Category Archives: COOKIE RECIPES

FROSTED CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BROWNIES   

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There is just something about the combination of chocolate and raspberries that makes my mouth happy. So, when I was deciding what dessert to serve at our last JazzVox pre-concert luncheon, I decided to serve a rich, fudgy brownie slathered with raspberry cream cheese frosting. What could be better than that? Well, as it turns out, not much!

And because I was in the mood to create a truly fudgy brownie, I went online and found this recipe (except for my addition of espresso powder) on the inspiredtaste.net site. (BTW, a truly great cooking site.)

And then, buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting? Always a tough decision because I love them both. But cream cheese won out. And the recipe you find below is what I decided upon.

Now, at first, I contemplated macerating fresh raspberries, cooking them down a bit, and straining the liquid through very fine mesh to use in the frosting. (Not a process I was looking forward to from a time perspective.) Then I remembered I had purchased freeze dried raspberry powder (Amazon) months ago to use in one of the granolas I make on a frequent basis. Voila. That should work. And yes indeed, it worked just fine. (Raspberry powder is also great in smoothies and shaken over vanilla ice cream.)

Anyway, the combination of chocolate and raspberry worked. These were some of the best brownies I ever made.

So, if you too are a lover of this magical combination, I say go for it. Both the brownie itself and the frosting are easy to prepare. But be warned. This is not exactly an inexpensive dessert to serve, but worth every nickel.

Well, I’m done for today. Both Mr. C. and I still have colds. We get a little better, then we seem to backslide a bit. Yesterday I felt like I was coming down with the cold again, but today I feel I’m still on the mend. But I basically have the energy of your average sloth. Thankfully I don’t have anything pressing on my calendar this week. I can just take it easy and read to my heart’s content.

Speaking of which, I just finished reading Through the Garden by Lorna Crozier. The book is a passionate memoir and love story (with Cats). Beautifully written with many of Lorna’s poems gracing the book’s pages. I’m not particularly a lover of poetry. But for whatever reason, Lorna’s poems resonated with me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is or has been madly in love with their spouse/partner and deeply devoted to cats.    

So, take care of yourself, take care of your family, eat your veggies, and peace and love to all.  

10 T. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter

1¼ c. granulated sugar

¾ c. + 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. espresso powder

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 lg. eggs

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

2/3 c. chocolate chips (I use mini chocolate chips) 

Lightly butter an 8×8-inch square pan. (Metal preferably.) Set aside.   

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove from heat. While the butter is still warm, stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well blended.

Allow the mixture to come to room temperature. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Add the flour and beat until the batter is very thick. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread the thick batter evenly in the prepared pan. (I use a small offset spatula.) 

Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven until the edges look dry and the middle is slightly underbaked, 20 to 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a bit of batter still attached. The brownies will firm up as they cool.

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 oz. (½ pkg.) cream cheese, room temp.

2 T. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 -2 tsp. freeze dried raspberry powder, or more to taste

1½ c. powdered sugar

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

whole milk, if needed

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.

Add 1 teaspoon of the raspberry powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional raspberry powder to taste. Along the way you might need to add a bit of whole milk to reach your desired consistency. Or more powdered sugar.     

Slather all over the top of the brownies but only when the brownies are completely cooled. Refrigerate until needed.

GF BROWNIES

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OK, I do not have much experience with GF baking. Wheat flour, I got you covered. But the use of GF “flour”, I am but a novice. So, bear with me and I will tell you how this recipe came about.

While offering to bring cookies for a “celebration of life” for our dear friend Ken Wilson, I decided 6 kinds of cookies would be perfect. And one of the choices should be gluten free. So, my first GF attempt was a no-bake chocolate cookie. Good grief! I followed the recipe, which BTW had received mixed reviews on the site (should have been my first clue), was a disaster! Threw the whole mess away. OK, start again. So, how about a GF brownie. Everyone loves brownies. And the recipe I found that looked like it would be perfect, was on the meaningfuleats.com site. And except for the fact that I doubled the recipe (originally for a 9×9-inch pan) and I baked it in a 9×13-inch pan, everything went well until it came time to take the pan out of the oven. The original recipe for the 9×9-inch pan calls for baking the brownies for 30-35 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Well, after 49 minutes in my 9×13-inch pan (which the author stated would be fine for a double batch), there was still a bit of batter that clung to the toothpick. So, I decided to pull the pan out because I feared the bottom and sides would be burned to a crisp if kept in the oven any longer. At that point, I decided that when the whole bloody pan cooled, I would throw yet another GF attempt away. Then off to bed I went at about 10:30 pm and finally drifted off probably around midnight.

Jump forward to 4:45 am the next morning. (The morning of the event.) I couldn’t get back to sleep after a night call worrying about where I could buy GF cookies the next morning or should I try again, right there and then, with another recipe. So, I gave up trying to get back to sleep, threw on my bathrobe, and proceeded out to the kitchen. But before going any further, just for grins and giggles, why not cut into the brownies. And to my delight, the brownies cut into beautiful small squares, moist, but fully set. And of course, I had to taste one. OMG – delicious, and the texture was perfect. Disaster avoided. And if lucky, when I crawled back in bed, I just might be able to get in a few more winks. Which I did!

So, if you too want to serve a GF cookie that everyone will love, this is the recipe for you. I was astounded. Every person who tasted one of the brownies came back for more. And even more amazing, no one seemed to be in the least bit concerned that these brownies were GF. They just assumed they would be good. Which made me realize that those of you who are offering GF recipes, like Erin, are really doing a huge favor for everyone. Because even if many of us don’t have a problem with gluten, we still occasionally want to accommodate those who do. So, thank you so much for all your time and effort.

Well, that’s it for today. Mr. C. is spending his afternoons this week, conducting the rhythm sectionals at the 2025 Northwest Big Band Camp across the bay from us at Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center. He has truly enjoyed helping with this camp in previous years. So, he is thrilled to be doing it again this year.

I, on the other hand, am finalizing the menu for our next JazzVox home concert. Always a challenge, but one I love.

May you too have things in your life that bring you joy.

Peace and love to all.

20 T. (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 

3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I use mini chocolate chips)

1 c. brown sugar

1½ c. granulated sugar

4 lg. eggs + 2 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. espresso powder 

1¼ tsp. fine sea salt

2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli)

1½ c. gluten-free flour (I used Cup4Cup)   

First and foremost, get all your ingredients together (mise en place)* before you start preparing the brownie batter. Which means, place the butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips in a large microwaveable bowl. Measure the brown and granulated sugar and place them together in another bowl. Crack the eggs (4 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks) in another bowl. Have your vanilla and measuring spoon ready. Whisk the espresso powder, salt, cocoa powder, and GF flour together in yet another bowl. Measure out the remaining 2 cups of chocolate chips and set aside. And last but not least, grease a 9×13-inch or 10×16-inch baking dish (metal if possible) with cooking spray and set aside. Now you are ready to start the fun part of preparing the brownie batter.

Microwave the butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips slowly until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and well-combined.

Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar mixture to the butter mixture and whisk vigorously for 1 minute.

Stir in the eggs one at a time, whisking 20 seconds after each addition. Then quickly whisk in the vanilla extract.

Using a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until fully combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth or shake the batter into an even layer.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean or with just a bit of moist brownie dough stuck to the toothpick. And, of course, the brownies will be done quicker in a 9×13-inch pan than in a 10×16-inch pan. Thus, the wide spread of cooking time. So, check periodically after 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

*Mise en place, a French term meaning “putting in place” or “getting things ready”. It involves prepping and organizing all your ingredients (measuring, chopping, etc.) before the cooking or baking process begins. 

BRUTTI MA BUONI (UGLY BUT GOOD) ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

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So, yes, I do have another recipe for Brutti Ma Buoni (BMB) on this site in which hazelnuts are the star. But when I was researching recipes for the dinner party we recently hosted for the Whistle Lake Jazz Quartet (plus wives) with Italian food as the theme, I stumbled on a recipe for Italian BMB. It was a bit different than mine because it was for a chocolate BMB, which didn’t appeal to me at all. But what I learned was that BMB are typically made with hazelnuts as the primary nut, although some regional variations, especially in Tuscany, feature almonds. And suffice it to say, I love Tuscany with a passion. So, to go along with the gelato I planned to serve for dessert, I decided to make my own version of this ugly cookie. And because I am basically lazy, instead of portioning out the dough with a tablespoon, I used my #60 ice cream scoop.

So, my BMB’s are not in the least bit ugly. Plus, I also messed with the flavoring. I decided since I was using almonds instead of hazelnuts, swapping out one of the teaspoons of vanilla for ½ teaspoon almond extract and ½ teaspoon water, was going to up the almond flavor immensely. And I must confess; these are the easiest to prepare cookies imaginable!

So, if you too love everything Italian, want to make a delicious and easy to prepare cookie, and love the fact that there is no flour, butter, or added oil of any kind in the list of ingredients, then this is the cookie recipe for you.

But before I let you go, I haven’t had a lot of time to read with all the preparation for the holidays, but I did finish for the third time, Alexander McCall Smith’s lovely book entitled Tears of the Giraffe. If you have not read the series featuring Precious Ramotswe and her No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Botswana, then you are in for a treat. Beautifully written and the people, well at least most of them, are truly endearing. And even if you have read these wonderful books, do it again. They just keep getting better and better with each read.

Well, that’s it! The new year is about to take place. And although I think it’s going to be a rough ride for a few years, I know that I can make it through because of all the truly wonderful people I am blessed to have in my life.

May you too surround yourself with people who are kind, who care, and who want to make the lives of everyone around them better.

And as always, peace and love to all.

8 oz. unsalted whole almonds (skins and all) – roughly 1¾ cups (best way to know for sure is to weigh the nuts)

1½ c. powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 lg. room temperature egg white, lightly beaten

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ tsp. good almond extract

½ tsp. water

Pre-heat your oven to 400-degrees. Spread the almonds on a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes. (When you can smell the roasted nuts, you know they are ready. And always, it’s better to err on the side of caution. So, when in doubt, take them out!) Allow the nuts to cool completely before proceeding.

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they are partially broken down. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue pulsing until the nuts are finely chopped. Add the lightly beaten egg white, vanilla, almond extract, and water.  Pulse just until the dough is thoroughly combined. (It should be all clumped together.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using an ice cream scoop, (#60 – 1 tablespoon) drop the cookie balls onto the prepared cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. If you don’t have a small ice cream scoop, spoon tablespoon-size mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, again about 1-inch apart. (This is the way to end up with the “ugly cookie” part.)

Bake the cookies on the center rack of your 400-degree oven for about 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned all over. (Watch carefully, because the bottom of the cookies can get too brown if baked too long. But the longer you bake them, the crispier on the outside they become. Which BTW, is what you want.) (In my oven, 13 minutes is perfect.) They are basically like a nutty macaroon.

Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container.

Unlike many cookies, Brutti Ma Buoni cookies are best eaten within 1 or 2 days.    

So, while I’m working my tush off getting ready for the holidays, our orange boys are taking it easy. Oh, that it could have been me taking a nap!

FROSTED AND SPRINKLED SUGAR COOKIES (THINK PINK COOKIES DRESSED FOR CHRISTMAS)

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OK, I promise this is the last Christmas cookie recipe I feel it necessary to post this year. Because I am done baking cookies. (Or at least I hope I am done.)   

So, I’m not going to keep you long. You have much better things to do with your time than read anything more from me!

But before I close the cookie recipe section on this blog for 2024, I want to provide you with this fantastic Christmas sugar cookie recipe. The cookie part is exactly like my recipe for Pink Cookies. And I’m serious when I say that this is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever tasted. So, if you need a last-minute cookie to serve on Christmas, this is it. And everyone will love it. Well, maybe not everyone, if lightly almond flavored cookies are not your thing. But for most of us, these cookies have everything going for them. They are crisp and the frosting is delicious. And they are pretty.

So, enough said. You want to make the perfect Christmas cookie? Well then, this is the recipe for you.

And as always at this most wonderful time of the year, peace and love to all.    

For the cookies:

1½ c. powdered sugar

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. almond extract

2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

sprinkles

Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk together the flour, salt, soda, and cream of tartar in a small bowl. Stir into the butter mixture. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic gently shaping it into a round log about 1½-inches wide. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375-degrees.

Un-wrap log and slice dough a generous 1/3-inch thick. Arrange slices, about 2-inches apart on parchment paper lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake until delicately golden, 12-15 minutes. (Do not under-bake.)

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes. Then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting (see recipe below). After frosting, immediately decorate with sprinkles. Gently push the sprinkles into the soft frosting with your fingers. Let the frosting set until hard and store the cookies in a tightly covered container hidden away from your family.

Note: if you prefer to cut the cookies into shapes, refrigerate dough for 2 hours. Roll out to generous 1/3-inch. (Do not roll any thinner. The thicker the cookie, the better the flavor.) Cut into favorite shapes. Arrange cookies, about 2-inches apart on parchment paper lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake until delicately golden for 12-15 minutes in a pre-heated 375-degree oven. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Top with sprinkles immediately. Push down lightly with your fingers to set the sprinkles in the frosting.

Let the frosting set and get hard before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

For the frosting:

⅓ c. unsalted butter, room temp.

4½ c. powdered sugar

tiny pinch sea salt  

¼ c. whole milk, plus more as needed

½ tsp. vanilla extract  

½ tsp. good almond extract

food coloring, if desired

Cream softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract together with a mixer. Add more milk if necessary to reach desired consistency. Add food coloring (optional). (But, why not?) (It’s Christmas!)  

M&M CHRISTMAS COOKIES  

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When you’re sending Christmas cookies to your grown kids, it’s always nice to include a couple of cookie choices just for any little one that might be visiting or living with them. So, this year I decided a sugar cookie with red and green M&M’s and sprinkles on top would fit the bill nicely. Along with a couple of other simple cookies I knew young children would love, I felt I’d covered any child over the age of two. What I didn’t take into consideration were the big kids, like my husband, who found these cookies to be delightful. Well, silly me! Next time I make Christmas cookies, I will be certain to make a double batch and send some along in every goodie package.  

I found the basic recipe for this cookie on the celebratingsweets.com site. I made a couple of slight changes only to make life a bit easier for myself. (It’s all about me, right?) Anyway, the cookies are so good. Just the right amount of everything that’s required in a great cookie.

So, if you too are looking for a “Christmas cookie for all ages”, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try.

And you know, these cookies could be made at any old time of year with regular M&M’s or chocolate, butterscotch, peppermint, etc. chips and/or nuts of any kind. This dough is worthy of any kind of addition you decide upon.

Well, that’s it for today. Being Mrs. Santa is not an easy job. And I didn’t even apply for the position. I think it must just come with being a woman. One of those jobs a lot of us women (and yes, some of you guys too) take on because if we didn’t do it, it probably wouldn’t get done. (Sound familiar.) But believe me, I am not complaining. I just feel lucky to still be able to bake cookies and make Christmas as nice as I can for the people I love. And the goodie packages are all in UPS’s capable hands, which is always a relief. (One job done, only 43 more to go!) Like a few more gifts to purchase, finding the time to decorate the house and even though our tree is up, it is still devoid of lights and ornaments, and get to all the other tasks on my “TO DO” list without ending up driving Mr. C. crazy or driving our kitties into temporary seclusion under the guest bed! But enough about my desire to be queen of Christmas!  

So, before I go any further, I want to recommend you read Out of the Darkness by David A. Jacinto. A truly fascinating and horrifying story of coal mining in England during the middle of the 19th century. Beautifully written and just an amazing story of courage and the will to make a better life for yourself and the people you love.

May you too be the person who strives to make the best life possible for those you love.

And as always, from our home to yours, peace and love. And MERRY CHRISTMAS.

1½ c. plus 1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

½ c. granulated sugar

⅓ c. brown sugar, lightly packed

1 lg. egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1½ c. red & green M&M’s

holiday sprinkles

Line a baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until well combined.

Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently stir in the M&M’s. (I use a plain table knife for this type of mixing. “Cuts” through the dough nicely and works much better than a spatula.)  

