Nutella Biscotti

I love everything Nutella so these were a winner in our book!

Nutella Biscotti
Ingredients
2 1/4 C flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 C hazelnuts (optional, but why would you NOT!?)

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350
-Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, powder, and salt in a medium bowl
-Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy; add sugar and continue beating for 2 minutes
-Stir in Nutella; add flour mixture and stir until well combined
-Add chocolate chips and nuts
-Divide dough into 2 or 3 logs and with well-floured hands (A MUST), arrange onto parchment paper and form into rectangles/logs around 1/2 inch thick.
-Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool, and lower oven temp to 300.  Using a serrated knife, cut logs into slices 1/3-1/2 inch thick and lay on their sides on the parchment paper lined pan.  Bake 10-12 minutes, flip over, bake additional 10-12 minutes.  Let cool.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Biscotti

We are biscotti lovers. I love nothing more than brewing a fresh pot of coffee in the morning on the weekend and dunking in a fresh biscotti. I made this one for a family party a few months ago and forgot to blog about it! It was a big hit, but definitely was not peanut-y enough. I did not add the peanuts and the next time I make these, I definitely will because it needed that for a peanut-boost.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Biscotti
adapted from Food Network

Ingredients
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions
Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to cook until the butter browns and gets a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while beating. Then slowly add the butter and vanilla until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds more. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.

While mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, in 2 additions, mixing just until absorbed. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate pieces.

Divide the dough evenly into thirds, and put each portion in the center of a baking sheet. Shape the dough with slightly wet hands into logs about 2-inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake until set and brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool logs on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board. Cut logs crosswise, with a long serrated knife at about a 45 degree angle, into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Place cookies cut side down on the baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the cookies over and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Cool biscotti on the baking sheets. Serve.

Easy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Seriously, these cookies COULD NOT be any easier. I plan on tweaking them again and trying a PB&J cookie.
Easy PB and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:
1 C Peanut Butter (I used creamy but will used chunky next time!)
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350.
=Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add chips.
-Drop by teaspoons and roll in sugar. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Press with fork in one direction and then again in opposite direction. Bake for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

I love biscotti. Love love love it. I often make it on Sunday nights as a treat and send C with it or surprise my English department friends with it. I have been wanting to make a chocolate hazelnut biscotti for awhile now, and when I stumbled across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, I was excited.

I am not sure where I went wrong, because although the taste was good, these were a dental bill waiting to happen. Too crunchy for my tastes, and I love dunking in my coffee or tea! I may have overbaked them so I will either give these another test-run, or I will find another recipe to try.

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
as seen on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients
1 cup whole hazelnuts, preferably blanched
2 1/2 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
1/2 cup Dutch-style cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. If hazelnuts are not blanched, toast them until the skins begin to crack, then remove them from oven and wrap them in clean linen or cotton towel (not terrycloth). Rub hot nuts to remove most of the skin. Set toasted nuts aside.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside.

3. Beat eggs lightly, just until blended, in mixing bowl with whisk or in electric mixer. Remove two tablespoons of egg mixture to small dish and set aside. Beat sugar into remaining eggs until blended. Stir in flour mixture to form soft dough.

4. Divide the dough in half and place one portion on a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, pat it into a six-inch square. Scatter half the hazelnuts on the dough and press them into the surface. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 12 to 15 inches long. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the roll of dough on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush the tops of both rolls with the reserved egg.

5. Place in the oven and bake about 15 minutes, until firm to the touch (20 minutes in my oven). Transfer to a cutting board, let cool for 10 minutes and cut on an angle into slices one-half-inch thick. Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying them on their cut sides, and return them to the oven. Bake another 20 minutes, until they are crisp and dry. Allow to cool completely before storing or serving.

Monster Cookies

These were amazing. And I made them super, ridiculously huge, so they truly were MONSTERS. Feel free to adapt to your own tastes and add whatever candies/goodies you want!

