Week 15 victory monday cookies – XL puffy chocolate cookies with finely ground walnuts and topped with melted hershey kisses

Today’s game took years off my life.  But a win is a win.  Go Bills.  Also, I  love josh allen.

These are a soft, thick, puffy chocolate cookie with finely ground walnuts.  You can leave them out if you want, use another kind, or throw in some chocolate chips.

These use a mix of bread flour and all purpose flour. 

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the individual doughs for a few hours and preheat your oven to 350 before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips (microwaved in a microwave safe bowl in 45 second increments until you can stir them melted)
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbs bread flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, finely ground

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in melted chocolate.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Blend in nuts.   Scoop out 1/4 cups dough.  Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 13 to 15 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.

For topping – in a microwave safe bowl, combine 35 unwrapped hershey kisses and 1 tbs butter.   Microwave in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Spoon on top of cookies. 

Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

XL brown buttter Peanut blossoms

Today’s treat – brown butter peanut blossoms.  I know they are very popular this time of year, so I whipped up a batch this morning.   I added some finely ground peanuts, and rolled the doughs in sugar before baking. And of course, topped with  hershey kisses!  

These are also in honor of my college roommate, Christine, who’s birthday is today and loves peanut butter treats!

I recommend chilling the butter for a bit in fridge after browning, scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount, preheat your team before baking and only bake 8 to 9 minutes.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbs water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup peanuts, finely ground
  • Extra sugar
  • Hershey kisses

Directions – in a pan, heat butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally,  until brown specks form.  Pour into bowl and place in fridge at least an hour.   When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degreesm. In a combine butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, water and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop our 1/4 cups dough and roll tops in sugar.   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies in a row of 2, then a row of one. 

Bake 8 to 9 minutes, no longer.  Press an unwrapped hershey kisses. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!  Go Bills!

Brown butter sugar cookies

I brought in monster cookies, so I needed a non peanut butter option for work friends who do not love pb.  So I thought of sugar cookies.  I wanted a little tweak so I used brown butter.  Browning butter is super simple.  Place the amount in a pan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally,  until you start to see little brown specs..

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend chilling individual doughs once you scoop them out.  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, browned
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs sugar
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch

Directions – in a bowl, combine sugar and brown butter.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Scoop out 1/4 cups  dough.  Roll in sugar.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet. 

   Bake 10 to 12 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.   Frost if desired.  Store in covered container. 

Thanks so stopping by!

Perfect and Puffy Chocolate Chip cookies for game 5 of the World Series

Today, I present a perfect chocolate chip cookie recipes.  These stay puffy and soft and are, yes, perfect.  The dough does not need chilling.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter,  softened
  • 1/2 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cup)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbs water
  • 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a bowl, cream butter, butter crisco, brown sugar and sugar.  Add eggs, water and vanilla.  Mix in pudding mix.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Blend in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.

Stagger doughs on prepared sheet. 

Bake 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  

Store in covered container.

Snowball triple chip cookies

I wanted to do a different kind of chocolate chip cookie.  These use granulated sugar and  powdered sugar instead of brown sugar.  I used 3 kinds of chips – semisweet, white and milk chocolate.

Remember to scoop your flour and powdered sugar from their containers into your measuring cups so you get the right amount.  Also I recommend chilling the individual doughs for several hours before baking.   And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.   Fold in chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill doughs several hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Stagger cookies on sheet, like below.

Gently press extra chips on top.

Bake 8 to 11 minutes.  Bottoms will be golden brown.  Tops will be a little gushy,  but will firm up as they cool. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Frosted funfetti cookies, Halloween style, and happy birthday Rachel!

These are a request from my coworker friend Rachel for her birthday.  These are funfetti cookies, Halloween style.  I used these  Halloween sprinkles in the cookies.

And used these on top of the frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend chilling the individual doughs for a few hours before baking.  And, preheat the oven before baking.

