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How to Make Quick and Easy Tomato Soup From Scratch

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken bone broth or stock
• ½ cup whole milk, half & half, or cream (Increase amount if you like yours extra creamy. I like mine subtly creamy.)
• salt and pepper, to taste (I add about 1 – 1½ tsp salt)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Once shimmering, add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper (if using). Cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
3. Add tomato sauce and broth/stock. Stir well to combine.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
5. Add the milk/cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Quick and Easy Tomato Soup From Scratch

Don't crack open that can of soup! This quick and easy tomato soup is simple, healthy, and only takes about 15 minutes to make.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Keyword: easy soup, soup, tomato, tomato soup

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 3 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken bone broth or stock
• ½ cup whole milk, half & half, or cream (Increase amount if you like yours extra creamy. I like mine subtly creamy.)
• salt and pepper, to taste (I add about 1 – 1½ tsp salt)

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Once shimmering, add garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper (if using). Cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
• Add tomato sauce and broth/stock. Stir well to combine.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
• Add the milk/cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Is excellent served alongside grilled sandwiches and fresh fruit.

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Who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip cookie? Let’s make it Autumnal! The addition of pumpkin in the cookies results in a soft, moist center and subtly fruity pumpkin flavor. The addition of Fall spices adds a little warmth alongside the smooth chocolate chips.

Questions About Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can I make these gluten free?

Yes! Although I have not tried it with this specific recipe, I have tried it with its sister recipe (plain chocolate chip) and it worked fine. I recommend using a measure-for-measure flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend (my favorite as I feel the texture is best out of any GF blend I’ve tried).

Can I make these dairy free?

Yes! Similarly to the gluten free question, I have not tried it with this specific recipe, but I have tried making its sister recipe (plain chocolate chip) dairy free and it worked great. I recommend using a dairy free butter substitute. My favorite – and the one with which I’ve had great results – is Earth Balance Buttery Spread (I usually try to get the soy free version). Use it in equal amounts as you would butter. They making baking sticks which are very convenient for this purpose.

Many chocolate chips contain dairy as well. My favorite dairy free chocolate chips are from Trader Joe’s (their regular semisweet chips do not contain dairy!) and the Nestle allergen free semisweet chocolate chips. A runner up would be Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chips but I don’t like the flavor quite as much as the other two.

How to Make Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups plus 2 TBSP all purpose flour (Be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup so it isn’t compacted!)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

6 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (I love Irish butter for these!)

6 TBSP pumpkin puree

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (Darker chocolate is also great – consider trying it with chopped chocolate for larger chunks!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325℉.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

Beat together the melted and cooled butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a handheld mixer or stand mixer until fully combined.

Add egg, yolk, and vanilla; beat to combine.

On low speed, beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture, adding a little at a time, until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Roll dough into balls about 2 TBSP each and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are just set, about 14-16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway if you are baking more than one sheet at a time.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool before serving. Cookies will be slightly delicate when hot but will firm up as they cool.

Note: This recipe was adapted from the Cook’s Country recipe, Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy on the outside and soft on the inside, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are just right for Fall…or anytime!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Resting Time10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: Autumn, chocolate chip, cinnamon, cookie, Fall, pumpkin, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, spice

Servings: 36 cookies

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 2 TBSP all purpose flour (Be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup so it isn't compacted!)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 6 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (I love Irish butter for these!)
• 6 TBSP pumpkin puree
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (Darker chocolate is also great – consider trying it with chopped chocolate for larger chunks!)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325℉.
• Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• Beat together the melted and cooled butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a handheld mixer or stand mixer until fully combined.
• Add egg, yolk, and vanilla; beat to combine.
• On low speed, beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture, adding a little at a time, until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
• Roll dough into balls about 2 TBSP each and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are just set, about 14-16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway if you are baking more than one sheet at a time.
• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool before serving. Cookies will be slightly delicate when hot but will firm up as they cool.

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My mind always jumps to warming dishes and hearty recipes like stews and soups as we enter these chilly months. It’s like a sweater in a bowl…only, less fuzzy.

I came up with this stew on a whim one afternoon while making dinner and have been making it ever since. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!

Questions & Notes

What kind of meat should I use for cozy beef stew?

While I call for “stew meat” in this recipe, bear in mind not all stew meat is of the same quality. I feel like my local grocery store carries very decent stew meat and when it is cooked for 1.5-2 hours it comes out very tender and tasty. I’ve had stew meat from other places that was like eating rubber no matter how long or gently it was cooked! Yuck! If you’re unsure that you can find decent quality stew meat and you don’t mind investing a little more, consider using beef chuck, short ribs, beef round, or something similar.

Do I have to use wine in this stew? What else can I use?

No, but it adds a nice flavor! If you’re worried about the alcohol, remember that the alcohol should mostly evaporate during the cooking process. Studies show that after 2.5 hours of cooking only about 5% of alcohol remains. The longer the cooking time and the higher the heat the more quickly alcohol will evaporate from a dish. Whether or not it ever completely evaporates is a debated topic. To help speed the process of evaporation I call for bringing the wine to a rapid simmer and stirring frequently for several minutes. Both these actions speed up the process.

If you want to ensure you are evaporating as much of the alcohol as possible, let the stew boil for a few minutes on the stovetop, stirring frequently, before covering it and transferring it to the oven. You can also opt to leave your stew in the oven for a bit longer – closer to 3 hours total. Just be sure to wait to add the peas until close to the end so they don’t get mushy. Adding frozen peas will also temporarily lower the temperature of the stew, so bear that in mind.

If you have a medical condition, religious conviction, or other reason for skipping the alcohol, go ahead and skip it – just be sure to make up for the missing liquid with extra beef bone broth which is the best substitute for wine.

What is the difference between beef bone broth and beef stock? Can I use either?

While both are made with similar ingredients, bone broth is usually cooked for a significantly longer period of time which gives it a deeper flavor and releases more of the nutritious components found in the bones. If you don’t have bone broth, you can certainly use beef stock, but the bone broth will give you a richer flavor.

I don’t have fresh rosemary – can I use dried?

Sure, you can use dried, but definitely use fresh if you can. The flavor of fresh rosemary is a little milder and much fresher (of course) than dried. I also feel like it stays softer than all those little hard bits of dried rosemary. Some of the leaves will fall off the rosemary stems while cooking which is totally fine. Be sure to remove the woody stems before serving. If substituting dried (which is more potent), use only about two teaspoons.

What should I serve with cozy beef stew?

I’m glad you asked! Even though the stew is great by itself, a loaf of fresh bread is always a welcome addition! I recently shared a recipe on Instagram for the easiest non-sourdough artisan loaf shaped like a pumpkin. (While it’s fun to shape it like a pumpkin you certainly don’t have to.) Here’s how you can make this delicious bread to go with your stew (I recommend making the bread ahead of time so your Dutch oven will be free for the stew):

Easy Non-Sourdough Artisan Bread

Combine 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp active dry yeast, and 1.5 cups warm water in a bowl.
Cover loosely and set aside to rise for 2 hours.
Place your Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 425F.
Dump out your risen dough onto a floured surface and kneed a few times, adding flour as needed, shaping into a ball. No scoring is necessary.
Place on parchment paper and [carefully!] place it into the Dutch oven. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until nicely browned.
Cool and serve! That’s it!

To shape into a pumpkin:
To shape it into a pumpkin, lay out 4 lengths of cotton kitchen twine in a starburst shaped pattern on your parchment paper. Place the dough ball on top and loosely tie opposing strings; trim off excess. Bake as directed. Cut off strings after baking. Place a cinnamon stick in the center for the stem.

How to Make the Best Cozy Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1½ pound stew meat (or other “Chuck” cut of beef) cut into bite-sized pieces (Be sure to read the note on the blog about stew meat!)
• 3-4 TBSP oil for searing, divided (I prefer avocado oil or olive oil.)
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 TBSP all purpose flour (I prefer using einkorn flour)
• ½ cup red wine (If omitting, substitute with extra bone broth. Please reference footnote.)
• ½ pound baby carrots, or large carrots chopped
• 1-2 cups beef bone broth
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered to bite size (Golden or multi-colored potatoes are best.)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried may be substituted)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. In a heavy bottomed oven-safe Dutch oven, heat 2-3 TBSP oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper, then sear in the hot oil on all sides until well browned. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
3. To the now empty pot add the remaining oil. Cook the onions and garlic until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes.
4. Once the onions and garlic are softened, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and flour. Stir vigorously and cook for about a minute, being sure it doesn’t burn.
5. Immediately add the wine to the pot, scraping the bottom to get up any stuck bits. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
6. Add the carrots, bone broth, vegetable stock, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and the cooked stew meat (along with any accumulated juices from the bowl) into the pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil. The liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables. If it doesn’t, add more bone broth or vegetable stock.
7. Once boiling, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours.
8. Add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Return to the oven, covered. Continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender and the peas are heated through, about 30 minutes more.
9. Remove any woody rosemary stems. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this cozy beef stew as much as my family and I do!

Blessings,
Melissa

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The Best Cozy Beef Stew

What could be better than a cozy beef stew on a chilly day? Enjoy this warming recipe with your favorite crusty bread for a comforting meal!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: beef and potatoes, beef and vegetable, beef stew, cozy stew, Fall stew, stew, Winter stew

Servings: 6 people

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 1½ pound stew meat (or other "Chuck" cut of beef) cut into bite-sized pieces (Be sure to read the note on the blog about stew meat!)
• 3-4 TBSP oil for searing, divided (I prefer avocado oil or olive oil.)
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 2 TBSP all purpose flour (I prefer using einkorn flour)
• ½ cup red wine (If omitting, substitute with extra bone broth. Please reference footnote.)
• ½ pound baby carrots, or large carrots chopped
• 2 cups beef bone broth
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved or quartered to bite size (Golden or multi-colored potatoes are best.)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried may be substituted)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• In a heavy bottomed oven-safe Dutch oven, heat 2-3 TBSP oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper, then sear in the hot oil on all sides until well browned. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
• To the now empty pot add the remaining oil. Cook the onions and garlic until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes.
• Once the onions and garlic are softened, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and flour. Stir vigorously and cook for about a minute, being sure it doesn't burn.
• Immediately add the wine to the pot, scraping the bottom to get up any stuck bits. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
• Add the carrots, bone broth, vegetable stock, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and the cooked stew meat (along with any accumulated juices from the bowl) into the pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil. The liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables. If it doesn't, add more bone broth or vegetable stock.
• Once boiling, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours.
• Add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Return to the oven, covered. Continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender and the peas are heated through, about 30 minutes more.
• Remove any woody rosemary stems. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

Notes

Even with high heat and long cooking times, it is always a possibility that a scant amount of alcohol will remain in the stew. If you cannot consume alcohol or wish not to, simply omit the wine and substitute more beef bone broth in an equal amount.

I suppose tomatoes are technically a fruit, but it just seemed weird to say we’re putting fruit in this pasta sauce, ya know?

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What Vegetables to Use In Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce From Scratch?

This recipe was born out of the vegetables we happened to have in our garden at the time. It’s very flexible – you can omit ones you don’t like and try adding different ones that you do. I’ve never tried zucchini in this recipe, but I’m anxious to give it a go! My favorite vegetables to use in this pasta sauce recipe are tomatoes (fruit, technically…), onions, bell pepper, and carrots. Careful not to go overboard on the bell pepper though as it can start to overwhelm the flavors in the sauce. I find one large bell pepper is plenty.

What Herbs to Use In Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce From Scratch?

When it comes to herbs in pasta sauce I’ll bet there are a lot of variations. I like to stick to my basic favorites – basil, parsley, oregano, and garlic. I’ve seen a number of pasta sauce recipes that call for fennel, but I am 100% not a fennel fan. I don’t like the taste or the smell of it. If you’d like to add other flavors, you could consider fennel, marjoram, or even sage (again, not a fan of sage here – it makes me feel unwell). I’d encourage you to try the basic herbs I suggest first, though, as I find them to be very satisfying by themselves!

Do I Need an Immersion Blender For This Pasta Sauce Recipe?

In short, no. A regular stationary blender will do just fine but it will increase the work and dishes a bit. Also be sure to take extra caution when transferring hot vegetables. Hot steam will build up inside the blender as you use it, so take extra care when opening it back up as well!

An immersion blender has really been a game changer for me. If you’re in the market for one, I highly recommend the one my mom and dad gave me as a Christmas gift. It also comes with a mini food processor attachment which has been AMAZING as well for small batches of things like pesto, breadcrumbs, etc!

What Should I Serve With Fresh Pasta Sauce From Scratch?

Well I’m glad you asked! Haha… You can use your favorite pasta noodles or you can make your own! Learn how to make fresh einkorn pasta in my YouTube video here.

If you’d like to add some meat to your sauce, I recommend cooking up some ground Italian sausage or ground beef on the side and mixing it into your sauce after it’s complete. Sometimes we do this and sometimes we enjoy it meatless.

For sides it’s just kind of become our thing to have green beans with spaghetti! Just drizzle the green beans with some olive oil, season with salt, and roast them on a parchment lined baking sheet at 425F for about 20 minutes or until tender. Super simple but super yummy and healthy!

A side of garlic bread is always a treat too. I slice up some homemade bread made with our bread machine, spread on some butter (or dairy free alternative), sprinkle on a little garlic powder and salt, and top with shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 425F for about 5 minutes just until the cheese gets a little toasty and browned. Yum!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do! I’d love to hear if you try it – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

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Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce From Scratch

What could be better than a delicious pasta sauce packed full of nutritious vegetables? Perfect for your favorite noodles, lasagna, garlic bread, and more!

Course Main Course

Keyword garden fresh, healthy, lasagna sauce, nutritious, pasta, red sauce, sauce, spaghetti sauce, vegetables

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• Baking Sheet + Parchment Paper
• Blender (Preferably Immersion Blender)
• Large Saucepan or Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• 4-5 Large Ripe Tomatoes, cored and chopped (In the event you don't have enough tomatoes, you may supplement with plain tomato sauce – add it during the saucepan step.)
• 5 Garlic Cloves, peeled (increase or decrease amount as desired)
• 3 Large Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Bell Pepper, seeds and stem removed, chopped
• 2-3 Small White or Yellow Onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 Bunch Fresh Basil Leaves, large stems removed (may use dried if needed; adjust amount as desired)
• 1 Bunch Fresh Parsley, large stems removed (may use dried if needed; adjust amount as desired)
• 1 Small bunch Fresh Oregano, stems removed (may use dried if needed; adjust amount as desired)
• Oil, preferably olive oil or avocado oil (for roasting)
• ½-1 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock (I prefer chicken stock)
• Salt, to taste
• 1 TBSP Granulated Sugar (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400℉
• Prepare the vegetables and herbs as indicated in the recipe list.
• Place the prepared tomatoes, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, onions, basil, parsley, and oregano on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer (use a second baking sheet if first is too full).
• Roast in oven until all vegetables are fork tender, about 40 minutes (begin checking at the 30 minute mark). Roasting may take longer if veggies are cut in larger pieces, the baking sheet is packed full, or vegetables are especially firm.
• Once vegetables are tender, transfer the herbs and vegetables to a large saucepan or dutch oven. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the hot veggies until the desired smoothness or chunkiness is reached. (If you don't have an immersion blender, let veggies cool slightly and carefully transfer them to a standing blender. Use caution as the contents will be hot! After blending, transfer to the large saucepan.)
• To the blended mixture, stir in the chicken stock until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and optional sugar to taste.
• Simmer on low, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can let this simmer on low, covered, for up to an hour to let the flavors meld while you prefer your pasta and side dishes. Serve over your favorite noodles, as a lasagna sauce, or for dipping garlic bread or breadsticks. Enjoy!
• Store unused sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. May be frozen in a freezer-proof, airtight container for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan.

Notes

The vegetables and herbs mentioned in this recipe are my favorites to use, but you can certainly experiment with your own blend of veggies! Omit any that you don’t like, bulk up on the ones you do, or throw in some different ones! I’ve never tried it, but I am anxious to try zucchini in this recipe!

If you would like to add meat to your sauce, I recommend cooking up ground Italian sausage or ground beef on the side and mixing it into your sauce as a last step (after the sauce is already complete). Sometimes we do this and sometimes we enjoy it meatless.

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

What is Challah?

Challah is a loaf of (typically) braided bread of Jewish origin made from simple ingredients. From what I understand, it is enjoyed on the Sabbath and festival occasions and holds a lot of symbolism. I’m not well versed enough on the subject to expound upon it here. In case you are wondering, I am not Jewish – I just really love and appreciate Challah!

Why Einkorn Challah?

The reason I chose to develop a recipe for Einkorn Challah Bread was out of necessity: I have a sensitivity to modern wheat and cannot tolerate dairy well. I also wanted a recipe that used a healthy oil and sweetener as opposed to canola oil and refined sugar. I’m hoping this recipe will serve you well if you have similar wishes and needs!

About Einkorn Flour

You can buy milled einkorn flour or whole berries that you mill yourself. I purchase my milled all-purpose einkorn flour, by Jovial Foods, from several places: Thrive Market, Amazon, and my local grocery store (I’m so pleased they carry it!). Please note this recipe is for the all-purpose einkorn, not the whole wheat.

You may be wondering why I chose einkorn for this recipe – what is einkorn, even? Einkorn is considered to be the “original wheat.” Modern wheat and flour we use today has been greatly altered and bred over the centuries and is a different product than wheat used to be. Einkorn is generally considered more nutritious, lower in gluten, and it’s incredibly delicious too! That being said, you can’t always just substitute it one-for-one in place of modern all-purpose flour as it handles a little differently.

Measuring Ingredients for Einkorn Challah

I’ve included both imperial (e.g. teaspoon) measurements as well as metric (e.g. grams) measurements for your convenience. I fully recommend weighing your ingredients on a food scale such as the one I have, as it will give you the most consistent outcome.

How to Make Einkorn Challah Bread

Ingredients

530 grams all-purpose einkorn flour (4 cups)
13 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
14 grams active dry yeast (1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
200 mL warm water, plus extra for brushing (¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons)
55 grams coconut oil, melted, plus extra for prepping bowl (¼ cup)
75 grams honey (3 Tablespoons)
2 large eggs + 1 yolk (save the white for brushing the bread!)
poppy seeds, optional

How to Make Einkorn Challah

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the einkorn flour, salt, and yeast.
2. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the warm (not hot!) water, melted coconut oil, honey, eggs, and yolk. Be sure to set aside the extra egg white in a bowl in the refrigerator for later.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. With dough hook attached, knead on low speed for several minutes until a wet and sticky dough forms. You will want to pause once or twice to scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Be sure to check under the dough for unincorporated flour.
4. Once the ingredients are fully combined, let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. This gives the einkorn a chance to absorb more of the liquid.
5. While the dough is resting, grease a medium-large bowl with coconut oil. This will be the bowl for your dough’s first rise.
6. Once the dough has rested, lightly flour a clean surface with einkorn flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface using a spatula to scrape it out of the bowl. Don’t worry that it’s so sticky – it will be okay!
7. Lightly flour the top of the dough as well. Gently form the dough into a round and place it in the greased bowl. Flip it over once so that both the top and bottom of the dough are now greased. Cover with a cotton tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm (not hot!) location. Let rest 1.5-2 hours. It should double in size.
8. Once the dough is finished resting, turn it back out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper (dough scraper), divide the dough into 3 even portions.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently pull each section of dough into a long strip (no longer than the baking sheet) and place on the parchment lined baking sheet parallel to one another.
10. Braid the 3 sections. I find it helpful to start in the middle and work my way toward the ends. When finished braiding, tuck the ends under.
11. Cover with a cotton tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour in a warm location.
12. When 1 hour is nearly finished preheat oven to 350 °F.
13. Take the saved egg white out of the refrigerator and whisk it together with 1 Tablespoon of water. Gently brush the mixture all over the top of the dough using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the dough with poppy seeds, if desired.
14. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until bread is golden. Internal temperature should be about 180 °F
15. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Einkorn Challah Bread (Egg Bread)

A fresh take on a classic Jewish egg bread using delicious and healthy einkorn flour! Enjoy it fresh out of the oven, toasted with jam, as a sandwich, or as French toast!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Rising Time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Keyword: bread, challah, dairy free, egg, einkorn, jewish

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with Dough Hook (Can mix by hand, but it will increase prep time.)

Ingredients

• 530 grams all-purpose einkorn flour (4 cups)
• 13 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
• 14 grams active dry yeast (1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
• 200 mL warm water, plus extra for brushing (¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons)
• 55 grams coconut oil, melted, plus extra for prepping bowl (¼ cup)
• 75 grams honey (3 Tablespoons)
• 2 large eggs + 1 yolk (save the white for brushing the bread!)
• poppy seeds, optional

