I loved the Caramel Apple Spice drink at Starbucks long before I ever worked there. But until then, I had no clue what actually comprised the drink. When I realized how simple the recipe is, I knew this was something I could make at home.

Fall is among us, friends (even if it is in the upper 80s in Dallas).

And you know what that means? PIE.

It's obviously acceptable (and encouraged) to have pie year round, but there's something special about the smell of pie baking as the wind whips outside.
And, c'mon, these mini pies are adorable! This recipe makes two personal sized pies, which is great for date night, girls night, or literally any kind of night. I want pie always. 😉
You all know that my relationship with pie goes way back. My Grandma has been making pies from scratch ever since I can remember, and she taught me everything I know. It's kind of a sacred thing in our family. So sacred that, when I disclosed to my Mom that I would be using a recipe other than my Grandma's crust, she called it "blasphemy."

"I know, I know! But I wanted to try something new!"

"...don't tell your Grandma."

Grandma, if you're reading this -- I'm sorry. 😇
Truth be told, I had never made a traditional pie crust with butter, only vegetable oil. I wanted to see what I was missing out on. While I'm still obsessed with my Grandma's recipe, the one I used from A Cozy Kitchen is just as delicious.
Both the ingredient and equipment list for these little pies are simple, and had everything on hand without having to make a trip to the store. Because, in true Nicole fashion, I woke up and immediately wanted to make pie. I have two ramekins, so I used those to make a deep dish pie. If you have mini pie pans, those will work too!
Everything comes together really quickly and easily, so you have no excuse to not make this pie today. It's the perfect way to transition into fall!
So, don't mind me as I casually turn down my A/C and pretend like I haven't looked at the weather two weeks from now to see if maybe temps will drop. I'm crossing my fingers!

It's labor day y'all, and I'm PUMPED.

This is my second year as a full time member of the corporate workforce, which means no more working on labor day. A few years ago, when I interned at a fashion house in New York, I worked an 11 hour day on labor day. Our building was closed for the holiday, but with fashion week looming, we had a model call scheduled. Since the building was locked, I sat at the security desk all day letting models in and out. It turned out they forgot I was down there and forgot to send me home! I'm pretty sure I ended the day with Netflix and pasta in bed. Cheers to that unpaid intern life. ✌

So, as you can imagine, I'm pretty stoked to be able to actually take part in this three-day weekend business. My boyfriend also has the day off, so our plans include relaxing and eating this chocolate chip strawberry shortcake.



Confession time: I've never liked strawberry shortcake.

I know that's a pretty hot take on a post about strawberry shortcake, but hear me out.

Shortcakes of my past have always included angel food cake (not a fan) and too much cool whip to cover up the dryness of said angel food cake. The experience was never ideal.

Now, let me present to you: the best strawberry shortcake you'll ever eat.



The textures, the flavors, the moisture...it's all here. The biscuits are soft, yet sturdy, and the chocolate chips add just enough sweetness. The strawberries are prepared in two different ways: macerated with sugar, and cooked down into a compote (thanks, Bon Appetit, for the inspiration!). The contrast of the two is simply delicious.



The biscuits come together in about 15 minutes (including baking time!), and the strawberries and whipped cream are ready in about 20. It's a super easy recipe, and it will look like you've spent hours in the kitchen.



One of the best parts of this recipe is that no mixer is required. I did a ton of baking and cooking this weekend and I didn't have to pull out my stand mixer once. Now, I know what you might be thinking. Yes, this recipe does involve home made whipped cream. And yes, you can use a stand or hand mixer to complete that task. But you don't have to.



Whipping cream by hand is awesome, and it allows you to easily control exactly how whipped the cream is. Your whipped cream will need to have very soft peaks, and it's easy to over whip with an electric mixer. Plus, it makes me feel like I'm winning in some sort of woman vs. machine competition, and who doesn't love feeling like a winner?



Once all ingredients are prepared, assembly is super easy! Cut the biscuits in half with a non-serrated knife, being careful to not break the tops apart. Add strawberry compote, spoon the macerated strawberries on, and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Top with the other half of the biscuit and enjoy!

Look, I'm not going to lie. My recipe development process starts with an idea that usually turns into "how can I make this into a cocktail."

It's not my fault that everything is better with tequila in it.

So what started off as an innocent strawberry basil granita, morphed into a strawberry basil margarita, and came full circle back to this boozy and delicious treat. I regret nothing.

Because what's better than being together with friends on America's birthday and eating alcoholic icy goodness? Nothing. Nothing is better.

This is probably one of my favorite recipes I've developed. The flavors are so intense and the basil comes through just enough without being over powering.

So here's the scoop:

Start out by making the basil simple syrup. You'll need about 1/2 cup of simple syrup for the granitas, but feel free to make more to save for later (this recipe makes about 1 cup of simple syrup). It will keep for about two weeks in the fridge.

The syrup will need to cool down completely before use, so set it aside for an hour or two. Use this time to freeze your strawberries. They don't need to be completely frozen, so don't worry if they aren't.

When the syrup and strawberries are ready, it's time to blend! I used my tiny Nutri Bullet, so I had to blend in batches. I recommend using a bigger blender if you have one, but a Nutri Bullet is workable if that's all you have. If your strawberries refuse to blend (mine did), add a few tablespoons of warm water to get the process moving.

I added 4 oz of tequila, but feel free to add more or less to taste. Using 4 oz gave the granita a very mild tequila taste. Definitely not like my infamous "red tequila" I've talked about before!

Blend the collagen powder in last to create frothiness. Without the collagen, the granita would be too icy, so I don't recommend skipping this step.

I froze my mixture in a parchment lined bread pan overnight, and let it thaw for a few minutes before serving.

This dessert is a MUST if your weather forecast for July 4th is 103 and sunny like it will be in Texas. It's so refreshing and so delicious. With or without the tequila. 😉


Do you have any big plans for the Fourth of July this year? Let me know in the comments!

I'm baaaaack...and I brought coffee!



It's been a crazy couple of months, but I'm back to business and back to making delicious things for you to eat. I know you missed me terribly. 😜

This coffee has been on my brain for a minute. It's a remake of this delicious iced coffee I had at a local cafe a few weeks ago. I was in heaven, and drinking a cup at home is just as satisfying (if not more).



The best part? It's so freaking easy. And the flavor combos are basically endless. I love caramel, but you can try this with a mocha syrup, pumpkin spice, or even mint!


Look, I know we're all thinking it, so I'll just say it. Yes, those are coffee ice cubes. They are the real star of the show here. The real Finals MVP. The real Steph Curry with the shot (can you tell I've been watching basketball recently?) This coffee would not be the same without them, and I 100% mean that.

I like to nurse my coffee and make it last as long as humanly possible, so having coffee ice cubes is key. They slowly melt as I drink, releasing coffee all morning, giving me the biggest caffeine buzz.



Also, I used a martini shaker to shake everything up which really just adds to the fun, and to the frothiness.

You only need a few things to make this delicious summer drink:

• Brewed coffee, cold
• Cream or milk of choice
• Sweetener
• Caramel syrup (I used this easy six minute recipe, but left out the salt)
• Silicone ice cube tray
• Martini shaker, optional

When I first started baking I became obsessed with making everything from scratch. I didn't want to use a sauce, batter or candy that wasn't first made by me.

So, naturally, I began making my own buttercream.

I started out the way we all do: powdered sugar based buttercream. It was good, but the texture never sat well with me. It was almost as if I could taste and feel the powdered sugar grains. I knew there had to be a different way, but every recipe I found was powdered sugar based. I assumed that was just how it was.

A few years ago, my parents gave me a giant book called "Baking" by James Peterson. I had always wanted to go to pastry school but decided instead of pursuing a secondary education (#studentloans) that I would just teach myself as much as I could. This book was perfect. It has taught me SO many things about the science of baking, and I recommend it to anyone looking to further their baking knowledge.

When I stumbled upon the buttercream recipe in this book I was shocked. The preface to the recipe talked about how most home bakers are satisfied with using powdered sugar to whip up their buttercream, but that it created a texture difference that usually went unnoticed.

FINALLY. All of my feelings towards powdered sugar based buttercream were validated.

I kid you not, I was so jazzed that I rushed to the store my boyfriend works at to tell him about it (and buy butter to make the recipe). This was before we started dating...and I'm sure he thought I was just a crazy baker. 😉

Friends, this is the smoothest buttercream I have ever tasted. It's delicious. And you can add any flavor to it to change it up! It's perfect.

Now, don't get me wrong. I still enjoy a good powdered sugar based buttercream. I'm just all heart eyes about this French buttercream recipe, so I had to tell you about it.

So, here's the skinny. This is a simple recipe to make as long as you follow the directions very closely. However, if things go a little awry, it's not the end of the world.

There are a few tools you'll need to correctly execute this recipe:

• Stand mixer. The egg yolk mixture will need to beat for about 8 minutes to achieve the right consistency. While the egg yolks are beating, you will have to keep an eye on the temperature of the sugar syrup. A hand mixer will work, but it will be a difficult job.
• Candy thermometer. This isn't a required tool, but it makes the process so much simpler. You will need to heat your sugar syrup to 238 degrees. This is referred to as the "soft ball stage." You can test the sugar syrup by using the soft ball stage method (see note below), but it can be a real headache. However, I have successfully made this buttercream without a candy thermometer so it can be done.

You guys.

These margaritas are perfect. I am 100% here for them.

I typically prefer my margs to be as straight forward as possible without any extra twists to them. House margarita on the rocks with salt is my go-to order, but I'm willing to spice it up a bit for the holidays.


These Pomegranate + Orange Margaritas check all the boxes. They're sweet, tangy and perfectly balanced. Perfect for your New Year's Eve celebration!

I honestly haven't had the best luck with making my own margaritas in the past. For my birthday celebration a few years ago, I decided to make blackberry lemonade margaritas that I'd never made before. I added a...bit too much tequila and they ended up being incredibly strong. They have since been known as "red tequila," since you could only taste tequila.


But I promise these are perfectly balanced. Swear.

They're super simple to make too! I made mine in a cocktail shaker, but you can stir yours together if you don't have a shaker.

I also just squeezed the orange juice with my hands, but if you have a juicer feel free to use that!

Add the pomegranate juice, juice of 1/2 an orange, tequila and triple sec into the cocktail shaker over ice and shake for 20-30 seconds to aerate the margarita. Take an orange slice and run it along the rim of the glass, and dip the glass in salt (or sugar if you prefer).

Pour the shaken margarita into the salted glass, garnish with an orange slice and enjoy!

Now, let's make 2018 a friggin great year. 🙌

First thing's first -- MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope that, no matter what your day holds, it's a great one. May your heart be filled with cheer and your mugs be full of hot chocolate.


And marshmallows. Specifically, these Salted Caramel Marshmallows.

If you've never tried to make marshmallows from scratch, let me tell you, it's worth it. I wouldn't say they're "fool-proof," but they're pretty close. And they open up a world of possibilities! A few years ago, I made a peppermint batch that was so fluffy and delicious. This year, salted caramel was calling my name. The flavor combos are pretty much endless.


Before you set off on your marshmallow journey, let me offer you a few words of encouragement. These marshmallows aren't tricky to make at all, and you can totally do it. They're really quite simple as long as you do these two things: 1. Allow the sugar mixture to completely heat to 240 degrees, and 2. Let the sugar and gelatin whip for 12-15 minutes. As long as you do those two things, you should be golden.


Now, I'll be straight with you. Transferring the marshmallow mixture to the pan is a bit tricky. And sticky. If you grease your spatula or spoon it makes the process a lot easier.

Once the marshmallows are in the pan it's time to add the caramel! I melted half a bag of Kraft Caramels (about 20) with a little water to achieve the right consistency. Drizzle the top of the marshmallows with the melted caramel and then drag a butter knife through the mixture to create the swirl effect.


Sprinkle the top of the marshmallows with powdered sugar and let them rest overnight, uncovered.

After you cut into the marshmallows, you'll need to dip the sides in a powdered sugar and salt mixture to prevent the cut marshmallows from sticking to each other. If you prefer your caramel without salt, then you can use just powdered sugar for this part.

When the marshmallows are ready, get a couple into a mug of hot chocolate as fast as you can. And then have a couple on the side, because...it's Christmas and you can.