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    Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies

    Put some pep in Santa’s step with Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies – the café-inspired treat that combines the warmth of gingerbread and rich coffee flavors.

    Special Report: These Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies are my new favorite cookie of the season. I have so many cookies on my ‘holiday favorites’ list, but this one goes right to the top. What makes them so great? First, I love the bold taste of coffee in baked goods. And there’s nothing subtle about the coffee flavor in these treats. They are absolutely loaded with cozy ginger and rich coffee flavors. Soft, with crackled tops, their middles are tender and fudgy in texture. The coffee glaze sets to a shine on top, and a few grains of coarse sea salt makes them absolutely crave-worthy!

    Make the Dough
    I love that this dough mixes up in one bowl! To get started, melt the butter in a big heatproof mixing bowl in the microwave. You can also do this in a saucepan on the stovetop. Immediately add instant espresso powder and ground spices to the warm butter. This is important! The butter needs to be warm in order to dissolve the espresso powder.

    Whisk everything together, then add the sweeteners: molasses, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk these ingredients in until well combined. This may take a couple of minutes. Because it takes a little extra whisking for the thick, syrupy molasses to incorporate. Also, add the salt at this stage.

    Next, add 1 large egg, vanilla extract, and baking soda to the bowl. Whisk well to combine.

    Finally – the flour! Add the flour to the bowl and mix on low speed. I used a hand mixer, which worked well and quickly. You could probably stir by hand, but this dough is thick and will take a few minutes to get smooth.
    When smooth and thick, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight).

    Shape the Cookies
    Scoop the chilled dough by the 1/8 cup, or 2 tablespoons. Roll the dough into balls between your palms. This is a fun and easy job, because the chilled dough is so play-doh-like. Space the dough balls at least 2 inches apart.

    Bake the cookies at 375°F for about about 10 minutes. The ball shape will flatten, and the cookies should form cracks on top. They should be puffy when initially removed from the oven, and will deflate slightly as they cool.

    Cool completely before icing. The cookies are pretty darn tasty un-iced, but OH, the icing! It’s so coffeelicious.

    Make the Icing
    Pour 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon high quality instant coffee and 3 tablespoons boiling water; whisk. For the coffee, I used Starbucks Blonde Roast Premium Instant.
    You could use the same instant espresso powder that is used in the dough recipe, if you prefer. But start with a much smaller amount, about 1/4 teaspoon. And add more to taste. Why start with a small amount? Because espresso powder is stronger, and more concentrated in flavor than instant coffee.

    Ice the Gingerbread Latte Cookies
    There’s nothing to it! Just dip the cookies, crackled face down, into the warm icing, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Turn the cookie upright. You’ll still have those gorgeous crackles! Everything else will be coated in glaze.

    The icing will set up quickly! So, as you dip each cookie, sprinkle on a few grains of coarse sea salt immediately. If you wait too long, the salt will bounce right off. I have a bag of course light grey Celtic Sea Salt, and just a few grains does the trick. The salt is optional, but it will round out the sharpness or bitterness, in the coffee. (Read more here about why adding a pinch of salt to your coffee is a good idea!)

    The cookie centers have a soft, almost fudgy texture, and the icing really ties everything together in a neat little package for coffee-lovers. Make these for someone who loves gingerbread lattes, or just your favorite coffee connoisseur!
    Related recipe: Muddy Reindeer Cookies (Chocolate-Dipped Gingerbread Cookies)

    Iced Gingerbread Latte Cookies

    Heather Baird

    This coffee house-inspired treat combines the warmth of gingerbread with the bold, rich flavor of coffee. Make them for the coffee connoisseur in your life!Plan ahead. The cookie dough needs to chill for 2 hours minimum before baking. You can make this dough up to 2 days ahead and keep refrigerated. You’ll need 1/4 cup of instant espresso powder for the cookie dough. I use and recommend DeLallo brand or Medaglia D’Oro. Also needed is 1 teaspoon of instant coffee for the icing. I recommend Starbucks Blonde Roast Premium Instant. It has smooth flavor and dissolves well. You could also use the instant espresso powder for the icing, but begin with a much smaller amount than 1 teaspoon. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon for starters, then add more to taste if needed. Yields 16-18 cookies (my batch yielded 16 1/2).

