Nutella-Stuffed Funfetti Cookies

Aaaaaaand, we're back!

The fam and I bought a house! So we've recently moved: packed, unpacked, vacuumed, un-vacuumed, found things, lost things, etc. and moved five minutes across town. It's a great little house with a great little yard. I have always wanted a lemon tree and now I have three lemon trees, which begs the question - what the heck do you need three lemon trees for? But I can't wait to find out.

So. Nutella-Stuffed Funfetti Cookies. The name says it all. I discovered them on http://notyourmommascookie.com/ (which is an amazing blog) and knew that I must partake. I got settled into my new kitchen, reacquainted with my Kitchen-Aid and got down to baking business. These are pretty simple cookies, though, so the baking was quick! Make them today. They are as good as they sound.

Nutella-Stuffed Funfetti Cookies

1 box Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Approx. 1/2 cup Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop teaspoon size balls of Nutella onto cookie sheet. Freeze for about 20 minutes or until firm.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Take a heaping spoonful of dough and press a frozen Nutella ball into the center. Form the dough around the Nutella to form a ball and roll until it is smooth and no Nutella is exposed.
5. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet.

Delish!

Orange Stick Cookies

My Uncle Jim used to advise us to eat orange sticks when we had a cold. As a health professional and a human being, I fully supported this concept. I was recently saddened to find that orange sticks do not actually have an iota of Vitamin C. They do, however, have a thin dark chocolate coating, chocolate has been linked to increasing serotonin levels, serotonin is linked to happiness, happiness is scarce when you have a cold...Uncle Jim was onto something.

There is a very good chance you have boxes of orange sticks lying around from the holidays. Even if you don't have a cold, these little goodies shouldn't go to waste and, boy, do I have the solution for you. I have been dreaming up these cookies for some time now and am quite pleased with the results. Let's be frank: they taste like an orange stick in a cookie. Which is delicious. And necessary.

P.S. Even if you don't have leftover Orange Sticks, you can find them at Trader Joe's year round.

Orange Stick Cookies

6 TBLS. butter

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, divided

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 eggs

2 tsp. orange extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 TBLS. orange zest

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

10-15 orange sticks, chopped into chunks

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or baking mat. 

2. In a heat proof bowl over simmering water, melt the butter, 6 oz. chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, use a stand or hand held mixer to beat eggs, orange extract and sugar on medium high for 2-3 minutes until batter thickens. 

4. With mixer on low, slowly add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture.

5. Mix orange zest, flour, baking powder and salt separately. With mixer on low, slowly add it to the batter. Do not over mix.

6. Fold in remaining chocolate chips and orange stick chunks.

7. Using two large spoons, drop onto cookie sheets. The batter will be wet, but should easily set into a mound.

8. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheets. Remember to allow cooling before eating because the gelatin will be piping hot!

9. Enjoy. And get over that cold. :)

Lemon Sugar Crinkles

These are total girl cookies. I mean, guys may like them (and this is totally acceptable), but for some reason I feel like anything lemony flavored instantly lends itself to being girly. Maybe I think this because whenever I make something with lemon flavoring my husband says, "This is girl food." Naturally. Other things that make the list of "girl food" include anything with basil (especially pesto) and cupcakes. What do you think? Are these actually girl foods? Or are they just delicious?

P.S. This is the second week in a row I have made a crinkle cookie. By way of information, crinkle means exactly what you think it means - small wrinkles or creases in the surface of something. I'm not sure why crinkles are on my mind/in my tummy so often lately. Maybe it is a subliminal attempt to transfer wrinkles to cookies instead of my almost-thirty-forehead.

Lemon Sugar Crinkles

1 cup shortening

1&1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. lemon extract

1 tsp. vanilla

2&1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Extra sugar for rolling - for variation, use colored sugar

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs, lemon and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Mix dry ingredients separately and then add to creamed mixture, mixing again thoroughly. Roll into 1-2" balls. Roll in sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

When the cookies are done baking, if they are still tall and look like little mounds (see below:), that is okay; they will still be delicious.

.

However, if you want a more flat, crinkle like cookie, gently press them with a spatula to get the following effect:

Enjoy!

Peppermint Cocoa Crinkles

Christmas is over, I know, I know. But these were maybe my favorite cookies of Christmas. Soft, chewy, minty, chocolaty - my, oh my. But ladies and gentlemen, do not be fooled. Just because they were taken in front of a Christmas themed background does not mean they can only be enjoyed during Yuletide; they can actually be made any time of year! Truth! And quite necessary. In fact, I might go make some right now. With milk. To aid in my New Year's Resolution to drink more milk. Oh, 2013 - you're lookin' bright!

Peppermint Cocoa Crinkles

1 cup shortening

1 & 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. peppermint extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Cream together shortening and sugar using hand held or stand mixer. Add eggs, peppermint extract and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

2. Slowly add dry ingredients. A lot of recipes have you mix dry ingredients together separately and then add slowly to wet ingredients. I rarely do this. I just add the dry ingredients slowly, mixing between every cup of flour.

3. Roll into 1-1&1/2" balls. I prefer mine on the bigger side. This guarantees the center will be soft and gooey.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. 

5. Let cool on wire racks.

6. Dust with powder sugar. 

Delish!

Dipped Ginger Molasses Cookies

I inherited my sweet tooth from my dad. It's one of my favorite qualities about us. Wait, is it a quality to like sweets? Why yes...yes, it is. And it has led us to numerous delicious sweets and treats. This recipe is one that Dad used to make for us. If I remember correctly, he also was the one who started dipping them in chocolate, which makes sense, because everything's better with chocolate on it. Right, dad?

Dipped Ginger Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 tsp. soda

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

Additional sugar (for rolling)

8 oz. white chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugar. Mix in molasses and egg. Add all dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

Roll into 1"-2" balls. Roll in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. After done baking, if they still seem too puffy and tall, drop the pan. Transfer from baking sheet to racks until completely cooled.

Melt white chocolate chips in microwave at 15 second increments until smooth. If it starts to seize, just add a little bit of shortening to smooth it out (about 1 TBLS). Dip cookies in white chocolate and set on wax paper to dry. Sprinkle chocolate side with sprinkles for an extra dash of Christmas cheer.

Paleo Truffles

Hello, Cookie Clinic Readers!

My name is Nicole.  I'm a wife, mother of two tiny girls, and lover of all things sugary and delicious.  And, I am a self-diagnosed sugar addict.  I am excited to be a guest blogger, and thank Kelly for the opportunity to share one of my favorite (less guilt ridden) guilty pleasures.  Back in June, on my quest to lose the last bit of baby weight I was still carrying around, I hopped on the Paleo bandwagon and started eating like a "Caveman".  This meant no grains, no dairy, and, wait for it.... NO SUGAR.  How would I survive without my daily sweet tooth fix?  Oh, I found a way.  These chocolaty, rich, almost sinful truffles taste like fudge.  And yet, there is no processed sugar.  Even though I am no longer on the Paleo diet, I still make these babies on a regular basis, and enjoy feeling just a bit less guilty when I eat my weight in them.  Even my husband and three year old request them.

You will need: 

3 TBLS Organic Coconut Oil

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 10 oz bags Enjoy Life Chocolate chips (Whole Foods)

2 tsp. vanilla

Begin by pouring coconut milk in a sauce pan over medium heat.  You want the milk to heat through, come to a bit of a boil, but not burn.  Be sure to stir occasionally.

While milk is heating, measure out 15 ounces (1 1/2 bags) of your soy-free, dairy-free, blessings of chocolate chips, in a large bowl.  Add 3 TBLS coconut oil.  I prefer Trader Joe's brand, but any will do.

Once your milk is heated through, pour over chips and oil, and stir until smooth.  Stir in 2 tsp. vanilla.

Cover the chocolate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and lick that spatula clean!  I promise, you will want to.

Once the chocolate is set, remove from the refrigerator.  Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes before scooping tablespoon sized dollops out and rolling in your hands to form a small ball.  The chocolate will melt and your hands will be covered- don't hesitate to lick 'em!  I roll some of the truffles in coca powder, some in unsweetened (to avoid sugar) shredded coconut, and some I leave just plain.  They are delicious any way you make them.  The truffles do not need to be refrigerated, but I like to eat mine when they are still a bit chilled, so I keep mine in sealed tupperware in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy these little treats.  Here's to (healthy-ish) chocolate delights!  Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

xoxo Nicole  

Grandma's Snickerdoodles

This is my lovely Grandma Ruth's Snickerdoodle Recipe. It really needs no introduction. They are sweet, chewy, delicious little morsels. I love them.

Grandma's Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cups butter, room temperature

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cream of tartar

2 TBLS sugar

1/2 TBL cinnamon

Cream together sugar, butter and eggs. Add flour, soda and cream of tartar. Mix well and roll into walnut size balls. Mix together cinnamon and sugar. Dip top of each cookie into cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

We gobbled them up so fast at Book Club, I forget to get a picture. Thanks, Grandma!