Click here, to see more of my favorite photos from year’s past.

Are you ready for something sweet, slightly spicy and very gooey? If you are then I’ve got a treat for you. Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars from Martha Stewart’s amazing Cookies App. My original plan was to share a recipe for Lemon Spice Cookies with you. I wasn’t very happy with the photos from that baking adventure. We’ll revisit those very tasty cookies another day.

The Cinnamon Caramel Swirls Bar batter came together very quickly. There are two stages of baking, and some microwave time involved. The most labor intensive step of the entire process is unwrapping the 14 ounces of store-bought caramels. It’s totally worth it. The gooey caramel center paired with the cinnamon spiked batter creates an irresistibly good bite. I’m more than sure that these would be Santa-approved, if left on a plate on Christmas Eve. Just make sure that there’s a tall glass of very cold milk next to them.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed these 5 Days of Sweets.  For me, it was a chance to reinvigorate my love for this blog. Reading your comments here, and on Facebook, has reminded me of how much fun it is to share great recipes and food with friends. I hope that you will share something sweet with your family and friends this holiday season.

Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars – Martha Stewart Cookies App

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramels, unwrapped
• 1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment  paper, leaving overhang on the two long sides. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Add flour mixture; mix well. Reserve 1 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared pan; bake until firm, about 15 minutes. remove from oven.

Microwave caramels and milk in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 2-3 minutes, or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Pour over baked layer in pan and spread evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Drop reserved 1 cup batter by spoonfuls over caramel layer. Cut through batter with a knife several times to create a marbleized effect.

Bake 15-20 minutes longer, or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Use parchment to lift from pan, and cut into bars.

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This Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookie is one of the reasons that I brought back the 5 Days of Sweets. I adore chewy oatmeal cookies (see this recipe from a few weeks back.) The addition of the cranberries and walnuts add great flavor and texture.  The next time I bake a batch, I may throw in some white chocolate chips, too. How bad could that be?

The original recipe is from our friends at Crisco.  I swapped out the shortening for butter. I’ve been stocking up on butter for my holiday baking, so there was plenty on hand. I don’t usually have shortening around, unless it’s to make my Dad’s amazing Ginger Cookies.

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies – adapted from Crisco Holiday Cookies Advert.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until smooth. Stir in oats, cranberries and walnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then place on cooling racks to cool completely.

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We’re going to keep this short, and well, sweet. After all, it is hump day for my 5 Days of Sweets.

I have a friend celebrating a birthday this week. I asked what she’d like me to make for her. Her response, “something chocolate.” Well, I can do that.  How can you go wrong with making a basic caramel base, stirring in cocoa powder, then topping the candies with a generous sprinkling of sea salt?

Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt – adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2011

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment  paper or foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Melt butter in a large sauce pan, then add sugar, light corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 248 degrees, about 15 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, sprinkle with sea salt while still warm. Cool completely, cut into 1-inch square pieces. Wrap in waxed paper squares.

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It seems like cupcake stores are popping up on every corner these days. And don’t get me wrong, that’s not the worst thing in the world to happen.  I’d much rather pass twenty cupcakeries than twenty drug stores or cash-advance establishments. My issue is that the cupcakes are rarely stupendous. Yes, there are inventive flavors and fun toppings. However, the taste, the texture, the essence of the cupcake is rarely great.

When I came across this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes over on Annie’s Eats, I knew that I’d found something special.  First, I love anything pumpkin-flavored. And it doesn’t matter to me that the major pumpkin holidays are over. Also, I just knew that the addition of the instant espresso powder would take these little cakes to new heights. It most certainly did.

I altered the recipe slightly for the more coffee-averse among us. Annie brushes strong coffee over the cooled cupcakes. I found that the three tablespoons of instant espresso powder in the batter was just enough of a flavor kick. I also swapped her whipped cream frosting for a cinnamon-butter cream frosting of my own.

This recipe makes a full two dozen cupcakes.  Don’t even think about splitting the recipe in half. I’ve never baked anything that has been more universally adored. Bake them all and give them to people you love. Heck, give them to people you just barely like. They’ll love you for it. (Author’s note: I love everyone that has received one or more of these cupcakes from me.)

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes - adapted from Annie’s Eats
Yield: about 2 dozen cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. espresso powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup sugar
• 
1 cup brown sugar
• 
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs

For the frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the garnish:

• store-bought caramel topping

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Stir together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixture on low-speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full.  Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans.  Let cool completely.

In the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat butter and confectioners sugar until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add cream and cinnamon and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Pipe or slather on cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Coming to tomorrow for day 3 of 5 Days of Sweets, Chocolate Caramels with Sea Salt. Little chewy bites of sweet and salty deliciousness.

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