Two holiday favorites combine into one with these snickerdoodle kiss topped ginger molasses blossoms. A welcome addition to your holiday cookie exchange.

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What better time to drop a new cookie recipe than on National Cookie Exchange Day! Do you have a go-to recipe that you bring? It should come as no surprise that I do not as I have too many I love and even more that I want to experiment with. Enter these ginger molasses blossoms topped with a snickerdoodle Hershey’s kiss.

When I found the new snickerdoodle kisses in the holiday section of the grocery store I bought them without any plan – I just knew they needed to be in my cart. I didn’t want to make the obvious, which were snickerdoodle cookies made into blossoms, but I struggled to think of what other flavor to make. And then I remembered how much I adore ginger molasses cookies and I was sold before I even tasted them.

These chewy ginger molasses blossoms are rolled in turbinado sugar to give them a contrasting texture on the outside in addition to the sweet spiced snickerdoodle kiss on top. Maybe serve them with some homemade hot cocoa to really get into the holiday spirit.

If you are stumbling upon this post later on and cannot find the coveted snickerdoodle kisses, they may not live up to the name of these but any white chocolate kiss will do. Heck even a regular chocolate one would work if that’s your flavor preference.

SNICKERDOODLE GINGER MOLASSES BLOSSOMS

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Yield: Approximately 30 cookies Prep Time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1-1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Turbinado sugar, for rolling
• ~30 Hershey's snickerdoodle kisses, unwrapped

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, spices, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter and sugars together on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the yolk and beat until incorporated, then add the molasses and vanilla, beating until smooth.
3. Add the dry ingredients and on low speed, mix the dough until the flour is just incorporated.
4. Spoon some turbinado sugar into a wide shallow bowl.
5. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls (I used my medium cookie scoop to ensure they were all the same size) and roll in the sugar. Place on a tray, cover, and chill dough in refrigerator for one hour or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
7. Place balls of dough on prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each ball of dough.
8. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes - should be lightly set around the edges and softer in the center. Transfer the sheets to racks and immediately press a kiss int he center of each. Let the cookies rest for 15 minutes before removing from pan and placing them on racks to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from my Chewy Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies and Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blossoms.

Traditional buckeyes candies are getting into the spirit of fall. Chai spiced buckeyes have the same creamy peanut butter filling, seasoned with chai spices, and coated in white chocolate.

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It’s the first Big Ten conference game of the 2024 Ohio State Football season, so it’s time for this years buckeye flavor – chai spiced buckeyes!

In honor of fall and the continuation of #PBchocSat, I decided to simply add chai spice seasoning to my classic buckeye candy filling, but dipped them in white chocolate instead of regular to kind of emulate a chai latte. I almost named them chai latte buckeyes, but since there technically isn’t any milk in them I stuck with chai spiced.

Could you dip these chai spiced buckeyes in milk or dark chocolate? Obviously that choice is between you and your taste buds. Either way, they are most welcome while watching OSU play MSU tonight!

CHAI SPICED BUCKEYES

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Yield: Approximately 6 dozen Prep Time: 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 4-5 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 6 oz. white chocolate candy bark
• 6 oz. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and spices. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time to reach desired consistency, then use hands to form a smooth stiff dough.
3. Shape into balls using 2 teaspoons of dough for each ball. Place on prepared pan, insert a wooden toothpick, and place in the freezer.
4. Melt chocolate and shortening together in a metal bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, and remove from heat.
5. Remove balls from freezer. Dip into melted chocolate leaving a small circle uncovered at the base of the toothpick. Return to wax paper, chocolate side down. Repeat with remaining balls.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set. Remove toothpicks and, if desired, carefully smudge the holes left behind with fingertip.

Source: Adapted from my White Chocolate Buckeyes and Chai Snickerdoodles.

Take your roasted carrots up a notch by topping them off with a creamy Vietnamese sauce. So delicious you could make them the main event.

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Welcome to #FarmersMarketWeek! I’ll be sharing a couple new recipes this week inspired by all the seasonal produce found at my local market, with a little bit from my garden as well.

I’m also linking up with a dozen other bloggers so you can have even more ideas for your next trip to your Farmers’ Market. Just look for them shortly before the recipe card.

I first made these roasted carrots with Vietnamese sauce back in 2020 for an Asian-inspired Easter dinner, because you know how much I love a themed holiday menu. Since it was just the two of us in lockdown, we kept in small with a chile-lime glazed ham, Thai cucumber salad, these carrots, and mango coconut sticky rice for dessert.

