Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Yes, I know the traditional version of this cookie is made with powdered sugar. I didn't wanna. I happen to like this version with regular granulated sugar. I made these cookies for Christmas with my father. Every year since my parents separated, my sister and I have a special alternative Christmas "Day" celebration with our father. Now that I have little ones, everyone ends up coming to my place for this event. So today is Christmas with Dad Day! Yay! Now if I can only keep my fingers from creeping under the saran wrap on this plate of cookies in the meantime...Just a heads up, this dough requires refrigeration time prior to baking, so plan accordingly.

Ingredients:

• 4
  eggs
• 1 3/4
  cups granulated sugar
• 4
  ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2
  cup cooking oil
• 2
  teaspoons baking powder
• 2
  teaspoons vanilla
• 2
  cups all-purpose flour
  
  
  2/3 cup demerara sugar or turbinado sugar (or, if you're like me...plain ole granulated)

1.In a large bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, melted chocolate, oil, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Gradually beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

2.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet; set aside. Place demerara sugar in a small bowl. Shape one portion of dough into 1/2-inch balls. Shape the remaining portion of dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in demerara sugar to coat generously. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.

3.Bake small cookies in the preheated oven about 8 minutes or until edges are set and tops are dry. Bake large cookies about 10 minutes or until edges are set and tops are dry. Do not overbake cookies. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. (Cookies will deflate slightly upon cooling.) Makes about about 72 small and 36 large cookies.

BBW's: Bacon, Black, & White Chip Cookies

These are certainly a different variation on the traditional chocolate chip cookie. I LOVE a good basic chocolate chip cookie, but some among us have an unnatural love of bacon (not naming names...). For the holiday party with fellow-bacon fiends this weekend, I made up this variation with bacon, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips. I like to call them BBW's. There were none leftover at the end of the party.

I've tried many basic chocolate chip cookie recipes and always end up coming back to this tweak on the Nestle Tollhouse recipe. From the basic recipe I add in whatever mix-ins I want. :)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (I like vanilla!)
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 white chocolate chips
• 1lb bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips and bacon. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

I adore these Cherry-Almond Vanilla cupcakes! They really are ALWAYS a crowd pleaser. We served them in place of a regular cake at the babies' birthday party this past year. They were a stand out. I also brought them to the holiday party (hence the red and green sugar sprinkled on them in the big photo). The frosting is really what makes these exceptional, so if you're going to make them you should go all the way and make them with the cherry almond frosting! I love the surprise piece of cherry in the middle of the cake. I've made them with a cherry on top as well, or with the big pile of frosting. Trust me, the pile of frosting is the way to go. :D The recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes. I make 1.5 times the corresponding frosting recipe in order to have enough for the fluffy plumes of icing. 

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

ingredients

• 1/2
  cup butter
• 4
  egg whites
• 2
  cups all-purpose flour
• 1
  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2
  teaspoon salt
• 1/4
  teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4
  cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• 1/3
  cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 1/2
  cups sugar
• 1
  teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2
  teaspoon almond extract
• 12
  maraschino cherries, halved
• 1
  recipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting
• Maraschino cherries with stems (optional)

 directions

1.Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups (or coat with cooking spray). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

3.Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.

4.Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

5.Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over tops of cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

• Tip: To make 3/4 cup sour milk, place 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting

ingredients

• 1/2
  cup butter, softened
• 4
  cups powdered sugar
• 3
  tablespoons maraschino cherry juice or milk
• 1/2
  teaspoon almond extract
• Milk

directions

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Makes 2 cups frosting.