Better late than never right?

Around Christmas is when I had stopped blogging for quite some time.  It's not that I didn't enjoy doing it, it's just I wasn't finding inspiration in the things I was doing.  It was nice not having to think before I was going to eat, or when I made desserts to remember to take pictures beforehand.  I guess when it comes down to it, it was pure laziness.  I was still on the computer, looking at fellow bloggers pages, but I just couldn't bring myself to doing so, instead I was enjoying spending time with friends, being with my family, working out and reading.  I realized though it really was something I missed (hence I'm writing this now).  Despite my lack of inspiration there were still a few goodies I did snap some pictures of.  Unfortunately I didn't photograph all my Christmas baking which is rather unfortunate since I made some really amazing sweets this year.

This Christmas had to be the first Christmas that I didn't go overboard.  I made about eight or nine goodies, which really is not that much, and when I was making them, I wasn't doing full batches.  Thankfully for me, this was good; it gave me enough to pack up for friends as gifts, and it left me with a few for me to snack on.  The recipes I'm going to post were the top favourites of the season (decided on by both me and the people who had tried my baking) - I did however forget to photograph a bark that was the top favourite.  Nevertheless, that's not a big deal as I will surely be making a batch for Easter because it got gobbled down the first two days, it was such a hit!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

Recipe taken from here

The first recipe I'm going to post is for something that I had been seeing all over the web.  Back then, just like now, I was really going through a peanut butter kick.  Three quarters of the recipes I made during the holiday season involved peanut butter.  This may not be the traditional holiday flavour, as I usually associate Christmas with shortbread, and peppermint, but not this year, not in my house!  If you are one the fellow pin-a-holics you surely will of seen these cookies - Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites.  If not, basically think of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups sandwiched between two pretzels, dipped in chocolate, and garnished with sprinkles, ahhhh yuuuum!  These were fantastic, especially as they were pretty much bite-sized desserts, so it would allow you to sample more than just one dessert without feeling that "ooooh gosh, I've been such a glutton this Christmas".  Will surely be making these next Christmas, as they were loved by all!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 

Pretzels - 

• 1 bag  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer.  Add the sugars and mix to combine.  At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go.  If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar).

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling.  Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels.  When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted.  Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate.  Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches.  When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely.  Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe adapted from here

Since I've begun baking as a vegan, I haven't made any recipes that require butter.  Of course I have a tub of Earth Balance in the fridge, but I usually opt Earth Balance for oil or applesauce, I'm not sure why, it just became sort of habitual.  When I came across a recipe on Angela's blog I figured why not just use Earth Balance, it's Christmas, and I'm not going to be the only one eating these cookies.  Since most people when they think of vegan baking think dull, bland, or just overall gross, I figured why not add in a flavour that they were are familiar with.  

This dough is so quick to throw together, it's a really great melding dough, and obviously you can adapt it as to how you want.  Over the break I used this recipe, well, more than a few times, just a little less than a handful,  they went really quickly.  My favourite way of using this recipe however was for a S'mores version as well a chocolate covered raisin version, between the two I'm not sure which one I preferred more, although I think at the time I was biased to both.  I was deffffffinitely more than obsessed with chocolate covered raisins, and since kicking gelatin from my diet it's been a good almost two years since I've had marshmallows - I wasn't going to allow that to go on longer however.  I drove to our local organic grocery store and bought myself $12.00 vegan marshmallows, my boyfriend definitely thought I was nuts, but it was so incredibly worth it, every single last cent.  

Two summers ago I tried many, many recipes for chocolate chip cookies, trying to find my favourite, this is it.  This is my go-to recipe when it comes to chocolate chip cookies, I love it.  Crispy edges, soft gooey centre, yup, it's my favourite type, and the fact that it's so easy to make too, bonus!

Ingredients:

• 7 tbsp Earth Balance + 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 1/2 cup Earth Balance- see note)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cane sugar (or use white)
• 1 flax egg - (1 tbsp ground flaxed mixed with 3 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup vegan Graham Crackers
• 1 dark chocolate bar
• Vegan marshmallows - chopped (depends on how many dough balls you get)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flax egg and set aside.

With an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the Earth Balance until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and cane sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Beat in the flax egg.  Beat in the remaining ingredients, excluding the marshmallows and chocolate.

Shape balls of dough and then squish down.  Stuff your flattened dough with chocolate and marshmallow, roll back into a ball and make sure the two ingredients are completely covered, then place on the baking sheet.  

Bake for 10-12 minutes (or up to 14 mins on a Silpat mat). Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.

Yield: 12-14 large cookies.

... as well, I also made S'mores Marshmallows - all I did here was broiled the marshmallows for a few minutes until they got nice a crisp.  I allowed them to cool down, dipped them in melted chocolate than rolled them around in graham crackers.  I'm not sure what was a bigger hit - these or the cookies, they were fantastic, so simple to make and just incredible for a quick dessert!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Fudge

Recipe taken from here

Now, I have never been a fan of fudge.  I have always found it to be far more sweet than necessary.  I mean, when I finish eating a teeny tiny square of fudge I feel like I've simply been eating sugar with a spoon out of a bag and need to head on over to the dentist.  Now, why would I want to eat a dessert that makes me feel like this?

Over the holidays however, I had seen a few recipes for vegan fudge, some with the standard butter and cream base (obviously using vegan substitutes), some using coconut butter, and then some using nuts.  The one with nuts intrigued me very much so, especially because of the addition of peanut butter, I knew I would certainly have to try out a recipe for vegan fudge that was primarily utilizing nuts.

This is not your traditional fudge.  It is not overly sweet, nor does it have the same texture that you get in your standard, cream, butter, and sugar fudge.  I actually really enjoyed this, and it was a heck of a lot easier to make as well since you didn't have to stand over it, nor did you have to use a candy thermometer which is always a plus in my books.  The result was extraordinary and I would certainly make this again.  The only thing you have to watch out for is that you have to keep it refrigerated, because if you keep it at room temperature for too long it almost starts to lose it form and looks as though it's melting.

Chocolate Fudge:

• 1 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Peanut Butter Fudge:

• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

For chocolate fudge - 

Process the cashews in a food processor until it turns into a dense butter (it should look sort of like play-doh but still be crumbly, no nut pieces though!) Then add cocoa and salt. Blend until combined. Add sweetener of choice, coconut oil and vanilla. Blend until thoroughly combined, it should ball up at this point. Take out and set aside on cutting board or clean countertop.

For peanut butter fudge - 

Process cashews the same way as for the chocolate fudge. Add salt, blend until combined. Add peanut butter, sweetener of choice, coconut oil and vanilla. Process until thoroughly combined.

Rip doughs into 4 large chunks so you have 8. Marble fudge by combining the 8 separate pieces together, and knead until you see it marbling. Shape into a flat rectangle a good inch thick. Chill covered in fridge overnight or at least 3 hours. 

And there you have it, I may be a few months late getting on with this post, for who knows why other than pure laziness but I got it done!  As they say better late than never, and I came through ;)

Christmas Wishes + Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Hello everyone!

Merry Christmas Eve, or Happy Holidays to you. Today is the day that I actually celebrate my first Christmas, since my parents are split up my brother and I always spend one day with my mom or dad on Christmas Eve and vice versa on Christmas day. Each year we swap who get's us on Christmas Eve/Day. This year, i.e. today we are spending it with my mom and her boyfriend and tomorrow we are spending it with my dad and his girlfriend. To be honest, it is kind of a drag but I mean that's what happens when your family isn't together still right? You just have to deal with things that aren't in your hands.

Tonight we are going to have dinner at a restaurant. I've mentioned this prior... it's going to be weird. I really am about tradition, I don't necessarily like change, even though I'm a human being and really should be able to adapt easily, I just really dislike it. Especially in cases like this, Christmas dinner at a restaurant? Weird. I mean, at least we aren't going to McDonald's and we are actually going to a fancy smancy restaurant but still. I will try and take pictures tonight, I hope that they don't forbid camera's for whatever reason. I've already looked at The North Restaurant's menu online and will definitely be having the Pumpkin Seed Crusted Seabass, Tempura Vegetable Roll, Avocado Puree, Chilli Roasted Pepper Sauce. I cannot wait, my brother and my dad went to this restaurant about a month or so ago and raved about it for days, so we shall see!

Afterward we will be coming home, perhaps watch a movie and will be opening our gifts. We will then talk as we usually do, go to sleep, have a really nice breakfast with tons of fruit and WHIPPED CREAM. (I've been craving whipped cream for quite a while now, twice I've gone to the grocery store put it in the cart and taken it out. My mom went to the grocery store by herself today, and came home with a can, I guess I have to eat it now right? :) ). We will then head over to my dads, do our gift exchange, possibly watch a movie, then head over to my dads girlfriends, do a gift exchange and spend the day there.

Before I go ahead and post the amazing cookie recipe, I just want to apologize for not posting as much. It's not that I don't have recipes, because I have recipes coming out of the wazzoo. I've just had a lot of personal things going on right now. I don't feel comfortable talking about it right now, but maybe with time I will talk about it. In the mean time I am going to try and post as frequently as possible, please don't hold it against me.

When I had first found this recipe it was along the time that I had made the Cinnamon Ginger Apple Cider Bread and the Crystallized Ginger and Cinnamon Apple Cider Bagels. I had so much apple cider left in the house since mom's boyfriend always likes to buy things and never finish it, but I just couldn't find a good cookie recipe with liquid in it to make it something amazing. Instead I turned away this recipe.

However, when my mom had received the invitation for the dinner at Casino Rama, they had stuck some mulled apple cider and candy ribbons in the envelope. Immediately I thought back to this recipe. There was no way I was going to be given powdered mulled apple cider and use it as a drink, not after I found this recipe which contained ooey-gooey melted caramel on the inside of a cookie, no way Jose.

I was incredibly excited while I was making this recipe. It was honestly one of the best cookie batters I have ever worked with. Not only that, the instant you pour in the mulled cider spices the whole room just opened up and praised you, yeah, maybe I live in a fairy tale. But I mean seriously, it was fantastic. You then get the mix ready, stuff it with some caramels (after perhaps eating too many while unwrapping them... sometimes I wish they came unwrapped because it would seriously prevent you from eating as many of them, I mean it may not stop you completely but it could definitely help!). Stick them in the oven and just die. Seriously, the aroma that the room gets filled in, then you can see the caramel ooze out of the cracks of the top of the cookie, seriously heavenly.

These are by far one of my favourite cookies I made for the holidays. Heck, it's probably one of the best cookies I've ever had in my life, I don't say that lightly either. These are so incredibly addictive. If I had more mulled apple cider mix I would definitely be in the kitchen right now instead of writing entry.

Truthfully I almost didn't even want to post this recipe and keep it as a secret (even though it is on the internet... it would mean that you would have to go out and seek it for yourself), but it's Christmas Eve I thought I should give you something! This is truthfully one of the best gifts you will receive, and it will definitely be the best virtual gift you receive. You need to make this. I cannot rave about it enough, it is so frickin' fantastic!

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Recipe taken from here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 7.4 ounce package Spiced Apple Cider
• 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line rimless cookie sheets with parchment paper. It has to be parchment this time.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

With a standard cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel sealing well. Place the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.

I hope you guys have yourself an absolutely wonderful Christmas Eve/Day. I hope it is spent with your beautiful and lovely families. Lots of food is shared. Lots of laughs are expelled from your lungs. And joyous moments and memories are created.

I also wanted to say a quick thank you. I may only have six "actual" followers, however, I know that there are people who visit my blog with out being followers and to that I am truly thankful. When I first started this blog I didn't know how it would turn out, but I have many views, and even if I don't have followers that I could put a face to I am glad I continued doing so. It has helped me learn, grow, and has helped me fall asleep at night. I love you all, and appreciate everything. Hopefully for Christmas on my blog I can get a few more followers, if not I am still thankful.

Wishing you nothing but the best.

Christmas Time is Near... + Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

Before I start I just want to show you a picture of just about the freakiest thing I have ever seen.

What is that thing?! I don't know. A hanging Santa head? Some voodoo Santa doll? I'm not sure, but my mom has two of these hanging in our windowsills. When I was unpacking the boxes and I saw this (I had never seen it before) I literally shrieked a little. It is, I don't know it freaks me out... anyways onto what I really wanted to talk about.

Christmas is fast approaching. With that comes joy, laughter, family and friends, toboggan rides, warm cocoa by the fire place, and much more. However, with it it also brings anxiety, stress, anger (due to slow shoppers), and some more sad emotions.

Christmas is a time that once December 1st hits, you suddenly become overcome with joy. It's like your childhood has been brought back to life and no matter what happens nothing can take away the happiness.

The house becomes filled with beautiful scents from the spices in the gingerbread and molasses cookies, to the beautiful sugary smells from the sugar cookies, from the burning wood in the fire place, and the vanilla candles softly burning.

