Cookies are a wonderful treat. Some cookies, take a little time to prepare and others can be made on a whim if you have the right ingredients on hand. I really have to be in the mood to make the type of cookie that takes up time in the kitchen. These cookies? Nothing short of brilliant. I came across it some time ago but wasn’t into making cookies yet. I’m glad I saved it and I am definitely glad that I made them.
I found the recipe for Cream Cheese Cookies and wanted to make it as is. No adapting. I wanted to know what the original cookie tasted like. And I almost succeed.
I have been buying a variety of flours, all with the intention of experimenting and finding alternatives to regular flour. There are so many flours that have wonderful nutritional value. The one I have used the most in the past, is Quinoa flour. For this cookie, I chose to use Spelt flour. I didn’t plan to. My hand just steered to the right of the all-purpose flour. Sometimes in life, you just have to take chances.
A delightful cookie made with spelt flour, cream cheese and mini chocolate chips
Author: Lyn, adapted from Food52
Recipe type: Cookie
Ingredients
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
4oz Light Cream Cheese (softened)
1 Cup Spelt Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
In a mixing bowl, add butter, cream cheese and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to the cream cheese mixture and mix until just combined
Using a cookie scoop, add batter to parchment lined cookie trays, leaving about an inch and a half between them.
Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are browned and be careful not to over-bake
Remove from oven and leave on the tray for about 3 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
3.1.09
The chocolate chips didn’t actually make it into the batter until half way through. The first batch was so wonderfully fragrant but I wondered what I could add that would go nicely with these cookies. I added a few mini chocolate chips. The regular chocolate chips seemed too large for these delicate cookies.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m not sure how many cookies were taken from this rack while I wasn’t looking. Sticky fingers around here. I don’t blame them.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
I liked how delicate and dainty these cookies looked. I’m sure they’d make an excellent gift or even a quick treat if company popped by.
Spelt Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are absolutely delightful. With or without the chocolate chips, you’ll absolutely LOVE them. A definite keeper.
Welcome to the first #SundaySupper of 2013! I’m so grateful when I am able to participate and I’m more than happy to jump right on in at the start of the new year. Today’s theme is Whats on your recipe bucket list? My recipe bucket list is quite long. There were a few things I wanted to start off with but then I remembered that I promised myself that I’d make Blue Drawers. It’s a very simple sweet pudding that has been around for decades in Jamaica. I only knew about it as an adult and was surprised to know that some of my friends have only heard about it, but have never had it. I guess its something that our grandmothers would make. I’m no grandma, but I love exploring my heritage and learning about the food from the land of my birth. So let’s go!
Please check out all the exciting recipes that the #SundaySupper family have to share. I’m looking forward to seeing the dishes that we are all making for the very first time! I’ll consider this the post to kick off my bucket list recipes.
Blue Drawers (you might also see it as Blue Draws) has a few aliases … Tie-A-Leaf, Duckoono/Dokunnu and Boyo. It is originally a West African dish (Dokunu) that was traditionally made with plantains, but modern versions are made with cornmeal, sweet potato, green banana, cassava, or a combination of your preference. Blue Drawers is essentially a boiled pudding that is considered a treat because it is sweet as opposed to savory. Along with the selection of ingredients mentioned previously, grated coconut is always added. Consider this a mandatory ingredient. What really got me interested in making Blue Drawers, was that each portion is boiled in a banana leaf secured with thin strip of banana bark. Something about it just seems so rustic, and pure. I love that in Jamaica, it is pretty much still prepared that way. I always wondered about how this pudding ended up with the name “Blue Drawers”. Well, according to the National Library of Jamaica, it was given the nickname Blue Drawers because the banana leaves apparently have a blue hue once they are cooked. Well. Okay then! Who knew?
The fact that I did not have banana leaves did not stop me from preparing this pudding. I used the alternative…foil! It doesn’t look as rustic and earthy but it’s what I have access to. And it worked just great. I also added my very own special touch to this Jamaican treat ~ a simple coconut glaze with a hint of citrus to break up that coconut essence just a little bit.
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, mixed spice, shredded coconut and raisins
In a small bowl, add coconut milk, sugar and vanilla. Mix to combine
Add the coconut milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture and mix with a spoon until combined
Prepare 12 sheets of foil, 12" X 8"
Using a standard ice-cream scoop, place a scoop of batter into the center of the foil sheets, and fold the foil around each scoop to form parcels
Place the parcels in pot enough boiling water to cover them completely
Cook on medium high heat for about an hour
Remove each parcel with tongs and place on a bowl.
Carefully unwrap each parcel over a few sheets of paper towels as some water may drip out
For the glaze: In a small bowl, add coconut milk, and confectioners sugar. Whisk until well combined and smooth. Add orange extract and combine.
Add glaze on top of each pudding once cooled
3.1.09
I took this photograph in August for 2012 while I was visiting Jamaica during the Jamaica 50 celebrations (Jamaica celebrated its 50th year of independence). I only knew of Blue Drawers by name. I had not had it at this point. Then a friend of mine gave me some that his mother had made. I knew that even if it was just once, I would make Blue Drawers. So keep in mind that this is how they would have been presented if I had banana leaves.
Jamaican Blue Drawers
In terms of the main ingredient, I did make a very slight change. I used golden raisins instead of regular raisins.
Golden Raisins
I combined the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients to make a moist batter.
Combining ingredients to make Blue Drawers
Combining the batter was easy, and so was the parcel preparation. There was no particular way in which to fold the parcels, so I just made them the best I could. Utilizing the scoop ensured that each pudding would be identical in size. I got exactly 12 scoops using this recipe. I made my parcels fairly small. I cut the ingredients in half in order to keep the servings small.
Jamaican Blue Drawers – Preparing the parcels for boiling
Cooled Blue Drawers
Jamaican Blue Drawers
I think adding the glaze gave it a modern touch. I enjoyed it with the glaze. The orange essence is very subtle.
Jamaican Blue Drawers with an Orange Coconut Glaze
I hope you enjoyed this item from my bucket list. Whats next on your recipe bucket list?
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday.
We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun.
Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.
I didn’t get to indulge in my usual #MuffinMonday this week. Sadly I’ve had to deal with 2 sick kids plus I’m trying to get over a little cold/cough. It’s the season to share in a little more than just holiday spirit. I believe we are on the mend and this means I’ll be back in the kitchen, whipping up something great for you. I do have a muffin recipe that I wanted to share that I made a few weeks ago but didn’t get to post it. I’m so glad that I got to use up some pureed pumpkin that I had in the freezer.
I get so much junk mail delivered to my door, and I usually just recycle. But there was a flyer for a local business that caught my eye. The photograph on the flyer had me drooling. It had a recipe that looked so delicious, I went ahead and made it. And it was so good! I have no idea where the original recipe came from so I have no reference for it. But here it is!
Cookies! Last year, I wondered if I could make them. I did …and they came out great! this year, I’m all in! I’m experimenting and finding tons of awesome cookie recipes. I’m not going to get to try them all but I’m building up a nice collection! That’s what makes this #SundaySupper so awesome! This weeks theme is Holiday Cookie Exchange! The titles are wonderful and I can’t wait to see everyone’s cookies!
Who doesn’t love a good cookie? We love cookies at my home, but I don’t buy them often. I feel much better making them myself, even if it’s just for the season. It also brings me comfort that they are home-made, and made with love. And a few chocolate chips. After all, chocolate is love, right? Check out my Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies and Ginger Molasses Cookies. Crowd pleasers!
The cookie I’m sharing with you has been tested by me twice. I guess when I say “me”, I really should be saying “us”. The first batch was good, it was finished quickly and you know that’s a good sign.I made some slight changes on the second batch. I used a bit more cocoa powder and used white chocolate chips instead of dark. That’s all. And that’s what I’m sharing with you today.
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies for #SundaySupper
These cookies are sweet with a hint of tartness. A wonderful combination and very festive.
Author: Lyn via Best Cookies
Recipe type: Cookie
Ingredients
1 Cup Wholewheat Pasty Flour
½ Cup Dutch Processed Dark Cocoa Powder
½ Cup + 2 Tbsp Butter, softened
½ Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
1 Cup White Chocolate Chips
¾ Cup Dried Cranberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
In a small bowl, sift in flour and cocoa powder. Combine with a whisk. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and baking powder until combined
Beat in egg until combined
Beat in as much as the flour with the mixer
Fold in chocolate chips and cranberries with a wooden spoon or spatula
Using a cookie scoop, take up rounded portions and roll into a ball. Flatten then round the edges.
Place on a parchment lined cookie tray with about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest in the tray for about 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
Notes
This recipe yielded 33 cookies
Store in an air tight container for 3 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 3 months
3.1.09
I’m no cookie expert. In fact, I’ve made cookies that could compete with a rock. I kid you not. I didn’t give up though. I had to really learn about the importance of cooking time, and not necessarily how they look when they come out of the oven. Baking for too long, is just a no-no. The good thing about cookies is that once you get the hang of it, its smooth sailing after that!
Scoop, roll, flatten, shape.
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies – Ready for baking!
To make these cookies, I did a test run first with about 3 cookies. I learned that they do not spread much. I found that they came out better if I hand rolled and formed them. I used a cookie scoop so the cookies were very similar in size. Who ever came up with those scoops is a genius.
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies – Freshly baked
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
These are great for giving as gifts!
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
My family really enjoyed these cookies. The inclusion of cranberries really made it festive and even more delicious.
Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
#SundaySupper has a special host this week, who knows all about Cookies ~ Janet Keeler, Food & Travel Editor for the Tampa Bay Times and Author of Cookielicious. Janet be joining us with tips on baking for the Ultimate Cookie Exchange and to answer any of your baking questions. Grab a glass of milk and join us for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange during #SundaySupper this week. We are giving away 5 signed copies of Cookielicious with 150 fabulous recipes to bake and share.
The Sunday Supper Favorite Cookie Exchange Cookies:
Do you have a favorite cookie to take to a Cookie Exchange? Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 9th. In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange live chat.
All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.
We’d also love to feature your recipe for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.
I don’t get many requests from my husband like this, but he asked if he could take some muffins to work to share with his colleagues. He is well aware of my #MuffinMonday fix, and knows that unless the week is lost due to an extremely hectic schedule, muffins shall be made! He and his co-workers work really hard, and for long hours on rotating shifts. It’s very hard on their bodies and affects their sleep pattern. I was more than happy to send this weeks #MuffinMonday goodies for a break time treat! It’s the least I could do for such hard-working guys 🙂
Today’s #MondayMuffin recipe is adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. This is my first time making snickerdoodle anything. The ingredients looked great but rolling the batter in cinnamon sugar seemed hilarious to me. Couldn’t wait to give it a try! I didn’t make too many changes as I really wanted to keep it simple. I did however, add a topping that somehow just went so well with these muffins. I also believe that this topping made this muffin “a cupcake in disguise”. This has got to be one of the best muffins I’ve tried. (Do I say that every #MuffinMonday?) Seriously, this muffin is moist, delicate, and needed more frosting! I purposely made a small amount of frosting to adorn these muffins. It’s all about control, especially during the holiday season!
Snickerdoodle Muffins with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Very visually appealing. The tops really do look like cookies! Or do I just have cookies on my mind…
I realized after I put these muffins in the oven that I used pretty pink muffin liners for my husband and his co-workers. Hopefully it will make them smile, before and after the first bite.
Snickerdoodle Muffins
The white chocolate cream cheese frosting was just an experiment and I’m glad it worked out. I’m sure semi-sweet would work just as well. I’m tempted to try it with dark chocolate.
Snickerdoodle Muffins with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
A very moist muffin. Not too sweet. Seriously addictive.
Snickerdoodle Muffins with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Happy Monday!
Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week.
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