Posts by Beth

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies

Posted by on Dec 11, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

I’ve shared a sequence of Peppermint Bark Cookies, but this one is my favorite: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies.

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies

The base “Chewy Honey” recipe here will be a familiar one to regulars on Bready or Not–or if you’ve met me at a convention at some point in about the past 10 years and had my Maple or Snickerdoodle versions. This new version is modified to incorporate lots of chopped peppermint bark candy.

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies

As with the similar recipes, the quality of the peppermint bark will not only make a difference in taste but also the prettiness.

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies

As with the other recipes in my “Chewy Honey” collection, these baked cookies will keep for weeks in a sealed container. That makes them great to mail as a holiday gift, but of course, be wary if you’re sending them to or from a warm destination. In an infernal place like Arizona (which I am so glad to be away from), it can still be hot, even into December!

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Honey Peppermint Bark Cookies

These cookies are soft, sweet, and delicious. Using higher quality peppermint bark will result in tastier, prettier cookies. Note that the dough needs to be chilled prior to baking.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: chocolate, cookies, mint
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • cookie scoop or spoon
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups peppermint bark chopped
  • more peppermint bark pieces for topping

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add both sugars and honey; beat until creamy and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl, then mix in the egg and both extracts.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: bread flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Sift together.
  • Slowly stir together the wet ingredients and flour mix until just combined. Fold in the peppermint bark. Encase dough in plastic wrap and stash in the fridge for several hours or days; dough can also be frozen at this stage.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on cookie sheet. Use a teaspoon or tablespoon to space out cookies on the pan. Press additional peppermint bark pieces into the tops of the dough balls.
  • Small cookies bake 9 to 12 minutes; larger cookies bake in 11 to 13 minutes. Once removed from the oven, let set on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
  • Stored cookies will keep in a sealed container for weeks. They are excellent for travel or shipping.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not Original: White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies

    Posted by on Dec 4, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, mint | 0 comments

    Last week, I posted a Peppermint Bark Cookies recipe modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine. This week, I share a reworked version of the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies I’ve made for about two decades. This White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies recipe includes white chocolate melted into the dough, resulting in a smooth, sweet cookie that gets only better with the addition of peppermint bark.

    Bready or Not Original: White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies

    A whole bag of white chocolate chips is included in this recipe. A cup is melted for the dough; the rest is added as chips, right along with the coarsely chopped peppermint bark.

    Bready or Not Original: White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies

    These cookies are incredible. I preferred them over last week’s take, though both are excellent.

    Bready or Not Original: White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies

    Modified from Bready or Not: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.

    Bready or Not Original: White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Cookies

    Melted white chocolate chips make this dough especially smooth and sweet, the resulting cookie crisp, chewy, and soft all at once. Use a pretty peppermint bark to make this especially pleasing to the eye. Modified from Bready or Not’s White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: chocolate, cookies, mint
    Servings: 34 cookies
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • microwave-safe small bowl
    • cookie scoop or spoon

    Ingredients

    • 10 ounces white chocolate chips divided
    • 2/3 cup white sugar
    • 11 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
    • 2 cups peppermint bark coarsely chopped, divided (about 12 ounces)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power in short increments, 20-25 seconds, and stop to stir between passes until the chips blend smoothly; take care, as it can burn fast! Set aside to cool.
    • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs until they are creamy. Mix in the melted chips. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Fold in the remaining chips and 1 cup of peppermint bark.
    • Use a tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon to place dough in rounded lumps on cookie sheet. Using the reserved stash of peppermint bark, press a few pieces onto the top of each dough ball. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops just begin to turn light golden brown. Immediately add a few more pieces of peppermint bark onto the top of each cookie. Cool on the sheet for several minutes, then move to a rack to set for about 3 hours; this process can be speeded up by briefly placing cookies in the fridge.
    • Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Best eaten within 5 days.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

      Posted by on Nov 27, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, mint | 0 comments

      This Peppermint Bark Cookies recipe, modified from a holiday Bake from Scratch issue, is the first in a small series of such experiments.

      Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

      One thing I’ll say straight up: peppermint bark can be expensive, and this recipe will look much prettier with nicer bark. I used cheap Palmer Peppermint Bark from Dollar Tree for this recipe, and it doesn’t look as nice as my other experiments.

      Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

      That said, the cheap stuff can still make tasty cookies. These morsels are soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate and peppermint flavor. They make for a great holiday treat. If you want to make them year-round, stock up on peppermint bark while you can get it–if you’re lucky, score some on clearance right after Christmas.

      Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

      Bready or Not: Peppermint Bark Cookies

      These chewy cookies are imbued with chocolate and peppermint. Note that the dough needs to be chilled for at least a few hours prior to baking. Modified from Bake from Scratch November/December 2023.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: chocolate, cookies, mint
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • plastic wrap
      • parchment paper
      • large cookie scoop

      Ingredients

      • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
      • 3/4 cup white sugar
      • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
      • 2 large eggs room temperature
      • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
      • 10 ounces peppermint bark chopped, divided
      • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
      • flaked sea salt for topping optional

      Instructions

      • In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
      • In another bowl, combined the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet, beating until just combined. Measure out 1 cup of the peppermint bark and add that to the dough, folding it in. Add the chocolate chips and fold in.
      • Wrap dough in plastic wrap and stash in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
      • Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
      • Use cookie scoop to dole out dough, spaced out, on cookie sheet.
      • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are set and turning golden brown. Immediately press a piece or two of the reserved peppermint bark onto each round. Add a small pinch of flaked sea salt to each, if desired. Let set until bark pieces solidify, then transfer to a cooling rack.
      • Store cookies in a sealed container up to 4 days.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not: Chewy Molasses Cookies

        Posted by on Nov 20, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | 0 comments

        These Chewy Molasses Cookies are perfect holiday cookies. They are loaded with warm spices, with just the right hit of sugary icing.

        Bready or Not: Chewy Molasses Cookies

        These are not massive cookies. They are dangerously bite size, the cookie chewy with the icing forming a pleasant sweet crunch.

        Bready or Not: Chewy Molasses Cookies

        Note that the dough needs to be made ahead of time so that it can chill for at least an hour, but up to a few days is fine. You can also freeze the dough, if desired.

        Bready or Not: Chewy Molasses Cookies

        Modified from Centennial Kitchen Fall Baking 2021.

        Bready or Not: Chewy Molasses Cookies

        These cookies are the epitome of holiday flavor, hearty, warming, with just the right hit of sweetness. Note that the dough needs to chill prior to baking. Modified from Centennial Kitchen Fall Baking 2021.
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Keyword: cookies
        Servings: 43
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • small cookie scoop or spoon
        • parchment paper
        • spoon

        Ingredients

        Cookies

        • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
        • 1 cup brown sugar packed
        • 1/3 cup molasses
        • 1 large egg room temperature
        • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 2 teaspoons baking soda
        • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
        • 1/2 teaspoon salt

        Icing

        • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
        • 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
        • 3 Tablespoons half & half or milk

        Instructions

        • In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses and egg.
        • Gradually mix in the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Make sure everything is combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for anywhere from an hour to a few days.
        • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
        • Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to dole out dough onto pan. Flatten each ball slightly; they won’t spread much.
        • Bake for 10-11 minutes, until set with a crackling top. Let cool a couple of minutes, then transfer to a rack to completely cool.
        • Once the cookies are cool, combined the icing ingredients. Glaze should be thick but spreadable. Coat the back of a spoon and transfer that to the top of a cookie, spreading to evenly coat. Cover cookies until icing is used up; the amounts should be a close match. Let them set for an hour for the icing to solidify, then pack into a sealed container.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Shortbread Bars

          Posted by on Nov 13, 2024 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, breakfast, british | 0 comments

          Whether you are coping with cold weather right now or psychologically easing into winter (something I know well from my time in Arizona), these Earl Grey Shortbread Bars will make you feel warm and cozy. Also, caffeinated.

          Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Shortbread Bars

          These bars are dense, soft, and a touch crumbly, the flavor of warm spice throughout. The drizzle of glaze adds sweetness and prettiness.

          Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Shortbread Bars

          The tea flavor is quite strong here–it actually seemed to get bolder after a day–so the 1/4 cup amount is best made for people who like Earl Grey. I used Bigelow bags, but the amount of tea likely varies across brands. If you want a milder flavor, use less tea.

          Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Shortbread Bars

          Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Shortbread Bars

          Soft, chewy texture and warm spices makes these shortbread bars a perfect treat!
          Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
          Keyword: bars, tea
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • 9×13 pan
          • spice grinder or mortar and pestle
          • wax paper or plastic wrap
          • heavy glass or other weight
          • piping bag or freezer bag

          Ingredients

          Dough

          • 1/4 cup Early Grey tea leaves about 4-5 Bigelow bags
          • 4 cups all-purpose flour
          • 1/2 teaspoon salt
          • 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks) room temperature
          • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
          • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

          Glaze

          • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
          • 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk or half & half

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
          • Use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to grind the Earl Grey leaves down a bit more, but not fully to powder. Move the tea to a medium bowl and stir with the flour and salt.
          • In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, followed by the vanilla. Beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour mixture to incorporate.
          • Dollop the dough into the prepared pan. Use a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap to spread out the dough, then use something like a heavy glass to evenly compress the dough into the pan.
          • Bake until shortbread is firm with golden edges, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
          • After the pan comes to room temperature, mix the glaze ingredients. Transfer them to a piping bag or to a freezer bag. Snip the corner to pipe the glaze in stripes over the pan. Let set for an hour, then use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
          • Store in sealed container at room temperature. Bars will keep for an least 2 days.

          OM NOM NOM!

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