Tag: cookies

Russian Teacakes

Recognize these cookies? What do you call them? ⁠For much of my life, I knew these cookies as Pecan Sandies. Both sides of my family had them at Christmas, although I for some reason remember them more fondly on my mom’s side of the family. My grandma made just one small cookie tray for Christmas, but there were always Pecan Sandies, rolled into little fingers, rolled in powdered sugar. ⁠

Shortly after I graduated from college, I was looking through a cookie cookbook, and I learned that they are known as Russian Teacakes too. Then another friend told me they are Mexican Wedding Cookies. My family won’t know what type of cookie you are talking about if you call them by anything but Pecan Sandies.

Whatever the name, we adore them. They are a must for all nut allergy free parties I attend. Still looking to fill your cookie tray? I recommend a batch of these.

Your Ingredients⁠

  • 1 cup softened butter⁠
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar ⁠
  • 2 cups all purpose flour⁠
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans⁠
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt ⁠
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract⁠
  • additional powdered sugar for rolling cookies ⁠

Your Steps to Russian teacakes

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix until well combined. Add flour, pecans, and salt. Mix well, until a ball is formed. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, but overnight is great. ⁠

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (about 1/2 tablespoon each). Bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, roll still hot cookies in powdered sugar. (Be gentle with the cookies. They break easily. I usually wait just a minute or two before rolling them.) 

I typically only roll the cookies in powdered sugar once, but many roll them twice. You pick. Either way, they won’t last long! 

Baked perfection
Gentle. Gentle.
Yum! They won’t last long!

Tools of the Trade

I love these cookie baking trays and the rack they come with. I use them so often!

Looking for another sweet treat? Check out my baking page by clicking the link below!

Baking

Russian Teacakes

A delicious shortbread based pecan cookie known by so many names. Regardless of what you call them, they won't last long on your holiday cookie tray!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cookies
Servings 4 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup softened butter⁠
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar ⁠
  • 2 cups all purpose flour⁠
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans⁠
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt ⁠
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract⁠
  • additional powdered sugar for rolling cookies ⁠

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix until well combined. Add flour, pecans, and salt. Mix well, until a ball is formed. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, but overnight is great. ⁠
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (about 1/2 tablespoon each). Bake for 15 minutes, until just browned on the bottom of the cookies.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, roll still hot cookies in powdered sugar. Cookies can be rolled a second time if desired.
Keyword Cookies, pecan cookies, pecans, Shortbread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess2 Comments

Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Do you ever envision a recipe and simply crave it for weeks? Thinking about how it might come together and how good it can taste? No? I am alone in this? I hope not. While I know it is still fall and not even Thanksgiving, I have been daydreaming about Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies for weeks. 

I am a sucker for all things peppermint. Candy Cane Chapstick? I stock up while they are in stores so have them year round. Peppermint mocha creamer? I can’t get enough. I even find myself treating myself to an Andes Candies Candy Bar at Kwik Trip whenever we have long car trips. Since we are living in the craziness of 2020, all the early Christmas decorations have me wanting peppermint even more. 

And while peppermint is divine, mixing it with chocolate takes it to a new level. I knew I needed a simple drop chocolate and peppermint cookie in my life, and I was certain others did too. This Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookie came together nicely. Since it is drop cookie, it takes minimal work. Beyond the peppermint chips, the ingredients are pantry items that you likely have on hand. Always a big win in my book. 

I hope you give them a try. They dip so well in milk and get better the next day, taking on a brownie flavor that’s “close your eyes and enjoy” worthy. Yum. 

Your Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Your Steps to Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined. 

If you are an awesome baker, you’ll mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda) in a separate bowl and then gradually add it to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. I HATE creating more dishes than I need to (the dishwasher here is named “Jess”), so I simply put the dry ingredients on top of one another, stir slightly to distribute the salt and baking soda, and call it good. This method has served me well. You do you though 😉 

Once the dry ingredients have been mixed in, add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes. Enjoy as all good cookies should, straight out of the oven (Okay, wait maybe 2 minutes so you don’t burn your mouth, but seriously, aren’t fresh baked cookies the best?!). Also, I ten out of ten recommend dipping in milk. Freaking yum. 

Butter and sugar…the beginning of a beautiful cookie!
Add the extract and eggs.
Yes, I know we should use another bowl, but really, who wants more dishes?!
Almost there!
Getting ready to bake!
A simple pleasure: fresh baked cookies!

Looking for other sweet treats? Check out my baking page below!

Baking

I love baking on silicone baking mats. Eliminates the waste that comes from parchment. Something I am passionate about.

I was gifted this baking sheet set for Christmas a few years ago and it’s my go to when I bake cookies. Love it!

I can’t bake without wooden spoons. That’s all there is to it.

Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Is there any greater combination that chocolate and peppermint? They come together in an easy drop cookie!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients slowly, stirring until just incorporated.
  • Add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in.
  • Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes.
Keyword chocolate and peppermint, Cookies, drop cookies, peppermint cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other cookie recipes?

Check out some of my favorites below!

JessLeave a comment

Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies

Jump to Recipe

I recently read that most people begin their descent into the foraging world by harvesting dandelions or mushrooms. For me, it was acorns, but dandelions were a very close second. As soon as I had read the things you could make with them, I was determined to try them all. Pesto. Jelly (I have a great recipe for that here). Wine. And now, these delightful melt in your mouth morsels. You’ve got to try these so easy to put together Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies.

However, I must give ample warning. After you try these, you just might become hooked on the idea of foraging too. You see, a few years ago my classroom looked out over a large field; I am not joking when I tell you I would look longingly at the yellow balls of sunshine that are dandelions. I dreaded that they were going to get mowed over. There was so much potential in those little guys. Just think how many of these dandelion cookies we could get! And the wine. Don’t get me started. I mean, you should definitely get started. You’ll feel a sense of connectedness to the Earth as you create and bake. I promise (Okay, maybe promise is a strong word, but I really bet you will!). Here’s your toe dipping recipe into the world of foraging: Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies.

Your ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dandelion petals
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Harvesting the Dandelions:

First, the harvesting of the dandelions. I won’t lie, it’s a bit of a tedious step for most dandelion recipes. However, you don’t need too many for this recipe. I like to harvest earlier in the morning, prior to the flowers opening too much. Pick just the heads. Then I find it easiest if I hold onto the yellow petals and cut the bottom green stem portion with a scissors. Then I pick off the remaining green portions and compost them. Measure the yellow petals to a lightly packed 1/2 cup. Then…

Your Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Mix in honey. Next, gently fold in dandelion petals. Combine the flour and salt, adding to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix until just combined. For best results, allow the dough to chill for at least a half hour. Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls and roll each into a ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Finally, use a flat bottomed cup dipped in powdered sugar to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until slightly browned on the edges. Revel at the fact that you just baked with a “humble weed” and then give them a try. The flavor deepens a few days after they are baked, so try not to enjoy them all at once!

Looking for more foraging recipes? Click here! Or has your sweet tooth been activated? I have lots of sweet treats to choose from on my baking page 🙂

  • All the yellow petals and none of the green.
  • A little butter and sugar.
  • Cream with the honey.
  • Fold in the dandelions petals gently.
  • Flatten with a flat bottomed cup dipped in powdered sugar.
  • Melt in your mouth goodness!

Dandelion and Honey Shortbread Cookies

Buttery and delicate, these unique shortbread cookies melt in your mouth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Foraging
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup dandelion petals
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • To gather the dandelion petals, I find it easiest to get the heads of the flowers when they are closed. I hold onto the yellow portion and cut off the bottom green stem. Try to remove all green portions.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, cream sugar and softens butter until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in honey and then gently fold in dandelion petals.
  • Add flour and sprinkle salt on top. Mix until just combined. For best results, allow the dough to chill at least a half hour.
  • Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls. Roll each tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use a flat bottomed cup dipped in powdered sugar to flatten the cookies slightly.
  • Bake for 9-11 minutes, until slightly browned on the edges. Enjoy!
Keyword Cookies, Dandelion Recipe, Dandelions, Foraging, Honey, Shortbread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

In the baking world, I love to put together cookies. All kinds of cookies, but I think my favorite are chocolate chip cookies. Growing up, my grandma had the best chocolate chip cookies and always had them in the cookie jar in the pantry when we would come to visit. As such, they are my go to when I am baking and have been for as long as I can remember. Here’s my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe if you’re feeling chocolate chip cookies too. (Hint: The browned butter makes the cookie. If you haven’t tried that yet, you need to. Maybe right after you bake up these chocolate and peanut butter ones) 

However, I felt the need to mix it up recently. I mean, I wasn’t going to stray too far from the tried and true, but these “safer at home” times are the best for experimenting in the kitchen, right? So I got to thinking. If you dig in my cupboards, you’ll find all sorts of seemingly random ingredients from past “inspired” recipes. I looked around and found peanut butter chips with cocoa powder right next to them.

Let’s be honest, name a more iconic pair than peanut butter and chocolate. It had been on my radar anyway because I put together these no bake pretzel peanut butter chocolate bars from Josh and Ang a few weeks ago. Then it hit me: I’ll make a sort of cookie version of that. So here it is: a combination of slightly salty in the peanuts and sweet from the chocolate and the chips. A cookie that almost has a brownie-like richness but still goes well dunked in a glass of ice cold milk. Yum! I hope you’ll give them a try! 

Fun Fact:

I was just getting started with these cookies as my husband pulled into the driveway after our weekly grocery trip. I opened the cupboard to grab my brown sugar and…alas! We were out, something that never happens at this house. A quick Google search later, and I learned that you can make your own brown sugar using a little molasses, so that’s how these are put together. Cool, right? Therefore, you have options in the sugar arena for these cookies: Go as written or skip the molasses and do ½ cup white and 1 cup brown. It’s up to you! 

Your Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar 
  • 1 ½ tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla 
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup of the following: dry roasted peanuts (I used salted), peanut butter chips, and dark chocolate chips (These are our go to dark chocolate chips. We LOVE them, even for a sweet treat after dinner)

Your steps:

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and molasses until smooth and fully combined. It might take some time with the molasses. Add vanilla and eggs, stirring until well mixed. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Incorporate into the wet sugar mixture. Fold in peanuts, dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For best results, allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (man, I struggle with that step. Let’s be honest, I generally bake the first batch warm, and then I put the dough in the fridge for a better second batch). Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet by the tablespoon and bake for 8-11 minutes. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet 2 minutes or so before placing on a cooling rack. 

I believe these cookies get better over a few days. I liked them the first day. I loved them three days later, dunked in my milk. I love a good brownie and I feel like they are reminiscent of that. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family did! They will definitely be in our rotation of cookies as years go by! 

  • No brown sugar? No problem!
  • Cream it all together.
  • Don’t forget the chips and peanuts.
  • Ready for a mug of milk!

Looking for some other sweet treats? Check out my baking page here!

Print Recipe

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate, the greatest combination, come together in these delightful cookies!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, chocolate chip, Cookies, peanut butter

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of butter softened
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup dry roasted peanuts
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and molasses until smooth and fully combined.
  • Add vanilla and eggs, stirring until well mixed.
  • In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
  • Incorporate into the wet sugar mixture.
  • Fold in peanuts, dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
  • For best results, allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
  • Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet by the tablespoon and bake for 8-11 minutes.
  • Allow to cool on the cookie sheet 2 minutes or so before placing on a cooling rack.

JessLeave a comment

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let me begin with the browned butter. If you’ve never experienced cookie with browned butter, you are missing out. I first learned about it from The Pioneer Woman. Once I tried it, I was hooked. I am excited to introduce you to it in these: Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

In times of uncertainty, you should do what you know. Although I like to be healthy, I know baking cookies. For as long as I can remember, my grandma always had a cookie jar full of chocolate chip cookies in the pantry every time my sister and I would visit. Nine times out of ten, she also left some of the raw cookie dough in the fridge for us to snack on. Thank you grandma for such a lasting memory.

Because of this, I have always associated chocolate chip cookies with love and comfort. Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie?  I know I do.  And over the years, I have learned they become  even better if it has more brown sugar than white and bonus points for browned butter. Here’s my official all time favorite chocolate chip cookie. 

Your Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup walnuts

Your steps to Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one stick of butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt. Continue to stir until butter just browns, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cream remaining stick of butter with sugars. Scrap browned butter into a bowl, getting all the browned bits (YUM!). Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir into wet ingredients, until just mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes, allowing the dough to firm up a bit. Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes until the edges are crisp. And boom, the perfect chocolate chip cookies.

Browned butter. Something you didn’t know you needed in your life.
Mix it up.
Let it chill.
Little cookies so you feel better when you have three!
Ready for a tall glass of milk!

One batch of cookies not enough? Check out my baking page here!

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Key to a great chocolate chip cookie? More brown sugar than white and the extra effort of creating browned butter. Yum!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 29

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one stick of butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, allowing butter to melt.
  • Continue to stir until butter just browns, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Cream remaining stick of butter with sugars.
  • Scrap browned butter into bowl, getting all the browned bits. Mix well.
  • Add eggs and vanilla. Mix.
  • Combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
  • Stir into wet ingredients, until just mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
  • Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes, allowing the dough to firm up a bit.
  • Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake 9-12 minutes, until the edges are crisp. And boom, the perfect chocolate chip cookies.
Keyword browned butter, chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookies, Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment