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THE SEMISWEET SISTERS

Two sisters who love to bake...

Iced Gem Butter Cookies

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Iced Gem Butter Cookies.

I love these little iced gem cookies, they are mini sugar cookies. Recipe makes about 130 mini 1″ cookies but it depends on how thick you roll them out. I was able to fit them all on 2 cookie sheets to bake them.

I used a 1″ round cookie cutter made by Ateco (Amazon affiliate link). It came in a set ranging from 3/4″-3 5/8″ in size. I bought it on Amazon a long time ago but I see they still sell it and there are some other brands on there that may be cheaper if you search for circle cookie cutter sets.

 

Cookies are about 1″ in size. So teeny tiny. They don’t expand much in the oven, they stay about the same size.

For the frosting in the middle I used a Wilton decorating bag with a Wilton open 21 star tip. The icing in the middle will harden when dry.

Recipe makes over 100 mini iced gem cookies. You can also add food coloring to the icing if you want to add color to the cookies.

Iced Gem Butter Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • -Cookies-
  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1⅛ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg yolk (yolk only)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • -For the Icing-
  • 2 Tablespoon butter (melted)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
  2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar together.
  3. Add vanilla and yolk and mix in.
  4. Add flour and baking powder.
  5. If dough seems dry keep mixing until dough forms.
  6. Roll dough out to ¼" thick. I like to roll dough out in between 2 pieces of floured waxed paper.
  7. Cut into 1" circles using a 1" round cookie cutter. Place on cookie sheet.
  8. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
  9. 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.
  10. Pipe icing or drop icing onto middle of cooled cookies.
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Coconut Cupcakes Dairy Free

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Coconut Cupcakes Dairy Free made with coconut milk.

I have been making dairy free coconut cake for many years now and this is the cupcake version of the same recipe. I first started making this for a friend that had dairy allergies for their birthday. I use vegetable oil instead of butter and coconut milk instead of dairy milk. My favorite coconut milk to use is the canned organic coconut milk from Trader Joe’s grocery store. I’ve also used the canned version that Walmart sells, embe 11 oz organic coconut milk.

Makes about 12 cupcakes.

The frosting is a little drippy so you might want to make it on the thicker side and keep it in the fridge so it doesn’t drip.

Coconut Cupcakes Dairy Free
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • -Cake-
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • -Frosting-
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoons coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 /2 cup shredded coconut flakes (or 5 oz)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
  2. Combine all cupcake ingredients together. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour into prepared muffin cups.
  4. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
  6. To make the frosting: Combine the powdered sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla together. Mix until creamy. Add more powdered sugar or coconut milk if you want it thicker or thinner.
  7. Spread over the tops of cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

 

 

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Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting

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Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting.

I love sugar cookies! They are my favorite type of cookie. I know my sister would say her favorite is chocolate chip. She has ton of different chocolate chip cookie recipes posted on our blog and I have tons of sugar cookie recipes posted.

Here is another one I want to share with you because it is one of my favorites (I probably say that about them all). This recipe makes soft sugar cookies and the frosting pairs so well with it.

The frosting is a buttercream with a secret ingredient of butterscotch sauce added. You can also add caramel sauce if you prefer, either will work. Making the homemade butterscotch sauce is an added step but I love the way it makes the frosting taste. You can also buy it at the store.

It is tricky to tell when they are done because they don’t start browning until they are crispy. So once cookies look set I take them out which is usually about 9-10 minutes with my oven. Recipe makes about 20 cookies depending on thick you slice them.

Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Cookie Dough:
  • 1½ sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, softened
  • ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • (1/4 teaspoon salt** if using unsalted butter)
  • Frosting:
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • about 2 Tablespoons butterscotch sauce (I used homemade with recipe below for it, you can also use caramel sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 Tablespoons whipping cream/heavy whipping cream
  • sprinkles (optional)
  • Homemade butterscotch sauce:
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tablespoons whipping cream/heavy whipping cream
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
  1. For the cookie dough: Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix the butter and sugar together. Mix in vanilla and egg.
  2. Add flour and baking soda and mix until dough forms.
  3. Shape dough into a log about 10" long, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  4. When ready to slice and bake Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
  5. Remove dough from fridge and slice cookies to desired thickness. I tried to make mine a little on the thick side about ¼" thick.
  6. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving space between cookies because they will expand.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look set. I cooked mine for about 9-10 minutes since I wanted them to be soft, bake longer if you want a crisper cookie.
  8. For the frosting: Once the cookies have cooled you can make the frosting. Add ingredients to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to whip frosting together, I mixed for 1-2 minutes. Frost cookies and top with sprinkles if desired. Above is a recipe for butterscotch sauce which I think makes the frosting taste amazing. You can make it while you are waiting for the cookies to cool so it will be ready when you make the frosting, or you can just use store bought caramel sauce.
  9. For butterscotch sauce: Mix ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes until it gets a little thicker. It will thicken more once cool. Set aside until it cools completely then add to the frosting.

 

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Giant Cinnamon Rolls Frosted with Buttercream Icing

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Giant Cinnamon Rolls Frosted with Buttercream Icing.

I love cinnamon rolls! My mom got all the family started on homemade cinnamon rolls because that was one of her go to recipes. We love homemade cinnamon rolls.

This recipe makes 6 giant cinnamon rolls filling up a 9×13″ baking pan.

I made this recipe to copycat one of my childhood favorite cinnamon rolls, besides my moms recipe of course. In Amish country there was a bakery called The Breadbox but unfortunately it closed down in 2020 after 25+ years of business. I was so sad that I was never going to be able to enjoy their giant sized cinnamon rolls again so I went to work making a copycat. Their version probably had more cinnamon and less sugar in the middle but I always thought it was a little too bitter with all that cinnamon but other then that I think this recipe is pretty close.

Recipe makes 6 giant cinnamon rolls frosting with buttercream icing.

Giant Cinnamon Rolls Frosted with Buttercream Icing
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1¼ cups warm milk
  • 5 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup salted butter (1 stick) softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg + 1 yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Filling:
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter for brushing
  • Frosting:
  • ½ cup butter salted (1 stick) softened
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar, more if needed to thicken
Instructions
  1. Knead dough using favorite method, by hand, using a stand mixer with dough hook, or a bread machine on dough cycle. I used a bread machine on dough cycle to knead my dough. Start by adding dough ingredients as listed above in the recipe. Knead dough for 10-15 minutes adding extra flour or milk if needed until a nice ball of dough that is slightly tacky forms.
  2. Cover loosely and let rise for 1 hour.
  3. Prepare the filling by mixing sugars and cinnamon together. Also melt the butter for brushing tops. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.
  4. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces.
  5. Roll into a log about 10" long on a lightly floured surface. Flatten and roll to about 6"x24".
  6. Brush with half the melted better, sprinkle with half the filling. Roll it up tightly starting with the short 6" side jelly style and pinch edges. Slice into 3 equal pieces.
  7. Place on greased 9x13" baking dish. Repeat with second piece of dough. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  8. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  9. Bake at 350 F. for 25-30 minutes.
  10. Let cool completely then prepare frosting.
  11. To make the frosting place ingredients for frosting in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix the frosting until it is whipped together. Add more powdered sugar if it needs to be thickened. Spread on tops of the cinnamon rolls.

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Rugelach Without Cream Cheese

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Rugelach made with no cream cheese.

I always get inspired when I go past the baked goods sections at grocery stores. On my most recent visit to Whole Foods I noticed they had 20+ different flavors of Rugelach for sale. I then decided to go home and make my own and cinnamon and sugar is one of my favorite flavors so I kept it simple and just made that flavor. Rugelach is a filled pastry if you are wondering what it is, a dessert that is flaky and the only sweetness comes from the filling as the dough has no sugar.

I noticed that 99% of recipes for Rugelach call for cream cheese but if you are like me it is not an ingredient I have on hand at my house. Sour cream is something I usually have so I am sharing a recipe with you that is made without cream cheese and the dough is just 4 simple ingredients.

   

Above I show one of the disc’s being rolled out and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and how you roll them up starting from the outer edge inward. I rolled the dough out between 2 floured pieces of waxed paper, helps prevent sticking to the rolling pin.

Recipe makes 36 pieces. If using unsalted butter add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Rugelach Without Cream Cheese
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup or 1½ sticks salted butter, cold & cut into tablespoon slices
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Filling:
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cups chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • water (for brushing dough)
  • sugar for sprinkling the tops
Instructions
  1. Use a food processor to mix the the cold butter and flour together until pea sized pieces form. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until everything is combined. (If you don't have a food processor use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour or two knives. )
  2. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces, place each piece on plastic wrap, form into a disc about 1" thick, wrap and put in fridge. (Dough will be a little sticky).
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. For the filling: combine all ingredients together in a food processor and pulse until walnuts are minced. If not adding walnuts just mix in a regular bowl and set aside.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 F. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mat.
  6. Remove one disk of dough at a time. Unwrap and roll dough out into a circle about 10" in diameter on a floured surface.
  7. Brush dough lightly with some water to help the filling stick.
  8. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the filling leaving about 1" around the edges.
  9. Take a knife or pizza cutter and cut into 12 wedges.
  10. Roll each piece up starting for the outer edge and place each piece on prepared cookie sheet with the end tucked underneath.
  11. Repeat with each disk. Then sprinkle tops with sugar.
  12. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

 

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Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting

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Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting. Valentine’s Day heart shaped cookies.

My favorite recipe for cut out or roll out sugar cookies. Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner I made heart shaped cookies with cookie cutters.

The frosting is a buttercream with a secret ingredient of butterscotch sauce added. You can also add caramel sauce if you prefer, either will work. Making the homemade butterscotch sauce is an added step but I love the way it makes the frosting taste.

Above photo shows cookies before baking.

Above photo shows cookies after baking. It is tricky to tell when they are done because they don’t start browning until they are crispy. So once cookies look set I take them out which is usually about 9-10 minutes with my oven.

I have tried many many roll out cut out sugar cookie dough recipes over the years and I’ve never found one that I really thought was a keeper until now. I have been making this recipe for a couple years and it is my go to.

 

Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Butterscotch Frosting
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • Cookie Dough:
  • 1½ sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, softened
  • ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • (1/4 teaspoon salt** if using unsalted butter)
  • Frosting:
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • about 2 Tablespoons butterscotch sauce (I used homemade with recipe below for it, you can also use caramel sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 Tablespoons whipping cream/heavy whipping cream
  • sprinkles (optional)
  • Homemade butterscotch sauce:
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tablespoons whipping cream/heavy whipping cream
  • 1 Tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
  1. For the cookie dough: Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix the butter and sugar together. Mix in vanilla and egg.
  2. Add flour and baking soda and mix until dough forms.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  4. When ready to roll out Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
  5. Remove dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface to desired thickness. I tried to make mine a little on the thick side somewhere between ⅛-1/4" thick. I usually roll the dough out between two lightly floured pieces of waxed paper.
  6. Cut into desired shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving space between cookies because they will expand.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look set. I cooked mine for about 9-10 minutes since I wanted them to be soft, bake longer if you want a crisper cookie.
  8. For the frosting: Once the cookies have cooled you can make the frosting. Add ingredients to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to whip frosting together, I mixed for 1-2 minutes. Frost cookies and top with sprinkles if desired. Above is a recipe for butterscotch sauce which I think makes the frosting taste amazing. You can make it while you are waiting for the cookies to cool so it will be ready when you make the frosting, or you can just use store bought caramel sauce.
  9. For butterscotch sauce: Mix ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes until it gets a little thicker. It will thicken more once cool. Set aside until it cools completely then add to the frosting.
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