Kitchen Sink Cookies

Posted on August 17, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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On Saturday I attended the Healthy Living Summit for Bloggers.  As part of the event, the planners organized a Team in Training bake sale silent auction where all proceeds benefitted the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  As my contribution to the bake sale I made Kitchen Sink Cookies.  (I also made a second batch for my sister-in-law’s 30th birthday!) 

They are called Kitchen Sink Cookies because in them is “everything but the kitchen sink.”  I used Martha Stewart’s recipe and found it to be nice and adaptable so go ahead and swap cookie condiments you like with those you don’t.  (Or just use whatever you have on hand!) 

I decided to use oatmeal, semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips, milk chocolate chunks, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, mini-M&Ms, and currants.   Martha called for coconut and walnuts, which I omitted.  If you are going to make these cookies on the smaller side of the cookie spectrum you may want to use mini-sized cookie condiments like mini-chocolate chips, mini-M&Ms and currants instead of raisins.  However if you are going to make monster cookies the full-size cookie condiments work well.  The idea is that each bite contains a little bit of each ingredient.  If you make small cookies using full size M&Ms, the entire cookie could end up with two big M&Ms and nothing else!    

I really enjoy foods that have lots of texture and “chunks” so these cookies were right up my alley!  (I may or may not have eaten more than one of these cookies before wrapping them…cookies go down so easily!)  I wrapped these in the same way I wrapped the Better than Brownie Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches.

Kitchen Sink Cookies:

  •  1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini M&Ms
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup currants

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper.

In a large bowl with a wooden spoon (or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) beat butter, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until well blended.  Remove bowl from mixer and add oats, chips, M&Ms, and currants.  Stir until well blended.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto silpat about 2 inches apart. Press tops down with the bottom of a glass to flatten cookies evenly. Bake until golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Cool on pan for 2 minutes. Remove from pan, and finish cooling completely on wire rack.

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Adapted from recipe found here on Martha Stewart.com.

Filed under: candy, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, oatmeal | 9 Comments »

Oatmeal Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on July 8, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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I made these cupcakes for a cookout and they were a huge hit!  All of the children at the party found them and ravaged them before dinner was even served.  Then the adults followed suit!  I had to snag one for myself in order to have a taste before they were gone!  DELICIOUS! 

I used this recipe for the cupcakes-

Oatmeal Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/3  cups  boiling water
  • 1  cup  quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
  • 3/4  cup  packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3  cup  vegetable shortening
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 3  large eggs
  • 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1/2  cup  buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Insert liners into cupcake pans.

Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack.

And this recipe for the cream cheese frosting–

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Two 8-ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer, until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the butter/cream cheese, about one cup at a time.  Continue to beat until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully combined. 

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Oatmeal Cake recipe adapted from Cooking Light.  Frosting recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

Filed under: cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, frosting, icing, oatmeal | 7 Comments »

Oatmeal Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pecans

Posted on April 14, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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I baked this cake for my father-in-law’s birthday and it was a hit!  Everyone loved it!  It was so incredibly moist.  It tasted similar to carrot cake except without the carrots.  And topped with cream cheese frosting, this cake was just delicious.  (Well, you know how I feel about cream cheese frosting!)

Based on the feedback I received, I have a feeling I will be making this cake quite often!

Oatmeal Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pecans:

  • 1 tablespoon  all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3  cups  boiling water
  • 1  cup  quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
  • 3/4  cup  packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3  cup  vegetable shortening
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 3  large eggs
  • 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1/2  cup  buttermilk
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • pecans for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat bottoms and sides of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening and dust well with flour.

Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread layer with frosting (recipe below), and top with the remaining layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of cake.   Decorate with pecan halves. Store the cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Two 8-ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer, until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the butter/cream cheese, about one cup at a time.  Continue to beat until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully combined. 

Oatmeal Cake recipe adapted from Cooking Light.  Frosting recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

Filed under: cake, cream cheese, Dessert, frosting, oatmeal | 5 Comments »

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