cookies Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze

December 23, 2016 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

A few weeks ago I was on a roll with the cookie recipes. I made these delicious chewy chocolate cookies with coffee glaze as a part of a 25 days of cookies countdown. When I made those I also made these Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze and I didn’t know which one I would include in that cookie post. I ended up sharing the chocolate ones because they were ready first, which left me extra time to photograph these pretty babies. On a sidenote, I’m obviously into creating a glaze for all my baked goods this season, don’t mind me – I’m just on a sugar high for the holidays.

Seriously though, these cookies are like a grown up version of everyone’s favorite cookie. The sugar cookie is a classic year round, and adding this chai spice flavoring really takes these over the edge. One of my favorite teas is Vanilla Chai, and these cookies really are the essence of that flavor. I love all of the flecks of vanilla bean in the glaze and the spices that show in the actual cookie too. The pepper and cardamom bring out that chai flavor in addition to the use of cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This recipe uses the same sugar cookie base as my Bing Bong Cookies from my Inside Out Party, I just added the extra spices for that warm vanilla chai flavor.

These are the absolute perfect cookie to enjoy with your favorite coffee or tea!

(Scroll down for recipe measurements and print options)

We’re going to start by combining all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and combining them. Set that bowl aside and cream the butter and sugar in another bowl, then add the eggs and extract. Mix in the dry ingredients, then refrigerate.

Once the dough has been chilled, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a cookie dropper, form the cookies the dip them in sugar.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then add the formed cookie dough and flatten sith the bottom of a glass or a flat spatula.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes. We want the edges golden and the centers soft. Next, remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the sheet for a few minutes until they’re slightly cooled, then place on cooling racks until completely cool.

Now it’s time to make the glaze! Add all of the ingredients for the glaze into a small bowl and mix until the glaze is smooth.

Get creative by piping or drizzling the glaze, then add some festive fun using your favorite choice of sprinkles.

Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Enjoy!

Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze

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These chai spiced sugar cookies with vanilla bean glaze are the grown up version of everyone's favorite cookie! They're perfect served with tea or coffee.

Serves: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies:

2½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Vanilla Bean Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1½ teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
2 vanilla beans, scraped

Instructions

Begin by adding the flour, baking powder, salt and spices to a medium bowl and mix together until combined, then set aside. In a separate mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture and mix until the are combined. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Form the cookie dough with a cookie dropper to keep the sizes uniform, then dip in granulated sugar.
Place on prepared baking sheet and flatten the cookies just a bit with a flat spatula or the bottom of a clean glass.
Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, until edges are golden. After the cookies are out of the oven for a few minutes, place on cooling racks until they are completely cooled.
While the cookies are cooling off, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar, milk, cream cheese and vanilla beans until it forms a smooth glaze.
Drizzle or pipe the glaze onto the cookies, adding festive sprinkles in your color of choice.
Once the glaze has set they're ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1-2 cookies

What’s your favorite holiday cookie?

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze

December 4, 2016 by MamaHarris 17 Comments

It’s cookie season! Yes, it’s that time of year where baking is at an all time high and people are searching high and low for their favorite cookie recipes, or they’re on a mission for a truly unique and one of a kind cookie. Cookies are truly my favorite thing to bake, and I love coming up with fun, new flavors to bring to life. These Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze are just that kind of cookie.

This is the second year I’m joining Houseful of Nicholes in her cookie countdown to Christmas aka Houseful of Cookies. Last year I made these dreamy Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies that disappeared in a mere hours after I made them. My mouth still waters when I think of them, but this year I wanted to add a little bit of a different flavor profile. I wanted something chocolatey, but not overwhelmingly so. I thought a glaze would be fun, and by the time I thought up this recipe my mouth was watering – which means I definitely had to make it.

These cookies started as chocolate cookies with semi-sweet chocolate chips. They were rolled in sugar before they were baked, and because they can be pretty puffy they’re flattened out a bit towards the end of the baking process to acheive the cracked look.

Once cooled, they’re carefully piped with a sweet coffee flavored glaze all over the tops of the cookies. Once the glaze hardens they’re ready to enjoy, if you’ve made it that far!

Be sure to click around at the end of this post, I’ll be updating every day with other bloggers’ cookies as we count down to Christmas!

Ingredients for Chewy Chocolate Cookies:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for Coffee Glaze:

1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by combining the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully mixed, then set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Once smooth, slowly add the dry ingredients in with the wet, mixing at a low speed just until they come together.

Now fold in the semi-sweet chips. I actually had a comination of mini morsels and regular sized morsels I used that gave these cookies a fun texture, but you can use whatever size chips you prefer.

Using a cookie dough baller create 1 1/2 inch balls, rolling them in sugar before placing them on a prepared cookie sheet (I always use a silicone mat to bake cookies).

Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. In the last minute, open the oven and flatten the cookies just a bit to help create the cracks, they bake up pretty puffy and round. Once done, remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool on wire racks.

As the cookies cool, combine all of the ingredients for the coffee glaze in a small bowl. Once cookies are completely cooled, spoon or pipe the glaze over the cookies.

Allow a full 30 minutes for the glaze to harden before serving.

Enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 18 cookies

Serving Size: 1-2 cookies

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze

Count down to Christmas this holiday season with these chewy chocolate cookies with a coffee glaze, perfect for gifting to your favorite sweetie!

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chewy Chocolate Cookies:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for Coffee Glaze:

1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by combining the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully mixed, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Once smooth, slowly add the dry ingredients in with the wet, mixing at a low speed just until they come together.
Now fold in the semi-sweet chips. I actually had a comination of mini morsels and regular sized morsels I used that gave these cookies a fun texture, but you can use whatever size chips you prefer.
Using a cookie dough baller create 1 1/2 inch balls, rolling them in sugar before placing them on a prepared cookie sheet (I always use a silicone mat to bake cookies).
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. In the last minute, open the oven and flatten the cookies just a bit to help create the cracks, they bake up pretty puffy and round. Once done, remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool on wire racks.
As the cookies cool, combine all of the ingredients for the coffee glaze in a small bowl. Once cookies are completely cooled, spoon or pipe the glaze over the cookies.
Allow a full 30 minutes for the glaze to harden before serving.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/12/chewy-chocolate-cookies-with-coffee-glaze/

25 Days of Cookies Recipes

Be sure to click around for some great ideas, you just might find a new favorite cookie recipe!

