Top 10 Recipes of 2016
Top 2016 Recipes: A thrilling & sometimes nostalgic look back on the top 2016 recipes on Beaming Baker. Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free and Paleo treats.
Welcome to the very last post on Beaming Baker for 2016. Was that dramatic or what? I thought there should be dramatic lighting and a booming voice of some sort… but then you might not be able to see or hear any of it. Darn it.
So, using your imagination, attempt to visualize and hear-lize (or something) that lighting and that sound. Gets you all tingly doesn’t it? 😉
It’s been a seriously amazing year. Beaming Baker is not quite 1 year old yet… but so many landmarks, firsts and incredible adventures have happened. I promise to not get too mushy on you, but I just wanted to say: THANK YOU.
Alright, maybe I shouldn’t have screamed that. I’m not mad, just grateful. Sometimes my fingers type a little too hastily, I get a little too excited, and all of my words just come spilling out. I’m just so happy to be here with you, finishing off the year, and maybe, just maybe, having grown a bit.
Do you have any adventures/accomplishments/proud moments you want to tell me about? I’d absolutely love to hear about them. <3
I’m so grateful for the time you spend with me, here on the blog, over on Instagram, all over that fast-paced Facebook and on the ever elusive Twitter. I love seeing every Beaming Baker creation you’ve made, carefully drizzled, photographed to your heart’s content, and enjoyed with your friends and family.
Most of all, I’m so grateful to you for helping me learn how important it is to stay true to yourself. I started out this blog full of self-doubt, fear, worry and lack of faith in myself. I didn’t know if I could run a blog, if I had something important to say, or, more importantly, if I could inspire people to enjoy life despite seemingly endless restrictions.
I just didn’t know if I could.
Throughout this year, I learned that it’s okay to not know exactly how things will turn out, or even if you can do it. There is no such thing as a sure bet.
All you have to do it try.
I hope that you try anything and everything that you’ve dreamed of in the coming year. I hope that you don’t hold back, that you take a chance, take a leap of faith and fly. Life isn’t about letting fear or what other people might think hold you back. Pursue your dreams and stay true to yourself. You never know what could happen. 🙂
I can’t wait to spend the new year with you. Can you just feel all the excitement of what’s to come?
In the meantime, let’s hold each other, cozy up in our warmest, softest blankets, and reminisce on the Top 10 Recipes of 2016.
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Gluten Free Vegan Brownies (V, GF, DF, Whole Grain)
Gluten Free Vegan Brownies (V+GF): a one bowl recipe for the best gluten free vegan brownies made with simple, whole ingredients. Vegan, Gluten Free, One Bowl.
My most well-reviewed recipe, upgraded, gluten-free style. 🙂 These brownies are based off of someone you might see a bit higher up on this list… my Best Vegan Brownies. I was probably a little too proud of myself for making brownies that were packed with amazing whole ingredients like gluten free oat flour, almond butter and coconut oil. They’re so incredibly rich, fudgy and choco-awesome. Okay, serious time: can choco-awesome be a thing? Let’s make it a thing.
Better yet, these are made in just one bowl. Does it get easier than that?
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Good Morning Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Whole Grain)
Good Morning Breakfast Cookies: an easy recipe for feel-good, energy-boosting cookies made with whole ingredients. Vegan and Gluten Free.
Soft, chewy, deliciously fruit- and nut-packed cookies that are the perfect excuse to have dessert for breakfast. What more could you really need?
This recipe was the first time I got really excited about making something special for breakfast. Just the thought of these brings a smile to my face and makes the whole day better. Hence… Good Morning Breakfast Cookies. 🙂
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Whole Grain)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (V+GF): a simple recipe for deliciously textured oatmeal breakfast bars bursting with peanut butter and chocolate flavor. Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free.
The recipe that started out as a cookie and ended happily as a nice, big batch of yummy bars. Apparently 2016 was the year of breakfast recipes!
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (V+GF): Decadent chocolate chip cookie dough bites wrapped in a velvety blanket of rich, dark, indulgent chocolate. Vegan and Gluten Free.
This is what happens when I forget about all the shoulds and just go with my gut. 🙂 After looking at countless recipes for cookie dough bites, I was worried that I couldn’t make one with whole/feel-good ingredients. But I just chucked everything that cookie dough should be and I just went for it!
You’ve made, snapped pics and left so many comments about this recipe. Thank you for enjoying it and making it one of the most popular recipes on this blog. 🙂
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No Bake Almond Butter Coconut Bites (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Whole Grain)
No Bake Almond Butter Coconut Bites (V+GF): Nutty, lightly sweet and satisfying energy bites made from just 6 simple ingredients. Vegan and Gluten Free.
