Things You\’ll Need

• 1 cup of butter

• Standing mixer or large glass bowl

• Hand mixer

• 8 cups of confectioner's sugar

• 2 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup of milk

Light and airy, buttercream can be piped on or applied with a spatula.

Buttercream is sweet and smooth but without added flavoring it tastes like sugary butter. Adding flavor to this creamed combination gives your confection a satisfying, big flavor. You can flavor a homemade buttercream or enhance a plain frosting that you've purchased. Some recipes even call for a combination of ingredients to make a delicious icing. Jazz up a plain buttercream recipe by adding extracts that will bring loads of mouth-watering flavor to your dessert.

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Step 1

Take 1 cup of butter out of the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature about 30 minutes before using.

Step 2

Pour 1 cup of butter into a standing mixer or large bowl. Turn on the mixer and 1 cup of confectioner's sugar. If using a hand mixer, dump the cup of sugar in, then hold the bowl with one hand while mixing with the other.

Step 3

Continue to pour in cups of confectioner's sugar until 8 cups total have been creamed with the butter. Pour in 2 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Alternatively, you can add amaretto, caramel or pecan extract instead.

Step 4

Mix in 1/4 cup of milk. Once this amount is mixed well into the icing, add the remaining 1/4 cup. Continue to mix until the icing is smooth but slightly stiff.

Tip

Scoop pre-made buttercream frosting into a large mixer. Add 2 teaspoons of the desired extract into the mixer. Mix well for three to five minutes.

Warning

Do not use butter substitutes like margarine when making buttercream.

Pour the milk mixture over the chocolate and stir gently. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Fudge seems simple enough. After all, people have been making it for generations. If yours is greasy on the top, the probable cause is overcooking or stirring. Use a slow, gentle approach and make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. If possible, make fudge on a dry day. Moisture — and even humidity in the air — can cause problems.

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The Problem

Fudge is an emulsion — the blending of two seemingly incompatible ingredients, sugar and butter — to make a creamy product. Greasy fudge indicates that the fat solids have separated from the liquid and the sugar.

Watch the Heat

Fudge separates, becoming grainy and greasy, if the temperature of the milk and sugar rises above 234 degrees Fahrenheit. To ensure this doesn't happen, use a candy thermometer. The traditional-style thermometers tend to be more accurate than dial thermometers. Attach the thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure its base doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Bend down to read the thermometer at eye level, and pull the sugar mixture off the stove as soon as it reaches 234 F. At this temperature, it will be slightly golden-brown. At high altitude, reduce the temperature by 2 degrees for each 1,000 feet you live above sea level. For example, cook the fudge to 224 F if you live 5,000 feet above sea level.

Put Down the Spoon

Some recipes suggest stirring the sugar-milk mixture constantly until it reaches 234 F. This vigorous stirring can cause the mixture to curdle or break, which can result in greasy fudge. Spray a wooden spoon with nonstick spray before you begin. Stir the sugar-milk mixture constantly to bring it to a boil. At this point, turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. This resting period ensures the sugar has dissolved completely so you get a creamier fudge. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, bring the mixture to a boil again, but this time, do not stir it at all. Allow it to reach the correct temperature and remove it from the heat. This gentle approach should eliminate most problems with greasiness.

The Right Ingredients

The ingredients you use — and how you store them — can also play a role in fudge-making success. Use regular evaporated milk, rather than low-fat or nonfat, which are more likely to separate when heated. A pinch of cream of tartar added to the sugar and milk mixture can help reduce graininess. Cut the butter in cubes and add it to the sugar-milk mixture after you've boiled it. Cooking the butter with the sugar and milk can break down the milk solids in the butter, causing greasiness. Finally, don't store the butter or chocolate in the freezer. Moisture condensation from the freezer can add water to the fudge, causing seizing and separating.

Fresh-from-the oven cookies are nearly impossible to beat, and homemade peanut butter cookies are an all-time classic that most people enjoy. This recipe can easily be adapted to incorporate any type of nut butter, including cashew, almond, or hazelnut to fit any dietary needs or palate preferences. One of the best parts about baking cookies at home is the dough can easily be refrigerated or frozen right up until you're ready to bake the cookies, ensuring your cookies are fresh-out-of-the-oven every time.

How to make peanut butter cookies Image Credit: Julia Mueller

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Things You\’ll Need

• 1/2 cup (1 stick, or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (see note)

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (see note)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Tip

• You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, and alsounsweetened or sweetened. Avoid using peanut butter that has a great deal ofoil separation to avoid the need to stir the peanut butter.
• For gluten-free cookies, use gluten-free all-purposeflour for this recipe.
• If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, you can replace itwith regular granulated cane sugar.
• Replace the sugars with coconut sugar to make this recipe refined sugar-free.
• Substitute 7 tablespoons of softened coconut oil for the butter in order to make this recipe dairy-free.

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

Collect the ingredients you need for the recipe, using any substitutions as noted above.

peanut butter cookies ingredients Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Add the softened butter and sugars to a stand mixer, or a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy.

mix the butter and sugar Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add the peanut butter and beat until well combined and creamy.

add the peanut butter Image Credit: Julia Mueller mix peanut butter into butter and sugar Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add the egg and mix just until combined.

Add the egg and mix Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir well so that the dry ingredients are well incorporated.

Combine the dry ingredients Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Pour half of the dry mixture into the mixer with the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined, then repeat for the remaining half of the dry ingredients.

Mix in the dry ingredients to complete the cookie dough. Image Credit: Julia Mueller dough should be thick yet moist Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 4: Refrigerate the Dough

Transfer the cookie dough to a sealable container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 12 hours.

Refrigerate cookie dough for 3 hours Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 5: Prepare the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Form small balls out of the dough and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Roll cookie dough into balls Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Using a fork, flatten the balls by scoring the dough with a fork twice with a crisscross pattern.

flatten the dough with a fork Image Credit: Julia Mueller Flatten all of the balls of dough Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 6: Bake the Cookies

Place the tray of cookie dough on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until cookies reach desired level of crisp. For chewy cookies, bake 8 to 9 minutes.

Bake until cookies reach desired done-ness Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to sit 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Serve and enjoy.

Allow cookies to cool Image Credit: Julia Mueller Serve and enjoy! Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Cake for one? Um, yes please! Make any day feel like a festive celebration with this colorfully delicious funfetti mug cake. The best part is it takes less than five minutes to make.

Things You\’ll Need

• 1/4 cup flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 2 tablespoons melted butter

• 2 tablespoons beaten egg or egg substitute

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons sprinkles (plus more for garnish)

• 2 tablespoons vanilla frosting

Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients

Spray the inside of the mug lightly with cooking spray or grease with butter. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract. Stir to combine until a smooth batter forms.

Step 3: Add the Sprinkles

Add the sprinkles and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 4: Microwave the Cake

Place the mug inside the microwave and cook for 45 seconds. Check for doneness. If needed, cook in additional 15-second increments until center is done.

Top the finished cake with a dollop of vanilla frosting and garnish with additional sprinkles on top.

With a few modifications, you can use pancake mix to make a pie shell. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images

Pancake mixes have evolved from the basic combination of flour, sugar, salt and a leavening ingredient to sometimes include shortening and dried eggs. Since a conventional pie crust is made with flour, shortening and salt, with a few adjustments, a traditional-style pancake mix can be used to make the shell for your next lemon meringue or coconut cream.

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You Don\’t Complete Me

Pancake mix comes in two basic varieties — original and complete. The original version contains fewer ingredients, namely flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. The complete style usually contains some type of shelf-stable shortening and dried eggs. Using the complete package to make pancakes, you only need to add water to the complete mix. With the original, you need to add shortening, eggs and water. Because most pie shells become too fluffy and soft with the addition of eggs, use the original mix to make pie crusts.

Mix It Up

When making a pie crust using pancake mix, measure the mix equal to the amount of flour called for in the recipe. Add the same amount of shortening and liquid as the recipe calls for but omit the salt, sugar and any leavening ingredients. In a food processor or mixing bowl, blend together until crumbly.

Stick With Me

One of the secrets to great pie crusts may be in how the shortening is mixed into the dry ingredients. When mixed properly, the butter coats the flour to prevent it from attracting too much water. When the flour absorbs too much of the water, it forms gluten which makes the final product more tough. For flaky pie crust, mix the butter with the pancake mix until it forms crumbs. Large clumps of dough means it may be too wet or has not been incorporated enough, while a creamy paste means it has been over-mixed. After mixing, chill the dough for a minimum of 45 minutes before rolling.

The Trade-Offs

While pastry flour is recommended for the flakiest crusts because of its lower gluten content, most pancake mixes use higher-gluten all-purpose flour, which can make crusts made from a mix tougher than your standard crust. Also, pancake mixes may use more sugar than is called for when making a traditional pie crust, so the shell may be sweeter than usual, even without the addition of more sugar.