Charcuterie boards, food boards, and dessert boards have become my family’s favorite thing to eat from this last year!  We especially love a really full charcuterie board for dinner and then sit and talk and we’ll have family scripture study and it has been a special bonding time for us and the kids. We also especially love a dessert board for a special occasion (or any occasion at all) and especially when company comes over because it offers a great variety of treats and everyone can find something delicious to enjoy.  I’m going to show exactly how to create the prettiest dessert board for Valentine’s Day.

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A couple of week’s ago, right before I left to visit a new baby niece in Utah, I made my family this fun Valentine’s Day themed dessert board and knew I needed to take step-by-step pictures for all of you.  How have I been doing these and not putting them on the blog? Probably all the craziness of the holidays lately? I think so. Anyways…

I started off with an adorable pink round tray.  You can use any tray you wish but I sure love this one. I put down some overlapping parchment paper. I found these cute heart pretzel’s at Winco in the bulk section at either end.

I went to my candy buffet and grabbed all of the candy that’s been sitting there (I refilled it later).

You can visit THIS POST for my DIY candy bar and hot cocoa pennant banner free printables.

I like to use a variety of cookies, different candies, chocolates, wrapped candies and hard candies…you want a nice balance of texture and color and desserts. Here I added Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts and pink macaron cookies in different colors.

Then I added Peep marshmallow hearts, Trader Joe’s XO fruit snacks (btw – these are probably the yummiest fruit snacks I’ve ever had in my life), Hershey’s Kisses, Kit Kats, M&M’s (putting little candies in a small condiment bowl I found at HomeGoods gives dimension and keeps them from getting buried by other desserts), Jelly Hearts from WinCo bulk section, and then I found cute heart and lip cookies while in Whole Foods yesterday.

To finish off my tray, I added more cute lips/hearts candies I found in a bag in the HomeGoods checkout aisle, Ghiradelli chocolates, Lindt chocolates, another bowl of M&M’s for balance, and some wrapped Reese’s hearts. There’s literally something for everyone!

So whether you’re making something sweet for Galentine’s Day and inviting all your girlfriends over OR you’re needing the perfect treat for your family on the 14th, now you know how to create the prettiest dessert board for Valentine’s Day! I’d love to see what you come up with! Each one looks a little different and they are each a little work of art and so fun to do. The best part too is that you can through it together last minute. Everyone I serve it too gets so excited and their face lights up like a kid at Disneyland..ha! Have fun and Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

I’m so glad you could stop by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

 xoxo,

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The post How To Create The Prettiest Dessert Board For Valentine’s Day appeared first on Summer Adams.

It’s not only my favorite time of year but it’s my favorite time to eat of the year…ha!  The baking is so fun and so good!  I bring out all of my favorite recipes and I love trying my friends’ favorite recipes.  Today a bunch of friends and I are sharing our best Christmas cookie recipes with you, hosted by Kristen at Ella Claire Inspired, and I’m sharing my Caramel Thumbprint Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe with you.  Just the name of these cookies makes me salivate (they’re sooo good).

Affiliate links are included in this post. Click here to read my full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy. All opinions are my own.

So, my family looooves Snickerdoodles. Like, we are obsessed!  When I was making my homemade caramel recipe recently (part of my caramel popcorn ball recipe), I had a thought to put them on or in Snickerdoodles. Call me crazy, but it sounded like the best of both worlds.

It was brilliant.  Can I just say that?!  I decided I could make the Snickerdoodles like a thumbprint cookie and make a little pot for the caramel to sit in and thicken.  It worked!  We are in love and here’s the recipe.

Print

Caramel Thumbprint Snickerdoodle Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookie

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients

Cookie Recipe:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Homemade Caramel:

• 1/2 cup butter salted or unsalted
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 8 oz sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt until well combined. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• 
  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  
  
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
• Make the caramel. Mix butter, light corn syrup, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract over stovetop on medium heat.  

  Stir often until it mixture comes to a rolling boil. Add can of sweetened condensed milk and return to boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove dough from fridge and scoop out to make small round balls. Roll around and toss in cinnamon & sugar mixture and place on cookie sheet with room in between each one.
• Use bottom of measuring spoon (or thumb) to make indentation in center of each ball.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes. Pull out cookies and press down centers again with spoon and let cool or about 10 minutes.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon Salted Caramel Sauce in center of each cookie. Garnish with flaked salt, if desired.

