Tag Archives: gift

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

April 21, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Big bakery-style chocolate and pistachio cookies are the ultimate cookie treat!

I feel a little bad because I’ve been keeping these cookies to myself for a few weeks now.

They are exactly what I expect a perfect bakery-style cookie to be:

BIG (when it comes to cookies, bigger really is better)
Full of contrasting texture (crispy edges, chewy center and crunchy pistachios)
Major depth of flavor (deep essence of caramel from the brown sugar in the dough, subtle sweetness and richness from dark chocolate, just enough salty from pistachios and flaky sea salt)

Just look at these beauties! Straight out of the oven the chocolate is just perfectly melted through and through. The chopped dark chocolate makes a huge difference in getting that richness in every bite. However, if you have it in you to let them cool, the texture of the cookie will really develop. It’s a win either way!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

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Big bakery-style cookies full of dark chocolate chunks, crunchy pistachios and the perfect hint of salt.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 18 large cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
350g (~1½ cups, packed) light brown sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
130g (1 cup) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g (¾ cup) salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chips
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Overfill a large cookie dough scoop (~4 tablespoons total) for each cookie and place onto prepared baking sheets
Bake large cookies 17-19 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool
Texture of cookies best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week at room temperature or one month frozen if stored in an air-tight container

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results

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Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

March 7, 2016 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Rich and decadent dark chocolate truffles with a hint of blood orange. These are the best homemade candy!

Over the last few years it’s gotten increasingly harder to schedule plans with friends. Between kids, family obligations and the seemingly speed-of-light passing of time, everyone’s schedules fill up fast. The “let’s do this again, and soon this time!” inevitably turns into the passing of another two months until another date is made. Top that with the winter season leading to at least one child being sick and getting friends together really becomes an unfortunate challenge.

So when we were able to get four of our favorite couples (plus kids!) to our place for dinner, we wanted to make it lots of fun. The night started early (5pm ha!) so that everyone could bring their babies without worrying about childcare. It was definitely a risk to sign up for 4 children under the age of three in one apartment during the witching hour, but we went for it.

Matt and I decided to go Mexican with dinner and break all the rules by making a recipe for chicken enchiladas we hadn’t cooked before (luckily America’s Test Kitchen is always dependable!). Plus, there was plenty of chips and guacamole to go around, even after L ate half of the guac. Add to that cilantro lime rice, Mexican-spiced beans, cumin-roasted cauliflower and salad.

I kept things seasonal and festive with spicy blood orange margaritas (that I’m still thinking about) and thought, why not have a blood orange dessert as well? So these Blood Orange truffles (along with a soon-to-come recipe for banana pudding) made their appearance.

Now, I know that orange and chocolate is a traditional flavor pairing that some people love, but historically it really hasn’t appealed to me. However, these truffles were quite extraordinary. The blood orange brought a fruitfulness to the truffles that complimented the bitterness of the dark chocolate at just the right level. That flavor, with a sensational melt-in-your-mouth richness made them a huge hit. In fact, my friends were a bit in disbelief that I had in fact made the truffles myself.

I promise you, though, that these are a lot easier than you might think. The most complicated part is tediously rolling the individual truffles but it’s very much worth the effort. Additionally, you can make these up to one week ahead of time if stored in the fridge. Just make sure not to eat them all before you gift or serve them. That is no easy feat.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Blood Orange Chocolate Truffles

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Rich and decadent dark chocolate truffles with a hint of blood orange. These are the best homemade candy!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
1g (1 teaspoon) blood orange zest (~1 orange)
142g chopped semi-sweet chocolate
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) blood orange juice (~1/3 orange)
10g (2 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder (you won’t use all of it)

Instructions

Combine heavy whipping cream and orange zest in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat; immediately pour through a mesh strainer over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and orange juice until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles; they will be slightly soft and sticky; freeze for fifteen minutes to set
Once set, roll truffles in cocoa powder and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from my lemon truffles
May store in refrigerator up to one week

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Valentine’s Day Brownie Pops

January 13, 2016 Keep It Sweet 8 Comments

Fudgy delicious brownie pops made from scratch! These heart-shaped treats are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

I was in the mood to make something pretty, fun and ultra delicious for Valentine’s Day this year. And while I love cake pops, the idea of brownie pops came to mind for a change. So instead of making a cake AND buttercream I made the ultimate fudgy brownies and turned them into pops. The texture of the brownies is actually perfect for molding (they are that fudgy) so no frosting needed! Plus, dipping the pops in chocolate really seals in the moisture. It makes them ideal for when you need to make a treat ahead of time. Class parties, Valentine’s Day soirees, or even bridal showers would be perfect excuses for these pretty heart-shaped pops.

