Victory Monday NFL Wildcard weekend treats # 1 – large puffy chocolate chip cookies

Not one, not two, but three victory Monday treats for the Bills win over the Broncos.  My best friend from college and her daughters (my goddaughters) came down for lunch and watched the game with Rob and I.  I have to day i was fairly well behaved.  My swearing was kept to a minimum.   So this treat – large puffy chocolate chip cookies.

I recently discovered something.  The type of flour used in baked goods can make a huge difference.  I usually any  store brand.  I read some flours can make a difference, so I bought a huge bag from BJs of King Arthur Flour. And let me tell you, it made a difference.  Nice puffy cookies.

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 mounds of dough for a few hours.  I did not chill these though.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a pan, over low-medium heat, brown butter, stirring occasionally.  Cool 5 minutes.  In a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients, then chips.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Chill a few hours.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Cook 9 to 10 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  Store in covered container. 

XL puffy frosted sugar cookies

A stress free week 18 for the Bills against the Patriots.  I can’t remember the last no stress regular season game, but it was a nice break before the playoffs begin.  I made some black cocoa snowballs yesterday and since not everyone i work with likes chocolate, I made these large sugar cookies.  

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Extra sugar

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Blend in eggs, yolk and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls, then roll in extra sugar.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger 6 cookies on a sheet.  Bake 12 to 13 minutes.  Do not bake longer than 13 minutes, or bottoms of cookies may burn.  Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions – in a bowl, blend butter and powdered sugar.  Mix in heavy cream and vanilla.  Frost cookies

Store in covered container.

Black cocoa snowball cookies

I got a new container of black cocoa today and wanted to put some of it to use, so I made some black cocoa snowballs with mini chocolate chips.  Always good to heat up the oven on a very chilly day!

You can also use regular unsweetened baking cocoa or special dark cocoa if you want.

Remember to scoop your flour and cocoa from their containers into your measuring cups so you get the right amount.  Also, make sure your oven is preheated before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1/4 cup black cocoa
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs water
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients (this may take a while.  Dough will be crumbly).  Add water.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Scoop out 2 tbs of dough.  Chill.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.   Stagger doughs on sheet, like this.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  Sprinkle hot cookies with powdered sugar.  the powdered sugar melts into the cookie and makes them even sweeter!

Cool completely.   Sprinkle with more powdered sugar.  Store in covered container.

Football friday # 16 – Fudge stuffed snowball cookies

I made some fudge last night and thought I would use some of it to stuff in  snowball cookies (still plenty of fudge left over. ).  The cookies spread a little more than I prefer, but I was in a bit of a hurry and didn’t have time to chill or freeze the dough. 🙂

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend freezing or chilling the dough in the fridge for a few hours to try to keep the cookies puffy.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 4 tbs sugar
  • 6 tbs powdered sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • Fudge, cut into small cubes
  • Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, shortening, sugar and powdered sugar.  Blend in flour.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and divide in half.  Flatten each half.  Put a cube of fudge in between 2 halves and seal cookie.  Chill or freeze a few hours.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners or parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, no longer.  Cool completely.  I popped mine in the fridge to firm them up.  Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping  by today! Go Bills!

Cookie dough brownies

Coolie dough brownies

Cookie dough brownies – super simple and super sweet to help get you through a busy holiday season.  I used a brownie mix, but you can certainly use your favorite recipe for a 9×13 pan (or browse my blog for one).

  • Ingredients
  • 1 brownie mix, prepared and baked in a 9×13 pan, completely cooled
  • 3/4 cups butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs milk or water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs crisco, butter or vegetable oil

In a  bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add milk and vanilla.  Fold in flour.  Spread evenly over cooled brownies.  In a microwave safe bowl, melted chocolate chips and crisco in 45 second increments until you can stir smooth.  Spread over cookie dough layer.  I actually cut the brownies before the chocolate layer hardened because it was easier.  Store in covered container.

Football Friday week 15 – stuffed chocolate snowball cookies

What could make a chocolate cookie better?  An oreo inside!

A rather simple treat for football friday 15 – chocolate snowball cookies stuffed with a hershey kiss or an oreo!   I used a sugar cookie mix to make thing easier.

Another big matchup for my Bills Sunday – at Detroit.   Should be a great one! 

