Tagged:  Butter

It’s the week after Valentine’s Day, so I’m guessing that there might be more than a few of us who are slowly crawling out of a chocolate coma. There are very, very few occasions where chocolate isn’t at the forefront of my brain, but the week after an indulgent, chocolate-laden holiday is definitely one of them. That being said, I can’t very well forget about dessert. Blasphemy. Instead, I thought we could use a little chocolate break, so I tackled a recipe that has been gnawing at my brain for quite some time.

Gooey Butter Cake.

The name screams, “Make me immediately!” I have seen tons of recipes that use either a box cake mix or the homemade version of a box cake mix, and a cream cheese topping. I did some research and found that Gooey Butter Cake originated in St. Louis, Missouri and that there are actually two different versions: a “baker’s” version that has a yeast base and a topping using corn syrup and sugar; and a version for “home preparation,” which uses cake mix and a cream cheese topping. I love to make things as close as possible to an original, so I went with the “baker’s” version here. Also known as the “long version,” but totally worth every minute.

This gooey butter cake is a little bit deceiving. It’s sweet, without actually coming across as very sweet. The base of the cake is a yeasted dough, which is topped by a butter and sugar batter and baked until golden brown. It’s less like a traditional cake and more like a coffee cake or breakfast pastry. While I’ve never had this particular cake before, tasting it reminded me of sitting around my grandma’s dining room table. She always had a carafe of coffee and some sort of Entenmann’s pastry out on the table, just in case a neighbor would stop by to chat.

This recipe is all about taking some extra time and making something from scratch… forgetting about the clock and appreciating the process. It’s about enjoying life’s simple pleasures, whether that’s a special piece of cake for breakfast, a cup of coffee or spending some time with a friend on a random weekday morning.

One year ago: No-Bake Biscoff Cookies and Chicken Tortilla Soup
Two years ago: Boston Cream Pie and Anisette Biscotti
Three years ago: Secret Ingredient Brownies
Six years ago: Homemade Soft Pretzels

Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Prep Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

This gooey butter cake is a recreation of the classic yeasted version, which hails from St. Louis.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1¾ teaspoons active dry yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1¾ cups all-purpose flour

For the Topping:
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix milk with the warm water. Add the yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves. Let sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to foam.

2. Cream together the butter, sugar and salt on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Increase the speed to medium and beat the dough until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away from sides of bowl, 7 to 10 minutes.

3. Press the dough into an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2½ to 3 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To prepare the topping, whisk together the corn syrup, water and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Cream together the butter, sugar and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.

5. Drop the topping by large spoonfuls over the risen dough and use an offset spatula to gently spread it into an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes; cake will rise and fall in waves and have a golden brown top, but will still be liquid in center when done. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. This cake is best eaten the same day it’s made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Brown Eyed Baker

Christmas baking can be incredibly nostalgic. Anytime I bake peanut butter blossoms or mini cheesecake cookies, I imagine being about 8 years old, in the kitchen of my old house, watching my mom bake. I can feel the carpet under my toes, I can see the floral painting on the wall, and if I walk around the corner, I can see the silver and blue garland wrapped around the staircase. There are certain recipes that flat-out have to be made during the holidays, or it’s just not Christmas. Then there are cookies and treats that have been made occasionally, but somehow fall through the cracks some years. These peanut butter cup cookies fall into that category, although how that ever happened with me around is absolutely astonishing. Now that I’ve revived the recipe from the depths of my mom’s recipe books, it will be a Christmas baking staple from now on!

This is one of the easiest cookie recipes you’ll find, and it’s one that will have people going crazy. You pop a little ball of peanut butter dough into a mini muffin pan, bake them until they’re puffy and pale, then take them out of the oven and immediately press a miniature peanut butter cup into the center. Gooey peanut butter cookie meets melty peanut butter cup. It’s cookie and candy perfection, and I will never live through a Christmas season without them again.

I dare you to try to wait an appropriate amount of time before popping at least two of these in your mouth. It’s absolutely impossible. Still warm or not, I have to grab one almost immediately. Pay no attention to the melted chocolate on my hands and crumbs around my mouth

This is the perfect holiday cookie recipe – quick, easy, and yields a ton! Perfect for making numerous cookie trays to take with you on your holiday visits. Enjoy!

One year ago: Lofthouse Style Frosted Sugar Cookies
Two years ago: Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
Three years ago: Nut Crescents

Yield: 48 cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A holiday classic, straight from my mom’s old recipe card!

Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
48 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. Beat together the butter, peanut butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for another minute or so to combine. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Give the dough a final mix with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the flour is incorporated.

4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons worth of dough) and place in the cups of a miniature muffin pan (keep the dough in balls – do not press into the pan).

5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown and slightly puffy. Remove from the oven and immediately press a miniature peanut butter cup in the middle of each cookie, pressing down so that the top of the peanut butter cup is even with the top of the cookie. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pans, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Brown Eyed Baker

Last February, on the only day that we got more then a mere dusting of snow in Pittsburgh, we celebrated my grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary. As in, 6-0. Sixty. Not 50, which is a feat in and of itself. SIXTY.

We made a day of it, starting with a big family lunch at a restaurant, then an early evening Mass with a special blessing, and finally back to my grandparents’ house for more food, cake, sweets and reminiscing. In between looking through old photo albums, I wandered over to the desserts table and filled my plate a little bit of everything. The one thing that stood out, though, was the fudge. Rich, creamy, chocolatey, and spiked with peanut butter. It was the stuff of dreams. When I asked my grandma about it, she said that it was her neighbor’s recipe, but that she had already left and that she would get me the recipe. It may have taken eight months, but the recipe finally made its way to me, and I wasted no time making my own batch. I swear, your life won’t be complete until you have this fudge!

With the holidays coming up, this would certainly be something fabulous to add to your baking list. It would make any Christmas cookie tray sparkle! Putting the pieces of fudge in individual mini papers or candy wrappers is always a nice presentation if you’ll be packaging it up to take somewhere. Just be prepared for the clamoring that will ensue, and be prepared to act as a mediator when it comes to doling out the last piece!

I’m not sure if spectacular homemade fudge is the key to staying married for sixty years, but it would certainly be worth a try, right?!

One year ago: Chubby Hubby Truffles
Two years ago: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Three years ago: Empire Cookies

Yield: 64 pieces

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

A recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge from my grandma.

Ingredients:

2½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cup evaporated milk (from a can)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
½ cup unsalted butter, divided
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Butter an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper, using enough so that there is some overhang on the edges.

2. Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, evaporated milk and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then cover and boil for 3 minutes.

4. Remove the lid and continue to cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Remove from the heat and, without stirring, add the remaining butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

5. Using a wooden spoon, beat the fudge vigorously until it thickens and begins to lose its gloss (can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes). You can also transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat it on medium speed, being careful to only mix until it thickens and loses its gloss. Do not overmix.

6. Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Allow the fudge to come to room temperature, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill it until set. Lift the fudge out of the pan and cut into 1-inch squares. The fudge can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Brown Eyed Baker

Along with peanut butter and jelly, chocolate, and macaroni and cheese, bread and butter is one of those things that I could quite conceivably live on for an extended period of time. Not much can beat a warm, fresh hunk of bread slathered with soft butter. For most of my life, butter was always butter. Except for when my grandma would sneak a leftover stick of margarine onto her butter dish. I could totally tell it was different and I was not happy. Ick! Other than that, I never knew anything other than regular butter.

That all changed at some point years ago when I was eating at a restaurant and a basket of bread was delivered to the table with what looked to be regular ol’ butter. Ah, but it was not your average butter! It was distinctly sweet, and when we asked what it was, the server said it was honey butter. My mind was blown and my taste buds threw a party. After having it at a couple of other places, I finally realized I could make this fabulous stuff at home, and not just honey, either. Pretty much any flavor I wanted.

Compound butter is the perfect way to jazz up dinner rolls or your traditional piece of toast in the morning. It’s really easy to make compound butter, and only takes a few minutes. Below is a quick instructional on how to do it, along with recipes for my three favorite compound butters (cinnamon-vanilla, herbed, and honey).

For this tutorial, I am using my herbed butter, but you’ll follow the exact same method for any type of butter you choose to make. First (and most importantly), you want to start with really soft butter. Let it sit out until it’s completely softened at room temperature; the softer the butter is, the easier it will be to incorporate your add-ins. Cut up the butter in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, your herbs or other flavors, and then fold and mix it together with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly distributed.

Next, dump the butter out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, wrapping it tightly and sealing the ends.

At this point you can use the butter, but I recommend refrigerating it for at least 2 hours so the flavors have some time to meld together.

Below are all three of the butters – herbed, cinnamon-vanilla, and honey. I am tempted to slather the vanilla-cinnamon butter on everything. It makes everything taste like a piece of cinnamon bread (or a cinnamon roll)! The herb and honey are fabulous for dinner rolls (hello, jazzed up holiday table!) or just plain old bread-and-butter (my speed). I have included the recipe for each variation below… be sure to try them all out and share your favorite!

Are there any other flavored butters you enjoy?

One year ago: Leftover Halloween Candy Bark
Two years ago: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yield: ½ cup of compound butter

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

A general recipe for creating compound butter – use your favorite combination of ingredients!

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
Pinch of salt

For Herbed Butter:
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon minced sage
1 tablespoon minced thyme

(Or, 3 tablespoons of your favorite herbs)

For Honey Butter:
1 tablespoon honey

For Vanilla-Cinnamon Butter:
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and added to the butter, pod discarded
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place the softened butter in a medium bowl, cut into pieces and add a pinch of salt.

2. Add your herbs or flavorings and use a rubber spatula to fold and mix until the add-ins are completely incorporated and evenly distributed throughout the butter.

3. Transfer the butter to a piece of plastic wrap. Shape and roll it into a log about 6 inches in length. Twist the plastic wrap at the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. (Alternatively, you can transfer the butter to a small bowl or ramekin and cover with plastic wrap.)

Brown Eyed Baker

If the words “peanut butter” and “chocolate” are listed in any recipe title, it’s a foregone conclusion that I’m going to make that recipe. Add “oats” to the list, and the recipe skyrockets to the top of my to-do list. I’ve loved scones for a long time, ever since dark chocolate chip scones came into my life, and I’ve enjoyed making different varieties ever since. Of all the recipes I’ve tried, from pumpkin to blueberry to cranberry-orange, I have yet to make a peanut butter version. For an avowed peanut butter lover like me, that’s blasphemous. I’m righting all wrongs with these, though – not only is there peanut butter, but there are chocolate chips and oats. If you enjoy peanut butter-oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, then these scones are right up your alley!

One of the things I love most about scones is the tender quality the crumb has, and the oats in these scones enhances the tenderness, as well as adds a bit of chewiness to the texture. Add to that peanut butter flavor, chunks of peanuts and chocolate chips, and you have one of the most amazing scones to ever grace your plate. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you could slice the scone in half horizontally and make yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I know what I’m having for at least one meal tomorrow!

I don’t really need an excuse to eat cookies for breakfast, but if you’re looking for one, these scones are definitely it! Enjoy!

P.S. If you make the pumpkin doughnut muffins and have some buttermilk left over, this is a perfect way to use it up!

One year ago: Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats
Two years ago: Cheese, Olive and Ham Bread
Three years ago: Lemon Burst Cookies
Four years ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake
Five years ago: Hearty Beef Stew

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

Yield: 8 scones

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup traditional rolled oats
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¾ cup buttermilk
1 egg, separated
½ cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Raw sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is pea-size (alternately, you could use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture).

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg yolk.

4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk mixture into the center of the well, then add the peanut butter. Using a rubber spatula, very gently fold the mixture together until it starts to come together. Add the chocolate chips and gently knead with your hands (in the bowl) until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the dough.

5. Turn the dough out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and pat it into a round disk about 8 inches in diameter. Whisk the egg white, then brush the top of the dough with the egg white, and sprinkle with the additional sugar.

6. Cut the dough into 8 wedges (do not separate them) and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then re-slice and separate them. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve slightly warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

(Recipe adapted from Baked Elements)

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Tags: Scones

Brown Eyed Baker

Peanut butter and chocolate. Chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t foresee any point in my life where I will be able to pass up that combination. My favorite candy has long been peanut butter cups, and my favorite holiday treats have always been buckeyes – those awesome peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. I can’t be trusted around either one – I’ll down more than I can count. When I saw these cookies on Pinterest, I fell in love immediately. They’re essentially the cookie version of a buckeye or peanut butter cup. A chewy chocolate cookie with a fabulously creamy peanut butter center, these are absolutely irresistible.

These cookies don’t take very long to mix together and are ready in no time. I couldn’t help sampling them warm, fresh from the oven. They’re great at room temperature, too and I can tell you from experience that they make excellent road trip snacks if you find yourself driving over 1,000 miles. Chocolate and cookies are always a requirement

One year ago: Triple Chocolate Oreo Chunk Cookies
Two years ago: Pan-Fried Onion Dip
Three years ago: Potato Salad with Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette
Five years ago: The Chocolate Chip Cookie

Buckeye Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies (depending on size)

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 8 minutes

For the Cookies:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar (plus more for rolling)
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and mix until combined.

4. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar for the filling until smooth.

5. In a small bowl, put some extra granulated sugar for rolling the cookies.

6. Use a medium cookie scoop (or heaping tablespoon) of cookie dough and flatten it with your hands. Take about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter filling (or a small cookie scoop) and place it in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter center, pressing to seal. Roll the cookie into a ball and roll in the sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand.

7. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen)

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Tags: Cookies

Brown Eyed Baker

There’s not much in the world of desserts that I love more than the combination of peanut butter, chocolate and cheesecake. Give me any of those three on their own and I’d grab a spoon or fork and go to town. Mix two of them together and you enter the land of pure sweets bliss. But all three? Put them together and you have dessert nirvana. I have always had a huge weakness for the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, as well as for cheesecake, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I finally put them all together in a peanut butter-fudge cheesecake. Since then I have been ALL OVER anything that includes that amazing trifecta. Enter these cheesecake bars. A chocolate graham cracker crust holds a peanut butter cheesecake filling, which is topped with a chocolate glaze. Come to mama.

For as much as I love cheesecake, you just can’t beat the ease and simplicity of cheesecake bars. No worrying about a springform pan, water baths, long bake times or long chill times. The bake time is much shorter, which means you can get one of these into your mouth in record time. Plus, I feel much less guilty about grabbing three or four of these rich and creamy squares than downing a slice of cheesecake. A trick of the mind, for sure

One year ago: Cinnamon-Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Three years ago: Potato-Bacon Torte
Four years ago: Cheddar Ale Spread

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 24 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 50 minutes

For the Crust:
2½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
16 ounces cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Glaze:
6 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons vegetable shortening (can substitute coconut oil)

1. Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and toss together with a fork until the crumbs are all evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool.

2. Make the Cheesecake Layer: Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, peanut butter and flour on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Slowly pour in the milk and then the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

3. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer is set around the edges and still appears slightly soft when the pan is wiggled. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.

4. Make the Chocolate Glaze: Combine the chopped chocolate and vegetable shortening in a small bowl and microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the cheesecake layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Tags: Bar Desserts

Brown Eyed Baker

Has it felt like the surface of the sun in your neck of the woods this year? It has certainly been ungodly hot in here in Pittsburgh. Some people bask in the glory of blazing hot summer days. I am not one of those people. For someone who constantly complains about being cold and needs to carry a hoodie into a movie theater in the middle of July, you’d think I’d enjoy a little warmth. A little warmth, yes. Sweltering, disgusting heat and humidity? No thank you. Once we reach more than two days above 90 degrees, I start doing the equivalent of a rain dance, which I can only hope brings about fall weather sooner rather than later. I can’t help it. The heat and humidity make me miserable – I get a headache, get cranky and am generally intolerable. If I could create a climate where it’s in the mid-70′s, sunny and breezy for eight months out of the year and then cold and snowy for November through February, I’d move there in a second. I’m not aware of any such place, so I’ll continue to hide in the air conditioning until it cools down a bit. Although I still do my fair share of baking during the summer, I try to minimize the time spent over the stove and with the oven blasting. Enter the wonder of no-bake cookies and bars!

No-bake recipes are fabulous. They usually require less than 15 minutes of your time, no oven, and are the perfect way to satisfy any instant gratification you require from a sweet treat. If you have kids, these types of recipes are also great to have on hand for quick after-school snacks. Or maybe a bunch of ravenous teenagers end up at your place, ready to eat you out of house and home. They’re also great for mom if you’re in dire need of something sweet, don’t have a lot of time and want something easy. Then these are your best friend.

Feel free to make all sorts of substitutions to this recipe. Use almond or cashew butter, Nutella or Biscoff, different flavors of chocolate chips, etc. You could even stir in chopped nuts, dried fruits or marshmallows at the end. Have fun, be creative, and keep cool these last few weeks of summer!

One year ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Two years ago: Beer Waffles with Cinnamon-Caramel Apples
Three years ago: Zucchini Bread
Four years ago: Italian Bread
Five years ago: Chicken Spread

No-Bake Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk
½ cup unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt

1. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. (You can use a 9×13-inch if you want thinner bars.)

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oatmeal, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, the peanut butter and vanilla extract; set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter and salt over medium heat. Bring to a full boil (there should be bubbles covering the entire surface) and boil for 2 minutes.

4. Immediately pour the hot mixture (carefully!) over the oatmeal mixture and quickly stir to combine, ensuring that all of the oatmeal mixture has been moistened. Turn the mixture into the parchment-lined pan and use the back of a spoon to press it evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips over top and gently press them into the top of the mixture.

5. Allow the bars to sit at room temperature to set up, which takes about 30 minutes. Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Note: Like any no-bake cookie, the final texture of these really depends on how long you boil the sugar mixture. If it doesn’t boil long enough, the cookie mixture will be too soft; if you boil too long, they could turn out dry and crumbly. I like to set a timer just to be sure.

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Tags: Bar Desserts

Brown Eyed Baker

As a kid, Easter Sunday always fell very closely behind Halloween when it came to raking in the candy loot. In some ways, it was actually better. Sure, on Halloween you got candy in quantity. However, Easter was definitely all about the quality. Let’s face it – without fail, someone always ended up with a box of Nerds, or raisins, or some other type of unsavory candy on Halloween night. Some of us may have tried to goad their younger sibling into a trade. (Sometimes parents acted as commissioners, intervening to veto the trade.) These things just didn’t happen with the Easter basket, thanks to the Easter bunny being tight with Santa. The bunny knew what kind of candy you liked and you always got the good stuff. For me, the good stuff meant peanut butter eggs (this is shocking news, I know). If there was just one thing in my basket, and it was a peanut butter egg, I would be in my glory. All these years later, I still can’t shake my affinity for them. Since I already tackled homemade peanut butter cups, I decided this Easter would be the year for homemade peanut butter eggs. I don’t think I’ll ever go back!

Let’s break down these peanut butter eggs…

6 ingredients.

1 pot + 1 bowl. Wooden spoon + cookie scoop. 1 baking sheet + 1 piece of wax paper.

1 hour.

There are days that it would take me longer to work up the effort to actually go to the store to buy Reese’s eggs than it would take to just make them myself. I’ve loved tackling homemade versions of treats that I have always eaten from a wrapper; it’s incredibly satisfying to know exactly what I’m eating, and that I’m not using any crazy preservatives or chemicals.

Whether you put them in someone’s Easter basket on Sunday, or share them on a dessert platter, you just have to make these peanut butter eggs this week! They’re too easy and too cute not to. I am planning to put them in individual cellophane treat bags, tie with a ribbon, and place in a basket so everyone can grab one on their way out the door on Sunday. No matter how much we eat, there’s always room for a treat on the car ride home! Right? Or is that just me?

One year ago: Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies
Two years ago: Italian Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs

Yield: About 15 eggs

Prep Time: 1 hour

1 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup light brown sugar
1¼ cups powdered sugar
2 cups milk chocolate chips (or 12 ounces milk chocolate, chopped)
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until completely melted and starting to bubble a little, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the powdered sugar a ¼ cup at a time, stirring until completely combined with the peanut butter mixture after each addition. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

3. Using a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop out peanut butter mixture and shape into eggs. I found it easiest to roll the scoop into a ball, and then roll it into a short cylinder. I placed it on the baking sheet, and then used my fingers to shape the ends into an egg-like oval. Refrigerate to allow the peanut butter eggs to set, about 30 minutes.

4. Once the peanut butter eggs are set, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted. One at a time, dip a peanut butter egg into the chocolate and, using a fork, flip it over so it is completely covered. Remove it from the bowl, letting any excess chocolate drip off. Return it to the baking sheet, and repeat with all of the peanut butter eggs. Sprinkle with decorations, if desired. Return the chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs to the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set, about 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to serve.

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Tags: Candy, Easter, Spring

Brown Eyed Baker

Each year around St. Patrick’s Day I take the opportunity that the annual holiday provides to experiment with a different type of Irish Soda Bread. It seems there is an infinite number of adaptations and spins you can put on the traditional Irish bread. I started out with a traditional, albeit a bit Americanized, version of Irish Soda Bread, and then went on to make Irish Soda Bread Scones and Irish Brown Bread, all of which have been incredibly delicious. This year, I started my search for something different, and before long my eyes were fixated on a recipe that threw Irish whiskey into the mix. Not only do you steep the raisins for the bread in whiskey, but you also made a whiskey butter to serve alongside the bread. Hold the phone. My search stopped, I grabbed the bottle of Jameson on the liquor shelf, and got down to business.

The two key components to the whiskey aspect of this Irish Whiskey Soda Bread are the whiskey-soaked raisins and the whiskey butter. First, let’s talk the raisins. While you can soak them for as little as 30 minutes or an hour, things only get better the longer you let them soak. I let mine go for quite a few hours and the result was incredibly plump raisins, thanks to the long infusion of Jameson.

When you drain the raisins, save the whiskey that you soaked them in and use that to get to work on your whiskey butter. The butter is very simple to make – you combine a little of the leftover whiskey and some sugar in the microwave, then let it cool down. Once cool, you blend the mixture into room temperature butter to completely combine. You can form the butter into a “stick” of butter or store in a plastic container or ramekin.

Hello Jameson-infused butter. This is the perfect complement to the Irish soda bread – it will certainly give your breakfast a kick!

I have always enjoyed the combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour in Irish soda breads, as I feel it gives the bread an extra bit of texture and heartiness, and the same holds true for this bread. Not only do I love that the raisins in this bread are whiskey-soaked, but I love how many of them there are. No skimping on the raisins here! You get a mouthful in each and every bite. I know many of you might be wondering how prominent the whiskey flavor actually is here. The bread, on its own, does not have a whiskey flavor. You get a bit of it from the raisins, but probably a 1 to 2 on a scale from 1 to 10. The real kick comes from the butter. It is no doubt a whiskey-infused butter and the flavor comes through loud and clear. I think a moderate smear of the butter on the warm butter is absolutely spectacular and such a wonderful combination of flavors, but if you’re not wanting in-your-face whiskey flavor, you might want to skip the butter. (If you want to eliminate whiskey altogether, you can soak the raisins in water to get them to plump up a bit before you mix them into the bread. But unless you can’t have alcohol for religious or medical reasons, I strongly recommend the whiskey. It is a holiday, after all )

So crack open that bottle of Jameson, gather some raisins, and get yourself ready for one heck of a breakfast treat. Or lunch. Or a snack. Or dessert. Whenever you decide to eat it, you are definitely in for a real treat. We blew through this in no time, and I have a feeling you will, too.

One year ago: Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Two years ago: St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Cookies
Three years ago: Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Cabernet Sauce
Four years ago: Russian Grandmothers’ Apple Pie-Cake
Five years ago: Texas Sheet Cake

Irish Whiskey Soda Bread with Irish Whiskey Butter

Yield: 1 round loaf

Prep Time: 1 hour | Bake Time: 30 minutes

For the Irish Whiskey Soda Bread:
1 cup raisins
1 cup Irish whiskey
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk

For the Irish Whiskey Butter:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons Irish whiskey (reserved from soaking the raisins)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Combine the raisins and whiskey in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, remove from heat, cover, and steep for at least 1 hour. When finished, drain the raisins and reserve the whiskey to use in the whiskey butter.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, and salt. Use a pastry blender or your finger tips to blend the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Most of the butter should be about the size of small peas, with a few larger pieces throughout. Stir in the whiskey-soaked raisins. With a wooden spoon, stir in the buttermilk just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead lightly until the dough is smooth, but still slightly sticky. Use as little extra flour as necessary to knead the dough.

5. Pat the dough into a 6-inch circle. Place the dough circle onto the prepared baking sheet and score the top of the dough ½-inch deep to form a cross.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 190 degrees F in the center of the loaf. Remove to a cooling rack. If you plan to serve the bread warm, you can cover it with a towel to keep it warm. Any leftover bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

7. While the bread bakes, prepare the Irish Whiskey Butter. Microwave the whiskey and sugar together for 20 seconds, and then allow to cool to room temperature. Place the softened butter in a medium bowl, and beat in the whiskey mixture a little at a time, until completely incorporated. You can place the butter in an airtight container or wrap into a log with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

(Recipe adapted from Yummly)

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Tags: Irish, Quick Breads & Biscuits, St. Patrick’s Day

Brown Eyed Baker

You had to figure that it was only a matter of time before I showed up here with a peanut butter and jelly cupcake, right? I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me so long. If only my little 5-year-old self had been introduced to these… oh boy. I don’t think she would have ever eaten another thing. It would have been a nightmare for my mom, for sure. It’s a good thing I was a responsible adult (who still, at times, sustains herself with only peanut butter and jelly) before I discovered these beauties. I’ve had them bookmarked forever in my cupcakes book, but they sat on the back burner of my mind for some time before a reader asked a couple of months ago if I had a recipe for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes. As a card-carrying member of the peanut butter addict club, I was slightly ashamed that they weren’t already nestled in a cozy little spot on the site. I’m happy to say that they now their spot. Too bad I don’t still have my old peanut butter and jelly sleeping bag I used as a kid – what an appropriate way for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes to cozy up!

The cupcake base tastes almost exactly like a peanut butter cookie – lovely, moist, and dense with pieces of chopped peanuts studded throughout. If you closed your eyes and ate it, you might think you were eating a peanut butter sandwich. With a bit of cake-like texture, of course. Throw on peanut butter frosting and a healthy dose of strawberry jam (you can use your favorite flavor – jelly or jam) and you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In a cupcake. Which is every kind of awesome.

The frosting for these cupcakes is very, very similar to the peanut butter/cream cheese mousse filling that is used in the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte (one of my all-time favorite desserts and my Chief Culinary Consultant’s favorite birthday dessert). You mix together cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar, and then separately whip cream to medium-stiff peaks and fold it into the peanut butter mixture. The result is a rich, smooth, mousse-like frosting that spreads on like a dream. Carve out a little nest in the top and drop in your favorite jam or jelly.

Share some, and hoard some. Then proceed to eat at least one a day until they are gone. Oh how I wish there were still some left!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Yield: 22 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 22 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
¾ cup coarsely chopped salted peanut butter

For the Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream

½ cup strawberry jelly or jam

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in peanut butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture; beat until just combined. Mix in the sour cream and peanuts.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Bake, rotating the tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

4. Make the Frosting: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the salt and peanut butter, and beat to combine. Beat in vanilla.

5. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the peanut butter mixture. use immediate, or refrigerate, covered tightly, up to 2 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and stir with a flexible spatula until smooth.

6. To finish, use an offset spatula to spread frosting over each cupcake, leaving a small well in the middle. Dollop about 1 teaspoon jelly into each well. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 1 day in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

I don’t have kids so I’m generally out of the loop on things like when Girl Scout cookies go on sale, however one quick trip to the grocery store and there is no doubt when that day has arrived. Excited little girls, tired-looking moms, and tables upon tables of Girl Scout cookies set up for sale. I have never been one to go ga-ga over Girl Scout cookies, but if offered to me, I would gladly eat a box of Tagalongs and Samoas in one sitting. For as much as I love peanut butter, Do-si-dos never did a darn thing for me; I always found Tagalongs to be far superior as far as Girl Scout cookies containing peanut butter were concerned. However, what I do love is the idea of a Do-si-do: peanut butter sandwich cookies. Two peanut butter cookies with a creamy peanut butter filling in the middle. For anyone who adores peanut butter, what’s not to love about that? Absolutely nothing. So I made it happen. And I guarantee they are approximately a gazillion times better than any processed cookie you could buy.

Believe it or not, this was my first time making a peanut butter cookie that was crispy and not soft and chewy. As you can probably tell from the cookies that appear on this site, I am definitely in the soft and chewy camp when it comes to cookies. Because of this, I was a little hesitant about the recipe since I knew they resulted is a crispy cookie, but forged ahead with faith and my love of all things peanut butter. The cookies are crisp but in the best kind of way – they taste like a peanut butter shortbread, and they are the perfect little vessels for a healthy slathering of what is essentially a soft peanut butter frosting.

Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter filling, and those cute-as-a-button tine impressions that let you know it is, indeed, a peanut butter cookie. If you have a peanut butter lover in your life, you must make these for them!

One year ago: Grilled Fish Tacos

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Yield: About 3 dozen sandwich cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour | Bake Time: 15 to 20 minutes

For the Peanut Butter Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. Beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated, about 1 minute.

3. Divide the dough in half, and shape into two rectangles. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

4. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you refrigerated the dough longer than 30 minutes let it stand at room temperature to soften a bit. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter (my favorite for cutting dough like this!), cut the dough into 2½-by-1-inch rectangles. Using the floured tines of a fork, score the top of each cookie. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, placing 1½ inches apart, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Bake until lightly golden around the edges and firm int he center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter filling. Combine the butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and heavy cream and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let filling stand at room temperature to soften before using.

7. Using an offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon of filling onto the flat sides of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down. Unfilled cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Once filled, cookies are best eaten the same day, but can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook)

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Tags: Cookies

Brown Eyed Baker