Cookies
#COOKING: ANDES COOKIES RECIPE
Andes Cookies. Occasionally I get asked, what is an Andes? If you grew-up in the ’80s, you might remember these Crème de Menthe Chocolate Thins with three layers: two of which are milk chocolate and the center, a creamy mint filling. They are wrapped in a shimmery green slip and if you’ve ever been to an Olive Garden, they serve a similar one to you after your meal when you pay your bill. While I was at Target last month, I was delighted to see Andes Mint Chips in the baking section and had to grab a bag. I envisioned making big mounds of chunky cookies crammed with the Mint Chips but also stuffing them each with a larger Mint Thin. I’ve always been of the mindset that it’s better to make one jumbo cookie to save me from having to eat two or three!
If you notice, my cookie recipes don’t contain a lot of sugar. That’s because the Mint Chips and Thin Mints have more than enough in them already. These came out wonderful and will bring these back out again next Holiday!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour10 oz Andes Mint Baking Chips
10 Andes Chocolate Thin Mints
1/4 cup organic raw sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup whole milk at room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps organic vanilla extract
1 tsp freeze-dried coffee
1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. In large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and soda, plus coffee and Mint Chips.2. In another large bowl, cream butter, vanilla and sugar. Add-in milk, ensuring it is room temperature and beat till blended.
3. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, mixing till just combined, into a dough.
4. On a lined tray, roll dough into 10 separate balls. On each ball, gently press-in one Thin Mint. Freeze for about an hour. This part is imperative as the chocolates will melt and the cookies will spread too much if you don’t freeze them!
5. Pre-heat oven at 350°F.
6. Bake about 12 minutes. These are meant to be a tad underdone, so best not to over-bake.
7. Transfer to cooling rack for 45 minutes and store in air-tight container. Will store for about 3 days. Freeze if not eating right away.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: FUNFETTI CORNFLAKE CRUNCH COOKIES RECIPE
Funfetti Cornflake Crunch Cookies. Okay, full disclosure, these are very similar to those amazing cookies you find at Momofuku‘s Milk Bar, but we’ve added a Funfetti twist to it, because if you’re pulling out all the stops already and going over-the-top, you might as well go all the way! As usual, I reduce the sugar because the originals are way sweet and nobody has any business eating that much sugar.
Ingredients:
5 cups Corn Flakes
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into cubes
36 miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup miniature milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup organic raw sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsps sweetened condensed milk
2 tsps sea salt
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
4 tbsps rainbow sprinkles
Instructions:
1. Place Corn Flakes, 3 tbsps sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt and half of brown sugar on a baking tray. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, use handmixer to cream 1 cup butter and half of brown sugar and all of raw sugar. Mix till creamy for 2 minutes.
3. Add egg and vanilla, cream with handmixer for another 5 minutes.
4. In another bowl, mix flour, 1 1/2 tsps salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Slowly add-in flour mixture to butter mixture using handmixer. Mix for 1 minute.
6. Using spatula, fold-in chocolate chips, corn flake mixture and sprinkles. Mix gently till combined evenly.
7. Using hands, form dough into 12 large balls. Stuff each dough ball with 3 marshmallows. Place on parchment paper-lined tray and refrigerate for one hour.
8. Set oven at 370°F. Arrange dough balls about 3-4″ apart from one another on baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes till golden. Transfer to cooling rack and store in air-tight container. Makes 1 dozen.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: LEVAIN BAKERY KNOCK-OFF COOKIES RECIPE
Levain Bakery Knock-off Cookies. Levain Bakery in New York City has gained international fame for its droolworthy 6 oz. cookies. They’re dense and an entire meal’s worth of calories and literally people queue hours still to this day at their four locations. They reassure everyone that they never run out of stock – you just basically have to wait. Many a savvy New Yorker have figured out that if you order via delivery, you can bypass the wait entirely. I can’t take credit for this recipe but MODERN HONEY selflessly has deciphered an approximation of their recipe and I am just adapting it to my tastes, cutting the sugar and nuts, keeping all that gooey chocolate in.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 cup chilled butter, cut into small 1″ cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup organic raw sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven at 410°F.2. In large mixing bowl, combine butter with sugars using a fork till pasty. Finish and whip with handmixer for 1-2 minutes till creamy.
3. Add eggs one at a time.
4. Add salt, starch, baking soda and cream together.
5. Add flour and mix till just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Add nuts and chocolate and mix till even, again careful not to overmix.
