Nutella and Sea Salt Stuffed Cookies

I've been reading about these cookies for sometime. Bridget at Bake at 350 blogged about them and said they were the best cookies she had ever eaten (and that lady knows her cookies!). I am a huge Nutella fan so once I saw them, I knew I'd be making them sooner or later. I was cruising my Pinterest today and saw them again, and the craving could not be curved.

Nutella & Sea Salt Stuffed Sugar Cookies

From the kitchen of Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
1/2 cup Nutella
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sea salt


1. Using a 1 teaspoon measure, scoop out Nutella and place in small mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (pretty doesn't matter here). Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

2. Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer set on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract.
5. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture a few times to make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
6. Place 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use 2 tablespoons cookie dough for each cookie. Split the piece of dough in half and slightly flatten the bottom half.

7. Sprinkle 5 or 6 grains of sea salt on the flattened dough.
8. Use a small metal spatula to lift the mounds of Nutella from the baking sheet and lay on the bottom half of cookie dough, on top of the salt. If the Nutella starts to soften, place back in the freezer for a few minutes.

9. Cover Nutella with the other piece of cookie dough. Seal the edges with your fingers. Roll the ball in the sugar to coat it and place it on a prepared baking sheet. You can put the cookies back in the freezer here for 5 minutes if your dough is a little soft.

10. Repeat with the remaining dough and Nutella mounds, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets.

11. Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. They are done when the edges are set and beginning to brown, 10 to 13 minutes. The centers of the cookies should still be soft and puffy.
12. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a rack. They can also be served warm.

These cookies were pretty good, the test kitchen (my dad) took a half when offered one, and then later called out..."can you bring me another one of those cookies?" So, they were a hit with him. Personally I think I hyped them up in my brain to be these magnificently epic cookies after reading about them, so I thought they were good but not epic.
The next post to come will be an epic cookie however, here's a sneak peak... =)

Bakers Backup: Raspberry Bars

When I was writing my honors thesis in college, I wondered often if baking from scratch really meant something different than baking a boxed mix. Did it mean that the person who baked it for you liked you less? Did it mean the quality was going to be horrendously worse?

Probably not.

One time, in a cakes class at school, my chef was teaching us a chocolate cake recipe. She told us it was her favorite chocolate cake recipe she makes, but that her family still always asks her for Duncan Hines chocolate boxed cake mix instead. She made them the box mix, but then added her own touches and decorations. I think as long as you put in the same effort and love into what you make, the product can be irrelevant. For that reason I don't mind using the occasional boxed mixes*.

I want to do a regularly scheduled post where I try different mixes and give them a rating, hopefully so others can save some time or money on picking the best kinds of boxed mixes to use. Like? Dislike? Let me know.

The first mix I thought I'd share here is Krusteaz Raspberry Bars. I really hate their name, but think they are one of the best box mix companies. Krusteaz describes them as "The perfect easy-to-make, easy-to-serve treat. Premium raspberry filling layered between a crunchy crust made with real almonds and topped with brown sugar, almonds, and rolled oats."

This recipe is simple; it calls for one box and one stick of butter.

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Prepare 8x8x2-inch pan by lightly greasing or coating with non-stick cooking spray.

Stir melted butter or margarine and full pouch crust mix together with a fork until mixture is crumbly.

Spoon 2/3 of crust mixture (about 1 1/2 cups loosely packed) into prepared pan. Press firmly into bottom of pan.

Bake 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Spread full pouch raspberry filling evenly over hot crust. 

Crumble remaining crust mixture over filling.

Bake an additional 26-28 minutes or until bubbly around edges. Cool completely before cutting. Makes 16 bars. (I found that the crisper, the better!)

One great thing about Krusteaz is that the website is great at marketing their product, it has variations you can create with the mix and tips for baking as a double batch.

I debate with you now how to score these. If I am scoring against the real, from scratch product I would pick from scratch (preferably from Cakewalk Bakery and Cafe). If I were to score against other boxed mixes, I would say a 4 out of 5. All in all, I think these are a great bar if you're in a pinch. I recommend adding chopped nuts or chocolate chips for a special addition.

*Disclaimer: I will never ever eat or rate these cookies , because they make me want to vomit.

Butterbeer Cookies

Hello. My name is Maggie. I’m here, writing this blog, because I love to bake. Not only do I love to bake, but I actually have chosen my favorite hobby as my career path as well. I graduated last fall from the Culinary Institute of America, and after taking a little break I dove into a new job in hotel management. While I love my current job, it offers me no opportunities bake or create tasty food and treats for people. So, to keep myself from missing my baking world too much I decided to start this blog. I decided to start this blog by combining one of my favorite baked goods with my other true love, Harry Potter. This wonderful combo leads me to my first recipe, Butterbeer Cookies.

When I graduated from college, my parents surprised me with a trip to Orlando to Harry Potter World. I wish I could put into words how amazing this trip was; it was like being home amongst all my fellow Harry Potter nerdlings. I could wear my Gryffindor outfit (robe included), carry a wand, and not feel a little crazy. We went in January, and it wasn’t that crowded so I got to ride each ride a few times and have multiple Butterbeers. The drink itself is like a cream soda, but with something extra. It has foam on top that reminds me of what an egg cream soda probably would taste like. These cookies are very easy to make, and transport me back to Hogwarts whenever I make them =)


Butterbeer Sugar Cookies 
From the wonderful Bridget at Bake at 350

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 sticks butter
1 egg
1 tsp butter flavoring
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

First things first, preheat your oven to 350.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, set aside.
Cream the sugar and butter.
Add the egg, butter flavoring, and vanilla; mix until well-blended.
Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom. The dough will be quite thick (see below)...you may need to knead in stray bits of flour from the bottom of the bowl by hand.

Roll on a floured surface to about 1/4" and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cutter. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. These cookies may also be rolled into 1 inch balls if you prefer. They are similar to shortbread in the way that they won’t spread much.

Butterbeer Glaze 
(This will cover 12 cookies)

2/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/8 cup evaporated milk
1 TBSP light corn syrup
Pinch coarse salt

Place all of the ingredients in a glass or metal bowl and heat over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler). If you're lucky enough like me, you can use a butter warmer.

Yes, a butter warmer. I didn't know these existed

Thank god for Paula Deen.

 Stir occasionally, until melted and smooth.

 Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cookies and spread with an offset spatula.

Then, devour while curled up with a good HP book =)

Hope you enjoyed the first post!!!