It’s taken me a while to determine why I enjoy holiday baked goods so much more than those made any other time of year. I can whip out a batch of cookies in March, but they don’t seem as special to me as those I make in December.
You’ll be happy to know that I’ve discovered the secrets. There are two.
Spices and booze.
I’m a fan of seasonal eating. I like asparagus in the spring, berries in the summer and apples in fall. You get the idea.
I always associate seasonal with fresh foods until the holidays come along. When we start creeping up to Thanksgiving and especially when December hits, it’s 100 percent cookie season! Sure I’ll throw some kale and sweet potatoes into my meals for good measure, but cookies and baking take center stage.
Every year it’s a battle between making old favorites or experimenting with new recipes. When you throw an outstanding new cookbook into the mix, the old favorites start to take the back seat.
There are times when nothing will do, but a cookie. No slice of cake or pie, no brownie square or fruit tart; only a cookie.
I appreciate that my sweet tooth is selective, but its picky nature sometimes sends me into the kitchen for some baking when I hadn’t really planned on it. That happened this past week.
Back in May I had the opportunity to attend a food blogger event for the launch of Safeway’s Open Nature Super Premium Ice Cream. This post is a recap of the food and fun that led to the creation of these Smoked Almond, Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies! 
It’s not everyday that you get invited to taste ice cream. Well, okay. It probably happens a little more often for a food blogger than the average person, but that makes it no less exciting.
Back in May I got invited to hang out with a great group of food bloggers to learn about the launch of Safeway’s Open Nature Super Premium Ice Cream. I’ve been really curious about the Open Nature brand and I was completely sold on checking out Safeway’s commercial kitchen so I took the short drive to Pleasanton for an incredibly fun few days.
I have to be completely honest. You know I make a lot of things. Many things from scratch that most people buy at the store. But after several years of my from-scratch lifestyle there are a few things that I’ve voted best made by the professionals. Ice cream is one of those for me.
These candied ginger and carrot cookies are a twist on a classic oatmeal cookie. They are soft and chewy on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside.
I was recently trying to remember when I first started eating fresh ginger. I can’t pinpoint the day, but I’m certain it had to be while we were living in Brazil.
It was likely with sushi (I don’t think I’d ever eaten sushi until we moved there), but what I really remember are the teas and mulled wines that used slice after slice of fresh ginger root. After discovering those and then learning how to make them, I was sold.
These chocolate cookies are so rich and delicious! Made with almond flour, they also happen to be gluten-free and grain-free, so they are perfect for sharing with friends. You’ll find these cookies and so many more great desserts in the new cookbook Let Them Eat Cake by Gesine Bullock-Prado.
I’ve mentioned many times before that I’m not grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, or most other food labels out there. I also feel incredibly fortunate that I don’t have any food allergies. That being said, the one thing I am when I cook and bake is a bit of a pleaser.
If I invite you over, give you a food gift, or share a potluck with you, I want you to be able to eat. Not eating sounds like no fun at all. So any tool that helps me help more people eat good food, well, I’m all for it.
It’s rare to come across a cookbook that is for everyone. One that you can buy for anyone on your gift list and one that you can use to make sweet treats for anyone you might be eating with. I’ve found it though, and to be honest, I’m pretty blown away by it. It’s downright awesome.
These shortbread cookies are loaded with crunchy pistachios. Made with raw sugar and white whole wheat flour, they are rich and crumbly, and slightly sweetened with a drizzle of white chocolate.
It happens this time every year. Right about mid February, I’m ready for cookies again. At this point, I feel like I’ve sufficiently recovered from the cookie overdose brought on by the holiday season.
A few weeks spent anti-cookie and I’m ready to start thinking up some new recipes. Thoughts of butter, brown sugar and chocolate chips resume their place in my head. Before I know it, the oven is preheated and the cookie sheets are lined.
9. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Disclosure: This book was provided for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.
I can’t get enough of ginger flavored treats during the holiday season. These cookie bars are a recreation of one of my favorite cookies made with fresh ginger and molasses!
This past summer, I discovered my favorite cookie. It’s sold at Blue Bottle Coffee in Oakland. I’ve always been a fan of gingerbread-like desserts, but this cookie takes it to a new level. It’s made with fresh ginger and ground black pepper. It’s slightly crunchy on the inside, but soft and chewy on the inside. Darn near perfect when it comes to cookies.
When I tried it, the idea of both fresh ginger and black pepper in a cookie were new to me. I’ve wanted to try making something similar ever since. I think creating the right cookie texture is going to take me much more practice than I am able to commit to this holiday season, so I went the easy route and incorporated the flavors into a bar.
It’s certainly not an exact replica, but for someone who can’t get enough gingerbread this time of year, these chewy, spicy cookie bars hit the spot.
Makes: 16 bars
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 large egg
½ tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup white whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground clove
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lightly with unsalted butter.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, coconut sugar and 1/3 cup of the turbinado sugar. Cream together on medium to medium-high speed, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and mix for about 30 more seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and mix 30 more seconds. Mix in the fresh ginger.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix just until all ingredients are combined.
Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely and cut into 16 bars.
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These chocolate orange cookies bring together two of my very favorite ingredients!
Makes: 18 cookies
Ingredients
