You guys loved my fluffy cinnamon rolls so much that I decided to whip up a bun/cookie hybrid.  Today, I present to you the cinnamon roll cookie.  It’s soft and warm with all the flavors of a cinnamon roll but with half the work and effort.  Can we say win-win?

5.0 from 3 reviews

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1½ c unbleached flour
• 1 ts baking powder
• ¼ ts fine salt
• ½ ts freshly ground cinnamon
• 1 stick soft unsalted butter
• ⅓ c powdered sugar
• ⅓ c brown sugar
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• 1 room temperature egg

Filling

• ⅓ c brown sugar
• 1½ tb freshly ground cinnamon
• ¼ ts freshly ground cloves
• 1-2 tb melted butter

Icing

• 4 oz soft cream cheese
• ⅓ c sifted powdered sugar
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• 2-3 tb room temperature whole milk

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In the second bowl, cream together the butter and sugars for at least 5 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla and egg.
4. Slowly incorporate the first bowl with the second bowl. Do not over mix.
5. Wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
6. Make the filling by stirring the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves together. Set aside.
7. Make the icing by blending the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together. Set aside.
8. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out to ¼” thickness.
9. Brush the surface with melted butter and evenly sprinkle the filling, leaving about an inch of a border all the way around.
10. Carefully roll the dough as tightly as you can without breaking the dough. It helps if you slip a piece of nonstick material beneath it {like plastic wrap, wax/parchment, silpat}.
11. Cover the rolled dough with plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
12. Slice the chilled dough and if time allows, pop the rounds in the fridge for 15-20 minutes as this will prevent them from spreading too much.
13. Bake the cookies at 350 for 9-11 minutes.
14. Cool completely and top with icing.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

With a base of moist spice cake and fluffy cream cheese frosting, these get the halloween treatment with sharp glassy candy daggers and lots of gooey splattered blood making them both a trick and treat.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Blood Splatter Cupcakes with Glass Daggers

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2-3 dozen

Ingredients

Spice Cake

• 1¾ c unbleached flour
• 1 ts baking powder
• ½ ts salt
• 1 ts cinnamon*
• ½ ts nutmeg*
• ¼ ts cloves*
• ⅛ ts allspice*
• ⅛ ts ginger*
• ¾ c oil
• 1½ c brown sugar
• 3 room temperature eggs
• ¾ c room temperature whole buttermilk
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract

Frosting

• 16 oz soft cream cheese
• 2-3 c *sifted* confectioners/powdered sugar
• 1 ts pure vanilla
• 1 tb heavy cream {optional}
• ¼ ts fine salt

Glass Candy

• 1 c granulated sugar
• ½ c corn syrup

Blood

• Red jelly

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk/sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Set aside,
2. In a separate bowl, combine the oil and sugar.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time with the buttermilk and vanilla.
4. In thirds, slowly combine the first, dry bowl with the second, wet bowl. Do not over mix.
5. Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes for standard sizes and 9-12 minutes for mini sizes.
6. For the frosting, break up the cream cheese and slowly cream in the sifted powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, cream, and salt and cream until fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes.
7. Please refer to videos for making the glass candy and assembling the cupcakes.

Notes

*Freshly ground yields the best flavor

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

The weather here is deceptively warm yet, it’s too cold to go into the water anymore which only reminds me that summer is really gone *sigh* #firstworldproblems so when my neighbor approached me this weekend with a fun halloween project, I jumped at the chance to whip up these velvet cupcakes with a spooky halloween spin but they’re still moist little cakes crowned with the glory of fluffy cream cheese frosting.  It served as a delicious token telling me that the best holidays are just around the corner and you already know I could eat this frosting by the spoon bucketful!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Black Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Webs

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

17 mins

Total time

27 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 dozen

Ingredients

Cake

• 1½ c unbleached flour
• 1 ts baking powder
• ¼ ts fine salt
• 2 tb black or natural cocoa
• ½ c oil
• 1 c sugar
• 2 ts lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 2 room temperature eggs
• ½ c room temperature buttermilk
• 1 ts vanilla extract
• Black gel color*

Frosting

• 16 oz soft cream cheese
• 2-3 c *sifted* confectioners sugar
• 1 ts pure vanilla
• 1 tb heavy cream {optional}
• ¼ ts fine salt
• Melted chocolate for webs

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together. Set aside.
2. In the second bowl, blend the oil and sugar.
3. Add the lemon/vinegar.
4. Whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
5. In 3 separate but quick additions, stir in the first bowl of dry ingredients into the second bowl. Do not over mix.
6. Lastly, tin the batter to your liking.
7. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes. Do not over bake.
8. For the frosting, break up the cream cheese and slowly blend in the sugar.
9. Add the vanilla and cream, if using} and salt. Whip until fluffy.
10. Please refer to video to recreate the chocolate webs.

Notes

Natural options: activated charcoal, black cocoa, mixing homemade primary colors.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

These cinnamon rolls are pillowy swirls tucked with warm spices, served warm with dreamy cream cheese frosting. The dough produces a most soft roll that bakes up fat and fluffy.

5.0 from 5 reviews

Cinnamon Rolls

 

Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Roll

• 4 oz whole milk
• 2 tb + 2 ts unsalted butter
• 1¼ ts yeast
• 1 room temperature egg
• 2¼ c unbleached flour
• Pinch of fine salt
• ¼ c sugar

Filling

• Melted butter for brushing
• ½ c brown sugar
• 1.5 tb ground cinnamon
• ¼ ts ground cloves

Icing

• 4 oz soft cream cheese
• 2 oz soft unsalted butter
• Pinch of fine salt
• 2 ts pure vanilla extract
• ½ c {or more} sifted powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Heat the milk and butter to 120 degrees and stir in the yeast. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Set aside for 2-3 minutes.
2. Mix the egg, flour, salt, sugar, and yeast mixture. Using a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer is easiest but you can also do this by hand. Mix until the dough comes together nicely and looks smooth {4-7 minutes}
3. Grease a bowl and the dough ball and set aside, covered for 60 minutes, undisturbed or until doubled in size.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling by combing the brown sugar and spices.
5. Roll out the dough on a nonstick surface {or use the smallest amount of flour possible to dust your work surface–too much will make a tough and dense dough}. Roll out to a ¼” thickness or so.
6. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle with the filling, leaving a bit of a border.
7. Carefully roll {as demonstrated in the video} and cut into equal parts.
8. Place cut rolls into a well greased pan and cover with plastic to rise one last time for 30 minutes.
9. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.
10. For the icing, whip everything together and frost when the rolls are still slightly warm.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

The very first time I ever sank my teeth into a hummingbird cake, I recall gleefully devouring what I figured to be a fancy banana cake.  Though not entirely false, it’s a quintessentially southern confection studded with banana, pineapple and toasted pecans.  The crowning of fluffy cream cheese frosting sets it off and nestled on top you’ll find an edible dried pineapple flower to admire and enjoy.

httpv://youtu.be/qsULoP24yYQ

5.0 from 3 reviews

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Pineapple Flowers

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1½ c unbleached flour
• ½ ts baking soda
• ¼ ts fine salt
• 1 c ripe mashed banana
• ½ ts cinnamon
• ¼ ts nutmeg
• 1 c brown sugar
• ½ c drained crushed pineapple
• ½ c oil {veggie, canola, grape seed, coconut}
• 1 room temperature egg
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• ½ c toasted chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 16 oz soft cream cheese
• 2-3 c *sifted* confectioners sugar
• 1 ts pure vanilla
• ¼ ts fine salt

Pineapple Flowers

• 1 ripe thinly sliced pineapple

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In the second bowl, combine the banana, spices, and brown sugar. Allow this to sit for 5-10 minutes and add the pineapple, oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Toss the pecans into the first bowl.
4. Slowly mix the first and second bowl together until just combined. Do not over mix.
5. Fill vessels and bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.
6. For the frosting, whip everything together until fluffy.
7. For the flowers, peel the pineapple and extract any visible blemishes. Slice it as thinly as you can. Sprinkle with just a touch of salt on each side and allow it to weep out any excess moisture for 15 minutes. Thoroughly blot each slice and brush off any remaining salt and lay on a single layer to dry out in the oven at 250 for at least an hour, flipping halfway.
8. To set, dry each warm pliable slice into a muffin tin.

Notes

Time does not include the pineapple flowers.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

When asked what I couldn’t live without, one of my answers would most certainly include bread.  I swoon at just the sight of soft, hot bread, straight out of the oven and relish the act of smearing butter and jam on thick, pillowy slices.  This recipe produces the softest, fluffiest bread ever.  It’s a joy to have at breakfast, made into french toast, infused with spices and custard for the most indulgent bread pudding, or even on its own.

httpv://youtu.be/FNpjHdRFndg

5.0 from 4 reviews

Soft Fluffy White Bread

 

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1 Standard Loaf

Ingredients

• ⅓ c bread flour
• 1 c lukewarm water
• 1 tb yeast + 5 tb warm milk
• 2 c unbleached all purpose flour
• 1½ ts fine salt
• 1 beaten room temperature egg
• 4 oz room temperature whole milk
• 2 tb melted butter

Instructions

1. Begin by whisking the bread flour and water over low/medium until it thickens. Set aside to cool.
2. Stir the yeast into the milk {I like mine at about 100*} and allow it to bloom for 3-5 minutes.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour and salt.
4. Add the cooled roux, activated yeast, egg, milk, and butter. Stir to combine.
5. On a floured surface, knead. You can use your hands, a bench scraper, or a hook attachment on a mixer. Try to not add more than ¼-1/2 c flour. The less the better. In any event, the dough will be very sticky.
6. Allow the dough to rest in a bowl and dab the top with melted butter. Cover and allow to rest in a draft free place for 45 minutes. I like to store mine in a cool microwave or oven.
7. The dough should be doubled. Pour into a well greased pan and allow to rest for another 20-25 minutes. It is ready when it’s nicely puffed and more than fills the pan.
8. Brush the top with more butter and bake at 375 for 35 minutes.
9. Ease the bread out of the pan after it bakes and set aside to cool for at least an hour. This is important to do before cutting into it with a sharp, serrated knife.

Notes

This bread only takes 35 minutes to bake but requires about an 1½ inactive prep time.

3.2.2807

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

It’s definitely strawberry pickin’ season around here and after making my jam, strawberry cake, and strawberry ice cream, I found myself still greedily returning back to our local strawberry farm, clutching a basket to stuff it with more.  Needless to say, it’s been a strawberry party everyday.  Another one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh berries is by muddling them into fresh lemonade.  As I took a sip in between my recent strawberry flurry, I decided then and there that I’d like to bake this sweet and tart flavor up into a cookie.  A quick poke around the net yielded pre-mixed box cake recipes which is all fine and dandy but this recipe blends in real crushed strawberries and the high note of pulpy, juicy lemons.

httpv://youtu.be/-GeaBp5kxgs

4.3 from 3 reviews

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

22 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2-3 Dozen

Ingredients

• 1 stick soft unsalted butter
• ½ c granulated sugar
• ½ c brown sugar
• 1 room temperature egg
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4-6 crushed strawberries
• 2 c unbleached flour
• ¼ ts fine salt
• ¼ ts baking powder
• ¼ ts baking soda
• ½ c powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Blend in the egg and add the zest and juice.
3. Blend in the crushed strawberries. I personally enjoy chunks, which also prevents the batter from being too wet.
4. In the second bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Slowly add the second bowl into the first. Mix just to combine to avoid over mixing.
6. Scoop out dough and roll into the powdered sugar. The more you pack on, the more of a “crackle” look you achieve later.
7. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

To be quite honest, I had no idea what these even were but per baby brother and his friends requests, I tested these in my kitchen, having a good ole’ time ripping open nostalgic pudding packs, that unmistakable smell taking me back to middle school again.  I produced this recipe by scaling back both the flour and sugar to take the pudding into consideration with an egg binding the dough and of course there are a ton of crumbled cookies mixed into the batter for good measure.

