This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket. It uses pantry ingredients and is gluten free. The cookies have a nice chewy texture, which is how I think cookies should always be. You can mix it up and keep it in the fridge for the moment when you have a hankering for a freshly baked cookie.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine eggs, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix until creamy.
Add baking soda, oats, and chocolate chips.
Spoon out golf ball scoops of dough, flatten slightly.
My mom has a cookies & cocoa party with the grandkids each year before Christmas. The last couple of years I've hosted my own cookies and cocoa party with some of my favorite little people in Doha. I generally make my favorite sugar cookies and this whipped frosting and then let the kiddos do their own decorating. This year there was a new addition: gingerbread sugar cookies.
I thought I didn't like gingerbread cookies, just like my sister who shared this recipe with me, because they tend to be crunchy. Cookies should not be crunchy, in my opinion. But these. I like these. They are soft and chewy and close to the texture of a sugar cookie, but with the yummy spiciness of gingerbread.
GINGERBREAD SUGAR COOKIES
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar. Cream together until fluffy.
Add molasses and egg and continue mixing until the molasses is fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time until the dough comes together and the flour is fully incorporated.
Divide dough in half, form each part into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out dough and cut out using cookie cutters. Use flour as need to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter and cookie cutters.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to darken.
I've made macaroons a few times before, but have often been frustrated with how they tend to ooze and spread out when baking. I think this must have something to do with the step where you fold in the egg whites. The great thing about this recipe is that you don't fold in egg whites and they have nowhere to ooze since they are baked in mini muffin tins. They are super easy and perfectly festive for the Easter season.
Happy Easter!
COCONUT MACAROONS
3/4 cup (5 large) egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar
10 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Cadbury Mini Eggs
chocolate (optional)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a heavy saucepan combine egg whites, sugar, and shredded coconut.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until all the ingredients combine, about 12 minutes. This mixture should be sticky and moist, not dry.
Remove from heat and stir in almond and vanilla extracts.
Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
Spray nonstick mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
Drop heaping tablespoons into each tin, lightly pressing mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the tin to make the nests. A small measuring spoons works well.
Bake 22-25 minutes, or until golden.
Let cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove from muffin tins and allow to completely cool on a wire rack.
Optional: I added a dollop of melted chocolate to each nest before topping with the eggs.
Makes 24-36, depending on the size of your mini muffin tins.
Oh, how I love chocolate and peanut butter together. This recipe reminds me a lot of the chocolate peanut butter bars posted here, but I like them even a little more because the base is a brownie and doesn't require a boxed mix.
PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES
Brownies:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk or whipping cream
pinch of salt
Glaze:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
BROWNIES:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. Leave a few inches hanging over the side so the brownies can easily be lifted out after baking. Spray parchment with non-stick spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan on low-medium heat. Stir until smooth.
Set chocolate aside to cool for 8-10 minutes.
Whisk sugar and vanilla into chocolate.
Add one egg at a time to chocolate mixture, mixing well after each addition.
Fold in flour mixture until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs attached.
Allow brownies to cool completely (1-2 hours) before frosting.
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
Beat butter and peanut butter with the paddle attachment on a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer).
Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Add vanilla, 1 tablespoon of milk (or cream), and salt.
Beat on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes.
Add more milk or cream if it is too thick.
Spread frosting evenly over cooled brownies.
GLAZE:
Melt chocolate and peanut butter together in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Stir continuously until smooth.
Allow mixture to cool for several minutes.
Pour glaze over frosting and smooth evenly.
Chill brownies in the fridge for several hours before cutting.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I love a good sugar cookie. In fact, I think I make a pretty darn good one. So, I had my doubts about whether or not I would really be into these sugar cookie bars. Verdict: they were yum-o. Be very careful not to overcook them. Sugar cookies, in my opinion, should be soft in a melt-in-your-mouth kind of way.
SUGAR COOKIE BARS
Bars:
3/4 cup butter, softened to cool room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
sprinkles (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes.
Add lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Press sugar cookie mixture gently into an even layer. (I used a tart tamper to get it nice and even.)
Bake for 10-13 minutes. Don't overbake! The bars shouldn't have any color around the edges and barely be set in the middle.
Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
NOTE ON FROSTING: I'm a frosting girl and wanted to make sure these bars were amply frosted so I doubled it. It was plenty!
For the frosting, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. (Whenever I'm adding powdered sugar, I add a little bit at a time and beat well after each addition. This should keep the lumps out.)
These are my new favorite treat. HOLY SMOKES. I love them so much I made them twice this week.
