I’m baking for myself I never measure chocolate chips. I just toss them in, in copious amounts, until I see that there’s a reasonable (read: heavy handed) distribution of chocolate to dough/batter. In this recipe I use a responsible 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in the dough and another 1/4 cup scattered over the top which, I think, is the perfect balance of chocolate to sweet potato cookie, so that is my official recommendation. I also used a mix of both mini and regular sized chocolate chips because that’s what I had on hand. So use whatever feels right to you! To keep this refined sugar free, use your favorite coconut or maple sugar sweetened bar chopped into chunks!
  • Spices – Fall desserts are all about the warming spices and this is no different. You’ll need cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to enhance the sweet potato flavor.

Can I Make This With Pumpkin Puree Instead?

Yep! Just replace the sweet potato in even amounts for pumpkin puree and prepare the recipe exactly the same way. Should you decide to use pumpkin puree I recommend doubling the amount of spices as the pumpkin flavor is a little more assertive than sweet potato.

This Sweet Potato Cookie Skillet is the perfect dessert to enjoy for Thanksgiving, a gathering, or any fall day! It’s quick and super easy to make, made with better-for-you ingredients, and just so incredibly tasty that it’s sure to be a new family favorite! Especially when topped with a scoop of your favorite vanilla!

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut free

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Sweet Potato Cookie Skillet

A thick, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth cookie spiked with sweet potato puree and cozy warming spices. This is the perfect quick, easy & delicious dessert to celebrate fall and sure to please your friends and family. Especially when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, & nut-free

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup sweet potato puree (243 grams)
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar (114 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (140 grams)
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil (79 grams)
  • 2 eggs ideally room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup cassava flour (130 grams)
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour (30 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (2 grams)
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks (94-141 grams)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and prepare 10 1/4 inch deep skillet by greasing with additional oil. See notes for alternative baking dishes.

  2. Mix wet ingredients together in a large bowl, if mixing by hand, or in the bowl of a stand mixer until thick and fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  3. Add all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) to wet mixture and stir together until just fully mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing to ensure the ingredients are thoroughly distributed and avoid over-mixing.

  4. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
  5. Pour the batter into prepared skillet and, using a rubber spatula, spread out into an even layer.
  6. Add additional chocolate chips to the top of the dough. Optional, but not really.

  7. Bake for 21-22 minutes (if using an alternative dish start checking for doneness after 18 minutes). Cookie is done when the edges are crisp and starting to brown and the center is set and slightly puffed. Use a toothpick pierced into the center to test for doneness. The toothpick should come out clean.

  8. Let cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp with a scoop of your favorite vanilla!

Recipe Notes

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): 10 1/4 inch cast iron deep skillet, silicon spatula, kitchen scale

Serving Tips: This is best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Make Ahead: This cookie skillet can be made ahead, then re-heated at 350 for 5-7 minutes, let cool slightly then slice. This can also be a few hour before and served at room temperature. 

No Skillet? Use a 9 or 10 inch pie or cake pan or square baking dish. This will change the baking time. Bake for 18 minutes then begin to check the cookie for doneness. 

Ingredient Subs/Variations:
Sunflower Seed Butter: Use any thick and creamy nut/seed butter such as cashew butter, almond butter, or peanut butter instead of sunflower seed butter. Ideally use one that contains one ingredient (no added sugars or oil). Thoroughly mix the nut/seed butter in the container before measuring and do not use the compacted paste at the bottom. 

Avocado Oil: Instead use olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil.

Sweet Potato Puree: Use homemade sweet potato that has been thoroughly mashed or pureed instead of canned. And if you like, sub pumpkin for sweet potato, just double the spices called from in the original recipe. 

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Healthier Homemade Pop-Tarts! (paleo)

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If there’s one thing from my childhood that I truly miss eating, it’s Pop-Tarts. Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts to be precise. It seemed like there was never a wrong time to enjoy a Pop-Tart be it breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert. Popping that cinnamony goodness into the toaster until the pastry is just perfectly crisp and golden and the filling warm and gooey – well that was just pure bliss. But, as I started to become more aware of ingredients and nutrition I left my beloved Pop-Tarts behind. That is, until now. I have been wanting to create a Healthier Pop-Tart for so long and this recipe is many many months in the making. So I am exceptionally happy to finally share these Healthier Homemade Pop-Tarts!

What Do They Taste Like?

These Homemade Pop-Tarts taste almost exactly like the original boxed variety but without all the additives and preservatives. My recipe has an almond flour based pastry dough that crisps up to an enticing golden brown while still maintaining a perfect chewy texture. The filling is coconut sugar based, instead of brown sugar to avoid the refined sugars, with a punch of cinnamon to create a wonderfully cozy gooey center when warm. And of course, finished off with a cinnamon spiked frosting (which is actually more of a cinnamon sugar glaze) that amplifies the cinnamony filling so you get delicious pastry and cinnamon sugar in every single bite.

How Are These Pop-Tarts Made?

It is actually fairly simple to make your own toaster pastry and definitely worth the extra effort. This homemade version is not only better-for-you it actually tastes better than the original (in my humble opinion). Here’s an overview of the steps. Also, check out the step-by-steps photo below on how to roll out the dough.

  1. Make the pastry by first mixing together the dry ingredients. Then mash in the maple syrup and coconut oil until it becomes a damp sandy texture. Then, drizzle in ice cold water and fold until a dough forms.
  2. Separate dough into even 2 discs. Wrap discs in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
  3. Roll out one piece of dough into a large 9×10 rectangle.
  4. Cut a large rectangle of 8×9. Use a ruler for this. And I find a pizza cutter to be the easiest tool for crisp lines.
  5. Slice the rectangle in half lengthwise so you have two 4×9 strips of pastry.
  6. Then slice widthwise into thirds. So you will have six 3×4 rectangles. Again check out the picture below to see the slicing method.
  7. Brush dough with egg wash. This helps the filling stick to the pastry. To make these vegan just brush the dough with your favorite dairy free milk.
  8. Make filling by just mixing 3 ingredients in a small bowl.
  9. Add filling to one side of the pastry rectangles, leaving a small border around the edges.
  10. Cover the filling with other side of pastry.
  11. Brush top with egg wash or dairy free milk if vegan.
  12. Seal the edges of the filled pastry with your fingers. Use a fork to close the edges of the pastry and poke a few air holes in the top layer of the pastry.
  13. Repeat steps with other piece of dough. 
  14. Bake for 21 minutes. 
  15. Make the frosting by mixing 4 ingredients together in a small bowl.
  16. Frost the Pop-Tarts once they have cooled slightly.
  17. Enjoy!

These Pop-Tarts are excellent while warm just after the frosting has set. But, just like the original, these can be stored and toasted for a quick treat on-the-go. Just freeze the finished Pop-Tarts on a tray, and once frozen, store in a freezer safe container or storage bag. To reheat, just toast on lowest setting or microwave briefly until warm!

Let’s Talk About The Frosting

While these can absolutely be enjoyed without the frosting, I find that the frosting really makes these just perfect. The frosting is incredibly easy to make and even easier to spread onto the pastry and it only takes a few minutes to set. The frosting is really more of a sugar glaze and made from powdered sugar, a bit of milk, a hit of cinnamon, and some vanilla extract. I tested the frosting with a variety of different sugars including Lakanto sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar. The Lakanto is a good option if you want to reduce the amount of overall sugar, but I found the erythritol aftertaste to be a little too pronounced for my liking. Powdered coconut sugar is a good option to keep these strictly refined sugar free. It tasted great but turned the frosting a slightly unappealing brown color. I definitely prefer the organic cane sugar as it tasted most similar to the original without being too processed and the color was just right.

How To Make Your Own Powdered Sugar

I made my own powdered sugar because I don’t use it often and hate committing to a full bag. This is totally not necessary, feel free to use any pre-made powdered sugar you like! If making your own, you can essentially use any type of granular sugar. Just choose the sugar that suits you most. To make your own powdered sugar, simply blend the granulated sugar in a high powered blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder. This only takes about a minute or so. Just be sure that your machine is super dry beforehand. You will need slightly less granular sugar for the amount of powdered sugar called for in the recipe. For example, I used 6 tablespoons of organic cane sugar to get 1/2 cup (8 tbsps) of powdered cane sugar.

What Ingredients Are Used?

The best part of these Homemade Pop-Tarts is that they taste so similar to the original but without all the junk! They contain no refined flours, sugars, or oils. They are also paleo-friendly meaning they contain no gluten, grain, or dairy! These are also very easily made vegan! Here’s a look at the main ingredients used in this recipe and some substitutes/variations!

