Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies and Old Adages

As the old adage goes you get what you pay for. Sometimes though, when things are just a dollar you don't even get your money's worth. I  I had been perusing around for a really good Easter celebration flourless cake when I happened to stumble upon these little guys. These cookies were simple, flourless, and pretty light in calories (toting only 55 calories a cookie! I know!) So I got sidetracked on the Easter recipe hunting and decided to get my whisk and bowl out for these cookies.  I went to the store and got the remaining ingredients I needed on the list to make these immediately. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had forgotten to get parchment paper! I was so overjoyed to see that I had happened to pick up a box of it a couple weeks ago. I recently purchased some parchment paper for a dollar at a store that will remain nameless (Although, I am sure you can guess the name).  Little did I know what would ensue...

Everything was going well until.....that darn parchment paper. These suckers stuck like nobody's business. So I apologize for the ugliness of the photos, but I can tell you that even though a few curse words got thrown around (ok a lot got thrown around) and I had to finally give up on the last cookie on the sheet they still taste pretty amazing.  They will remind you of the top of a brownie pan. If you cut off the crunchy top of a pan of brownies so you still got some gooeyness underneath, you would have these cookies. Let's just say even though they did not win best in show that did not stop anyone from scarfing them down.

I adapted the recipe I found from Smitten Kitchen by reducing the amount of walnuts from 2 3/4 cups to 2 cups. I used chopped walnuts, which probably results in a lot more walnuts since I measured them that already chopped. I decided to save myself the step of having to chop them later.  I also then added in 3/4 cup of miniature chocolate chips for some extra chocolatey-ness. I decided to additonally boost the chocolatey flavor by adding in a 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder. The consistency of these cookies will remind you of your favorite brownie mix as well. These cookies poof up and will collapse after you take them out. Don't worry they are suppossed to do that.

 

So as another old adage goes do as I say (make these cookies) and not as I do (in other words, don't buy cheap parchment paper and think you can get away with it).


Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies
Originally adapted from Francois Payard's Chocolate Epiphany

Yield: 20 to 24 2-inch cookies
2 cups walnuts, chopped
3/4 cups miniature chocolate chips
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Spread the walnuts  on a large-rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 7-8 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly. (If you choose to use walnut halves, you may need to keep them in the over for an extra minute. After cooling, coarsely chop them.)
Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and lower temperature to 320. Line two large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk (or combine in an electric mixer on low speed) the confectioner’ sugar with the cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder followed by the chopped walnuts. While whisking (or once you change the speed to medium), add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened (do not overbeat or it will stiffen).
Spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds, and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking. Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto 2 wire racks. Let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Blood Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week! I don't know about you, but I don't need a special week to celebrate the chocolate chip cookie. I didn't just want to make the "same old chocolate chip cookie" for you. I perused the grocery shelves looking for inspiration and stumbled onto a bag of these...

And thought hmm..blood orange and chocolate..citrus..chocolate chip cookie! Eureka!

You need to make these, why? Because I said they were delicious, thats why!  Okay, yes they are, but also because blood oranges are in season right now, meaning they are at their peak of juiciness! And because you can feel good that while you may be consuming a chocolate chip cookie, you are getting some Vitamin C. That blood red juice is full of a special antioxidant, anthocyanina (antho-huh?!)A cookie full of antioxidants that can help reduce wrinkles, you say?! Ok eating a plate of these may not have you toting skin like Cindy Crawford but hey it can't hurt right?

If you are unfamiliar with the blood orange (it's ok I admit I have never had one until now either), it is a variety of the orange that when you cut into has a bright crimson (hence, the name blood) colored fruit inside. And they are season right now (ok, no not locally in season for me, that would be nice).  It is definitely worth grabbing a bag of these while you can folks.

Blood oranges can range in their sweet to tartness so I decided to use a dark brown sugar in this recipe. Not only does it give the cookie a chewiness that is unmistakable, but it also helps balance out the tartness of the blood oranges. They remind me of a milano cookie. It has the crunchy butteriness with that "hmm, what is that, orange note in the background" followed by all that chocolate. It's a perfect, is it winter still with all its chocolate chip cookie comfort and the "Has spring arrived?" citrus element.

I decided to use as the base of this cookie, Sally's Baking Addiction no. 1 ranked chocolate chip cookie recipe , which uses cornstarch (I know, cornstarch!). She raved about it so much that I figured how it could  be wrong? Well, she was right! I added in the zest and juice of one medium sized blood orange. I also added in white chocolate chips, because I had this annoying 1/4 of a bag staring me down. You know how that goes, right? I actually had 3 miscallenaeous bags overall of white and dark chocolate chips that all found a happy home in this cookie recipe. In the end, it amounted to 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of dark (60 % cacao) chocolate chips.

So, there you go. A blood orange chocolate chip cookie. A little different. Totally delicious. Happy Chocolate Chip Cookie Week everyone...grab your mixer and celebrate with me!

Blood Orange Chocolate Chip Cookie
Bostonigirlbakes.com adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 blood orange (2 Tbs. approximately)
• Zest of 1 blood orange ( 2 teaspoons approximately)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg, vanilla, juice and zest.  Scrape down the sides as needed. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and sticky. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350F.
4. Once chilled, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you are rolling individual balls. Drop 1 Tbsp balls of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. Do NOT cook them longer than 10 minutes. Remove and let cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack.
5. Cookies stay soft and fresh for up to 10 days in an airtight container.
6. You can also freeze the dough as I did. Scoop them into 1-inch balls and freeze in a single layer. Keep in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Add an additional 1-2 minutes baking time when you bake them!

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies (gluten free too!)

Happy vacation week to all you teachers out there! I hope you are all doing something fun and relaxing this week. I don't know about anyone else, but I definitely needed a nice long break.  It will be just long enough to restore a piece of my sanity.  You know what else restores sanity? Enjoying a nice glass of wine while watching the Bachelor (anyone else upset that Des got sent home?!)

You know what else restores sanity? Cookies. Even better..cookies with nutella. Aw now I have your attention I bet!

These cookes I found via pinterest. I was looking for recipes that were sans flour. I have been trying this past week to go gluten free. Let's just say my tummy so far thanks me. If I continue down this gluten free road, it might make baking a tad more challenging. Not impossible- just a little more challenging. The weird part is... I am kind of excited for this challenge. What can I think of to bake that doesn't have flour? Can I make a recipe better somehow by not adding flour and finding delicious alternatives? What new ingredients can I try? Almond flour... coconut flour, hmm...an excuse to go to the grocery store, too. 

I think my first time in the kitchen baking a gluten friendly treat proved very successful. I debated making this version or these thumbprint cookies. I am definitely at some point going to try and make those. I decided in the end I wanted an fast, easy cookie to make.  These crunchy babies are ridiculously easy to make. You need one bowl and you don't even need to break out your mixer. (which is good because I broke mine the other day making homemade cadbury creme eggs) Oops.  Don't worry I promise I'll post that recipe soon!  My only suggestion if I was to make these again, add more Nutella. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Oh and do yourself a favor. Scoop now. Freeze later. And next week when the Bachelor is on...pull a couple out of the freezer. Get that bottle of wine out. And get a piece of your sanity back. You're welcome.

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies (gluten-free)
**Originally from Dinnersdishesanddesserts.com

Print this recipe!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Total time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup Nutella
• ¼ cup sugar, for dipping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except the Nutella. Stir until everything is well combined. Add the Nutella, and stir gently. You want to incorporate it into the dough, but leave a definite swirl. Scoop 1 inch balls of dough, and place on a cookie sheet. Dip fa for in the sugar, and gently press down on the balls of dough to create the cross marks. Bake for 10 -12 minutes. Cool slightly on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes before removing to a wire rack.

perfect peanut butter cookies

I have been pondering what to call these cookies. Triple Threat Peanut Butter Cookies? Tres Peanut Butter? Holy fricken good god these are seriously delicious peanut butter cookies? Yes, perhaps that is an appropriate name for these. Because that pretty much describes them. 

The recipe comes from a blog I am have mentioned here before, and will definitely at some point again without a doubt- Smitten Kitchen, which she adapted from a NYC bakery, Magnolia Bakery . I adapted it slightly to what I had on hand. Deb added peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. I adapted, slightly, by adding chopped peanuts and miniature peanut butter cups. Oh yeah baby, that's right peanut butter cups. I think you can see one right there in that picture. It may seem to be just ordinary chocolate chips until you bite in and get that extra hit of peanut butter enrobed in smooth milk chocolate. 

These cookies take only about 10 minutes in the oven. At that point, Take. Them. Out. I know, they look slightly underdone. It's ok, trust me. Take them out of the oven, you will thank me later. They will continue to firm up into peanut butter nirvana. Sometimes peanut butter cookies to me are just TOO peanut buttery. Stick to the roof of your mouth in a way you don't want a cookie to do. These, on the other hand hit every note perfectly. They are moist. Peanut buttery, without being dry at the same time. I think you get it, right? Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies. There that is what I should call them. Your mouth will thank me. Your hips, on the other hand not so much.

Peanut Butter Cookies

You can print the recipe, here

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted from the Magolia Bakery Cookbook

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth is what we used, but I am pretty sure they use chunky at the bakery)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup miniature peanut butter cups, cut into small pieces

For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter, peanuts, and cups. Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

old-fashioned graham crackers

I should start out by saying that graham crackers are nothing I ever really think about until there is a campfire, a bag of marshmallows and couple Hershey bars involved. Sure, they can be a fine snack. Just not one I gravitate towards on their own. I want them to be the vehicle behind my lovely perfectly charred marshmallow and soon to be melted chocolate. Otherwise, I can leave them. 

These crackers on the other hand? Well it insulting really to put them in the same category as the store bought version.  These are just..well better. That's it. Hands down. Not even a contest. Where have these crackers been all my campfire days? Oh Smores you don't know what has hit you this summer. I beg you to try and make these at least once this summmer.  Put down that blue box with their brown paper wrapped crackers inside. Walk away. Instead go get the ingredients for these. And say hello to a better smore. Or at least a very addictive snack.  A snack you will feel much better about eating.





This was the first recipe in the book, One Girl Cookie. I borrowed the book from the library in a feeble attempt to save money and stop buying so many cookbooks! Yes, folks. I admit it. I have a problem. A cookbook buying problem. There I said it. I feel so much better now. Doing something about this problem..well that will just have to wait for another day. This was just a warm, fuzzy, comforting cookbook if cookbooks can be described that way. Each recipe had a name, a story, that you immediately fell in love with each one and the owners of this bakery in Brooklyn. I really do like this cookbook. Perhaps I will put this in my Amazon Shopping Cart. Don't judge me.

My little tip for making these crackers is this: If you own a silipat baking mat, put that down underneath your first piece of parchment paper. It will help prevent the paper from sliding around you and yelling out profanities you aren't proud of.

Also, after you roll and cut them out, place them on your cookie sheet, pop them back in the refrigerator. If you are like me, I never seem to work fast enough in this area and my dough always softens up. I hate when they say, work fast before your dough becomes too soft! Ugh the pressure! I just can't deal with that. My kitchen time is my sanity, get back to center time, not wreak extra havoc on my already busy life! So do what I did, work at your own pace and then use the fridge as your friend. Boy, I sound like a teacher don't I?

I think I'll go pop a few of these in my lunchbox.
Old Fashioned Graham Crackers
Makes 24 Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and 1/4 up of water.  Mix for 30 seconds. Repeat this step once, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix just to combine.  Turn the dough out onto a a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 seconds.  Divide the dough in half.  Cover one half iwth plastic wrap and set it aside.

3.  Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface, put the dough on the parchment, and top with a second sheet of parchment.  Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.  Chill the dough for about 30 minutes.

4.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, peel off both sheets of parchment, and put the dough on a cutting board.  Using a square cookie cutter, cut out the dough, rerolling the scraps twice.  Put the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of turbinado sugar. (Please note: I did not have turbinado sugar, and sprinkled with simply granulated sugar to give it that extra sweetness.)

6.  Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, for 20 minutes, or until the cookies are a dark golden color around the edges.  Let cool for 10 minutes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oatmeal White chocolate-walnut cookies

Remember those walnuts on the side of the carrot cake? And in those shortbread cookies? Well I still had some left. And since Whole Foods charged way, way too much (sorry Whole foods- but seriously I'm on a teacher's budget here!) I had to make sure I used them up. And what better way then to throw them into a cookie.

I am actually quite proud of this little cookie. I think because I took the basic recipe from Cook's Illustrated and I adapted it to what I had. The original recipe called for bittersweet chocolate (I had white chocolate on hand), pecans (enter, walnuts!), and dried cherries (maybe, next time cherries) and came out with this cookie.

Someday- probably in a much much distant future- I will write my very own cookbook with my very own recipes. Until then, this is as adventurous as I get recipe-wise.  How sad am I that I actually got nervous that this combination would not work. But I had never seen an oatmeal white chocolate-walnut combination! Or at least never googled it. And I google a lot of recipes. Either way, I had a hankering for oatmeal cookies, with the rest of the ingredients on hand, and at 8:00 p.m. at night there would be no running to the store. White chocolate and walnuts would have to suffice. And suffice they did. Boy, oh boy, these came out good. Move over expensive macadamia nuts! We got a new nut in town that pairs very nicely (perhaps a little too nicely- I had one for breakfast and lunch) with white chocolate. 

On that note...off to the gym.

Oatmeal Cookies with white chocolate and walnuts
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Makes about 16 large cookies

1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 (3 3/4 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed (10 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.  In second medium bowl, stir oats, walnuts, chocolate together.
3.  Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed.  Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Gradually add oat-nut mixture, mix until just incorporated (I did this with a spatula and some elbow grease.) Give it one final stir to make sure no flour pockets remain.
4.  Working with 1/4 cup of dough at a time, roll into balls and place 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Press dough to 1-inch thickness using bottom of a greased measuring cup. (I used the palm of my hand and it worked just fine. And saved me dirtying up another utensil!)  Bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone, and will appear raw, wet, and shiny in cracks) about 20 to 22 minutes switching and rotating baking sheets half-way through baking.
5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets (always recommended but who am I kidding- I snuck a bite) for 5 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Walnut Shortbread

I usually get an itch to bake at least once a day (if I'm lucky!). Unfortunately, my pantry doesn't always match my aspirations. A slim pantry doesn't tend to stop me. In fact, I kind of like it. I feel like I've been given a challenge. What can you make with no eggs, no milk, and no chocolate? Ugh...why bother!.. some might say! Not me.  I did have one stick of butter left in the freezer. Thank goodness. At least I had butter! I scoured my cookbooks- my cookie ones mostly- knowing that there had to be a few recipes out there that would scratch my itch with just a few ingredients. And lo and behold, on page 55 of Good Housekeeping Cookies cookbook I found a Walnut Shortbread recipe. 

It called for just four ingredients!
1.Walnuts (I had exactly the 1/2 cup it called for!) 
2. Flour
3. Sugar
4. Butter (exactly 1 stick)


..it's like the Baking Gods were calling for me to make this today! On an 80 degree day no less


Of course, being the baking dweeb that I am I decided to consult my Cook's Illustrated Bible on shortbread.  What did the experts have to say on shortbread?  The CI experts said the all flour recipe tends to create too much gluten resulting in a dry and tough shortbread. Ugh who wants that? They subbed in some oats. Well I didn't have any of that! I did have cake flour though.  The recipe on page 54 used half AP flour and half cake flour to make them "tender as authentic Scottish Shortbread". Now how come the page 55 recipe didn't call for half cake flour? Hmmph. I wanted authentic shortbread just like the next person! The CI experts also said using confectioner's sugar instead of granulated resulted in a better texture.  Well taking all this into consideration, and my pantry, I was able to come up with this modified version of page 55. 


This recipe comes together quickly as well. First start by toasting your walnuts.

Then transfer the walnuts and 1/2 cup of flour to your food processor fitted with the blade. Pulse until the walnuts are finely ground.

Transfer the walnut mixture to a medium sized bowl. Add the remaining flour.

Add in the butter. And mix it in with your hands. So messy but so satisfying!

Mix until it is nice and crumbly. See..I told you totally satisfying!

Now press into a 9-inch square pan. (Or whatever you have on hand. I used 8-inch pan and mine turned out just fine!)

I think this would go great with a cup of tea. If I had any.

Walnut Shortbread
Adapted from Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes, Cookies!


Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar (granulated or confectioners- I used confectioner's)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts in a single layer for about 5-7 minutes.  
2. In food processor with knife blade attached, process walnuts with 1/2 cup flour until finely ground.
3. In medium bowl, combine remaining flour, cake flour, sugar, and walnut mixture until blended.
4. With fingertips, blend butter into walnut mixture until well combined and crumbly. With hand, press dough onto bottom of ungreased 9- inch baking pan. (I used an 8- inch baking pan and adjusted my time).
5. Bake until light golden, 25 to 30 minutes. While still warm, cut into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 6 pieces. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
6. When cool, with small metal spatula, carefully remove cookies from pan.