Drunken Sugar Cookies: Two Ways

Have no fear! The holidays are still here! 

The best one is still approaching. The one night a year where everyone digs up all of their sparkly gear and sets out to drink champagne, liquor, and all sorts of delicious concoctions that bartenders spend the whole year dreaming up.
Yep, it's almost New Year's Eve!

I can't really participate in libations this year, doctors frown on the whole pregnancy and alcohol thing.

But I can eat rum that's been baked into some delicious sugar cookies and then stuffed with chocolate.

Or I can eat bars baked with rum and topped with still more chocolate and pecans.

Heaven is near folks. 

As 2012 approaches I intend to celebrate with these Drunken Stuffed Rum Balls and Rum Toffee Bars. 
 
Both variations start with the same dough making these cookies super easy. Plus if you dip the Drunken Stuffed Rum Balls in cocoa and powdered sugar it looks like you spent time making THREE different kinds of treats, when it's really a snap! 

These are kid-friendly, pregnancy approved, and party ready! I hope you had a great 2011 and I wish you an even better 2012!

And these may be a splurge, but after all the work you've put in this year to stay healthy, fit, and happy; I have a feeling you just might deserve this little treat.

Cheers and on with the recipes!

Basic Drunken Sugar Cookie Dough

2 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Cup Unsalted Butter; softened
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Rum

1. In a large bowl stir the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together to combine.


2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. 
3. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Stir until a smooth dough is formed.

Drunken and Stuffed Sugar Balls

1 Batch Basic Drunken Cookie Dough (recipe above) 

1/2 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Butterscotch Chips
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1. Prepare drunken cookie dough according to recipe above.


2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Combine the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a bowl. 

4. Pour the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into separate deep bowls. 

5. Using your clean hands, pinch a small walnut sized peice of dough and flatten into your palm. Make an indentation into the middle of the dough with your thumb. Fill with the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Fold the sides of the dough over the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Use a little extra dough to cover the chips if needed. 

6. Dip the stuffed sugar rum ball into the cocoa powder and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat the balling and stuffing process and alternate dipping the cookies into the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar until all of the dough has been used. Refill the cocoa powder  and powdered sugar bowls if necessary.

7. Bake in the oven for 11-14 minutes. Remove and set on cooling racks to cool for about 20 minutes or just eat them! Yummy rum and chocolate/butterscotch explosion in my mouth!

Servings: 48 cookies

Nutritional Skinny (per cookie):


118 Calories / 5.4 g fat / 15.3 g carbohydrates / .3 g fiber / 1.3 g protein


Rum Toffee Squares

1 Batch Basic Drunken Cookie Dough (recipe above) 
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Butterscotch Chips

1/2 Cup Pecans; Chopped

1. Prepare drunken cookie dough according to recipe above.


2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Spread the dough on a greased baking sheet. Making the dough as even as possible and trying to smooth the dough all the way to the edges. I greased my hands and used them to press and smooth the dough.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. The edges should be browned and the dough slightly puffed up. Top with the chocolate and butterscotch chips and return to the oven for another minute.

5. Remove cookie squares from the oven and spread the chocolate and butterscotch chips using a spatula or large butter knife. Even coat the top of the dough with a nice layer of chocolate. Then sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the smoothed chocolate. Allow to cool for at least an hour. I chilled mine in the refrigerator to make sure the chocolate set and the pecans stuck to the chocolate. 

6. Then slice into squares using a pizza cutter. Serve immediately or keep fresh in the refrigerator until ready to serve! They will remain soft if kept in the fridge. My favorite kind of cookie is a soft cookie!


Servings: 48 bars


Nutritional Skinny (per bar):

126.7 calories / 6.3 g fat / 15.6 g carbohydrates / .4 g fiber / 1.4 g protein


Mental Health Tid Bit: As I said, I did spend time trying to figure out how to make these sweet indulgences a little less, well; indulgent. However, I ended up letting them be those perfect splurges that we all deserve. After all it's the end of a chapter. And a pretty big one for me and the beginning of a new start. A new year. So let's have our cake and eat it too. For one last blow out this year and really enjoy each bite. We deserve it after all the dieting, healthy eating, planning, and tread-mill time you've put in. Sit back, enjoy your hard work, and give yourself a pat on the back for another good year.

Chocolate Walnut Zucchini Cookies

These cookies are, well, how to say it nicely...

Dangerous.

Seriously. Yes, they are cookies with vegetables, oats, and nuts in them so naturally they sound pretty good for you. 

And they are extremely good for you as cookies go (check out the mental health benefit below).

But the dangerous part comes when you take a bite, and then another, and another and you don't want the cookie to end. 

But it does, so you reach for another, and another.

Needless to say, I'm speaking from experience. These cookies make me very very happy right now. 

They are soft, chewy, chocolatey, and have enough texture to really get to sink your teeth into. Really, the perfect cookie if you want my opinion. 

So, you have to try these, but don't say I didn't warn you. You may want to bring them to friends houses to share so they aren't all within arms reach.
 
And don't even try freezing them to keep yourself from eating them, they taste great frozen too. But they do freeze nicely if you are trying to save them. 

Oh, good luck with that!

This recipe is a double batch so if you don't want as many you can half everything and they will turn out perfect. 

My first double batch is gone and after crying for a few hours I am making another double batch.  

Alright enough of my yammering... on with the recipe!

Zucchini Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 Cup Milled Flax Seed
8 Tbsp. Salted Butter, at room temperature
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Baking Splenda
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
2 Cups Shredded Zucchini
4 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (Optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and milled flax. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars, mix until smooth.

4. Add egg and vanilla extract. Next, add the shredded zucchini. Mix until combined.

5. Slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
6. Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Servings: 40 Cookies


Nutritional Skinny:


130 calories / 5 g fat / 17 g carbohydrates / 2 g fiber / 3 g protein


Mental Health Benefit: So you caught me. These are still cookies. They still have butter and sugar, and they are still an 'optional treat' in most healthy folks dictionary. However, let's give these a little extra look. They carry healthy Omega-3's from the flax seed, cholesterol reducing components from the oats as well as necessary fiber and antioxidants. Not to mention there are vitamins from the zucchini packed into this nutritious cookie. It even has 3 grams of protein from the walnuts and oats! As far as cookies go, this one ain't so bad in my book!

Happy Holidays and Chocolate Cookies!

Well ladies and gentleman... It is that time again.

Santa came to town and in addition to some Single Malt Scotch.. I made him Santa some protein packed chocolate cookies.

I wanted Santa to make it through the night without a sugar crash. I really wanted to make sure that he got to all of your houses. And hopefully he did and made all of your Christmas wishes come true!

My list for Santa was really long this year.

I asked for...

World peace (I'm sure him and his 'people' are working on this already),

Soldiers safe and home with their loved ones,


Joy in the hearts of everyone on Earth (and beyond),


Those missing their loved ones who are no longer with us to feel comforted with sweet memories,


And finally I want to stop cutting my fingers when I'm cooking (It's sort of a holiday tradition and this year I didn't escape it.)


Santa loved the cookies, but I think he liked the Scotch even more. Go Figure.

And because of the protein in these cookies, I hope he made it to your houses to fulfill your wish list.


Yes, I know... I am pretty generous. I am really just making these cookies for you...

You're welcome. 


And with 10 grams of protein in each cookie.. I know this is what got Santa through the night!
In addition to these, I also made my old stand byes again too. The still delicious Chocolate Chip and peanut butter Chocolate chip cookies.  You can never have too many cookies around!


Enjoy the after glow from your holiday! I hope all your dreams came true!


Chocolate Protein Packed Cookies
1/2 cup butter (smart balance)
4 ounces low fat cream cheese
1 1/2 cup baking splenda
1 tsp. vanilla  
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup whey protein powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and splenda. Cream together until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy and combined.

3. In a separate bowl combine the almond meal, whole wheat flour, protein powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the egg and butter mixture and stir to combine. The batter will be sticky. Add the chocolate chips.

4. Grab your favorite baking sheet and scoop dollops of batter onto the sheet giving each cookie enough room to spread out. I love to use a small spoon that I spray with cooking spray to make it really easy. 


5. Bake for 7-9 minutes. When the top just starts turning brown that's when you know it's done. Allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes and enjoy!

Servings: 24 cookies


Nutritional Skinny (per cookie):

140 calories / 7.6 g fat / 9.6 g carbohydrates / 1.5 g fiber / 10 g protein 


Mental Health Benefit: These cookies may have a little more fat that I had hoped, but they have barely any carbohydrates and are packed with protein to get you through your holiday hang over. That feeling when we look behind you and notice that Christmas is gone, but we still have New Years! Don't miss a moment worrying about little details. Enjoy the winter wonderland and the ride of the holiday season!

Almond Flour Cranberry Walnut Cookies

As promised, this blog is dedicated to the cookies that my sister so delightfully made for us upon our arrival to Chicago. 

Before I share the recipe I feel the desire to share something else with you. In case you haven't noticed I avoid sugar in my recipes like the plague. You all caught me. I do have a sugar aversion. I never use real sugar. It's always splenda with an occasional call for honey.

You try growing up with a diabetic dad, cousin, and grandma and see where you end up. Yep, that's the backstory on the Splenda bit. 

Okay, now I will get on with it. I feel much better. 

With diabetes always present at family functions, low sugar and low carb is how my sister and I learned to cook. On that we agree. And this recipe fits the bill. Each cookie is packed with 9 grams of protein and only 7 grams of carbohydrates. When compared to other fruit and nut cookies this recipe shaves off almost 200 calories, 5 grams of fat, and saves over 100 grams of carbohydrates! It also adds more grams of protein than most other 'nutritious' cookies. And when compared to Mrs. Fields cookies; this recipe saves over 100 calories, 2 fat grams, and over 25 grams of carbohydrates. 

That being said if you wanted to save fat you could cut down on the amount of walnuts used, and use half the butter and instead substitute vanilla yogurt or apple sauce. And if you don't love dried cranberries, why not try some dark chocolate chips. Chocolate is packed with anti-oxidants so why not! Check out this recipe for Protein Packed Chocolate Cookies.



Wine is another thing that my dad has taught me about. It is also diabetes friendly and doesn't boost blood sugar levels like other sugar-filled cocktails.

Have you tried this year's Beaujulais Nouveau? This is a nice light red wine that is only available during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. It's light body is the perfect compliment to juicy turkey, ham, or beef. It is light enough that even those who don't normally like red wine will enjoy a sip.


I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This year I am grateful for my friends, family, and you!

Almond Flour Cranberry Walnut Cookies

1/2 cup butter (smart balance)
4 ounces low fat cream cheese
1 1/2 cup baking splenda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 cup whey protein powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup whole dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


2. In a large bowl combine the butter, cream cheese, and splenda. Cream together until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy and combined.


3. In a separate bowl combine the almond meal, protein powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the egg and butter mixture and stir to combine. The batter will be sticky. Add the chopped walnuts and cranberries. 

4. Grab your favorite baking sheet and scoop dollops of batter onto the sheet giving each cookie enough room to spread out. I love to use a small spoon that I spray with cooking spray to make it really easy. 


5. Bake for 7-9 minutes. When the top just starts turning brown that's when you know it's done. Allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes and enjoy!

Servings: 24 cookies


Nutritional Skinny:


121 calories / 9 g fat / 7.7 g carbohydrates / 2 g fiber / 9 g protein


Mental Health Benefit: These cookies are packed with protein and omega's making this not only a perfect after meal treat, but it also makes a healthy snack to carry along with you and eat while your out running holiday errands! The cookies are the perfect hostess gift that you can bring along with a bottle of Beaujulais Nouveau to any of your holiday parties. You will be a hit at the party and promote health and well being during the season without anyone ever knowing!

Recipe for Love

It is almost Valentine's Day and one of those days where the calendar tells us to love. As if we need a calendar to tell us when to love another or when it is most appropriate. For me Valentine's day is every day. I know that sounds a little over the top, but I'm pretty over the top as it is. Valentine's Day gives me a excuse to finally be normal. My over the top antics all of a sudden don't seem over the top, but appropriate one day a year.

My mom and I dug through our piles of recipes and found recipes for delicious Sugar Cookies and Heart Healthy granola. We adapted them, as we do for every recipe, to the way that we really wanted them to be and are giving cookies and granola to our loved ones for Valentine's Day.

Mom and I sat outside to soak up the sunshine while these little Sugar Cookies baked. The frosting set up just like I hoped, but it ran and I ended up with flour all over myself. It was a messy process, but I ended up with pretty cute sugar cookies. 

I was so busy cooking that it was noon before I realized I hadn't eaten anything. My mom was skyping with dad and eating yogurt and our granola and I grabbed a protein bar and ate that so I didn't pass out. 

Dad was telling us about his fabulous gourmet meal he had eaten for lunch while mom and I, the so called 'chefs' ate cereal and granola bars. 

So, we don't always eat gourmet and sometimes baking actually impedes the good eating. 

That is my truth today. Sometimes even baking can get in the way and eating cookies and granola bars for lunch happens. 

Oh well. These cookies were worth it and I hope you all try them on for size yourself!

Here's hoping you a fabulous Valentine's Day no matter what you do or who you share it with. It is another day for love and how could that suck? I am pretty corney so what I did was modify the sugar cookie recipe and make it into a recipe for love. I know, pretty sappy, but maybe you will think its cute. 

Who knows. It was worth a shot. I couldn't find any heart shaped cookie cutters so I literally had to use the chocolate box lid to make the cookies into hearts! Pretty funny really.

Recipe for Love (or sugar cookies) :)

1/4 pound trust (butter)

3/4 cup honesty (sugar)

1 commitment (egg)

1/2 tsp. humor (vanilla)

1 tbsp. patience (milk or cream)

1 1/4 cup enthusiasm (flour)

1/2 tsp. encouragement (salt)

1/4 tsp. support (baking powder)

1. Preheat yourself to 350 degrees to prepare for the love-fest coming your way! Cream the trust and gradually add honesty. Beat the two until you are light and fluffy! Add the commitment, humor, and patience and continue mixing until smooth. Mix the enthusiasm, encouragement, and support together and combine with the trust, honesty, commitment, humor, and patience. Blend well. Roll it out into sheets and cut anyway you like.

2. Bake for a lifetime! Once done, sprinkle with good times! There you have it a recipe for long lasting love.

Frisky Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

2 egg whites

1. Whip all ingredients together. We don't have a blender and I used a food processor and it worked like a charm. This sets up great in about 15 minutes and you are going to want to make sure the cookies are cooled before you frost them. You can add food coloring if you like. I frosted the cookies and dipped them in pink sprinkles for fun and wrote using colored frosting too. Use your imagination and have fun!

Heart Healthy Granola

1/4 cup smart balance butter

1 cup All Natural Adams peanut butter (can be crunchy or creamy)

1/4 cup honey (we used my honey's - Lambeth Honey)

1/2 cup sugar free syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup flax seed

1 cup dried apples (you can also use cherries or cranberries)

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Combine the butter, peanut butter, syrup, and honey in a microwave safe bowl and on HIGH for 1 minute to soften all ingredients. Add vanilla extract and salt. Stir until smooth, then add oats, walnuts, dried apples. Mix all ingredients until oats and nuts are completely covered.

3. Spread the mixture evenly on an ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Heat in the oven for 60-90 minutes checking after an hour for crispness.

4. This is delicious for breakfast served over low fat yogurt or as a power booster in the afternoon slump! Anyway you serve it those you made this for will know they are loved and cared for!

Mental Health Tip: If you don't know what to get your sweetie for Valentine's Day, a little sugar goes a long way. And I don't just mean food. Sweetness, affection, and tenderness go a long way for me for Valentine's Day and is really all I require. That is why Valentine's Day can be everyday. Be sweet to those you love and they will be sweet back. Share the sugar!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~ "Too Lovely" Hot Messes in the kitchen