Caramel Apple Cider Cookies (Round 2, Week 2)

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Fall is officially here. Just ask me. I have already indulged in Pumpkin Lattes, light jackets and closed toe shoes. 60 degree weather is in the forcast and we've turned off the air. It doesn't get much more fally than that! Along with the cooler weather comes apples and cinnamon and caramel and...the list goes on and on. It was time for a fall cookie.

I have also become quite addicted to Pinterest lately. It is where I find all my recipes, crafts, home remedies and clothing I'll never be able to afford. It also introduced me to many other blogs I wouldn't normally visit. One of those being Michael Wurm's blog entitled "Inspired by Charm". I think he is me in another life. He has such cute ideas for decorations, crafts and sweet treats. You can find his blog here: www.inspiredbycharm.com. He also runs a bed and breakfast (my favorite) that I think if I ever visited I would just move in. I have pinned and repinned many of his posts, this being one of them. These cookies seemed so significantly "fall" that I had to make them right away. Apple pie is next on the docket...

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
Original website: http://www.inspiredbycharm.com/2012/09/caramel-stuffed-apple-cider-cookies.html
Please note: I halved everything since my grocery store was not yet stocking Alpine Cider. Apparently the didn't know my feelings on it already being fall. I did, however, find five packets of apple cider lounging around in my cabinets so I went from there. I am listing the original measurements for a whole batch.

Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 7.4 oz box Apline Spiced Cider Instant Original Drink Mix; 2 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 3 cups flour; 1 14oz bag Kraft caramels

Directions: 1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. 2. Beat together butter, sugars and all 10 packets of drink mix. 3. Beat in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla extract. 4. Add in dry ingredients, a little at a time, until just combined. 5. Refrigerate dough for 30min to 1hour. This will help to form the dough around the caramels. 6. Preheat oven to 350 and unwrap your caramels. 7. Roll 1 1/2 tbsp of dough in your hands and flatten between palms. Place caramel in center of the dough and wrap dough around the caramel to seal it up. Feel free to add more dough if it is thin. This will help keep the caramel tucked inside while it bakes. 8. Place dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-14 mins or until edges are just slightly brown. These cookies are easily burnt so watch them carefully. Mine baked for 12min 30 sec and they came out perfect. 9. After you take them out, slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and onto the counter to cool. When they are cool to the touch, twist them off the paper and cool them on a cooling rack. If they are oozing from the bottom, cool them upside down. I let mine cool on the paper for a while so they were just perfect when I put them on the cooling rack.

They were warm ooey gooey when they came right out of the oven. It was very hard to let them cool long enough to not burn off the roof of my mouth, but totally worth the wait. They taste just like a caramel apple with a hint of spice. I love the mix of flavors it creates by adding the cider mix to the bater. Definitely the "fally" type of cookie I was looking for!

Frosting Cookies (Round 2, Week 1)

Frosting Cookies

It is obnoxious how many half used containers of frosting we have in the refrigerator. Seriously. I have used them for various reasons and never got through the entirety of them in the past few months. I only know we had so many of them because of the smell coming out of our freezer. We had to take everything out of the refrigerator and freezer to try to get rid of the dead animal smell eminating from its bowels. (As I am writing this a skunk just sprayed its heavenly scent in our backyard. Our windows are open because of the lovely weather and the smell is remeniscent of our fridge. Sick.) While putting everything back I started piling up the frosting containers. It was ridiculous:

 

I needed to find some way to use them to get them out of my refrigerator! Since I am not a huge fan of using frosting on cookies, I looked up ways to use them in the cookies. I found out there is a huge following of people who use frosting instead of butter in their cookies! Little did I know. Apparently, since you can use frosting, you can also use any flavor and the cookies will taste very similar. I gave my husband his choices and he chose strawberry frosting with chocolate chips. Here's how they turned out:

 

FROSTING COOKIES

Original Website: http://thecaramelcookie.com/2011/03/frosting-cookies/

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 cup any flavor frosting, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar

 

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350 and grease a cookie sheet. I always use foil on the pan so I don't have to do dishes as often! 2. Mix flour, salt and baking soda together. 3. In a separate bowl beat frosting, egg, vanilla and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 min. 4. Slowly add dry ingredients until combined. 5. Drop cookies by large tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet. 6. Bake 10-12 mins or until edges are slightly browned.

 

 

They were such a cute pink color which didn't come across very well in the photos. And though I was trying to get rid of the frosting containers, there are still a few spoonfuls of strawberry frosting left. I may need to make a mid week batch of these for the next 12 weeks! They were scrumptious while still warm, though very sweet. By the fourth or fifth day of mingling in the container together they got a little crumbly, but the sweetness was still there! I will try this again with another flavor. Only four containers of frosting left!



The Return of Cookies

Well, well, well. It is that time of year once again. Time to roll out the dough, push up my sleeves and fill the bellies of cookie lovers everywhere. Well, at least my families bellies. My hubby's to be specific. It is time to get back into cookie cutter shape and practice for the season ahead. Though I've been quite busy making cookies all year, it is time again to write about them. Lack of any extra time on my hands has permitted me from documenting my cookie treks all summer. I have taken pictures which I will post and label, at some point. Again, the rules. I have to make each cookie from scratch. The cookie cannot be a recipe I have used before. (I'll try not to cheat on this one) I will take pictures, post the recipe, explain what I changed, if anything, and come back a few days later to let you know how they fared. I have quite a few more taste testers this year. Not only does my husband get to stuff his face full of sweetness, but my coworkers will get their crumbs as well. Let me know what you think, if you've also tried the recipes and if you have any suggestions. I love a good cookie party! And so it begins...

Xmas cookie #8

Best Linzer Cookies
Yields 96 cookies
Recipe from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

2 bag(s) (8 ounces each) pecans

1 cup(s) cornstarch

3 cup(s) (6 sticks) butter, softened (no substitutions)

2 2/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar

4 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

2 large eggs

5 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup(s) seedless raspberry jam

Directions:

In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse pecans and cornstarch until pecans are finely ground.

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and 2 cups confectioners' sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. At medium speed, beat in vanilla, salt, and eggs. On low speed, gradually beat in flour and pecan mixture just until blended, scraping bowl.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces; flatten each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until dough is firm enough to roll, 4 to 5 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator; let stand 5 minutes for easier rolling. On floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 1/4-inch fluted square cookie cutter, cut dough into as many cookies as possible. With floured 1 3/4-inch star cutter, cut out centers from half of cookies. With spatula, place cookies, 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Refrigerate trimmings.

Bake cookies until edges are golden, 17 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.

Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar through sieve over cooled cookies with cut-out centers.

In small bowl, stir jam until smooth. Spread top of each whole cookie with scant teaspoon jam; place cut-out cookies on top. Store in tightly sealed container, with waxed paper between layers, at room temperature up to 1 week or in freezer up to 2 months. (If cookies are stored in freezer, re-sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.)

I received a large batch recipe book for cookie exchanges from my friend Lisa last year for Christmas. These cookies have always looked so adorable and I wanted to give them a try. They were quite the process. First to make the dough, then to refrigerate the dough then to roll the dough, then to cookie cut the dough, then the cook the cookies, then to cool the cookies, then to fill the cookies, then to powdered sugar sprinkle the cookies then to sandwich the cookies. ahhhhh....and deep breath. They took forever but they were definitely worth the effort. They were so yummy. However, I did burn a pan of these the first time around. I tried to speed up the process by using two smaller pans instead of my one big pan. They were different pans that I just wasn't used to using, which was a bad idea. So, for the next batches, I used the normal pan and they turned out great! I had a lot of seedless raspberry jam left over so I have been eating it on toast every morning for a month now and it never gets old! I love these! But they are definitely a once a year cookie due to all the work they entail.

Xmas cookie #7

Decadent Double Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
Gluten Free!
Yields 32 cookies
Recipe from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

1 box (19 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free chocolate chip cookie mix

1 box (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix dry cookie mix, dry pudding mix, cherries and pecans. Add melted butter, eggs and vanilla; stir until soft dough forms.

Drop dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and cream uncovered on High 30 to 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Spoon generous teaspoonful on each cookie; spread over cookies. Allow chocolate to set until firm, about 1 hour.

I am always looking for new Gluten Free recipes for my mother-in-law. Especially during the holidays since everyone else gets tons of cookies and I don't want her to feel left out. I love the fact that Betty Crocker has come out with boxes of GF mixes for cookies, brownies, etc. These cookies were very yummy and my husband had no idea they were GF until I told him! The cherries were a tarty contrast to the sweetness of the cookies and chocolatey topping. Please note: when you make GF recipes, make sure everything is cleaned out from the last batch of cookies you made so there are no lingering flour particles on any piece of kitchen equipment.

Xmas cookie #6

Coconut Macaroons
Yields 20-24 cookies
Recipe from Ina Garten, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients:

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

My grandmother used to make macaroons and they were her favorite dessert. My mom used to love her macaroons and would always think about them when she'd see macaroons in the store. I tried this recipe to see if I could replicate hers, but I am sure they didn't come close. I never had hers, but my mom did enjoy these as well. They were actually far too sweet for me and I never got past the first bite. They were super easy to make with only a few ingredients. I think they would be even better dipped in chocolate, which I may try next time. My husband was impartial. I'm sure if I never made them again he wouldn't miss them. My mom, however, still misses my grandmother and her macaroons. I'll never replicate them, but I hope one day to come close.

Xmas cookie #5

Snowy Bon Bons
Yields 36 cookies
Recipe from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

Bonbons

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2  tablespoons milk

1/2  teaspoon vanilla

1/2  package (7- or 8-ounce size) almond paste

White candy sprinkles, edible glitter or coarse sugar

 

Almond Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 to 5 teaspoons milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 375ºF. In large bowl, beat flour, butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Cut almond paste into 1/2-inch slices; cut each slice into fourths.

Shape 1-inch ball of dough around each piece of almond paste. Gently roll to form ball. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until set and bottom is golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl, mix all Almond Frosting ingredients until smooth. Dip tops of cookies into frosting. Sprinkle with edible glitter.

Another Christmas staple, these fly off the counter. I have to hide them from my husband before everyone else gets their cookie tins because he would eat them all. I usually make a double or triple batch and each batch makes way more than 36 cookies. I also think that I own every color of edible glitter ever made, if you could imagine that of me. I used the clear and the pink glitter this year to mix it up. You can usually find it at Michael's or anywhere else that would sell Wilton baking essentials. I think I actually found mine at the Wilton tent sale as well as a craft fair. I also bake them for the least amount of time listed so they are moist and yummy. They go by the handfuls!