I spotted this recipe for Banana Nut Biscotti on the blog Gaga In the Kitchen (originally from Cooking Light). I’ve been meaning to try my hand at biscotti for a while, and this recipe looked like a fun departure from the usual biscotti flavors. I absolutely love banana bread, but since I am not a fan of nuts, I decided to use mini chocolate chips instead.

This was my first attempt at biscotti, so I don’t know exactly how the dough is supposed to feel. When I combined the wet and dry ingredients, the resulting dough was quite crumbly and did not hold together well. Since I may not have added enough mashed banana, I threw in an additional tablespoon of canola oil and a little more mashed banana. After these additions, the dough was soft, moist and workable.

I was quite happy to find that making biscotti is very easy, and the resulting cookies are delicious! These biscotti have a nice subtle banana flavor, and the chocolate chips work well. I will be making these again, and look forward to trying other biscotti recipes. Any recommendations on what I should try next?

Banana Chip Biscotti

Yields 24 cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 banana)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350?.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine banana, oil, vanilla, and egg.
4. Stir in flour mixture. The dough should be sticky. If it is not moist enough, add additional mashed banana or vegetable oil.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, shape dough into 2 (8-inch-long) rolls.
7. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.
8. Place rolls on prepared baking sheet and flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.
9. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until tops are golden and firm.
10. Remove rolls from baking sheet and cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.
11. Cut both rolls diagonally into 1/2 inch slices. You should get 12 slices per roll.
12. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheet.
13. Reduce oven temperature to 250 and bake for 15 minutes.
14. Turn the cookies over and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
15. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack. The cookie centers may be slightly soft, but will harden as they cool.

I started making Biscotti over the holidays because I found a recipe I liked, and I really love a tasty cookie along with my coffee in the morning. Between all the holiday parties and family functions we attended, I’ve tried a bunch of different recipes since – I find that this one has a great taste and texture without huge amounts of fat. It is modified from a Cooking Light recipe for plain lemon biscotti - my main modification includes adding dried cherries, which I personally like the best, but I have tried this recipe using chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts as well. They supposedly freeze well (after baking but before the glazing step!) but I’ve never had enough left to try to freeze them.

Ingredients

Thanks for the kind introduction Beth!

I first made these cookies a few years ago when I was in the middle of a health-kick and wanted something sweet after dinner. I found the recipe for low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies on allrecipes.com - they contain no oil and no eggs, but the addition of applesauce keeps them moist all the same! They come out a little more cakey than traditional oatmeal-raisin cookies, and make a very hearty snack while still keeping fat to a minimum. In the past, I’ve made them larger and called them Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Bars – a great grab-and-go breakfast. The original recipe calls for plain applesauce, but I usually use cinnamon applesauce because that’s what we usually have on hand. If you choose to add walnuts, I suggest toasting them first – 10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees will bring out some extra nutty taste.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C ). Grease a cookie sheet.
In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, white sugar, and applesauce. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the applesauce mixture. Add the rolled oats, raisins and chopped nuts (if desired); stir until combined.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet.

This past full, I stumbled across a Martha Stewart recipe for Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. I love whoopie pies and was interested in trying to make them, but I wasn’t interested in her pumpkin filling. After searching several sites, I decided to use Martha Stewart’s recipe for the cookie and a traditional filling recipe from Epicurious.

I was so anxious to try these that I started preparing them at 9:30 on a weeknight. My husband was two hours into what was supposed to be a 20 minute conference call and I was bored, so baking seemed like the perfect remedy. My efforts were rewarded with a fun, delicious dessert.

For the cookie part, I barely diverted from the published recipe. I only make the cookies a little larger than proscribed size. The original recipe results in 20 mini whoopie pies (40 individual cookies), while I usually end up with 12 moderately sized whoopie pies (24 individual cookies).

This time, I made my cookies a little too large and ended up with 18 individual cookies. The dough didn’t spread well and the tops of the cookies crackled quite a bit. This usually doesn’t happen. Despite the cracked appearance, they tasted great!

My filling differs slightly from the original recipe at Epicurious, in that I use a little bit more butter than called for.

The resulting whoopie pies are delicious! The cookies are have a rich cocoa flavor and a springy, cake-like texture. The filling is sweet and smooth. On it’s own (you have to lick the beaters when you’re done!) it can seem a little too sweet, but it’s just right when paired with the cocoa cookies.

I would imagine that these cookies would freeze well, but they’ve never lasted long enough for me to test that theory! Enjoy!

Whoopie Pies

Yields 24 cookies (enough for 12 pies)

For the cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
4. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla.
6. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
7. Drop about 1 tablespoon of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.
8. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes.
9. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
10. Make the filling: Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
11. Once cookies have completely cooled, spread filling on flat side of one cookie and top with a second cookie.

I haven’t baked in nearly a month. After my Christmas baking extravaganza, I decided that I needed to take break from sweets and embarked upon a one month baking moratorium. Entertaining or bringing goodies to a friends home were the only exceptions to my rule. We had company tonight, so I could bake with a clear conscience.

I wanted something sweet, but not too heavy. With the cold temperatures expected this weekend, I figured that I wanted something that would go well with a warm cup of tea. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies seemed to fit the bill, so I thumbed through my cookbook collection in search of a recipe.

Both Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens had recipes that looked simple and tasty. Betty Crocker won me over by offering a low-fat version of the recipe. Using unsweetened applesauce in place of shortening and Eggbeaters instead of eggs cut the fat and calories quite a bit. Since the texture of oatmeal cookies can vary widely and still taste wonderful, I figured it was worth a shot.

Since I forgot to purchase Eggbeaters, I used regular eggs and only substituted applesauce for shortening. The substitution did not cause any problems in consistency or taste, and I would happily try Eggbeaters next time.

When I first removed the cookies from the oven and transferred them to my wire racks, they seemed very soft and I was concerned that they wouldn’t hold together well. The cookies were soft and chewy – a little softer than I expected – but delicious. As they cooled completely, the cookies took on more firmness. They’re still moist, soft and chewy, but the cookies hold their shape and don’t crumble as easily. The applesauce did not change the flavor of the oatmeal cookies much. If anything, it added an extra hint of sweetness.

I enjoyed a few cookies with a piping hot cup of Lady Grey tea tonight. I’m happy with the recipe selection and will certainly be making these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies again.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook
Yields about 48 cookies

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
2. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars.
3. Add applesauce, eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix well.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients (flour mixture and oats).
5. Stir in chocolate chips
6. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned along edges. Immediate remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

* 1/2 cup of shortening may be used in place of applesauce. If shortening is used, reduce vanilla and cinnamon to 1 tsp each.

* 1/2 cup of Eggbeaters may be used in place of 2 eggs.

These cookies are a fun alternative to your standard chocolate cookie recipe. The chocolate crinkles are soft with a somewhat cake-like consistency. They have a nice cocoa flavor without being too rich or too heavy, while the confectioners sugar gives the cookies a pretty, snow-dusted appearance.

Chocolate Crinkles
from Family Fun Magazine

Yields 40 cookies

3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 6-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, cocoa powder and sugar; beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients, then stir in the chips. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in confectioners’ sugar. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 12 minutes.

It’s not Christmas without decorated sugar cookies. I’ve made these cookies with my Mom for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, we’d make seasonally themed sugar cookies: hearts, strawberries, ice cream cones, fall leaves, mushrooms, snowmen, stars and Christmas trees – Mom had a cookie cutter for every occasion.

Whenever we’d make the sugar cookies, she’d pull out her Betty Crocker cookbook and get to work. A few months after I got married, I excitedly pulled out my new Betty Crocker cookbook as I set out to make a fall batch of cookies in my new home. I discovered with dismay that the recipe had been altered over the years, and I didn’t have access to the recipe that I had grown up with. A phone call to my Mom and some hastily scribbled notes solved that problem!

It’s crucial to chill the dough thoroughly. Otherwise, the dough will stick horribly to everything. I usually work with the dough in batches, leaving it in the refrigerator until I need it. It’s also important to use a light hand when rolling out the dough and to handle it as little as possible. Rough rolling and excessive handling compresses to dough and results in dense cookies.

These sugar cookies are airy, crisp, crumbly and have a light, buttery sweet flavor.

Betty Crocker’s Classic Sugar Cookies

Yields 48 3″ cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1) Thouroughly mix the shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
2) Blend in flour, baking powder and salt.
3) Cover dough and chill for at least 1 hour.
4) Heat oven to 400.
5) On a lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/8″ thick.
6) Cut out cookies and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate as desired.
7) Bake for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are very lighly browned along the edges

With Christmas approaching, I have been searching for a good ginger cookie recipe. Gingerbread is an essential element of Christmas baking, and I wanted to find a cookie that embodies that flavor. My friend Carolyn provided me with this delicious ginger cookie recipe that I will now be adding to my holiday baking rotation.

These ginger cookies are quite easy to make. When I first dropped the balls of dough on the cookie sheet, I wondered how they could possibly end up flat. Since the cookies flatten out quite a bit during baking, it’s good to leave about 2 inches between the balls of dough. The cookies are quite soft when they first come out of the oven, so it helps to leave them on the cookie sheet to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The consistency of the resulting cookie is perfect. It’s crisp, but not crunchy. The top of the cookie is beautifully crackled, but the inside is still somewhat soft.

Ginger Cookies

Yields 4 dozen cookies

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
3. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and shortening on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses and vanilla.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients.
5. Roll dough into tsp-sized round balls.
6. Roll dough balls in sugar.
7. Place dough balls on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.