Brown Butter Banana Bread Cookies

I haven't posted a recipe in *forever*, but I have definitely been cooking and baking. Fall and winter are my very favorite times to be in the kitchen. There's just something so cozy and warm about it. It's just not quite the same heating up the kitchen with the oven during the summer.

Spending time in the kitchen is even more fun now with my little helper. Is it as easy? Definitely not since she grabs at everything...and sometimes manages to get something that we left too close. But it's certainly more fun. She intently watches every single thing I do and it's so cute. I hope she loves to bake with me someday!

Oops!

These brown butter banana bread cookies are one of my favorite things I've made lately. I love banana bread and these cookies add a fun little twist. Making anything in cookie form is more fun, right? The browned butter frosting drizzled on top definitely takes them to the next level. Browned butter takes everything to the next level, I think. In my opinion, these are the perfect excuse to have cookies for breakfast {umm, there are bananas in them!}, but they also would make a great afternoon treat and they're even yummy enough to have as a dessert!

Brown Butter Banana Bread Cookies
Makes about 30 cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 small bananas)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
pinch of salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg

Icing Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter is completely melted, swirl the skillet until the butter becomes a light caramel brown color, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. {Click here for step by step photos of this process.}
2. Add the sugar to the brown butter and mix on low speed to start, then increase the speed and beat for one minute. (Mixture will not be light and fluffy.) Add in egg, and mix. Stir together mashed banana with baking soda and let sit for 2 minutes. Add mashed banana and vanilla to the bowl and mix.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three batches, mixing just until combined before adding the next batch.
4. Drop batter onto a parchment paper lined, or non-stick sprayed, baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown around the edges. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the icing: Follow the directions for browning the butter in step 1 above. Whisk in powdered sugar, and drizzle icing over cooled cookies. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Source: Iowa Girl Eats

  

Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies

I absolutely love having a reason to bake! Last night, the girls in my community group got together for a Pinterest party. We were all supposed to bring a recipe that we had pinned, but never made. This was perfect for me because I pin like crazy...especially to my desserts board! When I'm supposed to make something for an event, I almost never even consider making anything but dessert. Dessert is my favorite {at least before I was pregnant!}. Even though I haven't been eating as many sweets lately, desserts are still my favorite thing to make.

I didn't have to scroll down far on my desserts board before these layered peanut butter brownies from Six Sisters' Stuff caught my eye. With the layers of marshmallow frosting and peanut butter, these brownies are super fudgy, perfectly peanut buttery, and ultra rich. Just the way a brownie should be. :) I mean, check out this peanut butter layer. There's just something I love about melted peanut butter.

Seriously, just look at those peanut butter and chocolate layers! It's almost like a layer of fudge on top of a brownie.

The original recipe called for homemade brownies, but I took the easy way out and used a box mix. I certainly wouldn't hold it against you if you have a favorite homemade brownie recipe you want to use, though. ;) Either way, you'll definitely want to have someone to share these brownies with!

Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies
Makes 24 1-inch brownies
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Boxed brownie mix + ingredients to make brownies
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Frosting
3 T. milk
2 T. cocoa
1/4 cup butter
5 large marshmallows
1 cup powdered sugar

Prepare brownies according to package directions (I used an 8x8 pan). Allow brownies to cool for 30 minutes. It's okay if they're still warm. Melt peanut butter in the microwave until it's smooth. I microwaved it for 1 minute and it was just right. Spread the peanut butter over the brownies. Refrigerate until the peanut butter layer sets up (30 minutes to an hour).

Once the peanut butter layer is set up, make the frosting. Over medium heat, combine the milk, cocoa, butter, and marshmallows and stir until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Once the frosting is smooth, spread it over the peanut butter layer and refrigerate until set.

Recipe slightly adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

  

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Frosting is one of my favorite things to make. I absolutely love watching butter, sugar, and whipping cream come together and get all fluffy and beautiful! Really, those three ingredients can make anything taste amazing! Yesterday, I posted a recipe for my favorite white cake that tastes almost exactly like the cake we had at our wedding. Today, I'm sharing the recipe for the vanilla buttercream frosting I always make with this cake. When I was on the hunt for a copycat cake recipe, I found this frosting recipe on the same blog. In her description, she said that it reminded her of the frosting at Olexa's in Mountain Brook. That was all it took for me to try it. If you're in Birmingham and you've been to Olexa's, you understand what I'm talking about. Oh my goodness, their cake! They serve it warm and it is SO delicious! And the frosting...it's perfect. Well, this frosting is pretty darn close.

Make the cake, make the frosting, and pray for some self-control.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

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1 cup butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.

Source: Plain Chicken