Coconut Dream Cookies

Here it is again, my eldest granddaughter's birthday!  

It snuck up so fast!  And she will be 16 to boot!  She is a beautiful young woman!  So as you all know, if you follow my blog at all, I bake cookies and send them on my grand daughters birthdays.  It is Stella's turn...I am currently on one of my wonderful juice fasts so I wanted to make this one quick and easy....not too much fuss, but delicious.  

I found this recipe on Pinterest (where else!). Yeah I am still addicted to it and pin far too many recipes!  More than I could ever make!  But like I said...I am addicted!  Sad but true.

It caught my eye because it was made with coconut oil instead of butter.

And I used Truvia baking blend instead of all sugar.  So they are delicious as well as a little bit healthier for you.  And yes...I ate a bit of one just to see if they were good....you gotta taste it!  I know, I know there is little hope for me...haha!  Hopefully it won't set back my fast too drastically!

They came together very fast and smelled heavenly!  I think I would try them again making them even healthier using flax "eggs" and some kind of gluten free flour option.  I think it could work!  I hope Stella likes them.

Happy Birthday Stella Blue!

Love you to the moon!

Until next time...

Enjoy!

Coconut Dream Cookies Recipe

Coconut cookies make a for a favorite of holiday cookie recipes.

These Coconut Dream Cookies are filled with mounds of coconut,

chocolate, and use coconut oil.

Serves: 20 cookies ( I got 24 cookies)

Ingredients

½ cup firm coconut oil 

¾ cup granulated sugar ( used 1/2 cup Truvia)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking

mat.

2. Cream together the coconut oil (or shortening) and sugar until light and fluffy with an

electric mixer. Mix in the egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour,

baking powder and salt. Mix into the shortening and sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips

and coconut flakes.

3. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1½-

inches between each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies have turned lightly

brown and are set. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe by Cooking | Add a Pinch at http://addapinch.com/cooking/coconut-dream-cookies-recipe/

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins: ABC

This is our first bake from the blog Scientifically Sweet. Last year we had a great time baking from the King Arthur Flour site...we tried some really great recipes.  I made as many as I could and they all were good!  This year, I am really looking forward to using Scientifically Sweet for our inspirations.  I took a look at the blog and there are some 

wonderful looking goodies on there!

 I followed the recipe, but added a little something extra...the chocolate crumb topping made of butter, banana, cocoa, flour and milk chocolate chips.  The muffins on their own are very good!  The banana/chocolate ratio is just right and I quite liked my little addition.  It just made them look pretty!  And you know me, I love pretty food.

This is a quick and easy recipe. Would be a nice little breakfast treat or a yummy snack with a nice cold glass of milk or cup of hot tea.

If you would like to see what the other Avid Bakers did with this challenge....just click here.

Our next challenge is Orange, Date and Almond Biscotti!  

Sounds like a winner!

Until then,

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 ¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas, previously frozen)

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup canola oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk together to blend evenly and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas and sour cream until smooth. Whisk in egg, sugar, canola oil and vanilla extract until well blended. Add the flour mixture and the chocolate chips and fold gently until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until the muffin tops spring back when touched gently and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean despite any melted chocolate chips, 20-22 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hair of the Dog Cake: Baked Sunday Mornings

Here it is the new year already!  I can't believe how fast 2014 flew by!  I had quite a few good things happen to me this past year....one big was that I lost 70 pounds!  Never thought I would be able to do that! 

Pretty cool huh?

Way cool in my book.  While I still have a ways to go I am very proud of the progress that I made last year.  I have been working very hard at achieving this goal so I haven't been baking as much as I have in the past.  But I so love to bake!  I don't know why something I enjoy doing so much has to be so bad for me.  I have practiced moderation and am trying to only have one taste of whatever I bake.  Oh my gosh, that is so hard sometimes.  But so far I have been able to be pretty much in control.

Well enough of that...on to the Hair of the Dog Cake!

This is a milk cake infused with Rum.  Then topped with a sugary rum syrup that is place under the broiler to get all crackly and brown.  It is really very good!  I took to a party and got it out of the house!  Whew!  That could have been very dangerous!  This cake could be very addictive!

I halved the recipe and baked it in a long vintage loaf pan that I had.  It worked really well.  I love how the rum syrup oozed into the cake.  This recipe is the second one I have baked from Baked Occasions.  Both have been delicious! To see what the other bakers did just click here.

 To get this wonderful recipe click here

Next up is Gingersnaps with Lemon Sugar...sounds like a good one!

Until then

Enjoy!