If you love caramel, this recipe is definitely for you. One of my favorite afterschool snacks as a kid was apples with caramel dip! This snack was always a super special treat, and I was shocked at how much this healthy vegan date caramel tastes just like it! I have always loved caramel, but it contains such a high refined sugar content, which is why I wanted to create a healthier vegan version! And while this recipe is healthified, you would never guess that this recipe contains no refined sugar! This date caramel pairs perfectly with my Banana Nice Cream, oatmeal, apples, pretzels, and anything else that you can think of!

How to make amazing Date Caramel

Dates are a wonderful fruit that is naturally sweet, rich in flavor, chewy texture, and decadent. They are also filled with nutrients, antioxidants, and tons of other health benefits! Dates grow on date palm trees in tropical regions of the world, and they are almost always sold dried.

While there are multiple different types of dates, this recipe calls for Medjool dates. Medjool dates are one of the larger and more flavorful types of dates that are perfect for eating and baking. Their natural sweetness and soft texture make these dates optimal for this date caramel recipe.

So how do you make date caramel? It is so simple! All you have to do is blend dates, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt together in your food processor until you have reached your desired caramel consistency (stopping and scraping the sides of the food processor as necessary). Feel free to adjust the dairy-free milk amount based on the consistency that you are looking for. If the dates that you are using feel hard, you might want to soak them in boiling water before using them in order to soften them up. This will make it a little easier on your food processor.

If you tried this recipe be sure to leave a comment below, leave a review on my Pinterest, or tag me on Instagram! Happy baking!

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The Best Vegan Date Caramel

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword caramel, dates

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 2 cups or about 18 pitted Medjool dates they should be very soft
• 1/4 cup dairy free milk I used almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Add more milk for a thinner caramel (note: if your dates are too hard to blend, soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes first).
• Enjoy with apples, pretzels, ice cream, or oatmeal and store in the fridge!

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Snickerdoodles have always been one of my favorite cookies that bring me right back to my childhood! My mother makes the best snickerdoodles, which inspired me to write a recipe that was vegan and healthy. If you love snickerdoodles, you will LOVE these lightened up vegan version of the classic cookies.

Snickerdoodle cookies should be soft, chewy, and should be rolled in cinnamon-sugar. And you will be happy to hear that this recipe hits the mark for all three of those things! Plus, these cookies are beyond easy to make! You just need a handful of simple ingredients and one bowl.

Recipe Notes

The base for these cookies was inspired by my recipe for Almond Flour Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. The main ingredients in this recipe are banana and almond flour.

Almond flour helps ensure that these cookies are soft and chewy, while the banana gives these cookies a natural source of sweetness. It is important to note that the banana you are using should be overripe to produce the sweetest cookie possible. I also advise adding an extra teaspoon or two of maple syrup for a little extra sweetness in these cookies, but it is optional!

This recipe calls for cream of tartar to

Of course, these perfect cookies are rolled in a simple cinnamon-sugar mixture before going into the oven. I used granulated white sugar, but you may use coconut sugar for this step if that is what you prefer.

Looking for more healthy cookie recipes? Be sure to check out some of my favorites: Healthy Banana Oat Cookies, The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies, Chickpea Peanut Butter Cookies, or my Zucchini Breakfast Cookies!

If you love this recipe be sure to leave a comment below or share it with me on Instagram or Pinterest! Happy baking!

The post Amazing Healthy Snickerdoodles (Vegan and Paleo) appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

Almond Flour Banana Cookie Recipe Breakdown

These secretly healthy cookies make the perfect snack, dessert, or breakfast treat! They are chewy and full of banana flavor and chocolate chips in every bite. Plus, they can be made in less than 20 minutes! All you will need for this recipe is a few simple ingredients. The base of this recipe is made from almond flour and overripe mashed banana.

It is important that you use almond flour in this recipe rather than almond meal. Almond meal will not produce the same texture if used in this recipe. Another important note is that you want to ensure the bananas you are using are overripe. You want them to be as ripe as possible in order to produce the sweetest cookie possible since that is where all of the sweetness in this recipe comes from.

If would like a slightly sweeter cookie, you may add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup to the dough.

This recipe is extremely simple and versatile. If you don’t want to add chocolate chips to these cookies, white chocolate and peanut butter chips will both also work well here!

One last note is that these cookies do not spread much in the oven so it is important to shape or flatten them into whatever thickness you desire.

Looking for more healthy cookie recipes? Check out these Healthy Banana Oat Cookies, The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies, Chickpea Peanut Butter Cookies, or my Zucchini Breakfast Cookies! If you try out any of these recipes be sure to leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram!

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Easy Almond Flour Banana Cookies

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 8 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup overripe mashed banana it is important that the banana is very overripe for optimal sweetness
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Optional

• 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup for extra flavor and sweetness optional but recommended

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl combine the first 3 dry ingredients and stir until combined.
• Add the banana, vanilla, and optional maple syrup and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto pepared baking sheet and flatten into desired thickness (they do not spread in the oven). Bake in preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops of the cookies no longer appear wet.
• Allow to cool on tray for 10 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

The post Easy Almond Flour Banana Cookies appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite cookie. They are so simple, yet so perfect. There is nothing better than a warm chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven. Although, there are many different types of chocolate chip cookies. One way to categorize cookies is by texture. Thin and crispy or thick and chewy. Personally, I love them both! But if you love thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies, then you will love this recipe. Warning: the following recipe is seriously addicting!

Why this recipe works

These Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfectly soft, chewy, and filled with chocolate in every bite.

Almond Flour and Oat Flour work together in this recipe to make extra chewy cookies. Almond flour has a high-fat content, which helps ensure these cookies have a thick and chewy texture. If you do not have almond flour, almond meal will also work in this recipe. Extra bonus: both of these flours are gluten-free!

Coconut oil and natural nut butter also help add to the thick and chewy texture of these decadent cookies. You can use any nut or seed butter that you would like. I have only used peanut butter and tahini, both worked wonderfully!

Maple syrup provides a natural source of sweetness in these healthier vegan cookies. If you like a sweeter cookie, try the batter and adjust the level of maple syrup to taste. Chocolate chips also help add to the sweetness of these cookies. I love using trader joe’s chocolate chips because they are cheap, made with vegan ingredients, and so delicious!

If you love cookies, be sure to check out some of my other favorite vegan cookie recipes here. Are you loving this recipe? Be sure to let me know by leaving a comment below! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for video recipe tutorials!

Happy Baking!

The post The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

My idea for this recipe was inspired by my recipe for these Healthy Banana Oat Cookies. I wanted to utilize a similar ingredient list and create moist, flavorful, and healthy muffins, and I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you.

These Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins make a wonderful morning or midday snack, and you would never guess that they are made with vegan and nutritious ingredients. Just look at these photos of how happy these muffins make my beautiful roommate! Who is my favorite taste tester, and also happens to have her own vegan blog (Hangin’ with Hales) that is a great resource for information about veganism, health, and loving yourself!

And I promise that when you try these amazing Healthy Muffins you will be just as excited as she is! Because how could you not be excited about a decadent muffin that is made with good-for-you ingredients!?

Key Ingredients

Let’s go over the key ingredients in this recipe.

Oat Flour is the base for these muffins. If you have never heard of oat flour before, it is a wonderful gluten-free flour alternative that is perfect for healthy baking. You can make your own oat flour by processing two cups of whole oats in your blender or food processor until you have reached flour consistency.

This recipe calls for three overripe Bananas. Bananas give these muffins their flavor, are a natural source of sweetness, and work as a vegan egg-replacement.

These muffins call for three to four tablespoons of Maple Syrup depending on desired sweetness. I usually only add three tablespoons because the natural sugar from the bananas also adds sweetness. Although, if you prefer a sweeter muffin I would add in four.

Natural Peanut Butter is another key ingredient in this recipe. It works as a healthy fat source to keep these muffins moist. It is important to note that the peanut butter in this recipe is natural. Natural peanut butter has a much different consistency than other brands of peanut butter that contain added sugar and oil. I like to use Natural Chunky Peanut Butter because I like the texture that it gives these muffins. You may substitute other kinds of natural nut or seed butter if you prefer, but it may alter the taste.

Of course, these muffins have the addition of Chocolate Chips! Banana and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Chocolate helps add the perfect amount of decadence to these wholesome muffins, but peanut butter chips would also work well here!

If you’re looking for more ways to use your overripe bananas? Check out these banana recipes Banana Blueberry Muffins, the Best Vegan Banana Bread, Healthy Banana Oat Cookies, Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Nice Cream, Chocolate Banana Milkshake, and these Blueberry Banana Baked Donuts.

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Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Ingredients

• 2 cups oat flour (made by processing whole oats in a blender until flour consistency is reached)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup depending on desired sweetness
• 1/4 cup almond milk or dairy-free milk
• 3 overripe mashed bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter smooth or chunky
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips plus more for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line/grease a muffin tray for 9 muffins.
• Combine the first four dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until evenly combined.
• Add the rest of the ingredients (aside from the chocolate chips) and stir until evenly combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared muffin tray, filling each muffin cup almost to the top. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tray and cooling on wire rack. Enjoy!

