Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

 

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I've been wanting to make a chocolate sandwich cookies that resembles the penguin biscuits that I fell in love with during my time in England. It's a chocolate sandwich cookie that is filled with a chocolate frosting and coated in chocolate. It's chocolate cookie heaven basically.Now these chocolate sandwich cookies are not as sweet as the packaged ones. If you like it more sweet you can always add in a little more cocoa powder to the buttercream. I didn't even have a penguin cookie cutter to make these bad boys even better. So instead I used this cute pig cookie cutter and these cookies turned out just absolutely adorable!Now you don't have to use the cute pig cookie cutter. Use whatever cookie cutter you want! You don't have to use chocolate buttercream either. Certainly use a vanilla buttercream or even a caramel buttercream would be so good in these cookies! Don't want to coat them in dark chocolate? You can use white if you want. You could even have fun with it and use a colored candy coating and add sprinkles on top!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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chocolate sandwich cookies

chocolate cookies that have a chocolate buttercream filling and dipped in chocolate coating. talk about a chocolate overload!

cookies

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp water

buttercream

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1-3 tbsp water
• chocolate (for coating)

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. in a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt; with a paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients until combined. add in the butter, vanilla, and water and mix until the dough starts to come together. wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. roll out the dough and using a cookie cutter, cut out multiple shapes. place on a lined sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. let cool.

buttercream

1. combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes

assembly

1. frost half of the cookies with the buttercream and then sandwich with the remaining half of cookies. place into the freezer to firm, about 15 minutes. melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl until melted. take a cookie at a time and dip into the chocolate until the cookie is completely coated and then place onto a sheet pan with parchment. let dry.

Coconut Passion Fruit Cupcakes

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These coconut passion fruit cupcakes are as good as they are pretty. It's a coconut cupcake that is filled with a tart passion fruit curd. They give the feeling of being on a sandy beach in the tropics. So this coconut cupcake is light and fluffy but it's also got the artificial coconut extract in it. I know, I know it's not the best thing to use artificial coconut extract. It's got that weird flavor to it but how else can you get that actual coconut flavor? That's where I added some shredded coconut on some of the buttercream so you get the coconut but not a whole lot of artificial flavor or overpowered from the passion fruit.Now you don't have to use passion fruit for the curd. You could use pineapple, lemon, lime, or any other kind of fruit that you love to pair with coconut. I personally would love to try it with pineapple, I think that sounds absolutely delicious!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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coconut passion fruit cupcakes

these fluffy coconut cupcakes are filled with a tart passion fruit curd and topped with a creamy buttercream

cupcakes

• 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 3/4 cup milk

curd

• 1/2 cup passion fruit puree
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp butter

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream

cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with liners. in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until incorporated. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, coconut extract, and milk and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. scoop the batter in the cupcake pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

curd

1. in a small pot, combine the passion fruit puree, lemon zest, egg yolks, egg, and sugar and whisk constantly over medium heat. make sure to continuously whisk to prevent the eggs from curdling. continue whisking until it starts to thicken. remove from the heat and add in the butter. strain through a fine mesh sieve and place cling wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. place in the fridge until cool.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Cherry Lime Cake

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.A very pretty cherry lime cake that is so simple to make and is incredibly delicious! This cake is moist cake filled with lime juice and stuffed with a fresh black cherry filling. I will say when i finished removing the pits from the cherries it looked like I murdered someone with the red stains all over my hands and counter. But it beats using the cherry pie filling from the can!What I love about this cake is that it's nice and fresh! I'm honestly not a big cherry person. But this cake is delicious with the lime! It's beyond amazing! Some of you may not like cherries at all, so you could use cranberries, strawberries, blueberries. A lot of fruit go perfectly well with lime so there is no wrong way to go about the filling.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that is my absolute favorite thing in my kitchen is my little bottle of key lime oil. This oil is so potent that a little goes a long way but it enhances the lime flavor so perfectly that it makes everything so much better.

go to my youtube channel to see this cake being made!

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cherry lime cake

this lime cake is filled with a cherry filling and a sweet vanilla buttercream

cake

• 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 tsp lime oil (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk

filling

• 2 cup black cherries (pitted)
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 5 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream
• food color

cake

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. spray and line three 6-inch cake pans. in a large bowl combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, lime zest, lime juice, lime oil, and buttermilk and mix to combine. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until incorporated. divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool 10 minutes then carefully remove from the pans and continue cooling.

filling

1. combine all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until it's nice and thick. let cool.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.These lemon poppy seed cookies are soft, chewy and even a tad crunchy. But mostly they are packed with a lovely lemon flavor that comes from the cookies that also really pops from the icing! It's a nice summer treat to have at your table for that little sweet tooth kick you may have in the afternoon. You could even skip the icing on the cookies and enjoy it with a cup of tea!

