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Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

Forget the dry, crumbly peanut butter cookies you've had in the past...today I'm sharing my soft, buttery, no fail recipe for Peanut Butter Blossoms. These are the best version of the classic!

Soft peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's kiss in the center? Yes please! These Peanut Butter Blossoms are a holiday fave! This easy cookie recipe is perfect for your Christmas cookie tray, or to enjoy year round.

Continue reading Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms at Cookies and Cups.

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Hi again Harper --

Welcome to Day 1 of {insert dramatic music here} Life Changing Baking Tips!

Let's start with the one thing that can make or break any baking masterpiece and the ONE THING that I find is the culprit behind most baking fails.

OVEN TEMPERATURE.

I get this from readers all the time:

"My [cake/cookies/bread] has been in the oven for 2 hours and it is STILL RAW!!! What's happening??"

Here's what's happening...OVEN TEMPERATURES VARY.

It is a STRONG possibility that your oven might not be heating to the exact temperature you have set it to.

In fact, I just got a brand new oven, and I will tell you it bakes MUCH differently than my previous oven. I've had to adjust my bake time for recipes that I have made for years.

Secret #1 - Use this Tool to Master Oven Temperatures

Run to WalMart or hop on Amazon and invest a solid $7 in an oven thermometer. I PROMISE you'll be surprised.

Place (or hang) the oven thermometer into your oven, preheat to 350?F and see what happens.

Fingers crossed your oven will be spot on. But, if not, you can now see how you might need to adjust your bake time, or temperature for future baking endeavours.

Mouth-Watering Recipes that Require Exact Temperatures

This will come in hugely handy when making recipes like my PERFECT CHEESECAKE or Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!

Cheesecake can be one of those recipes that is hugely dependent on oven temperature. Same with banana bread, because it's quick bread baked in a deeper pan, so you want the inside to bake and the outside not to burn.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Stay tuned for tomorrow's next tip!

xo,
Shelly

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

DAY 2 of our 12 Days of Christmas Cookies ???? Grab a cup of coffee or tea and your favorite blanket and settle in for Cinnamon Crackle Cookies! They''re my new favorite cozy cookie. Buttery, sweet, cinnamon-y, with a crisp these are perfect for a dunk in a cup of hot chocolate.

Continue reading Cinnamon Crackle Cookies at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

Well, I''ve been holding out on you. I have never shared my most favorite FUDGE RECIPE...and I''m telling you it''s THE fudge recipe. No candy thermometer necessary, just a few ingredients, and you get soft, creamy, rich, MELT IN YOUR MOUTH fudge.

My Easy Fudge Recipe is SO creamy, soft, and rich.everything fudge should be! The chocolate is a combo of semi-sweet and milk which pair together for the perfect flavor...and get creative...mix in your favorite chopped candy, nuts, peppermint candies... get creative!

Continue reading Fudge Recipe at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

Today we''re talking ALLLLL about Chocolate Covered Cherries! I will be honest, they''ve never been my most favorite...UNTIL I learned how to make them at home. It''s a game changer. I feel confident in saying these are the best chocolate covered cherries you will ever have. It''s all about that sweet sugar coating before you dip. Trust me on this one.
???Plus they''re sooooo pretty!

These indulgent Chocolate Covered Cherries are quick and easy to make with maraschino cherries and melted chocolate! They're a great everyday treat or perfect for the holiday table!

Continue reading Chocolate Covered Cherries at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.

It''s National S''mores Day...which ALSO happens to be my birthday! I guess the universe knows what it''s doing ??

AND I just happen to have loads of S''mores recipes on my site that I know you will LOVE in cluding these S''mores Stuffed Cookies!

?CLICK HERE for all my S''mores Recipes! Happy S''mores Day friends!!

xo,
Shelly

Hi there Harper

I'm Shelly from Cookies and Cups and I am here in YOUR inbox ready to share 5 LIFE CHANGING TIPS FOR BAKING SUCCESS!

I've been blogging now for over 10 years and baking my whole life, so it's safe to say I know my way around a stand mixer. But whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen I think we're all looking for secret tips along the way!

My 5 Favorite Tips Coming Your Way!

Over the next 5 days I will be emailing you with a new tip to change your baking life!

Answer me this:

Before we get started I want to get to know YOU a little better, so if you have a spare minute, hit "reply" and tell me...

What is the ONE baking recipe you really want to master?

So, soften your butter, get your mixer out of the cabinet, and make sure your baking soda isn't expired because we have some baking to do!

Talk tomorrow with Tip #1!

xo,
Shelly

Hi again Harper --

Are you ready for DAY 2 in Life Changing Baking Tips series?

QUESTION: Have you ever been halfway through making a recipe, only to realize you are out of brown sugar?

Or have you ever been distracted while you're mixing up a cake batter, only to wonder if you had added 2 cups or 3 cups of flour already?

You are not alone and there is an absolutely simple solution.

Secret #2 - Measure Everything Out...Before Doing Anything Else!

