Snickerdoodle Blondies

I have a thing for blondies.  It's recently acquired.  I don't think I had ever eaten a blondie before I tried this recipe.  Now, I'm hooked.  I've pinned so many blondie recipes, it's ridiculous.  I've made 3 batches of blondies in the last week alone.  So, get ready for lots of blondie posts! 

These blondies are my favorite of all the blondie recipes I've made so far.  I've made them several times for events and always get rave reviews.  I think every time I've made them, at least one person has asked for the recipe.  They are the perfect amount of cinamony deliciousness.  They are dense and very sweet, but the cinnamon cuts the sweetness so that it's not overpowering.  I love cinnamon flavored desserts in the fall and winter months, so I doubt I'll make these ones again until next fall, but they'll definitely be part of the fall/winter rotation.  They can be served as a dessert, but I also think they would make a great addition to a nice brunch.

These bars are very moist and keep well for about a week if stored in an airtight container.

Adapted from: Recipe Girl

What you need:
2 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 heaping teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract 
10 oz Cinnamon Chips

For the topping:
2 tbsp White Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg

What you  do:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray. 

2.  In a medium sized bowl, stir together Flour, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cream of Tartar, and Salt.  Set to the side. 

3.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Don't skimp on time here.  I let my Kitchenaid mixer cream the butter and brown sugar for about 5 minutes. 

4.  To the large bowl add the eggs, one at a time. 

5.  To the large bowl ad the vanilla.  Mix until smooth. 

6.  Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients. 

7.  Stir in the cinnamon chips.  (The batter will be very thick.  Stirring in the chips requires some work, but make sure you mix them in well.)

8. Transfer the dough to the 9 x 13 pan and use your hands to pat the dough down flat and evenly.

9.  Combine the Sugar, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg for the topping.  Sprinkle evenly on top of the dough.

10.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the surface of the blondies spring back when touched.  (I undercook mine by about a minute, just because I prefer the texture that way). 

11.  Let the blondies cool completely before cutting. 

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Bread

I never knew I had a thing for Snickerdoodles until I made these Snickerdoodle Cupcakes.  And then, I had to try every Snickerdoodle recipe I found after that.  Some of them have been not so great.  Others have been okay.  And then ones like this one turned out fabulous.  So I share it.  I also have a recipe for Snickerdoodle Blondies that I should be sharing soon. 

This is a sweet bread that I think can serve as a snack, a dessert, or breakfast.  It is delicious and super moist.  And, of course, it's easy to make.  Give a shot, you'll like it, I promise!

Slightly Adapted from:  Creations by Kara

What you need:
1 cup Butter at room temperature
2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla 
3/4 cup Sour Cream
2 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 bag of Cinnamon Chips
Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture for Topping (I don't have specifics here -- I just winged it.  Combine the cinnamon and sugar to taste)

What you do:
1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add in eggs, vanilla and sour cream. 

3.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

4.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (or vice versa) and mix until fully combined. 

5.  Add the cinnamon chips and mix until chips are fully integrated. 

6.  Divide your batter among 4 mini loaf pans. 

7.  Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the loaves. 

8.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until the loaves are a nice golden brown. 

9.  Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and allow to finish cooling on cooling racks. 

I have made these in muffin form as well and they were just as delicious, but a little easier to divvy up at work.  Instead of putting your batter into 4 mini loaf pans, put it into lined muffin tins and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar topping on top of each muffin.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown.  

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

I've been quite enamored with the cupcake lately.  If you don't understand why, we can't be friends.  I mean, it's a miniature version of a big cake.  What's not to love?  These Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes are my latest in cupcake love.  

I went to a potluck dinner of sorts recently and the theme was breakfast.  I was beyond excited because breakfast is my favorite meal!  I figured the basics would be covered (and I was right), so I jumped on the dessert train, of course.  This was my favorite find in searching for breakfast themed cupcakes.

These cupcakes taste a lot like Cinnamon Toast Crunch (which I'd never eaten before I bought a box to make these cupcakes), but the icing is what really sends them over the top.  This is the kind of icing that is all sorts of soft and melty.  It's sweet, but not over the top.  Nothing short of perfect!  If you liked my recipe for Snickerdoodle Cupcakes, you've got to try this one because they're quite similar!

Adapted from: Ingredients of a 20something

Here's what you need for the cupcakes:
2 cups + 1 tbsp Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter, softened
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs, at room temperature
1 cup Buttermilk, well shaken
1 handful Cinnamon Toast Crunch, crushed into powdery crumbs
Additional Cinnamon Toast Crunch pieces for garnishing, if desired. 

Here's what you do to make the cupcakes:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Prepare your muffin tins (line with liners or spray with nonstick spray).

3.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir in Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumbs.  Set aside. 

4.  Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. 

5.  Add vanilla to butter/sugar mixture and mix well. 

6.  Add eggs to the mixture, one at a time.  Make sure each egg is mixed well into the batter before adding the next.

7.  Beat buttermilk into the mixture until well combined. 

8.  Add the flour mixture, adding about 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Beat until well combined.  Repeat until all of the flour mixture has been added. 

9.  Fill each muffin tin about halfway full.

10.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

11.  Allow to cool completely before icing. 

Here's what you need for the icing:
3 sticks Butter, softened
4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
3 tsp Buttermilk
Ground Cinnamon, to taste (I used about 5 tsps)

Here's what you do to make the icing:
1.  Beat the butter until light and creamy. 

2.  Add the powdered sugar and buttermilk.  Add the first cup of powdered sugar.  Mix well.  Add 1 tsp buttermilk.  Mix well.  Repeat for cups two and three.  After adding the fourth cup of powdered sugar and mixing, you will not add more buttermilk. 

3.  Add the vanilla.  Mix well. 

4.  Add the ground cinnamon to taste. 

I iced my cupcakes the night that I made them and then added the cereal pieces on top as garnishment the morning of, so the cereal pieces didn't get soggy.  

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

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I saw a recipe for a Snickedoodle Sheet Cake at Sweet Treats and More a while ago.  I mentally book marked it, wanting to try it, but having no reason for making a sheet cake.  Then, Thanksgiving rolled around and I needed a dessert recipe.  I was tired of the same ole recipes I always make, but also feeling uninspired.  I remembered the Snickerdoodle Sheet Cake and decided to try making the recipe into cupcakes.  Because: 1. They sounded good and 2.  Seriously, who wants to tote a sheet cake around on Thanksgiving?  Not me.  That's who.

So, I did it.  And these were waaaay better than I expected!  Many people ask for the recipe.  They're not over the top sweet.  They're nice and cinnamony like a real snickerdoodle cookie.  And, the icing is absolutely to.die.for!  It's buttery and smooth and just melts in your mouth. 

These do make a lot of cupcakes.  I think I got around 36 out of my batch.  And, the cupcakes do dry out in a few days.  Mine were no good 4 or 5 days later.  So, make sure you've got lots of friends to give these to if you're gonna make them.  Or be prepared for the new Snickerdoodle Cupcake Diet.  It's all the rage.

Source: Sweet Treats and More

Here's what you need for the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter, softened
1 3/4 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cups Milk

Here's what you do to make the cupcakes:
1.  Heat oven to 325.
2.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
3.  Stir together both flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.
4.  Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 
5.  Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
6.  Alternating, add dry mixture, then milk in three batches.
7.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden colored and spring back when touched.  Do not over bake them.  Cause nobody likes a dry cupcake.
8.  Upon removing the cupcakes from the oven, immediately transfer them to a cooling rack to begin cooling.  Your cupcakes need to be completely cooled before you ice them.
9.  While your cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting as directed below.

Here's what you need for the icing:
1 1/2 sticks Butter, softened
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3 cups Powdered Sugar
3 tbsp Milk

Here's what you do to make the icing:
1.  Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. 
2. Alternating, add powdered sugar and milk.
3.  Frost cupcakes.  I used an icing bag with a large tip to swirl icing on top of each cupcake.  You could easily frost with a butter knife or icing spatula.

Enjoy!

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies -- Day 4: Soft Snickerdoodles

I've always thought that all Snickerdoodles were created equally.  I've never really been a huge fan of Snickerdoodles, although I make them every year.  They're always a bit too hard for me.  I like a soft, chewy cookie.  So, when I decided to do the 12 days of Christmas Cookies, I knew I wanted to include some traditional Christmas cookies.   So, I went on the hunt to find a Snickerdoodle recipe that makes soft, chewy Snickerdoodles.  I found one.  And, it makes some pretty delicious cookies. 

My mom helped me make these cookies (or she made these cookies while I made others, whatever), which was lots of fun!  It's been a long time since we baked Christmas cookies together.  

Source: Food.com

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup Butter
• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 2 3/4 cups Flour
• 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 tablespoons Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Cinnamon

Here's what you do:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.

3.  Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

4.  Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.

5.  Chill dough for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

6.  While the dough is chilling in the fridge, also chill an ungreased cookie sheet for the same amount of time. 

     Hint:  We didn't have enough room in the fridge to fit a cookie sheet, so 

      we just sat ours outside while the dough was chilling. 

7.  While the dough is chilling, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.

8.  Roll one inch balls of dough in cinnamon and sugar mixture. 

9.  Bake for about 10 minutes. 

10.  Remove the cookies from the baking sheet to a cooling rack immediately upon removing them from the oven. 

Enjoy!