Category: Cookies

Bite Size Desserts

Butterscotch Potato Chip Cookies
Double Chipping (Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls)

Double Chipping (Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls)

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The classic potato chip cookie, updated in The Vintage Baker by Jessie Sheehan.  Add butterscotch chips and triple the amount of potato chips, for the new and improved, Version 2.0 of Potato Chip Cookie.  I found these cookies by way of Ipso Fatto a favorite blog I follow.  How could I pass up a cookie described as chewy, crunchy, buttery, rolled in Kettle potato chips and studded with butterscotch chips?  I couldn’t and I didn’t.

These are a snap to put together.  You start with melted butter, no waiting for butter to soften and you can bake off a batch without chilling the dough.  That’s almost like instant cookies in my book.

Chips Matter

For my first batch, I purchased the only Kettle chips I could find at Whole Foods, their house brand,  I like Whole Foods, and shop there often, do not buy their Kettle Chips…bleah, flat and tasteless.  For my second batch, I used Cape Cod’s Kettle Chips.  Did it make a difference in the cookies?  I think so. Saltier and crunchier.  It made a difference with the extra chips left in each bag.  Much to my chagrin, I polished off the rest of the Cape Cod Chips in a New York minute.  The moral of the story is to use your favorite Kettle chips.

Butterscotch chips are not commonplace in my kitchen.  The few times I used them, I wasn’t thrilled with the texture or taste, they always seemed a bit artificial.  After an exhaustive search (King Arthur Flour website), I got Guittard’s Butterscotch chips.  They are surprisingly flavorful.  It would have been nice if they were “meltier” like chocolate chips.  Ipso Fatto used caramelized white chocolate or “blond chocolate” for the butterscotch but it is both hard to find and pretty pricey.  By all means, use the chips you like the most, that’s what counts. This recipe doesn’t use the entire bag of butterscotch chips, lucky for you I have another tasty cookie recipe that calls for melted butterscotch chips-Butterscotch Cookies, from The Perfect Cookie.

The recipe calls for putting the potato chips into the dough and crushing them as you mix the dough.  That leaves some big chips in the dough.  rushed the chips before adding them to the batter.

Chill the dough for a bit so the cookies don’t spread a lot.  Use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop which makes a 2-1/2 inch diameter cookie.  As soon as they come out of the oven flatten them with a spatula and push in the sides to make them round (optional).  Y’all probably know this but ice cream/cookie scoops are PERFECT for making uniform cookies.  I have had mine for ages (made in Italy, not China-that’s how old they are).  If you have a baker in your family, scoops would make great stocking stuffers.

Chip Off the Old Cookie

These cookies are delicious.  I took a batch to my professional testers (my co-workers), and they gobbled them up.  The potato chips add a nice crunch and saltiness, the butterscotch chips add sweetness, the touch of flaked salt at the end accentuates the sweet-salty “thang” and butter is butter, say no more.  The over-the-top factor-potato chips mixed in the dough and the dough then rolled in more chips, that’s what I call the “double-chip hit”.   Run, don’t walk to your kitchen, and make a batch now.

Butterscotch Potato Chip Cookies
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Butterscotch–Potato Chip Balls Potato Chip Balls

Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups [325 g] all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 cup [180 g] butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup [220 g] unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup [200 g] packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup [100 g] granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 5 cups [175 g] kettle-style potato chips Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. Add the butterscotch chips and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the melted butter and sugars on medium-high speed until thick, light, and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  • Decrease the mixer speed to medium-low and add the egg and yolk, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl aer each addition with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients all at once, mixing just to combine. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add 3 cups [105 g] of the potato chips to the dough, combining and crushing the chips with a rubber spatula.
  • In a small bowl, crush the remaining 2 cups [70 g] potato chips. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls with a cookie scoop or measuring spoon, rolling each ball in the leover crushed chips, and evenly place 12 on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and press down on each cookie with a spatula to slightly flatten.
  • Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
  • Let cool briefly and serve warm, because who doesn't love a cookie warm from the oven? The cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

The recipe can be found on Epicurious.com
A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

