Vegan Orange Cranberry Muffins

These vegan orange cranberry muffins are a delicious combination of citrusy, sweet, and tart flavors. Bursting with flavor and color, they are perfect for the holidays or any other day when you want to add a little variety to your breakfast, snack, or …

These vegan orange cranberry muffins are a delicious combination of citrusy, sweet, and tart flavors. Bursting with flavor and color, they are perfect for the holidays or any other day when you want to add a little variety to your breakfast, snack, or dessert menu! The combination of citrusy flavors and fresh berries is like...

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Sparkling Hibiscus Orange Mocktail

Get ready for the drink that will be on repeat all summer: this hibiscus orange mocktail! Bright, zesty, fruity, and perfectly sweet, it tastes kind of like virgin sangria (summer dreams coming true!). 
PLUS, it’s naturally sweetened and made with…

Sparkling Hibiscus Orange Mocktail

Get ready for the drink that will be on repeat all summer: this hibiscus orange mocktail! Bright, zesty, fruity, and perfectly sweet, it tastes kind of like virgin sangria (summer dreams coming true!). 

PLUS, it’s naturally sweetened and made with just 6 simple ingredients. What are you waiting for? Let’s get these drinks going!

This sparkling mocktail begins with a base of mango (for body + natural sweetness), orange (for big citrus vibes), and lime (for brightness).

Sparkling Hibiscus Orange Mocktail from Minimalist Baker →

Ginger Orange Carrot Quick Bread

This post is sponsored by Nordic Ware, a valued partner of The Vanilla Bean Blog. We’re also hosting a giveaway together on my Instagram channel for many of the Nordic Ware pans used in my book: Nordic Ware ProCast Everyday Loaf Pan, the Natu…

carrot bread on wire cooling rack

This post is sponsored by Nordic Ware, a valued partner of The Vanilla Bean Blog. We’re also hosting a giveaway together on my Instagram channel for many of the Nordic Ware pans used in my book: Nordic Ware ProCast Everyday Loaf Pan, the Naturals Muffin Pan with lid, Popover Pan, Baking Sheet with cooling rack, plus a handful of other baking accessories! Also included is a signed copy of my new cookbook, 100 Morning Treats. Restrictions do apply. What I love about this recipe: This Ginger Orange Carrot Bread is a new recipe from 100 Morning Treats, my fourth cookbook that was just released. The flavors of ginger and orange are faint, but their subtleness makes this bread shine, pairing with naturally sweet fresh carrots. Orange zest and triple sec give it a lovely brightness, too. This loaf stays moist for days, and I actually prefer it on the second and third days; the flavor develops and it becomes more tender. Baking With Nordic Ware Pans Over the last decade of baking, I’ve come to rely on Nordic Ware for almost all my baking pans. Their pans are not only beautiful, but durable and well-made. For my 100 Cookies cookbook, I relied on their Naturals® baking […]

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Chocolate Orange Streusel Muffins

Chocolate and orange together in one mouthwatering muffin! Studded with dark chocolate chunks and piled high with a crunchy chocolate streusel topping, these muffins are, simply put, showstoppers. These orange-scented muffins are studded with dark chocolate chunks and topped with a sweet and salty cocoa streusel that bakes up delightfully crisp and crunchy, providing the […]

The post Chocolate Orange Streusel Muffins first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Chocolate and orange together in one mouthwatering muffin! Studded with dark chocolate chunks and piled high with a crunchy chocolate streusel topping, these muffins are, simply put, showstoppers.

These orange-scented muffins are studded with dark chocolate chunks and topped with a sweet and salty cocoa streusel that bakes up delightfully crisp and crunchy, providing the perfect textural contrast to the lusciously soft and moist interior.

Chocolate Orange Streusel Muffins in natural newsprint tulip wrappers, on a square marble trivet with mandarin oranges on the side.

Ever wonder about the evolution of a recipe?

In this case, I actually set out to make craquelin-topped muffins, where I placed a disc of craquelin on top of the unbaked muffin batter, hoping it’d rise and crackle like a cream puff.

My first test came out surprisingly well (I was shocked, actually), but subsequent batches were not quite so aesthetically pleasing. Ultimately I nixed the idea (brilliant as it may be) just because the results were so inconsistent.

But I loved the taste and texture of the crispy craquelin on top of the softer muffin base—the rich chocolate flavor and punch of salt was the perfect contrast to the tender orange muffin. I didn’t want to lose that, so I decided to replace the craquelin with a chocolate streusel topping instead to achieve the same textural contrast but hopefully with more consistent results.

I quickly realized that a chocolate streusel is nearly identical to the components of chocolate craquelin—flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, butter and salt—just with slightly more flour and crumbled instead of rolled into disks. So really, I didn’t have to sacrifice anything in the end!

Row of Chocolate Orange Muffins with chocolate streusel on top, on a gray background, baked in newsprint tulip wrappers.

I tested chocolate streusels with both melted and cold butter, and ultimately decided on the cold butter version as I found it to be crunchier and less prone to sinking than the melted version. It comes together somewhat like a pie dough, although you want to keep working it and rubbing the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it comes together into a dry dough; you won’t have visible chunks of butter like with pie dough.

The crunchy muffin tops are arguably the best part of any muffin, doubly so for this version with its crunchy, salty chocolate streusel topping. That said, you can skip the streusel if you really want to; instead, sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar and add few chunks of chocolate to finish them off.

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Pistachio Florentine Cookies

These thin and delicately crispy Florentine cookies are made with pistachios for a unique nutty flavor, and finished with a thin layer of white or dark chocolate (or a mix of both) and a sprinkle of dried rose petals (fancy!) Florentines, also called lace cookies, are ultra thin and crispy cookies with flavors of nutty […]

The post Pistachio Florentine Cookies first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

These thin and delicately crispy Florentine cookies are made with pistachios for a unique nutty flavor, and finished with a thin layer of white or dark chocolate (or a mix of both) and a sprinkle of dried rose petals (fancy!)

Florentines, also called lace cookies, are ultra thin and crispy cookies with flavors of nutty toffee and caramel and a hint of orange zest. This green-tinted pistachio version also features a drizzle of chocolate and pink rose petals for a gorgeous finish.

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Old Fashioned

This classic old fashioned recipe is easy to make with bourbon, bitters, orange peel and your choice of sweetener. Let’s hear it for the most classic of classic cocktails — the old fashioned. ♡ This simple whiskey cocktail will forever and always be a favorite. Made simply with your choice of whiskey, bitters, sweetener, and […]

This classic old fashioned recipe is easy to make with bourbon, bitters, orange peel and your choice of sweetener.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Let’s hear it for the most classic of classic cocktails — the old fashioned. ♡

This simple whiskey cocktail will forever and always be a favorite. Made simply with your choice of whiskey, bitters, sweetener, and an orange peel, this drink is easy to craft in just a few minutes. And it’s one of those satisfying, swanky cocktails that never goes out of style.

I’m partial to adding an orange twist, a chunky ice cube, and a Luxardo cherry to my old fashioned cocktails. But you’re welcome, of course, to garnish and serve yours however you please. I’ve included various options below for various types of whiskey and sweeteners that you can use. But I have to say that the classic bourbon and sugar cube combo will never let you down.

So grab a glass and let’s craft a delicious old fashioned together.

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Orange Tofu

This orange tofu recipe is another delicious vegan alternative to the popular Chinese take-out, orange chicken. Choosing tofu is the easiest and cheapest protein if you want to make a copycat at home. It is sticky, crispy, sweet, and zesty. You’l…

This orange tofu recipe is another delicious vegan alternative to the popular Chinese take-out, orange chicken. Choosing tofu is the easiest and cheapest protein if you want to make a copycat at home. It is sticky, crispy, sweet, and zesty. You’ll love it as much as I do. Check out my other recipes for the best...

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Gluten-Free Orange Almond Loaf Cake

Did you hear? Orange zest and almond extract planned a party with a gluten-free cake, and you’re all invited. Buckle up! We’ll drive. 
This perfectly sweet and moist cake is gluten-free PERFECTION and is sure to steal the show at your next brunch …

Gluten-Free Orange Almond Loaf Cake

Did you hear? Orange zest and almond extract planned a party with a gluten-free cake, and you’re all invited. Buckle up! We’ll drive. 

This perfectly sweet and moist cake is gluten-free PERFECTION and is sure to steal the show at your next brunch or gathering. Plus, just 10 ingredients and 1 bowl required. Let us show you how it’s done!

To start this lovely loaf, cane sugar combines with orange zest for BIG, zesty flavor.

Gluten-Free Orange Almond Loaf Cake from Minimalist Baker →

Orange Cauliflower (Copycat Panda Express)

This orange cauliflower recipe is a mouthwatering combination of citrusy, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy flavors. Crunchy fried cauliflower florets are tossed in a zesty sticky orange sauce to create one of the most delicious vegan copycat Panda…

This orange cauliflower recipe is a mouthwatering combination of citrusy, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy flavors. Crunchy fried cauliflower florets are tossed in a zesty sticky orange sauce to create one of the most delicious vegan copycat Panda Express recipes you’ll ever set your taste buds on! There are more copycat Panda Express dishes...

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Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Vegan)

Picture this: It’s Thanksgiving morning, the pies are prepped, the holiday guests are still sleeping, and you have just enough time to whip up a batch of fresh muffins and enjoy a warm cup of [insert your favorite morning beverage] before the cooking m…

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Vegan)

Picture this: It’s Thanksgiving morning, the pies are prepped, the holiday guests are still sleeping, and you have just enough time to whip up a batch of fresh muffins and enjoy a warm cup of [insert your favorite morning beverage] before the cooking marathon begins. Sounds dreamy, yeah?

These vegan, gluten-free cranberry orange muffins are IT, friends! They’re tender, zesty, and perfectly sweet with just the right balance of tart cranberries.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins (Vegan) from Minimalist Baker →