Monday, April 21, 2014

Chocolate Chip Cookies A collection of my favorites, A Baker's Dozen Recipes!

Wow, a post dedicated to Chocolate Chip Cookies. We can't seem to get enough recipes for Chocolate Chip Cookies.
That's why I decided to create a collection of my favorites!



The Chocolate Chip Cookie is an American Icon.
There are so many variations and Toll House is the Original.

We all have our favorites, thick and chewy, thin and crispy, a combination of the two, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips and the list is endless.

I just watched an episode of Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman and she made this recipe.
I wanted to share it on my blog.
You can access her blog, on Blogs I Follow, on the right side of my blog.

Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 C (2 sticks) Butter, softened
3/4 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 C Flour
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 C (rounded) Malted Milk Powder
1- 12oz. bag of Milk Chocolate Chips

In a Stand Mixer:
Cream the Butter
Add both Sugars and Cream until fluffy
Add Eggs, beat slightly
Add Vanilla until combined
Add Malted Milk Powder until combined

Sift together:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt

Add to the Butter mixture and beat slowly until combined
Add the Chocolate Chips and gently mix

Drop with a cookie scoop ( a teaspoon size) , only 8 scoops per cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or Parchment Paper
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes, up to 15 for a crispier cookie
They spread and will be very flat.

I love flat crispy chocolate chip cookies!


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



I can't pick a favorite, but if I did, this would be one of my top choices. I love thin, crispy chocolate chip cookies.

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 1/3 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz. (1stick) butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/3 C brown sugar
2 TBS corn syrup
1 large egg
1 TBS heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 C chocolate chips, your choice

Line sheet pans with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Whisk well.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Corn Syrup
Beat 5 minutes.
Add:
Egg
Cream
Vanilla
Beat just until well combined.
Gradually add dry ingredients on low speed until incorporated.
Fold in Chocolate Chips by hand.
Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Use a medium (1 1/2" cookie scoop), drop dough onto the sheet pan 2" apart.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove pan to a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer cookies to the cooling rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



I happen to love Toasted Pecans in my Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's a Texas thing!
Here's another one of my favorite recipes.

The Best of the Best Chocolate Chip, Toasted Pecan Cookies:


2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C bitter sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 C Toasted Pecans. (Toast in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes) Then increase the oven temperature to 375 to bake the cookies) Chop after toasting.

1 C (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Whisk well.

In a small bowl:
All of the Chocolate Chips
Toasted Pecans
Toss and set aside.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Beat 5 minutes.

Add Eggs one at a time until combined.
Gradually add Dry Ingredients until well incorporated.
Fold in Chocolate Chips and Pecans by hand.

Line sheet pans with Parchment Paper.
Use a medium cookie scoop , 1 1/2"  and drop dough 2" apart.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from oven to a cooking rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer cookies to the cooling rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




I know that everyone has their favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. We believe that the Original Toll House Cookie tops the list.
However, there are also decadent recipes for them and I honestly believe this recipe could be it!

This is another recipe from Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen from Fredericksburg , Texas.

Rebecca says..... " They are not too chewy and not too crunchy - they are just right".
This recipe makes about 5 dozen 3 1/2" cookies.


1 1/2 C walnuts
1 1/2 C pecans
1 C (2sticks) butter, room temperature
1 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 TBS vanilla
2 1/3 C all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 scant tsp salt
3 C chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 - 9 minutes.
Cool completely and coarsely chop

Line sheet pans with parchment paper or Silpat
Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment

Cream, for 1 minute, until creamy:
butter
brown sugar
granulated sugar
Add:
eggs
vanilla

Add:
eggs
vanilla
Beat on medium speed for 1 minute

Add: (See Note Below)
flour
baking soda
salt
Mix on medium-low speed until well incorporated.

Stir in, by hand:
walnuts
pecans
chocolate chips
The dough will be very stiff...... use your muscles!

Use a 1 3/4" cookie scoop, spacing the dough 2" apart on a baking sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until medium brown around the edges.
As long as the edges are brown, the soft middle will disappear as they cool
The cookies will spread to about 3 1/2".

Cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooking rack until completely cool.

Note:
Here's Rebecca's Tip,
If you have a heavy duty stand mixer with at least 525 watts, Add the flour, baking soda, salt, walnuts, pecans and chocolate chips all at once with the paddle attachment and turn the mixer on and off every 5 seconds or so until completely incorporated.

We have the Kitchenaid 6 quart, 590 Watt Mixer. It does all the work!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!






Cake Mix Cookies:



This is not a new concept.
I just did the research for those of you that didn't know about these.

