White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Dear 2012,
Be good to me.
Love,
Amanda
PS If you aren't, at least provide cookies.

If your 2012 isn't starting out so well, make cookies. It's my solution to all of life's problems. Cookies and chocolate. They cure all life's bumps.
These cookies are a delicious twist on the classic snickerdoodle. I have yet to meet someone who won't eat a good snickerdoodle. Sugary, cinnamony, buttery. What more could you ask for? Well after you try these, you're going to want to put white chocolate in all your snickedoodles. Delish.

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Love Veggies and Yoga

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

(Plus 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat sugars and butter until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flour until dough comes together. Mix in white chocolate chips. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.
Roll 1 inch balls out of the dough and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!

(Also, I've started a fashion blog over here!) 

Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you believe it? The last day of 2011. It has been quite the year. Full of ups and downs, as life often is. Let's only think about the good tonight and focus on the fact that the bad was necessary to get us to the now.
One of my biggest accomplishments this year has definitely been starting this blog and getting more serious with my baking. I have learned so much and cannot wait to see what this next year brings for this little blog.
I've learned, loved, laughed, been loved, baked far too much, stayed up way too late, done things I never thought I would do, and spent time with some of the greatest people I know. I truly hope your year has been as full of happiness.
Now let's get to these cookies. Coconut. Pecans. Oatmeal. Chocolate Chips. This is the ultimate comfort cookie. So if you're spending a cozy night in for New Years Eve, bake up these cookies and enjoy the last few hours of this year.
Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Bakin' and Eggs

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup oats 
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 350.
Beat butter and sugars. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Lastly, fold in coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips. Chill for 30 minutes.
Dropped by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.
Cool and enjoy!

Cherry Almond Cupcakes with a Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

I made 16 dozen cupcakes. I frosted 16 dozen cupcakes. I decorated 16 dozen cupcakes.
Me. I did that. Can't quite get that through my brain.
Let me tell you something. Making and decorating that many cupcakes makes you not want to eat cupcakes. At all. Not even because the thought of a cupcakes sounds unappetizing but simply because it would feel like eating your masterpiece. True story.
Today I bring you these yummy cherry almond cupcakes to start off with. I made a total of 4 flavors of cupcakes and this is one of them.
I am in love with the color of these cupcakes. The cherry juice makes them the sweetest pink color. They are moist and delicious. And don't have chocolate in them. This doesn't happen often around here but these are so good they don't even need delicious chocolate.
Treat yourself. Make cupcakes.
Cherry Almond Cupcakes with a Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications: Cupcakes
(Makes 24 cupcakes)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice

For Frosting: 

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• milk as needed

Preheat oven to 350. Combine buttermilk and cherry juice. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside as well.
Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, almond extract, and egg whites. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture until well mixed. Spoon batter into muffin cups filling about 2/3 of the way full.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool while you prepare the frosting.
For frosting, beat butter until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Then beat in cherry juice and almond extract. Slowly add the remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar. If frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until desired consistency.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Life is crazy right now. There's Christmas shopping, 6 dozen cookie making, 200 cupcake making, and a million little things in between. I've clearly been baking but haven't had time to get creative in the kitchen.
So I made you banana bread.
Not just any banana bread.
This loaf gives the usual plain banana bread a special kick.
So enjoy this banana bread and I promise I'll be back with something brilliant soon.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Adapted from How Sweet It Is

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth. Add egg whites, vanilla, and bananas. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon alternating with the milk. Add in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool and enjoy!

Mint Chip Coconut Cookies

Yes, I realize it's only mid November but all that's in my mind is the holidays. On this particular day, Christmas is all I can think about. The decorations have come out and I'm just waiting for the tree.
If you're not so ready for Christmas, just make these cookies and I'm sure you will be.
You're probably thinking "Coconut and mint?!" Trust me when I say that it's a combination straight from the heavens. Delicious.
Mint Chip Coconut Cookies
Adapted from Sweet Anna's

• 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 2/3 cup Guittard Smooth and Melty Mint Chips
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat melted butter and sugars. Add egg, egg white, and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the coconut and chips. Chill dough for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool and enjoy!

Cookie Dough Brownies

You know those days where you just make cookies to eat the cookie dough? Or brownies just to lick the spatula? It happens. It's real life. For those days, you just need a baked good like this. The best of both worlds. Cookie dough, brownies, and you still get to lick the spatula.
These are made.... with a boxed brownie mix. I know, I know, I know. I'm supposed to be this baker who makes everything from scratch but sometimes you just have to take the easy route. The trick when going for boxed brownies is to splurge a little. Ghirardelli is the way to go.

Go treat yourself. Make these. Lick the bowl clean. Watch a good movie. You'll feel better in no time.
Cookie Dough Brownies
Adapted from Haute Apple Pie

• 9x9 Pan of prepared boxed brownies, cooled
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugars. Add vanilla. Mix in flour and salt until dough forms. Add chocolate chips.
Spread cookie dough over cooled brownies and freeze for about 20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

We've all been there. Wondering why you bought bananas just to let them rippen up to the point of almost rotting. It's unfortunate but we all do it.
Well here's my inspirational quote of the day.
When life hands you rotten bananas, make banana bread.
Or in this case banana cookies. Either is delicious but people get tired of good old banana bread pretty quickly. So these mix it up a bit.
These cookies are not as cakey as the usual recipes you see for banana or pumpkin cookies. They have a bit of a chewy texture to them and are more flat like a usual chocolate chip cookie.
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Baking Bites

• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (1 banana)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites, mashed banana, and both extracts. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips until completely distributed.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!