These Brown Butter Praline Pecan Cinnamon Chip Cookies have a brown butter cookie base stuffed with pralines and cinnamon chips.
Let’s be extra honest for a minute.
Ever since crazy cocker spaniel passed I have been dealing with what I guess is depression.
I say I guess because up until now I have never really dealt with depression, or at least not at this level (I realize I have been lucky in that).
The last weeks when I knew she was going to be leaving me soon I was in a baking frenzy, baking 4-5 things a day all to keep my mind off of things I guess (which is good because I’ve had a backlog to pull from).
Then she was gone.
And apparently so went my desire to bake.
It hasn’t come back.
I’ve gone a few days in the past with no desire to bake, but it always comes back.
I’m at 2 months and 5 days and it’s still not back.
It’s not lack of ideas, as I currently have a notebook filled with ideas all from the last few months…good, ideas.
I just can’t seem to get the motivation to get up and bake them into something other than ideas.
And so my grief counselor says to me, just like we tell couples who aren’t having sex to pick a day and just do it, I’m suggesting the same for you.
So now I have a day where I just bake something to bake something. It’s odd.
It doesn’t feel organic, but I guess (hope) that will just start to come.
Though oddly enough, I also think I should be having sex. 😉
I kid. Sort of. 😛
It’s interesting because everything I read about depression says that I would have a lack of interest in my activities which other than baking has not been the case.
I still play hockey and enjoy going to it. I still get up and get dressed.
I’m even in fact trying to do better with the not wearing sweats all the time, purged my closet, reading fashion blogs, etc.
I still like going out and seeing others.
Still like doing pretty much everything but baking.
And yes, it baffles my counselor as well. 😀
I’m special like that.
Luckily I have our dog Mickey to keep me on my toes; I couldn’t even imagine what my depression would be like without a dog in my life.
My forced baking day (I actually do two because I’m an overachiever) this last week was Monday since we had the first game of the hockey season that night.
I usually make bars or cookies.
I went cookies.
Brown Butter Praline Pecan Cinnamon Chip Cookies.
Which were inspired by sticky buns.
I had some praline pecans sitting around and figured let’s throw those in.
I also thought sticky pecan buns and what flavor could I throw into the cookie to give that taste?
Brown sugar, browned butter, and cinnamon chips.
These turned out really good considering my heart was not in it.
So if you are in a baking slump yourself, I guess just bake whenever you see me post.
Or have sex. 😀
Or both.
Do both.
P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!
Want More Cookie Recipes?
Roll Out Shortbread Sugar Cookies
White Chocolate Chip Creamsicle Cookies
Vanilla Bean Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
White Chocolate Dried Pineapple Salted Macadamia Nut Cookie
Brown Butter Praline Pecan Cinnamon Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 oz. unsalted butter, browned
- 2 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (I used Rodelle)
- 3 1/2 cup All-Purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 8 oz. cinnamon chips (I got mine at Target)
- 8 oz. praline pecans (I got mine at Trader Joes), chopped
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment mix the browned butter and sugar until fully combined, it might look a little greasy, that’s okay.
- Scrape down the side of the bowl.
- Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at a time.
- Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the vanilla and scrape down the bowl with a spatula.In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt and mix to combine.
- With the machine on low, slowly add the flour.
- Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix.
- With a spatula fold in the cinnamon chips and praline pecan pieces.
- Bake at 360* for 12 minutes. They should be lightly golden on the outside but still look gooey on the inside.
- *Please note that yes that reads 360F and not 350F. If you oven does not go to that I would stay with 350 and bake an extra minute.
Notes
Adapted from Not without Salt
Anne says
Ah Peabody. I’ve lot my baking mojo twice but it’s thankfully come back. Hang in there. Hugs!
Peabody says
Thanks, Anne, appreciate that. I’m sure it will come back in time. It’s been there for almost 43 years, perhaps it just needed a vacation. 🙂
Tracey C. says
I lost my baking mojo after I went back to work full-time and stopped updating my food blog. I’ll see things that look really good and print the recipe out and then when I get home and have time.. nothing. I just don’t want to. Part of it is grief, I think (I’ve lost my two elderly kitties within the past year), partly just long-standing depression. I still have a life, I still have activities I like doing, I am still social, I am just not baking very much. Waiting for that mojo to kick back in, but til then, it’s fake it til ya make it. (says the almond-strawberry gf cake I have in the oven for a gathering tonight) Good luck.
Peabody says
Thanks Tracey C.- sorry to hear about your kitties. So hard.
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Baking ruts are hard to get out of, but these cookies look beyond delicious despite the fact that they were forced out of ya 🙂
Peabody says
@Medha- yes, I’m hoping the rut ends soon
June Burns says
I just wanna say, I love how honest you are on your blog…I hope you are able to bounce back soon 🙂
Peabody says
@June- thanks for your support. And yes, you know I’m beyond honest…sometimes to a fault. 🙂
Kristen says
I know exactly how you are feeling and the horrible thing is, once you’ve gone through this once, it’s easier to fall back into it again. 3 years now, and I still get in this major funks when I never used to before.
Love you, friend!I’m proud of you for being proactive!
Peabody says
Thanks, Kristen- yeah, I’ve heard it’s like that. Ironically I feel like baking today, but we are of course going on a day excursion. 🙂
Erin M. says
These look delicious. Hang in there. It takes time. You need to let yourself mourn. Everyone deals with loss differently. There’s no right way.
CakeSpy says
I appreciate your honesty about this…as it is a real thing and I think especially food bloggers can feel shame in admitting it.
Love you and all you do!!!
jacquie says
it sounds as though you are grieving rather than depressed. The two are actually very different and it would not be unexpected that you are still mourning your beloved CCS. it really hasn’t been that long since she died after all and you two had a lifetime together. It is going to take some time to move through. Be gentle and patient with yourself.
Heather says
I’ve lost my baking mojo recently too, my husband and I are getting divorced, and while I’m pretty good with it and have interest in other aspects of my life, I am having a hard time getting back into the kitchen. Maybe I will try your trick of just getting back in the saddle 🙂