Shortbread Cookies

Today's post will be short and sweet. Summer is making me lazy and I need to keep myself busy busy busy. Then work begins to get hectic, so I like to do two thinks to keep me sane and calm. One being taking a nice walk and second is baking. In this case, I baked some delicious shortbread cookies. I had enough ingredients to make a few batches. Lately, when I bake, I make more than I intend to. Haha... Has that ever happened to you? I gave several batches to a friend and they were a hit with her son.

So when things seem hectic and run me ragged, I turn to stepping into the kitchen and baking up some delicious yummies. Cookies are good. The only thing missing is a nice cold glass of milk and all is right in my world again.

Makes roughly 4 dozen cookies.

Shortbread Cookies

1 c unsalted butter (room temp)
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c cake flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚F

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour half cup at a time. Mix thoroughly until the flour is fully incorporated. You can roll out the dough into a sheet and cut out shapes using cookie cutters or form the dough into golf ball-sized balls and gently flatten them into 1/8-inch thick flat disc (slightly larger than a quarter)

(note: you can mold the dough into a log and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake and cut out discs)

Place on a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spaced 2-3 inches apart.

Bake for 8 minutes and cool before consuming.

Brown Sugar Cookies

I had every intention of baking sugar cookies this week, but when I somehow took one glance at a jarful of light brown sugar those intentions went out the window. I haven't really baked much lately and I've been craving to get my hands dusted in flours once again. Luckily, my landlord had my conventional oven fixed, so now I can get back to business. There's only so much I could make with using a small toaster oven.

I remember I had bookmarked a cookie recipe from Furey and the Feast and felt that this would be a perfect time to try it out. I had just enough ingredients to make a batch. 2 dozen cookies.The original recipe called for dark brown sugar. I use light brown sugar, which was the only thing that I had. I wasn't in the mood to go to the market and buy one item. (I blame the summer weather for my slight laziness). So I bake it up and make around two dozen cookies. With a nice chewy center and crisp crust. You can't go wrong with that. Just make sure you let them cool first before taking a big a bite out of one of them. Yeah... I was eager. My poor tastebuds. hahaha... This is perfect with an evening cup of tea or a nice cold glass of milk.

Makes 24 cookies.

Brown Sugar Cookies
slightly adapted from Furey and the Feast

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Or you can use a silpat, too.

In a bowl, cream the butter and both sugars. Add egg, vegetable oil an vanilla, and mix until until fully incorporated.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until all ingredients just come together (If you have a mixer, you may use it to make the dough).

Divide the dough into 24 golf ball-sized rounds, flatten the dough balls and place on the cookie sheet about 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes for a chewy center with crisp edges. Remove from oven and remove from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack.

Lemon and Pistachio Cookies

I remember tasting these cooking at Stir It 28. Esi of Dishing up Delights was the one who contributed to serving up these deliciously yummy cookies. I had more than a few of these over the course the event. I went for seconds and thirds. Maybe even fourths. Suffice to say...I enjoyed them quite a bit. So the day before Easter rolls around and I'm in need to bake something. I barely had time to plan out a meal to cook. I wanted to be sure that I make a little something. Simple and easy, which these cookies were. The original used meyer lemons, but I only had regular one. It still tasted great. with the bits and pieces of pistachios. These are definitely worth making again.

Makes roughly 30 cookies.

Meyer Lemon and Pistachio Cookies
(Adapted from Dishing Up Delights)

3/4 c (4 ounces) roasted pistachios, ground until almost powdery (chunks are ok)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon zest
2 egg yolks
Coarse sea salt for finishing

In a medium bowl, mix together the pistachios with the flour and salt. Set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugars, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about three minutes on high speed. Beat in yolks. Turn off mixer, dump in flour mixture, then beat on low speed for just a few seconds, or until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment .

Scoop 1-2 tablespoon balls of the dough, placing 12 to a sheet. Sprinkle each dough mound very lightly with coarse salt. Bake for roughly 6 minutes Cookies are done when the centers are set and the edges are nicely browned.

Cool on a rack. 

Choco Lemon Madeleine Muffins

How about a little basket of muffin goodness to start your day off right? I remember Heavenly Housewife, of From Donuts to Delirium, posting about madeleine cookies. Oh how I love those shell-shaped cookies. I commented about I wish I could make them, but I didn't have a the mold pan. She responded by suggesting using a muffin pan. My dahhhhling HH, you a genius!! Why I didn't think of that before I have no idea? A solution was staring at me right in the face and yet, I couldn't see it.

The original recipe came from a cookbook my mom had given me as a gift one Christmas called  Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World, Paris. The recipe was called Madaleines Au Citron or Lemon Madeleines. I enjoy a madeleine cookie every now and then maybe with a cup of tea or coffee. I've sometimes get a tub of them from Costco, whenever I shop there.

For this one, I changed it up a bit by adding a bit of cocoa powder to the recipe. I don't have a madeleine cookie mold, so in came the mini muffin pan. Though, a madeleine pan would be nice to have. (Note to self: add to kitchen wish list) Takes only several minutes to bake and it's super good with a hint of lemon flavor. You have one, you can't resist and must have another.

 Makes 12-16 muffins.

Choco Lemon Madeleine Muffins
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World, Paris

2 eggs
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 c unsalted butter - melted
powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375˚F

Baste your muffin pan with some of the melted butter and dust the molds with some flour and pat off the excess.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt.

Cream together the melted butter and sugar. Then add each egg beating after each one. Followed by the vanilla extract and almond extract.

Slowly add the flour mixture and combine.  Then fold in the lemon zest.

Divide the batter evenly among the molds and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes from removing from molds.

Dusting with some powdered sugar is optional.

Nutella Wafers

Another nutella recipe? Yes, it is! I say you can never have enough nutella, right? I was in a baking mood when I make those nutella rolls several days ago, so I went ahead and made some cookie wafers. For this, I just basically adjusted my Vanilla Almond Wafer recipe and added a couple heaping tablespoons nutella. What I got was some chocolate, vanilla, almond, hazelnut, sesame flavors in a delicious wafer cookie. Had myself a glass of milk and ate a few for a little afternoon snack. Besides who doesn't like a good cookie? Yummy! You just can't have one or two.

Makes roughly 2 dozen. 

Nutella Wafers

2 egg whites (beaten)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
8 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
8 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp water
2 Tbsp Nutella
1/4 salt
sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350˚F

In a bowl combine the flou, sugar, salt, cornstarch and mix in the water.

In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, vanila extract, almond extract, and vegetable oil. mix together until the mixture is frothy, then add into the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, spoon the batter into your desired size and sprinkle on the sesame seeds.

Baked for 10-15 minutes.

Kabocha Cookies

Kabocha is a Japanese squash. More commonly a pumpkin. This summer has been great for the squash familia. I think I've got my fill of them by the looks of the recipes I've posted these past few month. I was thinking about making some tempura with them, but then I thought of making some sort of baked cookie with them. It's been a while since I've made cookies. Why not? I did make sweet potato biscuits. Why not kabocha cookies, right?

I recently received a jar of some Red Ape Cinnamon, which is pure organic ground Cassia cinnamon from Sumatra. I haven't, at the time, even opened the jar and the smell was so wonderful. Twist the cap open and the aroma fill the air. I love cinnamon. Just the smell of cinnamon and I'm in love. Check out their site to see what other products they offer. It tastes quite lovely to be honest. There's just something about cinnamon that makes it irresistable.

I found a neat trick by mircowaving the kabocha for roughly 5 minutes to get the flesh soft, cooked and easy to handle. It sort of steams them in a way. Make sure you cut them into chunks first. This helps in scooping them out from the skins without have to boil a big pot water.

It's got a little consisteny of a muffin top. I guess I should call these kabocha muffin tops, but I like the sound of cookies better. These are really tasty and with a slight sweetness. A perfect afternoon snack.

Makes 12 large cookies or 18 medium cookies.

Kabocha Cookies

1 small kabocha (2 c)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda


Preheat oven to 375˚F

Heat the kabocha in the microwave for 5 minutes. Then slice in half. Heat for another five minutes to cook until tender. Let it cool for several minutes before handling. Scoop out the flesh and into the food processor or blender. blend until smooth. You may also mash them, if you don't have either.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Then in another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in egg yolks and the kabocha. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

Place on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Sugar Cookie with Lemon-Pom Icing

I had all day, Wednesday, to rest and relax. Although, me being me...I just can't sit still and do nothing. I have to keep myself busy some way some how. My solution was to bake something. I remember in the sixth grade my teacher had made some sugar cookies for our class. I pestered...no I kindly asked her for the recipe, which she eventually gave to me after a while.

