Ferrero Rocher fell in love with a Buckeye and made these Hazelnut Buckeyes. A traditional peanut butter ball coated in chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts with a whole hazelnut stuffed inside.

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While buckeyes are the state nut of Ohio, hazelnuts are the state nut of Oregon. In fact, 99% of all the hazelnuts in the US are produced in Oregon. But in honor of the quarter final rematch game between Ohio State and Oregon today you know I had to play a mashup on the two state nuts.

I thought about making Chocolate Hazelnut Buckeyes (aka Nutella Buckeyes) which I somehow have not made yet, but I wanted to keep the peanut butter. It may not be Saturday, but the edible version of these Ohio Killer Nuts is a peanut butter ball wrapped in chocolate. And I couldn’t miss the chance to use the metaphor of wrapping that hazelnut up in a peanut butter and chocolate buckeye. Hopefully manifesting what will happen this evening.

So what did I end up doing? You know those Ferrero Rocher chocolate hazelnut truffles that are particularly popular this time of year? Replace the chocolate that surrounds the hazelnut in the center with peanut butter, and leave a spot uncovered when you coat it with the mixture of melted chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts and you get a Ferrero Rocher-inspired hazelnut buckeye! And it’s freaking delicious.

I will admit, I missed the ease of dipping these with a toothpick. Due to the hazelnut inside you could not insert the toothpick deep enough to be sturdy for dipping. So I had to kind of lap up the chocolate over the peanut butter ball while still keeping the buckeye “eye”. Could you just dunk them completely in? Yes, but then they would just be peanut butter calls, not buckeyes! Best thing about making buckeyes is that they don’t need to be perfect. The real things are lumpy and weird!

FERRERO ROCHER HAZELNUT BUCKEYES

Print

Yield: Approximately 8 dozen Prep Time: 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 8 dozen whole roasted hazelnuts
• 3 oz. roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
• 8 oz. chocolate candy bark
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp food grade paraffin or shortening, optional

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, and vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time to reach desired consistency, then use hands to form a smooth dough.
3. Using 2 teaspoons of dough, roll around one whole hazelnut and roll into a ball. Place on prepared pan and place in the freezer.
4. Melt chocolates (and paraffin or shortening if using) together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat and stir in the finely chopped hazelnuts.
5. Remove balls from freezer. Dip into melted chocolate leaving a small circle on the top. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining balls.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Serve immediately or store in fridge until ready.

This Nutella Pear Focaccia Sandwich is sweet and savory, soft and crunchy, and an easy but fun breakfast, snack, or dessert.

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I’m not really a deli meat sandwich fan. Most of the time the bread seems like an afterthought and the filling is texturally boring or does not contain much variability in flavors. But every now and then I find a place that not only uses great bread, often made daily in house, but also has more creative, flavorful fillings.

Recently I’ve become obsessed with Italian focaccia sandwiches. After revisiting Florence last summer and the sandwiches at All’Antico Vinaio, I was reminded just how good they can be. Luckily for me, there are now two new spots in Columbus to get my fix.

Of course I’m not going to limit myself to only buying focaccia sandwiches when I could also make them at home. Using a small loaf of homemade focaccia, or make it even easier by buying one from a local bakery, I created this chocolate hazelnut spread (aka Nutella) pear focaccia sandwich.

As the name suggests, this focaccia sandwich is made with Nutella and pear. However, the name leaves out the creamy mascarpone and the crunchy toasted hazelnuts that complete medley of texture and flavor in this sandwich. Is it breakfast, snack, or dessert? I say yes to all. I enjoyed mine with a glass of basil lemonade.

Two years ago: Holiday Double Decker Cookies

NUTELLA PEAR FOCACCIA SANDWICH

Print

Yield: 1 Serving Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 small focaccia, sliced
• 1 Tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread, (Nutella)
• 1 Tbsp mascarpone
• 1 Tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1/2 pear, thinly sliced

Directions

1. On one side of the sliced focaccia, spread the Nutella. On the second slice, spread the mascarpone.
2. Sprinkle hazelnuts over the slice with the Nutella, layer the pear on top, and place the slice with the mascarpone on top.
3. Slice in half and enjoy!

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original

Use your garden carrot harvest to make carrot gnocchi – save the greens to toss them in carrot top pesto, and then serve with goat cheese and candied hazelnuts!

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There are certain things I love to make and two of those things are gnocchi and pesto. After how much I loved my beet gnocchi with arugula basil pesto, it felt like it was time to make carrot gnocchi to pair with my carrot top pesto.

Don’t have fresh carrots from your garden, or can’t find carrots with the greens still attached at the store? Go ahead and make/buy whatever pesto strikes your fancy. Classic basil pesto would be an easy substitute.

As for the carrot gnocchi, just like with the beet version there are still some potatoes involved to make sure they form correctly. No one wants a mushy gnocchi. Tender, but not mushy.

Then to add a little texture, I made some candied hazelnuts seasoned with aleppo pepper, cinnamon, and ginger to sprinkle on top along with some crumbled got cheese right before serving. Sure this dish was good without those two things, but hot damn they really take this dish to the next level. Sometimes little things make all the difference.

CARROT GNOCCHI WITH CANDIED HAZELNUTS

Print

Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CARROT GNOCCHI

• 1-1/2 lb. Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1-1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup carrot top pesto*
• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

CANDIED HAZELNUTS

• 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp aleppo pepper**
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions

1. Place potatoes and carrots in a pot with 2 cups water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until soft. Strain.
2. While the potatoes and carrots cook, prepare the hazelnuts. In a small skillet over medium heat combine the hazelnuts, sugar, honey, and spices. Cook until the sugar melts and forms a thick syrup, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately pour onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Spread out into a single layer and allow to cool. Chop once cooled, if desired.
3. When the potatoes and carrots are done, transfer to a large bowl and mash***. Add egg and salt and blend until well mixed. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1/2-inch wide rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.
4. If desired, roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork using your thumb. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large baking sheet lightly sprinkled with flour. Continue with the remaining gnocchi.****
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in batches and cook until tender but still firm to the bite; they will float when they are done. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon and sprinkle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
6. Toss in carrot top pesto and serve topped with candied hazelnuts and crumbled goat cheese.

Notes

*You can use regular basil pesto if preferred. **Can substitute with mostly Hungarian sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne. ***Pulse in a food processor if needed, but don't over process as it will get gummy. ****If you would like to save some of the gnocchi for later, after forming the gnocchi, freeze on a cookie sheet in a single layer then transfer to a sealed freezer bag. When you want to cook them, proceed with directions, although they may take a tiny bit longer to cook.

Source: Adapted from my Beet Gnocchi, Carrot Top Pesto, and Chopped Village Salad.

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Chewy brownie cookies get a makeover with toasted hazelnuts and a touch of raspberry balsamic for one complex but delicious cookie.

This content is not sponsored but it does contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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I know I already participated in Christmas Cookies Week, but now it’s time for #ChristmasSweetsWeek! Granted… I am sharing mostly cookies still – haha. I originally had non-cookie recipes in the works but I ran out of time. But I am fairly certain no one will be upset about these. 

These brownie cookies were actually made in collaboration with a local olive oil and vinegar store, Olivina Taproom. Better yet, I have been whipping up some creative cookies baked with their olive oil and balsamic vinegar to sell alongside their cafe menu and these cookies were one of the first successes. 

I have always been a fan of my brownie cookies so I thought they would be the perfect fit for adding a little bit of their sweet Italian raspberry balsamic vinegar, along with hazelnuts instead of pecans. But I felt like the balsamic flavor wasn’t as obvious as I had hoped so I went ahead and made a chocolate balsamic glaze too! Top with some crushed freeze dried raspberries and you have one stunning looking cookie for your holiday dessert table. 

Don’t live near Columbus, OH? You can order any olive oil or balsamic vinegar online! And if you order $65+ it will ship for free. No code needed!

Welcome to #ChristmasSweetsWeek 2020! Co-hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures! What better way to celebrate the holidays than with food and fun? 21 bloggers from around the country have come together to share some of their favorite sweet Christmas recipes!! Deck the halls and get ready for very merry sweet treats, like fudge, cookies, Christmas morning breakfasts, layer cakes, cocoa, and more! Follow along on social media with our #ChristmasSweetsWeek hashtag. Happy Holidays!

