Tag: homemade

Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake

I’ve posted quite a few loaf cakes this year. They are just so easy to make, and you get so much so flavor without having to do too much, i.e. decorate. And most of them are perfect for any time of the day… As a treat for breakfast, a snack in the middle of the day or for dessert in the evening. Today’s Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake is no exception to any of this. The citrus flavor of this loaf cake makes it perfect for the warmer months ahead when you want something sweet but not too heavy. And you don’t have to whip out your hand or stand mixer to make it. Simply whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another and then whisk both together before folding in the pistachio nuts. That was a bit out a mouthful, but rest assured this cake is easy to make.

And once the cake is baked and cooled it’s time to make the glaze. Previously, I would skip adding glazes to my baked items. Whenever a recipe included it, I just assumed that it would add too much sweetness, but I have come around and realized that what it really does is enhance the flavor, well sometimes. For this cake I decided to add an orange glaze and top it with chopped pistachios to really kick up the overall flavor of the cake.

Orange Pistachio Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For the loaf cake:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2-3 navel oranges)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pistachios

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 – 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

2 – 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.

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

In a different medium bowl whisk together the orange juice, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and zest until combined and then whisk in the sugar until well combined. Add in the dry ingredient and whisk together until just combined. Finally fold in the chopped pistachios.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Once the loaf is cool prep the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Start with a tablespoon of orange juice and add more as needed. The glaze should be pourable but thick. For an easier clean-up, line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper and place the wire rack with the loaf cake on top of the wax paper. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake then sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top. To set the glaze quickly, place the cake in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Slice and enjoy!

Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Mixed Berry Crumble Pie

This weekend, Memorial Day weekend, is the unofficial start of the summer. Bring on the BBQs, warm weather, and all the other fun things associated with this time of the year! One thing I personally love about this time of the year is the in-season fruit and veggies. Yes, you can get most fruit and vegetables year-round, but certain ones just taste better now. Especially berries! Today I am sharing a pie that is perfectly patriotic for your Memorial Day & July 4th celebrations, but, truth-be-told, perfect for all your summer get-togethers… A Mixed Berry Crumble Pie. It’s also super simple to put together and perfect for a last-minute dessert.

I started off by making the crumble topping since I needed to refrigerate it for a few minutes before sprinkling it on the pie. In a medium bowl I whisked together old-fashioned oats, flour, light brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Then, using my hands, I mixed in cold butter that I cut into small pieces. If you are averse to using your hands you could also use a fork or pastry cutter. You want the butter to be completely incorporated into the mixture. Once its ready the ingredients should easily clump together. While the topping chilled, I prepped the rest of the pie.

As I am sure I’ve mentioned before I normally use store-bought pie crust. It’s fool-proof and it saves time. Before making the filling, on a lightly floured surface (my countertop) I rolled out a store-bought pie crust and an extra inch or so. I then placed it in a 9-inch pie dish and crimped the edges. To make the filling, I gently mixed fresh blueberries, blackberries and raspberries together along with light brown sugar, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and salt. I started off using a wooden spoon but quickly switched to a rubber spatula to avoid breaking up the berries. I wanted most of them to remain intact during baking so the pie would still look appealing once done and have some texture to it. 

I transferred the berry mixture to the prepared pie dish…

And then sprinkled the crumble topping on top before baking in a 375 F preheated oven.

I checked on the pie after 25 minutes and noticed that the edges of the crust and the topping were beginning to brown, so I tented it with a piece of aluminum foil until to prevent it from burning. After about another 40 minutes the pie was ready. The crumble topping had a nice golden color and the filling had just started to bubble.

After letting it cool it was time to enjoy a piece and it was DELISH! Not too sweet and some of the berries were still intact.

Mixed Berry Crumble Pie

            

Ingredients:

For the Crumble Topping:

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Pie:

1 single pie crust (either store-bought or homemade)

2 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh raspberries

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

For the crumble topping: In a medium bowl whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon & allspice. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter (or much easier your hands), until everything is well combined and the mixture clumps together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pie: Roll out the pie crust to about 10-11 inches and then place in a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl gently mix the berries, both sugars, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together until well combined. Transfer to the pie dish and then sprinkle the crumble topping on top.

