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No bake cookies ~ bonjourHan.comIt’s time.

I have made these cookies 6 or 7 times over the past few months, but I kept forgetting to take a picture of them so I could post the recipe. However, today is your lucky day, as I actually remembered to write the blog post and have a batch of No-Bake Cookies in the fridge AT THE SAME TIME.

These actually have a lot of ingredients that are good for you, so while each cookie is about 126 calories, a good portion of it is healthy calories your body can actually use. (I don’t know about you, but to me, it’s a perfect excuse to eat more.)

Stephen doesn’t really like coconut, but he loves these cookies. I can’t get enough of them either. They come together in just a few minutes, and they will set in the fridge in about 30 minutes.

They are both dairy-free and gluten-free (if you use gluten-free oats), and they use no refined sugar.

Ingredients

With the exception of dark/baker’s chocolate, I typically have all of the ingredients on hand, so I can whip up a batch if I need something quick.

  • 2/3 cup real maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil ( have a big container of extra-virgin coconut oil that I use for everything from cooking to moisturizing my face. I love the stuff.)
  • 4 oz unsweetened baker’s chocolate (or 1/2 bar dark chocolate)
  • 2-3 Tbs cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (I usually use creamy, but I’ve made it with crunchy before too, and it gives it some extra crunch.)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup quick oats (I have also successfully used gluten-free regular oats.)

I’ve been wanting to try it with almond butter sometime instead of peanut butter; I think it would be delicious! If you try it before I do, let me know how it tastes!

Directions

These are easy, and they use very few dishes (yes, sadly, that is often a factor in deciding what to cook. My 15-month-old is not quite ready to be my personal dishwashing assistant.)

  1. Combine maple syrup, coconut oil, chocolate and cocoa powder over medium heat. I usually measure out my other ingredients and leave them in their measuring cups while it heats up. When it boils, stir constantly for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
  2. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and oats until smooth.
  3. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Use a measuring cup to scoop out the mixture and pour 16 dollops on the cookie sheet. Lick the spoon. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to harden.

I store mine in the refrigerator, because I think they taste best chilled, and because coconut oil melts at such a low temperature that I don’t want them to have to stand up to Texas heat.

This is an original recipe.

126 calories/cookie, if you’re counting

Baby Lightning Cookie ~ bonjourHan.com

Baby Lightning eating cookie ~ bonjourHan.com

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homemade gingerbread cookies with raisins

I have no idea where she got this recipe. All I know is, it was a legend in our family, and I have very fond memories of this special treat. It’s fun, versatile, easy, unique and delicious. Really, it’s that awesome.

My sister-in-law, Rebecca, came over and made these with me tonight, molding them into adorable shapes and popping them in the oven. That, coupled with watching the movie Julie & Julia while the dough was in the refrigerator, made us feel all culinary and inspired and French. We can dream.

Ingredients

It’s actually pretty basic. The only thing you might not have on hand is molasses. It looks like a long list, but it’s mostly just spices.

  • 1 cup butter (I always use unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed down in the measuring cup)
  • 2/3 cup molasses
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional, but I always use it)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

I also sometimes use raisins on the cookies when I’m molding them into shapes.

Directions

You need to set aside a little time to make these, but it’s mostly just waiting. There’s hardly any busy work. I made a second batch of dough tonight to bring to a friend’s house tomorrow so we can just mold it into shapes and bake it.

  1. Melt the butter, brown sugar and molasses together in a medium saucepan. Stir, and then let cool for at least 10 minutes (If it’s too hot, it will scald the egg).
  2. Combine all remaining dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, then immediately add it to the flour mixture and stir well. Cover and chill the dough at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  4. Form shapes on ungreased cookie sheets (I always use Airbake cookie sheets, they’re amazing. Its virtually impossible to burn the bottom of your cookies on those.). Make sure they’re not too close together, because they do rise a little. Bake 12-15 minutes at 325°. Remove from pan and let cool (or not…).

They’re awesome with milk, but sadly I didn’t have any in my refrigerator tonight. Thanks for baking with me, Becca!

Melting butter with molasses and brown sugar

 

Dry ingredients in mixing bowl

 

Melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, egg and vanilla

 

Mixing bowl with dry and liquid ingredients

 

Gingerbread cookie dough after refrigerating

 

Cookie dough twist

Becca is neat and organized. Here are her cookies lined up in pretty rows:

Organized cookies

I am random and sporadic. Here are my cookies sprawled all over the cookie sheet:

Random sporadic cookies on cookie sheet

Et voilà!

Homemade braided gingerbread cookie

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