Oatmeal Craisin Butterscotch Chip Cookies

I know, I know, this story is getting old.  I've been meaning to make this recipe forever...blahty blahty blah... So let's cut to the chase.  I made it today.  I was totally skeptical about these cookies.  I mean cranberries and butterscotch in an  oatmeal cookie?  Separately, sure, but together?  It totally works in a weird kind of way.  I can't explain it, but there you go!

Oatmeal Craisin Butterscotch Chip Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, partially melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup Craisins

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl, and beat until smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and beat until just combined.  Beat in the old fashioned oats, quick oats, butterscotch chips, and craisins until evenly distributed.

Scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 11 minutes, or until the tops are just set.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for several minutes.  Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 24 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've had this recipe on my to bake list for literally about 7 years.  Why oh why did I wait this long?  It is really odd to me, because I have flipped past this recipe over and over and over again, and every time I tell myself that I need to make it, and then I never ever do.  Until now.  I flipped past it again and thought "I really need to make these...". But No!  Not this time.  I decided to make them right then.  And they are amazing!  They are full of chips and toffee and nuts...delicious!

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Cream together the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until completely blended.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat until just combined.  On low speed, beat in the mini chips, white chocolate chips, toffee bits, and pecans.

Scoop the dough into tablespoons size balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Flatten the dough balls very slightly with the palm of you hand (you don't want them to be flat, just take the curved dome off the top).  Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until light brown at the edges.  Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 36 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

It was back to school time a few weeks ago, and with back to school we had back to Children's Music Academy! My oldest Hungry Puppy went through this fabulous program, and my youngest Hungry Puppy is now starting her second year!  We decided that it would be fun to make some music cookies to welcome our class back for another year of music.  These cookies are so fast and easy, it will blow your mind.  Start with a cake mix, some eggs, and some oil, scoop and bake and you're done!  Leave the cookies plain or top with your favorite frosting.  Decorate or don't, it's up to you.  Note:  We used mini oreo cookies and black decorator icing to decorate our cookies.

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

Cookies:
1 box cake mix (we used funfetti, but you can use white or vanilla too)
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs, and oil until well blended.  Scoop into tablespoon size balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until just barely starting to brown on the edges. Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in the powdered sugar until combined.  Add the milk (starting with 1 teaspoon and adding more if necessary) and beat until light and fluffy.  Spread the frosting on top of the cookies.  Decorate if desired.  Makes about 24 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Monster Cookies

I made these cookies as a special after school treat during the first week of school.  Because nothing says back to school like warm cookies and cold milk when you get home, right?  When I first started making these cookies, I didn't exactly read through the entire recipe before I started.  So, when I got to the part where you are supposed to add the flour and there was no flour called for in the recipe, I may have panicked just a little.  Okay, maybe I panicked a lot!  I don't think I've ever made monster cookies before, and I have rarely made flourless cookies.  Well, it was too late so I went with it.  No flour.  But look how amazing they turned out!  The cookies are full of oats, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and M&Ms.  They're chewy and delicious! Original recipe found here.

Monster Cookies

1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter (creamy peanut butter is fine too)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick oats
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini M&Ms
1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the peanut butter and butter until smooth.  Beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.  Add the quick oats, old fashioned oats, baking soda, and salt, and beat until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips, M&Ms, and peanut butter chips.  

Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoons size balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 or 11 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes on the pan.  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 36 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

CopyCat Cosmic Brownies

I'm always on the lookout for a new amazing brownie recipe, so when I came across this one, I was totally on board.  I don't buy snack cakes or things like that, but I've had them years and years and years ago and remember enjoying them.  I could totally go for that stuff now, but so far my willpower has prevailed.  I just make them at home.  Which doesn't count, right?  These brownies

CopyCat Cosmic Brownies

Brownies:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Ganache:
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup mini M&Ms

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Carefully whisk in the cocoa powder until combined, then whisk in the flour until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with moist crumbs.  Remove brownies from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

For the ganache, place the semi sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Pour the whipping cream over the chocolate chips.  Heat the chocolate and cream in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Spread the ganache over the cooled brownies and smooth the top.  Sprinkle the M&Ms over the ganache.  Place the brownies in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the ganache has set up.  Cut into bars.  Makes 16 brownies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Swiss Cheese Beer Bread

I got this bread recipe from my fabulous sister ages and ages and ages ago, and it has popped up to make an appearance now and then over the past 8 or 9 years.  This bread is totally amazing, and I pledge right now to make it way more often, because whoa.  Yum.  This cheesy beer bread is studded with chunks of gooey, melty, toasty Swiss cheese, and I just want to eat the whole thing.  Note: You may want to place a pan or something underneath the bread pans in the oven just in case the Swiss cheese chunks drip.