When I started making them, I actually made balls at first. And then in a moment of déjà vu, I remembered that my mom and I had made hundreds of heart-shaped cake pops a few years ago for an Anthropologie event. And what do you know, making a ball shape into a heart is actually super easy. You just have to pinch the bottom, press a thumb into the top and voila. Something extra festive for a love-themed occasion.

And a little confession so you know just how much we loved these. The recipe makes about 50 heart-shaped brownie pops and I only shared a few of them. Maybe a dozen at most? I just couldn’t bring myself to give any more away. Oops.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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Fudgy delicious brownie pops made from scratch! These heart-shaped treats are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 4 dozen pops (easily doubles)

Ingredients

½ pan of The Ultimate Fudgy Brownies, cooled
4-dozen 6-inch lollipop sticks
600g semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped or in disks
½ - 1 cup colored sprinkles

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
Cut sharp edges and corners off of brownies; break remaining brownie into pieces and place in a large bowl; mush together into a fudgy consistency
Use a small cookie dough scoop or large spoon to scoop balls (about 1 tablespoon each) of dough onto wax paper
Use your hands to roll the scoops into balls
Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place in freezer for at least two hours
Prepare another baking sheet with wax paper for finished pops, alternatively, have a large piece of styrofoam available for drying brownie pops
Once balls are frozen, you can make the pops
Put chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and place in over a pot of simmering water; stir chocolate constantly until melted (you can also melt in the microwave)
Remove balls from freezer; dip the top of each lollipop stick about ¼ of an inch into the melted chocolate and immediately press into brownie ball two thirds of the way through
(Optional) To make hearts: Pinch the bottom of each ball together with your fingers to form a rounded upside down triangle. Then, press your thumb into the top of the pop to create a dip for the top of the heart. Smooth out any imperfections by carefully using your fingers to mold the shape. Chill pops in freezer for an additional 15- 30 minutes or until firm again
Once complete, dip each pop, one at a time, into melted chocolate; lightly tap off excess chocolate and place cake pop on wax paper or stick into styrofoam; decorate with sprinkles immediately before chocolate hardens
Repeat until all pops are dipped and decorated
Allow to cool and for chocolate to harden before serving

Notes

Brownie can be made one day before making pops; just make sure it is wrapped tightly with seran or tin foil (can also freeze well-wrapped up to one month)
Cake pops can be made up to one week in advance of serving

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Valentine's Day Brownie Pops

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The fudgiest brownies ever.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: One 9x13 pan of brownies

Ingredients

256g unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
340g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) unsalted butter
415g (~2 cups) granulated sugar
400g (~1¾ cups, packed) light brown sugar
275g (~5 large) whole eggs, at room temperature
89 milliliters (6 tablespoon) strong brewed espresso (4 grams (1½ tablespoons) espresso + 89 milliliters (6 tablespoons) water))
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
290g (~2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees;
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside
Melt butter and chocolate in large pot over low to medium heat; remove when melted
Stir in sugar until combined; stir in eggs, espresso and vanilla until smooth
Whisk in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
Set brownies aside to cool completely before using

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Lemon Truffles

December 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 3 Comments

No-bake white chocolate lemon truffles are a refreshing change of pace for the holidays. Make this sparkly treat for your New Year’s Eve festivities!

Sometimes you just want to make something that tastes good and is extra pretty.

These lemon truffles are such a gorgeous little treat that you can’t help but ooooh and aaaaah over. They sparkle on the outside while the inside showcases an ultra creamy filling. The essence of lemon is present but not lip-puckeringly so and balances perfectly with the sweet white chocolate.

The truffles do require some lead time because you want to make sure there is plenty of time for chilling. Otherwise, you will end up with a bit of a sticky mess. It’s worth it, though. You can display them in a fancy candy dish and most people would assume that they were the result of a high-end candy shop purchase. They are gorgeous and festive which lends them quite well to a New Year’s Eve celebration. And thinking way ahead, keep them in mind for special Valentine’s Day gifts.

