Cookies
Review: Zulka Pure Cane Sugar & Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate
June 12, 2013 | 
Author Happy National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! Today I bring to you a soft peanut butter cookie made with cream cheese dipped in white chocolate. But it gets even better, because I made these with Zulka’s Morena Pure Cane Sugar. Yay for unrefined goodness!
Zulka Pure Cane Sugar is real, unrefined granulated Morena (does not undergo conventional refining processes) sugar made from freshly harvested sugar cane that is a better-tasting and less-processed cup-for-cup replacement for refined white sugar. You really won’t be able to taste the difference in your baked goods. This is because the natural properties of the sugar cane plant are preserved, while retaining a flavor profile that’s as close to fresh sugar cane as possible, making it a better alternative to white sugar for baking, cooking and beverage recipes as well as all other everyday sugar uses.
I substituted this sugar for refined sugar in Flourless Black Bean Brownies and Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Truffles, and I did not notice the difference which is amazing since I am usually very sensitive to the flavors of alternative sugars. This remained true in these cream cheese peanut butter cookies I am sharing today! Even my boss was impressed by these cookies and said, “You’re killing me, I’m not supposed to like peanut butter!” as he waved his second cookie of the day at me. Probably the best compliment you can get is converting a person who doesn’t normally like something.
As a result, I am excited to continue using this sugar in future baked goods. Want to get your hands on some Zulka Pure Cane Sugar? Find it at major retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, Kroger, SuperValu, Food 4 Less, Superior, Winn-Dixie, El Super Winco and many others. Hopefully it is available at one of those near me for when I run out!
CREAM CHEESE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES DIPPED IN WHITE CHOCOLATE
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar (I used Zulka Pure Cane Sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
6 oz. of a Candiquik Vanilla Baking Bar or White Candy Melts
Sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and peanut butter together until smooth. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Add vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar, beating until all incorporated. Add flour and baking soda and mix until combined.
- Scoop cookie dough into rounds and place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Smash cookie dough balls cross-wise with a large tined fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies just start to brown. Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheets and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Line baking sheets with wax paper. In a double boiler, melt the candy coating according to package directions. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate and let the excess drip off. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet and top with sprinkles, if using. Allow to harden at room temperature, or speed up by placing in the refrigerator.
- Store in an air-tight container.
Source: Adapted slightly from Miss in the Kitchen.
Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary product from Zulka. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Coconut Pecan Cookies
I’m a little behind when it comes to cable TV shows since I don’t have cable or internet at home, but I am slowly making my way through Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and New Girl. The most recent episodes (#23 and 24) of New Girl that I have watched, solidified my obsession with the character Nick Miller. It went from an enjoyment of the character to full blown wanting to jump through the screen. Apparently I am not alone in this phenomenon – back off ladies! I’m just kidding, but seriously I don’t think I’ve ever been obsessed with a fictional character before.
But let’s move on to things that esist in the real world, such as delicious cookies. These were a huge hit with everyone at my cousin’s beach bachelorette party last weekend. Two girls even claimed to not be cookie people but continued to eat them every single day and I caught many being eaten first thing in the morning. With how chewy these cookies are I cannot say it was a surprise. There was the perfect amount of coconut in them and it was well paired with the toasted pecans. Dig in and make that fantasy I know you’re having about these cookies a reality.
One year ago: Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas
COCONUT PECAN COOKIES
Makes approximately 3 dozen
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp butter flavoring
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1 rounded cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
3 cups coconut, lightly packed
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add flavorings and extracts, along with the egg, and beat to combine.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix just to combine. Fold in pecans and coconut.
- For best flavor age the dough overnight in the refrigerator, covered. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop by rounded tablespoon (or use a medium cookie scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until they no longer look wet in the middle and are lightly browned.
- Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes and then remove to cooling rack.
Source: Adapted slightly from Baking Better
Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies have been popping up all over so I decided it was finally time to jump on the bandwagon. After all, it’s difficult to imagine a world where anything stuffed with Nutella would not be worth while. Let alone the addition of browned butter and some sprinkles of sea salt. Speaking of sea salt, for some reason I refuse to buy fleur de sel online, and has become my mission to find it in person. Somehow even the local spice store doesn’t carry it. But thankfully, I’ve seen more recipes calling for coarse seas salt rather than the fancy stuff lately and the mad hunt had been put on hold for the moment.
These cookies rival the Nutella chunk cookies I made awhile back. But instead of chunks of Nutella dispersed like chocolate chips, these have an entire blob of Nutella inside! As a result they are definitely best when served right out of the oven so that the Nutella in the middle is still nice and gooey. But you if somehow have any left over after the first day, 10 seconds in the microwave will rejuvenate them.
