Bready or Not Original: No Bake Pecan Praline Cookies
Do you need cookies ready, FAST? These no-bake wonders are prepared in minutes and just need 15 minutes to set.
Traditional pecan pralines are crunchy and sweet. This no-bake cookie version definitely has all that going on, with added chewiness from coconut.
I highly recommend using unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds here, as these cookies are not lacking at all in the sugariness department!
It’s amazing to me how something so goopy and hot can so quickly become set and easy to handle. This is the ultimate in fast-and-delicious cookies.
Bready or Not Original: No Bake Pecan Praline Cookies
Equipment
- large saucepan
- cookie sheet
- waxed paper
- tablespoon scoop
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups pecans chopped or whole
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes or coconut shreds
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare a large cookie sheet, or several sheets, with waxed paper. In a bowl, stir together the pecans and coconut.
- In a saucepan on medium-high heat, stir together the sugar, milk, corn syrup, and butter. Continue to stir while bringing the mixture to a rolling boil. Stabilize the heat so that it continues to boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat. Pour in the vanilla. Follow up with the pecans and coconut, stirring well to coat everything in goopy hot sugar.
- Use a tablespoon scoop to dole out cookies on the waxed paper. If they fall apart a bit, carefully use a spoon or the scoop to shape them again. Let cookies set, at least 15 minutes. Carefully peel them away from the waxed paper; note that the first scoops may be more prone to stick.
- Store cookies in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies
Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies! These beauties are holiday-perfect with their crackled gingerbread looks and a crusting of pearl sugar.
What is pearl sugar, you ask? Something awesome! It’s the kind of thing you see in Scandinavian bakeries, and through the miracle of the internet, you can now use it in home baking as well.
I highly recommend the stuff. Not only is it pretty, but it adds an texturally-pleasant crunch. That is especially nice with these cookies, as the actual cookie is quite chewy. The sugar granules make it into something extraordinary.
If you can’t find pearl sugar in nearby stores (I can’t), it is available on Amazon. I like the Lars’ brand. [affiliate link]
These cookies will keep for upwards of a week in a sealed container, making them perfect for holiday cookie trays and gift-giving.
Recipe modified from my favorite baking magazine, Bake from Scratch.
Bready or Not: Pearl Sugar Ginger Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
- teaspoon scoop
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 medium lemon zested
- 1/3 cup molasses not blackstrap
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup Swedish pearl sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat together the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy. In a stand mixer , this will be 2 to 3 minutes. Add the molasses and egg, scraping the bowl to make sure everything is mixed.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stage the pearl sugar in a small bowl.
- Use a teaspoon scoop to form balls of dough. Roll them in the pearl sugar. If the granules aren’t sticking well, lightly dampen the dough and try again. Place the balls spaced out on the pan.
- Bake until the cookies look crackled on top with the edges just set, at 10 to 12 minutes. Let set on pan a few minutes before transferring cookies to a rack to completely cool. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
A necessary clarification first thing: these Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles are named thusly because they include pumpkin spice, not pumpkin.
If you do want Snickerdoodles with pumpkin, I can help with that, too. Even in bar form.
These cookies look like normal Snickerdoodles with crackled tops, but the flavor is much more complex thanks to that spice mix. These really taste and smell like autumn.
However, these are so good, they are fantastic year-round. As I’ve said before, the things you enjoy–be it food or music or décor–shouldn’t be confined to one season. If you like it, like it whenever you want!
This recipe makes a decent batch, about 50 cookies using a teaspoon scoop, and will be best if eaten within 3 days. Therefore, make them to share with a crowd, or you may experience a Snickerdoodle overdose.
Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- parchment paper
- teaspoon scoop
Ingredients
Topping
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin spice
- 1 Tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1/3 cup white sugar
Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 cubes) room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the three topping ingredients. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combined the flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Gradually work in the flour mixture until it’s just combined.
- Use a teaspoon scoop to form small bowls of dough. Roll the dough in the topping spices, one at a time, and place spaced out on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops are crackled and just set, but not browning. Let them cool at the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a rack to fully cool.
- Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Chewy Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are embodied with extra cookie dough flavor thanks to the miracle of cookie butter.
It always seems someone is always discovering cookie butter for the first time, so I shall repeat: this stuff is basically ground-down cookies blended with oil, giving it the same consistency as peanut butter, but without the health benefits. And oh yeah, it’s delicious.
Ccookie butter can be found under the Biscoff brand at many grocery stores (and sometimes in a store generic brand) and at Trader Joe’s as Speculoos. You can use it just as you would peanut butter for sandwiches or for baked goods.
It’s fantastic stuff paired with chocolate, as in this recipe. It makes cookies taste more… cookie. Once you try it, you’ll know what I mean.
This recipe makes a nice, big batch of crispy, chewy cookies. Use any kind of chocolate chips that you want–or use a mix! It’ll all be good.
Bready or Not Original: Chewy Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- tablespoon scoop
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 cube), room temperature
- 1/2 cup creamy cookie butter
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 bag milk chocolate chips or semisweet chips, about 1 3/4 cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375-degrees.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a big mixing bowl, beat butter and cookie butter until completely blended. Add the two sugars. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a tablespoon scoop to dole out dough onto a cookie sheet, giving each one room to spread while baking. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until golden, then let them sit on the sheet another 5 to 10 minutes to set. Transfer to rack to completely cool.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They will keep well for up to 3 days.
*OM NOM NOM!*
Bready or Not: Snickerdoodle Brookie
Don’t struggle to choose between Snickerdoodles and Brownies. Have them both at the same time in this extraordinary Snickerdoodle Brookie!
This is essentially like a massive cookie-cake hybrid. It looks impressive, and the flavor is impressive, too. If the layers work out right, you get a bit of everything in every bite.
If you eat the brookie warm, the chocolate flavor is quite strong. I actually liked this best at room temperature. The flavors play together better then.
I mean, it’d be a shame to not get to enjoy the Snickerdoodle side of things. A travesty.
I modified this from the original in my favorite food magazine, Bake from Scratch. I tried to make it easier by using the microwave, prepping the pan with parchment, and clarifying the steps throughout.
I can also testify that this is a great recipe to portion out and freeze. Pieces don’t take long to thaw and the brookie is dense enough to be pretty portable, too, though the dusting of cinnamon and sugar on top can sometimes be messy.
Modified from the March/April 2020 issue of Bake from Scratch Magazine.
Bready or Not: Snickerdoodle Brookie
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Brownie batter:
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet (170 grams)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cube
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Snickerdoodle dough:
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit inside a 9-inch round cake pan. Apply nonstick spray in pan, place parchment, then spray parchment as well. Set aside.
Make brownie batter
- Melt together the chocolate and butter either in a double boiler on the stove or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir until everything is mixed and smooth. Stir in sugar. Set aside to cool for a few minutes before mixing in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into chocolate mixture just until combined. Set aside.
Make snickerdoodle dough
- Beat together the butter and sugar until they are fluffy; in a stand mixer, this will be at about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times. Add the egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into butter mixture. Dough will be quite thick.
Assemble the cake
- Spoon large dollops (about 3 tablespoons each) of brownie batter into bottom of the prepared pan, leaving space between each lump. Crumble dollops of snickerdoodle dough in between brownie batter. Top with any more scoops of brownie batter and snickerdoodle dough. Gently use fingers to even out top.
- Bake until the middle passes the toothpick test, 33 to 40 minutes.
Make topping
- Stir together cinnamon and sugar. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, sprinkle the mixture across the top.
- Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting in. Cake can be served warm or at room temperature. It can also be frozen in slices and thawed for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple-Oat Cookies
These Apple-Oat Cookies are like a cross between apple oatmeal and apple pie, in a convenient portable form.
Really, these cookies feel homey. They take like comfort, with the apples and oats a little dense but not too heavy. The glaze on top adds a touch of sweetness that is just right.
As I have a husband who loves apple oatmeal AND apple pie, he enjoyed these cookies greatly. They are a perfect breakfast cookie!
I found that they kept for at least three days at room temperature. Even better–as these were all for my husband to enjoy–I found they froze and thawed without a problem. I actually froze most of the batch straight away. Portion control is a good thing, especially with over thirty cookies offering temptation!
I used a Gala apple, but I say any sweet baking apple would work well.
Bready or Not Original: Apple-Oat Cookies
Equipment
- tablespoon cookie scoop
- parchment paper
- waxed paper
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats also called rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large baking apple peeled and finely chopped; Gala and Fuji are ideal
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar plus more if needed
- 2 Tablespoons milk or half & half, plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice.
- In a big mixing bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Follow up with the eggs and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the apple pieces.
- Use a tablespoon scoop or spoon to dole out dough spaced an inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let set on rack for 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Continue with the next batch.
- Once all of the cookies are cool, make the glaze. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and milk to form a thick but oozy consistency. Spoon over the cookies.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature, with waxed paper between the stacked layers. They will keep for at least three days. Cookies will freeze and thaw without issue.