Category: Holidays!


Nov
2015

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta

categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Need a new vegetable dish for the holidays? Look no further! Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta is both delicious, sweet AND savory!Need a new vegetable dish for the holidays? Look no further! Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta is both delicious, sweet AND savory!
Are you on the search for a new vegetable side dish to serve during the holidays (or any old time, for that matter)? Well, here’s a sweet AND savory recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta.

This is one gorgeous side dish to look at, and a very tasty side dish to accompany various meals. The dish has so many different flavors going on- roasted butternut squash, creamy saltiness of feta cheese, and the “pop” of freshly roasted tangy cranberries. Butternut squash is topped off with the sweetness from honey being drizzled over the top of the ingredients! I am really glad I tried this recipe.

The recipe for roasted butternut squash is simple. Roast the butternut squash, add the fresh cranberries near the end of the roasting time, dish them up, garnish with the rest of the ingredients. That’s it, in a nutshell.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Roasted Butternut Squash With Cranberries, Honey & Feta

Get yourself a butternut squash. Got one? Okay.  You only need ONE, but here’s a photo of 2 (perhaps to inspire you to double the recipe if cooking for a small village?)

To make roasted butternut squash, you need to start with fresh butternut squash!
Peel and chop one butternut squash into small bite-sized cubes. (Peeling the squash is the toughest part of this recipe… really!)

The butternut squash must be peel and sliced before it is roasted.

Drizzle some olive oil onto a large baking sheet and put the cubed squash on it, turning cubes to coat with the oil.

Roasted butternut squash requires squash cubes, tossed in olive oil.

Sprinkle squash cubes with salt and pepper, and give them another light drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Once done, remove the roasted butternut squash from the oven, and add fresh cranberries. Return the pan to the oven; cook for 15 additional minutes.

Fresh cranberries are ready to add to the roasted butternut squash.

Fresh cranberries are added to roasted butternut squash, then placed back into oven.

Getting Ready To Serve The Butternut Squash

When done, the cranberries should have popped a bit, and softened. Remove the roasted butternut squash and cranberries from the oven. Transfer the mixture onto a serving dish.

Roasted butternut squash and cranberries are removed from oven, and put on a serving platter.

To finish this roasted butternut squash dish, add a light dusting of cinnamon to top the veggies. Sprinkle the top with with crumbled feta cheese.

Feta cheese, cinnamon, and honey will be added to top of the roasted butternut squash.

Ready To EAT!

Drizzle some honey over the top of the entire dish, then add crumbled feta cheese and a little bit of dried parsley! YUM! Now this roasted butternut squash with cranberries, honey & feta cheese is ready to enjoy! Serve immediately.

Honey, feta cheese, parsley and cinnamon are added to top of the roasted butternut squash on platter.

That’s it! Serve the roasted butternut squash dish while hot!  Hope you enjoy the color and the variety of tastes in this simple, but delicious veggie side dish!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Feta & Honey on white platter, ready to eat!

If you enjoy butternut squash, be sure and check out my recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon. It tastes amazing! Have a fantastic day, friends. May God bless and keep you in, and through, all you do.

Looking For More BUTTERNUT SQUASH Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes using butternut squash you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted from Jenn Laughlin: http://peasandcrayons.com/2014/11/honey-roasted-butternut-squash-cranberries-feta.html

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Need a new vegetable dish for the holidays? Look no further! Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta is both delicious, sweet AND savory!
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: roasted butternut squash
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 121 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large butternut squash (peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • Salt and black pepper (to season with)
  • 2 cups fresh (and not frozen) cranberries
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese , finely crumbled
  • 3-4 Tablespoons honey
  • ground cinnamon , to taste
  • dried parsley (can also use fresh, if desired)-for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Before beginning, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Pour 1 Tablespoonful of olive oil onto a large baking pan (with edges). Spread, to cover.

  2. Pour the cubes of butternut squash onto oiled baking pan. Drizzle the cubes with 1 additional Tablespoonful of olive oil. Lightly season squash cubes with salt and pepper.
  3. Put the baking pan onto the middle rack in the oven. Roast the squash at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Pull out pan; add the fresh cranberries to the roasting pan and put back in the oven. Continue cooking squash and cranberries for 15 additional minutes. When done, the cranberries will have softened, and will have popped (or burst) a bit.

