Blog

January 14, 2021 Brownies and Bars

Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies

The ultimate dessert, these Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies are easy to make, indulgent, and delicious! Perfect for those who love a sweet and salty combo.

blondies with caramel sauce, pretzels, and chocolate chips

If you love contrasting flavors and textures, then you’re in the right place! Salted Caramel Pretzel Bars and sweet, salt, crunchy, chewy, and all around delicious.

Chewy blondies are studded with crushed pretzels and then topped with salted caramel (homemade because it makes all the difference!), chocolate chips, and more pretzels. These blondies are a must make if you love sweet and salty.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Buttery chewy blondies
Crunchy pretzels throughout
Homemade salted caramel on top
Perfect for sweet cravings
Amazing sweet/salty flavor
Great to make ahead and freeze and leftovers

What is a blondie?

A blondie is sort of like a brownie, but without the chocolate. Instead of being chocolate based like brownies, blondies are all about the brown sugar. They are chewy and soft in texture with a butterscotch flavor. Blondies are easy and quick to make, making them perfect for potlucks, special occasions, and even as a last minute dessert.

ingredients for salted caramel pretzel blondies

How to Make Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies

There are three main steps to this blondie recipe:

Prepare salted caramel: Begin by making the caramel sauce first, so that is not too hot when you add it to your blondies. You can even make the caramel sauce a few days ahead.

Make the blondies: The blondies are made in one bowl and come together in no time. Mix all of the ingredients together to make the batter. Then, fold in crushed pretzels and spread the batter into an 8x8-inch pan. Bake until golden brown.
Add toppings: Once the blondies are out of the oven and have cooled down a bit, add the salted caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with chocolate chips and more pretzels.

Tips for Making Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies

Plan ahead: This recipe doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare, but you’ll want to make sure that the caramel is not too hot when pouring it over your blondies.
Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan: Line your baking pan with parchment paper overhanging the sides. This will allow you to use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan.
Keep your eyes on the caramel: Pay very close attention when you are making the caramel. The sugar can quickly go from a nice and toasty amber color to burned, so make sure that you do not walk away from your stovetop during this step.
Use a sharp knife: When cutting the blondies into squares, use a large *very* sharp knife. A sharp knife will cut through the pretzel to give you clean perfectly square blondies.
Allow the caramel to set if you are transporting. If you plan on bringing the blondies with you to a party or potluck, or giving them away as a gift, allow the caramel to set before cutting into squares. This will prevent the caramel from oozing onto the sides. Allow at least 1 hour or overnight before cutting. This makes them a great make-ahead dessert!

How to Store Blondies

These blondies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Can You Freeze Blondies?

These blondies freeze great. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.

When you would like to enjoy them, remove from the freezer, and allow them to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

More recipes you'll love!

Check out Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondie Recipe in my stories HERE!

If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡

Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes plus cooling time
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

The ultimate dessert, these Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies are easy to make, indulgent, and delicious! Perfect for those who love a sweet and salty combo.

Scale

Ingredients

½ cup (113 g) butter, melted
1 cup (210 g) light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
⅔ cup (30 g) mini pretzels, about 30 pretzels, divided
chocolate chips, for topping

Salted Caramel

½ cup (100 g) sugar
3 tbsp (42 g) butter, room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) cream
½ tsp flakey sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and line an 8x8-in. baking pan with parchment overhanging the sides.
In a mixing bowl, beat melted butter and brown sugar until blended. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined. Coarsely chop half of the pretzels and fold into the blondie batter.
Transfer the batter into prepared pan and spread into an even later. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
To make the caramel: Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, gently tilt the saucepan to melt all of the sugar. Once the sugar is amber color, remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk in butter and cream until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool.
Spread caramel topping over cooled blondies. Top with remaining pretzels, and chocolate chips. Use the parchment paper to lift the blondies out of the pan and cut into 16 bars.

Equipment

Notes

Store: These blondies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze: Store blondies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you would like to enjoy them, remove from the freezer, and allow them to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Keywords: blondies, salted caramel, pretzels, chocolate chips

Recipe Card powered by

January 13, 2021 Breakfast

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

The BEST homemade cinnamon rolls ever. If you love fluffy, soft, and absolutely delicious cinnamon buns, this is the recipe for you! Learn all of my tips and tricks, to make everyone’s favorite homemade yeast rolls including options to make them overnight or ahead of time.

Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite pastries. They are perfect for breakfast, brunch, a midday treat, and even make a great dessert! This is my tried and true Homemade Cinnamon Roll recipe. It makes big, soft, and gooey cinnamon rolls that you will go crazy over! You’ll never need another cinnamon roll recipe again!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These gooey homemade cinnamon rolls are a truly treat. They are one of my favorite recipes that I have been perfecting for years.

The dough is a sweet rich dough that becomes soft, fluffy, and flakey once baked due to the amount of fat content that it contains. The filling is your classic cinnamon roll filling - butter, sugar, and cinnamon. As far as the topping goes, I LOVE a cream cheese icing on my cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

The ingredients that you will need to make the best cinnamon rolls are pretty simple. Here's what you will need:

cinnamon roll ingredients on a marble surface

All-purpose flour
Instant yeast or quick rise yeast (sometimes called rapid rise yeast)
Salt
Whole milk - full fat milk works best in this recipe, but you can use 2% milk if you don't have any hand.
Butter - make sure your melted butter is not too hot before adding it to the dough.
Sugar
Egg + egg yolks - use room temperature eggs!

For the filling and baking you will need:

Butter
Dark brown sugar
Cinnamon
Heavy cream

How do you make cinnamon rolls?

The first step to any cinnamon roll recipe is to make the dough. The high levels of fat in rich sweet dough from the butter and eggs make the dough very soft.

I like to use Fleischmann’s® Yeast Rapid Rise Yeast. It is an instant yeast which means that you don’t have to let the yeast proof before adding the butter and sugar, which inhibit fermentation.

Before making the dough, you’ll want to bring all of your ingredients to room temperature. This will help create a uniform and smooth dough. Room temperature ingredients will also help the dough rise. Make sure that your melted butter is warm and not too hot. If it is scorching hot, you run the risk of killing the yeast.

