Vanilla Bean and Fresh Raspberry Cookies by Meredith

I love the the fresh fruit that summer brings, and Raspberries are my kids favorite fruit. I also love to bake ( which many of you know) and today was one of those days that I just felt like I needed to create something delicious!!

Yesterday I was at an event in Chicago called Pamper me Fabulous, and while I was there I met the amazing ladies from 240 sweets and they sent me home with a fantastic array of items including their Vanilla Bean Sea Salt and Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Extract !

240Sweet makes some super delicious treats including a variety of Artisanal Marshmallows ( Look for a full review later, you wont want to miss it)

With the combination of those amazing ingredients, I made the most delicious cookie!!

Vanilla Bean and Fresh Raspberry Cookies

Here’s what your going to need… but I warn you, eating just one is rare!!!!

1 Cup Fresh Raspberries

8 Tablespoons of Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl add butter and sugar, Mix well until Creamy

add fresh Raspberries, Vanilla, and Egg continue to mix well

Gradually add Flour,Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt

Chill in fridge for about 20 min

Spoon on to cookie tray and bake for 15 – 20 min till golden on the bottom.

I like to sprinkle the tops with Vanilla bean sugar and Eat!!!

Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes with Chocolate Shell

These cutie cupcakes are made with cherry cola, and even have a cherry baked into the center of them! The cupcake was piped high with whipped cream frosting and then glazed with a chocolate shell …and a cherry on top of course!

Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes
adapted from Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess'
makes 12 cupcakes













Cupcakes
1 1/2 Cups flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 Cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 Tbs cocoa powder
3/4 Cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup marachino cherry syrup
24 marachino cherries
whipped cream frosting

ice-cream chocolate shell

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla in a second bowl. In a saucepan, boil the Coca-Cola, and cherry syrup gently for five minutes. Melt in the butter and cocoa powder.

3. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients, beating until everything is blended.

4. Pour into the cupcake pans and push a cherry into the center of each cupcake. Bake for 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

5. When cool frost with whipped cream. Drizzle on chocolate glaze and top with a marachino cherry.

Make Your Own Girl Scout Cookies Part 2

by Dana Angelo White in Cookies & Other Desserts, Meal Makeovers

Comments (21)

Homemade Girl Scout cookies, inspired by Thank U Berry Munch cookies.

It’s that time a year again! We covered homemade recipes for classics like Samoas, Thin Mints and Tagalongs, now it’s time for one of the newest Girl Scout cookie flavors.

Giving Thanks

Don’t get us wrong – our intention is not to thwart the fundraising efforts of deserving girl scouts. But let’s face it, all packaged cookies need preservatives to stay fresh. We’re offering a recipe with nothing but real ingredients. Besides, you can only get your hands on these cookies once a year so it’s nice to have a recipe on hand when girls scouts are on hiatus.
“Thank U Berry Munch” cookies debuted in 2010. Made with sweet-tart cranberries and white chocolate, our version has all the flavor and none of the preservatives. Some online reviews noted that this cookies was overly sweet so we took that into account when creating this tasty version.

Cranberry-White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Makes 30 cookies

1 recipe Classic Shortbread Cookies
1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Place ingredients for shortbread in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Once the dough is well combined, add cranberries and white chocolate and mix for an additional 20 seconds. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and roll into a circular log that is 12-inches long and about 2 ½ inches in diameter. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Slice chilled dough and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges begin to turn golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

Make Your Own Girl Scout Cookies

by Dana Angelo White in Cookies & Other Desserts

Comments (80)

Make Your Own Girl Scout Cookies, Sans The Artificial Ingredients

Whether you want to avoid some of the highly-processed ingredients (like trans fats and palm oil) or you just can’t wait for the annual cookie sale, we’ve got some simple ways to make healthier versions of these classic treats.

Why Make Your Own
Though Girl Scout cookies boxes say “trans-fat free,” the term is officially defined by the FDA as a food that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, meaning some varieties — including uber-popular Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs — still contain trace amounts of the fat. The giveaway: Look for “partially-hydrogenated” on the ingredient list. That ingredient list also contains palm oil and preservatives — your homemade ones will just taste better.

2 Recipes, 5 Different Girl Scout Cookies
Many of the favorite Girl Scout cookies begin with the same base: The classic shortbread cookie. We focused on getting the key flavors of each classic versus creating an exact replica of each kind. All these cookies freeze well — just bake and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months for an on-demand sweet treat.

Recipe #1: Shortbread CookiesStart with any basic shortbread cookie recipe – like this one from Claire Robinson. Once baked and cooled, you’ve got the base for 4 different Girl Scout cookies. For the ones with toppings, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and transfer to the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to set before serving.

One Cookie Recipe, 4 Different Cookies

Trefoils: Leave plain for the most classic of Girl Scout munchies. A 2.5-inch round cookie has about 45 calories.

Classic Shortbread Cookies: Trefoils

Samoas: For the caramel-coconut topping: melt down chewy caramel candies in a microwave safe bowl sprayed with nonstick spray. Microwave in 15-second increments (stir every 15 seconds) until completely melted. Mix in shredded coconut and spread over shortbread cookies, then drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate chips.

Chocolate, Coconut and Caramel-Topped "Samoas"

Tagalongs: Top with a 1/2 teaspoon of each creamy peanut butter, followed by melted semisweet chocolate.

Peanut and Chocolate-Topped Tagalongs

Do-Si-Dos: Top with a teaspoon of crunchy peanut butter for 35 calories of healthy fat. Instead of the typical sandwich cookie, leave it open-faced to save some calories.

Cruncy-Peanut Butter Topped Do-Si-Dos

Recipe #2: Chocolate Wafers
Arguably the most popular flavor, homemade Thin Mints are as easy as a base recipe for thin and crunchy chocolate wafers. If you make the cookies approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick, they have less than 35 calories each, leaving room for the mint-infused chocolate coating.

Mint-Infused, Chocolate-Covered Thin Mints

Thin Mints
Melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring well. When completely melted, stir in 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract (a little goes a long way) — you can always add more, but do it carefully. Dip cooled chocolate wafer cookies in chocolate, transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the fridge to set. To save a few chocolate-y calories, simply spread chocolate over the top of cookies instead of completely coating them.

Use less chocolate coating to save a few calories.

S'more Chippers

 

1    roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

16    large marshmallows

8      oz chocolate-flavored candy coating, chopped

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Shape cookie dough into 36 (1-inch) balls; on ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
• 2 Bake 9 to 13 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Meanwhile, with kitchen scissors, cut each marshmallow in half crosswise. Immediately place 1 marshmallow half, cut side down, on top of each hot cookie.
• 3 Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until marshmallows begin to puff. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. With fingers, gently flatten marshmallows.
• 4 Melt candy coating as directed on package. Spoon about 1 teaspoon candy coating over marshmallow on each cookie, swirling with back of spoon to nearly cover marshmallow. Let stand until candy coating is set, about 30 minutes. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.

 

Expert Tips

These cookies make a fun gift, packaged creatively with instant hot cocoa mix!

Cookie cups

Martha Stewart Living, August 2012

To create this shortbread cup -- a delicious way to serve summer berries and sorbet at a party -- Living staffer and avid baker Paulie Dibner simply used the underside of a muffin tin. "Molding the dough around the outside of the tin is the trick to getting the cups to keep their shape," says Dibner. To make the cups, roll shortbread cookie dough (or any roller dough) to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut out six 4-inch circles. Mold them around the underside of the tin, alternating cups to keep the cookies apart. Bake according to recipe, and let cookies cool on tin.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer. Beat in flour and salt until just combined. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out with a 1 3/4-inch scalloped round cutter, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes. Cut out letter or heart shapes from half the cookies, then return to freezer for another 15 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until cookies just begin to brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature about 5 days.

Potato Chip Cookies

Crunchy, chewy, buttery, salty, and sweet, these addictive treats satisty every last corner of your platate.

I sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all - purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups coarsely crushed salted potato chips
1 cup pecan, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375.  Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until just combined.

Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat on low speed until just combined.  Stir in 2 cups potato chips and the nuts. 

Roll dough into 2-inch balls, and then roll balls in remaining potato chips to coat.  Place cookies 2 inches apart on a  parchment-lined  baking sheet.  Bake until, 18-20 minutes.  Let cool completely on baking sheet.  Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 5 days.

I just made these tonight.  The family loves them and they would make a great gift for someone.
Enjoy and let me know how you like them.

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies

2 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup lemon curd, room temperature

 

Directions:

 

 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

 

 Remove cookie dough rounds from tray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.   

                

Using end of wooden spoon, carefully press into center of each baked cookie to make 1-inch-wide indentation.

 

 In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating 1 to 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

                   

Fill each cookie cup with about 1 tablespoon lemon curd. Top each with beaten egg whites.

 

 Bake 10 minutes or until meringue tops are golden brown. Store in refrigerator.

 

Replace lemon curd with lime or orange curd.

 

Add a teaspoon of grated lemon or orange peel to the lemon curd before filling each cup.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 24 gigantic cookies
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes

Ingredients• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 package Double Stuff Oreo cookies

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
In medium bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.
With a cookie scoop, form balls with the dough.
Place one ball on top of an Oreo cookie, and another ball on the bottom. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is fully enclosed with dough.
Place onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets and bake cookies for approximately 13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

originally from Picky Palate

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tbsp Baking Soda
1/2 tbsp Salt
1 (5oz) package Ocean Spray Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup White Chocolate Chunks or Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, mixing well.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.  Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. 
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookie.

Enjoy

Cinderella Cookies

Ingredients
Loaf of white bread
Sweetened condensed milk
Bag of flaked coconut

Directions

Remove the crusts from the bread. Cut each slice of bread into 4 strips. Coat each strip in milk then roll in the coconut. Place the strips on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until coconut is very lightly golden brown.

Grandma Gallante Cookies ( Feisty FruGal's Website)

Ingredients:

1 Stick Butter Melted
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
3 1/2 Cups Flour
7 tsp. Baking Powder
2/3 Cups Milk
1/2 Box confectioners Sugar
2 T. Lemon Extract
Sprinkles ( If want them in there )

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until well mixed.  If dough is sticky add flour to your hands.  shape into balls. ( not to big of balls ).  Set on greased cookie sheet.  Bake @ 400 for 7-10 Min's.  Cookies will be white but they are done.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This a fast and easy cookie to make.

1. 1 cup of Peanut Butter
2. 1 Egg
3. 1 cup of Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheet with non-stick oil.  Mix the 3 indigents above.  They will dry looking.  Use a spoon or roll out ball size cookie.  Place on pan.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  They do not look done.  But trust me they are.  Take out and let cool and enjoy.

I know it sounds weird not to have floor, but it does work.