Start With Simple Ingredients

So what do you need for this easy recipe? Let’s take a look at our ingredients list:

• Fresh Lemon Zest. Fresh lemons only! You’ll need TWO lemons’ worth of lemon zest for lemon brownies. The most concentrated lemon flavor is in the natural oils in the zest, so it packs a sunny punch into every bite.
• Sugar. Next up is granulated sugar (cane sugar). We love rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar to infuse it with the lemon flavor. Such a great trick for lemon recipes!
• Softened Butter. Then, you’ll need some butter to cream with the sugar. I love the texture it adds to these fudgy lemon brownies! (You can use salted butter or unsalted butter.)
• Eggs. Simple! They bind and add fudginess to the texture. So good!
• Lemon Juice. For another splash of bright lemon flavor. Be sure to use FRESH lemon juice here (rather than bottled, which can taste bitter and overly acidic). I love the tang of fresh lemon juice.
• Vanilla & Almond Extract. Just like in our Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, we’re adding a mix of vanilla extract and a little bit of almond extract. It might sound strange, but it really amplifies the lemon flavor! If you prefer, you can add 1-2 drops of lemon oil or lemon extract instead of the almond extract, but I really love it here. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. To keep things simple, I like using a gluten-free measure for measure flour. This one from King Arthur is our go-to. If you use a different 1:1 blend, be sure that it contains xanthan gum and know that your results may vary slightly.
• Cornstarch. Adding a little cornstarch to the mix keeps your lemon brownies from tasting floury or getting too dense. (You can use arrowroot if you prefer to avoid corn!)
• Salt. To balance the flavor. Simple, but essential!
• Our Easy Lemon Glaze. This simple sweet glaze is a mixture of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a little butter. It’s the final flourish on our easy lemon brownie recipe. Such a lovely touch! 

How To Make Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Pan & Preheat The Oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a square 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper (I like to have the parchment hanging over two of the sides so I can use them as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan later).
2. Combine Lemon Zest & Sugar. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, combine lemon zest & sugar. Use clean fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it’s fragrant and yellow. You’re distributing the lemon oils to all those sugar grains which means more powerful lemon flavor in every bite!
3. Cream Sugar & Butter. Add softened butter to your lemon zest infused sugar and cream 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and a bit lighter in color.
4. Add Eggs One At A Time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the sides, then…
5. Add Lemon Juice, Vanilla & Almond Extract. Whisk or mix these in until smooth. The mixture may look a bit grainy or curdled at this point. Don’t stress!
6. Mix In Gluten-Free Flour Blend, Cornstarch & Salt. Now, you’re ready to add the dry ingredients! In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and fold them in with a flexible spatula or mix until JUST combined (try not to over-mix).

7. Pour Into Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the lemon brownie batter to your prepared pan and smooth it out into an even layer. (An offset spatula makes this easy!)
8. Bake & Cool. Pop your lemon brownies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F. for 22-26 minutes, or until the venter is just set. Remember, that like brownies, you don’t want to over-bake them or they’ll lose their fudgy texture! Cool the brownies 20-30 minutes, then make your glaze.
9. Glaze The Brownies. In a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and melted butter. Whisk until completely smooth, adding more powdered sugar if the glaze looks too thin, or more lemon juice if it looks too thick. Pour glaze over the cooled brownies and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Garnish with additional lemon zest & enjoy!
10. Store leftovers in an airtight container 1-2 days at room temperature 2-3 days in the refrigerator, or freeze up to 2 months. 

FAQ + Tips For The Best Lemon Brownies

How To Cut Lemon Brownies Neatly. No one wants to mess up a delicious dessert with messy cuts! I find brownies cut with clean, crisp lines after they’ve been chilled. Chill the brownies, then use a sharp knife to make clean cuts. (You can even run the knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and then cut the brownies for an even smoother cut!)

How To Store Lemon Brownies. Gluten-free lemon brownies keep best in the refrigerator. I store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or you can freeze them about 1 month.

Can I Make These Dairy-Free? I haven’t tested these dairy-free yet, but in my experience, most brownie recipes work well using dairy-free butter as a substitute.

Can I Use Meyer Lemons Instead? Absolutely! We made one of our test batches with Meyer lemons (a sort of hybrid of oranges & lemons) and they were scrumptious. So good!

Could I Make These With Orange or Lime? That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think both versions would work, since we’re not worrying about leavening (and have fewer chemical reactions to worry about). If you give it a try with orange or lime, I’d LOVE to know how it goes!

Gather Your Ingredients

The beauty of homemade whipped cream is the ingredients are as simple as can be. Let’s take a look:

How To Make Chocolate Whipped Cream, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large glass or metal bowl), combine cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla.
2. Mix, Then Whip. With the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat on high speed for 30-60 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix again on high speed for 3-5 minutes until you reach stiff peaks. Watch carefully when you can see the trail of the beaters in the whipped cream. Check it and mix just until the whipped cream holds its shape on the end of the beater.
3. Serve. Keep the whipped cream cold and covered until you’re ready to use it. Serve as a fruit dip, pipe onto brownies, cakes, pies, cheesecake, etc.
4. Store. Keep whipped cream in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Since this is a stabilized whipped cream, it should hold its shape well, but since it’s whipped cream, it’ll also need to stay cold (it’ll melt in warm temperatures)! Keep refrigerated when not in use, and don’t keep out at room temperature longer than 1-2 hours.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Chocolate Whipped Cream

Keep It Cold! Unlike chocolate buttercream frosting or chocolate ganache, chocolate whipped cream needs to stay cold or it’ll melt. Keep it stored in the fridge until you need it, then only leave it out at room temperature for about 1 hour or less (less if it’s warm!)

Know The Difference Between Soft & Stiff Peaks. Soft peaks can be lovely for dolloping (great for topping pudding or pie), but it won’t hold its shape well longer term, especially if you want to use it for piping. Stiff peaks will hold their shape on the beater or a spoon, even if you rotate it around. Watch carefully when you reach the soft peaks stage, since it’s only a few seconds longer till you get to stiff peaks!

Adjust To Taste. You can add 1 Tablespoon MORE cocoa powder if you want a stronger flavor, or 1 Tablespoon more powdered sugar if you want a slightly sweeter flavor.

For A Darker Color, Bloom The Cocoa First. A few hours in advance, heat 1/2 cup of the cream till steaming, then stir in the cocoa powder until smooth or use an immersion blender to mix until evenly blended. Pour in the rest of the cream and chill until super cold again. (Warm or room temperature cream won’t whip well!) When you’re ready to whip the cream, add powdered sugar and vanilla and proceed as directed. 

More Fun Toppings To Try

Raspberry Coulis (Fresh Raspberry Sauce)

Easy Chocolate Syrup (Like Hershey’s!)

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

Strawberry Topping

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Chocolate Whipped Cream

Our easy chocolate whipped cream recipe adds a fun, elegant touch to all kinds of delicious drinks & desserts. It tastes great on everything!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cocoa powder, cocoa whipped cream, whipped cream

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups Whipped Cream

Calories 61kcal

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 1 cup COLD Heavy Whipping Cream
• ¼ cup Powdered Sugar (30 grams)
• 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder*
• 1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large glass or metal bowl), combine cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla.
• Mix, Then Whip. With the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat on high speed for 30-60 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix again on high speed for 3-5 minutes until you reach stiff peaks. Watch carefully when you can see the trail of the beaters in the whipped cream. Check it and mix just until the whipped cream holds its shape on the end of the beater.
• Serve. Keep the whipped cream cold and covered until you're ready to use it (it'll set up even more when chilled!). Serve as a fruit dip, pipe onto brownies, cakes, pies, cheesecake, etc.
• Store. Keep whipped cream in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. Since this is a stabilized whipped cream, it should hold its shape well, but since it's whipped cream, it'll also need to stay cold (it'll melt in warm temperatures)! Keep refrigerated when not in use, and don't keep out at room temperature longer than 1 hour (less, if it's warm!).

Video

Notes

• Cocoa Powder. For the best flavor, I recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli) rather than Dutch-processed cocoa. I tried both, and natural cocoa tastes best!
• For Darker Color, you can bloom the cocoa first. A few hours in advance, heat 1/2 cup of the cream till steaming, then stir in the cocoa powder until smooth or use an immersion blender to mix until evenly blended. Pour in the rest of the cream and chill until super cold again. (Warm or room temperature cream won’t whip well!) When you’re ready to whip the cream, add powdered sugar and vanilla and proceed as directed. 
• Know The Difference Between Soft & Stiff Peaks. Soft peaks can be lovely for dolloping (great for topping pudding or pie), but it won’t hold its shape well longer term, especially if you want to use it for piping. Stiff peaks will hold their shape on the beater or a spoon, even if you rotate it around. Watch carefully when you reach the soft peaks stage, since it’s only a few seconds longer till you get to stiff peaks!

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.9g | Protein: 0.6g | Fat: 5.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 16.8mg | Sodium: 4.3mg | Potassium: 39.8mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2.3g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 11mg

Gather Your Ingredients

This holiday popcorn recipe is a festive spin on our best caramel popcorn recipe, so if you’ve already tried that, you’ll notice some familiar ingredients. Let’s take a look:

How To Make Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Popcorn, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with spray oil or a little butter.
2. Start By Popping Your Popcorn. If you haven’t already, pop the popcorn before you begin. Measure 12 cups (3 quarts) of popped popcorn and place in your a very large bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels. (If you have extra popcorn, keep it close by in case you want to add it in later.)
3. Then Start The Caramel Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring regularly until the caramel comes to a boil. (Try not to rush this by cranking the heat up, as dissolving the sugar completely gives you the best texture.)
4. Boil The Caramel Sauce 5 Minutes. Watch the clock and boil the caramel sauce 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Remove From Heat & Finish. After 5 minutes, quickly remove the caramel sauce from the heat and whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and baking soda. (This will make the caramel sauce bubble and foam.)

6. Quickly Pour Caramel Over The Popcorn. Pour the caramel sauce mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat. I recommend pouring about half of the caramel sauce over the popcorn, then stirring and adding the pecans and the rest of the caramel sauce to any “dry” spots as needed. This makes it a bit easier to coat it evenly. Stir until the popcorn and pecans are pretty evenly coated. The popcorn will not look full-coverage/completely covered in caramel at this point. (There will still be some white spots visible at this point. This will resolve in the oven.)
7. Spread The Popcorn Out On Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the cinnamon caramel popcorn mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out fairly evenly. (Don’t worry about a few clumps here and there!)
8. Bake The Popcorn. Place the pan of popcorn in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, remove the popcorn from the oven and stir. (The caramel will be more melty and fluid, so the pieces will get more evenly coated with caramel). Return to the oven and bake 15 minute more. Repeat this process two more times, until you’ve baked the caramel popcorn for 60 minutes total.
9. Spread The Caramel Corn Out Onto Parchment Paper or a FRESH parchment lined baking sheet to cool completely to room temperature. Do NOT leave the popcorn on the original baking sheet or it will stick! Wait until the caramel corn is completely cool before drizzling with white chocolate.
10. Drizzle With Chocolate. Add white chocolate melts to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the white chocolate is melted and glossy. Drizzle over the cooled caramel pecan popcorn and let the white chocolate set.
11. Cool, Serve & Store. Let the white chocolate set completely, then break the popcorn into clusters and transfer to an airtight container or bags.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Corn

Pack It Up For Gifting! A cookie tin with a tight fitting lid, or small cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon are my favorite ways to share this pecan cinnamon caramel corn. It’s SUCH a fun treat to share!

Can I Make Caramel Popcorn Without Corn Syrup? Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization of the caramel sauce and gives caramel corn its signature glossy sheen and delicate crunch. If you’re nervous, I’d first recommend using this Organic Corn Syrup I find at Sprouts (made without pesticides), but if you MUST use something else, glucose syrup or Lyle’s golden syrup (invert sugar syrup) are the only other substitutes I recommend.

How Long Does Caramel Corn Last? Once it’s baked and cooled, this cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container for at LEAST a month! (Note: if you live in a humid climate, it will not stay as crispy)

Feel Free To Use Other Nuts! For variety, feel free to swap out the pecans for raw almonds or raw mixed nuts. (You don’t want to use roasted or toasted nuts, or they’ll burn in the oven!)

More Easy Holiday Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Christmas Chex Mix

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Zebra Popcorn

Gluten-Free Rolo Pretzel Bites

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Cinnamon Pecan Caramel Popcorn With White Chocolate

This white chocolate drizzled cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn is a PERFECT holiday treat for a holiday movie night or sharing with friends!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword popcorn

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups popcorn

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 10-12 cups popped popcorn (use 10 cups for more heavily coated popcorn)
• 2 cups raw pecans
• ½ cup butter (113 grams/1 stick)
• ½ cup corn syrup light corn syrup
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3-4 ounces White Chocolate Melts or Vanilla Candy Melts

Instructions

• Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with spray oil or a little butter.
• Start By Popping Your Popcorn. If you haven't already, pop the popcorn before you begin. Measure 12 cups (3 quarts) of popped popcorn and place in your a very large bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels. (If you have extra popcorn, keep it close by in case you want to add it in later.)
• Then Start The Caramel Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring regularly until the caramel comes to a boil. (Try not to rush this by cranking the heat up, as dissolving the sugar completely gives you the best texture.)
• Boil The Caramel Sauce 5 Minutes. Watch the clock and boil the caramel sauce 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove From Heat & Finish. After 5 minutes, quickly remove the caramel sauce from the heat and whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and baking soda. (This will make the caramel sauce bubble and foam.)
• Quickly Pour Caramel Over The Popcorn. Pour the caramel sauce mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat. I recommend pouring about half of the caramel sauce over the popcorn, then stirring and adding the pecans and the rest of the caramel sauce to any "dry" spots as needed. This makes it a bit easier to coat it evenly. Stir until the popcorn and pecans are pretty evenly coated. The popcorn will not look full-coverage/completely covered in caramel at this point. (There will still be some white spots visible at this point. This will resolve in the oven.)
• Spread The Popcorn Out On Your Prepared Pan. Transfer the cinnamon caramel popcorn mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out fairly evenly. (Don't worry about a few clumps here and there!)
• Bake The Popcorn. Place the pan of popcorn in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, remove the popcorn from the oven and stir. (The caramel will be more melty and fluid, so the pieces will get more evenly coated with caramel). Return to the oven and bake 15 minute more. Repeat this process two more times, until you've baked the caramel popcorn for 60 minutes total.
• Spread The Caramel Corn Out Onto Parchment Paper or a FRESH parchment lined baking sheet to cool completely to room temperature. Do NOT leave the popcorn on the original baking sheet or it will stick! Wait until the caramel corn is completely cool before drizzling with white chocolate.
• Drizzle With Chocolate. Add white chocolate melts to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the white chocolate is melted and glossy. Drizzle over the cooled caramel pecan popcorn and let the white chocolate set.
• Cool, Serve & Store. Let the white chocolate set completely, then break the popcorn into clusters and transfer to an airtight container or bags.

Video

Notes

• Pack It Up For Gifting! A cookie tin with a tight fitting lid, or small cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon are my favorite ways to share this pecan cinnamon caramel corn. It’s SUCH a fun treat to share!
• Can I Make Caramel Popcorn Without Corn Syrup? Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization of the caramel sauce and gives caramel corn its signature glossy sheen and delicate crunch. If you’re nervous, I’d first recommend using this Organic Corn Syrup I find at Sprouts (made without pesticides), but if you MUST use something else, glucose syrup or Lyle’s golden syrup (invert sugar syrup) are the only other substitutes I recommend.
• How Long Does Caramel Corn Last? Once it’s baked and cooled, this cinnamon pecan caramel popcorn will keep in an airtight container for at LEAST a month! (Note: if you live in a humid climate, it will not stay as crispy)

Gather Your Ingredients

We make our pecan pie bar recipe without corn syrup, trading it out for a gorgeous salted caramel filling that’s unbelievable with toasty pecans and a flaky brown sugar shortbread crust. Would you believe that all that goodness starts with simple ingredients?

• Butter. You’ll use butter in both the brown sugar shortbread crust + the pecan filling. It’s like magic.
• Brown Sugar & White Sugar. I use a mix of light brown sugar & granulated sugar in the crust to give it a unique and subtly caramel-y taste that’s gorgeous with the crunchy pecans. Our filling uses only brown sugar and I love the flavor it adds!
• Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. We’re BIG fans of King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend for baking and HIGHLY recommend using it for these easy pecan pie bars. It gives great texture to crusts and works like a dream for most other GF baking projects! If you use another 1:1 flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill), make sure it contains xanthan gum!
• Honey. One of the ways we can make pecan bars without corn syrup is swapping it out for honey and brown sugar. It still caramelizes and thickens to make gorgeous salted caramel pecan filling you’ll dream about.
• Coconut Cream, Heavy Cream, or Half-and-Half. Our family eats limited dairy, so I usually make the filling with coconut cream, but heavy cream or half and half adds a silky richness to the filling that’s gorgeous.
• Salt & Vanilla Extract. To balance that flavor! You’ll need salt for the crust & filling, and vanilla for the filling only.
• Pecans. Can’t make pecan bars without pecans! I like roughly chopping the pecans so they’re easier to distribute over the flaky crust. It also makes them a little easier to cut into squares later.

How To Make Gluten-Free Raspberry Peach Crisp, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 2-quart baking dish (I use an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan). 
2. Start The Filling. In a large bowl, combine peach slices, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange juice vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir to coat the fruit well (you want the cornstarch evenly distributed). 
3. Pour The Filling Into The Baking Dish and set aside while you mix up the crumble topping. 
4. Start The Crumble Topping. In the same mixing bowl (or a new one if you prefer!), combine cubed butter, brown sugar, gluten-free flour blend, gluten-free oats, vanilla, and salt. 
5. Mix Until Clusters Form. Using a fork, pastry blender, or clean hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until clusters form and the dry ingredients and butter are well combined. 
6. Sprinkle Crumble Over The Peach Filling. Distribute the crumble topping mixture on top of the fruit. (I like to try for a variety of shapes and sizes for the crumble–some larger pieces, some smaller pieces.)
7. Bake The Crisp in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling on the sides (this means the cornstarch is working!), and the topping is golden brown. (If your crisp happens to brown quicker than you expect, you can cover the pan loosely with foil)
8. Cool A Bit Before Serving. Remove the raspberry peach crisp from the oven and cool 20-3o minutes before serving, if possible. This will allow the filling to set a bit. (It’s much thinner and more liquid when it’s hot, but it will thicken and set as it cools.)
9. Serve & Store. Enjoy peach crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for best results! Store leftovers covered in the fridge 2-3 days. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Peach Crisp

Can I Use Frozen Fruit? Yes! When summer peaches aren’t in season, you can absolutely make this gluten-free raspberry peach crisp with frozen peaches and frozen raspberries (or a mix of fresh and frozen!). It’ll work beautifully. I don’t recommend canned peaches, as they tend to be too soft and the flavor will overpower the recipe.

Use the Right Flour! This peach crisp recipe works best with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend with xanthan gum. I do not recommend substituting almond flour (which can burn) or coconut flour (which will make the topping super dry!) in this recipe.

Try It With Blueberries! Feel free to swap the raspberries out for fresh blueberries for a peach blueberry crisp. It’s DELICIOUS! 

More Gluten-Free Fruit Crisp Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp

Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Crisp

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Raspberry Peach Crisp

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 9–12 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Sweet raspberries, juicy peaches & buttery oat crumble come together to make the perfect summer dessert!

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Ingredients

For The Raspberry Peach Filling:

• 4 cups (about 2 pounds) fresh peaches, peeled and sliced*
• 2 cups (8 oz.) fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• pinch of salt (less than 1/8 teaspoon)

For The Crumble Topping:

• 6 Tbsp. cold or slightly softened butter, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, weighed or scooped & leveled
• 3/4 cup (45 grams) gluten-free oats (quick-cooking, rolled or a mix)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 2-quart baking dish (I use an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan).
2. Start The Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine peaches, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange juice vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir to coat the fruit well (you want the cornstarch evenly distributed).
3. Pour The Filling Into The Baking Dish and set aside while you mix up the crumble topping.
4. Start The Crumble Topping. In the same mixing bowl (or a new one if you prefer!), combine cubed butter, brown sugar, gluten-free flour blend, gluten-free oats, vanilla, and salt.
5. Mix Until Clusters Form. Using a fork, pastry blender, or clean hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until clusters form and the dry ingredients and butter are well combined.
6. Sprinkle Crumble Over The Strawberry Filling. Distribute the oat crumble mixture over the peach filling. (I like to try for a variety of shapes and sizes for the crumble–some larger pieces, some smaller pieces.)
7. Bake The Crisp in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling on the sides (this means the cornstarch is working!), and the topping is golden brown. (If your crisp happens to brown quicker than you expect, you can cover the pan loosely with foil)
8. Cool A Bit Before Serving. Remove the raspberry peach crisp from the oven and cool 20-3o minutes before serving, if possible. This will allow the filling to set a bit. (It’s much thinner and more liquid when it’s hot, but it will thicken and set as it cools.)
9. Serve & Store. Enjoy peach crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for best results! Store leftovers covered in the fridge 2-3 days.

Notes

• Peel Peaches. I usually just use a paring knife to peel the peaches, but you can also use the blanching method. Just put the peaches in boiling water for 1 minute, transfer to an ice bath, and the peach skin slides right off!
• Can I Use Frozen Fruit? Yes! When summer peaches aren’t in season, you can absolutely make this gluten-free raspberry peach crisp with frozen peaches and frozen raspberries (or a mix of fresh and frozen!). It’ll work beautifully. I don’t recommend canned peaches, as they tend to be too soft and the flavor will overpower the recipe.
• Stay Gluten-Free! Make sure to only use certified gluten-free oats & gluten-free flour here! 

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

If you’ve made some of our other Chex Mix recipes, like our gluten-free Bunny Bait or Christmas Chex Mix, you will notice some familiar ingredients here, with just a few St. Patrick’s Day swaps. Let’s take a look:

• Corn Chex. This crispy cereal provides a great neutral backdrop for this St. Patrick’s Day snack mix. You can use rice Chex, if you prefer, but I like the flavor of corn chex cereal here.
• Lucky Charms. Our first fun flourish! Swapping out Cheerios or rice chex for Lucky Charms instantly gives this gluten-free Leprechaun Bait a fun St. Patrick’s Day twist. (Regular Lucky Charms cereal is now gluten-free in the U.S.!)
• Gluten-Free Pretzels. Regular pretzels are NOT gluten-free, so be sure to buy gluten-free pretzels to keep this snack mix safe for Celiac disease. We recommend Snyders gluten-free pretzels for taste and texture, though you can use gluten-free pretzel sticks, if you like.
• Extra Lucky Charms Marshmallows. Adding a few extra Lucky Charm marshmallows at the end adds a fun pop of color to this fun snack.
• Vanilla Candy Melts or White Chocolate Melts. I find candy melts like white almond bark or these White Chocolate melts from Ghirardelli super easy to work with. They add sweetness and bind the snack mix together into little delicious clusters.
• Green M&Ms. Another fun addition! I use gloves or a spoon to separate just the green M&Ms from a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms or dark chocolate M&Ms. We’re not using mint M&Ms or other seasonal packages. See which kinds of M&Ms are gluten-free here.
• Sprinkles. Finishing this yummy treat with some rainbow sprinkles is so fun! I like nonpareils or jimmies sprinkles, but you can try other types of sprinkles, if you like.
• Flaky Sea Salt. Leprechaun Bait runs fairly sweet, so I love adding a little sprinkle of salt at the end for a sweet & salty flavor. It really won’t make this salty. Just balance the flavors a bit better.

How To Make Gluten-Free Leprechaun Bait, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Before you start, have all ingredients measured and ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set close by. The melted chocolate sets up quickly, so you’ll need to be ready to move quickly once its melted. 
2. Combine. Set aside half of the M&M candy for the end. In a large bowl, combine corn Chex, Lucky Charms cereal, gluten-free pretzels and 1/3 cup of green M&M candy. 
3. Melt the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the white chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Keep in mind the chocolate will continue to melt after you remove it from the microwave. 
4. Pour white chocolate over the cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows and stir to combine. 
5. Spread the coated cereal mixture out into a single layer on your prepared pan and quickly sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup M&Ms, the sprinkles, and the flaky sea salt. Let the chocolate set completely. 
6. Serve & Store. When the chocolate is set, gently break the mixture into small clusters. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Leprechaun Bait Snack Mix

Make It Pretty! Dip some pretzels first. If you really want to go all out, you can lightly dip 1/2 cup of the pretzels into the melted almond bark, sprinkle them with sprinkles, and set them aside on a piece of parchment paper to dry before pouring the rest of the melted almond bark over the cereal/pretzel/candy mixture. This will give you a few really pretty pretzels that stand out! (But this is 100% cosmetic!)

Can I Use White Chocolate Chips Instead? I like using Ghirardelli White Chocolate Vanilla flavored candy melts or vanilla almond bark, since they’re so easy to work with and aren’t as likely to burn, separate, or seize. If you prefer to use white chocolate chips, you’ll want to melt them with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to help them melt smoothly enough to stir into the chocolate.

Our Favorite Way To Package Chex Mix For Gifting. If you want to package this Leprechaun bait snack mix up for a St. Patrick’s Day party or for gifting, I like to scoop it into these large cellophane bags and tie it with a cute ribbon. Green ribbon looks extra cute!

Extras. Feel free to add 1/2 cup salted peanuts for extra crunch, or use peanut butter M&Ms for a yummy twist! Or, add some gluten-free peanut butter pretzel nuggets at the end for an extra layer of salty crunch.

More Gluten-Free Snack Mix Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chex Party Mix

Gluten-Free Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies

Gluten-Free Sweet Chex Mix (Coconut + Almond)

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Gluten-Free Leprechaun Bait

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 9 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This easy St. Patrick’s Day snack mix is full of sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy mix-ins in every bite! 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups corn Chex cereal
• 2 cups Lucky Charms cereal
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free pretzels
• 12 ounces white candy melts or almond bark*
• 1/2 cup additional Lucky Charms marshmallows
• 2/3 cup green M&Ms candy*
• 1 teaspoon rainbow sprinkles (nonpareils or jimmies)
• pinch flaky sea salt

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Instructions

1. Prep. Before you start, have all ingredients measured and ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set close by. The white chocolate sets up quickly, so you’ll need to be ready to move quickly once its melted.
2. Combine. Set aside 1/3 cup M&Ms candy for the end. In a large bowl, combine corn Chex, Lucky Charms cereal, gluten-free pretzels and 1/3 cup of green M&M candy.
3. Melt the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the white chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Keep in mind the chocolate will continue to melt after you remove it from the microwave.
4. Pour white chocolate over the cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows and stir to combine.
5. Spread the coated cereal mixture out into a single layer on your prepared pan and quickly sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup M&Ms, the sprinkles, and the flaky sea salt. Let the chocolate set completely.
6. Serve & Store. When the chocolate is set, gently break the mixture into small clusters. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Notes

• Pretzels. Regular pretzels are NOT gluten-free, so be sure to buy gluten-free pretzels. We recommend Snyders gluten-free pretzels for taste and texture.
• White Chocolate. I like using Ghirardelli White Chocolate Vanilla flavored candy melts or vanilla almond bark, since they’re so easy to work with and aren’t as likely to burn, separate, or seize. If you prefer to use white chocolate chips, you’ll want to melt them with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to help them melt smoothly enough to stir into the chocolate.
• M&Ms. Use gloves or a spoon to sort the green M&Ms out of a regular package of milk chocolate M&Ms or dark chocolate M&Ms. We’re not using mint M&Ms or other seasonal packages.
• Extras. Feel free to add 1/2 cup salted peanuts for extra crunch, or use peanut butter M&Ms for a yummy twist!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Microwave
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

If you’ve made any of our other fruit crisp recipes (like Blueberry Crisp or Caramel Apple Crisp!), you might notice some familiar ingredients! Let’s take a look:

• Cherries. For the cherry crisp filling, you’ll need either fresh cherries or frozen cherries. I recommend fresh cherries when possible for best results, but if you’re using frozen cherries, just check out the tip in the notes section of the recipe.
• Sugar. For sweetness, and to create the saucy, syrupy texture in the filling, you’ll need granulated sugar (white sugar).
• Cornstarch. Next, cornstarch helps thicken the filling as it cooks.
• Lemon Juice. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity that complements the sweetness of the cherries and keeps this cherry crisp from tasting flat.
• Vanilla Extract & Almond Extract. My not-so-secret ingredients! I love the way vanilla and almond elevate the cherry flavor. Yum!
• Butter. Now, for the oat topping ingredients. First, you’ll need some cold butter, cut into small cubes. The smaller you dice the butter, the easier it blends in!
• Gluten-Free Oats. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats! I like a mixture of gluten-free quick oats and gluten-free rolled oats (sometimes labeled old-fashioned oats), but you can use all quick-cooking oats or all rolled oats if you prefer.
• Gluten-Free Flour. We recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend for the best taste and texture here. If you use another 1:1 brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum for the best results. We do NOT recommend almond flour or coconut flour for this recipe. (Almond flour can burn & stay soggy, while coconut flour will be dry and crumbly.)
• Brown Sugar. My favorite for oat crumble! I use light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar if you want a stronger molasses flavor.
• Salt. For the perfect balance of flavors.

How To Make Fresh Cherry Crisp, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9 square baking dish and set aside. 
2. Make Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Gently stir to combine. Transfer cherry mixture to prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer. 
3. Make Crumble Topping. In the same large bowl (no need for a new one!), combine cubed butter, gluten-free oats, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir with a fork, a pastry blender, or clean hands until the topping is evenly blended and moist clusters have formed. (There shouldn’t be any dry patches of flour left!) Sprinkle crumble mixture over the cherry filling. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges and the crumble topping is golden brown. (It’s important the the filling comes to a boil, otherwise it won’t thicken. If the top starts to brown too much before the filling is bubbling, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.)
5. Cool & Enjoy. Let the warm cherry crisp cool at least 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. (If you scoop it warm, the filling won’t be as thick!) Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Try A Cherry Pitter!

Speed up your cherry prep with a cherry pitter! This one can pit 7 cherries at once, which speeds up the process beautifully.

SHOP THE CHERRY PITTER

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

Tips For Using Frozen Cherries. Frozen cherries work GREAT in this homemade cherry crisp recipe, but you’ll want to keep in mind that the ice crystals on frozen cherries will melt, releasing extra water into the recipe. You can moderate this by thawing the cherries first OR adding 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch. Either works!

Your Pan Matters! While I LOVE metal pans for baking gluten-free brownies & cookie bars, I prefer using a ceramic 9×9 pan for baking gluten-free cherry crisp and other fruit crisp recipes. I find ceramic cooks gently enough that my filling will thicken properly without scorching around the edges. If you use a metal pan, you may find your fruit crisp cooks faster than mine.

Make it Vegan! Another thing to love about this easy cherry crumble is that it’s easily vegan! Just use vegan butter (like Earth Balance) and vegan cane sugar. The rest is naturally vegan!

Try Adding Almonds! For more of a cherry-almond crisp vibe, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds to the crumble topping mixture. (It will likely brown faster, so make sure to tent the pan with foil as needed toward the end of the bake time!) 

Can I Just Use Cherry Pie Filling? Technically yes, but our homemade cherry filling will look and taste better!

More Gluten-Free Fruit Crisp Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Strawberry Crisp

Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Crisp

Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Our easy gluten-free cherry crisp recipe is a delicious combination of buttery oat crumble & fresh cherry filling in every bite. It’s the perfect way to use fresh cherries OR frozen cherries! 

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Ingredients

For The Cherry Filling:

• 6 cups pitted & halved fresh cherries* (about 2 pounds)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Oat Topping:

• 6 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup certified gluten-free oats (I like a mix of quick oats & rolled oats)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (150 grams)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour (60 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
2. Make Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Gently stir to combine. Transfer filling to prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer.
3. Make Crumble Topping. In the same large bowl (no need for a new one!), combine cubed butter, gluten-free oats, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir with a fork, a pastry cutter, or clean hands until the topping is evenly blended and moist clusters have formed. (There shouldn’t be any dry patches of flour left!) Sprinkle topping over the cherry filling.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges and the crumble topping is golden brown. (It’s important the the filling comes to a boil, otherwise it won’t thicken. If the top starts to brown too much before the filling is bubbling, loosely tent the pan with foil.)
5. Cool & Enjoy. Let the warm cherry crisp cool at least 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. (If you scoop it warm, the filling won’t be as thick!) Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy! Cover leftover crisp with foil and refrigerate 2-3 days. Reheat in a 300 degree oven to 10-20 minutes, or warm in the microwave, as desired.

Notes

• Tips For Using Frozen Cherries. Frozen cherries work GREAT in this cherry crisp recipe, but you’ll want to keep in mind that the ice crystals will melt, releasing extra water into the recipe. You can moderate this by thawing the cherries first OR adding 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch. Either works!
• Your Pan Matters! While I LOVE metal pans for baking gluten-free brownies & cookie bars, I prefer using a ceramic 9×9 pan for baking gluten-free cherry crisp and other fruit crisp recipes. I find ceramic cooks gently enough that my filling will thicken properly without scorching around the edges. If you use a metal pan, you may find your fruit crisp cooks faster than mine.
• Try Adding Almonds! For more of a cherry-almond crisp vibe, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds to the crumble topping mixture. (It will likely brown faster, so make sure to tent the pan with foil as needed toward the end of the bake time!) 

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

If you’ve made our brown sugar cream cheese fruit dip recipe before, you’ll likely notice a familiar cast of characters! This fruit dip with toffee bits is a riff on that recipe, so you’ll need:

• Cream Cheese. We only recommend full-fat cream cheese like Philadelphia for this toffee fruit dip, reduced-fat cream cheese will not have the same texture. Use brick-style cream cheese NOT cream cheese spread for best results.
• Brown Sugar. Some light brown sugar adds sweetness and subtle toffee notes, which we’ll play up even more later in the recipe. (Dark brown sugar also works, but it will add a deeper molasses flavor to this creamy dip.)
• Vanilla & Salt. Some vanilla extract and a pinch of salt fill out the flavor and bring balance to every bite. Yum!
• Chopped Toffee or Toffee Bits. Last, but not least, you’ll need some toffee! Our favorite way to make this toffee dip is with chopped Heath bars or Skor bars, since you get a nice variety of sizes and shapes when you chop the toffee yourself. But, Heath also sells chocolate-covered toffee bits that work beautifully as well. (They’re labeled Heath English Toffee Bits.) Use whichever is easiest for you!

How To Make Toffee Apple Dip, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Combine. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla & salt. Use a hand mixer to whip on medium speed 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl to make sure there aren’t any lumps in the dip.  
2. Stir In Toffee. Next, reserve 2 Tablespoons of toffee, then stir the rest into the dip until evenly distributed. 
3. Garnish. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish the top of the dip with the reserved 2 Tablespoons toffee. 
4. Serve & Store. Enjoy with your favorite apples, sliced bananas, pretzels, and more! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Toffee Apple Dip

Make-Ahead Tips. This toffee apple dip is GREAT for making in advance, since it keeps like a dream. If making it ahead of time, I like to save the 2 Tablespoons of toffee bits for garnish until right before serving. That way I can give the dip a good stir before serving.

How to Store Leftover Apple Dip. Leftover toffee dip will keep in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days for best results.

Try It With Caramel! For an ultra decadent option, you can drizzle the toffee dip with caramel sauce before garnishing with the extra toffee bits for a caramel apple effect. It’s DELICIOUS.

Bonus Tip: Keep Your Apples From Browning! A popular way to keep fresh apple slices from turning brown is with a little bit of lemon juice, but my favorite way is actually with water! It works like a CHARM!

More Recipes For Toffee Lovers

Gluten-Free Cinnamon White Chocolate Toffee Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Toffee Brownies

Gluten-Free Toffee Oatmeal Cookies

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Toffee Apple Dip

Paired with fresh, juicy apples, this easy toffee fruit dip is one of my favorite healthier desserts to serve at parties, potlucks, and picnics. It’s easy to make, can be mixed up in advance & is a hit with both kids & grown-ups!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword toffee apple dip, toffee fruit dip

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1.5 cups dip

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams)
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch salt 1/8 teaspoon
• 1/2-3/4 cup chocolate covered toffee bits or chopped Heath bars

Instructions

• Combine. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla & salt. Whip 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl to make sure there aren’t any lumps in the dip.  
• Stir In Toffee. Next, reserve 2 Tablespoons of toffee, then stir the rest into the dip until evenly distributed. 
• Garnish. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved 2 Tablespoons toffee. 
• Serve & Store. Enjoy with apple slices, bananas, pretzels, and more! Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. 

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Notes

• Toffee. My preference for this dip is chopped Heath Bars or Skor Bars (both of which are gluten-free!), but if you’re using store-bought toffee bits, you have two choices. Heath English Toffee Bits (chocolate covered toffee bits) are my favorite kind of toffee bits for this dip. Otherwise, Heath Bits O’ Brickle do NOT have a chocolate coating and will work (though the look & flavor will be slightly different). 
• Make-Ahead Tips. This toffee apple dip is GREAT for making in advance, since it keeps like a dream. If making it ahead of time, I like to save the 2 Tablespoons of toffee bits for garnish until right before serving. That way I can give the dip a good stir before serving. 
• Try It With Caramel! For an ultra decadent option, you can drizzle the toffee dip with caramel sauce before garnishing with the extra toffee bits for a caramel apple effect. It’s DELICIOUS.

Gather Your Ingredients

So, what do you need to get this fondue night started? Just 5 simple ingredients! Let’s take a look:

• Good-Quality Chocolate. For the best chocolate fondue, I recommend using high-quality bars of chocolate rather than chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and dark chocolate are my go-to’s, but you can also use half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate if you want sweeter fondue.
• Heavy Cream. Yep, we’re doing it! While you *can* use half-and-half for a slightly lighter and thinner fondue, we really love the rich texture you get from heavy whipping cream.
• Butter. Adding a little bit of butter at the end gives this chocolate fondue the smoothest, most luxurious texture.
• Vanilla. IMO, vanilla extract + chocolate are BFFs.
• Salt. Lastly, a tiny pinch of salt helps elevate the notes of chocolate & vanilla and really balances the flavor. Don’t skip it!

How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Fondue, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Chop Chocolate. To start, make sure all your utensils, bowls, etc. are clean and DRY. Small amounts of water can make chocolate seize and go grainy, which is the opposite of what we’re going for here. Then, chop the chocolate into very small shards. The more evenly it’s chopped, the more evenly it’ll melt.
2. Melt. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine chopped chocolate and heavy cream. Melt over a double boiler (set the bowl over a saucepan with 1-inch of water simmering over medium heat) or melt in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
3. Finish. Stir in butter, vanilla extract and salt into the melted chocolate mixture until evenly blended. At this point, the chocolate mixture should be very smooth and glossy, with perhaps a few small air bubbles from stirring. If your chocolate fondue is somehow separated or slightly grainy, you can use an immersion blender to pull it back together.
4. Serve warm with your favorite gluten-free dippers. Speaking of which, we recommend…

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

So what goes into pecan pralines? Just a few simple ingredients! We’re talking…

• Pecan Halves. First, you’ll need plenty of pecans. I like to toast the pecans first for the best flavor.
• Brown Sugar. Next up is light brown sugar. This adds a rich, caramel-like note that gives the pralines their signature flavor.
• Heavy Cream. No low fat substitutes allowed here! Heavy whipping cream adds the fat we need for the right structure in this pecan candy. The pralines will not set up properly if you try to substitute half-and-half or milk.
• Corn Syrup. Light corn syrup helps prevent sugar crystals from forming and keeps the caramel sauce smooth.
• Salt. I like plenty of salt since these pecan pralines are naturally a very sweet candy. Even with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, these don’t taste salty at all. If you’re nervous, feel free to reduce the salt down to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Butter. Then, I use salted butter. Feel free to use unsalted butter & an extra pinch of salt, if you prefer!
• Vanilla Extract. Plenty of vanilla rounds out the flavor here. It’s a must for this yummy sweet treat!

You’ll Need: A Candy Thermometer

For these pralines to set up properly, you’ll need to the sugar syrup to hit the right temperature. An inexpensive candy thermometer makes this easy!

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How To Make Pecan Pralines, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Station. Before starting, you want to have everything prepared, measured, and close by so you can work quickly. Every second counts when you’re making candy, so you don’t want to waste any time or risk burning your candy! Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and have a small cookie scoop or two spoons close by for measuring the pralines out at the end.
2. Prep The Pecans. To start, you’ll toast the pecans. Spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F until fragrant and toasted. Let them cool on the baking sheet, then roughly chop pecans and set aside. (This can be done a few days in advance, if desired!)
3. Combine. In a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Stir until well blended. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of your saucepan.
4. Boil to 235 Degrees F. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat (this can take 12-15 minutes!), then boil 5-7 minutes, until the sugar mixture reaches 235-240 degrees F. on the candy thermometer. This is known as the “soft-ball stage” in candy making–if you drizzle a drop into a glass of ice water, it should form a soft ball, rather than a stringy mess or a hard ball. Keep in mind that if you do not reach 235 degrees, your candy will not set up properly. This is the key step!
5. Stir in Butter. When the sugar mixture reaches 235 degrees F, stir in the butter and stir until melted.
6. Stir in Pecans & Vanilla. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Stir until well blended (and to help the candy mixture cool down a bit!) about 4-5 minutes.
7. Scoop. Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoon-size dollops of pralines out onto your parchment-lined baking sheets. The mixture will begin to set up and turn more opaque.
8. Cool to Set. Allow the pralines to cool and set completely. This can take an hour or more, depending on your temperature & humidity. When freshly scooped, the pralines may be more translucent, but they will start to turn more opaque and fudgy with time.
9. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding recipe is famous in part because of their fluffy vanilla pudding mixture. Their secret? Pudding mix. Really. Let’s get into it:

• Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix. Yep, we’re doing it. Why? Magnolia Bakery even does it! An instant pudding mix will give you a classic vanilla flavor and easy-to-work-with texture that makes this banana pudding recipe easy.
• Whole Milk. Magnolia traditionally mixes up their pudding mix with ice cold water and a 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk, but dozes of reviewers mentioned that it’s a touch too sweet for their taste. I’ve found I prefer banana pudding made with whole milk better. I don’t recommend low-fat or fat-free milk here, since we’re going for a richer, thicker texture.
• Heavy Cream. Next up is heavy whipping cream. We’ll lighten the texture of the creamy pudding by mixing in fluffy whipped cream.
• Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract (Optional). To elevate the flavor a bit, I love to add a tiny dash of vanilla bean paste. Don’t have it? Feel free to skip it!
• Just Ripe Bananas. For the best texture and flavor, I recommend just ripe bananas for banana pudding. The bananas shouldn’t be brown or spotty (overripe) or green (underripe). Look for bright yellow bananas with a medium-firm texture.
• Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafer Cookies. Most vanilla wafer cookies (like Nilla Wafers) are NOT gluten-free. To make gluten-free banana pudding, you’ll need to use gluten-free vanilla wafers, like Kinnikinnick vanilla wafers. You’ll need two boxes! (about 12 oz. cookies)

How To Make Gluten-Free Banana Pudding, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. 3-4 Hours In Advance, Make The Pudding. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine cold water (or whole milk) and sweetened condensed milk. Add pudding mix and whip with a whisk, hand mixer, or a whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes, or until the pudding mix is completely dissolved.
2. Chill Pudding 3-4 Hours, AT LEAST. Transfer the pudding mixture to an airtight container (or cover the bowl) and chill at LEAST 3-4 hours (up to overnight). Do NOT skip the chilling step, or your pudding mixture will turn out runny!
3. Whip The Cream. Add cold cream and vanilla bean paste to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a glass or metal mixing bowl). Whip 3-5 minutes on medium speed, until the whipped cream reaches stiff peaks. (If you pick up some whipped cream on a beater or whisk attachment and rotate it around, the whipped cream should hold its shape.)
4. Mix In Pudding. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in the pudding mixture a dollop at a time until fully and evenly blended.
5. Layer The Pudding. Set aside 4-5 cookies for garnish. In a large, wide glass bowl (like a trifle bowl!), or a 9×13 pan, add a layer of vanilla wafers (1/3 of the gluten-free cookies). Top with a layer of sliced bananas (1/3 of the bananas) and a layer of the pudding mixture (1/3 of the pudding mixture). Repeat this process twice (1/3 cookies, 1/3 bananas, 1/3 pudding, 1/3 cookies, 1/3 bananas, 1/3 pudding), finishing with the final 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
6. Cover & Chill 4-6 Hours. Next, cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill 4-6 hours in the refrigerator. (Ideally, the cookies should be soft!) Right before serving, garnish with the reserved cookies (you can leave them whole or crumble them like I do!) Feel free to garnish individual servings with additional whipped cream and sliced bananas, if desired.

Simple Ingredients To Start

If you’re wondering, “what is lemon curd made of?,” I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how simple the ingredients are for gluten-free lemon curd! Let’s take a look at the 5 basic ingredients you’ll need:

• Fresh Lemon Zest & Fresh Lemon Juice. You’ll need both the lemon zest (yellow lemon peel) and the fresh lemon juice for making lemon curd. Lemon zest contains the lemon essential oils, which have an intense lemon flavor that makes a big impact. Then, lemon juice provides body and even more lemon flavor! When possible, we recommend organic lemons so you have less wax to contend with.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar (white sugar) strikes the perfect balance of sweetness and helps create the silky smooth texture we’re aiming for.
• Eggs. Some lemon curd recipes use egg yolks some recipes use whole eggs (egg whites + yolks) and some recipes use a mix. Our simple recipe uses 4 whole eggs to keep things easy. Use fresh eggs for best results!
• Butter. Then, butter adds a velvety richness that mimics the effect of cream. I love using salted butter here so I don’t need to add salt later, but you can absolutely use unsalted butter, if you prefer.
• Vanilla, Maybe. Not 100% necessary, but I love adding a tiny splash of vanilla extract at the end.

How To Make Homemade Lemon Curd, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

1. Start The Double Boiler. Add 2-3 inches of water to a medium saucepan and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. You’ll also need a heatproof bowl that can rest on top of the saucepan WITHOUT touching the simmering water below. 
2. Combine. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cubed butter to the heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan of simmering water.
3. Stir To Thicken. Stir continuously for 20-25 minutes, or until the lemon curd has thickened and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. It should easily coat the back of a spoon at this point. (Keep in mind: you want to stir the whole time to avoid getting any clumps or scrambled egg bits.) 

4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a glass bowl or jar to remove any lumps and stir in vanilla extract. 
5. Cover & Chill. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or food wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the lemon curd. (This prevents a film/”skin” from forming on top.) Chill 3-4 hours or until completely chilled through. It will continue to thicken as it cools. 
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy after chilling and store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. (Thaw frozen lemon curd in the fridge before using.) 

Yummy Ways To Use Lemon Curd

So what do you eat lemon curd with? SO MANY GREAT THINGS!

• On Biscuits or Scones. Lemon curd is a classic, delicious topping for tea scones or biscuits, along with other accompaniments like clotted cream and jam. We love it on these Gluten-Free Biscuits!
• For Cheesecake! Homemade lemon curd is a luscious topping for cheesecake! We love it on our Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake, and it’s so good on so many lemon desserts, like…
• In Cookies. Try it instead of jam in Lemon Thumbprint Cookies for a fun, sunny take on a classic. These soft lemon cookies are AMAZING. 
• In Whipped Cream. You can flavor your own yogurt or whipped cream by adding a little lemon curd!
• In Ice Cream Or Yogurt! You can flavor your own yogurt or top your ice cream with gluten-free lemon curd. It’s delicious swirled into homemade ice cream!
• In Lemon Mousse. Fold lemon curd into whipped cream & layer with more lemon curd and some graham cracker crumbs for an easy treat!
• Pies & Tarts. A version of this homemade lemon curd recipe is actually the common lemon filling for lemon meringue pie or lemon tarts! 
• As Cake Filling. This easy spread is a classic filling for layer cakes, especially paired with fluffy buttercream or fresh fruit!
• With Waffles or Pancakes. It’s amazing on fluffy gluten-free Belgian waffles with fresh berries!
• In Crepes or French Toast. Add a dollop of creamy lemon curd and a dusting of powdered sugar to crepes or French toast. It’s delicious!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Lemon Curd

More Recipes For Lemon Lovers

Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake

Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies

Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies

Recipe Card

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

You’ll be AMAZED by how easy it is to make gluten-free lemon curd from scratch! The flavor is sunny, vibrant, and fresh–SO much better than store-bought!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (pack the zest in a bit!)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (120 ml)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes (4 Tablespoons/57 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Start The Double Boiler. Add 2-3 inches of water to a medium saucepan and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. You’ll also need a heatproof bowl that can rest on top of the saucepan WITHOUT touching the simmering water below.
2. Combine. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cubed butter to the heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan of simmering water.
3. Stir To Thicken. Stir continuously for 20-25 minutes, or until the lemon curd has thickened and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. It should easily coat the back of a spoon at this point. (Keep in mind: you want to stir the whole time to avoid getting any clumps or scrambled egg bits.)
4. Strain the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl or jar to remove any lumps and stir in vanilla extract.
5. Cover & Chill. Cover the lemon curd with a piece of plastic wrap or food wrap and press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the lemon curd. (This prevents a film/”skin” from forming on top.) Chill the lemon curd 3-4 hours or until completely chilled through. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy after chilling and store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. (Thaw frozen lemon curd in the fridge before using.)

Notes

• ONLY Fresh Lemon Juice. You do NOT want to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe. It ruins the flavor. You’ll need 4-6 lemons to get 1 cup of lemon juice.
• ZEST FIRST. For ease, zest the lemon before juicing it. Make sure to ONLY get the bright yellow zest, not the bitter white pith underneath.
• BUTTER. I like using salted butter so I don’t need to add salt later, but if you use unsalted butter, you’ll likely want to add a hefty pinch of salt to the curd as it cooks so the flavors are balanced.
• VARIATION. For a citrus twist, you can make this using Meyer lemons, which have a flavor between orange & lemon.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Condiment
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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