Kate

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits (& A Gift guide!)

A Gift List for You(rself) or Your Galentine!

1. Puff Sleeve Top from J.Crew Soft cotton and accented sleeves come at an easy price for this top.
2. Faux Orchid Real orchids are wonderful, but these faux ones stay pretty all year long with little effort.
3. HER DAILY BREAD My first book, Her Daily Bread, stays in style all year long.
4. Alpaca Beanie These beanies are so soft and scrumptious that I bought some for a few friends too.
5. Je T’aime Frame This frame is backordered, and you better believe I’m on the waiting list.
6. Wrap Pajamas These kimono style pjs from LAKE are silky soft and pretty too.
7. Rose Gold Photo Locket These lockets offer engraving and etching of inner photos as well.
8. Williams-Sonoma Dish Towels My favorite dish towels come in pink, just in time for February!
9. Recycled Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater These sustainable cashmere sweaters from Reformation are at the top of my list!
10. Salt and Pepper Mills I fell in love with these petite mills while in NYC. I may or may not have already gifted them twice since.
11. Hyaluronic Acid Lipstick My favorite lip shade now comes in a silky smooth moisturizing stick!
12. AT THE ARTISAN’S TABLE I’m dying to get my hands on this beautiful book that features tablescapes prepared by artists.

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Now, onto the cozy stuff.

You know I love biscuits. An adaptable starchy treat that serves as an option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Sign me up. But sometimes, making fresh biscuits first thing in the morning isn’t in the cards. For those kind of days, these overnight buttermilk biscuits are the ticket. Here, a butter-packed dough comes together hours in advance so that you can bake and serve them at your leisure. It’s the morning convenience of the refrigerated can biscuits but without that greasy mouthfeel. Truly, these are awesome.

Making the Biscuits

To make these overnight buttermilk biscuits, we start with the dry ingredients. Stir together all-purpose flour, leavening and loads of salt. Next, cut ice cold butter into the dry mixture until the mixture has uniform clumps throughout. Finally, stir in the buttermilk until a shaggy dough comes together.

I pat the dough together, knead slightly, and then begin trimming out rounds of dough with a floured round cutter. Be sure not to overwork the dough- this will yield a tough, chewy biscuit. Place the dough rounds on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and cover the entire thing with plastic wrap. When you’re ready to bake them the next morning, preheat the oven and pop them in for about 12-15 minutes!

I hope you give these overnight buttermilk biscuits a try and let me know how you enjoy them. Happy (almost!) February and happy baking!

If you like these overnight buttermilk biscuits you should try:

Funfetti Biscuits
Mini Garlic Herb Biscuits
Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
Mini Buttermilk Biscuits
Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Print Recipe

These overnight buttermilk biscuits feature flaky layers and can be made a night in advance!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 18
Category: Bread

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
1 ¼ cups buttermilk, cold
Extra butter for brushing, if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking pan with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, powder, and soda. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut in the butter until evenly dispersed with pea-sized clumps throughout. Gently stir in the buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms, being careful to NOT OVERWORK. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour out onto a clean work surface and dump the crumbly dough on to the flour. Gently and quickly work the dough together, kneading a few times, before patting out into a 1” rectangle. Use a 2” round biscuit cutter to trim out rounds of dough. Flour the cutter well and press down straight being careful not to twist the cutter at all. Re-flour and continue cutting out until all the dough has been used. You can gather leftover piece and gently form back together to trim out more circles. Place the biscuits about 1” apart on the baking sheet or dish. Brush with a bit of the melted butter and bake in the preheated oven for about 17 minutes or until the tops are golden and the biscuits have risen. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying and reheat in the toaster oven as needed.

Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

Last Thursday, January 12th, a tornado swept through my town of Selma, AL. Our family, home, and business were mostly okay, but the city is another story: trees, bent over and split in half, metal roofs tangled around light poles, whole brick buildings crumbled to the ground, and hundreds left without a livable home. To the human eye, it’s a disaster.

What I’m believing is this: God is still faithful. The hope, love, service I’ve seen playing out does not come from human ability- it’s the heart of Jesus at work in our community. Minutes after the storm passed, neighbors were checking on neighbors, while others, armed with chainsaws and tractors, cleared roads for linemen and emergency officials. There have been stories of countless miracles, one-in-a-million stories that let me know we weren’t abandoned. Even in our state of total destruction, there are glimpses of peace and moments of laughter that tell me this isn’t where the story ends.

I’ve decided not to share photos or my personal story of that day, because, frankly, there’s enough of those floating around already. Instead, I’ll tell you what I am standing on now. Psalm 27:13 says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living,” and that is us. God’s provision, goodness, and love is all over our city, and even as we grieve all that has transpired and the steps that are to come, He is working all things for our good.

How to Help

Many, including local churches and the United Way of Selma, are taking donations, and I’d urge you to consider sharing if you’re interested. In addition, please pray for our community. Pray for resources and hope, for fair insurance adjusters and quality construction workers. Pray for timely removal of the debris piles that are already covering most front lawns and sidewalks. And pray that our community would be transformed, hearts turned and healed, by the love of Jesus.

Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookies

We had a number of people in and out of our home that first week after the storm, and thankfully, our generator was rocking. With our grocery store closed, we started preparing what we could from the freezer, and I was particularly grateful for these: marbled chocolate chip cookies. Here, two doughs mix and mingle to create a cookie that is part chocolate, part chocolate chip. Truly, they are divine. Let me tell you how to make them.

We start by making the base dough. Butter and sugar come together in a bowl, followed by eggs and vanilla. Next, the dry ingredients, including flour, leavening, and salt, add in. Finally, the dough is split in two with additional flour added to one half and cocoa powder added to the second. Both get a serving of chocolate chips before handfuls of each are balled together and baked.

These marbled chocolate chip cookies are super fun and even more delicious. Give them a try and let me know what you think! And thank you for your prayers and love for our town. I can’t tell you how valued both are.

Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Print Recipe

These marbled chocolate chip cookies are chocolate and vanilla cookie doughs swirled together and loaded with chocolate chips!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Total Time: 120
Yield: 24
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1–1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups plus ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
1–1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 cups chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape sides of bowl and add eggs and extract. Mix on medium speed just to combine. Add 2 ½ cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir until combined combined into a wet sand, consistent mixture. At this point, divide the dough in half- a scale for accuracy really helps here. To one bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour, stirring on low just until combined. To the other bowl, add the cocoa powder, stirring on low just until combined. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to each bowl and fold to combine. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon-sized balls of each kind of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Next, combine a chocolate dough ball with a plain one. I like to split one of the dough balls in half and sandwich the remaining piece of dough in between. Marble the two together, repeating with the remaining dough balls. Cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap. and place in the fridge to firm up, about 2 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 2” apart and bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden and the cookie tops are nearly set, about 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool briefly before sharing.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

On Family Breakfast

In the hay day of this website, there was no shortage of breakfast pastries to enjoy in the morning. You needn’t look farther than my kitchen counter or the freezer drawer to find stacks of danishes, homemade pop-tarts, and slices of quick bread. I was constantly testing recipes, and, as a result, I had the leftovers to show for it. As you can imagine, my family got used to these kind of things, and mornings were actually quite pleasant.

But then something called “REAL LIFE” happened, and as much as I would have loved to keep up with our stock of sugary breakfast treats, it just wasn’t happening. Instead, I offered easy stuff: Toast. Dry cereal. The occasional scrambled egg. You know, normal American breakfast foods.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Unrealistic Expectations

So last week, when I pulled out a Tupperware of chocolate chip muffins, my kids lost their mind. I mean, seriously, head over heels. It was all, “MOM, YOU MAKE THE BEST BREAKFAST,” and, “THESE MUFFINS ARE INCREDIBLE,” and (my personal favorite), “SERIOUSLY, YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER!” Truly, in that moment, the clouds parted and I heard *actual* angels singing.

Here’s what I decided: I showed my hand too quickly. By having a surplus of homemade treats for a good portion of their life, they haven’t figured out that this isn’t normal in most houses. What kind of 8-year-old knows they prefer croissant over pain au chocolat? What average 6-year-old complains because there’s no more funfetti biscuits in the freezer? I’ll tell you: ones that haven’t been fed enough Fruity Pebbles, that’s who.

The good news for them is that I’m testing loads of breakfast recipes this month, so there’s bound to be a few stragglers to munch in the coming weeks. The bad news is that I’m on to them and there will definitely be some granola bars and Cheerios in their very near future.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

While they were inhaling the muffins, I kept one little secret from them: these are almost kinda sorta healthy! I mean, sure, there’s sugar and chocolate involved, but doesn’t that addition of whole wheat flour make all of us feel a smidge better? Plus, these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are really good. So good that I ate a whole one during the photo shoot while trying to “get the perfect shot” of a bitten muffin. I won’t even lie- one bite would have been a fine photo.

To make these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins, we start with the wet ingredients. Sour cream, oil, an egg, and some vanilla stir together before adding in a mixture of brown and white sugar. Next comes the dry ingredients. Equal parts all-purpose and whole wheat flour stir in with leavening and salt. Finally, the chocolate chips fold in and the streusel sprinkles on top. Voila!

