In the name of science, I’ve been taking one for the team lately and developing my very own chocolate chip cookies. I know, it’s a rough life. For a girl who claims chocolate chip cookies are her favorite baked good, her absolutely weakness, I don’t make them often enough. I’ve always been too busy making other things. For years, it was focusing on cupcakes and treats to sell at market-type events, and fulfilling the occasional order for someone’s bridal shower/baby shower/birthday/etc. And now that I’m here, doing this, I don’t think about chocolate chip cookies nearly as much as I should. There are seasonal things to make, fruits and flavors to capitalize on. There’s hot trends on social media to dive into in hopes of getting more views or followers. But finally I thought “What the heck is wrong with me, make your own dang CCC” (chocolate chip cookie, b/c I’m too lazy to type it all out every time) because I have strong feelings on what I want my chocolate chip cookie, I mean, CCC, to be.

Keep in mind I just heated this up in the microwave for 8 seconds before hand to make the chocolate glossy again and it totally made the whole thing soft and gooey. But, that’s a good thing, IMO!

And while I have an item or two that is essentially a CCC, it was more about hopping on the aforementioned social media trend wagon rather than proudly producing my own version of an iconic cookie that I’d swear by. This time is different. I take chocolate chip cookies very seriously, and I want to this to be something that Judgemental Me would be proud of. And I also want to develop a few different types, because a CCC can have nuance and people’s preferences run the gamut. Speaking of preferences, here are mine.

ML’S IDEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

• Chewy in texture

• Not too sweet

• Deep caramel, toffee flavor notes

• Salted. Like, really well.

• Not too much chocolate — I KNOW, I KNOW, I’M A WEIRDO ON THIS ONE. It’s me, it’s not you. I do appreciate the big, gorgeous chocolate puddles. They’re visually stunning, and if it’s dark chocolate, then I’m on board. But milk chocolate? Stop it. I can’t. It violates Bullet #2. I will split that cookie with my husband and give him the most chocolate-y portion. I take full blame and recognize my minority status. But at least this element is completely adjustable!

• Which makes me think I should just take a stand and say No Milk Chocolate. But again, that’s me. I won’t judge you if that’s how you roll.

• No nuts. Levain, get those walnuts out of there.

  • Disclaimer: I may be tempted to make a pistachio CCC down the road, but as far as THE CLASSIC CCC goes, I vote no nuts.

• Thick or thin? My preference tends to lean thinner, but I’m not opposed to thick. However, if you make me choose between a thinner cookie and one of those mounded, unspread cookies? I’m going to choose the thinner one.

• Soft over crispy. A crispy, crunchy edge on the cookie is ok, even great. In fact, CCC Version 2 will feature a crispy edge. But I don’t want a medium-thick cookie that’s hard and crunchy. Whole Food’s Brown Butter CCC is a good example of this. Sometimes, they’re soft and pliable. Sometimes, they’re over-baked and hard. I want them to be pliable. If I bend it, I want it to bend before it pulls apart, not snap and break.

  • Sidebar: Tate’s are kind of an exception. Since they’re super thin and almost their own unique animal, I’m okay with them. I have a Costco box of mini Tate’s bags sitting in the house RN. Are they good? Of course. But are they my FAVORITE favorite? Nah.

    

WHY THESE COOKIES ARE AMAZING

I’ve done a lot of reading. A lot of research. A lot of pondering and tinkering and here’s why these cookies are great:

1. BROWN BUTTER: It’s in the title. It adds depth and complex flavors, point blank period. Toffee flavors and nuttiness abound. No further discussion.

2. COFFEE DEEPENS…THE DEPTH: If you’ve been reading my articles for awhile, you’ve probably noticed me reference instant coffee powder. Well, here I am again, telling you to use instant coffee powder. I thought I was so creative with this one, then I started noticing more people had the same bright idea and are including coffee here and there (even See’s Candies CCC uses espresso powder!). I, of course, go for the flavor burst and use Nescafe instant coffee powder. The coffee helps add depth and counterbalance the sweetness. Our primary flavors here are brown sugar/molasses, toffee and nutty notes from the brown butter, and of course, the chocolate. Coffee works well with, even complements and emphasizes, all of those things. If you’re not a coffee fan, then you be the judge of just how much you despise coffee and adjust from there. I have friends who don’t like it straight, but enjoy a Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso situation from Starbucks. I have family who don’t like drinking it, but love the smell and in a chocolate dessert, they don’t even notice. And then I have that friend who, supposedly, could taste it in the ganache even though I think she’s crazy. So figure out where you are on that scale. If you hate any potential note of coffee and want it nowhere near you, leave the coffee out but keep the water. If you don’t drink it black but don’t mind a frappuccino, then keep the coffee. Or maybe back off on the amount (use 1 tsp instead of 2) if you’re nervous. I think it’s crucial, but we all have different senses and taste buds.

3. WATER OR ACTUAL COFFEE: Let’s talk about the brown butter for a second. When you brown butter, you’re cooking out the water content so it evaporates while you’re cooking down the milk solids into the brown, nutty goodness thanks to the Maillard reaction. While the brown bits are great, the loss of water content needs to be accounted for, b/c that moisture is actually needed. You can do this a number of ways, but the easiest is to just add the right amount of liquid back in. A butter stick is 113 g. When you brown it, it’ll be about 90-95 g (Maybe even 97-98) after the water loss. I’ve been rolling with 95g of brown butter, so we’ll be adding a smidge of water back in to account for those 18 grams. Don’t worry, 1 TBSP + 1 tsp will do it.

   NOW, you could use actual brewed coffee for this instead of instant coffee powder. The flavor will be lighter and less noticeable. You could make sure the coffee is strong (really strong), or you could use a type of concentrate.

4. CORN SYRUP: Corn syrup is a great addition to cookies. It’s an invert sugar. And now you’re thinking “Hey ML, that’s great but I’m not an obsessed weirdo like you. What does that even mean?” I’ll tell you! Webstaurant Store has the perfect snippet: Invert sugar is a liquid sweetener made by breaking down sucrose into its two simpler components, glucose and fructose. This versatile ingredient enhances texture, extends shelf life, and improves sweetness distribution in baked goods, beverages, and desserts. Unlike other types of sweeteners such as regular sugar or simple syrup, invert sugar offers superior performance in recipes requiring consistent quality and moisture retention.

   See those words I bolded? “Moisture retention?” That’s the key. The invert sugar enrobes the sugar granuales and prevents them from crystallizing as quickly, keeping baked good–such as cookies–soft, moist, and chewy longer as opposed to drying out. We don’t need much, just a dab will do!

5. CORNSTARCH: For softness and, you guessed it, chew. Daily Meal has the perfect explanation: In cookie dough, cornstarch works alongside flour to create a delicate balance. While flour develops gluten when mixed with liquid, cornstarch steps in to absorb excess moisture while preventing toughness. It all adds up to cookies with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. This tiny adjustment makes a big difference, keeping cookies soft, chewy, and thick without becoming dense or cakey. It’s an easy way to achieve that bakery-style chew without any complicated techniques.

6. EXTRA EGG YOLK: Why just the yolk and not the whole egg? The egg white contains a good amount of water, and for a soft, chewy cookie, we want to control that water content (too much water means more spread and a tougher cookie texture). The yolk contains fat and lecithin, which we still want. That makes the cookie tender. Lecithin is a natural binder so it helps hold the liquids and the fats together.

7. CHOPPED CHOCOLATE = PUDDLES: I don’t know about you, but I think the big chocolate puddles in cookies are gorgeous. You can get that by using chopped chocolate bars, b/c they don’t have stabilizers in them like choco chips do. OR, you can use something called féves, which are amazing but expensive AF. Bars are expensive enough. This is my first time using Moser Roth from Aldi, and so far, I’m a huge fan. I bought 5 bars. It’s a little bigger than Ghirardelli and a much better price (4.4 oz / 125 g, $3 where I am in OH). I still love Ghirardelli for being the poor man’s fancy chocolate, but when I’m making batch after batch after batch… well I’d rather spend less money. But feel free to use Ghirardelli or Lindt, or even Guittard baking bars if you rather. Especially if you’re not doing this 4 or 5 times over. 😅

8. BIG SALT: There’s a good amount of salt in the dough, but for me, the big chunky salt on top really brings it on home. Of course, I use Maldon b/c it’s the industry standard and while it’s huge, it’s actually not as salty as people think. It’s not there all the time, but if you see the mini tub at Costco, grab it. They sell it for a great price.

9. MEDIUM RARE: A good CCC is underbaked. We want that center ooey and gooey. They’re going to bake at a high temperature for a short time (11-13 min). Take them out of the oven before they’re fully done. The centers may jiggle for a tiny second. That’s ok. Let them cool on the pan so the hot pan does the rest of the work. This is reason #3 they stay soft and chewy for days.

I’d love to eventually have a series of chocolate chip cookies that address various types and moods. I have a second one waiting in the wings that was originally going to be Numero Uno, but my last test won. It was IT. It won the top spot. So hold tight, a ripply-edged chocolate chip cookie will be coming soon, but for now, you’ll just have to make this #1 stunner.

QUICK NOTES FOR YOUR PREP & TIMING

You will have some downtime between two of the steps.

1. After you brown the butter, you want it to “resolidify.” You can let this happen at room temperature, or accelerate the process in the fridge. Just know, if you use the fridge, you may need to let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes to soften it back up.

   I like this think of this as an opportunity to “bake prep” instead of meal prep. Brown the butter the night before. Hell, a week before or even a month before. Just keep it in the fridge (or freezer if we’re talking a longer term) until you’re ready for it. It takes about 10 minutes. Throw the stick in a light color pan, set it to medium, stir frequently, and remove once it’s brown and smells nutty.

2. After you scoop the cookie dough, it needs some cure/chilling time. I know it can be a pain but it’s really a good thing. The “curing” is about letting the dough hydrate with all the wet ingredients, and it lets the flavors blend together. Plus, the chilling helps control the spread. My minimum chill time was 4 hours. I think you could get away with 2 hours. If you want to try less, I can’t guarantee how it goes for you but please let me know your results!

   ---

   

BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, VERSION 1

Yield: 10 large cookies, about 4”-4.25” in diameter. Made from a 2 oz cookie scoop, equal to 4 TBSP in volume.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 c / 185 g AP flour

• 1 TBSP / 7 g cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp / 3 g baking soda

• 1/2 tsp / 2 g baking powder

• 1 tsp / 3-4 g kosher salt (the weight varies by the brand you use because the shapes differ, so I recommend using the tsp measure here)

  ---

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick of butter, browned (End result should be about 95 g)

• 1/2 c / 100 g granulated sugar

• 3/4 c / 155 g light brown sugar

• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I use VBP)

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg yolk from large egg

• 1 tsp / 7 g corn syrup

• 1 TBSP + 1.5 tsp / 18 g water, warmed so you can dissolve the instant coffee

• 2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in the water (mentioned above)

  • Note, if not using instant coffee, then use 2 tsp of brewed strong coffee and skip the instant coffee item.

    ---

CHOCOLATE

• 4 oz / 100 g or more chopped dark chocolate (I used Moser Roth from Aldi, 70% Cocoa bar)

  ---

1. Brown the butter by heating it over the stove in a small saucepan or skillet. I love using my stainless steel skillet here because it’s light in color (easy to see the process) and browns so much quicker than say, a thicker ceramic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the foaming has settled down and you can see golden brown bits at the bottom. Set aside in a heat-proof bowl or container until it is solid-ish (it will look solid, but texture will mush easily).

2. Prep your dry ingredients. Measure them out in a medium-sized bowl and set them aside.

3. When the butter is ready to use, cream the butter with both the granulated and brown sugar on medium-low (if you’re using a KitchenAid, I used click #2) for 1 - 2 minutes.

4. Prep the coffee-water, but don’t add it yet. In a small heat-safe bowl, combine the 1 TBSP + 1.5 TSP and instant coffee powder. Heat it in the microwave about 20 seconds. Stir to make sure the coffee powder dissolves. Set aside so it can cool. 

5. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.

6. Add vanilla and corn syrup. Make sure they’re fully incorporated.

7. Add the coffee-water mixture (or plain brewed coffee). Stir in well.

8. Add the dry ingredients. When the dry is about half-way mixed in, add the chopped chocolate. For the dry ingredients, I let the stand mixer do half the work, then I finish mixing by hand w/ a rubber spatula to make sure the dough isn’t over-mixed. Adding the chocolate at the half-way-ish point also ensures you don’t overwork the dough and in my head, I like to think it helps the dry ingredients incorporate with all those little sharp edges helping to blend things in. I dunno, it just makes sense.

9. Scoop the dough balls. A bigger size helps these cookies spread out for a glorious, gooey center so I used a 2 oz scoop. This is about 4 TBSP. If you have OXO cookie scoops and want to use those, you could use 1 large + 1 small scoop. Scoop them onto the surface you will use to chill them in the refrigerator. You want to bake them as a rolled ball, so you can either roll them right now, or scoop, chill, then squish and roll them into a rolled ball before baking. I use a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat, then cover my sheet pan with a sheet pan lid. You might not have a lid, so if you don’t, you could wrap your sheet pan in plastic wrap OR you can use a tupperware-ish container to put them in. Lining the bottom with parchment or wax paper may help them remove easier.

10. Chill the dough. My bake tests were 4 hours, then longer intervals like 8, 12, 24, etc. The good thing is 4 hours is enough, but you could also make these the night before and let them sit in the fridge until you’re ready the next day (longer time = better flavor!). As I said in the notes above, you could maybe get away with a 2 hour chill, but I didn’t test it so I can’t verify.

11. Preheat oven to 375°. YES, we’re baking at a higher temp! That gives us a faster spread, as well as a faster set, so the edges are going to be nice and crispy with a liiiittle ripple action.

12. Line your baking sheets with parchment or a Sil-pat mat. I used Sil-pat, which is thicker but lined w/ fiberglass for even baking. If you’re using parchment on your cookie sheet, then check the cookies a little earlier just to make sure they’re not burning. 

13. Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan at the 7 minute mark. My magical time is 11-12 minutes, specifically. Please keep in mind that if your cookie scoops are a little smaller, they will take less time. If they’re bigger, they will take more. But ALSO keep in mind that we want these gooey in the center, or as some might say, underbaked. “Medium rare,” if you will. When you first grab the pan, the inner cookie center might jiggle for a moment. It’s ok! Let them cool on the pan and the residual heat will finish the job. They’ll be a little puffy in the middle when you pull them out, but that middle will fall down as they cool.

14. IMMEDIATELY cookie scoot if you have some blobby shapes and want to make them round (but the rolling into nice dough balls helps them bake nice and round, so you shouldn’t need to do this much).

15. IMMEDIATELY top with big flaky salt, b/c the heat makes the salt sticks. It melts onto the cookie as it cools.

16. Once they’re cool enough to touch and not fall apart, enjoy the heck out of them!! ❤️❤️❤️ Store in an airtight container.

First, has anyone else had a crazy week? We were recently on vacation (Charleston, SC + Folly Beach), then returned on Sunday. The following Tuesday morning, like 36 hours later, we had severe storms that brought 90 mph winds to Columbus, OH (where I live, if you didn’t know). We had ZERO severe weather sirens, which is ridiculous in its own right, but even more so when you realize we test those damn sirens every single Wednesday afternoon at noon on the dot. My daughter dreaded lunch outdoor recess every Wednesday because of those sirens. There’s one basically on school grounds and it’s insanely loud. But here we were, with an actual dangerous storm, and no sirens! Our power went out, during which I was on the phone w/ my boss and said “Oh, the power just went out.” Because of no sirens, I knew we had serious-ish storms b/c I could use my eyeballs and see out the window, but not tornado-level storms. We hung up a few minutes later, and I opened the sliding door to take a video of the crazy rain that was brewing outside. After a few seconds, I quickly shut the door and thought “OK, maybe I need to move away from the windows, I’m going into the hallway.” NOT THE BASEMENT, mind you, because again, no sirens. It died down just a minute or so later. And ironically, my husband who normally works from his office in the basement, was busy on his Teams call in our daughter’s bedroom because his cell reception in the basement was extra bad. Below is the video I took that I planned to send to my coworker like “Oh hey, this is what was going on when we were on the phone and I said the power went out,” and then thought better of it. Thankfully, we had zero damage to our house and yard, but we were without power from that Tuesday morning (8/12) to Friday morning (8/14), so almost exactly 72 hours. Overall, our neighborhood had MANY, MANY trees—big, mature trees—broken down through the trunk, thrown about yards, blocking streets and driveways, some through roofs and ceilings, some landing on cars, and even some that were completely uprooted and ripped out. I’ve never seen uprooted trees in person. It’s really crazy. I won’t show any pictures of our neighborhood here for the sake of people’s privacy, but if you google “Columbus, OH tornado damage 8/12,” I’m sure you’ll find plenty. It tore through a lot of the city, even flipping a moving car while driving on the highway. That video was caught via traffic camera.

Some news articles have confirmed tornados in Columbus. I’ve also seen a few things saying it was straight line winds or a derecho. I had to move on with my life so I honestly don’t know what it’s considered at this moment, but I do hope the National Weather Service and our local meteorologists do a better job of warning the citizens of Columbus next time. So after all that, maybe someday I’ll tell you about Charleston and all the pineapple soft serve I ate, but for now, let’s get to the recipe we have for this week!

This one’s pretty plain and simple. I guess Rice Krispy treats decked out in Biscoff and cookie butter isn’t considered “plain,” but it’s certainly simple to make and a Rice Krispy treat always get people excited. Plus, these were a great vacation treat to bring to the family because they’re fairly indestructible and travel well, so this recipe had a lot to do with convenient timing! Rice Krispy treats are such a fun palette to play with, and my daughter LOVES cookie butter. She asks to eat it by the spoon. I mean, I guess it’s fine? When you eat peanut butter by the spoon, it at least has protein in it. LOL But cookie butter?? There’s really no value, but whatever. She’s young. 😅

People make peanut butter Rice Krispy treats, so why can’t we use cookie butter in that same vain? This recipe uses my classic base recipe (with brown butter, of course) but adds speculoos cookie butter AND pieces of Biscoff cookies themselves. You can, of course, use any speculoos cookie you wish, it doesn’t have to be Biscoff brand. As you can see in the process photos, I’m using Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter b/c it’s a good bit cheaper than Biscoff’s!

QUICK NOTES

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: As mentioned above, this is a riff that uses a variation of my standard krispy treat base. Brown butter, marshmallows, Rice Krispies, and marshmallow fluff are all in play.

MINI MARSHMALLOWS: I prefer to use mini marshmallows in my krispy treats. They melt down better, b/c there’s less chewy fluff to contend with in each piece (or you know, less surface area per mallow if you want to use fancier lingo). If you do use the bigger ones, they’ll work just fine, you’ll just have to work them longer to get them melted and incorporated into the butter. I find that when I do have to use the bigger marshmallows (either a grocery pick-up order gone wrong or my husband grabbing the wrong kind), due to cooking them longer, the krispy mixture is tackier and creates a stickier mess because the sugars are cooked longer. Just an observation to note.

COOKIE BUTTER: As mentioned above, we’re adding cookie butter to the treats. We’re going to melt it a bit, then add it to the hot butter and marshmallow mixture to create a gooey base that’s full of cookie butter flavor. The melted form will incorporate more easily.

DECORATE THE PAN: If you’ve made Rice Krispy treats with me before, you know I like to decorate the bottom of the pan. If you haven’t, then hi hello and welcome! What I like to do is sprinkle some pretty pieces on the bottom of the parchment-lined pan before I add the Rice Krispy mixture in. This ensures a lovely, flat top when you turn them out of the pan. I’ll mention this again in the actual recipe. In our case here, that means full on whole Biscoff cookies, b/c it makes people excited!

BISCOFF BROWN BUTTER RICE KRISPY TREATS

Yield: 1 - 8x8 pan of treats. If you prefer your treats to be thin, then you can spread this across a larger pan instead of an 8x8.

• 1-2 tbsp cookie butter,

• 4 oz (113 g) / 1 stick butter (salted preferred)

• 1 - 10 oz bag mini marshmallows

• 1/2 cup cookie butter, melted

• 4.5 cups (4.5 ounces or 125 g) Rice Krispies cereal or similar

• 9 whole Biscoff cookies (or more, if you wish)

• 12-13 Biscoff cookies, chopped (1.5 cups or 100 g)

• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt

• Approx 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme

1. Prep your pan. Line your 8x8 pan with parchment paper, with enough to fold over two edges so you can easily pull it out when the treats are done. Spray the parchment lightly with nonstick spray.

2. Lay down the 9 whole Biscoff cookies, face down, in a diagonal fashion across the pan or whatever pattern you want. You could even break them up and use bits and pieces if you rather! When you remove the slab from the pan, this will become the top.

3. Splatter or drizzle the 1-2 TBSP melty cookie butter across the cookies, then drop a few blobs of marshmallow fluff (just a little bit, b/c most of it is going to go into the actual treat mix). Top it off with some chunky salt because salty-sweet is always great in a Rice Krispy treat.

4. Set the pan aside and get to work on the Krispy treats. First, chop or break up the other Biscoff cookies so they’re ready to add to the mix later.

5. In a large, light colored pan, such as a cast iron enamel dutch oven or a 5 qt pan with a light interior, brown the butter over medium heat. It will go through a process of melting, then foaming as it cooks out the water. Stir it frequently so the brown bits don’t clump. Once the butter smells nutty and is a lovely golden, amber color, it’s ready to go.

