Snickerdoodles

If you have been reading my blog, Thank You, and by now you know that my husband loves cinnamon.  I am constantly looking for different cinnamon recipes to try for him. He doesn't really have a sweet tooth, but occasionally, he will indulge in a sweet treat.

I found this recipe through ohsodelicioso.com.  It's a snickerdoodle cookie, but it's like a traditional snickerdoodle and a sugar cake had a baby.  This snickerdoodle is crispy to bite into, but it is soft on the inside.  I liked these so very much, and my husband....well, he could not get enough of them.

This dough needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour before baking the cookies.  When I started making this dough, I forgot about this detail.  I usually do my baking before I go to work around noon.  I was making this dough and then got to the "refrigerate dough for an hour" part, and I was heartbroken.  Then, I had to work for 8 hours thinking about these cookies.  I immediately started baking them when I got off work.  Trust me when I tell you they were worth the wait!

Ingredients

• 1 C butter, at room temp
• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 3/4 C flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar together with electric mixer. Add eggs.
2. In separate bowl sift flour, tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Slowly combine with butter mix.
3. Chill dough in fridge for at least 15 minutes more if you can.
4. Meanwhile grease cookie sheet and make a cinnamon-sugar mix by combining 3 T sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
5. When dough is chilled, take a small amount and roll into a ball about 1..5 -2 inches wide.
6. Then roll ball in cinnamon-sugar mix to coat and place on cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 deg. Baking time varies depend upon size of dough balls so watch them close. Cool on rack.

Pumpkin cupcakes - dairy free

I had to do some baking for my son's percussion group today.  The group has a few members with dairy sensitivities.  I am constantly searching for dairy free recipes I can use for their treats.

Upon my search through recipes, I came across a paleo pumpkin cupcake recipe.  I decided I didn't have half the things I needed so I would just wing it.

Here is the original recipe:

• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons palm shortening
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ⅔ cup sweet potato flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For frosting...
• 1 cup palm shortening
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a standard size cupcake/muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners or grease very well.
2. By hand or with an electric mixer, cream together the eggs, coconut sugar, and shortening.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and combine well.
4. Add sweet potato flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine well.
5. Divide batter evenly into eight cupcakes.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, allow to cool completely.
7. Prepare frosting while cupcakes are cooling. Whip together palm shortening, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice. Spread, drop or pipe a generous amount on each cupcake and serve!

Here is my revision:

**  4 eggs

**  1/3 cup granulated sugar

**  2 tablespoons coconut oil

**  1/2 cup pumpkin puree

**  2/3 cup all purpose flour

**  1 tsp baking soda

**  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

**  dash salt

for the frosting

**  1 cup coconut oil

**  1/2 cup honey

**  1 tsp vanilla extract

**  1 tablespoon lemon juice

**  powdered sugar to taste and consistency

for the filling

**  brown sugar

**  coconut oil

**  pumpkin puree    (I mixed this all together on the stove for a few minutes).

I followed all baking instructions as listed above.  My batter made an even dozen cupcakes.

NOTE:  I do not eat pumpkin so I did not try them.  I had my husband try them and he said they were dry....and didn't taste like cupcakes.  I took them with me to my son's rehearsal and had the director try one.  She said it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake but said it was good.  (I love her, she's my favorite).  I believe using butter would have made the consistency more like a cupcake.

Salted Caramel Chews

My husband is self employed.  He has several employees working for him.  For reasons unbeknownst to either of us, 2 of his long-time employees have left the company.  That means poor hubby has to pick up the slack and do the work of 3 people.  He has been working long days and nights, and he is often less than pleasant when he finally arrives home.

What does this have to do with cakes or baking you ask?  Well, I was just about to get to that part.  It doesn't really, but I found a recipe for caramel chews and wanted to try them.  I asked him sort of off the cuff if he liked them and he said yes.  Light bulb!  I can make these caramel chews to help cheer him up.  I mean, everyone drowns their sorrows in sugary goodness right?  Usually not my husband as he does not have a particularly sweet tooth.

Anyway, before I get myself off topic.  These caramel chews are pretty easy to make.

This picture was done in a hurry and absolutely does not do these things justice. I am not a big caramel fan, but I did sample one before I wrapped it.  The coarse salt makes something magical happen.

Here are the ingredients:

• 1½ sticks butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
• coarse sea salt

Here are the instructions:

1. In a medium sauce add butter and sugar and stir over medium heat until melted. Stir in corn syrup and condensed milk.
2. Bring to a boil and then decrease to simmer 7-10 minutes or until mixture achieves golden brown color, stirring constantly.
3. Poor caramel into a foil-lined 8 x 8 inch pan and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
4. When completely cooled, cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

Pumpkin spice cookies

It's October, and that means the whole world is going pumpkin spice crazy.  Admittedly, I cannot say I am part of that craze as it's not one of my favorite flavors.  However, far be it from me to deprive my family of the flavor they love so much.

I decided to try this recipe this morning while both my husband and son were at work.  What a surprise they will get when they come home.  They will be singing the praises of Momma from the rooftop!  Hey, a girl can dream.

Here is the recipe from Cookies and Cups:

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla
3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

How to Make
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and both sugars together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add in both egg and additional yolk into butter along with vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the
sides as necessary.
4. Mix in Pumpkin Pie Spice, baking powder and salt until combined.
5. Reduce speed on mixer to low and mix in flour until dough comes together.
6. Chill dough for at least an hour.
7. When ready to bake, line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375°
8. Mix coating ingredients (light brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice) together in a bowl, set aside.
9. Roll dough into large balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and then roll into the sugar/pumpkin pie
spice mixture, coating completely.
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and
transfer to wire rack to cool.

I did not follow this recipe to the letter, but I think the results will be the same...and here are my results: