cookies

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

Posted on November 13, 2024February 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

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.

Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Orange scented vanilla cookies with white chocolate chips, topped with cranberry sauce, crumb topping and orange icing

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Course Dessert

Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 medium orange
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanila extract
¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips
½ cup (113g) whole berry cranberry sauce, purchased or homemade

Icing

⅔ cup (80g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 pinch fine sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-2 ½ tablespoons (15-38ml) orange juice

Instructions

Crumb Topping

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy 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

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale 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.
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.
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

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of orange juice until well blended. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

Keyword cookies, cranberry orange

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies

Posted on November 7, 2024February 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

My Peach Crumble Pie Cookies were so popular that I decided to make a Pecan Pie version. These buttery little cookie 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 or cookie box. Make sure to use good quality butter, so your shortbread crusts will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pecan Pie Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Tender, buttery shortbread crusts filled with sweet, gooey pecan pie filling in a cute mini size

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Course Dessert

Servings 12 cookie tarts

Ingredients

Shortbread Crusts

1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
7 tablespoons (99g) good quality unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup (28g) powdered sugar, sifted

Pecan Filling

1 cup (113g) coarsely chopped pecans
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch fine sea salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Shortbread Crusts

Lightly spray a 12-serving muffin pan* with nonstick spray. (I had no problems releasing the cookies from the pan, but you can also line the muffin cups with 2-inch parchment circles for a foolproof release. I don't recommend cupcake liners since the cookies will stick to the ridges of the liners.)
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed or by hand, just until combined.
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

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a medium-sized 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.
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.

Notes

*To find the 12-serving muffin pan I used, click here.

Keyword cookies, pecan, shortbread

Double Chocolate Marble Cookies

Posted on November 1, 2024February 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

If you like marble cookies, you’ll love my amazing deluxe version. They have crisp edges with soft, chewy centers and plenty of chocolate which makes them the best marble cookies ever! I used a combination of dark chocolate pieces and milk chocolate chips for the perfect balance. Set aside some of the dark chocolate pieces for the tops for the most beautiful, decadent pools of melted chocolate.

Double Chocolate Marble Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Double chocolate marble cookies with crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. Chocolate dough with dark chocolate pieces is swirled together with vanilla dough with milk chocolate chips

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Course Dessert

Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
6 tablespoons (35g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
1 3 1/2-4 oz (113g) dark chocolate bar* broken into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons (20g) cornstarch
⅔ cup (170g) milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips

Instructions

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
Divide the cookie dough in half, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Place half of the dough in a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder into half of the dough, mixing just until combined. Set aside several pieces of dark chocolate for the tops of the cookies, then stir the remaining dark chocolate pieces into the chocolate dough.
Add the cornstarch and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the other half of the cookie dough, mixing just until combined. Stir the milk chocolate chips into the vanilla dough.
Divide each type of dough into 28 portions, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Roll them into balls. Take 2 balls of each type of dough (4 total) and arrange them in a checkerboard pattern then roll them together to form a large ball. Repeat this process to make 14 large dough balls. Cover the dough balls and chill them in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the dough balls 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Top each one with 1 or 2 pieces of the reserved dark chocolate. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set, but still soft, about 10-14 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will spread a bit. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve perfectly round cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Notes

To find dark Dutch process cocoa powder, click here.

Keyword cookies, double chocolate, marble

Brown Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on August 24, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Oatmeal cookies are the most nostalgic and comforting cookies. A warm, freshly baked oatmeal cookie is like a hug from your grandmother. For this recipe, I kept the cozy, nostalgic flavor we all love about oatmeal cookies, but enhanced them with toasty, brown butter. I also added dark chocolate, which gives them a bit of decadence and modern sophistication. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, you can use semisweet chocolate instead.

Brown Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies made with toasty, fragrant brown butter and cinnamon and studded with dark chocolate pieces

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (113g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups (120g) quick oats Not instant
1 3.5-4 oz (99-113g) dark chocolate bar* broken into bite size pieces
⅓ cup roughly chopped toasted pecans optional

Instructions

In a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the cooled brown butter and mix until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix in the flour mixture, just until combined. Stir in the oats.
Set aside a few chocolate pieces for the tops. Stir the remaining chocolate pieces and the pecans (if using) into the dough. Form the dough into 12 portions, about 3 tablespoons each. Roll into balls and place about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Top the dough balls with the reserved chocolate pieces. Bake until the centers puff up and the edges start to turn light golden brown, about 9-11 minutes.
Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. (If your cookies spread too much** you can immediately use a large round cookie cutter or a small bowl to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve perfectly round cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.)

Notes

*If you want a sweeter cookie, you can use a semisweet chocolate bar instead.

**You can also try chilling your dough balls for 20 minutes to prevent excess spreading. Bake a test cookie before baking the entire batch when trying a new recipe.

Keyword chocolate oatmeal, cookies

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Salted Caramel

Posted on June 5, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Many of us love chocolate chip cookies and banana bread so much, that I thought those two iconic bakes would be delicious combined in a cookie. Most of the banana cookies I tried were soft and cakey, which is fine, but I wanted a cookie with chewy centers and crisp, buttery edges. That end result was a challenge with bananas, because they add moisture and softness to baked goods. After a bit of trial and error, I came up with these incredibly delicious, rich, salty-sweet cookies with those coveted chewy centers and crisp edges.

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies with Salted Caramel

by Mari Vasseur

Banana cookies with chewy centers and crisp, buttery edges, filled with chocolate and toasted pecans, topped with salted caramel

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Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

Banana Chocolate Pecan Cookies

2 ⅓ cups (298g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
⅓ cup (75g) mashed very ripe banana
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 3 1/2-4 oz bar of dark chocolate, broken into bite size pieces, plus extra for the tops
¾ cup (85g) roasted, salted pecans, coarsely chopped
Banana chips for the tops

Easy Salted Caramel Sauce

10 soft caramel candies I used Werther's
2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream
1 generous pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well blended.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter is deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to form in the bottom of the pan, immediately transfer the butter to a large bowl.
Add the brown sugar and the granulated sugar to the butter. Mix until well combined. Beat in the egg yolk, banana and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the chocolate and nuts.
Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls. I used a #30 portion scoop, tightly packed.* Top each dough ball with a banana chip and a piece of chocolate. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the cookies about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake the cookies until the tops are set and the edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around each one a couple of times to achieve round, crinkly cookies. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Spoon caramel sauce onto the warm cookies.

Easy Salted Caramel Sauce

Combine the caramel candies and the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Add salt to taste.

Notes

*To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword banana, chocolate pecan, cookies

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

Posted on May 10, 2024March 27, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These magical cookies were inspired by my viral Raspberry White Chocolate Scones. The flavors work so well together and the pretty pink sparkling sugar adds a nice crunchy texture, so I thought they would make excellent cookies too. And I was right! These cookies are everything I was dreaming about. In the scones, fresh raspberries were added directly into the dough. In this recipe, instead, I made a quick raspberry jam to fold into the cookies. Make sure to fold it in gently because if you over mix it, the dough will become too wet, which can lead to excess spreading. I also broke the chocolate into pieces, rather than chopping it. Chopping the chocolate makes too many small chards of chocolate which can also cause excess spreading.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Cookies with white chocolate pieces and fresh raspberry jam swirled into the dough and topped with pink sparkling sugar

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Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (198g) raspberries, divided
¾ cup (150g) plus 2 tablspoons (25g) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons (10ml) water
1 ¾ cups (225g) all purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (30g) cake flour, sifted
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 4 oz (113g) bar of white chocolate, cut into bite size pieces, plus extra for tops or 2/3 cup (4 oz / 113g) white chocolate chips
Pink pearl coarse sparkling sugar optional

Instructions

Set aside 1/2 cup of raspberries. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 cup of raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. When the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the water & cornstarch together. Stir this mixture into the saucepan and continue simmering until the mixture reaches a jam consistency, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the reserved raspberries. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, the cake flour, salt and baking soda until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, and the brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk in 2 separate additions until well incorporated. Beat in the extracts.
On low speed, stir the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate pieces. Fold in the cooled raspberry mixture very gently. Do not over mix! You want to see raspberry swirls. Over mixing will change the texture of the cookies.
Place 2-tablespoon sized portions of cookie dough about 3 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. I used a #30 portion scoop.* Top each cookie with a piece of white chocolate and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and the edges turn light golden brown, about 10-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

If your cookies spread too much, you can try refrigerating the dough balls for 10-15 minutes before baking. Don't refrigerate the dough longer or your dough may become discolored. For best results, weigh your ingredients.

