HOLIDAY BAKING: CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CRACKLE + RED VELVET THUMBPRINTS

OMG. If you're going planning to do some gift giving in the form of baked goods, these recipes from Southern Living are AMAZING.  All my chocolate lovers out there especially need to try to crackle cookies, they are rich and fudgey and delicious. 

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CRACKLE COOKIES

2 oz. unsweet chocolate baking bars, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. table salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract 

2 large eggs

3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. unsweet cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup powdered sugar 

1. Microwave first three ingredients in microwave safe bowl on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in sugar, peppermint, and eggs until blended. Stir flour, cocoa, and baking powder together then stir into the chocolate mixture until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic and chill for 1 hour. 

2. Preheat oven to 350. Drop dough by level spoonfuls into powdered sugar and roll to coat.  Place coated cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

3. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are crackled. Cool completely (about 20 minutes) 

RED VELVET THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp red food coloring

1 1/4 c. flour

1 tbsp. unsweet cocoa

1/2 tsp table salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. cream cheese, softened / room temperature

1/4 c. white chocolate morsels, melted according to directions on package

extra morsels to garnish 

1. Preheat over to 325. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and food coloring, beat 30 seconds

2. Sift flour with cocoa and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until combined. Stir in vanilla 

3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 1/2 inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.  Press thumb into each ball, forming an indentation

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cookies and fragrant and dry. While cookies are still warm, press indentations again.  Cool cookies completely (about 30 minutes)

5. Stir together cream cheese and melted white chocolate in a small bowl. Fill center of cookies with cream cheese mixture (I put the mixture in a ziplock bag and cut the corner to squeeze it out in nice little circles). Garnish with white chocolate. 

Happy Baking! 

XO

EDIBLE GIFTS : PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARK

If you're up for some mad holiday baking this week, I highly recommend this simple and delicious cookie bark.  It's pretty ridiculous and super easy to make!

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE BARK COOKIES: 

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk 

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped candy canes or herseys candy cane kisses

2 ounces white chocolate

*Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 13 x 9 pan with non stick spray and line with parchment. You'll be using this as a "handle".  Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla then egg yolk. Gradually add flour and salt, beating on low just to blend.  Drop dough in prepared pan spacing evenly.  Use moistened fingertips to press dough evenly along the bottom of the pan.  Pierce dough all over with a fork.  Bake the cookie base for about 30 minutes, until light golden brown and the sides start coming away from the sides of the pan.  Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let stand until they soften, just a few minutes. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly.  Immediately sprinkle chopped candy cane on top.   Separately, microwave and stir white chocolate in small bursts until smooth.  If it's too thick add a little vegetable oil.  Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate on top.  Cool until white chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Using the paper as your handle, remove from pan and place on a cutting board.  Using a large knife, cut the bark into irregular shapes or squares if you prefer.

xox 

EDIBLE GIFTS : LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

Sugar cookies are the best mainly for decorating purposes.  These were really fun to make with my family and bff this past weekend.  You can follow this simple sugar cookie recipe here but the frosting is the key to these so they harden and look pretty to decorate! 

2 cups confectioners sugar

1-2 tbsp milk (add more if it is too thick)

1 tbsp light corn syrup 

1/4 tsp of lemon extract (you could also do vanilla or almond!) 

Cream the first to ingredients together so they become light and fluffy.  With a mixer, add the light corn syrup and extract.  It should be really smooth and glossy, this is key to hardening after you frost them.  

Happy Baking!

WEEKEND BAKING : FUDGE, PEPPERMINT BARK, & SUGAR COOKIES

A little weekend baking inspiration.  If you need a last minute gift or something to bring to a holiday party, I think something sweet and homemade is just perfect.  I can't believe how ambitious I got yesterday! It was fun to have my mom and grandmother over to help bake treats for everyone.  Hunter was the taste tester and he approved.  The bark is especially delicious and the fudge was super fast and easy.  Here are the directions and ingredients for all: 

CANDY CANE FUDGE: 

110 (this was about a bag and a half) candy cane herseys kisses (unwrapped of course)

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter cut into pieces

crushed candy canes or peppermints 

*Spray pan with nonstick spray and line with wax or parchment paper so that it comes up two sides (you'll want to use this as a "handle" to pull the fudge out of the pan later on).  In a medium bowl (glass or pyrex) combine the kisses, milk, and butter.  Microwave in 30 second bursts stirring each time until smooth and melted. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and smooth the top.  Sprinkle the crushed candy canes and press lightly so they stay.  Chill for at least two hours or until hardened. Use the wax paper like handles to pull the fudge out, remove wax paper and lay on cutting board.  Cut and serve or store at room temp or in the freezer. 

PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE BARK COOKIES: 

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk 

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped candy canes or herseys candy cane kisses

2 ounces white chocolate

*Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 13 x 9 pan with non stick spray and line with parchment. Again, you'll be using this as a "handle".  Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla then egg yolk. Gradually ass flour and salt, beating on low just to blend.  Drop dough in prepared pan spacing evenly.  Use moistened fingertips to press dough evenly along the bottom of the pan.  Pierce dough all over with a fork.  Bake the cookie base for about 30 minutes, until light golden brown and the sides start coming away from the sides of the pan.  Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let stand until they soften, just a few minutes. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly.  Immediately sprinkle chopped candy cane on top.   Separately, microwave and stir white chocolate in small bursts until smooth.  If it's to thick add a little vegetable oil (I had to).  Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate on top.  Cool until white chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Using the paper as your handle, remove from pan and place on a cutting board.  Using a large knife, cut the bark into irregular shapes or squares if you prefer! 

For the sugar cookies, I just made classic cookies with vanilla frosting following these two recipes: 

Cookies / Frosting

HAPPY BAKING! 

xox