Category Archives: Cookies

German Chocolate Cookie Bites!

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Ruthanne

What could be better than a big slice of german chocolate cake?  Why a german chocolate cookie stuffed full of that yummy coconut pecan icing of course!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 box of German Chocolate cake mix
  • 1/3c. softened margarine
  • 1/2 box of cream cheese (4 oz.)
  • 1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)
  • 1 egg
  • German chocolate frosting (get a tub of it –or be fancy and use my favorite recipe for it!)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cream together margarine and cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add egg, stirring until smooth.
  • Blend in melted chocolate.
  • Add cake mix last and stir until combined.  Use your hands to knead mixture into a heavy cookie dough.
  • Make evenly- size small balls of dough (I use a Small Cookie Scoop) and place on cookie sheets.

  • Gently press cookies into a flattened cookie shape (rather than a ball) as they will not spread out when they bake.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
  • Remove cookies from oven and cool completely.
  • Spread frosting between two similarly -sized cookies and chill until serving.

My thoughts:  I love how the cookie part turned out.  I was really just experimenting with using a cake mix.  I’ve used a cake mix before with my Carrot Cake Cookies– but I knew they couldn’t be made the same (oatmeal in a german chocolate cake?!).  The cookies are dense and sooo chocolatey and rich.  They scoop wonderfully and don’t stick to the cookie sheet– perfect!  Look for them again soon– I want to try my hand at some caramel cookies with caramel cake mix!!!  Enjoy!

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Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies!

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Ruthanne

 

This is a twist on my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (also my very 1st blog!).  My friend Jesse asked if they could be made with white chocolate, semisweet chocolate, macadamia nuts and coconut– and I thought– why not?  They turned out great and taste amazing!  Thanks for the idea Jess!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2c. margarine (use tubs of Fleishmans or Country Crock for best results)
  • 2c. brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 6 c. flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 2 tbsp vanilla
  • 2c. (one bag) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2c. (one bag) white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 c. chopped Macadamia nuts (to taste)
  • 1c. shredded coconut (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cream together butter and sugars.  Add the rest of the ingredients except for the flour, chocolate chips, nuts and coconut.
  • Add flour (batter should be fairly dry).  Fold in remaining ingredients.  Add more flour if needed to make cookie dough very thick.   
  • Drop using a Large Cookie Scoop onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.
  • Remove from cookie sheet and cool on parchment paper.
  • Enjoy!!!

My thoughts:  I love this cookie recipe made with the two types of chips in the original recipe.  These cookies are great– but I still prefer the original!  This cookie dough is PERFECT for making absolutely huge cookies that are cooked all the way through but not crunchy 🙂  Love ’em!!!  Hope you do too!!!


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Gingerbread Cut-out Cookies

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Ruthanne

These gingerbread cookies are my favorite gingerbread cookies ever.  They are a recipe that I got from my grandma (a WONDERFUL cook and baker) many many years ago.  I never tried making them because, well, grandma always made them!  I have wonderful memories of arriving late at their house after a long drive through Christmas traffic and having a plate of these with milk before bed.  My dad and I pretty much ate these by the handful every Christmas season.

My grandma passed away suddenly last week.  When I got back home after the funeral I remembered this recipe and knew I finally needed to try my hand at it- even if it isn’t Christmas yet.  They turned out beautifully and taste just like grandma’s – tasting them reminded me of all the wonderful things I will miss about her.

So, in honor of grandma Ruth- the best gingerbread cookie recipe ever:

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cream together butter and sugar.
  • Beat in egg, molasses and vinegar.
  • Blend in sifted dry ingredients.
  • Chill 2-3 hours (this is important– the dough is very easy to roll after chilling)
  • Roll 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick on a floured counter or board and cut into shapes.
  • Place on greased cookie sheets.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.  Check often- take out when cookies have risen and are easily removed from sheet.
  • Frost as desired (I used royal icing from sugar cookies recipe)

My thoughts:  Thanks grandma- for all the fun and memories and yummy home cooked meals– and most of all for all the love though all of my years.  Someday we will all meet together again in heaven.  Love you…

29 Comments

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Mom’s Sugar Cookies with Royal (pain in the butt) Icing

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Ruthanne

 

I love these sugar cookies. My mom got the recipe out of a school cookbook (the kind where everyone submits recipes) and she’s modified and perfected it over the years. These are thick and cake-like cookies (not the thin and crispy sort) and they have cinnamon in them – YUM!!! They roll out beautifully without any crazy long refrigeration of the dough. They are pretty much the perfect sugar cookie.

