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Irish whiskey chocolate chip cookies

So, you say you like whiskey AND you like chocolate chip cookies? These might just be your new favorite cookies of all time. Chocolate and whiskey (or is it spelled whisky?), perhaps unsurprisingly, go together extremely well. A subtly smokey, nutty whiskey complements the creamy chocolate morsels quite nicely. You can go with any whiskey, normally I would choose Jack Daniels, but being that it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, it was an easy choice—Jameson. While the alcohol evaporates when you cook them, you’re still left with an insanely delicious flavor combo in this whiskey chocolate chip cookie. Love boozy recipes this time of year? Try this Crock Pot Guinness Roast Beef recipe or this Easy White Chocolate Baileys Irish Fudge recipe. Whiskey chocolate chip cookies Makes about 12 cookies  Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg 2 tbsp whiskey 2 tbsp vanilla…

Classic chocolate eclair recipe

Do you dare to éclair? Éclairs used to seem like one of those unattainable pastries—something you had no choice by to pay $8 for in a fancy French patisserie in New York or Europe if you wanted to cure your craving. Why, they simply couldn’t be made at home by a cheeseburger eating American girl with no formal training! …Or so I had myself convinced for years. This is, of course, 100% ridiculous. For all the fanciness of their name—éclair means lightning, by-the-way—they really are not all that hard to make. Sure, there are three steps, but even all together, they can still be tackled in around 2 hours. The filling can even be made ahead of time. Though they had originated in France around the turn of the 19th century, the first known recipe for éclairs appears in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Mrs. D.A. Lincoln, published…

Red velvet pizzelle are a perfect cookie for February

Pizzelle are the ultimate holiday cookie. In my family, we eat them for Christmas and New Year and always, always, always around Easter. We can even count on them for birthdays. Valentine’s Day was feeling left out so I put a red velvet twist on this traditional Italian cookie. The bright red color and crispy, rich chocolatey taste make them perfect for sharing with your better half. Dunk these Red Velvet Pizzelle in ice cold milk or savor with your morning coffee for a combo that will have you believing in love at first bite. Red Velvet Pizzelle Makes about 3 dozen Ingredients 3 large eggs 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp vanilla 2 tsp red food coloring Directions Preheat pizzelle iron and set aside. Lay a few low-lint…

A short but sweet history of Hershey’s kisses

The year was 1907. Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States, Oklahoma had been admitted as 46th state in the Union, and Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses came into the nation’s collective candy-loving conscious. Hershey’s has been planting its chocolaty kisses on Americans for more than 110 years. Today, the bite-sized candy is the 5th most popular chocolate brand in the country, with sales topping $400 million. To keep up with demand, more than 60 million Hershey’s Kisses are produced each day between the company’s two factories. So how exactly did this iconic candy get its lovable name? While no one alive today was there to witness the first bottom-heavy, bite-sized, chocolaty blob hit the conveyor belt, urban lore has it that the tasty treat was named for the lip-smacking sound the machinery made when dropping the melty chocolates during the manufacturing process. Naysayers argue that the word “kiss” had been a…

Cadbury Bunny Tryouts are back for 2020

Your pet has a shot at 15 minutes of fame this Easter. The Cadbury bunny has been the company’s mascot for years, but because “everybody wants to be the Cadbury Bunny”—as the iconic commercial declares—recently they’ve opened the casting call to more than just regular old rabbits. Last year, Cadbury hosted a tryout for the position and invited any species of animal to don a pair of fuzzy ears and see if they had what it took to be the next face of its festive chocolate Easter egg candies. A bulldog named Henri took top honors in 2019, but now the company is once looking for a fresh adorable face for 2020. Cadbury is encouraging all pet owners to enter to become the official Cadbury Bunny, and they’ve made the process simple. Visit the Cadbury website and submit a cute photo of your pet wearing bunny ears. No bunny eats…

How to store Valentine’s Day candy to make it last

We’re barely through Halloween when Christmas candy starts piling up. Then comes Valentine’s Day, and you know Easter is right around the corner. Unless you’re making a serious effort to gobble up your holiday candy, chances are that by now you have too much of it laying around. But no need to fret! Your Valentine’s Day candy—or any holiday candy—can be stored for the long haul and enjoyed later this year. Here’s how: General tips Candies have different storage requirements, but the pantry or a dry basement are usually safe bets to stash sweets for months. Freezing is a popular method for preserving food over a long period of time, but not all sweets are suited for the harsh cold of the freezer. Toffee and truffles can be frozen for up to 2 months, but avoid freezing anything with fruit or nuts. Avoid mixing types of candies in one container.…

New Year’s Eve Sparkling Party Pretzels

Looking for a quick, festive snack to bring to your New Year’s Eve party? These Sparkling Party Pretzels will be a hit with kids and adults alike. Just melt some chocolate, sprinkle generously with the season’s most festive sparkles, and let dry. If you’re looking for great New Year’s Eve-inspired sprinkles, check your grocery store. This time of year, they tend to stock more unusual colors like silver and black. If not, party store chains like Party City carry them. I’ve also had success at Bed Bath & Beyond. If you’re a better planner than I, the internet, of course, opens you up to a whole world of sprinkle colors, shapes and sizes. Also be sure to check out, What’s the difference between Prosecco and Champagne? Happy New Year’s! New Year’s Eve Sparkling Party Pretzels About 2 dozen Ingredients Splash of milk 12 ounces white chocolate chips 24 pretzel rods…

The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

In the holiday wonderland of hundreds of types of Christmas cookies, how does one cookie stand apart? It must be one rich, decadent, and fudgy cookie! These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are seriously the best! They taste just like a brownie only better. They’re lightly crunchy on the outside, yet irresistibly chewy in the center. You’re about to find a new holiday favorite. Tips for baking the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature. Don’t skip Step 4 (chilling the dough). Dough is super sticky and needs to chill or else it will be too difficult to work with. Chilling also helps create thicker cookies with a fudgy flavor. If they’re too warm when they go into the oven, they’ll spread out too thin. Remember to adjust the baking time to your oven. 10-12 minutes is a suggestion. If you bake too long, they’ll lose…

Cute Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes for Kids

These ridiculously moist chocolate cupcakes are made from scratch and completely adorable. Kids will love the fun, festive reindeer design, but adults with dig the rich, delicious chocolatey flavor. Bring them to a holiday potluck or send them with your kids to school. No matter the holiday occasion, your cupcakes are sure to gather compliments. Homemade cupcakes are always the best, but if you’re crunched for time, there’s no shame in the boxed cupcake mix game either. Just pick up a package of your favorite cupcake mix and frosting and bake according to the box. Let cool, and decorate per the instructions below. Happy holidays! Cute Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes for Kids Makes about two dozen+ cupcakes Ingredients 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder 1/8 tsp salt 3 tbsp butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 3/4 tsp…

How to make homemade Nutella

I don’t buy Nutella that often because, quite simply, I can’t control myself. That sweet, nutty, chocolatey butter spread beckons me in the middle of the night, and before I know it, I’ve eaten several slices of toast heavily smothered in the stuff. (I could easily kill this 6.6 pound bucket — just hand me the bread!) It’s not super healthy, and it is super expensive (about $5 for a tiny jar!), but when I make my own, it becomes not so bad on either front. Check out this restaurant with an entirely Nutella menu. This homemade Nutella recipe is quick and easy to pull off if you have the right equipment. You’re going to need a high-powered food processor or blender along with a microwave and an oven or a toaster oven. As for ingredients, you’re going to need hazelnuts. They might be a little harder to find than,…