Tausi Insider

Photo : Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Tricky d essert recipes can spell trouble , and frankly, my oven is busy enough already during the holidays . Instead of making finicky desserts, let’s make one that’s impressive and yet which still allows us to revel in its shapelessness. A dessert that doesn’t need any heat, requires zero decorating skills, and can be made in advance–n ay, should be made in advance. You’re cordially invited to produce this pumpkin cheesecake trifle. If crumbling cookies with your fists, and spooning heaps of whipped pumpkin filling sound like your jam , follow me. If you can make an icebox cake, you can make a trifle. T he biggest difference between the two is an icebox cake is built and a trifle is dumped. Besides tasting great, this style of dessert makes a great example for other simple desserts: All you need is whipped cream and a dry component to soak up some moisture, and you have a damn classy treat. Since the trifle takes the icebox idea and...

Photo : natashamam ( Shutterstock ) The cranberry muffin is one of my favorite fruit muffins, but, sadly, I never see them in bakeries. We must take matters into our own hands. Luckily, we’re one step ahead with leftover cranberry sauce. Make a plain muffin recipe, or use a blueberry muffin recipe and switch up the fruit. For every two cups of plain batter, mix in one third of a cup of cranberry sauce, and b ake as usual. You’ll have a delicious, lovely, pink-hued muffin to bite into. https://www.tausiinsider.com/12-of-the-best-ways-to-use-up-leftover-cranberry-sauce/?feed_id=332338&_unique_id=645d2329283a9

Photo : Kjetil Kolbjornsrud ( Shutterstock ) In December , my oven is primed for its biggest task of the year: epic stints of cookie baking. Over the next three weeks, hundreds of cookies will roll out with different shapes, textures, and sizes , and my most- needed tool won’t be a stand mixer or even parchment paper. It’s a fish spatula. Why your cookies need a fish spatula When cookies come out of the oven, they’re soft, delicate, and melty. And while the idea of a warm cookie feels mostly cozy , they’re actually extremely vulnerable . F ats and sugars—t wo of the primary binding ingredients—are completely molten until they have a chance to cool and harden. Some even have chocolate chunks that create liquid puddle fissures. It’s dangerous business. A typical plastic spatula has a blunt edge, and if you’ve ever scooped a warm gingerbread dude and the side has gotten smooshed by the spatula, you know a special kind of heartbreak . And that’s even a sturdy sort of co...

Photo : Steve Cukrov ( Shutterstock ) We can thank Sesame Street. In 1976 , they came up with “Free Cookie Day,” which would later be picked up on by the Blue Chip Cookie Company and gain some traction. This Sunday, Dec 4, is National Cookie Day. But you can get free cookies even sooner at some places. Here’s where you can get free or discounted cookies this weekend. Where to get free cookies on National Cookie Day Insomnia Cookies : You can get a free classic cookie with any purchase of your choice. If you don’t feel like going to the store physically, you can get free shipping with code “SHIPCOOKIES. It runs from December 2-4. Jimmy John’s : You can get a free cookie when you make any purchase of at least $5 and are a Freaky Fast Rewards member. Use the code “COOKIE22” for the deal. It’s only on December 4. N!CK’S : You can get a $5 discount on any Cookie Kräm Bundle order with the code “COOKIES” on December 4. G/O Media may get a commission Great American Cookies : If you’re a ...

Photo : Kara Gebhardt ( Shutterstock ) For the average cookie- eating month, it’s perfectly sensible to keep a few pre-scooped cookies in the freezer for when you want a quick, freshly baked chocolate chipper. But December is no average cookie month. With a lot of cookies on the list and a short window for shipping, you’ll need a strategy. To give yourself the biggest leg up this baking season, you should bulk batch and freeze your cookie dough now. Between party prepping, cookie shipping, and having enough to snack on during a delightfully awful Hallmark movie, you’ll end up going through way more cookies than you’d expect this month. Not all raw cookie doughs will freeze and thaw perfectly (usually those ones can be frozen after baking), but doughs with a high butter ratio are ideal candidates. Gingerbread, spritz cookies, sugar cookies, shortbreads, and cut-outs are all game. Calculate approximately how many batches you need for the month. Take a gander at the cookie recipes ...

In my household, I am the cook and keeper of all things kitchen-related. But a few weeks ago I broke my entire foot, so my partner has taken over, well, everything. He is doing a great job keeping the pets alive and the house clean, but I do wish he’d pay closer attention to snack storage, for my crackers and chips have grown stale. I don’t know why he can’t manage to clip a chip bag or transfer an open sleeve of crackers to an airtight container or freezer bag, but I suspect it’s related to his inability to close drawers and cabinets. In any case, this blindspot has resulted in several snack foods staling, which is not great, considering eating snacks is one of the only ways I can get my kicks right now, figuratively or literally. Luckily, re-crisping crackers and cookies isn’t hard. Just turn on your oven Crackers, cookies, and chips go stale due to moisture. Water gets absorbed by the starches in the snack, which leads to a softer texture and lack of crunch. P lacing them in the...

I bought my first food processor while I was still in college, working towards a chemistry degree that would get far less use than the appliance. One of the first things I made was a batch of Easy Oreo truffles , which impressed all of my lab mates and required a mere three ingredients—cookies, cream cheese, and some sort of melting chocolate. You can, of course, branch out from Oreos, though Oreos are never a bad choice. In addition to the wide range of flavors offered by Oreo this time of year, I recommend exploring every thin and crispy wafer you can get your hands on, especially those from the ginger snap family (I like Ana’s Swedish Thins). A Danish butter cookie truffle would also be fun and festive, and I wouldn’t be mad about a shortbread or cookie butter truffle either (use Biscoff cookies). When choosing a cookie, be sure to grab one with a hard, snappy and crumbly texture. This kind of cookie will give you finer crumbs and bond with the cream cheese well, creating a cohe...

Photo : JeniFoto ( Shutterstock ) A good holiday cookie exchange can leave you feeling cozy, content, and full of joy and sugar. A bad cookie exchange is disappointing, unexpectedly competitive, and might make you realize there is such a thing as too many cookies. Don’t let a terrible cookie exchange come to pass. Follow these tips to host a cookie jamboree that your guests lovingly reminisce about well into the new year. Get organized A cookie exchange, or swap, is a kind of holiday party where you ask each guest to bring one type of cookie. Everyone arrives with their offerings, and you end up with a variety of festive colors, flavors, and combinations for everyone to taste and bring home. To keep it as simple as it sounds, it helps to stay organized. I know spreadsheets aren’t for everyone, but some sort of document will save you a lot of confusion. Even if it’s handwritten, you want some sort of register where you can keep track of who’s bringing what. This will prevent repea...

Photo : Wollertz ( Shutterstock ) Walk into any Italian bakery and, no matter what your original intention was, look for the pignoli cookie first. It may not be as flashy as the rainbow cookie, but that knobbly little blob is a secret crowd favorite, with good reason. Pignoli cookies are soft, chewy, and utterly almondy. The price tag might seem a little high, but there’s a reason for that too. The ingredients are almond paste, sugar, egg whites, and pine nuts. They’re not ingredients I would spring for on a regular basis, but the holidays are a special time of year where I manage to find the extra 10 bucks. Chewy, light, and brimming with almond flavor, with a light resin aroma, pignoli cookies are unlike any other cookie out there. https://www.tausiinsider.com/12-holiday-cookie-recipes-with-5-ingredients-or-less/?feed_id=328410&_unique_id=6424b6b2e5083

Photo : Allie Chanthorn Reinmann If you were otherwise unaware, we’re big fans of cheeseballs here at Skillet. They’re delicious, impressive, shareable, and just the right kind of crazy. I understand if you’ve only rolled up savory cheeseballs up until now , but whipping up a dessert cheeseball is the snack you need for upcoming festive gatherings. I’ll tell you right now, there’s a cannoli cheeseball recipe at the end of this, and it is resplendent . Although I think the cannoli flavors of ricotta cheese, cinnamon, mini chocolate chips, and pistachios make for a flawless dessert (especially served with these cannoli crackers ), you can make a dessert cheeseball with any sweet flavor combinations you like. Part of the beauty of cheeseballs is the versatility and ease of making them. They make a great party snack contribution with usually five to seven ingredients that you can bend to fit your budget. Use simple ingredients, or cheaper brands to make it more affordable, or g...