White Chocolate Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Lately, more and more I’ve been encountering baking recipes with cinnamon chips and was curious to what they taste like. I finally found them at a cooking supply store in Vancouver and stocked up with a big bag. Perfect for the upcoming baking season.

I decided to pair them in a cookie with white chocolate as they have a milder flavor compared to regular chocolate chips and would not overpower the flavor of the cinnamon chips. I also threw in some toffee bits for good measure (of which I also stocked up on a big bag!).

These are 72-hour cookies in that they are left in the fridge to “marinate” for 72 hours before baking, but if you want to make them right away, go for it (but believe me your patience will be rewarded).

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

White Chocolate Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Base adapted from here.

Makes 20 cookies

Ingredients

¾ cup salted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup cinnamon chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup toffee chips

Directions

1. In a stand mixer, beat butter and both sugars for 2 minutes.

2. Scrape down the sides and add egg. Beat for 5 minutes.

3. Scrape down the sides and add vanilla, and beat to combine.

4. In a bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and beat until almost combined.

5. Add cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, and toffee chips, and mix for a few seconds to combine.

6. Cover dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 days.

To bake:

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat.

8. Portion out dough with a 2-inch scoop and bake for 13 minutes.

9. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack.

 

Verdict: Cinnamon chips taste like cookie butter (aka speculoos, aka Biscoff)! This was pleasantly unexpected. The cookies were soft and chewy with nice crispiness on the edges. Hallmarks of an excellent cookie. What else can I do with my big bag of cinnamon chips?

Pretzel M&M Cookies

I recently bought a package of M&M’s with pretzels inside.  These were right up my alley of sweet and salty.  I was itching to do some baking and the package of M&M’s was sitting in the cupboard so I thought I’d throw them in cookies. I’ve previously made cookies with pretzels and chocolate, but this makes it one step easier.

Other baking ingredients sitting in my cupboard waiting for baking experiments are giant marshmallows, guava butter, and coconut syrup.  Sit tight for those!

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Pretzel M&M Cookies

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1¼ cup all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup salted butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon butter vanilla bakery emulsion (or vanilla extract)

1½ cup pretzel M&M’s

¼ cup toffee bits

Directions

1.  Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking soda into a bowl. Set aside.

2.  Beat butter until fluffy (1 minute).

3.  Add both sugars and beat until fluffy (2 minutes).

4.  Add egg and beat until light yellow (5 minutes).

5.  Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

6.  Add flour mixture and mix until just mixed (30 seconds or less).

7.  Add M&M’s and toffee bits and mix until incorporated.

8.  Scoop with an ice cream scoop and portion it onto a cookie sheet.  Cover with foil and refrigerate for 24-72 hours.

To bake:

9.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or silpat.

10.   Spread cookies out on baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes.

11.   Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Verdict: This is one of my standard recipes with which I mix different add-ins, such as coconut, nuts, chocolate, and coffee.  The Pretzel M&M add-in did not disappoint.  Great caramelization especially around the edges while the middle remained chewy.  Definitely follow the step of refrigerating for a few days.  It's what takes these cookies to the next level. I brought them to work and they were all gone in a matter of a couple hours!

Toffee Chocolate Shortbread

 

I recently bought several LorAnn bakery emulsions.  Have you heard of them? They are flavorings that don’t fade in intensity after baking, as alcohol based extracts do.  I really wanted to experiment with the Butter Vanilla emulsion and use it in something that would highlight the flavor.  I normally don’t go for shortbread, but I didn’t have any eggs, so it fit the bill. I added toffee bits to give it some caramelization. Toffee bits are my secret weapon for cookies – they take them to another level.  Let’s see how Butter Vanilla works…

 

Check out the verdict at the end of the post!

Toffee Chocolate Shortbread

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, softened

2/3 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar

1 teaspoon LorAnn Butter Vanilla (or vanilla extract)

2 cups flour

1/3 cup toffee bits

1/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

Directions

1.  In a stand mixer, beat butter for a minute until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.

2.  Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

3.  Add flour and mix on low just until incorporated.  It will have a crumbly texture.

4.  Fold in toffee bits and chopped chocolate.

5.  Put in a ziplock bag (10.5” x 11”) and roll out with a rolling pin with the bag open so that the dough spreads evenly in the bag.  Close and refrigerate overnight.

To bake:

6.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7.  Open bag by slicing the sides.  Cut into squares (I got 24).  Dock with a fork (prick with a fork so that it pierces to the bottom of the cookie).

8.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 14 minutes – an extra minute or 2 if you like more caramelized edges.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before cooling on a rack.

 

Ready to pack into a ziplock.

Verdict: These were great! Crispy with caramelized edges. The Butter Vanilla emulsion gave it a subtle vanilla flavor that fit the cookie well.  Some of the other emulsions are strong, so it was nice that this one was more subtle and natural tasting.  I loved how there are such few ingredients in shortbread but the end cookie is soo good!