Remember when I convinced you to buy a tart pan to make a Cranberry Curd Tart last year? Pull it out again because I've got another tart that will make your head spin. In the very best way.

The filling in this tart is so silky smooth and fluffy. It takes a few minutes whipping in a stand mixer, but the extra whipping will be well worth your time. You can have this tart prepped for the fridge in under an hour and you can make it a a few days ahead of time!

This Chocolate Mousse Tart makes any day a special one!

Are you a sucker for salty-sweet desserts like me? Give me all the chocolate covered pretzels and sea salt caramel ice cream.This chocolate tart combines everything I love about those flavors into one dessert.

One of the best things about this dessert is that it can EASILY be made gluten free. Just swap out those pretzels for gluten free and use a little 1:1 GF flour in the crust and BOOM. You're on your way.

What you'll need for this Caramel Chocolate Tart

• Salty Pretzel Crust (see below)
• Chocolate Mousse Filling (see below)
• Extra pretzels and mini chocolate chips (optional, for garnish)
• Sea Salt Caramel Sauce
• Sea Salt Flakes - I highly recommend using Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. I also use these in my Everything Bagel Seasoning so I always have some on hand. They're delicate and delicious and are a subtle boost of salty flavor.

Chocolate Tart Crust

• Pretzels - Any plain pretzels will do of any shape. Just don't get flavored ones (obviously). Gluten free pretzels work just as well as regular ones, too.
• Butter
• Flour - All-purpose or a 1:1 GF blend will do here. I used King Arthur gluten free flour.

Chocolate Tart Filling

• Unsweetened baking chocolate - I like Ghirardelli 100% cacao bars or Bakers unsweetened baking chocolate.
• Butter - There's quite a bit in this recipe - both in the crust and in the filling. We're not on the low-fat train with this.
• Coconut Sugar - You can also use brown sugar here, but I like the caramely flavor of coconut sugar in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs - You might notice that I use raw eggs in this recipe. If that freaks you out, use pasteurized eggs. There's a quick tutorial in this recipe post if you want to pasteurize your own eggs!
• Heavy cream

Salted Caramel topping

Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce is my favorite but feel free to use whatever you can find. Or make your own naturally sweetened caramel sauce with this recipe: Paleo Caramel Sauce.

How to make a Chocolate Caramel Tart

1. Crush the pretzels, mix with melted butter, flour, and a little water and press it into a tart pan. Bake for 8 min.
2. Meanwhile make the filling by whipping the sugar and butter. Add the melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Keep whipping.
3. Add the eggs, whipping for a few minutes between each addition.
4. Whip the cream and fold it into the chocolate mixture.
5. Transfer the chocolate filling to the baked and cooled pretzel crust. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
6. Top with extra pretzels, sea salt flakes, sea salt caramel sauce, and some mini chocolate chips. (optional, but cute)

Tips for making this Chocolate Tart Recipe

• Make sure the pretzels are crushed really, really finely. It'll make it easier for it to stick together when you cut into the tart.
• Temperature is important during different times in this recipe. Make sure the chocolate is cooled to room temp or else your butter will melt and it will affect the texture of the mousse. Also, make sure the crust is cooled before you add the filling or it will melt.
• There's a lot of whipping in this recipe. Make sure to whip everything as stated in the recipe for the fluffiest mousse!
• Chilling the tart will help it cut more easily when you serve it.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart variations

Use a different pan: If you don't have a tart pan, you can use a 9-inch shallow pie plate or a 8/9-in springform pan. The crust won't reach the top of those pans, but that's OK because the tart itself is supposed to be rather short.

Make individual tarts: Use 6 or 8 ounce ramekins to make individual desserts. I haven't tried that with this recipe, but I estimate you could get 5-6 mini tarts out of the crust and filling.

Top with fruit: If chocolate + fruit is more your thing, skip the toppings listed in the recipe and pile a bunch of fresh berries on this tart! Raspberries would be especially delicious.

Make a S'More Tart! You can also use a pre-made graham cracker pie crust and top it with some toasted marshmallow fluff to make a s'more situation.

Storing leftover Caramel Chocolate Tart

This tart is kinda rich so I imagine you'll have some leftover unless you're feeding a bunch of people.

Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 7 days for best flavor.

Chocolate Mousse Tart FAQs

More Easy Tarts and Pies on Perry's Plate

If you like this chocolate tart recipe, try one of these other recipes!

Cranberry Curd Tart - A showstopping, fuchsia-hued tart that combines cranberry curd and sweet orange for a perfect holiday dessert.

Pineapple Pie - Think lemon meringue, but pineapple. My favorite cold pie, hands down.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie - Mine is infused with maple and chai spices!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chocolate Mousse Tart

Yield: 8 slices

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 53 minutes

The silky chocolate mousse nestled in a salty pretzel crust and drizzled with salted caramel sauce combines for the best salty-sweet dessert you've ever had!

Print

Ingredients

For the Crust:

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 cups pretzels (twisted are easier to measure than sticks)
• 6 Tablespoons melted butter
• 3 Tablespoons flour (all-purpose or GF 1:1)

For the Filling:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 8 Tablespoons softened butter
• ¾ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (pasteurized if you prefer)
• ½ cup heavy cream

For the Topping:

Toggle ingredient group

• Extra broken pretzels
• 3 Tablespoons sea salt caramel sauce
• Pinch of sea salt flakes
• Sprinkle of mini chocolate chips (optional, but cute)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place an 9-inch tart pan on a large cookie sheet.
2. Put the pretzels in the work bowl of a food processor and process until they're as finely chopped as you can get them. (Alternately you can put them in a zip top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.)
3. Add the 6 Tablespoons melted butter, flour, and 2 Tablespoons of water to the bowl and pulse until well blended. Mixture should be crumbly, but If you pinch, it should stick together. Add another Tablespoon of water if it seems dry.
4. Transfer the pretzel mixture to the tart pan and press it to cover the entire bottom and up all of the sides as evenly as you can.
5. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Can be done a day ahead.)
6. Start the filling by breaking the chocolate into smaller pieces and microwaving it in a small bowl for 15-second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside to cool. It should be room temperature when you use it.
7. Put the softened 8 Tablespoons of butter into the work bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment) along with the coconut sugar. Whip the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until it has lightened several shades. (Don't worry if it's grainy -- it'll all work out in the end.)
8. Pour the melted and cooled chocolate and the vanilla extract into the bowl and continue to whip.
9. Add the eggs, one at a time, whipping for 5 minutes in between each addition. When you're done the mixture won't be grainy and it will resemble fluffy chocolate pudding.
10. Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold it into the chocolate filling.
11. Transfer the filling to the cooled pretzel crust and smooth it out.
12. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge to firm it up. It'll be easier to cut this way.
13. When you're ready to serve it, sprinkle on some extra pretzels, a bit of sea salt flakes, some mini chocoalte chips (if you want), and a generous drizzle of sea salt caramel. Store refrigerated for up to 7 days for best flavor.

Notes

1. I have made this with both gluten free and regular pretzels and flour and it works beautifully both ways.
2. If you're using the last of a bag of pretzels, make sure you don't pour the excess salt at the bottom of the bag into the crust or you'll be bummed later.
3. If you don't have access to a tart pan you can use an 8-in springform pan or an 8-in shallow pie dish. It will turn out thinner than a traditional pie, but still delicious.
4. Also, sorry for all the of the dishes dirtied in this recipe.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  RICHSC-PAN Tart Pan, 9 Inch Tart Pans, Non-Stick Removable Loose Bottom
• 
  BetterBody Foods Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Low Glycemic Sugar Substitute, 1.5 lbs,24 Ounce
• 
  Maldon Salt Company, Sea Salt Flakes, 8.5 Ounce (240 gram box)
• 
  King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size ⅛
Amount Per Serving Calories 600Total Fat 38gSaturated Fat 23gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 117mgSodium 2953mgCarbohydrates 63gFiber 4gSugar 34gProtein 7g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Caramel Chocolate Tart appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I've been creating gluten free desserts for over a decade and over and over I'm finding that simple is best. My favorite version of this crisp had just a touch of cinnamon allowing the cranberry-forward filling and apples to shine.

Coconut sugar was my favorite sweetener in the topping, adding a more caramel-y flavor than brown sugar. And a little more butter created a buttery-sweet crust and a rich, fruity sauce.

Hands down it was my favorite. And the good news is that it's gluten free and naturally sweetened AND you can double it to fit a 9x13 pan if you need to.

This Apple Cranberry Crisp is the perfect holiday dessert

Pie is delicious, yes. But, I feel like I need a more ambitious mental state in order to tackle pie crust. Enter: Crisps. It's all of the gooey, spiced fruity filling you love about pie but it's WAY easier and has a crisp, buttery oatmeal topping.

Make this for Thanksgiving or Christmas or any dinner party during the holidays for a festive (and no fuss) dessert. You can make it ahead of time and reheat it when you plan to serve it.

I love the way the cranberries burst and leave trails of brilliant red juice throughout the apples. It's stunning! Top this with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and watch this dessert disappear in minutes.

Apple Cranberry Crisp Recipe Ingredients

• Apples - I use Granny Smith apples for an extra bit of tartness and because they hold their shape during cooking, but any baking-friendly apples will do (Fuji, Gala, Jonathan, Honey Gold)
• Cranberries - fresh or frozen both work well
• Pure Maple Syrup - You can use pure maple syrup or honey if you prefer.
• Cinnamon
• Rolled Oats - Quick oats work well, too. Make sure they're labeled as gluten-free to avoid any cross-contamination during processing. If you aren't concerned with this recipe being gluten free, you can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour instead.
• Gluten Free Flour Blend - I used King Arthur Flour 1:1, but most blends would work well here.
• Coconut Sugar - Use brown sugar here if you like, but I prefer the extra caramel-y flavor that coconut sugar adds. I don't recommend using a liquid sweetener here.
• Salt
• Butter

How to Make a Cranberry Apple Crisp

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Peel and slice the apples and put them along with the cranberries, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a 8x8 square baking dish or a deep pie plate.
3. Melt the butter in a medium bowl, add the oats, flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Stir it well and spread it over the fruit.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Making Cranberry Apple Crisp in Advance

Before baking: You can prep this recipe ahead of time in its baking dish, cover, and chill for up to 24 hours. I wouldn't prep it ahead any longer or your apples will brown.

After baking: Allow the crisp to cool to room temperature, cover, and chill for up to 3 days. Add 5-10 minutes of baking time.

Tips for making this Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

• Use baking apples to ensure they don't completely turn to mush during baking. My favorite for this is Granny Smith Apples.
• Slice apples evenly for even baking.
• You can use frozen cranberries for this! Pop some in the freezer to make this after Christmas when you have a hankering.

Apple Cranberry Crisp Recipe Variations

Add nuts: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling for some added texture and flavor.

Swap out the fruit: Using blueberries (fresh or frozen) in place of cranberries or peaches in place of apples would be a fun variation. (Or swap both!) If you use peaches, you'll want to reduce your baking time by a few minutes. Just keep an eye on it.

How to Serve an Apple Cranberry Crisp With Oatmeal Toppings

We love this dessert simply with some freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

You can also add some caramel sauce if you want! (Here's my Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce if you need it.)

How to Store Apple Cranberry Crisp

I highly recommend eating this the day you bake it, but if you have any leftovers, store them covered and chilled for up to 4 days for best flavor.

More Gluten Free Desserts on Perry's Plate

If you like this recipe, try one of my other gluten free dessert recipes for the holidays!

Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake - Easy and just a few ingredients.

Snickerdoodle Cobbler - Mixed berries with a gluten free snickerdoodle cobbler topping!

Dairy Free Custard - I love making these custard cups with my easy Berry Sauce.

Apple Pomegranate Crumble - Great if you need a grain-free, naturally sweetened dessert! (Also doubles as a special occasion breakfast with Greek yogurt!)

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Guys. I tried TEN different variations of this crisp, playing with citrus, spices, and filling/topping ratios for this Apple Cranberry Crisp. And (not surprising) simple really is the best. I'll show you my tips (psst.. frozen cranberries) to ensure this comes together perfectly every time.

Print

Ingredients

For the Filling:

Toggle ingredient group

• 3 medium Granny Smith apples (1-½ pounds)
• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Topping:

Toggle ingredient group

• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ½ cup gluten free flour blend
• Pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Peel and slice apples off around the core. Then cut those pieces into slices about ½ inch thick on the edges.
3. Put the apple slices into an 8x8" baking dish or a deep pie plate. Add the cranberries, maple, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix to coat everything well.
4. In a medium sized bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the oats, sugar, flour, and salt to the bowl and mix until a crumbly mixture forms.
5. Put the oat mixture over the fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the apples are tender and there's bubbly red juices around the edges of the pan.
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

1. If you're not concerned about making this recipe gluten free, feel free to use all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour in place of the GF flour.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  BetterBody Foods Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Low Glycemic Sugar Substitute, 1.5 lbs,24 Ounce
• 
  King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size ⅙th
Amount Per Serving Calories 457Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 41mgSodium 149mgCarbohydrates 75gFiber 5gSugar 51gProtein 4g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Apple Cranberry Crisp with Oatmeal Topping appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake

My favorite part about these cute little chocolate cakes is that they're the perfect combination of ease AND impressiveness. They look dainty and decadent, but no one will know they only have THREE ingredients and you had them made in about 30 minutes.

Dress them up with whipped cream (from a can -- you have permission) and some fresh berries for a cute little treat that won't leave you feeling heavy. After all, it's Valentine's Day. And you don't want to be feeling too full later ... if you catch my drift. ;)

What is chocolate flourless cake?

If you're not familiar with this magical kind of cake, it's a chocolate cake that has NO flour. Odd, I know.

Dividing the eggs and whipping the whites creates more structure in the batter so you don't need the flour. That means these little cakes are naturally gluten free and grain free and can even be sugar free if you use stevia-sweetened chocolate (like Lily's).

Why you'll love this Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate

• Only THREE ingredients!
• Done in about 30 minutes.
• Easy! The worst part is whipping egg whites. But you've got this.
• They seem "fancy" but are actually no-fuss.
• Naturally gluten free.

Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake Ingredients

• Dark Chocolate
• Butter
• Eggs

Chocolate Flourless Cake Recipe Tools

• Muffin tin
• Electric mixer
• Microwave

How to Make Chocolate Flourless Cake

1. Melt the butter and chocolate together.
2. Divide the eggs.
3. Mix the egg yolks with the chocolate.
4. Whip the egg whites until they're soft peak, then gradually fold into the chocolate.
5. Transfer to a muffin tin and bake!

Substitutions for this Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

• Dark Chocolate: Ok, this is important. In order to get the dark, fudgey texture in a classic flourless chocolate cake you'll need to use at least 70% dark chocolate in BAR form. Not chocolate chips. I recommend 70% or 72% Lindt or Ghirardelli chocolate bars.
  • Note: If you'd like them to be a little sweeter and don't mind a brownie texture, you can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or Hershey's milk or special dark bars. You'll need to use muffin liners for this because they don't hold their shape as well as using a dark chocolate bar. I included photos below so you can compare the two types of chocolate.
• Butter: If you'd like this recipe to be dairy free, use dairy free chocolate and replace the butter with coconut oil.
• Eggs: I don't recommend replacing these with an egg-free substitute. The eggs are what gives the cake its structure, and I can't guarantee they'll turn out for you if you swap this out with something else.

Tips for this 3 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake

• Please use the right type of chocolate I described above to get the right consistency!
• Don't burn the chocolate. You can use a microwave (or a double broiler situation on your stove if you're patient) but don't overcook it or the chocolate will burn and you'll have to toss it and start over.
• Make sure the bowl you use for the chocolate is completely dry. If there's water in there from being washed your chocolate may seize up and you'll have to start over.
• Don't overbeat the egg whites. When you lift the beaters, the egg white tips should gently fall to the side. If you beat them until the whites look a little curdled you've gone too far and you'll have to start over.
• Don't overbake them or they'll be dry.
• Eat them the day you bake them! They're best within an hour or so of baking.

(These photos show the texture when you use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. See the photo below for the texture when using 70% dark chocolate bars.)

How to Serve Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake

I like to top these with a dollop of whipped cream and a few berries to add some tartness. You can get crazy and drizzle them with chocolate or caramel sauce if you want.

How to store Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake

These are best eaten within an hour or two of baking, but if you need to store them for a few hours, put them in a lidded container and store at room temperature.

Chocolate Flourless Cake FAQs

More Chocolate Dessert Recipes on Perry's Plate

Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies (Gluten/Grain Free and Naturally Sweetened)

Peanut Butter Lava Cakes (Gluten/Grain Free and Naturally Sweetened)

Paleo Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars (Paleo friendly)

Gluten Free Chocolate Pie (Gluten Free & Naturally Sweetened)

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Small Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes

Are you looking for something simple for Valentine's Day? Just a little hit of chocolate without being over the top or too fussy? This little flourless chocolate cake recipe is just THREE ingredients! They're fudgey, decadent, and naturally gluten free

Print

Ingredients

• 6 ounces chopped 70% dark chocolate bar (see note)
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• Whipped cream and mixed berries for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare a muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick spray. You'll need six cups.
2. Put the roughly chopped chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and add it to the chococolate. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir well, then microwave again for 15-20 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
3. Divide the eggs, putting the yolks in a very small bowl and the whites in a medium bowl.
4. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. This should only take 1-2 minutes on high.
5. Mix the egg yolks up with a fork to break them up and stir them into the melted chocolate mixture.
6. Put ½ of the beaten egg whites into the bowl with the chocolate and fold them in gently until mostly combined. Add the other half of the egg whites and fold those gently as well. Don't over mix.
7. Divide the chocolate batter among the six prepared muffin cups. They should be about ¾ full.
8. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tops look dry and a little cracked (kind of like a brownie) and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 20-30 minutes before removing them. If you aren't using liners, run a knife around the edges to loosen them and ease them out of their cups. The longer they sit, the easier they are to remove from the pan if you aren't using liners.
10. Serve immediately with whipped cream and fresh berries. Best eaten the day you make them.

Notes

1. If you want a dense, fudgey, dark chocolate cake you'll need to use couple of 70-80% chocolate bars. I recommend Lindt or Ghirardelli. Not chocolate chips.
2. If you'd rather have a sweeter cake with more of a brownie texture, use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. Melt them the same way as directed in the recipe (and you don't need to chop them ;)) Also, you'll need to use paper liners for these to hold their shape better.
3. This recipe doubles well if you need to make more than 6 chocolate cakes.
4. I highly recommend using a silicone muffin tin if you have one -- they come out more easily and you don't need paper liners. I set mine on a cookie sheet to make it easier to get in and out of the oven. Look for one that is 100% silicone -- it'll be more nonstick and last longer.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  BAKE BOSS Silicone Mini Muffin Pan With Handles, 12 Cups Mini Cupcake Pan, Silicone Muffin Cups For Baking, Eggs & Cupcakes, Non-Stick Silicone Cupcake Molds Dishwasher Safe & BPA Free - Red Color
• 
  Lindt EXCELLENCE 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Candy for Christmas and Holidays, (70% Cocoa, 4 Pack)

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1 cake
Amount Per Serving Calories 275Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 84mgSodium 91mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 4gSugar 8gProtein 5g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Individual Flourless Chocolate Cake appeared first on Perry's Plate.

If I had to choose just one kind of Christmas cookie to make during December it would be these chewy gluten free ginger cookies. Chewy ginger molasses cookies are one of my all-time favorites!

Jump Start Your Labor Cookies

This recipe is a mash up of the super chewy delicious molasses cookies my mom made when I was a kid and a recipe for "Jump Start Your Labor" cookies I came across several years ago -- but made gluten free. They're soft and chewy and everything I love in a ginger molasses cookie!

In case you're wondering... these cookies did not, in fact, jump start my labor. I tried to give kid #3 a little nudge and ate a dozen of those cookies. The result was a massive amount of heart burn and zero baby. 

The good thing about that experience is that I realized how much I LOVE bold, spicy ginger molasses cookies! Adding lots of fresh ginger and a touch of cayenne to these cookies is a fun surprise and gives them a nice, mellow burn.

If the cayenne freaks you out, just omit it. They've got enough kick with the fresh ginger and all of those spices as it is!

How to grate fresh ginger

My favorite way to grate fresh ginger is to store it in the freezer and use a microplane grater! It's much easier to grate frozen ginger and there will be less waste since your fresh ginger will be preserved in the freezer. It's one of my favorite kitchen hacks.

More recently I've been buying frozen crushed ginger cubes because they're so convenient! I just pop them out of the molds and microwave them for 15-20 seconds until theyre thawed before adding them to the cookie dough.

If you use a Microplane grater to grate fresh ginger, you might not need as much flour in your cookie dough. I added an extra ¼ of flour because the frozen ginger is more moist. The recipe will guide you through this to make sure the ginger cookie dough is the right consistency.

Ingredients for gluten free ginger molasses cookies:

All of these ingredients are easy to find at your grocery store. If you do a lot of gluten-free baking, you might already have most of these on hand:

• Palm oil shortening (I use this instead of vegetable shortening for health reasons, but you can use vegetable shortening if that's what you prefer)
• Butter
• Coconut sugar or brown sugar
• Molasses
• Egg
• Fresh ginger
• Cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Gluten-free flour blend
• Turbinado sugar or raw sugar for rolling (optional)
• Chocolate chips or melts for drizzling/dipping (optional)

How to make these gluten free Christmas cookies

It's pretty straightforward like a typical cookie recipe -- cream the fat and sugar REALLY well, then add the rest of the wet ingredients. 

I just toss the dry ingredients in at once and blend slowly instead of using a separate bowl to whisk them together.

Chilling the dough is a super important step, too! It allows the gluten free flour blend to absorb the moisture in the dough and create a great, chewy texture and not spread too much in the oven.

Rolling the dough balls in raw or turbinado sugar and dipping the finished cookies in white or dark chocolate is optional.

FAQs

Best kind of gluten free flour for gluten free ginger cookies?

My favorite blend to use for gluten free cookies is Namaste gluten free flour blend. I buy it at our Costco, but you can also find Namaste flour on Amazon.

If you already have a gluten free flour blend that contains xantham gum that works well for you in cookies, it would probably work well here.

Can I use all butter instead of shortening?

Yep. The cookies might spread a little more in the oven (be sure to chill the dough well so they don't spread TOO much). They also won't be quite as chewy, but they'll still be soft and delicious.

Do I have to roll the cookie dough balls in sugar?

Nope. This is also optional. I like to do it because it gives them more texture and a little sparkle. 

Can I use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar?

Sure! Feel free to use an equal amoun of brown sugar.

I used coconut sugar because it's a natural sweetener and has a lower glycemic index. It has a similar caramel-like taste as brown sugar and swaps out well in recipes like this.

It also creates a chewy texture, somtimes moreso than brown sugar, like in this recipe: Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies.

Can I use blackstrap molasses in these cookies?

I wouldn't. I tested these with unsulphured molasses and can't guarantee the outcome if you use blackstrap molasses.

Cayenne? WHY?

The fresh ginger adds a bolder ginger flavor and a slight touch of heat to these cookies, but if you'd like a little more, add some cayenne.

Cayenne was included in the original "Jump Start Your Labor Cookies" and I fell in love. These aren't slightly spiced molasses cookie recipe, it's a bold one.

Do I have to chill the cookie dough?

YES. Don't skip this step. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

This helps the gluten free flour fully integrate into the dough and the texture of the cookies will turn out better. It'll also help the dough not spread so much in the oven -- especially if you use all butter instead of combination of butter and shortening.

Ginger Molasses Cookies vs Gingersnaps

Gingersnaps are usually crispy cookies whereas ginger cookies or molasses cookies are usually denser and chewy. 

I like to buy gingernaps at the store to grind up for pie crusts, but prefer chewy molasses cookies if I want to simply eat one.

More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes

Here are a few more of my favorite gluten free cookies and bars to make for the holidays! Some are simply gluten free, others are grain-free and paleo-friendly.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Gingerbread Latte Cookies

Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Gluten Free Apple Cookies with Maple Glaze

Paleo Cranberry Orange Bars

Paleo Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chewy Gluten Free Ginger Cookies

Yield: 1 dozen large cookies or 20-24 small

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These delicious chewy ginger molasses cookies are gluten free AND sweetened with coconut sugar! They're bold in flavor, too, having both ground AND fresh ginger. Want them extra spicy? Add a touch of cayenne! The coarse sugar coating and chocolate drizzle are optional, but makes them extra festive.

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup palm shortening
• 4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 3 Tablespoons fresh grated or microplaned ginger
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend (see note)

Optional:

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup raw turbinado sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Beat the palm shortening and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Add the coconut sugar and beat well until the mixture lightens in color, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the fresh ginger, molasses, and egg and beat until just combined. Add spices, baking soda, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Mix on low until combined. If the dough looks especially wet and sticky, add the extra ¼ cup of flour. It should be sticky, but not wet or goopy.
3. Transfer dough to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 min and up to 24 hours.
4. When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. If you're rolling the dough in raw sugar, put the sugar in a bowl. Form balls about the same size as a golf ball or two scoops from a small cookie scoop. Roll each dough ball in the raw sugar and place on the parchment.
6. Space out the dough balls 3 inches apart because they'll spread and create large cookies. I wouldn't put more than 5 on a cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 9 minutes until the edges are slightly golden and the middles are a little on the soft side. I like to hit the pan hard on the counter after taking them out of the oven so they fall quickly and create ripples on the edges.
8. Let them cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Taste and texture is best when they've completely cooled off or even the next day. They'll soften after they've been stored in an airtight container for a few hours.

Optional Chocolate Dipping Instructions:

• Melt 1 ½ cups of dark or white chocolate chips or melts in a small bowl in 20-second increments in the microwave, stirring after each one.
• Use a fork to drizzle some chocolate over the cookies or dip them halfway into the chocolate.
• Lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet to set (chilling helps this go more quickly). Add some holiday sprinkles while the chocolate is stil wet if you prefer.
• If you use white chocolate, I recomment using chocolate melts, almond bark, ghirardelli, or guittard white chocolate chips. I've used Lily's white chocolate chips successfully, too, if you're looking to reduce the amount of sugar even further.

Notes

1. I use Namaste gluten free flour for cookies with great results. If you have a different blend you prefer, use that. Just make sure your blend contains xantham gum so the cookies don't fall apart.
2. If you'd rather use all butter instead of palm shortening, go ahead. The cookies might spread more in the oven and might not be as chewy as when you use shortening, but they'll still be tasty.
3. You can use all brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar if you prefer. I like using coconut sugar because it has a lower glycemic index than white or brown sugar and it makes the cookies more chewy.
4. I like to add the cayenne for an extra touch of heat, but omit it if you don't want that.
5. I prefer making 12 large cookies, but you can make 20-24 smaller ones if you like.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Namaste Foods Gluten Free Organic Perfect Flour Blend, 48 Oz
• 
  Dark Chocolate Chips by Lily's | Stevia Sweetened
• 
  White Chocolate Style Baking Chips By Lily's Sweets | Stevia Sweetened
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1 large cookie
Amount Per Serving Calories 346Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 26mgSodium 190mgCarbohydrates 54gFiber 1gSugar 35gProtein 3g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Chewy Gluten Free Ginger Cookies appeared first on Perry's Plate.

The secret ingredient isn’t marshmallow fluff like a lot of other honey butter recipes. (And I feel like it needs a disclaimer.) The ingredient is…. a raw egg.

What kind of raw egg is entirely up to you. Pasteurized eggs are widely available (or you can make your own with my instructions below!). For obvious reasons I won’t condone eating raw eggs here, but if you’re comfortable eating raw cookie dough and you eat the honey butter within a few days then… use your best judgment.

Homemade Honey Butter ingredients

• Butter, softened to room temperature
• Honey
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Pasteurized Egg

Is it safe to eat raw eggs?

I'm totally fine making this for us because I get higher quality egg and the risk of getting salmonella is super low. There's a statistic going around online that the CDC said the risk is 1 in 20,000 eggs being contaminated with salmonella. I've hunted around for a legit link on the CDC's site and haven't been able to find that exact statistic.

I guess the takeaway is... the risk is low. Especially if you're buying good eggs. And salmonella isn't super dangerous for most people anyway so, use your best judgment there.

How to pasteurize a raw egg

I decided to give some loaves of sourdough and honey butter out to a few people last Christmas and didn't want to give everybody raw egg honey butter.

So, I pasteurized my own eggs!

It was pretty easy. I used a tutorial over at Sugar Geek Show who followed instructions from the Egg Safety Center.

Basically you bring a pot of water to 140 degrees. Add some eggs and hold the temperature there for 3-4 minutes. Then put the eggs into an ice bath so they don't scramble on the inside.

The goal is to get the inside of the egg to 140 degrees for a couple of minutes. This doesn't 100% eliminate the risk of bacteria, but it greatly reduces the risk.

How to make honey butter

Honey butter is pretty easy to make. Most people blend up honey and... butter. You guessed it.

There's nothing wrong with just honey and butter. It's super tasty.

You can use a blender if you don't have a food processor.

The issue I have with stopping at this point is that it's sort of clumpy and hard to spread.

If you're trying to spread this on toast or a scone or some pancakes, they better be really hot in order to get this honey butter smoothed evenly.

Or it'll rip it to shreds.

There's a secret ingredient we use to make honey butter super smooth and spreadable. Are you ready for it?

(It's not marshmallow fluff. Although I've heard good things about that, too.)

It's an egg.

Yep, a raw egg.

It smooths out the honey butter and gives it a better flavor. Trust me on this.

Do you get why I didn't share this recipe before? And why I hesitate giving this stuff away to people?

Once they try it they'd ask for the recipe, and I don't want to admit I tossed a raw egg into what I just gave them.

Honey Butter Recipe Variations

I like to add some vanilla and a pinch of salt to add more flavor to my honey butter.

You can also add one of these:

• Cinnamon
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Chai Spice
• Orange zest
• Raw Cranberries (good with the orange zest, too!)
• Freeze dried berries
• Shaved chocolate

Ways to use Honey Butter

Most of the best ways to use honey butter have to do with smearing it on some kind of bread product. Like. . .

• Warm bread
• Toast
• Scones
• Pancakes/Waffles
• Crepes
• Biscuits

If you find a creative way to use honey butter, let me know!

How to store DIY Honey Butter

Keep the honey butter in a lidded container in the refrigerator. If you’re not using pasteurized eggs, I’d consume it within a few days. Otherwise it keeps for a week or so in the fridge.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Easy Recipe for Honey Butter

Yield: Makes 1 ½ cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This super delicious, super spreadable honey butter is naturally sweetened and is made with a secret ingredient that makes the texture SUPER smooth.

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Put the butter and honey in your food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and no large butter clumps remain.
2. Add the vanilla, salt, and egg.
3. Blend until completely smooth.
4. Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Keeps for a week.

Notes

If using a raw egg freaks you out, use a store-bought pasteurized egg or pasteurize your own eggs using the link within the recipe post.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender - Fourside Jar (75 oz)
• 
  Cuisinart FP-8GMP1 Elemental 8-Cup Food Processor, Gunmetal

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 2 Tablespoons
Amount Per Serving Calories 160Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 36mgSodium 79mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 0gSugar 23gProtein 1g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post How to Make Honey Butter appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I like creating recipes that make you confident and excited to make them! This cobbler starts with frozen berries (which is always a great thing), it has a fluffy, biscuit-like topping that comes together quickly. AND it’s gluten free!

On a whim I decided to dust the top with cinnamon and clove to give it some snickerdoodle vibes, and let me tell you… it was the best decision and something I didn’t know I needed in my life. The berry-snickerdoodle combo is fabulous!

Berry Cobbler Recipe ingredients

• Frozen berry mix: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
• Granulated sweetener: I used coconut sugar in this recipe, but you can use any granulated sweetener you prefer.
• Gluten-free flour blend: I included the blend I prefer in the recipe notes
• Lemon
• Baking powder
• Sea Salt
• Butter: if you need this to be dairy free you can use coconut oil or a dairy free butter replacement
• Milk: Any type of milk will do here
• Cinnamon
• Cloves

How to make Berry Cobbler

1. Preheat your oven to 375F.
2. Put the frozen berries in a baking dish and sprinkle with a little sugar, flour, and a squeeze of lemon.
3. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Than the cold butter.
4. Add the lemon juice and milk to the mixture until a shaggy dough forms.
5. Drop by spoonfuls over the berries. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and cloves.
6. Bake for 45-50 min until bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through.

Mixed Berry Cobbler variations

Can you use different kinds of fruit in this cobbler?

Yes! This works well with equal amounts of frozen peaches, fresh apples, or a single kind of berry.

Can you make this cobbler dairy-free?

Sure! The only dairy in this cobbler is the butter in the topping. You can substitute palm shortening or a dairy-free butter substitute.

How to serve Snickerdoodle Cobbler

We loved this cobbler served with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Because it’s a “healthier” treat, it could also double as a breakfast treat served with some vanilla Greek yogurt.

How to store Mixed Berry Cobbler

Store any leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. The easiest way to reheat leftovers is by microwaving.

More Desserts with Frozen Mixed Berries

I LOVE berry desserts! I love how versatile a bag of frozen mixed berries is. I've used it in a few other sweets on my site:

Easy Berry Sauce is an easy topping for ice cream sundaes, crepes, pancakes, waffles, or anything that could use a sweet, fruity sauce.

Gluten-Free Berry Hand Pies are a fun alternative to a full-size pie for Thanksgiving! They freeze and reheat well, too.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Berry Snickerdoodle Cobbler Recipe FAQs

Berry Snickerdoodle Cobbler Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Frozen berries make this berry cobbler SO easy -- year round! The topping is my favorite, though. It's a buttery cross between a biscuit and a cookie with the signature cracked cinnamon-clove topping of a snickerdoodle. The best part? It's gluten-free and naturally sweetened!

Print

Ingredients

For the filling:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ pounds or 6 cups frozen berry mix (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• ¼ cup coconut sugar or another granulated sweetener
• 1 Tablespoon gluten-free flour blend (see note)
• Juice from ½ of a lemon

For the topping:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend (see note)
• ½ cup + 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or another granulated sweetener
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 8 Tablespoons cold butter
• ½ cup almond or coconut milk
• Juice from ½ of a lemon
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Put the frozen berries in an 8-inch square baking dish. You could also use a 7x11" baking dish if you have it. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of flour, ¼ cup coconut sugar, and lemon juice on top. Push the berries around to distribute the flour and sugar somewhat evenly.
3. In the workbowl of a food processor pulse together the flour, ½ cup coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into ½ inch chunks and add them to the processor, pulsing a few times after each addition. Continue pulsing the flour mixture and butter together until it resembles a coarse, crumbly mixture and there are no large butter chunks. Don't over process it.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice into the ½ cup of milk, then drizzle the mixture into the processor while continuing to pulse. Pulse until a thick dough forms.
5. (If you don't have a food processor, use a pastry blender or two knives to combine the flour mixture and butter -- like you would making pie crust or biscuits. Then stir the liquid in by hand.)
6. Add large spoonfuls of dough on top of the berries. It doesn't need to be spread evenly. Combine the 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cloves and sprinkle it over the dough.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the berries are very bubbly and the topping is cooked all the way through.
8. Serve with your choice of ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. I use an old King Arthur GF flour blend recipe that's no longer online. It does so well in a few things like pie crust, pancakes, and biscuit-type of things like this. The basic recipe is this: 8 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, 1 cup tapioca flour.
2. Gluten-free flour blends vary wildly. If you use a different kind of flour and your dough is too dry or too wet you might need to add a little extra liquid or flour.
3. If you use fresh berries you can reduce the amount by 1 cup since they tend to take up less space than frozen ones.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Cuisinart FP-8GMP1 Elemental 8-Cup Food Processor, Gunmetal

The post Berry Snickerdoodle Cobbler (Gluten Free) appeared first on Perry's Plate.