Cover these cookies with any sprinkles you like.  You will always get a smile.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup yogurt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking large sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat yogurt, butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and extracts and blend again. Add flour mixture and beat just until flour disappears. In some cases, this dough will feel too soft to roll into balls in your hands; if so, let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before using.

Use a small ice cream scoop to make balls of dough and roll them briefly in the palms of your hands before dropping them in a bowl of rainbow sprinkles and gently rolling to coat them evenly.

Transfer balls of sprinkle-coated dough to baking sheets at least two inches apart. Use the palm of your hand to press down on the cookies until they are about 1/4 to 1/2-inch tall. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they look underbaked but lightly golden underneath. Let set on the baking sheet on a rack for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

When you dear friend celebrates a birthday you make sure you bake.  Amy Sedaris’ recipe for cupcakes is exceptional.

 

 

INGREDIENTS
280 grams flour
15 grams baking powder
50 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
85 grams cold, unsalted butter
about 130 grams chopped very ripe strawberries
1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a crumbly meal with tiny pea-sized bits of butter about. Gently stir in the strawberries, so that they are coated in dry ingredient, then stir in heavy cream. Use a spatula to mix and then knead it once or twice in the bowl, to create one mass. Do not overwork dough.

Generously flour your counter. With as few movements as possible, transfer your dough to the counter, generously flour the top of it and with your hands or a rolling pin, gently roll or press the dough out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles with a floured biscuit cutter or top edge of a drinking glass, pressing straight down and not twisting (this makes for nice layered edges) as you cut. Carefully transfer scones to prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches between each.

You can re-roll the scraps of dough to use it all up.

Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes, until bronzed at the edges and the strawberry juices are trickling out of the biscuits in places. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for this recipe.

Thanks to Once Upon a Chef’s recipe for these perfect blueberry muffins.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups  flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup milk
2-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

DIRECTIONS

I adapt my grandmother’s recipe to add any flavors that are available.

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 pound of crisco
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
Zest of two oranges
2 tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sliced almonds
6 oz melting chocolate

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine orange zest and sugar and let sit for a few minutes.  Sift flour, sugar/zest, and baking powder. Cut in crisco until small crumb consistency.  Add beaten eggs, orange juice, and vanilla.  Stir in almonds.

Split dough into 4 equal pieces.  Form “football” shaped loaves and bake them for approximately 30 minutes until cooked through.  Check with toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Slice each loaf into approximately 6-9 pieces diagonally.  Place them on the cookie sheet and return to oven to toast for approximately 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, flip over to other side to toast evenly.  Let cool and decorate with melted chocolate.

 

 

A twist on the Victoria Sponge

INGREDIENTS

Cake
200 g caster sugar
200 g softened butter
4 eggs, beaten
200 g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons milk

Filling
3/4 cup jam
container of berries
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8″ round cake pans.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the flour, beating gently just until well combined.

Divide the stiff batter evenly between the cake pans.

Bake the cakes for about 20 minutes, or until they start to pull away from the edges of the pans. Remove them from the oven, cool for a couple of minutes, and turn out of the pans onto a rack to cool completely.

Whip the cream and add sugar.

When the cakes are cool, place one layer on a plate. Spread a generous layer of jam, then add a layer of whipped cream and berries. Add the next layer and cover with chipped cream. 

They melt in your mouth.

INGREDIENTS

It was a little bumpy of a week and this was the therapy I needed on a Saturday morning.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a bowl, combine the flour and 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and salt.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until smooth. Fold in raisins and walnuts.

Pour half the batter into pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Drizzle over batter and cut through with a knife to swirl. Top with remaining batter.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and walnuts and sprinkle over top of loaf before baking.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Wait 15 minutes before removing from pan and let cool.

If you had a craving for a big soft ginger cookie, you could be eating these in less than 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2-1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Additional sugar for rolling

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° until puffy and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.