Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnap Cookies 

These cookies melt in your mouth they’re so delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar mix

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
4. Gradually beat in white sugar and then mix in dark molasses and egg.
5. Sift 1/3 of flour mix into the shortening mixture and blend thoroughly.
6. Add remaining flour and mix completely until a soft dough forms.
7. Roll rough into 1 inch diameter balls with your hands.
8. Roll each ball into cinnamon sugar mix and place 2 inches apart on an un-greased baking sheet.
9. Bake in pre-heated oven for 11-12 minutes (tops will be rounded and slightly cracked). Leave on pan for 3-4 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool
   **cookies will be really soft when coming out and are harder to transfer immediately

Coconut Bundt Cake

Coconut Bundt Cake (this cake is absolutely incredible!!!)

Ingredients:

Cake –
1½ cups butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup light sour cream
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps coconut extract
1¾ cups flour
2 cups flaked coconut, chopped

Coconut Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp coconut extract
½ cup flaked coconut, toasted (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a bundt pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour and flaked coconut. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter & sugar. Add eggs and mix until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add sour cream, baking powder and coconut extract. Mix well.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to creamed mixture, mix well.
6. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined.
7. Let cake batter rest for 5 minutes.
8. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool 25 minutes.
10. Invert onto serving plate. Frost with coconut glaze.
11. For the glaze: Mix ingredients together. Pour on top of cake and let the glaze drizzle down the sides of the cake.
12. Top with toasted coconut, if desired.

*To toast coconut – spread out coconut on baking sheet. Cook for 3-4 min, pull pan out of oven and shake to rotate the coconut. Put back in the oven for another 2-3 min, or until coconut slightly browns on edges.

PB&J Muffins

Ingredients (makes 6 muffins):
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil
jam or preserves, your choice or flavor (I used strawberry)

Crumble Top –
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar sugar
1 tbsp bsugar
1/4 cup flour
Directions:
1. Preheat over to 375 degrees
2. Line muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking powder & sugar into a medium size bowl.
4. Stir in peanut butter until crumbly.
5. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract & coconut oil.
6. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix low until combined.
7. Fill each cup 1/2 way with batter
8. Talk a 1 tsp scoop of jam and place in the center of each 1/2 filled cup.
9. Divide remaining batter into cups.
10. Make crumble mixture by blending flour, sugar & butter.
11. Lightly sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of each batter filled cup.
12. Baked for 18-20 minutes.
13. Let cool slightly before serving.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Homemade Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

I think we all deserve to treat ourselves to a delicious homemade ice cream cookie sandwich once in a while (or, a few times a week).

Ingredients:

1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt + a little extra sprinkle
1 cup chocolate chips
Ice Cream of your choice
Sprinkles (jimmies)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds (this will just barely melt it)
3. Mix butter with sugars (using a standard or hand mixer) until creamy
4. Add vanilla and egg, mix until just combined (be careful not to over beat the egg)
5. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and mix into a crumble form
6. Use your hands to form into a large ball
7. Add chocolate chips and mix in evenly with your hands
8. Roll dough into 12-14 larges balls and place on baking sheets
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry – just barely golden (DO NOT OVER BAKE – this keeps your cookies soft and AMAZING); take them out when they’re pale and puffy, even if they don’t appear to be done yet.
10. Let them cool on the pan for 30 minutes (or eat a few warm – I won’t try to stop you!)  They should sink into a dense, buttery cookie.
11. Once the cookies a cooled, soften your favorite ice cream (I like to use coffee flavored).
12. Pour a generous amount of sprinkles onto a small plate.
13. Scoop one large scoop of ice cream onto the inside of a cookie and place another cookie on top.
14. Gently press the cookies together, squeezing the ice cream to the edges of the sandwich
15. Roll the outside of the sandwich into the sprinkles
16. Eat immediately or freeze for later!

Enjoy!

***for super delicious chocolate chip cookies skip steps 11-16 and the ice cream and sprinkles

Churro Waffles

Do I really need to provide an explanation as to why you should try these? I didn’t think so.

Ingredients:

Dough –
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water

Toppings –
Cinnamon Sugar – mix 1.5 tbsp cinnamon with 4 tbsp of sugar
Additional choices – strawberries, whipped cream, etc.

Directions:
1. Pre-heat your waffle iron
2. In a sauce pan, add water, sugar, salt & butter – stirring once or twice until butter melted and sugar has dissolved
**do not let water boil, once butter has melted stir just enough to dissolve sugar**
3. Remove pan from heat and add all of the flour
4. Use a whisk to combine flour into liquid mixture to avoid lumps
5. Return pan to medium heat and cook the dough for 2 minutes or so
**no need to mix, you will be able to use a spatula to flip dough – it will turn into a shiny dough, leaving a film of flour on the sides of your pan (see below for a better idea of what your dough should look like)

6. Once dough is cooked, remove from pan and divide into 6 parts
7. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray then place 2 portion of dough onto iron (unless your iron makes 4, then 4 parts)
*note: this dough is not mean to cover every corner of the iron
8. Cook in iron for 5-6 minutes
9. Remove from iron
10. Transfer to plate with cinnamon and sugar mixture and coat generously
11. Repeat steps 7-10 for remaining waffles

Enjoy!

Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Long day? Drizzle this over your ice cream (I prefer coffee flavor) and pour yourself a glass of whiskey, straight. Cheers.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp whiskey
1/4 cup milk
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 tbsp of water
2. Cook over moderate heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves
3. Cook undisturbed until a medium-amber caramel forms (about 5 min)
4. Add the milk (be careful, it will boil vigorously)
5. Simmer, whisking until the caramel is smooth (1 to 2 min)
6. Cool slightly, then stir in the whiskey and salt

Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles

I love PB and I love snickerdoodles = the evolution of this a-mazing cookie.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/3 cup, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
4. Cream butter, peanut butter, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer until fluffy.
5. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
6. Mix in dry ingredients and beat just until mixed
7. Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl
8. Scoop balls of cookie dough (roughly 2 tbsp) and roll them in the cinnamon sugar & place on your cookie sheet
9. Use a fork to press the cookie down in a criss-cross pattern (only two presses needed)
10. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes
11. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheets & place on a wired rack
12. ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Scones

I have a love/hate relationship with scones. They’re either really great or really dry and there is never an in-between. This recipe definitely makes a *really great* scone – one that doesn’t even require a side of coffee (but lets be honest, we’re still going to need the coffee).

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp cold butter (cubed)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt)
3. Add cubed butter and let it work into the dry mixture (will still be lumpy)
4. Add milk and vanilla and mix until almost combined (I use my hands toward the end to get all the flour into the dough)
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and combine chocolate chips into the mix
6. Shape into a rectangle and cut triangles out (8-10)
7. Place on a lined baking sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes

The Perfect Banana Bread

I absolutely love banana bread. That being said I’ve ate A LOT of it and am always looking for different ways to improve my own recipe.

A few changes to some of my favorite recipes has created this perfect loaf. It’s full of rich banana flavor and moist throughout. (I do not apologize for using the word *moist*).

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large mashed bananas
½ cup milk (can sub buttermilk)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 box of banana pudding mix
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped nuts

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix butter and sugar in the bowl until creamy.
3. Add eggs and mix well.
4. Add milk, vanilla and bananas to mixture.
5. Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture and blend well.
6. Grease loaf pan
7. Bake in 1 loaf pan for 60-70 minutes minutes.
**Check you loaf with a tooth pick every 25 minutes as some ovens will cook faster and you do not want to dry out your bread.**

ENJOY 🙂

Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns

 

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
½ cup lukewarm water
½ cup sugar
½ cup scalded milk, cooled to warm
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg, room temperature
2 tsp salt
4 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)

Filling:
6 tbsp. melted butter, divided
5 honey crisp (or granny smith, whatever you prefer) apples, peeled, cored, and diced
½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. butter
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, add yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar to the lukewarm water and let it sit until it dissolves, about 10 minutes.
2. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment, (or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer) add scalded milk, melted butter, egg, remaining sugar, and salt and mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add half of the flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture and continue to mix on low. Slowly add the remaining flour (if using an electric mixer you will have to stop when it’s getting hard to mix and use a wooden spoon to incorporate the rest of the four as best you can- the motor of the electric mixer will burn out- then turn dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, folding the dough over onto itself and pushing down repeatedly). For a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes.
4. Remove dough, place in a greased bowl, cover, and set aside on countertop or warm place. Let it rise until it is double in size, about 2 hours.
5. While dough is rising, make the filling. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and sugar in a large skillet, then add the apples. Sauté until apples are slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. When dough has risen, remove cover and, using your fist, punch the dough down and remove from the bowl. Roll out on a well-floured surface into a 16×24 inch rectangle and spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter almost out to the edges, but not quite.
7. Mix the brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly across the butter. Spread the apple mixture over the brown sugar as evenly as you can.
8. Roll into a log, starting from one end to the other, lengthwise, so the log is 24 inches.
9. Cut 2 inch slices, this will give you 12 cinnamon rolls.
10. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment. The cinnamon roll slices close together, but not touching, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough is doubled, 1 1/2-2 hours.
11. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, being careful not to over-bake them.
12. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together with an electric or stand mixer on medium speed and set aside.
13. When cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, spread the glaze over the top and serve.