I love Christmas. My family isn't a very "family" oriented group. We don't really have family nights, or family days so when the holidays come it really is something special. We don't really have many traditions either... we used to, but since my parents split up it's a little more difficult to keep with those traditions when it's a nuisance to even pick which day to spend with which parent.

This year was the first year in many that we got a tree. Trust me that isn't my doing, every year I whine and stomp my feet to get a tree, this year my mom decided to finally get one. I went under the stairs in the basement and dug out all of our Christmas decorations. While my mom and her boyfriend were at the store, I brought everything upstairs. I started to hang the stockings, put decorations around the door, and started hanging the lights on the tree. I didn't go any further because I wanted to do it with people. In the mean time I headed over to the kitchen and decided to make some ginger molasses cookies.

By the time they were ready, they walked in. We started to decorate the tree and the house while eating some delicious out of the oven hot ginger molasses cookies.

Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies

Recipe taken from here

These are some of the best Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies I have ever tasted. It's not that the cookie was really any different than a regular molasses cookie, it's simply that it had crystallized ginger added such a beautiful texture to the cookie. It had a great spice and just added a little gummy to the cookie I loved it. These are perfectly crunchy with a great chewy interior. A great cookie to add to your Christmas tray!

On a side note... I put two different trays in the oven, same temperature, same amount of cookie time and got two different results in my cookies, if you look closely you could tell. Odd...

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup finely diced candied ginger, optional
• Sugar for rolling

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda, ground ginger, allspice, cloves, salt in a bowl and mix well.
Beat butter and sugar together in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.
Add egg and molasses. Mix to combine well. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine well. Stir in candied ginger. Refrigerate batter 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour some granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into 1″ balls. Roll in granulated sugar and arrange on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven until set and crinkled on top, 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Speaking of cookies, I wanted to show you a picture of one of my all time favourite cookies. As I'm sure many of you are like me and since you know how to bake you don't usually go to a grocery store and buy your store-bought cookies. I really, hardly ever do unless I'm really craving a special cookie such as my childhood favourite sugar cookies by Voortman. These aren't the typical sugar cookie I would usually go for, because well they aren't soft. However, they have the perfect crunch when you bite into them, they leave crumbs (I'm not sure why I like that but I feel crumbs make a good cookie), they have cute little sprinkles in them, they are perfectly sweet and salty and best of all they remind me of my childhood.

When I was younger we used to buy these every Christmas in this small fat container. I used to munch those bad boys up like there was no tomorrow. When it wasn't Christmas, I could always head to the local grocery store and they had these cookie bins with those in them, wafers, maple cookies and others, however, they took those out :(.

This year I was realllllyy craving an old-fashioned favourite of mine and thought I would pick some up. It definitely made it feel like Christmas. I love the Christmas trees. They all taste exactly the same but my favourite goes from the tree, to the star, to the snowman, I don't know I'm weird. Just like with Smarties my favourite are the blue ones but they all taste the EXACT same.

Just for the fun of it, I thought I would two pictures of my cats lounging near the Christmas tree. This was the first day we put our tree up, and I guess they really felt the love to...

This year for Christmas my mom is thinking of heading to Niagara on the Lake. It should be interesting. Dressing up nice, taking a beautiful walk outside, perhaps taking a horse carriage ride, and eating at a fancy restaurant. But... it still saddens me that she wants to do this. It's a little more difficult since I only eat fish, brother doesn't like fish, mom doesn't like turkey, and her boyfriend is just kind of picky, so this is what it's come to? Really, I would settle on Chinese take-out and eating at home. Especially considering we have a tree this year I just want to be in the comfort of my own home.

I thought I would show you some pictures of my tree.

Notice the owl ornament? Is that not the cutest thing ever? At the beginning of December when I was at Jordan's house his mom surprised me with a gift. Yes, I opened my first gift in December, it was wrapped and everything. I seriously didn't know what to expect. When I opened the gift my eyes definitely lit up as bright as a Christmas tree. I looooooooove owls! They are one of my favourite animals, they're intelligent, beautiful and just such amazing creatures. Ooooh I was so excited. When Christmas is done, I will definitely be hanging these in my room!

I have a few more things to do before Christmas arrives:

• write some personal cards
• finish wrapping/buying two more gifts
• finish two or so more recipes
• finish gift tins
• enjoy the rest of the holidays!

I love this time of year, but I find that once December 26th rolls around, Christmas is out of sight out of mind until next year. Instead people are focused on returning their gifts and already buying the things they don't need/didn't receive at Christmas on Boxing Day. I've never been much of a Boxing Day shopper; I believe I've been twice.

I remember the first time I went was with my brother about four years ago. It was so hectic, there were line ups to get in stores, then there were line ups to pay for the items that you don't necessarily need. It just seems like a huge waste. Maybe it's the Scrooge in me, or maybe it's the fact that people are just ungrateful for the holidays and once it's gone they go back to their unhappy, greedy lives.

I love the feeling that this time of year brings. It makes me want to slow down and just smell the outdoors. It makes me want to sing Christmas music at the top of my lungs. It makes me jovial. I just love everything about it.

My favourite Christmas memory is from when I was about seven years old. My brother and I always woke up really really early to go check out what Santa had left for us in our stockings. This one particular year he had left us this electronic memory game. We were soooo excited to play with it, that we went into the basement and sneaked to play with it because it made a lot of noise. Once we were really tired and ready to go back to bed until it was time to open our gifts we sneaked upstairs. Being the oldest I decided to go first, with my brother following. I swept past the hamster cages, while Anthony ran right into his hamster Rocky's cage. Well, Rocky went flying, the cage came apart, and everything in the cage looked like it had been a hurricane all over the floor.

Needless to say we made a lot of noise... pop's woke up, and we had to clean it, but it was a great memory. It is that memory that I cherish above almost all of my Christmas memories.

What is your favourite Christmas memory?

Orange Honey Lavender Palmiers + Triple C Palmiers (Chocolate, Caramel, Coconut)

"A palm tree (French: palmier) is a Spanish or French pastry in a palm shape or a butterfly shape, sometimes called palm leaves, elephant ears or glasses. It is thought to have originated in France around the turn of the century, but appears to a broader geography than just France. There is no known first credit for the recipe."

"Palmiers are made from puff pastry, a laminated dough similar to the dough used for croissant, but without the yeast. Puff pastry is alternating layers of dough and melted butter. The puff pastry is rolled out, coated with sugar, and then the two sides are rolled up together so that they meet in the middle, making a roll that is then cut into about 1/4" slices and baked. Usually it is rolled in sugar before baking. In the Puerto Rican version, it is topped with honey." - Wikipedia

Over the course of the summer I saw many different versions of palmiers. I had never had them before, and I had a box of puff pastry in my fridge so I decided that I would be trying out these suckers. I mean c'mon now, buttery puff pastry with honestly any toppings that I want? Yeah, obviously I couldn't this slip away from me. I made two different versions. One with lavender, orange zest, sugar and honey, which was honestly beautiful. The flavours came so well together, it seriously tasted like tea time. The other I added chocolate chips, Life brand cereal, coconut, and tons of ooey-gooey melted caramel, yeah... those were DEFINITELY sinful.

I seriously loved these beautiful little pastries. They were fun to make, packed with flavour and were seriously one of the easiest baked goods I've ever made. I really wanted to make my own puff pastry, but since I had a box in the fridge I figured I might as well use it up. However, now that I don't have any, I have a good excuse to make some :)!

Orange Honey Lavender Palmiers

• 2 tsp crushed Lavender
• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 heaping tbsp honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 sheet of Puff Pastry

Triple C Palmiers (Chocolate, Caramel, Coconut)

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups life brand cereal processed
• 1 cup coconut, toasted
• 1 cup caramel

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Mix your ingredients together in a bowl. Sift some sugar (with no honey in it) over your workstation. Roll out the puff pastry. Sprinkle your lavender mix over the puff pastry. (Or change accordingly for the Triple C version, or whichever ingredients you decide).

Fold up the left and right vertical side inward, stopping at about 1/4 of the pastry. Fold both sides that meet at the center and touch with each other. Press the two sides together gently as picture shown. Let the pastry chill in the fridge for at least half an hour. (Repeat with any more puff pastry you may have.)

Transfer pastry on your workstation carefully. Cut pastry into strips about 1.25cm (1/2 inch) in thickness. Pinch and press the sides of the two rolls together to ensure that they don't unroll during baking.

Refrigerate for fifteen minutes so that the flavours combine and to make it easier to cut.

Place on baking tray lined with baking paper . Leave about 5 cm (2 inches) between each because they will increase in size after baking. Bake in batches if needed.

Set the tray in the middle of the oven.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, turning once at about 7 minutes, until the sugar has caramelized and golden brown. Allow them to cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Lavender Sugar Cookies + Peppermint Sugar Cookies + Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Coconut Icing

Lavender Sugar Cookies

Recipe taken from here

I had mentioned recently that I have become incredibly fascinated with lavender in baking. I love the scent it emits, i.e. it doesn't give off the strong floral scent that you usually receive from the fresh flowers, rather I find it gives off a perfumey smell, but a classical smell. The flavour is beautiful, rich, and sassy, I don't find it tastes' like potpourri like I have heard many people describe it as.

This cookie has been what I've been looking for. It had a crispy crunchy crust-like exterior, the sugar gives a crackle to the exterior, much like molasses spice cookies. The interior was soft, gooey and just insanely tasty.

With the added lavender flavour, this cookie was just insanely decadent. If you're not a fan of lavender, do without this cookie is surely to please. It is one of the most perfect sugar cookies I have ever had and am glad to of stumbled along this recipe. This along with my other sugar cookie recipe and the one that will be following.

If you don't have a sugar cookie recipe on your holiday list yet, either make sure that this one gets made, or the one below, you certainly will not regret it, and your guests will surely be thankful and full of large toothy smiles!

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp chopped dried lavender buds
• 3/4 cup of butter or shortening
• 2 cups of white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together the butter or shortening and the sugar.

Mix in vanilla and eggs into the creamed mixture.

Stir the lavender, baking powder, salt and flour together and set aside.

Blend baking soda into buttermilk.

Combine the buttermilk and dry ingredients alternately until you have a well creamed mixture.

Chill the lavender sugar cookie dough for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.

Lightly flour your work surface. Not too much as it will make the dough difficult to roll out and make the cookies hard. Before I roll out the dough, sprinkle the top with lavender sugar to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Now cut with your favorite cookie cutters.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Recipe adapted from here

This is the other perfect sugar cookie recipe. Now before I start, I'm just going to say it was adapted quite a bit because I was at Jordan's house and they didn't have a lot of ingredients that I would of typically used in my cookies so I had to adapt and make the cookies work. Well they came out divine. I was really skeptical at first, I made Jordan try the batter, he really enjoyed it, but I was skeptical. When they came out, it was just like the prior, hard crunchy sugary shell with a beautiful soft interior. I loved this recipe and when made with the ingredients from the original recipe I think it would definitely be perfection. The whole batch was almost gone that first day, I know, I ate four cookies that first day they just kept calling me, so delicious, definitely a perfect sugar cookie! I want to try this recipe out with the matcha as the recipe was adapted to, but they didn't have any at their house, therefore, after the holidays I will certainly be trying it this way.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup vanilla yoghurt
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 candy canes crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, matcha green tea powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll dough into balls about one inch in diameter and flatten slightly to create round discs, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Coconut Icing

Recipe taken from here

This was far from a perfect sugar cookie. It didn't have the beautiful crispy exterior, instead it was more of a cake-like soft texture. The interior was just as cakey as a pancake, and the flavour was sort of bare. I was a little disappointed since I had saved this recipe in hopes of finding a perfect recipe, but this was not it. Unfortunately I was giving these to my friend for her birthday so I needed to figure out how to spruce these bad boys up. Well, she is a huge fan of coconut so I knew I wanted to incorporate that into the recipe. I made a simple icing, added some coconut, and these cookies were perfect! The addition of the icing was magnificent, take away the icing, blugh... In the end she ended up loving the cookies, brought them into work and shared some with her family and they ended up loving them as well. I ended up turning a lot of them into double deckers, I thought they were really cute, especially with the blue icing and the snowflake sprinkles :)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cup sifted flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup vanilla fortified soy milk

Directions:

Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Cream until soft and fluffy. Then add eggs
one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together.
Alternately add ingredients and milk to egg sugar mixture. Mix well.

Chill 3 hours or overnight. Roll out on a well-floured board or counter top to 1/4-1/2
in. thickness. Shape with floured cookie cutters. Bake on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Coconut Icing

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup toasted dessicated coconut
• Food colour

Directions:

In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Gradually add coconut, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. (Add food colour if desired). Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Have yourself a great day!