Cookies and Bars

  • Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti
    Cookies and Bars

    Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti

    🎶It’s the most wonderful time of the year… 🎶 Holiday baking time, that is! And this year I’m adding a new treat to my must-have list of cookies—these Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti! Light and crisp, biscotti are the ideal after-a-big-holiday-dinner treat to have with your coffee. And with dutch cocoa powder and tons of festive spices, these biscotti, in particular, are chock full of flavor. History of Biscotti Biscotti are a traditional Italian treat (though this flavor is decidedly non-traditional). In Italy, biscotti are often dunked in Vin Santo (a dessert wine), though outside of Italy it’s common to dip them in espresso or coffee. The word “biscotti” originates from the…

  • Brown Butter Oatmeal Scotchies
    Cookies and Bars

    Brown Butter Oatmeal Scotchies

    As soon as the crisp fall air starts to rustle the changing leaves, I start to crave all the fall flavors. Along with the usual suspects—pumpkin, apple, maple, and spices—I crave anything caramelly. Caramel (salted and not) of course, but also its highly underrated cousin, butterscotch. And while homemade butterscotch sauce is probably far superior (case in point: these Butterbeer Cupcakes), there’s something nostalgic about the artificial taste and shortening-like texture of a bag of butterscotch baking chips. I think it’s because it reminds me of butterscotch Dilly bars from Dairy Queen (which have always been my favorite). These Brown Butter Oatmeal Scotchies are an ode to that nostalgic butterscotch…

  • Maple Pecan Blondies
    Cookies and Bars

    Maple Pecan Blondies

    It’s finally here…the best time of the year! I know it’s basic to love fall, but I just can’t help myself…that crisp air, bright sunshine, changing leaves, and, of course, all the fall flavors. Chai spice, pumpkin, cinnamon, apple…I love them all. This particular recipe makes use of another fall favorite—maple—in a chewy brown butter blondie. Introducing Maple Pecan Blondies! Your New Fall Favorite (Trust Me) These are the kind of bars that, if they’re on a dessert tray with brownies or other more exciting-looking things, you might not go for them. But that would be a mistake. These blondies are much more exciting (and delicious) than they look. They’re…

  • Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Cookies and Bars

    Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies

    I’m a coffee fiend…always have been. In high school, my bestie and I would smuggle flavored coffee creamer into Perkins or Country Kitchen and sit there for HOURS drinking pots of coffee late into the night. These days, I’ve switched to decaf (and even that I can’t drink after 4pm if I want to sleep at night…gotta love getting older), but I still can’t live without the taste and smell of coffee. And it shows in my baking—whenever I think about what recipe to create next, I almost always gravitate to coffee or chocolate (or both). What can I say…I know what I like! Case in point: these Espresso White…

  • Mini Almond Biscotti
    Cookies and Bars

    Mini Almond Biscotti

    One of the first times I visited a newer coffee shop in town, I ordered my usual coffee (decaf americano), and it came with a teeny tiny almond biscotti. It was adorable. And delicious. I knew then and there that I had to go home and make my own mini almond biscotti. And here they are! Mini But Mighty These cuties have every bit of the flavor of a regular-sized biscotti, but in mini form. They’re the perfect little treat for your afternoon coffee break (or for breakfast…you do you). Plus, they’re easy to make. If mini isn’t your jam, I have a regular-sized biscotti recipe on the site too.…

  • Chocolate Mini Egg Cookies
    Chocolate and Candy,  Cookies and Bars

    Chocolate Mini Egg Cookies

    It’s hard to believe it’s already the second week of April(!!) , and Easter is this weekend. My sense of time is a little messed up right now though, as I’ve been sick the past couple of weeks. Thankfully, I think I’m nearing the end of it — this weekend I finally had enough energy to do some baking. And these Chocolate Mini Egg Cookies were at the top of my list. A Chocolatey Treat for Easter When it comes to baking for Easter, chocolate isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. I think of carrot cake, pavlova, or maybe something lemony (like these Mini Lemon Cupcakes). But…

  • Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Chocolate and Candy,  Cookies and Bars

    Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

    I don’t know about you, but I never stop wanting to bake (and eat) chocolate chip cookies. Don’t get me wrong, I love baking all kinds of treats (thus…this blog exists), but I’m always thinking of different kinds of chocolate chip cookies to make. (Case in point…check out the list at the end of this post) Anyway, these Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies have been floating around in my brain for months, and I finally got around to making them and writing up the recipe. Nuts and Chocolate Are Besties If you’re not a nut lover, you probably won’t like these cookies. You could leave them out, I suppose, and you’d…

  • Tiramisu Brownies
    Chocolate and Candy,  Cookies and Bars

    Tiramisu Brownies

    Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether you like this particular holiday or not, you have to admit it’s a great excuse to eat chocolate. And although we don’t actually need an excuse to eat chocolate, it’s still a great reason to make — and eat — an over-the-top chocolate dessert. Our assignment for Valentine’s Day 2022: Tiramisu Brownies. Brownies…But Sexier Yep, these beauties are a mashup of brownies and tiramisu. Think deeply fudgy brownies with pieces of ladyfingers mixed in, then covered in a thick, creamy mascarpone-whipped-cream-Kahlua topping and a hearty dusting of cocoa powder. A decidedly sexier version of brownies…perfect for Valentine’s Day. The Fudgiest Brownies This…

  • Lemon Drop Sugar Cookies
    Cookies and Bars

    Lemon Drop Sugar Cookies

    It’s officially citrus season, and I’m officially thrilled about that. I love that citrus season happens in the middle of winter — it’s like a kiss of summer sunshine during the coldest, darkest time of year. And, of course, I love citrus-flavored treats. This Grapefruit Pound Cake and these Mini Lemon Cupcakes are two of my favorites. These Lemon Drop Sugar Cookies are my newest addition to that list. Sugar Cookies: Wildly Underrated Sugar cookies don’t get the acclaim that they should in the dessert world. Really, apart from cut out cookies at Christmas, they don’t get much facetime at all. That’s a shame, because when done well, the sugar…

  • Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
    Cakes and Cupcakes,  Cookies and Bars

    Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting

    We’re already more than halfway through October, and I haven’t shared anything pumpkiny yet. That seems like some kind of crime, so I thought I’d better get on it. Luckily, I’ve been working on these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting for a while, and I think I’ve finally gotten them juuuust right. Pumpkin Desserts For The Win Pumpkin-spice-flavored things are everywhere, thanks to Starbucks. And honestly? The whole pumpkin spice craze is overrated (yep, I said it). But while I’m not a huge PSL fan (they’re fine, just too sweet for me), and I can’t stand the scent of pumpkin spice candles (ew), I do love a good pumpkin…