Orange is the new Chocolate Cookies

O'range you glad you saw this recipe. Well maybe not yet but if you bake up a batch of these cookies I'm pretty sure you will be.

That is if you like chocolate and orange together which we most certainly do in this household.

This month you won't be finding any of those plain ole' vanilla chocolate chip cookies in our jar. Nope Orange is the new chocolate around here.

These cookies are flavored with  a combination of juice, extract and zest which results in a lovely fragrant slightly chewy cookie.

They are perfect for an afternoon snack and if you manage not to eat them all at once I think the orange flavor becomes a little improved by the next day.

Or maybe it's just when they are warm with the chocolate chips still melted I just focus on the melty chocolate yumminess. I'm not that sure, pretty much my opinion is easily swayed like that when sweets are involved.

Anyhoo the recipe for these orange chocolate cookies is below, but if you like chocolate chip cookies like I like chocolate chip cookies try out these other recipes on this blog, recipe links below picture:

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies (CLICK HERE) 

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies (CLICK HERE)

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes approx 24 cookies depending on cookie size)

1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
1/4 tsp bi-carb soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp salt
115g (4 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine use regular white sugar if superfine not available)
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp orange essence
1 cup chocolate chips (any type)

Preheat oven to 160 C. Line 2 trays with baking paper (parchment paper).

Sift together the flour, bicarb soda (baking soda) and salt.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and both sugars at high speed for a few minutes.

Scrape down sides of bowl, reduce the speed to medium low and mix in the egg, then add the orange juice, zest and essence and mix until combined.

Add the sifted flour mixture and mix at low speed until the mixture has just combined.

Using a spatula or large spoon mix chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Spoon dough onto the prepared trays about 1 1/2 Tbsp (2 US Tbsp) in size and flatten slightly.

Bake for around 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies start to turn golden, the middles of the cookies will look set and no longer be shiny. Remove from oven allow to rest on trays for around 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for at least 3 days. 

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Best gender reveal baby shower cookie idea

Oh yes this has to pretty much be the easiest gender reveal cookie idea for a baby shower ever.

Secret gender reveal cookies with a sugar sprinkle baked in the back. You can decorate your cookies any way you like and the gender reveal is hidden on the other side.

So just in case you don't know. Gender reveal is when the mum to be has not yet announced whether a boy or girl is on the way. There is usually something at the party which reveals to the guests using the old pink or blue standby. 

He or She,

What will baby be?

Turn over the cookie,

and you will see.

These cookies do all the work for you, just pop a sprinkle into the back of each cookie before baking and let each guest find out in their own sweet way.

I've had this idea for a while and when my friend had a pastel rainbow themed baby sprinkle (second baby shower) it was the perfect opportunity to try it out.

I didn't end up making a big deal of it, I just popped those sprinkles in and in fact I'm not even sure if anyone noticed. They all knew a baby girl was on the cards, they didn't need to be told via cookie message. It was like my sweet little secret.

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If you were going to make a big deal of it all, maybe having a little sign next to the cookies with the above poem would let everyone know to check the cookie before they all get eaten.

So like many of the best ideas it is as easy as it sounds. Just buy a container of sprinkle shapes or quins in the colour you would like to use and press them onto the back of the cookie before baking.

Then you just bake as you normally would.

I have made up a super quick video of me making them here, it's less than 2 minutes:



I found pink heart sprinkles very easy to find at the supermarket, cake stores, online and pretty much everywhere. The blue star sprinkles were not everywhere but are easy to pick up on ebay and you will find them online at specialty cake decorating stores.

Now, I did make my own star sprinkles for the photo as I did not have any handy and plus I was just taking some photo's and I was being cheap. Make sure you do not use home made fondant sprinkles to bake in your cookies as they will melt during baking. I also recommend not using any super hard type decoration, sugar quins or sprinkles will work out best.

These cookies were part of a lovely pastel rainbow baby sprinkle CLICK HERE if you would like to see more pictures of the baby shower.

Here is my sugar cookie recipe

460 grams plain flour (16 1/4 oz all purpose flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
230 grams unsalted butter (8 1/8oz)room temperature
220 grams caster sugar (7 3/4 oz superfine sugar)#
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
#use regular white sugar if you do not have caster/ superfine sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in the sifted flour mixture until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Line a few baking trays with parchment/ baking paper.

Dust workbench with plain flour and using a large rolling pin roll out the dough until around 1/2 cm (1/4") in thickness. If the dough is to hard you may need to work/knead it a bit until you can roll it out.

Cut out cookies shapes and place the cookies on the prepared trays. (Knead and reroll dough as necessary, if it becomes to soft you can pop it back in the fridge.)

Pop the cut cookie dough trays into the fridge to chill again for around 30 minutes until firm (or in the freezer for 10 minutes).

Preheat oven to 160 C (320 F) and cook the cookies until they just start to turn golden, around 15 minutes (less or more depending on cookie size).

Cool on trays for 5 minutes and then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely prior to decorating.

- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer unless otherwise stated do not reuse without permission. 

A Sweet Pastel Baby Sprinkle

My friend Daneve from Ah-Tissue is having a baby and we helped celebrate with a baby sprinkle.

Yup a sprinkle, 'cause after the first baby is showered with gifts the parents really only need a 'sprinkle' of help.

Our mutual friend the lovely Carol from Creatively Bespoke Weddings and Events pulled the whole thing together organising and decorating the venue and pretty much everything else. She arranged the backdrop and printables from Emma Smith Stationery and the pretty sequin tablecloth from Memories are Sweet for the table, plus those lovely mirrored white trays the cookies are sitting on are all hers.

Carol set up the drinks station, center table, pastel parasols hanging overhead, and many other gorgeous little details including the sweet bouquets of flowers from Angie's Floral Designs. If you pop over to her facebook page they have lots more photo's of the lovely details - Creatively Bespoke Weddings and Events facebook.

Daneve's of course made the pretty tissue pom poms and paper flower decorations and her friend Mel organised the crafty activities, music and savory foods :)

and I did what I do, the sweets for the table. We had a rainbow macaron stand, stacked cookie towers, decorated square cookies, pastel meringues, strawberry cake pops and a swirly butter cream rainbow cake.

Oh and these sweet parasol cookies as take home favours.

Although I was in love with the parasol cookies, I did have a soft spot for the stacked cinnamon buttercream cookies in soft pink and green.

Oh and the shabby chic type decorated cookies in rainbow hues. I guess we all know I do love cookies.

It was all so very pretty and a great afternoon for friends to catch up, chat and share our joy with the mother to be.

Credits

Event Styling Creatively Bespoke Weddings and Events
Paper pom poms and flowers - Ah Tissue
Sweets - Bubble and Sweet
Printables - Emma Smith Stationery
Tablecloth - Memories Are Sweet
Floral Arrangements - Angie's Floral Designs
Venue - The Carriage Room

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer unless otherwise stated do not reuse without permission.