Lemon Truffles

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No-bake white chocolate lemon truffles are a refreshing change of pace for the holidays. Make this sparkly treat for your New Year’s Eve festivities!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 20 truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
1g lemon zest (~1 lemon)
142g chopped white chocolate
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) lemon juice (~1/3 lemon)
½ cup shimmering sprinkles

Instructions

Combine heavy whipping cream and lemon zest in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat; immediately pour through a mesh strainer over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and lemon juice until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles; they will be slightly soft and sticky; freeze for fifteen minutes to set
Once set, roll truffles in topping and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from these white chocolate truffles

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Chocolate Covered Oreos, Three Ways

December 7, 2015 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

Chocolate covered Oreos are the best homemade Christmas gift! The three different recipes for this easy no-bake treat are so much fun.

Chocolate covered Oreos aren’t exactly a new thing. I’ve been making them for years and have seen them sold in many candy stores. Usually, though, they are plain milk or dark chocolate. After spotting a variety of flavors at Trader Joe’s (and yes, I know, they aren’t technically “Oreos”), and using lots of self-restraint not to buy the big tin, I decided to make my own. That way, I was able to pick my favorite flavor combinations and control what chocolate I use! Bonus, they make a great treat for gift giving and bringing to holiday parties.

For this post I made three variations of Chocolate Covered Oreos:

Milk chocolate with dark chocolate drizzle
Peppermint dark chocolate (perfect for Christmas!)
Milk chocolate peanut butter (peanut butter IN the chocolate AND topping!)

Even though I love baking holiday cookies, it’s nice to change it up once and a while with something that looks extra pretty and fancy (people are always impressed with chocolate dipped anything). Plus, I can’t bring myself to give someone store-bought food gifts. Sidenote: I actually love when people buy me food gifts. Is that weird?

5.0 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Milk chocolate covered sandwich cookies drizzled with dark chocolate.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

500g [url:1]good quality milk chocolate[/hturl], in disks or roughly chopped
10g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
110g good quality dark chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped

Instructions

Place milk chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate
Place dark chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Drizzle dark chocolate over cookies
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Chocolate sandwich cookies coated in a peanut butter milk chocolate shell and topped with peanut butter chips.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

460g good quality milk chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped
40g (2 tablespoons) creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
80g (1/2 cup) peanut butter chips, roughly chopped

Instructions

Place milk chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate; immediately sprinkle with peanut butter chips
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Peppermint Dark Chocolate Covered Oreos

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Peppermint chocolate covered sandwich cookies are perfect for Christmas.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

500g good quality dark chocolate, in disks or roughly chopped
10g (2 teaspoons) unsalted butter
2 milliliters (1/2 teaspoon) peppermint extract
2 dozen chocolate sandwich cookies
70g (1/2 cup) peppermint baking pieces

Instructions

Place dark chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; melt by microwaving in 30-second increments and stirring vigorously in-between; continue until melted and smooth; stir in peppermint extract
Use two forks to dip cookies into melted chocolate; immediately sprinkle with peppermint baking pieces
Chill in refrigerator for one hour or until ready to serve or package; best kept in a cool dry place but will stay nice longer in refrigerator

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Happy Hanukkah!!

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Peppermint Mocha Truffles

November 25, 2015 Keep It Sweet 5 Comments

Rich dark chocolate truffles with a hint of coffee and splash of peppermint. The best no-bake edible Christmas gift!

Peppermint mocha is my ultimate holiday weakness. The drink, the sweets, everything. In fact, despite the fact that I’ve mostly given up fake sweeteners and usually drink coffee sans sugar, the skinny peppermint mocha latte is my once or twice a year guilty pleasure treat that I truly savor. Last year I remember drinking one as we took L, just a newborn then, on a walk. It was a chilly late fall day and he seemed to be going through an eat-every-hour growth spurt. That peppermint mocha latte was my little break.

There is something so sinful about peppermint mocha treats. The rich deep chocolate flavor combined with a pop of mint is so satisfying. In making these truffles, I chose to go with an extra-dark chocolate for a base to keep them from being too sweet. That, combined with some instant espresso and a splash of peppermint extract, creates a great balanced flavor.

The recipe isn’t all that complicated. In fact, the hardest part is just rolling out all the truffles. I’d even recommend doubling or tripling the batch if you plan on making them for gifts or parties.

