Category: Cookies

Bite Size Desserts

Ashure Cereal
Crazy 8 Day: It’s Crack Not A Cookie but It Deserves to be on the List

Crazy 8 Day: It’s Crack Not A Cookie but It Deserves to be on the List

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This year I joined in on Food52’s Holiday Gift Swap. It was simple, all I had to do was  make a donation to their designated charity and promise to send a food-centric gift by Dec. 10th.  A couple of days later, I received my “Secret Santa” swapee’s name and address.  My swappee lives in Colorado, I already had a list of go to items I wanted to send her like Jule’s granola and my cousin’s spiced pecans.

My box of goodies came from Catherine of Salt Lake City.  Like a kid in a candy store, I quickly tore the box open and discovered a treasure trove of gifts, sweet and salty chocolate sprinkles, popcorn seasoning, salad toppings, a too cute kitchen towel and a delicious cereal mix- Ashure Cereal that I started munching on immediately.  Luckily, Cathy included the recipe by Saimin Nosrat in the NY Times. It starts with a base of puffed wheat, nuts, and sesame seeds.  Then spiced with cinnamon, cardamon and mahaleb, (a middle eastern spice from cherry seeds, think bitter almond) and finally toasted in the oven with brown sugar, honey and oil.  It is addictively delicious.

After scarffing down the bag, I knew I had to make my own batch.

This is where the search begins…

I head to my favorite market, International Food Bazaar.  I unwittingly thought that the spices would be the hardest to find. Surprisingly not true.  Most of the ingredients and spices can also be found online.

With Mahaleb in hand, I head to my neighborhood grocery for the puffed wheat cereal…

4 STORES later, I walk out empty-handed and dejected.  Not a bag or box of puffed wheat to be found.  Apparently it is really hard to find puffed cereals without sugar added.  Who would have “thunk” it?

I took to the internet, and found Vitacost, a supplement/health food site where I not only find Puffed Wheat, but Puffed Kamut (an ancient grain), Puffed Corn and Puffed Rice. You can find Puffed Rice by Quaker Oats in the supermarket, a great alternative for a gluten free version. I like Puffed Kamut. I would definitely cut a bit of the cereal and add more nuts and Mahaleb.  Watch carefully when baking as it browns fairly quickly.  I love it over yogurt and fresh fruit or straight out of hand.

So be forewarned, the most difficult ingredient to find will be the cereal.  But it will be well worth it, Ashure Cereal is absolutely delicious.

Here, for you to drool over, my Food 52 holiday swap gift  from Cathy!

Ashure Cereal
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Ashure Cereal

Course Snack
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword cereal
Cook Time 15 minutes
30 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Author Adapted from NYT

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup /85 grams neutral-tasting oil such as canola
  • 6 tablespoons /110 grams honey
  • 1⁄2 cup /110 grams dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground mahaleb increase to 3/4 -1
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 10 cups /160 grams puffed wheat sub Puffed Kamut or Rice
  • 3/4 Scant cup /85 grams halved pecans increase to 1 cup
  • 1⁄3 cup /50 grams pumpkin seeds
  • 3 tablespoons /30 grams sesame seeds
  • 1⁄2 cup /85 grams almonds very roughly chopped, or left whole with skin

Instructions

Step 1

  • Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Heat to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

Step 2

  • Combine oil, honey and sugar in a medium saucepan, and set over medium-high heat. Whisk well, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Step 3

  • In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and mix well. Once the honey mixture comes to a boil, carefully pour it over the dry ingredients. Working quickly, use a large silicone spatula to stir, turning the contents of the bowl over until everything is coated evenly with the syrup. Transfer mixture to baking sheets, and use spatula to flatten out cereal into an even layer.

Step 4

  • Place baking sheets on prepared oven racks, and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove 1 tray at a time, and use spatula to stir cereal around. Rotate trays 180 degrees, and switch oven positions to ensure even baking. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes longer, until golden brown and well caramelized. Remove from oven, and allow to cool entirely on the trays before breaking cereal into large clusters.

Step 5

  • Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Happy holidays and happy baking!
Waiting to Bakehale (Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread) Day 7 Holiday Cookies:

Waiting to Bakehale (Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread) Day 7 Holiday Cookies:

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From the 2018 cookie annals, I give you Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread. Why re-post? How many cookies are the focus of a magazine article?  Such is the case in this month’s Atlantic, The Rise of Anxiety Baking.  Apparently, since “he who shall not be named” has unwittingly been thrust into “public service”, there has been a corresponding rise in anxiety in Americans, especially Millennials. This heightened feeling of impending doom has apparently caused a significant uptick in cookie baking in an effort to soothe the soul and calm the nerves.  The one cookie that has become the poster child for anxiety baking is Alison Roman’s Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread.  It definitely helps that this cookie is damn delicious. A buttery, tender shortbread dotted with nuggets of dark chocolate and edged with crunchy Demerara Sugar.  Are you salivating? You should be.

Yep, that is me. No, not a millennial, but a no holds barred bake to relieve stress crazy person.  I made batches of this cookie.  I took them to work, to coffee with the moms, to the Omnivore Books Cookie Contest. (I didn’t win AGAIN).  Think of this cookie as a tasty prescription.  Bake it, feel better and make other people happy.  A pharmacist’s advice for free. You’re welcome.

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(Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread) New Year’s Resolution #2 Finish 12 Days of Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons 2 1/4 sticks salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 ounces semi- or bittersweet dark chocolate chopped (but not too fine, you want chunks)
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • Demerara sugar for rolling
  • Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer. Cookies can be baked and stored in plastic wrap or an airtight container for 5 days.
  • 1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • 2. Using an electric mixer and a medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars, and vanilla on medium-high till it’s super light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and beat just to blend.
  • 3. Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands (just like you’re playing with clay), form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don’t worry about getting it totally perfect. You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but I find using plastic wrap easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form two logs 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
  • 4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • 5. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the Demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious crispy edges).
  • 6. Slice each log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, place them on the prepared baking sheet(s) about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much), and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.
Belly Up to the Snickerdoodle Bar Day 6 Holiday Cookies

Belly Up to the Snickerdoodle Bar Day 6 Holiday Cookies

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A riff on quite possibly my favorite cookie, the Snickerdoodle.  The Snickerdoodle is the quintessential cookie. Buttery, chewy, slightly cakey center, crispy edges, a nice hit of cinnamon, my mouth is watering as I write this. This year’s Washington Post’s favorite cookies of 2018 include a Snickerdoodle Blondie.  We all know the quick and dirty route to a batch of cookies is a bar cookie.  Snickerdoodles, baked in a square pan instead of individual cookies, texturally a bar cookie but taste-wise just like a snickerdoodle. Ah, two worlds collide beautifully.

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Snickerdoodle Blondies

Quick and easy bar cookie.  The texture of a blondie/brownie but the taste of a Snickerdoodle.  All that buttery cinnamony goodness in a bar.
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 220kcal
Author Adapted from WAPO

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons for the topping
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus more for the topping
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan with cooking oil spray then line the bottom with parchment paper.

Instructions

  • Combine the butter, the cup of granulated sugar and the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on medium speed for a few minutes, until lightened and a little fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
  • Whisk together the flour, teaspoon of cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the mixer bowl; beat on medium-low speed until well incorporated. The dough will be quite soft.
  • Transfer to the baking pan, then spread the dough evenly all the way into the corners. Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with the amount of cinnamon you prefer; we recommend 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. Sprinkle that mixture evenly over the surface. Bake (middle rack) for about 25 minutes, until golden and still slightly soft at the center.
  • Cool completely (in the pan) before serving or storing. It's best to lift out the slab and slice on a cutting board; discard the parchment before cutting.

Notes

I used only 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in the topping which seemed like plenty

Going to a holiday party? Make a batch, leave it in the pan and give the whole kit-& Kaboodle of s-doodles to the host.

 
Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Cookie Number 5 (Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies)

Ladies and Gentlemen, This is Cookie Number 5 (Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies)

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One of my favorite baking goddesses (I have many) is Alice Medrich. Yes, that Alice, Chocolate Maven, Dessert Queen and creator of quite possibly the best damn lemon bars ever. Don’t get me started on her Snickerdoodles, so good.  Cookie number 5 is from her book, Pure Desserts, a shortbread cookie with a twist-Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies.

If you have been following 3jamigos you know that I fall in the shortbread camp for my favorite type of cookie. Buttery goodness in bite-size morsels with a hint of sweetness, sign me up.  Well lucky me, this cookie falls in that camp-buttery, slightly sweet, tender, nice sandy texture, and a cool, slightly bluish brown hue.  The cookies get kicked up a notch with the addition of cocoa nibs. This adds a subtle hint of chocolate at the finish. The color and slight earthiness from the buckwheat and the “is it chocolate or isn’t it?” from the nibs, are a cookie mindblower.

So if you are looking for a shortbread that is a little different but still buttery delicious, put this one on your list.

Bonus: Easy to make.

Do not overbeat when creaming the butter and sugar which will incorporate too much air into the dough (I might have done this which accounts for the puffiness and soft edges).  The mixture should be smooth and creamy.  Add flour and beat until it comes together, don’t overmix.

The dough can be shaped into a log, chilled and finished as slice and bake cookies.  The dough can be stored in the fridge or freezer so you have freshly baked cookies when family and friends drop by.  Everyone will think you are a badass baking queen.

Or you can get fancy-schmancy and roll out the dough and cut out cookies for a more festive look.  Put the dough in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and roll to the edges.  This will give you a sheet of dough about 1/4 inch thick, perfect for cutout cookies.  I used a fluted metal cutter which may work better than a plastic one as you have to cut through the nibs. To add festive bling, sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar and a touch of flake salt (like Maldon) before baking.  That takes these cookies to the “bend and snap” (Legally Blond-remember?) level of attention.

Chill the dough after cutting out the cookies, the edges won’t spread as much. I was having oven issues so the edges ended up less defined. But still yummy!

Okay, not hooked yet? Still looking for a classic shortbread, try this one,  my favorite traditional Scottish Shortbread or Bouchon’s Shortbread.

Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies

Buckwheat with Cocoa Nibs Shortbread
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Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookie

A delicious riff on shortbread, buckwheat flour and cocoa nibs take these cookies to a new level.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword NIbby Buckwheat Butter Cookies
Author Adapted from 101 Cookbooks (Alice Medrich)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups 5.6 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup 3 ounces buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cacao nibs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk the all-purpose and buckwheat flours together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, with the back of a large spoon or with an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar and salt for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy but not fluffy. Mix in the nibs and vanilla. Add the flours and mix just until incorporated. Scrape the dough into a mass and, if necessary, knead it with your hands a few times, just until smooth.
  • Form the dough into a 12 by 2 inch log. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or, preferably overnight. Or place dough in a gallon ziploc and roll to the edges of the bag.  Dough will be about 1/4 inch thick.  Chill thoroughly before cutting out shapes.  These cookies do puff and expand a bit so also chill dough after cutting to ensure crisp edges. 
  • Position the racks in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the cold dough log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies at least 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.* Or follow instructions for cut-out cookies.
  • Optional:  Sprinkle cookies with a bit of sanding sugar and an even tinier bit of flake salt like Maldon before baking.
  • Bake until the cookies are just beginning to color at the edges, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet from front to back halfway through the baking. 
  • Cool the cookies in the pans on a rack, or slide the parchment liners carefully onto the rack to free up the pans. Let cool completely.

Notes

The cookies are delicious fresh but even better the next day. They can be stored in an airtight container for at least one month. My batch made about 30 3-inch cookies. Recipe states approximately 48 2-1/2 inch cookies.
Strawberry Vanilla Shortbread Day 4 Holiday Cookies

Strawberry Vanilla Shortbread Day 4 Holiday Cookies

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Day 4 of the 12 Days of Cookies is a keeper.

I LOVE shortbread, it is hands down my all-time favorite cookie.  During the holidays I usually bake a batch of classic Scottish Shortbread.  This year, I am adding Strawberry Vanilla Shortbread Cookies from Use Real Butter to the rotation. Sweet strawberries and a hefty dose of vanilla add a one-two punch to a buttery, tender cookie. I made a batch and the fam scarfed them down in no time flat.

I almost didn’t try this recipe. The first part of Jen’s post is a how-to on drying strawberries.  It’s winter, where am I going to find fresh sweet strawberries to dry?  Not happening in my house, even if it’s the height of strawberry season, I’m way too lazy.  Luckily, at the very end of the instructions, she adds “If this is too much of a pain…you can always grab a bag of freeze-dried strawberries at Trader Joe’s.  Bingo, I am all over that idea.

I should have cut the strawberry pieces smaller for better distribution.  I used vanilla paste in place of the pods and part of the extract.  Once the dough is made, place it in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and roll the dough flat using the Ziploc border to create a square.  You can also shape the dough into a log for slice and bake cookies.

I used a fluted cookie cutter, chilled the dough to help keep its shape.  It was a little tough cutting through the bits of strawberries but still doable.

This is an absolutely delicious cookie.  If you like buttery, sweet-tart strawberry, and vanilla, bake this cookie.

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Strawberry Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup 3.5 oz. or 100g powdered sugar
  • 2 vanilla beans split and seeds scraped
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp of vanilla paste can be subbed for the pods and reduce extract to 1/2 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or orange liqueur
  • 2 cups 9 oz. or 260g all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup 4 oz. or 115g chopped dried strawberries (recipe below) or 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries

Instructions

  • Beat the butter with a paddle attachment until smooth.
  • Add the powdered sugar to butter and beat on medium speed until blended.
  • Add the vanilla bean seeds (use the pods for something else) or vanilla paste, vanilla extract, and Grand Marnier to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated.
  • Mix the flour and salt into the butter mixture until the flour is absorbed and no dry flour remains.
  • Stir the chopped strawberries into the dough. Scrape the dough into a gallon-size ziploc bag and roll flat with a rolling pin until the dough fills the bag in an even layer.
  • Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F and line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. When the dough is chilled, peel off the plastic and slice the dough into desired shapes or use a cookie cutter (circles show the least deformation) and re-roll scraps to use again.
  • Arrange your raw cookies 1.5 inches from each other on the baking sheet and dock them (prick them) with a fork three times across each cookie.
  • Bake 16-20 minutes (18 minutes worked well for me) until the bottoms are golden. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

Makes about 36 2-inch round cookies or 42 1.5-inch square cookies.

 

 

 
Shortbread with Grapefruit & Thyme Day 3 Holiday Cookies

Shortbread with Grapefruit & Thyme Day 3 Holiday Cookies

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Day 3 and once again I reached into the 2018 vault.  I went straight to a shortbread riff I posted in March, Grapefruit Thyme Shortbread.  I love these cookies.  The recipe is from my classmate, JJ, also known as KidDoc JJ.  She has a wonderful site, KIDDOCJJ that has delicious recipes, healthy living tips (she is a pediatrician turned chef), guest celebrity interviews, and cooking classes for those who live in LA, and so much more.  I want to be JJ when I grow up!

This is a lovely cookie, flavored with grapefruit zest and fresh thyme, and finished with icing made with grapefruit juice.  So GOOD-tart, sweet, herby, buttery… I am in shortbread heaven just thinking about them.  After she posted this yummy cookie recipe, I baked a batch, went bonkers over them, and then baked a second batch. The first time I made cut-out cookies. The second time I shaped the dough into a round (like traditional shortbread), baked it in a pie pan and cut it into wedges. Both ways were equally delicious.  Add this recipe to your holiday baking list.  Go jot it down, bookmark it, or print out the recipe right now…I’ll wait, they’re that yummy.

Merry Baking!

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Grapefruit Thyme Shortbread

A thymely twist on shortbread with the addition of grapefruit
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword grapefruit thyme shortbread
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • - 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • - 2 TB finely grated grapefruit zest save the fruit juice
  • - 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • - 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • - 1 cup all purpose flour
  • - 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • 2. Into the bowl of a food processor, stand mixer, or if you're in for a little workout, a regular bowl, place the butter, vanilla, salt, grapefruit zest and chopped thyme.
  • 3. Add the powdered sugar and pulse (if using a processor), or beat on medium with a paddle (if using a stand mixer), or mix with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth.
  • 4. Add the all purpose flour and mix just until flour is incorporated.
  • Your mixture should look - a little on the dry side, but well blended together.
  • 5. Butter a springform pan or pie tin.
  • 6. Using an offset spatula, spread the dough evenly in the pan.
  • 7. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork. This is called "docking."
  • 8. Refrigerate for an hour (or put it in the freezer for 30 minutes).
  • 9. While your dough is getting cold, squeeze out about 2 TB of grapefruit juice into a bowl. Add 3/4-1 cup of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. 10. Once the dough is cold, put in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is firm.
  • 10. Once the dough is cold, put in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is firm.
  • 11. Remove the collar from the pan. Immediately cut the shortbread into 8 or 16 wedges.
  • 12. Transfer wedges to a cooling rack set over a plate.
  • 13. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the shortbread, and gently spread to the edges with an offset spatula. Once cool you can serve it!

Notes

See post for making cutout cookies instead of wedges.
Love at the Bellagio
Day 2 Holiday: I Heart Bravetart Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookie

Day 2 Holiday: I Heart Bravetart Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookie

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Dratz! I missed National Cookie Day yesterday!  I spent my time not baking cookies, but going thru my posts to find which cookie post was the most popular one on 3Jamigos.  I am so going to have to figure out how to use Google analytics efficiently.  So after a time consuming search of all my posts, I found the cookie post with the most hits.

So without further adieu because I really do need to start baking-
drum roll please, I present…

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies! 

It wasn’t even close.

The recipe is from the book Bravetart by Stella Parks (Serious Eats).  An absolutely wonderful book that pays homage to classic American desserts. Stella manages to reinvent and update many iconic desserts while staying true to the essence of the original treat.  This is her take on the classic peanut butter cookie, it is delicious.  The book is chock full of fun stuff-the history behind the recipes and fun facts like the Girl Scouts, leveraging National Cookie Day, outsourced their “casual bake sale” into a legitimate vehicle for world domination”…gosh I love that description.  Oh and Ah-mazing recipes too.

Of course, I made the trek up to the City when Stella and Irving Lin were at Omnivore Books.  Both were engaging, friendly and more than happy to recount their funny baking stories and pearls of wisdom to all of us.

Me and Stellio down by the bookstore!

For Day 2 of the 12 Days of Cookies, I give you the most popular cookie post on 3Jamigos. Here is the original post, which contains tips for making them, Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookie from Bravetart.

Enjoy!

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2 from 1 vote

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies from BraveTart

Stella Park's Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies, just make them, you'll thank me
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Honey Roasted Peanut Butter Cookies, stella parks
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Stuff (Flour Mixture)

  • 1 cup AP flour 4.5 ounces USE Gold Medal flour
  • 1-1/4 cups honey roasted peanuts 6 ounces

Next Step: Butters + Leavening Agents

  • 1-1/4 cups creamy peanut butter 10 ounces
  • 1 stick unsalted butter 4 ounces,soft rt cool (65 degrees use an instant thermometer)
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar 10 ounces
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt or half that amount if using regular table salt
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Wet Stuff

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg straight from fridge, well beaten
  • 3 Tbsp milk 1.5 ounces

Instructions

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Sift flour into bowl of a food processor (scoop and sweep method if not using a scale)
  • Add peanuts and pulse until fine (approximately 1 minute) almost like flour
  • Combine peanut butter, butter, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla* in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. I'm lazy, I add the vanilla to the milk and add it later.
  • Mix on low speed to moisten then increase to medium and beat until soft and light ab out 3 minutes
  • With mixer running add the egg in 2 additions, mixing untile ach is incorporated
  • Reduce speed to low and add peanut flour, followed by milk, mixing to form a very soft dough
  • Divide into 34-2 T (1.125 ounce) portions
  • Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart
  • Bake until the edges are firm and just beginning to brown but cookies are still puffy and steamy in the middle about 16 minutes
  • Cool on baking sheet until cookie is set about 10 minutes
  • Store in airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Nut-in but the Best (Candied Cocktail Nuts)

Nut-in but the Best (Candied Cocktail Nuts)

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This would not be the first post I have written on nuts.  I’m nutty bout’ nuts.  What shrimp was to Bubba in Forrest Gump is what nuts are to me.  Roast them, toast them, caramelize them, boil em’-put em’ in salads, cookies, cakes, granola, gosh, just about anything.

There are “nibble nuts” (that sounds weird), which I love, found at bars, ballgames, and cocktail parties.  Every Christmas I look forward to my cousin Bonnie’s jar of addictively delicious Candied Spiced Pecans.  Another one of my favorites is Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts, a wonderful combination of spices and rosemary.  Nibble Nuts make great gifts.  I will package them in cellophane bags tied with a cute little ribbon or fill canning jars and slap a festive tag on, perfect. Nothing like a gift of nuts to say I’m nuts about you, lol.

Right after the midterm election, I went up to The City for another cookbook signing. Once again, Dorie Greenspan was going to be at Omnivore Books, this time talking about her latest book, Everyday with Dorie (in the 3jamigos shop). Did I mention she is one of my favorites? The last time I saw her was right after the 2016 elections (if there was ever a time I needed a distraction-oy), she was making the rounds for her Cookie book. Her cookbooks are reliable, accessible, and written in an easy, warm style.

So, of course, I hopped in my car, drove up to the City with Sammy in tow, and patiently waited for her to show up.  I was early, which if you know me, you are slapping your forehead right now in disbelief.  Hey, it was Dorie, what can I say?

Dorie’s husband Micheal was there and I love talking to him as much as Dorie.  We talked about their son “The kid” and his beautiful, fairytale wedding in Paris this past year.  I mean, when Pierre Herme creates your wedding cake, it’s going to be epic (link to wedding cake on Instagram).  Must be nice, sigh.

Ah, but I digress, I flipped through Dorie’s new book, which includes a smattering of everything, not just desserts.  “Stuff” she likes to make and eat, and whaddya know, in the very first section, there is a recipe for Candied Cocktail Nuts.  A girl can never have too many recipes for nuts.  Nope, never, and this one looked super-user friendly.

The recipe starts with 1/2 pound of mixed whole nuts, I doubled it right off the bat.  President Obama has the willpower to eat only 7 almonds a day?  That’s fake news, come on.  I buy unsalted roasted nuts at Costco.  It’s a good deal and perfect for this and the Spiced Nut recipe.

Her original recipe calls for thyme, but I could easily see using rosemary or another herb.  Next time I might add a bit of smoked paprika. Yums.

So keep Dorie’s Candied Cocktail Nuts in mind for those stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, or when you are sitting at your desk or kitchen counter working, these nuts are the perfect companion.

Everyday with Dorie

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Candied Cocktail Nuts

I call them nibble nuts, perfect with drinks, cheese boards...just about with anything.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Cocktail Nuts
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Baking Time 15 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound Mixed Nuts-pecans, cashews, almonds 1.5 cups approximately, unsalted
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or sub 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

  • Adapted from Everyday with Dorie
  • Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
  • Spread nuts on a sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.  Scatter thyme over nuts and roast for 5 minutes.
  • While nuts are roasting, place remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring, until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.  
  • Add warm nuts to pan and continue to cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until well coated by the sauce.
  • Return nuts to baking pan, making sure to spread the nuts out. No clumps, please.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, stirring the nuts midway through. If they seem a little too light, continue to bake for another couple of minutes.
  • Take pan out and let the nuts cool completely. Sprinkle with additional Fleur de Sel.

Notes

Nuts will keep about a week in an airtight container.  If they seem a little sticky, pop them back in a 350-degree oven for a couple of minutes.

 
Mint to be-Frango Brownies

Mint to be-Frango Brownies

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The other morning I met a friend I hadn’t seen in a while for coffee. Thanksgiving had us talking about the holidays.  We caught up on the kids’ comings and goings, where everyone was spending the holidays, and which kids would be home.

Of course, the conversation ultimately drifted to food. She mentioned ordering boxes of Frango Mints from Macy’s. FRANGO MINTS?! My eyes automatically glazed over.  Frango Mints, ooohhhh, love Frango Mints.  Back in the day whenever I was in Chicago, my to-do list included a stop at Marshall Field’s explicitly to buy Frango Chocolates.  Delightful bites of satiny smooth chocolate flavored with mint, raspberry, or caramel.

Much to the chagrin of Chicagoans, Marshall Field’s was sold to The Federated Group, but for the rest of us, it meant those luscious chocolate morsels can now be found at Macy’s everywhere.  I know, it is not the same as Marshall Field’s on State Street, sigh.  But time marches on.

Doing the Frango Tango

Frango Mints straight out of the box are delectable, but those little bad boys elevate your standard brownie to a new level. Years ago, the Chicago Tribune printed a recipe for a Frango Mint Brownie. They are easy to make, and delicious with that minty twist that sets them apart.  It does help to have a mixer since the recipe calls for whipping the eggs to a nice thick, foamy batter.  There are no leaveners, so the egg mixture accounts for any lift in the batter.  Add the melted chocolate, and fold in the flour, nuts, and chopped Frango mints. Bake. The brownies are ready when a toothpick stuck halfway between the edge and the center comes out fairly clean or just a few crumbs.  Somewhere between fudgy and cakey, these brownies are just right.

With a promise to send my friend the recipe, I hustled home to make a batch of these long-forgotten gems.  Well, I did have to make a stop before heading home. Lucky for me Macy’s is just a few minutes away. Had to get my signature green box of Frango Mints. (Yikes-Cyber Monday deal 9.99/box!)

Shhhh…I shouldn’t be writing this, but in a pinch, if you don’t have Frango Mints, you could use Andes Mints.

Frango Mint Brownies

Frango Mints + Brownies + Cold Glass of Milk = Perfect Treat

You’re welcome.

Print Pin

FRANGO MINT BROWNIES

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces baking chocolate chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 cube of butter) cut into pieces
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/2 cup Field`s Frango Mints chopped

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
  • Melt butter in medium saucepan or in microwave. Add chocolate and stir to melt until chocolate is completely melted.
  • Beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored (~2 min)
  • Gradually add the sugar to the eggs, beating thoroughly (additional 1 min) until the batter is smooth and light.
  • Stir in the chocolate mixture and vanilla.
  • Fold in flour and salt into the batter with rubber spatula.
  • Fold in the pecans and chopped Frangos.
  • Pour brownie mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch-square pan.
  • Bake until the top is shiny and a crust has formed, 20 to 25 minutes. Avoid overbaking.
  • Bake until wooden toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with on a moist crumb.
  • Cool on wire rack. Cut into 16 2x2 pieces.
  • Store in an airtight container.
  • Allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares.