Spike Your Sweets With This Guinness S’more Brownies Recipe

We’re not going to lie, one of our favorite parts about camping is the part where we melt chocolate and roast marshmallows over a flaming campfire. And you know what, there’s only ONE thing that could make it better…

Yup, booze. We’re not sure what it is, but there’s just something magical about combining chocolate and Guinness. So we brought the best of boozy camping to you with these Guinness S’more Brownies!

Ingredients:

– 1 box of your favorite fudgy brownie mix

– eggs (however many your brownie mix requires)

– 1 bottle Guinness beer

– 1 pack graham crackers

– 1 cup mini marshmallows

Crush your graham crackers by putting in a plastic bag, and using a rolling pin to create large pieces. You don’t want to make them too small or else it won’t be s’mores like anymore.

Prepare your brownie mix according to the directions on the box. However, instead of using water, replace with Guinness. We poured a little more than directed– instead of 1/4 cup Guinness, we put 1/3 cup ;). In 13×9″ cake pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a thin later of graham cracker pieces. Pour the brownie mix over the graham crackers, then top with marshmallows. Bake according to the directions on the box.

What are your favorite unconventional brownie recipes? Talk to us in the comments below.

It wouldn’t be fall without a jug of fresh apple cider and an apple cider donut (or two!). But in addition to the classics, there are plenty of ways to use the spicy fall beverage for savory and sweet recipes alike. Here are the recipes we’ll be adding to our “to-cook” list immediately!

Brit + Co

Apple Cider-Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This cake brings together pumpkin and apple cider, amplifying the *best* fall flavors of all time. Have a boozy hot chocolate at the ready, and you're golden. (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Apple Cide-car

Try this tangy fall take on a classic cocktail – you won’t be disappointed. (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Mulled Apple Cider

This apple cider recipe infuses your sip with the zest of lemon and orange, then blending beautifully with warm fall spices. (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Bourbon Apple Cider Sorbet

It’s another addition to our Spike Your Sweets series, and this apple cider sorbet is made even better by the fact that you don’t need an ice cream maker to make it. (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Slow-Cooker Apple Cider

The slow cooker adds deeper, more rich tasting notes to your big ol' batch of autumnal apple cider. (via Brit + Co)

Sincerely Kinsey

Apple Cider Pancakes

Not only do these pancakes include apple cider, but they also have nutmeg, cinnamon, and sweet brown sugar. Yum! (via Sincerely Kinsey)

Half Baked Harvest

Sweet + Salty Chocolate Drizzled Cider Caramel Apples

Caramel-covered apples get a sweet + salty upgrade with this recipe. You can even make it boozy with a splash of bourbon. (via Half Baked Harvest)

How Sweet Eats

Loaded Apple Cider Oatmeal Muffins with Brown Butter Apple Cider Glaze

If you made it through that recipe title and your mouth isn’t watering, we don’t even know what to say. These easy muffins are our new fall favorite. (via How Sweet Eats)

Half Baked Harvest

Fig Bourbon Cider Smash

Drink to all things fall with this cocktail that mixes apple cider with orange, fig preserves, bourbon, and sparkling water. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Completely Delicious

Apple Oven Pancake with Apple Cider Syrup

This open-faced pancake recipe lets you dig into the best fall feels, all covered with a super sweet apple cider syrup. (via Completely Delicious)

Prospect: The Pantry

Mussels With Apple Cider and Thyme Glaze

Try cider in place of the traditional white wine for a unique flavor next time you’re cooking mussels. (via Prospect: The Pantry)

Handle The Heat

Apple Cider Caramels

A new twist on the traditional combo of caramel and apples, these bite-sized sweets are guaranteed addictive. (via Handle The Heat)

Averie Cooks

Apple Cider Chicken with Caramelized Apples

This dish perfectly exemplifies that sweet and savory were meant to be. Sink your teeth into some tender chicken, then rotate to the sweet, caramelized apple component! (via Averie Cooks)

Vikalinka

Boneless Pork Chops with Apples + Cider

This is the *best* apple cider recipe for entertaining a crowd. Full of meaty sustenance, this is one you'll definitely want to add to your recipe book. (via Vikalinka)

Half Baked Harvest

Apple Pecan Pie Cronuts with an Apple Cider Caramel Drizzle

Cronuts never really went away, and these apple-pecan ones are sure to send you into sugar shock — only in a good way! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Local Kitchen

