Star-Spangled 4th of July Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Guys, let me introduce you to my helper in the kitchen today. 
This is my friend, Cecilia...

...she's 7. Cecilia was SUCH a big help making these cookies. She also helped me taste-test, which is really the most important part of making cookies.


Not only was Cecilia a help in the kitchen, she also kept me entertained. Such as, when Mr. E came home from work and rang the doorbell instead of using his key...Cecilia said, "Oh NO! Is that your husband???" Haha! I think she was afraid he would eat all of our cookies.

Now, I've never been a fan of the milk chocolate chip. Hershey's Kisses, I love. Milk chocolate chips...not a fan.

Until, I tried these...

...Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips. I can (and do) eat them straight from the bag.

I always associate milk chocolate with the younger crowd, so since Cecilia was helping me, and our 8-year-old nephew is coming for a visit for the 4th, I thought milk chocolate was the way to go here.


These cookies are soft and cakey. If you want a chewier or crispier cookie, feel free to substitute your favorite cookie recipe and swap out the chips and add sprinkles.



4th of July Soft Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
{makes about 2 dozen}

2 & 1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 TBSP white vinegar
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup sprinkles, plus more for the tops

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter with the sugars. Once combined, light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and corn syrup. Beat until thoroughly mixed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, mix in the flour mixture in three additions. Stir in the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup sprinkles. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to dollop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets (refrigerate remaining dough between batches). Add more sprinkles onto the tops of each cookie.

Bake for 12 minutes. The center of the cookies may appear just slightly underdone, but will firm up. Leave on the cookie sheets for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Miss Cecilia took a lot of time with her masterpiece cookie, getting the sprinkles just so.

I think we may have a food photographer on our hands as she had many suggestions on the different angles we could use in photographing her cookie...



You can expect the cookies to spread and puff up in the oven.


Between her expert sprinkle placement and her eye for photography, I may have to put Cecilia on the payroll! ;)

Patriotic Stripes, Bunting, and Stars...oh my!

I need to get reacquainted with my best friend, the black-outlined cookie. Every time I make one...or see one...it's automatically my favorite.


These 4th of July cookie "cakes" came about when I was searching through my cookie cutter stash for some clever patriotic shape to decorate.

Pumpkins?  Not quite right.
Butterflies?  Hmm...maybe.
Armadillos?  Promising...

CAKES?!? Now, why didn't I think of that before?!?


I just love that little star on the top of the cake. I think this would be DARLING as a birthday cake cookie, too. Actually, have you heard of STAR BIRTHDAYS? My aunt clued me into these. It's when the age you are turning matches your birth date. For example...if you were born on the 24th of a month, the year you turn 24 would be your star birthday.

Y'all...let's make star birthdays a thing.

OK, back to the 4th of July.

You'll need these recipes: perfect every time cut-out cookies & royal icing

To make the star cake cookies, you'll be putting to shapes together, like this:
Cut out tiered cakes and small stars...


...use the star cutter to cut out where you want to place the star on the cake...

...place the star in the cut-out and freeze for 5-10 minutes before baking.
(You DO freeze your cookies before baking, right?)


For the double-decker cookies, you'll put those together just like these double-decker valentine cookies.

(The stars on the blue cookies are just sugar pearls.)

For the star-topped cakes, just outline with a #2 tip and black icing.

Before filling a black outline with another color, you'll want to let it dry for at least one hour to prevent bleeding.  {I use AmeriColor Super Black.}

After an hour, fill in the outline with thinned white icing.  Let the icing dry for at least one hour.

Again with the #2 tip, go over the outline of the star and pipe "bunting" across the cake.  Fill in the bunting with red and blue icings.  (Piping consistency icing is fine here...flood icing in tiny spaces has a tendency to collapse.)

Place small star sprinkles on the bunting with tweezers, or place on and nudge gently into place with a toothpick.

Let the cookies dry overnight.

Happy birthday, America!!!
May your fireworks show not be rained out, may your sparklers not burn your fingers, and may none of your fireworks be duds.

*portions of this post were originally published on the blog in 2012.*

Fair Trade Friday's Earring of the Month Club

If you've been reading the blog for a while, you may remember my neighbor (who has since moved *sob*), Kristen of the blog We are THAT Family.

Kristen is a blogger, author, wife, mother, WORLD CHANGER. Maybe you've heard of Mercy House Kenya. Or Fair Trade Friday?


Well, here's the latest way Kristen is changing the world...with Fair Trade Friday's Earring of the Month Club. 



Listen, I love me some Target as much as the next girl, but when I can spend just $11.99 a month to help oppressed women all over the world, and get a fabulous handcrafted pair of earrings to boot, I'm in.


Each month, members receive a pair of high-quality, stylish earrings (and a reusable bag) made by fair trade artisans from impoverished areas all over the world. 100% of the proceeds goes to the empowerment of the women. 100%!!!


What if you get your shipment and the earrings aren't your style? No worries. Each pair of earrings comes with a handy-dandy gift card for gifting.

Fair Trade Friday's Earring of the Month Club is such a fun and easy way to give.

I know and love Kristen and her mission. Want to join me in becoming a member of the Earring of the Month Club? Click here. 


*earring photos: my own, other photo credits: We are That Family, Fair Trade Friday Club*

Sweet on Trader Joe's Saturday: Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins

Hello, helloooooo! Happy Saturday!

Today, Jack and I are bringing you a review of Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins.

A 9-ounce box (2 sleeves of cookies) costs $3.99. Trader Joe's describes these as "...a warm, toasty escape you can enjoy all year long."


A mom's (my) take: One bite and these cookies will magically transport you to a tropical island. I can totally picture it...the waves crashing, the lei of flowers around my neck, the sweet coconut rum cocktail in one hand, and these crunchy little cookies in the other. Ahhhhhhhh... The cookies are crispy, crunchy, light, and loaded with toasted coconut flavor.  These unassuming looking little cookies pack a flavorful punch and rank in my top 5 sweets we've ever reviewed. Now, I'm off to talk to Mr. E about planning that tropical vacation...on the other hand, if I just eat the cookies, I don't have to put on a bathing suit.
Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars

A teeanger's (Jack's) take: These little guys are packed with flavor. Before we get to that, though, the crunch is just right, to the point where it doesn't collapse, but not too crunchy to where you have to work at it. That provides you an opportunity to focus on the flavor. Of course, coconut is the star of the show, but I can taste some other things too: a butter-y taste, the a hint of toasted-ness (hence the title), and something that may be butterscotch. Or at least it tastes like it. Overall, if you need a light, but sweet pick-me-up, this is a wonderful way to go.
Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins: a tropical cookie vacation! 

[note: We have no affiliation with Trader Joe's. I'm sure they have never read this blog and have no idea who we are. Hey, we like being incognito, although we never wear sunglasses indoors. ;)]

Read all of our Trader Joe's sweet treats and dessert reviews! 

Raspberry Champagne Sorbet, ooo-la-la!

When Wholesome!™ sent me some of their Organic Blue Agave to try, I wasn't exactly sure what to make.


In Houston, it's been HOT and make-up-meltingly humid. I needed something cold. Also, I never turn down the opportunity to pop open a bottle of bubbly.


I decided to make Raspberry Champagne Sorbet. 
It's tart, it's sweet, and it's so, so pretty.

{psst...this is the new Wholesome!™ packaging. You may find it in your store labeled as Wholesome Sweeteners. Same good stuff.}

Here's what I liked about using the agave for this recipe...I didn't have to turn on my stove to make the syrup. I just combined the Wholesome!™ Organic Blue Agave with hot water. Voila! Agave simple syrup. Agave is 25% sweeter than sugar, but this blue agave is mild in flavor and didn't compete at all with the other flavors in the sorbet.

This is literally all you'll need to make this fancy-sounding sorbet...

....well, and water. And, an ice cream maker. That's it. Promise.


 You'll whir the raspberries with lemon juice and a little vanilla.

After straining out the seeds (man, there are a lot of seeds), you'll be left with a gorgeous raspberry puree. So pretty! I want a lipstick this color.


Next, it's time for the bubbly. I know, I know...unless it's from France, it's not *technically* champagne. You could use any bubbly here. I chose a Rose with "notes of berry."


This gorgeous sorbet would be the perfect dessert for the 4th of July! Impress your guests with very little work on your part at all. I like that kind of party. Plus, I can be made ahead. In fact, it's BEST made ahead so that the sorbet can firm up a bit to be more scoopable.


Raspberry Champagne Sorbet

3/4 cup Wholesome!™ Organic Blue Agave
3/4 cup hot water
18 ounces fresh raspberries
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup champagne, sparkling wine, or Prosecco

In a bowl, whisk together the agave and hot water. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Meanwhile, process the raspberries in a blender with the lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth. Press the puree through a fine mesh sieve to strain out the seeds. Refrigerate while the agave syrup chills.


When the agave is thoroughly chilled, whisk it together with the raspberry puree and the champagne.

With the ice cream maker running, pour the mixture into the machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions, about 25 minutes. Remove to a freezer container, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm enough to scoop, several hours.

*This post was sponsored by Wholesome!™. All opinions and recipes are my own.*

oil-free chocolate banana muffins

This is my second attempt at baking these oil free chocolate banana muffins. In fact, I made them before baking the oil-free chocolate chiffon cake which I posted earlier. The first attempt was not that successful as the texture of the muffins was a little dense with a slight kueh-like texture.

I am not sure whether I had deflated the batter or was it due to the type of cocoa powder I used. I had ran out of Valrhona dutch processed cocoa powder so I used natural cocoa powder.

I tried making these muffins again right after I got hold of the Valrhona cocoa powder. The second batch turns out really well.

Unlike the usual muffin-method or creaming method, the batter is prepared just like making a sponge cake, that is, beating whole eggs with sugar before adding the liquid and flour mixture.

These delicious muffins were soft and moist even though they were made without any oil. As stated in the cookbook, 好吃不发胖低卡甜点, each muffin is 132 kcal compared to 197 kcal for a similar one made with oil. Once again this recipe shows that it is possible to enjoy homemade goodies which are lower in calories without having to compromise on the taste and texture.




Oil-free Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
(makes 8)

100g cake flour
30g cocoa powder (I used dutch-processed valrhona cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
70g caster sugar (I used 60g)
150g banana, mashed
50ml milk (I used low fat fresh milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum

Method:

• Sieve together cake flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Sieve the flour mixture twice and set it aside.
• Place eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, whisk the mixture at medium-high speed till it becomes thick, pale and triple in volume. This should take about 5 to 6 mins. The batter should leave a ribbon like trail when the whisk/paddle is lifted. Turn to low speed, and beat for another 1~2 mins. This is to stablise the air bubbles in the batter. 
• Add in the mashed banana and Fold in with a spatula. 
• Add in the milk, vanilla extract and rum (do not pour in one spot, instead, gently drizzle over to prevent from deflating the batter). Fold in with a spatula, do not stir.
• Sieve over the flour mixture in 3 separate additions. Each time Fold in the flour carefully with a spatula, making sure there is no pockets of flour being trapped at the bottom of the bowl. Do not stir the batter with the spatula, it will cause the batter to deflate. 
• Spoon batter into paper muffin cups to about 90% full.
• Bake in preheated oven at 180 degC for 15mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean.

Recipe source: adapted from 好吃不发胖低卡甜点 by 茨木くみ子

Sweet on Trader Joe's Saturday: Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Butter Cookies

Ah, Saturday. Ah, Trader Joe's. Ah, cookies...and chocolate, and salted caramel. Let's get this party started.


I sent Jack to Trader Joe's this morning to pick out our latest subject. (Yes, I kind of like to blog by the seat of my pants. If you see it on the blog, chances are, we've eaten it in the last 24 hours.) ;)


Alrighty...today's review is of Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Butter Cookies. They're made in France, ooh-la-la, and come in a 5.64 ounce box costing $3.99 each. Jack thought we would need two boxes.

A mom's (my) take: Crispy, butter cookie + soft caramel + smooth, rich milk chocolate = a win in my book. These are the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon latte pick-me-up. Although these are very good, they don't get 5 stars. Like the Salted Caramel Gelato that we reviewed recently, if something is labeled as "salted caramel," I really want to taste that hit of salt.
Overall rating: 4 of 5 stars

A teenager's (Jack's) take: In these, the caramel flavor really pops. Literally. I bit into it and the caramel came out... its consistency is not very viscous (not necessarily a bad thing). The type of chocolate here is just right (for my tastes), and compliments the rich, buttery, taste of the cookie. That flavor, however is eclipsed by the chocolate and caramel, so you really have to focus if you want to get the buttery aspect of these wonderful cookies.
Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Butter Cookies: we approve. 

[note: We've been asked a lot lately, so I thought I should clarify. We have no affiliation with Trader Joe's. I'm sure they have never read this blog and have no idea who we are. Hey, we like being incognito.]

Read all of our Trader Joe's sweet treats and dessert reviews

What you might have missed on the blog this week:

1. incredible cinnamon roll cookies
2. 9 dude-approved Father's Day desserts