These little meringues are so simple and so good! I love how pretty and festive they look with minimal effort, and I really love how many little stars you can make in few hours! They look so pretty on cookie platters and they dress up assorted cookie tins too! I wish I knew where I got this recipe from, but I clipped it from a magazine years ago and have no idea which one. I am fairly sure it is from one of those holiday cookbook magazines by the checkout at the grocery store, probably either Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Gardens. (read)
The thing with these cookies is that despite the obvious factory-derived flavor from the cake mix, man they are good. I mean, like way too good. I wasn't even finished my first one before I knew I wanted about 10 more. So naturally I spread them around to my neighbors and we took the rest of them with us to Silly Goose to share with everyone else to get them out of the house. I don't think I can make these again because yeah, too tasty and unhealthy at the same time. Save these for when you've got a crowd to bake for and can be sure to get them out the door (or eaten)! (read)
These cookies fall along the lines of 'shortcut cookies' that I honestly don't love to make, but sometimes living in California makes me feel lazy because I'd rather go to the beach and make wonky sand castles with my kids than bake (completely) from scratch. I am trying to get out of that funk, but in the meantime, these shortcut cookies are pretty awesome. Wee One #2 ate way more than she ever usually does and I know I overdid it. (read)
My Dad and I have always been close and until this year, I've always been around to celebrate with him. It's a little weird to have to ship him cookies, but he's never been a birthday cake kind of guy (ok he likes cake, but he prefers a birthday pie or a birthday tower of brownies). So this year, I'm sending him a batch of his favorite cookies! I have made a lot of ginger cookies over the years, more than ever before last year since Wee One #3 loves them so much and this recipe is absolutely the best. This is my new go to for ginger cookies! (read)
M & M Chocolate Chip Cookies
My granny would dump M&Ms into her standard chocolate chip cookies sometimes if I was in the kitchen with her. It kept the grown ups from eating them all and my sister and I loved them even more this way. This is your standard sift together the dry, cream the butter and sugar, add eggs and then add dry to wet style cookie recipes. (read)
This is not a recipe, it's 5 things you have on hand mashed together and rolled into balls. Oh and you can drizzle them with chocolate but I was taking them to the park and they are not very mobile once they're covered in chocolate. This is the kind of treat I'll whip up before bed for the next afternoon when I know I'll have no time but the kids will be asking for something. Be careful though, the part of you that is still 6 years old will want to eat as many as you can get your hands on and if you have a 6 year old, you're going to want to keep a close watch on these babies. (read)
These were originally intended and baked up for my father and my dear friend's brother. The kids always get to try new cookies even if the batch is destined for someone else - they liked these cookies so much they ate almost the entire first batch and once my husband discovered them, it was game over. I didn't have enough left to send a decent package! Hilarious but nice to know when I have a winning recipe on my hands like this one. (read)
White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
I usually only do one cookie for Christmas that involves white chocolate, but this year I was so smitten with two recipes I went for it. This is the second of the two. I've never used maraschino cherries in a recipe before so it was a first and it totally worked out! Definitely drain the cherries well after you chop them, too much liquid will ruin the recipe and the cookies wont hold together as well. (read)
I made these one afternoon for a 'bring a snack' style mini potluck with some mommy friends at Silly Goose. They went over well with both kids and parents, which surprised me because I didn't think the kids would be into it. (read)
I have wanted to make these little darlings since I first read about them last year! So cute! Since I was bringing mine to a park date with my favorite mommies ever, I skipped the chocolate and royal icing fire in the fireplace and opted to just decorate the mantle. They were a hit with everyone we shared them with because they were equally as tasty as they were adorable! True story (read)
This recipe is from a book of activities to do with preschoolers, so you know this cookie is sturdy! They are not horribly chewy, which would be a really weird texture for a cut out cookie, but they are not so tough they're really crunchy either - just perfect. Especially perfect for handing over half the batch to an eager 3 year old and 6 year old with royal icing covered aprons, an arsenal of sprinkles and a whole lot of imagination. They didn't break a single cookie! This is officially my new go-to recipe for cut outs. The only thing to note about them really is that they are not as white as a traditional sugar cookie and the cinnamon and ginger give them a spice cookie taste without being overwhelming. (read)
