Do you have a favorite flavor of ice cream? Or, like me, do you stand dumbfounded in front of the ice cream counter or grocery store freezer doors peering at all of the different offerings, attempting to choose just one?

With the ever-expanding plethora of ice cream varietals, it can be tough to choose a favorite… but once you become comfortable with making your own at home, there’s no need to choose one because virtually any flavor is right at your fingertips.

Cookies & cream is a classic that appeals to kids and adults alike, and this particular recipe couldn’t be easier to make.

Just stir together coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, & crushed sandwich cookies and then dump the mixture into your ice cream maker.  No tempering of eggs or heating of milk!

The coconut flavor is very slightly discernible, but the vanilla and chocolate cookie flavors definitely dominate the ice cream. If you really dislike coconut, you can try adding in double the amount of vanilla, but I can’t personally attest to how that will turn out.

What I can tell you is that this (almost) vegan ice “cream” is beautifully creamy and packed full of bite-sized chocolate sandwich cookie pieces. Using full-fat canned coconut milk ensures that the final product is scoopable straight from the freezer, (unless you keep your freezer at the coldest setting), and that the consistency is similar to that of real ice cream.

It is also insanely delicious.

For nutritional information purposes, I listed the yield as 8 servings, but I’m pretty sure I polished this batch off in less than a week.

By myself.

Hey, I am pregnant after all! (<– I’ve been using that excuse for all sorts of things, from word retrieval problems to not cleaning out the cat litter box. Let’s just say that John is a trooper).

There are so many other flavor additions swirling around my ice-cream obsessed brain right now, but I’m certain that I’ll be making this one over and over again.

Seriously so good!

Vanilla Bean Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

by Lauren Zembron (inspired by 4 Ingredient Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream Ice Cream from Savory Sweet Life, as seen on Two Peas and Their Pod)

Keywords: dessert vegan coconut ice-cream

Ingredients (8 servings)

• 2 (14 oz) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup unrefined granulated sugar, such as evaporated cane juice
• 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 20 all-natural cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Back to Nature, roughly chopped/crushed

Instructions

Refrigerate the cans of coconut milk for 1 hour (no longer). Chilling the coconut milk will cause the coconut cream to rise to the top of the can and slightly solidify. Carefully scrape out the coconut cream and milk from both cans into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sugar and vanilla bean paste. Hand-whisk lightly to break up the solidified cream, and then whip with an electric mixer for about 10-20 seconds, or until smooth and thick. If you whip for much longer that this, you’ll start to make vegan whipped cream (not a bad thing, but not what we’re aiming for here!).

Pour mixture into your ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, gradually adding in the chopped/crushed cookies during the last 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a freezer-safe air-tight container and freeze until desired consistency is reached (at least a few hours).

Nutritional Information Per Serving

• Calories: 320
• Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 47g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 18g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 55mg
• Sodium: 310mg

Please note that the nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on specific ingredients and serving sizes.

The vast majority of food bloggers are currently posting fall-inspired recipes, many of which feature pumpkin puree. I know it must be torturous for those of you who still cannot track down cans of pumpkin puree where you live, so I thought I’d post a tutorial for how to make your own!

Start with “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins – they are smaller and sweeter than the big pumpkins used for carving into jack-o-lanterns.

Roast halved & seeded pumpkin in the oven at 350 degrees F until it becomes super soft.

Let cool.

Scrape all of the gorgeous brightly-hued flesh into the bowl of a food processor or blender…

… and puree until smooth.

Strain the puree to extract the excess water.

And there you have your own homemade pumpkin puree, which tastes infinitely better than the canned variety!

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients

• 1 “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin, washed and dried

• Water

• Baking sheet
• Sharp knife
• Spoon
• Blender or food processor
• Fine-mesh strainer (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Choose the Right Pumpkin

Start by selecting a medium-sized pumpkin, preferably a sugar pumpkin or a pie pumpkin. These varieties have a sweeter and smoother flesh, which is perfect for making pumpkin puree. Avoid using large carving pumpkins, as they tend to be stringy and less flavorful.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). This temperature will help to soften the pumpkin and make it easy to work with.

Step 3: Prepare the Pumpkin

Wash the pumpkin thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. Then, using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the top stem of the pumpkin. Next, cut the pumpkin in half vertically.

Step 4: Remove Seeds and Strings

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from the center of each pumpkin half. You can save the pumpkin seeds for roasting if you like.

Step 5: Bake the Pumpkin

Place the pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a greased baking sheet. This will help the pumpkin cook evenly and retain its moisture. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-60 minutes or until the flesh is tender.

Step 6: Scoop Out the Flesh

Once the pumpkin is fully cooked and can be easily pierced with a fork, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh from the pumpkin skin.

