Rolo Cookies

Last week, I bought Rolo candies to make Rolo Pretzels. I didn’t use all of the Rolos so I decided to use the leftover candies to make Rolo Cookies. These cookies look like plain chocolate cookies, but there is a surprise inside. The chocolate co…

Last week, I bought Rolo candies to make Rolo Pretzels. I didn’t use all of the Rolos so I decided to use the leftover candies to make Rolo Cookies. These cookies look like plain chocolate cookies, but there is a surprise inside. The chocolate cookie dough gets wrapped around the Rolo candy. The Rolos melt…

The post Rolo Cookies appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Gingerbread Martini

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties. Need a…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties.

Gingerbread Martini

Need a festive Christmas cocktail? Try this Gingerbread Martini! This creamy cocktail is absolutely irresistible: just sweet enough and packed with cozy cinnamon, allspice and ginger. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie, but even better: with a little intrigue on the finish. It’s only 3 ingredients and the perfect festive cocktail for holiday entertaining. Here’s how to make it!

What’s in a Gingerbread Martini?

The Gingerbread Martini is an festive spin on the flavored vodka martini. It’s infused with big flavor from one homemade ingredient: Gingerbread Syrup! It’s an ideal Christmas cocktail or holiday drink anytime in December. You’ll need just three ingredients for this Gingerbread Martini recipe:

  • Vodka
  • Half and half (or heavy cream)
  • Gingerbread syrup

These three simple ingredients make magic in the glass: mostly because of the heavily spiced syrup! But it’s easy to make at home: here’s how!

Making homemade gingerbread syrup (and a substitute)

This Gingerbread Martini has the best cozy flavor because of the homemade gingerbread syrup! It’s a brown sugar syrup infused with fresh ginger, allspice berries, and cinnamon sticks. All you do is simmer the ingredients for 20 minutes. Give it a taste, and the flavor pops with an intensely spiced kick!

  • Homemade gingerbread syrup has the best flavor here! It takes just 20 minutes and we highly recommend it. Go to Gingerbread Syrup.
  • Purchased gingerbread syrup also works, but every brand has a different flavor and sweetness. Here’s a link to buy gingerbread syrup online.
Gingerbread Martini

Rimming the glass: a few options!

The most fun part of a signature martini? The glass rim! Aside from a festive look, they also add a hint of flavor and texture to the beginning of each sip. For this Gingerbread Martini we decided to rim the glass in festive sprinkles, which almost make it look like a wreath! Here are a few options for the glass rim:

  • Festive sprinkles: we used a mix of red and green Christmas sprinkles
  • Brown sugar: looks beautiful with a lovely golden brown color
  • Crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies: For these you’ll need a heavier bonder than water to get them to stick to the glass. Pour a bit of gingerbread syrup on a plate and dip the glass rim in that, then into a plate of finely crushed cookies.

Gingerbread martinis for a crowd

Are you making this Gingerbread Martini for a party? You’re in luck! You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker. Simply prep all the glasses first, then shake up 4 drinks at a time. It works like a charm (no need to shake them each individually).

Gingerbread Syrup

Make it dairy free or vegan

Want to make this Gingerbread Martini dairy free? Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream! The coconut fat stands in beautifully for the dairy fat. It does lend a coconut flavor, but it’s not overwhelming.

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this Gingerbread Martini in the comments below.

More festive Christmas cocktails

This Gingerbread Martini is one of our favorite Christmas cocktails for the holiday season! Here are a few more that work well as signature holiday drinks:

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Gingerbread Martini

Gingerbread Martini


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties.


Ingredients

  • 1 ounce* Gingerbread Syrup (homemade or purchased)
  • 1 ½ ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce half and half (or heavy cream or coconut milk, for vegan)
  • Sprinkles or brown sugar, for the rim (optional)**

Instructions

  1. Make the syrup: Make the Homemade Gingerbread Syrup in advance (or use purchased syrup).
  2. Prepare the rim: Place the sprinkles or sugar on a plate. Wet the rim of the glass, then roll the rim in the sprinkles or sugar until evenly coated.
  3. Shake the drink: Place the gingerbread syrup, vodka, and half and half in a cocktail shaker. Add a handful of ice and shake until cold. Strain the drink into the prepared martini glass.

Notes

*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker.

**Or, use crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies for the rim (dip the rim in a plate of gingerbread syrup to adhere them).

