Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

A few months ago I got a craving for peanut butter cookies. I had not had any in a while, and I craved a cookie that would yield a crunch of peanut butter in every bite. Doesn't that sound yummy!

Once a craving knocks on my door, it tends to make itself at home until my taste buds are sufficiently satisfied. I browsed through lots of recipes, and tried one that I thought might fit the bill... but the end result was not that exciting. I mean, they were great for a sweet fix throughout the week, but my peanut butter craving still lingered. So, I continued to keep my eyes peeled in case something popped up that might help me shake this hunger. A month or so later, I stumbled upon these cookies from Brown Eyed Baker and knew that I had to try them. Raise your spatulas -- the results were delicious and my taste buds were happy!

I highly recommend this recipe to all you peanut butter lovers out there; whether you have a craving or not, you won't be disappointed. These cookies are full of crunchy goodness! Such a treat. :)

*Note: I baked mine for a minute or two longer than the original recipe indicated because they seemed like they still needed to bake. You may want to pull them out earlier than what's noted below if you're trying to retain a softer center.

Ingredients
Yields about 40 cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, separated
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
3/4 cup peanut butter chips 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

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

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add light brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition; scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce speed of mixer to low and gradually add your dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in peanuts and peanut butter chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll balls of dough in sugar to coat and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, press down on each ball to flatten rounds; press down twice in opposite directions to make a crisscross indention.

Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 11-13 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit on baking sheets for a couple of minutes, then transfer cookies to wire cooling racks. Store in air tight container.

Source: slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares

One of the only ways I know how to say "Happy Birthday" is by baking. I'm terrible about sending cards. I always battle internally over whether or not I should spend $4 on a greeting card, and most of the time I just buy from the 99 cent stack, but those cards are never as cute or clever. And as opposed to spending money on a gift for someone which they may or may not like, I'd rather apply my time and money towards baking something I know the birthday guy or gal is sure to enjoy! Baking is thoughtful, full of heart, and sings yummy goodness. :) So if you don't care for sweets, then you don't leave me much choice and you'll likely get a birthday card that's really not that funny and even less cute... sorry, but now I've warned you!

I baked these salted toffee squares for Matt's co-worker's birthday. Lane (who I absolutely adore) loves to sample my baking, so I thought she might appreciate a birthday gift from my oven. :) I was really struggling over what I should bake for her... I wanted it to be something good! I flipped through tons of recipes over several days. Finally, I opened my inbox one morning to see Martha's Cookie of the Day email, and low and behold, there sat these salted toffee-chocolate squares. "This is it!" I thought to myself.

These bars were so delicious! I could have happily eaten all of them on my own. The sweet and salty balance was superb, and the crunch of the toffee and pecans was delectable! I think these would make a delicious dessert for a pot luck or cookout. One thing I'll change next time is chopping blocks of chocolate instead of using morsels. I found that the morsels didn't melt that much. I think chopped chocolate will melt easier and help seal in the loose peanut butter chips and pecans once it hardens. But the flavor was perfect, and this recipe could easily be adapted to suit your palate. Go make a batch and have fun with it!

Ingredients
Yields 24 bars
13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place graham crackers on the baking sheet in a single layer, with the edges of the crackers touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and pecans over graham crackers.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy. Immediately pour the mixture over the graham crackers. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire cooling rack and immediately sprinkle chocolate, peanut butter chips and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife, carefully cut into 2-inch squares. Let cool completely after separating.

Source: slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

M&M Doozies

One thing I used to love about shopping at the mall was strolling by the delightful display of Great American Cookies. Tempted by the sweet aroma, luring me closer, it would take all my will power to re-direct my eyes forward and continue on my merry way. (Until I'd come upon a stand of Auntie Anne's pretzels, and then, well... that's a whole other craving!) Last year, I tried my hand at a homemade chocolate chip cookie cake -- simply delicious! It was every bit as tasty as the ones you would buy from the mall, and it was such a hit with my hubby that he requested his own cookie cake for his birthday this year. And I gladly obliged... :)

There is one other taunting treat in those Great American Cookie displays that can catch my eye from twenty feet away... the Double Doozies! Oh my heaven, how I love the sweet divinity of a Double Doozie! Since the cookie cake was such a success, I decided to use the same recipe to recreate the doozie sensation right here in my own kitchen. Hooray, another great success!

