Cookies that could be as good as Christmas Cookies as they are here in the summer-time: Chocolate-dipped Salted Caramel-candied Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies! Yes, that’s a mouthful to say (and to eat, har har). Hazelnut shortbread, dipped in decadent dark chocolate and then partially coated in a salted caramel hazelnut crunch — sort of like a topping that you put on ice cream or an ice cream cone. Not too sweet, just the right size for two bites. Would be a great “after dinner” dessert cookie.
Haven’t been baking as much since Easter, and had company so what I was baking was more old-standbys. It’s remarkably hard to do recipe testing, writing and photography with a houseful of guests. That said, I’m back. With so many crab apple and cherry trees in blossom, I got to thinking … well, about crab apples and cherries, so I made these Cherry Almond Oatmeal Crumble Bars. A little tart, a little sweet, a little nutty and overall delicious.
Beginning to find my Spring / Easter-ish baking inspiration, just in time, I might add. Here is something happy: Spring M&M Cream Cheese Sugar Drops. They are mostly just drop cookies (a la Toll House Chocolate Chip), but they have a bit of cream cheese in them, which makes them just have s bit of tang. And of course, I overloaded the batch with two who bags of M&Ms (not one to do things by half measure). Colorful and festive and brings out the child in me. Something to add to your Easter Egg hunt, or to stash for yourself?
Another little St. Patrick’s Day Treat. I am not normally one to use a lot of food coloring, but made an exception today, so here we are — browned butter and almond with a dark chocolate Hersey’s kiss. The recipe makes quite a few cookies but it can he halved in case you don’t need so many. Cheerful, happy little cookies — emerald blossoms next to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (or something stereotypical like that).
I thought I’d make a couple of things for St. Patrick’s Day. And sort of like most holidays, I am just making these because it’s a sweet treat and I felt like it, not because they are particularly Irish or Irish-American for that matter. These “Irish Cream “Faux-reos” Sandwich Cookies are Oreo-style Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Bailey’s Filling, and how can you really go wrong with that.