After a barrage of chocolate chip and brownie recipe, I decided to opt for peanut butter today. I wanted to spruce them up a bit, so I added milk chocolate chips and fudge brownie m&m’s. I did not know even know fudge brownie m&ms existed until I recently saw them at walgreens. I find it amazing how many types of m&ms there are. My friend Meme – an m&m afficionado – would know EXACTLY how many. The only ones I would probably pass on are the flavors of coffee and hazelnut. I always wanted to try the carrot cake ones. I wonder if they have cookies n creme…..

Couple of notes on this recipe – I form the dough into 1/4 cup mounds and chill them at least a couple of hours. Remember to scoop the flour from your flour bag/ container into your measuring cup. And preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking to let your oven cycle to the right temp.

• Ingredients
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 11/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup m&ms
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – cream Crisco, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla., fold in dry ingredients. Blend in chips and m&ms. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form into mounds (I used a large ice cream scoop). Chill in a covered container for at least a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stagger dough on cookie sheets lined with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. Bake 10 to 14 minutes (there will be light golden patches on top). Cool 10 minutes on sheet. Remove and store in covered container. Makes 18 large cookies.

I published my new episode cookie talk – dark chocolate brownies, please check it out https://www.podbean.com/ea/pb-2wmch-da7be3

Today, for the first time in a while, the treat request was for dark chocolate brownies, with chocolate chips baked in. My mom has been adding chips to brownies for a long time and theyare always a big hit. I never thought about adding chips. I always threw in pieces of candy or oreos. A while back. I baked brownies that contained a mini Oreo inside a chocolate chip cookie. It has been a while,since I have done that. I used dark chocolate chips for the brownies (although you could use semisweet). I opted for semisweet chipa for the mix-in (feel free to use another flavor or nuts or coconut)

Remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking (gives your oven time to cycle through to get to the right temp). Also, use a spoon to,scoop your flour into your measuring cup. And if you don’t have chocolate extract, use vanilla or another flavor (I have almond, mint, and cookies n cream in my collection)

• Ingredients
• 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbs water
• 2 eggs
• 1,tsp chocolate extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with foil and spray with baking spray. In a microwave safe bowl, melt dark chips, sugar, water and butter in 30 second increments until you can stir smooth. Beat in eggs and extract. Mix in flour and salt. Fold in semisweet chips. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes (toothpick inserted in,center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely. Store in covered container. They should stay fresh 2 to 3 days.

Another day, another chocolate chip cookie request from husband, and recipe. This one uses Crisco. I know shortening weirds some people out, for various reasons. But I give Crisco a break… it’s being baked in a cookie. And a very good cookie at that. And I have found, you don’t necessarily have to chill the dough before baking and you still get a puffy cookie.

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 11/2 cups flour (scooped from a flour bag\container into a measuring cup)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cream Crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Beat in egg,vanilla and water. Fold in dry ingredients. I actually mixed it with my hands at one point because the dough is thick. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cup dough and form it into tall mounds. Chill a few hours, if you want. Preheat oven to 375. Stagger 8 on a cookie sheet – lined with nonstick baking liners. I put 2 on the top row, spaced a few inches from each pther and from the pan’s edges. In the next row, I put one cookie between and below the two on the top row. I continue that process. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden on top. makes about 12 cookies. Store in covered container.

I know, another chocolate chip cookie recipe! Well, I got another request from my hubby and over 30 ccc recipes, so here’s another to share. Remember a couple of things – scoop your flour from your flour bag or container into your measuring cup, scoop out the dough into 1/4 cup mounds and then chill it for at least an hour to avoid flat cookies. And, preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking to get the right temp (I swear by this). You can also choose to bake just a few cookies at a time and keep the rest of the dough in the fridge.. That way you can have fresh cookies for days!

• Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs cornstarch
• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – mix butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add vanilla and eggs. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips., scoop out 1/4 cup of dough and mold into mounds. Chill at least an hour. Preheat oven for 20 minutes to 375. Stagger on sheet that’s been lined with non stick baking liners or parchment paper.

I put 2 in one row then 1, then 2, then 1, then 2 (depending on the size of your cookie sheet). Bake 9-12 min. Cookies will be lightly golden on top. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Also check out my podcast on podbean – cookie talk – and my youtube channel (search Christine Lisi) for more recipe ideas.

It is freezing here today, so I made two treats, small batches of course. Heating up the house by heating up the oven. This recipe is for truffle cookies. I went with the 60 percent bittersweet chocolate, but you can use regular semisweet chocolate chips if you want. I used chocolate extract, but vanilla extract is fine (almond extract might be good too). I added chocolate chips and walnuts, although you could use whatever flavor chips you want (peanut butter would be heavenly, I imagine) or leave the nuts out. I also recommend chilling the dough to avoid the cookies spreading too much. Remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking to make sure your oven is at the right temperature.

• Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp chocolate extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup walnuts

Melt butter and bittersweet chips in 30 second increments in microwave until you can stir mixture smooth. Add sugar. Mix in eggs and extract. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and nuts. Chill 30 minutes. Scoop out 1/4 cup of dough. Form dough into mounds. Chill another 30 minutes. reheat oven to 350. Stagger on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners. Bake 9 to 12 minutes.

Cool completely. Store in covered container.

This is one of the 34 chocolate chip cookie recipes I have in my collection. And that is no exaggeration. I counted them the other day after laminating some cookie recipes, as I channelled my inner Monica Gellar (oh and I have a label maker too). This recipe doesn’t make a ton of cookies, but they are really large.. And puffy and dense. If you like flat cookies, this might not be for you. But if you like chocolate chip cookies (and who doesn’t), this IS for you

• Ingredients
• 1 cup cold butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 3 cups flour (scooped using a large spoon from your flour bag into a measuring cup)
• 2 tbs cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – cream butter 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and sugar. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. If you feel mixture is too dry, add a tbs or two of water. You can also mix it with your hands (like meatballs). Stir in chocolate chips. Roll 1/3 cup of dough into mounds. Chill at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (I preheat my oven for 20 minutes before baking because that is the amount of time my LG needs to cycle to get the correct temp. a tip from an LG tech) Stagger on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. They will seem a little undone on top, but that is ok.

Cool completely and store in covered container.

Today’s treat pays homage to the best candy ever created – the Reese’s egg. I know Reese’s rolls out stuff for all the holidays – halloween,Christmas, valentine’s day, but the Reese’s egg stands out for some reason. Not sure why. With all the social distancing and staying home and limiting time outside the home, I bring you a recipe that brings the Reese’s eggs to you. And in a pie., with an Oreo crust. And melted chocolate on top. If you don’t have the Oreos, you can use a Graham cracker crust, or just make the peanut eggs. I was actually going to do a video for this recipe, but with all the hair salons closed, I am 3 weeks overdue for my hair appt with a while to go before my next appt. The only time i ever cut my hair was when I was 4 and it did not go well. so I will patiently wait my next appointment with Lori… Thus today is merely a blog. 😄

• Ingredients
• 40 Oreos, any flavor, finely crushed (I used double stuff)
• 8 tbs butter, melted
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 8 tbs butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, melted in 20 second increments in microwave until you can stir this smooth.

Directions – finely crush Oreos with a rolling pin or in a food processor.

Combine with melted butter. Press into a pie pan and freeze ten minutes.

Remove from freezer and top with half of melted chocolate. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, microwave peanut butter and brown sugar for 45 seconds. Blend in butter and powdered sugar. Spread over top of melted layer.

Top with remaining melted chocolate and chill.

Store covered in fridge

In an effort to make our house smell good on this chilly Good Friday, I asked my hubby what I should bake (and give to our neighbors). He opted for something pretty standard – tollhouse bars. These are a little different. Instead of butter, I used vegetable oil (I assume whatever oil you use would work). I lined the pan with tinfoil and then sprayed it with baking spray, in an effort to keep the edges from browning too much. (This works well with brownies too, to make the edges less brown). I took these put when they seemed undercooked. I think this makes for a softer treat that stays fresher longer. You could sprinkle powdered sugar on top of these immediately after you take them out of the oven. The powdered sugar melts a little into the bars. 😋 You could also frost them after they are completely cool.

• Ingredients
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with tin foil and spray w baking spray. Combine oil, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips. Press evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chips on top.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

You can frost these once they are completely cool, if you’d like. Cut and store in covered container.