Cranberry Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Hello everyone! I hope this new year brings you much happiness. I’ve been taking it so easy these days that I almost missed posting a recipe for this month! I made these shortbread cookies for part of my annual holiday cookies and fudge gift boxes last month. But you don’t need a special occasion to make these. Any day is a good day for cookies! This recipe makes 24 cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 sticks butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl (mix together until creamy.)
3. Add flour 1 cup at a time until all of the flour is well incorporated with the butter and sugar.
4. Mix in white chocolate, cranberries and macadamia nuts. The dough will be very thick.
5. Form 1 1/2 inch balls (flatten them if you wish) and place them on cookies sheets. NOTE: These cookies do not expand so you can place them about one inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 minutes (for moist center) or until you see the edges turning brown. Cook 12 minutes if you like a harder shortbread cookie.
7. Let cool on cookie racks and store in air tight containers.

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Oreos Frosting Cupcakes

Rejoice chocoholics! Have I got a cupcake for you! I’ll give you the scratch recipe, but feel free to go the semi homade route and start with your favorite box of chocolate cake mix.  The frosting is made with all the extra help you can get. So no judgements made here. These are great to share with your friends, families or co workers. The holidays are coming up, make a batch for your next holiday party.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 2cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 jar (12 ounces) chocolate fudge topping
• 1 box (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• package (14.3 oz) Oreo chocolate creme sandwich cookies, crushed

CAKE DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre heat oven to 325 F degrees.
2. If you are using a packaged cake mix, prepare as directions state. Otherwise go to next step.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
4. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
5. Spoon into muffin cups, filling cups half full.
6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when gently touched. Cool in pans 3 minutes. Remove from pans; use end of wooden spoon to poke 3 holes into each hot cupcake.
7. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate fudge topping uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds or until thin and pourable. Spoon over warm cupcakes. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
8. In the meantime, prepare the frosting mixture.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS:

1. In medium bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk about 4 minutes or until soft set. Fold in whipped topping with spatula.
2. Stir all but 1/2 cups crushed cookies into pudding mixture.
3. Spoon frosting mixture on tops of cupcakes. Top with remaining crushed cookies.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

M&M’s Pudding Cookies

Here’s another cookie recipe that I made for my treat boxes to give out this Christmas. Who can resist M&M’s and white chocolate chips? I’m not sure if the pudding mix is for added flavor or to make the cookies soft and chewy. Either way, these cookies are a sweet treat. Next Christmas, be sure to put some out for Santa! You can most certainly switch out the M&M’s candy colors to suit other occasions to enjoy these cookies all year long.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 box (4 ounce size) vanilla pudding mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup green and red M&M’s
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl.
4. Beat in dry pudding mix. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
5. On low speed, gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended.
6.  Stir in chocolate candies and white chips until blended.
7. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto lined cookie sheets.
8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Snowman Cupcakes

Here’s a fun baking activity for your kids or for you kids at heart to make during the holidays. All you need are a few items you may already have in your pantry.  I did make my own cupcakes from scratch, only because I was already making my Christmas cookies and had most the ingredients out anyway.  But I did use store bought frosting. Either way is fine.  The snowmen won’t complain.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box chocolate or Devil’s food cake mix
• 1 container vanilla frosting (buttercream or whipped style)
• white sparkling decorating sugar sprinkles (I used Wilton brand)
• butterscotch baking chips (or use orange M&Ms)
• mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare cupcakes as per cake mix directions and let cool completely.
2. Spread a generous amount of frosting on top of the cupcake.
3. Fill a small bowl with white, sparkling decorating sugar.
4. Holding the bottom of the cupcake, gently press it down into the coarse sugar and rock it back and forth in all directions until the icing is completely covered.
5. Take a regular sized butterscotch chip and gently press it into the center of the cupcake.
6. Then use mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth.
7. Aren’t they so cute?! How easy was that?

 

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you need to make a large batch of cookies? Do you like dark, semi-sweet and white chocolate chips? Have I got a recipe for you. Toss those ready made cookie dough tubes. You can make your own triple chocolate chip cookies from scratch.  These cookies will have a crispy bottom and a soft center. Just the right amount of chewy and crispy.

Now you may be looking over the recipe ingredients and are thinking that’s a lot of sugar and butter!  Just remember this recipe will make 5 dozen cookies or more depending on how generous you scoop your dough.  That’s 60+ cookies! Feel free to share with your family, friends, and neighbors. Just don’t forget to save some for yourself!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 sticks of salted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Prepare baking sheets using a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl beat butter, granulated sugar  and brown sugar. Add vanilla extract and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in flour and baking soda until mixed well. If using an electric mixer, stop at this time.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
5. On your prepared baking sheets, drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls or using a cookie scoop. 
6. Bake 10 minutes or until the cookies are light brown. The centers will be soft. Cool for a minute before transferring cookies to a cooling rack to completely cool. 

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Balls

Although I like to make scratch recipes, sometimes taking a short cut and making something semi-homemade works best for me. These truffle balls would be fun to make with kids and since I’m a kid at heart, these were great fun for me to make. To be honest, I did not care for the raspberry gummy candies. Next time I will use a different type of candy. But others in my family loved them. So, it’s all a matter of preference.  This recipe yields 24 truffles.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 box your favorite chocolate cake mix
• 24 raspberry jelly candies (I used Haribo Black and Red Raspberry Gummies)
• sprinkles for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in the microwave until in liquid form.
2. Combine melted butter and chocolate cake mix. Be sure to mix well.
3. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into your hand and flatten.
4. Place raspberry gummy in the middle of the flattened circle and enclose with chocolate batter.
5. Roll into a ball between your hands.
6. Roll the chocolate truffle into sprinkles.
7. Set onto wax paper.
8. Place in refrigerator to allow to firm and dry. Serve after chilling for one hour.

Cranberry and Pistachio Bark

I had planned to make nine different cookies for my Christmas goodie boxes this year. But getting sick right before Christmas ruined my plans. I was able to make four differents cookies but I had to stop there. My ambition was there, but my energy level was exhausted by then. Since I had a ton of extra chocolates not being used now, I  decided to try my hand at making a chocolate bark. Surprisingly simple to make and quite tasty to boot.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided (1 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, place dark chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Microwave on half power in 30 second intervals, stirring between each time, until melted.
3. Place white chocolate chips in a separate bowl with remaining coconut oil. Repeat microwave directions until chips are melted.
4. Spread dark chocolate out on prepared sheet pan. 
5. Drizzle white chocolate over dark chocolate. Use a butter knife and drag through drizzles to make a pretty pattern. (Yeah, I know mine isn’t dragged or pretty. But I was sick!)
6. Sprinkle with pistachios and dried cranberries. Chill until hardened. Break into small pieces and serve. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Hello everyone! I know I’ve been missing in action lately. I had every intention of blogging my Christmas goodies prior to Christmas. But alas, the week before Christmas I came down with the worst cold I have had in years. So I was lucky enough to get through the holiday and get my Christmas goodie boxes out to the family and friends. I just didn’t have the energy to blog afterwards. Here are my red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting. They came out really well considering it felt like everything I baked or cooked this Christmas was on autopilot due to all the cold medicine I had flowing through me. This recipe makes 30 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 ounce bottle of red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 package (6oz total) Baker’s White Chocolate bars
• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 cup powdered sugar

CUPCAKE DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 f degrees. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color, vanilla and vinegar. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. 
3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt chocolate according to package directions.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add melted chocolate, vanilla extract, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Beat for another 2 minutes.
4. Pipe onto cupcakes and garnish with sprinkles of your choice. 

White Chocolate Cranberry Poke Cupcakes

Did you get a chance to see my Sugared Cranberries recipe? Well, here is where I used some of mine.  They paired well with my white chocolate cream cheese frosting on top of the cranberry poke cupcakes. I tried these out on my family at Thanksgiving. They were well received. If you can’t find cranberry Jello gelatin, substitute with raspberry Jello gelatin. And if you prefer to use a shortcut, just use a box of your favorite white cake mix. I won’t tell. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.

CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened (Do not soften in microwave)
• 1 package (3 ounces) cranberry JELL-O gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 package (6oz total) Baker’s White Chocolate bars
• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 cup powdered sugar

CUPCAKE DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Add cupcake liners to cupcake pans.
2. In a small bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, almond extract, milk, & sour cream. Whisk until blended & set aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients (cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt) in the mixer for 30 seconds so the baking powder and salt will be well incorporated into the flour and sugar.
4. Slowly add the pieces of butter a few at a time while the mixer is on medium speed. Beat for approximately 1 minute or until the dry ingredients are crumbly and moistened by the butter, giving it the look of coarse sand. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.
5. It is important to SLOWLY add approx. 1/2 of the egg mixture with the mixer on very low speed then increasing to medium speed for 1½ minutes — the batter will be thick and fluffy. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, scraping the bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition. It is now ready to pour into cupcake liners.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Pierce tops of cupcakes with fork immediately after cooking.
7. Combine boiling water with JELL-O gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Spoon gently over cupcakes, allowing to sink into fork holes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight is best.

FROSTING DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt chocolate according to package directions.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add melted chocolate, vanilla extract, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Beat for another 2 minutes.
4. Pipe onto cupcakes and garnish with sugared cranberries.

Black Forest Bundt Cake

I finally bought myself a bundt cake pan. Being a bundt pan novice, I didn’t realize I needed to spray the pan with baking spray oil so heavily.  My lesson was learned after 10% of the top of my first bundt cake stayed in the pan. Good thing I had enough ingredients to try again.  Otherwise, the bundt cake pan would have been put in the far back of a cupboard never to be seen again.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

FILLING INGREDIENT:

• 1/2 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling (use remainder to serve on the side)

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sprinkles of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Prepare your bundt pan by coating it heavily with baking spray or butter and flour.
3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, almond extract,  vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.
4. Sift into the bowl the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.
5. Mix together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.
6. Top the batter with the cherry pie filling.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Whip the heavy cream in a cold, chilled bowl until it starts to thicken.
10. Then beat in confectioners sugar, almond and vanilla extract until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
11. Top the bundt cake with the whipped topping and add sprinkles. If you have maraschino cherries add those too. I didn’t have enough to decorate my cake though.
12. Serve the extra whipped topping and cherry pie filling on the side. Your guests will be pleased!