Search Results for: holiday cookie countdown

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Strawberries ‘n Creme Bark

December 14, 2015 Leave a Comment

strawberries and cream bark 1_small
Every year, I put one bark recipe in the series because it’s such a pretty addition to any cookie platter. I have to tell year, last year’s Salted Caramel Pretzel Barkwas pretty much the best thing I’ve ever tasted.

This year, I love the idea of having something red and white amidst a tray full of chocolate-ish cookies. Sure, there’s the traditional peppermint bark, but I found these freeze-dried strawberry slices at Target and wondered if they might be the perfect red for my red and white idea.

Oh. My. Gosh.

Are they ever. This bark could not be any easier, but it is such a refreshing something different for the holidays. My kids deemed this one their favorite of the whole Holiday Cookie Countdown this year, which is laughable because it takes all of five minutes to make.

The freeze-dried strawberries don’t taste all that great by themselves. (They’re not all that sweet.) But when paired with the almond bark they add just the right hint of strawberry without being cloyingly sweet.

This one really is more than the sum of it’s humble parts. And (bonus!) it would be great for Valentine’s Day too!

p.s. I found my freeze-dried strawberries at Target (near the raisins). Be careful as they sell slices and whole ones — you want the slices.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Strawberries ‘n Creme Bark

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Strawberries ‘n Creme Bark

Ingredients

20 ounces white almond bark

1 1/2 cups freeze dried strawberry slices (I used Archer Farms from Target)

Instructions

Melt chocolate according to package directions. On a parchment or silpat-lined pan, arrange half of dried strawberries. (I used an 11x17 jelly roll pan, but only filled about 2/3 of it.) Pour melted chocolate over strawberries. (They will shift around a bit, but use a spatula to immerse them. You want these to be covered in chocolate.) Garnish with remaining strawberries on top. Let cool completely and set up before cutting to desired serving size.

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-strawberries-n-creme-bark/

Filed Under: Bars, Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies

December 11, 2015 Leave a Comment

Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies 1_small
I’m a sucker for toasted marshmallows. Whenever I’m out of cookies in the house, I’ll grab a marshmallow and toast it right over my gas stove flame. Sometimes I’ll do it for my kids too, and then eat theirs.

Hey, it’s survival of the fittest at our house.

So when I set out to use a toasted marshmallow in cookie form, I knew it had to be the big, sturdy marshmallows. After a few mistakes experiments, I realized the whole marshmallow was too much but cutting it in thirds worked perfectly. When I surrounded it with a cookie scented with malted milk, cocoa and a hint of cinnamon, I knew I had a winner. The kids confirmed it, declaring these The Best Cookies for Santa.

p.s. I made these a little too big. I think they’re cuter when the cookie is just a little bigger than the marshmallow, so follow the instructions below for a smaller cookie.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup malted milk powder

1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

12 large marshmallows, cut in thirds

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg, beating until incorporated. Add vanilla.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, malt powder, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, and again beat well until combined. Chill dough for two hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, and then roll in sugar mixture. Place on prepared pans, spacing 2 inches apart. bake until cookies are set, approximately 8 minutes. Use this time to cut your marshmallows into thirds. Once your cookies come out, work quickly and press one marshmallow third into each cookie, cut side down. Eat the middle of the marshmallow since it will have two cut sides.

Set oven to broil. Watching carefully, broil until marshmallows are lightly toasted. Remove from oven and let cool.

Makes 24 small cookies or 16 larger.

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-toasted-marshmallow-hot-chocolate-cookies/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peanut Butter Chai Crackles

December 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

peanut butter chai cookies 1_small

“Peanut Butter Chai?” said my husband skeptically as he swallowed a cookie in a single bite.

I know. I thought the same thing.

Peanut Butter Chai. Not a combination I’d been dreaming about. Not a combination I’d ever even thought about. But you know what? It’s good. Real good.

It’s sort of a nutty spice cookie that’s packed with flavor. Everyone who tasted this tried to figure out what it was and no one got it right. (Suprisingly, several guessed Peanut Butter Snickers?) But they kept eating because it was darn good. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom hop in the bowl and get chummy with the peanut butter. They are so freaking addicting.

Very exotic. Very exciting. Very delicious. Make this one for a little je ne sais quois on your cookie platter. You won’t be sorry.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peanut Butter Chai Crackles

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peanut Butter Chai Crackles

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup turbinado sugar or large crystal sugar, for topping the cookies

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

In large bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Beat in the sugars until fluffy. Add in the egg, milk and vanilla and mix well.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, all the spices and pepper.

Beat half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix. Do not over mix. Chill dough for 2 hours, up to overnight.

Pour the turbinado sugar into a bowl. Roll the dough into balls slightly larger than a tablespoon and drop in sugar mixture to coat. Continue this for the rest of the dough. Place the sugared cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until centers are just set and tops crackled. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 32 cookies.

Adapted from The Frugal Foodie Mama .

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-peanut-butter-chai-crackles/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Salted Caramel Pretzel Fudge

December 9, 2015 Leave a Comment

salted caramel pretzel fudge 1_small

I just had a slight panic attack and wondered if all of you might leave mean, nasty comments telling me that fudge is, in fact, not a cookie. And this is the Holiday Cookie Countdown.

You would be right.

But, if you bear with me, you might understand why I think this fudge might beat all of the cookies on your to-make list. It’s so good, it could win Best Cookie in a cookie contest and it’s not even a cookie. It’s so good it might even get your mean-neighbor-who-never-talks-to-you-but-glares-at-your-children-when-they-squeal-with-delight to warm a little. And I say all of this as a person who does not even like fudge.

Am I the only one who doesn’t really like fudge? It’s just too fudgy. Too rich. Too all-one-texture. If I’m going to eat something that rich, I want an explosion of flavor in a very small bite.

Enter this Salted Caramel Pretzel Fudge:
salted caramel pretzel fudge 2_small

Creamy, Crunchy, Salty, Dreamy…this one has it all. A dark chocolate fudge layer tinged with pretzels topped with a white chocolate caramel layer and sprinkled with pretzels and sea salt. Ahhhhmazing, folks.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Salted Caramel Pretzel Fudge

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Salted Caramel Pretzel Fudge

Ingredients

Fudge layer:

12 ounces dark chocolate, about 2 cups chips

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups chopped pretzels

Caramel layer:

8.5 ounces white chocolate, about 1 1/3 cups chips

6 ounces sweetened condensed milk

15 caramels, unwrapped

Sea salt

Extra chopped pretzels as garnish

Instructions

Line a 9x9 pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. You can use these as "handles" to lift the fudge out when it's done and ready to cut. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

For the fudge layer: Place 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk and the dark chocolate in saucepan over medium low heat and stir until smooth. Fold in chopped pretzels. Pour mixture into prepared pan and using an offset spatula spread evenly. Set aside.

For the caramel layer: Place 6 ounces sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate and unwrapped caramels in a saucepan over medium low heat and stir until melted smooth. (Stir constantly toward the end because the condensed milk will be caramelizing too and can burn easily.) Pour over dark fudge layer and spread evenly.

Sprinkle remaining chopped pretzels on top and press gently into caramel layer. Sprinkle with a touch of sea salt. Try not to eat the whole pan.

Makes 50-60 small pieces of fudge.

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-salted-caramel-pretzel-fudge/

Filed Under: Bars, Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Biscoff Crackles with Sea Salt

December 8, 2015 Leave a Comment

Biscoff Crackles with Sea Salt 1_small

If you cook with my recipes very often, you’ll notice there are some recurring themes: brown butter, salted caramel and Biscoff. I use them all the time. In everything. For me, the world would cease to exist without these things.

I didn’t realize how predictable I was until my friends started giggling quietly when I delivered treats.

I wonder why they’re laughing at my cookies?

Turns out it wasn’t the cookies per se, but the fact that the words brown butter, salted caramel or Biscoff always appeared on the label. I was a running joke. (But at least I’m a joke who delivers cookies!)

Anyhow, these cookies are no exception. I don’t think you’ll ever meet a cookie with more flavor. Jam packed with all the sweet speculoos spices from the Biscoff and topped off with flakes of sea salt, these gems are a holiday party in your mouth. I like to underbake them slightly so they are soft-batch style, but my hubby prefers them a little crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.

You decide. Either way, make these.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Biscoff Crackles with Sea Salt

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Biscoff Crackles with Sea Salt

Ingredients

1 large egg

1 cup creamy Biscoff Spread (Trader Joe's calls it Cookie Butter)

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract (yes tablespoons, not teaspoons)

1 cup plus all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for garnish

Instructions

Cream together the egg, Biscoff, brown sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Do not shortchange this creaming step, and if using a hand mixer, 6-7 minutes may be necessary.

Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon and baking soda. Mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute; don't overmix.

Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds (I made 13). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 3 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat, or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 13 large cookies.

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-biscoff-crackles-with-sea-salt/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Mocha Pudding Cookies

December 7, 2015 Leave a Comment

Peppermint Mocha Pudding Cookies 2_small
It’s my favorite time of year! My favorite 12 posts of the year! My favorite time to use exclamation points after every sentence!

I get a little excited about the Holiday Cookie Countdown. All year long, in addition to writing my regular posts each week, I’ve secretly been squeezing in holiday cookie testing too. It was kind of funny when, in August, I was posting about Grilled Peach Sorbet and making these peppermint cookies on the very same day. Dessert was kinda funny at our house that day. 🙂

But once I test the cookies and deem them a finalist, I always make them again just before Thanksgiving to make sure they’re winners. Then I bestow them on our family and friends and make sure they don’t just get good reviews — they get amazing, I-can’t-live-without-these-for-another-minute reviews.

These were a resounding favorite, with my sweet neighbor professing that I’d singlehandedly sent him back to Weight Watchers with these cookies. (I hope that was a compliment?) Anyhoo, do you love a good Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks? If so, you’re gonna swoon for these.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, puffed perfectly with hints of peppermint and coffee, these are a perfect “something special” for your cookie exchange or holiday party.