These are among my family's top 10 favorite Christmas cookies, which is a list that will be rundown at some point next month and even though I'm up to my neck in festive Halloweeny fun right now, these were just begging to be made and posted about! Sometimes, you just have to veer off track and bake a batch of Christmas cookies in the middle of October surrounded with orange and black construction paper and pumpkin seeds. Amiright?! No? That's just us? (read)
I know some people prefer a crunch with their cookies, and occasionally I'll make a really crunchy cookie for the kids when they request it, but generally they love their cookies ultra soft. Ginger cookies, chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies and yes, the beloved chocolate chip cookie are all served up really soft and moist around here (I love the wee bite marks the two littlest ones leave in them when they put them down for a drink). (read)
Putting these cookies together was no joke! The dough itself was super simple and I will absolutely be making rainbow cookies (ooh maybe rainbow swirl cookies) in the immediate future, the tricky part was in stuffing these cookies. The original recipe used super cute horse cookie cutters to look like actual piñatas. The mood to make these little creations struck me as I was making the Chocolate Kit Kat Cake and all my cute cookie cutters are in Canada. I made due and just sliced them into rectangles and followed the rest of the directions. It'll work for whatever shape you use really. (read)
This parade of frosted Easter love is especially dear to me because I used my Granny's vintage cookie cutters to make them! It's always a little sweet but sad to bake with her kitchen gear - she's the only person who spent as much time in her kitchen as I do!
Today will be spent exploring a beach we haven't checked out yet and general family fun on the wholesome end of the spectrum because today we spent the day in Hollywood and while we met Spiderman and the Green Lantern and Wee One #3 got a hug from Diego, we also saw a whole lotta Hollywood, you know? Yoda totally tried to cop a feel! I mean, hello! (read).
This is yet another recipe from the culinary school cook book I borrowed from my neighbor. 2011 was The Year of the Cookie and I'm still posting cookies I made. Let's also ignore that 2012 is officially The Year of Soup and I've yet to show you any of the soups I've made thus far. Ahem.
Much like the other recipes I've tried in this book, I felt like a more accomplished domestic goddess as I baked these cookies. There is just something about this book that makes me feel fancy. Julia Child fancy, almost. Almost. I put on my sassy cherry apron while making them to balance out the fancy with ridic to keep the grown-upness in my kitchen to a healthy minimum (read).
I made these as part of a cookie platter for our aunt and uncle who came for a visit to the woods. I love when people drive all the way out here to hang out for lazy afternoons on the back porch. Though I don't know how lazy it really is when all three kids want to do stuff with everyone who comes over and then Wee One #2 convinces us to play hide and seek for at least a little while. Seriously. She's gotten grandparents and jaded aunties in their 20s and everyone in between to play hide and seek with her. She's very convincing! (read).
Shortbread cookies, of any variation have a very distinct texture and really nothing else will do when you're craving shortbread. I've tried too many types of shortbread to remember but only baked a few. I've made a few different recipes of traditional shortbread recipes, and a few with dried fruits in them (cranberries and cherries, natch) and of course these - Chocolate Shortbread. I have to admit I really, really love shortbread that has very finely chopped nuts in them but even against those, I think this is my favorite bastardization of shortbread. (read).
Wee One #2 is a serious Barbie kid and loves all things pink, so naturally for her 6th birthday we went all out. She's really turning into a mini May and it's totally happening just by watching me. When she decided she wanted a Barbie party she did three things that struck me as so very ... me. First, she went to Google for inspiration. Next, she made a board on Pinterest (right here if you're interested) and pinned things she found and wanted to incorporate into her party. These two steps alone only really prove that she was born after 2000, right? I mean most kids (especially kids with computer geeky parents) would think to do this, right? The third thing though, totally me. She passed over all the glossy post-1980 Barbies and was only interested in the vintage style black and pink old school Barbies. Love!!! (read).
These cookies are super simple and super silly! The cookie itself is simple enough, a basic ginger cookie. It's the little creative addition of button holes and then yarn, yes yarn, threaded through the button holes that make these little cuties so adorable. You'd think having the yarn in them would make eating them a little annoying and that you'd be less likely to stuff your face. Sorry people, no such luck. (read).
