September 24, 2014

Sugar Cookies with Sour Cream Frosting

Sugar Cookies
1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS. water
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
1 -1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3- 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1.  Cream together butter, oil and sugars until combined. Add the water and eggs, soda, cream of tartar, salt and flour and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix your dough.

2.  Using a large cookie scoop (at least 1/4 cup sized) place a scoop of dough on your cookie sheet, spaced 2″ apart. With a glass or flat measuring cup, press down the rounded dough to flatten your cookie. The sides will spread out and open up a bit. (Part of the signature sugar cookie look.)

3.  In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and a pinch of kosher salt. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the cookies. Then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 1 minute on the hot pan. Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Frost cooled cookies.

Sour Cream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
2 TBS. heavy cream or milk
Red food coloring, if desired
3- 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more depending on the consistency you desire)

1.  Cream together all ingredients, until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cookies. Freeze any leftover frosting in a freezer bag. Label well.

From Wendy Paul Creations

September 19, 2014

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg*
1/4 tsp. cloves*
1/4 tsp. allspice*
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies

1.  Combine melted butter, sugar and brown sugar, until no lumps remain.  Add vanilla extract and pumpkin puree.  Set aside.

2.  In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice together.

3.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft.  Fold in 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.   Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

4.  When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Roll the dough into balls, about 1-1/2 Tablespoons of dough each. Slightly flatten the dough balls because the cookies will only slightly spread in the oven. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked.  Remove from the oven and press a few more chocolate chips onto the tops, if desired.  If you find that your cookies didn't spread much at all, flatten them out when you take them out of the oven.

5.  Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to a wire rack. The longer the cookies cool, the chewier they will be. Let them sit out for at least 1 hour before enjoying.  Their chewiness and pumpkin flavor is more prominent on day 2.  Cookies stay soft, moist, and chewy stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes about 18 cookies

Freezing directions: Roll the chilled dough into balls and freeze in a large ziploc bag for up to 2 months.  Baked cookies may also be frozen up to 2 months.

*Use 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, if desired.

From Sally's Baking Addiction

September 15, 2014

Butterscotch Blondies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1.  Combine butter and sugars until creamed together.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

2.  Add baking powder and flour and mix well.  Fold in butterscotch chips.

3.  Press batter in a greased 9x9 inch baking pan.  Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 18-30 minutes or until lightly browned.  (Mine took 20 minutes).  Let cool before cutting in bars.

From Jen's Favorite Cookies

September 10, 2014

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 egg
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1 TBS. brown sugar
2 TBS. oil
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup pumpkin
chocolate chips, as many as you want (I used 1/2 cup)

1.  In a bowl, whisk egg until fluffy.  Beat in remaining ingredients.  Let batter rest for 5-10 minutes.  Add more milk if you like thinner pancakes.

2.  Preheat griddle to 375℉ while batter is resting.  Grease griddle and cook like other pancakes.
Top with powdered sugar, butter, syrup or whipped cream if desired.

I got 6 pancakes.

From Jams Vegetarian Cooking