Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie
• Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make It
• More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

It’s Christmas Eve, and I don’t know about you, but for me this year Christmas came extra fast!

I hate to say it, but I’m finding myself taking a lot of shortcuts this year. This is the first year, for instance, that I officially cut myself loose from creating and sending Christmas cards. They were so fun and special, but labor-intensive, expensive, and I never managed to order them or send them out in time. Stress, gone!

I’m also finding that simple, easy recipes are the name of the game. Nothing complicated for me this year, thanks!

That’s where this two-ingredient cranberry-baked brie comes in. It barely warrants a recipe – you literally just bake a wheel of brie with cranberry sauce on top.

The result is warm, gooey, cheesy, a little salty, a little tangy-sweet, and SO GOOD. Put your melty wheel of cranberry-smothered brie on a wooden board, gather some crackers and grapes and maybe some sugared rosemary and sugared cranberries around, and guests will be SO happy. I promise!

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie

• Crowd pleaser – It feels fancy and elegant, but is so easy to make. Everyone loves it.
• Super simple – We’re talking two ingredients and a couple of minutes hands-on time!
• CHEEESE – I mean it’s melty cheese.

Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients

• Brie cheese – You’ll want a small wheel, about 8 to 10 ounces.
• Cranberry sauce – You can just grab canned, but I love homemade cranberry sauce. This cranberry orange sauce or spiced cranberry sauce are both phenomenal in this Cranberry Baked Brie.

How to Make It

1. Cut the top layer of the brie rind off and discard it.
2. Place the brie cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Top with the cranberry sauce.
4. Bake until melty and serve with crackers. That’s it!

I hope this melty, cheesy, sweet-and-savory appetizer is as beloved by you and your family as it is ours! It’s perfectly seasonal, is super easy to make, and is such a crowd pleaser. Only have 5 minutes? Cranberry Baked Brie to the rescue!

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Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe

The easiest warm and cheesy appetizer ever! Savory, creamy brie + tart, sweet cranberry sauce = a match made in heaven.

Keyword baked brie cheese, cranberry baked brie, cranberry brie

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 449kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 wheel brie cheese 8 – 10 ounces
• 1 cup cranberry sauce canned or homemade

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the rind off the top of the brie cheese. Place the wheel of cheese into a pie plate or other dish or cookie sheet with sides.And have a terrific, fun, and safe New Year’s Eve!
• Pour the cranberry sauce over the top and spread it almost to the edges.
• Bake for 15 minutes until warmed through and melty. Serve immediately with crackers and/or crostini.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Marinated Cheese & Olive Skewers
• Caprese Tortellini Skewers
• Kale & White Bean Dip
• Christmas Charcuterie Board

The post Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe (Simple Holiday Appetizer) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Hidden Kiss Cookies
• Hidden Kiss Cookies Recipe Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Them
• Tips for Success
• More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I have a couple dozen recipes that I published back in 2009 or 2010 on my first blog, called The Hazel Bloom (because I liked green flowers and the words together!) But unfortunately, when I rebranded to Kitchen Treaty in 2012, I lost many of them. I still don’t know what I did, they just went poof! And gone.

So I’ve been slowly re-adding these recipes to Kitchen Treaty – and by slowly, I mean sloooowwwwwly, considering it’s been a decade plus!

Last year, I republished this Saltine Toffee recipe which has proven to be really popular. I know I’m a huge fan – I make it every year! Another cookie I make nearly every year? These Hidden Kiss Cookies! At the time, I called them Secret Kiss Cookies, and you can call them that if you prefer. Either one works!

These Hershey’s Kiss cookies are made with finely ground walnuts in the cookie dough for a super tender cookie. They’re wrapped around a single Hershey’s kiss, then baked until lightly golden and tender.

From there, just dust them in powdered sugar and watch them disappear! They’re tender, melt-in-your-mouth good and so perfect on any holiday cookie plate.

Why You’ll Love Hidden Kiss Cookies

• They’re DELICIOUS. Powdered sugar dusted shortbread style cookies around a big ol’ hunk of chocolate … YES PLEASE.
• They’re cute. They look like little snowballs on the holiday cookie platter.

Hidden Kiss Cookies Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – You’ll want it to be room temperature so that it blends and fluffs up easily.
• Sugar – Granulated (white) sugar.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds the perfect touch of mellow-sweet flavor.
• Walnuts – Raw walnuts, cut as small as you can get them. I use my Vitamix blender! Note that even walnut haters can love these cookies. Because I am absolutely a professed walnut hater, but something about chopping them into tiny bits makes them not only palatable but delicious.
• Flour – All-purpose.
• Hershey’s kisses – You’ll need about 30 kisses, which is about 3/4 of a 10.2 ounce bag.
• Powdered sugar – For dusting the freshly baked kiss cookies.

Adaptations/Variations

• Swap pecans for the walnuts for a more traditional Mexican Wedding Cookie approach.
• Use Hugs or another favorite kiss variation. Whatever you love!

How to Make Them

1. First, you’ll want to mix up the dough. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla. Add the walnuts, then the flour, beating on low speed just until the dough forms.
2. Chill for an hour.
3. Scoop tablespoon-size balls of dough and press a kiss into each one, using your hands to form the dough around the kiss in a ball.
4. Bake until lightly golden and set.
5. Cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Dust/roll in powdered sugar, then cool all of the way. And enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Pulverize those walnuts! The finer the better (just don’t process them so much that they turn into nut butter!). A food processor is perfect, or I even just use my Vitamix blender which does the job perfectly.
• Go gently. These tender cookies can be a bit delicate, so be gentle when dusting with powdered sugar.

