White Chocolate Chip and Toasted Pecan Butterscotch Blondies.

The past couple of weeks have left me craving sweets like crazy but with little time to bake them in.  Luckily blondies are extremely fast to put together, which means they get to my mouth sooner!

You really should wait until they're completely cool before cutting them, I recommend using the fridge or freezer if you don't have the willpower to postpone devouring them.

I know a lot of recipes that call for white chocolate specify the high quality stuff, but I happen to absolutely love white chocolate chips.  Sometimes a handful after dinner is the only thing that can quell my sweet tooth!  These blondies are for my fellow people with a sweet tooth - incredibly addictive and moreish.

White Chocolate Chip and Toasted Pecan Butterscotch Blondies
Adapted from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray an 8x8" glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a larger mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla until lightened in color, then add in the egg and mix well.  Stir in the flour mixture, then add in the pecans and white chocolate chips.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until just set and golden brown on top, 15-20 minutes.

Let them cool completely, then cut into small squares or rectangles.  These keep airtight up to 3 days, but I guarantee they won't last that long!

Chocolate Crackles.

Because I love chocolate.

Because it's been a crazy week.

Because these are delicious and easy and it's the weekend and there's no reason not to make them.

Chocolate Crackles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Confectioner's sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the egg and mix well.  Stir in the dry ingredients until a smooth dough forms, then freeze the dough for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, dredge teaspoon-fuls of dough balls in confectioner's sugar and then place them on the baking sheet.  Bake just until the tops rise and crack, 5-8 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then gobble them up or let them cool completely and store airtight up to 3 days :)

Toasted Almond-Honey Ice Box Cookies.

I love ice box cookies, especially in summer.  You make one batch of dough without the worry of having to bake them right away and you've got something you can slice and bake whenever you feel that sweet tooth coming on.  These are the perfect little cookie to accompany anything - coffee, tea, sorbet, ice cream, or ice-cold milk!

Almonds and honey are one of my favorite combinations, but as always, feel free to substitute your favorite nut here.  Pistachios always make a beautiful ice box cookie since their color gets to shine through, though I would recommend lightly toasting and coarsely chopping whatever it is you choose if not sliced almonds.

I used white whole wheat flour in this cookie dough which gave them a lovely ecru color, along with some sparkly turbinado sugar sprinkled on top.

Toasted Almond-Honey Ice Box Cookies
1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and honey together until light and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.  Stir in the flour mixture, then the almonds until a dough starts to form, then divide the dough into 2 portions.  Form the dough into logs on wax paper and wrap tightly.  Freeze at least 1 hour, or up to a month.

To bake these cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Unwrap a log of cookie dough and cut into 1/4" slices and place them on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake until golden around the edges, 8-12 minutes.

Let cool completely, then store airtight up to 5 days.

By the way, hello August! :) I hope everyone is having an amazing summer, I can't believe it's already halfway over!

Cinnamon-Crumble Jam Coffee Cake.

About a month and a half ago, our refrigerator started making very loud humming sounds.  This was a very expensive fridge and very new (bought last summer!)  We looked up information on the internet, we disconnected the fridge overnight, we cleaned, we removed ice, we called, we had a repairman come look at it, he ordered a part that the fridge company didn't have anymore.  Needless to say, we got a new fridge this week at the expense of the old fridge's company :)

Long story short, I moved a lot of food from fridge to fridge and realized how much stuff gets pushed aside and neglected.  There was a teeny bit of strawberry jam left in a big jar.  This is what I did with it.  It was absolutely delicious and you should make it with whatever jam you've got hanging about in your fridge!

Cinnamon-Crumble Jam Coffee Cake
Adapted from Cooking Light
Crumb topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices and salt.  Using a fork or two knives, cut the cold butter into the dry mixture until crumbs form.  Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Cake:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk, or 6 tablespoons milk plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
1/4 cup jam of your choice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease an 8x8" square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a larger bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg.  Add the dry ingredients and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Spoon dollops of the jam over the batter and spread it as evenly as you can, then top with the rest of the batter.  (I found a small off-set spatula was perrrrfect for this!) Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Let cool completely before cutting into squares.  Stored at room temperature, this cake keeps for 3 days.