Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies

Dan has been asking me to make peanut butter cookies for months now. For some reason I always put it off and found other recipes to bake instead. Finally I made peanut butter cookies this past weekend. Better late than never. 

While peanut butter cookies are good on their own, I love the addition of honey in this recipe. The honey flavor is sweet but also very subtle. I never been a huge fan of peanut butter + jelly, but I definitely love the peanut butter + honey combination. 

People often ask me if you can substitute butter for the shortening in this recipe. Although I have never tried this particular substitution, I would not recommend it.  The shortening is what makes peanut butter cookies so soft and chewy. However, if you are looking for a peanut butter cookie recipe without shortening, I love these Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies (the Butterfinger chunks are completely optional, yet highly recommended). 

Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup honey

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter, honey and shortening until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. 

Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into a ball with your hands. Roll each ball of cookie dough into the granulated sugar and place onto prepared baking sheets. Using a fork, press a criss-cross pattern onto the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

The Chocolate Bar {Boston, MA}

This past weekend Dan and I visited the Chocolate Bar at Boston's Langham Hotel. I first heard about the  Chocolate Bar a few months ago and have wanted to check it out ever since. There are over 140 different chocolate treats available as part of the all-you-can-eat buffet.  Although we wanted to try everything, we were forced to call it quits after chocolate crepes and three plates full of chocolate desserts. I couldn't believe the selection of chocolate that was offered- there was everything from chocolate cupcakes to chocolate truffles and chocolate bread pudding. Given my love for all things chocolate, I was in the right place. 

The Chocolate Bar costs $42 per adult and $29 per child. At first I thought it was a little pricey but when you consider all of the chocolate you get for the money, the price really doesn't seem that bad. It is definitely worth the money for any serious chocolate lover out there. 

Our table was right next to the giant chocolate fondue fountain. There were bowls of fresh fruit, as well as pieces of cake and rice krispie treats, for dipping into the fountain. I could have stayed by this table the entire morning. 

I also loved the giant bowl of cotton candy. Although the buffet was almost entirely chocolate, there were a few non-chocolate items to mix things up a bit. 

Even the most simple desserts, such as the chocolate raspberry tart above, were delicious. It was so hard to narrow it down and choose which desserts to sample.

There was even a station with warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven and little shot glasses of milk. So cute. 

In addition to all of the sweets, there was popcorn, as well as homemade potato chips, for guests to munch on. I actually went up to get more popcorn several times throughout the morning. The salty popcorn was a great contrast to the crazy amount of chocolate we were eating.

I loved these martini glasses filled with chocolate mousse and fresh berries. The chocolate mousse was one of several vegan options offered at the Chocolate Bar. 

Of course I couldn't resist the candy bar. Even with all of the homemade chocolate desserts, I can never turn down a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. 

In addition to the classics such as cookies and brownies, there were also a number of unique chocolate desserts. There were even tables showcasing the most popular chocolate desserts from every decade starting with the 1980's and ending with a table of futuristic sweets (think chocolate caviar). 

I loved these little jars of raspberry mousse. There were also little jars of cherry mousse topped with dark chocolate balls at another table- seriously amazing!

If you want to learn more about the Chocolate Bar or make a reservation to satisfy your own chocolate craving, you can find more information here: 

The Chocolate Bar

Cafe Fleuri at the Langham Boston

250 Franklin Street

Boston, MA 02110

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

I know I'm not the only person who feels this way, but I am so over winter. At this point I really want to fast-forward to spring and warmer weather. I won't mind if I never hear the term "polar vortex" again. I am glad that this month is coming to an end though because I always find January to be somewhat of a boring month. February is  a little bit better with longer days and Valentines Day to look forward to.

In an effort to look forward to February, I made these Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream this past weekend. Although cream cheese frosting is often the go-to choice, I wanted to switch things up a bit and use one of my all-time favorite buttercream recipes. I don't think you could go wrong either way though. Sometimes I find red velvet cupcakes a little too dry for my taste, but I found this version to be perfectly sweet and flavorful. So here is to warmer days and plenty of sweet treats in February- enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream
Recipe adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures (cupcakes adapted from Saveur, buttercream adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tsp red gel food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar

Vanilla Buttercream:
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, food coloring, vanilla extract and white vinegar. Whisk until smooth and combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until fully combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar and salt. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer and beat until fully combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Frost fully cooled cupcakes as desired.

Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies

Although I didn't make any formal New Years resolutions, I have been trying to eat a little healthier the past few weeks. I am all about moderation and have been trying to add a few more healthy snacks and meals into the mix. However, I have not been able to stop thinking about these Gingersnap Cookies I made last month. They would have made a great post back in December when everyone was thinking about holiday baking and cookie exchanges. But I really didn't want to wait another year to share one of the best cookie recipes I have made to date. 

Gingersnaps have been somewhat of an acquired taste for me. I didn't love them for a long time but now I cannot get enough of them. That being said, I still don't like thin and crispy gingersnap cookies. It took me a while to find a good recipe for a soft and chewy version, but now that I found this recipe I will never go back to any of the others. 

Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker (Originally adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3 tsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, bakings soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and granulated sugar.  Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the molasses and continue to mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. Mix until just combined.

Scoop the cookie dough (about 1 1/2 tbsp at a time) onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Smoothie

I love all things chocolate and peanut butter. Cupcakes, cookies, brownies, blondies- you name it and it's all good in my book. But up until a few months ago, I had never tried my favorite combination in the form of a smoothie or milkshake. It was time for that to change. This peanut butter smoothie is incredibly creamy and delicious- so much better than any other version I have tried since then. While the peanut butter smoothie is good enough on its own, I always add a little bit of chocolate syrup to the mix. Feel free to leave out the chocolate syrup if you want, but it is completely non-optional for me.

And for all of you who are still sticking strong to New Years resolutions, these peanut butter smoothies are made with low-fat greek yogurt, old fashioned oats and frozen banana. Relatively healthy and delicious. Unless of course you add too much chocolate syrup. I am always guilty on that one.

Peanut Butter Smoothie
Recipe from Annie's Eats

1 cup low-fat plain greek yogurt
6 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/2 peeled banana, frozen
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup ice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until fully incorporated and completely smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.