The muffins bake up into soft, slightly chewy treats with rounded, chocolate-studded top. They taste even better on day 2, although I recommend rewarming. If you are in need of a new treat to wow your family and friends- these are it! Happy Friday and happy baking to you!

If you like these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Blueberry muffins
Banana Nutella Muffins
Healthyish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Print Recipe

These whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are simple and fluffy, loaded with semisweet chips and topped with a streusel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 18
Total Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the streusel (optional):

1–1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup chocolate chips

For the muffins:

¾ cup sour cream
1/3 cup (80 gm) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
1/2 cup (100 gm) brown sugar packed
3/4 cup (105 gm) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (105 gm) 100% whole wheat flour (see notes)
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and put paper muffin lines in a 12-compartment tin.
First, make the streusel. Stir together the flour and sugar and use the back of a fork to cut in the butter until the mixture consists of moist clumps. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
Next, make the muffins. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, egg, and extract until smooth. Stir in the sugars. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt, stirring just till barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter among the 12-muffin compartment. Mine usually end up about 2/3- 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool briefly before consuming!

Notes

As an option, you can use 1-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and only ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In this instance, use ½ cup brown sugar and only ¼ cup of white sugar. This will help to keep the muffins moist.
If you don’t plan to consume the muffins on the day of preparing them, seal them in a Tupperware or large plastic bag and freeze until ready to consume. This will help to keep the muffins moist and fresh!

20 Recipes to Make in 2023 (and a Giveaway!)

32 Comments / Tutorials, Uncategorized

20 Recipes to Bake in 2023 from Wood and Spoon blog. These are 20 of the best baked treats, sweets, and desserts with everything from chocolate chip cookies, layer cakes, pound cake loaves, ice cream, pies, and more. Learn how to make easy simple baking as a new year's resolution on thewoodandspoon.com.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope your holiday was full of love, good food, and joy. To celebrate the fresh page that is January, I have two things to offer you: first, a giveaway! Keep reading to learn how to win a copy of my book, HER DAILY BREAD, just in time for the new year. Second, I have rounded up 20 of my personal favorite recipes on Wood & Spoon. If you’ve ever wondered where to begin with the recipes on this site, here it is. Let’s get started!

A Giveaway!

(Note: The contest is now closed) This time of year is normally when I jot down resolutions and goals, but I’ll be honest: I’m not sure where to start this year. Surprisingly, the unknown kinda feels good. While any sort of work goal or personal intention might seem hazy from where I sit on January 4th, I do know what I want more of in 2023. Instead, pursuing the things that fill my heart is a pretty good place to start. I want more intentional time with my family, growing friendships, creative and curious endeavors, and a deepening relationship with God. Surely that’s enough to keep me busy the next 365 days.

If you’re like me in that boat, I want to offer a giveaway for a copy of my book. HER DAILY BREAD is all about how relationship with others, God, and even ourselves intersect with the most simple of things. Plus, with year-long readings and 52 recipes, it’s enough to keep you on pace all year round. If you’d like to win a signed copy, write a comment at the bottom of this post telling me what you want more of in 2023. No resolutions required, just hope and anticipation. Good luck!

20 Recipes to Make in 2023… in No Particular Order

Second, here’s a few recipes to make in 2023! These are my most favorite of favorites- salty chocolate chip cookies, the fluffiest red velvet cake, and a creme brûlée custard that is absurd. If you’re looking to expand your baking horizons, these are the recipes to make in 2023.

1. Shortbread Cookies
2. Southern Coconut Cream Pie
3. Funfetti Cake
4. Eleven Madison Park Granola
5. Blueberry Maple Pie
6. Cookie Dough Truffles
7. Banana Crumb Cake
8. Kitchen Sink Cookies
9. Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
10. Creamy Rice Pudding
11. Mini Buttermilk Biscuits
12. Best Mini Muffins
13. Creme Brûlée Frozen Custard
14. Banoffee Pie
15. Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
16. No-Churn Strawberry Pretzel Pie Ice Cream
17. Red Velvet Cake
18. Cinnamon Sugar Cake
19. Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
20. Marble Loaf Pound Cake

Does this get you ready to bake!?!? I hope so. Be sure to enter the giveaway below, and let me know what you’re looking forward to in 2023. Happy Wednesday, y’all, and as always, happy baking!

Sugar Cookie Ornaments

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

‘Twas three nights before Christmas and the bakers were still, looking for tummies their mixers could fill. The menus were planned but one piece was still missing, maybe dip for a bread, or cocktails for mixing. When out on this blog there arose a new post, for sparkling treats that appeal well to most. With little trimmed shapes and sprinkled icing atop, those sweets had pizazz that just wouldn’t stop. So they sprang to their kitchens, mixing bowls at the ready, filling bags up with icing for their hands to steady. And then, in a twinkling, the cookies were done, and ribbons were tied on top of each one. Upon taking a nibble, friends cheered with delight, indeed, a merry treat made for all to enjoy Christmas night.