I hope these Hidden Kiss Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platters! They’re always a fave here.

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Hidden Kiss Cookies

A big bite of chocolate hidden inside a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie, all rolled in powdered sugar. These delicious kiss cookies belong on every holiday cookie platter!

Course Dessert

Keyword hersheys kiss cookies, hidden kiss cookies, secret kiss cookies

Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Calories 150kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened/room temp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup very finely chopped walnuts 4 ounces; 1 heaping cup of walnuts comes to about 1 cup ground
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 215 grams

For inside the cookies

• 30 Hershey's kisses unwrapped; about 3/4 of a 10.2 ounce package

For dusting the baked cookies

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Mix dough & chill

• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with a beater blade or in a large bowl and use a hand mixer. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for another 20 seconds or so until well-distributed.
• Mix in the walnuts on low speed, then add the flour and beat on low just until incorporated.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pull the dough out of the fridge and use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon or cookie scoop to pull out tablespoon of dough, then roll it around each kiss. I like to smoosh the dough just a bit in my palm, stick the kiss in point first, then wrap it around. Or you can press the cookie dough slightly flat, set the kiss on, and wrap it around the top (it's a little easier to make sure the kiss stays right-side-up this way). You have to smoosh it a little to hide the kiss completely. (I keep using the word "smoosh," but it's very appropriate here!)
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 10-11 minutes, just until set and the bottoms are lightly golden brown.

Cool & dust with powdered sugar

• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar to a bowl. Gently roll in/dust with powdered sugar and place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cook time includes 1 hour chilling.

Freezer note: These freeze well, so feel free to make them now then save ’em until the big day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Christmas Sugar Cookies
• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack)
• Mini Gingerbread People

The post Hidden Kiss Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Iced Gingerbread Latte
• Gingerbread Iced Latte Recipe Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make It
• Tips for Success

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’m obsessed with gingerbread this time of year. I guess I’m not unique – most everyone loves gingerbread, right?! – but I thought it worth mentioning anyway.

I’ve shared recipes for a hot gingerbread latte, gingerbread coffee syrup, mini gingerbread people, and gingerbread trees. Oh and how about a gingerbread pumpkin loaf?! Or gingerbread pancakes??

Sometimes when I’m running around creating Christmas magic, I need a caffeine boost, and I need something more refreshing and cool than cozy and warm. Enter: An Iced Gingerbread Latte!

This Iced Gingerbread Latte brings all those wonderful spices into the picture, but in a cold, sippable, indulgent drink.

Why You’ll Love This Iced Gingerbread Latte

• Creamy, perfectly spiced, and delicious – Everything you want in a holiday iced latte!
• Super easy – Once you have the gingerbread coffee syrup made, it’s super simple to make a gingerbread iced latte whenever you’re craving one.

Gingerbread Iced Latte Recipe Ingredients

For the gingerbread syrup:

• Sugar – Plain old granulated sugar is the perfect sweetener. Pure maple syrup would be delicious too.
• Water
• Molasses – You want dark molasses, but NOT blackstrap, which would be too strong and bitter.
• Ginger – Go for dried/ground powdered ginger.
• Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon.
• Cloves – Just a pinch of ground cloves!

For the gingerbread iced latte:

• Gingerbread coffee syrup
• Milk – I really like full-fat oat milk for my lattes these days, but for sure use whatever you love for the milk.
• Espresso – I use a little stovetop espresso maker which is budget-friendly and makes great espresso!
• Whipped cream – Store-bought or homemade whipped cream, whichever you like!
• Cinnamon – I like to sprinkle a bit of extra cinnamon over the whipped cream for a bit of extra flavor and warm spiced flavor.

Adaptations/Variations

• Dairy-Free/Vegan Iced Gingerbread Latte – Use oat milk (my fave!) or another plant-based milk for a vegan version. Opt for coconut whipped cream to keep the indulgent vibes while staying plant-based.
• Dairy-Full Latte – Use dairy milk if you’re a dairy fan!

How to Make It

1. First, you’ll need to make the gingerbread coffee syrup, which is easy! Just add the ingredients for the syrup to a small saucepan on the stove.
2. Bring it to a boil and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves, just a couple of minutes. Let cool for a few minutes then strain to catch any grittiness from the spices.
3. Now, it’s time to make your gingerbread iced latte! Brew your espresso or coffee, then pour it into a large glass.
4. Stir in the milk and coffee syrup, then taste and add more gingerbread syrup if you’d like more flavor/sweetness.
5. Add ice and stir.
6. Top with a little whipped cream (or a lot!) and sprinkle with cinnamon.
7. Plop in a straw and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Let the espresso cool a bit – This will help ensure that the ice doesn’t melt right away and result in a less-watery latte.
• Use a full-fat milk – From oat milk to dairy options, the fuller the fat, the creamier the drink!

I hope this Gingerbread Iced Latte helps you wrap presents, clean house, decorate the tree, put up lights, help the elf relocate, and everything else that a little boost of caffeine helps with during the holidays!

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Gingerbread Iced Latte

A sweetly spiced iced latte brimming with gingerbread flavors. A cool yet cozy way to caffeinate for the holidays!

