sweet miscellany

Cold brew coffee is shaken with fresh mint leaves, agave syrup, and plenty of ice in an homage to the classic mojito. The frothy and minty cold brew is topped with creamy cashew milk for a delicious vegan summer coffee option!

Mint is probably my favorite herb. I know I’ve probably said it here many times, but it’s true! There’s something really comforting to me about its fresh flavor and cooling properties. For this reason, I always have an abundance of it in the garden, especially during the warmer months of the year. I love being able to go out and nibble on a leaf or snip a few sprigs whenever I want. Now that it’s practically summer, I crave the flavor of it almost every day!

This mojito-inspired coffee drink was inspired by a craving for a minty coffee situation last summer. I wanted a super fresh minty flavor rather than the muddled and often toothpaste adjacent one that mint simple syrup can have. So, I used the mojito cocktail as inspiration! Cold brew coffee is shaken with fresh mint leaves, agave syrup, and plenty of ice. During this process, it muddles and breaks down the mint, infusing its flavor into the cold brew. Plus, it makes the cold brew super cold and frothy! Since I always prefer my coffee with a good bit of milk, this mojito cold brew latte is topped with creamy cashew milk. So simple and so incredibly delicious!

Why You Should Make this Recipe

It takes less than 5 minutes and only 4 ingredients to make, not counting the ice cubes!
It’s a super refreshing and delicious coffee option for the summer season.
The mint creates a lovely cooling effect (again, perfect for the summer season!).
It’s a great way to use up a handful of fresh mint.

What You Need to Make this Mojito Cold Brew Latte

You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this drink: fresh mint leaves, agave syrup or simple syrup, cold brew coffee, and your favorite plant milk (I used homemade cashew milk). While a traditional mojito has lime juice and rum in the mix, we’re leaving those out. Feel free to use any culinary variety of mint that you like here! I made the version you see in the photographs with some chocolate mint from my garden. I’ve also made it with spearmint and Swiss Ricola mint and it was equally delicious!

Tips for Recipe Success

The key is to use fresh mint leaves here, not dried ones. You want the bright minty flavor that is only present in fresh mint leaves. Save those dried mint leaves for a batch of herbal iced tea!
It might sound silly, but use a cold brew coffee that you actually like! If I’m going with store-bought, I like Stumptown’s original cold brew. Feel like making your own? Try my cold brew method!
I recommend using cashew milk, coconut milk, or oat milk here for the best flavor. I’ve become a bit of a snob and prefer my homemade cashew milk. You can find the recipe in this short video!
Use a mild flavored liquid sweetener like agave syrup or simple syrup. It will blend into the drink much easier than a granular one like sugar.
Shake the cold brew, agave syrup, mint, and ice vigorously in a cocktail shaker or mason jar for 30 seconds. This helps muddle and break down the mint, infusing its flavor into the coffee.

Looking for Other Frosty Summer Drinks?

If you’re not a coffee drinker and prefer tea, try this iced passion fruit black tea or this hibiscus plum iced tea for a non-caffeinated option.

Love mint but don’t like coffee? Try this melon agua fresca with mint and lime or this pineapple cucumber slush.

Mojito Cold Brew Latte

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Cold brew coffee is shaken with fresh mint leaves, agave syrup, and plenty of ice. During this process, it muddles and breaks down the mint, infusing its flavor into the cold brew. Plus, it makes the cold brew super cold and frothy!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 handful fresh mint leaves or sprigs
1–2 tsp agave syrup or simple syrup (use 1 tsp if you prefer it less sweet)
4 ounces cold brew coffee
4 ounces cashew milk (or alternatively oat or coconut)
ice

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Instructions

Add the mint, agave syrup, cold brew, and a large handful of ice cubes to a cocktail shaker or a pint-sized mason jar with a lid. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds then strain into a glass and add the milk. Top with ice and enjoy immediately!

Notes

make sure to use fresh mint leaves not dried mint!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Category: drink

Blackberry Lime Crumble Bars (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

A jammy blackberry lime filling is sandwiched between a shortbread crust and crumble topping in these gluten free and vegan dessert bars. These are perfect for enjoying during berry season with a scoop of dairy free ice cream!

I realized last week that I hadn’t shared a dessert recipe here in over 2 months! When I originally started this blog nearly 12 years ago, I would frequently post dessert recipes and baked goods. At the time, I was working a full time job in archaeology so baking was my creative outlet. Nowadays, my focus has shifted towards approachable seasonal eating. Thus, the majority of the recipes tend to be savory ones. Since I’d been dreaming of a berry crumble bar and berries are in season here, I figured it was the perfect time to switch things up and go in a sweet direction!

These blackberry lime crumble bars are incredibly simple and straightforward for a gluten free and vegan recipe. You only need 9 ingredients and a little over an hour to make them! They’re delicious on their own but if you’d like to make them a little more indulgent, pair them with a scoop of your favorite dairy free ice cream. If you’re in the homemade mood, I highly recommend either this honey sage one or this toasted pecan and date caramel one.

The Recipe Components

The Blackberry Jam Layer – you’ll start by making a fairly quick blackberry jam with blackberries, lime juice, and granulated sugar. To make quick work of this step, I prefer to do it in a skillet. Using a skillet over a pot provides more surface area which means your jam thickens quicker. As the berries cook, you’ll gently mash them with your spoon to encourage them to break down. Once the jam is ready, you’ll remove it from the heat and stir in the lime zest.
The Crust and Crumble Layers – the great news is that these are made from the same mixture! The only difference is that half of the mixture is patted into the bottom of your pan while the other half is crumbled and scattered over the top of the jam layer. The crust and crumble are made from a mixture of gluten free flour, salt, brown sugar, melted vegan butter, and vanilla extract. It has a lightly sweetened shortbread-y taste that pairs really well with the berries.

Tips for Recipe Success

Using a wide skillet or pot will make quicker work of the jam process! You can still use a standard stock pot, it will just take a little longer for the jam to thicken.
Make sure to stir the lime zest in AFTER the jam has cooked. It keeps the lime flavor from being muddled and lost once the bars are baked.
Don’t skip out on lining your pan with parchment paper! It makes it incredibly easy to lift out the bars once they’ve cooled and you’re ready to cut them.
I recommend allowing the bars to cool fully before cutting into them. If you cut them while they’re hot or warm, they will be more crumbly, which is often the case with gluten free baked goods.

FAQ

Can I use a jam that’s already made to speed up the process? Absolutely! I recommend using about 12-14 ounces of blackberry jam. If you’d like to impart some of the lime flavor into the store-bought jam, you can stir the lime zest into it.

Do I need to make these gluten free if I can eat gluten? If you don’t need these to be gluten free, you can absolutely use regular all-purpose flour. Simply use an equal amount (300g) by weight!

Do I need to use vegan butter? You can use melted vegan or regular butter here. You can also use melted coconut oil.

Why are the measurements for the crust/crumble layer by weight? When I’m developing gluten free baked goods, it’s more accurate to use weight measurements versus volume (i.e. cups). I highly recommend investing in an inexpensive kitchen scale if you plan to do more gluten free baking!

Blackberry Lime Crumble Bars

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 9–16 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound blackberries
2 tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp lime zest plus more for garnish
300g gluten free 1:1 baking flour (I use this one)
1/8 tsp sea salt
100g dark brown sugar
200g vegan butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Start by making the blackberry jam layer. Set a skillet or wide sauce pan over medium heat. Add the blackberries, lime juice, and sugar and stir to coat the berries in the sugar. Once the berries start to release their juices and soften, begin to gently mash them to encourage them to break down. Once the berries are mostly broken down, stir the mixture every minute or two to prevent it from burning. The jam is ready once the juices have reduced and thickened enough that you can scrape your spoon across the bottom of the pan and the gap it leaves doesn’t immediately fill back in with jam. This will take about 15-20 minutes total. Once the jam is ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the lime zest.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and dark brown sugar. Using your fingers, break up any clumps of brown sugar. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until you have a uniform dough. Add roughly half of the dough to your parchment lined pan and pat it into an even layer. If it doesn’t look like enough, add a bit more dough. You want an even layer that covers the entire bottom of the pan and is roughly 1/4-inch thick.

Next, spoon all of the jam onto the dough. Gently spread it into an even layer. Then, crumble the remaining dough over the top of the jam with your fingers, making sure to evenly distribute it. Bake the bars in your pre-heated 350F-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the juices of the jam are bubbling and the crumble on top is baked through and golden.

Allow the bars to cool for 30 minutes before slicing. For larger bars, cut into 9 squares. For smaller bars, cut into 16 squares. Before serving, you can sprinkle some lime zest over the top of the bars if you like.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if enjoyed within 2-3 days.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: dessert