Perfectly puffy M&M  cookies

These are perfectly, puffy, soft and sweet m&m cookies.   I am always looking for ways to tweak recipes so I am not always baking the same thing, so for these, I added a box of instant pudding mix to the dough. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Firmly pack your brown sugar into your measuring cup.  Chill individual doughs for a few hours.  Preheat your oven before baking. Only bake these for 10 to 11 minutes so the bottoms do not burn

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour (you can use entirely all purpose if that is what you have on hand)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups m&ms

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco and brown sugar.  Add egg, yolk, and vanilla.  Mix in puding mix, baking soda and salt.  Blend in flour.  Fold in m&ms.   Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Form tall fat cylinders.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 10 to 11 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Double chocolate chocolate chip heath bits cookies

I realized a had a bag of heath toffee baking pieces and wanted to bag with them (i have a lot of stuff and sometimes forget what is in my baking stash).  So I thought they would go nicely in a chocolate chocolate chip cookie. 

The cookies use melted chocolate chips and baking cocoa.  They also use a combo of all purpose flour and bread flour, but you can use entirely all purpose flour if you choose.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from your containers so you get the right amount.  I recommend chilling the dough for a few hours before baking.  And preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cup chocolate chips (melted in 30 second increments until you can stir them smooth)
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbs bread flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup heath bits
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Blend in melted chocolate.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and heath bits.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Brownie chunk cookies

While trying to come up with a treat idea, I thought of chocolate chip cookies stuffed with brownies.  But instead of stuffing the cookies with brownies, I cut a batch of baked brownies into small squares and pressed chocolate chips in the top of each cookie before baking.

I used a browni mix and spread the batter into a 18×13 pan so the brownies would be thin and easier to incorporate into the dough as cubes.  If you don’t have any bread flour, use entirely all purpose flour.  I recommend chilling the individual doughs for several hours before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 brownie batch, baked as directed and completely cooled.  Cut unto small cubes (i used a mix and baked the batter in a 13×18 pan at 325 degrees for 15 or so minutes.
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Gently fold in brownie cubes.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Gently press chocolate chips into tops.  Chill several hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookie doughs on sheet. 

Bake 11 to 15 minutes, no longer. 

Cool completely and store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Nieman Marcus chocolate chip cookies

This is one of those urban legend recipes.   Where a customer asked for a recipe from a Cafe and the employee said for two fifty.  The customer thought it was 2 dollars and 50 cents and the employee meant two hundred fifty dollars.  So the customer gave their credit card not realizing their different understanding, was charged, got mad,  and got even by passing the recipe on to everyone they knew.  

My friend’s mom gave me this recipe years ago (she knew it was not a true story, but shared with me due to my love of baking).  So here is is.

I was in a bit of a hurry, so i didn’t finely pulse the oats or hershey bar enough. Plus my blender is new and I am not sure of some of it’s limits.

I combined bread flour and all purpose flour.  You can use entirely AP flour of you want.  Freeze the chocolate bar and then gratinf it makes the grating process easier.  I also chilled the individual doughs overnight to keep them puffy.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups oats, finely ground (i used quick, but old fashioned likely would be fine too)
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 oz chocolate bar, grated
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients and oats.  Fold in chocolate and chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill several hours.   When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment t paper.  Stagger on sheet like below.

Bake 13 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Brown sugar snowball cookies with chocolate covered cookie dough bites

I have a bunch of different snowball recipes.  Today is the brown sugar variety.  With chocolate covered cookie dough bites.  Not sure they were needed.  We will find out tomorrow when I bring them into work.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend freezing the individual doughs after you scoop them out.  Keep them frozen right up until they are baked. And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour (scooped from flour bag into measuring cup so you get the right amount)
  • 2 cups bread flour (scooped into measuring cup)  can use entirely all purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 oz cookie dough bites, placed in freezer for a few hours)
  • Powdered sugar
Cookie dough bites!

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in flour(s), baking soda and salt.   Mix in cookie dough bites with hands.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.

Roll in powdered sugar.

Place in covered container in freezer.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.   In a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 14 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle hot cookies with more powdered sugar. 

Cool completely and store in covered container.

Happy National chocolate chip cookie day!

