What's Baking: Cinnamon-Swirl Banana Bread

Banana bread gets an upgrade with a little cinnamon swirl in the center.

What's Baking: Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake Donuts

When Monday morning rolls around, it really helps if there is a treat waiting to entice me to get out of bed and start my work day. These cinnamon swirl coffee cake donuts will do the trick.

What's Baking: Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Icing

Why serve eggnog with your cookies when you can serve eggnog on your cookies?

A friend of mine recently hosted a cookie exchange and I opted to try something new. Rather than a standard simple vanilla icing, I replaced the milk with eggnog, and voila! Instant holiday flavor.

This sugar cookie recipe, flavored with a hint of almond, hits it out of the ballpark. This recipe is easily doubled, if you plan to bake up cookies for a crowd. I find that a single batch (made with the recipe below) provides plenty of cookies for sharing and still enough to keep around the house. There's nothing more depressing than baking a bunch of cookies to share, and not leaving enough for yourself!

Cutout sugar cookies are definitely a holiday classic – what's your favorite type of cookie to bake this season?

Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Icing (printer-friendly version)
makes about 3 dozen, depending on size of cookie cutters

For the cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the icing: 
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons eggnog

sprinkles for decorating, optional

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Stir in the almond extract. Using low speed, stir in the flour mixture in batches. Stir until just combined.
3. Divide the dough in half. Place one half of the dough on a square of plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Cover with the plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
5. Remove one disc of dough from the fridge. Roll the dough out on a lightly-floured surface until 1/8" to 1/4" thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased baking sheet (I like to line mine with a silpat). Bake for 6-8 minutes, or just lightly browned around the edges. Remove immediately from the baking sheet and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. While the cookies cool, make the icing: in a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and eggnog. Use more nog for a thinner icing or more for a thicker icing.
7. Pipe, dip, or spread the icing onto your cookies however you like. Decorate with sprinkles. Icing will set to a soft, but not completely dry, consistency.

What's Baking: Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread

Holiday brunch on your calendar? This flavorful Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread is a real crowd-pleaser.

Cranberries are not just for Thanksgiving. Or adorning Christmas trees. (Popcorn and cranberry garland anyone?) Fresh cranberries also make for a delicious quick bread. But you probably already knew that.

I was at the grocery store the other day and was instantly enamored by a bin of locally-grown organic cranberries. I couldn't help but scoop some into a bag. Perhaps a few too many. But that's why there's always a quick bread recipe up my sleeve!

This recipe features the classic flavor combination of cranberry and orange; a tart and sweet pairing that can't be beat. I added pecans, but you could sub in walnuts if you'd prefer. All of the recipes I looked at were sugar bombs, which really isn't my jam. I decreased the sugar to just a half-cup–which is still quite a bit, I do realize. But when most recipes call for at least a cup, I feel pretty good about the change. And it's still plenty sweet!

This bread would be perfect for a holiday brunch. I also love bringing a freshly-baked loaf of bread to a party as a gift for the host/hostess to enjoy the following morning for breakfast. Wrap it in parchment paper and tie with string, and you've got an easy impromptu present to give to anyone.

Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes 1 large loaf

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 8"x4" loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir in the chopped cranberries and chopped pecans.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg. Stir in the vanilla and orange zest.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped loaf pan. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and let cool completely.

What's Baking: Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

No flour? No problem. You won't miss the wheat one bit in these
tasty gluten-free Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip cookies. 

I am a major fan of chocolate chip cookies. The other day a coworker and I were discussing our favorite cookie recipes and I mentioned that I rarely got the yield out of a recipe that it said it made. Like, if the recipe says it makes 48 cookies, I'll more likely only get 3/4 of that yield at best. That definitely couldn't be because I consume so much of the cookie dough while making said cookies, right? Nah. That couldn't be it.

I think one of the things that drew me to this recipe was that it was low-yield, meaning I wouldn't be as tempted to eat so much of the dough. The number of cookies you'll get out of this recipe will totally depend on how big your scoops of cookie dough are; I used a 1.5 tablespoon scoop and baked up about 14 cookies; I think the original recipe yielded about 20 cookies. Also, to make larger cookies, be sure to flatten your cookies quite a bit, otherwise they'll be a little rounder and smaller, as mine are.

Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (printer-friendly version)
makes 14 cookies

1 1/4 cups almond meal
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, stir together the almond meal, chopped dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg until uniform in color and doubled in volume.
3. Add the coconut oil and vanilla to the egg and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (I used a 1.5 tablespoon scoop), then place on the baking sheet with about 1 1/2 inches of space between each ball. Press the dough balls down to flatten them. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Store leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.

(adapted from this recipe from Minimalist Baker)

What's Baking: Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins

Trying times call for comforting food, and these Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins fit the bill perfectly. 

It typically takes me a little longer to get back into the blogging groove after the holidays, but this year it's been harder than usual.

Let's just say that when you're worried about the potential end of democracy in your country, whether or not you should be stockpiling food, and the general loss of decency and civility in both politics and everyday life, writing a little post about something I cooked seems just a tad inconsequential.

I spent the day after the inauguration at the Women's March On Chicago. It felt good to be part of such a large group of like-minded people. I nearly cried at the sight of so many people streaming in to gather together to fight the disastrous policies of this administration. Some signs were funny; others were poignant. I left the march feeling uplifted that we were not alone, and there are plenty of decent people left in this world who care about the future of this country.

And then Monday happened.
And Tuesday.
And fast forward to Friday.

It seriously frightens me to think where this country is headed and who is pulling all the strings. I prefer the America that is inclusive. That cares about the environment. That has empathy. That is open to immigrants and the diversity of experience they bring to this country. That supports the marriages of my gay and lesbian friends. That doesn't discriminate based on religion or ethnicity or gender identity or sexual orientation. That doesn't mock others. That gives a woman the right to control her own reproductive organs. That makes everyone's ability to exercise their right to vote easier, not harder. That worries over gun violence in this country. That wants to help people rather than hurt people. That upholds the separation between church and state. That doesn't value money over human life. That provides healthcare to those who need it. That values science. That values public education. That rewards people for the skills they have, not the people they know. That thinks for the future and not just the present. I want the America I grew up in and has provided me with so much.

The long and short of it is, I'm worried. And I'm not sure what to do about it, other than resist and protest in whatever way I can, whether small or large. 

And in the meantime, I can't let myself drown in fear. And that's where I hope this blog can come in this year. I've always retreated to the kitchen when I need a break from the stresses of life. The meditation of baking is often my solace when I'm overcome with emotion or feeling stagnated. So, today, I return to the kitchen to bake. And roast. And mix. And stir. And find a way to have hope for the future.

Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins (printer-friendly version)

makes 12 muffins

1 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray each cup generously with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, add together the cornmeal and buttermilk. Let sit for 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar. 

4. Add the egg and olive oil to the bowl with the cornmeal and buttermilk. Stir to combine. 

5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the frozen corn kernels. Distribute the batter evenly into the 12 prepped muffin cups. (Each cup should be about 3/4 full.)

6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the tin. Serve warm or re-heat before serving.

What's Baking: Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies

Classic Mexican Wedding Cookies get a little chocolatey twist with the addition of cocoa powder. 

'Tis the season for cookies. Lots of cookies. Oy, so many cookies! I baked a couple of batches of cookies this past weekend to bring to a holiday get-together on Sunday night. Part of the festivities included a cookie exchange, and I'm sad to report that the panoply of cookies I brought home barely lasted 24 hours in our house. 

Mexican Wedding Cookies – also known as Russian Teacakes or Italian Wedding Cookies – have a distinctly nutty flavor due to the generous addition of nuts in the dough. (A shocking turn of events, I know.) My Mom's recipe uses walnuts, so that's how I make them, although finely chopped pecans or almonds would work just as well. For extra flavor, toast your chopped nuts before adding them to the dough.

The classic Mexican Wedding Cookie does not have cocoa powder in them, but I was feeling like these sweet cookies could use a little cocoa kick. The key to the appearance of these cookies is two dips in powdered sugar – roll them straight from the oven (once they're just cool enough to handle), and then after they've completely cooled, give them another roll in the powdered sugar to get a nice even coating.

Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks/16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cups whole walnuts, chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, walnuts, and salt. 

5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches, thoroughly mixing between additions.

6. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just set.

8. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Let cool, then roll again in powdered sugar. 

9. After completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Variation: For regular Mexican Wedding Cookies, omit the cocoa powder and use 2 1/4 cups flour.

What's Baking: Bakery-style Chocolate Chip Cookies

You don't need to go to the bakery when you've got this recipe for delicious chocolate chip cookies that have crispy edges and a perfectly chewy center.

I am a huge fan of the Food Network and have to admit one of my favorite parts of the weekend is grabbing a huge cup of coffee and settling onto the couch for a good couple of hours of cooking shows on Saturday or Sunday morning. Okay, both mornings, really.

My biggest pet peeve, however, is when the host of the show wears something with giant fluffy sleeves. How impractical are flowy sleeves while you are cooking? So impractical. And I say this from experience, as I totally spent a lazy Sunday morning this past weekend baking this batch of cookies whilst wearing a robe with, you guessed it, giant bell-shaped sleeves. Somehow I managed not to slather my sleeves in cookie dough, but it was not an easy feat.

Baking these cookies was like a little therapy session for me. There's something about methodically measuring and adding ingredients to a bowl, stirring, shaping, and baking that just calms me. This past week has been a bear and I don't think I'm going to feel any better about it any time soon. But for a couple of hours on Sunday, making these cookies took my mind off of things – scary things – and for that I am grateful. And, as a complete bonus, the resulting cookies are absolutely delicious, and might just be my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe to date.

Bakery-style Chocolate Chip Cookies (printer-friendly version)
makes one dozen cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Maldon flaky sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
3. In a small sauce pot, melt 10 tablespoons of butter. Continue cooking, swirling constantly, until the butter begins to emit a nutty aroma and is golden-brown in color, about 3 minutes. Carefully transfer the browned butter to a heat-safe bowl. Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into the browned butter until completely incorporated.
4. Add the sugars, salt, and vanilla extract to the browned butter mixture. Whisk until well-combined. Stir in the egg and egg yolk until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes, then whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat for a total of three times.
5. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop the dough into golf-ball sized rounds. (Each ball will have about 3 tablespoons-worth of dough.) Place six dough balls on the prepped baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the top of each dough ball with flaky sea salt.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-14 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges and nearly set in the middle. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven and set the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, for a total of 12 cookies.

(lightly adapted from this recipe from America's Test Kitchen)

What's Baking: Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Banana Bread

When there are ripe bananas on the kitchen counter, baking a loaf of banana bread is always a great idea. 

I bought a giant bunch of bananas earlier in the week with the intention of making a certain recipe. And then, life happened. And by life, I mean crazy work deadlines. And the desire to sleep.

Along rolls Friday, and those poor bananas were still sitting forlornly on the kitchen counter, becoming more brown and speckled by the minute.

So, we all know there's just one thing to do when that happens ... make banana bread! And I have made, like, a billion (slight exaggeration) banana bread recipes on this blog before, but this one has a tiny bit of a (standout!) difference: the addition of a crunchy cinnamon-sugar layer on top. Oy, this was a great idea!

Since I work from home, I multitasked during a teleconference and got this bread into the oven in less than 20 minutes, start to finish. The worst part was trying to patiently wait the 50 minutes for the bread to bake.

But, oh my, the wait was worth it. This banana bread is heavenly. And with just 1/3 cup of oil, it's not terribly unhealthy, either. Or at least, that's what I tell myself as I shove yet another slice in my mouth.

Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Banana Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes one 8-inch loaf

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" x 4" loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the syrup, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the mashed bananas and then stir in the melted coconut oil.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped loaf pan.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over top the banana bread in an even layer. (I used about three teaspoons ... you'll have a bit of cinnamon sugar left over, but that's not a bad thing.)
7. Bake in the oven for 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Wrap any leftovers in foil and store at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to five days.

What's Baking: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies are a delicious treat perfect for sharing at a fall harvest get-together.

It's the first week of October (how is it already October?!) -- but the real question is, are we still into everything pumpkin spice, or are we already totally over it? Pumpkin spice has exploded over the past couple of years, and now you can even get pumpkin-spiced breakfast cereals? I'm not too sure about that.

It all started with the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (or PSL, if you're cool like that). Truth be told, the one time I had a PSL when they first came out several years ago, I kind of hated it. And I haven't tried one since. However, one of our local coffeehouses makes a pumpkin pie latte (with real pumpkin puree, I believe), that actually is quite delicious, if you're into an early-morning sugar high. (Which let's face it, I kind of am.)

There's been all sorts of drama of late that the cans of pumpkin puree you buy in the store are actually not purely pumpkin, if pumpkin at all. Turns out that's actually not entirely the case. Libby's (the brand most consumers are familiar with) uses a specific strain of Dickinsons pumpkins called Libby's Select, which, though it might not look exactly like that jack o'lantern you're familiar with, it is a type of pumpkin. It is true that some brands use a variety of sweet squashes in their cans of pumpkin, as this is allowed by the FDA's labeling laws. But for the most part, there really is pumpkin in those cans.

But let me throw this out there: I actually prefer to use canned butternut squash puree when I make "pumpkin" pie as I think it lends a richer, more complex flavor to the pie.

But I digress. Let's talk about cookies! I'm hopping on the pumpkin spice bandwagon with these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies. The traditional cinnamon-sugar flavor of a snickerdoodle gets a little extra spice with the addition of allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. This cookie is almost cake-like in consistency with a tender crumb and gently-spiced pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (printer-friendly version)
makes two dozen cookies

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and allowed to cool
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or use 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cloves, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Stir in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. In a small shallow bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Scoop the dough into 1" balls and dunk each ball into the sugar-spice mixture to evenly coat. Transfer the balls to the prepped baking sheet and set 3" apart. Use a spatula to flatten each ball into a 1/2" thick circle.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Let cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)

What's Baking: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Start your morning off right with these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins.

I had a few bananas on the countertop that were quickly becoming more brown than yellow, which is the international sign that it's time to bake something with them.

I wan't particularly in the mood to bake yet another loaf of banana bread (and that's not even all of the banana bread recipes on this site...), so, I made muffins instead. I know, oh-so-different, right?

These muffins, however, are actually fairly healthy, especially when compared to calorie-bomb bakery-style muffins.

The muffins are sweetened with pure maple syrup and they get their moistness and tender crumb \ from a little olive oil and Greek yogurt. As I am always wont to do, I added a bit of nutmeg, and I'm thinking a little ginger or cinnamon would also be a great idea. (Next time!) And there's just a tiny bit of decadence with the addition of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I went with a scant half-cup, but if you're feeling extra wild and crazy, feel free to make that a heaping half-cup, or go big with 3/4 cup of chips.

While tasty warm from the oven, I've been enjoying these muffins as a chilled treat straight from the fridge. Paired with a cup of coffee, they make for an excellent second breakfast.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl stir together the mashed bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, olive oil, egg, yogurt, and milk until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

(adapted from this Ambitious Kitchen recipe)

What I'm Celebrating: National Donut Day

Did you know it's National Donut Day? If you haven't noticed, I am a big fan of baked donuts. I might just have to break out my donut pan and make a batch today to celebrate. Here are a few of my favorite baked donut recipes from the archives.

L-R, Top-bottom: Powdered Sugar, Strawberry, Coconut, Apple, Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake, Blueberry Donuts with a Lemon Glaze, Blackberry Crumble, Funfetti with Chocolate Icing, Chocolate with a Chocolate Glaze, Lemon Poppyseed 

What's Baking: Quinoa-Cacao Blondies

Browned butter and raw cacao nibs take these gluten-free quinoa blondies to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Last weekend, Dustin and I headed to Wausau to run a few errands. While in town I made a quick stop at the Downtown Grocery, which is currently temporarily located in the Wausau Mall while they rebuild after a fire at their old location last fall. My main goal was to stock back up on Condor Coffee, our favorite locally-roasted small-batch coffee company. (We're partial to the Guatemala light roast.)

I was also in desperate need of a snack for the ride home. I decided to eschew the delicious-looking cookies for the healthier-sounding quinoa-almond blondie. 

I was instantly intrigued by its taste – the blondie had a slightly crunchy texture from the quinoa and almonds. And then the cacao nibs that studded the blondie added just the right amount of chocolate flavor. I'm always looking for healthier treats to make at home – could I make this bar in my own kitchen?

Turns out, why yes, yes I can bake my own quinoa blondies at home. And dare I say, these blondies are even better than Downtown Grocery's? (Them there's fightin' words!)

I based my blondie recipe off the ingredients list printed on the bar's packaging. In addition to quinoa flour, I also added in some quinoa flakes to add in even more crunchy texture to the blondie. Though the ingredients listed both butter and vegetable oil, I only used unsalted butter. I browned the butter to bring out a deeper, nutty and caramel flavor. I also added a bit of flaky sea salt to counterbalance the sweetness of the bars.

