Sour Cream Peppermint Petits Fours

I somehow survived DC's Snowquester last week and made the treacherous journey to and from work. I know, you're impressed. But instead of getting all cozy and sipping hot chocolate once I finally got home, I grabbed a few sticks of butter and got baking.

When it's cold and slushy outside, something about peppermint just warms me up from the inside out! These cute little petits fours are the perfect size for an individual serving. Nothing looks more elegant than a mini bundt dusted with a light coating of powdered sugar. But what? Your mom didn't give you this cute little pan from Nordicware? You can bake these as cupcakes, too, they just won't look as fancy.

Sour Cream Peppermint Petits Fours [click to print]
Makes 16 mini bundts or regular cupcakes (I used the Nordicware Mini Bundt pan)

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2 eggs, large
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1-1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously coat mini bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray---use the kind with flour! Seriously, I can't tell you how big of a difference this makes.

2) Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla and peppermint extracts and mix well. In separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and stir into batter until just combined.

3) Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until top is slightly golden and springs back when touched lightly. Allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.

Source: Adapted from The Sweet Art

Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Cookies

So I may or may not have gone to two or three separate cookie exchanges around Christmas last year...and these cookies just about knocked my socks off. Every single bite is packed with chewy flavor and bits of nut or berry or chocolate...so good!

And while the red and green mix-in combo looks especially gorgeous for the holidays, I've decided that these are year-round cookies. Also, I am now officially in love with pistachios.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Cookies [click to print]

• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 egg, large
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. cake flour*
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. pistachios, shelled (and salted is great, too!)
• 1/2 c. white chocolate chunks
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries

*Note: If you don't have cake flour on hand, substitute 2 c. all-purpose flour plus 2 tsp. cornstarch.

1) Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2) Cream butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in egg and vanilla, scraping sides of bowl as needed. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda and salt; with mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in about 2-3 additions. Stir in pistachios, chocolate and cranberries. 

3) Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. 

4) Preheat oven to 350 F. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. Allow cookies to set on pan about 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from my friend Jordan's recipe files!

Pumpkin Banana Oat Bread

I did it again. I bought more bananas than I could possibly eat before they turned all spotty and mushy. And since my mom isn't here to eat my brown bananas (I promise I don't force them on her, she actually enjoys them!), I did the only logical thing: feed my banana bread addiction with another sweet variety!

I know it's not technically pumpkin season, but that lonely can of pumpkin puree in my pantry has been staring me down for months. Plus, it's stinkin cold outside and I had to scrape frost off my windshield this morning and I worked out for nearly a full hour this afternoon and all I want is something warm and cozy to stuff in my mouth. There. Now I feel justified.

Pumpkin Banana Oat Bread (no butter or oil added!) [click to print]
Makes one loaf

• 1-1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 c. old fashioned oats
• 2/3 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 medium, very ripe banana, mashed (about 1/3 c.)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9x4 loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing at least 2" overhang on each side of pan, or generously coat with nonstick cooking spray. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, whisk together all dry ingredients, including sugar, spices and oats. Beat in remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. 

3) Pour batter into pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Allow to cool in pan about 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. To serve, dust with powdered sugar. 

Source: Jasey's Crazy Daisy

Cherry Vanilla Love Monsters (aka Whoopie Pies)

Let me just tell you one more time. I love holidays! Seriously, there might not be anything better than cutesy themed dessert and containers filled with festive sprinkles and sharing some goodies with friends! These Love Monsters don't take too long to bake or assemble and they're just so cute, who wouldn't wanna get bitten by the love bug today? Happy Valentine's Day!

Cherry Vanilla Love Monsters [click to print]
Makes about 36 whoopie pies

For the cake

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 c. flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 pkg. candy eyes (I used Wilton Candy Eyes)
• Sprinkles

For the filling

• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 jar (7.5oz) marshmallow fluff
• 1 c. cherry vanilla compote (or pie filling)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, powder, salt and soda; gradually add to batter in about three additions. Beat until just combined. 

3) Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Add candy eyes to half of the cookies, placing eyes about 1/3 of the way towards the center of the cookie (otherwise the eyes melt when they bake). Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for about 10 minutes or until edges are just barely golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. 

4) For the filling, beat butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add fluff, vanilla and salt. Stir in pie filling, mixing until just combined. Spread filling on half the cookies and sandwich with the eyeball cookie halves. Fill small dish with sprinkles and roll edge of assembled whoopie pies in sprinkles to coat. 

Source: Adapted from Just Baked

Snake Butter Cookies

It's that wonderful time of year again...time to huddle under piles of cozy blankets with the frigid wind whirling outside, to make chili and, perhaps most importantly, time to watch some Kung Fu Panda and eat snake cookies. It's most definitely time to celebrate The Year of the Snake! Happy Chinese New Year!

These are a classic butter cookie and have such a rich flavor and make me go weak at the knees when you snap off a bite. Also, these are great make-ahead cookies. So whip up a batch and freeze the already-baked cookies in a zip bag for about 1 month!

Snake Butter Cookies [click to print]
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 c. flour
• red nonpareils
• green sanding sugar (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2) In mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and gradually add sugar. Slowly add egg and vanilla, continuing to beat mixture until well combined. Add a small scoop of flour and stir until mixture just starts pulling together. Add remaining flour all at once and mix until just combined. 

3) Scoop dough into large pastry bag fitted with #3 star tip. If the dough is too firm and you can't pipe it, return dough to mixer and, in separate bowl, beat another egg. Add a tiny tiny bit of egg (about 1/2 tsp. at a time), mixing completely between each addition, until the dough is soft enough to squeeze through the piping tip. Once you have the right consistency, pipe dough directly on parchment in an S-shape about 2-3 inches long, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Gently press two red nonpareils in place for eyes. Sprinkle with colored sugar as desired.

4) Refrigerate cookies about 5 minutes to firm. Bake 8-11 minutes or until edges are just golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet.

Source: Adapted from L'Academie de Cuisine