Bake in the oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the filling just begins to bubble. If the edges of the pie and/or the crumble topping begin to brown too quickly tent with aluminum foil.

Allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing and enjoying.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula

Blueberry-Almond Quick Bread

Today’s post prompted me to do a little research on the difference between a quick bread (i.e. pumpkin or zucchini) and a loaf cake (i.e. a marble loaf cake) and what I ended up finding was some conflicting information. A few articles said quick breads are usually savory and often call for buttermilk (not entirely true) and then there was some baking science information regarding baking soda. What it comes to in basic terms is that quick breads are denser than loaf cakes. Something I completely agree with!

One of the best things I found about making this quick bread, a Blueberry-Almond Quick Bread that is, is that I didn’t have to break out my hand mixer or pull my stand mixer out from the corner of my kitchen counter. I simply used one whisk to whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another and then used a rubber spatula to fold everything together. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Initially I thought the recipe may have called for too many blueberries as the first few slices were heavily laden with them and there was barely any bread/cake, but after a few more slices the blueberries appeared to be more evenly dispersed.

And while this bread is dense, it is incredibly moist. The reason for both of those things, using oil instead of butter in the batter. Oil tends to result in a cake that has a more even crumb that can stay moist for days. So, why aren’t all cakes made with oil then? Well, because cakes made with butter tend to taste better. That should in no means deter you from making cakes with oil though. You just have to balance the flavors and add a little extra of this and that (spices, extracts and nuts) to get the flavor you want.

One last thing about this quick bread, it’s the perfect treat for any time of the day. Be it breakfast, brunch, an afternoon treat or a yummy dessert! Personally I had a piece for breakfast one day and dessert on another.

Blueberry Almond Quick Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 – inch loaf pan with cooking or baking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour (1 1/2 cups), sugar, almonds, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined and then fold into the flour mixture until just combined.

Toss the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour and then fold into the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Food Network

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

I tend to buy ricotta cheese when it’s on sale with the idea that I am going to make baked ziti or possibly stuffed shells. I check the date and usually it’s not expiring for a month or two, so I think to myself “I have time.” What ends up happening is I remember that said ricotta cheese is in the fridge usually a week or two before it’s going to expire, and I start racking my brain on what to make with it. And of course, I am not in the mood to make anything Italian at that time. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now, but of course not. But it is how I came up with the recipe for today’s post, a quick and easy Almond Ricotta Cheesecake.

After combining six simple ingredients and pouring the batter into a 9-inch graham cracker crust I popped the cheesecake in the oven. Unfortunately, it did crack. I probably left it in the oven just a few minutes too long.

It didn’t ruin the taste though and some toasted sliced almonds covered up any imperfections. As well as a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Now, if you’ve never had a ricotta cheese-based cheesecake, I should note that it’s not as smooth and creamy as a cream cheese one. Some may even say it’s a bit granular, but it is delicious nonetheless and the almond flavor in this one really stands out. So, if you find yourself with an extra two cups of ricotta cheese or happen to see a small container on sale, you have the perfect recipe for it.

Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

9-inch graham cracker crust

2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 8oz. block cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup slice almonds, toasted*

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*To toast the almonds, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for 8 minutes. Cool before using.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F. Place the graham cracker crust on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl beat together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, almond and vanilla extracts with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended. Add the eggs and continue beating until the eggs are well incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust and bake for 45-55 minutes. Until the cheesecake is set around the edges and still slightly jiggly in the center.

Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prior to serving spread the toasted almonds on top of the cheesecake and then sift confectioners’ sugar on top.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

11 Years…

Last week marked 11 years that I started this blog. It all started with an Elmo cake I made for my oldest niece’s birthday. Since then, there have been posts highlighting other theme cakes, birthday cakes, holiday cakes, cookies, pies, yarn projects and even some jewelry. And a few other things in between.

When I started, I was basically winging it (to some extent I probably still am). I got the basics of how to post my story and pics and went with it. I am still unsure about SEO, but I keep trudging along. I remember when I posted a recipe I would always take (and post) a pic of all of my ingredients assembled for it. It was something I saw other bloggers do so I figured I should do it as well. I moved away from that quite some time ago. Truth be told, nowadays I can be in such a zone creating (be it baking, knitting/crocheting, etc.) that I tend to forget to take a pic of the steps. I focus more now on getting a good pic of the finished project. I’m still working on getting those just right as well. I feel like I’m chasing the sunlight around my house. The different seasons tend to make the sunlight in my house perfect at different times of the day and in different areas of my house. And lately we have been having a ton of cloudy days, so my pics have been looking a bit gray. My recent location for photos has been by my front door. I set-up a table by my storm door to get as much unobstructed natural light as I can. This involves me contorting and squatting in a tight space to get the picture just right. And probably has my neighbors who have spotted me doing this wondering what the heck I am doing as they aren’t able to see my set-up, just me taking pics. When I come home at night I tend to stand in my yard and look up at the stars (which I think may be an odd sight at night), so this just adds to my eccentricities. It might be time to invest in one of those nifty backdrops to take my pictures though.

During these 11 years there have been times when I thought about ending my blog or taking an extended break from it. But I enjoy creating and writing and what better way to flex that muscle than with a blog. I have noticed that quite a few blogs I do (or did) follow have stopped and I get it. Blogging does take some time and I don’t just mean the writing (which of course takes time as well). You have to create the content. Whether it be working on a creative piece, testing a recipe, creating a recipe from scratch, that all takes time. And having extra time to do things is such a commodity! I am constantly making lists or going through things in my head to make sure I get everything I want done done. There’s always a list. I get such a feeling of accomplishment when I cross things off my lists. Maybe it’s a psychological thing, regardless, it works, and I am going with it. I have even started to try and map out the things I want to post about as well. Baking things earlier for holiday posts so I am not scrambling a day or two before to get all done. So, cheers to 11 years and hopefully too many more to come! Oh, and here’s a pic of my niece’s birthday cake this year… She turned 13 so instead of a theme cake something a bit more sophisticated!

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Happy Valentine’s Day! Rose are red, violets are blue, I have sprinkle cookies for you! Sorry for the cheesiness, I just couldn’t resist. That popped into my head the other day when I was thinking of what to write for these cookies. For a second I thought about switching up my plan for these cookies and using sprinkle colors to represent the teams playing in the Super Bowl this past weekend – since I was taking them to a Super Bowl party- but that would have been red & green, so I decided to spread a little love with them instead. That brings up a good point about these cookies, you can switch up the sprinkle colors for any occasion. They will taste good regardless. Similar to the Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies I shared a few weeks ago.

A couple of things to note about these cookies. The dough can be made in a food processor or using a hand/stand mixer. Since I like easy clean-ups, I opted to use my food processor. While the recipe I was following stated that you could use the butter and cream cheese right out of the refrigerator if using a food processor, I let both come to room temperature. Be sure to refrigerate the dough prior to baking, if not, the cookies will spread considerably. Also, the cookies will appear under baked when they come out of the oven but will firm up after cooling on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Resist the temptation to put them back in the oven for an extra minute or two.

Confetti Cookies

  • Servings: 28 Cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks

2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of an 8-ounce brick), cut into chunks

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse a few times to mix together. Add the butter cream cheese and sugar and process until the mixture comes together. Add the egg and vanilla extract and process until a ball of dough forms. You may need to scrape the bowl down a few times to ensure everything combines and mixes together. Transfer the dough to a bowl and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes so the dough can firm up.

