Molasses Spice Cookies

I've been meaning to make these cookies for quite some time, and I finally found an excuse this year when I decided to participate in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

Each participant sends one dozen cookies to three other food bloggers and receives cookies from three different food bloggers in return! As someone whose mailbox is normally full of bills, junk, and other people's mail (much to my annoyance)... I couldn't have been more excited to anxiously await three boxes of cookies!

(I usually check my mail about twice a month, but for the past two weeks I've been checking it every day!)

My cookies traveled to Sara of Sensibly Sara, Kristen of The Slender Kitchen, and Rebekah of The Cooking Vent. I hope they enjoyed them as much as I did!

Molasses Spice Cookies
Adapted from Baking Illustrated

2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar + additional for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter for about one minute at medium speed. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and continue creaming for about two minutes more.

4. Reduce the speed to low, and add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then increase the speed to medium and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and add the molasses. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then increase the speed to medium and mix until combined.

5. Reduce the speed to stir and add the dry ingredients. Mix just until all of the flour is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and stir any remaining streaks of flour in by hand.

6. Divide the dough into tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls with your hands. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about two inches apart.

7. Bake until the cookies are browned but still puffy, about 8-11 minutes.The centers should still be soft and the edges will have just begun to set. Don't worry if they look slightly underbaked; they will continue to bake on the baking sheet after you remove it from the oven. If you overbake them, they will be crispy instead of chewy once they cool. Note: It's best to bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven; if you bake two trays at a time, the cookies closer to the bottom of the oven won't look "crackly."

8. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

 

November via iPhone

It's not christmas without red cups!

(The fact that this photo was taken on November 1st is neither here nor there.)

 Target + Christmas? Be still my heart.

Christmas flair in my car! (on November 8th, no less)

 Picky Palate's salted pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies. It had to happen!

 Don't tell me you're surprised. 

Christmas tree up on November 14th! (I'm starting a revolution)

 Turkey cookies for Thanksgiving. Gobble gobble!

Homemade snowglobe! fa la la la la!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram if you'd like to see more evidence of my childlike obsession with the holiday season! (And, really, who wouldn't?)

Fall! Fall! Fall! + Spiced M&M Brown Sugar Cookies

Spiced M&M Brown Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Joy the Baker

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 & 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup m&m's

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter for about 1 minute at medium speed. Add the brown sugar, and cream for 1-2 minutes more, or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and add the egg and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until thoroughly combined.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, and mix at low speed just until the dough comes together. Add the m&m's, and continue mixing until they are evenly distributed. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, and arrange the balls on cookie sheets about two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

 

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

An updated list of all the pumpkin-flavored things I've purchased this year (so far):

pumpkin bagels
pumpkin cream cheese
pumpkin pie pop tarts
pumpkin coffee
pumpkin coffee creamer
pumpkin hershey's kisses
pumpkin cookie mix
pumpkin bar mix
pumpkin waffles

As hard as it is for me to understand, I realize that not everyone loves this quintessential fall flavor as much as I do. I've even heard rumors that some people don't like pumpkin... at all.

In fact, I've managed to become friends with one of these anti-pumpkin people. And it was out of consideration for her feelings toward pumpkin that I ended up making these brownies for a recent get-together at her house.

(If you're wondering why I didn't just make something totally pumpkin-less, then you really don't know me at all.)

The pumpkin flavor in these brownies is really just an accent to the chocolate, which is why it's the perfect choice for someone with lukewarm feelings about pumpkin. And as it turned out, my anti-pumpkin friend really liked them! (or so she said).

Small as it may be, the success of this endeavor has given me hope that it's not too late for her. Who knows? If everything goes as planned, she could be eating pumpkin pie just in time for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 & 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cups pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat a 9-inch square pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.

2. Heat the butter and chocolate in the microwave at half power, stopping every 30 seconds to stir, until completely melted. Be careful not to overheat!

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and beat together at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture, and continue mixing at medium speed until thoroughly combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into one bowl of batter. Stir the pumpkin, vegetable oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the other bowl of batter.

6. Transfer half of the chocolate batter to the prepared pan. Add half of the pumpkin batter on top of the chocolate batter. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and pumpkin batter. Use a knife to swirl the batters together in the pan, creating a marbled effect. Top with sprinkles if desired.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes about 16 brownies.

 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

In my world, fall and pumpkin are nearly synonymous. This week alone, I bought

pumpkin spice bagels
pumpkin spice cream cheese
pumpkin spice coffee creamer
a pumpkin-scented candle
and a pumpkin-shaped candy jar.

I know, okay? I know.

But before I get started on baking pumpkin into muffins and scones and cupcakes and cinnamon rolls and pie, I thought I'd give apples their moment in the spotlight.

Enter: caramel apple cheesecake bars. Please take a moment to acquaint yourself:

Do you SEE those layers?!

1. brown sugar crust 2. cheesecake 3. spiced apples 4. brown sugar streusel 5. caramel sauce

I'll take care of layers four and five. Divide the rest amongst yourselves.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from The Gingered Whisk

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Cheesecake Layer:

24 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Apple Layer:

3 granny smith apples, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons granulated sugar


Streusel Layer:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Caramel Layer:
about 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

2. For the crust: Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and use clean hands to work it into the flour and sugar mixture. Once the dough comes together, press it into the bottom of the prepared pan, forming an even layer.

3. For the cheesecake layer: Cream together the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla, and continue mixing until smooth.

4. For the apple layer: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Mix thoroughly to coat all of the apples.

5. For the streusel layer: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and oats. Add the butter, and use clean hands to work it into the dry ingredients until only pea-sized clumps of butter remain.

6. To Assemble: Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour the cheesecake over the warm crust and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the apples evenly over the top of the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the apple layer.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is set. Once the bars have cooled slightly, drizzle the caramel topping over the streusel. Store in the refrigerator

Makes about 16 bars.