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Friday, November 13, 2015

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe

Tis the season to bake cookies! These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are an all-time family FAVORITE. I'm telling you, Christmas and Chocolate Crinkles just go together. Ask Santa, he'll tell you! There were never any left on Christmas morning :)

I can't wait to share them with you!



The dough takes a few hour to chill, so it's a good recipe to start in the morning and finish up in the afternoon.

The ingredients are pretty basic!


The first step is to "cream" the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. I had to zap my butter for less than 20 seconds in the microwave to make it soft. 

Hint: If you are using powdered rather than squares of chocolate, make sure to add the extra butter in at this step!


I opted for the powdered unsweetened cocoa rather than the squares, since I already had it on hand. It's hard to go wrong with Ghiradelli chocolate! 

To substitute baking cocoa: 1-oz square of unsweetened chocolate = 3 Tbsp powdered baking cocoa + 1 Tbsp butter.


Beat it into the sugar/butter/vanilla mixture together with the eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift/mix together the dry ingredients and slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients.



Don't forget to take a super cheese picture of yourself wearing your Christmas apron!


At this point, you're done mixing! Cover and chill for 3 hours in the fridge.

Then roll into 1 1/2" (roughly) balls, roll them around in powdered sugar so they are nice and cakey and place them 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet.





Then it's off to the oven! 350 degrees for about 14-16 minutes. 

Seriously, they're the best.




I know I'm not the only Christmas cookie fan out there! Let me know your favorite holiday treat in the comments! Bonus points for leaving a recipe link!



Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 1-oz squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (OR 7 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 1/2 tablespoons butter)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1-3 cup milk
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar

Method:

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly cream shortening (or butter), sugar, and vanilla.
2. Beat in eggs and chocolate.
3. In a separate medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing on low/medium speed. Drizzle in milk until mixture is moist and fluffy (not too wet).
5. Chill for 3 hours.
6. Roll into 1 ½" balls, coat with powdered sugar by rolling it around in a bowl of powdered sugar.
7. On a greased cookie sheet, place dough balls about 2" apart.
8. Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes, let cool on cooling racks.

Enjoy!!



Friday, November 6, 2015

Top 5 Handmade Shops!

These are a few of my favorite things!



Today I'm sharing five of my favorite Etsy shops. Of course I love more than five, but I wanted to inspire you to start exploring the world of Etsy and make a difference in the lives of these makers and whomever you buy for this season!

Did I mention it's almost my birthday?

Some Things Wong [somethingswong.etsy.com]




You guys. Flowers that never die? Laci (@somethingswong) knows what you want before you even knew you wanted it. Succulents? I mean, come on. Her work is spectacular! She has a beautiful eye for color and somehow manages to create these gorgeous blooms that are sure to brighten any room. Flowers are the perfect gift for any occasion. She has so much to choose from!



Loops and Love Boutique [loopsandloveboutique.etsy.com]





Stephanie (@loopsandloveboutique) is the maker behind this adorable shop. She has been crocheting for years and recently opened her etsy shop this summer! Her love for crochet is apparent in her work. She makes baby bows, bow headbands (even mommy + me matching ones!), newborn hats, coffee cozies, blankets, and more! I love that she has a wide range of colors to choose from and loves making custom orders.



52home [52home.etsy.com]




Janelle Bradshaw (@janelle52home) creates these beautiful, truth-telling works of art. We already have four items from her shop hanging on the walls and sitting on our shelves! I just love having these verses and quotes around the home to keep me focused on Christ. When you visit her shop, don't fret if it's empty. These are hot ticket items! Be sure to follow her on instagram to know when she has her flash sales!



STORYhandmade  [STORYhandmade.etsy.com]




Shelley Nengstrom (@shelleynengstrom) is the maker behind these amazing necklaces and macrame. What I love the most about her work is that she is inspired by the nature around her! Her instagram feed is GORGEOUS, and it is clear that she has an eye for color and beauty. Her macrame would be the perfect piece of art to add to any room. It's pretty fun imagining it on every wall of our home. 



Aaand... of course. A little shameless plug:

Unafrayed Sewing [unafrayedsewing.etsy.com]




I've been sewing for a year now and just love being able create beautiful and useful items. My favorite gift items from the shop are: baby bandana drool bibs (age 6 months - 2+ years), headbands,  and zippered pouches for practically anything! I love making custom orders, so contact me via Facebook or Etsy and I would be happy to work with you!




I can't wait to grow my list of favorite handmade shops! What are yours? Let me know in the comments!