I don’t know how I can get any luckier than to have a guest recipe for my dear friend Julia Wagner over at @asprinkleofjulia. Please enjoy this delicious recipe.

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Hot Cocoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a great recipe from my friend Julia Wagner. It has all the warm fuzzies of a hot cocoa by the fireplace and all the deliciousness of the chocolate chip cookies.

Course: Endings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chips, cookies, hot cocoa

Ingredients

• 3-1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 4 packets Instant Hot Cocoa Mix Do not use sugar-free
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 2 Lg. Eggs
• 1 tsp. Pure Vani;la Extract
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Marshmallow Bits, see notes below

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350

  Mix flour, hot chocolate packets, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of a stand-up mixer beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamed, about 2 minutes.

  Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix.

  Add the dry mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, continuing to mix after each addition. Mix only until incorporated.
• Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and add in chocolate chips and marshmallow bits.

  Cover mixture tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes..

  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and using a Tablespoon measure, form into 2 tbsp balls.

  Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely, on rack.

  Enjoy!

Notes

You can order "marshmallow bits" on Amazon. Essentially marshmallow bits are dehydrated mini marshmallows. Another way to get the same effect is to buy mini marshmallows, spread them evenly on a baking sheet and freeze them. You will have the same sweetness with a dry crunch as you would with marshmallow bits.

You do order on Amazon get the colored ones that look like Lucky Charms. That would be so much fun in these cookies.

I’ve been participating in the Melissa’s produce #FamilyBakingChallenge. The recipes have come from many sources and have been fantastic. One of my favorites has been the greatest surprise. They came up with a recipe for a snack and cake using Winter Crunch Red Grapes.

I have to admit I would never have thought of grapes in a cake but I was pleasantly surprised by this cake. The batter is not too sweet which is a nice contrast with the sweet grapes. The grapes some how maintain their crispness and look so beautiful.

I think these grapes are great on their own but this is a fantastic way to use extra grapes.

Once I made the cake and was getting it ready to photograph I was struck by how Christmas-y the cake look. I decorated it with fresh mint and a few fresh grapes. Voila, it took on a wreath appearance. I would definitely put this one in my Christmas repertoire!

Please send me pictures. Please send me comments and suggestions. I want to hear how this goes for you. Of course please head over to Instagram and follow me on @whiskinthesouthern.

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Grape Snacking Cake

A great way to use up leftover grapes, or make just because.

Course: Beginnings, Endings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, grapes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup Granulated White Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 Zest from whole Lemon
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 2/3 cup Buttermilk
• 2 Tbs. Brown Sugar
• 2-1/2 cups Winter Crunch Grapes, washed, dried and halved

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.

  Cover the bottom of a9-inch cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour pan and parchment liner.

  In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

  Turn mixer to low. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Coat the bottom of the prepared pan with brown sugar in an even layer.

  Add grapes and make sure they completely cover the bottom of the pan. Try to make sure the grapes are cut side up, skin side down in pan.

  Carefully spoon batter over grapes and spread into an even layer. 

  Bake for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, when it comes out clean it's done.

  Allow to cool for 20 minutes before turning out of the pan. Enjoy with whipped cream or dust with powdered sugar.

I’m sure you all have seen these adorable hot chocolate bombs all over the Internet. Well I’m here to tell you that they are not something you can make quickly and have them be as charming as they are on Pinterest. I tried and it took several attempts to get it right. It takes practice. Once you get the process down it is easier to turn them out.

There are two pieces of good news here. The first is you can make mistakes and cover them up with sprinkles and more chocolate. The other piece of good news is that I’m here to walk you through how to make them and fix your mistakes.

I love the idea of using these throughout the year. You can customize the inside and the outside to fit whatever holiday or occasion is coming your way. I think a red velvet bomb decorated for Valentines Day sounds amazing. How about your birthday person’s favorite flavors for their birthday or fun green for St. Patrick’s Day? The possibilities are endless.

As for the rest, you know my drill. Please send me pictures. Please send me comments and suggestions. I want to hear how this goes for you. Of course please head over to Instagram and follow me on @whiskinthesouthern.

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Hot Chocolate Bombs

My version of the cute bombs youre seeing all over Instagram.

Course: Endings

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 individual servings

Equipment

• 2- 6 section sphere bomb molds.

Ingredients

• 1 12-oz bag Chocolate chips, any variety
• 6 Tbs. Instant Hot Cocoa Mix
• 6 Tbs. Mini Marshmallows
• Add-ins of your choice I used peppermints and m&ms
• additional melted chocolate for drizzle
• decorative sprinkles and glitters

Instructions

• In 15 second intervals, melt 1/2 chocolate in a heatproof bowl, in the microwave on high. Stir between intervals.

  Dollop a bit of chocolate into each opening of bomb molds. Use a teaspoon or a silicone brush to evenly paint the chocolate around the whole mold.

  Place in the refrigerator for about an hour until solid through. Hold up to light to check for thin spots and re-coat.

  When completely solid carefully unmold spheres.

  Working with first six spheres, heat a plate and gently place sphere open side down on the plate to cause slight melting and even the edges. If you need to put these back in the refrigerator for a moment go for it.
• You're going to want to work fast and in as cool an area as you have.

  Place 1/2 tablespoon of hot cocoa mix into the six spheres you already evened the edges.

  Place four or five each of mini marshmallows into those same six spheres. Add in other extras, like candies. They will look full.

  Return these spheres back to the refrigerator while you get ready to work on the top halfs.
• Take the other six spheres that did not get evened out of the refrigerator and repeat the process with the heated plate.

  Quickly, place on top of the filled spheres. Hold gently and hope they melt closed together.

  If there are gaps, you can heat your finger under warm water and gently rub the seam to closed. Don't worry if it's not pretty, you can decorate over it.
• For decorating, i like to start with the drizzle. I put the remaining chocolate directly into a pastry bag and melt in microwave, as above. Instead of stirring, I just carefully squeeze to mix. Use pot holders or a towel. if too hot.

  If you don't have pastry bags, use plastice baggies. Just push chocolate into a corner. That will be your tip.

  Once melted and blended, cut a small piece off the tip, carefully twist the top closed and down, to remove any air pockets.

  Pour your chosen sprinkles in a shallow dish.

  Carefully drizzle over seam, in a zig zag pattern, then immediately roll in sprinkles. you add more drizzle after, if you like.
• In the original photo I only used one color of chocolate and one color of sprinkles. I would highly recommend experimenting with the chocolate melts that are available in different colors. This way you can shoot your hot chocolate bombs to fit any holiday or occasion. Just think of a white chocolate bomb with funfetti sprinkles for a birthday.

  You can also dip the rim of a mug in the melted chocolate and then the sprinkles for added sparkle.