After you have added all of the ingredients, it’s time to knead the dough. I always use a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment to mix the cinnamon roll dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can go the old-fashioned route and knead the dough with your hands. If you knead the dough with your hands, do not be tempted to add more flour to the dough. The dough is supposed to be soft and somewhat sticky, which is key for making soft homemade cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Our homemade cinnamon roll filling is made with three simple ingredients:

butter
brown sugar
cinnamon

The butter needs to be very soft, so that it is easy to spread over the dough. To make the rolls extra special, you can also brown the butter. Just make sure that it has some time to cool before adding it to the dough.

I always use dark brown sugar for the filling, but light brown sugar will taste just as great!

How to Roll Cinnamon Rolls

After your dough has risen until it is double in size, you’re ready to begin rolling your cinnamon rolls.

The dough will be very soft, so make sure to lightly flour your surface and the top of the dough for easy rolling.

Roll the dough out to a 16x20-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough and then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. Roll up like a jelly roll, beginning from a long end. Cut into 12 rolls.

How to Cut Cinnamon Rolls

To get uniform sized cinnamon rolls, I like to use a ruler to mark where I will be making each cut. Before measuring, trim off 1 inch from each end. Then use a sharp knife to make a mark every 1 ½ inches.

To prevent ruining the shape of the cinnamon rolls, I recommend using unflavored floss to cut the rolls. Slide the floss under the log and then cross each end of floss across each other. Pull to run the floss through the dough and you will end up with a clean sliced cinnamon roll!

Alternatively, use a very sharp knife to cut the rolls.

The Secret to Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

When it comes to cinnamon rolls, I prefer them big, soft, and gooey, just like the ones that you find in malls or at Cinnabon stores.

The secret to gooey cinnamon rolls is to add heavy cream to the cinnamon buns before baking. The cream makes the rolls gooey and irresistible.

After your cinnamon rolls are shaped and cut, allow them to rise in the baking pan for about 30 minutes. Right before you are ready to place them into your preheated oven, pour warm heavy cream over the rolls.

If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can use half and half, whole milk, or evaporated milk instead.

Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Frosting

Once the homemade cinnamon rolls have baked and your home smells like cinnamon sugar goodness, it’s time to frost them! Typically cinnamon rolls are topped with cream cheese frosting or a simple icing. I highly recommend going the cream cheese icing route.

To make cream cheese frosting, you will need butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste).

You can frost the rolls while they are fresh out of the oven, or when they are at room temperature. If you frost them while they are hot, the icing will melt slightly and make the rolls even more soft!

How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

If you would like to have fresh baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast, I recommend using the overnight method. After you have shaped and cut the cinnamon rolls, arrange them in a parchment paper line 9x13-inch pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

If your rolls did not rise while in the fridge, allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour instead of 30 minutes.

Then, pour the cream over the rolls as directed and bake.

More recipes you'll love!

If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡

View the BEST homemade cinnamon roll recipe in my stories HERE!

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Scale

Ingredients

Dough

4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour
2 ¼ tsp dry active yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
10 tbsp (142 g) butter, melted
⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature

Filling

½ cup (113 g) butter, softened
1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Frosting

6 tbsp (85 g) butter, room temperature
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¼ (150 g) cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Make the dough: Combine flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment.
In a large glass measuring cup, whisk the milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and egg yolk until the sugar has dissolved. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a dough begins to form and no spots of flour remain (about 2 minutes). Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth, about 8 to 12 minutes (the dough should not be sticking to the sides of the bowl but will still be sticking to the bottom).
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
To assemble: Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper
In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon.
On a well floured surface, roll out the dough into a 16 by 20-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough and then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top, pressing it lightly into the butter so it sticks. Starting at a long end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam gently to seal it and position the dough seam side down. Trim off about ½-1 inch of dough from the ends as this doesn’t have any filling. Use floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12-equal pieces. Transfer the pieces to the prepared pan and place them cut side up. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave safe bowl, heat up the cream until it is warm to the touch. Remove the plastic wrap and towel from the pan and pour the warm cream over the cinnamon rolls. Bake in your preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until just golden brown on the edges.
To make the frosting: In the mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy. If you prefer a thinner frosting, beat in 1-2 tbsp of milk or cream to thin it out. Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve. Enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

If you would like to have fresh baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast, I recommend using the overnight method. After you have shaped and cut the cinnamon rolls, arrange them in a parchment paper line 9x13-inch pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If your rolls did not rise while in the fridge, allow them to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour instead of 30 minutes.Then, pour the cream over the rolls as directed and bake.

Keywords: cinnamon rolls, cream cheese frosting, cinnamon bun

Recipe Card powered by

January 5, 2021 Brownies and Bars

The BEST Fudge Brownies with Salted Milk Chocolate Caramel Ganache

Homemade Fudge Brownies with Milk Chocolate Caramel Ganache are a combination of rich chocolate, salted caramel, and creamy ganache. They begin with a batch of one bowl brownies and are topped with caramel ganache, and a sprinkle of sea salt. They’re rich, decadent, and delicious!

Today I’m bringing to you a brownie recipe. Except these aren’t just your typical brownie. These are the BEST fudgy brownies topped with a salted milk chocolate caramel ganache. They are rich, moist, and decadent.

I’ll just go ahead and put this out there: these fudge brownies are legitimately the best brownies you’ll ever eat. The combination of the rich and fudgy brownies with the sweet/salt, milk chocolate, caramel ganache is seriously to die for.

You’ll have to try them out for yourself though to be sure 🙂

What’s in these Fudge Brownies?

To make these brownies, you'll need simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

ingredients for fudge brownies with ganache

Butter: You can use unsalted or salted butter. I prefer to use unsalted butter in this recipe since we will be adding salt to the ganache.
Sugars: you’ll need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for these brownies. I like to use dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but you can also use light brown sugar.
Eggs: We will be using 4 eggs to make these brownies extra fudgy!
Vanilla extract: Make sure you use real vanilla extract and not the imitation kind when baking.
Cocoa powder: I recommend using a high quality cocoa powder for the best flavor. I like to use Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder.
Flour: We’re using all-purpose flour to make these fudge brownies.
Baking powder & salt: you’ll need some and baking powder and salt for proper baking and to enhance the flavors.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FUDGE BROWNIES

What I love about this recipe is that it is so easy to make and it is mixed by hand. No need for any special equipment!