Peppermint Mocha Truffles

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Rich dark chocolate truffles with a hint of coffee and splash of peppermint. The best no-bake edible Christmas gift!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 2 dozen truffles

Ingredients

79 milliliters (1/3 cup) heavy whipping cream
3g (1 teaspoon) instant espresso
142g finely chopped dark chocolate (72% or higher), any type
57g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ milliliter (1/8 teaspoon) peppermint extract
Toppings-I like peppermint baking pieces (finely chopped), crushed candy canes and holiday sprinkles

Instructions

Whisk together heavy whipping cream and espresso in a small heavy-duty saucepan; heat over low-medium heat
Bring to a light rolling boil then remove from heat and immediately pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth
Whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted; whisk in butter and peppermint extract until smooth
Chill mixture in refrigerator for two hours or until it is firm
Once firm, use a small or cookie dough scoop to form small ball-shaped truffles
Roll truffles in topping and store in an airtight container in refrigerator until ready to eat
Bring to room temperature before serving

Notes

Adapted from the Lindt Chocolate Passion Recipe Book
Truffles should be enjoyed within two weeks for best results
Recipe can be easily doubled

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Comfort Food Chocolate Chunk Cookies

February 23, 2015 Keep It Sweet 15 Comments

Perfect chocolate chunk cookies. Chewy in the center and crispy around the edges, these cookies are pure comfort.

A good friend of mine recently brought her second baby home from the hospital. Even though I’m still getting a handle on some aspects of life with a baby, I realized it was time I started returning the favors of all the people who visited us with food and gifts after L was born. And while a homemade meal is even better (and will definitely happen for her), one of the things I enjoyed most post-baby was a seriously good sweet treat. Nothing like a good sugary carb for an instant energy boost!

I wanted to go with a classic comforting cookie; basically, the best version of a chocolate chip cookie you could ask for. The base of the dough bakes up nice and thick with a chewy center and crispy edges (the big size doesn’t hurt). I used rich high quality dark chocolate disks to really satisfy and topped them with a smoked flaky sea salt, though any flaky sea salt would do. While you can leave that off, I really find that the bit of salty contrast just enhances the cookie flavor.

Comfort Food Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Perfect chocolate chunk cookies. Chewy in the center and crispy around the edges, these cookies are pure comfort.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: ~20 cookies

Ingredients

262g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour
3g (½ teaspoon) baking soda
5g (1 teaspoon) salt
170g (3/4 cup / 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
234g (~1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
106g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15 milliliters / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
75g (~1 large egg + 1 yolk) eggs at room temperature
340g (~2 cups) good quality dark chocolate disksor chunks (at least 55% cocoa)
Flaky sea salt (I like this Smoked sea salt)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until well-combined
Beat in eggs and vanilla until a mixture is a light creamy color
Reduce speed to low and stir in flour mixture (do not overmix)
Fold in chocolate
Chill dough in refrigerator for 24-48 hours for best texture and flavor results
Once dough has chilled, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees; cover baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop cookie dough with large cookie dough scoop (~3 tablespoons) onto prepared baking sheets; top with flaky sea salt
Bake large cookies 16-18 minutes or until brown around good portion of edges
Set aside to cool

Notes

Dough requires 24-48 hours of chilling time for best results
Texture of cookies (crispy edges with chewy center) best within 24 hours; cookies can be enjoyed up to one week after baking if stored at room temperature or up to a month if frozen.

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Double Dip Mints (aka Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Patties)

December 8, 2014 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

This recipe for Double Dip Mints was inspired by one of my favorite candy stores. Homemade milk chocolate dipped peppermint patties are even better than the original candy you are used to!

In all of my summers of going down the shore, there are definitely mixed memories of people and events that seem to be somewhat of a blur at this point. Aside from a few special moments, without a doubt, one of my favorite things about the annual trips is visiting Jagielky’s, an unbelievable chocolate store with a vast selection of homemade sweets. I’m not even really a candy person in general, I can usually take it or leave it, but their chocolates are to-die-for. The homemade caramel in the cashew turtles is just perfect and their almond butter crunch bars (milk chocolate and almond covered toffee) are one of my favorite treats in the world. My mom and sister love their homemade marshmallow-filled chocolates and I never leave without a chocolate covered Oreo for Matt. But there is one candy that always seemed to me so simple yet so genius and I had to recreate it, the Double Dip Mint.

