Desserts

Oregon Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

I try to change up the cookies I make every year because the only cookies I’m willing to repeat are my peanut butter cookies (thanks to my family and friends who always say “But you are making your peanut butter cookies, right?”). If you aren’t careful, you can either end up with a bunch of beige/white cookies (i.e. peanut butter, sugar, chocolate chip, butter) or nothing but chocolate cookies. I like to have a little bit of both. These Oregon Chocolate-Cherry Cookies may not sound like holiday cookies but really, who’s to judge? Any cookie is a holiday cookie in my opinion. And what holiday isn’t made better by lots of chocolate?

These cookies have both cocoa and chocolate chips and are topped with a drizzle of even more melted chocolate. Dried cherries added another layer of flavor which I have to say is what drew me to these cookies (which is I guess why they are called Oregon cookies). Dried cherries are like candy to me and I will eat them in just about anything. These cookies are chewy and very chocolatey – perfect for the chocolate lover in your family. Leave a plate of these for Santa and he’ll be happy. Just don’t forget the milk!

The ingredients:

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels and dried sweetened cherries.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake, in batches, at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Drizzle cookies with 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted, if desired.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Coastal Living magazine

Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies

How does December get so busy? Here it is already the 16th and I haven’t had one post since before Thanksgiving. Where does the time go? Well, Christmas is already next week (can you believe it?) so in my world that means one thing – Christmas cookies! This week, that’s all I’ll have for you. Because I’ve decided that what I love making most of all is cookies. It’s time I sit down and figure out how in the world I could have my own cookie shop because it would make me so happy. Anyway, the first cookie I have for you this week is Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies.

Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves are added to a maple-laced dough making for a spicy little holiday cookie (well, holiday in my book!). Topped with a simple frosting, also laced with maple syrup, and chopped walnuts, this cookie’s bold, unique flavor may not suit everyone’s palette but for someone looking for a cookie other than simple butter or chocolate chip, this might be for you. The dough is thick making it easy to roll into small balls of dough for easy baking. I made mine pretty small, trying to make them close to bite size since you probably wouldn’t want to eat too many of these spicy snacks in one sitting. If you are looking for a grown-up substitute for gingerbread cookies, try these instead!

The ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350°F. To prepare cookies, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through cloves) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Place brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons syrup and egg; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until combined.

Spoon batter evenly into 30 mounds (about 1 tablespoon) 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons syrup, milk, and 2 teaspoons butter, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookies. Working quickly, sprinkle cookies with nuts.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

Walnut Cream Cheese Sandwiches on Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

I will never look at grilled cheese the same way again. Never in my life had I ever considered a sweet grilled cheese. I’ve had sweet sandwiches before (like this Panini with Chocolate and Brie) but nothing like this Walnut Cream Cheese Sandwiches on Cinnamon-Raisin Bread. Every once in a while when I go out to get a bagel from the bakery, I’ll splurge and get the walnut-raisin cream cheese but it’s rare because it seems so decadent. Well, the walnut cream cheese in the middle of this sandwich tastes nearly identical. And I’m obsessed.

Cream cheese (I used reduced-fat), walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon are mixed together until creamy and spread between two pieces of cinnamon-raisin bread which is then grilled in a little light butter until golden and slightly crispy. Even with using reduced-fat cream cheese and light butter, I still found this sandwich to be a little rich so if you aren’t into sweets for breakfast, this would make a great after dinner dessert. I mean, why not? You can control however much cream cheese you want in your sandwiches so you can make it as hearty as you like. Trust me, any leftover cream cheese mixture is stunning on a toasted bagel. Or licked from a spoon. Or licked from your fingers. Not that I know anything about that.