Keyword gingerbread latte, gingerbread latte recipe, starbucks gingerbread latte recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 1 latte

Calories 333kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the gingerbread coffee syrup:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons dark molasses not blackstrap
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

For the iced gingerbread latte:

• 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1-2 cups ice
• 1 cup oat milk or milk of choice
• 1-2 tablespoons gingerbread coffee syrup to taste

Topping

• whipped cream
• ground cinnamon

Instructions

Make the gingerbread coffee syrup

• Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let cool off until cool enough to handle. Drain through a cheesecloth if you can to catch any grittiness.
• Place a fine-mesh strainer over a mason jar or another container. Lay cheesecloth on top if you have it (not crucial but nice to catch any residual grittiness from the spices). Strain coffee syrup into your jar.

Make the iced gingerbread latte

• Brew the espresso or coffee. Pour it into a 16-ounce or larger glass.
• Stir in the milk and gingerbread coffee syrup. Taste and add another tablespoon of coffee syrup if desired.
• Fill the cup to the top with ice. Stir again to make sure the drink is ice-cold.
• Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve.

Notes

Recipe time includes time to make the gingerbread coffee syrup. Once that’s made, you’re looking at more like 5 minutes for this gingerbread latte. 

Dairy-Free/Vegan Option

Use oat milk (my fave!) or another plant-based milk for a vegan version. Opt for coconut whipped cream to keep the indulgent vibes while staying plant-based.

Dairy Option

Use dairy milk if you’re a dairy fan!

Nutrition

Serving: 1latte | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 643mg | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 593IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 457mg | Iron: 2mg

More Holiday Coffee Recipes

• Gingerbread Latte (Hot)
• Peppermint Mocha Creamer
• Vanilla Peppermint Latte
• Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte

The post Gingerbread Iced Latte appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
• How to Make Them
• Tips for Success
• Freezer-Friendly Christmas Cookies
• More Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Last year, I shared a recipe for Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies which is basically a Christmas-ified version of classic chocolate chip cookies. They were super fun and I really liked having an excuse to put a year-round classic like chocolate chip cookies on my Christmas cookie platter.

So this year, I thought I’d set out to make another chocolate chip cookie that’s gotten into the Christmas spirit!

I wanted an cranberry orange cookie flavor flavor profile, and white chocolate goes perfectly. So I revisited my oldie-but-goodie recipe for white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, making them a bit thicker and chewier, with a generous amount of orange zest + dried cranberries. It was love at first bite!

Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

• No chilling required – The dough comes together quickly and they’re in the oven in no time.
• Brown sugar chewy perfection – These cranberry white chocolate chip cookies have the perfect consistency. They’re crisp around the edges, chewy and soft in the middle.
• Super easy – Just about as easy as classic chocolate chip cookies! Just mix, drop, and bake.
• Perfect for the holidays – With cranberry, orange flavors, and white chocolate these cookies are super Christmassy!
• Sturdy and portable – Perfect for mailing care packages or for a Christmas cookie exchange.

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

• Butter – You’ll want unsalted butter. Make sure it’s room temp so it’s soft enough to be able to beat and mix with the sugars.
• Brown sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar in these cookies.
• Granulated sugar – Your standard white sugar.
• Orange zest – Zested from around two medium-size oranges. I usually just grab a couple of navel oranges.
• Eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Flour – All-purpose.
• Baking soda
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baked goods.
• White chocolate chips
• Dried cranberries – If you prefer, you can swap in dried cherries, but you may want to chop them up a bit first (I personally find them a bit large for cookies)

How to Make Them

1. Using either a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s pale and fluffy, then add the sugars and orange zest. Mix until well-combined.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them in each time.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix until it forms a dough, then stir in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
6. Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake until golden-edged.
7. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Jump to the full, printable recipe

Tips for Success

• For perfectly round chocolate chip cookies, invert a drinking glass over the freshly baked cookie (still on the cookie sheet) and move it in a circular motion around the cookie. This will help rein in any odd edges for a round shape.
• Top with extra white chocolate chips and cranberries for a prettier look that tells everyone exactly what’s in these delicious cranberry white chocolate chip cookies!

Freezer-Friendly Christmas Cookies

To freeze baked cookies, cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe container with airtight lid or a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes and you’re good to go!

To freeze and bake later, scoop balls of dough onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and label. They keep for up to 3 months. To bake, simply pull a few out, line on your baking sheet, and bake for a minute or two extra.

I hope these Orange White Chocolate Cranberry Chocolate Chip cookies are as big a hit with your family as they are with mine! They’re chewy and holiday-coded and perfect for cookie platters. We love ’em!

If you make these, I’d love your star rating! It’s super helpful for other readers (and helps my small business grow).

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Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

No ordinary chocolate chip cookies, these orange cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are a little more elegant and a lot more festive. Thick and chewy with soft centers, a hint of orange, creamy white chocolate, and chewy dried cranberries.

Keyword cranberry white chocolate cookies, orange cranberry white chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 189kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest from about 2 medium oranges [I use navel]
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 420g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 8g
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt 7g
• 2 cups white chocolate chips 12 ounces
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer).
• Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and orange zest. Continue beating on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat each time until well-incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• With the mixer on low speed, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
• Scoop 2-tablespoon-size balls (I use a #30 cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet, spaced at least a couple of inches apart.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, until edges of cookie begin to turn golden. Remove cookies from the oven and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes on the cookie sheet so the cookie can start to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cookies stay fresh when kept in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 – 4 days, or can be frozen for up to two months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

More Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (vegan)
• Christmas Sugar Cookies
• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Mini Gingerbread Cookies
• Gingerbread Trees

The post Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

The Story Behind the Recipe

I wanted to share an easy, kid-friendly, adorable Christmas dessert this year, and these Reindeer Cupcakes were perfect! I love how easy they are to make – just pipe on the chocolate buttercream, plop on the antlers, nose, and eyes, and adorableness awaits.

Why You’ll Love These Reindeer Cupcakes

• From scratch recipe – The homemade cupcakes and that chocolate buttercream are to die for! But no shade if you go with cake mix and premade frosting – you can still easily add antlers, eyes, and nose for Reindeer Cupcakes!
• SUPER easy – I love that there’s no extra work to prepping the elements for decorating your reindeer cupcakes. All you need are store-bought chocolate covered pretzels, red M&Ms, and candy eyes.
• Make ahead – You can make these reindeer cupcakes ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to serve them. Less work over the busy holidays!

Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• Cocoa powder – You’ll want unsweetened cocoa powder; Dutch process is the way to go. I use straight up Hershey’s or Ghirardelli for my cocoa powder.
• Coffee – Freshly brewed coffee. I promise your chocolate cupcakes won’t taste like coffee! Just a half cup or so really highlights the chocolate flavors.
• Eggs – Two large eggs.
• Sour cream – I like to use full-fat sour cream. You can substitute buttermilk here, too, if that’s all you have.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract.
• Flour – All-purpose flour.
• Baking soda & baking powder
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baking.

For the chocolate buttercream:

• Butter – Make sure it’s at room temp so it’s nice and soft, otherwise it will be hard to blend.
• Powdered sugar
• Salt
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla
• Heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• Chocolate covered pretzels – You can find these in the snack section or sometimes I find them in bulk.
• M&Ms – Red M&Ms make the perfect nose. Buy a bag of M&Ms and pick out the red ones, then enjoy the rest while you’re whipping up your reindeer cupcakes!
• Candy eyes – Found the baking section of many grocery stores.

How to Make the Cupcakes & Frosting

1. First, make your cupcakes. You’ll want to whisk together the cocoa powder and the coffee in a small bowl until liquified into chocolatey goodness.
2. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients, then sift the dry ingredients over the top. Mix together just until combined, and fill your lined muffin cups.
3. Bake the cupcakes just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, then pull them out to cool.
4. Whip up the frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together, then drizzle in the vanilla and heavy whipping cream and whip until light and fluffy.

How to Decorate Reindeer Cupcakes

1. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with an open-star tip.
2. Press the pretzels into each side of the frosting.
3. Gently press in the nose and the eyes.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

I hope you love these Reindeer Cupcakes as much as my family and I do! They’re cute and festive and absolutely delicious. Rudolph approves!

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Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe

These cute Christmas cupcakes are guaranteed to steal the show at any holiday potluck or party! The cake is rich, moist, and tender and topped with the creamiest whipped chocolate buttercream frosting. Chocolate covered pretzels make the perfect antlers, then they're finished with candy eyes and an M&M nose.

Course Dessert

Keyword christmas cupcakes, reindeer cupcakes, rudolph cupcakes

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 385kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 standard-size muffin tin
• 1 stand mixer or hand-held mixer

Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup freshly brewed black coffee*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt

For the chocolate buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature; 2 sticks
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• 24 chocolate-covered pretzels
• 12 red M&Ms
• 24 candy eyes

Instructions

Make the chocolate cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
• In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot coffee until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla until well-combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk again until the batter is uniform in color.
• Place a sifter over the bowl and sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together just until combined. The batter will be thin – this is exactly how it should look.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
• Bake in the center of the oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22-28 minutes (for my oven, it took more like 28 minutes, but if your oven runs hotter, it may more on the 22 minute side. I suggest checking them early on.) The cupcakes will be flat on top, not rounded like a muffin.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the chocolate buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and mix on low speed until the mixture looks combined but still crumbly.
• Slowly add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the cream while on low speed, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick to pipe onto the cupcakes, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream.
• Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star top (such as Wilton 1M). Pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake.
• Press two pretzels into the top for antlers, add a red M&M nose, and finish with two candy eyes.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days until ready to serve.

Notes

* If you prefer not to use coffee, you can simply replace it with ½ cup of boiling water instead. The purpose of the coffee is to intensify the chocolate flavor, not to add a coffee taste, so the cupcakes will still be deliciously chocolatey without it.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

Storage

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Keeps up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Reindeer Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Chex Mix
• Ranch Chex Mix Recipe Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Ranch Chex Mix

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Do you ever just find yourself massively influenced by a short little video you caught on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok? That happened to me last year when Lindsay of Pinch of Yum shared her recipe for Ranch Crackers, which are essentially oyster crackers tossed with oil and ranch seasoning, then baked until golden and delicious. They were a huge hit with my family, and so easy to make that I probably made three different batches over the course of the season.

A couple of months ago, I was trying to dream up some snacky recipes for Kitchen Treaty, and my mind wandered to those ranch crackers. So good! I found myself wondering what it would be like to marry those ranch oyster crackers with a simple traditional Chex Mix, and before I knew it, was at the grocery store, wandering the aisles for everything I needed for such a concoction.

I knew I wanted the typical mix of Chex cereal – corn, rice, and wheat. Pretzels seemed like a good addition, oyster crackers were a no-brainer. I laid my eyes on the Cheez-Its and they felt like a must-have (I do love a good Cheez-It presence in my Chex Mix!)

I mashed up the traditional Chex mix sauce ingredients with these goodies and a packet of Ranch mix, baked it up, and passed it along to the family for testing.

They’ve basically been begging for it ever since.

Why You’ll Love This Chex Mix

• Super easy – Could not be simpler.
• Crowd pleaser – Everyone who has tried this Chex Mix loves it!
• Perfect for the holidays – Though when I was testing this recipe, I put it in my kid’s lunch for several days in a row in September, by request.

Ranch Chex Mix Recipe Ingredients

• Chex cereal – It’s not Chex Mix without Chex cereal! This Ranch Chex Mix calls for two cups each of corn Chex, rice Chex, and wheat Chex.
• Cheese crackers – I’m partial to classic Cheez-Its for this Chex mix. White cheddar flavor are also delicious. Goldfish might be a fun swap, too!
• Oyster crackers – Your typical round crackers are the perfect neutral flavor and round shape for Ranch Chex Mix.
• Mini pretzels – Go for your standard mini pretzels, or pretzel sticks are great too.
• Butter – One whole cube of unsalted butter. It seems like a lot, but use it all – trust me.
• Ranch seasoning – The key to that delicious ranch flavor! I use a packet of Hidden Valley ranch.
• Garlic powder & onion powder – They add another element of flavor; highly recommend including both! You’ll find them in the spices/baking section of your local grocery store.

Adaptations/Variations

• Like any Chex Mix, you can mix this up however you like. Use different crackers, add nuts, sesame sticks, rye or bagel chips … sky’s the limit.
• Add a teaspoon or two of dried dill to amp up the dilly-Ranch flavor.

How to Make Ranch Chex Mix

1. Add the cereal, crackers, and pretzels to a large bowl and mix it all up.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the Ranch seasoning mix, garlic powder, and onion powder.
3. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mix. Use a spatula to scrap it all out.
4. Use the spatula to gently toss the cereal with the butter until distributed evenly.
5. Spread on a large baking sheet.
6. Bake, stirring once, until toasty and a little golden..
7. Let cool and enjoy!

I hope this Ranch Chex Mix “chex” all the boxes for you and your family! It’s hugely popular in our house and I anticipate making it every holiday season from here on out!

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Ranch Chex Mix

Everyone's favorite Chex Mix, but ranchified! Tangy ranch seasoning elevates Chex Mix – our family loves it!

Servings 9 cups

Calories 505kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice Chex
• 2 cups corn Chex
• 2 cups wheat Chex
• 1 cup cheese crackers like Cheez-Its
• 1 cup oyster crackers
• 1 cup mini pretzels
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter one stick
• 1 ounce Ranch seasoning mix I use the Hidden Valley 1-oz package
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Add the Chex cereal, cheese crackers, oyster crackers, and pretzels to a large bowl.
• Place the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. When melted, remove from the heat and stir in the Ranch seasoning mix along with the garlic powder and onion powder.
• Pour the butter over the cereal/cracker mix.
• Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir the mix together gently until well combined.
• Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes or so, until slightly golden and toasty. Give it a quick stir at the 20-minute mark.
• Let cool then serve.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1014mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1208IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 21mg

The post Ranch Chex Mix appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Greek Mosaic Salad
• Greek Mosaic Salad Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Tips for Success

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Have you seen mosaic salads? They’re so pretty! So far I’ve seen melon mosaic salad (or “Tetris salad”) like this, this and this, and that presentation is just *chefskiss* perfect. Love.

I knew I wanted to bring that mosaic concept to a different type of salad. I originally wanted to do something that was fall-inspired, like apple, pear, and cheddar (and that’s still swirling in my brain), but when I was eating a Greek salad at a restaurant recently, it all clicked for me. The ingredients in horiatiki-style Greek salad would be PERFECT arranged mosaic-style!

So I got to work, settling pretty quickly on cherry tomatoes nestled into squares secured by feta, cucumber, and green bell pepper squares.

Then I scattered on some Kalamata olives, red onions, fresh herbs, and a simple oregano olive oil dressing. Gah, love at first sight (and then more love at first bite!)

Why You’ll Love Greek Mosaic Salad

• Crowd-pleaser: There’s no way this mosaic Greek salad won’t impress!
• Unique spin on a classic horiatiki-style Greek salad: Horiatiki Greek Salad is made simply with veggies and a straightforward dressing; no lettuce involved. It’s the perfect style of salad for the mosaic treatment!
• Surprisingly easy: This Greek salad isn’t just easy to put together, it’s really not fussy. No need to be precious about it and get the squares exact; it’s going to look amazing no matter what!

Greek Mosaic Salad Recipe Ingredients

• Red onion – You won’t need much onion; just enough to thinly slice and arrange over the top. I like to soak the onion in ice water to help mellow it out.
• Cucumber – I use one large English cucumber for this mosaic Greek salad. You can use different types of cucumber if you prefer, just make sure it’s large enough to cut into cubes.
• Green bell pepper – One large one with flat, even sides if you can find it.
• Feta cheese – You’ll want a block of solid feta. Blot it with a paper towel to help sop up some of the moisture.
• Cherry tomatoes – Try to find some cherry tomatoes that are smaller in size, or you can cut them in half.
• Kalamata olives – Just a few, halved and scattered across the top.
• Dressing – Just olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and kosher salt.
• Fresh oregano and/or or mint leaves – Arrange on top to make it extra pretty.
• Bonus: I don’t have these in pics or ingredients but a few capers scattered along the top will never hurt!

Tips for Success

• Cut everything into roughly the same size cubes. I go for about 3/4-inch.
• To prep ahead, cut up your feta and veggies then store them separately in an airtight container in the fridge (bell pepper and onion can flavor the other ingredients if stored together). Assemble right before serving.

I hope you love this fun spin on Greek salad! It’s one of my favorite recipes I’ve created lately. I’ve always loved a horiatiki Greek salad, and I think the mosaic presentation brings it to the next level!

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Greek Mosaic Salad Recipe

Sweet cherry tomatoes are nestled in between squares of cool cucumbers, crisp green bell peppers, and creamy feta cheese. Drizzle with a simple red wine viniagrette, top with red onion, Kalamata olives, and fresh herbs and dazzle your guests!

Keyword greek mosaic salad, horiatiki greek salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 209kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced soaked in ice water for 15 minutes
• 1 English cucumber
• 1/2 large green bell pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese in block form; drained
• 1 cup small cherry tomatoes if large, you can cut them in half
• 10-12 kalamata olives halved
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10-15 fresh oregano or mint leaves optional

Instructions

Soak the onions

• Thinly slice the onion and place it in bowl. Submerge it in ice water. Let it soak for 15 minutes. (This helps mellow out the flavor and makes them nice and crisp.)

Cut the veggies & feta

• Meanwhile, cut the four sides off of the cucumber to square it off, leaving some green peel on the corners for color. Cut into roughly 3/4-inch cubes.
• Cut the sides off of the green pepper, as large as possible. Square the edges then cut each piece into 3/4-inch wide squares.
• Cut the feta into approximately 3/4-inch squares.

Arrange the salad

• On a large rimmed platter, arrange the cucumber, feta, and bell peppers, leaving room for a cherry tomato here and there.
• Plop the cherry tomatoes into the blank spaces.

Top with onion and olives

• Drain the red onion slices and arrange over the top. Scatter the Kalamata olive halves over the top, too.

Add the dressing

• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Drizzle dressing over the top of the salad.

Garnish

• Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Decorate with fresh oregano or fresh mint if desired.
• To serve, use a flat server or large serving spoon and scoop salad pieces onto a plate or into bowls.

Notes

Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

To store leftovers, wrap the platter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I’ve also simply moved the ingredients into a storage bowl for easier storing (even if the mosaic presentation is lost!)

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Greek Mosaic Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Why You’ll Love Caprese Tortellini Skewers

• Fresh, easy, and delicious – Who doesn’t love the caprese combo of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil? This one levels it up with tender cheese tortellini + tangy-sweet balsamic syrup.
• Easy to make ahead of time – Thread your skewers up to a couple of days ahead of time, and make your balsamic reduction while you’re at it. Then, when it’s time to serve them, line them up on a platter, drizzle with the balsamic syrup, and you’re done!
• Pretty & colorful – I just love how these caprese tortellini skewers look as an appetizer display. They’re so full of vibrant color that people are always drawn to them first!

Ingredients

• Cheese tortellini – Grab your favorite brand, fresh or frozen, and cook them according to package directions.
• Cherry tomatoes – Grape tomatoes will work, too. Heirloom cherry tomatoes in shades of yellow, orange, purple, and red are gorgeous, too!
• Ciliegine mozzarella – These are the small, cherry-size mozzarella balls found in the deli and/or cheese section of most well-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find ciliegine mozzarella, you can buy larger fresh mozzarella balls like bocconcini and cut them in half or quarters.
• Basil – You’ll want lots of fresh basil leaves.
• Balsamic reduction – Made simply by simmering balsamic vinegar until it’s thick and sweet. I have full instructions for how to make balsamic syrup (balsamic reduction) here!
• Sea salt – I like to finish these caprese tortellini skewers with a pinch of coarse finishing salt like Maldon.

Adaptation/Variation

• Plain ol’ caprese skewers – For a lower-carb option or if you just don’t have (or don’t want) tortellini, you can leave it out for a caprese salad on a skewer situation.

Tip for Success

• Dry your ingredients well. After washing your tomatoes and basil, be sure to dry them thoroughly. Same with the mozzarella balls; they’ll come in a brine, so pat them with a paper towel to dry them.

I hope these Caprese Tortellini Skewers are your new favorite vegetarian appetizer! We love these so much; they’re fun to make and everyone devours them.

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Caprese Tortellini Skewers

An easy appetizer made with cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and tasty cheese tortellini! Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze to seal the deal.

Keyword caprese appetizer, caprese skewers, caprese tortellini appetizer, caprese tortellini skewers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 skewers

Calories 61kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Balsamic Reduction Glaze:

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Caprese Tortellini Skewers:

• 1/2 pound cheese tortellini fresh or frozen; 2 cups; cooked and drained
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes about 48 tomatoes
• 8 ounces ciliegine mozzarella aka cherry-sized mozzarella balls
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• a few pinches coarse sea salt like maldon
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic reduction aka balsamic syrup

Instructions

Make the Balsamic Glaze:

• Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a light simmer and simmer for approximately 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the mixture just starts to thicken. Test it by inserting a metal spoon, and if it coats the spoon lightly, it's done. Allow the balsamic glaze to cool completely (it will thicken as it cools). 1 cup of balsamic vinegar yields about 1/2 cup of balsamic reduction, so you will have some left over.

Make the Caprese Tortellini Skewers:

• Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside to let cool.
• Rinse and dry the cherry tomatoes.
• Drain the mozzarella balls and place them in a bowl.
• Pick the leaves off of the basil (you'll need around 48), wash, and dry them.
• Set up an assembly line with skewers/cocktail picks and the ingredients.
• Build your skewers by adding a cherry tomato, folded basil leaf, mozzarella ball, tortellini, another basil leaf, and finish with a tomato. Repeat until all skewers are built.
• Arrange on a serving platter and finish with balsamic reduction drizzled over the top and a couple of pinches of coarse sea salt. Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 2skewers | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

More Vegetarian Appetizer Recipes

• Cheese and Olive Skewers
• Watermelon and Tofu “Feta” Skewers
• Cucumber Cream Cheese Canapes
• Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs

The post Caprese Tortellini Skewers Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Fresh slices of cucumbers, topped with cool garlic-herb cream cheese and garnished with sprigs of dill (or whatever else you want to garnish ’em with!) They’re perfect for parties or even a quick snack at home when you’re feeling fancy. Or just famished.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Cucumber Cream Cheese Canapés
• Ingredients
• How to Make Cucumber Canapés
• Tip for Success
• More Appetizer Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I created these cute cucumber appetizers when I was developing the recipe for garlic and herb cream cheese. I wanted to use my cream cheese for cucumber sandwiches (recipe coming this spring!) but then I was thinking that it would be delicious and easy to pipe the cream cheese onto cucumber rounds, just like my cucumber sunflower seed pate appetizers. Voila! A new cucumber appetizer was born.

Why You’ll Love Cucumber Cream Cheese Canapés

I mean, what’s not to love?! They’re easy, super tasty, and a great way to work in a veggie appetizer.

They’re super easy to make in advance, too. I like to slice my cucumbers and whip up the cream cheese up to two days ahead of time then just arrange the cucumbers on the serving dish, pipe on the herb cream cheese, and done!

Ingredients

• Cucumber – I like to use English cucumbers because you can leave the thin, edible peel on for more color.
• Cream cheese – Make sure it’s been out of the fridge for a bit so that it’s easy to mix the cream cheese with the other ingredients.
• Mayo – This adds some creaminess and a bit of tangy flavor.
• Dill – I like to use fresh dill (found in the produce section of most grocery stores). The dill goes into the cream cheese and also makes a pretty garnish on top of your cucumber canapés.
• Garlic powder & onion powder – You can use fresh garlic and finely minced onion or scallions if you prefer. I like to use garlic powder and onion powder because they both add tons of flavor but requires less chopping.
• Salt & pepper

How to Make Cucumber Canapés

First, slice up your cucumbers and line them up on your serving plate or platter. Then, mix up your garlic and herb cream cheese.

Put the cream cheese into a bag affixed with a piping tip (I like a star tip).

Pipe the cream cheese mixture onto your cucumber slices.

Garnish with some extra dill. Done!

Tip for Success

• Make sure your cream cheese is softened a bit before starting. Pull it out of the fridge about an hour before you want to mix it up – this way it’s not super hard and impossible to mix.
• Dab the cucumber slices with a paper towel. If your cucumber slices are sweating a bit and the cream cheese starts to slide off, dab them with a paper towel to dry off the slices before adding the cream cheese mixture.

More Appetizer Recipes

• Marinated Cheese & Olive Skewers
• Cucumber Slices with Sunflower Seed Pate (vegan/dairy-free)
• Classic Hummus
• Olive Hummus

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Cucumber Cream Cheese Canapés Recipe

A super easy cucumber appetizer with cucumber slices and a delicious herb and garlic cream cheese piped on top. Elegant yet delicious!

Keyword cucumber appetizer, cucumber canapes, cucumber cream cheese appetizer, cucumber cream cheese canapes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 48 canapés

Calories 21kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 large English cucumber sliced 1/4-inch thick; about 48 slices
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened a bit at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder finely minced or grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste

Instructions

• Slice the cucumber and line the slices on a platter.
• Add the cream cheese, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pinch ground pepper. If your cream cheese is soft enough, you should be able to mix it together with a fork; if not or if it's not working well with a fork, I suggest using the beater attachments on your hand mixer to blend it all together.
• Transfer the cream cheese to a plastic storage bag or piping bag affixed with your tip of choice (I like to use a star tip). Pipe the cream cheese onto the cucumber slices. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and serve.

Notes

Vegan option: Use a dairy-free/vegan cream cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.05g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 69IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.02mg

The post Cucumber Cream Cheese Canapés Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

They’re ho-ho-holy-moly-delicious! (Sorry. I had to.)

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Tips for Success
• Can I Freeze Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies?
• More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

We all know Christmas is cookie season, but why do the best cookies of all, chocolate chip cookies, always get passed over at Christmas time?! It’s not right.

So I thought I’d take a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe and dress it up for the holidays. These Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are super colorful and look extra festive on any cookie plate. They’re also just a darn delicious chocolate chip cookie! (Pssst: Santa will LOVE these Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies. Guaranteed.)

I started with a chocolate chip cookie recipe from the grand kahuna of chocolate chip cookie bakers, Sarah Kieffer of The Vanilla Bean Blog (if you’ve heard of the pan-banging chocolate chip cookie, she’s the one who started it!) She’s tested and perfected chocolate chip cookies – add a little more butter here, add one less egg white there – until she created an amazing chewy chocolate chip cookie. I used that as the base recipe and basically trashed it up with Christmas goodness from there.

Why You’ll Love Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are arguably the best cookie of all – why shouldn’t they have a place on the Christmas cookie platter?! When you dress up chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms and white chocolate chips, you get the goodness of chocolate chip cookies, but Christmassified.

Ingredients

You’ll find a pretty traditional list of ingredients for these Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies, except a few holiday-ish ingredients to take them over the top!

• All-purpose flour – The plain fluffy white flour we know and love.
• Baking powder & baking soda – Puffs them up a little and helps with the structure of the cookie.
• Butter – I like to use unsalted butter to better control the salt content in my recipes (salted butter often varies with the amount of salt in it). Make sure it’s room temp so it’s soft and blendable!
• Sugar – Straight-up white granulated sugar.
• Brown sugar – Use light or dark, whichever you prefer.
• Salt – I like to use a fine-grain sea salt in the batter itself, and then for a bit of extra salt, I’ll often sprinkle some over the top with coarse sea salt flakes like Maldon.
• Egg – You’ll want one whole egg and one yolk.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract. A must in chocolate chip cookies!
• M&Ms – Festive red and green M&Ms. Perfect for Christmas!
• White chocolate chips – Use your favorite brand of white chocolate chips.
• Sprinkles – I like to use the “jimmies” style of sprinkles, shaped in rods, in red, green, and white. You can mix some into the batter, or sprinkle some on the tops before baking, or both.

Adaptations/Variations

• Swap the chocolate chips – Feel free to use standard chocolate chips instead of white chocolate chips. I’ve made this recipe both ways and they’re delicious either way.
• Add a drizzle of white chocolate – To make them even fancier, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the tops of the cooled cookies. Pretty and delicious!
• Candy cane chocolate chip Christmas cookies – To make a minty version of these Christmas M&M chocolate chip cookies, crush up four or five candy canes and mix it in to the batter with the chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few more on top before baking for good measure.

How to Make Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

First you’ll mix together the dry ingredients for the dough. To do this, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and set it aside.

Next, it’s time to mix up the wet ingredients. Fit a stand mixer with the S-blade, then beat the butter until creamy and lightened. Add the sugars and salt and beat it until combined. Add the full egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and combine.

Now, add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mix and beat JUST until it’s combined. Add the M&Ms and chocolate chips plus the sprinkles if you’re using them. Blend a bit with the mixer, then use a spatula to incorporate the mix-ins the rest of the way. The batter will be thick and stiff.

Next, form the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each. I highly recommend a cookie scoop for easy, uniform scooping (here’s the cookie scoop I use; this is an affiliate link!)

Space the balls about 3 inches apart and sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top, if you like. I also like to press a couple of extra M&Ms and/or chocolate chips on the cookie balls because it looks extra pretty.

Bake at 375°F (190°C), rotating the baking sheet once halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown and beginning to crinkle on the top.

Pull them from the oven and press gently with a spatula on the cookie tops to help the cookies crackle and flatten.

Let them rest for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to the wire rack to cool the rest of the way.

(For the full, printable recipe, continue scrolling down.)

Tips for Success

• Don’t over-mix the cookie batter! Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and work in the chocolate chips & M&Ms JUST until combined and not any more. Otherwise, you risk the glutens in the flour developing which can make cookies tough.
• Bake JUST until golden and beginning to crinkle. Err on the side of cooking less vs. more. This will yield that soft and chewy interior that is the hallmark of a fabulous chocolate chip cookie!

I hope these fun Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are a popular addition to your Christmas cookie repertoire! My family definitely enjoyed all of my testing iterations and they’re looking forward to them at Christmastime too.

Can I Freeze Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Yes! You can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag, then just pull them out and keep them on the counter at room temp for about 30 minutes and they’ll be good to go.

Another option is to line up balls of cookie dough on a baking sheet and freeze them. Then, just plop the frozen solid rounds of cookie dough into a freezer bag or airtight container. When you’re ready to bake a few or all of them, just space them on the baking sheet and cook as directed!

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Gingerbread Trees
• Mini Gingerbread Men & Women
• Dolly Parton’s Famous Sugar Cookies
• Sparkly Chocolate Snickerdoodles
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
• White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Print

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Chocolate chip cookies deserve a place on the Christmas cookie platter too! These thick, soft, chewy, and perfectly portable cookies are dressed up for the season with red and green M&Ms, white chocolate chips, and festive sprinkles. Easy, fast, no-chill recipe!

Keyword chocolate chip christmas cookies, chocolate chip m&m christmas cookies, christmas chocolate chip cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 212kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 284 g
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick + 1 tablespoon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup green and red M&Ms + more for topping
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup red, green, & white jimmies rod-shaped sprinkles; optional
• flaky sea salt if desired

Instructions

• Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, then add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Beat until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
• Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix at low speed until well-combined.
• Add the flour mixture and beat together just until combined. Add the chocolate chips, M&Ms, and sprinkles if using. Mix for another few seconds then remove the bowl and stir the dough together with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined.
• Form the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each (I use a cookie scoop). Space cookies about 3 inches apart on your baking sheet. Sprinkle on a little flaky sea salt, if desired, and press two or three more M&Ms in the top.
• Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway at the 5 minute mark. The cookie tops will be golden brown, the bottoms will be brown, and they'll look puffed and beginning to crinkle when they're ready to be pulled out of the oven.
• Remove the cookie pan from the oven and gently flatten each cookie a bit with a flat spatula.
• Let the cookies rest for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Base chocolate chip cookie recipe adapted from Sara Kieffer of The Vanilla Bean Blog https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

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