Crinkles – Bead Yarn & Spatula

Cookie Palooza: Brown Butter Crinkles

Crinkles are great holiday cookies. You can make them in numerous flavors or stick with a simple recipe and tint the batter red and/or green for Christmas or blue for Hanukkah. In fact, I have been sharing a crinkle cookie recipe for the past couple of years during my Cookie Palooza. Believe it or not there is a science behind crinkle cookies. The cookies get their look and name because the surface of the cookie dries out before the cookie is done spreading and rising while baking. This causes the cookie to harden, crack and pull apart, hence the name crinkles. This is all thanks to rolling the dough in granulated sugar and then confectioners’ sugar prior to baking. I’ve shared quite a few crinkle recipes here on my blog and today I am sharing my favorite thus far, a Brown Butter Crinkle.

To start, you need to make brown butter. To do so I melted a stick of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once it started to boil, I reduced the heat to medium and let the melted butter simmer until foamy. I stirred it occasionally and scraped the bottom of the pan until the foam subsided and the butter turned a golden brown and had a nutty aroma. I then transferred the melted butter and the brown specks that formed to a large heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

While the butter cooled I combined the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Once the butter cooled, I mixed in granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and finally the flour mixture until the dough formed. I then transferred it to a piece of plastic wrap and shaped it into a disk and refrigerated it for an hour. The dough needs to be refrigerated because it is extremely soft. Thanks to the brown butter, the dough (and ultimately the cookie itself) had a nice mocha color.

After an hour I removed the dough from the refrigerator and while the dough did firm up some, it was still soft enough to scoop with a cookie scoop. I scooped the dough and rolled it into a ball…

And then coated each with granulated sugar and then confectioners’ sugar.

And baked them in a 350 F preheated oven for about 15 minutes. After letting them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes I then transferred them to a wire rack to cool completely.

So, why are these my favorite crinkle cookies now? Well, it’s because of the brown butter. Brown butter added a nice nutty flavor to the cookie.

Looking for more crinkle flavors, check out these recipes:

Key Lime Crinkles

PeanutButterCrinkles

Chocolate Walnut Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles

Red Velvet Blossom

Brown Butter Crinkles

Servings: 30 Cookies
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Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups unbleached flour

3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:

Melt the stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to boil reduce the heat to medium and simmer until foamy. Continue cooking the butter, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until foam subsides, and the butter has turned a golden brown with a nutty aroma and milk solids separate into brown specks that sink to the bottom of the pan, 2 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large heatproof bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt – and set aside.

Once the butter has cooled, stir in 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the dark brown sugar into the brown butter until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla and finally the flour mixture until the dough forms. Transfer the dough to piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and then wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in another small bowl. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll into a bowl. Roll the dough in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners’ sugar. Place on the prepared on the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes. The cookies will be done when they spread slightly, crackle and are set at the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cookie Perfection

Cookie Palooza: Red Velvet Blossom Cookie

Today’s Cookie Palooza Cookie is a Red Velvet Blossom Cookie. A fun festive twist on the traditional Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie. We all know that cookie, the peanut butter one that has a Hershey Kiss pressed into the center of it and marries that wonderful flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate… YUM!

I began by prepping the dough for the cookies. In one bowl I whisked together my dry ingredients and set them aside. In another bowl I added in my wet ingredients and beat them until they were well combined. And finally I added in the flour mixture and beat the two together until they were incorporated. At this point the dough was too soft to handle so I covered and refrigerated it for a few hours. Once the dough was firm enough I added about half a cup of confectioners’ sugar to a small bowl and rolled 1-inch shaped balls (I used a cookie scoop to measure the dough) in the sugar before placing them on a cookie sheet I lined with parchment paper. Rolling the cookies in the sugar will give them a nice crinkle effect (another popular cookie around the Holiday’s) and this is reminiscent of a traditional blossom cookie that is rolled in granulated sugar prior to baking. I then baked the cookies in a 350 preheated oven for 9 minutes. While the cookies were in the oven I unwrapped the Hershey Kisses to place in the center of each of them. You need to press these into the cookies while they are still warm before the cookie set so it’s best to have them ready for when the cookies come out of the oven. They might melt a little at the bottom but as the cookie cools the Kisses will firm up again.

And once they cool they are a delicious cookie to enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate. Or pack up in a festive tin to give as a gift, or bring along to a Holiday cookie swap or party.

If you are feeling really festive and ambitious you could easily divide the dough in half and tint one half red and the other half green for Red & Green Velvet Blossom Cookies.

Red Velvet Blossom Cookies

Servings: 48 Cookies
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Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, more as needed

Milk Chocolate Hershey Kisses

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and set aside.

Using a handheld mixer, combine the butter, both sugars, and salt in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until creamy. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract and food coloring and continue beating until the ingredients are well combined. Add in the flour and beat on low speed until mixed in. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Unwrap the Hershey Kisses and set aside,

Using a cookie scoop shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in the confectioners’ sugar and then place on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, untilt the edges of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and immediately place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the center of each cookie and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Land O Lakes

Cookie Palooza: Key Lime Crinkles

How about some crinkles for Mr. Kringle? Sorry for corniness, but, I couldn’t resist. While crinkles are customarily a chocolate cookie I decided to switch things up a bit and bring you Key Lime Crinkles for the last cookie of Cookie Palooza week. And in case you didn’t know, crinkles are a drop cookie that is rolled in confectioners’ sugar prior to baking. The sugar draws moisture out of the cookie while it’s baking allowing the cookie to crack and dry out. Leaving the exterior of the cookie with a bit of a crust and the interior soft and yummy. This key lime version is a great cookie for someone who wants something sweet but not with all the decadence of chocolate.

The search for these cookies came about because I recently asked some friends what cookie they wanted for Christmas and one friend said rugelach and a key lime pie. So, I started searching for key lime cookies since I wasn’t planning on making a pie during my weekend of cookie baking in a few weeks. The first cookie I came across was a thumbprint cookie that actually has a key lime filling, I was all set to make that one for Christmas and then I came across this recipe and decided that I would share this recipe with you as my final cookie for Cookie Palooza week. While I normally share a no-bake cookie as my final cookie, I just couldn’t find one this year that I liked 100%. My friend who wants the key lime pie tried these and he said that while they are good and they do have the key lime flavor he likes, he was hoping for a key lime filling, a la the aforementioned thumbprint cookie. So, I will be making the pie after all since that is quicker and easier than the cookies.

It may be hard to find key limes this time of year, so, you can use bottled key lime juice. I usually find this key lime juice in the baking aisle of my supermarket. This is the same juice I use to make my key lime pie when I am short on time to squeeze key limes, or they are not available at my supermarket. In all honesty, I’ve made key lime pie with fresh limes and with this juice and the taste is exactly the same. And if all else fails, you can use regular limes. I actually used the zest of a regular lime in this recipe. And speaking of zest, if you want more of a lime flavor I suggest adding in more zest. I would avoid adding in more lime juice as that will alter the consistency of your dough.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Cookie Palooza 2018 as much as I enjoyed baking the cookies and bringing you the recipes. Check back next week for Holiday Cake Week. I’ve also got some other Holiday treats hitting the blog soon as well… Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Slow Cooker Spiced Nuts (they are really Candied Nuts) and a Chocolate Truffle Cookie (which I initially was thinking would be cookie #5 for this week).

Key Lime Crinkles

Servings: 30 cookies
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Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon key lime zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon key lime juice

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, zest and salt.

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Mix in the lime juice.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl.

One chilled, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll into balls and then roll in the confectioners’ sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookie begin to brown along the edges.

Cool on the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Bake or Break

Cookie Palooza: Peanut Butter Crinkles

It’s the first week of December! Are you even remotely ready for the holidays? Have you thought about what you are baking? If not, I am here to help this week. Welcome to my 2nd Cookie Palooza. A week full of cookies… Kicking it off are Peanut Butter Crinkles. A twist on the more popular Chocolate Crinkles.

Made with peanut butter – of course – and mini chocolate chips these cookies are rolled in granulated and confectioners’ sugar for a little extra sweetness prior to baking. If you’re craving more chocolate in your cookie opt to use regular size chocolate chips as opposed to the mini ones. You do get a chocolate taste with the mini ones, but, it’s more of a hint so little so that you wouldn’t miss it if you omitted them from the batter completely.

Peanut Butter Crinkles

Servings: 36 cookies
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Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting

Directions:

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt – in a medium bowl.

In another bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and peanut butter with a mixer until creamy on medium speed. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, beat until well blended. Add the chocolate chips and beat until combined.

Put the granulated and confectioners’ sugar in separate bowls. Roll tablespoonful of dough into balls and then roll in the granulated sugar and then the confectioners’ sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm around edges and cracked on top. Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cookies with more confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Recipe from The Food Network

Cookie Palooza: Chocolate Walnut Crinkles

On this third day of Cookie Palooza I bring you a cookie that I have made before… a chocolate crinkle cookie. This version though is a bit simpler to make and it has walnuts. I love walnuts in cookies and brownies.

To make the dough for the cookies I started by toasting the walnuts and melting unsweetened chocolate and butter together. Once the walnuts and chocolate mixture cooled I added it to a large bowl with flour, sugar, eggs, Dutch processed cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Using a handheld mixer I beat the ingredients until they were combined.

Using a cookie scoop I scooped the dough and rolled it into a ball and then rolled it in confectioners’ sugar before placing them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

I baked them in a preheated 300 F oven for about 15 minutes. After removing them from the oven I let them cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While these cookies were good, I will say this… They are on the sweeter side so they are definitely meant for those who have a super sweet tooth!

Chocolate Walnut Crinkles

Servings: 36
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Ingredients:

2oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted*

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Confectioners’ sugar, for rolling

*To toast the walnuts, I placed them on a cookie sheet and baked them in a 350 F oven for about 8 minutes.

Directions:

Position racks in the oven in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat to 300 F.

Place the chocolate and butter in a small microwave safe bowl, microwaving on high for 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds, until melted. Let cool.

Scrape the melted chocolate into a large bowl and add in the flour, sugar, walnuts, eggs, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Using an electric handheld mixer, blend on medium speed until well blended.

Using a small cookie scoop (or about 2 teaspoons), scoop the dough and roll in confectioners’ sugar and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake until crackly on top and soft in the middle, rotating the sheets and reversing from the top to bottom racks halfway through baking, about 15 minutes. Let the cookies rest for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Chocolate Crinkles

The Christmas Cookie fun continues with today’s Chocolate Crinkles. Now, I know the cookie recipes I’ve posted earlier – Rosemary and Pine Nut Cookies and Orange Scented Elephant Ears – aren’t your traditional holiday cookie recipes, but, these are definitely in line with what you see around the holidays. I’ve seen recipes for these cookies for quite some time, I probably have 1 or 2 saved in my recipe binder, but, it wasn’t until I was flipping through a Christmas Cookie recipe magazine recently that I finally decided to try them out and I wish I had tried them sooner. They are a cinch to make and delicious… Chocolatey without being overpowering.

I started off by melting unsweetened chocolate, shortening and butter over low heat in a medium saucepan.

After letting the chocolate mixture cool for a few minutes I continued making the dough for the cookies by mixing together eggs, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Once that was well mixed I then added in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract and finally flour and unsweetened cocoa powder.

It wasn’t long before the dough had come together. To make sure all of the ingredients had incorporated I gave the dough a few good folds using a spatula.

Using a cookie scoop I scooped up the dough and shaped it into a ball and then rolled it in granulated sugar and then confectioners’ sugar. I then placed them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

To give some of the cookies a festive touch I sprinkled them with red, green and white sprinkles.

After baking them in a 350 F preheated oven for 8 minutes, I let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While the recipe says to bake them for 8-10 minutes, I always like to bake my cookies on the lower end of the time span to ensure that I don’t end up with cookies that are like rocks. Letting them sit on the hot pan for a few minutes allows them to cook and set for a few more minutes. At first I thought I may have removed these cookies from the oven too soon, but, as they continued to cool on the wire rack they firmed up more and the texture of the cookie was spot-on. A little crisp on the outside and completely soft on the inside!

Chocolate Crinkles

Servings: 36
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Ingredients:

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

For Rolling Dough:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Over low heat in a medium saucepan melt the chocolate, shortening and butter. Let cool.

In a large bowl combine eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. And then stir in the flour and cocoa powder.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough and shape into balls and roll the ball in the granulated sugar and then the confectioners’ sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until edges are set and the cracks appear slightly moist. Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens 100 Best Cookies Magazine