   1. Hot Tip: Save the butter wrapper to help you press the Krispy mixture into the pan later.

6. Remove pan from heat and dump in marshmallows, stirring with a rubber spatula. I like to cover them with the pan lid for 30-60 seconds so they can absorb the steamy heat — this helps them melt down nicely. During the 30-60 second rest, you can melt the cookie butter that you’ll add to the treats. 20-30 seconds in the microwave should be enough.

7. When the marshmallows are close to being fully incorporated, add the melty cookie butter, then keep stirring thoroughly. You want the marshmallows to be fully combined with the butter, and the cookie butter to be mostly (or fully) mixed in. A little bit of a swirl is fine, b/c who doesn’t love a swirl?

8. Add in the Rice Krispies, cookie bits, and salt. Stir thoroughly, making sure everything is coated.

9. Add the remaining marshmallow fluff. This is where I like to leave some visual blobs as well. Mix it in MOSTLY well, leaving a few areas of thicker fluff. It’s fun for visuals. However, if that doesn’t matter to you, mix it in so it’s evenly combined.

10. When everything’s incorporated, quickly spread the mixture over the prepared pan. Drop it in carefully so you don’t mess up the placement of the decor on the bottom. Plop it in, press it down gently and smooth the top. This is where the butter wrapper comes in handy. You could also use wax paper or more parchment to pat down the mixture without getting your hands sticky.

11. Let cool and set for about 2 hours or longer. Use a knife to cut around the edges of the pan, then lift out parchment paper.

12. This is my favorite part — As you lift out the parchment, peel the parchment paper back from the treats a bit and take a peek at the full Rice Krispy slab. Don’t discard it yet. This step is purely because I’m an excited kid who likes to see what the whole thing looks like. Put the parchment back in place, then place the parchment and treats on a cutting board, parchment side down.

    

13. With the plain side facing up (again, decorated side on bottom against the parchment), cut into your preferred size. I like to do 4x4 columns/rows for a total of 16 treats. Also, cutting them like this (parchment face down) keeps any unsightly knife cut attempts on the bottom and maintains a beautiful top side. Because of the full Biscoff cookies, make sure you cut extra hard! When finished cutting, turn the pieces over so the flat decorated side is facing up.

14. If desired, drizzle another round of cookie butter of the top. I think they’re gorgeous either way, so listen to your heart on this one. If you decide to drizzle, a medium-warm cookie butter will work best, b/c if it’s too hot, it’s runnier and won’t hold its drizzle shape. I put a small amount of cookie butter in a piping bag (or you could use a baggie), placed it in a cup of hot water for a little bit, then snipped off a tiny opening and squeezed.

    

15. Serve immediately. For storage, keep them in an airtight container. They can stay at room temperature in an airtight container for a week. If using a container that’s like Fort Knox, such as Rubbermaid Brilliance with the snaps, these things will keep for a very long time.

If you’ve made it this far, here’s a sneak peek of the other recipe I’ve been working on. I’m finally — FINALLY — developing what I think is my ideal chocolate chip cookie. When I’ve done other chocolate chip cookie items in the past, they were kind of in haste because I was hopping on a viral trend. However, for a girl who claims chocolate chip cookies are her ultimate favorite, I don’t make them often enough nor have I taken developing my own signature recipe seriously enough. But I’m pretty excited for this development. I want to test a few more variations, but I’m really proud of the results! Check out this video of my Brown Butter Ripple Chocolate Chip Cookie test.

Alright my friends, I hope you’re having a great weekend, and I hope you’re safe from any severe weather!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

Are berries safe to eat yet? I don’t even know anymore. Regardless, I still have raspberries stashed in my freezer (pre-cyclospora outbreak) and they’ve been waiting for this moment. Raspberry + Lemon is a winning combination, especially for summer. Especially for baked goods. Especially for muffins. So let me introduce you to these muffins, bakery-style Raspberry Lemon Crumble Muffins.

These are super tall muffins that we’ll bake at a high temperature, then turn it down to 350° after a few minutes. This makes the muffins rise super tall. To ensure they have enough structure and support, I like to use “tulip” baking cups, which you could order online, buy at most craft stores (Kroger might even sell them now?) or DIY out of squares of parchment. Plus, these wrappers give them that extra special bakery vibe.

A few months ago, I wrote an article on how to make Lemon Curd. If you’d like to use homemade lemon curd for this recipe, you can find that article here. If you want to skip the homemade curd and use store-bought, go ahead. The same goes for the raspberry jam. You’re welcome to use homemade jam or compote, or get store-bought jam or preserves. I’ll include a recipe below, but do what you wish/have time for!

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• BIG LINERS! As I mentioned above, you will need big cupcake liners for this, ie tulip kind. These muffins are big and have a mind of their own. This will help them hold their structure. I buy my tulip liners from Amazon and I love how special they make big muffins look.

  • Side explanation: While baking tall muffins can be done in standard cupcake liners, it’s not going to work as well here b/c of all the mix-ins. The berries and lemon curd make the muffins pretty goopy and heavy, so the batter won’t hold as well if you were to fill a standard cupcake baking cup to the brim and bake as is. If they were, say, plain chocolate chip muffins or even plain blueberry muffins, then sure. It’d work great. But these have too much moisture and, well, like I said — “goop”— to support themselves in that format.

• LEMON SUGAR: Before you do anything else with your lemon, save that zest. Zest it into some granulated sugar, then rub the zest and sugar together. This creates a beautifully fragrant sugar and prevents that precious citrus oil from going to waste. Do this just before you’re ready to bake, or you could do this in advance if say, you’re making your lemon curd but not ready to bake the full muffin recipe.

• RASPBERRIES: You can use fresh or frozen. Use what you have or what’s easy to get! Fresh and frozen will work in both the jam and the muffins.

• DRAIN THE FRUIT! If you’re using frozen berries and they’re a little bit thawed—ie, not frozen solid — then drain your fruit before you add it to the batter. Measure the berries and let them sit in a sieve or strainer until you’re ready to add them. This won’t matter for the jam, but it does for the batter.

• HIBISCUS: Yes, hibiscus like the flower. Dried hibiscus powder has become a mainstay in my kitchen for over a decade. I’m 99% certain I only use it with berry-flavored jam, but it’s well-worth the space in my cabinet. It adds a complementary tartness, much like citrus would, but there’s an extra depth of flavor that’s just perfect with raspberry. Plus, it deepens the color to a strikingly deep pinky-red. If you don’t want to get hibiscus powder, then you can sub in lemon juice and zest. If you ARE interested in hibiscus powder, you can buy it online. There’s a local, very boutique spice shop near me that sells it, so perhaps you’ll find the same in your town. However, if you want it delivered to your door, look for an online resource.

• GREEK YOGURT OR BUTTERMILK: Either of these will work in this recipe, and I have used both and don’t have a preference. I use whatever I have on hand or is easier to get. I used Greek yogurt this time, thinned out with 2-3 TBSP of milk. You know what works perfectly? A 5.3 oz individual cup of Greek yogurt. Add the little bit of milk and it’s the exact amount you need. While both yogurt and buttermilk yield great results, my logistical preference is the Greek yogurt simply b/c it’s easy to keep a little snack cup of it in the fridge for a rainy day.

  

• BIG MUFFIN TIPS: I wanted these muffins to be big and bakery-style. We’ll achieve that a few ways.

  • When you fill your muffin tin, you’re going to fill every other spot. Leave room so these babies can expand.

  • We let the batter sit a little bit, so the dry ingredients can hydrate and meld. This gives them a better rise.

  • We start in a high temperature oven, 425° to exact. Then we lower the temp down after a few minutes. DON’T OPEN THE OVEN WHEN YOU LOWER THE TEMP. You can wait a few more minutes and then open and rotate the pan if you like. (I’m a big believer in pan rotation.)

Ok, ready to go? Me too.

RASPBERRY LEMON CRUMBLE MUFFINS

YIELD: 10-12 large muffins (Depends on scoop size)

LEMON CURD

My recipe for homemade lemon curd can be found here. Otherwise, you’re welcome to use store-bought.

RASPBERRY HIBISCUS JAM » CAN USE STORE-BOUGHT JAM OR PRESERVES IF YOU PREFER

• 12 oz bag of frozen raspberries (no need to defrost)

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp hibiscus powder » Note: If you don’t want to buy hibiscus powder, use lemon juice and zest instead.

• 2 TBSP corn starch

• 2 TBSP water

1. In a medium or 3 qt saucepan, cook frozen raspberries, sugar, and hibiscus powder over medium heat. Cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, enough to defrost the berries and cook down the liquid.

2. Remove from heat. Pour into a blender and puree until mixture is homogeneous and liquid-y.

3. Strain in a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds from the raspberries. (If you don’t mind a lot of seeds, you can skip this step, but I prefer this to have a smooth texture).

4. Mix the corn starch and water, creating a smooth slurry. No lumps! Pour the strained raspberry puree back into the saucepan (no heat yet), then pour in the corn starch slurry. Mix well so there’s no white remaining.

5. Place mixture back over medium-low heat, cooking until the puree is noticeably thicker (there will be bubbles that lazily “blub” and pop instead of a perky simmer). Let it cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. This will ensure the corn starch mixture properly thickens the puree and also cooks out some of the starch texture.

6. Pour into a heat-proof jar or bowl. Chill until ready.

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CRUMBLE TOP / STREUSEL

• 3/4 c (90 g) flour

• 1/2 c (100 g) light brown sugar, packed

• 2 tsp (25 g) granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 6 TBSP butter, melted

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugars, and salt.

2. Melt butter, then add vanilla and stir. Add to the dry ingredients.

3. Mix to ensure all dry ingredients are coated in butter. It should be sandy and clup when you squeeze the pieces together.

4. Chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

MUFFIN BASE

DRY INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c (250 g) flour

• Zest of 1 medium lemon

• 3/4 c (150 g) granulated sugar

• 1/4 c (50 g) light brown sugar, packed

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 tsp kosher salt or sea salt

WET INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c butter, melted and cooled (but not solid)

• 1/4 c oil

• 2 large eggs

• 3/4 c buttermilk

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2/3 c raspberries (fresh or frozen) to mix into the batter

• 1/2 - 2/3-ish c raspberries to add to the muffins when layering to bake

• 6 TBSP raspberry jam or preserves

• 3/4-1 c lemon curd

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Line your muffin pan at EVERY OTHER spot.

2. Zest the lemon into the granulated sugar. Rub the two together to release the citrus oils, then set aside.

3. Whisk together dry ingredients, which includes the sugar here! Combine flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well.

4. In a separate large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the wet ingredients: melted butter, oil, eggs, Greek yogurt or buttermilk, and vanilla.

5. Gently fold (or mix, if using stand-mixer) the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions. Fold just until no dry pockets remain. Batter should be thick and scoopable. Slightly lumpy is perfect.

6. Fold in the first 2/3 cups raspberries.

7. Rest the batter for 15–30 minutes at room temperature. It can also sit overnight, well-covered and refrigerated, of course.

8. Construct the muffins! Here’s the layer order.

   1. Scoop a large scoop of muffin batter to cover the bottom. I used the OXO Large Cookie Scoop.

   2. Add 2-3 tsp raspberry jam, schmear it around.

   3. Add 2-3 raspberries (these will come from the second grouping of measured raspberries)

   4. Sprinkle in a few streusel crumbs.

   5. Add a second scoop of muffin batter, a little smaller this time. OXO Medium Cookie Scoop, if you have it.

   6. Add another spoon of raspberry jam around the top.

   7. Pipe in some lemon curd. Pour the lemon curd into a piping bag or plastic baggie. Cut a small opening about 1/4” in diameter at the tip of the bag. Put the bag into the middle of the muffin, then squeeze while dragging upward. You should see the muffin plump up a little bit. Drag it to the top so you see some lemon curd coming out. Do this to all the muffins.

   8. Sprinkle more crumbs/streusel on top.

   9. NOTE: If you’re paying close attention, you’ll see I topped the muffin with a whole raspberry on the very top before popping them in the oven. This part is unnecessary. It weighs down the top and they sink in.

9. We’re going to bake at the high temperature, then lower it after a few minutes WITHOUT opening the door. Bake at 425° for 6-7 minutes, then turn down to 350°. Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes. If you want to check them after about 7-8 minutes at 350° to rotate the pans or make sure nothing is spilling over, you can do so.

10. These may be hard to tell when done since there’s a lot of goo. They will be golden on top, a toothpick or cake tester should come out clean, or the internal temperature should be 200°-210°.

11. Cool on a cooling rack, and remove the muffins from the pan after 5-10 minutes. Continue to let cool, then enjoy!

Due to the lemon curd and produce, these are best stored in the fridge while they’re not being actively eaten. This will make sure they have a longer life span.

Holler at me if you have any questions or thoughts. Happy baking, friends!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

A beyond easy cheesecake. Summery blueberries. A buttery, graham cracker crust. Dollops of whipped cream on top. You bet these bars hit the spot! Plus, all forms of berry in this dessert get baked so we’re in the clear from… well, you know. (If you don’t, just google cyclosporiasis.)

Funny story. I was so excited to decorate these cheesecake bars in this method. I was going to use a big, smooth blob of whipped cream on top, squish out a little divot, and fill the divot with compote. If some compote spilled over, great, we have a rustic cheesecake bar. Ina Garten would approve. I had it pictured in my head, it was going to be great. HOWEVER… the final result is a little… well, it’s giving eye ball. They look like eye balls from the top. LOL Dammit anyway.

This recipe’s really easy so I’m just going to hop to it. Get your grocery list ready and let’s go.

QUICK NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• FLAVORED + TRADITIONAL BLOCK CREAM CHEESE: We’re using both a flavored spread and a full-fat, traditional block of cream cheese in this recipe. While the flavored cream cheese is fun and adds a flavor burst, we need the full fat of the traditional block for a creamier, sturdier product.

• BLUEBERRY COMPOTE: Surprise, we’re making a blueberry compote to swirl into the batter after it’s in the pan. But trust, it’s easy. This is also where you could choose high-quality store-bought preserves if you rather. Personally, I think the homemade route is worth the effort. You can always use it on pancakes, waffles, in a fancy coffee drink at home, on a lovely baguette or sourdough toast with ricotta. OR! You could make my Blueberry Muffin Cookies, which are so good (and start w/ a box mix for ease). Suffice it to say, it’s versatile. If you have extra that you’re not sure what to do with, you can always freeze it for a rainy day.

• BLUEBERRIES FOR COMPOTE: I used frozen wild blueberries, which are smaller than traditional blueberries. I’ll give you the weight measure as well for a closer 1-to-1 comparison.

• GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS: I used pre-ground graham cracker crumbs for the crust. On the one hand, I hate the extra space these take up in my cabinet. I got enough stuff. A box of graham cracker crumbs that gets touched once in a blue moon just gets in the way. But on the other hand? They save so much time and strife. There’s no guessing on how many graham crackers to crush, no cracker bits making a mess on the counter. All the crumbs are uniform and combine beautifully. So I’m all in on the pre-made box of crumbs. That’s how my recipe below is written. However, if you want to measure out your graham crackers by weight and crush them into crumbs yourself, you can certainly do that.

• BAIN-MARIE: In other words, a water bath. A water bath is necessary for cooking a smooth, creamy cheesecake. The water around it helps it heat more evenly and gently, ensuring a creamy texture as opposed to a rubbery one. The steam keeps the oven environment moist, which prevents cracking on top. Hot water is necessary for the bain marie. Cold water will take awhile to heat up in the oven, thus hindering the whole idea of “gentle, even cooking.” The water will be cold and need to heat, creating a barrier at the bottom and prevent it from baking well. Meanwhile, the top will still be affected by the heat. No buenos. Boil the water first.

• WHIPPED CREAM TOP: It’s not necessary, you can stop once the cheesecake portion is done. However, I do love a whipped cream top with this. I like to make a thicker, more stabilized whipped cream for many reasons. 1, it holds up better over time. If you’re taking this somewhere like a cook-out, a potluck, etc, straight up whipped cream can and will deflate. 2, I want to pipe it and create a little divot in the top. I can’t do that as well if the whipped cream doesn’t have the structure! Below will be my recipe for Mascarpone Whipped Cream, which I stabilize even more by adding a smidge of gelatin. You can leave out the gelatin if you don’t want to bother with it, but I do like the extra stability it adds (especially in these hot months!).

BLUEBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE BARS

Yield: 1- 8x8 pan, which can cut into 9-16 elegant slices.
Equipment: 8x8 pan and a larger baking pan, such as a 9x13 at least, or a roasting pan

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

• 65 g or 2.25 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen (I used frozen wild blueberries, which in volume, was 1/2 cup)

• 2 TBSP sugar

• 1 TBSP water

• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp corn starch

• 1 tsp water

1. In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine blueberries, sugar, 1 TBSP water, and lemon juice.

2. Cook until blueberries soften and start to burst. If you’re working with frozen, they may not burst, since the freezing process changes how the fruit’s water content responds. This will be about 10 minutes, but know it may vary based on the freshness and ripeness of your fruit.

3. While the fruit is cooking, combine the corn starch and 1 tsp water into a smooth slurry.

4. When fruit is cooked down into a liquid-y goo, remove it from the heat. Pour in the corn starch slurry and mix, mix, mix. Stir it in well so it integrates fully and there are no corn starch lumps.

5. Place pan back on the heat to allow corn starch to thicken the blueberry mixture. Stir the whole time to make sure it doesn’t burn or you don’t get strange corn starch lumps. This will only take a 2-5 minutes.

6. Let mixture cool. You’ll want it to be loose (not coagulated into a solid jam). Once it cools, if it’s too thick, add some water to it, heat it back up a smidge and stir.

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GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

• 1 ½ cups (170 g) graham cracker crumbs

• 2 TBSP sugar

• 1 TBSP brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 7 TBSP (approx 100 g) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Stir it so everything is well-integrated.

3. Melt the butter, then pour it over the graham cracker crumb mixture. Stir it well, ensuring every crumb is coated. You can do this with a sturdy rubber spatula or mashing it with a fork.

4. Pour the graham cracker mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Pat it down firmly, using the bottom of a glass, a measuring cup, or just really firmly with your fingers.

5. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

6. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

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BLUEBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE

• 1 - 8 oz block full-fat cream cheese (traditional block such as Philadelphia)

• 1 - 7.5 oz container blueberry flavored cream cheese spread

• 2 TBSP corn starch

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 5-6 TBSP (approx 1/3 cup) blueberry compote (recipe above) OR high-quality store-bought blueberry preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheeses until smooth and uniform.

3. Add in the corn starch, sifting it in so it doesn’t clump. Mix it in completely.

4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, combining after each egg. If you end up with a lot of clumps and lumps, keep mixing on high for a few minutes. It’ll eventually become a uniform batter.

5. Add the vanilla, salt, and sweetened condensed milk. Combine well.

6. Pour batter on top of cooled graham cracker crust.

7. Spoon on blueberry compote (or preserves) over the cheesecake in dollops. If your compote is thick and solid, add a few drops of water and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds (try 10 second intervals) to loosen it up. Stir in between intervals. After spooning the dollops, swirl/marble them with a chopstick, butter knife, toothpick, etc.

8. You’re ready to bake the bars, but let’s prep the water bath. Boil some hot water. If you have a tea kettle, this is perfect. If not, just boil it in a pot and you’ll use a measuring cup or pitcher to pour the hot water. Get out a 9x13 or larger baking pan (a roasting pan is amazing if you have one). Place the 9x13 pan in the hot oven. Place the 8x8 pan in the 9x13 pan. Pour water into the 9x13/outer pan so it surround the 8x8 pan. Fill it until the water reaches about halfway up the 8x8.

9. Bake cheesecake bars for 25-30 minutes. Mine baked for 27 minutes. The bonus with the bain marie is that you don’t need to rotate the pan — the water bath is keeping things even and steady! LOL Have you tried rotating a water bath situation? I have. I don’t recommend it. The bars will be set when complete, and a toothpick will come out clean. Just make sure you don’t stick it right in the middle of a blueberry compote moment, b/c that’ll defeat the purpose.

10. Remove cheesecake from water bath, set on a cooling rack, and let cool completely.

11. I love topping these with whipped cream and more compote for the finishing touch! These are, of course, complete when they’re done baking, but read on for the homemade whipped cream info.

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STABILIZED MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM (1/2 Batch)

• 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin

• 1 TBSP cold water

• 4 oz (half container) mascarpone cheese

• ¼ c powdered sugar

• ½ c heavy whipping cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

NOTE: This recipe is reduced down from my typical Stabilized Whipped Cream recipe. We don’t need a whole lot if you just want to do dollops on each of the pieces. However, if you want to go bananas with it and cover the entire pan in a nice thick layer, by all mean, double the amounts above!

1. In a small prep bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and let it soak. Set aside so it can bloom (that’s what soaking gelatin in water is called — blooming).

2. In a medium mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, place 4 oz mascarpone cheese (half of a standard container) and mix it super quick, just enough to loosen it up. Really, just a blitz.

3. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to mascarpone. Mix until just combined.

4. Slowly add the heavy cream to the mixture. If using a stand mixer, do this while the mixer is running on low. If using hand-held, you can stop the mixer so you don’t discombobulate yourself. 😅

5. Mix on high until soft peaks form -- this will happen pretty quickly. Stop the mixer so you can do the next step.

6. Pop the gelatin and water mixture into the microwave for about 8 seconds, just enough to melt it. Give it a little stir to make sure everything is combined, then slowly add it to the whipped cream mixture. If you have a stand mixer, you can do this while the mixer is running on low.

7. Turn the speed up again and beat until stiff peaks form. If you don’t have peaks, there will still be firm ripple shapes, and it will still be pipe-able. Please do be careful, though, to not over-beat it.

8. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream onto the cake.

9. Top with additional blueberry compote or preserves for an extra gorgeous look!

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TO CREATE THE LOOK

If you want to achieve the scooped-out blob top (I swear I have a decent vocabulary, but technical pastry terms are not my bailiwick), the trick is using a round scoop dipped in hot water. Use a round teaspoon or tablespoon, a melon baller, a small cookie scoop, etc. Dip it in a cup of hot water. Wipe off the excess water before you use it on the whipped cream dollop. Press it gently into the dollop, then swipe/drag it upwards out of the dollop. You should end up with a lovely little round well. I use this technique on my Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookies as well. Spoon in a little bit of the compote or whatever topping you’re using, and there you go!

As always, let me know if you have questions or thoughts on what you’d like to see next! Happy baking, friends. 💙

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

Imagine this. We use a snickerdoodle cookie base, but instead of drowning the cookie in cinnamon, we use… LEMONADE MIX. Here me out. I had this idea last year when I made cake-mix cookies of this same flavor combo, but a few days after I made them I had the idea of rolling them in lemonade mix for an extra flavor punch. I saved the idea for a rainy day, and revamped the cookie entirely. A snickerdoodle cookie is technically a little on the tangy side due to the cream of tartar, and I love a cookie with great chewiness, so it seemed like the perfect jumping off point. This from-scratch cookie is packed with lemonade flavor in every bite and speckled with delightful puddles of strawberry jam. And my favorite part is that they stay soft and chewy for daaays. ❤️💛❤️💛❤️

My daughter loves, like really really LOVES lemonade, so these were inspired by her, as well as a few other things. They took me a few rounds of testing to nail the perfect cross between zingy flavor + great chew + bakes up nicely because believe it or not, the lemonade mix throws off the cookie chemistry a bit! But luckily she didn’t mind eating the cookies as they showed up every day in the house. 😅 She loved them, and I gave the final batch to her day camp/daycare staff who also all loved them. Let’s go through some notes so you can make these super summery, addictively tangy cookies for your own lemonade-loving bunch.

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• CORN STARCH IN THE DRY MIX: Corn starch in cookies helps keep them soft and chewy. These cookies stay soft for DAYS. It’s quite great!

• CORN SYRUP IN THE WET: Corn syrup in the wet ingredients helps enrobe the sugar granules, so the crystallization process is a lot slower. Again, one of the reasons these cookies stay soft and chewy for days!

• LEMONADE MIX: Lemonade mix goes INSIDE the dough, as well as on the OUTSIDE of the dough ball. These cookies are packed with lemon notes in several ways, but this is how we get it to, shall we say… punch you in the face with lemonade flavor in the best way possible. 😅 I used Country Time Pink Lemonade since it’s widely available. I’m not sure about the sugar content differences between Country Time and other brands, so if you can, stick to Country Time. It’ll ensure your results are similar to mine. However, if you want to use plain yellow lemonade instead of pink, that’s probably fine!

• LEMON EXTRACT or EMULSION: Instead of vanilla, I’m reaching for lemon extract for these cookies. I’ve also been meaning to try using baking emulsion, which is an alternative to extract but works similarly. Some bakers swear by emulsion. The good news for you is that I tested some batches with McCormick Lemon Extract and some with LorAnn baking emulsion, and the results are similar! If you don’t already have lemon extract, buy what you have easy access to OR want to experiment with. I bought my LorAnn Emulsion from Amazon, but I believe Michael’s or Hobby Lobby may carry emulsions as well. As for extract, you should be able to find lemon extract in just about any grocery store.

• STRAWBERRY EMULSION: I threw a little of this into the mix as well. It added a nice little note that I wanted to keep for the truest version of the recipe, but again, I made test batches both with and without it. If you don’t have it or don’t want to buy it, you’ll be ok. But if you’re looking for an excuse to get some strawberry flavoring, then you’re welcome. 😉 If you buy it, you won’t be sorry. You can always use it in frostings and other strawberry heavy recipes, like my Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars!

• STRAWBERRY JAM: You’re welcome to use homemade strawberry jam, or use store-bought. Since the water content influences how these bake, ensure you buy a high quality product, and make sure it’s jam or a nice thick spread. Jelly will be a mess here. I will include a recipe below if you want to make it yourself. Trust me, it’s easier than you think.

• MARBLING THE JAM IN THE DOUGH: There’s really no need to mix any jam into the full dough mixture. It’s enough to schmear some on top of the mass of dough when you scoop, then repeat once it’s been scooped off of that layer. MY FAVORITE METHOD LATELY? Dropping a nice dollop in the cookie scoop, then scooping the dough. It ensures a nice coating of jam on top of each dough ball, and it actually doesn’t add much time to the process. I thought it was going to make things tedious, but reader, it did not.

• CHILL TIME: It’s necessary, point blank period. Overnight is preferred, but you could get away with a few hours. 2 hours at minimum, 4 hours is better… 8-12 hours is great. This won’t only develop the flavor, it will also control some of the cookie spread. The more time the dough has to meld, the better the flavor and texture. Time helps the dry ingredients absorb the wet ingredients. I recommend scooping the cookies first, then chilling. I will say it every time — I’ve busted cookie scoops on chilled dough that I’ve tried to scoop. AND YES IT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO ROOM TEMPERATURE FIRST. It’s just that the dry ingredients can absorb THAT MUCH moisture.

• SCOOPING THE DOUGH: The large size OXO cookie scoop, volume of 3 TBSP, was the best result for these cookies. It gave the best balance between crisp edges and soft, chewy middles.

• SIL-PAT, SILICONE BAKING MAT, OR PARCHMENT: If you’re one of those people who do not cover your sheet pan when you bake, undo that habit for these cookies. Become a person who uses parchment or a silicone baking mat. I love Sil-Pats for that fiberglass layer in between (promotes even baking!). Like I said, the lemonade mix of these cookies can cause extra stickiness when combined with the heat from the oven, so it’ll ensure you have a clean cookie removal from the sheet pan. It’ll also ensure the bottoms bake more evenly. Sugar burns. Speaking of which…

• TOASTY, CRISPY EDGES: If the edges of your cookies turn a little brown, that’s ok. That’s the lemonade mix burning — err, cooking faster! — because it’s exposed on the thinnest, most outside edge. But keep an eye on it, b/c that’ll be a quick indicator that they’re either done or about to be!

  

• COOKIE SCOOT: These cookies thrive on the cookie scoot!!! There are a few things that alter their chemistry. First, it’s using lemonade mix in the cookie dough and we’re adding it at an unconventional point in the recipe. Since lemonade mix contains a lot of sugar, it influences how the cookie spreads. While some of these cookies behave themselves, but you may have a few that have a mind of their own. Second, if you have some jam that’s closer to the edge of the dough ball, the water/sugar content of that puddle may cause a crazy blob moment as they spread in the oven. That’s when you reach for a round cutter, a glass, or a bowl that will encapsulate the entire cookie and allow you to swirl it around inside its edges. You want something bigger than the cookie, but just by a little bit. SPRAY SPRAY SPRAY the inside of it with non-stick spray. The lemonade mix on the outside of the cookies is stickier than your usual cinnamon-sugar covered snickerdoodle, and spraying the inside rim of your scooting tool will prevent the cookie from sticking and tearing.

  • Note 1: I actually like to scoot these earlier rather than waiting for them to be completely finished. It influences their finished form nicely. I scoot when I rotate the pan at 7 minutes in. If necessary, I’ll pull them out 1 minute before they’re done, scoot, then pop them back in to finish. Scoots work best on soft cookies.

  • Note 2: If the edge does tear a little bit, SCOOT IT! That’s the beauty of the scoot. It tucks in all those crazy edges and makes the cookies look super nice. Use your round form to cut the edge into a nice, neat circle if needed and scoot away.

  • Not sure how to do the cookie scoot? Are you looking at me like I’m crazy? Here’s a video posted by Good Morning America a few years ago. You can see me do it sometimes in my Instagram Reels, but I don’t have my own video specifically on this.

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STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SNICKERDOODLES:

Yield: 18 large cookies (3 TBSP, large OXO cookie scoop)

LEMON SUGAR FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

Do this first so you don’t waste the zest from the lemon!

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 6 TBSP granulated sugar

1. Place granulated sugar in a bowl, wide enough that you can zest over it. Zest the full lemon into the sugar.

2. Massage the zest into the sugar to release the citrus oil from the zest. Cover or place in an airtight container until you’re ready to use. If it hardens a little bit, that’s ok. Just break it up (or give it a good shake!) before you add it to the full dough recipe.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM:

• 1 cup pureed strawberries

• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 TBSP corn starch

• 2 TBSP water

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the pureed strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar over low heat. Stir well so the sugar is fully incorporated.

2. Cook over low heat for 12-17 minutes, stirring frequently. We want a lot of the water to cook out of the mixture. Stir frequently so the puree does not burn.

3. When sugar is dissolved and mixture has reduced a little bit, remove from heat. Combine the corn starch and water in a small, separate bowl. Mix it well so it’s a smooth slurry.

4. Still off the heat, add the corn starch mixture to the strawberries, stirring the whole time. Once it’s incorporated, put the mixture back on the heat for about 5 minutes. This will help the corn starch tighten up and blend into the jam, as well as cook out a little of the powdery flavor. You’ll notice the mixture start to bubble thick, bloppy bubbles.

5. When finished, let cool and store in an airtight container.

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SNICKERDOODLE:

DRY INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cup flour

• 1 TBSP corn starch

• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 TBSP + 2 tsp powdered Country Time pink or regular lemonade mix

WET INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter

• 2/3 c light brown sugar

• Lemon Sugar from above (which is 6 TBSP white sugar + zest of one lemon)

• 1 large egg

• 1 extra egg yolk (freeze the white for another day!)

• 2 tsp corn syrup

• 2 tsp lemon extract or emulsion

• 1 tsp strawberry extract or emulsion (Optional)

• Dab of pink food coloring (Optional)

ROLL THEM IN…

• Country Time powdered pink or regular lemonade mix

1. In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted (but cooled) butter, brown sugar and lemon sugar first. After mixing, let them sit for a few minutes so the butter fully absorbs into the sugars. You want it to be the texture of applesauce. Take the moment to measure your dry ingredients, make yourself a cup of tea, take a bathroom break, etc. It won’t take long.

2. Add the egg and egg yolk, stir and combine well. Then add the corn syrup and extracts. Combine well.

3. Fold or gently mix in the dry ingredients. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, ensuring you capture all the bits of flour, sugar, etc. I still like to use a stand mixer here to make sure it’s uniform, just be careful to not overmix.

4. Schmear some jam on top of the dough, then scoop the cookie balls. I also like to add a small dollop of jam to the inside of the scoop BEFORE scooping. This gives the dough ball a nice blob of jam that covers the outside of the cookie. (See pics for the visual)

5. Scoop dough into 3 TBSP-sized balls (this is the size of the OXO Large Cookie Scoop). Place on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

6. Chill dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, but overnight is even better. Can go as long as 48 hours.

7. Pour some lemonade mix into a shallow bowl or on a small rimmed plate. I like to start with 2 TBSP of mix to make sure I don’t over-dump into the bowl and end up wasting some! You can always add more. Roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar mix. Roll a second time if you want a nice pucker-y flavor!

8. These dough balls spread quite wide, so I don’t like to overcrowd the pan. I think 6-8 on one sheet is perfect.

9. Bake for 11-13 minutes at 350. Rotate the pans about 7 minutes in. This is a great time to do a first cookie scoot (see Notes section above recipe for specifics, make sure you spray your scoot-er). This will help contain any cookies that feel wild and loose. You may need to do another scoot at the end, or one minute before they’re ready. The scoot only works when they’re soft. A minute too cool and they won’t shape up.

10. Let them cool a few minutes b/c the middles are VERY tender when they come out of the oven. Give them time to firm up. They’ll also be easier to remove from the pan once the sticky-lemonade-mix outer cools down.

11. The icing drizzle is not necessary, but it looks lovely and works well with the flavors! Wait until the cookies are cool to add the drizzle.

PINK LEMONADE ICING DRIZZLE:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1/4 tsp corn syrup

• 1/4 tsp lemon extract or a small squeeze of lemon juice

• 1 tsp lemonade mix

• pinch of salt

• 2 tsp - 1 TBSP water

1. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, corn syrup, lemon extract, lemonade mix, and salt. The corn syrup + powdered sugar will feel like cement. That’s where the water comes in.

2. Add the water SLOWLY to the mixture, like first 1 tsp, then 1/2 tsp, then 1/2 tsp. It’s easy to add more water, but you can’t take it back out! I ended up using 2 tsp of water total, but it’ll depend on the dryness of your house, etc. Mix it well so it’s smooth.

3. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies when they’re cool. The icing will harden, so give them time and you’ll be able to stack them up without anything smearing!

When I say these cookies are additive, there’s just something about that sweet and sour, tangy lemon bite that keeps you coming back. And this is going to sound like a weird comparison, but if you’re a fan of Sour Patch Kids… you’re going to dig these cookies. They’re so so good.

Have a great weekend, and I hope you get to enjoy some summer weather! As always, hit me up if you have any questions. Happy baking!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn 💕

Click on the image and it’ll take you to the full post with all the details.

Cherry and Biscoff, or speculoos cookies, are such a great flavor combination. The speculoos has that unmistakable, iconic spice. It’s a little more sophisticated than a graham cracker, and it’s the perfect pairing to ripe, summer cherries. This will be perfect for any summer festivities you have coming up!

This cheesecake is inspired by my husband, stone fruit lover that he is. While my fruit preferences lie with the berry family, my husband is a stone fruit guy. For years, he’s claimed his favorite fruit was the peach. I think I crushed his dreams after complaining that peaches were lacking in flavor every time I did anything with them. 😬 Sorry, peach lovers. AND YES, we’ve gotten peaches from the South. We’ve gotten them from The Fruit Truck and The Peach Truck. We’ve had good peaches! I’m just less sold. It’s not you, it’s me.

But now, YEARS LATER, my husband finally mentioned that he used to request a cherry pie every year for his birthday as a kid. How have I never heard this before? Now he claims cherries are his favorite fruit. It makes sense, as it’s still a stone fruit, and I’ve seen him voluntarily eat them enough that I actually believe him. 🍒 So I made this for Father’s Day weekend, since my default mode is to embrace my personal fave, strawberries.

SUMMER + FRUIT = YUP, MORE JAM

I tend to have homemade jam on hand. Like, all the time. In the freezer. In the back of the fridge. Stashed in a crisper drawer. Sitting there, waiting for me to either bake with it or put it in a peanut butter and jelly. I have a 6 year old, there’s a lot of PB&J in this house. And also, I find that it’s like… dessert ketchup. I have yet to find a moment that’s not enhanced by my Raspberry Hibiscus jam, but I digress. If you have 20 minutes, making a simple homemade jam tastes so much better than most store-bought products. And I’m talking my easy cheater jam, just some pureed cooked fruit, sugar, acid, and corn starch. I’ve never used pectin (one of these days I suppose I should try it). I have tried canning it properly in the past with the boiling of the jars and whatnot, but most of the time I don’t (my jars are clean tho, trust!). I store them in the fridge or in the freezer and they last a long time, like months long, as long as they’re closed properly. Wipe clean the upper inside edges of the jars as you use it to keep the bacteria from unnecessarily forming early.

Of course, you have the option to use store-bought jam! This cheesecake filling is so delicious that I think any sort of fruit inclusion will be a bonus, whether homemade or from the grocery. Just definitely get jam or fruit spread, because jelly will be too thin. I’d spring for Crofter’s or Bonne Maman, but do what fits your budget. The variety of Smuckers flavors I see sometimes is quite impressive.

My recipe below will include notes for making the homemade elements, but of course, feel free to buy a jar if that’s what fits your time and comfort level.

NOTES BEFORE RECIPE:

• MAKE AHEAD TIPS: This comes together really easily, but both the crust and cherry compote can be made ahead of time if you want to space out your tasks. Keep the compote in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

• BISCOFF: I’m referring to brand name Biscoff cookies here, but you can use any speculoos cookie. The speculoos flavor adds such a warm, delicious depth to the cool, creamy dessert. Both Aldi and Trader Joe’s have their own generic versions of speculoos, and other stores may as well.

  • NOTE: I used a full 8.8 oz package of cookies for the crust, plus some from another package because I already had them. I realize now that you may not want to buy two packages of speculoos cookies just to have 3/4 of a package sitting around. I’ll make notes below so you can manage with just one package, but if you’re feeling wild, go for two packs for true Biscoffmaxxing.

• FROZEN CHERRIES VS FRESH: It’s cherry season, which is delightful. You can use fresh cherries on top for the garnish and it’ll look stunning. However, using them to bake with requires some work, like pitting them or cooking them down and running through a food mill to get the pits out of there. You’re welcome to pit fresh ones, or save yourself some time and buy a bag of frozen cherries. They’re already pitted, so all you have to do it dump them in the pan. Bada boom, bada bing cherries. 🍒 Sorry, bad joke.

• JAM TOPPING: The top is different from the inside. On the inside, it’s technically a compote, where you still have the texture of the fruit. It’s closer to a jar of preserves. On top, it’s blended and smooth, which I prefer for the elegant appearance. If you want to use jam on both the inside and top, feel free to go for it. It’s really a textural preference. And, if you’re using a store-bought product, then this saves you from buying two different products (just make sure the jam jar is large enough).

• SPRINGFORM PAN or 8x8: If you want to make a traditional round cheesecake, you will need an 8” or 9” springform pan. However, if you don’t have one and don’t mind scooping it from a pan, feel free to use an 8x8 baking dish. The physical area is nearly identical to a 9” circle (yay math!).

• DAIRY BLEND: We’re using cream cheese, frozen whipped topping (thawed, of course), as well as mascarpone cheese. They all serve a purpose in this recipe. Cream cheese is the traditional base, but the frozen whipped topping helps keep it light and refreshing while adding a little extra sweetness. The mascarpone enhances this mixture by adding more body but not imposing any additional strong flavors. It elevates the flavor instead of making it taste like a fluffy cream cheese frosting. It kind of mellows it out, connects everything together and it’s really quite beautiful in the end.

• NO BAKE… ALMOST: OK, so there’s a little baking involved with the crust, but it’s just 10 minutes in the oven at 350°. That’s nothing compared to baking a traditional cheesecake! And perhaps, you could even skip the baking part altogether — just let the crust sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the ingredients set. I baked mine, but I know people will frequently make a graham cracker/sugar/butter crust this way. I haven’t verified it myself with Biscoff, but you could give it a whirl!

NO BAKE CHERRY BISCOFF CHEESECAKE

Yield: 1 - 9” round cheesecake

BISCOFF CRUST

• 1 - 8.8 oz (250 g) package Biscoff or similar speculoos cookies

  • Reserve 4 or 5 cookies for crumbling for the inner layer

  • Grind the rest to a crumb, which should yield about 2 cups in the end

• 1/2 cup (or 1 stick, or 8 TBSP) melted butter

• 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

1. As noted above, set 4 or 5 cookies aside to crumble for the inner texture layer in the cheesecake.

2. Crush or grind Biscoff/speculoos cookies to a fine crumb. I find this easiest to do in a blender or food processor, but you could also smash them in a plastic baggie using something heavy such as a rolling pin.

3. Combine with melted butter and salt. Make sure all crumbs are well coated.

4. Firmly press mixture into bottom of 9” springform pan or 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°. Cool completely before using.

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CHERRY COMPOTE

• 1 - 10 oz bag frozen dark sweet cherries (or 10 oz fresh, pitted cherries)

• 1/2 cup sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

• 2 tsp corn starch

• 1 TBSP water

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the cherries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to simmer, then cook on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you’re working with fresh fruit, you may need a few minutes longer to ensure the fruit is fully softened.

2. Combine corn starch and water in a small bowl, creating a smooth slurry.

3. Remove cherry mixture from heat. Stir in corn starch slurry until completely combined.

4. Return cherry mixture to heat, cooking on low for 2-5 minutes. You want the mixture to bubble and appear thickened. Cook for an extra minute or two to ensure the corn starch flavor/texture is gone. Stir frequently.

5. Remove from heat and cool completely before using in cheesecake.

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CHERRY JAM TOPPING

• QUICK NOTE: You will need 1/2 -3/4 cup jam to cover the top. This will be helpful info whether you’re making the homemade version below or using
  store-bought.

This is going to be similar to making the compote, but with slightly different ratios. I strain my cherry jam through a strainer with a slightly larger mesh to make sure there are no stray pits or stem bits, but if you want it even clearer/cleaner in texture, you could strain it through a fine mesh sieve. You could also be wild and not strain it at all.

• 10 oz frozen dark sweet cherries or fresh, pitted

• 2/3 cup sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice (start w/ 1 tsp, add the 2nd if you want it more tart)

• 2 TBSP corn starch

• 2 TBSP cold water

1. Cook the fruit with sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn it to low. Stir frequently.

2. Cook mixture for 10-15 minutes, until the fruit is soft, sugar is dissolved, and you can tell some of the water has evaporated.

3. Place fruit mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. If you plan to strain the mixture to smooth it out and ensure there are no lumps/bumps/stems/pits, do that now. Strain through a fine or medium-ish mesh strainer. After you strain, return the mixture to the sauce pan.