I don’t often write in prose, but when I do it’s almost always about dessert. These sugar cookie ornaments are worth each and every rhyming word. No other time of year can we dive head first into color, sprinkles, and sugar quite like at Christmastime, and these treats are a cheeky spin on a classic favorite. And even though we’re just two days out from the big day, I think this is the perfect recipe to enjoy making with friends, kids, or loved ones. Still interested? Let me tell you how to make them!

Making Sugar Cookie Ornaments

First, we start with a solid dough. I have two recipes I learn on regularly, and for these treats, I chose the most dense option. We want to ensure that the cookies are strong enough to hang, both literally and figuratively. Mix up the dough, roll it out, and cut out shapes using metal cookie cutters. Don’t forget the ribbon hole! I used a straw to insert a small hole in each unbaked cookie. After a brief bake, the cookies require about 20 minutes to come to room temperature. In the meantime, begin making the royal icing.

I prefer to use meringue powder when making royal icing, and you can read more about my favorite recipe here. Once prepared, use gel food coloring to dye the icing and ensure it is the right consistency. You want icing that can be piped without dripping off the sides. This royal icing dries quite quickly, but you still need to wait several hours for the cookies to dry. Once set, string a thin, 1/8″ ribbon or string through each hole, snip, and tie! Voila!

We still have plenty of time to make treats in time for Christmas. Give these sugar cookie ornaments a try and let me know what you think! I hope you all enjoy a Merry Christmas with your friends, family, or whoever. All my love and happy baking!

Sugar Cookie Ornaments

Print Recipe

These sugar cookie ornaments are strong enough to hang and delicious enough to eat!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 180
Yield: 28 Cookies
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cookies:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the royal icing:

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 cup room temperature water

Additional things:

Gel food coloring
Sprinkles
Thin ribbon or string
Plastic straw

Instructions

To prepare the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and extract and cream until combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir on low just until combined. Dump the dough crumbles out on to a lightly floured surface and work together into one ball with your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until about ¼” thick and use a medium sized cookie cutter to cut shapes. Use the end of a plastic straw to cut out holes in the dough for the ribbon- be sure the circle isn’t too close to the edge or the cookie may break. If the dough ever gets too soft, refrigerate briefly. Place shapes on a baking sheet and freeze briefly for about 5 minutes. Once chilled, bake in the preheated oven for 10-11 minutes. Use the other end of the straw to reinforce the hole if it closed up too much while baking. Cool on a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely prior to icing.

To prepare the royal icing:

Combine all three ingredients in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to blend together on medium speed until glossy and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Add additional water a teaspoon at a time to thin out or add additional powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time to thicken up. Stir until combined.

To decorate the cookies:

Add water or powdered sugar to your icing to get the desired consistency. I typicaly prefer a thick icing to pipe the border of the cookies and then fill in with a slightly thinned version. Fill piping bag halfway with the icing. Pipe borders around cookies, being careful to not get too close to the edge. Using a paint brush, “paint” frosting into the center of the cookie, filling in to the outside border. (For a good tutorial on this method, check out the Ina Garten video here) I typically will border and fill 4-5 cookies at a time. Continue this process until all of the cookies are iced. Set aside for 6 hours, or until icing is set and dry. If you’re in a humid climate, you can use a small fan pointed at the cookies to help expedite this process. Allow the cookies to cool and set completely prior to tying the ribbon on. Hang, gift, or enjoy within 4 days!

Freezer Cookie Dough

70 Comments / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

IT’S HERE! Truly, I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since my first book, HER DAILY BREAD, came into the world. Today, to celebrate, I’m sharing one final recipe from the book AND giving away a few copies. If you’re interested in a freezer cookie dough recipe or a free book, let’s dive in!

HER DAILY BREAD

First, let’s back up to HER DAILY BREAD. Do you have a copy? Have you been enjoying it this year? Are you currently reading through the month of December, eating your way through all the cookies and festive stories? One of the biggest blessings of this year has been connecting with readers who are digging into the book. After a decade of dreaming, years of work, and so much love poured into those pages, it’s incredibly rewarding to hear from people who identify with it. The texts and emails you’ve written, the shares on social media, and all the random comments from strangers I run into mean so much. Your support is heart-filling, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Half Birthday Cake Tutorial and Recipe by Wood and Spoon blog. Learn how to transfer a simple single layer vanilla cake into a fun celebratory half birthday cake! The recipe for this simple vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream is a great way to celebrate everyday occasions like half birthdays. Find the recipe and how to on the woodandspoon.com

To say thank you, I want to give away a few copies! Leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling me what you’re grateful for this year. I’ll mail a few WRAPPED copies out into the world- just in time for Christmas. HER DAILY BREAD makes a great gift for the people in your life, so be sure to snag a copy here! With 365 daily readings, including 52 recipes, it’s the gift that gives and gives all year round. In the meantime, let’s talk freezer cookie dough.