Place a small number of sprinkles in a small, shallow bowl. (You can always add more when needed)

Using a #40 (1½ tablespoons) ice cream scoop, form balls of cookie dough. Press the top of each ball into the bowl of sprinkles. Place on the prepared baking sheet, sprinkles side up, as close together as possible. Place the baking sheet in your refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, place the dough balls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets leaving an inch or two for spreading.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set but the center is still slightly underdone. This helps create a soft cookie.  

Remove from oven and place the baking sheets on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.

Store in an airtight container.

FRUITCAKE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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OK, all you people out there with a fruitcake phobia (you really don’t know what you’re missing), have I got a cookie for you! And of course, for all you who already know the joy a truly good fruitcake can bring to your lives, these simple cookies are going to rock your socks. (Christmas stocking, of course!)

First, the base is shortbread. And who in their right mind doesn’t love shortbread above all other cookies. And then you add some glazed and candied fruit and sliced almonds just for the heck of it, and you have fruitcake heaven in every bite.

So, enough said today. I’ve got packages to get to UPS. Plus, attend one of Mr. C’s gigs this evening.

So, as always, peace and love to all. (Take a good deep breath Patti, and all will be just fine.)    

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. powdered sugar

¾ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. almond extract

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ c. red and green glazed maraschino cherries, roughly chopped  

¼ c. candied orange peel (the kind you use for fruitcake)

¼ c. sliced almonds

Beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract together until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Add the chopped glazed fruit, candied orange peel, and almonds to the flour and mix until all the fruit has been coated with flour. (I do this with my fingers.) With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough forms.

Divide dough in half. Place the first half on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log about 1¼-inch wide.  Do the same with the second half of the dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Un-wrap log and using a very sharp knife, slice dough 3/8-inch thick. (If dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing).

Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.   

ANDES CRÈME DE MENTHE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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There is just something special about the combination of chocolate and mint. So, when I went ingredient shopping in my downstairs freezer a couple of mornings ago for butter (lots of butter), a variety of nuts, and chocolate chips ranging from white to semi-sweet, I found everything I expected to find. In addition, I found 4 packages of Andes Crème De Mint baking chips. Wait! When did I buy these and why so many? And then I remembered that last Christmas Bartell’s drug store had these little packages of heaven on sale. And ever the frugal shopper, I took advantage of a great deal.

So, instead of Chocolate Chip Peppermint Shortbread Cookies (recipe on site and really yummy) which I had originally planned to bake, I decided to work up a recipe that included these delightful little morsels.

Now this is a cookie for a person with a sophisticated palate. Someone who normally looks and acts like an adult, but when presented with chocolate and peppermint together, reverts to a typical 6-year-old. (Mine, mine, MINE!) (And yes, I have someone in mind, but it would be unkind of me to mention his name in this reference.) (Hint: his lovely wife’s name is Margo.) Also, this might not be a cookie your young children would enjoy. It is very pepper minty. But truly, in a very good way.     

Anyway, this is a simple cookie to prepare. And perfect when included in a Christmas goodie package. And just for grins and giggles, I decided to post my list of the items I am including in this years goodie package for my 4 adult children and Andy’s sister Katie and her husband Rick. Not all of the treats will be in every package. Because, for example, I know Rick and Katie would prefer Anise Biscotti with Slivered Almonds to M&M Christmas Cookies. While Eden’s granddaughter Mary, would definitely scarf down M&M Christmas Cookies and Frosted and Sprinkled Sugar Cookies and not be at all impressed with Speculaas.

So, I try and match the treats to each family by age and number of people in the household (or kids living in the area who know grandma will be sending a package and they better be there when it’s opened. Thank you very much!)

Now I know I’m crazy and don’t expect you to do anything like this. But a goodies package from home when your kids or relatives aren’t in the area is a really nice way of saying “I love you” and “happy holidays”.

So, about this list. Every recipe is on this site.

Well, that’s it for now. As you can tell from this list, I am really busy in my kitchen getting ready to send these goodie packages, so they arrive before Christmas. So, please excuse me if I don’t post any new recipes for a few days. I am busy being Mrs. Santa.

