Author: Amy

Slutty Blondies (aka Blondies Have More Fun)

sluttyblondiesOkay, so…why these are “slutty” blondies, I honestly don’t know. I’m not sure we should be judging their morals either so I also call them Blondies Have More Fun because that seems a little nicer. These delicious treats have a sugar cookie base, Golden Oreo middle, and blondie top, meaning the calorie count is completely off the charts. But they are amazing, and I’m planning to make a classic Oreo version later today, so we’ll see how that turns out. I adapted this recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking to omit the white chocolate chips in the blondie layer, but you could certainly add those in if you like.

Ingredients

For the sugar cookie base

  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For the Golden Oreo layer

  • 12 Golden Oreo cookies

For the blondie top

  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×9 baking tin with foil and spray with baking spray.

Make the sugar cookie layer: In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and beat to combine completely. Press mixture into the bottom of the baking tin; top with Golden Oreos.

Make the blondie layer: Stir together melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and egg; add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine completely. Batter will be fairly thick; spread it over the Oreo layer using a spatula.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting; makes 16.

Vanilla Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

vanillabundtwithchocolateglazeFor me, finding a great recipe is like a gift from the universe. This vanilla Bundt cake is adapted from my poppy seed cake recipe, which I traditionally bake as a condolence gift when someone loses a loved one. The lemon version is my celebration cake, baked for births and birthdays and other happy occasions. I’ve also made an orange version, and now vanilla with a traditional chocolate glaze. It kind of reminded me of a chocolate-glazed cake donut, a classic, delicious treat.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract

For the glaze

  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and extracts. Stir in flour in three batches, mixing to combine completely.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, combine all ingredients and stir until smooth; pour over cake and allow to set before serving.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days; this cake stays moist for a long time.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

guinnesschocolatecakeHappy St. Patrick’s Day, friends. What better way to celebrate the feast day of Ireland’s famous patron saint than by baking a cake with Guinness, Ireland’s famous stout?

I’ve baked a lot of cakes in my life, and this one is among the absolute best. It has great texture – very soft and fluffy – with a hint of stout against the chocolate. I adapted the original recipe from fellow baking blogger Baker By Nature to include a simple Bailey’s glaze, rather than buttercream and whiskey caramel…though that would have been delicious, too. If you’re having a Guinness today in honor of St. Patrick (and you should), enjoy.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
  • 8 ounces Guinness
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray, the kind that has both flour and oil in it.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, brown sugar, flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, Guinness, oil, milk, and vanilla together; add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter will be very thin and bubbly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean (mine was done at 45 minutes). Remove from oven and cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, stir powdered sugar and Bailey’s together; place in a piping bag and pipe over the cake. Allow the glaze to set before cutting. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies

chineserestaurantalmondcookiesConfession: Asian food isn’t really my jam. No offense, Asia – I know your various cuisines are popular with many, many folks. And while I enjoy some fried rice now and then, I haven’t spent must time in Chinese restaurants in my life. I’ve certainly not encountered these cookies there, either. But they do seem familiar to me.

Our local grocery chain, Giant Eagle, used to sell something called a “rainbow cookie” in its bakery. They were usually swirled with a few different colors – green and yellow, red, white, and blue – and they had the same crumbly texture as these treats. This recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, and the only change I made was to omit the whole blanched almond in the middle since I didn’t have any on hand. There’s also an option to glaze these with chocolate, but I think they’re better plain.

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut chilled shortening into cubes, then cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture is uniformly crumbly.

In a separate bowl, whisk vanilla extract, almond extract, egg, and egg yolk. Sprinkle over the flour/shortening mixture and stir until a cohesive dough forms; I used my hands to fully incorporate the ingredients and make a smooth dough.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop generous portions of dough and roll into balls. Place on the baking sheets and flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness; bake for 16-18 minutes, until just set; this means a fingerprint will remain in the cookie and not spring back. You don’t want to over-bake these, otherwise they’ll be too hard, so I’d err on the side of under-baking just slightly and allowing the cookies to cool a few minutes (and continue baking) on the baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

peanutbutterswirlbrowniesI don’t usually have kitchen disasters (not to sound like The Most Interesting Man in the World), but when I do, I learn from them. Last week I baked peanut butter swirl brownies, and although the recipe said to pull them when they still jiggled in the middle, I ignored my baker’s instinct to discover, once cooled, that they were raw in the middle. Not gooey or fudgy like a brownie should be, but actually raw. Inedible raw. Food-poison-risk raw.

To the internet I went, in search of another recipe, and I found this one at Mike Bakes NYC. I’m pleased to say that this turned out very well, even if they are likely to spike your blood sugar in dangerous ways because they’re so rich. Seriously friends, it’s probably a good thing they only bake in an 8×8 pan.

Ingredients

For the brownies:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the swirl:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 tin with parchment paper or foil; if using foil, spray with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk butter, eggs, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; pour into prepared baking tin.

To make the swirl, whisk the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined. Drop by large spoonfuls onto the brownie batter and swirl with a dull knife.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in a non-swirl part of your brownies comes out with a few fudgy crumbs. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store at room temperature. Makes 16.