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A second recipe from The Perfect Cookie by America’s Test Kitchen caught my eye for a different reason. I had just made a batch of Potato Chip Butterscotch Cookies from The Vintage Baker and now had a partial bag of butterscotch chips sitting on my counter. I have to admit, I am not the biggest fan of butterscotch chips so I don’t have a bunch of recipes with butterscotch. Here was an opportunity to use the rest of the bag.
Glad I did. This is another super simple slice and bake dough. Instead of chips the butterscotch is melted and creamed with cold butter.  No chips just butterscotch flavor infused through the entire cookie, yummy. The trickiest part was melting the chips to create a smooth creamy mixture that could be blended with the butter. I used the microwave at half power to melt the chips and butter.  Stir the melted mixture and add the vanilla.  My mixture did not blend very well until I added the vanilla, so don’t worry.  After chilling the dough, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, place an inch apart and bake.  As your kitchen fills with the aroma of these butterscotch gems, get your glass of milk or cup of joe ready.

These were a definite hit with the work peeps. Rich, deep caramel overtones in a light, crisp cookie. Big bold flavor in a plain jane package. Like they say, never judge a book by its cover.

I found an adaptation of this cookie on A Baker’s House, instead of the slice and bake method, the dough is scooped up and formed into balls and baked.  This yields a chewier in the center with a crispy edge cookie.  I love both versions.

Bake a batch of these Butterscotch Cookies and watch them disappear.

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BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

An easy and delicious slice and bake cookie for butterscotch lovers!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 9 tablespoons cut into 9 pieces chilled
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Place the butterscotch chips and the first 3 tablespoons of butter into a glass bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Stir every 30 seconds. This should take one minute to one and a half minutes. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth; let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Beat the second amount of measured butter (9 tablespoons) with the sugar and salt.  Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the cooled butterscotch mixture and continue to mix until combined. Add egg yolk then reduce to a lower speed to add the dry ingredients of flour and baking powder. A dough will come together and that is your signal to stop mixing.
  • Form dough into a log approximately 2 inches in diameter and 9-10 inches in length.  Chill until firm (min 30-60minutes).  Slice 1/4 inch thickness and place on parchment lined baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart. 
  • Alternate method:  Pinch off enough dough to make approximately one inch balls ( or use a 1-inch ice cream scoop to measure out dough). Place on a parchment lined baking tray approximately 2 inches apart. 
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Cool on wire racks.
Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

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My grandma had a washboard she kept next to the bathtub in a round, white tin basin.  For those of you thinking “washboard?”, picture a rectangular wooden frame holding a corrugated metal sheet about the size of a full sheet pan.  As a kid, I watched my grandma rub wet soapy garments along the metal ridges to clean them.  All I can say is…THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE WASHING MACHINES NOW.

So much for nostalgic moments.  These delicious coconut cookies derive their name from that very same washboard that has gone the way of manual typewriters, record players, and cassette tapes.  Luckily this cookie hasn’t followed suit.

Cuckoo for Coconuts

I spent most of my life hating coconut. Shredded, flaked, milk, you name it, my immediate reaction was “yuck”.  But somewhere along the line, I did a 180 and now I am making up for lost time.  Coconut recipes now seem to jump out at me. I imagine those little white shreds, waving like a kindergartener with his hand up in the air telegraphing “pick me, pick me”.  As I was perusing America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie book-I came to a screeching halt at yep, these Coconut Washboard Cookies.

These cookies remind me of Pepperidge Farms Bordeaux Cookies. Crisp, light, buttery with the added bonus of coconut.  I might try replacing the milk in the recipe with coconut milk to see if this heightens the coconut flavor but they’re still pretty darn good without this tweak.  The dough is shaped into a rectangular roll and chilled until firm enough to cut.  Press the tines of a fork, well floured, into the dough slices to create the ridges grooved into the top of each cookie.  The perfect imitation of that old washboard.

These delectable bites are perfect with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.  Tasty and easy to make they deserve a spot on your cookie list.

This recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie.  Get the Kindle edition right now!  Besides this recipe gem, the book is filled with info, tips, advice and a wonderful photos.

Coconuts

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Washboards Cookies

Coconutty, crispy, buttery cookies that look like Grandma's washboard!
Course cookies, desserts, sweets
Cuisine American
Keyword buttery, coconut, Coconut cookies, Crispy, washboard cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 30

Ingredients

The Dry Mix-Combine and set aside

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 10 oz
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The Wet Stuff

  • 8 tablespoons 1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar 7 oz
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk sub coconut milk

The Add-In Star

  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3 oz
  • 1/4 cup finely diced dried pineapple optional to pump up the island factor!

Instructions

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and milk and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and coconut, and mix until just incorporated.
  • Transfer dough to a counter and, using your floured hands, roll dough into 15-inch log, then flatten top and sides to measure 3 inches by 1 inch. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days.
  • Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch-thick rectangles and space them 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Using floured fork, make crosswise indentations in dough slices. Bake until toasty brown, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cook on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving.
Banana Pecan Shortbread (You Butter Believe They’re Vegan)

Banana Pecan Shortbread (You Butter Believe They’re Vegan)

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Every now and then my political leanings sneak into a post. Nothing overt, a line, a sigh, a one-liner although I’m pretty sure my feelings are pretty obvious, oh well.  After the election I found myself feeling like that chicken running around screaming “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!  In order to not drive myself crazy, I decided I had to somehow channel that energy.  I had to stop lamenting over my latte’ and do something.

March for Science
March for Science

I went to marches and rallies, dressed Sammy up, and took him to marches.  Attended lectures, started reading books that didn’t have recipes, and subscribed to a bunch of podcasts.  Finally, I took the leap and joined a political action group organized by 3 amazing women in my community.  From there, I have met so many AMAZING people that I would not have met otherwise if not for the outcome of THAT election.

See, there is a silver lining to everything

One of which is meeting T&H. I adore them.  They are genuine, smart, funny, a little quirky (love that), compassionate, passionate…I could go on and on.

Wait, what the heck, they’re VEGAN? Dealbreaker

Just kidding.  The other night it was my turn to host our advocacy dinner meeting.  Most of the meal was pretty easy, spicy sesame noodles, a nice toss green salad, fresh berries.  Roasted salmon on the side for non-vegan, meat-eating folks (ME).  Easy peasy until…DESSERT.

What is a no-holds-bar, butter-obsessed, whipped cream-eating, dessert lover (ME again) to do?

So, being a “Big Tent” person, I went on the hunt for vegan desserts.  The first Vegan recipe I tried was an Olive Oil Shortbread with Rosemary & Chocolate Chunks from Smitten Kitchen. Pretty good…for a vegan cookie (ahhh, the qualifier). This time around I found a recipe for a Banana Pecan Shortbread on Minimalist Baker.  This looked promising.

Guess what, they are yummylicious (no qualifier).

Vegan Banana Pecan Shortbread

The secret ingredient? Coconut oil.  The cookie has a nice fine crumb and a bit of crispiness at the edges. These definitely give traditional shortbread a run for its money.  The pecans and banana add both sweetness and a buttery finish, you really don’t miss the butter.

I used refined organic expeller pressed coconut oil from Whole Foods.  Refined coconut oil has very little flavor and is a great substitute.  I threw it in the fridge for a couple of minutes to make sure it was completely solid and creamed the coconut oil with the sugar, just like butter.  I saw a couple of comments with regard to using coconut oil in the liquid state, but nope.  I’ll leave it to others to experiment.  I molded it into a cylinder, slipped it into my trusty PVC pipe (the secret to perfectly round cookies), and chilled it for a couple of hours. The cookies took closer to 15-18 minutes to bake in my oven, so start checking a little earlier than the stated baking time.

You could probably substitute a gluten-free flour mix to make this not only vegan but gluten-free.  Next time I might try substituting almond flour for part of the flour to see if it makes it a touch more tender cookie.  But honestly, it’s pretty darn good the way it is!

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VEGAN BANANA PECAN SHORTBREAD

Vegan and gluten-free banana pecan shortbread cookies. Crisp with a slight tenderness, nutty and sweet. You won't miss the butter
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword banana, coconut oil, cookies, Shortbread, vegan
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

Creamed Ingredients

  • 1 cup refined coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana 1 small banana yields ~1/3 cup
  • 3/4 cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar

Flavor Bumps

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Dry Mix

  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup pecans finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon optional but I do add it

Instructions

  • Cream oil, sugar and banana. Add vanilla, and salt, blend until incorporated.
  • Add flour and blend. (If you are adding cinnamon, add it to the flour). Add pecans and mix once more. Do not overmix.
  • Transfer to a large piece of parchment paper and roll into a tight log, ~ 2 inches wide. Freeze for 15 minutes to harden. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Unroll paper and slice cookies into slightly less than 1/2 inch rounds. Use a sharp or serrated bread knife. If it’s too soft, freeze it a little longer. If the dough has become too hard, let it rest for a few minutes at room temp to soften.
  • Place on an un-greased baking sheet approximately 1/2 inch apart. They won’t spread much. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown.