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edible printing

Originally I wasn't going to use these fashion wafer papers on these lemon poppy seed cookies but actually on funfetti cookies! I mistakenly cut out the funfetti cookies way to big so I opted to put these pretty edible images on these cookies instead. If you absolutely love these images and want to use them yourself for your own cookies I'm selling them in my shop! Any little girl, boy or fashionista would love these for a birthday or even just because! I also have a series that explains everything on edible printing as well! It's a detailed step by step guide on how you can get images on your cakes and cookies too! I'm also working on a new part to the series on how to print for chocolate! How fun is that!Want to learn how to get images onto cookies and even cakes and chocolates? Then check out my new online edible printing course that will guide you through everything you need to know about edible printing, from start to finish! You won't regret it! Not too sure if you want to buy something so pricey if you aren't sure you'd like it? Then you can certainly check out my array of edible paper images you buy and try out before making such a huge purchase. You can even buy these images here in my shop!

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. When making royal icing you can go one of two ways. You can use meringue powder for a more safe route or you can use egg whites. I try to stick with using meringue powder mainly because I would rather save the egg whites for something else. This is completely optional but the recipe for these cookies uses meringue powder.

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lemon poppy seed cookies

these cookies are popping with lemon flavor and poppy seeds too!

cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (room-temp)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

royal icing

• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp meringue powder

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a sheet pan with parchment paper. place the butter and the sugar into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg and mix until incorporated. place the flour, salt, and baking soda, and poppy seeds in another bowl and whisk together. gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. roll the cookies out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out desired shapes. place on the sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

royal icing

1. combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with a whisk attachment. gradually add in water, a teaspoon at a time, until a thick yet pipable consistency forms. once you are done with the thicker icing for piping a boarder on the cookies add in a little more water gradually until the icing becomes slightly looser to flood the cookies.

Guava Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.At my brand new job they have these little puff pastries filled with guava paste and cream cheese. It was one of the best things that I had tried in a long time. I wanted to use those flavors and make them into a cupcake and they sure did not disappoint! So I found some guava paste at a grocery store I use to go to when I was in college and I was surprised at how much you got in a box for a good price! Being from a very small town in North Dakota that not all stores (or any) will carry guava paste, but you can always get it from amazon! Is there anything you can't buy online these days?Now I took the easy route when it came to adding the guava paste into the cupcake. That was just by cutting it into small cubes and putting it in the center of the batter before baking. If you don't want it to sink, coat it with a little flour to prevent it from sinking. (That was something I forgot to do). If you don't want it in a big chunk, then combine it with a 1/4 cup of water and boil it down into a smooth paste. Then put it into a piping bag and swirl it into the batter.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. For these cupcakes you need the guava paste!! If you can't find it in your local grocery store, which you should be able to find it in the ethnic aisle, than get it off of amazon.

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guava cupcakes

these cupcakes have a guava filling that compliments the cream cheese buttercream perfectly.

cupcakes

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 8 oz guava paste

buttercream

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp heavy cream

cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with liners. in a large bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until incorporated. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, almond extract, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. take the guava paste and cut into small cubes and then coat in a tablespoon of flour. scoop the batter in the cupcake pan and place a cube of the guava paste in the center and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

buttercream

1. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. scrap down the sides of the bowl and then add the vanilla and powdered sugar and continue mixing until fully combined. gradually add in the heavy cream until it is a spreadable consistency.

Coconut Macaroons

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I love coconut and whenever I think about good coconut macaroons, I think about either the ones that I had found at a grocery store while I was in England or the samoa cookies from the girl scouts. For me it's incredibly hard to find that perfect coconut macaroon. It needs to be soft, moist, and chewy. A lot of the times I get ones that are hard and flavorless and it just isn't the same. These coconut macaroons are good, but I can admit that they still need a little bit of work to become the absolute best coconut macaroon.Even though these guys don't have caramel in them, doesn't mean you can't add in a little caramel drizzle. Or if you would rather have a little crunch you can add some sliced almonds on top. There really is no wrong way to making these coconut macaroons a little different for your taste buds.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One of my favorite things that I have many of are the BlueQ oven mitts. They aren't just really funny and a great statement piece for your kitchen, but they are great quality too! 