Espresso Cookies

espressocookiesThe King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion bills these treats as spiked coffee cookies – but really, I couldn’t taste anything but chocolate and espresso. Hence, a rebrand. No offense, King Arthur.

Full disclosure – I adapted these treats to omit the coffee liqueur in the ganache, because I’m not that big a fan of it. They still turned out pretty well – like an espresso for the end of a meal, as they were billed in the cookbook. I think you’d be fine to omit the coffee liqueur or just substitute regular coffee in the recipe if you don’t have it on hand.

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup coffee liqueur
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups flour

For the ganache

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 6 tablespoons heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add liqueur, egg, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder, beating until smooth. Beat in cocoa powder and flour.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of dough onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart; the cookies do spread when baking. Bake for 12 minutes, until edges are set; remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Once cookies have cooled, make the ganache: place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in short, 15-second bursts to melt the chocolate, stirring between each. Once chocolate is completely melted, spread on cookies; allow to set before storing. Makes 3 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

chocolatechipcookiedoughcupcakesWho invented the cookie dough cupcake? I have no idea…but they’re delicious. I draw the line at making frosting with flour in it, though. I know you can heat-treat it in the oven and everything, but for me, a chocolate chip buttercream – like this one, from Boston Girl Bakes – is totally fine. I adapted her cupcake recipe to not include the edible cookie dough, but I added chocolate chips to the frosting, so technically these are just a chocolate chip cupcake with chocolate chip frosting. They’re still delicious.

One thing to note – I over-baked my cupcakes by a few minutes, so if I make these again I’ll dial it back to the timing below.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 egg white, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks, 20 tablespoons) butter
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my recipe yielded 16 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar, then whisk in eggs and egg white. Stir in milk and vanilla.

In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir in chocolate chips. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine completely.

Divide batter between the cupcake wells, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from the tins; cool completely on a wire rack.

To make frosting, beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed to completely combine.  Beat in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, then stir in chocolate chips.

Frost cupcakes using an offset spatula. Store at room temperature.

Cinnamon Roll Blondies

cinnamonrollblondiesThe flavors of a cinnamon roll with the convenience of a blondie? Yes, please. These treats were very easy to make, though I approached the cinnamon layer somewhat differently from how the original recipe, which I found on Celebrating Sweets, was written. I also tweaked the icing to include some vanilla extract and more powdered sugar because…well, I do that.

A word about the icing: I’d probably wait to ice these until right before serving, because the cream cheese icing takes a while to set up in the fridge…causing the blondies themselves to get firmer than I’d like them to be. Still, the flavor is delicious and I’ll absolutely make these again.

Ingredients

For the blondie layer

  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cinnamon layer

  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • dash of salt

For the icing

  • 2 ounces very soft (almost melted) cream cheese
  • 7 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 baking tin with foil and spray the foil with baking spray.

Make the blondie layer: Combine melted butter and brown sugar and whisk until well combined, about 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla, whisking to combine. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt with a spatula; spread in the bottom of the baking tin.

Make the cinnamon layer: Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth. Stir in cinnamon and salt. Spread across the top of the blondie layer.

Bake for 21 – 24 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before icing.

To make the icing, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle or pipe across the top of the bars; refrigerate bars to set the icing before cutting and store in the fridge until serving. Makes 12.

Toffee Coffee Brownies

toffeecoffeebrowniesThe King Arthur Cookie Companion has an awesome brownie recipe that you can dress up any way you like. This combination is one of their many adaptations, a super fudgy brownie with coffee icing and toffee bits (though in this photo I feel like they look like chopped nuts).

Next time, I might use chocolate-covered toffee bits for even more flavor, because the toffee gets lost a bit against the coffee icing. They still taste amazing, though – are I cannot stress how fudgy they are. Like actual pieces of fudge, in many ways. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the brownies

  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup Dutch-process (aka Hershey’s Special Dark) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup flour

For the icing

  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 – 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking tin with foil and spray lightly with baking spray. Sprinkle the bottom with sugar; this is my tip for a slightly crunchy bottom crust that adds a nice texture to otherwise soft treats like brownies.

In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar and continue heating for another minute while stirring, until the mixture is just hot. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, then whisk in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, then spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

To make icing, combine espresso powder and hot water in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and stir; add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to get a drizzly consistency. Spread over brownies, then sprinkle with toffee bits. Let the icing set before cutting. Makes 24.

Canadian Butter Tart Squares

canadianbuttertartsquaresIn addition to hockey and maple syrup (among other good things, I’m sure), Canada has a treat called butter tarts. They’re like mini pecan pies, but with raisins or walnuts instead of pecans. While I’ve never had one, I found this recipe for a bar/square version at Just So Tasty and chose walnuts instead of raisins for my filling.

One observation – I might have under-baked these slightly, because the filling wasn’t as set as I expected it to be. They’re still delicious.

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups flour

For the filling

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

In a mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add flour and beat to combine; dough will be thick. Press into the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until pale golden in color.

While the crust bakes, make the filling. Beat butter, brown sugar, and flour until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, then add corn syrup and vinegar and beat again. Stir in walnuts.

Once crust has baked, pour the filling over the top and bake for another 30-35 minutes, until the top is set. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting. Makes 24.