My mom tops them with a thin powdered sugar frosting and puts buckets of sprinkles on so they don’t stick together. These are VW bugs and they were a delicious (albeit unidentifiable) summer treat!!!

I have been so curious about all the beautiful cookies iced in Royal Icing that I HAD to try it….the results blew me away- prettier than ANY sugar cookie I’ve ever made- the process??? Yikes. I decided about halfway through that I’d rather dye my hair purple and work as a telemarketer than ever frost another cookie with royal icing.

Now that I’ve distanced myself from the pain of it I think I would try it again…maybe for a special occasion though. We’ll see.

In any case- this sugar cookie recipe is a treasure– frost them however you want!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 c. margarine
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 -5 c. flour
  • 4 heaping teaspoons of sour cream
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 t. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cream together butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs and sour cream.
  • Mix dry ingredients (using only 4c. flour) together and add to wet ingredients, combining well.
  • Add additional flour until dough is thick and only slightly sticky.
  • Place dough on a well-floured countertop an knead into flour until not sticky at all.
  • Roll out flat with a floured rolling pin.
  • Cut out cookies and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes (longer for larger cookies).
  • Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
  • Frost 🙂

The royal icing I used:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of powdered sugar
  • 3 T. meringue powder
  • 6 T. water
  • 1t. vanilla (use clear if you want white frosting)
  • Food coloring

Directions:

  • Add all ingredients together and mix with a mixer for at least 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Color as desired.
  • Frost cookies.

I read about 10 different blogs about HOW to frost cookies with royal icing….mine turned out ok- you basically outline the cookie with the thick frosting, thin the remaining frosting with water and flood the middle of your outline (easier said than done!) Just plan on spend a lot of time– it really is worth the effort though- the glossy hard finish is impressive!

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Toasted Coconut Cheesecake Bonbons

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Ruthanne

I just found out that the word bonbon comes from the French word bon which means “good”…so these are goodGOOD!!!! (GOOOOD!) With toasted coconut on the outside and chewy coconut and cream cheese on the inside they couldn’t get any better! Oh- wait—yes they can!  Bite into one of these bonbons and you’ll find creamy dark chocolate and almonds inside!  YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 bag (24-30 pieces) of Dove chocolates (dark chocolate with almond)
  • 8 ounces of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 12 ounces (one bag) of white chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp of coconut extract
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups of shredded sweetened coconut (divided)
  • 1/2 cup of butter (melted)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Unwrap all of your chocolates.
  • Soften Philadelphia Cream Cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds- until it is warm and smooth after stirring.
  • Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until they are melted and smooth.
  • Add softened cream cheese to the melted white chocolate and stir well.
  • Stir in coconut extract.
  • Add flour and mix until it forms a thick, sticky dough.
  • Fold in 3 cups of coconut.
  • Using your hands, take about 2T of dough, press it into your palm, place a chocolate in the center and wrap the dough completely around it.
  • Smooth the dough by rolling it a little between your hands and set it on an un-greased cookie sheet. Repeat this process with remaining dough and chocolates.
  • Brush melted butter over tops of cookies and press remaining coconut on the tops and sides of the cookies.
  • Brush the coconut topping with butter and place in the oven.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If coconut is not sufficiently toasted on the tops of the cookies at this point, turn your broiler on high and finish toasting it. (This will happen quickly under the broiler, so keep an eye on them!).
  • Remove cookies from the cookie sheet and place on parchment paper to cool. They can be served warm or cooled to room temperature first– either way they are delicious!

My thoughts: mmmm…..I love these!  I created this recipe for Real Women of Philadelphia and it took me awhile to decide which chocolate to use in the middle and how to get the cookie part to taste REALLY coconutty (I just made that word up!)  These cookies remind me of the Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory– seriously one of my favorite desserts and now in cookie (BONBON!!) form 🙂  ENJOY!

I shared this recipe on these wonderful blogs:

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Nutter Butter Flip Flops!!!!

