Nutella Crinkle Cookies

For a little while now, Zachary and I have been discussing making Nutella cookies.  So, this morning with the weather a little yucky outside and no plans for the day it seemed like the perfect day to try them out.  We were not disappointed.  We did some internet research and came across a recipe to try, changing up a few things.

Nutella Crinkle Cookies (Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cocoa powder (Optional)

11 oz Nutella Spread  

1/4 cup butter or shortening  (I used shortening)

1 1/3 cups granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk ( if using butter use 1/6 cup-this why I love metric recipes!)

1/2 cup to 1 cup toasted and chopped Hazelnuts (I used chocolate chips)

Procedure

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F 

Line a thick bottom baking sheet with parchment

Sift flour, salt ,baking powder and cocoa (if using) in a bowl and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl cream butter or shortening with nutella spread. on medium speed until light. 

Add granulated sugar, beat until fluffy.

Add vanilla  and eggs; beat until combined 

Alternate flour mixture to creamed mixture on medium speed,with milk. Blend until combined .

Stir in chopped nuts (or chocolate chips) .

Cover and chill for several hours. (I missed this step- and they still came out perfect ) 

Shape dough into 1- 2 inch balls .  

Place the balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. 

Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes  .

Cool cookies on wire rack.

They were delicious!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake

We are a family that likes two things; brown sugar and cinnamon and peanut butter (okay that might be 3 but the brown sugar and cinnamon go together).  Both DH and Zachary tried to convince me that peanut butter works with other things like champagne, but I refused to make a champagne/peanut butter cake.  However, for Zachary's birthday he requested a brown sugar and cinnamon cake.  Specifically he wanted something that tasted like a Cinnabon.  I did a little research online then decided it wasn't rocket science and came up with my own idea.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake

1 yellow cake mix of your choice (either box or from scratch)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon flour

1.) Prepare cake as directed.  Pour cake batter into pan(s).

2.) In a food processor pulse together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.  Pulse food processor just a few times to make a crumble.

3.) Sprinkle crumble on top of cake batter in pan(s).  Swirl in with a knife if you like.

4.) Bake cake as directed.

5.) Eat and enjoy!

I tried to take a picture of the finished product but it came out a little blurry.

Trust me, it was delicious.  I used a vanilla buttercream frosting to finish it off.  Maybe not a Cinnabon but still pretty tasty.  I got 2 thumbs up from the birthday boy.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Breakfast Crescents

Yum!  I think the title says enough.

I was laying in bed before the kiddos woke up this morning thinking I didn't want a bowl of cereal for breakfast.  So, what could I do about that?  I knew we had a roll of the Big 'n Buttery crescent rolls in the refrigerator so I started to think about what I could do with them.  I know I have seen plenty of recipes online for breakfast style crescent rolls so I know I'm not re-inventing the wheel but this was my version.

1 pkg. crescent rolls (I used the big 'n buttery ones, because if I'm going to indulge I'm going all the way)
1/4 cup butter soften
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

1.) Preheat oven according to package directions

2.) Unroll crescents into individual triangles.

3.) Spead soften butter over each crescent triangle.

4.) Mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl.  Sprinkle mixture over buttered crescent triangles.

5.) Sprinkle chocolate chips or nuts over the crescent triangles. (We used chocolate chips because like I said, I like to go the whole way when indulging.  Okay, so it wasn't the healthiest breakfast but it was delicious!).

6.) Roll crescents starting with short end of triangle and working toward the point.  It takes a little tucking to keep everything inside.

7.) Bake crescents according to package directions.

8.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

9.) Lick your lips, cause these were so good! ;)

I didn't take any pictures of the process because the kiddos were hungry.  No time to waste when feeding hungry children.