TheCompanySheKeeps

There are times when simplicity is welcomed. That’s what these cookies are: no glam, no glitz, just classic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. crème of tartar
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. butter flavoring
• 4 1/2 – 5 cups flour

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugars, and oil. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract and butter flavoring. Whisk together the dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture. Round into balls, roll in sugar, and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

We attended a BBQ this past weekend and the host’s only request was to bring a side. When I looked at the forecast and discovered it was going to be 100 degrees, cookies instantly came to mind. They’re portable and you don’t have to worry about them being refrigerated or maintained at a certain temp for fear of food poisoning. Because, you know, food poisoning is so much fun, said no one ever. Plus, it was an opportunity to try something new. A chocolate cookie with chopped mini Reese’s PB cups. There’s also the upside of baking, sampling, and leaving the cookies to the masses so they’re not lingering around the house calling out my name like they sometimes do.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsps. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 8oz bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup minis, chopped

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually, add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture and combine together. Stir in the chopped peanut butter cups.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes only, too much bake time will dry them out and make them crispy. The goal is for a soft, chewy cookie. Transfer to a cooling rack.

NOTE: I chopped the PB cups to make sure there were some in each cookie, but next time, I won’t do this. I’ll leave them whole and maybe include another bag or half of bag.

I’ve always enjoyed walnuts. . .by themselves, but never in baked goods. For years, I willingly omitted them from breads, cookies, and brownies that called for them thinking they had no place there to begin with. In my book, they were always optional and optional always meant never. Until recently. I can’t attribute the change to anything in particular, but I’ve integrated them more in my baking and found the results to be almost richer, earthier. A bit more decadent. Sophisticated, if you will.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups Ghirardelli 60% cacao discs, chopped
• 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the sugars with the melted butter. Beat together the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until fully incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed. Stir in the chocolate and walnuts by hand.

In small rounded tablespoons, set cookies 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a minute or two and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Adapted from: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/03/crispy-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/