Cookies & Bars

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

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Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Hi friends! I hope you didn”t think I”d forgotten about you!

After what feels like forever, we”re finally settled in our new place. We didn”t have any internet for most of last week, which is why the blog was rather quiet. But, I did get my first ever garden planted – I even have the bright red sun burn to prove it!

I can”t believe how much our lives have changed over the last little while. We went from a view like this:

To a view like this:

Only a little change…

To make up for my week of silence, I made you brownies. Fudgy, gooey, rich brownies. With little pockets of salt roasted pecans to help offset the uber chocolatey-ness. It is one delicious combination.

To ensure fudgy brownies every time it”s important to do two things 1) Don”t over-bake the brownies. A toothpick inserted in the centre should have a few fudgy crumbs stuck to it. If it comes out clean it”s been in the oven too long. To avoid this, check on the brownies well before the recommended time. 2) Don”t over-beat the batter. If you beat the batter too much it incorporates too much air and you”ll have a cakey brownie instead of a fudgy one. To avoid this, mix the batter by hand just until the ingredients are incorporated.

This is one brownie that gets better with age, so if you can bear the wait, make it the day before you plan on serving it.

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Salt Roasted Pecans

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 cup pecans

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and salt. Cook, stirring often until the pecans have a toasted aroma. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Brownies

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut up

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Melt together chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in sugars. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until evenly mixed. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and cocoa powder.

Remove 12 pecans from the skillet and set aside. Chop remaining pecans and stir into brownie batter. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 inch baking pan. Top with the reserved pecans.

Bake at 350º for 25 minutes, or until the top looses it”s shine and a toothpick inserted in the centre produces fudgy crumbs. Let cool at least one hour before serving. Store covered, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Makes: 12 servings

Adapted from Bake with Anna Olson.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Sweets 7 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

I”ve been eating these Ginger Crinkle Cookies since I was a little girl, except we grew up calling them Ginger Snaps. The name felt a little bit misleading because these cookies are soft and not snappy at all, so I thought I”d switch it up. Hope you don”t mind, Mom! ;)

I looked so forward to these cookies every time my mom made them. I still remember coming home from school and the house being filled with the smell of sugar and spices. I don”t think there”s a more comforting smell (well, besides the cuddly smell of a newborn baby. Can”t beat that!).

Warm spices may be more reminiscent of fall but even in the spring and summer we need that bit of comfort to make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. These are lightly spiced so they are a great cookie to serve any time of year. We made them a bit more spring-like by sandwiching them with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe to come!). It was such a perfect combination that I”m definitely going to be doing it again soon. It”s a great way to bridge the gap between the cooler weather and the warmth to come – because here in western Canada it is still cold!  I think I need to go make some more cookies to comfort myself.

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

  • 1.5 cups butter, softened

  • 2 cups sugar (+ more for coating)

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/2 cup molasses

  • 4 cups flour

  • 4 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 4 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons ground cloves

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and blend into butter mixture. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes (no obvious browning should appear). Allow to cool several minutes before removing to wire wracks or paper towel to cool completely.

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Easter, Kids, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

soft birds nest sugar cookies

I love making things with Max in the kitchen, but if the project is too intricate or involved I find myself getting more stressed out then I like to be. I want us all to enjoy our time in the kitchen together, I want to foster a love for the kitchen, not memories of a stressed out mom. That’s why I love planning projects like this that are easy for him to help with, don’t make a ton of mess and look great no matter how tiny the hands are that made them.

This is the perfect project for toddlers and preschoolers because although their not quite adept enough to pipe sensical decorations onto cookies, they can decorate these cookies easily and have them turn out beautiful. They can choose the colours they like or mix and match them like Max did. They can have complete freedom and you’ll know the end product will add something special and delicious to the Easter table.

We topped our’s with candy coated chocolate covered almond eggs (wow, that’s a mouthful!) which I thought were the perfect complement to the coconut topping. When I made these I figured they would be just for looks but they were actually really delicious. This is one case where the toppings aren’t just there for show, they actually add something special to the flavour of the cookie.

The coconut topping is just shredded coconut that has been dyed with food colouring and water. I used liquid food colours but you could also use gel colours, although you may need to add a bit more water to make it the right consistency to coat the coconut. My favorite colour was definitely the purple and I’ve included the instructions below on the amounts of liquid colour I used to achieve the colour. The other colours are much more straight forward – just one or two drops from the average four-pack of liquid food colouring.

These are so tasty and so fun, I know I’ll be making them again next year. Im pretty sure we just found a new Easter tradition. :)

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

Just FYI, I had a lot of leftover frosting. But, I don’t think half the frosting would be quite enough. Better to have too much then too little right?

Soft Sugar Cookies
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly beat into butter mixture, just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts of cookie dough, roll each into a ball and flatten slightly. Place on parchment-line baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until set; do not brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling racks or paper towel to cool completely.

Frosting
  • 5 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 7 tablespoons milk

Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

To Decorate
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • food colouring
  • water
  • chocolate covered almond eggs, chocolate eggs or jelly beans

Place 1/4 cup coconut into four ziploc bags. In a small bowl add 1/4 teaspoon water and desired food colouring, swirl to combine. Pour into one of the bags, seal and shake until the coconut is evenly coloured. Rinse the bowl and repeat with remaining colours. (To make the purple, use 3 drops red and 2 drops blue of liquid colour.)

Top each cookie with frosting, a good sprinkling of coconut and chocolate eggs.

Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen cookies

Decoration inspired by Betty Crocker. Recipe Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Hostess with the Mostess.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

By in Chocolate, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 11 Comments Tags: , , ,

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Are you guys sick and tired of chocolate yet? I hope not, because you don”t want to miss out on these cookies. I normally try not to share too many sweet recipes in a row but I”ve got company over this week and while I was making a batch of one of my favourite cookies for them I realized that I had never shared them with you. Shame on me! I”ve been making these cookies for a long time now and I can”t believe it”s taken me this long to post about them. Please forgive me.

You”d think that you can”t go wrong with a double chocolate chip cookie recipe but you really can. I”ve made many cookies that just didn”t make the cut. They were too cakey, too sweet, too dull or just off. This, to me, is the perfect double chocolate chip cookie. Ooey gooey, with a crackly top and a soft interior, and they are packed full of chocolate flavour. These are the epitome of double chocolate cookies, in my mind, and they are best enjoyed with a tall glass of milk.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

  • 1.5 cups sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, melt together chocolate and butter. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until evenly distributed. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop heaping spoonfuls of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 325ºF for 10 minutes or until cookies are crackly and no longer shiny. Cool 1 minute before removing to wire wracks or paper towels to cool.

Makes approximately: 30 cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Mocha Almond Biscotti

By in Christmas, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Mocha Almond Biscotti

Right now I”m in the middle of a big move – across the ocean. We”re tired, jet-lagged, nervous and excited. This Christmas will definitely be an interesting one, but we”re looking forward to it. I won”t be around much for the rest of the holidays, but I”m sure you understand right? ;)

I couldn”t let this Christmas pass me by without sharing this recipe with you, since it”s made an appearance on quite of few of our Christmas platters throughout the years. I”m not much of a coffee drinker (besides the wimpy sugary/flavoured kind) but biscotti makes me wish I was. I would gladly make a batch of coffee just to dip these into. This cookie is not a side. The coffee will become the accompaniment, not the other way around.

I made mine with caffeine-free instant coffee, so my son could have some too. He dipped his in warm milk and I had mine with some Brazilian Baia Tea (my favourite). These will definitely continue to be a yearly tradition for us. Just look at that melty chocolate, coffee-infused cookie with bits of almond. Yum! I”m already looking forward to making more once we”re settled in our new place.

Now if you”ll excuse me I have some sleep to catch up on… after I go shopping… and take care of my kids…. and look for new apartment furniture in Christmas crowds…. and unpack….. and… ok maybe that bit of sleep is lost forever. :)

Mocha Almond Biscotti

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 cup chopped almonds

  • 4 ounces baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Whisk together eggs and instant coffee until coffee is dissolved.

Beat butter and sugar in a separate bowl until well blended. Add egg mixture and beat to combine.

Stir together flour and baking powder; gradually stir into butter mixture until well blended. Stir in almonds and chocolate.

Divide dough in half and roll each, on a baking sheet lined with a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, into 14 inch logs; placing them at least two inches apart.

Bake at 325ºF for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes and then slice each log into 18 (3/4 inch) slices. Stand slices upright on baking sheet and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until crisp and dry. Cool completely before storing, covered, at room temperature.

Makes: 36 (3 dozen) biscotti

Adapted from Kraft Canada.

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies

By in Christmas, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 6 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies shaped into the form of mini lattice-pie-crust tops. Aren”t they so cute!

I first saw this idea on Pinterest and I immediately fell in love. It”s such a cute presentation of sugar cookies and dresses up any simple dessert or drink and turns it into something special. You can place them on top of mugs of cocoa or Hot Mulled Cranberry Juice, or serve them on top of mugs, ramekins or bowls full of some hidden Christmas dessert.

They really aren”t too difficult to master. But for those who don”t know how to make lattice pie crusts I”ve included step-by-step photos with the instructions.

First, a couple notes:

  • It”s important to roll out the dough and then chill, before cutting and making the lattice. It adds a bit more time to the process but I didn”t do this the first time around and the dough was too stretchy and kept breaking while I was trying make the lattice.

  • If the dough breaks don”t sweat, just press the pieces back together and it will seal as it bakes. That”s the great thing about homemade, things don”t have to look perfect, they just become rustic. :)

  • I used the dough from my Eggnog Sugar Cookies and the instructions below are suited to that recipe. But, of course you could use your favourite sugar cookie (or gingerbread) recipe to do the same.

Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies – How to

1) Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into squares, on lightly floured pieces of parchment paper, making sure they are of equal size and thickness. Freeze for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15). You can stack them on top of each other (with the pieces of parchment between) to save space.

Working with two at a time, slice into even sized strips with a pizza cutter or knife.

2) Separate the strips and place as many side by side until they are as wide as one is long. Set other strips aside. Fold every other strip in half; lay one of the strips that you set aside across the middle. Lay all the pieces back down.

3) Fold the opposite strips up and lay another across, beside the first; fold all pieces back down – making sure that the ones that were over the first strip are now under the second strip.

4) Continue in this pattern, patching up any pieces that break as you go.

5) Once you have a complete square you”re ready to make the cookies. There will be some strips leftover – put them in the fridge to use with the leftovers from the next batch.

6) Use the top of the mugs, ramekins or bowls, that you plan on using, to cut out the cookies. This will make sure that they fit perfectly on top once baked.

7) Remove the excess cookie dough. You can re-roll and repeat the process with these scraps, but it”s best to wait until you can gather all the scraps together so you can work with a larger piece of dough.

8) Transfer the cookies, on the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Freeze again for 5 minutes (or refrigerate for 15), this will make sure the cookies don”t spread as much when baking.

Remove from the fridge; brush with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar + 1 teaspoon sugar). Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes (or according to recipe directions).

Inspired by not martha.

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