Notes

With all the wonderful gluten-free flours now.  You could probably sub for the all-purpose flour to make this not only vegan but gluten-free!
Enhance the pecans by toasting them first.  Place pecans on a small baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.  When you notice the aroma of the pecans they are done!
 
Finding Ranger Cookies

Finding Ranger Cookies

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We are a divided family. Hubby likes chewy oatmeal cookies and ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies.  Me? I love shortbread, crumbly, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a hint of sweetness, and decidedly not chewy. Perhaps, cookie preference is a dominant gene trait?  ALL my kids love chewy cookies just like Wes.  I thought it was a kid thing (I consider the hubs a kid).  I assumed when they got older their palates would become more refined, sophisticated m.  Surely, they would come around.

Nope

Even now, when I make cookies that aren’t chewy the response is “They’re ok” or “I like chewy cookies better” or “Wonder if Dad can make some Good Cookies.” The only rational explanation?  Mendelian Genetics. Yep, a predisposition to chewy cookies. Ooh, did you just have an involuntary flashback to high school biology? I concede, in our house, chewy cookies reign supreme.

I Went to a Garden Party

For a summer fundraiser, I volunteered to make Mexican Wedding Cookies. My partner at the dessert table, Emily, brought an unassuming looking oatmeal cookie,   They disappeared in a flash which caught my attention.  I grabbed one and took a bite.  Yum!  This cookie was CHEWY, sweet, buttery, with a bit of crunch.  It definitely fell into the Wes and kids’ cookie camp.  I snuck a couple (ok, more than a couple) onto my cookie plate to take home.

As soon as I got home, Jordan grabbed one of the cookies and gobbled it down, then he grabbed another and exclaimed: “This might be the best cookie yet!”

Determined to make them asap, I Googled cookies, coconut, Rice Krispies, and oatmeal, the ingredients Emily had rattled off to me.  Instantly, a bunch of recipes popped up for Ranger Cookies.  Some had chocolate or butterscotch chips, and some had different cereals.  The blog, Let’s Dish, contained all the ingredients Emily mentioned so this became my starting point.  I hit the jackpot, these were just like hers.

Ranger Cookie Tips

Start by creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy should take about 2-3 minutes tops. Then add eggs and vanilla, mix until well combined.  The recipe calls for gradually adding dry ingredients.  My detour, add it all at once and combine at low speed just until dry ingredients are fully incorporated.  Finally, stir cereal, coconut, and oatmeal in by hand.

Chilling the dough before baking prevents spreading.  Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough. Bake cookies on parchment paper.  With 3-4 minutes left to bake, rap the pan on the wire rack to get the cookies to fall, this helps create those cool crevices.

If your cookies aren’t perfectly round, after taking the cookies out of the oven, quickly invert a glass over each cookie and swirl it around.  This will shape cookies into perfect little circles.  Or skip it, they’ll be gone before anyone besides you notices.

Feel free to add chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for a twist. You can replace the Rice Krispies with partially crushed Corn Flakes, they’rrrrre great!  All you Tony the Tiger fans.

Ok, maybe chewy is not a genetic thing…maybe chewy cookies are just really, really delicious (don’t tell my kids I said that).  Either way, they belong on your gotta bake cookie list.

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RANGER COOKIES

Chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with coconut and crisp rice cereal. Simple and delicious, these cookies are a favorite with kids and grown-up kids as well!
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword coconut, cookies, oatmeal, ranger cookies, rice krispies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Creaming Mixture

  • 1 cup butter softened, this is an old recipe, before unsalted butter was so widely available. I would guess folks normally used salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase salt in recipe to 1 teaspoon.
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar light or dark

The Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

The Dry Ingredients-Combine and set aside

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour I use King Arthur Flour and it worked fine. Once again an old recipe, Gold Medal was probably the standard, which has slightly less protein than KA.
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

The Adds

  • 2 cups quick cooking oats NO instant oatmeal please
  • 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut you could probably use unsweetened coconut too.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. (2-3 min) Beat in eggs and vanilla.
  • Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix well (do not overmix though). Stir in oats, cereal, and coconut.
  • Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. If you have a #40 ice cream scoop (1.75 Tablespoons) use that to create uniform dough balls.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on pan for 3-5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

I use parchment paper to line my baking sheets.  These cookies can be baked directly on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Tropical Flair to Mexican Wedding Cookies when Married with Lime and Coconut

Tropical Flair to Mexican Wedding Cookies when Married with Lime and Coconut

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The political action group I belong to (please continue to read, that is as political as this post is going to get) hosted a fundraiser this past weekend.  A garden party with a Mexican theme. Of course, I volunteered to make something sweet.  Cookies, specifically, Mexican Wedding Cookies, instantly popped into my head.  Usually, I bake a batch of these nutty, buttery, nuggets during the holidays but it is the middle of summer so I wanted to change it up just a bit.  I found the perfect riff on the classic wedding cookie, a coconut lime version, on the blog Once Upon A Chef by Jenn Segal.  Garden Party, Fiesta theme, coconut, lime-yep, spot on.

Delicious AND easy to make.  The dough is made in a food processor which makes these cookies STUPID easy.  You throw the dry ingredients into your food processor bowl, give it a couple of whirls, add the butter, vanilla and lime zest, pulse to it comes together and boom, you are done.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and forget about it in the fridge for about an hour.  Use a teaspoon ice cream scoop to make balls of dough, bake, and roll in a ton of powdered sugar.  HOW EASY IS THAT? Ipso Facto Dunzo.

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Coconut-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies

Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Mexican Wedding Cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar plus about 3/4 cup more for coating
  • 1/3 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 packed teaspoon lime zest from 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, salt, confectioners' sugar, pecans and coconut. Process until the pecans and coconut are finely ground, and the mixture looks like sand. Add the butter, lime zest, and vanilla extract; process until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm enough to roll, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Measure the dough into heaping teaspoon-size pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls about 1-1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges of the cookies barely begin to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets, then roll in the confectioners' sugar while still warm. Let the cookies cool on a rack, then roll again in confectioners' sugar once they are cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Snowy Topped Brownie Drops, Cookie Number 4

Snowy Topped Brownie Drops, Cookie Number 4

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Another winner from Dorie!

Though a tough call, the favorite out of this holiday trio was the Snowy Topped Brownie Drops.  A decadent, chocolatey, cookie finished with generous dusting of powdered sugar.  Have an office party coming up?  This is the cookie to make to guarantee an invitation to all of the holiday parties of the season!  But don’t reserve these just for the holidays, they are too good not to bake any time of the year!

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Snowy-topped Brownie Drops

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons 71 grams unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • 8 ounces 226 grams bittersweet chocolate*
  • 3/4 cup 150 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs cold
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup 102 grams all-purpose flour
  • Confectioners’ sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Coarsely chop the chocolate. Place 6 ounces of the chocolate together with the butter pieces in a heatproof, microwave safe bowl or the top of a double boiler. If using a microwave, microwave for 3-5 segments of 30 seconds on high, stirring in between to help melt. If using a double boiler, place the double boiler (or any heatproof bowl) over gently simmering water, taking care that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Stirring until the chocolate and butter are just melted, then remove the bowl from the heat.
  • Immediately whisk in the granulated sugar into the melted chocolate. The mixture will turn grainy.
  • One at a time, add in the eggs, whisking for one minute after each addition. The batter should become quite smooth, shiny, and noticeably thicker. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
  • Using a silicone spatula, fold in the flour until it just disappears. Fold in the reserved 2 ounces of chopped chocolate. The dough will be very sticky.
  • Cover the batter with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Place about 1/3-1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar in a small bowl. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out round portions of the dough, and roll each ball in the confectioner's sugar to create the snowy top. Once the ball is generously coated in confectioner's sugar, place it on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining dough, spacing cookie balls 2 inches apart.
  • Bake only one baking sheet of these cookies at a time, for a total of 12 minutes, rotating after 6 minutes. The cookies should spread and crack, with set sides, but will still appear fairly underbaked in the middle. This is how they should look.
  • Set the cookies on a metal cooling rack to cool at least 2-5 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.
  • Unbaked dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 1-2 months. Once baked, these cookies will keep 3-4 days but will gradually lose their softness.

Notes

You could use semi-sweet or a high percentage dark chocolate here instead, but the cookies will be a bit sweeter.
Another Day, Another Chocolate Chip Cookie (Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie)

Another Day, Another Chocolate Chip Cookie (Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie)

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What is your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe?  The one on the back of the Nestle’s Chocolate Chips bag? A treasured family recipe handed down? Mine was given to me by a friend who swore it was the original Mrs. Field’s recipe.  I can’t vouch for that claim, but it is pretty darn good. Over the years I have tweaked the recipe by adding oatmeal, reducing the amount of chocolate (don’t hate me), and adding nuts.  Yep, the perfect cookie.  It is my go-to chocolate chip cookie…until now.  A serious challenger, Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies, has entered the best CCC sweepstakes.

You can have more than one go-to chocolate chip cookie, right?  There might be a new player in town.

Brown butter chocolate chip toffee cookie ingredients

What makes these cookies so delicious?  BROWN BUTTER for a toasty rich, caramel flavor-yum.  Chunks of toffee bars for crunch and another layer of caramel flavor-double yum.  Finally, Chocolate wafers instead of chips, stay gooey and soft longer creating a luscious texture-triple yum.  Upon finding this recipe I immediately headed to the store to look for those chocolate wafers. I found Guittard’s 67% semi-sweet wafers-YAY.  A bag costs about eight dollars-BOO.  It’s a splurge that’s for sure…but so worth it.

 

Chocolate wafers and toffee pieces

Fold in chocolate and toffee pieces and chill dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before baking.  Scoop dough balls with a #24 scoop (1.5 ounces) or #30 (1.125 ounces) for a touch smaller cookie.  They spread so place cookie dough 3″ apart, especially if you don’t chill the dough.

These cookies will brown quickly so watch them like a HAWK. Start checking them at the 8-minute mark.  To create the crevices in the cookies, rap the baking sheet on the oven rack (at the 6-7 minute mark), and repeat 1-2 minutes later.  This will cause the cookie to deflate creating those lovely nooks and crannies.

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Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another chocolate chip cookie? You bet!
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword brown butter, chocolate chip cookie, toffee
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 20

Ingredients

Dry Stuff

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour preferably KIng Arthur
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Stuff

  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Add-Ins

  • 2 chocolate toffee bars (1.4 oz bars) Skor, Heath or Trader Joe Toffee Bars, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1½ cups chocolate wafers disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao, although I used 67% Guittard -yum
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  • Whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set aside
  • Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
  • Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.
  • Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits. For less spread, chill dough in fridge.
  • Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a 1½-oz. ice cream scoop, portion out 10 balls of dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3" apart (you can also form dough into ping pong–sized balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined baking sheet to make 10 more cookies.
  • Do Ahead: Cookie dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.

Notes

To create ridges in cookies, at 7 minutes open oven and rap pan on oven rack which will cause cookie to deflate and create ridges.
Strawberry & Cream Cookies Forever

Strawberry & Cream Cookies Forever

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I ventured to Omnivore Cookbooks in San Francisco a while ago to see Stella Parks, author of the fabulous Bravetart, (a fabulous baking book) that remakes iconic American treats like Oreos and Mother’s Oatmeal Cookies.  Moderating her talk was local cookbook author and blogger Irvin Lin, who coincidentally, also has a book out, Marbled, Swirled and Layered. I couldn’t resist so I picked up an autographed copy of his book also.  I am such a cookbook groupie.

The Yin and Yang of Desserts

Think of Irvin Lin as a food artist.  He layers flavors, colors, and textures in his desserts.  Gorgeous cakes, cookies, and flavors I would never think of putting together.  We are talking big WOW factor. But the flip side is this also makes his recipes a little daunting. Every recipe calls for 2 different doughs or batters and multiple steps in the process.  Luckily, if these cookies are any indication, it is well worth the trouble.  The book languished on my shelf until Jamie came home, got in one of her baking moods, cracked open the book, and found this recipe for Strawberries and Cream cookies. They are DELICIOUS.

Strawberry and Cream Cookies

Chewy with a crispy edge and great fruit flavor, the fam gave them the BIG thumbs up.

