Soft slightly salty caramel is sandwiched between chocolate shortbread cookies in this updated version of the traditional Linzer cookie. A drizzle of melted chocolate adds another layer of flavor and a little edible glitter makes the cookies sparkle. This amazing flavor combination brings a new and fun twist to a holiday classic.

My mother always swore by sifting, and I have lately become a believer. By breaking up any clumps of flour or other dry ingredients, my cookies bake more evenly and have a better texture.

Cookie Ingredients –

I converted this recipe from metric so that is why some of the measures are a little odd. I actually have taken to weighing ingredients more than measuring with cups and spoons. I find it is actually much easier and there is less clean up involved.

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Sift together all of the dry ingredients together to eliminate any clumps. Use the back of a spoon or your hand to work all of the bits through the mesh.

Mix the butter and the eggs with the sifted ingredients until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will be slightly crumbly but will clump together in your hands.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

Chill the dough for at least one hour or overnight. Dough will hold for several days in the fridge if needed.

Roll the chilled dough out about 1/4″ thick on a floured surface. Use a spatula or a bench knife to make sure the dough is not sticking as you roll.

Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out your desired shapes. Symmetrical shapes work best, the cookies will get sandwiched together back to back so make sure the shape you are using will work.

Cut out the center of half of your cookies with what ever shape you like. These cut out cookies will make the tops of the little sandwiches. Be sure you have equal amounts of cookies with the holes in them and the bottoms.

Arrange your cut cookies on parchment or sil-pat lined baking trays. Place the trays of cut cookies in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes before baking off. This trick helps the cookies keep their shape and also reduces spreading.

Heat your oven to 350°F for conventional or 325°F for convection. If you are baking only one tray at a time position your oven rack in the center. Position your racks in the B & D positions if you are using two racks.

Bake cookies for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. It is best to start by baking for 8 minutes and then check for color. Since they are a chocolate cookies you need to watch the edges more than the top.

Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to completely cool.

Caramel Ingredients –

Be very careful when working with any melted sugar. It gets extremely hot and can burn very easily.

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Pour the sugar into a medium sized pan over medium heat. Spread sugar over the entire bottom. DO NOT STIR.

Watch for the sugar to begin to melt and take on an amber color after 2 or 3 minutes. DO NOT STIR.

When about a fourth of the sugar has melted and turned a nice color it is time to STIR. The sugar will completely dissolve as soon as you begin to stir. Make sure all the sugar is melted before adding any ingredients.

Add the butter in tablespoon size pieces and stir continuously. The sugar will foam up as the butter melts into it, so just keep stirring.

Heat the cream in the micro before adding it SLOWLY to the bubbling pot of sugar and butter. Don’t boil the cream, just get it hot. Also add the salt and stir. The mixture will be bubbly and foamy, reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to workable temperature. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Pipe or spoon the caramel on to the back or pan side of one of the solid cookies when the caramel has cooled to a temperature that it can be easily handled.

Gently press one of the cookie tops on to the caramel to make a sandwich. The soft caramel will fill the center when pressed together. Be careful not to break the cookies or squeeze all the filling out.

Drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate when the caramel has completely set up.

Dazzle your cookies with a little bit of edible glitter to give them an extra holiday glow.

Print

Salted Caramel Chocolate Linzer Cookies

An updated twist on a classic holiday cookie. Soft salted caramel is sandwiched between tender chocolate shortbread cookies then topped with some melted chocolate.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Chocolate, Christmas cookies, Linzer Cookie

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 12 Tablespoons un-salted butter softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Caramel

• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3.5 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt

Decoration

• Melted milk or dark chocolate

Instructions

Cookies

• Mix together all ingredients with a hand mixer. Knead the dough to form a smooth short crust pastry. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or overnight.
• Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. (If using convection set temperature to 325°F and position oven racks accordingly).
• Roll the dough on a floured work surface to about a ¼” thick. Cut out the desired shapes making sure that half of the cookies have a hole in them.
• Place cut out cookies on parchment or silpat lined baking trays. Place trays of cut cookies in the fridge for about 15 minutes prior to baking to help hold the shape.
• Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
• Remove from oven and let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel

• Place the sugar in a pan over medium heat. Do not stir. Heat the sugar until the sugar has started to melt and turn an amber color. When about ¼ of the sugar is melted, give the sugar a stir. The sugar mass will melt and all the crystals should be dissolved.
• Cut the butter into pieces and carefully add to the melted sugar, stirring constantly.
• Heat the cream in the microwave and slowly add to the melted sugar & butter. Stir continuously. Add the salt and continue to stir the bubbling mixture.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

Decoration

• Melt about ¼ cup of milk or dark chocolate in the microwave.
• Drizzle over top of assembled and cooled cookies.

Assemble

• When the caramel is cool enough to handle transfer to a piping bag. Pipe an even layer on the back or pan side of one of the cookies with no hole. Carefully press one of the cut out cookies on top. Pipe more caramel into the cut out if desired.
• Let cookies set up until caramel is firm.
• Melt chocolate in the micro and pipe or drizzle over cookies. Allow to set up completely before storing in an air tight container.

I don’t know about you, but I really enjoy sipping a coffee or an espresso with some Irish cream, especially on a cold weekend morning. I also love a good chocolate chip cookie, soft and chewy, chocked full of chips. I have been in the mood for a treat of some sort, we have not had one for a while and being home more it is not wise to keep too much around. Then the other day I was looking for something when I happened upon a bottle of Irish cream in the cabinet which got me to thinking, I have not had a coffee and Irish cream in a long while either, so why not combine the two favorites into one delicious bite.

While I love involved baking projects, sometimes it is very nice to just throw some things together and be done, and this recipe certainly fills that bill. One of the things I enjoy about cookies is how easy they are to make, and I really like this recipe because you can make the dough one day and bake it off another if you like.

Tips for mixing cookies:

• Pretend you are hosting a cooking show and get out everything the recipe calls for. Measure all of your ingredients into individual small ramekins, bowls, or even cupcake papers, this has saved me a lot of grief over the years. If you’re interrupted or lose track of your measure you can easily start over. I think all of us have had a spice or extract suddenly come pouring out of the container spilling over the measuring spoon, and rather than trying to scoop some extra salt out of the other ingredients it is much easier to have one more dish to rinse. Having all of your “mise en place” before you even begin mixing also assures you have everything you need.
• Always use two bowls for any cookie recipe, one for dry ingredients and one for wet. This allows you to completely mix the ingredients better than if you attempt the all in one bowl method.
• After measuring and adding all of your dry ingredients to a bowl, use a whisk to sift everything together. Getting the leavening agents and spices thoroughly distributed throughout the flour will ensure better flavor and texture.
• Typically cookie recipes will tell you to cream together the butter and sugars. Making sure the sugar has completely dissolved into the butter will deliver you the best texture in your baked product. It takes several minutes with a hand mixer to completely achieve a fluffy texture but it is certainly worth the time. Once the sugar and butter are creamed together add your measured flavorings followed by the eggs. Break your eggs one at a time into a small bowl before adding, and mix well after adding each egg. Nuts bring a nice crunch to a cookie, eggshells…….not so much.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet about a third at a time, mixing only enough to absorb the flour. Since the dry ingredients were well combined and the butter and sugar was thoroughly mixed you need less mixing at this stage. Over mixing at this point creates a tougher cookie, so only mix until the flour is absorbed.
• Fold in chips and nuts last using a sturdy spoon or spatula mixing only enough to evenly distribute through the dough.
• Cover the dough and refrigerate. Press plastic wrap directly against the dough to “seal” it in the bowl. This will keep all air off the dough and prevent it from drying out. You want chilled dough not dried out dough, and be patient and let the dough chill for the recommended time.

