Tag Archives: girl scout cookies

Thin Mint Inspired Cookies

10 Apr

Homemade-Thin-Mints-Stacked

I finally realized that the best part about making your own Girl Scout cookies is that you can have them all year long! Amazing, right? My mom loves thin mints so I was inspired to try and make a healthier version of these cookies. Luckily these came much easer than the Do-Si-Dos.

I learned the microwave tempering technique on The Barefoot Contessa. It is so much easier than melting the chocolate over a double boiler and you don’t run the risk of burning the chocolate.

Homemade-Thin-Mints-Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp stevia
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp + 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 tbsp milk of choice (I used Almond Milk)
1/2 cup milk chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325o.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, stevia, vanilla extract and peppermint extract.
  3. Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and mix well.
  4. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time and turn to medium speed for 3 minutes. The dough will begin to form a paste.
  5. Take one tablespoon of the dough and roll into a ball. Press the ball flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for 25 minute, rotating the baking sheet 180 degrees half way through.
  6. While the cookies cool, break half the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 20 second and stir. Continue to microwave for 20 second increments and stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the rest of the chocolate and stir to melt. Microwave in 20 second increments, if necessary. Stir in 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract.
  7. Coat the cookies in the melted chocolate and place onto a plate lined with parchment paper. Once all the cookies are coated, refrigerate until the chocolate hardens.

Homemade-Thin-Mints-Plate

As always, enjoy!

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Homemade Nutella Filled Cookies

19 Mar

Homemade-Nutella-Filled-Cookies

Back in the day, you could find me in front of the cupboard with a knife eating nutella. When I finally took a look at the list of ingredients, it was enough to turn me off of it forever. Then one day it dawned on me… I could totally make this with regular food! So, off I went trying out a number of combinations before I finally got it. So satisfying!

The cookies are so delicious. They are light and buttery, which is amazing since there is no butter in them. They’re crumbly and taste amazing with the nutella. These cookies came much easier after all the experimenting I did with my girl scout cookies. I tried adding almond milk but that made the batter too wet. I tried it again without the almond milk and that seemed to do the trick. I also tried these using spelt flour and while they were really good, the flavor overpowered the hazelnut.

Homemade-Nutella

For the Nutella:
Ingredients:
1 cup dry roasted hazelnuts
2 tbsp coco powder
1 tbsp confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp stevia (optional)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

  1. In a food processor fitted with an S blade, process the hazelnuts, coco powder, confectioners sugar, stevia (if using) and vanilla.
  2. Through the feed tube, slowly drizzle in the coconut oil and continue processing until smooth.

For the Cookies:
Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325o
  2. Combine the almond flour and baking powder in a bowl.
  3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla until creamy.
  4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour and turn the speed up to medium.
  5. Form balls with the dough and flatten out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Rotating the baking sheet 180o half way through.
  7. Allow the cookies to cool on a baking rack.
  8. Once the cookies are cool, spread the nutella on one cookie and top with another.

As always, enjoy!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do-si-do Inspired Cookies

13 Mar

Do-si-dos

Who doesn’t love Girl Scout cookies? My favorites are the Tagalongs and Do-si-dos. What I don’t love is all the junk that they put into those cookies. As usual, I was left with not choice but to make my own. To say these cookies were a labor of love is an understatement. I have baked batches of these cookies everyday, trying to match that addictive flavor. After countless batches, I finally nailed it! While I can’t say these have less fat, I can say that they don’t have any fake junk. And, in my book that’s a success.

Another key part of this cookie was the fresh peanut butter I used. You can get freshly ground peanut butter at any Whole Foods, which is what I used to buy. But being on a tight budget, spending $5.99 per pound on peanut butter isn’t really an option. So, I’m making my own. And it’s delicious!

I must give a BIG thanks to my wonderful taste testers: my husband, my sister, brother in-law, and the plumber. Yes, you read that correctly. What can I say, Michael makes friends quickly. In addition to fixing our sink, he actually gave me some very useful feedback. I really appreciate all the cookies you ate. I’m sure it was very hard on all of you. 🙂

Do-si-do-full-plate

For the Cookies:
Ingredients:
11/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1 cup rolled oats, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sucanat
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup almond milk
15 tbsp peanut butter (amount will vary depending on how big or small you make the cookies)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325o
  2. Give the rolled oats a few pulses in the food processor. Transfer the oats to a bowl and mix in the flour and baking powder.
  3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sucanat, vanilla, maple syrup and coconut oil on a low setting until you form a creamy mixture.
  4. On the low setting, add the flour and oat mixture.
  5. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the almond milk.
  6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll a tablespoon size of the batter in your hands to form a ball.
  7. Place the ball on the baking sheet and flatten with your palm. Repeat with remaining batter.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets 180o half way through.
  9. Cool the cookies on a rack. Once cooled, pair the cookies based on size and spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on one cookie and press the other cookie into a sandwich.

Do-si-dos-close-up

For the Peanut Butter:
Ingredients:
1 lb roasted and unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp maple syrup
3-4 tbsp peanut oil

Directions:

  1. Add the peanuts to a food processor fitted with an S blade and begin to process.
  2. Add the maple syrup and peanut oil through the feed tube and process until a paste is formed.
  3. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

As always, enjoy!

Tags: , , , , , ,