Remember to scoop your flour and baking cocoa from their respective containers into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also recommend freezing the individual stuffed doughs for a half hour to keep them from spreading.  Also, don’t bake any longer than 10 minutes.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 sugar cookie mix
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 -2 tbs water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Hershey kisses or other candy
  • Oreos

Directions – in a bowl, combine sugar  cookie mix, flour and baking cocoa.  Stir in egg, butter and water.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and form around each kiss.  (You will need more dough to cover oreo).  Freeze individual doughs for 30 minutes, at least.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes, no longer.  Immediately sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I wish you a happy day, filled with love, joy and peace.

Chocolate Chip cookie-Oreo-Brownie “cake”

Stepping up my treat game this holiday season.  A chocolate chip cookie crust, a layer of oreo and topped with brownies.  Not sure what to call it!

  • Chocolate chip cookie crust
  • 10 tbs butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 3/4 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch cake pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.   in a bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in flour and baking powder.  Mix in chips. Press into bottom and partway up sides of prepared pan.

Top with a layer of  Oreos!

  • Brownie ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup flour (scooped from flour bag into measuring cup so you get the right amount)

Directions – in a bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Blend in cocoa, eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Fold in flour.  Evenly spread over oreo layer. 

Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center basically comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips (i used milk chocolate)..  Gently press into top brownie layer. 

Cool completely.   Store in covered container.

football friday week 14- Easy Monster cookies stuffed with Reese’s pumpkins

Monster cookies stuffed with Reese’s pumpkins

I can NOT believe it is week 14 already!  Wow.  Football season goes so fast.  One day it’s the preseason opener and in no time at all, the regular season is almost over.   I needed something quick, so I used the Betty Crocker monster cookies recipe and stuffed them with Reese’s pumpkins.  Another day I will post a complete homemade version. 

I am glad the Bills night games are done.  Those are a killer to stay up for and get up early the next morning!  But last week, with Josh’s hat trick of touchdowns (throwing, running and receiving), it was worth it.

These are easy.  I do chill the dough to keep them from spreading too much.  Remember to preheat your oven  before baking

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 peanut butter cookie mix
  • 1 chocolate chip cookie mix
  • 11/2 cups oats (old fashioned or instant)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups m&ms
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • Peanut butter cups

Directions- In a bowl, combine cookies mixes and oats.  Blend in butter and eggs (I used a gand mixer).   Fold in chips and m&ms.  Scoop out 2 tbs dough and evenly form around Reese’s pumpkins.   Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely.   Store in covered container. 

Thank you for stopping by!

Mini m&m/ mini chip cutout cookies for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Bills are on a bye this week, so I am busy baking on a stress free Sunday (for Bills Mafia) with Cowboys/Commanders on in the background.  We had been watching Patriots/Dolphins, but I got frustrated watching Miami do what it wanted, so NFC East game, it is

This is a different cutout recipe.   I used a mix of mini chocolate chips and mini M&Ms.  You can do all chips or all M&Ms, but do not use regular size versions… Too hard to use cookie cutters with those!  And speaking of cookie cutters, I used these today for Thanksgiving!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I also cut out the cookies then chilled them before baking them, to help them keep their shape better.  Also, remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbs water or milk
  • 4 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup mini m&ms
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, milk/water and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Mix in chips and m&ms.   On a floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness, between 1/4 and 1/2 inch.  Cut out cookies.  Chill a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.  Stagger on sheet.  Bake 9 to 10 minutes (no longer).  Cool completely. 

You can frost these or make them into sandwich cookies (either chocolate or vanilla would work).  I am making these into sandwiches because the turkey necks are on the thin side.   Store in covered container.

XL Snickerdoodles

Shouldn’t snickerdoodles be made with Snickers? 😉

For NFL week 12’s football Friday, I present XL Snickerdoodles with a cinnamon frosting.  These smell amazing as they bake!

The Bills are on a bye this week, so I get a stress free football weekend.  Woo hoo!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  I recommend chilling the individual doughs for a few hours, or freezing them for 30 minutes to try and keep the cookies from spreading too much.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup crisco
  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 cups flour (scooped from flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Cinnamon sugar

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter, sugar, crisco and cream cheese.  Add eggs and cinnamon.  Blend in flour, baking powder and salt.  Divide into 11 equal mounds.  Roll in cinnamon sugar.   Chill a few hours or freeze 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Stagger cookies on sheet.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes (no longer). Cool completely.   Place in fridge to firm up.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 tbs butter, soft
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbs milk

Directions – in a bowl, combine ingredients and mix well.  Frost cookies.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Place in fridge to firm up.  Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.   Please remember to be kind.  We are all fighting some sort of battle and a little kindness can make a big difference