Half Batch Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cupcake pan with liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gradually add the buttermilk, beating until smooth. Divide evenly among pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Shortcut Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box vanilla pudding

Zest & Juice of 1 small lemon (about 1/4 cup juice)

3 eggs

1/3 cup half & half

1/4 cup coconut rum

1 tablespoon from a can of coconut milk, reduced & divided

For the icing:

Remaining reduced coconut milk

Zest of 1 small lemon

1 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

To reduce coconut milk: Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low stirring occasionally, cook 25 to 30 minutes. Milk will cook down to about 1/3 cup. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly as it cools). Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 325. Line a cupcake pan with liners.

Combine cake ingredients in a blender. Mix until well combined. (I mix it in a blender so it gets all the clumps out of the cake mix.) Divide evenly in pan.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

To make icing beat coconut milk and butter in a mixer until well combined. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla extract. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Pipe on cooled cupcakes.

Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

8 oz whipping cream

1 13oz jar whipped peanut butter

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat whipping cream at high speed with a beater attachment until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium. Add in peanut butter and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Mix just until it disappears in the frosting. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Almond Butter Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup natural cane sugar

1 8 oz can almond paste

3 eggs

2-1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup mini morsels

Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add in almond paste. Mix on medium-high speed about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down sides as needed. Add eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Turn speed to low. Gradually add in cake flour. Fold in mini morsels.

Chill dough one hour.

Preheat oven t0 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a cookie scoop evenly scoop dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Slide parchment paper onto cooling rack to cool.

We made these for Santa. But this is Kaleb's 6th cookie in about 5 minutes. Santa might not get any!

Sweet Chex Mix

Recipe Adapted From One Lovely Life

I hope I have some left by the time it is dry. Makenzy keeps sneaking handfuls.
1 box Multi Grain Chex
1 box Cinnamon Toast Crunch
2 cups unsweetened coconut
1 cup slivered almonds
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups brown sugar corn syrup
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp almond extract

Combine cereals, coconut, and almond in a large bowl.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in almond extract and pour over cereal mixture. Toss to coat well.

If packaging to give away, or if you don’t want it quite so sticky, spread Chex mix out over parchment or waxed paper to dry. Allow to dry up to 8-12 hours before packaging.

Gingerbread Waffles

I saw this recipe on foodgawker yesterday and had to try it! The kids and I both LOVE it! I adapted it slightly.

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1 1/2c buttermilk

1/2c molasses

4 Tbsp butter, melted

2cup flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and egg yolks until creamy. Stir in buttermilk, molasses, and butter.

Into a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.

In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks have formed.

Add liquid mixture into sifted dry ingredients and stir together. Fold in egg whites.

Cook according to waffle-iron instructions.

Banana Breakfast Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

3 ripe bananas

3/4 cup apple sauce

1 cup chopped candied pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 325.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.

Mix together cake mix, eggs, bananas, apple sauce, and pecans. Spread mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Swirl into batter with a knife.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cake 15-20 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients. Spread glaze on cake.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream together butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar until fluffy. Add eggs in one at a time mixing until well incorporated.

Sift together baking soda, salt, flour, and cream of tartar. Gradually add flour into butter mixture mixing just until combined.

Chill dough until firm.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a ramekin. Roll dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Sugar Cookies

Recipe from Annie's Eats

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Zest of half a lemon

2½ cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, and lemon zest until blended.

Mix in the flour on low speed just until incorporated.

Form the dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 1-2 hours.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a well floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters as desired and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until fully cooked but not at all browned. Allow to cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate as desired.

Vanilla Bean Spritz Cookies

1-1/2 cups butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon amaretto

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, sliced in half seeds scraped

3-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Gel coloring (if desired)

Cookie Press

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in egg. Beat until incorporated. Slowly mix in milk, amaretto, and extract. Stop mixer and add in vanilla bean seeds. Mix on medium speed for one minute.

Sift together flour and baking powder. With mixer on low gradually beat in flour mixture. Mix in gel coloring if desired.

Using a cookie press press cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 5-7 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

*Tip* Make sure your pan is cool or the dough won't stick to it.

Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup more for coating
2 large eggs
1 can pumpkin
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Cream the butter and 1 3/4 cups sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed.

Lower to medium and add the eggs, pumpkin, molasses, vinegar, and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and pepper. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until incorporated.

Fold in the crystallized ginger.

Chill dough overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. Using a cookie scoop form dough into balls. Roll in the remaining sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, press down the dough gently, and leave the dough 2 inches apart.

Bake 12-14 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.