Ginger ice cream made from fresh ginger makes such a refreshing dessert. Serve it after a heavy meal for an instant palate cleanser that will leave your taste buds dancing.

This ginger ice cream is crazy good–but unusual.

Just like a loud and proud lemon and cream pairing, fresh ginger infused syrup marries extremely well with dairy. We are talking simple, delightful zips of fill-your-whole-mouth ginger flavor.

Why You Need An Ice Cream Machine In Your Life

An $80 ice cream machine is a small investment to make when you consider how easy (and affordable) it is to stretch a few ingredients into multiple batches (and customizable flavors) of ice cream. Think roughly $3/gallon for homemade ice cream. I’m not even sure you could buy ginger ice cream at the store if you wanted to.

In this 7-ingredient recipe, you have egg yolks for a golden color and rich flavor and no carrageenan. Since ginger cannot be added directly to the ice cream due to its fibrous texture, you will learn how to diy your very own ginger syrup, so nothing artificial!

Since I have a few gluten sensitive eaters in my family, it was worth it to me to make homemade gluten free cones to pair with this naturally gluten-free ice cream. Gluten or no gluten, what matters here is homemade. Nothing beats a freshly waffled cone in terms of quality. Definitely recommend.

Serving Ideas for Ginger Ice Cream

You can serve this ginger ice cream with or without crystallized ginger, in a cup or in a homemade gluten-free cone; you can even serve it sandwiched between these molasses ginger cookies.

Ice Cream and Ginger Ale Float

On a hot summer day, you might want to try adding a scoop of ginger ice cream to some carbonated water. That’s right, you can make your very own ginger ale float! Creamy, thirst-quenching, and 100% natural ginger flavor.

Back to the ice cream recipe…Let’s go over all the ingredients you need for the ice creams (and pictured here are the cone ingredients, too).

Fresh Ginger Ice Cream Ingredients:

• sugar: evaporated cane sugar works well for making the syrup
• ginger peeled and grated: peel the ginger root and use a microplane to get a really fine pulp
• whole milk: be sure to use whole milk (reduced fat milk will not work)
• egg yolks: you will temper the egg yolks that give this custard a luxuriously rich flavor
• heavy cream: it’s important to use heavy, full fat cream to get a thick, creamy, and rich ice cream texture
• fresh lemon juice: compliments the flavor of the ginger
• candied ginger (optional): chewy, sweet, and spicy; used as a garnish

Ginger Ice Cream Recipe Step-by-Step

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. You can match these steps with the recipe card (below).

Step 1: Make simple syrup and infuse with fresh ginger.

An infusion is where you extract the ginger flavor into a heated syrup. You’ll strain the pulp at the end and you’ll be left with a golden, ginger syrup.

Step 2: Warm milk and steep with ginger. 

Step 3: Beat egg yolks. 

Step 4: Temper eggs to form the custard.

Step 5: Cool Quickly.

Ice Bath Method: You can quickly cool your dairy mixture by setting the bowl inside of a larger bowl with ice. Stir to cool. You don’t want to pour a really hot mixture into an ice cream machine because then it might not get cold enough to freeze and thicken properly.

Step 6: Churn Ice Cream

Ingredient Tip: Add chopped crystallized ginger when churning the ice cream, if you like. It will add little chewy bites.

Step 7: Freeze

If you’re wondering what I mean when I say “soft serve consistency,” look at the above picture. Your ice cream machine will produce something very soft. If you want to be able to scoop it, you have to freeze it longer (see below).

To get a nice scoop, you should spread the ice cream in a baking pan lined with parchment paper (also cover the top with parchment paper or plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn). Once the ice cream is hard, you will be able to scoop it. This can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours of freeze time.

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Fresh Ginger Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart (Double recipe if you have a 2 quart machine)

Refreshing ginger ice cream made from fresh ginger with pops of candied ginger. This ice cream is a palate cleanser/dessert in one.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword ginger, gluten free ice cream, ice cream

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Steeping (30 minutes) + Freezing (4 hours) 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 scoops

Calories 204kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 ice cream machine

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar of choice preferably evaporated cane sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 ounce ginger peeled and grated
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons candied ginger optional

Instructions

• Make simple syrup and infuse with fresh ginger. Combine ¼ cup of the sugar with the water in a small saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the grated ginger and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and strain the syrup into a small bowl. Reserve the cooked ginger (still in the strainer) in a separate bowl.
• Warm milk and steep with ginger. Over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, combine the milk with 2 tablespoons sugar and reserved cooked ginger. When the milk comes to a boil, remove from the heat, and pour in the ginger syrup. Set aside and allow the milk to steep for 30 minutes.
• Beat egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until the yolks turn pale yellow.
• Temper eggs to form the custard. Heat the ginger-infused milk once again, on low heat until hot. Pour the hot milk in a steady stream into the beaten egg yolks, whisking the whole time to avoid any lumps or scrambling of the eggs. Pour the custard mix back into the saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the custard thickens to coat a spoon.
• Cool quickly. Put a handful of ice cubes and a cup or two of water in a large bowl. Place a medium bowl in this ice bath. Remove the custard from the heat and strain it into the medium bowl. This cools the custard quickly. With a wooden spoon, press down on the ginger in the strainer to get any juices into the custard.
• Churn ice cream. When the custard has cooled through, stir in the heavy cream and the lemon juice. Pour into an ice-cream maker and add the candied ginger. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Freeze. Most budget ice cream machines will produce a soft serve consistency. If you would like to be able to scoop your ice cream, I recommend pouring into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Top with parchment paper and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for 4 hours. At this point, the ice cream will harden and you can scoop.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

There’s nothing wrong with classic vanilla crème brûlée but sometimes you want something a tad brighter–even just a drop of lemon makes vanilla spectacularly more interesting. That’s what this crème brulee recipe is all about. Dynamism!

Tap. Tap. Crunch. Eye-brow raise. That is the scene I want to paint you. You simply can’t help be surprised by the subtle, yet striking, lemon flavor that sort of hits you a moment after the vanilla. It’s really pleasant, and I highly recommend you experience it for yourself.

P.S. We really love lemons around here (and vanilla). There’s also this creamy, very lemony ice cream. These creamy lemon possets (like crème brulee minus the crunch), and meyer lemon bars.

Vanilla Crème with Lemon Brulee Recipe

Brûlée: to burn.

What are we burning today? Why, lemon infused sugar, of course!

If you infuse the sugar topping with fresh lemon peel, what you get is this amazing crackly, lemon-marshmallowy top layer. It’s an unexpected twist to the traditional crème brulee experience.

Basically, the oils from the lemon peel seep into the sugar adding plenty of gorgeous lemon essence. You just use the sugar and discard the peel (which is bitter and overpowering when burned).

Grab your apron and let’s celebrate lemon season crème brulee style!

Top Tips for Making Lemony Crème Brulee at Home

Broiler Method: Usually the problem with making creme brulee at home is how to create a thin enough crunch on top of the creme. Many recipes require the use of a small culinary propane torch. While fun, it’s not an everyday appliance, whereas most people have a broiler setting in their oven.

Use less sugar: My best tip is to use only a teaspoon of sugar per ramekin. More sugar makes it much too hard to tap-tap-break with a spoon.

High fat cream and chill: Vanilla crème brulee is such an exquisitely rich and elegant dessert but if you don’t use high fat cream and chill long enough, it can be soupy instead of creamy. If you are looking for a slightly lighter version, you can replace up to 1 cup with half and half (just be sure to use 1 cup heavy cream).

Infusing sugar takes time: While your custard is chilling, make your sugar+lemon zest and set to the side so it gets good and lemony. It’s normal for the sugar to appear wet and clump together (that’s how you know it’s working).

WATER BATH EXPLAINED

A water bath is where you fill halfway up the sides of the ramekin. This technique allows the custard to cook slowly and evenly when transferred to the oven.

6-Ingredients = One Heck of a Crème Brulee

It’s really amazing how few ingredients you need to make a remarkably good crème brulee. You will need:

• heavy cream: provides the right balance of fat and ensures the texture will thicken and set as it chills 
• vanilla: use a good quality vanilla extract or a vanilla bean for the purest flavor
• salt: just a pinch of sea salt will really enhance the flavors
• egg yolks: for a rich and flavorful custard
• granulated sugar: gives the custard a sweet flavor and is used for the topping
• lemon: we are only using the outside rind/zest to flavor the sugar that gets caramelized

Let’s Look at the Steps

As you can see, I am using a split vanilla bean to infuse the custard mixture, but you could just as easily use vanilla extract.

Step 1- Make Custard Mixture.

Step 2 – Bake. Chill. Make Lemon Sugar.

Step 3 – Serve.

Notice how the broiler method can leave the topping a bit rustic looking? I love this effect and think it makes this crème brulee really unique. The bits of sugar that are a bit moist get extra charred, which imparts even more campfire marshmallowy goodness.

Lemon crème brulee in Lemon

While I love especially shallow ramekins for crème brulee (you get more crunchy topping to filling), you could try setting a hollowed out lemon cut lengthwise on top of a ramekin and filling the lemon peel with the crème brulee. Not only is it eye-catching, it tells you what flavors you are about to taste. Due to moisture, you should serve this right away because it will cause your dessert to sweat.

Storing and preserving homemade lemon sugar

Your leftover lemon sugar will last for many months stored in a sealed bag or container (if it makes it that far). You could totally use the lemon sugar inside the custard portion of this recipe! Another idea is to use it to further enhance homemade lemonade.

CITRUS VARIATIONS (YUZU, GRAPEFRUIT, ORANGE)

Since we are using the zest to infuse the sugar, you could try any citrus. I don’t add the zest to the crème because I like the smoothness of vanilla, but you could add the zest finely grated if you want a more intense citrus flavor.

FAQs

Can you freeze crème brulee?

No. For the best texture, I recommend refrigerating crème brulee and enjoying fresh.

How to store crème brulee?

Wrap the custard tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, unwrap then add the sugar and broil immediately. Serve bruleed custard right away.

Can creme brulee be made ahead?

You can make it ahead up to the custard stage just be sure to wait until the last moment to torch or broil the sugar-topping for the right amount of crunch.

More Citrus Desserts for You

• How to Make a Lemon Posset Dessert
• Lemon Custard Ice Cream
• Fresh Lemon Cookies with Lemon Cranberry Glaze
• Meyer Lemon Bars
• Angel Food Cake with Orange-Vanilla Glaze (you can swap lemon for orange if you like)

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VANILLA CREME WITH LEMON BRULEE

If you love classic crème brulee, you might be surprised how much you love this lemon version. You taste so much of the vanilla but get just a lovely lemon crunch from the topping. Simply marvelous!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword custard

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 38 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 43 minutes minutes

Servings 4 ramekins

Calories 584kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for lemon-sugar topping
• 1 lemon

Instructions

• Make custard mixture. Preheat oven to 325F. In a saucepan over low heat, combine cream, vanilla bean and salt. Cook just until hot (do not simmer/boil). Let sit for a few minutes then discard vanilla bean (add vanilla extract now, if using). In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together for 1 minute. Stir about a quarter of the vanilla mixture into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir.
• Bake, chill and make lemon sugar. Place four 6-ounce ramekins in a baking dish then divide custard mixture into each cup; open the oven door and set the baking dish with ramekins on top then pour boiling hot water halfway up the sides to create a water bath. Transfer carefully to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center is barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple days. Use a peeler to remove one big strip of lemon peel. In a small bowl or ramekin, combine the lemon peel strip with ¼ cup sugar. Stir to distribute the sugar around the lemon peel. Set aside to infuse.
• Serve. When ready to serve, use the back of a spoon to break up any clumps of sugar then top each custard with an evenly distributed teaspoon of lemon sugar. It’s important to form a thin layer so it can easily be cracked by a light tap of a spoon. Place ramekins in a broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat source. Turn on broiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns or even blackens a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve within 2 hours.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1ramekin | Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 377mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2080IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

These sugar cookies have a fresh lemon flavor mellowed by butter, dipped in a sweet and sour icing that pops with fresh lemon and cranberry. The no-chill lemon zested dough bakes up pillowy soft with a slight chew.

These are rare gems that must be made to be tasted.

IN THIS POST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMON COOKIES FROM SCRATCH

• What Makes These Lemon Cookies Pure of Heart
• Step-by-Step: How to Make Fresh Lemon Cookies
• Lemon Cookies: Frequently Asked Questions
• Lemon Cookie Recipe Troubleshooting
• Favorite Things that Make a Bakery Quality Lemon Cookie

WHAT MAKES THESE LEMON COOKIES PURE IN HEART

In sunny Arizona, where I’m from, lemons abound from Fall to Winter—around the time cranberries hit the stores. Since I will forever pair lemons and cranberries with cool weather and a need for brightness, these little drops of sunshine are winter cookies.

I’ve always been attracted to the icing part of a sugar cookie, but I’ve always been disappointed by the experience. Overly sweet and full of artificial ingredients, they promise one thing and deliver another. I can’t help but wonder why we don’t just use natural ingredients as topping instead. While I love the way a glaze catches the light, piping icing feels like busy work. I’d much rather dunk my cookies, invert, and call it a day.

Sigh. Thankfully, these cookies have nothing to hide.

For the glaze, we are using real fruit: lemon and cranberries. No gimmicks, just pure flavors and colors that accentuate the cookie itself. In place of sprinkles, lemon zest adds pizzazz.

Turns out, you can make proud lemon cookies that are fun and practical to make.

Step-by-Step: How to Make FRESH LEMON COOKIES

What I love about this recipe is that it’s a break from all those heavy sweet indulgences. It stands out by being different. Plus, it’s so easy, it can be made on a whim, on a weeknight, but impresses everyone.

Spoon and level your flour.

For the Lemon Sugar Cookie Dough

You need 9 ingredients to make the dough:

• all-purpose flour: be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup; to level, run the back of a knife over the top to get rid of excess
• baking powder: allows the ingredients to rise and become airy
• baking soda: plays a key role in producing a chewy texture
• fine sea salt: you can’t have a great-tasting cookie without salt!
• unsalted butter: you can achieve the right texture by simply placing the wrapped sticks in the hem of your pants against your skin. After 15-minutes, the butter will be soft but not overly so.
• granulated sugar: adds a light sweetness and ensures a moist cookie
• vanilla extract: be sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor
• lemon (zested then juiced): Promises a flavorful cookie. Use a microplane and only remove the yellow (avoid the white pith). Zest over parchment, fold and dump. After zesting, cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice.
• 1 large egg: Equals roughly 1/4 cup and should be room temperature so it blends easily into the creamed butter-sugar mixture

Here’s the roadmap on how they come together:

1. Mix your dry ingredients together.
2. Beat your butter and sugar: Get it nice and fluffy and creamy.
3. Add Egg, Vanilla, Lemon Juice and Zest. Mix it just barely in (seriously, don’t beat that egg too hard!).
4. Mix in flour mixture: your dry ingredients (from step 1)
5. Bake Cookies: Scoop ’em into balls and bake — but please, please do not overbake. You want them to be just-done for that soft melty deliciousness.

For perfectly uniform cookies, dip your scoop in warm water to clean after each and every scoop of cookie dough.

For the Lemon Cranberry Glaze (Icing)

You need 3 ingredients to make the glaze:

• lemon: 1 large lemon will give you 2 tablespoons of juice. Be sure to use fresh and avoid lemon concentrate.
• cranberries: can be fresh or frozen
• powdered sugar: ensures a sweet flavor and that the icing will set

The glaze can be made while the cookies are baking.

1. Simmer the cranberries in lemon juice. Strain. Combine the juice with sifted powdered sugar to form a smooth glaze.
2. Dip cookies in glaze and invert. Top with lemon zest if you’re extra (we are). The glaze will harden as it sits.

Lemon Cookie Recipe Troubleshooting

Let’s review the 3 most important technical details 1) Creaming the butter at the right temperature, 2) Adding the right amount of flour, and 3) Not baking for too long.

Flat cookies – If your cookies flatten, I would suspect that your butter was too warm and you weren’t able to get enough air whipped in during the creaming method.

Why didn’t my cookies spread? – It’s easy to add too much flour if you just scoop right out of the flour bag–that compacted flour can add up to 25% more flour than the recipe calls for. When baking, give your flour a stir to lighten it, then spoon into a dry measuring cup. Don’t forget to level off with a knife. You can also scale and weigh your flour for 100% accuracy. See the video in this post for reference on the correct consistency.

Lemon flavor – If you want more lemon flavor in the cookie itself, I suggest adding up to 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract to the dough.

Thanks for being here. Apron time!

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FRESH LEMON COOKIES WITH CRANBERRY LEMON GLAZE

NUT FREE, VEGETARIAN

Serves 24 cookies / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 10 minutes

These are buttery and fresh lemon cookies with a vibrant lemon-cranberry glaze! No chilling required. Just pillowy, chewy pure lemon cookies!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookies, cranberry, lemon

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 151kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Electric Mixer
• Small Cookie Scoop (a 1-T scoop makes identical 2-inch cookies)
• parchment paper
• Baking Sheets
• Cooling Racks

Ingredients

Lemon Cookie Ingredients:

• 3 cups 360 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup 2 sticks, 226 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cups 250 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest from 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 large egg room temperature

Cranberry Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 large lemon
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• Whisk dry ingredients together. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-low, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add Egg, Vanilla, Lemon Juice and Zest. Add egg to butter-sugar mixture and beat on medium speed just to combine. Add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Just mix to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Mix in flour mixture. Add flour mixture and mix at medium-low speed just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
• Bake cookies. Using a cookie scoop, or tablespoon to portion dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges look done, but the center appears soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
• Make glaze. Juice lemon until you have 2 tablespoons of juice. Combine the juice and 1 cup cranberries in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. When the cranberries burst, about 3 minutes, strain over a bowl. Press down with a spatula to push as much cranberry sauce through as possible (scrape along the bottom of the strainer, too). Discard the contents of the strainer. Sift 1 cup powdered sugar into the cranberry lemon sauce and whisk until smooth and well incorporated. The glaze should be bright pink-red and glossy.
• Dip cookies in glaze. Dip each warm cookie, top down, into the glaze. Allow any excess glaze to drip off before inverting and returning to the rack (add lemon zest, if you like). Cool completely, the glaze will harden as it sits.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Still have lemons and cranberries to use up?

One More Thing!

This recipe is part of our collection of dessert recipes. Check it out!

Would you believe that I’ve had a jar of dulce de leche in the pantry for a year? Oh, I wanted to eat it every single day with a spoon, but I was saving it for a special occasion. As much as I go crazy for a luxurious salted caramel ice cream, I discovered alfajores, as one does when googling “dulce de leche desserts” at 12am.

So, I got around to testing these cookies (all 12 of them), and, sure enough, they measure up to the other cookie recipes on this site. Bottom line, there’s something undeniably special about these Argentinian cookies, and I will be making them regularly.

With a shortbread-like cookie dough that crumbles tenderly when you bite into it, I can think of no better filling than sticky, buttery, sweet and salty dulce de leche.

And because I rarely know how to leave well enough alone, I even added a hint of cinnamon to the dough, sort of a churro-cookie hybrid, if you will. Of course, by all means, you could dust them with powdered sugar or roll the edges in coconut for a traditional approach.

Alfajores Ingredients:

How to Make Alfajores – Step by Step

While it seems like there are quite a few steps, these cookies are easier than they appear (mostly because the dulce de leche can be storebought), and I’ve included some process shots to show you what each stage should look like. Even if you’re tempted to rush into baking these (I totally get it), it’s well worth the wait to let the dough chill properly.

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

To start, remove the butter from the fridge and set it on the counter. Meanwhile, measure and mix the dry ingredients (picture 1). For accuracy, it’s best to spoon ingredients like flour into the measuring cup, scraping across the top with the edge of a butter knife.

Step 2 and 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar – Add the Egg Yolk, Brandy, and Vanilla

In order for creaming to work properly, your butter must be cool and soft. I usually recommend microwaving on the defrost setting for a maximum of 10 seconds or leaving the butter at room temperature for 1 hour.

You can cream butter with sugar in either a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand-held mixer. Either way, you want to really beat everything well until you see a light, creamy texture that’s pale yellow (picture 2). Next, add the egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla and mix just to combine (picture 3).

Step 4: Make the Cookie Dough and Chill Until Cold and Somewhat Firm

To make the cookie dough, you will mix the dry into the wet just until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix for the tenderest of cookies. Once the dough is formed, you can easily wrap and refrigerate it in plastic wrap. I strongly encourage you to chill the dough for 1 hour 20 minutes (any less and it will be difficult to work with).

Troubleshooting Dough: It’s ok if the dough tears when you roll it. You can smooth any cracks with your fingertips by pressing the dough together gently.

Step 5: Roll and Cut the Dough

To roll the dough, I like to dust the counter with both flour and cinnamon (just a dash or two). I like how the cinnamon adds a bit of spiciness. When rolling, press down in the center of the dough with a rolling pin and roll out toward the edges, working in a circle until you have a smooth, uniform dough that’s about 1/4-inch thick.

You will need a plain or fluted 2-inch pastry cutter to stamp out the cookies. Cutting the cookies is a two-stage process: You will get about 10-15 cookies from the first rolled out section of dough.

You will need to gather the remaining dough and chill it again, about 30 minutes; it becomes sticky and hard to work with the longer it sits at room temperature. Once chilled, you can roll and cut the remaining cookies (around the time the first baked batch is cooling).

Should I refrigerate the cookies before baking?

After rolling and shaping pastry dough, you may want to refrigerate the dough prior to baking. Buttery cookie dough tends to, well, melt and lose its shape. While I did not refrigerate my cookie tray (there wasn’t room in the fridge), it’s good practice if your goal is for the fluted edges to be crisp and defined. If you refrigerate the cookies, you may want to add 1 to 2 minutes of bake time to account for starting with colder dough.

Bake and Fill the Sandwich Cookies with Dulce de Leche Caramel

I like to bake the first batch while the remaining cookie dough is chilling in the fridge. These cookies only need about 12 minutes of bake time and should be pale in color.

Do Alfajores Need to Be Refrigerated?

If you live in a very hot or humid climate, I recommend storing alfajores in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Personally, I find the refrigerated texture to be very enjoyable, because the caramel seems to be slightly stickier in a way I like.

More Caramel Desserts You Might Like:

• Salted Caramel Chocolate Tarts
• Salted Caramel Ice Cream
• Caramel Apple Pie
• Caramel Powder

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Alfajores (Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies)

Alfajores (alfa-hor-ays) are soft, buttery cookies from South America made, in part, with cornstarch for an ultra-tender, crumbly cookie. Sticky dulce de leche holds the cookies together. To take these sandwich cookies to the next level, roll the edges in dried coconut flakes or cover them with powdered sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Argentinian, South American

Keyword caramel, cookies, dessert, dulce de leche

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 12 sandwich cookies

Calories 171kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• A plain or fluted 2-inch round cookie cutter for stamping the dough

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornstarch spooned and leveled
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp, plus 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon for dusting (optional)
• 3/4 cup dulce de leche

Instructions

• Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
• Cream the butter with the sugar. Use a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to mix the butter and sugar together over medium-high speed, scraping down the sides with a spatula, until fluffy and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, brandy, and vanilla and mix again to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until fully incorporated, but no further, about 15 seconds.
• Wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough. Spread plastic wrap on the counter and set the dough on top. Without handling the dough, wrap the edges to form a thick disc. Tightly seal the top and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour 20 minutes minimum.
• Preheat. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the center. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper.
• Shape and bake the cookies. Sprinkle flour and a few dashes of cinnamon, if desired, on the counter-top. Place the cold dough on top and use a rolling pin to spread quickly, about 1/4-inch thick. Stamp out as many cookies as you can and use an offset spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared sheet tray, about 1/2-inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes; it's ok if the cookies are still pale. Wrap and refrigerate remaining dough until firm, then roll, stamp, and bake the remaining cookies.
• Smear and serve. Turn half the cookies over and smear about 2 teaspoons dulce de leche on the over-turned halves. Place a second cookie on tophttps://amzn.to/3bVACo7 to form a sandwich. Serve.

Video

Notes

Cornstarch – If you don’t have cornstarch, you may substitute tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch) or arrowroot.

Brandy – Any brandy will work in this recipe. You may use an alternative alcohol that you like the flavor of instead, or increase the amount of vanilla to 2 teaspoons.

Dulce de Leche – You can purchase high quality dulce de leche in the baking aisle or online (I like San Ignacio brand), so there’s really no need to make your own. 

Variation Tip: Drizzle or dip the cookies in melted chocolate or roll the edges in dried coconut. You can also dust them with powdered sugar just before serving using a sifter or sieve.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Here is my tried-and-true process for tempering chocolate for dipping bananas. When you temper dark chocolate, you get a shell that hardens even at room temperature. Meaning, you can use frozen or room temperature bananas (or any fruit for that matter).

To temper or not to temper? That is the question.

If you plan on serving chocolate coated fruit at room temperature, you need to temper your chocolate in order for it to form a hard shell. However, if you plan on freezing your fruit and serving cold/frozen, simply melt the chocolate and dip your frozen banana to coat.

I think both methods are simple enough and so I’ll leave it up to you.

There’s so much to love about tempered chocolate. It’s definitely a skill to have in your back pocket around the holidays because you can do so many simple, yet impactful things. You could make:

• chocolate banana pops
• chocolate bark with nuts, seeds, or crushed candy cane
• chocolate coated room temperature fruit, such as strawberries, bananas, or candied orange peel
• chocolate dipped ice cream cones, marshmallows, or graham crackers
• homemade candy bars or gourmet chocolates
• As a drizzle or dip for ice cream, brownies, biscotti cookies, or cakes

Melting Point of Chocolate (Tempering Process)

I used to teach an edible holiday gifts class to the public and developed this foolproof method for melting and tempering chocolate:

Melt only half of the dark chocolate you are using to 115 degrees. You want to remove the bowl from heat before adding the remaining half of the dark chocolate because you don’t want to even come close to scorching the chocolate.

Work slowly and methodically to break apart the molecules in the chocolate then force them to come back together. How you do this is by stirring your way through 3 temperature phases:

1. Melt half of the chocolate to 115F. Add remaining chocolate (off the heat).
2. Cool to the low 80s
3. Stir, stir, stir and heat to 88°-90℉

Best Chocolate to Melt

It’s tricky to temper white chocolate or any chocolate with a low percentage of cocoa butter or couverture (e.g. stay away from chocolate chips and look at the bars instead).

In my experience, the very best chocolate to use is anything labeled bittersweet or semisweet dark chocolate 60% cacao or higher. You can even mix-and-match such as 60% semi-sweet and 72% dark chocolate for flavor and work-ability. Just don’t use 50% for tempering. It won’t work.

Ingredient Tip: You can find high quality melting chocolate in the baking aisle of most grocery stores and online. For example, this Guittard Semi-Sweet Chocolate (64% cacao) works nicely.

How to Temper Chocolate Step-by-Step

Double check that your knife, cutting board, and equipment is free of any water. Chop the chocolate then place half of it inside your bowl and set on top of a pot of simmering water (the double broiler).

Use a spatula and stir until a thermometer reads 115℉. Remove from the heat and add the remaining half of the chocolate you chopped earlier. Allow the temperature to drop to the low 80°s before returning to the double broiler.

For the final step, stir and heat until the chocolate reaches 88°-90℉. Remove from the heat and use immediately.

You can see that I’m holding the skewer-end of the banana and a spatula to drizzle. You can also dip and roll your fruit if you have enough chocolate to do so. I like to set my chocolate coated fruit on a parchment-lined tray for easy clean-up.

The chocolate will harden as it cools, which is why it’s important to work quickly.

Eye-Catching Toppings for Your Banana Pops:

As I mentioned, you only need 1 magic ingredient (chocolate) to make a myriad of custom treats. Here are my favorite garnishes if you want to mix things up:

Freeze-Dried, Crumbled Fruit such as strawberries or raspberries sprinkled onto just-dipped bananas look stunning and add a fresh, fun flavor twist. They are available online here or in the health foods/snack section of most grocery stores.

Toasted Chopped Nuts or Seeds such as peanuts, cashews, or sunflower seeds

Sea Salt Flakes enhance the flavor of the chocolate and banana and add a bit of crunch. Just be sure to use a tiny pinch — a little goes a long way (Maldon is my favorite).

Shredded coconut is especially delicious if you toast it dry over low heat until golden. For a recipe like this, you want the fine desiccated coconut flakes.

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Chocolate Covered Banana Pops

You can serve these banana pops frozen or at room temperature because the chocolate coating is tempered; Simply dip, allow to harden into a shell, and enjoy!

Course Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword banana, chocolate coating

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 banana pops

Calories 400kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 6 ripe bananas cut in half and skewered
• 2 pounds semi-sweet dark chocolate (60% cacao) chopped, divided

Instructions

• Frozen or Not Frozen Bananas: Since you will be tempering the chocolate, feel free to use room temperature or skewered frozen bananas. The chocolate will harden as it sits.
• Temper the chocolate: Set up a double boiler and begin to melt about half of the chocolate until a candy thermometer registers 115℉. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 pound of chopped chocolate. Stir until the temperature drops to the low 80°s. Return the bowl to the pot of simmering water by placing on top (do not let any steam get into the chocolate). Stir the chocolate and heat until you see the temperature reach between 88°-90℉. Remove from heat and use immediately.
• Coat the banana with chocolate: Quickly dip each banana into the chocolate scraping the chocolate against the side of the bowl (or use a spatula to drizzle the chocolate over the banana). Spread the chocolate covered banana skewers out on a sheet tray lined with wax or parchment paper to set. While the chocolate is still wet, you can sprinkle with chopped nuts or crumbled freeze-dried fruit, if desired. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1banana pop | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 0.3IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 0.02mg | Iron: 0.002mg

I took my classic tiramisu recipe from Easy Dutch Oven Cooking and added a scandalous heap of fresh strawberries. And, I’m sharing it with you just in the nick of time for peak strawberry season.

Truth? My first encounter with strawberry topped tiramisu was not love at first site. It was, however, love at first bite. My initial impression was that a strawberry couldn’t possibly improve tiramisu. Lo and behold, my palate got a refreshing dose of humility.

Turns out, strawberry tiramisu is the anti-dessert, dessert. It’s not too sweet. Always refreshing. And, kinda oddly better than traditional tiramisu. Scandalous.

Strawberry tiramisu is all about simplicity and contrast. There’s rich and creamy mascarpone, sweet balanced with bitter, espresso-dipped lady fingers, and tart, delightful strawberries galore. It’s the kind of dessert I’d confidently serve after any savory meal.

So, you may be wondering, does tiramisu really need strawberries?

Does a cookie really need chocolate chips?

Feel free to weigh in on either of these important existential questions in the comments below.

Let’s Talk About the Mascarpone Mixture and the 7 Baby Steps Involved

For those of you who didn’t skip straight to the recipe, I want to break down the second step. Step 2 is a bit involved and I don’t want you to get overwhelmed. In a nutshell, it’s 7 baby steps in this order:

• mascarpone+rum
• a double boiler egg yolk+sugar foam
  • mascarpone mixture+egg yolk mixture
• whipped cream
  • mascarpone mixture+whipped cream
• egg whites
  • egg whites+mascarpone mixture

Step-by-Step: How to Make Classic Tiramisu (My Way With Fresh Strawberries)

This is a no-bake, layered cake-esque dessert that takes about 20 minutes to assemble and an overnight chill in the refrigerator. You can make it in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven (keeps it nice and cold) or a 9x9x2.5 inch glass dish.

