Cream cheese sugar cookies -- two ways!

The holidays are rapidly approaching (or at least it seems that way), and with Channukkah and Christmas falling at the exact same time this year (remember Thanksgivukkah, when Channukkah fell on Thanksgiving?  Just to jog your memory...), I have double baking duty: Channukkah treats for my family, and Christmas treats for my doormen and favorite baristas.

So I started early this year.  I was thinking of making my butter cookies or even cut-out sugar cookies, but then I came across this recipe for cream cheese sugar cookies, and I thought that they just sounded perfect (and they were).  But here's the thing -- this recipe makes a TON of dough.  So much so that I ended up freezing half of it and still got an insane amount of cookies.  Like, I shouldn't have been surprised -- the recipe called for over 5 cups of flour!

Knowing my antsy and unable-to-delay-gratification self, and not wanting to wait at least 2 hours for the dough to chill. I went ahead and used the soft, fresh dough to make spritz cookies - i just added a few nonpareils on top before baking.  They held their shape and they were delicious.  I packaged them up (after a little sample for each of us) for B to bring to work, since I knew I'd be making more of the dough later in the form of cut-out cookies.  After (not so) patiently waiting for the dough to chill (and baking another kind of cookie....don't worry, they'll be up soon), I went ahead and made adorable little cut-out cookies in hearts and stars.  These cookies would really be awesome decorated with royal icing, but I was pressed for time, so I drizzled these with white chocolate and then sprinkled a few more nonpareils on top.  But remember that dough that I froze for later?  Yeah, those'll be decorated with royal icing.

Those other cookies, you must be wondering...what are those?
Well, my friends, those will be up shortly.... :-)

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
From Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:

1 8oz brick of cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups of butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
5 1/4 cups flour

Nonpareils for decorating

White chocolate, for drizzling

Directions:

If making spritz cookies, preheat oven to 350F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Scrape sides as necessary.

Add sugar and beat for an additional 3 minutes.
Mixture should be fluffy and pale in color.
Turn mixer to medium-low.
Add in egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.
Mix until combined.

Turn mixer to low.
Slowly add in flour.
Mix just until all flour is incorporated.

If making cut out cookies, wrap dough in disks in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Continue below at the *.

If making spritz cookies, transfer dough to a cookie press or a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
Pipe dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
Sprinkle with nonpareils or sprinkles. 
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

* If making cut-out cookies, remove dough from fridge.
In portions, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness on a floured surface.
Using cookie cutters, cut the dough.
Place cut cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.  If making smaller cookies, like I did, start checking them at 7 minutes.  My mini cookies took 8 minutes to bake.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

If icing cookies, wait until completely cooled before icing cookies.
I'll post my royal icing recipe when I post the decorated cut out cookies later.  

Drizzle with white chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils.  
NOTE: Cookies can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Pumpkin spice latte cupcakes

It's early October in New York City, and despite last week being sunny and in the 70s, this weekend is utterly cold (last night it was below 50 degrees!) and rainy.  Doesn't help that there's a hurricane threatening to dump more rain and wind on us in the next few days.  So I figured a homemade cupcake version of the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (which aficionados of the drink affectionately refer to as a PSL, I hear) -- which is synonymous to most people with fall -- was the perfect treat to bake today!

I'm not a huge pumpkin spice fan, but I decided to give these a go anyway.  Part of it was that they were perfect for this weather, and part of it is because I was less likely to eat them all.  Plus, I really really really wanted to try this cream cheese whipped cream frosting.  Because how awesome does that sound?!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
From Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:
Makes 12 cupcakes (I got 18) with extra icing

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/3 cups flour
4 1/5 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola, since that's what I had)
2 eggs
1/4 cup brewed coffee, for brushing

For the Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

For the Garnish:

Ground cinnamon
Salted caramel sauce
Coffee syrup (optional)

Directions:

Make the cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Set aide.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, both sugars, and the oil until completely combined.  Make sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar.
Whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time.
Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, folding with a rubber spatula (I continued to use my whisk) until no flour pockets remain.

Divide the batter between the baking cups, filling each about 2/3 full.  I opted to fill mine until they were 2/3 full and ended up with 6 extra cupcakes, although one was a bit small).
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes (mine were done at 18 minutes).
Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
Remove cupcakes and leave to cool on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with the brewed coffee (next time I might try some coffee syrup instead).
Let each coat soak in before applying the next one.  I only did 2 coats each since I didn't want them to get soggy.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting.
On medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixer with the whisk attachment until smooth and completely combined, about 2 minutes.
Slowly add the cream and scrape the side of the bowl.
Increase speed to medium high and whip until stiff peaks form.

Assemble the cupcakes:
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Drizzle with caramel sauce, coffee syrup, or both, if desired.

Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Oatmeal cake

I wrote this post about a two and a half months ago, in mid-April, when I actually baked this cake (as a procrastination tool for the packing I really needed to do), and as a result, I'm very belatedly posting this (since I learned the error of my ways, and actually packed instead of typing up the recipe and posting photos)... 

I saw this recipe while scrolling through Facebook the other night, and immediately forwarded it to myself.  I kinda knew I needed to make it ASAP.  See, I love anything with cinnamon. I also thought that adding cooked oats was an intriguing change from the norm.  And...I had an unopened nearly 3-pound container of oats that needed to be used up before my move in 10 days.  Sadly, this recipe only called for a scant cup of oats, and I therefore anticipate that I'll make making some sort of oatmeal-based cookie in the next week and a half.  Or I could just make a whole huge batch of this deliciousness!!

I love that this cake can be eaten for breakfast. I also love the fact that it could be served with or without the cream cheese icing. This time I opted for cream cheese icing, however next time I may be a little crazy, folks, and add some banana or fresh blueberries...I think this cake has possibilities, people!

Here's the one thing about this cake...I thought it would be a lot lighter.  It's actually a pretty dense cake which really shouldn't surprise me considering there's oatmeal in it.  Cooked oatmeal in it.

When it came to the icing, I made a few modifications. I happen to like my cream cheese icing with a little bit of vanilla (I used between half a teaspoon and a whole teaspoon).  I also find that some cream cheese icings can be a little too sweet, so I cut down the powdered sugar by about half a cup to make sure that it was my desired sweetness.  There is no shame if you taste the icing as you go along, to make sure you get it right.  No shame at all ;-).  In the end, this icing reminded me of the icing on a cake my mom used to serve decades ago to her bridge friends when they came over, which I absolutely adored.  This one is a keeper all on it's own!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
From Cookies and Cups

Ingredients: 

For the Cake

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 tsp kosher salt 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon (I may have been a little heavy handed on that....)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

For the Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk or cream
1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spray a 9x9 inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a small pot, bring the water to a boil.
Add in the oats.
Stir and then remove the pot from the heat.
Allow the oats to soak for 20 minutes.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in the vanilla and the eggs and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
With the mixer still on medium, add in the salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Mix until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to low and add in the oats and flour.
Mix until just combined.

Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is set in the center and a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.

Make the frosting.

In the bowl of the mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese together on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Turn the mixer to low and add in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Mix for another minute until the frosting is creamy.

Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.

Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if it even lasts that long....).

Red velvet Rice Krispie treat sandwiches

As soon as I saw these, I knew I had to make them for Valentine's Day.  They combine some of my favorite flavors -- all in one!

But, I'm always honest with you guys, so I feel like I need to come clean right away.  These use cake mix.  You know that boxed stuff, where you add eggs, oil, and water, and bake a cake?  Yeah, well thats in these.  But they're so good I decided to turn a blind eye to my boxed cake mix aversion (except for cake balls....I use it for those), and let you in on this tasty little secret!

See, you simply use a little extra butter when melting the marshmallows, and then you add some red velvet cake mix to the mixture before adding the rice krispies.  It's as simple as that!  And then once they're cooled, you cut the slab in half, cover half of it with some sweetened cream cheese, and then cover them with the other half of the Rice Krispie treats.  And then you cut them into squares.  They're really a deliciously sweet treat!

Red Velvet Cake Rice Krispie Treat Sandwiches
From Cookies & Cups
I adapted it ever so slightly (my changes are in italics)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (4 Tbsp)
1 10 oz bag of marshmallows (10.5 oz bag of mini marshmallows)
1/3 cup dry red velvet cake mix
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (I used 4.5 cups before I couldn't mix them anymore, and I wanted them all to be coated in the gooey red velvet marshmallow mixture...if you can add more, go for it)

1/2 cup butter or cream cheese, room temperature (I used cream cheese)
2 cups powdered sugar

White chocolate chips, for decoration (optional)

Directions:

Line a 10 x 15" jelly roll pan with foil.
Grease lightly with cooking spray.
Set aside.
I used a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over low heat.
Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Remove from heat.
I melted the butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments until all melted.
Then, add the marshmallows to the bowl and toss to coat.
Microwave until melted.  I usually do mine in 60-90 second increments.

Add in cake mix.
Stir until completely mixed with the marshmallow-butter mixture.
Pour into the prepared pan and press evenly (I use a piece of wax paper with cooking spray).
Let cool.

Make the filling by beating the butter or cream cheese with the powdered sugar (start low and add sugar according to taste -- I liked mine minimally sweet and ended up using about half the sugar).
Whip them really well.  I didn't whip mine as much as I would've liked (I was in a rush), and it makes it hard to see that delicious sweetened cream cheese layer in the center.

Cut the Rice Krispie treat sheet in half, so that you have two equal portions.
Spread filling on one of the halves.
Cover with the other piece of the Rice Krispie treat.
Cut into squares.

I debated drizzling some with melted white chocolate, but last minute decided against it.