From My Kitchen to Yours

12/15/2024

12/15/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪 🌲🎅🏾
Day 14

Rocky Road Cookies

Ingredients
2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks, or morsels, divided
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped almonds
½ cup mini marshmallows

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup of the chocolate morsels and the butter. Heat in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir and then heat for another 15 seconds. Stir. If the chocolate is mostly melted do not heat again. (If the chocolate seizes or hardens a bit it is okay.) Set aside.
2. While the chocolate is cooling, add sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla to a large bowl. Whisk well until they are completely incorporated, light, and airy.
3. Add the slightly warm chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk continuously until fully combined and smooth.
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to incorporate, but don't over mix. The mixture should be very loose, just like a brownie mix.
5. Stir in the remaining 1½ cups of the chocolate chunks and the almonds, reserving a little of each to press into the tops of the cookies, if desired.
6. Set the cookie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.
7. When ready, using a 3 tablespoon scoop, scoop the cookie dough and place each cookie 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.
8. Top with reserved chocolate chunks, almonds, and mini marshmallows, pressing down slightly. This will give the cookies that 'rocky road' look. (Note: When adding the marshmallows, try to keep them in the middle of the cookie dough ball.)
10. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Enjoy

12/13/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪 🎄🎅🏾
Day 13

Butterscotch Almond Toffee

Ingredients:
2 cups butter 1 pound
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp shortening divided

Directions:
Line a 15x10 - inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. (This is a jellyroll size pan.) Set aside.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Melt the butter over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Clip a candy thermometer to the saucepan and continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it reaches 290 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stir in the vanilla extract and slivered almonds; pour toffee into the prepared pan. Top the pan to spread the toffee evenly. Place the pan on a rack to cool.

In a small bowl combine butterscotch chips and half of the shortening. Combine the milk chocolate chips and the remaining shortening in a separate bowl.

Heat on high in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chips have fully melted and are smooth.

Use an offset spatula to spread the butterscotch and chocolate on top of the cooled toffee.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the chocolate then break into pieces and serve.
Enjoy 🎅🏾

12/13/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪 🎄🎅🏾

Day 12

Dutch Apple Pie Cookies

Ingredients:

1 roll of refrigerated pie dough (I used Marie Callender’s)
5 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced finely
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the streusel topping:

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cups old fashioned oats
pinch of salt
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (14 tablespoons total) butter, melted.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray the wells of a standard size muffin tin with nonstick spray. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and cut out circles about 2 inches in diameter.

Gather and re-roll unused dough and cut additional circles. I used the rim of a small plastic cup. Place the circles in the bottom of each muffin well.

Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 5-10 minutes until the apples have softened slightly and the juices begin to thicken.

Remove from heat.

Add about one tablespoon of the apple filling on top of each circle of pie dough.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oats, and salt. Add melted butter and mix until well incorporated.

Add a heaping tablespoon of the streusel topping to each muffin well, and gently pat it down over the apples.

Bake for 17-19 minutes. **Allow the apple pie cookies to cool in the muffin tin for at least 10-15 minutes before removing.** I like to use a dull knife to gently remove them from the tin. Cool on a wire rack and Enjoy.🎅🏾

12/11/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🎄🎅🏾

Day 11

Gingerbread Spiced Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

(traditional German gingerbread spice mix)
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon all spice
½ teaspoon ground star anise seeds
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground mace

(gingerbread spiced sugar cookies)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons gingerbread spice (from above)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Spice mix: Combine all spices together and whisk together until completely mixed. You will only need 2 teaspoons of this mix for the recipe and can store the rest of the spice mix in an airtight jar (in a cool and dry place) for up to 1 year.

Cookies: In a large mixing bowl combine flour and gingerbread spice. Whisk together and set aside.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add egg and vanilla. Continue to mix together.

Add flour mixture and mix together until completely combined and a dough forms.
Flatten dough to a disc and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Sprinkle flour over a clean work surface and place dough disc in center. Sprinkle dough disc with flour and roll out dough until about ⅛ inch thick.
Use 1 ½ inch snowflake cutters or stamps and cut out as many snowflakes as possible, dipping the cutters/stamps in flour every few cookies, to prevent sticking.

Using a small, offset spatula transfer cookies onto a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet, ¼ inch apart.

Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes or until the tops and edges barely begin to brown.