Freezer Cookie Dough

In the South, last-minute visitors happen all the time. When people show up unannounced or in the final hour, I love to have a few yummy things to share with them. This recipe for freezer cookie dough allows all of that to happen. Small rounds of dough freeze up in individual portions that can be baked from frozen in less than 15 minutes. Warm, gooey cookies on the fly? YES PLS.

The dough starts out as any other. Softened butter creams together with sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Vanilla extract and eggs follow, and the dry ingredients come last. I love to use whatever chocolate I have on hand- semisweet chips, chopped white chocolate, or even candy-coated chocolates. Basically you can add 2 cups of whatever mix-ins your heart desires; this recipe is adaptable! Scoop rounds of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Place frozen dough balls in a freezer storage bag or container and store until ready to bake. Simply preheat the oven to 360 and watch the magic unfold!

With Christmas right around the corner, you will be glad to have this recipe (and a copy of my book!) ready for sharing. Be sure to enter the giveaway and know how truly grateful I am to all of you. Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking! *Note: Giveaway now closed.

Freezer Cookie Dough

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 8 reviews

Make-ahead cookie dough to freeze and bake at a moment’s notice!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 36
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1–1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
1–1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chip cookies

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape sides of bowl and add eggs and extract. Mix on medium speed just to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir until combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir on low to combine. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer to firm up briefly, about 30 minutes, and then place the dough into a feezer-safe container or bag. Freeze up to 2 months.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 2” apart and bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden and the cookies are set, about 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool briefly before sharing.

Homemade Thin Mints and 9 Minty Treats to Make this Christmas!

4 Comments / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

Homemade Thin Mints by Wood and Spoon blog. These are thing crunchy cookies coated in a chocolate shell inspired by the Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookies. These make terrific peppermint holiday cookies and are a great dessert for chocolate lovers. Learn how to make this homemade version of the cult favorite on thewoodandspoon.com.

Is there anything better than peppermint treats at Christmastime?! NO! To celebrate the season let’s start off today with a few of my favorite mint treats and homemade thin mints!

No-Churn Peppermint Cookie Ice Cream Easy peasy and super delicious, this no-churn ice cream features candy cane bits and Oreo cookies!
Peppermint Bark Brownies Fudge brownies and a thick layer of peppermint chocolate make these treats to die for!
Mint Chocolate Souffle This recipe is a little more complicated, but the effort is worth it!
Peppermint Bark Bread A wreath of chocolate and peppermint-filled bread makes up the most decadent breakfast treat!
Peppermint Bark Icebox Cake Layers of cocoa cookies and creamy peppermint filling let the peppermint bark shine in this cake!
Peppermint Mocha Macarons The class French cookies get cozy for these espresso and mint-flavored sandwich cookies.
White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake White chocolate filling and a cookie crumb crust go hand-in-hand with candy cane bits!
Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies These chewy chocolate cookies have a fudgy mint center that is awesome!
Peppermint Brownie Cookies My favorite treat is a mash-up of brownies and cookies, featuring flaked salt and mint flavor!

Homemade Thin Mints

Today’s recipe is a good one- Scout’s Honor. December is definitely a month for cookies, and in our house, no other flavor stands above mint chocolate. Naturally, it was high time we put together a recipe for homemade thin mints inspired by the Girl Scouts favorite. If you have a hankering for mint and chocolate, let’s dive in.

I’m guessing everyone has a favorite Girl Scouts cookie. Samoas are always a good vote, and I’m guessing a bunch of people like the shortbread too. But hands down, thin mints are the best, right? A thin, crunchy mint chocolate cookie coated with a semisweet chocolate shell? Heck yes! A few years back, I made a sandwich cookie inspired the classic cookie, but this year, I decided we needed homemade thin mints too. So here she is!

Making Homemade Thin Mints

This recipe makes a few dozen cookies that are right at home on any holiday table. They keep for a few days too which means you can make this recipe in advance. To make them, start with the cookie dough. Butter, sugar, and extracts come together in a bowl before flour, cocoa powder and leavening stir in. The dough comes together into a log before being sliced into small rounds. After baking, the cookies should cool prior to dipping into melted chocolate. I like to finish each off with a sprinkle of salt as well, but sprinkles or even cookie crumbs would be a great addition as well.

I’ll be sharing cookie recipes all month long here, but be sure to try out one of these minty one this week. Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

Homemade Thin Mints and 9 Minty Treats to Make this Christmas!

Print Recipe

These thin mint chocolate cookies are a copycat recipe of the Girl Scout’s Original Thin Mint Cookie!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 Small Cookies
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

For the chocolate shell:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Flaked salt

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, and extracts, beating on medium speed until smooth and combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, stirring on low to combine. Bring the dough together into a ball and then roll on a clean surface out into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until barely firm.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/8” slices and space them out about 2” apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow to cool completely.
Once ready to dip, gently melt the chocolate chips down until smooth, stirring occasionally being careful not to burn the chocolate. Lay out a large piece of wax or parchment paper to work on. Stir in the extract and oil. Use a fork to dip the cookies into the chocolate and shake off an excess. Allow to set up briefly on the wax paper and then sprinkle (if desired) with flaked salt. Allow to set up completely prior to enjoying.

Holiday Sugar Cookie Blossoms

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

I gotta tell you- nothing brings me more joy this time of year than nostalgic recipes that remind me of home. Growing up, there were a few cookies that felt synonymous with the holidays, and we never failed to make them. One example? Peanut butter blossoms. I absolutely LOVED those, and I bet you’ve tried them too. Today, I’m sharing a variation of that beloved cookie with these holiday sugar cookie blossoms. The are fabulously fun, and I can’t wait to tell you how to make them.

The basic gist of a blossom is that it’s a soft and chewy thumbprint cookie topped with a HERSHEY’S KISSES candy. Here, instead of the classic peanut butter cookie, we have a simple sugar cookie coated in sanding sugar and dotted with a sugar cookie candy. It’s all the fun and festivity of the classic blossom but with a sweet change of flavor.

To make these holiday sugar cookie blossoms, we start with the butter and sugar. Cream the two together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Next comes the dry ingredients. Toss in the flour, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine. Use a small cookie scoop to portion out rounds of dough. Gently roll each on in colored sanding sugar and imprint each with a thumb. After a quick bake in the oven, each cookie is topped with a single HERSHEY’S KISSES Sugar Cookie Candy!

My kids and I prepared these cookies together, and they were a hit. These holiday sugar cookie blossoms are a great way to get kids involved with Christmas baking. They’re simple, colorful, and so delicious, too. If you get a chance to try the recipe this year, let me know what you think! In the meantime, Happy Holidays and Happy Baking!

Holiday Sugar Cookie Blossoms

Print Recipe

These holiday sugar cookie blossoms are sugar thumbprint cookies topped with HERSHEY’S KISSES Sugar Cookie Candies.

Author: Kate Wood, Inspired by Hershey’s
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 32 Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup colored sanding sugar
32 HERSHEY’S KISSES Sugar Cookie Candies, unwrapped

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl or a bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to the butter mixture and stir on medium-low until the dough starts to come together in clumps. It will be slightly crumbly.
Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to portion out 2-teaspoon sized rounds of dough. Roll the dough in your hands briefly to smooth out and toss each cookie dough piece in the sanding sugar. Space the cookies out 2” apart on the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes or until the cookies are puffed edges are barely set.
Remove the cookies from the oven to cool briefly, about 2 minutes. This will prevent the KISSES chocolate from melting. Gently press an unwrapped HERYSHEY’S KISSES candy into the center of each cookie. Feel free to pop the pan into the fridge or freezer briefly to further prevent the candy from melting. Cool completely before enjoying. Cookies are best eaten the day of,but can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Dutch Apple Pie

2 Comments / Uncategorized

I couldn’t get too deep into November without a pie recipe. Here in America, pie might as well have its own corner of the food pyramid wherever Thanksgiving holidays are concerned. Luckily, I have my all-time FAVORITE apple pie recipe to share today: Dutch Apple Pie. This recipe is an excerpt from my first book, Her Daily Bread, and I’ve basically been waiting all year to share it. Let’s get started!

First of all, who died and made apple pie reign supreme? Is there any dessert more quintessentially fall? While pumpkin is divisive and chocolate is more of an annual offering, if you ask me, apple is just right this time of year. My rendition features a homemade pie crust, a generously spiced apple filling, and a buttery brown sugar crumble on top. The end result is a pie with loads of flavor and texture- the perfect treat to serve to the masses.

If you’re new to pie baking or just really want to take you skills to the next level, be sure to check out my tutorial on how to make pie dough. Here, I share the ins and outs of making, rolling, braiding, crimping, baking, and storing pie crust. For example, did you know it’s not too early to make and freeze your doughs?! TRUE STORY! I highly recommend the tutorial for anyone wanting a home run pie.

