Dark Chocolate Caramel Tart with Almond Shortbread Crust

‘Tis the season to fake it or bake-it-till-you-make it.  This very different holiday season is going to call for lots of treats.  And I’m up for the task of providing as much inspiration in that department as I can.  

First up, for this second day of December, is this Dark Chocolate Caramel Tart with Almond Shortbread Crust.  This is a great one any time of year, but particularly wonderful during the holidays, and especially dressed in red with a little pomegranate magic.

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Chai Spiced Apple Bundt Cake with Eggnog Glaze

Bundt Cakes are a timeless national treasure. One that I never truly was a fan of until more recently. I don’t know, they just often seemed boring. Gasp, I know. Luckily I’ve come to my senses over the years and have come to truly appreciate them in all forms. Plain, glazed, decorated- I get now that they all have a place. Though I’m pretty much team glazed or iced all the way. I just love that extra bit of something, particularly the creamy goodness, you get from powdered sugar paired with some kind of liquid element. Yum.

And today’s recipe is all that and more. It’s got the perfect seasonal topping with above mentioned powdered sugar paired with luscious eggnog, one of my favorite holiday treats. And the cake, while it would do just fine on it’s own with all that spiced chai and apple-y oomph, well, paired with the glaze, it’s a dessert that just begs to be a part of one holiday menu or another.

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Cranberry Apple Hand Pies

It’s countdown to Thanksgiving in less than two weeks. I know, seems crazy, and a little bittersweet as we all try and figure out just how we can celebrate one of our most beloved holidays that usually includes gathering with family and friends. We still don’t know exactly how that will look for us ourselves, but one thing is for sure, there will be lots of fabulous food one way or another. And that most definitely means treats a plenty. Love me some turkey and stuffing and all the trimmings, but the dessert, it’s gotta be about the dessert too. After all, the morning after Thanksgiving is all about digging into that cold pie, right?

Today’s recipe is filled with all the flavors of the season in cute little individual package form. Which, I think could be really handy for all the holiday lunch, brunch, or dinners we attempt to have in the most pandemic-friendly style. After all, there’s no slices to cut and serve or plates and forks to deal with for these adorable little beauties. And, that oh-so-flaky and tender crust paired with the sweet and slightly puckered cranberry apple filling is absolutely delicious. These Cranberry Apple Hand Pies are a 2020 holiday winner in every way.

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Oatmeal M&M Cookies

When life (or Halloween) gives you leftover M&M’s whattya do? Well you could just eat them of course. Or you can make these delightful little Oatmeal M&M cookies. You’d be stretching out the candy craze and adding something healthy to the mix too (gotta love oats.) Win win, right? And in the case of this particular day, election day in America, you’d be finding a way to calm some nerves with a little stress baking/ eating while you’re at it.

These cookies are so yummy. Just crisp enough on the edges while still being nice and chewy in the center. And the oats, little candy-coated chocolates, chocolate chips and walnuts just add to the party with some fun texture contrast and lots of flavor. Not to mention, these are easy to make and can even be scooped and frozen to be baked up whenever you or the fam needs a sweet indulgence. No need to eat them all this week. (In case you’ve just come out of a sweets-filled Halloween weekend like us.) But, of course no judgement here if they are all gobbled up right away because, well again, the nerves.

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Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze

Whether you’re thinking about some easy treats to celebrate Halloween this weekend or on to fall recipes to get you through November, I’ve got a great one for you today. These Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple & Brown Sugar Glaze are so fun, so yummy and so not fried. Yes, yes, the fabulous fried donut will always have a place in my heart (I’m lookin at you classic glazed,) but sometimes you just need an easier, slightly less sinful option to whip up at home. Not to mention, much less time consuming. But still hits the spot for the timeless treat.

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