Sunday Sweets week 3: Orange Creamsicle Cookies.

I was trying to decide what to make and decided I just didn't have anything summery...then I found these babies! From sweetpeaskitchen.com and thought it sounded summery and frankly delicious! And they were! I almost never follow just one recipe or I make up random stuff as I go but these I followed pretty close and they were tasty!

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5. 1/2 cup sugar
6. 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
7. 1 large egg
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9. 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, grated
10. 12 ounces (2 cups) white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In another bowl cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Yields: about 3 dozen

Now one thing I did was add an orange glaze for just a little more summer time flavor and it was great but lets be honest I ate them both ways and they were all pretty good. Something to change it up from my chocolate obsession and it looks like I am beginning to like more and more citrus sweets. 

Orange Icing 

I just made my favorite frosting recipe and added like two table spoons of orange juice...you could just omit the milk for orange juice but in true Creamsicle spirit I wanted it to be creamier. I just drizzled on when they were still warm on the cooling rack.

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• To make it runny like icing 2 tablespoons orange juice.

*this makes tons!!! Way more than you would need cut it down or just wing it!

*also...I had to thieve the pictures from their website...My camera decided to die so thank you sweet peas kitchen!

Some people are amazing.

Sunday sweets week 2: Key Lime Cake

Ok...we are going to be out of town Sunday so I will not be making a treat...but I made this in April for my mom's birthday upon her request. I was skeptical I am not a lemony/lime type sweets sorta girl but her birthday her cake...But I will say this:

IT TURNED OUT AMAZING!!! Everyone loved it, the cake was great and the frosting was better! So delicious. I took things from a whole bunch of different recipes and this is what I did:

Cake:

• 1 lemon cake mix
  1 cups vegetable oil
  4 eggs
  1 package lime flavored gelatin mix
  3/4 cup orange juice
  
  Mix together and divide among pans of choice and cook according to cake box directions.
  *If your worried about it being too sweet add 1/2 prepared white cake mix. I did then I used the other half to make cupcakes for those babies who wouldn't eat heaven on earth!!! I even made it swirly looking it was cool.
  
  
  Key lime Frosting
  
  1/2 cup butter
  1 package cream cheese
  3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  1 tablespoon orange juice
  4 cups confectioners' sugar
  zest from one lime mostly for pretty
  
  Worlds best frosting!!! SO GOOD! 
  
  

Sunday sweets week one...S'mores cookies

I've decided to count down the rest of my pregnancy with making a delicious treat each Sunday. (I have been put on a restricted diet because of gestational diabetes so Sunday is my free day. I have to make it count!)

I found this recipe from My Sweet Savannah. I am not a marshmallow girl...I don't love them unless they are toasted! So when I saw that these had for real toasty mallows on top I had to try it!

3/4 cup butter — softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate
mini marshmallows
2 Hershey Bars, broken into pieces

I used a blender for perfect graham cracker crumbs

Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Add combined flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.
Bake in pre-heated oven 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 minutes. 

Remove and quickly press marshmallows and chocolate into cookies. Return to oven and cook until done (about 3 or 4 more minutes) * I changed my cooking times because my oven didn't toast the marshmallows well unless I cooked for 7 min added chocolate and marshmallows and cooked 5 min more.
 

Before

after...melted and toasty

Makes about 3 dozen

It was actually super easy and we loved them!!! I loved them, my young women, and in-laws loved them...