I started baking at Christmas for gift giving

long ago, as an easy way to find something to do over Christmas break in college but also avoid the dreaded "What do I get for so and so at Christmas that that's NOT lotion?"

I tried my hand at icing and piping cookies a few years ago and realized the gear and patience in learning is only a small investment that pays off much from year to year.

I hope you enjoy making these cookies every year as much as I do!

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• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened at room temp

• 1 tbsp shortening

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

1. In a bowl or stand mixer, mix butter, the shortening with the egg. Add sugar and extracts; cream until just smooth, about 1 minute.

2. Slowly add in flour and salt, continuously scraping down the bowl's sides and beating until everything is just incorporated. If you're using a hand mixer, you may need to knead in the last cup of flour, so the beaters don't get clogged.

3. Working in three batches, roll out each batch of dough between two parchment paper sheets until dough is about 1/4" thick.

4. Cut your shapes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When you're ready to bake, turn the oven down to 325 and bake for 12-17 minutes, depending on the size of your cutouts.

6. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to continue cooling completely before decorating.

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If you’re new to Everybody Baking Co…

you might have noticed that we strive to celebrate Equal Opportunity Treats for All. That anyone with any type of food preference, intolerance, or skill level could come and find something incredible to bake.

For months I’ve been wrestling with this question “What does Equal Opportunity really mean?” - and the picture above is a manifestation of my processing. One recipe, four ways to get to that result.

Just to remind you, we have:

🥐traditional (flour eggs milk butter - all fair game)

✨vegan (flour is cool but you avoid butter eggs and milk)

🌈gluten free (avoiding flour but embracing milk butter and eggs)

💯allergy free (using alternatives to flour, milk, eggs and butter in all circumstance)

And just to note, they all taste incredible (my family got the full sheet pan of 32 scones and everyone agreed that while all of them were tasty, the Gluten Free were the BEST in show).

So I give you the first in this series - and I’d love to hear what you think. Here’s your homework if you’re up for the challenge:

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scone Homework!

1. Choose a recipe that fits your baking style (🥐Traditional, ✨Vegan, 🌈Gluten Free or 💯Allergy Free).

2. Bake it til’ you make it! Enjoy the process and the results of your scone of choice.

3. Post your Scone on Instagram and use the hashtag #everybodybakescones so we can celebrate our community bakes!

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jump to your recipe of choice: TRADITIONAL | GLUTEN FREE | VEGAN | ALLERGY-FREE

🥐traditional

🖨get the traditional recipe

Dough:

• 1 egg

• ¾ cup cream

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 200g Fat

  • 1 stick butter (about ~110 g)

  • 1 stick shortening (about ~90g)

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• ¼ cup cream

• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Method

Dough!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Stir together cream, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup until it’s one mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Measure and whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter and shortening into cubes - add to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break up the fat into the flour (I like to think of this as I’m squishing flour into the fat pieces). Continue until the flour looks like coarse sand.

4. Add the egg to the cream mixture and mix until egg is incorporated. Add to flour mixture and mix with your hands, prioritizing pulling the flour at the bowl’s bottom into the mix. Keep mixing until a rough dough forms; it’s okay if it’s still a little crumbly - that’s what we’re going for!

5. Flour your counter or board, and dump the dough out and lightly press it all together in one big round. With a rolling pin, roll it out until it’s anywhere from ½ to 1 inch thick (I prefer a thicker scone, so I’m always more on the 1-inch side)

6. Cut into eight wedges with a sharp knife and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment to bake for 18 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then lift the parchment over to a cooling rack for the next step (makes cleanup for the next part super easy).

Glaze!

1. Measure out the cream in a measuring cup and add the vanilla bean paste (this gives it those beautiful bean bits! But you can use extract). Add powdered sugar and whisk with a fork until the mixture is smooth.

   It shouldn’t be thick like frosting (see my frosting example in my photo…it’s too thick), but it should not be water - it should coat the smooth part of the back of the fork. Adjust powdered sugar or milk quantities to get the consistency right.

2. With a spoon, take a level spoonful of glaze and glaze each scone.

3. Allow the glaze to set, about an hour.

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🌈gluten free

🖨get the gluten free recipe

Dough:

• 1 egg

• ¾ cup cream

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups 1:1 or Cup for Cup Gluten Free Flour that contains xantham or guar gum (Rice Flour based blend preferred)

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 200g Fat

  • 1 stick butter (about ~110 g)

  • 1 stick shortening (about ~90g)

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• ¼ cup cream

• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Method

Dough!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Stir together cream, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup until it’s one mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Measure and whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter and shortening into cubes - add to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break up the fat into the flour (I like to think of this as I’m squishing flour into the fat pieces). Continue until the flour looks like coarse sand.

4. Add the egg to the cream mixture and mix until egg is incorporated. Add to flour mixture and mix with your hands, prioritizing pulling the flour at the bowl’s bottom into the mix. Keep mixing until a rough dough forms; it’s okay if it’s still a little crumbly - that’s what we’re going for!

5. Flour your counter or board, and dump the dough out and lightly press it all together in one big round. With a rolling pin, roll it out until it’s anywhere from ½ to 1 inch thick (I prefer a thicker scone, so I’m always more on the 1-inch side)

6. Cut into eight wedges with a sharp knife and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment to bake for 18 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then lift the parchment over to a cooling rack for the next step (makes cleanup for the next part super easy).

Glaze!

1. Measure out the cream in a measuring cup and add the vanilla bean paste (this gives it those beautiful bean bits! But you can use extract). Add powdered sugar and whisk with a fork until the mixture is smooth.

   It shouldn’t be thick like frosting, but it should not be water - it should coat the smooth part of the back of the fork. Adjust powdered sugar or milk quantities to get the consistency right.

2. With a spoon, take a level spoonful of glaze and glaze each scone.

3. Allow the glaze to set, about an hour.

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✨vegan

🖨get the vegan recipe PDF

Dough:

• 1/4 cup dairy free yogurt

• 3/4 cup dairy free milk

• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 200g Fat

  • 1 stick earth balance Unsalted baking stick (about ~110 g)

  • 1 stick shortening (about ~90g)

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp dairy free milk

• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Method

Dough!

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Stir together yogurt, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup until it’s one mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Measure and whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter and shortening into cubes - add to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break up the fat into the flour (I like to think of this as I’m squishing flour into the fat pieces). Continue until the flour looks like coarse sand.

4. Add the yogurt mixture to flour mixture and mix with your hands, prioritizing pulling the flour at the bowl’s bottom into the mix. Keep mixing until a rough dough forms; it’s okay if it’s still a little crumbly - that’s what we’re going for!

5. Flour your counter or board, and dump the dough out and lightly press it all together in one big round. With a rolling pin, roll it out until it’s anywhere from ½ to 1 inch thick (I prefer a thicker scone, so I’m always more on the 1-inch side)

6. Cut into eight wedges with a sharp knife and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment to bake for 13 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then lift the parchment over to a cooling rack for the next step (makes cleanup for the next part super easy).

Glaze!

1. Measure out the dairy free milk in a measuring cup and add the vanilla bean paste (this gives it those beautiful bean bits! But you can use extract). Add powdered sugar and whisk with a fork until the mixture is smooth.

   This tends to be a little runny, but you can play with the recipe to adjust powdered sugar or milk quantities to get the consistency right.

2. With a spoon, take a level spoonful of glaze and glaze each scone.

3. Allow the glaze to set, about an hour.

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💯allergy free

🖨get the allergy free recipe

Dough:

• 1/4 cup dairy free yogurt

• 3/4 cup dairy free milk

• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cups 1:1 or Cup for Cup Gluten Free Flour that contains xantha or guar gum (Rice Flour based blend preferred)

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 200g Fat

  • 1 stick Earth Balance Unsalted baking stick (about ~110 g)

  • 1 stick shortening (about ~90g)

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp dairy free milk

• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Method

Dough!

