Macarons

YES! Homemade macarons! I was so ridiculously excited about the mere idea of baking these that when they came out perfectly I was beside myself.

Use this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.  She has great step-by-step photos to guide you along.  I followed her recipe as it is written.  We added almond extract and a little red food coloring.

I was intimidated by the process of baking macarons, but really there wasn't much that was actually challenging.  It is no doubt time consuming, but a lot of that time is waiting for things to sit. Probably the most difficult part was piping and making it so the cookies were an even size.



These are filled with strawberry preserves, but I am definitely itching to try it with some chocolate ganache. Next time....

Eggnog Fudge

It's the most wonderful baking time of the year!  I whipped up some easy eggnog fudge to add something different to my cookie tray this year.

I'm not going to pretend to be a super fan of eggnog, but put the flavors into fudge and it works out nicely.

Eggnog Fudge
From Real Housemoms

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup eggnog
1 tsp nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling
12 oz white chocolate
7 oz marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla

1. Grease a 9 inch square pan.**
2. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, butter, eggnog, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When it comes to a rolling boil, insert a candy thermometer. Heat to 235 degrees F.  This will take about 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and add white chocolate, vanilla, and marshmallow cream. Stir until mixture is fluffy and has lost its shine.
4. Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Cool completely before cutting into squares.

**I found the fudge difficult to get out of the pan, so I would recommend lining it with parchment paper.

Don't be intimidated by the candy thermometer!  I just used the digital thermometer I use for cooking meats and everything worked out perfectly.

I wish you all a sweet holiday season!

Cranberry Bliss Bars, Starbucks Copycat Recipe

If you have never tried a cranberry bliss bar from Starbucks, I am really quite sorry for you.  However, luck is on your side, because now you can make them in your very own kitchen!

These are going to be a great addition to my Christmas dessert tray. I love a good bar cookie recipe because you don't have to keep rotating cookie sheets all day long.



Cranberry Bliss Bars
From Recipe Girl

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 oz white chocolate chips

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
6 oz white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 inch pan, set aside. Melt butter a small bowl in the microwave, stir in brown sugar. In a large mixing bowl mix butter and sugar mixture with 2 eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. Gently stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan, batter will be thick and almost dough-like. Bake 18-21 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar. Beat in half of the melted white chocolate.  Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with cranberries and drizzle with remaining white chocolate.



I chose to cut mine in triangles because that is what Starbucks does.  Feel free to just make rectangles or just eat the whole pan with a fork while watching Lifetime Christmas movies.

Pumpkin Brookie Bars

Allow me to explain what a pumpkin brookie bar is... pumpkin cookie base + fudgy brownie top.  You with me so far?

Good.

Drooling yet?

Good.

Pumpkin Brookie Bars
From Crazy For Crust

Ingredients
For the cookie layer:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (if your butter is unsalted)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 cup flour

For the brownie layer:
1 box mix + ingredients to prepare

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9 inch pan.
2. Mix together butter, pumpkin, and sugars.  Add egg yolk, vanilla, and spices and combine.  Slowly add flour.  Press dough into the prepared pan.
3. Mix brownie ingredients together and pour over cookie layer.  Bake 25-35 minutes until the brownie is set in the middle.  Let cool before slicing into bars.

These are every bit as wonderful as you are imagining right now.

Could you have imagined a more beautiful sight for your Thanksgiving dessert table?  I think not.

Apple Cider Custard Bars

These apple cider custard bars would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dessert spread.  This recipe has all the wonderful flavors of fall and it's in bar form so you don't have to worry about having another pie server.

Apple Cider Custard Bars
From Crepes of Wrath

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, cubed

For the custard:
1 cup cider
8 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13x9 in dish liberally with butter.
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl.  Use your fingers, or a pastry cutter, to mix the dough until a crumbly coarse mixture forms.  Press into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk cider, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl.  Pour over baked crust.  Bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is set.
3.  Allow bars to cool for 4-6 hours before dusting with sugar and slicing into square.

Note: I halved this recipe and made my batch in an 8x8 inch pan and it worked wonderfully.

I cannot wait to make these again for Thanksgiving!

So much easier to make than a pie AND easier to eat too!

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Cake

Hooray for fall! Let's make pumpkin spice everything!  Even Bailey knows that pumpkin and cinnamon come together to make the kitchen smell amazing.

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Cake
From Picky Palate

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup pumpkin spice chips (or cinnamon or chocolate)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13x9 pan.
2. Mix cake mix, butter, and egg in a bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and chips. Spread into prepared pan.  Top with sugar and additional cinnamon.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

I made these for my co-teacher's birthday and they were a huge hit! Plus, they are such a piece of cake to put together. Make it happen before pumpkin goes out of style, Christmas has already taken over the stores!

Cadbury Creme Egg Brownies

I'll be completely honest with you, I am not in love with Cadbury creme eggs.  I am much more of a Cadbury mini-egg addict. But, since it's that time of year and this guy I live with seems to love those sugar bombs I decided to make a cream egg dessert.

Cadbury Creme Egg Brownies
Adapted from Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients
1 box brownie mix and ingredients to make them

1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
yellow food coloring

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp butter

1. Bake brownies according to box directions. Let cool completely.
2. With a stand mixer combine corn syrup, butter, salt, and vanilla.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar. Spread on to cooled brownies.  *This was a challenge for me as the cream was very sticky, I found using my fingers worked best.  Then I used a toothpick to streak the cream yellow. Let set in the fridge for an hour or so.

3. Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler.  Spread on to brownies.  Allow to set up in the fridge before cutting.

These babies are a serious Easter treat! 

I hope the bunny brought you all something tasty this year!

Cannoli Cake

THIS. CAKE. IS. EVERYTHING.

You need it in your life. I made it for Christmas, but it's definitely not a project for holiday baking.  It's totally like a lil' Saturday/Sunday afternoon casual kitchen romp. Go for it!

That is a lovely bowl of sugar, being scented by citrus zest! 

Cannoli Pound Cake

From Smitten Kitchen

Butter or cooking spray to coat pan
1 cup sugar
zest from 1 orange
zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 or 2 pinches allspice
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup mini-chocolate chips or 6 ounces semisweet chocolate bar, chopped into tiny bits
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1. Heat oven to 350. Coat a standard loaf pan with butter or a nonstick spray.

2. Place sugar in a large bowl, and add zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar.  Whisk in olive oil, wine (if using), ricotta and eggs. Sprinkle baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice over wet ingredients, then whisk to combine. Gently stir in flour, then chocolate and pistachios until just combined.

3. Scrape into prepared loaf. Bake oven for 55 to 65 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out-batter free. Let cool on wire rack in pan for 15 minutes, then invert out onto rack to finish cooling.

I am so sorry for not taking a photo of this baby dusted with powdered sugar and sliced to see the beauty of it's innards.  Perhaps that mystery and intrigue will get you to bake up a cannoli cake of your own.

Brown Sugar Shortbread Toffee Bars

I don't want to oversell this dessert, but it was my favorite that I made this holiday season.  It is quite decadent so you'll want just a bite, but then you'll need many many more bites later.

You can't go wrong with a sweetened condensed milk layer.

Not to be outdone is a chocolate layer.

Then top it all with toffee bits! I told you it was decadent!

Brown Sugar Shortbread Toffee Bars

From Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp butter

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups toffee bits

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Beat butter and sugar until combined, 1-2 minutes. Mix in flour. Dough will be dry.  Press into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned, and let cool slightly.

3. Melt butter and milk in a small saucepan and pour over shortbread.  Bake 12-15 minutes, until filling is bubbled and browned. Remove from oven.

4. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the filling and place back in the oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread chocolate with an off-set spatula.

5. Sprinkle toffee bits evenly and press into chocolate layer. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

YES! I need more!

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

THESE ARE EVERYTHING!

It's a cheesecake!

It's an apple crisp!

It's so much graham cracker crust!

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

For the cheesecake:
3 packages cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the apples:
3 apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

For the streusel:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Mix together melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into a 13x9 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Wipe out that bowl and mix cheesecake filling together until smooth.  Pour onto crust.
3. Wipe out the same bowl and mix the apples with cinnamon and sugar.  Spread evenly over cheesecake layer.
4. Mix the streusel ingredients together until it resembles wet sand.  Sprinkle evenly over the apples.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until filling is set and streusel is browned.  Cool for at least 3 hours before slicing into bars.

This makes a ton of massive bars so your Christmas crowd will be stuffed for sure. Enjoy!

Brownie + Cookie = Brookie

It's time for the 3rd annual Christmas cookie party! You can see our previous parties here and here.

I baked up a massive batch of brookies to bring to the event. What is this mythical brookie I speak of? Why, it's when a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie come together in the words of Grayson from Top Chef "like sex in the mouth."

Yes, they are that good.

Brookies
From Cookies and Cups

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

For the brownie
1 box brownie mix, 18oz
1 1/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Mix in baking soda, salt, and flour until combined. Then stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. Mix flour and brownie mix. Add in eggs and oil and stir until combined.
4. To assemble the cookies: Take a tablespoon full of each dough and roll together. Bake 2 inches apart for 9-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cool for 3-4 minutes on sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note: If you only have 1 cookie sheet to bake with, put the dough in the fridge while each batch bakes in the oven.

This recipe makes a ton of cookies and you will be glad because they are delicious!

We will definitely all be eating cookies for days. Excellent work everyone!

Green Tea Chocolate Cake

I got a free can of matcha powder from an Amazon seller a few weeks ago.  It was fine as a cup of hot tea, but I wanted to know what else this perplexing green powder can do.  A quick internet search led me to see I could bake with it!

And so I give you green tea chocolate cake!

Green Tea Chocolate Cake

From Crepes of Wrath

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2-3 tbsp matcha powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 inch pan. Beat butter and sugar until light an fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Slowly add in flour, baking powder, milk, and sour cream.

2. Take half of the batter into another bowl and mix in cocoa powder. Mix matcha powder to the first bowl. 

3. Place alternating dollops of the batter in the prepared pan.  Use a knife to swirl. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

I know this sounds totally weird, but it is delicious I promise. Try the batter with 2 tbsp of powder before you go and add another to the mix to see if you like the flavor.

This would be a fun addition to your Christmas baking...because it's green and it's delicious! Also, since it has tea in it you can totally eat it for breakfast.

Pumpkin Recipe Round Up

In case you are still deciding how to add some pumpkin spice to your Thanksgiving table this year, here are a few of my favorites.

Top row: Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin blondies, double chocolate pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin potato gratin

Middle row: pumpkin mac and cheese, pumpkin shortbread

Bottom row: sopapilla pumpkin bars, pumpkin chocolate chip bars, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin brownies with apple butter

Happy Thanksgiving!

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

So I came upon these awesome pumpkin spice chips by Tollhouse during pumpkin mania at the supermarket.

Before we go any further can I just comment on the fact that pumpkin madness began before fall started and the supermarket has already deemed the season over before the end of October! What is this nonsense!? Pumpkin flavors have a least another month to go in my meal rotation.  I have a feeling no one is starting their Christmas baking yet, despite the stores encouragement.

Double Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients
1 package Betty Crocker chocolate chunk cookie mix
1 cup pumpkin spice chips
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Drop dough by the tablespoon-ful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing.

Here is a little bonus idea for you crazy kids out there: take some pumpkin gelato and sandwich it between 2 cookies!

Hellooooo fall chip-wich! 

No Bake Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This right here is the best kind of dessert.  It's a no bake (yeaaa) and it's chocolate and peanut butter (ooohhh yeaaa)!

Check out that flowing melted chocolate! Yes, please!

No Bake Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

From The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips, melted
3/4 cup rice cereal

1. Spray a 9x9 or 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Mix melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup peanut butter. Press into pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Wipe out bowl.  Mix together melted chocolate, remaining peanut butter, and rice cereal. Spread on top of chilled graham cracker layer. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares. Limit yourself to one a day...or 2...

Seriously guys, this recipe is so easy and comes together so quickly you need it. You NEED it. 

OK, it's official I need another batch of these right now.

Lemon Raspberry Chess Pie Ice Cream

Congratulations to the winner of my first contest!

Lemon raspberry chess pie ice cream can now make its way into all of your homes.

Let me just take a moment to thank you all for entering. It was so much fun and extremely difficult to make a final decision.

An additional nod to the runners up for the Elvis inspired and raspberry white chocolate cheesecake flavors.  They definitely need a place in my freezer sometime soon.

Lemon Raspberry Chess Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream

1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1/2 cup lemon curd

1 pie crust

2 tbsp sugar

vegetable oil or butter spray

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray pie crust with butter or vegetable oil.  Sprinkle with sugar and bake until crust is browned.  Let cool while you whip up the ice cream.

2. Whip cream until it becomes stiff, 1-2 minutes. Fold in condensed milk. Add in the lemon curd and raspberry jam in little dollops, like 1/2 teaspoon amounts to ensure it gets mixed throughout.

3. Crumble up the pie crust and add that to the ice cream.

4. Freeze for 6 hours, then enjoy!

I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!!