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the einkorn flour, salt, and yeast.
• In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the warm (not hot!) water, melted coconut oil, honey, eggs, and yolk. Be sure to set aside the extra egg white in a bowl in the refrigerator for later.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. With dough hook attached, knead on low speed for several minutes until a wet and sticky dough forms. You will want to pause once or twice to scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Be sure to check under the dough for unincorporated flour.
• Once the ingredients are fully combined, let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. This gives the einkorn a chance to absorb more of the liquid.
• While the dough is resting, grease a medium-large bowl with coconut oil. This will be the bowl for your dough's first rise.
• Once the dough has rested, lightly flour a clean surface with einkorn flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface using a spatula to scrape it out of the bowl. Don't worry that it's so sticky – it will be okay!
• Lightly flour the top of the dough as well. Gently form the dough into a round and place it in the greased bowl. Flip it over once so that both the top and bottom of the dough are now greased. Cover with a cotton tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm (not hot!) location. Let rest 1.5-2 hours. It should double in size.
• Once the dough is finished resting, turn it back out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper (dough scraper), divide the dough into 3 even portions.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently pull each section of dough into a long strip (no longer than the baking sheet) and place on the parchment lined baking sheet parallel to one another.
• Braid the 3 sections. I find it helpful to start in the middle and work my way toward the ends. When finished braiding, tuck the ends under.
• Cover with a cotton tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour in a warm location.
• When 1 hour is nearly finished preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Take the saved egg white out of the refrigerator and whisk it together with 1 Tablespoon of water. Gently brush the mixture all over the top of the dough using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the dough with poppy seeds, if desired.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until bread is golden. Internal temperature should be about 180 °F
• Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

This challah is excellent in so many forms! Eat it with honey, butter and jam, toast it, use it for a sandwich (turkey and avocado is fantastic with it), and when it starts to get a little stale it makes wonderful French toast!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Try these other einkorn recipes!

• 
  Einkorn Challah Bread Recipe (Egg Bread – Dairy Free)
• 
  Banana Chocolate Chip Einkorn Muffins (Naturally Dairy Free!)
• 
  Almond Einkorn Cake With Vanilla Almond Buttercream Frosting

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Notes About Banana Chocolate Chip Einkorn Muffins

About All-Purpose Einkorn Flour

You can buy milled einkorn flour or whole berries that you mill yourself. I purchase my milled all-purpose einkorn flour, by Jovial Foods, from several places: Thrive Market, Amazon, and my local grocery store (I’m so pleased they carry it!). Please note this recipe is for the all-purpose einkorn, not the whole wheat.

You may be wondering why I chose einkorn for this recipe – what is einkorn, even? Einkorn is considered to be the “original wheat.” Modern wheat and flour we use today has been greatly altered and bred over the centuries and is a different product than wheat used to be. Einkorn is generally considered more nutritious, lower in gluten, and it’s incredibly delicious too! That being said, you usually can’t just substitute it one-for-one in place of modern all-purpose flour as it handles a little differently.

Measuring Ingredients

I’ve included both imperial (cup/teaspoon) measurements as well as metric (grams) measurements for your convenience. I fully recommend weighing your ingredients on a food scale such as the one I have, as it will give you the most consistent outcome.

Mixing the Batter

While this recipe is pretty straightforward with combining dry ingredients, then wet, then mixing it all together, it’s important that you don’t over-mix your batter. Over-mixing muffin batter leads to tough, unpleasant muffins. This may be a little less important with einkorn as it’s lower in gluten than modern flour, but nonetheless don’t over-mix! I’m the type of person that wants to be thorough, so it’s really tempting for me to want to get every last bit of flour mixed in. Don’t! A little unmixed flour is actually just fine in muffins.

Changing the Oven Temperature

You’ll notice that this recipe starts the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and immediately drops it to 375F when the muffins go in. That initial higher temperature helps the muffins get a nice golden, domed top. The temperature is then lowered slightly so the muffins can bake normally without over-browning.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I have! Please let me know if you give them a try!

Blessings,
Melissa

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Banana Chocolate Chip Einkorn Muffins

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time19 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: banana, chocolate chip, coconut milk, dairy free, einkorn, muffin

Servings: 24 Muffins

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• 2 Standard Size Muffin Tins

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose einkorn flour 480g
• ½ tsp salt 5g
• 4 tsp baking powder 18g
• ½ cup light brown sugar 113g
• ½ cup granulated sugar 104g
• 1 can coconut milk, full fat, unsweetened 13.66oz; 403ml (387g)
• 1 cup mashed bananas, very ripe 265g, about 3 medium bananas
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract 13g
• 2 large eggs ~120g
• 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, or to taste ~255g

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 °F
• Prep muffin tins by lining with paper liners OR by greasing.
• In a large bowl, whisk together einkorn flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together coconut milk, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently fold the batter together a few times, leaving much of the flour unmixed.
• Add in the chocolate chips and gently fold together the batter until just a few little spots of flour remain. Do not over-mix.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each well about 3/4 of the way full.
• Place tins in oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375 °F.
• Bake until muffins are lightly golden and spring back to the touch, about 17-19 minutes.
• Immediately remove muffins to cooling racks and allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

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Ingredients for Almond Einkorn Cake

All-Purpose Einkorn Flour

You can buy milled einkorn flour or whole berries that you mill yourself. I purchase my milled all-purpose einkorn flour, by Jovial Foods, from several places: Thrive Market, Amazon, and my local grocery store (I’m so pleased they carry it!). Please note this recipe is for the all-purpose einkorn, not the whole wheat.

Baking Powder & Salt

I always add a little salt to my sweet baked goods as it helps to bring out the flavor. I like to use Redmond Real Salt in all my cooking and baking. Baking powder helps the cake rise.

Butter & Sugar

Creaming the butter and sugar together with a mixer is such an important part of forming the texture of the cake and keeping it light. I love real butter – it just can’t be beat (see what I did there…)! Definitely use unsalted. If you can, I recommend using a grass-fed butter like Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter. If you’d like to substitute a dairy-free butter, as I frequently have to do, I highly recommend using Earth Balance Baking Sticks (I prefer the soy-free version). They perform quite well in baked goods.

Whole Milk

I call for whole milk I this recipe, but if you want to use a lower fat milk or a non-dairy milk you are welcome to do so. Just be aware it may slightly alter the texture or baking time.

Eggs

Did you know that you should weigh your eggs in the shells when measuring ingredients? That is if you’re going by weight of course. Three large eggs, as called for in this recipe, are roughly 184g in-shell.

Vanilla and Almond Extracts

Definitely use pure extracts if you can – it makes a huge difference in the taste of your cake! If you can’t have almonds, just use 2 tsp of vanilla instead.

Ingredients for the Buttercream Frosting

The vanilla almond buttercream frosting is a powdered (confectioner’s) sugar based frosting. Again, if you can’t have real butter I have found the Earth Balance Buttery Spread works well for this, or alternatively you can substitute palm oil shortening for the butter and a dairy-free milk to achieve a non-dairy frosting.

How to Make Almond Einkorn Cake

Prep your pans

To achieve a tall layer cake I used two 6-inch round cake pans. Each 6-inch cake will be split in half horizontally resulting in 4 layers of cake.

Lining your cake pans with circles of parchment paper is key in ensuring your cakes release cleanly from the pans. Butter or grease your pans first, line with parchment circles, then grease the parchment.

Creaming the Butter and Sugar

Did you know that the process of creaming the butter and sugar is actually important in determining how light your cake is? When you cream the two together, the sugar beats air into the butter. This creates air bubbles that capture the gases released by the baking powder, keeping the cake light with a finer crumb.

Alternating the Dry Mixture and Milk

When adding the dry mixture and milk to the mixer you should alternate dry and wet small amounts at a time, ending with dry. This process keeps the batter light and fluffy by coating the flour and preventing over-mixing and over-development of gluten.

Making the Frosting

You may not need all the milk for your frosting, depending on how thick or thin you would like it. If you want it even thinner than half a cup gets you, feel free to add a little more. If you can’t have almonds, you can simply leave it out and double the vanilla extract for a vanilla buttercream recipe.

Decorating the Almond Einkorn Cake

The Almonds

I purchased my sliced almonds already toasted just to save myself some time. You can easily toast your own – just toss them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350F for several minutes until lightly golden. (Stir as needed.)

I love the look of the almonds at the bottom of this cake, plus they also taste great and add a nice texture! Too many almonds on the sides, I thought, would hide the layers of the cake I want to show, but you’re welcome to use more almonds and completely cover the sides of the cake. That would be really tasty too!

The Fruit

Since I’m decorating this for Valentine’s Day at the time of writing this recipe, I decided to decorate the top with strawberry hearts. To make a strawberry heart, simply do the following:

• Cut the top (greenery) off the strawberry.
• Slice the strawberry in half vertically.
• Cut a ‘V’ notch out of the top center of each slice.
• Remove the pointy corners at the outside edges of the heart.
• Save the strawberry scraps in a bag in the fridge or freezer for smoothies, ice cream toppings, a snack…anything!

The very center strawberries have been half dipped in chocolate. I melted some semi-sweet chocolate chips and a partial bar of dark chocolate in a double boiler, then dipped half of each strawberry in it. Let them cool/dry on waxed paper, then pop them on your cake!

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Almond Einkorn Cake With Vanilla Almond Buttercream Frosting

Course: Dessert

Keyword: almond, buttercream, cake, einkorn, vanilla

Servings: 12 people

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• 2 6-inch cake pans
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

Almond Einkorn Cake

• 3¼ cups all-purpose einkorn flour (368g)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 13 TBSP unsalted butter, softened (185g)
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar (362g)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature (~184g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature (185g)

Vanilla Almond Buttercream

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (226g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pure almond extract
• 6 cups powdered sugar (~720g)
• ¼-½ cup whole milk (60-120g)

Decorations

• 1-1½ cups toasted sliced almonds optional
• fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) optional

Instructions

Almond Einkorn Cake

• Set oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Grease the the cake pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms of the pans with parchment rounds and grease again.
• In a large bowl, whisk together einkorn, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer (stand or handheld), cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
• With mixer running on low, beat in one egg at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next egg.
• Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
• With mixer still on low, beat in ⅓ of the dry mixture followed by ½ of the milk. Continue alternating until all the dry ingredients and milk are just incorporated. Don't over-mix.
• Divide batter between pans (use a food scale to get the even). Bake until cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 40-45 minutes.
• Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pans to ensure the cake comes out cleanly. Place cakes on wire racks and cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

• With an electric mixer (stand or handheld), beat butter until smooth.
• Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
• Beat in powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, fulling incorporating before adding more. Mixture will get quite thick.
• Add in milk a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. You may not need all the milk depending on how thick you want the frosting.

Assembly

• Once cakes are completely cool, slice each in half horizontally using a serrated knife.
• Alternate layers of cake and frosting. Frost outside as desired.
• If using sliced almonds, gently press them into the sides of the frosted cake to adhere. Top with berries if desired.

Notes

Frosting recipe makes enough to create a 4-layer cake with the outside completely frosted. If creating a “naked cake” as shown in the photos, you will have frosting leftover. If you like super thick frosting on your cake, you may want to double the frosting recipe.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and I’d love to know if you try it!

Blessings,
Melissa

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I’ve been making SO many muffins recently trying to perfect some recipes that are in the works, but I can’t say we’re mad about it! Haha, we love muffins.

You may be wondering why I chose einkorn for this recipe – what is einkorn, even? Einkorn is considered to be the “original wheat.” Modern wheat and flour we use today has been greatly altered and bred over the centuries and is a different product than wheat used to be. Einkorn is generally considered more nutritious, lower in gluten, and it’s incredibly delicious too! That being said, you usually can’t just substitute it one-for-one in place of modern all-purpose flour as it handles a little differently.

The almost buttery-nutty flavor of the einkorn pairs wonderfully with warm brown sugar, a hint of almond, and bright, sweet blueberries! Enjoy these muffins with your coffee or tea!

Ingredients for Blueberry Almond Einkorn Muffins

All-Purpose Einkorn Flour

You can buy milled einkorn flour or whole berries that you mill yourself. I purchase my milled all-purpose einkorn flour, by Jovial Foods, from several places: Thrive Market, Amazon, and my local grocery store (I’m so pleased they carry it!). Please note this recipe is for the all-purpose einkorn, not the whole wheat.

Salt & Baking Powder

I think these are pretty self-explanatory. I always add a little salt to my sweet baked goods as it helps to bring out the flavor. I like to use Redmond Real Salt in all my cooking and baking.

Brown Sugar

The brown sugar gives these blueberry almond einkorn muffins an extra warmth! My recipe calls for half a cup, but you can adjust it slightly if you like your muffins a little sweeter (or less). The blueberries already add some sweetness all their own.

Whole Milk

I call for whole milk I this recipe, but if you want to use a lower fat milk or a non-dairy milk you are welcome to do so. Just be aware it may slightly alter the texture or baking time of the muffins.

Eggs

Did you know that you should weigh your eggs in the shells when measuring ingredients? That is if you’re going by weight of course. Two large eggs, as called for in this recipe, is roughly 113g.

Butter

I love real butter – it just can’t be beat! Definitely use unsalted. If you can, I recommend using a grass-fed butter like Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter. It makes the muffins even more delicious. If you’d like to substitute a dairy-free butter, as I frequently have to do, I highly recommend using Earth Balance Baking Sticks (I prefer the soy-free version). They perform quite well in baked goods.

Vanilla and Almond Extracts

Definitely use pure extracts if you can – it makes a huge difference in the taste of your muffins! Vanilla and almond paired with blueberry and brown sugar – it’s so cozy!

Blueberries

I prefer using frozen and thawed blueberries as it’s the most economical option for us. You are welcome to use fresh if you’d like. I buy organic frozen blueberries in bulk from Costco – they are super sweet and tasty!

How to Make Blueberry Almond Einkorn Muffins

Measuring the Ingredients

I’ve included both imperial (cup/teaspoon) measurements as well as metric (grams) measurements for your convenience. I fully recommend weighing your ingredients on a food scale such as the one I have, as it will give you the most consistent outcome.

Prepping the Blueberries

You’ll often see recipes with blueberries call for tossing them with a little flour prior to mixing them into the batter. This is to try to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. While this technique is somewhat effective, it really depends a whole lot more on the viscosity of the batter and how well it can support the weight of the blueberries. I added this step to the recipe, however, as it can’t hurt!

Mixing

While this recipe is pretty straightforward with combining dry ingredients, then wet, then mixing it all together, it’s important that you don’t over-mix your batter. Over-mixing muffin batter leads to tough, unpleasant muffins. This may be a little less important with einkorn as it’s lower in gluten than modern flour, but nonetheless don’t over-mix! I’m the type of person that wants to be thorough, so it’s really tempting for me to want to get every last bit of flour mixed in. Don’t! A little unmixed flour is actually just fine in muffins.

Changing the Oven Temperature

You’ll notice (hopefully!) that this recipe starts the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and immediately drops it to 375F when the muffins go in. That initial higher temperature helps the muffins get a nice golden, domed top. The temperature is then lowered slightly so the muffins can bake normally without over-browning.

Directions

Move oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 °F

Line muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray.

Place blueberries in a small bowl and set aside.

Measure the einkorn flour into a large bowl. Scoop out one Tablespoon of the flour and add it to the bowl of blueberries. Toss gently to mix.

Whisk the salt, baking powder, and brown sugar into the large bowl of flour.

In another bowl or glass measuring cup whisk together milk, eggs, cooled butter, vanilla, and almond. (I use the large measuring cup which measured the milk.)

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and gently stir a few times, leaving some flour unmixed.

Add the blueberries to the mixture and stir a few more times, scraping the bottom of the bowl to draw up any flour from the bottom. Do not over-mix! Batter will be a bit lumpy and some spots of flour may remain – this is okay.

Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each well 3/4 of the way. Do not fill all the way to the top. Once the batter settles in each well, you may add a little more to reach 3/4. You may have a tiny bit of batter leftover depending on if you used liners or not.

Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 °F

Bake until lightly golden and muffins spring back to the touch, about 20-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

When the muffins are done, immediately transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Question and Answer

Why einkorn?
Einkorn is higher in nutritional value and lower in gluten than modern wheat. It’s also delicious!

Can I substitute regular all-purpose flour?
Not one-for-one. Einkorn handles a bit differently than modern flour in its absorption of liquid, etc. This recipe has been designed specifically for einkorn.

Can I substitute gluten free flour blend in this recipe?
I have not tried gluten free blend for this recipe, but my guess is that a cup-for-cup blend would work pretty well. Einkorn has a lower gluten content than modern flours and strikes me as somewhat similar to gluten free flour in its behavior and absorption of liquid, so I would guess it would do quite well. My favorite go-to flour blend is King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend.

Can I substitute dairy-free milk for the whole milk?
Yes, but try to choose a full-fat variety. I would recommend something like a canned coconut milk slightly thinned out with water. You can substitute a regular almond or oat drink, but it’s going to have a thinner consistency than whole milk and may affect your baking time and texture a bit.

Can I substitute dairy-free butter or margarine?
I have not tried this recipe with those, but whenever I want to substitute a dairy-free butter in baking I always use Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Baking Sticks and have excellent results.

Should I use fresh or frozen blueberries?
Either is fine, since this recipe calls for thawing the frozen blueberries before adding to the batter. To prevent frozen blueberries from bleeding color into your muffins, give them a quick rinse in cold water and pat dry before proceeding with the recipe.

Can I use a sugar substitute?
Honestly I am not at all familiar with sugar substitutes as I never use them, so I cannot speak to this. Sorry!

Can I make these egg-free?
I have never tried it for this recipe, but I understand the difficulty of not being able to have eggs (was egg free for over a year). If I was to try anything, I would substitute two “flax eggs” in place of the eggs. One flax egg = 1 TBSP flax meal plus 3 TBSP water. To replace the 2 eggs in this recipe you would need 2 TBSP flax meal plus 6 TBSP water. Mix them together and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before adding to the batter. Again, this is just a guess – I’ve never tried it with this recipe. I do not recommend powdered egg replacer – that just results in a gummy texture.

You can find the printable einkorn muffin recipe below – I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I have!

And as always, thanks so much for being here!

Blessings,
Melissa

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5 from 1 vote

Blueberry Almond Einkorn Muffins

With the delicious pairing of blueberry and almond, these easy einkorn muffins are the perfect treat to have with your morning coffee or tea!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time22 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: almond, blueberry, brown sugar, easy, einkorn, muffin, quick

Servings: 12 Full Size Muffins

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• 1 Full Sized Muffin Tin

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries (130 grams)
• 2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (240 grams)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder (8 grams)
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed (113 grams)
• 1 cup whole milk (240 grams), brought to almost room temperature
• 2 eggs (approx. 113 grams), brought to almost room temperature
• 1 stick unsalted butter (8 TBSP), melted and slightly cooled (114 grams)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
• ¾ tsp pure almond extract (3 grams)

Instructions

• Move oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 °F
• Line muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray.
• Place blueberries in a small bowl and set aside.
• Measure the einkorn flour into a large bowl. Scoop out one Tablespoon of the flour and add it to the bowl of blueberries. Toss gently to mix.
• Whisk the salt, baking powder, and brown sugar into the large bowl of flour.
• In another bowl or glass measuring cup whisk together milk, eggs, cooled butter, vanilla, and almond. (I use the large measuring cup which measured the milk.)
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and gently stir a few times, leaving some flour unmixed.
• Add the blueberries to the mixture and stir a few more times, scraping the bottom of the bowl to draw up any flour from the bottom. Do not over-mix! Batter will be a bit lumpy and some spots of flour may remain – this is okay.
• Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each well 3/4 of the way. Do not fill all the way to the top. Once the batter settles in each well, you may add a little more to reach 3/4. You may have a tiny bit of batter leftover depending on if you used liners or not.
• Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 °F
• Bake until lightly golden and muffins spring back to the touch, about 20-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
• When the muffins are done, immediately transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Video

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How to make an easy pie crust

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces or grated
1-2 Tbsp cold water

Whisk together flour and salt.

Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until combined (mixture will form tiny beads).

Mix in water a little bit at a time until a dough forms. You may not need the full 2 Tbsp.

Pat dough into a disk. Roll to size between two sheets of parchment paper. Lay dough in a 9″ pie plate and press/crimp as desired. Gently poke the bottom of the crust with a fork in several places.

How to make the bacon, spinach, and gouda quiche

Ingredients:
1 pie crust Use this crust recipe or any plain crust you like – a prepackaged pie dough also works fine. I prefer the “Immaculate” brand.
6-8 strips bacon
6 large eggs
⅓ cup whole milk or half & half You can use any milk – non-dairy included – but it will result in a slightly thinner consistency.
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 – 1½ cups gouda cheese, shredded
1 10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out

Preheat oven to 400 °F.

Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp. Place strips on a paper towel-lined plate to cool and drain.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.

Crumble the bacon into the egg mixture. Stir in shredded cheese and spinach.

Pour mixture into your uncooked pie crust (in the 9″ pie plate). Gently spread the mixture around to make the top even.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until quiche is just set and crust is golden brown. (Begin checking around 30 minutes.) If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the edges with strips of aluminum foil.

Cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

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Easy Bacon, Spinach, and Gouda Quiche

This easy bacon, spinach, and gouda quiche is the perfect comfort food for a cold day or to whip up a simple brunch or dinner any day of the week!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Keyword: bacon, cheese, crust, easy, gouda, pie, quiche, quick, simple, spinach

Servings: 4 people

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Equipment

• 1 9" pie plate
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces or grated Use it cold – right out of the refrigerator.
• 1-2 Tbsp cold water
• 6-8 strips bacon
• 6 large eggs
• ⅓ cup whole milk or half & half You can use any milk – non-dairy included – but it will result in a slightly thinner consistency.
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 – 1½ cups gouda cheese, shredded
• 1 10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 °F.
• Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp. Place strips on a paper towel-lined plate to cool and drain. While bacon cooks, prepare the crust:
• Whisk together flour and salt.
• Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until combined (mixture will form tiny beads).
• Mix in water a little bit at a time until a dough forms. You may not need the full 2 Tbsp.
• Pat dough into a disk. Roll to size between two sheets of parchment paper. Lay dough in a 9" pie plate and press/crimp as desired. Gently poke the bottom of the crust with a fork in several places.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
• Crumble the bacon into the egg mixture. Stir in shredded cheese and spinach.
• Pour mixture into your uncooked pie crust (in the 9" pie plate). Gently spread the mixture around to make the top even.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until quiche is just set and crust is golden brown. (Begin checking around 30 minutes.) If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the edges with strips of aluminum foil.
• Cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Check out my other recipes here!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

Why gluten, dairy, and egg free?

Those of us with food sensitivities or allergies know what a bummer it can be to go to holiday gatherings and not be able to partake of the goodies. Sure, you get used to it in a way, but at least for me it’s always a little spot of disappointment in a time that’s supposed to be fun and joyful. After having to go gluten and dairy free nearly two years ago (and egg free for a year in there) I started having to get creative in my cooking and baking. I hope my recipes will bring a bit of festivity to others who find themselves in the same situation.

What’s in a gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake anyway?

It doesn’t have gluten, dairy, or eggs…so what IS in it?

Gluten Free Flour Blend

The flour blend called for in this recipe needs to be a measure-for-measure or cup-for-cup substitute for regular flour. I prefer King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend, but I’ve also had success with Namaste Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend (I buy it at Costco), and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, although that last one is my least favorite as I feel it gives a grainier texture than the others.

All of these blends include xanthan gum, which is key to the structure of your cake. If you cannot find a flour blend that includes xanthan gum, you can add xanthan gum independently into your dry ingredients: Add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per 1 cup of gluten free flour blend. This is only if your flour blend does not already include it.

Brown Sugar and Spices

I know, this recipe has a lot of sugar in it. Everyone needs a treat now and then, right? If you’re looking for a healthier option, I would venture to guess that coconut sugar would be an excellent substitute (1:1) though I have not tried it myself yet. I have never tried sugar replacers or substitutes in this recipe and cannot vouch for how they would work. Given that the sugar makes up a good deal of the dry ingredients, I also would not attempt to replace it with a liquid sweetener as it will throw off the dry-liquid ratio.

This cake is not shy when it comes to the spices. If there are certain spices in this recipe that you don’t like, simply leave them out. If you want a more subtle spice flavor, cut back on the spices a bit.

Coconut Milk (and Water)

Coconut milk never ceases to amaze me with how versatile it is. It can be savory, sweet, cooked or not, and it’s a lovely dairy substitute in so many recipes. When I call for coconut milk I mean the full-fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk, not any sort of “coconut beverage” that you would drink (which would have additives).

Why water? It helps to thin out the coconut milk. I measure my coconut milk in a glass measuring cup to the 1-cup line, top it off with water to the 1.5 cup line, then continue adding my liquid ingredients to the same measuring cup, finally stirring before adding to my dry ingredients.

Coconut Oil

I prefer to use virgin (unrefined) organic coconut oil (I usually buy it in bulk from Costco). Even with the addition of so much coconut oil and coconut milk, I really don’t think this cake has any sort of distinct coconut flavor.

Carrots?

Yes! The shredded carrots add a nice flavor, texture, and moisture to the cake. Please note that these are shredded, not finely grated. You can omit them if you wish, but you may need to reduce your baking time because there will be less moisture. Shredded apples would be a nice substitute for the carrots.

Non-Dairy Butter

I like to use Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread, but I have also tried Country Crock Plant Butter With Avocado Oil and it was a success. Really any plant based butter spread should do the trick. The combination of the plant-based butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla, and coconut milk results in a lovely buttercream style frosting. If your non-dairy butter requires refrigeration, then you will need to store extra frosting in the refrigerator as well as your cake after frosting it.

Questions and substitutions for gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake

Can I use regular (gluten) flour instead of gluten free flour?

I have not tried it, but I imagine it would work just fine. It will be a slightly different texture but not in a bad way. Bear in mind that glutenous flour absorbs liquid differently than gluten free flour so you may have to adjust the amount of coconut milk/water and the baking time.

Can I substitute another oil for coconut oil?

Yes, vegetable/canola oil would be the best substitute to maintain the intended texture and flavor.

Can I add eggs?

No, I would not add eggs to this recipe. It’s designed to be made without.

Can I substitute a different milk for coconut milk?

Yes, though the coconut milk adds a nice flavor to the cake. You can replace the coconut milk and water with 1.5 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk (and no water). I’ve made it that way before and it was good. I’ve never tried oat milk, cashew milk, or dairy milk with this recipe and don’t know how it would affect the texture.

What can I use instead of non-dairy butter for the frosting?

If you’d like to make a vanilla frosting without the non-dairy butter either because you can’t have the ingredients or you don’t like buttercream icing, try using an equal amount of palm oil shortening. (I use this organic sustainably sourced brand.) It will produce a simple but creamy vanilla frosting that is excellent in its own way. I tried it with this spice cake and it was quite good. Follow the recipe as directed, but you will need to add a bit more coconut milk to thin out the frosting in the last step – probably about 1/2 – 2/3 cup.

I don’t have any carrots. What can I substitute?

Shredded apples would be a nice substitute. You can omit the carrots entirely but you may need to reduce your baking time slightly as there will be less moisture in the cake.

Planning your gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake

Making the sugared cranberries and candied oranges

This is definitely something you will need to do at least a day in advance so your fruit will have time to dry completely. You can do this up to 3 days in advance and store the candied fruits in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to decorate your cake. Doing this in advance also saves you some stress – trust me.

Pan Size

This cake can be made in a variety of sizes. I have personally tried it with two 6-inch pans, two 9-inch pans, and two standard size cupcake tins. Baking time will vary depending on pan size, as noted in the recipe instructions. If you want a tall cake (as pictured), use the two 6-inch pans.

If you make this into cupcakes, consider using these unbleached, chlorine-free cupcake liners. I love how they peel away easily from my cupcakes without sticking to the cake!

How to make sugared cranberries

Be sure to do this step at least one day in advance of decorating your cake!

In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Remove pan from heat.

Place cranberries in a heat-proof bowl and pour hot sugar syrup over the berries. Let rest at least 8 hours or overnight. 

Drain the cranberries and toss with more sugar to coat. Spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow them to dry for several hours. The sugared cranberries may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several days.

How to make candied orange peels

Be sure to do this step at least one day in advance of decorating your cake!

Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges. Score the peel and pith (white part) of the oranges in quarters with a knife and remove from the flesh of the orange. Set the oranges aside in the refrigerator for a snack or other use. Slice the orange peels into ¼-inch strips.

Place the strips in a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the peels. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, drain the peels. Cover with more water and repeat the process. This removes the bitterness from the peels. Repeat this process a total of 4-5 times. The more times you do it the more likely you are to remove all bitterness from the peels.

After the final drain, set peels aside. In the empty pot, whisk together 1½ cups water and 1½ cups sugar. Return to the stovetop over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add orange peels to the pot. Simmer gently (don’t boil) until the pith (white part) is somewhat translucent, checking every 10 minutes or so and swirling the pan as needed to make sure all the peels are covered. Don’t stir the syrup as this may cause it to crystallize. This may take 45-60 minutes. Peels should look glossy when finished.