I changed it up a bit. Doubled on the vanilla extract and used cake flour instead of all purpose. The cookies had a nice consistency of almost cake-like. It was pretty neat. I paired it with a spread of a lemon-pomegranate icing.

Makes close to 3 dozen cookies. I can't really say how much as I munched on them while I was still making them. No one can resist the power of a cookie!



Sugar Cookie with Lemon Pom Frosting

Cookie:
1 c unsalted butter
1 1/s c granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c cake flour

Preheat you oven to 375˚F

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg then add in the vanilla extract and milk.

Mix in the flour mixture and combine well.

Scoop out a teaspoon worth onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Bake for 5-10 min or the until the edges had slightly browned. Let them cool completely before spreading the icing.


Lemon-Pomegrante icing:

4 Tbsp cream cheese
6 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
zest of 1 lemon (optional)
2 Tbsp Pomegranate Juice

Combine all ingredients together.

Spread a nice layer over the cookie.

Chocolate Espresso Cookie Rounds with PB Chips

Need a tiny caffeine kick without the extremely hot brewed coffee that could potentially burn your mouth and/or hand? How about a little Chocolate Espresso Cookie with Peanut Butter Chips?

I had the urge to bake something the other day. I needed to feed that urge. I had some peanut butter chips left from the white choco brownies. I didn't want to make brownies again. I had 3/4 of a canister of Illy espresso grounds left from I made some tiramisu early this year. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I do have a cup or two every once in awhile.

One of my favorite desserts was the Starbucks espresso brownies. I thought I'd make something similar probably in a cookie form. Or just take the peanut butter cookie and add some espresso. Also, making them round. Cookies don't necessarily have to be flat. I like the round ball shapes these cookies take. Reminds me of the cinnamon almond biscookies I had made a few weeks ago. These have a soft, slightly moist chewy center. You can taste the espresso blend with the cocoa powder with a slight hint of peanut butter. It's oh-so-good!

Make sure you have a cold glass of moo juice (milk) on hand.

Make 18 cookies.



Chocolate Espresso Cookie Rounds with PB Chips

1 c granulated sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter or margarine (softened)
2 eggs
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 c cake flour or all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c peanut butter chips (plus extra)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp espresso

Preheat oven to 375˚F

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, espresso. Set aside

In antoerh bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add the eggs, beating throughly after each one. The mix in the vanilla extract.

Once the wet ingredients a mixed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Throughly mix to combine.

Mix in the peanut butter chips. Add in more, if needed.

Divide into 18 balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake to 8-10 min.

Oatmeal Mango Cookies

I love oatmeal raisin cookies as much as I love chocolate chip and snickerdoodles. One thing I've never seen are oatmeal cookies with mangoes. I don't know if there's a recipe already out there, if there is I guess you can add this to the list. It popped in my heard the other day. I know there's been oatmeal with cranberry, so why not mango? I thought of using some fresh mango, but I was afraid that it'll turn it into mush. The alternative was the dried kind.

One of my favorite snacks growing was dried mangoes. One of the advantages of where I live is that there are several Filipino markets selling goods from the homeland. So I never feel homesick for snacks, treats and ingredients that I grew up loving. Dried Mangoes are best for using in cookies. The ones I used is the Philippine brand. Made from the Island of Cebu in the Visayan region. It's one of their many specialties along side the best whole roasted pig you'll ever eat. Even Anthony Bourdain said it was the best pig he's eaten.

The Philippine brand dried Mangoes are lightly sweetened. It's a healthy afternoon snack and oh-so-good! Great for fiber, too. Thought I'd throw that in there. You don't necessarily have to use this brand. I know Whole Foods, Costco and, I think, Trader Joe's carry dried mangoes. So they're definitely out there. Just be sure to get the lightly sweetened kind because when you bake it, they will caramelize inside the cookie.

I cut the dried mango to the size of raisins for chewability. I also love it when it's loaded with oats. The mangoes are not overwelming, so it blends nicely with the cinnamon flavor.

These will make 12 cookies.



Oatmeal Mango Cookies

1 c dried mangoes (cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c cake flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350˚F

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in each egg, stirring after each one. The add vanilla.

Mix in oats and mango pieces. Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces and place on a lightly greased baking sheet, parchment paper or silpat.

Bake for 8 to 10 min.

Manchego Cookies

Croustillants. Just another fancy name for cheese crackers. It's actually french. A couple Christmas' ago, my mom had given me this cookbook called Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World, Paris. She knew my love for the city and its food. Lots of delicious recipes in there that I would like to eventually try. The cheese cracker recipe was included in the appetizer section. IT got me thinking. What about cheese in a cookie? So I changed up the original by using Manchego cheese and garnishing with some dry parsley and basil. The final result is a nice cheese taste. Not overpowering with a hint of herb. A beautiful blend.


Manchego Cookies

1/2 C shredded Manchego cheese
1 C Flour
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter or Margarine
Pinch of Salt

Dry Basil
Dry Parsley


Preheat Oven 325˚F

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until a dough consistency.

If mixing by hand, grate the manchego cheese and combine with the flour. Once blended together mix in the butter until it is like a dough consistency.

Remove from bowl, mold into a cylinder shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 1/2 an hour.

Then remove from plastic wrap and cut 1/2" thick slices. Remold to a circular shape, if needed. Sprinkle some dry basil and parsley. Place on a non-greased baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25min. Let cool completely then enjoy.

Vanilla Almond Wafers

Cookies and milk doesn't have to be with chocolate chip, oatmeal or oreo.

Here's a wafer cookie that bring back some childhood memories. These are Vanilla Almond Wafers. Kind of like those Nilla Wafer cookies. This goes well with some moooooo juice (milk), tea, yogurt, ice cream, cookie sandwiches. Anything you do with a regular cookie, you can do with this.

It has a flavor similar to a fortune cookies, but better, not processed, without the weird shape and the paper fortune generated by a computer that sometimes gives you a haiku rather than a fortune.



Vanilla Almond Wafers

2 Large Egg Whites
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
8 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour (you may substitute half wheat flour for wheat wafers)
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp Sugar (or sugar substitute)
3 tsp Water
Sesame Seeds (optional as a topping)

Preheat oven 300˚F

Sift all the dry ingredients (Flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar) together in a bowl. Then stir water into the mixture. It'll look like crumbly pieces of dough.

In a another medium bowl, beat egg whites lightly with vanilla, almond and oil. Mix until frothy, but not stiff

Next, add the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix together into a smooth batter. Batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a spoon.

Use a silpat or greased baking sheet. Place a small dollop on the baking sheet and gently swirl to make them into thin rounds. The diameter could be of your choice (small, medium or large). Sprinkle a little sesame seeds on top.

Bake until it turns golden brown (roughly 15 min). Let cool until cookies harden.

Then enjoy!

Deep-Fried Oreos = Chewy Deliciousness

Deep-Fried Oreos, originally uploaded by Misadventures of Little J.

The sheer thought of deep drying a batter-covered oreo like you do poultry or seafood was a strange idea to me and still is. I had my first taste of this at the Los Angeles County Fair. I was hesitant as I love oreos with a nice glass of milk. I thought to myself, "how can they desecrate such an iconic cookie?! How?!?" But I'm not biased. I give equal opportunity to all food-kind. It was either that or the twinkie. The hostess treat that can last for 20 years. If ever there was a food shortage, go for a twinkie.

I get an order from one of the food stalls that sell the dessert in question. It was still hot and fresh from the fryer. Drizzled with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and some powdered sugar. I pick one up and take my first bite. All I could say way "Whoever invented this concoction, I love you!!" The crisp batter turned the oreo like a soft cake. My taste buds danced with delight as I shoved the other half into my mouth for more chewy deliciousness. It was nice, surprisingly moist and chewy. Probably one of the more decadent treats I've ever eaten. It's one of those you'd put in the "heart-clogging, but so good" category. I'd definitely eat this again.

I'm still waiting to try the deep-fried snickers bar, which I hear is pretty delish as well.

Chewy Deliciousness!!!, originally uploaded by Misadventures of Little J.