As promised, here is one more gingerbread recipe before Christmas.  I saved the best for last.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars!


These are definitely my favorite gingerbread recipe.  They are perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon and molasses.  The addition of white chocolate chips sends them way over the awesome edge!  They are super easy to make and I like that they are a little bit out of the ordinary--not your traditional holiday treat.

Merry Christmas to everyone and best wishes for a very happy New Year!  I'll be back in 2012!

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars
Source:  Pink Parsley
Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups plus 1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
12 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla and molasses.  Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture.  Mix until just incorporated, and fold in the white chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish.  The batter will be very thick, just gently spread it out in the pan with a greased spatula.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are golden.  Allow to cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours, and slice into desired shape before serving.

Happy Friday!  Since it's Friday and I'm celebrating the fact that my little girl is FINALLY showing signs of recovering from the flu, I have a cupcake for all of us.  I need a cupcake.  Yes, she had her flu shot and yes, I'm scarred forever by the torment of watching a miserable-feeling five year old suffer the chills.  Heart.  Breaking!

So!  Here it is.  A lovely, perfect treat for the holidays...behold the Red Velvet Cupcake!


Thanks for stopping by and everyone enjoy the last week before Christmas!  I'll have one more gingerbread treat for you on the blog next week.  Stay tuned!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Source:  slightly adapted from Annie's Eats
To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Add cream and beat frosting until it reaches a spreadable consistency.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

This post is linked to:  Sweet Indulgences Sunday

Happy Monday everyone!  I have another favorite ginger recipe for you...

Vanilla Dipped Gingersnaps


These technically are not gingersnaps, as there is no snap in these babies---they are cakey and soft, which is a beautiful thing.

My mom has made these cookies three years in a row for my Christmas cookie exchange.  She's thought of bringing another cookie, but some of the other participants threaten her very life if she doesn't bring these cookies.  Yes, I hang with a very rough crowd.

I've seen this recipe all over the place, but I believe I first saw it in a Gooseberry Patch recipe book.  Make some today!  You'll be so glad you did.

Vanilla Dipped Gingersnaps
Source:  Gooseberry Patch
(makes about 7 dozen cookies)
Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients:

In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in
molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt;
gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape into 3/4-in. balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on
ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until
cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to wire racks to
cool.

In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip
cookies halfway into the melted chips; allow excess to drip off.
Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.



This post is linked to:  Sweet Indulgences Sunday

So, I'm a little over pumpkin, it's still good stuff to bake with, but I've had gingerbread on my mind for awhile now.
Like gingerbread scones.
Like for breakfast!


The week that I made these scones, I ate one for breakfast each and every morning.  I was terribly sad when they were gone.  Terribly.  It was only a day or two until I made another batch.  Obviously, I really enjoyed them.  They were tender, not too sweet and just right with the gingerbread flavor.  Give them a try!

Gingerbread Scones
Source:  slightly adapted from The Noshery

For the scones:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 Tbsp unsulphured molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


For the glaze:
1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp unsulphured molassas
1 - 2 tsp milk


Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixer bowl whisk together, flour, oats, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flower until it looks crumbly.   Stir in lemon zest.  In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, molasses and vanilla.   Set bowl with flour mixture on to the mixer with a dough hook attachment.  Set mixture at a low speed and slowly add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture.  Mix until just combined and begins to form a ball.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.  Knead dough gently about four or five times and form into a large ball.   Push the dough down and form into a large circle about 7 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick.   Cut the circle in half and cut each half into 3 even slices.   Place scones on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Transfer to cooking rack when done.

Hi friends! So sorry I've been absent from the blog. Things have been super busy around my home lately. In addition to our normal schedule with homework and after school activities, I've been baking for orders, helping out at my kids' school, and trying to keep my sanity with all the added holiday-related business.

Here is one of the cakes I made recently...a sweet horseshoe!  I loved this cake!



I also adopted an adorable kitty from a local shelter.  Her name is Bunny...and I love her.  :)  After losing my other cats to cancer years ago, I was finally able to consider loving another kitty-pie.  It was heartbreaking to let my other girls go, so I hope this young lady has a very long, healthy life.



So!  My apologies for neglecting the blog.  I'll have a yummy gingerbread scone recipe for you this week.  A huge THANK YOU to Kim at A Well Seasoned Life for checking on me!  Take care, everyone!

Thanks for stopping by!