When I was a kid I hated butter pecan ice cream. It was my dad’s favorite but I found it unsettling that there were crunchy nuts hidden in the smooth ice cream. It was disorienting. But, because it was my dad’s favorite, it was always in the freezer - and it was often the only thing left. So I ate a lot of butter pecan ice cream.

Eventually, I started to really like it. I love pecans, the butter flavoring is unbeatable, and when I had one with some caramel crumbles with it - I was convinced, it was a worthwhile flavor after all.

As with most flavors I love, I decided to turn it into a cookie. A rich cookie full of butter flavor and crispy pecans, and - the best part - a praline crumble.

The secret is the make the praline first with finely chopped pecans. Then stir it in to the cookie at the last minute when you add the chopped pecans. The two different kinds of pecans is how you take these cookies from good to epic.

You can substitute walnuts for pecans if needed. My aunt had a bakery for a million years and the secret to her pecan rolls were walnuts. Pecan pie = walnuts. Walnuts have a very similar flavor but in the Pacific Northwest, they are loads cheaper than pecans. Since pecans are my favorite nut, I always have a bag in the freezer - but it’s great to know you can make the swap if you need to!

Butter Pecan Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup praline crumbles (recipe below)

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together the butter and sugar. Blend until creamy.

STEP 2

Add in the egg yolks and vanilla. Blend until combined, scraping down the sides. Stir in the flour until combined.

STEP 3

Stir in the pecans and praline crumbles but don’t over mix the batter.

STEP 4

Scoop the batter and bake 12-15 minutes until browned on the edges. Remove and let cool before moving to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for one week.

Pecan Praline Crumble

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon brandy

1/2 cup chopped pecans

STEP 1

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.

To make the pralines, heat the sugars, evaporated milk and butter to a boil over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer - get everything up to 235 degrees or the soft ball stage. The best trick is to stir until it starts to boil, then stop stirring and let it go.

STEP 2

As soon as it comes to temperature, stir in the brandy and the pecans. Keep stirring. Stir for one minute until the mixture begins to thicken.

STEP 3

Pour out the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let cool. Once completely cooled, chop into tiny pieces.

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There is a bakery in Rossland, Canada that makes the most epic cookies ever. They are made with browned butter and dusted with flaked salt across the top. If that wasn’t enough - this bakery dots the top of each cookie with the chocolate ‘chips’ that are in the cookie.

It’s ridiculous how good they are. After eating more than my share of them, and going back to buy more, I decided I should figure out the recipe. So I figured out the recipe. The hardest part was finding the chocolate chips that were the right shape. They need to be flat and round - not like the ‘drops’ that you can usually find.

The bakery also uses dark chocolate. I could not find dark chocolate in these ‘chips’ but I am constantly on the hunt and I will find them one day and turn them into these cookies and we will all eat them in one sitting.

When you’re making the cookies, the tricks are:

• Browned butter is not a job to do when you’re in a hurry. It’s a fine line between brown butter and burned butter. Also, you should do it on low heat which means it takes FOREVER.

• Salt the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven and dot them with the extra chocolate. Both things need to melt into the cookie and cool together to make it work.

• This batter gets weird as it cools down. I recommend baking them off quickly. I have two ovens here, but you can also put two cookie sheets into the oven as long as they are both in the center of the oven.

Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

“Hooper’s Dupers”

makes two dozen

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cup chocolate pieces

salt flakes

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and continue to cook, whisking, until the butter turns brown and begins to separate into solids. Catch it before it gets too dark. I like it to be about the color of dark amber. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together the butter with both sugars. Whisk in the egg and vanilla until light and fluffy.

STEP 3

Add the flour and baking powder. Blend until just barely combined then pour in one cup of the chocolate chips. Mix well.

STEP 4

Bake 10 minutes. When the cookies are done, immediately sprinkle the top of each one with flake salt. Top each cookie with two chocolate chips and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for one week.

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My famous chocolate chip cookies

The original, the OG, inspired by Ruth Wakefield’s original recipe. And if you don’t know who that is, you’re in luck! The post has the whole history of the cookie.

This time of year we are making so many cookies it’s unreal. Lars made a batch last night for his scout troop today- I made a batch today for friends - last week I think we went through 12 pounds of butter just making and frosting cookies.

These are ones you will want in heavy rotation. They are in heavy rotation at our house - this is literally what Lars made last night, they are a huge favorite in our house. Jud told me today that he waits all year for these! Who knew?

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 candy canes, crunched up

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Crush up the candy canes until they are very small pieces and set aside.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder and blend until light and fluffy.

STEP 3

Blend in flour and baking powder until the dough comes together. Roll a scoop of dough and dip the top into the crushed candy canes. Place candy side up on a lined baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. The cookies will seem cake-y. It’s ok. Let them rest on the pan for about five minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week!

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Peanut Butter + Chocolate is a tale as old as time. It’s literally the best combination of flavors. I can’t actually come up with a better one. Unless we’re taking queso and chips - but that’s totally different than PB&C.

Rumor has it my husband made peanut butter cookies when he was a kid. He used to put chocolate chips in them because he is smart and knows PB&C is the best combination. The hilarious part of this rumor is that I have known my husband for 25 years and not once has he even attempted to make a cookie.

These are perfect to take to a party or for a Big Cookie Friday celebration. I can’t get enough of them.

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

makes two dozen

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Blend until well combined.

STEP 3

Scoop the dough out and flatten each scoop. Bake 10 minutes until brown on the edges.

STEP 4

Microwave the chocolate chips with the shortening in 30 second bursts until smooth. Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate. Let cool on waxed paper until the chocolate has set. It will not set completely hard.

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Have you ever had the Cranberry Bliss Bar at Starbucks? I resisted for years because it did not look delicious, but oh boy was I wrong. Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO GOOD. It’s dried cranberries, white chocolate, cream cheese and a cookie layer which meant it was perfect to turn into a cookie!

I made these and ate quite a few immediately. Then I froze a bunch of them to see what happened. They were perfect! Which means you can make these cookies today - freeze them - and defrost them in time for Thanksgiving. Or Christmas. Or a Tuesday board meeting - which is what I will take them too :)

Cranberry Bliss Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

12 ounces white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup powdered sugar

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening and sugars. Whip in eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth and fluffy.

STEP 2

Combine all dry ingredients and add them to the stand mixer. Blend them together slightly.

STEP 3

Pour in the chocolate and cranberries and blend until the batter is totally mixed. Scoop on baking sheets and bake 12 minutes until browned. Let cool on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.

STEP 4

Warm cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds until soft. Whisk in powdered sugar. Drizzle the top of cooled cookies.

Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one week.

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I know most people think Pumpkin Spice is THE fall flavor. But they’re wrong because that’s disgusting. The flavor of fall is this molasses cookie. Before you say they aren’t, bake them first! I promise it will change your mind.

These have the perfect flavor - they stay chewy - which is mandatory for a molasses cookie. I stick them in the kid’s lunches during these early months of fall - and then make sure there are enough left over for you to have one in the morning with coffee. I cannot recommend them enough with coffee!

Let me know if you make them and what you think. Happy fall!

The Best Molasses Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar + more for rolling

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

2 1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars. Whip until the mixture is fluffy.

STEP 2

Whisk in the egg and molasses and whip until fluffy.

STEP 3

Add all of the dry ingredients to the mixture and combine until just mixed.

STEP 4

Scoop out cookie dough and roll in sugar to coat. Place each cookie dough ball on a lined baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet.

Store them in an airtight container for about a week.

HOT TIPS

• This dough is super sticky. It does best when chilled or baked immediately. I like to chill it so it can roll in the sugar easier.

• If your cookies start to spread too much, chill the dough.

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Fall just feels like oatmeal cookies to me. I used to make them for football games, because my mom made them for football games, so I’m sure that’s a part of the reason. This week I started to wonder how I could make them even more “fall” feeling. So I swapped out the raisins for craisins and added butterscotch chips (which are literally what fall tastes like). I think they are a pretty epic fall cookie. What do you think?

Fall Oatmeal Cookies

makes about two dozen

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup quick oats

2 cus butter scotch chips

1 cup craisins

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy.

STEP 2

Combine together the flour, baking powder and oats - then blend into the stand mixer. Blend until just barely combined.

STEP 3

Toss in butterscotch chips and craisins and blend until totally incorporated.

STEP 4

Scoop on to a baking sheet and bake 12 minutes until browned on the edges. Let cool on a wire rack and keep in an airtight container for up to one week.

These go perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider. 😉

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Apple Cider Cocktail

4 ounces fresh apple cider

2 ounces bourbon

1/2 ounce allspice dram

Fill two cocktail glasses with ice. In a pitcher, stir together all ingredients. Pour the cocktail over the ice dividing it equally between both glasses

Cin cin!

I had completely forgotten about these cookies until I was looking for a totally different recipe this last week and ran across this gem! These are my Grandma Leona’s cookie bars. Grandma Leona died before I was born, but I have been told by many that she and I were kindred spirits. She was crafty, a cook, made things overly fancy for no reason - so clearly she was great.

There are a handful of things that have come down from her that are clear memories of my childhood; gaudy Christmas ornaments and these cookie bars are the top two.

My mom used to make these regularly when fall began and they still make me feel all the cozy fall feels. They are quirky to make, because they begin with cooking down the raisins. My mom always made them in the pan the raisins cooked in because that’s how Leona made them. I put them in a stand mixer because I’m lazier than both of them.

The key is to make sure the raisin mixture is hot when you use it so the shortening melts. I still use shortening because we are mostly dairy free around here - so that’s easy. If shortening is not your thing, they cook equally as well with butter!

Let me know what you think. Did your grandma have cookie bars that she made?

Grandma Leona’s Raisin Bars

makes 2 dozen bars

1 cup raisins

1 cup water

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small sauce pan, cook together the raisins and water over low heat until the water is half evaporated.

STEP 2

When raisins are still warm, pour them into the bowl of a stand mixer and immediately add the shortening - you need it to melt down.

STEP 3

Whisk in eggs and sugar and beat until completely combined.

STEP 4

Add all dry ingredients - I usually mix them in a small bowl first, but you don’t have to. Stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated. It takes a minute so be patient. But don’t over mix!

STEP 5

Pour the batter into a greased 9x12 pan. The batter won’t look like it’s enough, but spread a thin layer and have faith. It will fill the pan! Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

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Who doesn’t love a churro!?! We’ve made them before but they’re messy and greasy. So I stick to cookies. And churro cookies seemed like the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

So you’re going to say - aren’t these just a snickerdoodle? Well, kind of. But also these are crispier on the outside and smooshy on the inside which makes them an amped up version of a snickerdoodle - which in my opinion makes them a Churro Cookie! Also, isn’t a fun name 90% of making something fun?

Churro Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and whip on high until light and fluffy.

STEP 2

Combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar and add it to the butter mixture. Beat until mostly incorporated. It will be a dry mixture.

STEP 3

Slowly add the milk to the mixture and incorporate until the batter becomes smooth and blends together. If it still seems dry, add another teaspoon of milk.

STEP 4

Scoop batter into balls and roll through the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes until brown on the edges. Let cool slightly before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.

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Continuing the tropical theme this January…. the ultimate coconut sugar cookies. These with a little spike of lime zest make for a little ray of sunshine in the middle of this very grey, very rainy, very cloudy month. I brought them to my kids as they got out of school today - it was the end of finals week - any they were loved. Well, mostly - I got some “input” too. Kids are great!

You’re going to love these incredible sugar cookies even more than my teenagers did. I promise.

Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

2 cups flour

1 cup ground coconut

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lime zest

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Then add the eggs, vanilla, coconut extract, and lime zest. Beat until fluffy.

STEP 2

Add the flour, coconut, and baking soda. If you wish to mix them in a small bowl first, you may. I just mix them together in the bowl to make sure the soda is evenly distributed.

STEP 3

Scoop onto a lined baking sheet. Press each scoop down slightly and sprinkle the top with sanding sugar or turbinado sugar. Bake 12 minutes until just browned on the edges. Let cool before eating.

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