Pastry chef and cookbook author Erin Gardner of Barrington shares her favorite recipes to make for holiday treats.

Erin Gardner of Barrington is and has been many things. She has been a restaurant pastry chef and owner of Wild Orchid Banking Co. in Hampton where she created gorgeous cakes. In 2012, she won the Food Network’s Sweet Genius competition with a Taj Mahal cake made with surprise ingredients tahini, blood orange and quinoa. Her cake creations have been featured in magazines like Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides. The Knot, MSW and Brides named her one of the best wedding cake makers in the country. She is now also a three-time cookbook author, blogger and cake design instructor.

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Erin Gardner

But in the weeks leading up to Christmas, she’s chief cookie baker just like the rest of us. Here are her favorite recipes for Christmas confections.

“My Rosemary-Lemon Cookies are the ideal snack when you want something seasonal and fragrant, but not heavily spiced or rich,” Gardner said. “It’s a grown-up cookie that pairs perfectly with an afternoon cup of tea.”

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“In my Puppy Chow Buckeye recipe I’ve combined two holiday favorites, Puppy Chow (Muddy Buddies) and Buckeyes, to create one of the tastiest and easiest-to-make treats of the holiday season!” she said. “Adding cereal to the Buckeyes provides a much needed element of ‘crunch,’ while the classic chocolate-dipped Buckeye finish makes these simple to serve and share.”

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For another quick batch, Gardner recommends a simple recipe she’s developed that you can whip up by hand.

“No mixer? No time? No problem! My No-Mixer Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies come together in a flash without having to use any special tools,” Garner said. “The nutty brown butter flavor complements the ribbons of chocolate that run through the cookies and offers an elevated flavor profile for something that comes together so easily.

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For more info, recipes, tutorials, check out Gardner’s website erinbakes.com.

Rosemary-Lemon Cookies

Rosemary-Lemon Cookies

By Erin Gardner from “Procrastibaking: 100 Recipes for Getting Nothing Done in the Most Delicious Way Possible”

Makes 34 Cookies

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon lemon …….

Source: https://news.yahoo.com/pastry-chef-cookbook-author-erin-100034508.html