Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies
These Sparkling Chocolate Cookies are loaded with flavor and sweetness, and they are outright pretty. Look!
The chocolate flavor here is from cocoa in the dough along with a whole bag of chocolate chunks. I like Aldi’s dark chocolate chunks, but use whatever you can find.
It’s important to note that these cookies don’t keep well. They will go hard after a day. Therefore, bake them up and serve them promptly.
Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
- cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 bag chopped dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate. Measure the turbinado sugar into a another small bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to shape dough. Roll each round in turbinado sugar. Place spaced out on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transitioning to a cooling rack.
- Store in a sealed container. Cookies are best eaten within a day.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Maple Syrup Pie
Do you feel a change in the seasons coming? Or simply want to manifest one? I had to create a psychological autumn and winter when I lived in Arizona, and maple flavor was a big part of that. If you’re in need of some cool weather vibes about now, too, maybe this Maple Syrup Pie will help!
The recipe is pretty straightforward. The most involved process is parbaking the crust, that is, baking the raw dough to form a golden shell that won’t become a soggy mess once it has a wet filling.
The filling itself comes together quickly in a blender. Mine puffed a LOT in the oven and then dropped down again once the pie cooled.
This is a great pie to make for a treat any time of year, but it would be especially nice for Thanksgiving or at a holiday celebration.
Bready or Not Original: Maple Syrup Pie
Equipment
- baking pan
- aluminum foil or parchment paper
- pie weights
- blender
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
- raw pie dough for one crust or store-bought pie crust
- 1 1/4 cups dark maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- canned whipped topping or Cool Whip for top
Instructions
- Place oven racks at the middle and bottom positions. Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
- If working with unshaped pie dough, use some flour on a clean surface to roll out dough to 12 inches. Place it in a 9-inch pie plate and shape to fit, crimping the crust at the rim. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze crust for 20 minutes.
- Set out a baking sheet. Line with aluminum foil.
- Line the crust with foil or parchment paper. Fill interior with pie weights, pressing in to make sure there are no gaps along the sides.
- Set pie crust on baking sheet. Bake it on bottom rack for 20 minutes. Carefully use foil or parchment to lift out pie weights onto another baking sheet or a large bowl. Bake crust again until the edges are golden brown and the bottom is dry, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Set the crust to cool on a rack while continuing to make the filling.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350.
- In a blender, place the flour, maple syrup, butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Blend on high until the contents are smooth. Pour into pie crust.
- Bake on middle rack in oven for 40 to 50 minutes; the filling should be puffed with only a slight jiggle in the middle. Cool on a rack.
- Store at room temperature, covered with foil. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip on top. Keeps for at least 4 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies
Granola is a healthy and versatile ingredient. Perhaps put it to some less-healthy but very delicious use in this Chewy Granola Cookies recipe!
There are so many granola varieties out there. Many come in large bags. This recipe provides a good base to use up some of that granola.
The crunch of the final bake will vary depending on your add-ins. I used cranberries for my version here, but obviously, mix that out with raisins, dried blueberries, chocolate chips, or other things that will work with whatever’s in the granola.
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies
Equipment
- plastic wrap
- parchment paper
- small cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granola
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit or add-in
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the granola and cranberries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for a few hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to dole out dough, spaced out, on cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly; it will not spread a lot. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool cookies on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Custard Cake
This newest entry in my series of apple cakes is on the fancier side. This Apple Custard Cake is light, airy, and loaded with fruit. It truly does have a gourmet vibe.
While it’s not difficult to make, it is tedious to construct. This is a recipe that dirties a lot of dishes. Bowl after bowl after bowl. That said, the result truly is something special.
If you’re going to go through a lot of fuss, it should be worthwhile, right?
Bready or Not Original: Apple Custard Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- parchment paper
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
- 4 medium baking apples such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Cortland
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 medium lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 Tablespoons
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs divided
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk or half & half
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup white sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the disc of the springform pan. Use nonstick spray on pan. Add the cut parchment paper. Spray again over the paper, making sure to cover the sides of the ring.
- Thinly slice the apples. Place them with the raisins in a big bowl. Measure out 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to place in bowl; use any remaining juice for something outside of the recipe. Add all of the zest, the cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir to coat the fruit. Set aside for a while; there are a lot of other bowls to dirty.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, the baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, beat together 2 of the eggs with the 2/3 cup sugar, until they are thickened and pale. Add the vanilla. Measure out the milk and oil. Take turns adding the milk and oil to the egg mixture alternatively with the dry ingredients.
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Add 1 cup of the batter along with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Mix until just combined. Set aside to use for the topping.
- Fold the apple bowl contents into the main batter and mix until everything is coated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Use an uneven spatula to spread the reserved batter over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup white sugar over the top of the cake.
- Place the cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 1 hour. The edges should be pulling away from the sides. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the inner ring. Pop the release to open the pan and lift away the ring to allow it to cool more.
- Cake can be kept wrapped at room temperature or in the fridge. Slices can also be individually wrapped and frozen for weeks.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars
I suppose I could try to justify the timing of these Gingerbread Cookie Bars with a line like “It’s five months until Christmas!” but nah. Good food is good food, and should be enjoyed at any time of year.
I don’t care that it’s the middle of summer. Gingerbread Bars are awesome. If your house gets hot, bake these up early in the day or late at night, then enjoy a cool-weather-vibe treat in the days ahead.
This is a very straightforward recipe that makes a lot of bars that keeps for many days. A perfect recipe for a large gathering or a cookie exchange, this is a great version of a classic treat.
Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 15×10 pan (jelly roll pan)
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups shortening
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup coarse sugar such as turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line the jelly roll pan with wide foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until they are fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs and molasses. Slowly add the dry ingredients; if using a stand mixer, it may be necessary to stop doing so at the end to finish mixing by hand. Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the coarse sugar across the top and lightly press it in.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The edges should be turning golden. Cool in pan on wire rack. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board for easy slicing. In a sealed container, keeps up over five days at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Maple is a regular theme here on Bready or Not, and these Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies are as delicious as they look.
They are simple to make, too. Easy dough. Chill it for a bit. Shape and bake. Make the glaze. If you use a complicated cookie cutter, that might make the glazing more tedious, but that’s a choice to make. This scalloped version was easy to do with the back of a spoon.
These cookies are great year-round! Good flavors should be confined to no particular season.
Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- plastic wrap
- baking sheet
- cookie cutter
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons maple flavor
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, cornstarch, and maple flavor. Gradually add the flour. Shape the dough into a disc and encase in plastic wrap. Chill it for at least 45 minutes in the fridge until it’s firm enough to roll out, but it can be kept there for up to 2 days–but note that it will get quite hard with longer storage. If it’s there over a day, let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour to soften enough to roll out (but don’t let it get too soft, either).
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies. Place spaced out on parchment.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Once they are cool, mix the glaze. Use the back of a spoon to spread glaze onto cookies, Set them back on cookie sheet or rack to set for an hour or two. Pack in sealed containers for up to a few days.