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coconut macaroons

soft and chewy coconut macarons drizzled with chocolate

• 12 oz bag shredded coconut
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• pinch salt
• 2 egg whites
• chocolate for drizzling

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. in a bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. in another bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, extracts and salt and mix together. gently fold the whipped egg whites into the coconut mixture. scoop the batter onto the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. liquid may spread on the pan and around the cookies, but don't worry it is easy to remove and the cookies are still nice and moist! let the cookies cool and then drizzle with the chocolate.

Passion Fruit Sorbet

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.I had some leftover passion fruit puree sitting in the fridge and since I'm getting ready to move across the country I had to think of a way to use it up. I figured that since it's summer and it's going to be so hot out down here in Tennessee that sorbet sounded just right! Now this passion fruit sorbet is a bit tart but sweet at the same time. It is so addicting that I couldn't keep my hands off the ice cream container and just kept spooning this stuff into my mouth. It's that good and perfect for a hot day to cool off.I used frozen passion fruit puree; if you happen to be able to find fresh passion fruit, then use that! Just add it into a food processor and puree it really well and then strain it through a fine mesh sieve. You can use any fruit puree you want instead of making it a passion fruit sorbet. Sorbet is so versatile and easy that it doesn't require a lot of ingredients to make.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly recommend starting off with the cuisinart ice cream machine as your first ice cream maker. It's the cheapest one on amazon and I personally use it and love it! I also suggest getting a reusable ice cream container as well, it's dishwasher safe and you can use it over and over again!

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passion fruit sorbet

this sorbet is tart yet sweet thanks to the passion fruit puree!

• 1/2 cup passion fruit puree
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1. in a small pot, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. add in the lemon juice and passion fruit puree and let chill in the fridge overnight. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.

Strawberry Rhubarb Deep Dish Pie

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

To be honest, i'm not a fan of pie. I don't like to make it and i'm not very big into eating it either. That is until I had tried the hand pies at a place I worked at. The dough was crisp and sweet and the filling was amazing. I had to make these hand pies about once a week, and since I was the only one who made them. So of course, I ended up memorizing the recipe for the pie dough. Since I had it memorized by making it so much, I of course had to make myself a strawberry rhubarb pie!

I won't lie. I ate all four of these pies. And I do not feel guilty about it whatsoever.

The best pie dough.

What makes this pie dough so good is the little bit of sugar in the dough and the heavy cream and extra sugar sprinkled on top right before baking. It gives it a great crunch to the crust which just elevates the whole thing to a new level. Not to mention that strawberry rhubarb is my new favorite kind of pie to treat myself to.

Now pie is super easy to make and very versatile. You can make this into whatever flavor you want. Use your favorite fruit. Or just use the crust and make it into a pecan or pumpkin pie instead. It doesn't need to be fancy. But make sure you use this crust recipe. You can thank me later.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. My absolute favorite is the BlueQ oven mitts. I have a collection of them and I love them! They are great quality and it’s nice to have a kitchen item with a sense of humor.

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strawberry rhubarb pie

Four individual deep dish pies filled with a sweet and tart strawberry rhubarb filling

crust

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp ice cold water
• heavy cream (for topping)
• granulated sugar (for topping)

filling

• 2 cup strawberries (quartered)
• 1 1/2 cup rhubarb (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• juice of half a lemon
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

crust

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix to combine. add in the cold butter and mix on low until the butter is broken down to pea size. once the butter is mixed in, add in the apple cider vinegar and cold water and mix until fully combined. divide the dough into 8 equal portions. roll 4 of the portions out and mold into your ramekins. take the remaining 4 portions of dough, roll out and cut into strips for a lattice topper of your pies. add in the filling into the ramekins and then top with the lattice toppers. trim the excess dough off of the sides. brush heavy cream on top of the dough and sprinkle with sugar. bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling starts to bubble and the crust is slightly golden.

filling

1. in a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. place the strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice and vanilla into another bowl and toss together. add the dry ingredients into the fruit and toss to coat.

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

Summertime means lots and lots of fresh strawberries from the garden. The best way to use those strawberries? By putting them into homemade ice cream! This strawberry buttermilk ice cream is made with lots of buttermilk, so it has a nice tang to it and the strawberries balance it out with the natural sweetness they contain. There's also a lot of little flecks of vanilla bean throughout the ice cream too! Just scoop a generous amount of this fruit goodness onto a cone or just enjoy by the spoonful straight out of the container. No judgments here.

Change it up!

Not sure if strawberry buttermilk ice cream is your thing? You can always replace the strawberries with blueberries. That would be incredibly delicious too! Or you can use regular whole milk instead of buttermilk but I can't promise you that it will have the same consistency or turn out well in general.

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You can see this ice cream being made in a video here!

Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly recommend starting off with the cuisinart ice cream machine as your first ice cream maker. It's the cheapest one on amazon and I personally use it and love it! I also suggest getting a reusable ice cream container as well, it's dishwasher safe and you can use it over and over again!

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strawberry buttermilk ice cream

creamy ice cream made with fresh strawberries and buttermilk to give it some tartness

• 2 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• juice of half a lemon
• pinch salt
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. in a small pot combine the strawberries and sugar and cook over medium heat until the strawberries become soft and start to break down, about 10 minutes. place the cooked strawberries into a food processor and puree. strain the strawberries through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. place the buttermilk, heavy cream, salt and vanilla bean into a large bowl. add in the strawberry puree and then place the ice cream base into the fridge overnight to let the flavor increase. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.

Slice and Bake Cookies

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

This was originally supposed to be posted back in February, but I got into a funk and just didn't feel like doing anything at all. So the pictures aren't the best but at least these slice and bake heart cookies themselves are pretty freaking great. Plus they're cute!

You can use this technique to make all kinds of cute slice and bake cookies. Instead of using a heart shaped cutter you could use a Christmas tree for the holidays or a pumpkin for Halloween. There are really so many different ways you could go about making these cookies as your own! You can even try to make your own design! How fun would that be?!

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing these slice and bake heart cookies have in them is princess extract. Now this extract is delicious and is one of my favorite things to have in my kitchen at all times. It's a mix of vanilla, lemon and almond extracts and when they are all combined they make an addicting concoction. 

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heart cookies

cute slice and bake cookies with a heart in the middle and surrounded with sprinkles. perfect for valentines day

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp princess extract
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• food coloring
• sprinkles

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. in a bowl, combine the salt, baking powder, and flour; set aside. in another bowl, combine the butter and sugar and cream together with a paddle attachment until fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the sides of the bowl then add in the egg and princess extract. mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. scrape down the sides of the bowl again and then gradually add in the dry ingredients.

2. separate the dough in 1/4 and 3/4. take the 1/4 amount of dough and color it with your desired color of choice. roll out the colored dough and using a small heart cutter, cut out multiple hearts shapes. stack the heart shapes and place on some cling-wrap and roll it. freeze the dough for about 15 minutes until firm.

3. taking the remaining dough, roll out multiple long ropes of the dough and then carefully mold them around the heart shaped log. freeze for a couple minutes until firm and i found it easier to rub a little water on the dough and then press the sprinkles in firmly. carefully cut the cookies with a sharp knife into 1/4 inch thick pieces. place on a lined sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes. let cool.

Meringue with Lemon Curd & Berries

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

This was the Easter dessert that was made a couple weeks ago. I've been MIA the past couple months; both being super busy and just really not in the mood to bake anything at all. Well, I have finally found my mojo back and have been baking up a storm the past few weeks.

This meringue with lemon curd and berries dessert is really light and simple. It contains a good sized meringue cookie that is topped with a sweet lemon curd that is so smooth, and topped with any kind of berries or fruit that you enjoy eating!

Change it up!

You can change it up too! Not a fan of lemon? Use lime or orange juice instead and give it a different flavor profile. If you would rather make a orange (grapefruit, or even blood orange) curd, then I recommend segmenting a bunch of oranges, grapefruit, clementines and adding some strawberries in too. That would give it a refreshing flavor profile.

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. My absolute favorite is the BlueQ oven mitts. I have a collection of them and I love them! They are great quality and it’s nice to have a kitchen item with a sense of humor.

