Fluffy Cream Cheese Pecan & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies.

This recipe was adapted from here.

1 stick softened butter
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp agave syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt to taste
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cups dark chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl combine the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat until creamed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and mix until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts and mix with a spatula to incorporate.
Using spoons or a cookie scoop, make 1 to 2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before baking. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to, even if slightly undercooked. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Cakey & Gooey Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

For me this made about 20 medium size cookies
I made these around the holiday season and the entire batch was gone in days. They are so very addicting! They are fluffy and cakey texture, especially when baked in a convection oven.
1 cup canned or fresh roasted pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if preferred)
1/2 tsp nutmeg and allspice
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 splash of milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

*Skip this step if you are using canned pumpkin*
Cut in half and roasted a small sugar pumpkin (stab the skin a few times to allow steam out). Place pumpkin cut side down in a pie pan with a 1/2 inch of water and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove pulp with a spoon and let cool.

In your electric mixer bowl, beat together pumpkin, sugar, oil, milk and egg. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Next, add vanilla, chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

Spoon dough on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. You can poke into the center of a cookie with a toothpick to see if the center is wet or is cooked and comes out clean.

Let cool a few minutes, then dig in while still warm!

Decadent Mini Cheesecake Cups

Makes about 16-18 cupcakes (you may need to double the recipe after you taste these!)

1/2 cup of crushed graham crackers

8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar or equivalent in Stevia (or other sweetener)

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz low/fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt

2 eggs

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp all purpose flour

Cooking Spray

Muffin cups

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line muffin pan with liners. Compact crushed graham crackers with a bit of cooking spray at the bottom of each well.

Beat cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla until smooth with a mixer. Mix in yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour just till it's incorporated. Scoop batter into cupcake liners until filled half way.

Bake 22 minutes or until the filling doesn't move when jiggled. Remove from pan and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

These are great for parties. I made these for a birthday party (you could probably tell by the balloons on the muffin papers). Top with sprinkles or fruit for decoration! 

Cinnamony Snickerdoodles

During the holidays I get the urge to bake. This is one of my favorite recipes. I love things that make the entire house smell good while baking and taste great hot out of the oven. 

I based this recipe off one in "The Cookie and Biscuit Bible." A great and very tempting book :) 


Makes around 24 cookies.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees


1/2 cup of soft butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 cups regular flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground cloves & nutmeg
Handful of chopped walnuts (optional)


First, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and spices (and nuts if you want). 
Combine the ingredients until it forms a ball of dough, you may want to use a spatula to help scrape down the edges. Refrigerate for an hour or so. 


Mix together a pinch of cinnamon with a tablespoon of sugar. This is what you will roll the balls of dough in before placing on the cookie sheet. 
Roll the cold dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the bowl of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a silicone baking mat, parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. Press lightly down on each ball of dough to help it spread out a bit.


Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy warm out of the oven with a glass of milk.

Simple Spiced Apple Pie

I love pie. And when you can say you are eating fruit too, well it doesn't feel as much like you are cheating on healthy eating. :)

One of my favorite recipe websites is allrecipes.com and I find some good food ideas there to adapt to my liking. That's where this pie recipe grew from.For the crust I used Grandma's Secret Pie Crust (not so secret anymore I suppose).

Following recipes equal one 9-inch apple pie.

Crust recipe (or you can use pre-made refrigerated crust):

Makes a top and bottom crust

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups shortening

1 egg

1 splash distilled white vinegar

4 tablespoons water (if you live in a dry environment, you might need more)

In the food processor mix the flour and salt and cut in shortening.

Drizzle the wet ingredients into dry mixture, cutting it in until it forms small granules. 

Turn out the mixture onto a stone countertop or rolling mat with a sprinkle of flour on it and roll thin with lightly floured pin to fit your pie pan.

Now for the filling:

1/2 cup sugar (if you don't like super sweet pies or are using sweet apples, gala vs. the more tart granny smith, you can cut the sugar in half or substitute the equivalent of stevia powder)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves (or your favorite pie spices)

4 large apples thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 egg white

In a small bowl, combine sugars, flour and spices until the brown sugar isn't very clumpy. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Add sugar mixture and stir well with big spatula (or hands) to coat. Line a 9-in. pie pan with rolled out pie crust dough. Stack rings of the apple filling into crust and dot with butter. 

Cover with the top crust and pinch around the edges so you don't get leaks in the oven. Cut a few slits in top (feel free to make them decorative). Beat an egg white and brush over the top of crust so it turns golden in the oven. Lightly sprinkle sugar on top if you feel the need. 

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes more or until golden.

Let it cool before eating. That's the hardest part! :)

Chewy Fruit & Nut Granola Bars

• Once you make these simple and tasty granola bars at home, you will think twice about buying store-bought bars filled with preservatives. When you make your own you can add your favorite ingredients and mix it up each time. Sometimes I cut these into bite-size pieces to serve as bar cookies at parties.

Makes about 16 rectangular granola bars

• 
  
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup puffed rice or kamut (I use Arrowhead brand)
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of diced dried apricots
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (or nuts of your choice, chopped cashews or peanuts are tasty)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg
• Splash of vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine and stir all the dry ingredients together. Pour sweetened condensed milk over dry mixture until it is just sticking together (if it seems too wet, add more oats). Evenly spread over a cooky sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (Silpat), and press with spatula to about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just golden around the edges. 

Let cool, then transfer to a cutting board to cut into your desired bar size. Enjoy for a snack or dessert! Customize with your favorite fruit and nut combos.