With Thanksgiving so late this year, I hope you’ll forgive me for sharing a Christmas cookie recipe before Black Friday; these Cannoli Cookies are too good to keep a secret!
If you’re a cannoli lover, these Cannoli Cookies are sure to impress, especially because they are quite a bit easier to make than homemade cannolis!
Cannoli Cookies are spiced ricotta cookies with chocolate chips, pistachios, and orange zest, delivering the flavors of a classic cannoli in cookie form!
Note: I was sent a copy of 30 Breads to Bake Before You Die by Allyson Reedy in order to write this post on Teff Biscuits. Opinions are mine alone.
You may have noticed that I don’t do much breadmaking on this blog. It’s been a goal of mine to learn how to bake different breads but I have yet to really dive in. So when I was contacted to check out Allyson Reedy’s cookbook 30 Breads to Bake Before You Die (paid link), it seemed like my time had come!
“This book is written for anyone who is intimidated by the word ‘starter,’ and who think levain is just a bakery that makes really good cookies,” author Allyson Reedy says. “People who really love bread, but who may not know exactly where to start when it comes to baking it themselves. People like me.”
The cookbook is filled with recipes from famous bakers, chefs, and food bloggers who have put in the hours to perfect an awesome range of breads. Recipes range from a traditional baguette to Chocolate Babka King Cake and everything in between.
I can honestly see myself baking through this entire cookbook (the chapters are broken into Loaves, Smaller Carbs, Flats, and Sweets) but a recipe for Teff Biscuits from Marcus Samuelsson caught my eye immediately, so that is where we begin!
Teff is a gluten free grain that originates in Ethiopia that is higher in fiber than other grains and is a good source of iron. When added to a traditional southern-style biscuit, you end up with a slightly nutty take on the classic.
Note that you’ll need a kitchen scale (paid link) to make these Teff Biscuits. Weighing out your ingredients in baking ensures a more consistent result.
Note: I was sent a DREO ChefMaker Combi Fryer for review, which I tested using this recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Wings. All opinions are mine alone.
I am super late to the air fryer band wagon, but I am kind of happy I held out long enough to instead try a DREO ChefMaker Combi Fryer (paid link)! I am still becoming acquainted with all of the delicious options this appliance has, but I was so impressed with my first test run making these Teriyaki Chicken Wings that I had to share it immediately!
The ChefMaker is described on DREO’s website as “the most professional air fryer for making Michelin-starred meals.” The appliance uses “CombiCook technology” which translates professional cooking methods into intelligent algorithms that allow ChefMaker to become a fully automated master cooking machine that handles temperature, time, and atomization by itself. It also includes a water atomization system that replenishes evaporated moisture and reduces the chamber temperature to prevent food from charring and ensure the core gets evenly cooked.
There are a ton of ingredient-based presets to take a lot of the guesswork out of cooking, as well a three professional cooking modes: Chef Mode (ingredient-based master chef presets), Classic Cook (choosing a cooking style including air fry, defrost, reheat, broil, roast, toast, bake, and dehydrate), and Probe Cook (take full control of cooking temperature to create new recipes).
In addition to the appliance itself, the DREO app includes step-by-step videos for recipes while also tracking the cooking process on your phone.
Sounds kind of awesome, right? I wanted to try the ChefMaker out as soon as possible! Using the app, I found a recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Wings that I miraculously had all ingredients already on hand. I adapted the recipe slightly, but tried to stick to the step-by-step videos as possible to get a sense of the benefit of the app as well.
This recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies was a result of my desire to bring a different dessert to a gathering with some of my college friends. My friend who was hosting is a big fan of Strawberry Shortcake. That, plus my love for whoopie pies made Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies a no brainer!
These Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies are made of fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries sandwiched between two vanilla cake-like cookies.
Ingredients:
Whoopie Pies:
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
5 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
My niece’s first birthday is soon, and my sister asked if I would make her smash cake; what an honor!
My sister requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and as this will be my niece’s first taste of chocolate, I have to make sure it’s tasty with a few more baby-friendly adjustments.
This Chocolate Smash Cake is a fluffy, chocolatey mini cake perfect for (obviously) first birthdays, or for smaller get togethers.
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
Chocolate Frosting:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Note: I was sent some baking tools from OXO in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
It’s the holiday season which means another cookie recipe inspired by some goodies from OXO! This year, I’m making something a little different for me: Christmas Pinwheel Cookies.
I tend to gravitate toward drop cookies because they are simple, decidedly not fussy, and still delicious! These Christmas Pinwheel Cookies are slice and bake cookies instead, which means you roll them into a log, slice them into equally sized slices, and bake.
Every year, OXO supports Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and the fight against pediatric cancer. Before I share my cookie recipe, I want to share a bit about Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (CFKC) is a nonprofit founded by two OXO employees after their son, Liam, was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Through grassroots bake sales across the country, CFKC raises funds to develop new, improved and less toxic treatments for childhood cancer. Liam Witt’s legacy lives on as the organization works toward a cure for pediatric cancer, helping children and families everywhere.
For every cookie baked, OXO donates $1 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer up to $100,000, so here is my new cookie this year to support the cause and spread the word!
Here are some of my old cookie swap and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer posts, in case you’re in a baking mood:
I love all things pumpkin, both savory and sweet. Despite already sharing over 30 pumpkin recipes, I have yet to share a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!
I am happy to finally rectify that huge oversight, and I promise these cookies were worth waiting for!
Ingredients (makes about 30 cookies):
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used mini, regular size work too)
My love for all things pumpkin is no secret. But it’s about time I gave apples their autumnal spotlight! These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies combine two of my favorite things – whoopie pies and apple cider donuts – to make an absolutely wonderful fall dessert.
If you’ve never had a whoopie pie before, they are just two cake-like cookies with a creamy frosting sandwiched in between. These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies have two spiced apple cider flavored cookies, coated in a cinnamon sugar, and then filled with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients (makes 10 whoopie pies):
Cookies:
1 1/4 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
I have only made “real” scones once before (as well as kind of a “cheat” drop scone), so this was a fun opportunity for me to do something I don’t often bake!
Breakfast Breads & Sweet Treats is a great cookbook for any breakfast afficionado in your life. Father Dominic really covers it all, from how to make puff pastry from scratch to baking mixes, to even a recipe for English muffin bread!
There is also an entire chapter dedicated to scones, which is where I found this mouthwatering recipe for Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones.
Ingredients (Serves 8):
8 oz bacon, cooked crisp and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (one stick) cold butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I went with sharp)
1/4 cup minced fresh chives (the original recipe had 1/2 cup; I only had enough for 1/4 cup!)
Note: I was sent a copy of Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk (paid link) in order to write this post for an Eggnog Date Nut Bread. Opinions are mine alone.
We hosted Christmas this year for the first time, so my house is stocked with half opened and half eaten, well, everything. My husband, a lifetime grazer, is in his element, but I am still trying to best use up ingredients to make new recipes, like using up any remaining eggnog to make this Eggnog Date Nut Bread!
I had exactly one cup of eggnog left in my fridge, so when I was paging through Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk (paid link) and found this recipe for Eggnog Date Nut Bread that uses one cup of eggnog, it felt a bit like destiny.
Baking Secrets from the Bread Monk is filled with Father Dominic’s favorite tips and tricks for baking, so this cookbook is a lovely read. He even includes substitutes for common ingredients, hints for kitchen organization and storage, advice on the best baking tools for the job, and fun historical facts and kitchen wisdom.
Some of you may know Father Dominic Garramone, known as “The Bread Monk,” from the PBS cooking show Baking Bread with Father Dominic that aired from 1999 to 2001. He also has a number of cookbooks (I have another cookbook I’m excited to share with you in the new year). I recently was lucky enough to catch him at a virtual event hosted by the Hillside Public Library and loved hearing about his passion for baking.
This specific recipe for Eggnog Date Nut Bread is found in the “Food Holiday Mash-ups and Recipes for All Seasons” chapter under December and doesn’t require yeast to make, or any kneading at all.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
Inspiration for new recipes to share on this blog can come from almost anywhere – local restaurants, family traditions, cravings, and sometimes even mystery novels. The latter is where I found inspiration for this recipe for Ube Crinkle Cookies!
I have been reading a mystery series written by Mia P. Manansala. The first book, Arsenic and Adobo (paid link), introduces the protagonist and narrator of the series, Lila Macapagal. Lila, an avid baker, has recently moved back to her hometown, and is helping out at her Tita Rosie’s struggling restaurant. When her ex-boyfriend, a local food critic, dies suddenly, Lila becomes the top suspect and has to start her own investigation to prove her innocence. Throughout the story, Lila bakes up delicious desserts, infusing Filipino flavors into some seriously amazing sounding baked goods.
One in particular stuck out to me: Ube Crinkle Cookies. I’ve made a few crinkle cookie recipes on this blog so you know I love a good crinkle cookie. I’m sure ube crinkle cookies isn’t a new idea, but it’s new to me, and I knew I had to make these!
Ube is a sweet purple yam with a slightly nutty and vanilla flavor which lends itself perfectly for desserts. The bright purple color of ube makes it particularly wonderful for use in crinkle cookies. The contrast with the white powdered sugar makes these cookies a real showstopper!
I couldn’t get the idea of these Ube Crinkle Cookies out of my head, I had to make them! These cookies are made with Ube Halaya and Ube flavor. Ube Halaya is mashed purple yam combined with condensed milk. Ube flavor, or extract, obviously adds more ube flavor, but it also contains purple dye in it to amp up the color. Both ube halaya and ube flavor can be found at most Asian grocery stores.
There are a couple of tools that I suggest using to make this recipe:
I have been making this chocolate chip cookie recipe for years, and I always get compliments on how soft and chewy these cookies are. So yes, I am hereby declaring these the BEST chocolate chip cookies!
I’m actually surprised I haven’t posted this recipe before. Recently, I made a batch of these chocolate chip cookies, and one of my friend’s kids liked the recipe so much that she asked me for the recipe, and I realized my mistake. So, I am finally rectifying that issue!
This recipe is really easy to make, and the dough doesn’t need to rest in the fridge before baking! I do strongly suggest that you let the butter and egg come to room temperature though, it will make for a better cookie texture.
Note: I was sent a copy of Muffins (paid link) by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
One of the best perks of being a food blogger is the ability to receive and review cookbooks. Not only are they a great source of inspiration for me and my cooking journey, but they also provide a little peek into other fellow passionate cooks and bakers.
This latest cookbook, Muffins (paid link) by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick, focuses on one of my favorite foods. Muffins are one of my go-to choices for food prepping for the week.
From comforting favorites to spicy surprises, Muffins cookbook includes delicious recipes for more than 70 nourishing breakfast staples, fruity bites for brunch, and savory morsels that go great with soups and salads. The cookbook also includes ingredient substitutions, helpful baking methods, and other useful kitchen tips.
As my husband was paging through the cookbook, their recipe for Spicy Peach and Nut Muffins caught his attention. I used that recipe as inspiration to make these Spiced Walnut Peach Mini Bundt Cakes. Mini Bundt Cakes are essentially fancy muffins anyway, don’t you think?
And, if you have no interest in my fake fancy muffins, no worries! I’ve included info below to make these as normal muffins by using a cupcake pan.
Ingredients (makes approximately 12 mini Bundt cakes or 18 cupcake-sized muffins):
Lemon and blueberry is such a solid combination. I’ll basically eat any baked good with those two flavors together, which might be why I already have shared a lemon blueberry pancake, cupcake, and icebox cake on here already! So when I saw a recipe for Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones on Taste of Home, I wanted to try them. I messed with the method of their recipe and adding a bit more lemony goodness through lemon extract because I really wanted that flavor to come through.
These are super easy and rustic looking scone recipe. The more misshapen they are, the better they look!