  4. Remove baking pan from oven. Sprinkle squash lightly with cinnamon. Sprinkle the feta cheese all over the top of the squash. Drizzle the squash with honey (try to sprinkle evenly so all get that bit of sweetness). Taste. If you want it sweeter, add some more honey to the dish. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 121 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 129mg6%
Potassium 351mg10%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 10000IU200%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Need a new vegetable dish for the holidays? Look no further! Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Honey & Feta is both delicious, sweet AND savory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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May
2015

We Pause To Remember… Memorial Day 2015

categories: Holidays!
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We pause to remember… on this Memorial Day, 2015.We pause to remember on this Memorial Day

We pause to remember all the brave men and women who selfishly sacrificed their very lives for our freedom.

“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CURRENTLY SERVE, HAVE SERVED, OR HAVE GIVEN THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA… WE REMEMBER… AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.

“Your silent tents of green we deck with fragrant flowers;
Yours has the suffering been, the memory shall be ours.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This Memorial Day 2015… we pause and remember.

Author's signature

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

 

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Jan
2015

Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce

categories: Holidays!, Sauces and Dressings
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Four ingredients and a food processor are all you need to make delicious, fresh, homemade cranberry-orange sauce in just a few minutes!4 ingredients and a food processor are all you need to make delicious, fresh, homemade cranberry-orange sauce in just a few minutes!
The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are now in the history books, but I want to publish this recipe for Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce on my blog, so I will have it handy for the future.

My mom used to make this cranberry sauce (in a chunky version) as I was growing up, but I’d never made the recipe for our family until this Christmas. I found the index card the recipe was written on years ago in an old recipe box, so I decided to give it a try!

No More Gelatinous Blobs Of Cranberry Sauce For Us!

For years my “go to” for cranberry sauce was the blob found in a can (cranberry jelly), or the whole cranberry sauce (also found in the can). Guess I was just in the habit of grabbing a can while doing my grocery shopping for holiday meals and never gave it another thought.

Truthfully, I was always a bit grossed out as that gelatinous blob of cranberry jelly came sliding and wobbling out of the can… but that’s another story. I still bought it, and would always add just a tiny bit to my plate, because that’s what you’re supposed to do at Thanksgiving, right? Until NOW!

Making Fresh, Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce Is EASY To Prepare!

Well, my tastes have certainly changed. Enter this amazing, fresh, homemade cranberry-orange sauce. Did I mention FRESH? Plus, there are only a few ingredients necessary to make it, which is a win-win, in my book.

The cranberry sauce is ridiculously easy to prepare (using a food processor), and the taste is light-years ahead of the canned stuff. No  comparison! I LOVE IT, and can eat it right out of the bowl (shhh… my little secret!)

Fresh cranberries and oranges are two of four ingredients needed to make sauce.

You don’t have to wait for the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays to make this sauce. It would be a delicious accompaniment to top off pork or chicken dishes. It’s vibrant flavors will add to the taste of the meal!

Truthfully, I don’t know what took me so long to get on board with this, but now that I have, I don’t think I will ever buy canned cranberry sauce for a holiday meal ever again. EVER!

The zest of an orange is used to make homemade cranberry-orange sauce.

Use A Food Processor To Make Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce

This sauce can be made chunky or semi-smooth, using a food processor or heavy duty blender. All you do is process the ingredients together until it reaches your desired consistency!

It’s so simple, and so delicious! Once you make this cranberry sauce once, I’ll bet you will never go back to canned cranberry gelatinous blobs, either! Ha Ha!

Ingredients for homemade cranberry-orange sauce are pulverized in a food processor.

Fresh cranberries, an apple, an orange and a bit of sugar are the only ingredients necessary to make this delicious, homemade cranberry-orange sauce! And boy… does it ever taste GOOD!

The homemade cranberry-orange sauce is ready to serve!

Sure hope you’ll give this yummy homemade cranberry-orange sauce a try, and trust you will enjoy it, too!  If you enjoy this sauce, you might also be interested in my recipe for whole berry cranberry-orange sauce! Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: My Mom

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Four ingredients and a food processor are all you need to make delicious, fresh, homemade cranberry-orange sauce in just a few minutes!

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry-orange sauce
Servings: 8 1/4 cups per serving
Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries (1 bag)
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 1 medium apple (any variety), peeled, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (plus more to taste, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients into a food processor (or heavy duty blender). Process until all ingredients are mixed and consistency is to your liking... chunky or semi-smooth.

  2. Taste. Add additional sugar, if desired.

  3. Place sauce into serving bowl; Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 cup per serving))
Calories 60 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 59IU1%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Four ingredients and a food processor are all you need to make delicious, fresh, homemade cranberry-orange sauce in just a few minutes!

 

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Dec
2014

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.

Every time Christmas rolls around, I prepare lots of our family’s “traditional” must-have cookies and goodies. I also try a new recipe or two each year. This year I tried a new recipe I found (on Pinterest!) for Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies. I think they’re so festive looking! And here’s the good news… they are delicious! A big shout out goes to Rachel at bakedbyrachel.com for the recipe for this yummy batch of Christmas cookies!

The cookies not only look good… they smell good, too. They have a light citrus aroma from the orange zest; and the filling in the middle is made from chopped cranberries, brown sugar and pecans, for extra flavor.

These are wonderful little holiday cookies! I gave away lots of them on plates of Christmas goodies given to our neighbors and friends this year. Sure hope you will give them a try!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

How To Make Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies

Begin by chopping up the cranberries, pecans and brown sugar. This is very easy to do in a food processor or blender.

Cranberries, brown sugar and pecans are chopped in a food processor, for cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies.

The next thing to do is mix up the dough. The dough for these cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies sure smells good, because of the fresh orange zest!

The dough is mixed for the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies.

Roll Out the Dough And Add The Filling

Roll the dough out on a large piece of wax paper, and then add the cranberry/pecan mixture to the top. Spread the cranberry brown sugar and pecan filling over the entire surface of the dough, leaving just a little space around the edges.

The dough for cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies is covered with cranberry pecan filling.

Roll the dough for the cranberry orange pinwheel cookies carefully into a log shape (starting with the long side). You can use the wax paper to help roll it. Cover the cookie dough log tightly, and refrigerate it overnight.

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies dough is rolled into a log, then refrigerated.

Prepare The Cranberry Orange Pinwheel Cookies For Baking

After refrigerating it overnight, slice the dough for the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies into 1/4″ slices, using a sharp knife. See how pretty they look in the photo below? The festive looking pinwheel cookies are then baked on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies, cut into 1/4" slices on baking sheet.

Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. They will NOT be browned, but will be fairly soft once done. Voila! Here are the cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, right after they were taken out of the oven. 

Cranberry orange pinwheel cookies need to cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing (this helps them firm up a bit). Transfer the cookies to a a wire rack to finish cooling, and then they are ready to eat!

Baked Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies, cooling on wire racks.

I hope you will consider making these cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies. The cranberry and orange filling tastes amazingly fresh and wonderful! They are always a big hit! Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day. Come back soon.

Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.  A few favorite cookie recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureOriginal Recipe Source: http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/a-tradition-cranberry-orange-pinwheels/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Chilling Time Overnight
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs 25 mins
 
Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry orange pinwheel cookies
Servings: 48 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 108 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 cup butter (2 cubes), softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place cranberries, pecans and brown sugar in a food processor (or high-powered blender/chopper). Process until ingredients become small pieces. Set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), cream the butter and granulated sugar together until well combined. Add baking powder, salt, eggs, and orange zest. Beat on low/medium for one minute. Add flour (by spoonfuls) to the mixture, while mixing on medium speed, until all ingredients have been thoroughly combined. Once combined, cover bowl and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

  3. Divide chilled dough in half. Place one half in between sheets of wax or parchment paper. Roll dough out into a rectangle, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top layer of paper. Spread half of the cranberry-pecan mixture evenly over the top of the dough to within 1/2 inch of all edges. Roll up dough (begin with the SHORT side of dough). Guide the dough with your hands and use the wax or parchment paper to pull the dough up as you form a "log-shaped" roll. Pinch dough to seal ends. Repeat with other half of dough. Transfer each "dough log" onto a clean sheet of wax or parchment paper. Seal dough in paper. Tape shut. Refrigerate overnight. (Dough must be thoroughly chilled to cut clean, nice even slices).

  4. When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, cut cookie dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices 1-2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or just until bottoms of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cookies "rest" a few minutes before removing from baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Don't be scared away from making these due to the long refrigeration time. I made the dough up the day before I wanted to bake them. Then I baked them up the next day... no trouble!

Nutrition Facts
Cranberry-Orange Pinwheel Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 108 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 61mg3%
Potassium 27mg1%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy these festive looking and delicious cranberry-orange pinwheel cookies, filled with swirled cranberry, orange and pecans.

 

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Dec
2014

Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

categories: Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays!
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Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!

Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. Ever. This recipe for Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake is one of my favorites! Creamy AND fudge-like… cheesecake AND chocolate? How could you NOT love this dessert? So here ya go… sure hope you enjoy it! I know we do!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Created This Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake Recipe

Years ago, I was trying to come up with a recipe for chocolate cheesecake. I read through several recipes (none of which I remember 20+ years later), and combined various elements from 3 of them to create this recipe.

I’ve made this chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust for so many special occasions over the past 2 decades, I can’t even count them. I made this absolutely delicious cheesecake again for some friends who came over for dessert about a week ago, and decided it was time to put the old Chocolate Fudge Truffle recipe on my blog.

How To Make Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

A chocolate graham cracker crust is made (easy). This crust is formed by patting down the crumbs firmly in the bottom of a springform pan. Here is the crust, ready for the chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling to be added on top.

Chocolate graham cracker crust in pan, waiting for cheesecake filling.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling is poured onto the chocolate graham crust. Now the cheesecake is ready to be baked in the oven!

The chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake filling is added to springform pan to bake.

This is what the cheesecake looked like, immediately after it came out of the oven. You can tell it has risen quite a bit during the baking. Let it cool, in the pan, on a wire rack.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake, right out of the oven after baking.

Make The Topping For The Cheesecake

The next thing to do is mix up the sweetened sour cream topping for the cheesecake while it is cooling. This topping is simple to make with sour cream, vanilla and sugar, and is spread on top of the cooled cheesecake.

Mixing the sweetened sour cream topping up, for the chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake.

 The surface of the cheesecake is already looking good, so far. Now it’s time to “fancy it up” a little bit by added chocolate swirled topping to the top of the dessert.

Time To Decorate The Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

 It’s easy to make a simple melted chocolate glaze in a snap, then it is drizzled on top of the cheesecake in a decorative design.

Sweetened sour cream layer is added to top of chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake, after baking.

Here’s the finished chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake! It has been drizzled with chocolate, and topped with a decorative holly leaf garnish! After decorating, the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled until nice and cold, and then it’s ready to slice. Want to have a piece? It’s YUMMY GOOD.

Chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake on platter, with Christmas candle and picture.

You can also drizzle the serving plates with caramel and chocolate sauce if desired. The only thing left to now is slice a piece, and dig in!

A slice of chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake on a plate.

We LOVE this rich, creamy decadent cheesecake, especially during the holidays! Hope you enjoy it, as well. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and have a great day!

Looking For More DESSERT Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious dessert recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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5 from 1 vote
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Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Refrigeration (inactive time)
8 hrs
Total Time
10 hrs
 
Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate fudge truffle cheesecake
Servings: 12 slices
Calories Per Serving: 475 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For The Crust:
  • 1 sleeve graham crackers , crushed into fine crumbs
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter , melted
For The Cheesecake Filling:
  • 3 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese , softened, at room temperature (important!)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips , melted, then cooled slightly
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted, then cooled slightly
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Cheesecake Topping:
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
For Chocolate Drizzle:
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Make the crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl, until well combined. Press this mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9" springform pan. Press tightly into pan to form solid crust. Set aside.
  3. Make the cheesecake filling: Mix all cheesecake filling ingredients together. Beat with electric mixer until mixture is smooth and well combined. (Make sure cream cheese is room temp before making filling... this will help ensure no lumps...) Pour cheesecake mixture over the crust. Spread to level out the mixture. Bake the cheesecake for 55-65 minutes in 325 degree oven, until center is set on the cheesecake. IMPORTANT: Place a cake pan filled half way up with water, on the oven shelf below the cheesecake while it cooks!
  4. When cheesecake is done, remove to a wire rack. Let the cheesecake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully release the sides from the springform pan. Let cheesecake completely cool to room temperature.
  5. While cheesecake is cooling, make the Cheesecake Topping: Mix the topping ingredients together in a small bowl (you can use a spoon for this... doesn't have to be beaten). Once cheesecake has completely cooled, evenly spread the topping over the top surface.
  6. Make the chocolate drizzle: Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat again for 30 seconds. Stir until completely smooth. Do not overcook or burn the chocolate. Let the smooth chocolate cool just a bit, then decoratively drizzle the chocolate over the Cheesecake topping.
  7. Refrigerate (uncovered) cheesecake for at least 8 hours or overnight. Slice and serve. Enjoy!.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 475 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 19g119%
Cholesterol 92mg31%
Sodium 165mg7%
Potassium 307mg9%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 665IU13%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 73mg7%
Iron 2.9mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! Entertaining for the holidays? You will LOVE this creamy Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with chocolate graham cracker crust and chocolate drizzle garnish!

