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cookies

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 20, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

My whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies are an elevated twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies, and my husband’s new favorite cookie. Made with rye flour, whiskey, dark brown sugar and dark chocolate chunks, these cookies are chewy, nutty, and complex and deep in flavor. They’re so, so delicious and a must try for chocolate chip cookie lovers.

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Rye Flour

I’ve been wanting to incorporate rye flour into a recipe for a while now. It’s got a malty, earthy, sort of nutty flavor that I knew would be amazing with chocolate. Most people can associate rye flour with typical deli rye bread that is often served with reuben sandwiches. The anise-like flavor of the bread, though, is typically that of caraway seeds, NOT the rye flour itself. So don’t worry, your cookies will not taste like rye bread.

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies

How to make whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies

Melted butter is used in this recipe, instead of softened butter, which results in chewier cookies, and more of a wrinkly top . It has both granulated and dark brown sugar but has more brown sugar which adds to the chewiness and contributes to more of a complex caramel flavor. I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate bars, but you can use chocolate chips as a substitution. You just won’t get those melted chocolate pools when they’re baked.

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies

All purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda, and salt are whisked together in a bowl. In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature melted butter, and both sugars and beat on medium low to combine. This can take about 3 minutes or so and that’s to make sure that the butter is fully incorporated. You don’t want to see any pools of butter around the edge of the bowl.

Add in the vanilla, whiskey, egg and egg yolk and mix again until well combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until most of the flour is incorporated but not all. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the chopped chocolate and fold to combine, while also incorporating any remaining flour. This method prevents over mixing which can make cookies tough.

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The dough does have to be chilled for at least 4 hours. Refrigerating the dough allows the flavors to meld together and some of the water content to evaporate, concentrating the flavor, as well as re-solidifying the butter for less spread. Flour also absorbs some of the moisture lending to a thicker and chewier cookie.

Once chilled, scoop the cookies out onto parchment lined baking sheets, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies look *just* set. Err on the side of underbaking than overbaking. Serve them while they are warm and slightly still gooey.

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If you make these whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Neapolitan Cookies

Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookie made with rye flour, dark brown sugar, whiskey and dark chocolate chunks
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time14 mins
Chill4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs 29 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: chocolate chip cookies, rye cookies, whiskey and rye chocolate chip cookies
Servings: 18 cookies

Equipment

  • Electric Stand Mixer
  • Cookie scoop (Medium, 2 tbsp)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup (106g) rye flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups (170g) unsalted butter, melted and room temperature
  • ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey or bourbon
  • 1 cup (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • flaky salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Combine the all purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Combine both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pour in the melted butter and beat together on medium-low speed until well combined.
  • Beat in the vanilla extract and bourbon followed by the egg and the egg yolk, and beat until well combined, about a minute.
  • Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a few pockets of flour remain.
  • Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks, while also mixing in any remaining flour. Give the bowl a final scrape to make sure everything is well incorporated.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Using a medium size, 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheets leaving 3" between each cookie.
  • Sprinkle the tops of the dough balls with flaky salt.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown and the tops look just set. Transfer to cookie sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.
  • Serve warm.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chunk, cookies, dark chocolate, rye, whiskey

Neapolitan Cookies

April 11, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

These soft, chewy, buttery sugar Neapolitan cookies have been on my radar to make for a long time. Adapted from cookie queen Sarah Keiffer, these cookies are as delicious as they are impressive. Flavored with freeze dried strawberries, dark chocolate and vanilla, these Neapolitan cookies are made from one cookie dough. Three different flavors in one yummy bite without having to bake three separate cookies. I’d consider that a baking win.

Neapolitan Cookies

How to make Neapolitan cookies

The base recipe for this cookie dough is a vanilla sugar cookie dough. Begin by beating the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. An egg, egg yolk and vanilla are beaten in followed by the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Neapolitan Cookies

Once the dough is well combined, remove the dough from the mixer and place it on a scale. I typically weigh everything in grams anyway, but especially for this recipe as it’s easier to divide the grams into thirds. Divine the dough into 3 even portions. One third of the dough remains vanilla, another will be strawberry and the last third will be chocolate. Set aside the vanilla dough, as this dough is done and nothing more will be added to it.

Neapolitan Cookies

Place the second 1/3 of the dough back into the bowl of the stand mixer. Pour in the pulverized dried strawberries and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Remove the dough from the bowl and set aside. Wipe down the bowl with a paper towel to remove any remaining strawberry dough.

Place the last 1/3 of the dough into the bowl. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined on low speed.

Neapolitan Cookies

Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough balls of each flavor of dough, one flavor at a time. Wipe out the cookie scoop with a paper towel between scooping each flavor.

Take one each of the vanilla, strawberry and chocolate dough balls and gently press them together. Roll them together into a ball. Roll the cookies in granulated sugar and bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies look set at the edges and the center looks almost set. Err on under baking than over baking. Let the cookies cool to firm up a bit as they are fragile right out of the oven. I like to serve and eat these barely warm or at room temperature.

Neapolitan Cookies

If you make these Neapolitan cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Persian Love Cookies

Funfetti Sandwich Cookies

Neapolitan Cookies
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Neapolitan Cookies

Strawberry, chocolate and vanilla cookies
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookies, neapolitan, neapolitan cookies
Servings: 22 cookies

Equipment

  • Electric Stand Mixer
  • Kitchen Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 ⅔ cups (320g) all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cups (333g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup freeze dried strawberries
  • 1 drop pink or red gel food color
  • 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • In a food processor, pulverize the strawberries until powdery.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  • Add in the flour mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Remove from the mixing bowl. No need to rinse out the mixing bowl.
  • Using a kitchen scale, weigh all of the dough. Divide the dough into three portions.
  • One portion is your vanilla dough. Nothing will be added to it. Set vanilla dough aside.
  • Place one portion of dough back into the mixing bowl. Add the freeze dried strawberries and a drop of red or pink food color. Beat on low speed until well combined.
  • Remove the strawberry dough from the bowl and set aside. Wipe out the bowl with a paper towel.
  • Place last portion of dough back into the mixing bowl. Add the cocoa powder, beating on low speed until well combined.
  • Use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop to portion the vanilla cookie dough into balls. Wipe down the inside of the cookie dough scoop with a paper towel.
  • Repeat with the strawberry cookie dough. Wipe down the inside of the cookie dough scoop with a paper towel.
  • Repeat with the chocolate cookie dough.
  • Take one each of the vanilla, strawberry and chocolate dough balls and gently press them together. Roll into a ball.
  • Repeat making tri-color dough balls with the remaining dough.
  • Place the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar into a shallow bowl.
  • Roll the dough balls into the sugar and place on the cookie sheets, 3 inches apart.
  • Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just set and the centers still soft.
  • Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are firm enough to handle.

Notes

Adapted from Sarah Kieffer’s 100 Cookies: The Baking Book For Every Kitchen with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: chewy cookies, chocolate, cookies, neapolitan, soft baked, strawberry, sugar cookies

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

April 5, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

A truly classic flavor, vanilla is complex, deep in flavor and anything but simple or boring. Perhaps it’s so common, that some have forgotten how truly amazing the flavor of vanilla really is. My toasted sugar vanilla macarons are anything but boring, highlighting the woodsy, floral, marshmallowy flavor of vanilla with the addition of a subtly toasty, caramelized flavor from toasted sugar. This is one of my family’s favorite macarons to date. And I’m sure you and yours will love it too.

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

Toasted Sugar

Toasting sugar is a simple way to add more depth and caramelized flavor to baked goods. I like to use toasted sugar in vanilla based recipes to emphasize flavor. Bake the sugar for about an hour, and stir every 15 minutes until the sugar has turned a light golden color. You will see the color gradually turn to ivory to a light golden color. If the sugar forms any clumps, run it through the food processor to pulverize it and break up the lumps. Toasted sugar is totally worth the time and can be used interchangeably in recipes that call for regular granulated sugar.

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

Macaron Shells

Follow my recipe directions for these macarons to a T and you will have perfect macarons every time. The primary flavors of these macaron shells is toasted sugar and vanilla from vanilla bean paste.

Before you begin making the macarons, prepare the ingredients. Have everything ready to go before starting the recipe. Leave the egg whites out to sit at room temperature in the bowl of a stand mixer for 30 minutes. Place the granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Sift, and if any large pieces remain, pulverize them in a food processor and sift again.

In a separate bowl, sift together the almond flour, and powdered sugar. If any large pieces remain, pulverize them in a food processor and sift again.

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

Beat with the whisk attachment until the eggs are foamy, then whisk in the sugar/salt/cream of tartar. Whip until stiff peaks form. This means that the egg whites will stick straight up when you pull the whisk out of the whites. They will be thick and glossy.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the almond flour mixture. The egg whites will deflate a bit and that is ok. The batter is ready when it “ribbons”, which means it falls off the batter in a thick but steady stream. You should be able to make a “8” with the batter falling off the spatula. This means the batter is ready. You’re looking for about 55-75 folds. Check for the ribboning after every 15-20 seconds. You don’t want to over mix. Once the batter ribbons, they’re ready to pipe.

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

This buttercream is a scaled down version of my go-to American style buttercream. It’s light, whipped smooth, and creamy. This recipe requires whipping the buttercream in total for 12 or so minutes. Don’t skimp on the whipping time – this ensures a light, fluffy and not grainy buttercream.

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

If you make my toasted sugar vanilla macarons, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more macaron recipes, check out these posts:

Red Velvet Macarons

Crème Brûlée Macarons

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons
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Toasted Sugar Vanilla Macarons

Toasted sugar vanilla macarons with vanilla bean buttercream
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Cool30 mins
Total Time1 hr 25 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: easter macarons, macarons, toasted sugar, vanilla buttercream, vanilla macarons
Servings: 24 macarons

Equipment

  • Electric Stand Mixer
  • Piping bags
  • Macaron silicone baking mats (optional)
  • # 12 Round piping tip
  • Kitchen Scale

Ingredients

Toasted Sugar Macaron Shells

  • 3 large (90g) egg whites
  • 60 grams granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 150 grams powdered sugar
  • 120 grams almond flour
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (114g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Toasted Sugar Macaron Shells

