All posts by Melissa

Peanut Butter Chanukah Gelt Cookies

Cookies, ,

Peanut Butter Chanukah Gelt Cookies

I love these cookies.  They are a stroke of genius!  Too bad they were not my ingenious idea though.  I cannot take credit for them, the original  recipe comes from Miriam of Overtime Cook.  I have been making peanut butter blossom cookies (a peanut butter cookie rolled in sugar and topped with chocolate kisses or chips) for years.  But a few years ago Miriam decided to press a piece of Chanukah gelt into the cookie and life has never been the same!  I love this idea and was so bummed that I didn’t think of it first!  Since then, Chanie of Busy in Brooklyn made olive oil crinkle cookies sprayed with edible gold shimmer and topped with chocolate gelt, and again I was blown away.  Finally Miriam was back this year with a new version of her original: melt-in-your-mouth Chanukah cookies and I knew it was time for me to join the party.

Blue Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies

My twist on the original is pretty cute.  Instead of rolling the cookies in plain white sugar, I rolled them in two different colors or blue crystal sugar before pressing a delicious piece of gelt in each one.  I think this really gives them a festive vibe.  They would also look gorgeous rolled in gold or silver sugar or even clear crystal sugar.  I love that these can be made to match any party decor.  Thank you Miriam and Chanie for your inspiration!  Here is my non-dairy recipe adapted from Hershey’s.

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Peanut Butter Chanukah Gelt Cookies
Author: 
Serves: 3½ dozen
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup shortening
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbs. soy milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • crystal sugar for rolling
  • 30-40 unwrapped large chocolate gelt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat shortening with the sugars until light and fluffy.
  3. Add in the egg and beat until combined.
  4. Add in the soy milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
  5. Add in the flour, and baking soda and mix until dough forms.
  6. Using a 2 tsp. size cookie scoop or regular spoon, scoop batter and roll into balls.
  7. Roll each ball in crystal sugar, place on parchment lined baking sheet and gently flatten slightly.
  8. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the edges are slightly browned and cookies is cracked.
  9. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before pressing each chocolate on to the cookies.
  10. Allow to cool completely, you may place cookies in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to help the chocolate firm up.

Thanksgiving Birthday Party

Celebration Cakes, Cookies

Pilgrim Elmo Birthday Cake

 

This holiday season is pretty special.  With Thanksgiving and Chanukah falling on the same day, there are a lot of joint holiday parties.  Henry’s second birthday is being celebrated on Thanksgiving, so his mom really wanted his birthday cake and other desserts to match the holiday decor.  She asked me to make a really cute Elmo cake with a twist.  Elmo is a pilgrim!

Pilgrim Elmo Cookies

Here are the matching sugar cookies.  Elmo has never looked more festive!  The other cookies I was asked to make fit perfectly into the fall themed holiday as well.  These fall leaf cookies came out even better than I expected!

Fall Themed Leaf Cookies

Happy second birthday Henry, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Doughnut Holes with Orange Cranberry Jam

Breads and Yeast Raised Doughs, Doughnuts,

Pumpkin Doughnut Holes with Orange Cranberry Jam

I am still super excited about the upcoming holiday of Thanksgivukkah. It’s a fusion holiday made up of Thanksgiving and Chanukkah and it won’t happen again for a very very long time. So don’t worry, this fad will blow over shortly. But until it does, here’s a cute recipe incorporating both holidays. Last week I shared my recipe for pumpkin doughnuts with marshmallow and graham cracker glaze. You might have been wondering what I did with all those doughnut holes! I rolled them in cinnamon sugar and served them with a warm orange cranberry jam, perfect for dipping. The cranberry jam is spiced with cinnamon sticks and fresh grated nutmeg, giving it the perfect Thanksgiving holiday flavors. Orange juice and fresh orange zest lends the perfect tart notes that balance well with the sweet cinnamon sugar that coat the doughnut holes.

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Pumpkin Doughnut Holes with Orange Cranberry Jam
Author: 
 
Ingredients
Pumpkin Doughnuts
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 pkg. yeast (2¼ tsp.)
  • 2 Tbs. maple syrup
  • 4 cups flour
  • ⅓ cup soy milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 Tbs. oil
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 1½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup sugar+1 Tbs. cinnamon for rolling
Orange Cranberry Jam
  • 12 oz. fresh cranberries
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ⅓ cup orange juice
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
  • zest of one orange
Instructions
Pumpkin Doughnuts
  1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add warm water, yeast and maple syrup. Stir and allow to proof for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Once the yeast has bubbled, layer all the other ingredients on top starting with the flour, then soy milk, egg, pumpkin, oil, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Turn the mixer on low and mix until the dough starts to come together, 3-5 minutes.
  4. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Turn the mixer back on low and knead the dough for another 10 minutes. It might be slightly sticky but should be smooth.
  6. Turn the dough out into a lightly greased bowl, cover with kitchen towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
  7. Once the dough has risen, cut in half to make it easier to use.
  8. Roll out half the dough to about ½ inch thickness. Cut doughnut holes with a small circle cutter about 1¼ inches in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with kitchen towel and allow to rise for about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. You can ball up the scraps and cut out shapes once more but don’t go beyond there, your doughnuts will be tough.
  9. While the doughnuts rise, prepare the oil for frying. Heat up a deep fryer or fill a heavy bottomed pot with about 2 inches of oil. Using a candy thermometer, heat the oil on medium heat until the temperature reaches between 350 and 375 degrees F.
  10. Once the oil reaches the proper temperature, fry 2 doughnuts at a time for about 45 seconds on each side. The doughnuts will start to brown. Once lightly browned on each side, transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and allow to cool.
  11. After they have cooled slightly, roll in cinnamon sugar and serve with warm jam.
Orange Cranberry Jam
  1. In a medium sized pot combine cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg.
  2. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until some of the cranberries start to pop open and break down.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.
  4. Transfer to a heat safe bowl and allow to cool slightly before serving.
  5. The jam will thicken as it cools.

Here are more fun Thanksgivukkah recipes for you to enjoy for this once in a lifetime holiday!