O Holy Smokes!  We have reached the end of Cookie Week 2012… and we are going out with a *bang*.  We saved the best for last with this flavor explosion… Maple Bacon Oatmeal.  This may just be my Cookie of the Year.  It is that good.

This cookie is quite plain to look at, but don’t be fooled.  Beneath the surface lies a maple-y, bacon-y goodness that your cookie box recipients will not soon forget.  It is a bit crispy around the edge and still soft and chewy in the center.  The bacon adds just the right amount of saltiness to the cookie and the flavor says ‘home’.

savour... unexpected ingredients

I hope you are enjoying our Cookie Week 2012.  To give you (and me) a little break I am about to change your cookie making world.  This treat is ridiculously simple and tasty… and very pretty.  Today we are making palmiers, but with a little twist.  To punctuate it with some holiday flavor we have added cinnamon and orange zest to the mix.  The result is fragrant, sweet, and flaky.  

Palmiers are quite fun to make and even more fun to eat.  The fancy look of these will take your holiday baked goods package right over the top.  The truth is this should probably be classified as pastry, but because of its cookie nature, we added it here to go along with your holiday cookie boxes.  This recipe alone is reason enough to keep a package of good puff pastry in your freezer at all times.

savour… pretty and tasty

Day three of Cookie Week comes with a little crunch.  In our effort to bring you a variety this week we knew we needed to offer up something with real texture.  This one does the trick.  It is quite crispy when you bite it, but becomes chewy as you go.  It borders on a thin praline... and the flavor is remarkable.

This cookie is intentionally thin and when cooled becomes quite firm.  It is great for rounding out your holiday treat packages and will stand out among other cookies.  Pair it with a glass of milk or a cup of tea for a special holiday treat.

savour... a cookie that snaps back

Cookie Week moves forward with our second entry for this year... Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies.  If you are a fan of chocolate, you are going to LOVE this cookie.  It is crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.

The flavors of this cookie are perfect together.  The tartness of the cherries works perfectly with the sweetness of the cookie.  The two chocolates together make this rich and dreamy.  This cookie is a must for your holiday baked goods packages.

savour... perfect pairs

At last it's here... my favorite week of the year (at least at Today's Nest).  Cookie Week has arrived and we have 5 great recipes in store for you.  The cookies range from chocolatey to crispy to bacon... yes, bacon.

To kick off cookie week we present rum shortbread with date filling.  This cookie is light and crumbly with just the right amount of rum flavoring.  Truly, you could just eat them without the filling, but the filling does take them right over the edge.

The filling is hearty and screams holiday.  We added just a bit of rum to the filling to drive the point home.  The pecans add a bit of crunch and texture.  This is one tasty sandwich. 

savour... cookie week

I found a post on this treat a couple of years ago and vowed to make them one day.  I made them last night but never intended to make it a post.  I just wanted to eat them.  They are SO simple and ridiculously tasty.

It seems as though there are hundreds of posts dedicated to 'rolos on pretzels'.  There are ones with pecans mashed into them and M&Ms.  Those seem to be the most common.  After eating my fair share (or more) I posted a pic on instagram and Facebook of my finished treats and some readers asked for the recipe.  So here it is...

Before you start:

There are exactly 8 pieces in a standard size package of Rolos.  Keep that in mind when deciding how many you are going to make and how many pretzels to line up.

Alternatively, you can purchase a sack of them, but they are individually wrapped whereas the ones in the tube are wrapped as one.  I'll let that be your call.

The ingredients:

• Square pretzels
• Rolos
• Chocolate covered espresso beans

The method:

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place pretzels on the baking sheet.
4. Top each pretzel with a Rolo right in the center.
5. Bake for 4 minutes. No more.
6. Remove from the oven and press a chocolate covered espresso bean firmly down in the center.
7. Allow to cool slightly on the pan.
8. Finish cooling/setting in the refrigerator for an hour or so. 
9. Serve cold or at room temperature.

The holidays are a busy time and we are all looking for simple and unique entertaining ideas.  This treat of the week is perfect with simple ingredients and 'do ahead' preparation.

The nutty flavor of the cashew cream is perfect for this dish and adds a little surprise to the fruit flavors.  This dish is full of textures and tastes.  The result is a dessert that is so good you'll forget that it's wholesome, too!

savour... healthy treats