Tampilkan postingan dengan label Cookies. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Cookies. Tampilkan semua postingan

Cookie Decorating Kits - Perfect Holiday Gift!

Diposting oleh good reading on Rabu, 04 Desember 2013

Here's a fun holiday gift idea for you...

A cookie decorating kit for your friends and family.
Combine the icing, the sprinkles and the cookies all in one place... it's perfect! And perfectly fun.

What You Need: (for 3-5 kits)
(I will describe each in detail below with recipe links)
Cut-out cookies
Buttercream Icing
3-4 bottles of sprinkles
Disposable icing bags*
Mini treat bags *
*Available at craft stores

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More about → Cookie Decorating Kits - Perfect Holiday Gift!

Homemade Gingerbread House {Recipe}

Diposting oleh good reading on Sabtu, 30 November 2013

We love decorating gingerbread houses at our house. But admittedly, I'd never made them from scratch before this season. I was sure my awesomely soft Gingerbread Recipe wouldn't hold up the decorations, and I don't usually eat the houses, anyway.

Graham crackers and store-bought kits worked well enough for us. Now I know. Totally worth it, making our own. Though I did have to add a lot more flour to get the dough stiff enough to hold up.

What You Need:
For the house pieces:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
5 - 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

For the Icing:
1 lb. powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 - 4 cups) 
1-2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/3 cup water

(See my Egg White Royal Icing Recipe if you don't have meringue powder.)

For the Decorations:
Cereal: Fruit Loops, Trix, Golden Grahams, Frosted Mini Wheats
Candy: Gum Drops, Mini Candy Canes, Mints, Gumballs, Cotton Candy
Teddy Grahams or Gingerbread Men Cookies
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More about → Homemade Gingerbread House {Recipe}

Peanut Butter- Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recipe}

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 10 September 2013

I've told you before that I'm not a big fan of traditional chocolate chip cookies. I know. I know. How un-American of me, but I'm just not. (Unless they're Sweet Martha's at the Fair.)
So, when my boys wanted some cookies to sell at their Lemonade Stand last weekend, I decided peanut butter chocolate chip would be the way to go.
These cookies are a little different because I used some ground oats in them to lighten up the texture and give them a nuttier flavor.

What You Need:
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer chunky)
1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus more for dusting)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cup flour
1 cup oats (toasted and ground)
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Yield: 2-3 dozen 3" cookies
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More about → Peanut Butter- Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recipe}

Cinnamon Apple Cut-Out Cookies {Recipe}

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 03 September 2013

I like to start the school year off right... that means, for me, that I send in bribes gifts to my boys' teachers. This year, I tried these Cinnamon-Apple flavored cut-out cookies.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate (defrosted)

For the icing
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
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More about → Cinnamon Apple Cut-Out Cookies {Recipe}

These Cookies are Just Peachy {Recipe}

Diposting oleh good reading on Senin, 26 Agustus 2013

August is National Peach Month. Now, in Minnesota, this really means very little because, well, it's Minnesota. We don't get good peaches here. August, January, never.

However, my Dad lives in South Carolina where, apparently, the peach is king. So, he's hosting a peachy little party, and asked me to send along some peachy cookies for it. I wanted the cookies to look and taste peachy.

What You Need:
For the Cookies:
3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 large or extra large egg (at room temperature)
2 Tbsp. peach schnapps
1/8-1/4 tsp. cinnamon

For the Icing:
Vinegar or lemon juice to wipe down equipment
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. peach schnapps

Yield: About 3 dozen 2"-3" cookies.
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More about → These Cookies are Just Peachy {Recipe}

Back-to-School Treats & Eats

Diposting oleh good reading on Kamis, 01 Agustus 2013

It's hard to believe that in some parts of the country, it's almost time for back-to-school. We still have a good month of summertime ahead of us. But I thought I'd share some of my past back-to-school or teacher ideas for those of you whose summer is coming to an end.







More about → Back-to-School Treats & Eats

Game Night Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Jumat, 19 Juli 2013

Super simple cookies made for a 'Game Night' at my kids' school. Three colors of icing, if you count the white. Can't beat that!

What You Need:
Roll-Out Cookie Dough
   (I used both my Chocolate Sugar Cookie & Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipes)
Royal Icing
Red & Black Food Coloring
Ruler & Knife (or pastry wheel)

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More about → Game Night Cookies

MOMMY, I NEED SOME GLUTEN COOKIES!

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 16 Juli 2013

Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Nirvana Cookies
Guilty as charged.



I'm baking with wheat flour.  GF friends, avert your eyes!   My (almost) 10 year old approached me the other day and buttered me up with the statement that she really likes my baking and wished I would bake more often.  I asked her what she wanted me to make and she said "something with gluten!"




Well, yah. About that.  As you've noticed my food blog dedicated to my love for cake has morphed a tad over the last couple of years to include mostly Gluten Free baked goods recipes since my Hashi's diagnosis.  I'm the only one in the family who's gluten intolerant.  I figured that the kids wouldn't really mind if I didn't bake gluteny ever again.  Wrong.  Obviously they miss it.





So here I am making a huge batch of my favourite Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Nirvana Cookies (based on Jacques Torres' recipe) and dumping in the real thing: wheat flour. Yikes.  I know I won't be able to eat the cookies.  So I decided to refrigerate the rest of the batch and bake one sheet at a time because I hate to see good cookies go stale.   A sheet will last the two kids about 2 days I figure.





Also, I was intending to bake a fresh sheet of cookies for company during the summer.  You know, to accompany that tall glass o' lemonade while chatting with friends about how fast summer's passing while sitting on your deck.

Here's the recipe BELOW if you're inclined to make it (it's a winner!)


chocolate chunk nirvana cookies from Ms K on Vimeo.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Nirvana
makes 3 dozen ridiculously large cookies
adapted from Jacques Torres' A Year in Chocolate

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour [I used organic, unbleached]
2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups plus 2 1/2 T granulated sugar [I used organic evaporated cane sugar]
3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 t pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite-sized pieces [I used Lindt Dark(85%) chocolate bars and broke along the lines]
1 cup white chocolate pieces [I used Callebaut]
  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have ready 2 nonstick cookie sheets, or line 2 regular cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and beat until well blended. Add the eggs and beat just until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. When all of the flour mixture has been incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate.
  • To shape the cookies, using a tablespoon, scoop out a heaping spoonful of the dough and, using the palms of your hands, form it into a 3-inch ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
  • Store, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
  • [cakebrained note: I keep prepared dough in their 3-inch ball shapes, refrigerated in a ziploc bag for a few days and bake as I need them. I only ever bake 6 cookies on a sheet at one time. This way you have a constant supply of fresh cookies. They're so good hot from the oven! Alternately, you can freeze the cookie balls too and keep them longer, but you may have to add a few minutes to the baking time]
More about → MOMMY, I NEED SOME GLUTEN COOKIES!

Fireworks Cookies - (If you squint)

Diposting oleh good reading on Rabu, 03 Juli 2013

You know, sometimes, things turn out great. Just like you plan. Perfect...

And sometimes they don't.

I don't hate the cookies, they just didn't turn out quite as well as the last time I made firework cookies:


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More about → Fireworks Cookies - (If you squint)

How To Decorate Peacock Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Jumat, 28 Juni 2013

These peacock cookies were made for a baby shower. When she asked me to make them, I was nervous, but then I found the inspiration for these cookies from Anne at Flour Box Bakery.

These are not the easiest cookies I've ever decorated, that's for darn sure! They take many steps, and quite a few colors of icing. Not to mention that there's a lot of waiting involved between steps... for example, you try to brush on the shimmer too early and you end up with this smashed feather above.

