Big Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies

ingredients

• 2 cups minus  2 tablespoons Cake flour
• 1 2/3 cup Bread flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Coarse salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 butter) Unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups Light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons 
• Granulated sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 2 teaspoon Natural vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds Bittersweet chocolate at least 60 percent cacao content--williams sonoma
• Sea salt for garnish

• Sift together cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a bowl. Set Aside


• cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.

• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds

Dropchocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside. 

Scoop 6 3 ½ -ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Reases Krispies

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Corn Syrup
1 1/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
4 1/4 Cup Rice Krispes
1 Pinch of Salt
4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
1 Handful Chocolate Chips


In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt the sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter until smooth and evenly combined.
Remove from heat.
Quickly add the salt and cereal and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and stir again. Wait about 1 min and add the candy, quickly folding the mixture together so as to not smash up the candy.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop rounded tablespoons onto the sheet. Let cool and devour!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Peanut Butter Cup Treats

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

1 egg

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

About 1 bag of miniature peanut butter cups

Combine butter, sugars, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla in mixing bowl; beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill. (I chilled my dough for about half an hour).

Preheat oven to 375°F.

When cold enough to handle easily, roll in small (walnut-sized) balls; place each ball in greased miniature muffin tin. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Remove from oven; gently press one peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool in pan at least 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Store in a cool place until serving time.

Makes about three dozen cookies.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided (not double stuff)
• 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted or Almond Bark is what I use

Directions

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. put into the freezer for awhile (maybe 10 minutes) so the chocolate will stick better to the cookie mixture
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.
4. 
   My favorite batch is the one where I add crushed BUTTERFINGER to the Peanutbutter Oreo cookie mixture. I use about 2-3 regular sized candy bars to 1 pkg Oreos. There are so many options with this recipe...nutter butter, mint oreos try different things

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Additional sugar

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Yield: about 20-24 sandwich cookiesIngredients:
For the cookies:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1-1/4 cups sugar
10 tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg

For the filling:
4 tbsp. (¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

 Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the butter to the bowl and pulse or mix briefly,  Add in the egg and mix until the dough forms a mass.

Scoop a scant tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet.  Continue scooping, spacing the dough balls a couple of inches apart.  With moistened fingers, gently press down on the dough balls to flatten slightly.  Bake for 9-11 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack and let cool completely until the cookies are firm and set.  Be sure the cookies are completely cooled before filling.

To make the filling, combine the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on low speed just until it is fully mixed, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the vanilla extract.

To assemble the cookies, pair them up by size.  Use a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip to pipe a swirl of filling onto the flat side of one cookie of each pair.  Sandwich together with the remaining cookie and press down so that the filling reaches the edges.

Rocky Road Cookie Bars

1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 TBSP butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 12oz package chocolate chips

Beat with mixer first 7 ingredients, EXCEPT for the nuts. Add nuts and stir, pour into greased 9×12-inch pan(I used 8×8 because there seemed to be sooo little batter I didn’t even think it would spread out. But it does puff up quite a bit so perhaps you should stick with the original plan). Bake for 15-20 minutes. Immediately layer with 3 last ingredients(since I used and 8×8 pan I used half the amount of the toppings).
Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Remove and swirl topping with knife. Cool and cut into squares.

These turn out very gooey and not so fun to cut. But considering the fact that they are from a home economics cookbook, they are pretty good. I would like to go back and try it in the 9×13 inch pan to see what kind of difference it would make.

Oreo Pudding Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (4.2 ounce) package instant Oreo 
Pudding mix 
2 1/4 cups flour  
1 teaspoon baking soda 
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Hershey's Cookies N Cream Candy Bars broken into small pieces (I used 2.6 ounce King Sized bars)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Note: I found Oreo Pudding mix at my grocery store but I also saw it at our Walmart and Target.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in pudding mix until blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Stir in cookies n' cream pieces and chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.

Using a cookie dough scooper, place golf ball sized dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. You do not want to overbake these! Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving to a cooking rack. Store in air-tight container. Makes two dozen.

Acorn Cookies

I think these acorn ‘cookies’ from design dazzle are pretty clever. Chocolate kiss + nilla wafer + peanut butter chip (all glued together with peanut butter). Genius! And a perfect treat for a woodland or forest-themed birthday.

Cherry Chocolate Kisses (Cookies)

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Servings: approximately 36 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons maraschino cherry “juice”

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies

36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.

4. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.

5. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.

8.  Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.

9.  Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

10.  Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

11. Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center.

12.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

BANANA- WALNUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or silpat), or spray with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric hand mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add egg & vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix just until combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Drop dough by heaping Tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets (or use a cookie scoop), spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Yield: About 3 dozen

Tips:
*Be sure to use a banana that is well on its way to the trash can. The darker it is, the softer and sweeter it becomes.
*Sub milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet if you’d like.
*To toast walnut, spread on a baking sheet and toast briefly (3-5 min) in a 375 degree oven. Watch closely because they’ll turn into burnt walnuts pretty quickly.
*Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days. They also freeze well.

REESES- STUFFED PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips (plus a few extra for topping, optional)
12 full-sized Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats (or spray with nonstick spray).

2. In a large bowl, use electric mixer to cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add egg and continue to mix until light and fluffy.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Stir together just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.

4. Plan for baking 6 to 8 cookies on a large baking sheet. Scoop out a heaping Tablespoonful of dough and place it on your cookie sheet. Use a sugared fork to make a criss-cross on the dough (to smash it down a bit). Top with a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. The top with another heaping Tablespoonful of dough (so that the PB Cup is sandwiched between two scoopfuls of dough).  Use a sugared fork to criss-cross the top and make sure the dough is covering most of the PB Cup. Stud a few extra chocolate chips on top. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and PB Cups.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned and almost set.

Yield: 12 large (4 to 5-inch cookies)

Tips:
*A little tip for measuring peanut butter… spray your measuring cup with nonstick spray first, then scoop the peanut butter in to measure. It’ll slide right out of the cup, without sticking!
*These cookies freeze well. Throw individual cookies in sandwich-sized zip baggies and toss them in the freezer for times when the mood for cookies strikes

TOFFEE- CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits
additional sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter until pale and fluffy (1 minute). Add in sugars and beat until well combined. Add in egg and vanilla; beat until mixture looks smooth. Add flour; beat until just incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Gather dough into a ball and refrigerate for an hour or so until dough is slightly firm.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.

3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Dampen the flat bottom of a glass cup and dip in sugar. Use the sugared bottom of the cup to press each ball firmly into a 2-inch round. You may need to re-dip the glass in sugar now and then to keep from sticking to the dough.

4. Bake 11 to 13 minutes. Let cookies cool.

5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate on high for 20 seconds or so, until partially melted. Stir until smooth. Scoop into a small zip baggie, zip closed and snip and very small piece off of the corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag and drizzle lines back and forth across each cookie. Let sit at room temperature until chocolate is set.

Yield: 28 cookies

Tips:
*Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

CARAMEL-PECAN STICKY BUN COOKIES

COOKIES:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp dark corn syrup
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 large egg white, slightly beaten

1. In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add ½ cup corn syrup and egg yolks; blend well. Stir in flour; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap- refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.

2. In small saucepan, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. corn syrup; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line w/ parchment or silpat mats.

4. Shape dough into 1 ½” balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush tops of partially baked cookies lightly with egg white. With small spoon, carefully scoop about 3/4 tsp. of the filling in the center of each cookie; pressing down slightly.

5. Return to the oven and bake an additional 6-9 minutes, or until light golden brown.

6. Cool for 2 minutes and then remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Tips:
*To toast pecans, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and place pecans on small baking sheet.  5 minutes in the oven should be enough to get them a little bit toasted.  Much longer than that and they’ll start to burn!