My preference is always the M&M doozie, so I subbed the bittersweet and white chocolate chips for a bag of plain M&Ms and 1/2 cup of mini chocolate morsels. I baked them at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Once the cookies had cooled, I topped half the batch with my favorite buttercream frosting and sandwiched them together with the other half. Perfection!

Of course I could not leave all these sitting on my counter, screaming for my affection. No, that would not do so well for my waistline. :) Instead, I piled them up in a sweet little cookie jar and escorted them over to our friend's housewarming party. Treats like these are made to be shared, and I think they made the tastiest gift!

Jubilee Jumbles

Hi! Have I got some yummy goodness to share with you today. :) It's my first guest post, and here to present these darling Jubilee Jumbles is my friend, Megan. You may recall Megan from my baking extravaganza post. She is a friend of mine that shares my passion for baking, and I am delighted to host her here on my blog! Megan and I love to talk baking… we share recipes and baking tips, we love to bounce ideas off each other when we’re trying something new, and most of all we LOVE to sample each other’s creations! These cookies were among the first baked goods that Megan shared with me, and I was in awe over the yumminess. These cookies are absolutely amazing, and it only seems right to let Megan share these with you. So without further ado, I’d like to welcome Megan to Burn Me Not!!

Jubilee Jumbles, or as I’ve always called them, “Icing Cookies”!

I have many fond childhood memories of baking with my Mom and of all the cookies we’ve ever made, these cakey, glazed beauties are by far the most requested and beloved by our family and friends. Every time we made them when I was a young, kids would come from surrounding houses to get a bite—a tradition, I might add, that continued even after I went to college. Have you ever seen a group of hungry college students stampede towards a box of homemade cookies? It’s not pretty, but it sure makes for fast friends!

Now I should give fair warning—these cookies are extremely addicting and once people taste them, they are bound to ask for more. For me, the most dangerous (or delicious?) part is the glaze. I must admit that even as an adult I have a tendency to make myself sick swiping the extra glaze from the wax paper! 

Now, whip up a batch and feed your sweet tooth---it will thank you!

Adapted from Betty Crocker’s New Picture Book, 1961

Ingredients

Yield: 4 dozen

For the cookies:

½ cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 ¾ cups flour

½ tsp soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the browned butter glaze:

½ cup butter

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 Tbsp hot water

Directions

Mix shortening, sugars, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Add flour, soda, and salt and stir until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons (I use a medium cookie scoop) onto greased baking sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees, or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger. Cool cookies on wax paper.

To make the glaze, melt the butter until golden brown. Blend in sifted confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Stir in hot water until icing spreads smoothly. (A note about the glaze: be sure the water is hot…it makes a big difference. Start with 2 Tbsp—it’s usually enough to get a smooth, thick glaze, but add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you desire.)

Once cool, dip the top of each cookie into the browned butter glaze.  Let cool on wax paper until the glaze sets. Store in airtight container, if they aren’t gone by then!

Brown Butter Blondies

So here's a question for you... are you a brownie or a blondie person? If I were still 10 years old, I would shout "brownie" at the top of my lungs without a second of hesitation. I was one of those kids that loved anything chocolate... and I mean l-o-v-e-d chocolate. Now don't jump to any conclusions, I'm not about to declare that I no longer love chocolate. But with age, my taste buds have matured a bit. Now I love such a variety of flavors, that chocolate is not usually my first choice anymore. I guess it all depends on my mood. :) So which do you prefer? Actually, before you answer that question, I would highly recommend that you give this recipe a try. These blondies are amazingly scrumptious!

I made these blondies for a co-workers birthday, and they were a huge hit at the office. The combination of browned butter and light brown sugar is a delicious foundation for the pecans and chocolate toffee bits housed inside these delectable goodies... and of course I threw in a few white chocolate chips, just because I felt like it. :) I'm keeping these bars on deck for the next party or gathering we go to where I need to bring a dessert. Guaranteed crowd pleaser!!

