December 22, 2011 · 11:13 am

Cookie Countdown Day 5: Laura’s Simple Cinnamon Pinwheels

My friend Laura (of pumpkin pull-apart bread fame) introduced me to pinwheels last year.

She would come over, whip up a batch, have them out of the oven before our show started and they’d be gone by the time it was over.

They are that quick to make and ALWAYS that quickly devoured.

They’re so easy! And more than worth it!

Watch me!

So see…you need to roll them tightly because all that deliciousness just falls out if you don’t.

When they come out of the oven they are soooooooo gooey oozy amazing.  Please eat one immediately.

They cool off pretty deliciously too…

Heck yes.

Enjoy!

❤ Ellen

Laura’s Simple Cinnamon Pinwheels

Recipe from this girl Laura I know…

Pie crust (either your favorite recipe or from a box)
1-2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (so 1/4 cup cinnamon and 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you want)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Roll the pie crust into a rectangle-ish shape

3.  Spread evenly with butter…my store-bought pie crust needed about a tablespoon…maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons.  You just need enough to cover it in a thin layer

4. Combine the brown sugar/cinnamon sugar in a small bowl.  You can add in flavorings if you want (I did…vanilla is awesome)

5. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough and roll it into a log starting at a long side.  Make sure to roll as tightly as you can so the sugar will stay put when sliced!

6. Slice off little pinwheel cookies.  Make sure not to just press down and smoosh them into ovals! Sharp knives help

7.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until they look lightly toasty

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December 21, 2011 · 9:14 am

Cookie Countdown Day 4: Angela’s Legendary Thumbprint Cookies

I have a Christmas story for you.

Once upon a time there was a lady named Angela.

She was my grandmother’s friend and one heck of a baker.

Every year around Christmas time, the two of them got together to chat, consume approximately 12.5 pots of coffee and bakebakebake.

Holy moly…the things that came out of that kitchen…

we looked forward to it every year.

That tradition ended around about the time I was discovering my love for baking…

…so I decided to attempt to keep the cookie love alive.

I had a problem, though.  A big one called, “no recipes”.

The recipes for those ridiculous cookies were straight out of a home kitchen in Italy, carried over here in Angela’s head and only in Angela’s head.

We managed to scrounge up some kind of directions but I don’t know if I’d really call them recipes…

It included some measurement estimates that just could NOT be right and may as well have said “just mix some things until it looks right”

Because I had never seen the actual cookie dough…I didn’t know what looked “right”.

So the experimentation began.

((What I really mean is “challenge accepted”))

It took a couple tries….

ok a lot of tries…

and I’m STILL not 100% satisfied that this is what they did…

but I finally figured out recipes that come really close.

I’m going to show you two (I hope).  This is the first.

They made the absolute best thumbprint cookies in the universe.

Nothing quite compares to what Angela and grandma made…

but I give you: my best shot.

Now comes the thumbprint part!

Make a little well with your thumb…after they’re baked we’ll fill them with jam!

Bake them, fill them, immediately pop one of these little gems in your mouth and die of happiness.

Yup, that is just the slightest hint of almond flavor.

Yep, almost a little bit salty and addicting??

Yeah, I know…they’re buttery and rich and heavenly.

Thank you, Angela.  The holidays wouldn’t be the same without you.

Enjoy!

❤ Ellen

Angela’s Legendary Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe from Angela and grandma of course

¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup softened butter
2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
2 egg whites (slightly beaten, set aside)
1  ½ cups finely chopped walnuts
½ cup jelly or preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt, set aside

3. Separate your eggs and set the whites aside for rolling later

4. Beat egg yolks, butter, vanilla and almond extracts until light and fluffy

5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  The dough will be crumbly but it will still hold together

6. Form the dough into balls and roll each one first in the egg whites, then in the crushed walnuts

7. Place them on a cookie sheet (they don’t spread) and press your thumb into the center of each one to form a well (which will later hold jam).  The cookies may crumble and crack a bit…don’t worry about it too much.  If they split in half just gently press them back together…they hold together when baked.

8. Bake for10-12 minutes or until lightly browned (they may even look a little under done…careful not to over bake! The slightest browning means they’re finished baking)

9. Remove from cookie sheet while warm and fill centers with jelly.

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December 20, 2011 · 10:10 am

Cookie Countdown Day 3: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss

Yessssssssss

My absolute favorite flavors….together in one cookie….

CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Some extra exclamation points…in case you weren’t sure how I felt about these)

I always think that there is no way I could choose a favorite cookie…until I eat another peanut butter cookie….

peanut butter cookies are definitely my favorite kind of cookie.

Especially if we get chocolate involved.

No cookie baking binge would be complete without them!

Peanut butter chocolate time…

Try not to be too creeped out by that block of Crisco.

I refuse to deviate from this recipe.

Also…crunchy peanut butter…it’s a way of life.

Don’t worry about that color changing peanut butter mixture…

Then comes some eggy milky vanilla splatter art?

Mix it up then add the flour…finally starting to look a little more appetizing…

Now here’s a secret…

Just a touch…it makes a difference.

Then the chocolate!!!!

As much as you want..for real.

(Don’t skimp)

Roll em up and send em to the sugar bath

Side note:

Peanut butter cookies are a dream to roll.

They stick to themselves but not to anything else…

…so you get perfect little balls and no sticky mess on your fingers or the bowl!

Good day to you too, peanut butter cookies.

I appreciate you.

When you get your cookies on the cookie sheet…make sure you flatten them so that they bake correctly.

Also, make sure you flatten them with a fork…because that’s what real peanut butter cookies should look like.

((I’m all about the action shots today…my fingers are all over the place))

Ready, set, bake!

What is so comforting about cookies in rows?

Piles are good too…

Don’t forget your milk!

Enjoy!

❤ Ellen

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe slightly adapted from This Peanut Butter Blossom recipe

Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter (I like crunchy but creamy would be dreamy)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Granulated sugar for rolling

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.

3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar, cinnamon; beat until fluffy.

4. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.

5. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture.

6. Fold in chocolate chips, (as much as you want), shape into one inch balls, roll in sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet

7. Flatten cookies with a fork to create the classic crisscross pattern

8. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees F, or until lightly browned.  If you cool them on tin foil..they’ll stay soft =)

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