Fudgy Brownie Cookies

Fudgy Brownie Cookies - made dough June 1, 2019 from Southern Bite

This is not one of my baking successes. It's one of those cases where I followed the recipe but it still didn't turn out. It happens.

For the first taste test cookie, I baked it as directed (initially) but the cookie still looked pretty raw after 10 minutes in the preheated oven so I left it in there for another 5 minutes, until at least the edges looked done, even though the middle still looked wet. I knew chocolate sets when it cools so I figured it would be okay then.

I was only partially right. The baked outer edges were crisp and tasted bitter. I don't really care for crisp and I'm certainly not a fan of bitter. The middle of the cookie was pretty good though and I thought I understood why the baking directions were as they were. If you take them out at the time you're supposed to, the whole cookie could taste better and you save yourself crispy, bitter edges.

So....the next time I baked them, I took them out at the 10-minute mark, despite all baking instincts that screamed "they're not done! They're still raw!". They were also messy looking as the dough spread and the edges looked messy.

I solved that problem by using a large round cookie shaper and cutting the cookies into neat rounds while they were still hot from the oven. Then I peeled away the cut edges so I was left with fairly tidy, round cookies.

Alas, I really should've left them in for a few minutes longer and then done the cookie cutter trick. At least the middles that were left would've been more baked. As it was, they were just barely baked and were super fragile and mushy. They weren't baked enough to even set properly and I had to eat the second taste test cookie with a spoon.

I never like to admit failure but it's important to; otherwise how am I going to learn? The key learning from this recipe is to bake it long enough for the middles to be able to set but not so long that they fully bake and turn crisp and/or bitter tasting. I do like the cookie cutter trick so I would save that for appearance's sake.

The dough was also rather soft so I don't think increasing the flour by 1/4 to 1/2 cup would hurt either.

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour (if dough is too soft, trying increasing flour by 1/4 to 1/2 cup)

1. Melt butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips in the top half of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water. Whisk until smooth and melted.
2. Add granulated sugar and stir to combine. Cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla, salt and eggs; stir to combine. Add the cocoa powder and flour; mix until just combined. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips. If dough is too soft to scoop, chill for 15 minutes.
4. Portion dough into golf-ball-size dough balls, cover and chill or freeze for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and evenly space dough balls. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for several minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Gluten-free Pancakes

Gluten-free Pancakes - made June 4, 2019 from The Creative Recycler

Lots of pictures in this post because I made pancakes several different times from the same batch and kept taking pictures.

If you want to cut to the chase and make the best pancakes ever, much less the best gluten-free pancakes ever, just scroll all the way to the bottom and get to it.

Believe me, I didn't expect to type those words, especially when it comes to gluten-free anything. Not because I think there's anything bad or wrong with gluten-free but I haven't been baking or making anything gluten-free and don't have the experience to make the "best" anything gluten-free.

So I'm going to have to give full props to the recipe itself, not anything to do with my pancake making skills. When I made the batter, I was a little skeptical as it was pretty thin batter. So thin that, when I poured the batter into the heated frying pan, I was afraid it would make crepes, rather than pancakes.

I'm happy to be wrong. The pancakes are a little fragile during cooking so make sure you let the first side cook enough to be able to flip the pancake without it falling apart.

These were very tasty; so tasty that I didn't put that much syrup or butter on them. I didn't need to. They tasted great and, perhaps because they were gluten-free and not made with regular wheat flour, I didn't have that bloated, stuffed feeling after eating one. Okay, three. But still....

Happy to say I have a favorite new pancake recipe; bonus that it's gluten free.

1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (with xanthan gum in the blend)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
nonstick cooking spray

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, milk and melted butter.
3. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
4. Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
5. Pour about 1/8 cup pancake batter onto heated griddle or pan. 
6. When pancake bubbles begin to form and edges start to cook, gently flip over.
7. Let the pancake cook another minute or two, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter Serve hot.

Snickerdoodles (no cream of tartar)

Snickerdoodles - made dough on June 1, 2019 from Stuck on Sweet

You're going to see some cookie recipes in the new few posts. I hadn't been baking that much lately since I'm working remotely these days and I don't really want to bring baked goods with me on the flight back to my office. Too difficult, especially with cookies, to keep intact.

But I was driving back to the Bay Area to attend my coworker's wedding and there would be a few other coworkers there so I used both as an excuse to try a few new recipes for cookie care packages.

My coworker, Eileen, whose wedding it was, ranks snickerdoodles as her favorite cookies. Whenever I want to try a new snickerdoodle recipe, I know I have at least one very willing taste tester. Since it was her wedding, I decided it'd be a good time to try another snickerdoodle recipe.

If you're a snickerdoodle purist, you might not consider this a "real" snickerdoodle since it doesn't contain cream of tartar, which is a hallmark of snickerdoodles, as is the cinnamon-sugar coating.

I'm not that snobby about snickerdoodles as long as they taste good, with cream of tartar or not. And these tasted good. They spread more than I would've like and some ran into each other since you know I have a tendency to make big cookie dough balls. Go big or don't bother baking them, I say.

Still, even though they didn't stay as thick as I would've liked, these had nice crisp edges and chewy middles. The flavor was also quite good. I would probably make them a little smaller than my usual norm so that they'd be a bit more normal-sized with their spread but all in all, a nice snickerdoodle recipe.

