Cowgirl Cookies

Cowgirl Cookies

Big, hearty, and packed with goodness—Cowgirl Cookies are the ultimate “everything-in-one” cookie. Loaded with oats, chocolate chips, coconut, and crunchy nuts, these cookies are chewy, rich, and full of old-fashioned comfort. They’re the kind of cookies grandma would bake in big batches… and they disappear just as fast! You’ll love these cookies for their chewy texture, rich flavor, and loaded mix-ins. They’re perfect for sharing, gifting, or keeping all to yourself.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined.

In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut until evenly combined.

Scoop dough onto baking sheet (about 2 tablespoons per cookie).

Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are slightly soft.

Let cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring.

Tips for Perfect Cookies

• Don’t overbake—centers should stay soft for that chewy texture.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes if you want thicker cookies.
• Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top for a gourmet touch.

Rum Balls

Rum Balls

Rum balls were created as a way for bakeries to upcycle leftover cake scraps. To make a statement in these fudgy morsels, use an aged or dark rum. While chocolate sprinkles are the classic coating, you can roll them in everything from shredded coconut to chopped nuts. For an alcohol-free version, see variation at end of recipe.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) whole milk 

3 large eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1 pkg (432 g) chocolate fudge cake mix
1/3 cup (80 mL) cherry jam
1/4 cup (60 mL) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
2 tbsp (30 mL) aged or dark rum
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) chocolate sprinkles
3/4 cup (175 mL) finely chopped pistachios
3/4 cup (175 mL) shredded coconut 

Directions:
Position rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 350°F (177°C). Generously butter a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking pan. Line with parchment, leaving overhanging edges on two opposite sides for easy removal.

In a large bowl, whisk milk with eggs and butter until fully combined. Add cake mix, whisking vigorously until batter is very smooth. Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing out top.

Bake on middle rack until a wooden skewer inserted into centre comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Using parchment edges, lift cake out of pan. Cut cake into quarters. Roughly crumble 3 quarters into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix on low speed until cake is very finely crumbled, about 1 minute. 

Add jam, 1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa powder, rum and salt. Continue mixing on low speed just until a dough comes together, about 1 minute. Crumble in remaining quarter of cake. Mix on low until combined, about 1 minute. 

Increase speed to medium-low and continue mixing until dough is very smooth, about 1 minute more. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough can easily be rolled into balls, about 30 minutes.

5. To form, line a baking sheet with parchment. Pour sprinkles, pistachios and coconut into separate shallow dishes or plates. Scoop 1 tbsp (15 mL) portions of dough and roll into smooth balls. Drop 1/3 of balls into sprinkles and roll to coat. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, about 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart. 

Repeat, rolling the next 1/3 of balls in pistachios, then the final 1/3 in shredded coconut. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Rum balls will keep, refrigerated, in a container between layers of parchment, up to 5 days.)   Makes 52 rum balls

Coconut Shrimp ~ Keto

Keto Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 pound raw jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails on
¼ cup coconut flour
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 whole egg, beaten
Avocado Oil, or other mild flavored Keto friendly oil
Dipping Sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Sambal or Sirachi
2 tablespoons sugar-free apricot jam
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Add all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, and whisk until it’s well combined. Set aside and keep at room temperature, to allow the flavors to meld together while you fry the shrimp.

Add the coconut flour to bowl, the beaten egg to another and the shredded coconut to a third bowl to set up your breading station. 

Take each piece of shrimp by the tail, lightly coat in the coconut flour, shaking off any excess.

Then dip it into the egg, allowing excess egg to drip off.

And lastly, dip into the coconut, making sure the shrimp is well coated.

Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat and fry the shrimp for a couple of minutes on each side.

Shrimp cook super fast and the coconut will brown quickly, so be sure not to overcook them. You definitely want to stay close by and be ready to flip them quickly.

Work in small batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan, which will make them harder to flip. Allow to drain on paper towels while you fry up the rest.

Serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.

Recipe Notes:  

Makes about 24 shrimp, with 4 servings of 6 shrimp each.

Passionfruit Ice Cream Pie With Ginger Crust

Passionfruit Ice Cream Pie

With Gingerbread Crust

Instead of a plain cookie crust, create a crispy, chewy one with crumbled gingersnaps, dried pineapple and candied ginger.  If the Passion Fruit ice cream is not available to you, use an ice cream flavor (fruit) to blend with the flavor of ginger. 

Ingredient:
18 ounce box gingersnaps (lightly crushed) 
1 dried sweetened pineapple ring coarsely chopped 
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped candied ginger 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened) 
1 ¼ cups dulce de leche (16-ounce jar) 
½ cup passion fruit nectar (see Note) 
3 pints vanilla ice cream (slightly softened) 
¼ cup salted roasted pistachios (coarsely chopped) 
2 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the crushed gingersnaps with the pineapple, candied ginger and butter and process until fine crumbs form. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

In a blender, blend the dulce de leche and passion fruit nectar until smooth.

Spread 1 pint of ice cream in the chilled crust. Using a very small ice cream scoop (2 tablespoons), scoop the remaining 2 pints of ice cream into the crust, leaving some nooks and crannies. Drizzle 3/4 cup of the dulce de leche sauce over the ice cream, allowing it to pool in spots. Sprinkle with the pistachios and coconut and freeze until firm, at least 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the ring and cut the pie into wedges. Serve the extra dulce de leche sauce at the table.

Make Ahead
The pie can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

Look for passion fruit nectar at supermarkets, preferably the Looza brand.

Coconut Madeleines

Coconut Madeleines

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, to grease the pans

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Confectioners sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Thoroughly grease and flour the madeleine pans.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light yellow and fluffy.  Add the butter and mix.  Sift together the flour and cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and stir into the batter with a rubber spatula.  Stir in the coconut.

With a soup spoon, drop the batter into the pans, filling each shell almost full.  Bake the madeleines for 10 to 12  minutes, until they spring back when pressed.  Tap the madeleines out onto a baking sheet line with parchment paper and allow to cool.  Dust with confectioners sugar, if desired.

Hummingbird Bread W/ Frosting

Hummingbird Bread

Ingredients:
For Bread
1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 C mashed bananas
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8oz can crushed pineapple
1 C sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 C chopped pecans

For Frosting
1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened 
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened 
1 C powder sugar 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 tsp cinnamon 
3/4 C chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
Bread
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your loaf pans with cooking spray
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk until combined
Using a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugars until creamy and fluffy
Mix in the eggs and vanilla
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Batter will start to look really dry and crumbly
Add in the pineapple, coconut and pecans and mix until combined
Add in the mashed bananas
Pour batter into loaf pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick or a knife comes out clean
Let sit on a wire rack to cool completely

Icing
Using a standing mixer, combine all ingredients except the pecans and mix until smooth and fluffy.
Using a rubber spatula, scoop some of the cream cheese frosting onto a cooled loaf and frost.
Sprinkle with some chopped pecans
Enjoy!