I made these cookies when Adam and I went to Whistler for the weekend. I wanted to make something different than a regular chocolate chip cookie. I bought an energry mix of nuts and raisins and cranberries from Thrifty’s. It’s perfect. I love buying in the bulk foods section when I bake. The trail mixes of nuts are perfect for tossing into cookie recipes or granola, or granola bars. I looked online for trail mix cookies and was surprised that I didn’t find that many on sites like Tastespotting. So I decided to come up with my own, loosely based on another chocolate chip cookie recipe I had tried before.

These are great to make to take on a picnic or for a little sugar boost inthe afternoon. They keep well in a container for a few days, and are perfectly chewy and crsip.

If your planning a getaway for a weekend, or an afternoon make a batch of these to bring along!

Trail Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
• 1 1/2 cups energy mix/nut trail mix *

*alternatively, you can add any amount of almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, cranberries, raisins etc.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350° F.

2) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.

3) Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture. Add rolled oats, chocolate chunks, trail mix (or other add in’s). Roll into small balls ( approx. golf ball size), place on an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet, and flatten slightly.

4) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are golden, not browned. Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about two dozen cookies

Today is Good Friday. Being catholic, this means no meat. So far I’ve managed to eat no meat. I also have managed to have a diet today which includes granola for breakfast, a cafe latte and Panettone  for lunch with my Nonna, and a snack of Pizzelles, of course. Perhaps I should throw a few veggies in there somewhere..

Anyways, Pizzelles have a long history for me. Ever since I could remember each and every Christmas Eve, again a meatless day for Catholics in which we feast on Seafood, (and I mean feast) I would look forward to eating about 20 Pizzelles while I waited for dinner to be served. My Nonna made them without fail each year and I always thought they were a magical cookies. They are so flat and delicate, with a beautiful imprint on both sides. I had never made them myself before, because you see, you need a special Pizzelle maker to produce them.

As I was having coffee and Panettone with her today, I asked if I could borrow it so I could make this intricate cookie for Easter this weekend. We had been reminiscing about how when she was my age (21) she would had just had my dad. They lived in Italy at the time, and immigrated to Canada when my father was 1. He turned 2 a day after they arrived in Vancouver. I’m sure he would have eaten these by the pile-full as well. She had told me that she never actually had one until now herself, as she and her friend would make them together, and she would borrow her friends maker when she wanted. She just got one for herself, as they were quite expensive before and so I was lucky enough to be able to borrow it for the day. This is my first time ever making them, It seems funny now that I am older that I’m able to do things like this, as I always thought it was so exciting when my Nonna made them, and now I’m the one able to make them. Perhaps I’ll have to get her opinion, just to make sure they’re as authentic as hers.

These little lace cookies are delicious on their own, but you can also use them to make waffles cones, or tubes for Cannoli’s. To do this you need to bend them as soon as they are off the press, as they begin to harden up quite quickly. Alternatively, you can also add cocoa to them to make chocolate ones. But, I say why mess with the original. I’ve also seen them used as the cookies for ice cream sandwiches.

However you choose to make it, I suggest you try them if you have not already. It is difficult to make without a proper press, sorry to say, but if you happen to have one or are able to borrow one I highly recommend it. It takes little effort, and makes large batches.

I hope you all enjoy the long Easter weekend. For now, I’m finding refuge indoors for the day as the high winds and rain have kept us inside all day. A certain little furry friend is not so keen on walking in the storm.

Nonna’s Southern Italian Style Pizzelles

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups sugar (500 ml)
• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled (250 ml)
• 2 tsp. Vanilla (10 ml)
• 7 cups Flour (1.75 ml)
• 4 tbs. baking powder (20 ml)

Directions:

1. Beat eggs and sugar.
2. Add cooled butter, and vanilla extract.
3. Sift flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture.
4. The batter will have dough like consistency.
5. 1 inch round balls can be formed, if it is stiff enough.
6. Place dough onto middle of the grids, using a tablespoon if yours is a little more batter like, or place by hand 1 inch dough balls.
7. Press down the lid of the Pizzelle Press and wait a minute or two. You can check it to see if it is slightly browned, you don’t want it to be too dark. Once they are finished cooking, gently lift off to cool with a fork.

Makes about 60 Pizzelles.

I saw these on another website and thought they would be perfect for a quick christmas cookie. They require no butter, and are super easy to make. At first as I made the first batch I thought they weren’t going to turn out at all. I had to convert the measurements and I thought I might have done it wrong, but when I went to get them from the oven 10 minutes later, I was pleasantly surprised to see how great they turned out! I made two batches.

These are super quick and a lighter christmas cookie alternative, crispy and chewy. Their inspired from the Starbucks cookies apparently, which I wouldn’t know as I don’t drink coffee, and rarely visit starbucks. But they are good!

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Of course it’s that time of year again to bake cookies galore!! I baked a ton last year, like Chocolate Thumbprints, my favorite mini-toblerone shortbread, mini chocolate pecan tarts, festive two bite brownies (definitely making these again this year) , and these toasted coconut clusters, which I could eat the entire bowl full.

My aunt also just happened to buy me a new rolling pin! And it was perfect timing, as my old one was falling apart. You see, it had the handle and the metal bar through the middle wooden roller. The one she bought me is a different style than your regular rolling pin with two handles, it’s called a French Rolling Pin. And it’s one large wooden rolling pin with no handles, but slightly larger in the center and slimmer on the sides. It is perfect for rolling out cookie dough, you don’t get those lines or creases in your dough from the handles! I love it!

This one’s similar to mine! If your needing a new rolling pin, get a French pin!

This year we’re having a smaller christmas at home so I’m not going to go overboard with cookies, as i’m sure my mom and I will just end up eating them all!

But I couldn’t resist making these gingerbread men once I bought my cute little mini gingerbread cookie cutter the other day. Along with, a super cute cupcake tree ornament!! I couldn’t help myself.

I don’t overly love gingerbread cookies usually their kinda bland, and seem to always need more icing. But I added a little less spice to these and a dash of cocoa powder to make them a bit sweeter. I made a buttercream type of frosting since i’m not the greatest when it comes to cookie decorating. They make a ton of cookeis, I made them twice and depending on how thick you make them ( for softer men ) or thin ( for a crunchier man ) you can make quite a few, and as well however big your cutter of choice is. You can definitely double the recipe.

I used little sprinkles to decorate with them, and if you don’t want the fuss of icing their already ready when you take them out of the oven!

And, is it just me or was I the only one who didn’t know that gingerbread cookies were made without eggs??  haha, you learn something new everyday!

Give these little guys a try if you starting your holiday baking early. And while you’re here, leave a link to one of your favorite cookies you’ve made for the holidays this year! (more…)

Yet another chocolate chip cookie. I wonder how many there are out there?? I made the Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies by Martha before and said they were the softer more cakey cookie recipe I use. This one is the opposite. These are crunchier, softer in the middle and crisp on the edges.  After coming home from the gym (yea, gym and cookies? not a good combo! But I’ve got another membership, and been going everyday this week! good for me right?) my mom requested some chocolate chip cookies that were crispy and thinner than the last ones I made. So I grabbed my book and got a recipe. Her and my brother consumed the entire first batch.. yes the entire cookie sheet. Alright I may have had one..or two. Sorry mom. I’m sure it was mostly Nick… right? So if you’re looking for a crunchy chocolate chip cookie I suggest you give these a try.

So you think that I would know by now, from baking so many things, the proper way to add ingredients. Sadly I have proved myself wrong. As I was making these last night (post gym) I thought it would be easiest to quickly make them(so I could go shower, change and eat them, obviously..and undo all the hard work at the gym.) But in doing so I made a mistake. While adding the eggs, one at a time, I thought what the heck, why not crack them on the side of the bowl, while the paddle attachment is on low. Why not indeed…Oooh maybe because half of the egg shell fell into the bowl and continued to beat into the cookie dough. Yes, this happened. Luckily my instincts kicked in and I turned the down the mixer to off, or so I thought. The swtich turned out to be the locking swtich, so I quickly pushed the (right) switch to off, and proceeded to dish out the hunks of shell. Luckily they hadn’t been smashed to little bits and I got them all out safely. Please, don’t do this. It is not fun.

Recipe from: Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
2. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well-blended.
4. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated. On low speed, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and nuts. ( The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen. If you’d like, you can freeze rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, ready for baking. Freeze the mounds on a lined baking sheet, then bag them when they’re solid. There’s no need to defrost the dough before baking – just add another minute or two to the baking time.)
5. Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.
6. Bake the cookies- one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point- for 10-12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center; they may still be a little soft in the middle, and that’s just fine. Pull the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.
7. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Enjoy with a nice tall glass of milk!

After having the baby shower this weekend, I think I need to stay away from cupcakes for a while (we’ll see). I had wanted to enter the Iron Cupcake Challenge this month, but never got around to it as I was busy with the baby shower. But please vote for the people that enterered! I really wanted to, I loved the Coffee theme! I was going to make Mocha Cupcakes.. maybe i’ll have to make them sometime anyways.

xo Bakeaholic

First off I’d like to say that I have a peanut allergy. Crazy, I know. So why would I want to whip up a batch of Peanut Butter cookies? Because I’ve convinced myself I can eat a small amount without breaking out in hives. And really, who can stay away from peanut butter?? Especially Reese’s. So when my brother asked me to make cookies again, and when I saw we had a large jar of Peanut Butter I decided I wanted to make some good old peanut butter cookies. Something I haven’t done in three years! Of course I didn’t really eat any, and let the taste testing up to my mom and brother. But I did nibble on a small one..or two, topped with Nutella. That should cancel out all the peanuts right? MmMmm, oh well. These are really yummy and taste just as a peanut butter cookie should. Crunchy on the sides and soft and pea-nutty in the middle. Martha pulls through once again. But then why wouldn’t she, she’s Martha.

These cookies were originally supposed to be chilled for several hours before baking, but I didn’t read that far before beginning and didn’t want to wait. So I modified it a little. If you would like the original recipe click here. These ones looked good also!

These were the December 28th Cookie of the Day: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used KRAFT * Read note below about Peanut Butter Products Recall)
• ** I added about 1/4 cup granulated sugar as well

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Sift together flour, salt and baking sodea, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add peanut butter, and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, and beat on low until combined.
3. Form each cookie into a ball using about a tablespoon of dough. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Place cookie sheet in freezer for about 10-15 minutes to chill.  If they stay in the freezer too long they will be hard to flatten, so place them in the oven for a few minutes, and then take them out to press them.
4. Remove from freeze and flatten them slightly with your palm or the bottom of a cup or spoon. Then dip a fork into flour, and tap off excess. Press fork slighty into the cookies to make a decorative top.
5. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Check and if needed, bake about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack until completely cooled.

Just a note

Peanut Butter Ingredients Update:

Kraft is NOT recalling any products in connection with the recent salmonella outbreak involving peanut butter manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). Neither we nor our suppliers purchase peanut butter or paste from PCA for any of our products, including those sold in the U.S. or Canada under the Kraft, Nabisco and Planters brands.