double chocolate-cinnamon cookies

Those cinnamon chips I see in the stores, I've never been one to just grab them and use them.
Always weary of how they will taste, too chemically, too harsh, too something....
But alas I did buy one, having a coupon for one AND it was on sale--that's enough reason there to buy it...right?
I first tasted them and they are awful on their own, but surely no one eats these on their own?
Now that they were opened I had to do something with them--make cookies.
Combine these with really good chocolate and there's sure to be something....I hope?
Thankfully they were a HUGE hit.
Had no idea these cookies would be this tasty with those cinnamon chips.
AND, the other bonus to this, is the dough is crazy easy to make since we melt the butter.
Only downfall, if you have to have one, is to chill the dough.
Why do I keep asking you to chill the darn dough?
Cookie doughs bake up better when they are chilled, they poof up, they crisp up in the best outer shell crispiness way.  Think of it as taking pancake batter and trying to bake it, it would just run even more, it wouldn't firm up, it would lose all it's internal moisture and dry up, it would take a long time to crisp up.  Whereas a chilled dough placed into a hot oven will automatically hold its nice uniform shape, won't spread, and most importantly will keep all it's moisture inside and steam itself (quickly) to bake, while the outside gets nice and crisp.  Warm and chewy inside, crisp outside--heavenly right?
And of course there is the whole science of letting the gluten relax while its chilling.
Ruth Wakefield the creator of the Tool House Chocolate Chip Cookie always chilled her dough overnight.
When I made the famous Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies, I chilled that dough for 96 hours!
The longer it sits the better; flavor and texture wise.


I used a regular size ice cream scoop.  You can use a larger or smaller size, just make sure to adjust the baking times.
 

double chocolate-cinnamon cookies

print recipe

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup bread flour

¾ TB baking soda

¾ TB baking powder

5 oversized TB dutch process cocoa powder

¾  ts sea salt

2 sticks (16 TB) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

½ cup + 1 TB light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

½ ts pure vanilla extract

¾ cup high quality semi-sweet chips

¾ cup cinnamon chips

Cook notes: make sure to let the melted butter cool a bit. When you are ready to use the butter give it a good stir to incorporate the butter solids and fats back together.

You can add a full cup of the chocolate chips and cinnamon chips if you like. I added in only ¾ cup as I wasn’t sure if the cinnamon chips would be over-powering.

It’s hard to tell when these are done, just look for non-jiggly middles and non-sticky cookies.  It’s really easy to overbake these, so definitely take them out at the 13-15 minute mark.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, either by hand or using a mixer (I don’t have a mixer so I did this by hand) mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined. Add in the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix well. Then add in the dry mixture, mix until just combined, do not overmix. Next FOLD in the chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. Cover bowl and let chill in fridge at least an hour or longer.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees, line four cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using an normal size ice cream scoop, and making sure to compact the dough in the scooper as much as possible, scoop out on baking sheets about 1 & ½ inches apart.

Bake about 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. You’ll know the cookies are done by slightly crisp edges and slightly puffy middles.

Don’t try and take them off the cookie sheets, they will just break.  Let them sit there at least 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Should make about 22-24.

sea salted cookie butter-caramels

Ever have this recipe idea in your head for months on end, you can see the finished product, but you don't know how to get to that finished product?
That would be these magical little gems.
I had it in my head how I wanted them to look and exactly how I wanted them to taste.
Uncertain if cookie butter, added to hot caramel would hold up texture-wise or would it dissolve away?
First batch I burned the caramel and had brittle--Cookie butter brittle which I should post for you since it was quite tasty and I hate to waste food.
You know why I burned it?
I have crappy pans.
Only have one nice, perfect All-Clad, but it's so small for making caramels.
I used the All Clad for the second batch because I was not going to burn it again since I had a dinner date with hubby in less than one hour.  It was going to work!
Thankfully it did.
But the second time around the caramel got stuck to the pan.  I didn't butter the dish enough; I used too cold of a butter to grease it up with and it did not adhere all the way.
So tip(s) of the week?
Use room temperature butter to grease up your dish for the caramels.
AND should the caramels get stuck in the dish, pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes and they should lift right out.

I know a lot of you will click away seeing the title homemade caramels, please don't!
If you invest in a good candy thermometer you can make your own caramels.
Once you make them 2 or 3 times you will be more comfy--trust me.
My first batch of caramels I burned them, and I still do from time to time.
And use a good pan.  I can't stress enough how having a nice thick-bottomed pan really helps distribute the heat evenly and avoiding burn sugar.
With these cookie butter-caramels I made them so that there is a nice texture-like coating on the top of cookie butter. The cookie butter sprinkled with the sea salt is just a heavenly combo.
If you don't want a texture, but just want a taste in the background of the cookie butter then I suggest swirling the cookie butter more into the caramel before it sets up (see photos below).