  • Almond Flour –  The base of the pastry dough and makes them gluten and grain free!
  • Tapioca Flour – Tapioca flour is used in both the pastry to help thicken and crisp the dough and in the filling which acts as a binder for the cinnamon and coconut sugar.
  • Maple Syrup – Adds moisture and the perfect amount of sweetness to the pastry.
  • Coconut Oil – Instead of butter or hydrogenated oil, coconut oil helps makes the dough wonderfully chewy while still being crisp! Use refined coconut oil for a no-coconut flavor.
  • Coconut Sugar – Used in the filling and tastes very similar to traditional brown sugar without being overly processed or refined.
  • Egg – To help the filling stick and add color to the exterior of the pastry when baked. If vegan, brush the pastry with your favorite non-dairy milk!
  • Cinnamon – Of course we need lots of cinnamon for these cinnamon packed Pop-Tarts!
  • Powdered Cane Sugar of Choice – Use any powdered sugar you like. Make your own powdered sugar using coconut sugar to keep this refined sugar free. Use Lakanto powdered sugar to reduce the sugar content. Or make your own powdered organic cane sugar. (See the section above on how to make your own.)
  • Milk – Use any dairy/non-dairy milk to create the frosting!
  • Vanilla – To add an extra touch of flavor to the frosting.

These Healthier Homemade Pop-Tarts are so incredibly tasty and definitely worth making at home. They pack all the fun flavor of the original without all the extra junk. Prep these in advanced and toast ’em up for a quick, delicious, and healthier treat on-the-go. These Homemade Pop-Tarts make me certain now, more than ever, that there’s really never a wrong time to enjoy a toaster pastry.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), vegan-option

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Healthier Homemade Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

These Homemade Pop-Tarts are even better than the original. They taste almost exactly like the boxed variety but without all the junk!

paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), vegan option

Servings 6 pastries

Ingredients

Pastry Dough

  • 2 cups almond flour (240 grams)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour (60 grams)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (1 gram)
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup (85 grams)
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil (55 grams) room temperature. if liquid, chill in fridge a few minutes until solid.
  • 2-3 tbsp ice water (28-42 grams)

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (72 grams)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon (5 grams)
  • 1 tbsp tapioca flour (7 grams)
  • egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 2 tsp milk of choice if vegan just use milk of choice

Cinnamon Frosting

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar of choice (see notes)
  • 2 tsp milk of choice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and sea salt with a large fork until well combined.

  2. Add the maple syrup and coconut oil to the bowl and using the fork, mash everything together until the largest pieces of coconut oil are the size of small peas and the mixture has the texture of damp sand.

  3. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water and gently stir the dough with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a soft dough form. Add additional water in small splashes if necessary to form a dough.

  4. Separate the dough into two even discs. Wrap discs tightly in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

  5. When ready to bake heat, oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Roll out one piece of dough into a large 9x10 rectangle. See original post for step-by-step photos of cutting and assembling the Pop-Tarts.

  6. Cut a large rectangle of 8x9 inches. Using a ruler is helpful and I find a pizza cutter to be the easiest tool for crisp straight lines.

  7. Slice the rectangle lengthwise so you have two 4x9 strips of pastry.

  8. Then slice widthwise into thirds making six 3x4 rectangles.

  9. Brush all six pieces of dough with egg wash. If vegan just brush the dough with your dairy free milk of choice.

  10. Make the filling by mixing the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and tapioca flour together in a small bowl until well incorporated.

  11. Heap half the filling onto the three pieces of the pastry dough leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges.

  12. Cover the filling with other side of pastry. If moving the pastry dough around is difficult it is helpful to place the dough back in the fridge for a few minutes to help re-firm the dough and allow for easier handling. Brush the top with egg wash or dairy free milk if vegan.

  13. Seal the edges of the filled pastry by pressing down slightly with your fingers. Then, use a fork to close the edges of the pastry. Again this is easier for the dough is cold. Poke a few air holes in the top layer of the pastry using the fork or a toothpick.

  14. Repeat rolling and filling steps with other pastry disc.

  15. Bake for 19-21 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown all over and just browning at the edges. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

  16. Make the frosting by mixing together the powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a small bowl until an even mixture forms.

  17. Once Pop-Tarts have cooled slightly spoon a bit of frosting on the top of the pastry and create a rectangle of frosting. Let the frosting set a few minutes and once firm, enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): silicon spatula, kitchen scale, pizza cutter, pastry brush

Assembly Tips: The dough will be easiest to work with when it's cold. I like to roll out the dough on a large cutting board, this makes it easiest to transport to and from the fridge if the dough starts to get too warm to work with.

Storage: Just like the original, these can be stored and toasted for a quick treat on-the-go. Just freeze the finished Pop-Tarts on a tray, and once frozen, store in a freezer safe container or storage bag. When ready to eat, just toast on lowest setting or microwave  until warm! 

Homemade Powdered Sugar: To make your own powdered sugar simply blend any granulated sugar in a high powered blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder. This only takes about a minute or so. Just be sure that your machine is super dry beforehand. You will need slightly less granular sugar for the amount of powdered sugar in the recipe. I used 6 tablespoon of organic cane sugar to get 1/2 cup of powdered cane sugar. 

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Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies (paleo & nut free)

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The Type A person in me needs things to be even – balanced, equal, and fair. Otherwise a little itch develops in my brain that I just cannot help but try to scratch obsessively until all things are in order and thereby relieving said itch. So, when I created the recipe for my Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies, I knew I had to create the inverse treat so as not to show dessert favoritism and avoid the forthcoming insatiable baking itch. So here they are! The counterpart, soul mate, complement to my last dessert mash up – healthified Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies! Yep, a brownie. Stuffed. IN. A. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE!

What Do They Taste Like?

These stuffed cookies are just as the name implies – a soft and chewy chocolate chip studded cookie stuffed with a fudgy and deeply chocolatey brownie batter. The combination of the chewy cookie edges and melty chocolate chips with the intense brownie center is truly something to behold. And while both brownies and chocolate chip cookies are wonderful on their own, there’s something incredibly satisfying about enjoying them together in one delicious mouthful. Like a good couple, each part helps the other shine brighter than it would on it’s own making you think that, maybe, they should be together forever. And this CCC + Brownie match is like a celebrity coupling I hope never breaks up.

How Are They Made?

These Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are incredibly easy to make, but do take a bit of planning as the chocolate chip cookie dough needs to chill for, ideally, a few hours. So be sure to plan ahead. The chocolate chip cookie dough whips up in just one bowl, then the brownie batter is made in a separate bowl and both set aside to chill. When ready to bake, balls of cookie dough and brownie batter are made, then stuffed together! Check out the set-by-step photos below. Here’s a quick overview of the steps:

  1. Make the cookie dough: By first creaming together the wet ingredients in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then add in the dry ingredients, stir until a sticky batter forms. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
  2. Make the brownie batter: This is a small batch brownie batter so it is easily stirred together by hand. Similar to the cookie dough, beat the wet ingredients together, add the dry ingredients, and stir until just fully incorporated. I added mini chocolate chips to the brownie batter. This is optional, but highly recommended.
  3. Let doughs chill. The brownie batter just needs to chill in the fridge. The cookie dough needs a more intense chilling as the dough is fairly sticky. Ideally, the dough should be chilled in the freezer for 2 hours, but you can get away with a minimum of about 40 minutes. Chilling for longer however, will make the stuffing process much easier. If you plan ahead, you can chill the dough in the fridge overnight.
  4. Heat oven to 360 (yes 360 degrees) when ready to bake and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
  5. Stuff the cookies. Scoop out 10 balls of chocolate chip cookie dough and 10 small 1/2 inch brownie batter balls. I used a 50 mm scoop for the cookie dough and a 25 mm scoop for the brownie batter. There may be some extra brownie batter, don’t worry, we’ll get to that.
  6. Flatten the cookie dough in the palm of your hand.
  7. Add a brownie batter ball to the center.
  8. Enclose the brownie with the edges of the cookie until completely covered. Roll the ball in your hand to create an even sphere. Place back on the baking sheet and press down slightly to create a short and fat cookie disc.
  9. Repeat with all cookie dough balls.
  10. Bake for 10-12 minutes! Let cool on baking sheet, then transfer to baking rack to cool further.
  11. Enjoy! These are incredible slightly warm when the chocolate is still melty. Unsurprisingly, they are also delicious at room temperature or even straight out of the freezer.

Some Tips:

  1. Wet hands help! The cookie dough is sticky, and the length of time you chill the dough and the temperature of your hands and kitchen will determine how easy the dough is to work with. If you find the dough to be too sticky, you can use very slightly damp hands to reduce the stickiness while stuffing the cookies.
  2. Extra Brownie Batter? If you have some extra brownie batter form it into a cookie shape and bake with the stuffed cookies for a bonus, super fudgy brownie cookie!

Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

These epic cookies are incredibly delicious while being better-for-you. They contain no refined sugars, flours, or oils. They are paleo-friendly, meaning they are gluten, grain, and dairy free. And they are nut-free! Don’t let the seemingly long ingredient list in the recipe below dissuade you from making these, the ingredients repeat in both doughs. There are only 12 total ingredients in the recipe (including the salt!). Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients used and some recommended substitutes.

  • Sunbutter: The base for the doughs and what gives them the moist, chewy, fudginess. Sub for another thick and creamy nut/seed butter like cashew, almond, or peanut butter. Choose one that contains only ingredient and has no added oils or sweeteners.
  • Coconut Oil: To help give the cookies more moisture without making the dough too sticky. Choose refined coconut oil for a more neutral tasting oil.
  • Eggs: To help puff up the doughs.
  • Coconut Sugar: The best refined sugar free granular sweetener. Coconut sugar gives them the perfect amount of sweetness without being overbearing.
  • Vanilla: Flavor!
  • Cassava Flour: A gluten and grain free flour very similar to white flour but is not bleached, refined, or overly processed. It’s nut free and paleo!
  • Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour helps thicken the dough without making them too floury.
  • Cocoa Powder: What gives the brownie batter the super chocolatey flavor. Use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cacao powder or cocoa mix.
  • Cinnamon: More flavor!
  • Salt: To balance the sweet.
  • Chocolate Chips: Can’t have a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate chips! I used regular sized semi-sweet chocolate chips for the cookie dough. I also added mini chocolate chips to the brownie batter for extra ooey gooey-ness, but this is totally optional. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate bar chopped into chunks instead of regular chocolate chips!

This twofer of a cookie is incredibly delicious and made better-for-you. They are so good in fact, that I may just be starting to believe that the best chocolate chip cookie is actually one that is stuffed with brownie! But I’ll let you be the judge of that.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, nut free

5 from 1 vote
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Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

It turns out the best cookie is actually one that is stuffed with brownie. These Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are incredibly delicious, easy to make, and made better-for-you! Cookie cheers to that!

paleo (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, nut free

Servings 10 cookies

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar (114 grams)
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (61 grams)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (49 grams) melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs ideally room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla (4 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cassava flour (78 grams)
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp tapioca flour (37 grams)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (1 gram)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips/chunks (83 grams)

Brownie Batter

  • 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (61 grams)
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (36 grams)
  • 1 egg ideally room temp
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (29 grams) not cacao powder or cocoa mix
  • 2 tbsp cassava flour (19 grams)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp chocolate chips (20 grams) optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough by creaming together the coconut sugar, sunflower seed butter, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl if mixing by hand, or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until thick and bubbly.

  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cassava flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir until just fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl once more during mixing.

  3. Stir in the chocolate chips.

  4. Let dough chill in the freezer, ideally for 2 hours or at least 40 minutes. If chilling overnight, store in the fridge.

  5. Make the brownie batter by mixing together the sunflower seed butter, coconut sugar, and egg together in a medium bowl until thick and creamy.

  6. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and stir until no streaks remain and a thick batter forms. Stir in the chocolate chips if using. Store in the fridge.

  7. Once the dough has chilled, heat oven to 360 degrees (yes, 360) and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

  8. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out 10 balls of chocolate chip cookie dough. Make 10 1/2 inch balls of brownie batter. There may be some brownie batter left over, we will use it.

  9. Fill the cookie dough (see original post for step-by-step photos). Press down a cookie dough ball in the palm of your hand to create a flat circle. Place 1 ball of brownie batter in the center of the cookie dough and fold the cookie edges over the brownie until fully encased.

  10. Roll the dough in your hand to create an even sphere, place back on the baking sheet and press down slightly with the palm of your hand to create a short round disc.

  11. Repeat until all cookie dough is used and place stuffed cookie dough on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.

  12. If you have leftover brownie batter, form into a cookie shape and bake with the stuffed cookies for a super fudgy bonus cookie!

  13. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown and the tops of the cookies have puffed.

  14. Let cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool further. These are incredible just warm while the chocolate is still melty. Unsurprisingly, they are also delicious at room temperature or even straight out of the freezer.

Recipe Notes

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): ice cream scoops (large 50mm & small 25mm), silicon spatula, kitchen scale

Storage: Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so. Afterwards move to the freezer for longer storage. 

Cookie Stuffing Tips: The colder the dough the easier the stuffing process will be. I found it easiest to scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough into balls directly on the baking sheet after about an hour of chill time in the freezer, then placing the whole baking sheet in the freezer for the remaining hour. If you find the dough to be a little sticky it helps to lightly dampen your hands with a little water. Likewise, if the stuffed cookie dough balls are looking a little rough around the edges, use slightly moist hands to smooth out the surface before baking.

Ingredient Subs/Variations:
Sunflower Seed Butter: Use cashew butter, almond butter, or peanut butter instead of sunflower seed butter. Ideally use one that contains one ingredient (no added sugars or oil). Thoroughly mix the nut/seed butter in the container before measuring and do not use the compacted paste at the bottom. 
Coconut Oil: Use refined coconut oil for a no-coconut flavor. 
Cocoa Powder: Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not cocoa mix or cacao powder. Some good brands are Organic Cocoa Powder from Whole Food's 365 brand,  Equal Exchange's Baking Cocoa, or Guittard's Cocoa Powder (what I used in this recipe).
Strictly Refined Sugar Free/Paleo: Use your favorite paleo-friendly bar chopped into small chunks to make this strictly paleo and refined sugar free.
Chocolate Chips: Make this extra chocolatey by adding chocolate chips/chunks to both cookie dough and brownie batter. I used regular semi-sweet chocolate chips for the chocolate chip cookie dough and mini chocolate chips in the brownie batter.

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Healthy Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies (paleo & nut free)

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There is something deeply satisfying about a well executed two-in-one combination. More often than not however, these two-in-one contraptions fail to accomplish one (or both) of the tasks it is mean to achieve. A classic example of this is the spork, a spoon + fork hybrid that has tines too shallow to be a good fork and too many tines to be a good spoon (meaning any greater than 0). Amazon is riddled with silly devices like this; products with good intentions, but likely will not satisfy any/either need. Like, this scarf flask for example. Personally, I can’t think of any reason anyone would need that when regular flasks exist. On rare occasions though, a combination will come along that is a true unicorn. A beautiful melding of two uniquely awesome things into one epic thing. And this Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownie is exactly that. The unicorn of desserts and it is definitely something that you need. In fact, I would say, you need these immediately. 

What Do They Taste Like?

These (secretly healthier) Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies are for the brownie and chocolate chip cookie lovers who can never decide which dessert to choose (first), the brownie or the cookie. And now, you do not have to! These are super fudgy, deeply chocolatey cocoa brownies stuffed with balls of chocolate chip studded cookie dough, which basically become soft and gooey chocolate chip cookie chunks throughout the brownie once baked. Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies had a better ring to it than Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Brownies, even though that’s a slightly more accurate title. The brownies whip up in a breeze in just one bowl. A simple chocolate chip cookie dough is made separately and rolled into small balls. The cookie dough balls are then gently folded into the brownie much like you would stir in chocolate chips or berries into a batter. These bake up in just under 20 minutes and the result is a super moist and chewy brownie with big glorious chunks of delicious cookie throughout. Which, in my humble opinion, is the most perfect two-in-one dessert combination possible. And if you’re thinking to yourself, “Well these just sound too good to be true!”, let me assure you that these Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies are both incredibly delicious and also made better-for-you! And unlike the mythical unicorn, that is a FACT.

 How Are They Made?

If there’s one thing that I’m all about, it’s things that looks impressive but are actually super easy to pull of. And this is a great example of that. This recipe is so easy it’s basically goofproof! Here’s a rundown of the steps:

  1. Make the cookie dough by mixing the wet ingredients together, then stirring in the dry ingredients until a dough forms, then mix in the chocolate chips.
  2. Make cookie dough balls. The cookie dough is the perfect consistency, not overly sticky, and so, super easy to make little balls. You can just scoop out a bit at a time and roll them into 1/2 inch balls. But I found it easiest to roll the dough out into a 1/2 inch thick log, cut into even chunk, and roll into balls. See the below image for step-by-step pictures.
  3. Chill the cookie dough balls in the fridge while the brownie batter is made.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients of the brownie batter in a large bowl if mixing by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just thoroughly combined.
  6. Fold the cookie dough balls into the brownie batter using a silicone spatula. I give only one or two gentle turns of the batter so as not to disturb the cookie dough. The cookie dough balls will distribute further into the brownie batter when it’s poured together into pan.
  7. Pour the batter with cookie dough chunks into a baking dish. I use my 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Feel free to  use a 9×9 pan, the brownies will just be a little thinner. And spread it out into an even layer.
  8. Bake at 375 for 18 minutes! I find 18 minutes to be the perfect time for moist brownies with just crispy tops and edges. Cook for 20 minutes if you like a firm, more cooked brownie.
  9. Let cool, slice, and ENJOY!

These are amazing served just warm on their own. I suspect they would be wonderful topped with a scoop of your favorite vanilla for quite possibly the most epic dessert: Cookie Dough Brownie Sundae! These freeze excellently and I personally love them most straight out of the freezer.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

These Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies are made better-for-you as they contain no refined sugars, flours, or oils. These brownies are paleo-friendly meaning they contain no gluten, grain, or dairy and are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar. I use mini chocolate chips in the cookie dough which are sweetened with organic cane sugar. Feel free to use your favorite coconut or maple sugar sweetened chocolate bar chopped into chunks to make these strictly refined sugar free. Here’s a look at the main ingredients used in these bars:

Cocoa Powder – The main ingredient in the brownies and what gives them that deep chocolate flavor. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not cocoa mix or cacao powder – these are both completely different from cocoa powder and will affect the outcome of the recipe greatly. I recently used the Organic Cocoa Powder from Whole Food’s 365 brand and found it to be of excellent quality at a great price. Some other great brands of cocoa powder are Equal Exchange’s Baking Cocoa or Guittard’s Cocoa Powder (which is what I used in this recipe).

Sunflower Seed Butter & Avocado Oil – I find the mixture of a nut/seed butter with a liquid oil like avocado or coconut oil to be the most comparable dairy free and natural substitute for softened butter. When beaten with sugar, it creams up like you would expect butter to. I use sunflower seed butter to keep this nut free, but almond or cashew butter would be excellent here too. Be sure to choose a nut/seed butter that contains only one ingredient. For the avocado oil, feel free to sub for olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil.

Cassava & Tapioca Flour – These form the base flours for these brownies and I find that it’s the closest to using a traditional white flour without having to use processed or refined ingredients. This also makes these gluten and grain free. I recently discovered that Amazon has the best pricing for cassava flour, compared to the health food stores near me and, surprisingly, Thrive Market. And I use Bob’s Red Mill for the tapioca flour.

Coconut Sugar  – My favorite granular sweetener for refined sugar free baking. I use and love Nutiva’s coconut sugar.

Maple Syrup – I use a touch of maple syrup to add some moisture to the chocolate chip cookie dough and it gives it a wonderful consistency that makes it extremely easy to work with. I used an organic Grade A, amber colored maple syrup.

Chocolate Chips – I always use Enjoy Life baking chips because they are allergy friendly and made with few, simple ingredients. They are sweetened with cane sugar so not strictly paleo. Use your favorite paleo-friendly bar chopped into small chunks instead if you like, or just skip the chips entirely. Or do the opposite, and add chips or chunks to both the cookie dough and the brownie batter to really pump up those chocolate notes.

Whether you’re a lover of chocolate chip cookies, brownies, cookie bars, all things chocolate, or just love straight up love a good dessert that defies categorization, these Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies are for you!

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Healthy Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies

A super fudgy and deeply chocolatey brownie studded with glorious chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough! Super easy to make. It's the best of both the cookie and brownie world in one EPIC dessert but made better-for-you!

paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free, refined sugar free

Servings 12 brownies

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (62 grams)
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (36 grams)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (29 grams)
  • 1 tbsp tapioca flour (7 grams)
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2-3 tbsp mini chocolate chips (24 grams)

Brownie Batter

  • 1 cup coconut sugar (146 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (128 grams)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil (61 grams)
  • 2 eggs ideally room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla (4 grams)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (58 grams) not cacao powder or cocoa mix
  • 1/4 cup cassava flour (36 grams)
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour (15 grams)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and prepare square (8 or 9 inch) baking dish by lining with parchment paper and leaving a 1 inch hang off the sides.

  2. In a small bowl, make the cookie dough by mixing together the cashew butter, coconut sugar, and maple syrup together until smooth.

  3. Add the tapioca flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until a soft dough forms. Mix in the chocolate chips, starting with 2 tbsp and adding an additional tablespoon if desired.

  4. Make cookie dough balls. Either scoop and roll the dough into 1/2 inch balls individually or roll all the dough out into a 1/2 inch thick log, cut into even chunks, and roll into balls. See the post for step-by-step pictures.

  5. Place the dough balls in the fridge while the brownie batter is made.

  6. Cream together the coconut sugar, cashew butter, avocado oil, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl if mixing by hand or in the bowl of stand mixer and mix until it is thick and bubbly and everything is fully incorporated.

  7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the dry ingredients, and stir until just thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing to ensure all is evenly distributed and avoid over-mixing the batter. Mix until a thick and shiny batter forms and no streaks remain. Stir in the extra chocolate chips to the brownie batter if desired.

  8. Add the cookie dough balls to the brownie batter and, using a silicone spatula, gently turn the batter once or twice trying not to disturb the cookie dough balls.

  9. Pour the batter with cookie dough chunks into the prepared baking dish and gently spread out in the pan to create an even layer.

  10. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is puffed and the edges are starting to crisp and darken slightly.

  11. Let cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan. Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the brownie out of the pan and let cool further on a wire rack.

  12. Once cool, slice and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): 8x8 baking pan, silicon spatula, kitchen scale

Storage: Store brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so. Afterwards move to the freezer for longer storage. 

Baking Time: I consistently found these brownies to be perfect when baked for 18 minutes. The exteriors and edges are just slightly crisp and the interior is stilll super moist and fudgy. If you like a firm brownie bake for 20 minutes. 

Ingredient Subs/Variations:

Cocoa Powder: Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not cocoa mix or cacao powder. Some good brands are Organic Cocoa Powder from Whole Food's 365 brand,  Equal Exchange's Baking Cocoa, or Guittard's Cocoa Powder (what I used in this recipe).

Sunflower Seed Butter: Use cashew butter or almond butter instead of sunflower seed butter. Ideally use one that contains one ingredient (no added sugars or oil).

Avocado Oil: Sub with olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil. 

Maple Syrup: Use agave or honey instead.

Strictly Refined Sugar Free/Paleo: Use your favorite paleo-friendly bar chopped into small chunks to make this strictly paleo and refined sugar free.

Even More Chocolate: Make this extra chocolatey by adding chocolate chips/chunks to both the cookie dough and the brownie batter.

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread (grain free & dairy free)

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Sometimes, recipe ideas, for one reason or another, just do not turn out. I had been working on a dessert idea that was essentially born out of a funny mistake my husband made when he was attempting to say “butternut squash” and instead said “butternut scotch”. I, being the loving and supportive wife that I am, proceeded to laugh in his face. Just so you can appreciate how great of a wife I am, English is his second language. After my fit of laughter, I immediately thought that a “butternut scotch” something would be a very cool name for a dessert. So I proceeded to spend months attempting to combine butternut squash puree and a paleo butterscotch sauce into various kinds of dessert to no avail. Who’s laughing now? Definitely not me! As much as my OCD serves me at times, this was not one of those instances. Finally, I convinced myself to give up on the idea, because the thought of baking and pureeing yet another butternut squash sounded absolutely dreadful. Sometimes you just have to let go of an idea to let another one grow. What that disastrous dessert attempt led to was this, healthy(ish) Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread. It’s an upgraded take on classic streusel bread but instead of a cinnamon sugar mixture ribboned through a fluffy loaf, mine has a simple creamy caramel sauce, which really takes it to a whole new level of delicious.

What Does It Taste Like?

This Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread is really something special. It has a just perfectly sweet crumb that is light and fluffy yet moist. The bread is sweetened with cane sugar and kissed with cinnamon. The batter for this Streusel Bread comes together quickly in just one bowl! A simple yet incredibly addicting vegan caramel sauce is sandwiched between two layers of the batter to create the center swirl. The caramel sauce is made of coconut cream and coconut sugar caramelized together over a low flame on the stove. The coconut sugar has an inherently caramel-like flavor that, when reduced with the coconut cream creates a thick sauce that tastes almost exactly like a traditional caramel. I am fairly confident that any taster would not be the wiser that this is made with no dairy, refined sugars, or oils, it’s just that good. Then, as this is in fact a Streusel Bread, it is adorned with a simple crumble topping. The streusel topping is made with similar ingredients to the bread, but adds a wonderful sweet, cinnamony, and crispy crust to the top that really complements the bread and caramel layers beneath. This bread is the perfect anytime treat – be it a sweet breakfast, accompaniment to your afternoon caffeine fix, or maybe topped with a scoop of your favorite vanilla for a next level dessert. There really is never a bad time to enjoy a slice of this heavenly loaf.


How Is It Made?

I’ll be straightforward and say that this is not a one-bowl-baking-situation that I am so fond of. There are some steps and there will be a moderate amount of dishes as there are three components to this bread. But, I can assure you that IT IS WORTH IT! Because this bread is truly something special, and sometimes, special things take a bit more time. While admittedly this looker of a loaf takes a few more minutes than your basic quick bread or one bowl bake, this Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread is actually really simple! Here’s a rundown of the steps:

  1. Make the caramel by reducing coconut cream, coconut sugar, and coconut oil in a small pot over a medium low flame for 7-8 minutes. No special tools, like a candy thermometer, are needed to make the caramel. Just combine the ingredients and stir occasionally while it gently bubbles away. I do recommend a silicon spatula for the stirring, it’s incredibly resistant to heat and easy to clean. After it’s reduced, remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and set aside to cool.
  2. Make the streusel topping while the caramel is cooking down by mixing the dry ingredients first, then mashing everything together with coconut oil to create a sandy crumb. I like to use my fingers for this, but a fork is also fine.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients for the batter together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until everything is just fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing to ensure everything is thoroughly distributed and avoid overmixing.
  5. Add half the batter to a loaf pan and smooth out with a rubber spatula to create one even layer.
  6. Pour the caramel sauce over the batter and spread out to the edges.
  7. Cover caramel with remaining batter creating the upper layer of the loaf.
  8. Top batter with streusel mixture. 
  9. Bake, let cool, and enjoy! 

This loaf is amazing both at room temperature and also still slightly warm from the oven. If you cannot wait to let this cool completely, when it the caramel has set and be easier to cut, the caramel layer may ooze out slightly and, while messy, it is absolutely magical. This loaf will keep at room temperature for a day or so in an airtight container. Afterwards, slice any remaining portion and store in the freezer. This would be amazing warmed up a bit in a toaster oven or microwave for the above mentioned reason and below photographic proof.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

This Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread is made with better-for-you ingredients as it contains no hydrogenated oils or refined flours. Normally, my recipes are refined sugar free, but, for this bread I used both cane sugar and coconut sugar. I attempted to use all coconut sugar for this recipe, but unfortunately it yielded a bread that tasted monotonous and the wonderful caramel layer really disappeared into the loaf. So, the streusel and caramel are made with coconut sugar while the bread itself is sweetened with organic cane sugar. Organic cane sugar is much less refined than conventional white sugar but very similar in taste. Here’s a look at the main ingredients you’ll need:

Coconut Sugar – The caramel and streusel topping are both sweetened with coconut sugar. It is more similar in flavor to brown sugar than white sugar and is a delicious complement to cinnamon. It makes for a deliciously satisfying crunchy top in the streusel while creating a deeply flavorful caramel layer. I use and love Nutiva’s coconut sugar which I find has excellent quality at a reasonable price.

Coconut Oil – The oil used for this bread and really creates a flavorful and moist texture without feeling too rich. It’s a simple and easy replacement for butter which makes this dairy free. Use virgin coconut oil if you do not mind the coconut flavor, if you prefer a more neutral tasting oil, use refined coconut oil. I exclusively use Nutiva’s (refined) coconut oil and have made a habit of investing in the largest possible container. Of course I do an excessive amount of baking, but if you’re running through coconut oil containers often I highly recommend doing the same – it’s a great way to reduce plastic waste, save money, and trips to the store.

Coconut Cream – This is the thick white layer on the top of a fresh can of coconut milk. This, when reduced with the coconut sugar, creates the creamy caramel layer. You can purchase cans of coconut cream which contains more of the fluffy white part than milk. Otherwise, just use a regular can of coconut milk skimming as much of the cream off the top as possible.

Cassava & Tapioca Flour – My absolute go-to flour combination when it comes to grain free and nut free baking. I love how fluffy this bread turns out using these two flours with the added moisture of the cane sugar. I recently discovered that Amazon has the best pricing for cassava flour, compared to the health food stores near me and, surprisingly, Thrive Market. And I use Bob’s Red Mill for the tapioca flour.

Cane Sugar – The loaf is sweetened with organic cane sugar and creates a flavorful and light bread that is just perfectly sweet without feeling overindulgent. Wholesome Sweeteners makes an organic cane sugar that is excellent. Alternatively, Whole Food’s 365 brand is a cheaper option with comparable quality.

While this bread is definitely a treat, it is made with simple, real ingredients that are not overly processed or refined. This bread is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and nut-free!

While this bread would be a welcome treat any time of year, this is sure to be especially satisfying during these cooler months. A thick slice of this Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread alongside your favorite warm beverage is sure to have you feeling all kinds of cozy with its soft and fluffy bread, ample cinnamon, creamy caramel layer, and addictingly crispy streusel topping.

gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Caramel Swirl Streusel Bread

This loaf is really something special - a caramel layer ribboned through a soft and fluffy bread and topped with a deliciously addicting streusel top. The perfect treat for any time of day!

gluten/grain/dairy free, nut free

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

Caramel Sauce

  • 2/3 cup coconut cream (171 grams)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (74 grams)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil (10 grams) if liquid, chill a few minutes in the fridge until solid and firm
  • 2 tsp vanilla (10 grams)

Streusel Topping

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar (36 grams)
  • 1/4 cup cassava flour (36 grams)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (2 grams)
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil (40 grams)

Batter Ingredients

  • 1 cup cane sugar (210 grams)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (90 grams) melted and cooled
  • 4 eggs ideally room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla (5 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cups cassava flour (204 grams)
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour (30 grams)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (2 tsp)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (7 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (2 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (2 grams)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan by greasing with additional oil or lining with parchment paper.

  2. Make the caramel layer by combining the coconut cream, coconut sugar, and coconut oil together in a small pot and heat over medium low flame. Stir well and let come to a gently boil. Cook, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes or until the mixture has reduced, become a dark brown, and is thick. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and set aside.

  3. While the caramel is reducing, make the streusel topping. Combine the coconut sugar, cassava flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Add the coconut oil and mash together with a fork or your fingertips until everything is the texture of damp sand. Set aside.

  4. Make the bread batter by mixing the coconut sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if mixing by hand, until everything is well incorporated and bubbly.

  5. Add in the remaining batter ingredients and stir until just fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed and prevent overmixing.

  6. Scoop half the batter into the prepared baking dish and, using a silicone spatula, spread out into an even layer.

  7. Pour the caramel sauce over the lower batter layer.

  8. Evenly distribute the remaining batter over the caramel and spread out into an even layer.

  9. Spread streusel mixture all over the top batter layer.

  10. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 52-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown all over and the middle appears set. Test for doneness by piercing with a toothpick, if it comes out clean it is done!

  11. Let cool in baking dish for at least 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

  12. This loaf is amazing both at room temperature and also still slightly warm from the oven. If you cannot wait to let this cool completely, when the caramel has set and it will be easier slice, the caramel layer may ooze out slightly and while messy, it is absolutely magical.

Recipe Notes

Storage: This will keep stored in an airtight container in a cool place for a day or so. Afterwards, slice any uneaten portion and freeze for longer storage. Although this bread is delicious eaten at room temperature it is really exceptional when heated up for a bit in a toaster oven/microwave and the bread becomes warm and the caramel gooey. 

Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): loaf pan, silicon spatula, kitchen scale

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles (paleo-ish & nut-free)

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Happy Friday! As I was planning out my content for November, I realized that almost every other recipe idea was a new cookie. So, being the contemplative, dessert-obsessed person that I am, I gave this a lot of thought. And I came to the realization, that, to me at least, cookies are the perfect dessert. They are super easy to make – require minimal prep and clean up, almost always delicious, super portable, keep very well, AND they are intended to be eaten with your hands so extra dishes are not really required in order to consume them. I mean, what could be a more perfect sweet situation than that?! These Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles are the newest edition to my mounting cookie recipe collection, and I must say, they might just be the coziest to date. Packed with all the spices you’d expect in a good chai blend (basically all the soothing, warming spices), these cookies are as deliciously comforting as a frothy chai latte, but in cookie form! Which, going back to my argument above, is the best form anything could possibly take.

What Do These Cookies Taste Like?

These Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles are like a classic snickerdoodle in appearance and texture; crispy edges with a soft and chewy center and rolled in a simple cinnamon sugar mixture to give the crust a little extra oomph in texture. The dough, however, is spiked with a healthy dose of all the spices that make a good chai blend, with the likes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and cloves which really impart the flavor of chai in the cookie. All these warming spices, in concert with the inviting cookie texture, will make you feel like you’re biting into a mug of well spiced chai sitting by a toasty fire in your favorite fuzzy socks. Yep, if there ever was a cookie made of pure cozy vibes, these Chai Snickerdoodles are it.

How Are These Cookies Made?

I’m not about a crazy cookie process, I feel like it takes away from the simple, unpretentious beauty of the cookie. Cookie baking should be uncomplicated, and these are just that. They whip up in just one bowl, and while the ingredient list may look a bit lengthy, it’s mostly spices, the cookie dough is made with just 8 main ingredients. I do recommend chilling the dough for a bit before baking, but a quick trip to the freezer while you heat the oven should be enough time if you’re in a hurry. Here’s a look at the steps:

  1. Combine the wet ingredients together until they are light and fluffy. I always use my stand mixer, but these can easily be mixed by hand.
  2. Add the dry ingredients and stir until everything is just well combined. Make sure not to overmix. I find it’s best to scrape down the sides of the bowl once between mixing to ensure an even distribution of the ingredients without over-stirring the dough.
  3. Chill the dough. Ideally the dough would be chilled for two hours in the fridge. However, you can definitely get away with chilling the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare the baking sheet, sugar coating, and heat the oven.
  4. Scoop the dough into balls once it’s chilled. I always use my cookie scoop to easily make even balls of dough.
  5. Roll the dough in a simple cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes. I like these cookies best when baked for 9 minutes, they are soft with a very moist center and just crisp edged. Bake for longer if you like a firmer cookie.
  7. Let cool on baking sheet for just 3 minutes to let firm up a bit, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. Enjoy that cookie goodness!

These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Then transfer to the freezer for longer storage. And, as with most baked treats, I enjoy these best eaten straight out of the freezer. Or warmed up a bit in a toaster oven/microwave. Really, they are amazing at any temperature.

What Ingredient Do I Need?

These healthified cookies are made better-for-you by using simple, real ingredients. They are made with no refined flours or oil. They are paleo(ish) as they contain no grain, gluten, or dairy. I say “paleo(ish)” because I use organic cane sugar instead of my usual coconut sugar. These can easily be made with refined sugar free by replacing the cane sugar with coconut sugar in both the dough and the cinnamon sugar coating.

Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients:

Cassava Flour & Tapioca Flour – These form the base flours for these cookies and I find that it’s the closest to using a traditional white flour without having to use processed or refined ingredient. Which also makes these gluten and grain free. I recently discovered that Amazon has the best pricing for cassava flour, compared to the health food stores near me and, surprisingly, Thrive Market. And I use Bob’s Red Mill for the tapioca flour.

Avocado Oil & Tahini- I love this combination of fats for cookies and cookie bars. The tahini adds the perfect amount of dense chewiness to the baked goods while the avocado oil adds additional moisture without making them feel heavy. Both of these ingredients are incredibly neutral so do not distract from the flavors of the bars. Feel free to sub olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil for the avocado oil. And sub tahini with any other single ingredient (no added oils and sugars), thin, and drippy nut/seed butter. Some good options are sunflower seed butter or natural almond butter. Always be sure to stir the nut/seed butter well in the container before measuring and do not use the compacted paste-y bottom part.

Cane Sugar – I used an organic cane sugar from Whole Foods (but this brand is also great) instead of my usual coconut sugar, to give these more of that authentic snickerdoodle flavor and appearance. You can easily replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar if you want to keep these strictly paleo and refined sugar free.

Spices – As these cookies are all about the spices, I highly recommend using good quality spices for these. My brand of choice for most spices is Frontier Co-op. I find their spices are of good quality and conscientiously sourced. This is the perfect time of year to go through your spice drawer and ditch any that are no longer good! I always ignore the use by date and go with the sniff test. Open each container and if the spice has little to no odor, it’s past its prime and time to replace!

These cookies are the perfect delicious and uncomplicated treat that brings all the comfort without any drama. And while being made with simple, real ingredients they are a dessert you can feel good about enjoying! These Chai Snickerdoodles are really wonderful for fall, but I think, these would be great anytime of year when you need a little hug delivered in delicious cookie form, because that might be the best way to describe these sweet little treats.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free option, nut-free, vegan possible

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Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles

The delicious texture of a snickerdoodle but spiced with all the cozy warming spices found in a good chai blend. Crispy edges with a soft and chewy center and rolled cinnamon sugar coating. Made with only 8 main ingredients and in one bowl!

paleo-ish (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free, vegan-option, refined sugar free possible

Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred before measuring sub other thin nut/seed butter of choice
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil sub coconut oil (melted and cooled)
  • 1 egg sub egg replacer or flax egg if vegan
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cassava flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • pinch cloves
  • dash black pepper (optional)

Cinnamon Sugar Dusting

  • 1 tbsp cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, whisk together the wet ingredients until thick and fluffy.

  2. Add in the dry ingredients and stir until just fully incorporated, ensuring not to overmix, and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

  3. Chill the dough in the fridge ideally for two hours (and up to overnight) or chill in the freezer for 15 minutes if short on time.

  4. Near the end of the chilling time, heat oven to 360 (yes, 360) degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silpat. In a small bowl mix together the Cinnamon Sugar Dusting ingredients.

  5. Once dough has chilled, scoop out balls of dough, I used a 50 mm scoop (about 3 tbsp), and roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

  6. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are puffed, centers have set, and slightly golden brown around the edges. I find 10 minutes to be the perfect length of time for cookies with crisp edges and soft chewy centers. Bake for 9 minutes if you like a softer cookie, 11 minutes if you like a firmer cookie.

  7. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for at least 3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

  8. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 day. Then move to freezer for longer storage!

Recipe Notes

Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): Cookie scoop , silicon baking mat, silicon spatula

Nut/Seed Butter Notes: For best results, before adding the tahini, make sure to mix it well in the jar before measuring. The tahini should be thin and drippy. Do not use the compacted paste at the bottom of the jar. My favorite tahini for baking is the 365 brand from Whole Foods.

Subs/Variations:
Tahini - Use any other nut/seed butter that is thin and like a natural almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter that has a good amount of oil at the top. 

Cane Sugar Vs. Coconut Sugar - Easily sub the cane sugar for coconut sugar to make these strictly paleo and refined sugar free. 

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Baked Ginger Apple Cider Donuts (paleo & nut free)

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I have a firm belief that the coziest part of fall flavors all comes down to the spices.  Those pumpkin packed desserts would not be nearly as delicious if not for the pumpkin pie spice that always accompanies. Similarly, as much as apples are delicious on their own, it’s all the additional warming spices that brings on that true feeling of comfort in dessert form. Which brings me to these super cozy, perfectly fall, and exceptionally delicious Baked Ginger Apple Cider Donuts. A fluffy donut made with seasonally appropriate apple cider, spiked with apple pie inspired spices, and an extra hit of ginger creating the coziest of fall breakfast foods.What Do They Taste Like?

These Baked Ginger Apple Cider Donuts have a soft and cake-like texture, but still feel light and airy, and so, not overly heavy. Unlike a traditionally fried donut, the baked variety yields a donut that is fluffy, but without the trip to the fryer they do not feel overindulgent. The liquid base of apple cider gives these donuts a mild apple flavor, but is amplified with all the additional spices so synonymous with apple pie – a hefty dose of cinnamon, along with nutmeg and cardamom. And to give these a little twist I really turn up the ginger flavor. Ginger and apple is really an unsung flavor combination in the fall. Cinnamon and apple will always be a classic, but the ginger really gives it an incredible depth of flavor and a bit of a freshness. And these donuts are an example of that, because that unassuming flavor trifecta really makes these donuts something special. The donuts are rolled in a simple cinnamon sugar coating to give them that traditional apple cider donut feel. And because, I’m pretty sure the consensus on donuts is that the coatings are the best part.

How Are They Made?

The best part about baked donuts is that, unlike the traditional fried variety, they are SO easy to make. Really, all that’s done is make the batter, distribute it into a lightly greased donut mold, and baked! If you don’t have a muffin pan, make donut muffins in a muffin tin. Once they are baked and cooled slightly, it’s brushed with a kiss of coconut oil and dipped in a simple cinnamon sugar mixture. And that’s it! Here are the basic steps:

  1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl.
  3. Add the wet to the dry mixture and stir until thoroughly combined and no lumps remain.
  4. Distribute the batter into a lightly greased donut pan. I sometimes like to use a spare piping bag that I’ve cut a larger hole into the bottom to help cleanly add the batter into the molds. Although this isn’t necessary at all, feel free to spoon or pour the batter into the mold with a spouted bowl or measuring cup.
  5. Bake the donuts in the preheated oven for just about 15 minutes. While the donuts bake, mix the simple cinnamon sugar mixture.
  6. Let the donuts cool slightly before removing them from the molds.
  7. Brush or dunk the donuts with a little melted ghee or coconut oil to help adhere the cinnamon sugar coating to the donuts. I prefer using a silicon brush for this, it’s a bit neater and ensures a more even coverage of oil. Alternatively quickly dunk each side of the donut into the melted oil.
  8. Coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture by dunking each side of the donut into the mixture.
  9. Done! These are best served warmed and enjoyed the same day. These will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so, but I highly recommend reheating them slightly in a microwave or toaster oven before enjoying.

What Ingredients Are Used?

These donuts are made better-for-you by only using real, simple ingredients. No refined flours or oils are used. They are paleo-friendly, meaning they are gluten, grain, and dairy free. And they are nut free as well! Here’s a quick run down of the ingredients:

Apple Cider – Probably the most important ingredient in these Ginger Apple Cider Donuts is the apple cider! It’s a seasonal ingredient that always appears in markets as soon as fall hits and it’s a wonderful donut flavor! Nearly any health food store near you will stock apple cider during the fall. Try to find an organic variety, if possible, and contains only one ingredient: apples.

Avocado Oil – I especially love the use of avocado oil in these donuts. It gives them a wonderful moistness without overpowering any of the flavors.  Feel free to sub avocado oil with olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil. My go-to brand is always Chosen Foods Avocado Oil, which we grab at Costco for the best pricing.

Cassava Flour & Tapioca Flour – This combination of unrefined flours is the most similar to white flour I’ve found all while being gluten and grain free! It makes for a fluffy and light texture in these donuts. I use and love Otto’s Cassava Flour, which I have found to be cheapest on Amazon. And I use Bob’s Red Mill for the tapioca flour.

Coconut Sugar & Cane Sugar– To make these (mostly) refined sugar free, I use coconut sugar in the donut batter. Which lends a wonderfully caramelly flavor that goes wonderfully with the ginger, apple cider, and apple pie inspired spices. For the cinnamon sugar coating however, I went with a more traditional choice of cane sugar. I use organic cane sugar rather than the more refined white sugar. I find that the cane sugar acts as a firmer coating and gives these more of that classic Apple Cider Donut taste. Feel free to use all coconut sugar to make these completely refined sugar free.

Spices – As fall flavors are all about the spices, I highly recommend using good quality spices for these. My brand of choice for most spices is Frontier Co-op. I find their spices are of good quality and conscientiously sourced. This is the perfect time of year to go through your spice drawer and ditch any that are no longer good! I always ignore the use by date and go with the sniff test. If the spice has little to no odor, it’s past it’s prime and time to replace.

These Baked Ginger Apple Cider Donuts are the perfect seasonal treat for fall. Fluffy donuts with a kiss of apple, all the warming spices, and coated in a deliciously satisfying cinnamon sugar mixture. These are a delicious healthier breakfast on-the-go or the perfect accompaniment to your favorite warm beverage are are sure to give you all the cozy autumnal vibes.
paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut free

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Baked Ginger Apple Cider Donuts

These donuts are just right for fall. All the warming spices, a cozy, soft, fluffy texture, and sprinkled with a simple cinnamon sugar dusting. Everything you would expect from a traditional apple cider donut but with an extra ginger twist and made better-for-you! Don't have a donut pan? No problem! Just make these in a muffin tin!

paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free

Servings 6 donuts

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup cassava flour (150 grams)
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour (15 grams)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (74 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (7 grams)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon (4 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger (2 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg (1 gram)
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom (1 gram)
  • 1/4 tsp salt (1 gram)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup apple cider (134 grams) not apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil (36 grams) or coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla (4 grams)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee melted
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare donut tin by spraying or greasing wells with a little additional oil.

  2. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients together until everything is well incorporated.

  3. In a smaller bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until light and frothy.

  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just fully combined. Taking care not to overmix. The mixture should be smooth with no lumps.

  5. Distribute the batter evenly into the 6 donut pan wells.

  6. Bake the donuts for 15-16 minutes or until donuts are puffed and just turning slightly golden.

  7. While donuts are baking, prepare the coating ingredients: In a small bowl melt the coconut oil or ghee. In another small and wide bowl mix together the cane or coconut sugar and cinnamon until well mixed.

  8. Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack with a pan or parchment paper underneath. Run a knife or spoon around the edges of the donuts if they are difficult to remove from the pan.

  9. While donuts are still warm, but cool enough to handle, coat each donut in a little oil (or ghee). This can be done by either quickly dunking each side of the donut directly into the melted oil or by brushing the exterior of each donut with a pastry brush. I much preferred the brushing method as it ensured more even coverage and was slightly less messy.

  10. Dunk each side of the donut into the sugar mixture and place back on the rack. Repeat the oil & sugar coating with all remaining donuts.

  11. Best served warm!

Recipe Notes

Cane Sugar vs. Coconut Sugar: I preferred coated these with cane sugar to give them a more authentic Apple Cider Donut feel, however feel free to use all coconut sugar to make these refined sugar free. 

Storage Tips: These are amazing eaten warm shortly after they have been coated. Donuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so. Afterwards store them in the freezer! When ready to eat, just warm in a hot oven/toaster oven for a few minutes or microwave for a few seconds. These can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for longer storage.

Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): Donut Pan, Pastry Brush

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Healthy PB&J Stuffed Blondies (paleo & nut-free option)

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I’m going to keep this post short and to the point, because there are bigger things happening in the world right now than leisurely reading through a detailed dessert related blog post. Undoubtedly, people will be glued to their TV’s, news feeds, and social media as this unprecedented mid-pandemic election goes down. But, in case you’re looking for a delicious distraction, doing some stress baking, or simply craving a super comforting sweet treat, these healthified PB&J Stuffed Blondies are just the thing.

What do they taste like?
These PB&J Blondies are basically like a peanut butter & jelly sandwich made into a cookie bar. And just like the sandwich, they are perfectly comforting, delicious, and sure to put a smile on your face. These are just all around YUM. A peanut butter spiked blondie ribboned with a layer of peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter of choice) and any jam or jelly you like. Basically like a pb&j sandwich but with blondie “bread”. The peanut butter blondie whips up super quickly, in just one bowl, and made with only 9 ingredients! You’ll probably finish mixing up the batter by the time the oven heats up. Then the PB&J center is made by just drizzling a layer of peanut butter and then a layer of jam on top of half the batter. Then the remaining batter is sprinkled on top of the filling and that’s it! Into the oven it goes. These could be in and out of the oven in just about 30 minutes. Because if there’s ever a time instant gratification via baked good, it’s now.
Some Notes on Ingredients/Variations
Before I get to the recipe, just a few quick ingredient notes.

Paleo/Nut Free Options: While I named these PB&J Blondies, these are easily made nut-free and strictly paleo by replacing the peanut butter with a nut/seed butter of your choosing. Try to select a natural nut/seed butter that is made with only one ingredient (with no added oils or sugars) and is relatively drippy. Whenever baking with a nut/seed butter always mix the butter in the jar before measuring to evenly distribute the oil. If possible, use a newer jar of nut/seed butter and do not use the dry/compacted bottom for baking. Some good substitutes for peanut butter are almond butter for paleo-friendly, or sunflower seed butter for a paleo-friendly and nut-free version. In this recipe I use Once Again’s Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter.

Jam/Jelly: Use any jam or jelly you like and fits your dietary needs. You could even use homemade chia jam if you have some handy! Or get creative and use multiple flavors! I used a raspberry fruit spread by Santa Cruz.

No refined sugar, flours, or oils. Easily made paleo-friendly and nut free! These Healthified PB&J Blondies are the perfect sweet treat sure to give you all the feel good vibes and made with ingredients you can feel great about using.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut-free option

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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PB&J Stuffed Blondies

The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich made into a cookie bar! These are super easy to make, have only 10 ingredients (with the salt!) and are made in just one bowl! Doesn't get any better than that!

If you're avoiding peanut butter you can easily sub for your favorite nut/seed butter!

paleo-ish, gluten/grain/dairy free, refined sugar free

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar (117 grams)
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil (109 grams) or sub coconut oil, melted & cooled
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (67 grams) or sub other nut/seed butter
  • 2 eggs room temp is ideal
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup cassava flour (130 grams)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp tapioca flour (45 grams)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (5 grams)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt (1 gram)

PB&J Filling

  • 1/3 cup jam or jelly (104 grams)
  • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (80 grams) or sub other nut/seed butter

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 360 (yes, 360) and prepare an 8 inch square baking pan by greasing with additional oil or lining with parchment paper.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream together all the wet ingredients until light and frothy.

  3. Add in the dry ingredients and blend until just fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl once during mixing. Taking care not to overmix.

  4. In a small bowl, microwave the jam or jelly for about 5-10 seconds and stir well so it is easy to drizzle. Set aside.

  5. Pour 2/3 of the blondie batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out into an even layer.

  6. Drizzle the peanut butter all over the blondie batter, it's okay if it does not fully cover the blondie base. Then dollop large gobs of the jam over the peanut butter and filling in any areas where there is no peanut butter.

  7. Spoon the remaining blondie batter over the pb&j filling and gently spread it into another even layer. It's okay if it does not cover the entire pan.

  8. Bake the blondie in the center of the oven for 16-18 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the top has puffed. Try not to over bake and use a toothpick to help test for doneness.

  9. Let cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing and slicing!

Recipe Notes

Helpful Baking Tools (affiliate links): 8x8 inch pan, rubber spatula, kitchen scale

PB&J Filling Tips:
Nut/Seed Butter - Use any natural nut/seed butter (with no added oils or sugars) you like that is thinner, slightly drippy, and not crazy thick. Look for a jar that has extra oil at the top, this consistency will make it easier to drizzle for the filling. Always stir the nut/seed butter in the jar before measuring to ensure the oil is evenly distributed. Avoid using the compacted/dry bottom portion of the container for baking. 

Subs/Variations:
Strict Paleo -  Sub the peanut butter for any other single ingredient nut/seed butter, almond butter would be an excellent choice.

Nut Free - To make these nut free & paleo, use a drippy single ingredient seed butter. Some good options are sunflower seed butter or tahini.

Jam/Jelly - Any jam or jelly would do here. Be creative and use more than one flavor. Or use a homemade chia jam if you have some on hand!

These will keep at room temp for 1-2 days. Afterwards, move to freezer for longer storage!

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Rice Crispy Creeps! (vegan & nut free)

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Boo! Just like that it’s Halloween, the time of cobwebs, candy, and creepy crawlies. And there’s nothing I love more this time of year than festive treats that are super spooky, but actually super cute. You know, those fun Halloween themed desserts inspired by something scary and made into an adorable edible creation. I call it “spook cute”. And these Rice Crispy Creeps are exactly that. It’s a batch of my Tahini Rice Crispy Treats all dressed up in their best Halloween costumes ready to to join your Halloween festivities!

How These Are Made

These Rice Crispy Creeps are super fun and easy to make! The inside is made with a batch of my Tahini Rice Crispy Treats, which are the perfect delicious filling for these creepy bars. The base comes together incredibly quickly, then chilled in the freezer to firm up. Then all that’s left to do is decorate the crispy rice bars! And really, you can decorate them in any way you like! I was tempted to do a couple with a cobweb design, but felt that was a little above my drawing capabilities. To make these mummies and Frankenstein’s monsters, I melted vegan white chocolate baking chips and coated most of the crispy rice treats. If you can tolerate dairy, feel free to use regular white chocolate chips instead. Once the white chocolate has set in the freezer, I mummified the bars by drizzling white chocolate lines over the base, and topped them with candy eyes I grabbed from Michael’s. For Frankenstein’s monster, I added about 1 tsp of matcha to the remaining white chocolate to create a natural green color without using any dyes or artificial colors. I use and love the matcha by Soar Organics (code: Freshly15) and used their Everyday Matcha in this recipe. Once I coated the bars green, I added the candy eyes, and made the mouths and hair with melted dark chocolate. The whole process was super easy and very fun! I’m not the most deft decorator, so if I can make these spook cute treats, you can too!Some Tips On Decorating

These are super easy to make and, really, you don’t need too many extra tools to make them. There are, however, a few things that will make the whole process slightly easier.

Decorating Tools: I purchased this small set of decorating tools on Amazon a little while ago, and I must say, they come in handy way more than I anticipated. The offset spatula is perfect for helping spread the coating onto the sides of the bars. And the drawing spoons are a great way to drizzle thin lines of chocolate with much more control than you would achieve with a regular spoon.

Chocolate Details: I used a squeeze bottle to make the chocolate details on the monster’s face. I find this to be the easiest method as it gives the most control over the chocolate. Alternatively, you can use a frosting bag with a small tip attachment. Or put the cooled melted chocolate in a small ziplock bag and make a tiny hole in the bottom corner for an easy replacement.

Temperature: Temperature really matters when it comes to candy making. I find that it’s easiest to keep things in the freezer as much as possible, which often means working in batches. This makes the coating and decorating process much easier because it helps maintain the shape of the rice crispy treats and allows the chocolate to set quicker. Along the same lines, melted chocolate that is allowed to cool for several minutes before use makes the chocolate thicker and easier to handle. You will have more control over the chocolate rather than a drippy mess.

Freezer Space: To quickly set the chocolate, the bars are placed in the freezer. Before you start, check that your freezer has enough free space to accommodate a cutting board, baking sheet, or other flat surface where you can set the bars between batches.

Vegan vs. Regular White Chocolate: I made a batch with both vegan white chocolate baking chips and conventional (dairy) white chocolate chips. While the batch made with vegan white chocolate chips were fine, it was a little trickier to work with, it was a little more oily when melted and took two layers to give it a fully coated appearance. The regular white chocolate was much easier to work with but does not have as favorable ingredients as the vegan one.

As much as I love the outside of these Crispy Creeps, as with most things in life, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And these have a rice crispy filling that will make you scream! (With joy.) Honestly, I cut off much of the sides to make more rectangular shapes, but really, it was a thinly veiled excuse to munch on the tasty innards whilst decorating. My Tahini Rice Crispy Treats can be made in under 10 minutes, have only 5 ingredients, and are so incredibly tasty you are sure to sneak gobs of the cereal mixture as you’re pressing it into the pan. Which is perfectly safe because these are vegan! I use crispy brown rice cereal and make a simple tahini maple caramel-like mixture to bind it all together. I love them with tahini, but feel free to use any nut/seed butter you like!
These Rice Crispy Creeps are a healthier Halloween treat you can feel good about enjoying! They are made better-for-you as they contain no refined flours or oils, no artificial colors or dyes, are vegan, dairy free, and nut free. Happy Halloween friends!

gluten free, dairy free, vegan

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

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Rice Crispy Creeps

The perfect Halloween treat but with a healthy twist! These are made with brown rice crispy cereal and bound together with a caramel-like tahini and maple syrup mixture. They are super easy to make and made with ingredients you can feel good about eating! Decorated with simple ingredients and no artificial colors or dyes!

vegan, nut free

Servings 12 bars

Ingredients

Rice Crispy Bars

  • 4 1/2 cups crispy brown rice cereal
  • 1 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred before measuring see notes for subs
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup see notes for subs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Decorating Ingredients

  • 2 cups white chocolate chips vegan or regular
  • 1-2 tsp matcha or spirulina powder
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil
  • candy eyes optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish by lining with parchment paper leaving a short overhang over the edges.

  2. Add the tahini and maple syrup to a small pot and heat over medium low heat. Stir often and cook until it just starts to bubble slightly, about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth, slightly thick, and turn a slight golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and sea salt, set aside.

  3. Place the crispy rice cereal in a large bowl. Carefully pour the tahini mixture over the rice cereal and, using a rubber stapula, stir gently to coat.

  4. Once thoroughly mixed, pour the cereal mixture into the prepared dish and spread out into an even layer.

  5. Press the mixture down firmly into the dish by either using the heel of your palm or by placing another piece of parchment paper over the top and pressing down firmly all over. The more packed down, the better.

  6. Place in the freezer to firm. The longer the better but a minimum of 20 minutes. Once the rice crispy treats have cooled, cut into desired shapes. Place bars on large plate, cutting board, or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place back in the freezer.

  7. Melt the white chocolate chips by heating in short 5 second bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler. Once chocolate has mostly melted, stir well until chocolate is shiny and smooth. Let cool slightly.

  8. For the mummies: Dip the bottom of half the bars in the white chocolate and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon white chocolate on the top of the bar and, using a spatula or spoon, push the white chocolate over the edges and smooth the surface of each side to full coat each bar. Apply additional chocolate to the top if necessary to fully coat. Rock the parchment paper or baking sheet back and forth to help create an even layer of white chocolate. Repeat with remaining bars. Let the coating set by placing bars in the freezer. Once the coating layer has set, use a drawing spoon or fork to drizzle white chocolate in a back and forth motion to create the mummy wrapping. Add the eyes and place in the freezer to set fully.

  9. For Frankenstein's monsters: Add 1 tsp of matcha powder (or 1/4 tsp spirulina powder) to the remaining white chocolate and stir to combine. Add, in small amounts, additional powder if necessary to achieve the desired green color. (The amount of matcha you add will vary depending on the color of the matcha used.) Coat the remaining rice crispy bars with the green colored white chocolate in the same method as above. Place candy eyes on the green coating and place in the freezer. In a small bowl, melt the dark chocolate with the coconut oil in short 5 second bursts in the microwave, or over a double boiler, and stir until shiny and smooth. Using a squeeze bottle, frosting bag with fine tip, or a plastic ziplock with small hole made (just be sure the chocolate has cooled sufficiently) in one corner, draw on chocolate hair, mouth, and maybe even a surgery scar on the surface to create the face.

  10. Once all the chocolate and designs has set fully, they are ready to spook!

Recipe Notes

Substitutes/Variations:
Tahini - Be sure to use a tahini that is thin and not too paste-like. Some alternatives to tahini are sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or peanut butter. Ideally use one with a thinner texture and contains only 1 ingredient. 

Maple Syrup - Any liquid sweetener will do. Honey, agave, or coconut syrup are all good options. 

Storage:
These can be keep at room temperature for about a day or so, store in an airtight container. Afterwards, they can be moved to the freezer for longer storage. 

Decorating Tips:
Helpful Tools (affiliate links): Food decorating set, squeeze bottles, parchment paper

If you do not have candy eyes, just create eyes with the melted dark chocolate!

For more helpful tips on decorating, see notes in post. 

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.