Preparing to bake: 

Once your dough has chilled it is time to get the cookies formed and on the baking sheets. I like to have my oven hot at this point and ready to go. Make sure you have your racks set according to how you are going to bake. If you are using a conventional oven you need to determine if you are going to bake one pan or several. If you are using one pan the center of the oven is usually the best position, however if you are going to bake two pans at a time make sure to space them so that they will be easy to rotate half way through the baking time. If you are using convection be sure to position the racks so the fan will blow over both pans.

• It is important to make sure your oven has had time to completely heat. I keep a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven whenever I bake, this helps keep a constant temperature and helps keep the heat if you need to open the door.
• Line your baking sheets or trays with parchment paper or silpats. I really like the silicone baking sheets, they really help keep the bottoms of the cookies from getting to dark before the tops are golden.
• Consistent sizing is key when you are forming your cookies, it allows for even baking. Using a scoop is probably the easiest way to ensure even sized product but a tablespoon or teaspoon can also be used, whatever tool you have or method you use just try to keep your cookies even sized and shaped.
• Don’t crowd the pan, cookies always spread as they bake so remember to place them so that there will be at least an inch between when they are baked. I know it is tempting to just fill a pan and be done but giving them enough room will let the heat circulate and give the edges a nice even crisp.
• Put chilled dough back in the fridge if you need to bake off the cookies in more that one round. Cold dough produces a taller thicker cookie. If you leave your dough on the counter the second round will most likely be much flatter and spread much more than the initial round.

Baking and cooling:

The smell of cookies baking in the oven is always a delightful treat in itself. Make sure your oven is set up and ready and your hot pads and mitts are easy to grab. Once your cookies are formed and panned up it is time to get them in the oven. It is important not to let them sit on the counter at this point, they need to go directly in.

• Rotate your pans halfway through the baking if you are using a conventional oven. Set your timer for half of the suggested time and have your hot pads and gloves ready. Be sure to rotate the pans not only front to back but from top shelf to bottom as well. This will give you the best even color on your cookies. If you are baking with convection there is usually no need to rotate your pans.
• Watch the edges of your cookies for color not just the tops. If the bottoms are getting dark you need to pull them.
• If a recipe directs you to let your cookies cool on the pan, do so, and for the suggested time. Like in this case, the cookies will look slightly pale and puffy, letting them stand on the pan will allow the residual heat to finish the baking process and keep the cookies moist and tender.
• Transfer to a wire cooling rack leaving some space between the cookies to help with the cooling. Cookies with lots of chocolate chips take quite a while to completely cool, while the exterior may feel cool the center of the chips require a bit of time to firm up. Of course for testing a nice warm cookie with soft chips is a great prize, but not the best for storing.

Storing your cookies:

If for some reason your family doesn’t inhale all of your cookies, they do keep very well. I have found plastic storage containers work better than just tossing them in zip lock bags, and depending on your situation and number of people, storage may not even be an issue.

I found plastic storage boxes that are very inexpensive that I like to use. They are made by Sterilite and measure 13″ x 8″ x 5″, they are actually listed for shoe storage. I got them at the local market and paid only one dollar a piece for them. They are perfect for storing cookies and bars. I use wax paper to line them and layer between. Placed in a cool location cookies will last for at least a week and still taste incredibly fresh.

I hope you might have found some of my tips helpful and also that you give this recipe a try. I think you will be very pleased if you do. Please let us know how you like them if you do give them a go, we always really enjoy hearing about your baking adventures.