One year ago: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Two years ago: Bacon-Corn Fritters
NUTELLA-STUFFED BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes approximately 2 dozen
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Greek yogurt (I used 0% vanilla Chobani)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dollop teaspoon-sized mounds of Nutella onto the baking sheet (about 2 dozen total*) and pop in the freezer until firm, at least a few hours.
- Add the butter to a medium skillet set over medium heat and let it start melting. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter becomes golden brown and smells nutty. Pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Allow to cool completely.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and sea salt together in a medium bowl. Add both sugars to the bowl of the mixer along with the cooled brown butter. Beat on medium speed until blended. Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla and Greek yogurt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, beating just until incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), portion the dough into balls. Working with one ball at a time, use your thumb to create a well in the center of the ball. Add a dollop of frozen Nutella to the well then seal the cookie dough around it so it’s completely enclosed. Repeat with all of the dough and Nutella, placing the balls of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (Note: the Nutella may soften as it sits at room temperature. If necessary, you can throw it back in the freezer to firm up.)
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and set (the centers may look underdone). Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and immediately sprinkle the cookies with additional sea salt. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then remove to the wire racks.
*I got 30 cookies and therefore made 6 extra dollops of frozen Nutella
Source: Adapted slightly from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, originally from Ambitious Kitchen via Annie’s Eats.
Posted in Cookies, Desserts | 
Tags: browned butter, chocolate, Greek yogurt, Nutella, sea salt | 
15 Comments »
Funfetti Macarons & Sucré Macaron Giveaway
This month I participated in Love & Olive Oil’s April Kitchen Challenege, and April was dedicated to tackling macarons. I know in the past I have expressed my dislike for macarons, but after enjoying the meringue cookies I made and therefore debunking my dislike for meringue, figured I should give macarons another shot. And in light of this macaron extravaganza, I am giving away an 8 piece Signature Macaron Collection from Sucré to one lucky reader! (Details at the end of this post.)
Most recipes I’ve seen call for specific weight measurements, which is understandable in an effort to get more consistent results with a notoriously finicky treat. Although I do own a kitchen scale, for some reason decided to be stupid brave and go without. This is where I admit that my macarons were not perfect. They didn’t have the typical edges of a macaron cookie, and some were cracked or concave underneath. In the future since the batter was quite easy to make, I will take the extra minute and weigh everything.
That being said… Sweet glory they were delicious! What have I been doing with my life, hating macarons all this time? I’ve only had one macaron in my life from a coffee shop and was unimpressed by their dry cruchy-ness, but these babies were not dry at all and perfectly chewy. Of course, the funfetti flavor probably was a significant factor in their desirability. Regardless, I’m very glad I decided to partake in this challenge and can’t wait to see what’s up in May!
Two years ago: Mexican Mac and Cheese
FUNFETTI MACARONS
Makes approximately 3 dozen
Ingredients:
MACARONS
5 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1-3/4 cups almond flour
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles
CAKE BATTER BUTTERCREAM FILLING
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dry white or yellow cake mix
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Rainbow sprinkles, placed in a small shallow dish
Directions:
- On three pieces of parchment, use a pencil to draw 1.5-inch circles about 2 inches apart. Flip each sheet over and place each sheet on three baking sheets; set aside.
- Place the egg whites in your mixer’s bowl and whip on medium until frothy. Increase the speed to high and gradually pour in the superfine sugar. Continue to beat until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/4 of the meringue into the almond mixture. Continue folding the rest of the meringue until completely incorporated. Fold in sprinkles.
- Fit a piping bag with a 3/8-inch round tip and fill it with the macaron mixture. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheets, in the previously drawn circles. Tap the underside of the baking sheet to remove air bubbles and allow to dry at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 315. Bake the macarons for 12 to 15 minutes; cookies are done when they no longer jiggle when you touch them on top. Rotate the baking sheet after 6 minutes for even baking.
- Remove macarons from oven and transfer to a cooling rack; do not remove from baking sheets. Let completely cool. When cool, slide a metal offset spatula or pairing knife underneath the macaron to remove from parchment.
- While the macarons cool, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth. Turn to low and slowly add in powdered sugar and cake mix. Turn speed up to medium and beat for 1 minute until smooth. Add in milk and vanilla, continue mixing until desired consistency is reached, adding more powdered sugar or milk if necessary.
- Pair macarons of similar size, and pipe about 1/2 tsp of the filling onto one of the macarons. Sandwich macarons and roll the sides in sprinkles.
Source: Adapted from Diethood and Serious Eats.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: Giveaway provided by Sucré. I was not compensated for this post.
Posted in Cookies, Desserts, Giveaways | Tags: almond flour, Funfetti, powdered sugar, sprinkles | 83 Comments »
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Half & Half Cookies
Alright, So you’ve read about my adorable nephew’s birthday party, now it’s time to tell you a little about my adventures in NYC before I ventured off to Boston!
I arrived in NYC Friday evening and I finally got to meet Tara (Chip Chip Hooray)! She took me to one of her favorite Thai restaurants for dinner, and then to a Greek bakery for dessert. I got a hazelnut cupcake (which suspiciously had almonds sprinkled on top) and a baklava cheesecake bar (which btw I actually saved for breakfast the next morning).
Kayle, myself, Tara, Joanne, Lauren, and Jenn
On Saturday we met up with the rest of the fabulous ladies for brunch at DBGB (however much to my dismay, Tracey was unable to join us due to car trouble). After stuffing ourselves with deliciouness, we found a location where we could then dive into the cookies which Lauren had brought for us to try from Keep It Sweet Desserts. After one bite of her cookies, I didn’t want them to try my cookies that I had brought because they were so phenomenal! She may have one more customer after that experience (and everyone I shared them with later on since I got to take some of the leftovers to my family).
COOKIES
From there, we went to a cute store with all kinds of kitchen stuff (Fishs Eddy) where I bought two fun cups and also two plates. One both Tara and I bought so be prepared for some awesome plates showing up. Also checked out Eataly, and a few other places I cannot remember the names to before I had to head out and meet my ride to Boston. I had an awesome time with everyone but definitely wish I had more time to spend in NYC. Hopefully I will be back soon, or maybe I can convince them to venture south 
.
Also, check out Tara’s post about our adventures too – she took more pictures!
Moving on to these cookies. They are the ones I brought to share on Saturday! Originally I had planned on sprinkling these with coarse sea salt prior to baking but totally forgot in my excitement of preparing them for the weekend. The raw dough was also so good I couldn’t wait to bake and eat them. They are half and half cookies with peanut butter cookie dough with dark chocolate chips on one side, then dark chocolate cookie dough with peanut butter chips on the other. It’s joyousness.
DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER HALF& HALF COOKIES
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
DARK CHOCOLATE DOUGH
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 up unsweetened dark chocolate baking cocoa
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
PEANUT BUTTER DOUGH
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks
Directions:
- Make the dark chocolate dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking cocoa. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until just incorporated. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in peanut butter chips. Divide into four equal portions, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
- Make the peanut butter dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the peanut butter until creamy, then add the egg, and vanilla until just incorporated. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Divide into four equal portions, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
- Assemble the cookies: Once the doughs have chilled for about an hour, roll all 8 balls of dough into logs, measuring about 3/4-inch wide by 12 inches long. Pair up the four logs of dark chocolate dough with the 4 peanut butter and roll the pair together into one log. Re-wrap in plastic and refrigerate for another hour, or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with a baking mat or parchment paper and set aside. Take out one log of dough and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on cookie sheets, cut-side-down, two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies just start to set. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Source: Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction and A Kitchen Addiction.
Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cake batter in cookie form? Yes please. This recipe actually made me think of all kinds of cake batter flavored cookies that could be made (similar to my streak of different cake batter dips). But I was particularly excited by the recipe using tall cookie dough balls resulting in thicker cookies. Unfortunately they did not come out as thick as I had hoped. I was testing out a new cookie sheet for these so may need to play with it more (I received 3 different kinds of cookie sheets for Christmas and I am supposed to report back to my dad which one is best). Regardless of their height, they were still a great cake batter tasting tasting cookie and is worthy to take up space in your freezer for those emergency cookie moments. Such as every day life.
One year ago: Gluten-Free Bananas Foster Muffins
Two years ago: Cashew Chicken
CAKE BATTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes about 2.5 – 3 dozen
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (I used a blend of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sprinkles
Directions:
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. This step is mandatory. The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to avoid the cookie from spreading too much.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Shape your cookie dough balls to be “taller” than they are wide. Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned. The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
It’s National Peanut Butter Day!!! And what better way to celebrate than with some cookies? You all are very much aware of my peanut butter obsession, but with the addition of nutella I pretty much lost my mind. These little thumbprints might have to go into overtime in the competition against the butternut salad to determine which is my favorite recipe this week. I know I talked up that salad a bunch, but take the same excitement and apply it here again. How about I just have that salad again with these for dessert? Like 8 of them.
Fleur de sel continues to be unavailable to me except by purchasing online (which for some reason I refuse to do) so I was excited to see course salt used on these cookies. The recipe is also incredibly simple and requires few ingredients – most of which you should already have in your pantry except maybe the natural peanut butter, but I am tempted to try making them with regular. In other words, there is no excuse for not making these in honor of today.
For more peanut butter recipes to celebrate National Peanut Butter Day, check out my peanut butter & chocolate roundup with recipes from all your favorite bloggers.
One year ago: Homemade Pizza Sauce
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
SALTED NUTELLA PEANUT BUTTER THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Makes 2 dozen small cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup chunky natural peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup nutella
Course sea salt, optional
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In large bowl, stir peanut butter together with sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using a small cookie scoop*. Bake 10 minutes, until cookies have slightly flattened and are not shiny. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Press thumb into the center of the warm cookie or use the back of a utensil to create an indentation. Spoon in 1/2 teaspoon nutella into hole and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve.
* I used my medium cookie scoop but then split the dough ball in half
Source: Lauren’s Latest
Chocolate Cake Ball Stuffed Oreo Pudding Cookies
Happy New Year! Bust your lose weight resolutions after only two days with these cookies, over on Culinary.net today!
CHOCOLATE CAKE BALL STUFFED OREO PUDDING COOKIES
Source: Adapted slightly from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
Chewy Molasses Cookies
It’s the 2nd annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012, hosted by Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen! This year I received cookies from Samantha of The Little Ferraro Kitchen (Lavender Lemon Bars), Betty Ann of Asian in American (Vanilla Sugar Snaps), and Christina of Mele Cotte (Holiday Butter Rings). Check out their blogs to get the recipes for their delicious cookies!
Every winter one of my labmates brings in molasses cookies and they are absolutely to die for. So chewy and full of molasses flavor. Those cookies alone might be my favorite part of the winter holidays. And this year, I finally asked for the recipe and knew I had to make them for the cookie swap.
Surprisingly, even though these cookies are super thin, they are magically chewy. I sent two dozen to each of my matches because they are such thin small cookies. And after all, with 9 dozen I definitely had enough to go around!
The lucky food bloggers to receive these cookies were Samantha of The Little Ferraro Kitchen, Betty Ann of Asian in American, and Julie of ROJ Running. Apparently having a food limitation of “no mint” resulted in some overlap, but I was completely happy with everything I received and hope my matches were too!
Did you miss out this year? Sign up HERE to receive advanced notifications for next years swap!
One year ago: Andes Crème de Menthe Chocolate Cookies
CHEWY MOLASSES COOKIES
Makes 9 dozen
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling if desired
2 eggs
2/3 cup dark molasses
4 cups sifted flour
4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
Directions:
- In a large bowl, cream sugar into butter. Add eggs and mix. Add molasses and blend.
- Sift flour, soda, salt, and spices together in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix. Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookies sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll into balls the size of marbles (they will spread a lot). Roll into granulated sugar, if desired. Place 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until dark brown. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- Cookies freeze well.
Source: Kathy, who got it from her friend Jennifer.
Sugar Cookie Spoons for Hot Cocoa
Today I am joining a Virtual Holiday Treat Party on Molly’s blog CAKEfyi, along with a group of other bloggers. The goal is provide a great resource for readers like yourself who are hunting for treats to bring to upcoming holiday parties! As a bonus, Molly is also hosting a giveaway on her blog for a 5-piece bakeware set. So head on over to CAKEfyi for additional holiday treats and a sweet giveaway!
Growing up, we made cut out sugar cookies for just about every holiday. My dad had a huge repurposed pretzel drum full of assorted cookie cutter shapes (a collection I am still working on for myself). For decoration, sometimes we dyed the dough, sometimes we added sprinkles before baking, and sometimes we waited until after they baked. No matter what our decorating techniques were, this was the sugar cookie dough recipe we used. To me, it is the perfect sugar cookie dough although I may be biased due to nostalgia. Whatever the reasoning, when I finally added a spoon cookie cutter to my collection, I knew exactly which recipe to dig out of my recipe box filled with recipes compiled from both of my parents.
These sugar cookie spoons are perfect for dipping to you hot cocoa and just like my childhood years, can be decorated in may ways! For some, I placed a caramel filled Hershey’s kiss in the spoon-head with 2 minutes remaining during bake time (I think a Rolo would have melted better though). For others I dipped in white chocolate and decorated with festive sprinkles. No matter what you choose, these would make a great accompaniment to some homemade hot cocoa mix as a gift.
Two years ago: Blueberry-Almond Turtles
SUGAR COOKIE SPOONS
Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies, depending on cookie cutter size
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Melted chocolate, icing and/or sprinkles, for decoration
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the egg.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture 1/3 at a time until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the cookie dough to desired thickness (somewhere between 1-8/-1/4 inch) and cut with cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). If desired, decorate with sprinkles before baking.
- Baked for 5-10 minutes (will vary on cookie thickness and shape), or until lightly golden on the edges and bottom. If desired, place a Hershey’s kiss or a Rolo in the center of each spoon-head during the last 2 minutes of baking.
- Allow to cool on cooling rack. Once cooled, decorate by dipping in melted chocolate, spreading on icing and/or adding sprinkles.
Source: Cookie dough recipe from my dad.