*To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword cookies, raspberry white chocolate

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Posted on April 27, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

What’s your self care indulgence? Mine is chocolate. These Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies are the ultimate brownie cookies with the perfect combination of chocolate to satisfy any craving. They taste just like brownies with rich, fudgy centers and crisp edges. A sprinkle of sea salt flakes gives them the perfect balance.

I was inspired to create these cookies after I paid $5 for one disappointing chocolate cookie at a posh bakery. That impressive looking cookie promised gooey decadence, but it was dry and crumbly. I set out to create a cookie that does not disappoint. To achieve the perfect fudgy texture, it’s important not to over bake your cookies. To avoid over baking, I suggest baking one cookie as a test to determine your optimal baking time.

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies

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Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

6 ounces (170g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces (57g) bittersweet chocolate (70-72%), chopped
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup (97g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (12g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup (85g) milk chocolate chips
sea salt flakes** for sprinkling

Instructions

Melt the chopped semisweet chocolate, the bittersweet chocolate and the butter together in large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly. (Alternately you can melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in short bursts, stirring after each one.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined, about 2-3 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir in the melted chocolate mixture until combined.
Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate the cookie dough for about 5-10 minutes, just long enough to make the dough easier to work with.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll 2-tablespoon (40g) size portions of cookie dough into balls. I used a #30 portion scoop.*** Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and beginning to crack, about 9-11 minutes, being careful not to over bake. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Sprinkle the warm cookies with sea salt flakes.

Notes

*To find Dutch process cocoa powder, click here.

**To find sea salt flakes, click here.

**To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword chocolate, cookies

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on April 3, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

It’s nearly impossible to feel blue while you’re eating one of these cheerful Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies! They’re lemony, buttery and so delicious. I tested these over and over until I got the best lemon flavor and the perfect texture. You’ll love the crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. They don’t require any chilling time, but if your cookies spread too much, you can chill the dough balls for 20-30 minutes before baking. Weigh your ingredients for the best results.

For extra cuteness, I added small yellow chocolate flowers. I used melted white chocolate chips, but candy melts work too. The candy mold I used makes 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch flowers. To find the mold I used, click here. If you use that mold or a similar one, I recommend buying more than one so you can make more chocolate flowers at one time. If you want to skip the white chocolate flowers, then add a few white chocolate chips to the top of each cookie before baking.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lemony cookies with white chocolate chips, crisp edges and soft, chewy centers, topped with white chocolate flowers

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Course Dessert

Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients

White Chocolate Flowers

½ teaspoon edible white or pearl luster dust optional
½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips
2 drops yellow oil based food coloring
½ teaspoon vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ¾ cups (223g) all purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (28g) cake flour, sifted
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
Zest of 2 medium lemons
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips

Instructions

White Chocolate Flowers

Prep silicone candy flower molds by brushing a small amount of luster dust into the cavities with a small food safe brush. This step is optional, but it gives your chocolate flowers a sheen and helps them to release from the mold.
In a heat safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips together with the vegetable oil over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Alternately, you can melt your white chocolate chips with short bursts in the microwave. Stir gently until smooth. Stir in the food coloring a little at a time until your desired shade is achieved.
Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a narrow round tip or snip the tip off of a disposable piping bag. Alternately, you can use a food grade squeeze bottle with a narrow tip. Fill the cavities of the flower mold. Scrape off any excess chocolate with a small offset spatula. Place the mold in the freezer for a few minutes until set. Turn the mold over and bend it slightly to release the flowers. Repeat the steps until you have about 24-36 flowers.

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, salt and baking soda.
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 separate additions until well incorporated. Beat in the extracts until combined.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
Place 1/4 cup size portions of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. I used a #20 portion scoop* and I placed 6 cookies on each cookie sheet. Bake one cookie sheet at a time. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and the bottom edges begin to turn light golden brown, about 10-11 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Apply the white chocolate flowers to the cooled cookies with a dab of melted white chocolate.

Notes

To find the flower mold I used, click here.

To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword cookies, lemon

Miffy Inspired Coconut Cookies

Posted on March 22, 2024March 17, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Spring is finally here and Easter is around the corner, so I couldn’t resist making these cute, melt-in-your-mouth Miffy inspired bunny cookies. They’re made of tender coconut shortbread topped with icing and sprinkled with coconut flakes. Coconut bunnies make perfect Easter treats. I happened to have a Miffy cookie cutter, but any 3-inch (7.6cm) bunny cookie cutter works too.* You can also use a pattern to cut out the cookies with a small paring knife. Click here for a Miffy-inspired cookie pattern. Coconut bunnies make perfect Easter treats. This shortbread recipe also works beautifully as vanilla flavor. If you prefer vanilla, refer to the notes below.**

Miffy Inspired Coconut Cookies

by Mari Vasseur

Tender, melt-in-your-mouth bunny shaped coconut shortbread cookies with icing and coconut flakes

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Course Dessert

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

1 cup (227g) good quality unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon natural coconut extract or flavoring
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (14g) unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted

Coconut Icing

1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons (30-60ml) half & half
½ teaspoon natural coconut extract or flavoring
1 pinch fine sea salt
¼ cup (43g) semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup (14g) unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

In a large bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth and pale. Beat in the extracts and coconut flakes until well blended. On low speed beat in the flour, just until combined.
Form the dough into 2 disks. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a scant 1/4-inch (.6cm) thick. Cut out the cookies using a 3-inch (7.6cm) bunny cookie cutter. If you don't have a cookie cutter you can use the provided pattern and cut the cookies out with a small paring knife. Place the cut cookies about 2 inches (5cm) apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Freeze the cookies for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the cookies until set and light golden, about 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Coconut Icing

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of half & half, the coconut extract and salt until smooth. Whisk in additional half & half as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Apply the icing to the cookies by dipping the tops of the cookies in the icing or by spreading the icing on with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.
To make the Miffy or bunny faces, melt the chocolate ships in a small heat safe bowl, in the microwave. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a narrow round tip. For the Miffy faces, pipe an x for the mouth and dots for the eyes. For Easter bunnies, pipe eyes, noses and mouths. You can also use small candies for the noses.

Notes

*To find bunny cookie cutters, click here.

**To make vanilla shortbread cookies, omit the vanilla extract, coconut flavoring and the coconut flakes. Replace with 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste. To make vanilla icing, replace the coconut flavoring with pure vanilla extract

***To find the coconut flavoring I used, click here.

Keyword coconut shortbread, cookies

Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies

Posted on March 15, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Just when you thought confetti cookies couldn’t get any more fun and cute, Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies have arrived! I took confetti cookies, also known as birthday cake cookies, over the top by adding confetti crumb topping and a drizzle of pale pink icing. For top level fun, I finished them with edible glitter.

Confetti Crumb Cake Cookies

Vanilla cookies with white chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, crumb topping and icing drizzle

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Course Dessert

Servings 15 cookies

Ingredients

Confetti Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
7 tablespoons (87g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles

Confetti Cookies

2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
¾ cup (128g) white chocolate chips or chunks
¼ cup (44g) rainbow sprinkles

Icing

½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk
pink gel food coloring or any color of your choice optional
edible glitter optional

Instructions

Confetti Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like sand with no large chunks of butter. Stir in the sprinkles. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.

Confetti Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the extracts.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and the sprinkles.
Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Flatten the dough balls slightly. Top each one generously with the crumb topping.
Bake until the cookies are set 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

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add additional milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Using the tip of a toothpick, gradually add a tiny bit of food coloring and whisk until incorporated.
Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Top with edible glitter if desired.

Notes

If your cookies spread too much, chill the dough for 20-30 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.

Keyword birthday cake, confetti, cookies

Brownie Cheesecake Cookies

Posted on March 10, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

If you love chocolate chip cheesecake, you’ll adore these Brownie Cheesecake Cookies. I took my favorite elements from brownies and chocolate chip cheesecake and combined them into a cookie. The brownie batter cookies are soft and chewy on the inside and crispy on the edges. The cheesecake filling is creamy and smooth and dotted with mini chocolate chips.

The cookie dough should be refrigerated for a few minutes to help make the dough easier to work with. A short amount of chilling time worked best for me. I had minimal spreading during baking, but If your cookies spread to much, you can form the dough balls, add the indentations and refrigerate them for 20-30 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.

Since it’s so close to St. Patrick’s Day, I also made a version with Irish cream filling. See the notes below.*

Brownie Cheesecake Cookies

Brownie cookies with soft, chewy centers and crisp edges, filled with creamy cheesecake filling and mini chocolate chips.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

Filling

½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons heavy whipping cream room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (43g) mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Cookies

6 ounces (170g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces (57g) bittersweet chocolate (70-72%), chopped
¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons (12g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅜ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup (57g) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Filling

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract together until smooth. Set aside 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips. Stir the remaining mini chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.

Cookies

Melt the chopped chocolate and butter together in a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir gently until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave with short bursts.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Refrigerate the cookie dough for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to work with. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll 2-tablespoon (40g) size portions of cookie dough into balls. Place them onto the cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie dough ball using a pastry tamper, the flat top of a bottle cap or with your thumbs. Spoon a generous 1 teaspoon of filling into each indentation. Sprinkle with the reserved mini chocolate chips.
Bake until the edges are set and beginning to crack, about 9-11 minutes. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Notes

To make the Irish cream version of the filling, replace the heavy cream and vanilla extract with 2 teaspoons of Bailey's Irish cream liqueur.

Keyword brownie cheesecake, cookies

Chocolate Love Potion Cookies

Posted on January 28, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

You’ll fall in love with these bewitching double chocolate cookies with pistachios and rose petals. As if the chocolate chips weren’t enough, I topped them with pieces of dark chocolate which melt into heavenly little pools of deliciousness. You may have heard that chocolate is considered to be an aphrodisiac because it contains tryptophan and phenelethylamine. Tryptophen increases the mood booster serotonin in the brain. Phenelethylamine is released by the brain when you fall in love. Pistachios are also considered to be natural aphrodisiacs and these cookies contain plenty of pistachios! The rose petals add a touch of romance to finish off the perfect love potion cookies.

If you’re not a fan of pistachios, feel free to substitute your favorite toasted nuts. If you want to skip the nuts all together, make sure to replace them with another add-in, because the nuts help to provide structure to the cookies. I recommend dried cherries or white chocolate chips as a nice alternative.

Chocolate Love Potion Cookies

Double chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and pistachios topped with pools of melted chocolate, chopped pistachios and dried rose petals

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (256g) all purpose flour, sifted
½ cup (48g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (256g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
½ cup (57g) roasted unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
2 ounces (57g) semisweet or dark chocolate broken into pieces
Finely chopped, roasted unsalted pistachios for garnish
Dried rose petals for garnish

Instructions

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
In a separate large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and pistachios.
Form the dough into 18 portions, about 2 ounces (57g) each. Form the portions into 2-inch heart shapes. (They don't have to be perfect, because the cookies are going to spread as they bake.) Place the heart shapes on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Place 6 dough portions on each cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart. Top each one with a piece of chocolate. I placed my chocolate pieces on the upper left of each cookie. Bake the cookies until the tops look set, about 10-11 minutes. Be careful not to over bake the cookies or they'll be more difficult to shape into hearts.
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use a large, metal heart-shaped cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies. Place the cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it up and down, then side to side a couple of times. Work quickly before the cookies set. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Top the cookies with chopped pistachios and rose petals before the melted chocolate sets.

Notes

To find culinary rose petals, click here.

To find the cookie cutter I used, click here.

Keyword chocolate, cookies, love potion