You knew I couldn’t stay away from the chocolate for too long! I’m catching us all up on chocolate by providing double the chocolate today. For day seven of Lemon & Mocha’s 12 Days of Cookies I present to you Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies! They should really be called double chocolate double peppermint cookies since, you guessed it, there’s both double the chocolate and double the peppermint, but I figured one “double” would work just as well.

Do these round, dark and slightly crispy cookies look familiar? If they do, it’s because we’re using the same cookie base from the Chocolate Raspberry Heart Cookie Pops recipe. Back in February, Matt and I couldn’t get enough of the buttery dark chocolate cookies. The first time I posted this cookie base I described them as a buttery version of the Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle and that is so spot on. Except this time, we’re dipping them in peppermint-flavored melted semisweet chocolate and sprinkling crushed candy canes on top to make them extra festive.

A couple months ago I shared these cookies with some friends and they were a big hit. I love when recipes like these are a big hit. And by recipes like these I mean recipes that are easy! So easy!

First of all, the cookie dough comes together in a food processor. I use this 14-cup food processor by Cuisinart. The dough is pulsed together then cold butter cubes are added and you continue to pulse until the dough completely comes together, just like if you were making a pie crust. Cold butter also means no waiting for ingredients to come to room temperature – hurray!

When I made the cookie pops, the cookie dough was rolled out, but to simplify things even more I’ve adjusted these to be made as slice-and-bake cookies. The dough comes out of the food processor and is rolled into a log in plastic wrap. Pop it into the fridge overnight or until firm and then it’s time to slice the dough into rounds and bake up the cookies! Once cooled, a quick dip into some minty melted chocolate and some sprinkling of peppermint candy and you’re done! Yum! I hope you all enjoy these!

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• Candy canes, crushed, for decorating
• White sanding sugar for decorating, optional

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, granulated sugar and salt. Once combined, add the cold butter cubes and the vanilla extract. Pulse until the mixture looks like it has larger crumbs and will hold together when pinched. Transfer the dough to a large bowl or clean work surface and press the dough into a ball. Knead the dough a few times. Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and work it into a log with a 2.5-3 inch diameter. Roll the dough log in the plastic wrap (I usually continue rolling and shaping it while it’s wrapped in plastic). Refrigerate the dough log until firm or overnight.
2. Make sure oven racks are positioned in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Preheat to 325 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ⅜-inch thick cookies and arrange 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies for 25-27 minutes, switching the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the pan on a wire cooling rack then transfer cookies to the wire cooling rack to cool completely.
3. Once the cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave safe liquid measuring cup. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until it’s melted and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. Dip a cooled cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and sprinkle with crushed candy canes and white sanding sugar (if using). Repeat for the rest of the cookies, melting more chocolate if needed. Towards the end I didn’t want to melt more so I just used a spoon to help spread it on the remaining cookies. Place in the fridge until the chocolate sets then remove and store at room temperature.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

Happy December! December is clearly the king of all months when it comes to cookies so it only makes sense to share a royally epic cookie recipe for my first post of the month. Here on day six of Lemon & Mocha’s 12 Days of Cookies we’re all about these Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies.

These are my favorite cookies I’ve ever made. I know, I know, such a bold statement! Especially when there’s no chocolate and they’re decorated cookies so you’re probably wondering who I am and what happened to Lauren. However, they are my favorite cookies I’ve ever made because they’re the first cookie where I’ve gone out of the box and truly experimented with flavor – and they turned out amazing. So amazing that I ended up having to make multiple batches of them last holiday season.

After plenty of trial and error, these sugar cookies are tender and have the perfect balance of rosemary and lemon flavoring. Both are present without either being too overpowering and they both add something unique and that-was-so-good-I-need-another-one-ness to the cookies.

The glaze on top is lightly flavored with lemon as well and it adds just the right amount of sweetness to the cookies. Plus, it makes them look extra cute and festive!

