Cookies

SRC: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 18, 2016 by Lynsey 8 Comments

Happy Monday y’all!

I have 5 words for you. Bacon. Fat. Chocolate. Chip. Cookies.

Yes, you read right; bacon fat chocolate chip cookies. Just when you thought that chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better, Chelsy over at Mangia added a little bit of bacon drippings to to the batter of these beloved cookies. And you know what? It’s absolutely ingenious!

I am beyond happy about my assignment for Secret Recipe Club this month because that is what brought me across Chelsy’s blog. She’s a southern girl, just like me, who loves food and has a special place in her heart for sweets. I perused her blog for hours and came across one recipe after the next that I became completely obsessed with. And then…I came across the five little words that that made the heavens open up.

Bacon fat chocolate chips cookies. I was done looking and knew exactly what I was going to make for this month’s reveal.

These little guys did NOT disappoint. Chewy, caramely cookies with a slight bacon taste and tons of chunks of dark chocolate. Oh. My. Goodness. Where have these been all my life?

Everyone, stop what you’re doing and go make these cookies NOW. You need this. I promise!

Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp bacon fat, cooled
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
2 Large eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp flour
Pinch sea salt
1/2 Cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Place bacon drippings and sugars in a large bowl and beat on high until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour and salt and mix until incorporated. Add the chocolate chunks and fold in until evenly distributed.

Drop dough by the spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from Mangia Blog

An InLinkz Link-up

Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti

December 17, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It blows my mind that it’s T minus 8 days until Christmas. This year has been a whirlwind, to say the least.

I’ve had all these big plans and to-do lists for the blog, especially when it came to the holidays. I’m not sure what happened, but time got away from me and I just didn’t get a chance to execute some recipes, let alone share them with you guys. And, for that, I am sorry. Maybe next year???

Last week my entire family (mom, dad, brother, sis in law, and my crew) took a vacation to the happiest place on earth! That’s right, we spent a full, busy and magic-filled week in Disney World. It was a jam packed week full of rides, fun, princesses, monsters, amazing Christmas decorations and priceless memories with my family. And….I’m already ready to go back.

I say all that to say since I was there, I wasn’t home so I wasn’t in my kitchen baking up goodies to share with you. In this instance….sorry, but sooooo not sorry!

But I’m back this week with several ideas for delicious homemade goodies that are perfect for gifts.

During this time of year the combination of peppermint and chocolate is flooding the blogasphere. Almost everyone is a fan of that dynamic duo, members of my house included. My little man loves those flavors in anything, but especially in breakfast goods. So I thought it was only fitting that I make a decadent breakfast treat that was packed full of both chocolate and peppermint to share with all of you.

This chocolate peppermint biscotti not only meets my expectations, but exceeds it immensely. The cookie itself is packed full of intense chocolate flavor, peppermint and a hint of salt which really helps balance the richness. Then, to give it an extra pop…both visually and in taste it’s dunked in white chocolate and given a sprinkle of Andes peppermint bits.

Oh my gosh, folks. This biscotti is what dreams are made of. Seriously!

This is perfection in the morning with a cup of coffee, plus it gives you an excuse to have a cookie for breakfast! It’s also amazing with a tall glass of milk or a mug of rich hot cocoa.

So bake a batch of this delicious and festive biscotti for your neighbors, co-workers and friends, plus make a little extra so you and your family can enjoy some as well!

Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti

Ingredients:

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Tsp peppermint extract
2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup dark cocoa powder
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp salt

For the toppings (optional)-
10 Oz white chocolate
1/2 Cup Andes peppermint bits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy. Add the sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until incorporated.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, place on prepared baking sheet and form each half into a 12×2 1/2 loaves.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cut diagonally in 3/4 in slices. Place cut side down on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 10 minutes, flipping the biscotti half way through.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Optional-
Place chocolate in a microwave safe dish and heat in 20 second intervals till melted, stirring after each 20 second period.

