Cookies & Bars Archives - Page 31 of 32

White Chocolate Macaroons

Having to eat gluten-free and then having a husband who has to eat dairy-free means that we rarely get to share the same dessert. More often than not either I’m watching him indulge or he gets to sit and watch me eat because I would rather not cook two desserts at one time. I was beyond excited when I saw a naturally gluten-free/dairy-free White Chocolate Macaroon cookie recipe in FUDGING THE BOOKS by Daryl Wood Gerber and found that we could both eat the cookies! I’ve never made macaroons (not to be confused with Macarons – a French style meringue-based cookie sandwich with a layer of buttercream) and I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten one either….I know, strange for someone who is a cookie monster like I am! Macaroons are a meringue-based cookie as well but uses lots of coconut for structure. They are light and delicate and the drizzled white chocolate (I used dairy-free white chocolate for my hubby) added a subtle sweetness with creaminess. While not colorful on their own, these cookies can be dressed up with sprinkles to suit your occasion if desired.

FUDGING THE BOOKS is a fun rollicking cozy mystery read full of pirates, chocolate and murder. Jenna Hart runs the Cookbook Nook, a cookbook shop in Crystal Cove which is a small coastal town in California. Celebrating Pirate Week in the tourist town is frantic enough but in addition Jenna and her assistant and best friend, Bailey, host the monthly Chocolate Cookbook Club’s meeting. Their good friend Coco Chastain, chocolatier and cookbook author, is the guest of honor along with Coco’s publisher, Alison Foodie. Before the evening is over Coco and Alison are seen arguing and the next morning Alison is found dead…murdered.

Coco is the prime suspect but even though she swears she has an alibi she won’t tell anyone who she was with all night long. Jenna starts asking questions around town, wanting to clear her friend’s name. Before long she has several people who may have had motives for killing the publisher and each of them appear to be lying one way or another.

The author’s characters come to life on the pages and I would love to spend time in Crystal Cove and especially the Cookbook Nook! FUDGING THE BOOKS is the fourth book in the Cookbook Nook series but is easily read as a stand-alone. And as can be expected with Daryl’s books, there are several delicious recipes included with a wonderful story! Thank you, Daryl, for allowing me to share your yummy White Chocolate Macaroons!

As a bonus for my readers, I’m giving away a copy of FUDGING THE BOOKS. Please comment below and one lucky winner will be randomly chosen. Contest ends Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 11:59 pm. Winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) Open to U.S. residents only.

White Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients

5 egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup ground almonds
5-1/4 cups flaked coconut, toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups sugar
6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Bring the egg whites to room temperature. This takes about 30 minutes.

Grind the almonds and set aside. (I used my food processor.)

To toast the coconut, lay parchment paper on a 15-by-9-inch jell roll pan.

Spread the coconut on the parchment paper and toast in a slow oven, 300 degrees F., for 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and cool. Set aside 1/4 cup of the toasted coconut for garnish.

Meanwhile, place the egg whites in a large bowl.

Add vanilla extract and beat the mixture on medium until soft peaks form, about 3 – 4 minutes.

Gradually beat in the sugar on high, until stiff glossy peaks form, about 4 – 6 minutes.

Gradually fold in 5 cups of the toasted coconut and ground almonds.

Line the jelly roll pan again with a new sheet of parchment paper.

Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons full, 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies at 275 degrees F for 20 – 25 minutes, until firm to the touch.

Remove the cookies to wire racks or paper towels to cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate, at half power, for about 30 seconds at a time until it can be easily stirred. Do not over-zap.

Spoon 1/4 teaspoon of melted white chocolate onto each cookie.

Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut.

Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour, until chocolate is set.

Store in an airtight container.

Tips

Separate the eggs while they are still cold then bring the whites to room temperature.
Refrigerate the egg yolks and use them to make Crème Brûlée within 2 days.
It took over 20 minutes for my coconut to toast…keep a close eye on it as it starts to brown and stir often because it can easily burn. If the coconut starts getting too brown, transfer the coconut to a cool baking sheet to stop the cooking process.
I used Bob’s Red Mill ground almond meal instead of grinding my own almonds.
If you need the cookies to be dairy-free use a dairy-free white chocolate brand such as King David OR use dark, bittersweet chocolate that has no added milk instead.
I spooned the melted white chocolate into a disposable pastry bag (or a heavy duty ziplock bag will work) and snipped off the end to drizzle over the cookies. If the white chocolate cools off too much to drizzle, zap in the microwave for 5 – 7 seconds then knead the chocolate before applying.
Sprinkle assorted nonpareils, jimmies or colored sparkling sugar on top of the wet white chocolate for festive cookies. I piped spiral shapes with the white chocolate then sprinkled with sparkling sugar.

