Cookie Butter Cookies

I’m currently on a self-imposed ‘cookie-free diet’.  So it’s a little weird that I’m choosing this time to be posting a new cookie recipe for you guys.

But you know what? A girl’s gotta do some things just because she’s nice like that.  I leave you guys hanging for days and days with nothing delicious to drool over so sometimes I just have to make it up to you.

Truth be known, I made these cookies over a month ago and they disappeared so fast my scale never knew what hit it.  I guess I finally found my favourite way to use Trader Joe’s infamous Cookie Butter. 

These were the perfect spicy little alternative to a regular peanut butter cookie.  My intention was actually to use almond butter but when I opened my cupboard and found the Cookie Butter staring at me, I knew what to do.

It’s slightly odd to use a butter made of cookies to make cookies, but hey man…whatever works! :)

Cookie Butter Cookies

adapted from How Sweet it Is Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

yields a baker’s dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Cookie Butter/Speculoos
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter, Cookie Butter and both sugars together until fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
5. Add chocolate chips.  Mix to combine.
6. Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookie bottoms begin to brown.  Let cool on rack.

The perfect combination of crispy outside and chewy inside. 

Get a glass of milk or a cup of hot tea and get to work!  Enjoy.

Pinteresting Breakfast Cookies

I have made a handful of things I’ve discovered on Pinterest.  Some with fairly great success, some with utter failure.  Such is the way it goes when trusting instructions found randomly on the internet.

So when I came across this easy-sounding breakfast cookie recipe I wasn’t entirely sure how it would go.  I mean, no sugar…no flour…no butter…what kind of cookies were these?!  But since I had all of the ingredients on hand, including exactly three frozen overripe bananas, I decided to give it go.

And they worked!

Instead of just raisins, I reduced the oats a little bit and added coconut and sunflower seeds…just to make the flavours a little more interesting…but I kept the ratios of wet to dry the same.  Going forward it will be easy to mix up the add-ins with whatever I happen to have in the cupboard at the time. 

These are definitely not a sweet cookie.  The sweetness comes only from the bananas so be prepared when you take your first bite.  More like a dense banana oatmeal muffin, minus the 250 grams of fat.

Michael loves them.  He’s stockpiling bananas just to get them overripe so I’ll make another batch. 

Breakfast Cookies (adapted from Wisebread.com)

yields 13 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 mashed overripe bananas
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup UVAB (or milk of your choice)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 heaping tablespoons unsalted sunflower seeds
• generous sprinkle of cinnamon
• scant pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together until moist throughout.  Scoop into individual cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
3. Bake 18-20 minutes until bottoms begin to brown.  Let cool on tray 5 minutes.  Finish cooling on counter or rack.
4. Store in an airtight container or zipper bag in the refrigerator.

According to MyFitnessPal this version comes out to about 145 calories per cookie.

Cookies for Breakfast

Did you guys know it was Friday today?  I think I missed that memo.  My week has completely disappeared!  Not that I’m complaining…I’m just realizing that my blog sat empty of posts all week and I didn’t even notice.  Awful I tell you.  Just awful!

Mainly it’s because I’ve been a busy girl, I’ve barely eaten at home let alone create anything delicious to share with you, and the majority of my ‘workouts’ this week have been walking the dog around the block in between work projects.

But not to worry!  Last night after I got through work and a visit with my bestie I rummaged around the kitchen and came up with enough yummy ingredients to invent a quick little breakfast cookie to share.

Of course, you could eat these any time but since I munched down three with my coffee this morning I must refer to them as breakfast cookies!

Blueberry-Apricot Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Yields 20 cookies, give or take a few

approximately 110 calories each as per MyFitnessPal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped small
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted but not boiling or hot
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest, finely minced
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup milk (I used vanilla coconut milk)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together all dry ingredients, including coconut and dried fruit.
3. In a separate bowl mix together all wet ingredients, except the milk.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, then mix all together using a fork to ensure all dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in the first 1/4 cup of milk.  Add more milk if necessary to reach a ‘mucky’ consistency.  (You are looking for the dough to be moist but still holding together to form the cookies).
5. Scoop dough by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until bottoms become golden.  Cool on baking rack.

I didn’t use quite enough butter in mine and then cooked my first batch about a minute too long so they are a wee bit dry.  But I’ve altered the recipe for you all so you shouldn’t have any issues.  These are not a sweet cookie which is what makes them nice for breakfast time, but I’d gobble these up with a cup of tea in the evening too.

There’s just something about fresh and chewy dried blueberries!  Love.

What’s your favourite dried fruit?  I love dried cherries but they are seemingly impossible to find around here!

Treats for my Sweetie

The first thing my darling sweetie gave me for Valentine’s Day was his cold.  How thoughtful!

Yeah.  I spent my day making best friends with a box of Kleenex and popping Tylenol Cold pills.  Tres sexy let me tell ya!

Thank goodness we actually planned to have our romantic dinner this Saturday anyway since weeknights are such a hassle for us.  So glad I didn’t have to cancel due to sickness!

But he did arrive at my door bearing a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and box of chocolates.  I can’t smell them but they sure brightened my day!

(That’s a lot of exclamation points for a sickypants like me.  Woah now!)

I was so glad to receive his lunchtime text that he planned to stop by here after work because the thought of having to get cleaned up to deliver his Valentine’s treats to his office was almost more than I could handle.  “Hello coworkers, how’s about some germs with your heart shaped cookies?”  Ew.

