A Sweet Treat for my boys

My boys don't get sweets often, but my big boy has been REALLY super lately, so, I decided a baking day was in order. My big boys request was chocolate cookies...since he is a HUGE lover of graham crackers I decided on a chocolate graham cracker recipe....can I go out of a limb and call them Chocolate wafers???

Chocolate Wafers

2 sticks organic butter, softened
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 egg
2t vanilla
2 1/2c whole wheat flour
1/2c cocoa powder
dash salt

Cream the powdered sugar and butter. Then, slowly mix in the remaining ingredients.

(The big boy decided to sift the flour because what is more fun than a sifter in the kitchen...He also enjoy sifting flour on his little brother...what's a little mess in the kitchen right!)

Then, ball it up, cover in plastic wrap and chill (while I de-flour my boys & kitchen). Then, I rolled it out really thin, and the big boy used the biscuit cutter to make the cookies.

Bake for 7-8mins at 375 degrees.

**I put half the batch in freezer bags to save for another special day!

A Healthy Cookie...Is It Possible?

I struggle with giving my sons sweets. I want to be able to give them sweet treats, but that usually means feeding them sugar laden junk sure to stick them to the ceiling. I am not sure about you, but I get tired of peeling my kid off the ceiling or dealing with the sugar breakdown after! So, I knew I had to come up with some other alternative my picky, sweet loving kid would indulge in. Enter the Chair-We Banana Coo-coo as my son calls it. You can call it a breakfast cookie, scone, healthy bar...I just call it good!

Cherry Banana Cookies
1 c Flour- wheat if you have it
1/2 c Ground Oat- I food processed quick oats
(you can use 1 1/2c four)
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
2T sugar (totally optional)
1/4 t cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 c cherries (I used fresh, you can use dried)
1 egg
1T Olive oil
1t vanilla (optional)
3 bananas mashed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the wet ingredients in one bowl and all the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the wet to the dry. Scoop out golf ball sized scoops onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. (I used an ice cream scoop) Bake 15-20 minutes.

***Need a bit more umf, or have a craving for a bit of chocolate. Add 1/4 c white chocolate chips and 1/4 c chopped macadamia nuts!

Baby Sugar Swirls

These are a really simple cookie that can easily be dressed up for any occassion. I love them because even you don't have to have a steady icing hand or know how to make icing roses to make a pretty cookie. So, here goes....

Baby Sugar Swirls
2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2/3 c powdered sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
1 1/4c Healthy Choice Buttery Spread
1 tsp vanilla OR almond
Food coloring
1 Canister of color sprinkles (or any confection)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put parchement paper down on your cookie sheet.
2. Combine all dry ingredients. Then, add the butter in using your stand up mixer. While mixing, add your extract. Once combined removed half the batter and put in a small bowl in the freezer.
3. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix until you reach the desired color.
4. On a countertop, put down a sheet of clear wrap. Remove your dough from the freezer and place on the clear wrap. Put the colored dough in the bowl and place in the freezer.
5. Flatten the dough on the clear wrap a bit and then place a piece of wax paper (or another cling wrap) and roll out to about 1/4" thick. Remove cover dough from the freezer and repeat the process.
6. Once both have been rolled out, place the rolled colored dough ontop of the other. Roll up from the longest side. Now, roll up in clear wrap and place back in the freeze for about 10 minutes.
7. Remove from freezer, roll in your sprinkles and slice 1/2" cookies. Place on your parchment lined cookie sheet  and bake for 15 minutes.




Original Recipe Courtesy of Our Italian Kitchen

Coconut Macaroons

Macaroons are my most favoritest cookies. I never gave them a chance when I was younger because I was not a huge coconut fan, but my mom and uncle horded them whenever they got the chance. Now, I see why! They are so light and absolutely delicious. These cookies are beautiful in their own right! Anyway, this is a really simple go to recipe when you a easy sweet treat. (I have other macaroon recipes, bu this is nice simple one) Plus, as a bonus it makes a lot of cookies and doesn't involve a lot of ingredients. Plus, you can fancy them up by dipping them in chocolate or drizzling chocolate on them.

Coconut Macaroons

2/3c sugar
6T flour
14oz bag of coconut
1/4t salt
4 egg whites
Optional: 1t almond extract or vanilla extract

Combine sugar, flour and coconut. Then, add your egg whites. (Now you can simply combine the egg whites lightly beaten or you can go fancy and beat your whites to form peaks...I do both depending on my mood!).

Bake at 325 degrees for 22 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

Santa's Cake cookies

Today we had a Santa Movie and Cookies playdate, so, I needed a quick cookie to whip up for the kiddos. I didn't have time to make anything the night before and there was no trip to the store in my future. As I peered into my pantry I noticed my canister of flour was almost empty...so, it was between the bok of white cake mix or the brownie mix. Although, I am sure the brownie mix would make fantastic cookies, they were not right for tomorrow. So, a white box of cake mix it is!!!

Cake Cookies

1 box of cake mix
1 egg
1 stick of butter (softened, not melted)
***Optional: mix in choc chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, basically anything you want

Dump it all into a standup mixer and mix. (or use a hand mixer to combine then use your hands to finish off the mixing. Make 1 inch balls (roll in colored sugar) and place on a un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for a non-stick pan (375 degrees for a light colored or glass pan) for 7-9 minutes.

(If you want to make rolled cookies instead of drop cookies, use 2/3c of butter)



The cookies were a real hit. I think the moms ate as many cookies as the kids....if not more! I would say that is a true measure of success! lol!