The Prize of Cooking

Cooking to win a prize is awesome but sharing it with the ones you love is even greater.

Cookies/Bars

Autumn Pie Crust Cookies

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Autumn Pie Crust Cookies

#WicksPies #TrustTheCrust #InCrustWeTrust

Autumn Pie Crust Cookies

As one of 30 food bloggers that was accepted to take the Wick’s Pie Recipe Challenge, I thought how fun to make a simple pie crust cookie just for the fall. The company sent each blogger a lovely stack of pie crust rounds. Like I have said before and will say again, wow is this nice pie crust.

I’m traditionally not a baker so I love to use any help I can get when it comes to baking. My grandma and mom could make a mean pie crust. I guess I missed that gene, but no worries, Wick’s is here to save the day!!

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Three Categories:

Center of the Plate (entrée) Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

Breakfast Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

Dessert Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

There will be one grand prize winner of $1,000.00

Placing the crust on a rolling mat roll out the crust from a 9 inch to approximately 11 inches. Spread the  orange marmalade using an off set spatula, then sprinkle the chopped nuts and chocolate chips up to the outer edge, then gently lay the second pie crust on top of the filling.

Once the second pie crust is in place, gently use a rolling pin to remove any empty spots which also allows the two crust to come perfectly together.

To create the patterns for my  Autumn Pie Crust Cookies, I used several of our “fall leaf” cookie cotters to create the shape and size of these delicious bite sized morsels. Depending on the size of your cookie cutters you should end up with approximately 25 cookies.

The pie crust holds up well to the filling and retains its shapes, but also allows some of the gooey filling to be show cased. With the egg wash and the sprinkling of the sugar it gives these cookies a dazzle of brilliance and sparkle.

With the endless combinations of jams, jellies, nuts, you too can make a vast variety of shapes and flavors of your own Autumn Pie Crust Cookies using the versatile Wick’s Pie Crust.

Autumn Pie Crust Cookies

Be sure to find and follow Wick’s Pies at the social media links below:

Website: https://www.wickspies.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WicksPies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickspies/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WicksPies

Check out my flakey breakfast category entree for this contest…Sunny-Side Up Breakfast Pie Crust Roll Ups

Also, stop by and take a sweet look at my other dessert entree…Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars 

Autumn Pie Crust Cookies

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Golden like the leaves of fall, these Autumn Pie Crust Cookies are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients

  • 2 9” Wick’s Pie Crusts, thawed
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/3 cup chopped pistachio nuts, (roasted and lightly salted)
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tbs. sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. On a nonstick rolling mat, place each pie crust and roll to 11 inches. This helps thin the crust for two layers.
  4. Warm the marmalade in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spread over the bottom crust. Sprinkle the chopped pistachio nuts and mini chocolate chips over the marmalade.
  5. Carefully place the top crust over the bottom crust and gently press a rolling pin over the two crusts to remove any air pockets.
  6. Brush with the beaten egg and cut into shapes. Transfer to the parchment paper on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the sugar.
  7. Bake 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on the pan for 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

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Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

#WicksPies #TrustTheCrust #InCrustWeTrust

Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

Oh my yes!! These Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars come together so quickly and make the perfect treat to take to any gathering. It’s like the cookie version but better.

I’m have a fun time  being one of 30 food bloggers to take the Wick’s Pies Bloggers Challenge. The company mailed each blogger a wonderful box of frozen pre-made pie crusts. The contest begins with three categories, breakfast, entree and dessert. I have to say, the crusts are the best quality I have ever worked with. (FYI, my personal opinion that is not endorsed)

__________________________________________________________________________

Three Categories:

Center of the Plate (entrée) Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

Breakfast Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

Dessert Category

$500.00 Cash Prize

There will be one grand prize winner of $1,000.00

Wick’ pie crust makes the perfect vessel for the filling. Just fold up 1/4 inch around the rim and give it a small pinch, no pie pan needed. Once the bars are in the oven, the trim will relax and bake into a wonder crust.

Hold back 1 tablespoon of white chocolate chip morsels to garnish the unbaked bars. It’s fun to see the little morsels popping out of the bars. Cut the bars while they are still warm to avoid cracking the crust.

Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

Nothing better than a sticky soft center that is filled with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. When cut, the recipe will make approximately 32 pieces. You could however make the bars a little larger if desired. The bars stack and store easily if there are any left to store.

Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

Be sure to find and follow Wick’s Pies at the social media links below:

Website: https://www.wickspies.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WicksPies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickspies/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WicksPies

Check out my flakey breakfast category entree for this contest…Sunny-Side Up Breakfast Pie Crust Roll Ups 

Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars

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Coconut Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Pie Crust Bars come together in a snap. This easy dessert is great to take to any event.

Ingredients

  • 1 9” Wick’s Pie Crust, thawed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (roasted and salted)
  • 1/2 cup toasted unsweetened fine shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbs. melted butter, salted
  • 4 tbs. white chocolate chip morsels (save 1 tbs. of chips to garnish the top of bars)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the eggs, nuts, toasted coconut, brown sugar, melted butter and 3 tbs. white chocolate chip morsels.
  4. Place the Wick’s Pie Crust on the parchment lined baking sheet. Fold up and crimp a 1/4 inch edge to the crust.
  5. Pour the filling into the crust and add on the 1 tbs. of remaining white chocolate chip morsels.
  6. Bake for 20-22 minutes to achieve a golden brown baked bar. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for several minutes.
  7. Carefully remove from the baking sheet and cut into 1-1/2 inch squares while still warm. Start in the middle and work to the outside. Cool completely and serve.

Notes

If you need to toast the coconut, place it in a dry non-stick skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring continuously until golden brown. Remove from the skillet immediately to stop the toasting.

Deluxe Toffee Thumbprint Cookies

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Soft sugar dough cookies, baked with flavorful almond paste mixture that is combined with crunchy toffee bits and caramel extract. Once baked, these Deluxe Toffee Thumbprint Cookies get their name from the deluxe amount of extra toffee bits sprinkled over the chocolate drizzle.

Where Do I Buy Almond Paste?

Many grocery retailers carry almond paste. There are different companies that make it and sell it in different sizes. The almond paste I found was from Solo Foods and was in the baking isle. It comes in a box and is ready to use.

The ingredients are simple: Blanched almonds, sugar, water, natural flavor and potassium sorbate (preservative).

You certainly can make your own almond paste. There are many recipes available online.

This recipe calls for adding caramel extract to the almond paste filling. I found it in the cake decorating section of Walmart. Unfortunately I did not find it readily at other retailers so I made them with all vanilla extract and they turned out delicious as well. I do however feel the caramel extract goes well with the toffee bits.

Deluxe Toffee Thumbprints

What if My Store Does Not Sell Toffee Bits?

You must try toffee bits that are sold next to the chocolate chips. You might already know how yummy they are straight from the bag. 🙂 If you can not find them, go to the candy bar isle and consider picking up a toffee bar. Break up the toffee bar with a rolling pin or pulse it in a food processor. If you are really ambitious, you could make homemade toffee and then break it up.

I will note that once the store bought bag is opened the toffee does begin to get tacky and sticky like. Most likely from the air it comes in contact with. So knowing this, I made sure to store the cookies in an air tight container to keep the toffee bits as crunchy as possible. It really wasn’t that difficult to do because they didn’t last long. No cookie last long around here. LOL

Deluxe Toffee Thumbprints

Below you will find my recipe entry, Deluxe Toffee Thumbprint Cookies, but first take a look at the winner of the contest.

My talented award winning home cook and fabulous food competitor and friend, Merry Graham, (A Merry Recipe blog), was the $5000.00 Grand Prize 2020 Go Bold with Butter Holiday Cookie winner. This was not her first win with this contest. Her Rye Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies with Orange Mascarpone Buttercream stole the show. Visit Go Bold With Butter for more Award Winning Holiday Cookie Recipes.

Deluxe Toffee Thumbprint Cookies

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Soft sugar dough thumbprint cookies that are filled with a flavorful almond paste mixture that is blended with toffee bits and caramel extract. Once baked, they are drizzled with chocolate and topped with more toffee bits, crowning them the Deluxe Toffee Thumbprints Cookies.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. almond paste
  • 2/3 cup toffee bits (found in the baking isle)
  • 2 tbs. heavy cream
  • 4 sticks butter, (2 cups) room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs. caramel flavored extract (if unable to find, use vanilla extract)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 cups finely crushed almonds
  • 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs. shortening
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits

Instructions

  1. In a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, whip together the almond paste, 2/3 cup of toffee bits and the heavy cream until well blended. Remove from the mixer and set aside in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
  2. In the standing mixer using the paddle attachment, whip together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add in the extracts and salt and blend a few minutes to incorporate. Then slowly add in the flour and mix until well blended. Remove the paddle and cover the cookie dough.
  3. Heat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Measure the almond paste toffee mixture in 1 teaspoon scoops and roll into balls. Set aside.
  5. Place the finely crushed almonds in a small bowl.
  6. Measure the cookie dough in 1 tablespoon scoops, roll into a ball and then roll into the finely crushed almonds. Make an indentation into the cookie dough with your thumb or the end of a large wooden spoon. Place the shaped cookie dough on the baking sheet and add in a ball of the almond paste toffee mixture.
  7. Continue rolling and filling the cookies and arranging on the baking sheets. The first baking sheet full of cookies can be place in the oven and baked for 23-25 minutes. When done, remove and place on a cooling rack.
  8. When all of the thumbprints are baked and cooled melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwavable bowl. Microwave at 30 second increments and stir in-between. It may take about 1 minute 30 seconds to completely melt.
  9. Transfer the melted chocolate into a disposable pastry bag (or regular pastry bag with small tip). Snip a small bit of the tip of the disposable pastry bag and drizzle the thumbprints with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits.

Another cookie recipe from my blog: Vanilla Almond Sesame Cookie Truffle

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