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    Prep Time 15 minutes minsCook Time 10 minutes mins2 hours chill time 2 hours hrsTotal Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 16 cookies

    Equipmentlarge cookie sheets (2)
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Cookies3/4 cup unsalted butter1/4 cup instant espresso powder2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup light brown sugar packed1/4 cup molasses1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt1 large egg1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon baking soda2 cups all-purpose flourCoffee icing3 tablespoons boiling water1 cup confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon instant coffeeCoarse grain sea salt
    Instructions CookiesIn a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter at 100% power until completely melted and hot (about 1 minute, to 1 minute 30 seconds). Immediately whisk in the espresso powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk well until completely incorporated.Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, and salt to the bowl, and whisk to combine, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Whisk well until smooth. Add the flour and mix using an electric hand mixer on low speed. Mix until a thick consistent batter/dough forms.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight (and up to 2 days before baking). The chilled dough will be firm and pliable like clay or play-doh.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.Scoop the dough by the level 1/8 cup, or 2 tablespoons. Roll into a ball between your palms and place on the parchment sheet. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.Bake each pan for 10 minutes. The dough balls will flatten as they bake, and the tops will become cracked. Remove and let cool on the pans until firm enough to transfer to wire racks, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.Coffee icingPut the tea kettle on for the boiling water.In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and the instant coffee. When the water boils, add 3 tablespoons of boiling water to the mixture and whisk until the coffee is dissolved and creamy coffee hue is achieved.Dip a cookie crackled face-down into the icing. Let the excess drip back into the bowl and turn upright. Place on a wire rack and sprinkle a few grains of the coarse sea salt on the cookie before the icing sets. Repeat with the remaining cookies. The icing will want to form a crust if it stands for too long, so use it immediately, or cover it with a damp paper towel to prevent drying.Allow cookies to stand until the icing sets completely, about 20 minutes. Serve to delighted coffee lovers and gourmands.
    NotesDough balls can be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.
    This recipe is adapted from a NY Times recipe for Gingerbread Latte cookies by Vaughn Vreeland. 

    Keyword Christmas cookies, crinkle cookies, gingerbread latte cookies, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, iced gingerbread latte cookies, instant coffee granules, instant espresso powder, molasses

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    Crisp Gingerbread Cookies

    These Crisp Gingerbread Cookies are not just delicious – they double as a sweet Advent calendar to make your holiday countdown extra magical! The high yield dough makes a whole bunch of buttery, spiced cookies with a snappable baked texture.

    With Thanksgiving now in the rearview, there’s no better way to kick off the Christmas festivities than by baking a big batch of gingerbread cookies. (It’s cookie season, after all!) Buttery, spiced, and with a snappy texture, these Crisp Gingerbread Cookies can be fashioned into any shape you like! I decided to stamp the dough with number cookie cutters, for a fun edible advent calendar.
    We all know that classic royal icing is the usual decoration for gingerbread cookies (it’s a favorite of mine!). But this time, I used green modeling chocolate instead (also called covering chocolate). It has the texture of fondant, but it tastes totally different. Think white chocolate flavor meets candy melts color. I used the same cookie cutters that stamped the gingerbread dough to make same-sized green numbers. This makes for some very simple decorating! However, if you’re not into buying a specialty ingredient, I’m including my standard royal icing formula in the recipe notes.

    Make the gingerbread dough.
    To start, mix up the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer – preferably a standing mixer – this makes a lot of thick dough. It shouldn’t be very sticky. There’s a small amount of ground black pepper mixed in, which is nearly undetectable. I think it adds a little more zing to the ginger flavor. Once well blended, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

    Roll the gingerbread dough thin.
    There are two ways to go here. The first option is the old fashioned way: dust your rolling pin and a work surface with flour, and roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. The second option, and my favorite technique: roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper to 1/8 inch thickness. The second technique creates less mess and doesn’t leave flour marks on your dough.