If you're a cookie butter fan, you must make these.  The texture and taste of the cookie does shine through in these caramels and the sea salt on top adds that extra layer of flavor from the cookie butter.

sea salted cookie butter-caramels

print recipe

5 TB salted butter, plus more for greasing up pan

1/2 cup heavy cream, room temp

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

sea salt

¼ - ½ cup cookie butter

candy thermometer

wooden chop stick (or other similar item)

wax paper for wrapping caramels, optional

Butter an 8 or 9 inch glass or ceramic baking pan.

Clip the candy thermometer to the side of a medium heavy-duty saucepan (a saucepan with a nice thick bottom).

Over medium heat, heat up ¼ cup heavy cream along with the sugar, light brown sugar, butter and corn syrup, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely.

Continue to heat the caramel without stirring until the thermometer reaches 240 degrees F.  Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the remaining ¼ cup heavy cream.

Return the pot to the heat and re-heat the caramel until the thermometer reaches 243 degrees F.

Working quickly and having your cookie butter at the ready for adding, pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish.  Add in globs of cookie butter, let it melt a bit, then using a wooden chopstick gentle swirl the cookie butter around making swirls.  Being careful not to push the cookie butter to the bottom of the caramel—we want to keep a nice even bottom of caramel.

Let sit at room temperature for 3-5 hours to set up.

Before slicing, gently add on some sea salt to the top, and ever so gently push sea salt into caramel so it stays.

Using a small spatula, lift out of the baking pan onto a cutting board.  Using a sharp knife, into 1-inch squares.

Wrap each caramel in waxed paper and store at room temperature.

friday links

First congrats to the winners of the Picky Palate Cookbook.
#6 Jodi, #24 Katrina and #10 Amelia--please email me your shipping address!


Have you tried the red velvet cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory?
Do I need to tell you how good it was?

Great idea.  Pricey though, but tasty. (found them at whole foods).

I can't tell you how much this one product: Dahlicious has changed my life in terms of having a healthy digestive system, and a healthy immune system.  It's now in a large (cheaper) size.  Thankfully.

Some of the best chocolate I've had.  I prefer the peanut butter one. Lake Champlain Chocolates.

Do I love this cookbook: The Little Paris Kitchen? I do.  A sweet friend sent it to me.

For us coffee lovers.

Coming to the Cape this summer? Please visit DJ Wings in Hyannis on the railroad tracks.
Literally some of the best wings I've had outside of Buffalo, NY.  Their portions are huge and what makes the wings so tasty are the sauces--unlimited amount of flavors.  I have yet to work up to the "Hurt Me" sauce. And don't forget to check out their "Angry Wings Contest" where you have to eat 10 "wings from hell" to the bone.

PB Boulangerie Bakery on cape cod (wellfleet), ma is back open for the season! A lot of cape codders are happy to see them again after a long, hard winter (myself included).

Their almond croissant is exactly like (if not better) than the ones from Paris. I am not kidding.

A new flavor for San Pellegrino?  It's good, really good. Lime is my favorite.

Easter egg season is in full swing at Stage Stop Candy in Dennisport, MA. (these happen to be my favorite).


There has been a lot of beach erosion damage from the last few storms and blizzards.
This is cape cod national seashore where literally chunks of the cliffs are eaten away from the mammoth waves.  That black is earth, that's how severe the waves were during the blizzard.

If you can imagine, there used to be about 3-5 more feet of this cliff! Location: Le Count Hollow Beach, Wellfleet, Ma.

We did get some long-lasting swells from the blizzards even days after the storm had passed.


Spring fever is at an all time high here on cape cod.

I am very anxious for spring and summer.  Our days of sun lately have been limited.

Around the web:
frosted mint chocolate bars from inspired edibles
jalapeno popper soup from i breathe i'm hungry
how to make caramel sauce & caramel candy from pastry chef online
pb & chocolate swirl cookies from sally's baking addiction
almond butter cookies from not crocker
caramel coated Cheetos from chameleon girls
the importance of Vit D from mindbodygreen.com
liege waffles from zencancook.com
sweet potato-bacon biscuits from running to the kitchen
gluten free croissants! from bobbies baking blog
homemade pretzel rods from serious eats
homemade samoa girl scout cookies! from just a taste
ruby red grapefruit cookies from homesick texan
4 diets scientifically proven to help your heart from mindbodygreen
bourbon banana pudding cheesecake from the candid appetite
irish cheese-bacon cheesecake w/ walnut crust from chocolate moosey
rosemary-parmesan wheat thins from she makes and bakes
whole wheat-apple oat breakfast cookies from prevention rd
blue cheese-walnut cornmeal crisps from strawberry plum
nutmeg-butter biscuits from cook republic
how to spot comet PanSTARRS in twilight from sky and telescope
coffee can date nut bread from serious eats
bok choy-brown rice salad w/ orange-sesame dressing from annie eats
hostess cupcake cookies from bake at 350
informative tutorial on fluid ounces vs. ounces from bravetart
secrets to making croissants from america's test kitchen (very helpful!)

Happy weekend everyone!

homemade nacho cheez it's

Cheez Its are definitely my food indulgence weakness.
To me, they are my potato chip. I will gladly take them over a bag of potato chips.
After a grueling workout I crave those salt-lick like squares with a giant glass of ice cold cherry coke.
Sounds good right?  But I rarely act on that indulgence.
Cheez Its have also given me a couple wonderful recipes.
I've cut way back on the amount I eat since they are loaded with chemicals, flavorings and
other crap.
But the best part of this recipe is the ability to switch out seasonings and flavor the crackers to your liking.  I highly suggest investing in some cheese powder.  A good cheese powder that isn't filled with a ton of fillers, chemicals and crap.  Whole Foods or any natural food store should have a good selection of cheese powders.
In this recipe I used a mexican spice flavoring or a taco mix.  I used about 1-3 TB of seasoning from one of those all-natural flavor packets used in making taco's or beef dishes as well as a cheese powder.
You could also try ranch, pizza seasonings, tomato-basil seasonings, the possibilities are endless.

See the cheese powder dusting on the cracker?
Instead of using flour when I roll out the dough, I used cheese powder (just a little bit).
It's an excellent idea that serves as two purposes.

Please do not overwork the dough.
To do my best to avoid over-working the dough, I mixed everything by hand.
I wanted a crisp, puffy cracker.
Now if you want a thin crispy cracker, roll out the dough as thin as possible.

I'm not the best at rolling out a rectangle to get more uniform squares, but as you do this more you will get better at it.
Next time I will try the rectangle along with a ruler for better accuracy -- just to see if I can do it. HA!

If you want those "lines" just like a real Cheez It, then use a fork to make the indentations.
But the lines got lost in the baking as the cracker "puffs".

Or you can make little holes in the center by using the end of a chopstick.

Truly a tasty cracker with a deep cheddar flavor.
Only downside is they do get stale after about two days.

homemade nacho cheez-its

print recipe

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 TB unsalted butter, room temperature

1 TB vegetable shortening

¼ ts salt

2-3 TB of taco or mexican seasonings

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 TB ice water

cheese powder for sprinkling the tops of the crackers before baking, optional

Cook notes: if you don’t want to use any seasonings and just want plain cheddar then use a bit more salt in lieu of the seasonings.

I do not have a stand mixer, and did this by hand, which was much easier since you don’t run the risk of overmixing. You want these crackers to bake up light and crisp, so to achieve that you mix the dough until just done.

I HIGHLY recommend investing in cheese powder for use on the crackers just before baking and for using when you roll out the dough.  King Arthur has a wonderful brand, and most natural food stores have cheese powder, even all natural-flavored cheese powder.

If you are making these in a hot kitchen or during the summertime, please use a marbled surface for rolling out the dough. 

This dough you want to keep as cold as possible.

If dough at any point gets sticky, just stick it back in the fridge.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, (or by hand, I’ve done this by hand, much easier) mix the cheese, butter, shortening, seasonings, and salt.

Add the flour and mix on low (dough will be pebbly). Slowly add the water and mix as the dough forms a ball.

Pat the dough into two disks, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour or overnight

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a cutting board, sprinkle the board with a tiny amount of cheese powder. 

Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10x12 inch rectangle.

Using a pastry cutter, sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer them to the baking sheets.  If it gets hard to lift the dough off, just pop them back in the fridge to harden up.

Appearance-wise, if you want clone like Cheez It’s, take a fork and make indentations around the crackers, and then a sharp knife and make a small indentation in the middle of each cracker. 

This part is time consuming, so it’s up to you.  I just made a small hole in the middle of the crackers, and skipped the edges.

Baking: please bake for only 10-15 minutes. 

Look for puffed and browning around the edges.

These crackers can go from lightly browned to burnt in mere 2 minutes so keep an eye out on them.

Should make about 4-5 dozen depending on how you cut them.

They do not last days.  I’d give it 2 days max before they get stale.

what to do with melted chocolate that has seized up?

What to do with melted chocolate that has seized up?
Make bark!

There has been a few times when I rushed the melting process, or had just the smallest amount of water left in the pan to cause a nice, fast, quick seize of the chocolate.
And the part I hate the most is throwing that chocolate in the trash.
Last week I had a nice (expensive) batch of high quality chocolate that seized up on me because I left the stove for a mere minute.
Cursing the whole way to the trash barrel to toss it, I saw a bag of salty cashews on the counter and instantly thought "hey, why not make a quick batch of bark?"
It worked!
You have to work fast though; move that seized chocolate to a jelly roll/cookie pan, place down some parchment paper, spread out the chocolate (you might have to use your hands depending on how thick or hard the seized chocolate is), then adorn with nuts, candies, fruit or whatever you wish.

The only downfall (if you want to call it that)  it's not a smooth bark.
Seized chocolate after all is funky looking, but tastes just fine.
Unless you've burnt the chocolate then it might taste off.

Why throw away that perfect (and in most cases expensive) chocolate away?