Tag Archives: food

December 11, 2012 · 1:58 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

DAY 11: Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

These are one of my very favorite cookies. Orange flavored not-too-sweet shortbread cookies dipped in dark chocolate.

The dough is shaped into a log, refrigerated until firm and then sliced into rounds to bake. And dipping only half the cookie keeps the fingers much cleaner than trying to dip the whole cookie!

RECIPE:

Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies

Servings: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
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1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure orange extract
1 tsp fresh orange zest
2 1/3 cups flour
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp coconut oil or shortening

Use a mixer to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and orange extracts and orange zest. Gradually blend in flour.

Roll the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap dough log in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice dough with a sharp knife into 1/4″ slices, reshaping dough into circles, as necessary. Place cookies onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove immediately to wire rack to cool.

While cookies cool, heat chocolate and coconut oil (or shortening) in a double boiler. Dip half of each cooled cookie in the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool.

(Recipe adapted from Smells Like Home)

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December 9, 2012 · 2:30 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

DAY 9: Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

Buttermilk gives these cookies a soft and chewy texture, with a brownie consistency on the inside and crispy cookie edges on the outside. Peanut butter chips make for a great flavor combo, but you could always swap those out for chocolate chips if you want an extra fudgy cookie.

RECIPE:

Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

Servings: Makes 4 dozen cookies
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2 cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups peanut butter chips and/or chocolate chips (about 1 ½ cups PB and ½ cup CC)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with silicon mats or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Melt the butter in a small, microwave safe bowl. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter (still warm) with cocoa powder and whisk until very smooth. Whisk in sugar until well mixed. Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.

Gradually stir in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the peanut butter chips and/or chocolate chips.

Drop dough in 1-inch balls into prepared baking sheet, leaving about two inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are set around the edges. Cool for 2-3 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack with a spatula to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

(Recipe adapted from Baking Bites)

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December 8, 2012 · 9:16 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Hot Cocoa Cookies

DAY 8: Hot Cocoa Cookies

Fun cookies made with hot cocoa mix and freeze-dried mini marshmallows. The cocoa mix makes for a light-chocolately flavored cookie. A good quality dark chocolate mix will give more flavor than a milk chocolate variety.

These little marshmallow bits are great for sprinkling into cocoa or over ice cream. And they are perfect for cookies. Don’t add real marshmallows to cookie dough: they will melt in your oven and all over your cookie sheets. Burnt melted marshmallow goo is not fun to clean.

These are also available in chocolate and peppermint flavors. Peppermint marshmallow bits and mint flavored chocolate chips make for great Mint Hot Cocoa Cookies!

RECIPE:

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Servings: Makes 3-4 dozen cookies
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1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
4 pkg (about 1 ¼ oz or ¼ c each) Hot Cocoa Mix
1 tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 ½ cups dried Marshmallow Bits (not soft marshmallows!)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Use a mixer to cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, hot cocoa mix, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallow bits.

Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for five minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

For Mint Hot Cocoa Cookies: use mint chocolate chips and peppermint flavored marshmallow bits.

(Recipe adapted from Love From the Oven)

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December 7, 2012 · 7:18 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Butterscotch Cinnamon Chip Cookies

DAY 7: Butterscotch Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Hershey’s now sells delicious cinnamon chips for baking.

They are perfect for adding to a brown-sugar based butterscotchy dough. And a great alternative when you are looking for an easy-to-make drop cookie without chocolate.

RECIPE:

Butterscotch Cinnamon Chip Cookies

2 ¾ cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups dark or light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 (10 oz) bag cinnamon baking chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in cinnamon chips.

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

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Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Almond Joy Cookies

DAY 6: Almond Joy Cookies

I have always been a sucker for anything coconut. Add almonds and I am hooked for sure. When I saw these on Heather Christo Cooks, I knew that I had to make them as soon as possible. They are really amazing eaten warm.

RECIPE:

Almond Joy Cookies

Servings: Makes 4 dozen cookies
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1 cup salted butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and almonds; dough will be thick.

Scoop onto baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Don’t overcook.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

(Recipe adapted from Heather Christo Cooks)

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December 5, 2012 · 5:23 am

Twelve Days of Christmas: Snickerdoodle Bars

DAY 5: Snickerdoodle Bars

A delicious cinnamon layered bar with the tang of snickerdoodles in an easy to prepare bar cookie.

RECIPE:

Snickerdoodle Bars

Servings: Makes 2 dozen bar cookies
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2 1/3 cup flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Filling:
½ Tbs ground cinnamon
2 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar using a mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Continue to mix until just combined.

Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Spoon half of the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Mix the cinnamon filling ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Using a spoon, dollop the remaining batter across the cinnamon filling; do not cover the cinnamon mixture completely.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

(Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker)

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