baking

I Made Taylor Swift’s Chai Cookies

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Note: I’ve updated this recipe! I found the frosting/icing to be too runny and never set — here’s an updated version if you prefer a harder frosting: https://icrashedtheweb.com/2025/12/09/taylor-swifts-chai-cookies-updated/. For the original recipe with the thinner icing, view below.

A few months ago, I made Donna Kelce’s chocolate chip cookies (here’s the recipe!), and after making them, realized I wanted to make a Taylor Swift recipe.

Not only is my 6-year-old daughter in love with Taylor Swift (as most 6-year-old girls seem to be these days), but Taylor Swift has a Cleveland connection – at least by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce is from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and and we are often on “Taylor watch” when Kansas City is in town for football.

So this week was the PERFECT occasion to make the Taylor Swift cookies. Not only was Friday her birthday, but the Chiefs were in town playing the Browns! It was the perfect Taylor Swift weekend and my daughter and I celebrated by listening to Taylor Swift Christmas tunes and making her famous chai cookies.

I pretty much made this recipe exactly. I’ll admit that there were quite a few steps to make these with my daughter but they turned out great! They were like a spiced snickerdoodle cookie with eggnog frosting. YUM!

Would I make them again?

Maybe – they were good but there were a few extra steps and ingredients required that aren’t in my typical cookie recipe AND they require time to sit so they may not become my go-to cookie in a pinch. But they were good enough to share and my kids loved them! My oldest said they’re one of his top holiday cookies now.

Taylor Swift’s Chai Cookies

(originally shared from the Joy the Baker)

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White Chocolate Pumpkin Pretzels

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I love, love, LOVE white chocolate pretzels. My mom’s cousin (my Aunt Alice) used to make them growing up and it was a treat to get a tin of those during the holidays. Hers weren’t only delicious, but they looked great, too! She made chocolate-covered pretzels also, and while I love those, the white chocolate are my absolute favorite.

So when I found myself in Michaels with my daughter a few weeks ago and I sporadically picked up some orange candy melts, I knew I had to make some festive Halloween pretzels. This turned into a fun kid-friendly activity that I enjoyed with LM! Since she broke her arm, we’ve found ourselves with a few free evenings that we would have usually been at soccer practice, cross-country, or another activity – so on of those evenings, we opted for this activity! They didn’t turn out as professional-looking as I would’ve liked, but when a 6-year-old and I bake, it’s mostly about having fun (and enjoying the fruits of our labor). 

white chocolate pumpkin pretzelswhite chocolate pumpkin pretzels

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pretzels

Here’s what you need

Here’s what you do:

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  2. Melt chocolate according to directions. I placed mine in a glass Pyrex and melted it in the microwave on 50% power for 1 minute, then stirred it and melted it again for another 1-2 minutes and stirred again. Do not overheat or the chocolate may seize.  
  3. When chocolate is melted, dip each pretzel into the chocolate, tapping the edge of the bowl to release the extra chocolate.
  4. When pretzel is fully covered, lay it down on the foil and then place an M&M at the top of the pretzel so that it looks like the stem of a pumpkin. Repeat until you run out of chocolate.  Mine made about 30 pretzels, but we ate a few along the way 🙂
  5. Let cool/dry completely. I put mine in the fridge to speed up the process.

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Some questions for you:

  • Do you like chocolate covered pretzels?
  • What would you have made with a surplus of orange melting chocolate?

Apple Crumb Muffins

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We eat a lot of muffins in our house. They make the perfect snack for my kids to bring to school, and they’re easily portable enough to bring to sporting events. We recently went apple picking, so I was looking for a way to use up some of our apples — and boom! These apple muffins were the perfect solution. They’re like my banana crumb muffins, but made a little healthier with white whole wheat flour, honey, and a flax egg for some added fiber.

And a bonus – all three of my kids like them! That hardly ever happens. Hopefully you (and your kiddos) will enjoy them too.

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Apple Crumb Muffins

Here’s what you need:

For the muffins

  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour  
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 TBS flaxseed for flax eggs* (see below for direction on how to make them)  
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk 
  • 2 cup diced or grated apple – I used about 2 1/2 apples

For the topping:

  • 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour  
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar 
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin for baking. I use silicone reusable baking cups and spray them with non-stick cooking spray.  
  2. Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. 
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners. My recipe typically makes 19-22 muffins depending on how full the muffin cups are.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt).
  5. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients (flax egg* through yogurt).
  6. Add the flour mix to the wet mix. It just needs to be combined, so be careful not to overmix.
  7. Fold in the apples. 
  8. Pour muffins into prepared muffin tins.
  9. Evenly pour topping onto each muffin – you’ll have about a Tablespoon of topping for each muffin and it should cover most of the muffin.  
  10. Bake for about 15 – 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
  11. Enjoy when cool! We have eaten these the same day, but they are truly great the next day. They’re also great frozen!  I simply take one out of the freezer and defrost overnight OR in the microwave. 

Got a surplus of bananas instead? Give these a try instead!

Here’s how to make your flax eggs: Mix 2 TB flaxseed with 5 TB water in a small bowl. Put in the fridge for around 5 minutes (or up to 5 days) until it’s mixed together/practically congealed.

Some questions for you:

  • When was the last time you went apple picking?
  • What’s your go-to apple recipe?

Healthier Cornbread

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Like my last blog post about cornbread a million years ago, I should start this post with two disclaimers:

One: Like my last cornbread recipe, this is not “southern style” savory cornbread. I prefer my cornbread on the sweeter side, so that’s what this is. It goes great with a big batch of turkey or bean chili.

Two: This is not a healthy recipe. (See butter in 1st ingredient) That said, I’ve made some swaps that help make it healthier than my last version, including adding yogurt for protein and flaxseeds for fiber, etc.

hcb

Healthier Cornbread 

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 flax eggs (you’ll need 2 TB ground flaxseed and 6 TB water)*
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 9×9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray, like Pam.
  2. Make your flax egg. Take 2 TB ground flaxseed and 6 TB of water and stir together in a bowl. Place in your fridge and set aside for 5 minutes, until it thickens.
  3. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe large boil. Once melted, add honey, yogurt and milk.  Mix well.
  4. Add in flax eggs and cornmeal, and stir so it’s all combined.
  5. In a small bowl, combine white whole wheat flour and baking soda. Add to wet mixture. Batter will be thick!
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Because of thickness of batter you may need to spread the batter with a spatula to hit all sides of the pan.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until edges start to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. I start checking around 23 minutes.

Notes:

  • Make sure you have ground flaxseed.
  • This recipe is less sweet than my previous recipe, but still on the sweeter side. Play around with the honey content – your family may not need as much to still enjoy.

hcb2

Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

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Fun fact – back in my PR agency days, we had to come up with creative ways to say “Super Bowl.” We could never use the terminology Super Bowl when promoting any specials/promotions/deals, etc. Because of the NFL’s strict trademark rules, we had to say things like, “The Big Game” or “Sunday’s Game” or “Game Night,” etc.  So if you’re ever watching a TV ad or seeing a company tweet about their “Game Day Special” that’s why they’re not saying Super Bowl or even a team name.

Anyway, I digress. But as you’re getting ready for the Big Game – and looking for a treat to make to bring with you, here’s a fun idea!

I love buckeyes. I love anything peanut butter and chocolate. So if you’re wondering what I’m making to bring to this weekend’s festivities, in addition to Donna Kelce’s chocolate chip cookies, I’ll be sharing these delicious treats – football-shaped buckeyes!

