Peach And Raspberry Shortcake Cookies

 Well, I think it's safe to say, that by now...you all know that one of my favorite dessert bloggers is cookies and cups.  I've shared with you in the past, several recipes I've tried of hers...the Strawberry Gooey Butter Cookies and the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Breakfast Cookies.  Being summertime, with all of the fresh fruits we have available here in the great Mitten State (Michigan), I decided to try another one of her fruit-based recipes, knowing I couldn't go wrong.

 The original recipe of Shelly's was titled Strawberry Shortcake Cookies, in which she did a guest post at another blog which you can find here.  And although I did try the strawberry version (which was delicious by the way), I also had the crazy idea to try it with some fresh peaches and raspberries that I had just bought.  Wow.  Was that ever a good idea!  What I did was simply swap out the strawberries, for fresh peaches and raspberries.  I did everything else the same.  The peach version, had a very faint peach taste, so I added a little extra pureed peaches to give it a stronger flavor.  Just improvise, depending on how strong you like the flavor.  The raspberry, I added the exact same amount Shelly listed for the strawberries.  If you enjoy butter cookies and the refreshment of fresh summer fruit, you can't go wrong with Shelly's cookies (or any other dessert of hers for that matter).

The recipe is as follows:

 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup Challenge butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 1/3 cup flour
Strawberry Frosting:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
4 - 5 cups powdered sugar (depending on consistency desired)
Strawberries, cut in half to top cookies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°
Line baking sheet with parchment, set aside
In mixing bowl cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed.
Lower speed and add eggs and vanilla, continue mixing on medium until incorporated.
Turn speed back down to low and add in flour, baking powder and salt, mixing until dough just comes together.
Roll into "large-walnut-sized" balls and place on baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 8-9 minutes until edges are just golden.
Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Frosting:
In a food processor puree strawberries until they become a liquid.
In mixing bowl with paddle attachment beat butter until fluffy. Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree, beating until completely incorporated. If desired, add more powdered sugar and beat, until desired consistency is reached.
Frost each cookie with a heaping tablespoon of frosting.
Top with a fresh strawberry.

Recipe Source- Cookies and Cups

 

“I am entering this {Peach and Raspberry Shortcake Cookies} in the Creative Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!“)

TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!

Wow...TWO YEARS!

In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that I was introduced to the pastry bag!

In other ways, if feels like I've been doing this forever!

Little did I know, two years ago when I started this little dessert hobby of mine...that I'd have 1,686 people following my Facebook page!

Are you kidding me?

I really just didn't see that coming!

Even though it's been two years, I still consider myself an amateur and I'm learning new things everyday!  

But I'd like to say a thank-you to all of you who encourage me, support me, and those who have ordered cookies and cakes from me.

Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for entrusting me with your special occasion desserts!

I'd also like to thank you all for following my blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest!

As a little token of my gratitude, I'd like to do a little giveaway.

I'm going to give one reader 2 dozen of my decorated cookies.

Sound good?

Ok...
There will be multiple ways to enter.  You can complete as many or as few entries as you like.
Just leave me a SEPARATE comment for each item that you do, so that you get an entry for each item.
Okey dokey!

Here goes...

1.  "Like" Sweet Ivy Confections on Facebook HERE.

 2.  Share this giveaway PUBLICLY on your Facebook page and leave me your full Facebook name so that I can verify.

3.  Follow me on Pinterest HERE. 

4.  Pin one of my desserts from this blog to Pinterest! 

5.  Subscribe to my blog!  You can do this through any of the options on the right-hand sidebar.  (Leave me a comment letting me know which method use subscribed through, i.e. BlogLovin', Networked Blogs, etc.)  

6.  Follow me on Twitter HERE.

7.  Tweet about the giveaway and let me know your Twitter username.

8.  And finally, if you'd like one more entry...you can follow me on Instagram HERE.  I tend to post more family/personal pictures, but I do put some desserts on there as well.  Leave me your username and I'd love to follow you right back! ;)

Ok, there you have it!  EIGHT ways to enter!  Don't forget to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry so you get credit for each one you complete!
I can't wait to make one of you lucky readers some cookies!
Have a sweet night!
Melody
 

Guest Posting Today At "My Sweet Mission"!

Good morning sweet friends!

Today I am excited to introduce another sweet blogger friend of mine to you!

This is Heather, owner and author of My Sweet Mission.

I just discovered Heather's blog within the last year and I love it for two reasons.

1.  She LOVES to cook and bake, just like I do!

2.  She has a passionate heart for missions, just like I do!

This past weekend, Heather asked me if she could feature my Raspberry Streusel Muffins

on her blog!  I was thrilled and honored.

Head on over to her blog and check it out.

If you enjoy cooking, baking, and trying new recipes...you will not be disappointed.

And without further ado...I will let Heather take the spotlight now!

Hello, I am the author and creator of My Sweet Mission and I'm excited to have Melody guest post and share her delicious "Raspberry Streusel Muffins" with my readers today! I have loved to bake since I was a young girl and I got my love for baking from my Mother and Grandmother, who are amazing bakers. You can read more about me here. On My Sweet Mission I share only tried and true and my best recipes, and that's why I asked Melody to share her delicious muffins with my readers. I also have great baking tips, gift giving ideas, ways to help people in need and much more! Come check out my blog and leave me a comment, I would love to meet you! 

Want to receive my new posts?

Follow My Sweet Mission on:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google+

RSS

Hugs, Heather

Raspberry Streusel Muffins...

There are some recipes that I just don't get tired of making (or eating).

Raspberry Streusel Muffins happen to be one of them.

I remember specifically when I first discovered this recipe.

Shortly after my husband and I got married, we took a job as innkeepers at a bed & breakfast in Kalamazoo.  It was an old three building establishment filled with antiques.  The buildings were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Gorgeous. Beautiful furnishings, awesome music, quaint breakfasts, amazing gardens, stunning weddings...these were some of the things I loved about the inn.  We had a lovely apartment downstairs in one of the buildings...quaint and cozy and perfect for newlyweds and our sweet kitty.

Our job was mostly to relieve the owners of the establishment so they could "get away".

We worked evenings...answering the phone, taking reservations, checking people in.

On weekends, we helped with breakfast and other events (weddings, parties, etc.) that were held there.  I always enjoyed my evenings "on duty" at the inn.  I'd sit in the office and read country living type magazines filled with beautiful family life in the country, farms, and delicious recipes.  I found this muffin recipe and immediately thought it sounded good, so I wrote it down.  Once I tried it...I was hooked on it!  This was nearly 20 years ago!  I've been making these muffins ever since!  Some things are just too good to keep to yourself, so I wanted to share it with you!

The recipe calls for raspberries, but you can use whatever berry you like.  I have made it with raspberries, blueberries, and even strawberries!

Here's what you do...

Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. oats

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

With 2 knives cut in 6 tblsp. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Briefly rub mixture between fingers to blend butter.

Muffin Mixture:

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. raspberries (or berries of your choice)

1. Prepare topping.  Set aside.  Grease 12 muffin cups.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In large bowl; w/ electric mixter beat butter & sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg.  Beat until well blended.

3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  In small bowl, combine milk, sour cream, and vanilla.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Alternately w/ milk mixture beating just until batter is combined.  Gently fold in raspberries (or other berries of your choice).

4. Spoon into tins about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle w/ topping.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and remove.

Let me know how you like it and which berries you tried!

Until next time!

Melody

Bowling Cookies...

 My uncle came to Michigan to visit...he lives in Illinois.

He is a bowling fanatic!

He bowls three or four times a week.

He's been trying for years to bowl the "perfect" game (a 300).

 So, I made him some "lucky cookies".

I put his initials on the plaque "JDM".

And
This Is The Year

2013

300

I can't wait until I get the news that he got his perfect game!

I just know these cookies are going to do it!

The perfect inspiration!

Cotton Candy Creations...

Since I started my cookie decorating journey two years ago, I have pretty much baked from scratch.  But I have to admit I am all about convenience, ease, shortcuts, and LOVE Sandra Lee's "Semi-Homemade".  Every once in a while...a new product comes out and I HAVE to try it.  A couple weeks back, I was at Target and saw Betty Crocker's Cotton Candy cookie mix and frosting...exclusive to Target.  I LOVE cotton candy, so I  knew I had to try it.  It sat in my cupboard for a few weeks...I went on vacation...and then I saw that fellow cookier Cristin, of Cristin's Cookies

had tried the mix.   I decided it had set around long enough and I got excited and decided I needed to try it too.  If you're not familiar with Cristin's Cookies

you should definitely check her out.  She decorates adorable cookies, has great tutorials, and sells her cookie cutters as well!

So anywho...back to the cookies!

My youngest son doesn't even like sugar cookies (go figure) but he loves cotton candy...and he actually ENJOYED these cookies!

 They are a very SWEET cookie.  More so than your typical sugar cookie.  My whole house smelled of cotton candy (I thought).  And as I mentioned, my son doesn't care for sugar cookies and will usually groan, "Ugh" when I bake sugar cookies, but when I baked this flavor, he was intrigued and said, "Ummm, what's that smell!" 

 I really enjoyed them because I am not a royal icing fan (although I do decorate with it a lot)...I enjoyed the creaminess of this frosting.  It was a nice switch!

Because the cookies and frosting are so sweet, I only frosted the top half of the cookie, making it look like puffs of cotton candy.

I didn't make these "fancy"...there's nothing exquisite about them...they're just fun and yummy!  I'm not sure how long these will last (if they're limited edition or not)...but you might want to run to Target and try them for yourself if you like cotton candy.  Leave me a comment if you try them and tell me what you think!  

Happy baking!