Salted Caramel and Apple Cinnamon Cookies

 

 

 Ingredients:

1 cup of softened butter

1 cup each of white and brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

4 packs of instant apple cinnamon oatmeal 

salted caramel bits

Preheat oven to 350F

cream sugars with butter

add eggs and beat one at a time and add vanilla, flour, cinnamon, oatmeal packets and flour, baking powder.

Combine all and fold in caramel chips/bits. I use a very small ice cream scoop (1 tbsp) and scoop out onto parchment paper in 1 tbsp balls about 1 inch apart.

Bake about 12 minutes or until edges are golden.

Blueberry Strusel Muffins

 

Cinnamon Twists

Ingredients:

• 375g/12oz sheet ready rolled puff pastry
• 2tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 3tbsp light brown sugar
• 3/4tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1/4tsp vanilla extract
• 1tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Place light brown sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl and stir until combined. Leave to one side.
3. Place ready rolled pastry sheet onto a cutting mat and brush melted butter all over.
4. Sprinkle the cinnamon mix all over the pastry and press slightly with the back of a spoon, just to make sure it's stuck.
5. Slice into strips, about 1 inch thick.
6. Take either end of the strip and twist; twist one hand away and the other towards until the twist meets in the middle.
7. Place twists on baking sheet, 6 to a sheet with 2 inch gaps between them.
8. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes until risen, puffy and golden.
9. Leave to cool on the sheets completely.
10. Once cool, place the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into a medium sized bowl and beat on med-high speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add in 1/2tbsp milk and beat until combined. If required, add the other 1/2tbsp and mix. You want a consistency which will pour, but isn't so thin it won't stick to anything.
11. Either drizzle over the twists or place in a small bowl to dip the twists in.
12. Twists will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature for 2 days, dip will keep covered in the fridge for 2 days.

Língua de Gato with a Tweak

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Beat the sugar and butter together.
3) Add the eggs gradually as it continues beating.
4) Add the salt and vanilla and let it continue until it is an even consistency.
5) Place the mixture in a bowl and add the flour, baking powder and coconut and mix and mix the dough well until it is of even consistency.
6) spoon onto baking sheet.
7) Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. (watch them or they'll burn)
7) Remove and let cool.
8) Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Almond Crescents

Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg vanilla sugar
1 cup butter, cold

Decoration:
1 cup icing sugar
3 pkg vanilla sugar

Preheat the oven to 300F

Grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

Blend flour, ground almonds, sugar, and vanilla sugar together in a large bowl or on a pastry board.
Cut cold butter into small pieces over dry ingredients.
Work together like you would pastry until you get a smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
Roll a small amount of dough into pencil like strips.
Cut into small rolls about 2 inches in length.
Place on baking sheet, and shape into crescents.
Bake at 300F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Sprinkle warm cookies with icing sugar and vanilla sugar mixture, and let cool.
Store in an airtight container.
(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)

A favourite at my Tetka's house for Slava....I finally have the recipe.

Skor Bar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups butter
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups Skor English toffee bits

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together,set aside.
3 In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
4 Add vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.
5 Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
6 Mix in Skor pieces by hand.
7 Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar.
8 Place on cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass.
9 Bake about 10-12 minutes until set but not brown.
10 Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to rack.

Almond/Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients

1-3/4 1-3/4cups cupsall purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 3/4cupcup (175 mL) whole unblanched almondwhole unblanched almonds
1/4 pecans
2 eggs
3/4 3/4cup cupwhite sugar
1/3 1/3cup melted butter cup
2 2tsp vanilla
1/2 1/2tsp tspalmond extract
2 1-1/2tsp tsp (7 mL) grated orange rind
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preparation:

To measure flour accurately, lightly spoon flour into dry measure, without tapping, until cup is heaping; level off with blunt edge of knife. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and almonds.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract and grated orange rind; stir into flour mixture until soft sticky dough forms. Transfer to lightly floured surface; form into smooth ball.

Divide dough in half, roll each into 12-inch (30 cm) long log. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.

Brush tops with egg white; bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on pan on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer each log to cutting board; cut diagonally into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick slices.

Stand cookies upright on baking sheet; bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden. Transfer to rack and let cool. (Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

Very good.

I modified it a bit from this Canadian Living recipe.

Canadian Living has never let me down

Jam Almond Drizzled Shortbread

(a variation of the Jam Filled Shortbreads from a couple of weeks ago)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup jam (your choice)
GLAZE:
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 3 teaspoons water
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.
2. Bake at 350F for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired.

Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

Jam Filled Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

Butter: 1/2 cup (softened)
Sugar: 1/3 cup
Egg Yolks: 1
Vanilla: 1/3 tsp
All-purpose Flour: 1+1/3 cup
Fruit Jam: 2-3 tbsp (any flavour)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Sift the flour, set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla.

4. All the flour to the creamed mixture a little bit at a time and mix well until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is too soft, cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

5. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls onto the baking sheet 1.5 inches part.

6. Make a well in the center of each cookie, using your finger or an instrument of similar size. Fill the whole with jam.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown on the bottom. Remove to wire racks to cool.

(Make sure you watch them.
Because the cookies do not brown on top, they can burn rather quickly on the bottoms).