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Ruthanne

 

These just make me smile!!  I’ve seen several versions of these recently on blogs and in stores and I had to try them- talk about quick and easy!  I have no idea who originally came up with this – but kudos in the creativity department!!!  Love ’em!

INGREDIENTS: (printer friendly recipe)

  • One package of Nutter Butter Cookies (32 cookies)
  • 6 ounces each of Wiltons candy melts in 4 fun colors: Yellow Orange
    Blue Purple
  • Candy Flowers (I found mine at Michael’s Arts and Crafts)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Melt 7oz. (1/2 a bag) of each color of candy in 4 separate bowls in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
  • Dip one cookie at a time in the candy melts, covering it completely and then lifting it with a fork and tapping excess melted chocolate off.  Set on parchment paper to harden.


 

 

 

 

  • Spoon remainder of each color into small ziplock bags and clip a corner.  Using a contrasting color, carefully pipe a flip flop “strap” on each cookie.  
  • Add a candy flower or other candy decoration to strap before it hardens.
  • ENJOY!!!

My thoughts:  Quick easy and fun.  I’d love to serve them on brown sugar “sand” sometime…. Be sure you get the vanilla flavored chips– tastes just like white chocolate- even though its comes in such pretty colors.  The final result tastes a little like a Butterfingers (I think…)    Happy Summer to YOU!  -r

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Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Ruthanne

Fudgy bonbon cookies

These decadent fudge cookies are filled with creamy peanut butter…the secret ingredient?  Philadelphia Cream Cheese!  You’ll have a hard time deciding if you are eating candy or a cookie- so you’ll have to eat another of course- to help you decide!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 25-30 cookies)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Soften Philadelphia cream cheese in microwave until completely smooth.
  • Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between.
  • Add cream cheese to melted chocolate and blend well.
  • Add flour and stir into a thick dough consistency.
  • Flatten about 1 T. of dough in your palm, place a peanut butter cup in the center and gently wrap the dough around the cup until it is completely covered.
  • Roll cookie into a ball and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
  • Remove warm cookies from cookie sheet and place on parchment paper.
  • To decorate: melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
  • Dip 1/2 of each cookie into the white chocolate and set on a fresh piece of parchment paper.
  • Drizzle dark chocolate over the top of each cookie and allow toppings to harden (you can refrigerate to speed this process along!)

My thoughts:  This is another recipe submission for Real Women of Philadelphia- this community brings out my very best creativity- love it!  I think you will love these cookies- they are fun to make and SO fun to eat!!! YUM!!

 

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Caramel Coconut Cream Cups

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Ruthanne

These chewy coconut cookie cups filled with rich chocolate and fluffy cream cheese are topped off with soft caramel, chocolate and toasted coconut.  More than delicious, these are truly a unique dessert that will have all your friends and family wondering how in the world you made them!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 c.  yellow cake mix (any variety)
  • 2 c. crushed coconut cookies (I use WalMart brand)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c. vegetable oil
  • 1 c. shredded coconut
  • 1/4 c. whipping cream
  • 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 16 Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
  • 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 c. margarine
  • 6 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 4 oz. Cool Whip (refrigerator temperature)
  • 12 oz. Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, crushed coconut cookies, eggs and oil.  Blend well.
  • Scoop batter evenly into 12 un-greased muffin tins, pressing it down with spoon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
  • Spread coconut over a small cookie sheet and toast at the same time your cups are baking for 10 to 15 minutes (check often to prevent burning!)
  • While cookie cups bake, make your fillings:
  1.  Chocolate ganache:  Place whipping cream in a small saucepan and heat it over the stove until it just starts to bubble at edges (20-30 seconds).  Turn off heat, add chocolate chips, over and allow to sit on warm burner for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, stir until smooth.
  2. Caramel Sauce:  Place caramels, condensed milk and margarine in a saucepan and heat until caramels are fully melted and mixture is smooth (about 5 minutes)  stir constantly.
  3. Cream filling:  Combine cream cheese with sugar  until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.
  • Remove coconut from oven when it is a toasty brown.  Place in bowl to cool.
  • Remove cookie cups from oven.  They look like muffins at this point–using a tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon, press the middles of the muffin in to form a cup shape. (NOTE:  because ovens vary in temperature, your cups may need to bake longer.  When you press the middle in it should look a little oily from the coconut oil in the cookies- but it should hold its shape–  if it’s doughy and wont stay pressed down, place it back in the oven for a few minutes.)
  • Tip the muffin pan over a clean counter to release the cups and carefully turn them all upright to cool.
  • Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth.
  • Dip the top edge of each cup into the chocolate and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.
  • Spoon chocolate ganache evenly into each cup.
  • Place cream filling in a large ziplock.  Cut one corner and pipe the cream evenly into each cup.
  • Spoon caramel sauce evenly over each cup.
  • Drizzle any left-over candy coating over each cup and top with remaining coconut.
  • Keep refrigerated until serving.
  • Makes 12 cups.