Eliminate error by doing this one thing. It seems simple, but trust me. When you measure out all the ingredients you will:

• Know exactly what you need
• Have it ready to go when you need it
• Figure out if you are supposed to do some additional prep work like chill time!

Put It Into Practice

Jacques Torres is famous for his chocolate chip cookies. Why?

Because of the unique approach and perfect blend of ingredients. There are a few items on the list of the ingredients for these beauties you might not already have in your pantry.

Pre-measuring your ingredients BEFORE you make these INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS cookies makes it so simple to recreate his cookie perfection.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

What they're saying:

"I'm so impressed! Your version looks exactly like they do in the chocolate store. So much easier and less expensive!"

Stay tuned because tomorrow you're going to need that cookie dough for Tip #3!

xo,
Shelly

Hi again Harper --

Here we are on Day 3...halfway through changing your life, one baking tip at a time!

As a quick recap, we've learned about oven temperature how it can make or break your recipe, AND about how being fully prepped before diving into a recipe can make your life less stressful.

So now that you are, calibrated and prepped, let's talk about my most favorite subject: COOKIES!

If you have been following me for any length of time, this might not come as a surprise, but there is ONE KEY TOOL THAT IS IRREPLACEABLE when it comes to cookie baking.

Secret #3 - ALL HAIL THE COOKIE SCOOP!

Here's why a scoop is IRREPLACEABLE when it comes to cookie baking.

SIZE MATTERS!

Now, why is this important?

• If all your cookies are the same size, they will bake evenly! There's no reason to have one cookie under-baked and one over-baked on the same baking sheet!
• Next, let's be superficial...cookie scoops make prettier cookies. All your cookies will be the same size/height/shape. They say you eat with your eyes first, right?
• LESS MESS! Your hands will literally stay clean...save your cookie dough consumption for a test spoon!

Put It Into Practice

AND if you didn't make the Jacques Torres Cookie Dough last night to try out your new scoop, here's a cookie recipe you can make with no chilling required!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You'll notice in that picture how uniform all the cookies are in size and height. It's not a happy accident, friends, it is the cookie scoop in action!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

What they're saying:

I made them and they turned out perfect! My gang went crazy over them.

And get ready for tomorrow's tip on the Cheater's Way To Make a Beautiful Cake!

xo,
Shelly

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

Remember those "blue tin cookies" of your childhood? Well, I''m showing you how to make them at home...and oh that pretty swirl!

Butter, crisp, and perfect with a cup of coffee, these Danish Butter Cookies are an absolutely classic. .

Continue reading Danish Butter Cookies at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

Have you ever had Struffoli?? My Mother-in-law makes it every year and I thought I would take a crack at it in 2020...If you''re unfamiliar I''m breaking it all down today for you...but long story short, it''s a mound of tiny fried dough balls that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside AND coated in honey. OMG YES. I''m sharing the recipe with a video today! It''s a fun one to grab a friend and a glass of wine and make together!

Continue reading Struffoli at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.

Hi again Harper --

Welcome to our 4th Life Changing Baking Tip! Today I'm sharing my MOST favorite fake-out cake decorating tip!

I am NO expert at decorating cakes. I do my best to get by, and given enough frosting and patience, I can generally make things work. BUT there is one thing that I have learned in all my years baking cakes.

DON'T STRESS, IT CAN BE FIXED!

So many times I've ended up with crumbs in my frosting, or a lopsided cake, or piped on roses looking sloppy. But here's where my PRO TIP comes in. The savior for almost every cake decorating fail.

Secret #4 - Cover it With GANACHE!

You all have seen those gorgeous drippy cakes all over the internet. Well, besides being pretty and DELICIOUS, the ganache covers a world of imperfection!

What IS Ganache?

Ganache is simply chopped chocolate and heavy cream melted together. It's silky, rich, and can be made as thin or thick as you would like!

So frost your cake as carefully or messy as you would like. Chill it for a few minutes, and then pour a glorious, drippy layer of chocolate on top and smooth it over the edges.

The end result is a rustic, tasty, professional looking cake with this simple LIFE CHANGING tip!

Put It Into Practice

I've got a tough assignment for you tonight...go bake a cake, make some frosting and try out your GANACHE TRICK!

Here are the recipes I recommend starting with:

Perfect Chocolate Cake, Buttercream Frosting OR Creamy Chocolate Frosting

And top it all off with:

Pourable Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache

Stay tuned for tomorrow and my LAST Life Changing Baking Tip!

xo,
Shelly

Hi Harper !!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox ?? I hope you enjoy this new recipe!!

Shelly

It''s a new year, but we''re still baking cookies! Nothing like an absolutely perfect SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE to get you through the week!

These Easy Snickerdoodles are truly perfect. Soft, buttery and chewy cinnamon-sugar cookies that are loaded with flavor, this is the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe ever! This is my classic recipe, that I''ve updated the pictures and added more tips and tricks!

Have a great Wednesday!

Continue reading Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookies at Cookies and Cups.

Still hungry? Click here to check out ALL my recipes!.