cookies

Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

Posted by on Aug 7, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Chewy Granola Cookies

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 | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Gingerbread Cookie Bars

    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 | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

      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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          Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          Posted by on May 22, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          This Jammy Shortbread is a fun recipe that’s easy to customize with your favorite jam! Go for raspberry, cranberry, blueberry… something sweet and delicious.

          Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          I had to make this recipe a few times to get it right. Specifically, shaping the dough was the issue. That’s why I give instructions to form the divided dough into a 12-inch stick that is 1 inch across. That makes the dough thick enough to form a trench that will hold the jam.

          Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          What initially foiled me was that the dough was too wide, and then it spread with baking. I had these wide cookies with just a little bit of jam in the middle. Oops.

          Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          Leave it to me to make the screw-ups so that your cookies can turn out great from the first batch!

          Bready or Not Original: Jammy Shortbread

          The dough is easy to work with in this classic-styled cookie with jam filling!
          Course: Dessert, Snack
          Keyword: cookies, jam
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • food scale
          • plastic wrap or bags
          • parchment paper

          Ingredients

          • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
          • 2/3 cup white sugar
          • 1 large egg room temperature
          • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
          • 2 cups all-purpose flour
          • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
          • 1/2 teaspoon salt
          • 1/3 cup thick fruit jam

          Instructions

          • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet to form a cohesive dough.
          • Use a food scale to divide the dough into four portions. Wrap them each in plastic wrap or in a sealable bag, and chill for at least an hour.
          • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
          • Pull out a portion of chilled dough. On a far side of the baking sheet, form it into a 12-inch-long stick, 1 inch across. Use fingertips to form a trench down the middle. Spoon jam to fill the trench. Repeat the process with the other three portions of dough, creating long lines on the pan.
          • Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until dough looks set and is light golden brown. Let cool for 2 minutes. Slice each stick 3/4-inch apart to form individual cookies. Move them to a rack to completely cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            Posted by on May 8, 2024 in biscoff spread, Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            I like to say that cookie butter makes everything better. I would also add that rainbow sprinkles make everything better. These cookies feature both cookie butter AND rainbow sprinkles, and will absolutely blow your mind.

            Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            The recap, as there is always someone discovering cookie butter for the first time: it’s an addictive substance found near the peanut butter in most every grocery store in America; even my local Walmart has it in the main Biscoff brand or as a Walmart generic, and Trader Joe’s calls it Speculoos. It’s essentially pulverized cookies and oil. It has the exact same texture as peanut butter and can substitute for it in most any recipe. There is nothing healthy about it and it is incredibly delicious.

            Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            Cookie butter makes things taste like cookie dough. That’s outright magical when paired with chocolate. These cookies are especially pretty as they include white and brown chips along with the sprinkles.

            Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            Customize the sprinkles based on the season or reason. Red and green for Christmas, pink and/or red and/or white for Valentine’s, favorite sports team colors, whatever. Of course, basic rainbow sprinkles are always a great choice!

            Modified from Food Network Magazine December 2022.

            Bready or Not: Cookie Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

            These big, festive cookies taste more inherently like cookie dough thanks to cookie butter. Customize the sprinkles based on the season, or go for classic rainbow sprinkles. Note that the dough needs to be chilled prior to baking. Modified from Food Network Magazine December 2022.
            Course: Dessert, Snack
            Cuisine: American
            Keyword: chocolate, cookie butter, cookies, sprinkles
            Servings: 32 cookies
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • large cookie scoop
            • baking sheet
            • parchment paper

            Ingredients

            • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
            • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
            • 1/2 teaspoon salt
            • 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
            • 1/2 cup smooth cookie butter such as Biscoff or Speculoos
            • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
            • 1/4 cup white sugar
            • 2 large eggs room temperature
            • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
            • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
            • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
            • 3 Tablespoons sprinkles plus more for topping

            Instructions

            • In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
            • In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cookie butter, and both sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.
            • Gradually stir in the dry ingredients to form a cohesive dough. Fold in both kinds of chips along with the sprinkles. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge at least 2 hours, or up to a few days.
            • Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour some sprinkles into a bowl.
            • Use a scoop or spoon to shape the dough. Dip the top into the sprinkles and compress to coat. Place spaced out a few inches on sheet–they will spread!
            • Bake 11 to 12 minutes, until set and golden. Let them cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature.

            OM NOM NOM!

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