If you use a chocolate cake mix, add 2 TBS of water to the eggs.

1 Box of your favorite Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1 Stick of Butter, room temperature
1 - 16 ounce bag of Chocolate Chips or any of your favorite flavored Chips.

Mix all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer
Using a small cookie scoop, drop them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

Now, imagine the combinations:

Yellow Cake/Butterscotch Chips
Spice Cake/Cinnamon Chips
Lemon Cake/White Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Cake/Peanut Butter Chips
Strawberry Cake/White Chocolate Chips
Red Velvet Cake/ Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Cake/Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Come up with your favorite combinations!


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen






Cornflake Crunch
Yields about four cups

Ingredients
5 c. cornflakes 
½ c. milk powder 
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
9 tbsp. butter, melted

1. Heat oven to 275°.
2. In a medium bowl, with your hands, crush cornflakes to ¼ of their original size. Add milk powder, sugar, and salt; toss to mix. Add butter; toss to coat. (As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the cereal, creating small clusters.)
3. On a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan, spread clusters and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.
4. Cool completely before storing or using in a recipe. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for one week; in the fridge or freezer, it will keep with one month.




Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
Makes fifteen to twenty

Ingredients
16 tbsp. (2 sticks) room-temperature butter
1¼ c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. light brown sugar, tightly packed
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1½ c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. kosher salt
3 c. Cornflake Crunch (recipe above)
2/3 c. mini chocolate chips
1¼ c. mini marshmallows

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugars; cream together on medium-high 2-3 minutes. With a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl, then add egg and vanilla and beat 7-8 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Mix just until dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. (Do not walk away from the machine during this step or risk overmixing.) Scrape down sides of bowl.
3. Still on low speed, paddle in cornflakes and chips until just incorporated, about 30-45 seconds. Paddle in marshmallows.
4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a 2-oz. ice cream scoop, portion 1/3 c. dough at a time onto pan. Pat tops of dough domes flat. Wrap pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 week. (Do not bake room-temperature disks — they will not hold their shape.)
5. Heat oven to 375°. On a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan, arrange chilled disks a minimum of 4 inches apart. Bake 18 minutes, until cookies are browned on edges and just beginning to brown toward the center. Cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. Leave them in oven for another minute or so if they still seem pale and doughy on the surface.
6. Cool cookies completely on pan before moving them to a plate or an airtight container for storage. At room temperature, cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

I posted this recipe from Christina so that all of the Foodies that read this blog can have the opportunity to get to know Christina.
She's very innovative in the kitchen.
She's one of my favorite pastry chefs.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



 Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies:
This recipe comes from an Amish Cookbook.

2 1/4 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 C Butter ( 2 sticks ), softened
1/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Packed Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ( 3 1/2 oz. ) package of Instant Vanilla Pudding
2 Eggs
1 ( 12 oz. ) Package Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 C Chopped Pecans

Combine:
Flour
Baking Soda
Set aside

Combine: ( in a large bowl)
Butter
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Vanilla
Pudding
Beat until smooth and creamy

Beat in Eggs and gradually add Flour mixture.
Stir in Chocolate Chips
Stir in Nuts ( batter will be stiff)

Drop by heaping teaspoons 2' apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Chocoholic Cookies:



This one is all over the internet under many different names. I chose to call them Chocoholic!
You can't get much more chocolately than this.
Here's an adaptation of an adaptation.........!
This may very well make it as an entry in the cookie contest next year.

1 C + 1 Tbs flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1- (8 oz.) bag semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 TBS butter, softened
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 C dark chocolate chips
1/2 C milk chocolate chips
1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, whisk:
flour
cocoa powder
baking powder
salt
Set aside

In a microwavable bowl, melt the 8 oz. of semi sweet chocolate chips until creamy smooth.
Set aside

In a small bowl, whisk:
eggs
vanilla
Set aside

In another bowl:
Beat butter until smooth, 1 minute
Beat in both sugars
Add the eggs and vanilla mixture, until well combined
Add melted chocolate chips
Beat well

Add dry ingredients that were set aside, on slow speed
Fold in all chocolate chips by hand
Chill dough for 30 minutes

Scoop 2 TBS of dough & form a ball , I use a 1 3/4" cookie scoop, equal to 2 TBS.
Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pans at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet pans for 5 minutes
Transfer cookies to cooling racks and cool completely.

