Sweet December: A Baker's Dozen of Holiday Cookie Recipes

Berlinerkranser!Thanksgiving's over, and you know what that means: it's Holiday Cookie Season. Here's a baker's dozen of some of my favorite cookie recipes to start the season off with a sugary sparkle.

Snowy Snickerdoodles!

Mint Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies!

Candy Cane Cookies!Cinnamon Stars from Bredenbeck's Bakery!Mint Candy Butter Cookies!Homemade Thin Mints!

Peppernuts!
Eggnog Nanaimo Bars!Moldy Mice!

Jan Hagel!
Peppermint Nanaimo Bars!Gingerbread Mad Men!...and of course, if you have leftovers, you could always make some cookie croutons! Happy Cookie Season, everyone!

Teeny's Tour of Pie: High 5 Pie, Seattle

CakeSpy Note: This is the first in Teeny Lamothe's Tour de Pie series on CakeSpy! Teeny is touring the country, learning how to make pies at some of the nation's sweetest bakeries. She'll be reporting here on each stop! First stop: Seattle!

Where: Seattle, Washington

When: The first stop was September... beginning to end.

Why: I found a friend in pie and a fellow lady baker: Dani Cone. She is a truly savvy business lady as well as an inspired pie baker. Dani was the first person to say yes to the tour of pie! 

How: The first stop on the tour was phenomenal. I couldn't have asked for a better way to begin. Not only were Dani and lead baker Anna happy to host, they seemed enthralled with the idea of a pie tour. They provided some really solid advice as well as major baking time. I was able to go in four or five times a week and learn the process of making a High Five pie. 

Observations: I was able to do all sorts of things during the month I was at High Five. I learned how to make fillings by the pound rather than by each individual pie. I helped bake the wholesale pies, packaged them and got them ready for delivery. There was always crust to be rolled out. Anna was very conscious of not wasting excess dough, and I've actually incorporated a lot of her crust ideals into my own pie making. While I was there I fell in love with their marionberry pie and their savory reuben pie. I made my very first cream pie ... banana cream, thank you very much! and was able to share my own recipe for french silk pie, which I think they might still make on occasion. (and if they do, I am endlessly proud) Every day at the kitchen felt like a collaboration. If we weren't making the actual fillings we were talking about them, bouncing ideas off of each other and essentially letting the excitement of baking pie permeate our lives. The whole month felt very surreal, I had a hard time grasping what my life had become. Every day I got to play with butter and flour and that at the end of each day our labors resulted in delicious pies. It was truly an inspiring first stop. 

Tour of Pie Recipe: I did a lot of biking while I was in Seattle, and after getting very lost one day I stumbled on a huge cache of wild blackberry bushes. I later found out that they grow like weeds along the bike trails... but that day I thought I had discovered an amazing hidden treasure. I was tired and frustrated and entirely lost lost lost, but I dove into those bushes without a second thought and picked blackberries until my arms were sufficiently scratched, my fingertips were sufficiently stained and my appetite was sufficiently sated. So, clearly, the Seattle 'tour of pie' recipe is for...

Washington Blackberry Pie

Whole Wheat Crust Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1/2 c shortening 
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tbs)
• 1/4 c vodka
• 1/4 c water

Procedure

1. mix all the dry ingredients. cut in the butter and shortening until the pieces are about the size of peas and coated in flour. add the vodka, smush together with a spatula. add the water, smush together with a spatula. it's gonna be a little sticky/wet. divide into two balls, put in baggies, refrigerate for at least half an hour.... ya know, while you mix the filling. 

Blackberry Filling Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen (but definitely handpicked if possible!) blackberries
• 1/4 c sugar
• 4 tbs cornstarch

Procedure

1. mix everything together and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. assemble the pie! Roll out the first of the chilled crust balls. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter pie dish, trim any excess dough but be sure to leave a 3/4 inch overhang, spoon filling into the crust. I would use a lattice for the top crust, because it's just the prettiest with the dark blackberries. Arrange 7 or so dough strips on top of the filling, spacing evenly. Form lattice by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction on top of the filling. Trim ends of dough strips even with overhang of bottom crust. Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal. Crimp edges decoratively.
3. bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown and your blackberries are bubbling. 

Win an all-expenses paid trip for 2 to Seattle to eat dessert with me!

Natty Boh Cupcakes Recipe from Cake Gumshoe Jen

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest post from Cake Gumshoe Jen, who lives in Annapolis, Md., just down the road from Baltimore, the home of National Bohemian beer -- or Natty Boh. She was inspired by the adorable man with the mustache to bake these Natty Boh cupcakes for her blog, Eat. Swim. Shop. 

If you’re not from the mid-Atlantic, you may not be familiar with National Bohemian beer — or Natty Boh.

Natty Boh has a long history in Baltimore, and while it’s not brewed in the Charm City anymore, many people consider it Baltimore’s beer. And the super cute one-eyed mascot, Mr. Boh, still winks at everyone from the top of Brewers Hill. So when I decided to bake some beer cupcakes in honor of Baltimore Beer Week, I had to use Natty Boh.

I am not a beer person, but Natty Boh tastes a little like Corona to me. So I thought lime zest would work well with the beer in the batter.

I didn’t whip the egg yolks long enough because I’m impatient. But the cupcakes will be even spongier if you do. So you should.

Don’t be scared by the beer in the batter. The cupcakes just have a slight hint of Natty Boh flavor (and scent), but it’s really nice. I put a little bit of beer in the frosting, too, but you don’t have to.

FYI, it’s probably a good idea to make sure you have enough powdered sugar to make frosting before you start making the frosting… especially if it’s 11 p.m. and your neighbors are asleep.

Since these are Baltimore cupcakes, I used Duff/Charm City Cakes black fondant to make little Mr. Boh-esque mustaches. I just used a small sharp knife to cut the mustaches out, but you could make a stencil from parchment paper if you’d like. I also tried to do an eye, but it looked weird. Alas.

Of course, don't let the extra beer go to waste...

Here's the recipe.

Beer-lime cupcakes (Recipe adapted from a really old edition of the Joy of Cooking. Makes about 15 cupcakes)

• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 cup granulated sugar (sift if there are a bunch of chunks in it)
• 3 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1/3 cup beer
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Stir the sugar and lime zest together in a small bowl or measuring cup.
2. Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thick and lemon-colored — this may take a few minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until well combined. Stir in the beer. (And wash the beaters)
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup (you can use the one you used for the sugar), stir together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to the yolk mixture and stir until combined.
4. Using clean, dry beaters (and a clean, dry small bowl), beat the egg whites until they hold peaks, but are still glossy. Fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
5. Pour or spoon the batter into lined cake pans, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cupcakes start to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

Beer-lime buttercream (makes just enough to frost 15-16 cupcakes, double recipe if you want to use a lot of frosting on each cupcake)

• 1 stick (1/4 cup) butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2-2 cups powdered/confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon beer
• 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon lime zest (optional)

Procedure

Beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar together until fluffy. Add beer, lime juice and lime zest and beat to combine. Add additional powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency (or until you run out, like me).

CakeSpy on TV: New Day Northwest!

Oh, hi guys. I was on TV in Seattle the other day, and I think you'll enjoy watching it.

Please note that I was able to work unicorns into the conversation. Score!

To read more or to see the recipes featured on the segment, you can visit the New Day Northwest website; you can also find all of the recipes in my amazing book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life, which can conveniently be purchased at Urban Outfitters and many other retailers.

Pie Time: Meet CakeSpy Contributor Teeny Lamothe, Pie-Maker

CakeSpy Note: Do I ever have exciting news for you. CakeSpy's got a new contributor, who focuses on pie! Just don't call her PieSpy: her name is Teeny Lamothe, and she's touring the country as a pie apprentice at various bakeries. She's going to chime in with her sweet discoveries and observations on the way! But I've spoken enough--let me allow her to introduce herself.

Hello CakeSpies! My name is Teeny Lamothe and I'm a lady pie baker on a very important quest for pie knowledge. While your number one Spy has begun touring around toting treats and books (hooray!) I've just embarked on a 'tour of pie.'

You're probably wondering what a 'Tour of Pie' entails... It's essentially my way of paying homage to the old world notion that apprenticing is the most vital and thorough way to learn a trade. I'm going all over the United States to apprentice at a slew of different pie shops in order to learn as much as I can before embarking on my own lady bakership. I've invented an individually educational trip in which I get to bake with pie mentors every day, dousing myself in flour and fillings and helping little bits of fruit and sugar fulfill their pie destinies. Check out my pie musings at teenypies.tumblr.com and support pie here.

Look out for Teeny's entries starting later on this week!

Tom Douglas Restaurants Cookbook Social This Thursday!

You guyyyys. If you live in Seattle, you simply must come to this star-studded foodie event!

Scan to the bottom of this post to find the link to buy tickets and to see the roster of amazing cookbook authors who will be there.

Here are the details:

Tom Douglas Cookbook Social

Date: Thursday, December 1^st

Time: 4-7pm

Location: The Palace Ballroom, 2100 5^th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Cost: $20 tax included

Ticket price includes entrance into the event, tastes from each author, and one drink ticket.

Kick off your holiday cookbook shopping at Tom Douglas’ 2011 Cookbook Social! Back for another year, this popular event brings some of Washington’s BEST cookbook authors together in one room for one evening only. 

Come join us on the first of December to purchase some amazing cookbooks direct from the authors themselves and try tasty nibbles from one of the recipes in their book.  This is a great opportunity to stock up on gifts for the food lovers in your life OR to build your own cookbook library at home.

Authors: Keren Brown, Lisa Dupar, Jessie Oleson, Amy Pennington, Becky Selengut, Ethan Stowell, Maggie Savarino, Kurt Timmermeister, Sharon Kramis & Julie Hearne, Lisa Dupar, Greg Atkinson, Brad Parsons, Frank Curtis, Mark Klebeck, Dave Hughes and Tom Douglas.

Buy your tickets here!

Shake it: Leftover Thanksgiving Pie Milkshake Recipe for Serious Eats

It's time to clear out the rest of your Thanksgiving dessert leftovers—after all, you've got to make room in your kitchen and in your life for Christmas cookies.

So, in the spirit of cleaning out your fridge, I've got the perfect solution for using up any leftover Thanksgiving pie and cranberry sauce: make it in a shake!

This milkshake recipe is easy to make using leftover pecan or pumpkin pie (but not both at the same time, please) with a touch of cranberry sauce for a tinge of tartness; if you're daring, go ahead and add in a spoonful of sweet potato casserole, too. Mix it up, and then sip, savor, and enjoy this indulgent post-holiday treat.

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Friendsgiving: Chocolate Baileys Ice Cream Pudding Pie Recipe

Pudding pie is far more delicious when you make it with melted ice cream. But it's even TASTIER when you add Baileys to the mix, as I did for their Friendsgiving campaign.

Pairing decadent, creamy Baileys with chocolate ice cream and pudding will yield possibly the most luxuriant chocolate cream pie filling you've ever tasted. The thick, velvety chocolate mixture falls somewhere between pudding pop and mousse in texture, which is so deeply, darkly, completely chocolaty in flavor that you won't want the slice to stop.

Note: As for the pie crust, the style used is up to you. I used a chocolate wafer cookie crust, but you could easily swap it out for a graham cracker or cookie crust if desired. 

Baileys Ice Cream Pudding Pie

• Pre-baked 9-inch pie crust 
• 1 large package (5.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding 
• 1 1/2 cups melted chocolate ice cream (yield after melting), with a nice pour of Baileys mixed in
• 1/2 cup Baileyswhipped cream for topping (suggested)

Procedure

1. In a large bowl, beat pudding mix and Baileys and melted ice cream with a whisk until fully combined (about 2 minutes). 

2. Spoon mixture into your prepared pie crust (it will be rather thick). Using an offset spatula, smooth the filling so that it is evenly distributed. 

3. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to let set before eating. If desired, top with a dollop of whipped cream before serving. 

CakeSpy Undercover: Sugar Bakery, West Roxbury, MA

Not long ago, when I was in Boston for my Tour de Sweet Book tour, I happened upon a bakery that had a name I liked: Sugar Bakery, located in West Roxbury.

I liked the look of things once I went inside, too. They had whoopie pies:

and cupcakes:

and cookies:

and something really magical called Alpine Cake, which I want to try next time.

but on this trip I kept it simple and got the toasted anise cookie with icing and rainbow sprinkles (or jimmies, if you must).

Not only was this cookie pretty to look at, but it was sweet to eat: buttery-crumbly, slightly softer than a typical biscotti and fatter, and scented with anise, but not in an overpowering way. It was a perfect post-breakfast cookie after a massive morning feast at the nearby Rox Diner, and ideal when paired with milky coffee.

So you know what I say? Go to Sugar Bakery in West Roxbury.

Sugar Bakery, 1884 Centre Street, West Roxbury MA. Online here.