  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Shaken
  • Cuisine: Cocktails

Keywords: Gingerbread martini

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

These hot chocolate cookies taste just like the cozy drink, with a rich chocolate flavor and gooey marshmallow center. They’re…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These hot chocolate cookies taste just like the cozy drink, with a rich chocolate flavor and gooey marshmallow center. They’re divine!

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Here’s a holiday cookie we just can’t say no to. These Hot Chocolate Cookies taste just like the holiday drink! The cookie batter channels just the right flavor of the liquid chocolate: it’s textured with sugar crystals and studded with chocolate chunks. The best part? A marshmallow center ties it all together, forming a melty lake of gooey bliss. These are divine. We’re not big cookie people (I know, gasp!), but these blew us away.

Ingredients in hot chocolate cookies

These Hot Chocolate Cookies are essentially a chocolate sugar cookie with a marshmallow center. The base cookie is inspired by a book by one of our favorite bakers, 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer. Instead of mini marshmallows, the center’s got half of one big marshmallow, which melts into a gooey pile. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • All purpose flour
  • Dutch process (dark chocolate) cocoa powder: see notes below
  • Baking soda and kosher salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Butter
  • Vanilla
  • Eggs
  • Dark chocolate
  • Large marshmallows
Hot Chocolate Cookies

Notes on Dutch process cocoa powder

The cocoa powder in these Hot Chocolate Cookies is special: it’s Dutch process cocoa powder. It’s been treated with an alkali to make it pH neutral, which gives it a darker color and milder flavor. It makes the flavor ultra chocolaty, like in Chocolate Banana Muffins and Healthy Chocolate Pudding.

You should be able to find Dutch process cocoa powder at your local grocery next to the regular cocoa powder. If you can’t find it, you can buy it online: try Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder or Ghiradelli Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Tips for baking hot chocolate cookies

These Hot Chocolate Cookies are easy to make, but you should know two things before you start. Here’s what to know:

  • Baking 1 tray at a time makes the most even bake. Our oven is a little uneven on the two racks, so cookies can come out a little different based on their difference from the heating element. To make perfect cookies, bake one tray at a time. (We know, it takes longer! But it’s worth it.)
  • Important: refrigerate the formed dough balls while baking. The dough becomes warm as it sits, so you’ll want to get those formed dough balls into the fridge during baking. If the dough is too warm, the marshmallow simply melts (instead of looking white, it turns clear). Trust us: we know from experience!

Otherwise, Hot Chocolate Cookies are pretty simple to make. Flatten the dough into a disk, add half of a large marshmallow, make a ball, and roll it in a plate of granulated sugar. It’s easy as that and they come out simply beautiful. The perfect Christmas cookie, in our opinion!

Hot Chocolate Cookies

More Christmas cookies & treats

Looking for more holiday cookies? Here are our favorite easy Christmas cookies this time of year:

This hot chocolate cookies recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Hot Chocolate Cookies
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Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot Chocolate Cookies


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 30 cookies
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These hot chocolate cookies taste just like the cozy drink, with a rich chocolate flavor and gooey marshmallow center. They’re divine!


Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup Dutch process (dark chocolate) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 ounce dark chocolate bar, chopped into chunks
  • 15 large marshmallows, cut in half

Instructions

  1. Preheat: Preheat 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients: Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and kosher salt.
  3. Mix the dough: In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the sugar and room temperature butter on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the vanilla and eggs. Once incorporated, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
  4. Form the cookies: Prepare a plate with a layer of granulated sugar. Pull out 2 tablespoons of dough. Flatten it into a disc, then place a half marshmallow on top and wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Roll the ball in the plate of sugar. Repeat until you make 8 cookies.
  5. Prep for baking: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 8 cookies to a pan and stagger them so they have as much space as possible around them. You can bake the first batch immediately (go to Step 6). While the first pan is baking, form the other 22 balls and place them on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. It is important to chill the unbaked cookies because if they’re are too warm, the texture is off (you can also chill the dough and form the balls right before baking).
  6. Bake: Bake one pan at a time on the center rack for 12 to 14 minutes until the marshmallows are melted*. Store for 3 days at room temperature, 1 week refrigerated, or several months frozen.

Notes

*If you prefer, you can bake 2 sheets at a time; baking one at a time ensures the most even bake.

Cookie recipe inspired by 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer. Marshmallow center inspired by Salted and Stirred.

