Delicious Every Time: KidLit Confections Croissant Cookies

Sometimes, I come across a book that I know I'm going to love just from the blurb. One that I know I'm going to want on my home library shelves even before I read a single page. This is one of those books.

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

Clear back at the beginning of 2025, I saw a cover reveal and preorder announcement for IT'S YOU EVERY TIME by Charlene Thomas on Bluesky. I love a good time loop story, and the cover was so adorable that I was certain I was going to love this book. I immediately contacted one of my favorite local indie bookstores to preorder a copy, and then because I simply couldn't wait clear 'til May to read it, I managed to snag an advance copy from NetGalley to read it early. 

And of course I loved it--even more than I expected to. And I immediately had an ambitious idea for a new cookie to pair this delicious book with. I had hoped to have it ready to post for the book's release (in May 2025), but getting the cookie recipe just right took a while. I'm still thinking about the story after over a year, so now that I have the perfect cookie to pair it with, I might just sit down with a plate of Croissant Cookies and read it all over again!

The Book:

IT'S YOU EVERY TIME by Charlene Thomas

Description from the Publisher:

A story about self-discovery, grief, and destiny that begs the question: How do you keep going when your world has stopped spinning?

When Sydney Michaels stops for breakfast in order to put off scholastic ruin a little longer, she never expected to—quite literally—bump into cute-boy stranger, Marcus Burke.

When Marcus invites her to have breakfast with him instead of going to class, she can’t ignore the urge to get to know him better—or the fact that this charming new acquaintance seems just as interested in her.

After a magical day together in their hometown of New York City, Sydney is finally willing to believe that maybe—just maybe—after years of loss and heartache, she’s finally reached the good part.

But when it comes time to say goodbye, as they linger in a crosswalk, something happens. An accident? Sydney isn’t sure—all she knows is that, after screeching tires, blinding headlights, and a moment of searing pain, she opens her eyes and is back in her bed. On September 24–the morning of her big exam—again.

My Thoughts:

Time loop stories are my favorite tropes! I’m a huge sucker for the “soulmates who will always find each other” time loops. This one is one of the best I’ve ever read—and the surprise twist at the end absolutely floored me!

Both main characters are dealing with grief and trying to cope with the loss of someone close to them. And during the course of their repeated days, they help each other through in multiple little ways. But it’s not done in a heavy “this is a sad book about grief” kind of way. The biggest emotional arc that runs through the whole book is Hope.

The cute start-each-day moment of the time loop is that they both go to the same Dunkin’ and order croissant breakfast sandwiches. Hers: a sausage, egg and cheese croissant without the sausage and egg. His: a sausage, egg and cheese croissant sandwich without the cheese. So between them, they make a complete sandwich. And they have the same order number (#2), which is how they have their little meet cute. I really love this detail and especially how it fits in to that twist at the end that I did *not* see coming!!

The Recipe:

Usually, my #KidLitConfections recipes are delicious desserts that I already have in my recipe files (often created for folks who write me letters about the minor miracles they're seeing in the world in exchange for custom cookie creations). I love pairing the recipes I've created for people I love with  the delicious books I discover! But every once in a while, the book itself captures my heart in a way that requires a special custom recipe for that particular story. This is one of those books.

The meet-cute in IT'S YOU EVERY TIME, with the croissant sandwich order mix-up, was so integral to the story that I absolutely had to have a croissant-themed cookie to pair with the book! And I could immediately imagine the flavor and texture for this perfect croissant cookie. But I didn't have anything like it in my files, so I had to start experimenting. And because the two characters in this story had different croissant orders, the recipe had to also have different filling options. I have included a few of my favorites, but feel free to experiment with your own favorite fillings.

And leave me a comment below to let me know how you like to fill your Croissant Cookies! 

Croissant Cookies

2 c. butter, softened

2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. salt

6 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Fillings (choose 1 for each of the 8 dough rounds):

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2-3 Tbsp. jam or preserves

¼ c. very finely chopped  walnuts or pecans

2-3 Tbsp. chocolate hazelnut spread

Cream together butter and cream cheese.

Add sweetened condensed milk and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Stir in flour, just until the dough comes together. Press into a large ball (it might be a bit crumbly in the mixing bowl, but it should come together nicely when pressed) and cut into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball.

Roll each dough ball into a 12-inch circle between two sheets of parchment paper, as if you were preparing a pie crust.* Stack the 8 dough circles on a baking sheet (keep them on their parchment papers to separate the layers and to make it easier to transfer the dough in the next step), and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. Don’t skip this step, or your dough will be too soft to work with in forming the cookies!

Take one prepared dough circle out of the fridge** and cut it into 8 wedges*** with a pizza cutter. Leave the other dough circles in the fridge while you work, so they remain chilled. Spread filling of your choice over the full circle (filling layer should be very thin), then roll each wedge, starting at the outer edge and ending at the triangle tip. (It might seem counterintuitive to cut the dough before spreading the filling, but it keeps your pizza cutter from getting gunked up with the filling!) Form each roll into a crescent shape and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Feel free to use the parchment paper you rolled and shaped the cookies on.) If the dough cracks or breaks while rolling it, let it sit for a minute or so to come closer to room temperature.

Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 64 cookies.

* Incidentally, this dough can also be used as a crust for your favorite pies. One circle makes one crust.

** It helps to peel the circle off the parchment before cutting it, then just set it back on the paper while cutting and prepping, so it won’t stick when you’re trying to roll each cookie up.

*** You can do 12 or 16 wedges if you want smaller cookies.

This recipe pairs well with IT’S YOU EVERY TIME by Charlene Thomas. 

Printable PDF Recipes

Twisting the Timeline: KidLit Confections Cheesecake Stroopwafel Cookies

I'm a sucker for time-travel stories and alternate timelines... and today's #KidLitConfections book is one of the best I've read in a long time! It's definitely on my "read it again soon" list!

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

It's not often that I have my stuff together well enough to post one of these on a book's release date, but I had the privilege to read an advance copy of the book a few months ago, and I immediately knew which recipe I wanted to pair it with. And when I was trying to decide last week which of the books on my backlog of #KidLitConfections possible pairings I wanted to write about next, I saw that this one was releasing today, so it jumped right to the front of the line!

The Book:

I'LL FIND YOU WHERE THE TIMELINE ENDS by Kylie Lee Baker

Description from the Publisher:

A teen descendant of a Japanese dragon god must find out the truth of what happened to her missing sister while trying not to fall for a handsome rogue agent in acclaimed author Kylie Lee Baker's magical new YA romance, I'll Find You Where the Timeline Ends.

“Here's one thing I know for certain: I’ll never see you again. And if I never see you again, then in fifty years, the world will end.” -Yejun

Yang Mina, descended from a Japanese dragon god, was born with the power to travel through time, and has spent her life training to take her place in the Descendants, a secret organization whose purpose is to protect the timeline. But since moving to Seoul, everything is falling apart. Mina has discovered that the Descendants are corrupt, that her sister has been erased from existence, and that she can’t pass Calculus, which puts her mission to kiss the cutest boy in her year at risk.

With her very existence on the line, Mina decides to tread a dangerous path: team up with a handsome rogue agent named Yejun, who has a plan to free the Descendants from the corrupt influence, and (hopefully) restore Mina’s sister. Between class and their time travel dates, Mina can’t stop herself from falling for the mysterious Yejun. Yet, as Mina grows closer to Yejun, she also grows closer to discovering the truth, which may be the very thing that breaks her…

My Thoughts:

This book gave the same vibes as the TV show Loki, with the same struggle to fix the timeline against the wishes of a powerful organization intent on bending the timeline to suit its own purposes. But I definitely not dismiss it as simply “Loki, but with dragons.“

There’s a strong thread of familial love and obligation, and what it means to be a part of a family, both the small immediate family you’re born into and the larger extended family or community you exist in. How far would you go to save a sister no one even remembers? Is it worth putting your own existence in jeopardy?

It’s a very well-written story, with fresh twists on the time travel and “coworkers to something more” tropes that I love so much. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy and alternate realities, with a touch of “soul mates” and destiny thrown in.

The Recipe:

As with many of my most unique cookie recipes, this one was a challenge from one of the missionaries who write to me in exchange for the promise of "any cookie you want." This one was for a sister missionary who spent so much time at my house that she felt like one of my own daughters. And when she went home again after her mission was over, she came back to visit with her whole family, so I got to meet her parents and siblings... and I made these cookies to share during that visit. I've since lost touch with her (as happens far too often when friends move away), and I hope she's doing well.

Besides the obvious reason for pairing this cookie with this book (Mina loves a delicious cheesecake, and she and Yejun make a couple of time stops in this book to get a yummy slice!), this cookie is a reminder of a joyful connection with someone who was almost like family, who I hope to meet again someday (maybe when we reach the point where the timeline ends...) Sometimes, I wish I could twist the timeline to keep the folks I've drifted away from in my life a little bit longer, but I'm also just really grateful for the sparks of joy they leave behind. And I honestly believe that the connections we make here on Earth aren't as fleeting as we might think. I'll meet these special someones again. If not in this life, then maybe in the next.

Cheesecake Stroopwafel Cookies

Waffle Cookie Wafer:

3 eggs

¼ c. sugar

¼ c. canola oil

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cream of tartar

1 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 egg

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Caramel:

1 lb. brown sugar

1 c. corn syrup

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Make Cookie Wafers:

Whisk together eggs & sugar. Beat in oil, vanilla, soda, and cream of tartar. Stir in flour, just until fully incorporated. Drop batter in 1-tsp. dallops onto an electric waffle cone maker.* Bake 2-3 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Set aside. (Makes approximately 60 wafers—enough for about 2 ½ dozen cookies)

Make Cheesecake Filling:

Mix together until creamy. Drop with 1-tsp. dallops about 1-2 inches apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge until ready to assemble. (Makes about 4 dozen cheesecake discs—extras can be frozen)

Prepare Caramel:

In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt together sugar and corn syrup, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter, then milk. Return to medium heat and bring back to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (Makes enough for several batches.)

Assembling the Cookies:

Spoon a dollop of caramel onto one wafer. Place a cheesecake piece on top of the warm caramel. Add a second wafer on top of that, pressing down just slightly so that the caramel sticks all of the layers together. (If the cheesecake piece covers all of the caramel, you may need to add a little bit of caramel on top to stick the layers together – but don’t go overboard, or you’ll end up with a sticky, too-sweet mess! Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

This recipe pairs well with I'LL FIND YOU WHERE THE TIMELINE ENDS by Kylie Lee Baker

 

Printable PDF Recipes

*If you don’t have a waffle cone maker, you can cook the wafers on a cast-iron griddle, pressing them flat with a hot cast-iron skillet with a greased bottom. (Please forgive the shaky footage below... I was trying to film with one hand while working with a hot cast-iron skillet as a makeshift press in the other hand. (My regular phone stand didn't work to record from this angle.)

Layered and Complex: KidLit Confections 3.1415926 Ultimate Pi(e)

Whoever first coined the phrase "easy as pie?" Pie is delicious, but it's not always easy! But like just about everything worthwhile in life, the time it takes to put together a beautiful pie definitely pays off with delicious rewards in the end! 

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

This multi-layered pie (lovingly named 3.1415926 by my family, "because it's the Ultimate Pi(e)!") is both easy and complicated at once. Each layer in the recipe, from the crust to the whipped cream topping, is easy by itself. The complexity comes in the time it takes to make each separate layer and put them together to make one fabulous dessert. Each layer is delicious on its own, and taken all together, the result is amazing. 

I feel like this is an apt metaphor for the way a family works. (Is it just a coincidence that there are 6 distinct layers to this recipe I created for my 6-member family? I'll let you decide!) Each of us is amazing and wonderful on our own, but when we come together, we can work magic. Even if it can be a bit messy to bring everyone together in one cohesive "dish!" So when I read MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle, with all of the lovely messiness that bringing a family together can entail, I immediately knew this would be the perfect #KidLitConfections recipe to pair it with! 

The Book:

MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle

Description from the Publisher:

Sixteen-year-old Leena has always wished for a big family… but when she discovers she has a Muslim grandfather and aunt she never knew, she learns that family comes with tangled histories she may not be able to heal.

“Lonely Leena” is close with her young single mother. Still, she’s always secretly dreamed of more (and, when she was a kid, asked Santa for it). A huge family to cheer her on at graduation. A gaggle of smiling faces at the holidays. But one call from the hospital, and her mother’s hidden past comes to light: Her grandfather is in the ER, and her aunt is with him in recovery. Sorry—her WHO? 

But with family comes family secrets—Leena’s mom’s, and as Leena grows close with her new family behind her mother’s back, her own. Leena’s mom warns that Leena’s grandfather Tariq’s financial generosity doesn’t come without strings attached… like Leena converting to Islam, fighting for a spot at a top university, and adhering to the restrictive rules that she ran from all those years ago. Leena isn’t sure who to trust, yet she’s certain that she adores Tariq and her mom—and that she’s the only one who could heal old hurts. After so many years, is it even possible? And if she can’t, will she have to choose between them?

A big family was the dream, but all this drama isn’t.

Warm, witty, and sometimes serious, My Perfect Family is a poignant intergenerational narrative that gives voice to Black Muslim women. A thoughtful examination of the intersection between gender and religion, Khadijah VanBrakle’s sophomore novel is a heartfelt tale of forging one’s own path… while loving those who stay by your side.

My Thoughts:

I’ve seen this book described as “Gilmore Girls, but Black and Muslim” … And that sums it up really well, to be honest. (Except the main character here isn’t as spoiled as Rory Gilmore.)

Leena and her mom, Asiyah, Have always been super close with the same “it’s us against the world” bond as Rory and Lorelei. And although Leena dreams of having a big extended family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins… She’s mostly just happy with her mom and her best friend and the life they’ve built together. But win a surprise phone call announces that Leena’s grandfather (who she never knew!) is in the hospital, she jumps at the chance to get to know the family she didn’t know existed. 

Leena’s new family comes with all kinds of layers and complications, starting with why her mom left home and never looked back all those years ago. And how her grandfather’s Muslim faith fits into Leena’s new vision of family. The story touches on many of the same family dynamics issues as Gilmore girls, including the question of whether a girl can maintain a strong, healthy relationship with the wealthy grandparent her mom is estranged from. The question of whether the financial generosity of said grandparent can be trusted to come without strings. And whether those rifts can be healed in and through a new generation.

The story is deep and complex and very relevant today. It explores the difficulties of being black and Muslim in our current society, and the difficulties of messy family life… But once again, Khadijah VanBrakle Has written one of my very favorite books of the year. I finished reading it and immediately wanted to start all over again. And I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

The Recipe:

This pie was something I came up with for Pi Day (3/14) many years ago. It’s been a family favorite for a very long time, and we don’t have it often because it’s time-consuming (it takes at least 2 days to make, because the cheesecake base has to chill and set overnight before adding the mousse layers) and it’s very complex… but when I do make it, it’s an act of love for my whole family. 

The original recipe (found here) was not gluten free. But since my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago, I have been working on updates to the recipe so she can eat it too. Gluten-free pie crust can be finicky, so it took a while to figure out the right recipe for this chocolate crust... until I realized I don't always have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, and I could start with another recipe I already use and love to build mine around. It's been a long time coming, but this book about family love and the complexity of the relationships we maintain, and the communities we build, was the perfect excuse to share the updated, gluten-free version of our family favorite recipe with you!

3.1415926 or The Ultimate Pi(e)

GF Chocolate Crust*:

1 c. butter

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese

¼ c. heavy cream

4 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 c. gluten-free, all-purpose flour

4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

 

Cheesecake Layer:

2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese

¼ c. sugar

½ tsp. almond extract

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 eggs

 

(Optional) Salted Caramel Mousse Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tsp. finely-ground sea salt

¼ c. caramel sauce (recipe here, or store-bought)

 

Caramel Sauce:

1 lb. brown sugar

¾ c. corn syrup

¼ c. honey

1 stick butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

 

Chocolate Mousse Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

 

Whipped Cream Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

First, make the crust*: In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream on low speed until smooth. Add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly. Stir in flour and cocoa powder, just until the dough is combined well enough to hold together in a soft ball. Divide the dough into four evenly sized pieces. Shape each piece into a disk that is approximately 1-inch thick, smoothing the edges. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and lemon juice, then beat in eggs, one at a time.

Assemble the cheesecake layer: Place 1 disc of crust dough between 2 large sheets of waxed paper. (Save the other crusts for future desserts!) Roll into a thin circle, approximately 1 ¼” larger all around than your pie tin. Transfer dough to your pie tin and crimp the edges all around.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pour cheesecake batter into the chocolate crust and bake in a preheated oven for one hour, until cheesecake is golden-brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chill 6-8 hours in the fridge. (Cheesecake may puff up while baking & look like it's going to spill over the edges of the pie plate. Don’t worry! As it chills, cheesecake will settle and deflate, leaving the perfect indentation for the next layers of filling.)

Make the caramel sauce: In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt together sugar and corn syrup, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter, then milk. Return to medium heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat immediately, and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Spread chilled cheesecake with a generous layer of caramel sauce. (You will have quite a bit of the caramel left over. Pour into a glass jar & refrigerate. Makes a great topping for ice cream!)

(Optional) Caramel Mousse Layer: Whip the cream and sea salt together in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully drizzle ¼ c. caramel sauce over the whipped cream. Fold in gently, just to incorporate the caramel. Spread onto pie, on top of caramel layer.

Chocolate Mousse Layer: In large mixing bowl (you can use the same one you used for the salted caramel mousse, if desired), stir together all chocolate mousse ingredients. Whip with wire whisk attachment on your mixer, until stiff peaks form. Gently spoon mousse over salted caramel mousse (or just caramel if you skipped the mousse layer) and spread evenly.

Whipped Cream Topping: In a large, clean mixing bowl, whip together heavy cream, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. Gently spread over chocolate mousse layer.

Chill 2-3 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

 *This Gluten Free Chocolate Pie Crust recipe (adapted from Chef Alina’s Gluten-Free Foolproof Cream Cheese Pie Crust) makes 4 crusts, but you’ll only use 1 for this pie. The extra crusts can be refrigerated for up to four days. Or wrap well and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use your dough, remove from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, remove from the fridge and let it rest for 15 minutes or so at room temperature before you roll it out, so it’s not too stiff.

 

***Note: Pie can be frozen (whole or by the slice) in an airtight container for future deliciousness. Simply remove from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

 

This recipe pairs well with MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle.

Printable PDF Recipes

Retellings, Connections, and Cookies: KidLit Confections Gluten-Free Berger Cookies

What was your favorite book/story when you were a child? 

I bet you immediately thought of at least one. Because books are magical. Especially for children, who are just learning to navigate this great big world! (Cookies are also magical, which is why I like to pair the books I love with delicious cookie--and other dessert--recipes. You can find a link to the whole list of #KidLitConfections recipes, including printable PDFs, at the bottom of this post.)

Books and stories are powerful because they help us to relate to the world in so many ways. When we relate to the characters on the page, we feel seen and validated. For those who might feel "othered" in the real world, finding themselves in the pages of a favorite book can make their world a little less lonely. And connecting with a character in a book can help us understand things about ourselves that we may not have realized. (It wasn't until I read WE CAN'T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS by Rachel Lynn Solomon and fully seeing myself in the main character, as she explained the way my brain worked better than I ever have, that I realized I might have OCD. My primary care doctor agreed with my suspicions, and now I'm in the process of finding a psychologist so that I can get proper medication and treatment for something I used to be sure I didn't have!) 

And when we don't personally identify with the characters on the page, something even more magical happens: We're able to expand our worlds and connect with people, cultures, and traditions we might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore. The more we read diverse books, the better equipped we are to relate to those around us. Our worlds become larger and the people in it are brought closer. 

Books are magical. Our favorite stories never grow old. And the best thing about KidLit is that stories can be retold in so many ways! There's always a new "What if?" twist to explore, and there will never be a shortage of wonder in the world as long as there are children who imagine new possibilities. Some of my favorite fractured fairy tales and retellings include:

HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS by Janet Sumner Johnson and Courtney Dawson

Shailey loves bedtime, especially reading with her dad. But her dad starts a new job, and it gets in the way of their bedtime routine. So Shailey takes action! She fires her dad, posts a Help Wanted sign, and starts interviews immediately. She is thrilled when her favorite characters from fairytales line up to apply. But Sleeping Beauty can't stay awake, the Gingerbread Man steals her book, and Snow White brings along her whole team. Shailey is running out of options. Is bedtime ruined forever?

