Ingredient: powdered sugar, sifted

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

My mother was allergic to strawberries so my father would make her raspberry desserts instead. He frequently made her a white cake topped with raspberries, which she adored. My parents are no longer with us, but baking this delicious cake brings back happy memories for me. This soft, plush almond cake is topped with naturally pink raspberry icing. The soft pink color makes it so lovely and perfect for Mother’s Day. It looks delightful topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds, which is an effortless way to add a touch of spring or summer.

Print Recipe
 Pink Raspberry Almond Cake
Soft, fluffy, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Almond Cake
Raspberry Icing
Course Dessert
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Almond Cake
Raspberry Icing
Instructions
Almond Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper round.* Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the egg white in two separate additions, beating until smooth and well combined. Beat in the extracts.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together until well blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes, making sure not to over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out and transfer it to a cooing rack to cool completely.
Raspberry Icing
  1. In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach an easily spreadable consistency, but not watery. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds if desired.
Recipe Notes

*To find 8-inch parchment paper rounds, click here.

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Over the holidays, my Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies went viral, so I thought it was time to introduce a spring version of the popular cookies. Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies have homemade blueberry filling with crumble topping and a touch of lemon zest in the dough to brighten them up. The sweet-tart lemon icing gives them the perfect balance. These delightful blueberry cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies
Vanilla cookies with a touch of lemon zest, topped blueberry filling, crumble topping and lemon icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cookies
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Instructions
Blueberry Filling
  1. Set aside 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries. Combine the remaining blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
  2. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are softened and the sauce is a thick jam consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like sand with no large pieces of butter. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, if using.
  4. Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of the blueberry filling. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping onto the cookies.
  5. Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until well combined. Add additional lemon juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Spring is here and it’s the season to eat carrot cake! Many people have strong opinions about which add-ins are best to use in carrot cake. Some popular ones, besides the carrots themselves, include nuts, pineapple, raisins, and even coconut. My Blueberry Carrot Cake came about when I was thinking about making a breakfast carrot cake. I replaced the typical add-ins with blueberries and the results were so delicious. I originally made this cake with a maple-butter glaze which was perfect for a breakfast cake. For Easter brunch, I opted to dress up the cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting, fresh blueberries and lilacs. This combination is magical.

Print Recipe
 Blueberry Carrot Cake
Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing by Brownie Mischief
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot
Servings
Ingredients
Blueberry Carrot Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Blueberry Carrot Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the carrots. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 37-43 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  3. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the smashed blueberries and beat until smooth. Add milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.
Recipe Notes

To use fresh blueberries for the frosting, place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries start to soften. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher. Press this mixture through a sieve into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana bread is typically everyone’s go-to when we have overripe bananas on our countertops. There’s something so wholesome and comforting about a slice of homemade banana bread. This Banana Cake recipe gives you all of those heart-warming feelings, but it’s a little more flavorful, rich and satisfying. The cake is moist, soft and fluffy. The silky Cream Cheese Frosting pairs beautifully with the spices in the cake. A swirl of salted caramel adds the perfect, decadently delicious finishing touch.

Print Recipe
 Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Moist, flavorful banana sheet cake topped with silky cream cheese icing and salted caramel sauce by Brownie Mischief
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Course Dessert
Keyword banana, cake
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Banana Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
Instructions
Banana Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until light and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel
  1. In a medium-size bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Beat in the butter, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth and well combined.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well combined. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  3. Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the frosting with a spoon, adding more if desired.
Recipe Notes

*For my homemade caramel sauce recipe, click here.

For my easy caramel sauce recipe, click here.

To find premade salted caramel sauce, click here.

Sunshine Picnic Cake

Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if you don’t have picnic weather yet, you might be craving something deliciously bright, like this Sunshine Picnic Cake made with fresh orange juice and orange zest. The soft, moist cake is topped with a subtly tart citrus icing. It’s perfect for a spring or summer picnic, a tea party, weekend brunch or even an anytime snack. This recipe is so versatile that you can easily switch it up to make it a lemon cake if you wish.*

Print Recipe
 Sunshine Picnic Cake
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Icing
Course Brunch, Dessert
Keyword cake, orange
Servings
Ingredients
Cake
Icing
Instructions
Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, and oil, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well combined. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed or by hand, beat in the flour mixture in two additions followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Alternately, if you want to transport the cake in the pan, you can let it cool in the pan.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well combined. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing on the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Recipe Notes

*To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange juice with lemon juice. Replace the orange zest with the lemon zest of two medium lemons. Replace the orange extract with pure lemon extract. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.

**To find pure orange extract, click here.

Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars

Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars

Crumb bars are easy-to-make, rustic dessert bars. These Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars might be the most sumptuous crumb bars I’ve ever made. They have a tender shortbread crust topped with a layer of raspberry jam, followed by chocolate chips, a generous crumb topping, then finished with a drizzle of icing. The raspberry jam and chocolate chips melt together in the oven creating a delicious filling that will remind you of raspberry truffles.

Print Recipe
 Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
Tender shortbread crust topped with raspberry jam, chocolate chips, crumb topping and a drizzle of icing
Keyword bars, raspberry chocolate
Servings
2-inch bars
Ingredients
Crust
Crumb Topping
Filling
Icing
Keyword bars, raspberry chocolate
Servings
2-inch bars
Ingredients
Crust
Crumb Topping
Filling
Icing
Instructions
Crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat just until the dough comes together.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the baking pan. Bake until the surface is light golden born, about 20-23 minutes.
Crumb Topping
  1. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand, with no large pieces of butter remaining Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Filling
  1. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the warm crust. Top with the chocolate chips. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, butter, extracts, salt and 1 tablespoon of milk together. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Remove the cooled bars from the pan and drizzle with icing. Cut the bars into 2 inch squares.

Little Chocolate Donuts

Little Chocolate Donuts with pink icing

Little chocolate donuts are a fun, nostalgic treat from my childhood. I’m talking about the ones at the local market that come in a plastic sleeve. I remember sharing the waxy little donuts with a friend, and at the time we thought they were delicious. Now that I’m an adult, I realize that homemade ones taste soo much better and they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make. They’re delicious with either naturally pink strawberry icing or chocolate glaze. I shared the recipe for both options below.

For Valentine’s Day, I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan for the donuts shown in the photo, but a standard round mini donut pan works too. A sprinkle of pink sparkling sugar makes them extra special, especially for Galentine’s Day.

Print Recipe
 Little Chocolate Donuts
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword chocolate, donuts
Servings
mini donuts
Ingredients
Little Chocolate Donuts
Pink Strawberry Icing
Chocolate Glaze
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Keyword chocolate, donuts
Servings
mini donuts
Ingredients
Little Chocolate Donuts
Pink Strawberry Icing
Chocolate Glaze
Instructions
Little Chocolate Donuts
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray a mini donut pan with nonstick spray. (I used a heart-shaped mini donut pan** but a standard round mini donut pan***works too.)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to the donut pan, using a piping bag or a plastic food storage bag with the corner cut off. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the donuts comes out clean, about 6-8 minutes. Do not over bake or the donuts will dry out. Transfer the donuts to a cooling rack. Clean the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
Strawberry Icing
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, pureéd strawberries, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to reach your desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Dunk the top surface of the cooled donuts into the icing.
Chocolate Glaze
  1. In a heat safe bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and corn syrup together, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Dunk the top surface of the cooled donuts into the glaze or spoon it over the tops.
Recipe Notes

*To find pink sparkling sugar, click here.

**To find the heart-shaped mini donut pan I used, click here.

***To find a standard mini donut pan, click here.

 

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

If you’re a fan of the movie, My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll love these cute little tarts with bellies full of blueberry filling. I watched this movie multiple times over my break from Christmas to New Year’s Day. 2024 was such a roller coaster, that I needed something that brings happiness and comfort. I hope these yummy little cuties will bring you happiness too!