The post Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

This rich, fudgy, and chocolatey Vegan Banana Bread is secretly made with healthy and gluten-free ingredients.

This Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Plus, it is totally acceptable to eat for breakfast! After a lot of recipe testing, I am so excited to be sharing this Perfect Chocolate Banana Bread recipe!

If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I am obsessed with utilizing healthy ingredients in vegan baking to ensure that I can splurge on desserts completely guilt-free! This Chocolate Banana Bread recipe is no exception.

Why this recipe works

This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free thanks to a wholesome ingredient list. Let’s break it down, shall we?

Oat flour: One cup of oat flour is my favorite gluten-free flour alternative. It can easily be made by placing (gluten-free) oats in your blender blending until flour consistency is reached.

Almond flour: Since almond flour obtains a high-fat content, half of a cup of this ingredient helps create a rich and fudgy banana bread. Similarly to oat flour, if you do not have almond flour, you can blend almonds in your blender or food processor until you have reached flour consistency.

Cocoa Powder: Three tablespoons of cocoa powder adds the perfect amount of chocolate flavor.

Mashed banana: This recipe calls for two mashed bananas which equal a little more than half of a cup. Banana also helps add sweetness and a moist texture.

Maple syrup: Three tablespoons of maple syrup help add a natural source of sweetness.

Coconut Oil: Two tablespoons of coconut oil work alongside the almond flour to help give this banana bread a moist and fudgy texture.

Flax egg: This recipe calls for one flax egg to help give this banana bread structure. Flax eggs are a simple and easy vegan egg replacement to help create the perfect texture in baked goods. Although, if you do not have flax seeds on hand, you can still make wonderful banana bread without it. I have tested this recipe with and without flax egg many times, and it turns out delicious either way.

If you have never made a flax egg before, it’s simple! Just combine one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water and stir. Allow this mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until the consistency has thickened, and voilà! You now have a vegan egg replacement.

If you love banana bread, check out my recipe for The Best Vegan Banana Bread, Vegan Blueberry Banana Muffins, and Double Chocolate Banana Muffins.

Be sure to subscribe to my email list below to receive exclusive recipe updates! Happy Baking!

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Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread

Course Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 2.5 tablespoons water
• 1 ¼ cups oat flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 mashed bananas about ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ cup almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup of vegan chocolate chips plus more for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 5.75-inch x 3-inch bread pan with coconut oil (you may use a larger pan, but the bread will come out thinner).
• Make your flax egg: Combine the ground flax seeds with the 2.5 tablespoons of water, stir thoroughly, and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (oat flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Stir or whisk until evenly combined. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients along with your flax egg and stir until well combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Add batter to prepared pan and top with desired amount of chocolate chips.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes (less time if using a larger pan) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!

The post Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

I am always looking for an excuse to incorporate chocolate into my breakfast, and this chia seed pudding is the perfect opportunity. This recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and packed with chocolatey flavor, which makes this the perfect feel-good treat that pairs perfectly with fresh berries, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Recipe Notes

This chia seed pudding requires at least 3 to 4 hours to set in the fridge before serving. If you plan on making this chia seed pudding for breakfast, be sure to make this pudding the night before and place it in the fridge overnight.

The recipe calls for almond milk, but you can use your favorite dairy free milk.

Chia seed pudding is extremely versatile and adaptable so you can add any additional flavors or toppings that you like. This recipe pairs wonderfully with smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, granola, and fruit!

If you love this recipe, try this Vegan Chocolate Banana Milkshake that is totally acceptable to eat for breakfast!

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Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Course Breakfast, Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ cup almond milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup depending on desired sweetness

Optional

• small pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

• Combine chia seeds and cocoa powder in a bowl and stir until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until completely combined and no clumps remain (this may take a minute or two but just keep stirring).
• Place in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours or overnight. Enjoy with coconut milk yogurt, granola, oatmeal, and/or fresh fruit.

The post Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

This healthy and amazing Banana Bread recipe has become one of the most popular recipes that I have shared on my Instagram, and I am so excited to finally be publishing it here.

There’s nothing better than a warm slice of banana bread fresh out of the oven, and this recipe is made with 100% wholesome ingredients that you can feel good about. If you love banana bread I promise you will love this guilt-free recipe, and so will everyone else who tries it.

Why this recipe works

Vegan banana bread recipes often call for egg replacements like flax seeds or other substitutes that you may not have on hand, but this recipe sticks to the basics.

