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The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Winning Girl Scout Cookie Recipes (+Tips for Hosting a Kids’ Bake-off)

February 12 By Renée 15 Comments

The top three winning Girl Scout Cookie Recipes from our local Cookie Bake-off, plus lots of tips for hosting your own Girl Scout Cookie bake-off. 

Cupcakes - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Sweet & Salty S’mores Cupcakes, plus two kinds of Thin Mint Cupcakes!

I didn’t start out to be a Girl Scout leader. I was, am, and will always be a Camp Fire kid at heart, but when my oldest entered Kindergarten a few decades ago, Girl Scouting was it where we lived, so that’s what we did. Five Girl Scout daughters, four troops, and twenty years later, I finally hung up my Leader hat… but I kept my Volunteer hat. (Always will.)

That’s how we all ended up at a Girl Scout Cookie Baking Competition a few cookie seasons ago. Competition in event was open to any Girl Scout from our community. 

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Girl Scouts is such an iconic organization that it’s easy to overlook how daring an idea it was for founder Juliette Gordon Low to gather those first 18 girls in that troop in Savannah, Georgia. It was 1912, after all, and women wouldn’t earn the right to vote for another eight years.” — Anna Maria Chavez 

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3 Treats - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

ExciteMint Fudge, S’mores Nutella Cheesecake, and Do-Si-Do Brownie Pops

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How to Host a Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off

PLUS Top Winning Girl Scout Cookie Recipes 
  1. Samoa Cheesecake Bars [Judges’ Ultimate Winner]
  2. Strawberry Thin Mint Cookie Delight [People’s Choice]
  3. Toffeetastic Butterscotch Mud Pie [My Personal Choice!]

Samples - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

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Four Important Questions to consider when hosting a Bake-off.  

1. What is kind of Bake-off will it be? 

Specifically, what is the bake-off challenge?

In the case of our bake-off, the specific challenge was to create a dessert using at least one variety of Girl Scout cookie as a primary ingredient. 

Who can enter?

Our bake-off was open to any registered Girl Scout. 

Can contestants have more than one entry?

Can a contestant enter more than one recipe? If there are multiple categories that a contestant is eligible for, can they win with more than one entry?

Is this an individual competition, or can contestants work in teams? 

Must recipes be fully cooked at home, or must they be completed at the competition?

Is there a theme or primary ingredient?

We had both a theme and a primary ingredient: Desserts and Girl Scout Cookies.

How much of each recipe must a contestant provide on the day of the contest? 

Each girl who entered this bake-off was asked to provide two batches of their recipe: one for Judges to observe for appearance, presentation, etc., and a second for tasting by judges and event goers. After the judges had made their determination, the first batch was offered up for tasting by the crowd as well. 

Lemon Trefoil Cake - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Tiny Lemon Trefoil Cakes

2. Who decides who wins? 

Will you have a panel of Judges? Do the attendees get a vote? 

For our Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off, the hosting troop assembled a panel of five judges. Because of my long history with the hosting troop, I was asked to be a Judge. However, I’ve been trying to cut back on sugar lately, so at the last minute I handed that esteemed privileged over to Mr B. 

(Passing the Judge’s torch to Mr B ended up being a good move for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it allowed me time to walk around and take pictures of all the sweet entries. It also saved me from the imminent tummy ache that would plague him for the rest of the day.)

PRO TIP: Mr. B’s had one vital tip for would-be Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off judges: Drink water. Lots and lots of water.

This is, unfortunately, a lesson he learned the hard way. Even though he and the rest of the judges were very careful to eat only a very small tasting from each entry, because he neglected to drink enough water, he spent most of the day following the competition with a very uncomfortable tummy ache.

Matching Cake & Dress - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

This Mini-Martha-in-training even matched her dress to her entry – “Naomi’s Tagalong Storm Cake.”

3. How will winners be decided?

It is important to clearly define the points and systems upon which the entires will be judged ahead of time. 

If you are hosting a bake-off, you will need to figure out how the winners will be picked. I won’t try to tell you how to run your circus, but this is the system that was used for our Cookie Bake-off, and it seemed to work pretty smoothly. 

Judges

Each Judge was given a clipboard, pencil, and instruction sheet outlining a scoring system for assigning points to each point system for scoring each entry. 

Each contestant was assigned a number for judging.

Entries were judged on three elements:

  • Taste
  • Presentation
  • Use of Girl Scout Cookies

Submissions were judged in each of these categories on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest.

Judges - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

“The Judges”

Competition was divided into three Divisions, based on age. Three overall winners were then chosen from the winners of each age bracket. An Ultimate Winner was then chosen from the Division winners, for a total of ten winners.  

While I wandered from table to table taking pictures, Mr B spent his time hunching over his clipboard, carefully evaluating each tasty bite that was brought to him by his assigned assistant. Together with his fellow judges, he crunched, munched, nibbled, and savored samples from each of the nearly twenty entries.

Judging is Hard Work - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Judging a bake-off is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!

Mr B and I are both big Chopped fans, and I wasn’t surprised that this influenced his role as a judge in the  competition. When Taste and Presentation scores were too close to make a call, Use of Cookie(s) tipped the scales.

We found ourselves judging not only what[the girls] made, but their use of the cookie as well. Did they get the ingredients in? Could you taste those ingredients? That made it interesting. It also made it challenging for us, because we challenged ourselves to see if the cookies came through in each dish, or if they were just sprinkled on top.” ~ Mr B

Peoples' Choice - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Cups set up for “Peoples’ Choice” voting

Event Attendees

Each attendee was given a number of tickets (5). Voting boxes with the name of one recipe was placed on a central table. Attendees circulated, trying samples of each recipe and then placing their tickets in the boxes representing the recipes they liked most. The recipe that received the most tickets won the People’s Choice Award.

4. What kind of recognition and/or prizes will you award? 

You can award anything from a handshake to a certificate to gift cards donated by the community. What I noticed as the prizes were award was, especially with regard to the younger kiddos, bragging rights were worth more than just about anything. 

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Additional Considerations for Hosting a Bake-off

This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list; there are plenty of additional considerations to make, including location and facility set-up, announcement of the contest, timing, and so forth. However, if you can get all these questions answered, you’ll be off to a great start! 

Now, on to the winning recipes in our Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off! 

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Winning Recipes from Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

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Judges Choice {The Ultimate Winner}

At the end of the day, it was the ooey gooey decadence of these Samoa Cheesecake Bars that won out. (Personally, I think using the term “bar” to describe this dessert is probably a bit of a stretch, but then again, who says you can’t eat cookies with a spoon?)

Samoa Cheesecake Bars - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Oooey, Gooey, Samoa Cheesecake “Bars”

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Samoa Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dessert
Author: Alyssa M - Troop 40273

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

  • 20 Oreos
  • 5 tablespoons butter melted

Cheesecake Layer

  • 16 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Coconut Caramel Chocolate Layer

  • 11 oz. package caramels
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut toasted
  • 6 crushed Samoa cookies
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 8x8 baking pan by lining it with foil.
  • With a rolling pin or In a food processor, crush the oreos into a fine crumbs.
  • Combine the crushed cookies and butter together in a medium bowl. Press cookie mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool completely.
  • With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
  • Spread cream cheese mixture over the prepared crust. Bake it for 30-35 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Cool completely, and then refrigerate for an hour.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the caramel and heavy cream in the microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time. Stir and return to microwave until melted and smooth.
  • Add the toasted coconut and crushed Samoas to the melted caramel mixture. Cool 10 minutes.
  • Spread melted caramel mixture over cheesecake layer. Return to refrigerator and chill for 3 hours.
  • Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time until smooth. Drizzle on top of caramel.
  • Allow to sit for 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

According to the recipe directions provided at time of the competition, this recipe was adapted from one found on TheRecipeCritic.com.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

The People’s Choice

Twins - Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

“It’s really hard to decide on a winner. Maybe we need to try them all again!”

Ultimately, “The People” chose the freshest, lightest, most simple dessert in the contest as their favorite. (Not a bad lesson there, folks.) Strawberry Thin Mint Cookie Delight has only three ingredients and takes less than five minutes to prepare.

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

People’s Choice Winner – “Strawberry Thin Mint Cookie Delight”

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Strawberry Thin Mint Cookie Delight

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dessert
Author: Daisy M, Brownie Troop #40602

Ingredients

  • Whipped cream
  • Strawberries cut up
  • Girl Scout Thin Mints crumbled

Instructions

  • Layer ingredients in cup. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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My Personal Choice

Finally, as a lover of all things caramelly and butterscotchy, this Toffeetastic Butterscotch Mud Pie with Shaved Chocolate was my personal favorite entry in the contest. My insider source (i.e., Mr B) tells me that it had a great chance to be the overall winner, but ended up coming in fourth because of poor pudding execution: the texture was just too grainy for the judges’ tastes. Flavor-wise though, it was delicious.

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

[Note: Granular consistency in homemade butterscotch pudding is a common, tricky challenge. It can be avoided by (a) being patient as you whisk in the cream, (b) tempering the cornstarch mixture, and (c) whisking continually as the mixture reaches a boil. You can make the pudding even smoother by straining the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. For more complete directions about how to make super-smooth butterscotch pudding, check out this great post on TheKitchn.com]

Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted Woman

Toffeetastic Butterscotch Mud Pie

Prep Time4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 box Toffeetastic Girl Scout Cookies
  • 2 Tbls sugar
  • 6 Tbls melted butter

Butterscotch Pudding

  • 4 tbls butter
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla

Topping

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 ounces chocolate shaved

Instructions

Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a food processor or by hand, finely crush your cookie crumbs. Add sugar and melted butter and stir to combine.
  • Press crumb mixture into a 9" pie pan, and bake in preheated oven for for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm, fragrant and lightly toasted.
  • Set aside to cool.

Butterscotch Pudding

  • In heavy saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar, and salt to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.
  • In small bowl, stir cornstarch into 1/3 cup of the milk until dissolved. Add egg yolks; beat with whisk until blended.
  • Into saucepan with brown sugar mixture, pour remaining 2 cups milk, heavy cream and stir to combine. Add the cornstarch mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. When pudding comes to a rolling boil, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Pour pudding into prepared pie shell. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Topping

  • Beat heavy cream in a chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread whipped cream over cold pudding-pie and sprinkle with shaved chocolate. Chill until serving time.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Congratulations to all the winners!

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Girl Scout Cookie Bake-off   Winning Recipes from Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Bake-off | The Good Hearted WomanWavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Originally published April 11, 2017. 

Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets Tagged With: cookies, Sweet Somethings

Homemade Fortune Cookie Recipe | Takeout Box DIY + FREE Printable Fortunes

January 30 By Renée 15 Comments

Our easy Homemade Fortune Cookie recipe provides an easy, step-by-step directions. Add a DIY Takeout Box and personalized fortunes for an extra-special touch! 

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

No matter how old you are, the moment when you crack open a fortune cookie still holds a little magic, and personalized fortune cookies are a great way to say I Love You! (Or Happy St. Patrick’s Day, or Joyous Arbor Day, or whatever day you want to celebrate.)

This post included everything you need to create personalized homemade fortune cookies, and deliver them in an adorable, easy-to-make Takeout Box!

  1. Chinese Takeout Box DIY

  2. Printable Valentine’s Day Fortunes

  3. Homemade Fortune Cookie Recipe & Instructions

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

Post Updated January 30, 2020 (Originally published February 12, 2015)

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How to Make a Chinese Takeout Box

Just print out the handy Chinese Takeout Box Pattern [PDF] and follow the easy instructions. 

One box will take the seasoned crafter about 5 minutes (and those with four thumbs about 15 minutes). 

Yield: 1 Takeout Box

Chinese Take-out Box DIY

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

Printable pattern and instructions for an easy-to-make folded Chinese Takeout Box, perfect for gift-giving!

Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Estimated Cost 50¢

Materials

  • Cardstock

Tools

  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Print out the Chinese Takeout Box pattern. Be sure to hit “fit for page” before you print. Chinese Takeout Box Template
  2. Trace the pattern onto the back of a piece of heavy scrapbooking paper or cardstock. 
  3. Use scissors to cut along the SOLID BLACK lines. blank
  4. Valley fold along the DOTTED BLUE lines. - In a valley fold, the crease is at the bottom and the paper is folded forward into itself. The paper should form a "V" when you unfold. Valley Fold - Takeout Box
  5. Mountain fold along the SOLID ORANGE lines. A mountain fold is the opposite of a valley fold. The paper folds to the opposite side. Mountain Fold - Takeout Box

Notes

scrapbooking paper and cardstock

Did you make this project?

THANK YOU for being a reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman.  Be sure to Pin this post!

© The Good Hearted Woman, Harmony Cat LLC
Category: Arts & Crafts

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Printable Personalized Fortune Cookie Fortunes

Personalized fortune cookies are perfect for kids, friends, family, teachers, and anyone else you want to surprise! 

Here are plenty of printable fortunes for your sweetheart, plus a page full of blanks for you to personalize! 

TIP: Look to your favorite songs for fast fortune-writing. 
Valentines Cookie Fortunes

Free Printable Fortune Cookie Fortunes | The Good Hearted Woman

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Fortune Cookie Recipe & Instructions

Following the fortune cookie recipe below, it will take about 40 minutes to make 24 cookies. (Add about 15 minutes plus cooling time if you want to dip them in chocolate.)

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 1 vote

Homemade Fortune Cookies

Personalized homemade fortune cookies are a great way to say I Love You!
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time40 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Sweet Treat
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cookies, Holidays, Valentine's Day
Servings: 24 Cookies
Calories: 74kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • Cookie Sheet
  • Silpat Mat
  • Standard Muffin Tin

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter melted
  • 4 egg whites
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional:

  • Dipping Chocolate
  • Sprinkles
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Before you make the first cookie:

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Gather your materials: you will need a cutting board, a coffee mug and a muffin tin.
  • Print out and cut fortunes.
    Be sure to do this before you bake the cookies. You will not have time to do it when they come out of the oven!

Mixing the batter:

  • In a blender or mixer, combine egg whites and sugar.
    Beat for about a minute, and then add flour and salt and beat another 30 seconds. (I do this all in my blender.)
  • Add melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until mixed.

Making the cookies:

  • Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough onto silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. (I use a Silpat sheet.)
    Spread batter with the back of a spoon into a thin 4-5 inch circle.
    Start by making 2 circles at a time. (I don’t ever do more than 3 at a time.)
  • Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
  • Remove from the oven.
    Immediately take one cookie and place it on a wooden cutting board.
    Keep bottom (the side that was "down" while cooking) down.
  • Place a fortune in the middle of the cookie and fold in half.
    Place the middle of the flat side over the edge of a coffee mug.
    Pull the corners down to shape.
    Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Immediately place the formed cookie into a muffin cup and allow it to cool completely.
    Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Repeat process until all the batter has been used.

Notes

  • No matter how crafty you are, plan on a few broken cookies.  They are going to happen – accept it.  It’s OK though – just dip them in chocolate and enjoy.
  • Be sure to have everything ready before you put the first cookie in the oven. I know I already said this. I’m saying it again.
  • Cookies are HOT when the come out of the oven. (Can a get a “Duh”?) You can wear non-cotton gloves if you want, but I find that very cumbersome. Instead, I use my fingernail to peel the cookie off the Silpat sheet, and then handle them gingerly with the tips of my fingers.  Either way, you have been warned.
  • DO NOT try to make more than 3 or 4 cookies at a time, no matter how awesome you are. It won’t work. Really.
  • If your cookies cool too fast, 15-30 seconds back in the oven will soften them… a little.
  • Wait until the cookies are completely cool before attempting to dip them. This just makes sense, but some people try to rush the process. Don’t be one of them.
  • There are many recipes for fortune cookies out there, but in my experience, this is the best one. (It has 25% less sugar than most and the cookies are still plenty sweet, just so you know.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

How to Form a Fortune Cookie – A Closer Look 

  1. Place a fortune in the middle of a warm cookie and fold in half.
  2. Place the middle of the flat side over the edge of a coffee mug.
  3. Pull the corners down to shape.

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

Immediately place the formed fortune cookie into a muffin cup and allow it to cool completely.

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

PRO TIP: Color code your homemade fortune cookies!

If you choose to dip-n-sprinkle your cookies, you can avoid fortune-awkwardness (like giving your daughter a fortune that says “You are my Knight in Shining Armor“). Just use different sprinkle combinations for your Sweetheart, kids, friends, etc. (If you choose to leave them plain, you’re on your own.)

Sweet Fortune Take-Out - Homemade Fortune Cookies {with FREE Valentines Day Printables} | The Good Hearted Woman

Valentine’s Day Dinner Idea:

Looking for a dinner recipe that says, “I love you”? Shepherd’s Pie is a Valentine’s Day tradition at our house. The epitome of comfort food, it is one way to show the people who mean the most in this world how much they are loved. 

Check out this post from the DIY Network for more cute and easy Valentine’s crafts! 

Homemade Fortune Cookies | The Good Hearted Woman

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. • Be sure to PIN this post!

Homemade Fortune Cookies    Homemade Fortune Cookies in Take-out Box

Homemade Fortune Cookies {with FREE Valentines Day Printables}
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Arts, Crafts & DIY, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: cookies, crafts, DIY, Holidays, Sweet Somethings, Valentine's Day

Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

December 6 By Renée 23 Comments

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays! 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

~ Charles Schultz

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With a bite like a soft, fudgy brownie dusted with a fresh coating of powered sugar, Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are tried and true: you’re almost sure to find a batch at any school bake sale or holiday cookie exchange.

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are amazingly simple to make, and taste absolutely decadent. (I also have it on good authority that they are one of Santa’s favorite treats!)

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

I always knew my mother’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were better than anyone else’s. For a long time though, I didn’t know why. I guess I just supposed everyone thinks their mom’s cookies are the best.

It wasn’t until I started doing recipe development that I learned what set Mom’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe apart: they are flourless. And oil-free! Totally. 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

From what I can tell, this recipe has its roots in another one of Mom’s recipes: Swiss Chews. Swiss Chew’s are totally gluten free, employing ground walnuts for structure and mass instead of flour. This Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe seems to be an adaptation of that earlier recipe.

(I’ll be sharing her original Swiss Chews recipe – my brother’s favorite cookie – soon!) 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie dough balls, rolled and ready for the oven

Not only are these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies flourless, but they are also free of added fats! No oil. No butter. (Trust me on this: they don’t need it.)

Which brings me to this little extra holiday bonus: these deliciously fudgy bites of heaven have only about 65 calories per cookie! Can you believe it‽ Now you have no excuse: go make a batch or three today! 

Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
5 from 1 vote

Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays! 
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Refrigeration Time2 hrs
Total Time40 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: Holiday
Keyword: chocolate, Gluten-free
Servings: 36
Calories: 65kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 3 eggs separated
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling prepared dough in
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 340° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat. 

Cookie Dough Prep

  • In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly. Set aside.
  • In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they resemble cracked wheat. [Be careful - if you let them go too long, you'll have walnut butter!] Measure walnuts after chopping. Set aside. 
  • Melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 40 seconds at a time, stirring after each cycle, until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. To the beaten egg whites, gradually add brown sugar mixture and then vanilla, beating until thick. Gently fold in walnuts and beaten egg yolks.
  • Fold the melted chocolate chocolate into the whipped egg-white mixture.
  • Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. [DO NOT attempt to make cookies until the dough is cold!] 

Forming Cookies

  • Form 1" balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or spoon. (About 2 teaspoons per cookie.) A small cookie scoop works perfect for this.
  • Pour 1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or plate. Rolls cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. (You do not need to press the cookie balls down.)
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If you make your cookies larger, you may need to bake them for an addition 2-3 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 

Notes

Walnuts should be chopped very fine, but not beyond recognition - about the same consistency as cracked wheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

We’ve got lot’s of other delicious cookie recipes here on GHW; including Amaretti (Italian Macaron Cookies), super-easy Coconut Cookies, and the best Snickerdoodles ever!

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Gluten-free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: chocolate, Christmas, cookies

Cranberry Meyer Lemon Shortbread Hearts

February 6 By Renée 17 Comments

Cranberry & Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day – or any day! Surprise your Sweetheart with some homemade sunshine!

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Brief and fleeting, Meyer lemon season is anticipated by cooks and bakers everywhere. But what makes Meyer lemons so special?

Thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange, Meyer lemons bring a bright, naturally sweet, slightly tart punch to everything they touch. In addition to being sweeter than a regular lemon, they are generally smaller, with a scent noses more civilized than mine describe as “a spicy bergamot fragrance that tastes and smells more like an herb or a spice.” Meyer lemons start arriving in US stores around the end of November and disappear by late March.

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts | The Good Hearted Woman

Meyer lemons were first introduced to the US in 1908 by agricultural explorer (LOVE that job title!) Frank Meyer of the US Department of Agriculture. It seems Frank brought a sample home with him from a trip to China, where they are often grown ornamentally; however, Meyer lemons didn’t take off in culinary circles until the late 1990’s, when celebrity chefs “discovered” them and made them popular with their audiences.

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

I’d been toying with the idea of making cranberry shortbread hearts for Valentine’s Day this year for some time, but I hadn’t quite committed to the idea until I stumbled onto a bag of Meyer lemons last week.

I was certain that the Meyer’s complex citrus profile, combined with the tart-sweet of dried cranberries, would elevate this unassumingly little tea cookie to the next level. Turns out, I was right!

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

One of the keys to this recipe is the whipped butter. Make sure that your your butter is at room temperature then put it into the mixer bowl, start your mixer and *walk away.* I cream the butter for no less than 5 minutes before adding anything else. The butter should be very pale before you move on to the next step.

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts {+28 Meyer Lemon Recipes to Brighten Your Day!}
5 from 8 votes

Cranberry & Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Cranberry & Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day - or any day! Surprise your Sweetheart with some homemade sunshine!
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Chilling Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 40 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Sweets & Treats
Keyword: Cookies, cranberries, lemons
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 101kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted and divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Zest of 2 Meyer Lemons (See notes)
  • 1 1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 
  • In a food processor or blender jar, pulse cranberries and 1/4 cup powdered sugar together until cranberries are about the size of coarsely chopped nuts.
    The powdered sugar will keep them from getting too clumpy, but don't pulse too long or you will have puree.
    Set chopped cranberries aside. 
  • With an electric mixer, beat butter on high until it is very light and fluffy - at least 5 minutes. 
    Beat in remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar and beat until vey smooth and fluffy.
    Add vanilla and zest and mix to thoroughly combine.
  • Mix in chopped cranberries. 
  • Add flour mixture and mix on low just until dough forms a ball on comes away from the sides of the mixing bowl. 
  • Remove dough from bowl and form into  two logs about 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" in diameter.
    Tip: Two shorter logs are much easier to work with than one long log.) Chill 1 hour. 
  • If you just want to keep things simple and make shortbread rounds, leave the dough-logs in the fridge for two hours and proceed to "Baking" steps.
    Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts {+28 Meyer Lemon Recipes to Brighten Your Day!}

How to form Heart-shaped Shortbread Log

  • After one hour, remove prepared dough logs from refrigerator. 
  • With the shortbread dough still in plastic wrap, shape the bottom point of the heart by resting the log on a cutting board and using the back of a spatula perpendicularly against a cutting board to form a point. 
    You will need to rotate the log from one side to the other a couple of times to get it all even.
    When you have the bottom point the way you want it, use a large skewer or chopstick to form the indentation opposite the point.
    I spend a little time hand-shaping the curves so they look like they should. 
  • If your heart doesn't look the way you want it, just round it up and pop it back into the fridge for about 10 minutes; then you can get a fresh start. 
  • Once your Heart-Log is shaped the way you want, pop it back into the fridge for at least another hour before slicing. 

Baking:

  • Preheat oven to 350° F [175° C].
  • Using a clean, sharp knife, slice cookies 1/4" - 3/8" thick and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.  
  • Arrange shortbread slices on baking sheet about 3/4" apart.
    Bake in preheated oven 8-9 minutes, or until just firm.
    Watch carefully, and do not allow edges to brown. 

Notes

Can't find Meyer Lemons? Here's a couple of handy substitutions: One Meyer Lemon ➢Juice = 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 tablespoon tangerine or orange juice | Zest = 1/2 teaspoon tangerine or orange zest + 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

Pairing Notes: These sweet little shortbread tea cookies pair especially well with a cup of Earl Grey! 

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

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Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

Love that Citrus-Cranberry combo? Be sure to check out our Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce recipe, made with Grand Marnier!

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Looking for more delicious Meyer Lemon Recipes?
Check out 30+ Meyer Lemons Recipes to Brighten Your Day!

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. • Be sure to PIN this post!

Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Shortbread Hearts | The Good Hearted Woman
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets Tagged With: baking, cookies, Holidays, Sweet Somethings

Best Ever Snickerdoodles {Recipe}

March 7 By Renée 7 Comments

Snickerdoodles! Just saying the name brings a smile!

When I think of snickerdoodles, I always think of my dad, snapping up a cookie still warm off the rack as he passed through the kitchen on his way outside. Snickerdoodles, I have found, are cookies that brings up memories, and memories are one of the best things I can make for my family.

Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

I think I’ve done a reasonably decent job of giving my girls a few good kitchen memories over the years. For example, I am sure that even long after I am gone, if someone were to ask any of my kids, “What’s your mom’s secret ingredient?” they will most likely answer, “Brown sugar.” (I know that they are supposed to answer “Love,” but it seems that I have raised a flock of pragmatic bakers.) Moreover, it’s the truth: if there is any rhyme or reason to use brown sugar in a recipe, I probably already do it. I put at least a dash or two in everything from spaghetti sauce to pumpkin curry, and snickerdoodles are no exception. I like the subtle caramelly flavor it adds to snickerdoodles, and I personally think it improves the texture of the cookies over an all-white sugar recipe as well.

Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Snickerdoodles

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 36 cookies
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • Scant 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°
  • Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.
  • Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients: ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar, by hand or with an electric mixer.
  • Beat in eggs and vanilla, mixing until completely incorporated.
  • Slowly add sifted flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not over-mix.
  • Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (I use a 1" cookie scoop for this.)
  • Roll dough-balls in the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place cookie balls on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
    Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

A few notes about ingredients:

  • “Scant” cup – A scant cup is just a little bit less than a standard cup measurement; traditionally by about 1 to 2 tablespoons. (I tend to be a little freewheeling when it comes to measuring ingredients, so I use “scant” in this recipe to remind myself not to heap the cup.)
  • Kosher salt – I use kosher salt because I like the tiny pops of saltiness in the cookie. If you use table salt or sea salt, reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
  • Vanilla – My family knows that “1 teaspoon of vanilla” really means at least 2 teaspoons. Just saying.
  • Cream of Tartar – Did you know that Cream of Tartar is a byproduct of wine production? Check this great little non-Wiki explanation on CakeSpy to learn more.
  • Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon has a shelf-life of 6-12 months.  How old is yours?

You can bake these Snickerdoodles immediately after you mix them up, or put the dough in the fridge and chill it for a few hours. (Of course, then you may discover that you have significantly less dough when you pull the bowl out of the fridge than you had when you put it in. That happens a lot at our house.)

Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Baking the dough immediately yields a slightly wider, flatter cookie, and the texture is a bit more dense. It does not, however, affect the flavor at all.

Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

If you make a batch, please be sure to come back and let me know what you think! 

Best Ever Snickerdoodles Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, cookies, Sweet Somethings

Chocolate-Pineapple Meringue Kisses {Recipe}

August 18 By Renée 5 Comments

Light as air, these delicious little Meringue Kisses can hold a multitude of sweet surprises.

Light as air, these delicious little Meringue Kisses can hold a multitude of sweet surprises. | The Good Hearted Woman

These little meringue kisses are incredibly simple and easy to make, and will satisfy any sweet tooth. Here, I’ve topped them with pineapple and chocolate, but you can let your imagination guide you. Other ideas include coconut, ground nuts, chopped dried fruit, a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, or candied ginger. Or sprinkle them with jimmies for the holidays – red, white and blue for the 4th of July, green for St Patrick’s Day, or yellow and orange for the fall holidays.

Chocolate Pineapple Meringue Kisses {Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman
4 from 1 vote

Meringue Kisses

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Cookies &amp, Sweets
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Top with your choice of:

  • Fresh pineapple chopped
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Coconut
  • Ground nuts
  • Chopped dried fruit
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Candied Ginger

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300° F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon sheet.
  • Beat eggs until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating eggs until stiff.
  • Fold in vanilla.
  • Fill a a pastry bag or resealable bag with the whipped egg mixture. Cut the tip (or corner) and pipe the whipped egg mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. (Alternative method: Use teaspoons to drop mixture onto cookie sheet.)
  • Sprinkle topping of your choice onto each cookie.
  • Bake for 30 minutes and then turn off the oven. Leave the cookies in the oven for 30-45 minutes to allow them to dry.

How to prepare fresh or canned pineapple:

  • Chocolate Pineapple Meringue Kisses {Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Press pineapple between sheets of paper towel to remove as much juice as you can, and then chop fine and press again. Or, avoid the whole chopping step by using crushed pineapple.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Light as air, these delicious little Meringue Kisses can hold a multitude of sweet surprises. | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: chocolate, cookies, eggs, Sweet Somethings

Amaretti ~ Italian Macaron Cookies {Recipe}

June 12 By Renée 9 Comments

Less sugar and four kinds of almond flavoring make for a deliciously chewy, gluten-free, yolk-free almond cookie that is bursting with flavor.

Amaretti - Italian Macaron Cookies Recipe - Less sugar and four kinds of almond flavoring make for a deliciously chewy, gluten-free, yolk-free almond cookie that is bursting with flavor and very, very satisfying.

Recently, I went on a girls-only getaway to Detroit Lake, and you know where there is a weekend gathering of women, there is likely to be a whole lot of food. Our friend Beth brought these amazing almond cookies, and after the first bite, I was begging for the recipe. As best as I can figure out, Beth’s recipe is based on King Arthur Flour’s Almond Cloud Cookies recipe; however, her version cuts the sugar in half, resulting in a subtly sweet cookie with a strong almond punch.

