Holiday Desserts

The holiday season is upon us and it’s a great time to try out new dessert recipes! Below are a few favorites with pictures of the final product! Happy Baking Everyone!

Cannoli Bites

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 48 bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
• 2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 large egg white
• 6–8 Tbsp apple juice or grape juice*
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar or plain white vinegar would be fine)
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 12 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese, strained
• 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar**
• 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
• Optional toppings:
• Melted chocolate, chopped pistachios, sprinkles, toasted sweetened coconut

Preparation: For the cannoli cups:

• Add flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a food processor and pulse until blended. Pour in melted butter and pulse until well combined then add egg white and pulse until blended. In a bowl combine juice and vinegar, with processor running slowly pour in juice mixture and pulse just until mixture begins to come together. Divide dough into two pieces, shape into balls and transfer to a resealable bag. Chill in refrigerator 30 minutes — 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees during last 10 minutes of refrigeration.
• Meanwhile prepare filling. In a mixing bowl, using a rubber or silicone spatula, blend together Ricotta and Mascarpone cheese while running and pressing mixture along bottom of bowl to remove any lumps. Fold in powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes (or until ready to use).
• Roll each chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface (dust top with flour too) into a 14-inch circle, to about an 1/8-inch thickeness. Cut into circles using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter. Transfer rounds to an ungreased mini muffin tin, pressing evenly into sides and bottom of muffin well. Spray tops evenly with vegetable oil spray (I just poured vegetable oil in to my Misto to spray). Bake in preheated oven 11–13 minutes until lightly golden (I liked these best crisp). Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool dip tops in chocolate if desired then into coating if using (such as pistachios) and allow chocolate to set.
• Remove cannoli filling from refrigerator, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a tip (or you can use a large resealable bag and cut the tip of the end). Pipe filling into cups and sprinkle with chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar. For best results serve within 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.
• Update — some have mentioned their dough being too thick and not elastic enough to keep a shape when rolling and cutting, so I’v updated it to be 6–8 Tbsp of juice rather than just 6 Tbsp.

Coconut Orange Snowballs

Yield: 3 dozen snowballs

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally about 12 minutes
• Using electric mixer, beaut butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.
• Preheat oven to 350, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1 level tablespoon, dough for each cookie and roll between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks, cool for 5 minutes. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack, and roll cookies through powdered sugar again, coating generously.
• Can be made 5 days in advance. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields: 5 dozen

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12 oz pkg.) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets.
• Bake for 9–11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.

Pecan Pie Bars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bake time: 45 minutes + cooling

Yields: 48 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

Filling:

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt; cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes
• For filling, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans, spread over hot crust.
• Bake 25–30 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool completely in pan. Cut into bars.

Enjoy!