Rosettes

Growing up in southern, rural Minnesota, I was surrounded by Scandinavian traditions. One of my favorites was fresh rosettes throughout the Christmas season. These were always a special treat at home, as they were one of the goodies that my family didn't make. (We had the tools to make them in our Christmas baking box, but for some reason, we never made any).

One day I was shopping at GoodWill, looking for unique dishes, and I ran across an old Nordicware Rosette tool kit, unused, in its original box. It wasn't priced, and the sales lady offered it at fifty cents - I couldn't pass it up!

In the years that I've been baking and cooking, I've never deep fried anything. (To be honest, the hot oil scares me!) I decided to give them a try. My husband has never had them, but he loves funnel cakes from the state fair, so I knew he would like these to.

Aside from overcoming the fear of frying, they really aren't difficult to make. While they may not make it on my annual baking list, I definitely plan on keeping the iron & recipe.



ROSETTES (From AllRecipes)
Makes approximately 4 doz rosettes

2 eggs
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine eggs, sugar and salt; beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Heat a rosette iron in deep, hot oil (375 degrees) for 2 minutes. Drain excess oil from iron. Dip in batter to 1/4 inch from the top of the iron, then dip iron immediately into hot oil (375 degrees).

Fry rosette until golden, about 30 seconds. Lift out; tip upside down to drain. With fork, push rosette off iron onto a rack placed over paper towels.

Reheat iron 1 minute; make next rosette. Sprinkle rosettes with confectioners' sugar prior to serving.

ENJOY!

Samoa Girl Scout Cookies

Growing up, I was a Girl Scout for many years. I was always a shy girl, making cookie season difficult for me - I hated going door-to-door to sell cookies! Needless to say, I never won any top seller awards!

Since I moved out after graduating high school, I rarely get girl scout cookies any more. I don't have any friends with kids (or at least, kids old enough to be in Girl Scouts!), and while there are occasionally lists at work to buy off of, I'm in a different unit or hospital every month, making it difficult to pick them up if I were to order.

Because I've missed my favorite cookies sooooo much, I decided to make my own this year! Growing up in the Midwest, they were always called Samoas. (Here in the New England, everyone calls them Caramel deLites). These were a very close substitution for the boxed version, and were quickly devoured at work. (I particularly enjoyed cleaning out the bowl that I made the topping in - yum!)



Samoa Girl Scout Cookies Clone (From Once Upon a Plate)
Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 dozen

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
up to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, next, the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk only as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (you may not need any at all). The dough should come together into a soft, pliable ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough seems sticky.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness (or a little thinner), using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined (or on silicone mat) baking sheet. Repeat until the dough is used up (it's okay to re-roll, this dough is shortbread-like and very forgiving.)

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are very lightly golden brown around the edges.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, to allow them to firm up slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-ounces chewy caramels
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
8 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F)

Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Watch carefully, especially near the end of toasting time; the coconut toasts very quickly once it begins to become golden.

Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 teaspoons per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it begins to firm up, to make it soft and spreadable once again.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.

Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

ENJOY!

Soft Sugar Cookies

In my hiatus from my blog, I started getting the itch to bake again. However, with working nights, I didn't want to go to the grocery store in my limited time home (Due to working 14+ hour night shifts, and with my commute, I'm maybe home 8-9 hours, during which time I have to get my sleep, walk my dog & shower).

So, I was limited to what was in my cupboards for ingredients. And I always have what I need for basic sugar or chocolate chip cookies. I've been looking for a *good* drop sugar cookie recipe to make my go-to recipe, and I think this will be it! (For now!) The nurses at work quickly devoured them, and commented that they were perfect - slightly golden, soft & chewy.



Soft Sugar Cookies (Adapted from Delish)
Originally from America's Test Kitchen
Yield approx 4 doz cookies

2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
14 Tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Set oven rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup of the sugar in a shallow dish for coating and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

Beat softened butter, vanilla and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl & beaters as needed.

Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined. Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure dough is combined.

Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/4 inch cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies slightly.

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10-12 minutes. Cool on pan for 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. (They are softer if cooled on the pan! Trust me - they still taste good, but are definitely better if cooled on the pan!)



ENJOY!

Iced Sugar Cookies

When I was about 8, my family moved to a small rural town in Southwestern Minnesota that has the BEST family-run bakery ever! (And to show how tasty they are, after my family moved out of town, and I went off to college, I would time my trips home so that I could swing through town and by the bakery, sometimes even calling my order in ahead of time to be sure they didn't sell out!)

They have two of my favorite sweets. The first, was a cream cheese filled bear claw. And, I know I wasn't the only one around who liked them. If we were too late getting to the bakery on a Saturday morning, I'd have to settle for a glazed doughnut, or something else equally tasty, but not what I preferred. If I got my hand on this recipe, I'd be in big trouble.

My other favorite was their iced cookies. A simple sugar cookie with a delicious icing. Pumpkins for Halloween, hearts for Valentines day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day..... These, too, were a favorite among many in town, and the large window display of trays would often sell out. I've tried multiple cookie & icing combinations, and haven't found anything even similar to theirs until now. The cookie is slightly different (I think it's the lemon), but the icing is almost a perfect match. These recipes will most likely become my new "go-to" for sugar cookies.


(These were made for my Superbowl Party)

ROLL OUT SUGAR COOKIES (From The Way The Cookie Crumbles)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4teaspoon lemon zest

In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. In a one-cup measuring cup, lightly beat the egg with the extracts.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer running, gradually pour in the sugar; add the lemon zest. Beat on medium until fluffy, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, pour in the egg mixture and continue beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour and mix just until evenly blended.

Lightly knead the dough to form a ball, press it into a disk 1-inch thick, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Adjust a rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375F. If you’ve chilled the dough overnight, it’ll need to sit at room temperature for half an hour or so to soften slightly. On a very lightly floured sheet of wax paper with a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough, roll the dough out to ¼-inch thick. Cut cookies using a floured cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps, always using as little flour as necessary.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 5-9 minutes, until they no longer look wet on top. The baking time will depend on the size of the cookies you’ve cut. You don’t want the bottoms to be browned, except for maybe just a bit on the edges. Let the cookies rest for a couple minutes on the sheets before transferring them to cooling racks to finish cooling.



SUGAR COOKIE ICING (Adapted from All Recipes)

1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons non-dairy creamer
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring (I use the gel colorings)

In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and creamer until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

While working at a grocery store bakery, I learned the trick to quickly icing cookies was to dip them face down, then to scrape off the excess with your finger. (I recommend wearing gloves!)

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I'm not one for "cakey" brownies/blondies/bars. If I want cake, I'll make cake. When I saw this recipe, I could tell by the photos that this would be a bar I like - dense & chewy! These were fantastic! They were very quick to whip up (which is great, when I get the urge to quick make a treat to bring the work the next day... after I've finished my presentation at 11PM that night!) Not only are they easy to make, they store well in a tupperware - it's now 4 days after I made them, and they still are soft & chewy.



CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS (Adapted from Eat at Allie's)
Makes 9x13 pan

2 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Mix the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Press the batter out into the prepared pan.

Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, about 22-24 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Enjoy!

Pizzelles

Pizzelles are actually a recipe that I have started making at some point in the past couple years. I have no idea what drove me to make a recipe that required I buy yet another kitchen gadget, but I love these cookies and haven't regretted the purchase once.

These are quick & easy to whip up. If you like the "tie-dyed" look, add sprinkles right before you spoon the batter up (add to a small amount of the batter at a time, or you'll end up with a brown mess). As the dough spreads out, the color spreads with it. I like to roll mine around a turkey baster to add more visual interest. (Must do this immediately while they are hot)



PIZZELLES (From AllRecipes)

3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and blend into the batter until smooth.

Heat the pizzelle iron, and spray with oil. Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto each circle on the iron. You may need to experiment with the amount of batter and baking time depending on the iron. Bake for 20 to 45 seconds, or until steam is no longer coming out of the iron. Carefully remove cookies from the iron. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

ENJOY!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I've been wanting to make something "pumpkin" all fall. When I recently started my new rotation in the hospital, I was soon asked when the pumpkin treats would appear on my blog. Sadly, it isn't until Thanksgiving day that I finally post something. (However, my colleagues will be getting to enjoy these treats as I am bringing them in to share while I'm on call.)

This recipe also let me finally try my hand at whoopie pies - but in a very miniature version! These are bite sized (although a large bite!), making it easy to find room to enjoy one without feeling overly stuffed. It also means they are very easy to share with lots of friends & family!



PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES (Adapted from The Novice Chef, originally from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Makes about 8 dozen bite sized whoopie pies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup natural apple sauce
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk to sugars and oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Mix the flour mixture and the pumpkin mixture together. Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. (No tip used, just the bag. Mine were about the size of a quarter)

Bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on the size), until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling. They will look more like mini cakes then cookies, so don’t panic about that.


Maple Cream Cheese Filling

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 TBSP maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese an beat until combined.
Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.




To assemble:
Turn half the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe filling onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm before serving. Best served cold.

ENJOY! Happy Turkey Day!

Candy Corn Cookies

I've seen these on multiple websites - Land O Lakes, Betty Crocker, many blogs. They are so cute, it's not surprising that multiple people make them in the fall. They take a little time to cut all of the pieces, but overall, they are pretty simple to make, and are a tasty, bite-sized snack to enjoy. (You can have more than one without feeling too guilty! And personally, they are MUCH better than the real thing. I can't remember why I liked candy corn so much as a child!)



CANDY CORN COOKIES (Adapted from Land O Lakes)

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Orange paste or gel food color
Yellow paste or gel food color

Line bottom and sides of 9x5-inch loaf pan with tin foil or plastic food wrap. Set aside.

Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking soda. Beat until well mixed.

Divide dough into thirds. Press one-third of white dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Place another one-third of dough back into same bowl. Add small amount of orange food color; mix until color is well blended. Press orange dough evenly over white dough in pan. Place remaining one-third of dough into another medium bowl. Add small amount of yellow food color; mix until color is well blended. Press yellow dough evenly over orange dough in pan. Cover with plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours or overnight).

Place 1 cup sugar in large bowl; set aside.

Heat oven to 375°F. Invert loaf pan to remove dough. Peel off foil/wrap. Place layered dough onto cutting surface. Cut loaf crosswise into 1/4-inch slices using sharp knife, trimming edges to make even, if necessary. Cut each slice into 5 wedges (4 cuts).



Roll in sugar. Place 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Place cookies onto cooling rack. Cool completely.

Happy Halloween, ENJOY!

Caramel S'More Cups

I usually love to make things from scratch. However, sometimes, we all just need something quick to whip up when we are busy. This is one of those treats. They were quickly devoured at work, but took me only a few minutes to make. No one guessed that the base came from a box. (Although, it would be easy to substitute your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe - again, I was limited on time!)

The recipe originally called for Rolos, but I couldn't find any. Plus, the caramel in the Kisses is a little softer & made for a nice, gooey center.



CARAMEL S'MORE CUPS (Adapted from Betty Crocker)

1 package of chocolate chip cookie mix, mixed as directed on box/bag
Caramel filled Hershey's Kisses
8-12 large marshmallows, cut in half
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

Make cookie dough as directed on package, using butter and egg. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 1 ball into each muffin cup.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; firmly press 1 kiss (point down) into center of each cookie until flush with cookie top. Top each with 1/2 of a large marshmallow. Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen edges of cookie with small metal spatula and remove to cooling racks. Cool completely.

Place chocolate chips in small dish. Microwave on High about 1 minute or until softened. Put into a ziplock bag, with a small corner cut off. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over marshmallows. Let stand until hardened, about 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

These are by far the most complicated cupcakes that I've made. They actually aren't difficult - just lots of steps! They look awesome in the end & are guaranteed to get some attention.



Everyone LOVED these cupcakes! (Personally, while they were good, the cupcake itself didn't have the best flavor - it was as though a bit of corn bread batter was mixed with the cupcake batter). I was the only one to have noticed the off flavor, so maybe it was just me. However, I'm very glad I tried these as the frosting is fantastic, and I think I've found my new favorite cookie recipe!



EGG FREE COOKIE DOUGH FILLING (Adapted from Cupcake Project)

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoon milk
2/3-1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. (No special instructions, it's easy!)



MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Adapted from Annie's Eats)

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven 325°. Line cookie sheets with parchment, if desired. (I didn't and had no problem with burnt bottoms or the cookies sticking to the sheets).

Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips (by hand).

To make mini cookies for use on the cupcakes, use a VERY small amount of dough for each cookie (1 - 1.5 tsp each!). These bake for about 6-7 minutes. For full sized cookies, it will be 11-14 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden.

Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.


CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH CUPCAKES (Adapted from Annie's Eats)

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING (Also adapted from Annie's Eats)

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.



TO ASSEMBLE:

Cut a cone out of the cooled cupcakes & fill with some cookie dough. Frost cookies as desired with the cookie dough frosting. Garnish with the mini cookies & additional chocolate chips.

ENJOY!

Lime & Coconut Cookies

With a fruit bowl full of limes, I knew I needed to find some new lime recipes. These cookies were perfect for summer! The lime & coconut complement each other well, and the cookies have a wonderful chewy texture. Everyone at work loved them!



LIME & COCONUT COOKIES (Adapted from My Baking Addiction)

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of two medium lime
3 tbsp lime juice
2/3 cup toasted coconut
1 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice and lime zest. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut.

Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. (This is important! They come off much easier after waiting 2 minutes!)

ENJOY!

Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars

Oh my goodness... These are probably the best bars I've ever tasted. If you like snickerdoodle cookies, you'll LOVE these bars! They are very easy to whip up (which is great when you have the urge to bake at 11:30 PM and you work the next morning!) and have a wonderful texture. The bars themselves are dense & chewy, with a nice crisp topping. My hubby (who doesn't eat many sweets, but usually enjoys a good snickerdoodle cookie) couldn't keep his hands off of these cookies!



SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE BARS (Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)
Makes 24 bars

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter & set aside.

Beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and then the vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl, until thoroughly combined.

Beat in the cinnamon, salt, nutmeg & baking powder. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined.

Spread the dough evenly into the pan. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

ENJOY!

Vanilla Sugar Cookie Bars

Two hours before we were supposed to leave for a gathering, I discovered that it was a housewarming party (not a bunch of friends meeting at a nearby bar!) I love to bring treats to parties, so I had to make something that I could easily finish in a limited time frame. Within 2 hours, I had baked, frosted & cut up these bars, walked the dog for 45 minutes, and gotten ready for the party. To speed the process along, I did place the bars in the fridge to finish cooling so that they were completely cool by the time I frosted them.

These were a huge hit - both by the people at the party, and my co-workers who enjoyed the other 1/2 of the pan the next day! Even though they were 2 days old by the time they were finished, people were still raving about them (down to the last crumb left in the tupperware). The vanilla beans give the cookie a great flavor (along with the beautiful specks!), and the cream cheese in the frosting keeps it from being overly sweet.



VANILLA SUGAR COOKIE BARS (Adapted from Annie's Eats)
Makes approx 48 bars (2x2 inches each)

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbls. vanilla extract
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet (mine was 12 x 16″) with butter.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla and seeds from the vanilla beans. Mix in baking soda. Add flour into mixer bowl, and beat on low speed just until incorporated.

Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet and press into an even layer. Bake approximately 15 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.


FROSTING

12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners sugar
Food coloring (optional)

To make the frosting, place the butter & cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla and confectioners sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Tint as desired with food coloring. Spread over the cookie in the pan, garnish as desired, cut into bars and serve.

ENJOY!

Snickerdoodles

Mmmmm... These are one of my all time favorite cookies. And, while I may be a bit partial as I've grown up with this recipe, this is probably the best recipe for snickerdoodles I've run across. They are always light & fluffy - almost cake-like, and perfectly domed in shape. They are just sweet enough to (almost) satisfy my sweet-tooth, but not so sweet that my healthy husband won't eat them. They are a great with my morning coffee. And, yes, as a physician, I am admitting that I DO occasionally eat cookies for breakfast - they are so easy to eat on the T while I'm sipping my morning coffee from my spill free mug.



SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

Dough:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Topping:
4 tbsp sugar
4 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla and eggs. Mix in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into creamed mixture.

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in topping mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until set.

Remove from cookie sheets immediately.

Enjoy!

S'Mores Cookies

MMMMM...... That's the best word to describe these cookies. I've seen these around in a few places in the blogging world, and decided to give them a try this past weekend. So glad I did! They truly taste like s'mores, but in a cookie form that's easy to serve year around & without a campfire. They flatten out a lot in the oven, so don't flatten them at all prior to baking. And while they are flat, they are still slightly chewy.



S'MORES COOKIES (Adapted from SugarCooking)
Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 8 full graham crackers crushed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows
4 Hershey bars, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add baking soda. Slowly beat in the flour and graham cracker crumbs until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 5-6 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows into each cookies. Return to the oven and bake an additional 2 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from oven & add 3-4 pieces of Hershey bar immediately. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Note: Original recipe recommended cooking approximately 8 minutes initially, with an additional 2-3 minutes after adding marshmallows. However, I found that my oven needed much less time than recommended. Also, the original recipe added the chocolate pieces with the marshmallows, but I liked them to retain their shape a little more, so I added them at the very end.

Enjoy!

Fortune Cookies

One of my favorite things about a Chinese meal is the fortune cookie at the end. While they don't actually taste all that great, I love the entertainment they bring. However, I've discovered that homemade fortune cookies are delicious! They actually taste like a cookie.

My husband & I decided to have 3 other couples over for sushi on Valentine's Day instead of going out. I realize that sushi is Japanese and fortune cookies are Chinese, but we've been wanting to have friends over for sushi for months, and with the holiday weekend also being the Chinese New Year, I figured it would be a great opportunity to make the cookies.



HOMEMADE FORTUNE COOKIES (adapted from Cooking Light)

1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to combine. Place in a container and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper*. Draw 3-4 (3-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over. Spoon 1 teaspoon batter into center of each of the drawn circles; spread evenly to fill circle. Bake at 400°F for 5-6 minutes or until the cookies are brown just around the edges and a little toward the centers. Remove from the oven. Let sit for a few seconds before removing from pan. Working quickly, loosen edges of cookies with a spatula, and turn over.

Place fortune along the center of 1 cookie. Fold cookie over so the edges meet ; press edges together. Gently pull the ends of the cookie down over the rim of a small bowl (or jar); hold for a few seconds or until set. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies. If cookies become too cool to work with, pop them back in the oven for 20 or 30 seconds to warm them back up.

Makes about 18 cookies.

Enjoy!

Soft Ginger Cookies

I initially found this recipe 4 or 5 years ago when I had given my dad a membership to a "cookie of the month club." (Of course, they were all baked with love by his daughters!) I'm usually not much of a ginger snap girl, but the texture of these soft cookies soon changed my mind! They have a wonderful, rich flavor, and never last long in my house. They are great with a cup of coffee!



SOFT GINGER COOKIES (Adapted from All Recipes)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
Additional white sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from cookie sheet in 1-2 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

ENJOY!

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

One of our friends brought these tasty cookies to our holiday party in December...and Josh ate them! Finally, a sweet that Josh ate more than one of!

The recipe is incredibly easy - you may already have everything you need in your cupboard & freezer. They have a wonderful light, chewy texture, and look quite pretty on a plate. They are a little sticky to make, but getting your hands dirty can be half the fun! I'm sure kids would have a great time helping mom in the kitchen with these cookies.



Lemon Snowflake Cookies

1 Box Lemon Cake Mix**
1 egg
2 cups whipped topping,thawed
powdered sugar

Mix the first three ingredients. The mixture will be very sticky.

Drop heaping teaspoons into powdered sugar & roll to fully coat. I found it easiest to drop 4-6 cookies into the powdered sugar, then roll them and place them on the cookie sheet.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (I used silicone baking sheets), 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. The cookies will just be starting to turn brown at the edges. Remove from cookie sheet 1-2 minutes after removing from the oven.

Enjoy!

**I used a french vanilla cake mix, a box of lemon pudding & 1 tsp lemon extract. Because of the slightly extra amount of dry ingredients, I used approximately 3/4 of an 8oz tub of cool whip.