  • Preheat the oven to 325F.
  • Evenly pour the granulated sugar into a glass or ceramic baking dish.
  • Toast the sugar until lightly golden, for about 45-60 minutes, stirring after every 15.
  • Let the sugar cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
  • While the sugar cools, place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Once cool, place the sugar into the bowl of a food processor to break up any clumps that formed during baking.
  • In medium size bowl, sift together the toasted sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour. Process the remaining large pieces in a food processor to pulverize them, then sift. Set the bowl aside.
  • Line half baking sheets with parchment paper, or macaron guide silicone mats. Or place templates under the parchment, if using.
  • Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy.
  • Beat in the toasted sugar, cream of tartar and salt mixture.
  • Whip the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form. The meringue will stand up straight when the whisk is removed. The egg white mixture will be thick and glossy.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and folding in the almond flour mixture. The egg whites will deflate a bit and that is ok. The batter is ready when it "ribbons", which means it falls off the batter in a stream. You should be able to make a "8" with the batter falling off the spatula. This means the batter is ready. You're looking for about 50-75 folds. Check for the ribboning after every 15-20 seconds.
  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 1A or 2A) and pipe 1 1/2" rounds on the parchment paper.
  • Firmly tap the pans on the counter 2-3 times to remove air bubbles. Let the macarons sit until just slightly tacky, but no batter comes off on your fingers, about 30 minutes.
  • Bake the macarons for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 6-8 minutes on medium speed. Butter will become very pale and creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar, cream, vanilla bean paste and salt. Mix on low speed for 1 minute to incorporate the ingredients.
  • Increase the speed to medium and whip for and additional 5-7 minutes. Frosting will be light, creamy and fluffy.

Assemble the Macarons

  • Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip ( I used a Wilton #12).
  • Flip half of the macaron shells over, flat side up. Pipe a mound of buttercream in the centers of the flipped shells.
  • Place the remaining macaron shells on top of the cookies with filling and squeeze gently, until the filling just reaches the edges.

Notes

Toasted sugar vanilla macarons can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: buttercream, cookies, easter, macarons, spring, sprinkles, toasted sugar, vanilla bean

Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies

March 30, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

One of the best spring flavor combinations – lavender and lemon – is here on the blog today with my super cute, spring flower themed lavender lemon curd linzer cookies. Tart, sweet and silky lemon curd sandwiched between buttery, tender, and crumbly lavender lemon shortbread cookies are a must bake this season.

Lavender Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

Lavender Lemon Linzer Cookies

Dried culinary lavender is what gives these lavender lemon linzer cookies their lavender flavor. Processing the lavender in the food processor with the flour, lemon zest and salt finely chops up the lavender and disperses it throughout the flour mixture. The lemon and lavender are well balanced so that you get flavors from both that are lovely, sweet and fragrant, not soapy and pungent.

Lavender Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

As when making any kind of shortbread, a light hand is required when mixing and cutting out the cookies. When beating the butter and the sugar, beat just until well combined. Avoid beating too much air into the mixture as it can cause the cookies to spread. Beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it before rolling it out.

Roll and cut out the dough using a flower cookie cutter. I like to roll the dough out on a non stick baking mat. Typically I will place a piece of parchment over the dough and roll it out that way so that there isn’t any dough sticking to the rolling pin. This method also prevents too much reworking of the dough, keeping the cookies tender and light. Bake the cookies until they are beginning to lightly brown around the edges.

Lavender Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

Lemon Curd

Every baker should have a go to lemon curd recipe in their recipe collection and this one is my mine. This curd is silky, and tart with the right amount of sweetness. And, no metallic taste that can sometimes accompany citrus curds.

Working the lemon zest into the sugar maximizes and intensifies the lemon flavor of the curd. Mix the zest into the sugar until it is grainy, moist and very fragrant. Cook the lemon sugar, egg, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt until thickened. Strain the curd to get discard the zest and any curdled egg. Whisk in butter to help thicken the curd and give it a silkier texture. Chill the curd completely before using.

Lavender Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

Assembling the Cookies

Dust the cooled cookies with the center cut out with a light dusting of powdered sugar. On the solid cut out cookies, place a 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons of lemon curd in the center. I like to load my cookies with as much curd as I know won’t be squish out of the cookies when a bite is taken. Place the powdered sugar dusted cookies on top and push down gently until the curd reaches the edge of the cookie.

Lavender Lemon Curd Sandwich Cookies

If you make my lavender lemon curd linzer cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more lemon recipes, check out these posts:

Lemon Jasmine Blueberry Scones

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Meyer Lemon Ginger Tart with Toasted Honey Meringue

Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars

Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies
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Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies

Silky, tart and sweet lemon curd sandwiched between buttery lemon lavender shortbread cookies
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Chill2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: funfetti sandwich cookies with marshmallow buttercream filling, lavender, lemon curd, linzer cookies, shortbread cookies
Servings: 12 sandwich cookies

Equipment

  • Flower cookie cutters I used a 3" cutter
  • Round cookie cutters I used a 1" cutter
  • Electric Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Lavender Lemon Cookies

  • 2 ¼ cups (270g) all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon culinary lavender
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Lemon Curd

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (76g) lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

Make the lemon curd.

  • Combine the sugar and lemon zest into a bowl. Rub the mix between your hands to release the oils of the zest.
  • Add the egg and egg yolks to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine thoroughly. 
  • Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the mixture into a medium sauce pan, and place over a medium low heat. Add the butter. Whisk continuously to keep the mixture moving so your eggs don't scramble.
  • Cook the curd until thick and just beginning to bubble, or until an instant read thermometer reaches 170F.
  • Take the curd off of the heat and whisk in the butter. Strain the curd into a container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Refrigerate curd for at least 2 hours or up to a week.

Make the lavender lemon linzer cookies.

  • In a food processor, pulse together the flour, lavender, lemon zest and salt until well blended. You want the lavender to be dispersed and chopped up a bit.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, and powdered sugar and beat together on medium speed until creamy and combined.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
  • Turn the dough out onto some cling film. Press the dough together, forming a disc shape, about an inch in height. Wrap the dough with the cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
  • Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. 
  • Using a 3" flower shaped cutter, cut out flower shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. You should have 24 cookies.
  • Place the cookies 2" apart on the baking sheets.
  • Using a 1" round cutter, cut a hole into the center of 12 of the cookies.
  • Place the cookies into the refrigerator to chill for an additional 30-40 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350F while the cookies are chilling.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn a light golden brown.
  • Let cool completely on the cookie sheets or on a cooling rack.
  • Place the cookies with the holes in them on a cookie sheet and sift a light dusting of powdered sugar over the top.
  • Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of curd on each whole cookie. Carefully top each with a sugar dusted cookie and press down gently to create a cookie sandwich.
  • Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: cookies, lavender, lemon, lemon curd, linzer cookies, sandwich cookies, shortbread

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

March 2, 2022 By Ashley 1 Comment

Recently, at a small town coffee shop, I ordered a salted honey latte. I loved it so much I decided to recreate it, packing all of the flavors of a salted honey latte into a cookie. My salted honey coffee macarons are filled with rich and silky coffee Kalua French buttercream and salted honey sandwiched inside crisp and chewy coffee macaron shells. So delicious and addictive, you will want to make these macarons on repeat.

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

Coffee Macarons

The macaron shells are flavored with instant coffee, or you can also use instant espresso. Use a instant coffee that you like, or one that is known to be good quality because the coffee is the star and dominant flavor of these shells.

Before you begin making the macarons, prepare the ingredients. Leave the egg whites out to sit at room temperature in the bowl of a stand mixer for 30 minutes. Place the granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Sift and discard any large pieces.

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

In a separate bowl, sift together the almond flour, instant coffee, and confectioner’s sugar. Discard the large pieces.

Beat with the whisk attachment until the eggs are foamy, then whisk in the sugar/salt/cream of tartar. Whip until stiff peaks form. This means that the egg whites will stick straight up when you pull the whisk out of the whites. They will be thick and glossy.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the almond flour mixture. The egg whites will deflate a bit and that is ok. The batter is ready when it “ribbons”, which means it falls off the batter in a stream. You should be able to make a “8” with the batter falling off the spatula. This means the batter is ready. You’re looking for about 55-75 folds. Check for the ribboning after every 15-20 seconds. You don’t want to over mix.

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

Firmly tap the pans 2-3 times on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Let the macs sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to set. They’re ready to baked when the tops are slightly tacky and you can touch them without batter sticking to your fingers. Sitting out helps to create the macaron feet so that the macarons bake upwards and don’t spread outwards.

Bake for 20 minutes. The macs will be set, risen and have little ruffly feet around the bottom. Let the macs dry before removing them from the parchment. Fully baked, they will be easy to remove from the parchment or silicone mat.

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

Coffee Kalua French Buttercream

French buttercream is one of my favorite macaron fillings. See my post on French buttercream to see step by step how to make it. This is an egg yolk based buttercream so it’s creamy and custardy. It holds the coffee and Kalua well so that the flavors really come through the buttercream.

Assembling salted honey coffee macarons

Fit a piping bag with a #12 round piping tip and fill with buttercream. Turn half of the macarons flat side up. Pipe a border of buttercream. Fill the centers with honey. I like to use a thicker, raw clover honey, but you can use whatever honey you keep on hand. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the honey. Place the other half of the macaron shells on top to create a sandwich. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

If you make these salted honey coffee macarons, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more macaron recipes, check out these posts:

Creme Brûlée Macarons

Red Velvet Macarons

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons
Print Recipe
4 from 1 vote

Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

Rich and silky coffee Kalua French buttercream and salted honey sandwiched inside crisp and chewy coffee macaron shells
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 24 – 30 macarons

Ingredients

Coffee Macarons

  • 3 large (90g) egg whites (reserve two egg yolks for buttercream)
  • 60 grams superfine, caster or granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee, or espresso
  • 150 grams confectioners sugar
  • 120 grams almond flour

Kalua Coffee French Buttercream

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso
  • 1 teaspoon Kalua, or more to taste
  • pinch of fine sea salt

Salted Honey

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Coffee Macaron Shells

  • Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in medium size bowl, sift together the superfine sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Discard any large pieces of sugar left. Set bowl aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour. Process the remaining large pieces in a food processor to pulverize them, then sift. Set the bowl aside.
  • Line half baking sheets with parchment paper, or macaron guide silicone mats. Or place templates under the parchment, if using.
  • Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy.
  • Beat in the granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt mixture.
  • Whip the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form. The meringue will stand up straight when the whisk is removed. The egg white mixture will be thick and glossy.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and folding in the almond flour mixture. The egg whites will deflate a bit and that is ok. The batter is ready when it "ribbons", which means it falls off the batter in a stream. You should be able to make a "8" with the batter falling off the spatula. This means the batter is ready. You're looking for about 50-75 folds. Check for the ribboning after every 15-20 seconds.
  • Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton 1A or 2A) and pipe 1 1/2" rounds on the parchment paper.
  • Firmly tap the pans on the counter 2-3 times to remove air bubbles. Let the macarons sit until just slightly tacky, but no batter comes off on your fingers, about 30-60 minutes.
  • Meanwhile preheat the oven to 300F. Bake the macarons for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Coffee Kalua French Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed until very pale in color and slightly thickened.
  • In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of water and place over medium heat, stirring on occasion.
  • While the sugar is boiling prepare the coffee mixture. Combine 2 tablespoons of hot water with the instant coffee. Let sit to cool.
  • Once the mixture starts to boil, stop stirring and boil the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and reaches 238F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
  • With the mixture on low speed, slowly stream in the hot sugar syrup. Be sure to do this slowly and on low speed so the hot sugar doesn't splash up.
  • Turn the mixer up to medium and beat until the mixture is room temperature and the bowl is completely cool.
  • Add the butter, a few pieces at a time. Add in the salt, Kalua and coffee mixture.
  • Beat until the buttercream is completely smooth and silky (about 3 minutes).

Assemble the macarons

  • Spoon the coffee Kalua buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip ( I used a Wilton #12).
  • Flip half of the macaron shells over, flat side up. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the perimeter of flipped shells.
  • Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of honey into the center of the buttercream ring.
  • Top the honey with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
  • Place the remaining macaron shells on top of the cookies with filling and squeeze gently, until the filling just reaches the edges.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: almond flour, coffee, cookies, espresso, honey, kalua, macarons, meringue

Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

February 11, 2022 By Ashley Leave a Comment

I LOVE these cookies. They’re just so, so pretty. My watercolor red velvet sugar cookies are super delicious (hello, red velvet in cookie form), but they are super easy to make, with minimal supplies and they make awesome gifts. Decorate these for Valentine’s Day for your loved ones, or switch it up and make them for the holidays with the cookie cutter of your choice.

Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

Red Velvet Sugar Cut Out Cookies

This cookie has all the flavor of red velvet cake in sugar cookie form. This recipe is similar to my go-to sugar cookie recipe, but with the addition of cream cheese, cocoa powder and red gel food coloring. This recipe comes together fast and easily, and can be made in advance and frozen. Bonus, especially if you’re planning on making a lot of cookies.

Room temperature butter and cream cheese is beaten with sugar until just combined. An egg, red gel color, and vanilla are mixed in, followed by flour, cocoa powder and salt. Be sure to beat the butter and sugar together until *just* combined. No need for “light and fluffy” for these cookies. Incorporating air during the beating process contributes to spread as it causes the cookies to puff up and deflate and spread while baking. Chilling the dough before baking is also an important step to help keep the cookies from spreading.

The thinner you roll and cut out the cookies, the more crisp they will be. I like to roll my dough out to about  1/4″ thick to make sure they’re softer towards the center, and crispy on the outside. Once you cut out the cookies, they need to be chilled. Chilling is important with sugar cookies as it helps them retain their shape. Once the cookies have been chilled throughly, they are then baked and cooled.

Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

While the cookies are cooling, make the royal icing. I decorated my cookies with my go-to royal icing. This recipe is slightly different from some recipes because it contains corn syrup, which gives the icing a bit of shine when it dries, but also gives it a bit more elasticity when when piping. Additionally, it helps the royal icing to be a bit softer and not as rock hard when it’s dried.

I used the same icing consistency (15-20 second icing) to outline and fill in my cookies. Thin out stiff royal icing  with a few drops of water at a time until a toothpick or spatula that is ran through the icing creates a line that fills up and flattens out within 15-20 seconds. For this consistency, the icing has to be thin enough to flow, while remaining thick enough that it doesn’t fall off the side of the cookie. Pipe a border around the perimeter of the cookie and fill it in. Let the royal icing dry completely before painting.

Watercolor Paints

To make my watercolor paints, I used edible powder colors. You can certainly use gel color if you like, but I like the powder color because of more color options and the color dissolves better. Make a paint by adding vodka to the color until you reach the desired color. Test the color by dipping the clean paintbrush into the watercolor paint and paint a stripe on a paper towel. Make any adjustments, like adding more color to make the color darker, or adding more vodka to make the color lighter.

Instead of using paintbrushes for this project, I used cosmetic sponges. I find that they apply the color more evenly and blend the colors better. I think there is better control over the application of the color better with the sponges. Use a separate sponge for each color used. This technique will work with brushes in a pinch. Be sure to not saturate the brushes with too much paint and dab rather than painting strokes.

Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

Watercolor Effect Tutorial

  • Work with the lightest color up to the darkest color. The watercolor effect is achieved by layering and building color. With the cosmetic sponge, dab on lightest color over the surface of the cookie.
  • Repeat with the second lightest color.
  • Repeat with the next color, and proceeding colors. I used 4 colors but you can use as many as you would like.
  • Dab the darkest color on to the cookie. Use a clean sponge to blend the darker color into the rest of the watercolor design.
Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

  • Use a clean paintbrush (used for food only) to clean up and dab a bit of color around the perimeter of the cookie to make sure all the white of the royal icing is covered.
  • Leave to dry for 15 minutes.
  • For the gold splatter, measure out a 1/2 teaspoon of edible gold dust powder. Add 2 – 3 drops of vodka and mix until you have a thick but liquid paint.
  • Saturate a clean paintbrush (used for food only) and with a gloved hand, pull the bristles back with your thumb, release the bristles and flick the paint onto the cookies. Repeat a couple times until you like the way the gold splatter looks.
  • Leave to dry completely before packaging or serving.
Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

If you make these watercolor red velvet sugar cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more decorated cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Matcha Sugar Cookies

Black Cocoa Sugar Cookies + Decorated Pumpkins Tutorial

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Tutorial: Speckled Egg Cookies

Watercolor Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
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Red Velvet Sugar Cookies

Red velvet sugar cut out cookies
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time17 mins
Chill1 hr
Total Time1 hr 27 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 24 cookies (3″)

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups (330g) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (21g) cocoa powder, natural
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 oz (114g) cream cheese
  • 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons red gel food color

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly combined.
  • Add the egg, followed by the vanilla extract and red gel color, beating until just combined.
  • Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour/cocoa mixture and beat until just combined. 
  • Turn the dough out onto a work surface sprinkled lightly with flour. Pat the dough into a disc shape.
  • Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Place the chilled dough on a work surface that has been sprinkled with flour. Sprinkle the top of the dough and the rolling pin lightly with flour to prevent any sticking.
  • Roll out the dough to 1/8-3/8" thick, depending on your preference, rotating the dough as you roll to prevent the dough from sticking. If the dough is sticking, you can roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment or wax paper.
  • Cut out desired shapes and place the cookies 2" apart on the cookie sheets.
  • Place the cookie sheets into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
  • Bake the cookies for 16-18 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheets, halfway through baking. You're looking for the cookies to be soft when touched in the center, but fully cooked. Baking the cookies longer will result in a crispier cookie while baking them to just cooked will keep them soft.
  • Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Filed Under: Cookie Tutorials, Cookies Tagged With: cookies, cream cheese, cut out cookies, red velvet, royal icing, Valentine's Day, watercolor

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

November 5, 2021 By Ashley 7 Comments

Chocoholics – this one is for you. If you’re looking for a rich, fudgy, salty, and gooey caramel cookie, look no further. These salted caramel brownie cookies are out of this world amazing. Imagine the best of a brownie – a crackly top, with a soft and fudgy interior in cookie form, and filled with gooey caramel and topped with flaky sea salt. These cookies are homey and ultimate comfort food, but upscale and indulgent at the same time, like a chocolate truffle.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

I recommend using Kraft or Werther’s Originals Chewy Caramels for these cookies, but any chewy caramel will do. I like to roll the caramels into balls before stuffing into the cookie batter so that the edges don’t stick out of the cookie and harden while baking.

How to make Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

The foundation of these cookies is chocolate so be sure to choose the best bittersweet chocolate within your budget. Ghirardelli or Guittard are good grocery store brands to use. Before preparing the cookie dough, melt the chocolate. I prefer to do this in the microwave. Heat for 30 second increments until mostly melted, with just a few chunks of unmelted chocolate remaining. Then, gently stir until all the chocolate has melted. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt are whisked together to combine and break up any lumps. Butter and sugar are beated until light and fluffy followed by the eggs. The mixture is then whipped until light and creamy. Make sure your butter and eggs are room temperature so that the mixture doesn’t split. A cold mixture could also result in some seized chocolate when the melted chocolate is added. Room temperature melted chocolate is added, followed by the dry ingredients and additional chocolate chips.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

You’ll notice the dough seems a bit wet, almost like brownie batter, but it will start to firm up quickly, so don’t let the dough sit too long before scooping out the cookies. You don’t want to refrigerate this dough as it will get too hard to scoop. I used a large 2oz ice cream scoop, but you can also use 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the cookies. Scoop enough dough to fill half of the scoop. Insert the caramel ball in the center and scoop more dough to fill the scoop and cover the caramel.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

These cookies spread a bit so I bake them on two cookie sheets – 6 cookies on each. Since these cookies are really rich, you can use a smaller scoop to make smaller cookies if you wish. Sprinkle the tops with a bit of flaky salt. Bake the cookies until they have crackly tops and look just set, but not wet. Don’t over bake.

Unfortunately, these cookies can not be made in advance. They will harden and won’t spread right in the oven. Luckily, they don’t take very long to make and they’re so so worth it.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

If you make these salted caramel brownie cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Pistachio Cherry Linzer Cookies

Persian Love Cookies

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
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4 from 5 votes

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

Crinkly, fudgy and indulgent brownie cookies filled with caramel and topped with flaky salt
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time14 mins
Total Time34 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (103g) all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 10 ounces (283g) bittersweet chocolate
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (170g) semi or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 12 chewy caramels
  • flaky sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30 second increments until mostly melted. Stir until fully melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated, scraping the bowl after each addition.
  • Increase the speed to high and beat until light and creamy.
  • Decreas the speed to low. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
  • Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Use a large 2oz ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the cookies.
  • Roll the caramels into a ball shape.
  • Scoop enough of the cookie dough to fill half of the scoop. Press one of the caramel balls into the dough.
  • Scoop more dough to cover up the caramel and fill the scoop.
  • Scoop the cookies and place them on to the cookie sheets – 6 on each, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie.
  • Top the cookies with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
  • Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes until they are crackly and look just set. If you are baking in batches do not refrigerate or the cookies will not spread as they should.
  • Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Serve warm for gooey puddles of chocolate and caramel.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook by Tom Douglas.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: brownies, caramel, chocolate, cookies, salted caramel

Matcha Sugar Cookies + Decorated Halloween Cauldron

October 13, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

I love a good sugar cookie, especially one that actually tastes good, and doesn’t spread all over the place when baking. I’ve shared recipes for my go-to sugar cookie recipe and my black cocoa sugar cookies, so today I am sharing with you my matcha sugar cookie recipe. It tastes amazing AND doesn’t spread when baking. I love matcha. It’s earthy, with a hint of sweetness and umami flavor. Really though, it’s hard to explain what makes matcha so appealing and tasty, but it is. My matcha sugar cookies are earthy, just sweet enough, with a hint of almond to compliment the green tea.

Matcha Cut Out Sugar Cookies

When making these cookies, I thought, what better way to highlight a green cookie than with a Halloween theme decoration. So, I went with a witchy cauldron cookie with glowy green potion bubbles with some sugar eyeballs, bones and sprinkles.

Now, if you’ve been to my blog before, you know that royal icing cookie decorating is not my strongest skill nor am I overly patient with the process. So for these cookies, I kept it easy. You will need:

a cauldron cookie cutter

15 second royal icing – black, white and bright green

a scribe tool or a toothpick

#1 and #2 piping tips

piping bags

Cauldron Cookies

I wanted to give the cauldrons a used, beat up look just to kind of make them look old and witchy. I outlined the cauldron shape on the cookie with royal icing. Then I gave the cauldron some “feet” to stand on. I filled in the outlines right away with black royal icing, leaving some areas more sparse than others. This will give the icing an uneven look when they’re completely filled in with icing. If you want a more solid look not-so-banged-up look, flood the cookie evenly and wiggle it back and forth on your work surface to even out the icing.

While the black was drying, I made icing eyeballs and bones with white royal icing. You can buy both sugar bones and eyeballs at the craft store during Halloween if you want to keep things simple. To make them yourself, pipe different small sized rounds on a parchment paper. You want to keep them small but varying in size. Let them dry completely, then use an edible marker or gel food color to paint the black centers. To make the bones, use a #1 tip to pipe a “Y” shape, then pipe an upside down “V” on the bottom of the Y.

Cauldron Cookies

For the potion bubbles, I used a #2 piping tip and piped various sized dots along the top area of the cookie. Be sure the dots do not touch otherwise they will run together. Wait for the dots to crust over and dry a bit, then add a second layer. Repeat this step 2 or 3 more times. While the dots are still wet, place the eyeballs and the bones, then the sprinkles. Let the cookies dry completely before storing and packaging.

Cauldron Cookies

If you make these matcha sugar cookies or use this decorated cauldron tutorial, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more decorated cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Black Cocoa Sugar Cookies + Decorated Pumpkins Tutorial

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Tutorial: Speckled Egg Cookies

Matcha cut out sugar cookies
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Matcha Sugar Cookies

Matcha green tea flavored sugar cut out cookies
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Chill1 hr
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 -14 large cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons matcha tea
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 batch prepared royal icing

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, matcha and salt until combined. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until thoroughly combined.
  • Add the egg, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts beating until just combined.
  • Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour and beat until just combined. 
  • Turn the dough out onto a work surface sprinkled lightly with confectioner's sugar. Pat the dough into a disc shape.
  • Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Place the chilled dough on a work surface that has been sprinkled with confectioner's sugar. Sprinkle the top of the dough and the rolling pin lightly with confectioner's sugar to prevent any sticking.
  • Roll out the dough to 1/8-3/8" thick, depending on your preference, rotating the dough as you roll to prevent the dough from sticking.
  • Cut out desired shapes and place the cookies 2" apart on the cookie sheets.
  • Place the cookie sheets into the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to chill.
  • Bake the cookies for 17-20 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheets, halfway through baking. You're looking for the cookies to be soft when touched in the center, but fully cooked. Baking the cookies longer will result in a crispier cookie while baking them to just cooked will keep them soft.
  • Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Matcha sugar cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Dough can be frozen for up to three months.

Filed Under: Cookie Tutorials, Cookies Tagged With: cookie tutorial, cookies, cut out cookies, halloween, matcha, royal icing, sprinkles, sugar cookies, tea

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

October 5, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Autumn baking is in full swing this year, and I’m kicking it off with these brown butter pumpkin spice snickerdoodles. Rich and nutty brown butter gives these cookies so much depth and flavor. Sub out the traditional cinnamon for pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves) and you’ve got soft, chewy, nutty, fall flavored snickerdoodles. They’re so good that you will definitely want to include them in your holiday cookie exchange.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Spice

Instead of the traditional cinnamon, I used my homemade pumpkin spice blend (recipe listed below) to give these cookies some extra fall flavor, the spicy flavors of pumpkin pie. You can certainly use a store bought pumpkin spice blend if you wish. There is pumpkin spice in the cookies and the dough balls are rolled in pumpkin spice and sugar before baking.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Brown Butter

The brown butter will need to be made in advance so that it has time to cool. It’s important to make sure that the brown butter has solidified, but it still needs to be room temperature and scoopable before using. The texture should be like that of regular room temperature butter. It’s best to let it cool at room temperature, but you can also speed it up a bit by popping it in the refrigerator. Just keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t get too solid or cold.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

How to make brown butter pumpkin spice snickerdoodles

There’s nothing special in the making of these snickerdoodles. They’re quick to make (once the the butter is browned) and do NOT require refrigeration. I repeat, NO refrigeration. Always a win, right? You can definitely store dough balls in the fridge or freezer if you plan on baking them later. Roll the dough balls in the sugar/spice mix right before baking.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Cream the room temperature butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the flour/spice mixture to the batter in two parts, and mix just until combined. I like to use an ice cream scoop (2 tablespoon size) to portion out the dough. Make the rolling sugar by mixing together the sugar and the pumpkin spice. Use a small whisk or fork to break up any clumps.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Roll the dough balls in the sugar/pumpkin spice mixture. Gently push down on the dough balls with the bottom of cup to flatten slightly. Bake the cookies until they are just set on top.

If you make these brown butter pumpkin spice snickerdoodles, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes and creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more autumn baking recipes, check out these posts:

Mulled Apple Cider Cake Donuts

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
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Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles

Soft and chewy snickerdoodles made with brown butter and pumpkin spice rolled in pumpkin spice sugar
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Chill1 hr
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (71g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice, or homemade pumpkin spice (recipe below)

Rolling Sugar

  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin spice

Pumpkin Spice

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Place the butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter cook while occasionally stirring to ensure the butter is cooking evenly.
  • Cook the butter until it is a deep golden brown color and smells nutty and toasted, about 5 -7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Let the butter cool to room temperature. Place the butter in the refrigerator until solid but scoopable.
  • Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.
  • On low speed, add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated.
  • Scoop the dough with a medium size/2 tablespoon ice cream scoop onto a lined cookie sheet. Use the bottom of a cup or measuring cup to flatten the cookies just a bit.
  • Whisk together the granulated sugar and 1 ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
  • Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture until coated.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown and the tops look just set. Transfer to cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.
  • Eat warm, or cool and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Notes

The dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: brown butter, christmas cookies, cookies, pumpkin spice, snickerdoodles

Persian Love Cookies

August 20, 2021 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Any time I get to decorate bakes and cakes with flowers is a win for me. Rose petals are so pretty and the pop of color makes these cookies really stand out. These Persian love cookies are not only beautifully decorated, but they’re also absolutely delicious. Made with lemon zest, cardamom, pistachios and rose water, these shortbread cookies are tender, buttery, and highly addictive. It’s hard to eat just one. Dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios and they are perfect for serving with a cup of tea.

Persian Love Cookies

What are Persian love cookies?

My Persian love cookies are an adaptation of the Persian love cake, a popular and traditional cake that originates from the middle east. The unique and distinctive flavors of this well known cake – cardamom, lemon, rose and pistachio – were used to make my Persian love cookies. The flavors in these cookies work so well and they complement each other. The Persian love cake is also sometimes flavored with saffron, orange, various spices like cinnamon or ginger, and almond.

Persian Love Cookies

How to make these cookies

Sugar and butter are beaten with lemon zest. Adding the lemon zest in this step allows the oils of the lemon zest to infuse the butter/sugar mixture with a stronger lemon flavor. Vanilla and rose water are beaten in next. Rose water has a very strong rose scent which also means it has a very strong rose flavor. A little goes a very long way with these cookies, so I used 1/4 teaspoon. For a more prominent rose flavor, you can add up to 1/2 teaspoon without making the cookies taste like rose soap. The idea is to use these strong flavored ingredients – rose water, cardamom and lemon in a balanced way and still able to taste the buttery shortbread without making the flavors too overpowering.

Persian Love Cookies

Flour, salt, cardamom and pistachios are added to the butter/sugar mixture and beaten until just combined. Don’t over mix as this will make the cookies tough. The dough needs to chill for 30 minutes to relax the gluten. This will make them easier to roll out. I chose to use a scalloped edge cookie cutter but you can use any cutter you like. A 2 1/2″ cookie cutter will make 22-24 cookies.

Persian Love Cookies

Chill the cookies after they are cut out to firm them up a bit before baking. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and allow them to cool before dipping them in white chocolate. Place some edible rose petals on the white chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Let the white chocolate set up before serving.

Persian Love Cookies

If you make my Persian love cookies, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Red Velvet Macarons

Pistachio Cherry Linzer Cookies

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

Persian Love Cookies
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Persian Love Cookies

A buttery and tender shortbread cookie made with lemon zest, cardamom, rose water and pistachios, dipped in white chocolate and topped with edible dried rose petals and chopped pistachios
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time17 mins
Chill1 hr
Course: Dessert
Servings: 22 -24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (60g) confectioner's sugar
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon rose water See notes above.
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cup (306g) all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ cup (57g) chopped pistachios
  • 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips or wafers
  • Chopped pistachios, for sprinkling
  • Dried rose petals, for sprinkling

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, lemon zest, and confectioners sugar and beat together on medium speed until creamy and combined.
  • Beat in the vanilla and rose water.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour, salt, cardamom and pistachios and beat just until combined.
  • Turn the dough out onto some cling film. Press the dough together, forming a disc shape, about an inch in height. Wrap the dough with the cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out your cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the desired shapes and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches in between the cookies.
  • Place the cooking sheets into the refrigerator to chill for 30-45 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F while the cookies are chilling.
  • Once the cookies are properly chilled, bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn a light golden brown.
  • Let cool completely on the cookie sheets or on a cooling rack.
  • Place the white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl.
  • Melt the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave until the chocolate has melted.
  • Dip the cookies into the white chocolate.
  • Before the chocolate is set, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and top with edible rose petals. Let the chocolate dry, then serve.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: cardamom, cookies, lemon, persian love cookies, pistachio, rose, shortbread, white chocolate

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