March 9, 2026

Muddy Buddy Cookies







Ingredients

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 cup brown sugar 
2 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cornstarch
powdered sugar, for garnish

Milk Chocolate Ganache

3 cups milk chocoalte chips
3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F .While the oven is preheating make the cookie dough.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Scrape the sides, add in the eggs, vanilla and peanut butter. Beat until mixed.
Scrape the sides and add in the flour, baking powder and cornstarch. Mix until thoroughly combined.

4. Use a scoop to create equal sized cookies. Double scoop the cookie dough to make large bakery style cookies. If desired roll cookie balls in powdered sugar to make them look more muddy buddy.

5. Flatten the cookie dough by gently pressing the bottom of a drinking glass down on the center of the cookie dough. Repeat with remaining dough. The cookies will spread slightly so make sure to leave room. I tend to only put 6 cookies per pan.

6. Bake at 375° for 9-11 minutes or until the centers of the cookies have puffed up and are no longer glossy and the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Cool Completely.

7. Microwave the heavy cream until boiling (about 2 minutes) and then pour the chocolate chips into the hot cream.

8. Let the chocolate chips and hot cream sit for 5 mintues. After the 5 minutes, stir until smooth.
Let the Ganache cool and thicken slightly and then spoon and spread ganache onto each cookie.

9. Refrigerate the cookies until ready to serve. About 20 or 30 minutes before serving, remove from the fridge and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Keep refrigerated and serve chilled.

March 2, 2026

Pumpkin Cupcakes






FOR THE CAKE

1- 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar packed
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups pumpkin purée
3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 TBS baking powder
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt


CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3-4 C. powdered sugar

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE
1. Preheat 350℉ for cake or 325℉ for cupcakes. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Spray again and set aside. Or if you want cupcakes line muffin tins with cupcake papers. (I got 34)

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin  and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.

4. Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. (Mine took 23). Or for cupcakes fill liners evenly. I baked for 18 minutes at 325.

5. Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.

6. For frosting: Cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until desired consistency.  Frost cake or cupcakes as desired.  (I used 1-1/2 recipe of frosting for the cupcakes so I could pipe the frosting)

March 1, 2026

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies



INGREDIENTS
1-¼ cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-¾ cups of flour (357 grams)
½ teaspoon of salt
2 tsp baking soda
2-2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Brown 1- ¼ cups of butter in a medium-large saucepan, stirring constantly over medium-high heat, until you reach a deep honey color. Remove from heat and pour into your mixing bowl. Cool butter in fridge or freezer until room temperature consistency, you want your butter to be solid. If you use it when its still liquid your cookies will be flat.


2. Preheat oven to 375 ℉. Grease baking sheets with cooking spray or line with silicone mats or parchment paper.
3. Once butter has set up, cream together butter and both sugars for 1 minute. Add in eggs and vanilla for and additional 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. (Make sure you get all those toasty brown bits at the bottom of your brown butter!)


4. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Only mix the dry ingredients in until just barely combined—over mixing will make the cookies tough. Stir in chocolate chips.


5. Take ¼ cup of Doug and shape into round balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the top and edges are just golden. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

From In Fine Taste