The Double Dip Mint is really very straight forward. It is basically like someone took a peppermint patty and then dipped it in milk chocolate. So instead of one type of chocolate coating, you get two. So for those of you who haven’t picked sides on milk versus dark, these are perfect for you. My homemade version might not be quite as delicious as the specialty treat I’ve been buying for years, but it’s pretty darn close. Plus, this time of year I’m not heading to the shore so making them myself is necessary.

I worked off of Christina’s peppermint patty recipe and increased the volume so that you could sneak a few for yourself and then gift a dozen to a friend for the holidays. Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed!

Double Dip Mints (aka Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Patties)

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This recipe for Double Dip Mints was inspired by one of my favorite candy stores. Homemade milk chocolate dipped peppermint patties are even better than the original candy you are used to!

Makes: 18-20 pieces

Ingredients

240g (~1½ cups) powdered sugar, plus additional for rolling
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) water
15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) light corn syrup
2 milliliters (¼- ½ teaspoon) peppermint extract
170g good quality dark chocolate (I like using something 65% cocoa or higher)
227g good quality milk chocolate
42g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter or shortening, separated

Instructions

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and peppermint extract in the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed for several minutes, until it forms large clumps
Remove bowl from mixer and use your hands to knead the dough together
Place a sheet of parchment paper (about the size of a baking sheet) on counter and dust with powdered sugar; place dough on top and sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top; top with another piece of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough out to be about ¼ inch thick; freeze dough (still between parchment paper) for at thirty minutes
Remove dough from freezer and use a round cookie cutter or small glass (I used a shot glass!) to cut circles ~1 ½ inches in diameter; roll out remaining dough scraps and cut out additional circles until almost no dough remains
Chill cut dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in freezer for one hour or up to one day
When ready, take out a clean piece of parchment
Melt dark chocolate and half of butter or shortening in microwave of a double boiler; once completely melted, remove peppermints from freezer and dunk each one and then place on clean parchment paper
Chill peppermint patties in freezer for one hour and repeat dipping process with milk chocolate and remaining butter or shortening; freeze again until completely cooled
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in freezer up to one month

Notes

Recipe for peppermint patties from Dessert for Two
Inspired by my favorite chocolate candy store

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How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts (and 30 recipes that are perfect for that)

November 6, 2014 Keep It Sweet 19 Comments

Baking and freezing cookies is a great way to reduce holiday stress. Here are 30 of my favorite recipes for cookies that you can bake ahead of time and freeze for a month or two for holiday gifting!

I learned from my mom. When it comes to entertaining, she and I are a lot alike. We plan in advance, we make lists, and we think about desserts as if they are the most important thing on the planet (duh). For years, my parents threw a big holiday party for of their friends. It was nice to see them work together to plan, execute and host… it’s definitely influenced how I go about celebrating holidays and special occasions today. Anyway, when it came to dessert, my mom was notorious for a major dessert table (before dessert tables were even a thing). We joked that she would have an entire dessert per couple (or per person??) but really what could be more fun? The thing is, you can’t possibly entertain thirty plus people and expect to make everything two to three days in advance. Well, unless you want your kitchen to be a disaster, your sleep to be non-existent and your stress level to be through the roof. Instead, my mom developed a system of baking and freezing in advance for the items that would be just as good as freshly made. Among those items, cookies always worked so well. Just bake them when you have some time, stick them in a ziplock bag, label that bag (I admit that this is one thing I actually taught my mom), and freeze for up to two months. It’s also helpful to keep a running list of what you actually have baked so that you don’t have to check your freezer inventory every day! The morning of your party, keep the cookies sealed in their bags and let them defrost at room temperature. Within a few hours your cookies will be ready to go!

How to Bake and Freeze Cookies for Holiday Gifts

1. Bake cookie of choice as directed.

2. Allow cookies to cool completely.

3. Place cooled cookies in flat layers in ziplock bags.

If the cookies are gooey or tend to stick to one another, separate layers in the bag with parchment paper.

4. Use a permanent marker to label the bags (include number of cookies, type, date of baking). Add cookies to a running inventory list.

5. Store cookies in freezer for up to two months.

6. When ready to defrost, take bags of cookies out of freezer. Keep the bags sealed and allow the cookies to defrost at room temperature for several hours.