    Transfer the cut-outs to baking sheets.
    Now comes the fun part – cutting out the cookies! Use number-shaped cookie cutters to create your Christmas countdown shapes. You can find the ones I used for purchase right here. (I bought the set in 2017, and they come in SO handy for birthdays in particular.) Transfer the cut cookies to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between each one. Bake them until crisp and fragrant.

    Decorate!
    As I mentioned earlier, royal icing works just fine, but I had some leftover covering chocolate that I needed to use up. It’s a really easy way to decorate these number cookies – you use the same cookie cutters that you used to stamp the number with to cut the covering chocolate. You can find the covering chocolate I used for purchase right here.

    The covering chocolate has a firm texture and should be kneaded and rolled like fondant, but it adds a candy coated flavor to the mix. Use the same number-shaped cookie cutters to cut out pieces of the covering chocolate. Brush the cookies with a little water, then carefully place the chocolate numbers on top of your gingerbread cookies. The moisture works to ‘glue’ the chocolate to the cookie.

    Add some sprinkles.
    Add dots of piping gel or clear corn syrup to the cookies and then sprinkle on some holiday cheer! The cookies will need to stand overnight for the sprinkles to set completely. As usual, I made my own sprinkle mix from what I had on hand, but this mix is fairly close to my own.

    Aren’t these bags cute? Right after I purchased them, they sold out! (Boo!) If you’re crafty, and you’d like to make your own, you can buy some cotton drawstring bags, this stencil, some fabric paint, and then stencil the image onto the bags. Tie on a red felt tip marker so the recipient can cross off the dates as the cookies are enjoyed.
    All that’s left is to fill the bags! A whole month of cookies will fill each bag to the top. This advent treat is a fun way to (literally) savor each day up to December 25th. And besides, who could say no to cookies every day? ‘Tis the season!

    Crisp Gingerbread Cookies

    Heather Baird

    Whether you’re counting down the days to Christmas or simply indulging in a festive treat, these crisp, buttery gingerbread cookies are a fun way to celebrate cookie season. The high-yield dough is perfectly spiced, buttery, and easy to work with. Roll them thin to 1/8″ thickness for a crisp texture.As I mentioned in the blog post, this dough as a little black pepper mixed in. It’s subtle, and doesn’t stand out. Rather, it underscores the zingy flavor of the ground ginger.Use your favorite cookie cutters for this recipe, such as gingerbread folk or Christmas tree motif cutters. Or use number cookies for an edible Advent calendar.

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    Prep Time 20 minutes minsCook Time 10 minutes mins5 hours chilling and setting time 5 hours hrsTotal Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 4 dozen

    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Gingerbread cookies6 cups all-purpose flour sifted1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks 1 cup dark brown sugar packed4 teaspoons ground ginger4 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves1 1/2 teaspoons salt1/2 teaspoon finely ground pepper2 large eggs1 cup unsulfured molassesDecors1 lb. green covering chocolate such as Choco Pan by Satin IcePiping gel or clear corn syrup1 cup mixed holiday themed sprinkles
    Instructions Gingerbread cookiesIn a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set this mixture aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Add the spices, salt, and pepper, followed by the eggs and molasses. Mix until well combined.Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. Divide the dough into thirds, and wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.Preheat the oven to 350F.On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Or, you may choose to roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper. Use number cookie cutter for Advent cookies, or use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out the desired shapes. Re-roll dough and repeat process for more cookies.Transfer the cut-outs to parchment-lined baking sheets, and place them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up.Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are crisp but not overly browned. Keep a close eye on them as baking times may vary slightly depending on the size of your cookies.Allow the cookies to cool on wire racks before decorating.DecorsKnead the modeling chocolate well and roll out on a work surface or a large piece of parchment paper using a rolling pin. If the chocolate is sticky, dust your surface and rolling pin with a little powdered sugar.Use the same cookie cutters you used to stamp dough shapes to stamp out shapes from the chocolate.Brush a little water on a cooled cookie and top with a matching chocolate cut out. Repeat with remaining cookies.Using a small kitchen-dedicated art brush, apply small beads of piping gel or corn syrup to the chocolate covering on the cookies. Top with holiday sprinkles. Allow cookies to stand until the sprinkles are well set, about 4 hours or overnight.Package the cookies for gifting or for your own enjoyment each day up to December 25th.
    NotesIf you’d rather go classic with royal icing, here’s my favorite recipe made with meringue powder. 
     