4. In a small bowl, combine corn starch and water, creating a smooth slurry.

5. Pour the slurry into the cherry puree mixture, stirring well and ensuring it’s fully combined. Return mixture to heat.

6. Heat cherry mixture over medium low heat for about 5 minutes. You want to make sure the mixture thickens and any powdery taste cooks out, but you don’t want to burn it.

7. Once the mixture is thickened and turned into jam, pour it in a mason jar or other heat-proof airtight container for storage. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then tighten lid. Store in the fridge or freezer (freezer if this is for the long haul).

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NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 8 oz block full fat cream cheese

• 8 oz container mascarpone cheese

• 8 oz Cool Whip or similar whipped topping

• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

1. In the bowl of a stand-mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar until fully combined and smooth.

2. Add vanilla and pinch of salt, making sure it’s well incorporated.

3. Add Cool Whip and mascarpone, whipping/beating until fully combined.

4. Keep cool until you build the full cheesecake.

   ---

LAYERING THE CHEESECAKE

1. Starting with your cooled Biscoff crust, spread half of the cheesecake mixture on top so it’s smooth and evenly distributed. I find a small offset spatula the easiest, but use what you got!

2. Top with the full amount of homemade cherry compote, spreading as evenly as possible. It’ll be chunky, so some spots may be more plentiful than others.

3. Crumble the reserved 4-5 Biscoff cookies into small-medium size cookie bits (not super fine, this isn’t the crust!). Sprinkle them on top.

4. Top with the remaining half of the cheesecake mixture. Smooth it out well with an offset spatula or similar.

5. Grab the jam you’re about to use for the topping. Stir it to loosen it up. Gently spoon the jam around the top and spread so it’s a beautiful, even layer (as best as you can!).

6. CHILL IN THE FRIDGE!!!!!!! Let this set for at least 4 hours before digging in.

7. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired. I used a bunch of fresh cherries and strawberries, accented by a few mint leaves.

8. If using any fruit that’s cut open, combine a smidge of jam + water in a small bowl so it’s a thin mixture. Brush this onto the fruit. The fruit will dry out and look sad after awhile, so this ensures that it stays fresh and beautiful.

9. Release from the springform pan and enjoy! 💕🍒

This is kind of like lasagna or chili — the longer it sits, the better it gets. I swear it was more delicious on Day 3 than it was on Day 1.

As always, let me know if you have any questions, or let me know if you have ideas for my next bake! Have a great weekend, y’all.

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

Brown butter caramel flavor.

Salty sweet candied pretzels.

Creamy fluffy filling.

Bright fresh strawberries.

Sweet Strawberry Jell-O.

Friends, these cookies are SO good. 😍 😍 😍 They’re the perfect summer cookie and will absolutely win the cook-out. (Not that cook-outs are a competition, but still… don’t you want to bring the best thing???)

After I made my Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies, another bright idea popped in my head. What if I turned Strawberry Pretzel Salad into a cookie??? I haven’t had Strawberry Pretzel Salad that many times in my life, which is surprising given my Midwestern upbringing. But when I have had it, I gotta admit, it’s a delight.

To be clear, no greens were harmed in the making of these cookies. (Though maybe I should try Gwyneth’s Paltow’s dairy substitute and use arugula in the filling. 🤣 Jk, if you know you know. If you don’t, look up her recent appearance making meatballs on The Today Show). If you’re not already familiar, the Midwest is fast and loose with using the term “salad.” There’s a penchant for mixing things up in a fluffy, creamy substance and calling it a “salad.” Aside from things like common Potato Salad, there’s something called Snickers Salad???? And a slew of others. (Seemingly, these actually stem from Germany or other European counties. Given many German and European immigrants settled here, this “salad” tradition came along for the ride). Anyway, Strawberry Pretzel Salad is one such “salad,” except it’s a layered dessert and not tossed together. 🤔🤔🤔 The bottom layer is pretzels, sugar, and butter that you bake as the crust. The middle filling layer is cream cheese, Cool Whip, and sugar (to which I’ve also added vanilla). The top layer is strawberries and strawberry Jell-o that you mix together then pour on top.

This cookie uses my Brown Butter Sugar Cookie base, and this time, we’re adding chopped candied pretzels into the dough to represent the pretzel crust. We bake them, dent them so there’s a little well, then fill it with the iconic cream cheese + Cool Whip fluff. After that, they’re topped with small diced strawberries in Jell-O and Y’ALL… they’re a hit. They’re chewy, fudgy, and pack all the deliciousness of the OG Strawberry Pretzel Salad. So let’s get to the details.

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• DICING STRAWBERRIES: We’re using small diced strawberries because we’re working with a small well for the Jell-O mixture. I wanted to use a small dice to allow maximum strawberry volume in a small area. The smaller fruit allow for more nestling and piling in the well.

  

  • SIDE NOTE: I used this as an excuse to buy one of those multi-blade chopping devices, and it worked really well. We also caramelize onions frequently, so that was another reason to justify buying such a contraption. Guys, I’m a fan. I still sliced the strawberries to get the proportion right, but it chopped them super easily. Plus, there’s multiple size blades — not everything has to be a small dice. It would be great for making salsa or prepping a mire poix (onion, celery, carrots). I put the link in my Amazon shop, which you can get to here. It’s under Essentials I Swear By.

• COOKIE DOUGH VARIATION CONFESSION: Y’all, I tried replacing some of the flour with ground pretzels. I don’t think it’s worth the effort. I wanted to confess in case anyone was thinking “Hey, this would be a good idea.” For one, these split a little more than when I made them for Lemon Meringue Pie cookies so I think it dries out the dough. Secondly, I don’t think it impacted the flavor enough. The best way to go about the pretzel crust vibes is chopping small pieces of pretzel, coating them in sugar and butter, then mixing them into the dough. Also, we’re salting the tops of the cookie dough prior to baking. Biting into a salty-sweet moment is chef’s kiss.

• CANDIED PRETZELS: See above note. We’re coating small chopped pretzels in sugar and butter, yes we are. It makes the most sense to chop the pretzels first, then coat them in sugar and butter and toasting them in the oven. If you candy them first THEN chop, some of that sugary goodness will flake off.

• BROWN BUTTER: We’re using brown butter for the cookie dough, which gives it the fudgy texture and a richer, more caramelized flavor. It pairs beautifully with the flavor of the candied pretzels.

• CHILL YOUR DOUGH: Chilling your dough is very important. You want at least a 2 hour chill. Longer, like overnight, is great too.

• DOUGH PATTIES: After you scoop your dough, you’ll want to squash the dough balls down a little bit, like dough patties. I find it easiest to use wet hands and just pat them down a smidge with my palm.

• POWDERED SUGAR vs GRANULATED SUGAR: The creamy filling layer traditionally uses granulated sugar, but because we want more stability, we’re using powdered sugar instead. It helps it hold its shape so we can create a well for the Jell-O mixture.

• STRAWBERRY JELL-O MIXTURE: I made too much! I’m going to give you instructions for half of what I made, but if you like the idea of extra jello filled with diced strawberries, go ahead and double what’s below. Since you’ll be measuring out half of the Jello box, the easiest way to do this is with a food scale, but you could also use volume measures like tablespoons ORRRR just wing it. This part isn’t rocket science. If you have a trusty eyeball, then God speed.

• COVER THAT COOKIE BOTTOM: We don’t want the Jell-O mixture seeping into the bottom of the cookie. You will probably have some run over the edge of the filling and down the cookie, which is ok (mop up what you can). But if you get this too much, especially in the middle where it’s fudgier and softer, it can make the cookie fall apart. Make sure the well of the cookie is well covered in the creamy filling.

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD COOKIES

Yield: 36 medium cookie scoop size or 18 large size

CANDIED PRETZELS

• 1 1/4 cups (approx 75 g) pretzel twists

• 3 TBSP granulated sugar

• 2 TBSP butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Chop pretzels into small pieces.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, coat pretzel pieces with melted butter, then sugar. Make sure everything is coated as much as possible.

4. Spread out well on baking sheet, then bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before incorporating into cookies.

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BROWN BUTTER SUGAR COOKIE BASE

• 2 1/4 cups (290 g) AP flour

• 2 TBSP corn starch

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup butter (salted is preferred)

• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup candied chopped pretzel pieces

1. Brown the butter. Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter foams, then turns golden and smells nutty, about 5–7 minutes. Pour into a small separate bowl to cool or let cool in a large mixing bowl where you’ll do your baking. Let cool for about 15 minutes, so it’s no longer hot.

   1. Note: You could also do this in advance, storing the brown butter in the refrigerator and melting when needed.

2. Whisk together AP flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. Mix with a stand-mixer or whisk by hand the granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter until combined. Add softened cream cheese, combine until smooth. Add eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, whisking vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture looks glossy.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

5. Fold in the pretzel pieces until they’re well distributed.

   

6. Scoop the dough into balls. They bake better when they are smooth as opposed to rough dough blobs, so scoop, then roll them in your hands, then flatten a little bit so it’s more like a puck, less like a ball. I find it easiest to pat them down with wet hands, b/c this dough is a bit sticky. The picture above shows the size difference between an OXO Medium Cookie Scoop and an OXO Large Cookie Scoop. Go with your preference, or what feeds your crowd best.

7. Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is great. If they’re going to chill for a long time, cover them with plastic wrap or if your cookie sheet has a lid, even better. Chilling is especially important here, as this dough will spread too much when baking if it’s too warm.

8. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cookie sheets by covering the in parchment or a Sil-pat mat. If your dough balls are large, place up to 6 on a cookie sheet at a time. If they are smaller, do 8 cookies on one sheet. Sprinkle tops of cookies with salt, because we want to reflect the salty sweetness of the OG pretzel crust.

9. Bake for 10–11 minutes for small cookies, 13-14 minutes for larger, or until they’re a pale golden color. The centers should still look a little underdone and glossy. Remove from oven and immediately press the bottom of a measuring cup gently and steadily into the center of each cookie to create a well. It will be a firm press, they don’t give without some gentle force. If the cookie rim splits a little bit, it’ll be ok. It’ll harden up as the cookie cools. Just don’t keep pressing down as hard. A little split here and there is ok. A big split isn’t great. Let cool completely on the pan before moving.

CREAMY FILLING

• 8 oz block full fat cream cheese, softened

• 1 container of Cool Whip / generic brand whipped topping, thawed

• 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup + 2 TBSP powdered sugar

1. In large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until loosened and creamy.

2. Add the Cool Whip and vanilla, combine well.

3. Add powdered sugar, mix until thoroughly combined.

4. When cookies are baked and fully cooled, pipe or spoon the creamy filling into the well of the cookie. You want a to create a well here as well. You want to fully cover the cookie, but also build up a little bit of a wall so the Jello mixture has a place to sit. My three suggested methods are…

   1. PIPING 1: You can do this by piping the filing in a swirling motion, first around the bottom then a little more on the sides so you build a dam.

   2. PIPING 2: You can pipe a BIG blob that covers the whole well, then scoop out or press in a well with something, well, scoop-shaped. This could be a large measuring spoon, a cookie scoop, a melon baller, etc. Pour some hot water in a cup, then heat up the spoon/scoop in the hot water. Use it to impress a dent in the big blob. When lifting the scoop back off of the blob, you’ll want to create like a smooth, reverse scooping motion where you drag the spoon up and out. This ensures a clean removal with a nice dent. You could also use a regular spoon to scoop a little bit out of the middle.

   3. SPOON: Use a large spoon to dollop the filling onto the cookie. The same rules apply, where you need to create the shape of a well. Use a tablespoon dipped in hot water (see PIPING 2) or scoop/spread it out with the spoon.

5. After all cookies are filled, chill them in the refrigerator to let the filling cool and firm up while you make the Jell-O mixture.

   ---

STRAWBERRIES + JELL-O TOPPING

• 1 1/2 cup (210-ish g) small diced strawberries

• 1/2 small box (1.5 oz) of strawberry Jell-O or generic brand equivalent

• 1/2 cup boiling water

1. In a medium heat-proof bowl, combine the boiled water and Jell-O mixture, stirring until Jell-O is completely dissolved.

2. Stir in diced strawberries, distributing throughout mixture.

3. Let cool for a few minutes. It won’t be long, but we don’t want to add a super hot Jell-O mixture to the cookies.

4. Using a tablespoon, scoop some of the Strawberries & Jell-O into the well of the creamy filling on each cookie. Fill slowly and carefully to prevent spillage. Of course, some spillage or leaks over the edge will probably happen, and that’s ok. Use a paper towel to mop up what you can. It’s ok if the cookie absorbs a little Jell-O, just be mindful that it’s not a lot because we want to make sure the cookies don’t fall apart when being held.

5. Let cookies cool in the fridge for about an hour, or until the Jell-O layer is set. Since the Jell-O isn’t very thick, it won’t take long!

6. Enjoy!

When they’re not being eaten or served as part of a spread, store them in the refrigerator. The cookie and creamy filling lasts a surprisingly long time, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the strawberries for signs of when they’re no longer good.

As always, happy baking and let me know if you have any thoughts or questions! 🍓

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

It looked amazing. It tasted incredible. The moisture and texture were on point. And, if you go back to my Best Chocolate Cake Recipe article, I love the Dutch-process cocoa in this. I might not do it all the time because good Dutch-process cocoa is expensive, but it was a worthwhile test. I swear it improved the already-good texture and crumb of this cake.

Friends, I will be the first to admit that I’m not a cake-making expert. If someone asks if I make wedding cakes I’m mentally shaking in my boots. If I watch a baking competition on TV and the judges complain about the texture of the crumb or the air bubbles, I feel vicarious shame, because I too would probably have such a crummy crumb. But you know the saying “Fake it ‘til you make it?” Well, I’ve been faking it long enough that… I think I’ve made it…? I’m not a trained expert, but I’ve been playing at this long enough that I can look like one. I can confidently make a killer birthday cake, a baby/bridal shower cake, anything reasonably sized and in the shape of a circle/square/rectangle. I will NOT be covering anything in fondant, I will NOT be sculpting anything into fanciful shapes, but I CAN make a beautiful cake that—and this is the fun part—wows fellow parents at my daughter’s birthday parties, makes their eyes go wide and has them saying “YOU MADE THAT?” Oh yes, yes I did. So I’m going to bestow some tips onto you so you can also fake it ‘til you make it and create an awesome cake.

Today’s cake subject is one of my prides and joy, the Cookie Dough Cake. In two prior articles (before the Strawberry Pie Cake, which is a downright banger), I gave you the recipes for the Best Chocolate Cake and my stupidly good Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Buttercream. Now we’re going to talk about THE REST OF IT, because it doesn’t end with those two components.

What Else Goes In A Cake?

1. Cake Soak, as Christina Tosi calls it, or syrup: This helps keep the cake sponge moist. It’s really just a variation of simple syrup, or any sort of liquid you add to the cake that gives is moisture and flavor. Christina Tosi’s Birthday Cake recipe mixes milk with vanilla extract. Here, I’m using a coffee-flavored simple syrup.

2. Whipped Cream: Not all cakes call for whipped cream, but I add it to nearly all of mine. See below, where I wax poetic about my beloved Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream.

3. Crunch or “Textural Add” Layer: Do cakes require a crunch layer? No. But do they add a little “Je ne sais quoi?” Yup, absolutely. Cookies, toffee bits, fruit, you can add interest in a lot of ways. To once again reference Christina Tosi and the Milk Bar Birthday Cake, a lot of her cakes include Cake Crumbs in between and damn, they’re good. It adds a complementary complexity that doesn’t make you think, it just makes things better. Imagine if this was an Oreo flavored cake — wouldn’t you want crushed Oreos inside? And for the Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake lovers in the crowd, isn’t the best part the little cookie crumbles in between? I often use Tosi’s Cake Crumbs recipe, but to simplify my life AND to try something new this time, I crushed up Trader Joe’s mini chocolate chip cookies. Easy and on theme.

4. Outer Frosting: You could absolutely just use the cookie dough buttercream on the outside and call it a day. I, however, like to pretend I am a Really Fancy Cake Maker™️ and I use this as an opportunity to push my skills. Swiss Meringue Buttercream is kind of the bee’s knees, b/c it’s less sweet than American Buttercream and it’s sturdy and stable from the protein in the egg whites. HOWEVER, it requires cooking eggs whites and sugar in a double boiler and it’s a pain. I’ve been making a Mock Swiss Meringue Buttercream for about a year now and all I have to say is… what the heck took me so long?? Swiss Meringue Buttercream has been kicked to the curb, and I’ve taken Mock SMB as my new lover. It uses pasteurized egg whites, ie, the stuff in the carton from the grocery store. There’s no cooking involved. It’s so much easier, still tastes like a delicious Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and still has the sturdiness of the egg protein. I don’t have my own Mock SMB base recipe, but I’ll give you some references and tell you what I did to create my Rich Coffee Buttercream exterior. It was divine.

5. Fancy Exterior Garnishes: In this case, I made a ganache drip. If you look closely at my photos, this is the element that gives me away as a faux-expert and not a bona fide “it takes 1000 hours to become an expert” type expert. But it looks cute and it still turned out better than some of the others in my past. 😅

Alright, let’s get to it.

Coffee Simple Syrup

The best part about this syrup is that you can use any leftovers in an Espresso Martini later. 😅 I am a huge fan of instant coffee over instant espresso powder. Instant coffee packs a much bigger flavor punch. The only caveat is making sure you use it correctly, b/c the granules can’t just mix into any ol’ thing the way espresso powder can. However, because this is simple syrup, we don’t need to worry because water is involved!

COFFEE SIMPLE SYRUP RECIPE

• 1/2 c water

• 1/2 c sugar

• 1 TBSP instant coffee granules

1. In a microwave-safe cup, heat water about 30 seconds then add instant coffee granules. We want to make the coffee first.

2. After you’ve combined the instant coffee and water, add granulated sugar. Return to microwave for 30-45 seconds, then stir. If all sugar is dissolved, great! If not, return to the microwave and heat for another 20-30 seconds. Do be careful, b/c it can boil over if you’re not careful.

3. Once everything is dissolved, set aside and let it cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream

If you’ve been with me for awhile, you’ve seen that I use Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream often. Like, very often. I use it in virtually all of my cakes as well. It’s the perfect in-between layer that acts as a glue, adds moisture, and lets the blend of flavors connect and complement each other. It behaves like a frosting, but it cuts the sweetness. It’s more neutral and doesn’t interrupt the flavor flow. Of course, I’m using this alongside other fillings or frosting flavors. It certainly could be the only filling in a cake, but more often than not I’m pairing it with a fruity filling or something more bold, and this helps strike a balance between all the components.

Note, this is a smaller sized batch. You will still probably have some leftover but that just means you can add a dollop to your morning coffee 😉 or treat your dog to a DIY Pup Cup.

• ½ tsp unflavored gelatin

• 1 TBSP cold water

• 4 oz (half container) mascarpone cheese

• ¼ c powdered sugar

• ½ c heavy whipping cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1. In a small prep bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and let it soak. Set aside so it can bloom.

2. In a medium mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, place 4 oz mascarpone cheese (half of a standard container) and mix it really quick, just enough to loosen it up.

3. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to mascarpone. Mix until just combined.

4. Slowly add the heavy cream to the mixture. If using a stand mixer, do this while the mixer is running on low. If using hand-held, you can stop the mixer so you don’t discombobulate yourself. 😅

5. Mix on high until soft peaks form -- this will happen pretty quickly. Stop the mixer so you can do the next step.

6. Pop the gelatin and water mixture into the microwave for about 8 seconds, just enough to melt it. Give it a little stir to make sure everything is combined, then slowly add it to the whipped cream mixture. If you have a stand mixer, you can do this while the mixer is running on low.

7. Turn the speed up again and beat until stiff peaks form. If you don’t have peaks, there will still be firm ripple shapes, and it will still be pipe-able. Please do be careful, though, to not over-beat it.

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Mock Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This has become my go-to frosting method. I love how easy it is, how sturdy it is, and how much less sweet it is than American Buttercream or Cream Cheese Buttercream. It tastes adjacent to vanilla ice cream in its plain state! I added my own coffee concentrate (which was actually just a little bit of water with a heavy amount of instant coffee) to give it a rich coffee flavor.

Truthfully, I owe you an actual recipe for this. I did the coffee flavor on a whim and it took more coffee than I thought! I used some leftover MSMB frosting I had in the freezer so I wasn’t planning on making a big deal of it, but I added the coffee and it was amazing.

In lieu of my own Mock Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe, I’m giving you my go-to, which is from Sugar Geek Show. It’s called Easy Buttercream on her website, but know that if you want to look up other similar methods, Mock Swiss Meringue Buttercream is what you’ll want to Google.

If you want to attempt to make a coffee flavor yourself, my method was combining 1 TBSP of water with 1 tsp of instant coffee. I’d zap that in the micro for a few seconds to get it to dissolve, then add that to the frosting. I did this until I was happy with the flavor. It took 3…4… times????? I doubt a 5th but… maybe???

Full disclosure: I started with instant espresso powder since you can add that in directly, but it was WEAK. WEAKSAUCE. I added 2 whole tablespoons and nada! It was worthless. So I remain a steadfast advocate of instant coffee instead.

Chocolate Ganache Drip

If you look closely at the photos, you can see I’m not an expert at this technique yet. And honestly, part of it is b/c I’m stubborn and hadn’t given up on various types of Trader Joe’s chocolate BUT AFTER THIS I AM DONE. I’m positive this would’ve gone better if I used a quality 4 oz. bar of Ghirardelli 60% chocolate. There’s something in the consistency that I just haven’t nailed, even though it should only need the typical ratio of chocolate to heavy whipping cream.

Since I’m still perfecting my technique, I’m going to lead you over to Chelsweets’ site for info. I’m a big user of ganache so I will probably cover it in a future Simple Sundays edition, but for now, I’m going to save my breath and take you here instead. Worth noting, she’s using milk chocolate chips whereas my Cookie Dough Cake uses bittersweet chocolate in the drip.

How I Store My Cakes: Naked Layers, Pre-Construction

Cake layers fare really well in the freezer on one condition — YOU MUST WRAP IT WELL. REALLY REALLY WELL. I freeze my cakes all the time and they turn out great This is an excellent way to pace yourself and prepare certain components ahead of time, because when all is said and done, a cake like this takes time! If I’m making the cake within a span of 2-3 days then I don’t bother freezing the plain layers, but I will still wrap the bajeezus out of them. Anything longer than 2-3 days and I will freeze it (depending on the type of cake too, b/c chocolate cake is more moist than white, for example, so I can let it ride a little easier). I want them to be as moist as possible when it’s time to consume the cake, and freezing helps ensure that.

I err towards abundant coverage and make sure it’s fully covered in plastic wrap (like 2-3 times around), then typically will also put it in a freezer storage baggie. It’s not great for the plastic consumption of it all, but since I’m not doing this all the time, it is what it is I guess. It’s also easier to tuck the cakes away into various corners of the freezer this way, as opposed to having them in a big chunky plastic or glass storage container (which still wouldn’t be as ideal, b/c air would still surround the cake inside the container).

Thaw the cakes at room temp prior to constructing. Leave them on the kitchen counter for a few hours, and you should be good! I leave them wrapped while thawing, then unwrap when I’m ready to put them together.

Highly Recommended: Cake boards

One supply that I highly recommend is a cardboard cake round. Or rectangle or square, whichever shape you’re working with. The link is just one example, but you can find them on Amazon, at Walmart, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby. There’s no hard and fast rule as to what size to use other than it should be AT LEAST as big as your cake. Some places use cake rounds that are exactly the size of the cake, which works well in the case of a naked cake that’s not covered in a thick layer of frosting, and allows it to to sit on a cake plate without poking out. Generally, I go for about 1/2” - 1” on all sides so if I’m making a 6” cake, I’ll use an 8” round. If it’s an 8” cake, I’ll use a 10” round. This allows room for frosting, as well as room for my hands to pick it up and move it. White boards are common and cheaper, but gold boards look fancy and more bakery-like. I don’t use gold often, but I did for this cake and I have to say, even I fooled myself. The gold board with fluted edges made me feel like it was from some fancy bakery, which was kind of fun!

Crumb Coat… Wait, What’s That?

A crumb coat is a THIN layer of frosting that you put on the outside of the cake that contains the crumbs of the cake. Simple! You spread this around the entire cake, then let it chill in the fridge until it’s hardened, or at least hard enough. Then you add the REAL layer of outer frosting, and that’s how you keep the outside clean and pristine and free of grubby little crumbs that ruin the aesthetic.

How to Build A Cake

Here’s the construction order, from BOTTOM TO TOP:

1. Cake board

2. Schmear a little frosting on the cake board so the cake stays in place. I forget to do this half the time and if your cake is moist, it’ll glom onto the board and stay in place but it’s still a good practice to schmear a little frosting glue on the bottom!

3. Center the first cake layer on the board

4. Using a pastry brush or condiment bottle, brush or squeeze syrup onto the cake layer.

5. Spread or pipe layer of Cookie Dough Buttercream on top of cake.

6. Sprinkle crushed cookies over cookie dough buttercream. (Optional)

7. Spread or pipe layer of Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream over top.

8. Place cake layer on top of whipped cream.

9. Repeat cake syrup/soak step.

10. Repeat spreading Cookie Dough Buttercream

11. Repeat crushing cookies, spreading over cookie dough buttercream.

12. Repeat spreading whipped cream.

13. Top with 3rd layer of cake.

14. Spread crumb coat on outside of cake. Chill in fridge to let set. At least 30 minutes. An hour is better if you have the time.

15. Spread or pipe frosting around the entire cake!

16. Garnish as desired. If that means sprinkles or crumbles of sorts, do that now. If you want to add a ganache drip, then chill the cake well and add the drip later.

17. CHILL CAKE TO LET IT SET! I cannot reiterate this enough! It needs to sit in the fridge for HOURS. Like, overnight is best.

AND THAT’S IT! TA DA!!!!!

Clear as mud, eh? Just like with anything, the more you do it, the better you get. Looks like I need to do a few more ganache drips myself. 😅

OK friends, I’ve talked your ears off and I need to catch my breath. I’m going to do that where I can touch grass. It’s a beautiful day outside so I’m going to go enjoy it. Let me know if you have any questions, and look for more cake-related tips in a future Simple Sunday article!

Have a lovely weekend, and make something delicious!!!!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

Friends and fam, I owe you a Very Official Update™️ on ML’s Official Birthday Cake but I think this is more important to deliver right now. I debated making this as my birthday cake, but I realized I’d be doing that for The Stack (hi, this right here) vs making my birthday heart happy. Instead, I’m cramming two amazing cakes into one month, which feels a little bonkers. Bonkers for my kitchen, and bonkers b/c WHAT DO I NEED TWO CAKES FOR? (It’s fine, we’re having friends over this weekend).

Instead of telling a linear story of my birthday cake and showing you all the gorgeous photos, I’m pivoting to a Memorial Day Weekend dessert, and we’ll hop back to my birthday cake details the following week. That will include how to construct the cake, as well as mini recipes for the whipped cream filling, the ganache drip, and info on the espresso buttercream that graced the outside.

Let’s talk about Strawberry Pie Cake!! This idea popped in my head last year around this same time. In last year’s version, I used a Trader Joe’s box mix for one full sized 9” round cake made in a springform pan, and I used a… I don’t know, Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines for multiple mini 4” round cakes. The mini cakes were gifts for my daughter’s Pre-K/Daycare teachers. She graduated Pre-K so to show my appreciation, I made her core teachers and admin little baby strawberry pie cakes and dammit they were cute!I lined their little bakery boxes with a printed wax paper, the cakes sat on little gold fluted cardboard discs on top of that printed paper, I tied bows around the boxes, and I was so stupidly pleased with myself. They were adorable.

I kept the big cake for myself (well, my family and whoever else I gave a piece to) and we loved it. It was so good. The best of both worlds, like a pie and a shortcake all in one. I took some videos, but because some of it was done on the fly and also used a box mix, I didn’t have a great record of what I did. So this year I wrote it all down, I took notes, and learned from some mistakes so I could pass my recipe and knowledge on to you.

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• RECIPE WIDGET: Y’all, I’m trying the recipe widget that’s part of the Substack format. I don’t know if I love it. It’s fussy and seems to behave weirdly with fractional amounts. The benefit for you is that you can print the recipe now. However, I can’t organized or structure things as much as I’d like. Let me know if you like this format used below, or if you like the previous versions better where the individual recipe components are grouped and organized together. And if you have any questions, b/c an amount on an ingredient is written weird, message me.

• PROCESS PICS AT TH END: Due to the recipe widget, I can’t stick photos in between some of the moments, so there are a select few process photos down below.

• BOX MIX OR SCRATCH:

  • BOX: Y’all, I’m giving you the option to use box mix if you like. I wanted to make a scratch vanilla cake since my frame of reference last year was so random. I used a Trader Joe’s box mix. The cake ended up being a little on the thick side, but I didn’t mind, it worked well. I can’t for the life of me remember if I used all the batter at once in the pan, or if I had to distribute some to a separate pan. I did not test one of the more conventional store bought brand box mixes for this, but my gut says you’ll have too much batter. If you want to use box mix, make it according to the box instructions but use a 9” round springform pan. Fill your cake pan about 1/3 - 1/2 full of batter, then use the rest of the batter for another mini cake, cupcakes, etc.

  • SCRATCH: I knew I needed to deliver a full-scratch option, even if it is just for my own ego. Guys, the scratch cake really is delicious. It’s a great vanilla cake. The recipe is intended for this moment with a 9” round springform pan, but I believe you could also use this batter in an 8” round. Silly me should’ve measured how many cups (or at least grams) of batter it made. Whoops. Regardless, this is one for the back pocket. We’re talking Strawberry Pie Cake today, but it’ll be a great base for so many more cakes to come.

• FLAT CAKE NEEDED: This is one of my Very Important Lessons™️ I learned while making the cake to photograph. Silly me, I thought taking some of the dome off would be enough. I also lost track of how much corn starch I had in my strawberry filling, so I was in the process of an accident waiting to happen. It is important for structural integrity that you slice off the dome of the cake so you have a flat top. If you have rounded edges, the filling around the perimeter will slide down the cake and fall off, especially if — like me — you’re 99.9% sure you left out a corn starch TBSP or two.

  • SO WHAT HAPPENED? I wanted to pour the syrup over the cake while the cake was hot so the syrup would absorb better. That meant cutting the top off the cake when it wasn’t fully cool. That did not go well, it was still too soft and warm. I got a good slice off, but not enough. And honestly, I thought a little curvature around the perimeter wouldn’t hurt anything. NOPE. Wrong. Last time, I had a flatter cake. This time, there was more dome and I also forgot to use my cake strips around the pan which help keep the cake flatter. For whatever reason, it’s hard for me to remember those things. ALSO, I had switched my corn starch bowl THREE TIMES when measuring. I started too small, then it was a little better, but still not quite enough and by that time, I couldn’t remember if I finished measuring it out or not. By the time I made the slurry, I suspected not because it came together too easily. I added a little extra, but I didn’t scrap it and start over like I should’ve done. Oops, live and learn I guess. And quite frankly, I think it could’ve been ok if it weren’t for the whipped cream edges. I think the weight of the whipped cream is what dragged the filling down.

• LOTS OF STRAWBERRIES: You will need about 2 pounds of strawberries that gets distributed across the syrup and the pie. You can definitely use frozen for 1 lb of this, which becomes the main pie filling. The fresh berries are used on top of the cake/within the pie filling layer, and on top of the pie layer as a garnish. You can use either fresh or frozen for the strawberry syrup. If using frozen for the syrup, you’ll need more than 1 pound for the total recipe.

  • Notes on Frozen Berries: Frozen berries save time because you don’t have to clean/cut/prep them, and they also cook down faster.

  • Notes on Fresh Berries: This is a good time to use any janky berries you may have on hand, the kind that are dented or bruised, or only have a day of life left. Cook them down in the syrup or bury those berries underneath the filling (you’ll read about that later).

  • Ultimately, use what you can afford, what’s on sale, or what you have on hand!

• STRAWBERRY SYRUP: I’m upping the ante this year by making a homemade strawberry syrup to use on the actual cake sponge. The leftovers can be used for drinks, pancakes, waffles, injecting into your bloodstream, etc. I plan to make an iced strawberry matcha latte with mine and I’m very excited. Now, if you want to make a bunch more drinks or douse a lot more pancakes, then double the batch so you can enjoy strawberry syrup on many, many things.

• INSTANT PUDDING MIX: Y’all, I’m excited to break out an old school trick with adding just a smidge of instant pudding mix to the cake. Do you remember when boxed cake mixes would advertise on the box “Pudding in the mix!” Who knows, maybe they still do. Anyway, it does some awesome things. For one, it helps the cake keep its moisture for longer, which is always important in a scratch cake, especially a vanilla one. It also gives it a richer texture and flavor. We’re not adding a whole box, just 1 TBSP of the box. Save the box to use later, like for the next time you need to make a vanilla layer cake. 🤪

• CORN STARCH IN THE CAKE: Another fun baking trick! This helps lighten the flour and gives the cake a softer crumb. This works well with oil cakes since oil cakes tend to be heavier. I will still always choose an oil-based cake because they hold their moisture better, but adding corn starch helps give it a little more lightness.

• PARCHMENT PAPER FENCE: This is an important part about keeping the structure. My cake pulled away from the edges of the pan, which is what happens when a cake is finished baking. It shrinks a little and pulls away. However, it left juuuust a little too much room where it needed a tightly taped parchment paper ring around the cake because the springform ring wasn’t tight to the cake. If your cake is tight to the edges, you don’t need to worry about this. However, mine was NOT tight to the edges, so I secured it with a ring of parchment. The ensures that the filling will remain in place.

Everyone, have a lovely long weekend! Take a rest, get outside (if the weather is nice), hang out with people you like if you can, and eat something delicious! Because of spending time with my family, I will only be publishing this one recipe this weekend (I mean, it’s a doozy. I probably should’ve made it a two-parter!). Let me know if you have any questions, I’m happy to help. Happy baking!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

A good chocolate cake is an important recipe to have in your arsenal. I used to be nervous around chocolate cake. I felt like they involved extra work but always yielded mid results. I remember even trying Martha Stewart’s One Bowl Chocolate Cake (or cupcakes?) eons ago and it just… didn’t deliver. Not enough. And then I landed on this chocolate cupcake recipe that uses mayonnaise from the book Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. It was perfection. It was easy to make, had great flavor, and the mayo keeps the cake wonderfully moist. It delivered great results every single time. I was focused on cupcakes back in the day, but I started using this in full cake form and it works great. Even when I’ve messed something up (no doubt from not paying attention/getting distracted/forgetting something/overmixing something), it turns out fine. It’s been my go-to chocolate cake recipe for over 10 years, at least.

My birthday’s approaching, and I’m making my own cake. If you saw my last post, you’ll see that I declared a chocolate cake with cookie dough buttercream as ML’s Official Birthday Cake. This is the recipe for that very chocolate cake. I’ve adapted it a little bit from the original, as well as determined weight measurements in case that’s your preference (baking by weight does make scaling much easier). So without further ado, let’s hop to it.

QUICK NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• 6” ROUND, 3 TIERS / 24 - 28 cupcakes: This cake yields somewhere between 5-6 cups of batter. Y’all, measuring batter is an annoying mess so it’s not exact, but this is handy information to know. For reference, this recipe easily yields 3 layers of a 6” round cake with baked layers that are somewhere between 1.5-1.75” (closer to the 1.75” side). It will also yield 24 cupcakes (maybe a smidge more depending on how you fill them). Typically for filling cupcakes, I use 1 large OXO cookie scoop of batter.

• MAYO IS THE FAT: And we want full fat mayonnaise! Not Miracle Whip, not a partial fat blend. Full fat mayonnaise is what we need here.

• RUNNY BATTER: This is a runny batter. No, you did nothing wrong. It’s runny and thin, that’s just the way it is.

• NATURAL COCOA OR DUTCH PROCESS: Typically, recipes call for regular, natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. This is the product easiest to find in a grocery store or in bulk. However, I’ve been playing with Dutch-processed—or alkalized—cocoa powder more because it can give a richer flavor. I tried using dutch-processed for the first time in this recipe to see how it turned out! And it worked! That’s why my cake here may look darker than yours, b/c dutch-process cocoa results in a darker color. I don’t think the swap is necessary, but I haven’t eaten the fully constructed cake yet so I’ll let you know my official thoughts next week.

• COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE: Coffee emphasizes the flavor of chocolate. This is one of those instances where I break out the instant coffee granules, but you could also brew strong coffee if you rather.

  

• SCRAPE THE BOWL WELL AND OFTEN: I don’t know what it is, but this particular cake is the hardest one to get everything incorporated 100%. It’s easy to have a stream of white-ish creamy batter peeking out somewhere inside the cake. Not sure if that’s caused by the mayo, maybe it makes things more stubborn to mix? If you end up with a stream of white batter, it’s fine, nothing will be ruined, but this is your reminder to scrape down the bowl, scoop up the bottom stuff and get it all mixed.

• DON’T OPEN THE OVEN TOO OFTEN: I will say, sometimes when I make this in cake form, I end up opening the oven too often because it’s a different size cake pan than I’m used to so I keep checking it so I don’t burn it. The oven ends up losing heat. The cake ends up falling a bit. It’s still delicious, and I still eat it LOL (duh) but cakes bake best in a steadily hot oven. And because this is a very moist cake, it’s easy to sink a little dent in the middle. Think of this as a feature and not a flaw, perhaps? So don’t open the oven too much.

• CAKE STRIPS FOR EVEN BAKING: Y’all, cake strips are a handy tool that keep the layers flatter, with less of a dome in the middle. This is a good thing, especially when stacking a cake. You soak them in water for a bit, then wrap them around the cake pan. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have them, but if you’re interested in baking cakes more often, they’re a great thing to have. You can find them in the Cake Making Essentials section of my Amazon storefront.

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth by Jill O’Connor

Yield: 3 - 6” round cake layers, or 24ish cupcakes

• 2 cups (250 g) AP Flour

• 3/4 cups (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch-process works)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 cups (410 g) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup mayonnaise (full fat! not miracle whip!)

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/3 cup boiling water » OR very strong brewed coffee, and omit the instant coffee

• 1 TBSP instant coffee

1. Preheat oven to 350°. If making cake layers, prepare your pans with parchment and non-stick spray. If making cupcakes, line your cupcake pan with cup liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients — flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs at medium speed for 2 minutes. They will become light and fluffy.

4. Beat in the mayonnaise and vanilla until just combined.

5. At this point, you’ll need the boiling water/coffee very soon so make sure you have that ready to go. If using instant coffee, add the coffee granules to the hot water and mix.

6. Add half of the flour to the batter and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

7. Add half the coffee (which was formerly boiling water and you have since added the instant coffee granules) and MIX THIS SLOWLY. It will splash everywhere if you’re not careful. It may still splash even if you are careful. Beat until just combined.

8. Repeat adding the flour and the hot coffee. Add the remainder of flour, mix slowly until just combined, and scrape down the sides/bottom of the bowl. Add the remainder of coffee, and combine gently until all is homogeneous. Like I said above, the batter will be thin and runny, not thick.

9. Portion the batter into your pans. If using 6” rounds, you’ll add somewhere between 1.5 cups - 2 cups batter per layer. If making cupcakes, one large OXO cookie scoop is just the right size.

10. BAKE TIME:

    1. IF BAKING 6” ROUNDS: Bake for 33-38 minutes. Mine baked for 35 minutes, for your reference.

    2. IF BAKING CUPCAKES: Bake for 18-22 minutes. Mine are always between 18-20 minutes.

    3. A cake tester or toothpick will come out clean when they’re done.

11. Remove from oven, let cool on cooling rack completely. You can frost them the same day, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer if you need some time. For freezer storage, wrap several times in plastic wrap and even better, then tuck them in a freezer storage baggie. They will hold up well. Obviously, thaw completely before frosting.

RANDOM BUT ADJACENT: I’ve added a few tool recommendations to my Amazon storefront, which reminded me that I’ve been meaning to make a Gifts for Kids recommendation list. In case you’re wondering what to buy for your kid, a niece or nephew, a grandkid or a classmate, I stand by all the items on there. You can access that all through my Linktree link here (b/c Amazon doesn’t like using Substack for link referrals, I have to go thru Linktree). I realized now that my daughter is 6, there are some toys I would die on a sword over. There are some things that we’ve either been given or bought ourselves that I would buy over and over again. And they’re legit good prices! Right now, most of the list is affordable for buying as a classmate’s birthday gift (it seems $20-30 is the range where we are, thank goodness). I wanted to capture all that, mainly so I could tell my friends who have younger kids. But like, the set of 3 walkie talkies?? THEY’RE FANTASTIC. Great range, easy to use, long battery life (thus far). I’d pass those out like candy if I could. And the roller skates are impressive for the cost and being child roller skates. Big win.

Hope you’re having a great weekend, and stay tuned for the official birthday cake construction next week!!!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

Guys, I can’t believe I’m divulging this recipe, but the day was bound to arrive eventually. This is the recipe for my Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting. It’s everything and then some. And typically, I guard these recipes with my life.

My birthday is this month and YES, I’m making my own cake. I don’t always do it, but I have some years. The first time I made a version of this cake was either in 2020 or 2021. My husband asked me what kind of cake I wanted, and our child was YOUNG (which makes me think this was 2020). If you can imagine, I’m picky about my cakes. I’m hard to please. I will accept Milk Bar’s Birthday Cake (a Funfetti cake that’s delightful perfection). I will accept a cake from Cake Bake Shop in Indianapolis (also in Carmel, IN and at Disney Springs). Gwendolyn Rogers I believe is her name, and her cakes are expertly made. Expensive AF, but expertly made. I’m sure there’s a rich and filthy chocolate + chocolate ganache cake somewhere, probably buried in a steakhouse in New York, that I just don’t know about. I would happily accept that cake as well.

But you know who makes an AMAZING cake? Me. I do. I’m frickin’ awesome at it. So in 2020 (I checked pics, it was 2020) when my husband asked what kind of birthday cake I wanted, I thought about it and asked “… if I make the components, will you put it together?” HE AGREED. LOL Poor naïve thing.

So I made my dream cake, or one version of my dream cake, almost. The cake was white cake with chocolate chips, cookie dough buttercream (my own recipe), whipped cream, and chocolate ganache surrounded by vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. The white cake was a box mix b/c we had a months-old child to manage on top of work and life. Would it have been better from scratch? Sure. Was it still amazing? Yes, actually. And since then, I’ve made this with scratch white cake AND scratch chocolate cake. The chocolate cake has my heart. It’s more moist, so the texture of the moist, rich chocolate cake + cookie dough buttercream is this squishy, gooey fever dream. And then accented and balanced by whipped cream?? Cue the Hilary Duff because THAT is what dreams are made of, my friends.