If you’re not from the Midwest, haven’t ever lived in the Midwest, or not a big candy person, you may not know what a buckeye is — here’s a full buckeye recipe and explanation.  This recipe expands upon that to make something football themed. It’s tasty and fun to make!
buckeye footballs

Football-Shaped Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

Here’s what you need:

For the peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

For the outer layer”

  • 1 12-oz package of semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon of Crisco or shortening
  • White frosting or icing– I used about 1/3-1/2 tube of Betty Crocker white decorating tube icing – you can also make your own white icing, but I went the easy way and this was perfect with the #5 decorating tip

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, and then pinch the sides to make the ball into a football shape.
    4. Place each peanut butter football on the pan and then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. When firm, it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl. I recommend checking the chocolate every 30 minutes and stirring. It’s done when the chocolate looks *almost* all melted – you should then remove from microwave and be able to stir until smooth.
    6. Remove the peanut butter footballs from freezer. Dip each football into the melted chocolate until fully covered. I placed mine on a small fork but they also sell chocolate dippers. Return the chocolate-covered football to the wax paper/foil and repeat until all are covered.
    7. When chocolate is set, you can add the laces. Using your white icing, draw the laces onto the footballs.
    8. Refrigerate for 30 min to one hour to set completely. Enjoy!

I want to know – have you heard of a Buckeye as a dessert before?

Do you love peanut butter and chocolate like I do?

Any other football-themed desserts you enjoy?

I Made Donna Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

Do you know who Donna Kelce is?

She’s Travis and Jason Kelce’s mom. Which brings me to ask … do you know who Travis and Jason Kelce are?

I understand you may not. If you’re not 1) From Cleveland OR 2) A fan of football OR 3) A fan of Taylor Swift, the Kelce boys may not be on your radar. (And if they’re not – they’re brothers from Cleveland Heights, Ohio who now are in the NFL. Travis Kelce is currently dating Taylor Swift).

But we’re talking about cookies! Not football. Anyway, these cookies went famous after Mama Kelce was seen giving her sons a container of them before last year’s Super Bowl, and also gave the Today Show anchors a sample when she was on air with them. But it wasn’t until my phone sent me a link with the headline to this recipe a week ago that I first heard of them.

My phone suggests links based on my click habits – and surprise surprise, most of the links are baking OR running related. I normally would’ve tossed this recipe aside – who needs another chocolate chip cookie recipe – but I had book club and realized that would be the perfect venue to taste them!

I pretty much made this recipe to the T with the exception of two areas – I didn’t have Ghiradelli chocolate chip cookies (I used a combination of Nestle, Trader Joe’s and Target, because that’s what I had) and I didn’t have cold cream butter – I used Costco unsalted butter. I admit that I was unsure if I’d like them – I’m more of a big doughy cookie fan, and also don’t love cinnamon mixed with chocolate.

What was the verdict from my taste testers – my family and book club ladies?

They were a hit! Some guessed the cinnamon, others couldn’t even tell it was in there. Likewise, I was surprised with how much I enjoyed the texture – they weren’t big doughy cookies but they were crispy and chewy in just the right way.

Would I make them again?

Maybe – they were good but there were a few extra steps and ingredients required that aren’t in my typical cookie recipe AND they require time to sit so they may not become my go-to cookie in a pinch. But they were good enough to share and my kids loved them!

Mama Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

(originally shared from the Today Show website)

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POWER Muffins (a.k.a. Sweet Potato, White Bean, Spinach + Banana Muffins)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

Those of you who aren’t new around here know that my kids love muffins. In fact, when my oldest was a toddler, we called him the Muffin Man, because he ate so many of them. So since then, I’m always looking for a good muffin recipe that is healthy, easy to make, and kid approved. And now that he’s in school and taking nut-free snacks, I am making more muffins that are nut free so he can bring them in. 

These muffins have protein, fiber and vegetables. Oh, and chocolate! What’s not to like? That’s why we call them POWER muffins! 

Power muffins - i crashed the web

POWER Muffins

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
  • 1/2 banana (about 1/3 cup mashed)
  • 1/3 cup fresh spinach
  • 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs  
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon  
  • 1/3 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup flour (I’ve used white whole wheat and all purpose)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your muffin tin – I use silicone reusable baking cups and spray them with non-stick cooking spray.  
  2. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, banana, spinach, beans, eggs, oil and syrup.
  3. Add cinnamon, oats and flaxseed and mix well.
  4. Add in flour and baking soda and pulse a few times until combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
  6. Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. 
  7. Cool muffins and then enjoy! I like to keep 6 out and then freeze 6 so I have individual muffins ready to go whenever. I simply take one out of the freezer and defrost overnight OR in the microwave. 

