Baked Goods | Cookies | Treats | Updates

Oh Happy Day! Welcome to Cookie of the Month

By on 27 November, 2020

We are thrilled to announce our cookie of the month club! It has been a labor of love to figure out the best flavors and recipes for each month. What better way to let someone know you are thinking of them every month than cookies made with love!

Sugar Cookies

My Great Great Aunt Ina was one of my Great Grams’ best friends. We spent a lot of time visiting her as children. She lived in the country so we played out in the woods or we played card games and Rummicube. When we would come back inside, there were cookie tubs on a couple of low shelves in the mud room. We would all sneak some cookies on our way in as well as on our way out.

As I got older, my brothers moved to live with our mom. When Gram and I would visit Aunt Ina we would work on our crocheting and still play our games, but Aunt Ina realized my interest in cooking and baking so she would share her recipes with me and we would watch Martha Stewart on TV. I would marvel at the interesting cookies Martha made. (One cookie called for Wheat Germ and I’d never heard of such a strange thing).

While Great Gram was an excellent cook, and baked well, she only baked cookies for Christmas. (Side note, she baked ALL the cookies. Seriously, I don’t know how she did it. There were at least a dozen varieties so everyone had their favorites and she shared them with all four generations of our family, plus other friends).

Aunt Ina on the other hand loved to bake cookies. So she took the time to teach me about rolling out the dough. Cutting them out. How to flour my board or counter and my rolling pin. How you could use just about anything to cut out a cookie if you were in a pinch.

Her sugar cookies are truly magical. They are so light and fluffy. I used to use them for my decorated Sugar cookies because IMHO they are the most supreme sugar cookie in the world, but due to their rise and amazing texture they have a rounded top, which unfortunately isn’t ideal for specially decorated cookies. (For inquiring minds, my decorated sugar cookies are now between a sugar cookie and shortbread in texture and still have a delightful flavor. I’ve asked my favorite taste testers plus a few other people to sample to ensure they are still a high quality cookie).

My heart knew I wanted to keep these Sugar Cookies on my menu and were part of my inspiration for creating the cookie of the month club! Sugar Cookies are a truly classic cookie that I think are a nice palate cleanser for the beginning of the new year. They are like a delicious blank slate after the indulgence, decadence, and deep spice flavors of the holidays.

Chocolate Cookies

February is all about the chocolate and hearts. Whether you want to share with the ones that you love, or add some extra love into your own life. If I had to choose one sweet for the rest of my life it would with out a doubt be chocolate. I find it so comforting and often chuckle to myself when I think about the use of Chocolate after a dementor attack in the Harry Potter season, because when I make big moves, or need to do something out of my comfort zone a piece of chocolate makes the world right again.

A couple of years ago, I wanted to make some special St. Patrick’s Day treats for my office and the idea struck me. I know Rice Cereal Treats are a classic desert, but could they be made with Lucky Charms?

What would happen to the marshmallows that are already in the cereal? Would the melt into an ugly blob when they mixed with the melted marshmallows? Would I need to adjust the amount of marshmallows? Would they be too sweet? I became obsessed. I decided instead of continuing to worry or question if it could work or how it would work, I should just try and then make my adjustments.

My end result was a glorious treat! My colleagues loved them and even though I don’t like rice cereal treats (I know I’m an outlier here) I LOVED them too! I figured I would enjoy them since after all they were full of Lucky Charms, and they are my favorite cereal. (Want more info on my love affair with Lucky Charms? Check out my Lucky 13).

Now my colleagues ask me ahead of time, “when is it going to be Charms Treats time?” And that fills me heart with joy.

April

At least two of my favorite people have April Birthdays and I have spent most of my adult life living far away from my family. College and then off into the Army all over the world, and now I’m in Virginia where I don’t have any of my familial connections. For my local family (especially my nephews) I bake them cakes. As a micro business, I don’t know how to ship a cake in the mail and it seems cost prohibitive on a small scale. So I have developed Birthday Cake Cookies!! I CAN ship cookies in the mail!

