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"Desserts"
Think German Chocolate Cake, without the cake. Think German Chocolate Frosting, in a cookie.
It’s a cookie. No, it’s a candy. It’s a cookie that tastes like candy.
It’s a cookie that causes the person eating it to roll their eyes, moan and say:
“oh my gosh” (socially acceptable version).
This [...]
Think German Chocolate Cake, without the cake. Think German Chocolate Frosting, in a cookie.
It’s a cookie. No, it’s a candy. It’s a cookie that tastes like candy.
It’s a cookie that causes the person eating it to roll their eyes, moan and say:
“oh my gosh” (socially acceptable version).
This is one lovely, delectable cookie.
Be prepared to swoon.
German Chocolate Macaroons
1 pkg. sweetened, shredded coconut (14 oz), divided
1 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans
1 can sweetened,condensed milk (12 oz): 1/3 cup for cookies, the rest for topping
3 egg whites
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla
Topping:
4 oz sweet chocolate, chopped
Sweetened, condensed milk (see above)
Dash of pure vanilla
For the Macaroons:
1. Mince 1 1/2 cups coconut in a food processor.
2. Transfer minced coconut to mixing bowl. Add remaining coconut and pecans; toss to combine.
3. Whisk together 1/2 cup sweetened, condensed milk, egg whites flour sugar, butter, and vanilla in a bowl with a pour spout.
4. Gently mix egg white mixture into coconut and pecans until combined. Chill dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or 375 degrees for high altitude. Line baking sheets with parchment or Silpat. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets with a #60 cookie scoop (about 2 tsp), spacing 1-inch apart.
6. Bake cookies until brown on base and golden on tops and edges, 16-18 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
For the Toppings:
1. Cook remaining sweetened, condensed milk in a double boiler until slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour, 15 minutes.*
2. While sweetened, condensed milk is thickening, melt sweetened chocolate in microwave, in 35 second intervals until chocolate is halfway melted. Stir to continue melting.
3. Drizzle and spoon chocolate over tops and sides of macaroons.
4. When sweetened, condensed milk has thickened, add a dash of vanilla, stirring well.
5. Drizzle thickened condensed milk over macaroons.
*Note: Recipe called for 45 minutes over double boiler to thicken, but it took much longer for the condensed milk to thicken (over an hour). The extra time is worth it. I suggest starting the process while you are making the macaroons, instead of waiting until the cookies are baked.
Thank you to Cuisine Holiday Cookies magazine for a delicious recipe! (I eliminated the shortening in the chocolate topping, increased the vanilla in the cookies, and added the dash of vanilla to condensed milk topping).
We like cinnamon-y desserts in our house. They go so well with coffee. Lately, coffee is the star in our house. My husband bought me a very cool coffee machine, the kind that makes espresso and steams the milk. An impressive gadget with an instruction guide that intimidated me into waiting just a bit to even attempt to make it work, but together with my brilliantly smart son, we are on our way to coffee heaven. At certain times of the day, our house has the aroma of a coffeehouse and the soundtrack to go along with it (this machine is not quiet). Soon I won’t need that fake coffee candle, at all.
Yes, we love cinnamon. Haven’t they determined cinnamon is good for the heart?
This is my husband’s favorite “road trip bread”. A piece of this bread and a cup of coffee between his knees and he is a happy man. I can get him to stop whenever and wherever I want. This bread didn’t last long. That’s the sign of major deliciousness around here. In fact, there was a race this morning to see who could get their hands on one of the last two pieces to go with their morning coffee.
Yesterday, we had a fun gathering with our son and daughters – a day full of laughter and Christmas music, with babies and one certain 3-year-old who never fails to delight us with her beautiful spirit. I swear that little girl is just what my world needs right now. Hearing her sing “fa-la-la-la-la” warms the cockles of my soul. Oh, and those babies, well, they are pure heaven on earth.
There is certainly nothing finer than a day spent among family. An ordinary day, made all the finer with love and joy and contentment, highlighted by tales of Santa from one very special little girl.
Merry Christmas!
Butter Swirl Loaf
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups unbleached flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk, room temperature
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, melted
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 3-inch loaf pan.
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until thick. Add the sugar and melted butter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk. Blend well.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- To make the topping, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter in the pan, avoiding the sides. Pour the melted butter over the sugar and cinnamon and cut through the batter with the tip of a sharp knife several times, swirling as you go.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.
Recipe adapted from: Innkeepers’ Best Quick Breads, from Yankee Hill Inn Bed & Breakfast, Copyright 1999 by Laura Zahn – a favorite cookbook of mine.