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Seeking a non-healthy muffin? Give these a try instead!

Some questions for you:

  • What do you do with spinach? We just bought a big tub of it at Costco!
  • What’s a healthy-ish recipe you made recently?

Five-Ingredient Graham Cracker HEATH Bar Toffee

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Have you started your holiday baking yet? This past weekend I realized that I hadn’t baked anything yet (hello, 3 kids including one 4-month-old who wants to be held all the time plus a full-time job) and decided to change things immediately. When B offered to take the baby with him when he went out on Saturday, leaving me home with just the 3 and 5-year-old, I knew it would be the perfect time for baking!

One of my favorite things to make this time of year is graham cracker toffee. There are so many recipes for it, but my favorite is easy and very few ingredients – chocolate chips, butter, brown sugar, graham crackers and HEATH bar bits. If I make it during the holidays, I also add some festive sprinkles, but that’s it! Easy peasy as my preschooler would say. And yes, it is easy- she even helped me!

graham cracker toffee_i crashed the web

Five-Ingredient Graham Cracker HEATH Bar Toffee

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 15-18 graham crackers (enough to fill the baking sheet you have)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup HEATH bits o’brickle
  • Optional: festive sprinkles for sprinkling all over

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line a large jelly roll baking sheet (mine was about 11×15 inches) with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Place graham crackers side-by-side, face up, in a single layer on the baking sheet. To help you reach the end, you may need to break graham crackers in half – this is okay because you’ll be breaking everything at the end.
  3. In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, until it starts to boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, and stir so to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat, and pour mixture over graham crackers.
  4. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the graham crackers. Let the chocolate chips sit for a few minutes so they’re able to melt. Spread melted chocolate with a knife or rubber spatula. Sprinkle HEATH bites and sprinkles (optional) on top.
  5. Let the toffee harden in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. After it’s hard, break the toffee into pieces or cut with a knife. Enjoy!

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My three and five-year-old helped spread the butter/sugar mixture on the graham crackers before they went into the oven.

Some questions for you:

  • What’s your go-to holiday cookie or treat you like to share?
  • Are you baking up a storm right now?

Nut-Free Chocolate Energy Bites

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My son has started kindergarten and is in a tree nut-free school. He packs his lunch pretty much every day, and we’re always looking for new treats for him to bring for snacktime and lunch. His favorite dessert of late are these granola bars, but we decided to switch things up and create a new treat — introducing these energy balls! They’re sweet enough that he eats them after his lunch and we’ve started calling them chocolate cookie balls.

If you’re seeking a snack recipe for school (or home) that has no tree nuts or peanuts (read: no almonds, etc.), then you must try this! Please note that they have coconut, which can be another allergen, and sunflower seeds, which aren’t a nut. These take 5 minutes to make and only have 6 ingredients! Plus, they’re so easy to make, my 3-year-old daughter had a blast helping me. 

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Nut-Free Granola Bars

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I can’t believe I’m saying this, but my firstborn starts kindergarten THIS YEAR. I could (and should) write a full post on how fast time flies, how I’m not ready for him to go to real school (during a pandemic nonetheless) and also how amazing he is. So instead, I’m taking out my anxiety and emotions by baking and making sure we’re prepared and ready to start! One of the ways we are doing this is by making sure we have snacks, since FW has a morning snack he must bring every day. Snacks (and all foods) must be tree nut free, so that leaves out so many of our usual go-tos, like PB&J, or energy bites. Luckily, I found a recipe for granola bars that FW (and the rest of the family) enjoys, so this is going to be part of our new rotation.

If you’re seeking a snack recipe for school (or home) that has no tree nuts or peanuts (read: no almonds, etc.), then you must try this!

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