Chewy Sugar Cookies

You know those cake mix cookies that everyone makes and everyone loves because the texture is so amazing.  Well, behold their replacement.  These cookies have the same texture, but they don't have that funky cake mix medicinal aftertaste.  They are so good.  I may or may not have eaten three of them within an hour.

Chewy Sugar Cookies
source: America's Test Kitchen The New Family Cookbook, pg. 614

2 1/4 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar plus 1/3 c for rolling
2 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 chunks
6 T unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 lg egg
1 T whole milk
2 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In your mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 c sugar and cream cheese.  Add the melted butter and use you paddle attachment on low speed until it is mixed.  Add in the oil.  Mix.  Finally, whisk in the egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth.  Fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.

Put the remaining 1/3 c sugar in s small bowl.  Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball.  Roll it in the sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, gently press the cookies down and flatten until about 3 inches wide.

Bake for 11-13 minutes.  The edges will be set and start to brown.

Remove and cool.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

When the rare occasion arises that my kids and I go to Wal-Mart, we like to play Wal-Mart I-spy.  Now, if you've ever been there, especially after dark, you can probably guess what is on the list:


Someone on a motorized shopping cart
Someone wearing camouflage
Someone with a 'Merica shirt on
A mom screaming at her kids
Someone with crazy dyed hair
Someone wearing pajama pants (and slippers for a bonus point)
Someone wearing clothes that are clearly too small


One time when my oldest daughter and I went there, she saw a lady with pink hair, wearing camouflage pajama pants, wearing a shirt with an American flag, and she was screaming at her kids.  Nailed it!  Wal-Mart I-Spy just may revolutionize your shopping trips. 


Now, let me tell you about these cookies.  They really are the best.  The dough has dry pudding mix in them which keeps them ridiculously soft for days.  The original recipe is for Cookies and Cream cookies, which has crumbled Oreos in the dough.  Come on now, who doesn't want to eat an incestuous cookie?  Those are probably my favorite cookie, but sometimes I just want a good ol' chocolate chip cookie.  I used dark chocolate chunks and semi-sweet chocolate chips for the pictured cookie, but you can use whatever chips you've got on hand.  These cookies will never disappoint you, and people will love and hate you at the same time- hopefully, a little heavier on the love side though. 


Make the cookies.  Play Wal-Mart i-Spy.  Thank me later- maybe with a cookie.  :)





Source: http://badtadmd.com/cookies-and-cream-pudding-cookies/
Yield: 2 dozen


3/4 c butter, at room temperature
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3.5 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 1/4 c flour
10 oz. chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 c )
If you want something magical, crush up 8 Oreos and add them to the dough in addition to the chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 350.


In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until it looks light and fluffy- about 2 minutes.  Lower the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix well to incorporate.  Turn off the mixer.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, dry vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, flour, and salt.  Whisk to combine.  Turn the mixer on low and add the flour mixture.  Mix well.  Add the chocolate chips.


Use a cookie scoop and plop the dough onto a cookie sheet (about two tablespoons of dough), two inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.


Do not overbake!  These cookies don't brown very much, and they look undercooked after 12 minutes.  However, you take those bad boys out at 12 minutes, let them sit for about 30 minutes, and they're perfect. 

One quick cookie tip- The darker the cookie sheet is, the quicker the bottoms of the cookies bake.  So, if you have one of those really dark-colored cookie sheets, the bottoms of your cookies will be a lot darker and most likely burn.  I use the light colored stainless steel looking cookie sheets.  You can get three in a pack at Sam's club for about $20.  I won't bake cookies on anything else!

These cookies stay soft for about three days, and it tastes like you're eating straight cookie dough- freaking delicious.

Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies

I happened to see some Rolos on sale the other day, and I thought, "Hey!  I'm going to make some of those Rolo cookies that I keep seeing on Pinterest."  Well, as I was making them, I was telling myself how I could resist eating the entire batch single-handedly because I've been on a healthier-eating binge.  I made the dough and sampled it.  Sweet mercy- that is some good dough.  Wait... I thought I should try it one more time just in case it wasn't as good as I thought it was.  Well, folks, it was still ridiculously delicious.  When the cookies came out, I thought, "Okay... I'm going to have just one.  I don't even want to think about how many calories are in one of those bad boys."  Three cookies later, I had to put them away.  I'm telling you guys... these stinking cookies are so amazing.  See that caramel that's oozing out of there?  It is a delight.  I'm not even going to admit how many of these stupid cookies I ate the next day.  I think I need an intervention, and a carrot stick just isn't going to cut it. Maybe I'll put a carrot stick or two on a plate and surround it with three or four of these tasty morsels.  That'd be an intervention that I could go for.

These cookies are amazing, and you're going to love them!

Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies
source: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/08/01/take-2-rolo-stuffed-peanut-butter-cookies/

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (or light brown)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 24 Rolos

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until light, fluffy, and slightly lighter in color.  It usually takes a minute or two.  Turn mixer to low, add the egg.  Mix.  Add the peanut butter.  Mix.  Add the vanilla.  You guessed it.  Mix.  Stop the mixer.  Add the baking soda and flour.  Mix until incorporated. 

Chill the dough for 30 minutes.  

Grab about a tablespoon and a half of dough.  Press the Rolo in the middle and wrap the dough around it so it's completely covered.  Place 12 on a cookie sheet, evenly spaced.  You should get 24 cookies.  If you got less, make sure you eat less cookie dough next time.  :)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.  Do not overbake!

Outrageous Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

On Mother's Day, my husband told me that he was going to cook all three meals for me.  *gasp!*  Unspeakable!  I was thrilled to have a day off from cooking, even though I love it.  I was relaxing upstairs when my husband brought me lunch.  He went back downstairs to make lunch for the kids as well.  All of the sudden I heard a loud gasp followed by an, "Oh. my gosh!  That's really, really bad!!  Callie!"  I rushed downstairs, and my poor husband had his bleeding hand under running water.  While slicing an avocado, the knife ended up slicing his hand pretty deep.  Needless to say, I was in charge of the rest of lunch and dinner.  And my husband's hand survived the ordeal, although he'll always have a nasty scar.

Come Father's Day, he requested turkey dinner.  I was happy to oblige because he deserves an awesome dinner on Father's Day.  On Saturday night, I made the pumpkin chiffon pie, cranberry chutney, and prepared the bread and vegetables for stuffing.  On Sunday morning, I make the bread for the rolls.  After a couple hours of rising, I was ready to put them in the oven.  I preheated the oven and went to relax for a few minutes (or try to).  About twenty minutes later, I noticed that my oven still said "pre" and didn't beep.  Upon further investigation, my oven decided to bite the dust.  It wouldn't heat up.  it's kind of hard to cook a turkey dinner in a cold oven.  We ended up having fried chicken instead.  Father's Day fail.  I felt terrible!  At least he got to have some pie that night.

The night before Father's Day, I baked these cookies.  I had pinned this recipe on pinterest a long time ago but finally tried them.  Good grief.  They are fabulous.  Ever get in that mood where you think, "hmm... should I make oatmeal cookies?  Peanut butter cookies?  Or how about chocolate chip?"  Well, my friends, these delicious cookies combine all three.  They are a delight.  I was pleasantly surprised the next day when they were still really soft.  Many cookies get stale after a day ,but these were just as tasty as day one.  These may be a new family favorite.  We loved them... a lot.

By the way, I've made these a couple more times since I originally posted it.  The first time, a guy was over here that didn't like peanut butter cookies.  He took one bite and said, "Well, Callie... You've done it again.  These cookies are probably the best peanut butter cookie I've ever tasted."  The next time, I took them to a family BBQ, and my cousin seriously ate four of them.  She said they were the best, too.  They really are so soft and delicious.  They stay soft the next day, too. Fabulous!


Outrageous Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
source: Allrecipes.com

1/2 c butter
1/2 c white sugar
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c rolled oats
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium speed for two minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla.  Mix until incorporated.  Turn off the mixer.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats.  Mix on low until well-combined.  Add the chocolate chips.

Use a cookie scoop to put the dough on the cookie sheets.  I got 1 1/2 dozen out of the recipe, but I'm notorious for making big cookies.  I'd imagine the regular recipe is two dozen.

Bake for 10-11 minutes.  Do not over-bake!  They will set up as they cool.

Soft-baked Funfetti Sugar Cookies

By the time December rolls around, I swear that I'm not going to go overboard with baking since I'm tired from work, kids, home, and school stuff.  Then, I try one new recipe and go completely mad with baking!  This was the amazing recipe that started my baking frenzy this last year.  They are seriously so tasty.  They're soft, fluffy, and taste fantastic.  One of the cool things about these cookies is that you can customize the colors of sprinkles for whatever occasion you're baking for.  Awesome!  This recipe is a keeper for sure!

Funfetti Cookies
source: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/04/26/soft-baked-funfetti-sugar-cookies/ (Thanks Sally!)

1/2 c sugar, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 lg egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar (MUST use!)
1/2 c sprinkles, plus more for sprinkling on top before baking

Cream the butter in a mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until it's nice and fluffy.  Add the sugars and beat for another minute.  Mix in the egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the bowl, if needed.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix to combine.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture in three parts, mixing well after each addition.

The batter will be quite thick.  Add the sprinkles.  I only used about 1/4 c of sprinkles, and I thought that was plenty.

Scoop the dough with an ice cream scoop onto cookie sheets.  Sprinkle some additional sprinkles on top.

Place the dough in the fridge for 2-48 hours in the fridge to chill.

Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350.  Remove the cookie sheet and bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes but no more!  They will appear under-cooked.  They'll set up in a bit and be super soft.

They stay fresh and soft for up to a week at room temperature.

I love, love, love this recipe!

Neiman Marcus $250 dollar cookies

So, I know a girl whose uncle's cousin's wife's daughter's teacher's daughter's next door neighbor went to Neiman Marcus and asked for the cookie recipe and was charged 250.00 for it.  This is supposedly the recipe for their famous cookies.  I don't really have a connection to the folks that have claimed this story, but I do know that these cookies are ridiculously delicious.  After devouring two of these tasty little morsels, one of my kids told me that he loved me more than all the envelopes in the world.  Wow!  Mind blown.  Do you know how many envelopes there are in the world?  That is a lot of love just for making cookies!  Now, imagine your friends and family loving you more than all the envelopes in the world.  It can happen, and you will thank me for that.  This recipe is a keeper!

Neiman Marcus $250 cookies
source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/urban-legend-chocolate-chip-cookies/
makes two dozen

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 c flour
1 1/4 c oats
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 oz. milk chocolate bar, grated
3/4 c chopped walnuts or pecans (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Measure oats and place them in a blender or food processor until it is a fine powder.  Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and lighter in color.  Add the egg.  Mix well.  Add the vanilla.  Mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir with a whisk to get it well-combined.

Add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix well.  Pour in the chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts (if using).   Mix to incorporate.

Scoop onto cookie sheets using a cookie scoop, ice cream scoop, or your hands- with each ball of dough being 3-4 tablespoons.

Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Devour.  With a nice, cold glass of milk.  Then imagine the love from your family taller than a stack of all the world's envelopes.

White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

During a recent trip to Target, I was paying at the register and heard some bickering.  I look over and my two older kids were in a full-on battle, complete with hitting.  I didn't dare open my mouth at the time, for fear of something worthy of a visit from CPS.  After a long discussion in the car, we finally got home.  My husband had them write an apology letter to me, and my oldest daughter handed me the best card.  It said, "Mom, sorry Owen was bothering me.  I asked him to stop.  No Luck!  Best mom ever!"  She's lucky that she is so funny!  If I didn't laugh so hard from the card, she'd be in bigger trouble.  Kids are great, aren't there?

Speaking of her, I read off a list of what cookies I should make today, and she chose these.  Boy, am I glad she did!  These are ridiculously amazing!  I love the addition of the peanut butter chips along with the white chocolate chips.  It's a perfect combination of everything.  These are going to be a new favorite around here!

White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/12/white-chipper-chocolate-cookies-sugar-rush-8.html

2 1/4 c flour
2/3 c cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c (two sticks) butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c white chocolate chips (I did half white chocolate and half peanut butter chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add in the flour mixture and mix well.  Add in the white chocolate and/or peanut butter chips.

Scoop into two inch balls and place on a cookie sheet- two inches apart.

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen, if you can keep your hands off the dough!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

Do you ever have those aha moments where you finally get something that you should have gotten when you were five?  For example, one day, seeing a sign for Target, I said to my husband, "Oh, it's a bullseye!  Like a Target!"  He gave me a half-heartedly congratulatory pat on the back.  Then, I saw some Quaker Oats and said, "ohhhh!  He's a Quaker!  That's why they call it Quaker oats."  Again, he looked at me like I just recited the alphabet.  I'm not the quickest of cats.  

Well, after a recent trip to Utah, I know why it is called the Beehive state.  

Encounter #1 We went to Lagoon, an old run down amusement park that wasn't too amusing for a one year old.  My husband and two older kids were riding a ride while I sat on the sidelines with my little one.  Now, we have sat perfectly still and contorted our faces without moving an inch to avoid being stung by one of a bajillion bees there.  I was watching them on the ride and a bee flutters on over to our large cup of root beer and lands on it.  It desperately tries to squeeze down into the lid.  No luck.  Another bee comes and tries to climb up under the lid.  No luck.  While these two clowns were trying to infiltrate my tasty beverage, a third bee and landed on the top of my straw.  I watched in horror as that crazy bee crawled into my straw and down, down, down.  He crawled into my straw people?!  What kind of bee does that?  While the other bees were on my cup, I slowly picked it up and threw it away.  Sigh.  Perfectly good root beer down the drain.

Encounter #2 We went to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake city.  Again, there were bees around every corner and buzzing around like no one's business.  After avoiding any nasty encounters with a bee, we were close to heading home.  I was carrying my baby, and I suddenly feel the sting of a syringe.  What the?!  I see a bee on my upper arm impaling me with it's little stinging hiney.  I swatted him off and suffered the pain of my first ever bee sting.  I believe that the first bee that desperately wanted my root beer sent out a call of desperation to destroy me as he was drowning in my beverage.  As we continued to walk to the exit, we see a beehive sitting on the grass by the walkway with hundreds of bees swarming around it.  Call me crazy, but putting a bee hive by a walking path at a zoo is probably not the best move.  

Bees stink.  If they didn't pollinate our flowers and do other amazing things, I would start a petition to have them all exterminated.  Crazy bees.  

Now, these cookies!  Prepare to have your minds blown!  I gave some to a couple missionaries that were over at our house, and they about fell over!  One of them said that it was his new favorite cookie and asked that I make them again the next time they come over.  They are so soft and chewy, cinnamony and sugary.  I think they are a delight!  I'm pretty sure they'll become a favorite of yours, too!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies
source: http://www.somethingswanky.com/white-chocolate-snickerdoodle-pudding/

1 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 lg eggs
1 t vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 c white chocolate chips
1 t cinnamon

1/3 c cinnamon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.  The mixture will be lighter in color and fluffier.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after addition.  Add the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, dry vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine then add to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well.

Add the white chocolate chips and cinnamon. and mix well.

Scoop or roll in two inch-ish balls. Roll in the cinnamon sugar and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown.  Don't overbake!

Let them rest on the cookie sheets for a few minutes then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Soft Sugared Sugar Cookies

Can one really have too much sugar?  Nope.  Well, maybe.  My daughter recently had some friends over for a pajama movie party, and I set out popcorn and various candies to go along with the popcorn.  I think one girl filled up a whole bowl with M&Ms, skittles, sour patch kids, and gummy bears.  She was bouncing off the walls in a matter of moments!  

As far as these cookies goes, it is not too much sugar.  They are so good!  They aren't your typical room-em-out-and-cookie-cut-them.  They are regular ol' drop cookies that are rolled in colored sugar.  They come out soft, chewy, and delicious.  Kids and adults alike will be all over this!  My two oldest kids actually helped me roll the cookies in the sugar, and they loved it.  They may not look perfect, but they tasted divine!

Soft Sugared Sugar Cookies
source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/soft-sugar-cookies-iv/detail.aspx

2/3 c shortening
2/3 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3 1/2 c flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/3 c sugar for decoration

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar for 4-5 minutes on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk.  Add to the creamed mixture.  Mix until it comes together.  Roll into walnut-sized balls and roll in the sugar.  I used colored sugar crystals but regular sugar would work fine.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.

Remove and cool.

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

No matter how well I hide my food coloring, my kids will still find the stuff in my cupboards.  They love food coloring.  In their eyes, however, it isn't food coloring.  It is rock coloring, seashell coloring, homemade potion coloring, dirt coloring, bubble coloring, and table coloring.  I admire their creativity.  I really do.  I saw my daughter get it out the other day, and I told her no before she could bust it open.  I don't think she opened it all, but when I went to clean the kitchen table, there was a bunch of red food coloring that stained my Clorox wipe.  Baffling.  

Luckily, I had enough red food coloring to make these cookies.  If I didn't have red, I suppose I could have made green velvet or blue velvet cookies.  These were some tasty cookies!  My husband ate three, and my children confessed their undying love to them- which is a nice change of pace after the strawberry banana pancake fiasco (see two posts previous.)  I can't wait to make these again.  Delicious!

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
source: http://www.bakingserendipity.com/2010/12/14/red-velvet-chocolate-chip-cookies/

makes one dozen cookies

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 t red food coloring
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/3 c cocoa
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add the food coloring.

Turn off the mixer and add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.  Turn the mixer on low and mix just until combined.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  I did 12 minutes, and although they came out delicious, I think they were slightly overcooked.  Shoot for ten minutes.

Let cool before devouring.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

The car I normally drive was in the shop this week, and I asked a neighbor if she could take my daughter to and from school.  She was so kind to do that for me.  To repay her kindness the best way I know how, I whipped up a batch of these cookies.  

My kids and I all took a little walk down the road in our pajamas to deliver these.  We went in for a while and chatted while the kids played.  After a little while, I figured I should get my kids out of there before they completely destroy their house and refuse to take off the General Grevious helmet.  As we were walking out, her husband walks up behind her with half a cookie in his hand.  He said, "we need to figure out if her oven is different than ours.  Not to diss you, but your cookies are always burnt on the bottom."  I let him know that it isn't the oven but usually the cookie sheets that burn the bottom.  I told them where I got mine and how I won't use anything else.  

I walked back home, bathed my kids, and put them in bed.  I come downstairs and have a text from her.  She said, "OMG!  Best cookies ever!  My husband is sending me out to get new cookie sheets tomorrow."  

That made me smile.  I am happy to spread the secrets of good cookies to anyone who will listen.  I honestly think that a batch of delicious cookies can bring families closer together and make everyone a little (or a lot) happier.  I mean, who doesn't love a good cookie fresh out of the oven?  Especially cookies like this.  These were incredible and I may or may not have eaten five of them in one evening.  :)

 White Chocolate Macdamia Nut Cookies
source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/white-chocolate-macadamia-nut-cookies-iv/detail.aspx

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c white chocolate chips
1/2 c macadamia nuts

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.  The mixture should look lighter in color and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Mix until it's mixed in.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until no flour remains.

Add the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.  Stir just until combined.

Use a cookie scoop or ice cream to plop the cookie dough onto cookie sheets.  I got 18 cookies out of this batch.  I like my cookies on the bigger side.

Bake for ten minutes.  They will just be slightly browned on the top and barely around the edge.  Don't over-bake them!  They will set up after a few minutes while cooling and will be nice and chewy.

Remove to a cooling rack or wax paper to finish cooling, if you can keep your paws off of them for that long.  :)

Perfect.  Chewy.  Cookies.

Amazing Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay... just when I thought that I had the best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe, I stumble upon these little morsels of happiness.  They have a wonderful texture and flavor.  One of my favorite parts is that they don't get stale the next day!  They taste like Soft Batch Cookies after the first day.  Try them.  Love them.  Thank me later.  :)  And do not overbake them!

 Amazing Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
source: http://kelseysappleaday.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-ever-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

3/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
2 t corn starch
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In your mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes or until light in color and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each addition.  Add vanilla.

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Add the chocolate chips.

Plop the dough onto a cookie onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  I left mine in for the full ten minutes.

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

Do you ever come across a cookie recipe that you love so much, you want to cry?  No?  Maybe it's just me that gets an emotional attachment to food- cookies in particular.  These are unbelievable.  I seriously made them three times within a two week period because they were that tasty.  The original recipe does not call for white chocolate chips or macadamia nuts, but they would be an amazing addition!  I'd love to try white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts one of these times.  They would knock my socks off!

Everyone that I took these to, chased me down, tackled me, and demanded the recipe before I left the building.  Try them out.  As much as I love chocolate chip cookies, thesejust might be in a tie for my favorite cookie.

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies
source: Melskitchencafe.com

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 cup quick oats
1 c white chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 c chopped macadamia nuts (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350.  Cream the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy- 3 to 6 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients until well combined.

Drop by tablespoonfulls onto cookie sheets.  Bake for 9-11 minutes.  They should be set but not overly browned.  They will still be slightly soft in the center.  Don't overcook them!  They aren't called "Oatmeal Coconut Crunchies!"

Cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes then let them cool on wire racks or wax paper. 

You can thank me later for this one.  :)  Actually- thank Mel from Melskitchencafe.com  The recipe is from her!  Shout out!  I wish I could give her a big, bug hug.  She deserves it.  I love her website and recipes.

Snickerdoodles

My kids like to have bedtime snacks.  I swear they think that if they don't have one, they will not survive the night.  It's kind of like how if they have to pick up their toys without help, their appendages just might fall off.  Kids are funny.  Anyway, I was tending to the needs of my newest addition, and I told my husband that my daughter wanted yogurt and granola for her bedtime snack.  He looked at me and asked, "How do you make that?"  Befuddled, I looked at him and said, "Seriously? It's yogurt and granola."  We both started laughing.  It's like asking , "Hey... What's in eggs and toast?" "How do you make peaches and cream?"  "Do you happen to know what is in macaroni and cheese?"  Anywho- I got a kick out of that.

On to these morsels of happiness.  If you enjoy snickerdoodles, this is a fantastic recipe.  They come out rather flat, but they are the perfect amount of chewiness.  Man alive- they are tasty!

 Snickerdoodles
Source: America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook

1 3/4 c sugar
1 T cinnamon
2 1/2 c flour
2 t cream of tartar
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
8 T unsalted butter
1/2 c vegetable shortening
2 lg eggs

Preheat oven to 375.

In a bowl, combine 1/4 c sugar and the cinnamon.  Set aside.

 Whisk together the flour, cream or tartar, baking soda, and salt.

 In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 c sugar until it is light and fluffy- 3 to 6 minutes. 

 Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

 Mix in the flour mixture.

 Beautiful, and delicious, dough- not that I would ever sample cookie dough while making it.

 With wet hands, take about 2 T in your hand and roll into a ball. 

 Plop the dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture and roll it around to coat completely.

 Place them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. 

 Bake them 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.  As you can see, they puff out quite a bit. 

 Serve with a glass of milk for some happy campers. 

Yum.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

"oh, my..."

"Those cookies!  I ate all four of them and it hasn't even been 24 hours!"

"I could not love any human child more than I love your cookies."  

"He was slobbering all over those cookies you gave him."

"Which Greek God reappeared to present you with this wonderful creation."

Okay, I made up the last one, but the top four were honest-to-goodness comments that I got when I delivered these cookies to people.  This recipe is so good.  While my children threw about 30 bouncy balls down the stairs, I was staring off into space wondering where this recipe has been my whole life.  Then I figured that I still have a long life to live so better to get my paws on this recipe now than in 50 years when my eyesight is too bad to read a recipe, and my hands are too shaky to hold a teaspoon.  These cookies will bring a smile to anyone's face.  They are chewy and have three different types of chocolate.  Now, we're talking!  Give them a shot.  You won't regret it.

 Triple Chocolate Cookies:
source: Cafe Nordstrom (Thanks, Rachael!)

1 c butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
2 c flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 lb bitter-sweet chocolate, cut into chunks (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
2 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 c white chocolate chips
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

 In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.

 It'll be light and fluffy.

 Add the eggs, one at a time, into the dough.  mix well after each addition.

 Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals until it is smooth.  Add it to the dough.

 Stir that up.

 Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing well after each addition.  Add the white chocolate chips.

 Using a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop, plop the dough onto a cookie sheet.

 Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-11 minutes.  Do not cook them any longer!  They seem a bit underdone, but if you cook them longer, they will dry out.  Once they cool a little, they set up quite nicely.

Serve with a nice, cold glass of milk and wait for the moans and groans.  If you bake them, they will come.

Give Me Some Sugar! Cookies

In the movie "Army of Darkness," the main character Ash saves the day.  He looks over at the girl, and says, "Give me some sugar, baby!" and he kisses her.  Well, I think in the deleted scenes, she actually pulls out some of these cookies and gives them to him.  I'm sure he was cool with that.

I was going to visit a few people this afternoon, and I wanted to take something delicious.  I don't think people answer the door when I come over unless I have something sugary and fattening in my hands.  Well, these fit the bill!  But, boy are they good sugar cookies!  They aren't the sugar cookies that you frost, and trust me, frosting on these would be way too much!  These are great when you want something other than peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies.

 Give me some sugar! cookies
source: my recipe box- I have no idea where I found this recipe.  It was a long time ago.

2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
8 T butter, softened (If your butter is salted, omit the 1/4 t salt)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/4 c sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325 desgrees.  In  bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar for 2-4 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Beat well.  On low, beat half of the flour mixture.  Once it's incorporated, add the sour cream.  Mix well.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth.  Drop by 3-4 T onto a cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.  Bake until the edges are firm and beginning brown.  15-18 minutes.  Cool. 

You have no idea how hard it was to not make "Army of Darkness" references throughout this post. I'd probably be the only one laughing, so I spared you the quotes.  Enjoy the cookies though!

Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies

It seems as though every Sunday night, I get the craving for something fattening and filled with sugar.  This past Sunday, I found these little morsels in a cookbook that I borrowed from the library.  Good Golly Miss Molly!  This recipe is a keeper!  They have a buttery taste and a texture that melts in your mouth.  They aren't chewy like regular chocolate chip cookies, but they are a little taste of Heaven.  They're easy to make as well with only 5 ingredients.

 Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies
source: Taste of Home Chocolate Lover's Cookbook

1 c butter (no substitutes)
1/2 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 c powdered sugar
1 c semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool.  Stir in the vanilla.

 Combine the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add the butter. 

 Stir until it turns into coarse crumbs.  Add the chocolate chips.  The dough will be very crumby.  Use your hand to take a small handful of dough and form into a ball.  You'll have to squeeze the dough as you form it into a ball so it won't crumble while it bakes. 

 Flatten the cookies with the palm of your hand.  Bake in a 375 for 12 minutes.  They'll come out looking like they went in. 

They'll stay good for days.  Your loved ones will thank you for these.  :)

Good-as-Store-Bought Cookies

When my kids have gone to bed, and I have managed to clean up the rubble of Polly Pockets, Strawberry Shortcake toys, legos, crayons, movie cases, blankets, and Buzz Lightyear off the living room floor, I finally sit down to rest. As soon as that happens, something in my head clicks and says, "uhh... Hello?! You need to make cookies." "Yes, subconscience. I'm on it." So, I do. Although I have posted my ultimately favorite chocolate chip cookie, I have to keep trying other recipes. This one was found in the King Arthur Cookie Cookbook, and it's pretty tasty! When I asked my husband if I should try this recipe or a different one, he said, "Store-bought cookies? Are there even any store-bought cookies that are good?" I explained that it is more like the infamous cookies from Neiman-Marcus or a cookie stand. Sure enough, they were divine. I'd better post this since the cookbook is going back to the library in a week.
Good-as-Store-Bought Cookies:
source: King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion Cookbook

1 1/4 c oats, finely ground
4 ounces chocolate (semi-sweet, bitter-sweet, or milk chocolate)
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1 large egg
1 t vanilla
1 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 c chocolate chips
3/4 c chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the oats in a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the 4 oz chocolate (broken up) and pulse until it looks like small chopped pieces. I actually used mini chocolate chips since that was all I had on hand. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Meanwhile, add the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the oat/chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

Add the dry stuff to the creamed mixture in the mixing bowl. Stir. Add the chocolate chips and nuts, if you are using them.

Drop by 1/4 c onto the cookie sheet. These make pretty big cookies! Bake 15 minutes. They look really, really underdone when you take them out, but they will cook a little longer and firm up. Cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes then remove to cool on a cookie rack or wax paper.

These are fantastic with milk when they are out of the oven for only about 10 minutes. Mmm....

I still like the other recipe better, but it's always good to have an oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie on hand. This one will do it for you every time.