The end result? An out-of-this-world blondie bar experience. Seriously! Okay, fine, so maybe I'm just really proud of myself for figuring out how to make these blondies in my own kitchen. But they really are tasty, I promise!

Quinoa-Cacao Blondies (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 blondies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and browned

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, plus additional for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup cacao nibs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and then spray the paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the browned butter to the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Then stir in the quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. Mix in the sliced almonds and cacao nibs. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the blondies are set in the center and light brown along the edges. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

What's Baking: Tahini Cookies

Take your cookie craving to the Mediterranean with these tantalizing tahini cookies. 

I've been making a lot of hummus from scratch lately, which means that I almost always have a jar of tahini in the fridge. And that got me to wondering ... what else can I make with tahini?

Tahini is a staple of the Mediterranean pantry – it is a paste made from sesame seeds and has a slightly bitter nutty flavor. It gives these cookies a flavor similar to that of peanut butter cookies, but with a little extra something at the end that make your tastebuds go "hmmm...what is that?" – in a good way. I found that the delicate floral flavor of cardamom in the sugar mixture helped to balance out the slightly bitter notes of the tahini. 

If you find the tahini flavor in the cookies to be a bit too overwhelming, wait a day or two. I found that after a couple of days in the cookie jar, the flavor of these cookies mellows out and makes for an excellent mid-afternoon snack. Or second breakfast with a cup of coffee. Or after-dinner dessert. You get the picture.

Tahini Cookies

makes 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons cup coarse-grain sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. 

2. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the butter, tahini, and brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides as needed to fully incorporate all of the wet ingredients together.

3. Using low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in several batches. Once the flour is almost completely incorporated, turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula for the final stirring. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until the dough has begun to firm up. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place the sugar and cardamom in a shallow bowl and stir together. 

5. Scoop the dough in 1 1/2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar mixture to lightly coat. Place the dough balls on the prepped baking sheet about 2 inches apart, fitting 12 cookies at a time. Use the back of a fork to flatten each cookie 1/2-inch thick with a criss-cross pattern.

6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before moving the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

(lightly adapted from this recipe from The Kitchn)

What's Baking: Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake

I've been on a grapefruit kick lately, and then I had the brilliant idea to bake a grapefruit cake.

Clearly my citrus obsession is still going strong. And while I love a half-grapefruit in the morning (plain, no sugar needed!), I knew there was more that I could do with my favorite winter fruit.

And then I had the brilliant idea to make a grapefruit cake. Now, I am not the only one who has ever had this idea. While searching the Internet for a recipe to try, I came across this one from Thomas Keller, the famous chef from The French Laundry, Ad Hoc, Per Se ... the list goes on. So, yeah, that seemed like a good place to start. The original recipe calls for the cake to be baked in a loaf pan, but I went a little fancier and baked it in a bundt cake pan, since I was baking it to share with friends.

The cake gets its delicious citrus flavor from the addition of grapefruit zest to the cake batter, a drenching of grapefruit syrup after the cake comes out of the oven, and a drizzle of grapefruit glaze once the cake has cooled. And oh man, is it delicious.

And, while of course this cake makes for an excellent dessert, its citrusy flavor also makes it a great candidate for breakfast. How else are you going to keep the scurvy at bay?

Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

For the cake:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup organic 1% milk, at room temperature
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the syrup:
½ cup grapefruit juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tablespoons grapefruit juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch bundt pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Add the sugar and grapefruit zest to the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the back of a spoon to rub together the sugar and zest, releasing the citrus oil. (It is going to start smelling really good in your kitchen!)
4. Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and, with the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the mixture is thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
5. With the mixer running, stream in the milk, followed by the oil, and then the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low speed, and add in the dry ingredients in several batches, beating until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepped bundt pan. Tap a couple of times on the counter to release any air bubbles.
7. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8. Set the cake pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.
9. While the cake is cooling, make the grapefruit syrup: combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for an additional minute, then remove the pan from the heat.
10. After inverting the cake and removing it from the pan, prick the top of the cake all over with a fork. Brush the cake with the grapefruit syrup. (It will seem like a lot, but just go for it.)
11. Make the glaze: stir the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together in a small bowl. Add more grapefruit juice as necessary to achieve a thick, but pourable consistency. Drizzle or spoon the glaze over top the cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

(adapted from a recipe in Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook via The Baker Chick)