The inspiration for these cookies came from watching all the different holiday baking competition shows last year. There were a few times the bakers used savory herbs in their recipes and I was so intrigued by the idea and the judges positive reactions that I figured I would give it a shot. I never thought a lemon rosemary cookie would be in my must-bake holiday cookie line-up, but here we are! Enjoy, everyone!

Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies

 

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Yield: about 24 medium cookies

Ingredients

for the cookies

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), slightly softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon extract (or ¼ teaspoon lemon oil)
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• Zest from ½ large lemon

for the icing

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 2 - 2½ tablespoons room temperature water
• Pinch of salt
• Green sanding sugar and sprinkles, for decoration

Directions

for the cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and rosemary. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium-high speed. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, almond extract and lemon zest. Beat on high until fully combined.
4. Add half the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining half and beat until only a few streaks remain. If the dough feels too soft add an additional 1 tablespoon of flour.
5. Divide the dough in half. Roll out the first half onto a piece of parchment until you have a slab about ¼” to ⅛” thick. Repeat with the remaining half. If the dough is too sticky to roll out, put in the fridge for about 10 minutes before rolling. Stack the parchment slabs on top of one another on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
6. Use a medium cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Place the cut cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake each cookie sheet for 9-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Cookies are done when they have lightly colored edges and tops. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack then move to the cooling rack to cool completely.

for the icing

1. Whisk everything together, starting with the 2 tablespoons of water. When you hold up your whisk and let it drip, the icing should hold for just a few seconds before dripping. If it’s too thick add the additional ½ tablespoon of water. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
2. When the cookies are completely cooled, fill the icing in a pastry bag fit with a small tip to ice the cookies. Ice a few at a time before sprinkling with sanding sugar and sprinkles before they harden. I usually do this with the cookies set in a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper so sprinkles don’t go all over the place. Let the cookies set at room temperature for 24 hours to give the icing time to completely harden before stacking in containers.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

How fun and colorful are these Key Lime Crackle Cookies? Every year Food Network Magazine shares plenty of holiday cookie recipes so a few years ago I dug through my binder collection and picked out a few to try.

Matt and I are both suckers for anything key lime flavored so these immediately made the list. Between the key lime zest and key lime juice, the punchy citrus flavor comes through while being balanced by the sugary coating on the outside of the cookies.

Have you ever made crackle cookies before? Typically what that entails is rolling the cookie dough ball in powdered sugar so that when it bakes the cookie puffs and crackles, leaving ridges of exposed, un-powdered cookie. We’ve added some green sanding sugar to the powdered sugar to give the Key Lime Crackle Cookies an extra bit of holiday sparkle.

Like most crackle cookies, this key lime version is soft and chewy on the inside with a very slightly crispy exterior. Although key lime seems like an odd flavoring around Christmastime, these Key Lime Crackle Cookies are on our family’s Christmas cookie must-bake rotation. It also helps that they look so festive!

If you’re still looking for something quick to lighten up the dessert table tomorrow then I highly recommend these cookies. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

Key Lime Crackle Cookies

 

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Yield: about 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon key lime zest (or regular lime zest)
• 3 tablespoons key lime juice (or 1½ tablespoons lime juice and 1½ tablespoons lemon juice)
• 4 drops green food coloring (or 9-10 drops green gel food coloring)
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoons green sanding sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg, then beat to combine, then repeat with the second egg. Add the lime zest, lime juice and food coloring. Beat until combined, scrapping down the sides as needed. Add the flour mixture then beat on low until just combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 45 minutes or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, making sure oven racks are in the top and bottom third positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and green sanding sugar in a small bowl. Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop 1½ tablespoon balls of cookie dough. Roll into a ball then toss in the sugar mixture to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes, switching the baking pans halfway through. The cookies are done with they are puffed and cracked on top and are lightly golden on the edges. Cool on the pan set on a cooling rack for 5 minutes then move to the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

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 Recipe from December 2015 issue of Food Network Magazine.

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Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Happy Friday! Here we are with day three of Lemon & Mocha’s 12 Days of Cookies! I’m a chocoholic so when I was coming up with the list for the twelve perfect cookies to share this holiday season I consciously tried to incorporate some balance so it wouldn’t simply be a weeks-long chocolate overload.

Good thing I’m also a cookie-aholic and don’t discriminate with what flavors make a cookie out-of-this-world delicious!

These Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies are light, soft, moist and cakey with grapefruit flavor throughout the cookie and the sweet glaze on top. If the fact that they’re called ricotta cookies freaks you out I promise there is no reason to be alarmed. The ricotta doesn’t flavor the cookie, it just provides that cake-like texture.

I actually first had ricotta cookies last Christmas. Matt’s mom had made some lemon ricotta cookies and I was instantly hooked on the pillowy texture and citrus flavor. They seemed like the perfect light cookie to cut through all the usual, rich heaviness around the holidays so I knew I wanted to incorporate a version into my holiday cookie schedule.

I followed Giada’s updated lemon ricotta cookie recipe and swapped in grapefruit zest and juice. The end result was citrus cookie perfection! Enjoy!

Grapefruit Ricotta Cookies

 

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Yield: about 45 cookies

Ingredients

for the cookies

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• Zest from ½ grapefruit

for the glaze

• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• Zest from ½ grapefruit

Directions

for the cookies

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed until combined after each addition. Add the ricotta, grapefruit juice and grapefruit zest. Beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir on low until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F making sure oven racks are in the bottom and top third positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to scoop scant 1½ tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes, switching the cookie sheets from top to bottom halfway through. The cookies should still be pale. Let rest on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes then move to the wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat for the remaining cookie dough.

for the glaze

1. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, grapefruit juice and grapefruit zest. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of glaze onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to spread it around. Let the cookies sit at room temperature to harden for 2 hours.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

Welcome to day two of Lemon & Mocha’s 12 Days of Cookies! I’m sharing these Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies well in advance of the holiday cookie swap season because they freeze beautifully. However, if you are like me and have trouble “forgetting” that delicious cookies are sitting in your freezer then making them ahead won’t really help you out at all since they’ll all most definitely be gone by the time December is here.

The best way to describe these cookies is that they taste like fudgey chocolate walnut brownies in cookie form. Chewy and with a crackly top, these Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies are the brownie lover’s dream cookie. Also, the chocoholic’s dream cookie. Also, they’re just damn delicious cookies!

Making these cookies is very simple and only requires six ingredients. Woo hoo! Since they are flourless, they are quite different from your typical cookie batter. The base batter involves confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, salt, egg whites and vanilla extract. That’s it! No flour, butter or egg yolks.

To make sure you have a rich, chocolatey taste you’re going to want to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. I typically use the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, which is a blend of regular and Dutch-processed cocoa powder, with excellent results.

I highly recommend these easy and fudgey cookies for your cookie platter this year or for anytime you’re feeling like you want a brownie-cookie treat. The only thing I’m going to try differently next time I make this, which I’m sure will be very soon, is to put in some chocolate chips because I’m a chocolate chips instead of walnuts kind of gal when it comes to brownies, not that you would know it from how many of these cookies I ate… oops! Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

 

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Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients

• 2¾ cups walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, making sure oven racks are in the upper and lower thirds positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Toast the walnuts. Spread the chopped walnuts onto a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until golden and toasted, being sure not to let burn.
3. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, salt and toasted walnuts on low speed with the paddle attachment. Add the egg whites and then vanilla then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly.
4. Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the batter into 12 mounds, 6 on each baking sheet, about 3-inches apart. Put the cookies in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 14-16 minutes, switching the baking sheets halfway through baking. They are done with the tops are glossy and lightly cracked. Carefully slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto wire cooling racks to let the cookies cool completely on the parchment on the wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments