Lovin' From the Oven

Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

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I usually never make shortbread. Shortbread cookies have never caught my interest because they’re usually quite plain and crumble easily. This recipe, however, is no ordinary shortbread cookie.

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These cookies have chocolate AND espresso! That’s one heck of a combination, folks.

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I love that these are squares rather than your normal circles. You could even get creative and use a cookie cutter to cut out particular shapes since these don’t spread at all after baking. Oh, the possibilities!

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I used Baker’s Joy non-stick baking spray with flour in order to make sure these cookies glide off effortlessly from the sheet. It definitely did its job! There was no cookie scrap left behind.

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This recipe comes adapted from from Use Real Butter.

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Baker’s Joy is actually running a promotion called “Which Sweet Treat are You?” starting today (April 22nd) through May 5th. By taking a quiz online, fans will get to discover what their baking personality is. Each personality is a different sweet treat. Are you a cookie? Or perhaps a cake or a pie?

You can take the quiz as many times as you’d like for a chance to win a daily prize and be entered to win the Grand prize. What exactly are the prizes, you ask? Well, daily prizes include $50 gift cards plus a year’s supply of Baker’s Joy. The Grand prize is a $500 gift card, a KitchenAid mixer, AND a year’s supply of Baker’s Joy. How about that? Give it a try here!

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Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
  • Baker's Joy non-stick baking spray

Directions

  1. Mix the instant espresso powder in boiling water and set aside to cool.
  2. Beat butter and sugar together until completely smooth.
  3. Mix in the vanilla and espresso. Gradually add in the flour until just incorporated. Don't overmix!
  4. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
  5. Transfer the dough to a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, unzipped, and roll the dough into a rectangle that fills the bag, about 1/4 inch thick. Remember to turn the bag to keep the dough as smooth as possible. Once done, press out the air and seal the top of the ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  6. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a cookie sheet evenly with Baker's Joy. Set aside.
  7. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (throw away the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
  8. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating after 10 minutes.
  9. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
https://lovintheoven.com/espresso-chocolate-chip-shortbread-cookies/

This is a sponsored post, but the opinions expressed are my own.

Peepsters Stuffed Cookies

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You may have seen on my Instagram earlier this week that I was trying to figure out something to make with all the Peeps for Easter. Bunnies and chicks were all over my kitchen!

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It didn’t take me long to spot these Peepsters. I have never seen or heard of them until now. Curious as I am, I immediately ripped open the bag to see what they were.

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They’re dark (also comes in milk) chocolate bites with a marshmallow flavored creme in the center. The pastel foil wrapping is perfect for your Easter candy dish.

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I went online to the Peeps website to see if they had any recommendations for baking with Peepsters. Sure enough, I found a cookie recipe to try.

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It’s basically a chocolate chip cookie recipe, but instead of using regular chocolate chips, you replace them with cut up Peepsters.

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The inside of the Peepsters didn’t melt away while baking, thanks to a couple of hours in the freezer.

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I threw some Easter sprinkles on top to make the cookies a little more festive.

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Overall, it’s a simple and wonderful recipe from Peeps. The cookies were chewy, definitely on the sweeter side, and had a cooked brown sugar taste.

I started making the cookies as directed in the recipe by rolling the dough to cover all of the Peepsters, but that got a little difficult. I ended up stirring the pieces into the dough ball, not worrying whether the dough was covering each piece of chocolate or not. Honestly, I didn’t notice a difference between the two versions. Make your life a little easier by carefully stirring the chopped Peepsters into your cookie dough rather than trying to fully cover each piece.

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Peepsters Stuffed Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 bag PEEPS® PEEPSTERS®
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs

Directions

  1. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut each PEEPS® PEEPSTERS® candy piece into quarters. NOTE: For best results, freeze the pieces for 2 hours before beginning recipe.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
  4. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  6. Gradually beat in flour mixture until combined.
  7. Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and press 4 – 5 pieces of PEEPS® PEEPSTERS® candies into the dough. Cover the pieces of candy with the dough and roll into a ball.
  8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
https://lovintheoven.com/peepsters-stuffed-cookies/

Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies

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I can’t believe how fast this year is going. I’ll be back in LA in exactly one month! Who’s with me? There is still so much to do up here, including using up all my Groupons/LivingSocial deals that I bought. Oakland Zoo, anyone?

I’ve already transferred bases to work out of LAX instead of SFO and it is… different. I miss my SFO crews so dang much and I haven’t even left the city yet! I can honestly say that I work with the best people in the business and I’ve made so many great friends up in the bay. Not just friends, but forever friends. *tear*

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Before I get all choked up without even moving anywhere, let’s change the subject. My DF and I have been quite busy celebrating his grandmas’ 90th birthdays (both of his abuelas turned ninety this year!), commuting into LAX for me and studying for finals for him, and crossing things off of our to do list before we move. Let me tell you, it’s a long list.

Cancel cable. Cancel PG&E. Write letter of intent to move out. Schedule moving date. Hire movers. Look for a place to live in LA. To buy or not to buy? Get rid of junk in the apartment. Wonder how the heck we’re going to pack everything into boxes. Clean, clean, clean. Buy wedding suit. Order wedding invitations. Update addresses on a million websites.

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I’m getting tired just thinking about it. Let’s talk cookies. I admit that I don’t use almond extract as often as I’d like to. Vanilla extract seems to always be around the house, but let’s not leave our almond buddy out. The aroma that comes out of the bottle after unscrewing the top is unlike any other. It’s not as strong as vanilla and definitely smells less “alcoholic.” It reminds me of almond jello, the white jiggly stuff that Asians use to much in their desserts. I used to (and still do) devour plates of that after it sets.

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I used Rodelle Organic Almond Extract for these cookies and they turned out uh-mazing. Great ingredients equal a great product!

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The cookies are light, but thick. They’re sweet with just the right amount of almond flavoring. The extra sugar on the outside gives the soft texture a little toughness. This recipe comes from Sing for your Supper.

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Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour**
  • 1 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • coarse decorating sugar, for rolling cookies

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together the sugar and butter. Stir in eggs, almond extract, and vanilla.
  3. Gradually add in the flours, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  5. Form dough into walnut sized balls and roll in decorating sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet and press down to flatten slightly.
  6. Bake for 8 minutes; cookies should not brown much at all- do not overbake.
  7. **If you don’t have cake flour, all purpose will work fine
https://lovintheoven.com/soft-chewy-almond-sugar-cookies/

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