So tell me, are you a brownie or blondie person? Today, I am most definitely a blondie person! :)

Ingredients
Yields 24 blondies
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chocolate toffee bits
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan with baking spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the longer sides. Grease parchment (not overhang). Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, stir browned butter and both sugars with a wooden spoon until combined. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until thoroughly combined. Mix in pecans, toffee bits, and white chocolate chips. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Lift out of the pan and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 24 squares.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Irish Cream Whoopie Pies

Ah, whoopie pies... decadent cookies, sandwiched together with utter sweetness, beckoning to be devoured. I just can't seem to get enough of them! I've made three variations in the last month, and I'm swooning over the heavenly goodness that continues to find its way out of my oven. In celebration of St. Patrick's Day (and my love for Baileys!), I decided to try an Irish Cream Whoopie Pie.

I adapted the cookie portion from the chocolate pumpkin whoopies I made in the fall. Then, I whipped up a delightful Baileys buttercream filling.

These turned out SO good... they're intoxicating!

Ingredients
Yields about 20 whoopie pies
For the cookies: 
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup Baileys Irish Cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
12 tbsp (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with non-stick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

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

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine butter and both sugars. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium/high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg and mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Adjust speed to low and gradually mix in half the flour mixture, then the Baileys and vanilla, and finish with the remaining flour mixture.

Drop tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched. Place baking sheet on wire rack and let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling, combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add Baileys and beat until combined. Transfer buttercream to a prepared pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

To assemble, pipe filling on the flat sides of half the cookies then sandwich with remaining cookies.

Banana Whoopie Pies

Lately, I have had whoopie pies on the brain... The red velvet ones I made for Valentine's Day were a huge hit. Matt has declared that he wants either those or a cookie cake for his birthday next month. "Seriously?" Was my response. And yes, he was serious. He would forgo an actual birthday cake for red velvet whoopie pies (because they were that dang good!). Now I know, whoopie pies were last year's trend. But I love them... I love the idea of them... I love the countless possibilities of flavor combinations. I have always been the person to catch onto trends a year two after everyone else, so why should that be in different with my baking. :)

I saw banana whoopie pies on one of Martha Stewart's Cookie of the Day emails. If you have not subscribed to these emails, I highly recommend that you do. I brainstorm a lot of new ideas by reading the various recipes that come through my inbox. After skimming over the recipe for the banana whoopie pies, I immediately started to think... what goes well with bananas? Well, there are a lot of things... but a no-brainer is peanut butter, so I decided to go that route with the filling. Yum! I also love bananas dipped in chocolate, so I thought I would spruce up half the batch with an added touch of sweetness. Yum, Yum!

These were well received by both my husband and my co-workers, so I definitely recommend that you try them!

Now, I have to leave you with this recipe while I go finish packing... we're heading out on vacation in the morning. Check back in a week or so, and I'll tell you all about it! :)

Ingredients
Yields about 30 whoopie pies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)
1/2 cup sour cream
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
1 cup raw sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Filling:
8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups confections' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Chocolate Topping:
6-8 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another small bowl, combine banana and sour cream.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beat until incorporated. Add banana mixture in two additions, alternating with flour mixture (you should begin and end with flour mixture).

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden and tops are set. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool.

For filling, cream the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add confectioners' sugar. Beat in vanilla.

To assemble, pair the cookies up according to size. Transfer filling to a clean pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie from each pair, leaving a little room around the edges. Sandwich the cookies so that the flat sides are facing each other, pressing gently so that the filling reaches the edge.

Melt chocolate according to package directions; let cool slightly. Spoon chocolate over top of assembled whoopie pies. Garnish with chopped pecans or sprinkles before the chocolate sets.

Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Cookie Brownies

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to this three-day weekend ahead of me. The weather is supposed to be nice (great for tennis!), I have a few dates with some of my dearest friends, and I have a kitchen screaming my name (begging to be used!). I hope I can find time to fit everything in!

Before I jump to this amazing recipe and leave you to start my weekend, I wanted to take a few lines and thank a couple of my fellow bloggers who have been kind enough to share some blogging awards with me over the past few weeks. Mateja from Indulging Life shared a Most Deserved Award and Lynn from Sprinkles of Flavor passed along a Stylish Blogger Award. Both of these foodies have amazing blogs with scrumptious recipes, so I highly encourage you to check them out! And again, thank you Mateja and Lynn! I'm truly honored that you would select Burn Me Not for these awards.

And now, how about some yummy goodness to set this weekend in the right direction. These brownies were awesome! They are cakey with a walnut crunch and a delicious cookie topping. I could sit down and eat a handful at a time because they are not overly rich... they are right on the money! I do wish the cookie topping was a solid layer, so next time I think I'll reserve half the batter for it (instead of one third). If you decide to try it that way, then I would recommend cutting the walnuts down to 1/2 cup. Either way, I think you'll be pleased with the results.

Have a great weekend!

Ingredients
Yields 20 brownies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup raw sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with baking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Beat just until ingredients are incorporated.

Remove a third of the batter to another bowl. Mix in melted chocolate with the remaining two thirds of batter. Fold in walnuts. Spread evenly into prepared baking pan. Add chocolate chips to the reserved batter. Drop by spoonfuls over the top of the pan and (gently) spread evenly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook magazine

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I must say, this being my first Valentine's in the blog world, I just love gawking at all the sweet creations popping up all over the place. I've always enjoyed Valentine's Day because it's a day you show your affection for someone special through fun, thoughtful, and sometimes crafty expressions (of course, I love when those expressions are edible!). And I'm not just talking about showing affection for that romantic someone in your life, but for anyone that is special in your life... family, friends, classmates, teachers, co-workers... anyone that is special to you.

My sister recruited me to bake some yummy treats for my niece and nephew's teachers. Given that my nieces and nephew are my most favorite little people in the entire world, and their educational growth and social development is very important to me (because I want them to grow up to be my most favorite big people in the entire world), I happily agreed to help my sister show her appreciation for those who have a wonderful impact on her kids. I decided to make these adorable heart shaped whoopie pies, and packaged them up in some super cute boxes. It turn out to be a perfect little gift!

These whoopie pies are absolutely delicious! I believe Matt's words when he sampled them were, "These are ridiculous!" Ridiculous being cool terminology for "insanely good". :) I browsed through a couple of recipes for cream cheese filling and finally ended up creating the one below, and it was phenomenal! Once I tried it, I immediately started brainstorming all the wonderful things I could make to include cream cheese filling so that I could have more reasons to make it. :) So. Darn. Good!

Ingredients
Yields 2 dozen whoopie pies
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 oz red food coloring

Filling:
8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confections' sugar
1/2 tbsp clear vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter on medium-high speed. Add brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed of mixer to low, gradually beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour mixture just until incorporated. Do not over beat. Blend in food coloring.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter as your guide, pipe batter onto prepared baking sheets spacing each heart about 1 inch apart.

Bake 7-9 minutes or until tops are set. Cool on wire racks. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets.

For filling, cream the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add confectioners' sugar. Beat in vanilla.

To assemble, transfer icing to a clean pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pair the cookies up according to size. Pipe frosting onto the flat side of one cookie from each pair, leaving a little room around the edges. Sandwich the cookies so that the flat sides are facing each other, pressing gently so that the filling reaches the edge. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Better Homes & Gardens

Chocolate Thumbprints

With a hug here and a kiss there, these cookies speak right to the heart as subtle sweetness unfolds in every bite. Delicious!

I have had my eye on these cookies for some time, but for one reason or another I kept passing over them as I worked my way down my "to bake" list. I decided this week was a great time to try them; the incorporation of Hershey kisses made these a perfect cookie for pre-Valentine's baking. So let me tell you, these thumbprints really exceeded my expectations. They are delectable! The chocolate cookie was not overly rich, which paired nicely with the sweet yummy filling, and the walnuts added great texture. I thought about tinting the filling either red or pink, but I wasn't gifting these so I didn't bother with that extra step... could be a nice touch though if you're making these for someone special.

For this recipe, I used raw sugar. Whoa! I'm really shaking things up over here by stepping outside the box! I'm totally kidding... but I have heard and read that baking with raw sugar as opposed to refined white sugar is a better choice. Though I realize that raw sugar is not "good" for you, I know that it's at least not as "bad" for you as white sugar or even brown sugar... so I felt slightly less guilty. :) I encourage you to give it a try (if you haven't already).

XOXO

Ingredients
Yields about 18-20 cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 tsp sea salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup raw sugar
1 egg, separated
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
10 Hershey Kisses and 10 Hershey Hugs 

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; dip in egg white, then roll in walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is set.

For filling, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon into each warm cookie; gently press a kiss or a hug in the center. Carefully remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Source: adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book

Chocolate Cocoa Krispies Treats

            Take a moment.  

                 Right this second. 

                      Everything else can wait.  
                           Allow yourself a little indulgence, and
                                Throw together a batch of these chocolate covered darlings.

They are well worth it!!

I recently sampled chocolate covered cocoa krispies treats and fell head over heals for them! I knew I had to replicate this amazing goodness. One of Matt's co-workers just had a birthday, so I thought these would be a great way to celebrate. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I cut them out with a heart shaped cookie cutter and fancied them up with a little decor. Yum!

Treat yourself, or someone special!

Ingredients
Yields about 12 heart cut outs
3 tbsp butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Cocoa Krispies
24 oz white chocolate bark
Sprinkles and colored candy melts for decorating

Directions
Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare treats as directed on cocoa krispies box... melt butter and marshmallows in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add cocoa krispies. Stir until mixed well. Spread into prepared dish with a rubber spatula, pressing into an even layer. Let stand for a few hours until firm.

Cut out treats using a heart shaped cookie cutter. Melt white chocolate in a deep, microwave safe bowl, according to package directions. Using a fork, dip hearts in chocolate; tap fork on rim of bowl a couple of times to knock off excess chocolate. Set hearts on wax paper. If decorating with sprinkles, apply quickly before chocolate sets. Melt colored candy according to package directions and drizzle or pipe over hearts to decorate.  

Source: adapted from traditional rice krispies treats

Seven Layer Bars

I have seven words for you... Holy. Moly. These. Bars. Are. So. Good!

Seven is supposed to be a lucky number, right? Well as luck may have it, I discovered these amazing bars about a year ago. Behold... seven layers of yummy goodness baked down into one fantastic dessert. These are super easy to throw together. They are made up of things I love - graham crackers, walnuts, chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, and coconut. You can obviously adapt these to your liking, but I find them perfectly irresistible as is. And they are a wonderful crowd pleaser - an excellent dessert for a get-together (an upcoming superbowl party perhaps). Set these on a platter and then step away... if you stand too close, you run the risk of eating them all yourself before anyone else can enjoy them. :)

Ingredients
Yields 20 bars
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
5 oz graham crackers
1 cup finely chopped walnuts 
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips 
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing about a 2 inch overhang along the long sides of the pan. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. 

In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the coconut, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and golden. Remove from heat.

Place stick of butter in the prepared pan and put it in oven to melt, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, Place graham crackers in a large ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, crush crackers until you have a mixture of crumbs, bits and chunks. When butter has melted, remove the pan from the oven. Add graham cracker crumbs to the pan and toss lightly with a fork until butter in absorbed. Distribute crumbs evenly along the bottom of the pan. In order, sprinkle walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and toasted coconut over the graham cracker crumbs. Pour condensed milk evenly over the top.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours. Remove bars from the pan, using excess foil to lift, and transfer to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife and cut into bars, wiping knife clean after each cut.

Source: Annie's Eats

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

I whipped up a batch of these sugar cookies last weekend for a tennis match. And oh my, what an incredible treat! These cookies are a wonderful fluff of subtle sweetness. I could have easily sat down and devoured the entire batch all on my own. Thankfully I had already committed to bringing a dessert to the match, so my will power stepped in and intervened before they were all gone... it was a close call!

The texture of these little sweeties is pure delight. Enjoy one with a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of milk, and you will find yourself floating right up to cloud nine. Heavenly!

Helpful Tip: Up until just recently, I always purchased buttermilk from the grocery store. The problems I often ran into were (1) the milk going bad before I could use all of it or (2) not having enough on hand. So in an effort to be less wasteful, I researched substitutes for buttermilk. And it turns out that you can make your own! Place 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring liquid to the 1 cup line. Let stand 5 minutes. Voila! This way I can make just the amount of buttermilk I need, when I need it, and none goes to waste. :)  

Ingredients
Yields 3 1/2 dozen
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with Silpat mat or parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream shortening and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beating well after each addition (batter will be moist).

Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Taste of Home 2010 Best Holiday Recipes magazine

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but the past few weeks zoomed right on by and parked itself in 2011 before I could say Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season as much as I did! My only regret was not blogging more throughout the end of the year. I baked and cooked my little fingers to death, but unfortunately I did not have time to blog about much of it. I was too preoccupied with our amazing friends and family that surrounded us throughout the holidays, and I couldn’t have been happier! Perhaps next time I'll learn how to juggle both. :)

But now that our Christmas décor is nestled back into the attic and we are slowly falling into the stride of our usual routine, we're on to the good stuff that awaits us! My head is swarming with all sorts of new recipes I want to try... how do I choose where to begin??? After much debate, (with me, myself and I), I decided to start with one of my all time favorites – white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Oh yum!

I have tried other recipes for these cookies, but this one takes the cake for sure. They bake up so beautifully, and the yummy sweetness that dances around my palate when I put one of these babies in my mouth is just down right incredible!

I could not have asked for a better start to the new year… 2011 is bound to be amazing! 

Ingredients

Yields 24 small cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt butter, stirring constantly until brown bits appear in the bottom of the pan, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat brown sugar and melted butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg and beat for another minute. Add milk and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add flour mixture all at once, and mix by hand with a spatula, just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in nuts and white chocolate.

Shape dough into two teaspoon sized balls and place on baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.  

Grab a tall glass of milk and a handful of cookies, and you're all set. Enjoy! :)

Source: Joy the Baker 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Remembering the classics...

The chocolate chip cookie is one classic my family always remembers around the holidays. Granted, these cookies are exceptional at any time of year, for any occasion, but chocolate chip cookies are one thing I'll always remember about my childhood Christmas' at Grandma's house. The holidays do not feel quite right if these are not on the dessert table. The kids always enjoy them, and the adults cannot seem to lay off them either. I know they may not look that festive, but they certainly spread holiday cheer... and they taste so darn good! :)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups (16oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

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

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until smooth and creamy. Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough in a sealed container for at least 1 hour. Shape into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are golden brown and the tops just start to darken.

Remove baking sheet from oven and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to finish cooling.

Source: Sweet Pea's Kitchen

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

Wow. What a week! I think I've had about 10 of those moments when your head starts to spin and you wonder… what day is it? where is the time going?  is it the weekend yet?

And what about the fact that we are two weeks away from Thanksgiving. How did that happen?? That means I have to start planning for Christmas soon!!

We all have these moments in our life, when we just can’t seem to grasp hold of our days. And if today is one of those days for you, I leave you with these… white chocolate pumpkin cookies. 

Smile. :) Your day just got better!

These cookies are soft and fluffy in texture. The delicate spice will unfold in your mouth, sweetened beautifully by white chocolate. These cookies are irresistible!

Pumpkin recipes have been popping up all over the food blog network (I’ve partook in a few of my own). But these cookies fulfilled my pumpkin cravings this year - absolutely phenomenal! 

Ingredients

Yields about 30 cookies

1 cup Libby's canned pumpkin

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. 

In a large bowl, using and electric mixer, beat pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and egg. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet, smooth out to obtain desired shape. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned, cookie should spring back when softly touched. Let cool on pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. 

Source: adapted from Kirbie's Cravings

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

What's better than a homemade chocolate chip cookie? Um, I would say a 14-inch homemade chocolate chip cookie cake. :)

I made this cake for my sister in law's birthday. I've tried this recipe before, but it didn't really turn out as I had hoped due to the cheap disposable pan I was using. The flavor was definitely there though, so I tucked the recipe away... determined that I would eventually give it another shot. This time I made the commitment and bought a solid pizza pan (no more disposable!). I've wanted to try making homemade pizza anyway, so I figured the purchase was a valid one. My pan worked like a charm. This cookie cake was awesome! Now, I just have to commit to the pizza making. :)

The birthday girl seemed happy with her cake, and Matt has already put in a request for his birthday cookie cake. I figure, if my homemade pizzas don't work out, I'll justify the purchase of my pan with lots and lots of cookie cakes! This is a nice change up from the traditional layer cakes and super fun to decorate. Definitely a party pleaser!

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 container each of chocolate and vanilla frosting

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 14-inch, round pizza pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, mixing until incorporated, then add vanilla extract and finish mixing. Fold in dark and white chocolate chips. Spread across the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake until edges are golden and the cookie is set but the center is slightly soft, about 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Decorate with frosting. Cut into wedges to serve.

Source: adapted from foodnetwork.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Calling all you pumpkin bakers... I know you're out there... This recipe is for you!

I made these cheesecake bars to share at my tennis match a couple of weeks ago, and they were scrumptious! They were such a treat after coming off the courts regardless if you won or lost, because everything about the day seemed right when you bit into that pumpkin goodness.

This cheesecake was so tasty; I just had to make it again. And that I did, so we could share with our friends at work... and savor a few more bites ourselves. :) This is a great dessert to take along to a party or gathering, and your family and friends will love them!

 Ingredients
Yields 24 bars
Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham crackers crumbs (about 13 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 can (15oz) Libby's pumpkin
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
24 walnut halves 

Directions
Spray a 13in. x 9in. baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Seal graham crackers in a large ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, crush into crumbs. In a small bowl, combine crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press mixture onto the bottom of the prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin, flour, pie spice, and vanilla (scraping down sides of the bowl as needed). Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Cut cheesecake into 24 bars; top each with a walnut half.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook magazine

Oatmeal Creme Sandwich Cookies

I'm always excited when a recipe calls for oats because I love the texture and flavor they bring to a dessert. It would seem obvious then that this recipe for oatmeal sandwiched cookies caught my eye. Typically, I like oats more as an accent ingredient rather than the focal point, but I was entertained by the marshmallow creme filling and figured they were worth a shot. And they were. Definitely worth it!

This recipe yields a lot of cookies, so when I started baking them I was worried I was going to end up with way too many (wait, is it possible to ever have too many cookies?). I'm actually glad there was a lot of dough because it took a couple of trial batches before I really nailed these the way I wanted them. I typically drop hefty spoonfuls of cookie dough on my baking sheets, regardless of how much the recipe calls for, because I love a hearty cookie. But for these little darlings, that was not the best route. They came out very flat and thin, and I was not able to sandwich the (oh so) tasty filling between them. So, I pulled out my little cookie scoop and found that I only needed a small amount of dough to bring these cookies to perfection. I cranked out the rest of the batch with no problem and still had plenty to share with both Matt's office and mine. They were gobbled right up and the feedback was... YUM!

Ingredients

Yields about 4 ½ dozen

For Cookies:

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 2/3 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

4 cups old-fashioned oats

For Filling:

3/4 cup shortening

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 jar (7oz) marshmallow creme

3 to 4 tbsp milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until combined. Stir in oats.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, separating by 2 inches. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For filling… In a medium bowl, cream shortening, sugar and marshmallow creme with an electric mixer. Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread filling on the bottom of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.

Source: Taste of Home’s 2010 Fall Baking Cookbook magazine

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I love Reese’s Pieces!.. I love Devil’s Food Cake!.. Give me a cookie that has both, and I’ll love that too!!

When I discovered this recipe a couple of years ago, I was immediately drawn to it. The color scheme makes me think of Halloween, so I always find them fun to bake around this time of year. I have to be careful with these though because I'm weak when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter... I simply cannot resist the combination! This batch was made special for Matt's co-worker's birthday, so I only allotted myself two before packing them all up and sending them away. That's self-control at its greatest people!

This recipe is kid friendly, so get them involved and let them lend you a hand in the kitchen! Some of my most cherished memories from my childhood are that of me baking with my dad. Plus, they'll enjoy each bite so much more when they've helped make the cookies. This is a thick dough, so they’re easy to roll and shape. Just make sure the kiddos wash their hands. :)

Ingredients
Yields about 3 1/2 dozen cookies
1 package Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs
2-3 tbsp milk
1 cup Reese's Pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, peanut butter, eggs and milk. Beat on low speed with electric mixer until blended. Stir in Reese's Pieces.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Press on the top of each ball to flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until toothpick placed in center of cookie comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets and then transfer to cooling racks.

Source: slightly adapted from The Cake Mix Bible baking book