Category: Dessert

If you're guilty of standing at the fridge with a spoonful of cookie dough in your hand, this recipe is for you. Gluten-free, Paleo, Nut-Free edible cookie dough for two. Quick and easy for a late-night dessert treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, without having to deal with the processed nonsense! If your college days were anything like mine, you were willing to risk salmonella for a spoonful of sweet and salty cookie dough goodness. Confession: my roommate and I would buy the large tubs of cookie dough and never bake a single cookie. It's a wonder that I survived, but I'm glad I did because now I can bring you this wonderful recipe. Gone are the days of risking life and limb for a sneaky bite of raw cookie dough. Now you can make your own... without eggs, gluten, grains, nuts, or anything crazy. Can I get an amen? This small-batch recipe is perfect when you're with your honey or roommate and you want a little bite, but don't want the stuff staring at you every time you open the fridge. Because let's be honest, if this were lingering in the fridge, it would end up being breakfast. Not that that would be the worst thing in the world.... Everything you want in cookie dough: sweet, salty, vanilla, and the creamy bits of chocolate. But none of the junk. Yeah man, now we're talking. Edible Cookie Dough For Two

• 2 Tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee, room temp (completely softened)
• 1 Tbsp avocado oil
• 2 Tbsp coconut flour
• 3 Tbsp potato starch (or tapioca, or arrowroot)
• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• chocolate chips to preference (about 2 Tbsp) (I like Enjoy Life brand)

1. Make sure your butter/ghee is completely softened. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt to the butter, and use a fork to mix together until a uniform color/texture.
3. Add in the coconut flour, starch, and avocado oil. Again, mix with a fork until the dry ingredients are no longer separate.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips, and enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is meant to be refreshing and slightly indulgent, but for people (like me) who are lactose intolerant this dessert can be a sign of tummy troubles. But not with this version! Dairy-free and paleo friendly, this ice cream uses coconut milk as a base, and is a silky, wonderful substitution for the traditional summer treat. It's been in the 90 degree range here in RVA consistently enough that we can officially call this summertime! And what better way to usher in summer than with the ultimate summer treat: ice cream. Mint chocolate chip has always been my favorite flavor; I enjoy a good chocolate brownie or cookie dough every once in a while, but that's only when I can tear myself away from drooling over the mint chip. Ice cream is definitely my dessert weakness. If pressed, I may have even called it my favorite food once upon a time. (Does dessert count as a favorite food? Or does that just make it sound like I have a problem? Hello, my name is Morgan and I am a recovering sugar addict.) And even after discovering I am lactose intolerant, I still had no restraint. Who needs restraint when you have Lactaid? But somehow needing to take a pill in order to tolerate a food seemed counter-intuitive and I obviously was just fighting my body rather than trying to work with it. So I gave it up. While that sounds simple, it's really not. Oh dairy, why must you haunt me in everything that is delicious and heavenly? Dairy-free alternatives intrigued me, and I set out to recreate my favorite mint chip. We bought an ice cream maker and some coconut milk, and I've been on a roll ever since. This was actually the first ice cream recipe I made, and definitely is a frequent staple in our freezer. In fact, just last night Andrew said, "We should keep a constant supply of this." Yes, yes we should. As I mentioned, the base of this ice cream is coconut milk. You get this in cans, and it's usually found in the Asian food section. You want to get full-fat, and the least amount of ingredients you can find. When you shake the can, you shouldn't feel/hear anything. If it's sloshing around inside, then there's usually extra water which can make your ice cream icy rather than creamy. Also, sometimes when you open the can, the cream has separated from the water. This is okay, you're still going to use everything in the can. You will be heating up the mixture, so if the cream and water has separated, they will re-combine once heated. Finally, there is a little starch in this recipe. This makes the ice cream creamier and thus deliciouser, obviously. As with most homemade ice creams, it will be pretty solid after sitting in the freezer, so you may want to let the ice cream sit out on the counter for about 10 minutes so it softens up and you don't break your scooper. But if you're impatient, you can always just chisel away right out of the freezer.   Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

• two 16 oz cans of coconut milk
• 1/4 cup Arrowroot Starch
• 1/4 cup unfiltered honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp Peppermint Extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• about 1 tsp of liquid chlorophyll (optional, gives green color. Can be found at health shops.)
• about 1/2 cup of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, finely chopped

1. Place all of the ice cream ingredients in a medium saucepan, and stir until completely combined and the egg yolks are broken. Heat over medium-low heat, until the mixture is warm but not hot. Remove from the stove, cover with lid, then place in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour.
2. Once the ice cream base is cooled, strain the mixture so there are no lumps, and follow manufacturer instructions for your ice cream maker to make your ice cream. About 5 minutes before the end of the cycle while the machine is still running, add your chopped chocolate chips.
3. Transfer into a storage container (I like to use a glass loaf pan, it's the perfect size). Store in the freezer. Note that the ice cream will harden, so you may want to let it sit out for about 10 minutes before scooping once it has been sitting in the freezer for a while.

 Please note that some of the links in the above post are affiliate links that will take you to an Amazon.com page. If you choose to purchase a product featured in this post using an affiliate link, you will be directly supporting You’re An Animal. Thanks!

This is a brownie and mint chip ice cream cake treat with great credentials: gluten-free, dairy-free, and white sugar-free. And trust me, you won't miss any of it. Creamy mint chocolate chip ice cream layered with dense, chewy brownie. Perfect for any celebration... especially a 27th birthday! Happy birthday to my main man and partner in crime, Andrew! On the 22nd my favorite nutrition nerd turned 27, which of course called for a special birthday treat. He's not much of cake fan and actually asked for mint chocolate chip ice cream instead, but I decided to take it a step further. Birthdays are supposed to have some form of cake, amiright? When I unveiled this creation, he literally did a happy dance and then threw me over his shoulder. I'd say I succeeded. Yep, he's loving it. Hey! Side note-- Our first ever free monthly newsletter is coming out tomorrow! Want to know what to expect? You're in luck because we have this crafty little ad to tell you just that: [gravityform id="1" name="Newsletter Signup"] Back to the food stuffs... If you ask me, mint chocolate chip is the best ice cream flavor, best flavor combination, best thing ever. Add brownie and we're done here, it's a wrap. The brownie is dense and chewy, and the ice cream is creamy and fresh, even though it doesn't have any of the "typical" ingredients. No gluten, no dairy. All the fun. Don't have a birthday to celebrate? Celebrate any day that ends in a "y." Done and done. Just make sure you share :) Brownie and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake Brownie

• A double batch of my Flourless Classic Brownies recipe

• two 16 oz cans of coconut milk
• 1/4 cup Arrowroot Starch
• 1/4 cup unfiltered honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp Peppermint Extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• about 1 tsp of liquid chlorophyll (optional, gives green color. Can be found at health shops.)
• about 1/2 cup of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, finely chopped

• about 1/3 cup of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 Tbsp canned coconut milk

1. Start by making a double batch of my Flourless Classic Brownies recipe. Line the bottom of two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper (I traced the pans and cut out the circles so the paper fit exactly in the bottom of the pan). Coat the bottom and corners of the pan with coconut oil or another fat source, place the paper on top of the oil, then coat the paper with the same oil. You don't want these to stick! Distribute the brownie batter evenly into the two pans. Bake these brownies at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Place these brownies in the freezer to cool (they need to be cold before you put the ice cream on top).
2. Next, make the ice cream base. Place all of the ice cream ingredients in a medium saucepan, and stir until completely combined and the egg yolks are broken. Heat over medium-low heat, until the mixture is warm but not hot. Remove from the stove, cover with lid, then place in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour.
3. Once the ice cream base is cooled, strain the mixture so there are no lumps, and follow manufacturer instructions for your ice cream maker to make your ice cream. About 5 minutes before the end of the cycle while the machine is still running, add your chopped chocolate chips.
4. Once your ice cream has finished, evenly distribute the ice cream over the brownies still in the pans. Don't push the ice cream all the way to the edges of the pans because this will make it harder to remove-- leave a gap between the ice cream and pan edges. Place the pans back in the freezer, and let the ice cream harden.
5. Once the ice cream is hardened, remove both brownie/ice cream cakes from the pan (I just flipped them upside down and they came right out), peel off the parchment paper, and stack them on a plate.
6. To make the ganache, place the chocolate chips and coconut milk in a double broiler, and heat until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and drizzle over the cake. Enjoy!

