Almond Orange Biscotti

I'm gonna be real with you.  I'm not fully invested in this post because The Bachelor is on in 19 minutes  as I type this.  I know, right?  You can understand why my concentration is elsewhere.  Apparently there's some sort of football game on too.  Whatever.

But I just need to be clear that I don't watch The Bachelor because I'm touched watching two people find true love.  Heck no.  I watch it for the meltdowns and cocktail dresses and endless love analogies like "Rock climbing with Sean really helped me face my fears and now I'm not afraid to fall... in love."  << million dollars says someone will literally say that on the show.  I can't think of a better way to spend 2 hours on a Monday night.

Alright perhaps there are better things I can do with my time.  Such as, nearly anything else.  No regrets!

Speaking of regrets, I don't regret making this biscotti.  No sirree.  Not one bit.  Biscotti dipped in coffee is one of my all-time favorite treats.  They're MEANT for dipping guys.  They're designed for it. Quite frankly, if you don't intend to dip biscotti, just don't eat it at all because you're doing it wrong.  I'm sorry, that was harsh.  But really, don't.

And let me say, if you're at all intimidated by biscotti, don't be silly girl.  It's just cookie dough baked twice.  And this recipe doesn't even require a mixer.  Just some bowls, a spoon and some gumption! 

"This biscotti has shown me that true love is possible."<< million bucks says they say that too.  

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup sliced almonds

1 large egg white

Instructions:

1.  Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.  In a large bowl, mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Gently mix in almonds.

3.  Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, about 2 1/2-inch-wide log.  Exactness isn't essential but you want both logs to be the same size so they cook evenly.  Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log.

4.  Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread a little), about 30 minutes, rotating pans half way thru baking.  Cool logs completely on the sheet on a rack, about 25 minutes but maintain oven temperature.

5.  Transfer logs to work surface and using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

Enjoy!

Recipe barely adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Lofthouse-Style Frosted Sugar Cookies

Here is where things get difficult.  Because it's likely that early January is not a time when many people are looking for frosted sugar cookie recipes.  They're looking for recipes with vegetables and egg whites and resolutions.

But yuck!  No one wants that stuff right?  No one actually wants vegetables when given the choice between vegetables and frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles.  Obviously, vegetables are important and all (I guess) but come on.  Sprinkles!

Perhaps if sprinkles were on vegetables, I'd eat them more often.  My sister once referred to peas as the "sprinkles of the vegetable world" but that's just silly.  Peas only come in one color and also, they're gross.  My mom used to put peas in macaroni and cheese and it was basically traumatizing.

But why am I talking about sprinkles when I could be telling you that these cookies are wonderfully dense and soft and fluffy and mildly sweet and topped with icing and pretty pretty sprinkles?  I will never waste your time talking of peas again.  Unless to tell you that that they're gross.  

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

4½ cups all-purpose flour
4½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs
5 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
7-8 Tbsp milk (or more, if needed)
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:  
1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.  
2.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add vanilla. 
3.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients slowly, mixing until incorporated and evenly mixed.  Don't over mix!  Cover and chill the dough for about 1 hour. 
4.  After cookies are chilled, scoop about a quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing about 2 inches apart.  Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set.  These cookies shouldn't get a lot of color so be careful not to over-bake!  They should look pale.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5.  For the icing, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth. If necessary, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies.  Top with sprinkles if desired.  Icing should harden a bit as it sets.  

Enjoy!

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Mint Chocolate Crunch Cookies

I am entering these Mint Chocolate Crunch Cookies in the Creative Holiday Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!

So let me tell you the harrowing story of this cookie.  Get your tissues ready.  I heard about this contest on one of the many baking blogs I follow and I was immediately pumped.  I feel like I'm finding my voice when it comes to blogging and I'm slowly developing my style.  It seemed like the perfect opportunity to possibly get my blog to a wider audience AND challenge me to come up with a recipe that fit the requirements: Creativity, Use of Ingredients, and Ease of Preparation.

