Category: Desserts


Jan
2015

Lemon Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts
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You will LOVE these classic Lemon Bars! Sweet and tangy lemon filling on a buttery crust, they are a perfect treat to serve for dessert, or any special occasion!
You will LOVE these classic Lemon Bars! Sweet and tangy lemon filling on a buttery crust, they are a perfect treat to serve for dessert, or any special occasion!

When life hands you lemons, or in this case, when a sweet friend MAILS you lemons… make LEMON BARS for dessert! I have made them so many times over the years, and they are always a favorite!

These luscious lemon bars are a sweet, tart, and amazingly awesome dessert treat! We absolutely LOVE them, and I’m confident you will too. Here’s how to make them.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Gift Of LEMONS!

A couple of months ago I mailed my life-long friend, Lenita, a box containing several jars of my homemade jams and jellies, as a gift. I had no idea that she would surprise me with a box of 6 of her prized Meyer lemons, picked from her very own tree in Southern California!

She mailed this box to me so it arrived just before Christmas.They were the most gorgeous lemons I have ever seen! Our son thought they were plastic, because they were so absolutely perfect!

This was for sure a Christmas MIRACLE! She also sent me the cool Homemade Jam Christmas ornament seen in the photo below.

I hung THAT on our tree and did not cook it in this recipe- (heh heh). Here’s my gift box… SEE-aren’t those lemons gorgeous?

Lemons in box for baking into some delicious lemon bars!

I Used The Lemons To Make LEMON BARS!

I was giddy with excitement (who DOESN’T like to receive wonderful surprises in the mail?)! My next task was to come up with different ways to use these beauties, so they would not go to waste.

This recipe for lemon bars is one of the ways I used a portion of those lemons. For this particular recipe you will use the entire lemon, except for the seeds (duh!). 

The lemon bars are absolutely fantastic! Here’s some pics I took while making this scrumptious dessert:

Making The Bottom Crust For The Lemon Bars

Before making the crust, preheat your oven to 350°F. This crust doesn’t take long to make, so to save time, you will want the oven preheated and ready to go!

Place the ingredients for the bottom crust layer in a food processor, and then process the ingredients until they are combined into a crumbly dough mixture.

Mixing dough for lemon bar crust in food processor

Form The Bottom Crust

Line an 8×8 pan with aluminum foil, leaving some to overhang on all 4 sides. You will be able to easily lift the entire pan of finished lemon bars out of the baking dish before serving.

Line 8x8 pan with aluminum foil for lemon bar filling

Now it’s time to form the bottom crust layer. Transfer the crumbly dough from the food processor into the foil wrapped 8×8 pan.

Bar cookie crust is added to foil-lined baking dish

Spread the dough firmly with your fingers until the crumbly dough has been compacted solidly together to form a bottom crust. Now it’s time to bake the crust!

Bake The Crust

Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F. oven for 20 minutes. When done, remove the baking dish from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack.

NOTE: After you bake the crust and remove the pan from the oven, reduce the oven heat to 300°F. This lower temperature is what you will need to bake the lemon bars.

Dough is pressed into bottom of dish to form base for lemon bars

Making The Filling for The Lemon Bars

While the bottom layer bakes, make the lemon filling for the lemon bars. Remove the lemon seeds, then place the cut up lemons in the food processor with granulated sugar.

Process the lemon and granulated sugar on high speed. The food processor does a great job of completely pulverizing the granulated sugar AND the entire lemon.

YES… you heard that right, friends! Use the WHOLE lemon (including the peel), because this provides maximum flavor for the lemon bars!

Once done with processing, be sure to check for any stray seeds that might have been stowaways and snuck into the mixture, and remove them.

Lemons and sugar in food processor to make filling

Finish Making The Lemon Filling

Add lemon juice, eggs, melted butter (cooled) and cornstarch to the lemon filling in the food processor. Pulse all these ingredients until the lemon filling becomes very smooth in texture.

Carefully pour the lemon filling over the hot, baked crust. Now the lemon bars are ready to be baked.

Lemon juice and eggs blended in food processor

Bake The Lemon Bars

 Bake the lemon bars at 300°F. for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is “set” and no longer “jiggly”. Once done, transfer the baking dish to a wire rack to cool.

Let the lemon bars cool completely to room temperature while still in the baking dish. 

Lemon filling is poured onto crust in baking dish and baked

Refrigerate Lemon Bars Before Serving

Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours (or more) to allow the lemon bars to become firm before serving. Once refrigerated, remove the dish from the refrigerator.

Carefully lift the entire batch of lemon bars up and out of the baking dish using the aluminum foil overhanging the edges.

Peel back the foil and slice the lemon bars into 16 two inch squares. Okay…there’s only one final itty bitty step before serving these yummy bars.

Baked lemon bars, cut into slices to serve

Serve The Lemon Bars

Lightly sift some powdered sugar over the top of the lemon bars, immediately before they are served. Transfer the bars to a pretty platter, serve, and enjoy these mouth-watering dessert treats.

Powdered sugar sifted onto lemon bars

And just like that, these gorgeous lemon bars are ready to eat! Make sure any leftovers are kept refrigerated in a covered container, if you don’t eat them all in one sitting!

Close up of lemon bars on white plate

C’mon… you KNOW you want one of these lemon bars, right?  Go ahead… reach out and grab yourself one really delicious lemon bar. I don’t mind sharing! ENJOY!

Close up photo of lemon bars on a white plate.

Hope you will try these fabulous treats, and hope you will enjoy them as much as we do! They are amazing, and once you try them, you’ll want them again and again.

Thank you for stopping by today. I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BAR COOKIE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of yummy bar cookie recipes. All are delicious, and will pretty much satisfy your sweet tooth craving, including:

Chocolate Chip Swirl Bars
Sprinkle Bars
Blackberry Pie Bars
Strawberry-Rhubarb Dream Bars
Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars 

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://www.fridaycakenight.com/2014/12/whole-meyer-lemon-bars/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Lemon Bars
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
You will LOVE these classic Lemon Bars! Sweet and tangy lemon filling on a buttery base, they are a perfect treat to serve for dessert, or any special occasion!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bar cookies, lemon bars
Servings: 16 servings
Calories Per Serving: 174 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For The Crust:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter , melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For The Filling:
  • 1 Meyer lemon (seeds removed) A regular lemon may be substituted.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled- I used fresh)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons butter , melted (then cooled to room temp.)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cover an 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving extra hanging over the edges on each side (this foil and foil overhang will help you to easily remove the entire pan of lemon bars at one time, after baking)
  2. Place the crust ingredients into a food processor or the base of a stand mixer. Process the ingredients until well combined and crumbly dough is formed. Put the dough into the foil-lined baking pan and press down on crust until dough is compacted into a solid crust.
  3. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack.
  4. While the crust is baking, make the lemon filling. Place the seeded lemon (yep... the WHOLE thing!) and sugar into a food processor. Process the lemon and sugar on high speed until the lemon is completely "pulverized". Check the mixture for any remaining seeds that might have secretly snuck into the food processor. Remove them, if you find any. They are sneaky!
  5. Add the lemon juice, eggs, cornstarch, and the melted butter to the lemon/sugar mixture. Pulse until mixture is smooth.

  6. Once crust is done baking and is removed from oven, LOWER THE OVEN TEMP. to 300 degrees. Pour the lemon filling over the baked crust; continue baking for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set, and is no longer "jiggly" (mine took 28 minutes).

  7. Remove pan to wire rack. Let cool to room temp, then place entire pan into refrigerator. Let bars refrigerate for 3-4 hours (the longer the better!) before you serve them. After the bars have chilled, lift the entire batch out of the pan at one time, by lifting them out via the aluminum foil that is hanging over the edges.

  8. Cut the bars into sixteen 2" squares, then sift powdered sugar over the tops. Serve and enjoy. Keep remaining bars stored in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 174 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 81mg4%
Potassium 22mg1%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 285IU6%
Vitamin C 1.1mg1%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You will LOVE these classic Lemon Bars! Sweet and tangy lemon filling on a buttery base, they are a perfect treat to serve for dessert, or any special occasion!

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Dec
2014

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.

Every time Christmas rolls around, I prepare lots of our family’s “traditional” must-have cookies and goodies. I also try a new recipe or two each year. This year I tried a new recipe I found (on Pinterest!) for Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies. I think they’re so festive looking! And here’s the good news… they are delicious! A big shout out goes to Rachel at bakedbyrachel.com for the recipe for this yummy batch of Christmas cookies!

The cookies not only look good… they smell good, too. They have a light citrus aroma from the orange zest; and the filling in the middle is made from chopped cranberries, brown sugar and pecans, for extra flavor.

These are wonderful little holiday cookies! I gave away lots of them on plates of Christmas goodies given to our neighbors and friends this year. Sure hope you will give them a try!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

How To Make Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies

Begin by chopping up the cranberries, pecans and brown sugar. This is very easy to do in a food processor or blender.

Cranberries, brown sugar and pecans are chopped in a food processor, for cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies.

The next thing to do is mix up the dough. The dough for these cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies sure smells good, because of the fresh orange zest!

The dough is mixed for the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies.

Roll Out the Dough And Add The Filling

Roll the dough out on a large piece of wax paper, and then add the cranberry/pecan mixture to the top. Spread the cranberry brown sugar and pecan filling over the entire surface of the dough, leaving just a little space around the edges.

The dough for cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies is covered with cranberry pecan filling.

Roll the dough for the cranberry orange pinwheel cookies carefully into a log shape (starting with the long side). You can use the wax paper to help roll it. Cover the cookie dough log tightly, and refrigerate it overnight.

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies dough is rolled into a log, then refrigerated.

Prepare The Cranberry Orange Pinwheel Cookies For Baking

After refrigerating it overnight, slice the dough for the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies into 1/4″ slices, using a sharp knife. See how pretty they look in the photo below? The festive looking pinwheel cookies are then baked on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies, cut into 1/4" slices on baking sheet.

Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. They will NOT be browned, but will be fairly soft once done. Voila! Here are the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, right after they were taken out of the oven. 

Cranberry orange pinwheel cookies need to cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing (this helps them firm up a bit). Transfer the cookies to a a wire rack to finish cooling, and then they are ready to eat!

Baked Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies, cooling on wire racks.

I hope you will consider making these cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies. The cranberry and orange filling tastes amazingly fresh and wonderful! They are always a big hit! Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day. Come back soon.

Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.  A few favorite cookie recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureOriginal Recipe Source: http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/a-tradition-cranberry-orange-pinwheels/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Chilling Time Overnight
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs 25 mins
 
Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry orange pinwheel cookies
Servings: 48 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 108 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 cup butter (2 cubes), softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place cranberries, pecans and brown sugar in a food processor (or high-powered blender/chopper). Process until ingredients become small pieces. Set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), cream the butter and granulated sugar together until well combined. Add baking powder, salt, eggs, and orange zest. Beat on low/medium for one minute. Add flour (by spoonfuls) to the mixture, while mixing on medium speed, until all ingredients have been thoroughly combined. Once combined, cover bowl and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

  3. Divide chilled dough in half. Place one half in between sheets of wax or parchment paper. Roll dough out into a rectangle, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top layer of paper. Spread half of the cranberry-pecan mixture evenly over the top of the dough to within 1/2 inch of all edges. Roll up dough (begin with the SHORT side of dough). Guide the dough with your hands and use the wax or parchment paper to pull the dough up as you form a "log-shaped" roll. Pinch dough to seal ends. Repeat with other half of dough. Transfer each "dough log" onto a clean sheet of wax or parchment paper. Seal dough in paper. Tape shut. Refrigerate overnight. (Dough must be thoroughly chilled to cut clean, nice even slices).

  4. When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, cut cookie dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices 1-2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or just until bottoms of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cookies "rest" a few minutes before removing from baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Don't be scared away from making these due to the long refrigeration time. I made the dough up the day before I wanted to bake them. Then I baked them up the next day... no trouble!

Nutrition Facts
Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 108 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 61mg3%
Potassium 27mg1%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.

 

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Dec
2014

Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

categories: Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays!
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Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!

Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. Ever. This recipe for Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake is one of my favorites! Creamy AND fudge-like… cheesecake AND chocolate? How could you NOT love this dessert? So here ya go… sure hope you enjoy it! I know we do!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Created This Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake Recipe

Years ago, I was trying to come up with a recipe for chocolate cheesecake. I read through several recipes (none of which I remember 20+ years later), and combined various elements from 3 of them to create this recipe.

I’ve made this chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust for so many special occasions over the past 2 decades, I can’t even count them. I made this absolutely delicious cheesecake again for some friends who came over for dessert about a week ago, and decided it was time to put the old Chocolate Fudge Truffle recipe on my blog.

How To Make Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

A chocolate graham cracker crust is made (easy). This crust is formed by patting down the crumbs firmly in the bottom of a springform pan. Here is the crust, ready for the chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling to be added on top.

Chocolate graham cracker crust in pan, waiting for cheesecake filling.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling is poured onto the chocolate graham crust. Now the cheesecake is ready to be baked in the oven!

The chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling is added to springform pan to bake.

This is what the cheesecake looked like, immediately after it came out of the oven. You can tell it has risen quite a bit during the baking. Let it cool, in the pan, on a wire rack.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake, right out of the oven after baking.

Make The Topping For The Cheesecake

The next thing to do is mix up the sweetened sour cream topping for the cheesecake while it is cooling. This topping is simple to make with sour cream, vanilla and sugar, and is spread on top of the cooled cheesecake.

Mixing the sweetened sour cream topping up, for the chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake.

 The surface of the cheesecake is already looking good, so far. Now it’s time to “fancy it up” a little bit by added chocolate swirled topping to the top of the dessert.

Time To Decorate The Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

 It’s easy to make a simple melted chocolate glaze in a snap, then it is drizzled on top of the cheesecake in a decorative design.

Sweetened sour cream layer is added to top of chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake, after baking.

Here’s the finished chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake! It has been drizzled with chocolate, and topped with a decorative holly leaf garnish! After decorating, the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled until nice and cold, and then it’s ready to slice. Want to have a piece? It’s YUMMY GOOD.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake on platter, with Christmas candle and picture.

You can also drizzle the serving plates with caramel and chocolate sauce if desired. The only thing left to now is slice a piece, and dig in!

A slice of chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake on a plate.

We LOVE this rich, creamy decadent cheesecake, especially during the holidays! Hope you enjoy it, as well. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and have a great day!

Looking For More DESSERT Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious dessert recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Refrigeration (inactive time)
8 hrs
Total Time
10 hrs
 
Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake
Servings: 12 slices
Calories Per Serving: 475 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For The Crust:
  • 1 sleeve graham crackers , crushed into fine crumbs
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter , melted
For The Cheesecake Filling:
  • 3 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese , softened, at room temperature (important!)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips , melted, then cooled slightly
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted, then cooled slightly
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Cheesecake Topping:
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
For Chocolate Drizzle:
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Make the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl, until well combined. Press this mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9" springform pan. Press tightly into pan to form solid crust. Set aside.
  3. Make the cheesecake filling: Mix all cheesecake filling ingredients together. Beat with electric mixer until mixture is smooth and well combined. (Make sure cream cheese is room temp before making filling... this will help ensure no lumps...) Pour cheesecake mixture over the crust. Spread to level out the mixture. Bake the cheesecake for 55-65 minutes in 325 degree oven, until center is set on the cheesecake. IMPORTANT: Place a cake pan filled half way up with water, on the oven shelf below the cheesecake while it cooks!
  4. When cheesecake is done, remove to a wire rack. Let the cheesecake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully release the sides from the springform pan. Let cheesecake completely cool to room temperature.
  5. While cheesecake is cooling, make the Cheesecake Topping: Mix the topping ingredients together in a small bowl (you can use a spoon for this... doesn't have to be beaten). Once cheesecake has completely cooled, evenly spread the topping over the top surface.
  6. Make the chocolate drizzle: Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat again for 30 seconds. Stir until completely smooth. Do not overcook or burn the chocolate. Let the smooth chocolate cool just a bit, then decoratively drizzle the chocolate over the Cheesecake topping.
  7. Refrigerate (uncovered) cheesecake for at least 8 hours or overnight. Slice and serve. Enjoy!.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 475 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Cholesterol 92mg31%
Sodium 165mg7%
Potassium 307mg9%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 665IU13%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 73mg7%
Iron 2.9mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!

 

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Dec
2014

Holiday Goodies Collection!

categories: Desserts, Holidays!
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I LOVE making Christmas goodies, to give to friends and family. Here’s a Holiday Goodies Collection of 20+ recipes posted this year… each recipe is tried and true… and DELICIOUS!Holiday Goodies Collection / The Grateful Girl Cooks!If you’re still looking for something yummy to make over the holidays, I would humbly ask you to give these recipes a look, with the hope that you might be able to find a new recipe or two, for your holiday celebration.  Each picture (below) has the link to that particular recipe directly above it.

I really hope you have a wonderful holiday season, as you celebrate with family and friends. I love to give gifts to others at Christmas, but remain most grateful for the amazing gift God gave me, by sending His only son, Jesus, to this crazy old world as a baby in a manger. The God of the entire universe became a tiny baby who would grow up and die for my sins… wow! It still boggles my mind… I firmly believe that many times, the very best gifts come in small packages!  Merry Christmas!

Click on title of each recipe for a direct link to that particular recipe!

Chocolate-Orange Truffles

Chocolate-Orange Truffles

Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Cranberry-Cashew Clusters

Cranberry-Cashew Clusters

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

Pecan Squares

Pecan Squares

Candied Citrus Peels

Candied Citrus Peels

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons1

Date Roll Cookies

Date Roll Cookies

Orange Meringue Kisses

Orange Meringue Kisses

Raspberry Chocolate Meringues

Raspberry Chocolate Meringues

Maple Cream Bon Bons

Maple Cream Bon Bons

Sprinkle Bars

Sprinkle Bars

Orange Almond Biscotti

Orange Almond Biscotti

Carrot Zucchini Bread

Carrot Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Butterscotch Peanut Clusters

Chocolate Butterscotch Peanut Clusters

Mocha Truffles

Mocha Truffles

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Lemon Panna Cotta With Raspberry-Orange Sauce

Lemon Panna Cotta With Raspberry-Orange Sauce

Candied Orange, Cinnamon & Clove Spiced Pecans

Candied Orange, Cinnamon & Clove Spiced Pecans

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Mom’s Old-Fashioned Fudge

Mom's Old-Fashioned Fudge

Dipped Gingersnaps

Dipped Gingersnaps

Holiday Spritz Cookies

Holiday Spritz Cookies

Mom’s Famous Cream Cheese Ball

Mom's Famous Cream Cheese Ball

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry Orange CookieshollyHave fun in the kitchen this blessed season!
And, from our home to yours… Merry Christmas!

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Dec
2014

Snickerdoodles

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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It’s easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!
I recently tried a new recipe for Snickerdoodles. I’ve been baking snickerdoodle cookies for years and years with the same old recipe, and love them!

Recently I saw a “new” recipe on a website I love that looked interesting, so I gave it a try. The blogger I got this snickerdoodles recipe from is Chris Scheuer, at The Cafe Sucré Farine. She found this recipe in a cookbook from a famous bakery in London, England.

Bakeries tend to get things right in the cookie baking department, so I knew THESE snickerdoodles just HAD to be delicious, so I made a batch. The result? Outstanding! Do you know the story behind the humble snickerdoodle cookie? It’s pretty interesting. Find out here. It’s become such a well loved American classic cookie!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Typical Recipes For Snickerdoodles Produce A FLAT Cookie

My tried and true recipe for snickerdoodles are delicious, but usually come out fairly flat in appearance, like these pictured below.  They’re absolutely wonderful, but flat in shape.

Snickerdoodles, cooling on a wire rack.

These Snickerdoodles Are Soft And PUFFY!

Not these NEW beauties! The snickerdoodles puffed up quite nicely! These cookies have a delicious cinnamon/sugar topping. The inside of the cookies are soft and fluffy, making these the perfect snickerdoodles, in my humble opinion.

I am glad I found this recipe and will happily make these yummy cookies again. Snickerdoodles would be perfect for gift-giving over the holidays or for a special occasion! They are easy to make… and let’s be honest here… who doesn’t love to eat cookies over the holidays? Wait, wait… who doesn’t like a good cookie ANYTIME???

Once the dough is made, the snickerdoodles are rolled into balls, coated with cinnamon and sugar, and then are ready to bake!

Snickerdoodles dough balls on parchment paper covered cookie sheet, ready to bake.Baked Snickerdoodles Are Nice And PUFFY!

Once the cookies have baked, they look like THIS!  Behold… the humble little snickerdoodle! Can you tell that it is puffy? They are light and airy, and absolutely wonderful.

Snickerdoodles are baked with a cinnamon sugar topping.

Maybe you can see how puffy and “pillowy” these snickerdoodle cookies are in the photo below.  Yum. You’re gonna need to run and grab a cup of coffee, and help me eat these cute snickerdoodles! I would love to share a few with you!

Snickerdoodles are piled up on a plate, ready to eat!

Hope you will give these delicious cookies a try.  I know you’re gonna LOVE them!

Would You Like More Cookie Recipes?

Here are a few cookie recipes on my blog. You can find these and other yummy cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2012/06/snicker-doodles-from-londons-famous/#_a5y_p=1383068

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Snickerdoodles
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 
It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: snickerdoodles
Servings: 18 (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 213 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 4 oz. butter , softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For coating the dough balls:
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs to the mixture. Mix well until combined.
  4. Add the rest of the cookie ingredients to this mixture a little at a time. Mix until well combined.
  5. In a separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the coating.
  6. Form cookies. Use approximately a 2 Tablespoon size scoop of cookie dough, and roll it between your (clean) hands to form a ball. Place the dough ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and roll it in the mixture until all sides of the dough ball are coated.
  7. Place each coated dough ball onto parchment paper (or wax paper) lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart from each other.
  8. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes (or until the cookies are a light brown color). When done, let cookies cool on pan for a couple of minutes, then remove cookies and place them on a wire rack to cool. Cookies will crack a bit... don't worry... it's ALL GOOD.
Nutrition Facts
Snickerdoodles
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 213 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 242mg11%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 185IU4%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!

 

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Dec
2014

Cranberry Cashew Clusters

categories: Candy, Desserts, Holidays!
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Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!

Easy. Quick. Yummy. That explains this recipe for Cranberry Cashew Clusters, in a nutshell. Well… not really IN a nutshell, but you know what I mean, right?

This recipe is made with only 3 ingredients. They are white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and cashew pieces! Semi-sweet chocolate OR white chocolate can be used, depending on your taste. I love using white chocolate, because the cranberries show up a little bit better in the candy!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Cranberry Cashew Clusters Is EASY!

Anyways… this cranberry cashew clusters recipe is as simple as melting the chocolate, and stirring in the dried cranberries and cashews. The you can place this mixture by spoonfuls (or spreading it out) onto wax paper. If you spread the mixture out, then the cranberry cashew clusters can be broken into bite-sized pieces once it has hardened.

The recipe makes approximately 2 dozen of these delicious cranberry cashew clusters. You should store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, to keep the chocolate firm.

Cranberry cashew clusters on wax paper lined Christmas platter.

Cranberry Cashew Clusters are perfect little goodies to make when you are pressed for time! It’s so easy to make these delicious goodies to give to others, or have on hand for your ravenous family.

The chewy cranberries, crunchy cashews, and the sweet chocolate coating combine to make cranberry cashew clusters a wonderful treat! Sure hope you will give them a try! Have a great day, and please come back soon for more recipes

Looking For More CANDY Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy candy recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-clusters

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cranberry Cashew Clusters
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!
Category: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry cashew clusters
Servings: 24 clusters (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 90 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups (12 oz.) white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup cashew pieces
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. If microwaving, heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat on high for an additional 30 seconds. Stir. If not completely smooth, heat on medium power for 15 seconds more, then stir until smooth. Do not burn the chocolate!
  2. Stir the cranberries and cashews into the melted chocolate and stir well, to coat.
  3. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls (OR spread out into a solid piece, then break up into bite sized pieces later) onto wax paper lined baking sheet. Let stand until they set up (firm).
  4. Serve and enjoy. Keep leftover candies refrigerated.
Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Cashew Clusters
Amount Per Serving (1 cluster)
Calories 90 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 55mg2%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 5IU0%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!

 

 

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Dec
2014

Chocolate Orange Truffles

categories: Candy, Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays!, Truffles & Bon Bons
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Do you enjoy Christmas goodies?  Some of my favorite Christmas goodies to make are Chocolate Orange Truffles. Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, covered with more chocolate… oh my goodness! They taste wonderful, and are perfect for gift giving!Chocolate Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks! Chocolate Orange Truffles are delicious treats to enjoy during the holidays! Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, dipped in chocolate to cover. YUM!
Rich, creamy, chocolate truffles infused with just the right amount of orange flavor…YUM… what a taste treat! These delicious truffles are wonderful to give as gifts over the holidays, or simply to enjoy any time of the year.

The pairing of chocolate and orange remains one of my top flavor combos… it’s so GOOD! These truffles are easy to make (really… trust me!), and are a delicious and pretty treat or homemade gift for friends or family. They are absolutely delicious, and I think you will LOVE them!

I’ve been making these for as long as I can remember (over 30 years). I don’t even remember where I found the original recipe. I copied it down on a 3×5 card many, many years ago and have been making these for family and friends ever since!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Many Ways To Decorate the Chocolate Orange Truffles

I’ve made these chocolate orange truffles with semi-sweet chocolate topping with just a little bit of grated orange zest for a garnish. Once they are placed in cute little candy paper liners, they look so festive, especially for gift-giving. 

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Another option is to dip the chocolate orange truffles in white chocolate, and then drizzle them with semi-sweet chocolate on top.

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
My favorite way is to dip them in semi-sweet chocolate and garnish each truffle with a melted white chocolate drizzle. Trust me, you really can’t go wrong with any of these dipping methods! Any way you make them, these chocolate orange truffles are delicious!

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Don’t let the Prep Time scare you away from making these… most of the prep time is not active prep time… it’s just letting the truffles cool off in the refrigerator before dipping them in melted chocolate coating! Go wrap presents or put Aunt Edna’s fruitcake by the front door to use as a doorstop… whatever YOU like to do with some “hurry up and wait” time!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon. Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More TRUFFLE OR BON BON Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious truffle and bon bon recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Original recipe source: unknown

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Chocolate Orange Truffles
Prep Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 33 mins
 
Rich and creamy, these delicious chocolate and orange truffles are sure to delight friends and family!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate orange truffles
Servings: 24 truffles
Calories Per Serving: 117 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Truffles:
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips , finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons orange liqueur (I use liqueur, but orange juice may be substituted)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel (I use a zester for smaller pieces)
For coating the truffles:
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (for drizzling over the truffles... this is optional)
  • Additional orange peel zest (for sprinkling on top of truffles... this is optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. To make the truffles: Bring the butter and the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Immediately add the chocolate chips, orange liqueur, and grated orange peel. Stir well until mixture is completely smooth.
  2. Place saucepan in refrigerator and chill chocolate mixture for 2 hours. When totally chilled, remove pan from refrigerator. Using a teaspoon (mixture will be semi-hard by now), remove chocolate and shape into 3/4 inch balls by rolling the mixture between your hands. Your hands will get a bit messy...don't worry about it! Place chocolate ball onto aluminum foil or wax paper covered baking sheet once formed. Once you have the chocolate balls (approx. 24) formed, place baking sheet back into the fridge for 30 minutes to re-harden the chocolate. When chocolate has firmed up again, make the chocolate coating.
  3. To make the chocolate coating: Place 1 cup chocolate chips and the vegetable shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove. Stir. Put back in microwave and repeat for 30 seconds. Remove. Stir. The mixture should be smooth after stirring, but if it still has some lumps, place back into microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir. Do not overcook the chocolate chips or they will burn.
  4. Remove truffles from refrigerator, and one at a time, place them into the warm chocolate. You may use two forks to hold the truffle. I like to use a toothpick stuck down into the middle of the truffle to coat them. Once coated, let excess drip off back into chocolate, then place onto foil to dry. Carefully remove toothpick, cover hole with a bit of chocolate, to cover, and continue coating the rest of the truffles in the same way, until done.
  5. Allow chocolate coating to harden, then if you want, drizzle some melted white chocolate over the top of each truffle to pretty them up. Garnish with a tiny bit of orange zest onto the white chocolate before it firms up. Once chocolate toppings have hardened, place truffles into individual decorative paper wrappers, then place into a sealed container.
  6. Keep truffles refrigerated. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Most of the prep time listed is not active "cooking time"... it's just letting the chocolate truffles cool off in the refrigerator before finishing them off with the coating.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Orange Truffles
Amount Per Serving (1 truffle)
Calories 117 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 20mg1%
Potassium 74mg2%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Vitamin A 90IU2%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate Orange Truffles are delicious treats to enjoy during the holidays! Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, and covered in chocolate. YUM!

 

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Dec
2014

Holiday Spritz Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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It’s easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!

Well… it’s THAT time of year once again… time to make some Holiday Spritz Cookies! Making spritz cookies every year during the Christmas season has become one of my baking traditions.

Years ago my family gave me a spritz cookie press, and I’ve been using it ever since, to whip up batches of these little buttery Christmas cookies.

We eat quite a few of them, but what I enjoy most is giving most of them to friends and family! Plates are piled high with holiday spritz cookies and other homemade treats. It’s what I LOVE to do at Christmas time!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Do I Need Special Equipment To Make Holiday Spritz Cookies?

Yes. You will need a spritz cookie press to make these holiday spritz cookies, but they are fairly inexpensive, and available in stores or online.

This recipe makes oodles of these delicious holiday spritz cookies. You can see in the picture how many patterns there are available to design these yummy treats.

A cookie press is used to make holiday spritz cookies.
Here’s mine… been using it for years!

Typically a cookie press comes with several disc inserts which the cookie dough is pressed through to form different shapes. All you do is make the dough, color the dough with food coloring as desired, insert dough into cookie press, press, and voila! Holiday Spritz Cookies!

Out comes these perfectly shaped little holiday spritz cookies, which are then baked for a very short time. That’s it. See how easy it is to make holiday spritz cookies?

Different colors and shapes of holiday spritz cookies.

Happy holiday baking… sure hope you will give these holiday spritz cookies a try! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy cookie recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: An old box that my first cookie press came in. Box long gone. Recipe on index card survives…source unknown.

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Holiday Spritz Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
21 mins
 
It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holiday spritz cookies
Servings: 6 dozen (approx. 72)
Calories Per Serving: 71 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups butter (3 cubes)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • food coloring (if desired, to create a variety of colors!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

  2. In a large bowl, or stand mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar thoroughly. Add the egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract. Beat these in very well.

  3. In a large bowl, stir the flour and baking powder together until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and all flour has been incorporated. Do not chill the dough. NOTE: If you want to color the dough, add food coloring to various quantities of dough and mix thoroughly until color you desire has been achieved.

  4. Place dough into the cookie press canister, and press cookies out onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (This is easiest if you put the nozzle directly onto the cookie sheet). Change discs to make different shapes, as desired. It's even fun to place pieces of different colored dough into the canister and get multi-colored cookies!

  5. Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes... do not brown. Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Holiday Spritz Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 71 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 35mg2%
Potassium 15mg0%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Sugar 2g2%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!

 

 

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Nov
2014

Pecan Squares

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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If you like pecan pie, you will enjoy these easy Pecan Squares. They’re sweet, sticky bar cookies with all the traditional flavors of pecan pie!If you like pecan pie, you will enjoy these easy Pecan Squares. They're sweet, sticky bar cookies with all the traditional flavors of pecan pie!
Here’s a really easy recipe for Pecan Squares, or as a lot of people call them, Pecan Pie Bars. I love to bake these delicious treats during the Holidays.

If you like pecan pie, you will love these Pecan Squares. It’s just that simple! These bars are perfect for taking to a party (if you’re the “designated dessert-bringer”). These pecan squares are equally good  sitting out on the kitchen counter to snack on!

Another option for these sweet dessert bars is to be devoured by hordes of ravenously hungry houseguests, OR to give to friends on a platter of holiday goodies. My fun thing to do is give plates of Christmas goodies to our neighbors, with a few of these bars included!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Many Pecan Squares Will This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes 4 dozen of these sweet and chewy pecan squares; and as an added bonus, they freeze well, also. Just think, if you want, you can stick some in the freezer and grab them whenever you have the urge for pecan pie. How deliciously convenient… and dangerous… (trust me, these are GOOD…)

Sure hope you will consider making these pecan squares. They are sooo good,  and I hope you get better photos of them than I did. Ha Ha.

Pecan Squares / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Sure do hope you give these pecan squares a try. They are really delicious! Have a great day. Thank you for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For More BAR COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few of our absolute favorite bar cookie recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Pecan Squares / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Original Recipe Source: “Taste of Home” Magazine, author was Sylvia Ford (I cut out the recipe from my magazine years ago, but don’t know which issue…)

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Pecan Squares
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

If you like pecan pie, you will enjoy these easy Pecan Squares. They're sweet, sticky bar cookies with all the traditional flavors of pecan pie!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pecan squares
Servings: 48 squares
Calories Per Serving: 176 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For crust:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter , softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
For pecan filling:
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups light or dark corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
For chocolate drizzle (optional):
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , melted (to drizzle on top of finished bars, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture turns into coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs firmly (and evenly) into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven when done.

  2. While crust is baking, prepare the pecan filling: In a large bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract, until well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the pecan filling evenly over the top of the baked (hot) crust.

  3. Bake bars at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until they are "set" in the middle. Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack. Drizzle cooled bars with melted chocolate, if desired. Once bars are completely cooled, cut into 4 dozen bars, and serve!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation was made without the (optional) semi-sweet chocolate chips used for drizzling over finished bars.

Nutrition Facts
Pecan Squares
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 176 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 76mg3%
Potassium 38mg1%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 165IU3%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!If you like pecan pie, you will enjoy these easy Pecan Squares. They're sweet, sticky bar cookies with all the traditional flavors of pecan pie!

 

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Nov
2014

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels With Citrus Sauce

categories: Desserts
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An easy to prepare twist on classic baklava… these yummy cranberry-orange pinwheels drizzled with a citrus sauce will delight one and all.An easy to prepare twist on classic baklava... these cranberry-orange pinwheels drizzled with a citrus sauce will delight one and all.

I found a recipe for Cranberry-Orange Baklava Pinwheels years ago. I decided to try them, but tweaked the recipe a bit and added a citrus sauce for additional flavor. I ended up with these delicious Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels With Citrus Sauce!

I’m sure glad I did try this recipe, because these ended up tasting pretty amazing (in my humble opinion). I love the flavor combination of cranberry and orange, and also love how these cute little pinwheels turned out!

Scroll Down For A Pintable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Many Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels Will This Make?

The recipe makes 20 servings, so there are plenty to serve to holiday guests or a hungry family. The cranberry-orange pinwheels are perfect for a quick breakfast, or they can be served for dessert!

The recipe is a “tweaked version” of a classic Greek baklava. For this cranberry-orange pinwheels recipe you use pie crusts, rather than a traditional phyllo, to make the dough, which makes it much easier to prepare!

Cranberry-orange pinwheels with white chocolate drizzle, cooling on wire rack.
These delicious baklava style cranberry-orange pinwheels are bursting with the flavors of orange, cranberry, cinnamon, and pecans, and are absolutely scrumptious!

The citrus glaze and white chocolate drizzle on top add another layer of FLAVOR, and give little extra sweetness! Grab one, and dig in!

One of the cranberry-orange pinwheels with citrus sauce, on wire rack.

Sure hope you enjoy making AND eating these delicious cranberry-orange pinwheels! The recipe makes 20, so there are plenty to go around! They are delicious! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More CRANBERRY-ORANGE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I love the flavor combination of cranberry and orange, and have lots of delicious recipes using this flavor palette, including:

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Recipe slightly adapted from: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/cranberry-orange-baklava-pinwheels/a3e53b3f-493d-4048-be58-bc66d0f98717?p=1

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels With Citrus Sauce
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
37 mins
 
An easy to prepare twist on classic baklava... these cranberry-orange pinwheels drizzled with a citrus sauce will delight one and all.
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry orange pinwheels
Servings: 20 servings
Calories Per Serving: 245 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For pinwheels:
  • 2 refrigerated pie crusts (2 pie crusts), softened as directed on box
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • 1¼ cups sweetened dried cranberries (6 oz)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons water
For Citrus Sauce:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup orange juice (processed or fresh)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips , melted (for additional garnish, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To make pinwheels:

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (you can also spray baking sheet with non-stick spray) Unroll the pie crusts; lightly press each piece of dough into a 10 1/2-inch square. Brush each of the squares with melted butter.

  2. Place cranberries, pecans, sugar, cinnamon and orange peel into a food processor (or a heavy duty blender). Cover; process only until mixture is finely chopped. Spread HALF of the ground up mixture on entire surface of pie crust square, dividing equally. Repeat with 2nd pie crust square. Roll each of the pie crusts into a log shape; pinch the edges of the dough tightly together to seal. Set aside.

  3. In a small bowl, beat egg and water until blended. Using a pastry brush, brush egg mixture over the surface of each log. Using a sharp,serrated knife, cut each log into 10 equal-sized slices. Place each slice, with cut side up, 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. If any filling falls out, just push it back inside the slice.

  4. Bake the pinwheels at 400° for 12 to 15 minutes (or until golden brown). While pinwheels are baking, make Citrus Sauce.

Make Citrus Sauce:

  1. In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, salt and cornstarch. Gradually stir in orange juice, lemon juice, and water. Stir and cook over medium heat; bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in grated lemon and orange rind. Set aside.

  2. Once pinwheels are done baking, remove from oven. Move them off of baking sheet (but still on the parchment paper!) to a wire rack to cool. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the Citrus Sauce onto the top of each slice. Let cool. Once citrus sauce has cooled, drizzle each slice with melted white chocolate (if desired). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

The original recipe, as written, calls for 1/2 cup honey (1 teaspoon honey per slice) over the tops of the pinwheels (*instead of the citrus sauce and white chocolate drizzle I added). I wholeheartedly prefer the taste of the citrus sauce on these pinwheels, but wanted you to know this is another option.

Nutrition Facts
Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels With Citrus Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 245 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 118mg5%
Potassium 87mg2%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 24g27%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 80IU2%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!An easy to prepare twist on classic baklava... these cranberry-orange pinwheels drizzled with a citrus sauce will delight one and all.

 

 

Save

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