Monster Cookies
adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (4 ounces, or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups chunky peanut butter
4½ cups rolled oats
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup chocolate chips
¾ cup butterscotch chips
¾ cup M&M’s

Directions
1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. 2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, both sugars, vanilla extract, corn syrup, baking soda and salt. Then stir in the melted butter and peanut butter, followed by the oats and flour. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and M&M’s. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. (Um...I definitely forgot to do this. Whoops).
3. 3. Drop the dough by ¼ cupfuls onto baking sheets (if weighing, each ball of dough was approximately 2.7 oz or 77g). Use your fingers to flatten the dough slightly. Baking for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown. Cool on a rack and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

No-Bake Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate. A beloved combination by many. Including this pregnant woman. J had a sleepover and I had a hankering for some cookies, but didn't necessarily want the hassle of actually baking anything tonight. So I grabbed my always willing helper, A, and we whipped these up in a jiffy. A super simple cookie and one that you can easily get the kids involved in helping you make!

No-Bake Cookies
Yields 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on the size

Ingredients
1 stick butter
2 C sugar
1/2 C milk
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 C peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C oats

Directions
-Add first four ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute.
-Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter until smooth.
-Stir in oats
-Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
-Allow to cool and set, about 30 minutes

Snickerdoodle Croissant Cookies

These were wonderful and I plan on adding them to my holiday repertoire next year. The best thing? They can be made in advance and frozen! Perfect for when I implement my baking plan next season!Snickerdoodle Croissant Cookies:

Source: BHG

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter, softened

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

1-2/3 C all-purpose flour

Milk

2 tbsp packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough into three equal portions; shape each portion into a disk. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll each portion of dough to a 9-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Lightly brush each round with milk. Combine nuts, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cut each circle into 12 wedges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Roll up each wedge, starting from the wide end. Bend ends of roll to shape it into a crescent. Place crescents 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet

3. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Cool cookies on cookie sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Makes 36 cookies.

To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until nuts are slightly golden brown, stirring once or twice. Cool completely. Finely chop nuts and set aside.

To store: Place cookies, without powdered sugar, in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Cranberry Orange Scones

One of my favorite combinations is cranberry and orange. I always order the cranberry-orange scone from Starbucks and when I stumbled across this recipe, I had to give it a whirl. And you know what? They are perfect. Tart and slightly sweet at the same time, and delightfully flaky.

Cranberry Orange Scones

(adapted from Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen via The Way the Cookie Crumbles)

Makes 8 scones (but mine were HUGE so they can be made smaller)

1½ tablespoons freshly grated orange zest

2½ cups (12 ounces) all-purpose flour

½ cup (3.5 ounces) sugar plus 3 tablespoons

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1½ cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a small bowl, toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar. In another small bowl, lightly beat the egg and yolk, then stir in cream.

3. In a food processor, pulse the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and zest until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl. (You can also just smoosh the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers instead of using a food processor.) Stir the cranberries into the flour mixture. Then gently fold the egg mixture into the flour until just combined.

4. On a well-floured surface with floured hands, pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter). With a 2-inch round cutter or the rim of a glass dipped in flour, cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling the scraps as necessary. (Or cut the circle into wedges, which is my standard method.) Arrange the scones about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool about 10 minutes, then serve.

Italian Lemon Knots

Day 9 in the Control Freak's 12 Days of Treats

A staple in many Italian households, I was searching for a recipe and stumbled upon this blog and decided to give it a whirl. Although they are not exactly like Grandma's cookies, they are still delicious. Added to the slightly cakey, slightly crumbly cookie is a lemon glaze made with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Italian Knot Cookies

Adapted from Proud Italian Cook

Ingredients:

5 cups unbleached flour

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 bottle of pure lemon extract or,( 1 oz.)

Grated lemon rind

5 teaspoons of baking powder

1 Cup of sugar

1 3/4 cup of shortening

Directions:
Mix together flour, eggs, milk, lemon extract and rind, sugar, and baking powder, in large bowl. Add shortening till it forms a dough. You might need to add some more milk or more flour to get the right consistency (I added an entire additional cup), but after doing so, take golf ball size pieces and shape them into balls or roll them like a log and tie them in a bow, or make a horseshoe shape and twist them over like I did. Bake at 350 degrees for exactly 15 minutes.

When they cool dip them in the icing and place them on wax paper untill they set.

Candy Cane Cookies

Day 8 of the 12 Days of Treats from the Control Freak

I make a version of this cookie every year, but did not have one ingredient (mine uses the sugar cookie packets) so decided to go with Katie's recipe and I am so glad I did! The girls had a blast making these, and even though they were not very uniform in size, they were great!

Candy Cane Cookies

From Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract
3 ½ c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp red food color (plus more to the color you desire)

Directions:
- Cream together sugar and butter
- Add egg, then milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
- Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Divide dough in half.
- Stir food color into one half.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- For each candy cane, shape one rounded tsp dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on clean surface. (don’t use flour or it won’t stick to the other half)
- Place one red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist.
- Place on prepared cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
- Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown.
- Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.

Orange Almond Biscotti

REALLY LATE Day 7 of 12 Days of Treats from the Control Freak

Orange Almond Biscotti

America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 c. almonds, toasted, cooled and chopped coarse
2 Tbsp minced zest from an orange

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl and set aside.
-Cream the butter and sugar until light and smooth, about 2 min.
-Beat in eggs then the extracts.
-Stir in almonds and zest.
-Fold dry ingredients into wet until dough is just mixed.
-Halve the dough and turn portions onto prepared baking sheet.
-Stretch each portion into a rough 13 by 2 in. loaf and pat smooth.
-Bake about 35 minutes or until the loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top.
-Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
-Lower oven temp to 325 degrees and cut each loaf diagonally into 3/4 in. slices.
-Lay each slice cut-side up on baking sheet and return to oven.
-Bake, turning each cookie half way through baking for about 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
-Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

(Optional - dip one side in melted chocolate!)

Holiday Spice Biscotti

Day 8 or...Another REALLY delayed installment of

12 Days of Treats from The Control Freak

These were a REALLY interesting combination and thoroughly enjoyed by all! I did not have brandy, so soaked my raisins in some freshly squeezed OJ, and it seemed to work out great!

Spiced Holiday Biscotti
adapted from ATK recipe, as seen on Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground white or black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp sat
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. mixed raisins (golden and regular) soaked in 1/4 c. brandy for 1 hour
1/4 c. pecans, chopped

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
-In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt to combine thoroughly; set aside.
-In large bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until light in color.
-Whisk in vanilla.
-Sprinkle dry ingredients over wet and fold in, add raisins and pecans and fold until just combined.
-Halve the mixture, pat into a ball and turn onto baking sheet.
-Pat and stretch into about 13x3 inch loaf and repeat with remaining mixture, placing loaves about 3 inches apart.
-Place baking sheet in oven and cook until beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
-Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
-Using wide spatula to transfer to cutting board, with a serrated knife, carefully slice laves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
-Lay slices about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets (you will need a second to fit them all), cut side up.
-Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, flipping biscotti half way through cooking time.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire racks.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Day 6 of The Control Freak's 12 Days of Treats

• Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:

• 48 Hershey's Kisses
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Thumbprints

Day 5 of the Control Freak's 12 Days of Treats

You can't go wrong with this classic! After trying several recipes, this was my favorite! Plus, I love the sides rolled in nuts!

Thumbprints

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1/4 C packed brown sugar

1/4 C shortening

1/4 C butter or margarine, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg, separated

1 C flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 C finely chopped nuts

Jelly

Directions

-Heat oven to 350

-Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla, and egg yolk in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together

-Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white. Roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb deeply in center of each.

-Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Fill thumbprints with jelly.

Grandma's Do-Do's

Day 4 of The Control Freak's 12 Days of Treats

A story: When I first started baking Christmas cookies several years ago, I asked my mom for Grandma's do-do recipe. I have no idea if this is what they are really called, or if it is the wrong name, but it is always what Grandma called them. My mom dug up the recipe and I got to work. As soon as they were finished baking, before even glazing them, I tried one and was transported instantly back to my childhood and Christmas at Grandma's. She passed away when I was a freshman in college, so this was almost like she was actually with us. It was amazing.