httpv://youtu.be/CvM6mRiQENg

5.0 from 3 reviews

Oreo Pudding Cookies

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1-2 Dozen

Ingredients

• ½ c unbleached flour
• ½ ts baking soda
• ¼ ts fine salt
• 1 package of vanilla/oreo pudding
• 1 stick soft, unsalted butter
• ⅓ c granulated sugar
• ¼ c brown sugar {just all granulated is fine}
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• 1 room temperature egg
• 8-10 crushed Oreos + 2 for the tops
• Melted chocolate/ganache

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix.
2. In the second bowl, cream together the butter {and both sugars, if using} for 2-4 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla and the egg.
4. Slowly combine the first and second bowl together in thirds. Don’t over mix.
5. Fold in the cookie pieces and if time allows, chill the batter in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
6. If not chilling, proceed by scooping onto flat, greased cookie sheets at 350 for 10-12 minutes {if you want a larger cookie, gently flatten the tops with greased palms before baking}.
7. Cool completely then drizzle with melted chocolate or ganache then crumble the 2 Oreos over the baked cookies.

3.2.2807

Happy baking!

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

An edible Easter basket filled with candy and soft and tender funfetti cake?  Count me in!!  And to think of all the wicker baskets filled half with candy, the other half with inedible grass I got instead as a child

httpv://youtu.be/_7fPwZDpxjw

5.0 from 5 reviews

Easter Basket Funfetti Cake

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: One 8″ 2 Layer Cake/12 Servings

Ingredients

Funfetti Cake:

• 2 c unbleached flour
• 3 ts baking powder
• 1 ts fine salt
• 12 tb soft, unsalted butter
• 1½ c sugar
• 2 ts vanilla extract
• 6 room temperature egg whites
• 1 c whole milk/buttermilk/yogurt/sour cream or dairy sub
• ½ c sprinkles {I used rainbow jimmies}
• Simple syrup

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream:

• 2 c soft unsalted butter
• 4-6 c sifted powdered sugar
• 2 ts pure vanilla extract
• ½ ts fine salt
• 2-4 tb room temperature cream
• Easter candies to decorate*

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift your dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In the second bowl, whip your wet ingredients together: butter and sugar.
3. Sprinkle in your sugar when the butter and sugar are soft and fluffy {3-5 minutes later}.
4. Blend in the vanilla and egg whites.
5. Blend in your milk.
6. Combine the first {dry} bowl into your second {wet} bowl in thirds. Mix just to combine {do not over mix} then fold in the sprinkles.
7. Bake in 2 greased and parchment lined baking pans {8-10″} at 350 for 25-35 minutes.
8. Cool completely on a baking/cooling rack.
9. For the buttercream, break up the butter and slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar {measure after sifting}.
10. Add in the vanilla, salt, and cream. Whip it together until it gets nice and fluffy.
11. To assemble, brush each cooled layer with simple syrup and spread with buttercream.

Notes

*Several options are given in the video but it would also be cute to line the border with wafer straws, pocky, bunny peeps, etc

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

These cookies are light and crisp on the edges, chewy and rich in the center, and have a delicate crackly crust on top, a hybrid cookie and brownie if you will.  I actually made these when I ran out of flour and I’m happy to report I’ve made them several times afterwards because they’re just that yummy.

https://youtu.be/3vk1xHfbc6Y

5.0 from 4 reviews

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2-3 Dozen

Ingredients

• 2 c powdered sugar
• ½ c unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ ts fine salt
• ¼ ts cinnamon
• ½ ts espresso powder
• 2 egg whites
• 1 ts vanilla
• Sprinkle of coarse salt/chocolate chips {optional}

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa.
2. Whisk in the salt, cinnamon, and coffee.
3. In the second bowl, whisk the egg whites with the vanilla.
4. Sprinkle in the entire contents of the first bowl and mix to combine. Fold in chocolate chips {if using}
5. Scoop onto baking sheets lined with parchment/silpat {important as they are very sticky} and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with salt if desired and bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes.

3.2.2807

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~