Mini chocolate chip cutouts

I hope you can tell this is a Christmas tree

For my first cutout cookies of the season, I opted for a mini chocolate chip recipe and tossed in a few mini m&ms. I like my cookies thick, so these spread out a little more than I prefer. I will try to tweak the recipe to see if I can remedy that. I do recommend mini chocolate chips because the dough is easier to cut with cookie cutters.

These are very old, yet I can’t part with them!

I made my cutouts into cookie sandwiches because I am a terrible decorator. I use a simple vanilla and /or chocolate frosting.

A gingerbread man
Flip the gingerbread man upside down and you have a reindeer

Notes – remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup. If you chill the dough, take it out a few hours before so it is easier to roll. And preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini m&ms (or you can use another cup of mini chips)

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. In a bowl, cream butter, crisco, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend in yolks. Fold in flour. Dough may take a while to come together. Add a tbs or 2 or water if you want to help blend dough. Mix in chips and m&ms. On a floured surface, roll and cut. Place on your prepared cookie sheet. Bake one sheet at a time, for ten minutes. Cool completley.

Frosting – combine 2 tbs butter (melted), with 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbs milk, 1 tsp vanilla. You can add more milk or powdered sugar to get the texture you want. I added green food coloring

These are a Christmas tree, Santa’s ans stockings
A stocking sandwich cookie.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Appreciate you!

For those who have not entered the “this is too sweet” phase of life.

Tollhouse pie!

I am late posting this,but here is the recipe for the pie I made for Thanksgiving. It is a version of tollhouse pie (some also call it Derby pie). I opted to make a chocolate pie crust, but the traditional flakey pie crust works too.

It is pretty sweet, too sweet for me.. so I have apparently entered the “too sweet. Too salt. Too loud. Too tired” phase of life. Yowsa!

Remember to preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients for pie crust (king Arthur flour recipe)
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 10 tbs butter, cut into cubes
  • 5 tbs cold water

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking. In a bowl, combine flour, baking cocoa, and powdered sugar. Using a fork or pastry blender, blend in cubed butter. Mix in water, one tbs at a time. Once well mixed, roll into a ball. Press evenly into prepared 9 inch pie tin. Set aside. Do not bake yet.

  • Filling ingredients
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – blend corn syrup and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Blend in butter and vanilla. Mix in 1 cup chips. Pour batter into unbaked crust. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup chips on top. Bake in preheated oven, 350 degrees for 55 to 75 minutes, until top is relativelt firm. Keep an eye on the pie, as baking times can vary. Cool completley. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wish you much love and happiness. Also, remember to be kind. You never know what battle a person is facing

Chocolate chip/chocolate chocolate chip cookies

While trying to decide between. A chocolate chip and chocolate chocolate chip cookie, I just decided to combine them and present this monstrosity for the Bills victory cookies. Wow, does my mood change after a win.

I decided to brown the butter with these. You don’t have to, but browned butter can give treats a unique and delicious taste. I recommend chilling this dough. Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup and to preheat your oven to 325 degrees before baking. I baked these for 18 minutes. I have no idea if they are done, but did not want to burn them. I think my ESPN friends will still be happy with them.

Here are some tips to brown butter – cook it in a pan over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you see little brown bits. Remove from heat and cool 5 to 10 minutes.

Cookie monster!
  • Chocolate chip cookie dough
  • 3/4 cup butter, browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine browned butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Stir in chips

  • Chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough
  • 3/4 cup butter browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine browned butter, brown sugar, sugar. Add egg, yolk and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips.

Forming the cookies – scoop out 3 tbs of each dough and mold together, forming a tall mounds of dough. Chill a few hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies on it.

This is what I mean by staggering cookies

Bake 15 to 18 minutes (you will see a few golden patches on top). Cool completley. Store in covered container.

Now that’s a cookie!

Thanks for stopping by today!!! Sending you love, peace and joy!

The perfect chocolate chip cookies (puffy)

Perfect and puffy chocolate chip cookie

These represent what I believe is the perfect chocolate chip cookie – puffy. I know a lot of people love flat cookies, UT I prefer mine to be puffy. I added a tsp of cornstarch to the dough to help with that and also chilled the dough for 2 hours.

Remember to spoon your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Also, form your individual doughs into cylinders and chill your dough for a few hours before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold and grated
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3.4 oz vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, crisco, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Blend in pudding mix. Fold in flour, baking soda, and cornstarch. You may need to use your hands to blend completely the dough together. Fold in chips. Scoop out 2 tbs of dough and corn tall cylinders. Chill a few hours. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookie cylinders on sheets. Bake 12 minutes (light golden patches on top). They will be a little undercooked on top, but will firm up as they cool. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. If you make these, let me know how they turn out.

Chocodiles – chocolate covered twinkies

Chocodiles!

Today’s request from Rob – a chocodile. I had never heard of one before, but learned it is a chocolate covered twinkie. It gave me a chance to use my twinkie pan (one of many baking items I have that get little or no use. Hello – cherry maker, mini cake pop maker, mini pie maker, large cupcake pan, to name a few)

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 yolk
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Spray a canoe or twinkie pan with baking spray. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, yolk and vanilla. Blend in milk, then dry ingredients. Spoon batter into prepared pans 3/4 of the way full. Bake 15 to 18 minutes (a toothpick inserted in center of twinkie comes out clean) cool 10 minutes. Use a plastic knife to remove from pan. Cool completley.

