I love all types of Italian cookies, partially for sentimental reasons because my grandfather’s family is from Sicily, and also because they tend to be just sweet enough without overdoing it. Some of my finest childhood memories are of my grandfather coming to visit. He would always have a box from the Italian bakery withContinue Reading
Gluten-Free Pizzelle Gluten-free pizzelle is one of my most often requested recipes. Pizzelle are a thin, crispy, Italian waffle cookie originally made in Ortona, in the Abruzzo region of Southern Italy. In most Italian-American homes, they are a staple at holidays, especially Christmas and Easter. Traditionally pizzelle are lightly anise flavored, but they can be made with vanilla,Continue Reading
Secret Recipes are Bullsh*t As a chef, foodie and lover of culture, history and tradition, I am passionate in my belief that secret recipes are BS. There isn’t anything I can think of that anyone could tell me to change my mind on the topic. “Food is our common ground, a universal experience” – James BeardContinue Reading
Maple Lovers Rejoice! These gluten-free maple cream sandwich cookies combine rich, buttery, maple-flavored shortbread with a sweet, creamy maple-flavored filling to make the perfect sandwich cookie. I created this recipe at the request of members of my gluten-free baking group on Facebook. I have a lot of people from Canada and New England in theContinue Reading
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies always sold out in my bakeries when I had them. I would only make them in the fall and people would look forward to them in the same way that people can’t wait for their first pumpkin spice latte of the season. I would usually fill them with vanilla buttercream and occasionallyContinue Reading
I came up with this recipe after a member of my Gluten Free Secrets Tips & Tricks Facebook group requested a recipe for soft, puffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. These gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect mix of cookie and cake. They are soft, puffy, packed with pumpkin spice flavor and lots ofContinue Reading
This recipe for gluten-free Milano cookies is a great example of what I like to call ‘happy accidents.’ A women named Sarah, who worked for me as a pastry chef, brought this recipe to Sweet along with the story of how it came to be. Sarah was originally making a different type of cookie forContinue Reading
Rolled sugar cookies are great anytime of year, for all types of celebrations, because you can cut and decorate them to fit any theme that you can imagine. Sugar cookie recipes range from cardboard like, chalky and tasteless, to delicious, perfectly textured bites of deliciousness. If you think you don’t like them, try a newContinue Reading
As far as I’m concerned, the best part of making rolled gingerbread cookies (besides eating them) is letting your children decorate them. If the thought of the mess scares you, you can flat ice them with royal icing first, let it dry until it is completely set and then give the kids edible food markersContinue Reading
Ever since I was a child, I have loved the taste and smell of anise and fennel in all forms, sweet and savory. In fact, I love these flavors so much that when invited to present dinner at The James Beard House for the first time, I based my entire menu on fennel. OneContinue Reading