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition.
3. With mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Cover bowl and chill for 15 minutes.
4. Portion into golf-ball-size dough balls, cover and refrigerate or freeze for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl and roll dough balls, coating completely. Evenly space dough balls on prepared sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw or shiny. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies #1

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies Experiment #1 - made dough May 31, 2019 from Meaningful Eats

I am fortunate enough not to have any wheat or gluten allergies so I don't really do gluten-free baking. But, once upon a time, I came across a recipe for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies that I wanted to try so I bought a bag of gluten-free flour.

And, like nearly every time I do something like that, I didn't make the recipe shortly after I bought the ingredient and ended up moving it with me, unopened bag of gluten-free flour and all. Since I'm facing another move and I didn't want to move it again, I decided to start using it and went back to the recipes I'd pinned earlier that prompted the purchase of the gluten-free flour in the first place.

First up is this recipe for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. My bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour already had xanthan gum in it so I didn't have to purchase xanthan gum separately. From what I'd read about gluten-free baking, some of the concerns are with texture as it can be gritty if not used properly. You can get around this with several tricks, including letting the dough sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the liquid really absorb into the dough.

I underestimated the power of that suggestion as I went right from making the dough and forming it into dough balls to putting them directly into the freezer. Freezer vs refrigerator isn't the same thing since freezing the dough will literally keep them "as is" whereas refrigeration will allow more liquid absorption and flavor development.

On the whole though, the texture wasn't that bad. There was a slight grittiness but it was okay. I was less enamored of the flavor. It wasn't bad or anything but there was something I couldn't put my finger on. I'm not sure that in a blind taste test, I would've identified this as gluten-free as it held up in looks and texture like a regular chocolate chip cookie with wheat flour. But, taste-wise, not sure this would be my favorite. Whether that was due to it being gluten-free or not, it's too early to tell. I have more experimenting to do with gluten-free flour. Stay tuned.

1 stick or 1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour that contains xanthum gum (I used Bob's Red Mill), 7.5 ounces
1/4 cup almond flour, 1 ounce (can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When melted, whisk constantly as butter foams then the solid particles begin to brown on the bottom, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Add milk, brown sugar and granulated sugar; whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla; whisk to combine.
4. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Cover the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Portion into golf-ball-size dough balls and chill or freeze for several hours or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space dough balls on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden and the middles are no longer raw or shiny. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Self-Rising Flour

Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough May 26, 2019 from Kindly Unspoken

This recipe was an attempt to use more of my White Lily self-rising flour. I'm not used to baking with self-rising flour so I don't have a repertoire of recipes that use it. At the time I made the dough for this, it was around Memorial Day so I had a vision of making patriotic-looking cookies using the simple addition of red, white and blue M&Ms

Plus, honestly, since I'm moving shortly, I was also trying to use up as many ingredients in my pantry as possible. The more I use, the less I have to move.

Sadly, these didn't turn out in reality what I wanted them to look like in my head. I was hoping for chunky, chubby cookies but these spread thin. I also envisioned strategically placed colored M&Ms proclaiming colors-of-the-flag decorations. But the spread of the cookies due to the liquidity of the dough also sunk most of the M&Ms into the cookie as it baked. This was also a little too sweet for me, possibly because of the addition of the M&Ms.

As always, when a recipe doesn't turn out the way I'd like, I think it has more to do with me than the recipe. My cookies didn't turn out the way it looked on the original blog I got it from. I suspect my dough was more liquid than it should've been but I used the same ingredients and I mixed the butter straight from the fridge so not sure what happened there.

1 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
12 ounces chocolate chips

1. Cream butter, egg and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Add in granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until creamy.
2. Slowly add in flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
3. Fold in chocolate chips. Portion dough into golf-ball-size dough balls and chill or freeze, covered, for several hours or overnight.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and evenly space chilled or frozen dough balls. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until edges are set and middles are no longer raw.

Cream Cheese Biscuits

Cream Cheese Biscuits - made May 27, 2019, adapted from Revere World

This is the third of the three biscuits recipes I managed to find that didn't use buttermilk. Instead, the fat comes from butter and cream cheese. Cut both into flour and, voila, biscuits.

I modified the original recipe by cutting the butter from 2/3 cup to 1/2 cup, mostly because it's a pain to portion 2/3 cup of butter and it was easier to use 1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup. #lazy

Fortunately, the biscuits survived my experimentation, albeit I had to squeeze handfuls of the mixture to get the dough to come together. I handled as sparingly as I could though so the biscuits wouldn't be overworked.

Ironically, this turned out to be the fluffiest of the three recipes. I didn't underbake it but I didn't overbake it either. This does have the tang of cream cheese, which I don't love, but still, I really liked the texture of these biscuits.

Next time, I think I would cut back a little on the cream cheese and increase the butter. Hopefully that'll preserve the texture but give the biscuits more of a buttery flavor rather than the tang of cream cheese.

As always with biscuits, these are best served immediately, while they're hot out of the oven or at least very warm.

8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup self-rising flour, plus more for dusting

1. Pulse together the cream cheese, butter and flour in a food processor until combined, about 10 pulses, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Turn out onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper and pat into a disc. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Place an oven rack on the highest rung and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Sprinkle a work surface with flour, unwrap the dough and sprinkle the top and a rolling pin lightly with flour.
4. Roll out to 1/2" thick and cut with a 1 1/4"-thick biscuit cutter. Place them on the baking sheet about 1" apart. Roll the scraps together to cut out more biscuits.
5. Bake about 14 minutes on the top rack until golden and puffed, rotating the pan halfway through. Brush the tops with melted butter, if desired, and serve warm.