December 1
Katie's Chocolate-Peppermint Whoopie Pies
"My grandma only made whoopie pies on special occasions," says The Kitchen co-host Katie. "I was always so excited to see them in her kitchen! These are inspired by her recipe and dressed up for the holidays with the addition of crushed candy canes. They are easily adaptable to any season by substituting flavorings and candies. Have fun with them and get creative. They make great gifts too."
Katie's Chocolate-Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Total Time:3 hr 15 minPrep:45 minInactive:2 hrCook:30 min
Yield:20 to 24 whoopie pies
Level:Intermediate
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying the parchment
Filling:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
About 12 candy canes, crushed
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Directions
For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Sift into another large bowl.
Beat the granulated sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Alternate adding the dry mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 1 hour.
Adjust the oven racks to the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Drop tablespoonfuls of batter about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (about 6 cookies per baking sheet). Keep the remaining batter chilled while working.
Bake until the cookies puff up and the tops are no longer glossy, about 7 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Let the baking sheets cool, then reline with parchment, lightly coat with cooking spray and bake the remaining batter in batches (cool, reline and spray the baking sheets each time).
For the filling: Beat the confectioners' sugar and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add the marshmallow creme, milk and peppermint extract and beat until light and airy, about 5 minutes.
Spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling on half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining halves, pushing down slightly to move the filling to the edge. Put the crushed candy canes on a plate and roll the sides of the whoopie pies in the candy.
Copyright 2015 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Recipe courtesy of Katie Lee
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Cake Mix Holiday Cookies
December 2
Cake Mix Holiday Cookies
These soft and tender cookies are made with cake mix and topped with a white chocolate-cream cheese frosting, so it's no surprise that they look and taste just like little cupcake tops.
Cake Mix Holiday Cookies
All-Star Holiday Cookie Recipes
Choose from over a dozen holiday cookies from the stars of The Kitchen and our very own Food Network Test Kitchen.
Categories: Cookie, Holiday, Christmas
Cake Mix Holiday Cookies
Shortcut Gingerbread
Total Time:1 hr 30 min
Prep:30 min
Inactive:40 min
Cook:20 min
Yield:38 cookies
Level:Easy
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Ingredients
Cookies:
Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying the baking sheets
1 box yellow cake mix (for two 9-inch rounds), such as Duncan Hines
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sprinkles, for decorating
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Directions
For the cookies: Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Beat the cake mix, butter, eggs and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth and no bits of dry cake mix are left. Drop the batter by the tablespoonful (a small ice cream scoop will make this task easier) onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. (You will have additional batter for a second batch.)
Bake until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center, about 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely (the rounded tops will sink slightly). When the baking sheets are cool, repeat with the remaining batter.
For the frosting: Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium microwavable bowl in the microwave in 1-minute increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
Beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla together with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth.
Frost the cookies, decorate with sprinkles and serve.
Copyright 2015 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Cook's Note: Some cake mix brands will yield flatter and fudgier cookies. Others will produce puffier and slightly cakier cookies. Both are delicious in this recipe.
From Food Network Kitchen
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Brownie Cookies
December 3
Brownie Cookies
If you gravitate toward the edge pieces in a pan of brownies, these cookies are your dream come true: crunchy-chewy edges with a soft center. If you like your brownies a little underbaked, bake these cookies until they're just slightly glossy on top. For a twist on a brownie sundae, make an ice cream sandwich with them.
All-Star Holiday Cookie Recipes
Total Time:2 hr 10 min
Prep:20 min
Inactive:1 hr 15 min
Cook:35 min
Yield:about 2 dozen cookiesLevel:Easy
Brownie Cookies
Total Time:2 hr 10 min
Prep:20 min
Inactive:1 hr 15 min
Cook:35 min
Yield:about 2 dozen cookies
Level:Easy
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped, optional
Directions
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed. Fold in the walnuts if using. The batter will be quite soft at this point. Refrigerate until firm enough to scoop, about 30 minutes.
Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter (a number-30 ice cream scoop works great, too) onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart (the cookies will spread considerably). (You will have additional batter for a second batch.)
Bake until the tops of the cookies are crackled and no longer glossy and the edges are firm, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheets about halfway through. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. When the baking sheets are cool, repeat with the remaining batter. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Copyright 2015 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)