Tag Archives: cookies

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…

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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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Salted Caramel Cookie Cups

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Ruthanne

Salty meets sweet in these crunchy pretzel cookie cups dipped in chocolate and filled with creamy caramel.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups of crushed pretzel rods
  • 1 tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts
  • 32 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
  • 1/2c. butter
  • 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk.

DIRECTIONS:

  • Using your hands, knead 1 cup of pretzel crumbs into cookie dough.
  • Form into 12 balls and place into a greased muffin tin.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes. Remove from oven and press centers into a cup using a mini-tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon. Allow these to cool completely. When cool, gently run a knife around edges and remove from pan.
  • Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth.
  • Dip top edges of cup into melted chocolate and then into remaining crushed pretzels. Pipe any remaining chocolate into the bottom of each cup (save just a little bit to drizzle on the top!) Allow this to harden while you make your caramel.

  • To make caramel sauce: place unwrapped caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan and heat until completely melted. Stir this constantly to prevent scorching. (about 6-8 minutes).

*note: this makes about twice as much caramel sauce as you will need.  You can cut the ingredients in half, but then what to do with 1/2 of a can of condensed milk?!?  I say make the full batch and use the leftovers on ice cream! 

  • Spoon caramel into hardened cups.
  • Drizzle with more melted chocolate if desired.
  • ENJOY!!! 🙂

My thoughts: I made this dessert for my friend Dawn. I just love the salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks and we both thought that the saltiness of pretzels plus the sweetness of caramel would be perfect together. I forgot that I HATE eating pretzels with sweet things…can’t stand chocolate covered pretzels….so this dessert is not my favorite. If you like your pretzels covered in chocolate, this is the recipe for you though! I really hope you enjoy it 🙂 r-

6-14-12: I love it when readers try a recipe and share their process (changes and all!)- here’s Kitchen Mischiefs  with her version of these cups using chocolate chip cookie dough—YUM!

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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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Confetti Cups!!!

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Ruthanne
Chewy “confetti” cookie cups are filled to overflowing with a tart blue raspberry lemonade cream. This is a kid-friendly, fun recipe that can double as a refreshing summer dessert for all ages!
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tube (18 oz.) of Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 2  1/2 cups of Fruit Loops
  • 8 oz. of PHILADELPHIA cream cheese (room temp)
  • 1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid (Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade)
  • 2 cups of Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
  • 8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Place 2 cups of Fruit Loops in a zip-top bag and roll then into crumbs using a rolling pin.
  • Place cookie dough into a mixing bowl and add Fruit Loop crumbs.  Using hands, mix together until well-blended.
  • Scoop cookie dough into a greased muffin tin, evenly dividing the dough between all 12 cups.
  • Bake cookie dough at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (or until browned around edges).
  • Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit in pan and firm up for about 3-5 minutes.
  • Run a small knife around the edges of each cup before popping it out and putting it on a plate.
  • Using a mini-tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon, press the center of each cookie in to form a cup.
  • Chill cups until they are no longer warm to the touch (about 10 minutes)
  • For filling:  Cream together cream cheese and Kool-Aid until completely blended.
  • Add Marshmallow Creme and mix thoroughly.
  • Add 1 cup of Cool Whip and mix until smooth and creamy.
  • Place filling in a large zip-top bag and clip a corner.
  • Pipe filling evenly into each cookie cup.
  • Place about 1 c. of Cool Whip into a zip-top bag, clip a corner and pipe this on top of the filling.
  • Crush remaining 1/2 cup of Fruit Loops and sprinkle over the top.
  • Serve immediately or freeze and serve chilled.
My thoughts:  After making my Fruit Loop Pie for Real Women of Philadelphia and realizing that I couldn’t enter it into the contest because of the length of time required for the filling to set up I obsessed over how to make it work so I could use this filling (it is SO incredibly good!!!!!)  I knew the filling would work great in a cup and incorporating the cookie dough makes it quick and easy…I think I like these better than the original Fruit Loop Pie crust!  Individual desserts are just so fun!  ENJOY!!!


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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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Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ruthanne
These bar cookies are full of all your favorite Rocky Road ingredients with a twist– rice crispies and a thick Cream Cheese fudge. Easy and quick to make, this is sure to be one of your new go-to recipes!
INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2c. mini marshmallows
  • 2c. rice krispies
  • 1c. dry roasted, salted peanuts
  • 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4c. powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
  • Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until smooth.
  • Soften cream cheese in microwave until creamy and smooth.
  • Combine chocolate and cream cheese until well blended.
  • Take one cup of chocolate/cream cheese mixture out and set aside in a separate bowl.
  • To original mixture, add marshmallows, peanuts and rice krispies- stirring well to completely coat.
  • Press this mixture into a 9×9 pan that has been lined with foil.
  • To remaining bowl of chocolate and cream cheese, add peanut butter, mixing until smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar to desired consistency (should be thick yet still spreadable)
  • Spread this fudge layer over the top of the bars and freeze for 30 minutes.
  • Remove bars from the pan using the foil to lift out.  Cut into squares and serve!
My thoughts:  This was another recipe created for the RWOP website competition….no winning for me yet, but I’m going to keep trying! 🙂
 It was inspired by bar cookies my grandmother used to make with me when I was little.  Hers were called O’Henry Krispies and they were delicious!  The addition of cream cheese gives these bars a rich and creamy feel.  This is an incredibly easy dessert- but oh soooo yummy!  Hope you enjoy them!  r-

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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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