Peppermint Mocha French Macarons

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias

People, I did it.  I finally crossed a recipe off of my bucket list.  I made French macarons!  Honestly, I'm pretty impressed with how well they turned out, especially after hearing all the ways they could possibly go wrong.  Even better than how they look, the flavors in this Peppermint Mocha variety are just amazing!  Not to toot my own horn, but the filling I came up with is chocolatey, minty, and tastes exactly like the holidays.  I plan to make them again for my upcoming fall and winter baking parties, and I hope you try them out too!

Need more convincing before trying out the recipe?  There's nothing like a fresh macaron with the crisp outer shell and chewy center.  Here's a secret... even if they end up a bit cracked (yes, they didn't all turn out perfect), they still taste great.  For the shell, I decided to leave it pretty normal in flavor, but I did add some red food coloring to make it a peppermint-y color.  I could have added some peppermint extract, but I knew the filling would stand out as it is.  I nearly made a buttercream filling, but I wanted to complement the peppermint flavor with even more chocolate.  I had a bit of leftover after the macarons... and let's just say not a single bit went to waste.  :)

My recipe was inspired by the Peppermint Mocha flavor of International Delight Creamer because it feels exactly like the holidays to me.  Once fall hits, I crave anything fall related.  In fact, all of the other flavors (Pumpkin Pie Spice, Frosted Sugar Cookie, and White Chocolate Raspberry) are just wonderful!  If you want to try them out for yourself, see if your local Walmart will have a tasting demo on this list.  That would be a yummy trip!

I found my Peppermint Mocha creamer in a center display in the Dairy area.  It's only $2.98 for an entire quart!  Imagine how many macarons you could make with allll that... :)  Also, I made sure to pick up the Caramel Macchiato individual creamers located in the Tea & Coffee aisle for a quick morning cup of coffee on the go.  It's a lovely accompaniment to all those macarons you're about to make!

Now, let's get to the recipe!

Peppermint Mocha Macarons
A Vintage Zest original

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Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark from Sandi!

When I put out the call for guest posts, Sandi of Fearless Dining asked me if she would like to contribute.  Of course!  I have seen her recipes and loved so many of them, so I just knew she would make something amazing for you guys.  :)

I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but one of my least favorite kitchen tasks is melting chocolate and butter.  I am so impatient that I usually end up burning it and having to start over again.  However, this recipe for Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cherry Bark looks so good that I am willing to patiently wait and watch.  Need I say more?

Take it away, Sandi!

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Are you a choco-aholic?

Don't feel guilty, I am as well :-) .

When my friend, Diane, said she needed some help with guest posts while she was studying, I knew just the post to share with her readers.

I can't help it, give this girl dark chocolate and I am happy as can be. I recently fell in love with these Pound Plus chocolate bars at Trader Joe's. They are available in Dark Chocolate, Bittersweet, or Milk Chocolate. They are only $4.99 for the giant bar, a fabulous bargain. This chocolate is made in Belgium and is really good.

And even better, it melts down really nicely, making it perfect for making candy.


For this recipe, I used just three ingredients:

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TWIX® Bites Coconut Macaroons

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. #EatMoreBites

For today's recipe, I have a new favorite to share!  Just about a year ago, I passed on a recipe Raspberry Coconut macaroons, which I love but can only bake during raspberry season.  I had some shredded coconut packages sitting in my pantry, and I was racking my brain on how to use them... and it came to me.  Chocolate!  Coconut and chocolate are perfect partners, and so I made up a recipe these awesome macaroons with TWIX Bites!  This is such a delicious cookie, and there are so many occasions for making this cookie because they keep well and look super enticing: bake sales, bridal showers, cookie swaps, road trips, and so on.  And of course, they are a fantastic every day cookie because they are super simple to make.  Want to know what they taste like?

