Super Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to make chocolate chip cookies. Here is yet another recipe. This one is really delicious. Wait, I think that I say that every time. :) They were very tender and I had some green and red chips left from Christmas so I tossed them in too.  ENJOY

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

11/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

In a stand mixer cream butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix until everything is combined. 

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for 30 minutes. The longer you chill the thicker your cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop balls of dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 9- 11 minutes, until the edge are just golden brown. The center will appear underdone.

Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack

Original chocolate chip cookie recipe 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Really now, who doesn't love the taste of chocolate and peanut butter? huh? who? I found this recipe and thought I would give a try. Oh, it is so rich and creamy. I cut it into small bite sized pieces because it is so rich. It has a brownie layer on the bottom and a creamy peanut butter layer on the top with chocolate drizzle. 

I really like the way they turned out. Happy Baking.

The recipe is from an older cookbook magazine and it calls for 1 square of unsweetened chocolate. Well, the newer Bakers chocolate come in these easy to break squares. So 2 'squares' equals 1 ounce. I like the new easy to break style.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
recipe from 2003 Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients
1 ounce  unsweetened chocolate baking bar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Filling
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2-3 Tablespoons half-and-half or milk

Glaze
1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate baking bar
1 Tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light and pale-colored. Add flour and melted chocolate; stir well. Pour into a greased 9-inch. square baking pan. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.

For filling, beat confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and butter, in a mixing bowl. Stir in cream until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over cooled brownies; cover and chill until firm.

For glaze, melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over the filling. Chill before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

~Michelle

Chocolate Cream Bars

I am always on the hunt for something to bake and another reicpe to try. I decided to go back to and old cookbook. This is another recipe from Pillsbury - Simply From Scratch cookbook, circa 1978. I made one of my favorite take along snack cakes from this book. You will love it too. It is a Chocolate Chip Cake.
I thought I would try something else from the book. 

These looked tasty even in this old looking photo. 

These bars are on the left. Is that a candle in the background?

Cut into bars.

The topping really fell off as I was cutting it into bars. Hmmm

Chocolate Cream Bars

Crust / Topping
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter softened

Filling
12-oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients; mix at low speed until crumbly. Press 4 cups crumb mixture into ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.

In medium saucepan, combine first four filling ingredients. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla and nuts.

Pour filling over crumb crust. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over filling.

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars

~Michelle

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

I found this fun and easy recipe. I love to look at recipes, she says with a little sass. Now, who doesn't like to eat cookie dough. It is so popular that they make ice cream with it and there are recipes all over the place. Well here is a raw cookie dough that is safe to eat. I thought I would give it a try.

It is very sweet so just a small couple of scoops really hits the spot. My sons and I love it. Well, mostly my one son and I. We both have a sweet tooth. :)

Serve it in a pretty dish and enjoy.

recipe from here
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
6 oz plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix gently. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Add the yogurt and fold with a rubber scraper.

Place in a container and cover with lid. Freeze until set. preferably overnight.

~Michelle

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm ALWAYS searching for recipes, especially desserts. I use cook books, magazines, the internet and family. I really think that so many dessert recipes are just different combinations of the same ingredients. I found an interesting recipe on Pinterest and while I was looking it over I decided to click back to see where the recipe came from...


It all started with this recipe that I saw on Pinterest. for Salted chocolate bark, which I have not made.
I saw on the bottom of the page "you might like this" and that is where I saw the recipe for cream cheese chocolate chip cookies. here.
Then I saw where that recipe came from and that was here.
Then I saw where that recipe came from and that was here.
Then I saw where that recipe came from and that was here.

The cookies are really wonderful. They are soft and thick and have just the right amount of chocolate in every bite. The recipe is also egg free. I was thinking of tossing in at least one egg, but the recipe doesn't even need it. Great for egg allergies. 

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips combined

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325F. and line baking sheets with parchment. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, melted butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined and no dry streaks remain.

Scoop or roll dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12-16 minutes until the edges are just barely golden brown. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen.

(the original recipe calls for you to just flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand, do not flatten it all the way.) I did not do that this time and the cookies came out just fine. You can find the recipe that I followed here.

Happy Baking
~Michelle

Bite-Sized Carmelitas

How about this recipe to warm your insides on a cold winter day. Enjoy some super delicious carmelitas with a hot cup of coffee or tea. It is a wonderful combination of caramel, chocolate, oatmeal and brown sugar.

I really enjoy cutting bars into small bite-sized pieces then 1. I have enough samples for work and 2. the co-workers don't feel so guilty eating a sweet treat because it's bite=sized. However, I can't help it if you want to eat more than one.  :) 

I made this recipe for work and the sounds that my coworkers were making while eating these tasty treats were hilarious. It certainly confirms how absolutely scrumptious and decedent the carmelitas were. :)

Carmelitas

Ingredients

35 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted (I may consider using a bit less butter next time)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8" pan. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Drop remaining oatmeal mixture over the caramel. I tossed a handful of chips on the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until edges are browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting. I left it overnight before cutting them into bite-sized squares.

Store and serve at room temperature so the ooey gooey caramel is soft and delicious.

~Enjoy
Michelle 


recipe from Luluthebaker

Linzer Cookies with Chocolate and Raspberry

It's time to start baking for Christmas.  This is another classic style cookie but it has a twist.

