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Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies

By Denise Pare-Watson

Pomegranate Molasses is a unique product which is not commonly utilized and for that matter, not commonly attainable.  It is my objective to encourage you to consider pomegranate molasses and provide you with some compelling reasons why you should try it.  I will introduce you to an easy recipe on how to make your own pomegranate molasses and how to use it to make deliciously distinctive Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies.  The recipe incorporates pomegranate molasses into the cookie dough as well as into a garnish on top of the baked cookie.  The cookies are lightly spiced to compliment the flavour of pomegranate molasses.  The cookie dough is rolled in organic cane sugar before baking to give them a crunchy exterior and a tender center.  The flavour and texture of these cookies make them a pleasure to eat.

Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookie
Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookie

Let’s start with the fundamentals.  What exactly is pomegranate molasses?  It is essentially pomegranate juice that is boiled down to a syrup (a reduction).  The syrup has a concentrated flavour with a pleasant lingering taste of sweet and sour on the tongue – a very unique tang. You can use it in almost everything from beverages, salad dressings or drizzling on roasted vegetables, glazing ham and as a flavour enhancer to many varieties of food – both sweet and savoury. 

Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies
Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies

Pomegranates/pomegranate molasses are classified as a super food having many health benefits.  They are an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins, and anthocyanins.   You can read additional information about pomegranates in my post, “Fun With Pomegranates”.  

Pomegranate Molasses is a very popular condiment and flavouring ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking.  It can often be found in the international aisle of most major grocery stores or stores specializing in Middle Eastern food products.  If you cannot find it in stores near you, pomegranate molasses can be easily made at home. (see recipe below).  

I was amazed to learn that pomegranate molasses is also helpful in reducing your body temperature in the summer (see my note below under “What Else Can I Do with This Recipe” regarding a refreshing pomegranate molasses beverage).  

I encourage you to explore how easy it is to incorporate pomegranate molasses into your food and beverage preparation. Its versatility is unique in the fact that it enhances both sweet and savoury dishes. 

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Filed Under: Cookies, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes Tagged With: Baking, Baking Ingredients, Cookies, Pomegranate Molasses

Holiday Pinwheel Biscotti

By Denise Pare-Watson

Going into an Italian store is always an adventure for me.  One of the many things that I am always fascinated by is the huge glass container filled with tall biscotti sitting upright in the jar.  They are typically large enough to feed a family!  As much as I like these huge cookies, they are just too big! I wanted a smaller biscotti that would be more suitable for a coffee gathering.  I adapted a recipe that uses a filling in the biscotti dough to make them more distinctive.   Biscotti are always a hit during the holiday season given their ease of storage and long shelf life, not to mention wonderful in texture and flavour.  

A Stack of Biscotti with pinwheel filling | urbnspice.com
Holiday Pinwheel Biscotti | urbnspice.com

I had a little leftover cranberry sauce from my Dairy-Free White Chocolate Eggnog with Cranberry Coulis, so it was a great opportunity to utilise it as a filling in the biscotti.  These Holiday Pinwheel Biscotti are a tender, not hard biscotti and they are much smaller in size than traditional biscotti – you’re going to love them!  They also make excellent edible gifts.

Edible Gifts by Urbnspice
Holiday Pinwheel Biscotti make excellent edible gifts
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Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday and Special Occasion Dishes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes Tagged With: Biscotti, Christmas Cookies, Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes

Petite Home Baked Kingston Biscuits

By Denise Pare-Watson

Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free

If you love cookies that offer both chewiness and crunchiness in texture, you are going to love this recipe!  These Australian favourites are irresistible chocolate cream filled sandwich cookies.   They have not lost their popularity since their 1926 creation by the Arnott Biscuit Company.  The cookies are similar to another popular Australian cookie called Anzac Cookies, which have similar ingredients and preparation methods to the Kingston biscuits. These Home Baked Kingston Biscuits adapt very well to gluten-free and dairy-free substitutions.  Kingston Biscuits have always been egg-free and nut-free.  For the purpose of this post, I am providing the gluten-free and dairy-free version of this recipe.

