Vegetarian Guest Post: Anna & Amy’s Cookie Spree

Recently one of my best friends, Amy, came over and we had a serious cookie baking session (while the carnivore watched football in the other room and happily served as a taste tester/bowl licker). Somehow we managed to pick two unusually complicated recipes, each with multiple steps. But, they both turned out absolutely delicious, and with our teamwork, and a few cocktails, they came off without a hitch!

What’s baking without chocolate? We started with Martha’s chocalate-y “surprise” cookies. The “surprise” is a gooey marshmallow filling hidden by frosting—super decadent! Must serve with milk.

Makes 2 dozen

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

for the frosting:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
  3. Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets (we used parchment paper as a liner), about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  5. To make the frosting, place confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
  6. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.

I LOVE lemon (lemon-rosemary shortbread recipe from our wedding favors coming soon to the blog…), so we also made Giada’s Lemon Ricotta Cookies. The ricotta and high egg content make these really fluffy, almost like cheesecake.

Makes 4 dozen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested (you can use the juice from the lemon you zest)

for the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
  4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
  5. To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

About Evan

I like to eat. I like to cook. I like to eat what I cook. Now, I will share with you what I like to cook. My wife and I may be a vegetarian and a carnivore, but it doesn’t mean we can’t cook a nice meal with both, without compromising taste. I will share my creative meals of the Carnivore and the Vegetarian.
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One Response to Vegetarian Guest Post: Anna & Amy’s Cookie Spree

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention New Vegetarian Guest Post} - Cookies, Cookies Cookies...Chocolate Surprise and Lemon Ricotta. Get em while they're hot -- Topsy.com

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