IT'S NOT HANSEL AND GRETEL by Josh Funk and Edwardian Taylor

Hansel and Gretel will not listen to their storyteller. For one thing, who leaves a trail of bread crumbs lying around, when there are people starving? Not Hansel, that's for sure! And that sweet old lady who lives in a house made of cookies and candy? There's no way she's an evil witch! As for Gretel, well, she's about to set the record straight--after all, who says the story can't be called Gretel and Hansel? It's time for these wacky siblings to take their fairy tale into their own hands. So sit back and enjoy the gingerbread!

With laugh-out-loud dialogue and bold, playful art (including hidden search-and-find fairy-tale creatures), this Hansel and Gretel retelling will have kids giggling right up to the delicious ending!

SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen and Diane Stanley

A clever twist on Sleeping Beauty for emergent readers.

Princess Miserella is very beautiful outside, but inside she's the meanest, wickedest princess around. Plain Jane, on the other hand, has a face to match her name but a sweet and loving nature that earns her three wishes from a fairy. Miserella's horrible manners make the fairy so angry that her magic throws them all into a deep sleep.

Will the handsome prince kiss the right girl?

And of course, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, by Veronica Bartles and Sara Palacios

Once upon a time there was a princess named Cassandra who had everything she could ever wish for...except a pet frog to be her best friend.

So when the Royal Pet Handler finds her the perfect little green frog with bumpy brown spots, Cassandra couldn't be happier. Until she gives her friend a good-night kiss and--WHOOSH!--he turns into a prince!

But princes aren't pets. Cassandra wants a frog!

Soon her castle is overflowing with princes, and if Cassandra doesn't find a way to fix the situation, her overcrowded castle might burst at the seams--and she may never have a frog of her own.

There are far too many to mention, but I have more recommendations on my Fairy Tale Retellings list on bookshop.org -- and I'm always adding to the list!

If you've read this blog or connected with me on social media, it will come as no surprise that I think of cookies in much the same way as these lovely fractured fairy tales. There's always a new, magical twist on an old favorite recipe that we can explore. 

Last week, in the Tuesday night #KidLitChat on Bluesky, I shared the recipe for my take on the Baltimore favorite: Berger Cookies. I created and posted my version of the recipe a few years ago, before I was exclusively creating gluten-free cookie recipes. When someone in the #KidLitChat mentioned that they would need to look for a gluten-free version of the recipe, I realized I'd never updated this one. So here it is! The "Fractured Fairy Tale" version of Berger Cookies: now gluten-free for those who need it.

                                                                                                                    

Re-imagined “Berger” Cookies

1 ½ c. butter

1 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. tapioca starch

1 ½ Tbsp. vanilla extract

5 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Fudge Topping:
3 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter*
1 c. dry milk
1 c. + 2 Tbsp. water
1/4 c. cocoa powder (optional)
2 (12 oz.) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 c. mini marshmallows
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, tapioca starch, and vanilla. Mix until combined, then turn speed up to high and beat until light and fluffy (at least 3-5 minutes). Then stir in flour, one cup at a time, just until combined.

Scoop into 1-inch balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart, and press with the bottom of a cup or glass jar lightly to flatten each cookie to approximately ½ inch thick. Chill* for 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fudge Topping: Put marshmallows and chocolate chips into a large metal or glass mixing bowl. (NOT plastic—it will melt!) Make sure your mixer is plugged in, with the wire whisk attachment ready to go. Measure the vanilla extract into a small bowl, so it will be ready when needed.

In a large pan, stir together sugar, butter, powdered milk, cocoa powder and water over medium heat until it reaches a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue to stir constantly, while allowing the mixture to boil for EXACTLY 5 minutes.

Remove from heat immediately. Pour over chocolate and marshmallows in mixing bowl. Immediately begin mixing with your electric mixer, until both chocolate chips and marshmallows have completely melted, and chocolate is smooth. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Working quickly, while fudge is still warm, drop generous spoonfuls over the top of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool completely, then store in an airtight container, with waxed paper between layers.

*Optional: Freeze 2-4 hours or overnight. Once frozen, transfer cookie dough to a large freezer bag and return to your freezer. You can bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes. Continue with fudge topping after baking.

This recipe pairs well with any fractured fairy tale or retelling.

Printable PDF Recipes