Might I make a suggestion? While baking these cookies, treat yourself to a huge spoonful of thick creamy caramel to keep up your energy for baking…hahaha.  Seriously, it helps and it’s nothing short of divine!

When the cookies are ready, grab a glass of egg nog and call it dinner! Ssssshhhh!!  Don’t tell anyone I said that!!  We may have done that the other night.  But in all fairness, we’d had turkey soup and turkey sandwiches already so we were dying for something chewy and sweet like these caramel snickerdoodle cookie recipes.

 

 

 

Join us in our Christmas Cookie Exchange!  Post a picture of your favorite Christmas cookie on Instagram, using #BestChristmasCookieRecipes.  Here are some of our favorite cookie recipes!

 

Please click on the recipes below and don’t forget to pin each one so that you have them for later!

Double Chocolate Junior Mint Cookies by Ella Claire & Co. | Snowball Cookies with Pecans by Live Laugh Rowe | Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies by Boxwood Avenue | Chocolate Covered Peppermint Cookies by Rooms for Rent.

Pie Cookies by Handmade Farmhouse | Linzer Cookies by Inspired by Charm | Pistachio Cardamom Butter Cookies by The Chronicles of Home | Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies by Anderson + Grant

Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies by Jenna Kate at Home | Iced Peanut Butter Cookies by Maison de Pax | Caramel Thumbprint Snickerdoodles by Summer Adams | Peanut Butter Cookie Cups by Town and Country Living

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies by French Country Cottage | Reindeer Cookies by Shabbyfufu | Chocolate Chip Cookies by Happy Happy Nester | Gluten/Dairy Free Spritz Christmas Cookies by Zevy Joy

Pecan Tassies by On Sutton Place | Snowball Cookies by Julie Blanner | Braided Sugar Cookie Stick by Tidbits | Sugar Cookie Trees by My 100 Year Old Home

Gooey Butter Christmas Cookies by Tidy Mom | Toasted Coconut Einkron Cookies by Farmhouse on Boone | Christmas Candy (M&M) Cookies by Nina Hendrick | White Chocolate Peppermint Oreos by My Sweet Savannah

Praline Snickerdoodles by So Much Better with Age

I’m so glad you could stop by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

 xoxo,

 

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The post Caramel Thumbprint Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe appeared first on Summer Adams.

One of my favorite things about fall weather, especially a cold and rainy day, is making a large pot of soup for my family and making homemade rolls and hot chocolate.  The kids come in the door from school, wet and tired and cold and they smell the soup and know it’s a soup day and get so excited!  It’s comfort food, right?! A fabulous group of blogger friends, who are great cooks and bakers, and back together again today to share all of our soup recipes. I’m sharing my creamy low-carb roasted cauliflower soup recipe with you. It’s divine!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

>>Pin this image below for later!<<

I’ve been following a Keto diet all year long (search “Keto” on my blog for yummy recipes). I’ve done great and I’m almost never tempted but when I make my family a potato and cheese soup….oh gracious!  That’s my favorite and I am soooo tempted! So I turned to look for a good cauliflower soup that I could also make creamy and add cheese and bacon and taste like a potato soup. I tweaked a few things between a few recipes I looked at, over the 3 times I made it and the third time was a charm. It’s soooo yummy! Here’s the recipe below.

Note: You can use cauliflower pearls, which is super easy and ready to use BUT the whole heads of cauliflower are easier to mash and make the soup a smoother texture in the end.  But they both taste the same and are equally delicious.

Paprika, salt and olive oil and then toss to coat and roast for 20 min.

Remove from oven and cauliflower looks golden and roasted.

After onion, garlic, olive oil and chicken broth, add cauliflower.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover, letting simmer for 15 min. Then mash with potato masher.

Looking good!  Add heavy cream, cream cheese and half of grated cheddar cheese and stir until creamy and smoother.

I’ve never been a huge cauliflower fan but this is soooo good!  Oh my goodness!  Even Josh and the kids had some and loved it.

I guess I don’t have to make their soup and my soup.  I can make this one and they’ll love it too. Yay! I like adding the additional cheddar cheese and bacon bits.  You could add green onions too!  Yummmmmm!

Can I tell you how much I’m loving these beaded dessert bowls I purchased recently?! (Also found here.) They’re not only great for dessert but are great to use for serving toppings of all kinds and for other things as well too.

The post Creamy Low-Carb Roasted Cauliflower Soup appeared first on Summer Adams.

Today I’m joined by a talented group of blogging friends who are also sharing their Fall Recipe ideas with you! Thanks so much to Krista from The Happy Housie for hosting and organizing this tour! I’m slowly adding all of my favorite low-carb recipes to the blog, just as I have been promising and today I’m sharing one of my favorites…my Keto Low-Carb Pumpkin Crisp.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

I’ve been back on the Keto diet all year long and, besides losing over 30 lbs and lowering my cholesterol, I feel so much better overall. I’ve found that I don’t have to deprive myself of any foods I love.  I just adapt recipes.  I hadn’t found a pumpkin crisp I liked so I played with several things and experimented until I had it where I wanted it and now…it’s soooo good! I’ve got it and I hope you love it too! My family sure does.

The recipe is below but you’ll find it’s very easy.  You mix the first half of the ingredients and pour it in a grease 8×8 pan.

 

You’ll then mix the topping ingredient and sprinkle it over and bake.  Can I just tell you that any time you bake something with pumpkin spice and nutmeg and cinnamon and there are pecans and pumpkin involved….it will create the MOST AMAZING AROMAS!!!

They should make a candle called Keto Low-Carb Pumpkin Crisp…ha!  Ok, that might not sell a lot of candles.  Maybe just Pumpkin Crisp!

Print

Keto Low-Carb Pumpkin Crisp

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can Pumpkin Puree (15 oz)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice

Topping Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup golden monk fruit sweetener
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 5 TBSP melted butter
• 2 TBSP coconut flour
• 1 TBSP almond flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine the first 7 ingredients together and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour into an 8 X 8 greased baking dish. 
• Mix the topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Spread evenly over pumpkin crisp mixture. 
• Bake until light brown for approx 40 minutes (until the middle is slightly set). 

Notes

Approx 12 servings, 130 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 4.5 net carbs per serving.

Can you smell it yet?  

 Well, you’ll definitely want to taste it!  It’s oh soooo good!  Oh how I love pumpkin season!  Make sure to pin this for later! You can store it in the fridge and warm it up later.  It’s amazing reheated!

Pin this above pic so that you have it for later!

 

 

  

 

 

Instant Pot Split Pea & Ham Soup at The Happy Housie
Chicken Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo at Grace In My Space
Tomato and Goat Cheese Dip at My Sweet Savannah
French Onion Soup in a Breadbowl at My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia
Chicken Lasagna Soup at The Handmade Home

Easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole at The Turquoise Home
Butternut Squash & Sundried Tomato Frittata at Cassie Bustamante
Pumpkin Spice Granola at Craftberry Bush
Saskatoon Berry Muffins at Love Create Celebrate
Quick Sugar Free Applesauce at Aratari at Home

Mason Jar Pumpkin Pies at Modern Glam
Easy Pumpkin Dip at She Gave it a Go
Fall Brioche at Inspiration for Moms
Baked Apple Cider Donuts at Paint Me Pink
Instant Pot Pumpkin Applesauce at Cherished Bliss

Pumpkin Spice Granola at Zevy Joy
Plum Frangipane Dessert at Satori Design for Living
Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Ball at Tatertots and Jello
Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles at The DIY Mommy
Apple Cannon Balls at In My Own Style

5 Minute Flaky Pie Crust at Jenna Kate at Home
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze at Sincerely, Marie Designs
Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies at A Pretty Life
Yummy S’Mores Cheese Ball at This is Our Bliss
Pecan Madeleines at Life is a Party

Keto Low Carb Pumpkin Crisp at Summer Adams Designs
Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Bread at Clean & Scentsible

 

I’m so glad you could stop by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

 xoxo,

 

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The post Keto Low-Carb Pumpkin Crisp appeared first on Summer Adams.

The minute I feel a cold come on or signs of strep throat or the flu (or any kind of virus), this is the first thing I drive to Starbucks for!  But let’s face it….sometimes you don’t even feel well enough to get in the car and drive all the way to pick it up.  So here is everything you need to copycat the Starbucks “Citrus Defender” (a.k.a. “Medicine Ball”) hot tea recipe from home.  Make sure you keep these few items in your pantry and then you’ll always have it when you need it!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

Starbucks has just one recipe but now they have a “variation” for those who don’t like the minty taste (although, I love it so much).  But try the original that has mint before you knock it because the mint serves it purpose and helps with your sinuses.

If you don’t like mint, you would just ask for the “Citrus Defense Tea” packets with water.
But the actual “Citrus Defender” a.k.a. “Medicine Ball” or “Cold Bomb” is just the recipe below.

I should also note that my “research” before writing this post was not only reading through online forums BUT I also called a dozen different Starbucks (yes – I called 12 Starbucks) along the West Coast to confirm this info.  I’ve known it but I wanted to be able to say this is “legit”.

Notice, I took the above pic in December with the Starbucks Holiday cups but just now getting around to posting it and sharing it with you at the end of February, ha!  Better late than never, right?!

Starbucks uses Jade Citrus Mint and Peach Tranquility.  You need one packet of each per person with a Venti-sized double-wall tumbler for hot beverages.

I like this one that I bought at Starbucks BUT you do NOT want to use the plastic straw it comes with. I prefer an aluminum straw because this has citrus in it and I like to use a straw to protect the enamel on my teeth better.  Of course, you can use a traditional insulated beverage container with a sip spout if you prefer.

You want to use raw organic honey.  It not only sweetens but coats your throat.  Please don’t use any of the cheap stuff they call honey unless it’s all you have haha!  Also, I love this Santa Cruz Organic Pure Lemon Juice but that’s because I don’t want to add any additional sugar. Instead, I sweeten it with Monk Fruit, a natural and safe sweetener. (Forgot to show it in the picture but will link it.)  If you don’t mind the sugar content, just use steamed lemonade.  But try to use this brand (because I love it and it’s organic) and it has more lemon juice than most lemonades.  You want the benefits of the “citrus” part of this hot tea.

So here are 3 recipes below of this drink.  First, the original with steamed lemonade. Second, the version with no added sugar and using the lemon juice and monk fruit instead.

 

Copycat Starbucks Original “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe

Print

Copycat Starbucks "Citrus Defender" Original Tea Recipe

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 1 person

Author Summer

Ingredients

• 1 Teavana Jade Citrus Tea Bag (or any kind of peppermint tea)
• 1 Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea Bag (or any kind of peach tea)
• Steamed/heated Organic Lemonade (make your own if necessary with lemon juice, water and sugar)
• Raw Organic Honey

Instructions

• Fill large insulated or double-wall beverage container (Venti-size) 1/2 way with boiled water.
• Add both tea bags and let steep for a few minutes.
• Top off with steamed lemonade.
• Add generous amount of honey and stir.
• Cool a bit before sipping but you definitely want it nice and warm or as hot as you can stand it.

Copycat Starbucks “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe – NO SUGAR ADDED
(Great for those on Keto Diet or Low-carb diets)

Print

Copycat Starbucks "Citrus Defender" Tea Recipe - No Sugar Added

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Teavana Jade Citrus Tea Bag (or any peppermint tea you have)
• 1 Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea Bag (or any peach tea)
• Pure Organic Lemon Juice (I prefer the Santa Cruz brand)
• Monk Fruit Sweetener (natural safe sweetener with zero calories - perfect for those on Keto or low-carb diets)
• Raw Honey (omit this if you're on Keto or low-carb diets)
• Steamed Water

Instructions

• Fill large insulated or double-wall beverage container (Venti-size) about 3/4 way with boiled water.
• Add both tea bags and let steep for a few minutes.
• Add about 1/4 cup steamed pure organic lemon juice (or rest of the 1/4 volume of the beverage size, almost topping it off).
• Add 3 TBSP (or more if desired) of monk fruit sweetener and stir.
• Add generous amount of raw organic honey (if desired OR omit if on Keto) and stir well.
• Let cool a little bit and then sip and enjoy.  You want to drink it as warm as you can stand it but not hot.  Be careful.

*Note – If you have a very sore throat, ease up on the amount of lemonade and maybe be more generous with the honey.  This, of course, is not “medicine” but everyone (including myself) swears by it!  I don’t care if it’s all in my head haha!  It’s so delicious and helps open my sinuses up and loosen mucus and I feel so much better.  

Try it and tell me what you think!  I’ll link below some of the items for you so that you can just order them and have them shipped to your house in a couple days and then you have everything on hand.  I like to bring it to friends also if they’re not feeling good.

(Click on arrows to scroll right and left)

Cheers!  And if you’re here reading this and not feeling well, I sure hope you feel better soon!  Lots of rest and fluids!

Thanks for stopping by!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

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The post Copycat Starbucks “Citrus Defender” Tea Recipe appeared first on Summer Adams.

We’re back!  My talented friend Kristen from Ella Claire has brought a group of us bloggers back to share some more holiday treats!  We shared Christmas cookies last month with you, like my Ooey Gooey Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies, but today we’re sharing non-cookie treats.  I’ve been so excited to share with you my adorable individual ornament cakes!  I have the recipe and instructions for you today and it’s so delicious….you’re going to love it!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my
full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

While we aren’t huge fans of any kind of cake in our family, we do love a nice dense chocolate cake, as well as some other unique cake recipes.  This delicious recipe below is used to make these delicious and darling ornament cakes.  It’s a perfect idea for a fun dinner, luncheon, party or gift at Christmas time!  They are different from any other dessert you will see served this time of year and they are SO CUTE that your friends and family are sure to swoon over them!

*NOTE: I will link the items from this post used (and/or suggested items) at the end of the post in the “Shop The Post” section.

Print

Individual Ornament Cakes - Chocolate Cake Recipe

Author Summer

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 box (18 1/4 ounce) Devil's Food cake mix
• 1 box (4 ounce) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large eggs

Frosting Ingredients:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 2-3 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• 1 bottle sparkling sugar

Top of Ornament Ingredients:

• 1 small tub white fondant
• 1 bag white candy melts

*You'll need to buy half-sphere cake molds and small peanut butter cup candy molds for this recipe.

Instructions

Cake Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  On medium low speed, continue to blend for 2-3 minutes more.  The batter will be very thick and should look well combined.  Pour into silicone mold, filling each cavity 3/4 of the way with cake batter.  Place into oven and bake for 20 min and then check by sticking a toothpick in each one.  If it comes out clean, it is done and you can remove and let cool.  If it is still wet, return to oven for another 3 min at a time.
• Once removed from oven, allow to cool for 5 min and then flip over quickly (onto smooth surface or parchment paper) to allow them to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions:

• Add softened butter and vanilla to the mixing bowl and mix until completely combined.  Add Powdered Sugar and beat on low until it is incorporated. Then move mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry.  Add milk a little bit at a time until frosting is the proper consistency.  Add food coloring of color that is desired.  Keep thick.  Frost the cake half-spheres once cooled.  (I like to make the frosting and the top of the ornament (below) while cake is baking in the oven.) *Tip: Freeze cakes for 1-2 hours before frosting, to avoid crumbs from being spread all over.*  Then, immediately sprinkle with sparkly white sugar.

Top of ornament instructions:

• Melt half a bag of white candy melts by following instructions on the bag of contents. Pour into small peanut butter cup candy molds and let harden for about 20-30 min. I prefer doing this while the cake is baking.
• Roll out a small bit of the fondant in your hand until it's skinny and long.  Cut 1 1/2" to 2" sections (whichever you prefer) and fold over, pinching ends together.  Set and let dry for at least 30 min.  Attach with a small dab of melted candy melts onto white mini cups and hold for a minute. Now, place the candy cup and marzipan loop that you've made for the top of the ornament cake and place it on the ornament cake (as shown) with some more of the melted candy.  Instead of holding it there for a few minutes, I just took pieces of tooth pics and stuck them into the cake with the ornament top resting against it until it dried/hardened.

Ornament decoration:

• You can either use a mini cookie cutter of a snowflake or other shape to cut out fondant for a decoration on the top of the cake.  OR  You can buy small candies that are used to decorate cakes.  They have snowflakes and other things also.  

Confession:  I started eating a low-carb diet recently and cut out sugars so while I made the regular cake recipe for my family, I then made the most amazing Keto low-carb chocolate cake (shown above in molds) that I’m going to share it also on the blog this next week.  It is really fabulous too!  

I frosted the cakes on parchment paper and then added the sparkly sugar.  Frost it as smoothly as you can but imperfections are fine and will be covered by the sparkly sugar.

While the recipe calls for you to melt the melting candy chips and pour into the smaller molds, I just happened to have Rolos from Beckham’s leftover Halloween candy (haha) that I wanted to get rid of.  So I froze them first and then poured the white candy melts over them and let them harden. I took a knife and quickly shaved off a few sections to make it look more the shape it should.  

While there are several little parts to this individual ornament cakes recipe, I promise that it goes quickly and is really quite simple.

As mentioned in the recipe instructions, I rested the top of the ornament (candy) against the toothpick on top of the cake until it hardened in place.

Once the frosting hardens, you can use a cake server to remove each individual ornament cake from the parchment paper and onto a pretty cake stand or plate.

When you serve these individual ornament cakes, make sure to also serve a cup of milk because, like brownies, they go perfectly together.  Yummy!!

 

Please visit my friends and their blog posts, full of yummy holiday treats, below!

4 Minute Decadent Microwave Fudge by Ella Claire | Gluten/Dairy Free Rice Krispies Christmas Trees by Zevy Joy | Dipped Marshmallows by My Sweet Savannah | Individual Chocolate Souffle by Town and Country Living | Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn by Tidy Mom

Mini Skillet Cookie Cakes by Inspired by Charm | Cinnamon Buns by So Much Better with Age | Peanut Butter Fudge by Anderson + Grant | Peppermint Brownies by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Deconstructed Apple Pie Bites by Taryn Whiteaker

Christmas Energy Snack Bites by Nest of Posies | Peppermint Bark by Boxwood Avenue | Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles by Tidbits | Keto Cinnamon Sugar Pecans by Home Stories A to Z | Candy Cane Pretzels by My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Caramel Popcorn Crunch by Shabby Fufu | Individual Ornament Cakes by Summer Adams Designs

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Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

The post Individual Ornament Cakes: Recipe & Instructions appeared first on Summer Adams.

Last year on my Instagram stories I shared one of my favorite cookie recipes with you and, after all the requests, I promised that I’d share it on the blog this year.  This recipe is my mother’s and has been one of my favorite cookies since I was a young girl.  We make it every year at this time and it’s also a favorite at Christmas Cookie exchange parties.  My friend Kristen at Ella Claire Blog has gathered a group of us again to share favorite recipes of the season and this week we are all sharing Christmas cookie favorites so make sure to pin all of these so that you have them for later!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my
full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Recipe

I need to preface this recipe by making an important note!  This recipe calls for shortening.  If you don’t have it and substitute butter for it, make sure to use less of it (I’ll note that in the recipe) other wise they come out a little flatter like mine look here.  I completely forgot which is embarrassing, considering how many times I’ve made this cookie, but guess what?  They taste just as delicious and you won’t want to eat one or two…try three or four and so on….with a tall glass of milk.  MmmmHmmm….they’re oh soooooo good.  Ok, I’ve warned you.  So if you’re counting calories, you are not allowed to eat these because one is just not sufficient….ha!  Seriously though.

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Ooey Gooey Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Recipe

Keyword Cookie

Author Summer

Ingredients

Cookie Recipe:

• 1 3/4 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup shortening OR you can substitute 1/4 cup butter - room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• large marshmallows cut in half OR mini marshmallows
• crushed candy canes or peppermint candies

Frosting Recipe:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3-4 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Cookie:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF.
• Sift together flour, salt, soda and cocoa.
• Cream together shortening, sugar and egg.  Then add milk and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture to shortening mixture.
• Drop spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
• Immediately remove from oven and add half of large marshmallow OR small handful of mini marshmallows (5-8) and quickly return to oven for 3 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool.  Top with chocolate frosting and candies.

Frosting:

• Sift dry ingredients together.  Add wet ingredients and frost cookies.  Immediately add pinch or desired amount of crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (optional).

Ok is your mouth watering?  Mine is!

Now, please hop on over to visit my other friends and see what delicious cookies they’re sharing with you!

 

The Perfect Soft Gingerbread Cookies by Ella Claire | Classic Sugar Cookies by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Plaid Sugar Cookies by Craftberry Bush | Buttery Shortbread Cookies with Icing Sugar by A Burst of Beautiful | German Chocolate Cake Cookies by City Farmhouse

Cranberry Orange Walnut Tassies by Inspired by Charm | Eggnog Gooey Butter Cookies by Julie Blanner | All Natural Orange Almond Cookies by Tidbits | Choco-mallow Peppermint Cookies by Summer Adams Designs | Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies by Love Grows Wild

Paleo Chocolate Cranberry Cookies by Nesting with Grace | Raspberry Gingersnap Sandwiches by anderson + grant | Christmas Tree Cookies by Rooms for Rent | Large Thumbprint Cookies by So Much Better with Age | Rum Balls by Tidy Mom

Countdown to Christmas Cookies by House 214 Design | Ginger Sugar Cookies by Zevy Joy | Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies by Boxwood Avenue | Double Chocolate Christmas Cookies by Nest of Posies | Almond Sugar Cookies by My Sweet Savannah

M&M Cookies by Sweet C’s | Rustic Granola Cookies by Farmhouse on Boone

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

The post Ooey Gooey Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Recipe appeared first on Summer Adams.

 I’ve been sharing a lot of my favorite fall recipes here lately on the blog.  This last weekend, I asked my oldest, Brooklyn, if she wanted to learn to make our family caramel recipe and make popcorn balls.  She happily accepted and we wanted Beckham to get in on the fun with us but he was, as usual, out riding his bike around the neighborhood with friends. However, he had no problem coming in afterwards and enjoying the treats we’d made.  So here it is….the yummiest and easiest caramel popcorn balls ever!

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full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

This recipe actually comes right out of my mom’s handwritten recipe book, that I treasure, and is my Great Uncle Walt’s caramel recipe.  He was a hoot.  I’m not quite sure about the story behind this recipe so I need to ask her but we have been making this particular recipe for as long as I can remember.
***Mommy reminder***
Just remember….after you lick this delicious caramel off your fingers, you must wash your hands before making more caramel popcorn balls! 

Notice, I have some favorite pink pieces in my kitchen so I’ll link them at the end in my “shop the post” section.

Doesn’t that look soooo yummy?!  It is!!!

They are so gooey and chewy and perfect but let them sit and harden a little before you wrap them up and give them away OR serve them to your friends and family so that they don’t fall apart!

I like to serve them stacked like this OR I’ll tie them in individual clear halloween bags with a little ribbon and give them away to friends.  Hope you love these as much as we do!

You can also stop after stirring the caramel and popcorn together and just bring the large bowl of caramel popcorn over to your people and let them dish some into individual bowls!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

The post Yummiest & Easiest Caramel Popcorn Balls appeared first on Summer Adams.

One of my favorite things about fall is all the delicious foods we get to enjoy that we don’t tend to make any other time of the year.  Today you’re in for a treat because a group of us are sharing some of our favorite fall appetizers.  Holiday entertaining has never been easier!  Thanks so much to Kristen from Ella Claire Blog who brought us together for this fall and winter series of delicious recipes.  I’m sharing my Cranberry Almond Mini Cheese Ball Bites recipe today and it’s so easy and sooooo delicious.  We may or may not have eaten them all for lunch the other day.  My family loves this recipe!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my
full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

I have to say 2 things…..

First, I have a kid who doesn’t love cheese (I know, how is she mine right?!) and she LOVES this recipe.

Second, there’s nothing worse than going to a blog post for a recipe and there is the looooongest story or useless info and you keep scrolling and scrolling for the recipe because you want to make it right that very minute.  Haha!  That happens to me every time!  So let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

• (2) 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I choose the shredded kind in a bag and then chop them quickly to make them even smaller OR you can grate the cheese yourself on the smaller opening)
• ½ cup chopped dried cranberries (I quickly chop them up a little smaller as some brands have larger sizes)
• ½ cup finely chopped almonds (slivered or sliced is fine too and then chop them smaller)
• 1/2  cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/3 cup canned crushed pineapple with all juice squeezed out of it

Coating:

• ½ cup finely chopped almonds
• ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
• 30 pretzel sticks

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until combined.
2. Use a cooke scoop to scoop out small balls.
3. Roll into a ball using your hands.
4. Place almonds and cranberries into a separate, shallow bowl.
5. Roll the cheese balls into cranberry-almond mixture and spear with a pretzel stick.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. If preparing more than 4 hours in advance, don’t add the pretzel sticks until ready to serve.
8. Serve with assorted crackers and pretzels.

 

We love thin wheat crackers in our home so I always serve them with my mini cheese balls but when having guests, an assortment is nice also and even some gluten-free crackers for those with intolerances.

It takes me about 15-20 minutes to make these and they are always a crowd favorite!

The post Cranberry Almond Mini Cheese Ball Bites appeared first on Summer Adams.

Last week I shared my Simple & Delicious Apple Peach Crisp with all of you, along with all of my friends who shared their fabulous apple fall recipes. Today we’re all back and we’re bringing your our yummiest fall pumpkin recipes, thanks to our friend Kristen at Ella Claire Blog, who decided to host this tour and get us all together.  My family isn’t complaining because they know how much I love fall baking and when I told them I was going to be making and sharing my Pumpkin Spice Waffle Recipe + Dessert Bar, they shouted “hooray!”

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my
full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

Waffles are more than just a breakfast food.  You can use them for all sorts of sandwiches and even for desserts.  With the way we load these pumpkin spice waffles up with toppings, it may be more appropriate for a dessert.  But you can definitely use this recipe for your breakfast waffles!

One of my favorite things about being in the kitchen is pulling out all of my pink kitchen accessories.  They just make me smile.  Then I turn on music and it’s a full-on party!

Ok let’s get to the recipe…

Pumpkin Spice Waffle Recipe

Pretty simple, right?!  Here’s where the fun part comes in

Heart-shaped Waffles

Ever since I bought a heart-shaped waffle maker, we have had a lot of fun with it.  If you’re using one of these too, use your kitchen scissors to quickly and carefully just cut down the “seam” and separate the waffles into individual hearts.  Trust me, this is sooooo quick and easy and they look much neater and won’t rip or look sloppy.

If you’re using a regular waffle maker, just cut them on the seam into quarters.  Then, arrange your waffles on a platter.  You can just serve whole waffles without cutting them apart, but if you’re making them into fun little waffle dessert sandwiches (I’ll show you that below) it’s nice to have smaller pieces.

Pumpkin Spice Waffles Toppings

If you’re trying to be healthy, choose healthy toppings.  This is a dessert bar so I pick a lot of fun toppings and we get crazy.

I like to toast coconut for one of the toppings.

I also love the taste of toasted pecans.  It’s especially perfect for this season and I’ll add a smidge of cinnamon and sugar.

We like to pull out the cookie butter and milk chocolate chips (shown above).  Other toppings we’ve used are Nutella, chocolate or caramel syrups, mini M&M’s, crushes Oreo’s, chopped up Snickers or other candy bars, carob or white chocolate chips, slivered almonds, ice cream…the list goes on.  Choose whatever sounds good or whatever you have!  That’s the FUN of it!

You can pull out maple syrup or other pancake syrups.  I also whip my own whipped cream (with Mexican Vanilla – my favorite).  For a quick and easy alternative, you can also use whipped cream out of a can.  I just like to go all out for this!

Pumpkin Spice Waffles Dessert Bar

Now all you have to do is grab plates and flatware (and maybe some pretty napkins or centerpiece too) and put it all out on the counter or table and arrange it for your family and/or friends.

They are going to love it!

How to eat your Pumpkin Spice Dessert Waffles

You can either eat your waffles, layered on top of one another (as people normally do) and add all of your toppings.

OR

You can make a waffle dessert sandwich.

Add all of your toppings on to the bottom piece.

Take another waffle piece and sandwich it on top.

There you go.  It’s that simple.  If you wanted to spread on softened ice cream and make ice cream sandwiches, you could stick them back in the freezer for 30-60 minutes and serve.  There are endless possibilities for these little Pumpkin Spice Waffles but one thing is for sure…..

No matter which way you eat them, they are absolutely delicious!  Everyone will love them. Our friends that don’t particularly love pumpkin-flavored desserts LOVED these because the pumpkin flavor is just enough and not overwhelming.  It’s the perfect fall dessert!

{I’m including links of products from the post below. Click on arrows to scroll right and left.}

{If you’re looking for more info on my kitchen, please click HERE.  For paint and flooring info, please click HERE.}

Please hop on over and visit all my talented friends who are sharing their pumpkin recipes also and let me tell you…they know how to bake and cook!  I have LOVED trying their recipes!
Don’t forget to pin the recipes so that you have them later!

Pumpkin Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Ella Claire | Pumpkin Pie Baklava by A Burst of Beautiful | Keto Pumpkin Cranberry Scones by Home Stories A to Z | Baked Pumpkin Donuts by Boxwood Avenue | Nutella Pumpkin Spice Croissants by Craftberry Bush

Pumpkin Spice Butter by Tidy Mom | Pumpkin Peach Smoothie by Nesting with Grace | Orange Pumpkin Pie by So Much Better with Age | Pumpkin Sugar Cookies by Zevy Joy | Pumpkin Spiced Rooibos Latte by Farmhouse on Boone

Pumpkin Bread Pudding by Love Grows Wild | Mini GF + Keto Pumpkin Cheesecakes by The Chronicles of Home | Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Muffins by Anderson + Grant | Pumpkin Butter Goat Cheese & Bacon Appetizer by Nest of Posies | GF Pumpkin Muffins by Maison de Pax

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies by Inspired by Charm | Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo by Town and Country Living | Pumpkin Custard by My Sweet Savannah | Mini Pumpkin Pies by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Pumpkin Spice Waffle Recipe + Dessert Bar by Summer Adams

*****

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I would love it if you subscribed at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and hear about digital printables & freebies, as well as sales or new items in My Online Shoppe.  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

The post Pumpkin Spice Waffle Recipe + Dessert Bar appeared first on Summer Adams.