Once you know how to make a crust, you can start by making one! This Dutch apple pie calls for a single crust because the topping is 100% streusel. No par-baking required here, just roll out and crimp the dough, freezing it briefly while you prepare the filling.

The filling is apples, sugar, spice, and lemon juice. I like to use golden delicious apples, but you can opt for any of your faves! Braeburns and jonagolds are also very popular- just make sure you have plenty to fill this pie to the brim. Once your filling is made, finish it off with the crumble. Melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt make up the streusel. It comes together in a bowl before topping the pie. More crumble is more better, IMO.

After an hour bake, the pie needs a little time to set up. I usually give it 4 hours, but you can also let it rest overnight. Slice and serve warm pieces with scoops of vanilla or no-churn cinnamon maple ice cream. It’s a super comforting and cozy pie, perfect for this time of year. And even though this is pie szn, this is the only pie I’ll be sharing for the rest of the year! If you need a few more pie recipes to round out your repertoire, be sure to check out the archives of this site or pick up a copy of my book! Her Daily Bread is nearing its first birthday, and I couldn’t be happier to celebrate with you all. In the meantime, happy baking and happy fall!

If you like this Dutch apple pie you should try:

Caramel Apple Pie
Brown Butter Apple Tart
Apple Crumb Bars
Cheddar Apple Pie

Dutch Apple Pie

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This Dutch apple pie features a homemade pie crust, a cinnamon apple filling, and a brown sugar and butter streusel topping.

Author: Kate wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the filling:

1 recipe for homemade pie dough (see below) or 1 refrigerated deep-dish single pie crust
8 cups peeled, ¼” thick apple slices (I use Golden Delicious apples)
2 tablespoons fresh-squeeze lemon juice
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons apple pie spice

For the crumble:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

Move one rack to the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees Farenheit. If possible, preheat a baking steel or heavy bottomed sheet pan on that lower rack.
Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough out on a well-floured surface into a 1/8-1/4” thick circle about an inch larger than your deep-dish pie plate on all sides. Roll the dough loosely back onto the rolling pin and lift it into the pie dish. Gently fit the dough into the pie plate and trim off any excess dough leaving a 1” border around the edge of the dish. Fold the lip of the dough under so that it extends just over the edge of the pie plate and crimp the edges as you prefer. Place the dish in the freezer while you mix up your remaining elements.
In a large bowl, toss to combine the apple slices, brown sugar, sugar, flour, and apple pie spice. Pour the mixture evenly into your prepared pie crust and place in the fridge while you prepare your crumble.
In the same bowl that you tossed together your filling, combine the crumble flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the butter is integrated a sandy mixture with pea-sized clumps for. Sprinkle the topping onto the apple filling. Bake the pie on the preheated baking steel or sheet pan until the crust is brown and the filling in the center of the pie is bubbling, about 60-70 minutes. If you notice your crust gets too brown before the filling is bubbling, you can use a pie crust shield or a ring of aluminum foil to careful cover that outer edge to prevent burning. Allow the pie to cool completely, at least 4 hours, prior to cutting and serving with ice cream, if desired.

Macaron Cake

Leave a Comment / Cakes, Cookies, Cookies and Bars

Any The Office fans here? A few weeks ago, I was reminded of the episode where Pam, Toby, and Oscar start The Finer Things Club. The club celebrated books, fine food, and art, and its members regarded themselves as an exclusive bunch of fancy humans. Admittedly, there was nothing fancy about their meetings, but it did spark a notion that I hold onto to this day: I, Kate Wood, am President and CEO of The Finer Things Club. Let me explain.

Some people just have a knack for fancy and take delight in frivolous details that others might overlook. My husband says I can walk into a store- any store – and pick out the single most expensive thing. Truthfully, he’s not wrong. And after years of living with champagne taste on a Bud Light budget, I have finally given into some of those desires in my own small ways: splurging on a fancy lotion, indulging in regular manicures, and baking over-the-top desserts, just because. Case-in-point: today’s macaron cake.

Macaron Cake

Macarons, on they own, are decidedly fancy. Those teeny, two-bite cookies are a go-to wherever French and Feminine Foods collide. But up until recently, I’d never considered the possibility of a macaron cake. When I recently spotted one made by Erin McDowell, I knew it was time to give it a try myself.

What I wound up with is a petite cake made of 4 oversized macaron shells and layered with buttercream. After a rest in the fridge, the cake softens barely into a chewy treat balanced sweetness and tremendous texture. Is it still over-the-top? Yes. Would any self-respecting member of The Finer Things Club approve? Absolutely.

Making a Macaron Cake

Making macarons can be a tricky feat, but I was suprised by how un-tricky the cake turned out. To make it, we start by whipping egg whites. Once stiff with high peaks, the egg whites fold into a mixture of almond flour and powdered sugar. The folding process here is of utmost importance and requires some patience, not to mention forearm strength. You want the mixture to be smooth and flow off a spatula like lava. Once smooth, pipe large 4-5″ circles on a sheet of parchment paper and allow the cookies to rest briefly. After baking the shells, they stack together with homemade buttercream and are decorated with additional mini macrons. Delightful!

Be sure to read through the instructions to ensure making this cake goes as smoothly as possible. If you get a chance to make it, please share a photo with me! I love to see what y’all create. Happy Baking, fancy friends!

If you like this macaron cake, you should try:

Peppermint Mocha Macarons
Strawberry Shortcake Macarons
Mini Layer Cake
Funfetti Mini Cakes

Macaron Cake

Print Recipe

This macaron cake contains 4 oversized macaron shells layered with a soft American buttercream, all stacked into a mini cake!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 180
Yield: 2-4 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the macaron shells (recipe adapted from Tessa Huff):

1–1/4 cups plus 1-1/2 tablespoons (158 gm) almond flour
1–1/4 cups (158 gm) powdered sugar
105 gm egg whites (from 3 or 4 eggs)
½ cup plus 1-1/2 tablespoons (117 gm) granulated sugar

For the filling:

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon water

Instructions

To prepare the macarons:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper templates. If desired, stencil in pencil on the back of the parchment sheets 4 (4-5”) round circles. Set aside
In a food processor, combine the almond flour and confectioner’s sugar and process the mixture for 1-2 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the bowl, until the almond flour is finely ground. Sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard any large chunks left in the sieve or grind again until fine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a whisk attachment (make sure both are clean and grease-free!), whisk the egg whites on low speed until they begin to foam, form small tight bubbles, and turn opaque. Over the course of a couple of minutes, very gradually increase the speed to medium while slowly adding the granulated sugar. Mix on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Using a flexible rubber spatula, scrape the meringue off the whisk attachment into the bowl with the almond mixture. Begin folding the meringue and almond mixture together, five to ten folds. Scrape in the meringue from the mixer bowl and continue to fold the mixture until incorporated, rotating the bowl as your go. Every so often, gently deflate the meringue by smearing the batter around the side of the bowl. Stop folding once the correct consistency is achieved: the batter should flow very slowly like lava.
Fill the prepared piping bag with the macaron batter. Holding the bag straight down, pipe the macarons on the parchment sheet, forming four 4-5” circles on one sheet. Space them out so they do not bleed into one another. Once one baking sheet is full, tap the bottom of the sheet a few times in each corner with the palm of your hang. Set aside. Pipe any remaining batter onto the second sheet. I made mini macarons by piping ¾” circles onto the prepared baking pan. Set the piped macaron shells aside to rest for 20 to 40 minutes, until a skin forms over the shells and the tops feel dry to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees with a rack in the center position.
Bake the large macaron shells once sheet at a time for 22-25 minutes, until the tops feel secured to the feet but wiggle very slightly when nudged.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Let the macaron shells cool on the baking sheets for at least 5 minutes. Bake mini macarons in the preheated oven for approximately 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool completely prior to filling.
To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and beat with a heat mixer until smooth and fluffed. Pipe or spread the frosting onto the large macarons layers, stacking each and finishing the cake with extra frosting and any extra mini macarons, as desired. Allow to chill covered in the fridge for a few hours prior to serving.

Kate

A Gift List for You(rself) or Your Galentine!

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Making the Biscuits

If you like these overnight buttermilk biscuits you should try:

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

Instructions

How to Help

Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Marbled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

On Family Breakfast

Unrealistic Expectations

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you like these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

For the streusel (optional):

For the muffins:

Instructions

Notes

A Giveaway!

20 Recipes to Make in 2023… in No Particular Order

Making Sugar Cookie Ornaments

Sugar Cookie Ornaments

Ingredients

For the cookies:

For the royal icing:

Additional things:

Instructions

To prepare the cookies:

To prepare the royal icing:

To decorate the cookies:

HER DAILY BREAD

Freezer Cookie Dough

Freezer Cookie Dough

Ingredients

Instructions

Homemade Thin Mints

Making Homemade Thin Mints

Homemade Thin Mints and 9 Minty Treats to Make this Christmas!

Ingredients

For the Cookies

For the chocolate shell:

Instructions

Holiday Sugar Cookie Blossoms

Ingredients

Instructions

If you like this Dutch apple pie you should try:

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients

For the filling:

For the crumble:

Instructions

Macaron Cake

Making a Macaron Cake

If you like this macaron cake, you should try:

Macaron Cake

Ingredients

For the macaron shells (recipe adapted from Tessa Huff):

For the filling:

Instructions

To prepare the macarons:

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