My thoughts:  I “invented” this recipe for Kraft using Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  It has some of my favorite flavor combinations– coconut, chocolate and caramel– amazing!  It is also a great texture combination: chewy, creamy crunchy….yum.  This is a fairly time-consuming recipe.  If you love baking it is FUN FUN FUN!!!!  (I’m actually a little addicted to making these!)  I can’t give it an “easy recipe” tag though– its just too involved.  If you get a chance to try these let me know what you think!  Enjoy!!!! r-



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Coconut Carrot Cake Cookies!

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Ruthanne

Confession:  I hate carrot cake—HATE it.  But I love these cookies so much that I could eat a whole plate of them in one sitting- they are so moist and flavorful– and they use a cake mix which makes them really easy to make!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 box of Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix
  • 12 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese (divided)
  • 1/4c. margarine (plus an additional 2 tbsp)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp. of coconut extract (divided)
  • 1/2c. oatmeal
  • 1c. confectioners sugar
  • 1/2c. Wilton White Candy Melts

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cream together the 1/4c. margarine and 8 oz. of the cream cheese (the remaining will be used in the frosting).
  • Using a mixer, add in the egg and 1/4 tsp. of coconut extract (the remainder will be used in the frosting)
  • When the mixture is smooth, slowly add the cake mix until blended (batter will be very heavy)
  • Fold in oatmeal until well mixed.
  • Using a small cookie scoop, place scoops of batter on an un-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  About halfway through, pull the cookies out and gently flatten the tops with a finger and return to oven for remainder of time.
  • Cool cookies completely on parchment paper.
  • Make frosting: cream remaining cream cheese with 2 tbsp. of margarine and 1/4 tsp of coconut extract. Add confectioners sugar to a thick consistency.
  • To put together: turn one cookie bottom up, spoon or pipe a little frosting on it and top with another cookie.
  • If desired, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cookies.
  • Makes about 24 cookies.

My thoughts:  Mmmmm….I want to have some of these cookies now!  I am on a baking freeze because of a kitchen remodel, so I am pulling some recipes from the archives.  This recipe was inspired by my friend and coworker Tammy.  Her daughter requested carrot cake cookies for a bridal shower, and Tammy (an amazing baker!) created cookies very similar to this.  I rethought them a little and added coconut for a recipe contest on Real Women of Philadelphia (RWOP).  Whenever I make them people ask for the recipe.  They are a little time-consuming, but SO worth the extra time in the kitchen!!  I hope you love them!!  r-

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Black-bottom Peanut Butter Cookies!

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Ruthanne

A new twist on the traditional peanut butter cookie!

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  • Mix peanut butter, sugar and eggs together in a mixing bowl. Using a Large Cookie Scoop,  scoop batter onto cookie sheets and press with fork for surface design.   Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Cool completely.
  • Melt chocolate candy melts in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
  • Spread parchment paper on a flat even surface
  • Spoon about 2 tsp of melted chocolate onto the parchment paper
  • Press a cooled cookie into the center of the chocolate.


  • Allow chocolate to cool and harden.  Drizzle chocolate over the top if desired.
  • When chocolate is cool and hard, peel cookies off the paper and serve!

Makes about 24 cookies.

My thoughts:  I love peanut butter cookies- and this recipe is incredibly simple (even kids would love making this!)  I had extra candy melts from another project and that was the inspiration for the “black-bottom” part of this cookie (that, and the fact that I am ADDICTED to Fudge stripe cookies!!!)  I wasn’t sure if the cookie and chocolate would stick together well- but they were inseparable!  The drizzle on top just adds to the gourmet feel of these cookies.  I hope you get a chance to try these– the “WOW’s” when you serve them are well worth the little extra time with the chocolate!  Enjoy!  r-


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