Caramel-Dipped Hazelnut Meltaway Cookies

I’m always on the lookout for new cookie recipes and was delighted to find a unique twist on shortbread cookies when reading ONCE UPON A GRIND by Cleo Coyle. The author uses brown sugar instead of granulated sugar, which gives the cookie a caramel taste on it’s own. Dipped in caramel scented with hazelnut milk then topped with chopped hazelnuts elevates these Caramel-Dipped Hazelnut Meltaway Cookies to pure bliss! I also loved the fact that the dough can be made ahead of time and then sliced and baked as needed. This is most definitely a recipe I will be making again and again!

In addition to having several incredibly delicious recipes, ONCE UPON A GRIND (a Coffeehouse Mystery) was also a delightful read. The play of words in the title sets the fairy-tale theme for Clare Cosi who manages the coffee shop, Village Blend, while her ex-husband, Matt, sources the coffee beans. A weekend long Storybook festival is being held in New York and Clare and Matt are fully involved thanks to Clare’s ex-mother-in-law volunteering them. Matt is conscripted to play the part of a prince which leaves Clare in charge of the Village Blend’s truck to organize a Jack and the Beanstalk theme (coffee beans equals magic beans). As if she doesn’t have her hands full already, her boyfriend, decorated narcotics cop Mike Quinn, asks her to keep an eye on his two kids, Jeremy and Molly, since he’s on his way to a funeral and he doesn’t trust his ex-wife to do so. Clare is happy to help out and finds that the kids’ sitter is none other than the Pink Princess who is paired up with her ex, Prince Matt.

As the festivities progress throughout the day the Pink Princess disappears….along with Mike’s kids. Thanks to some magical coffee beans Matt obtained on his last trip to Ethiopia, Clare has crazy visions after drinking a cup and she ends up finding the children who wandered off to look for their dog deep in the woods of Central Park. After rescuing Jeremy and Molly, she stumbles upon the Pink Princess who is in a deep Sleeping Beauty sleep, hidden in the forest. The doctors can find no antidote and since Matt was the last person to be seen with the Pink Princess and thanks to some of his personal issues in his past, becomes the main suspect. When another princess is murdered Clare realizes she must find the real killer in order to prove Matt’s innocence.

This is the 14th book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series but is quite easy to pick up and read as a stand-alone. I’ve had the pleasure of reading three of the Coffeehouse Mystery books and I’m impressed how the author lets the characters grow as the story progresses with each book. The interaction between Clare and Mike’s ex-wife is realistic and it’s sweet to see the love that Clare has for his children. On top of great characters, Cleo provides enough twists and turns so that it wasn’t easy to figure out the culprit. I look forward to reading many more of her books in the future!

A special thanks to Cleo Coyle for allowing me to share this very delicious cookie recipe with you and providing an autographed copy of ONCE UPON A GRIND to one lucky winner!

Caramel-Dipped Hazelnut Meltaway Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg (separated)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

For Dipping

50 soft caramels or 2 cups Caramel Bits
2 tablespoons hazelnut milk or half-and-half
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

Step 1 – Make the Dough

Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, powdered sugar, and the brown sugar.

Add the egg yolk (save the white for the next step) and blend until smooth.

Add the baking powder and salt and beat again until incorporated.

Finally, add the flour and mix on low speed until blended.

Use your hands to squeeze together dough pieces. Knead a little, working with the dough until it is smooth and form it into a ball.

Turn the dough onto a parchment paper-covered surface and shape it into a thick, long log about 2 inches in diameter.

Wrap the log in the parchment paper, using the paper to finish shaping and smoothing the log.

Chill the wrapped log in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

If you are going to chill it longer (overnight or up to 2 days), wrap the log tightly in plastic to keep it from drying out.

Step 2 – Bake

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the chilled dough log into thin cookies.

Brush the tops lightly with the egg white you saved.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The centers should still be creamy and the edges golden brown.

The cookies are tender when warm. Allow to cool before handling or dipping.

Step 3 – Dip the cookies in caramel and nuts

Place the finely chopped hazelnuts into a shallow bowl and set aside.

Place the unwrapped caramel candies (or Caramel Bits) and hazelnut milk (or half-and-half) in a non-stick saucepan.

Continually stir over low heat until the candies melt.

If the melted candies are still too thick for dipping, add in a bit more milk or half-and-half.

When the consistency is right, turn heat to low.

