Sugar Cookies with Icing

I've always wanted to make perfectly round sugar cookies and have them iced with delicious icing.  I finally got the guts to try it today.  I will say that I took the easy route and didnt roll out the cookie dough and make cute little cookies with cookie cutters.  Lets face it, I'm a mom of two boys and sometimes I want to whip something up, but dont have time to follow all the steps.  I will say the cookies tasted great and so did the icing.  Ok, now on to the recipes.

Both of these recipes are adapted from I am Baker.  She is super talented and I heart her blog.  (p.s. I know the link goes to I am Mommy, but thats her other blog, where I found the actual recipes)

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

•1-½ cup unsalted butter

•2 cups Sugar

•2 whole Eggs

•2 whole Eggs Yolks

•4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

•2 teaspoons Almond Extract

•4 cups All-purpose Flour

•1 teaspoon Salt

•1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Directions

In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.

Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined.

Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. Just mix ingredients until they are combined, I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough.

Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Now for the icing (which is excellent).  These directions are directly from her blog.  I would not have been able to explain it any better. 

Cookie Icing

•1 cup Confectioners Sugar (powder Sugar)

•1 Tablespoon Milk

•1 drop Lemon Juice (fresh Or Processed)

•1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

Combine powder sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.

******This next step is important!******If you need a thicker frosting, say for outlining your cookies, add LESS milk.

Just a drop at a time. If you have already outlined your cookies and need a to fill in or ’spill’ your cookies, you can add more milk (as much as you would need) to make your frosting very runny.

If you are using food coloring, be sure to use LESS milk. Most food colorings are liquid and can make your frosting more runny. If you are using a gel food coloring, your milk quantity can remain the same.

If you want to add different flavors, you can add drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon, etc. to flavor your frosting.

If you want more SHINE, use more corn syrup and less milk. This frosting will stay good for days in the fridge.

Now as you can see my picture didnt turn out that great, but you get the idea.  I really like this icing too.  It tastes good and turned out shiny.  Plus, after a few hours, the icing is nice and hard.  This allows for great stacking, or layering the different icing colors/designs.   I will say that the cookie recipe yeilds a ton of cookies and the icing recipe didnt cover all of them.  So you might want to double it, depending on how thick or thin you like it.  Hopefully I can make these again when I have more time and can make cute little pumpkin cookies or christmas cookies. 

I hope you have fun making your sugar cookies. 

Enjoy!

4x's Chocolate Cookies

These cookies, or should I say brownies, no cookies... no brownies.  Well they are the best of both worlds.  They are a cookie and a brownie!  Yum!

They have 4 chocolates in them. 

Need I say more?

I will say that next time I will probably get a different type of chocolate rather than using the white morsels.  Maybe some dark chocolate instead.  I like the white morsels, but im not a huge fan of them. 

Quadruple Chocolate Cookies/Brownies

Ingredients

1c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2c all purpose flour

2/3c unsweetened cocoa powder ( I prefer Nestle)

1tsp baking soda

1/2tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips

2c firmly packed brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups white chocolate morsels

2/3c milk chocolate (or semi - sweet) morsels

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Melt 1 pound of semi sweet chocolate chips in a double-boiler or in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stiring in between each 30 seconds.  Set aside once chocolate is smooth.

3.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl.

4.  In a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg addition.   Add the vanilla, then add the cooled chocolate to the mixture and blend well.

5.  Add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix on low speed, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter comes together.

6.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough.

Bake for 7-9 minutes until puffy.  Do not over bake!  You want them to resemble a brownie texture.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Recipe found on Lipstick Blogger

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Muffin

Take a look at these delicious muffins!  They have bananas and pecans in them, so that must make them a little healthy... right?  Just ignore the sugar strussel on top and the brown sugar glaze falling off the sides. 

These Banana nut muffins are pared perfectly with coffee for breakfast, snack, or dessert.  You choose when you want to eat these yummy muffins.

I decided to make these because my youngest son insisted on me buying him bananas and, yet again, he only ate one out of the five I bought.  Rather than waste the bananas, I made muffins. 

Let me tell you, it was well worth it. 

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients

For the Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter

1½ cups chopped pecans

For the Bread:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

4 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

For the Glaze:

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter

2 tablespoons water

¼ cup light brown sugar

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2.For the topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and mix in pecans; set aside.

3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; Set aside.

4.4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and vegetable oil on medium speed to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.

5.Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the muffins. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 22 to 24 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time.

6.While the muffins are baking, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat bring the butter, water, and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat . Set aside and cover to keep warm.

7.Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes. Then, using a toothpick poke holes all over the top of the muffins. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the glaze over each muffin. Let the muffins sit for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spoon the remaining glaze over each muffin, about 1 teaspoon for each muffin.

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen



Enjoy!

Chocolate Cheesecake

This cheesecake was made from a request of the hubs.  I guess he was craving cheesecake at the time.  He seemed to like it, but I would make some changes the next time around.  For this particular time, I made it with cinnamon graham crackers, but in the future I would make it with the chocolate graham crackers.  I think it would work better.   But here is the recipe.  Its super easy and quick to make.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 3/4c chocolate graham cracker crumbs

1/2c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 c sugar

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

2c milk

1 3.4 ounce box instant chocolate pudding

Directions

1.  Crust:  In a large bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar.  Coat a nonstick 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Regrigerate for 1 hour.

2.  Filling: In a large mixing bowl, with electric mixer on medium to high speed, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the milk until well combined.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk and the pudding mix.  Beat for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

3.  Remove pan from refrigerator.  Pour filling mixture over crust.  Sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs over the top of the filling.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  



4.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce or homemade ganache. 

Enjoy! 

Brownie Bites

These brownie bites topped with decadent chocolate ganache are amazing!
You can make them in the big muffin pans or make them bite size by using the small muffin pan. 
Plus they are so easy to dress up and make the look cute for any occasion.

Brownie Bites
Ingredients
 1c butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1c sugar
4 large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
1c all purpose flour

Chocolate Ganache
1/2 heavy whipping cream
1c semi sweet chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add chocolate chip and stir until chocolate chip are melted and smooth.  Remove from heat. 
3.  Stir in eggs, sugar, and vanilla.  Then sift in flour until well blended. 
4.  Divide batter evenly in muffin liners.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. 

Allow for brownie bites to cool completely. 

While bites are cooling, prepare the ganache.
In a sauce pan, heat whipping cream to a simmer.  Add chocolate chip and allow to melt completely, continuing to stir.
Remove from heat.  Spoon some chocolate ganache over the brownie bite.  Allow to cool and
Enjoy!

Strawberry Cupcakes

These cute little cupcakes will please any crowd.

I whipped these strawberry cupcakes up for my bible study friends.

Everyone raved about them, so you must try it out. 

Plus they have a surprise strawberry center.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix

1c fresh strawberries

2 tbsp strawberry yogurt

4c powdered sugar

1stick butter (room temperature)

1tsp vanilla extract

1  Prepare cake mix as directed on box.  In each cupcake liner, fill 1/3 with cake mix, then add about 1tbsp of strawberry puree on top.  Then add another dollop of cake mix.  (Sort of like a sandwich, making sure the puree is in the middle and covered by cake mix)

(Hint: I like to bake my cupcakes at least 2-3 minutes less than directed to keep them moist and fluffy)

2.  While cupcakes are baking, place fresh strawberries and yogurt in a blender to puree. 

3.  In a large bowl combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and 1/4c of pureed strawberries.

Mix well with a stand mixer or hand mixer until combined.  Making sure there are no lumps.  You might need to add a tad more of the puree just to make it the right consistancy.  You dont want to add to much and make it runny. 

4.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing.  Drizzle some of the remaining strawberry puree over the icing.

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

This cake turned out so delicious and moist! 

I made this cake for our Easter dessert.  It was the hit of the party.  My sister and I quickly realized that our favorite part of the cake was the cinnamon sugar crust on top. 

Oh so good!

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

adapted from Let's Dish

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

Directions

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon; mix well.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Generously spray a 9-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, being careful to cover all the entire pan, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with about 1/3 cup of the cinnamon and sugar mixture, set the rest aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat just the butter on medium speed for about a minute. Add the white sugar and mix for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and blade and add the brown sugar. Mix for 2 minutes until the mixture is light brown and uniform in color. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream; beat well. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture Spread the rest of the batter into the pan and sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 or more minutes before removing from pan.

Enjoy!