Easy Gingerbread

2 boxes of butterscotch pudding
1 cup butter (room temp)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups of flour
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F and use parchment paper or grease the sheets

Cream the butter and sugar

Add the eggs, mix in the pudding, mix the flour and spices, and gradually add the mixture to the butter mixture.

Roll out the dough to 1/2cm

Bake for 10 minutes

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups oats (Do NOT use instant.)
1 cup raisins

1 Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

2 Sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to first mixture and mix well. Add raisins. Add oats last.

3 Spoon out by rounded tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Raisin Coconut Almond Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are very adaptable: use whatever combination of dried fruits and nuts appeals to your family or whatever you happen to have on hand. Just add 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) in total to the batter.

3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla (I added 1 tsp almond extract)
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) large-flake rolled oats
3/4 cup (175 mL) sliced almonds or chopped pecans
3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips
(I used coconut and raisins instead)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Stir into butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in rolled oats, almonds and dried cherries.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2-inches (5-cm) apart, onto greased cookie sheets and flatten with a fork. Bake, one sheet at a time, on middle rack in oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden. Let stand for 5 minutes; remove cookies with a spatula to a rack and let cool.

Makes about 36 cookies

Directly from LCBO Recipes

Frogs

You'll need:
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats


Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.


In a large saucepan, stir together cocoa, sugar, milk and butter.


Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, coconut and oats. Combine well.



Drop by tablespoonfulls onto prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Keep refrigerated. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Shingles

This is a chewy cookie that (as far as I know) is a Guyanese recipe.
They are addictive and easy.

You'll need:
200 gr Shredded Coconut
1 cup of butter (room temp.)
2 cups of brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups of flour
6 tsp vanilla extract


Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, wetting them every so often until the pastry holds together. Form a ball.


Wrap the ball in clig film, and let it rest for about half an hour.
Then roll it out into a square.
While it's resting, pre heat the oven to 350F


I use a pizza cutter to cut it into small squares, but a knife works just as well.


Like so.


Place on baking sheets about an inch apart.

Bake until edges a re bubbling and crisp looking.
They will spread, but you can separate them while they're warm with the edge of knife.

Almond Coconut Shortbread

Since I was forced to leave my office today due to a computer crash, and Christmas is already all around us...I thought I'd make some cookies.
I'll share them with my staff tomorrow, since the recipe yields more than The Mister could ever respectably consume.

You'll need:
2 cups of butter (at room temperature)
1 cup of icing sugar
1/2 cup of cornstarch
1 tsp Almond extract
3 cups of all purpose flour

Optional: 1 cup of shredded, sweetened coconut


Cream the butter and sugar until it's really fluffy.


Add the cornstarch, and almond extract and whip again. Add the flour one cup at a time and shield your eyes..it will fly.


Whip it until it looks like this...and then wipe down your counter and backsplash..:)


Add your coconut, if you're going to, and stir it in.


Drop onto parchment paper or lightly greased cookie sheets by the teaspoonful.
Bake at 300F for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Cool on rack.

These cookies will melt in your mouth...they should, look at the amount of butter in them!
Yields about 60 cookies.

Coconut Macaroons

In honour of Rosh Hashanah, here is a recipe for Coconut Macaroons.



You'll need:

2 cups sweetened coconut
½ cup icing sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 of a lemon lemon (zested)

Preheat the oven to 350F

The most time consuming part of this recipe is zesting half the lemon.


Beat the sugar and lemon zest on high speed until it disolves.



Add the coconut and beat on low until combined


Until it looks like this


Use a 1/2 tsp measure and form little balls and place on baking sheet


Bake about 10 minutes or until golden.
Cool on a rack.

Super easy, and quick.

Pecan Raisin Swirls

These are good cookies. They're just a pain in the ass to make.
The dough smells delicious while you're making them though.
By the time I was done, I thought: "Eh, big deal...these aren't anything special for the work that goes into them" But they disappeared pretty quickly.

In a mixer at low speed, cream 1/2 cup butter with 1/2 cup sugar until just blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low and add 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt and one egg. Beat just until blended, scraping bowl.

If the dough is crumbly, add dashes of water until it holds together, and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour...or if you're impatient like I am, put it in the freezer or 30 minutes, or until the dough is firm enough to handle...Meanwhile, in a chopper or food processor finely chop 1/2 cup of pecans, and set aside in bowl.

Do the same with 1/2 cup of raisins. Mix together raisins, pecans, 1/4 cup of honey, 1 tsp orange peel, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of butter (softened).

If you're like me, you bother the dough in the freezer every two minutes, and then impatiently pull it out of the freezer within 15 minutes and roll HALF of it out on wax paper to about 1/4 inch thickness. Do this in as even a rectangle as you can. Spred Half of the pecan/honey/raisin goo as evenly as possible, and then use the wax paper to help you roll it up.
Again with the cling wrap, and again in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F...the recipe says 375F but I learned the last time with recipes from this book.
350F is always safe. Slice to about 1/4 inch thick, and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until just browned and watch the bottoms. Next time (if there is a next time) I'll drop the temp on my oven to 325F. I'm pretty sure that these cookies would be great with any filling, from Apricot Jam to Nutella...actually, I might try Nutella with extra real ground nuts so that it doesn't run when it's baked.