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Stir together yogurt, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup until it’s one mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Measure and whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter and shortening into cubes - add to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break up the fat into the flour (I like to think of this as I’m squishing flour into the fat pieces). Continue until the flour looks like coarse sand.

4. Add the yogurt mixture to flour mixture and mix with your hands, prioritizing pulling the flour at the bowl’s bottom into the mix. Keep mixing until a rough dough forms; it’s okay if it’s still a little crumbly - that’s what we’re going for!

5. Flour your counter or board, and dump the dough out and lightly press it all together in one big round. With a rolling pin, roll it out until it’s anywhere from ½ to 1 inch thick (I prefer a thicker scone, so I’m always more on the 1-inch side)

6. Cut into eight wedges with a sharp knife and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment to bake for 13 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then lift the parchment over to a cooling rack for the next step (makes cleanup for the next part super easy).

Glaze!

1. Measure out the dairy free milk in a measuring cup and add the vanilla bean paste (this gives it those beautiful bean bits! But you can use extract). Add powdered sugar and whisk with a fork until the mixture is smooth.

   This tends to be a little runny, but you can play with the recipe to adjust powdered sugar or milk quantities to get the consistency right.

2. With a spoon, take a level spoonful of glaze and glaze each scone.

3. Allow the glaze to set, about an hour.

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Truth: I wanted to avoid the whole predictable ‘cider donut’ recipe this fall, but a couple weeks back, I had been gifted a bag full of apples, and I could NOT help myself. So one rainy afternoon, I was coming up with recipes featuring cinnamon, and I decided to dive deep into this autumnal staple - the cider donut.

The best part? They’re BAKED

Plus, you don’t even need an orchard at your disposal - as Ina says - store-bought cider is always fine! There is a secret tip to the super apple-y flavor too: you’re going to boil that cider down to a syrup. Not only will it completely infuse your donuts with that fall feeling, but it will add a little spring in your dough that you can thank me for later.

You might ask - Alicia, how do you make boiled apple cider? In a saucepan, measure 1 cup apple cider to boil on medium-high until it reduces down to a syrup. Heck, double it! You’ll want to make another batch of donuts next weekend and this stuff keeps in the fridge.

Keep in mind…🍂

• This might take up to a half-hour depending on how quickly you boil it.

• It’s going to be hard to see how much is remaining as it boils. My pro tip is when it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when you draw your finger through it, it’s ready.

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Quintessentially Fall Cider Donuts

Gluten Free / Dairy Free / Egg Free

Looking for a traditional version of this recipe? Check out Gesine Prado’s Apple Cider (Baked) Donuts.

Ingredients

For Batter

• 2 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour (Bob’s Red Mill Baking AP Flour, the Red Bag!)

• 1 tsp Xantham gum

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tablespoon Egg Replacer (again, Bob’s Red Mill is great!) mixed with 2 oz boiled apple cider

• 1 cup vanilla vegan yogurt

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup room temp shortening (Spectrum or Crisco - you’re choice)

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

For Coating

• 4 oz melted coconut oil or shortening

• 1 cup white sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a small glass pyrex measuring cup, mix Egg Replacer with your boiled apple cider, set aside to let thicken.

3. Whisk flour, xanthan, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

4. In mixer place shortening, sugars, egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat for 2 mins with paddle attachment until light and fluffy. 

5. While that’s mixing, take your now empty pyrex measuring cup and combine the yogurt and cider vinegar.

6. Add 1/3 of the flour and then 1/3 the yogurt alternating ending with the flour last until just combined. Don’t over mix!

7. Pour the batter into a large Ziplock bag or a piping bag. Snip a corner opening and pipe into the donut pan up to the rim of each donut cavity.

8. Take a second donut pan, and invert the pan so it creates a top and bottom mold. Use metal clips to secure the sides (do not use plastic, it will melt).

9. Bake at 325 for 25 mins or until the cake springs back.

10. Let cool for 10 mins in pan. As you remove each from the pan, brush with coconut oil and dip in cinnamon sugar.

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Do you have our baking resource guide? It has everything you need to stock your pantry with ingredients, your kitchen with baking equipment (it would actually make an AMAZING registry guide, FYI 💍), and your book shelf with my favorite EBCo. approved baking books.

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I hear from a lot of people every day asking me, I want to start baking more...but where do I start? Deciding why you want to start is the first step. Are you looking for a new hobby for yourself, or for something to do with your roommate, child, or spouse during quarantine?  Are you gluten intolerant, have a food allergy to something like eggs or dairy, or even if you’re vegan - it can seem SO overwhelming if you’re wanting to learn more about allergy-free baking. Or all of the above.

I have found many reasons I love baking, and it keeps the passion lit for me. But one in particular was something that happened about 10 years ago. I started baking as a hobby on weekends and late nights after work, but also in this time frame, many of my friends were uncovering food allergies - barring themselves from cookies or treats at friend gatherings or the local bakery. On top of that, my very own doctor advised me to start avoiding dairy. I picked up a copy of ‘The Allergen Free Baker’s Handbook’ and decided to start learning more about how to bake allergy-free - for myself and for my friends.

Seeing the joy it gave someone when they took their very first bite of a really good cookie in years lit a fire inside of me. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to keep learning more about baking in general, but in particular - allergy-free baking. Every time I can bake for someone and see the delight on their face, without the dread of what will happen in their body later drives me forward.

I’d love to hear from you about your reason for wanting to learn more about allergy-free baking! Please let me know in the comments below.

The second thing you must do is equip yourself with the resources. What equipment and ingredients do you need to get started? It’s also important to remember your reason for starting - if you’re just wanting to learn how to bake dairy-free, there really is no point in also taking on gluten-free baking as well...and vice versa. My goal at EBC is to provide recipes that everyone can adjust to accommodate their own ‘why’ - I’ve heard this called ‘Inclusive Baking’, which I love. If you need a place to start - click the link below to grab my ‘Baking for Everybody’ Pantry Guide.

And finally - the last thing you must do is find the right recipes! How many times have you gone to Pinterest and just typed in ‘gluten-free desserts’ to discover there is… a. Lot. of. Stuff. Out there. And it’s like Pinterest Russian Roulette. If you need a place to start - the Everybody Baking Co. ‘Baking for Everybody’ Resource Guide...I’ve compiled my favorite cookbooks and a list of ingredients and equipment to help you get started!

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Something new is in the oven at Everybody Baking Co that you guys have been asking for - Born to Bun the eBook.

Consider this your invitation to get in on all the details on the front end, enter your email below, and secure your spot in on the list.

I’m very passionate about ice cream.

I love desserts, and cookies, and cakes - but ice cream is where it’s at for me. I worked at an ice cream shop called Scoops for three (four?) years. My sister and I have joked for maybe the last decade or two (perhaps someday we won’t joke about it anymore?) that we want to open up an ice cream shop one day.

The dream faded little when I quit dairy for five years. I had tried so many dairy-free ice creams, and they never live up to the vision I have of the perfect dairy-free ice cream. So I thought my ice cream days were kind of over and I was going to be a popsicle person the rest of my life (which isn’t bad but…).

Well - dear friend, I have made a sacrificial offering at the table of the ice cream gods and concocted an ice cream base that is twice as nice. Not only is it dairy-free. It’s egg-free! And simple. And DECADENT.

Three things to note:

1. This recipe is for a base - this is how all great ice cream starts. I should know, I use to mix the flavor of the day. If you have a great base, you don’t need toppings to make it taste great (which is the case with most non-dairy pints you can find in the store).

