Month: February 2014

Whoppers Cookies

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Oh, Whoppers, you are delicious. I love all things malty – chocolate malts, Robbins Eggs candy at Easter, Whoppers, and those to-die-for giant malted milk balls that I buy at my local grocery store. These cookies were delicious – though I did make one ingredient change. I used chocolate malt powder instead of plain malt powder. Because duh. CHOCOLATE.

Whoppers Cookies
Recipe source: Two Peas & Their Pod
Print Recipe

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup malted milk powder [I used chocolate]
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped Whoppers candies (or any malted milk balls)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, malted milk powder, cornstarch, baking soda and sea salt together. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips and malted milk balls. Form cookie dough into tablespoon balls and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Mardi Gras Hi-Hat Cupcakes

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Mardi Gras is a week from today! Admittedly, this is not a big holiday in Wisconsin. At all. But I’ve always loved the spirit of it — and I would love to visit New Orleans someday! I spotted these cupcakes on the wonderful I Am Baker last year and had to try them out.

I had never made hi-hat cupcakes before and for the most part it was a smooth process. I only lost one mound of frosting to the bowl of chocolate coating! I’ve added some additional instructions to the recipe that will hopefully help you out if you are also new to hi-hats.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Recipe source: I Am Baker
Print Recipe

  • Make a batch of cupcakes. You can use a box mix to make some from scratch (I used this Food Network recipe for yellow cupcakes). Any flavor will work. When the cupcakes have cooled completely, cut the tops off of each cupcake to remove the little “mound.” You will want a flat surface for the frosting to sit on.
  • Make a batch of buttercream frosting. Go homemade with this. I used I Am Baker’s recipe and it was great. Divide the frosting into three bowls and use gel food coloring to dye the frosting purple, green, and yellow. Whatever color you choose to put on top will be what you need the least of. In my case, I allocated more frosting to be purple and green than I did for the yellow.
  • Using a large, round tip, pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Pipe a large purple base, then the green, then the yellow.

Make the chocolate coating & dip:
11 oz. chocolate chips or finely chopped
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
2. Stir until melted and smooth.
3. Transfer to small container with high sides (like a drinking glass, just make sure its wide enough to fit cupcake), and let cool about 15 minutes. [I used a large Starbucks coffee mug for this step]
4. Holding cupcake by its base, gently dip it into chocolate and then remove. Let as much excess chocolate drip off as possible, then set aside and let harden. [Dip the cupcake quickly! The longer you let it linger in the chocolate, the more likely the mound of frosting will fall off.]

Makes 12 cupcakes.
If you want to see what I’ve made in years past for Mardi Gras…

1. Mardi Gras Cake Pops
2. King Cake
3. King Cake Knots
4. King Cake Monkey Bread

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cookies

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I know I have professed my love for all things cookies ‘n’ cream on my blog before, but let me reiterate: I LOVE COOKIES ‘N’ CREAM. It’s my favorite ice cream flavor. Oreos are my favorite cookie. It can do no wrong. So much so that I’ve always dreamed of having a dalmatian because, well, duh. And I’d name him or her Cookie. Too bad dalmatians are not the sweetest of dogs. But I digress. Here’s today’s recipe!

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cookies
Recipe source: Lil’ Luna
Print Recipe

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
3 cups flour
1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped Hershey Cookies N Cream bars

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Scoop Tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until edges are slightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and let the cookies sit for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks for complete cooling.

Triple Chip Cookies

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I love a good, classic chocolate chip cookie. I love it even more when the ingredients involve three different kinds of “chips.” These beauties include chocolate chips, semisweet chips, and white chocolate chips. They also include cinnamon. I know. I raised my eyebrow, too. I mean, these aren’t snickerdoodles — so why the cinnamon?! But trust me, it works. These cookies were so great!

Triple Chip Cookies
Recipe source: Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Print Recipe

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans [I left these out; not a fan of nuts in cookies!]

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 cookie sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.
3. In a large separate bowl beat butter with both sugars together on low until creamy about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture 1/4 at a time. Stir in all the chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Drop dough by level 1/4 cups 2 – 3 inches apart onto the baking sheets. [I used an ice cream scoop for this – it worked great!]
6. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in tightly covered containers in a cool, dry place up to 5 days. Makes about 24 large cookies.

Valentine’s Day Ideas 2014

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Valentine’s Day is a week away!! Here are some ideas if you’re looking to make a sweet treat.

1. Tootsie Roll Fudge
2. Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes
3. Red Velvet Cake
4. Pink Ombre cake
5. Pear-Raspberry Heart Pies
6. Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
7. Bee Mine Cookies
8. Red Velvet Cupcakes
9. Neapolitan Rice Krispie Treats
10. Brownie Bites
11. Buckeye Bites
12. Conversation Heart Cake
13. Cherry Chocolate Kisses
14. Heart Cookie Cake
15. Conversation Heart Cookies
16. Black & White Heart Cookies
17. Mini Valentine Cupcakes
18. Conversation Heart Marshmallow Cookies
19. Pink Heart Cookies
20. White Chocolate and Cherry Shortbread Cookies