Desserts – Page 13 – Brownie Mischief

Marshmallow Mudslide Cookies

Posted on February 23, 2021February 16, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Have you ever had mudslide cake? It’s a deliciously messy chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and marshmallows, also known as Mississippi mud cake. I saw one covered in a layer of marshmallow fluff and it made its way into my dreams. I woke up with the inspiration to make a cookie version of the gooey mudslide cake.

I saw a few mudslide cookie recipes out there that used standard size marshmallows and chocolate chips mixed into the cookie dough. If you’ve ever baked with marshmallows, you know that they nearly disappear during the baking process. Chocolate chips melt beautifully into little pools of chocolate, but then harden once cooled to room temperature. I happily volunteered to address these challenges! After some trial and error, I created a satisfying cookie with plenty of gooey marshmallow goodness and a rich fudge filling that stays soft at room temperature. Dreams do come true!

Marshmallow Mudslide Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Chocolate fudge-filled cookies topped with toasted marshmallows

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 22 cookies

Ingredients

Fudge filling

1 ⅓ cup (227g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (310g) sweetened condensed milk
⅔ cup (74g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts optional

Cookies

2 ¼ cups (287g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch Process cocoa powder, sifted preferably dark
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
22-24 S'mores marshmallows or jumbo marshmallows* I used Kraft Jet-Puffed S'moreMallows

Instructions

Fudge filling

Melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in a double boiler or in the microwave in a medium-sized microwave safe bowl.** Stir gently until smooth.
Stir in the chopped nuts if using. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350º (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and the vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each addition is incorporated before adding the next. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in 2 additions, just until combined.
Roll the fudge filling into 1-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls then flatten them into disks. Place a ball of fudge filling in the middle of each disk. Wrap the cookie dough around the ball of filling, sealing it completely.
Place the cookies about 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set, about 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven.
Place a marshmallow on top of each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows or toast them in the broiler: Turn on the broiler. Transfer the cookies to an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Broil the cookies until the marshmallows are toasted. This takes about 1 minute. WARNING: Use extreme caution and watch the cookies carefully when broiling. They can go from done to burnt in the blink of an eye!

Notes

*I used Kraft Jet-Puffed S'moreMallows, but if you're unable to find them, use jumbo marshmallows. Cut them in half with kitchen shears. Place them on the cookies cut side down.

**To melt the fudge filling in microwave, heat for 20 seconds. Stir, then microwave for 10 second bursts, stirring until melted and smooth.

Keyword chocolate, cookies

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Blood Orange Cream Cheese Icing and Candied Blood Orange Slices

Posted on January 29, 2021February 16, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Every winter, when blood oranges come back in season, I start keeping an eye out for them at grocery stores and farmers markets. This year was different. I’ve been at home, having my groceries delivered instead of perusing the local produce aisles. If you’ve been entrusting strangers to do your shopping like I have, then you know delivery produce selections are hit and miss. So I was elated when a bag of perfectly beautiful, ripe blood oranges landed on my doorstep. This simple joy made my day. There was no choice. I had to make something worthy of the gorgeous red beauties!

I didn’t get enough of gingerbread this holiday season, so I decided to make a gingerbread cupcake recipe that I created a few years ago when I was experimenting with blood oranges. I used blood orange zest in the cupcake batter and brushed the warm cupcakes with the blood orange syrup left over from making the candied oranges. If you don’t make the candied oranges, you can easily make a batch of the syrup* or skip this step altogether. They will still be delicious. I topped the cupcakes with cream cheese icing made with more orange zest and some blood orange juice mixed in. The juice makes the icing turns a soft shade of pink.

Candied blood orange slices are so stunning, that I can’t bring myself to just lay them on top of a dessert. They remind me of stained glass windows. I like to place them on toothpicks so they can stand up in regal style! Many recipes out there will instruct you to boil the orange slices, then let them air dry. This is perfectly fine if you don’t mind floppy candied oranges. For this recipe, boiling the slices, then letting them dry in the oven on low heat will give them enough stiffness to stand up.

If you can’t find blood oranges where you live, here’s a link to get blood oranges shipped to you. This recipe will also work with other types of oranges. You won’t get the deep scarlet color and the flavor will have a bit more tartness, but it will still be beautiful and delicious!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Blood Orange Cream Cheese Icing

by Mari Vasseur

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cupcakes

2 ¼ cups (287g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons blood orange zest or orange zest
¾ cup (245ml) molasses
2 large eggs
¾ cup (174ml) buttermilk

Blood Orange Cream Cheese Icing

¾ cup (170g) cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon blood orange zest or orange zest
1 pinch fine sea salt
3 ½ cups (450g) powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 tablespoons (45-59ml) blood orange juice or orange juice

Candied Blood Orange Slices

2 medium blood oranges or oranges
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (177ml) water

Instructions

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray the wells a 12-serving muffin pan with non-stick spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and orange zest with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
Add the molasses and beat until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat just until combined.
Scoop the batter into prepared the muffin pan, filling the wells 2/3 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in pan for 7 minutes, then remove them from pan and place them upside down on a cooling rack.
Brush the warm cupcakes generously with orange simple syrup. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

Blood Orange Cream Cheese Icing

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, on low speed with an electric mixer, until smooth.
Add the butter, orange zest and salt and beat until smooth and well blended.
Add the powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth.
Beat in the blood orange juice, one tablespoon (15ml) at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Candied Blood Orange Slices

Slice the oranges into thin 1/4 inch slices.
Combine the sugar and water in a shallow saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the orange slices to the saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Drain the oranges, reserving the syrup.
Preheat the oven to 175ºF (80ºC). Place on a large baking sheet lined with a baking mat in a single layer and bake until the orange slices begin to stiffen, about 2 hours.
Remove the orange slices from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet. If desired, insert toothpicks when the slices are cool enough to handle. The slices will continue to stiffen as they cool.

Notes

*To make orange simple syrup, combine the juice of one orange with enough water to make 1/2 cup. Combine mixture with the zest of one orange and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool and transfer to a glass container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Keyword blood oranges, candied oranges, cupcakes, gingerbread

Pastel Snowball Cookies

Posted on December 21, 2020February 16, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

This delightful melt-in-your-mouth cookie recipe has been in my family for decades. We call them Snowballs, but they’re also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes or Greek Kourabiedes. I make them every year for Christmas, but they would also be perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, birthday parties, tea parties, weddings, bridal showers, and baby showers.

Pecans are my favorite nuts to use in this recipe, but you can use almost any nuts you have on hand. The original snowy white version is a classic but you can take them up a notch with pretty pastels and fruit flavors. You can use crushed, freeze-dried fruit for color and subtle flavor. Spirulina is a nutritious, vibrant powder you can use to make beautiful blue cookies. You can also dress up your snowballs with edible glitter or luster dust used for cake decorating. There are endless ways to be creative with these cute cookies!

Pastel Snowball Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie balls covered in pastel powdered sugar

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Course Dessert

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted and divided plus more for desired pastel powdered sugar color
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (64g) finely chopped pecans

Pink powdered sugar

⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ cup (14g) freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries see note below*

Blue powered sugar

⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons blue spirulina powder

Lavender powered sugar

⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ cup (14g) freeze-dried blueberries see note below*
¼ teaspoon violet edible petal dust optional

Instructions

Cookies

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and creamy. Add 1/2 cup (60g)of powdered sugar, the vanilla and salt. Beat until pale and fluffy.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and pecans. Gradually add the flour and pecan mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed until combined.
Shape the dough into scant 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until light golden brown, about 17-20 minutes.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup (60g) of powdered sugar in a plastic bag. With a spatula, transfer three warm cookies into the bag. Shake gently to coat the cookies with powdered sugar. Transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Cool the cookies completely then proceed to the instructions for pastel powdered sugar, depending on which color you have selected.

Pink powdered sugar

Process the freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries into a fine powder in a mini food processor.
Whisk the freeze-dried berry powder with 1/3 cup (40g) powered sugar together in a small bowl.
Transfer the powered sugar mixture to a plastic bag. Place three cookies in the bag and shake gently until coated with the powdered sugar mixture. Transfer the cookies back to the rack and repeat with remaining cookies.

Blue powered sugar

Whisk 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar and the spriulina powder in a small bowl.
Transfer the powered sugar mixture to a plastic bag. Place three cookies in the bag and shake gently until coated with the powdered sugar mixture. Transfer the cookies back to the rack and repeat with the remaining cookies.

Lavender powered sugar

Process the freeze-dried blueberries into a fine powder in a mini food processor.
Whisk the freeze-dried blueberry powder with 1/3 cup (40g) powered sugar together in a small bowl. Whisk in petal dust for a more vibrant color, if desired.
Transfer the powered sugar mixture to a plastic bag. Place three cookies in the bag and shake gently until coated with the powdered sugar mixture. Transfer the cookies back to the rack and repeat with the remaining cookies.

Notes

*The ratios for the pastel powered sugar are approximate. Freeze-dried fruit varies in color. Add more or less to achieve your desired shade.

Keyword cookies

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Brownies

Posted on October 28, 2020February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

It’s Fall 2020. We need chocolate! We need pumpkin spice! And we need it drenched with caramel! These satisfying brownies check all of the boxes with multiple layers of comfort. A rich chocolate brownie is the base. The next layer is heavenly pumpkin cheesecake. The topping is a buttery crumble that rivals the best crumb cake. Finally, as if that isn’t enough, it’s drizzled with caramel sauce!

If it sounds complicated, don’t worry, it’s not. Each layer is super easy to make. You can use your favorite store bought caramel sauce to top it with. Vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream are optional, but highly recommended toppings also. Just saying.

The layers go unexpectedly well together and make the perfect dessert for Halloween or Thanksgiving. I’m even going to add these beauties to my Christmas dessert table this year. Enjoy! You deserve it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Brownies

Chocolate brownies with pumpkin cheesecake and crumb topping, topped with caramel sauce.

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Course Dessert

Servings 12

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

1 ½ cups (6 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour
½ cup (3 1/4 ounces) brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer

¾ cup (6 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 ounces) canned pumpkin
2 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Brownie Layer

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 ⅛ cup (8 ounces) granulated sugar
½ cup (2 1/8 ounces) Dutch-Process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
¾ cup (3 3/8 ounces) all purpose flour
½ cup caramel sauce, purchased or homemade warmed if desired

Instructions

Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Cut in butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until well-combined and crumbles are pea-sized. Press crumbles together to make large quarter-sized chunks.
Set aside in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and beat until well combined. Set aside.

Brownie Layer

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large microwaveable bowl.
Stir in sugar until combined
Stir in cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder and salt.
Add the eggs and beat until smooth
Add the flour and mix until just combined.
Spread brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Smooth with a spatula.
Spread pumpkin cheesecake batter over the top of brownie batter. Smooth with a spatula.
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the top of pumpkin cheesecake layer.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into pumpkin cheesecake layer comes out clean.
Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with caramel sauce.

Honeydukes Inspired Pink Coconut Ice Cake

Posted on September 12, 2017February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

I recently enjoyed a girls’ day out at Universal Studios Hollywood. My daughter is a Harry Potter fan, so of course we beelined straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter upon arrival at the theme park. We were spellbound by the ominous looking Hogwart’s Castle and the sparkling snow-topped shops of Hogsmeade. My daughter was in Harry Potter fan heaven, flitting around Hogsmeade, testing out her interactive wand and sipping some refreshing Butter Beer. It’s definitely a must-try

Our favorite shop was Honeydukes sweet shop, where anyone with a sweet tooth can get his or her candy wishes fulfilled. The candy selection was nothing short of magical. We picked up some Chocolate Flies, a Chocolate Frog and some Pink Coconut Ice candy.

I was most excited to try the Pink Coconut Ice. I’ve been intrigued by the thought of this candy ever since it was mentioned in the book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. The Pink Coconut Ice candy is similar to a stiff fudge. It’s very sweet, so you can cut it into small squares and have plenty to share with friends.

I imagined the “shimmery pink squares” a little differently so, I decided to build on my imagined version of the coconut candy by making a shimmery pink coconut cake. I used my favorite coconut cake recipe and pink coconut buttercream. I tinted my buttercream with Americolor gel food color soft pink. I covered my cake in large flakes of unsweetened coconut. To find unsweetened coconut flakes, click here. I think the large flakes look more whimsical and add texture, but feel free to use whatever kind of coconut you prefer. I colored my coconut a shimmery, soft pink. Click here to see how I colored my coconut flakes.

You don’t have to be a Harry Potter fan to appreciate this pink, fluffy, coconut-covered cake. I can imagine this pretty cake at any party or event with a pink theme. I hope you enjoy this perfectly Pink Coconut Ice Cake as much as we did!

Pink Coconut Ice Cake

by Mari Vasseur

Moist, fluffy coconut cake with pink buttercream and coconut flakes

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 1 6-inch cake (serves 6)

Ingredients

Coconut Cake

2 ¾ cups (326g) cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar preferably ultra fine
¼ cup (58ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
2 teaspoons natural coconut extract *see note below
6 large egg whites
1 ½ cups (400ml) canned light coconut milk **see note below

Pink Coconut Buttercream

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 ¾ cups (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup (65ml) canned light coconut milk
½ teaspoon natural coconut extract
Pink gel food color I used Americolor soft pink (link below)

Pink Coconut Flakes

3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Edible pink petal dust I used Rosie Sterling Pearl Dust by GSA (link below)

Instructions

Coconut Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottoms of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and oil and coconut extract together with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually beat in egg whites until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the coconut milk after each addition.
Pour batter into the prepared pans, evenly distributing batter among the pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Cool the cakes for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pans and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Pink Coconut Buttercream

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
Turn off the mixer. Add the powdered sugar and salt. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat until combined. Add coconut extract, then add the coconut milk a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Continue mixing on low speed until the buttercream is smooth.
Add the food coloring with a toothpick, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat at low speed until well blended. Fill and frost the cake.

Pink Coconut Flakes

Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add a small amount of petal dust. Whisk together with a small whisk. Add additional petal dust until the desired color is reached.
Spread the coconut flakes out onto a large shallow dish. Sprinkle powdered sugar mixture over coconut with a small sieve. Toss gently with gloved hands.
Place the cake on a baking sheet to catch excess coconut. Gently press the colored coconut onto the sides and the top of cake.

Notes

For best results weigh your dry ingredients.

*Use natural coconut extract. Imitation coconut flavorings may give your baked goods an unpleasant flavor.

**If your coconut milk is separated when you open the can, simply place it in a blender to emulsify before using.

To find my favorite 6-inch cake pans, click here. To find the gel food color I used, click here. To find unsweetened coconut flakes, click here. To find the edible pearl dust I used, click here.

Peaches & Cream Profiteroles

Posted on September 5, 2017February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Summer is nearly over, and after the recent heatwave here in Southern California, I’m more than ready to welcome fall weather. But before I put on my fluffy sweater and dive into pumpkin spice everything, I want to enjoy the tail end of peach season, don’t you? Farmer’s markets and stores near my home are still brimming over with fresh peaches, so I picked up some peaches and decided to give them a proper goodbye and send them off in style.

I created some luscious peaches and cream filled, bite-size puffs of choux pastry, called profiteroles. They’re like cream puffs, only smaller. The filling is creamy, but so light and airy that I’m convinced that these profiteroles have no calories! The recipe I’m sharing with you uses fresh peaches, but feel free to substitute frozen peaches if fresh peaches aren’t available. There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but the steps are done in stages and are very easy to do.

I decorated my profiteroles with fresh, pesticide-free miniature rosebuds, also known as spray roses. If you can’t find miniature rosebuds, pesticide-free rose petals would be a good substitute. You may not get a chance to embellish these little beauties. They have a way of popping into people’s mouths even before you can decorate them!

Peaches & Cream Profiteroles

Bite-sized puffs of choux pastry filled with a creamy, fresh peach filling and topped with fresh peach icing.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 18

Ingredients

Peach Purée

2 large fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced *see note below
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon natural peach flavoring

Peaches & Cream Filling

1 cup whole milk
⅓ cup (2 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) cornstarch
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 egg
2 tablespoon (1 ounce) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract
peach purée recipe above
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

Profiteroles

½ cup water
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (2 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour
2 eggs room temperature

Peach Icing

¾ cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons reserved peach puree
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon natural peach flavoring

Instructions

Peach Purée

Purée peaches in a blender or food processor. Strain puréed peaches through a sieve. Stir in lemon juice.
Place puréed peaches in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat and simmer until peach purée is reduced by half.
Remove from heat. Stir in peach flavoring and set aside to cool completely.

Peaches and Cream Filling

Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the egg and whisk until smooth.
When milk starts to boil, remove from heat and pour 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
Pour the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter and extracts.
Pour mixture through a sieve placed over a bowl. Cover the surface of pastry cream with plastic wrap. Let cool.
Set aside 2 tablespoons of cooled peach purée. Add remaining peach purée to cooled pastry cream and stir to combine. Chill in refrigerator.
In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks with an electric mixer at high speed. Fold whipped cream into peach pastry cream mixture. Set aside in refrigerator.

Profiteroles

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat. Add flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from sides of the pan and forms a ball.
Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until steam dissipates and mixture cools to lukewarm.
Add eggs one at a time and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth, stopping to scrape down bowl.
Transfer mixture to a piping bag, fitted with a large round tip. (**I used Ateco tip 808.)
Pipe 1 1/4 inch mounds, about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Smooth tops with a wet finger.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 350ºF and continue baking until golden brown, about 8-10 more minutes. Using a toothpick or skewer poke a small hole in each profiterole to let steam escape. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Using the tip of a paring knife, poke a pilot hole in the bottom of each profiterole.
Place peaches and cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip. (***I used Wilton tip 12.)
Place piping tip into the pilot holes and fill each profiterole with filling.

Peach Icing

In a small bowl, whisk all icing ingredients together and spoon over filled profiteroles. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

*To make peaches easy to peel, blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then dunk in ice water.

**To find Ateco tip 808, click here. ***To find Wilton tip 12, click here.

Purple Berry Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on June 29, 2017February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Purple is passionate. It’s mystical. It’s regal. Don’t we all know someone whose favorite color is purple? It’s painfully obvious. They can’t hide it. They don’t want to hide it. They can’t just be friends with purple. They’re in a relationship with purple. The first time I made this Purple Berry Cake, a purple lover I know said that when she saw it, it spoke to her soul.

Fresh berry purée is added to the batter, creating a soft, moist cake. The layers are brushed with berry syrup, which helps keeps the cake moist and gives it a nice punch of berry flavor. I used blackberries and blueberries, but you can use any combination of purple berries that you like. After baking, the color of the cake layers will be a brownish gray with a hint of purple, depending on your berries. I think I need to come up with name for this color. How about Silverberry? You can see tiny flecks of the berries in the cake and I think the color is lovely, especially with the lavender frosting. If you want a more purple cake, feel free to add some gel food color to the batter. I used Wilton Violet gel food color to achieve the pretty lavender cream cheese frosting. The extra butter and the addition of heavy cream makes this frosting silky and spreadable.

I’m obsessed with edible flowers lately, so I garnish my baked goods with them whenever I can get my hands on some. I found these pansies in the produce department of my local food market. If you can’t find pansies, pesticide free violets or rose petals would also be pretty. Make sure to apply them to your cake right before serving, since they are delicate and will wilt over time. Brush some of your berries with a little dab of edible gold luster dust for an extra regal touch.

Purple Berry Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

A soft, moist cake made with berry purée and topped with silky lavender cream cheese icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 1 6-inch cake (serves 6)

Ingredients

Purple Berry Cake

12 ounces (340g) fresh berries (plus more to garnish cake) I used blackberries and blueberries
1 ½ cups (191g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ cups (300g) sugar, divided
⅓ cup (75ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (118ml) buttermilk, room temperature

Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

¾ cup (170g) cream cheese, softened
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 pound (454g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon heavy cream, room temperature
Purple gel food color I used Wilton Violet

Garnishes

Fresh berries
Edible gold luster dust I used Alan Tetreault Edible Hybrid Luster Dust Soft Gold
Edible flowers I used pesticide free pansies

Instructions

Purple Berry Cake

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180ºC). Like the bottoms of two 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper circles. Grease and flour the insides.
Purée the berries in a blender or small food processor. Strain the puréed berries through a sieve. Reserve 2/3 cup (150g) of the berry puree. Set aside the remaining puree for the syrup.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups (250g) of sugar with the oil, eggs and vanilla extract, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Stir in the reserved 2/3 cup berry purée. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beating at low speed just until combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from pans and transfer them to cooling racks to cool.
While the cakes are baking, make the berry syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining berry purée with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar (50g) and 1/4 cup (59ml) of water over medium-low heat. Stir together and cook until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Split each cooled cake llayer into two and brush with berry syrup. Fill and frost the cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting.

Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on speed or by hand with a spatula, until smooth. Add the butter and beat until smooth and well combined. Add the vanilla extract and salt and beat until combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat at medium speed until combined. Add the heavy cream and beat at low speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the food color with a toothpick, a little at a time, until the desired shade is reached. Beat at low speed until well blended. Smooth out any air bubbles by stirring slowly by hand with a spatula.

Garnishes

Garnish the top of the cake with fresh berries. Brush a few of the berries with edible gold luster dust. Garnish with fresh flowers immediately before serving.

Notes

*To find my favorite 6-inch cake pans, click here. To find Wilton Violet gel food color, click here. To find Alan Tetreault Edible Hybrid Luster Dust Soft Gold, click here.

Chocolate Snack Attack Cookies

Posted on June 10, 2017February 20, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

I’ve seen some cookies loaded with add-ins out there, but these extreme cookies just won the title! They’ve got enough chunky, chocolatey, sweet and saltiness to satisfy the most ravenous cookie craving! But, before we even go one step further, I must mention a few disclaimers. I strongly urge you to make sure your fridge is stocked with milk. Please change into your comfiest pants before attempting this recipe. Canceling all plans for the rest of the day is recommended, as a nap may ensue immediately following consumption of these cookies. OK, now that we got that out of the way, let’s jump in with both feet!

First we need a moody photo that looks like it was taken in a rustic cabin to emphasize the seriousness of these chocolate cookies. It’s no coincidence that I’m sharing this recipe with you right before Father’s Day. Every Dad I know is an accomplished snacker. Dad will love these cookies for his personal snack stash! Package them up and deliver them to your Pop with a jug of milk or a thermos of coffee. You can probably skip the straw. We all know that Dad is going to chug his milk, but every respectable blog photo of milk must contain a pretty straw.

These cookies make amazing ice cream sandwiches, too. Press a scoop of softened vanilla ice cream between two cookies and pop it in the freezer. If you want to make these cookies picture perfect, use a scoop to portion out your dough. This will make them uniform in size and they’ll bake more evenly. Click here to find the scoop I used. For even more visual appeal, don’t crush the pretzels before adding to the cookie dough. Some of them will break when you are mixing them into the dough and this is fine, because the large pieces help make these cookies chunky. This recipe makes eighteen large cookies. That’s one dozen for Dad plus six for you to snack on, because when these babies come out of the oven with their melted chocolate chunks and little pools of caramel, resisting will be impossible! Now it’s cookie time…you’ve got this!

Fully Loaded Chocolate Snack Attack Cookies

Large chunky, sweet and salty chocolate cookies loaded with chocolate chunks, pretzels, caramel, rice cereal and nuts.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

2 ⅛ cups (270g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (45g) dark cocoa powder, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (213g) semisweet chocolate chunks
1 ½ cup (43g) mini pretzel twists
1 cup (170g) caramel baking bits
1 cup (43g) chocolate rice cereal (I used Cocoa Pebbles)
¾ cup (92g) honey roasted peanuts (or roasted mixed nuts)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180ºC). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Add vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks, pretzels, caramel bits, chocolate rice cereal and peanuts.
Scoop 1/4 cup portions of cookie dough and place them about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until set, about 13-15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

To find 1/4 cup portion scoop, click here.

To find blue baker's twine, click here.

Unicorn Horn Cookie Party Favors

Posted on June 2, 2017June 9, 2017 by Mari Vasseur

Have you noticed a unicorn or two around lately? The unicorn craze is still going strong and it’s no wonder that unicorns have become so beloved. Unicorns are beautiful, majestic creatures with just the right amount of mystery and elusiveness, and they symbolize the spirit of individuality. So it’s no surprise that so many people, adults and children alike, are clamoring for unicorn-theme parties. If you’re planning a graduation party or a summer birthday party for your unicorn fan, you’ve probably searched the internet for some ideas. Every unicorn party will likely have a unicorn head cake. By the way, does anyone know who the original designer of that cake is? Just wondering. A unicorn party also needs some unicorn treats. Look no further! These Unicorn Horn Cookies make perfect party favors. They’re fun to make and don’t require any special skills. You can also make them ahead which means they’re stress-free!

I came up with Unicorn Horn Cookies when making a Unicorn Rainbow Milkshake. I had extra cookies left, so I decided to take them up a notch by dunking them in candy melts and adding sprinkles. They looked so festive, that they instantly became official party favors. I designed some unicorn gift tags to go with them and I’ve created a free printable to share with you! Click here for free unicorn gift tag printable. You can find the cookie recipe at the bottom of the Unicorn Rainbow Milkshake post. Click here to find the Unicorn Horn Cookies recipe.

To make Unicorn Horn Cookie Party Favors, you’ll need:

Unicorn Horn Cookies Click here to find the recipe.
6-inch lollipop sticks Click here to find lollipop sticks.
candy melts
vegetable shortening, melted (optional)
sprinkles, nonpareils or edible glitter Click here to find edible glitter.
8 1/2″ by 11″ card stock paper
scrapbook paper
scissors
craft glue
hole punch Click here to find 1/8″ hole punch.
ribbon
pretzel treat bags (optional) Click here to find pretzel treat bags.

Bake unicorn cookies and cool completely. Place candy melts in a microwaveable container and heat in a microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and heat for 20 second intervals until melted. If the melted candy is too thick, add melted vegetable shortening a half teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Dip cookies into melted candy and tap off excess. Place cookies on a tray lined with wax paper. Decorate with sprinkles before the candy sets. Place cookies in refrigerator for a few minutes, until set.

Print unicorn gift tags on card stock. Click here for free unicorn gift tag printable. Cut out desired number of unicorn gift tags. Cut out one extra to use as a pattern. Cut mane, muzzle and ear out of scrapbook paper. Affix with craft glue. (Alternately, you can omit the scrapbook paper step and simply print out the unicorn gift tags and color them with colored pencils or markers.) Punch two holes, about 1/2-inch apart near the top of each gift tag.

Place cookies in treat bags, if using. Tie ribbon onto the lollipop sticks at the base of the cookies. Thread ribbon through the holes of the gift tags and tie into bows.

Lemon Buttermilk Donuts with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

Posted on May 1, 2017February 18, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

I was seriously happy when I started seeing donuts appearing at weddings, bridal showers and occasions other than work meetings. I’ve always felt those sweet, fluffy rings of dough had a higher calling. They had such potential! And honestly who doesn’t love donuts? They’re delicious, but they can also be beautiful. These Lemon Buttermilk Donuts could certainly win a beauty contest. They would make a gorgeous edition to any breakfast, brunch or dessert table. The fresh lemon zest and the earthy flavor of honey will bring springtime right into your kitchen.

If you’re on the lookout for a Mother’s Day recipe, any mom will love these pretty, fragrant treats. This is a very easy recipe and the donuts bake up quickly, so you’ll have time to fix mom a cup of her favorite tea. If you don’t have a donut pan, and you’ve been reluctant to buy one, I can honestly say I love mine. It was very affordable and I’m pleased with the performance and ease of clean up with the pan I purchased. To find the donut pan click here.

In keeping with the springtime feel, I decorated my donuts with pesticide-free edible flowers. I used pansies, but if you’re unable to find them, you can substitute pesticide-free rose petals. I found these edible pansies at my local food market in the produce department, near the fresh herbs. You can also find edible flowers at farmers’ markets and online. For a list of edible flowers, click here. Note: The above pictured orange ranunculus flowers on the table are not edible.

Lemon Buttermilk Donuts with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 7

Total Time 27

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Servings 6

Ingredients

Lemon Buttermilk Donuts

1 cup (113g) cake flour, sifted
½ cup (100g) fine granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup (78ml) buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Zest of 1 medium lemon

Honey Cream Cheese Icing

¼ cup (85g) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch fine sea salt
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons milk

Finishing Touches

Pesticide-free edible flowers
Sugar pearls*
Nonpareils**

Instructions

Lemon Buttermilk Donuts

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Spray the wells of a donut pan*** with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and lemon zest together until creamy and well combined. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag or plastic zip bag. Snip off the tip of the bag and pipe batter into the prepared donut pan, filling the wells 2/3 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into donuts comes out clean, about 7-8 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then remove the donuts to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare Honey Cream Cheese Icing while the donuts are cooling. Dip the tops of the donuts into the icing and decorate as desired. Serve immediately.

Honey Cream Cheese Icing

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well blended. Do not over beat. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix until combined.
On low speed, gradually add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the honey and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Beat on low speed until smooth.

Notes

*To find sugar pearls, click here. **To find nonpareils, click here. ***To find the donut pan, click here.

Baby Bunny Coconut Cakes

Posted on April 13, 2017March 7, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Spring is the time for blue skies, flowers blooming, bunnies scampering around and Easter celebrations. What better time to make cute Baby Bunny Coconut Cakes? I wanted to make them look like newborn bunnies curled up peacefully for a nap, so I decided to use a hemisphere pan.

When I was shopping around for hemisphere pans, also know as ball pans, I considered metal pans and silicone pans. In general, I prefer metal pans for baking cakes, but I decided on silicone, hoping to get more use out them. I plan on using them for frozen and refrigerated desserts as well. You can find hemisphere pans at kitchen stores, craft stores, baking supply stores and online. To find the pan I chose, click here.

My next dilemma was whether or not to coat the pans before baking. From what I’ve read, many people seem to have trouble getting their baked goods out of silicone pans, even though the majority of these pans claim to be non-stick. I decided to experiment, trying three different ways. I coated some of the wells with grease and flour, some with only grease, and some were left uncoated. I found that when I inverted the pan, the cakes released effortlessly from the coated wells. The cakes in the uncoated wells took a slight amount of prodding and a bit of residue was left behind, but the cakes were in tact. All three ways seem to work fine, but I decided that, for my own peace of mind, I will grease all of the wells in the future.

Decorating these bunny cakes is fun and easy, so this would make a great project for the little ones. You can use the candies of your choice to make eyes and noses. I used white candy pearls for the noses and colored them pink with edible petal dust. I made sleepy eyes out of black fondant. Black fondant is difficult to make, so I always buy it. It’s available for purchase in small quantities. I used edible wafer paper to make the bunny ears, but fondant would also work. A little puff of cotton candy makes a sweet tail. So many possibilities! Whether you make Baby Bunny Coconut Cakes for Easter, a child’s birthday party, a baby shower or simply to celebrate spring.

Baby Bunny Coconut Cakes

by Mari Vasseur

Fluffy, moist mini hemisphere coconut cakes with coconut buttercream frosting, topped with shredded coconut.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 12 mini cakes

Ingredients

Mini Coconut Cakes

1 ⅓ cups (165g) cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon natural coconut extract
3 large large egg whites
¾ cup (155ml) canned light coconut milk

Coconut Buttercream

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon natural coconut extract
1 pinch fine sea salt
3 tablespoons (45ml) canned light coconut milk

Finishing Touches

3 cups (240g) sweetened, shredded coconut
Candies such as Sixlets
Edible pink luster dust
Black fondant
Edible wafer paper or white fondant
Piping gel
Cotton candy or mini marshmallows

Instructions

Mini Coconut Cakes

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Grease 2 silicone 6-serving mini hemisphere pans. Place the pans on large baking sheet.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and oil together with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the coconut extract. Gradually beat in egg whites, until the mixture is well combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the coconut milk, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat just until combined.
Fill the hemisphere pan wells, 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of cakes comes out clean.
Place the silicone pans on a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the pans to remove mini cakes and place on cooling racks to cool completely.

Coconut Buttercream

In a large bowl, beat the the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
On low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined. Add the coconut extract and salt. Beat until combined. Add the coconut milk a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Continue beating at low speed until the buttercream is smooth.
Frost the domed tops of the mini cakes with a small offset spatula. Cover with shredded coconut, pressing lightly to adhere. Decorate as desired.

Finishing Touches

To make bunny ears, cut twenty-four 1 1/2-inch by 1-inch rectangles out of edible wafer paper. Cut each rectangle into a long football shape, flat at one end. Cut a 1/2-inch slit at the flat end. With a small paint brush, dab a bit of piping gel on one side of the slit. Overlap the cut ends of the slit and press together with your fingers. Let dry. Brush pink luster dust into the center of the ears. Skip this step if you are using floral wafer paper. Cut small slits into the bunny cakes and insert the ears.
To make sleepy eyes, roll out a bit of black fondant to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut circles using the small end of a #12 piping tip. Cut thin crescent shapes from the circles using the small end of the piping tip. For easier handling, let eyes dry for a few minutes. If the coconut on your bunny cakes is still moist and tacky, the eyes will stick. If not, brush them with a small bit of water or piping gel.
To make noses, use the candy of your choice, such as candy pearls or candy hearts. I used white candy pearls, brushed with edible pink luster dust.
To make tails, you can use cotton candy or mini marshmallows attached with a bit of buttercream. If using cotton candy, keep in mind that it melts when exposed to air, so it's best applied right before serving.