Step 7: Puree the Pumpkin

Transfer the pumpkin flesh to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the puree seems too thick, you can add a small amount of water to achieve your desired consistency.

Step 8: Store or Use

Your homemade pumpkin puree is now ready to use in your favorite recipes. If you have more than you need, you can store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for longer storage.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degress F.
2. Coat a roasting pan or jelly roll sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3. Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out and discard seeds and pulp.
4. Place pumpkin halves – cut sides down – into the pan or onto the sheet.
5. Bake for about 60-90 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
6. Let roasted pumpkin rest at room temperature until cool enough to handle.
7. Flip pumpkin halves over and scoop flesh out of the skin and into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.
8. Line a sieve or colander with two layers of heavy-duty paper towel or cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Spoon puree into lined sieve and let drain for about 30 minutes.
9. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 25 calories
• Total Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 1mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 6g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
• Sugars: 2.5g
• Protein: 1g
• Vitamin A: 280% DV (Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 8% DV
• Calcium: 2% DV
• Iron: 2% DV

Please note that the nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on the size and type of pumpkin used.

This is a basic estimation and can be adjusted based on the specific recipe or dish you use the pumpkin puree in. Enjoy your homemade pumpkin puree!

These photos are probably incentive enough for you to make this single-serving lava cake…

but I have just a few things to write about it.

However, I won’t hold it against you if you scroll straight down to the recipe so you can make it rightthissecond.

I probably would.

First off: peanut flour. High protein. Low carbohydrate. Full of peanuty flavor for about the same calories as an equal amount of flour.

Have you tried it? I’m not sure if it is even available anymore, as I haven’t seen it on Trader Joe’s shelves in a few months. Why would they get rid of such a fantastic ingredient?! Fingers crossed they bring it back.

Anyway, if you have reserves I highly recommend dipping into your stash to make this cake.

Secondly: even without eggs, oil, or butter, this cake manages to emerge from the oven perfectly moist and spongy on the outside with that gooey chocolatey center that makes lava cake so incredibly enticing.

Thirdly: not much rivals the first forkful of cake that reveals a cascade of pudding-like batter laced with melted peanut butter.

Clearly, this is not a dessert to share.

In case there was any doubt, this plate was licked clean. No guilt included!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Lava Cake For One

Printer-Friendly Recipe

inspired by Life and Running In Iowa

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup peanut flour
• 2 Tbsp evaporated cane juice, or other unrefined granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Equal Exchange Fair Trade Organic) – natural or alkalized
• 1/8 tsp baking powder if using alkalized (Dutch-processed) OR 1/8 tsp baking soda if using natural
• tiny pinch of salt
• 3 Tbsp milk of choice (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt OR unsweetened applesauce for a vegan version
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• warmed peanut butter, for drizzling

Instructions

Prepare Your Mug

Start by selecting a microwave-safe mug. Make sure it’s big enough to contain the cake as it rises during cooking but not too large to avoid overcooking. Grease the inside of the mug lightly with butter or cooking spray.

Combine Butter and Chocolate

I n a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips together. You can do this in 20-second increments, stirring after each until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Be careful not to overheat it.

Add Peanut Butter

Stir in the creamy peanut butter into the melted chocolate-butter mixture. This addition will give your lava cake that irresistible peanut buttery twist.

Mix Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. This will ensure your cake has the right texture and sweetness.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until you have a smooth batter.

Fill the Mug

Pour the batter into your prepared mug. It should fill it about halfway. This will allow room for the cake to rise as it cooks.

Microwave

Microwave the mug on high for about 45-60 seconds. The exact time may vary depending on your microwave’s wattage, so keep an eye on it. The cake is done when it’s set on the edges but still slightly gooey in the center.

Serve Warm

Carefully remove the mug from the microwave—it will be hot. Let it cool for a minute or two, and then dig in while it’s still warm. The center should be delightfully molten, and the combination of peanut butter and chocolate will be pure bliss.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 6 oz ramekin or small bowl.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until well-incorporated.
3. Spoon batter into prepared ramekin and smooth the top. Bake until the sides and top are firm and cooked through and the center is gooey and undercooked, about 11-12 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out covered in raw batter!).
4. Run a knife around the outside of the cake, and carefully invert onto a plate. Drizzle with peanut butter.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 32g
• Fat: 29g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 133mg
• Sodium: 112mg

Please note that these nutrition estimates are approximate and can vary based on the specific brands and quantities of ingredients used.

Microwave wattage can affect cooking time, so it’s essential to keep an eye on the cake as it cooks to avoid overcooking. Enjoy your delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate Lava Cake!