Sure you could just serve roasted carrots, they are delicious on their own, but this creamy Vietnamese sauce takes them up a notch. If you’re not into my themed menu, maybe serve them with a steak and a side of smashed potatoes.

• Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Herb and Asiago Bread Sticks by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad by Blogghetti
• Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Mediterranean Pasta by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Summer Gazpacho by Palatable Pastime
• “Sun”sational Sunshine Platter by Magical Ingredients
• Quick & Easy Fresh Cherry Dessert Sauce by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Quinoa Stuffed Peppers by Art of Natural Living
• Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Pasta by Our Crafty Mom
• Sautéed Zucchini and Corn by Our Good Life
• Pan con Tomate by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

ROASTED CARROTS WITH VIETNAMESE SAUCE

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Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CARROTS

• 1 lb. medium carrots, scrubbed
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Kosher salt

VIETNAMESE SAUCE

• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 red Thai chile, sliced
• 1 (1/4-inch) piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cut carrots into pieces that are  approximately 4 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick.
3. On a large rimmed baking sheet, add carrots and 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat and season with salt.
4. Roast in over, tossing occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until until tender.
5. While the carrots roast, in a small sauce pan over medium heat, add shallot, chile, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Once cooled, transfer to a blender or food processor, add lime juice and mayonnaise, and pulse until smooth. With motor running, slowly stream in remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; blend until emulsified. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve*.
7. Arrange carrots on a serving platter, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve immediately.

Notes

*Can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead.

Source: Adapted slightly from Epicurious.

What happens when you blend together homemade chai mix with hot cocoa? You get a deliciously warm homemade chai hot cocoa mix!

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Just like my varieties of buckeye candy, every year I try to come up with a new flavor spin for my homemade hot cocoa mix. This year, I had a serious light bulb go off while in NYC last weekend to combine the forces of chai and hot cocoa into one.

I am not sure how or why it took me this long to come up with this combination. After all, I knew chocolate chai was already a thing, and I make my own homemade chai and hot cocoa mixes, so why not combine them? And that’s precisely what I did.

The result is exactly what you would expect from a chai hot cocoa – creamy chocolate with extra warmth from the combination of spices and a little boost from the black tea. So be aware that there is instant tea powder in there if you or someone you are gifting this to has a sensitivity to caffeine.

Speaking of the added instant tea powder, Normally my hot cocoa recipes use 1/3 cup of mix per cup of hot milk, but with the extra dry ingredient you have to add a little more to get the same proportions. Yes you can use water because there is dry milk powder in the mix, by why make a sub-par version?

HOMEMADE CHAI HOT COCOA MIX

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Yield: About 2 dozen servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups unsweetened instant tea powder
• 1-1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Working in two batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
4. To make chai hot cocoa, put 1/2 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk

Source: Adapted from my Homemade Vanilla Chai Mix and Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix.

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Chai tiramisu is loved by coffee-lovers and -haters alike! Chai-soaked lady fingers are layered between a creamy mascarpone filling and topped with chai-spiced sugar.

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I hate coffee.

Well, now that I’ve lost a significant proportion of you, it’s time to make tiramisu for the non-coffee lovers. I present to you, Chai Tiramisu!

Chai Tiramisu is pretty much the same concept as traditional tiramisu but instead of soaking the lady fingers in coffee you dip them in homemade chai concentrate. Then I dusted the top with a chai-spiced-sugar instead of cocoa powder. Simple as that.

While I understand that making chai tiramisu instead of making it with coffee takes it out of the realm of being traditional, I tried to keep the integrity of rest of the recipe intact. Same with my pumpkin spice latte tiramisu.

Authentic Italian tiramisu is made with raw eggs but in the US tiramisu is often made with heavy whipping cream instead. If eggs are used, it’s sometimes just the yolks and they are tempered.

As someone who researches Salmonella as my day job I respect the fear of Salmonella in raw eggs, but as long as you use pasteurized eggs you’re good to go – regardless of whether it’s Chai Tiramisu or Traditional Tiramisu.

Honestly, I was super impressed with how this turned out. Even coffee lovers had to admit it was stinking delicious! I also loved how easy it was to make. It reminds me of a fancier version of dessert lasagna, and we all know how obsessed I am with that delicacy.