To make them, simply combine all of the wet ingredients in a bowl or in the saucepan that you melted your butter in! In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then mix in the wet. Yup, it’s that easy!

HOW TO BAKE FUDGE BROWNIES

Once your brownie batter is in your pan, bake for 35-40 minutes. I recommend checking your brownies at 35 minutes and then working your way up from there. You don’t want to over-bake your brownies, so you’ll know that they are done when a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Salted Milk Chocolate Caramel Ganache

Once your brownies are out of the oven and have cooled slightly, we are going to top them off with a salted milk chocolate caramel ganache (phew that’s a mouthful!). There are two components to make the brownie topping:

Salted Caramel
Milk Chocolate

Begin by making the salted caramel. Melt the sugar in a saucepan until it is an amber color. Then, whisk in cream, butter, and sea salt until smooth. Then, you will immediately pour the ganache over your milk chocolate. The hot caramel will melt the chocolate and you will end up with a creamy, smooth caramel ganache!

After the brownies have cooled down for about 15 minutes, pour the ganache over the top and spread it into an even layer.

salted caramel with chocolate chips in a bowl

milk chocolate caramel ganache in a bowl

SERVING THE Caramel Ganache BROWNIES

The brownies need to cool down and set before slicing, otherwise they’ll end up with a gooey mess. This may be the most difficult step, but you don’t want to skip it! Allow the brownies to cool down for at least 4 hours at room temperature or 2 hours in the fridge.

SLICING THE BROWNIES

Once completely cool and set, use the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan and place onto a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife to cut the brownies into 16 squares.

fudge brownies with ganache on parchment paper

How to store fudge brownies with ganache

I recommend storing the brownies covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To freeze fudge brownies you will need to skip the ganache steps. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Then, cut the brownies into 16 squares and individually wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, then in foil or a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

More brownie recipes you'll love!

View the BEST fudge brownie recipe in my stories HERE!

The BEST Fudge Brownies with Salted Milk Chocolate Caramel Ganache

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour + 4 hours cooling time
Yield: 16 brownies
Category: Brownies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

Homemade Fudge Brownies with Milk Chocolate Caramel Ganache are a combination of rich chocolate, salted caramel, and creamy ganache. They begin with a batch of one bowl brownies and are topped with caramel ganache, and a sprinkle of sea salt. They’re rich, decadent, and delicious!

Ingredients

Brownies

1 cup (226 g) butter
1 ½ cups (330 g) brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (80 g) cocoa powder
⅔ cup (90 g) flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Ganache

⅔ cup (133 g) sugar
⅔ cup (150 ml) cream
2 tbsp (30 g) butter
1 tsp flaked sea salt
1 ½ cups (255 g) milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-in square pan with parchment paper overhanging the sides.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugars and whisk until combined and shiny. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour butter mixture over dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Transfer into a prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
While the brownies are baking, prepare the salted caramel ganache. Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, gently tilt the saucepan to melt all of the sugar. Once the sugar is amber color, remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk in cream and butter until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and pour the caramel over the chocolate. Let stand for 2-3 minutes, then gently mix the mixture until it is completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
Once the brownies are done baking, remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour the caramel ganache over the brownies. Gently tilt the pan or use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Allow to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature or 2 hours in the fridge before cutting into squares.

Equipment

Notes

I recommend storing the brownies covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze fudge brownies you will need to skip the ganache steps. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Then, cut the brownies into 16 squares and individually wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, then in foil or a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Keywords: brownies, chocolate, milk chocolate, ganache, salted caramel, fudge

Recipe Card powered by

January 3, 2021 Chocolate

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Thick and chewy chocolate cookies are stuffed with a peanut butter filling. These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are rich, decadent, and dangerously addicting!

Today I’m combining two of my favorite things ever - chocolate and peanut butter. They truly are the ultimate combination. These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are thick, chewy, rich, chocolatey, with a delicious peanut butter surprise.

The peanut butter filling stays soft and gooey in the center, which pairs perfectly with the thick and chewy chocolate cookies. Enjoy these cookies with a tall glass of milk!

These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are delicious and easy to make. If you’re looking for other chocolate cookies, try my Double Chocolate Chip Cookies or these Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. These Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Cookies are always a delicious treat too!

Hand holding a peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookie cut in half

Ingredients you’ll need

These peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies are loaded with chocolate and peanut butter, baked and then topped chocolate chips. SO GOOD. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

ingredients for peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies

Flour: We’re using all purpose flour to make these peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies.
Cocoa powder: I recommend using an unsweetened, dark cocoa powder for the best flavor. I like to use Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder.
Baking soda & salt: you’ll need some and baking soda and salt for proper baking and to enhance the flavors.
Butter: I used unsalted butter, but you can definitely use salted butter if you like the salty/sweet combination. Just make sure that your butter is room temperature before beginning.
Sugars: you’ll need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for these cookies. I like to use dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but you can also use light brown sugar.
Egg: we need one egg for delicious chewy cookies.
Vanilla extract: you’ll need vanilla extract to give the cookies a sweet aroma.
Natural peanut butter: For the peanut butter filling, you will need creamy peanut butter. Make sure that it is the drippy, natural kind with only one ingredient; peanuts!
Powdered sugar: powdered sugar is going to help thicken the peanut butter so that you can roll it into balls.
Chocolate chips: the chocolate chips are for topping your cookies. They are totally optional!

Optional ingredient substitutes

I always recommend sticking with the original recipe ingredients, but here are a few swaps in case you need to make any:

Vegan butter: if you’d like to make these dairy free, use vegan butter. I like to use Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Avocado Oil.
Gluten free flour: To make these cookies gluten free, use a 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour. My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill.
Peanut allergy: If you don’t eat peanut butter, feel free to replace it with any other nut or seed butter. Just make sure that it is creamy!

bite shot of a peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookie

Make perfect peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies

Make the peanut butter filling. In a medium size bowl, mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar until combined. Then, use your hands to roll into 12-tablespoon sized balls. Set aside.

