Cinnamon Brownie Cookies

I made cookies yesterday. Christmas cookies to go with some gumbo that the mud guy made. It was really good, and the 5 dozen cookies were gone in about 3 hours, maybe 4.

Ingredients:

12 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips

4 T Butter

4 Eggs

1 1/2 c Sugar

1 t Vanilla

1/4 t Salt

1 t Cinnamon

1 c All-Purpose Flour

1/2 t Baking Powder

Directions:

*Preheat the oven to 350*F. Prepare cookie pans with parchment paper, or spread with butter and shake flour over the pan to cover the entire surface.

Combine the chocolate chips and butter. Melt in a microwave safe bowl, cooking for 30 seconds at a time, stirring well and adding time as necessary, until the mixture is smooth. This can also be done in a double boiler. Set aside

Beat the eggs and sugar together, until they begin to turn pale. Add the vanilla and salt.

Mix in the chocolate mixture.  

Add the flour and baking powder and cinnamon and mix until combined. The mix will be quite runny, about like brownie batter.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie pans. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edge and soft in the middle.  

Let sit on the pans for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Vegan Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

I found a recipe for chocolate sugar cookies, or brownie cookies, or chocolate wafer cookies, whatever you want to call them. The recipe comes from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. They looked amazing. Turns out they ARE pretty amazing.

My original plan was to use the cookies to make a pie shell for a chocolate cream pie. 

Naturally plans changed and I never got around to it. So when my sister asked me to go for a bike ride and have dinner with her vegan roommates, I took advantage of my lack of eggs, random can of coconut cream and powdered sugar.

I sandwiched those cookies like crazy.

Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I am getting better at making up recipes. They are closer and closer to what I want them to be on the first try. Which is good because then I forget what I used in them and have to start all over.

However, occasionally I remember to take my notebook into the kitchen and write things down as I add them. Sometimes I even measure as I add ingredients. 

Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe:

1 c Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 c Cocoa Powder

1 sticks Salted Butter, softened

1 c Sugar

1 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 c Milk

1/2 c Peanut Butter

1 1/2 c Old Fashioned Oats

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Prepare cookie pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Add vanilla and milk. 

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture.

Add the peanut butter and mix well.

Add oats and combine.

Drop by large tablespoon onto the prepared cookie pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

These are quite crumbly, but delicious. 

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

I have just made some oatmeal cookies. I didn’t have a few things on the recipe I found, so I modified it to fit what I had available and what I actually wanted. I was told that they are “Ridiculous!!!!!”. I think that means that they’re good, I like them at any rate. 

And for the first time in lots of months I am writing down what I did so that maybe, someday, I can re-create them just like they are. Instead of guessing and coming up with something entirely different.

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe:

1 1/2 c Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Salt

2 sticks Salted Butter, softened

1 1/2 c Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

1/2 tsp Maple Extract

3 c Old Fashioned Oats

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the soft butter and the sugar. Add the eggs and mix well. When the mixture is smooth add the almond and maple extracts.

Next, slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. When this is combined add the oats a cup at a time and mix well after each addition.

Drop by large teaspoon onto the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie just start to brown. My cookie dough pieces were probably the size of a large bouncy ball and baked for 14 minutes. This results in a soft cookie, bake longer for crunchy cookies.

Snickerdoodle Sandwiches

My new friend, Beth, and I made ice cream yesterday.  She had just gotten a new ice cream maker she NEEDED to try.  

So we used the basic recipe that came with the machine.  

It turned out rich and creamy and amazing.

We had to share it, so I made some cookies for sandwiches.  Snickerdoodle cookies.  Then we handed out mini ice cream sandwiches to the roughnecks.  

I think they were a hit.  

• I used 3 t Baking Powder instead of Baking Soda and Cream of Tartar

I found the recipe at Food.com

Oreo Cupcakes

I finally remembered to take a picture so that I can post! 

Today I made Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, a recipe I found on Annie's Eats.  I didn't eat any because I was too stuffed to even think about trying one, but the roughnecks seem to like them.

They involve a lot of Oreos. I used nearly a full package, and I just used the wafers for garnish. Annie prefers using a sandwich.


One of the company men just stopped in to comment on them.

Co Man: Hi

Me: Hi

Co Man: I just wanted to say thank you for the cupcakes. I really like the Oreo things, they’re really good.

*Well, I’m glad you like the “Oreo things”, kid.