Gently dip half of each cooled cookie into the saucepan of melted caramels, allowing excess caramel to drain off.

Now dip each cookie into your bowl of chopped hazelnuts.

Gently rest on a wax-paper-lined pan until set and eat with joy!

Tip

I like to use a nut grinder to make quick work when chopping nuts. If you don’t have one, place the hazelnuts into a heavy duty ziplock bag and crush with a meat mallet.

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Hazelnut Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies, in my opinion, are just about the perfect treat. Easy to transport, store well and there’s no fuss when serving…people can help themselves with nothing more than a napkin provided. I like trying all sorts of cookie recipes and am always on the lookout for a new cookie recipe that will be a good addition to my Christmas “goodie” bag giveaways. Since my oldest granddaughter, Jaidyn, has Rett Syndrome, she requires a lot of care which means a lot of teachers, aides and therapists. So each December I bake around 2,500 cookies (using a variety of recipes) to thank so many wonderful people who devote their lives to helping kids like Jaidyn.

When I came across the Hazelnut Triple Chocolate Chip cookie recipe in MURDER, LIES AND CHOCOLATE by Sally Berneathy, I immediately knew I wanted to try them out. One of my requirements for a Christmas goodie bag cookie is that it has to be “different”….something most people would not make for themselves. Sally’s Hazelnut Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies lived up to and exceeded my expectations….delicious creamy bits of three kinds of chocolate along with the crunch of buttery pecans all in a soft and chewy lightly hazelnut flavored cookie base. Yum!

In addition to several delicious chocolate recipes in Sally’s book, MURDER, LIES & CHOCOLATE was an enjoyable read with several laugh out loud moments! Lindsay Powell is co-owner of Death By Chocolate, a small restaurant in Kansas City. Her hopefully soon-to-be ex-husband, Rick, shows up at her restaurant with a client, trying to push her into selling her home to him for twice its value. Lindsay has learned the hard way to not ever trust Rick, so she declines their offer. Unfortunately, the client, Rodney Bradford, drops dead on the front door step of her restaurant just moments after she asks them to leave. Lindsay worries that it was one of her brownies that killed Rodney…not good for her restaurant and not good for her relationship with hopefully soon-to-be love interest, Detective Adam Trent. (If only her lousy soon-to-be ex would sign those divorce papers!)

It doesn’t take long before Lindsay enlists the help of her OCD neighbor Fred. Fred has unusual abilities to find out information about people and things even before the police can find them out, which is handy since her almost boyfriend won’t share police investigation information with her. Lindsay isn’t sure if Fred is a hacker, undercover CIA or maybe even MI-6, but she really doesn’t care as long as he’s willing to help her. Rounding out her group is Lindsay’s other neighbor, Paula, who also is her best friend and co-owner of Death By Chocolate, and Lindsay’s huge yellow and white cat, King Henry, also known as “Attack Cat”. Together they must figure out who’s been repeatedly breaking into Lindsay’s house and who murdered Rodney before one of them becomes the next victim.

A special thank you to Sally Berneathy for allowing me to share her delectable Hazelnut Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!

Hazelnut Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt (bigger dash if you use unsalted butter)
1-1/2 cups (7 ounces) flour
1/4 cup (1 ounce) oat flour*
2-4 tablespoons (1.3 ounces) hazelnut meal (optional but recommended)**
Handful semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 2 ounces)
Handful bittersweet chips (2 ounces)
Handful white chocolate chips (2 ounces)
Two or three handfuls pecans, chopped (I used 2.5 ounces)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter with sugar.

Add egg and vanilla and stir briskly until well mixed.

Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Dough should be very stiff and just a little sticky.

Form dough into balls and lay on cookie sheet.

Bake at 375º for 8 minutes. (A minute longer if you want crispy as opposed to chewy cookies; but why would you??)

Cookies will appear a bit underdone but will firm up as they cool. Resist the urge to overbake!

Cool cookie on baking sheet 5 minutes then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies, depending on how big the balls are and how many samples were tested before baking.

My notes

I used a 1-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop and got about 50 cookies from the batch. I made them smaller than called for since I was taking the cookies to the teachers and staff at my granddaughter’s summer school and wanted to make sure there were plenty to go around.

*You can pulverize regular old-fashioned oats in the food processor until it’s a fine flour if you don’t have any oat flour on hand.

**If you can’t find or don’t want to purchase hazelnut meal you can pulverize whole hazelnuts in a food processor, pulsing about 25 times. Use care and don’t over process so it doesn’t turn into hazelnut butter.

Lemon Macarons: Light & airy cookies filled with rich buttercream!

I love to spend time on Pinterest….especially looking through all the food photos out there! I’ve seen numerous Macaron photos and recipes and while they looked so yummy I was always intimidated to try making them myself. Then I had several egg whites leftover after making the decadent Crème Brûlée and I decided to give Macarons a try. (Go to the bottom of the page for links to Crème Brûlée recipes!)

Much to my surprise and delight I found that Macarons are also gluten-free and not nearly as difficult to make as I had originally thought! Knowing that the youngest granddaughter in our family is the biggest lemon lover, I chose to make the flavor lemon….except the cookies were so incredibly wonderful there wasn’t many leftover to share with her…. so we’ll be making these cookies again next week when she comes to stay with us for a few days!!!

Lemon Macarons

For best results you need to WEIGH the ingredients, but I have also included volume measurements if you don’t have a scale and want to give these cookies a try.

Ingredients

Cookie Shells

110 grams (1 cup) almond meal (or blanched slivered almonds pulverized in a food processor)
200 grams (1-1/2 cups + 1-1/2 tablespoons) confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoons lemon zest
90 grams (3 eggs) egg whites, room temperature
30 grams (2-1/2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
Yellow GEL food coloring

Buttercream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 – 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 1/8 teaspoon pure lemon oil
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Cookie Shells

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the lemon zest on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 20 seconds. Stir zest and microwave for another 20 seconds and stir, repeating process about 4 times until zest is fairly dried out.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almond meal, confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest together until it becomes a fine powder, about 30 pulses.

Sift almond meal mixture into a large bowl. If small chunks of almond remain in the sifter, process the chunks in the food processor and sift back into bowl. Set aside.

Add the egg whites to the bowl of a standing mixer. Whip the eggs with the whip attachment on medium-low speed.

Once soft peaks start appearing (2 – 3 minutes) slowly sprinkle the granulated sugar onto the egg whites while the mixer is still running.

Once sugar is incorporated add yellow food color, a few drops at a time, until it reaches your desired shade.

Increase speed to medium high and whip until stiff peaks appear. Keep a close eye on the egg whites, you don’t want to over whip.

Add the almond and sugar mixture to the stiff egg whites.

Using a spatula, mash the dry ingredients into the egg whites, about 5 – 10 times to release the air.

Then fold the mixture about 20 – 30 times, until the batter is shiny and thick ribbons run off the spatula.

Place the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (I used a size 10).

Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper, making 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch circles.

You can do this free hand or have a template placed beneath the parchment paper.

You can download my free pdf template: Macaron Circle Template Simply place it beneath your parchment paper, pipe the batter, positioning the template as you need. Make sure you remove the template before you bake the cookies.

Leave 1 – 2 inches between the cookie circles to allow for spreading.

Once both baking sheets have been filled (you should have between 40 – 60 cookies, depending on size) tap the sheets on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles in the batter.

Let the cookie shells rest on the counter for 30 minutes, until the tops feel dry. They should NOT feel sticky or tacky. This will prevent the tops from cracking when baked.

Preheat the oven to 315 degrees (F).

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 15 – 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.

They will be done if the cookie lifts fairly easy from the parchment. If it sticks or separates from the bottom, cook a minute or two longer.

Remove baking sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from parchment paper.

Buttercream Frosting

In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the butter on medium speed for one minute.

Slowly add half the confectioners’ sugar and beat until incorporated.

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and once incorporated add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and lemon extract or lemon oil, if using.

Whip buttercream until light and fluffy, about 2 – 3 minutes.

If the buttercream is too stiff, add additional lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time, whipping after each addition until desired consistency is reached.

If buttercream is too soft, add additional confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until correct consistency is reached.

Place the buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. (I used a size 10.)

Procedure

Match up the cookie shells into pairs, according to size and shapes.

Pipe a layer of buttercream frosting onto the bottom side of one cookie and then add the top cookie, creating a “sandwich”. Press the cookies together to spread the buttercream to the edges.

Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Place cookies into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days, allowing macarons to come to room temperature before eating.

Macarons are better when allowed to “rest” 24 – 48 hours after assembly, but my experience is they’re still pretty great right after being made!

Tips

Use the extra egg yolks to make easy and incredibly luscious Orange Cinnamon Crème Brûlée or regular Crème Brûlée
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks while the eggs are still cold, then let the whites come to room temperature while you collect the rest of your ingredients and sift the almond flour and sugar.
Make sure there isn’t even a speck of yolk mixed in with your egg whites or the meringue won’t whip up properly.
Make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are absolutely grease free or your meringue won’t whip up.

Bourbon Pecan Pie Cookies

When I saw that July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day I got excited because my family loves pecan pie! I was all set to make my pie and then I hesitated…pecan pies feel like they belong to Thanksgiving and Christmas to me. If I made it now, in July, would the pie lose it’s prestige during the holidays?

On the other hand, July feels more like cookies and cupcakes….desserts that are easy to transport and eat out of hand at picnics, the beach or park snacks, or bbq events. What if I took the flavors of pecan pie and made it into a cookie? I gathered up my trusty pie recipe (from the back of the Karo Corn Syrup bottle!) and started experimenting. I was also inspired by a friend (thanks, Vanessa!) who said she added Bourbon to the icing for my Maple Bacon Cookies so I decided to try the flavor in my Pecan Pie Cookies. Bourbon was a natural fit with the earthy, buttery flavors of the pecans and elevated the cookie to something more than “just a cookie.”

Now when the holidays come around I am going to be torn between making my traditional pie or making these cookies…guess I’ll have to make both! If you prefer to not use the Bourbon, by all means substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla for each tablespoon of Bourbon called for.

Bourbon Pecan Pie Cookies

Note: if you would prefer to omit the Bourbon, substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in both the cookie dough and filling for each tablespoon of Bourbon called for.

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup (7.2 ounces) light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter or vegan margarine, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon Bourbon
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans – measure after chopping
1/2 cup (3.6 ounces) light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, vigorously whisked
1 tablespoon butter or vegan margarine
2 tablespoons corn syrup (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Bourbon

Optional: 3 – 4 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Cookies

Whisk flour, salt and baking powder together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together, approximately 2 minutes on medium speed.

Add the egg and once it’s incorporated, add the Bourbon and beat until creamy using medium speed.

Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until incorporated.

Refrigerate the dough 30 – 60 minutes, then prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while you start preparing the filling.

Filling

In a small saucepan, combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, Bourbon, salt and whisked eggs.

Heat on medium-low, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. The mixture should reach 165 – 170 degrees.

Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator to cool to about 85 – 90 degrees while you scoop the cookie dough.

Procedure

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and scoop tablespoon sized balls of dough.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

If the dough starts getting too soft to work with, return to the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Using a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, press large wells into the center of the dough.

To keep the measuring spoon from sticking, dip into granulated sugar after each press.

Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon of the lukewarm filling.

If using mini chocolate chips, sprinkle a few (or a lot!) on top of the filling.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 13 minutes, rotating baking sheet half way through baking time.

Once the edges are lightly golden brown around the edges, remove the pan and cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between the cookie layers to prevent the cookies from sticking to each other.

Caramel Chocolate Blondies & 4th of July Sugar Cookies

Once summer arrives there are many opportunities and situations that call for desserts. I love desserts that can easily be transported and that people can help themselves to. It’s probably why I love cookies and cupcakes so much!

I wanted to make a dessert for my youngest granddaughter and her dance friends since they and their families often meet for dinner somewhere during the girls’ hour break between dance and gymnastics practice. My youngest granddaughter loves caramel and her older sister loves chocolate, so I came up with these Caramel Chocolate Blondies that incorporate both. As a bonus, I used whole wheat flour so they get a bit more nutrition in their treat. Since I went home with an empty plate, I would have to assume my recipe was a hit!

And in honor of our upcoming 4th of July holiday, I’ve included photos of cookies I decorated for my oldest granddaughter and her classmates.

Wishing all a happy and safe 4th of July!

Caramel Chocolate Blondies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1-1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (4 ounces) white whole wheat flour (such as King Arthur Flour)

3/4 cup (3.75 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups Kraft Caramel Bits or caramel candies cut into small pieces

1-1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar together in a medium-sized pan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt.

Whisk the eggs together, then slowly pour into the butter and sugar mixture, whisking the entire time to incorporate. Make sure the sugar mixture isn’t hot or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.

Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and once incorporated, fold in the chips and nuts.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the blondies for 30 – 35 minutes. They should be lightly brown on the top and around the edges.

Cool completely before cutting into serving pieces.

Tips

To make dairy-free use vegan margarine and 2-1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips, omit the caramel bits.

Recipe is adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe

Happy 4th of July!

I’ve also been busy baking cookies for my oldest granddaughter and her classmates. Here are some pics to provide inspiration! If you’re interested in the recipe for our favorite sugar cookie dough, visit the Recipe page and search for “Sugar Cookies” or click on this link: Sugar Cookies