 

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Dec
2014

Holiday Goodies Collection!

categories: Desserts, Holidays!
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I LOVE making Christmas goodies, to give to friends and family. Here’s a Holiday Goodies Collection of 20+ recipes posted this year… each recipe is tried and true… and DELICIOUS!Holiday Goodies Collection / The Grateful Girl Cooks!If you’re still looking for something yummy to make over the holidays, I would humbly ask you to give these recipes a look, with the hope that you might be able to find a new recipe or two, for your holiday celebration.  Each picture (below) has the link to that particular recipe directly above it.

I really hope you have a wonderful holiday season, as you celebrate with family and friends. I love to give gifts to others at Christmas, but remain most grateful for the amazing gift God gave me, by sending His only son, Jesus, to this crazy old world as a baby in a manger. The God of the entire universe became a tiny baby who would grow up and die for my sins… wow! It still boggles my mind… I firmly believe that many times, the very best gifts come in small packages!  Merry Christmas!

Click on title of each recipe for a direct link to that particular recipe!

Chocolate-Orange Truffles

Chocolate-Orange Truffles

Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Cranberry-Cashew Clusters

Cranberry-Cashew Clusters

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles

Pecan Squares

Pecan Squares

Candied Citrus Peels

Candied Citrus Peels

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons1

Date Roll Cookies

Date Roll Cookies

Orange Meringue Kisses

Orange Meringue Kisses

Raspberry Chocolate Meringues

Raspberry Chocolate Meringues

Maple Cream Bon Bons

Maple Cream Bon Bons

Sprinkle Bars

Sprinkle Bars

Orange Almond Biscotti

Orange Almond Biscotti

Carrot Zucchini Bread

Carrot Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Butterscotch Peanut Clusters

Chocolate Butterscotch Peanut Clusters

Mocha Truffles

Mocha Truffles

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Lemon Panna Cotta With Raspberry-Orange Sauce

Lemon Panna Cotta With Raspberry-Orange Sauce

Candied Orange, Cinnamon & Clove Spiced Pecans

Candied Orange, Cinnamon & Clove Spiced Pecans

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Mom’s Old-Fashioned Fudge

Mom's Old-Fashioned Fudge

Dipped Gingersnaps

Dipped Gingersnaps

Holiday Spritz Cookies

Holiday Spritz Cookies

Mom’s Famous Cream Cheese Ball

Mom's Famous Cream Cheese Ball

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry Orange CookieshollyHave fun in the kitchen this blessed season!
And, from our home to yours… Merry Christmas!

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Dec
2014

Snickerdoodles

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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It’s easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!
I recently tried a new recipe for Snickerdoodles. I’ve been baking snickerdoodle cookies for years and years with the same old recipe, and love them!

Recently I saw a “new” recipe on a website I love that looked interesting, so I gave it a try. The blogger I got this snickerdoodles recipe from is Chris Scheuer, at The Cafe Sucré Farine. She found this recipe in a cookbook from a famous bakery in London, England.

Bakeries tend to get things right in the cookie baking department, so I knew THESE snickerdoodles just HAD to be delicious, so I made a batch. The result? Outstanding! Do you know the story behind the humble snickerdoodle cookie? It’s pretty interesting. Find out here. It’s become such a well loved American classic cookie!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Typical Recipes For Snickerdoodles Produce A FLAT Cookie

My tried and true recipe for snickerdoodles are delicious, but usually come out fairly flat in appearance, like these pictured below.  They’re absolutely wonderful, but flat in shape.