Houseful of Nicholes: Jan Hagel Dutch Shortbread Cookies
Rosie Discovers: Maple Mellow aka Shortbread Cookies
All Dressed Up with Nothing to Drink: Partridge in a Pear Tree Pie Cookies
Mama Harris’ Kitchen: Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze
My Crafty Life: Snickerdoodle and Peanut Butter Cookies
Chewsy Lovers: German Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
So Rae Me: Fruitcake Cookies

Easy Recipes for your BIG Game Day Party!

February 1, 2016 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDayGlory #CollectiveBias

In case you live under a rock and didn’t know, I have some news to share.

The BIG GAME is coming up!! I’m not just talking any old game day… this is the big one. It’s touted as SUPER!! *wink*wink*

I know, I have so many game day recipes I’ve shared already. I can’t help it, this season is like holiday season for our family. My boys are into all the logistics and know everyone’s scoring record and when they were drafted and who’s getting traded and who’s injured and who’s doing well this season. While I enjoy all of that too, I’m also here for the food. Duh!

Okay, I also love to entertain and feed other people too. It’s sort of what I do. While my boys do like to go to the games once in a while, sometimes it’s just so much more fun to kick back at home and relax on your comfy couch to watch it all at your own leisure. Bonus, if you have people over there’s plenty of folks to help clean up, and you might even get out of doing the dishes altogether if you’ve picked your friends correctly!

So today we shall discuss some super easy recipes to serve at your SUPER BIG Game Day Party!

We have drinks – aka Pepsi™ Ice Cream Floats.
We have snacks – aka Skittles® Sugar Cookie Sticks in Fruity Yogurt Parfaits.
We have chips & dip – aka Buffalo Chicken Dip served with TOSTITOS® chips and salsa on the side.
AND we even have dessert – aka Mini SNICKERS® Pies.

I even added some bowls for popcorn and a gorgeous fruit platter for the pickiest of snackers. There’s something for everyone!

I made the decor simple. Dark green (wipe-able and reusable) tablecloth. Simple ceramic white plates, trays and serving dishes. Cute paper plates in different sizes that go with a game day theme. I chose large black and white striped paper party plates, and smaller green and white paper party plates with some large gray napkins. Most of the foods are finger foods, so we didn’t have too much of a need for utensils aside from the parfaits. I added a cute cup full of spoons next to those. I also added fun paper straws and green and white or black and white patterns for a fun way to mix it up, in addition to two glass sizes for the fun Pepsi™ Ice Cream floats. I chose larger football shaped glasses, and smaller glass tumblers with gold dots on them that matches the gold confetti and the gold and white tassel garland hung behind the food station.

Now, for the food. Oh, the glorious food. I made a buffalo chicken dip for New Year’s Eve and while it was good it didn’t quite taste how I anticipated that it would. So I kept playing around with the recipe until I got something I absolutely love. This dip is so easy, and ohhhh so good. You can easily double (or triple) the recipe for a larger crowd.

I served the dip with TOSTITOS® chips, and I also kept some TOSTITOS® salsa on the side as well as one of their cheesy dips. I also made some fun little fruity yogurt parfaits that I served with vanilla and strawberry banana yogurt, strawberries and raspberries, and topped them off with some fun little cookie sticks that have ends dipped in white candy melts, then sprinkled with crushed Skittles®. Just for fun I used the rest of my Skittles® XL bag to fill up a tall vase that I could keep on the table, just in case anyone felt like grabbing a handful here and there.

Fun floats with vanilla bean ice cream, Pepsi™, whipped cream and a cherry are the way I choose to wash down all of this yummy food. I really can’t think of a better way! Last, but not least, we have mini SNICKERS® pies! This is the perfect occasion for miniature decadence. I used refrigerated pie crusts and cut them in a cute shape with a cookie cutter. Sprinkled the crust with some cinnamon sugar and baked it, then created a peanut butter mousse sprinkled with chopped SNICKERS® Minis and nuts. Filled the mini pies with the mousse, then topped with some more chopped up SNICKERS® Minis and drizzled with caramel and chocolate. YUM. I couldn’t stop at just pies, I had to serve some SNICKERS® Minis too, so I chose a unique display vase and kept them near the pies.

The thing with making a good food corner is having everything you might need to serve all in one place. There’s snacks, desserts, drinks and finger foods here, but there’s always room for some more. I have recipes for so many flavors of wings, you could always start there!

For an even more elaborate food table that is sure to have all you might need to party, you can also create your own snack stadium! Check out some of the amazing ones below for some inspiration, being sure to VOTE for your favorite for a chance to win the prizes listed below. You’ll also be eligible to WIN by uploading a photo your own special snack stadium to Instagram and using the hashtag #GameDayGlorySweepstakes! Best of luck to you!

Game Day Glory Sweepstakes

Mini SNICKERS® Pie Ingredients:

2 refrigerated pie crusts
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4.5 oz peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons nut topping (usually packaged for sundaes)
7 SNICKERS® Minis, divided
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out each pie crust and using a flower shaped cookie cutter, cut the crust into a dozen mini shells. This will use up most of your two shells.

Spray your muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray, then carefully center each mini shell in the pan. Carefully prick the bottom of each shell with a fork, then brush with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar and pop them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.

The shells should be golden and crispy, remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack while you prepare the peanut butter mousse.

Add the softened cream cheese to a mixer and beat on a medium/low speed. Slowly add the sugar, then the peanut butter. Add extract, then the whipping cream. Beat for a few minutes till mixture seems to thicken a bit, then fold in the nuts and chopped SNICKERS®.

Carefully spoon the mousse into the shells, place on a platter and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before preparing to serve.

Once chilled, the filling should be more firm. Sprinkle with chopped up SNICKERS® then drizzle with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1.5 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (either bottled or homemade)
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing (either bottled or homemade)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1 celery, chopped
2 tablespoons drained diced pimentos
fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350. In a square casserole dish, spread the softened cream cheese along the bottom. Add the shredded chicken and wing sauce to a separate bowl, mix until well combined. Carefully spread the chicken coated with sauce over the cream cheese.

Top the chicken with the blue cheese dressing, spreading out to the corners.

Then combine the cheeses with the celery and pimentos. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the dip, then sprinkle a bit more wing sauce over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Allow to cool, then add a bit of parsley for garnish.

Serve with TOSTITOS® chips and Enjoy!

Skittles® Sugar Cookie Sticks in Fruity Yogurt Parfaits

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, room temperature
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white candy melts, melted
1/4 cup Skittles®, crushed
1 container vanilla yogurt
1 container strawberry banana yogurt
Strawberries
Raspberries

Directions:

Begin by preheating your oven to 350. Break up cookie dough into tiny pieces over a large mixing bowl. Add the flour. Mix the flour in with the dough well, then knead into a ball. Roll it out into a rectangle near the size of a standard cookie sheet. Cut dough into sticks and do not separate. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, just until edges turn golden. Cut back through the already cut edges and separate. Place sticks on a cooling rack.

While cookie sticks are cooling melt the white candy melts and assemble the mini parfaits. I used small clear plastic cups and filled them with about 3 tablespoons of yogurt, topped with sliced strawberries and raspberries, then topped with another 2-3 tablespoons of the other flavor of yogurt. Once cookies have cooled, dip the ends into the white melts, then sprinkle with crushed Skittles®.

Allow to dry on parchment paper, about 30 minutes.

Once dry and cooled, pop them in the tops of the fruity parfaits and serve with some spoons nearby. Enjoy!

Pepsi™ Ice Cream Floats

vanilla bean ice cream
Pepsi™
whipped cream
maraschino cherries

Directions:

For the shorter glasses use 1-2 scoops of ice cream then fill up the rest of the glass with Pepsi™. Top with whipped cream and a cherry.

For the larger glass use 3-4 scoops of ice cream, fill right on up with the Pepsi™, add whipped cream and finish it off with a cherry and a cute straw.

Easy Recipes for your BIG Game Day Party!

Want to host a game day party and don't know where to start? I've got you covered with plenty of food ideas!

Ingredients

Ingredients for SNICKERS® Mini Pies:

2 refrigerated pie crusts
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4.5 oz peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons nut topping (usually packaged for sundaes)
7 SNICKERS® Minis, divided
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Dip:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1.5 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (either bottled or homemade)
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing (either bottled or homemade)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
1 celery, chopped
2 tablespoons drained diced pimentos
fresh parsley, chopped

Ingredients for Skittles® Sugar Cookie Sticks in Fruity Yogurt Parfaits:

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, room temperature
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white candy melts, melted
1/4 cup Skittles®
1 container vanilla yogurt
1 container strawberry banana yogurt
Strawberries
Raspberries

Ingredients for Pepsi™ Ice Cream Floats:

vanilla bean ice cream
Pepsi™
whipped cream
maraschino cherries

Instructions

Directions for the SNICKERS® Mini Pies:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out each pie crust and using a flower shaped cookie cutter, cut the crust into a dozen mini shells. This will use up most of your two shells.
Spray your muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray, then carefully center each mini shell in the pan. Carefully prick the bottom of each shell with a fork, then brush with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar and pop them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.
The shells should be golden and crispy, remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack while you prepare the peanut butter mousse.
Add the softened cream cheese to a mixer and beat on a medium/low speed. Slowly add the sugar, then the peanut butter. Add extract, then the whipping cream. Beat for a few minutes till mixture seems to thicken a bit, then fold in the nuts and chopped SNICKERS®.
Carefully spoon the mousse into the shells, place on a platter and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before preparing to serve.
Once chilled, the filling should be more firm. Sprinkle with chopped up SNICKERS® then drizzle with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Enjoy!

Directions for Buffalo Chicken Dip:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350. In a square casserole dish, spread the softened cream cheese along the bottom.
Add the shredded chicken and wing sauce to a separate bowl, mix until well combined.
Carefully spread the chicken coated with sauce over the cream cheese.
Top the chicken with the blue cheese dressing, spreading out to the corners.
Then combine the cheeses with the celery and pimentos. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the dip, then sprinkle a bit more wing sauce over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool, then add a bit of parsley for garnish.
Serve with TOSTITOS® chips and Enjoy!

Directions for Skittles® Sugar Cookie Sticks in Fruity Yogurt Parfaits:

Begin by preheating your oven to 350. Break up cookie dough into tiny pieces over a large mixing bowl.
Add the flour. Mix the flour in with the dough well, then knead into a ball. Roll it out into a rectangle near the size of a standard cookie sheet.
Cut dough into sticks and do not separate. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, just until edges turn golden. Cut back through the already cut edges and separate.
Place sticks on a cooling rack.
While cookie sticks are cooling melt the white candy melts and assemble the mini parfaits. I used small clear plastic cups and filled them with about 3 tablespoons of yogurt, topped with sliced strawberries and raspberries, then topped with another 2-3 tablespoons of the other flavor of yogurt.
Once cookies have cooled, dip the ends into the white melts, then sprinkle with crushed Skittles®.
Allow to dry on parchment paper, about 30 minutes.
Once dry and cooled, pop them in the tops of the fruity parfaits and serve with some spoons nearby. Enjoy!

Directions for Pepsi™ Ice Cream Floats:

For the shorter glasses use 1-2 scoops of ice cream then fill up the rest of the glass with Pepsi™. Top with whipped cream and a cherry.
For the larger glass use 3-4 scoops of ice cream, fill right on up with the Pepsi™, add whipped cream and finish it off with a cherry and a cute straw.

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/02/easy-recipes-for-your-big-game-day-party/

Do you host a game day party?

Check out all the Game Day Glory for more snack stadiums and recipe ideas then head on over to Walmart for all your Game Day shopping and supplies! Look for end caps with official game day products.

Holiday Gingerbread S’Mores

December 22, 2015 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

One thing about living in California is that our weather is very different from the rest of the country this time of year. While we might be spoiled and wondering when the “cold front” is going to end (you know, when it’s 52 degrees out and the sun is shining but this is like ice weather to us), while the rest of the country is experiencing true winter weather like rain and snow and ICE.

I guess that’s how I can come up with a dessert for the holiday season that is originally inspired by a summer favorite. Some of my best memories are sitting around campfires with a huge marshmallow on the end of a stick over the fire, just ready to place it gingerly on a graham cracker topped with chocolate pieces.

I’ve seen a lot of folks adding fruit to their s’mores recently, and it inspired me to kick up my holiday treats with a wintery version of the summer favorite. But instead of graham crackers, why not some freshly made delicious, puffy gingerbread cookies? Cranberries for me are distinctive to the holiday season, basically any time from November 1st to sometime shortly after New Year’s you can find a random batch of homemade cranberry sauce in my fridge. I thought that would go well with the gingerbread cookies, and white chocolate instead of milk chocolate would be the perfect pairing to finish off these glorious holiday gingerbread s’mores.

As far as the results? Just as messy as the original. Melted marshmallows sticking everywhere, once you bite in you’re met with the warmth of the gingerbread spices combined with the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the white chocolate and marshmallows.

In other words, amazing. Simply amazing. They are definitely on the sweet side, so you can even cut your marshmallows in half and use half the white chocolate and they’d still be pretty delicious. The cookies, they’re perfection on their own. But making them into s’mores really made this a new kind of decadent treat for the holidays!

Ingredients for the Puffy Gingerbread Cookies:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ingredients for Holiday Gingerbread S’mores

2 Puffy Gingerbread cookies
1-2 teaspoons cranberry sauce
1 white chocolate square
1 large marshmallow

Directions:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Start by creaming the butter with the sugar on medium/low in a stand mixer. Once the sugars are thick and creamy, add the egg and mix it in. Then add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, salt and nutmeg. Whisk together, then slowly pour a bit at a time into the wet ingredients in the stand mixer while the mixer is on a medium/low speed. Mix just until the dough comes together in a sort of solid wet texture.

Using a cookie dropper for uniform sized balls about 1 inch large, measure out the dough, then roll into a more solid ball with your hands. Roll in granulated sugar, then place at least 2-3 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be puffy and crackly, yum! After a few minutes out of the oven, remove from the cookie sheet and place on cooling racks until the cookies have cooled completely. At this point you can store them or begin to assemble your holiday gingerbread s’mores!

It makes it easier to have all the items you need for assembly, even more fun if you do this for a kids sleepover or when you have guests over for the holidays. Get your cookies together, along with the cranberry sauce, white chocolate, and of course the marshmallows.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and add the cookies to a lined baking sheet (I prefer silicone since we’re using a cranberry sauce that will stick in the heat of the oven!). Using two cookies for each s’more you make, line them up and place a bit of cranberry sauce on one side of each pair.

Add the marshmallow to the empty cookie, then top the cranberry sauce with a square of white chocolate.

Place in oven for 5-8 minutes, checking every so often (the marshmallows like to slide a bit!). The tops of the marshmallows will begin to get the golden and roasted color and the white chocolate will begin to melt. Remove from oven and allow a minute or two to cool before handling.

No worries if your marshmallow slides a bit, just bring it back up with a butter-knife and close your cookie sandwich. As you can see, it gets messy, but it’s oh, so worth it!

Enjoy!

Holiday Gingerbread S’mores

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Serving Size: 1 holiday gingerbread s'more

Holiday Gingerbread S’mores

A warm weather fave is transformed for holiday cheer with gingerbread s'mores, complete with cranberry sauce, white chocolate and puffy gingerbread cookies!

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Puffy Gingerbread Cookies:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ingredients for Holiday Gingerbread S'mores

2 Puffy Gingerbread cookies
1-2 teaspoons cranberry sauce
1 white chocolate square
1 large marshmallow

Instructions

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
Start by creaming the butter with the sugar on medium/low in a stand mixer.
Once the sugars are thick and creamy, add the egg and mix it in.
Then add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, salt and nutmeg.
Whisk together, then slowly pour a bit at a time into the wet ingredients in the stand mixer while the mixer is on a medium/low speed. Mix just until the dough comes together in a sort of solid wet texture.
Using a cookie dropper for uniform sized balls about 1 inch large, measure out the dough, then roll into a more solid ball with your hands.
Roll in granulated sugar, then place at least 2-3 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be puffy and crackly, yum!
After a few minutes out of the oven, remove from the cookie sheet and place on cooling racks until the cookies have cooled completely.
At this point you can store them or begin to assemble your holiday gingerbread s'mores!
It makes it easier to have all the items you need for assembly, even more fun if you do this for a kids sleepover or when you have guests over for the holidays. Get your cookies together, along with the cranberry sauce, white chocolate, and of course the marshmallows.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and add the cookies to a lined baking sheet (I prefer silicone since we're using a cranberry sauce that will stick in the heat of the oven!).
Using two cookies for each s'more you make, line them up and place a bit of cranberry sauce on one side of each pair.
Add the marshmallow to the empty cookie, then top the cranberry sauce with a square of white chocolate.
Place in oven for 5-8 minutes, checking every so often (the marshmallows like to slide a bit!). The tops of the marshmallows will begin to get the golden and roasted color and the white chocolate will begin to melt.
Remove from oven and allow a minute or two to cool before handling.
No worries if your marshmallow slides a bit, just bring it back up with a butter-knife and close your cookie sandwich.
As you can see, it gets messy, but it's oh, so worth it!
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/12/holiday-gingerbread-smores/

What’s your favorite holiday indulgence?

White Chip Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

December 8, 2015 by MamaHarris 13 Comments

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareTheHoliday #CollectiveBias

I’ve been on a cookie spree lately, but I figure that during this time of year you can never have too many options when it comes to cookies, right? There’s also a lot of seasonal flavors this time of year, and sometimes people can be really opinionated about them. Today it’ll be chocolate and peppermint and I know people either love the combination.. or they don’t.

Of course, these cookies are for the fans.

As for me, I love festive flavors for every season. I’ve been playing with a lot of cookie flavors recently, and was so excited to come up with these white chip chocolate cookies with peppermint. These cookies combine some of my favorite flavors and allows them to weave together deliciously so there’s not just one main star. The entire cookie is the star.

I used unsweetened cocoa powder for the cookie, good quality white chips and a splash of peppermint extract in the mix to go along with the sprinkle of crushed candy canes on top.They are thick, the edges are crispy, and the middle is soft and fudgy. Then the little crunch from the crushed candy canes on top. I just love that wave of peppermint fragrance when you pull them out of the oven, but it’s not overpowering at all. Best of all, they’re made to gift!

I just love to gift homemade cookies to my favorite people, I don’t think anything beats a gift made out of love, and that’s why when I was at my local Walmart getting some baking supplies for these cookies I was so excited to see that these Rubbermaid TakeAlongs come in a various sizes for all of my gifting needs and they also come in a variety of festive holiday colors and prints! They’re not just for cookies either, they come in a plenty of convenient sizes and shapes to fit your needs and help you share and celebrate for the holidays. I love the Quik Clik Seal™ technology that secures foods and prevents spills, and I also love that these are both microwave and dishwasher safe.

In fact, Walmart shoppers can receive $1 off any 2 Rubbermaid TakeAlongs with this rebate offer. I went ahead and bought packages in each color since I always need more food storage, especially this time of year. Whenever I have guests for dinner, we’re left scrambling at the end of the night for something to put their food in so they can take some home, so I think these are also a great option for that as well.

Ingredients for White Chip Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 candy cane, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars on low in a stand mixer.

Once mixture is thick and creamy, add the egg and extract. Mix well.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Slowly add the dry mix to the creamed sugars while the stand mixer is set to a medium/low speed. Once Mixture has come together, scrape the sides and let it run a few seconds longer.

Fold in the white chocolate chips, then remove bowl from mixer.

Using a cookie dropper, measure out the cookies and then roll into a ball with your hand. Place about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Bake in the preheated oven for 11-14 minutes, or until cookies aren’t shiny and wet looking.

Sprinkle the tops of cookies immediately with crushed candy canes, don’t wait till they are cooled.

After a few minutes in the cookie sheet, move the cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Store cookies in airtight containers, like these Rubbermaid TakeAlongs.

You can also wrap a pretty bow and attach a note for gift giving!

Enjoy!

White Chip Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

Yield: 24 cookies

Serving Size: 1-2 cookies

White Chip Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

Chocolate cookies bursting full of white chocolate chips and sprinkled with crushed peppermint candy canes. These are the perfect cookies for gifting!

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 candy cane, crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars on low in a stand mixer.
Once mixture is thick and creamy, add the egg and extract. Mix well.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Slowly add the dry mix to the creamed sugars while the stand mixer is set to a medium/low speed.
Once Mixture has come together, scrape the sides and let it run a few seconds longer.
Fold in the white chocolate chips, then remove bowl from mixer.
Using a cookie dropper, measure out the cookies and then roll into a ball with your hand. Place about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Bake in the preheated oven for 11-14 minutes, or until cookies aren't shiny and wet looking.
Sprinkle the tops of cookies immediately with crushed candy canes, don't wait till they are cooled.
After a few minutes in the cookie sheet, move the cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled.
Store cookies in airtight containers, like these Rubbermaid TakeAlongs.
You can also wrap a pretty bow and attach a note for gift giving!
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/12/white-chip-chocolate-cookies-with-peppermint/

Do you have any gifting traditions for your favorite foods?

Visit your local Walmart for all of your holiday food storage and transporting needs. You can find Rubbermaid TakeAlongs in the food storage section with the holiday colors and patterns on end cap displays!

Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

December 5, 2015 by MamaHarris 2 Comments

In the past week or two I’ve been talking about cookies a lot.

I can’t help it. ‘Tis the season and all, right?

Here’s the thing. Cookies are pretty easy to make as far as baked goods go. They’re small, you can make quite a bit, and they’re fairly inexpensive. Technically there’s butter, sugar, flour, baking soda, powder or both, maybe some spices, some nuts or chips, sometimes some salt. Pretty much all of these are ingredients typically found in an average kitchen.

That’s precisely why I love them.

Deep down, I’m a baker at heart. When I’m stressed out, or need to sort my thoughts, I love to bake. Cooking can be done without measuring, for the most part. A little of this, a little of that. But when it comes to baking there’s a certain technical aspect. The way the ingredients react to one another allows whatever it is you’re baking to rise or puff. If it doesn’t work properly because you’ve used too much flour or old baking soda, it’s up to you to do your own version of tech support.

That’s what happened to me way back when I first attempted these thumbprint cookies. The first time I ever tried my hand at them they turned out thick and puffy, they spread all over my cookie sheet and the fruit middle kind of ran everywhere. The next time I tried them, they turned flat as a pancake, were greasy, and the fruit ran everywhere again. The good news is that both times they tasted great! They just weren’t very appealing and I wouldn’t have won any cookie contests.

