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Two sisters who love to bake...

Archives for September 2021

Easy Classic Meatballs (Dairy Free Option)

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Easy Classic Meatballs. Dairy free version also included below.

An easy classic recipe for beef meatballs. I like to make these to add to spaghetti for dinner for some protein. My meatballs used to turn out a little on the dry side until I realized I was missing a key ingredient: milk or broth. It really helps to keep the meatballs tender and juicy while baking. If I am making it dairy free for people with dairy allergies I use beef broth (or even chicken broth) instead of milk. Either one works just fine.

I think they taste even better with spaghetti if you add them to your pot of pasta sauce on the stove so it can marinate a little bit before serving.

Tip* I use a cookie scoop (affiliate link) to make evenly sized meatballs and it also helps to speed up the process. If I want them to look perfectly round after scooping, I go through and hand roll them for a second on the baking pan.

Tip* If you only have plain bread crumbs (that is all I usually buy) then you can add some dried Italian herbs in if you want like oregano, parsley or basil. Garlic powder also makes a good addition.

 
Easy Classic Meatballs (Dairy Free Option)
 
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Recipe type: Main
Ingredients
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ½ cup  Italian-style bread crumbs (or plain bread crumbs if that is all you have)
  • ¼ cup milk (or beef broth for dairy free)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 small onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon ketchup (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray or use parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together (I use an electric mixer).
  3. Roll mixture into about 24 balls about 1½" in size. Place on prepared baking pan. (I use a cookie scoop to make the meatballs). You can make the meatballs bigger if you want but you will need to adjust baking time.
  4. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until temperature reaches 160°F and center is no longer pink.
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Thumbprint Cookies

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Classic Thumbprint Cookies. Buttery and crumbly. Icing in the middle.

There are many different types of thumbprint cookies out there, this is one of my favorites. It is a shortbread type of cookie which means it is very buttery, melts in your mouth, & has a little crispness to it. My other favorite thumbprint cookie is my sister’s recipe but it is more of a sugar cookie type of thumbprint cookie.

This shortbread type of cookie reminds me of one of my favorite bakeries that made thumbprint cookies but they went out of business recently after being open for more then 80 years, opening in 1928. Makes me sad. I’m pretty positive they added almond extract to their recipe though and corn syrup to the icing to make it really hard when it dries.

Recipe makes about 32 cookies. If you want a small batch you can cut the recipe in half.

Thumbprint Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter (I used salted)
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • -For the Icing-
  • 2 Tablespoon butter (melted)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
  2. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer combine the butter, flour, vanilla, & powdered sugar until well combined.
  3. Sccop dough by the spoonful and roll into 1" balls and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Use your thump to make an indent in the middle of each cookie (I dipped mine in a small bowl of sugar to prevent sticking each time).
  4. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
  5. After 5 minutes, move to cooling rack.
  6. Prepare icing by hand mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl. If it is not thick enough you may need to add a touch more powdered sugar, if it is too thick add a little more milk.
  7. Use a knife to put the icing in the center of each cookie once they have cooled.

 

 

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Dairy Free Waffles (made with water)

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Dairy Free Waffles (made with water instead of milk). No weird milk substitutes like I’ve seen in other recipes.

I don’t have a regular waffle maker so I made them in my Belgian waffle maker. The only real difference is they are bigger and thicker sized waffles. I have the Oster brand Belgian waffle maker (affiliate link).

I didn’t know if it was possible to make dairy free pancakes or waffles. All of the recipes I found had weird ingredients in them with milk substitutes like almond milk & I couldn’t use any of them because the person I wanted to make them for has bad food allergies. So I made up this recipe that uses water instead of milk & vegetable oil instead of butter. They turned out light & fluffy & tasted just as good as my regular homemade waffle recipe. I served them with real maple syrup on top.

So if your dealing with a milk allergy or perhaps you’ve ran out of milk at your house, you can still make waffles from scratch. If your waffle batter is too thick add a little more water, you want it to be the same consistency as regular waffle/pancake batter. I find that sometimes I have to add an extra tablespoon of water to mine to thin it out.

The recipe below made 6 Belgian waffles. If only cooking for 1 or 2 people you could cut the recipe in half if you want a small amount.

Dairy Free Waffles made with water.

 

Dairy Free Waffles (made with water)
 
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Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • 2 large egg
  • 1½ cups water
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • ⅓ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Add eggs to mixing bowl & whisk really well (about 2 minutes).
  2. Add water, sugar, oil, & vanilla & stir. Add in flour, baking powder, & salt. Mix just until everything is combined. If mix is too thick you can add a little bit more water. You want it to look like normal pancake/waffle batter.
  3. Let sit for a few minutes.
  4. Heat up your waffle iron and use as directed to cook the waffles. (My waffle iron has a heat setting and I cooked on medium/high for about 5 or 6 minutes, varies).
  5. Serve warm.

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Copycat Sara Lee Butter Streusel Coffee Cake

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Copycat Sara Lee Butter Streusel Coffee Cake.

My mom and I used to love to buy the frozen Sara Lee Butter Streusel Coffee Cake from the grocery store when I was growing up. I haven’t had one in forever. I have spent years though trying to make a copycat recipe and this is seriously the closest thing I have ever tasted to it.

I am thrilled to have this recipe. I have made it several times now. I even keep it in the fridge and microwave slices for a few seconds to heat it up when I eat it just like I used to with the boxed Sara Lee Streusel Coffee Cake from the store. I remember the instructions on the box were to microwave it for a few seconds so every slice was warm like it was fresh from the oven.

  

The dough is very buttery, soft and easy to work with. I didn’t need much flour to roll it out.

  

Above photos show how you fold in the dough.

 

Photo above on left shows before rise and photo on the right shows after rise right before you bake it.

Photo below shows the bowl of crumb topping.

I double the recipe below and make two 9″ pie plates of this coffee cake because I love this recipe but I realize most people don’t want two coffee cakes. I use my bread machine (affiliate link) to knead the dough or sometimes my stand mixer with the dough hook.

You bake for 25-28 minutes or until dough is cooked and top is golden brown. I have a hard time telling when it is done. If you are in doubt I would bake it a few more minutes, you don’t want it gooey in the middle.

Copycat Sara Lee Butter Streusel Coffee Cake
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon quick rise yeast (instant yeast)
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoons milk
  • 6 Tablespoon salted butter, melted
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Filling:
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Crumb Topping:
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 4 T. butter
  • ¼ cup + 1 T. sugar
Instructions
  1. In the order listed above add ingredients for the dough to your bread machine or mixing bowl. You can knead the dough by hand, with a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, or bread machine.
  2. Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Dough will be very wet when kneading, you may need to add up to ¼ cup extra flour, the dough won't form a solid dough ball but close. Dough should be smooth and shiny and not sticky.
  3. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
  4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half.
  5. Roll each half into a 12x4" rectangle strip.
  6. Mix the filling together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of mix down the middle of each rectangle strip of dough.
  7. Fold the dough over the cinnamon/sugar mix just enough to cover it on one side and pinch it down then take the other side and fold that over and pinch it down.
  8. Twist the dough piece into a rope and circle it around the 9" pie plate on the inside. Take the second piece and also circle it around.
  9. Let rise for 30 minutes.
  10. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
  11. Prepare the topping by mixing all the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top of the dough, use your fingers if needed to break up the crumbs.
  12. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until dough is cooked and top is golden brown.

 

 

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Frosted Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting.

These soft cinnamon snickerdoodle style cookies are delicious! They are topped with a cream cheese frosting which pairs well with the cookie. It is serious cinnamon and sugar overload and I love it. It reminds me of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. I can’t take credit for these cookies though they were made by my niece. She is an awesome baker and obsessed with chocolate so I’m a little surprised she made these but she does love cinnamon rolls.

Recipe makes about 10-12 cookies.

Frosted Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Cookie Dough:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened (add ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ Tablespoon corn starch or potato starch
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Cinnamon/sugar mixture for rolling:
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Frosting:
  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
  2. In a small bowl mix cinnamon and sugar together for rolling and set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer cream butter and sugars together. Add vanilla and egg and mix.
  4. Mix in flour, corn starch and baking soda.
  5. Scoop by the heaping spoonful and roll into about a 1.5" ball.
  6. Roll in bowl of cinnamon and sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies slightly.
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
  8. Once the cookies have cooled make the frosting by using an electric mixer to mix the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together until creamy. (add more powdered sugar if you need to thicken it)
  9. Use a butter knife to spread the frosting over the cookies.
  10. Dust tops with cinnamon and sugar if desired.

 

 

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Farmer Cheese Cookies (Goose Feet Gusinie Lapki)

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Farmer Cheese Cookies (also known as Goose Feet or Gusinie Lapki in Russian).

Flaky buttery pastry cookie. It is a popular Russian style dessert recipe.

I used a food processor (affiliate link) with an s-blade to mix the ingredients together and it worked perfectly. I’m not very good with pastries or biscuits and using a pastry blender never turns out well for me so I’m thankful for the food processor, it tends to mix just right for me.

   

  

To make the circles I used a set of graduated round cutters (affiliate link) that I also use for biscuits, cookies, etc. that has a 3″ round cutter in it.

  

To fold it you just take the circle and fold it in half then you fold it in half one more time to create a triangle type shape.

Farmer Cheese is an ingredient that I don’t normally purchase and I’m not sure how many stores sell it but I was able to buy it at Publix grocery store, it is next to the buttersand cottage cheese section. If you can’t find it at the store that is ok, you could make your own or you can also use ricotta cheese as a substitute.

The dough doesn’t contain any sugar so you will want to make sure that you coat the outside in sugar to give it sweetness.

Tips* I froze my butter for about 1 hour prior to using it and cut it in small pieces about 1/2 Tablespoon in size.

I found it hard to get the sugar to stick to the dough, I really had to press it into the dough then sprinkle it over the tops before baking. Some recipes suggest brushing the circles with water lightly to help the sugar stick but in the end mine turned out after a little extra effort of pressing the sugar in.

Also when you pull them out of the oven they may look a little puffy and like they flipped open too much but mine settled down flat after cooling.

Recipe makes about 55 cookies but it varies depending on what size circles you cut and the exact thickness of the dough.

Farmer Cheese Cookies (Goose Feet Gusinie Lapki)
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter (cold and cut into pieces) (if using unsalted add ½ teaspoon salt)
  • 7.5 oz farmer cheese
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons cold water
  • - For Coating-
  • ½ cup sugar
Instructions
  1. Use a food processor or pastry blender to mix the butter and farmers cheese together.
  2. Mix in flour, egg yolks, vanilla and water.
  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non stick baking mat.
  5. Take about ⅓ of the dough out of the fridge at a time and roll it out on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. Roll very think, under ⅛".
  6. Take a 3" round cookie cutter or an overturned glass and cut dough into circles.
  7. Have the sugar in a shallow bowl and dip both sides of the dough circles into the sugar. Fold circle in half then fold again. You will end up with a triangle shape.
  8. Place on prepared baking sheet. Gently press the cookies down so they don't pop open during baking. Sprinkle a little extra sugar on the tops if you want.
  9. Continue with the rest of the dough. Any scrapes left over after cutting can be re-rolled and cut into more circles.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are starting to turn golden brown.
  11. Let cool completely before enjoying.

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