Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Chocolate and Caramel Cookies.  The perfect combination of salty-ness, chocolate and creamy caramel. These are on my favorites list for sure.   Have an awesome weekend!

Chocolate Caramel Cookies
recipe makes about 3 dozen

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (3.2 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package Rolo’s Chocolate Candies

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the pudding mix and mix until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop equal balls of dough and place one rolo in the center of the dough. Cover and roll into a smooth ball. Place cookie dough balls onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Don’t overbake.

Hint: If you don’t have the pudding mix, don’t fret, just go without it.  I like to use it in my cookie doughs only because I love the texture it brings.  It makes for a more substantial cookie.  My opinion only of course.  Every one has their own.  :)

Enjoy!

French Macaroons-{my attempt}

My Mom challenged me to try my hand at French Macaroons.  This was my attempt.  Honestly – I’ve never even tried one before this, so I have nothing to compare it to.  These were surprisingly tasty.  They were light and chewy and paired with Nutella as the filling were the perfect combination.  I used Almond Meal, which is really just ground up almonds.  I liked the nutty flavor and texture.  They were pretty easy too.

So if you are feeling daring, give these a try.  I have heard that they can be quite temperamental, but I didn’t have a problem.  The hardest part was piping them onto the cookie sheets and trying to make them flat and perfect.  I’m sure with some more practice I can manage to perfect them a bit more.

Happy Baking!

French Macaroons

-1 cup almond meal or almond flour (I found this the cheapest at a local health foods store that sold bulk items) (or you can just grind up your own using almonds)
-1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
-4 egg whites, at room temperature (it is best to use aged egg whites, I set mine out on the counter in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 48 hours)
-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
-food coloring paste if you want to tint it (I used a lavender, which people actually seemed pretty unsure of, they thought it was going to taste like grape or something)

In a medium bowl, sift the almond meal and the confectioners’ sugar together. Set aside. Using a mixer, whip the egg whites on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes. It will get foamy and start to thicken a bit. Start adding the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to whip the egg whites while you are slowly adding the remaining tablespoons. Once all the sugar is added in add your food coloring. Continue whipping the whites for another minute or two until they become glossy and shiny. Remove from the mixer and fold in about half of the flour/sugar mixture. When it is almost all folded in, add the remaining flour/sugar mixture. Fold until the mixture is smooth and stiff.

Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a piping bag with a small round tip, pipe out the batter into small rounds about 1 inch in diameter. Try to minimize the peaks that naturally form. To flatten them, simply dip your finger tip into water and flatten the peaks. Shake the cookie sheets a bit to get out some of the air bubbles that might have been in the batter.

Let the cookies rest before you bake them about 20 minutes, or until the batter is not longer tacky when you touch it.

Bake one cookie sheet at a time on 300 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. I used Nutella to sandwich in between the cookies, but you can use any kind of filling. Raspberry preserves, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, use your imagination!

 

Chocolate Cake Bites {from scratch}

I have a new addiction.  Cake bites.  I think I just may have to make them in every flavor.  These are no ordinary from a cake mix and canned frosting cake bite.  These are from scratch.  And let me tell you, they are so flavorful and delicious.  It is worth the little bit of extra work that it takes.  I promise!

So school is out here and so I am left with 3 children who love love love to fight.  I’m not sure how I am going to survive this summer.  Any tips on how to stay sane through the summer? I would love to hear them!

Have a delicious week!

Just look at that delicious center.  I think I will go have one more….or two…

Chocolate Cake Bites

makes about 30

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the oil with the water. Set aside. Using a mixer, mix the egg and sugar. Add the vanilla and sour cream. Slowly alternate adding the dry ingredients and the oil/water to the batter until well incorporated. Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with non stick cooking spray and pour cake batter in to the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until cooked through. Cool completely. Make the frosting:

Vanilla Buttercream

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon milk (you may need more)

Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add half the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts and milk. Mix until smooth. Add remaining sugar and any milk needed to get a good thick frosting consistency.

Now, to finish up the cake bites, put the cooled cake into your mixer. Add 2 cups frosting. Mix until completely incorporated. Roll out into 1 or so inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. If you are going to do them much later, keep them in the fridge instead. Melt some chocolate of your choice. (I had vanilla almond bark on hand, so that is what I used, but feel free to use your favorite) Dip the balls into the chocolate and place back onto the parchment paper until chocolate is set. Keep these in the fridge if any last longer than 5 minutes.

{Can’t Eat Just One} Chocolate Mint Cookies

I know I have an endless supply of Chocolate Mint Cookies here on my blog, but I have to say these are probably at the top of my list these days, so I had to share.  They are just my basic pudding cookie recipe, but with a some extra ingredients to make them sooooo good.  If you love mint oreos, you will want to stop what you are doing and make these right now.
Seriously.

Have an awesome week!  Me? I am just hoping the weather will actually be warm so I can get some sun and survive the rest of this year.  I swear we have had winter weather for the past 9 months, and it is getting O.L.D.  And when I am cold, I bake.  So the extra 15 pounds I can’t get off my body makes perfect sense!  

Happy Baking friends!

Chocolate Mint Pudding Cookies
makes about 3 dozen

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (3.4) ounce package instant chocolate pudding
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
12 Mint Oreos, crushed coarsely

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and pudding mix. Slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and crushed oreos.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and using an ice cream scoop, scoop out dough onto cookies sheet. I roll my dough to make a perfect ball. (they look prettier that way) Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set. Don’t overcook.

A little tip from me to you: I roll out all the dough while my first batch is baking and place them in the fridge until they harden and set a bit. I then put them into a ziplock bag and put them in the freezer. That way, when naptime is on, I can put a few in the oven, just for me when the need arises. You are welcome!

 

Cookies and Cream Blondies

I didn’t know how heavily I rely on my computer.  Until it was dead.  Luckily, I have my iphone and that saved me so I could at least check my email and facebook.  I did realize just how much I need to unplug every now and then and take a break.  It was kind of empowering.  But now that I have it back, thanks to my computer genius of a husband, I feel much better.  Things are all and right in the world again.  (insert childish giggle)

But seriously, I am thinking about starting my own club.  For people as addicted to baking and eating as much as I am.  What do you think it should be called?  Anyone want to join? I am serious.  I think I may need professional help.  My husband is training for a Half Ironman this fall and he is not happy every day when he walks through the door from work and I have chocolate smeared all over my face and there is a new cookie sitting on the stove.  He says he doesn’t want sugar in the house anymore, it’s too much of a temptation.  Um…I don’t think I can do that….. What is my problem?

Okay, rambling over.  These blondies are amazing.  I used my basic Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie recipe and added 2 Hershey’s Cookies and Cream candy bars broken up into pieces.  Heaven.  I tell you.

Hope you all have a marvelous week!  Happy Baking!

Cookies and Cream Blondies

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (3.4) ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 (6 ounce) Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Candy Bars
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Add vanilla and pudding mix. Be sure to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl to make sure it is combined well. Slowly add the flour mixture. Break up the candy bar into bite sized pieces. Add into the batter along with the chocolate chips.

Place a generous piece of tin foil with enough to hang over the sides of a 9X13 inch pan. (So you can pull it out of the pan after it has been baked.) Spray the tin foil and pour the batter into the pan. Pat down so it is even along all sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. You don’t want to over bake this. Bake just until center is set, but still gooey. Cool in pan and then take it out of the pan with the tin foil. Cut into bars. Enjoy!