FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BALLS / June 12, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BALLS | dolly and oatmeal

i know temps will cool soon, but it’s been hovering around the 100°F height mark in socal, and this very pregnant lady needed chocolate chip cookies without turning the oven on (because even with AC on the feet swell, and the dizziness sets in). this super easy, super quick recipe came about because i was constantly snacking on amesy’s stash of cookie dough in the freezer. he liiiiiives for chocolate chip cookies so i usually make about a batch of chocolate chip cookies that i cook off one by one. but i had found myself plucking a frozen chocolate chip cookie dough ball almost nightly. that’s when i decided i needed a stash all my own (because mom guilt), and i also wanted to make them a little more freezer friendly.

these are completely almond-based and made from almond flour and almond butter. both give the smooth velvety consistency of cookie dough, all you have to do is let the ball sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before you take a bite. aside from those ingredients, we add some super basic pantry staples: almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, chocolate chunks, and salt! that’s it. these literally could not be easier to make. from there, we mix the dough together, and form them into balls. then into the freezer for about an hour. you could top with with a chocolate drizzle and some flaky salt, or just keep them as is. they’re stored in an airtight container in your freezer and keep for months (if you can make them last that long).

they’re the perfect little pop of chocolate chip cookie dough on these hot summer days, and i hope you love them as much as i do!

xo!

frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls | gf & v

before eating, let the balls sit out at room temp for about 5 minutes, just to soften slightly.

print the recipe

| makes about a dozen |

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup (preferably grade b)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks (60-70% cacao)

optional toppings:

chocolate drizzle
flaky sea salt
cacao nibs
chopped nuts
hemp seeds

method

line a baking sheet with parchment paper. set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour and salt. using a rubber spatula, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla until combined. then add the chocolate chunks (the dough will be quite thick, this is what we want).
using a tablespoon cookie scoop (or an equivalent), scoop the dough out into the palm of your hands. moving quickly (especially if you hands are warm), roll the dough between your palms making even-sized balls. place on the parchment and repeat with the remaining dough. pop the tray in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour. top with chocolate drizzle and other toppings if desired. freeze once again. then store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

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BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE 🖤(GLUTEN-FREE) / February 13, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE | dolly and oatmeal

happy (almost) valentine’s day, friends :) i can’t say that this holiday has had any special meaning to me over the years. i’d much rather celebrate how i did when i was a kid in elementary school - making festive crafts with specific tones of colors, baking valentine cupcakes, wearing clothing outfitted with hearts and cheesy logos, etc.! i feel like those vibes have been resurrected somewhat now that amesy is going school and he’s getting to partake in those kinds of activities. this past weekend i spent a significant amount of time picking out little valentine cards for his classmates. i was kind of overwhelmed and overjoyed at the selection, and i found the most simplistic joy in picking them out (don’t ask me why!).

i also wanted to bake something super chocolatey too, because this time of year, when the winter seems to never want to let up, you tend to need something to counter that. some people medicate with hot soup or stew, others with tea. me? i need a bone-soothing, deep, dark chocolate cake to sink my teeth into. plus, it doesn’t hurt that all amesy asks for is “chaw-colate cake” . seriously though, i don’t know where he even got the notion from but he asks for it almost every night, and does so with the cutest little new york accent. anywho, who am i to deny my child chocolate cake, especially on valentine’s day?

the first iteration of this cake was delicious, but not dark enough. the second, the chocolate ganache topping wasn’t runny enough. but the third one, was absolutely perfect. the cake had a nice crumb to it, not overly moist or dense, but not crumbly or dry either. but the ganache was where it was at. it’s a two-ingredient recipe, using dark chocolate and coconut milk that still dries glossy and beautiful (i’m partial to this since you can make the cake ahead of time and it still looks like you just made it!). lastly, there are some dried rose petals just for valentine kicks, plus i just think they look pretty.

hope your week is good one! xo!

BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE | gf & df

feel free to use whatever decorations you like here. conversation hearts (do they still make those?), white, pink, and red sprinkles! heart sprinkles, etc. i used dried, food-grade rose petals from a local shop (but you can also get them online).

print the recipe!

| makes 1 round 8-inch bundt cake |

-1 cup fine brown rice flour

-1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

-3/4 cup coconut sugar

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-3/4 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1 cup banana mashed bananas (approx. 2-3 bananas)

-1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

-2 large free range eggs, at room temp

-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-1/2 cup chopped chocolate chunks (optional)

-dried food-grade roses

chocolate ganache

-6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

-2/3 cup coconut milk

method

-preheat oven to 350°F. oil your pan and flour it with cacao powder (or cocoa powder if that’s what you’re using).

-in a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and cacao (or cocoa) powder, then whisk in the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

-in another large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. add half the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together with a rubber spatula until incorporated. add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. if using, fold in the chocolate chunks at this point.

-pour the batter evenly into the pan. use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth the top of the cake.

-bake for 35-45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. once fully cooled, run a thin knife around the edges of the pan. invert the cake onto a platter or large plate.

-make the chocolate ganache. place the chocolate chunks into a heat tolerant bowl. heat the coconut milk over medium low until steaming and hot (it shouldn’t be so hot that you can’t quickly stick your finger in). pour the coconut milk over the chocolate and let sit for about 2 minutes. use a rubber spatula to stir the ganache together until it’s completely mixed.

- pour 1/2-3/4 ganache over the top of the cake. use an offset spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top, letting some fall down the sides of the cake. decorate the top and sides of the cake with crushed rose petals (if using), and store the remaining ganache in a lidded jar in your fridge for up to 1 week.

-slice cake and serve!

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK / December 20, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK | dolly and oatmeal

frank loves s’mores. like, lives for them. he recently came home from a little stop at whole foods with their seasonal s’mores holiday bark. while most times he’s disappointed by s’mores chocolate bars/barks/ice creams/ice cream sandwiches, this whole foods version was pretty spot on (it was so overly sweet to me, but i usually find things too sweet). he was so psyched about this bark, but had one gripe: the ratio of graham crackers, to marshmallows, to chocolate was off. frank’s never one to criticize food for the most part. he eats what i make, has constructive comments when i ask for advice, and is just generally the most easy going person when it comes to all things food.

so i love when he loves certain food. and he loves s’mores so much that i wanted to give him his perfect ratio - his dream s’mores bark! the first couple of version were off. we both agreed it was too sweet. so i tried a higher percentage of cacao and that seemed to do the trick. then came the ratio. while i’m not quite the s’mores lover frank is, i do think that anything claiming to be “s’mores” generally has way too much chocolate, and not nearly enough graham crackers or marshmallows. so, i upped the 1/2 cup of marshmallows and graham crackers to 3/4 cup, plus an additional 1/4 cup graham crackers for topping.

and while i was making these, i got pretty opinionated about the marshmallows. you rarely get anything “s’mores” with actual toasted marshmallows, but isn’t that the whole point? that toasty flavor gives them that subtle smokiness which is so notorious with a proper campfire s’more. so here we have it, toasted s’mores with the perfect ratio. it’s not so much a recipe, more of guide of how to make the best dang s’more bark there is (in frank’s humble opinion).

wishing you all the loveliest holiday filled with laughter, and hugs, and love, and wonderful memories! xo!

3-ingredient toasted s’mores bark | gf

| makes one 13x9” tray |

3/4 dandies brand mini marshmallows
12 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao)
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup crushed gluten free graham crackers (i use smoreables)

method

heat your oven to a high broil. line a 13x9-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper (i like to coat the pan with some oil and then place the parchment on top just to prevent it from slipping when you spread the melted chocolate bark).
line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the marshmallows out evenly so that none are touching. once the oven is hot, carefully slide the pan in. broil marshmallows about 1 minute, rotating the pan halfway through to toast evenly. remove from the oven and let cool completely.
while the marshmallows are cooling, melt the chocolate. in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring every so often. after it’s completely melted, remove from heat and let cool completely.
dump the marshmallows into the cooled melted chocolate, reserving a few for topping. dump the graham crackers in as well, and mix until thoroughly combined.
pour the chocolate bark mix into the jellyroll pan and use and offset spatula to evenly spread it into the corners and sides of the pan. top with remaining marshmallows, and graham crackers.
freeze for 30-40 minutes, until completely solid. use your hands or a sharp knife to break up the bark into jagged pieces.
store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.