Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mission: Completed! All rejoice, for this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe was an unbelievable success. I even daresay that my absolute favorite Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has finally met its match! I had never used brown butter in a recipe before, but I knew that its rich caramel, nutty flavor was just what my cookie palette craved. Browning butter can be tricky, but I was amazingly overjoyed when this recipe turned out so beautifully, not to mention fulfilling my cookie “type” of having a soft, chewy, and buttery texture.

Butter Pecan Rum Cake

Holiday desserts are fun, but we all know that an old-fashioned bundt or coffee cake will always take the grand prize. Traditional desserts hold a precious place in my heart, especially ones like this delicious, Paula-Deen inspired Butter Rum Cake! From its moist, vanilla cake to its shiny glaze, this is the ultimate no-fail dessert! 

Gooey Vanilla Cake Bars (St. Louis Style!)

Fun fact: this is my first post from an airplane! Although technology just frustrates me most of the time, I must admit that blogging from 35,000 feet above ground is pretty cool! On the way home from New York, my family and I are stopping in St. Louis, so I took it upon myself to explore its dessert attractions. I was certainly not disappointed, for although they might be best known for ribs and their Gateway Arch, my favorite one of their specialities is their St. Louis gooey butter cake!

Peanut Butter Blossoms (/Thumbprint Cookies)

It’s October, which means it’s National Cookie Month! October is my second favorite month, after May (my birthday month and the peak of Spring), because I LOVE Halloween!!!! Ever since I was little, I would watch Disney channel Halloween features like Hocus Pocus and my favorite of all time, Halloweentown! Maybe it’s just my love of fairies and all-things-magical, but pumpkin spice candles, candy apples, and monster decorations instantly bring me back to being a little kid making festive arts ‘n crafts and harassing neighbors for candy. In my opinion, Halloween even outshines Christmas candy canes and presents under twinkling trees! But anyways, in celebration of National Cookie Month, I made these absolutely delicious Peanut Butter Blossoms, aka Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies! With some imagination, they even resemble Halloween colors with their dark chocolate kisses and orange-y peanut butter cookie! The cookie is my favorite type, perfectly soft and chewy! And, what could ever be wrong with something topped with Hershey’s Kisses?! These cookies are absolutely fantastic! Enjoy!!!

Recipe: Peanut Butter Blossoms

***NOTE: If you like these peanut butter cookies, check out this Black & White Thumbprint Cookie recipe, which is just as delicious! Also, visit Foodimentary to learn more about national food holidays!

Almond Peach Butter Cake

Butter, almonds, more butter, and peaches…This cake is DE-licious! As a thank you to my school’s new college counselor, who met with me during her first week on the job (and during the summer), I made her this fantastic French financier-like almond cake. I’m sure it was appreciated much more  than a thank you card! With it’s impeccable almond flavor,this cake is moist, light, and perfectly sweet for  summer. But here’s more: I used the peaches sitting in my kitchen to add a classic southern twist! ***(See below) (I’ve always loved the look of upside down cakes where the fruit is a beautiful ring of topping; it’s a gorgeous decoration!) This cake is really the best of both worlds; it’s a classic vanilla almond cake plus some southern country flair! All you need is a huge scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a giant spoon to enjoy!

Recipe:  Moist Almond Cake

***NOTE: This cake can be made in various ways; the original recipe is a delicious almond cake that I just sprinkled almond slices on before baking. If you want to add peaches (or any other fruit), place the fruit slices on top of the cake before baking. (The peaches will sink to the bottom while baking, and you will see them when you flip the cake after cooled.)