cookies

Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

Posted by on Aug 28, 2024 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cookies, nutty | 0 comments

These Nutella-Swirled Blondies are quick to make and delicious, making it a fantastic go-to recipe when you need to make a moderately-sized batch of goodies without a lot of fuss.

Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

The amount of Nutella called for here is 12 ounces. You can use more than that, if you want, but don’t use less or it’ll be challenging to spread the layer to the edges.

Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

Look for this base recipe used again in the coming months, too. I first experimented with this format using a fresh cranberry filling, but I won’t share that version until the timing is more seasonal. A Nutella filling has no such restrictions.

Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

Bready or Not Original: Nutella-Swirled Blondies

Simple, delicious blondies with a core of Nutella. Delicious and easy to make!
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • 13×9 pan
  • aluminum foil
  • nonstick spray
  • uneven spatula

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
  • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 12 ounces Nutella or similar hazelnut spread

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line 13×9 pan with wide aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, both sugars, and vanilla to create a smooth batter. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the flour mixture. Dollop about 2/3 of the dough in the pan; dough will be sticky, making it tricky to even out without smearing away the nonstick coating.
  • Spread Nutella on top and to the edges. Add dollops of remaining dough. Use a knife to swirl layers together.
  • Bake until evenly golden brown and set in the middle, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature or chill before cutting. Blondies keep for up to 3 days in a room temperature sealed container.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

    Posted by on Aug 21, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 0 comments

    These Sparkling Chocolate Cookies are loaded with flavor and sweetness, and they are outright pretty. Look!

    Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

    The chocolate flavor here is from cocoa in the dough along with a whole bag of chocolate chunks. I like Aldi’s dark chocolate chunks, but use whatever you can find.

    Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

    It’s important to note that these cookies don’t keep well. They will go hard after a day. Therefore, bake them up and serve them promptly.

    Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

    Bready or Not Original: Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

    These pudgy, chocolate-packed cookies are chewy and delicious, and are best eaten within a day. Makes about 50 small cookies.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chocolate, cookies
    Servings: 50 cookies
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • parchment paper
    • cookie scoop

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
    • 1 cup brown sugar packed
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 bag chopped dark chocolate
    • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar for topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
    • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate. Measure the turbinado sugar into a another small bowl.
    • Use a cookie scoop or spoon to shape dough. Roll each round in turbinado sugar. Place spaced out on cookie sheet.
    • Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transitioning to a cooling rack.
    • Store in a sealed container. Cookies are best eaten within a day.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

      Posted by on Aug 7, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | 0 comments

      Granola is a healthy and versatile ingredient. Perhaps put it to some less-healthy but very delicious use in this Chewy Granola Cookies recipe!

      Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

      There are so many granola varieties out there. Many come in large bags. This recipe provides a good base to use up some of that granola.

      Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

      The crunch of the final bake will vary depending on your add-ins. I used cranberries for my version here, but obviously, mix that out with raisins, dried blueberries, chocolate chips, or other things that will work with whatever’s in the granola.

      Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

      Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

      Use any kind of granola in these delicious cookies! They are chewy, and will vary with crunchiness depending on the type of granola that is added. This is a recipe with endless variations! Makes about 50 cookies.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: cookies, granola
      Servings: 50 cookies
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • plastic wrap
      • parchment paper
      • small cookie scoop

      Ingredients

      • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
      • 1 cup brown sugar packed
      • 1 large egg room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 2 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1 1/2 cups granola
      • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit or add-in

      Instructions

      • Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the granola and cranberries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for a few hours or overnight.
      • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to dole out dough, spaced out, on cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly; it will not spread a lot. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool cookies on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
      • Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

        Posted by on Jul 24, 2024 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cookies | 0 comments

        I suppose I could try to justify the timing of these Gingerbread Cookie Bars with a line like “It’s five months until Christmas!” but nah. Good food is good food, and should be enjoyed at any time of year.

        Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

        I don’t care that it’s the middle of summer. Gingerbread Bars are awesome. If your house gets hot, bake these up early in the day or late at night, then enjoy a cool-weather-vibe treat in the days ahead.

        Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

        This is a very straightforward recipe that makes a lot of bars that keeps for many days. A perfect recipe for a large gathering or a cookie exchange, this is a great version of a classic treat.

        Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

        Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

        This big batch gingerbread bar recipe is perfect to feed a crowd, and even better, it keeps beautifully for days! Modified from Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Cookies 2021 Magazine.
        Course: Dessert, Snack
        Keyword: gingerbread
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • 15×10 pan (jelly roll pan)
        • aluminum foil
        • nonstick spray

        Ingredients

        • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 4 teaspoons ground ginger
        • 2 teaspoons baking soda
        • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
        • 1/4 teaspoon salt
        • 1 1/2 cups shortening
        • 2 cups white sugar
        • 2 eggs
        • 1/2 cup molasses
        • 1/2 cup coarse sugar such as turbinado sugar

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line the jelly roll pan with wide foil and apply nonstick spray.
        • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
        • In a large bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until they are fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs and molasses. Slowly add the dry ingredients; if using a stand mixer, it may be necessary to stop doing so at the end to finish mixing by hand. Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the coarse sugar across the top and lightly press it in.
        • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The edges should be turning golden. Cool in pan on wire rack. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board for easy slicing. In a sealed container, keeps up over five days at room temperature.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

          Posted by on Jul 17, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies, maple | 0 comments

          Maple is a regular theme here on Bready or Not, and these Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies are as delicious as they look.

          Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

          They are simple to make, too. Easy dough. Chill it for a bit. Shape and bake. Make the glaze. If you use a complicated cookie cutter, that might make the glazing more tedious, but that’s a choice to make. This scalloped version was easy to do with the back of a spoon.

          Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

          These cookies are great year-round! Good flavors should be confined to no particular season.

          Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

          These classic cookies are imbued with maple from top to bottom! The dough can be made a few days in advance. I used a scallop-edge cutter, but use whatever shape you want, including a maple leaf. A 2-inch cutter makes about 50 cookies.
          Course: Dessert, Snack
          Keyword: cookies, maple
          Servings: 50 cookies
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • plastic wrap
          • baking sheet
          • cookie cutter
          • Rolling Pin

          Ingredients

          Dough

          • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
          • 1/2 cup white sugar
          • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
          • 2 teaspoons maple flavor
          • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

          Glaze

          • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
          • 1/3 cup maple syrup

          Instructions

          • In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, cornstarch, and maple flavor. Gradually add the flour. Shape the dough into a disc and encase in plastic wrap. Chill it for at least 45 minutes in the fridge until it’s firm enough to roll out, but it can be kept there for up to 2 days–but note that it will get quite hard with longer storage. If it’s there over a day, let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour to soften enough to roll out (but don’t let it get too soft, either).
          • Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
          • Lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies. Place spaced out on parchment.
          • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Once they are cool, mix the glaze. Use the back of a spoon to spread glaze onto cookies, Set them back on cookie sheet or rack to set for an hour or two. Pack in sealed containers for up to a few days.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            Posted by on Jun 12, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            Do you need a whole lot of cookies? This Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread recipe has got you covered.

            Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            This recipe doubles my Pride O’ Scotland Shortbread Recipe (one of the first cookie recipes I ever called ‘mine’ back in my teens) and adds chocolate chips. I’ve reworked my basic shortbread recipe many ways over the years; check out versions with Cookie Butter, Lemon, and Chocolate Chip Espresso.

            Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            A few important things to mention here. Before the shortbread is baked, be sure to use a fork to poke holes over the top and then cut into the dough to form the shapes of the future cookies. Then, as soon as the pan is out of the oven, cut again along those lines. A lot of classic shortbread recipes produce cookies that are firm and soft, and if they are cut after being cooled, they may just fall apart.

            Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            Bready or Not Original: Big Batch Chocolate Chip Shortbread

            Need a lot of cookies, without a lot of fuss? This recipe makes that easy, though the sheer quantity of dough requires some hands-on work!
            Course: Dessert, Snack
            Cuisine: British
            Keyword: chocolate, cookies, shortbread
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • jelly roll pan (15x10x1)

            Ingredients

            • 2 cups unsalted butter (4 sticks) softened
            • 2 egg yolks
            • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
            • 4 cups all-purpose flour
            • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
            • 1/2 teaspoon salt
            • 1 cup chocolate chips

            Instructions

            • Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line jelly roll pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
            • In a large bowl, beat together the butter, egg yolks, and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. If using something like a KitchenAid, by the end, the thick dough will likely require setting the beater aside and using both hands. Distribute the chocolate chips throughout.
            • Press dough into prepared pan. Flatten evenly with palms. Prick surface all over with floured fork. Use a knife or bench knife to score the dough into finger-sized wedges.
            • Bake for at least 20 minutes; the tops should just be turning golden, with the middle set and dry. Remove from oven. Immediately cut again following slash marks.
            • Let shortbread cool. Cut again along slash marks. Use the foil to carefully lift the shortbread onto a cutting board to pull apart the pieces. Shortbread will keep in a sealed container for several days.

            OM NOM NOM!

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