Tag: bananas

Banana Bread Cookies with Chocolate Chunks, Raisins, and Pecans

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I really love banana anything — cakes, pie, bread, cookies, muffins, pops, soft serve, splits, trifles, icings… You name it. Well, except for smoothies. But anyway… these cookies? They’re a cross between a cookie and a bread, so they have those slightly crisp edges, and a bit more density than a banana loaf, and house a mixture of chocolate and raisins and pecans that can be substituted with your favourite add-ins. In other words, make these your own, and enjoy them any time of day.
Banana Bread Cookies with Chocolate Chunks, Raisins, and Pecans2

Banana Bread Cookies with Chocolate Chunks, Raisins, and Pecans

  • Servings: 12 large cookies
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1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan buttery spread, such as Earth Balance
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.

Mix the baking soda into the mashed bananas. Set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the vegan buttery spread and brown sugar until combined. Add the vanilla extract and the banana mixture. Beat just until mixed. Add the flour mixture, and beat until combined. Stir in the walnuts, raisins, and chocolate chunks.

Spoon generous two tablespoonfuls (about 1/4 cup each) onto a baking sheet for each cookie. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool 5 minutes on directly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: If you make these smaller, you’ll want to reduce the baking time.

Banana Bread Cookies with Chocolate Chunks, Raisins, and Pecans

Banana Buckwheat Snack Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

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The peanut butter frosting is what makes this cake perfect for dessert, but if it’s breakfast you’re after, nix the topping and swap the chocolate chips for toasted walnuts in this incredibly moist and not-too-sweet anytime treat. This recipe was developed for Cuisine Soleil, a Canadian-based gluten-free and certified organic flour company that produces over 12 flours and a variety of mixes. The buckwheat flakes in this recipe add just the right amount of texture and tenderness without creating density or heaviness.

Banana Buckwheat Snack Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Banana Buckwheat Snack Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

  

For the cake:
1 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flakes
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon nondairy milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup unrefined cane sugar
3/4 cup melted coconut oil (see Note)
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 5)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegan buttery spread
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Put the sorghum flour, buckwheat flakes, millet flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Put the nondairy milk in a measuring cup. Add the cider vinegar and let stand for about 3 minutes until clumpy.

Put the unrefined cane sugar and coconut oil in a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat until well combined. Add the bananas and vanilla extract. Beat until well mixed. Turn the mixer on low speed. Add half of the flour mixture. Beat to combine. Add half of the nondairy milk mixture. Beat to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour, then the remaining nondairy milk, until mixed. Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake will begin to pull away from the sides of a pan and spring back when lightly touched. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, put the peanut butter, vegan buttery spread, and vanilla extract in a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer. Using the hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamy and well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat on medium until mixed, then turn the mixer to high speed and beat for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Spread generously on the cooled cake.

Note: If you don’t want the taste of coconut from the coconut oil, look for organic varieties that aren’t virgin—they have the same nutritional content without the strong flavor.

(Disclosure statement: I received monetary compensation and free product from Cuisine Soleil from a recipe development partnership. I only, however, promote and partner with companies I love and use regularly in my own kitchen. As always, all opinions and recommendations expressed are completely my own.)

Banana-Tahini Carmel-Chocolate Pudding Pie

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Every year, I tell myself that on March 14th I’ll make a pie for Pi Day (you know, 3.14… 3/14…). And every year, I don’t. Something gets in the way–and it’s usually because I’m making myself a pile of different birthday cakes.

This year, however, the cakes can wait. First, I’m celebrating Pi Day with So Delicious Dairy Free to raise money for Kids with Food Allergies via their Instagram contest called Pi(e) 4 All (#Pi4All). For every photo of an allergy-friendly pie uploaded to Instagram between March 13th and March 15th,  So Delicious will donate $3.14 to Kids with Food Allergies. And it gets better: one lucky winner will receive $314 for their photo and 10 random winners will receive 3 VIP coupons redeemable for So Delicious treats. Check out the full rules here.

In other words, you just might want to make a pie and upload it to Instagram.

So my pie? This one is starting with a chocolate chip cookie crust, and features layers of creamy tahini-caramel, fresh bananas, rich chocolate pudding, and fluffy whipped cream. Versions of this are part of my regular pie rotation: my other favourite combination includes strawberries in place of the bananas, peanut butter (though not allergy-friendly) for the tahini, and the “graham”-style crust in my Pies and Desserts book.

And one last thing. Before you get started, be sure to refrigerate the Culinary Coconut Milk the night before.

Banana-Tahini Carmel Chocolate Pudding Pie2

Banana-Tahini Carmel-Chocolate Pudding Pie

For the chocolate chip cookie crust:

1/3 cup vegan buttery spread, plus more for greasing the pie dish
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon mini semi-sweet nondairy chocolate chips

For the tahini-caramel

1/2 cup tahini paste
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vegan buttery spread
1/8 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt

For the chocolate pudding

2 1/2 cups So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt
1/2 cup dark nondairy chocolate chips

For the whipped cream
1 container (11oz/325mL) So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk
1 tablespoon icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For assembling the pie
2 bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch medallions

Banana-Tahini Carmel Chocolate Pudding Pie - step by step

Banana-Tahini Carmel Chocolate Pudding Pie

The day before making the pie, put the container of the Culinary Coconut Milk in the refrigerator to chill for at least 12 hours.

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish.

Put the vegan buttery spread and brown sugar in a saucepan. Cook on low heat for about 3 minutes to melt the buttery spread and dissolve the brown sugar. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the Coconut Milk Beverage, ground flaxseed, and vanilla extract. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until well mixed and emulsified.

Put the sorghum flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine. Turn the mixer to low speed and beat to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until just firm to the touch. Cool completely.

To make the tahini-caramel, put the tahini paste and vanilla extract in a food processor. Put the water and the brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat and cook for 90 seconds. Remove from heat, add the vegan buttery spread and salt, and let cool slightly. Pour about half of the mixture into the food processor. Process until smooth, adding just enough more of the brown sugar liquid until the mixture is creamy and thick. Spread about half of the mixture into the cooled chocolate chip cookie crust. Top with a layer of bananas (this will be about 1 of the bananas). Spread with the remaining mixture. Put in the refrigerator while making the pudding.

To make the chocolate pudding, put 1 cup of the Coconut Milk Beverage in a saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Add the remaining Coconut Milk Beverage, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Whisk until the chocolate chips are melted. Let cool about 10 minutes.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator. Pour in about half of the pudding mixture. Top with the remaining banana slices. Pour the remaining pudding mixture on top, spreading evenly. Refrigerate until completely cool and firm, about 3 hours.

To make the whipped cream, cut off the top of the Culinary Coconut Milk carton with sharp scissors. Spoon out the hardened coconut cream into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Spread the mixture onto the top of the cooled pie. Refrigerate until serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

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(Disclosure statement: I received monetary compensation and free product coupons from So Delicious Dairy-Free for taking part in this campaign. I only, however, promote and partner with companies I love and use regularly in my own kitchen. As always, all opinions and recommendations expressed are completely my own.)