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Cookies

Keywords: Hot chocolate cookies

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I make A LOT of cookies. I am kind of cookie crazy! I love creating new cookie recipes but I have a few favorite recipes that I make over and over again. These Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies fit in the all-time favorite category. I make th…

I make A LOT of cookies. I am kind of cookie crazy! I love creating new cookie recipes but I have a few favorite recipes that I make over and over again. These Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies fit in the all-time favorite category. I make them all of the time because they are…

The post Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

1-Bowl Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Vegan + GF)

Friends, if you love our Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookies (they’re a fan favorite!), we have a holiday twist that must go on the cookie-making list! These chocolate peppermint cookies are crispy on the edges, fudgy in the middle, plus super chocolaty and pe…

1-Bowl Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Vegan + GF)

Friends, if you love our Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookies (they’re a fan favorite!), we have a holiday twist that must go on the cookie-making list! These chocolate peppermint cookies are crispy on the edges, fudgy in the middle, plus super chocolaty and perfectly sweet and minty! We are truly obsessed — these are too good to leave out for Santa (sorry, Santa).

Bonus points? They’re so easy to prepare (just 1 bowl and 30 minutes required)!

1-Bowl Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Vegan + GF) from Minimalist Baker →

15 Best Vegan Cookie Recipes

You don’t need eggs or butter to make delicious cookies, and these vegan cookie recipes are here to prove it. They include all the classics – peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, gingerbread, and chocolate chip – as well as fun, out-…


You don’t need eggs or butter to make delicious cookies, and these vegan cookie recipes are here to prove it. They include all the classics – peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, gingerbread, and chocolate chip – as well as fun, out-of-the-box vegan cookie recipes for anyone looking to try something new. Whether you’re gearing up for holiday baking or just in the mood for an easy sweet treat, I hope you find some vegan cookie recipes you love! Vegan Spice Cookies These vegan cookie recipes are especially perfect for the holidays, but if you’re tempted to make them at another […]

Perfect Chocolate Bark

This chocolate bark recipe is salty and sweet, with the perfect crisp texture in each bite! Here’s how to make…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This chocolate bark recipe is salty and sweet, with the perfect crisp texture in each bite! Here’s how to make this fun and giftable treat.

Chocolate Bark

We’re chocoholics over here, so one of our top treats to make is Chocolate Bark! This one is our ideal: sweet and salty with a confetti of colorful ingredients and absolutely irresistible. It’s the best fun treat that makes a great gift: and it works for the holidays or anytime. Here’s our perfect chocolate bark recipe: with a smooth, shiny sheen on the chocolate and just the right crisp crunch when you bite into it.

Tips for making the best chocolate bark

There are a few tips to making the very best chocolate bark. You can skip down to the recipe if you’re ready to get started. But here are a few more details on the why behind the what of each step in the process:

  • Temper the chocolate! Many chocolate bark recipes don’t require tempering the chocolate, but it makes a far superior bark. The chocolate has just the right shiny texture and crisp crunch, and doesn’t melt at room temp. It also avoids chocolate bloom, that white stuff that appears during storage.
  • Use semi sweet or dark chocolate, around 60%. We found 60% dark chocolate has the best flavor. 70% is a bitter too bittersweet.
  • Add mix-ins into the chocolate AND on top. Adding the mix-ins into the chocolate gives the best crunchy texture. (All of them on top makes it a little one-note.)
Chocolate Bark

How to temper chocolate

Chocolate is temperamental: period! But to make the best chocolate bark, we like to temper the chocolate. It’s a special process that heats and cools the chocolate to stabilize it for making candies. As we mentioned above, it makes the most stable texture, shiny exterior, and avoids the white “bloom” that can appear on chocolate during storage. Here are a few notes on tempering chocolate:

  • You’ll need a food thermometer. Don’t have one? Skip to the next section. This helps to achieve the precise temperatures that are required.
  • Don’t get water in the chocolate. This is the #1 rule! You’ll be melting the chocolate over simmering water but do NOT let it touch the chocolate or it will seize up.
  • Melt 2/3 of the chocolate to 108 to 115°F, add the remaining chocolate and reduce to 85 to 86°F, then return the chocolate to 90 to 91°F. That’s the basic idea of tempering! Start high, go low, then return to the middle. There’s lots of science behind it, so trust us.
Chocolate Bark

Don’t have a food thermometer?

Tempering chocolate is the way to get the best chocolate bark. But don’t have a food thermometer? That’s ok too! You can make it without tempering and it’s still good. Here’s what to know:

  • Melt the chocolate over simmering water. Use the “makeshift” double boiler method below, or a double boiler. You can use a microwave to melt chocolate, but it’s not our preference since it’s easy to go too far.
  • Skip the tempering and just use the chocolate when it’s melted. Add the mix-ins, pour in a thin layer and add toppings.

Chocolate bark toppings!

Once you’ve made it through the chocolate stage, making chocolate bark is a breeze! For this bark we used cranberries, pistachios, coconut and smoked salt. The combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, tropical and smoky was perfection! The smoked salt is not required, but if you can find it, it adds a unique element (if not, use sea salt). Of course, you can use any type of mix-ins you like. Here are a few more ideas when it comes to chocolate bark toppings:

  • Nuts like pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts
  • Seeds like pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds
  • Dried fruit like dried cranberries, dried cherries, apricots, dried blueberries, freeze dried strawberries
  • Crystalized ginger
  • Pretzels broken into pieces
  • Peppermint candies, crushed
  • Chopped candies of any kind
  • Crushed potato chips
  • Sprinkles
Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark storage

What’s the best way to store homemade chocolate bark? Chocolate bark stays most stable chilled , so we suggest keeping in the refrigerator or freezer. Store it in an airtight container at refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or frozen for 3 months.

More chocolate recipes

Are you a choco-holic like we are? Here are our top chocolate recipes to make when we’re craving a treat:

This chocolate bark recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Chocolate Bark

Chocolate Bark


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 32 pieces
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate (50% to 60%)
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓ cup chopped pistachios
  • ⅓ cup large coconut flakes
  • ½ teaspoon chunky sea salt (or smoked sea salt)

Instructions

Note: If you don’t have a food thermometer, simply melt the chocolate over a double boiler per the instructions below, then proceed to Step 5.

  1. Prep: Start a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Chop the chocolate into 1/2-inch chunks. In a heat-proof bowl that is completely dry that will fit over the pan of simmering water, add about 2/3 of the chocolate chunks. We used a small metal bowl; you can also use a double boiler if you have one. Make sure not to get any water into the chocolate, since it will cause the chocolate to seize up! (There are fixes for seized chocolate but it’s not pretty.)
  2. Melt the chocolate to a temperature of 108 to 115°F: Hold the bowl with the chocolate above the other saucepan with boiling water to create a double boiler (or use your double boiler). Place a towel on counter next to the stove so that you can transfer the bowl to the counter as necessary and avoid any water getting into the bowl. Hold the bowl of chocolate over the simmering water for a few seconds, until the chocolate starts to melt. Remove from the bowl to the towel and stir and stir to continue melting. Check the temperature with a food thermometer, and continue going back and forth from the water for a few seconds to the towel until fully melted. The target temperature is 108 to 115°F, but do not allow the chocolate to go higher than 115°F.
  3. Add the unmelted chocolate and reduce to 85 to 86°F: Once the chocolate is fully melted and at 108 to 115°F, add the remaining third of the unmelted chocolate (called seed chocolate) and stir constantly until it melts and the chocolate temperature falls to 85 to 86°F. This will take up to 10 minutes, but it is worth the wait! Stir regularly for the entire time to ensure an even temperature. (While it melts, you can chop the pistachios.)
  4. Heat back to 90 to 91°F: When the chocolate is 85°F, return the bowl of chocolate to above the pan of simmering water for a couple seconds at a time until climbs back to 90 to 91°F. Now the chocolate is tempered!
  5. Add mix-ins and spread in a thin layer: Add half the cranberries, chopped pistachios and coconut flakes to the melted chocolate and stir until fully combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the parchment paper in an even layer to a size of about 8″ by 11″. Sprinkle the remaining toppings over the top, crushing the coconut and chunky sea salt with your fingers to make smaller pieces.
  6. Refrigerate: Refrigerate at 30 minutes until hardened. When hard, cut into irregular 2 to 3 inch pieces with a butter knife. Store in an airtight container at refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or frozen for 3 months.
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Tempering
  • Cuisine: Dessert

Keywords: Chocolate bark, chocolate bark recipes

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws

This post is sponsored by Kroger. If you are looking for an EASY appetizer for the holidays, a family potluck, or any special occasion, I have the perfect recipe for you, Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws. This is a no-fuss, no-stress recipe, which makes it…

This post is sponsored by Kroger. If you are looking for an EASY appetizer for the holidays, a family potluck, or any special occasion, I have the perfect recipe for you, Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws. This is a no-fuss, no-stress recipe, which makes it perfect for serving at parties. The cheesy twists are easy to…

The post Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Sweet Potato Soup

This sweet potato soup recipe is a one pot wonder! Hearty and lusciously creamy, its velvety flavor will please everyone.…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This sweet potato soup recipe is a one pot wonder! Hearty and lusciously creamy, its velvety flavor will please everyone.

