Yummy gingerbread cranberry muffins. Mix, mix just as fast as you can.

You better run, run just as fast as you can if you want to get some of these gingerbread and cranberry muffins. 'Cause they smell pretty delicious while they're baking and I like to eat them when they come out of the oven and are still warm.

But seriously don't stress, they are so easy that you can whip up another batch in no time so if they all get snaffled up.

I made up these gingerbread and cranberry muffins for the kids lunch treats yesterday and then I decorated the left overs for afternoon tea.

At this time of year it's easy to go into sugar overload and my kids diet has not been as great as I would like it. They have been having way more fast food than I would choose for them when they are out at other activities. We normally eat pretty well with lots of vegetables and I've noticed they are pretty tired and cranky at the moment.

But y'know sometimes I want to give them a treat and although I did decorate a couple super fancy for the photo's the actual muffin are wholemeal and have fruit in them so I didn't feel too guilty when I served them up.

Gingerbread Muffin (makes 12) recipe adapted from Sweets on a Stick
I send these to school unfrosted but for special occasions you can add the simple cream cheese, butter frosting (recipe below). Gingerbread decorations and sprinkles are optional, make your own or see the links before for easy pre-made versions (see aff. links at end of recipe).

2 1/4 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup olive oil (I use light which means light flavour not lo-fat)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup treacle
1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 160C (325F) and line 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until combined.

Spoon mixture into paper cases.

Pop in oven for around 23 minutes they are done when a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool on wire track.

You can eat while still warm

Simple Cream Cheese Butter Icing

30g cream cheese
30g unsalted butter
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

Mix together all ingredients until light and fluffy.



Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission except for non commercial purposes where you may use 1 image, give credit and link back to original post.

Healthier chocolate donuts

Healthier donuts, yes for real and Mr Sweet has given them a taste test stamp of approval.

But I can not tell a lie. Before we get carried away here these donuts are not actual health food. They are just a healthier option than the dozens I have been buying from all the fabulous donut shops that have been popping up around the place.

Yup donuts are definitely the new cupcake around here anyway and the trend is the more loaded with sugar, candy and lollies the better. In fact pop a donut onto a cream loaded milkshake, add cookies and chocolate and pretty much you have an Instagram viral photo that everyone will swoon over.

I'm not complaining I love an over the top sweet as much as the next person, but I still like to fit into my skinny jeans, so in truth on a daily basis I am more likely to indulge in something like these healthier option donuts.

Made with wholemeal (wholewheat) flour, yogurt, olive oil, baked not fried, I have then topped them with dark chocolate because I read somewhere it's full of antioxidants ;)

In fact I sometimes send these donuts without the chocolate glaze to school and donut :) feel guilty about it at all.

To make these you will need a donut baking tin. I picked mine up from Big W (Australia for about $14) and I have used it for a few different donut related baking treats so I felt it was a worthwhile purchase.

I've found you can bake most cupcake or muffin mixes in the tin, just be sure to only fill it 1/3 to 1/2 full. I like to use a disposable piping bag to fill my tins, way less mess and if you don't have any handy you can use a plastic ziplock bag with the corner cut out.

Also in un-donut related news, I have had a few people sharing their pictures when they make my recipes or decorated cookies lately and I just love it, always feel free to pop through a post or tag me HERE on instagram.

Healthier Chocolate Donuts makes 10 donuts, recipe can be doubled

If you don't have a donut pan you can make 6 regular sized muffins. If you like you can glaze the donuts with a simple ganache (recipe below) and add chocolate crisp pearls or sprinkles.

1 cup wholemeal (whole wheat) flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup 2% fat greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

2 Tbsp 2% fat milk (US 2 Tbsp + 2tsp)

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 160 C fan forced (325 F)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined.

Spray donut baking tin with olive oil spray

Place mixture in a large disposable piping bag, cut off the tip and pipe the donut mixture into the prepared donut baking tin. Only fill each cavity 1/2 fill as the mixture will rise.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 -12 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Remove donuts from pan, serve warm if you like or cool on a wire rack and dip in chocolate glaze (recipe below). 

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze for dipping approx 10 donuts
60 grams (2oz) dark chocolate
30 grams (1 oz) cream

Place chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl and heat at high for 50 seconds. Remove, let sit for 60 seconds and then whisk until smooth.

Hold each donut by the edges and dip the tops into the chocolate glaze, add sprinkles if desired. Chocolate glaze will take a few hours to set, but that's ok you can eat it before it sets.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Perfect Lunch Box Apple Muffins

I'm always looking for easy to make kinda healthy food for the kids lunches.