Dip the base or half of the biscotti in chocolate, sprinkle with peppermint bits and return to parchment paper to allow to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If the biscotti is not dipped in chocolate it can be stored in a freezer bag for a month.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Raspberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies

October 9, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Crinkle cookies have long been a favorite of so many. Especially the chocolate version that is oh-so-popular around Christmas. What is it about those cookies that is so enticing? Is it the chewy, crackled cookie? Or is it the white, powdered sugar coating?

Maybe, it’s just a combination of all the above.

But why stop with the chocolate? Right? Right!

So, by now you know that I’m quite the lover of lemonade. Pink, yellow, blueberry, the list goes on and on….and on. But why stop the lemonade love with the drink? Let’s carry that on over to baked goods.

Like, oh, raspberry lemonade crinkle cookies. Perfection. Pure perfection.

These cookies are are so incredibly easy to make. No creaming of butter and sugar, no alternating wet and dry ingredients. Heck, you don’t even have to break out your mixer. If you’ve got a bowl, spatula, cake mix and a few other ingredients then you are set.

Combine cake mix, one of those on-the-go lemonade packs, eggs and oil and you’re over half way there. Then the magic happens. Instead of tossing those cookies directly in the powdered sugar, give them a dunk in granulated sugar first. This forms a nice little coating around the dough, the powdered sugar adheres to it and during the baking process the granulated sugar dissolves, leaving a perfectly powder-sugar coated cookie.

These cookies absolutely amazing. Sweet, tangy, chewy, soft, coated in powdered sugar and the absolute perfect shade of pink!

Raspberry Lemonade Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Box white cake mix
1 Packet raspberry lemonade of Crystal Light to go
2 Eggs
1/3 Cup canola oil
Red food coloring, optional
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone backing mat, set aside.

Combine cake mix, lemonade, eggs and canola oil in a large bowl and stir until ingredients are completely combined and the dough is smooth.

Place granulated sugar in one bowl and powdered sugar in another bowl.

Form the dough in 1-inch balls, roll in the granulated sugar then the powdered sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving one to two inches between each cookie. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to rest on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

S’mores Cheesecake Bars

June 16, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So, I’ve never met a dessert I didn’t like.

I’ve never met a s’more I didn’t like.

And lastly, I’ve never met a cheesecake I didn’t like.

So it’s safe to say that I love sweets. If it’s dessert, sweet and involves sugar I’ll probably, most definitely eat it!

This specific recipe is a dessert, involves s’mores and cheesecake. But before we talk about the recipe at hand, I want to talk about cheesecake for a second.

Cheesecake. I love it. But what’s not to love? A crunchy crust that’s the base to a perfectly tangy,
creamy, silky cheesecake. Um, yum! Drooling over them. Eating them. Well, that’s the easy part. What’s not easy about cheesecake? Well, the baking and resting part.

See, there’s an art when it comes to making cheesecakes. Full fat cream cheese, it’s a must. And it has to be at room temperature. Another must, a water bath. This allows the cheesecake to bake evenly and reduces the chance of splitting. Baking and no peeking. Then, the last crucial element is removing the cheesecake from the oven, placing it on a cooling rack and letting it sit for several hours and no touching allowed.

All pretty tedious work, but the outcome is so worth it.

But, what if you don’t have time. Don’t have the patience. Or are just downright intimidated? Well, you make cheesecake bars. Everything you love and want in a cheesecake; but half the work, half the time and truly none of the frustration.

Cheesecake bars give you everything you love in half the time and no frustration. A few simple ingredients and about an hour is all you need to make a deliciously addicting dessert with all the flavors of cheesecake with a fraction of the work.

This week leads up to Father’s Day. When KARK4 asked some people to share what some of the amazing dads in their lives favorite treats were we got a great response. One of the responses was cheesecake…of any kind. So, I decided to take that and run with it.