Enjoy these #ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes from our bloggers:

Beverage Recipes
Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate Mix by Bear & Bug Eats

Breakfast and Baked Goods Recipes
Cherry Croissant Breakfast Bake by Making Miracles
Classic Cinnamon Rolls by The Nifty Foodie
Cranberry Eggnog French Toast Bake by The Redhead Baker
Spiced Pear Quick Bread by Simply Inspired Meals
Star Bread by House of Nash Eats

Candy and Fudge Recipes
3 Ingredient Old Fashioned Potato Candy by Blogghetti
Bourbon Caramels with Chocolate and Vanilla by Christmas Tree Lane
Chocolate Peppermint Graham Crackers by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
Spiced Sugared Pecans by Love & Confections

Pastry and Dessert Recipes
Banana Cake by Palatable Pastime
Blue Curaco Velvet Cake by Magical Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookie Bars by Sweet Beginnings
Egg Nog Ice Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Hazelnut & Raspberry Balsamic Brownie Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
Hot Chocolate Sweet Rolls by Kate’s Recipe Box
Lemon Ricotta Cookies by A Little Fish in the Kitchen Lemon
Peanut Butter Cut Outs by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Pecan Crusted Pecan Pie by The Mandatory Mooch
Peppermint Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies by An Affair from the Heart
Pioneer Woman’s Nantucket Cranberry Pecan Pie by For the Love of Food

One year ago: Buckeye Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Five years ago: Homemade Malted Hot Chocolate Mix

Seven years ago: White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Eight years ago: Cranberry Fritters

HAZELNUT & RASPBERRY BALSAMIC COOKIES

Print

Yield: 4 dozen Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COOKIES

• 2 cups chopped roasted hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

ICING

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3-4 tsp water
• 3-4 tsp raspberry balsamic vinegar
• Freeze dried raspberries, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheeting with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set aside.
2. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter, unsweetened chocolate, and half the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs, sugar, balsamic, and vanilla at medium speed until combined. Add flour mixture, beating well. Add chocolate mixture and beat until combined. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate morsels and pecans.
5. Drop dough by 2 tablespoonfuls (I use a medium cookie scoop), spacing about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until edges are firm and centers appear cracked, 9-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
7. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 3 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
8. While the cookies cool, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients until the mixture reaches the consistency of molasses. Spoon or pipe over cooled cookies. Crush freeze-dried raspberries over the top and allow to set before serving.

Notes

*Can't find raspberry balsamic vinegar? Add 1 Tbsp crushed freeze dried raspberries.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!
Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

This post and recipe was created for #Chotoberfest! I was provided with complimentary product from Imperial Sugar but as always opinions are 100% mine.

This chocolate hazelnut & toasted coconut cheese ball is the perfect holiday appetizer or dessert. Made with chocolate hazelnut spread and coated with toasted coconut.

The holidays always seem like an excuse to indulge, so why not embrace it with a week of chocolate, aka #Choctoberfest! I actually hosted a get together this past weekend where everyone brought a different holiday treat. My contribution was this dessert cheese ball made with chocolate hazelnut spread covered in toasted coconut.

Let me say, this pour guy didn’t stand a chance. He was sitting pretty for just a few short minutes before a quarter was already devoured. And this wasn’t a large party. But I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s basically like eating cheesecake. Fun fact, I’m not actually a huge chocolate fan but mixed with cream cheese and the flavors of hazelnut and toasted coconut is a win for my taste buds.

As part of #Choctoberfest we have a great giveaway in addition to scads of chocolate-laden recipes which you can find at the bottom of this post. For more chances to win sweet prizes, be sure to check out Imperial Sugar’s Scary Scramble where players guess recipes based on clues every day from October 13-20. There will be 25 winners!

Two years ago: Buckeye Bundt Cake

Three years ago: Rusty Bucket Restaurant

Four years ago: Fall Harvest Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Five years ago: Apple Pie Cookies

Six years ago: Pumpkin Spice Brownies

Eight years ago: Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate with Oreo Crumbs

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT & TOASTED COCONUT CHEESE BALL

Makes one cheese ball

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar

3/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

1/4 cup Imperial Sugar packed brown sugar

3/4 cup toasted coconut

Graham crackers, and/or apple slices for dipping

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, chocolate hazelnut spread and brown sugar until blended.
2. Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap, bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape.
3. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm enough to keep its shape (or in fridge overnight). Place toasted coconut in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into coconut to completely cover, pressing coconut into the ball if necessary.
4. Place ball on serving dish with graham crackers or apple slices for dipping.

Source: Adapted slightly from my Buckeye “Cheese Ball”.

After a very painful weekend of moving (literally our whole bodies hurt, right down to the pads of my fingers), all of our belongings are in the new house! Now comes the extra fun part of unpacking and figuring out the best places to put it all in the new space. By fun I mean not at all. Although it is fun to tackle a challenge of making things work in different spaces. The most daunting task will be the kitchen which is currently drowning in boxes. After 8+ years of blogging you accumulate a lot of kitchen stuff, even when you give things away!

I am sure you are wondering how on earth I am sharing this recipe with you today after describing my kitchen. Fun fact: I baked this while packing Friday night and took the photos in between boxes on the new counter just moments before posting. I had to move around several boxes before I found one labeled “plates” and then didn’t bother trying to find any placemats/backgrounds because our new countertops are all wood! I’m both excited and nervous about this prospect. But I digress.

As you can see below from the list of posts on this day in the past, I rarely miss celebrating #WorldNutellaDay with a new recipe using Nutella. Technically I used a different brand of chocolate hazelnut spread for today’s recipe so I stuck with that name in order to not offend the Nutella gods. But I also linked to a homemade version in the recipe should you be ambitious enough to not only make a cheesecake, but to also make the chocolate hazelnut spread yourself to then put into said cheesecake – recipe inception.

One year ago: Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Two years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: 6

Three years ago: Strawberry Basil Shortcakes with Chocolate Balsamic Drizzle

Four years ago: Two Ingredient Nutella Fondue

Six years ago: Nutella Pecan Pie Bars

Seven years ago: Nutella Chunk Cookies

Eight years ago: Nutella Rice Krispies Treats

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:

CRUST

1-1/4 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (approximately 1 sleeve)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs, room temperature

Chocolate sauce for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
2. Make the filling: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, brown sugar, chocolate hazelnut spread, and flour on low speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add sour cream (or yogurt) and vanilla and mix on low until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined.
3. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, crack open the door and allow to cool slowly for another 30 minutes. Remove from own and let sit on counter for 15 minutes before refrigerating until cool, at least 4 hours.
4. Remove the spring form, slice and serve with chocolate sauce on top if desired.

Source: Adapted from my Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake and Monster Cookie Dough Cheesecake.

When a brownie isn’t decadent enough add more chocolate both in the brownie and in the form of chocolate mousse on top. Because why not?

These brownies are topped with chocolate hazelnut mousse. That’s right, you heard me. And this is not the first time I’ve done something like this. Years ago, back when I thought my photography skills were decent (HA), I made my first version of these topped peanut butter mousse and thin layer of chocolate mousse on top of that for good measure. This time around I went with chocolate hazelnut spread instead of peanut butter and omitted the second layer because it seemed kind of redundant. Instead I added sprinkles and more chopped chocolate that has bits of pretzel inside of them. More? Oh did I forget to mention that those same chocolate pretzels bits were also mixed into the brownies? Cause they are.

The chocolate is probably not going to stick around for long as it’s seasonal for Easter, but you could easily substitute with chopped pretzels and chocolate chips or chopped chocolate covered pretzels – either will get the job done. The addition adds not just more chocolate but also hints of salt, of which I am a huge fan. An entire bag (which equals about 2 cups chopped) was folded into the brownie batter before baking. After topping it with the mousse I went ahead and added some more from a second bag cause why not.

But honestly the star of the dessert is the mousse. I’ve made chocolate hazelnut mousse as a stand alone dessert before and it totally rocked the spotlight so there really wasn’t any reason it needed to be spread on top of a brownie, except that it can be done and therefore I did. As an added bonus it’s National chocolate mousse day and I happened to have a jar of Nocciolata chocolate hazelnut spread destined for greatness. Literally the whole jar went into the mousse.

Thankfully I had a dinner party to attend the same day that these were made otherwise they would have been a serious threat to my wardrobe. My friend’s mom was in town from Colombia (yes the same one who treated us to homemade patacones) and she made sancocho, which is one of the best soups I’ve ever had and has fun things like plantains and yuca in it. Somehow after second servings all around the table we managed to dive into these brownies without popping button on our pants. It was a indulgent, delicious evening with great company.

One year ago: Weekly Meal Plan: April 4-10

Two years ago: Spring Salad with Grapes and Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese

Three years ago: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Four years ago: Butternut Squash Orzo with Pine Nuts, Balsamic Drizzle, and Fried Sage

Five years ago: Chicken Pad Thai

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT & PRETZEL BROWNIE BRICKS

Makes 16 two-inch bars

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

1 box of your favorite 8×8 sized brownie mix

Oil, eggs, and water according to package

1 (10 oz.) bag chopped Hershey’s pretzel eggs (or 2 cups total chopped chocolate and pretzels)

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT LAYER

1/2 block (4 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup (or a 9.52 oz. jar) Nocciolata chocolate hazelnut spread

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Sprinkles and/or more chopped pretzel eggs, for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8-inch pan and set aside.
2. Prepare and bake the brownies according to the directions
3. Allow time for the brownies to cool; in the meantime, prepare the peanut butter layer.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and chocolate hazelnut spread until fluffy. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and beat again.
5. Put the chocolate hazelnut concoction into another bowl, clean out the first bowl and whip the cream to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter and continue until completely combined.
6. Using a rubber spatula, spread the chocolate hazelnut mousse on top of the cooled brownies and refrigerate for an hour, or until ready to serve. Top with sprinkles!

Source: Adapted slightly from my Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Bricks.

Disclosure: I was provided with a complementary jar of Nocciolata from Crier Communications. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another wonderful #cabinlife weekend has come and gone and wish it could have been more than just a weekend, although we did extend it to a 3 day weekend this time. As per usual before departing we all gathered for one last meal in town. But upon arrival, after being disconnected from the world all weekend, we learned of the horrifying event that occurred in Orlando this weekend. The hatred demonstrated by such an act is heartbreaking and makes my faith in humanity waiver.

In light of this event I thought about changing today’s recipe to something heart shaped and rainbow colored as a food-related way to express “more love, less hate” but decided to stick with these cupcakes as they are one of the treats I brought to the cabin this weekend to share with my friends. Not that baking can fix anything that happened in Orlando but it’s my way of spreading the love. And these cupcakes are a marriage of fruit and chocolate, or more specifically raspberry cheesecake and dark chocolate hazelnut cupcakes.

I made these beauties with Peanut Butter & Co’s new dark chocolate hazelnut spread called Chocmeister! Enter to win your own jar to try out using the widget located at the bottom of this post. Don’t want tot leave it up to chance? Use coupon code “Chocolatey” to get $1 off a jar now through July 31, 2016. Order HERE.

Two years ago: Eggplant Parmesan with Parsley Orzo

Three years ago: Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Granola Bars

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE STUFFED DARK CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CUPCAKES

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

FILLING

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup raspberry preserves

Red food coloring (optional)

Raspberries, for topping

CUPCAKES

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp dark cocoa powder

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup Chocmeister dark chocolate hazelnut spread

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup milk, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two regular cupcake pans with paper cups, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir in the preserves (and dye if using) until incorporated. Set aside.
3. In another medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Add chocolate hazelnut spread and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and flour mixture in two alternating batches and stir until just mixed.
5. Fill each muffin cup one-third full with the chocolate batter. Top with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture, until the cups are about two-thirds full. Bake 22-28 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
6. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Top with raspberries and serve. (Store any leftovers in the fridge.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: Adapted from my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes and Bake or Break.

Disclosure: As a part of the Yum Squad, I was provided with a complimentary jar of Chocmeister by Peanut Butter & Co. I was not otherwise compensated. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

My apologies for my absence on Friday. Last week snuck past me and then I was whisked away to Indianapolis for a science conference (yay nerdage). As such, I wasn’t able to make the lemon meringue pie I originally had planned to post last Friday. I got as far as baking the crust Thursday night only for it to puddle in the pie pan, thoroughly discouraging me from continuing on that venture. I should’ve known better than to turn on my oven to bake something when it’s still hot out. So what do you do when you want pie but don’t want to turn on the oven? Make no-bake pie of course!

It had been awhile since I had used a spread that wasn’t peanut butter so when I got my hands on a jar of Nocciolata (pronounced no-cho-lata), I decided to incorporate it into my beloved peanut butter pie. So yes, this pie is essentially a chocolate-hazelnut version with a no-bake Oreo crust, fluffy and creamy chocolate-hazelnut filling, and topped with toasted chopped hazelnuts. After I housed a monstrous slice in one sitting (after swearing I’d save half for later) I made Bob bring it to work so it would no longer tempt me. Apparently one of his coworkers proclaimed how he didn’t like nuts while continuing to shovel bite after bite into his mouth. It’s that good.

In case you were curious what the heck Nocciolata is and what makes it different from the others you may be familiar with, it is made with organic ingredients such as hazelnuts, cocoa and cocoa butter, natural vanilla extract, raw cane sugar, and skimmed milk. Also while other brands use palm oil, Nocciolata is made with sunflower oil and contains less sugar. It’s essentially a chocolate-hazelnut spread you can feel less guilty about having for breakfast! And if you want to try it for yourself, make sure to check out the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post to enter to win your very own jar.

Two years ago: Marble Malt Cake with Peanut Butter Malt Frosting

Four year ago: Stone Fruit Hand Pies

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PIE

Makes 1 pie

Ingredients:

CRUST

24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 2-1/2 cups)

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

1 (9.52 oz.) jar Nocciolata chocolate hazelnut spread (about 1 cup)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together with a fork. Press crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. Chill for 30 minutes before filling.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the chocolate hazelnut spread, cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Gently mix in 2 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
3. Top with chopped hazelnuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve with remaining whipped topping.

Source: Adapted from my Cookies and Cream Peanut Butter Pie.

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These gluten-free brownies are so fudgy they will blow your mind. The surprise is that they are made with avocados topped with a fun, green avocado frosting!

Two gluten-free brownie recipes in one week!? Craziness I know but Sunday’s was a single serving while today’s was made with avocados, and let me tell you they were crazy fudgy. Nearly had to scrape them out of the pan and eat them with a spoon fudgy. “It’s so fudgy I’m going to die!” – paraphrased quote from Agnes of Despicable Me.

Who knew avocados could render such a consistency in baked goods? Then to literally top it off, they are frosted with a green avocado frosting. Surprisingly you do not have to worry about the frosting turning brown. Evidently sugar is the secret weapon against avocado-oxidation.

Whip these up and see if anyone suspects they are anything other than regular fudgy brownies with some frosting you decided to “dye green”. I know most people I offered them to not only had no idea they were gluten-free but could not detect the avocado. The suspiciously green frosting was the only clue.

Two years ago: Baked Banana Almond Pancakes

GLUTEN-FREE AVOCADO BROWNIES

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

2 large ripe avocados, peeled and mashed (about 1 1/8 cups)

8 oz. dark chocolate chips, melted

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup hazelnut meal

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp canola oil

4 oz. dark chocolate chips

FROSITNG

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and mashed

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed avocado and melted chocolate. Whisk in sugar until combined, then add chocolate hazelnut spread, eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well. With a large spoon stir in hazelnut meal, cocoa, baking powder and salt until just combined. Add oil and stir until well distributed. Fold in chopped chocolate, then spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until middle is set. Remove and let cool completely.
3. While the brownies cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the avocado with an electric beater until creamy. Add in vanilla then slowly add in powdered sugar at low speed. Add more powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency. Frost brownies once cooled. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Source: Adapted slightly from How Sweet It Is.