Oatmeal Cream Pies

Every time I pass the Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies in the grocery store I get a strong urge to buy at least 10 boxes of these things. I don't, but I really want to. :) So, I have been resisting that urge by completely avoiding that isle, it has been working out...sort of.

I decided to try to make my own, no crazy chemicals or preservatives (except for in the marshmallow cream). I can't take credit for this amazing recipe, head on over to Bravetart to see the original recipe and the recipe to make homemade marshmallow cream. Head on over there just to give thanks for posting such a great recipe!

This recipe does require the use of a kitchen scale.

Oatmeal Cream Pies

yield 30 sandwiches (60 individual cookies) with a 1" cookie scoop

Cookies:

8 oz.    A.P. Flour

4 oz.    Old-Fashioned Oats

1/2 oz.    Cocoa Powder

2 oz.    Dried Apple Rings

3 oz.    Butter, Room Temp

2 1/4 oz.    Oil (I used vegetable)

7 oz.    Sugar

1 1/2 oz.    Molasses

3 oz.    Corn Syrup

1 1/2 tsp.    Baking Soda

1/2 tsp.    Baking Powder

1/2 tsp.    Salt (Omit if using salted butter)

1/4 tsp.    Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp.    Cinnamon

1/4 tsp.    Mace Powder

1    Egg

2 oz.    Milk

Filling:

2 cups    Marshmallow Cream

4 oz.    Butter, Room Temp

Pinch    Salt (omit if using salted butter)

1/2 tsp.    Milk

Place dried apples, oats, cocoa powder, and flour in a food processor. Blend until no large chunks remain. About 2-4 mins.

This is what it will look like, set aside.

In a medium bowl, place butter, oil, sugar, molasses, corn syrup, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if used), cinnamon, mace, and ginger. Mix until combined.

Mix in the egg until combined.

Place the dry ingredients and the milk in the bowl.

Fold in with spatula until combined.

I used a 1" cookie scoop, place 12 cookies on a sheet pan.

Bake at 350F for 10 min. Rotate halfway through.

let cool enough so you can place them on a cooling rack without breaking.

For the filling, place marshmallow cream, and butter (I used margarine). Mix until smooth.

*Note: Marshmallow cream is very, very sticky, be prepared to have it all over your fingers*

Add in powder sugar and salt, mix until light and fluffy.

Place cream into a pastry bag (I used an 807 tip).

Pipe a dollop into the center of half of the cookies, place top cookies onto the dollop and press so the cream reaches the edges of the cookies.

yum, yum!

Enjoy!

Banana Cookies

Have you ever bought bananas thinking "oh yeah! Those are going to be delicious in my tummy." Then a few days pass, and they are slowly dying. Yep, that has happened to me! Today, in fact, I had some aging bananas giving me the stink eye for leaving them to sit. So, I decided to make something out of them, give them new life so to speak. Haha.

I didn't want to do yet another banana bread, so I went on the lookout for an alternate recipe to use my brown bananas. Well, guess what I found? *Drumroll please* a banana cookie recipe! I was very excited, I have never made banana cookies before...could it even be done? What is this sorcery?

So I set out to make them and oh my goodness! These little bite size cookies are delish! They are moist, banana-y, and very easy to make.

I found the recipe on Pots Pans & Parkers, there is even a delicious looking frosting that goes on top. I didn't want these to be too sweet so I omitted the frosting, but, head on over there if you want to try it out.

Banana Cookies
yield 45 cookies (1" cookie scoop)

3/4 cup    Shortening or Butter
3/4 cup    Sugar
1    Egg
1/2 tsp.    Vanilla
2    Mashed Bananas
1/4 tsp.    Baking Soda
2 cup    Flour

Place shortening (or butter) and sugar into a bowl.

Mix until creamy and combined.

Add the egg, bananas (as you can see I did not mash mine, they were pretty soft), and the vanilla.

Mix together, doesn't that look yummy? :P

Add in the flour and baking soda in a few additions. Mix until combined.

Using a 1" cookie scoop, I put 15 on each sheet pan (I sprayed my pans with cooking spray, feel free to use parchment). The cookies don't spread too much.

Bake at 350F for 8-10 mins. Bottoms will be golden brown, like the picture below.

Enjoy!

Easy No Rise Pizza

I came across a recipe a little while back for an easy 2 ingredient pizza recipe, yesterday I finally decided to try it out...Unfortunately I didn't have either ingredient! The recipe calls for self-rising flour and greek yogurt, luckily there was a substitution for all purpose flour right on the website.

This recipe will make 2 personal size pizzas or 1 med/large pizza. The sky is the limit with your toppings, create savory or sweet pizzas!

No Rise Pizza Dough
altered slightly from The Slow Roasted Italian

1 1/2 cups    A.P. Flour
1 1/2 tsp.    Baking Powder
3/4 tsp.    Salt
1 cup    Sour Cream

Place flour, baking powder, salt, and sour cream into a bowl.

Mix together (I used a wooden spoon) until combined.

Knead, by hand, on a floured counter for about 7 mins. Add flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.

Split dough in half, and roll out. I put cornmeal on the bottom of the pans, but you don't have to.

Top as desired, here is my pepperoni pizza.

and my cinnamon sugar one (of course).

Bake at 450F for 10-12 min. 

*Note dark pans will take about a min longer than light colored pans*

My pepperoni pizza (in a light pan) took 11 min, I rotated it at 5 min. 

My cinnamon sugar pizza (in a dark pan) took 10 min, I rotated it at 5 min. (I also topped with a powder sugar glaze)

Enjoy!

Gooey Cinnamon Rolls!

O-M-G! I have found the cinnamon roll recipe for me! This recipe has all of the components of a perfect cinnamon roll. It is gooey, cinnamon-y, full of deliciousness, (and shall I say it?) tastes pretty darn close to Cinnabon! I found the recipe on Pinterest, and the lady that posted this recipe actually took the Cinnabon ingredient list and deconstructed it to make this perfect cinnamon roll. She did it for the frosting as well, I must tell you this is probably as close to the real thing as you are going to get.

Not to be delayed from making an awesome cinnamon roll. Here is the recipe!

Gooey Cinnamon Roll:

Adapted from Laurens Latest

Dough:

3/4 Cup    Warm Water

2 1/4 Tsp    Active Dry Yeast

1/2 Cup    Sugar

1 Tsp    Salt

1/4 Cup    Buttermilk, Room Temp

1    Egg

1/3 Cup    Vegetable Oil

4 1/2 -5 Cups    AP Flour

Filling:

1/2 Cup    Soft Butter (or margarine)

1 1/4 Cups    Packed Brown Sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp    Cinnamon

2 Tbsp    Cornstarch

Frosting:

2 Oz.    Cream Cheese, Room Temp

1/4 Cup    Soft Butter (or Margarine)

1 Tsp    Vanilla Extract (or Paste)

1/2 Tbsp    Light Corn Syrup

1 Tsp    Fresh Lemon Juice (optional)

1 1/4 Cups    Powdered Sugar

Not shown: mix water, yeast, and 1 Tbsp sugar in a stand mixer. Proof until nice and bubbly about 5 Min.

In a separate bowl mix buttermilk, oil, and egg until uniform.

Pour buttermilk mix into yeast mix, add the remaining sugar, stir with dough hook just to incorporate.

Add 2 cups of flour into mixer along with the salt. Mix on low just until wet.

Keep adding flour in 1/4 Cup, until dough comes off the sides and bottom of bowl.

Once it reaches this stage, knead for about 5 min.

Grease bowl, cover, and let rise for 1-2 hours until double in size.

for the filling: Mix everything (except for butter) together (i just used a fork)

When dough is done rising, punch dough down, flour the table. 

Roll dough to about 20"x30" (it will be thin) make sure it does not stick to table.

Spread with butter (I did not measure the butter out) and spread all of the filling mix over dough. Leave about an inch of the dough on the longer side untouched.

Use a rolling pin to lightly pack the filling into the dough.

Roll and cut about every 2 in. You can score them and use thread or unflavored dental floss to cut, for perfect circles. Or a knife if you don't mind them being a little smushed.

Grease a 9x13 Pan and place parchment paper on bottom. I put 9 in one and 6 in the other. 

You could easily fit 12 in one pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and proof until double in size, they will touch but not squish each other.

Bake 350F for about 17 min, until tops begin to brown. Make sure you watch them!

For the frosting: Mix cream cheese and butter together, stir in vanilla, corn syrup, and lemon juice (if used).

Scrape sides, and mix in powdered sugar, mix on low until incorporated.

Then on high until frosting starts to lighten in color.

When you remove the rolls from oven, immediately frost with half of the frosting. Cool for a few minutes longer, then frost with the rest of the frosting.

Serve Warm!

Enjoy!