Peanut Butter Heart Cookies

pb heartsReese’s now makes a heart-shaped version of their miniature peanut butter cup. They are quite tasty on their own, and even better when placed on a peanut butter cookie. I always think of the classic peanut butter blossom, with its Hershey’s Kiss, as a Christmas cookie, and this is a nice alternative for Valentine’s Day.

A few folks have asked how I keep these cookies soft, and the key there is in the baking time. Most recipes over-estimate baking time, which yields a harder, crunchy cookie – especially with peanut butter cookies. If you’re after a soft cookie, under-bake them by a few minutes. When you pull them from the oven, allow them to sit on their baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool them – they continue baking, but won’t over-bake, that way.

The actual in-the-oven baking time for these cookies is 10 minutes, because you need the bottoms to be sturdy enough to hold the candy once you place it. Once you’ve placed your chocolates, move your cookie sheet to a cooler place, away from the oven, so the chocolate can start to set sooner.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • About 36 Reese’s peanut butter hearts

Preparation

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

Unwrap 36 hearts and set aside in a cool place, away from the heat of the oven so they don’t start to melt.

In a small bowl, measure out 1/4 cup sugar for rolling; set aside.

In another small bowl, measure out 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and peanut butter until smooth.

Add sugar mix and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add flour and beat until well-combined.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls; roll balls in sugar and place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven and immediately press one heart in the center of each, then transfer the entire baking sheet to a wire rack away from the oven to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

pbmmValentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I’m preparing a care package for my goddaughter Maureen and her family. This year, Mo is getting some peanut butter M&M cookies, and there will be a few other things for her and her baby sister Margo as well.

Full disclosure: I don’t really like plain M&Ms. I love the peanut kind, and the peanut butter kind, but plain M&Ms have always seemed too…well, plain…for my taste. They’re perfect in these cookies, though, adding a nice pop of chocolate and some crunch.

If you’re planning to bake and ship these, make sure you package them well with several layers of waxed paper in the container. I’m pretty sure they’ll ship well, but it’s always best to be on the safe side with your packaging.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup M&Ms candies (I used the Valentine’s Day mix)

Preparation

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

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

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, then add peanut butter and beat until very well-combined.

Add egg, vanilla, and milk, beating on low speed until combined.

Add flour mixture in two batches, beating well after each addition.

Stir in M&Ms.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until tops are just golden. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

chocolate caramelRolos have been around since 1937. Originally manufactured in Britain, they are made by Nestle everywhere except the United States, where the fine folks at Hershey’s produce them alongside other heavenly treats like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and Mr. Goodbars.

So, what happens when you take a Rolo and wrap chocolate cookie dough around it? You get a delicious treat, like these cookies.

The original recipe I found included a salted caramel drizzle, and the next time I make these, I’ll definitely include it. While they’re certainly delicious on their own, I think these cookies could benefit from an extra kick of caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 36 Rolo candies, unwrapped

Preparation

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

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

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add sugar and brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined, then add vanilla and beat until combined.

Add flour mixture about a half-cup at a time, mixing well between each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, shape dough into balls and press a Rolo into each center, shaping dough around the candy to enclose it.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and bake for 10 minutes, until edges are firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Shortbread

shortbreadFlour, salt, butter, and powdered sugar are all you need to create this classic shortbread. Even if you’re not a baker, I bet you can make this.

The possibilities for shortbread are endless; there are plenty of flavorings you could add, and you could dip it in chocolate or drizzle it with some kind of glaze. But believe me when I tell you, this cookie needs no such frills; it is a delicious, simple, salty-sweet treat that would go very well with tea or coffee.

Martha Stewart bakes hers in a tart pan, but I took my dough and made a circle on parchment, then cut it with a pizza cutter into 16 even wedges. You could probably roll this out – though it might stick to your rolling pin – and cut it into shapes, but just once, try making it in the classic wedges. You won’t be sorry, I promise.

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher (or other coarse) salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

Position oven rack in the upper third and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift flour and salt together; set aside.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl between additions.

Add flour mixture all at once and beat until just combined.

Shape dough into a ball, then flatten into an 8-inch disc. Prick all over with a fork, then cut into 16 even wedges (a pizza cutter works very well).

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the edges are just golden brown. You may have to increase baking time depending on your oven.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet; gently break wedges apart and store in an airtight container.

 

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

pumpkin streusel muffinsPumpkin is not just for fall cooking and baking, my friends. Pumpkin puree is available year-round, making pumpkin treats like muffins, quick breads, smoothies, even pumpkin ravioli a possibility in any season.

These muffins are similar to coffee cake, and I admit, they could use some ginger. I didn’t realize I was out of ginger until I started whipping up this batch yesterday, and I figured the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice would hold their own. While these muffins are definitely tasty, and the crunchy streusel topping gives them great texture, next time I’ll add about 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to the mix.

I also think these muffins could benefit from a light drizzle or glaze, made from powdered sugar and water and maybe a dash or two of cinnamon. Next time, perhaps!

Ingredients

For the streusel topping

  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the muffins

  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus an extra dash if you like
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 8 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

Make the streusel: in a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Rub in the butter with your hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set aside.

Make the muffins: In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl whisk melted butter, eggs, and pumpkin puree until well-combined.

Add pumpkin mixture to dry mixture and stir to incorporate so that no dry streaks remain.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. Top each with a tablespoon of streusel mix.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in tins for a minute or two, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. These muffins could also be served warm.

Owl Cupcakes

IMG_3766My goddaughter Maureen just turned four a few days ago. When asked what kind of cupcakes she wanted for her birthday party, she said “both,” meaning both cupcakes and frosting. So her mom, my cousin Barb, asked again – what did Mo want the cupcakes to taste like? She answered “pink.” Hmm.

Mo’s birthday party was held at a nature center near her house, where we learned about owls, turtles, and other Southern Maryland wildlife, so her cupcakes were nature-themed. While I don’t know if there are any pink owls in nature, there certainly were at her party.

Mo helped me bake the cupcakes and make the frosting, and she’s a great helper. As she licked a frosting-coated beater, I asked her if it tasted pink, and she said “yep!” Mission accomplished.

Note: the recipe below is designed to feed a crowd and yields 45 cupcakes. You can adjust as necessary to make fewer if you don’t need this many. Also, we did a dozen owls and then used M&Ms to make caterpillars, flowers, and mushrooms on other cupcakes, so if you want all owls, you’ll just need to adjust the quantity of sandwich cookies for the eyes.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 6 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • red liquid food coloring

For the frosting & decoration

  • 1 recipe vegan vanilla frosting
  • red liquid food coloring
  • cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
  • M&M candies

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

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. Add a few drops of red food coloring at a time until you reach your desired color; remember, batter will lighten as cupcakes bake. Batter will be very thin.

Using a quarter-cup measuring cup, scoop batter into prepared pans. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.

To frost and decorate:

Prepare vanilla frosting, reserving a small amount to use as “glue” for the owl eyes. Add a few drops of red liquid food coloring to the frosting with your mixer running on low to medium speed to achieve a light pink color.

For the owls:

Twist apart chocolate sandwich cookies carefully, leaving the cream all on one side. Reserve plain sides for another use, like making a pudding pie crust.

Place two cookie halves on each cupcake; dot with white frosting, then place an M&M for the pupil on each eye. Add another M&M for the beak.

For the other nature-themed cupcakes:

Place M&Ms as you like; we made caterpillars with green bodies and red heads, flowers, and a few cupcakes that were totally covered in M&Ms to look like mushrooms.

Serve very shortly after cupcakes are decorated, as the cookies will begin to soften from the moisture in the frosting.

IMG_3780Here, Mo and I are relaxing in the hollowed-out trunk of an enormous tree. Birthday parties for four-year-olds can take a lot out of you…especially if you’re the guest of honor. 

 

Banana Coffee Cake

banana coffee cakeWhen one’s bananas are overripe, banana bread is an obvious solution. But this time, I wanted to do something different…and so to the internet I went. On another blog, Tide and Thyme, I discovered the recipe below, and although I still think the preparation process is a bit odd everyone proclaimed the end results to be delicious.

Next time, I’d reduce the streusel quantity by about a quarter, as it seemed like a bit much. I’d also add a drizzle icing, which was included in the original recipe but I didn’t use this time – and I’d make it a chocolate drizzle. I might also toss some pecans into the streusel for extra crunch.

Ingredients

For the streusel:

  • 12 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray, set aside.

Make the streusel: in a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or rub in with your hands, like I did) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs; set aside.

Make the cake: in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat bananas until they become liquefied. Add butter and mix until combined; the mixture will look very lumpy but that’s okay. Add sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined.

With the mixer running on low, carefully add flour and mix until just combined. The batter will be fairly thin for a cake, but this is okay.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan; cover with streusel mixture, then top with remaining batter and remaining streusel.

Bake 50-55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

Toffee Saltines

Sweet SaltinesRecipes for this treat – which has various names, including “Christmas Crack” – are everywhere. My Aunt Liz makes a version that she calls pecan pralines, involving graham crackers, toffee, and pecans. I didn’t have enough graham crackers to make that version, so I’ve used the standard saltine instead.

The great thing about this treat is that it can be customized however you like. I’ve created both a plain, toffee and pecan-only version and a chocolate version, the photo of which appears below. You could add toffee bits, butterscotch chips, various nuts, or other candies if you’d like.

The non-chocolate version is for my mom, who will be coming to Christmas dinner later today. She’s been known to arrive at my house after running various errands in need of a snack, and her go-to question is always “got any crackers?” Merry Christmas, Mum.

Note: the following recipe creates a “half and half” pan of toffee saltines – half with chocolate, and half without.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups butter
  • About 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • About 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray very lightly with cooking or baking spray.

Place crackers on the baking sheet in a single layer.

In a medium saucepan, melt brown sugar and butter, stirring frequently. Bring to a full, rolling boil; once mixture reaches a full, rolling boil, allow it to boil for three minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat and pour over crackers, spreading carefully with a spatula to fully cover.

Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle half of the crackers with pecans. Sprinkle remaining half with chocolate chips and let stand for a minute or two so the chips begin to melt. Spread the chocolate on the remaining half of the crackers, then sprinkle with pecans.

Allow to cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Sweet Saltines with Chocolate

Chewy Gingersnaps

chewy gingersnapsTomorrow, there is a cookie contest in my new office. I had a hard time deciding what to make – after all, there are dozens of cookie recipes on this blog and hundreds more in the cookbooks that line my shelves. My awesome cousin Barb suggested that I go with a cookie that everyone has had, knowing that my version would knock their socks off. And so, I’ve chosen my chewy gingersnap, a delicious creation of molasses and spices.

Okay, so perhaps “chewy gingersnap” is an oxymoron. But what else can you call a traditional gingersnap recipe that is tweaked in molasses content and baking time to yield a chewy, soft cookie instead of the traditional crisp? Chewy gingersnap works for me.

The trick to these cookies is their baking time, and the limited time they’re allowed to cool on the baking sheets once removed from the oven. Bake them no more than eight minutes, and let them sit on your baking sheets for no more than two minutes, to ensure that they don’t become brittle.

Will I be victorious in tomorrow’s competition? Time will tell. At the very least, I’ll get to try lots of treats made my other bakers.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 2 1/2 ounces molasses*
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • I teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 cup sugar, for rolling

*I fill my glass measuring cup to the line just above the 1/4 cup line, which is about 2 1/2 ounces of molasses.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with foil. Place sugar in a small bowl.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups flour with the light brown sugar, shortening, molasses, egg, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat on medium speed until very well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Add remaining flour and beat until very well combined.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls, then roll each ball in sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 minutes – cookies will look puffy and slightly under-baked – and cool them on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Remember, the cookies will continue baking as they cool on the baking sheets, which is why it’s very important not to over-bake them in the oven or leave them on the hot baking sheets for too long.

Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles

mexican choc snickerdoodlesWhere would the world be without chocolate? I know my life certainly wouldn’t be the same.

Chocolate is one of the most versatile ingredients in baking, when you think about it. How many other flavors go just as well with raspberries or strawberries as they do with peanut butter, almonds, or even pepper?

The pairing of chocolate with spices like cayenne fascinates me, because I wonder who first thought about doing so and how surprised people were when it turned out to be delicious. These cookies definitely have a bit of a kick, especially if you’re not used to peppery spices. If you’d prefer not to use the cayenne you can omit it, but be sure to keep the cinnamon in the sugar coating.

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup white sugar and the brown sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper, beating well until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Add eggs and vanilla, beating well until combined.

Add cocoa powder and beat, then add flour about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well to combine.

Cover dough and chill for about 30 minutes, until easy to handle.

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

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls, then dip in sugar and cinnamon. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for about 3 minutes, then place on wire racks to cool completely.