Salted Caramel Mocha Latte 
Single or Double-Shot of espresso or strong, black coffee
1 tsp Ghirardelli or Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
Steamed milk w/ drop of Madagascar vanilla, enough to fill mug, about a cup
Sugar, to sweeten, if desired
Whipped Cream
Caramel sauce
Sea Salt
Make espresso or use strong, black coffee, to taste. Place in warmed mug and stir in the cocoa powder. Steam milk, add vanilla. Stir into espresso and cocoa mix. Can sweeten with sugar, if desired. Which I do. Top with whipped cream, caramel and a teensy bit of sea salt.
Yummo.
“I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heaven.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
For the Cake:
2 1/2 C unbleached flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 C eggnog, warmed to room temperature
1/2 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs, warmed to room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla
Swirl:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (375 for high altitude). Generously grease and flour a bundt pan, removing excess flour.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, blend softened butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Blend until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, blending after each and scraping the sides of the bowl, as needed. Beat in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients alternately with the eggnog, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat for 2 minutes.
Prepare swirl ingredients by stirring together until combined. Add batter to prepared bundt pan. Spoon swirl ingredients over batter in pan, keeping it away from the sides of the pan.
Run a fork through the batter, distributing the swirl ingredients through the middle, dipping and twirling the fork as you go, again keeping away from the sides of the pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 38 to 42 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out on wire rack to finish cooling.
Glaze:
1 C powdered sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
4-5 Tbsp eggnog
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp grated orange rind
Mix powdered sugar and nutmeg together with a whisk. Add 4 Tbsp eggnog, melted butter, vanilla and orange rind. Continue whisking a minute or two to blend flavors. If glaze needs thinning, add the last tbsp. of eggnog. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake. Refrigerate any leftovers.
If you like muffins, you’ll love these. If you don’t like muffins, you’ll like these. I love muffins. I love these muffins. Full of banana flavor with texture from the oats and spice from the cinnamon and nutmeg, and topped with more sweet cinnamon goodness – these muffins are just sweet enough and not too sweet.
Perfect with a cup of coffee or hot tea. Perfect for breakfast. Perfect for lunch. Perfect for snacking. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. Perfect in a gift basket.
Perfect. Little. Muffin.
Muffins
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 cup (2-3 med) mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk*
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
Topping
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
*Exchange 1/2 milk plus 1 tbsp buttermilk powder for fresh buttermilk
Adapted from a recipe by C&H Sugar.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a medium bowl, add all dry ingredients and stir with a whisk to combine. In a small bowl, combine and mix thoroughly all of the wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined and dry ingredients are moistened. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and set aside.
Fill muffin liners 2/3 full. Sprinkle each muffin with sugar-cinnamon.
Bake for 14-18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Cinnamon Rolls
For the Dough:
3 ½ cups unbleached flour
2 tsp instant yeast
3 tbsp Bakers Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
4 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
4 tbsp soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
½ cup lukewarm milk
Tip: combine cold milk with hot water to get lukewarm liquid
For the Filling:
softened butter, enough to spread evenly over dough
Cinnamon and Sugar mixture (I use Cinnamon Sugar Plus from King Arthur Flour)
A good ratio is 1/2 sugar to 3 tbsp. cinnamon.
1) Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together and knead (using your hands, a stand mixer with a dough hook, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle) to make a soft, smooth dough.
2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s doubled in bulk. If using a bread machine, let dough go through first rise, remove the dough and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
3) Punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Pat and roll dough into a large even rectangle. Spread surface with softened butter leaving one long edge dry (to ensure a good seal after rolling). Use a good amount of butter or the cinnamon rolls will be dry. Sprinkle generously with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll dough evenly. After rolling, pinch together the edges to seal. Trim ends if very uneven. Slice into 12 equal pieces. Place rolls into a greased pan. Cover rolls with oiled or buttered plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. Allow to rise for another hour to hour and a half. Keep in warm area free from drafts.
4) After the final rise, bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 26 minutes until golden brown.
5) Frost after cooling.
Frosting: 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tbsp soft butter, milk (use enough milk for a nice fluffy frosting.)
Beat until fluffy. Beat powdered sugar and butter together and gradually beat in enough milk for a nice creamy and fluffy frosting. Add vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds or so.
Great Pumpkin Cookies
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 doz
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 cup quick or old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin, canned
- ½ to 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cookies are set and slightly browned on edges.
- Cool completely on wire rack.
Yesterday was our daughter’s birthday, a milestone birthday. She turned 30. Which makes me feel, well, older (insert picture of myself looking perplexed and surprised).
I sometimes think of myself as 30, how could I have a child that age? Seriously.
Anyhow, whatever our ages, the blessings go on. We get to share our life with the beautiful, intelligent, insightful, artistic, strong and delightful young woman that is our daughter. Our first child, thirty years later, is every bit the woman we would have dreamed she would be.
I’m lucky I often get to be the official birthday cake baker for the family.
This Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze was a perfect choice for her birthday cake this year, the first day of autumn. It is that cake that gets the crowd in the room quiet after the first bite and then soon you hear the compliments -
the mmmm’s and the oh my gosh’s.
The family loved it, the birthday girl loved it, her kids loved it and my husband said “This is the cake you take next time we go somewhere and have to take a dessert. It’s event worthy.”
I can’t wait to eat another piece.
Apple Spice Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla
3 cups chopped apples, granny smith or golden delicious (I used golden delicious)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Caramel Glaze
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half-n-half)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees or 350 degrees for high-altitude. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. (Note: I used 1 tsp apple pie spice from King Arthur Flour.)
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, canola oil and the melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, add in the flour mixture in 3 additions. Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the chopped apples and the walnuts, if using (I didn’t). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Batter will be thick.
Bake the cake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.
Make the caramel glaze.
In a small heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and cream (or half-n-half). Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes or until glaze thickens slightly but is still pourable. Stir in the vanilla. Slowly pour the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing glaze to drip down the sides of the cake. Let the glaze set before serving.
This cake is scrumptious served with vanilla ice cream!
Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats Dessert Cookbook by Mary Engelbreit 1999.
This cake I have baked many times. I’ve adapted the recipe from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (1982 old) that I bought early in my marriage and one that I used religiously. It’s one of my ‘before’ cookbooks, when one or two cookbooks were enough. Before I started collecting what has become a library of cookbooks. The pages contain scribbles from at least one of my three children and baking splatters, like art themselves. Its pages are browned and torn and when I open the cookbook, it turns right to this banana cake recipe, like magic.
Banana Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or 375 degrees for high altitude.
Grease and lightly flour two 9 inch round baking pans.
In a mixing bowl combine the first 7 ingredients. Add shortening, softened butter and banana; beat on low speed of electric mixer until combined. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Turn batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes and turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling.
Frost with vanilla buttercream frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
6 tbsp butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp evaporated milk, or enough to make frosting spreadable and fluffy
2 tsp vanilla
Cream butter in mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and milk alternately, beating between additions. When frosting is fluffy and of good spreading consistency, add vanilla and beat for another minute or two. Frost cake.
Note: I also make this cake in a 9 x 13 cake pan. Just bake until cake is golden and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
These cookies are a tradition at our house during the holidays, but would make an excellent cookie choice for Easter or any Spring or Summer get-together. They would be ideal at a wedding, bridal or baby shower.
This past Christmas, things were hectic at our house. Our home had been under construction for months, I got sick, and we were breathlessly awaiting the birth of our second grandchild. Needless to say, I didn’t get to my holiday baking, which at our house, is unheard of. Sure enough, my daughter went into labor and I could not think of much else. We were blessed with the appearance of our grandson early in the morning on Christmas Eve, the best Christmas gift any of us could ask for. I could not fathom celebrating Christmas without something sweet, so I somehow managed to make these cookies. They were all we needed. Our family Christmas was complete.
For the Cookies:
1 6oz. can orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c sour cream, at room temperature
2 eggs
4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated orange zest
For the Frosting:
6 tbsp butter, softened
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
4 tbsp evaporated milk, or enough to make frosting fluffy and spreadable
2 tbsp reserved orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp grated orange zest
2 tsp or 1 tbsp vanilla (to taste)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (375 degrees for high altitude).
To Make Cookies:
Reserve 2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate for frosting. Grate 2 tbsp. orange zest for the cookies and 1 tbsp. zest for the frosting. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter together for 2 minutes. Add sour cream, eggs, and orange juice concentrate. Mix well.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and grated zest to sugar/butter mixture and beat thoroughly. Using a 1 inch cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon of dough, drop cookies onto a nonstick baking sheet (or line baking sheet with Silpat or parchment), and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom of cookies are just lightly browned. Do not overbake. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and transfer to a baking rack to cool.
To Make Frosting:
Beat butter in mixing bowl to fluff. Beat in the powdered sugar and evaporated milk, alternately, until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable. Add the reserved orange juice concentrate and orange zest, mixing well.
Frost cookies and enjoy!
Makes 60 1-inch cookies or 30 2-inch cookies.
Adapted from More Recipes from Quilt Country Cookbook
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
3 c unbleached flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with Silpat or parchment.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and the butter. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and peanut butter. Mix until combined. Add flour, stirring to combine.
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. Press down each cookie with a fork to make a crisscross pattern, pressing slightly each time. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks : King Arthur Flour Cookie Campanion