I have 13 nieflings (nieces and nephews) and I love them all SO very much. Even the ones I haven’t met, from the time I learn about them, they have a place in their auntie’s heart the same as the neiflings that I do know have have relationships with. I truly wish I could fly home for each one of their birthdays and bake them cakes. I did bake the Irish Twins a birthday cake for their 2/3 birthdays TEN years ago because I happened to be home on leave, but the timing hasn’t lined up since. (Plus now there are just so many babies 😍🥰 which is an amazing blessing, but since I have a FT career as well, it only allows 10 vacation days per year).

May

After a piece of chocolate, I think what Moms really want is something a little sweet and sour. Light and Crisp to usher in spring and celebrate Mother’s day. Lemon crinkles are packed with flavor and pop! They pair well with a cup of tea (hot or iced, sweet or unsweet). Delicate but substatial. Cookies that bring loads of bright cheeriness with each bite!

June

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are another classic cookie that I couldn’t resist including. They are one of the first cookies I learned to bake and they are hearty and wholesome. The only compaint I ever have with Oatmeal Raisin Cookies is when I pick one up, take a bite, thinking they are chocolate chip and I am quite offended! So never fear! These cookies will be properly labeled so they won’t be Chocolate Chip imposters. You will know they are delightful Oatmeal Raisin. I include a light sprinkle of seasonings to deepen their flavor profile and tantilize the tastebuds!

July

For those of you that don’t know, my birthday is July 1st and my favorite cookie (if I could only choose one forever) is Chocolate Chip Cookies! They are the first cookie I learned to bake on my own. They aren’t something we had in our house growing up (other than Kebler Soft Batch) and I was obsessed with making them (and Brownies). It is one of the recipes that while I have tweaked the levening and seasoning and my preparation method over the years, I have the recipe memorized. I can do it without really thinking. I also love the dough youmake for chocolate chip cookies because it is so easy to change up the flavors. Add nuts, add different flavors of chips, add candy, addspices, sprinkle infused sea salts!

For our Cookie of the Month version, it will be my classic recipe using high quality Dark Chocolate Chips. Once you have your cookies to the texture you like, the quality of the chocolate is the most important factor. I grew up using all the most cost effective store brands or the classic brand of chocolate chips that everyone knows and loves and then 6 years ago when I moved to Virginia, I splurged on a fancy bag of chocolate chips and I’ve never looked back. (Well except in desperate times when I couldn’t get any other chocolate! But even then, sometimes I buy chocolate bars). (This philosophy on high quality and dark chocolate is also applied to our Ocelot Bombs).

August

Peanut Butter Cookies are another one of the cookies that were one of my first favorites to make. I was intimidated by roll out cookies and I love the variety of patterns you can make ontop of them. Classic crisscross with a fork, or using various cookie stamps for other fun!

I use a smooth creamy peanut butter for the cookie of the month. They are rich and comforting, perfect for back to school!

September

With the cooler weather, it’s the perfect time for some S’mores. As you probably know I LOVE making marshmallows and I love eating chocolate. Well, the perfect treat for a cozy autumn is a S’more. I make homemade Graham Crackers with a little bit of cinnamon and spices. Then I pipe on fresh homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows and add some decadent dark chocolate.

October

I am a bit Halloween obsessed. So in October I turn my Monster Cookies into little monsters by adding some eyes while they are baking!

If you are less familiar with the flavor of a Monster Cookie, it’s like a Peanut Butter Cookie, Oatmeal Cookie, and Chocolate Chip Cookie had the most delightful baby!!!! I packaged them up and included them in my treat bnags for Halloween this year and the kids in my neighborhood loved them! (Daniel was also really dissappointed that he didn’t get to eat as many as he would have liked).

November

No Bake Cookies were my first forway into using the stovetop to make sweets. We didn’t have home economics when I was school, but we had an effective living course where we cooked on Fridays. I made this recipe over and over and over. There is still something truly comforting about each bite!

December

I wanted to end the year as it began. With a family recipe from my Great Great Aunt Ina. She always believed in me and encouraged me. I loved that she made even more homemade things than my Great Gram did. (She made her own soap, we used to save our bacon renederings to give her. She also made her own wine). There are many generations of incredible women in my family, and I am so appreciative of the experiances and memories with them.

Details

Our Cookie of the Month Club can be purchased each month. It guarantees you a savings compared to ordering them from our cookies by the dozen menu.

It is also available in 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month packages which is excellent to give as a gift or to treat yourself to wonderful cookies for that duration.

It is a one-time purchase. Recurring charges will not be applied to your card.

We are now shipping within the U.S. Please choose the correct item for online ordering if you would like them to be shipped or if you would prefer to pick them up.

Our shipping is a flat rate of $5.50 per order. We are a micro-business and at our current scale this is the best we can do. If you would like a larger order to one location (ie. 2 dozen a month), please email me and I can create a custom shipping label for your purchase.

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Baked Goods | Cookie-Cutters | Cookies | Holiday | Spring | St. Patrick's Day | Treats

Lucky 13: The Thrilling Quest for Magical Cookies

By on 9 March, 2020

I have been having a blast designing and creating Thirteen Charms for my March special. Not only is this the month of St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s also the first Friday the 13th of the year! Every day, for the first 13 days of March, I’ll be showcasing each Charm; I turned into a set of cookie-cutters if it doesn’t have you skipping around singing, “Hearts, stars, clovers, horseshoes, and blue moons. Unicorns*, rainbows, and tasty red balloons” I don’t know what else could. 😊

Leprechaun Magic

Lucky the Leprechaun (arguably the most famous Leprechaun) was gifted four magical charms by his dad; the Heart, Star, Clover, and Moon. His job is to spread magic around the world. Lucky is a harmless yet mischievous leprechaun and knows our world could use more than magic.


I hope to help Lucky in his endeavors by spreading more magic by stirring the joy within our nostalgic hearts. Lucky Charms are my favorite cereal. I thought I knew the shapes. I could sing the song. (There have been a couple of iterations because of new charms and discontinued charms). Little did I know how much I would learn about the magical world where Lucky lives!

The Charms

I started out looking at the box of Lucky Charms and the assorted eight charms. I was excited to sketch them and print them in a few different sizes. Then I got to thinking, where is the Pot of Gold? Did the new Unicorn replace it? Then the more I dug, the more I realized I hadn’t eaten much cereal over the last decade. The Pots of Gold were retired in 2008. RIP.


While I miss the pots of Gold, I love the Unicorns. (The Unicorns replaced the Hourglass. If I hadn’t looked it up I wouldn’t have known what that charm was supposed to be 🤷🏼‍♀️). At this point, my brain started whirring. What other charms have I missed out on or forgotten? Then I got to digging.


I remember the release of the rainbows in the 90s. I recalled the crystal balls that melted to reveal Lucky’s hiding location or answer yes or no questions. I ventured deep down the rabbit hole. At this point, I knew I wanted to have a dozen cookies. I scoured some Wiki fan pages devoted to the “Magically Delicious” cereal to search for hidden gems that I may not have recalled. I also thought about including the cereal shapes, but I felt committed to the marshmallow charms.

Decision Time

By the end of all of my research, I decided on :

  1. Hearts
  2. Shooting Stars
  3. Clovers
  4. Leprechaun Hats
  5. Horseshoes
  6. Blue Moons
  7. Pots of Gold
  8. Hourglasses
  9. Unicorns
  10. Rainbows
  11. Tasty Red Balloons
  12. ?

I hemmed and hawed over how to fill the 12th spot. The original 4 Charms were Pink Hearts, Orange 6-Sided Stars, Green Clovers, and Yellow Moons. So maybe I should include the original star? Then I thought about the Blue Diamond. It was the first new Charm! I was also mildly obsessed with the Whales from ’86, but were they too obscure?

I reached out to my R&D team, aka my two best gals at work, and took a survey. One agreed that the Whales would be trendy in general (whether they were in the Charms collection or not). My other gal was immediately hooked on the Blue Diamonds (because they are blue). Also, there were lots of questions surrounding the 6-sided stars. Were they Stars of David? (I’m not the creator of Lucky Charms. I have no answers to these kinds of questions. My only thought is they are perfectly symmetrical). Though I could use them in a Channukah Collection as well… (and I love cookie-cutters with more than one purpose).

With the resounding response (*cough* one strong vote) for the Blue Diamond, I was all set. Yet, my heart still longed for the Whale. I connected with the Whale. I was born in ’86, and I love how random quirky this Whale is. So I decided to have both. I would have 13.

An Ocelot’s Dozen: The Lucky 13

Thirteen has been my favorite number as long as I can remember. I like spooky movies, I don’t believe in superstitions, and I felt like the number 13 got a bad wrap (just like black cats). I enjoyed being playful on Friday the 13th, walking under ladders, playing with all cats that may cross my path, because Friday the 13th was just another day. It took the fear out of it and turned it into something wildly fun!

I frequently have an extra cookie or two that I add to orders (gratis). I always bake a few extra in case there is an icing mishap, oven mishap, and of course, I need some for tasting! So an Ocelot’s Dozen is anywhere from 13-15.

As fortune has it, this Friday is Friday the 13th! If you need to double your luck, add charms to ward off your superstitions, or just have some extra fun this month, you can always order some of the Lucky 13! You may never catch Lucky the Leprechaun, but I’ll be taking orders all month!

  1. Hearts
  2. Shooting Stars
  3. Clovers
  4. Leprechaun Hats
  5. Horseshoes
  6. Blue Moons
  7. Pots of Gold
  8. Hourglasses
  9. Unicorns
  10. Rainbows
  11. Tasty Red Balloons
  12. Diamonds
  13. Swirled Whales

Charming Cookie-Cutters

I sketched, designed, and 3D printed five sizes of each Charm. The options are as follows: Tiny Bites, Extra Small (XS), Small, Medium, and Large. If you are trying to compute the math, it’s 65 Cookie-Cutters. The printing time for each cookie cutter ranged from 1 – 4 hour(s). (It took me a couple of weeks to print them all).

As I was making a set of balloons for a co-worker’s baby’s 1st birthday (because the baby loves balloons), I accidentally started making them in a Rainbow Brite-style rainbow. Then I HAD to make a full set in the same Rainbow (even though I ended up gifting a small set in the colors of the Parents’ Alma Mater).

Cookie Time

Once the cookie-cutters finished printing, it was time to start baking test cookies! Yum!

Here is the collection of Shooting Stars! The Tiny bites are the perfect 1-2 bite cookie! (Tiny Bites, Extra Small (XS), Small, Medium, and Large)

Tiny Bites

I was pleased as punch when a full collection of 13 fit in my skinny cookie sleeve!

Extra Small (XS)

Eight XS cookies fit in the same sleeve! Which also felt like serendipity! (As for many years there have been eight charms packed in our cereal).

Small

The small cookies also come in packs of eight!

Medium

The medium cookies come in packs of 2! (You can choose!) Some of my suggested pairings are:

  1. Shooting Star & Moon
  2. Rainbow & Pot of Gold
  3. Unicorn & Horseshoe
  4. Clover & Leprechaun Hat
  5. Unicorn & Rainbow
Large

Large cookies are available in single packs!

St.-Paddys-Menu

Finding the Leprechaun!

I stared at my cookie-cutters for days and days as they were printing and while I was baking. I kept getting the Unicorns turned around, so where I couldn’t tell what shape they were! One day, as this happened, I noticed my Pot of Gold had a funny resemblance to a curly beard! So I was inspired to make a Leprechaun! (Remember that love of turning Cookie-Cutters into multiple designs!)

Lucky Charms Treats!

Back by popular demand are Lucky Charms Treats! (Like Rice Cereal Treats, but made with Lucky Charms). I made them last year for St. Patrick’s Day, and they were such a hit that people started asking me about them in early February! This year, I’ll be offering a chocolate drizzled option as well as the plain (which is anything other than plain)!

These gooey treats are filled with homemade vanilla marshmallows!

Also, Gluten-Free Friends, did you know that Lucky Charms are GF? They are made from oats (and triple sifted to ensure they leave no traces of any gluten). I’ve never really thought about what they are made of, just that they are “magically delicious!”

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Baked Goods | Doughnuts | Holiday | Mardi Gras | Treats

Happy Pączki Day!

By on 25 February, 2020

For those that may be caught unaware, today is Pączki Day! It is also known as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, and Mardi Gras, to name a few more familiar names. So why am I calling it Pączki Day? Well, as a native Michigander, I grew up with Pączki in every bakery and convenience store (oh, QD how I miss you) this time of year.

Pączki are Polish doughnuts. Pączek is the singular form, and Pączki is plural. Growing up, we always ate Pączki, and on every occasion, ate more than one. If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying a Pączki, the closest cousin is a Bismark or Jelly-Filled Doughnut. Truly a Pączki is in its own class. The dough itself is more luxurious and more decadent than that of a typical doughnut.

Fat Tuesday, Pączki Day, and Mardi Gras are typically celebrated as the last day of indulgence before Lent begins. Pączki were created as a way to use up the rich, decadent ingredients from the pantry so it wouldn’t go to waste (and if the ingredients were shelf-stable for 40 days, I suppose to also reduce temptation. Fat, Sugar, Brandy, Egg Yolks, and a Sweet Filling give some heft to these incredible treats.

A few years ago, when I had just gotten out of the Army, I was craving Pączki and knew I wasn’t going to find them in Brunswick County, VA. I decided it was time to learn how to make them and stumbled across an excellent recipe for Baked Pączki over at Jenny Can Cook. It was my first attempt at making Pączki, and I felt more comfortable baking them than frying them.

I followed the instructions to the point of shaking the warm doughnut that has just been brushed with butter in a bag of sugar. I did that once and thought it was too much sugar. Granted, it had been YEARS since I had eaten a Pączek, so I may have misremembered, but I opted to sprinkle the sugar over the tops of the remaining doughnuts.

First Home Baked Pączki

They were delicious. Light but rich. I filled the freshly baked doughnuts with Strawberry Jam. It was an excellent day! Since then, I have baked Pączki every year. I share them with neighbors and bring lots into my office to spread the love of Pączki in Richmond.

This year, with the launch of my business, I decided to go “WILD’. I made my recipe a little more authentic. (Jenny’s recipe doesn’t call for any Brandy). My Grandma Nancy reminds me EVERY year that authentic Pączki have Brandy in them. I’ve also seen recipes that suggest using Rum as a substitute. I don’t currently have any Brady in my liquor cabinet, but I live in the South and have a wide assortment of Bourbon.

I also decided to bake a batch and fry a batch (which turned into frying two batches). Y’all, I am beyond freaking excited I decided to fry them. I love the healthier baked version. They are delightful. (I calculated the calories one year, and they averaged 125-140 calories depending on the filling). I am not going to bother figuring out how to calculate the calorie count on the fried doughnuts. They are worth every calorie. They were easy to fry. It wasn’t as messy as I had anticipated. They puffed and got so light and fluffy. I felt like I was biting into a cloud! Also, the telltale light middle ring of a Pączki was much more prominent in the fried version. I’m not sure I can go back.

I also recently learned Pączki are also eaten in the U.S. on Casimir Pulaski Day. Casimir Pulaski was born in Poland and was an American Revolutionary War hero. He has been dubbed “the father of the American cavalry.” (Celebrated the First Monday in March). I’ve already looked ahead at the Calendar for next year, and Fat Tuesday is only 5 days after Valentine’s Day. I may be celebrating Casimir Pulaski Day in 2021! 😍

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Comfort Food | Treats | Winter

Ocelot Bombs!

By on 15 February, 2020
A Cozy Hug in a Mug

I have a new love affair- with Hot Cocoa Bombs. I love deep, rich, and decadent chocolate. Chocolate Chip Cookies are a standby in my house (or variations on them), and Brownies are a close second. They are my comfort treats.

This winter season has been unseasonably warm. I went skiing in the rain over the weekend (that’s right skiing, not singing). To warm back up, I knew the best trick was to drink a steamy cup of hot cocoa.

Why is it called a Bomb?!

This is more akin to bath bombs, not a cherry bomb. When steaming hot milk is poured over the Ocelot Bomb (aka Hot Cocoa Bomb) the chocolate melts and the homemade marshmallows pop out from the inside or depending on how the milk has pored, sometimes it’s like they are blooming.

Ocelot Bomb in Action
It’s All About the Chocolate

Currently, I’m using a blend of dark and semi-sweet Ghiradelli chocolate. I wanted quality chocolate that would have some rich flavor to it, but that was also easily accessible for me to source at local grocery stores. (*Update: chocolate has been challenging to sources this year. My chocolate blend is still Dark chocolate (70%). I source high-quality chocolate, but it has been a struggle to consistently use the same brand of chocolate. This is also why you may notice an increase in my pricing.

Eventually, I want to offer additional flavors. White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and other exciting concoctions. They are still in the testing phase. Some of them have been far too sweet and I would rather deliver a consistently delicious product, than offer more options.

Homemade Marshmallows

I take the time to make my own marshmallows. First, of all, I’m not particularly fond of marshmallows, or at least I wasn’t until I decided to make my own. Homemade marshmallows are gooier and the flavor is fuller.

Secondly, I love learning about how things are made. Sometimes I learn and continue to buy from the store, but that was not the case with marshmallows. I love every aspect of making homemade marshmallows and the extra effort is worthwhile in making my confections.

Finally, I can FLAVOR my marshmallows. My current flavor is Vanilla Bean. My next batch will be peppermint. I have a few more that I would like to make before the Hot Cocoa Season is over. (Orange, Coconut, I even had a request for banana).

Are Custom Ocelot Bombs a thing?

Absolutely! I like to decorate my Bombs with some embellishments. (Sprinkles, Colorful Drizzles, Sanding Sugars, Royal Icing Transfers, etc). I also decorate them so I can tell the difference in the flavors.

Pricing

Each Bomb is $5.

If you would like a custom flavor marshmallow on an order of at least a dozen, let me know! And I’m happy to create something just for you.

All of my Ocelot Bombs are heat sealed in their package. They have a sticker with the instructions and a tag to identify their flavor!

Current Flavors are: Kaleidescope Vanilla Bean and Candy Cane Swirl (December 2020)

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Birthdays | Comfort Food | Holiday | Treats | Uncategorized

It’s Time to Celebrate: A Very Preppy Tailgate

By on 22 October, 2017

It’s Mr. Ocelot’s Birthday today! To honor him, we invited some friends that are also alums of his alma mater to tailgate with us yesterday at a home game! Later in the evening, we invited a couple more friends to join the group at our home for a simple dinner and a bonfire.

When I planned the menu, I wanted easy to eat finger foods that I knew Daniel would love. I also added a few autumnal flavors.

Since I moved to the south, I don’t think I have found a food more southern than Country Ham. It is salty and a very distinct flavor. Paired with Mini Homemade Biscuits and a Honey-Dijon spread, everyone was in for a treat! I also know how much Daniel enjoys Buffalo Chicken, so I made some bite-sized morsels!

I was enjoying the evening meal so much that I forgot to snap any photos! There is probably only one way that Mr. Ocelot isn’t traditional. He doesn’t want a birthday cake. Instead, he prefers pie, more specifically Derby Pie. If you aren’t familiar with Derby Pie, it is a Pecan Pie with Chocolate Chips and Bourbon. It also happens to be the only Pecan Pie I have ever enjoyed.

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