Print

Irish Cream & Espresso Cookies

Thick, chewy, and loaded with flavor these multi-chip cookies are a crowd pleaser. The flavor of Irish cream and coffee swirls around dark chocolate, white chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cookies, Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 18 Cookies

Author Christoph

Equipment

• Hand mixer
• baking sheets
• Silpat or parchment paper

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons instant Espresso powder
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 3 ½ Tablespoons Irish Cream Brendan’s or Bailey’s
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 14 ounces chocolate chips I use a combination of dark choc, white choc, and butterscotch
• ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl sift together all dry ingredients. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, cream together butter and sugars with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and Irish cream and mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and mix until creamy.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture a third at a time. Mix only until all the flour is absorbed. Dough will be thick.
• Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap pressing the wrap down on top of the dough.
• Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• When ready to bake. Heat your oven to 350°F for convection, 375°F for conventional and position racks in the center of oven. Line sheet pans with silpats or parchment paper.
• Using a spoon or scoop, roll 3 ounce sized balls with your hands and place on prepared pans. Leave plenty of space as the cookies will spread. I baked 6 per pan to allow plenty of room.
• Bake the cookies for 8 – 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to completely cool.

Notes

• If you do not regularly keep Irish Cream in the house, the little mini bottles work perfect for one recipe!
• I use a combination of chips for this cookie. Use any variety you like or what ever you have on hand. All will be delicious.
• Pecans would also be great in this cookie or you can skip the nuts altogether if you prefer. 

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are studded with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries to bring a favorite holiday flavor alive.  A drizzle of cherry brandy icing puts all the flavors together to make that chocolate-cherry dream come true.  My grandfather Vance loved chocolate covered cherries and would always be sure to have some around at Christmas.  I remember as a kid being offered one as a special treat when we would visit our grandparents, so having a box of cherry cordials has long been a holiday tradition for me.  This cookie reminds me of that once a year, extra special treat and just how much joy my grandfather had passing on one of his favorite holiday traditions with his grandchildren.

Print

Cherry Cordial Cookies

Soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies are filled with white chocolate morsels and brandy soaked cherries. This cookie is also known as a Black Forest cookie.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, German

Keyword Black Forest Cookies, Cherry Cordial Cookies, Holiday baking

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Dozen

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup dried cherries rough chopped
• ¼ cup Kirschwasser or brandy optional ***

Cherry Icing

• 1 cup powder sugar sifted
• 2-3 drops cherry flavoring
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons water as needed

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy, add sugars and cream together until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla until completely combined.
• Rough chop the dried cherries and set aside.
• In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Add milk and mix well, dough will be thick and sticky. Mix in white chocolate chips and cherries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F or 325°F for convection. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge and allow warming at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons of the dough with a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll into a ball with your hands and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake cookies for 10 minutes (cookies will appear a bit soft in the middle). Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Icing

• Place sifted powder sugar in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of the remaining brandy from the cherries or a few drops of cherry flavored oil. Slowly mix in just enough water to make a icing that can be drizzled over the cookies.

Notes

*** Place the chopped cherries in a small bowl with brandy to soak, cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight or until most of the brandy is absorbed. Drain off any remaining brandy before adding cherries to the dough. Remaining juice can be added to the icing for some extra flavor.

When it comes to cookies, I am a huge fan!  I don’t think I have met a cookie I did not like (well there are some I like more than other of course).  In general however I find I do prefer a soft biscuit over a hard “dunker”.  I have always loved sugar cookies but it was not until I was an adult that I embraced the Snickerdoodle.  I do not recall my mother or grandmother ever making them for the holidays, but a sugar cookie coated with more sugar and cinnamon, what could be better? Well I will tell you, this “pumpkin-ed up” version of the holiday classic very well might be.  Pumpkin pie spices and a bit of pumpkin puree take this sugar cookie to an entirely new level, and the addition of butterscotch and white chocolate chips sends it right over the top!  Soft and chewy on the inside with a sweet sugary crunch, now that is my kind of holiday classic.