May you too enjoy sending edible gifts to your loved ones. There is just nothing nicer than opening a package with treats you remember from your childhood. I try to mix things up every year. But one cookie my kids can always count on are Russian Tea Cakes.

I have been making Russian Tea Cakes every year since I was 20 years old. It’s really all about tradition. And if there ever was a year that we needed to celebrate family, humanity, and tradition, it’s this Christmas.

This has been a hard year for a lot of us. And it’s not going to get any easier in 2025.

So, I invite you to spoil your friends. Spoil your family. Make every get-together a celebration. We need each other. We need to know we are loved and that we will make it through because we are valued and loved by our friends and family. And we need to show our love to our family and friends. And if we can be the ones doing most of the spoiling, by showing off our cooking and baking skills, more power to us. We can bring joy.

So, to all of you who spend time in your kitchen, who cook wonderful meals and bake special treats, I salute you. Cooking and baking are time consuming. But a nutritious meal or a delicious treat is one easy way to show love. Keep up the good work.

And as always, peace and love to all.       

Patti’s 2024 list of goodies:    

CANDY

Chocolate and Almond Covered Old English Toffee

Easy Stove Top Peanut Brittle

COOKIES

Andes Crème De Menthe Shortbread Cookies

Anise Biscotti with Slivered Almonds

Candied Ginger Refrigerator Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Chip Refrigerator Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Orange Biscotti

Frosted and Sprinkled Sugar Cookies (recipe under Pink Cookies)

Fruitcake Shortbread Cookies

M&M Christmas Cookies

Russian Tea Cakes

Speculaas

NUTS

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pecans

ANDES CRÈME DE MENTHE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. fine sea salt

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. Andes Crème De Menthe baking chips

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking chips. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture just until the dough forms.

Place half of the dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log about 1½-inches wide. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Do the same with the second half of the dough. Actually, you can make these cookies as large or as small as you want. (I usually make all my Christmas cookies on the small side because then people can have an assortment without feeling any gilt.)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Un-wrap log and using a serrated or very sharp knife, slice dough into 3/8-inch-thick slices. (If dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.)

Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. (Do not under-bake.)

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.  

CHOCOLATE ORANGE BISCOTTI 

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Well, there is one kind of cookie that is always a hit with Mr. C. (As if he doesn’t like practically any kind of cookie!) But none the less, biscotti, of any flavor, is always a hit with this cookie lovin guy.

So, when we were invited to dine at our friends Paul and Barbara’s home, I decided instead of bringing flowers or a bottle of wine, I would make some biscotti for them to accompany their morning or afternoon cup of coffee or tea. And then, why not try out a new recipe since they are friends and probably would forgive me if the biscotti turned out less flavorful than I expected. And then why not an orange flavored biscotti with mini chocolate chips? Why not, indeed! And the recipe you find below is the result of my adventure.

And oh my, the biscotti turned out much better than anticipated. Not too much orange flavor or overwhelmed with chocolate. Just a nice combination of flavors. And nicely crunchy. But not a jaw breaker.

So, if you too are a fan of biscotti, I recommend you give this recipe a try. And if you have never made biscotti, why are you waiting? If it’s for an engraved invitation, allow me to provide that right here and now.

Dear reader,

You are cordially invited to make biscotti at your earliest convenience.

Yours truly,

Patti

Well, that’s it for today. I’ve started a new book, and the heroine is in dire need of my help. And so far, I can’t see any possible way she is going to avoid either life imprisonment or possibly even a death sentence. (In other words, she’s in deep doo-doo!) So, it must be Patti to the rescue! Or at the very least, I must be a witness to how the sleuth detective is going to save her neck! (Someone has to do it!)

So, ta da for now. But I’ll be back, and after I finish the book, I’ll provide you with not only the name of the book, but also the author. So, stay tuned.

In the meantime, peace and love to all. And happy biscotti to one and all.

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

zest of 1 lg. orange

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

¾ c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla   

2 lg. eggs, room temperature

1 c. mini chocolate chips

sprinkling sugar (see picture below)

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest together in a small mixing bowl.  

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches with the mixer on low speed. Beat just until blended. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 1-inch diameter log. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator. Lightly sprinkle with sprinkling sugar.

Refrigerate for at least 90 minutes.

Remove from fridge and transfer the logs to a larger baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spaced at least 3-inches apart.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until light golden, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. (Keep the oven on go.)  

Place the logs on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife (I use my big old butcher knife, but a serrated knife works well too), cut the logs on a slight diagonal into ¾-inch thick slices. Arrange cut side down back on the baking sheet. Bake until a nice golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

Sparkling sugar

CHEWY GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES WITH CANDIED GINGER

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OK, I know, I already have several ginger cookie recipes on this site. But, as far as I’m concerned, you can never have too many ginger cookie recipes from which to choose.

So, yesterday I decided to make a couple changes to one of my existing recipes and came up with these cookies. And it being fall and all, they just fit in perfectly with the season.

Fall means starting to hunker down for winter. And the warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, etc.) are especially delightful this time of year. They just make you feel warm inside.

So, if you too are a ginger cookie lover, this recipe may just be what you need. Because it was exactly what I needed. And the cookies were very easy to build.

Along with baking these cookies, I also decided to bring a bit of autumn into our home.

When we got back from our recent trailer trip, our good friend and house sitter/cat sitter Peggy had a nice vase filled with leaves, foliage, and blossoms waiting for us. And I wondered why I had never thought to use all those late blooming and color changing stalks with leaves before in an arrangement.

So, I thought seeing a picture of what I subsequently put together might inspire you to do the same thing. It’s really a nice feeling to be able to bring a bit of color and texture into your home. And when it’s free of charge, all the better!

Well, that’s it for today. We are getting ready to go to the Lincoln Theater in Mount Vernon to see Arsenic and Old Lace. One of my favorite plays of all time.

So, on that happy note, I am going to “charge” into my bedroom and change into the proper clothing to attend this theatrical production. (In other words, I’m going to change into my dress jeans!)

And as always, peace and love to all.

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. brown sugar

1 lg. egg

¼ c. molasses

2¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt  

2 tsp. ground ginger

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ c. finely chopped candied ginger

sparkling sugar, opt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in egg and molasses. Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and chopped candied ginger.  Add to the creamed mixture; mix well.

Using an ice cream scoop (your choice for size), form balls and dip top into sparkling sugar before placing on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, sugar side up, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Do not overbake.

Remove from oven and allow to sit on the hot pan for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

PEANUT BUTTER AND PEANUT M&M BAR COOKIES

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Hear ye, hear ye, all you peanut butter and Peanut M&M lovers out there. This is the bar cookie for you! But let me be perfectly clear about this cookie. If you don’t absolutely love peanut butter and chocolate or are of the persuasion that can take or leave either one, then this is not the cookie for you. Because these babies are super rich and absolutely chock full of chocolatey, peanut butter, and crunchy peanut goodness. So, consider yourself warned.

These cookies are not for wimps or people on a diet. These bar cookies are fattening, sugar laden, nutritionally challenged, decadent bites that should come with a dietary warning label. But good? OMG are they good! And the redeeming feature, if there is such a thing, is that you can’t eat more than one small square before your whole system screams – that’s enough! They are just that rich.

So, next time you get a hankering for a cookie that is easy to make, will feed an entire army of friends and family, and satisfy your peanut butter and chocolate craving for at least a week (or longer), get thee to your kitchen and bake up a pan of these tasty treats.

But please do not blame me if your family and friends keep requesting more, more, more. They are a bit addictive as I can attest to personally. But then, there are worse additions. (At least that is my justification for even passing the recipe on to you.)

But you are all adults and many with years of justifications of your own for eating food with no nutritional value. So, let your conscience be your guide.

And as always, peace and love to all.    

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 c. brown sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 lg. eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

1 c. peanut butter (not natural) (I use crunchy, but creamy if fine too)

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

2 c. Peanut M&Ms (10.05 oz. bag)

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (glass is best) with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter and mix until thoroughly combined.

Mix in the flour just until smooth and then stir in the Peanut M&M’s.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. (I smooth out the top with a small offset spatula.)

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Don’t overbake.)

Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares using a sharp knife.  

Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Or freeze and let sit at room temperature for an hour or so before serving.