See you tomorrow…eek! I can’t wait!

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Mocha Pudding Cookies

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Mocha Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

These cookies are the brain child of Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life. I adapted it just slightly because I couldn't find the peppermint crunch pieces where I live. I used crushed candy canes instead and we loved the crunch they added. But if you do this, be sure to bake on silpat or parchment because the candies will melt slightly and stick to the pan.

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup Jif Mocha Cappuccino spread

1/2 cup granulate sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon coffee extract (find this in the baking aisle near vanilla extract)

1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder, such as Hershey's Dark

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (3.9 oz) box of instant Jell-o chocolate fudge pudding mix

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup Andes peppermint crunch pieces or chopped candy canes

Instructions

In a bowl, cream the butter, mocha spread, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs and extract and beat again. Combine cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, pudding mix, and salt. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and peppermint pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, up to overnight.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until tops puff and crackle. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 60 cookies, if rolling in 1-inch balls.

Adapted from Jocelyn at Inside Bru Crew Life

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-peppermint-mocha-pudding-cookies/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown Starts Monday!!

December 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

Brown Butter Spice Crackles 2_small

I can’t wait to fill your bellies with all these amazing cookies! See you Monday morning 🙂

Love,

The Cookie Monster

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Pillows

December 16, 2014 Leave a Comment

peppermint pillows 1_small
What the what?

How is this Day 12 already?

Is it just me or did this series go way too fast? I could seriously do it all year long (though my tooshy and thighs disagree).

Well, if you’re looking to end on a bang, make these soft, sweet, peppermint-scented cookies. The are light and tender sour cream-based pillows topped with a dollop of peppermint frosting and garnished with candy canes. I like to make them small so you can eat them in about two bites and the cookie-to-frosting ratio is just perfect.

If you want to pipe the frosting like I did (vs. spread with a knife), you’ll need to double the frosting recipe. I didn’t have any candy canes handy, so I used Andes White Chocolate Peppermint Baking Bits on top.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Pillows

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Peppermint Pillows

Ingredients

For the cookies:

6 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups sour cream

For the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons heavy cream

Crushed candy canes, for decoration

Instructions

Directions:

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

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping between each addition. Add peppermint extract and sour cream, and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined.

Divide mixture – in half and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Dough will be a little sticky, so use flour as needed to avoid sticking. Use a 2 to 2-1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies until just set and still pale, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack or a piece of waxed paper to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter until soft and fluffy. Add peppermint extract. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat until combined completely. Add salt and cream and beat until light and fluffy.

Frost each cookie and then dip into crushed candy canes.

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-peppermint-pillows/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: White Chocolate Gingerbread Nests

December 15, 2014 Leave a Comment

white chocolate gingerbread nests 1_small
I call these the “lazy woman’s thumbprint cookies.” Instead of going through the trouble of making a filling for these delicious spice cookies, you simply sprinkle some white chocolate chips in the centers immediately after baking. After a gentle push, you’ve created these yummy, spice-filled cookie nests that are adorable to look at — but even better to eat!

(After sprinkling the chips in the center, you can use the back of a spoon to smooth them if you like. I prefer to leave the chips as is — it looks more nest-y to me.)

And if you reeeealllly need to be lazy, you can do this with the premade gingerbread dough in the store. This dough tends to spread a little more, so roll it into balls and freeze the balls before baking — then pop ’em right in the oven. This will keep them small and thick — perfect nests.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: White Chocolate Gingerbread Nests

Holiday Cookie Countdown: White Chocolate Gingerbread Nests

Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tap salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.

Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Cover dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press about 5 white chocolate chips into center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Adapted from Culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-white-chocolate-gingerbread-nests/

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, Holidays Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Sparkling Almond Sugar Cookies

December 12, 2014 Leave a Comment

Sparkling Almond Sugar Cookies 1_small

Every good holiday cookie platter needs a sugar cookie. I love this one because it’s so tender and delicious and coated with a layer of coarse sparkling sugar, which gives it a little crunch on the outside. But it’s the subtle almond flavor that really makes these stand out.

These are soft sugar cookies — very light and tender — almost like sparkling pillows.

Pillows. Yep, I could definitely take a nap with a few of these.

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Holiday Cookie Countdown: Sparkling Almond Sugar Cookies

Holiday Cookie Countdown: Sparkling Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 C white sugar

2/3 C butter (cold)

2/3 C shortening (room temp)

2 eggs

2 tsp almond extract

2 3/4 C cake flour

1 C all purpose flour

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Coarse sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheet.

Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Stir in eggs and almond extract. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and add to butter/egg mixture. Use electric mixer to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.

Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll 2 tsp of dough (I used a small cookie scoop) into a ball and roll in raw sugar. Place on prepared pan. Return remaining dough to fridge in between baking each batch.

Bake cookies for 7 minutes. (DO NOT overbake or wait for these to turn golden. They should be pale white, but set in the middle.) Allow to cool on pan for 1 minute.

Remove to cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

http://sugarmamacooks.com/holiday-cookie-countdown-sparkling-almond-sugar-cookies/

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