I wouldn’t say I’m “new” to the baking world, but in a way, I am.
There’s so much more I have yet to make, taste and explore in this wonderful realm of pastry.
Well… I use the term “pastry” loosely since we know how some people feel about my cooking being compared to the “gourmet pastry.”
I know my stuff isn’t typically the fare seen in glossy cooking magazines, and my techniques aren’t culinary school grad-quality, but I learn quickly by trial, error and lots of experimentation. There’s been plenty of cookie casualties and bludgeoned brownies.
But with a few of my tips & tricks and some favorite products, I get failproof results now. I don’t need a degree or years of experience or anything. Just stuff I know and love to get the cupcakes, cookies and confections you’ve come to know and love!
One of my favorite products to use is my SilPat Baking Mat. I’ve only recently come to know & love this product after years of dealing with cookies sticking stubbornly to the bottom of my supposedly nonstick baking pans. I was sick of chiseling them off and getting weird floppy disks for my chocolate chip cookies. Not photogenic and not tasty–just no bueno. So I asked for one of these for Christmas and the results speak for themselves.
Puffy, gourmet, beautiful-looking and tasting cookies that are crispy on the bottom yet soft and chewy in the middle–my favorite kind of homebaked cookie! They spread effortlessly and slide off the sheet so there’s no stuck-on mess which is great since cookies are intended to be eaten, not scraped off bit by bit.
You can also freeze them, so it’s great for lining pans when you’ll be working with melting chocolate (like dipping truffles) or using stickier stuff like caramel.
I seriously love my SilPat and use it for all my cookie baking. I know you’ll love one, too–that’s why SilPat has graciously offered to send one of you lucky duck readers a Half-Pint Size which is the perfect size for baking up a batch of these Cinnamon Caramel-Filled Mocha Cookies I made.
GIVEAWAY CLOSED! The winner has been selected and notified via email.
THANK YOU to everyone who participated and entered this giveaway! You rock! And thank you SilPat for hosting this giveaway!
To Enter, all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me what kind of cookies you’re excited to bake on your possible new SilPat Baking Mat. Chocolate chip? These Mexican-mocha inspired ones? My personal favorite: oatmeal? Tell me, and be sure to leave a valid email address with your comment.
For extra entries, be sure to leave separate comments for the following:
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SUBSCRIBE to SilPat on YouTube
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This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until Monday 7/30. A winner will be chosen around 6PM PST on 7/30 and will be chosen via Random.org. A winner will be notified shortly thereafter from the provided email along with entry and SilPat will ship the item to the winner’s home. If a winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.
There are SO many ways to enter this giveaway, so GOOD LUCK!! I’m stoked for you!
And now, onto these cookies… Rich, creamy, salty & sweet, they’re reminiscent of those salted caramel mochas at Starbucks. I am obsessed with chocolate + cinnamon and these cookies pack that spicy, cocoa-y punch. They’re awesome. And even better when they bake as beautifully as they did…
Cinnamon Caramel-Filled Mocha Cookies
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
About 28 Rolos, unwrapped
Sea salt (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with SilPat liners or mist lightly with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, cinnamon and instant coffee granules with a rubber spatula until a soft yet thick dough forms. Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop the dough into a ball and place in the palm of your hand. Gently press a Rolo candy in the center of the dough ball and work the dough around the Rolo to cover it completely. Place the rolled dough balls onto your prepared pans.
3. Sprinkle the dough balls lightly with sea salt, if desired. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool about 5 minutes on the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Store cookies airtight for 2-3 days at room temperature. These make excellent “sprinkles” on top of a mocha almond fudge sundae–just sayin’.
Good luck with the contest!! Hope you win!!
xo, Hayley
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a SilPat Half-Pint Baking Mat for review at no cost to me. SilPat is generously sponsoring this giveaway to a lucky reader. Thank you SilPat!!
