Red Velvet Cookies

red velvet cookiesDo you think of red velvet as a Christmas treat? I didn’t, until my friend Erika mentioned that she likes red velvet at this time of year. After all, Santa’s suit is kind of red velvety, and there are plenty of red velvet bows to go around.

These cookies are a delicious twist on the classic red velvet cupcake, and they were extremely popular in my office this week. You could add frosting to them, but I’d recommend just dusting them with powdered sugar once they’ve cooled; although this photo doesn’t do them justice, they have a beautiful red velvet color beneath the powdered sugar.

I also advise using a spoon to scoop your dough, instead of a cookie scoop, as my one-inch scoop met its maker with this dough.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling, plus more for dusting

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add brown sugar and white sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add beaten egg and beat until combined.

Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and red food coloring and beat until combined.

Add flour mixture in three batches, beating well between and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour, until easier to handle.

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

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Using a spoon, scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, then dip in powdered sugar, tossing to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-11 minutes, until tops are cracked and edges are set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Once cookies are cool, dust with more powdered sugar.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

cinnamonswirlbreadPeople often tell me that they don’t bake because it’s not as fluid and creative as cooking, where you can add a dash of this or a pinch of that and still end up with a tasty, successful result. While it’s certainly true that baking relies on the right ratios of dry and wet ingredients, you can definitely be more creative than most people think, especially when it comes to flavors and spices.

Many experienced bakers tweak recipes all the time, which is what I did with this cinnamon swirl bread I found on Taste of Home. I added vanilla extract in the batter and a dash of nutmeg to the cinnamon-sugar mix, and I’m pleased to say that it turned out very well. Next time, I’ll probably add a streusel topping for some additional crunch, and I might bake two smaller loaves in 8 x 4 pans instead of one larger 9 x 5 one. While I didn’t stray too far from the original recipe, this successful quick bread is proof that you can spice things up – pun intended – with baking too.

Ingredients

For the bread

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sour milk* (or buttermilk)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • Dash of nutmeg

For the glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • About 3 teaspoons water

*To make sour milk, place 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough milk to equal one cup, then stir. Let stand for 5 minutes before using.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine sour milk, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla; add to dry mixture and stir until just combined. Batter will still be lumpy, and that’s fine – don’t over mix.

For cinnamon sugar, combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl, mixing well,

Spoon half of the batter into your loaf pan and cover with half of the sugar mixture, then repeat with remaining batter and sugar. Cut through the batter with a knife and gently swirl.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. You may want to cover your bread for the last 10 minutes of baking to avoid over-browning on the top.

Cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make drizzle, combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of water, stirring to combine. Add additional water to reach a thicker drizzling consistency, then drizzle over the loaf.

Wrap loaf in foil and store at room temperature.

 

 

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles

chocolatepeppermintcrinklesNow and then my Aunt Liz sends me recipes in the mail, clipped from magazines or newspapers. This Thanksgiving she came to Pittsburgh bearing a copy of Southern Living magazine with recipes she thought I’d like, and boy, was she right. The issue features page after page of beautiful cakes, desserts, and cookies for the holidays, including these chocolate peppermint crinkles.

Chocolate crinkle cookies are a Christmas staple, and these chocolate peppermint crinkles are a delicious twist on the classic. If you’re not a peppermint fan you can easily substitute the peppermint extract for vanilla extract. This batch makes 18 cookies and could be easily doubled for a larger batch.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 eggs
  • About 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder; set aside.

Combine baking chocolate, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and melt over very low heat, stirring well to combine.

Pour mixture into a medium bowl and add sugar, stirring well.

Add peppermint extract and eggs; stir very well to combine.

Add flour mixture and stir until completely combined; mixture will thicken.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, until easier to handle.

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

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop generous portions of dough and roll into balls, then dip in powdered sugar and toss to coat very well.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake for 11 minutes; remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for about 4-5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: if you don’t want a huge mess on your counter tops, place a kitchen towel or paper towels beneath the cooling racks to catch the excess powdered sugar while your cookies cool.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookies

oatmeal butterscotch cookiesThe oatmeal butterscotch chip cookie, also known as an oatmeal scotchie, is a classic cookie that, until today, I had never made.

You’re shocked, I know. How can someone who claims baking prowess never have made a scotchie? Aren’t they the kind of classic that any baker worth her salt should know how to make? The answer is: yes. The are the kind of classic any baker worth her salt should know how to make. And now, I suppose, I’m worth my salt.

The recipe below is slightly adapted from the original one on the package of Nestle butterscotch chips, with a bit more brown sugar and extra vanilla (just like my chocolate chip cookies). Be very careful not to overbake these; you need to pull them from the oven after about 9-10 minutes, even if they still look raw in the middle. Don’t be afraid. They’ll keep baking on the cookie sheet as they cool, and they’ll end up chewy in the middle, which is what you want. Trust me…I’m worth my salt.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus a few extra sprinkles of cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, generously packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 2/3 cup butterscotch chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with foil or parchment.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add white sugar and brown sugar, then cream for about 1 minute before adding eggs and vanilla.

Add flour mixture in two batches, beating to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Stir in oats 1 cup at a time, then stir in butterscotch chips.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of dough onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are light brown and centers are still pale and puffy; remove from oven and cool on cookie sheets for about 4-5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Brown Sugar Pecan Toffee Rounds

brown sugar pecan toffee roundsWhy do some cookie recipes call for chilled dough? While it certainly makes your dough easier to handle, there are also some scientific principles at work. When you chill your dough, it gives the butter, shortening, or other fat in your recipe a chance to solidify, so when your cookies bake, the fat will take longer to melt than if it were at room temperature. This means your cookies will stay in shape, rather than spreading into puddles of goo. Chilling dough also dries out the dough a bit, but in a good way, enhancing the flavors of your ingredients. For more in-depth info on chilling dough, check out this great post from the folks at King Arthur Flour.

Slice-and-bake cookies, like these brown sugar pecan toffee rounds, must be chilled so you can actually slice them. The recipe below is adapted from one I found in a Better Homes & Gardens holiday cookie magazine, which called for ground almonds instead of pecans. As I only had pecans, I substituted them with great results.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup toffee pieces
  • 1 cup ground toasted pecans

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter until combined.

Add brown sugar, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Beat in flour about 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl well, then beat or stir in toffee pieces and ground toasted pecans. You may need to use your hands to fully incorporate the pieces into the dough.

Divide dough in half and shape each half into a 10-inch log. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 5 hours, until the dough is firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut logs into 1/4 inch slices and place about 1 inch apart on your baking sheets. Bake for 8-11 minutes, until edges are light brown and firm.

Cool on cookie sheets for about 3-4 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Peppermint Meltaways

peppermintmeltawaysIt’s peppermint season! With just a few weeks to go until Christmas, peppermint-flavored treats are everywhere…including my kitchen.

Peppermint is my favorite plant in the mint family, and not just because it pairs very well with chocolate. Peppermint calms headaches, soothes sore throats, tames upset stomachs, and can lower anxiety associated with depression. A pretty powerful little plant, when you think about it.

These peppermint meltaways are adapted from Taste of Home, one of my favorite recipe sources. They’re lighter than expected, perhaps due to the cornstarch in the dough. Next time, I think I’ll swirl together white and red frosting for a candy cane look. This makes a relatively small batch of 2 dozen, but they’d be a nice addition to your Christmas cookie platter.

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the frosting

  • 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • About 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • red food coloring, if desired

Preparation

In a small bowl, combine flour and cornstarch; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter for about 1 minute, then add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add peppermint extract and beat to combine.

Add flour/cornstarch mixture in three batches, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each. Chill dough for about 20 minutes, until easy to handle.

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

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 11-12 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. Be careful when checking – these cookies are very soft and crumbly until they’re cool.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for about 3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter for 1 minute, then add 2 tablespoons milk, peppermint extract, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed until combined, then add remaining powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well. Check your consistency; you want a spreadable frosting that isn’t too thick or thin, like the consistency of peanut butter. If necessary, thin your frosting with the remaining milk. Add food coloring, if desired.

Frost cookies and store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Pumpkin Bars with Browned Butter Frosting

pumpkin barsI refuse to skip right over Thanksgiving to Christmas, regardless of how much society pressures us all to do so. Now, before we have a Starbucks-cup-level riot about Christmas on this blog, let me be clear: I’m Catholic, and I love Christmas and the joyous preparations that go along with it. I’m just not ready to skip straight from carving a pumpkin to decking the halls.

Seriously, folks, why do we want to rush through the wonderful month of November? November has plenty to offer; the last of the season’s leaves hanging brilliantly on trees, warm afternoons and cold evenings, Election Day, Veterans Day, and the tradition of gratitude (and pie) on Thanksgiving. We skip right over this month, rushing toward “the holidays” without really taking a chance to enjoy that last bit of fall. And so, please consider these pumpkin bars, which are sort of like cake and come from my Better Homes & Garden Baking book, my rebellion against the steamrolling of pumpkin season by peppermint season. Live on, pumpkin season! For a few more weeks, at least.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bars

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 15 ounces pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup vegetable oil

Browned Butter Frosting

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves until completely combined.

Add eggs, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil, stirring well to completely combine, with no dry streaks or lumps remaining.

Pour batter into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours before frosting.

To make the frosting, melt butter in a small saucepan until light golden brown; this will take a few minutes, and you’ll want to swish the butter in the pan every so often, then use a whisk to get the browning bits off of the sides and bottom. Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla, and browned butter. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, then check your consistency; if necessary, add more milk, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to reach a spreadable consistency.

Pour frosting over pumpkin bars and spread using an offset spatula. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Buckeye Cupcakes

buckeyecupcakesA while ago I made chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, which were inspired by the chocolate-covered peanut. They were delicious, but I always thought they needed more peanut butter filling and a few tweaks to meet my desired chocolate/peanut butter balance. After a bit of thinking, I came up with this: the buckeye cupcake.

These treats use a basic chocolate cupcake recipe from my Better Homes & Gardens baking book, then get hollowed out and stuffed with peanut butter filling and topped with a cocoa frosting. In the future, I might use a chocolate buttercream instead – while they are delicious, they’re still not exactly what I’m after. And this, friends, is the beauty of baking…you can keep adjusting your recipe until you get exactly what you want!

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups milk

Peanut Butter Filling

  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • About 6 tablespoons milk

Cocoa Frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • About 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

For the cupcakes, allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes 3 dozen cupcakes, so you’ll need to re-use one tin for your last batch.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, scraping the bowl often. Once all sugar is added, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat well.

Add flour mixture and milk alternatively in three batches, beating until just combine between each. Once all ingredients are incorporated, beat on medium speed for 20-30 seconds.

Fill cupcake wells half full and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 1 minute, then remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting.

Make your filling: in a mixing bowl, beat peanut butter and butter together until smooth.

Add powdered sugar slowly, beating well after each addition.

Add vanilla, then add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time beating until well-combined.

Make your frosting: combine melted butter and cocoa powder, whisking very well until smooth. Place mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, then increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more.

Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat on low speed, then add about half of the milk, continuing to beat on low speed, until combined. Follow with another cup powdered sugar and remainder of milk, beating on low until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar, then vanilla, beating until frosting is creamy and spreadable.

To assemble your cupcakes: core each cupcake and reserve scraps for another use.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop peanut butter filling into each hole and gently press down with an offset spatula. You’ll have about 1/3 cup of filling left over that you can reserve for another use.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop drops of frosting onto each cupcake and spread with an offset spatula.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

M&M Blondies

M&MblondiesAs far as M&Ms go, I’m a peanut loyalist. The plain kind always just seemed too…well, plain…for me, but they do go very well in a variety of baked goods, though, including these blondies.

Blondies are a good option for bakers who want to feed a crowd, but also save time. Because they’re baked in one 9 x 13 pan, you can get at least three dozen squares (or four dozen, if you’re a bit more frugal with your cuts) in one swoop – which is very convenient for a party or a picnic. My recipe below uses about 3/4 of an 11.4 ounce package of fall-colored plain M&Ms, but you could use the whole package if you like. This would also be a great recipe for Reese’s Pieces, or a mix of candies.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 12 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups plain M&M candies

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 pan completely with foil and lightly spray with baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and brown sugar; mix well to combine.

Add melted butter and stir to incorporate slightly; add eggs and vanilla extract and stir well to fully combine. The dough will be fairly dry, so you’ll want to use your hands to fully incorporate your ingredients.

Add 1 cup of the M&Ms and mix with your hands to combine well.

Press dough into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of candies and press them into the dough.

Bake for 23-25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then lift out by the foil and place on a wire rack; peel foil back slightly and allow to cool completely.

Once cool, remove foil entirely and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

pumpkinpatchcupcakesMy friend Erika’s daughter is turning 7 this weekend, and I had the privilege of baking for her party. Erika requested a friendly, happy version of Halloween treats – nothing scary – and these pumpkin patch cupcakes fit the bill.

As a gal with a very low tolerance for scary things, I understand the desire to have a friendly, happy Halloween. I can handle creepy things, but once we get into scary territory, all bets are off. I hope that these friendly pumpkins are a big hit at the party, along with the brownies, M&M blondies, and chocolate sugar cookies I made – stay tuned for those recipes shortly!

Happy Birthday, AJ! You’ve got an awesome mom!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 recipe vanilla buttercream
  • orange gel food coloring
  • leaf green gel food coloring
  • 4 miniature Tootsie Rolls

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe yields 15 cupcakes.

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

Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat for another 30 seconds.

Add vanilla and canola oil and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Batter will be very thin.

Using a quarter-cup measuring cup, scoop batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling half full.

Bake for 12-13 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

To decorate:

Cut Tootsie Rolls in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise again. Knead each piece to soften it a bit, then mold it into a stem shape; set aside.

Prepare vanilla buttercream. Remove about 1/4 cup and tint green; tint remaining frosting orange.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of orange frosting onto cupcakes, then frost with a small offset spatula.

Fit a piping bag with a leaf tip; place 1 stem into the top of each cupcake, then pipe leaves around the stem.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature; Tootsie Roll stems will soften because of the moisture in the cupcakes, so it’s best to prepare these within a few hours of serving.