The following is a collection of some of my favorite recipes. Of course, they all contain my favorite ingredient…chocolate! Some of the recipes are old family favorites and others have been collected from various cookbooks over the years. Using quality ingredients in the recipes really does make a difference and I think that you will find using Vermont Nut Free Chocolates baking ingredients will give you excellent results!

I hope that you are able to take the time to experiment with some or all of them. Enjoy!!!

-Gail Elvidge
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

Favorite Chocolate Cake

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup shortening

2 Tblsp butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 13 X 9 baking pan or 2 round layer pans. Beat all ingredients in large bowl until well combined. Pour into pans. Bake 13 X 9 pan 35-40 minutes, round pans 30–35 minutes. Cool. Frost.

For cupcakes: fill paper lined muffin cups half full of batter. Bake 20 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened

2 oz. melted unsweetened baking chocolate (cooled)

2 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 Tblsp milk

(you can also substitute 1/3 cup cocoa powder for the unsweetened baking chocolate)

Microwave Chocolate Cake

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup hot water, divided

3/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp vegetable oil

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

Grease round micro-proof baking dish 7 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches or 8 X 1 1/2 inches. Line bottom with plastic wrap. In a small microwave bowl combine VNF cocoa and 1/3 cup water. Microwave on high 40-50 seconds or until slightly thickened. In medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Add oil, remaining 1/3 cup hot water, egg, vanilla and chocolate mixture; beat until batter is smooth and well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Microwave on high 5-6 minutes without turning until cake begins to pull away from sides (some moist spots may remain but will disappear on standing). Let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Peel off plastic; cool and frost.

(This is an incredibly quick moist, delicious, chocolaty dessert!)

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 cups margarine or butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups Quick or Old Fashioned Oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add combined flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until thoroughly blended. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded

teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire cooling rack. Store in tightly covered container. 6 dozen cookies.

(Milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips can also be used in this recipe or have fun and combine all three!)

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

Stir together flour and baking soda and set aside. With mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, cocoa and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add oatmeal and flour mixture and mix until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until crisp and light brown on bottoms. Remove to rack to cool.

(if you would like to add even more chocolate to this recipe, add some chocolate chips!)

Brownie Mounds

3 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 eggs

6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

2 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add softened butter or margarine and sugar. Stir in corn syrup and eggs. Beat until combined. Stir in flour, unsweetened baking chocolate and vanilla. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except for the last three items. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 of batter into a 9X13 cake pan. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the batter in cake pan, plus 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Then repeat above: (add remainder of batter then cinnamon and sugar, and top with 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips).

Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or when cake tester comes out clean.

Chewy Chocolate Cookie

1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups unsifted flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Do not overtake. Cookies will be soft. They will puff during baking, flatten upon cooling. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Marshmallow Roll

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 eggs

1 cup miniature marshmallows

graham cracker crumbs

Melt chocolate in double boiler over water, remove from heat, add sugar and eggs. Beat well. Add marshmallows. Mix well and chill in refrigerator. When chilled divide mixture and shape into 2 long rolls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Roll in graham cracker crumbs, chill; slice into 1/2 inch slices to serve. (using colored miniature marshmallows makes this dessert even more fun)

Sweet Chocolate Pretzels

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 oz semi-sweet chocolate

2 eggs

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 Tblsp light corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

For decorating: coarse sugar or white chocolate baking chips, melted

Using a food processor combine granulated sugar and chocolate. Pulse, using on/off turns, until chocolate is finely ground. Add eggs, butter, corn syrup and vanilla; pulse until combined. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking powder. Add to food processor and process just until mixed. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; wrap each in plastic and press into a disk. Refrigerate 3 hours or up to 1 week.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, divide it into 1 inch balls (about 2 level teaspoons of dough). Roll balls with palms to 9 inch ropes. If dough is soft, roll on lightly floured surface. Twist ropes to make a pretzel. If desired, dip in course sugar. Place sugar-side up on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake 10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. If not decorating with sugar, drizzle cool cookies with melted white chocolate.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

1 bag of Vermont Nut Free Chocolates chocolate drops

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tblsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and cream cheese in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into cream cheese mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for about 1 minute and then press 1 chocolate drop in center of each cookie. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Velvet Pie

1 9-inch baked pie crust

2 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs, well beaten

1 cup water

2 tsp vanilla extract

whipped cream

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with sweetened condensed milk; remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Add water and vanilla; mix well. Pour into hot pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees, bake 20 minutes longer or until set. Cool. Chill thoroughly. Top with whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Cream Puffs

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 package instant vanilla pudding

1 cup milk

1 small container of Cool Whip

Chocolate frosting (recipe above)

Bring water, butter and salt to full, rolling boil over high heat. Lower heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with a mixer after each addition. Drop by metal serving-sized spoon onto greased cookie sheet, allowing approximately 2 inches between puffs. Bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven for ten minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely on racks. Combine vanilla pudding powder with 1 cup milk and stir into small container of Cool Whip. Cut or pull tops off puffs and fill bottoms with pudding mixture. Frost tops of puffs with chocolate frosting and place back on the puffs. (note: when you cut the tops off the puffs there may be some uncooked dough inside the puff-this is normal. You can just leave it there or remove it if you prefer.) You can also melt semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle over the tops of the puffs instead of frosting. Makes 12-16 puffs.

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 egg whites

2 Tblsp cooking oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, pumpkin, the whole egg, egg whites, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Beat on low speed until smooth. Stir in semisweet chocolate chips. Grease and 11 X 7 X 1 1/2 inch baking pan or spray with nonstick coating. Pour batter into pan; spread evenly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2 inch squares.

Christmas Dominoes

1st layer:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

2nd layer:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 Tblsp vanilla pudding powder

3 Tblsp milk

2 cups confectioners sugar

Top layer:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate baking chips

1 Tblsp butter or margarine

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Blend in sugar, cocoa, vanilla, egg, graham cracker crumbs, and coconut. Press into 9 inch square pan.

2. Cream butter into vanilla instant pudding powder with milk and confectioners sugar. Spread over crumb mixture. Chill.

3. Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 Tblsp butter. Spread on chilled mixture. Return to refrigerator to set. Return to room temperature before cutting into squares.

(Note: if you would like to decorate the tops to make them look like real dominoes, reserve some of the cream filling from the second layer and dot the tops with that mixture.)