If you don’t have cake batter extract, you can substitute vanilla for it.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp cake batter extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup sprinkles

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and extracts.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Mix in sprinkles.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on it.  Bake 11 to 13 minutes.  They will likely be a little gushy on top.  Pop them in the fridge to firm them up.

For the frosting i added 1/4 cup homemade white chocolate powder (ground up chocolate chips, powdered milk, powdered sugar and granulated sugar).  Of course, you can leave it out.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp cake batter extract (or vanilla)
  • 2 tbs heavy cream or milk

Combine and frost cookies.  Sprinkle with sprinkles! 

Store in covered container.

Ganache and mini m&m topped brownies for ALCS Game 3

Today, I present brownies, topped with ganache and mini m&ms for my coworker friend Eric’s birthday and game 3 of the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners.

What is ganache,  you ask?  Why a combo of chocolate chips and heavy cream heated and then poured over brownies that are completely cooled.  And frankly, m&ms make everything better, so that’s why I added them.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from their containers into your measuring cup so you get the right amounts.   Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees before baking.  And, I made the ganache while the brownies were baking so it thickened up a little more.

  • Ganache ingredients
  • 1/4 heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a microwave safe bowl, heat cream for 1 minute.  In another microwave safe bowl, heat  chips 1 minute.  Pour hot cream over chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes.   Stir until smooth and set aside.

  • Brownies ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups unsweetened baking cocoa
  • 2 tbs corn syrup
  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs cornstarch

 directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and cocoa.  Blend in eggs, yolks, vanilla and corn syrup.  Stin in dry ingredients.   Batter will be thick.  Evenly spread into prepared pan.   Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely.   Top with ganache.   Sprinkle with m&ms.   Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today

Brown sugar topped with brown butter frosting

I wanted to mix up my cookie game, so instead of sugar cookies or non chocolate  cookie,  I made brown sugar cookies.  Brown sugar is the only sweetener I used.  And I frosted them with brown butter frosting?  Is it brown butter, or browned butter?   I have no idea.  The process to brown butter is the same either way.  You cook it in a saucepan over medium low heat for about ten minutes, until you see specs of brown in it.  Then you immediately remove it from the stove top and set aside so it does not burn.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Chill the individual doughs before baking.

  And preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 3,/4 cup butter, melted
  • 11/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed into your measuring cup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies.

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

  • Brown butter frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, browned
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • Heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine brownie butter and powdered sugar.   Add vanilla, then enough cream to get the consistency you want.  Frost cookies. 

Store in covered container.

Chocolate chip cookies made with melted butter

I decided to make chocolate chip cookies with melted butter because I was in a hurry.  They are a little flatter than I prefer my cookies to be, but I think they are just fine.

Sometimes I like to change up the sweeteners (sugars).  This time, I used less sugar and added some maple syrup.  You could use honey or corn syrup instead.

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 for 30 to 45 minutes or chill them in the fridge for a few hours to keep them from spreading too much. And, preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, melted and cooled 10 minutes
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and maple syrup.  Fold in dry ingredients.   If dough seems a little dry, add a tbs or two of water.  Mix in chips. Scoop our 1/4 cups of dough.  Freeze 30 minutes or chill a few hours in fridge.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on it.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.    Pop cookies in the fridge if you think they seem too gushy.  Store in covered container. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with finely ground pecans

Before the temps go over 100 again, I wanted to bake some cookies.  I added finely ground pecans to chocolate chip cookies.  The recipe is from my friend, Jeff’s mom.  She was an incredibly, kind, sweet lady and I was grateful she gave me this recipe.  She made these before a bunch of us went to the U2 concert in 1992 in Toronto.  I still remember how good they were. 

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

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and vanilla.  Mix in eggs.  Fold in flour and cornstarch.  Blend in chips and pecans.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.   Chill individual doughs in fridge for a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies of sheet, leaving space because these spread a little.  Bake 11 to 15 minutes, no longer.   Let cookies cool.  You can pop them in the fridge to firm then up.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!