christmas making and baking

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

I’ve been sick most of this Christmas season so I have not made ANY Christmas cookies.  Okay, I’ll take it back.  We made peanut butter blossoms and then we ate them.

I decided to update my peanut butter blossom recipes using gluten free flour.

I noticed that the dough does not stand up as well as the gluten dough so you will need to place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before forming it into balls.

Even with that little inconvenience, the cookies are absolutely delicious.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

  • Servings: 3 to 4 doz.
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 48 Hershey’s Kisses
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups gluten free flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Granulated sugar

Directions

  1.  Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
  2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.
  3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.
  4. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
  5. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
  6. Place the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes
  7. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  8.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  9. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.
  10. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
  11. Cool completely.
  12. Enjoy!

Happy eating,
Traci

My Grandma’s Fudge – Christmas Making and Baking 2016

Have you ever done or bought something but did not know why?  A few weeks ago, I bought some marshmallow creme/fluff because I wanted fudge.  Then I kept looking for a recipe that used marshmallow creme.  I didn’t find any recipes that I would want to make.   Continue reading →

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels – Christmas Making and Baking 2016

I’ve begun my Christmas Making and Baking 2016.  When I found this recipe, I decided to make it since it looked so simple to put together.

While I was waiting to put the white drizzle on the pretzels the Wee One wandered into the kitchen.  He decided he needed to taste the pretzels.  The Wee One told me how much he loved the taste of the pretzels.  He helped me put the drizzle on top of the pretzels.  When I was packing up the pretzels, we put the pretzels into two containers.  One was for later and the other was for he and his brother to snack on.

Later on in the day, we made another two batches of cinnamon sugar pretzels for a cookie/ treat exchange Hubby was going to attend.  The Wee One helped me with making those two batches.  He told me that he wanted to know how to make cinnamon sugar pretzels.  The Wee One enjoyed making the cinnamon sugar pretzels.

The cinnamon sugar pretzels are easy to put together.  When we did the white chocolate DRIZZLE, we used a baby spoon to do the drizzle.

I also used a large 8 cup measuring cup to make the pretzels.  It was the perfect size

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

20161210141354_IMG_0595

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 (16 – 18 oz) bag of pretzels
  • 2/3 c. oil (I used canola.)
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
  • 1 c. white chocolate chips

Steps:

  1. Prepare two cookie sheets by covering them with parchment or wax paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and cinnamon.
  3. Add the pretzels.
  4. Stir until all the pretzels are coated.
  5. Microwave for 1 minute.  Stir.
  6. Microwave for 2 more minutes.  Stir.
  7. Divide them between the two cookie sheets.  Make sure the pretzels are in a single layer.
  8. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
  9. While the pretzels are cooling, melt the white chocolate in the microwave.  (70% power, 1 minute, stir, if not melted – continue at 70% power 30 second intervals until melted.)
  10. Drizzle the white chocolate over the pretzels.
  11. Allow to harden.
  12. Store in an airtight container.
  13. Enjoy!

happy-eating

Source

Eggnog Quick Bread – Christmas Making and Baking

I’m finishing up my Christmas making and baking.

My mom called me last night to tell me that she was going to come over to our house for Christmas.  It’s been many years since she’s been at our house for Christmas so it was a nice surprise.  The one thing she’s asked for was homemade goodies.  I’m almost finished with the Christmas making and baking.  There is a few goodies left to make.

This eggnog bread was one of those things.  It’s easy to put together and makes a lot.

eggnog quick bread

Eggnog Quick Bread

adapted from Mommy’s Kitchen

Stars of the recipe:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 c. sugar
  • 1 3/4 c. eggnog
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. rum extract
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 (3.4 oz) package of instant vanilla pudding

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease mini loaf pans (5).
  3. Beat the eggs.
  4. Add sugar, eggnog, butter, rum extract, and vanilla extract.  Mix until combined.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the batter.  Mix well.
  7. Add the instant vanilla pudding.
  8. Pour into greased pans.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  (Mine took closer to 40 or so minutes.)
  10. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
  11. Remove and cool on baking rack.
  12. Enjoy!

Happy Eating,
Traci

Eggnog Doughnuts – Christmas Making and Baking

I bought some eggnog to make eggnog bread.  Since I had some of the eggnog left, I decided to find a recipe to make eggnog doughnuts.  This recipe is moist and delicious.  It paired well with my coffee flavored with my peppermint mocha creamer.  It would also be delicious with my eggnog creamer.

In order to make the doughnuts, you need a doughnut pan.   Continue reading →

Santa’s Whiskers – Christmas Making and Baking

I made these many years ago.  This year I decided to make them once again.

Things you need to remember – When you wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap, don’t use press and seal plastic wrap.  That made it difficult to make a roll.  The coconut will make a mess.  Just keep the broom around.  🙂

santa's whiskers

Santa’s Whiskers

Adapted from Cooking with Stolen Moments

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 c. butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
  • 2 1/2 c. flour
  • 3/4 c. maraschino cherries, diced, plus 1 tsp. juice from jar (I may have used more juice because I love maraschino cherries.)
  • 1 c. coconut, unsweetened

Steps:

  1. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
  2. Add vanilla and milk.  Beat until combined.
  3. Add flour, 1/2 c. at a time.  Mix until incorporated.
  4. Fold in the cherries and juice.  (I used my mixer.  You can certainly use a spoon for this step.)
  5. Divide the dough in half.  Form each half into a 8 or 9 inch log.  Roll each half in coconut.
  6. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Slice in 1/4 inch cookies.  Place on baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
  9. Cool on wire racks.

I froze mine overnight and then pulled them out of the freezer for 15 or so minutes before slicing them.

 

Peppermint Mocha Creamer – Christmas Making and Baking

I’m enjoying making new creamers now that I got the ratio of milk/ half & half/ or heavy whipping cream to condensed milk.

This creamer needs to be warmed up so that the cocoa is dissolved.  I ended up having to strain the non dissolved cocoa so there isn’t any lumps left in it.

As you can see from my pictures, some of the cocoa did not dissolve.

peppermint mocha creamer Continue reading →