Super Easy Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

For most of us, finding gluten free recipes and products that actually deliver on texture and flavor is difficult. Since so many people with gluten intolerance also have other dietary restrictions, I am always on the lookout for recipes that can be made without eggs or dairy products. I was aware of this recipe using a traditional cake mix as a healthier version of a chocolate treat. So, I decided to try it using a gluten free cake mix.

There are only 2 ingredients in this recipe - pumpkin and chocolate cake mix.

Since I am soy intolerant, I do not use the nonstick sprays. I prefer to use paper liners. I didn't want to waste the whole package of cake mix (if the recipe was NOT good) or a whole can of pumpkin, so I divided the box of mix in half.

I added half the can of pumpkin. This is just pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix.

It easily came together with a rubber spatula, although the batter was thick.

I decided to add a handful of chocolate chips. There goes the 2 ingredient recipe! I just couldn't help myself. The more chocolate the better...

I mixed the chips into the batter.

And the batter looked absolutely perfect.

I used a small scoop to ensure even muffins and it worked out to be 10 small muffins. I always fill the empty muffin cups about 1/4 full of water.

They baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. The package directions for regular cupcakes said it would be about 22 - 24 minutes. But, using the toothpick test, they needed more time.

I let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and moved them to the cooling rack.

I got a cup of our Americus Garden Inn Signature blend coffee in my Deneen pottery collector's mug to taste test the muffins.

They looked beautiful on the inside, but, I felt they were missing something.Powdered sugar! Now they look special.

These muffins were better with the sugar dusted over the tops. And, they were tastier once they cooled. I would have thought that the chocolate chips would add more flavor warm, but, the pumpkin flavor mellowed once they cooled and the chips added an extra textural component.

So, don't be afraid of entertaining your gluten free friends. Have a gluten free cake mix handy along with a can of pumpkin and you can treat them to something special in no time.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We're open through the holidays and we'd love to see you at the Americus Garden Inn.

The Easiest, Quickest, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Well, it's that time of year. Cookie time! Everyone starts thinking about holiday baking and cookies right after Halloween. They even have Christmas displays set up everywhere and it is not even Thanksgiving yet. So, what are the choices for gluten free baking? There actually are lots of options. But, this recipe is truly one of the easiest and requires nothing that you have to buy at a specialty store. Here are the ingredients. I'll bet you have them all in your pantry and fridge right now.
Start with a cup of brown sugar.
Add a cup of peanut butter.
Add one egg.
Add 1 tsp of baking soda.
Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Mix with a wooden spoon
until well combined.
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips
Mix thoroughly
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie panI do use my hands to make little balls after scooping. At this point, I put the whole thing in the freezer

and once they are frozen, they go in a ziploc bag so I can grab a few to bake when I want a cookie!
Well, actually, I want more than one cookie. So, I made enough to share with Kim.

Baked at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes, they are perfect.


I am ready to settle down with a cup of Americus Garden Inn signature blend coffee in my signature mug with my gluten free peanut butter cookies. Yum! If you were here, I would be happy to share my private stash of gluten free peanut butter cookies with you, too. :)Here is the recipe for

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter (chunky may be used if preferred)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or morsels)

1. Stir together first five ingredients in medium bowl, using wooden spoon.
2. Stir in chocolate chips/morsels
3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet
4. Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes or until puffed and golden (Cookies will be soft in the center). If baking from frozen, bake for 14 minutes.
5. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, remove to wire rack.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO.
Love,
Susan

Make My Recipe A Winner

The Top 10 Finalists have been announced for the Betty Crocker Baker's Challenge Gluten Free Baking Contest and my Decadent Chocolate Chip Almond Scones have placed me in the Top 10!

I need your help to win. Now until October 15 voting is open and the winning recipe will be the one with the most votes! You can vote once every day.

Please vote for me! There is a print friendly version of the gluten-free recipe on the voting page.

Thank you for your help!

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee on a Hot Day in Georgia

I love coffee. I've loved it since I was a little girl.
I need coffee. It's too hot for coffee. Well, it's too hot for HOT coffee!

Let me start out by thanking my sister-in-law, Susan, for reminding me how to make cold-brew coffee. For those of you old enough to remember when "sun tea" was popular, we used to put tea bags in cold water in a pitcher and set it outside in the sun to brew. This recipe is similar, but, it is for coffee. Of course, I start out with our signature blend coffee from Cafe Campesino, Americus Garden Inn Signature Blend freshly roasted beans.If you look up cold-brew coffee recipes, you will find that 1/3 cup beans

coarsely ground
mixed with 12 ounces of cold water
are the perfect proportions.


Mix together and cover.


Let it sit at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours. I find that if you put it outside, in this heat, it takes as little as 4 hours.

A quick stir and prepare to filter your brew. I use a metal strainer along with a paper coffee filter.

Pour the coffee mixture slowly to allow the liquid to drip through.

You can see all that coffee goodness.

Gently press the liquid through the strainer.

As you can see, we have 12 ounces of cold brewed coffee. This stuff is super strong and does need to be diluted which makes it ideal for iced coffee.

I decided to make mine with equal parts coffee and almond milk.

Of course, you could use regular milk or soy milk.

I added a little Splenda, Kim added some Hershey's syrup to his.


Now, doesn't that look refreshing? Try the recipe for yourself and see how easy it is to make. You could put it in the blender with some ice cream and make your own frappuccino, too!

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Have a great day.