COOKIES Archives - Through Her Looking Glass

Easy Scotch Shortbread Fingers (3 Ingredients!)

Allie — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:27:38 +0000

If you’re a shortbread lover, then this easy Scotch Shortbread Fingers recipe is for you! Crunchy and golden, this buttery shortbread has just three ingredients: butter, flour, and sugar. It’s the perfect sweet little something alongside a cup of tea.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Not too long ago, I was happily tasked with preparing these delicious and easy Scotch shortbread finger cookies for a dear friend’s daughter’s wedding reception. It was the perfect slightly sweet bite to have alongside the other rich food and the decadent wedding cake. Plus, they’re a cinch to make!

These were a hit at the wedding, so I knew I had to share them with all of you here!

Even better, you only need three ingredients to make this homemade shortbread recipe — butter, flour, and sugar. That’s it!

Ingredients

It’s true. You only need 3 ingredients to make this homemade shortbread recipe! Here’s what you’ll need:

2 cups of butter (aka two sticks, softened to room temperature)
1 cup of white granulated sugar
4 cups of all-purpose flour

Additionally, you can garnish these Scotch shortbread fingers with coarse sugar before baking, but that’s totally optional.

How To Make These Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Beat the softened butter until creamy with an electric stand mixer.
Gradually add in the cup of sugar.
Then, add the flour gently, and mix until mixture is well-combined. The dough will be somewhat crumbly.
Press dough into parchment lined 11″ X 17″ jelly roll pan (with sides). Sprinkle with the sparkly, coarse white sugar (if using), and gently press into the dough.
Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until just turning golden brown. Cut into uniform shortbread “fingers” immediately after removing from the oven.
Enjoy with a cup of tea, some coffee, or a cold glass of milk!

Storage Instructions

Store cooled Scotch shortbread fingers in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the dough to make later. I like to freeze it in the shape of the baking pan for easier transfer later and to just bak from frozen.

Tips for Success

Use your stand mixer to cream the butter. Then gradually add the sugar, and finally the flour. That’s it for making the dough! So easy.
Press the dough into a parchment-lined cookie sheet with sides and sprinkle with coarse, sparkly white sugar. Lightly press the coarse sugar into the dough. Then, bake for 18-20 minutes or until it’s just turning golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately slice into long shortbread “fingers.”
I was able to get nearly 60, 4″ long shortbread fingers per pan. Both panfuls were baked and cooling on the rack in under an hour!

MORE EASY COOKIE RECIPES

Easy Scotch Shortbread Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 18

Total Time 28

Ingredients

2 cups butter room temperature
1 cup white sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons coarse sparkling white sugar (for sprinkling on top)
You can use regular white sugar if you can't find the coarse, sparkling white sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.
With electric stand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
Gradually add in 1 cup of sugar.
Add in flour and mix until mixture is well combined (Will be somewhat crumbly.)
Press dough into parchment lined 11" X 17" jelly roll pan (with sides).
Sprinkle with the sparkly, coarse white sugar and gently press into the dough.
Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until just turning golden brown.
(You can also use a 10" X 14" jelly roll pan, and that will take just a little longer to bake, closer to 25 minutes.)
The key is to watch shortbread closely and when it is just turning golden brown, remove from the oven.
Cut into uniform shortbread "fingers" immediately after removing from the oven.
(Shortbread is somewhat crumbly when cool, and so it cuts much better when it's hot from the oven.)
A trick I use to cut the shortbread evenly, is to get out my ruler.
I cut the whole pan in half lengthwise and widthwise.
Then I cut each quadrant in half, and then cut uniform "fingers" from that.

Notes

I wore disposable gloves when pressing the dough into the parchment-lined pan and for pressing the coarse sugar into the dough. That way the dough doesn't stick to my hands.

You may also like: Raspberry Peach Almond Shortbread Bars

or Pecan Crumble Blueberry Shortbread

The post Easy Scotch Shortbread Fingers (3 Ingredients!) appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Allie — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 17:00:21 +0000

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are a great snack to pack in lunch boxes and picnic hampers for a sweet treat with the goodness of oatmeal. Studded with plump, juicy raisins, they’re delicious and addictive, just like grandma’s.

We’ve had a busy new year so far and I’m guessing you have too. We’ve had some good storms, a few school delays and cancellations, and the snow gave way to rain today. I can’t think of anything more delightful on a cold, rainy day than baking a batch of these homemade cookies.

Several summers ago we ventured up to Castle In the Clouds, the historic Lucknow Estate in Moultonborough, NH. It’s just a little over an hour north of us.

If you’ve never visited, it’s the 6,300 acre estate with the Lucknow stone “castle” at the mountain’s peak. Such fantastic and scenic views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Built by Thomas Plant in 1914, it’s a “gentleman’s estate”. Features a sixteen room mansion, stable, two gatehouses (what exactly is a gatehouse anyway?), a one hundred foot long greenhouse, farm buildings, an 18-hole golf course, tennis court, lake and 45 miles of carriage trails. This is a nature lover’s paradise.

Thomas Plant’s story is quite a fascinating one of rags to riches to rags again and it all came of shoes. I’ll tell you more about that in another post.

We toured the castle, visited the gift shop and carriage house and hand fed the large trout that jump up out of the water for fish food at Shannon Pond. There were as many ducks as fish clamoring for the food!

We toted along a picnic lunch with sandwiches, fresh fruit salad, chips, salsa, lemonade and these delicious Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for dessert. Such a beautiful shady spot we had to enjoy our picnic lunch at Castle in the Clouds.

These cookies have all the goodies: butter, sugar, eggs, oatmeal and pure vanilla to name a few. But in my opinion, it’s the cinnamon that ties this cookie together so nicely.

I used a heaping tablespoon of dough to make larger 3″ cookies. You can make them smaller if you like.

They spread a good bit, so you’ll want to leave plenty of space in between. This recipe makes four dozen scrumptious 3″ oatmeal raisin cookies. Enjoy!

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars .
Stir in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
Stir in remaining ingredients, adding raisins last.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving space in between for spreading.
I like my cookies flatter, so I pressed the dough down with a small drinking glass.
Bake at 350° for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Store in an airtight container.

You may also like: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

The post Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream

Allie — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 19:37:15 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream, today’s the big day! Real, fresh whipping cream is combined with instant chocolate pudding mix to create a stabilized Chocolate Whipped Cream that’s excellent for pies, trifles, cakes and more. This easy to make recipe comes together in about 5 minutes.

There’s lots o’ drama in my kitchen today. And I’m not talking the he said she said. I’m talking the best kind…culinary drama!

I’m having a ball piling up chocolate whipped cream onto the homemade cupcakes I just baked and snapping pics as I go. Different strokes for different folks, eh? Ha ha.

I’ve always wanted to whip up some Chocolate Whipped Cream for use in trifles, on cupcakes and as a hot chocolate topper in the cooler months.

If you love regular whipped cream, you’ll adore this easy chocolate flavored whipped cream.

The neat thing about whipping cream is that it doubles in volume once it’s whipped. So if you’re needing two cups of whipped cream, you only need one cup of heavy whipping cream or heavy cream.

This recipe makes 2 cups of chocolate whipped cream, which is enough for 8-10 generous dollops on pie slices or hot chocolate.

Sprinkle in the instant chocolate pudding mix just as the beaters start leaving a trail…

I got the idea to add instant pudding mix to whipped cream from a reader, who makes my regular stabilized whipped cream recipe often and told me how she makes other flavored whipped creams. This recipe works well with various flavors of instant pudding, not just chocolate.

Tips for Making Chocolate Whipped Cream:

Chill your bowl and beater(s) for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Make sure your heavy whipping cream is cold, right from the refrigerator.
Use 1 cup of liquid heavy whipping cream (or heavy cream) for every 2 cups of whipped cream needed.
Don’t panic if you only have heavy cream in the house. Both heavy whipping cream and heavy cream will work to make whipped cream.
Use this chocolate whipped cream immediately after whipping. The whipped cream will set its shape in a short time, because there’s gelatin in the instant pudding mix. So make the whipped cream, then use it in your cakes, pies and trifles. Or dollop onto pie, cup cakes or hot chocolate.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

If you like Chocolate Whipped Cream, try these other great whipped cream recipes: White Chocolate Ganache Whipped Cream, Peanut Butter Whipped Cream and Starbucks Coffee Whipped Cream.

How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings 2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
3 tablespoons instant chocolate pudding mix

Instructions

Place metal bowl and beaters in refrigerator to chill for 10-15 minutes.
Pour heavy whipping cream into chilled bowl.
With electric or electric stand mixer, whip until beaters are just starting to leave a trail.
Sprinkle in instant chocolate pudding mix.
Continue whipping, just until soft peaks form.
This whipping cream will be stabilized, meaning it will hold its form.
(There is gelatin in the instant pudding mix.)
So once it's whipped up, you'll want to use it immediately, dolloping on a pie, trifle, hot chocolate, cupcakes etc.
It will stay in the shape you put it, and have a harder consistency than traditional whipped cream.
It will also hold up better in between cake layers, as frosting, in trifles etc.
Desserts using Chocolate Whipped Cream should be refrigerated, as should leftovers. If you're lucky enough to have any.

The post How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Allie — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 00:53:23 +0000

Here’s a buttery shortbread Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for cheerful springtime baking! Buttery shortbread cookies nest dollops of delicious puckery sweet and tangy lemon curd.

If you love lemon curd like I do, this is a fun, easy cookie to make! Lemon curd is always a treat, but especially in spring and summer. A tray of these cookies is so pretty at wedding and baby showers.

Make your own curd filling with my easy recipe, or save time and use store bought to make these festive cookies quickly.

It’s been a rough few weeks around here and if some of you have wondered if I’ve been MIA – the answer is a resounding YES! I’m still feeling a bit MIA, but baking these beautiful springy cookies is helping me find ground again.

If you follow along here you know we’ve been doing a kitchen remodel. It’s coming along but we’ve had some long waits for re-ordered cabinets and cabinet doors. The first set was the wrong size. The second set was the wrong size. (Need I say more?)

I’m not necessarily chomping at the bit to finish. In the grand world scheme these days, kitchen cabinet doors are at the bottom of the totem pole. But I was really hoping the kitchen would be finished by Easter.

That didn’t happen. So I couldn’t share the before and after pictures last weekend like I was hoping. Maybe this coming weekend. We’ve also had some serious illness at the house during all of this construction, which has been tough. First there was the stomach virus that visited. Womp womp.

And then Jacob (17) has been pretty sick. After a false negative test two weeks ago, it was discovered he does indeed have mono after all. And with some of the other diagnoses possibilities we were facing, mono is welcome. Though it hasn’t been much fun for Jacob.

Mono can have pretty serious complications and I think he’s gotten every one. It’s taking time to heal and he’s learning patience, among other things. It’s tough for a mama to watch.

So let’s talk cookies!!! These were so easy to make and were a beautiful addition to my Easter dessert table. I mixed up the dough in my KitchenAid stand mixer, then chilled it for an hour.

Use a small cookie scoop to get even dough portions. Then roll those cookie dough scoops in for even, round dough balls.

Use a chapstick tube to make the indentations in the dough. You can also use a cork wine stopper or even a 1/2 teaspoon measure. I don’t suggest your thumb (as the recipe name would suggest) because thumbs aren’t necessarily round.

Then bake for eight minutes at 375°. When the cookies come out of the oven, use the chapstick tube again to deepen the indentations. (So these cookies can hold even more delicious lemon curd!)

After the cookies cool on a rack, fill with delicious lemon curd using a pastry bag. (A small baby spoon works too.)

Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookie Recipe Tips:

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Wrap the dough tightly and chill for an hour before baking.
Use a small cookie scoop for even dough portions.
Use a chapstick tube (or other round object like a 1/2 teaspoon measure or cork wine stopper) to make even indentations in your dough balls before baking.
Use the tube again after they come out of the oven to deepen the indentations so they can hold lots of delicious lemon curd!
Once cool, use a pastry bag for even filling with lemon curd. Or a small spoon works too. (I like to use a baby spoon.)
Easily make the cookie shells ahead and freeze. Right before you need them, fill with lemon curd. Yum!
Use store bought lemon curd to save time, or my easy lemon curd recipe here.

Enjoy these scrumptious cookies!

Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Cuisine cookie

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 cup lemon curd store bought or homemade
Homemade recipe here: https://www.throughherlookingglass.com/easy-classic-lemon-curd/

Instructions

In a medium size bowl, with an electric stand or hand mixer, cream butter.
Add white sugar until combined.
Mix in egg yolks and vanilla until combined.
Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine salt, baking powder and flour.
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, mixing until just combined.
Cover dough tightly and chill for one hour.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Use small cookie scoop to get even dough portions.
Roll cookies into balls and place 2" apart on baking sheet.
Use your thumb, a 1/2 teaspoon measure, a cork stopper or even a tube of chapstick to make even indentations into the middle of each dough ball.
Bake for 8 minutes and check.
(When they are barely beginning to brown on the edges, they are done!)
Remove from the oven.
While still hot, make the indentations again with your instrument of choice.
(The thumb does not work so well on hot cookies!)
Place cookies on a rack to cool.
When completely cool, use a piping bag to fill cookies with lemon curd. Or use a spoon.
Use store bought or homemade lemon curd.
Homemade recipe here: https://www.throughherlookingglass.com/easy-classic-lemon-curd/
Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

These are a great cookie to freeze ahead. Make the cookie shells, then freeze in an airtight container. Just before serving, fill with lemon curd.

You may also like: Lemon Whipped Cream w/Lemon Curd

The post Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookie Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Allie — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 02:00:57 +0000

These Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are fantastic. Butter, flour, sugar, oatmeal, chocolate chips. Lots to love. Heavenly, warm and fresh from the oven. These cookies are a yummy after school or weekend treat!

Think melty chocolate. Buttery. Crunchy. Mmmm…these cookies are perfect picnic fare or packed in lunch boxes.

These Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are simple to make. Get out your wooden spoon and mixing bowl.

Stir together the dry ingredients.

Stir in the wet ingredients.

(I know. Tough.)

Shape dough into balls or use a cookie scoop.

Nothing better than these warm buttery cookies, fresh from the oven. Don’t forget the milk.

It’s the butter and oatmeal that make these so crispy and crunchy. And unlike many butter cookies, these hold their shape well because of the oatmeal.

While I do love regular oatmeal cookies, these Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies don’t taste like a traditional oatmeal cookie. They’re crispy and buttery. Like a good chocolate chip oatmeal cookie ought to be.

You can give this Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies mix as a gift. I feel slightly 90’s here, because that’s when all the mason jar homemade mixes were popular. Everybody and their brother gave (and got) these mason jar mixes at Christmas time.

Basically the dry ingredients of the recipe are in a mason jar with an attached gift card listing the needed wet/refrigerated ingredients and instructions.

I haven’t given or received one these homemade mixes in over a decade. And I don’t know why, because they’re cool. So maybe I miss the 90’s. (Maybe.)

But the dry ingredients in this recipe are perfectly proportioned to layer and fit in a one quart mason jar. Add a tag with the needed wet ingredients and instructions, and you’ve got the perfect little thank you or hostess gift.

The best part? Watching my littlest taste tester hard at work. Hudson says thumbs up and finger-lickin’ melty chocolatey good.

I tried this batch with chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. Score!!!

Tips for Making Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Melt butter in the microwave.
You’ll only need one mixing bowl.
Use a parchment lined baking pan for easy clean-up.
Use a cookie scoop for portioning uniform cookies.
Dry ingredients stack easily in a mason jar for gift giving.
Layer dry ingredients in a one quart mason jar. Stuff saran wrap at the top to keep ingredients from shifting, then screw on the cover. Attach a gift tag that says: “Add: 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Shape into 1 ” balls. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Enjoy!”

Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These buttery, crispy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are the perfect treat for picnics and boxed lunches.

Course Cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 23

Servings 2 dozen, 2 1/2" cookies

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup Quaker rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
optional: 1/2 cup walnuts broken into small pieces
1/2 cup butter melted
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, brown sugar, rolled oats, chocolate chips and optional nuts.
Stir in 1/2 cup melted butter (warm, not hot), beaten egg and vanilla.
Shape into 1 " balls or use a cookie scoop as I do.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, 'til golden brown.
Enjoy!

Notes

I often double this recipe. Or triple or quadruple.
I often add in extra chocolate chips. (Why not?)

This recipe also makes a great gift as a cookie mix. Layer all dry ingredients in a quart mason jar. Stuff saran wrap at the top to keep ingredients from shifting, then screw on the cover. Attach a gift tag that says:
Add:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Shape into 1 " balls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
Enjoy!

You may also enjoy: Nantucket Bike Path Cookies

The post Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns

Allie — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 13:00:04 +0000

These Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns are the sweetest little bites for kid parties, lunchboxes, snacks, and late-night desserts — especially in the Fall. They’re fun to make, fun to eat, and the perfect Thanksgiving holiday favor!

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Fall Calls for These Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns!

Fall is so lovely here in New England. When autumn rolls around, the nights get cooler and the days become crisper. This is when I start pulling out my scarves and cowboy boots — as the leaves will start morphing into vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges in just a few weeks.

We all know chocolate and peanut butter is the best combo. But these Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns are also the perfect little DIY dessert craft for kids of all ages. So, here’s a fun little harvest snack that’s cute and quick to make. It’s the perfect way to usher in the fall season! It’s not labor intensive or rocket science. (I hesitate to even call it a recipe!) These Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns are a fun little bites for harvest and fall classroom parties.

In this fun dessert recipe, you use melted chocolate as the glue to assemble the little acorn stems and caps onto the acorns. You may use tweezers to add the mini chocolate chip stem, if you like, but don’t get held up on making these things look perfect. Like nature, food rarely is!

Key Ingredients

You only need three ingredients to make this super simple — and fun — dessert recipe this fall: Nutter Butter peanut butter sandwich cookie bites, Hershey’s chocolate kisses, and mini semisweet chocolate chips. That’s it!

Feel free to add some ingredients or switch these up to best fit your palette. White chocolate could be used to hold the kisses and sandwich cookies together, or a combination of peanut butter or Nutella with chocolate. It’s up to you!

How To Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns

The assembly of these chocolatey, peanut butter-y bites is a piece of cake!

First, melt the chocolate”glue” in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time until totally melted. Don’t add any butter, milk, coconut oil, or other ingredient to the chocolate chips to assist in the melting process, as that could affect their adhesiveness. Just be patient and make sure to stir the chocolate in between zaps so it doesn’t burn.
Dip the mini chocolate chips in the melted chocolate, and attach acorn stems to the top-center of the Nutter Butter bites. (It may be easier to use sterilized tweezers than your fingers for this step.)
Attach the Hershey’s kisses to the Nutter Butter bites in one of two ways — either remove one of the cookies and use peanut butter cookie filling to “glue” Nutter Butter bite to the Hershey Kisses, or attach the whole cookie to the chocolate kiss with the melted chocolate.
Allow the melted chocolate to harden for few minutes, then serve.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Store these Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to a week. (You don’t want air to reach the sandwich cookies, otherwise they’re turn stale.)
Freeze assembled Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorn bites in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 6 months. Just be careful to not break any.

When To Serve Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns

At your Thanksgiving table as a sweet snack
In the kids’ lunchboxes for something delicious and fun
Meal-prepped ahead of a busy week so you’ll have something sweet to snack on
As your contribution to a family or friends’ potluck
As a fun, edible craft to do with kids of all ages
At your child’s birthday party alongside my favorite birthday cupcakes
For parties, family dinners, playdates, classroom or office events, and after-school snacks!

If you love fun, festive Fall dessert recipes like these Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorns, then you’ve got to try my Chocolate Mice Candy w/Chocolate Covered Cherries and my Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candies!

More Fall Dessert Recipes To Try

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Acorns

These Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns are an easy, fun, and festive chocolate and peanut butter DIY snack that's perfect for Fall.

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

Nutter Butter Bites
Hershey Kisses
Mini chocolate chips

Instructions

In a microwave-safe dish, melt about 1/8 cup mini chips to use as "glue"
Dip mini-chips in melted chocolate and attach "acorn stems" to Nutter Butter bites.
(It may be easier to use (sterilized!) tweezers than your fingers to attach the mini-chocolate chips - they're so tiny!)
Use peanut butter cookie filling to "glue" Nutter Butter Bite or half Nutter Butter Bite onto Hershey Kisses.
Let chocolate harden a few minutes and serve.

