Gingerbread Spritz Cookies

 I did not ice my cookies because I didn't have time. But next time I will!!

3 cups flour
2 ½ tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. salt

1 cup softened butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup molasses

1 large egg, room temperature

In a medium bowl, whisk first six ingredients together (dry ingredients). Set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until well combined. Add vanilla, molasses and egg and beat until smooth. On low, slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Cover dough tightly and refrigerate for 30minutes, but no longer! Press cookies using a cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5-6 minutes, depending on size. Larger cookie presses such as the old Pampered Chef press may need more time. Let cookies cool on pan for a few minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool.

 

Glaze: (optional, but highly recommended!)
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. warm water

Stir together until smooth. Thin or thicken if needed. Dip each cookie in the glaze, face down. Let excess icing drip off. Turn cookie back up and let icing dry.

Molded Gingerbread

 This is a new cookie hobby I picked up last holiday season. I'm totally addicted! Molded cookies!

The pinecone cookie was made with this recipe. 

3 ¾ cups flour

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cocoa powder

Scant pinch of red chili pepper

4 tsp. ground ginger

1 ½ tsp. ground allspice

3 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg

½ cup dark molasses

1 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. agave syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. ginger extract (optional)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Combine first nine ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cream until pale and creamy. Add egg and incorporate. Stir in molasses, honey, agave, vanilla and ginger extract until well combined. Add the dry ingredients into the mixture gradually until the dough pulls away from the sides. Flour hands and knead once or twice into a ball. If sticky, add 1 Tbsp. of flour. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Roll ½ inch thick. Dust dough and cookie mold with powdered sugar using a pastry brush. Press dough, tap lightly to release. Use knife to cut around impression if needed. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Dry cookies 3 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-15 minutes. Brush with glaze while still warm.

Bread Pudding (Versions I and II + Caramel Sauce!)

The great thing about bread pudding is that it can be the simplest thing to make, or it can be a little more involved. Either way, these two recipes are both bread pudding! 

Version I:

½ loaf of bread, about 5-6 cups, cubed
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. butter (or spray the pan with cooking spray)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten

Place bread in 9x9 inch baking pan. Mix milk beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour over the bread. Bake at 350 degrees until tops are golden and pudding is no longer runny, about 30-40 minutes.

Version II:

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 ¼ cups half-and-half

2 cups milk

½ cup melted butter

¼ cup sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. salt

20 dinner rolls or cubed bread (about 8 cups?)

3 Tbsp. brown sugar for the top

Whisk together first ten ingredients. Place bread cubes into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour mixture over the bread and let soak a few minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and pudding is set. 

Caramel sauce for pudding:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda

Simmer butter, sugar and half-and-half for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, salt and baking soda. Serve warm on pudding.

Simple Short Cake

 Short cake is like "shortbread", there aren't any eggs and you "cut in" the fat, in this case, butter. Pretty sweet!

2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup cold butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
Coarse sugar for decoration

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender until it resembles rough cornmeal or coarse crumbs. Make a well in the mixture and add the vanilla and milk. Stir to combine. Pour into greased and floured 8 inch round (or square) baking pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar for decoration. Bake for 43-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 15 minutes before turning cake out onto a board or rack to cool.

Cake Mix Spice Muffins

I don't really care how some people think cake mixes are "terribly unhealthy". Then don't use them if you think that. Sometimes, when people are in a hurry or just like to do things quicker, they use cake mixes. Don't judge! :)

 

1 yellow 15.25 oz cake mix

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. cloves

½ tsp. allspice 

1 cup applesauce (or pear sauce)

½ cup melted butter or coconut oil

1 small, ripe banana, mashed
1 egg

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk wet ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop into muffin liners in a muffin pan. (I sometimes spray one squirt of cooking spray in the bottom of each paper muffin liner.) Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing muffins from pan. Makes about 13 muffins.

Apple Blossom Cake

 I got this recipe from a Facebook group for old recipes. It's pretty great! I made it 4 times in just a few weeks! Enjoy!

1 ½ cups melted coconut oil
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated apples
3 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
 

In medium bowl, mix together oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add grated apples and mix. In large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan. Pour batter in pan and bake 75 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool for five minutes and remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.