Place sprinkles in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Roll the dough in your hands and then roll in the sprinkles before placing on the prepared cookies sheets 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a glass to press the cookies down about 1/4 to 1/2 – inch. If the cookies have any bare spots press more sprinkles into the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies will appear under baked and very soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you opt to use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make the dough… In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract beat again until well combined. With the mixer on low add in the flour mixture and beat until combined. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes until firm and then continue with directions.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes

I may be a few years late sharing a recipe for molten lava cakes. They were all the rage years ago. I swear any restaurant I went to had their own version of these chocolate cakes. Truth be told though; I still enjoy them. What’s not to love about a chocolate cake that is semi-baked and oozes chocolate when you cut into it? Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have the perfect dessert. I had an idea though to add a little something extra to them. One of my favorite combinations is raspberry and chocolate. Before Godiva closed all their stores, I would make full use of their loyalty program that included a free piece of chocolate every month and would always get their Raspberry Truffle. So, I thought what about a Raspberry Molten Lava Cake.

Now, while I love the combination of raspberry and chocolate, there is one thing I don’t like… raspberry seeds. I wanted to be able to enjoy this molten without the seeds getting in the way. I never noticed how many seeds are in raspberries until I baked with them. Somehow, they just aren’t as annoying when you eat fresh raspberries. So, to avoid those pesky seeds I opted to use seedless raspberry jam. I prepped my batter, which took less than 10 minutes, and then filled my ramekins about 2/3 full and then placed 2 teaspoons of the jam in the center of each.

I then topped the raspberry jam with the remaining batter.

And finally baked them on a baking sheet in my preheated oven. And while they did rise significantly, they didn’t overflow while baking.

After letting them cool for a few minutes I carefully inverted one onto a plate.

And I must say, the first word that came to mind when I enjoyed my first bite was perfection. The cake itself wasn’t overly sweet, it was baked just right and there was just the right amount of “lava” that flowed out. And let’s not forget about the raspberry flavor… the two teaspoons was just the right amount.

Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients:

6oz. semi-sweet chocolate*

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup flour

8 teaspoons seedless raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

*I used a combination of a 4oz. Ghirardelli baking bar and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. If using a baking bar, chop the chocolate before melting with butter.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray 4 6-oz ramekins with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

In a microwave safe bowl combine the butter and chocolate and microwave for 30-second intervals until the butter melts. Stir the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a medium bowl beat the sugar and eggs together on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate until just combined. Then fold in the flour until the mixture is well combined and smooth.

Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into each of the prepared ramekins. Top each with 2 teaspoons of raspberry jam and then top with the remaining batter – 1/4 cup in each.

Bake on the baking sheet in the oven for 15-16 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan 5-10 minutes before carefully inverting the cake onto a plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy.

For any leftovers, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To heat, microwave for 30-seconds. Let sit for a minute and then invert on a plate and enjoy.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Happy February! Today I am sharing a dessert that is perfect to make any time of year but would be perfect to serve for Valentine’s Day as it’s oh so chocolaty! It’s a Flourless Chocolate Cake.

This is probably one of the simplest cakes I’ve made since it only required 1-bowl to make. In a microwave-safe bowl I combined chopped semi-sweet chocolate and butter and microwaved it in 30-second intervals until the butter melted. There’s no need to keep heating the two until the chocolate melts. By the time the butter has melted the chocolate is soft enough that it will finish melting when the two are stirred together, and you don’t want to overheat the chocolate. After the butter and chocolate were smooth, I stirred in sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Next, I added in three eggs. To make incorporating the eggs easier I broke the yolks of the eggs. And finally, I stirred in cocoa powder. I used Dutch-process cocoa powder, but you could also use regular unsweetened cocoa powder as well.

Once the cake was baked and cooled, I topped it with a quick and easy chocolate ganache. To speed up the ganache setting I placed the cake in the refrigerator. You could let it set at room temperature, but it will take a few hours to do so. Once the ganache had set, I dusted the top with confectioners’ sugar and added a few raspberries for a sweet touch. If you do refrigerate the cake, just be sure to let it sit at room temperature prior to serving. I let mine sit for about 45 minutes and it was perfect.

While I thought the cake was going to be overly sweet, surprisingly it wasn’t. It was decadent though. Reminding me of the perfect chocolate truffle, rich and smooth. One other perk about this cake… it’s gluten-free. I’m not gluten-free, but I know for those who are sometimes finding a dessert that is easy to make with simple ingredients and not lacking in flavor can be a challenge.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

For the Cake:

1 4oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar*, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 4oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar*, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

Confectioners’ sugar and raspberries (or another berry) for topping

*I used a Ghirardelli baking bar, alternatively you could also use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Directions:

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper and then spray the paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl add the butter and chocolate and heat in the microwave for 30-second intervals until the butter has melted. Stir the two together until smooth.

