Vanilla Bean Sablé Cookies

These vanilla bean sablés are the French version of shortbread cookies. They are simple, with just a few ingredients, but they are a revelation. 

See those tiny dots? They are vanilla seeds scraped from soft and plump vanilla beans. It's a simple ingredient, but it brings so much flavor to the cookie. You won't be able to have just one cookie. 

Creamsicle Meringue Pie

This Creamsicle meringue pie will become your new favorite meringue pie. The combination of orange and vanilla will take you back to memories or your favorite childhood treat. 

What I love about this meringue pie is the amazing combination of Mandarin orange and vanilla flavors. 

Creamsicle Cupcakes

These Mini Creamsicle Cupcakes remind me of the flavors of the frozen treats I used to buy from an ice cream truck. 

These Mini Creamsicle Cupcakes are flavored with orange and vanilla, just like Creamsicles (or Orange Julius).

Yeasted Pound Cake

This vanilla yeast-leavened pound cake is super moist and buttery, and is delicious served plain, with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with just a bit of whipped cream and macerated fruit.

This pound cake is leavened by yeast just like old time European cakes. Prior to the introduction of baking soda and baking powder in the late 19th century, all cakes were leavened by yeast.

Rhubarb-Ginger Muffins with Rhubarb Streusel

These Rhubarb-Ginger Muffins with Rhubarb Streusel are a wonderful way to use rhubarb, a beautifully colored sweet/tart vegetable.

Buttermilk and sour cream add richness to these rhubarb muffins, and the ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla play so nicely with the rhubarb. The Rhubarb vanilla bean streusel adds a wonderful crust on top.

Vanilla Pear Muffins

These Vanilla Pear muffins are loaded with chopped Bosc pears. The are so crazy moist and flavorful, and they are topped with crunchy walnut and cinnamon sugar topping.

These vanilla pear muffins are also spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and include lots of chopped walnuts.

Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies

These Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies are totally fun to make, and they are so "pepperminty!"

These peppermint candy cane cookies are flavored with both peppermint and vanilla extracts, which give them a wonderful flavor and aroma.

Black and White Cookies

Black and White Cookies consist of a four inch diameter cake-like vanilla cookie thinly glazed with vanilla and chocolate icing. 

Evidently, the question, "Who makes the best Black and White Cookie?" is hotly debated in New York, both throughout the state and all five boroughs of the city. Not being from New York, I did a little "research" on the interwebs, and came across lots of lively discussions about where to find the best Black and White Cookie.

Mini White Chocolate Birthday Cake

This mini white chocolate birthday cake is super tiny, baked in four inch cake pans. And I made it for and with this boy. This boy. How much do I love this boy? So much. This is my first grandchild. Every grandma out there reading this knows exactly what I'm talking about.