I shared my flaky pie crust recipe below along with the filling. If you want to streamline the process, you can certainly use store bought pie crust. But I must say that that I’ve made them both ways and the homemade crust tastes so much better! You can use a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* to make the pies or you can use the free printable pattern** I provided below. For best results, make sure your dough is nice and cold when cutting it out. You can also use any leftover pie scraps to make tiny Chibi Totoros if you like. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for a few minutes until light golden brown.

Print Recipe
 Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts
Totoro-shaped blueberry tarts with vanilla icing
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Course Dessert
Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts
Servings
tarts
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Icing
Decor
Instructions
Crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed. Work in the butter until flat, dime-size pieces are formed.
  2. In a glass measuring cup, stir the ice water and the vinegar together. Sprinkle it over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring the dough until it comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Form the portions into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Filling & Assembly
  1. Set aside 1/2 cup of blueberries. In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of blueberries and the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberries and the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 9-10 Totoro shapes out of each dough portion using a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* or cut with a paring knife using the provided pattern.** You should get 20 Totoro cut-outs out of the homemade dough, only re-rolling the dough scraps once. Store bought dough will yield about 18 cut-outs, re-rolling the scraps once. (Let the re-rolled dough scraps rest in the refrigerator until firm before cutting.) Place half of the Totoro cut-outs, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets.
  4. Brush the edges of the Totoro cut-outs with egg wash, using your finger or a small pastry brush. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Place a second cut-out over each one. Press the edges together with your fingers, beginning at the bottom and working your way up the sides. Wipe up any excess blueberry drips with a paper towel. Crimp the edges with a small fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small ventilation slit into the center of each tart. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. (If the ears start to brown too fast, you can cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.) Transfer the tarts to a cooling rack.
Icing & Decor
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla and salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the bellies of the cooled Totoro tarts. Pipe dots for the eyes. When the icing has dried, you can use melted chocolate to make the eyeballs, noses and decorate the bellies.
Recipe Notes

*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.

**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.

Fluffy Homemade Marshmallows

Fluffy Homemade Marshmallows
Print Recipe
 Fluffy Homemade Marshmallows
Thick, soft and fluffy homemade marshmallows
Keyword candy, marshmallows
Servings
marshmallows
Ingredients
Keyword candy, marshmallows
Servings
marshmallows
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Spray an 8-inch square pan lightly with nonstick spray. Wipe out any excess spray with a paper towel. Combine the gelatin powder with 1/2 cup (118ml) of water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
  2. Place the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup (118ml) of water in a medium-size saucepan. Stir gently to combine. Place the saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 230ºF (110ºC) on a candy thermometer. Gently swirl the pan occasionally to help prevent hot spots.
  3. Turn the mixer on to low speed. Slowly and carefully pour the hot syrup mixture inside the mixer bowl along the side, away from the whisk. Keep beating until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the vanilla. Gradually turn the mixer up to high speed and continue whipping the mixture until it's glossy, thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer the mixture to the pan, spreading it with an offset spatula. Let it sit uncovered at room temperate until it firms up, about 4 hrs.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the mixture over your work surface. Loosen the edges of marshmallow slab with a small offset spatula. Turn it out onto your work surface. Sprinkle it with the powdered sugar mixture. Cut it into 2-inch squares (or any size you want). Clean your knife after each cut. Toss the marshmallows in the powdered sugar mixture. Store in a covered container for up to 3 days.

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies

These star-shaped sugar cookies with pretty butterscotch windows are often called stained glass cookies. The center of the cookie is cut out and filled with crushed hard candy. It melts in the oven, creating a beautiful glass-like effect. They’re perfect for the holiday season.