I’ve finally perfected my recipe though, and I just love these cookies. They smell like Christmas. Between the pecans and the cherry preserves filling, and then the maple glaze on top… oh my! The fun thing about thumbprint cookies is they don’t use a lot of the ingredients a lot of other cookies use. There’s no baking powder, no baking soda, no salt, no spices. Just butter, sugar, egg yolk, flour and a bit of extract. Roll them in some chopped pecans after dipping in egg whites, then dot the middle with a bit of cherry preserves and viola! Like magic, they come together beautifully!

When my friend Natasha at Houseful of Nicholes came up with the idea of a #HousefulOfCookies series with various bloggers participating and sharing their own fun cookie recipes, I was all in. I knew that this was just the recipe for me to share too, and if you check the end of the post after the directions you can find plenty of other fun cookie recipes as well. Happy baking!

Ingredients for Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Pure Black Sweet Cherry Preserves*

Ingredients for Maple Cookie Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon Maple Extract*

Directions:

Begin by creaming the butter with the sugar in a stand mixer*. Once creamy add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. (Leave egg white in a bowl and reserve, you’ll need it later!)

After the egg and vanilla are mixed well into the creamed sugar, slowly pour in the flour a bit at a time while continuing to mix on low.

Once mixture has come together, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, let cookie mix sit for a few minutes at room temperature after removing from the refrigerator and before handling. Using a cookie dropper, measure cookies into a ball, then split in half. Roll into a ball a little smaller than one inch, then roll in egg white. Have chopped pecans in a separate bowl to roll them in.

Place the cookie balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Once all cookies are rolled out, carefully press into the middle with a finger or the bottom end of a wooden spoon. Carefully spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of preserves into the centers.

Bake for 15 minutes, cookies should be golden and fruit center will be slightly runny, they will firm up as the cookie cools. Place on cooling racks.

Mix the powdered sugar, milk and maple extract in a small mixing bowl and carefully drizzle over cooled cookies.

Be careful to let these cookies cook completely. Sometimes the fruit center will still be warm and the cookies will be cooled. Serve once cooled.

Enjoy!

Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 20 cookies

Serving Size: About 2 cookies

Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

Exciting twist on a classic cookie! The maple glaze that's drizzled over the tops of these Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies is what makes them over the top!

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Pure Black Sweet Cherry Preserves

Ingredients for Maple Cookie Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon maple extract

Instructions

Begin by creaming the butter with the sugar. Once creamy add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. (Leave egg white in a bowl and reserve, you'll need it later!)
After the egg and vanilla are mixed well into the creamed sugar, slowly pour in the flour a bit at a time while continuing to mix on low.
Once mixture has come together, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, let cookie mix sit for a few minutes at room temperature after removing from the refrigerator and before handling.
Using a cookie dropper, measure cookies into a ball, then split in half. Roll into a ball a little smaller than one inch, then roll in egg white.
Have chopped pecans in a separate bowl to roll them in.
Place the cookie balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Once all cookies are rolled out, carefully press into the middle with a finger or the bottom end of a wooden spoon. Carefully spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of preserves into the centers.
Bake for 15 minutes, cookies should be golden and fruit center will be slightly runny, they will firm up as the cookie cools.
Place on cookie racks to cool.
Mix the powdered sugar, milk and maple extract in a small mixing bowl and carefully drizzle over cooled cookies.
Be careful to let these cookies cook completely. Sometimes the fruit center will still be warm and the cookies will be cooled.
Serve once cooled.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/12/cherry-pecan-thumbprint-cookies/

What’s your favorite kind of cookie? See if you like any of these.

Houseful of Nicholes: Nutty White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Journey Of 1000 Stitches: Christmas Cookie Tree
Allie Ferriera: Chocolate Peppermint Cake Cookies
My Crafty Life: Chocolate Chip Waffle Dunkers
Rosie Discovers: Oreos That Beg to be Swapped
Hysterical Mom: Festive Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Diva With A Purpose: Easy Peasy Cookies Supreme
Crayons & Collars: Homemade Puppermint Dog Treats
So Rae. Me – Gluten Free Bourbon, Cranberry and Almond Cookies
Mama Knows It All: Granola Chocolate Cookies
Mama Harris’ Kitchen: Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

*this contains an affiliate link that I may receive a small percentage of if you make a purchase.

15+ Cookie Recipes from Mama Harris’ Kitchen

December 4, 2015 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

Want to know what recipes I have in abundance on my site? You guessed it, it’s cookies.

I’m a baker at heart, and one of the very first treats I started baking was cookies. They’re quick, they’re easy. They are fun and inexpensive to make and super easy to grab on the go. No cutting a slice and grabbing a plate. Just quick and easy to munch on.

I didn’t realize just how many different cookie recipes I had until I found out today was National Cookie Day, in December, which also happens to be one of the biggest months for cookie gift giving. So I decided to grab all my cookie recipes and share them in one place. I also have about 3 more recipes I plan on sharing in the next week, so I’ll probably be updating this post often with more cookie recipes.

I can’t help it, I just can’t quit the cookies. Cookies are my JAM. Ha!

A few of these recipes are pretty classic, like chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies. Some of them are a little more intricate and have more flavors and varieties. Then there’s a few that are cookie cups and have some filling options you can switch up. I also have one that’s a cookie in a skillet, with fun topping ideas. There’s a cookie for every occasion and event.

15+ Cookie Recipes from Mama Harris’ Kitchen

Butterscotch Snickerdoodle Cookies

Addictive Chocolate Chip Cookies

Coconut Cookies

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Cherry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

Puffy Gingerbread Cookies

White Chip Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

Cherry Chip Pizookie

Bing Bong Sugar Cookies (Lofthouse Sugar Cookies with Frosting and Sprinkles)

Spiked Holiday Oatmeal Cookies

Delicious Butterscotch Cookies

Pumpkin Brookies with M&M’s

Coconut Cherry Kiss Cookies

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

Chewy and Delicious M&M Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Nut Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

TWIX Cookie Cups with Sweet Filling Options

Candied Cookie Bars

What’s your favorite kind of cookie?

Do you like classic flavors? What about textures, do you prefer a flat and crisp cookie or a puffy cookie that’s chewy in the middle? Share some of your preferences below in the comments, I have plenty of recipes coming up to add here!

Coconut Cookies

November 30, 2015 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeMagicMoments #CollectiveBias

I remember one of my first time making cookies from scratch. I’d heard it was super easy, only a few steps more than the mixes you can buy so I found a few recipes to try. I remember reading through them and one of the first things was to “cream” the butter.

Yeah, I had no idea what that meant! I called one of my good friends and asked her what that means, how to do it, etc. She went over some of the basics of baking, and surprisingly my cookies came out pretty good. Ever since then I’ve loved making my own cookies from scratch and have even ventured out and created some of my very own recipes. One of my very first cookies that I created on my own were these coconut cookies. I’m a huge fan of coconut and this is such a fun recipe for something different than your typical sugar or chocolate chip cookie. It’s also easy to dress up, you can add nuts, chips or dried fruit. They’re great dipped in chocolate or even with a pretty pecan pressed right into the middle.

Rather than choose one of those variations, I decided to just share the original coconut cookie recipe as is, how I fell in love with it. You can get fancy with it by adding any of the ingredients I mentioned, or even a few spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or anything else. It’s fun to customize baked treats to your tastes.

What’s also fun is finding new products for my favorite things (cookies) that also help make my life easier. I recently discovered Reynolds Cookie Baking Sheets at my local Target store in the food storage section. The sheets are made out of parchment paper and are pre-cut to 12″ x 16″ and fit perfectly on my favorite cookie sheet. They lay perfectly flat on your baking sheet and are perfect for any of your cookie baking needs, but you can also use it when you dip fruits or cookies in chocolate and need to lay them on something nonstick so the chocolate to dry. I also used these sheets to line a cookie tin to gift a few of these cookies to friends, there’s just so many easy ways to use them!

My cookies came out just how I like them. The parchment sheets helped them to cook evenly and they didn’t stick at all on the bottom. Even better, there’s less of a mess to clean! During this time of the year I like to make a lot of different types of cookies for my family and also to gift to friend and coworkers of my husband and son. The easier the process, the better!

If you love coconut, these cookies provide just the right amount. They are made with brown sugar and sweetened coconut flakes, and I only use a quality, pure vanilla extract. In the past they have had a tendency to flatten, so I refrigerate them for a bit to let the dough cool and I’ve had no problem with flat cookies ever since. These would be great to have the kids help you make and then leave on a plate for Santa!

Ingredients for Coconut Cookies:

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and whisking together until combined.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter on a medium/low speed with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Once butter is smooth, add the sugar and continue to cream until whipped. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then slowly add in the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.

Add the coconut, mixing on low or by hand. Once coconut is just barely mixed throughout, cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for about 10-20 minutes.

While the cookie dough is chilling in the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line your cookie sheet with Reynolds Cookie Baking Sheets. I love that they are pre-cut to fit my half sheet perfectly.

Once the dough has chilled sufficiently, using a cookie dropper measure out the cookie dough. Carefully roll into a ball and place on the Reynolds Baking Sheets at least 3 inches apart.

Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of extra coconut.

Then bake for 13-15 minutes, until entire cookie is golden. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks until fully cool.

Serve on a platter to enjoy.

You can also line a cookie tin with the Reynolds Baking Sheets for a pretty presentation when gifting cookies.

Just fold the excess paper over the tops of the cookies before placing the lid on the tin.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: about 18 cookies

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Coconut Cookies

It's holiday cookie time, and these coconut cookies provide a tasty cookie as is or a great base to customize with nuts, fruits or chocolate!

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and whisking together until combined.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter on a medium/low speed with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Once butter is smooth, add the sugar and continue to cream until whipped. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then slowly add in the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
Add the coconut, mixing on low or by hand. Once coconut is just barely mixed throughout, cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for about 10-20 minutes.
While the cookie dough is chilling in the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line your cookie sheet with Reynolds Cookie Baking Sheets. I love that they are pre-cut to fit my half sheet perfectly.
Once the dough has chilled sufficiently, using a cookie dropper measure out the cookie dough. Carefully roll into a ball and place on the Reynolds Baking Sheets at least 3 inches apart.
Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of extra coconut.
Then bake for 13-15 minutes, until entire cookie is golden. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks until fully cool.
Serve on a platter to enjoy.
You can also line a cookie tin with the Reynolds Baking Sheets for a pretty presentation when gifting cookies.
Just fold the excess paper over the tops of the cookies before placing the lid on the tin.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/11/coconut-cookies/

What are some of your beginner baking moments?

For more recipe inspiration you can get some recipe inspiration on the Reynolds Pinterest Page or follow along on Facebook or Twitter! I purchased my baking sheets at Target, but they are also available at Walmart as well as many other retailers nationwide.

Butterscotch Snickerdoodle Cookies

November 23, 2015 by MamaHarris 2 Comments

There’s certain smells and tastes that take me back to my childhood, and butterscotch is certainly one of the most vivid. My mother used to make this pudding and serve it in the cutest little pudding cups with long stems on them and I just couldn’t wait to dig in after dinner. Butterscotch was always my favorite flavor pudding, and now I try to incorporate the luscious flavor into as many treats as I possibly can, it’s such a simple but happy memory for me.

Recently I wanted to try my hand at a new butterscotch cookie, so I used my chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base. I’ve made butterscotch cookies before, however I wanted to combine some traditional favorites so I opted to make a butterscotch snickerdoodle cookie.I’ve also made a variation of snickerdoodles before, but it wasn’t a cookie. Viola, the butterscotch snickerdoodle was born, and it is just as amazing as you would imagine.