Here are some thoughts and suggestions I have on these yummy little bars:
Only refrigerate the bars as long as needed to get the ganache to set up. Too much refrigeration dries out the bottom layer.
The original recipe called for chopped peanuts in the peanut butter layer. I didn't use them because I didn't have any and was very happy with the result. No peanuts necessary, in my opinion. Keep it smooth and simple.
Use something other than chocolate chips for the ganache layer. I find that chocolate chips don't always melt smoothly. If the ganache is not initially smooth, use a whisk to smooth things out.
I'm thinking it might be a very good idea to top these with the mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's.
You might also want to serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS
Bottom Layer:
1 Devil's food cake mix
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg
Middle Layer:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream or milk
Top Ganache:
1/ 2 cup whipping cream
12 ounces milk chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil (or parchment), extending foil over the pan edges. Lightly grease foil. No need to grease the parchment, if that's what you're using.
In a mixer, combine cake mix, melted butter, and egg. Beat on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is combined.
Press mixture into bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
In mixer, combine softened butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat well after each addition, scraping the bowl as needed.
Beat in the 2 tablespoons whipping cream. Continue beating until very smooth and fluffy.
Spread mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
Place bars in the refrigerator while preparing the ganache.
In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat.
Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces. Do not stir. Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir until smooth.
Cool 15 minutes. Very gently pour ganache over bars, lightly spreading it to the edges.
Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until set.
Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan and cut.
I rediscovered these a few years ago. My mom made them growing up and my dad repeatedly tells the story of how he ate half a pan of them as a kid and now can't go near them. I, however, can go near them. They are pretty much to.die.for. There's butter in all three layers. They are rich and sweet and go down nicely with a glass of milk. This recipe makes a 9 x 13 pan, but they are pretty thick so I cut them fairly small so they go a long way. Share with friends and/or co-workers and they will love you forever.
I cut these ones even smaller than normal and put lettering on them for a baby shower a while back.
NANAIMO BARS
Bottom Layer:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
2 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups graham cracker crumbs (one 14.4 ounce box)
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped (Use a food processor if you have one.)
Melt butter, sugar, and cocoa in a bowl set over hot water on medium heat or in a double boiler. Mix well.
Remove from heat and add eggs and vanilla.
Place graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts in a large bowl.
Add cocoa/butter mixture and mix well.
Line 9 x 13 pan with parchment with handles hanging over the edge. This makes removing the bars MUCH easier when they're done.
It should look something like this:
Press firmly into a 9 x 13 pan using your fingers and/or a tart tamper.
Place in refrigerator while mixing the next layer.
Second Layer:
1 cup butter
4 tablespoons custard powder
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Cream butter and custard powder.
Add powdered sugar a little at a time.
Add milk and beat until light and creamy.
Spread on top of bottom layer.
Place in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
NOTE: Scrape the bowl well a time or two while you're mixing this layer.
Top Layer:
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons butter
Melt chocolate and butter together in a bowl set over hot water on medium heat or in a double boiler.
Mix well and spread on top.
Chill in refrigerator.
NOTE: I think these taste better at room temperature, but I still keep them in the refrigerator until it's time to serve them. Let them sit out for a bit before eating.
I loved my children's literature class in college. Not surprising since this has become one of my passions as a teacher. My professor was inspiring and fun. He wanted us to develop our own love of reading so that we could model it for our students. One day towards the end of the semester, his wife brought us cookies and milk and shared this recipe with us.
I really love that these have Rice Krispies in them. The texture is so great. This last time I made them I used Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups instead of chocolate chips and they were amazing.
WARNING: Do not over bake. Cookies, in my opinion, should never be crunchy. It's okay if they look a little gooey when you take them out of the oven. Leave them on the pan for a bit and they will continue to cook and be soft and chewy and delicious.
These are a good old classic. I only make them when I have someplace or someone to take them to because they can be deadly. I can fly through a row in no time. They are THAT good. Consider yourself warned.
SCOTCHEROOS
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips
Cook sugar and corn syrup until sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.
Stir in Rice Krispies. Mix until cereal is well coated.
Press mixture into a 9 x 13 pan. I like to really pack it down.
Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips and spread over the top.
This is another fave of mine from A Bountiful Kitchen. You really can't go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie, Oreo, and brownie all in one! The recipe calls to make these in a 9 x 13 pan and then cut into squares. This last time I made them I baked them in regular-sized cupcake pans.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE and OREO BROWNIES
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (this last time I used mini chocolate chips)
Oreo cookies (or Double Stuff Oreos if you so desire)
1 package brownie mix, prepared as directed on the box
caramel topping (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Press the cookie dough evenly into the pan.
