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Serve up a little slice of sunshine with our White Chocolate Fruit Tart! As summer heats up it’s only natural to crave juicy fruits and refreshing desserts and this beautiful tart is both. This marvelous dessert is super versatile and perfect for brunch, picnics and […]
Happy First Day of Summer!!! What better way to celebrate than with a fun new recipe? No Churn Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer’s day. This recipe is amazing for so many reasons. It starts off […]
Calling all cinnamon roll lovers!!! Have I got a cookie for you?!? Clear your schedule because you need to put “Bake Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies” at the top of your to do list. From the very first batch all I could think was WOW…these cookies really are something special. These super adorable bitesize cookies look and taste just like a homemade cinnamon roll, but in a mini size. The recipe is so much fun to make and even more fun to eat…obviously!! Seriously I dare you to try to eat just one. Absolutely impossible! These little guys are meant to be eaten like 5 at a time…minimum. Let’s get this show on the road. The faster we make them, the faster we can taste them.
Here’s all you’ll need: brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, cream cheese, white sugar, egg, vanilla, orange zest, all-purpose flour, baking powder, dry active yeast, salt, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl. Mix the ingredients together until well blended. Set this mixture aside. We’ll be using it a little later to create that delicious cinnamon swirl!
Next add the softened butter, cream cheese and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. I usually soften my butter in the microwave cause I’m a little bit of a cheater like that. 15-20 seconds should do the job! Just keep in mind, we’re going for soft not melted.
Then beat in the egg and orange zest. The orange zest gives this recipe just the slightest hint of orange and in my opinion is the perfect touch. Orange zest is the colorful peel of the orange and adds a bright citrus note to recipes. To create orange zest, run the skin of an orange against a grater.
Add in the baking powder, yeast, and salt and mix to combine. Now add the flour to the creamed mixture. Mix it in about a half a cup at a time until all of the flour has been added. The end result should be a soft cookie dough.
Next divide the dough into 2 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into an 8X10-inch rectangle (see below). Sprinkle each rectangle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture to cover. Don’t worry too much about those brown sugar lumps. They’ll melt right into the cookies while they’re baking.
Starting with one of the long sides, roll up tightly jelly-roll style. Pinch the edges slightly to seal. Then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. And yes, you can absolutely leave this cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight. So if a cookie baking marathon is in your future feel free to prep this one the day before.
When you’re ready to bake, remove the cookie dough logs from the refrigerator. Cut the dough crossways into 3/4″ slices. Place the cookie dough slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Parchment paper = no mess no stress which I love! It also prevents sticking and reduces browning both resulting in better cookies. Now’s also the perfect time to reshape those cookies into better shaped circles if you need to.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are light brown. Now I already know what you’re thinking…how can I tell if the bottoms are lightly browned? Well you’re going to have to sacrifice a cookie or two and carefully check until you hone in the perfect baking time for your oven. For perfect cookies every time I always rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking. Use the top and middle racks in the oven, never the bottom. And then about halfway through baking time swap positions. So the cookies that were baking on the top rack get bumped down to the middle rack and the cookies that were baking on the middle rack get moved up to the top. I also rotate the baking sheets so that the cookies that were in the front of the oven are now in the back and vice versa. This helps all the cookies to bake evenly and will yield the very best results. Every. Time.
While the Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies are baking we can whip up that tasty glazed topping. Mmmmm-mmm! In a small bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Remove the cookies from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. Let the cookies stand and allow the glaze to set if you plan on stacking or saving some for later. Otherwise dive right in!!!
Now isn’t that just the cutest cookie that you’ve ever laid eyes on?!? It surely won’t stop me from devouring it! And since you’re baking up a storm you might as well try our Cappuccino Cookies or Toffee Cookies too.
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
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Happy Fall Y’all! I wanted to share this quick and easy Rustic Apple Tart with you before you get bombarded with all things pumpkin (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But this one’s gonna be for team apple. The delicious little Fall dessert starts […]
I’ve never met a cookie that I didn’t like and these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are no different. I’ve gotta warn you though…they pack a wallop of flavor and are highly addictive. Just like the ones Grandma used to make, this delicious cookie is crispy on […]
If you’ve mastered our Chocolate Covered Strawberries, then it’s time to kick your decorating skills up a notch with Tuxedo Strawberries!!! Instantly dress up any occasion with this classy little treat. This beautifully decorated dessert is easy to make and sure to impress your guests. You’ll seriously be looking for excuses to make this whimsical treat. And the possibilities are endless!! Enjoy after a romantic dinner, make them for your anniversary, sweeten up Valentine’s Day, add a little class to a bachelorette party, gift them as favors for bridal showers or weddings, fancy up your New Years Eve, or even an Academy Awards party, and the list goes on! Tuxedo Strawberries always fit the bill.
Here’s all you’ll need: Strawberries, white candy melts, and black candy melts.
Are you ready? Here we go! First rinse and drain the strawberries. Now this is the most important part of the entire tutorial. Make sure the strawberries are 100% completely dry. Pat them with a paper towel, bust out your super shammy, just make sure not a drop of water remains. Water + chocolate = instant epic disaster. They’re like arch enemies! Don’t ask me how I know.
Be sure to prep your work are too! Lay down a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper, either will do the trick. I like to tape the corners so it won’t slip and slide around while I’m working. Next fill a microwave safe dish with white candy melts. I’ve found that coffee mugs work perfectly. They’re deep enough to dunk and safe to use in the microwave. Microwave for 30 seconds and then stir with a spoon. Continue to microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until all the chocolate is melted. It should look smooth and creamy like this!
I chose Candy Melts for this tutorial cause they’re easy to work with and pretty foolproof. But if you’re not a fan of Candy Melts or looking for a richer treat, I suggest swapping out with white chocolate instead. I would recommend melting the white chocolate at half power on your microwave and in shorter 15 second intervals with LOTS of stirring in between. White chocolate is super to easy to scorch and a bit trickier to work with than Candy Melts but the results are FABULOUS!!!!
Next grab the strawberry by the stem and submerge it into the white Candy Melts. Dunk it almost all the way to the top. Shake off any excess candy coating. This will form our tuxedo shirt. Place the strawberry onto the wax paper to set. Carefully position the stem so it doesn’t stick to the “wet” candy coating. Tuxedo Strawberries are best made in assembly line fashion so repeat this process with all of the remaining strawberries. Allow the Candy Melts to set (meaning the candy coating is hard to the touch).
Melt the black Candy Melts in the same fashion as the white. Microwave safe dish…30 second intervals…BAM! You’ve got this!! Now dip one side of the berry into the Candy Melts from the tip of the strawberry all the way to the top of the white coating. This will form one side of the jacket. Our goal is to end with a V-shaped white center so keep that in mind while you’re working. Shake off any excess Candy Melts and place the strawberry back on the wax paper. Repeat this process with all berries and again allow the coating to set before moving on to the next step. And again if you’re not a fan of Candy Melts you can absolutely use dark chocolate for this step.
You might find it necessary to reheat the Candy Melts at this point. We want to make sure they stay at a nice and smooth consistency. Dip the other side of the berry into the Candy Melts from the tip of the strawberry all the way to the top of the white coating to form a V. This will finish off the other side of our tuxedo jacket. Shake off any excess and place the strawberries onto the wax paper to set. Can you see the tuxedo starting to come together? So fancy!
Place the remaining black candy melts into a ziplock bag. Snip a teeny tiny bit off of one of the corners to create a make shift piping bag like so.
Now for a few finishing touches! Use your piping bag to pipe on a cute little bowtie along with 2 or 3 buttons down the front of the “shirt”. Voila! If you’re struggling to envision the bowtie I like to think of it as two sideways hearts with a little dot in the middle to connect them.
