I MET GIADA!

As you may or may not know, Giada De Laurentiis has a new book out and is on a book signing tour. She came to the Williams-Sonoma near me, so of course I had to go. She was super nice, talked to everyone, high-fived a couple of people - definitely everything we'd hoped for!

Meeting Giada!

Since to meet her, you had to buy her book (I say "had to," but I was super excited to get it), I thought I'd make something out of it. I ended up making the Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam. The recipe is online at foodnetwork.com, and I would definitely recommend making them! They were a total hit! I used blackberry jam, as the recipe says, but I think many jams would work, and I plan on experimenting in the future with different types.

Here's how mine turned out:

YUM!

Cookie up close!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Biscoff Cookies

Hello! After a much too long baking hiatus, I'm back and baking. Unfortunately, I was a bit under prepared in regards to ingredients, and had to make a mash-up of a cookie. Additionally, because I used whatever I had in my cupboard, I didn't measure anything. Here are my best guesses for what went into these cookies!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Biscoff Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup Biscoff spread (I used Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups mini pretzels
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in mixer. (Note: you can break up the pretzels beforehand, but I just threw them in my mixer and it worked perfectly well)
3. Mix in chocolate chips by hand
4. Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes (you can skip this step, but I think it helps the cookies keep their shape)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Cookies baking!

Vanilla Cookie Cupcakes

Vanilla Cookie Cupcakes!
Recipe from: How Sweet It Is
 
These cupcakes are two layers - one cookie, one cake. They're super fun and super easy to make! First make the cookie layer and spread evenly between about 20 cupcake liners (sprayed with non-stick spray, or else the cookies will stick!) Next, make the cake layer and spread evenly on top of the cookie layer. Bake at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes (some of my batches took 17 minutes, some about 19.)

Cookie Layer
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients but chocolate chips in mixer. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Cupcake Layer
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk

When the cupcakes have cooled, it's frosting time!

I used these two recipes: for Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I also garnished the cupcakes with wafers, but anything would do!

Reese's Puff Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups Reese's Puffs (any cereal would work!)
1/2 cup mini Reese's
1/2 cup chocolate chips (could also omit mini Reese's and add 1 cup chocolate chips)

Mix all the ingredients except the cereal, mini Reese's, and chocolate chips. When the dough is mixed, stir in the remaining ingredients. Bake and enjoy!

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Adapted from: Cooking is Medicine

Tropical Cookies

These cookies aren't really seasonally appropriate, but I thought they might be fun anyways!

Tropical Cookies:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 butter
1 cup oats (any kind)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lime extract
1/2 - 1 teaspoon banana extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried mango

In the one batch I added about 1/4 cup dried cranberries. In another I added a bit of cinnamon. These are pretty versatile depending on which flavors you want.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Adapted from: Bread + Butter

Root Beer Float Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup root beer syrup
1 cup white chocolate chips

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

Adapted from: Love & Flour

Red Velvet Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt
red food coloring (at least 1 teaspoon)
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Recipe from: how sweet it is