Since Father’s Day can be a busy time of travel and entertaining I wanted to make a dessert that was delicious and wowing without being stressful and time consuming. So, I decided on bars. Bars are a great alternative when you need something delicious but don’t have a lot of time.

Another thing you can’t go wrong with is marshmallows and chocolate. So, without further adieu I present you with s’mores cheesecake bars. A delicious brown sugar graham cracker crust, cream cheese marshmallow cheesecake filling that’s studded with chocolate chips and then topped with a few bits of that graham crust and some roasted marshmallows.

Um, wow. 2 amazing and addicting desserts come together in these bars. And probably one of the best things about this dessert is it can be made ahead of time, leaving you more time to spend with those special guys in your life.

If you really wanted to up the presentation, you could leave the marshmallows off until right before serving. When ready to serve, sprinkle some marshmallows over the top, break out that kitchen torch and toast away!

Now you can have s’mores without even starting a fire or breaking out that roasting stick!

S’mores Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust-
1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
3/4 Cup flour
3/4 Cup graham cracker crumbs*
1/3 Cup brown sugar

For the filling-
1 (8oz) Block cream cheese
1/4 Cup marshmallow cream
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup heavy cream
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips

2/3 Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

For the crust-
Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on high for about 1 minutes, until creamy. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Add the flour and graham cracker crumbs and mix until incorporated.

Remove about 1/2 cup of the crust mixture and set aside.

Pour the remaining crust in the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes.

For the filling-
Meanwhile, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the marshmallow cream, cream, and vanilla and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the filling into the partially baked crust and spread into an even layer. Drop bits of the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling. Return to oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until filling is set and crust on the top is golden.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmallows over the top. Place under broiler or use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows.

Allow the bars to completely cool, but into squares and store at room temperature.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Super Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

June 13, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Folks, I have to apologize. It seems like the past few weeks have been pure craziness; complete with late nights, running around like a chicken with my head cut of, and just complete and utter chaos. In the midst of everything that has been going on, LL’s has unfortunately taken a back seat. I feel so bad and I’m kind of disappointed because I’ve got so any recipes that I’m so excited to share with you all and I haven’t been able to get them to you.

Things seem to be settling down a bit. This next week is going to be a little busy, but hopefully nothing like the past few weeks. I’ve been able to carve out a little time and I was able to dedicate it to a few posts for you guys. Hopefully things will be back on a regular schedule within the next week or so.

Since I’m not back into a normal routine yet I had to make the hard decision of just which recipe to share with you. A beverage? Appetizer. Main dish. Or dessert. Well, it was a hard decision but I finally came to the conclusion that y’all needed theses cookies. And you needed them now.

I can’t count just how many times I’ve made the cookies in the past month. Honestly, it’s probably a good thing that I haven’t kept track because then I would probably just be ashamed. But, just know that they are so good that they have been requested pretty much on a weekly basis, sometimes multiple times a week.

We all have that “go to” chocolate chip cookie recipe. That recipe we know by memory and can have whipped up in a matter of minutes. And, although, we have “that one” I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes.

I’d have to say, of all the chocolate chip cookies I’ve made this one seems to be the hub’s favorite. He’s one of those that loves the chocolate chip cookies, but without the chocolate chips. I, on the other hand, am in the group that believes the more chocolate chips the better. But, Spencer loves these.

The dough itself isn’t as sweet as most recipes, and that’s because the flour to sugar ratio differs just a bit. Typically there are equal amounts of flour and sugar, but this recipe only has 1 3/4 cups of sugar and almost 3 cups of flour. This gives the dough some sweetness but doesn’t make it overly sweet, and in turn it allows the hubs to enjoy some chocolate chips in the cookie without giving him a sugar overload. The extra flour also helps yield a slightly thicker cookie. And you can’t go wrong with a thick chocolate chip cookie.

This particular recipe also calls for brown butter. And by now, you all know my feelings for brown butter. It truly does make everything better. To this recipe it lends a nuttiness, which also mutes some of the sweetness. Along with the brown butter there are a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips, also helping balance the amount of sweetness in this cookie.

There are a lot of different tweaks in this recipe; the flour to sugar ratio, brown butter, addition of cornstarch and the mix of chocolates. But all these different little changes make a cookie that is perfectly thick, chewy, gooey and the perfect balance of sweet and chocolate. All of these helped produce the hub’s favorite chocolate chip cookie.

So, whether you’re still searching for your go to recipe, just looking to make an incredible batch of cookies that differs from your recipe, or looking to add another chocolate chip cookie recipe to your stash, try these out. But use caution, because they are addicting!

Super Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 Large eggs
1 Egg yolk
1 1/2 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 Cups + 2 Tbsp flour
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 Cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Place butter in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat. The butter will begin to crackle and foam as it melts. Once the crackling subsides the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the butter around the pan as it browns. Watch the butter closely as it can go from brown to burned quickly. Once the butter is browned, remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine salt, baking soda, cornstarch and flour in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Pour the cooled butter in a large mixing bowl, being sure to scrap the bottom and edges of the saucepan to get all those brown bits. Add the sugars, turn mixer on low allowing the ingredients to incorporate. Once the butter and sugars are combined, increase the mixing speed to high and mix for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk and beat another 3-4 minutes on high, until ingredients are incorporated and the butter begins to get light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Roll pieces of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the dough, using the palm of your hand to flatten slightly. Place in the oven for 8-11 minutes, the cookies should be lightly golden and set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the pan, transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

May 19, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

We are in one of my favorite times of the year. Yes, it’s the end of spring and summer is just around the corner. While I’ve been enjoying this truly spring weather lately. that’s not what I’m referring to. It’s strawberry season. And did you know that May is national strawberry month?

I don’t know about you, but strawberries are pretty much at the top of my list when it comes to berries and fruits. I love them year around, but like all fruits and veggies, in season is definitely the best. And, I’m beyond excited about this particular strawberry season.

Why?

Well, the past few years I’ve been trying to grow strawberries. I’ve tried them in regular pots, a few different types of strawberry pots and even in the garden. And well, nothing has worked. We’ve had pretty green plants, but that’s where it started and stopped. No blooms, no flowers and definitely no red berries.

Last year the plants survived the winter and came back. We even saw a few flowers. Yay! Then I saw it, one. One berry and let me tell you, I was literally doing a happy dance in my back yard for that berry. I watched it and checked on it everyday for at least a week. It started cute, little and green then started growing and yes, even changing colors to red. It was within days of being picked and I went out to check on it and finally pick it and when I saw it I was heartbroken. A darn bird had pecked half of it away. I was so mad and so upset. Stinkin’ birds.

Don’t get my wrong, I love them, I even have several bird feeders I keep stocked up with birdseed in my back yard, but I was so mad at them after that. The seed is for them, not my one berry that I had been waiting on for years.

Anywho, I got over it and decided to try my hand at it again this year. Those few strawberry plants made it through the winter again and boy did they thrive this year. I mean, they took over half the garden. I saw a few blooms, then flowers but tried not to get overly excited since history hadn’t proven successful. But this was my year; those flowers bloomed, strawberries started growing and the birds were staying away.

This year was the year of the strawberry! We’ve kept our eyes on them daily, picking several every-other-day and trying to keep the birds away. The first bite of the strawberries straight from our garden were not only rewarding but delicious. They are bright red, juicy and perfectly sweet!

We’ve eaten our share of fresh strawberries from the garden, but we’ve had more than enough for me to use in several different recipes! I’ve made breads, dips, strawberry caprese chicken (recipe coming soon) and these cookies.

Now, a cheesecake topped with strawberries is a classic and truly hard to beat. I love cheesecake. Love strawberries. And yes, I even love cookies. That’s a whole lotta love! So, I decided to combine my loves and make strawberry cheesecake cookies. Ah-mazing, right?

I made soft sugar cookies with the tiniest hint of lemon. And these cookies are so good by themselves. But, this is strawberry month and what’s a strawberry cheesecake cookie without the strawberry and cheesecake? So, I combined a light, fluffy and airy cream cheese mixture with diced strawberries, topped each cookie with a hefty scoop of said cream cheese mixture and then topped with a strawberry slice. Viola. Strawberry cheesecake cookies were born!

The cookies are perfectly soft, and subtly sweet making them the perfect palette for the cheesecake topping. Whether you’re craving cheesecake, have a plethora of berries to use, or just want to make some cookies, you need these in your life.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies-
1 Stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tsp lemon juice
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking powder

For the cheesecake topping-
4 Oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 Cup diced strawberries

Strawberries for garnish, optional

Directions:

For the cookies-

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars and beat and additional 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat and additional minute. Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix until combined.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until just incorporated.

Roll the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and form into a ball. Place on prepared cookie sheet and gently flatten using the palm of your hand. Repeat with remaining dough. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottom is beginning to turn golden, remove and allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the cheesecake topping-
Drain the strawberries on a kitchen or paper towel until ready to use.

Pour cream in a large bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and beat on high until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Fold the strawberries in the mixture.

Spoon on the cooled cookies. Garnish with strawberry slices, if desired.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or store un-topped cookies in an airtight container and cheesecake topping in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Recipe source: cookies adapted from my Shirley Temple cookies
cheesecake topping, a Lynsey original

Shirley Temple Cookies

April 17, 2015 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Shirley Temple. One of the fondest memories of my childhood. Yes, I’m talking about both the actress and the drink. I loved watching that cutie, curly-haired little girl with dimples and the smile that would light up the room dance and sing. I can hear her singing “On the Good Ship Lolly Pop” right now.

As much as I enjoyed, and still enjoy her movies, these cookies are dedicated to the beverage that is named after her. A beverage that I couldn’t wait to suck down every time I was given the chance. One of the best Shirley Temple’s I ever had was at a hole in the wall restaurant that sat right on the Mississippi River.

I remember it like yesterday. It was after competing in a pageant that myself, my mom and my Grandma went to get a bite to eat before hitting the road back home. I wasn’t feeling a sprite or water, I wanted something good and special. So my mom quickly asked if they could whip up a Shirley Temple, with extra cherries, of course!

A moment later our waitress returned with the best looking drink I’d ever laid my eyes on. It had an ombre look to it; deep red at the bottom, then pink, then a very light pink. And cherries. I think there were at least half a dozen cherries in there. I was in heaven. I sat there perfectly content sipping on my Shirley Temple and watching the water of the mighty Mississippi roar down the banks.

I still enjoy a Shirley Temple from time to time, and the memories of that perfect one flood my memories. Just like that drink, there are some cookies that quickly transport me back to the carefree days of my childhood.

These Shirley Temple cookies are one of those cookies that take me back. Holding all the flavors of that beloved drink, perfectly pink frosting and garnished with a cherry, of course, how could these cookies not bring a smile to one’s face with one glimpse.

These cookies are thick and soft with a slight hint of lime to add some tartness. Then there’s the frosting. The thing that puts the Shirley Temple in these cookies; light pink frosting bursting with cherry flavor. And to pull it all together and bring out the inner-child in anyone who has one, it’s garnished with a maraschino cherry (stem and all) and a little sprinkle of lime zest for another pop of color.

So now pop in a Shirley Temple movie, make the drink and some of these cookies and enjoy! You know you want to.

Shirley Temple Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
1 Tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 Tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking powder

For the cherry frosting-
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 -3 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Tsp cherry extract
4 Tsp maraschino cherry juice
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream

For garnish-
Lime zest
Maraschino cherries

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high until light and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest and mix for an additional minute. Slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.

Roll the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 while the dough is chilling. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Once the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator, scoop (my scoop is approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, using the palm of your hand, gently press the dough to flatten slightly, being sure not to press the cookies too thin.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookie is cooked through and the bottom is beginning to turn golden brown. Do not overbake, you want the cookie edges to be slightly crispy and the rest of the cookie to be soft.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting-

Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, cherry extract and cherry juice and beat until incorporated. If the frosting seems too liquidy and appears to be kind of separated, add more powdered sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time until it comes together. Add the whipping creamy, beat on low until incorporated, then increase speed to high and beat until whipped, light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

To assemble-

Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe onto the cookies.

If garnishing with cherries, remove from juice and allow to sit on a paper towel to remove excess juice. Place the cherries in the center of the cookies then garnish with lime zest.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

April 16, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Growing up, one of my favorite desserts was the classic ice cream sandwich. What is it that’s so magically delicious about two chocolate, crispy wafers filled with smooth, creamy vanilla ice cream? It didn’t bet much better than having one of these delights on a hot, summer day.

Could it honestly get any better?

Well, what about two, thick, chewy peanut butter cookies filled with a big ol’ scoop of creamy, banana ice cream? What?

Yup, that’s right. I made some massive, thick and chewy peanut butter cookies. That I must say, are amazing and perfect with a glass of ice cold milk. But, you know me, I couldn’t leave well enough alone, I had to go a step further.

I could have frosted them, I could have dipped them in chocolate but I didn’t. I decided to a make sandwich. But not just any sandwich, an ice cream sandwich. What better to fill that sandwich with than banana ice cream.

This banana ice cream is only 2 ingredients and doesn’t even require an ice cream maker. Frozen bananas, vanilla and a food processor is all it takes to make this creamy, smooth banana ice cream. This is my kind of ice cream!

So, what are you waiting for? Make a batch of these peanut butter cookies, some of this banana ice cream, and sandwich them together. Channel your inner kid and sink your teeth into this amazing peanut butter banana ice cream sandwich.

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the cookies-
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 Cup peanut butter, I used crunchy
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
1/4 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
2 Cups + 2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 Cup peanut butter chips

For the banana ice cream-
6 Large bananas
1/2 Tsp vanilla

Directions:

For the cookies-

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Combine the salt, baking soda, flour and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Place butter in large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the peanut butter and beat on high an additional minute. Add both sugars and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix an additional 45 seconds. Add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add the peanut butter chips and mix.

Using a quarter cup, scoop the dough. Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet, using the palm of your hand, lightly press. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the bottoms are just beginning to turn golden brown, do not overbake. Remove from oven, allow to cool on cookie sheet for an additional 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the banana ice cream-

Place bananas in a food processor and process until the bananas are smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and pulse a few seconds longer.

To assemble-

Turn half of the cookies upside down. Place scoops of banana ice cream on half of the cookies, top with remaining cookies and serve immediately.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

April 15, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So, it’s no news to any of you who have been reading the blog for any amount of time that I love experimenting with different flavor combinations. Especially the sweet savory combo in desserts. What can I say, I get a thrill out of combing the unexpected.

But, I think sometime I push the boundaries a little too much. Even Spencer, who shouldn’t be shocked by some of my outlandish ideas, still gives me the side eye from time to time. And don’t get me wrong, I do need honest, unbiased opinions and criticism. But even that side eye glare doesn’t stop me from experimenting. It does, however, remind me that sometimes heading back to the basics is perfectly acceptable.

And that’s what I’ve done here.

I’ve taken two classic ingredients that are found in countless baked goods and combined them in this cookie; the white chocolate coconut cookie. I love the combination of white chocolate and coconut and these cookies are no exception.

Thanks to the addition of brown sugar these cookies are super chewy. There’s a combination of toasted and raw coconut, not only adding flavor but some extra texture as well. Then there are morsels of creamy white chocolate throughout the cookie.