So I racked my brain to come up with a recipe that I thought would be a breeze to whip up but still had a little something special.  Then I thought, "Well I sure love cookies.  I wish I could eat three cookies at once.  Take that society!"  And so this cake mix cookie came to be.  I was SURE that this was a fun, original idea.  Then this happened the next day.  And this happened a few days later.  And my poor little heart broke.

Just as I was gleefully passing around these cookies to my coworkers the next day, my silly smile left my face when I sat at my computer and saw my "original idea" was barely original.  I almost decided to not post the recipe at all because I was so darn discouraged that someone had the same idea as me and beat me to the punch.  But the heck with 'em!  Cuz I've got gumption!  Or something.

This recipe was too delicious not share with my reader(s) anyway.  So with my head held high, I present my Mint Chocolate Crunch Cookies!  Give them a shot.  And give me credit please?  

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients
1 box 18.25oz chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk (if necessary)
approximately 15 peppermint patties
approximately 15 grasshopper cookies
sugar, for rolling

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicon baking mat and set aside.
2.  In a medium bowl,  combine cake mix, eggs, and oil until dough forms.  If necessary, add milk if the dough seems dry.  
2.  Stack patty and cookie, and on either side, add one tablespoon of dough (see picture above).  Use your fingers to meet the dough around the edges of the patty and cookie, making sure to create a seal.  Lightly roll in granulated sugar and place on baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. 
3. Bake 8-10 minutes until center is puffed and edges are set.  Allow to cool 5 minutes on the tray before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!  

An Annie's City Kitchen original  

Pumpkin Spice Blossoms

I basically can't think of Halloween these days without singing, "Werewolf bar mitzvah, spooky scary.  Boys becoming men.  Men becoming wolves."  In fact, I think I have a larger scale problem of thinking exclusively in 30 Rock quotes.  Actually, is that a problem?  Or is it awesome?  Yeah, it's definitely awesome.  I'm glad we settled that.

So these little babies are just delightful.  Imagine if you will, a chewy, delectable cookie seasoned with the warmth of Pumpkin Pie Spice and topped with a pumpkin and white chocolate dream.  A dream I say!  They're just a perfect bite of fall and easy enough to make while you watch Hocus Pocus.  And really, that should be the litmus test to any Halloween treat:  Can I make this while watching Hocus Pocus?  

Omg you guys, now I want to Hocus Pocus LIKERIGHTNOW.  Do you ever think of movies the way you think of certain comfort food?  Like, watching something you've seen a thousand times relaxes you and feels familiar?  No?  Just me?  Well, Hocus Pocus is on my "comfort movie" list.  Right along with When Harry Met Sally and Ratatouille and Gone With The Wind and basically any Christmas movie ever made.  Oh boy, don't get me started on Christmas movies!  

But really, can we talk about Christmas movies now?

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 package Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses, unwrapped
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling cookies in

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
2.  Unwrap pumpkin spice Kisses and place them in a bowl in the freezer until ready to use (this will cause them to melt slower when placed in the cookie). Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl for rolling cookies in and set aside.

3.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.  With the mixer on low, gradually add in small batches to the butter mixture, until just combined.
5.  Scoop dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls, roll in sugar, and place on baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes until puffed and slightly golden.
6.  Remove from oven, flatten just slightly with the back of a spoon and allow to cool three minutes still on the pan.  After three minutes, gently push a frozen pumpkin spice kiss into the center. The Kisses will get shiny and start to melt after a few minutes.   If they continue melting too quickly, you can put the whole baking sheet in the freezer for a few minutes to set them up.  

Enjoy!  

Recipe adapted slightly from Baker Girl.  

Coffee Toffee Brown Sugar Cookies

So I have this trusty brown sugar cookie recipe that's, well, trusty.  I always have the ingredients on hand, you don't need a mixer to make them and most importantly, they're super delicious.  I should have expected nothing less from an America's Test Kitchen recipe.  

