Cookies & Bars – WordPress test9

Salted Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

I just don’t know how to properly talk about these cookies. They are my new favorite for so many reasons.

They aren’t overly sweet–just right.
I’m a giant fan of the dark chocolate, pistachio, and sea salt combo because it hits the sweet and salty AND nutritional combo. Okay, I might be stretching the nutrition point a bit. But I do omit the butter in favor of coconut oil and dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet. And, of course, all of those pistachio’s are good for you. So yeah, nutritious.
They are easy to make.
Mix and bake. The end. The hardest part is shelling the pistachio’s if you don’t find pre-shelled ones. Which I grab from Amazon to make my life easier. Or, you get your kid to do them…
They are grown-up.
Kids aren’t going to like them. This is a good thing, in my opinion. Grown-ups deserve cookies too. Mom’s deserve cookies that don’t get devoured immediately after being taken out of the oven. These might actually make it to the freezer for girl’s night. If you don’t eat them all yourself, first.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups coconut oil (or soft butter)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
5 oz dark chocolate chips (you can sub semi-sweet if that’s all you have)
1 cup chopped and shelled pistachio’s

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350degrees.
Mix flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat coconut oil and brown sugar together for about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat for about 2 more minutes.
Slowly beat in the dry ingredients just until combined.
With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the chocolate chips and pistachio’s.
Put about 1.5 inch round balls of dough on to a greased cookie sheet. (NOTE-I totally just use two spoons and eye-ball this. You perfectionist can measure and form proper balls, if you like.)
Gently press the balls down a bit to give them a flat top. Sprinkle the tops with sea salt.
Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until they look set and the edges look dry. (it’s a guesstimate, guys…don’t overthink it!)

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Coconut Date Cheesecake Bars

We are talking all about sweet and decadent desserts this month in preparation for Valentine’s day coming up in not too long. I’m a firm believer in having one piece of AMAZING dessert once in a while instead of little bites more often. Our minimal lifestyle is all about having less so that we can have BETTER. Even in desserts.

This coconut date cheesecake recipe is heavenly! Although it’s a decadent and sweet dessert it is still packed with nutrients and vitamins. Hey, if you can use ingredients that are full of good stuff why on earth would you settle for packaged crap? Yeah, I thought it was a good question.

My crust is made up of ground nuts and dates instead of the traditional graham cracker butter concoction. This makes for a sweet, earthy, and rich crust that is packed full of flavor and the perfect place to add additional nutrients and vitamins.

I stick with the traditional mix of coconut and condensed milk for the coconut filling. It’s classic for a reason. Because… delicious!

I use this no-bake cream cheese filling for many, many recipes. It tops my no-bake cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls, carrot cakes, and even spice bars. It’s sweet, creamy, tart, rich, and the perfect silky texture for a multitude of purposes.

For this purpose, I cool the coconut/date layers before topping with the light and fresh cheesecake topping.

Invite a few friends over, bake up these bars, make some boozy coffee, and enjoy your life! A little dessert is good for the soul.

Coconut Date Cheesecake Bars

Date crust:

1 cup nuts (I recommend 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup almonds)

1/2 cup dates

Coconut Layer:

1 (14 oz) package sweetened coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

No-Bake Cheesecake Layer:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 8 oz packages cream cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Finely chop the nuts and dates. (tip: this step is faster and easier using a food processor) Press the mixture into a greased 8 by 8 square pan.

Mix the coconut and sweetened condensed milk together. Pour 3/4 of the coconut mixture over the top of the date crust (reserve 1/4 of it) and gently press down.

Bake the coconut layer and date crust in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Cool (setting it in the freezer while working on the cheesecake filling is often more than enough time to cool).

Pour the remaining coconut mixture onto a parchment paper lined (a greased pan will also work) cookie sheet and press to about 1/4 inch thick. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Cool, crumble, and save for the top of your bars.

Meanwhile, for the no-bake cheesecake filling beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.

Add the honey, vanilla, and whipping cream.

Beat on high for 2 minutes.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled coconut and date layers and spread gently. Top with the crumbled coconut bits.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours prior to serving.

Makes 9 man-size bars or 12 women-size bars.

Gingerbread cookies with eggnog icing

Is there anything that reminds you of the holiday’s more than the spicy flavor of gingerbread or the smooth creaminess of eggnog? Those two flavors make you want to grab a family member and sing carol around the Christmas tree… don’t they?

Well, at least in my house.

Although, off topic…have you ever made or had homemade eggnog? Yeah. I just can’t. Google how it’s made and then come back to me and let me know what you think. I want to talk about all tasty cookies and not get you weirded out.

Umm, yeah. About those cookies :). I make a classic gingerbread cookie that always makes my Christmas cookie making list. Always.

You CANNOT say you are a Christmas cookie maker and not make gingerbread. Sorry, folks…it’s the truth.

My gingerbread cookies are crispy, spicy, warm, and sweet. At the very same time. I use THIS gingerbread cookie recipe.

But then…

But then I go one step better. And put eggnog on top of the gingerbread cookies. Smooth, creamy eggnog. In frosting form. I KNOW!!! Don’t you just die.

It’s easy, really. I can hear you thinking there are too many steps or it’s too complex for you because you aren’t a food blogger and spend all your time in the kitchen like me.

First, I have teenagers, a business, a husband, NINE brothers and sisters, FIVE bro and sisters-in-law, a dog, and live in MN where we shovel 452 days of the year. I don’t have time for silly stuff either.

This eggnog icing is fast and easy. And tastes like heaven. No silly stuff, I promise!

Okay, so the addition of little pearls on the star edges might have been overkill. But, I was watching Games of Thrones and needed a reason to “work while I watch”. Putting little pearls on one by one takes time! I got an entire episode in while I did them :). Sometimes you gotta be clever. And, let’s be serious…the pearls make the cookies prettier. Which makes you click over to see the recipe. Which makes you hear about this yummy frosting. And the frosting makes your life better while still being simple. Which makes me good at my job.

Yay pearls!

So YOU can skip the little pearls. But DON’T skip the frosting. Please. Try it!

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