Whole Wheat Almond & Cherry Biscotti.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Snacks, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

While working constantly on my kitchen renovation, I took a brief respite to whip up a new recipe I’ve been meaning to try.  Whole wheat biscotti?  I was suspect but wanted to whip it up and see how it would taste.  I always make traditional biscotti but I have to admit, these are pretty good.

My old school Italian father couldn’t wait to grab my “staged” photo and do a taste-test.  He loved them too!  Bonus.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s)
1 cup of all purpose flour (King Arthur’s as well)
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup of vanilla almond milk
2  tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds
1 cup of dried tart cherries

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In your stand mixer, add the flours, sugar and baking powder.  Blend together. Then add eggs, milk, oil, honey and extract.  Mix until blended.  Then add the cherries and almonds and blend.

On a lined baking sheet, place the dough.  With floured hands, shape the dough into a large log-like shape about 10×14 inches or so.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool down for about 15 minutes then slice with a serrated knife.  Slice about 1/2 inch wide.  Place back on the cookie sheet and bake again for 15 minutes or until toasted.

Store in an airtight container.  Enjoy.
 

— Knead to Cook

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian 7 Comments

We have rain today.  I don’t think it was expected but nonetheless it’s here.  I worked out early this morning and got my mini-grocery run in.  I’ve been working in the kitchen ever since and I love it.  I’ve whipped up sauce, meatballs and homemade peanut butter and now my focus has turned to an after-school treat for my girls.  I wanted to use the peanut butter in the cookies and thought BINGO!  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with the addition of some peanut butter.  I searched and searched and found my oatmeal cookie recipe and whipped up a batch.  They’re baking right now.

 

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter or butter substitute, at room temperature
1/3 cup of white granulated sugar
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (I used homemade)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup of all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur’s)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of oats
1 cup of dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line your baking sheets with liners, Silpat or parchment paper.  Set aside.

In your stand mixer, blend your butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  Next, add your peanut butter.  Then vanilla and egg. Over my stand mixer bowl, I placed my mesh strainer and sifted my flour, soda, salt into the batter.  Next up, mix in the oats.  Blend until combined.  By hand, stir in the chocolate chips.  Then scoop with a melon baller, the dough onto you cookie sheets.  Leave 1/2 inches in between each dough ball.

Bake for 12 minutes or just until slightly golden around the edges.  Makes 28-30 cookies.  Let cool for 8-10 minutes before serving.

— Knead to Cook

Sea Salt topped Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

Get your milk ready kids!  These cookies are quite sophisticated with a subtle sea salt topping to a rather classic flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips.  While waiting for my paint to dry on my walls today (of course, spot checking for any areas I missed) I thought it would be fun to whip up a treat that both the adults and kids in my house will love.  Plus, I needed a reward for this monumental undertaking of painting my entire house before our kitchen remodel next month.  I’ve already eaten two of these while photographing them (sadly one too a header into the glass of milk and I had to eat that one). Ha ha.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of I can’t believe it’s not butter or regular no salt butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of peanut butter (I used a pb with flax seeds in it)
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1.5 cup of all purpose flour (I used King Arthur’s brand)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 cup of chocolate chips (dark or milk)
Sea Salt (I used Trader Joe’s)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  If you have a baking sheet like Silpat, place that on your baking sheet and set aside.

In your stand mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, both sugars, egg and extract.  Mix this for 4 minutes or until lightly fluffy.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, powder and soda.  Whisk to combine.  Then pour into your stand mixer bowl.  Blend well avoiding over-mixing.  Then, by hand, mix in your chocolate chips.

With a scoop, drop the cookie dough with about 1.5-2 inches apart.  Then sprinkle the top of each one with the sea salt.  A tiny bit goes a long way.  The salt with bring out the depth of the chocolate flavor big time.  Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.  Serve with ice cold milk and enjoy!

 

 

— Knead to Cook

My Crowded Kitchen Guest Post – Maple Pecan Cookies

by Filed Under: Cookies 1 Comment

Tiffany over at My Crowded Kitchen is one of those sweet, beautiful women that I consider myself so blessed to have met in what I call this crazy foodie universe.  She is crazy talented in the kitchen and with her food photos!  Her recipes have me swooning and drooling all at the same time!  I’m so blessed to surround myself with amazingly talented friends that I just adore!  Check her out on Facebook by clicking here.  You will fall in love with her sweetness from the first click!  I promise.

Thanks Tiffany for guest blogging for me today.  I’m eternally grateful.  ~Robin oxoxo

 

This is an extra special post. I am guest posting for Robin, over at Knead To Cook today and these babies are what I shared with her readers. If you get a chance head on over and say hi to Robin. She’s awesome and just as sweet as pie!

We are now at day three and still holdin’ strong with our cookie extravaganza this week on MCK.  This cookie screams fall with it’s mapley, (is that a word?! It is today! ;) ) flavor, bits of pecans, drizzled with chocolate and topped with more nuts. It has a super soft texture and absolutely delicious if you like maple, nuts and chocolate.

I’m sending out cookie packages this week to family and close friends. I can’t stand it any longer. Don’t get me wrong, they’re delicious if I may say, but I’ve had cookies for breakfast, cookies for lunch and cookies for dessert. I’m trying to be good, but I can’t seem to with all these cookies in my face. I started freezing them to get them away from me. I figured I’d spread the love elsewhere instead of spreading it to parts of my body that don’t need any more luuuv. ;) Have a funtastic day!

http://mycrowdedkitchen.com/maple-pecan-cookies/Maple Pecan Cookies

Author: Tiffany at My Crowded Kitchen.Com
Recipe type: Cookie
Serves: Approx. 2 dozen

 

Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, room temp.
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans + more for sprinkling tops of cookies
  • white & dark chocolate, melted for drizzling cookies
Prep time
Cook time

Total time
27 mins

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. confection setting
  2. In a standing mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and maple extract.
  3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Slowly stir in flour mixture to creamed mixture, blend.
  5. Next stir in chopped pecans.
  6. Shape cookie dough into 1 – 1½ inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, no longer than 12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let set on baking sheet for at least two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. Once cookies are cooled completely, melt white and dark chocolate, drizzle the tops of cookies with dark chocolate, sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with white chocolate. Top with more nuts. Let chocolate set before serving or do what I did, I didn’t wait!

— Knead to Cook

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts, Halloween, Vegetarian 21 Comments

 

I had to make my pumpkin oatmeal cookies with these Hershey Kiss Pumpkin Spice kisses.  One of those things just know in your heart.  Ha ha.  These cookies have more of a cake-like light texture.  This recipes makes a ton of cookies.  So delish and perfect with some hot apple cider on a chilly fall day.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (King Arthur’s)
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour (King Arthur’s)
1 1/2 cups of oats
 1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of butter, room temperature
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)
1 bag of Hershey Pumpkin Pie Spice Kisses


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheets with parchment or a baking mat.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, oats, soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl.  In your stand mixer, paddle attached, blend butter and sugars.  Once fluffy, add the flax, pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Beat well.  Then add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and blend.  By hand add the chocolate chips, if using.  Drop with a scoop onto your cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes.

While baking, remove the wrappers from the Kisses.  Once you remove the cookies from the oven, gently put the Kiss on top and push (lightly) down.  Let cool.  Serve.


— Knead to Cook

PB2 Chocolate Chip Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts 22 Comments

OHHHHH MMMMMM GEEEEEE!  These turned out so good, I’m still in cRaZy love!  My kids are addicted.  They are over-the-top!

Adapted from Guittard Super Cookie Chip Cookie Recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of butter, softened
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons of light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of PB2 chocolate peanut butter
10 ounces of Guittard Super Cookie Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda and salt.  Set aside.

In your stand mixer, paddle attached, cream butter and sugars.  Then beat in the egg and vanilla until creamy.  Add the flour mixture, blend.  Then add the PB2.  Blend well.  By hand, stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop rounded cookie dough onto your baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.  Let cool and then store in a container with a lid.

— Knead to Cook

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Snacks, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

 

Sleepover tonight and I thought I would make a special treat for the girls when we all get home from our swim meet.  Oreos… chocolate chip cookies meet & make a lovely baby :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
5 tablespoons of sugar
5 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Oreo cookies, chopped (I used the chocolate cream filled version but the original version is acceptable.)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment on, cream the butter and sugars for 5 minutes.  Then add the egg and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, blend the flour, soda and salt.  Add gently to the butter mixture.  Blend.  By hand, blend the Oreos into the cookie batter.  Scoop the dough onto your cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or so until just turning lightly brown.  Let cool and enjoy!

 

— Knead to Cook

Lemon Rosemary Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies 6 Comments

These are a distinctive cookie that would be perfect for a dinner or cocktail party.  They are, without a doubt, the creamiest, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that you won’t soon forget.

Ingredients:

1 stick, 4 oz. butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of chopped up fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of ground corn meal
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Turbinado sugar for topping the cookies

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar together.  Then add the chopped rosemary and lemon zest.  Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, corn meal, powder and salt.  Slowly add this to the butter mixture.  Blend without over-mixing.  Lay a large piece of plastic wrap out and place the dough in the center.  Roll up and form into a log.  Refrigerate for one hour, then place in the freezer for 15 additional minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray your cookie sheet with a non stick spray.  Slice the cookies into 1 inch slices (mine are a bit thicker b/c I prefer them that way) and place on the cookie sheet.  Gently drop the Turbinado sugar on top of each cookie and gently press the sugar crystals into the top of each cookie.  Bake for 15 minutes.   Remove and let cool.  Serve and enjoy!

 

— Knead to Cook

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Snacks, Vegetarian 2 Comments

It has been quite a busy week & a half.  We’ve had 5 swim meets and I feel like I haven’t been home to bake or cook for longer than 1 hour each day.  Today was no different, we had a great swim meet this morning till around 1 and I wanted to bake up some fun cookies for my girls to congratulate them on their incredibly good performance in the past 5 meets.  These are super deeelish but I did add fiber to them to add some health benefits.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
2 tablespoons of Truvia or 1/4 cup of regular sugar
1/2 cup of peanut butter (I used Sea Salt Valencia Peanut Butter)
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon raw honey (you can use regular as well)
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
3/4 cup of rolled oats
1 tablespoon of flax seed meal
1 teaspoon of chia bran (you can use regular wheat bran)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of chopped peanuts (I used salted)
3/4 cup of chocolate chips (I used dark 60% cocoa chips)
Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In your stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add the peanut butter and beat well.  Add the egg, vanilla and honey.  Be sure to scrape down the sides to make sure everything blends well.

In a separate mixing bowl add the flours, oats, flax seed meal, chia bran, cinnamon, powder, soda and salt.  Then add to the wet mixture in thirds.  Blend after each addition but avoid over mixing.  Then add the nuts and chocolate chips.  Blend again.  Then scoop the dough and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 4 minutes and then transfer to a platter or cooling rack until completely cooled and ready to store.

— Knead to Cook

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies.

by Filed Under: Cookies, Vegetarian 13 Comments

 

These could very well be the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tried!  Pretty big compliment as I’m 40 years old and have had the pleasure, and sometimes displeasure, of sampling chocolate chip cookies my entire life.  Now, I rarely, EVER, make unhealthy cookies for my family but with our first swim meet tonight… I wanted to make them a special treat :)

Ingredients:

6 ounces of softened reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 cup of softened butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of sugar – I used Truvia.
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups + 3 tablespoons  of all purpose flour
2 cups of chocolate chips (dark 60% cocoa)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugars until fluffy in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment on.  Add the vanilla.  The sift all of the dry ingredients and then add to the butter mixture.  Blend but avoid over-mixing.  Add the chocolate chips and stir by hand.

Drop with scooper onto your cookie sheet.  Leave 1-2 inches in between each one.  Bake for 14-18 minutes depending on your oven.  Should be golden brown along the edges.

— Knead to Cook