Use good quality white chocolate.  Jamie used white chocolate chips that in hindsight may have caused the dough to be a bit dry and a little difficult to work with.  I had inadvertently picked up dried raspberries instead of strawberries which worked out great. The raspberry’s purple tinge and tartness worked well in the cookie’s taste and color.  Both freeze-dried berries are available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

The doughs are made separately and then squished together to create the yin and yang effect.  Pretty nifty eh?  The dough for the cream cookie was a bit dry so we added a tablespoon of water which I don’t think will be necessary if you use white chocolate.  (I love El Rey white chocolate, use your favorite).

When baking WATCH the cookies like a hawk.  They turn brown very quickly.  Jamie’s cookies were slightly smaller so her baking time was closer to 12-15 minutes. Check the cookies early to determine how long they need to bake.

For the strawberry version, Irvin adds 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and a couple of drops of red food coloring.  Since we used raspberries we decided to forego the vinegar since raspberries have a bit of natural tartness.

This is a showstopper, so pull it out when you want to impress or score big cookie points.  Irvin also includes a Corn and Lime version of this cookie that I can’t wait to try.

And now…Here’s Jamie!

Hey guys, it’s Jamie!  My mom wrote this blog post for me because I took too long to write my post.  I was busy being a couch potato watching TV (shoutout to The Americans) and playing with Sammy all day.  Whenever I come home from school, I always get the baking bug. Who wouldn’t, though? My mom has 2 of every kitchen gadget you could ever possibly want, AND she has all the ingredients (major game-changer right there ppl).  Seriously, she has 2 ice cream makers and is currently shopping for a third she just has to have.

I will say that these cookies cured the baking bug. THEY ARE SO MUCH WORK.  You have to make two different cookie doughs, roll them into balls (a lot harder than it looks because the dough kept crumbling), mush them together, and roll them in sugar.  Finally, flatten them out onto 4 cookie sheets. LABOR INTENSIVE. I worked harder making these cookies than I did all of last semester (shout out to being a part-time student due to AP credits, lol).

They’re pretty worth it, though. Everyone loved them!  WATCH them while they’re baking because you REALLY don’t want to overbake these bad boys. The recipe also made like 100 dozen cookies, so I would half it or freeze some of the dough before baking off so they don’t get stale.

This concludes the blog post. Next time y’all hear from me, I’ll be blogging about how cold it is in Minneapolis!!!!

Strawberry and Cream Cookies

Enjoy!

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Strawberry Cookies Forever

Ingredients

Cream Cookie Dough

  • 1-1/4 cups of butter unsalted
  • 1-1/4 cup 250gm granulated sugar
  • 2 t vanilla extract
  • 3/4 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1-3/4 cup 245gm all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup 4 ounces or 115gm white chocolate, melted
  • 3/4 cup 90gm powdered milk

Strawberry Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup 34 gm freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries crushed into a powder (food processor or rolling pin-the old fashioned way
  • 10 T unsalted butter at room temp
  • 1-1/4 cup 250gm granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t kosher salt
  • 1-3/4 cup 245gm all purpose flour
  • Additional granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. LIne baking sheets with parchment or Silpats
  • Melt white chocolate in double boiler or carefully in microwave and set aside to cool.

Cream Dough

  • Cut butter into 1/2 inch pieces and place in bowl of mixer with paddle attachment.
  • Add sugar and vanilla extract and beat at medium speed until mixture is lighter in color approximately 1 minute.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the egg, beat until incorporated and then add white chocolate. Beat until incorporated.
  • Add flour and milk powder and mix on low until dough forms. Do not overbeat.
  • Transfer to a clean bowl.

Strawberry Dough

  • Break egg into a small bowl and add crushed strawberry powder to bowl. Blend mixture, set aside.
  • Cut butter into 1/2 inch pieces and place in bowl of mixer with paddle attachment.
  • Add sugar and beat at medium speed until mixture is lighter in color approximately 1 minute.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the egg and strawberry mixture and beat until incorporated about 30 seconds.
  • Add flour and mix on low until dough forms. Do not overbeat.

To form cookies:

  • Pinch off a chunk of each dough roughly the size of a walnut of each (35gm) and roll each into a ball. Press the two doughs together and roll into a single ball
  • Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart and flatten each ball, with the palm of your hand, into a disk approximately 2 inches in diameter. Leave room a they will spread when baked.
  • Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.
  • Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

HeY cLaIrE aNd MrS. wEdDlE!!!!