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.
This Snickerdoodle Brookie is like a massive, indulgent cookie! Enjoy this fresh from the oven or warmed up later, or room temperature. It’s also great to freeze for later! Modified from the March/April 2020 issue of Bake from Scratch Magazine.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownies, cake, cookies, snickerdoodle
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
9-inch round cake pan
parchment paper
Ingredients
Brownie batter:
6ouncessemisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet (170 grams)
1/2cupunsalted butter 1 cube
1cupwhite sugar
2large eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3/4cupall-purpose flour
1/4cupDutch process cocoa powder sifted
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
Snickerdoodle dough:
1/3cupunsalted buttersoftened
1/2cupwhite sugar
1large egg
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupall-purpose flour
1/2teaspooncream of tartar
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonbaking powder
Topping:
1tablespoonwhite sugar
1/8teaspoonground 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.
These Potato Rolls are perfect for a hearty sandwich with a wet filling like BBQ sauce.
The ‘potato’ here is potato flour, a not-so-secret ingredient to create soft bread with a tender crumb. It handles moisture in a different way than standard wheat flours.
It’s not the kind of thing carried by a standard grocery store, but the internet comes to the rescue! I use the kind sold by King Arthur Flour (an all-around fantastic purveyor of bready goods), but it is also sold by Bob’s Red Mill and (of course) Amazon. Check your local natural goods store, too.
Nonfat dry milk powder IS sold by many grocery stores, but I like the results of King Arthur Flour’s version best.
I’ve made these rolls several times and I find they didn’t double for me during the rise stages, but did they puff, and at the end the crumb showed a good texture inside.
I found that dividing by 8 made for good-sized sandwich rolls, but you can make these as big or small as you want, and any shape, too.
These sandwich rolls are tender and soft, but hearty enough to handle shredded pork and BBQ sauce without instantly going soggy. Plus, these are great to freeze and thaw later on. Makes 8 sandwich rolls. Modified from Food & Wine Magazine June 2020.
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: yeast bread
Servings: 8large rolls
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
parchment paper
food scale
basting brush
Ingredients
2 2/3cupsbread flour
1/3cuppotato flour available from King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill
1/3cupnonfat dry milk powder
2 1/2Tablespoonswhite sugar
2teaspoonskosher salt
2 1/4ozactive dry yeast or one store-bought envelope
1cupwarm water100 to 110-degrees
5Tablespoonsunsalted butter divided
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and 4 Tablespoons of melted butter. Add the bread flour, potato flour, milk powder, sugar, salt and yeast, and mix using the dough hook. Beat until the dough is cohesive, about 3 minutes.
Increase the mixer’s speed and beat for another 6 minutes to make it smooth and elastic. Dough might be sticky. Grease another large bowl and dump the dough in there. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Use the food scale to weigh the dough. To make rolls of a good sandwich size, divide the total by eight; if smaller rolls are desired, go smaller. Pull off pieces of dough and shape into rounds. To smooth the surface, keep a saucer with water in it nearby, and use moistened fingers to smooth the dough. Set rounds spaced out on parchment. Loosely cover rolls with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until they are puffy, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Remove plastic wrap or towel. For sandwich-sized rolls, bake for 15 to 19 minutes, until the outside is nicely browned. Dip the basting brush into the remaining tablespoon of butter, and paint butter atop each roll to make glossy.
Let rolls cool at least 15 minutes before cutting in. Rolls will keep for at least 2 days in a sealed bag at room temperature. They can also be frozen and thawed for later consumption.
Space travel is cool. Cats traveling in space is even cooler, right? My story “Headspace,” originally published years ago in the themed anthology Cats in Space, is now available in podcast form! The narrator, Steve Quinn, did a great job. Please take a listen–you can even download it to listen on the go!
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.
These soft cookies are like a combination of apple-cinnamon oatmeal and apple pie! The glaze adds just the right touch of sweetness. These make a great breakfast, snack, or dessert. Makes about 35 cookies with a tablespoon scoop.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple, cookies, oats
Servings: 35cookies
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
tablespoon cookie scoop
parchment paper
waxed paper
Ingredients
Cookies
2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1cupold-fashioned oats also called rolled oats
1teaspoonground cinnamon
3/4teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonground allspice
3/4cupunsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, room temperature
1/2cupbrown sugar packed
1/2cupwhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1large baking apple peeled and finely chopped; Gala and Fuji are ideal
Glaze
1cupconfectioners' sugar plus more if needed
2Tablespoonsmilk 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.