The Crafty Working Mom

Ingredients

• COOKIES:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 15 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
• FILLING:
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• Red food coloring

Instructions

1. Make cookies: Arrange racks on bottom and top thirds of oven; preheat to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add butter; slowly increase mixer speed to medium. Mixture will look crumbly at first, but continue mixing for about 8 minutes and it will come together in large clumps.
2. Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface and knead briefly, then press into a small rectangle. Cut dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cutter, cut circles. Gather up scraps, reroll and cut as many cookies as possible. Transfer them to baking sheets.
3. Bake cookies for 6 minutes, then rotate pans (top to bottom and front to back) and bake 6 minutes longer. Remove baking sheets from oven and place on wire racks for a few minutes to cool before transferring cookies to racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Make filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add salt and confectioners' sugar. Add food coloring, drop by drop, until filling takes on desired pink hue. Transfer filling to a pastry bag. Pipe filling onto half the cookies, then sandwich them together with remaining cookies.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant-coffee powder
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Sprinkles, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Mist a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk yogurt, milk and vanilla.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down side of bowl. Reduce speed to low. Add half of flour mixture, then yogurt mixture, then remaining flour mixture, beating after each addition until nearly combined. Remove 1/3 of batter (about 1 cup) to a medium bowl.
3. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water into a small bowl. Whisk in cocoa and coffee powder until smooth; let cool slightly. Add to batter in medium bowl; stir to combine.
4. Alternate spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batters in loaf pan. Draw a knife through batters for a marbled effect. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool on rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.
5. Place cream in a microwavable cup or bowl. Microwave until hot, about 25 seconds. Add chocolate chips. Let stand for 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Let cool to warm room temperature (icing should still be pour-able). Drizzle icing over cake, letting it drip down sides. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Let stand until icing has set.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz.) box red velvet cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Valentine Morsels, divided
• 1 container (16 oz.) prepared cream cheese frosting

Instructions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups.
2. BLEND cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle 1 cup morsels over batters in cups.
3. BAKE for 19 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. SPREAD cupcakes with frosting. Decorate with remaining morsels.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels, divided
• Decorator icing (in tubes, optional)

Instructions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease and wax paper-line 8 1/2 or 9-inch heart-shaped pan.
2. COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels; spread into prepared pan.
3. BAKE for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.
4. MICROWAVE remaining morsels in small, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until melted; spread over cookie. Decorate with icing.
5. BAKING SHEET COOKIE VARIATION:
6. PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Pat dough into 8-inch circle on ungreased baking sheet with floured hands. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

Notes