I am beginning to develop a deep love for baking, why? because it's quick, easy and it always turns out good somehow ;). This is the fourth time I am baking in a long while; Nutella pound cake, Monster peanut butter M&M cookies, Cheddar inside-out Empanadas and the latest Spiced Butterscotch Cookies.
Today I am sharing my Spiced Butterscotch Cookies adventure with you. Why not the others? Well presentation-wise, my Nutella pound cake did not turn out the way I wanted, the peanut butter m&m cookies were very crumbly...but they did taste greeeat!!! One of my colleagues at work was like the cake was sinful! I didn't know until I had some the following day and then I regretted not making more. Empanadas will be coming up soon, and the others will show up when I perfect the recipes.
Before I made these Butterscotch cookies I was torn between, espresso chocolate chip shortbread cookies, the butterscotch cookies and plain peanut butter cookies. So I needed a second opinion from my trusted sweet tooth, and butterscotch won! My first experience with 'homemade' butterscotch blew me away so a second chance at it was just great.
Yes, I said homemade butterscotch and it's simple. You see there is no butterscotch in this recipe. Butter when melted smells like butter but when it is browned it smells like butterscotch add brown sugar and vanilla and it will taste like butterscotch, you just have to be careful not to burn it else it will taste and smell like burnt butterscotch! I made cookies in October last year, back in school
(link) and that was when I discovered this. In this recipe you get the butterscotch smell and taste because there is 1/4 cup more butter (making 3/4 cup) as opposed to the usual 1/2 cup for non butterscotch cookies and I baked the cookies a bit longer (10 min instead of the usual 8 min). Also these cookies are crispy because of it's thinness and the extra 2 min in the oven (cookies are usually chewy).
Mehn this feels like a chemistry experiment...and I do love chemistry so you can imagine my excitement when I am able to understand and apply it with food.
Ok so you gat the basics so now lets start baking. Oh, and one more thing, when you get to the part of the recipe where you add dry to wet ingredients, please switch from the hand mixer and use your hands. The dough gets a much better consistency than with the mixer but if you insist on not getting your hands dirty then by all means continue with the hand mixer but reduce the speed to low (1).
FYI nothing beats hardcore, dirty, playful cooking. I cook like a kid :D.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (170g) butter at room temp.
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla (I used more)
1 3/4 cup flour (use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup DON'T use the measuring cup to scoop the flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp Allspice, and/or 2 of salt
Directions:
preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius 350 Fahrenheit
1. Mix dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, Allspice and salt together in a separate bowl until combined, set aside.
2. Beat the butter until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the sugar, beat for 2 more minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Stir in dry ingredients into the butter mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. On a greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper take small rounded teaspoons of the dough and place them two inches apart (Please use teaspoon measure for this part). Dip a fork in flour and use that to squish down the cookies, dip fork in flour for each cookie.
4. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (I turned off the heat and let mine stay in the oven for another 2 min).
Let cool on wire racks. NB: when you take out the cookies they will feel soft but they harden when they cool so don't panic and over bake it else it will burn and turn to stone.
Abra-kadabra-alakazam..... Tadaaaaaa!!!!!! Cookies for all to enjoy. Give this a try and let us know how it turns out. Have fun. These warm cookies go amazingly well with milk. Just dip it half way into the milk, bite, chew SLOOOOWLY savoring the moment before washing it down with more milk :D!
Feel free to comment below :)!
