By Miriam McPhail
Staff Writer
Hot cocoa cookies
Hot Cocoa Cookies:
With a gooey marshmallow center and a chocolatey flavor, these cookies are perfect for a cold winter day. Make sure to set out your butter and eggs a while before you start baking so that they will be room temperature. This helps the cookies have a soft texture.
- Marshmallows
- 1 cup flour (spoon into the measuring cup so it’s airy)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons softened butter (normally 1 stick)
- 1 room temperature egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- A tiny pinch of salt
- One drop of peppermint extract (optional)
- 1 cup of chocolate chips
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Go ahead and set out your marshmallows. Depending on the size, you may need to cut each one in half so that the cookies will lie flat.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda into a bowl. Whisk and set aside.
- Mix the butter and sugars in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. They should be well incorporated and light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract.
- Once you lower the mixer speed, add the flour mixture. Mix only until they are combined smoothly. You don’t want to overmix the dough!
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Scoop out the dough and wrap it around a marshmallow. Roll each one so the marshmallow is covered, and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the center of the cookies looks solid. Let them cool for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.
Mini Apple Crisp:
Apple crisp is not only warm and delicious but it’s also fairly simple to make. This recipe is extra small, making it perfect for a small group of friends or as a dessert after a family dinner.
- 1.5 apples/2 cups apple slices
- 1 tablespoon of white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ¼ cup flour
- 1/6 cup of oats
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
- A quarter of a stick of melted butter
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 7 by 5 inch dish. (It’s okay if your dish has slightly different measurements, the crisp will just be a different thickness, so make sure you keep an eye on it in the oven.)
- Slice the apples and put them in a bowl.
- Combine the apple slices, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set this aside.
- Mix the flour, cinnamon, oats, and brown sugar for the topping in a separate bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the mixture is crumbly and well combined.
- Lay the apple mixture (including all the juices on the bottom!) in your dish. Sprinkle the topping until the apples are almost entirely covered.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Let it cool for a few minutes before serving. I recommend serving the crisp with vanilla ice cream.
Tut’s Toffee:
Crunchy, salty, and sweet, Tut’s Toffee is great to give to your neighbors, bring to a party, or even just to enjoy as a movie-watching snack.
- A sleeve of saltines
- Chocolate chips
- ¾ cup of brown sugar
- ¾ cups of melted butter
- Topping(s) of your choice (coconut, sliced almonds, peppermint, M&Ms, etc.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Microwave the butter and brown sugar together for about 2 ½ minutes, or until they are brown and bubbly. Mix for a few minutes until they are FULLY combined. It is very important that there is no layer of butter at the top!
- Drizzle the caramel evenly over the saltines. Put them in the oven for 15-20 minutes. If you make a smaller batch, be mindful that it will need less time in the oven.
- Optional: If you are using nuts or coconut for the topping, use this time to toast them.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the caramel and crackers while they’re still hot. Once the chocolate is melty, use a spatula to spread evenly.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then set the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
- Peel the foil off the toffee and break it into bite-sized pieces.