Crystallized Ginger Lemon Cookies

Summer is a challenge for baking, as not only is my kitchen awfully warm, but I also don’t have as many options to share my baking with others. Refrigerator cookies are very appropriate, since I can take a few minutes to make the dough, stick it in the refrigerator, and then bake them up when I have time. Having to simply slice the cookies and bake them up saves me from having to be in the kitchen too long.

This recipe started as one of the possibilities to use up a large batch of basic cookie dough. The original recipe makes enough dough to create four different cookies. Thankfully, I was able to pare down to one fourth of the dough. Some recipes make it nearly impossible to divide! I made the abbreviated amount of dough and then added the crystallized ginger and lemon zest, and you are done.

When I buy crystallized ginger, it is already chopped quite small (it’s called mini) but I still find it a bit tricky to evenly slice the cookies. A couple of the cookies were crumbly, and I had to piece them together, but that isn’t an issue with this type of cookie. Some cookies are a little thicker, some thinner, but I found that baking them around 12 minutes worked. Some are just slightly softer! These cookies have a lovely ginger flavor, perfect with a cup of tea.

Crystallized Ginger Lemon Cookies
½ cup butter, room temperature
75 grams sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
150 grams flour
85 grams finely diced crystallized ginger 
Zest of 1 lemon
Additional sugar

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix again on medium to combine. With the mixer running on low, add the flour. Once the flour has almost disappeared into the dough, add the crystallized ginger and lemon zest. 

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and shape into a log about 2” in diameter. Roll in sugar and then wrap the dough log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet (or two) with a silicone baking mat. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Slice the dough into 3/8” rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet(s).

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are golden and the edges are set. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from A Spiced Life

Blueberry Muffin-Top Cookies

I got this cookbook a while ago, and as soon as I got it, I looked through and marked recipes that I was interested in making. There are lots and lots of recipes that I marked! The author of this book is Australian, which I know means that there will be a few differences in the recipes, but they aren’t too difficult to navigate. All of the recipes list weight measurements, and I tend to use those already. The book calls for vanilla paste and hazelnuts, so I stocked up on those.

I decided to make these Blueberry Muffin-Top cookies first. I made only one small change. The recipe called for fresh blueberries, but I know that the blueberries I get at the store are giant, and I knew that wouldn’t work for this recipe. I suppose I could find huckleberries (although not easily) but the easiest substitute was wild blueberries, which are small, but also frozen. Thankfully, since so many people make fruit smoothies nowadays, frozen wild blueberries are easy to find. 

I made up the dough, and the first batch, with very frozen berries, turned out great. As the berries warmed, the dough became increasing blue. It didn’t impact the taste at all, but they did get messy! I also used too many frozen berries, but that’s ok. You bake these cookies for a few minutes then add the crumb topping and finish baking. These came out great, although they looked different depending on the batch. No matter, the taste is excellent and they do taste a lot like a (skinny) blueberry muffin. I can’t wait to make more recipes from this book!

Blueberry Muffin-Top Cookies
210 grams flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
160 grams butter, room temperature
125 grams brown sugar
100 grams sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
Zest of 1 lemon
170 grams wild blueberries

110 grams flour
50 grams sugar
45 grams brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
70 grams butter, very soft

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, combine the 160 grams of butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg, vanilla paste, and lemon zest. Beat on medium until combined. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula.

Make the crumb topping: combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add the butter and mix with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Set aside.

Shape the cookies into 30-gram portions and place on the prepared baking sheet. I placed 8 cookies per baking sheet, in case they spread. Bake for 5 minutes.
 
Remove the cookies after 5 minutes and sprinkle the cookies with the crumb topping. Bake for 10 additional minutes, until browned along the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Some of My Best Friends are Cookies by Emelia Jackson

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

I have had a streak lately of a few recipes that simply didn’t turn out the way that I had hoped. I was chatting with friends about this and one of them mentioned that it was encouraging that even someone with lots of experience even has days when things don’t work. That is absolutely true! I try my best to read through the recipe in advance and sometimes I pick up on potential issues, but it’s not a perfect process.

When the cookies I was making didn’t turn out, I had already planned these as a backup. (Yes, I did have some concerns about the first recipe.) They use mainly prepared ingredients, which isn’t my first choice, but comes in handy occasionally. This uses refrigerated crescent rolls, which are widely available in the states but not really anywhere else in the world. Perhaps pastry crust would work, but I haven’t tried that. 

I was able to get the crescent rolls to cover the pan with little problem, and while I could have sealed the seams better, it wasn’t an issue. I added the filling and then spread the remaining crescent rolls on a piece of parchment, otherwise getting the top on would be challenging. Topping with cinnamon sugar covers all potential issues! These were quick to make. My only issue was I only let the bars cool about an hour before cutting, which wasn’t nearly long enough. Make these, but make sure that you have plenty of time to cool the bars before serving. 

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Two packages refrigerated crescent rolls
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla 
½ cup butter, melted
3/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” x 13” pan and set aside.

Roll the dough from one can of crescent rolls in a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Pinch together any seams to seal them shut. 

In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium until combined. Spread the mixture over the bottom layer of dough.

Unroll the second roll of crescent dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a rectangle, pinching the seams to seal. Carefully transfer the top sheet of dough to the pan, covering the filling completely.

Pour/brush the melted butter over the top of the bars and then sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden. The filling will be somewhat jiggly, but that is expected. Allow to cool for several hours in the refrigerator before cutting into bars.

Recipe from The Domestic Rebel

Coffee Thumbprint Cookies

I had a work function and wanted to bring a cookie that highlighted a different flavor. I wasn’t too sure what that would actually be, but I was hopeful! I looked through recipes that I had already saved and came across these coffee cookies. That seemed interesting and didn’t call for anything too unusual. Coffee is very popular at work, although we also drink a lot of tea. 

These cookies are coffee-flavored and then are filled with caramel. The original recipe called for instant coffee, and I had instant espresso powder, which was stronger. After some searching, I decided that I would use two tablespoons of espresso powder instead of four tablespoons of instant coffee, and that was good. You can use any type of soft caramel, and I had some caramel bits on hand that I figured would work. It was nice to not have to unwrap a bunch of caramels!

These cookies came together will little issue, but I did add about 2 extra tablespoons of flour as the dough seemed soft. My kitchen is also warm, so I refrigerated the dough while the oven heated. I had no issues baking the cookies, and the caramel bits melted smoothly. The only issue I had, and this was minimal, is that you have to move quickly when filling the cookies with caramel. The caramel sets so fast, and by the time I filled the last couple of cookies, the caramel was very thick. These cookies have a strong coffee flavor, with just a hint of sweetness from the caramel.

Coffee Thumbprint Cookies
½ cup butter, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Additional sugar
5 ounces chewy caramels
2 tablespoons evaporated milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats. 

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium until combined. Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla. Dissolve the espresso powder in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add the coffee to the butter mixture. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour and salt.

Shape the dough into balls (about 20 grams each) and roll in sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets and make a thumbprint/indentation in each cookie. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set and then reshape the thumbprints/indentations in each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Once the cookies are cool, make the filling: in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels and evaporated milk. Heat in 30-second implements, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Fill the thumbprints/indentations with the caramel. Allow the caramel to set before serving.

Recipe from Simply Bake

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies with Blueberries

I had already been baking, but I wasn’t happy with how the cookies I had made turned out. I knew that I needed to make a different recipe, but I was also fairly short on time. I do have a well-stocked kitchen, but sometimes even that isn’t sufficient. Thankfully, I was able to select this recipe, and while I made a few edits, it worked perfectly.

This cookie originally called for dried cherries. I’m pretty sure that I had those on hand, but I needed a small amount and I came across freeze-dried blueberries first, and used those. Later when I was typing up the recipe, I realized that I should have added nuts to the cookies, but I didn’t see that in the recipe at all. I guess that happens when you are working quickly! 

These cookies are thin and crispy, but not too thin! I think that the maple syrup in the dough helps them remain a little chewy, and the butter helps with the crispness. The blueberries are very small and they don’t add a lot of flavor. You could use whatever dried or freeze-dried fruit that you have on hand. The cinnamon oat flavor and the texture of these cookies is the real winner. I think you could use this as a base for just about anything, and it would turn out wonderfully. 

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies with Blueberries
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
2 tablespoons cup maple syrup
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the oats, sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Stir on low to mix. Add the butter, egg, and vanilla to the oats, and mix on medium until the mixture is well combined. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until the four almost disappears into the dough. 

Switch to a spatula and fold in the freeze-dried blueberries.

Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, using about 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. The cookies may spread so don’t place too many on each baking pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies look set and begin to brown along the edges. Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe based on Red Wine Dragons

KitKat Brownies

My husband and I have been visiting the local Trader Joe’s, and they always have a bounty of interesting items. Sometimes I see items and keep them in the back of my mind. I’m usually thinking “What recipe could use that item?” I don’t always have an answer, but when I was looking through recipes, I found the perfect thing! 

The recipe I found was for KitKat Brownies. Trader Joe’s had a candy bar that was a peanut butter wafer covered with chocolate. They are a little different from Kit-Kats, they are slightly thicker and aren’t scored into 4 parts. For this recipe, you need to cut the candies to fit the pan anyway. I used about three and a half bars of Trader Joe’s version, including the bit that I chopped up and sprinkled on top.

This was an unusual recipe for me that I didn’t use the mixer. You just have to make sure that you start with a large enough bowl to melt the butter and chocolate. The whisking takes a little effort, just to make sure that all of the ingredients are properly incorporated. You have barely enough batter to make the base and then top the bars. These are a little difficult to test for doneness, so I baked them for a full 30 minutes. These cut beautifully, just be careful with the wafer candies. These have a lovely crunch, but then a gooey brownie as well. They are just excellent!

KitKat Brownies
½ cup butter
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6-8 KitKat Bars (enough to fit the pan)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8” square pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the butter into cubes and place in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the chocolate chips to the bowl. Microwave the butter/chocolate mixture in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from the microwave and whisk in the sugar, whisked eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the bowl and whisk to incorporate fully and no lumps remain. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Top with a layer of candies, cut as needed to fit the pan. Top with the remaining batter. Chop some of the remaining candies and sprinkle on top of the brownies.
 
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center of the brownies is baked. It is difficult to test the bars with the candies in the center but do your best. 

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting them into bars.

Recipe from Bite-Sized Bash

Lemon Blackberry Cookies

I was chatting with my friend the other day and she mentioned that she wanted to find a fool-proof recipe she could make that included blackberries, lemon, and mint. This fascinated me, and the last time that I searched for a recipe to fit a flavor profile, it was so enjoyable. I started searching and there are many blackberry and lemon recipes, and I also found a mint glaze that could be incorporated. I found quite a few recipes and wanted to give them a try.

These cookies do not contain mint, but I could have added a mint glaze. I don’t always want mint in my desserts; it works sometimes and sometimes it doesn’t. Blackberries are in season right now, so I picked up a small package at the grocery store. This recipe originally called for partially thawed blackberries, so I did the opposite. I washed the blackberries, cut them in half, and then placed them in the freezer for a while. They were nearly completely frozen by the time I made the cookies. 

I made these cookies smaller than the original recipe, as the yield was 14 cookies and my batch made about three dozen. The cookies varied from batch to batch. I could tell at first the blackberries were frozen, so the berries were distinct. Later batches the berries were cold but not frozen, and the blackberries were more swirled through the dough. I liked both, but the ones with the swirled were better and looked more interesting. I loved doing the research to find this recipe, and am so pleased with the results. 

Lemon Blackberry Cookies
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg + 1 yolk
2-3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup blackberries, frozen

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the room temperature melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 2 minutes. The mixture will become very creamy. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture. When the dough almost disappears from the dough, remove from the mixer. 

Add the frozen blackberries to the dough and fold in with a spatula. 

Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon), scoop the dough in rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, about 8 cookies per sheet. Flatten the dough slightly with the palm of your hand. Refrigerate the cookies and cookie sheet for 10 minutes. (Between batches, refrigerate the dough so it doesn’t get too warm.)

Bake for 14-16 minutes until lightly golden along he edges. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe from Stephanie’s Sweet Treats