 Please note that some of the links in the above post are affiliate links that will take you to an Amazon.com page. If you choose to purchase a product featured in this post using an affiliate link, you will be directly supporting You’re An Animal. Thanks!

This is a Christmas post, coming to you on December 30th. It was fully intended to be in perfect holiday timing, ready for you to make and take to your favorite host or hostess and share with your family and friends. However, last Tuesday, the 23rd, when I intended to create this post, I instead woke up with the flu and was completely derailed. No website, no last-minute Christmas errands, just me and my couch, my two blankets, my hoodie, and copious amount of Turmeric Tea. So now it is coming to you, in fully restored health, an entire week overdue. But, better late than never, right? It's almost New Year's Eve, and this would still make the perfect host/hostess gift. Use up the last of those candy canes, and indulge in one last sweet treat before the bewitching day of January 1st when the gyms are full of wide-eyed people looking to make a change, and healthy cookbook sales skyrocket. Speaking of which, I should mention that this will be the last sugar-laden recipe I make for a little while. Sugar has always been my downfall, and I have tried and tried to give it up. However, the restrictive nature of a "detox" always makes me want it even more. So I've decided to take a different approach. Instead of telling myself that I am not making sugary treats, I have decided to see it as an opportunity to explore new recipes... you know, with actual veggies and meats and... stuff. I've always been a baker, but I want to try my hand at more actual "cooking." And so, with the turn of the calendar, I start that adventure. Yay! As for this recipe, making marshmallows probably sounds totally daunting and not worth it. But I can promise you, it is so much easier than you would think. And when you realize how much crappy HFCS and other who-knows-what ingredients go into your store-bought marshmallows, making your own, with just honey, water and gelatin, seems like the obvious choice. Homemade marshmallows, if you've never had them, are incredibly light and delicate. As trite as it may sound, they actually do just melt in your mouth. I love this version, because my favorite flavor combination is chocolate and peppermint. There is just something about that combo that says "holidays" for me. This is very reminiscent of chocolate bark, which is a beautiful holiday tradition in itself. Not to mention that all of your fellow guests will be totally impressed that you made your own candy. Who does that? You do, of course! Chocolate Covered Peppermint Marshmallows This recipe is adapted from this one by Urban Poser. If you have any issues, she has many trouble-shooting tips that can be very helpful.

• 1 cup unfiltered honey
• 1 cup water
• 2.5 Tbsp powdered gelatin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 8 candy canes, crushed (I used TruJoy candy canes, which are organic, corn syrup free, and colored with fruit juice)
• 1.5 cups of chocolate chips, finely chopped (I use Enjoy Life, allergy-free chocolate)
• Note: you will need a candy thermometer for this recipe

1. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your gelatin, and 1/2 cup of water. Allow this to sit while you work with your sugar mixture. Also, have an electric hand mixer ready to go for when your sugar is ready.
3. To a medium saucepan, add your other 1/2 cup of water, and all of your honey. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring to a boil. The mixture will foam up significantly, so be very careful to not let it boil over. If it starts to get to close to the top, remove from the heat briefly. Stir consistently.
4. Using a candy thermometer (very important, you cannot do this without one. But good news is you can get one cheap at Walmart!), bring your sugar/water mixture up to the "soft ball" level, or 240 degrees F. This will take between 15-30 minutes. Continue stirring your mixture throughout the entire process, you do not want it to burn on the bottom. Watch your temperature very closely.
5. As soon as the temperature is exactly at the "soft ball" mark, remove it from the heat. Immediately start to drizzle your sugar mixture over the gelatin, and mix the two together with your electric mixer on medium. This is a relatively delicate process, because this means you are pouring hot, liquid sugar with one hand, and are using the electric mixer to mix the ingredients with the other. Slowly pour in all of your sugar, in a thin stream, until it is all in your bowl.
6. Now use your electric mixer, on high, to combine the gelatine and sugar. This process will take about 5-10 minutes, but as you continue to mix and incorporate, you will notice that the mixture will begin to froth up, slowly lighten in color, and then thicken into a fluff. Even if it seems like it isn't doing anything in the beginning, just keep going!
7. Continue to mix until you have a fluffy, marshmallow-like texture. There will be ripples in your fluff, and it will easily coat your finger. At this point, add the vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, and continue to mix until combined.
8. Once you mixture is the consistency of marshmallow fluff, use a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture into your parchment-lined baking dish. Evenly distribute the fluff, and allow to sit for at least 2 hours, or until completely set. Note that this will be VERY sticky, even once set. Do not touch the top. (If you do, it will be like when Clark gets tree sap on his fingers in Christmas Vacation. Yep, I just went there.)
9. Once your mixture is set, use a pizza cutter to cut the marshmallows into equal-sized squares (whatever size you prefer). Again, the marshmallows will still be VERY sticky, so it may be helpful to grease the pizza cutter, or your fingers. However, you want them to remain sticky so you can easily coat them, so try not to get the marshmallows too oily.
10. Add the chopped candy canes and chocolate into a large bowl and combine. In small batches, add the marshmallows to the candy cane and chocolate mixture, and toss to coat. Repeat until all of the marshmallows are coated. Store in a jar or Tupperware container, and enjoy!

