3 Best Sweet Treat Recipes to Make During Quarantine

We’ve been in our kitchen more in than ever since quarantine started! Between 3 meals a day, snacks, and creative baking time, our kitchen is running at an industrial pace these days.

By no surprise (I am Italian after-all), food is one of my favorite ways to spread joy and share as a gift with others. These days, we find any reason to cook and give away our creations. Whether it’s making food to give to family members, neighbors or friends who are essential workers, it feels good to treat the ones we love.

As always, the recipes below are free of any refined sugar and made with all real ingredients. I assure you this does not make them any less decadent and delicious - especially in the case of the brownies!

It was tough to narrow down, but I’ve cut my list to the best of the best recipes for quarantine. Below are tried and true favorites that we’ve made on repeat, and I promise will satisfy your sweet cravings during the days at home. I hope these inspire you to hit the kitchen with your little ones, and spread a bit of joy with the ones you love.

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Chai-Spiced Chia Pudding

Adapted from “So Fresh N So Green”

Ingredients

• 1 can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk

• 1⁄2 cup organic chia seeds

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1⁄2 tsp each: ground ginger, ground cloves & ground nutmeg

• 1 pinch (1⁄8 tsp) sea salt

Instructions

• Add coconut milk, maple syrup and spices to a refrigerator-friendly bowl and whisk until well-combined.

• Add in the chia seeds and continue to mix until an even consistency.

• Cover and place in the fridge to chill a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight.

• Optional additions to serve with pudding: coconut yogurt, organic berries and granola

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Flourless Fudgy Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Adapted from “So Fresh N So Green”

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic, creamy peanut butter

• 2 pasture-raised organic eggs

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips

• 1 cup pure maple syrup

• ½ cup cacao powder

• 4 dates, pitted, chopped and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (or use date paste)

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350

  1. In a large bowl, beat the maple syrup and dates with a blender or mixer until creamy

  2. Blend in peanut butter, then slowly add eggs and vanilla extract

  3. Add cacao, baking soda and ½ of the tsp of sea salt (save the other ½ to sprinkle on top). Mix until well incorporated

  4. Add in 1½ cups of the dark chocolate chips by hand (reserve ½ cup to sprinkle on top)

  5. Pour batter into 8×8 parchment lined pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (should still be a bit gooey in the center)

  6. When finished sprinkle with additional sea salt, then let cool before serving

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Banana Nut Muffins

Adapted from “Love Real Food”

Ingredients

• ½ roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

  1. ½ cup honey or maple syrup

  2. 2 eggs

  3. 1 cup mashed bananas

  4. ¼ milk of choice

  5. 1 teaspoon baking soda

  6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  7. ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

  8. ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top

  9. 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

• In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well, then stir in bananas and mix again.

• Add baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and mix.

• Slowly add in flower just until combined, then gently fold in the chopped nuts.

• Pour batter into lined muffin tins, it will make 12-15 muffins.

• Bake for approximately 20 minutes, and check with toothpick (it should come out clean)

• Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes then enjoy!

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