Twinkie pan put to good use
  • Filling ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, beat ingredients together. Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 3 holes in the bottom of a cooled twinkie.

Then using a pasty bag or decorating apparatus, carefully fill the three holes. Do not overfill.

Topping – in a microwave safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup cream for 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Let set 5 minutes. Stir smooth. Spread over top of filled twinkies. Store in covered container

I was a little messy with the topping 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by. Wishing you a wonderful day. Remember to be kind. Life can be so hard, try to make someone’s day a little brighter. And, Go Bills!!!

Football friday week 9- treat # 2 – snickers stuffed peanut butter cookies

Go Bills!

Another endeavor as I attempt to use up leftover Halloween candy. These are snickers stuffed peanut butter cookies. I recommend freezing the fun size snickers for an hour or so. It keeps them from melting too much when baking.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temperature.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup crisco
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Fun size snickers, frozen (or other candy)

Directions – preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper. In a bowl, cream peanut butter, crisco, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Scoop out 1 1/2 tbs dough. Flatten slightly.

Place a frozen snickers on top.

Scoop out another 1 1/2 tbs dough and flatten slightly

Seal edges and place on prepared sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes. You will see gold patches around the bottom edges. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by!!❤️❤️

Football friday for week 9 part 1 – Brownie mix cookies

Brownie mix cookies

A simple, yet great way to get your chocolate fix. Brownies, yet in cookies form. Plus, they take less time to bake than brownies, 10 minutes, as opposed to 20. Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into you measuring cup and preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • An 18.3 oz brownie mix
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tbs vegetable oil
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners. In a bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, oil, and water. Fold in chips. Scoop out 2 tbs of dough and place on baking sheets. Do not put too close together bc they spread a little. Bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Cookie monster!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with peace, joy and love

Football Friday #8 and Happy Halloween!

Go Bills and Happy Halloween!

These sugar cookies are awesome.. so easy to make and so soft. And no chilling of the dough is necessary. These cookies are my all-time favorite to make, bringing back memories of making cutouts with my mom. I am terrible with decorating, so these jack o lanterns are one of the few things people can decipher. I started out frosting some and decorating with mini yellow and green m&ms. That was too time-consuming, so I sprinkled a handful on top of some other cookies instead. Then, to speed up the process, I made sandwich cookies.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. And, preheat your oven for 20 minutes before baking so the oven cycles to the right temp.

A handful of m&ms
  • Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups crisco
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with non-stick baking liners. In a large mixing bowl, cream crisco and sugar 3 to 4 minutes. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Slowly blend in dry ingredients. Lightly flour your countertop. Roll out dough to desired thickness (I like mine thick), and cut. Place on prepared cookie sheer. Bake 8 or 9 minutes. (Cookies will be light, but no doughy. Do not overcook). Cool completley.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 3 tbs melted butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Milk (enough to get the consistency of frosting you want)
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Blend together. Frost or fill cookies. Store in covered container.

And the sandwich cookie!

Thanks for stopping by today!!! Wishing you love, happiness, and joy

Olive oil chocolate chip cookies

Olive oil chocolate chip cookies

Another chocolate chip cookie recipe. This one uses olive oil instead on butter or crisco. I was quite pleased with how they turned out. I used my 1/4 cup cookie scoop, so they are big!

Notes- spoon your flour from your flour bag in your container so you get the correct amount. I scooped out my dough and put it in the freezer for an hour, to keep them from spreading too much. You could also pop the mounds of dough in the fridge for a few hours. Preheat your oven for 20 degrees before baking so the oven cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs brown sugar, packed into your measuring cup)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 tbs warm water
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, combine olive oil, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg, water, and yolk. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips (i used my hands at this point, like making meatballs). Scoop our 1/4 cups of dough. Roll into tall mounds. Chill a few hours in fridge or freeze for an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees before baking. Line a sheet with nonstick baking liners. Bake 12 to 14 minutes (light golden patches on top) store in covered container

Thanks so much for stopping by today!❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙

Football friday #6 – Monster cookies for a monster football game on Sunday

Go Bills!

For the 5th (!) time since the fall of 2020, the Bills are playing the Chiefs. Both teams are 4-1, and jockeying for the top spot in the AFC. Monster game calls for monster cookies! These are huge, filled with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, mini m&ms and milk chocolate chips. Go Bills!

Reminders- spoon flour from flour bags into measuring cups to get the right amount. Preheat oven to 400 degrees for 20 minutes before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, cold, grated with a cheese grater or cut into tiny squares
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 yolks
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup m&ms
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions -preheat oven to 400 degrees before baking. Line 2 cookie sheets with nonstick baking liners. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and yolks. Blend in dry ingredients and oats. Mix in m&m and chips. (I actually ised my hands for that last part). Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll into balls. Flatten slightly. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool completley. Store in covered container.

That’s a lot of cookie!

Thanks for stopping by today! If you make these, let me know how they turn out!