I have made them every year since, and it is always the first cookie that my mom goes for, and in this family, the first to be completely gone.

I halved the original recipe because it was completely overwhelming the first year I made them. So I am bringing you the recipe I follow.

Grandma's Do-Do's

Ingredients:

4 C flour

1 C Crisco

1/2 C cocoa

1 C sugar

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix ingredients like a pie crust. Then add:

3 eggs

1/4 C cold water

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 C chopped walnuts

Mix all ingredients and form a giant ball. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove from fridge and kneed like bread. Form into walnut-sized balls.

Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes-be sure to watch the bottoms so they don't burn!

When cookies are cool, coat with a powdered sugar-water glaze. It may take a few coats of the glaze until it looks thick enough.

Do you have a family recipe that takes you back in time to your childhood? Post it for us!

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Day 3 of 12 Days of Treats

Chocolate Mint Cookies

from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

3/4 C butter

1 1/2 C packed brown sugar

2 C semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

36 chocolate mint wafer candies (which means Andes mints)

Directions:

-In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly.

-At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour.

-Preheat oven to 350.

-Roll dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints and divide each in half. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put half a mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then swirl it using the back of a spoon to spread the mint on the cookie.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

After several failed attempts at sugar cookie cutouts, it was not until I came across Ashlee's recipe that I could claim success! It is the PERFECT sugar cookie: soft and delicious, with a hint of lemon. I have found that the trick is to not skimp while rolling them out, and the thicker the cookie the better!

Day 2 of 12 Days of Treats

Ashlee's Famous Sugar Cookies

as seen on A Year in the Kitchen

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tbsp. lemon zest
5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Add in vanilla, almond, and lemon zest. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt a little at a time. Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for approx. 11 minutes (usually 9 in my new oven). Let cool and decorate!

Soft and Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

Like many of us who consider ourselves "food bloggers," I will be doing a 12 Days of Treats, and including some of my favorite holiday sweets! I will be doing lots of cookies, but will try and squeeze in a few other surprises!

Day 1 of 12 Days of Treats from The Control Freak

Soft and Spicy GingerbreadCookies

adapted from allrecipes, as seen on Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
1 c. butter 1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
1 egg
4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
-In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
-Stir in molasses and egg.
-Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. -Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line with parchment.
-On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
-Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
-Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
-Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm.
-Let cool for 10 minutes on pan.
-Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
-Frost or decorate when cool.

Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

Biscotti has become one of my favorite things to bake. I first gave it a whirl on Christmas Day last year, and when I saw this recipe, I could not pass it up. It is a delicious combination and I made them to send in my care package to my family in Idaho. Of course, I saved a few for us. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!

Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

As seen on Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1½ cups sugar
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. orange zest
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl; stir together with a fork and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough in half. Working with one portion of dough, shape into a 12″ x 3″ log on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough so that the logs are laying parallel and spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake until the logs are golden brown, 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 25 minutes, maintaining the oven temperature in the meantime.

Carefully transfer the logs to a work surface and remove the parchment paper from the pan. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into ½-inch slices on the diagonal. Lie the slices on one of their cut sides back on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Spice Cookie Bars

One again, this recipe is courtesy of Katie at Good Things Catered. Does this girl rock, or what?? This are delicious and so spicy and apple-y that it makes a perfect fall dessert! And I apologize for the terrible pictures. It was dusk and the lighting was terrible.

Apple Spice Cookie Bars
from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
small pinch ground cloves
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 apples, cored and diced (a little less than 2 c.)
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray.
-In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
-Whisk to combine well and set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
-Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine.
-Add vanilla extract and beat to combine.
-Turn mixer on slow and fold in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
-Fold in apples.
-Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle top generously with cinnamon sugar.
-Place in oven and bake until cooked through, when top slightly bounces back to the touch, about 30 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan, cutting and serving. (bars will be very soft)