Apple Cider Jelly with Rosemary and Peppercorns

Your morning toast or PB&J will *never* be the same once you try this sweet + savory jelly. (via Local Kitchen)

A Sweet Pea Chef

Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Adding a bit of cider to this pulled pork recipe makes your sandwich have just a touch of sweet. It’s a recipe you don’t want to miss. (via A Sweet Pea Chef)

How Sweet Eats

Apple Cider Sangria

Using apple cider and brandy in your sangria is a no-brainer. We love this refreshing fall cocktail recipe! (via How Sweet Eats)

Crowded Kitchen

Fall Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Crunch on the best of the best with this kale-filled salad. It's tossed in an unforgettably tangy apple cider dressing! (via Crowded Kitchen)

Dessert For Two

Apple Cider Tiramisu

Tiramisu no longer has to just be coffee-flavored. This apple cider version — made with apple pie moonshine — is a tasty update. (via Dessert For Two)

A Spicy Perspective

Apple Cider Turkey Gravy

Bring a little more fall to a turkey dinner with this apple-cider gravy that's made with five ingredients: turkey stock, apple cider, garlic, flour, and salt. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Half Baked Harvest

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions

Perfect for an October night, this dinner recipe slow-cooks short ribs in apple cider and adds in caramelized onions and fresh herbs. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Katie at the Kitchen Door

Apple Cider Donut Cake

There’s no need to have a special pan to enjoy apple cider donuts. This bunt cake fits the bill just as well and looks like a giant donut. (via Katie at the Kitchen Door)

Belle Vie

Apple Cider Margaritas

Surprisingly, apple cider and tequila go quite well together. The best part of this sweet margarita cocktail, though, is the brown sugar rim. (via Belle Vie)

Half Baked Harvest

Mini Apple Cider Cakes

The secret to these cinnamon-sugar dusted cakes is boiling the apple cider down for optimal flavor. (via Half Baked Harvest)

A Spicy Perspective

Apple Cider Cinnamon Knots

The dough for these knots starts with apple cider, and they're finished with a dusting of butter and cinnamon sugar. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Half Baked Harvest

Prosciutto Apple and Sage Butter Chicken with Cider Pan Sauce

A white wine + cider sauce takes this fall chicken dinner to a whole other level. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Culinary Hill

Apple Cider Donuts

Feast on these fall-favorites, fresh out of the oven for a real autumnal treat. (via Culinary Hill)

A Spicy Perspective

Lentil Salad With Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This vegan salad made with lentils, pomegranate arils, almonds, and green onion gets topped off with apple cider vinaigrette, apple butter, and Sriracha. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Barley & Sage

Brown Butter Apple Cider Bundt Cake

Filled with an apple-pecan streusel and topped with a cinnamon glaze, this apple cider bundt cake is perfect on a crisp fall day. (via Barley & Sage)

Coconut & Lime

Apple Cider Jelly Candy

For those of you that love gumdrops, these DIY candies are the perfect homemade version. (via Coconut & Lime)

What’s your favorite way to use cider? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more fall recipes!

This post has been updated.

Last year, some of us celebrated the holidays apart from our families for the first time. COVID has brought with it many changes, some of them arguably positive (like increased flexibility to work from home), some difficult (such as the realization of vastly different political and social views between family and friends), and some horrible (obviously, the health implications of a global pandemic). However, for some of us, celebrating the holidays without family members isn't exclusively due to COVID. In addition to so many of us living in different areas than our families of origin, some of us simply don't have close bonds with the people we grew up around. Sometimes, this can cause loneliness.

If you're not close with your family members, the holidays can be a difficult time. This is doubly true if you don't have a close circle of friends to call upon. But make no mistake, if this sounds like your situation, you're not alone — there are thousands of other people going through the same struggles you are. We sat down with Irad Eichler, founder of Circles, a website that connects people who are sharing similar struggles, like heartbreak, grief, or loneliness. Here are some of Eichler's tips for coping — and even thriving! — during the holiday season when you're not planning on spending it with your family, for one reason or another.

Don't Fall For "Perfect Families" On Social Media

Laura Chouette

The first VERY important step to having a joyous holiday season when you're going it alone is to stop believing the narrative that others' family situations are perfect, Eichler says.

"Remember people only post a moment in time, and only the moments when they look their happiest and best."

In addition to the fact that everything you see on social media is curated for the 'gram, it's also important to remember that by focusing on what others have and you lack, you risk failing to see the great things at play in your own life.

"These holiday periods can become a time of focusing on who and what we don't have, rather than who or what we do, and can cause a negative spiral into depressing and dreadful feelings of inadequacy," says Eichler.

Gratitude is the reason for the season, after all. So instead of only seeing the negative, try some gratitude journal prompts to help you focus on what's actually really wonderful about your life right now.

Make An Effort To Deepen New Connections

Joel Muniz

While it may seem like everyone has friends and family to spend time with during the holiday season, that doesn't mean no one is available for deepening a blossoming relationship or new friendship.

"Make a list of people you can or would like to connect with, and try to reach out to at least one of them," advises Eichler.

Reaching out doesn't have to mean a big plan or an hour-long conversation. Even a quick text letting a friendly coworker know you're thinking about them can go a long way toward deepening the relationship and moving it in the direction of closer friendship.

Don't have an acquaintance in mind? Then it's time to make new acquaintances. What's more in line with the Christmas spirit than attending a Meetup or event full of people eager to make new friends?

"Join groups with similar interests to yours, such as hiking, baking, or games. Push your boundaries and be brave - you might find new people who have much in common with you."

Give Back

Priscilla Du Preez

The holiday season is a great time to focus on giving back to your community, and coincidentally, acts of generosity and kindness are known to reduce loneliness and help people feel happier. One study found that knowing a few of your neighbors and doing small acts of kindness for them — such as cheering them up, listening to them, mowing their lawn, providing advice about local business recommendations and job opportunities, and chatting over the fence — was statistically correlated with feeling less lonely and having a lower risk of depression.

Helping out elderly neighbors can be a particularly gratifying way to give back.

"Notice older lonely people in your neighborhood or community who might have no family at all, and offer to help them," says Eichler. "These can become mutually meaningful connections, and help you 'adopt' a grandparent."

Connect With Others Online

Thought Catalog

Finally, use the Internet for its highest and best purpose: to connect people. Whether you're using Meetup to find in-person events, digital forums for having conversations about special interests, or programs like Circle for getting support from others in your situation, the opportunities to create new connections are practically endless.

"There are many interest groups that can be found digitally, where or any person can connect with others in the same life stage, going through the same challenges, or who would like to explore the same interests," Eichler states. "Meaningful connections can be formed easily in these circumstances. The Internet enables us to find and connect to people all over the world who fit this, and to whom we can become more easily attached, as we are able to find people with the exact interests that energize us."

If you're struggling with loneliness, you're not alone. Connect with our digital community of makers and creatives here at Brit+Co by following us on IG and signing up for our newsletter!

This post has been updated.

If there's one thing The Seaside Baker blogger Jackie Bruchez knows, it's the sweet spot between fresh ingredients and luxurious desserts. In her new cookbook, Decadent Fruit Desserts($22), there is a little something comforting for everyone in more than 60 recipes, such as grilled peaches and a banana-chocolate pot de crème with cognac sauce. At the heart of each recipe is a key fruit ingredient, meant to shine as the star of the show. Bruchez elaborates in the intro of her book, “Transforming fruit, be it apples or oranges or more exotic varieties like dragon fruit, into a decadent, sophisticated, blow-your-mind dessert is the revelation I want to share with you." You don't have to just take our word for it. The paloma tart recipe below takes the tequila-grapefruit drink and morphs it into a bright and snappy multi-layered fruit tart.

Paloma Tart

(Serves 8-10)

Baker's Note: When making the curd, it is necessary to whisk the egg yolks and sugar before adding the citrus juice to avoiding curdling.

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup coconut, shredded
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Grapefruit Tequila Curd:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
  • 2 cups grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
  • 1 tablespoon tequila, optional

Whipped Cream:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon lime zest, freshly grated
  • lime and grapefruit wedges, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch fluted tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make the crust. In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar, flour, salt, lime zest, and coconut until they're well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and lime juice; mix to combine them until moist clumps form. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

3. Bake the crust until it's golden brown, about 23 to 25 minutes. Cool it for 10 minutes.

4. While the crust is cooling, make the curd. In a heavy-bottomed, medium-sized pot, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until it's light and pale. Whisk in the salt, grapefruit zest, juice, and cornstarch. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and cook the curd until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat; stir in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, and then add the tequila, if using.

5. Pour the warm curd into the crust; let it sit for 30 minutes, then transfer the tart to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

6. Right before serving, make the whipped cream. Beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and lime zest on high until stiff peaks form.

7. Dollop the cream onto the tart and garnish it with lime and grapefruit wedges.

RELATED: The Spicy Paloma Cocktail *Made* for Daytime Drinking

(Reprinted with permission from Decadent Fruit Desserts by Jackie Bruchez, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Jackie Bruchez.)

Zach Bryan and Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia's explosive breakup is everywhere right now. From his seemingly one-sided social media posts to all the bombshell revelations she keeps dropping, it's clear this split is NOT amicable. Both parties are dropping tons of lore, info, and everything in between — including new music?! — right now, so it makes sense if you can't keep up. Luckily, I'm here to help break this breakup down for you! Here's everything you need to know about Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry's relationship...or lack thereof.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

October 22, 2024 – Zach Bryan Announces His Breakup With Brianna Chickenfry

On October 22, 2024, after some recent speculation that Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry split up, Zach took to his Instagram stories. The country star said, "Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with [each other] and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I'll always thank her."

He continued, noting, "I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna's privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too."

To wrap it all up, he closed by apologizing to his fans. He said, "With everything I am and to anyone I let down, I am sorry. I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself."

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Brianna hopped on her own Instagram stories shortly there after. She posted, "Hey guys I'm feeling really blindsided right now. Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I'm ready I'll be back and ready to talk. I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything's always gonna be okay 🫶"

The Brianna got on Youtube next, posting a raw, emotional video about the situation. Sitting on the floor of her bathroom, she opened up as much as she could in the moment about her breakup. She said, "I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up. He didn't text me, he didn't call me. I just woke up to a bunch of texts, like, 'Are you okay?'"

Brianna, with her teary eyes and red face, explained she's been crying for "five days straight." She said, "I'm at the point where it's like, how can you give someone everything and love them so unconditionally, like through stuff that you shouldn't because you just love them and you want them... like you see the good in them?"

The internet personality said that this is all "so embarrassing" and "really, really heartbreaking." She elaborated that the couple broke up on October 21, but wanted to process on her own and "didn't want it to be public."

Much like her Instagram story, she told her audience that she'll come back when she's ready.

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

November 7, 2024 — Brianna Claims Zach's Emotionally Abusive, Wanted $12Mil NDA

Well, it appears this week, Brianna decided she's ready. On Barstool Sports' BFF's Pod November 7, 2024, Brianna gave an inside look at the breakup unlike any other. Not only did she claim Zach was abusive, but she also alleged that he offered her a $12 million NDA to "not talk about the relationship."

After saying it's been the hardest year of her life, she said. "I'm still scared right now because I'm scared of him. My brain's rewired and I'm scared to make him mad and last week, I didn't want to talk about it 'cause I was scared."

Brianna then described the alleged emotional abuse. She noted that everything was cyclical and that he would build her up only to break her back down again. "There was always another excuse as to why he was treating me so poorly and why I'm crying myself to sleep every night, why he's screaming at me," she said. "And then you wake up, it's the apology, it's the 'I'm going to be better like I need you in my life,' but if you've been through this — I don't expect people to understand emotional abuse if you haven't been through it. I hope you never have to go through it but if you've been there you know what I'm talking about."

Not only does Brianna allege she was offered an NDA, but she said that other women that came before her had to sign their own agreements. She declined the offer because she didn't want to "sign away [her] experiences and what [she] went through to protect someone that hurt [her]." She also wanted to share this experience for other women who've suffered something similar.

And when it comes to the logistics of losing out on the famous lifestyle and alleged $12 million? She said, "It was never about the money — I was with the dude because I loved the dude."

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival

November 8, 2024 — Zach Quit Touring Amid Abuse Allegations

On November 8, 2024, Zach posted on Instagram — where he clearly loves to share all his big news — that not only is his new single "High Road" out today, but that he's also ending his tour early. Read his full statement here:

After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mothers gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again

Told her I quit touring because I got accepted to get my masters in Paris next year, I told her I was back in Oklahoma, told her about all my best friends in New York and all the nights we howled with the moon, told her about the immeasurable laughter my band and me have shared these last five years, all the calluses on my finger tips, every tear shed, told her about making it on The Rolling Stone and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister.
I wrote the chorus for this song a month or two back and finished it when I realized I was blessed with all these things.

I figured it was about time I released it.

Thank you guys for listening to ‘This Worlds a Giant’ last night and thank you to all the people who love me; who have truly carried the weight with me.

Seems that all these Quiet Dreams have gotten much too heavy but I’m home now and I’ll hold you through the pain.

High Road is out today and I appreciate all of you"

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