Cappuccino Cravers for The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013

When we heard about the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013, we knew we wanted to participate.  While we had no idea what we were in store for in return, some surprises are more than you expect.   Getting mystery cookies in the mail makes the entire month of December feel like Christmas!!  I really don't think there's a better way to get in the holiday spirit.  We ended up with three very different kinds of cookies, which rocks because who besides Susie wants the exact same kind of cookie all the time?  

Here is our recipe for our Cappuccino Cravers.  Someone's favorite at our house to the point that they didn't want to send them away.  There was some cookie snatching going on in our house until it was made clear that there would be some left at home.  You can't make cookies in our house and expect to get away with distributing them without leaving a few extra behind.  Of course, when you only make a recipe once a year this tends to happen more elaborately.  You try hiding a few dozen cookies without detection; it's not easy.

This recipe comes from one of our neighbors.  The first time it was made it was a hit at our house. To the point that every year during the holidays when these are made they tend to mysteriously go missing.  Of course, it takes a while to be noticed because we generally go cookie crazy.   There will be dozens upon dozens of freshly baked cookies at our house.  Sometimes you just don't want to share, but when you do you hope others will love your cookies as much as you do!

Cappuccino Cravers

2 squares (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals
1 teaspoon water
1 egg

Chocolate Dip
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening

Stir semisweet chocolate in small heavy saucepan over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.  In small bowl stir together flour, cinnamon and salt.

Beat 1/2 cup shortening and butter in large mixing bowl until butter is softened.  Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until fluffy.  Stir coffee crystals into water to dissolve.  Add coffee mixture, melted chocolate and egg to butter mixture.  Beat well.  Add flour mixture.  Beat until well mixed.  Cover and chill about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Shape into two 7-inch rolls.  Wrap and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm and lightly browned.  Remove and cool.

Heat chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons shortening in small saucepan over low heat until melted.  Stir occasionally.  Dip 1/2 of each into chocolate mixture.  This works better if you tilt the bowl at an angle so you have a deeper chocolate pool to dip into.

Place on waxed paper to cool until chocolate is set.  You can skip the chocolate dipping if you prefer.  It depends on if you like to mix coffee and chocolate together.

Wholesome Wednesday: Snicker Doodles

Earlier last week I was looking for a cookie recipe that would go well with Starbucks Holiday Blend coffee. I ended up getting some for the women at the prayer shawl group and thought they might like some cookies to go with it.  I'd actually never made snickerdoodles before, I'm not quite sure why though.  I mean we love cinnamon and sugar, but I've never had them in a snickerdoodle.  I've always loved Mexican wedding cookies, which are also cinnamon and sugar, so I've always made those.

Let me tell you, if you've never had a snickerdoodle before that they're awesome.  Snickerdoodles are actually a soft, chewy, craggy-looking cookie that go great with holiday coffee blends.  Or just with some milk.  :)

This recipe comes from the America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.  I've changed the size of the cookies as their recipe made bake shop sized cookies.  I prefer mine smaller

Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 large eggs

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 3 baking sheets with silicone baking mats.  Combine 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon together in a shallow dish.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together rest of sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each to incorporate.  Reduce mixer speed and slowly add flour, mixing till combined.  Give the dough a few final stirs with the spatula to make sure the flour is fully incorporated.

Using a single tablespoon scoop, scoop out a ball of dough and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes until the edges are set and cookies have cracks.  Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Susie Savors: Let me say, we love Snicker Doodles.  It's hard to resist fresh out of the oven cookies, but a Snicker Doodle is one step up from that.  Warm and soft but with that sugar cinnamon coating that melts in your mouth.  They do pair well with coffee, but honestly who can wait that long?

Wholesome Wednesday: Coconut Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

We love cookies at my house.  But we love them more when they're unusual.  I can easily see these becoming a favorite.  Not that they beat whole wheat peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip, but they're just such a different taste.  They're kinda like a macaroon without the chocolate on the bottom.

They're crisp, golden brown and still chewy.  I'm pretty sure that's all the coconut making them moist.  If you really need a chocolate fix, you could add half a cup of chocolate chips.  While working on these, I almost threw in some chopped up caramels.  However, I thought they'd end up too sweet.  I love the oatmeal in them too.  Let's face it I love just about everything with oatmeal in it.  :)

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup butter or shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup oats
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.  Cream butter/shortening with sugars until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat well.  Add flour, oats, coconut and mix thoroughly.  Scoop with a tablespoon sized cookie scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

This recipe makes about 30 cookies if you use tablespoon sized cookie scoop.

Susie Savors: Crisp and tangy these are a great treat.  They're healthy as far as regular cookies go, they do have oats with fiber and they help to control blood sugar.  With the added benefits from coconut, these are a guilt free pick me up.  The sweet is paired with the nutty coconut and complemented by the texture of the oats.  A mouthful of intrigue that will keep you sneaking just one more.  You won't be the only one.

Wholesome Wednesday: Zucchini Lime Bars

It's been incredibly hot here in Chicago the past couple weeks and then we'll have the extremely odd cool day.  Last Friday, when I got my grill from Sears it was cool.  I promptly came home and baked something.  I've been having baking withdrawal lately and its hard to get excited about making yet another no bake anything.

I found these Zucchini Lime bars in a new cookbook called Eat More Vegetables.  Most of the cookbook didn't appeal to me as I rarely look for veggie side dish recipes.  Y'all can probably tell by now that I prefer one dish meals to just about everything.  :)  But these bars were really appealing in the recipe.  And I love baked things with oatmeal.

Zucchini Lime Bar Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 cups grated zucchini
zest of 2 limes
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups oats
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cups powdered sugar


Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Beat together butter and sugars till fluffy.  Beat in egg till thoroughly mixed.  Stir in zucchini and lime zest.


In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir into butter mixture.  Stir in oats.  Dough will be thick and sticky.  Spread into prepared pan.  Bake 35 minutes, until firm and barely golden brown.  Let cool completely.


Stir together lime juice and powdered sugar to make a thick but pourable glaze.  Add a little more sugar or juice to adjust consistency.  Drizzle and spread on bars.  Allow to set.  Cut into squares.

Wholesome Wednesday: Swirly Jell-O Cookies+My Family's Sugar Cookie Recipe

Today's recipe is something I've been making for many, many years.  My mom has been making this sugar cookie recipe since before I was born.  Both turn out excellent every single time.  They are so easy to make, you don't even need a kitchen-aid or a mixer.  Just a bowl and a spoon.  :)

My Jell-O cookie recipe is healthier than the ones I've seen lately online.  It calls for a lot less butter and sugar while you still get amazing color and flavor.  And if you want to make the color truly pop, just add some gel food coloring.

This recipe is a little different in that I've rolled the sugar cookie and Jell-O doughs together to create beautiful bright swirled cookies.  They're absolutely gorgeous and even though the Jell-O dough is mixed with sugar cookie dough it doesn't detract from their flavor.  You can use any flavor of Jell-O in these cookies and even sugar free Jell-O if you want.  I've used my faves which are strawberry and berry blue.  I hope your family loves this recipe as much as we do.

This recipe originally came from Betty Crocker's 110 Cookie Recipes published in August, 1990.  It was also called Crisp Pastel Cookies probably due to the fact that Jell-O is a brand name.  We've always called them Jell-O cookies though.  :)

The only thing I've changed is to halve the recipe and add a 3 ounce package of Jell-O to each half to increase the color and flavor in the dough.

Jell-O Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 package (3 ounces) any fruit-flavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat oven to 400 degrees (for swirl cookies 375).  Mix sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla, eggs and gelatin (dry).  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Use a tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop dough out on to trays.  Place 3 inches apart on the ungreased cookie sheets.  Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Christmas Cookie Cut-ups

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, either room temp or cold
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl, except the sugar.  Cut butter into this mixture with a pastry cutter until it resembles fine meal.  Beat eggs with sugar and vanilla until well blended.  Add to flour mixture and stir until dough forms a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm.  Roll out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Swirl Cookies
1 recipe Jell-O cookies, chilled
1 recipe Christmas Cookie Cut-ups, chilled

Roll out doughs one at a time between 2 pieces of waxed paper.  I rolled mine 8x11 inches and about 1/4 inch thick.  Place doughs in freezer for at least 30 minutes or until cold enough to remove waxed paper without dough sticking.  Set Jell-O dough on top of sugar cookie dough and start rolling up the dough on the longest side.  Continue to roll tightly, fixing any tears in the sugar cookie dough while rolling.  Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and place back in freezer for at least 30 minutes or until cold enough to slice without warping rolls.

Slice cookies 1/4 inch thick and place on baking racks 12 to a rack and bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Cookies For Rookies-The Looneyspoons Collection

Since I love cooking and baking I go through a lot of cookbooks.  The most recent one I had was The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet & Greta Podleski.  I'd seen one of their cookbooks before about a decade ago, when I lived in Seattle.  And the cookbooks are really cute.  They're illustrated, with pictures on almost every single page and have a lot of nutritional information in them. 

As you might have noticed, here at Rosie Discovers, we're suckers for anything with peanut butter and chocolate in them.  And I do mean anything.  So it was a no-brainer to try out the Cookies for Rookies recipe.  I quite like this recipe because it makes a more moist cookie than the other oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe that we love.  It reminds me more of a soft peanut butter cookie.  It even has the cute fork marks on top.  There are only two things I changed in the recipe.  First, I used a peanut butter with honey already in it (which I absolutely love!!).  Second, I made my cookies smaller.  A 1 1/2 inch cookie is a little big for me, so I used a tablespoon cookie scoop to make mine.  If you make a smaller cookie, you should get about 3 1/2 dozen out of the recipe and you'll also have to adjust the cooking time to about 7 minutes.

Cookies For Rookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a mixer, beat together brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and egg on low speed till well blended.  Add dry and chocolate chips and mix well.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough 2 inches apart onto greased or lined cookie sheets.  Flatten with a fork to 1/4 inch thickness.  Bake about 7 minutes.  Watch to make sure cookies don't dry out and over bake.

To me this is the perfect cookie size.  This way you can have more than one, because you'll definitely want too.

High Value Betty Crocker Coupons

There are two great new high value Betty Crocker coupons you can print.

The first is for $.85 off one box of Fun-da-middles cupcake mix.  This should make for a pretty good deal.

The second is for $.75 off a pouch of Betty Crocker Molasses Cookie mix.  This should make them really great when pairing with a sale.  :)

MyBlogSpark sent these over to share with y'all.  Hope you get a great deal with them.  :)