Baked Doughnuts

Oh la la la la. I have a new doughnut pan, so what do you think I've had for breakfast two days in a row? I love love love this recipe because you can glaze them, sugar them, or dip them in any crumbly goodness you desire.  This is just a basic doughnut recipe which you could play around with and make fun variations! To make these you will need a doughnut pan. Mine came from target and was about $10-$13.

Makes 6 doughnuts

You will need:
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. milk
1 & 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
3/4 cup flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp. melted butter (I always add a little extra)

To start:
1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
2. Combine milk, vinegar, egg and melted butter. Make sure you whisk it well so that the butter mixes in completely.
3. in a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix them well. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
4. Fill the doughnut pan. Mine was nonstick, but you may need to grease yours. To fill the pan you can either use a spoon or a piping bag.
5. Bake for 8 minutes in the center of the oven. Allow the doughnuts to cool completely before topping.

I topped some of these by brushing melted butter on the tops and dipping them in cinnamon sugar. On others added chocolate ganache frosting! The possibilities are endless.

Happy baking!

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies

I've discovered the secret to chocolate chip cookies that never get hard... cream cheese! These little cookies are so perfect and delicious!! You'll amaze any and every one who tries these cookies. They literally do melt in your mouth.

You will need:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tbsp. imitation vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg

To start:
1.  Let the butter and cream cheese set out for about 30 minutes to get soft.  If the cream cheese is not soft enough, it will ruin the consistency of the cookies.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips.
4.  Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture 1/3 at a time.
5.  Heat oven to 325 F.  Line a 9x13 cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop cookies onto it.  This batter is runny, so don't try to to roll into balls unless you want sticky hands! Drop them 1 1/2 inch apart because they will spread.
6.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cookies don't jiggle when the pan is shaken.
7.  Allow the cookies to cool down completely before removing them from the sheet, otherwise the bottoms will fall out.

Yields: 3 dozen small cookies

I absolutely adore these cookies. Bake with caution: they are extremely rich and highly addictive.

Happy Baking!!

White Cake to Chocolate

Have you ever been craving a chocolate cake and only had a white cake mix at hand? Here's the solution!

You will need:
1. White cake mix
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder

To start:
1. Empty the contents of the mix into a bowl.
2. Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the ingredients called for and bake, according to directions on your mix.

Viola! A chocolate cake out of a white cake mix!
Happy Cooking!