Dessert

Vegan Jam Thumbprint Cookies

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Let me preface by saying these cookies are seriously yummy. And they’re super easy. And they’re vegan. They’re like a gift from the universe.

I found them on Feasting Freds a couple of months ago when I was looking for vegan desserts to try. And I’ve made them 3 times since. They taste healthy too, which could be bad because you don’t feel guilty after eating a whole bunch. Anyway, I made a batch for Stephen to take back to school with him.

Jam Thumbprints

Adapted from Feasting Freds

  • 1 Cup Walnuts
  • 1 Cup Oats
  • 1/2 Cup Sweet Brown Rice Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable/Canola Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • Jam/Preserves of Choice

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Add walnuts & oats to food processor and blend until a coarse powder forms. If you want smoother cookies, process longer. If you want little walnut chunks and oats process for less time. Add remaining dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Add wet ingredients and process until mixture comes together.

Form golf ball size cookies (I just use my tablespoon) and plop onto baking sheet. Using your THUMB! create an imprint in the center of the cookie. Fill with jam of choice. I’ve used apricot, raspberry, and blackberry. All delicious. I want to try it with other nuts next time. Or perhaps a combination. I have a bunch of raw almonds I need to use.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The bottom should be slightly browned and the top will look cooked but have no real color change.

My Birthday!

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It’s my birthday and there’s a lot to write about! Including Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Bran Muffins. Then there’s the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Damimmo’s, The Old Stein Inn, and my mother’s Eggs Benedict. There’s also my birthday presents to talk about so I’m excited!

I’ll start with Friday night. Stephen took a bus in from State College and we picked him up in Baltimore. We headed over to the Meyerhoff to see guest conductor, 35 year old, Russian Vasily Petrenko lead the orchestra in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3. The Rimsky-Korsakov piece was an all around favorite of the night. The conductor was very animated and fun to watch.

After the symphony my brother met us at Damimmo’s for dinner in Little Italy. Just after we were seated Brian Billick, the former coach of the Ravens, was leaving. I ordered the Lobster Tetrazinni which was amazing. Every single thing we ordered was delicious. Stephen ordered the Chilean Sea Bass which was cooked PERFECTLY. For dessert the Creme Caramel was definitely the best. They brought it out with a candle for my birthday!

Saturday morning Stephen & I went to Michael’s to pick up some poster board & tissue paper. He made me a lightbox for my birthday!!!! As well as The Amish Cooks Baking Book. Stephen is from Eastern PA, surrounded by Amish & Mennonite culture. As anyone from the area knows, the Amish make some of the best baked goods ever. Every time I visit I make a very exciting trip to a dry goods store called Echo Hill Country Store. It is, by far, my favorite store ever. It is a Mennonite owned store that repackages dry goods to sell. For a pretty tiny store, it has one of the widest varieties of dried goods at extremely affordable prices. I’m completely smitten. I can’t wait until next weekend when I get my fix at Echo Hill.

After our trip to Michael’s, and after building my new Light Box (Thank you Tater : D ) I made some cookieeees. Some Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies I’ve had my eye on for a while.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Recipe Adapted from Smells Like Home.

COOKIES:

  • 1 Stick Salted Butter, Melted
  • 2/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
  • 1/4 Cup White Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 3/4 Cup AP Flour
  • 1 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup Oats

Melt butter and combine with peanut butter, whisking thoroughly. Add sugars and continue whisking. Add egg & vanilla. Stir with spoon to combines. Add AP flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until just combined.

Form dough into tablespoon sized balls using measuring spoon. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 Degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on your cookies after 10 minutes. Let cool before assembling.

FILLING:

  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter, Room Temperature
  • 3/4 to 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup 2% Milk, you may use more depending on how thick you like your filling.

Beat butter & peanut butter together. Add 1 cup sugar. Combine. Add milk. Add rest of sugar and beat together. Add more milk as desired.

Spread generous amount of filling on bottom side of one cookie. Sandwich together with another cookie of about the same size.

These cookies were soooo amazing. The filling is smooth and creamy and you’ll probably want more & more. EAT & BE MERRY!

ANOTHER Apple Pie

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We had a plethora of apples and the bunch we picked last weekend were going to go to waste so I made my dad an Apple Pie. As my second pie, it is much prettier than last weekends! And the recipe is a bit different too.

APPLE PIE!

Crust:
  • 2 1/2 Cups AP Flour
  • 1 Stick Salted Butter (like Earth Balance)
  • 1/2 (just under) Cup Crisco
  • 1 TSP Cinnamon
  • 1 TSP Salt
  • 8 TBSP Ice Cold Water
Combine Flour, Salt, & Cinnamon. Cut cold Butter & Crisco into flour mixture until small crumbles. Add water and stir with wooden spoon to bring together. Divide Dough into 2 separate balls, one slightly larger than the other. On flat, dry surface generously floured, roll out larger ball of dough. Press into bottom of 9in pie pan. Roll out other dough ball into circular shape with a diameter slightly larger than 9 inches. Once filled with apple mixture, top with second layer of dough.

 

Filling:
  • 6 Cups of Apple Slices (honeycrisp, golden delicious)
  • Juice of One Lemon
  • 1 1/2 TSP Cinnamon
  • 1/3 Cup Flour
  • 2/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 TSP Salt
  • 2 TBSP Butter (EB)
Peel & Core Apples. Slice in thin slivers and 1/2 depending on size of apple. Squeeze Lemon Juice on top of apple slices and coat. Toss Apples with Brown Sugar, Flour, Cinnamon, and Salt. Pour into pie pan on top of bottom crust. Cut butter into pieces and place around top of filling. Cover pie filling with top layer of crust. Slice little Xs in top to vent.

 

Bake in 425 Degree oven for about 40 minutes.