Strawberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Valentines Day!
Now I know you're thinking that you don't have time to make anything.
However, these simple delicious cookies only have 4 ingredients and take less than an hour to make so don't you fret!
Kirbie's Cravings  made these cookies with chocolate chips, but I made them even more decadent with dark chocolate chips. Healthier too! I used olive oil so you don't have to feel as bad for indulging. If you're feeling experimental you could make these with white chocolate too.
Now these cookies are quite yummy, but I would change one thing, I had fresh strawberries at home and i really wish I would have chopped them up and added them to the batter for extra strawberry goodness. Next time.
I know that using a box cake mix is technically cheating, but that's what the recipe called for and really how could I resist trying these?! Its like a chocolate dipped strawberry in a cookie! I used Pillsbury box mix and Hershey's special dark chips.

Strawberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies 
yields about 2 dozen cookies

1 box strawberry cake mix
halfway between 1/3 and 1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup dark chocolate chip cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Mix cake mix, oil, and egg in a large bowl until smooth and without pieces of dry cake mix remains.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Scoop about 2 tbs of dough and roll into a ball.
Place on cookie sheet and make sure dough balls are about 2 inches apart.
Bake about 12 minutes until cookies are set and edges are turning a light brown.
Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before removing.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Hope you had a wonderful time with your family and friends.!
Working in retail, my Thanksgiving was cut short. I had to be at work at 10pm that night.
I wanted to bake something to bring for my co-workers and I found the recipe and had to try them.
I know, I know, another chocolate raspberry cupcake?
But let me tell you, when I tell you that these were good, they were good!
The frosting is made with fresh raspberries and tastes so good, I couldn't stop snacking on the leftovers. I got a super sugar high.
The cupcakes are slightly dry and the frosting was slightly liquid-y but the two together was the perfect combination.
If you love a chocolate-raspberry combo, like you all know I do, these are a must try.
I used dark chocolate coco powder instead of the coco powder that the recipe calls for and used Ghirardelli chocolate. I also used about a half cup- to a full cup more of powdered sugar to try to get a thicker consistency of the frosting, it was still a little watery but I actually ran out of powdered sugar. The last difference in my cupcakes versus the original recipe by Two Peas & Their Pod  was that I didn't have a fine sieve to get the raspberry seeds out of the frosting, but I didn't really think it made that much of a difference.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

makes 1 dozen cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, (cubed)
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, (finely chopped)
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

For the Frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar
1cup fresh raspberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
Place butter, chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium heat proof bowl.
Microwave in 30 second spurts on 50% power, stirring in between, until the butter and chocolate are melted and the mixture is smooth.
Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
Set aside.
In your mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the sugar, vanilla, and salt, whisking until well combined.
Add the chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until combined.
Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the bowl and when that's combined, add the Greek yogurt.
Sift the rest of the dry ingredients and combine, the batter will be thick.
Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners in your prepared muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the raspberry buttercream frosting.
In a food processor or blender, puree the raspberries.
Pour the raspberries through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids, to remove the seeds.
Place butter, half of the powdered sugar, and raspberry puree into a mixing bowl.
Beat over low speed until well mixed.
Add the other half of the sugar, increase speed to medium.
Mix until light and fluffy.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the raspberry buttercream and top with a fresh raspberry, if desired.

Red Velvet Blossoms

Valentines Day is my favorite holiday, so I wasn't about to let being single ruin it for me!
My friend and I decided that we would be each others Valentines. I knew right away that I wanted to bake her something delicious for Valentines Day, at first I was going to make red velvet cookie sandwiches, but then I saw these Red Velvet Blossoms on The Galley Gourmet and absolutely had to try them.
The only thing I changed on these were that she used hugs and I used dark chocolate kisses.

Red Velvet Blossoms
makes 3 dozen


1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon liquid red food color
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
36 Hershey's dark chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil, brown sugar, and sugar until no brown sugar lumps remain.
Add the egg and mix until creamy.
Mix in the food color, vanilla and vinegar.
Add the flour mixture and mix until completely combined.
Using a 1/2 ounce ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into balls, rolling gently between the palms of your hands making a smooth uniform surface.
Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet, bake until puffed and edges are set, about 12 minutes.
Remove the cookies and press a chocolate candy into the center of each cookie.
Let the cookies rest for 1 minute, then transfer to rack to cool completely.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Happy December 1st! Christmas is just around the corner! I'm so happy I've finished my shopping, now I just have to pay off my credit card..
I've never realized how expensive wrapping paper is. It's kind of ridiculous. And shipping things is even worse.
I've done raspberries with cupcakes and with cookies so of corse the next this is brownies! My obsession with all things raspberry is out of control but it is so delicious. I wonder what I can make with raspberries next? Any ideas?
I really wanted to bring something delicious to my cousins house for Thanksgiving, I wanted something that went with the theme of Thanksgiving but there is a small problem: I hate cranberries & pumpkins, and I just made spiced cookies for halloween. I called my mother and she gave me the very smart advice to just make something that is good. So I dug up this recipe.
As soon as I saw Dessert Candy's Raspberry Swirl Brownies I bookmarked it immediately and added the note "make with dark chocolate cocoa". I'm not a big chocolate bar person, but dark chocolate  raspberry bars are my weakness. Notice that I said "Dessert Candy's Raspberry Swirl Brownies" and the picture of my brownies are not swirled. Well, I did swirl them, but I got a little excited with the raspberry jelly, thinking, "You can never have enough Raspberry!", and the raspberry mixture was a little watery and there for became a raspberry layer instead of a raspberry swirl, but I'm not complaining! I was right! You really can't have too much raspberry! The only problem is the raspberry swirl is pink, mine came out eggplant colored because I had to cook the brownies almost 20 min longer to cook the brownies underneath the raspberry layer, they were still rich and gooey and oh so delicious. I would also like to brag that this was my first time using just an egg white and I totally did it like a pro.
I will be making these again. But eating more than one next time!
Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

for the brownies:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, (cubed)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder, (natural and/or dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour


for the swirl
4 oz cream cheese, (softened)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Grease an 8" square baking pan or line with parchment paper.
For the cream cheese batter: Beat all the ingredients, without the jam, together until light and creamy.
Set aside.
For the brownies: Place butter in a saucepan and heat until the butter is just melted on medium heat.
Add the cocoa and sugar and stir until everything is smooth and warm to the touch.
Remove from heat and set aside until the mixture is only warm.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon.
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.
When the batter looks thick and shiny add the four, stirring until it is blended in.
Beat vigorously for 40 strokes with your wooden spoon.
Spread evenly in the pan.
Dollop about 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture over the batter in blobs.
Stir in the raspberry jam in the remaining cream cheese mixture.
Dollop the raspberry mixture over the batter in blobs.
Use a toothpick to make swirls in the batter with the blobs.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges slightly moist with batter.
Let cool completely on a cooking rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has a go-to chocolate chip recipe.
I think I have found mine.
My mom swears by the recipe on the toll house chocolate chip bag.
Yep, that's what I grew up eating.
I like chocolate chip cookies that aren't too fluffy, soft, and gooey.
I searched and searched for a good one, I found four recipes that looked good and after comparing them all together, I chose a recipe that was in the New York Times, which I found on My Baking Addiction.
I'm sending these home to my cousin, Trey. He's been doing amazing on his golf team and deserves a treat.
I used dark chocolate chips (one full bag) for these instead of the bittersweet disks, and I think they couldn't have turned out better, they were everything I look for in a chocolate chip cookie. Also, I used all-pourpose flour instead of the cake and bread flour. Also, I left out the sea salt and my cookies didn't take as long to bake, about 13 minuets.
I usually add how much the repipe makes in a recipe, but the original recipe says 1 1/2 dozen and I made over three dozen so since it's such a big difference, I'll let you find out how many it makes for yourself.
*Also note that the dough needs to be chilled for over 24 hours so make sure you leave time for that.

So, I hate to admit this, but this blog is about me learning lessons while baking so I will give everyone a good laugh. My grandmothers' baking sheet only has a rim on one side. So I lined it with parchment paper and during my second dozen, the paper slid off while i was pulling them off and I lost all 12 of them to the door of the oven and they feel in the crack between the door and the open. So upsetting. Learn from me and don't let it happen to you.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet disks, at least 60 percent cacao content
Sea salt

In your medium sized bowl, sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, set aside.
In your mixer, use the paddle attachment and cream the butter and sugars until very light, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
Stir in vanilla.
Reduce speed to add the dry ingredients until just combined.
Drop in chocolate pieced in and incorporate them without breaking them.
Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
Dough may be used in batched, and be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat.
Scoop 6 3 1/2 ounce mounds of dough onto baking sheet.
Make sure to turn all chocolate pieces horizontally if they are sticking up for a more attractive cookie.
Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, about 18-20 minuets.
Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more.
Repeat with remaining dough, or put it in the refrigerator for later baking.