Maybe like me, you are not completely organised but have good intentions.

I am not that mum that has the freezer filled with super healthy organic treats ready to pack and go it a pinch.

Sometimes if we are being fancy I top them with 

Cream Cheese frosting and raspberries

But I do have a few recipes up my sleeve that I can mix up and make in under 10 minutes, bake while I'm in the shower and have ready for the school lunches that day. They might not get endorsed by any fancy celebrity diet chefs but they are fast, I have the stuff in my pantry and I figure it's way ahead of a packet of processed stuff any day.

Plus they make 12 so I use them for afternoon tea and school lunch the next day with the few left overs for me :)

cupcake cases Greengate 

Quick Mix Apple Cinnamon Muffin makes 12 regular sized muffins
Note if you are out of buttermilk substitute milk mixed with a little vinegar, that's what I did with the ones in the picture.

3 small apples or 2 medium - grate approx half and cut the remainder in small pieces
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk (#see note above if you are out)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
1 egg
1 Tbsp butter melted (optional)
1 Tbsp cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).

Line a regular 12 hole muffin tin with baking cases.

Place flour, sugar, cinnamon, buttermilk, oil, egg and apple into a large bowl and mix until just combined.

Spoon evenly into the prepared muffin tin.

Place the muffin tin into preheated oven and bake for 22-24 mins or until golden on top, if you insert a skewer no mixture should stick to the skewer.

(Optional)One muffin at a time brush the top of each muffin with a little melted butter and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar onto the top.

*Sometimes if we are being fancy I top the muffins with a little swirl of cream cheese frosting and a raspberry but it squishes too much for lunchbox treats so it's just an at home thing.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

All that glitters party straws - DIY budget party craft

Bubble's birthday party was last weekend. It was a fun budget birthday organised in under 2 weeks which I will be sharing as soon as I sort out the photo's.

In the meantime here is a quick bit of diy decorating that I did for her party. It's so pretty you could even use it for a grown up party.

I made up a bunch of gold glitter straw flags for the party which looked pretty fabulous considering they cost a few dollars for the whole lot.

Yup $2 for a pack of those cute chevron straws and $1* for a roll of gold glitter tape. Plus next to no time.
 
*I had a quick check online and the gold glitter tape I found was more expensive that the one I picked up at the discount store, so shop around or happily pay a little more and support local businesses your choice :)

Gold Glitter flag instructions

So pretty much all you do is cut a short length of tape, fold it in half to make a crease, take off the plastic backing, place it around the straw so that the fold you have made aligns along the straw to make sure it is even and then press the sticky sides together. You can leave the flag with a flat even edge, or if you like take a sharp pair of scissors and cut a little V away as shown in the picture. So easy peasy I know I didn't even need to put the written how to but it makes me feel like I'm doing something ;)

I'm not the first person to do this, my SIL did this glitter tape at my niece's birthday party plus last year I did pretty much the same thing but used floral tape instead of glitter. But it is soooo pretty I had to share the pictures.

Shopping notes:

Gold Glitter tape in pack of 4 from Big W discount department store Australia (pack of 4 glitter tape $4)
Pink Chevron Girl straws Shmick CLICK HERE
Pink polkadot and floral fabic tape from Choice discount stores Australia
Pink twine Greengate
Scissors - similar available on Ebay

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original photography by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.  

Sweet Strawberry Cookies

My niece had an adorable Strawberry themed birthday party on the weekend and I made up some cookies to go onto the party table.

Strawberries are so yummy and cute, I don't even know why I haven't had my own Strawberry party yet. Did I mention it was adorable? A-dor-able!

Plus there are so many cute things you can pick up for a bargain to match a strawberry theme. Hello red polka dots or pink and lime gingham. Plus ready made strawberry piñata's for decoration, oh my goodness it's a strawberry theme party decorators dream at the discount stores.

Anyway, like I said I was making the cookies plus some macarons, so about 10 days before the party I rang up my Sister in law (SIL) and said 'Hey I think I'll make the cookies this weekend because they keep really well and then I can just make the macarons the Friday before'.

Y'all know because macarons are best when they have sat in the fridge for at least a day so I was thinking I had it all planned.

So I heard a moments silence, and then my SIL let me know the party was actually in 3 days time, and that my own daughter's birthday party was the one in 10 days time (yup forgot my own daughter's party date...... more on that revelation in another post).

Eeeek! Anyhoo people that know me are probably not very surprised with this story.

So I started making cookies as soon as I hung up the phone and came up with this cute set to match the rest of the party.

Luckily I was able to quickly get some edible frosting sheets from Caketopia in pink and lime gingham which pretty much made decorating so much faster, and easier, and did I say faster 'cause that was really important.

Seriously people edible frosting sheets - try it, the ones I got from Caketopia were so easy to use.

The bigger plaque cookies were not exactly what I wanted, I was hoping to do pink and white royal icing stripes, but seeings as I was working on a new super short timeframe I was pretty happy with how they ended up.

Scroll down below for the step by step instructions on how to make your own strawberry cookies.
Plus if you like my strawberry cookies you might like these from some of the blogs I follow:

3D Strawberry Sugar Cookies - by Munchkin Munchies
Pretty summer Strawberry Cookies (on a square cookie) by Sugarbelle
How to make simple Strawberry Shortcake cookies by Sugarbelle (includes cookie cutter hack)
Shortbread Strawberries (with Kawaii faces) by Butter Hearts Sugar
Simple Strawberry Cookies by Bake at 350

I've also popped up a free video tutorial of me making the strawberries cookies here:



Sweet Strawberry Decorated Cookie
The cookie dough recipe made up at batch of over 30 cookies. If you like you can add raspberry flavour to your red fondant to improve the taste - I did.

Strawberry shaped cookie (CLICK HERE for my favourite vanilla cut out cookie dough)
Strawberry shaped cookie cutter
Fondant (Red, green, white and yellow) either buy already coloured or buy white and colour with gel food colours^
cornflour (cornstarch)
clean brushes and water
sharp knife
small plastic rolling pin
small blossom cutter - mine is an ejector cutter
small fondant ball tool
dresden tool
non stick foam

^fondant dries out quickly, when not in use store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. To use fondant knead until pliable and smooth and roll out on a workbench dusted with cornflour (cornstarch). 

Knead the red fondant until smooth and pliable. Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and using the small plastic rolling pin roll out fondant until quite thin then using the strawberry cutter cut out a fondant shape.

Use the sharp knife to cut off the top section which resembles the leaves/stalk.

Brush a small amount of water onto the cookie and adhere the red fondant shape to the cookie, use the rolling pin to roll/push the fondant into shape if it is a little smaller than your cookie.

Knead the green fondant, dust the workbench and roll out the fondant. Cut out another strawberry shape, you only need the top third of the shape so you only need to cut that much out.

Using the sharp knife cut the stalk and leaves of the strawberry as shown in the picture.

Brush a little water onto the top of the cookie and a very small amount onto the very top of the red fondant and adhere the green stalk and leaves to the cookie.

Using your fingers roll out a long thin strip of green fondant to make a vine, I like mine to taper at the end, place it onto the cookie twisting it until it resembles a curly vine and press into place, if the fondant  has not dried it should stay in place, if the fondant is a little dry use a tiny amount of water in one or two spots to stick the fondant in place. Remember when you press the blossoms in at the next step they will also help secure the vine. Cut any excess off where the vine meets the leaves at the top with the sharp knife.

Make the small 'strawberry' blossoms. Dust the workbench and roll out the white fondant, use the ejector cutter to cut out 2 small blossoms. Place the blossoms onto the non stick foam pad and press the ball tool onto each of the petals to make the petals thinner and cupped in shape. Pop the 'strawberry' blossoms onto the cookie on the fondant vine as shown in the picture, one at the top and one half way along and press into place. *Roll a small amount of yellow fondant into a ball and press into the center of the blossom.

(I actually have a whole tutorial on making simple sugar flowers CLICK HERE)

Using the knife or a fondant tool, press indents into the red fondant where you would like to place strawberry seeds. *Roll tiny pieces of yellow fondant into seeds and press into place with a fondant tool.

*Note the blossom centers and seeds can also be made by piping yellow royal icing.

Decorated cookies can be made a week in advance and stored in airtight containers.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer unless otherwise stated do not reuse without permission. 

Decorating for kids - Easy Eye cookies for Halloween

OK, let's be realistic.

I'm not going to use words like desperate here but if your still looking for Halloween recipes at this late stage in the game you're going to want something pretty easy. Plus it goes without saying you don't have time to shop around for a stack of ingredients.

Don't worry I have your back.

Super easy eye cookies.

Sure these aren't going to win any decorating awards. But like I already said.....Super Easy.

In fact these are so easy that the kids can whip them up. 

I used shop bought frosting, mostly because it's whiter that the buttercream I make, and also because.....easy.

and here's another time saving tip if you are really rushed for time. Use some sheets of shortcrust pastry from the freezer section of the supermarket instead of making up cookie dough from scratch. It's not exactly the same but on these small cookies with lots of frosting seriously who will really be able to tell the difference.

