Day 1 of the challenge was pretty easy. It was my turn to bring a snack to our ladie’s bible study last night. My first thought was cookies. While looking in my pantry, I stumbled across a box of Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix. On the side of the box was a recipe for red velvet crinkle cookies. I was sold.

As a family, we’re trying to get away from sugar, from box mix things, from fast food, so I admit I felt a little guilty making these cookies. Knowing that there must be a ton of red dye in them scared me. But they sure are cute, aren’t they? And they taste wonderful! I gave one to Reinman and with big eyes he said, “Wow!”

And they are really, really good with a cup of coffee. These cookies are soft, chocolate-y, sweet, and very tasty. I’m all about having a treat once in awhile. I threw in some white chocolate chips because if you’re going to be bad, you mind as well be BAD!

I think might make my Christmas Cookie Addition this year. They’re perfectly red, sweet, and full of holiday cheer! (Or something like that. This could be the sugar talking).

If you want something absolutely delicious, and very easy to make give these cookies a try. You will love them!

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

recipe slightly adapted from Duncan Hines

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 6 T butter, melted and cooled
• 1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Mix your powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, mix your cooled butter, cake mix, and eggs until fully combined. Add in your chocolate chips.
4. Roll dough into one inch balls and coat in powdered sugar mixture. Place on lined baking sheet, and repeat with the rest of the dough until you have a full pan. I did 9 cookies at a time.
5. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the outside of the cookies are fully set, and the insides are almost done. Let cool on sheet for a few minutes and then move to a wire rack until completely cooled.
6. Store in an airtight container between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
7. Enjoy!

– Jill

You might also like...

To finish off our cookie week I figured I’d give you all something extra healthy: Carrot Oatmeal Cookies. Let me tell just because they’re healthy, doesn’t mean they lack flavor. These cookies are packed with really healthy things like carrots, oats, and walnuts. That mixed with the coconut oil and maple syrup and you really have yourself something. Something tasty, that is.

These Carrot Oatmeal Cookies are like carrot cake in cookie form. They’re soft. They’re nutty. And they’re really, really yummy.

These cookies are also very versatile. You could add in some unsweetened coconut. Lemon zest. Pecans instead of walnuts.

Out of all the sugar-free cookies I’ve tried, these have been my favorite. (And trust me when I say I’ve tried a lot!). Also, I got this recipe from 101 Cookbooks, where there are ton of healthy recipes that I cannot wait to try. Next, I want to try these cookies that are filled with chopped chocolate, bananas (sorry, Mom!), oats, and coconut.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

recipe from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• scant 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 1 cup oats
• 2/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup, at room temp
• 1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
• 1 tsp fresh ginger (I used 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk your flour, baking powder, salt, and oats together. Mix in your shredded carrots and walnuts.
3. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk your maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and ginger together. Mix this into your flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Using a tablespoon as a scoop, drop your dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden on top and bottom.
6. Let cool a minute or two on baking sheet and then move to a wire rack.
7. I got about 2 dozen cookies.
8. Enjoy!

You might also like...

It’s Cookie Week here on Reini Days! I looooove cookies. They are my downfall. If I bake them, I will eat them. Unless I give the cookies away, I will eat every stinkin’ yummy one. So, that’s what I did. A few ladies I know had babies and I made them cookies (and, yes, I ate a few).

So, this week will be those recipes. And if you don’t like cookies I’m not sure why you’re visiting our blog. Just kidding! I love you all.

Up first: Nutty Butter Cookies. Eat one of these cookies and all will be well in the world.

I’m generally not a peanut butter cookie fan because most peanut butter cookies bore me. Not these. These are full of buttery oats, chopped nuts, peanut butter, a taste of honey, and whole wheat pastry flour (which I love, love, love!!)

The nice thing about these cookies? You can sub in whatever nut butter you want, or whatever chopped nuts you have on hand. (The original recipe says that the nut butter and the chopped nuts should be the same kind; i.e. peanut butter and peanuts, or almond butter and almonds.) The possibilities are endless!

These Nutty Butter Cookies are light, crumbly, soft, and full of peanut buttery goodness. Best peanut butter cookie. Ever. Seriously.

Nutty Butter Cookies

recipe adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup, plus 2 T whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 2 T honey
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (or other nuts)

Directions:

1. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add oats, and cook, until toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Spread oat mixture over parchment-lined baking sheet. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another bowl, beat together remaining 1/4 cup butter, coconut oil, honey, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, and beat again. Add peanut butter, and mix again until well-blended.
5. Stir in the oat mixture and chopped nuts to the peanut butter mixture and mix well. Add flour mixture, and mix again until all is blended.
6. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Put cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Let cool on pan for a few minutes, and then move to a wire rack.
7. Enjoy!

– the Jilb

You might also like...