Place the Oreos on top of the cookie dough.
Spread or drizzle the caramel topping on top of the Oreos.
Prepare brownie batter as directed.
Pour brownie batter on top.
Bake for about 50 minutes.
Bars are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out with a bit of a moist crumb attached.
Remove from oven and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Cut into squares and serve.
TIPS for the CUPCAKE VERSION:
Place a small (if you use too much the cup will overflow) amount of the chocolate chip cookie dough in the bottom of each cup.
Use a tart tamper to flatten out the dough.
Place an Oreo on top of the dough
Top with brownie mix. Again, do not overfill the cup. I did and it made a mess!!
I wouldn't recommend using the caramel for this version. It made the brownie/cookie too sticky and difficult to remove from the cupcake liner. They were really good without it.
This post is for my friend Joyce, who loves treats as much as I do. When I told her I was starting a blog, she asked if I was going to put this recipe on it. Of course, Joyce, of course. In fact, she was telling me about a time when she made these with her sisters and tested out different fillings. They made cream cheese, chocolate, and mint frostings for between the layers. Mint was the winner! I'll have to get her mint frosting recipe someday, but for now I'll be sharing the recipes for the original cream cheese frosting and a fluffy peanut butter frosting, my personal favorite.
These cookies are as easy as they get. The trick is to keep the cookies soft (I am pretty opposed to crunchy cookies) and to have a good frosting-to-cookie ratio. Ratios involving frosting are always important and, in my opinion, should be close to 1:1.
Here are some with blue cream cheese frosting that I made for a boy baby shower.
HOMEMADE OREOS
2 packages Devil's food cake mix (I use Betty Crocker cakes mixes. For some reason, other brands don't turn out as well.)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs using a mixer; it will be a thick mixture.
Roll batter into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet with Silpat (silicone baking sheet).
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: When you pull the cookies out of the oven, they will be a little puffy. I like to use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the cookies out while they are still hot. This makes them nice and flat and lump-free.
Let cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.
Spread filling between two cookies.
NOTE: I like to use a pastry bag to spread the frosting. It's way faster, looks better, and provides enough frosting so it's not all cookie.
ANOTHER NOTE: If you like a good portion of frosting on each cookie, you'll need more than the cream cheese frosting below. I would double it to make sure you have enough. If you prefer a thin layer, the amounts below are plenty.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Cream cream cheese and butter together in mixer.
Add vanilla.
Add powdered sugar, a little at a time and beat well after each addition.
Here's the peanut butter frosting version:
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
* from allrecipes.com
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix butter and peanut butter in mixer.
Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, a small amount at a time, beating well after each addition.
When the frosting thickens, add needed milk, a little at a time.
Beat for at least 3 minutes or until it is a little fluffy.
NOTE: I would suggest using something other than natural peanut butter for this recipe. The separate oil in natural peanut butter makes it difficult to get the right texture for the frosting. Stick with hydrogenated oils on this one.
I really love a good sugar cookie. But, they have to be soft, in a melt-in-your-mouth kind of way and they MUST have a good cookie-to-frosting ratio. I’m a frosting girl; and the ratio needs to be right, which usually means as close to 1:1 as possible.
My sister found this recipe (not even sure where) years ago when she was in college. I’ve been making it ever since. It’s quick and easy. No need to chill the dough, yet it’s still very roll-able.
SUGAR COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Mix baking powder, salt and flour in a smaller bowl and add to butter mixture, a little at a time.
Don’t chill, just roll out and bake!
Bake @ 375 for 8-9 minutes.
FROSTING
1/2 cup butter, softened
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla OR almond extract (I always use almond.)
4 cups of powdered sugar
milk as needed
Mix butter, salt, and vanilla.
Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, and milk as needed until all the powdered sugar is added.
TIPS:
The dough will be a bit dry. You will need to work the pieces all together. I pour the dough out on my Silpat sheet and sort of knead it all together and then roll it out. This dryness is the reason you don’t have to chill the dough.
Bake on a Silpat, if you have one. So much easier and less messy than using spray on your cookie sheets.
When making the frosting, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat well after each addition. This will help get rid of the lumps in the frosting. I also beat it until it is a little fluffy.
Use a piping bag to frost to get a good cookie-to-frosting ratio! Using a pastry bag is faster and easier than spreading the frosting. Plus, people will think you are professional.
You might want to consider doubling the frosting if you're going to be piping the frosting. I find that I need more than one recipe's worth.