This recipe combines everything I love in one. The perfect texture of my chocolate chip cookies, chewy and soft in the middle with a delightfully crispy edge, warm butterscotch chips that bring a different flavor to these cookies, and the kicked up spice of nutmeg and cinnamon in the cookie batter. It’s taken to an entirely new level when the cookie dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar, then baked just as snickerdoodle should be.

With flavors like these, this is definitely a recipe for the holiday season. Whip up a batch of your own to add to the cookie tray or gift to your favorite person with a sweet tooth. Although the flavors are decidedly Fall themed, this cookie would be delicious year round!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups butterscotch chips
cinnamon sugar (2 tablespoons sugar PLUS 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugars using a stand mixer* on low speed, continuing to mix until smooth. Add vanilla and egg, beating until combined. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Once mixed together, slowly add to the creamed mixture until just incorporated. With a wooden spoon, carefully fold in the butterscotch chips, leaving a handful of chips aside to add to the tops of the cookies.
Using a cookie dropper*, scoop your cookie, then carefully roll into a ball with your hands before adding to a bowl of cinnamon sugar. Roll generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture until all sides are covered.

Place the rolled cookie dough on a baking sheet* lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat*, then add a few of the extra butterscotch chips to the tops.
It’s not necessary but it makes them pretty.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, until golden. The centers will still be soft for a few more minutes, but the edges will be just starting to crisp.

Remove from baking sheet, then place on cooling racks* to cool completely.

Once cooled, serve or store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Butterscotch Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups butterscotch chips
cinnamon sugar (2 tablespoons sugar PLUS 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugars using a stand mixer on low speed, continuing to mix until smooth.
Add vanilla and egg, beating until combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Once mixed together, slowly add to the creamed mixture until just incorporated.
With a wooden spoon, carefully fold in the butterscotch chips, leaving a handful of chips aside to add to the tops of the cookies.
Using a cookie dropper, scoop your cookie, then carefully roll into a ball with your hands before adding to a bowl of cinnamon sugar.
Roll generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture until all sides are covered.
Place the rolled cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then add a few of the extra butterscotch chips to the tops. It's not necessary but it makes them pretty.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, until golden. The centers will still be soft for a few more minutes, but the edges will be just starting to crisp.
Remove from baking sheet, then place on cooling racks to cool completely.
Once cooled, serve or store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/11/butterscotch-snickerdoodle-cookies/

Do you have favorite cookie flavors as the seasons change, or do you prefer traditional recipes?

*this contains an affiliate link that I may receive a small percentage of if you make a purchase.

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

August 24, 2015 by MamaHarris 1 Comment

Every time I get a new cookie idea I go to my old faithful cookie recipe and use that as the base. My no-fail cookie recipe for chocolate chip cookies is seriously the best. I love a good, thick cookie with a slightly crispy edge and a soft middle. That’s perfection for me, and this recipe always delivers that perfect cookie every time. So it’s only natural whenever I’m dreaming up new cookie flavors that this is the base recipe I use. When I created my cherry chip pizookies, this was the recipe I used, and also when I made those yummy cookie cups. Yup, all the same base recipe!

So when my best friend dropped a bag of peanut butter baking chips on my counter a while back when she came back from the grocery store, I immediately knew where to start. Peanut butter chip cookies. I also have an affinity for peanut butter and chocolate (doesn’t everyone) so I thought, why not dip these cookies in chocolate?

The result? A delicious cookie with crispy edges and a soft center bursting with peanut butter flavor coated in luscious milk chocolate. Yes, they’re pretty impressive. My kids (and husband) were literally peering over the counters and tables waiting for a bite as I snapped away for these photos. Once I gave the go-ahead to dig in, there was only crumbs left in a matter of minutes!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut butter baking chips
2 cups melting milk chocolate

Directions:

Begin by creaming the butter at a low speed.

Then add the sugars one at a time. I like to start with the brown sugar first because it’s a bit more moist.

Then add the white sugar and continue to cream the butters.
Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well, then slowly add to the creamed butter while continuing to mix on low.

Once the mixture just comes together, gently fold in the peanut butter baking chips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and using a cookie dough scoop carefully shape the dough into uniform sizes and drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden. The middles will still be soft, so let cool for a few moments before removing and placing on cooling racks.

While the cookies are cooling, melt your chocolate. I actually bought a container of chocolate that you just heat in the microwave, but you can also use melting chocolate chips or bakers chocolate. Heat at short intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted to desired temperature. Dip the cooled cookies into the melted chocolate, then place on wax paper to dry.

This recipe will make about two dozen cookies.

I decided to grab some extra peanut butter chips and melt them, then drizzle over a few of the cookies.

You could also add nuts, or just leave plain with just the dipped chocolate.

These cookies are so pretty and tasty. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Yield: 24 cookies

Serving Size: 1-2 cookies

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

Chocolate dipped peanut butter chip cookies. Is there anything better?

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut butter baking chips
2 cups melting milk chocolate

Instructions

Begin by creaming the butter at a low speed.
Add the sugars one at a time. I like to start with the brown sugar first because it's a bit more moist.
Then add the white sugar and continue to cream the butters.
Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well, then slowly add to the creamed butter while continuing to mix on low.
Once the mixture just comes together, gently fold in the peanut butter baking chips.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and using a cookie dough scoop carefully shape the dough into uniform sizes and drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden. The middles will still be soft, so let cool for a few moments before removing and placing on cooling racks.
While the cookies are cooling, melt your chocolate. I actually bought a container of chocolate that you just heat in the microwave, but you can also use melting chocolate chips or bakers chocolate.
Heat at short intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted to desired temperature.
Dip the cooled cookies into the melted chocolate, then place on wax paper to dry.
This recipe will make about two dozen cookies.
I decided to grab some extra peanut butter chips and melt them, then drizzle over a few of the cookies.
You could also add nuts, or just leave plain with just the dipped chocolate.
These cookies are so pretty and tasty!
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/08/peanut-butter-chip-cookies-dipped-in-chocolate/

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