This is a deluxe version of the Cookie Dough Cake that I made for a friend’s baby shower in 2024. It was massive, weighing I think 10 pounds? Maybe 14 pounds? It was a heavy beast. But it was delicious.

I’m declaring this the Unofficial Official House Cake. Maybe it’s ML’s Official Birthday Cake. (I’m the only one of the three of us insanely loyal to it, but that’s b/c my husband can never make up his mind/doesn’t know what he wants as definitively and my daughter’s a literal child). But let it be known, we all love this cake. My closest friends all love this cake. I’ve made it for them (by request and for money b/c it’s so good) on various special occasions. I’m going to give you the recipe to each component in their own individual article because each component is worthy of its own page. Today, because I need to get your attention, we’re starting with the Cookie Dough Buttercream. Let’s go.

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• COOKIE DOUGH DNA: This is truly inspired by cookie dough, so the ingredients and process can be a lot like making cookies. It’ll vary here and there, but you’re going to cream together brown sugar and butter all the same.

• COOKIE DOUGH DNA, PT 2: That said, this uses brown sugar so there’s a grittiness, just like eating actual raw cookie dough. Because it IS essentially raw cookie dough, just without the egg and in different proportions.

• BUTTERCREAM: When it comes to buttercream, this is an American buttercream variation. I prefer Swiss or Mock Swiss meringue generally but this predates my experience with those, and because of the nature of cookie dough ingredients, the recipe ends up being an amalgam of cookie dough and American buttercream.

• TREAT THE FLOUR: You know why people say not to eat raw dough? It’s because of potential salmonella from consuming raw flour. Crazy, huh? I mean, the raw egg isn’t great, but it’s the flour that’s the concern. BUT NEVER FEAR! That’s easy to get around. You will heat-treat it by popping the flour (yes, a bowl of plain flour) in the microwave to make sure it’s safe to use. You can buy special heat-treated flour but y’all… why?

• SECRET INGREDIENT: Molasses is the secret ingredient that pumps up the flavor! Molasses is how we get brown sugar, so it helps make that flavor more pronounced. However, it is strong, so you need to tread lightly. I’m going to write it as optional in the recipe, b/c you don’t use much and I know most people either might not have it on hand or won’t want to buy it just for this. And that’s ok! If you do want to use it, a little goes a long way.

• MAKE AHEAD: You can definitely make this ahead of time, just like most frostings. Store it in the refrigerator because there is heavy whipping cream in here. Sugar actually acts as a decent preservative, but still, let’s be safe, shall we? You will need to bring it back to life after it’s chilled. You know how butter hardens when it’s cold? Well this contains 3 sticks of butter, so you best believe this hardens when cold. Let it sit out at room temperature for a few hours and it’ll soften up. You can also re-whip it in the stand-mixer (the preferred method of the professionals) for several minutes to loosen it up, making it easily spreadable and pipe-able again. If needed, you can add a little extra heavy cream at this time if it’s needed.

• MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS: The MINI size of chocolate chips is key. If they’re a larger size, the frosting is harder to work with. It’ll be harder to pipe, harder to spread, etc. If you can’t find mini, then go ahead and use standard chips but don’t go heavy on the amount you add. And due to their size, I would steer away from Ghirardelli chocolate chips. That’s tough for me to say b/c they’re my typical preference, but you need a traditional Toll House in this situation.

• SPEAKING OF PIPING: Don’t expect to pipe any roses or super fancy shapes with this. This frosting wasn’t built to make shapes, it was built to touch your soul with the nostalgic deliciousness of raw cookie dough. The structure just isn’t there. It might hold a few shapes from a piping tip, but this isn’t the recipe to use for a vintage/lambeth cake. Embrace a simple, elegant swirl and you’ll be good. And remember, those mini chocolate chips get in the way so if you ARE using a piping tip, choose a wide one.

• SCRAPE THE BOWL: I’m going to say this one like 20 times down below — remember to scrape down the bowl! It’s always important to get everything well-incorporated, but since we’re not baking this in the oven, there’s no melding-in-the-oven situation when everything heats up. You don’t want dusty flour bits in your frosting. Scrape it well and scrape it often!

COOKIE DOUGH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

Yield: Somewhere between 4-5 cups, enough to frost a 6” cake.

• 3 sticks butter, softened. Salted butter is preferred (339 g)

• 1 1/2 c brown sugar (330 g)

• 1 TBSP and 1 tsp molasses

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I use VBP here b/c it’s my birthday. Treat yo’self.)

• 2 tsp iodized salt

• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar (165 g)

• 1 3/4 c AP flour (240 g)

• 3/4 c mini choco chips

• 2 TBSP heavy cream

1. Heat-treat the flour to kill any bacteria. In a heat-proof bowl, microwave the flour in increments of 30 seconds, whisking in between. Check the temperature with an instant-read food thermometer. Do this until it reaches safe temperature, which is 165°F. It may clump up a little bit, but that’s ok, we’ll sift it into the mixture later.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, combine softened butter and brown sugar. Mix on medium (or if using a KitchenAid, the second click) for 2 minutes until fluffy and light in color. Scrape the bowl down and make sure everything on the bottom is incorporated.

3. Add the salt, molasses, and vanilla. Mix well, about 30 seconds. Again, scrape the bowl down and make sure everything on the bottom is incorporated.

4. If you’re using a stand mixer, remove the bowl from the stand. Sift in the flour, pop the bowl back on the stand, then combine well. Scrape down the bowl.

5. Again, if you’re using a stand mixer, remove the bowl from the stand once more. Sift in the powdered sugar. Pop it back onto the mixer and combine well. Scrape down the bowl!

6. Turn the mixer up to a proper medium or medium-high speed. We’re going to fluff this up with air and heavy cream. Slowly pour the heavy cream into the frosting and let it whip for about 30 seconds. If you want a lighter, looser texture than this, you’re welcome to add more heavy cream.

7. Use immediately, or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer. If storing, then bring back to room temperature until it’s nice and pliable. You can speed up that process by re-whipping with a stand-mixer or hand-held electric mixer. You can add in a little extra heavy cream at this time if needed.

Now that you have one of my most precious recipes, please protect this with your life and do good in the world. Make someone (or yourself) a delicious cake. 🎂💕

ENJOY!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

While most of the time we’re talking sweets and treats, today is a quick break from the norm to talk about a super easy appetizer, or even a savory breakfast/brunch situation. It’s customizable in myriad ways, and you can do part of it (or even all of it) in the air fryer or on a flat top grill, like a Blackstone. Hello, Loaded Hash Brown Patties. 😍

Why hash brown patties and not a full blown hash brown casserole? Well, we always have patties on hand for our daughter, and there’s something delightful about the individual portion it’s already in. You can customize each one in a new way. While I love a shredded hash brown (probably my preferred form?), this is a faster cook time and can be used just a versatilely. When my husband is traveling, the dinner I often make for myself is breakfast tacos with chorizo, scrambled eggs, and a broken up hash brown patty topped with salsa verde. I pop the patty in the air fryer while I do the other prep, and it makes life so easy. ANYWAY, enough of this side quest love letter to hash brown patties. Let’s get to the point.

This is less of a strict recipe, and more of a guide with suggestions. Like I said, you can customize this is so many ways, and because it’s already in an individual portion, you can literally just make one or scale it up to a bunch. If you’re serving a group, you could have a toppings bar and everyone can top their own, or you could prep a few part of the way and let people decide what else goes on top. Or you could prep them all the way and people just get to dive in.

The other great thing about these is that you can use the air fryer or a flat top grill like a Blackstone (if you have either one of those), which means summertime cooking without heating up the house. These definitely have fall game day vibes, but cooking the bacon and patties on the grill at a cook-out would be super easy, fun, and unexpected.

I’m teaming up with Melanie’s Medleys on this recipe, so I’m using some pre-flavored cream cheese spreads. They do a lot of the heavy lifting in making sure these are delicious, which makes my job easier. Think of them as the flavor bomb here.

QUICK TIPS BEFORE WE GET TO THE DETAILS

• CRISPY STATUS: Make sure the hash brown patties are crisp! They soften up with the toppings (especially gooey toppings) so they’ll need some sturdiness. Get that maillard going and make them toasty golden, brown, and delicious.

• PREP TOPPINGS, THEN PATTIES: It’ll make life easier if you prep the toppings first, then make the patties. The patties can be cooking while you prep the toppings, but remember the longer the patties sit, they soften and cool down. Making sure they’re last ensures they remain a little crispy and warm.

• SEASON EVERY LAYER: Yes, the cream cheese is the flavor bomb that does most of the work. However, an unsalted hash brown patty? No buenos. Salt and pepper the patties. Squeeze lime and sprinkle salt on the avocado. Throw some garlic salt on them. That’s the sort of thing I’m talking about.

• STORE-BOUGHT IS FINE: I’m using fresh pico de gallo in one of these versions, but I didn’t make it. I bought it from the produce section at the grocery store. This is an easy, relaxed recipe so use shortcuts when you can!

  

  ---

LOADED HASH BROWN PATTIES

Yield: However many patties you’re making

SPICY JALAPEÑO PATTIES

• Hash brown patties

• Garlic salt

• Melanie’s Medleys Jalapeno cream cheese or similar

• Avocado

• Fresh lime, for squeezing

• Chopped bacon

• Fresh chives, chopped

• Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

• Fresh or pickled jalapeño for garnish

1. Cook the hash brown patty until crispy golden brown. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper (you can use plain salt if you’re not a garlic salt fan)

2. Spread or pipe Melanie’s Medleys Jalapeño cream cheese on top of patty

3. Slice the avocado, then dress it with lime and salt

4. Place avocado slice(s) on top of cream cheese

5. Sprinkle a healthy dose of chopped bacon on top

6. Sprinkle with finishing salt, such as Maldon or other flaky sea salt

7. Garnish with fresh chopped chives and a jalapeño slice

GARDEN VARIETY PATTIES:

• Hash brown patties

• Garlic salt

• Melanie’s Medleys Garden Vegetable cream cheese or similar

• Pico de Gallo

• Chopped bacon (can omit if you want these to be vegetarian)

• Fresh chives

• Flaky sea salt, such as maldon

1. Cook the hash brown patty until crispy golden brown. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper (you can use plain salt if you’re not a garlic salt fan)

2. Spread or pipe Melanie’s Medleys Garden Vegetable cream cheese on top of patty

3. Spread fresh pico de gallo on top of cream cheese

4. Sprinkle a healthy dose of chopped bacon on top

5. Sprinkle with finishing salt, such as Maldon or other flaky sea salt

6. Garnish with fresh chopped chives, give it a squeeze of lime for brightness

   ---

BONUS “RECIPE”: TOT SAUCE

This would be a great drizzle on top or a pre-spread under the cream cheese. For those who love a dipping sauce, this is one I made while at a friend’s house and scrounged up a few things in their fridge to make a sauce for tater tots. I love an aioli, and using mayo as the base is a quick hack. This will be about suggested ratios, then taste as you go to make it to your preference.

• Equal part ketchup

• Equal part mayonnaise

• Several dashes Chipotle flavored Tabasco Sauce

• Squeeze of lime or lemon, if you have it - optional

1. Stir all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Start slow on the Chipotle Tabasco Sauce. It’s not spicy, it’s more smoky. Keep adding dashes until you’re happy with the flavor. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon for brightness if desired.

OTHER TOPPING IDEAS:

• Sunny-side up or fried egg and let that yolk run!

• Shredded cheese

• Crumbled sausage

• Proscuitto

• Pancetta

• Lox and all the fixings!

• Pizza sauce and pepperoni

• Ranch dressing

• Pickled jalapenos or banana peppers

• Scallions

• Hot sauce

• Salsa verdé (green salsa)

Alright everyone, I hope you’re having a lovely weekend and getting some sunshine. It’s a little chilly here, a little damp from early rain, but I think we’re in the clear now. Plus, my daughter scored two goals at her soccer game. It’s a good day! If you celebrate Mother’s Day, then Happy Mother’s Day to you or your loved one. If Mother’s Day is complicated for you, then I give you virtual hugs and empathy — it’s not all rainbows and Hallmark cards. Take care of yourselves, and that goes for all of you! Give yourself a high five for getting through the week, and make something delicious.

XOXO,

Mary Lynn

An idea popped in my head a few months ago to do lemon meringue cookies, but I wanted to wait until spring to make it happen. And y’all, they were worth the wait. Pardon my language, but holy $&*# these are good! You don’t even need to be a lemon lover to love these. The flavors and textures sing beautifully, and the zing of the fresh lemon curd is unbeatable. They’re soft but chewy, bright and sweet but not cloying. As my friend say, “these are exceptional!” 💛

These cookies are one of the reasons I published Simple Sundays: Lemon Curd a few weeks ago. The cookie base is a brown butter sugar cookie. I wanted to make sure it stayed fudgy in the middle so it’s an opportune time to use brown butter, as well as extra egg yolks. The brown butter also adds a lovely depth to counterbalance some of the sweetness. While lemon curd is zippy, it’s also sweet. This guarantees that our palate is pleased, not overwhelmed, by sugar. The lemon curd contributes to these staying moist for days when stored properly in an airtight container, so they feel fresh even 3 days later. The meringue frosting is made from egg whites, which, hopefully you have a few saved from when you made the lemon curd! (And if you haven’t made the lemon curd yet but plan to, this is your official notice to stash the egg whites for later. Freeze them if it’ll be awhile.)

These cookies are a labor of love, but they are worth the time. Read through all the instructions and plan your timing. They can definitely be broken up into steps over a day or two so you’re not driving yourself crazy, which is what I recommend. You can certainly buy lemon curd at the store, I know Bonne Maman makes one as does Trader Joe’s. However, this is something where the effort pays off. As always, do what fits your budget and schedule, but I’m definitely Team Homemade here!

PRE-RECIPE NOTES:

• CHILL TIME REQUIRED: These cookies require chill time. It is not optional. The dough is very soft and they will go haywire if baked from a warm dough ball. Patience is a virtue that will pay off.

• DOUGH MUSTS: Like I said, the dough needs to be chilled and that’s non-negotiable. It also bakes much better from a smooth dough blob as opposed to a rough one just plopped from the scoop. ALSO, they bake best when they’re slightly flattened, just a little smooshed like a rounded puck. We’re going to push a divot into the cookie IMMEDIATELY after it’s pulled from the oven, and this gives us the best result. Video below in the recipe.

• YIELD = 24ish: I knew off the bat I wanted to share these with lemon-loving friends so the batch yields about 24. However, that can change based on your dough ball size. I made some cookies with the large-sized OXO cookie scoop and some with medium-sized to test if one was better than the other. I honestly don’t think I have a preference. I was concerned the large size might feel like too much lemon curd, but it’s surprisingly not. So for size, choose whether you or your audience prefers larger or smaller bites.

• MERINGUE FROSTING: Have you made meringue before? You need to heat egg whites and sugar in a bowl over a water bath hot enough to melt the sugar and bring the egg whites to safe temperature, then you whip the bajeezus out of it in a separate bowl until it’s big and fluffy. If it’s your first time, it may sound intimidating but don’t be nervous. It’s equal parts easier than it seems, and also always a bit of a racket because you’re dealing with hot egg whites. LOL Even I mentally groan, but you gotta do what you gotta do! And that toasted marshmallow-y meringue top??? Hallelujah, yes please.

  • This meringue frosting is easily scalable. The important information to know here is that the sugar to egg ratio is 1/4 cup sugar per egg white. I’m telling you this in case you get wild with the meringue and run out, then need a little bit more. Or if you want to go insane with a tall meringue and increase the recipe to 5 egg whites. The math is pretty clear, which is lovely. But the 4 egg white amount in this recipe should have you well-covered.

• TORCH IT: The best way to toast the tops of these is a kitchen torch. You can get an inexpensive one off of Amazon nowadays, just know you will possibly also need to buy a can of butane to fuel it (and you can even get this at your grocery store, usually). I have not tried popping these under the broiler, but you certain can torch meringue that way. If you use the broiler method, USE A TIMER AND KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE. Do not get distracted. The heat from the broiler will affect the entire cookie. It shouldn’t harm the cookie itself much because it’ll be in there a short time, but if you forget about it… well, you’ll have to let me know what happens. 😅

• IF YOUR MERINGUE STARTS “BLOBBING OUT”: Ok, that’s a term I made up, but some of my toasted meringues were losing shape. I put them in the oven for a few minutes at 300°. Meringues typically bake very low and slow, but we don’t need these to sit in a warm oven for 2 hours, heck no. 300° is hot enough for the meringue to dry out a little more and get a sturdier crust, but a few minutes won’t hurt the fully constructed cookie. I recommend like 4-5 minutes.

RECOMMENDED ORDER OF STEPS:

1. Make Lemon Curd: Make this first because it needs to chill, but also it’s the most stable. This can be made and stored in an airtight container for weeks in the fridge or even freezer. Make this first.

2. Brown the Butter: Yup, you can brown your butter ahead of time before you even make the dough. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat to melt it when you’re ready to make the full dough.

3. Mix and Scoop the Cookie Dough: Make the full dough recipe. This needs time to chill and I prefer to scoop the balls and THEN chill the dough. I have busted too many cookie scoops on chilled dough–yes, even when the dough has come to room temperature!

4. Bake the Cookies: No brainer, pop them on a tray and bake. Make the divot IMMEDIATELY after pulling them out of the oven. More on that below, including a video.

5. Fill with Lemon Curd OR Make the Meringue: You want to use the meringue “immediately” but letting it sit a few minutes while you fill the cookies with lemon curd will be fine. Alternatively, you could fill the cookies with the curd, then make the meringue.

6. Do the Other One: If you made the meringue, then fill with lemon curd. If you filled with lemon curd, now make the meringue.

7. Top with Meringue: Cover the top of the cookie and curd, leaving some of the cookie visible like a minimal pizza crust. This leaves you some area to hold it.

8. Toast the Tops: Do not wait on this, do this after all the cookies are frosted in meringue.

LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES

Yield = 20-24 cookies

LEMON CURD

Repeated from Simple Sundays: Lemon Curd » For pictures, head to the link

• 3 large eggs

• 2 large egg yolks

• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)

• 2 lemons, zested

• 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 pinch pinch of salt

LEMON CURD INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep your citrus. Zest the lemons first. Then cut and juice them. You can’t zest a cut lemon. I mean… you can try, but the results will be pretty pathetic. Set both aside.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler, whisk together 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, and 150 grams granulated sugar until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. Stir in 120 milliliters fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons), 2 lemons, zested, and 1 pinch pinch of salt.

   1. NOTE: Save those egg whites in the freezer to use on another baking project. I want us to make Lemon Meringue Cookies this spring/summer!

3. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 74–77°C (165–170°F).

4. Remove from heat. Add one stick (113 g) butter, cold and cubed, a few cubes at a time. Stir well after each addition until fully melted and incorporated. The curd will become glossy and smooth.

5. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or bowl to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

6. Refrigerate until fully set and cold. The curd will thicken considerably as it cools.

7. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to use.

BROWN BUTTER SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 TBSP cornstarch

• 1/2 TSP baking powder

• 1/2 TSP salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 TSP vanilla extract

1. Brown the butter. Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter foams, then turns golden and smells nutty, about 5–7 minutes. Pour into a small separate bowl to cool or let cool in a large mixing bowl where you’ll do your baking. Let cool for about 15 minutes, so it’s no longer hot.

2. Whisk together AP flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. Mix with a stand-mixer or whisk by hand the granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter until combined. Add softened cream cheese, combine until smooth. Add eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, whisking vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture looks glossy.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

5. Scoop the dough into balls. They bake better when they are smooth as opposed to rough dough blobs, so scoop, then roll them in your hands, then flatten a little bit so it’s more like a puck, less like a ball.

6. Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is great. If they’re going to chill for a long time, cover them with plastic wrap or if your cookie sheet has a lid, even better. Chilling is especially important here. The cookies spread too much when baked from room temperature dough.

7. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cookie sheets by covering the in parchment or a Sil-pat mat. If your dough balls are large, place up to 6 on a cookie sheet at a time. If they are smaller, do 8 cookies on one sheet. Bake for 10–11 minutes. The centers should still look a little underdone and glossy. Remove from oven and immediately press the bottom of a measuring cup gently and steadily into the center of each cookie to create a well. It will be a firm press, they don’t give without some gentle force. If the cookie rim splits a little bit, it’ll be ok. It’ll harden up as the cookie cools. Just don’t keep pressing down as hard. A little split here and there is ok. A big split isn’t great. Let cool completely on the pan before moving.

8. Let cool completely before filling with lemon curd.

   Here’s a video showing the cookie divot-ing process. It’s highly technical. 😅

MERINGUE FROSTING

• 4 egg whites

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 TSP cream of tartar

• 1/2 TSP vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

1. Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar in a stand mixer bowl. Keep a digital thermometer nearby. Set bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160°F.

2. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and beat on high until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl is cool to the touch. This will be 5-10 minutes.

ASSEMBLE & TORCH

1. Spoon or pipe chilled lemon curd into each cookie well.

2. Pipe or dollop the meringue over the curd. Use a piping tip for a pretty design, or if using a spoon to dollop, use the back of a spoon to create swoops and peaks.

3. Torch with a kitchen torch in small circular motions until golden and caramelized - OR - toast cautiously under the broiler setting in your oven.

4. You can serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container for up to several days.

These are so delicious. If you’re going to choose one recipe to spend time with, let it be these! Now go forth and bake, my friends.

XOXO

Mary Lynn

There’s a trend on social media where people are hosting “home cafes” or “apartment cafes” and I’m a little bit in love. For a brief moment, you live the quaint little escapist dream of “Wouldn’t it be fun to live in a small town and own a cafe?” You pick a theme, create a spread, serve some fancy drinks, and invite some friends over. I mean, it can get more elaborate than that, but baby steps, ok?

I’ve been wanting to host one for awhile, but it’s always been a fleeting idea after I saw someone else’s post. Now, with Mother’s Day around the corner and graduation party season upon us, the timing is perfect for a little hosting inspiration. And it just so happens I have six delicious cream cheese spreads sitting in my fridge just waiting to be used — do I smell a brunch theme? A bagel cafe, perhaps? A perfect opportunity to break out my personal collection of Melanie’s Medleys? Ding ding ding, we have a winner!

The best part about this cafe is that the vast majority is store-bought. I made a killer batch of Bakery Style Blueberry Cheesecake Streusel Muffins (Recipe at the link) and a batch of thick-sliced candied bacon — both of these were gobbled up and both will have their very own Substack post so you can make them as well. But everything else? As our queen Ina Garten says, “Store bought is fine!”

Before you start peeking at the surrounding kitchen, please know this is not my house. I wish it was! It actually belongs to a friend. When I told her what I was doing, she asked if I wanted to do it there instead. Considering she doesn’t have any young kids or a gymnastics bar in the middle of her living room (true story, I do), I quickly took her up on it. You mean I DON’T need to clean up the scattered 36 drawings per week my child brings home from school? Sold!

Today, instead of a recipe, I’ll take you through a few hosting tips and run through the list of everything at the “café.” For the blueberry muffins (excuse me, Bakery Style Blueberry Cheesecake Streusel Muffins), check out my Substack article prior to this one. For candied bacon, stay tuned for a future Simple Sunday. And if you want to host your own bagel-themed home cafe, use my list below as a grocery list or a jumping off point for your planning.

ML’S HOSTING TIPS:

Some of you may be seasoned hosts but some may not be. If you are, skip ahead. If you’re open to some tips and ideas, stick with me!

1. CONSIDER THE PALATE AND SENSITIVITIES OF YOUR GUESTS. KNOW THEIR NEEDS. This is my number 1 rule. My weird superpower is knowing people’s food preferences, probably because I have some weird food preferences myself. I can tell you which kid from my elementary school was allergic to chocolate and the dietary needs of pretty much every former colleague… probably their kids, too. I feel weird if there’s nothing for me to nosh on when it’s supposed to be an event with food, and I don’t want other people to feel that way. It feels kind of shitty, doesn’t it? I’ve also noticed that people really appreciate it when you take the time to consider their needs. I have now become the “Green Salad” bringer for my husband’s family’s holiday events. Years ago, I included french fried onions and bacon on a salad — SOUNDS GOOD, RIGHT?? (Before you make fun of me for being Midwestern, I’m pretty sure it was something from the NYTimes.) However, a small contingent of the family needed gluten free, vegetarian, and dairy free. It wasn’t well known, and they don’t make a fuss, but usually a salad is a safe space and it wasn’t that time. From then on, the salad has been customizable. There’s always feta and yes, still bacon, but it’s on the side. There’s a proper salad dressing and an olive oil just in case someone (like myself) prefers a simpler approach. This year, the same family told me they were excited to see my name next to “Green Salad” because they “knew there’d be something they could eat.” And that conversation when on for several minutes! They were so appreciative, and they felt so seen. So all that to say, know your guests needs. Be excited for what you’re going to serve, but make sure your guests will be too. And then they’ll be excited to come back another time!

2. OUR MOST POPULAR APPETIZER OF ALL TIME: We serve this, in some capacity, every year at my daughter’s birthday and Christmas cookie parties and there is never a crumb left. Not a drop. Can you guess what it is?? It’s bacon. Literally just a plate of plain ass bacon. In some years, we’ve candied it, but mostly for her crowd, we leave it plain b/c of time constraints. Someone always chuckles and makes a comment “Haha you have a plate of bacon” but you know what? It’s gone. Every single time. It gets eaten by both adults and kids. For this party, because bagels mean breakfast and I like to be fancy, I made 1 1/2 pounds of thick-sliced candied bacon and everyone ate every single piece. I EVEN BURNT IT. GUYS, IT WAS BLACK. I’m not even joking. I made it the night before, left it a little wiggly to account for reheating it the next day, then got distracted while it was reheating in the oven and I burnt it to a motherf——- crisp. And you know what? It was good enough. It was sequestered off to the side b/c I felt bad about it, but they found it and ate it anyway. I still had people say “OH, THIS IS GOOD BACON [om nom nom].” 😅 A little fat, a little salt, and a little brown sugar will make anything great. People like protein. Bacon’s a quick, hand-held, easy-to-eat protein hit. I’m telling you, serve a plate of bacon. Unless everyone’s a vegetarian. In that case, see Tip #1.

3. GATHER YOUR PLATTERS & SERVING WARE THE NIGHT (OR DAYS) BEFORE. This one’s pretty common. You have a lot happening when you host. Since I moved locations, I had to be flexible so my set-up was different than my original plan which caused a little delay. But if it were at my house where I knew my OG plan, it would’ve saved some time. If you can figure out what gets placed where before you’re setting up your food, it saves you time and more importantly, it saves your brain power and sanity. That way you’re not searching for a serving spoon or tongs in the midst of madness.

   

4. KRAFT PAPER FOR THE TABLE: I have rolls of brown, black, and white kraft paper because sometimes it’s fun to wrap a present and be creative with paint, glitter, etc. But it’s also great to spread on the table in lieu of a tablecloth or table cover. It’s disposable (and not plastic), and you can write on it if that’s your vibe. I used black kraft for the assortment of Carbs and Spreads, which was a nice contrast-y backdrop that made them pop. For the carbs, I wrote the selection in white paint marker. It was cute and fun, and also made it feel casual but considered. Plus, a roll can last you a long time.

THE ASSORTMENT:

CARBS

• Bagels, 3 varieties, 6 of each: Plain, Everything, and Asiago

  • A few kids would be present and there are some sweeter cream cheese spreads, so I wanted to make sure Plain was present and accounted for. Everything and Asiago… well those are just crowd-pleasers.

• Blueberry Cheesecake Streusel Muffins:

  

  • Homemade and amazing! You can find my recipe here. I love a blueberry bagel and almost opted for some of those, but instead saved my sweet blueberry moment for the muffin. It was a smart move, b/c they were a huge hit!

• Croissants, mini store-bought:

  • You could get full-sized but mini seemed right for my crowd. Croissants are 1) classic to a cafe 2) another option for spreading cream cheese and 3) less intimidating if people don’t want a big ol’ bagel. This was a smart move, too. I had 12 mini croissants and they were gobbled up, especially by the kids.

SPREADS

• Melanie’s Medley’s Cream Cheese (or similar) in 6 varieties:

  • Plain

  • Honey, Fig, & Pistachio

  • Blueberry

  • Triple Onion » the crowd fave!

  • Garden Vegetable

  • Jalapeño

• Butter (Salted, duh)

• Jam, homemade but you can use store-bought of course (I have tons of homemade jam on hand from all my baking endeavors)

TOPPINGS

• Lox & Friends: OK, I made up the term “lox and friends” but these things are all commonly paired together so I grouped them on a platter

  • Lox

  • Cucumber, thinly-sliced

  • Capers

  • Red onion

  • Dill

  • Lemon Wedges

• Proscuitto

  • Savory, yay protein, makes sense with Honey, Fig, & Pistachio and just yum in general. Very European continental breakfast.

• Bacon, thick-sliced candied

• Tomato slices

• Lettuce

• Fruit + Healthy Crunchy Munchies

  • Strawberries

  • Blueberries

  • Rainbow carrots, long but thinly sliced b/c ✨elegance✨

BEVERAGES:

• Orange Juice

• Prosecco

• San Pelligrino sparkling water

• Coffee, tea, and such

Had I had the time, and had I been at my own house, I would’ve gone further with the coffee selection and added some cold brew and flavor syrups. Maybe next time I’ll even print cute menus (hello, time constraints). But like I said in the beginning — baby steps! Now that I’ve done it once, it was a fun way to dip my toe into the Home Café trend and now I need to figure out a reason to do another one! What should the theme be??

I hosted a home café this past weekend. What’s a home café, you ask? Well, I’ll be writing an actual post about it so let me give you the short(ish) story — it’s a hosting trend, probably fabricated for social media, where people throw a little party in their home themed like a cafe. Think coffee and festive drinks, maybe a fun sign and little menus for decor, a spread of food that goes with the theme, and you have a bunch of friends over. I’ve been wanting to do one for awhile, but I hate to just make shit up and spend the money without having a good reason. While “for the internet” is kind of a reason, ushering in Mother’s Day, graduation season, and showing off the assortment of Melanie’s Medley’s cream cheese I have in my fridge made MUCH more sense. When I was brainstorming ideas for Melanie and her cream cheese, I threw out the idea of a bagel café, because not only is it fun and trending, but it also shows product range! But I digress, because we’re here for the muffins, and these muffins also gave me an opportunity to use cream cheese.

This muffin is packed with goodness — lots of blueberries, homemade blueberry compote, cheesecake filling, and topped with streusel. Everyone raved, the crowd went wild, no crumbs left behind. 💙

NOTES BEFORE THE RECIPE:

• BIG LINERS! You will need BIG cupcake liners for this — the mammajammas, the tulip kind. These muffins are big and have a mind of their own. This will help them hold their structure. If you don’t want to use big liners, then make sure to fill standard cupcake cups very moderately, with caution. I buy my tulip liners from Amazon and I love how special they make big muffins look. Looking at other websites, you can find them in-store at Hobby Lobby. Michaels does not carry them in-store, you have to order online.

  • Side explanation: While baking tall muffins can be done in standard cupcake liners, it’s not going to work as well here, so you’ll need to make them more traditionally sized. Because of the blueberries and cheesecake, these are pretty goopy so they won’t hold as well if you filled a standard cupcake baking cup to the brim and baked. If they were, say, plain chocolate chip muffins or even plain blueberry muffins, then sure. It’d work great. But these have too much moisture to hold shape.

• BLUEBERRIES: You can use fresh or frozen. I love using frozen wild blueberries, it makes me feel fancy like I just picked fresh blueberries in Maine. Use what you have or what’s easy to get!

• DRAIN THE FRUIT! If you’re using frozen berries and they’re a little bit thawed—not totally frozen— then drain your fruit before you add it to the batter. Measure the berries and let them sit in a sieve or strainer until you’re ready to add them. If you notice in my Instagram reel, I thought I had fully drained the berries so I put them in a bowl for filming. They probably sat for 5-10 minutes until I was ready to plop them in. And plop I did… along with more juicy blueberry water. Whoops. All in all, they turned out FINE. Absolutely fine. But it does add more water, which means more moisture, which means less sturdy structure (which is also why big tulip baking liners are a good insurance policy).

• LEMON JUICE FOR COLOR: Blueberries can have a tendency to turn a little green around the edges when baking. It has to do with the acid/base level of the batter. To help everything stay more on the blue/purple side, we’re adding fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t do anything for flavor, it’s just to increase our acidity level. I think mine had a tinge of greenish in spots if I really looked for it. But did you read my note above? About accidentally dumping in dark blueberry water? Yeah, I don’t know if there’s any coming back from that, so it is what it is. But overall, it was minimal so the lemon juice really does the trick. And regardless, they’ll taste great. It’s just a visual reaction.

• GREEK YOGURT OR BUTTERMILK: Either of these will work. I used Greek yogurt this time, thinned out with 2-3 TBSP of milk. You know what works perfectly? This.

  

  This 5.3 oz yogurt container plus 2-3 TBSP of milk to thin it out was the exact amount needed. You don’t have to do it this way, but it’s handy in case you’re not a “tub of plain fat yogurt sitting around” kind of person. 3/4 cup buttermilk works too but again… then you have a bottle of buttermilk hanging around and then what do you do with it? Pancakes? Mashed potatoes? Let it go bad because you never have the time? (Probably the latter.)

• BIG MUFFIN TIPS: I wanted these muffins to be big and bakery-style. We’ll achieve that a few ways.

  • When you fill your muffin tin, you’re going to fill every other spot. Leave room so these babies can expand.

  • We let the batter sit a little bit, so the dry ingredients can hydrate and meld. This gives them a better rise.

  • We start in a high temperature oven, 425° to exact. Then we lower the temp down after a few minutes. DON’T OPEN THE OVEN WHEN YOU LOWER THE TEMP. You can wait a few more minutes and then open and rotate the pan if you like. (I’m a big believer in pan rotation.)

BAKERY-STYLE BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE STREUSEL MUFFINS

Yield: 12 muffins

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 lemon, squeezed for the juice

  • You’re welcome to add the zest as well, I didn’t though because I wanted more pure blueberry flavor

• 1/2 c - 3/4 c water — gradually added

1. In a medium sized (3 qt) saucepan over medium heat, combine the fruit, granulated sugar, juice from the lemon, and 1/4 cup of water. Blueberries have a lot of natural pectin, so while some compotes don’t use water in the early step, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll need some with blueberries otherwise you’ll end up with fruity jelly cement. You’re going to cook this down for a bit, start with 10-15 minutes. Once it starts to simmer, lower your heat to a low setting. Stir occasionally so mixture doesn’t burn.

2. After 10-15 minutes has passed, remove from heat and let cool. If the mixture is super thick and stiff, then place back over heat and add some of the water. Start with 1/4 cup and cook for 3-5 minutes to combine. If your mixture is still super thick and stiff, then add another 1/4 cup of water and cook again for a few minutes. If you want to add more for a looser texture, go for it. Compotes are forgiving, they are not an exact science. For the muffins, you do want it to be on the looser side.

3. The mixture will thicken and stiffen up regardless as it cools, which is a good thing! That means the natural pectin is doing its job. We just want it to be spreadable in the batter and on top.

4. Let the mixture cool and set aside. If making this ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

5. Note: If you do make this ahead of time, you may need to zap it in the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it up when adding to the batter.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

• 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (such as a block or as I’m using, Melanie’s Medley’s Plain Cream Cheese)

• 1/4 c granulated sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients until smooth. Set aside. I recommend using a piping bag (or a thick gallon baggie) for the cheesecake filling step, so you can prep that now if you’re able to store it safely (ie, not drip out any filling and have it air-tight), or do that before you construct the full muffins.

STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1/4 c light brown sugar

• 1/4 c granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 c AP flour

• 1/4 c neutral flavored oil, such as avocado, sunflower, canola, vegetable, etc.

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugars and salt so it looks homogeneous.

2. Add the flour, again, making sure it looks homogeneous.

3. Add the oil, mixing well to make sure it’s all coated. It won’t be as crumbly as a butter-based streusel, it will be… gloppier. Feel free to use your fingers (clean ones!) to help blend if needed. Set aside until ready for use. Store in the fridge if you want a more formed streusel crumb.

MUFFIN BASE

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¾ tsp fine salt

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, melted and slightly cooled

• ¼ cup neutral oil

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• ¾ cup full-fat Greek yogurt + 2-3 TBSP milk

  • Alternatively, you can use 3/4 cup full-fat buttermilk

• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

• 1 - 1¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

• AP Flour again, just enough to toss the berries so they don’t sink.

  • NOTE: DRAIN WELL FIRST if using frozen. See other note in NOTES section. (I know, I know, so many notes!)

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Line your muffin pan at EVERY OTHER spot.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients, which includes the sugar here! Combine flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt well.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the wet ingredients: melted butter, oil, eggs, greek yogurt or buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon juice.

4. Gently fold (or mix, if using stand-mixer) the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions. Fold just until no dry pockets remain. Batter should be thick and scoopable. Slightly lumpy is perfect.

5. Toss the blueberries in a light coating of flour, especially if you’re using fresh ones. (Frozen might get weird if they’re a little thawed — super moist and goopy). Fold in the blueberries.

6. Rest the batter for 15–30 minutes at room temperature. It can also sit overnight, well-covered and refrigerated, of course.

7. Construct the muffins! Here’s the layer order.

   1. Scoop a large scoop of muffin batter to cover the bottom. I used the OXO Large Cookie Scoop.

   2. Add some blueberry compote, schmear it around.

   3. Add a second scoop of muffin batter, a little smaller this time. OXO Medium Cookie Scoop, if you have it.

   4. Add another spoon of blueberry compote around the top.

   5. Sprinkle the streusel on top.

   6. Add a BIG piping of cheesecake filling smack in the middle. It should go down into the muffin with some poking out on top.

8. We’re going to bake at the high temperature, then lower it after a few minutes WITHOUT opening the door. Bake at 425° for 6-7 minutes, then turn down to 350°. Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes. If you want to check them after about 7-8 minutes at 350° to rotate the pans or make sure nothing is spilling over, you can do so.

9. These may be hard to tell when done since there’s a lot of goo. They will be golden on top, a toothpick or cake tester should come out clean, or the internal temperature should be 200°-210°.

10. Cool on a cooling rack, and remove the muffins from the pan after 5-10 minutes. Continue to let cool, then enjoy!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn 💙

While I bake a lot of things, it turns out I eat savory things too. I even like to cook them! Crazy, right? Who ever would’ve thought. I’ve actually been working with Melanie’s Medleys as a paid collaboration, and as I was brainstorming ideas, inspiration struck in the form of a classic sandwich. It’s also hosting season — a lot of graduation parties are starting to happen, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are approaching, and we’re just a few weeks from Memorial Day. This sandwich would serve as the perfect bite for any of those occasions.

Let me tell you a quick side story so you’ll see why we’re talking about a sandwich. I remember I read this Instagram post years ago where a chef was explaining that salads ARE NOT in fact, boring. They can be if you throw them together quickly with no effort, and that’s certainly one approach. He went on to talk about treating each ingredient with care. When you add tomatoes, are you adding salt and pepper to the tomatoes BEFORE you add them to the salad? Are you seasoning each ingredient in the salad before you toss it together? That little rant of his stuck with me, and I’ve taken that approach not only with salads, but with sandwiches too ever since.

When you’re making something simple, the way you elevate it to something special is in the details, treating each element thoughtfully.

Guys we’re taking care to make a really, really good sandwich.

While a BLT with regular bacon, lettuce, and tomato is good, you can make it great. Today’s BLT has candied, thick-sliced bacon (hell yeah) and deeply caramelized onions. We’re also using Melanie’s Medleys Triple Onion Cream Cheese in lieu of mayo. And yes, that’s where the “O” comes from in the BLOT—the onion component!

Dude… this sandwich SLAPS. It hits just right. If I were in middle school, I would call it “bussin’.” This busses so hard. The candied bacon shatters with crispness from the brown sugar coating. The sweetness from the caramelized onions complements the candied bacon. The Triple Onion Cream Cheese is well-rounded, not pungent, and has a sweet and savory tang that contrasts beautifully. It doesn’t overpower.

The best part is that this is a non-recipe recipe. It’s a guide, and you can customize as you like. You can adjust the quantities and portions as needed. There are also some worthwhile components that I’ll cover on a future Simple Sunday, because sometimes the basics need to be discussed.

Alright, let’s go.

QUICK NOTES:

• BREAD CHOICE: The visuals for this are shot with a crusty ciabatta. If the crustiness is too much, slice some of the top round section off. Like slicing a weirdly thin horizontal slice of the loaf. It’ll soften things for easier eating.

• BACON: I like a meaty BLT, so mine would equate to about 5 slices per sandwich. Go with your own preference here

• ONIONS: Properly caramelizing onions takes a long time. 30 minutes minimum. I prefer 45 minutes. They will also cook down to a fraction of what you started with. Always start with more, because you’ll be surprised with how little you have left. Using sweet onions is best for this task, and then my next preference is yellow.

  • We always do a big batch (which literally just ends up being an 8 oz jar in the end) and freeze it for future uses. It’s great on pizza or a brat in the summer.

• ORDER OF OPERATIONS:

  • 1. Onions and Bacon, because those take the longest and can use time to cool. They can also be prepped ahead of time.

  • 2. Prep the bread, then let cool

  • 3. Chop lettuce, slice tomatoes while things are cooling

  • 4. Construct.

CANDIED-BACON BLOT SANDWICH

FOR THE ONIONS

• Sweet or Yellow Onions — THEY WILL SHRINK IMMENSELY

• Butter

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

ONION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice the ends off the onion, then slice from top to bottom in half. Lay down a half on the flat side, then cut slices.

2. Place slices in a stainless steel, enamel cast iron, or cast iron skillet. Ceramic could also work. Coat WELL with butter. For 5 small onions, I used 1/2 stick of butter.

3. Drizzle olive oil over onions as well, stir well to coat.

4. LET THEM COOK. Stir frequently, but those babies need to sit. They need to sweat. They need to jammify down. Like I said in the notes. 30 minutes is a minimum but I’m more of a 45 minute girl when it comes to caramelized onions. They need some color, the texture needs to be soft and jammy. This will bring out the onion’s natural sweetness. If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge or freezer.

FOR THE BACON

• Thick-sliced bacon

• Brown sugar

BACON INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. We’re oven-baking our candied bacon.

2. Prep a baking sheet/cookie sheet by lining it with aluminum foil, making sure it wraps the edge to prevent grease leaks. (I mean, the grease is welcome to leak underneath but that’s more for you to clean!)

3. Place raw bacon the baking sheet(s).

4. Sprinkle and rub each piece of bacon with brown sugar on top. You can do some on the other side as well, but with all the grease from the bacon, the brown sugar kind of melts along with it so doing just the top layer will be fine.

5. Bake at 375° for 18 minutes. Then rotate the pans.

6. Check again after about 5 minutes. This time, you’ll want to flip the bacon over. I like to make sure the brown sugar has had a proper time to caramelize to the bacon before I flip the bacon over to the other side.

7. After bacon is flipped, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.

8. Bake to your preferred bacon texture. Please note, it will crisp up as it cools. Most bacon does, but with candied and thick-sliced bacon, it can be a little deceiving at first.

9. My total bake times for thick-sliced candied bacon is 25-30 minutes. Again, bake according to your bacon texture preferences.

10. Let bacon cool and harden.

:::::

FOR THE BREAD:

• Ciabatta or similar sturdy-but-soft bread

  • Foccacia would be great, as would sourdough or a rustic country loaf

• Olive oil or butter

• Garlic salt or garlic powder

• Melanie’s Medleys Triple Onion Cream Cheese, or similar onion-flavored cream cheese spread

BREAD INSTRUCTIONS

1. Turn your oven on to the broil setting, as we’re going to do a quick, light toast.

2. Prep your bread loaf. First, slice in the desired size. I used half of a ciabatta loaf and cut it horizontally. I constructed a larger sandwich that I cut into two. If you’re working with something that’s already cut into slices, then your work is done.

3. Spread a light layer of butter or olive oil across the spread.

4. Sprinkle garlic salt or garlic powder over the bread

5. Toast for just a few minutes. You want the edges lightly golden, but still soft. The bacon is crispy enough, we don’t need super crispy bread.

6. When the bread has cooled down, schmear both sides with a healthy dose of the cream cheese.

7. Set aside.

:::::

FOR THE TOMATOES

• Your tomato preference, the ripest you can find.

  • My favorite tomatoes are heirloom, but since it’s not tomato season, it is what it is. I’m using Roma here, which also rank highly in my book.

• Salt and Pepper

• Garlic powder

TOMATO INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slice tomatoes about 1/4” thick, enough slices to cover the surface area of the sandwich. Season each side with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

:::::

FOR THE LETTUCE

• Crunchy lettuce, such as shredded iceberg

  • I LOVE shredded iceberg on a sandwich. A crunchy greenleaf lettuce would also work. If you can find frisee, then I’m jealous, because that just screams elegant and classy.

  • Obviously you can buy bagged shredded lettuce if you see it, but cutting it yourself from the lettuce head will give you a crisper crunch

• Olive oil

• Salt

LETTUCE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. If you’re slicing your own, slice it thin! God, do I love a well-shredded lettuce on a sandwich or a burger. You could leave it as a whole leaf, but something about shredded to me is elite.

2. Drizzle just a little bit of olive oil over the lettuce. Not too much, we don’t need it soaked and we’re not dressing it like a salad. Just enough to give it a little more moisture and to let the salt stick

3. Lightly sprinkle salt on top.

CONSTRUCTION TIME!

1. On your toasted-but-cooled, and cream-cheese-schmeared bread, lay down a solid layer of caramelized on the bottom piece.

2. Place your layers of bacon.

3. Top with tomatoes.

4. Top with lettuce.

5. Smush down that top layer of bread. Tell it who’s boss and slice the sandwiches into desired portions.

ENJOY!

As a lover of all things pomp and circumstance, fanfare and fuss, I am, as expected, a big fan of the Kentucky Derby. I’m also from Ohio, so the Run for the Roses isn’t that far away. I’ve been to Louisville plenty of times. Never for the Derby, though we’ve come close. We drew the line at paying $400+ for a room at the Red Roof Inn because it was the literal last option in the vicinity (and this was over 10 years ago. Who knows how much more it’d cost today). We love our bourbon (though drink much less nowadays) and I love a good theme. Big hats, floral dresses, crazy horse names, and gajillions of dollars spent just to have a horse run this one race this one time??? It’s bonkers, I tell you.

The Derby is iconic in a few culinary ways. Hello, Mint Julep and Hot Brown. But there’s also something called Derby Pie, or Kentucky Derby Pie. While I haven’t had THE OFFICIAL ONE, in all my research, it seems to be very similar to a chocolate bourbon pecan pie but made with walnuts. Hubba hubba. 😍 These cookie bars are inspired by one such thing.

Guys, I am obsessed with how these cookie bars turned out. The tops are crunchy. The insides are gooey and fudgy. The pecans give it such a great nutty texture. The salt contrasts the sweetness. It’s an excellent brown butter chocolate chip cookie and pecan pie in one fell swoop. 💕

There’s a butterscotchy-caramely middle layer that we’re going to cook on the stove with brown sugar, butter, cream, and a few other things. This is what makes the bars. The extra efforts delivers a high reward.

I mean, my kid’s eyes rolled back, she said it was “SO GOOD” and asked if she could eat a whole one herself. From a child who eats a total of like 20 things (no joke), this is mega praise.

PRE-RECIPE NOTES:

• NUTS OF CHOICE: The official Kern’s Kitchen recipe has never been published (it’s under federal trademark!), but there are a lot of variations out there. Some recipes use walnuts, some use pecans, and many say you can use either in Derby Pie. The nuts are going to lend more texture than flavor, so use your preference or what you have in your kitchen. I’m using pecans because it feels more classically Southern, and bc I always have pecans on hand. Bourbon balls use pecans, so I feel like it’s legit substitute.

• TOASTED NUTS: You do want roasted or toasted nuts in this recipe. If you’re buying nuts FOR this, then go ahead and get roasted. If you’re using raw because that’s what you like to have on hand, then I’ll drop some toasting notes in the recipe.

• 8x8 or 9x13: This recipe is designed for an 8x8 pan because that quantity feels more manageable to me. If you want to make a 9x13 pan, double the recipe.

• BOURBON OPTIONAL: Bourbon and Kentucky go hand in hand, particularly being in Louisville for Churchill Downs. However, it’s not a make-or-break element to the recipe. If you want to keep the bars sober, by all means, go for it.

• PREP-AHEAD TIPS: If you like to prep a few steps ahead of time, I recommend toasting the nuts, browning the butter, making the gooey filling, and measuring out the dry ingredients. The brown butter and gooey filling can be stored in air tight containers (separate from each other) in the fridge until you’re ready. Microwave to loosen them up/bring them back to a liquidy state.

• TO CHILL OR NOT TO CHILL: It’s always the question. 20-30 minutes in the fridge is optional for these. Chill time never hurts — it hydrates the dough, gets the flavor to meld, and creates a chewier, thicker texture. All in all, great things! But I also baked these WITHOUT chilling because I was too excited and forgot, and you know what? Still a banger. So do what you have time for.

  • For what it’s worth, technically you’re supposed to let your oven preheat for 30 minutes before using it to get the temperature fully regulated. You could use this method as a restraint tactic, forcing you to let the dough rest in the refrigerator.

DERBY PIE BARS WITH BROWN BUTTER & BOURBON

Yield: 1 - 8x8 pan; double recipe for 9x13

COOKIE BAR DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

• 7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar

• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tsp–1 tbsp bourbon (optional)

• 1 tbsp milk or heavy cream

• 1 1/4 cups (155g) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup (130g) chocolate chips (mini preferred)

• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans

GOOEY DERBY PIE FILLING:

• 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar

• 3 tbsp heavy cream

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 2 tsp bourbon (optional)

• 1 tsp corn syrup

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (mini preferred)

• 1/3 cup (40 g) chopped toasted pecans

• 2 pinches kosher or flaky sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS: TOASTING YOUR WALNUTS OR PECANS

If you’re working with raw nuts, here are simple toasting instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a small bowl, mix nuts with olive oil or neutral oil and 2 pinches of salt. Nuts can be whole or chopped at this point. Stir well to coat them evenly.

3. Spread nuts out on baking sheet, careful not to crowd them.

4. Bake in oven for 7-10 minutes, checking at 5 minutes and giving them a stir. Nuts can burn quickly so check them early and stir so they don’t burn. They don’t have to be super toasted for this recipe, just not raw. For reference, I toasted mine for 8 minutes.

INSTRUCTIONS: MAKING THE COOKIE BARS

1. Prep Work: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.

2. Brown the butter by heating it over the stove in a small saucepan or skillet. I love using my stainless steel skillet here because it browns so much quicker. Cook and stir over medium heat until the foaming has settled down and you can see golden brown bits at the bottom. Pour into a separate bowl and let cool at least 10-15 minutes. If you’re preparing this ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready.

3. Make the gooey filling. In a small saucepan or in a small skillet, heat brown sugar, cream, and butter. Stir until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, bourbon, and corn syrup. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Let cool slightly (thick but pourable).

4. Measure your dry ingredients for the dough and incorporate well. Set aside.

5. Start the rest of the dough. In the bowl of a stand-mixer or a large mixing bowl, pour the brown butter (liquid but cooled down state, warm-ish is fine) and both white and brown sugars. Stir until thick, glossy, and fully incorporated.

6. Stir in the egg + extra yolk, vanilla, and bourbon (if using). Combine well.

7. Add in the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and pecans, folding in gently.

8. Assemble the bars.

   1. Place about 2/3 of the dough in the bottom of the pan, pressing down into an even layer. Err towards more if you’re not sure if you achieved 2/3. It’s better to have a sturdy bottom layer.

   2. Spread the gooey filling layer evenly over the entire base, then top with pinches of salt.

   3. Crumble remaining dough on top. Swirl it together/smooth it a little bit to help it get a crisp-ish crunchy top, reminiscent of shiny brownies.

9. Optional Chill Time: Chilling isn’t necessary, but you certainly can chill the constructed-but-still-raw bars for 20-30 minutes. This helps hydrate the dry ingredients, gets the flavors to meld, and helps create a thicker, chewier texture when baked. Trust, they’re perfectly good without it, but if you have the time, it’s a great move.

10. Bake the bars at 350° for 22-28 minutes. As always, check to make sure they don’t get done too early. I was in the oven for 22-24 minutes.

11. Sprinkle salt over bars immediately when out of the oven.

12. Cool completely for clean slices, or slice when warm if you want them gooey. I tried waiting until they were cool… but it wasn’t quite super cool. It probably had to do with me pulling them out of the pan while they were still warm. All this to say, patience is a virtue. Try to embrace it.

I’m thinking of trying a new theme for Sundays, when possible. I’m liking the idea of “Simple Sundays,” where the focus is… well, more focused. As I debate how to write recipes, it’s great (and expected) to write everything at once all in one post — a cake + a filling + a frosting, who knows what else. But it’s a lot. It’s a lot to develop and write, and it’s a lot for you to digest. And in a way, I actually feel it may be a disservice.

Some of the ways I elevate a baked good is through what components are in the recipe. Meaning, a frosting choice. A filling. The pieces and parts that take time and effort that tend to get glossed over when it’s part of 35 total steps. But let’s say you have a simple cake or a muffin. Sure, you could use store bought lemon curd but dang, it’s so much better homemade from fresh lemons. And then later, knowing how to maneuver these pieces and parts gives you confidence to level up your own baking projects. At least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I realized I have several ideas swirling about for the warmer months approaching that will involve lemon curd. While I can (and, probably will) shove the lemon curd recipe in the midst of everything else in those posts, it deserves its own spot in the sunlight. It’s delicious made from scratch, it lasts awhile in the fridge (even longer in the freezer!), and is an amazing addition in so many things. And while it’s actually easy to pull off, the steps sound daunting. Every time I need to make it, I feel flummoxed over the potential steps. However, afterwards, I always think “That’s much easier than I expected.” Get over it, ML. It’s not as complicated as it seems.

Let’s talk about a few things before the recipe.

QUICK NOTES:

• CRAGGILY LEMONS: Look for lemons with a rough exterior! They have a thicker skin, but they zest a million times better than the smooth ones.

  • On the flip side, the smoother ones may be easier for juicing.

  • You’re beholden to what’s in the grocery store, but if you can pick, snag a mix. I would err towards two craggily to ensure you have a solid amount of zest, and then the other one-two can be smooth.

• FRESH LEMONS, NOT BOTTLED JUICE: Fresh lemons make all the difference in the world. You want the zing, the tangy bite that comes from a fresh lemon. Bottled lemon juice does not deliver. This is part of why lemon curd seems like a pain in the butt. But do the steps in the right order, and you only need like 3 lemons (maybe 4).

• MAKE-AHEAD TIP: As mentioned, some of the process seems daunting, but it’s not. However, we also live in a world where we’re time-starved all the time. I’m one of those people, and I’m sure you are too. Anything out of your norm can seem daunting, but here’s a prep-ahead suggestion. You can zest and juice your citrus ahead of time. Zest will dry out on its own, but since we’re adding them both in the same step, you can store them together in the same container and the juice will prevent the zest from drying out. Zest your citrus first, then juice it. It can sit in the fridge for a few days until you’re ready. If I have a big baking project, like a fancy cake order or bulk cupcakes, it’s little things like this that help me manage my time. I can take 15 minutes one evening to prep that step, then I’m ready to roll another day.

• CONTAINS DAIRY: One might expect lemon curd to be dairy free, but it’s NOT. It actually has a solid amount of butter. So if you can consumer dairy butter, rock on, my friend. But if you have someone who needs to be dairy-free in your life, please know that homemade lemon curd DOES contain dairy!

  • Don’t ask me about dairy free lemon curd, b/c I do not know the answer! One of these days, I may explore.

  • No, eggs are not a dairy product. They’re sold in the dairy section, but they are not a dairy product.

• ZESTER NEEDED: Lemon curd uses lemon zest to help punch up the lemon flavor. A Microplane rasp is well worth the investment if you don’t have one already. If not, there are other zester tools out in the world you can try.

• SAVE THE EGG WHITES!: This curd uses both whole eggs AND egg yolks. But freeze those egg whites! You can keep them in a snack sized baggie in the freezer or in a small container. One of my lemon curd recipe plans is to make a Lemon Meringue Cookie, and you’ll need the whites for that toasted meringue! And of course, they could be used in other baking projects — macarons, white cake, a meringue-based frosting, etc.

• GLASS OR NON-REACTIVE METAL: We’re cooking something highly acidic, which means we need to be careful of what kind of vessel we’re cooking the lemon curd in. It needs to cook over a pan of boiling water, so use either a heat-proof, non-reactive bowl (stainless steel = good, aluminum and cast iron = bad) /double-boiler, or high-heat tempered glass. Or pyrex!

• BUT… YAY GLASS? Some people get nervous about glass over high heat. I’ve never had a problem while cooking, but I have had a glass 8x8 pan just give up on me one day, so it’s not impossible. Check your mixing bowls to see if they can handle it or not before you move forward. I often use my stainless steel double-boiler attachment, but this time I used a thick glass mixing bowl. The curd took a little longer to cook in the glass bowl because it’s thicker and doesn’t hold heat the same way metal does, but I also ended up with a lot less cooked-egg-bits around the edges of the bowl, which was kind of awesome. You end up straining that out in the end so it’s not a make-or-break situation. But I hate scraping the sides of the bowl to mix the curd and then ending up with yet more egg-y bits in there (pet peeve), so that was a nice bonus for me.

• STORAGE: I find storing it in a mason jar is the easiest. I keep it in the fridge or freezer, depending on how immediately I need to use it.

• MIX IT UP: You can put your own spin on lemon curd as well. I, for one, LOVE fresh ginger and lemon together. I frequently combine ginger into lemon bars, or will put it in curd. Here are some different ideas:

  • Add fresh ginger to the lemon curd (same step as adding the zest)

  • Vary the citrus flavor. Switch out a portion of the fresh squeezed juice (and even the zest) with some lime or orange juice. Lime will make it more tart and zangy (yup, technical term). Orange will be more sweet. A combo of orange and lemon would give you Meyer lemon vibes.

  • I’ve never tried it, but I bet there’s a way to introduce rosemary into this mix. I love a lemon rosemary shortbread, so maybe a lemon rosemary curd would be interesting in a danish. Pop a spring into the mixture as it’s cooking, then remove it at the straining step. That’s what I’d do.

FRESH LEMON CURD

Yield: Approximately 14-15 ounces by volume. It fills a 16 oz wide mouth mason jar perfectly.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large eggs

• 2 large egg yolks

• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)

• 2 lemons, zested

• 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 pinch pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep your citrus. Zest the lemons first. Then cut and juice them. You can’t zest a cut lemon. I mean… you can try, but the results will be pretty pathetic. Set both aside.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler, whisk together 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, and 150 grams granulated sugar until smooth and pale, about 1 minute. Stir in 120 milliliters fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons), 2 lemons, zested, and 1 pinch pinch of salt.

   1. NOTE: Save those egg whites in the freezer to use on another baking project. I want us to make Lemon Meringue Cookies this spring/summer!

3. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 74–77°C (165–170°F).

4. Remove from heat. Add one stick (113 g) butter, cold and cubed, a few cubes at a time. Stir well after each addition until fully melted and incorporated. The curd will become glossy and smooth.

5. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or bowl to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

6. Refrigerate until fully set and cold. The curd will thicken considerably as it cools.

7. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to use.

Guys, it’s been a week. Raise your hand if you’re in the same boat. 🙌 I wanted something satisfying, chewy, and easy to pull together. Cookies sounded like they hit the spot. Hello, Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Cookie Bars. ❤️

These cinnamon roll cookie bars have a THICK layer of cinnamon filling. If there’s one frequent complaint I have about cinnamon rolls and brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts and the like, it’s that there is rarely enough filling. I want it filthy with brown sugar cinnamon goodness. This layer is something to sink your teeth into, and it’s a beautiful thing.

I’ve been on a bit of a cookie bar kick because they deliver the same effect as cookies, but I don’t have to scoop a bunch of dough balls. Not that the scooping is hard, but patting it into a pan just seems faster!

Sure, the brown butter of it all doesn’t SCREAM quick, but if you use a skillet instead of a sauce pan, it’s a fast process. I think mine was done in 5 minutes. Surface area is your friend! Plus, browning butter is something you can do ahead of time. You want it to be liquefied in this recipe, so if you make it ahead and it’s solidified, just pop it in the micro for a few seconds and give it a stir. Do that until it’s liquid gold once again.

These really are easy peasy, so there’s not a lot of notes to cover before we get to the recipe. Let’s go!

QUICK NOTES UP FRONT:

• BROWNING BUTTER: Browning butter means you’re cooking it until it foams, then the dairy bits start to turn brown. You want it to be deeply golden with a delicious nutty scent, but be careful not to go TOO long, b/c those dairy bits can burn.

• WHOLE EGG + YOLK: The extra yolk adds richness and chew to the cookie bars. As for the extra white you have left, I save them in snack-sized baggies, label them and store them in the freezer. Conversely, I’ll do the same with yolks if I only need an egg white. Then in moments like this, I usually have what I need stashed away.

• BAKE TIME: Under-bake these bars. It sounds kind of weird, because you do want them to be done, but don’t let them go too long. In my oven, they take 20-22 minutes. I’m going to add a little buffer in the recipe because everyone’s oven is different, but making sure they’re not over-baked. That’s the key to make these chewy and dreamy for days. The center should still feel slightly soft when removed from the oven.

• NO CHILL TIME!!!! However, if you want a little bit thicker bars, you can chill the dough for 20–30 minutes before assembling.

• DOUBLE for 9x13: This recipe is for an 8x8 pan. I like to cut it into 16 little bars, b/c I think that’s a great size — just enough, not too much. If you want them bigger, go for it, I won’t judge! If you want to make more in a 9x13 pan, then double the recipe.

BROWN BUTTER CINNAMON ROLL COOKIE BARS

Yield: 1 - 8x8 pan. To make a 9x13 pan, double the recipe.

BROWN BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH

• 10 tbsp (140g) butter (salted or un, your choice)

• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp (25g) light brown sugar

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ¾ tsp salt

CINNAMON ROLL FILLING

• 3 ½ tbsp (50g) butter, very soft

• ½ cup (100g) brown sugar

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

• ¼ tsp salt

VANILLA GLAZE

• ¾ cup powdered sugar

• 1–1½ tbsp milk or heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp corn syrup (optional, this helps the glaze harden)

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, brown the butter. In a light-colored saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams, then turns golden with brown specks and a nutty aroma.

2. Immediately transfer to a mixing bowl (or small bowl/small container for storage) and allow it to cool for 10–15 minutes, until no longer hot but still liquid.

3. While the butter is cooling, prep the pan, the dry ingredients, and the cinnamon filling.

   1. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper so it’s hanging over on two sides.

   2. Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.

   3. Make the cinnamon roll filling. In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until a smooth, spreadable paste forms. Set aside.

4. Now, back to the butter. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the browned butter and whisk until smooth and glossy.

5. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined and slightly thickened.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.

7. Press a little over half of the cookie dough, up to 2/3-ish, evenly into the bottom of the pan. Dollop the cinnamon filling over the dough and gently spread it out.

8. Add the remaining dough in pieces over the top. Use a knife, spatula, or offset spatula to lightly swirl the layers together, creating a cinnamon roll effect.

   1. Note: My balance was off, which is why I don’t have strong swirls. It works better if you have more cookie dough on the bottom and less on top.

9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–24 minutes. The bars are done when the edges are lightly golden and the center is set but still soft. Avoid over-baking to maintain a chewy texture.

10. Next, cool and glaze. Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 30–45 minutes before adding the glaze. In the meantime… make the glaze!

11. Whisk together all the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bars, then slice and serve. If you’re using corn syrup, the glaze will eventually harden.

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I promise you, the crowd will go wild. They’re a delight in every bite. And they’re super easy. It doesn’t get much better.

Have a lovely weekend friends, and happy baking!

XOXO,

Mary Lynn