Well, hi. There hasn’t been anything but scheduled-ahead Bready or Not posts over the past while because I have been in DEADLINE LAND. Deadline Land is a nightmarish place where you don’t leave the house except to acquire groceries and get your kid to therapy, and you write and write and write and panic and write some more AND THEN you get copyedits for another book and you then quietly scream.
I’m still in Deadline Land but the landscape has changed enough to grant me some catch-up time to update my bibliography and also compile those changes in this very post. Along with the new short stories, poems, and podcast linked below, I can also say that my book A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is now scheduled for release on June 13, 2023. I hope to have a cover to share soon!
Bready or Not is all about different Snickerdoodle recipes, and this one is especially unique: Banana Snickerdoodles!
I found the original version in in the May/June 2019 issue of Bake of Scratch, in a fascinating article on bakeries and baked goods in Bermuda. I had to give it a try, with some tweaks throughout the process.
These cookies feature the necessary cream of tartar and cinnamon-sugar coating, plus they look like Snickerdoodles should with a crackled top. The texture is different, though—a bit fluffier, and the banana flavor is light and pleasant.
The dough is also stickier to work with. I didn’t have big issues with that, but if you do, lightly flour your hands to make the dough workable.
These unique Snickerdoodles are a somewhat lighter and fluffier than standard version, but are still true Snickerdoodles with that cream of tartar flavor and cinnamon-sugar coating! The banana flavor is light and pleasant. Makes 44 cookies using a tablespoon scoop. Modified from Bake from Scratch May/June 2019 issue.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: banana, cookies, snickerdoodle
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
baking sheet
parchment paper
tablespoon scoop
Ingredients
Dough
1cupunsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
1 1/2cupswhite sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2large eggs room temperature
3/4cupbanana puree 2 medium bananas
4 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
2 1/2teaspoonscream of tartar
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking soda
1/4teaspoonsea salt
1/4teaspoonground cinnamon
Topping
3/4cupwhite sugar
1 1/2Tablespoonsground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a big bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time. Mix in the banana puree.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet. The dough will be somewhat sticky. Mix the two topping ingredients in a small bowl.
Use a tablespoon scoop or spoon to shape a small ball of dough. Roll it in the cinnamon-sugar then place on baking sheet. Repeat, spacing out coated dough balls.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until they are puffed with a crackled top. Let cool on pan for 5 or 10 minutes before moving them to a rack to completely cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
These Fruity Pastry Bars are the perfect treat for a crowd. This recipe makes a nice big pan to share with others!
When I make bars like this, I’m always worried about how crumbly they will be. I can report that, at least for me, these were surprisingly durable bars that could even be held in the hand when eating. They barely crumbled when they were cut.
I love how they can be customized, too. You can use all sorts of berry preserves; these pictures depict Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves. The rich, bold flavor is lovely with the buttery crust, while the nuts add a great textural contrast. Of course, you could substitute different nuts like sliced almonds, or omit them entirely.
This Fruity Pastry Bars balance bold fruit flavors with a dense, buttery crust. This recipe makes a big batch!
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Keyword: bars, cherries, walnuts
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
jelly roll pan
aluminum foil
nonstick spray
Ingredients
Bars
1 1/2cupunsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature
1 1/4cupswhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonsalt
3 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
Topping
12 to 13ouncesfruit preserves such as strawberry, cherry, or raspberry
1cupchopped walnuts
1/4cupquick oats
Instructions
Line a jelly roll pan with a large piece of aluminum foil. Apply nonstick spray or butter. Preheat oven at 350-degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour and the salt. Batter will be very thick. Grease a hand and use that to pat down about 3/4 of the dough into the bottom of the pan.
Wash hands. Spread preserves over the dough. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top. Add quick oats to the reserved dough. Place small handfuls of dough spaced out over the top.
Bake for about 35 minutes, until top is set and doesn’t jiggle in middle. Cool completely, speeding process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container. Bars can also be frozen for later enjoyment.
These Almond White Chocolate Cookies are quick to fix-up and bake, making them the perfect treat when you need cookies in a hurry!
And who among us hasn’t had a few cookie emergencies in their lives, truly?
These cookies are light and crisp. The almond flavor is imbued in the dough thanks to almond extract and the almond slivers throughout. White chocolate is the perfect sweet to balance with the nuttiness.
These cookies are fast to make and bake, and are light, sweet, and crunchy!
Course: Dessert, Snack
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
parchment paper
baking sheet
teaspoon scoop
Ingredients
2 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
1cupunsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
1 1/4cupswhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
1 1/2teaspoonsalmond extract
9ounceswhite chocolate chips
1cupslivered almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs and almond extract. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as needed. Fold in the white chocolate and almonds.
Use a teaspoon scoop to place dough, spaced out, on cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until cookies are set. Immediately transfer to a rack to cool.
Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature.