Day 13: Chocolate Chip Cookies

It may seem like I took the easy road for my Favorite Christmas Cookie and chose Chocolate Chip Cookies, but these are absolutely the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever make. For real. My mom makes TONS of cookies every Christmas and last year was the first time she made these. I ate these for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

They have a special ingredient of instant vanilla pudding and it adds something amazing to the cookie dough. They're super easy and the original recipe makes 72 cookies, so they're perfect if you want to send some to family and still get to keep some for yourself. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: My cousin, Suzy. (Not sure of the original source)

4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups softened butter (4 sticks)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 (3.4 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding - You can use whatever flavor you like
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional - I leave them out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour and baking soda. Set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Yields: 72 cookies, but can easily be halved

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

There's a restaurant in town that makes gooey-butter bars for one of their desserts. Brian's practically obsessed with them. One day, he brought home two and I had them eaten by the next morning. Only, I snuck around and ate them so that maybe he wouldn't notice. :) Yesterday, we were watching Paula Deen and she made a gooey-butter cake, so he begged me to try one. I went searching and found this cookie recipe. It worked out perfectly because Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month was chocolate. Perfect!

This recipe is so easy and you can vary it with whatever cake mix you want to use.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Source: Paula Deen

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
1 (18 ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 stick of butter, room temperature

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and gooey. Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Printable version

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Cookie Dough Truffles

There are a few things that don't stand a chance of making it long in our house. Cheese is probably top on the list. Pepperoni slices for Jack...he's somewhat addicted. Kraft Singles, which totally make me shudder, but Brian and Jack love them. But cookie dough? Puh-lease. Lasts maybe a day.

You know those packages of the ready to bake cookie dough that's in squares and you can just break it off the big rectangle and bake them off. Those never see the inside of the oven. Ever. The best I've had so far have been sugar cookies with cinnamon chunks in them. I have never seen them again, which is probably a good thing. Also, Brian's favorite ice cream is Cookie Dough, so I usually end up stealing a "cookie dough bite" from his ice cream when he's not looking.

Don't judge, you know you do it too.

These truffles have been on my list to make for a long time, so I figured that Valentine's Day would be a good excuse to make them. And oh my, were they worth the wait. Thankfully they're rich enough to just eat one and be satisfied. Otherwise, I'd be in big trouble.

Cookie Dough Truffles
Adapted from Paula's Best Dishes

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add mini chocolate morsels, mixing well. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill in freezer 2 hours.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Printable version

Go Saints!

In honor of the Saints' first trip the Super Bowl, I had to make them cookies. My whole family is from Louisiana and I was born in south Louisiana, so it's pretty much in my blood to be a Saints fan.

I used Bakerella's recipe for cookie dough and Bake at 350's royal icing recipe. I still need practice on my piping, but I'm pretty proud of my second attempt at icing cookies.

Go Saints!!!!

Gingerbread Cookie Mix

Eight days until Christmas. EIGHT!

Don't get me wrong, Christmas really is my favorite holiday. However, this year I'm so far behind, it's not even funny. Doesn't it seem like when you're little, you count down until Christmas and can't wait until the big day. But when you get older, Christmas morning creates a sort of panic? That could just be me, but I'm definitely feeling that way this year.

Oh, well. Always next year to be organized right? :)

If you are like me and still have yet to finish your holiday shopping, you should consider homemade gifts. I've never given them out before and don't know why it's taken me this long to give a gift I've made myself.

Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar
Source: All Recipes

Flour Level:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Flour and Spice Mix:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions
Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. In a 1 quart, wide mouth canning jar, layer the ingredients starting with the flour and baking powder mixture, then the brown sugar, and finally the flour and spice mixture. Pack firmly between layers.

Attach a card to the jar with the following directions:
Gingerbread Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend together. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1 slightly beaten egg. Dough will be very stiff, so you may need to use your hands. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Decorate as desired.

Printable version

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Rugalach

I believe I've mentioned this before, but the best mail day is when either Food Network Magazine, Cooking Light, and/or the Williams Sonoma catalog arrives. Saturday I was blessed with this month's Food Network magazine and it's beautiful cover is nothing but cookies. Which can only mean...

It's Holiday Baking Season!

One cookie caught my eye, which I found out (thanks to the handy-dandy insert of 50 cookie recipes) that the cookie was rugalach. I had no idea what that meant, other than I had to make it. Just so happens that my office is having a bake sale on Friday, so this could be a contender...

Rugalach

Source Food Network Magazine

Cut store-bought pie dough into 16 wedges (like a pizza). Starting from the tip, spread apricot jam over the top two-thirds of each wedge; sprinkle with chopped pecans. Roll from the fat end in to form a crescent shape. Brush with beaten egg and chill 30 minutes. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 325 degrees.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Sometimes there is just a certain cookie that you really want, but every time you try to make them, life gets in the way. I've been meaning to make these cookies for a LONG time, and every time I would get the butter out to soften, it would have to go right back into the fridge.

Well thank goodness I finally made them. Because wow. These are by far the BEST oatmeal raisin cookies ever.

Ever.

You hear me? Ever!

Ok, I'll stop.

The recipe came from the authority - Mr. Quaker Oats himself. Seriously! The recipe is under the lid! How convenient!

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Source: Quaker Oats

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello Fall!!! I've missed you! Although, the temperatures are back to the upper 80's with humidity off the charts (stupid Mother Nature), it's after Labor Day, which means fall!

Fall is, by far, my favorite season. There's a crispness in the air, cooler temperatures, beautiful leaves, college football (Go Hogs!), pumpkins, the holidays coming up...I could go on! In order to welcome fall, I had to bake. After the pumpkin creme brulee I made, I had to make something else with pumpkin. Enter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

YUM.

I ate five without blinking. Brought them to work the next day and they were gone before I knew it. I halved the recipe because my self-control isn't strong enough to protect me from 60 cookies. For those stronger than me, I've posted the full recipe. If you love pumpkin bread, you'll love these cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: The Food Network

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Lemon Madeleines

When I saw that the Flavor of the Month for August was Lemon or Lime, I knew it would be a hard choice for me to pick what to bake. Brian LOVES any dessert with a lemon flavor to it. Absolutely loves it. His great-aunt used to make a lemon cake that he still dreams about. We've all tried to recreate the cake, but no one can get it the way he remembered it.

I've wanted to make Madeleines for a long time, so the Flavor of the Month gave me a good reason to try them out!

Lemon Madeleines
Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons total)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two madeleine pans; set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Let rest 30 minutes.
Pour batter into buttered pans, filling the molds 3/4 full. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks. Invert, and unmold. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to one day.
First published: December 2005

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Iced Sugar Cookies

My friend, Jade, and I decided that we would come up with different things to make that would challenge us. First on the agenda is Iced Sugar Cookies. I'm more of a drop-dough-on-the-cookie-sheet kinda girl. That is if the dough even makes it to the cookie sheet before it's devoured. Growing up, I'd make cookies with my mom all the time. She would roll it out on our island we had in the kitchen. I'd cut it out with different cookie cutters, she'd put them on the cookie sheet, bake them and then I'd come back to decorate. After rolling out my first batch of cookie dough, I wondered what I had gotten myself into and how my mom made this look so effortless.

Brian is a pilot. He wants so badly to fly commercially and has always wanted to fly for American Airlines. On one trip to Dallas, we went to the American Airlines Flight Museum where I picked up an airplane cookie cutter. It's been sitting in my cabinet for a couple of years now. So when Jade and I decided to do sugar cookies, I knew I had to pull out the airplane cookie cutter and make some American Airlines jets for Brian.

I used Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Sugar cookies that I had gotten from Brown Eyed Baker. I also used the recipe on her blog for royal icing.

Before:

After my feeble attempt at icing:

In my defense on the awful picture of the iced cookie...I tried to take a picture outside of the cookie to get some natural light. However, the humidity is about 100% every day and my camera fogged up as soon as I stepped outside. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I had a good time doing the cookies and I'm proud of my first try. It's definitely something I'll have to practice and work on perfecting. Be sure to check out Jade's blog, The Mess Pot, and keep checking back to see what we'll try next!

Also a big thank you to my friends Emily and Jon at Beaty Photography for their unbelievable shout-out and kind words. Y'all are awesome!