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meringue with lemon curd & berries

cute little individual meringues topped with a tart lemon curd and macerated berries

meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• food color (optional)

lemon curd

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp butter

berries

• 1 lemon (juice and zest)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)

meringue

1. preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy and then add the cream of tartar. continue whipping on high until soft peaks start to form and then gradually add in the sugar and whip until stiff peaks form and the meringue is nice and glossy. add in the vanilla and food coloring if desired. put the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. pipe large rounds of the meringue, about 3 inches in diameter. bake for 2 hours and let cool.

lemon curd

1. in a small pot, combine the lemon juice and zest, egg yolks, egg, and sugar and whisk constantly over medium heat. make sure to continuously whisk to prevent the eggs from curdling. continue whisking until it starts to thicken. remove from the heat and add in the butter. strain through a fine mesh sieve and place cling wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. place in the fridge until cool.

berries

1. put all of the ingredients into a small pot and bring to a boil. let boil until the syrup reduces by half and starts to thicken. once cool, pour over the berries and gently toss to coat.

Passion Fruit French Macarons

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

These little passion fruit french macarons are so cute! But they are also tangy and pack a punch. The buttercream is full of passion fruit puree which gives it such a freshness to these cookies.

Just know that making french macarons can be temperamental. They don't like humidity and you have to whip the egg whites just right. Another important part is to make sure that you let the batter dry before baking. This is a crucial step! If you don't follow it than the macarons will end up as pancakes.

Change it up!

Use whatever food coloring you like when you make french macarons. I chose orange for these passion fruit french macarons, but you can coordinate the color to the fruit you choose. Want to try something fun with these cookies? If you can't find passion fruit puree anywhere but you can find the fruit in your local grocery store, than I think a fun way would be to make a plain swiss buttercream and then add in a small spoonful of the fresh passion fruit right into the center before you sandwich the cookie together. Now that sounds delicious!

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that I highly suggest getting when making french macarons is a silpat. A silpat is a reusable parchment paper and it's such a great investment. I find it easier to use a silpat versus parchment paper when making french macarons because it doesn't move around but it also makes it easier to remove the cookies too.

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passion fruit french macarons

french macaron cookies with a creamy passion fruit swiss buttercream in the middle

french macaron

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 fresh egg whites
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar
• food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

swiss buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• passion fruit puree (to taste)

french macaron

1. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy and gradually add in the granulated sugar. whip until stiff peaks form then add in the food coloring. in a large bowl, sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. gradually fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients. put the batter into a piping bag and pipe onto a sheet pan that is lined with a silpat (parchment works fine). bang the pan really good on the counter to release any air bubbles and then let the macarons sit to dry, about 30 minutes, or until it doesn't stick to your finger. you can test by lightly patting the tops, if it sticks then let it sit a little longer. once dry, bake for 16-20 minutes or until the bottoms of the macarons don't stick and come off the silpat clean.

swiss buttercream

1. over a double boiler, combine the sugar and egg whites. whisk together until the sugar is fully dissolved. you can check this by rubbing some of the mixture together between your finger and thumb. if smooth, then it is ready. place the egg mixture into a bowl of an electric mixer fitter with a whisk attachment. whip on high for about 2 minutes and the mixture has cooled slightly. gradually add in the butter, about a tablespoon at a time. once all of the butter is added continue whipping until fully combined. add in the vanilla and passion fruit.

Ginger Snap Cookies

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

My sister graduates college this month and as typical I ask if I should make anything. these ginger snap cookies were her request. A yummy spiced ginger cookie dipped in white chocolate. Now don't get me wrong, these cookies are delicious, but I was like, "aren't these more of a Christmas cookie?". Well, if you know my sister, then you know she doesn't care. So here we are, with a bunch of these spiced, chocolate dipped, delicious cookies.

Since these ginger snap cookies are made with oil instead of butter, the consistency of the dough is a little weird. It has like this dry-ish and crumbly like feel and look to it, but once it is baked it's like chewy goodness. When you pair it with the white chocolate it makes for the perfect bite.

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. My absolute favorite is the BlueQ oven mitts. I have a collection of them and I love them! They are great quality and it’s nice to have a kitchen item with a sense of humor.

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ginger snap cookies

delicious ginger cookies with a white chocolate dip

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 oz white chocolate (for dipping)

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a sheet pan with parchment paper. place the oil and the sugars into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the molasses and egg and mix until incorporated. place the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices in another bowl and whisk together. gradually add the flour mixture to the oil mixture. scoop the cookies out on the sheet pan and bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. melt the white chocolate in a small bowl and dip half of the cookie into the chocolate. shake the excess chocolate off and place onto a sheet pan with parchment until the chocolate sets.