Turns out, you and I really, really enjoy no bake bites! Call them what you will: energy bites, bliss balls, or happy balls (hehe), the result is the same: no bake awesomeness!
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Whole Grain)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (V+GF): An easy, guilt-free recipe for seriously delicious chocolate chip cookie dough bites. Vegan and Gluten Free.
Yep, the scrumptious beauties inside of #7 on this list. Who’da thunk so many people would enjoy cookie dough bites? Okay, that was silly of me too say. #CookieDough4Life!!!! As it turns out, completely different people were drawn to these no bake bites (which I think were seen as just slightly indulgent energy bites) than the cookie dough truffles (which were all-out Dessert Indulgence Central). What do you think?
4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Whole Grain)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (V+GF): An easy recipe for soft, deliciously textured cookies with oats, coconut, and LOTS of peanut butter and chocolate. Vegan and Gluten Free.
Turns out, we have more than just a love of no bake in common. 🙂 You know, when I first started this blog, I was sooooo self-conscious about whether or not my exuberance for peanut butter might be too much. Turns out… it isn’t! Woot woot!
In the first few months of the blog, I actually ripped up and threw away peanut butter ideas because I thought you guys would get sick of them! Not only did I have to elegantly reach back into the trash (and wash my hands like 500 times afterward), but I also decided it’s crazy to not be myself. Turns out, I’m not too bad. 🙂
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Paleo Almond Joy (V, GF, DF, Paleo)
Paleo Almond Joy (V, GF, DF): a 5-ingredient recipe for deliciously satisfying homemade Almond Joy candy bars bursting with coconut and chocolate. Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free.
What started as a zany idea turned into one of the most-made recipes on Beaming Baker. Just goes to show, when you say to hamburgers with it, everything can just… work out. In the best way possible.
For this recipe, I really, really wanted to do a healthified makeover for one of my mom’s favorite candy bars of all time: Almond Joy. I knew I didn’t want to use any kind of cream, or really, any ingredient I didn’t feel good about my mom eating. So I pared it down to what I knew and loved: coconut, coconut oil and chocolate. The result was tasty and satisfying.
So many of you loved how easy this was to make, how much the coconut flavor really shined, and how fun it was to drizzle. Drizzle: *happy sigh*
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Best Vegan Brownies (V, Whole Grain)
The BEST vegan brownies you’ve ever had: divinely rich, fudgy, and moist, bursting with chocolate flavor. One bowl awesomeness.
Erik and I refer to this recipe as “The Sleeper Hit.” The two of us have loved this recipe for so long… but we didn’t know how to get the word out. So while we were busy totally not getting the internet, the internet went ahead and got this. All by themselves. Or would that be itself? Eh, who knows??
My Best Vegan Brownies are my most commented, most family-requested (like every stinking holidays and get-together—I get it guys!! I’m making a quad batch, ya crazies!!), most Instagrammed recipe, like EVER. If you haven’t tried them, I hope you do. They’re for Chocolate Lovers only. Okay, that sounded like some people might be left out. Let’s make it… for all the peeps. In all the land! Yep, that’s much better. 🙂
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No Bake Peanut Butter Coconut Bites (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Whole Grain)
No Bake Peanut Butter Coconut Bites: delicious, easy to make, energy-boosting and super-filling. Made of just 6 simple ingredients, vegan, gluten free and healthy!
You’re totally gonna laugh at me, but I agonized over this recipe like an utter Type A—perfectionism-obsessed weirdo. Which I totally am. Card-carrying and proud of it! But seriously, after I made this recipe, I laid awake at night in a cold sweat, worried it wasn’t good enough. Was it too moist, too dry, too… peanut butter-y? Yep, this was during my “did I post too many PB recipes on the blog” phase.
It was my first recipe to take off… and it has only gathered steam ever since. I think I was a bit too anxious about all the fervor over this recipe. Literally, going in and updating links gives me a heart attack. Haha. Anywho, turns out folks love them some no bake bites. As such, there’s a whole section of no bake deliciousness on Beaming Baker. Feel free to put in a request for whatever flavor you’d like. I can’t wait to start the night sweats!! J/k! I can’t wait to experiment and whip it up for you!
Runners Up, Although That Somehow Makes These Sounds Like Losers… Darn It (11-15)
11. One Bowl Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread (V, GF, DF, Whole Grain)
12. No Bake Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars (V, GF, DF, Whole Grain)
13. Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (V, GF, DF, Whole Grain)
14. Coffee Coconut Frappuccino (V, GF, DF, Paleo)
15. Protein-Packed Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie (GF, Protein-Rich)
If you’re curious about what my personal faves are, check it out here.
Which Top 10 Beaming Baker recipe is your favorite? What are you most looking forward to in the new year? Do you have any special recipe requests for 2017?
I can’t wait to hear your responses.
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
Top 10 Vegan Gluten Free Recipes of the Present [UPDATED]
- Top 10 Vegan Gluten Free Recipes of 2019
- Top 10 Gluten Free Vegan Recipes of 2018
- Top 10 Gluten Free Vegan Recipes of 2017
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Demeter, I’ve reread this post probably twice a week since you posted it. Your recipes and easy going way or writing inspire me to relax and just follow my own inner quirky voice. I started a blog in January and it helps to read that you had self doubts as well. Head to toe, from your writing to photography to recipes, all are on point.
So thank you for helping my little boat stay afloat when the self doubt comes calling. Have a gorgeous day! -Hanne
Hanne, always believe in yourself. Of course, you’ll have moments of self-doubt and insecurity, but always know that you are gonna do something special–and that your opinion/your voice/your creativity changes the world. I believe in you, and I’m always happy to keep your boat afloat. Sending you all the good vibes for success and, more importantly, happiness, in everything you do. <3
These all look like such phenomenal treats! My favorite was the peanut butter coconut bites!
Thank you, Miranda! 🙂 I’m not surprised that one of the peanut butter recipes was your fave. 😉
Holy Moly, I had no idea your blog was only a year old! I came across it and assumed because of how awesome everything was, that it took you a couple of years to get so cool. Congrats on such an amazingly successful year! I have a Pinterest Board devoted to trail snacks but it might as well be known as the Beaming Baker Board because more than half the pins are your bars or no bake treats. Cheers to an even better 2017!
You’re so sweet, Megan! 🙂 Congrats to you as well! It’s gonna a great year. 🙂 Thank you so much for being so supportive and awesome. <3 Happy New Year! Wishing a spectacular new year. xo
ALWAYS be your beautiful beaming baking self, count me in on team #cookiedough4life, NEVER too much peanut butter, and amen to “All you have to do it try” bit. Phew I just had to write all that down real fast!! This post has given me about 1 zillion thoughts and while I probably can’t cram all of them into this comment box those all needed to be said. This has got to be the most delicious top 10 list I’ve ever seen!!! It’s chocolate and peanut butter and drizzle-on-top deliciousness right from start to end! I mean #10 should win an award for most mouthwatering stack of brownies on the internet. Hang on, I’ll take care of that myself real fast…. And I feel ya on the mushy parts too❤️ My mind still can’t believe you haven’t been blogging for like 100 years with how freaking bad*ss you are at it, and at this rate you will probably dominate the whole internet by the end of 2017. Yep, I just made that prediction. Lots of love you amazing human!! xoxo
Natalie… my dear lady bird, my fantastic feasting f(b)estie, you’re too awesome for words to ever encompass. This year has been BEYOND splendid with you by my virtual side. What’s blogging without really freaking awesome friendship, right? <3 LOL on #10. Ya know, I've got to submit this to some internet contest for most mouthwatering stack. Think there's such a thing? . Oh wait, you already fixed it!!! Best bestie EVER!!! Your predictions obviously have nothing to do with you being my bestie of course. No bias at all. . Lots of love back, you amazing everything. <3 <3
It’s been awesome reading your posts and recipes since coming across your blog this year. It’s hard to believe it’s not even a year old yet, with all the beautiful photography and writing around! I certainly look forward to seeing what recipes appear on the blog in 2017! 😀 <3
Aw, thank you so much Marsha. That means a lot to me. 🙂 Your photography and baking skills are unparalleled! I’m seriously looking forward to seeing all the wonderful treats you have in store for 2017! <3 <3
Oh WOW – Demeter – I had no idea you had been blogging for less than a year! I thought you had been around and I just hadn’t bumped into you till this year – GAAWSH Lady – you are so rocking this bloggin thing! I am thankful beyond words to have bumped into ya! Your witty posts have become something I look forward to with my morning cuppa! Congrats on a stellar year and I hope 2017 has awesome, awesome things in store for you and yours!
XOXO
I’m gonna totally take that as a compliment! Hehe. 🙂 How sad would it have been if we’d just been floating around for years, not running into each other? 😉 Thank you so much for your sweet words. I am INCREDIBLY thankful that we met. You’re so kind, thoughtful and (my fave) HILARIOUS!! It’s been such a pleasure to check out your posts every week. 🙂 Wishing you and your family an amazing and happy new year! <3 <3 XOXOXO