Pumpkin Power Cookies

I am normally of the mindset "LONG LIVE SUMMER", but as soon as September 22 rolled around on the calendar I was ready to switch to Fall. Will has been super excited about the seasons changing over, well, since Summer started, and he told me that because Friday was the first day of Fall, all of the leaves were going to fall off of the trees at once. Cutest little kid comment ever. 

The season comes and goes so fast here and even though we are still hovering in temperatures around 80 degrees, I want to soak it up before Christmas is knocking at our door. Which is three months from yesterday. Whoah.

These power cookies are the perfect healthy snack, sweet treat and everything in between. My Paleo Snack Bites are my go-to pre workout snack, but I needed a change this week. The 5:15am wakeup call to hit the gym is never easy, but it's been a little easier this week to crawl out of bed knowing I can eat one of these. My kids LOVE them, too! They are packed with all kinds of good nutrients and filled with the flavors of Fall. They are also grain free and refined sugar free! What more could you want!?

Pumpkin Power Cookies
recipe from Primally Inspired

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1.5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk pumpkin, coconut oil, honey, pumpkin pie spice, salt and eggs. Mix until combined. Stir in walnuts, pecans, cranberries and chocolate chips.

Using a spoon, drop about a tablespoon or two of the cookie mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. 

Once they are done and completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

As far as I'm concerned, pumpkin spice doesn't end at Thanksgiving. It carries well into the holiday season and as far as I'm concerned, pumpkin treats aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I'm completely obsessed with these cookies. Snickerdoodles are my very favorite and this is a fun and festive twist for this time of year. I can't get enough and this recipe never disappoints. They are fluffy but chewy and spicy in all of the best ways. Pumpkin seems to add an extra softness to anything it touches and these cookies are pillows of perfection. 

There are so many holiday get togethers and cookie exchanges coming up- these cookies are a must add to your list! This recipe makes a ton- double up and you'll be set for a slew of Christmas events! 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3.5 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 + 1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree 
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract

for rolling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice). 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, occasionally scraping down the bowl. mix in the egg yolk, then mix in the pumpkin and vanilla extract. With the mixer set on low speed, slowly mix in the dry ingredients until combined, scraping down the bowl occasionally. divide the dough in half and place the dough in bowls in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, for at least 45 minutes, up to overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the dough out into even 2 Tablespoons. Roll into a ball and coat with cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer to a nonstick baking sheet, about two inches apart. (I did 6 cookies per baking sheet). Bake for 12-14 minutes. I found that 13 minutes is the perfect amount for a soft and chewy center! Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

Olive Oil + Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies

You guys. 

THESE COOKIES. 

Every now and then, I find myself needing a cookie. The craving comes on fiercely and nothing else seems to do. I have always loved cookies, but it wasn't until I discovered the New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies that I truly appreciated the art of cookie baking. Since my obsession with cookies blossomed, these Snickerdoodles stole my heart, and most recently, these chocolatey little loves right here. 

A dear friend of mine took a healthy helping of gelato and sandwiched it between two of these cookies. She's a genius.

Olive oil gives a richness that isn't always present in cookie batter and surprisingly, the taste isn't overpowering once the cookie is baked. And sea salt on top ...my favorite component of a perfect cookie. A little chewy on the outside but soft and chocolatey on the inside. Basically, 50% cookie, 50% brownie and 100% impossible to just stop at one. 

I'm now wishing I had a batch of these already made so that I could sit down, Santa-style, and enjoy a few with an ice cold glass of milk. I don't even like milk. 

Olive Oil + Sea Salt Brownie Cookies
recipe from Butterlust

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1.5 cups 60% cocoa dark chocolate chips (Ghiradelli is my favorite)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the olive and sugar and mix on medium until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well between each one. Add the cocoa powder, flour and salt and mix until a dough forms. 

In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the hot water. Add the dissolved baking soda and water mixture as well as the vanilla to the batter, and beat until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes or overnight. 

Using a tablespoon, scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough onto your cookie sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set. 11 minutes was the perfect amount of time in my oven. 

Snickerdoodles

When you eat salads for dinner, you can have a cookie for dessert. It's all about balance, right? 

It rained ALL. DAY. LONG. on Sunday. Buckets of rain pouring down from the typically Carolina blue skies and although it was much needed, it made for an extremely lazy day at home. Something about a dark rainy day almost always calls for a treat, obvi.  Snickerdoodles to the rescue! I love the sugary crisp cinnamon coating of a giant Snickerdoodle with a center that still has just the right amount of chew. As I searched for a recipe, I noticed that so many of them called for shortening- yuck! I knew that there had to be an alternative and luckily, I came across a recipe on Smitten Kitchen that had a basic ingredients list.

Cinnamon and chocolate are equals in my book. I must say that these cookies just may give my beloved New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie a run for their money.

Snickerdoodles
recipe from Smitten Kitchen

2 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
16 Tbsp. or 2 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 and 3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with one rack in the top third and one rack in the bottom third. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat, and set aside.

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 and 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Chill dough for at least one hour or up to overnight.

Once dough has chilled, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Using an ice cream scoop, form balls of the dough (about the size of a small golf ball) and roll in the cinnamon and sugar. Place cookies about two inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are set in the center and begin to crack, 10-12 minutes. If you are cooking more than one sheet at a time, rotate after 5 minutes. (I cooked 6 to a sheet, one sheet at a time in the center of the oven). Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to the rack. 

Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons remind me of being a kid, and my first 12 years of life in the lovely state of Michigan. Every time we ventured into Detroit's historic Greektown, a trip to the Astoria Bakery was a must after dinner. And without fail, I always came home with a giant coconut macaroon of my own. This was qyite easily one of my favorite treats of all time. I love, love love anything coconut! I had some extra egg whites left from a batch of gelato and I knew they needed to be whipped up into some coconutty goodness. 

Just in time for Easter, here's a simple coconut macaroon recipe to add to your files. I made half of this batch plain and the other half with chocolate chips. Next time, I'm going to drizzle some extra dark chocolate atop each cookie. And can you imagine how adorable these would be made into bite sized coconut easter nests with a few jelly beans in the center!?

These macaroons are just a good little cookie. Simple and sweet.

Coconut Macaroons

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup sugar

2.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 egg whites, room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together with your hands. 

Form mounds, about 1.5 tablespoons each, and place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. 

Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is nothing quite like a perfect chocolate chip cookie. Crisp and firm on the outside with a chewy, melty, chocolatey center. The recipe on the back of Nestle Toll House chocolate chips was always an easy pleaser, but the results never quite lived up to my chocolate chip cookie criteria. I feel like I have spent years looking for such a recipe and I can now say that 2013 has been THE YEAR. The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies are officially the BEST EVER. 

I have had this recipe on my must-bake list for quite some time now as these chocolate chip cookies have the reputation of being quite famous. Well, let me just say that they are as heavenly as I hoped they would be. Plus so much more.

This recipe sets itself apart by combining cake flour and bread flour, over a pound of rich, dark chocolate chips and a resting time for the dough of 24-36 hours. But the real punch, in my opinion, is the sprinkle of sea salt added to the top of each cookie right before baking. 

For purposes of testing, Mark and I dug into the dough the night I mixed it up and baked two cookies. They were exceptional, indeed, but letting the dough sit for almost 36 hours resulted in something even tastier. 

I don't think I'll ever be able to involve myself with another chocolate chip cookie besides this one.

The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe from The New York Times, adapted from Jaques Torres

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. cake flour
1 2/3 cup bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/4 cups)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds dark chocolate chips
Sea salt

Sift flours, baking soda and baking powder into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate chips in and incorporate without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. Dough may be used in batches and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat and set aside.

Scoop six 3.5 oz. mounds (about the size of a generous golf ball) of dough onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18-20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack and let cool completely.

Enjoy!

Lemon Basil Cookies

Last night I enjoyed a lovely evening with some of my best friends. Sometimes, there is nothing better than a girls night to renew and refresh your spirit! I have missed these girls so much and nights like these are one of the many reasons why my heart is so happy to be back in The Queen City. 

A girls dinner always calls for dessert and I was happy to whip something up to enjoy after our wine, appetizers and Meredith's incredible Autumn chopped salad! I knew that I wanted to make something light and refreshing so I started with a little lemon. I made a homemade lemon sorbetto but wanted something else to go with it. I spotted a fresh bunch of basil that had been sitting in my fridge neglected for a few days and then a lightbulb went off. I grabbed some more lemons, browsed a few recipes and my lemon basil cookies were born! They are soft and slightly chewy with bright citrus notes and hint of basil. The flavors are light and yield a creation barely sweet enough to even be considered a cookie. A perfect pairing to the lemon sorbetto and a sweet ending to a wonderful night, if I do say so myself.

Lemon Basil Cookies

2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 1/4powdered sugar, plus more for rolling cookies prior to baking
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1.5 lemons, juiced)
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, very finely chopped
3 egg whites

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together butter and powdered sugar until mixture is creamy. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and basil. Mix until just incorporated.

While mixing on medium speed, slowly add flour and baking soda mixture to the mixing bowl. The cookie dough will be crumbly- that's okay!

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until light and fluffy. Gently fold egg whites into cookie dough, this will moisten the dough. Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate for an hour or stick in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Using a regular sized spoon, scoop out dough and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in powdered sugar and flatten with your hands. 

Place cookies on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake 11-13 minutes. Serve with an additional dusting of powdered sugar and lemon zest if desired.

Lime Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze

It's all about the little things with me and the small details that take an experience from great to exceptional. You know the hotels that welcome you with a warm cookie when you visit the front desk? I love that. Ever since I was younger, I developed somewhat of an obsession with making my family's home into a "luxury hotel". I left notes on my parents' and sisters' bathroom sinks, folded the toilet paper into a nice, neat point and turned down the beds from time to time, leaving a small chocolate to enjoy before bedtime. I kid you not when I say that while speaking in a British accent, I recorded a five minute infomercial on my tiny pink tape player highlighting all of the "services" the Nido Luxury Hotel had to offer. Yes, I know. Don't even say anything.

At the end of July, the lovies came to visit for what was a glorious long weekend. It was the first time my parents, sisters and I had all been together since Christmas and if you know my family, you can pick up your jaw now. Believe me, we were aching for time together. Given my childhood antics, I only found it appropriate to welcome my family with a lovely spread, personalized koozies included. What better way to kick off a highly anticipated family weekend than with treats, mojitos and the promise that no one will steal your beer all weekend?

These Lime Cornmeal cookies from Giada are crisp, light and perfect for summer. Usine rice flour yields a lighter cookie and the cornmeal provides a surprising and delightful crunch. And the citrus glaze? Well that really deserves it's own post. It's good enough for swimming.

Lime Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze

recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis

Cookies:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large limes, zested

1 egg, at room temperature

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups rice flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Glaze:

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 large limes, zested

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Also will need: round cookie cutter (I used a 2 inch round for petite cookies)

Line a baking sheet with silicone or parchment paper and set aside.

In a food processor, pulse together butter, sugar and lime zest until combined. Add the egg, lime juice and vanilla. Process until smooth, then add the rice flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Process until the mixture forms a dough. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 20 seconds. Wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (I chilled mine overnight and let it sit out for 30 minutes the next morning before rolling it out to cut the cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, making sure the dough is about 1/4" thick. Using your round cookie cutter, cut the cookies until all of the dough has been used, making sure you are gathering any scraps, kneading them together and rolling those out as well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Smaller cookies equals shorter amount of time in the oven. Mine cooked perfectly right at 12 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest and lemon juice until smooth. Spread 1 tsp. of glaze onto each cookie. Let harden for 45 minutes before serving.