chocolate "crack" cookies

I have two kinds of crack cookies that I make. One is ginger molasses crack and the other is chocolate crack. Why do I call the crack cookies? Well, because you just can't stop eating them. It is nearly impossible once you have had one you have to have another. Especially fresh out of the oven these are irresistible. My recipe is adapted from Alice's Tea Cup's recipe.

Chocolate Crack Cookies

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate chips (this isn't a repeat)

Raw sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine the flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt the first cup of dark chocolate chips in the microwave (you can also use a double boiler on the stove top) being careful to make sure you don't burn the chocolate. Use a mixer to cream together the butter and sugar. On low beat in one at a time the chocolate, eggs, vanilla extract and dry ingredients. Mix until fully combined and smooth. Mix in the second cup of dark chocolate chips by hand. Scoop out dough and place on a non-stick cookie sheet. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar and bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for just a little bit and enjoy! Try not to eat them all at once!    

salted caramel chocolate cupcakes

I found this recipe on pinterest. Yes, I do have a pinterest, and yes, I do actually make recipes that I find on there. I love these cupcakes because they are just heavenly. Salted caramel, chocolate and did I mention salted caramel. Yum!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs (you could easily substitute applesauce here)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350*F. Begin by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix in the eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla, beating well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Add this mixture alternately with the sour cream, mixing on low until just combined. Mix in the water.

Pour batter into cupcake liners* and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Allow the cupcakes to cool while you make the salted caramel filling. This is the salted caramel recipe that I use, although you will find a different one on the original cupcake recipe.

Then cut little divets in the top of the cupcakes using a small, sharp knife. Pour the salted caramel sauce into this divets.

Top with salted caramel cream cheese frosting.

Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

salted caramel sauce to taste

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in butter until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in salted caramel.

These cupcakes are so delicious. I'm serious. My mouth is watering right now as I am thinking about them, and I'm thinking it has been too long since I last made them. Please make and love! :)

*A helpful hint that my sister shared to help with pouring cupcakes is to use an  ice cream scoop. It is super easy and all of your cupcakes come out very uniform.

Pumpkin Lovin'

Please, try these today. They are amazing! And you will love me forever for telling you to make them. A sweet friend who is getting married and moving out of the country in 3 weeks came over tonight so we could have a baking date one more time. I saw this recipe and wanted to try it, so I thought this would been the perfect opportunity to try it out. It's super easy, and you should have everything to make them in your pantry.

Pumpkin Poppers 

(Because you will want to pop them all in your mouth) 

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves and stir to combine. 

In a separate bowl combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk and whisk. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients and mix until combined. 

Fill a mini muffin tin cups until almost full. Bake about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a little bit.

Melt 1 stick butter. In a separate bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. cinnamon. Dip the poppers in the butter and then in the cinnamon/sugar mix and try not to eat each one you dip. Enjoy!!

P.S. I finally got an SD card reader, so there will be blog posts in the near future whenever my life calms down enough for me to post some.

One-Bowl Brownies

These brownies are possibly the first thing that I remember making on my own. They are called One-Bowl brownies because you make them all in one bowl.  And they are the prefect brownie to take to any event because they are super easy and fast to make, and they will be devoured because they are delicious!

One-Bowl Brownies

4 square unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs*

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

*I used applesauce to replace the eggs, but if you are making these for people who aren't used to applesauce replacement for eggs you will probably want to stick with the eggs as the applesauce does slightly change the consistency and flavor.

Start by putting the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 2 minutes, checking it at 1 minute to stir. Be careful with how long you microwave it for because the chocolate can burn easily.

Stir until the chocolate is all melted. Add in the sugar and vanilla. I might have added a dusting of cinnamon here as well.

 Add in the eggs (or applesauce) and stir to combine.

 Add in the flour.

 Pour into a 9x13 pan or a 9x9 pan for thicker brownies. I also don't have a 9x9 pan so I use a 9x13.

Bake at 350*F for 30ish minutes. Here is where it helps to know your oven because you definitely don't want to cook these too long. You want them to be a little gooey in the center.

You can eat these with ice cream and Bailey's or some salted caramel sauce or just straight out of the pan when they are warm.

pumpkin pancakes

The other morning something happened that has never happened before. My roommate and I ate breakfast together. We aren't really breakfast people. We like breakfast foods. We just tend not to like breakfast hours. We have frequently had brunch together, but never breakfast, until the other day that is. And what a breakfast to have. . .I seriously think I could dream about these pancakes. Absolutely delicious!! I adapted my recipe from Alice's Tea Cup's recipe.

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3-6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pumpkin puree

Mix together the dry ingredients. Then one at a time add the buttermilk, butter, applesauce and pumpkin, mixing well with a spatula after each addition. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then stir again. Then allow to sit for another 15 minutes. Cook on a griddle or in a skillet until bubbles form, flip and cook for another couple of minutes. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Yum!

P.S. I'm headed off to Mexico for 10 days starting tomorrow, but I'll be back after that, and I have some yummy recipes to share with you! Stay tuned!

classic french

Chocolate Souffle. Yep. I don't even need to say anything else about it because it's just that good (or perhaps I'm tired and just don't want to take time to be descriptive and witty. . .you're choice).

Chocolate Souffle
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
sprinkle cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp white sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter a 6 cup souffle dish. Or if you don't have a 6 cup souffle dish a springform pan works as well. Coat with 1 Tbsp. white sugar.

In a bowl stir together cocoa powder, cinnamon and flour. Add butter and blend well.

Heat milk in a medium saucepan until very hot. Reduce heat; add cocoa mixture, beating with a whisk until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in dark brown sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly and add egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat the egg white until foamy and then gradually add the 2 Tbsp. white sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a small amount of egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is puffed.

This is best served immediately. The picture shows it served with a creme anglaise sauce which I will post the recipe for some other time. You do not have to serve it with this sauce. It could also be served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Salted Brownies (sans eggs)

I love sea salt in chocolate. It's just something about that salty-sweet flavor that appeals to my taste buds. I was looking for a brownie recipe without eggs one day, and I stumbled across this recipe for salted fudge brownies. It called for eggs, but it sounded so good I couldn't pass it up and decided just to substitute for the eggs. Here is my adapted version.

Salted Fudge Brownies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
9 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. large flake sea salt + more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350*F. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring often.

Remove from heat and add in cocoa powder and stir until smooth.


Add in brown sugar and stir until dissolved. You could also throw in a shake of cinnamon here.


Add in applesauce and vanilla and stir until combined.


Add in flour.


Pour batter into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. I didn't have either of those, so I used what I did have. Then sprinkle with the sea salt and swirl in with a knife. Be careful to not get it too salty.


Bake for 30ish minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a little soft. Don't over bake!


Enjoy! And they do crumble when you eat them right away when they are warm, in case you were wondering. They are best that way. ;)

An American Classic

Apple pie is classic Americana. It says 4th of July and summertime and picnics. It says family and home and country. And I love making pie, even having a job where I made pie every day for 6 months did not take away my love of baking pie.

In my humble opinion it is the crust that makes the pie. Crust should be flaky and crispy and melt in your mouth. If the crust isn't good, the pie won't be any good. I am torn as to whether I should let you in on my crust recipe. . .not right now. . .maybe later. I will tell you my secret ingredient. I replace a little water with chilled vodka. Here is my apple pie recipe.

Apple Pie
5-6 apples
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
Sprinkle cinnamon
Sprinkle nutmeg
2 Tbsp. flour
2 pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350*F. Peel, core and slice apples. Toss in the brown sugar, flour, and spices until evenly coated. Fill the bottom pie shell and top with 2-3 Tbsp. butter cut into pieces. Top with top crust. I chose to do a woven top crust on this pie. Sprinkle the top of the pie with some cinnamon and bake on a cookie sheet for 40ish minutes. I bake it on a cookie sheet in case it overflows the pie pan. I would rather clean a cookie sheet than clean an oven.


I have used several types of apples, but right now I am stuck on granny smith's because I like the tartness that off sets the sweetness of the brown sugar. I also go back and forth on what to use to sweeten my apple pie. I said brown sugar here because I probably use it the most, but I also really like to use honey. This will make for a slightly more runny pie, though, because there is more liquid.

just because. . .

. . .everyone deserves birthday cake (or pie or cookies or whatever their dessert of choice is). This is one of my personal beliefs. Life is meant to be celebrated, to be savored, to be enjoyed in every capacity to the fullest. Whenever possible, I like to make that happen for the people in my life. In a day and age of fast food and grocery store baked goods, I have an ability to cook and bake that is rare (especially among my age group), so I don't take it for granted, and I try to bless everyone in my life with my abilities whenever possible.

Chocolate cake is a staple, and I have a go to recipe that will please almost anyone, and it's vegan (shhhh, don't tell anyone I said that). I used to have a running competition with a friend that dessert could be delicious and healthy. I would make dessert and after a proclamation that it was indeed delicious, I would proclaim in return that it was also healthy. This cake is my ultimate achievement of delicious and healthy.

Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
about 1 tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with a paper towel and then grease the pans.

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the applesauce, almond milk, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until mixed. Stir in the water. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

I get paranoid about over baking, so I always start with a lesser amount of time and check and then add more time. My oven also cooks a little hot, so I start with 15 minutes and then add 5 minute increments. I think it takes about 20-25 minutes for this to bake. It is done when the middle of the cake springs back up when you lightly touch it.

Allow the cakes to cool completely and then remove from the pans and frost. This is where the cake stops being vegan, but just because of the frosting I choose to use. If you use a frosting without butter in it, then the cake will remain vegan.

Chocolate Frosting
1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Add the powdered sugar and almond milk alternately, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. I find that this usually makes just a little more frosting than I need, so I like to lick out the bowl when I'm finished, but you do whatever you feel like. ;)

And make this cake the next time someone tells you it's their birthday. They will thank you, trust me!

My recipe is adapted from the recipe for Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake and Frosting.

mmm. . .hot chocolate

Photo courtesy of my lovely roommate KB

Tis the season for hot chocolate. The weather is colder and with Christmas approaching I find that this hot chocolate is becoming a staple in our house. I prefer sipping chocolate to regular hot chocolate, so this is my version. I also am not a huge fan of super sweet things, so this is not a super sweet hot cocoa either. Here's my version of hot chocolate. This makes about 2 servings, and the measurements are not exact, so make it to taste.

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 heaping Tablespoons tapioca flour
sprinkle cinnamon
freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup water
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a saucepan and add the water and 1 cup of half and half. Mix until combined. Then add the last cup of half and half and the vanilla. Continue stirring until the hot chocolate has thickened to the perfect thickness for your tastes. This will become pudding if you let it go long enough. Also it is really important to continuously stir it or else it won't thicken evenly.

Observations:

Freshly ground nutmeg is the only way to go. Don't use the ground nutmeg from a container. Find whole nutmeg and grate it. You will not regret it, I promise. This makes hot cocoa soooo much better.

For all my friends whose bodies don't agree with milk you can most certainly substitute almond milk for the half and half.

For those of you who enjoy a little something special in your hot chocolate you can add peppermint schnapps, southern comfort, rumchata, whiskey, brandy or other liquor of your choice. We most often drink ours with peppermint schnapps.

However you decide to alter your hot chocolate, I hope you will enjoy it. . .all winter long. Merry Christmas!!

P.S. The days are going to start getting longer now!! :)

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 ish Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned oats
raisins
chopped dark chocolate

Cream together sugar and butter. Add applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Mix well. Add baking soda, flour and oats. Mix in raisins and chopped dark chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. And enjoy. I also added some peanut butter to this latest batch. Enjoy!!