IT'S TIME FOR PUMPKIN EVERYTHING! This trend has grown more and more prevalent in the last couple of years, and I ain't complainin'. I don't know why we are all so obsessed with pumpkin season, but I know for me it's the pumpkin spice combo. Cinnamon, in particular. I love me some cinny-mon. Cinnamon on everything pretty please! I can promise you that while this is the first pumpkin recipe I've posted, it most certainly won't be the last. It's here, people, it's here. Let's talk about this ice cream. As I mentioned in my Dairy-Free Coconut Ice Cream with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Ganache post, we got this ice cream maker recently and I'm loving it. We haven't been without ice cream since. I'm sadly (but not so sadly) completely serious. Obviously I had to make my pumpkin recipe debut somehow, and since it's still currently almost 90 degrees here in VA, ice cream seemed like the way to go. Oh and it was the way to go, my friends, it definitely was. Not to mention allergies are running wild this week (again, darn you VA) so we needed something to sooth our poor wittle scratchy throats. Pumpkin ice cream to the rescue! This stuff is pretty much pumpkin bread in a cold, semi-liquid form. Perfect for those late summer/early fall days when it's cool at night but still gets toasty during the day. Pumpkin latte for the chilly mornings, then pumpkin ice cream as the day heats up. Sounds like a plan to me! Annnnd it's dairy-free, so my fellow lactose intolerant (or simply avoiding dairy) people can enjoy freely. And by "freely' I mean eating the entire quart. Alone. In one sitting. No no, let's not take it too far. Bring it back in. I know you all have stocked up on pumpkin by now, so go buy some cans of coconut milk while you're at it, and continue your pumpkin exploration. It's a lovely, spicy adventure! Dairy-Free Pumpkin Ice Cream

• 1 and 1/2 cans (13.5 oz) of Coconut Milk (you can use the leftover 1/2 to make chocolate ganache or caramel!)
• 1 cup (or about 1/2 of a 15 oz can) of Pumpkin
• 2 eggs (pasture raised)
• 1/4 cup Arrowroot Starch Flour
• 1/4 cup Grade B Maple Syrup (or you can use unfiltered honey)
• 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• rounded 1/4 tsp each of powdered ginger, nutmeg and clove
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• optional: about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is hot but before it boils.
3. Place the mixture in the fridge (I find it easiest to just put the saucepan directly in the fridge) and let chill for at least 1-2 hours, or longer.
4. Once completely chilled, strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps and ensure a smooth ice cream. I find it easiest to strain the mixture directly into the ice cream maker.
5. Process the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions. If adding the chocolate chips, add them in about 5 minutes before the ice cream is done. Transfer into your storage container. Enjoy!

Please note that some of the links in the above post are affiliate links that will take you to an Amazon.com page. If you choose to purchase a product featured in this post using an affiliate link, you will be directly supporting You’re An Animal. Thanks!

First of all, let me express my excitement about us purchasing an ice cream maker: EEEEHHEEEEEEYEAH! This is the one we got, and we love it! Ice cream is definitely, for sure, abso-posi-lutely my favorite dessert. I don't know what it is, but I have always been an ice cream addict. Which is kind of odd for a lactose-intolerant girl, but I have found dairy-free heaven. Admittedly, my favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip (which, by the way, I have a recipe for that too... we've made it at least 5 times already. Stay tuned :)). But we just got back from our vacation in Portland, Oregon, and in my post about our trip I talked about Salt & Straw and how we both fell hopelessly in love with their dairy-free ice cream. So as soon as we got back, I started working on an ice cream flavor inspired by their Coconut with Petunia's Salted Caramel Bars flavor. Their ice cream had pieces of a vegan/gluten-free caramel cookie, with ribbons of salted caramel and chocolate ganache. While I haven't had the opportunity to explore the idea of a vegan/gluten-free caramel cookie, I was able to throw together a pretty awesomely delicious (toot toot) dairy-free, white sugar-free coconut ice cream with salted caramel and chocolate ganache swirled in ever so lovingly. And seriously, I can't believe how good this stuff is. This is a situation where the whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts (in my opinion). The ice cream, caramel, or chocolate each alone is good, but together they are fantastic. While I've never had a Samoa Girl Scout cookie (weird, I know... and I was even a Girl Scout. I have no excuses.) I imagine the flavor profile is the same. In fact, I almost named this "Dairy-Free Samoa Ice Cream," except I think they're called "Caramel Delights" now? All updated and modern... I can't keep up. I can't say enough about this ice cream (or its Salt & Straw inspiration), but I think I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves... Dairy-Free Coconut Ice Cream with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Swirl

• 3 cans (approx 13.5 oz each) of Coconut Milk (often found in the Asian food aisle)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of Arrowroot Starch
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of honey or maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp of Coconut Palm Sugar
• 1 Tbsp of Grass-Fed Butter (or coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate or Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp + 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Start with making the ice cream base. In a medium-sized sauce pan, add 2 cans of the coconut milk, the arrowroot starch (this starch helps keep the ice cream creamy and scoopable, even after being in the freezer), the eggs, 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup, and 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract. Stir to combine, trying to get as many lumps out as you can, and making sure the eggs are broken up and thoroughly mixed in.
2. Heat this mixture on low, stirring continuously, until it is warm/hot to the touch, but not boiling (you do not want scrambled egg ice cream).
3. Once the mixture is warm, put the mixture in the refrigerator (I usually just put the whole pot into the fridge so as to not dirty up another bowl) and allow the mixture to completely cool (at least 2-4 hours).
4. While your ice cream base is chilling, make your caramel and chocolate ganache.
5. Start with your caramel sauce. I got this caramel recipe from An Edible Mosaic, so if you have any issues, you can also refer to her post.
6. In a small/medium saucepan, add 1/2 of a can of coconut milk, 2 Tbsp of honey/maple syrup and 2 Tbsp of coconut palm sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and stir frequently for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and turns a nice, deep amber brown. Remove the mixture from the heat, and add 1 Tbsp of grass-fed butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free), 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract. Stir to incorporate, then pour your caramel into a separate bowl to allow it to cool.
7. Next, make your chocolate ganache. Again, in a small/medium sauce pan, add the remaining 1/2 can of coconut milk, 1/4 cup of dark chocolate/chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp of coconut oil (this will help the ganache set up and become firm, but not crunchy, when frozen), and 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder. Heat this mixture over medium/medium-high heat to melt all of the ingredient together, and allow it to thicken. I let mine simmer, stirring constantly, until it was the consistency of a thick, hot fudge sauce. Once thickened, strain the sauce into a separate bowl to eliminate any lumps of cocoa powder, and to allow the sauce to cool.
8. Once your ice cream base is completely cooled, add your base to your ice cream maker, straining it with a sieve as your pour the mixture in in order to eliminate all lumps of arrowroot and egg, and process according to manufacturer instructions.
9. Scoop about 1/3 of your ice cream into the container you will be storing your ice cream in, and then drizzle about 1/3 each of your caramel sauce and chocolate ganache over your ice cream. Use a butter knife to swirl/fold the caramel and chocolate into your ice cream. Repeat this process two more times, with the rest of your ice cream, caramel, and chocolate. Allow your ice cream to harden in the freezer, and serve when ready! Or eat it as soft serve right away, if you're like me and can't resist :).

Please note that some of the links in the above post are affiliate links that will take you to an Amazon.com page. If you choose to purchase a product featured in this post using an affiliate link, you will be directly supporting You’re An Animal. Thanks!