Here’s my modified recipe:

Oreo Cupcakes

Cupcakes
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ c Flour
1 t Baking Powder
½ t Salt
½ c Butter, room temperature
1 2/3 c Sugar
3 Egg Whites, at room temperature
2 t Almond Extract
1 c milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

Frosting
8 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature

4 c Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 T Heavy Cream

In a small bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, mix the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg whites and mix well. Next add the almond extract. Alternate adding, and mixing, the flour mixture and the milk. When well combined add the cookie pieces.

Place a cookie half in the bottom of each lined well of a cupcake pan. Add batter over the cookies, filling the wells nearly to the top. Bake at 350 degF for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cupcakes cool, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and cream. Beat until smooth. Pipe over cupcakes and garnish with a cookie half and/or crumbs.

"Dying for Chocolate" Cookies

Today I couldn't sleep.  At noon I gave up and decided to make cookies.  For some reason I decided to make Pudding Cookies, even thought I didn't really like them.  But this time I only had chocolate pudding, and almond extract.  They turned out really well.  I just need to come up with a name for them, now.

Update: Cupcake gave me the idea of DDD or DD's Death because one of the company men said I was killing them.  Since it wasn't a DD that said it, I updated it a little.

PS  Right after I took this picture I accidentally moved the spoon.  And one of the cookies fell in.  It immediately turned to mush, but it was tasty mush.

"Dying for Chocolate" Cookies

1 c Butter

1 c Sugar

1 T Molasses

2 med Eggs

1 1/2 t Almond Extract

1/2 c Raspberry Jam

2 c Flour

1 t Baking Soda

1 sm pkg Chocolate Pudding

1 c Chocolate Chips

Mix the butter, sugar and molasses.  Wisk together the eggs, almond extract and jam.  Add to sugar mixture.  Add the flour, pudding mix, and baking soda and mix well.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  (I did this all by hand, so I didn't cream the butter.)  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto a greased cookie pan.  Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven soft, and let rest on the pan for 5 minutes.  Move to wire rack to finish cooling. 

So far these have been well recieved.  The DD told me they were "incredible" and one company man told me I was killing them.  At least they'll die happy, of chocolate overdose.

PS These are FAR better then the other Pudding Cookies

It's Electric! Sugar Cookies

Today I made sugar cookies.  This is not a particularly spectacular achievement, I've made sugar cookies lots of times.  I remember making them with my gramma and wanting them to look like the ones in books, and being sorely disappointed.  But then I was in second grade and had no idea how long those cookies took to make.  Today I know.  These sugar cookies were to decorate.

The cookies were not bad, but not Gramma's.  They were nice because I could roll them out over and over without drying and crumbling.  But I rolled them a bit thin, and ended up with Dad cookies, which is to say darker than they should be.  Don't worry.  None of them are actually burnt.

I started out by piping an outline of thick icing.  I thought this would be horribly difficult because both Annie and Bakerella said it was really hard.  Turns out it went pretty smoothly.  I am putting the credit for this anomaly on all the henna parties we had.  Ssshhh I know the cupcake ones are upside down.  Let me tell the story.

Then I thinned the icing a bit and started filling in the middle of the cookies.  I just got the food colors.  They are a past rather than a liquid, and it comes out really fast.  So the colors are ELECTRIC!  Just wait and see.  I had to take a break before I did the pink and read some Cake Wrecks.  Laughter is good relief after hunching over cookies for a few hours.

  

They turned out pretty awsome for a first try.  Although after a while the colors start bluring the eyesight they're so bright!

Some day I'll get my camera charger and get some better pictures.  The cupcake on the bottom left is my favorite.  I like the little drip in the "icing".

Crash and Burn

Whoa, there sparky.  Getting a little ahead of yourself there.  This is not working right.  But they do look pretty when finished...

I tried making the Creme Brulee Cupcakes again last night.  Not so much.  Something in that recipe is not quite right.  I had to add about 1 1/2 c of buttermilk to make it more like cupcakes and less like cookies.  I'm sure they would have made great cookies, but I wanted cupcakes.  This is another recipe that I'll have to tweek before posting it again.  In the mean time, if you want some Caramel French Vanilla Cookies, I have a wonderful recipe.

UPDATE: I made them again, again. And they turned out fine. Evidentally I just can't follow directions.

An Experiment: Chocolate Filled Cookies

I made some of Gramma's Filled Cookies today. They were a big hit at my dance class. I had 2 people ask me for the recipe saying that an Aunt or their mother made these.

After class I talked to my instructor for a while, it turns out he's likes to cook also. He was rambling about some puff pastry thing he did, and suggested I try Dark Chocolate and Raspberries with a little Rosemary. I thought it sounded interesting, so I traipsed all over town trying to find some fresh Raspberries. I was finally able to find them, and here are the results of my experiment. I'll let you know how they are after I try one.


Filled Cookies
Cookie:
1 c Shortening
1 1/4 c Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 c Milk
3 1/2 c Flour
2 t Baking Powder
2 t Vanilla
1/2 t Salt


Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and milk.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add in increments to the sugar mixture, and the vanilla.


Refrigerate for an hour before rolling out.


Filling:
1 container fresh Raspberries
1 c Dark Chocolate Chips
1/4 c Raspberry Jam, seedless
1/4 c Chocolate Liqueur
1 T Cream
1 pinch ground Rosemary


Melt the chocolate. Mix in the jam, liqueur, rosemary and cream. After dough is rolled, cut and placed on a greased cookie sheet, place a couple raspberries on each round. Drizzle 1/2-1 t of the chocolate mixture over the top. Place a second round of dough on top and seal the edges. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Orange Moon: Puddng Cookies

This morning I saw an amazingly orange moon when walking from the work box to the sleeping box. I'm starting to believe that the constant clouds are actually haze from the refinery. I did get to see 2 stars this morning, though. And it makes for a pretty cool moon.

I went into town this afternoon to the grocery store. I had found a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that I wanted to try. I ended up forgetting my list, and thus forgot to buy butter. I did have about half what the recipe called for, and fortified the rest with oil.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

1 c Butter

1/4 c Sugar

3/4 c Brown Sugar, packed

2 Eggs

1 t Vanilla

2 1/4 c Flour

1 t Baking Soda

1 (4 oz) package Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 (12 oz) package Milk Chocolate Chips

What I used:

1/3 c Butter

1/4-1/2 c Vegetable Oil

1/4 c Sugar

3/4 c Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 1/4 c Flour

1 t Baking Powder

1 (4 oz) package Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 (12 oz) package Milk Chocolate Chips

Sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, pudding mix. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add oil as necessary so that the batter will roll into balls without sticking to your hands. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Bake at 375* for about 10-12 minutes.

They turned out fairly well (very vanilla-y). Now I'm off to make friends with the roughnecks.

The DD said these were the best cookies he's ever had, and repeatedly asked me to make them again.

Finally Flapjacks

I mentioned Flapjacks a long time ago, and I finally made them again. And I remembered to take a picture! These are not soft like the ones I had with Claire in England, but they are still really good, and so easy to make.

Flapjacks

3/8 c Butter (6 T)

1/4 c Sugar, caster or light brown

2 T Golden or Maple Syrup (I've used maple, I'm not sure what golden syrup is yet)

2 c Rolled Oats

Put butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan, heat gently until the ingredients have melted. add oats and mix thoroughly. place in a 7 or 8 in. square baking tin and press down firmly with a flat-bladed knife.

Bake at 350* for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Mark in fingers while still hot, but remove from the tin when nearly cold.

I've found that the less you cook them the more likely they'll be to stick together, rather than crumble apart. Also they'll be slightly softer, if you prefer them more like the cookie dough English version I had.

Jewel Cookies

I cooked a lot yesterday. And I have some stuff that I've been meaning to post for a while. I'll try to get to them today! YESS! First of all, yesterday I made some beautiful Jewel Cookies, little almond shortbread bites with some amazing jam on the top. MMMMMM... Also, since my parents are finally visiting my sister in England, I HAVE THE HOUSE TO MYSELF!!!!! So I'll probably spend most of my time cooking, yay.



Jeweled Thumbprints

3/4 c Butter, softened
3/4 c Powdered Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 t Almond Extract
1 3/4 c All-purpose Flour
1/2 c Jam (the recipe calls for raspberry or apricot preserves, but I used jam: Apricot, Raspberry, Peach, and Strawberry)

Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg yolk and almond. Gradually add the flour. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle. (I didn't need to refrigerate mine)

Roll into 3/4 in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased (I used ungreased, oops) baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indention in the center of each ball.

Bake at 350* for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Fill with preserves or jam. I filled mine still warm and they were amazing, they melted the jam just a little so it fell into the indention, rather than sitting on top.

Snickerdoodles!

I made some Snickerdoodles last week with the kids I watch. We make cookies a lot, they have so much fun adding ingredients and mixing. Maybe I've inspired them to become Chefs when they grow up.

Snickerdoodles
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Butter, softened
1 t Vanilla
2 Eggs
2 3/4 c Flour, I used Whole Wheat
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/4 t Salt
2 T Sugar
2 t Cinnamon

Heat the oven to 400°F. Next, in a large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar and margarine until light and fluffy.







Add vanilla and eggs and blend well.



Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix well.



Mix 2 Tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in small bowl. Shape the dough into balls (approx 1-inch or whatever your preference)



and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.





Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.



Bake at 400°F for 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool completely. Enjoy!

Chocolate Heart Cookies

The Chocolate Heart Cookies tasted rather like chocolate shortbread, and did look sorta pretty, but not nearly as nice as they should have. I got the recipe from RecipeZaar and it had a lot of good reviews. Maybe if you get the frosting right.


Chocolate Heart Cookies

1 c Butter, softened
1/2 c Sugar
1 t Vanilla
2 c All-purpose Flour
1/4 c Cocoa
1 c Vanilla Chip or White Chocolate Chips
2 T Shortening, divided
1/2 c Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour and cocoa; gradually add to creamed mixture.

On a lightly floured surface (you can also used powdered sugar) roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter placing 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat vanilla chips and 1 tablespoon of shortening until melted, stirring frequently. Dip both sides of the cookie into melted mixture (so you make a V-shape from the point of the cookie out to the middle of both rounded tops).

In another microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and remaining shortening, stirring frequently. Drizzle over the cookies. Place on wire rack to dry.

Red Velvet, Cookies If You Please

I made 2 types of cookies this week. The Chocolate Heart Cookies were not that great, but the Red Velvet ones were amazing. They were perfect with or without frosting! Wow.

The amazing ones! I got this idea from Bakerella (my link to Cupcake Pops) but got the cookie recipe from RecipeZaar, with a few slight changes.

Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches

1 2/3 c Flour, +2 T For high altitude

1 1/2 T Cocoa

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

1/2 c Butter, softened

3/4 c Sugar

1 Egg

1 T Red Food Coloring

1 1/2 t Vanilla

1 c Buttermilk, -1 T For high altitude

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, food coloring and vanilla and mix well. Add the buttermilk, alternating with the flour mixture.

Drop by tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c Butter, softened

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 lb Powdered Sugar

1 t Vanilla

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the bottom of one cooled cookie, and make a sandwich with another.

I didn't want the whole batch of frosting, so I used 2 T butter, 2 oz Cream Cheese, 1 1/2 c Sugar, and 1/4 t Vanilla. This made about 14 sandwich cookies.

Mmmmm...red velvet, if you please.

It's a Party! Chocolate Mashmallow Cookies

Sunday is Steve's birthday so the party was today, in case he takes tomorrow off. I made some Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies. They are quite amazing. And SO easy!



Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
1/2 c Butter, softened
1 c Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 c Milk
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 c All-purpose Flour
1/3 c Cocoa
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 350*F for 8 minutes.



Press a marshmallow half, cut side down, onto each cookie. Return to the oven for 3 minutes.



Cool completely on wire rack.

Icing
6 T Butter
2 T Cocoa
1/4 c Milk
1 3/4 c Powdered Sugar
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
Pecan halves, Almonds, Peanut pieces, whatever you want on top

In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly; transfer to a small mixing bowl. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled cookies. Top each with your choice of nuts.



Or not.



I took these cookies, although they told me I didn't have to. That they would provide them this time. When I got there they revealed that this was also a going away party for me. (I guess they didn't get the memo that I am not leaving until April, now) Anyway they all pitched in and got me a new toy! Since I take so many goodies to the office. YAY! A mini bundt pan! I'm so excited to experiment!

Raspberry Ribbons

This is an old post that I deccided to update to reduce confusion.  I had 3 recipes on one post and I am separating them.

Yesterday I was in a baking mood. I usually take cookies up to the local Forest Service office every 1-2 weeks. I always try to find something new. This is what I found in my new Tast of Home cookbook (Best Loved Cookies & Bars)

Raspberry Ribbons

Cookies
1 c Butter, softened
1/2 c Sugar
1 Egg
1 t Vanilla
2 1/4 c All-prupose Flour
1/2 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c Raspberry Jam

Glaze
1 c Powdered Sugar
2 t Evaporated Milk (I used whole milk)
1/2 t Vanilla

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Divide dough into four portions; shape each into a 10" x 2 1/2" log. Place 4" apart on greased or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake a 1/2" depression down the center of each log. Bake at 350*F. for 10 minutes.

Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes. Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4" slices. Place on wire racks.

In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cookies. Cool completely and serve.

These go very fast, they taste like shortbread and jam, Yummy!