Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

I LOVE these, so the fact that I can now make them at home, in my crockpot, is trouble.  So yummy, give it a try!  (Makes a great holiday gift!)  Enjoy.

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg White
2 tsp. vanilla
4 Cups Almonds (or pecans)
1/4 C. Water

1. Mix together in a large bowl sugars, cinnamon, and salt.  
2. In another bowl with a whisk, mix together the egg white and vanilla until it is frothy.  Add the almonds and coat thoroughly.  This will help the mixture stick to the almonds during the cooking process.
3. Prepare your slow cooker by spraying it with cooking spray.  I used a 4 quart.  Add the cinnamon sugar mixture to the almonds and turn it to low.  Stir until the cinnamon sugar mixture is coated well on the almonds.  Be prepared for your house to smell amazing!
4.  You want to cook for about 3-4 hours.  Stirring every 20 minutes.  In the very last hour, add 1/4 cup water and stir well.  This will ensure a crunchy coating and help the mixture to harden.  
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds onto the sheet to cool.  The almonds should be pretty sticky so be sure to seperate them the best that you can and let them cool!  

Original recipe can be found HERE.

Peanut Butter Truffles

Amazing!  Delicious!  Addicting!  These are fantastic!  And so easy!  Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Truffles

Ingredients:
-1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
-1 lb powdered sugar
-1 cup peanut butter
-10-12 graham cracker sheets 
-2 bags of high quality chocolate chips
Put graham crackers in a food processor or plastic Ziploc bag and beat until they are finely crushed. Mix butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and graham crackers together in large bowl. Roll into 1" balls. Place rolled balls on large cookie sheet (I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper) and stick in the freezer for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt dipping chocolate. Once the peanut butter balls have set up, dip in chocolate and place back on cookie sheet. Let set up before eating.  Store in refrigerator.

Makes 6-7 dozen truffles. 
Original recipe can be found HERE.

Peppermint M&M Cookies

So I made these cookies at the same time as the Orange Creamsicle cookies, so it was interesting to see who liked which cookie better.  It was split pretty much down the middle.  The recipe calls for a specific type of M&M that I couldn't find, so I just used mint M&M's and it still turned out great.  Enjoy.

Peppermint M&M Cookies

ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup crushed candy canes
1 cup White Chocolate Peppermint M&M's

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugars together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in the white chocolate chips, candy canes, and M&M's.

4. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool completely.

Original recipe can be found HERE.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

I have been a little cookie obsessed lately.  I have made a lot of cookies.  Some recipes good, some not so good.  I do not typically like orange flavored cookies, or orange flavored anything almost.  But for some reason I decided to give these a try anyways.  Oh my heavens, they are delicious!  You must give them a try, I promise they will be a hit!  Enjoy.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest (for me that was the zest of 2 oranges)
2 cups white chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Original recipe can be found HERE.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

These just taste like Christmas, in my opinion.  I love these cookies!  I usually make cute Christmas sugar cookies every year, but I don't know if I will this year because I can't stop making these.  I have already made them three times this season, and I'm about to go make them again.  Yum!
Enjoy!

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups flour
2 tsp. Ginger, Ground
1 tsp. Cinnamon, Ground
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 tap salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup white chocolate chips

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.
Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press about 5-6 white chocolate chips into center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Original recipe can be found HERE.