I confess, I made these at Christmas for my annual cookie tin. Yes, I know it's March - that doesn't make them any less delicious! I'd be more apt to call these little treats Hidden Kisses or Surprise Kisses or something like that, but Forgotten Kiss is the name of the original recipe so we'll go with Forgotten Kisses, since you know, many kisses are better than just one, yes? Or, I guess, oui? (read).
If you like your Oatmeal Cookies Granny-style, just add a cup of raisins at the very end and mix them in with a wooden spoon. None of us are fans of raisins in baked goods (except maaaaybe cinnamon buns but even then not really), so I didn't use any. (read).
Reeces Pieces are one of those things I cannot possibly just have one handful of. I can usually restrain myself if they are in the room, but if I cave and have one, I will likely just keep noming on them until they are totally gone. I know people who are not so into the combining of peanut butter with other already delicious things (like chocolate), and I’ve decided they are totally insane. Peanut butter and chocolate? How does that pose a problem!? (read).
When I first read this recipe, courtesy of non other than the most delicious Bakerella, I sat stunned. I was in awe of the amazingness of the overall concept, I was totally paralyzed by the urge to get up and make it right now and I was also a little concerned for my waistline. She even put a warning on the most decadent picture of this extremely sinful treat that says MAY COMPLICATE WEIGHT LOSS. Indeed, Bakerella. Indeed. (read).
Potato Chip Cookies are what happen when you tell your 6 year old it's her turn to pick the cookie recipe. She sat down at my laptop, cracked her knuckles, and Googled this. Not bad. They sound awful and there certaintly are not gourmet, but they're not awful at all. Since I've made these, I have discovered potato chip cookies with pecans from My Baking Addiction! It came down to this one from Emeril or Baking Bites. We went with Baking Bites. (read).
These cookies are so painfully simple, they're easy and fun to make with kids and you can roll them in any kind of baking candies to match whatever occasion you like! (read).
They really are so so good. White chocolate and macadamia nuts are a perfect pairing! We included this in last year's cookie tin and everyone loved them. (read).
Technically, these cookies are called Milk Chocolate Fudge Crackles on the Robin Hood website, but I wrote out the recipe years ago as crinkles, so the kids haven't known them by any other name. Cute! (read).
This idea was the next natural step I think, brought to me via Culinary in the Desert. The possibilities are endless, you can stick pretty much whatever you want in a cookie - and even if you repeated the surprise inside the cookie, you can put it in so many different kinds of cookies!!(read).
As with many of the whimsical creations coming out of this kitchen, these adorable little creations are courtesy of Bakerella! They could not be easier and as usual, these are amazing. I made them as Valentine's Day treats for Wee One #1's class party. I wrapped them in foil and made little tags that said 'Happy Valentine's Day' for him to give to his classmates with his paper cards. I wasn't there, but he said they were a hit - despite not looking at all like the kisses I had intended them to look like. Whoops!(read).
Man these are good. I love Rolos, and of course you already know I love chocolate chip cookies, so after I stuffed a mini brownies into chocolate chip cookies earlier this year, why not a Rolo? (read).
The search for this recipe was inspired by a pecan pie craving I had one day early on in my self-proclaimed 'Cookie Year', knowing I wanted to focus on cookies, I went looking for a pecan pie cookie. There are a lot more recipes out there for these cookies than I thought there'd be! (read).
Why Wee One #2 wanted to bake holiday sugar cookies at the end of March, I have no idea, but I'll all about encouraging her playing in the kitchen. This is the 8th recipe the kids have made from Linda Collister's book! (read).
This week's cookie (#6, originally baked in January) are Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from Great Cookies. Use the good chocolate here people, it's totally worth it because you really can taste it - also the better quality chocolate tends to give the finished cookie better colouring. (read).
Every baker has their go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. This one has been my hands down most often baked recipe for these cookies, though I do love to mess around with recipes that are new to me as well. It's simple, but tried and true, I've been baking these cookies since my husband got me The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book in 2001! (read).
This is the 3rd cookie this year, inspired by one of my fave bloggers, Bakerella. The original cookie that she was inspired by is called the Cowboy Cookie, this version has the addition of pink M&M's or Smarties and boom - Cowgirl Cookies! As usual, Bakerella is full of neat ideas. In her post on this cookies, she suggests using different coloured candies for different holidays - like orange and black for Halloween and red and green for Christmas. Cute!! She also included a free printable tag for gifting these cookies. (read).