Snickerdoodles, cooling on a wire rack.

These Snickerdoodles Are Soft And PUFFY!

Not these NEW beauties! The snickerdoodles puffed up quite nicely! These cookies have a delicious cinnamon/sugar topping. The inside of the cookies are soft and fluffy, making these the perfect snickerdoodles, in my humble opinion.

I am glad I found this recipe and will happily make these yummy cookies again. Snickerdoodles would be perfect for gift-giving over the holidays or for a special occasion! They are easy to make… and let’s be honest here… who doesn’t love to eat cookies over the holidays? Wait, wait… who doesn’t like a good cookie ANYTIME???

Once the dough is made, the snickerdoodles are rolled into balls, coated with cinnamon and sugar, and then are ready to bake!

Snickerdoodles dough balls on parchment paper covered cookie sheet, ready to bake.Baked Snickerdoodles Are Nice And PUFFY!

Once the cookies have baked, they look like THIS!  Behold… the humble little snickerdoodle! Can you tell that it is puffy? They are light and airy, and absolutely wonderful.

Snickerdoodles are baked with a cinnamon sugar topping.

Maybe you can see how puffy and “pillowy” these snickerdoodle cookies are in the photo below.  Yum. You’re gonna need to run and grab a cup of coffee, and help me eat these cute snickerdoodles! I would love to share a few with you!

Snickerdoodles are piled up on a plate, ready to eat!

Hope you will give these delicious cookies a try.  I know you’re gonna LOVE them!

Would You Like More Cookie Recipes?

Here are a few cookie recipes on my blog. You can find these and other yummy cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2012/06/snicker-doodles-from-londons-famous/#_a5y_p=1383068

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Snickerdoodles
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 
It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: snickerdoodles
Servings: 18 (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 213 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 4 oz. butter , softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For coating the dough balls:
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs to the mixture. Mix well until combined.
  4. Add the rest of the cookie ingredients to this mixture a little at a time. Mix until well combined.
  5. In a separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the coating.
  6. Form cookies. Use approximately a 2 Tablespoon size scoop of cookie dough, and roll it between your (clean) hands to form a ball. Place the dough ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and roll it in the mixture until all sides of the dough ball are coated.
  7. Place each coated dough ball onto parchment paper (or wax paper) lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart from each other.
  8. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 12 minutes (or until the cookies are a light brown color). When done, let cookies cool on pan for a couple of minutes, then remove cookies and place them on a wire rack to cool. Cookies will crack a bit... don't worry... it's ALL GOOD.
Nutrition Facts
Snickerdoodles
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 213 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 242mg11%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 185IU4%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make these absolutely DELICIOUS snickerdoodles! These classic cookies are soft and puffy, and are coated with a cinnamon sugar topping!

 

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Dec
2014

Cranberry Cashew Clusters

categories: Candy, Desserts, Holidays!
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Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!

Easy. Quick. Yummy. That explains this recipe for Cranberry Cashew Clusters, in a nutshell. Well… not really IN a nutshell, but you know what I mean, right?

This recipe is made with only 3 ingredients. They are white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and cashew pieces! Semi-sweet chocolate OR white chocolate can be used, depending on your taste. I love using white chocolate, because the cranberries show up a little bit better in the candy!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Cranberry Cashew Clusters Is EASY!

Anyways… this cranberry cashew clusters recipe is as simple as melting the chocolate, and stirring in the dried cranberries and cashews. The you can place this mixture by spoonfuls (or spreading it out) onto wax paper. If you spread the mixture out, then the cranberry cashew clusters can be broken into bite-sized pieces once it has hardened.

The recipe makes approximately 2 dozen of these delicious cranberry cashew clusters. You should store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, to keep the chocolate firm.

Cranberry cashew clusters on wax paper lined Christmas platter.

Cranberry Cashew Clusters are perfect little goodies to make when you are pressed for time! It’s so easy to make these delicious goodies to give to others, or have on hand for your ravenous family.