Stir in the sugar, salt and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture until smooth. Next, stir in the 3 eggs until they are well combined, and the mixture is smooth once again. Finally, stir in the cocoa powder until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. The cake will form a thin crust and the temperature of the cake should be 200 F when an instant read thermometer is inserted in the center.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the edges of the cake and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Allow the cake to cool completely.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the heavy cream in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it begins to simmer, 45 seconds – 1 minute.

Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then stir both together to melt the chocolate. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Let it sit for a few minutes so it can thicken up a bit and then pour over the cake. Spreading it onto the cake evenly.

Let the ganache set, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Once the ganache is set, dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar and top with raspberries.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe modified from King Arthur Baking

Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my opinion you can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes. You need your basic one and then you need those “special” ones that have some fun ingredients that really make them stand out. I came across the recipe for these Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine. Not only do they have cookie butter in the dough, but they also have sprinkles. I made them twice around the holidays using red, green and white sprinkles and just recently again for a friend and her family using rainbow sprinkles. Oh, and in case you are wondering, cookie butter is similar in consistency to peanut butter but is made with speculoos cookie crumbs, a fat, flour and sugar and it’s quite tasty.

To make the dough I whisked together my dry ingredients in one bowl and my wet ones in another. After combining them, I folded in the chocolate chips and sprinkles. The dough was quite soft so I refrigerated it for about 2 hours so it could firm up. Now, if you are thinking of freezing the dough to make it later, you could skip refrigerating it and scoop it out and place it on a wax-paper lined baking sheet and freeze until hard and then place the dough in resealable bags in the freezer until you are ready to bake it. You will just need to add a minute or two to the baking time.

Once the dough was firm I scooped and dropped it onto my prepared baking sheets and pressed some additional sprinkles into the dough before baking them. I believe you can never have too many sprinkles. Whenever I get vanilla soft serve in a cup I ask for sprinkles in the cup before the ice cream is added and then more sprinkles on top. Yum!

After removing the cookies from the oven, I let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The rainbow sprinkles gave the cookies a nice fun look. With Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter just around the corner you could really customize these for each of those holidays or any other occasion.

Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Servings: 30 cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup smooth cookie butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons sprinkles (or jimmies, not nonpareils), plus more for topping

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter, cookie butter and both sugars with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles until combined and evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough is slightly firm, but still easily scoopable.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a standard cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Press additional sprinkles onto the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are set around the edges, puffed, but still soft in the middle. Let cool on the sheets for 3 to 5 minutes until transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe slightly modified from Food Network.

Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Some pairings just taste good together – like peanut butter and chocolate, peanut butter and banana and banana and chocolate – so I figured that three would taste just as good (or better) together. And that’s how I came up with this Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf.

Although, I was a little discouraged when I tasted the first loaf I made. It was a bit dense, and the banana flavor was overpowering. With my second loaf, I reduced the amount of flour in the batter and increased the amount of peanut butter. The loaf then ended up being super moist with an equal balance of peanut butter and banana flavor. Now some people who tried it tasted the banana more or the peanut butter more. I think that might be due to preference of one over the other. I was able to taste both.

Now, I would like to think this loaf is somewhat healthy since the bananas are a good source of potassium and the peanut butter protein, but I am sure some would beg to differ since there is sugar and chocolate chips in the loaf as well. But a little sweetness isn’t a bad thing sometimes. If you’re really trying to stick to any health-related New Year’s Resolutions though, you could omit the chocolate chips and use maple syrup in lieu of the sugar. In doing so though you will have to add a little extra flour to the batter to account for the extra liquid.

Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray 9 x 5 loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.

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

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until just combined. Add the vanilla extract. Stir in the mashed bananas and peanut butter until just combined.

With the mixer on low add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf ban and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe first appeared on Bead Yarn & Spatula.

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