I named my star cookies after Evangeline from the Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. When my mom passed away, my dad used to say that he dreamed of her as a beautiful lady in the stars. Recently, I lost my dad too. I like to think that my mom and dad are reunited up there somewhere. The story of Ray the firefly and Evangeline the star from The Princess and the Frog reminds me of them. I made these cookies as a small holiday tribute to my cherished parents.

Print Recipe
 Evangeline Butterscotch Star Cookies
Vanilla sugar cookies with butterscotch candy windows
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword butterscotch, cookies, stained glass, sugar
Servings
4-inch cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth and well combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Mix in the flour until combined.
  2. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven tp 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  4. On a lightly floured surface (or between parchment sheets), roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 18-20 star shapes using a 4-inch cookie cutter.* Place the stars about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Cut the center out of each star using a 2-inch cookie cutter.* Place the small star cut outs on a separate cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Fill the cut out section of the large stars with the crushed butterscotch candy. I recommend chilling the cut cookies in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to prevent excess spreading.
  5. Bake until the candy melts and the edges of the cookies start to turn light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet. Bake the small stars for 6-8 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes

*To find 4-inch and 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutters, click here.

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

When you combine cranberry orange crumb cake with white chocolate chip cookies, you get these delicious, unique cookies that are perfect for the holiday season. They make a festive addition to your holiday cookie platter. I came up with these delightful cookies when I was looking for a way to use up leftover cranberry sauce. If your family is like mine, it’s rare for us to have leftover cranberry sauce because we love it so much. Click here to view my Cranberry Sauce recipe. Don’t worry, you can certainly use store bought whole berry cranberry sauce for this recipe and the cookies will be just as delicious.

Print Recipe
 Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies
Orange scented vanilla cookies with white chocolate chips, topped with cranberry sauce, crumb topping and orange icing
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, cranberry orange
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, cranberry orange
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Cookies
Icing
Instructions
Crumb Topping
  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt until well combined. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like sand with no large pieces of butter. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.
Cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
  4. Form the cookie dough into sixteen 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping into the cookies.
  5. Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Icing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of orange juice until well combined. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies

Pecan Pie Cookies

My Peach Crumble Pie Cookies were so popular that I decided to make a Pecan Pie version. These buttery little tarts have a sweet, gooey pecan filling that’s the perfect contrast to the tender shortbread crusts. They taste like autumn and Thanksgiving in a cute little pie. They also make a delightful addition to your Christmas cookie platter. Make sure to use good quality butter, so your shortbread crusts will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Print Recipe
 Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies
Tender, buttery shortbread crusts topped with rich, gooey pecan pie filling in a cute mini size
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Course Dessert
Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread
Servings
cookie tarts
Ingredients
Shortbread Crusts
Pecan Filling
Instructions
Shortbread Crusts
  1. Lightly spray a 12-serving muffin pan* with nonstick spray. (If you're concerned about the cookies sticking to the pan, see notes below.**)
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed or by hand, just until combined.
  4. Press generous tablespoon size (about 20g each) portions of dough into the bottoms and 1/4-inch up the insides of the muffin pan cups with a pastry tamper dipped in flour. You can also use the bottom of a flat shot glass. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the pecan filling.
Pecan Filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a medium-size saucepan, combine the pecans, butter, brown sugar and maple syrup over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let the mixture bubble gently for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, cinnamon and salt. Return the pan to the heat and let the mixture bubble gently on low heat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the vanilla and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
  2. Top the cookie crusts evenly with the pecan filling mixture. Bake until the cookies are set and the topping is golden brown and bubbly, about 14-16 minutes. Cool the cookies completely in the pan. Once cool, remove the cookies from the pan by running a small offset spatula or paring knife around the inside perimeter of the muffin cups to loosen them.
Recipe Notes

*To find the12-serving  muffin pan I used, click here.

** You can line the bottoms of the muffin cups with 2-inch parchment circles to make sure your cookies release. I don't recommend cupcake liners because the cookies stick to the ridges of the liners. You can, however, cut the circles from the bottom of the cupcake liners if you don't have parchment paper.