    Royal Icing
    4 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
    3 tablespoons meringue powder
    1/4 cup warm water plus more for thinning
    1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
    green gel food color
     

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, stir the confectioner’s sugar and meringue powder on low speed until combined. Add the water and beat on medium high speed until very stiff peaks form, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add water drops at a time if too thick. Add flavoring and beat on low until combined; tint with the green gel food color.

    Flood Consistency: Stir drops of water into the icing until it is thinned but still has the consistency of a thick milkshake, this is called flood consistency. To make sure the consistency is correct, drag a spoon through the center of the icing in a straight line, creating an indentation. When the icing is of perfect flood consistency, the indentation should completely disappear in 10 seconds. If it disappears too quickly, then the icing is too thin and will not dry properly. The indentation should disappear as close to the 10 second mark as possible. It is much harder to thicken the icing after it has been thinned than to make thick icing thinner, so take your time and add water drops a few at a time.

    Place a #2 round decorator piping tip into the bottom of a small piping bag; snip off plastic on the end of the piping bag. Fill piping bag with green icing and seal the open end with a rubber band. 

    Pipe an outline of icing around a cookie and then flood the inside of the outline. Use a toothpick to push royal icing into blank areas and gaps. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until set, overnight.
    Continue to decorate with piping gel and sprinkles as directed.

    This recipe was adapted from a Martha Stewart Living Magazine recipe, circa 1997.

    Keyword advent cookie recipe, Chrismas cookie recipe, coarse black pepper, covering chocolate, crisp gingerbread cookies, gingerbread cookie recipe, ground cloves, holiday sprinkles, molasses

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    Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

    Add some holiday flavor and color to your cookie tray with Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies!

    Shortbread is my favorite kind of cookie. That’s no secret to long-time blog readers, I’m sure. The formula is so simple and the end result so delicate and buttery, I’m always dreaming up new ways to flavor and shape the dough. This year for a Christmas cookie offering, I decided to make them into thumbprint cookies! These Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies are fun and festive with bright color and zingy mint flavor. Mint chocolate chip ice cream lovers will want to make these.

    Cream the butter.
    Cream one cup of butter with 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar until smooth. A hand mixer will work just fine for this task. The ratio of sugar makes the shortbread lightly sweet so the mint and chocolate flavors shine through.

    Color and flavor.
    Frontier Co-op Organic Mint Extract is what I keep in my pantry to make minty treats. It’s not overpowering if used in moderation. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the extract, along with a little green food color to the creamed mixture. I used a pastel green gel food color, but it ended up being bolder than I expected – but I like it! A few drops of liquid green food color would work just fine also.

    Add in the flour and mini chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. Don’t be tempted to overmix here, tender shortbread depends on not developing the flour’s gluten.

    Scoop and shape.
    Portion the dough out onto parchment-lined baking sheets using a cookie scoop (or a slightly heaped tablespoon). After scooping, make a well, or a thumbprint, in each dough ball. I use the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure.

    Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, then reshape the ‘thumbprint’ after baking. The cookies will puff up a little under the heat, and the well becomes shallow. Just press the 1/2 teaspoon measure into the divots to make them slightly deeper.

    Fill and drizzle.
    After the cookies cool, fill the wells with rich chocolate ganache, then drizzle the tops with leftover ganache.

    These cookies lively little minty bites. They remind me of an Andes mint in cookie form!
    This blog post is sponsored by Go Bold With Butter. View more butter recipes at this link.
    Related recipe: Peppermint Snowball Cookies

    Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

    Heather Baird

    The classic flavor of mint chocolate chip brings a mashup of shortbread and thumbprint cookies together! Use real butter to achieve the perfect crumbly shortbread texture. Rich chocolate ganache fills the ‘thumbprints’ with an extra drizzle for good measure.Please note that because these thumbprint cookies have a shortbread base, there is no chemical leaven or egg in the ingredients.

