Category Archives: Cookies

Gingersnaps

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Cookies, Dessert and tagged with

How is your January going? I still haven’t started going through my vacation pictures, but I am nearly caught up with the house cleaning. I’m considering that a win. I’ve also dived right back into my training schedule so I can hopefully be ready for a half marathon in March, and been baking up a storm to make up for lost time over the holidays. Baked beans, pumpkin pie, banana bread, and cookies have been gracing my counters for the last few weeks.

Ginger Snaps {{Baking Bytes}}

Mmm cookies. When M is in town I make them nearly every week for his lunches, but with him gone the last four months I didn’t bake a single batch. This weekend I had a craving for gingersnaps so I pulled out my grandmother’s recipe. When I was a kid she was always baking cookies, and going to her house was like Christmas when opening the cookie jar: you know there’s something good in there, you just don’t know what yet. She passed away in 2012 and I inherited that cookie jar; it makes me smile every time I walk into the kitchen.

Gingersnaps {{Baking Bytes}}

This is a traditional gingersnap recipe which I’ve modified slightly. I use brown sugar instead of white because I love the flavor and it keeps the cookie nice and soft. Instead of flattening the tops with a glass dipped in sugar, I roll them like snickerdoodles or leave them plain entirely. The sugar coating is more traditional and definitely delicious, but as I wasn’t feeling like a super sweet cookie this time I left them plain. These cookies bake beautifully round which makes them extra nice for sharing.

I give a range for the molasses measurement because it’s a very strong flavor and not everyone loves it. Although I always use the larger amount, they taste delightful with the lesser amount and have a much more mild flavor.

Gingersnaps {{Baking Bytes}}

Gingersnaps are spiced for winter but aren’t nearly as heavy as so many of the chocolate and peppermint confections that dominate the season. I like them best with a mug of cider or hot chocolate (so you can dip them in the whipped cream) in front of the fireplace. Add a blanket and a good book for optimal enjoyment.

Gingersnaps

Adapted from my grandmother’s recipe
Makes approximately 30 2″ cookies

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening

1 egg
1.5 or 2 Tbsp dark molasses

2 cups flour, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

extra sugar for rolling (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
  2. Combine sugar and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in egg and molasses until well mixed.
  4. Add half the flour and all remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  5. Gently stir in remaining flour.
  6. Optional: Roll 1 Tbsp dough balls in white sugar before placing on the baking sheet.
  7. Drop 1 Tbsp balls onto baking sheets and bake for ten minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Cookies and tagged with ,

Apologies for missing most of August; I spent ten days gallivanting around Juneau, Alaska with my family, followed closely by a week in Iowa for work. Despite a major rope burn courtesy of my mom’s dog (which is temporarily destroying my half marathon training), it was a wonderful trip and I hope to not go another eight months before visiting again.Juneau, Alaska

Having always lived in places that at least had mountains in the distance, the sheer flatness of Iowa is very weird, my brain can’t quite comprehend that there aren’t any mountains anywhere in sight. A very strange experience for this Rocky Mountains girl.

Today, however, I have a decadent cookie recipe to share. I’m not going to lie, these cookies are a little bit of a pain to make. They will never be a “go to” recipe for me, but for when I want a richer treat these are a great option. If you’re a chocolate and peanut butter fan, these cookies are right up your alley. (If not, check back next week for a pie that might be a little more your style.)

IMG_1072

The dough is really more like a brownie batter, and chock-full of peanut butter chips. Chilling time is *required* for these cookies, since you won’t be able to form a ball without it. However, if you chill them too long (say, overnight, as I did), the “dough” becomes ridiculously hard and takes what seems like forever to soften enough for scooping. If you can swing it, check the dough after it’s been in the fridge a half an hour. If it’s firm but still moldable, you’re good go to. If not, check back in another 15 minutes or so.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip CookiesDespite the mildly temperamental dough, these cookies taste amazing. Chocolate and peanut butter is a flavor combination that rarely goes wrong, and these cookies are no exception. Rich, soft, and chocolatey, they seem more like a brownie in a cookie shape than your typical chocolate cookie. Peanut butter chips seemed like the natural pairing to me, but feel free to substitute whatever you like. I’ll likely try mint chips sometime in the future.

So if you have some time, some peanut butter chips, and a chocolate craving, give these cookies a shot. I guarantee they won’t disappoint.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Mildly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Makes 4-5 dozen

Ingredients

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used 1 cup of Kirkland chocolate chips)

1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar

1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter chips

Directions

  1. Melt the chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave, stir. Repeat until chocolate is completely smooth (about 90 seconds total). Set aside.
  2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Lightly whisk together the eggs and vanilla in another small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
  5. Add the sugars, beating until combined. Scrape the sides often if your paddle attachment doesn’t do this for you.1 (Mixture will be crumbly.)
  6. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Beat in the chocolate.
  7. On slow speed, mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the peanut butter chips, being careful not to over mix. It should look like delicious brownie batter at this point.
  8. Chill dough until firm but moldable; at least 30 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  10. Scoop 1 Tbsp balls on a cookie sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper.2 3
  11. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until cookies are matte in color but still very soft.
  12. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If they are cool enough, you shouldn’t need a spatula for the transfer.
  13. Enjoy a handful with a tall glass of milk.Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Notes

1 This is my favorite Kitchen Aid paddle attachment. It is seriously the best thing ever.
2 These cookies barely spread. I could very comfortably fit 15 on a sheet instead of the usual 12.
3 I almost always bake small cookies because I like to be able to eat a lot of them. This particular recipe is quite rich, so I think they work well in the small size. However, if you prefer a more substantial snack, roll 2 Tbsp of dough into a ball, flatten slightly onto the cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 11 minutes. At this size, the recipe will yield just over two dozen cookies.

Snickerdoodles

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Cookies, Dessert

Last week I had every intention of presenting a recipe for lemon meringue pie. I made the pie on Wednesday and it looked great from the outside. However, when I cut a slice on Thursday in order to take pictures, I discovered I had actually created lemon meringue soup. It had great flavor, but was definitely nowhere near ready for the blog.

Onto Plan B: Cookies.

A few weeks ago M and I moved into a new place. We have a ton more space (including a garage!) and it’s been a great upgrade for us. I bribed a few friends to help us move the heavy furniture, as everyone does, by promising them cookies. One requested chocolate chip, and the other, his favorite snickerdoodles.Snickerdoodles

I was around 14 when I made snickerdoodles for the first time. They turned out huge and soft and perfectly round, with that classic snickerdoodle flavor. I have never quite been able to replicate this feat, but my current favorite recipe comes pretty close. No one turns them down, and in general it’s hard to eat fewer than six at one time. This recipe makes enough to share while keeping plenty for yourself.

I always think they look like donut holes at this stage.

Although they are a little more time-consuming than standard drop cookies, these snickerdoodles are well worth the extra effort. The recipe is below, with my preferred method for making them.

Snickerdoodles

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Makes about 5 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (288 g) sugar

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

3 cups (360 g) flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Snickerdoodles - stack

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, on medium-high speed, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
  3. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, combining fully after each addition.
  4. Beat in the vanilla.
  5. Slowly and gradually stir in the flour mixture, beating just until combined.
  6. Chill dough for about 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
  8. Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon balls (I like to use a cookie scoop).
  9. Roll each ball in your hands (should be about 1″), and then in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
  10. Chill the dough balls while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
  11. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats, and place in the fridge while the oven preheats.
  12. Place the dough balls about two inches apart on a chilled cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • Chill the cookie sheets and the dough balls between batches.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container and they will keep well for several days.

Meyer Lemon Cookies

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Cookies and tagged with
[After over a year of being a slacker and not posting a single thing, I’m back. I’m planning to post approximately every other week, so look for a new one every other Monday. Having graduated and started a Real Person Job, my life is far more stable than it was a year ago. With a new camera, a new stove, and (beginning next week!) tons more kitchen space, running a consistent food blog should be far easier. Hope you enjoy the new recipes. =)]

Around the beginning of April, the weather in Montana gives everyone a brief taste of Spring before retreating back to second winter (and third and fourth and fifth…) with a cruel laugh. Or maybe I’m personifying the weather a bit too much. But regardless, it is those first few hours of Spring that turn my thoughts to the flavors of summer, starting with lemon.

Over the past few years I’ve looked for a go-to lemon cookie recipe, and struggled to find one. I wanted a soft, lemony cookie that didn’t require a glaze or start with a cake mix. It took awhile, but I finally found a great one. The lemon taste is present but not overly powerful; the cookies are soft and chewy, and there’s no cake mix involved. Even better, other than a lemon, it’s all standard ingredients. The recipe is below with my [very minimal] changes and the method I followed to bake them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Meyer Lemon Cookies 

Lemon cookies Adapted from Lauren Brennan
Makes 2-3 dozen

Ingredients

1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
zest of 1 (Meyer) lemon
juice of 1/2 to 1  (Meyer) lemon

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Pour powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or large plate.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; this will take a few minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, combine vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk the remaining dry ingredients in a separate small bowl.
  4. Beat the wet mixture into the sugar/butter until well mixed, scraping the sides at least once.
  5. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape the sides and mix again briefly.
  6. Roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll in the powdered sugar. After all the dough is rolled, (I put all mine on a plate), place in the refrigerator while the oven preheats, or at least 15 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  8. When the dough balls are chilled, bake for 7-11 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny or melted looking, and the bottoms are barely browned.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the sheet while you fill the next batch and put them in the oven, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Try not to eat them all on the same day. =)

Lemon cookies 2

Ready to bake

Notes

  • I got about 34 cookies from the recipe, using a tablespoon cookie scoop.
  • I used the juice from half a Meyer lemon, but next time I’ll use the whole lemon to give a slightly stronger flavor.
  • I found that when the dough wasn’t chilled, some of the cookies turned out very flat and had overly browned edges.
  • The darker the cookie sheet the less baking time required. I used light-colored silicon mats on dark pans and my cookies needed 10 minutes.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Cookies, Dessert and tagged with ,

Cookies are one of my favorite things to bake. Unless your oven bakes 100 degrees too hot (not that I’m speaking from experience or anything…) they are pretty easy and generally turn out well. They are great for snacks, lunches, dessert, breakfast, lunch, dinner… maybe I like cookies too much…

But be that as it may be, I would be very sad if I couldn’t have cookies anymore. So when my friend found out she has a wheat allergy, I decided to try out some recipes for gluten-free cookies. I perused several recipes but when I came across the gorgeous pictures at Kumquat, I knew it was the recipe for me.

Despite having a mere half dozen ingredients, these cookies are actually quite delicious. Not a substitute for my favorite chocolate cookie recipe, but a new one to enjoy. They are extremely chocolatey with a crunchy outside and a chewy inside. Although their texture is a little different, their taste more than makes up for it.

When I made these, I was hesitant to add more sugar (3 cups already seemed like a lot) but don’t be afraid. If the batter spreads too much go ahead and dump some more in there. Trust me, it’s necessary.

This is too runny.

It will look more like brownie batter than cookie dough in the bowl, but that’s okay. Just make sure it’s nice and thick.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

From Kumquat
Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder (I like dark chocolate)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Add egg whites and vanilla; stir until well-combined. (Batter should be about the consistency of school glue… not too runny. if it’s runny, add more powdered sugar to achieve correct consistency.)
  3. Spoon batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets in mounds of 1-2 tablespoons. (Mine spread a lot so I was never able to fit more than 6 per sheet.)
  4. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until tops are cracked and glossy, and edges look done. Cool slightly on pan, then peel carefully off parchment and cool completely on wire rack.

Note: I was baking at a friend’s place (my oven was broken) so I ended up using aluminum foil. This worked well enough, but I’m sure parchment paper would be a lot better. If you do use foil, I recommend spraying it very lightly with cooking spray.