Homemade Girl Scout Thin Mints

With it being Girl Scout cookie season I was inspired to try and make some Homemade Thin Mints. The recipe I found was surprisingly very easy! Since it was so easy and these turned out wonderful I knew I just had to share it with you. Check out the recipe for these Homemade Thin Mints below. Now that I have conquered Thin Mints I think the next Girl Scout Cookies I will try to make will be Samoas. Happy Thursday! See you tomorrow for my weekly favorites to end the week. 

 Homemade Thin Mint Cookies:

Ingredients:

20 Oreos 

1 teaspoon peppermint extract 

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or white chocolate)

Instructions:

1. Separate Oreos and scrape off the white cream. Line a baking sheet with wax or other nonstick paper.

2. Combine chocolate and peppermint extract in a microwave safe bowl. Heat chocolate until completely melted in 30 second intervals or heat with the help of a double boiler.

3. Place one oreo half at a time into the chocolate and flip over with the help of a fork. Once completely coated, remove cookie half from chocolate with the fork and tap it on the edge of the bowl a couple of times (to get rid of the excess chocolate). Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat. 

4. Place in the fridge and let set for 15 minutes before enjoying.

link to original recipe click here

Lots of Love, Natalie

Sprinkle Iced Sugar Cookies

Baking makes me so happy! These cookies look so cute and adorable! I think these cookies would be perfect for any birthday party because they look like a small burst of confetti. Along with looking great they are extremely easy and super tasty. This recipe is wonderful for those people that say they cannot cook. Anyway, I hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday. Look below for this amazing, tasty, and super easy recipe. 

Sprinkle Iced Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake Sugar Cookies

1 container of Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting

1 container of Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Sprinkles

** you can use any flavor frosting you would like **

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Bake the cookies according to the recipe of the back of the cookies.

3. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on metal racks lined with wax paper underneath.

4. Once the cookies are cool place some icing in a mug in the microwave and melt for 20 seconds.

5. Once the icing is melted use a spoon to pour it over the cookies, coating then as much as you would like. 

6. While the icing is still wet pour the sprinkles on the cookies. 

7. Let the cookies and icing set/cool.

8. Enjoy!

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Valentine's Chocolate Love Cookies

 

I have always loved baking and trying new recipes but now with my new Kitchen aid Stand Mixer that I got for Christmas I just want to bake all the time! That means you can be expecting a new recipe at least once a week for a while. It just makes me so happy and makes baking even more fun now that majority of the hard work is done for me. Well with Valentine's Day just around the corner I thought it was time to get my family in the spirit too by making them these Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies. I thought that Valentine's Chocolate Love Cookies would be a wonderful name for these cookies since they are packed with lots of chocolate! They would be an excellent treat for that special Valentine in your life!

Valentine's Chocolate Love Cookies:

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup Valentine's M&M's 

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Gradually beat in flour mixture, stir in chocolate chips and M&M's.

6. Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

9. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Pumpkin Spiced Cookies with Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Ceese Frosting

As you know I love baking and trying new recipes! These are my new obsession. I will be making these again for Thanksgiving and probably annually in the fall from now on. These cookies are the perfect mix of fall flavors in a soft chewy cookie. The Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the topper that sent this recipe into my favorites that will be made every Fall! You must try them!

Pumpkin Spiced Cookies with Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup unflavored vegetable shortening

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

3 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp milk

Directions:

For the cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for 20 seconds, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg yolks one at a time. Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Scoop dough out and shape into 3 Tbsp balls (I just filled 1/4 cup 3/4 full). Place on Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets (you'll only be able to fit about 8 per sheet, these are fairly large cookies), and using your fingers lying flat, evenly flatten cookies into rounds until they are slightly under 1/2-inch thick. Bake in preheated oven 11 - 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Store in an airtight container.

For the frosting:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix in enough milk to reach desired consistency and mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Frosted Animal Sugar Cookies

This past weekend I decided I would do a little Valentine's inspired baking while I had a little free time before this crazy test filled week started. I had seen this recipe for these Frosted Animal Sugar Cookies on Wishes and Dishes. I know these are not really a Valentine's Day cookies or one you would think of for this holiday. Well the reason that I went with these is because they have that slight hint of pink and plus they are different. These cookies are very sweet thanks to the sugar cookie base and the addition of the frosted animal cookies. I highly recommend that you give them a try. The recipe can be found here!

 

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Today we have the Snowflake Sugar Cookies to finish up my five different sweet treats for this Christmas holiday. Decorating sugar cookies always takes me back to being a little girl in my grandmother's kitchen on Christmas eve. I remember my bothers and I making a mess while making our very colorful sugar cookies for Santa. I just feel that it is really not Christmas unless there are some cutout sugar cookies. The recipe I used to make these was one that I found here on FoodNetwork.com. I know usually sugar cookies are topped with royal icing but I decided to make a homemade vanilla buttercream for these. Well I hope you enjoy making and decorating these cookies for Christmas!

Vanilla Buttercream Icing:

 

Ingredients:

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

 

Directions:

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together the sugar and softened butter.

Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.

Adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Decorate and enjoy!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Tousled Toffee

I usually do not post of the weekends but with Christmas approaching I decided I would take advantage of any extra days I can get. To keep the trend of my five different sweet treats for this Christmas here is the fourth recipe. This was one that I had never made before and it turned out a little messy and imperfect so I have decided that "Tousled Toffee" was an appropriate name for it. Even though it is disheveled it still taste amazing. I will let you know ahead of time you will want some milk to help wash it down because the toffee and milk chocolate make this treat very rich. I hope you enjoy how easy and tasty it is!

Tousled Toffee:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

40 saltine crackers (I used as many as would fit on my baking sheet)

aluminum foil

non-stick cooking spray

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking (cookie) sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray

Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil.

Melt the sugar and butter until it boils, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. 

Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the toffee becomes bubbly.

After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes.

Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, then spread them into an even layer.

Let cool, then break into pieces the size of your choice.

 

 

P.S. Remember to stay tuned for the last recipe and Stocking Stuffer Ideas tomorrow!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Weekly Favorites

- Enjoying coffee while looking at the December HGTV Magazine -

- Finally finishing all my Christmas shopping and seeing this adorable sign at HomeGoods -

- Putting together a few different gift baskets to give for Christmas -

- Receiving my December Birchbox and loving every product in it -

- Spending two days baking to put together a variety of different sweet treats to drop off at Starkville Physical Therapy. Three of the recipes are already posted on here and the last two will be appearing next week. -

  Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Gingersnaps

 

It would not be Christmas if there wasn't at least something with ginger in it, whether it be a gingerbread house, gingerbread men, or gingersnaps. Since I am not a fan of gingerbread I prefer to make these gingersnaps instead. These cookies are sweet, chewy, and festive making them my staple cookie to make at Christmas time. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! See you Monday for the fourth cookie recipe and stocking stuffer ideas!

 

Gingersnaps:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Additional sugar to roll cookies in

 

Directions:

Preheats oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

In large mixing bowl mix first 4 ingredients.
Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Pinch off dough about one teaspoon size.

Roll into balls and roll in sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes or just until cookies begin to crack.

Remove from pan and let cool.

Store in airtight container.

Lots of Love,  Natalie