Gather your ingredients and let’s make tiramisu!

Step 1: Make the Espresso Mixture

To start, you need to brew some espresso. You’ll need 2/3 cup liquid espresso along with a bit of dark rum. I like to do this step first so it can be cooling.

Ingredient Tip: Recipes that call for espresso are somewhat flexible. You can brew espresso at home easily in a stove-top espresso maker or you can mix instant espresso granules with warm water. If you want, you can even substitute strongly brewed coffee in a pinch.

Step 2: Make the Mascarpone Mixture

Lot’s of little steps here. To start, you need a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a handheld beater device with whisk attachment. Sorry, no hand mixing here.

To start, whip the mascarpone (similar texture to cream cheese) with some of the rum.

Next up, make the egg yolk mixture. You need a heatproof bowl set over a pot with about 1-inch of water (double boiler). Put the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk until light and foamy.

Add the egg yolk mixture to the mascarpone mixture and beat until combined (pictured above).

Whipped cream (medium peaks)

In a separate (clean bowl), beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract to form medium peaks (you really want to avoid over-whipping because it will take on an oily, dense texture).

Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture just until incorporated. You’re over halfway there!

Next, you are going to whisk egg whites to form stiff peaks. The key to getting this step right is to start with a completely clean, dry bowl.

Gently fold the egg white mixture into the mascarpone mixture. Applause!

Step 3: Assemble the layers and Chill.

Now for the fun part. Grab your dish and quickly dip the lady fingers into the espresso mixture. One by one, lay them flat to form the first layer.

Place a dollop of the mascarpone mixture on top and spread evenly. I love using an offset spatula for smoothing all the way up to the edges of the dish.

Proceed to dip the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture again to form another layer on top of the mascarpone mixture. Top with remaining mascarpone mixture on top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours to set the layers of the cake.

After refrigerating, sift the cocoa powder over the top and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day. I like to use a plain ol’ strainer for this.

You’ll want to cut the strawberries just prior to serving so they don’t release too many juices.

Ingredient Tip: Strawberries really range from sour to sweet. If you can find ripe strawberries, they need little more than a pinch of salt or sugar to bring out their glory. The best season for enjoying true strawberry flavor is April (though the season spans from January to May, depending on location).

For a no fuss dessert, you can scoop your cake with a big spoon or use a spatula to form square slices.

Serving Tip: When serving cake, I like to keep a big measuring cup full of hot water for dipping my serving utensil. That way, you get a clean slice every time!

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Strawberry Tiramisu

Enameled cast iron cookware provides the perfect vessel for assembling the alternating layers of espresso-dipped ladyfingers and slightly sweetened cream. This is a no-bake dessert that gets its classic light texture from aerating mascarpone cream and then letting everything set into place in the fridge.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, espresso, strawberry, tiramisu

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 525kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 9x9x2.5" glass/enameled cast iron dish or a 9×13" dish but with 24 lady fingers and thinner layers

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup strong espresso
• 3 tablespoons dark rum divided
• 8 ounces mascarpone
• 2 large eggs separated
• ¼ cup white sugar divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 pinches salt for cake and strawberries
• 20 ladyfinger cookies
• cocoa powder for topping
• 2 cups strawberries see notes

Instructions

• Make the espresso. Combine the espresso with 1 tablespoon dark rum in a small bowl and set aside to cool.
• Prepare Mascarpone:

  In a stand mixer (with whisk attachment) or a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone with the remaining 2 tablespoons of rum until smooth. Set aside.
• Make Egg Yolk Base:

  Place a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of shallow simmering water (ensure water doesn't touch the bowl).Add egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl. Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes until light and foamy. Pour this mixture over the reserved mascarpone and beat just until combined. Set aside.
• Whip Heavy Cream:

  In a separate clean bowl, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract on medium-high speed. Whip until medium peaks form (it should look soft and pillowy).
• Fold in Whipped Cream:

  Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until just incorporated. Set aside.
• Whip Egg Whites:

  In a clean, dry bowl with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until foamy. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating for about 5 minutes longer until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in Egg Whites:

  Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone cream mixture until fully combined.
• Assemble the layers. Set a 9x9x2.5" enameled/glass dish on the counter next to the lady fingers, coffee mixture, and mascarpone mixture. Quickly dip each side of the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture and lay flat to form the first layer in the dish. Place a dollop of the mascarpone mixture on top, spreading evenly. Proceed to dip the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture again to form another layer on top of the mascarpone. Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture, spreading evenly.
• Refrigerate. Cover with the lid and refrigerate for 2 hours. Sift the cocoa powder over the top and refrigerate again for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
• Serve. Just before serving, remove the tops of the strawberries and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a bowl with a pinch of salt and stir. Allow to sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to release the juices. When you see the strawberries glistening in their own juices, spread them over the cake. Using a large spoon, scoop the chilled tiramisu onto serving plates; you can dip the spoon into warm water to make serving each portion prettier. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.

Notes

Strawberries: You will need only a pinch of salt or sugar if you have ripe strawberries, which are quite sweet and flavorful. Out of season strawberries tend to be tart, so consider adding a few pinches of sugar.

Espresso: I brew espresso in a stovetop espresso maker (this one is my favorite) or use instant espresso, which I’ve had more luck finding online. If you can’t make espresso, feel free to use a more concentrated instant coffee mixture instead. Mix 3 tablespoons instant coffee with 2/3 cup warm water.

Nutrition

Serving: 1scoop/slice | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1401IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Originally featured (sans the strawberries) in my cookbook: Easy Dutch Oven Cooking

These brown sugar walnut bars are heavenly: chewy when warm and punctuated with crunchy bits of walnut. They have a nice balance of sweet and fat thanks to dark brown sugar and eggs. When they bake, they get a smooth top, much like a blondie, and when timed just right, the sugar melts, giving them a sticky center that makes your eyes want to roll. So simple, so good.

Brian Noyes, one of Virginia’s most treasured bakers, has a book out: Red Truck Bakery. This book is a compilation of nostalgic recipes from his rural bakery of the same name — it’s got bakery favorites like pies and cookies and recipes he grew up eating.

Brian’s desire to support local producers is evident throughout the book, coupled with charming photographs, Red Truck Bakery makes centuries-old Southern classics feel familiar and yet surprising.

Take, for example, his mom’s walnut chews recipe. Brian writes:

“We had a walnut tree in our backyard when I was growing up, which may be the reason my mom was inspired to make these […] when you cut into a sheet of these chews, the beautifully brittle top flakes into sweet shards, but somehow underneath they’re soft and nearly juicy […]”

Interesting, right?

He goes on: “My sisters, Cheryl and Diane, would’ve been heartbroken not to see these in the book.”

Thank you Cheryl and Diane. After baking these bars, I have to agree, they truly are remarkable. To me, these bars are perfection: chewy, perfectly sweet, with a hint of vanilla. But what differentiates them from other brown sugar bars is the exclusion of butter, which, like Tori Dunton’s Walnut Bars, gives them the loveliest chew.

Out of the oven, these bars are ooey gooey but are even more irresistible when allowed to cool a bit. I found they keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days, so don’t be afraid to make them ahead of time. If you’re looking for a homemade gift for anyone who can’t do chocolate, look no further. In a lovingly packed tin, these sturdy bars will travel well.

Happy baking, friends! I’ll see you in the new year.

PS: Fudgy Brownies with Espresso

How to Make Chewy Walnut Bars

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients and roughly chop the walnuts.

Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to combine the wet ingredients (eggs, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract). It’s important at this phase to mix well (at least 3 minutes) to help dissolve the brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour using a sieve and whisk together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking soda (not baking powder), and salt).

Combine the dry and wet mixtures then stir in the chopped walnuts. Spread into a greased baking dish (see picture below).

Bake and allow to cool before cutting into squares.

How to Store

If you store these in a tin at room temperature they will dry out a little faster than if you use a sealed plastic bag, about 5 days. I really prefer the texture of these bars when they are slightly warm, so I like to microwave them for about 10 seconds.

FAQ

Can these be mixed by hand?

Yes! I like to use a stand mixer because it helps to really incorporate the eggs with the brown sugar, but you could do this with a spatula and a little bit of elbow grease. After all, a preheated oven will do most of the work for you (in terms of melting the sugar).

Can I substitute baking powder for baking soda?

In this recipe, you may use baking powder (which is baking soda with cream of tartar added). However, it’s not a 1:1 substitution. You should use 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in place of baking soda.

Can I add chocolate chips?

Sure. Go ahead and mix them into the batter, along with the walnuts. Your bars will have a denser consistency the more you use. I recommend starting with about 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips.

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Brown Sugar Walnut Bars

Adapted from Brian Noyes's Red Truck Bakery Cookbook

These soft and chewy walnut bars are made from dark brown sugar and eggs. They may soon become a tradition in your house.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, walnut

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 12 bars

Calories 347kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for coating baking dish
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups raw walnuts roughly chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Beat sugar and eggs. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, dark brown sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for at least 3 minutes or until the sugar is no longer gritty and the mixture has a nice sheen.
• Mix the dry ingredients then combine with the wet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the brown sugar mixture and beat until the flour is incorporated and streak free. Stir in the walnuts.
• Bake and cut into squares. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 23 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides and appear lightly brown. Allow the dish to cool then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Baker’s Notes:

Salt: The only change I have made here is to add salt: 1/4 teaspoon felt like the right amount. I love a sweet treat with a good balance of salt and sugar, but I also know I have a high salt tolerance, so please use your judgment when deciding how much to use. I do not find these to be the slightest bit salty (note that I used unsalted, raw walnuts).

Nonstick cooking spray: I don’t believe in using this kind of ingredient and prefer to rub my bakeware with butter. It worked well for me, but you can use cooking spray, if you prefer.

Walnut halves: The original recipe calls for walnut halves, but I decided to roughly chop them because I thought they would be easier to portion into squares. That said, I think the bars would still hold up nicely if you wanted to leave the walnut pieces whole.

Baking Soda: I found a few recipes that call for a similar proportion of flour (1 cup) with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (this Taste of Home recipe and this recipe from The Perfect Pantry). I found that 1/4 teaspoon baking soda was plenty to achieve a nice rise without imparting “a taste.”

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

A bench scraper has many functions; it’s useful for scooting vegetables off of a cutting board or dividing dough. It’s also great for cleaning counter-tops when making pasta or cookies.