These cookies are pure perfection. Especially when they’re fresh out of the oven, chewy and still warm. I’d be embarrassed to say just how many I popped in my mouth right when I pull them from the oven. Let’s just say that the quality control of these cookies was taken very seriously.

I must say, I’m glad I stuck to the basics and kept it simple. These cookies turned out incredible and let 2 of my favorites shine. So what are you waiting for? If you love cookies, white chocolate or coconut then you must make these cookies. Maybe even bake a double batch so there will be enough for your whole family and so maybe, just maybe they’ll stick around longer than a day!

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Stick + 2 Tbsp (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Large eggs
1 Egg yolk
2 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Cup white chocolate chips
1 Cup toasted, shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 Cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugars and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high an additional 2 minutes.

Add the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until just combined. Add the coconut and white chocolate and mix.

Using a cookie scoop (I used one that was about 1 1/2 tablespoons), scoop the dough on the prepared baking sheet and leave about 2 inches between each cookie. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Skillet Cookie

April 14, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Peanut butter and chocolate. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations. Ever.

The two were made for one another. Wouldn’t you agree?

I’ve made my fair share of chocolate and peanut butter cookies. I’ve even made several recipes that showcase that dynamic duo. And I’ve loved each and every single one of them. But can you ever have too many peanut butter and chocolate recipes? I, for one, think not.

So, what could possibly make this any better. Well, about about making a giant cookie and baking it in a skillet?

You all know about my obsession with skillet cookies. I think I’ve got an illness. I jump at any chance to make a skillet cookie. There’s something about pulling a big ol’ cookie out of the oven that’s been baked to perfection in a cast iron skillet.

So, when I started playing around with recipes for cookie week, I knew a skillet cookie had to be in the mix. I decided to take the infamous duo of peanut butter and chocolate and add some oatmeal to the mix. Not only for texture…but well, oatmeal in a cookie, it just makes you feel better. Makes you feel like you’re eating something that’s somewhat healthy. Right?

Please say someone agrees with me.

Anywho.

I made a twist on the classic peanut butter, chocolate chip oatmeal skillet cookie. I made a oatmeal cookie with mostly brown sugar for the ultimate chewy texture. Pressed that along the bottom of a cast iron skillet. Then I combined peanut butter and condensed milk and poured it over the cookie and sprinkled that with a mix of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips for more peanut butter flavor. To seal that gooey peanut butter layer in, I dropped spoonfuls of batter over the filling and and baked it.

The end result, nothing short of amazing. A big, fat chewy oatmeal cookie with the most deliciously gooey peanut butter filling. Ohmahgoodness. Could things really get any better? Well, as a matter of fact they can. By topping that warm, fresh from the oven cookie with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For the ultimate in peanut butter, chocolate chip goodness you must make this skillet cookie. Now!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Skillet Cookie

Ingredients:

10 Tbsp (1 stick + 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Lg egg
3/4 Cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/4 Cup flour
1/4 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1 1/4 Cup oats
1 Cup mini chocolate chips, divided
1/4 Cup peanut butter chips

For the filling-
1 can condensed milk
1/4 Cup + 3 Tbsp peanut butter, creamy or chunky

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Rub a cast iron skillet liberally with butter.

Place butter in a large bowl. Place in microwave and heat until melted. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the sugars and stir until incorporated. Add the egg and mix. Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda and oats until combined.

Pour a little over half the mixture in the prepared skillet, press gently in the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.

For the peanut butter filling-
Pour the condensed milk and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 15 seconds. Mix thoroughly.

Pour over the oatmeal cookie in the pan. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate chips and all of the peanut butter chips.

Add the remaining chocolate chips to the remaining batter and mix to combine. Drop, tablespoon portions of the batter over the peanut butter mixture.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until just set. Be sure not to over-bake as the cookie with continue to cook even after it’s removed from the oven.

Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

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