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    Prep Time 30 minsCook Time 12 mins1 hour cooling time 1 hrTotal Time 1 hr 42 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 24

    Equipment1 disposable piping bag or zip top storage bag
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Cookies1 cup unsalted butter softened1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar1/2 teaspoon mint extractGreen food color2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chipsGanache Filling2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips1/3 cup heavy cream
    Instructions CookiesPreheat the oven to 350°F.Beat the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.Add mint extract and green food color; mix to combine.Next, add flour and mini chips; mix until just combined (avoid overmixing).Remove dough from the bowl; shape into 1-inch balls. You can also use a 4- teaspoon capacity cookie scoop. Roll the balls between your palms, and then place 1/2 inch apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.Create a well in each dough ball with your thumb or by using the rounded back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure. Chill dough for 15 minutes.Bake for 10-12 minutes.Once baked, reshape the wells with the handle of a wooden spoon or the 1/2 teaspoon measure. Let cool on the baking sheets.Move cooled cookies to a parchment paper-covered work surface.Ganache FillingHeat semisweet chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute at 100% power. Allow the mixture to stand 1 minute. Whisk until you have a silky, shiny ganache.Transfer the ganache to a disposable piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Fill each cookie well with the ganache. Use any leftover ganache to drizzle over the cookies.Let stand until cookies are completely set, about 1 hour.Enjoy right away! Or store the cookies an airtight container with layers between pieces of waxed paper.
    NotesMake ahead: the shortbread thumbprint cookies can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month. To thaw, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Make the ganache and fill as directed in the recipe. 

    Keyword Christmas cookies, mini chocolate chips, mint chocolate chip cookies, shortbread cookies, thumbprint cookies

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    Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are rich, bite-size sweets with a mini Reese’s cup nestled in their centers. Serve alongside a tall glass of milk – Santa will thank you!

    Full disclosure: I make these cookies year-round. But my Christmas cookie giveaway trays would not be complete without them! Everyone loves them. Especially Reese’s peanut butter cup lovers. These cookies are baked in a mini muffin tin, which creates the perfect size chocolate cookie cup to hold a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup. They are chocolatey, chewy, and so delish with that perfect center of peanut butter.

    Portion the dough.
    Use a cookie scoop (4 teaspoon capacity) to portion the dough and then roll them into balls between your palms. The chocolate dough has a little peanut butter in it, so it is unsticky and very easy to shape. Place each dough ball in the cavity of a mini muffin pan. My mini muffin pan has 24 cavities. This recipe makes about 36 cookies so I had to re-wash my pan and re-grease it for the last dozen.
    Before you start baking, go ahead and unwrap the 36 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and have them ready to hand.

    Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They come out of the oven looking a lot like mini chocolate muffins!

    Add the peanut butter cups.
    Immediately after removing the pan from the oven, press a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup in the center of each baked cookie. Be careful, though! The pan will be hot. Now, you could stop right here and have some really good-looking cookies. But the holidays call for something a little extra.

    Dress them up!
    Whip up an easy peanut butter drizzle by melting peanut butter baking chips with just a little vegetable oil (I used olive oil). This makes the peanut butter mixture more fluid, more drizzly. I put the peanut butter mixture in a piping bag with a small hole snipped in the end, but you could use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.

    Get out your favorite holiday sprinkles to give these some festive color. I used some holly berry quins, but jimmies would look nice, too.

    The chocolate cookie cup is so soft and chewy, which perfectly contrasts the peanut buttery flavor of the peanut butter cup. These are so poppable – a little too easy to eat, if you ask me!
    Related recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Hot Cocoa Bombs

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

    Heather Baird

    These cookies are beloved by kids of all ages. Chocolatey, chewy, and peanut-buttery, they’ll disappear fast! Unwrap the mini Reese’s cups ahead of time and have them ready to immediately press into the cookies after they are taken out of the oven.

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    Prep Time 20 minsCook Time 12 minsTotal Time 32 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 36

    Equipmentmini muffin tin with 24 cavities
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 2/3 cup all-purpose flour1/3 cup dark cocoa powder1 teaspoon baking soda1/8 teaspoon fine grain salt1/2 cup sugar1/3 cup creamy peanut butter1/4 cup unsalted butter softened1 egg2 tablespoons whipping cream1 teaspoon vanilla36 Reese’s peanut butter cups miniatures unwrapped1/4 cup peanut butter chips1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the cavities of a mini muffin pan with flour-based baking spray (or grease pan with nonstick cooking spray).In small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, peanut butter, and unsalted butter on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture on low speed until blended.Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. (I used a cookie scoop, 4 teaspoon capacity.) Place one ball into each muffin cup.Bake 12 minutes. Immediately press 1 peanut butter cup into center of each cookie. Cool in pan on cooling rack. Combine the peanut butter chips and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals until the mixture can be stirred smooth. It should be a little runny and pourable. Transfer the mixture to a zip-top bag with a tiny hole in the corner snipped. Drizzle over hot cocoa bombs. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.Drizzle the peanut butter mixture over 5 cookies at a time, then immediately top with sprinkles. Continue working like this until all of the cookies are drizzled and sprinkled. The peanut butter drizzle will set up quickly, so be swift with your sprinkling.Allow the cookies to stand until set, about 5-7 minutes. Store the cookies airtight until ready to serve.
    NotesPlace the unwrapped peanut butter cups on a plate and then on  a countertop away from the stovetop. This prevents them from softening and melting. They should be firm enough to press into the hot cookie cups right when they come out of the oven. If your kitchen is particularly warm at room temperature, place the peanut butter cups in the refrigerator while the cookies bake.

    Keyword chocolate cookie dough, cookie cups, mini Reese’s cups, peanut butter cookie dough, reese’s peanut butter cups

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    Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars

    Snickerdoodle cookies get a seasonal cheesecake makeover with these Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars. One pan feeds a crowd!

    It’s hard to improve upon a classic, but these layered Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars come close! They’re so decadent and delicious with a gingersnap crust, cheesecake filling, and snickerdoodle cookie topping. There’s so much to love!

    Make the crust with your favorite ready-made gingersnaps. Melted butter makes the base even more delicious with its flavor and helps anchor the crust together at the bottom of the dish.

    We all love a 13×9 dish dessert. And especially for the holidays. It’s such a great way to make dessert for a crowd. One pan yields about 24 bars. And they’re so rich just a little goes a long way.

    Whip up the cheesecake filling in the bowl of an electric mixer. It’ll be thick and luscious, and easy to spread over the gingersnap crust.

    Mix up the snickerdoodle cookie topping in a big bowl. The dough should be thick and not too sticky.

    Pinch off pieces of the dough with your fingers and place them on top of the cheesecake layer. This is probably the most work you’ll do making these bars. Once everything is covered, sprinkle the cookie layer with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

    Bake the dessert for about 30 minutes. The sides will puff up and the middle will still have a slight wobble when it’s done. Plan ahead because these need to chill before you slice them.

    Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars are true comfort food! The ginger flavor that makes them so season appropriate. I bet Santa wouldn’t mind these instead of cookies on Christmas Eve.
    This blog post is sponsored by Go Bold With Butter! View their other recipes right here.

    Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars

    Heather Baird

    These Ginger Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars put a seasonal twist on the classic cookie. They’re layered with a buttery gingersnap crust, filled with creamy cheesecake batter, and topped with a ginger-snickerdoodle cookie crust.

    #wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #5A822B; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33 stop { stop-color: #5A822B; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50 stop { stop-color: #5A822B; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66 stop { stop-color: #5A822B; }No ratings yet

    Prep Time 20 minsCook Time 30 minsTotal Time 50 mins

    Course DessertCuisine American

    Servings 24

    Equipment13×9 inch dish
    Ingredients US CustomaryMetric Gingersnap cookie crust1 1/2 cups ginger snap cookie crumbs1/2 cup chopped pecans1/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup unsalted butter meltedCheesecake filling16 oz. cream cheese softened3/4 cup granulated sugar2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon cinnamonGinger snickerdoodle layer3/4 cup unsalted butter softened1 1/2 cups granulated sugar1 large egg1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt2 cups all-purpose flour sifted1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground gingerCinnamon-sugar topping1/4 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon
    Instructions Gingersnap crustPreheat the oven to 350°F.Spray a 13×9 baking dish with flour-based baking spray, or grease the pan and line with parchment paper.Combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs with the pecans and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and then pour melted butter over the mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.Cheesecake fillingIn the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and fluffy. With the mixer still running, add sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure all the ingredients are well-incorporated. Whip on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Pour the filling over the crust, spreading into an even layer.Snickerdoodle cookie layerIn the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add baking powder, salt, flour, cinnamon and ground ginger. Mix until just combined. Using your fingers, pinch dough into small pieces and place over the surface of the cheesecake layer. Cover the entire surface of the cheesecake layer with the dough.Cinnamon-sugar toppingStir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the cookie dough layer.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top cookie layer is golden brown and the edges are puffed. The cheesecake middle should have a slight wobble when moved.Cool completely in the pan. Cover the bars and refrigerate to set, about 4 hours or overnight. When cheesecake bars are fully set, cut them into squares and serve.

    Keyword cheeecake filling, cream cheese, gingersnap crust, ground ginger, snickerdoodle topping

    You may also enjoy: LEGGI TUTTO

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    Brookie Cookies

    Can’t decide between your two favorite childhood sweets? Now you don’t have to. Part brownie, part chocolate chip cookie, these Brookie Cookies hold the best of both worlds.

    When done correctly, a dessert mashup is truly a thing of beauty. And these Brookie Cookies are a recent fave. Each element stays true to its original form. The brownie portion is chewy and chocolaty with a soft middle. The chocolate chip cookie half is puffy, chewy, and bakes to golden-edged perfection. The two textures compliment each other because they are so similar – soft baked – and yet they hold together well for a dunk in ice cold milk (which I recommend!). 

    Whipping up the two cookie doughs for this treat takes a little more time than a regular cookie recipe, but the steps are not complicated. I recommend using a cookie scoop to portion the dough (this one) which will speed the process and make kitchen life easier in general. 

    I also recommend portioning all of one flavor of dough, washing the cookie scoop, and then portioning all of the second dough. You’ll find the dough balls unsticky enough to handle, and assembly is simply squishing one of each flavor together and rolling it in a ball between your palms.

    This recipe makes more than 3 dozen cookies, so you’ll want to share the wealth! They keep well for about 5 days stored in zip top bags with the air removed. 

    Rich cookies such as these deserve a tall glass of ice cold milk as accompaniment. For me, just one cookie is the best sweet ending to dinner. They’re also worth a bookmark if you’re looking to surprise and delight friends and family with doorstep cookie deliveries. 

    [click to print]
    Brookie Cookies
    Yields about 3 1/2 dozenChocolate chip cookie dough
    3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
    3/4 cup (157 grams) light brown sugar, packed
    1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
    1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 1/4 cups (282 grams) all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    12 oz. (1 package, 340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chipsBrownie cookie dough
    1 1/3 cups (265 grams) granulated sugar
    1 cup (85 grams) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
    1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter
    2 large eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon kosher saltFor the chocolate chip cookie dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar; beat until mixture is lightened. Beat in the egg and then the egg yolk. Add the vanilla extract, mixing until well-blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and set aside.For the brownie dough: Whisk together the sugar and cocoa in a large mixing bowl; set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the butter in 30 second intervals in microwave on 100% power until completely melted (about 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds total). Pour butter into the bowl with sugar and cocoa; stir until smooth. Add the eggs to mixture one at a time, stirring after each addition until completely incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; stir until well combined. Cover and set aside.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.Using a small cookie scoop (4 teaspoon capacity) portion out all of the chocolate chip cookie dough onto a cookie sheet. Wash and dry the cookie scoop, then portion out the brownie dough in the same manner. (If you don’t have a cookie scoop, portion dough using measuring spoons, about 1 1/2 level tablespoons for each dough ball.) Press a chocolate chip cookie dough ball and brownie dough ball together and roll between your palms into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Place each dough ball about two inches apart on prepared baking sheets, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until well puffed and lightly golden on the edges of the chocolate chip cookie halves.Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheets about 3 minutes before moving cookies on to cooling racks to cool completely.Notes: You may have a little chocolate chip cookie dough left over after assembling the brookies. Press two of the chocolate chip cookie dough balls together, roll, and bake for the same amount time as the brookies.To enhance the beauty of the chocolate chip portion of the cookies, dot a few extra chocolate chips on top immediately after you remove them from the oven.
    link Brookie Cookies By Heather Baird Published: Monday, January 25, 2021Monday, January 25, 2021Brookie Cookies Recipe LEGGI TUTTO