You know when coconut is perfectly toasted and crispy?  Well, the outside of the macaroons satisfy that craving.  :)  The inside is chewy, moist, and sweet studded with pieces of the TWIX Bites.  Now, as for the chocolate, remember how a TWIX is pretty much the best candy bar?*  The chocolate and caramel melt together to create an oozy, delicious surprise.


* Seriously, during chocolate sale fundraisers in school, the TWIX always sold out first.  They were the "cool" candy bar!

Instead of unwrapping a ton of regular-sized TWIX, there is a new favorite way to enjoy TWIX...unwrapped Bites!  And remember last week, when I shared this Social Twist coupon?  Right now, you can still receive $1.00 off when you buy two 2.83 oz. (or larger) bags OR $3.00 off when you buy two 6 oz. (or larger) bags.  Score!

As always, I hit Walmart with my trusty coupon in hand.  Remember to print it out before you get to the store!

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Sweet 16 - Delicious Desserts for World Baking Day!

Did you know that yesterday was World Baking Day?  Well, I found out late yesterday but any day is good for baking, right?  With all of my studying, I have not been coming up with new recipes, but I did not want to leave you hanging without my usual delicious Monday post!

Since I can't wait until next year to put my oven to work, I rounded up together 16 recipes that are sure to please your sweet tooth!

Sweet 16 - Delicious Desserts for World Baking Day!

1.  Healthy Banana Muffins

2.  M&M's Chocolate Crackle Cookies

3.  Mixed Berry Cobbler

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M&M's Chocolate Crackle Cookies & Enter to win $250!

Two weeks ago, I had a cookie exchange and needed to come up with two separate cookie recipes.  I already had the jam-filled thumbprint cookie in mind, which I shared a couple weeks ago.  To contrast, I decided that a rich, fudgy chocolate crackle cookie would be completely different and delicious!  I looove baking with chocolate because the entire kitchen smells delicious.  To up the "chocolate factor" even more, I added crushed M&M's to the mix.  Yum!  It is such a crowd pleaser and even though I made it for the holidays, this will be my go-to chocolate cookie year round!

Not only do I have this amazing recipe to share today, you have the chance to win $250 in the "Baking Is Better With M" Pinterest Sweepstakes!  It is super simple to enter, so stay tuned for your chance to win after the recipe.  Sweet!

Back to the recipe, I used Plain M&M's to zhuzh up the humble the crackle cookie, which I already love.  Still, it is usually a bit boring looking on a plate, and sometimes I want a bit more texture to the crackle top.  The Plain M&M's are a perfect addition because it adds a dash of color, a bit of crunch, and a tinge more sweetness.  Score!

M&M's Chocolate Crackle Cookies
A Vintage Zest original  (loosely inspired by Food Network Kitchens)

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Celebrating our 10th Anniversary with a Chocolate Wine Picnic!

The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or over.

To those of you that are new around here, I talk about my man from time to time.  Usually it is mostly in passing, like when I mention a favorite recipe, talk about our football "Pick Em" league, or talk about our vacations.  Well, as of yesterday we have been a couple for 10 years!  Today, we have some special plans, which my guy planned all by himself!  I'll embarrass him by sharing our plans below.  :)  Anyways, I wanted to contribute at least a one special moment on our anniversary, so I decided to pack a little picnic basket with a bottle of ChocolatRouge Wine and strawberries for dessert.  Sweets with my sweetie pie?  A winning combination every time!

For our plans today, we are going to drive up to our alma mater where we met when we were both just teenagers.  It took a couple of years for us to get together, but now we have been in a relationship for 10 whole years!  We'll go to the place where we first met, have dinner at one of our first date spots, and finish it off with our picnic.  So you might be wondering I chose chocolate wine to accompany our dessert strawberries!

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Halloween Celebration Trick & Treat: Deep Dish Snickers Cookie Tart with Pretzel Crust & Bloody Eyeball Punch!

I can't believe it is finally time for Halloween!  It is truly one of my favorite holidays, and not just because it is the start of the entire holiday season.  The costumes, the candy, and parties...  there's just to much fun to be had!  Since I am a huge fan of baking and coming up with new recipes, this year I made both a dessert and a spooky punch for a Halloween celebration that we will be having.  In keeping with the chocolate-centric theme of the holiday, I used Snickers bars in my cookie tart!  For my spooky beverage, I floated some creepy edible eyeballs in the bloody punch.  I'm so excited to share with my Halloween Trick and Treat with you!

First up, is my Snickers Deep Dish Cookie Tart with Pretzel Crust!

P.S. - This would be perfect to use up leftover Halloween candy (if you can manage to find any)!

This time, I think I really outdid myself!  The recipe is chock full of contrasting flavors and textures.  I mean, it's two of my favorite opposite desserts in one: a cookie AND a tart!  While the cookie and the chocolate bits are sweet, the pretzel crust and the peanuts are a salty surprise!  The crispy crust contrasts with the soft cookie, the melted chocolate, and the chewy caramel and nuts.  Speaking of melted chocolate, after the Snickers are baked, they stay ooey and gooey even after the dessert has cooled.  Super delicious!

The bloody punch is one that I created for the whole family to enjoy...  assuming you don't mind a few bloodshot eyeballs bobbing up and down in your drink!  They're actually super tasty, so remember to stay tuned for the recipe at the bottom of the post.  Eye'll be watching!

Snickers Deep Dish Cookie Tart with Pretzel Crust
A Vintage Zest original

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Triple Chocolate Stuffed Monkey Bread (with Milky Way Bites Centers!)

Oh. Em. Gee.  I'm not typically one for superlatives, but I have made the most delicious, gooey, chocolaty, creamy, and caramel-y monkey bread of my life.  It's so easy to prepare that you'll HAVE to make it immediately.  Honestly, I made it in practically no time, which is perfect for the tailgaiting parties that we're doing every Sunday (now that I'm into football).  And best of all, not only is the bread itself delish, there's a secret weapon inside...  Milky Way Bites!  And lucky you, I'm sharing the recipe AND a coupon for up to $2 off these bites that put the triple in my Triple Chocolate Stuffed Monkey Bread!

Really, it's the perfect dessert for game day because your guests can just pop off a piece and enjoy all of the deliciousness with just one hand.  If you don't want to include the sticky chocolate glaze (what's wrong with you?) because it might be too messy for your home (oh yeah...), then it is still ooey-gooey in the middle of each piece of monkey bread.

Really, don't hate me because there is the possibility that you might need to bake two: one for you, and one for your guests... and then let out your pants.  It's a good thing I sew!

Bon appetit!

Triple Chocolate Stuffed Monkey Bread (with Milky Way Bites Centers!)
A Vintage Zest original

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S'mores Mini Donuts

On Sunday, we had a BBQ and I said that we would bring something a little sweet.  Initially, I was thinking about making ice cream, but we had some last minute errands to run beforehand.

Ice cream + Hot car = No bueno

The time-consuming errands meant that I would most likely have to bring something storebought, which always makes me a little sad.  Homemade is so much better, but we just didn't have any time for baking beforehand.

Since I had to rethink our dessert, I checked my e-mail and found out that August 10th is National S'mores Day!  I wasn't sure if we would have access to a firepit, so traditional s'mores were out.  Off the top of my head, I grabbed a few items, ran home, and made a quick, easy, budget-friendly, and crowd-pleasing dessert.  I'm happy to share my S'mores Mini Donuts with you!

S'Mores Mini Donuts
From Diane of Vintage Zest

Ingredients
Chocolate covered mini donuts (2 packs or 30 donuts)
Mini marshmallows (1 package is more than enough)
Graham crackers (4 squares)


Supplies
Plastic sandwich bag
Heat-safe plate or cookie sheet
Kitchen torch

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