I heart cookies.

Date Pinwheels

Who doesn't love the smell of cookies baking in the oven? Whether it be a classic chocolate chip, sugar, gingersnap, or any other dozens of cookies one can name, everyone loves that delicious aroma wafting from the oven, and the promise that in 12 short minutes, you will have a delightful morsel in your hands, which you can dunk in a glass of cool milk, if you so desire. (Oh, and the fact that the cookie is extremely hot and has the chance of scalding your mouth has no bearing on your decision to grab it right off the cookie sheet).

Mmm-mmm....my mouth is watering just a little bit right now.

Sugar Cookies

Growing up, I SO looked forward to the days when my mom would suddenly get bit by the "baking bug" and would whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies for our family to have after dinner. There's nothing fancy about her recipe, but yet to me, they were one of the best tasting things in the entire world. They aren't particularly huge, but they're the perfect size to fit in the palm of your hand. The outside is slightly crunchy, while the inside retains a gooey, "melt in your mouth" sort of texture. Dip that lil' guy in a cup of milk and I was SOLD!

Now-a-days, I try to eat healthy and clean, so I try not to eat cookies as much as I once did. Not to say that I don't occasionally enjoy a sweet little treat...everyone has to treat themselves once in awhile, or else the world would be full of angry, hungry people. And I really REALLY enjoy baking them for others to eat and enjoy! Yes, I love doing the complicated jobs like wedding cakes and cheesecakes, but it's completely relaxing and freeing to sit down with 60 naked sugar cookies and go to town with some royal icing, piping bag, and cups full of colored icing. I love that sort of detail work and I enjoy taking my time to produce bakery quality goods.

Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies

I'm not the only one trying to eat healthy these days...if you do just a bit of research, you'll find that it's SO much better for your body, mind and spirit. But for many of us, it's very hard to give up cookies and sweet treats and we think that the answer is cutting out sweets all together. All it takes is just a little will power, right? It's not THAT hard...

False. It is quite hard.

One thing that I've enjoyed doing is experimenting with some of my favorite cookie recipes and transforming them into fairly healthy treats that won't make you buy a bigger belt! There are some very simple switches you can do to make your favorite cookie recipes healthy:

-Swap half (or all) of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour and/or dry oats

-Reduce the amount of sugar (and make half of it brown), OR use a sugar substitute like Agave, Honey, Molasses or Brown Rice Syrup (or a combination of them)

-Swap milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips, or take them out all together and add nuts & dried fruit instead

-Use ground flax seed & water as an egg substitute

-Swap regular milk for almond or soy milk

-Swap half of the oil or butter for a combination of unsweetened applesauce and yogurt (use Greek for lots of added protein!)

-EXPERIMENT! What fun swaps can YOU come up with??

Healthy Cookies! That's Sweet Potato Cranberry on the left, and Banana Blueberry on the right!

It's true, all of these swaps will not yield the exact same sort of full fat cookie that you grew up eating, but over time, you might be surprised to find that you love your new, healthy cookie recipes more than your old ones (especially when you DON'T see your waistline expanding). I've come up with an original, super healthy breakfast cookie recipe that's modeled after the oatmeal I eat every morning. They don't look pretty, but they have a wonderful, mildly sweet taste and are surprisingly moist! I don't use any eggs, milk (except for almond), or butter/oil, but you wouldn't really know the difference. They're full of lots and lots of fiber and healthy fats, so you might not want to eat too many at a time, or eat them in close proximity to anyone. I wish I could make one for every person to try so you could become a believer in the healthy cookie!

I am so very excited that fall is OFFICIALLY in full swing now, and my mind has been reeling with various fall cookie recipes. The ingredients will probably include: maple, pumpkin, cinnamon (lots and lots!), apple, walnuts, and/or pecans. The possibilities are ENDLESS!

FROSTED Hearts!

After fall comes Christmas, which means it'll soon be time to bake some of my most favorite cookies in the world! Sugar cookies (as previously mentioned), Chewy Gingersnaps, and Mint Chocolate Delights Cookies, unlike cake or cheesecake, are the PERFECT "grab and go" snacks. You can grab a handful, of all different varieties and still be hungry to try a few more. Since college, I've started to dip my cookies into coffee, instead of milk, but that doesn't change their simple goodness in the least. In fact, I think it enhances it!



 (TIP: If you need any cookie recipe for any occasion, Allrecipes.com has been my most favorite resource! Always make sure to read the reviews, and see what sort of modifications people have made-or, just make some of your own!)

3 cheers for cookies!

Valentine's version of my Mint Chocolate Delights-this time topped with Vanilla Buttercream and homemade Straw/Raspberry compote!

-xoxo

CHEESECAKES.

Pumpkin Walnut Cheesecake

It was just around a year ago that I started to work at Baires, and it wasn't too long after that when I volunteered to start making desserts to sell at the restaurant every Friday. I don't remember the exact situation, but somehow while talking to Marcela and one of my co-workers, cheesecake came up, and I mentioned that I've been using my grandmother's cheesecake recipe for as long as I can remember, which eventually led to me being asked to make one. Things have snowballed ever since, and I have LOVED using that time tested recipe as a base for the many kinds of cheesecake I make these days.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake-drizzle it with Dark Chocolate for some extra YUM!

I don't know when it was that I tried my first cheesecake, but I know that it was at my Grandma Davis' house one Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. Her cheesecake recipe isn't fancy or frilly, but its simplicity is what makes it SO good. It has a wonderful vanilla flavor and a creamy rich texture that is hard to come by in store bought cakes. At some point in my childhood, my dad copied down the recipe in his nearly illegible writing, and over time, I copied it down for myself. I remember how we would make one every Christmas for his boss, and I loved going with dad and David to deliver it. Any food that reminds me of my favorite holiday is a winner in my book!

This Turtle Cheesecake is DEFNITELY turtley enough for the Turtle Club!

A unique feature about my Grandmother's cheesecake is that she always baked hers in an angel food cake pan. I really didn't know how much this affected the lightness of the cheesecake until last fall. I had baked a Pumpkin Walnut cheesecake for work, and had used an angel food cake pan, like I always do. Marcela suggested for my next one that I try using a springform pan, because that would produce a nicer looking slice of cake and I agreed. A woman had tried my Pumpkin Walnut cake and ordered one for the following weekend. I baked hers in a springform pan instead of an angel food cake, and she was able to tell the difference. My guess is that the cylinder in the center of the angel food cake pan allowed for more air to circulate throughout the cake, thus resulting in a fluffier texture. Although it goes against the tradition I grew up with, I continue to use the springform pan and have gotten rave reviews from my regulars at Baires!

White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl with a Dark Chocolate crust

There is a lot of science and know how behind baking a good, crack-less cheesecake, which dianasdesserts.com spells out very nicely. I've baked so many cheesecakes in the past year that I don't really follow a recipe anymore, but for someone who doesn't have a lot of experience, research and practice will be your best keys in baking a successful and deeeeelish cake. Because of my 1930s SUPER hot gas oven, I've had to modify the way I bake my cakes. I now use the "water bath" method, and only turn the oven up to 290 degrees instead of the usual 350. Typically, my cheesecake is done in about 45-55 minutes, which isn't too far off of the normal baking time.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake...a favorite at Baires!

Another thing I do now is that after my cheesecake is done, I turn off the oven and let it rest with the oven door closed for an hour. Why? Because it actually continues baking in the pan! According to my dad, a cheesecake is done when it "jiggles like a baby's bottom" as you gently shake the pan. Funny, none of the websites I looked on said that, but they did say that the cake is done when 2-3'' of the center of the cake is still slightly jiggly. After it's done resting, I leave the foil on the bottom of the pan and transfer it to the fridge, where I immediately cover it with foil. That seals in some of that hot air and allows the cheesecake to cool at a slower pace, thus (hopefully) preventing cracking. Don't freak out if you see cracks around the edge of your cake as it cools. The whole thing will kinda sink and fall towards the middle, sealing some of the cracks. If not, drizzle a yummy topping over it and no one will ever know!

Double Dark Chocolate Cheesecake...Marcela's favorite!

I feel like cheesecakes have a reputation for being difficult, and it's true, sometimes they are a bit temperamental. But like almost any dessert, they lend themselves to SO much creativity and I have really enjoyed straying from the recipe I grew up using. I am reminded of my grandma every time I make a cheesecake, and I only wish that she could be here to see me use her recipe and grow deeper in my love of baking. I don't want to sound conceited, but I know she would be proud of me.

Healthy (and easily made Vegan) Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Happy cheesecake baking, friends!

-xoxo

Cheesecake bars-the perfect amount of cheesecake!

Amaretto Cheesecake

(For some reason I don't have a picture of it, but I've also made a Lemonberry Cheesecake, which is a delightful summer treat!)