Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Here's a fun and simple recipe for a delicious soft & chewy cookie that I have made at home numerous times and doesn't last very long in the cookie jar. These cookies are perfect for the winter season, but are great anytime of the year. You can always jazz up the recipe by adding some cinnamon in the icing sugar or also roll them in colored sprinkles. Enjoy!! 

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Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Makes: 50 cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

METHOD

1 In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (though you can do this with a wooden spoon, too) beat together the cocoa powder, white sugar, and vegetable oil until it comes together into a shiny, gritty, black dough of sorts.

2 Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds each. Add the vanilla and beat in thoroughly.

3 In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder if using. Mix into the chocolate mixture on low speed until just combined. Do not overbeat. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill the dough for four hours or overnight.

4 Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioner's sugar in a wide bowl. Using a rounded teaspoon get clumps of the chilled dough and roll them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) sized balls using your hands. Roll the balls in the confectioner's sugar and place on the cookie sheets (you should be able to get 12-16 on each sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool a minute or two on the sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake

I made this cake on my day off, and there maybe only one piece left of the whole cake. The kids have gobbled it all up. That's how good it is. Enough said, get in that kitchen and make one for your family. Do it!!! 

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Dark Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients 

1¾ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pumpkin spice

½ cup  unsalted butter, softened

1¼ cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

1 cup dark chocolate chunks 

Frosting:

8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature 

8 Tbl spoons of unsalted butter, room temperature 

2 cups of icing sugar sifted

2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Heat the oven to 350F. Coat the inside of a 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.

With the mixer on medium low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Stir in the milk.

Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the dark chocolate chunks.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic for up to 1 week.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter until well combined. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the pumpkin spice and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Cran-stachio Icebox Cookies

Long time no see!!! Want to know something nuts, pun intended? I took a few of these cookies for a treat on the way to my son's basketball camp and I never had the chance to eat it because my daughter finished it off first. When you're done making these treats make sure you eat some before your kids finish off the whole batch.
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Cran-stachio Icebox Cookies
 Makes: 60 cookies
Ingredients:
3/4  cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3  granulated sugar
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon orange zest
1/4  teaspoon salt
1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1/2  finely chopped pistachio nuts
1/3  cup snipped dried cranberries

directions
1.In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Beat about 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Reduce speed to low. Beat in as much of the flour as you can, 1/2 cup at a time, with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in pistachio nuts and cranberries. Using your hands, knead dough until smooth. Divide dough in half.
2.On waxed paper, shape each half into an 8 1/2-inch-long log (about 1 1/2 inches across). Lift and smooth the waxed paper to help shape the logs. Wrap each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill about 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to slice.
3.Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Rotate roll while cutting to prevent flattening. (If dough log gets too soft to slice, freeze briefly until it is firm enough to slice.) Place slices 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
4.Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and just starting to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.

The Treehouse Saffron Brioche Bun with Homemade Field Berry Chia Jam

I found the perfect use for these amazing little pots. If you know me well you would know I don't have a green thumb what so ever!! So to use these for flowers is not in the plans at all. I was walking through a local craft store saw them and thought of a perfect repurposing idea! Such a unique way to bake and serve fresh bread... Enjoy!!!
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The Treehouse Saffron Brioche Bun

Makes: 16 Brioche Buns

Ingredients:
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp of saffron
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons  sugar
3 cups unbleached white bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of milk, to glaze

Heat the milk with the saffron for 2 minutes, cool to lukewarm, then add the yeast, salt, and eggs. Add 2 of the 3 cups of flour, mixing well with a wooden spoon.
In a large mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Incorporate this into the flour mixture, adding the final 1 cup of flour.
Transfer dough to electric mixer bowl and beat with dough hook for 3-4 minutes, until smooth and pliable.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place (or in your oven at the proof setting) for 1 1/2 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch down the dough, cover with oiled plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. (The dough will stiffen overnight.)
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide evenly into 16 small balls. Place each of the balls into a lightly greased, prepared flowerpot lined with parchment paper (or in your brioche cups or muffin stoneware). Place the molds on a large baking sheet, cover and  leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).  Brush the glaze over the top of the brioches. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack.

Serve with homemade field Berry chia jam.

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Field Berry Chia Jam

Serves: 15

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh strawberries-stems removed, quartered
½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons water
1-2 tablespoons raw honey (depending on how sweet you want your jam. I only used 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions:
In a saucepan on medium heat, add the berries, water and honey.
Stir constantly until mixture thickens-about 5-8 minutes.
Slightly mash until a consistency you like.
Add in chia seed, stir.
Remove from heat.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes to thicken.
Place in air tight container ( I save old jam containers) and store in fridge.
Will keep 10-14 days.

Preparing The Pots:
To prepare the flowerpots for baking, wipe them thoroughly with a damp cloth. Oil them generously inside and out and put them in a 275 degree (F) oven for 30 minutes to season. Remove and cool. Then repeat this process twice more. This will prevent the molds from cracking while baking.