Beer Swiss Bread

12 ounces beer

½ cup hot water

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

8 ounces processed Swiss or American cheese

4 ½ teaspoons yeast

5 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

8 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes

In a large saucepan, combine the beer, hot water, sugar, salt, butter, and processed cheese and heat until steaming (or microwave in a large microwaveable bowl).  Cool until warm (about 110°F).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast.  Pour in the warm cheese mixture and mix until combined.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough starts to smooth out.  Knead in the Swiss cheese cubes until evenly distributed and the dough is smooth and elastic.  Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, and lightly grease the top of the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rice about 1 hour or until double in size. 

Lightly grease 2 8x4 inch loaf pans (you can use 9x5 loaf pans, but the bread will not rise quite as high).  Punch the dough down and divide in two equal pieces.  Shape each piece of dough into about a 12x6 inch rectangle.  Cut each rectangle lengthwise into three 2-inch strips, leaving them joined at one end.  Braid the strips, then tuck the ends under and place in the prepared pans.  Place the bread in a warm place and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise about 45 minutes, or until the dough has risen over the pan about ½ inch.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Bake the loaves for 30 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and done in the center.  If the loaves brown too quickly, cover with foil.  Remove the bread from the oven and turn out of the pans onto a cooling rack.  Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

White Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

I came up with this recipe a lot of years ago, and it got buried in one of my infrequently used recipe binders.  Over the past 3 weeks or so (my Hungry Puppies would say that it felt more like 6 months!) I've been reorganizing my main recipe binder.  This is the binder where I keep my favorite recipes and the recipes I create.  I used to have them all categorized nicely, but then I just started printing them out chronologically.  Which was fine.  But there are getting to be so many, it's getting harder to find things!  This is a recipe that I unearthed and remembered as being a classic favorite.  Oatmeal, coconut, and white chocolate.  Simple and delicious.

White Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat until almost combined.  Add the oatmeal, coconut, and white chocolate chips, and beat on low until evenly distributed, and no streaks of flour remain.

Drop the dough by 2 tablespoonsful onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are just set in the center.  Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal Cookies

 

I clipped this recipe out of a newspaper almost a year ago, and have only just gotten around to trying it. It was a big mistake to wait so long.  These are the best oatmeal cookies that I've made in a long time!  Warm from the oven, these cookies taste like blueberry pie!  I made a different oatmeal cookie recipe along with this one, and my husband and I both absolutely loved this one.  The other recipe was really good too, but these are special.  These oaty cookies have a soft and chewy texture, a unique flavor due to the nutmeg and lemon, and are full of sweet dried blueberries.

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups dried blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time until well blended.  Add the flour and oatmeal and beat until just combined.  Stir in the dried blueberries.

Drop the dough by about 2 tablespoonsful onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake cookies for about 12 to 13 minutes, or golden brown with the centers not shiny.  Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Oat Loaf

This is my oldest Hungry Puppy's absolutely favorite bread recipe. It's also her favorite recipe to make.  I think she's made it 2 or 3 times now, which is awesome because sometimes she'll take care of that while I work on something else.  This quick bread is so delicious (and the smell of it baking is drool worthy), and is sturdy enough to be perfect for sandwiches.  There have been several times this summer when I have been too busy to make our regular yeast sandwich bread.  This bread comes together in about an hour, no sweat, so it's perfect for last minute as well.  Recipe slightly adapted from a Taste of Home Cookbook.

Oat Loaf

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9x5 or 8x4 inch loaf pan (with a 9x5, the loaf will be slightly shorter and with the 8x4 it will be slightly taller).  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk until combined.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and canola oil.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake the loaf for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove the bread from the oven and turn out of the pan and place on a cooling rack.  Serve warm or let cool completely before serving.  Makes 1 loaf.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy