Peanut Butter Blossoms

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I don’t know that there is a more classic Christmas cookie than Peanut Butter Blossoms. I made them every Christmas in the kitchen with my mom for as long as I can remember. We’d often have cookie making parties where my Aunt Rose would come over, along with her brood of boys – and we’d all make cookies. Those are some of my favorite Christmas memories!

Hershey’s contacted me a couple of weeks ago, and offered to send me a Holiday baking pack. Free chocolate? How could I resist? It arrived last week, filled with lots of goodies. I couldn’t wait to start my Christmas baking! Monday night was our small town’s Christmas parade, so my mom came up and we baked these cookies with the boys before the parade started. They had so much fun helping to roll the balls of dough in the sugar before baking. And, what joy to carry that tradition along to our own little family unit!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey’s Kisses chocolates
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated or sprinkling sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolate kisses.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy. With mixer running on low, add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Slowly add in the flour, and mix until combined.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from The Hershey Company

Hershey’s Cookie Headquarters has graciously offered to share a baking pack with one of our readers, to help kick-start their holiday baking this year. Just leave a comment with your favorite thing to make or bake with Hershey’s chocolate during the holiday season! Cookies? Cocoa? So many possibilities! The prize pack includes:

1 Hershey’s Cookie Headquarter Apron

1 pkg. Hershey’s Baking Melts Chocolates

1 pkg. Hershey’s Bits ‘o’ Brickle® Toffee Chips

1 pkg. Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 pkg. Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates

1 canister Hershey’ Baking Cocoa

1 set of recipe cards featuring Hershey’s holiday recipes

 

To enter, please answer the following question in a comment: What is your favorite thing to bake with Hershey’s during the holiday season? Deadline to enter is Monday December 3, 2012 at midnight EST. US residents only, please.

 

 

Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Entry #17 – Jenny, who said “Is there anything that I don’t love using Hershey’s chocolate in?! :D If I had to pick one recipe though… I love making flourless chocolate cakes using Hershey’s Special Dark chips. Divine!” 

Thanks to all who entered, and Hershey’s for sponsoring the giveaway!

Orange Sweet Rolls

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In my house growing up, orange rolls for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning was a tradition. I remember anxiously waiting to put them in the oven at 8:30 – so that they’d be ready to eat when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade came on. Then, mom putting the turkey in shortly thereafter to perfume the air in the house all morning and afternoon long.

I always have preferred orange rolls to cinnamon rolls. Something about that sweet, citrusy zing that I just love. But I’d always made them from the tube, and for something as special as Thanksgiving morning breakfast – I wanted to learn to make them from scratch. I’ve made these a couple times now, and they’re always wonderful and well received. Light, yeasty and moist – with plenty of bright flavor.

I hope that you all have a Happy Thanksgiving, and spend the day treasuring the time with family and friends. I can’t wait to see the jolly man in the red suit pull into Herald Square on Thursday at noon – and bring the official start of the Holiday season along with him. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Orange Sweet Rolls

For the rolls:
1¼ cups milk, heated to 115°
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 16 tbsp., softened
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup orange zest (from about 4 oranges)

For the orange-cream cheese icing:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Make the dough: Combine milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in granulated sugar, melted butter, 1 tsp. salt, and egg; add flour, and mix on low speed until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high; knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let sit until dough doubles in size, about 1½ hours.

Make the filling by combining the 1/2 cup softened butter, orange zest and brown sugar in a small bowl – mash with fork to combine.

Transfer dough to a work surface; using a rolling pin, roll dough into an 18″ × 10″ rectangle, and spread filling evenly over dough. Lift up bottom edge of dough and roll it into a log; trim ends and cut log into 12 rounds. Transfer rounds cut side up to a greased 9× 13 baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Chill 6 hours or overnight.

To make the icing, beat cream cheese using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Carefully add in the confectioners sugar, extracts, and juice and mix until smooth.

Heat oven to 375°. Uncover rolls and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Pour over the warm orange rolls and serve.

Source: adapted from Saveur

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

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In the past couple weeks, I’ve seen fresh cranberries popping up in my neighborhood grocery stores. I love fresh cranberries – their color, their tarntness, stringing them with popcorn to make tree garland! I couldn’t resist picking up a couple bags.

Cranberry and orange has always been one of my favorite flavor combinations. So, I thought it would be fun to incorporate those into a muffin. Muffins are one of our favorite go-to breaksfast item around here.

With the morning rush of getting the boys up and dressed, lunches made, and Drew off to school – something that we can just grab and go with is a sheer savior sometimes. I think these would be a great easy treat to have on Thanksgiving morning as well. Enough to fill you up, but light enough to leave plenty of room for an early dinner!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
zest from 1 orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cranberries, coarsley chopped

For streusel topping:
3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

To make the streusel topping, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Using two forks, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in sliced almonds.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In another bowl combine egg, milk, zest, orange juice, vanilla, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir to combine until just moistened, batter should be lumpy. Fold in cranberries.

Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. Sprinkle streusel topping over muffin batter in cups. Bake in preheated oven, for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing.

Makes 12 muffins

Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Witches’ Finger Cookies

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Happy Halloween! I’d wanted to bake up more spooky treats to share with you guys this week – but with just getting back from vacation, and then Hurricane Sandy – I just ran out of time. Luckily, it only takes a couple hours from start to finish to throw together these creepy cookies that are just perfect for All Hallows Eve. My little goblins had a great time helping to decorate the cookies with the almond fingernails.

This year Andrew is being a fireman, and William is being Elvis. Mucho cuteness is sure to ensue. We can’t wait to take them trick-or-treating tonight. I hope that everyone has a safe and spooky Halloween!

Witches’ Finger Cookies

1-2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring
32 blanched or roasted whole almonds
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
½ tsp. almond extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
green food coloring
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Place the food coloring into a small bowl. With a painbrush, paint one side of the almond with the food coloring. Set aside on wax paper to dry.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add egg, egg yolk, almond extract, and salt. Mix in the flour on low speed just until combined. Tint the dough with a few drops of food coloring. Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Working with one half of the dough and keeping the other half chilled, divide into 16 equal pieces (a kitchen scale helps with this). On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece into a finger shape about 4-4½ inches long. Pinch each piece of dough in two places to create knuckle shapes. Use the back of a small paring knife to lightly score the surface of the knuckles. Transfer the shaped fingers to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

When finished forming all the fingers, lightly brush with egg white and place an almond nail at the end of each finger, pressing lightly to attach. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart, via Annie’s Eats