Kingston Biscuits stacked on a plate | urbnspice.com
Petite-sized Home Baked Kingston Biscuits
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Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Egg Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, School Lunch or After School Snacks Tagged With: Biscuits, Cookie Dough, Cookie Recipes, Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Egg Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, Petit Fours, Sandwich Cookies

Picca-Bots – A Chocolate Chip Cookie Story

By Denise Pare-Watson

Ever since our granddaughter was a toddler, she has had an affinity for polka-dots.  She found them everywhere:  on clothing, gift-wrap paper, ribbons and on wallpaper.  Her excitement when finding ‘picca-bots’ was so contagious that we were constantly searching as well.  This endearing term has stuck around our family ever since.  She was two years old when I was testing recipes for a cookbook, and she was ‘helping’ me in the kitchen with some Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookies when she blurted out that the cookies were ‘picca-bots.’  My initial thought was to name the little cookies Dalmatian cookies, but as soon as she said it, I knew that the name for these cookies would always be “Picca-Bots” – and the rest, as they say, is history.

A closeup of a Picca-Bot:  A chocolate Chip Shortbread cookie | urbnspice.com
Picca-Bots – A Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookie

These delightful little cookie poppers are, enriched with white chocolate and butter in the polka-dotted dough (they are essentially a shortbread cookie).  Since Picca-bots are made with only a few ingredients, make sure that they are of the highest quality (white chocolate couverture, excellent butter and pure vanilla). As these cookies are very rich, I have developed the recipe with this in mind and utilize my smallest cookie scoop. I know that you will love these dainty cookies!

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Filed Under: Chocolate, Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes Tagged With: Cookies, Dairy-free Desserts, Gluten Free, Shortbread Cookies

Old Fashioned Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies

By Denise Pare-Watson

I enjoy re-engineering vintage recipes.  I recently came across a recipe for an Old Fashioned Biscuit Cookie that I remember enjoying in my childhood.  We rarely had store bought baked goods in our large household, so the taste of these cookies is still entrenched in my memory. They were so different from the home baked Hermit cookies that my Mom typically made.  Cookies that look like a cracker with a chewy texture and crunchy sugar topping were very appealing back then and are still today.  Old Fashioned Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies were originally known as Garibaldi Biscuits and were named after an Italian general named Giuseppe Garibaldi.  The biscuit company Peek Freans first manufactured the cookie in 1861.  They have been a popular snack for over 150 years in Britain, as well as Australia and New Zealand where they are known by different names such as “Fruitli” and “Full O’Fruit.”

Gluten Free Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies | urbnspice.com
Old Fashioned Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookie

Originally, currants were used in Garibaldi Biscuit Cookies. In this Old Fashioned Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies recipe, I have substituted Golden Raisins for the currants.  The cookie dough is rolled into a thin layer and folded over a layer of golden raisins and firmly pressed flat with a rolling pin to create a thin sheet of fruit-studded dough.  While currants were traditional in this distinctive cookie, I like the look of the golden raisins peeking through the dough and in the baked cookie.  Golden raisins are also known as sultanas and are made from green seedless grapes that are dried.  Golden raisins are the juiciest and lightest in colour of all raisins.  Raisins (dark raisins, sultanas and currants) are highly nutritious, high in fibre, potassium and antioxidants.  Due to their concentrated nature, they are also high in sugar and calories so it is advisable to eat them in moderate amounts.

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
Julia Child

I remember reading about a study that showed eating raisins may lower blood pressure, improve control of blood sugar and also increase the feelings of satiety.  On a more romantic note, I remember reading the following quote from a dietician’s manual that has stuck with me for many years:

“Eat a handful of raisins, and you can kiss your husband for an hour! ” Anonymous

Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies | urbnspice.com
Old Fashioned Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookie

I find it quite amusing that this style of cookie is today often referred to as ‘Boomer Cookies’.  My husband refers to them as “Old Fart Favourites” – he is a boomer (#oldfart).  You will want to try this old-fashioned recipe, which has been modernized to accommodate gluten-free/dairy-free options as well as maintaining the traditional recipe.  Both versions are scrumptious.

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Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, Pastry, School Lunch or After School Snacks, Vintage Recipes, Vintage Recipes Tagged With: Baking Techniques, Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Vintage Recipes

Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies

By Denise Pare-Watson

I have been making Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies for many years. These little cookies have a story behind them.  When I was first married, we were snowed in for most of the winter in a little town called Ripley (believe it or not!).  There was so much snow that it was as high as the power lines.  The County had to add extensions onto the snow blowers in order to blow the snow up and over the top of the power lines. That winter went down in the history of Bruce County.  There were even T-shirts made that were emblazoned with the slogan “I survived the winter of 1977”.

Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies

My Mom always said that a sign of a good cook is making something out of nothing.  During that epic winter, the local grocery stores often ran a little low on supplies since deliveries were so disrupted.  One had to get a little creative when you needed to make something for the local events in that very tight knit community.  I still had a little flour, sugar and butter and the remnants from a bag of potato chips in my pantry, and that is how my Crunchy Potato Chip Cookie recipe came to be. 

Freshly baked Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies

Nowadays, I make these cookies because they are unique and crispy with a not-too-sweet and somewhat savoury taste.  They are a great addition to a cheese or dessert platter.  The added bonus is that you can have that crunch without the use of nuts.

Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies

CHEF TALK:  These cookies are fun to make with kids, as they are simple and easy to make, require very few ingredients, and are ready to bake right away. It seems that there are always enough chips left in the snack bowl to make these cookies. You only need 1/2 cup of crushed potato chips.

CHEF TIP:  If you use gluten-free flour blend for these cookies, they will remain quite light in colour. If you are making the cookies for someone who is able to tolerate dairy, add 1 tablespoon of skim milk powder – this helps to brown the cookie dough in the oven. For dairy-free cookies, substitute coconut butter for the butter.

Yield:  22 – 24 cookies (15 g each) at 1 ½” diameter

INGREDIENTS:

  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup shortening
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar or organic cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 – 1 gluten-free Baking Flour)
  • ½ cup well crushed potato chips

METHOD:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/325°F (if using a convection oven).
  2. Cream the butter and shortening with sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the vanilla bean paste.
  4. Add the flour and crushed potato chips.
  5. Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet (small scoop = 1 tablespoon each).  Alternatively, chill the dough and then roll into small balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart (the cookies will spread slightly).
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes.  Cool on the tray and then store in an airtight container for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
Potato Chip Cookie nuggets | urbnspice.com

Do you Want More Urb’n’Spice Cookie Recipes?

Citrus Sand Cookies

Ricciarelli Cookies – An Italian Almond Cookie

Junior Chefs Best Cookies

Twice-Baked Nutty Meringue Cookie Crisps

Nut Butter Cookies

My Dee’s Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Vanilla Bean Poppers

Vanilla Bean Poppers – Holiday Food Fun Variation

Rainbow Poppers

How to Make Aquafaba Meringues

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

  • Parchment Paper
  • Favourite Kitchen Tools: Spatula
  • Extracts: Vanilla Extract
  • Creaming
  • Oven Temperature Accuracy
    __________

If you try my recipe for Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Denise Pare-Watson - The Urb'n'Spice Chef | urbnspice.com

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Crunchy Potato Chip Cookies | urbnspice.com

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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Cookies, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, School Lunch or After School Snacks Tagged With: After School Snacks, Baking, Cookies, Gluten Free Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, School Lunch

Citrus Sand Cookies

By Denise Pare-Watson

Citrus Sand Cookies are one of my favourite cookies as they have an interesting sandy and crunchy texture. They are a sable type of cookie and are made with only a few ingredients:  butter, sugar, flour and flavourings.  I love these cookies because when time is limited, it only takes a few minutes to prepare the dough and chill it in logs until you are ready to bake them (this is an icebox style cookie).  Once baked, they can be kept in an airtight tin and served with tea and coffee or as a compliment to a number of desserts such as crème brulée, panna cotta or ice cream. You must try these little cookies – they can be enjoyed for any number of occasions.  They made great edible gifts, too.