2. Do you want to make this with full-on dairy goodness? Pro tip - just sub in traditional whipping cream + traditional sweetened condensed milk!

3. This recipe is accessible by everybody. I own an ice cream machine, and it’s currently collecting dust in my basement. All you need for this recipe is a mixer (hand or stand - you pick), a bowl, another bowl, and some kind of loaf pan. Oh, and a scoop because you’re going to get to doll out those nice beautifully round scoops of amazing dream cream.

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INGREDIENTS

1 - 13oz can of coconut cream, chilled
1 - 11oz can of sweetened condensed coconut milk 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Here I mixed in some homemade strawberry pop-tarts I had made, with some fresh strawberries as well - I call it Strawberry Dream.

METHOD

1. Drain away the liquid from the coconut cream.

2. Empty the coconut cream into a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer!) and whip the coconut cream until fluffy and smooth.

3. Turn the mixer down to the low setting, and drizzle the entire can of condensed milk slowly into the 'whipped' cream. Drizzling slowly down the side of the bowl ensures the cream doesn't deflate but sweetens it to perfection.

4. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and pour in the mix. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap and pop in the freezer.

5. If you are adding mix-ins - do so after allowing the mix to sit in the freezer for at least 30 mins. Remove the ice cream and fold them in to combine. That way, the mix-ins don't sink to the bottom and make for a more joyful scooping experience with bits of goodies in every scoop.

6. Recover with the plastic wrap and allow to freeze for 4 more hours.

7. Once firm, scoop, and serve. 🌈

The minute I walk into the kitchen, it’s always the same refrain - “Alexa, play chill baking" playlist” or “Alexa, play early 2019 playlist”.

I don’t know about you, but I think music is an important ingredient in baking. There is rhythm to mixing and measuring. I wanted to share my favorite playlists with you here - hopefully this post is ever evolving!

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Who’s Ann you might ask? Ann Sather - ever heard of her? While these buns remind me of the Ann Sathers cinnamon buns, they have a secret. They’re vegan. You heard me right - NO DAIRY. NO BUTTER. NO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. Trust me - you won’t miss it. This dough is so tender, so pillowy soft, that this will be your go-to cinnamon bun recipe.

The frosting is really what draws you in, but the real magic is in the dough. I watch my fair share of food related YouTube (I blame Gourmet Makes as my gateway drug, followed by any sort of ‘eat the menu’ video). I landed on this vegan challah dough recipe somehow and it was the spark that lit a fuse in my brain….vegan cardamom buns, vegan cinnamon rolls…any sort of baked good with yeasted dough. So I want to thank Tasty & Challah Hub for putting together a video that I’ve probably watched 25 times - simply because it’s just so satisfying to watch them make a beautiful vegan dough (also their rainbow loaf is SO on brand for EBCo).

You might have seen these rolls on Instagram in our feed - and now they’re yours! Post your buns (not those ones, the cinnamon ones) with the hashtag #everybodybakingco and tag us in your stories. We wanna see your buns (the cinnamon swirled ones!)

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INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
between 100-110° Fahrenheit
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
(no more than 110° Fahrenheit)

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons baking powder

3 cups bread flour
you can use AP flour, but I find bread flour makes for a fluffier finished dough
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

Filling
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
Or vanilla bean paste, if you have it, to get those beautiful bean flecks!

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Gently swish and let stand for 5-10 minutes until a small raft of puffed yeast forms in the middle of the water. 

2. While the yeast is proofing, measure out bread flour, sugar, and salt, whisk to combine, and set aside.

3. Once yeast is proved, add 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil to the mixture and set aside.

4. Combine the melted coconut oil, water and baking powder. Stir and add to yeast mixture.

5. Add the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together and stir with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment ensuring all the flour is incorporated. If dough is sticky, slowly add an additional half cup of flour until dough begins to clear the sides of the bowl.

6. Once flour is incorporated, the dough should begin to form a ball, clean the sides of the bowl, and feel smooth (about 2 minutes in a stand mixer). If you are kneading by hand, this will take about 10 minutes on a floured surface.

7. Cover the dough in the bowl with a dry cloth or plastic wrap and place in a sunny, warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1.5-2 hours)

8. Divide the raised dough in half, and place the other half back in the bowl.  Lightly flour a surface and your rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a 12” wide by  8" high rectangle, the long side toward you.

9. Melt half your coconut oil (2 tablespoons) and drizzle over the rolled out dough. With your fingers or a pastry brush, spread it over the entire dough rectangle. Then measure out 1/4 cup of brown sugar and sprinkle all over the dough, followed by 1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. 

10. Start at the long side farthest from you, and roll the dough towards you, working back and forth from end to end. 

11. Cut the dough into 2-inch slices and place closely together on a sheet pan with parchment or a greased cake pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.  

12. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled in size - about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven 350-degree oven 

13. When the buns have risen, bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

14. While the buns are in the oven, make the glaze. Combine melted coconut oil, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean (extract or paste). Beat with a fork until creamy. 

15. Place the sheet pan with the buns on a cooling rack and top with the frosting. The frosting is a double recipe, so there will be a lot but you’ll want the buns to be smothered.

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UPDATE 11/19/2020 - Shhhhhhh I have a secret - I just updated this recipe, because the tweaks are hot and fresh from the oven baked goodness that is my new eBook, Born to Bun..available for preorder on Friday, November 27th! Be sure to get on the waitlist below!

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Can I be honest that this is one of my most favorite cookie recipes to throw together on a whim? These cookies are vegan. They're gluten-free. They're the perfect opportunity for peanut butter, and M&M's to be at the same party. They do call for a few ingredients that I've now learned to keep stock on hand in my pantry (and if you want my FULL LIST of pantry items I keep on hand, sign up for it here)

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup creamy peanut butter
(use a traditional creamy PB like Jif - don’t use a natural peanut butter, they just don’t turn out the same)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 heaping cup of oatmeal
(wanna get crazy? use half traditional oats and half steel cut)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons Egg Replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water
½ cup dairy free mini chocolate chips
2 packages Vegan Chocolate Candies

METHOD

1. Bring oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Make the 'egg replacement' - mix 1 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer powder with 2 tablespoons warm water in a measuring cup (or mug!). Set aside to let it thicken.

3. Using a stand mixer, measure out the peanut butter and cream with the brown sugar and honey on a lower speed.

4. Turn down the mixer to 'Stir' (or the lowest speed) and add the egg replacer, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and oats. Let everything come together, so there is no dry baking soda or oats floating around.

5. Lastly, with the mixer still on low - add the mini chocolate chips. Let them distribute evenly and then get ready to scoop.

6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough into your palm, and smoosh together to form a cohesive ball. 

   1. Personally, I prefer to form these cookies with a small cookie scoop. For me, I prefer to eat many smaller cookies than one giant cookie. If you make the cookies larger, you'll want to let them bake more towards 20 minutes than 15 for the smaller ones.

7. After you fill the sheet pan with the dough balls, press anywhere from 1-3 chocolate candies into the top of each cookie.

8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the cookies become golden. Just be sure to pull them before the bottom is burned.

9. Let cool on the sheet pan - seriously - they will fall apart if you try to pick them up off the pan fresh out of the oven.

Not vegan, or don't need to make this allergy-free?

The only a few tweaks required are:

1. Just use a regular egg.
2. Use traditional chocolate chips (still, please, I beg you to use mini chips).
3. Use classic M&M's in all their dairy-filled glory.

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I’m going to be honest, I had only ever had one cardamom bun before I made them. After the labor of love (I’m an impatient person - rising dough can be a labor!), they came out of the oven and I couldn’t resist. Crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside with flecks of cardamom seeds in the filling, I find these buns so satisfying. If you prefer cinnamon to cardamom, you can sub that in but I encourage you to give this Scandinavian spice a try.

Why are they called love buns? My niece is 18 months old - not an age where cardamom is easy on the pallet unless you’ve got Scandinavian blood. Well, she got a hold of a cardamom bun and had 3. THREE! I want to name this recipe in honor of her - because she loves them, because I love her, and her last name - Lovejoy.

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INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110F)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs at room temp**
4.5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cardamom (powder)
1 tablespoon crushed cardamom seeds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

TOPPING
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cardamom (powder)
3 tablespoons sugar

Making the Dough

1. Scald the milk in a small saucepan (milk scalds at 181F). Remove pan from heat and cool to anywhere between 105-115*F.

2. While the milk heats, add 1 tablespoon (YEP) dry active yeast to 1/4 cup warm water (about 110F) to your stand mixer bowl. It's ready to go (about 5 mins tops) when the yeast is dissolved and creamy.

3. Whisk the milk, sugar, cardamom (both types, if using), salt, and eggs into the yeast mixture. Put the bowl on stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and add 2 cups of the flour until smooth. Pour in melted butter, and turn the mixer back on until the butter is incorporated. Add in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Do this until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

*If it's still a little sticky, flour your counter lightly and turn the dough out. Knead in up to another 1/2 cup of flour by hand until the dough feels silky and compact.

4. Line a sheet pan with parchment and loosely shape the dough into a flat rectangle. Slash the top lightly with a knife, 3 times about 1/4 inch deep. Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

5. While the dough is in the fridge, make the filling. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter, salt, cardamom, and sugar (don't over mix). Set aside (don't refrigerate! you want this to be room temp).

6. Line two-13x18 baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

7. Remove the dough from the fridge at the end of the two hours and let it sit out for a few minutes, so it's easier to roll out. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about a 15x18 inch rectangle (about 1/8-inch thick). Lift the dough as you roll out to re-flour the underside of the dough, so it doesn't stick.

8. Divide up the creamed butter filling in little chunks across the whole dough and spread with a spatula or your clean hands across the whole surface of the dough.

9. Face the 15-inch side towards you (so the dough is running north/south from where you stand) and fold the top third over the middle third, and then fold the bottom third up over the middle as well like a letter.

10. Roll the dough vertically to flatten the edges - you can stretch it to size, about a 12x16 rectangle (this time the dough is facing east/west from where you stand). If any filling oozes out, wipe it away with a spatula to prevent a sticky surface.

11. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough in half. Continue to cut the halves in half until you have 16 strips. Working with one strip at a time, cut it in half with the pizza cutter leaving the two strands connected at the top (about a 1/2 inch).

12. Twist the two strands over one another to form one twisted strand 'braid.' Coil the 'braid' in a circle and tuck the loose end under the bun. Place on your baking sheet and continue until all the strands are braided & coiled. Space the buns out evenly, and leave them to proof at room temp for about 1 hour. Then the dough should rise & become soft.

13. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (425 if you're using convection)

14. When the buns have proofed, make the topping. Whisk the egg together with 1 tablespoon water with a fork until combined.

15. Whisk the sugar and cardamom together until sandy looking. Lightly brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle the sandy sugar on top (don't be shy, I recommend anywhere from 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per bun). For the finishing touch - sprinkle some Swedish Pearl Sugar on top, but if you can't find it, it's not necessary.

16. Bake for 8 minutes and then lower the temp to 375, rotating the trays (turn the tray 180 degrees and rotate the top and bottom trays to ensure even baking). Lower the temp ensures the buns bake all the way through, but the outside doesn't burn. Bake for an additional 12 minutes.

*(if you're worried about the buns burning, you can cover the trays with a piece of parchment paper towards the end once they've reached the golden brown color.

17. Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before eating, so the melted sugar has a chance to harden. Remove any lacy sugar around the outside before serving. Enjoy!