These will be soft, chewy and very gooey!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Easter  Cookies with Cadbury Mini Chocolate Easter Eggs or Easter M&M's:

I just received this recipe from I Love Texas Recipes, it was shared by Annie's Kitchen. Hopefully Spring will show up across the country and Easter will arrive. I've researched many Easter Cookies and I like this recipe the best. I added the option of using Easter M&M's in place of the Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs. This would also be a great cookie dough to make with Halloween M&M's and Christmas M&M's. The basic dough is incredible. To make a great Chocolate Chip Cookie, add 1 - 11.5 oz. bag of Nestle's Chocolate Chunks.



I've taken the liberty of adapting the recipe without compromising the integrity of the original recipe.

2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C butter = (2 sticks) or (16 TBS), softened
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs (see note below for options)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl:
flour
salt
baking soda
Whisk Well

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer:
Cream Butter and Sugar until well combined.
Add Vanilla and continue to mix just until incorporated.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated.

Gradually beat in dry ingredients.
The dough will be soft.

Chop Mini Eggs in half with a chef's knife and fold into the batter by hand.
Using a medium cookie scoop, drop cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2" apart.
Bake for 9 - 10 minutes.

Options:

Whole Easter M&M's in place of Cadbury Mini Eggs. (1 1/2C)

Halloween M&M's , Christmas M&M's or Cadbury Christmas Chocolates


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Cadbury Christmas Chocolates

Easter M&M's

Cadbury Easter Mini Eggs
These are the ones I used for Easter!
Photograph below.

Halloween M&M's

Christmas M&M's









Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




I wrote a story on the blog about The Restaurants and Chefs of some of America's Legendary Department Stores. In the article I included the Legendary Dallas retailer, Neiman Marcus. I told the story of how their Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe made it in the hands of the American public. In the story I included the recipe for the famous cookie. I decided to post the cookie recipe separately from the story.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1/2 C (1stick) butter, softened
1 C light brown sugar
3 TBS granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 salt
1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until mixture is fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla for 30 seconds longer, until well combined.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add to the mixer, while beating on slow speed.
Beat for about 15 seconds, stir in the chocolate chips and espresso powder and mix for 15 seconds longer.
Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
Using a 1 oz. cookie scoop or a 2 TBS measure, place the dough 3" apart.
Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into 2" circles; there should be room on the sheet for six to eight cookies at a time. Transfer to the oven in batches and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned around the edges. Bake for a little longer for crispier cookies.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Definitely test this recipe before posting the recipe. If they are great, save them for the contests.
Consider Chopped Pecans!



Hatch Chile Infused Chocolate Chip Cookie:
This is an original recipe.

This is a spicy Chile infused Chocolate Chip Cookie created for The Central Market Hatch Chile Contest and the Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie Contest.

1 C + 2 TBS Flour
1/4 C Dark Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 TBS Ancho Chile Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Instant Espresso Coffee (Medaglia D'oro)
8 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
5 TBS butter, softened
3/4 C Light Brown Sugar
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 C Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 C diced Hatch Chiles (not roasted)


In a mixing bowl, Sift the following ingredients well:
Flour
Cocoa Powder
Baking Powder
Salt
Ancho Chile Powder
Cinnamon
Ginger
Instant Espresso Coffee

In another bowl, whisk Eggs, Vanilla and Set Aside.

In the bowl of a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Beat until creamy smooth, 2 -3 minutes.
Add Egg and Vanilla, beat until combined well.
Add melted Chocolate, beat until combined well.
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients.
Fold in all of the Chocolate Chips, by hand.
Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

Using a 1 3/4 inch Cookie Scoop , scoop the dough 2 inches apart onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




The All American Classic Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie:

  • 2 1/4 C  flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 C granulated sugar
  • 3/4 C packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 C(12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 C chopped nuts


Directions:


PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. .

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Here's another great All American Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to add to my collection!
These cookies are BIG!


Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal and Pecan Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Sheet Pans lined with Parchment Paper.

16 TBS Butter, softened to room temperature
1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1 Egg, room temperature
1 Egg Yolk, room temperature
1 TBS Vanilla
2 C Flour
1 C Old Fashioned Oats
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
3 C Chocolate Chips
2 C Chopped Pecans

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar.
Beat just until well combined, 3 - 5 minutes.

Add:
Egg
Egg Yolk
Vanilla
Mix just until incorporated.

In a Mixing Bowl"
Flour
Oats
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Whisk well.
Add to the Wet Ingredients.
Mix until incorporated.

Add:
Chocolate Chips
Pecans
Mix until well incorporated.

Use a 1/4 C Cookie Scoop and drop the Dough 3" apart onto the Sheet Pans. 
Bake for 15 - 17 minutes.
Remove the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!