Sweet potato soup

Oh hello, luscious and velvety Sweet Potato Soup! This root vegetable is makes the best sweet and creamy puree. Accentuate it with a healthy dose of smoked paprika and the flavor is earthy, subtly smoky and absolutely irresistible. This healthy soup will please just about anyone: even avowed sweet potato haters! This recipe comes straight from cookbook author and dear friend of ours, Tanorria Askew in her new cookbook Staples +5!

Ingredients in this sweet potato soup

This sweet potato soup recipe is creamy, velvety, smoky, savory, and sweet all at once. This one will impress just about everyone: even people tend to avoid sweet potatoes (like our 4 year old!). It’s got a light swirl of cream to bring a rich body, but you can use full-fat coconut milk for vegan and dairy free. With those options, it works for nearly every diet! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Onion, carrots, and celery (see below for a substitute)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  • Fresh thyme
  • Bay leaves
  • Vegetable broth
  • Heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
Staples + 5

About the book: Staples + 5

This sweet potato soup recipe is from the new cookbook Staples +5 by Tanorria Askew. The great part about this book? It’s all about utilizing your pantry and staple ingredients to make easy, healthy meals! The concept is that you need a base of pantry and fridge items: then add 5 ingredients to that and you can make endless variations of delicious meals!

Tanorria is a former MasterChef contestant, personal chef, and incredible person we’re honored to call friend. Now she’s added cookbook author to her resume, and we could not be more thrilled for her! In this book she shares recipes from her family’s Midwestern table, drawing on a tradition of cooking she learned from her grandparents: make the most of what you have, and share it with those you love.

We could not recommend this cookbook more! Grab a copy of Staples +5 here.

Sweet potato soup

Tips and substitutions

This sweet potato soup is easy to make at home with a short list of ingredients. Here are a few tips to the cooking process:

  • Substitute celery seed if desired. When making this soup recipe, we made an error: we thought we had celery in our refrigerator! We substituted 1 carrot and 1 large pinch celery seed, and it turned out great! The earthy undertone from the celery seed was delicious.
  • An immersion blender is helpful. An immersion blender is also called a stick blender, and it’s absolutely essential for pureed soups in our opinion! This way, you can leave the soup in the pot and blend it, instead of transferring to a blender (which can result in hot soup splashing).

Garnishing this sweet potato soup

This sweet potato soup comes out creamy, velvety, lightly smoky, and irresistible. Tanorria recommends candied bacon as a topping, which would take it over the top! Here are a few other ideas for garnishes that she suggests and some ideas of our own:

Sweet Potato Soup

Make it a meal: side dishes to add

How to make this sweet potato soup recipe into a meal? Pureed soups often need more protein to make them into a filling. Here are a few ways to accessorize this soup and make it into a meal:

More sweet potato recipes

Sweet potatoes are perhaps our favorite vegetable of all time, over here. Here are a few more tasty sweet potato recipes to try:

This sweet potato soup recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Soup


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 cups (4 to 6 servings)
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This sweet potato soup recipe is a one pot wonder! Hearty and lusciously creamy, its velvety flavor will please everyone.


Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 celery ribs (we substituted 1 extra carrot and 1 large pinch celery seeds)
  • 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or stock
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk (for vegan)
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped pistachios, or pomegranate seeds, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel and dice the onion and carrots. Dice the celery. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into 1/2-inch cubes.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrots and stir, making sure to coat all the veggies with oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion and celery become translucent.
  3. Add the sweet potatoes and toss until everything is coated. Season with paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add the thyme and bay leaves and stir. Add the vegetable stock and increase the heat to bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  5. Remove from the heat and remove the thyme stems and bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup in batches in a regular blender.) Once blended, stir in the heavy cream. Serve topped with toasted nuts or seeds, if using. Cool to room temperature before storing. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes

Reprinted with permission from Staples +5 by Tanorria Askew.

  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Blended
  • Cuisine: Soup

Keywords: Sweet potato soup, sweet potato soup recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Thumbprint Cookies

I love creating new cookie recipes, but I also love the classics. One of our favorite cookies to make at Christmas time are Thumbprint Cookies. They are a holiday favorite and a great addition to any cookie platter. So what are Thumbprint Cookies? If y…

I love creating new cookie recipes, but I also love the classics. One of our favorite cookies to make at Christmas time are Thumbprint Cookies. They are a holiday favorite and a great addition to any cookie platter. So what are Thumbprint Cookies? If you haven’t had a jam thumbprint, you are in for a…