I love the combination of chocolate and raspberry so much. These have to be one of my favorite cookies because of that. The dough has such wonderful flavor because of the cinnamon that is added. Plan ahead because you do have to chill the dough. Enjoy

I love these cookies so much :)

The cinnamon makes the dough taste so good. 

 Roll and cut out the cookies.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Add the melted chocolate to the flat side of the whole cookies.

Put the jam in the center and top it with the sugared cookies.

Chocolate Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
One 12-ounce, package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 1 cup semi and 1 cup dark)
6 Tablespoons raspberry jam or preserves
Powdered sugar

Directions

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Beat in the eggs and almond extract. Gradually add flour mixture. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 350F. On lightly floured board, roll out half of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Repeat with remaining dough. Cut 1-inch round centers from half of unbaked cookies. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Re-roll dough trimmings, if necessary.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes just until set. Let stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely. 

Over hot (not boiling) water, melt semi-sweet chocolate morsels, stirring until smooth.
Spread 1 measuring teaspoonful melted chocolate on flat side of each whole cookie. Top wit 1/2 measuring teaspoon raspberry jam. sprinkle confectioners' sugar on cookies with center holes; place flat side down on top of chocolate-jam cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies.

recipe from Holiday Cookies

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Bites - No Bake

Peanut butter and chocolate are always a wonderful combination. Here is a pretty simple no bake recipe.  The most challenging part is always the dipping in the melted chocolate. Try this and wow your friends this Christmas season. 

 recipe found on Pinterest; here

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Bites

Makes: 25-27 balls

 Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs - I used Keebler crumbs
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

Add graham crackers crumbs to the 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix it up good. You want the mixture to be dry enough to be able to form balls. Add a little bit more peanut butter or cracker crumbs to achieve this consistency if need be.

Form even sized balls with your hands and place on a wax paper covered plate, cutting board or baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes.

I used a double boiler to melt the chocolate; stir chocolate until melted. Place the mini chips in a small bowl. Note: You can use whatever topping that you would like including nuts, crushed Oreos, Heath bars…etc.

I used two forks to dip the peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate, one at a time, and then I sprinkled the chips over the balls. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

~Michelle

Brownies

Don't be afraid to make brownies from scratch. They are really not as difficult as you might think. I whipped these up while the kids played in the basement with friends.  The smell drifted down the stairs and up came the boys.. They waited patiently while the delicious brownies cooled. 

The brownies had a fantastic crunchy top and a really moist and chocolaty center. Of course the addition of some chocolate chips to the mix, I'm sure, made the difference.

Enjoy

recipe adapted from Pillsbury - The Complete Book of Baking

Homemade Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips


Directions

Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9-inch pan.  In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat; cool slightly.

In medium bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour, salt and chocolate mixture, blend well. Spread in greased  pan. sprinkle the chips on the top.

Bake for 30-38 minutes. DO NOT OVER-BAKE. Cool completely 

~Michelle

Chocolate Raspberry Puff Pastry

Since I was helping out in the retail part of a friend's bakery recently and seeing all of the pastries and delicious desserts, I was wondering if I could make something with pastry dough. I did not have time to actually make pastry dough from scratch, although it is on the list of things to try. Here is a recipe that I'm going to try one day. 

I did use the Pepperidge Farm frozen pastry sheets for this recipe.

Recipe from Pepperidge Farm

I only made half of the package and I used raspberry jam.  I totally had a hard time rolling it out and then folding it up. :)  I guess this takes some serious practice.  They tasted pretty good. I will have to use more filling and just make sure that it is sealed up tightly so they don't leak out. I enjoyed them for breakfast with a cup of Tim Hortons Strawberry Shortcake coffee.

~Michelle

Yummy Rice Krispie Treats

 recipe from Mini Baker (great recipe)
I have made many rice krispie treats in my baking history, but these taste so good and are so addicting.  I cut mine into bite sized pieces so my coworkers could just pop one into their mouths.  It turns out that the treats are so tasty that everyone just popped more that one.


Mini Baker cut her treats so beautifully.  I placed mine into the freezer for a bit to set the chocolate topping so when I was cutting the squares they crunched a bit and didn't slice as perfectly as I would have liked.
Also, next time I make these I'm not going to add the caramel on the top. Too sticky.  I stacked them for the picture and they just stuck to the wax paper. I put them into the freezer again so I could take them in the car and they wouldn't be so sticky when I got to work. They were pretty sticky anyway.

 The chocolate and Nutella layer was divine.  Nice and thick and it set up beautifully. That was a big hit here at the station.

 ~Michelle

Chocolate Pudding Pie

This is the first time that I made this pie and I did have some filling left over so I put some in a couple of cups on the side. (the littlest boy in this house loves to eat it without crust.)

I baked a frozen pie crust according to directions and let it cool.

Add the cook and serve pudding to the pan then add the milk.

Add the chocolate chips.

Then add the butter and stir until it comes to a full boil.

Cool 5 minutes stir twice and pour into the cooled shell.

Ingredients
2 packages (4 serving size) Jell-O milk chocolate pudding (cook & serve)
3 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
1 baked 9" pie shell (I used frozen pie shell)

Bake pie shell according to directions or homemade.  Set aside and cool. Combine pie pudding mix, milk, chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full bubbling boil. Remove from the heat. Cool 5 minutes. Stirring twice. Pour into shell and chill about 3 hours or more.

Whipped topping
Beat 1 cup heavy cream with two tablespoons sugar until it just holds soft peaks. Spoon onto pie and garnish with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles.

Enjoy
~Michelle