These cookies aren’t flashy – they don’t need to be, because they are Amazingly Delicious.  In fact, after sampling my first batch, Mr. B told me they were the best cookies I’ve ever made (which is saying something, because I’ve made some pretty good cookies in the past). Enjoy!

(Half the sugar means you can eat twice as many, right?)

Amaretti - Italian Macaron Cookies Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 1 vote

Amaretti {Italian Macaron Cookies}

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Cookies
Servings: 2 dozen
Author: Bethany S.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces almond paste*
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg whites lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon extra-strong bitter almond oil

Topping:

  • Confectioners' sugar
  • Sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325° F. Line baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a stand mixer or food processor, blend the almond paste, sugar, and salt until crumbly.
  • In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until very frothy. (Don’t beat long enough to form peaks.)
  • Gradually add almond extract, bitter almond oil, and beaten egg whites to the almond paste mixture.
  • Using a small scoop, form cookies and place on prepared baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle cookies lightly with confectioners' sugar and sliced almonds.
  • Using three fingers, press indentations into the center of each cookie. (This keeps them from puffing up too much during baking.)
  • Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the very edges are just turning golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Amaretti - Italian Macaron Cookies Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Amaretti - Italian Macaron Cookies Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

*Almond paste can be found in most grocery stores; usually in the baking section near the pie fillings. You can also make it at home, but I haven’t done that yet.

Amaretti - Italian Macaron Cookies Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, cookies, nuts, Sweet Somethings

Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread

May 12 By Renée 6 Comments

Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread combines two delicate, delicious creations into something truly lovely.

This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Back in February, I was gifted with a bottle of RAFT Hibiscus Lavender Syrup from the hands of its makers. Since then, it’s been sitting on the top shelf of my desk, staring down impatiently at me every day as I type away, waiting for its moment in the sun.  For weeks now, I’ve been telling it that we were waiting for lavender season, but inanimate objects have a bad sense of passing time, so it has been difficult wait.  Thankfully, the lavender is finally blooming and our long wait is over.  It is time to bake.

Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread combines two delicate, delicious creations into something truly lovely: perfect for any sunny brunch or spring shower. This recipe, made here with RAFT Syrups, can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup.

This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman

While I enjoy the melt-in-your mouth butter-n-air variety of shortbread as much as anyone, I thought that this recipe could benefit from a more traditional, sandy textured shortbread. I achieved this by adding a half cup of ground rice to the mix. (Measure after grinding, please!)  I make ground rice in my Blendtec blender using plain white rice. Basically, I just throw in a handful or two of rice, pop on the lid, and blend the crude out of it. Alternately, you can use course-ground rice flour. If you prefer the smoother, melty sort of shortbread, just use a half cup of regular flour in place of the ground rice instead.

This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes

Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread

A delicately flavored shortbread cookie with a sandy, buttery finish.
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time12 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Cookies
Servings: 1 dozen
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup RAFT Hibiscus Lavender Syrup Or ANY flavored syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup ground rice* or rice flour
  • Large pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 360° F.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and syrup on high until well combine.
  • In a separate bowl, stir flour and salt together. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and syrup. Mix only until well combine.
  • Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
  • Roll out in small batches 3/8'-1/4' thick and cut into desired shapes.
    Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies made with RAFT Syrups | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just barely beginning to turn golden.
  • The hot cookies are very fragile: do not try to move them immediately. Allow them to cool on the tray for a few minutes, and then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool. (Don't worry: they become much more resilient when they are cool.)
    This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman
  • If you want to ice them, you can make a simple glaze with a cup of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons butter, and 2 tablespoons of the same syrup that you used for the cookies. If the glaze is too thick, just add a little milk or water to thin it down.
    This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This recipe for “Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies” made with RAFT Syrups can be adapted for use with any flavored syrup. - The Good Hearted Woman

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Hibiscus Lavender Shortbread Cookies made with RAFT Syrups | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, cookies

Crazy Delicious Butterfinger Bars

April 28 By Renée 16 Comments

These Crazy Delicious Butterfinger Bars are a soft, rich, peanuty oatmeal bar cookie, covered in a layer of peanut butter and another of chocolate icing. Better make extra: they don’t last long!

These chocolate-covered peanut Butterfinger Bars are crazy delicious. Just try to walk away from them - I dare you.

Ever belong to a social set or a book club or a church group or whatever, and whenever there is a food-related event, that one lady always brings that one thing that you just cannot pass up, no matter how hard you try? That thing that you keep making excuses to go back to the buffet table for? That thing you literally stand and calculate just how much you can take and still remain socially acceptable? (“Er… this one is for {vague head-gesture toward crowd}…um…. bye…gotta… {mumble, mumble} go…”)

For me, Butterfinger Bars are that thing – and my friend Kelly is that lady who makes that thing.

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Author Kelly NelsonAuthor Kelly Nelson is bright, energetic beyond words, and one of the most positive people you will ever meet. She enjoys life on ten-acres of prime horse property in Cornelius, Oregon with her husband, children, and lots of horses. Kelly has traveled far and wide, and her experiences in England, France, Egypt, Israel, West Indies, Mexico, and across the United States sparked a love of history, adventure, and exotic places.

Kelly has a generous soul, and was kind enough to share her Butterfinger Bar recipe with us, for which I am so grateful.

I’m not so sure Mr. B feels the same way though: The last time I made these for him, he said (with his mouth full as he lifted another one out of the tray), “Please, please don’t make these again any time soon. I can’t stop eating them.”

 

Wavy Line

Chocolate Peanut Butterfinger Bars | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes

Butterfinger Bars

A soft, rich, peanuty oatmeal bar cookie, covered in layers of peanut butter and chocolate icing.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cookies, peanut butter
Servings: 42 servings
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Kelly Nelson

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup peanut butter
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • 1 ½ cup quick oats

Topping:

  • 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Homemade; or Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge works just fine too.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • In an electric mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.
    Add 3/4 cup peanut butter, baking soda, salt, vanilla and eggs and mix well to combine.
    Stir in flour and oats.
    Chocolate Peanut Butterfinger Bars | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Spread mixture on greased cookie sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
  • Let cool until slightly warm.
    Spread 3/4 cup peanut butter over warm cookies on sheet.
    Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
    Chocolate Peanut Butterfinger Bars | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Warm the frosting in a microwave for 30 seconds.
    Stir with a spoon until it has an even consistency.
    Drizzle warm chocolate frosting on top and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
    Chocolate Peanut Butterfinger Bars | The Good Hearted Woman
  • If you have teenagers in the house, stand back or prepare to be trampled.

Notes

Tip: It is much easier to spread the dough with wet hands than a spatula.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

As you can see, I used chunky peanut butter for the Butterfinger Bars pictured in this post; however, smooth peanut butter works equally well: it’s just a matter of preference. 

Chocolate Peanut Butterfinger Bars | The Good Hearted Woman

If peanut butter is your jam (sorry, not sorry) you need to try our Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup! We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind; it’s uniquely (even surprisingly) scrumptious! 

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

These Crazy Delicious Butterfinger Bars are a soft, rich, peanuty oatmeal bar cookie, covered in a layer of peanut butter and another of chocolate icing. (Better make extra: they don't last long!)   Butterfinger BarsWavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, chocolate, cookies, Party Food, peanut butter, Sweet Somethings

Mrs. Obinger’s Coconut Cookies

February 5 By Renée 3 Comments

Mom and Dad both worked when I was little, so after school I often went to the home of one of our neighbors until one of them got home. Usually I went to our across-street-neighbor Mrs. Clement’s house. Mrs. Clement was tiny and very sweet, and her house was always perfectly clean. I was sometimes nervous to go to the bathroom there because everything was so perfect.

When Mrs. Clement wasn’t available, my mother would ask Mrs. Obinger, who lived kitty-corner from us. Mrs. Obinger was a little older than Mrs. Clement, and she had grown daughter named Georgianne who lived at home. Georgianne was paralyzed from the neck down. (If I remember the story right, she was injured when she was a teenager out on the Oregon Dunes.) Anyway, Georgianne was the first person I ever knew who was intelligent and capable and also had a severe physical disability. I learned a lot from both her and her mother.

Mrs Obinger made great after-school snacks, including a couple of my all-time favorites – Garlic Cheerios and Coconut Cookies. More often than not, when I arrived, she was already getting out the ingredients for one or the other. “Roll up your sleeves,” she’d say, and them we’d spend the next half hour in the kitchen together.

I loved making Coconut Cookies with Mrs Obinger because after she put the ingredients into the bowl, I could mix them up all by myself. I can still see myself, standing on a chair and buried up to my elbows, oatmeal and shortening and all sorts of yumminess squishing between my fingers. Is there anything better when you are six than squishing things? Especially if all that squishiness ends up being delicious cookies?

Want to make some cookies with the kiddos? Mix these little coconut beauties up by hand and have some fun!

When I was in the fourth grade, I made a special trip over to Mrs. Obinger’s house and carefully wrote out the recipe on one of her special recipe cards as she dictated it to me, so that I could have it for always. I still have the card. I’ve made a few changes to the original, mostly to cut down the fat content, but they are still the same crispy-chewy coconut wonders I remember.

I encourage you to make a batch of these with your favorite child very soon. And if you don’t have a child of your own to make them with, invite the neighbor kid (and his mom) over to make some: you may even make a memory or two before you’re done – if you’re lucky.

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Mrs. Obinger's Coconut Cookies

Making cookies with kids? Let them mix these cookies up by hand and have some fun!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Treats
Servings: 50
Author: Edna Obinger, updated by Renée ♥

Ingredients

  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup raw sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup grated coconut
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or very soft butter
  • 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk or 1% milk
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Combine oats, sugar, flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add soften butter, almond milk, and vanilla and mix. (I do this with my hands.)
  • Roll into 1" balls and flatten with a fork dipped in almond milk.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes at 375°.

Weight Watchers:

  • One cookie = 2 PointsPlus.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
Coconut Cookies Recipe 4

Roll into 1″ balls and flatten with a fork dipped in almond milk.

Filed Under: Eating Style, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: coconut, cookies, oatmeal

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