Citrus Sand Cookies | urbnspice.com

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Beverages, Cookies, Desserts and Sweets, Gluten Free Recipes, Holiday Baking, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes Tagged With: Christmas Cookies, Citrus, Cookies, Gluten Free Recipes, Refrigerator Cookies

Ricciarelli – An Italian Almond Cookie

By Denise Pare-Watson

Ricciarelli – An Italian Almond Cookie

 

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to be hired as the opening pastry chef of a new Italian restaurant.  I say fortunate because I was given the freedom to introduce a dessert menu that would highlight Italian desserts, which are some of my favourites!  Traditional Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, Zabaglione and biscotti cookies are always popular choices, however, I wanted to add menu items that were not as well known in Canada.  That is why Ricciarelli was considered – An Italian Almond Cookie that soon became a customer favourite on the menu.

Ricciarelli - An Italian Almond Cookie | urbnspice.com

What appeals to me about Ricciarelli is that it is a rustic cookie with rugged edges and a light, crunchy texture.  Another interesting aspect of why I included this cookie on the menu was that I have always adopted a no-waste approach to food preparation.   Since there is always an abundance of egg whites left over in the fridge from the tiramisu and other menu items that required only egg yolks, I needed a way to incorporate the egg white surplus into my dessert repertoire; hence, the introduction of Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Macaroons, Amaretti and Twice Baked Meringue Cookie Crisps to the menu.  I know that you will love this Ricciarelli recipe as much as my restaurant customers did!  Ricciarelli is excellent with espresso or gelato, or just on its own.

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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
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Filed Under: Baking Techniques, Cookies, Desserts and Sweets, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Holiday Baking, My Recipes Tagged With: Almonds, Cookies, Gluten Free Desserts, Gluten Free Recipes, Italian Cookies, Italian food

Junior Chefs’ Best Cookies – GF, DF, Low Refined Sugar

By Denise Pare-Watson

Kids in the Kitchen Series

It is no secret that I enjoy having children in my kitchen. I love being a part of their eagerness and excitement when I suggest that we do some baking together. Today, we were presented with a different type of baking challenge. Their grandfather requested cookies that included some of his most favourite ingredients. Additionally, we had to consider several dietary restrictions: the cookies had to be healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free and low in refined sugar. Together we came up with a delicious cookie recipe that the children appropriately named, “Junior Chefs’ Best Cookies.”  Skip to Recipe

Junior Chef's Best Cookies | urbnspice.com

Junior Chef’s Best Cookies are Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Low Refined Sugar and delicious!

Baking is a great opportunity to teach children all about measurements such as fractions, weight, volume and calculating yield. These are skills that they need to learn and it sure is a fun way to create memories that will last a lifetime.

“Always eat something that the farmer grows as part of your snack” was the standing rule that we had with our daughters and now that same rule applies to our grandchildren. Okanagan apricots are in season. We really enjoy this fruit, which is juicy and sweet and always creates a drippy mess on our fingers. The rewards for eating what the farmer grows are these delicious healthy cookies! How great is that?…

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Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
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License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Dietary Restrictions, Gluten Free Recipes, Kids in the Kitchen, My Recipes, School Lunch or After School Snacks Tagged With: Baking, Baking Tips, Baking with Children, Cookies, Dairy Free, Dietary Restrictions, Gluten Free Recipes, Kids in the Kitchen, Low Refined Sugar

Twice Baked Nutty Meringue Cookie Crisps

By Denise Pare-Watson

These Twice Baked Nutty Meringue Cookie Crisps will be unlike any cookie you have ever baked.  It is a biscotti style cookie, meaning it is baked one more time after it is sliced to create a crispy flavourful cookie.

Skip to My Recipe

Twice Baked Meringue Cookie Crisps closeup | urbnspice.com

Twice Baked Meringue Cookie Crisps

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
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License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Dessert Garnish, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes Tagged With: Baking, Baking Tips, Cookies, Dairy Free Recipes, Dessert Garnish, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Techniques

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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