Mix the dry. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and whisk them together.

flour and cocoa powder in a bowl with a whisk

Mix the wet. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer and beat together the butter and sugars. Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
Make your dough. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the electric mixer and mix just until your cookie dough forms.
Shape your cookies. Use a large scoop to scoop out 12 portions of the cookie dough. Working one at a time, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and add a peanut butter ball to the center. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, covering it completely and roll into a ball. Continue until all of the cookies are shaped.

creamed butter, sugar, and egg in a mixing bowl

Refrigerate cookie dough. Place your shaped cookies onto a wax paper lined pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven. Set your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake your cookies. Arrange 4 chilled cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet and gently press down with your fingers to slightly flatten the tops. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Repeat with remaining cookies
Top with chocolate chips & enjoy. When your cookies are out of the oven, but still warm, top them with chocolate chips. Then enjoy!

How to store peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freezing tips

These peanut butter stuffed chocolate cookies are freezer-friendly! There are two ways to freeze them:

Freeze the dough. To freeze the dough, shape the cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls are firm, transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag or air tight container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, bake the chocolate cookies as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time!
Freeze the baked chocolate cookies. You can also freeze your baked cookies to enjoy them later. All the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag or air tight container lined with parchment or wax paper. Cookies will keep well for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to eat, thaw the cookies to room temperature and enjoy. You can freeze them with or without the chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes chilling time
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 cookies 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

Thick and chewy chocolate cookies are stuffed with a peanut butter filling. These Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are rich, decadent, and dangerously addicting!

Scale

Ingredients

¾ cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter
¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (40 g) cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa powder)
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup (170 g) butter, room temperature
½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup chocolate chips, for topping

Instructions

Begin by making the peanut butter filling. In a medium size bowl, mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until combined. Roll into 12-tablespoon size balls (about ¾ oz or 22 g each). Set aside.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and whisk them together.
Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer to beat the butter and both sugars together until creamy and pale. Then, mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well to combine.
Add in the dry ingredients and beat until a dough forms.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop out 12 portions of chocolate cookie dough (about 1 ¾ oz or 50 g). Slightly a chocolate dough ball and add a peanut butter ball to the center. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, covering it completely and roll it into a ball. Continue until all of the cookies are shaped.
Place the shaped cookies onto a lined pan and chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange 4 chilled cookie dough balls onto your prepares baking sheet and gently press down your fingers to slightly flatten the tops. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack. Top warm cookies with chocolate chips and enjoy!

Notes

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze the dough. To freeze the dough, shape the cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls are firm, transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag or air tight container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, bake the chocolate cookies as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time!
Freeze the baked chocolate cookies. You can also freeze your baked cookies to enjoy them later. All the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag or air tight container lined with parchment or wax paper. Cookies will keep well for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to eat, thaw the cookies to room temperature and enjoy. You can freeze them with or without the chocolate chips.

Keywords: peanut butter, chocolate, cookies

Recipe Card powered by

December 26, 2020 Alcoholic Drinks

Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktail

A delicious seasonal cocktail made with pomegranate juice, ginger, sparkling wine, and a sugared rim.

Are you on the search for a new holiday cocktail? This sparkling pomegranate cocktail will not disappoint! It's made with a homemade pomegranate ginger syrup and sparklling wine. The pomegranate ginger adds acidity and just a touch of sweetness to the dry wine. I like to throw in a few pomegranate seeds for a fun burst of flavor and texture.

As with any sparkling wine cocktail, I recommend using something on the dryer side - prosecco, champagne, or cava. Choose a moderately priced sparkling wine that tastes good on its own, but you won't feel bad mixing it with other flavors.

All in all, these Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktails are easy drinking cocktails, perfect to share with friends and family.

Ingredients for sparkling pomegranate cocktails

How to make Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktails

Make Pomegranate Ginger Syrup. A mixture of sugar, pomegranate juice, and fresh ginger is combined in a saucepan and reduced until it thickens slightly. Make sure to cool the syrup in the refrigerator before assembling your cocktails. The syrup can be made a couple of days ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
Make sugared rim. Add the sugar to a plate, run a lemon wedge around the rim of the glass and dip the glass in the sugar.
Make the cocktail! Place 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate syrup into a glass. Top with chilled sparkling wine!
Serve your pomegranate cocktails. You can add a few pomegranate seeds or candied ginger pieces if you wish.

More recipes you'll love!

sparkling pomegranate cocktails on a wooden board

Sparkling Pomegranate Ginger Prosecco Cocktail

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Category: Drinks

Description

A delicious seasonal cocktail made with pomegranate juice, ginger, sparkling wine, and a sugared rim.

Scale

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups pomegranate juice
2 tbsp fresh ginger, cut into pieces
1 bottle dry sparkling wine, chilled (prosseco, champagne, cava)
½ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup sugar + 1 lemon wedge, for rim (optional)
candied ginger, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Add sugar, pomegranate juice, and ginger into a small heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to boil, over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until mixture gets syrupy and slightly thickens. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely. The syrup can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight glass jar in the fridge.
To assemble drinks, place the ½ cup of sugar into a plate. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of the glass and dip the glass into the sugar.
Add 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate syrup to the glass. Top with chilled sparkling wine and a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds.
Garnish with candied ginger.

Keywords: cocktail, drink, alcohol, prosseco, champagne, pomegranate, ginger

Recipe Card powered by

December 24, 2020 Christmas

Mini Gingerbread Houses

Mini gingerbread houses are a fun and festive way to celebrate the holidays! Use my free downloadable template to create a mini gingerbread house village.

Mini gingerbread houses are so cute to give away as gifts to friends and family and a fun activity for the kids!

How To Make Mini Gingerbread Houses

Mini gingerbread houses are surprisingly easy to assemble. Use my tried and true gingerbread cookie recipe for the dough and royal icing for the "glue" and decoration.

To cut out the gingerbread house pieces, download and print my free mini gingerbread house template. Trace the shapes onto a piece of cardboard and then cut out the shapes. Make sure to label the shapes accordingly. A full batch of my gingerbread cookie recipe will make 10 mini gingerbread houses.

Equipment For Gingerbread Houses

To make mini gingerbread house you will need:

rolling pin
baking sheets
parchment paper
sharp knife
pastry bag
decorating tip
sprinkles and decorative sugar

How to Make Mini Gingerbread Houses

Begin my making a batch of gingerbread dough. Divide the dough into two discs and wrap each one with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the discs for at least 2 hours or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, make the mini gingerbread house templates. Trace the shapes onto a piece of cardboard. Then, use a sharp precision knife to cut out the shapes.
Once the dough has chilled, roll out each disc to ¼-in thickness. Place your templates on top of the dough and cut out each shape with a sharp pairing knife for each house. You will need 1 front, 1 back, 2 roof pieces, and 2 side pieces per house.
Arrange the cut out shapes on a baking sheet and transfer it to the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake the cookies until the edges are firm. Once the cookies have finished baking, use your sharp knife to trim any edges that may have spread during baking. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
Once your cookies are completely cool, begin assembling the houses. Make a batch of royal icing. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with decorating tip. Begin by decorating the roof and front pieces. Allow the icing on those piece to dry, and then begin assembling. Pipe a thick layer outlining the backside of the front and back pieces. Connect the side pieces to create the houses. Then, add the roof. Allow the icing to set completely before adding any extra decorations.

DOWNLOAD FREE MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSE TEMPLATE

More recipes you'll love!

Mini Gingerbread Houses

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 30 minutes + 2 hour chilling time
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 10 mini gingerbread houses 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

Mini gingerbread houses are a fun and festive way to celebrate the holidays! Use my free downloadable template to create a mini gingerbread house village.

Scale

Ingredients

1 batch gingerbread cookie dough
1 batch royal icing
sprinkles and decorative sugar

Instructions

Begin my making a batch of gingerbread dough. Divide the dough into two discs and wrap each one with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the discs for at least 2 hours or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, make the mini gingerbread house templates. Trace the shapes onto a piece of cardboard. Then, use a sharp precision knife to cut out the shapes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Once the dough has chilled, roll out each disc to ¼-in thickness. Place your templates on top of the dough and cut out each shape with a sharp pairing knife for each house. You will need 1 front, 1 back, 2 roof pieces, and 2 side pieces per house.
Arrange the cut out shapes on a baking sheet and transfer it to the freezer for 10 minutes. Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Once the cookies have finished baking, use your sharp knife to trim any edges that may have spread during baking. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
Once your cookies are completely cool, begin assembling the houses. Make a batch of royal icing. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with decorative tip. Begin by decorating the roof and front pieces. Allow the icing on those piece to dry, and then begin assembling. Pipe a thick layer outlining the backside of the front and back pieces. Connect the side pieces to create the houses. Then, add the roof. Allow the icing to set completely before adding any extra decorations.

Equipment

Notes

Store mini gingerbread houses in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Keywords: gingerbread, cookies, gingerbread house

Recipe Card powered by

December 21, 2020 Christmas

Gingerbread Cookies

It’s not Christmas without Gingerbread Cookies! This tried and true gingerbread cookie recipe is packed with festive flavors and spice. Sandwich them together with jam, caramel, or chocolate to turn them into gingerbread linzer cookies!

Gingerbread Cookies are a classic during the holidays. They are festive, fragrant, and packed with warm cozy flavors. They are also so versatile. With just one gingerbread cookie recipe, you can create gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, and gingerbread linzer cookies.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This gingerbread cookie recipe is ideal for gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, and gingerbread sandwich cookies.
These festive cookies are perfect to give to your friends and family or for holiday cookie trays.
The gingerbread cookie dough may be made a few days in advance. When you are ready to bake, simply roll it out, cut into shapes, and bake!
They are topped with powdered sugar or decorated with a simple royal icing.

Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Ingredients

To make this gingerbread cookie recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Butter
Molasses
Honey
Dark brown sugar
Egg yolks
Vanilla extract
Milk
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Ground ginger
Cinnamon
Ground cloves
Nutmeg

How to make gingerbread cookies

Gingerbread cookies are very easy to prepare. You will need to allow the dough to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight, so plan accordingly. I typically make the dough and chill it overnight, then bake the cookies the next day.

Step one: Prepare gingerbread cookie dough

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the butter, molasses, honey, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is completely melted, and all of the ingredients are well combined, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.
Once the butter mixture has cooled, whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and milk.
Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms. The dough will be crumbly.
Form the dough into two discs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill the discs in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Step two: Bake gingerbread cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator, and roll out one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface to ¼-in thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes, then bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool the gingerbread cookies completely on wire racks.

Step three: Decorate gingerbread cookies

Once your gingerbread cookies have completely cooled, make your royal icing.
Pipe or spread the icing on the cookies and immediately top with decorative sugar. Allow the icing to set completely.

How to make royal icing

Royal icing is very easy to make! You will need pasteurized egg whites, cream of tartar, and powdered sugar.

Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer until frothy.
Gradually add powdered sugar.
Continue beating until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.

christmas tree gingerbread linzer cookie

Gingerbread Linzer Cookies

To make gingerbread linzer cookies, use cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Use a smaller cookie cutter or a sharp knife to cut out the centers of half of the cookies. Alternatively, use linzer cookie cutters. Once the cookies are baked and completely cool, spread fruit preserves, dulce de leche, chocolate ganache, or Nutella on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar or decorate with royal icing. Top each solid cookie with a cut-out cookie.

Gingerbread Cookie FAQs

Do you have to chill gingerbread dough?

Yes! The dough must be chilled before rolling. Chilling allows the dough to rest which helps the flour absorb moisture.

Do you have to freeze gingerbread before baking?

Freezing the gingerbread for 10 minutes before baking allows the cookies to hold their shape. It also prevents the cookies from cracking.

How do you know when gingerbread cookies are done?

You will know when the gingerbread cookies are done baking when the edges are dry and slightly golden.

How long do gingerbread cookies last?

Gingerbread cookies will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. Undecorated cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months.

More Holiday Recipes You'll Love!

Gingerbread Cookies

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 30 minutes + 2 hour chilling time
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 32 cookies 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

Scale

Ingredients

½ cup (113 g) butter
5 tbsp (105 g) molasses
5 tbsp (105 g) honey
⅓ cup (75 g) dark brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
3 ⅔ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg

Linzer Gingerbread Cookies

½ cup jam, preserves, dulce de leche, ganache, or Nutella for filling
powdered sugar, for topping

Royal Icing

½ cup (120 ml) pasteurized egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
3 ⅔ cups (453 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the butter, molasses, honey, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is completely melted, and all of the ingredients are well combined, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
When the butter mixture has cooled, whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and milk.
Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms. The dough will be crumbly.
Divide the dough in half and shape into two discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator, and roll out one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface to ¼-in thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
Place the baking sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes, then bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool the gingerbread cookies completely on wire racks before decorating.
Once your gingerbread cookies have completely cooled, make the royal icing.
Pipe or spread the icing on the cookies and immediately top with decorative sugar. Allow the icing to set completely.

Royal Icing

Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer until frothy.
Gradually add powdered sugar.
Continue beating for 5 minutes in medium speed until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.

Gingerbread Linzer Cookies

Equipment

Notes

This recipe yields about 32 gingerbread cookies or 16 linzer cookies.
Do you have to chill gingerbread dough? Yes! The dough must be chilled before rolling. Chilling allows the dough to rest which helps the flour absorb moisture.
Do you have to freeze gingerbread before baking? Freezing the gingerbread for 10 minutes before baking allows the cookies to hold their shape. It also prevents the cookies from cracking.
How do you know when gingerbread cookies are done? You will know when the gingerbread cookies are done baking when the edges are dry and slightly golden.
How long do gingerbread cookies last? Gingerbread cookies will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. Undecorated cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months.

Keywords: gingerbread, cookies, linzer cookies, gingberbread men

Recipe Card powered by

December 18, 2020 Christmas

Melomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey Cookies

Melomakarona - traditional Greek Christmas honey cookies are flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange, soaked in honey syrup, and topped with crushed walnuts.

Christmas wouldn’t be, well, Christmas, without Melomakarona. Melomakarona are my ABSOLUTE favorite Christmas cookie. Every year, I look forward to these delicious cookies, and after you try them, you will too!

What Are Melomakarona?

Melomakarona (sometimes called Finikia) are traditional Greek Christmas cookies which are flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange. After baking, they are soaked in an aromatic honey syrup and topped with crushed walnuts. There are many different versions of this classic recipe. These cookies are naturally egg free, but some recipes call for a combination of butter and oil while others use only oil. The recipes using only oil make Melomakarona ideal for the Greek Orthodox Nativity Fast (eggs free & dairy free). My recipe calls for some butter, but it can be substituted with oil to make the cookies dairy free (see notes*).

melomakarona and a cup of coffee on a marble slab

Melomakarona are traditionally an oval shape, and some people stuff them with walnuts or dates. I prefer mine plain. And cut into festive shapes - like trees, stars, snowflakes. You can even do mini gingerbread men!

These cookies keep very well for a few weeks (if you can resist eating them all), and their taste actually improves over time as all of the spices and flavors soak together.

Melomakarona Components

Making Melomakarona may seem intimidating and like a lot of work, but with a little bit of planning and organization, they come together in a breeze. Let’s break these Christmas cookies down into three components:

Cookies: The cookies alone are not too sweet and are flavored with cinnamon, ground cloves, and orange. The dough is simple to make and doesn’t require any fancy equipment.
Honey Syrup: The honey syrup is what makes Melomakarona so special. It is a quick simple syrup that is flavored with orange rind, cinnamon stick, and cloves. The syrup can be made ahead of time, but make sure to heat it back up before soaking your cookies.
Crushed Walnuts: The crushed walnut topping adds the perfect crunch to the soft cookies. It is a mixture of walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.

arrangement of melomakarona on a marble slab with christmas decor

Melomakarona Ingredients

The ingredients that you need to make melomakarona are pretty simple. They are made with pantry staple ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Unsalted Butter
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Orange Juice
Orange Zest
Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Cloves
Honey
Walnuts

Melomakarona Video

If you are a visual learner, be sure to check out the video on how to make Melomakarona!

How To Make Melomakarona

Step One: Prepare the dough.

To make the dough, beat the butter, oil, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and spices. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then slowly add them into the wet ingredients. You may not need to use all of the flour that the recipe calls for. Once you have a soft dough that is easy to shape and is not sticky, stop adding flour.

Step Two: Shape melomakarona and bake.

Next, it is time to form the cookies. You can either roll the dough into oval or round shaped cookies, or roll it out with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters to form your cookies. Please note that the baking time will change depending on how you shape your cookies. Oval and round cookies will require a slightly longer baking time.

Step Three: Make the syrup.

While the cookies are baking, make the syrup. To make the syrup, combine all of the ingredients into a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside until you are ready to use.

Step Four: Soak the cookies.

Once the cookies are golden brown with slightly crisp edges, remove them from the oven and immediately soak them in the syrup. Work in batches (3-5 cookies at a time) and allow the cookies to soak for about 30 seconds. (If you are doubling this recipe, you can soak 6-8 cookies at a time in a large heavy bottom saucepan). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cookies to a tray or platter.

Step Five: Top with crushed walnuts.

Once all of your cookies have finished their syrup bath, top them with crushed walnuts. In a bowl, mix together walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the soaked cookies and enjoy!!

Tips For Making Melomakarona

Warm syrup with hot cookies. Many recipes call for soaking your cookies in completely cooled syrup, but I have found that soaking hot cookies into warm syrup is ideal. The hot cookies will soak up the syrup a lot better if it is warm. If your syrup has cooled down too much, or you prepared it ahead of time, heat it gently over medium heat.
Score oval shaped melomakarona. If you are shaping your melomakarona into the traditional oval shape, gently drag a fork over the top to create score marks. This will help the cookies soak the syrup better.
Make a smaller batch. This is a holiday recipe, so it makes A LOT of cookies (about 60-80 depending on how you shape them). This is totally normal since in the Greek culture there are many get-togethers during the holidays and these cookies are meant to be shared. If you want to make a smaller batch, divide all of the ingredients in half. You will end up with about 30 cookies.
How to store melomakarona: Melomakarona will last quite a while if stored correctly. Store them in an airtight container or covered tightly with saran wrap at room temperature. The cookies will last up to a month.

More Christmas Recipes You'll Love!

Kourabiedes
Chocolate Covered Gingerbread Cookies
Koulourakia
Chewy Walnut Spice Cookies
Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Melomakarona - Greek Honey Spice Christmas Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 60-80 cookies 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Greek

Description

Melomakarona - traditional Greek Christmas honey cookies are flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange, soaked in honey syrup, and topped with crushed walnuts.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) butter, melted
1 ½ cups (180 ml) oil (safflower, canola, or a light olive oil work great)
1 ½ (300 g) cups sugar
1 ½ cups (180 ml) orange juice (freshly squeezed, or bottled)
zest from 2 oranges
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cloves
10 cups (1300 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Syrup

4 ½ cups (900 g) sugar
1 cup (336 g ) honey
3 cups (720 ml) water
rind from 1 orange
2 cinnamon sticks
8-10 whole cloves

Topping

2 cups (240 g) walnuts
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Add melted butter, oil, and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or with a whisk until combined. Mix in orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, baking power, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. NOTE: You many not need to use all of the flour. Once the dough is easy to handle and holds its shape, stop adding flour.
Shape cookies, by rolling out dough and using a cookie cutter to cut out cookies, or shape into 2-inch ovals. Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake 30-40 minutes, depending on size of cookies, or until golden brown.
While cookies are baking, prepare the syrup. Add sugar, honey, water, orange rind, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves into a large heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove and discard the rind, cinnamon stick, and cloves just before you are ready to soak the cookies.
When ready, remove cookies from oven, and immediately place in warm syrup. Work in batched of 6-8 cookies at a time and allow to soak about 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove cookies from syrup and transfer them onto a tray or platter.
To make the walnut topping, pulse the walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer walnuts to a bowl and add sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Mix to combine. Sprinkle cookies with walnut mixture and enjoy!

Equipment

Holiday Cookie Cutter

Notes

Make dairy free: To make dairy free melomakarona, replace the melted butter with oil.

Storage: Cookies will last up to a month stored at room temperature in an air tight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap.

Keywords: melomakarona, finikia, greek cookies, christmas cookies, holiday baking, honey cookies

Recipe Card powered by

December 11, 2020 Chocolate

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Peppermint Mocha Cookies are the perfect addition to a holiday cookie platter! Chewy mocha cookies are dipped in dark chocolate topped with crushed candy cane bits.

This post is sponsored by Samsung Home Appliances. All text and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands who help make Baked Ambrosia possible!

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

These chewy peppermint mocha cookies are the BEST cookies ever! They are crisp around the edges with soft and chewy centers and bursting with chocolate flavor. These cookies will be a favorite for your holiday cookie exchange!

Peppermint Mocha Cookie Ingredients

These peppermint mocha cookies are made with simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Butter
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Peppermint extract
Espresso powder
Flour
Cocoa powder
Baking soda
Salt
Dark chocolate
Crushed candy cane

How to make Peppermint Mocha Cookies

This recipe for Peppermint Mocha Cookies is sooo easy to make! Let’s go through the steps to make sure you end up with the perfect chewy cookies.

peppermint mocha cookies on a baking sheet in the oven

Step one: Prepare the cookie dough

Begin by beating the butter and both sugars until light. Make sure that your butter is at room temperature and beat it on a medium speed for about 5 minutes. This step beats air into the fat.
Next, add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until creamy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.
Add the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture and beat speed until there are no more dry spots.
Once the cookie dough comes together, add the chocolate chips and continue beating on low until they are evenly distributed.

Step two: Chill the cookie dough

For the best tasting cookies, you will want to chill the cookie dough overnight, but if you are in a rush, 30 minutes - 1 hour will still produce really chewy tasty cookies.

Step three: Bake the peppermint mocha cookies

After the cookie dough has had some time to chill, use a medium cookie scoop to form 2-tablespoon sized dough balls (about 35g each). Arrange cookie dough balls on cookie sheets, and slightly press down on the dough balls to flatten slightly. Bake the cookies.

I can always count on my Samsung Flex Duo Wall Oven when it comes to baking cookies! There are two fans in each oven which provide an even distribution of heat, creating cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers. There is also tons of space, so I can bake all of my cookies at once!

Peppermint mocha cookies on the kitchen counter

Step four: Dip cookies in chocolate and top with crushed candy cane

The final (and best) step is to dip each cookie into melted dark chocolate and then give them a sprinkle of crushed candy cane bits. My Samsung Induction Cooktop is perfect for melting chocolate! I use the power boost option which boils water in just seconds. Then, I melt the chocolate over a double boiler. The induction cooktop also features a flex zone area for large, small, and uniquely shaped pots and Wi-Fi/bluetooth connectivity. There's also a “Virtual Flame” which shines onto pots to give the look of a gas flame! Allow the chocolate to set completely and then enjoy!!

Peppermint Mocha Cookie Tips

Storage: Store peppermint mocha cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Make ahead of time: To make cookies in advance, prepare the cookie dough balls and freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once completely frozen, pack the cookie dough balls into an airtight container or freezer bar to freeze up to 3 months. Once you are ready to bake, remove the frozen cookie dough from the freezer and bake at 350ºF. Add 2-3 minutes to your baking time.

More Cookie Recipes You'll Love!

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes plus chilling time
Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

Peppermint Mocha Cookies are the perfect addition to a holiday cookie platter! Chewy mocha cookies are dipped in dark chocolate topped with crushed candy cane bits.

Scale

Ingredients

½ cup (113 g) butter, room temperature
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup (125 g) flour
½ cup (40 g) cocoa powder
1 tbsp espresso powder or instant coffee
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups (454 g) chocolate chips, divided
3 large canes or 6 small candy canes, crushed

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Make sure that your butter is at room temperature and beat it on a medium speed for about 5 minutes.
Next, add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl. Beat on medium speed for another 2-3 minutes, or until creamy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.
Add the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture and beat speed until there are no more dry spots. Once the cookie dough comes together, add 1 cup chocolate chips and continue beating on low until they are evenly distributed.
Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill. For the best tasting cookies, you will want to chill the cookie overnight, but if you are in a rush, 30 minutes - 1 hour will still produce really chewy tasty cookies.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
After the cookie dough has had some time to chill, form 2-tablespoon sized dough balls (about 30 g each). Arrange 8 cookie dough balls onto each parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies in a fully preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are slightly underbaked. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Dip each cooled cookie halfway into the melted chocolate and then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set and enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store baked cookies covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freeze cookies: You can freeze baked cookies or unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: To make cookies in advance, prepare the cookie dough balls and freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once completely frozen, pack the cookie dough balls into an airtight container or freezer bar to freeze up to 3 months. Once you are ready to bake, remove the frozen cookie dough from the freezer and bake at 350ºF. Add 2-3 minutes to your baking time.

Keywords: peppermint mocha cookies, cookies, chocolate cookies, holiday cookies, christmas

Recipe Card powered by

November 25, 2020 Cake and Cupcakes

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This is the BEST pumpkin bundt cake recipe! It’s easy to make (no mixer), delicious & moist with a perfect crumb, loaded with fall spices and a brown sugar streusel.

After lots of recipe testing and tweaking, I have finally created the perfect pumpkin bundt cake recipe. You see, I LOVE pumpkin quick breads (loafs, muffins, coffee cakes, bundt cakes, etc.), so I had high expectations when creating this recipe. The perfect pumpkin cake is suitable for breakfast, dessert, and for an afternoon coffee. It should have just the right amount of sweetness and spice so that the flavors don’t compete, but rather complement each other.

So here it is…the BEST pumpkin bundt cake recipe EVER! It’s made in two bowls without the use of a mixer. It’s sweet & moist with a perfect crumb! The swirl of brown sugar and walnuts add a nice crunch to this cake and make it extra cozy. You can add a simple glaze on top to make this pumpkin cake even more special.

pumpkin bundt cake with glaze on a cake stand

Pumpkin Bundt Cake Ingredients

This pumpkin bundt cake is made with simple pantry staple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Pumpkin puree
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Oil
Buttermilk
Eggs
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Pumpkin spices - cinnamon, ginger, cloves
Walnuts or pecans for the streusel

Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe

This pumpkin bundt cake recipe comes together in one just bowl without any fancy mixers or equipment!

Step 1: WHISK TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS

Begin by whisking together the dry ingredients in a bowl before so they’re evenly combined.

Step 2: MIX TOGETHER WET INGREDIENTS & SUGARS

Next, mix the pumpkin puree, sugars, oil buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to make sure all of the ingredients are combined and the mixture is smooth.

eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl

Step 3: ADD DRY INGREDIENTS TO WET

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a large rubber spatula to mix in the dry ingredients. Stop mixing once there are no big streaks of flour (a few lumps are OK!).

Step 4: PREPARE THE STREUSEL

To make the streusel, combine the brown sugar, walnuts (or pecans), cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl

Step 5: POUR BATTER IN BUNDT PAN

Prepare your bundt pan by greasing and lightly dusting it with flour. This will prevent your cake from sticking to the pan. Scoop half of the batter into your bundt pan and then sprinkle the streusel over the top. Finally, top with the remaining batter.

HOW TO BAKE PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE

This pumpkin streusel cake recipe is baked at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You will know that this pumpkin cake recipe is done with a cake tester or wooden skewer comes out clean.

What is the best bundt pan to use?

The ideal size bundt pan to use for this recipe is one that holds at least 10-cups of batter. The Nordicware Crown Bundt Pan is one of my favorite molds and creates elegant looking bundt cakes. Any bundt

Pumpkin Bundt Cake With Glaze

To make this pumpkin cake extra special, top it with a simple glaze. To make the glaze, you will need 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk. Begin by whisking in 1 tablespoon of milk into the powdered sugar. Then, add 1 teaspoon of the remaining milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If you add too much milk, whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time until the glaze becomes less runny.

How Do I Store Pumpkin Streusel Cake?

To store this pumpkin cake, cover with a cake keeper or aluminum foil. The cake can be kept on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months.

More pumpkin recipes you'll love!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Author: Angelina
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes + cooling time
Yield: 12-14 slices 1x
Category: Cake
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Description

This is the BEST pumpkin bundt cake recipe! It’s easy to make (no mixer), delicious & moist with a perfect crumb, loaded with fall spices and a brown sugar streusel.

Scale

Ingredients

2 cups (250 g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
1-15 oz (425 g) pumpkin puree
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
½ cup (120 ml) oil
⅓ cup (80 ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel

1 ½ cups (168 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted
¾ cup (165 g) dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup (125 g) confectioner's sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your bundt pan by greasing it with melted butter and dusting with flour, or use a baking spray that contains flour to evenly coat the pan.
Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, combine walnuts or pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Use a spoon to blend until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Prepare the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate large bowl, beat the pumpkin puree, sugars, oil, buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until there are no more large streaks of flour (a few lumps are ok). Do not over-mix the batter.
Spoon half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Top with the streusel mixture, then cover with the remaining batter. Tap the pan several times on the counter top or a cutting board to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the side are beginning to pull away from the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting pan to remove cake.
Make the glaze: To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and 1 tablespoon milk. Add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time to reach desired consistency, then pour over cooled cake.

Equipment

Notes

Keywords: pumpkin, cake, bundt cake, pumpkin bundt cake, streusel, streusel cake

Recipe Card powered by

November 23, 2020 Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is seriously the best pumpkin cheesecake recipe EVER. This pumpkin cheesecake is creamy, smooth, and delicious with a gingersnap pecan crust. With just the right amount of classic pumpkin spice flavors, everyone will fall in love with this Thanksgiving dessert!

This Pumpkin Cheesecake is quite possibly the best pumpkin dessert ever! It’s delicious, creamy, and loaded with pumpkin spice flavors. A cross between pumpkin pie and cheesecake, this cheesecake is truly the best of both worlds. Topped with caramel sauce and whipped cream, pumpkin cheesecake is ideal for Thanksgiving or any Fall celebrations!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Cheesecakes may seem intimidating and like a lot of work, but with a little bit of planning and organization, they can come together in a breeze. Let’s break this layer cheesecake down into four components:

Gingersnap Crust: This gingersnap crust is the perfect base for pumpkin cheesecake. A combination of crushed gingersnap cookies and pecans held together with melted butter creates a spicy, nutty, and crunchy contrast to the silky smooth cheesecake.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling: The star of the show! Pumpkin cheesecake filling is creamy, smooth, with just the right amount of pumpkin and spices.
Salted Caramel: Making homemade caramel is a lot easier than you may think! The addition of flakey sea salt adds the perfect balance to the sweetness of the caramel. If you are short on time, you can most definitely use a store-bought caramel topping.
Whipped Cream: This whipped cream is so fluffy and light, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin cheesecake does not require any fancy ingredients. However, it is important that you gather and prepare your ingredients ahead of time because room temperature ingredients are a must in this cheesecake recipe. Here’s what you’ll need for the crust:

Gingersnap cookies
Pecans
Unsalted Butter
Salt