Allow cookies to sit for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once cookies have cooled completely, serve.
Enjoy🎄🎅🏾

12/10/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪 🎄🎅🏾

Day 10

Yummy Peppermint Bark (not a cookie but I love making this for Christmas😋)

Ingredients:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
8 candy canes, crushed

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill the bottom of a large pot with 3” water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, then place a large heatproof bowl on top.

Add semi-sweet chocolate and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Stir in extract. Pour into prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

Over the same pot of barely simmering water, place another large heatproof bowl. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over set semi-sweet chocolate then top immediately with candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Enjoy🎅🏾

12/09/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪🎄🎅🏾

Day 9

PAIN D’AMANDE (almond thin cookies)

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 ½ cups turbinado sugar sugar in the raw
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 cup blanched and skinned almonds

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Place butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until butter melts and sugar is semi dissolved.

Remove from heat and cool for about 15 minutes.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated and a thick dough forms. Fold in almonds.

Firmly press dough into a lightly greased (9”x 5”) loaf pan (one with straight sides would be best).
Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pressed dough and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 2 days (the dough needs to be very firm).

Preheat oven to 325˚F.

Remove chilled dough from loaf pan and cut in half crosswise and then lengthwise (so you have four pieces).

Using a sharp knife, slice cookies as thin as possible (⅛ inch or thinner) from one of the logs and place them onto 2 parchment lined baking sheets, about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake cookies (one baking sheet at a time) for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip each cookie over and continue to bake for another 7 to 8 minutes or until cookies are a honey to golden brown color and have crisped up (they will crisp up completely as they cool more).

Remove cookies from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

Repeat steps 9-11 with the remaining cookie dough.
Once cookies have cooled completely serve or store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Enjoy🎅🏾

12/08/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🍪 🎅🏾

Day 8

Soft Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups (170g) butter, softened
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup (84g) molasses
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Place the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a sifter, and sift into a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the egg. Then, stir in the molasses.
5. Add the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.
6. Shape the dough into 1-inch sized balls, rolling them into the granulated sugar.
7. Place the cookies a couple of inches apart onto a lined baking sheet, flattening slightly.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, letting them cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy🎅🏾

12/07/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🎄🎅🏾

Day 7🍪

Vegan Salted Chocolate Rosemary Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
coarse sea salt, for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

In a liquid measuring cup combine olive oil, both sugars, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until well combined.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture stirring together with a wooden spoon until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated. You can also do this in a stand-up mixer if you'd like.

Add the chocolate chips and fresh rosemary and mix until they are combined.

Scoop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. Each cook should be about 2 tablespoons in size. Press down slightly and bake the cookies for about 11 minutes.

When cookies are done, they should have a crisp outer layer but the inside should still be slightly underdone. This is how we get our chewy texture.

Remove the cookies from the oven. Tap on the counter to get the cookies to settle and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Once cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Enjoy🎅🏾

12/06/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies🍪 🎄🎅🏾
Day 6

Chocolate Dipped Wafers (Thin Mints)

Ingredients
WAFERS
½ cup (62.5g) all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
¼ cup (29.5g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (½ stick or 57g) butter, softened
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ large egg* see notes
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

CHOCOLATE COATING
16 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon canola oil
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions

WAFERS
1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. In a small bowl, whisk an egg. Once whisked, remove 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of the egg and add that and the peppermint extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until well blended.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, continuing to mix with the paddle attachment, until incorporated.
6. Shape the dough into a log (cylinder) with about a 1½-2 inch diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for an hour.
7. When ready, preheat the oven to 350°F.
8. Remove the dough from the freezer, unwrap, and slice into ¼-inch slices. Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets. (You will get 35-40 cookies.)
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and let cool before dipping in chocolate.

CHOCOLATE COATING
1. While the cookies are cooling, line another two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Add the chocolate and oil to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Melt the mixture by heating in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
3. Stir in the peppermint extract.
4. Dip each cookie into the chocolate coating. Lift out with a fork, shaking off excess chocolate.
5. Place dipped cookies on the lined baking sheets and allow to set before serving. Enjoy 🎅🏾

12/05/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🎄🎅🏾
Day 5

Pecan Sandies

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar plus additional for pressing
1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated, and powdered sugars together until smooth.
3. Add egg and vanilla and beat until completely incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
4. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and mix until just combined.
5. Stir in pecans and make sure they are fully incorporated.
6. Using a cookie scoop that holds 3 tablespoons, scoop dough place on the prepared baking sheet at least 2" apart.
7. Press a kitchen glass onto a damp paper towel and then dip it into granulated sugar. Press the glass down onto the dough ball until cookies about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with all cookies.
8. Bake 9–11 minutes or until tops of cookies change to a dry look and edges are a light golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks. Enjoy 🎅🏾

12/04/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🎄🎅🏾
Day 4

Santa's Kitchen-Sink Cookies

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups bleached cake flour (such as Swans Down)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup red and green candy-coated chocolate pieces (such as M&M’S)
1 cup miniature pretzel twists, broken into pieces
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup miniature marshmallows
Flaky sea salt

Directions:

Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla until combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time on medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds.

Whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating on low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add candy-coated chocolate pieces, pretzels, chocolate chips, and marshmallows; fold into dough using a rubber spatula. Cover; chill at least 1 hour or up to overnight (8 hours).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator, and unwrap. Scoop 12 dough balls using a 2-inch cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons each), and arrange 2 inches apart on 1 prepared baking sheet. (Return remaining dough in bowl to refrigerator until ready to bake.) Bake until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with sea salt. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; cool cookies completely, about 20 minutes. Repeat procedure twice with remaining dough. Enjoy 🎅🏾

12/03/2024

25 Days of Christmas Cookies🍪🎅🏾
Day 3

“Peanut Butter Blossoms"

You will need:
1- 1/2 cup honey roasted peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 tsp of vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
12 hersey kisses

Directions:
Preheat oven @ 350°
Combine all the ingredients (except the hersey kisses)
Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place the hersey kisses on top of the cookie. You drizzle chocolate on top.
Let cool on a rack and enjoy

12/02/2024

25 Days Of Christmas Cookies 🎄🎅🏾
Day 2
Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
COOKIE DOUGH
1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2¾ cups (352g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

CINNAMON SUGAR
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare three cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper or Silpat. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand-held mixer on the highest setting) cream together butter and sugar (about 2-3 minutes).
Add in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low (or off) add in the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, scoop out rounded balls and place close together on one of the cookie sheets.

Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a wide bowl. I like to use a fork but a small whisk also works (set aside).
Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove immediately from baking sheets and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy 🎅🏾

12/01/2024

25 Days of Christmas Cookies 🍪🎅🏾

Day #1

Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. (270 g.) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. (200 g.) granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 tsp. almond extract
Red food coloring
Sprinkles, for decorating

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until incorporated, then beat in almond extract. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until just combine.

Divide dough in half, keeping one half in bowl. Add red food coloring to dough in bowl and mix, adding more food coloring as needed, until desired color is reached.

On a work surface, shape each portion into a square about 1/2" thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Place red dough between 2 sheets of parchment and roll to a rectangle about 1/4" thick. Repeat with white dough. Take top sheet of parchment off each dough. Invert white dough on top of red dough. Gently press on top of dough to help seal together.

Remove top parchment and trim sides. With a long side facing you, use bottom sheet of parchment to tightly roll dough into a log. Roll log on work surface a few times to help seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Place sprinkles on a medium plate. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into 1/2"-thick rounds. Roll edges in sprinkles. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing 2" apart.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets top to bottom halfway through, until edges are set and just starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Enjoy😋

12/01/2024

Tomorrow kicks off my annual🎄🎅🏾
“25 Days Of Christmas Cookies”
(My 8th Year🎉🎉)

Everyday up until Christmas get a yummy cookie recipe you can make with your family or keep them all to yourself 😋

05/27/2024

🥰😋🧈🧈

05/21/2024

😋Peanut Butter Cookie Cups (filled with swirls of sweet peanut butter/topped with crushed Reese’s pieces/milk chocolate drizzle).

😋Oreo Brownie Cups ( filled with choc. fudge ganache/topped with crushed & a mini oreo/milk chocolate drizzle).

😋Oreo Brownie Cups (filled with a Oreo whipped buttercream/ topped with crushed & a mini oreo/milk chocolate drizzle).

😋Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

😋Soft & Chewy Chocolate Fudge Stuffed Caramel Cookies (topped with more caramel and chopped chocolate chunks.