And speaking of ATK (that's what I call America's Test Kitchen because we're totally on a nickname basis), it's sorta my dream to work there.  My life's dream, guys.   I would be paid to bake all day and not only that, you bake recipes over and over again until they're perfect.  It's quite literally a test kitchen.    So it's sorta like you're paid to mess up.  And if that's the case, I'd be super rich.    

I'll tell ya' what though.  I certainly did not mess up on these cookies.  I thought to myself, "I would like to add coffee to these cookies because I'm pretty sure coffee and sugar tastes great together.  And let's add toffee so it rhymes."  And so it was done.  

And if these are baked just right, the center will look deep and gooey while the edges have a crackly crust.  Sometimes the only thing better than puling a perfect tray of cookies out of the oven is finding out they have a deep gooey center with a crackly crust.  Am I right?  (I'm right)

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

14 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

4 Tbsp instant granulated coffee**

1/2 tsp table salt

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 toffee bits

Instructions:

1.  Brown the butter: Heat the 10 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 mins.  Continue cooking and swirling the skillet until butter turns a golden brown color and has a nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes.   (Baker Girl has a great visual and description).  Transfer to a heatproof bowl and adding 4 remaining tablespoons of butter to melt.  Allow to cool. 

2.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or Silpat.  In a shallow dish, mix granulated sugar with 1/4 cup packed brown sugar until well combined.  

3.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and coffee.  Set aside. 

4. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute (it may seem like too much flour at first but stick with it). Add toffee bits. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets and toffee is fully incorporated and ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Roll dough into balls, 2 Tbsp in size. Toss the balls into the reserved sugar mixture to coat and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake. **


Notes

**I've used instant granulated coffee in other recipes and I always seem to add more than the recipe calls for because the coffee flavor seems lacking. I used 4 tablespoons in this recipe but it might be worth starting with 2 or 3 tablespoons and adjusting for your preferences.

**Baking sheets one at a time may seem unnecessary but I really recommend it. My oven can be finicky so I baked these cookies for 6 minutes and then rotated the pan and baked for 6 more minutes. They needed exactly 12 minutes. Don't be fooled if these cookies don't look quite set in the center. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

  

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen

    

Monster Cookies

Boy oh boy.  What do you do when you're sitting in front of your computer, fingers on the keys, but nothing to say?  I'm ready to type guys, I just don't know what to say.  Obviously, I can talk about Monster Cookies.  That seems too easy though, right?    

I know my dedicated fans have come to expect thoughtful prose from my blog.  It's a lot of pressure for someone of my genius and my infinite wisdom.  Producing poignant and honest writing every week can be a struggle.  Especially when I couldn't figure out why Emily kept around John "The Wolf" on The Bachelorette for so long.  I mean, that guy didn't say more than two words for weeks and got a free trip through Europe.  How can I write when I feel so conflicted?      

But here we are readers.  Talking about Monster Cookies and Rose Ceremonies.  I feel like this blog post got away from me...  Let's bring it back home to cookies.  Monster Cookies.  Apparently Monster Cookies are a "thing" that exist amongst the general public.  So I was reading through some recipes online and readers left comments about the use of flour in these cookies.  There was outrage I say, outrage!  I've learned flour is not allowed in Monster Cookies.  Who knew?!  I guess everyone except me, it would seem.

I suppose it makes sense since these cookies have just about everything else in them.  And it's really wonderful because you can swap in or out just about anything you prefer.  Chopped peanuts?  Sure!  Reese's Pieces?  Why not?!  Toffee bits?  Go for it!  Not to mention (actually I'm about to mention) that this recipe makes a TON of cookies.  For "monster" appetites.  That joke was as painful for me as it was for you.  

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup M&M's
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup Rice Krispies
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats or spray with cooking spray.

2.  In a very large mixing bowl, combine eggs and both sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter, mixing well again. Stir in M&M's and chocolate chips.  Add baking soda, and oatmeal and Rice Krispies, stirring gently not to crush the Krispies.  

3.  Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart (the dough will be somewhat sticky and it will spread and flatten) onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. 

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted slightly from Paula Deen/Food Network

Coconut Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Definitely don't make this dough and then pretty much eat half and then actually make some cookies after you've eaten half the dough.  Not that I did that though.  It just seems like something that could maybe happen to someone.  

But maybe if you really really like tiny little coffee granules mixed in with chocolate and coconut and butter and sugar then MAYBE you should eat some of the dough.  Someone has to test the product, right?  Life is so hard sometimes.

Like when you make a batch of cookies and you have to eat a fresh warm one right out of the oven.  So difficult.  Or when you have a lazy Sunday and are forced to read Game of Thrones or watch a Tudors marathon.  Exhausting.  Or when you order a gigantic iced coffee on a warm May Saturday while you read The Onion.  LIFE ISN'T FAIR.

These cookies make it a little easier though.  So you'll just have to make a batch.  It's only fair.  

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp instant coffee 
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking sheet (or spray with cooking spray).  Set aside.  

2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and instant coffee and whisk to combine.  Set aside.  

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until combined, about 1-2 mins.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add vanilla until combined.  

4.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture until fully incorporated.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in chocolate chips and coconut.  

5.  Drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 tablespoons in size and 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies one sheet at a time for about 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan half way through baking.  These cookies don't spread a lot when baking so you can slightly flatten with a spatula when removing from the oven.  

6.  Allow to cool on sheets for about 3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Enjoy!

Recipe from Baker Girl

Sea Salt Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Just look at those adorable mini M&M's.  Like multi-colored nuggets of photogenic cuteness.  They're so fun to take pictures of, I almost didn't want to eat them.  Almost. 

Whenever I see M&M's incorporated into baking, it always reminds me of the Rice Krispie Treats my Mom made for my birthday when I was a kid.  Remember when you brought the class treats on your own birthday?  That was weird.  Now I make people bring me treats.  I demand to be showered in treats!    

Well my Mom's Rice Krispies always had M&M's mixed in.  Then she'd form them into balls and stick a popsicle stick in it.  It was a sticky, time-consuming way to make Rice Krispies but they were worth it.    

So in first grade, I brought these to class and as I was about to pass them out, I realized my shirt was on backwards.  On my birthday, no less!  I was mortified.  Twenty years later, I still remember what the shirt looked like.  So I did what any normal kid would do, and I wore my shirt backwards all day long.   

So what I'm saying is, M&M's remind me of wearing my shirt backwards.  All day.  Don't worry, I haven't done it since.  Except last week when I wore my T-shirt backwards to bed.  Old habits die hard guys.      

But these cookies are a lot less sticky to make and don't hold any traumatizing memories.  Which is always what I want out of a cookie.  They're made with brown butter which adds a carmel-y nuttiness.  And they're lightly sprinkled with sea salt to give just a slight kick to every bite.  So take note, bring these on my birthday.  But maybe stick a popsicle stick in them, just for old time's sake.   

Here's the recipe!

Sea Salt Brown Butter M&M Cookies (yields 24 cookies)

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
14 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp table salt
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups mini M&M's
sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.  

1.  Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside. 
2.  Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until melted (apprx 2 mins).  Continue cooking, swirling the pan constantly, until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma (apprx 1-3 mins).  Keep a close eye on this process.  The butter can go from brown to burned quickly.  Transfer brown butter to a large heatproof bowl and add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to melt.
4.  To the butter, add sugars, salt and vanilla and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add egg and yolk and whisk 30 seconds until smooth.  Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes and stir another 30 seconds.  Repeat this process two more times so mixture becomes smooth and shiny.  
5.  Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, incorporate flour mixture until just combined (about 1 minute).  Stir in M&M's.  
6.  Size dough into balls, apprx 2 tablespoons each.  I do this using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop or measuring cup, scoop out dough and divide into two evenly sized balls.  Do this until all dough is portioned out evenly.  Arrange on prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart and sprinkle dough with a little sea salt.
7.  Bake cookie trays one at a time, 10-12 minutes, rotating half-way thru baking.  Cookies will still appear soft in the center, and the edges will be golden brown and just begin to set.  Let cool on baking sheet additional 2 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  

Yum!         

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen