Cinnamon Rolled Bread Recipe

This is my homemade whole wheat cinnamon spice swirl bread. This isn't my usual sugar-sweet recipe, but it is still worth the share. This recipe is actually incredibly low in sugar and very healthy for you. A glaze made of powdered sugar, butter and milk can be added to the top of the loaf if you're serving it at a party and want it to be a sweet treat instead of a good breakfast or less-sweet treat.
*Pictured is the plain cinnamon bread -- however raisins, walnuts, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, orange juice (spritz orange instead of water on the cinnamon).

I also add very (very) thinly sliced apples and roll it up in the swirl to make some very good and moist bread.

When I use orange juice instead of water, I also add orange zest to the actual bread dough, to make a lovely winter bread that friends and family will love. **

Here is the recipe:
Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups raisins **

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon **
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water**

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/3 cup sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
2. Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each into a 15-in. x 7-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with water.Roll and Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.




Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Red Velvet Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix

½ cup butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature (try using 1-2 tbsp less than this for less spread)

2 eggs

For Filling:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

½ cup butter (1 stick), to room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cookies:

1. Mix cake mix, 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and two eggs in electric mixer until combined.

2. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place onto well greased baking sheet about two inches apart. (they will spread)

3. Bake cookies for 8-10 min for smaller dough balls, and 10-12 minutes for larger balls.

Cream Cheese Filling:

1. Cream 1/2 cup of butter, cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. You may need to use slightly more powdered sugar, frosting should stand on its own and not be runny in any way.

2. When cookies have cooled, spread or *pipe filling over one, then top with a similar-sized cookie.
* I like to fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe the frosting onto each cookie. Piping the frosting on makes the entire job faster and easier. If you do not have a piping bag just use a regular sandwich baggie and snip off the end.



Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

 

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently made these cookies. They are very delicious! They are partly my own creation -- partly not. It is known that cookie recipes are not a secret, it is what sweets you add in them that make them special! (Some say it is also the love that goes into them that counts too, and I add that in large proportions in all my sweets!)

Here is the recipe:

Triple Sweet Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. flour (may take up to a 1/4 c. more flour, depending on how you measure everything out)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1+ c. Chocolate chips
1+ c. White chocolate (vanilla) chips
1+ c. Peanut butter Chips
(the proportions of chips will vary depending on how many chips you want in your cookies)

Directions:
1. Beat the butter, and sugar together. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well.
2. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Add desired portions of the three yummy chips.
4. I took the dough and made it into small rounds, about the size of a small doughnut hole, or a US quarter.
Bake at 350 degrees, for 11 min (if you make larger cookies then you'll need a longer cook time).



Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Cinnamon Soft Pretzel

This is a very tasteful and pleasing soft pretzel to either make as a breakfast dish, or share with friends at parties. I like to make these for breakfast becuase they are basically replacing a morning cinnamon roll. This recipe, you may notice, is nearly identical to a cinnamon roll recipe, they taste very similar.

Soft Pretzels
(makes between 18-30 pretzels)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
3 tbsp active yeast
2 beaten eggs (*or 2 egg whites)
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 1/4 c. flour

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Set warm water in mixer and evenly sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water. Let that proof for about 10 min in the mixer.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients adding flour last. Mix for 10 min.
3. Take dough and place on a well oiled surface, then cover the dough with a towel. Let rest for 10 min.
4. Divide dough in half, and then half again. Take one of the quarters of dough and separate it into small round dough balls.
5. Roll one of the small dough balls out on a counter top covered with cinnamon sugar. Roll the dough into a long thin snake.
6. Fold into the shape of a twisty pretzel. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet.
7. Bake at 400 Degrees for 7-15 min. The time may vary depending on the size of your pretzels, so be watchful.
8. Place pretzels on a cooling rack and then generously coat with glaze. Enjoy!

**nutrition: If you make 13 large soft pretzels there is 8.6 grams of fat in each one. If you make 20 pretzels then there is 5.6 grams of fat in each one. If you make 32 small pretzels there is only 3.5 grams of fat in each one.**


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Crasin Cookies

Ingredients
1 c. soft butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
2 large eggs (or 4 egg whites)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (*I used 1 tsp)
3 c. rolled oats (I used the quick bake variety)
1 c. raisins or craisins
1 c. dark chocolate chips (or semi sweet)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugars until creamy and smooth. Add eggs, beating very well. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon, and beat until incorporated. Stir in the rolled oats, craisins (or raisins) and chocolate chips. (*do not add extra flour, even if you think it needs it*)
4. Place a medium-sized spoonful of batter on a cookie sheet and smooth edges with your fingers. Flatten the round dough ball until it‘s only about a ½ inch thick. Bake the cookies for about 10 - 16 minutes (depending on the size of your cookies, your cooking time may vary).
5.The cookies are done when golden brown around the edges but still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake the more crispy they will be.)


Seriously, these are the best oatmeal cookies, ever!


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Mint Cream Oreo Cookies

Homemade Oreos

Ingredients:

1 Devil's food cake mix (or chocolate cake, see recipe below)
3 egg whites, plus 2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. oil -- or vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. cocoa powder

Chocolate cake from scratch:
1¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinches salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
(I did not add the wet ingredients, follow the instructions from above for that)

Directions:

1. Blend well until you can shape dough into ball. Let stand for 20 minutes. Spray hands with Pam spray (or use oil) so it is easier for you to roll balls. Form dough into half inch balls and place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.

2. Flatten each ball with the smooth bottom of a drinking glass.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. (keep a watchful eye, you do not want them to burn!!) Remove cookies at once and immediately flatten with the back of a spatula. Let cool for 20 minutes on cooling rack.

Filling:

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
1 c. butter
1 lb. plus 1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

**Note: If you want to make just a regular buttercream frosting it works as well. (see bottom of post for good alternative filling recipe)**

Directions:

1. Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Place gelatin in a heat proof cup. Then place the heat proof cup in a pan of hot water until the gelatin becomes clear.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light and add vanilla. Let the gelatin cool and then add to the frosting and mix well.

3. Frost one side of the cookies and then place a new cookie on top of that one, press down to create your homemade oreo!

The second recipe I use is a bit harder, but worth the effort. I hope you enjoy!!

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 to 1 1/2 c. sugar (use less for 'real' oreo taste)
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the Cream filling:
1/2 c. room-temperature, unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 c. sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. Add the butter, and then the egg, while beating. Mix dough completely.
2. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. Spray bottom of a cup with PAM (or any non-stick spray, or real oil) and flatten each cookie. Bake for 9 minutes.
3. Cream Centers: At low speed mix butter till smooth, then gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
4. Use a pastry bag (or a ziplock with the tip cut off) to put small tsp amount of cream in the center of one of the cookies. Place and press another like-sized cookie on top.



Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Versatile Sugar Cookies

Here are some pictures of different-looking sugar cookies that I have made. I used the basic sugar cookie recipe and then altered it to create a unique cookie. Some cookies appear hard to make, but are really quite simple. Here is the sugar cookie recipe I use.


Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
2 c. flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ c. sugar
Cut In:
½ c. butter
Blend in:
1 egg
2tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Combine above ingredients going down the list. Cut in butter, and then mix in the remaining ingredients.
2. Roll out flat onto a floured surface, to desired thickness then cut with cookie cutter (any shape you want).
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 min.

The above is called a Thumbprint Jam Cookie. Instead of rolling the dough out flat on the counter, you roll the dough into small balls. Then you take your thumb and make a small indentation in the cookie. Fill this indentation with your favorite jam or jelly and bake for 5-7 min (depending on the size of your cookie).

This cookie is a two-tones pink valentines day sugar cookie. I took half of the finished dough and dyed it pink. You then take both colors and roll them together, creating a unique mix of pink and white. Frost these cookies with your favorite frosting and cover with heart sprinkles!

I made this cookie for Christmas this year. It's called a Cinnamon Roll Cookie (yes, I came up with the name). Divide the prepared sugar cookie dough in half. Take one of the halves and add:
1/2 c brown sugar, well packed
2-3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts (*optional*)

1. Then you roll both doughs out on a floured surface, separately. Once you have them both rolled out, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator to cool for 30 min.
2. Remove the dough and place them on top of each other, press them together firmly and then roll them together. Make the roll as tight as you can. If the ends are not sticking together you can get your fingers wet and slide them along the edge of the dough.
3. You may want to cut the sugar cookie log in half and then cover both logs with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 1 hour.
4. Once they are frozen remove them from the oven and immediately cut them into thin slices.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 min.

For the icing I just mixed together 2 tbs milk, 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar.


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.

Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are a great hit at in any setting! The bright colors and scrumptious taste are all so inviting! The amazing thing about these cookies is that they are more than two times better for you than any other 'normal' cookie. The use of peanut butter instead of butter makes this, one very healthy cookie. :D

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 package of devils food cake mix
¾ c. crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs (or 3 lrg egg whites)
2 tbsp milk
1 c. reeses pieces
½ c. peanut butter chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets
2. Combine first 4 ingredients together. Then add the remaining ingredients.
3. Spray fingers/palm of hands with PAM spray (or use oil) and roll dough into small balls. Use the bottom of a cup (that has been oiled) to flatten each chocolate cookie ball.
4. Bake for 7-9 min. Cool for 2 min on baking sheets, then remove and enjoy!



I made these cookies today, they were quite good though I am not used to the molasses flavor. I quickly grew accustom to the flavor.

Here is the recipe:
Brown Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Makes 40 cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups plus 3 T flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (one 12 oz. bag) chocolate chips

Directions:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixed fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the dough to chill for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Get spoonful of cookie dough and roll into ball, slightly flatten the ball, place on cookie sheet.
4. Bake until just light golden, 11-12 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before moving them to wire rack to cool completely.

Note: Molasses keeps the chocolate chip cookies chewy for more than a day. It also gives them a more intense brown sugar flavor. Do not overcook or the cookies will be dry and hard.


Photographs are © Copyright to me (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on blogs, websites, or in other media without advance written permission from me.