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Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:44:59 +0000

Every winter holiday of my childhood involved a sugar cookie decorating day. Hours upon hours were spent decorating trays of cookies, each one unique (and often over decorated). While I loved spending quality time with my siblings sprinkling and frosting, there are times when throwing dough in a pan is so much easier. Sugar cookie bars are a streamlined version of the classic sugar cookie; baked up in a 9 by 13 in pan, they are delicious and much less time consuming. While this recipe is based off the Sugar Cookie recipe I have in 100 Cookies, these bar cookies are slightly different than a your average sugar cookie: they have a more chew in the center, and the frosting keeps them soft and tender. My heart has plenty of room for both the classic cookie and this modern variation, and I often make both for the holidays. My tips for making this recipe: Looking for a cookie not a bar? Try my Panettone Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Cardamom, or Pan-Banging Sugar Cookies.

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Pan-banging Peanut Butter Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 22:50:23 +0000

It has been awhile since I have made a peanut butter cookie, and I have found myself craving them, per usual, at the beginning of September, when school is back in session. It’s probably due to peanut butter sandwich nostalgia (because wow, I ate a lot of those over my school career), but whatever the reason, I really want a peanut butter cookie. I revamped my pan-banging peanut butter cookie from 100 Cookies; the original recipe includes a little almond flour and a minimal amount of peanut butter. I was out of almond flour and wanted more peanut butter flavor, so I started tinkering with these. My main goal was to keep the crispy edges the pan-banging technique is known for, especially in my Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies; however, peanut butter tends to make things chewy. Moving the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling helped keep the edges nice and crisp, while the center stayed chewy and moist. Adding Inclusions Chocolate is optional here, and there is a variation for peanut butter and jelly cookies in the notes. I also have many other recipes for pan-banging cookies: try Sesame Chocolate, Ginger Molasses, and Red Velvet. Some tips and […]

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Brown Sugar Toasted Sesame Bundt Cake

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:03:05 +0000

As you may have picked up on, I love toasted sesame oil, and use it frequently in my baking. Mostly I have used it in cookies, such as my Chewy Brown Sugar Toasted Sesame Cookies and my Sesame Chocolate Chip Pan-Banging Cookies, but today I have incorporated it into a Bundt cake with delicious results. The caramel-y notes from the dark brown sugar and toasted sesame oil in this Bundt cake are delicious together, and the sesame seeds (if using) add just a little bit of crunch. I love an entire tablespoon of toasted sesame oil here, but if you haven’t baked with it before you may want to start with a smaller amount (such as 1 teaspoon); some people find the oil overpowering. The dark brown sugar and toasted sesame oil also keep this cake moist over several days, which is perfect because I prefer this cake on the second and third days; the flavor develops and the crumb is tender and perfectly buttery. Tips for Making this Recipe

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Un-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 21 May 2024 20:54:13 +0000

Recipes for cookies without chocolate chips are nothing new, of course, but when I posted a picture of my “un”-chocolate chip cookie on Instagram two weeks ago I had quite a few people asking for the recipe, so I thought a blog post was in order. While I personally love a warm pan-banging chocolate chip cookie, I have found that cookies without chocolate are also just as tasty. And, with a good friend who hates chocolate (what?) and another friend allergic to chocolate, I wanted something I could quickly make that would keep everyone happy and safe. What Makes this Chocolate Chipless Cookie Recipe Different This cookie is my Chocolate Chip Cookie 2.0 recipe with a few small changes. Since the chocolate is omitted, I do chill the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes; I’ve found that this helps the cookie not to spread and keeps its cute round shape. Increasing the oven temperature to 400F [200C] helped the cookies turn golden brown on top and bottom, and also helped them crisp beautifully. And sprinkling the flaky salt on the tops of the cookies before baking vs after brought out more flavor without tasting overwhelmingly salty. I also really like dark brown […]

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Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:07:23 +0000

Often, when chocolate cookies are strutting around a bakery case, sending out their sexy, glossy vibes, the humble oatmeal cookie is completely overlooked. Small and round, filled with dried fruit and a handful of spices, this unassuming cookie doesn’t always make a big splash. Its charm is subtle; it hums quietly while other confections roar. But, in all honestly, I’m fine with the majority of people passing by these raisin-filled circles because it means there are more for me. Main Ingredients for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Rolled vs Quick Oats: I find either kind of oat works well in this cookie. Rolled oats will give them a little more chew, and my kids prefer quick oats because they don’t feel quite as “oaty”. Spices: I use cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg in these cookies. Cinnamon has always been a must in oatmeal cookies (I grew up making the quaker oats recipe on repeat), but I love the extra flavor of nutmeg here. It has a slightly bitter but warm flavor profile that compliments the cinnamon and elevates the cookie. Raisins: I use regular grocery store raisins in this recipe. Make sure they are fresh, and not dried out or hard, […]

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Red Velvet Pan-Banging Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:46:44 +0000

These Red Velvet Pan-Banging Cookies are a variation of both the Pan-Banging Sugar Cookie and the Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Cookie with Rum Butter Glaze, which are all also off-shoots of my Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies. These delicious cookies have buttery, rippled edges and a chewy center as a result of using the pan-banging cookie technique. They also mimic the famous red velvet cake (like my Red Velvet Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies), with both red food coloring and a little bit of cocoa powder in the dough to create the beautiful burgundy hue, and a partial dip in cream cheese icing to complete the classic “red velvet” flavor combination. These cookies are perfect for the holidays, and have made it onto my Top 24 Holiday Cookie recipes list. What Are Pan-Banging Cookies? Bakers tapping their cookie pans in the oven isn’t new, of course, but the pan-banging technique I use here is unique in that the pan is tapped in the oven every few minutes, creating ripples on the edge of the cookie. This creates two textures in the cookie: a crisp outer edge, and a soft, gooey center. I have a whole chapter of these recipes in my 100 Cookies cookbook. Just […]

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Half-n-Half Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 21:51:40 +0000

Gooey chocolate chip cookie dough and double chocolate cookie dough are baked together to create these delicious combo cookies! They’re, based off my Chocolate Chip Cookie 2.0 recipe that so many of you love. How To Assemble The Cookie Dough: For the Double Chocolate Dough To Assemble Measuring Flour Throughout my recipes posted on this website, 1 cup of flour equals 142g. Please note that 1 cup of flour can range anywhere from 120g to 142g, depending on the baker or website. I found that after weighting many cups of flour and averaging the total, mine always ended up around this number. If I am posting a recipe from another cookbook, I will use whatever gram measure of flour used in that book, which is why you may see a few posts with a different cup measurement. Different brands of flour have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high, which can result in very different outcomes when baking. I’ve found Gold Medal all-purpose unbleached flour to be the best option for many of my recipes; I use it in all the baked goods that don’t use yeast. For yeasted doughs that call for all-purpose flour, I like to […]

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Panettone Sugar Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:24:35 +0000

Growing up, my dad would always try to sneak little pieces of the sugar cookie dough while my mom was baking. It is a vivid childhood memory: watching his head peek around the corner, checking to see if her back was turned, and then making a dash for the bowl. She would yell and throw a towel and him, and my sister and I would giggle and hope he would share some with us while we followed him out of the kitchen. These sugar cookies are based on my memories of my favorite sugar cookies growing up, and also on sugar cookies from Chapter 1 in 100 Cookies (different than the Pan-banging Sugar Cookies). They have crisp edges and chewy, tender centers. I am calling them “Panettone” because they have some of the flavor notes found in actual Panettone, (similar to my Panettone scones), such as orange and lemon zest and dried fruit (I prefer dried cranberries and candied orange and lemon). I also like a good tablespoon of triple sec and plenty of vanilla. They’re a great addition to holiday cookie boxes, or a lovely winter baking day. Ingredient Notes for Panettone Sugar Cookies: Freezing Cookie Dough: Cookie dough […]

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Chewy Double Ginger Molasses Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:51:08 +0000

I’ve been adapting my Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0 recipe into all sorts of fun flavors, like Seven Layer Cookies, Ultimate Chocolate Cookies, and now these Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies for the holidays. I do love my Pan-banging Ginger Molasses Cookies, but I also wanted to come up with a version that didn’t require any extra step. This version is also based on the Ginger Cookie from 100 Cookies, but has more ginger flavor thanks to fresh, grated ginger. I know that most everyone has a strong opinion on how they want their molasses cookies to be (soft! hard! chewy! dense! coated in sugar! no sugar! fresh ginger! just ground spices!). My favorite way is crispy edges, a tender center, and plenty of ginger flavor. I use both fresh, grated ginger and crystallized ginger in these cookies for fabulous, spicy flavor. These Double Ginger Molasses Cookies pack incredibly well, making them perfect for holiday cookie boxes. Their flavor also continues to deepen for a day or two after they’re made. Ingredient Notes For Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies: This particular recipe doesn’t need to be refrigerated. These taste best when the centers are slightly under baked, just like the chocolate chip cookies. To Freeze […]

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Chocolate Espresso Sugar Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 20:59:56 +0000

These Chocolate Espresso Cookies are a favorite recipe to make around the holiday season, and are perfect for gift-giving boxes. I have a non-espresso version in 100 Cookies, but I’ve found the inclusion of ground espresso and a dash of coffee-flavored liqueur adds really nice flavor, and compliments the chocolate perfectly. These cookies are rich with so much chocolate flavor, have slightly crisp edges the day of baking, and a tender, rich center that lasts for days. They incredibly easy to make, no refrigeration of the dough needed. And they freeze well, which helps when planning holiday get-togethers and recipes for your holiday cookie boxes. Ingredient Notes for Chocolate Sugar Cookies: All-Purpose Flour: Make sure your all-purpose flour is not too high or low in protein; I like to use Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose for cookie baking. At 10.5 percent protein it is a good, moderate choice to keep baked goods tender. Ghirardelli Majestic Cocoa Powder: When I was recipe testing with this cocoa powder, I noticed the difference with one bite of the cookies. Ghirardelli uses the heart of the cacao bean, called the nib, to create this premium dutch-processed cocoa. The nibs are ground, pressed, and pulverized to […]

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