Minti's Adventures: Snickerdoodles

For years (not really) I've been trying to find a recipe for Snickerdoodle cookies like the type we love in the Washington, DC area. Traditional recipes are very cakey and dry. Boring. The Snickerdoodles I'm used to are thin, flat, chewy and very buttery. Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I made these America's Test Kitchen cookies, but I switched out the chocolate chips for M&Ms. They were perfection. As I was enjoying cookie number 7 (dont judge me) I realized they tasted very similar to the Snickerdoodles I grew up eating. So, I made a few changes to the recipe and they aren't quite the same, but they are very very close. Go me!

(Sorry for the crappy pic. I didnt feel like pulling out the real camera)

Snickerdoodle Cookies

(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 2/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoon (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in medium bowl; set aside.

3. In mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix until combined.

4. Add vanilla, egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds.

5. Slowly add in flour. Mix until combined. (About 30 seconds)

6. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

7. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Minti's Adventures: Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Let me just say that I looove Minti (my mixer). I've been baking more than ever lately. If there's a fire the first thing I'm grabbing is the dog, but Minti is definitely going to be second.

Pineapple Upside Down cake is one of my faves, but I have never baked one myself. Since cupcakes are much more fun I decided to try something new (or what I thought was a new, creative idea. Mr. Google notified me there are a ton of upside down cupcake recipes). The cake is really moist and they're adorable. I will definitely be making these again.

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

Topping:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

6 maraschino cherries, cut in half

1-20 oz. can pineapple rings, juice reserved

Batter:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350º. Spray nonstick muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. Prepare topping. In a small saucepan, melt and stir together butter and brown sugar. Cook over low heat until well blended. Pour about a teaspoon of topping into muffin cups.

3. Cut 1 in chunk from each pineapple ring. Place the slices in each cup. Form into a ring. Put 1/2 cherry in middle of ring. (There are only 10 rings in each can. Use the leftover chunks to form rings in 2 remaining cups.) Press the fruit gently down into the butter-sugar mixture, then set the prepared pan aside.

4. Prepare the batter. In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir the ingredients with a fork until they're evenly blended.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

6. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until the flour is fully incorporated.

7. Add the butter and pineapple juice. Stir well to combine the ingredients into a smooth batter.

8. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, dividing it evenly among all the cups. Bake the cupcakes until they're lightly browned, dry around the edges, and pulling away from the pan a little, about 20-25 minutes. (Trent's Note: the pineapple took up a lot of room in muffin tin. My batter made 14 cupcakes.)

9. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to carefully loosen each cupcake from the edges and bottom of the pan, then place a cookie sheet over the top. Invert the pan, turning the cupcakes out onto the cookie sheet, then transfer them back to the rack to cool completely.

Serve the cupcakes at room temperature. Makes about 12 cupcakes.