We invited Emily Kastner of tongue-in-cheek baking blog Tar-tryin’ to share her story of a failed recipe gone right to show that happy accidents can indeed happen in the kitchen, too. Read on to hear how she remedied a major baking blunder!
“I’m sure this has happened to you before: you head into the kitchen with every wonderful intention of baking your grandmother a cake, or whipping up a batch of cookies for your neighbors, and everything goes awry, right from the start,” says Emily.
“Recently, I was getting ready to make a simple mixed berry pie. I got ahead of myself, and mixed in the flour too early when making the dough. Sure enough, I was left with a dry, unyielding concoction that cracked over and over again as I attempted to roll it out. I fought the urge to heave the dough from the kitchen window, and decided I was not going down without a fight! It was time for a change of plans!
“I started balling up the dough instead. I thought, ‘Ah ha! I’ll make Morning Pie Cookies!’ They’re a brunch staple that can be whipped up with stubborn or perfectly compliant dough. This is improvisation at its finest, folks!”
Raspberry Morning Pie Cookies
by Emily Kastner of Tar-tryin’. Sweet Tart Dough recipe adapted from Tartine.
This recipe makes roughly two dozen cookies.
DOUGH INGREDIENTS
2 sticks + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs at room temperature
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING INGREDIENTS
4 6-ounce package of raspberries, or any other juicy berries
2 cup sugar (approximately) for decorating
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
First, make the dough:
1. Combine and mix butter, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy. A standing mixer will work best, but a hand mixer or some good old-fashioned elbow grease can get the job done just fine, too.
2. Mix in eggs one at a time making sure they’re completely incorporated into mixture and smooth.
3. Scrape down sides of bowl, add flour (slowly), and mix, being sure not to over mix it.
4. Split dough into four equal sections, rolling each into a ball, then flatten each into a disc. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, then cool in fridge for at least two hours, or overnight.
Now, for the cookies!
5. Preheat oven to 325°F
6. Roll balls that fit into your palm, and have a tiny bowl of water on hand to set your fingers in if you’re dealing with dry dough. Also, have a small bowl of flour in case your dough is on the wet side.
7. Using your thumb, make a small well in balls, then add 3-5 raspberries and a generous pinch of sugar right on top.
8. Gently pinch edges of your ‘bowls’ to enclose berries inside ball of dough.
9. Place pie cookies at least 2 inches apart from each other on a baking sheet lined with either a liner or parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, score the top of each. An ‘X’ or tic-tac-toe pattern work well.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until they’re a light golden brown. While they’re baking, prepare an egg wash by whisking the egg and salt, then brush the tops and sides of each pie cookie, and generously sprinkle sugar on each.
11. Put them back into the oven until they’re nicely golden brown.
12. Allow to cool on rack, and enjoy!
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17 loves 
Great idea! I can’t wait to try it! LOVE the Tar-Tryin’ blog too. So funny!
Oh, thanks! So glad you love the blog!
Fantastic feature! I could really apply that to baking and life in general!!
Yes! A total life lesson. It’s only recently that I’ve learned to just chill out and not let every bump in the road freak me out!
I MUST try these! Like, right now! Em, you’re my baking hero(ine) :)
Yes, go try them!!! Let me know how they turn out for you!
Modcloth and Tar-Tryin! Lovely match (and a fantastic idea for those of us who can’t bake pies)!
I JUST LOVE Emily’s Blog!
Thanks! That’s so so sweet, and good to hear!
I really love this post… I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and I’ve recently adopted a similar attitude when things go wrong…err… differently than planned. It can be a great opportunity! AND, at the moment I have ready-made pie crust in the refrigerator, and a few birthday parties this week I have to make food for. The cookies are morphing into Raspberry Party Pie Cookies! xxx
Oh, that’s great to hear that you plan on using this recipe! It’s so easy, and SO GOOD! Have fun in the kitchen, and at all of your parties!!!
That is great! and the result looks amazing :)
love K
these look so yummy! can’t wait to try this recipe
I just tried these tonight/this morning for Father’s Day because raspberry is my dad’s favorite, and let me say, they are to die for! They turned out perfect, and I’m not exactly that skilled of a baker. For the first cookie, I forgot to add the pinch of sugar, and even that one turned out irresistable:)! This one is definitely going on file. Thanks so much for sharing!:)
I just made these and they are so delicious!! Such a great recipe!! I love the blog as well…I plan on buying the Tartine cookbook and make some of the things in there!!
Do you mix the raspberries with the 4 eggs and salt?
The egg wash is brushed on top of the cookies when they are a light golden brown, then you continue baking until they are really nice and golden brown. You’re supposed to sprinkle them with sugar when you brush on the egg wash too, but I didn’t and they turned out just fine. Hope this helps! :)