Cream Cheese Cookies with Hibiscus Icing

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These cream cheese cookies with hibiscus icing are made with cream cheese (obviously) and are super yummy. But when you pair them with a hibiscus icing? Well, they get even better. You can see the video of the icing being made and how to decorate the cookies with the wafer paper on my youtube channel.

Change it up!

Not sure if these cream cheese cookies with hibiscus icing is right for you? No worries! Why not take a look at these other recipes?

Lemon poppy seed cookies

Frosted sugar cookies

Pink lemonade cookies

Edible printing course

Want to learn how to get images onto cookies and even cakes and chocolates? Then check out my new online edible printing course that will guide you through everything you need to know about edible printing, from start to finish! You won't regret it! Not too sure if you want to buy something so pricey if you aren't sure you'd like it? Then you can certainly check out my array of edible paper images you buy and try out before making such a huge purchase. I even have other edible images here in my shop!

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. You will definitely need the hibiscus flavoring for this recipe. It's not necessary to use the hibiscus sugar, but I thought it was fun to use it and add a little extra umph, if you will.

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cream cheese cookies

these cream cheese cookies are iced with a delicious hibiscus royal icing

cookies

• 8 oz cream cheese (room-temp)
• 1 stick butter (room-temp)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cup all-purpose flour

royal icing

• 1/2 tsp hibiscus flavor
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp meringue powder
• 1 tsp glycerin (optional)

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a sheet pan with parchment paper. place the cream cheese, butter and the sugar into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated. place the flour, salt, and baking powder in another bowl and whisk together. gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. roll the cookies out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out desired shapes. place on the sheet pan and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

royal icing

1. in a small bowl combine the water and hibiscus flavor and microwave for about 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with a whisk attachment. gradually add in more water, a tablespoon at a time, until a thick yet pipable consistency forms. once you are done with the thicker icing for piping a boarder on the cookies add in a little more water gradually until the icing becomes slightly looser to flood the cookies.
2. you don't have to use the hibiscus sugar. just add in some vanilla or almond extract instead and just continue to gradually add in water to get the desired consistency.

Spank Me Cupcakes

chocolate blood orange cupcakes with white chocolate raspberry ganache

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These spank me cupcakes are filled with a pop of intense flavor. Chocolate, blood orange, raspberry. It's a party in your mouth. Plus that name though! The name was inspired by the sprinkles. My mom signed me up for a sprinkle subscription box with Fancy Sprinkles, so every month I get a box of 3 new bottles of sprinkles and they each come with a unique name. This particular bottle was called "spank me", so of course it sounded super naughty and thought it would be a good fit for a valentine's day cupcake.

Change it up!

Instead of making these spank me cupcakes with blood orange, which can be hard to find, just replace it with the juice of a regular orange. Blood orange is a winter fruit, and not all grocery stores will have it, so it can be pretty hard to find.

Instead of doing raspberry in the ganache, you can easily do strawberry or even blueberry if you want. Or you can just keep it as a simple white chocolate ganache. It really doesn't matter what you do, it's really just there to add some more flavor and make it a lot more fun.

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. My absolute favorite is the BlueQ oven mitts. I have a collection of them and I love them! They are great quality and it’s nice to have a kitchen item with a sense of humor.

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spank me cupcakes

a dark chocolate blood orange cupcake that is filled with a raspberry white chocolate ganache and a simple buttercream

cupcakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup blood orange juice
• 1 tbsp blood orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

ganache

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 3/4 cup white chocolate

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream

cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with liners. in a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt and mix until incorporated. in another bowl, combine the oil, eggs, blood orange juice and zest, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk together. pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully combined. scoop the batter in the cupcake pan and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let the cake cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

ganache

1. combine the heavy cream and raspberries in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. stir and mash the raspberries then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. add in the white chocolate and microwave for another 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted. let chill until cool.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Malted Strawberry Milk Cake

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*disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. to learn more, please go here.

This here is a lovely pink malted strawberry milk cake. Like my favorite childhood drink, strawberry milk, it's even better in cake form.

It's the month of love. Is that a thing? Do people call February the month of love? Whatever, that is what I have dubbed this month because everything will be pink, heart shaped and maybe even a tad bit naughty; but what is valentine's day if there isn't a touch of naughty in the mix right?

Now I love strawberry milk. I grew up drinking it all of the time whenever I went to visit my grandma. She'd pour me a glass of milk and we would add in some of the strawberry syrup and, oh man. I could go for a glass of that right now. Anyways, this malted strawberry milk cake reminds me of just that. Strawberry milk.

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Want to see the cake being made? Go here and check it out!

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. My absolute favorite is the BlueQ oven mitts. I have a collection of them and I love them! They are great quality and it’s nice to have a kitchen item with a sense of humor.

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malted strawberry milk cake

a strawberry malted milk cake with a simple buttercream and a pink chocolate drip

cake

• 1/2 cup malted milk powder
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cup strawberry milk
• 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• pink food color (optional)

buttercream

• 3 sticks salted butter
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp heavy cream

chocolate drip

• 1-3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 cup white chocolate (i also added in a few pink candy melts for the color)

cake

1. for the strawberry milk, combine the water and the malted milk powder into a pot and whisk together to remove the clumps. once the clumps are gone, whisk in the condensed milk then finally add in the strawberries. place over medium heat and bring to a boil. lower the heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. the milk should become thicker and the strawberries should start to become soft and break down. remove from the heat and let cool. when cool, place the strawberry milk into a blender and blend until smooth. strain through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the seeds and any clumps then set aside.
2. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. spray and line three 6-inch cake pans and set aside. in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together. add in the oil, eggs, vanilla and strawberry milk and whisk until fully combined. if desired, add in some pink food coloring to create a more strawberry color to the cake. divide the batter among the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool and then remove from the pans and wrap in cling-wrap until ready to use.

buttercream

1. put all of the ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. start slow and then gradually increase the speed. whip on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

chocolate drip

1. combine the ingredients into a small bowl and microwave in 15 second bursts until melted and fully combined. let cool slightly and then add to the top of the cake that's been chilled. decorate as desired.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Meringue Cookies

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These peanut butter and jelly meringue cookies melt in your mouth! They are so good and so easy to make and your kids will love them. Filled with pb&j and shaped like a cute little bear these little guys will have you doing the happy dance.

Change it up!

These peanut butter and jelly meringue cookies are so fun, and you should be able to have fun and enjoy them. I used raspberry jam for these guys, but you can use your favorite combination of peanut butter and jelly. Whether it's grape or apple, it doesn't matter what you use. You could even use almond butter, although I find almond butter to be a lot more oily so it may not turn out as one would expect it too. 

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

 

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that I highly suggest getting when making french macarons is a silpat. A silpat is a reusable parchment paper and it's such a great investment. I find it easier to use a silpat versus parchment paper when making french macarons because it doesn't move around but it also makes it easier to remove the cookies too.

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peanut butter and jelly meringue cookies

melt in your mouth meringue cookies in the shape of an adorable bear that's stuffed with a peanut butter and jelly swirl

• 1/4 cup peanut butter (i used creamy but crunchy will work too)
• 1/4 cup jelly (i used raspberry, but really any jelly is good jelly!)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• brown food color (optional)

1. swirl the peanut butter and jelly of your choice into a piping bag. pipe little dots onto a sheet-pan with parchment paper and then place into the freezer to harden.
2. preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy and then add the cream of tartar. continue whipping on high until soft peaks start to form and then gradually add in the sugar and whip until stiff peaks form and the meringue is nice and glossy. add in the salt, vanilla and food coloring if desired. put some of the meringue into a bowl and take the frozen pb&j and roll in the meringue using a fork. place onto another sheet-pan with parchment paper then pipe more meringue on top, a smaller round in the center of that and 2 little dots on the top to form the ears. bake for 2 hours and let cool.
3. take a little bag of melted chocolate and pipe the eyes and snout to make the face of the bear.

Gingerbread Cookies

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These gingerbread cookies are so good! They are filled with so many spices that leave your taste buds happy and the cookies itself is nice and soft. Now the holidays are never complete if there aren't some gingerbread cookies on the table. It's a Christmas classic that should be made every year. That's my opinion anyways. 

Other holiday cookie favorites!

Snickerdoodles

Frosted sugar cookies

Ginger snap cookies

Cranberry spice French macarons

These are some of my other favorite cookies to make during the holidays! You can't go wrong with a good spiced cookie like a snickerdoodle or a ginger snap cookie. Plus you have to have a frosted sugar cookie too! Those are one of my favorites! The cranberry spice french macarons are also a great cookie to try. They are different but so good! 

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Products I recommend for making this dessert.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One main thing that you will need in this recipe is the meringue powder for the buttercream. Meringue powder helps make the buttercream form a crust so that it won't make a mess and smudge everywhere. If you prefer to not use meringue powder, than I suggest making a crusting buttercream or a royal icing.

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gingerbread cookies

a spicy molasses cookie that is topped with a royal icing

cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

royal icing

• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp meringue powder
• 2 1/2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

cookies

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. line a pan with parchment paper. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the sugar and the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. scrape down the side of the bowl and then add in the egg, vanilla and molasses. in another bowl combine the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. scrape down the sides of the bowl then on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients. wrap the dough into cling-wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with desired shapes and bake for 8-10 minutes.

royal icing

1. combine all of the ingredients and mix together until smooth.

Bailey's Ice Cream

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This bailey's ice cream is soooo good. I literally ate all of it before I even realized that I didn't take any pictures! I did get a good video though so hopefully that makes up for it. Now this ice cream is a bit strong if you have it by itself, so I have a small list of ways you can enjoy it without actually getting drunk off of ice cream. Although that is definitely a fun way to go and get a buzz!

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Ways to enjoy bailey's ice cream.

• Enjoy with a nice warm hot fudge sauce and make a sundae out of it.
• Make a float with hot chocolate or coffee and top it off with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
• Have a scoop of it on top of a warm brownie.
• Make some chocolate chips cookies and make a fun ice cream sandwich!

This is a good way to enjoy a cozy Friday or Saturday night either watching Christmas movies or a quiet new years at home.

Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. I highly recommend starting off with the cuisinart ice cream machine as your first ice cream maker. It's the cheapest one on amazon and I personally use it and love it! I also suggest getting a reusable ice cream container as well, it's dishwasher safe and you can use it over and over again!

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Baileys ice cream

this ice cream is a strong treat. its filled with all the baileys and would make an amazing sundae!

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup bailey's liquor
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt

1. place all of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, whisking to make sure the sugar dissolves. place the ice cream base into the fridge overnight to cool and to let the flavor increase. following the manufacturer's instructions of your ice cream machine, turn the base for 20-25 minutes. place the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze overnight to firm up.

Cranberry Spice French Macarons

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*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more, please go here.

These cranberry spice French macarons are a perfect cookie to add to your holiday baking list. The cookie shell is spiced with cinnamon, and it's not a lot of cinnamon. It's just the right amount to give you a little flavor to the cookie. Then you have the tart cranberry compote that goes right in the center of these cookie sandwiches that's surrounded by a simple sweet buttercream that helps balance out the flavors. 

Change it up!

You don't have to make these specifically a cranberry spice French macaron. You can replace the cinnamon in the cookie with a different spice, like cardamom or nutmeg. I still highly recommend keeping the cranberry filling but you can always do blueberries or strawberries. Really any type of fruit if you want. Or you can completely skip the fruit and just do a simple buttercream in the center with the spiced cookie.

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Above are some products that I personally use and recommend for this recipe and to have for everyday use. One thing that I highly suggest getting when making french macarons is a silpat. A silpat is a reusable parchment paper and it's such a great investment. I find it easier to use a silpat versus parchment paper when making french macarons because it doesn't move around but it also makes it easier to remove the cookies too.

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cranberry spice french macarons

these french macarons have a spice cookie shell thats filled with a simple buttercream and a cranberry compote in the middle

french macarons

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 fresh egg whites
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp red food coloring (optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

filling

• 1 cup frozen cranberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• juice of 1 lime

buttercream

• 1 stick salted butter (room temp)
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp water

french macarons

1. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. whip the egg whites until foamy and gradually add in the granulated sugar. whip until stiff peaks form then add in the vanilla and food coloring. in a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, salt, and powdered sugar. gradually fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients. put the batter into a piping bag and pipe onto a sheet pan that is lined with a silpat (parchment works fine). add sprinkles if desired and then let the macarons sit to dry, about 30 minutes, or until it doesn't stick to your finger. you can test by lightly patting the tops, if it sticks then let it sit a little longer. once dry, bake for 16-20 minutes or until the bottoms of the macarons don't stick and come off the silpat clean.

filling

1. whisk the sugar and cornstarch together and then place into a small pot with the cranberries and lime juice. place over medium-low heat until the cranberries start to disintegrate and thickens, mixing every few minutes, for about 10 minutes. let cool.

buttercream

1. place all of the ingredients into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

assembly

1. pipe along the edge of one cookie and then fill in the center with a little of the cranberry filling. sandwich with another cookies and if desired roll the sides in sprinkles.