The chewy cranberries, crunchy cashews, and the sweet chocolate coating combine to make cranberry cashew clusters a wonderful treat! Sure hope you will give them a try! Have a great day, and please come back soon for more recipes

Looking For More CANDY Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy candy recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-clusters

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Cranberry Cashew Clusters
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!
Category: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry cashew clusters
Servings: 24 clusters (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 90 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups (12 oz.) white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup cashew pieces
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. If microwaving, heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat on high for an additional 30 seconds. Stir. If not completely smooth, heat on medium power for 15 seconds more, then stir until smooth. Do not burn the chocolate!
  2. Stir the cranberries and cashews into the melted chocolate and stir well, to coat.
  3. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls (OR spread out into a solid piece, then break up into bite sized pieces later) onto wax paper lined baking sheet. Let stand until they set up (firm).
  4. Serve and enjoy. Keep leftover candies refrigerated.
Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Cashew Clusters
Amount Per Serving (1 cluster)
Calories 90 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 55mg2%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 5IU0%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make delicious Cranberry Cashew Clusters, with only 3 ingredients (dried cranberries, white chocolate and cashews)! Easy to make, and perfect for gift giving!

 

 

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Dec
2014

Chocolate Orange Truffles

categories: Candy, Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays!, Truffles & Bon Bons
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Do you enjoy Christmas goodies?  Some of my favorite Christmas goodies to make are Chocolate Orange Truffles. Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, covered with more chocolate… oh my goodness! They taste wonderful, and are perfect for gift giving!Chocolate Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks! Chocolate Orange Truffles are delicious treats to enjoy during the holidays! Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, dipped in chocolate to cover. YUM!
Rich, creamy, chocolate truffles infused with just the right amount of orange flavor…YUM… what a taste treat! These delicious truffles are wonderful to give as gifts over the holidays, or simply to enjoy any time of the year.

The pairing of chocolate and orange remains one of my top flavor combos… it’s so GOOD! These truffles are easy to make (really… trust me!), and are a delicious and pretty treat or homemade gift for friends or family. They are absolutely delicious, and I think you will LOVE them!

I’ve been making these for as long as I can remember (over 30 years). I don’t even remember where I found the original recipe. I copied it down on a 3×5 card many, many years ago and have been making these for family and friends ever since!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Many Ways To Decorate the Chocolate Orange Truffles

I’ve made these chocolate orange truffles with semi-sweet chocolate topping with just a little bit of grated orange zest for a garnish. Once they are placed in cute little candy paper liners, they look so festive, especially for gift-giving. 

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Another option is to dip the chocolate orange truffles in white chocolate, and then drizzle them with semi-sweet chocolate on top.

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
My favorite way is to dip them in semi-sweet chocolate and garnish each truffle with a melted white chocolate drizzle. Trust me, you really can’t go wrong with any of these dipping methods! Any way you make them, these chocolate orange truffles are delicious!

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Don’t let the Prep Time scare you away from making these… most of the prep time is not active prep time… it’s just letting the truffles cool off in the refrigerator before dipping them in melted chocolate coating! Go wrap presents or put Aunt Edna’s fruitcake by the front door to use as a doorstop… whatever YOU like to do with some “hurry up and wait” time!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon. Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More TRUFFLE OR BON BON Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious truffle and bon bon recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Chocolate-Orange Truffles / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Original recipe source: unknown

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Chocolate Orange Truffles
Prep Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 33 mins
 
