Cupcake Cookies and Being in Flow

As you know, cooking is my happy place, particularly baking. It’s when I am fully immersed and lose all sense of time. It’s when I am calm, laser-focused and want to be challenged to go the extra mile. It’s also the space where most of my ideas come to the fore and coalesce. In fact, it was while making these Cupcake Cookies that Recipes & Reflections became my brainchild.

In other words, cooking/baking is when I’m in flow.

There is research showing the benefits of being in flow are significant and so I believe everyone should explore what puts them into flow, and do whatever that is often and regularly. 

Positive psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura are most known for their research on flow. Search them and their work if you want to learn more, but I’m sharing some of their basic findings here.

When we are in flow…

• our mind’s chatter subsides as well as the thoughts that often distract us, such as hunger, itches, aches and pains, etc. (proof in point, despite being surrounded by delicious food, I am never hungry while cooking!)
• contrary to what many believe, we aren’t relaxed and in a passive state when in flow. Rather, it is a time when our mind is completely engaged and challenged, which is when we learn and grow
• the challenge we are working through doesn’t exhaust us; it leaves us energized, motivated and fulfilled, and, therefore, helps us to achieve our other goals in life, rather than distract from them. Having hobbies that put us into flow is essential to bringing our best self to work, family and life
• stress, worry and anxiety fall away to feelings of joy, happiness and wellbeing. I’m going to extrapolate and go out on a limb to say that what is happening to us physiologically when we are in flow is good for our physical, cognitive and mental health

So, the next time you are stressed out and tell yourself you don’t have time to take a break to enjoy cooking, hiking, or painting, remember that taking that break to get into flow is exactly what you need to combat whatever it is that is causing that stress and taking you off your game.

Spread the word and enjoy spreading the frosting on these insanely delicious cookies. 

Cupcake Cookies

(Gluten-free with Dairy-free Option)

Dough Ingredients:

3 cups cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour

? tsp baking powder

? tsp salt

16 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (substitute with plant-based butter for dairy-free option)

? cup confectioner’s sugar

? cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 ? tsp vanilla extract

? tsp almond extract

Powdered sugar or flour for rolling out dough

Frosting Ingredients:

16 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (substitute with plant-based butter for dairy-free option)*

2 Tbsp unflavored, unsweetened almond milk, more if needed

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups powdered sugar, divided

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy and well combined.  Beat in one egg at a time, followed by the extracts until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in batches, beating until well combined. Divide the dough in two by creating two flattened discs. Wrap each with plastic and refrigerate until dough hardens, two hours up to two days. 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Dust a flat surface with powdered sugar (preferred) or flour. Roll out the first disc of dough until it is ?” thick, keeping the second disc in the refrigerator. Cut with cookie cutters (I prefer metal to plastic) and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 8-11 minutes. For softer cookies, remove from the oven just as the edges start to brown and no longer. They won’t be fully done, but will continue to cook after removing from oven. Bake longer for crisper cookies. When done, place on cooling racks until completely cooled. Repeat with second disc of dough. 

To make the frosting, use a hand or stand mixer and beat the butter until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add in 1 ? cups of the powdered sugar and beat.  Gradually add in the remaining powdered sugar in batches until well-combined and creamy. If not at the desired spreadable consistency, either add a little bit of milk at a time to make it thinner, or a little powdered sugar at a time to make it thicker.  Add in food coloring if desired.  You can either frost the cookies with a small knife or use a piping bag. 

Notes:

* if using plant-based butter for the frosting, start with only 1 Tbsp of milk. You can always add more milk if you want a thicker consistency.