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 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.

Gingerbread Cookies and Royal Icing

I made gingerbread cookies, and let the dough sit for a few days in the refrigerator, as it lets the cookies really taste great. I then took the dough out and let it get closer to room temperature. Then I rolled the dough out, and cut it. I baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 9 min, or until the centers were soft, but not squishy. After the cookies were cool I decorated them with royal icing. *recipe to follow* Almost any gingerbread recipe will work, but here is mine:

Ingredients
2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c soft butter
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/2 c molasses
1 large egg (or 2 large egg whites)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the molasses and egg and beat until fluffy.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
4. On a floured surface, roll the dough to ¼ inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into shapes; bake.
5. Bake until firm, 10 to 12 minutes.

Royal Icing
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
3 c. confectioners sugar

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the juice. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.
The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap when not in use.


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.