S'mores Bar Cookies

This is one of my favorite summer recipes. It is easy to make, and much less messy than regular s'mores.

Gluten-Free S'mores Bar Cookies

1/2 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. GF flour blend
3/4 c. GF graham cracker crumbs 
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (or to taste)
3 c. mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add flour, graham crackers, baking powder, and salt. Press half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on the bottom crust and top with marshmallows. Scatter bits of remaining graham cracker dough over marshmallows. Bake at 350 for 10-15 more minutes until lightly browned.
 

Gluten Free Carmelitas

While browsing Pinterest, I came across a recipe for Carmelitas that I had to try. So as soon as I had the opportunity, I modified the recipe to be gluten-free, and the results were as gooey and rich and wonderful as I had hoped! These are very addicting, so you may want to save the diet for another day.

GF Carmelitas

32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. GF All Purpose flour
1 c. GF rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the caramels and evaporated milk in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth. Do not leave unattended! Set caramel mixture aside.

In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the cookie crust. Pour the caramel mixture over the chocolate chips.

Add the top layer of cookie crust by either 1) crumbling the remaining mixture evenly over the top, or 2) rolling out the remaining mixture between two pieces of waxed/parchment paper, peeling off the top piece, inverting the waxed paper so that the rolled out mixture is laying on top of the caramel filling and carefullly pulling back the remaining waxed paper.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.  

Cool completely before cutting. This may take several hours because of the caramel, so if you are pressed for time you can stick it in the fridge for an hour or two to cool more quickly.

To make a 9x13-sized pan, simply double the recipe.

Gluten Free No-Bake Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

This was marbled blue for a baby boy

My family has loved this cheesecake recipe since I was a kid, so once I figured out how to make Gluten Free Graham Crackers, this was the very first thing I wanted to make (after I got done eating some graham crackers and frosting!). It is a really easy, really fast dessert to make and I hope you love it too!

GF Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/4 c. GF Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1/3 c. sugar

Melt butter. Add sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Press mixture into a pie plate to form the crust.


GF No-Bake Cheesecake

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese or neufchatel (also called 1/3 less fat) cheese*
 1/4 c. lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk*
1 tsp. vanilla

*do not use fat free cream cheese or the cheesecake will not set up. You can use fat free sweetened condensed milk, though.

Beat the cream cheese or neufchatel cheese until it is soft and smooth. Add lemon juice and beat until smooth again. Then add the vanilla and sweetened condensed milk and beat again. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for approx. 1 hour until set.