No-Bake Mini Pecan Pie Bites

These no-bake mini pecan pie cups are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and made with Siete cookies. Quick, healthy-ish, and perfect for holiday desserts!

If you love pecan pie but don’t love baking crust, rolling dough, or turning your kitchen into chaos… these No-Bake Mini Pecan Pie Cups are about to become your new obsession.

They’re:

✔ gluten-free
✔ refined sugar-free (sweetened with maple + date sugar)
✔ made in under 15 minutes
✔ no crust, no oven, no fuss
✔ perfectly sweet + salty + crunchy

Instead of a traditional crust, these mini pies use Siete Mexican Shortbread Cookies as the base — which makes them buttery, crumbly, and naturally gluten-free without any extra work from you. Top them with a drizzle of chocolate and flaky sea salt and they taste like a gourmet holiday dessert with zero effort.

⬇️ 🎥 A YouTube video tutorial below if you want to watch the full step-by-step!

Storage Instructions (Food Safety-Friendly)

Refrigerator:
Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Because the filling contains butter and nuts, keeping them chilled preserves freshness and prevents oil separation.

Freezer:
Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Let thaw at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before enjoying.

Recipe Notes + Brand Recommendations

• Cookies: Siete Mexican Shortbread Cookies make the perfect gluten-free base. You can use my code ROOTS15 15% off.

• Salt: I use flaky salt from Redmond Real Salt — code ROOTS15 works here too.

• Chocolate: Hu Kitchen Sea Salt Dark Chocolate gives the best flavor for drizzling.

✨ If you try this recipe, make sure to tag me in your socials so I can cheer you on in the kitchen! Or leave feedback in the comments!

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No-Bake Mini Pecan Pie Bites (Gluten-Free, Healthy-ish + SO Easy)

These no-bake mini pecan pie cups are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and made with Siete cookies. Quick, healthy-ish, and perfect for holiday desserts!

Servings: 22 mini pies Prep: 10 MIN chill time: 20 MIN

Ingredients

Base

• 22 Siete Mexican Shortbread Cookies (1 per muffin cup; sometimes bags contain 20–22)

Pecan Pie Filling

• 2–4 Tbsp butter (use 4 tbsp for richer filling; 2 tbsp works if you prefer lighter)

• ½ cup maple syrup

• ⅔ cup date sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Generous pinch of cinnamon

• Generous pinch of sea salt

• 1½ cups chopped pecans

Optional Chocolate Drizzle

• ½ bar Hu Kitchen Sea Salt Dark Chocolate

• 1–2 tsp coconut oil

• Flaky sea salt (I use Redmond Real Salt)

Directions

1. Prepare the muffin tin.
   Lightly spray a 24-count mini muffin tin with avocado oil. This helps the mini pies release easily, especially if adding chocolate.

2. Add the cookie base.
   Place one Siete Mexican Shortbread Cookie into each muffin cup. You should get 20–22 cookies per bag — either amount works.

3. Toast pecans in butter.
   In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped pecans and stir until they are fully coated and lightly toasted (1–2 minutes).

4. Create the filling mixture.
   Add the maple syrup and date sugar. Stir quickly and continuously to prevent burning. Once the mixture becomes glossy and sticky, immediately remove the skillet from heat.

5. Add flavor.
   Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix until everything is evenly combined.

6. Fill the cups.
   Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, spoon the warm pecan filling over each cookie. Work quickly before the mixture thickens.

7. (Optional) Add chocolate drizzle.
   Melt chocolate with coconut oil (microwave or double boiler). Drizzle over the top of each pecan pie cup and finish with flaky sea salt.

8. Chill + remove.
   Transfer the muffin tin to the fridge for 15–20 minutes to set.
   Once firm, slide a thin knife around the edges to release (most should pop out easily, especially with the oil spray).

9. Serve or store.
   Enjoy immediately or store chilled — see storage notes above.

Halloween Munch Dark Chocolate Bark

Halloween munch dark chocolate bark is a fun and creative way of using healthier Halloween candy products! 

For October’s virtual cooking class, I wanted to create a fun, festive and kid friendly dessert using healthier candy products. It’s so easy to switch out sugar and overly processed-filled Halloween candy products with healthier brands like Yum Earth, That’s It, Hu Kitchen and so much more (product recommendations for this recipe at the bottom!)

Halloween bark recipe is as simple as they come! Using only 3-ingredients to make the bark, and topped with your favorite go-to halloween candy products or venturing out into the healthier but still spookier side!

FAQs and tips on making dark chocolate bark: 

• After the chocolate has cooled, it is hard to spread or for toppings to stick so work quickly while your chocolate is still warm! 

• Storage? If the chocolate bark is set out at room temperature for too long, it will start to melt so best to store in the fridge for about a week or the freezer for 2 months. Don’t expect it to last that long in your house, though! 

• A spatula or back of a spoon are the best tools to spread the chocolate across a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

• You can obviously use a double broiler to melt your chocolate but the fastest and easiest method is simply using a microwave! Microwave in 30 second increments while stirring until melted. 

Other great Halloween recipes: spookylicious green smoothie

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Halloween munch dark chocolate bark is a fun and creative way of using healthier Halloween candy products! 

SERVINGS: 6-8 | PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: N/A

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (about 12 oz)

• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

• 1 Tbsp+ 1 tsp coconut oil

• 1/4 cup candy corn

• 1/4 cup gummy worms

• 1/4 cup popcorn

• Halloween sprinkles

Directions

• Line a medium/large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil leaving overhang on at least two sides.

• Add the chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 sec. Stir with a spoon and continue to warm in 30 sec increments until melted.

• Spread the melted chocolate across the prepared baking sheet and use a rubber or offset spatula to smooth into an even layer.

• Melt the white chocolate and 1 tsp oil in a separate bowl for 30 sec increments until smooth.

• Drizzle the white chocolate in a “spiderweb or mummy style” across the baking sheet of melted dark chocolate.

• Place candies, popcorn, and sprinkles on top of the bark while melted then place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer for 1 hr to harden. Once hard, use a knife to cut into pieces of bark and enjoy!

Notes

• Keep bark in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat!

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S'mores Cookies

S’mores cookie with a surprise marshmallow filling you cannot resist. Gluten-free, dairy-free friendly, refined sugar-free and no campfire needed!

Fun fact about me that not many people know is that I am a pyro! Maybe that is why I am a volunteer firefighter but I just absolutely love fires - campfires, bonfires, having a fake fire scene playing in the background, the sound of fire food crackling … I’m obsessed! 

And now that I have niece and nephews close by, I take full advantage of spoiling them with campfire treats - s’mores being #1!

So when we had Thanksgiving this past week, I wanted to surprise them with a dessert that I knew they were going to love. Because why try to give them traditional desserts like pumpkin pie when we know they aren’t going to like it or try it? Why not just make them something fun and that they will actually enjoy! 

And that is why I created this s’mores cookie recipe! They couldn’t believe that a cookie was also a s’more! And to top off the mindblown effect, when I ripped the cookie apart - they couldn’t believe that there was a gooey, melted marshmallow inside and that I didn’t have a fire to produce that sort of effect! 

All this to say, that if you are wanting major Aunt brownie points - you should make these cookies! And selfishly for yourself - that is why they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened. They will not know the difference!

And if you are unfamiliar with gluten-free or plant based s’more products to look for - I have added the products I used at the bottom of the recipe for reference. I will say that the Hu Kitchen stuffed dark chocolate bars just really elevate this recipe - especially if you are team peanut butter cup in your s’more stack! 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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S’mores cookie with a surprise marshmallow filling you cannot resist. Gluten-free, dairy-free friendly, refined sugar-free and no campfire needed!

Serving: 2 Tbsp scoop = 8 large cookies, 1 Tbsp scoop = 16 regular cookies | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup gluten-free 1 to 1 flour

• ¾ cup coconut sugar

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips or bar, chopped

• ½ cup mini marshmallows or 8 large marshmallows

• ½ cup graham crackers, crushed/chopped

• 1 egg, room temperature

• 3 Tbsp milk of choice, I used coconut milk

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp pink himalayan sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine egg, coconut sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. 

3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Gently stir in the chocolate chips, graham crackers and marshmallows if you are doing mini. 

4. Using a cookie scoop or 1 Tbsp, scoop out 2 Tbsp worth and flatten dough out to place a large marshmallow in and fold the rest of the dough over the marshmallow until fully covered. If you added mini marshmallows, scoop out 1 Tbsp, and place dough onto a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Add a few extra chocolate chips, graham crackers and kosher salt flakes on top to make the cookies look pretty. 

5. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. 

6. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes so that the cookies can firm up. Transfer to a wire wreck to cool completely and enjoy!

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White Chocolate Double Strawberry Blondies

These White Chocolate Double Strawberry Blondies are a fun way to elevate the classic blondie while being gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and dairy-free friendly.

I wanted to squeeze in one late summer recipe before moving on to fall recipes so I thought these white chocolate double strawberry blondies would be the perfect finisher! 

When I was in Las Vegas last month for a personal training conference, I so happily indulged in a strawberry shortcake milkshake in between sessions! It was truly amazing! Layers of ice cream, strawberry drizzle, and garnished with an entire slice of strawberry cake and a classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bar - the inner child in me was truly content! 

So, in like fashion, I had to create a healthier version that didn’t cause a major sugar crash in the middle of the day! Lol Almost felt like a hangover! 

And I know what you might be thinking…how is a strawberry shortcake milkshake anything like a blondie? And you are totally right - there is no comparison, haha. 

I don’t think it’s practical to recreate a layered milkshake - no matter how “healthy” I can make it, it would still be pretty dense! So to slim it down - this blondie contains two types of strawberries: fresh and freeze dried with white chocolate that cuts into the tartness of the strawberries all while salivating for more as I love pairing lemon with strawberries to provide a bright note at the end. 

Bonus - Breaking freeze dried strawberries down to powder form creates the natural pink color in the blondie batter!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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These White Chocolate Double Strawberry Blondies are a fun way to elevate the classic blondie while being gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and dairy-free friendly.

prep time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients 

• 1 cup oat flour

• ½ cup GF baking flour

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

• ¼ cup drippy natural peanut butter

• ¼ cup plant based or regular milk

• 1 egg

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2-4 Tbsp freeze dried strawberries (creates the pink color in batter)

• ½ cup white chocolate chips

• ½ cup sliced fresh strawberries

• Juice of ½ lemon + zest

Optional garnish

Additional freeze dried strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. *Tip - leave some of the paper hanging over the edges for easy removal. 

2. In a food processor, pulse 2-4+ Tbsp freeze dried strawberries until you get a powder like consistency. 

3. In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (flours, baking soda and powder, salt, freeze dried strawberry powder). 

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (maple syrup, peanut butter, milk, egg, vanilla extract, juice of ½ lemon and zest). 

5. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until well combined. 

6. Fold in the white chocolate chips and strawberries until everything is combined - do not overmix! I stop as soon as I no longer see flour chunks in the batter. The batter should be a thick consistency. 

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top in an even layer. 

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set and lightly golden. Resist the urge to overbake! *Hence, what makes a blondie a gooey blondie! 

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before slicing into squares. 

Notes

• The more freeze dried strawberry powder you use, the more your batter will be pink! Just make sure that the batter doesn’t become too dry so may have to add 1 Tbsp of milk for desired batter consistency. 

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Peach Crisp Skillet For One

Peach Crisp Skillet For One - Healthy peach crisp that is easy, gluten-free and no leftovers!

Summertime = peach season, here in Georgia and I am HERE. FOR. IT! 

My favorite thing to do is turn on the grill to make my favorite go-to summer salad Grilled Peach and Steak Salad and with the leftover peaches, make this single serve peach crisp skillet! 

With that being said, this recipe is flexible as you can cook the peach crisp on the grill or in the oven, up to you! 

Individually portioned desserts have been my new favorite - especially during the summer time when I don’t want an entire tray of brownies staring me down, begging to be eaten! 

If you would like to share this recipe with friends and family, then simply double, triple, etc the recipe ingredients and use a bigger skillet or dish! 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Peach Crisp Skillet For One - Healthy peach crisp that is easy, gluten-free and no leftovers!

Serving: 1 | Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 fresh peach, sliced and peeled (optional)

• 3 Tbsp gluten free oat flour

• 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp vanilla

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Spray cast iron skillet or small ramekin with cooking spray oil and lay peaches in a spiral. Dust peaches with cinnamon and coconut sugar and set skillet or ramekin aside. 

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients until fully incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. 

4. Cover peaches with the crumble topping and bake for 18-24 minutes or until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling. 

5. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with chopped pecans (optional) and enjoy!

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