Chocolate Chip Shortbread

November 29, 2011 by
Nothing says “I love you” like shortbread.  Don’t believe me?
Just put some of these in a little box and give to someone you love.  Trust me, they’ll agree with me. : )
As I get ready for my annual Christmas Tea, I know I’ll be making a couple different batches of shortbreads.  I love that I can either quickly cut them in bite size squares with a knife (works well to serve them in some cute mini muffin liners as well), or I can use a mini heart cutter if I want as well.
And that way you’ll have some scraps for…. well, you know.
These are melt in your mouth yummy, buttery, and all around perfect!
CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREAD
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
Combine butter, powdered sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Beat with a wooden spoon until combined. (Don’t let it get too creamy.)
Stir in chocolate chips.
Pat dough evenly into an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden.
Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove from pan, transfering to a cutting board right side up.
Either cut in small shapes or use a large knife to cut in 1 1/2 inch squares.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Filed Under: Cookies, Tea time

Spider Whoopie Pies

October 25, 2011 by
These are a great kid’s project for Halloween, especially since even the cookies are super simple to make.  My kids thought these were more fun than scary, and while I loved the jointed legs, the “hairy” legs were pretty fun too.
Make sure you don’t do too sharp of an angle on the leg joints, or it will be a little tricky to place the other cookie on top without having a big gap.
DEVIL’S FOOD COOKIES
1 pkg devil’s food cake mix
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips, optional
Mix everything but chocolate chips together in a large bowl using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until well blended.
Stir in chocolate chips if using.
Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and drop dough by tablespoonfulls onto sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
To make spiders:
Chocolate frosting (I use my easy recipe)
Pretzel sticks
melted chocolate or almond bark
Chocolate jimmy sprinkles
candies for eyes, like M & M’s, mini M & M’s, or something else suitable
To make hairy legs dip 3/4 of the pretzel sticks in melted chocolate and sprinkle with jimmys.
Lay on wax paper to set.  Make 8 for each spider.
For jointed legs break pretzel sticks in half and dip each piece completely in chocolate.  Lay on wax paper to set, butting up 2 pieces together for each leg.
Frost half the cookies with frosting, lay out legs and top with another cookie.
Dot back of candies with frosting or melted chocolate and place on top cookie.
Filed Under: Cookies, Halloween / Fall

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

October 21, 2011 by
 
I love snickerdoodles.  They remind me of being 6, helping my mom in the kitchen, and licking the beaters.  I mean, what kid doesn’t like helping roll balls of cookie dough in sugar?  I haven’t met a one.  And now it’s even more fun to make them with my girls. 
These are a yummy variation, and the pumpkin flavor isn’t so strong that kids that don’t even like pumpkin would be deterred.  The spiced sugar coating goes perfect with the pumpkin. 
You aren’t sick of pumpkin recipes… are you? : )
 
PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES
 
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
 
For the sugar coating:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
dash nutmeg
dash allspice
 
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, or in the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for a couple minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until combined well.
Add dry ingredients while mixing on low.
Cover and chill dough for at least an hour.
Mix together sugar coating mixture in a small bowl.
Drop scoops of dough (about the size of a heaping tablespoon) into sugar coating and roll to coat, forming balls.  Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Dip the bottom of a glass in some water, then the spice mixture, and slightly flatten cookies.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, until just set.
Cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.
 
Recipe source: slightly adapted from annie’s eats
 
 
Filed Under: Cookies, Pumpkin

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

October 17, 2011 by
 
What is it about homemade whoopie pies?   I love all the variations and flavors they can take on, and these were a perfect pumpkin fix.  They have a great spicy flavor, balanced with the milk cream cheese filling.  In Martha’s original recipe it states it makes a dozen whoopie pies (or 2 dozen cakes before assembling), I thought little miniature ones would be fun, and it turned out to make quite a bit!
But they whip up so easy, I think I’ll be making these for potlucks and parties, so the larger amount will come in handy.  Stay tuned for lots more pumpkin recipes every day this week!
 
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES
Makes 4 1/2 dozen miniature whoopie pies (about 9 dozen cakes)
 
Whoopie cakes:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 T ground cinnamon
1 T ground ginger
1 T ground cloves
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
 
Cream Cheese Filling:
4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 oz cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 T milk
 
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.
In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined.
Whisk in pumpkin until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
Add flour mixture and stir in well.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfulls onto baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Let cool before removing from pan.
(OR make large whoopies using a large scoop or ice cream scoop to measure them. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in their centers comes out clean.)
 
Make filling:
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.  Add in powdered sugar until combined.
Add vanilla and start with 1 T milk.  Mix for about 3-5 minutes until creamy.  Add more milk if needed to make spreadable.
 
Assembling:
Spread half the whoopie cakes with filling, top with other halves.
 
Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart
 
 
 
Filed Under: Cookies, Pumpkin

Chocolate Chip Whoppie Pies (Chipwich)

April 29, 2011 by
 
I like to bake.  What?  You didn’t know this?   Problem is, we don’t eat all I bake.  Both my hubby and will have a little to try, then the rest goes stale waiting around.  (Except for a few things that don’t take long to be gobbled up) : )  Luckily, Amelia’s therapist and Jared’s co-workers and various friends are always good about taking it off our hands so I don’t have to feel wasteful and can keep experimenting in the kitchen. 
These were the perfect baking project.  They were so cute!  I threw some in the freezer and they were even better frozen so there wasn’t any waste.  (Plus they were super cute in little boxes for friends too).
Who could resist these cuties?
 
For the cakes:
2 1/4 cups flour
 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 T unsalted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 T milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
 
Beat together the sugars, butter, and shortening in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.
Beat for about 3 minutes, till light and creamy.
Add eggs and buttermilk, mix till combined.
Combine the milk, baking soda, and vinegar in a bowl.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.
Add both the milk and flour mixtures to creamed butter and sugars.
Mix on low just till combined.  Add vanilla, beat about 2 minutes, or until completely combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
Drop batter by tablespoonfulls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
(Space about 2 inches apart).
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes about 48 (2 inch) cakes.
 
Marshmallow Filling
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff or cream
1 1/4 cups shortening
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 T vanilla
 
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the fluff and shortening on low, then increase speed to medium and beat about 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
Add sugar and vanilla on low, beat until well mixed.
Beat on medium for about 3 minutes.
 
To Finish:
miniature chocolate chips
 
Spread half the cakes with marshmallow filling, sandwich with another cake, roll ends in mini chocolate chips.
Serve frozen or at room temp.
 
Recipe Source: adapted just slightly from Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell
Filed Under: Cookies

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Best ever!)

April 4, 2011 by
 
 
 
I have made my fair share of chocolate chip cookies in my lifetime.  And I’ve always been in search for my absolute favorite recipe.  And then I made these.  The end. 
Oh, you want more of an explanation?  They are perfectly soft and chewy and buttery.  (Please don’t substitute margarine in cookies.  please.)  I sometimes switch it up and do half peanut butter chips with half milk chocolate chips too. Yum.
 
Last week our double wall ovens were finally up and running and the first thing the girls wanted to make was cookies.  Luckily I had some dough in the freezer so I could whip em up really fast (since our kitchen was still a bit of a disaster).  Talk about some happy girls (and hubby) when they came out of the oven!  Hopefully our kitchen remodel will be over soon, this little project has turned into one big ordeal! We’re entering the 4th week… and hopefully the last! : )
 
SOFT AND CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
 
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups (12 oz) chocolate chips (semisweet, milk or a combination)
 
Cream the butter and sugars together for about 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs, mix until well blended.
Mix in flour and baking soda, then stir in chocolate chips.
Drop heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden at edges but still soft in center.
Let cool for a couple minutes on cookie sheets, then cool on wire racks.
 
Recipe very slightly adapted from Martha Stewart
 
FREEZER TIP:
I NEVER make cookies without doubling.  I always make double batches, then freeze some.
Just put some dough in freezer bags, flatten out a bit and label with name, date, and baking temp and bake time.
When ready to use, just cut bag open with a knife and cut into squares.
 
Filed Under: Cookies

Pizzelles

March 3, 2011 by
 
 
While I usually make these for Christmastime, they really are a nice spring cookie as well.  They are light and crispy, and I love the design the iron gives them.  Sometimes we crumble them into ice cream or I’ll shape them into little cones while warm.  This is the iron I have.  I had been admiring them for awhile and I happened to see them on sale at Sur La Table for only $30.  I’ve had it for a few years now and I’m still really happy with it.  This may cost an initial investment to acquire an iron, but for us I use it enough I think it’s worth it!
PIZZELLES
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
 
Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Add cooled butter and vanilla.
Add flour and baking powder.  Batter should be stiff. Refrigerate batter for later use or make now.
Cook according to your pizzelle iron directions.
Filed Under: Cookies

