Sunday Quote features Almond Cookies this Wednesday
Read More“Don’t blow off another’s candle for it won’t make yours shine brighter.”
~ Jaachynma N.E. Agu, The Prince and the Pauper
Bready or Not: Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you like some saltiness with your sweet, oh, do I have the cookies for you: Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies.
As you might imagine, my husband’s co-workers get to taste a wide variety of cookies from me. But these, several declared, ‘were the best cookies they’d ever placed in their mouths.’
I consider that pretty high praise.
What makes these cookies different is the combination of flavors and textures. The pretzels add a lot here–bits of crunchiness and saltiness that is lovely cuddled with chocolate and caramel.
You can use whatever candy bars you want in this. I used Hundred Grands, but you can go for anything with chocolate and caramel, like Twix. Or you can use more chocolate chips and caramel bits.
You could play with the chocolate, too, and use whatever kind you want: milk, semi, dark. Or use a combo.
Whatever combination you choose, I hope you’ll consider these among the best cookies you’ve put in your mouth, too.
Modified from Two Peas and Their Pod.
Bready or Not: Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pretzels chopped
- 1 cup caramel-chocolate candy bars chopped, about 6 ounces
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 cubes, room temperature
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- extra sea salt or pretzel salt to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Prepare your add-ins. Use a food processor (or chop by hand) the pretzels and candy bars. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet by greasing well or lining with parchment. (Remember, melted caramel can get sticky.)
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add in the dry ingredients. By hand, stir in the chocolate chips, pretzels, and candy bars.
- Use a tablespoon to dole out dough balls onto cookie sheet, taking care to space them out; try to tuck visible caramel inside the dough to prevent too much oozing. Sprinkle some salt on top of the cookies.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies set on sheet for about 10 minutes before moving to a rack to finish cooling.
- Store cookies in a sealed container between layers of waxed paper or parchment. Keeps well for up to 5 days.
- OM NOM NOM!
New Publications & Podcasts to Start September
It’s Labor Day already? How did that happen? I fell behind on website updates, as in often the case with book release time, but my Bibliography and the Blood of Earth Trilogy media page are now current. Below are some highlights from August… and two chances to enter to win my books over on Goodreads, including a galley of my collection, out in two months!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Red Dust and Dancing Horses
by Beth Cato
Giveaway ends September 10, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Clockwork Crown
by Beth Cato
Giveaway ends September 10, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
New Story:
“Excerpts from the 100-day Food Diary of Angela Meyer,” Nature
Podcasts:
– O&F Podcast, Ep. 161: Once & Future Live Megacast, Gen Con 2017: Beth Cato & Mercedes Lackey
– The Two Gay Geeks podcast 127: interview with Beth Cato
– Unscrambled Authors Episode 32: Beth Cato
Call of Fire Guest Blogs:
– Scalzi’s Big Idea: Beth Cato’s Call of Fire
– My Favorite Bit: Call of Fire
– Historical Research Tips from Beth Cato
– Author Beth Cato on Writing Her First Sex Scene
– Page 69 Test: Call of Fire
Other Guest Blogs:
– At the Nature Blog: The Story Behind the Story of ‘Excerpts from the 100 day Food Diary of Angela Meyer’
– Tor.com Feature: Five Books Set in the Pacific Northwest
#SFWAPro
Read MoreSunday Quote stares down a new month
Read More“I’ve been as bad an influence on American literature as anyone I can think of.”
~ Dashiell Hammett
Bready or Not Original: Matcha Cheesecake Cookies
The green tea theme continues to celebrate the release of Call of Fire! This is a fully original recipe: Matcha Cheesecake Cookies.
The Cheesecake Bars from last week were such a hit, I decided to grab my old Philly Chippers recipe and revamp it with matcha.
The result? Rich, luscious cookies that worked well with the fresh taste of green tea! Weirdly enough, the green color ended up faint again. I’m sure there’s a scientific reason for that, but for now, it remains a mystery.
This dough is great to work with. It doesn’t require any time to chill after everything is mixed together. Just make dough balls and start baking!
Since the cookies are already quite rich, I don’t recommend adding white chocolate to these. Instead, perhaps try some nuts like pecans for a nice complementary flavor and texture.
Or just eat’em plain. They are delicious with the recipe as-is!
Bready or Not Original: Matcha Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter two cubes, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese 1 box, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 Tb matcha powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and slowly incorporate them with the wet ingredients.
- Use a tablespoon scoop to transfer dough to a cookie sheet. The dough will not spread much as it cooks.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool.
- OM NOM NOM!