Easy Eye cookie instructions

Ingredients
small round cookies (mine are 3cm or around 1 1/4")
white ready made frosting (or make your own)
M&M's any color you like
butter knife

Spread the frosting over the top of each cookie. Be as neat as possible, but they are Halloween eyes so don't stress if they are a little bit crazy messy. In fact messy may be a bonus.

Take M & M's and press one into the center of each white frosted cookie.

Yup - that's it. Halloween cookies decorated and done :)

*If you have used the ready made frosting it will be a bit sticky still at this stage. Leave the cookies uncovered and  in about 30min to an hour the frosting will crust over (be less sticky).

If you liked this post why not subscribe to my email alerts - it's up in the top right hand corner of the blog :)

Linda Vandermeer is a mum, blogger and author of Sweets on a Stick: More than 150 Kid Friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Yogurt Push Pops - and now for something healthy for the kids

 OK - I'm gonna go right out and say it. Push Pops are gimicky.

Yup that's me here calling the kettle black.

I've been playing around with the push pops for a little while now and what I can tell you is that kids like them. Sometimes they don't quite have the fine motor skills to stop pushing in time, but boy oh boy do they like them.

So I'm all for letting that little fact work for me and I've been making up these yogurt, fruit and muesli push pops for the kids to have for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

and there's no guilt, cause it's healthy, fun and these little plastic babies while not great for the environment are washable and reusable.......and dishwasher safe as well.

Now I know your thinking, but can't you just scoop some yogurt into a bowl, and it's true I could, but around here we have a bit of a struggle every school morning to get breakfast eaten. If I say there is yogurt they want cereal, if I offer cereal they want pancakes (which is strictly a weekend thing here)......constant struggle.

Some days when I know that I will be focusing on other stuff this is a perfect breakfast as the kids think they are getting a treat and I can prepare it before hand and have it sitting in the fridge ready to go.

Pretty yellow print Greengate tea towel from - Just Plain Gorgeous Bulimba QLD Australia(07) 3399 2002

Push pops and Push pop stand from Popular Treats (Australia)

Also available here in the US

Yogurt, Seasonal Fruit and Muesli Push Pops -You can make it up any way you like but this is what I did:

Yogurt (I used The Original Greek Yogurt Co Passionfruit and Lemon Curd yogurt)
Muesli (I used cranberry toasted)
Seasonal fruit (peach, blueberries and raspberries)

Spoon in some yogurt until 1/3 way full, sprinkle in a couple tsp muesli, add some finely chopped peach.

Add more yogurt until nearly at the top of pop, sprinkle another tsp of muesli and garnish with some more fruit.

 

Coconut Easter Eggs fun for the kids

I love to spend time in the kitchen with my kids. We always have a great time even though more often than not it means 3 times the cleaning at the end.

Making these super sweet coconut Easter eggs together has become a tradition that we enjoy together every year. Sometimes we invite along friends and make it a Easter egg making party along with a bit of Easter basket making craft and the kids get to take home all the eggs they make at the end.

Make sure that everyone washes their hands before you start....although once you start there will probably be lots of hand licking. For that sticky spitty reason I like to make sure that everyone has a separate basket ready to pop their finished eggs into.


The sweet baskets in the pictures are from Sharnel Dollar Designs.

Coconut Easter Eggs make around  30 eggs

Ingredients

500gm icing sugar sifted
3 cups dessicated coconut
1 tin condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
food colour

Combine icing sugar, coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well and all ingredients are combined evenly. I love to let the kids do the mixing even though it takes a little bit longer and a lot of cleaning up afterwards. As this mixture is quite firm you might need to help the kids out towards the end.

Divide mixture into 4 and colour as desired. Make sure the colour is mixed in well and distributed evenly. If it's just for the family I don't see any problems with letting the kids mix the colour in with their freshly washed hands squashing it together and kneading it.

At this stage the mixture should not be too wet, you can leave it uncovered for 10mins or so to let it set a bit, or if you are concerned you have added to much colour pop a tiny bit extra coconut and icing sugar to firm it up.

Break off small pieces about the size of a ping pong ball and roll between the palms of your hands to form into an egg shape. This part is especially fun for kids and I always let mine break off sections and roll however they want. Making perfect eggs is not important but having fun is.

If you would like to make 'real' looking eggs leave some of the mixture plain and colour some yellow to make 'yolks'. Make the yellow into a tiny ball and then flatten out a ping pong ball sized piece of natural colour mixture, flatten it out and wrap around the yellow 'yolk'. Roll the egg in between your palms until it resembles an egg in shape.

Eggs can be stored in an airtight container for at least 7 days if they last that long.