7. Plate cookies when ready to serve or package them for gifting.

Thirty Cookies to Bake and Freeze for Holiday Gifts

Fun Flavors

Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies (how-to video here)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (a great basic)

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread (a family favorite)

Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie Butter Pumpkin Bites

Doughy Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies

Easy Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Espresso Salted Dark Chocolate Biscotti

(Fresh) Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Brown Butter Cookies (<-one of last year’s favorites)

Peanut Butter Cup Heath Bar Brown Butter Cookies

Rugelach, Three Ways (Cinnamon & Chocolate, PB&J, Milk Chocolate Toffee)

Salted Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Salted Caramel & Peanut Oatmeal Cookies

Spiked Mocha Chip Cookies

The Best Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookie Sandwiches

Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling (<-one of my favorite early recipes)

Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cookie Butter and Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches (<-one of the most popular recipes on the blog)

Espresso Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache

Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing (<-got SO many recipe requests from friends on this one)

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mocha Ganache

Mini Confetti Cookie Sandwiches (Just swap the colors to whatever holiday you are celebrating!)

Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches

Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches

Gluten-Free Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF) (<-you won’t be able to tell they are gluten-free)

Chewy Ginger Cookies (GF)

Chocolate Chunk Meringues (GF)

Easy Chocolate Chunk Cookies (GF)

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies (GF) (<-beyond easy)

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues (GF)

Happy holiday baking!

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Blog, Recipes

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

August 28, 2014 Keep It Sweet 10 Comments

How to make homemade vanilla extract, a great holiday gift or personal treat!

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Beanilla. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. *

I seriously love vanilla beans. I tend to hoard them and save them for desserts that seem extra special and worth the high-end ingredient splurge, and when I do use them, I find that the flavor is always so much better. A few examples of recipes that are packed and enhanced with serious vanilla bean flavor:

No Churn Oreo Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Vanilla Bean Apple Bundt Cake (Matt was obsessed with this one)
Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Vanilla Bean Bourbon Nectarine Bundt Cake <-I used the Beanilla bourbon vanilla beans in this one!

So when I had the opportunity to work with Beanilla, I jumped at the chance to sample their products and expand my pantry collection of just basic vanilla beans. In addition to vanilla-related products (I really need to try their vanilla bean paste next!) and different flavor extracts, they offer vanilla extract kits and nice jars for making your own vanilla extract at home. Since, when it comes to baking, I’m always adamant that the quality of certain products (in particular baking chocolate, cocoa and vanilla extract) makes a huge difference in the dessert, I thought it would be fun and worthwhile to make my own vanilla extract.

Turns out it is extremely easy and definitely worthwhile. All you need is a few vanilla beans, an alcohol of choice and a resealable jar. Plus, homemade extract can make a great gift for any of your friends that like baking. If you start now, you can make a few batches to give out for the holidays!

For this batch, I chose to pair the bourbon vanilla beans with, well, bourbon, so that I end up with a vanilla that has a nice rich flavor. Plus, Matt loves all things bourbon and desserts that are full of that great vanilla bean flavor so I have a feeling he will be very happy when I start baking with this.

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Ingredients

5-8 vanilla beans
237 milliliters / 8 fluid ounces alcohol of choice (I recommend a mid-level vodka, rum, bourbon or brandy)

Instructions

Slice vanilla beans open lengthwise (do not cut pod in half) so that inside beans will be exposed; you can cut them in half in the other direction if they are too tall to fit into your container
Place vanilla beans in container of choice and pour in alcohol; make sure vanilla beans are completely submerged in the liquid
Seal jar and give it a shake
Store in a cool dark place for two months, checking on the jar every couple of weeks and giving it a shake at that point
After two months, use vanilla extract as desired

Notes

You will need an 8-ounce (or larger) resealable glass or jar
Make vanilla extract two months (or more) in advance for best results

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Blog, Recipes

BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

May 12, 2014 Keep It Sweet 14 Comments

These Blueberry Buttercream Cups are the perfect no-bake chocolate treats. They are so easy to make.

I think I might be a little obsessed with buttercream candy cups now. First there were the Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups and then I made these Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups. The thing is, this is such an easy dessert to make. I was able to do all of the work and clean up in the time it took Matt to go to the driving range. I could have eaten them all and he wouldn’t even have had a clue. Sometimes that is the best kind of dessert.

So when I was thinking endlessly of some sort of fancy gender reveal post, I’m glad that it finally occurred to me to make some buttercream cups again. I still don’t have high energy levels so it’s hard to motivate myself to make anything overly complicated. Besides, blueberry buttercream plus chocolate – it’s like a gourmet truffle on crack.

Wait, what? Did I say gender reveal? The filling might not be super blue (I’m trying to stay away from artificial coloring right now), but it is blue! And that’s pretty much my favorite color since we found out that we are having a boy a couple of weeks ago! It actually wasn’t a shock, everyone seemed convinced of that a couple of months ago. If I had been told anything else, I wouldn’t have believed the doctor anyway. I grew up with a sister so this whole boy world is new and exciting for me. And besides that, finding out the sex made things feel SO much more real. We’ve even started looking at furniture and all of the cute room decorations out there. Seriously, how is everything baby so darn cute? And Matt? I don’t think I’ve seen him this happy in the entire 10+ years we’ve been together. That might be the best part!

BLUEberry Buttercream Cups

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These Blueberry Buttercream Cups are the perfect no-bake chocolate treats. They are so easy to make.

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 12 candy cups

Ingredients

227g good quality dark chocolate (I used 72%), roughly chopped
7g (1/2 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1½ cups Blueberry Buttercream (see below)

Instructions

Line a mini muffin pan with 12 tin foil cupcake wrappers and set aside
Place chocolate and butter in a medium microwave safe bowl; melt by microwaving the chocolate and butter in 30-second increments and stirring in-between
Use a teaspoon to coat the bottom of each cup with melted chocolate; place muffin pan in fridge
Remove pan from fridge and pipe buttercream into center of each cup (about 1 tablespoon)
Spoon melted chocolate over buttercream and around edges so that coated on all sides
Chill for one hour in refrigerator before serving; store in refrigerator up to one week

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Blueberry Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
240g (1½ cups) powdered sugar
⅛ cup blueberry puree (made from ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries)
½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed for several minutes until light and creamy
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar; beat on high speed until combined
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add blueberry puree, vanilla and salt; mix on medium speed for one minute; beat on high speed for at least five minutes and until frosting is light and creamy; if it appears too thick, continue to beat for another couple of minutes or until it reaches desired consistency

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Dear Pottery Barn Kids – you might just be the end of my bank account.

Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups

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Blog, Recipes

Pink Champagne Cake Pops–A New Years Eve Treat!

December 2, 2013 Keep It Sweet 35 Comments

These Pink Champagne Cake Pops are going to be your new go-to celebration treat! Make them to ring in the New Year or for your next birthday party. They are as delicious as they are pretty!

This is one of the most fun photo shoots I’ve ever put together and I’m excited to finally post all about these gorgeous cake pops!

The recipe was put together for this year’s holiday issue of Celebrity Cooking Magazine. I was so honored to be featured in the magazine amongst great chefs like Giada De Laurentiis and Fabio Viviani. If you skip to page 72 of the magazine, you will find a Keep It Sweet Desserts feature along with a couple of my holiday dessert recipes. Since they didn’t include the recipe for these Pink Champagne Cake Pops (just a photo), I figured I just had to share them here!

Cake pops are a fun treat and can take a little bit of time to put together, but when you use a good recipe, they will taste just as delicious as they look (you can’t say that for all store-bought cake pops and mixes). Also, since they are dipped in chocolate, the cake balls retain their moisture for a little longer than cupcakes or regular cake so they can be prepared up to one week in advance.

New Years Eve parties, bridal showers and 21st birthdays are just some of the occasions to celebrate with these cake pops.

And imagine your guests delight when they bite into the sweet champagne flavored cake pop and find a pretty pink center!

Sorry for the photo overload, I just couldn’t resist!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Pink Champagne Cake Pops

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These Pink Champagne Cake Pops are going to be your new go-to celebration treat! Make them to ring in the New Year or for your next birthday party. They are as delicious as they are pretty!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 60 cake pops

Ingredients

1 Pink Champagne Cake
1 batch Pink Champagne Buttercream
60 6-inch lollipop sticks
32 ounces white chocolate or white chocolate melts, roughly chopped
½ - 1 cup diamond sugar (optional but recommended)

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
Break cake into pieces and place in a large bowl; crumble cake into small crumbs with fingers
Add buttercream to cake and mix with a spoon until all cake crumbs are coated
Use a small cookie dough scoop or large spoon to scoop balls of dough onto wax paper
Use your hands to roll the cake scoops into balls
Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place in freezer for at least two hours
Prepare another baking sheet with wax paper for finished pops, alternatively, have a large piece of styrofoam available for drying cake pops
Once cake balls are frozen, you can make the cake pops
Put white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and place in over a pot of simmering water; stir chocolate constantly until melted (you can also melt the white chocolate in the microwave)
Remove balls from freezer; dip the top of each lollipop stick about ¼ of an inch into the white chocolate and immediately press into cake ball two thirds of the way through
Once complete, dip each cake pop, one at a time, into white chocolate; lightly tap off excess chocolate and place cake pop on wax paper or stick into styrofoam; decorate with diamond sugar immediately before chocolate hardens
Repeat until all cake pops are dipped and decorated
Allow to cool and for chocolate to harden before serving

Notes

Cake pops inspired by Bakerella
Cake can be made one day before making cake pops; just make sure it is covered tightly with seran wrap overnight
Cake pops can be made up to one week in advance of serving

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Pink Champagne Cake and Buttercream

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Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Pink Champagne Cake

13⅞ ounces (3 cups) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
15 ounces (2 cups) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 x-large egg whites at room temperature
4 drops red food coloring
2 cups champagne (make sure to choose champagne that you like the taste of)

Pink Champagne Buttercream

2 ounces (1/4 cup / ½ stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1¼ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons champagne
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 drop red food coloring

Instructions

Make the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour 9x13-inch cake pan or baking dish; set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt); set aside
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Reduce speed to medium and add egg whites, one at a time; add vanilla
Mix in food coloring
Stop mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula
With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients and champagne in three alternating additions, starting and ending with dry ingredients
Pour into prepared cake pan or baking dish and bake 25-35 minutes or until knife comes out clean from center

Make the buttercream:

Beat butter for several minutes until light and fluffy
Add sugar, champagne, vanilla and food coloring and beat for several minutes until light and creamy

Notes

Cake and buttercream slightly adapted from Booze Cakes

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This post contains affiliate links.

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Chocolate Covered Cookie Butter Pretzels

June 11, 2012 Keep It Sweet 54 Comments

Yes, I’m still alive. I’ve just been buried in butter, sugar and chocolate… especially in the form of blondies over the last few weeks. Keep It Sweet Desserts was lucky enough to get a very flattering mention in Star Magazine and readers have been calling, emailing and placing orders like crazy. It is amazing.

Some highlights include: “What makes your black and white blondies black and white?” (that would be the dark and white chocolate chips) as well as “Can I order over the phone? I don’t have an email address… or a computer.” Can’t make this stuff up.

And if I told you how much someone was willing to pay for overnight shipping for a rush delivery you might choke so I won’t mention that (ahem, over $100). Hey, when you need brownies, you really need brownies.

But last week in-between a college friend’s wedding hangover, a late night rush to the eye doctor for a scratched cornea, celebrating our 2nd anniversary and a list minute trip to Philadelphia to see my 94-year old grandfather (highlight: his reaction to the cost of college today, low: having to remind him that my grandmother died five years ago), I managed to get back into the kitchen for some actual recipe creation.

Let me pause to tell you that I absolutely love what I am doing. But on weeks when I am busy processing orders for my regular cookies, brownies and bars, I miss my moments of creativity. That is part of why I love the Cookie of the Month Club and a huge reason why I won’t stop blogging. There is always something new and fun to do in the kitchen and I don’t want to lose those opportunities. So when I finally had a few minutes of “play” time, I did something that I’ve wanted to do for a while. I dipped pretzels in cookie butter and then in chocolate and sprinkled some sea salt in top. Addicting snack? Father’s Day gift? Party dessert?

Chocolate Covered Cookie Butter Pretzels
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:
2 dozen short salted pretzel rods
2/3 cup cookie butter (or any version of creamy speculoos)
6 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Sea salt, to taste

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
Dip pretzels into cookie butter and place on lined baking sheet; freeze for thirty minutes or until cookie butter is firm
Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between
Dip pretzels in chocolate and immediately sprinkle wish sea salt
Allow pretzels to cool before serving (I put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process)

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.

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Cookie cakes, dessert platters, pop-ups and more!