Showing posts with label bon appetit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bon appetit. Show all posts

Friday, December 18, 2009

12 Days of Cookies – The very last day…sort of

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This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
Courtney of Coco Cooks
Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
Kelly of Sass & Veracity
Michelle of Big Black Dogs
RJ of Flamingo Musings
Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project

P1020348

So for my 12th and final cookie (even though I am days over the deadline :() I chose to make something that wasn’t even part of the bon appétit Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.  I really need to feel like I have completed the challenge of 12 Days of Cookies though. This cookie is something that I needed to make for one of my girl’s class parties.  And one that she could help me with!!!  It’s easy and comes together really fast too…Man, did I ever cheat on this one!

Chocolate Haystacks (www.bigoven.com)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter or marg.
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 7 tblsp. cocoa.
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup coconut.

Preparation

Boil first 4 ingredients for 1 minute

Then add last 3 ingredients

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto foil lined cookie sheet and refrigerate.

Would I make these again?  Oh yes I would.  Took me about 10 minutes to pull it all together and the kids loved them…

Forgive me for cheating and not doing another bon appétit one but the girl’s really did want to help!!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Day 11 of the 12 Days of Cookies – Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Crunch Crinkles

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This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
Courtney of Coco Cooks
Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
Kelly of Sass & Veracity
Michelle of Big Black Dogs
RJ of Flamingo Musings
Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project

P1020338

For the 11th and almost final cookie I was forced choose to make the Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Crunch Crinkles.  You see my daughter has been home sick for the past 2 days I inadvertently let her have some say in the cookie choice.  Truth be told I am a little tired of the flavor combinations of these cookies.  Lots of nuts, chocolate, cranberry and mint but without a lot of variety in the cookies themselves.  Oh well there is always next year and I am on my 11th batch of cookies so it is kinda hard to be too enthusiastic about cookies right now…hehehe!

Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Crunch Cookies

These fudgy treats, also known as crinkles, get their name from the small wrinkles that develop on top as they bake.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • Coarsely crushed peppermints
  • Powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolates melt and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Mix in finely crushed mints and 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture, 1 at a time, then whisk in vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Whisk flour mixture, then chocolate chips into chocolate mixture. Cover batter and chill until firm enough to shape, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 generous tablespoonful for each cookie, roll dough between moistened palms into 1 1/4-inch-diameter balls, then arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and cracked on top but still soft to touch in center, about 11 minutes. Let stand on sheets 5 minutes. Press coarsely crushed mints onto tops of cookies or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Transfer to racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.)

chocolate peppermint crinkles 2

Would I make these again? I think so.  I really liked them and so did the girls.  T. didn’t much like them and described their taste as “eating a chocolate cookie right after brushing your teeth” nice huh?  They were definitely easy enough to make and right now that is exactly what I was looking for.  They certainly would look pretty on a holiday cookie platter too…

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Day 10 of the 12 Days of Cookies – Brownie Thins!

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This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
Courtney of Coco Cooks
Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
Kelly of Sass & Veracity
Michelle of Big Black Dogs
RJ of Flamingo Musings
Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project

brownie thins

For the 10th cookies I decided to make Brownie Thins.  I needed something that was quick and easy and wanted something chocolate.  These should have fit the bill.  Several of my partners in crime had made these so I did know what I was up against.  Some issues with the part of the plastic wrap being used to spread these out so I skipped that part and just used the back of a spoon to spread them out.  I also had no pistachios so I used cashews…

Brownie Thins

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • Pinch of coarse kosher salt
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Directions:

  • Position rack in lowest third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter 2 baking sheets. Place butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium-high power until almost completely melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Add sugar and egg; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add flour, both extracts, and salt; stir just to blend. Let batter stand 10 minutes.

  • Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing apart (12 per sheet). Spray sheet of plastic wrap lightly with nonstick spray. Place, sprayed side down, over cookies. Using fingers, press each mound into 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch round. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle pistachios over rounds. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until slightly darker at edges and firm in center, about 7 minutes. Cool on sheet 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack; cool completely.

  • Would I make these again?  Nope.  These were soooo not forgiving.  I found them to be very bland tasting and not at all what I had hoped.  I even added salt to the tops of the last couple of batches hoping that would make them sing to me.  Too bad too because these were really a fast and easy cookie to make!

    Thursday, December 10, 2009

    Day 9 of the 12 Days of Cookies - White Chocolate and Peppermint Cookie Brittle

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    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    P1020258

    For Day 9 I choose to make White Chocolate and Peppermint Cookie Brittle.  Not sure why I choose this recipe as everyone in the house is rather put off by white chocolate.  But make it I did and I am so glad about it.  These cookies are delicious!  They turn into a nice hard cookie like brittle and then the candy melts and hardens inside as well.  Just a really perfect cookie and really, really pretty too!

    White Chocolate and Peppermint Cookie Brittle

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 10 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped into 1/3-inch pieces, divided
    • 3/4 cup coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies (about 6 ounces), divided

    Directions:

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk melted butter, both sugars, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just blended. Stir in 1 cup chopped white chocolate and 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy.

    • Transfer dough to prepared sheet. Press dough into 14x8-inch rectangle, about 3/8 inch thick. Bake cookie until top is firm and dark golden, about 30 minutes. Cool on sheet 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

    • Stir remaining white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle about half of melted chocolate in thin lines over cooled cookie. Sprinkle remaining crushed peppermint candies over chocolate. Drizzle remaining white chocolate over top. Let stand until white chocolate sets, about 1 hour. Break cookie into irregular 2- to 3-inch pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

    P1020252

    Would I make these again?  Oh yes I would, and maybe even for Saturday for a bake sale.  These are wonderful.  Crunchy, chewy, sweet and gooey!  LOVE, LOVE, Love them!

    Sunday, December 6, 2009

    Chocolate-Glazed Mocha Fans

    image

    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    We are on the 6th Day!!!  Halfway done and so far I have been keeping up.  Now it would be a whole other story if you asked my family how I was doing…laundry half done, kitchen perpetually a mess.  You get the picture right?

    Anyway for the 6th day of the 12 Days of Cookies I had decided to make the Coconut Orange Snowballs but when I pulled out my coconut I realized that the kids have been nibbling on it and there is not nearly enough left for the recipe!  Quick change of plans.  I have things to do today.  Decided on the Chocolate-Glazed Mocha Fans because I have some really yummy Callebaut Chocolate for the glaze!

    P1020236

    Chocolate-Glazed Mocha Fans

    Ingredients:

    • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or coffee powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
    • 3/4 cup whipping cream
    • 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Sift flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients and beat just until dough clumps together. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom of prepared tart pan.

    Bake shortbread until firm around edges and baked through but slightly soft in center, about 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Gently remove pan sides. Using large sharp knife, cut warm shortbread into 16 wedges. Cool completely on pan bottom on rack.

    Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Let stand until glaze begins to thicken but is still pourable, about 10 minutes. Place shortbread wedges on rack set over large baking sheet. Spoon glaze over shortbread, allowing some of glaze to run down sides and spreading over sides with small spatula. Chill just until chocolate is firm, about 45 minutes.

    P1020233

    Would I make these again?  Yes I would.  These were truly delicious.  Once I tasted them though I didn’t want too much chocolate on them but I did want some nuts so I dipped them in chocolate and added some chopped pecans to them.  Now that was GOOD!

    Saturday, December 5, 2009

    12 Days of Cookies – a bon appétit cookie extravaganza! Day5…Orange-Almond Lace Cookies

    image

    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    P1020227

    Day 5 and the cookies keep coming!  Today’s cookie is an Orange-Almond Lace Cookie.  I am truly not a fan of almonds but after the pecan lace cookies I made I really wanted to try these one!  I am so glad that I did.  They are truly delicious.  Tony is taking them to work today and I am sure they will be a hit!

    Orange-Almond Lace Cookies

    yield: Makes about 24

    The egg makes these a little less delicate (and less likely to break) than traditional lace cookies.

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
    • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped almonds
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 large egg, beaten to blend

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 325°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir 3/4 cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts, sugar, flour, orange peel and salt; then stir in egg. Drop some batter by generous tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart (cookies will spread).

    Bake cookies until lacy and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Gently slide parchment paper with cookies onto rack; cool completely. Transfer cookies to paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter, lining cooled baking sheet with clean parchment for each batch. (Can be made ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.)

    P1020228

    Would I make these again?  I think so.  They were really good and very fast and simple to make.  But are they a “to die for” cookie?  Not really.  A nice addition to a cookie platter though!

    Friday, December 4, 2009

    12 Days of Cookies – a bon appétit cookie extravaganza! Cranberry-Orange Drop Cookies

    image

    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    orange cranberry

    For Day 4 of the 12 Days of Cookies I choose to make these flavorful little ones because after Day 3’s disaster with a rolled and cut cookie I was taking no chances at all!

    Really glad too.  These are delicious and decidedly a very adult cookie!  They have fresh and dried cranberries in them as well as lots of orange zest and then to top all of that off you add fresh ginger to the mix!  Just a wonderfully full flavored cookie.  The only thing I changed was adding pistachios.  For some reason I can’t find any plain just the really salty ones so I use pecans and skipped the walnuts as well.  I also added more orange zest after reading the other comments on the recipe.

    Cranberry-Orange Drop Cookiesyield: Makes about 48Colorful bits of cranberries, walnuts, and pistachios make these simple cookies sparkle for the holidays.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups (packed) dried sweetened cranberries (about 10 ounces)
    • 1/3 cup orange juice
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
    • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
    • 3/4 cup chopped unsalted natural pistachios
    • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

    Directions:

    Butter 3 baking sheets. Combine dried sweetened cranberries and orange juice in small bowl. Let stand until dried cranberries soften slightly, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

    Whisk all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl until just blended.

    Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter and golden brown sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg, minced ginger, vanilla extract, and grated orange peel and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in chopped walnuts, chopped pistachios, coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries, and dried cranberries with any juices that have accumulated.

    Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing tablespoonfuls about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until golden and almost firm to touch in center, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool cookies completely. (Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.)

    orange cranberry 2

    Would I make these again?  Yes I would and that is so refreshing after yesterdays cookie fail!  These were really, really good and quite adult like.  I loved the pecans in them and the fresh cranberries and ginger.  Really good…

    Wednesday, December 2, 2009

    12 Days of Cookies – A bon appetit cookie extravaganza! Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream

    image

    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but this year is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    P1020197

    Day 2 of the 12 Days of Cookies was a HUGE success!  I loved these cookies and could sit down and eat a whole bath of them!  Lucky for me the batches are really small…

    Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies with Orange Buttercream (bonappetit.com)

    The orange juice and grated peel in the icing between these gorgeous crispy pecan lace sandwich cookies makes them an ideal accompaniment to any holiday dessert spread.

    Makes about 18 (I only got 12 out of this)

    Ingredients
    COOKIES
    • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
    • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
    • 1 cup coarsely ground pecans (about 4 ounces)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    FILLING
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon orange juice
    • 3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
    Preparation
    COOKIES
    • Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir butter, sugar, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Add nuts and vanilla; stir to combine.

    • Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bubbling and lightly browned, about 11 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

    FILLING
    • Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread 1 teaspoon filling onto bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.

    P1020200

    Would I make these again? Oh yes, but I am not sure what for.  I guess if I made them smaller they would be good for a cookie platter but otherwise they are really a stand alone cookie and would really steal the show!

    Tuesday, December 1, 2009

    12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza! Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies…

    image

    This wonderful event, in it’s second year, is the brain child of Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, but is being organized and ran by Sandy of At the Baker's Bench.

    How I got asked to be involved with this incredible group is beyond me but all the thanks goes to Kelly of Sass & Veracity and after last year I sure earned my way in the hard way! There are 10 of us that have decided to do The 12 Days of Cookies – A bon appétit cookie extravaganza. We will be choosing, baking, tasting, blogging and sharing with you a cookie a day for the first 12 days of December.
    These cookies are coming from bon appetit's Holiday Cookie-a-Day Slideshow.

    These are my partners in crime. We will all be choosing different cookies and surprising each other. How fun is that???? Be sure to check out their selections for the day!

    Andrea of Andrea's Recipes
    Claire of The Barefoot Kitchen
    Courtney of Coco Cooks
    Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook
    Kelly of Sass & Veracity
    Michelle of Big Black Dogs
    RJ of Flamingo Musings
    Sandy of At the Baker's Bench
    Tiffany of The Nesting Project

    For my first cookie and to kick of the event I have chosen and rather simple cookie. I based my choice on the ingredients I had on hand in my pantry and the use of fresh cranberries was intriguing! Lucky for me they are totally delicious! I did skip the white chocolate as no one in the house is a fan and I had major problems with the drizzle…you still get the idea right?

    cranberry

    Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (bonappetit.com)

    Chunks of fresh cranberries and dark, milk, and white chocolate chips dress up oatmeal cookies for the holidays.

    Makes about 30

    Ingredients
    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
    • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
    • 2 ounces milk chocolate or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling)
    Preparation
    • Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and oats and stir until blended. Stir in all chocolate chips and cranberries.

    • Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

    • Stir chopped milk chocolate in top of double boiler until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies in zigzag pattern. Let stand until milk chocolate sets, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

    cranberry2

    Would I make these again? Not so sure. Yes, they were good but I already have a cranberry, chocolate, oatmeal cookie that I love…