Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

Who's ready for their peanut butter fix??
These cookies are reminiscent of peanut butter cups, but better. Much better.
When I made these, (for a superbowl party), I was looking for a recipe that I had most of the ingredients  already. I got lucky and found these on the Picky Palate. I had everything I needed but I didn't have enough solid chocolate bars to make the chunks so I used half chunks, half chips. I think that had I used all large chunks, I would have achieved the gooey chocolate inside like the blog I got the recipe from did. Nevertheless they were delicious! My batch of cookies made around 50 cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 sticks softened butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups good quality chocolate chunks
1 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place peanut butter into freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars.
Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add to wet ingredients along with cocoa powder and chocolate chunks, slowly mixing until just combined.
Drop dollops of frozen peanut butter into dough and turn mixer a few times, to get swirls of peanut butter in the dough.
Scoop balls onto the cookie sheet 1 inch apart.
Bake 14-16 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Valentines Day is right around the corner! Less than a week as of today! Do you have special plans with the one you love? Valentines Day is always either my favorite holiday, or my second favorite holiday; depending on my relationship status. Once again I'm single for Valentines Day so it's my second favorite, coming after Halloween but I never let that stop me from celebrating! I know most of my peers think that Valentines Day is cheesy and pointless but being a hopeless romantic I love it! My favorite colors are red and pink and you can find those colors everywhere this time of year, best time to find decor for your house. If you have someone special in your life, you can go all out and be a cheesy as it pleases you, after all that's what February 14th is all about!
The best part of Valentines Day is baking. The only limit you have is your imagination! You can play with flavors like strawberry, raspberry, red velvet, chocolates milk, dark and white, the list goes on!
Check out my Recipe Index for so many more ideas to make for Valentines Day.
I've tried my fair share of different brownies, and these by far are my favorite. They are absolutely addicting. Soft, moist, full of flavor and not too rich. No matter who you make these for you will impress all, no question about it. I found this recipe at Confections from the Cody Kitchen.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

For the Brownies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Cream Cheese Top:
8 oz cream cheese, (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare 8 inch square pan by greasing it and lining with parchment paper.
In small heat proof bowl, microwave butter and chocolate until melted.
Stir and set aside.
In separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring.
Add chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
Add flour and salt and stir until fully incorporated.
Pour into prepared pan.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla together until smooth
Drop large dollops of cream cheese mixture over brownie mixture.
Use knife to make swirl pattern.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before removing from pan.

Best of 2012

Can you believe another year has come and gone already?
Well that means it's time to look back and see what my favorite post of last year were!
It wasn't hard to pick my favorites, I must admit. 2012 was such a great year for me friendship wise and career wise, because I was promoted to full-time this year!
Learn As You Go also has a twitter now, (@LearnAsYouGo_) and I've also started using instagram to promote this site.
Okay, enough chit chat. Drumroll please......

Top 10 Posts of 2012

#10 7th Place Award Winning Ribs

I love this recipe for ribs, for a first timer making ribs, it was super easy to follow and the ribs were just bursting with flavor. I must admit, I liked them better when they were cooked on a slow cooker versus in the oven, you really just can't beat the slow cooker. 

#9 Cake Batter Bars

These bars were delicious. I took them to work and my co workers devoured them. They were soft, sweet, and perfect for any birthday.


#8 Strawberry White Chocolate Brownies

The perfect switch-up to you normal, every day brownies are these. White Chocolate with strawberries you can't go wrong. They were moist and pretty amazing.


#7 Loaded Baked Potato Grilled Cheese

I loveee paninis, grilled cheese, and mashed potatoes with all the fixings. This literally combines the best of all worlds. Eat them with soup or by themselves either way you will be very happy you made them.


#6 Bears Cookies

These cookies combined two of my posts from 2011, but they turned out so cute and so good; I mean come on how can you not make these every year for football season or for any sport or even. The spiced cookies are perfect to use when sick of the every day sugar cookies and the royal frosting takes your cookies from the norm to bakery quality.

#5 Pecan Pie Cookies

I don't even like pecans. But everyone loved them and I loved how easy they were to make. The cookies were a simple brown sugar thumbprint cookie and the filling had only a few ingredients. Pop them in the oven and you have an easy, original, fall or Thanksgiving treat.


#4 Red Velvet Blossoms 

These are a delicious twist to the typical peanut butter blossoms. How can you go wrong with red velvet? Don't think these are just for Valentines Day! You can make these during the winter holidays or Fourth of July too!


#3 Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

The star of this post was the raspberry buttercream. Maybe I'm biased because I'm slightly raspberry obsessed but this is the best tasting frosting I've ever made, possibly ever tasted, even. Yes that good. Go, spread the word.


#2 Buffalo Chicken Bites

WHA? Something that isn't a sweet baked-good in the top 5?! Oh yes. These buffalo bites were so much fun to make, (maybe it was just me but making something completely new is the most interesting thing to me), and so worth the time it takes to let the dough rise, unless you use pre made dough. Perfect for tailgating, parties, or anytime you want to make an appetizer that will impress all.


#1 Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies

Ugh, I love these cookies! My favorite post of the year was not hard to pick. In fact, this was the easiest one to pick! The chocolate with the coffee flavor is devine. They require a bit of time, but these grown up cookies are so worth the effort. Just try not to eat them all yourself at once, or indulge and do. ;)


Alright! That's all of them! What did you think? Did you favorite post of last year make the cut? What do you want to try or what have you tried already? I can't wait for another year of delicious blogging and thank you all for reading! Don't forget to follow my page on the sidebar to the right and tell your friends on twitter, pintrest, instagram and facebook if you like my site!

Raspberry Cinnamon Biscuits

This meal is all things amazing you don't get much better than raspberries, biscuits and cinnamon/sugar. I made these while my parents were here visiting and they loved them. The only comment I would make really is don't be shy with your cinnamon/sugar. You can't have too much! Recipe from Coupon Clipping Cook.
I hope everyone is having an amazing 2013! Look for my best of 2012 post coming soon. What were you favorite posts of last year?

Raspberry Cinnamon Biscuits
serves 6

for the biscuits:
2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup milk

for the filing:
1/2 cup whole raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl.
Add the butter to the sifted ingredients.
Using a fork, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the mixture of dry ingredients.
Add the milk to the well an mix it quickly with a fork until the dough sticks together.
Sprinkle some flour onto a large cutting board.
Add the dough to the cutting board and knead it gently about ten times.
Add a bit of flour to a rolling pin and roll the dough until its about 1/2 inch thick.
Using a biscuit cutter (or the top of a glass),  cut the dough into 6 circles.
Add those circles to an ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush some softened butter on the top of the biscuits.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the top of the buttered biscuits.
Cut the raspberries in half lengthwise.
Top each biscuits with 4 to 6 raspberry halves depending on the size of the berries.
Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on the top of the raspberries.
Roll the remaining dough, and cut it into another 6 circles.
Top each raspberry biscuit with one of the remaining dough circles, like a sandwich.
Spread some softened butter on top of each biscuit.
Then top with more cinnamon and sugar.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until the golden.
Serve warm.

Apple Cider Caramel Cookies

As if these pictures weren't self explanatory let me say that out of the three new cookies I tired this year, I defiantly saved the best for last. They taste just like a caramel apple. I've made 3 carmel apple cookies before, one was with the Jiffy apple muffin mix, there was the Carmel Apple Surprise Cookies, and these. I think that these may be my favorite. I'd never herd of Alpine instant cider before, maybe because up north, at least in Chicago, fall is all about fresh cider. However, after tasting these cookies, it might be something to try.
On my first attempt at putting the carmel in the dough, I put the dough on the cookie sheet and put the carmel on top and tried to fold the dough over but that was way too messy. The best way is to scoop the dough with a tablespoon, but the dough in one hand, and with the other put the carmel in the middle and in your hands seal the caramel with the dough so that its completely covered and then put it on the cookie sheet. It makes more sense when you're making them.
I don't know if this will be a Christmas cookie regular for me but it defiantly will be a new go-to fall cookie.
Recipe from The Six Sisters





Apple Cider Caramel Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 7.4 ounce box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix, (not sugar free)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
3 cups flour
1 14 ounce bag Kraft Caramels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy.
Beat in eggs and vanilla, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder.
Add flour and mix until just combined.
With a standard cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl.
Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place caramel in the center.
Work the dough amount the caramel sealing well.
Placing the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown around edges.
After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter.
Let cool until the are no longer soft but slightly warm.
Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooking rack.

Hot Cocoa Cookies

I was really excited to make these cookies. The picture on Lovin' From The Oven where I got this recipe looked so amazing. That combined with the fact that they're made with marshmallow fluff and mini marshmallows, I couldn't wait. But I was really dissapointed. Now don't get me wrong, these cookies are really moist and deliciously chocolately, but they're not at all what I expected. They are totally a different color and texture than the original picture and you cant even taste the marshmallow in them. That combined with the fact that I put them in a Tupperware without wax paper and now they're all stuck together. I've learned my lesson but I'm determined to give these cookies another try to see if it was this batch that went wrong and if I can get them right. I think I'll use dark chocolate cocoa when I do since her cookies were so much darker than mine.
Fortunately I made Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies too and they turned out just as good as every year. They're so sticky and when you roll them in the cinnamon/sugar/pepper mixture but so worth it in the end. I love making these because everyone loves them and I think they're a good mix to the usual Christmas cookies.

Hot Cocoa Cookies
makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
Stir in marshmallow fluff.
Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
Remove and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 10-12 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool completely before removing.

Snickerdoodles

I'm only making 6 cookies this year for Christmas.
3 of them you've already seen on my blog, my favorite mint chocolate chip cookies, everyones favorite white chocolate raspberry cookies, and the delicious Mexican hot chocolate cookies.
3 are new recipes I've never tried before, and the first are these snickerdoodles I found by the Busty Baker, whom I also got the recipe for the Mexican hot chocolate cookies I've made three Christmases in a row.

I think it's kind of crazy that I've never made snickerdoodles before. 

It was defiantly about time, right?

As expected they were really easy and when I ate one right out of the oven, it was sweet, fluffy and had  the perfect amount of cinnamon. 

Snickerdoodles 

makes 3 dozen

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, (softened)

1 2/3 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for topping

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Add dry ingredients and beat, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. 

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar.

Using a level tablespoon dough per cookie, roll the dough in your palm and roll in the cinnamon sugar mix. 

Place on the pre prepared baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart.

Flatten with the bottom of a glass.

Sprinkle tops with any remaining cinnamon sugar.

Bake, rotating halfway, until tops are puffed and crackly, and bottoms are golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. 

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.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Happy early Thanksgiving everyone!
I've always had a hard time with Thanksgiving desserts, being a picky eater. I don't like pumpkin, pies, cranberries, or pecans. I know, right? It's okay. I'm more of a carb person anyway and between the rolls and the mashed potatoes, I'm never left unsatisfied with a Thanksgiving meal. Go ahead splurge on the sweets and leave the real good stuff to me. However when planning what I was going to bring to this Thanksgiving feast, (I'm going to a friend's house), I decided that even though I don't enjoy the dessert portion of this day, I do love baking and everyone else loves pecans. I must say I tried a little bit of the filling, sans the pecans, and it was pretty delish, but you really can't go wrong with brown sugar and vanilla.
I did whoever take a few cookies to some of my co-workers for a trial run before the big day and everyone loved them. They said that they're really moist and taste almost like a pecan pie.
These cookies are really good and really easy to make so there's still time to make them for Thanksgiving if you need something different to please your guests or hostesses.
I got this recipe from The Beantown Baker. Very slightly adapted.


Pecan Pie Cookies
makes about 3 dozen cookies

For the cookies:
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, (softened)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the filling:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all the cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in your mixing bowl.
Beat at medium speed until creamy.
Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder.
Beat until well mixed.
Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all filling ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined.
Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Make indentation in each cookie with your thumb and rotate to hollow out slightly.
Fill each cookie with one teaspoon of filling.
Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool 1 minute before removing to cooling racks.

Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies

Hello my loves!
I'm so, so sorry about my absence! I've been working full time as a supervisor (I know, its exciting) and it's been taking all my energy but I think I'm finally getting a hang of things. The other good news is that I have been baking! Thanks to all the amazing people who pitched in to buy me a kitchen aid mixer for my 21st birthday! :)))
I know, best gift ever. Goodbye hand mixer!
The other hold up I've had to blogging is that I've had issues uploading my pictures:( but I figured a way to upload them so here we are.

Now to the wonderful goodness at the top of the page.
I've made these cookie sandwiches before, and they're a bit time consuming; but very much worth it. The chocolate espresso cookies are dry and crumbly so don't plan on making them without the filling, however, the two paired together is one of my favorite cookies by far! I'd say these are defiantly grown up cookies and are so worth the treat and breaking any diet.
Seriously, these are amazing. Try them and then thank me.
Recipe is from Broma Bakery.

Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies 

For the cookies:
1 1/2 cups and 3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cups and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or instant coffee)
15 tablespoons butter

For the filling:
8 oz white chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil.
Remove from head and add the white chocolate and coffee powder.
Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until white chocolate is completely melted.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow filling to congeal.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
In your mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Set aside.
Cut the butter into cubes and add them in batches until the dough comes together.
On a floured surface, roll the dough until its about 1/8 inches thick.
Use a cookie cutter to cut dough into two inch rounds.
Place onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

On a work surface, place half the cookies upside down.
Whisk the chilled filling or stir it with a teaspoon.
Dollop a teaspoon of filling onto the center of each upside down cookie.
Place second cookie on top of filling and press together until filling comes to the edges.