Place extra sugar in a large bowl. Remove the peels from the hot sugar syrup and toss them in the bowl of sugar to coat. Place sugared peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet or wire rack to dry completely overnight.

How to make gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake

The recipe for the cake and frosting is pretty straight forward!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottoms of the cake pans or line with circles of greased parchment paper. If using cupcake tins, grease the bottoms of the wells or line with cupcake liners.

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices) in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients (coconut milk, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla) in another bowl or large measuring cup. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir them together until thoroughly combined, being on the lookout for dry ingredients lurking at the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the carrots. Pour the batter into prepared pans.

I do like to use my food scale to weigh the batter in the pans so I get it evenly divided. Place your empty cake pan on the scale, zero it out, then pour in some batter. Take note of the weight and do the same for the other pan. Keep weighing/dividing until they’re roughly the same (it doesn’t have to be perfect – pretty close is good enough).

Bake until cakes spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake or the cakes will be dry! Baking time is approximately 18-20 minutes for standard cupcakes, 33-36 minutes for 9-inch pans, or 50-55 minutes for 6-inch pans.

Set pans on wire racks to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans to make sure cake will release cleanly. Turn cakes out onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting and decorating.

How to make dairy-free vanilla frosting

The dairy-free frosting is also easy to make. Using an electric mixer, beat together the non-dairy butter and vanilla extract until combined. Next beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, fully incorporating each cup before adding more. The mixture will be quite thick. Blend in small amounts of the coconut milk until the desired consistency is reached.

Assembling the gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake

I like to assemble my cake on a cake decorating turntable.

Cut the cakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife (bread knife) or dental floss like in this technique. If you want to use cardboard cake rounds, trace the bottom of your cake pan onto the cardboard with a pencil, then cut just inside the line to size your round for your cake. If your cake came out somewhat domed, you may choose to trim off the very top edge of each cake so that they are flat. (An excellent opportunity to sample your cake from the scraps!)

Place a glob of frosting on top of your cake round, then place one layer of your cake on the round. I like to save the flattest sides of the cake for the very bottom and very top of my stack. The glob of frosting helps hold the cake to the round.

Alternate frosting and cake layers until you have all four layers of cake assembled, choosing a flat side of cake for the very top. Ice the outside of the cake with frosting. Decorate with cranberries and orange peels.

Storing the gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake

If the non-dairy butter in your frosting requires refrigeration, then your cake will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The cake is best served as close to room temperature as possible, so be sure to pull it out in plenty of time before serving (possibly up to an hour ahead, depending on how long it’s been in the refrigerator). Cover any exposed (cut) parts of the cake before placing back in the refrigerator to keep it from going stale quickly.

Unfrosted cake may be frozen. Wrap cakes individually and tightly and place them in freezer-safe containers or bags. To thaw, place the cakes in the refrigerator and DO NOT open the bags or containers. This will help prevent the cakes from getting soggy by forcing the condensation to stay on the outside of the bags/containers.

Extra frosting may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Sugared cranberries may be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. Candied orange peels may be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 4-6 weeks before they start to become stale.

Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Spice Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Spice Cake With Vanilla Frosting

Full of wintry spices and topped with creamy vanilla frosting and sugared fruit, this gluten, dairy, and egg free spice cake is a treat for the eyes and mouth!

Course: Dessert

Keyword: allergy friendly, christmas cake, dairy free, egg free, egg free cake, gluten and dairy free, gluten free, gluten free cake, holiday cake, spice cake, spice cupcakes, vanilla frosting, vanilla icing, winter cake

Servings: 12 people

Author: Melissa Kalbfleisch – Hymns & Home

Ingredients

Sugared Cranberries

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for tossing
• 1 cup water

Candied Orange Peels

• 2 oranges
• water for boiling
• 1½ cups granulated sugar, plus more for tossing

Spice Cake

• 3 cups gluten free flour blend (with xanthan gum) I prefer King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 1¾ cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk Use canned coconut milk, not coconut beverage.
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted I use virgin (unrefined) coconut oil.
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup shredded carrots

Vanilla Frosting

• 1 cup non-dairy butter I use Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Spread
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• ⅛ – ¼ cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk Use the canned coconut milk, not a coconut beverage.

Instructions

Sugared Cranberries

• If using, do this step at least 1 day in advance of your cake!
• In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Remove pan from heat.
• Place cranberries in a heat-proof bowl and pour hot sugar syrup over the berries. Let rest at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the cranberries and toss with more sugar to coat. Spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow them to dry for several hours. The sugared cranberries may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several days.

Candied Orange Peels

• If using, do this at least one day in advance of your cake!
• Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges. Score the peel of the oranges in quarters with a knife and remove. Set the delicious oranges aside in the refrigerator for a snack or other use. Slice the orange peels into ¼-inch strips.
• Place the strips in a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the peels. Bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, drain the peels. Cover with more water and repeat the process. This removes the bitterness from the peels. Repeat this process a total of 4-5 times.
• After the final drain, set peels aside. In the empty pot, whisk together 1½ cups water and 1½ cups sugar. Return to the stovetop over medium-low heat and simmer gently until syrup reaches approximately 230-235°.
• Add orange peels to the syrup. Simmer gently (don't boil) until the pith (white part) is somewhat translucent, checking every 10 minutes or so and swirling the pan as needed to make sure all the peels are covered. Don't stir the syrup as this may cause it to crystallize. This may take 45-60 minutes.
• Place extra sugar in a large bowl. Remove the peels from the hot sugar syrup and toss them in the bowl of sugar to coat. Place sugared peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet or wire rack to dry completely overnight.

Spice Cake

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
• Grease the bottom of your cake pans with coconut oil or line with greased parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined.
• In a second bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together coconut milk, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour mixture into the dry mixture and stir thoroughly to combine. Stir in carrots.
• Pour batter into the prepared pans. Use a food scale to evenly divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake until cakes are just done, about 50-60 minutes for two 6-inch pans, 33-36 minutes for two 9-inch pans, or 18-20 minutes for standard size cupcakes. Cake should spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Don't over-bake!
• Let cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the pans to make sure cakes are loose. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Vanilla Frosting

• In a large bowl, beat together the non-dairy butter and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined.
• Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, adding one cup at a time and mixing thoroughly before adding more. The mixture will be quite thick by the end.
• Beat in the coconut milk a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. You may not need the full amount of coconut milk. I prefer a thicker frosting, so I don't add the full amount. If icing gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. You can also place the icing in the refrigerator for a little while if it starts to get runny.

Assembling the Cake

• Once the cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife (bread knife) to slice each cake in half horizontally.
• Assemble cake in layers, spreading or piping frosting between each layer. Frost the outside of the cake and decorate with sugared cranberries and candied orange peels, if desired.

Storing the Cake

• If your frosting contains non-dairy butter that requires refrigeration, then your cake will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The cake is best served as close to room temperature as possible, so be sure to remove it from the refrigerator in plenty of time before serving. Cover any exposed (cut) parts of the cake before refrigerating to keep it from going stale.
• Extra frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Sugared cranberries may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. Candied oranges may be kept in a cool, dry place for up to 4 weeks.
• Unfrosted cake may be frozen. Wrap it tightly and placed in an airtight freezer-proof container or bag. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator, without opening the bag, to prevent it from becoming soggy.

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this cake this holiday season! I’d love to know if you try it – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

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