A Little Nutella Filled Cookie Pie

A cookie, that's a pie, that fits in your hand and is filled with Nutella?

Now, that's dangerous.

This is my newest offering for this year's World Nutella Day that happens every year on February 5th. Recipe lovers all over the world share a favorite idea using Nutella and contribute to my growing collection (and waist line.)

This itty-bitty pie is so simple to make and the cookie crumble on the top is the same as the pie shell, so no extra time is needed there either. If you prefer, you can make these bigger for a perfect individual dessert or keep them mini for the perfect lunch pack surprise or party pleaser.The crust is a sugar cookie recipe that is my GO-TO because it's easy, but also makes a great blank slate to add your own flavor ideas or topping creations.

See more Nutella recipe ideas at World Nutella Day (created by MisAdventuresInItaly.com and BleedingEspresso.com.)


Recipe: Nutella Filled Cookie Pies

Sugar Cookie Crust and Crumble~

3 cups AP Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
8 ounces Butter (room temperature)
1 cup Sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
*optional - finely chopped candied orange peel

1) In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter.

2) Add the egg and vanilla, beat until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.

3) Mix together the Flour, baking powder and salt, then add this to the butter batter. (If using candied orange peel, add now.)

4) When mixed well, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes (up to overnight.)
Nutella Filled Cookie Pies:

1) Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 inch. Cut into circles a little bigger than the opening in your mini muffin pan. Gently press the cutouts into the muffin tin to form a crust. Save the leftover pieces of cookie dough for the crumble on top.*You can also pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter to press into the muffin tins to make a crust.2) Gather up the dough scraps and roll them in your fingers to use as crumble. The pieces should be about the size of peas or smaller.3) Drop about a teaspoon of Nutella into each cookie pie shell, top with cookie dough crumble (you can also add a few grains of Sea Salt.)4) Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 8-10 minutes. Don't over cook because the Nutella will get too firm. Allow to cool for a few moments and then carefully remove cookie pies to cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. These held well in an air tight container for a few days.

Happy World Nutella Day and every day~

Elvis Macarons - Banana, Peanut Butter & Jelly

I doubt Elvis Presley ever tasted a French Macaron,
but if he had I bet he would've loved this

Banana Macaron filled with Peanut Butter and Jelly.

As Rockabilly legend has it, Elvis loved Peanut Butter Sandwiches with banana. So, this is a tribute to his flavor combo. Today (January 8th) is Elvis's birthday. Of course, being from the South, I grew up hearing a lot about the "King", his music and his movies. However, I can never forget his birthday because it's the same as my daughter's birth date.She has heard "Oh, you have the same birthday as Elvis Presley" since she was very young. Since her birthday was so close to the holidays, I always tried to give her birthday a theme, so it would stand out separate from the seasonal celebrations and be it's own personal event. One year, we made it all about Elvis love. We put up a large poster of Elvis on the garage door and the girls played "Pin the paper kiss on Elvis" while blindfolded. It was our version of "Pin the tail on the donkey". We also had a guitar shaped pinata filled with favorite candies, and little plastic take-home bags with postcards of Elvis and 1950's themed toys. I even made a cake in the shape of an old record, we rented Jail House Rock, and they all danced to his music. My daughter is a beautiful grown woman today (her birthday) and in a couple months she will be giving birth to her very own baby girl. Can you tell I'm so excited?In honor of the memories of Elvis and childhood flavors that always taste good together, I hope you'll enjoy making these Banana Macarons filled with Peanut Butter and Jelly.The recipe for the macarons is based on the original recipe I've used from Sweet Tartelette since I learned to make macarons in a class with her in Los Angeles. I've tweaked it just a bit to include Dried Organic Banana Chips. Even though the flavors of Peanut Butter and Jelly may bring back childhood fun, the elegance of Macarons are very adult. Happy Birthday to Elvis, but especially my sweet first born baby girl.

How-To pictures can be found by clicking HERE or HERE-

RECIPE: Banana Macarons with Peanut Butter & Jelly
(Macaron ingredients are adapted from "Tartlette" and the ingredients are in weights as that's the most accurate measure here, but you can also use a conversion chart online : here is one)

200 grams Powdered Sugar
110 grams ground almonds
18 grams Ground Dried Banana Chips
90 grams Egg Whites
25 grams Sugar
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Jelly or Jam

1) In a large bowl, sieve the ground almonds, ground banana chips and powdered sugar.
2) In a mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy and slightly stiff, then add in sugar and continue to whip until stiff.
3) Fold the dry ingredients into the whipped whites, incorporating completely until the consistency is like lava.
4) Fill a large pastry bag with the macaron lava and pipe small even rounds onto a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet.
5) Allow them to set out to dry the tops for 30-45 minutes.
6) Cook in a preheated oven 300F for about 18 minutes.
7) Allow to cool, then spread one underside of a macaron with peanut butter and another macaron with jelly. Sandwich together.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies - 4 Ingredients - Simple Saturday and Gluten Free

My teen son named these "Pumpkin Pie Cookies" because they taste just like a slice of Pumpkin Pie (without the pastry.) They're spongy and light, just like the custard filling in a creamy Pumpkin Pie. They couldn't be easier to make and they pair really well with a cup of hot tea, cocoa or (for the adults) a quick shot of cozy brandy. This recipe uses only 4 ingredients: Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with salt.
They're naturally gluten free and packed with the vitamins of pure pumpkin and cage free eggs.
Feel free to try other spice blends with them, too. I loved them with a sprinkle of Garam Masala. Because they're so light and small, they make easy "pop-in-your-mouth" Pumpkin Whoopie pies using Cinnamon Cream Cheese filling for the middle. It's like a slice of pumpkin pie, without the need of a pie shell, and in a take-along shape. They may remind you of my Easiest Nutella Cookies - 2 ingredients (here.)

I hope you enjoy baking and eating these Pumpkin Pie Cookies. Thanks for stopping by.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cookies - 4 Ingredients

3/4 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree
2 eggs
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice and a Dash of Salt
(or make your own spice blend of 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves and a dash of salt)

1) Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together rapidly for about a minute to fully incorporate the eggs and pumpkin blend.

2) Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a silpat (or parchment paper) covered baking sheet.

3) Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 13-15 minutes. Turn the pan about half-way through the baking time for even heating. Let cool on the pan and remove with a spatula.

**Optional - garnish with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar icing.

Recipe: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

3 oz. Cream Cheese (soft)
1-2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cinnamon and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
2) Add more powdered sugar as needed for taste and spreading.

Easy Cherry Coconut Macaroons - Simple Saturday

Maybe I made these toasted balls of coconut and dried cherries because I just wanted to eat them. Maybe I did.

Easy Cherry Coconut Macaroons

However, you might like them for a serving at a nice High Tea, or a brunch, or bringing to the School/Church/Work potluck or bake sale.They would be perfect for traveling, or lunch boxes. I can think of a thousand reasons you would like to whip up these crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside, sweet and tangy poppers.I should probably warn you; don't taste them before you serve them or there may not be any left for others.
You will only need one bowl, it all gets mixed in together at the same time. It bakes in 10-12 minutes. They can be made days ahead. Is there a word that means easier than easy?

Recipe: Easy CHERRY COCONUT MACAROONS

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg white
2 Tbls. Dried Cherries (chopped)
pinch of salt

1) Using the tines of a fork (or your hand) mix and mash all the ingredients together. Keep mixing until it's moist enough to hold together in a large ball.

2) Break into Teaspoon size balls, roll in your hand and place onto a parchment lined baking pan.

3) Bake in preheated 350F oven for about 10-12 minutes until the outside has a toasty color. Let cool on the baking sheet.

Keep in an airtight container for several days - or eat most of them yourself while watching television. What? Whaaaat? Who would do that?

The Best Best Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Is there any treat more classic than a chocolate chip cookie? There are thousands of variations and I've made and eaten about half of those, but I'm swearing by these being my favorites.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

I think I was in college when I discovered how easy it was to freeze home-made cookie dough. One hour making a batch of cookies, then freezing them meant I could have home-made chocolate chip cookies at my beck and call (my freshman 10 was 20.) I've been zip-locking those goodies ever since. When I visit my mom, I make a few bags for her and my brother and his wife to tide them over til my next visit. When my kids have friends over they grab and gobble amazed that I "whipped up home-made cookies" so fast.

And when the mood strikes me (which is more often than needed), I can take out just one or two and bake them in my toaster oven for a single treat. For the money and time spent, I don't think you'll find a "roll" of bake-off cookie dough any easier.This recipe came about like many others; I was hungry. It happens a lot that way. I was sitting on the pier watching the Pacific Ocean and the wind was turning chilly and I still had a 2 mile walk ahead of me to get home. I was thinking how a nice hot bowl of oatmeal feels on chilly spring mornings. Then my mind turned that bowl of oatmeal (way too quickly) into a cookie.

If I'm going to have a cookie it would have to have chocolate too, and if I really went crazy I'd add pecans and dried fruit...nah, not just dried fruit - big dark cherries. In fact, I'd leave out the nuts so they wouldn't upstage the cherries and chips. I love cherries and cherries with chocolate. When I was little, my mom would bring home boxes of Chocolate-Covered Cherries. I'd bite each candy with excitement, as if the cherry was a surprise to me every time.

Those sweet day dreams carried me the whole 2 miles back home and into the kitchen to make up a batch of these:

RECIPE: The Best Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick (8 Tbls. butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup dark dried cherries, chopped

1) In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir together, then add the chocolate chips and cherries and toss to combine.

2) In another bowl, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla together. Then add the egg and beat again until creamy.

3) Add the creamy ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon.

4) Scoop out cookie dough in about Tbls. size balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

**You can freeze the dough at this point (bag, label and return to the freezer for cooking later), or Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F. The secret is- DON'T OVER-BAKE. Take them out even if they don't look done and give them a chance to cool= chewy, chocolate and soft.

Remove, allow to cool and try to discipline yourself to not eat the whole pan in one sitting.

Easiest Nutella Cookie Ever - Simple Saturday and Gluten Free

I'm not kidding, this is so easy I'll give the ingredients first: 1 Cup Nutella + 1 egg.

CRISPY CHEWY NUTELLA COOKIES

This recipe came about because my Nutella Cookies didn't have enough Nutella taste for my obsessive palate. I wanted the taste of "Nutella-on-a-spoon" (you KNOW you know what I'm talkin' about), but in an easy carry-around serving size.

I had made "Easy, No flour, Almond Butter cookies" with just one egg, so maybe this would work too?

It does. Oh, it does.

You know how the best part of a brownie is the chewy edge or crispy top? (They've even made brownie pans that give you more edge because so many of us love that part.)

They've made muffin pans so shallow that all you get are muffin tops (the ones we like to eat, not the ones that are a result of it.)

Well...these cookies taste like brownie edges. They are a hand-held mixture of crispy and chewy. They are "tote-able Nutella". They are dangerous. Some of these I rolled in crushed walnuts (hazelnuts would be fabulous, but I didn't have those in the pantry.) They spread a lot, so be sure to give them plenty of room. Go get your Nutella-fix. It will take you all of 20 minutes.

Crispy Chewy Nutella Cookies:

1 cup Nutella
1 egg

1) Mix these two ingredients together in a bowl. Be patient - start whisking slowly, then harder until fully incorporated. The batter will be very loose.
2) Drop by small spoonfuls onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. 3) Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 8-10 minutes. ( I turned my pan half-way through for even cooking.)

The less cooking makes them more soft and chewy, the more cooking increases the "crispy". Check it according to your own oven heat and the size of the cookies you make.

**Optional - I didn't get a picture of these, but they were also good sprinkled with powdered sugar, or sandwiched together with cream cheese.

Nutella tote-ables, oh yeah. :D