7. Shape dough into 8 balls.
8. Grease cookie sheet lightly and bake in two batches, 10-12 minutes each batch. The originals are slightly under-baked but bake to the full 12 minutes if you like them firmer.
9. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before transferring to cooling rack.
10. Store room temperature up to 3 days. Microwave 20 seconds to refresh.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: BEND & SNAPS RECIPE (“LEGALLY BLONDE”-INSPIRED FOR HOLLYWOOD SUITE’S “REEL MEALS”)
Bend & Snaps! Our friends at Hollywood Suite enlisted our help crafting a yummy Legally Blonde-inspired creation as part of their Reel Meals Series. We’re so thrilled to hear Mindy Kaling will be co-writing Legally Blonde 3, one of our favourite underdog stories of all time! How timely, especially since Legally Blonde will be premiering on Hollywood Suite June 28, 2020? Be sure to check-out their Blog for more movie-inspired delectables on their Blog here.
While cookies aren’t technically a meal, who doesn’t love a snack while watching a movie?
These ginger snaps not only are sinfully buttery and full of spicy sass, but they also can be dolled-up like Elle Woods would! We challenge you to break-out the sparkliest sprinkles and the hottest pink icing to pay tribute to one of our favourite on-screen heroines.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup Crisco Golden
3/4 cup organic raw sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
3 tbsps candied ginger, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Mix flour, spices, baking soda and salt together in one bowl.
2. Using handmixer, cream butter, shortening and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg and vanilla, beating till creamy.
3. Add molasses and mix till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
4. Add flour mixture bit by bit with handmixer on low, combining fully.
5. Disperse candied ginger throughout cookie dough using hands. Shape dough into a ball, cover and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
6. Using food processor, take 1/4 cup sugar and grind for about a minute. Pour sugar in a shallow platter.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
8. After chilled, allow dough to stand room temperature till pliable (about 15 or more minutes). Roll dough into equal-sized balls.
9. Dip dough balls into sugar and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Dough should yield 20-24 cookies.
10. Bake 13-15 minutes depending how firm you want the cookie. When you see crinkles form, this means the cookies are done. Remove from oven.
11. Cool on sheet for about 20-30 minutes. Once fully cooled after minimum 1 hour, you may start dressing the cookies with icing and favourite Legally Blonde phrases and words like “Elle“, “Bruiser” and of course, “Bend” and “Snap“! These are fine in the fridge for a week or more.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Hollywood Suite)
#COOKING: ALMOND COOKIES – TWO WAYS – RECIPE
Almond Cookies. These might seem basic, but they are delicious, with a pleasing chewy texture. The cookie base not only is gluten-free, it’s keto and also vegan. You can make these with minimal prep and little time in the oven. Above that, there are so few ingredients!
Here are two delectable variations, Cherry-Almond Thumbprint and Black Sesame-Almond.
Ingredients:
1 cup Almond Flour
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup black sesame seeds, toasted (variation 1)
1/4 cup crushed almonds (variation 2)
2 tbsps cherry preserves (variation 2)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven at 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, salt, flour, baking powder and oil. Add 2 tbsps of water or more and gently shape into a dough ball.
3. For variation 1, mix sesame seeds into dough. Shape into 6-8 discs and placed on baking sheet.
4. For variation 2, mix almonds into dough. Shape dough into 6-8 balls and place on baking sheet. Press thumbprint down in center if each ball and fill with fruit preserves.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and serve. These will last a few days in air-tight container, you also may freeze them.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MATCHA-PISTACHIO-ALMOND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES RECIPE
Matcha-Pistachio-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies. Scaling it back a bit today, but nothing beats a perfect cookie! This buttery elevated twist to the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie is a delight and easy to make! 🍵🍪
Ingredients:
2 cups flour, sifted
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1/3 cup of almond and pistachios, crushed
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1-2 tablespoons Matcha powder, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven at 325°F.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
3. In separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla with handmixer.
4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture bit by bit till combined.
5. Add-in chocolate chips.
6. In small skillet, toast nuts. Be careful not to burn as this happens quickly. Mix into dough evenly.
7. Using hands, roll 24 even balls and place on greased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.
8. Bake 10 minutes, or till bottom of cookie is golden brown.
9. Cool 20 minutes, transfer to storage container.
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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