Print

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Butterscotch Chips

Light and soft snickerdoodles are flavored with pumpkin spices and butterscotch chips. White Chocolate chips add another layer of goodness to this amped up holiday classic.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Cookies

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Coating

• Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside

Cookies

• Heat oven to 375°F for conventional or 350°F for convection. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
• Whisk together all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butterscotch and white chocolate chips and mix to coat.
• In a separate bowl cream together pumpkin puree and sugars, add melted butter and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla and mix well.
• Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of the dough and roll to form a ball, roll ball in the coating sugar and place on baking sheets. Using your hand or a glass with a flat bottom, slightly flatten the balls into disks. Carefully dip the flattened cookies in the coating mixture again and return to baking sheets leaving about 2” between them.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly puffed and lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking pan for about 3 minutes. Using a spatula transfer cookies to a wire rack to completely cool before storing in an air tight container.

Handfuls of fresh blueberries fill a buttery crust offering all the amazing flavor of a fresh baked pie.  These easy-to-make bars require very little prep time and are incredibly delicious.  Enjoyed as the perfect companion to your morning coffee or for an after dinner sweet treat, these little squares of blueberry goodness are sure to please.

Print

Blueberry Crumble Bars

The delicious taste of blueberry pie in an easy-to-make bar. Sure to be a family favorite.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Bars and Squares, Berry Breakfast Bars, blueberry bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Crust and Crumble

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
• 1 large egg

Blueberry filling

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 375° Grease a 9”×13” baking pan. I like to line my pan with parchment for easy removal.

Crust and Crumble

• In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients with lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter, blend in the butter and egg until a crumbly dough forms. Press half of dough into the prepared pan. A piece of plastic wrap is helpful to prevent the dough from sticking to your hand. Set remaining dough aside for crumble topping.

Blueberry Filling

• In another bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently toss in the blueberries. Spread the blueberry filling evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the top of the berries.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until top is slightly brown. Baking times can vary depending on your oven; keep an eye on the bars after 45 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Store bars in fridge for best flavor.

Decadent rich and silky dark chocolate makes these ooey, gooey, chewy brownies the best you may every taste.  Thick and sinfully delicious these brownies are studded with chunks of chocolate goodness and topped with even more.  Sure to satisfy the chocolate lover in your family these bars also make an unforgettable warm brownie sundae.

Print

Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Possible the best brownie ever! A thin crispy crust tops a thick decadent rich, ooey and gooey double chocolate fudge brownie. This easy to make brownie is sure to become a family favorite. Try them slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chopped
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips melted for topping

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°Grease and line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
• In a double boiler melt chocolate and butter together. Whisk until smooth. Add sugar and mix until smooth. Add extracts and stir to combine.
• Mix in eggs one at a time stirring until smooth.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture stirring to combine (do not over work). Fold in ¾ cups of the chopped chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate evenly over the top.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted into brownies comes out just slightly wet. Bake 5 minutes longer or until tester comes out clean if you prefer a more cake-like brownie.
• Remove from oven cool in pan on wire rack. Run a knife around the edge of the brownies anywhere they have come in contact with the pan. When cooled lift brownies of the pan.
• Melt milk chocolate chips in the microwave in 15 second increments until melted, stir often and do not over temper. Drizzle melted chocolate over brownies and allow to set completely before cutting.
• Cut the brownies into 16 pieces. Use a warm knife to cut the bars and wipe the blade clean each cut for neat edges.

Notes

Instructions for how to melt chocolate in the microwave

These easy to make Banana Bread Bars are studded with toasted walnuts and topped with a creamy smooth browned butter frosting.  This recipe is a great way to turn those ripe bananas into a treat the entire family will enjoy.  Sour cream brings a slight tang to the rich goodness and adds moisture to these bars.  Perfect with a morning cup of coffee or as an after school snack, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.

Print

Banana Bread Bars

Easy to make, incredibly moist banana bars with a browned sugar frosting. A great way to use up ripe bananas and sure to become a family favorite.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Bread Bars, Bars and Squares

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Bars

• 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cups mashed ripe bananas 3 or 4 bananas
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup toasted walnuts chopped

Browned Butter Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 3 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• about 3 tablespoons milk or half and half

Instructions

Bars

• Position rack in the center of oven and heat to 375°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
• Cream together butter and sugar. Add sour cream and eggs, mix until creamy and smooth. Mix in bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until completely incorporated. Fold in walnuts and spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Test with a toothpick in the center of the cake. Cool slightly, about the amount of time to make the frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting

• Place powdered sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat until it turns a delicate brown. Swirl pan to stir the butter as it melts. Pour browned butter into powdered sugar and add vanilla and a couple tablespoons of milk. Mix well adding more milk as needed for proper consistency. The frosting should be thicker than a glaze and thinner than frosting.
• Pour the frosting on to the warm cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Work quickly as the frosting will start to set. Sprinkle the top with more toasted walnuts and allow the bars to cool completely. The frosting will level out into a smooth finish as the cake cools.
• Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes

This frosting is intended to be spread on the bars while they are still rather warm. The heat from the cake will make the frosting flow into a nice smooth surface.

For anyone who bakes, you know the heartbreak of a cake that fails.  The one that comes out of the bundt pan in chunks, the muffin tops that separate from the stumps, or the layer cake that falls out…… in layers.  No matter how well you have greased, floured or lined your pans it is bound to happen at some point.  So what do you do with this pile of rubble that was intended for a party or gathering?  Fear not, we have worked on a few ideas to help in the event of just such a disaster, some clever ways to turn your crumbs into delicious treats.

A few weeks ago I acquired a new baking pan with small square cups.  The baking supply store I frequent had a BOGO on Fat Daddios pans, so how could I resist?  I found a couple I thought would be interesting to use and that were different for anything else I had.  So last weekend I finally got around to trying them out.  I had a vision of little miniature square layer cakes that I would pour a mirror finish over.  I prepared my pan and filled the cups.  Having never used this pan before I just made a guess on how full to fill the pan, well I guessed wrong.  My delicious spice cake batter rose up and became one large muffin top.  As plan B, I attempted to cut the tops apart thinking I could frost them as square cupcakes.  When I flipped the pan………. Well on to plan C.  The thought of tossing out the broken cakes pained me.  So what could I do?  Well here are a few ideas I came up with.  I hope this does not happen to you, but if and when it does, you will have some back up plans to make a masterpiece out of crumbs.

#1 – Cake Crumb Parfaits

I crumbled the broken cake and layered it with fresh berries and some quick and easy Two-ingredient Bavarian Cream.  This could certainly be served as a dessert to guests and no one would ever even suspect this started as a disaster.

#2 – Cake Crumb Pie Crust

I spread the cake crumbs out on a sheet pan and allowed them to dry for a couple of hours, then melted some butter and used them to replace graham crackers to make a crust.  You could bake the crust in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or if you prefer chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before filling.

#3 – Cake Pop Truffles

I mixed about two cups of the crumbs with a quarter cup of prepared frosting, (there is not an exact ratio of cake to frosting, you want the mixture to be slightly crumbly but wet enough to form a ball when rolled).  I placed the mixture in the fridge for about an hour before scooping and rolling it into balls.  I tempered some chocolate and dipped the balls, topping them with a few of the cake crumbs before the chocolate set up.  Cake Pop Truffles, a gourmet treat! Who would ever have guessed this started as a fail?

#4 – Cake Crumb Cookies

This one is my favorite of the solutions, in fact I would bake a cake just to crumble up to make these.  They turned out incredibly soft and moist.  Since this was a spice cake that fell apart on me, I decided to use some salted caramel chips for some added flavor.  Depending on the flavor of cake you start with you could add what ever sounds good to you.  I will tell you though these were absolutely delicious!  The recipe for the cookies is below.

Print

Cake Crumb Cookies

These cookies are a great way to use up a cake that fell apart or would not come out of the pan. Add your favorite mix in to complement the flavor of the cake.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla / lemon / or almond extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cup cake crumbs
• 1 cup chocolate chips / white chocolate chips / nuts / raisins if desired

Instructions

• Cream butter together with sugars. Mix in egg and extract.
• In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Mix in cake crumbs.
• Add dry ingredients to butter and sugar mixing to combine. (Dough may appear a bit crumbly but will tighten up as it stands).
• Add chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit if desired.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes, then scoop out onto a silicone lined baking sheet.
• Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

Notes

Dough will appear a bit crumbly at first but after it rests the consistency changes to more of a cookie dough you would expect.

Few things make the house smell as good as a pan of gingerbread cookies in the oven.  The spicy sweet aroma of brown sugar, molasses, and ginger most certainly bring the season alive.  This traditional holiday treat is loved in many parts of the world.  The origin of the gingerbread cookie appears to date back to the 1500’s in Germany.  The Grimm Brothers fairy tales boosted the popularity of gingerbread and the custom of making houses.  These fairy tale cookies are still very popular today and making these cookies has become an annual tradition for many families. 

Print

Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

A holiday classic gingerbread roll out cookie dough with the perfect blend of spices for the season.

Course Cookies

Cuisine Christmas, German

Keyword Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Holiday Treats

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Chill 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 42 minutes minutes

Servings 36 3" Coookies

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• ¾ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons meringue powder
• 2-3 drops gel food coloring optional
• 1-1½ tablespoons water as needed for piping consistency

Instructions

Cookies

• Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add sugar and molasses. Continue heating until the sugar is completely dissolved stirring often. Add salt and spices and stir to combine. Remove from heat and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before beating in the egg.
• Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to the molasses mixture stirring to completely combine.
• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for at least an hour to chill. The dough is a bit sticky and needs to be completely chilled to roll.
• Heat oven to 350°F and line several baking trays with parchment paper.
• Work with one half of the dough at a time, rolling dough out on a floured surface to 1/8” or ¼”. Dip cutters in flour and cut out shapes as close to each other as possible. Roll scraps into a ball and place back in the fridge to chill before rerolling.
• Bake cookies for 8 to 12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Let the cookies cool for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool.

Icing

• In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add color if desired. Add water a teaspoon at a time until desired constancy for piping. If icing becomes too stiff and a few drops of water.
• Allow icing to dry for several hours before storing.

Notes

Placing plastic wrap over the top of the dough for rolling will keep it from sticking without adding additional flour.

 

Chill any scraps before re-rolling.

Pillow like lemon and ricotta cookies are dipped in a tart yet sweet lemon glaze to make this traditional Italian Christmas treat.  These cake-like cookies puff up in the oven almost like little muffins tops, and the tart lemon glaze adds a slightly crunchy shell.  This non-chocolate, tart and sweet cookie is the perfect thing to round out your holiday treat assortment.

Print

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Pillow like lemon and ricotta cookies are dipped in a tart yet sweet lemon glaze to make this traditional Italian Christmas treat. These cake-like little cookies puff up in the oven almost like muffins tops, and the tart lemon glaze adds a slightly crunchy shell.

Course Cookies

Cuisine Christmas, Italian

Keyword Christmas cookies, Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Author Christoph

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Zest of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Glaze

• 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• Zest of one lemon
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice more if needed for consistency

Instructions

Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking trays with silpats or parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• In a large bowl with a hand mixer cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat to combine.
• Stir in the dry ingredients. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
• Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon drop the chilled dough on to the baking tray spacing about 2” apart. Bake cookies for about 15 minutes or until slightly golden at the edges.
• Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool.

Glaze

• While the cookies are cooling combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
• Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze and return them to the wire rack. Sprinkle cookies with sprinkles or sanding sugar if desired.
• Let the glaze harden for several hours to prevent sticking. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Slightly chilling the dough before dropping will keep the cookies from spreading out and becoming flat. 

 

Glaze should be about the consistency of maple syrup for dipping.  Add sprinkles while glaze is wet. 

 

Allow glaze to completely dry before storing.