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Gluten-Free Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

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Gluten-Free Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with syrup on a plate.

One day I had a little tub of ricotta in the fridge. It wasn’t really enough to do anything with but not enough to throw away. (Well, not enough to throw away until it got moldy from sitting in the fridge for too long.)

In a flash of brilliance that rarely happens on a Sunday morning before I’ve had my coffee, I decided to add the ricotta to my blueberry pancakes.

Instead of mixing the ricotta into the batter until it’s smooth, I left it lumpy. This was a good idea. Warm cheese dotted the pancakes and elevated blueberry pancakes from awesome to unbelievably awesome.

If you make these pancakes, and I really hope you do, be sure to use full fat ricotta cheese. Low and no fat ricotta cheese are too watery for these pancakes.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes.
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Gluten-Free Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup finely ground white rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams, out of shell)
  • 1 cup milk (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup ricotta cheese (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1 cup blueberries, washed and picked over to remove stems

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the white rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add the milk, eggs and oil. Whisk until a batter forms.

  2. Add the ricotta. Stir to just combine. You WANT lumps. This is important. The lumps of ricotta are what make these pancakes awesome. So don't stir too much or the cheese will disappear when you make them.
  3. Add the blueberries. Stir to just combine.
  4. Cook on a hot, oiled griddle, about 1/4 cup each. Serve with syrup. I find butter to be an overkill but you might think differently about this!

 

Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

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Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Bundt Cake on glass platter.

I love simple desserts. And this brown sugar bundt cake is a perfect example of a simple dessert. It gets it’s flavor from brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. That’s it. There’s no nuts or chocolate or dried fruit stealing the attention. And that’s what makes this bundt perfect.

Just one warning before you make it. Be prepared to make it again and again. It makes a wonderful gift when someone in your life needs a little comfort,

 

Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Bundt Cake.
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Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

This simple bundt cake, which gets its main flavor from brown sugar, tastes lightly of molasses, vanilla, and butter. It's perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 1 bundt cake
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground white rice flour (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup; 8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar (15 ounces; 425 grams)
  • 3 large large eggs (about 5 1/4 ounces; 150 grams, out of shell)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk (8 ounces; 226 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

  2. Whisk together white rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. 

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it just begins to light. Add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the after the last addition and cream for an additional 30 seconds.
  4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Add until just blended. Add 1/2 the buttermilk and the vanilla. Cream until combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
  5. After adding the last addition of the dry ingredients, increase mixer speed to medium-high. Blend for 20 seconds. Batter should be fluffy.
  6. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  7. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow cake to cool in the pan for five minutes and then remove from the pan and place back on the wire rack to cool completely. (Allowing the cake to stay in the pan longer than five minutes might cause it to stick.)

 

Classic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin split and spread with butter. Pan of muffins and stick of butter in background.

Like anyone who loves to cook and bake, I’m smitten with Dorie Greenspan. Even though I can’t make her recipes as written, I still buy all her cookbooks. Reading her recipes and kitchen wisdom is worth it–plus I get the fun of adapting her beloved recipes.

Since fall is here, I thought Dorie’s Pumpkin muffins would be a nice treat. I was not disappointed! These muffins are suburb. They’re light, tender, and spicy, just like pumpkin muffins should be. 

Three notes about changes I made to Dorie’s original recipe (in addition to making it gluten-free, of course).

1. I increased the amount of baking soda from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon. This provided a little extra lift and, I think, the gluten-free muffins benefited greatly from the lift. 

2. I added the flour in two steps instead of one. Dorie’s original recipe called for the pumpkin and buttermilk to be added directly to the butter-egg mixture. I found this “broke” the butter. (It became curdled.) By adding half the flour prior to adding the pumpkin and buttermilk, the batter remained creamy. 

3. I didn’t add raisins or sunflower seeds. Why? I didn’t have any in the house! 

One other tiny note about the recipe. It doesn’t use a full 15 ounce can of pumpkin. I usually don’t like recipes that leave me with leftover pumpkin. Since this recipe was so good, however, I’ll forgive it.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin split and spread with butter. Pan of muffins and stick of butter in background.
5 from 1 vote
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Classic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

adapted from "Baking From my Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2006)
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 15 muffins
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup finely ground white rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground allspice
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3.5 ounces; 100 grams)
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (7 ounces; 198 grams)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup raisins, optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
  • 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, optional optional

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 17 muffins cavities with paper liners or lightly grease muffin pan with gluten-free cooking spray.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.

  3. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat butter for 45 seconds or until light. Add sugars. Cream together for one minute.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well between each addition to full incorporate eggs. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Turn off mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

  5. Add half the dry ingredients. Turn on mixer to medium speed. Blend until combined. Batter will be thick. Add pumpkin and buttermilk. Mix until combined.

  6. Add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until a thick, fluffy batter forms. If using, stir in raisins and chopped nuts.

  7. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, about 2/3 full. Batter will be thick. If desired, sprinkle sunflower seeds on top of the muffin batter.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

15 Minute Roasted Garlic Shrimp

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Cooked garlic shrimp on platter.

 

During the week, I’m always looking for an easy meal. Few dinners are easier than roasted shrimp. You simply toss the shrimp together with olive oil, garlic, and herbs and bake. Serve with a large green salad and, if you feel like it,  some garlic bread.

If you have any leftover shrimp, you can make a quick dinner the next night. Cook up some gluten-free pasta, I prefer spaghetti for this but use whatever you love. Toss the pasta with olive oil–or melted butter if you feel like splurging. Add the shrimp and throw in some cooked spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Dinner, done!

Cooked garlic shrimp on platter.
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15 Minute Roasted Garlic Shrimp

I prefer wild USA shrimp to the frozen shrimp from Thailand.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
  • dried herbs I use a pinch of chives, tarragon, and a smidgen of dill.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  2. On a baking sheet, toss together the shrimp and olive oil.

  3. Add the salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Toss together. Once coated, spread the shrimp on the baking sheet in one layer. 

  4. Roast for 10 minutes or until shrimp is firm and no longer opaque.

 

 

How to Make Fresh Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

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Until the other day, I never thought of bread crumbs as a “seasonal” food. Sure strawberries are seasonal but bread crumbs? It seems, however, that in my kitchen fresh bread crumbs are seasonal.

Most of the year I reach for dried bread crumbs. I use them to bread meats and throw them in meatloaf. But in the summer, when I make cod cakes and crab cakes, I find myself making fresh bread crumbs. So while bread crumbs aren’t really seasonal, they sort of feel like it to me.

Making fresh bread crumbs is really easy. All you need is, you guessed it, fresh bread.

Here’s how to make gluten-free bread crumbs:

Gluten-free loaf of bread sliced on a cutting board.
Grab about four slices of gluten-free bread.

Cutting three slices of gluten-free bread in half for bread crumbs.
Slice bread in half. Don’t worry about the slices being perfect. Slicing the bread just makes it easier to get the bread into the food processor.

Gluten-free bread slices in the bowl of a food processor.
Put the bread slices into a food processor. If your food processor is small, you might need to do this in two batches.

 

Fresh Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs in food processor bowl.
Pulse the food processor a few times and you’ll have fresh bread crumbs! That’s it. Seriously.

Fresh bread crumbs don’t really last. They stale or get moldy (gross!) pretty fast.

For this reason, just make your fresh bread crumbs when you need them–not a day or so before.

Gluten-free loaf of bread sliced on a cutting board.
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Fresh Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

Use these breadcrumbs the day you make them. They don't hold well.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 4 slices fresh gluten-free bread sliced in half.

Instructions

  1. Place bread slices into food processor. Pulse a few times. Crumbs should be fine. That's it!
  2. Use bread crumbs immediately.

 

How to Make Gourmet Chocolate Covered Apples

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Dipping apple in melted milk chocolate.

The other day, I got the BEST e-mail from a friend! She wanted to know how to make chocolate-covered apples. YES! Are you as excited as I was? Let me say that again, chocolate-covered apples. If you’ve enjoyed a chocolate-covered apple before, I bet you know two things: 1. They are delicious. 2. They cost a fortune! Seriously, I’ve seen some of these treats going for $15.00 per apple. The good news? They are easy to make at home!
Here’s how to do it:

Placing wooden stick in center of apple.
Get some candy apple sticks from a cake shop (or craft store). You want the ones that are sharpened on one end. Twist the stick firmly into the apple. The stick becomes your dipping tool. So you don’t want it to be loose.

I used honeycrisp apples because I love honeycrisp apples but any crisp apple will do.

Apple in empty glass measuring cup.

Find a small bowl or measuring cup and stick the apple into the cup. Why you ask? You want to make sure the apple fits in the bowl. Who wants to melt chocolate only to find out that your apple doesn’t fit into the bowl. See how there isn’t much room around my apple? That’s great. If the bowl was too big, I’d need lots of melted chocolate to fill the bowl for dipping. With a smaller bowl, I don’t need to melt as much chocolate.

Dipping red apple in melted milk chocolate.

Slowly dip your apple into the melted chocolate. Here I’m using milk chocolate but white or dark chocolate work just as well.

Oh my…

Dipping apple in measuring cup filled with melted milk chocolate.

Twist the apple to cover it completely.

Dipping a red apple in milk chocolate.

Slowly pull the apple out of the chocolate. (YUM, right?)

Red apple dipped in milk chocolate.

Allow the excess chocolate to dip off the apple. You can give it a gentle shake to help this process. (This is important because the excess chocolate pools around the apple while it cools. And if you want to do a second coat, which, trust me, you do, the pooled chocolate becomes a pain to deal with.)

Two apples dipped in milk chocolate.

Allow the chocolate-dipped apples to set up on a piece of parchment paper. (See the little pool of chocolate around the base of the apple? Imagine how much would be there if I didn’t allow the excess chocolate to drip off.)

Now you could stop there. Of course you could! But why would you want to?

Plate of mini marshmallows.

I wanted to coat my dipped apple in marshmallows. Whenever you add “goodies” (M&Ms, marshmallows, chopped nuts, crushed cookies) to a chocolate apple, you need to first apply a base coat of chocolate. If you don’t the weight of the “goodies” will drag the first coat of warm, melted chocolate off the apple.

 

Be sure your first coat of chocolate has set before re-dipping the apple.

Placing marshmallows on chocolate dipped apple.

After dipping the apple again,  I slowly rolled the coated apple in marshmallows. There were a few bare spots. So I hand-placed some marshmallows. This goes quick.

Apple dipped in milk chocolate and covered in marshmallows.

If you don’t want the outside of any of the marshmallows to be coated in chocolate, you can always hand-place all of the marshmallows. It’s up to you. I like this kind of homemade look but if you want white marshmallows on a dark apple, I understand.

 

I wasn’t done. Oh yes! Time for more chocolate!

Dipping apple in melted milk chocolate.

I decided that I only wanted a ring around the bottom coated with M&Ms. Therefore, I only dipped about 1/3 of the apple in chocolate.

Plate of M&M candies.

Since M&Ms are heavy, rolling the apple in the plate of M&Ms produced a so-so result, many of the candy pieces fell off. Pressing each M&M onto the apple, one at a time, worked much better. And, surprisingly, went pretty quickly.

Chocolate Dipped Apples with M&M candies on the bottom.

Now, you could dip the entire apple in chocolate and place M&Ms all over the apple. That wouldn’t be bad. At all. At all. 

But what if you don’t want candy (or cookies or nuts) on the outside of your apples? How about doing a triple dip?

First I coated the apple in melted white chocolate and allowed the chocolate to firm before dipping it into melted milk chocolate. (This is key. Whenever you are dipping multiple kinds of chocolate, always start with the lighter chocolate first. So you’d want to dip white—>milk—>dark. Or milk—>dark or white—>dark. You get the idea.)

Melted dark chocolate for chocolate coated apple.

Next up? Dark chocolate!

Dipping apple in dark chocolate.

After the milk layer set, in went the apple.

Chocolate Dipped Apples coated in white, milk, and dark chocolate.

Done!

Placing wooden stick in center of apple.
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Gourmet Chocolate Covered Apples

Making homemade chocolate-covered apples isn't only delicious, it's budget-friendly!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For Chocolate-coated Apples with Candy

  • 6 large apples, washed and dried (Water causes chocolate to seize. Be sure to dry the apples completely.)
  • 6 candy sticks
  • 1 pound milk, dark and/or white confectionery coating
  • about 2 cups small candies or chopped nuts

For Triple Chocolate Dipped Apples

  • 6 large apples, washed and dried (Water causes chocolate to seize. Be sure to dry the apples completely.)
  • 8 ounces block caramel or 6 sheets caramel wraps, optional
  • 6 candy sticks
  • 8 ounces white confectionery coating
  • 8 ounces milk confectionery coating
  • 8 ounces dark confectionery coating

Instructions

  1. For the Candy-coated Apples: Pierce apples with sticks. Be sure the sticks don't wiggle. You need to hold onto the stick while you dip your apple and you don't want the stick to slip out of the apple.
  2. Find a small bowl or 2-cup measure. "Test" each apple by placing it into the bowl. Do they all fit? Is there room around the apple? If yes, you have found your bowl! If not, find another bowl.
  3. In your selected bowl, place half pound chocolate. (or more depending on the size of your bowl. The chocolate should fill the bowl half way.) Microwave your chocolate for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir. The chocolate won't be melted at this point. That's fine. You are removing "hot spots." This prevents the chocolate from burning. Return the chocolate to the microwave and repeat, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted. (Note: If your apple bowl isn't microwave-safe, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and transfer the melted chocolate to the bowl. If you don't have a microwave, place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Heat over medium heat (there should be water in the bottom of your double boiler.). Stir until chocolate melts. Transfer melted chocolate to the bowl you'll be dipping the apples in.)
  4. Dip each apple, one at a time, into the melted chocolate. Rotate the apple in the chocolate to coat completely. Slowly pull the apple out of the chocolate, shaking off excess chocolate.
  5. Place dipped chocolate on a piece of parchment paper.
  6. Spread selected toppings on a plate(s). Dip apple again in the chocolate. Either roll or place the toppings onto the apple. Covering as much or as little of the apple as you want.
  7. Return the dipped, coated apple to the parchment paper.
  8. For the Triple Chocolate Apples: Pierce each apple with a candy apple stick. Be sure the stick is tightly inserted into the apple.
  9. Roll out caramel, if using a block. Wrap caramel around apple.
  10. Place half pound chocolate. (or more depending on the size of your bowl. The chocolate should fill the bowl halfway.) Microwave your chocolate for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir. The chocolate won't be melted at this point. That's fine. You are removing "hot spots." This prevents the chocolate from burning. Return the chocolate to the microwave and repeat, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted. (Note: If your apple bowl isn't microwave-safe, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and transfer the melted chocolate to the bowl. If you don't have a microwave, place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Heat over medium heat (there should be water in the bottom of your double boiler.). Stir until chocolate melts. Transfer melted chocolate to the bowl you'll be dipping the apples in.)
  11. Dip apple. Rotate apple in chocolate to coat completely. Slowly pull apple out of the chocolate. Shake to remove excess chocolate. Place dipped apple on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt. Allow to set.

 

How to Make Chocolate-Covered Salted Caramel Apples

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Chocolate-covered Salted Caramel Apple.

 

I know that the combination of apples and chocolate sounds weird. But throw in some caramel and salt and, trust me, it’s a winner. These apples are one of my favorite fall treats! Be sure to use crisp apples, like honey crisp or granny smith.

Here’s how to do it:

Placing wooden stick in center of apple.

Wash and dry your apples. You want to remove all the wax so the caramel sticks. Pierce the candy apple stick.

Red apple sits on top of rolled out caramel.

Roll out a piece of caramel or buy gluten-free caramel sheets. I prefer the taste of block caramel. It’s a little more work but totally worth it.

Wrapping a red apple in caramel.

Wrap the caramel around the apple. Pressing as you go so that caramel sticks to the apple.

Caramel coated apple on red cutting board.

Okay, you could just stop here. But…chocolate is waiting!

Caramel coated apple being dipped in chocolate.

Oh, yes. Dip the apple into melted dark chocolate.

Dipping caramel coated apple in dark chocolate.

Rotate the apple to evenly coat it.

Sprinkling salt on dark chocolate coated apple.

Sprinkle with coarse sea salt or kosher salt.

Chocolate-covered Salted Caramel Apple.

Done! Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature.

Placing wooden stick in center of apple.
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Salted Caramel Chocolate Apples

Firm caramel makes the best caramel apples. Look for Merckens block caramel. It's wonderful!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 6 large apples, washed and dried. (Water causes chocolate to seize. Be sure to dry the apples completely.)
  • 6 candy sticks
  • 8 ounces block caramel or 6 caramel sheets
  • 1 pound dark confectionery coating
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Pierce apples with the sticks. Be sure the sticks don't wiggle. You need to hold onto the stick while you dip your apple and you don't want the stick to slip out of the apple.
  2. Find a small bowl or 2-cup measure. "Test" each apple by placing it into the bowl. Do they all fit? Is there room around the apple? If yes, you have found your bowl! If not, find another bowl.
  3. Roll out the caramel and cut into six 4 x 6-inch rectangles. Wrap the caramel sheets around the apples. Set aside.
  4. Place the confectionery coatings into a glass bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir. The chocolate won't be melted at this point. That's fine. You are removing "hot spots." This prevents the chocolate from burning. Return the chocolate to the microwave and repeat, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted.
  5. Dip each apple, one at a time, into the melted chocolate. Rotate the apple in the chocolate to coat completely. Slowly pull the apple out of the chocolate, shaking off excess chocolate.
  6. Place dipped chocolate on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Allow to set.
  7. Spread selected toppings on a plate(s). Dip apple again in the chocolate. Either roll or place the toppings onto the apple. Covering as much or as little of the apple as you want.
  8. Return the dipped, coated apple to the parchment paper.

 

How to Make Homemade Eggnog

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Two glasses of eggnog next to a candle and stack of old books.

 

I think eggnog might be the candy corn of the Christmas season. People either love it or loathe it and, just like candy corn, they’ll passionately tell you which camp they’re in. Me? I love eggnog. Love it. But the last few years, disappointment instead of delight accompanied my annual eggnog purchase. The reason? High fructose corn syrup IHFCS). Health reasons and the HFCS debate aside, I just don’t like the mouth feel it brings to beverages. I find eggnog (and even soda) made with HFCS to be, well, syrupy, instead of smooth. (For soda, I find sugar-based sodas “crisper” than their more prevalent HFCS-sweetened cousins.

Then this year, hope of a HFCS-free eggnog sprung up! My friend Rachel mentioned that a local creamery (which will remain nameless because I usually love their stuff) was offering eggnog. She said it was was the best nog she’d ever had. After hearing this, I ran so fast to the store to pick up a glass bottle of the stuff that it could have qualified as a cardio workout. Then I scanned the ingredients and saw….high fructose corn syrup. I.was.so.bummed. “That’s it! I’m making my own!” I muttered to Greg. And I did! After the first sip of homemade eggnog, I knew I’d never buy pre-made nog* again. Like most things, it’s just so much better homemade. It’s eggy and rich without being cloying sweet or as thick as a semi-melted milkshake.

*Statements like that one are always so full of hope, aren’t they? Watch, next year I’ll get busy and throw a carton of commercial nog into cart. You know how that goes, don’t you?

Making homemade eggnog isn’t hard but you do need a few tools:

Heavy-bottomed 4 quart pot (I used a 2 quart pot. This was a mistake. A big one.)

Balloon whisk

Thermometer Ice Bath (Fill a large bowl with lots of water and ice.)

Ladle

 

After gathering your tools and preparing the ice bath. It’s time to make nog! (feel free to cue up the Christmas music while you make it!)

 

Adding sugar to the egg mixture for homemade eggnog.

Egg nog contains eggs. And while we want to cook the eggs, we don’t want bits of eggs (think scrambled eggs) floating in our nog. So we are going to temper the eggs. To do this, whisk together the eggs, half the granulated sugar, and one cup of the milk. Set it aside near the stove.

Ingredients for egg nog in measuring cup.

And place your ladle and whisk near the bowl. (Or in my case, a four-cup measure.)

Ingredients for homemade eggnog. Milk in saucepan.

Bring milk and remaining sugar to a boil

Tempering eggs for homemade eggnog.

Slowly ladle one cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. (This slowly raises the temperature of the eggs without cooking them.) Don’t add the hot milk too fast. you want to whisk the egg mixture as you add the hot milk.

Pouring tempered egg mixture into pot of milk for homemade eggnog.

Now, whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk in a slow and steady stream. You can see why I use my four-cup measure. It makes pouring the eggs into the milk easy.

Cooking eggnog on the stove.

Cook until the eggnog thickens. It needs to reach 185°F. The finished nog should coat the back of a spoon.

Cooling a pot of eggnog in an ice-water bath.

Immediately transfer the pot to the waiting ice bath. Whisk the eggnog to cool it quickly. You want the mixture to come down before 70°F.

Once the eggnog cools, add the vanilla and nutmeg. Chill and serve the next day. And if you want to add a glug of something adult in your glass, go right ahead. It is the holiday season after all.

Adding sugar to the egg mixture for homemade eggnog.
5 from 2 votes
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Homemade Eggnog

I like my eggnog with the traditional flavors of vanilla and nutmeg. However, if you like a spicier nog, egg some ground cinnamon and allspice to taste.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • Ice
  • Cold water
  • 6 large eggs (10 1/2 ounces; 300 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (reduce to 3/4 cup granulated sugar for a less sweet eggnog) (7 ounces; 198 grams)
  • 4 cups whole milk (32 ounces; 900 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine ice and cold water. Bowl should be large enough to place your saucepan without having the ice and water slop over the sides and into your cooked eggnog.
  2. In small bowl, whisk together eggs, 1/2 the granulated sugar, and 1 cup of the milk. Combine remaining milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed 4 quart pot.
  3. Bring milk to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk one cup of hot milk into the egg mixture.
  4. In a slow and steady stream, whisk egg mixture into the hot milk. Increase heat to medium hight. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 185 °F. Eggnog should thicken and coat the back of a wooden spoon.
  5. Immediately place pot into the ice bath and whisk until cool. Add vanilla and nutmeg. Transfer to a covered container and chill overnight. Serve with a little nutmeg sprinkled onto of the eggnog, if desired. Or with a splash of bourbon or your favorite adult spirit.
  6. *If some of your eggs cooks and your nog is a little lumpy, fear not! Simply strain the eggnog once it cools and serve.

 

World’s Easiest Gluten-Free Granola

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Gluten-Free Granola in small canister.

For me, good granola doesn’t have a dominant flavor– it doesn’t holler, “oats!” or “raisins!” or “cinnamon.” Rather I like my granola flavors to work together. And this recipe does just that! One of my favorite things about the recipe (if I do say so) is the use of ground almonds instead of whole almonds. While there is no problem with almonds sprinkled here and there throughout granola, I wanted a more pronounced almond flavor. Ground almond flour does just this, bringing a subtle almond flavor to each bite of granola.

To make this granola, you simply dump everything together in one large bowl, stir, and bake. You want to use two baking sheets for the granola. If you crowd the ingredients on one pan, the granola never gets nice and crisp.

Gluten-Free Granola in small canister.
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Easy Gluten-Free Granola

Be sure to use gluten-free oats when making this recipe. Not all oats are safe for people on a gluten-free diet.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 cups of granola
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 3 cups gluten-free oats (10 1/2 ounces; 297 grams)
  • 2/3 cup almond flour (2 2/3 ounces; 75 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (2 2/3 ounces; 75 grams)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (5 1/2 ounces; 156 grams)
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (3 3/4 ounces; 106 grams)
  • 1 cup raisins, optional (about 5 1/4 ounces; 149 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F;. In large bowl, combine oats, almond flour, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Toss to combine. Add the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon to coat.
  2. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup and brown sugar. Pour over oat mixture. Stir to coat thoroughly.
  3. Divide granola evenly between two large baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, tossing every ten minutes on the baking sheet.
  4. Allow granola to cool. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in raisins.

 

Easy Holiday Gluten-Free Butter Cookies

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Gluten-Free Holiday Butter Cookies with Sprinkles.

These cute butter cookies take only minutes to make! The finished cookies come out of the oven already decorated with a sweet, buttery flavor.

Here are some tips to make these easy cookies even easier!

Mix the dry ingredients the night (or week!) before you plan on baking. Measure out the dry ingredients into a large plastic bag and label the bag. When you are ready to bake, simply add the wet ingredients.

Use a cookie scoop. If you want all the cookies to bake at the same time, avoiding some that are burnt and some that are raw, use a cookie scoop to shape the dough. It’s also a nice timesaver!

Freeze the dough. When you have a little extra time, make up a batch of dough. Scoop into balls, roll into sprinkles, and place in a freezer container. (Line the freezer container with parchment paper.) When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven as directed and bake. The cookies take a few extra minutes to bake.

 

Gluten-Free Holiday Butter Cookies with Sprinkles.
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Easy Holiday Gluten-Free Butter Cookies

I like soft sprinkles, often called JImmies, for these cookies. I find nonpareils too crunchy for these cookies.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white rice flour (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch (1 1/3 ounces; 38 grams)
  • 1/3 cup sweet rice flour (1 1/3 ounces; 38 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces; 348 grams)
  • 2 sticks butter, softened (If you are dairy-free, shortening works well in this recipe.) (1 cup; 8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
  • about 1/2 cup coarse or colored sanding sugar, sprinkles, or quins

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Whisk together white rice flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour, baking powder, xanthan gum,and salt. 

  3. Cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until a thick paste forms, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix for 45 seconds.

  4. Chill dough for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Roll dough, about 2 tablespoons each, into a ball. Dip the top of the dough ball into the sanding sugar. (To make this step go faster, I use a cookie scoop.) Place coated dough ball onto prepared baking sheet. Be sure to space cookies about 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies very slightly with the palm of your hand.
  6. Bake cookies, about 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

  7. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet. After 3 minutes, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container.

 

How to Make Easy Gluten-Free Garlic Bread

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Gluten-Free Garlic Bread on baking pan.

Another culinary confession! You know Udi’s bread? (Of course you do!) Well, I’m not wild about their hot dog buns. They are too bready/dry/something for me. But then, THEN, I realized that they’d make fabulous garlic bread! And now, well, now I love em! (Just not for hot dogs!)

Remember the warm, cheesy garlic bread that Italian restaurants serve before a meal? This recipe makes that style garlic bread. It isn’t fancy bread. And it doesn’t use fresh garlic. Did I lose you there? I hope not! Because here’s a secret: most inexpensive Italian restaurants–at least the “mom and pop” ones around here—don’t use fresh garlic either but even without fresh garlic, this bread is AMAZING.

Here we go!

Drizzling olive oil on gluten-free bread for garlic bread.

Thaw as many Udi’s hot dog buns as you think you’ll need. (This recipe doesn’t really have a “recipe.”) Drizzle the face of each bun lightly with olive oil.
Spreading butter on gluten-free bread for garlic bread.

Spread on a generous amount of softened butter. Yes, both oil and butter. Trust me. Truuuuuuust me.

Sprinkling garlic powder on gluten-free bread for garlic bread.
Sprinkle on some garlic powder. Just be sure it’s garlic powder and not garlic salt. To make this easy, you can use the handle of a spoon to control the amount of garlic on each bun. And, really, you just want a sprinkle.

 

Sprinkling cheese and herbs on gluten-free bread for garlic bread.

Top with a generous amount of–wait for it–canned Parmesan cheese (Like the garlic powder, canned cheese is important if you want the bread to taste like “restaurant bread.”) Sprinkle on a little dried basil and you’re done!

 

Gluten-Free Garlic Bread on baking pan.
Bake in a preheated 425°F. oven until golden brown. If you want, cut into slices and enjoy!
Antipasto platter with cheese, fresh tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and stuffed peppers.
You can serve garlic bread with just about anything. This time of the year, I serve it with antipasto. But it’s good with anything.

Garlicky Yours,

Elizabeth

Drizzling olive oil on gluten-free bread for garlic bread.
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Easy Gluten-Free Garlic Bread

This super easy garlic bread comes together in just a few minutes. Serve it alongside a salad or soup.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • Udi's gluten-free hot dog buns split
  • olive oil
  • butter
  • garlic powder
  • Parmesan cheese
  • dried basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Drizzle a little (about one teaspoon) olive oil on each hot dog bun. Spread with a generous amount of butter, about 2 teaspoons. Sprinkle on a tiny bit of garlic powder and dried basil.
  3. Bake until golden brown and crispy.

 

Cucumber Lemon Water

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Glass of lemon cucumber water.

For Christmas my aunt gave me a SodaStream. Do you own one? I thought they only made homemade soda. So when I opened the box I thought, “Wait. I don’t drink soda. I’ll never use this!” Of course I didn’t say that out loud.

But, oh my, I was so wrong!  The soda stream quickly became my favorite thing EVER. I still don’t drink soda. But now I do drink lots of carbonated water. And that’s why she got it for me, for the water it makes.  I didn’t realize it at the time but she has a soda stream and LOVES it.

The other day, I threw some lemons and cucumbers into a glass of homemade seltzer. I honestly exclaimed, “Wow. That’s refreshing!” I felt a little silly because 1. no one was home and 2. calling a drink “refreshing” seems like something one only says in commercials, not at home. Alone.

I laughed at myself but I had to admit, the lemon-cucumber water was insanely refreshing.

Now I know lemon-cucumber water has been around for years, but since we’re heading into the serious days (read: hot days!) of summer, I thought I’d remind you about this super refreshing drink. And if you’ve never had it, do yourself a favor and make a glass or a pitcher. It’s wonderful!

Glass of lemon cucumber water.
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Cucumber Lemon Water

Here it is, a recipe for water.
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1 glass
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • ice cubes
  • 2-3 cucumber slices
  • 2 lemon slices
  • seltzer water

Instructions

  1. Place the ice, cucumber, and lemon slices into a large glass. Pour water into glass. Drink and enjoy!

 

How to Make Simple Syrup for Summer Drinks

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Pitcher of iced tea, bottle of simple syrup, lemon slices, and straws.

“One lump or two?”

Ah, beverage sweetness. It’s personal, isn’t it? I like my iced tea with just a whisper of sweetness (unless I’m in the south and then pass the sweet tea!), my lemonade tart, and, I have to admit, my iced coffee fairly sweet. That’s what tastes good to me. My husband, however, likes lemonade sweet and iced coffee with no sugar at all. Instead of making separate batches of summer beverages, I make simple syrup. This easy-to-make sweetener allows us to personalize the sweetness level of our drinks.

And the best part about simple syrup isn’t how easy it is to make (it requires only granulated sugar and water) but how you don’t have granulated sugar sitting at the bottom of your iced beverage. I hate that! A little–or a large–splash of simple syrup sweetens drinks without any grit!

Here’s how to make it, ready?

 

One cup of water. One cup of granulated sugar.

To make simple syrup, combine equal parts water and granulated sugar. I usually make a batch with one cup of sugar and one cup of water. However, if you are having a party, just increase the batch!

 

Water and sugar in pot for simple syrup.

In a small pot, combine the sugar and water.

 

Boiling water and sugar for simple syrup.

Bring to a boil. This is important! We want the sugar to dissolve.

 

Cooked simple syrup in pot.

Once the syrup reaches a boil and all the sugar dissolves, shut off the heat. You don’t want to boil the syrup too long or it will get too thick.

Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. That’s it!

You can flavor your syrup by adding vanilla or other extracts. Just add the flavor as the syrup cools. Stir and adjust the flavor as needed.

Pitcher of iced tea, bottle of simple syrup, lemon slices, and straws.
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How to Make Simple Syrup for Summer Drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 1 1/2 cups
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces; 198 grams)
  • 1 cup water (8 ounces; 226 grams)

Instructions

  1. In small pot, combine sugar and water. Heat, over medium-high heat, until syrup boils and sugar dissolves.
  2. Allow syrup to cool. Pour into container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

 

Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits

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Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Gluten Free on a baking sheet.

Is it just me or are breadbaskets dangerous? One appears on the table, you chat with friends, and then Poof! it’s empty and you aren’t so hungry for your meal.  This must be especially true for Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits because over the years, I’ve gotten a LOT of requests for them.

This recipe, which uses Cheddar, butter, and shortening, tastes just like those famous biscuits. The only thing missing is the gluten! Now if you don’t like to use shortening, omit it and use all butter. The biscuits will be extra buttery and tasty!

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Gluten Free on a baking sheet.
5 from 1 vote
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Gluten-Free Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

These biscuits are rich. Really rich. Enjoy!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings 12 biscuits
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground white rice flour (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, cold (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
  • 1/2 stick butter, cold (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 3/4 cup milk (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese (4 ounces; 113 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In bowl of food processor, pulse together white rice flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. (Don't have a food processor? Use a medium bowl and whisk ingredients together.) Add shortening and butter.
  3. Cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients by pulsing food processor a few times. Shortening and butter pieces should be about the size of a small peas. (If doing this by hand, cut shortening and butter into the dry ingredients with either a pastry cutter or by rubbing the fats in with your hands.)

  4. Add milk and cheese and pulse until dough forms. (Stir to combine if doing this by hand.) As soon as dough comes together, stop the food processor.

  5. Drop dough, about 1/4 cup each, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

3 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce in pot with wooden spoon.
Text on Image: Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.

On Monday, I set out to make a batch of “Church Windows,” marshmallows held together by chocolate-peanut butter ganache. For years I’d seen pictures of these colorful confections but I never got around to making a batch.

As I stirred the ganache, inspiration struck. The sauce would be perfect (perfect!) spooned into jars and given as gifts to friends. The combination of chocolate, peanut butter and butter makes a tasty chocolate-peanut “hot fudge” sauce. Imagine a melted down peanut butter cup poured over ice cream or stirred into milk for a peanut butter hot chocolate. That’s how good this sauce tastes.

The inspiration for these easy gifts never would have stuck if I hadn’t made those simple marshmallow “church windows.” Sure, I know how to make ganache but I never thought of making a peanut butter ganache.

Don’t you love it when this type of culinary inspiration strikes? When you are busy making one thing and you think, “You know…I could…”

I often forget that for me action creates inspiration. Too often, I get distracted by life. Tending to other things and not moving creatively. Does that happen to you? If I’m honest, I’m rarely– if ever–inspired by sitting on the couch, checking e-mail, or chatting on Facebook. But when I get moving, the ideas come.

Sometimes the inspiration is simple, like spooning peanut butter ganache into jars for holiday gifts and sometimes it’s complex, like the nugget of an idea for a cookbook. But if I don’t get myself moving, I deny myself all of those creative “what if” moments.

As we move into the darkest days of winter, I’m really curious: how do you find inspiration? Or, should I say, how does inspiration find you?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce on wooden spoon.
5 from 1 vote
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3 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Sauce

Use creamy peanut butter for this recipe.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (4 3/4 ounces; 134 grams)
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces)
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Turn on heat to low. This is important. You need to treat this sauce gently or it might scorch. Stir with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula until ingredients are melted and smooth. Sauce should be shiny. Add salt to taste. 

  2. Pour sauce into a small jam jar. Allow to cool. Sauce will harden.
  3. To serve warm: remove desired amount of sauce from jar. Place in a small bowl. Warm in microwave on low setting for 30 seconds. Stir. Return to microwave if sauce isn't warm.
  4. Store sauce in the refrigerator for up to one month.

 

 

2 Ingredient Black Bean Dip

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2 Ingredient Black Bean Dip in a wood bowl surrounded by tortilla chips.

Recipes don’t get much easier than this one for my favorite black bean dip. To make, simply take one can of rinsed black beans and combine it with one cup of salsa. Pulse a few times in a food processor and serve. That’s it.

Seriously. That’s it. I bet you already have the recipe memorized! Repeat after me: One can of black beans. One cup of salsa. And a few pulses in a food processor.

Of course, this dip tastes great with gluten-free tortilla chips or raw vegetables. But I also like to serve it in a quesadilla.

Here’s what to do: Spread the dip on a small corn or gluten-free flour tortilla. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of the dip. Top with another tortilla. Spray a non-stick frying pan with a little non-stick cooking spray over medium heat. Heat the quesadilla until it begins to brown. Flip and cook an additional two minutes or so.

Oh, one last thing, because the black beans mute the heat of the salsa a little, I use a medium or hot salsa (or extra hot if I’m feeling spicy!). However you serve this dip, it’s a great recipe to have in your repertoire.

2 Ingredient Black Bean Dip in a wood bowl on a platter surrounded by tortilla chips.
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2 Ingredient Black Bean Dip

If you have two minutes, you can make this dip!
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 4 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup prepared tomato salsa, hot, medium, or mild

Instructions

  1. In bowl of food processor, combine black beans and salsa. Process a few times until almost smooth. If needed, thin with a little water. Serve. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

  2. Serve with tortilla chips or vegetables

 

How to Make 1 Minute Egg Salad

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This 1-minute egg salad uses the microwave to make quick work of the eggs.

1 Minute Egg Salad in glass bowl.

Confession time: I love egg salad.

Confession time part two: I rarely plan for egg salad. So for a long time, I just didn’t make it. By the time I hard-cooked eggs and cooled them, the craving for egg salad usually had passed. (I tend to crave egg salad at lunch when I’m in a “FOOD NOW!” mood.)

But then! THEN! This past fall, we redid our kitchen floor. For a few days, the oven was out of the kitchen. This turned out to be less of a problem than you’d think. Thankfully it was early fall; so we ate lots of salads and I used the slow cooker a few times. One day in the midst of that, I looked up “microwave foods.” I did this mostly for fun. Nothing really grabbed me until I saw hard-cooked eggs. Even though I’d seen advertisements for Eggies , I never really believed you could microwave eggs. That sounded…well, it sounded nuts to me.

Yet things that are nuts are sometimes fun to try. So I grabbed some custard cups, eggs, and headed to the microwave. OH.MY.GOD. It worked! The eggs “hard cooked.” Well, mostly. Let me clarify!

These eggs are great for:

egg salad
breakfast sandwiches
sliced or chopped eggs on green salads.These aren’t the type of eggs you’d eat plain as a snack. But for egg salad or a breakfast sandwich? They are great! In fact, I don’t think I’ve boiled an egg since.

Here’s how you make them:

Two glass ramekins.

Grab two 6-ounce custard cups. Make sure they are microwave safe—-most are.

 

Ramekins sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.Spray lightly with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray.

Overhead shot of two eggs in ramekins.

Break an egg in each cup.

 

Fork breaking yolk for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Pierce the egg yolk a few times with the tines of a fork. This is key. If you don’t do this, the eggs can explode.

 

Eggs in ramekins for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Pretty!

Two ramekins with eggs in microwave for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Place into a microwave. For this to work, your microwave turntable needs to turn.

Microwave cover for eggs.

Cover. I can’t stress enough how important this step is to the success of this recipe. Steam builds up in the cups and causes the eggs to pop (LOUDLY). A little egg gets on the microwave cover. It’s easy to clean, really. However, if those little bits get inside the microwave, it’s a pain to clean because the pieces of egg are so small. So be sure to cover!

Two cooked eggs in Ramekins for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Microwave for a minute and you get…this! As you can see, the center is still a little runny. This works if you are using these eggs for a breakfast sandwich. For egg salad, I’d microwave in 10-second bursts until the center sets.

Two cooked eggs for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Now it’s set.

Turn out onto a cutting board and allow to cool. As you can see, these eggs are the perfect size for a breakfast sandwich. If that’s what you are making, don’t let the egg cool. Rather turn the egg right onto your waiting bread or biscuit.

Cutting egg for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

After the egg cools, cut. Isn’t the inside lovely?? These strips are great on salad, btw.

Chopped egg for 1 Minute Egg Salad.

Chop!

1 Minute Egg Salad in glass bowl.

Done!

How great is that??

Two glass ramekins.
5 from 6 votes
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How to Make 1 Minute Egg Salad

I like my egg salad simple, just mayonnaise, salt, and pepper for me. If you prefer onions, celery, or anything else, add it. Even though these eggs are cooked in the microwave, they work the same as traditional hard boiled eggs for egg salad.
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 large eggs
  • mayonnaise
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Spray two 6-ounce custard cups with nonstick cooking spray. Crack one egg into each of the prepared cups. Pierce yolks with the tines of a fork. Place in microwave. Cover with microwave cover. This is key. Microwave for one minute. You will hear load popping from the eggs. This is normal. Allow to stand for about 15 seconds before checking. If eggs are set, remove from microwave. If not, microwave in 10-second bursts until the center sets.
  2. Turn eggs out onto a cutting board to cool. Once cool, chop. Place eggs into a bowl. Stir in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Gluten-Free Corn Dog Bites

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Gluten-Free Corn Dog Bites.

A year or so ago, I saw a recipe for corn dog muffins on Pinterest. I made a batch with the cornbread recipe from How to Cook Gluten-Free. They were cute and tasty. YAY!  So for this year’s Super Bowl “feast”, I made a batch of corn dog bites instead of our traditional pigs in a blanket. Since mini-wieners were involved, I thought it counted as “tradition.”  Of course, I posted the photo to Facebook (as you do!). And someone asked for the recipe. I’m happy to share it!

The recipe comes together easily. You make a cornbread batter—I imagine you could use a gluten-free cornbread mix–and press a mini-wiener into the center of each muffin. Then bake for about 20 minutes. If you don’t like to see a naked wiener (Yes, I got that as soon as I typed it. I’m leaving it there for us to giggle at!). Where was I? Oh, yes, naked wieners.  You can hide the wiener in your muffin. (OH MY GOD. NO. THAT’S TERRIBLE. *whispering* I’m sorry. #notsorry)

Let’s try this again. Where were we? Hiding wieners! Yes! You can put the wieners in the muffin tin and then spoon the batter on top. As the muffin bakes, it encases the weiner. Either way, these cornbread bites are tasty.

That’s it. No more wiener jokes. Nope! Just a recipe for corn dog bites and an apology. This post was obviously written by the 10-year-old who lives inside my head. I’m sorry.

Gluten-Free Corn Dog Bites.
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Gluten-Free Mini Corndog Muffins

Use mini-wieners or cut regular hot dogs into bite-pieces for this easy recipe.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 36 muffins
Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup finely ground gluten-free cornmeal (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces; 50 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams, out of shell)
  • 1 cup milk (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (about 1 ounce; 24 grams)
  • 1 ( 14-ounce) package package mini-wieners or 8 hot dogs cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 24-cavity mini-muffin pans with gluten-free cooking spray. Set pan aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, white rice flour, sweet rice flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add eggs, milk, and olive oil. Whisk until smooth.

  3. Drop batter into prepared muffin cavities, about half full. Press mini-wiener or hot dog piece into the center of each muffin.
  4. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and serve.