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Soft Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
butter, sugar, chocolate chips, eggs, flour.
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. Add the first three ingredients into a bowl. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, add in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter. Place into the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly. Microwave for another 20 seconds and stir thoroughly. If the chips aren’t completely melted, microwave one more time for 20 seconds and stir again. Set aside and immediately start working on the next step.
In a large mixing bowl, add in the granulated and brown sugar, 3 eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 1 – 2 minutes on high until thick and pale. Immediately add in the warm semi-sweet melted chocolate, dry ingredients, and 1 cup of m&m’s. Beat until everything is incorporated. Use a spatula and scrape the bottom to get all of the chocolate incorporated. Using a large scoop, scoop out all of the batter onto the prepared pans. I did 6 – 7 scoops per a pan. Leave a little room for the cookies to spread.
If you have extra batter, pull out some extra parchment paper that will fit on the baking pan and scoop the remaining onto that paper. It’s important to get all of the dough scooped and ready for the oven before the chocolate cools and gets rough. You won’t get the shiny crinkled brownie top if it gets to the rough texture. Sprinkle a handful of extra m&m’s on top of the cookies for extra color. Place into the oven and bake for 17 minutes. This will depend on the size of the cookies. Mine were HUGE! Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before moving them. This will help them pull away from the parchment paper and stay together while moving them.
Peppermint Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Cookies
For The Cookies
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup almond milk (or regular milk)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 ounces mini-marshmallows
- 8 mini candy canes gently broken into small pieces (or use 4 large-sized candy canes)
- For The Chocolate Ganache Drizzle:
- 3/8 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Preparation
Unwrap candy canes (if they are wrapped) and place them in a freezer-weight resealable bag. Using the flat side of a kitchen mallet or meat tenderizer, gently tap on the canes to break them into small pieces (do not over-do this or you will end up with only peppermint dust!). Separate the pieces from the dust, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract, then beat until well combined. Add the flour and other dry ingredients from the first bowl a little at a time, and mix on low speed until combined. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, drop dough onto parchment-linked baking sheet. Arrange cookies evenly with plenty of room between them. Bake until they start to spread and become firm, 10 minutes. Remove from oven, place four mini-marshmallows in the center of each cookie, and bake another 2 minutes, or until the marshmallows begin to melt. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, make the chocolate ganache drizzle: place semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heat-proof mixing bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is almost simmering, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Wait 3 minutes then whisk thoroughly and then allow the ganache to rest for about 5 minutes. Using a fork, carefully drizzle the chocolate ganache across each cookie, leaving some of the marshmallow exposed. Test the ganache on a side plate to make sure it is ready, and if it’s too thin, allow it to cool further before using. Top each cookie with the candy cane pieces and enjoy!
Vegan Meringue Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, Water only
- 140 g Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 100°C. Strain the can of chickpeas and reserve the water. Store the chickpeas in an airtight container in the fridge and use for whatever you like. Place the chickpea water in a very clean, dry bowl. Using an electric whisk or stand mixer (with the balloon whisk attachment) beat the chickpea water on a high speed for 5 minutes. Then, add the sugar in 3 additions, beating on high in between each addition until it is completely incorporated. Once the sugar is incorporated, sprinkle the cream of tartar over the top, and beat on high until the meringue is smooth, glossy and forms stiff peaks.
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and chop the end of the bag off with about a 2cm opening. There is no need for a piping nozzle for the round kisses. Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper. Then hold the piping back perpendicular to the baking tray and pipe a blob of meringue about 2 inches in diameter and then stop squeezing the bag and lift to create a point. Do this until all the meringue has been used up, leaving a gap between each meringue. If using nuts on top, sprinkle these on before baking. Bake for 70-90 minutes, or until the meringues are hard on the outside the whole way down. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the tray, they should peel off very easily once cooled. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3/4 cup Light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup Light molasses
- 1 Egg
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
Preparation
Beat margarine and brown sugar until fluffy in large bowl; mix in molasses and egg. Mix in combined flour, baking soda, spices, dry mustard, and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, 2 to 3 hours. Measure granulated sugar into pie pan or shallow bowl. Drop dough by tsp fulls into sugar and roll into balls (dough will be sticky). Place cookies on greased cookie sheets; flatten with fork or bottom of glass. Bake at 350 until firm to touch, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
Cranberry Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg, plus 1 yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 carton (14 oz) Pioneer brand organic Cranberry Sauce
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- powered sugar, for dusting
Preparation
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Using an electric or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and yolk and then the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Shape the dough into 3 balls and then flatten each into disks and wrap in waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust 1 dough disk with flour and place between 2 large sheets of waxed paper. Roll out the dough to desired thickness, I did about 1/4 inch thick. Use a shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using a smaller cutter, cut out the centers of half the cookies (optional). Work fast before the dough gets too soft!
Re roll the scraps and fold in waxed paper and refrigerate for another 10-20 minutes and then use again once hardened. Transfer the cookies to the baking sheet and bake until the edges of the cookies are golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Repeat with the remaining 2 disks, then roll out, cut, chill, and bake the scraps in the same manner. Dust the cutout tops with powdered sugar. Open container of cranberry sauce and pour in a small saucepan. Heat over low and stir until broken up. Add orange zest and mix until spreadable and mostly smooth.
Optional: if you want the cranberry sauce sweeter (If you are using a brand like Pacific that does not add any additional sweeteners) add 1 tbsp sugar and mix until dissolved. Spread the cranberry sauce on the bottoms of half of the cookies, spreading it lightly at the edges. Top with the remaining powdered sugar dusted cookies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Sheri Wetherell is the co-founder and CEO of Foodista.com, community-based recipe, cooking, and food news website. Check them out on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram.