CHAI TIRAMISU

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Yield: 16 Servings Prep Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHAI CONCENTRATE

• 3 cups filtered water
• 3 bags of chai 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp dark rum

TIRAMISU

• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 4 pasteurized eggs, yolks and whites divided
• 2 cups mascarpone 
• Pinch of salt
• About 24 lady fingers** 

TOPPING

• 1 Tbsp powdered sugar, for topping
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp cardamom
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch ground allspice

Directions

1. To make the chai tea concentrate, add the water to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove from heat, add the tea bags, and cover the pot to steep for 5 minutes.
2. Discard the tea bags and add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the rum and set aside to cool*.
3. To make the mascarpone filling, in a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until forming soft peaks. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl place the sugar and egg yolks. Beat until creamy. Add mascarpone and salt, then beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the egg whites until incorporated. 
5. One by one, dip 1/3 of the lady fingers into the chai concentrate and place them in a single layer on the bottom of 2-quart dish**. Spread about 1/3 of the mascarpone filling evenly over the top of the lady fingers. Repeat layers finishing with the final third of mascarpone filling.
6. Cover the tiramisu and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight). 
7. Prepare the topping by mixing the sugar and spices together in a small bowl. Cover and set aside. 
8. When ready to serve, dust the top with the chai-spiced-sugar.

Notes

*Place in fridge to speed up process if needed. **Depending on the shape/size of your dish you may need more of less to assemble 3 layers.

Source: Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen.

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These Crystallized Ginger Scones with Sake Poached Asian Pears are a refreshing take on traditional shortcake – zesty scones, crunchy spiced pears, and sweet whipped cream.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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When it comes to spring, the first thing I think of dessert-wise is shortcakes. So naturally when I received a big box of fresh delicious produce from Melissa’s Produce for #SpringSweetsWeek I knew I had to make a shortcake with one of the many options waiting inside. My options included mango, Cara Cara oranges, blood oranges, Butterscotch (Korean) pears, kumquats, Meyer lemons, yellow dragon fruit, carrots, and even a bundle of fresh mint.

As you can already guess by the title of this post, I went with the pears. But obviously I couldn’t just stick to slicing them up and serving on a biscuit with whipped cream. What would be the fun in that?

For starters, Asian pears are crunchier than your “average” pear and I wanted to make sure I maintained that crunch while still softening them up a bit for a sweet treat. As such, I decided to lightly poach them in sake and Chinese five spice. Don’t like sake? Use white wine. Don’t want any alcohol? Use a light colored juice such as apple or white grape.

Once poached, that sake sauce is cooked down even further into almost a syrup which will be use when serving the pears along with the rest of the shortcake ensemble. Of course you could also serve them as is, I have to admit I did eat a few slices myself.

You can’t have a shortcake without the little short cake and in this case I decided to make crystallized ginger scone-cakes. With a little Meyer lemon zest and extra lemon extract to really enhance the ginger, these scones are the perfect pairing for those sake-5-spice-poached pears. They would be great alone for breakfast as well (maybe with some miso butter??).

This scone-cake is assembled by spitting a scone in half, placing the spiced poached pears on top, followed by the sauce, fresh whipped cream, and the top of the scone. Then dig in to enjoy the buttery & zesty scone with tangy sweet sake sauce soaking into it, topped with crunchy spiced pears, and luscious whipped cream. None of that canned/frozen topping business.

Thanks to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors that inspired this recipe with their products, including Dixie Crystals granulated pure cane sugar, Anolon cookie sheet with silicone grips, Melissa’s Produce Butterscotch (Korean) pears, and Taylor & Colledge lemon extract paste.

Check out the other recipes shared today for #SpringSweetsWeek listed below and also don’t forget to enter to win some swag from the generous aforementioned sponsors by using the Rafflecopter widget located at the end of this post.

Monday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Blood Orange Shortbread Cookies from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Carrot Bundt Cake from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Carrot Halwa Ice Cream from Magical Ingredients
• Coconut Pudding with Dragon Fruit from Shockingly Delicious
• Easter Candy Crack Bars from Cookaholic Wife
• Easter Charcuterie Board from Devour Dinner
• Frozen Lemonade Pie from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Hummingbird Cupcakes from Red Cottage Chronicles
• Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Key Lime Bundt Cake from Jen Around the World
• Key Lime Pie from Blogghetti
• Key Lime Sugar Cookies from Daily Dish Recipes
• Lemon Blueberry Jelly Roll from That Recipe
• Lemon Crinkle Cookies from Eat Move Make
• Lemon Posset Tart from Art of Natural Living
• Lemon Scones with Lavender Glaze. from Family Around the Table
• Mocha Cream Puffs from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Orange Unicorn Doughnuts from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake from Palatable Pastime
• Strawberry Lavender Muffins from Sweet Beginnings
• Strawberry Lemonade Mascarpone Cheesecakes from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER SCONES WITH SAKE POASED ASIAN PEARS

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 4 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER SCONES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/8” cubes
• 1-1/3 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• Fresh whipped cream, for serving

SAKE POACHED PEARS

• 4 Asian pears
• 1-1/2 cups sake
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground Chinese five spice
• Coarse raw sugar

Directions

1. For the scones: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone making mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add zest and mix with a pastry cutter.
3. Add butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender until shaggy.
4. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the milk and lemon extract.
5. Gently fold milk mixture and crystallized ginger into the dry ingredients using a spatula just until mixed (if dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it comes together).
6. Using a large cookie scoop, portion out the dough onto prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with coarse raw sugar and press lightly to flatten. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight.
7. When ready, preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Transfer frozen scones on prepared baking sheet to the oven and bake for for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Let cool on baking sheet. While the scone bake, prepare the pears. 
9. For the pears: Peel, quarter, and core each pear.
10. In a medium saucepan (big enough to hold pears) combine the sake, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and five spice.
11. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Add the pears and simmer, rotating every 10 minutes.
12. Remove the pears from the pan, allowing excess liquid to drip off, and cool them on plate or tray (slice if desired for serving).
13. Bring the sake sauce back up to a simmer and cook until the liquid has been reduced by half. Set aside to cool.
14. Assemble the scone-cakes: Slice a scone in half, place bottom on a small plate, top with one quarter of a pear, cooled sauce, whipped cream, and finish with the top of the scone. Serve immediately.

Source: Scones adapted from Sassafras Bakery via Valerie (friend of The Spiffy Cookie) and pears adapted from The Spruce Eats.

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This easy chicken lo mein is quick enough to make on a weeknight. Mix it up with your favorite protein and veggies.

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Do you have any holiday traditions? 

I had to think about this one. As a kid I have fond memories of decorating the tree with Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music playing, making press and cut out cookies (no frosting, sprinkles added before they baked thankyouverymuch), and driving around to see lights.

But as an adult I think the most consistent thing is going out to a movie and ordering Chinese (after failing to remember that yes Bill Gray’s is indeed closed) on Christmas Day. It’s a tradition originally born out of necessity but now is one of my favorite things. 

How did this start?

Sometime in the early 2000s when my mom had moved back to her home state of Maryland, and my dad and step mother moved to Knoxville, TN, “going home” looked a bit different. Where is home when your house that you grew up in is no longer yours? Instead, when visiting for the holidays we would stay with my Godparents. Which was great but since they already host a Christmas Eve dinner there isn’t any need to do it again the next day, beyond leftovers.

So we went to the movies and got Chinese afterwards. And it stayed that way ever since. Is it a tradition? I suppose it is and might be the only one I have participated in with any consistency. It’s not a must do, but it’s fun and different so I enjoy it when we do spend the holidays together.

As someone who was not raised in a traditional home (parents divorced at a young age), traditions aren’t particularly important to me, adaptation was. Don’t get it twisted, our divided homes were filled with love but not many other kids had to juggle holidays, weekends, etc. Silver lining? It helped me prepare for the real world.

As an adult that skill makes it easier with my husband’s family added to the juggling act, trading off the best we can to balance between the families all over the country. Of course it’s unfortunate that we won’t be able to see every single family member this holiday season, but that’s been almost my entire life. I will see my loved ones another time and it will be just as special because time spent together is important no matter what the date is on the calendar. But I digress.

I hope you are doing whatever brings you happiness this holiday season. And if you also want to celebrate with some Chinese food, here’s a quick and easy chicken lo mein recipe for you. Can’t find lo mein noodles? You can use any other similar shaped pasta. And feel free to change up the protein and veggies to your liking.

Three years ago: BBQ Pork Charcuterie

Four years ago: Butler County – Things to do

Seven years ago: Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate Mix

Eight years ago: Baked Mozzarella Chicken Rolls

Nine years ago: Buttermilk Biscuits

Eleven years ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

CHICKEN LO MAIN

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Yield: 4-6 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

SAUCE

• 2 Tbsp sodium soy sauce*, to taste
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha, to taste

NOODLES

• 8 oz. lo mein egg noodless**
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lb. chicken breast of thigh, cut into thin bite-sized slices
• 1 baby bok choy, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1/2 cup snow peas
• 4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and Sriracha; set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions and drain.
3. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and ginger, and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook 2 minutes per side or until no longer pink. Remove from pan.
4. Place pan back over medium-high heat, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place bok choy in the pan, cut-side-down along with the bell pepper, carrot, and snow peas, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the noodles and soy sauce mixture, toss gently to combine, then serve immediately topped with green onion.

Notes

*Use a good quality soy sauce as it will make a difference in flavor. **You could also use spaghetti, linguine or bucatini.

Source: Adapted from Damn Delicious and Food Network.

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Why make regular snickerdoodle cookies when you could have these spiced chai snickerdoodles instead? Perfectly paired with your favorite hot beverage.

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Snickerdoodles are a pretty great cookie all year round, but in an attempt to make it a little special for the holidays I decided to literally spice up the coating a bit more and made them chai spiced! They certainly do not suck.

Dare I recommend serving these with a hot mug of homemade vanilla chai? Or a cinnamon hot chocolate? Heck, gift the homemade mix of either with a bag of these cookies to friends or family.

And that my friends is my last recipe for #ChristmasCookies week. That is not to say that I won’t be baking any other cookies between now and the end of the year. But while you wait, check out all these other great ideas:

Friday Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Big Soft Ginger Cookies from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Snowballs from Kate’s Recipe Box
• Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Christmas Ritz Cracker Cookies from Jen around the world
• Cinnamon Toast Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti from Sweet Beginnings
• Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Double Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies from Magical Ingredients
• Gluten Free Brownie Cookies from Family Around the Table
• Grinch Cookies from Devour Dinner
• Italian Pistachio Cookies from Take Two Tapas
• Old-Fashioned Jubilee Jumbles Cookies from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Peppermint Cookies from Daily Dish Recipes
• Peppermint Shortbread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Reindeer Cookies from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Sugar Cookie Bars from Leftovers Then Breakfast
• Thumbprint Cookies from Palatable Pastime
• White chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies from Art of Natural Living

Three years ago: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Five years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #38 – Thanksgiving Edition

Six years ago: Homemade Instant Oatmeal

Seven years ago: Pear-Cranberry Sauce

Eight years ago: Gluten-Free Chipotle Cornbread Muffins

Nine years ago: Streusel-Topped Milky Way Apple Butter Bread

CHAI SNICKERDOODLES

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Yield: 18 cookies Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COOKIES

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to almost room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

COATING

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Combine coating ingredients in a shallow bowl.
4. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the spiced sugar coating, shaking off any excess. Place on prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges of cookies are just starting to brown and centers are set. Let cool on sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted slightly from my Snickerdoodles.

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These tender pecan shortbread cookies are also flavored with fresh rosemary and drizzled with honey-ginger icing. Sprinkle a little extra fresh grated ginger on top for one delicious fall cookie.

This content was created using complimentary products from Melissa’s Produce, Millican Pecans, Dixie Crystals, and Taylor & Colledge. I was not otherwise compensated and all thoughts/opinions are my own.

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Normally I only think to make shortbread for the winter holidays, but after making these that needs to change.

Not only are there pecans and rosemary in the dough itself, they are also topped with a honey-ginger icing and a little extra fresh grated ginger in case you had any doubts about the flavor.

You could easily press a whole pecan on top before baking these but I didn’t want a big crunchy pecan stealing the show from this uniquely tender cookie.

What do they taste like? The base reminds is reminiscent of pecan sandies, but tender instead of crunchy. But then add the savory warmth of the herbal rosemary flavor. Then mellow out that rosemary with the sweetness of honey in the icing, with a little zing from the fresh ginger.

These cookies are basically a fall flavor party for your taste buds.

This recipe was made using Melissa’s Produce fresh rosemary and ginger and Millican Pecans, and Dixie Crystals sugar. They really shine together in this recipe!

Check out the prizes up for grabs for these and more sponsors below and use the widget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post.

More #FallFlavors Recipes Below:

Beverages

• Apple Cider Milk Tea With Boba And Caramel Apple from Magical Ingredients
• Apple Cider Old Fashioned from Books n’ Cooks

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Apple Cider Donut Muffins from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Pear and Apple Cider Scones from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Spiced Pumpkin Coffee Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Side Dishes

• Balsamic Roasted Purple Brussels Sprouts W/ Grapes & Chestnuts from Savory Moments
• Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pumpkin Muffins from Blogghetti
• Fall Roasted Vegetable Medley from Family Around the Table
• Glazed Cippolini Onions With Rosemary from Life Love and Good Food
• Sweet Potato Latkes from Take Two Tapas

Main Dishes

• Apple Cider Pulled Pork With Apple Slaw from Simple and Savory
• Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce from Jen around the world

Desserts

• Apple Blondies from Eat Move Make
• Apple Turnover from Art of Natural Living
• Butterscotch Pie from Lemon Blossoms
• Gf Cinnamon Graham Cracker Cupcakes from Frugal & Fit
• No- Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake With Salted Caramel Glaze from West Via Midwest
• Oatmeal Scotchies from Palatable Pastime
• Pear Bundt Cake from The Fresh Cooky
• Pear Cobbler from Fresh April Flours
• Pear Crisp Ice Cream from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Pecan Butter Cookies from An Affair from the Heart
• Pecan Pie Bars from Devour Dinner
• Pumpkin Cupcakes from House of Nash Eats
• Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies from SueBee Homemaker
• Sweet Tea Panna Cotta from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Turtle Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches from That Recipe

One year ago: Easy Apple Dumplings

Two years ago: Lemon Cookies with Caramelized Milk Jam

Five years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #30

Six years ago: Mesquite Chicken Sausage and Pepper Pizza

Seven years ago: Cheetos Cheeseburgers

Nine years ago: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter Sauce

ROSEMARY PECAN SHORTBREAD WITH HONEY-GINGER ICING

Print

Yield: 4 dozen Prep Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COOKIES

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup minced pecan pieces
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt

ICING

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp milk
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in the powdered sugar, cornstarch, flour, pecans, rosemary, and salt. Beat on low for one minute, then on high for 3-4 minutes.
2. Turn out dough onto a sheet of waxed paper. Form dough into two 8” logs and roll up in the wax paper sheet and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookies sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
4. Unroll the logs of shortbread dough and slice each into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 7-10 until just set and edges have not yet begun to brown. Cool on wire racks.
5. While the cookies cool, in a small bowl whisk together icing ingredients, adding more milk or sugar as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle tops of cookies with icing, then chill to set. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from my Dark Chocolate Dipped Orang Spice Shortbread.

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Welcome to #FallFlavors where more than 25 food bloggers are sharing recipes with favorite Fall flavors. Our sponsors, Millican Pecan, Dixie Crystals, Melissa’s Produce, Taylor & Colledge, Nairn’s, and Republic of Tea, have furnished participating bloggers with complimentary product to use in their recipe creations that they will be sharing this week. These same sponsors have generously offered prizes for our giveaway so be sure to enter and share with your friends so they can enter too. Be sure to follow our Fall Flavors Pinterest account for more inspiration.

Prize 1: Texas Pecan Candy Basket from Millican Pecan

The Millican Pecan Texas Pecan Candy Basket is loaded with a variety of pecan gifts. Includes 6 Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters, 6 Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles), 6 White Chocolate Caramillicans, 6 Pecan Pralines, and a 1/2 lb. Bag of Flavored Pecans! Every bit DELICIOUS! A $75 value.

Prize 2: Williams Sonoma Cleartouch Nonstick 6-Piece Bakeware Set from Dixie Crystals

Perfect for the occasional baker, our entry-level collection features a sturdy nonstick silicone coating at a great value. Aluminized steel, the material of choice for professional bakers, provides excellent heat transfer for even baking, so food turns out beautifully and releases easily, every time. 6-Piece Set includes: Half-sheet pan, 12-cup muffin pan, round cake pan, square cake pan, rectangular cake pan, loaf pan. An $80 value.

Prize 3: 3 Month Melissa’s Produce Gift Subscription

A stunning selection of the most delicious produce will be delivered once a month for 3 months. At Melissa’s, the produce is selected at their peak of perfection and packed by hand to ensure safe arrival. A $124 value.

Prize 4: A Red Dancing Leaves Teapot and a tin of Hot Apple Cider Tea from The Republic of Tea

Let the aroma of fresh apple and mulled cider spices envelop you as you sip this golden infusion. The crisp, lingering finish will leave you wanting more! A naturally-caffeine free blend of apples, cinnamon cloves and ginger. Reminiscent of apple cider, with the luscious aroma of cinnamon and cloves, make this cup the perfect accompaniment to the colors of the harvest season.

Prize 5: A selection of six flavors of Oat Crackers from Nairn’s

One winner will receive a box of each Nairn’s Original, Chocolate Chip, Stem Ginger Oat Grahams, Caramelized Onions, Rosemary & Sea Salt Flatbreads, and Oat Cracker. Nairn’s has been baking oats since 1896. They use simple, natural, and wholesome ingredients in their products. Minimum $25 value

Prize 6: A Selection of extracts from Taylor and Colledge.

One winner will receive a selection of extracts to include vanilla bean, almond, lemon, and lavender. In 1897, Taylor & Colledge won its first award for excellence in vanilla. Since then, the Taylor & Colledge commitment for unsurpassed quality has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers of vanilla. Minimum of $25 value

Six (6) winners will be randomly selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #FallFlavors bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway and the contest is open only to US residents. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #FallFlavors posts or entries. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan Company, Dixie Crystals, Melissa’s Produce, Taylor & Colledge, Republic of Tea, and Nairn’s for providing prizes.

This Pinot Grigio-based cocktail has dark cherry and pomegranate notes for easy couch drinking.

Here’s the latest #HalesTails cocktail to whet your whistle from my mixologist friend, Haley! – Erin

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Me again! This time I’m sharing a wine cocktail that I concocted for a friend get-together. What’s really nice about a lot of wine-based cocktails is that they can be pretty versatile.

I’m definitely that person that shops for wine by the label and description. So, while I’m certainly no sommelier, I knew I needed something crisp that could hold up against the sweet fruity components I was going to add. For this drink I tried a couple of Pinot Grigios and a Rosé. While they were all worked just fine, I settled on the 2018 Chalkboard Pinot Grigio. It has the classic apple and citrus notes of a Pinot Grigio but what I really loved was the flavor of lychee that came out with this cocktail!!

Made in 1818, Heering is the original cherry brandy liqueur originating from Copenhagen. It’s a beautiful deep red color, thick, and full of flavor. It lacks the medicinal taste that a lot of cherry liqueurs carry and instead is reminiscent of jam with a slight dark cherry tartness and hints of wood and almond. If you want to know what else you can do with Cherry Heering, the Singapore Sling and Blood and Sand are two classic cocktails and it’s often used in a number of food and dessert recipes. If you have a jar of pitted dark cherries, you can use the juice from this instead to get a similar taste.

The ginger simple syrup is just a heated 1:1 of granulated sugar and water steeped with slices of ginger root. It will keep in a closed container in the refrigerator for a few weeks but might start to lose the ginger flavor so just check on it!

I’m sensitive to bitter but with cocktails I’ve learned that by including bitters or an amaro, I achieve a more well-balanced flavor. Aperol is a really approachable with an orange and rhubarb flavor and that bitterness that a grapefruit provides. It helps cut the sweetness from the pomegranate and cherry but also plays really nicely with the basil.

I layered the ingredients for the photo and stirred it up and drank afterwards but I think it is better if you can shake the ingredients. And there were so many garnish options! I went with a ginger root wheel and basil leaves but a cherry, candied ginger, or pomegranate seeds are all great too.

Four years ago: Coconut Pistachio Larabars

Five years ago: Strawberry M&M® Cheesecake Truffles

Six years ago: Black Bean & Chorizo Soup

Seven years ago: Three Cheese Chicken and Artichoke Bake

Nine years ago: Almond Cherry Chip Blondies

Ten years ago: Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

BLOOS AND BONE COCKTAIL

Print

Yield: 1 serving Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 oz. Pinot Grigio
• 3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
• 1/2 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1/2 oz. ginger simple syrup
• 1/6.oz. (or a barspoon) Aperol
• 3-4 basil leaves (smack ‘em!)

Directions

1. Combine all in shaker and fill 3/4 with ice. Shake for ~30sec.
2. Strain into a wine glass.
3. Garnish with a ginger wheel and/or basil if you’re feeling fancy.