Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup cranberry juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups dried cranberries

2 cups vanilla or white chips

Glaze:

2 cups vanilla or white chips

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, cranberry juice and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in cranberries and vanilla chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown (mine baked for 14 minutes). Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

For glaze, microwave the vanilla chips and shortening at 70% power until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Yield about 7 dozen

I used a medium cookie scoop and this made over 54 – Jim was eating them as I baked so I’m not sure how much over the 54 tally. I froze half of the dough balls for later baking.

These are cake like on the inside and slight crunch on the outside. These were also delicious without the glaze.

Delicious and I will make again

Marmalade Bites

This recipe is from a newspaper clipping I found in an old cookbook I inherited from my late mother in law. She put a small note saying these were from the early 1900’s. The paper clipping was worn and brittle so while copying it to save it, I decided to try these. This called for orange marmalade, which I used, but I think you can use any flavor based on the taste of these cookies. When you first smell and taste these, you are reminded of a meringue cookie. The cookies are very soft and delicate, and are more cake like. These were delicious hot out of the oven,and the next day after sitting in a covered container. The smell is amazing. This recipe makes a lot, so I froze some of the cookie dough by dropping spoonfuls on to a dish, flash freezing and then dropping the little nuggets into a Ziploc freezer bag. I used a 1/2″ cookie scoop and a 1″ cookies scoop; I preferred the size, and taste of the 1/2″ scoop. The 1/2″ scoop can get you about 50 of these cookies. These are very soft coming out of the oven; you definitely want to either use foil on the cookie pan with shiny side up, and spray with oil; or use a silicone liner, because they will stick if you don’t – think honey like cookies. Note: Keep the dough in refrigerator at all times – it really does help

Marmalade Bites

3 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup marmalade

Preheat the oven to 350. Cover baking sheet with foil, shiny side up. Coat the foil with vegetable spray or use a silicon liner. Sift flour, salt and baking soda Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add eggs and vanilla. Add sifted dry ingredients and combine. Add marmalade.

Let dough rest 5 to 10 minutes in the refrigerator. (this step is important, the dough is very soft and sticky – you must let it sit in refrigerator between baking batches) Drop dough by teaspoons on baking sheet. These do spread.

Bake 15 minutes (the recipe called for turning them after 7 minutes but these were way too soft; I tried that with the first batch and they tore apart while trying to scoop them up due to how soft and sticky they were, so I let them bake as is for the entire 15 minutes until light brown). Place baking sheet on a rack and let cook for a few minutes. Transfer to cookie rack to cool completely.

These are very soft as you lift and place on racks; these cookies will become firmer as they cool. Store between sheets of wax paper in a covered container.

I always consider the recipe a win if Jim does not suggest an alternate idea for next time. He said these are delicious and he ate quite a few. They are very rich.

Toffee Chocolate Pinwheels

Toffee Chocolate Pinwheels

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp rum extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup crushed toffee bits

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips, miniature or chopped

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and rum extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.

On a sheet of waxed paper, roll dough into a 10-inch square. In a small bowl, combine toffee bit and chocolate chips; sprinkle over dough to within 1 inch of edges. Using waxed paper, tightly roll dough jelly-roll style, removing the paper as you roll. Wrap in waxed paper and/or plastic; put in tube for shaping; refrigerate until firm enough to slice (I leave in fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. Unwrap dough and cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices. You need to experiment here with width. Too thin – they bake quickly are very crispy when they cool down, like a chip. I decided I preferred them thicker. The thicker ones barely brown and they are done – they look like a touch of brown on the edges. Place slices 2-inches apart on a paper-lined baking sheet. I used my silicone mat. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are brown but watch and write down your time. Cool on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

This dough freezes well. I wrapped it in waxed paper, and then plastic.

sprinkle the filling to the edge
looks like this as you pull the paper back – fold the paper for easy grasping
smooth over the paper dough log each time you roll
preparing for the fridge for overnight
the next day; slicing the log
this is the thickness I prefer
eat the ugly ends -tastes the same 
🙂 
inside of the pinwheel

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer –

Here is a coffee idea and also a tea idea: I make a Pumpkin Chai Latte with this using a Stash Chai tea bag (Stash is my favorite)

I let the creamer recipe simmer on the stove top with some cinnamon sticks. When I poured this in to a mason jar (to use during the week) – I poured the cinnamon sticks in with it.I had an opened can of pumpkin in the fridge from several of my baking excursions this past week – I try to come up with different ideas to use it up. Let me see if I can remember how I made this. When I look at recipes in my books and magazines – I become inspired and then look through my pantry and throw together whatever I have on hand

2 heaping tablespoons of pumpkin

1 1/2 cups heavy cream or half and half

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

2 tsp peanut butter (or almond butter or nutella)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix * (see creating your own below)

2 cinnamon sticks

Mix all the above in a saucepan over medium heat – turn heat up to medium-high and while whisking – let it come to a low boil; reduce heat and let simmer for 1 (ish) minute – it becomes thicker – move the pan off the heat and let it cool down. Add to your favorite coffee, your favorite hot chocolate, your favorite chai tea bag, etc. You can also add this to a mixer with ice cream and a frozen banana and make a delicious smoothie.

*Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix (if you don’t have this, you can make your own simply by mixing:

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

( I double the homemade mix recipe and put in same spice jar)

Black Walnut Apple Cake

Black Walnut Apple Cake

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups granny smith apples, peeled and diced

2 ½ cups chopped black walnuts (divided)

(Optional: I thought rum would be good in this, so I added a couple Tablespoons)


Brown sugar glaze: (see my tip at bottom of recipe)

2 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

(Optional: I added 2 Tablespoons of rum, after I removed the glaze from the heat, just because)

Pay close attention to dividing of walnuts in instructions.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease desired cake pans(s). In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs and salt. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add baking soda and beat 2 minutes. Gradually add flour and beat until combined. Stir in vanilla, apples, and one cup walnuts. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes (for two layers) or 50-60 minutes for 9 x 13 or Bundt) I used a 9 x 13 and baked for 55 minutes – watch and judge your cake (remember I put rum in so I baked for longer due to extra liquid) Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Let cool one hour as you prepare the glaze.

Tip: Chop one cup of walnuts and put it with the recipe ingredients when you sit everything out ahead of time.

Glaze Tip: I made the glaze while cake was in oven because it must sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

For the glaze, combine sugar and butter in small saucepan over medium heat stirring until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Stir in evaporated milk and bring to boil, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until thicken. Remove from heat (this is when I added the rum) and chill for one hour. Spread brown sugar glaze over cake. Sprinkle and press remaining black walnuts into top and sides of cake.

This was delicious the next day for breakfast.

Cinnamon Chip Chai-Spiced Snickerdoodles

Cinnamon Chip Chai-Spiced Snickerdoodles

These freeze well – I remember the first time I made these, Jim took a bite and said, “This is InSANE how good these are!” 🙂 Keeper!

½ cup sugar

2 tsp ground cardamom

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Dough: ½ cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

Dash salt

1 pkg (10 oz) cinnamon baking chips

Preheat oven to 350. For spiced sugar, mix first six ingredients In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar and 2 Tbsp spiced sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt, gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in baking chips.

Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to shape, about 1 hour. Shape the dough into 1-in. balls, roll in remaining spiced sugar. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. (I use the baking mats, so I skip the greased baking sheet step) Bake until set, 11-13 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 6 dozen

Tip: The recipe starts out saying to preheat the oven but since you need to put the dough in the fridge for about an hour – I did not preheat until it was close to time to take the dough out of the fridge. I continued to refrigerate the dough between each pan that I filled. These were true to the baking time shared in the recipe.

You can probably use any type of chip, and this recipe will be good, but I really believe the cinnamon chips took them to the chai level quickly

I buy cinnamon chips at Meijers here in Indiana

Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

Uh Oh…….These are so delicious…………


Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies


1 cup butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp maple flavoring

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

GLAZE:

¾ cup plus 1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup


In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and cornstarch until blended. Beat in flavoring. Gradually beat in flour.Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm enough to roll.


Preheat oven to 325. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2 ¾ -in. leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart o parchment paper-lined baking sheets.


Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.


In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Spread over cookies. Let stand until set.I used recommended size for leaf cookie cutter, and this made 25 cookies. The amount will depend on the size of your cutter.


Tip: You want to wait until these are cooled before dipping in glaze as the points will break if you don’t. These are addictive after the first bite.these are a bit browner but you can’t tell in the photo

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