OMG!! Can we just talk about these tiny tuxedos for a minute?!? I mean talk about cuteness overload!!! And the award for best dressed goes too…..Tuxedo Strawberries!!!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
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My idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day is cooking a nice dinner with my husband! In fact most years we skip the fancy restaurants and opt for a quiet, more romantic Valentine’s Day at home together in the kitchen. Our favorite V-day meal is usually […]
Christmas is a time for family and love, a time for magic and wonder, a time for…..BAKING!!! We’ve been baking up a storm here at Happylifeblogspot this December and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. I wanted to share with you one of my […]
I really, really, REALLY wanted to go apple picking this year! But it seemed like every weekend we were either traveling, or sick, or it was raining. BOO! Oh Fall I had such high expectations for you this year!! So I set my sights on some Fall baking instead. Apple Hands Pies are an easy to make dessert that’s sure to delight. These nostalgic little hand pies are sweet, comforting, and simply adorable. The tender, flaky pie crust is easy to work with and filled with delicious cinnamon-apple filling. And next year they’ll be made with hand picked apples from myself (promise!), but this time around we used the next best thing, locally grown NY State apples!
Here’s all you’ll need: cream cheese, butter, flour, salt, allspice, apples, sugar, cinnamon, egg, and water.
First in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 cup of butter until smooth. You can nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up a bit if you need to. Just keep in mind, we want it to be soft, not melted. The addition of cream cheese makes this pie crust absolutely melt in your mouth fabulous!! So I’m not gonna lie, Apple Hand Pies are a little bit of work. But it’s all easy, I promise. And it’s totally worth it!
Next gradually add in the salt and the flour. Toss the salt in first and then using a hand blender, mix the flour in 1/2 cup at a time until well blended. The dough will be a bit sticky. Divide it in half, then shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly into a disc shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour to firm.
Once your dough is almost ready to use, start slicing up those apples. We don’t want to prep them too early otherwise they’ll get all brown and mushy. Peel and chop the apples and add them to a large bowl. Top with allspice, cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar and toss to coat. Be sure to use a good baking apple and not an eating apple. Yes, there’s a difference. Baking apples tend to be on the softer side while eating apples are more crisp and firm. Look for varieties like Granny Smith, Crispin, Cortland, 20 Ounce, Fortune, Idared, Northern Spy or Rome.
Next remove the dough from the fridge and divide each section into 12 portions. This recipe makes a pretty big batch, 2 dozen Apple Hand Pies to be exact. But trust me when I say you’ll be eating these babies two at a time. Shape each portion into a ball. Then on a lightly floured surface roll each ball into a round, 4-inch mini pie crust. Look how cute the minis are!! Or if you’re a perfectionist, roll the entire ball of dough out into one big pie crust and then cut it into circles using a 4-inch biscuit cutter. Either way will work just fine. I promise they’ll all get eaten!
Place a tablespoon of chopped apples on one side of the mini pie crust. Dot with butter. Basically that means we’re just adding a couple of teeny tiny pieces of butter on top of the apple mixture, because everything’s better with a little butter. Next in a small bowl, combine the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water to form an egg wash. Brush one edge of the pastry with the egg wash. The egg wash basically acts as a “glue” to hold everything together. Set aside any remaining egg wash. We’re not quite done with it yet!
To finish fold over half of the pie crust to cover the apples and press down to seal. Crimp down the edges with a fork. Place the finished apple hand pies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Most of you already know that I use parchment in just about ANY baking recipe, but it’s really essential here to prevent these little mini pies from sticking to the pan. Trust it. Live it. Love it.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Brush the pie tops with the remaining egg wash and quickly sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Lastly cut three itty bitty slits into the top of the apple hand pies so they have some room to breathe.
Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Serve warm, or cold, or with caramel sauce for dipping. Apple Hand Pies will disappear quickly no matter how you serve ’em! Looking for more Fall baking ideas? Try our Over the Top Apple Pie Cheesecake!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
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Our Fresh Strawberry Tart recipe is here just in time for strawberry season! This beautiful tart makes the perfect ending to any meal. A mouth watering dessert layered with chocolate, filled with a rich and decadent cream cheese filling, and topped with jam glazed strawberries. […]
Hi There! I’m Lisa. I’m a lover of all things crafty, creative, DIY, and delicious!!! Oh yeah and puppies too! I love cooking and baking for my friends and family but especially WITH my friends and family. I show my greatest affection through food. If I cook or bake for you, it means I really like you!