The post Peanut Butter and Chocolate Acorns appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Lemon Slice Recipe

Allie — Wed, 31 May 2017 14:47:42 +0000

Lemon Slice Recipe: rich and lemony, these buttery Lemon Slice bars will take you back to the glass case at the old-fashioned bakery. Fresh lemon juice & zest give spectacular flavor!

Well spring has finally sprung in New Hampshire and summer is not so far off. Fresh lemons and all things citrus remind me of springtime. Last week I had Old Fashioned Fresh Squeezed Limeade on the brain and this week I’m baking with fresh lemons. That mouth puckering tart and sweet, lemony flavor are irresistible this time of year.

Do you have fond memories as I do of standing in front of a glass bakery case as a child? The glass case I remember most vividly was at Gregg’s Restaurant in Warwick, RI. Gregg’s has been voted many times “best desserts in all of Southern New England”, and I don’t doubt that is truth.

The glass dessert case at Gregg’s was a round refrigerated one, taller than me, that slowly revolved. After dinner, every kid in the place would end up there, gawking and wide-eyed, as the immaculate case filled with whipped-cream dolloped slices of pie and cake, eclairs and every kind of cookie and bar known to man slowly revolved. Today, Gregg’s is still most famous for their enormous eclairs – “large homestyle eclairs filled with our own fresh Bavarian cream and topped with thick, rich, dark chocolate fudge frosting.” In a word, the eclairs at Gregg’s are heavenly.

I don’t find myself standing in front of a glass bakery case all that often these days. In fact, I avoid them like the plague – because I have great difficulty resisting the pies, cakes, cheesecakes and pastries that whisper my name. But if I do find myself in that delicate situation – I’m on the lookout for one of two things: Raspberry Crumble Shortbread Bars or these old-fashioned Lemon Slices. (FYI, The King Arthur Store in Norwich, VT has a lovely pastry case filled with irresistible fresh, homemade cookies and bars.)

My mom and I have been been making this Lemon Slice Recipe for as long as I can remember and they’re so easy to make too. This recipe makes a big panful. The slices are thin, buttery and crunchy and it’s hard to stop at just one.

Cut the butter into the flour and sugar with a pastry blender as you do when making pie crust. When all the butter is incorporated evenly (but the mixture is still crumbly), press the dough evenly into the bottom of a parchment lined cookie sheet that has sides. Bake in the oven. Meanwhile, beat eggs together with sugar, lemon juice and zest. Remove crust from the oven and pour the lemony egg mixture over hot crust. Bake until the top is just turning golden brown. Cool, then cut into triangle shaped wedges. Dust with powdered sugar.

Tips for making this Lemon Slice Recipe:

Use a parchment-lined cookie sheet with sides – I used a jelly roll pan that is 11″ X 17″.
Pay close attention to the size of your baking pan. If it’s smaller than mine – your bars will be thicker. And if the pan is larger, they’ll be thinner. These bars are good thicker, but I don’t think you’ll want them much thinner, so I don’t suggest using a larger pan. You’ll definitely need to adjust baking times for a different size pan – a smaller pan will take longer to bake and a larger pan bakes faster.
Use fresh lemons for fresh squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest.
Once cool, cut into squares and then in half again for triangles.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
These freeze well – I make a panful and freeze half in a freezer zip-loc bag for later.

Lemon Slice Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings 48 bars

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Lemon Filling

4 large eggs well beaten
2 cups white granulated sugar
6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 - 3 tablespoons lemon zest grated lemon rind
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Crust

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar.
Cut in 1 cup butter with a pastry blender (or with a fork )as if for a pie crust.
When butter is evenly incorporated and mixture is still crumbly, press into a parchment-lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with sides. I used an 11" X 17" pan.
Bake for 20 minutes at 325° or until crust is just turning golden.

Lemon Filling

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs well. Add in sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Fold in flour and baking powder.
Pour/spread lemony egg mixture evenly onto hot crust.
Bake an additional 25 minutes at 325° until bars are just turning golden.
Remove from oven and cool completely.
Cut bars into large squares and then in half into triangles.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

You may also like: Candied Lemon Cheesecake

The post Lemon Slice Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Best Homemade Easter Dessert Recipes

Allie — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 17:22:58 +0000

Sharing these fabulous Homemade Easter Dessert Recipes in case you still have a dessert or two to add to your Easter menu. Easter is a very special gathering time to celebrate with friends and family, and I hope one of these homemade sweet treats makes it on your Easter dessert table!

Traditional recipe for Authentic Italian Ricotta Pie

Halloo my friends! “Halloo” is the humble salutation Winnie the Pooh often uttered while wandering his Hundred Acre Wood in search of Piglet, Eyore or Christopher Robin. It seems Pooh was a rather confused, lovable little bear who spent considerable time getting lost and then found again by his woodland friends. He existed in an endearing state of perpetual confusion and I can definitely relate, ha ha.

Homemade Boston Cream Eclair Cake

And with Easter quickly approaching, hoping you’re not in a similar state of confusion about your Easter dinner menu. If you’re hosting and need a few quick ideas, may I recommend a very simple solution? A spiral baked ham. You can order one at the Honey Ham store or pick one up at the grocery store. So simple.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting – divine!

There’s so little prep work involved with ham, just follow the simple directions on the label, which generally involves wrapping it in foil and re-heating. I can handle that. While there are other main dishes I love too, ham is just so easy to build a menu around.

I’ll often add homemade yeast rolls, roasted asparagus, deviled eggs, potato salad and sometimes a roasted carrot dish. A strawberry pretzel jello salad is a pretty and colorful addition too! And then there’s the dessert menu.

Light and airy Lemon Cream Puffs!

It’s hard to beat a slice of this decadent Brick Street Chocolate Cake!

Fresh Blueberry Pound Cake is easy and always a hit with the kids.

Grammy’s Old Fashioned Burnt Sugar Chiffon Cake is out of this world good!

Trifles like this Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle with peanut butter whipped cream are easy to make and they go fast too!

Lemon is so springy – how about a slice of this Candied Lemon Curd Swirled Cheesecake?

I shared these Homemade Easter Dessert Recipes with you today because I’m more of a baker than a cook. I love to bake and hope you do too. Wishing you and your family a beautiful and meaningful Easter celebration!

The post Best Homemade Easter Dessert Recipes appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies

Allie — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:46:17 +0000

These King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever. They’re buttery and crispy on the outside and chewy in the center. They have two ingredients that will surprise you. These chocolate chip cookies tuck in lunch boxes beautifully and make delightful after school snacks. Why not make a batch this weekend?

Jump to Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Wouldn’t today be an awesome day to bake chocolate chip cookies? Dust off your superhero cape, cuz’ you’re gonna need it after baking these King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies.

So everyone in our house loves warm chocolate chip cookies with a tall glass of ice cold milk. This King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is our favorite because the cookies are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with old-fashioned buttery flavor.

Any excuse I get, I traipse up to the King Arthur Store in Norwich, Vermont. I was just there last weekend. And I drag whoever’s game to come along. We’ve spent lots of time with specialists for our son Hudson up at Dartmouth Hitchock in Hanover, NH, and King Arthur’s not far from there.

In fact, I can get to the King Arthur Store from Dartmouth without even using my GPS, which is really saying something. (If you want to go on a King Arthur THLG blog field trip and experience the magic, click here!)

Key Ingredients

There are two unusual ingredients in this recipe that will probably surprise you — almond extract and vinegar. Yup, vinegar. Isn’t that nuts?

But I don’t ask questions. I just follow the recipe, and we all love the cookies. If you want a little gourmet, sprinkle sea salt on top of the cookie dough balls before baking. I tried it, loved it. (My kids? Not so much.)

How To Make Them

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vinegar, baking soda, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Then, add the egg, and beat until smooth. (Don’t over-mix!). Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a spatula to make sure all is thoroughly combined before adding the dry ingredients.
Mix in the flour, and then add the chocolate chips.
Use a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/4 ” balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them on all sides, they’ll spread.
Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes, till the edges are chestnut brown and the tops are light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool ’til they’re set.Move to a baking rack.
Repeat with remaining dough, or freeze it to make later. Most of all, enjoy!

Variations

Add some chopped nuts if you like! Pecans and walnuts are delicious options.
Or change up the chocolate! Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate would be tasty.
Or use a different candy all together. M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, toffee bar bits, or chocolate chunks would work great.

Storage Instructions

Store cooled King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. (But I doubt they’ll last that long!)
Freeze raw dough rolled into balls in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.
Reheat from frozen by cooking as instructed in the recipe card. You may need an extra minute or two of cooking time.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies

These King Arthur Chocolate Chip cookies are the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever! Crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. Yum!

Course Cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 23

Servings 36

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

2/3 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vinegar cider or white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, vinegar and baking soda..
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Beat in the egg, beating until smooth.
Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a spatula to make sure all is thoroughly combined.
Mix in the flour, then the chocolate chips.
Use a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/4 " balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them on all sides, they'll spread.
Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes, till the edges are chestnut brown and the tops are light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool 'til they're set.
Move to a baking rack.
Repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

For a gourmet touch and wonderful flavor, sprinkle sea salt on top of cookie dough balls before baking.

The post King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Crackle Top Gingersnaps

Allie — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:10:40 +0000

Crackle Top Gingersnaps are spicy and sweet, a treat with afternoon tea or tucked in a lunchbox. This cookie dough stirs together easily. Form into dough balls, roll in sugar and bake. Gingersnaps are the most requested cookie at my house!

It’s winter vacation week at our house. That means no school, later bedtimes and not setting alarm clocks. Also more movies, games, puzzles, reading and extra baking with everyone home this week. I mentioned a few weeks ago here that our house is on the market right now. We’ve been needing a little more space for a while.

We had our first open house last Saturday and these Gingersnaps were out on a plate in the kitchen with a pitcher of lemonade. It was so interesting. Almost all the folks that came through the house said “no thank you” when offered a cookie. And I was thinking, “Oh my word people, you don’t even know what you’re missing. But, ok.”

Then the last lady that toured the house about 3 o’clock chatted with me for a while in the kitchen. I offered her a cookie and she accepted. I was so happy. We kept chatting, she had another. Then another. Ha ha. She loved them. And when the kids got home after the open house they were pretty excited there were still some left. So I guess it all worked out in the end.

So these may be the best Gingersnaps you’ve ever tasted. (Hard to know, ‘cuz I don’t know what you’ve tasted. Ha!) These yummy Gingersnaps are beautifully crackly and crunchy on the outside, slightly chewy in the center, rolled in sugar before baking. Oven warm, they’re the perfect companion to a tall glass of icy cold milk. In winter…. a steaming mug of spicy chai tea. Mmmm…

The dough mixes together in five minutes…

Form cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch round balls, then roll in sugar….

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or parchment paper, then bake.

Winter is the perfect season for Gingersnaps. Spicy and sweet, they’re an extra special treat for after school snacks on wintry days. All my boys (especially Jon) love these cookies and request them regularly. Simple to make, the recipe calls for butter!

You won’t be disappointed by these scrumptious Gingersnaps!

Gingersnaps Recipe

Best Gingersnaps ever. Sugar rolled. Crackly on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Course Cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 28

Servings 2 dozen cookies

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

2 1/8 cups flour
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
extra white sugar for rolling dough balls before baking

Instructions

Beat butter with mixer 'til creamy.
Mix in sugar gradually.
Add in egg and molasses.
Separately, sift together (or mix well with a fork): flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients.
Form into 1 1/2 inch round balls.
Roll in extra granulated sugar.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet or parchment paper.
Bake 8 minutes @ 350 degrees or 'til tops are round and cracked. They might still be slightly puffy.
Remove from the oven and whack the pan hard on the counter or stovetop. (Yup.) The middle will fall and they'll be flat and crackly. Just like a good gingersnap ought to be.

You may also like: King Arthur Chocolate Chip Cookies

The post Crackle Top Gingersnaps appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.