Category Archives: Treats

by | December 9, 2010 · 8:29 am

{Traditional} Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These cookies are a holiday staple at my house.  They taste like little brownies rolled in powdered sugar.  The best part is they are really easy to make and look impressive!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar for coating dough, about 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes or until creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until blended.  Finally, add the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and roll into a ball.  Roll the ball in the powdered sugar until fully coated.  Place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until they are puffed and begin to crackle.  Cook completely.

This recipe makes about 24 cookies and was adapted from Williams Sonoma.

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by | December 8, 2010 · 8:33 am

{Fancy}Valencia Delights

These cookies combine two of my favorite flavors, chocolate and orange.  The delicate sugar cookie with a hit of orange is made indulgent by dipping it into a chocolate glaze.

Valencia Delights

Cookies:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp grated orange peel

1/3 cup sugar – to roll dough in

Chocolate Glaze
1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix in the flour and orange peel until well combined.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a round coffee cup or glass, press down on each dough ball to flatten until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake at 375 for about 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. While the cookies cool, make the chocolate glaze. Combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat.

Dip the cooled cookies into the chocolate glaze. Place on wax paper and refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Store covered, at room temperature between pieces of wax paper.

Recipe adapted from Midwest Living.

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by | December 7, 2010 · 8:05 am

{Spicy} Lemon Ginger Tea Snowballs

When I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, these Lemon Ginger Snowballs are my go-to cookie. The addition of fresh and ground ginger as well as green tea leaves adds an unexpected spice to these pretty treats.

Lemon Ginger Tea Snowballs
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/2 C shortening
1 TBSP grated fresh ginger
1 TBSP vanilla
1 bag of green tea (I used lemongrass green tea)
1 tsp lemon zest
1 C packed brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat shortening, ginger, vanilla, tea and lemon peel until fluffy. (The tea bag should be cut open and you should pour the tea leaves into the bowl dry). Add brown sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in ground ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in eggs. Slowly beat in flour.

Preheat oven to 350. Shape dough into 1/2 to 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until lightly brown. Cook for 2 minutes and transfer to wire cooling rack.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Sugar Glaze

To create a sugar glaze, combine 1 1/2 C powdered sugar and 5-6 tablespoons of water until it reaches drizzling consistency. Dip the cookies in glaze. Then coat with chopped coconut, sanding sugar, sprinkles or dust with powdered sugar.

Another yummy thing to try to make these more snowball round would be to spread some cream cheese frosting and stick two cookies together. I didn’t try that this time, but I think I might next time!

Happy Cookie Week!

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by | December 6, 2010 · 12:32 pm

{Classic} Gingerbread Crinkles

And now for the bonus round! Besides a full-blown cookie week here at HAP, we’re guest blogging today over at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board’s Butter is Best blog.

Head on over to Butter is Best to check out our Gingerbread Crinkles – plus three easy gift packaging ideas!
soft molasses gingerbread cookies
christmas cookie gift ideas

Disclaimer: HAP was compensated by WMMB to share our recipe and packaging ideas as a guest blog.

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by | December 6, 2010 · 8:18 am

Holiday Cookie Week!: Almond M&M Cookies

Nothing makes it feel like the holidays like cookies and when it comes to my holiday treat plate, there’s one cookie that I can’t live without:  my mom’s Almond M&M Cookies.  In fact, these cookies were such a staple in my house growing up that I can’t recall a family event where they didn’t make an appearance!  Tender and cakey, the almond flavor is a subtle improvement on the classic M&M cookie making it easy to see why they usually become a crowd favorite.
almond M&M cookies
Almond M&M Cookies
1 1/3 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure almond extract
3 3/4 C flour
1 pkg M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in almond extract. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually beat in dry mixture one cup at a time until all flour is mixed in. Use a spatula to fold in 2/3 of the M&Ms into the batter.

Use a small cookie scoop to create uniform balls of dough and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Push 3-4 of your reserved M&Ms on top of each dough ball (the secret to making them pretty!).  Bake for 9-10 minutes.

NOTE:  These cookies also freeze well!  You can easily make them several weeks in advance.  Store them in tupperware and be sure that they cool completely before you freeze them.

M&M cookies for santa
You could also turn them into simple gifts for friends or hostesses. Start by lining small kraft paper boxes with decorative paper scraps trimming the paper to fit the width of the box. Place cookies inside and fold excess paper over the top of the cookies. Tie box with bakers twine.
holiday gift wrap ideas
Check back later today to see the bonus recipe that we did for our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board!

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by | November 18, 2010 · 8:23 am

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits

No Thanksgiving meal can be complete without dessert! Friend, artist and baker extraordinaire Michael Coates is with us today to share his delicious recipe for Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits.

A Little Bit about Michael: I work full-time for Rockwell Automation as a Photographer & Senior Designer.  For 6 years now I’ve also ran my own creative business under my name.  I started out doing mostly graphic design work but I’m now a full service business offing photography, web design, commissioned art, and even interior design.  I will be partnering up with a friend quite soon to venture into a dessert focused catering business.  We’re going to offer fine pastries, cakes and tarts to our clients for any kind of event.

My site is under construction for the remainder of this year, but I will be updating my blog quite often.  www.michaelguycoates.com &  http://inklingmgc.tumblr.com

Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition: Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year.  I love food flavors in autumn, and I just adore a good turkey.  Being from California, I don’t often get to go home to visit my family, so I have adopted the family of my best friend from college each year.  She has a large family, and it is always entertaining to be part of a “big production Thanksgiving Dinner.”  While I love all of the food during the actual dinner, it’s reinventing the leftovers that I have the most fun with.  Cranberry-Turkey sandwiches, Mashed Potato Pancakes, and roasted vegetable salads have all become cherished leftover dishes.

Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pie?: Apple Pie, hands down.  You can do so much more with it.  Plus I enjoy the amount of time & effort that goes into a home-made apple pie.  I’ve had some amazing varieties, but no Apple Pie will ever beat Mom’s.

Cooking Mantra: Simple and local is best.  If you can’t grow it yourself, find someone who can locally.  It’s cheaper and always tastes better.  As for deserts, don’t layer tons of flavors and textures just to be fancy.  Sometimes just highlighting one or two great flavors delivers the best results.

What are you thankful for this year? I am supported by an astounding group of people.  My parents and best friends have never let me down, and have always been the stability and comfort in my life.  The holiday’s are about celebrating them, and thanking them for their unconditional love.

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for dish

For fruit filling:
1 cup packed (7 1/2 ounces) medium brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 cup fresh cranberries
8 large apples (I used Granny Smith & Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 1/2 pounds prepped)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter

For biscuits:
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (4 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/3 cups cold buttermilk, or more as needed
1 tablespoon bakers sanding sugar

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish.

For the fruit filling, with your hands, rub the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Add the apples and cranberries and toss to evenly coat. Gently stir in the lemon juice. Pour the filling contents into the prepared pan. Cut the butter into small cubes and scatter over the apples.
Cover the pan with foil and bake in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes. This gives the apples a jump-start on cooking while you make the biscuits.

To make the biscuits, whisk the flour, tablespoon of granulated sugar, the baking powder, and the salt together in a bowl. Add the cheese and toss until evenly coated. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the buttermilk. With a rubber spatula or fork, or by hand, stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The dough will be shaggy and moist. If the dough seems dry, add a bit more buttermilk, no more than 1 tablespoon at a time.

Take the baking pan out of the oven and remove the foil. Using an ice cream scoop, place the dough atop the fruit, distributing the biscuits evenly. (You should end up with about 9-12 biscuits.) Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar sanding over the biscuits.

Return the cobbler to the oven (this time without the foil) and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender, the juices are bubbling, and the biscuits are golden brown.

Storage: This dessert is best served the day that it is made, but any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap (or foil) and kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Join the Party!
Got a great Thanksgiving dish or decorating idea? Share a link to your Turkey Day blog post or recipe in the comments or on our Facebook page!

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by | November 8, 2010 · 10:44 am

Angel Food Cupcakes with Key Lime Frosting

Over the weekend the hubs and I went to dinner at a local favorite, Honeypie. When I leave there I’m usually too full for dessert but this time we got one of their tasty looking cupcakes to go.  The cupcake was simply labeled “Vanilla Birthday Cake” but this wasn’t your average cake-y cake. It was so light and airy that it had to be an angel food cake.

Wait, can you even make angel food cupcakes?  The thought had never even crossed my mind. It’s such a finnicky cake that it seems like it wouldn’t work. As it turns out, you definitely can!

Because I was suspect of my experiment, I used a reliable angel food cake recipe from The Joy of Cooking and cut the cooking time.  Paired with a sweet-tart key lime frosting the cupcakes were deliciously light and similar to the Honeypie revelation. Add this one to your cupcake arsenal, kids.  It’s a winner.

angel food cake recipe

Angel Food Cupcakes
cake from The Joy of Cooking
11 egg whites
1 C flour, sifted
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl sift together flour, 3/4 C sugar and salt. Sift through several times. In a separate large bowl, combine water, lemon juice, extracts and cream of tartar. Add in egg whites.   Beat mixture on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes or until mixture has increased to 4-5x the original volume.  Mixture should be soft and frothy, holding a soft shape when the beaters are lifted.

Next, add the remaining 3/4 C sugar working 1 Tbsp at a time and beating well as you add each bit.  This should take several minutes to do. Mixture should be glossy white and should hold soft peaks where the tips just fold over when the beaters are removed.  Do not beat to stiff peaks.

angel food cake batter consistency

Gently sift in the flour mixture 1/4 C at a time.  Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the flour each time, folding the mixture over the flour until flour disappears.  Do not beat or stir.

Carefully spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full.  Bake for 18 minutes for small cupcakes or 22 minutes for giant cupcakes.

Key Lime Frosting
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temp
3+ C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp half & half
2 Tbsp Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice*

Beat butter and 1 C sugar.  Add in vanilla and 1 Tbsp half and half and beat until creamy.  Continue adding powdered sugar and half and half, beating until mixture is creamy but thick.  Add additional sugar for more sweetness if desired.  Whip in lime juice, if desired.

*optional.  You could just increase the amount of vanilla a bit for plain vanilla frosting or you could experiment with other extracts and juices!

angel food cupcake

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by | October 22, 2010 · 8:18 am

Pumpkins & Polka Dots and Festive Fall Fare: Part II

Yesterday I shared the recipes for the main course from my pumpkins and polka dots party, but let’s get onto the good stuff. Today..it’s dessert!

The pumpkin centerpiece is a harvest vase from Crate and Barrel filled with silver dollars. I swooned over these at Sendik’s and had to ask what exactly they were called. They are very delicate and the best part is, they don’t die.

What says fall more than a caramel apple? With a twist on the original, I created these cupcakes, complete with a caramel apple stick, to resemble a taffy apple in both look and taste. The cupcake is apple spice with a sea salt caramel frosting, topped with crushed peanuts.

Apple Spice Cupcakes (based off Martha Stewart’s Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes)

2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 C natural applesauce (I use Mott’s)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high. Add eggs one at a time. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and flour mixture, beating until combined.

Fill cups with batter – almost to the top. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool before frosting. Yields 12-18 cupcakes.

Sea Salt Caramel Frosting

1/4 C sugar
2 TBSP water
1/4 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp sea salt
1 C powdered sugar

Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes.

Combine butter and salt and beat with electric mixer until fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix. Turn off mixer and add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until stiff before using, about 30 minutes.

I doubled this recipe for these cupcakes because I like a lot of frosting. One and a half would probably work too or just one if you like more cupcake than frosting. I frosted the cupcakes using a frosting gun, topped with crushed peanuts and stuck a candy stick in the middle to resemble a caramel apple.

And last but certainly not least, an old fall favorite, pumpkin dip. This can be treated as an appetizer or dessert, or both! I served it with gingersnaps, crackers and apples.

Pumpkin Dip

One package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 can pumpkin puree
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl on medium-high until well blended. Add following ingredients and mix throughly. Chill until ready to serve.

Wishing everyone a festive fall!

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by | October 18, 2010 · 8:35 am

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think it’s been mentioned before but the fact is, I don’t really like chocolate. In small quantities and mixed with something (ie. peanut butter), I’ll eat milk chocolate but I’ll pass on the fudge, brownies, cake, ice cream, etc. It’s tragic, really. In fact, I’m bummed that I’ll never be the baker I want to be because a whole category of desserts tastes terrible to me.

BUT. This is a chocolate recipe. Granted it’s chocolate for weenies but you’ll have to cut a girl a little slack.

chocolate chips, cherries
My trick is substituting popular semi-sweet chocolate chips with mellow milk chocolate ones.  You could use whatever type of chocolate chips you like though. Mixed with the tart cherries and a hint of almond these cookies are layered with flavor and just rich enough to be addictive – whether you’re a choco-holic or not!


Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
3 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 pkg cinnamon instant oatmeal
1 C dried cherries
1 C milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and beat.  Beat in almond and vanilla extracts.  Beat in flour, one cup at a time and then beat in oatmeal.  Stir in cherries and chocolate chips, mixing well.  Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough in equal sized balls onto a cookie sheet (the secret to uniform cookies!)  Bake for 14-16 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

cherry chocolate chip cookies

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by | October 6, 2010 · 8:46 am

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel and Pecans

I love making dishes and desserts that are full of fall flavors.  This Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe has a rich pumpkin flavor with just a hint of cinnamon.  The caramel pecan sauce makes it indulgent and special enough for a dinner party.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel and Pecans

Bread Pudding
4 eggs
2  15oz cans of pumpkin
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
10 cups french bread cut into 1 inch cubes (about 12oz)

Caramel Sauce with Pecans
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, sugar, half and half, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.  Add the cubed bread and mix until fully coated.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.  Pour bread mixture into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes of baking, prepare the caramel sauce.  Cook the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.  Heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove the caramel from the heat and add the vanilla extract and pecans.

Remove the bread pudding from the oven and drizzle with the caramel sauce.  Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whip cream!

Mmmmm…the perfect combination of fall flavors!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living.

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