Friday, December 21, 2012

Slice & Bake Coconut Cookies (recipe as promised!)

I have been finding so many new recipes on Pinterest.
Yet I never seem to find the TIME to MAKE the recipes!
Well, being Christmas time...and baking season...
I decided it was time to not only make the traditional "stand-bys" but to try a few new things as well.
This one comes from www.bakingbites.com .
As promised by the original blogger, if you enjoy the taste of coconut, you'll love these!
Many people have a thing about the texture of coconut.
They don't like the texture, but like the flavor.
The great thing about these cookies is that you really don't even get the texture of the coconut.
All you get is the wonderful flavor!
So, without further ado...here is the promised recipe from Baking Bites.
Slice & Bake Coconut Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter, soft
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
Whisk together flour, paking powder and salt in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add in the egg and vanilla. Beat until light and well combined, then beat in the coconut. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
Once all the flour has been mixed in, divide the dough into two parts, shape into logs (2-inches in diameter) and wrap tightly in parchment or wax paper. Freeze for at least 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice cookies off the frozen logs with a sharp knife, making each cookie no more than 1/4-inch thick. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are just lightly browned.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!
Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!
Thanks to Baking Bites for sharing this on your blog!
My family loves it!

Christmas Cookies 2012

I am "FINALLY" done with all of my baking orders for the holiday season!
Now I can concentrate on my family's cookies, LOL!
They've been waiting very patiently for theirs!
Just thought I'd share a sampling of what I've been working on.
The first photo is a cookie pop bouquet that I did for a client's daughter's preschool teacher.
I love doing bouquets!
 
 
This was a snowflake/mitten platter I did as a gift for a client.
I put together platters as gifts for all of my clients this year.
 
Some fun snowmen and snowflakes!
 
The finished platter!
 
A "Silver Bells" theme...
 
This platter was all stockings/candy canes!
 
This platter was a variety of Christmas tree shapes and sizes.
I also used little colored chocolate sprinkles as the lights on these trees.
I don't usually decorate much with "embellishments" but thought these would be a fun addition.
 
These reindeer were all over the internet this year so I had to try them out.
This was a repurposed gingerbread man cutter!
They were a lot of fun!
 
And lastly...I always like to do something non-conventional.
I enjoyed doing these "modern" trees.
Who says Christmas has to be green and red?
I'll probably be adding a few more Christmas goodies before the season ends...stay tuned!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Cuppies!

I started my baking journey with cake decorating.
Yet somehow...
Last year, I got "sucked into" the COOKIE WORLD as I like to call it.
I have been baking and decorating more cookies than cakes and cupcakes.
So...
When I decided to make these Christmas cupcakes for my son's Christmas party at a friends house, it took a bit for my "cakey"skills to resume!
I did a chocolate cake and a classic buttercream icing.
I have a "bajillion" (is that a word?) Christmas sprinkles, so I had a blast hauling all of those out and decorating with those.
I asked my son how they tasted, and he said, "I don't know, I didn't get one!  They went too fast!"
Well, that made me feel good!
Guess the other kids liked them!  Ha!