Banana happens to be one of my favorite egg replacements when making vegan desserts, which is why this recipe calls for three whole overripe bananas. Another benefit of incorporating banana into a recipe is that it acts as a natural sweetener. This is why this recipe only calls for 1/3 of a cup of maple syrup.

I decided to use coconut oil as the fat source in this banana bread because using coconut oil in cakes or breads will always ensure that they turn out moist and obtain a tender crumb.

A combination of oat flour and whole wheat flour ensure that this vegan banana bread is healthier than traditional banana bread recipes, and they give this bread an extra special flavor that I love!

Of course, I had to incorporate chocolate chips because…well who doesn’t love chocolate? Chocolate chips also help to give this banana bread another element of sweetness that is just perfect.

Pro tip:

Pro tip: if your bananas are ripe, but not overripe yet, pop them in the oven at 350 degrees until the peels turn completely black. Then remove them from the oven and allow time to cool before slicing off the peel with a knife – now you have perfectly soft and sweet bananas! Magical.

If you love banana, be sure to check out some of my favorite banana forward recipes: Blueberry Banana Muffins, Healthy Banana Oat Cookies, Blueberry Banana Baked Donuts, and my Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Nice Cream. This Banana Bread is easy to make, but even easier to eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Happy Baking!

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Vegan Banana Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup of oat flour made by blending 1 cup of oats in the blender until four consistency
• ¾ cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of cinnamon
• 1 1/3 cups of mashed banana about 3 overripe OR baked bananas
• 1/3 cup of coconut oil melted
• 1/3 cup of maple syrup plus 3-4 more tablespoons depending on desired sweetness
• ¼ cup of almond milk slightly warm so it does not solidify the coconut oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/3-1/2 cup of chocolate chips I like to add more to the top – vegan if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 and grease bread pan with coconut oil.
• Combine the first 6 dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
• Combine the mashed banana, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold in to combine.
• Add in desired amount of chocolate chips and fold in to combine.
• Pour batter into prepared bread pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched.
• Cool bread before removing from pan and slicing. Enjoy!

The post The Best Vegan Banana Bread appeared first on Splurge with Ella.

If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for healthier dessert alternatives. I am so excited to share this recipe with you because these Healthy Banana Oat Cookies have become my new favorite sweet tooth fix. I have been making these cookies FIVE times a week because they are just that good, and not to mention they make for a wonderful breakfast option because they are packed with wholesome ingredients. Cookies for breakfast? Count me in!

These Healthy Banana Oat Cookies are:

soft and chewy

gluten free and vegan

quick and easy (less than 20 minutes and no mixer required)

made with SIMPLE and CLEAN ingredients

perfectly balanced with banana, peanut butter, and chocolate chips

Recipe Breakdown

These cookies only call for 100% vegan and clean ingredients that you can feel good about “splurging” on, but they still taste and feel indulgent. Let’s talk about how a handful of magical ingredients work together to make this result possible.

The base of these cookies is made up of whole oats and oat flour (which is easily made by blending whole oats in a blender until flour consistency is reached). Oat flour is one of my favorite flour alternatives because it results in a chewy (gluten-free) texture.

The source of sweetness within these cookies comes from the banana and a few tablespoons of maple syrup. Feel free to substitute honey in for the maple syrup if that is your preferred sweetener. In this recipe, the banana doubles as a sweetener as well as a vegan egg replacement, giving these cookies their soft and addicting texture.

This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of peanut butter and three tablespoons of coconut oil. These two ingredients team up to create a healthy (and delicious) fat source. I love the flavor that peanut butter adds to these cookies when paired with the banana and chocolate, but you can substitute any nut or seed butter that you prefer.

Oh, and last but not least, the perfect amount of chocolate chips bring these cookies to the next level.

In less than 20 minutes you can have these amazing, easy, and completely guilt-free cookies at your fingertips! Be sure to check out some of my other favorite cookie recipes: Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies, Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies, and my Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Happy baking!

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Healthy Banana Oat Cookies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats gluten free if desired
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of oat flour made by blending whole oats in a blender or food processor until flour consistency is reached
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 overripe mashed banana
• 4-5 tablespoons maple syrup depending on desired sweetness
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips I like to use mini and vegan if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter can be substituted with preferred nut or seed butter, but the flavor of the cookies may change

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the first 5 dry ingredients in a medium bowl until combined.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
• Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten (these cookies do not spread a lot in the oven).
• Bake for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!

Notes

These cookies are so good after they have been frozen! I love putting a few in the freezer overnight and eating them the next day for breakfast.

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