Ube Crinkle Cookies

I recently got back from a vacation in Hawaii. One of the cool things about being there besides all the beautiful nature is that it's almost like being in a different country compared to the mainland. We went to some stores we haven't been to since we were in Japan and ate at a couple of Japanese restaurants. One of the foods that they had in Hawaii that they also have in Japan but is actually from the Philippines is ube desserts. 

If you've never heard of ube, it's a purple yam. Cool, right? If you want to give ube a try and you happen to live in Utah, here are a few places you can go.

Momi Donuts at the Gateway - ube mochi donuts and ube mochi bars

Doki Doki 249 E 400 S, Salt Lake City - ube crepe cakes

Sweet Rolled Tacos at the Gateway and 124 State St, Orem - ube rolled ice cream

Trader Joe's also makes an Ube Mochi and Waffle mix that's pretty popular. I haven't tried it, but let me know if you do.

I found this recipe at PinoyCookingRecipes. I added white chocolate chips to the dough. They are very moist and pack an ube flavor. The two ube ingredients that you need for this dessert are ube halaya/halayang (purple yam jam) and ube flavor extract. You can find them online or at many Asian food stores. 

Ube Crinkle Cookies

1 1/2 c. flour 
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. ube jam/halaya  
1-2 t. ube flavor extract

1/3 c. white chocolate chips, optional
Powdered sugar for dusting

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars. Add egg and beat until fully incorporated. Add ube jam/halaya and ube flavor. Beat just until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and continue beating until fully incorporated. Mix in white chocolate chips just until combined.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball.  Coat with powdered sugar. Coat a second time to get the powdered cracks on top after baking. Place on baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper spacing them at least 2" apart.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until nearly set. They should be soft when touched and should appear slightly under-baked. Allow to cool a minute or two on the sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Biscoff Chocolate Cookies

I decided to make a cookie version of the Fudgy Biscoff Swirl Brownies that we love. It’s a soft chocolate cookie with chocolate chips in it and Biscoff Cookie Butter Spread as a filling in the “thumbprint” that I made with a pastry tamper, but you can use your thumb if you don’t have one.

I didn’t measure how much Biscoff I put on each cookie. I just took a spoon and partly filled the indent that I made. You don’t want to fill it with too much. 

Biscoff Chocolate Cookies 

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (3.7-oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 (12-oz.) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 – ½ c. Biscoff Cookie Butter Spread

In mixing bowl combine the butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, add the pudding mix and cocoa, and mix on low until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to other ingredients and mix on low just until combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the chocolate chips. Mix on low only for about 30 seconds.

Measure 2.5 ounces on a kitchen scale or about 1/4 cup for each cookie. Form into balls of dough and flatten slightly. Make indentation in the middle of each cookie. Put spoonful of Biscoff Cookie Butter Spread in indentation. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or use parchment paper. Place cookie dough on baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes, or until edges have set. Cool cookies on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before placing on cooking rack. 

Caramel Frosted Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

Most of the things I imagine look so much better in my head than they turn out. Okay, like everything. And these cookies are no exception. I knew what flavors I wanted to combine and wanted it to look pretty like from a bakery. I took different parts from different recipes and combined them for this sticky, chocolaty cookie. They didn't look perfect, but they were rich and delicious. I especially liked them after microwaving them for a quick 6-8 seconds. Mmmm melty goodness!

In addition to the recipe I put together below, I cut out some chocolate circles and put them on top.  After I did it, I noticed they just look like chocolate chips pressed in upside down, which would have been faster. 

Caramel Frosted Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

Cookies:

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 
3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 (3.7 - 3.9-oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
Pinch salt
1 (12-oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Caramel Frosting:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/8 c. milk
1 - 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Caramel Drizzle:

7 oz. caramels
1/4 c. evaporated milk (or water) 

Dipping Chocolate

Cookies:
Using paddle attachment, in mixing bowl combine the butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, add the pudding mix, and cocoa, and mix on low just until combined.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low just until combined, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the chocolate chips, and mix on low only until blended.

Using a large cookie scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup form into balls of dough, and flatten slightly. Place mounds on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. (Refrigerating is important for the cookies to keep their shape.)

Preheat oven to 350º, Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place cookie dough on baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set and look slightly underdone.  Cool cookies on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Frosting: 
In a saucepan, mix brown sugar, butter and milk over low heat until brown sugar dissolves. 

Increase heat to medium and cook for 3-6 minutes without stirring until the middle is bubbling or until it looks amber.

Pour into a mixer bowl and let cool. Add powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time with beaters going until frosting is as thick as desired. 

Caramel Drizzle:
Combine caramels and evaporated milk (or water) in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave more if needed, just until caramels are melted. Stir until smooth.

Decorate:
Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Dip one side into melted dipping chocolate. Garnish with chocolate circles or chips if desired. Drizzle with caramel.  

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

These soft fluffy cookies are one of our favorites for sure! When I first saw them at The Idea Room, I was worried about them being too wet because of the raspberries, but they are perfect. Seriously. Perfect! 

I haven't counted how many the recipe makes when I've made these, but they make a LOT. The original recipe says it makes 48, but I guess I don't make my cookies as large as she does because I always have more than that. 

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies  

1 c. butter, room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. salt

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. almond extract
1/4 c. water

5 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. cream of tartar

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

1 c. semi-­sweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and water and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Mix in white & semi-­sweet chocolate chips. Place cookie dough into separate bowl by breaking into pieces and scatter the raspberries in the dough so they are distributed evenly and do not get smashed up.

Scoop out cookie dough with a spoon or ice cream scoop making sure to grab a couple of raspberries for each cookie. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-­15 minutes, until golden brown on the edges and white and fluffy in the centers. Cool on a baking rack.

Drop Brownie Caramel Sandwich Cookie

I was in the mood for a caramel dessert last week so I threw this together. I made the simple-but-really-delicious drop brownie cookies that I have made several times before. Then this time I slathered one with melted caramel and topped it with another cookie, making a super fudgy, caramelly, decadent sandwich cookie. 

Drop Brownie Caramel Sandwich Cookie

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

½ c. butter

1 c. flour

11 oz. wrapped caramel candies

1-2 T. water or evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray cookie sheets or line with Silpat.

Combine first 3 ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stopping half-way through to stir. Then stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in flour. Let batter sit in bowl for 10 minutes.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Unwrap caramels into a microwave-safe bowl and add 1 tablespoon water or evaporated milk. Microwave, stopping and stirring after every 20 seconds, until melted completely. If needed, add more water or evaporated milk. It needs to be spreadable, but not too liquidy.

Spread caramel on bottom of one of the cookies and top with another cookie. Continue with rest of cookies, using desired amount of caramel on each.

S'mores Stuffed Cookies

My daughter loves S'mores and desserts like it so I decided to try these cookies from A Cookie Named Desire for her. They're fun since they look like regular chocolate chip cookies, but there are bits of graham cracker mixed in and gooey marshmallow in the center. Surprise! The recipe calls for 4 to 5 mini marshmallows in the cookie and I only used 4. I'll use 5 next time.

You don't have to wait until summer and campfires for the taste of s'mores.

S'mores Stuffed Cookies
1¼ c. all-purpose flour
1¼ c. whole wheat flour
½ t. salt
1 t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
6 - 7 sheets (about 1 cup or 90 grams) honey graham crackers, depending on crumb size
1½ t. ground cinnamon
1 c. butter, room temperature
¾ c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
⅔ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ c. roughly chopped milk chocolate
2 c. mini marshmallow

Mix together both flours, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

Break up the graham crackers into small pieces. Be careful to not let it get too powdery, but some graham cracker powder is okay. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Slowly add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the graham crackers and chocolate.

Take about a tablespoon of the cookie dough and make a small indentation in the center. Stuff 4-5 mini marshmallows into the indentation. Top with another ⅔ tablespoon of cookie dough and press together until the dough completely covers the marshmallows. Repeat with the remaining dough and marshmallows. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and cover. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight, up to three days. 

Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover the cookies and bake for 8 - 9 minutes or until a light golden brown. Immediately remove the cookies to cool on a wire rack. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and enjoy within 24 hours.

Andes Mint Chip Soft Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

I recently made these for the first time and liked them so much that I had to make them again the next week. They are soft and big and perfect! Pretty sure these are my very favorite cookies now. Thanks to Averie Cooks for this recipe. These below were a little undercooked compared to the others I made, but I liked the gooey ones just fine too. 

Andes Mint Chip Soft Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 
3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 (3.7 - 3.9-oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 c. cocoa
1 t. instant espresso granules (optional)
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
Pinch salt
1 (10-oz.) bag Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
2.5 - 3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped 

Using paddle attachment, in mixing bowl combine the butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, add the pudding mix, cocoa, espresso granules, and mix on low just until combined.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low just until combined, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the Andes chips and chopped chocolate, and mix on low only for about 30 seconds.

Using a large cookie scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup form into balls of dough, and flatten slightly. Place mounds on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. (Refrigerating is important for the cookies to keep their shape.)

Preheat oven to 350°, Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray (or use a Silpat). Place cookie dough on baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set and look slightly underdone.  Cool cookies on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. 

Cookies or dough can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Lime Cookie Bars

It's apparently national sugar cookie day, and I just happened to have made these last night from a recipe on Deliciously Sprinkled. They are almost sugar cookies. I thought they'd be crunchy, but they are soft in the middle. I made some rectangular and some round (they were just easier) and I dipped them in chocolate instead of using cookie icing like the recipe.

Lime Cookie Bars

3/4 c.unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 (3-oz.) pkg. of Jell-O Lime gelatin, dry

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 pouch cookie icing

Sprinkles

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking sheets. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking powder until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter for 1-3 minutes. Add sugar and dry JELL-O powder and beat on high for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out. Cut the dough into small little bars, about 1.5in x 3in. Place dough bars on prepared baking sheet and place in freezer for 10 minutes. (this will help them keep their shape)

Bake for 8 minutes (or until slightly golden at the edges). Let cool.
Once cool, drizzle with royal icing and sprinkles.

 

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Avocado Cookies

Low fat, full of flavor and totally satisfied my chocolate craving! I got this recipe from Apple of My Eye  These cookies get their only fat from the avocado-- no oil or butter. I love dark chocolate, but for some reason I don't like Special Dark cocoa and that's the only dark chocolate cocoa that I've tried. So I used regular cocoa and these still turned out very dark. The only problem is that the batch only made 15 for me. I guess I made them a little large since the original recipe says it makes 18, which is still a very small batch.

On another note. I love how people stitch photos together vertically for their blogs, not like this collage below. I cannot figure out how to do that on PicMonkey (at least with the free version, maybe I need to pay for that??) or anything else yet. If anyone can help me or point me to a tutorial of how to do that, I'd love to learn.

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Avocado Cookies
1 ripe avocado, finely mashed
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ c. flour
½ t. baking soda
2 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

Combine the finely mashed avocado, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Gently stir in the dark chocolate chunks.

Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, add one heaping tablespoon of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the top is set. Be sure not to overbake.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Warning (Seriously): These cookies are rich, fudgy, velvety, and oh, so addictive.

I have a serious problem. I just tried this recipe which is posted at Picklee last week and from the first bite, it was true love. I have since made it several times with different variations I thought of and you can try even more of your own. But it really is insanely superb as is! I included the amounts of the variation ingredients I used in my experiments, but feel free to adjust the amounts. The recipe only makes about 24 small-ish cookies so once I doubled them and they turned out great, but that's dangerous making so many.

I used semisweet chocolate chips, but Picklee calls for bittersweet. Other people commented on Jordan's blog that they used milk chocolate chips. So use whichever you like. I used slightly less sugar than was called for and will probably continue to do that. They use no oil or butter (yay!!) and no flour. If you use gluten-free versions of the other ingredients, it is a really delish gluten-free dessert. The trick to these is whipping up the egg whites to soft peaks! Make sure the egg white are at the soft peak stage before adding sugar and continuing on with the recipe. The outside is a nice crisp and the inside is melty goodness. Tip for eating the next day if there are any leftover-- you can pop them in the microwave for like 6 seconds and they're all melty again.

 

 Coconut 

There wasn't a single variation that I made that I didn't like. The raspberry ones were a bit "wet" so I baked them an additional minute and they worked out great. I couldn't taste or see the flaxseed meal when I added it so I will be adding it to the cookies every time for some healthy goodness. (Shhhh! Don't tell my daughter Sabrina.)

Raspberry

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (about 9 oz.)
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 c. powdered sugar, divided (plus 1/2 c. for cookie coating)
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
Variations (add one if desired):
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. almond or orange extract
3 T. coconut
3 T. chopped candy cane
1 T. flaxseed meal
3 T. nuts
3 T. chopped, dried raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large  baking sheets with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream.

Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Then, on a low speed, add these dry ingredients into the marshmallow cream mixture.

Next, add melted chocolate and any variation additions (candy canes, almond extract, etc.) and mix. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Place remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack, cool.

 

Pecans

 

 Rolled in sprinkles instead of powdered sugar

 

Candy Cane Pieces

Flaxseed Meal

I shared this link at :
Skip to My Lou.
Joy Love Food and Tumbleweed Contessa

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

What delicious, lemony, soft-on-the-inside-crispy-on-the-outside cookies! I made these last month, and I'll be making them again this month. It's posted on Lauren's Latest  and made about 2 dozen cookies for the size I made.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

½ c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
½ t. vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 t. lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
¼ t. salt
¼ t. baking powder
⅛ t. baking soda
1-½ c. flour
½ c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease light colored baking sheets with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies no longer look shiny. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
*If using a non stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies

I have been sad about not blogging for so long, but I don't know if I have any readers left anyway. Just in case I do, I'll give a quick update as to why I haven't been blogging. I graduated with a bachelor in biotechnology in April and enjoyed a bit of time off with my kids this summer before starting a job in a lab at the end of July.

I had the blessing of being a stay-at-home mom for quite a long time and it has been a huge adjustment for me to be a full-time working mom. I do not know how to make the time for everything and I don't deal with stress well.

On top of that, my son is leaving for a mission in Japan this week so we've been doing stuff to get him ready and try to spend time together before he's gone for 2 whole years. I'm so excited for him and I know he'll learn and grow so much while he's gone, but I will really miss him and our conversations and watching his concerts and marching band half-time shows and parades.

I do still cook and bake, but I don't try new recipes as often as I used to and even when I do, I don't have time to blog it. But I'm making time today as I watch Psych with my kids. We made this no-bake cookie recipe recently and while I admit that it won't replace my old regular peanut butter/chocolate no-bake cookies, it's a fun change and a nice new way to use pumpkin. I found this recipe at Reluctant Entertainer

No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies

2 c. sugar

3 T. butter

1/2 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice

3/4 c. pumpkin

4 c. quick oatmeal, uncooked

1 c. chocolate chips

 

In a pot, mix the sugar, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the stove and add the pumpkin, salt, vanilla, and spice. Quickly add the oatmeal and mix. Add more or less for the consistency that you want. Toss in the chocolate chips and lightly mix.

 

Drop with small scoop onto parchment paper, on a cookie sheet. Cool the cookies in the refrigerator and let them set before eating.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

I meant to post a couple of lovey-dovey recipes BEFORE Valentine's Day, but I didn't get around to it. But they make good food any time of the year. The first recipe is a shortbread cookie that I found at Your Homebased Mom. She cut them into hearts so we did too. My son Alex and my daughter Elisa made them with me.

The photo on her blog looks like she used mini chocolate chips, but the recipe just says chocolate chips so I used regular sized ones. Next time, I'll use mini since they make it easier to roll and cut. The hearts didn't completely keep their shape, but Leigh Ann's were beautiful. Cooking time depends on the size cookie cutter you used. My cookies were done in around 10 minutes, well before the recipe time. We had 1 1/2 heart cookies.

I love the combination of chocolate and cherry.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

1/2 c. butter, cut into pieces

1 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips, melted

 

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a cookie sheet.

 

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process the flour, sugar and butter until moist clumps form. Add in dried cherries and chocolate chips, pulse once or twice to combine.

 

Roll the mixture to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet. Bake until light golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool and then drizzle with melted chocolate.

Drop Brownies

I posted this recipe way back in 2009, but I'm reposting since it was so long ago, had a bad photo and we love them so much. With only 4 ingredients, they are super easy. The outside is a nice crisp and the inside all fudgy. These will look like they aren't done, but if you overbake, they will not be so fudgy.

Drop Brownies

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
½ c. butter
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray cookie sheets or line with Silpat.

Combine first 3 ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stopping half-way through to stir. Then stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in flour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling

I am a sucker for sandwich cookies. They are just so cute. So the kids and I made these Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling from Two Peas & Their Pod. They are soft and the filling stiffens enough after sitting for a bit that the sandwich layers don't move around. This is the kind of recipe where you can throw all your favorite goodies into the cookies-- nuts, toffee pieces, cinnamon chips... But they are great as is! I will, though, half the recipe for the filling because we had a lot leftover.

Oatmeal Cranberry Sandwich Cookies with White Chocolate Creme Filling
1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. dried cranberries

White Chocolate Buttercream:
2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. milk, or as needed

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Stir in the oats and dried cranberries.

Roll cookie dough into tablespoon size balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the white chocolate buttercream. Place white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals until chips begin to melt, about 1 minute. Stir and repeat, heating chips about 10 seconds at a time, until thoroughly melted. Stir until chocolate is smooth and no more lumps remain. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Beat in half of the powdered sugar, melted white chocolate, vanilla and milk until mixture is smooth and creamy.Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar until smooth; if frosting is too stiff, add in a little more milk.

To make the sandwich cookies, spread or pipe white chocolate buttercream on the inside of one cookie. Top with another cookie. Continue making sandwich cookies. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Raspberry Cream Cookies

I love berries! And this recipe uses frozen raspberries so I can enjoy them year-round. These stayed soft even two days after making and are really good! This recipe is from Monet at Anecdotes and Applecores.

Raspberry Cream Cookies
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
12 T. butter, melted and cooled
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. frozen raspberries
1/2 c. chopped white chocolate

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and melted butter (about 2 minutes). Add eggs and stir until combined. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until a cookie dough begins to form. Fold in frozen raspberries and white chocolate. Allow batter to chill for 15-30 minutes in freezer.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Remove batter from freezer and firm into large, 2-3 tablespoon sized balls of dough. Arrange on prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes (cookies should look slightly undercooked). Allow to cool completely on cookie sheets before removing.