Cookie Valentines

February 7, 2011 by
I was cleaning out the pantry and saw half a package of Vienna Fingers.  No one is eating them (the bowl of freshly made homemade cookies on the counter might have something to do with it!) and I was wondering what I could do with them when I got this idea.  I’d been making some krispy pops for Valentines Day and had been trying to figure out how to add something that said “puppy love” to them.  Perfect! (I’ll show you how I made these cuties tomorrow)  I have all kinds of ideas of other things I could write on them and use for other holidays as well.  I think some made with oreos with a big red heart in the middle would be cute as well.
COOKIE VALENTINES
Recipe by My Stained Apron
Cookies (I used Keebler’s Vienna Fingers)
Candy coating or chocolate
sucker sticks
Decorations (I used large and small heart sprinkles)
Dark chocolate or candy coating for writing
Carefully separate cookies.
Dip sucker stick in melted chocolate or candy coating and press top of cookie back on.
Holding cookie by the stick, dip in melted chocolate or candy coating. (It may be easier to partially dip in coating and use a spoon to spoon coating over the top.)
Gently tap excess coating off.  Lay on a wax paper lined tray.  Repeat with all cookies.
While coating is wet, place decorations on. (If your coating dries, just use a toothpick to dab some melted coating on the back of decorations to “glue”).
Let cookies sit until coating is set.  To write, make a parchment funnel.
Curl on short end in to the middle.  Repeat with other end, wrapping it around.
Make sure your hole is very small.  Fold over the top or use a piece of tape on the outside seam if needed.
Stand funnel up in a glass or cup and fill with melted chocolate (it doesn’t take very much).
Practice writing on the wax paper first, then write out your messages on the cookies.
Let sit until chocolate has set up.
 
Filed Under: Cookies, Valentine's day

Animal Crackers

January 31, 2011 by
 
I’ve found this mini Noah’s Ark Cookie Cutter set at the craft store recently and knew just what to do with it.  Homemade animal crackers! But made using my graham crackers recipe to be healthier.  They turned out super cute and the girls thought they were pretty cute too!  They’re great to take to the Zoo for a snack too. : )
 
GRAHAM ANIMAL CRACKERS
 
Recipe by My Stained Apron
 
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use white wheat)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar, optional
1 T cinnamon, optional
 
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together.
Using a pastry blender, cut in butter. (You could also do this in a food processor, just pulse until incorporated.)
If needed, rub butter between your fingers until butter pieces are smaller than peas.
Using a fork, stir in honey and brown sugar.
Add milk and vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
Knead until smooth, dusting with flour sparingly.
Dough will be a little sticky. ( I use a bowl scraper to scrape up off the counter if needed)
Divide dough in half.

Pat dough into rectangle and place on 12 by 16 inch silicone mat*
Place plastic wrap or wax paper on top.
Roll dough out, working from the middle out, trimming at edges if needed.
Using cookie cutter of choice, cut out desired shape.

Peel away extra dough in between shapes.
If desired, sprinkle with granulated sugar. (mix with cinnamon if desired.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-15 minutes, depending on size of cutter used.

*If you don’t have a silicone mat, roll dough onto lightly greased cookie sheets. This will just be a little more tricky, especially if you have a lip on your cookie sheet. You could turn your cookie sheet over and use the underside of your cookie sheet to make it easier.
 
I packaged some in some cute take-out boxes from the craft store for a fun treat.
 
Filed Under: Cookies

Springerle

December 10, 2010 by
Meet the new love in my life. Springerle.  They are dense little German cookies, a silky soft dough is imprinted with an image and left out to dry overnight.  This hardens the image so that it will maintain all of its little details as it bakes.  You can get the molds in all manner of designs, the one I used was ordered from King Arthur Flour, but is made by House On The Hill. (Wish I had ordered from them, for the same price they sell the exact one, but with 2 additional images!)
I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making them for some time now, and I got very worried when I was making my first batch.  I used King Arthur Flour’s recipe and it was like a brick. I couldn’t even roll it out!  After a quick call to Ute, my mom’s German friend, I had another batch going that looked MUCH better.  Sure enough, when I baked them the next day they turned out perfectly.
I love how cooking and art meet so well at times, and Springerle is definitely one of those times.
I keep daydreaming about making a trip to Germany just to buy enough Springerle molds to fill a large suitcase! (I’m sure that will happen soon, just after I attain the Nobel Prize)
SPRINGERLE
4 large eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
1 pound flour
2 tsp anise*, optional (extract, oil, or flavoring)
Beat eggs and sugar well, until they turn into a light and airy cream.
Add the flour and anise, mix until smooth.  Rest dough for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 parts. The dough will feel sticky.
Lightly dust dough with flour, it should feel silky.
Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.
Dust mold lightly with flour and press into dough to leave impression.  Cut out using either a knife, pizza wheel, or decorative wheel.  If your image is a circular one, you can cut out using a biscuit cutter or fluted circle, etc.
Carefully place cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Don’t spray with cooking spray or anything)
Leave cookies to air-dry for 8 to 24 hours, depending on size.
Bake at 300 degrees for 12-18 minutes ( again, depending on size)
Cookies should become pale golden on bottom but the top shouldn’t get any color on them.
As they bake, you should see “little feet” form, that’s where the cookies rise up at the bottom.
*You could also substitute lemon flavoring or extract, or really any flavoring you want.
Don’t forget the 2 most important ingredients in Springerle.. Time and Love!



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Filed Under: Cookies, German, Holiday Recipes