Tag: home baking

Marshmallow Mudslide Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
marshmallow mudslide cookies

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

 

Marshmallow Mudslide Cookies

by Mari Vasseur
Chocolate & nut fudge-filled cookies topped with toasted marshmallows
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 22 cookies

Ingredients
  

Fudge filling

  • 1 â…“ cup (227g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (319g) sweetened condensed milk
  • â…” cup (74g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Cookies

  • 2 â…› 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 in the chopped nuts. 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 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 baking sheets. Bake until the tops of the cookies are set, about 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven.
  • Turn on the broiler. Place a marshmallow on top of each cookie.
  • Broil the cookies until the marshmallows are toasted. This takes about 1 minute. CAUTION: 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 lengthwise with kitchen shears. Place on cookies cut side down.
**To melt fudge filling in microwave, heat for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring until melted.
Keyword chocolate, cookies

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

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Blood Orange Cream Cheese Icing and Candied Blood Oranges

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.

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

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
  • â…› 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 by Mari Vasseur
pastel snowball cookies

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
Print Recipe
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

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

Blue powered sugar

  • â…“ cup (40g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons blue spirulina powder

Lavender powered sugar

  • â…“ 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