In honor of national chocolate chip cookie day, we will be celebrating at ESPN Radio with these chocolate chip cookies.  They are made with browned butter and bread flour.  I was in a hurry today,  so i needed a recipe with melted butter.  No time to chill, so bread flour helps with the cookies from spreading too much.

Spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar,  firmly packed into measuring cups
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  place  butter in pan and cook over low-medium heat until you see brown specs.  it will look like this.

Cool in a bowl in fridge for 5 minutes.  Remove from fridge and mix in sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs,vanilla and cream.  Blend in dry ingredients,  then chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups dough and stagger on prepared cookie sheets. 

Bake 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely. 

Store in covered container.

Tweaked tollhouse cookies

The tollhouse cookies recipe for me, like for most people, was the first ever chocolate chip cookie recipe made.  Lots of great memories of making them with my mom,  but the cookies always came out super flat, which isn’t how I want my cookies to turn out.  So I took the classic recipe on the nestle chocolate chips bag and tweaked it.  These are the result.  Not as puffy as I want,  but not flat like pancakes.  Perhaps I add a little more flour next time. 

I used a combo of all purpose and bread flour in these.  If you do entirely all purpose flour, I would go with 3 cups.  And if dough seems dry before adding chocolate chips, add a tbs or 2 of water.  Also, scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. 

Also freeze the individual doughs before baking and bake these directly from the freezer.   Also preheat your ovem to 325 degrees before baking. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled at room temp until it solidifies
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup bread flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (i used a mix of semisweet, milk and white)

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg, yolk and vanilla.   Mix in dry ingredients.  Fold in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Form into tall cylinders. 

Chill or freeze several hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 12 to 15 minutes. 

Tops will be gushy, but bottoms will be golden brown.  I let these cool and then popped them in the fridge to firm up. 

Store in covered container.

Brown butter triple chip cookies

Triple chip cookies, starring brown butter and semisweet, milk chocolate and white chocolate chips.  I didn’t chill these as long as I usually do, so they are a little flatter than i prefer.  But rob said they are good, so that works for me!

I used a combo of bread and all purpose flour for these.  You can use entire all purpose flour, but either way,  remember to scoop it from the flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.

Chill the scooped out dough for a few hours and preheat the oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/4 cups butter, browned and cooled until it solidifies (might take an hour or so for that to happen)
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cups
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1  cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream solidified brown butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, water, and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and chill a few hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer. Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Melted butter, no chill sugar cookies

I wanted to bake a treat for my non peanut butter, non chocolate loving work friends.  And I needed to make them quickly after running errands, so I opted for sugar cookies using melted butter.  The dough does not need chilling.  The cookies come out nice and soft and thick.

I used a combo of all purpose flour and bread flour.  You can entirely use all purpose flour.  Scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour
  • 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 1/2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  In a bowl, mix melted butter and sugar.  Blend in yolk and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Roll into balls and slightly flatten.  Stagger on prepared cookie sheet.  Sprinkle tops with extra sugar.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes, no longer.  (Bottoms will be light golden).  Cool completely.  Frost with a simple vanilla frosting, if desired.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Heavy cream or milk

In a bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add enough milk or cream to get the consistency you want.  Frost cookies.  Store in covered container.

Celebrating another team USA win

I wanted to bake to celebrate the US men’s hockey team gold medal game victory, but there is also a super winter storm coming and I am staying at the Doubletree hotel near work tonight, and time is of the essence.  Rob asked for doubletree cookies.  I found the recipe put out by doubletree and tweaked it.   Another higher level treat will be made at a later date for our US hockey  men.  Hoping we don’t lose power so the treat can be made later this week!!!

The game was stressful.  So much play was in our end.  When Jack’s game winner went in, I couldn’t believe it!  And it was so wonderful to see the late Johnny Gaudreau honored and that 2 of his kids were on the ice for the team picture.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the scooped out dough a few hours.  And, preheat your oven  before baking. 

These bake at 300 degrees, per doubletree. 

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup plus 1  tbs brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup oats (either quick or rolled)
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – in a food processor, place oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cornstarch.    Process 1 minute.  Set aside.  in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in oats mixture.  Fold in chips.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill an hour or 2.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 300.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 20 to 23 minutes.  Cool completely.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!