Peanut Butter Cookies with Strawberry Jam

There is nothing like having something sweet, as a mid afternoon pick-me-up. These cookies will stay moist and delicious, if stored in an air-tight container. I got this recipe from the Weeknights with Giada cookbook.

Makes 10-12 (4-inch) cookies

Ingridents:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use non-stick pans.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and all of the brown sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until blended. With the machine running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

4. Put the remaining 1/4 granulated sugar into a small bowl. Form the dough into 1/4-cup balls and roll in the sugar. Arrange 5-6 balls of dough, evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using a round 1/4-teaspoon measure, or the thin end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep. Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into each depression.

5. Bake the cookies for 11 to 14 minutes, until the dough has spread and the surface of the cookies is cracked. The cookies may seem soft, but don't be tempted to bake longer, they will harden as they cool. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Shift together, cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

Place in bowl and set aside.

Place butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

MIx for about 30 seconds.

Add beaten egg.

Add vanilla and mix till combined.

With mixer running on low, slowly add the cocoa-flour mixture.

Mix till incorporated.

Make 10-12 balls of dough and roll in sugar.

Place evenly on cookie sheet and make a small indentation with the back of a measuring spoon.

Fill the indentation with strawberry jam.

Bake for about 11-14 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes on baking sheet. Then move to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pick-Me-Up Cookies

These cookies are super moist and delicious. The toasted pecans give a nice crunch and the chocolate chips will satisfy any chocoholic. I made a few changes, to the original recipe in The Fearless Baker cookbook.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup pecan pieces
8 ounces dark baking chocolate-unsweetened, chopped into chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Spread the pecans on a small baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Set a timer for 10 minutes and check to see if they are light-golden brown. If not, toast for two minutes longer. Set aside to cool.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter, in a heat-proof bowl over boiling water. Don't let the bowl touch the water. Scrape the chocolate and butter and cook till they are melted thru. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

4. Place the flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Mix and set aside.

5. with an electric mixer, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. While the mixer is running, add the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix till everything is evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, once or twice with the rubber spatula. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips, till just thoroughly combined.

6. Place 1-tablespoon of cookie dough, on the parchment-lined cookie sheets, two inches apart. About 12 cookies per cookie sheet.

7. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until they've lost their sheen. Although they may seem underdone and kind of gooey, don't be tempted to cook them longer. They will set up as they cool. Remove the cookies, while still on the parchment paper and let cool on the counter. Store them in an airtight container.

Place chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Roast for about 10 minutes.

Chop the baking chocolate.

Heat the chocolate and butter, over boiling water till melted.

Remove toasted pecans from oven. Let cool.

Constantly stir the melting chocolate. Don't let it burn!

Let cool to room temperature.

Place flour and baking powder in small bowl.

Grab some sugar :)

Mix the sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl.

Mix till thoroughly combined.

With mixer running, add the melted chocolate.

Next add the flour and baking powder.

Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

omg

Place rounded tablespoons on a baking sheet.

So chocolatey!

Bake for about 9-11 minutes.

Let cool on counter.

Pine Nut Cookies

I've been trying to use all of the random ingredients in my fridge and pantry. We should be moving into our new house next week, so I can get all of my kitchen stuff back. Right now, most of my cool kitchen gadgets are in boxes. Boo.

While looking around my kitchen, I found some pine nuts in my freezer and decided to give these tasty cookies a try. I got the recipe from the Everyday Italian cookbook, by my favorite chef Giada.

Cute little butter cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup pine nuts

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, ground fennel seed and salt and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Ground fennel seed can be hard to find. If you have a mortal and pestle, grind the fennel by hand. I just used whole fennel and the cookies turned out good. 

Next add the flour.

Mix until a dough forms. 

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into an 8-inch long log. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or use non stick baking sheets.

Cut the dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. 

Place the cookies on the baking sheets. Press the pine nuts atop the cookies. Bake for about 15 minute until the cookies are golden around the edges. Store in an airtight container.

These are great with coffee. Nice and buttery and crisp.

Almond-Chocolate Chip Cookies

I decided to make these cookies after receiving two boxes of Justin's Almond Butter. My sister works at the head quaters of an outdoor company and sometimes she gets some awesome samples. These are amazing cookies! This is a recipe from The Fearless Baker Cookbook. I haven't had a recipe fail me yet.

Ingredients:

1/2 sliced almonds
8 tbsp butter, 1 stick, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup almond butter
1 1/2 unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into chunks (I used Trader Joes Dark Chocolate 72%)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the almonds on a small baking sheet. After the oven has reached 350, place the almonds in the oven for 7-10 minutes, till the almonds are lightly browned. Let the almonds cool on the baking sheet.

After the almonds are cooled, lightly chop them.

Place the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. 

Beat the sugar and butter till fully incorporated. 

Almond butter!

I had to squeeze all the little packets to fill one cup. Took forever. 

18 packets total.

Add the eggs to the butter and sugar. Beat throughly and then add the almond butter. After the almond butter is fully incorporated, add the flour, baking soda and salt. 

After everything is fully mixed, remove the bowl from the mixer.

Chop the chocolate.

Add the toasted almonds and chocolate and stir to mix.

Take tablespoons of the cookie batter onto the cookie sheets. Slightly press down with your hands. Then place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be a little soft in the middle, so don't over bake. They will hardened as they cool. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then place on a cooling rack. After they are cooled, place in an airtight container.