Notes

*Do not substitute all-purpose flour. For best results, weigh your dry ingredients.

**For best results, use natural coconut extract. Imitation coconut flavorings may give your baked goods an unpleasant flavor.

***If your coconut milk is separated when you open the can, simply place it in a blender to emulsify it before using.

To find the hemisphere pan I used, click here.

To find white edible wafer paper, click here. Floral wafer paper can be found on Etsy.

To find black fondant, click here.

Unicorn Rainbow Milkshake

Posted on April 9, 2017February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

I’ve been dying to try one of those over-the-top milkshakes that have been catching my eye on social media for some time now. Also known as freakshakes, some magnificently indulgent ones can be found in Australia, the UK and New York City. It’s certainly on my bucket list to go meet up with one of those glorious creations in person and dig in! In the meantime, I decided to concoct my humble version here at home, in honor of National Unicorn Day. Yup, unicorns have their own day! Whoever invented celebrating national days, I thank you. It gives me a great excuse to indulge in a delicious treat…not that I need an excuse.

There are so many versions of unicorn milkshakes out there and I love every one of them! In fact, anything that’s unicorn related sets my heart aflutter. The current unicorn craze won’t seem to go away and, as you can imagine, that is just fine by me! One of the cutest unicorn things I’ve seen is my adorable cousin Nicole, scooting around in her fluffy unicorn slippers. Unicorn slippers are a must while drinking a Unicorn Rainbow Milkshake!

To make the Unicorn Rainbow Milkshake, you’ll need:

Unicorn Horn Cookie (Recipe below.)
Fondant Rainbow Topper (Click here for instructions.)
3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) candy melts in the color of your choice
vegetable shortening, melted (about 1 tablespoon)
piping bag or squeeze bottle
tall glass (24 ounce)
rainbow sprinkles
8 ounces vanilla ice cream
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
6 ounces rainbow sherbet
cotton candy
whipped cream
edible gold star glitter (Click here to find glitter.)

Place candy melts in a microwave safe container. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir. Heat in the microwave for 10 second intervals until melted and smooth. If your melted candy melts are too thick, stir in melted shortening a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer the melted candy melts to a disposable piping bag or a squeeze bottle. (Alternately, you can use a plastic zip bag.) Place your glass on a rimmed plate or baking sheet. Snip off the tip of the piping bag and drizzle the melted candy along the rim of the glass. Immediately sprinkle on the rainbow sprinkles, before the melted candy sets.

Combine vanilla ice cream and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Place 3 scoops of rainbow sherbet into your glass. Pour vanilla milkshake over the sherbet scoops in your glass. Top with cotton candy, whipped cream, a Unicorn Horn Cookie, a Fondant Rainbow Topper and a sprinkle of edible gold star glitter. Put on your unicorn slippers and enjoy your unicorn milkshake!

Unicorn Horn Cookies

Sugar cookies shaped like unicorn horns.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 11 30

Course Dessert

Servings 14 cookies (*see note)

Ingredients

1 ⅓ cups (5.75 ounces) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspooon fine sea salt
½ cup (4 ounce stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (2.25 ounces) powdered sugar
1 egg yolk, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
14 4.5-inch skewers or 6-inch lollipop sticks **optional, depending on use
1 can edible gold spray ***I used Wilton Gold Color Mist

Instructions

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the egg yolk and extracts. Beat at medium speed until combined.
Gradually add the flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Do not over mix.
Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Form dough into tablespoon size balls. (I used a tablespoon cookie scoop to make them uniform in size.) Form each ball of dough into a log, tapering at one end.
Twist two logs together to form a horn shape. Repeat with remaining logs. Insert skewers or lollipop sticks, if using. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake until golden brown, about 13-15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
When cookies have cooled completely, place them on a parchment paper lined work surface. (You can use the same pieces of parchment paper that you baked them on.) If you are using lollipop sticks, you may want to cover the sticks with plastic wrap to keep them clean. Spray with edible gold spray. Let dry. Apply an additional coat of edible gold spray, if desired.

Notes

*This recipe makes about 14 unicorn horn cookies, but if you only need a few, you can roll out the remaining dough and use your favorite cookie cutter to make cookies. The baking time will be a bit less. You can also make as many unicorn horns as you need and freeze the remaining dough for later use.

**To make toppers as shown, use wooden skewers. To make cookie pops, use lollipop sticks.

***Click here to find Wilton Gold Color Mist

Keyword drinks, milkshake