Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on December 17, 2013

Sprinkle Cookies

Today we bring you 5 sprinkle cookies! Can you tell that I am in a sprinkle mood after cookie number 6? I ended up buying two huge containers of sprinkles at the store when I ran out last weekend for the chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies. During the week I had a very productive night: getting home, working out, and making dinner all before 8. I decided to get ahead and make another batch of cookies for our cookie countdown.

I found a recipe for Italian Sprinkle cookies and since these happened to be my most favorite of the Italian variety, I knew I had to make them. Better yet, this recipe was so easy to make! The recipe has lemon zest in it which may seem weird to you. My boyfriend was very skeptical about this addition but it adds a really great flavor to the cookies. We ate so many of these cookies that I was lucky to have five cookies left to take a picture!

5 Sprinkle Cookies

Ingredients

1½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
1½ sticks of unsalted butter (12 tbsp.), at room temperature
¾ cup of granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest of ½ of a lemon
1 egg
1 cup of sprinkles
1 egg white, light beaten

Instructions

In the bowl of your mixer, combine butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Sir in vanilla, lemon zest, and egg into the butter mixture until smooth.
In a separate medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the butter, and mix until just combined.
Line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1" balls and place on baking sheet at least 2 inches away from each other.
With the back side of clean measuring cup, dust lightly with flour and press down each cookie ball in disk. Continue to flour the bottom of the measuring cup as needed to prevent the dough from sticking
Refrigerate the cookie disk for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.
Place sprinkles in one bowl and egg white in another bowl.
With a pastry brush, brush each cookie with egg white and then dip into sprinkles, pressing lightly to get sprinkles to adhere. Place each cookie back on baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes until each cookie is set.
Let cool and serve! Keep in a airtight container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months,

Source- Adapted from Saveur.com

Looking for more cookie recipes? Check out our countdown so far:

6 Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread
7 Chocolate Hazelnut Coins
8 Italian Lemon Drops
9 Chocolate Toffee Crackers
10 Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
11 Christmas Snickerdoodles
12 Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints

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Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on December 13, 2013

Chocolate Hazelnut Coins (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities)

Oh my gosh…I have been having the worst time following recipes lately! I was making a cookie recipe earlier in the week and I could not figure out why the dough was so dry. I re-read through the recipe and realized I forgot to add three eggs and two sticks of butter…think that could have been it? Fortunately, the dough was still salvageable as I was still able to mix them in.

I had another mishap yesterday as I was trying to make these Chocolate Hazelnut Coins. The cookies were all baked and I was drizzling the chocolate on. I went to read the directions to figure out what point to garnish them with hazelnut and then I realized the hazelnuts were supposed to be baked into the cookie…oops! I also burnt the the dark chocolate while I was melting it on the stovetop. I used the microwave for my second attempt and it turned out much better.

I was going to scrap these and make them again today with the hazelnuts added to the dough this time, but everyone who has tried them so far really likes them with hazelnuts as the garnish. You could also use walnuts in a pinch.

This recipe is a refrigerator cookie- you refrigerate the dough for an hour or so, slice them, and bake them. If you are looking to get some cookies prepared ahead of time before Christmas, you could easily whip up this cookie dough and store it in the fridge until the 25th gets closer. Or, you can bake them the same day and just freeze the finished cookies. Or you could just eat them right away.

So, here is my recipe for Chocolate Hazelnut Coins in which hazelnuts serve as a lovely garnish. If you are looking for a recipe where hazelnuts are incorporated into the cookie dough, check out the lovely source link below!

Chocolate Hazelnut Coins (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities)

Chocolate Hazelnut Coins

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins

Cook time: 6 mins

Total time: 1 hour 16 mins

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cups finely chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or dark chocolate chips (1-2 cups)
½ teaspoon shortening

Instructions

Add the butter to a bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Then, add in egg and cocoa powder. Use a spatula to clean off sides of bowl and continue to mix all ingredients until once again combined. Add in the flour in ½ cup increments and mix until incorporated.
Lay out 2 large sheet of plastic wrap. Divide dough in half and place on top of each sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic wrap around dough and roll into an 11-inch log. Repeat for other half of dough. Refrigerate the two dough logs for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into thin slices (about ¼".) I was able to get about 25 cookies from each log, so there will be ~50 cookies in total. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cookie tops are firm. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and shortening together in the microwave in 30-second increments (I used a Pyrex glass.) Stir after each increment until melted. Place cooled cookies on wax paper and use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate on top. Before chocolate hardens, sprinkle on chopped hazelnuts. Allow chocolate to set and then serve, store in an airtight container, or freeze.

Source: Adapted from BHG.com

I’ve also shared my cornbread baking mishap…what holiday baking blunders have you ever made?

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Posted by Meaghan Barry on December 10, 2013

Chocolate Toffee Crackers (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities)

I have seen this recipe for Chocolate Toffee Crackers so many times on Pinterest and I have been wanting to make it for such a long time. It goes by a lot of different names- Christmas Crack, Chocolate Saltine Toffee, Sweet & Saltines, Saltine Toffee Candy, etc. I knew I could not refer to this recipe as Christmas Crack as my son picks up on everything we say lately. I really do not want a note from his nursery school asking why T made “crack” with his mother over the weekend.

{Side story: we made a joke about having raccoon and coyote steak this past summer while we were having a regular (cow) steak dinner. T still requests raccoon and coyote steak to this day…it makes me snicker out loud when I think about him telling his teachers that his favorite meal consists of raccoon and coyote meat.}

Anywhoo…it’s a super easy recipe to make. I once again attempted a cookie recipe while T & N were both awake. I even made this one during the “witching hour”…basically anytime between 4:30-7:30pm in our house. I let T add the nonpareil sprinkles to the top of the chocolate toffee crackers as they were cooling. He was grabbing them by the fistful and throwing them on top. We had a fun time making this recipe, but I tell you, my kitchen may never be the same after I brought out those nonpareil sprinkles. I’m trying very hard this holiday season to let go of my need for everything to be clean all the time and to just have fun making memories with the kids!

Chocolate Toffee Crackers (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities)

9 Chocolate Toffee Crackers

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 4 mins

Total time: 14 mins

Ingredients

cooking spray
40 saltine crackers
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
nonpareil sprinkles or any other type of decorative candy (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray. Lay down a single layer of 40 saltines on the foil surface.
Meanwhile, melt together the butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan. Allow it to reach a boil, then lower the temperature and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir the butter & sugar mixture occasionally and remove from the heat once it has thickened.
Stir in the vanilla to the saucepan and pour the mixture over the crackers on the jelly pan. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over any crackers that are dry. Put in the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes, or until it gets bubbly. Remove pan from oven.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over crackers evenly. Allow the chocolate chips to melt for a few minutes and use a spatula to smooth it out over the crackers. Then, sprinkle on nonpareil sprinkles or any other decorative candy (this step is optional). Place the pan in the fridge for 30-45 minutes or until chocolate is hard. Break up into pieces and serve. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from Trisha Yearwood and Averie Cooks

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on December 1, 2013

Why hello there December 1st! I could have sworn Thanksgiving was a mere three days ago. Time to put those pumpkin pie pans away and get ready for some Christmas baking! We are so excited to kick-off our 3rd year of our annual 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. Before we start our series for 2013, I wanted to highlight our 24 Christmas cookies from the past two years.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES 2012

12 days of Christmas cookies- 2011 {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES 2011

Happy Baking!

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on March 25, 2013

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Continuing on with our Easter recipe series today, I thought I would skip right to dessert! These chocolate dipped coconut macaroons are a very simple cookie recipe to make and can be made up to five days ahead of time (just be sure to store them in an airtight container.) Since coconut macaroons have no leavening agents or wheat in them, they are also perfect for Passover or for serving to family and friends who are gluten-free.

{As a side note, I apologize for my lack of posts last week. Luckily, K has been on a holiday cooking spree lately! We were on vacation in St. John the week before and I’ve been playing a bit of catch-up around the house since we got back. I suddenly realized I have less than 14 weeks to go until my due date and went into full-blown nesting mode. I’ve been working on baby #2’s nursery and finishing up a number of organizing projects around the house. I’m feeling a bit more prepared now and I’m hoping to share a few more Easter-related recipes this week!}

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients

3 large egg whites
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut (~5 cups)
4 oz. good-quality dark/semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions

Heat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until the sugar is almost dissolved. Stir in the coconut with a spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Use a small ice cream scoop to drop the coconut mixture into mounds on the parchment sheets (about 2 tablespoons each.) Bake the macaroons for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping a close eye on them toward the end- these cookies are very easy to burn! Remove from oven once they start to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and transfer them to cooling racks.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe container (I use a large Pyrex glass) and cook in the microwave for 30 second increments. Stir between each increment and continue to cook until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
Dip each cooled macaroon into the melted chocolate and place back onto the parchment paper. You can either dip side half the macaroon in the chocolate (as seen in my photos) or dip the bottom half into the chocolate. Alternatively, you could also drizzle chocolate on top of the macaroons if you want a lighter touch of chocolate. Once you fill up a baking sheet with the dipped macaroons, place the sheet in the refrigerator for 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Source: Adapted from Real Simple, March 2013

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on December 14, 2012

Chocolate Velvet Butter Balls

Looking for an easy, chocolate-y cookie recipe to bring to an upcoming Christmas cookie exchange? This recipe for Chocolate Velvet Butter Balls fits the bill. This chocolate cookie recipe whips up a high volume of cookies in no time flat and they are the perfect hit of chocolate. The Chocolate Velvet Butter Balls also freeze very well in case you are stocking up on your Christmas cookie supply this weekend.

Chocolate Velvet Butter Balls

Can we talk about how Christmas is only a week and a half away!?! I find that fact very shocking. This is going to be a very busy weekend of sending Christmas cards, shopping for presents, wrapping gifts, and baking more cookies. The only problem with starting to bake so early for our 12 Days of Christmas Cookie series is that we have a lot of cookie thieves in our home (myself included!)

Six Chocolate Velvet Butter Balls

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Recipe type: cookie

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 35

Ingredients

2 and ½ cups flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
1 egg
confectionery sugar (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift together flour and cocoa powder; set aside. Use a mixer to blend together the butter and granulated sugar. Add vanilla, salt, and egg to mixing bowl and beat until blended. Pour the flour/cocoa mixture directly into the mixing bowl. Mix until dough is well combined.
In the palm of your hand, roll into ball one inch in diameter. Bake 10 minutes on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cool on racks and then sift confectionery sugar on top.

What are you plans for the weekend? Do you have a planned itinerary of baking, sending cards, and wrapping gifts as well?

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on December 13, 2012

I have to admit that I was never a fan of Italian cookies before I started dating my boyfriend. I didn’t hate them, I just never really had too many growing up. My boyfriend loves them because he grew up in Queens and was always surrounded by really good and authentic Italian bakeries. After we moved in together, he was always bringing home cookies from different bakeries for me to try. The cookie that is my favorite is the Italian Butter Spritz Cookie with the rainbow sprinkles.

I have searched for the recipe to make these cookies now that we don’t have the NYC bakeries right around us anymore. The only problem with finding these recipes are is that they heavily guarded by Italian families, understandably because they are so tasty. After reading a few forums of people trying to find the same recipe I was trying to find, I came across a women, Gretchen Price, that owns a bakery in New Jersey. She has several You Tube videos on how to make the Italian butter cookies she makes in her bakery. Score!

The results? Amazing! Let’s just say the boyfriend was very impressed.

Seven Italian Butter Spritz Cookies

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Ingredients

7 oz. butter at room temp (about 1¾ stick)
7 oz. shortening (Crisco)
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
3 oz. almond paste (before starting soften first by mixing in the bowl of your mixer until it gets almost butter like in consistency)
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3¼ cups flour
Sprinkles

Instructions

In the bowl of a mixer, combine the butter and shortening.
Mix in confectioners' sugar and then scrape down the side of the bowl
Add in salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined
Add in almond paste, mix until completely combined- may take few minutes especially if you are using almond paste from the grocery store. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add in egg whites and mix until combined.
Mix in all of the flour,gradually working the mixer up from slow until medium speed until dough forms.
In a pastry bag fitted with a large coupler and a large star tip (like what you would frost cupcakes with) fill bag with cookie dough.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Just like frosting a cupcake, apply pressure to the bag, starting on the outside start to move in a small circle ending in the middle.
Add sprinkles to the top
Bake for 10-12 minutes until it they just start to turn golden on the outside.
Move to a wire rack and let cool. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 or freeze for later use.

Italian Butter Spritz Cookies

Source– Adapted slightly from Crumb Boss
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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on December 3, 2012

Oh it’s my most favorite time of the year…Christmas Cookie Season! It is hard to believe that it is December already because of the blur the last three to four months have been. The weather always being so nice doesn’t help either (not that I am complaining!) My boyfriend and I decorated our apartment this weekend and I started baking so it is starting to feel a little bit more like the holidays. I am trying to cut back on the cookies this year by splitting the twelve with M. However, since we are doing 12 completely new recipes this year, I am still going to make a couple of the classics which will probably equal out the to same as last year. Hope they let me bring cookies on the plane!

The mini pecan pie bites are something I started making a few years ago. One of my first bosses/career mentor gave me the recipe from her Southern Living magazine because she knew I loved baking and she wanted me to make them. I was a little hesitant at first because I had never had pecan pie before, but sure enough they came out delicious. I haven’t had them in my Christmas line-up the last few years because I misplaced the recipe. Luckily, while I was moving I found the recipe in one of my cookbooks. These little pies are deliciously addictive and unlike full size pies, you can eat them in multiples!

Eleven Mini Pecan Pie Bites

Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

3 cups of chopped pecans
¾ cup of sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
4 packages of frozen mini-phyllo pastry shells

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
Place chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until fragrant
Stir together sugar and corn syrup in a medium sized bowl
Stir toasted pecans, eggs, butter, vanilla and salt into the sugar mixture
On two baking sheets line up the mini phyllo pastry shells
With a small cookie scoop or a teaspoon measuring spoon, fill phyllo shells with the pecan mixture
Bake one sheet at a time for 20-22 minutes until set.
Remove from oven and let cook on wire racks for at least 30 minutes
Store in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze to store for up to three weeks.

Source- Slightly adapted from Southern Living- November 2008

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on November 23, 2012

12 days of christmas cookies

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I’ve already mentally moved on to full Christmas mode! I normally don’t start putting up holiday decorations until December 1st, but this year I am starting early. I wanted to share K’s 12 days of Christmas cookies from last year if you are looking for some holiday cookie recipe inspiration. K is going to do another 12 Christmas cookie posts this year, but I am going to share the load with her this year (that’s a lot of cookies to make!)

12 Days of Christmas Cookies 2011

We’ll be starting our 12 days of Christmas cookies for 2012 soon! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. I’m off to enjoy my leftover turkey sandwich now!

What type of cookies do you like to bake in the holiday season? Do you tend to always make the same kind or do you try different cookie recipes each year?

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