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More about → How To Decorate Peacock Cookies

Tip for Tuesday: How To Freeze Decorated Sugar Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 18 Juni 2013

Sometimes... okay most of the time... my real life and my life of cake decorating are in competition with one another. I don't always have time to get everything done that I'd like when I'd like. I'm sure no one else ever feels this way, right?! (sarcasm)

I had heard that you could freeze decorated sugar cookies, and that they would survive without the colors bleeding. I was skeptical. But I thought I could give it a try, and give it a really good test by making some more of these Baseball Cookies I showed you last summer for my sons' team snacks.

So, I decorated some Chocolate Sugar Cookies and some Vanilla Sugar Cookies. I used dark red icing for the lines/laces on the baseballs on top of a pure white base. If this stuff bleeds, there will be no mistaking. (But 5- and 6-year-olds still won't care.)

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More about → Tip for Tuesday: How To Freeze Decorated Sugar Cookies

School's Out for Summer - Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Rabu, 05 Juni 2013

Today was our official last day of school for the year. My guys are going to be first graders! Seems impossible. I wanted to make some cookies to thank the teachers, but I was running really short on time this week.

So, I went the Kindergarten way out. I baked some simple round cookies, used Food Writer edible ink markers to draw simple pictures on them, then used red icing to "cross out" the school-related things that they would no longer deal with over the summer... and green icing to circle the things they'd welcome.

I did some personalization. The whistling lips were for the teachers who have my one guy who cannot. stop. whistling. ever.

And the highlight... was the bloody tooth. Kindergarten teachers deal with a lot of lost teeth... and two of them do not like teeth at all!

*Note: My original idea was to do cookies based on the Alice Cooper song, 'School's Out.' Everyone told me it was too obscure and the teachers wouldn't know what I was talking about. Ha! The teacher opened the cookies, and immediately started singing the song. Next year, I guess.

Click the Links Below to See:
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe 
Other school/teacher-related treats

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More about → School's Out for Summer - Cookies

Baseball Cookies, Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 21 Mei 2013

Baseball season is in full swing (har, har) in our house right now. Practices, games, and most importantly, the treats that go along with those events.
Last year, I made a few fun baseball treats, that I thought I would bring back out for you today.


(very easy!)

(Three ways to make them)

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Graduation Hat Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Jumat, 17 Mei 2013

Congratulations, Graduate! These Chocolate Graduation Hat Cookies are the perfect gift for a special grad or a great centerpiece for a graduation party.

What You Need:
Chocolate Roll-Out Cookie Dough (one batch makes about 12-15 hats)
Royal Icing*
Fruit-Flavored Tootsie Rolls or Starburst
Round Cutter (or glass)
Ruler
Small round cutter (I used icing tip #12)

*I added 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder to a full recipe of Royal Icing for these. You only need a tiny bit of icing, though. You would be fine to do a half recipe, or you may even consider melting some chocolate or Candy Melts to use as your glue instead of the royal icing.

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More about → Graduation Hat Cookies

Kentucky Derby Cookies

Diposting oleh good reading on Selasa, 30 April 2013

... And down the stretch they come...

My Dad asked me to make some cookies for a Kentucky Derby party this weekend.

I didn't do a great job of taking pictures to give you a tutorial, so I'll just share many pictures of the finished products.(Feel free to ask in the comments if you have questions about how I made something.)

I had a lot of inspiration from other cookie/baking websites. The horses I saw on the site Cookie Cowgirl.

I really love the horses. They turned out so well, and, honestly, they weren't that hard. The hair was probably the hardest/ most putsy part. I am trying to decide who else in my life needs horse cookies.

The hats were what my Dad really liked. I based those on some made by Bakerella. They were a little harder than I'd hoped, and I'm nervous that the flowers won't make it to South Carolina in tact, but I am hopeful.

And the Derby 'silks,' I cut out by hand, using an image from the official Derby site.

Lastly, the horseshoes... now, these I just know won't survive shipping, but I had to try. What's a horse without a shoe?

Click the Links Below to See:
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe
Royal Icing Consistency Tutorial

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More about → Kentucky Derby Cookies