Instead I loaded up on meds, put on some real pants, braided my hair and crossed my fingers that Chocolate Cherry Kiss Cookies would keep him from looking at my sick face and ruining the romance.

Michael likes cherries and cherry flavoured things so when my first plan didn’t work out I happened upon this recipe I was sure it was the perfect treatie for my sweetie.  They came together rather easily and afforded me the opportunity to buy huge pile of chocolate kisses. 

This may have been the first time I’ve ever actually purchased maraschino cherries…I generally only consume them when served in a fruity cocktail. 

These cookies ended up not being quite what I’d hoped…too much like shortbread and dry in the mouth…but they still taste good and now Michael has extras to share with his coworkers.

Which is good because if he managed to give me a cold for Valentine’s Day I’m certain a few of his work friends probably got the cooties too.  He can now retain his office favour with cookie bribery.  See, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

How was your V-Day?  Anyone else spend the evening cuddling the cat and hoping not to run out of Kleenex?

Every Day I’m Truffling

Well, we can all thank Pinterest for this one.  The biggest thing I’ve learned since signing up a month ago is that apparently damn near anything can be turned into a truffle.  Particularly any kind of cookie.

Pinterest definition of truffle:  Ball of yumminess dipped in chocolate. :)

Kind of like a cake pop in that you pulverize the cookies, add icing, roll into balls, dip and decorate.  Good times, good times.

Sugar Cookie Truffles

*yields approximately 24 tasty treats

Ingredients:

• 24-30 sugar cookies, not frosted (homemade or store bought)
• 4 tbsp cream cheese, room temp
• 1 tbsp butter, room temp
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• wee splash of vanilla
• drizzle of milk for thinning
• 2 cups chocolate of your choice (I made a batch of white chocolate and a batch of semi-sweet chocolate)
• 2 tbsp butter, shortening, or coconut oil
• festive sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1. Break up your sugar cookies, place in food processor (or good blender) and process until a fine crumb is reached.  If you have any chunks larger than your pinky fingernail, sift those out.  Set crushed cookies aside in mixing bowl.
2. Use the food processor again to mix together cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla to make a quick, slightly thick butter cream.
3. Start adding the crushed cookies to the frosting in the food processor, pulsing to incorporate.  If the mixture gets too dry add a tiny drizzle of milk.  When the mixture comes together without crumbling apart too much it’s ready.
4. Scoop by the heaping tablespoon into your hand, squeeze and roll into balls.  Place on a baking sheet and let set in the freezer for 15 minutes before dipping.
5. When ready for dipping use a double boiler over medium-low heat (or microwave) to combine chocolate and butter/shortening/coconut oil.  Stir frequently until smooth.
6. Using a skewer, poke each cookie ball and dip into chocolate mixture.  Place back on baking sheet.  Before chocolate completely dries, add sprinkles if using.  When all cookie balls are coated, place in refrigerator or freezer to set.
7. Store in refrigerator or freezer, covered.

*Baker’s notes: This took some trial and error to get the right consistency.  I really had to squeeze them tight when initially rolling into balls.  Also, my food processor isn’t big enough for step 3 so I made the icing in my stand mixer using the paddle attachment and added the cookie crumbs that way.

These took a bit of work, but are such a fun way to present a festive cookie!  They make a super cute gift and if you don’t tell the recipient what’s inside they are a tasty surprise.  :)

What cookies would you turn into truffles?  I’m thinking ginger snaps would be be deeeeelish coated in dark chocolate.  nom.

Sugar and Everything Nice

Remember when I boldly stated that I had a list of fifteen things to bake this holiday season?  Yes, I’m a nutter.  I think I pulled off five of the fifteen recipes.  Who was I kidding?

Sugar Cookies aren’t even a usual thing on my Christmas baking list.  I normally make them for Valentine’s Day (who doesn’t love a pink sprinkled heart on V-Day?!), but for whatever reason I had them on this year’s recipe list and they made the cut for actual cookies baked.

Basic Rolled Sugar Cookies with Egg Nog Icing

*yields approximately 4 dozen cookies depending on the sizes you cut

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Cookie Directions:

1. In a large bowl (or stand mixer) cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt.  Carefully add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix until combined.
3. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour (or wrap more tightly and chill overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
5. On a floured surface, roll dough out with a floured rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut desired shapes and continue to reroll excess dough and keep cutting until all cookies are cut.
6. Place cookies one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  Watch carefully…cookie bottoms should NOT brown.  Cool a few minutes on baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Icing Ingredients:

• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tbsp egg nog
• 2-3 tsp brown rice syrup (light corn syrup works too)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of nutmeg
• food colouring (optional…I never bother)
• festive sprinkles

Icing Directions:

1. Stir together sifted icing sugar and egg nog until smooth. Whisk in syrup, vanilla and nutmeg until icing is smooth and glossy.  If icing is too thick, add more syrup and/or egg nog.
2. If using food colouring, divide icing into separate bowls and add colourings.
3. Dip cooled cookies into icing, or paint on icing with a pastry brush (I find this the easiest).  Sprinkle with festive sprinkles while icing is still wet.
4. Let set at least an hour before storing in an airtight container.

I made two and a half dozen large cut cookies and used the rest of the batter to make one large flat pan cookie which I then pulverized and turned into Sugar Cookie Truffles.

Say what?!  Yes.  Sugar Cookie Truffles.  Stay tuned.  :)