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    Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers

    Crisp graham crackers are dunked in rich chocolate and covered with crunchy toffee bits. Toss on some festive sprinkles for maximum holiday appeal.
    This is practically a no-cook, no-bake treat that will be at home on your holiday cookie or candy tray. It’s such a simple, satisfying sweet and kids can help sprinkle on the toffee bits and holiday nonpareils. It really doesn’t get any easier than this!

    The yield is about 24 pieces, which can be divided up into snack bags for cute gifts or stocking stuffers. Who doesn’t love chocolate and toffee together? And with the slightly sweet graham cracker center it’s so crunchable and addictive!

    You can use your favorite graham crackers for this, but I used Honey Maid Fresh Stacks because they are pre-cut into squares. I didn’t even have to break any graham cracker sheets apart! I’m not sure if this was smart or just lazy – or perhaps both (ha!). I could see it being a nice time-saver for busy parents.

    As you drizzle the graham crackers with white chocolate, sprinkle them fairly quickly with toppings  before the chocolate hardens. 

    I think this might become our new holiday tradition! They are so very easy to make and a little too easy to eat. The toffee bits really bring out a buttery note in the graham crackers. 

    If you’re not looking to spend a ton of time in the kitchen this year, but still want to make some holiday treat-making memories with the kids, then this may be the ticket! 

    [click to print]
    Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers
    Yields 24 Cookies24 oz. chocolate candy coating (almond bark or Ghiradelli chocolate wafers)
    4 oz. white chocolate candy coating or almond bark
    24 graham cracker squares
    2/3 cup toffee bits (recommend Heath Bits o’ Brickle)
    2-3 tablespoons red and green nonpareilsCover a large work surface with parchment paper.  Transfer the candy coating to a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 100% power at 30 second intervals; stir well between heating until melted and smooth. Place a graham cracker into the melted chocolate and turn using two forks. Lift the graham cracker out of the chocolate with a fork and place on the parchment. Repeat this process with half of the graham crackers. After dipping about 12, the chocolate will begin to harden so re-heat it for about 30 seconds or until it can be stirred smooth. Wash and dry the forks; proceed with dipping the next 12 graham crackers. Allow the chocolate to set up at room temperature, about 20 minutes.Melt the white chocolate candy coating in the microwave as before with the chocolate coating, and transfer it to a disposable piping bag or a zip-top bag. Pour the toffee bits and nonpareils in small bowls and have them ready to hand. Drizzle four chocolate-covered graham crackers with the white chocolate and then immediately sprinkle on toffee bits and nonpareils. Repeat process until all of the graham crackers are drizzled and coated with toffee and sprinkles. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 20 minutes.When the white chocolate is set, peel a graham cracker away from the parchment and break away excess candy from around the edges. Lay on a clean plate or serving platter. Repeat process with all of the graham crackers. Store the coated graham crackers in an air-tight container, or package 6 in each of four clear gusseted treat bags and tie with festive ribbon for gifting.

    link Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers By Heather Baird Published: Saturday, December 19, 2020Saturday, December 19, 2020Chocolate Dipped Toffee Graham Crackers Recipe LEGGI TUTTO

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    Festive Black and White Cookies

    Also called Half-Moons, these rich, buttery cookies have a cake-like texture and colorful frosting. The classic black and white version is glazed with vanilla and chocolate frosting, but this version is dressed for the holidays in red and green.It seems strange to call these 'black and white cookies' when they are so obviously not black and white, but I couldn't resist giving this New York native a holiday spin. Contrasting colors of thick glaze covers each side of a large lemon-scented half dome. It's not cake, but I also hesitate to call it it cookie. It's somewhere between the two. What I do know for sure is that their size and heft will power you through any intense gift wrapping marathon you may be gearing up for this week.Continued, click to read more… LEGGI TUTTO