Rich and creamy, these delicious chocolate and orange truffles are sure to delight friends and family!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate orange truffles
Servings: 24 truffles
Calories Per Serving: 117 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Truffles:
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips , finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons orange liqueur (I use liqueur, but orange juice may be substituted)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel (I use a zester for smaller pieces)
For coating the truffles:
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (for drizzling over the truffles... this is optional)
  • Additional orange peel zest (for sprinkling on top of truffles... this is optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. To make the truffles: Bring the butter and the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Immediately add the chocolate chips, orange liqueur, and grated orange peel. Stir well until mixture is completely smooth.
  2. Place saucepan in refrigerator and chill chocolate mixture for 2 hours. When totally chilled, remove pan from refrigerator. Using a teaspoon (mixture will be semi-hard by now), remove chocolate and shape into 3/4 inch balls by rolling the mixture between your hands. Your hands will get a bit messy...don't worry about it! Place chocolate ball onto aluminum foil or wax paper covered baking sheet once formed. Once you have the chocolate balls (approx. 24) formed, place baking sheet back into the fridge for 30 minutes to re-harden the chocolate. When chocolate has firmed up again, make the chocolate coating.
  3. To make the chocolate coating: Place 1 cup chocolate chips and the vegetable shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove. Stir. Put back in microwave and repeat for 30 seconds. Remove. Stir. The mixture should be smooth after stirring, but if it still has some lumps, place back into microwave for 15 seconds. Remove and stir. Do not overcook the chocolate chips or they will burn.
  4. Remove truffles from refrigerator, and one at a time, place them into the warm chocolate. You may use two forks to hold the truffle. I like to use a toothpick stuck down into the middle of the truffle to coat them. Once coated, let excess drip off back into chocolate, then place onto foil to dry. Carefully remove toothpick, cover hole with a bit of chocolate, to cover, and continue coating the rest of the truffles in the same way, until done.
  5. Allow chocolate coating to harden, then if you want, drizzle some melted white chocolate over the top of each truffle to pretty them up. Garnish with a tiny bit of orange zest onto the white chocolate before it firms up. Once chocolate toppings have hardened, place truffles into individual decorative paper wrappers, then place into a sealed container.
  6. Keep truffles refrigerated. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Most of the prep time listed is not active "cooking time"... it's just letting the chocolate truffles cool off in the refrigerator before finishing them off with the coating.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Orange Truffles
Amount Per Serving (1 truffle)
Calories 117 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 20mg1%
Potassium 74mg2%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Sugar 6g7%
Vitamin A 90IU2%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate Orange Truffles are delicious treats to enjoy during the holidays! Creamy orange flavored chocolate centers, and covered in chocolate. YUM!

 

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Dec
2014

Holiday Spritz Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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It’s easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!

Well… it’s THAT time of year once again… time to make some Holiday Spritz Cookies! Making spritz cookies every year during the Christmas season has become one of my baking traditions. Years ago my family gave me a spritz cookie press, and I’ve been using it ever since, to whip up batches of these little buttery Christmas cookies.

We eat quite a few of them, but what I enjoy most is giving most of them to friends and family! Plates are piled high with holiday spritz cookies and other homemade treats. It’s what I LOVE to do at Christmas time!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Do I Need Special Equipment To Make Holiday Spritz Cookies?

Yes. You will need a spritz cookie press to make these holiday spritz cookies, but they are fairly inexpensive, and available in stores or online. This recipe makes oodles of these delicious holiday spritz cookies. You can see in the picture how many patterns there are available to design these yummy treats.

A cookie press is used to make holiday spritz cookies.
Here’s mine… been using it for years!

Typically a cookie press comes with several disc inserts which the cookie dough is pressed through to form different shapes. All you do is make the dough, color the dough with food coloring as desired, insert dough into cookie press, press, and voila! Holiday Spritz Cookies!

Out comes these perfectly shaped little holiday spritz cookies, which are then baked for a very short time. That’s it. See how easy it is to make holiday spritz cookies?

Different colors and shapes of holiday spritz cookies.

Happy holiday baking… sure hope you will give these holiday spritz cookies a try! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy cookie recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: An old box that my first cookie press came in. Box long gone. Recipe on index card survives…source unknown.

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Holiday Spritz Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
21 mins
 
It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holiday spritz cookies
Servings: 6 dozen (approx. 72)
Calories Per Serving: 71 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups butter (3 cubes)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • food coloring (if desired, to create a variety of colors!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

  2. In a large bowl, or stand mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar thoroughly. Add the egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract. Beat these in very well.

  3. In a large bowl, stir the flour and baking powder together until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and all flour has been incorporated. Do not chill the dough. NOTE: If you want to color the dough, add food coloring to various quantities of dough and mix thoroughly until color you desire has been achieved.

  4. Place dough into the cookie press canister, and press cookies out onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (This is easiest if you put the nozzle directly onto the cookie sheet). Change discs to make different shapes, as desired. It's even fun to place pieces of different colored dough into the canister and get multi-colored cookies!

  5. Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes... do not brown. Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Holiday Spritz Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 71 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 35mg2%
Potassium 15mg0%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Sugar 2g2%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make a LOT of small, buttery holiday spritz cookies for eating or gift giving, using an inexpensive cookie press to make festive shapes!

 

 

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