Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

These cookies are amazing. They really, really are. They’re thick and chewy with lots of flavor. They’re made with brown butter because I kept hearing people rave about it and I wanted to try it. I don’t know if it’s the brown butter that makes their flavor so good, but it might be 🙂 These cookies also have two kinds of chocolate chips (dark and milk) because I think that combination is spectacular, and they also have walnuts because walnut taste really good in cookies. Please bake these, you’ll be seriously missing out if you don’t.

Ingredients: Cookies

1 cup butter, browned

1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Recipe: Cookies

Preheat oven to 375F and grease two cookie sheets.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until its color turns amber. When little flecks of brown appear take it off heat. Don’t cool before mixing with the sugar.

Beat the browned butter and sugars until well combined.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients, then slowly add, while mixing, to the wet batter.

Mix in chocolate chunks and walnuts. It’s okay if some of the chocolate chips start to melt.

Roll into balls about 2 tablespoons big and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Vanilla Raspberry Pound Cake

This pound cake is amazing. Seriously, it’s the best pound cake I’ve ever had, but King Arthur can take credit for that because I got the recipe from them, adapting very slightly. I mean the blog/brand King Arthur, not an actual king, or anything 😛 The pound cake is soft and dense, but it almost melts in your mouth, and then there are the pockets of tangy raspberries which make this cake oh so much better. The vanilla glaze makes the top slightly crunchy and crisp- delicious.

Ingredients: Pound Cake (adapted slightly from here)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk

1 and 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup frozen raspberries

Vanilla Glaze

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

Recipe: Pound Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ x 5″ x 2 3/4″ loaf pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, sugar, baking powder, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; the mixture may look slightly curdled. After you’ve added the final egg, beat at high speed for 3 minutes.

Once all the eggs are added, stir in the milk.

With the mixer going at low speed, slowly sprinkle in all the flour until just combined.

Bake for 55 minutes before pouring on the glaze, then bake for 15-20 more minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The middle may look underdone- that’s okay.

Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out.

Vanilla Glaze

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until syrupy. It will be thick at first.

Lightly brush, or pour, it over the pound cake after the cake has been in the oven for 55 minutes. (See above)

Enjoy!

Zero Candy Bar Cupcake

 

Have any of you guys had a Zero Bar? I had one once. It was amazing. Peanut/almond/caramel nougat covered in white fudge, totally different than most candy bars. So, of course, I had to eventually turn it into a cupcake. The cupcake itself is a vanilla cake base with peanut butter and almond extract, replicating the nougat. The frosting is white fudge and then I drizzled caramel over it. You could fill the cupcake with caramel too- the caramel is amazing 🙂

Ingredients: Cupcakes

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter

Caramel Layer

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 tablespoon whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

White Fudge Frosting

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup whole milk

5 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1 cup premium white chocolate, chopped

Recipe: Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F. Line one cupcake tin with wrappers.

In a medium bowl lightly combine 2 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, the eggs, and the almond extract.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter, peanut butter, rest of milk, and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are the same texture and combined. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for 1 and 1/2 minutes to develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.

Put about an ice cream scoop’s worth of batter into each cupcake tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs on it.

Caramel Layer

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk to a boil, while stirring.

Carefully stir in whipping cream.

Keep stirring until the caramel reaches soft ball stage, then take off heat, and pour into a bowl to cool.

When caramel is cool, pour a little on the cupcake.

White Fudge Frosting

Bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan while stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate.

Beat until creamy and cooled.

Pipe onto cupcakes.

Let stand for about 5 minutes until pipe-able.

Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I’ve always wanted to make a flourless chocolate cake, but never got around to it. My advice? Make this cake now. It’s fudgy, dense, and super chocolatey. I topped it with raspberry coulis and whipped cream. Do not skip the coulis- it’s tangy, full of raspberry flavor and so amazing.

Ingredients: Cake

2 and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

6 ounces unsalted butter

5 large eggs, cold

1 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

Raspberry Coulis

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 tablespoons water

12 ounces raspberries, (if frozen, thaw them)

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Recipe: Cake

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 9″ round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Dust with cocoa powder.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Remove  bowl from heat and let cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and water. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds.

Add the cocoa powder and mix on medium low just until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, 35 to 45 min. Don’t overcook. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min.

If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.

Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Remove the pan and parchment and let the cake cool completely. The cake may look cinched in around its sides, which is fine.

Transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate the cake until it’s very cold, at least overnight.

Raspberry Coulis

Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan on low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Takes about 5-8 minutes.

Blend sugar syrup and raspberries in a food processor until smooth.

Push through sieve.

Store covered in fridge.

Whipped Cream

Put a medium bowl and whisks in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Beat all ingredients until soft peaks form.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies

These sandwich cookies are perfect for spring/summer. Fluffy strawberry buttercream sandwiched between two chewy lemon cookies. Amazing? Yes. You can enjoy these on a warm day, outside, with a cold glass of milk and some friends. Or by yourself, at the computer, shoving them down your throat as fast as you can. Don’t worry, I won’t judge 🙂

Ingredients: Cookies (makes about 16 cookies or 8 sandwiches)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pink Sugar (Optional)

Strawberry Buttercream

1 cup butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons strawberry puree (about 8-10 strawberries)

Recipe: Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter and sugar until combined.

Beat in egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.

With a spoon, mix in all dry ingredients until just combined.

Roll in small (about 2 teaspoons) balls and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Strawberry Buttercream

In the a medium bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.

Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until it is completely incorporated.

Add in vanilla and mix until incorporated.

A tablespoon at a time, beat in the strawberry puree until light and fluffy.

Put about a teaspoon and 1/2 of frosting on every other cookie and “sandwich” them.

Super Stuffed Dark Chocolate M&M Cookies

I can’t believe I didn’t share these cookies with you guys earlier. I only made them a few days ago but still, just too good to wait any longer. The cookies are thick and fudgy, studded with dark chocolate chips and dark chocolate M&Ms- so good! They’re rather photogenic too 🙂 Look at all the pretty M&Ms!

Ingredients: Cookies

1 and 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs, cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup Hershey’s Super Dark Cocoa Powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup dark chocolate M&Ms

Recipe: Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Add 1-2 inches of water to a medium saucepan. Heat the water until it’s barely simmering.

Mix butter, cocoa powder, the white sugar, and salt in a medium heat proof bowl. Rest bowl over saucepan, making sure the bottom does not get wet.

Stir occasionally until all the ingredients are combined. Don’t worry if the batter is gritty. Take off heat.

While the mixture is still warm, quickly beat in the brown sugar.

When the mixture is cool, about 5 minutes later, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.

When the batter is shiny, beat in the flour, cornstarch, and flour.

Mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Roll into large balls, about 2 tablespoons, and place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cream Pecan Cake

I know, I know, another cake recipe, but this one was too good to not post! This cake is seriously amazing. The banana cake is fluffy and moist, the pudding/filling is creamy, the chocolate frosting is the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever had, and the candied pecans just top it all off. My family loved it.

Ingredients: Banana Cake (from here, adapted very slightly)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (3 bananas)

Banana Cream Filling (from here)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/16 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)

2 and 1/2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup milk, I used whole

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium banana, sliced and layered below the pudding

Chocolate Frosting (from here)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup whole milk

3 cups powdered sugar

Candied Pecans

1 pound pecans

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe: Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8×8 pans and line them with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix in the mashed bananas.

Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears.

Spread cake batter evenly into the  two prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Banana Cream Filling

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan on low heat. Whisk in the half-and-half, followed by the egg yolks and milk until the mixture is smooth.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. This can take between 5 and 10 minutes. The finished texture should be like not quite set pudding, very thick but not gelatinous.

Remove the pan from heat and strain. Whisk in butter and vanilla.

Let the mixture cool.

Chocolate Frosting

Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Mix in cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk.

Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

Frost cake.

Candied Pecans

Preheat oven to 250F.

Mix cinnamon, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.

Whip egg white and water, in a separate bowl, until foamy.  Toss pecans in egg white mixture.

Pour cinnamon/sugar mixture over the pecans and toss until evenly coated.

Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Garnish cake with them.

Enjoy!

Three Citrus Cupcakes

So, why are these called three citrus cupcakes? Simple because they have three different citrus fruits, lemon, lime, and orange. The cupcake itself is lemon-lime and the buttercream is orange. They’re so, so good and perfect for spring!

Ingredients: Cupcakes

1/4 cup milk (I used whole)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons lime zest

3 tablespoons lemon zest

Orange Frosting

1 and 1/2 sticks butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

(for an extra strong orange flavor add 1/4 teaspoon orange extract)

Recipe: Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F. Line one cupcake tin with wrappers.

In a medium bowl lightly combine 2 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, the eggs, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, including lemon and lime zest, mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and rest of milk and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are the same texture and combined. Increase to medium-high speed and beat for 1 and 1/2 minutes to develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.

Put about an ice cream scoop’s worth of batter into each cupcake tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs on it.

Orange Frosting

Beat butter until it turns a pale ivory color and is very fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar.

Add orange juice and orange zest. Beat until fluffy.

Pipe or frost onto cupcakes.

Enjoy!

 

 

Cherry Apricot Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Dried cherries, dried apricots, chocolate chunks, all in thick, chewy oatmeal cookies. They’re so good, plus because they have oats you can pretend they’re healthy and eat them for breakfast! Now that’s what I call a good cookie 🙂

Ingredients: Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups old fashioned oats

2/3 cups dried cherries

2/3 cups dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

Recipe: Cookies

Preheat oven to 325F.

Cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.

In separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients, including oats. Mix, on medium-high speed into wet batter.

With a spoon, mix in dried fruit and chocolate chips.

Bake for about 12 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cake

The cake is fluffy, and soft, flavored with a hint of coconut, and the frosting is marshmallow covered in coconut flakes. I filled it with store-bought lemon curd. So good. Anyway, I made this awesome cake for my mom’s birthday. She requested coconut cake and lemon filling, so I just did what she said, but it turned out great! Sorry I don’t have a picture of the inside, but it seems a little weird to give someone a birthday cake with a piece cut out of it 🙂

Ingredients: Cake (from here) Makes two 8 inch cakes

5 large egg whites, room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

2 and 1/2 cups cake flour, pre-sifted

1 and 3/4  cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed

Filling

1/3 cup lemon curd

Frosting (from here)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (add 1/4 teaspoon more after beating if your frosting isn’t stiff enough)

1/8 of salt

coconut flakes

Recipe: Cake

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease, line with parchment, and flour two round 8-inch pans.

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.

Add the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 90 seconds.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.

Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals.

Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.

Frosting

In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar with the water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, while it boils stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinches of cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.

With the mixer at medium speed, carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. Continue beating the frosting until cool and billowy, about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!