New York Times’ Chocolate Chip Cookie

Here’s another chocolate chip cookie recipe for you to try from the New York Times. It is a crispier cookie than most of my other recipes, but still very good. My husband, Matt was a huge fan and wants me to make them again really soon. The only problem is that I don’t have bread or cake flour on hand, so he’s going to have to wait until I go to the store.

My mom made these cookies few weeks ago and sent half of the dough with my sister to take back to Oklahoma State University for her fiance and their cross country friends. The other half of the dough went with me. I made a batch for my Matt to take down Texas A&M for him and his buddies to enjoy while they watched the Aggies play in their first football game of the season (we beat SMU by the way…Whoop!)

The hardest part in making these cookies is waiting for the dough to set up. Supposedly, the longer you wait to bake cookie dough, the better the taste, since all of the ingredients have time to combine and absorb each other’s flavors. Enjoy!

New York Times’ Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (we mixed in semi-sweet chocolate chunks)

Sea salt

Directions

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 (3 1/2-ounce) mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies
The New York Times

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is another cookie recipe for you to try. No, there are not one of my famous “Dream” cookies (with pudding mix), but the recipe does come from the same cookbook, “400 Sensational Cookies” by Linda J. Amendt.

My sister has made these White Chocolate Chip Cookies countless times for her boyfriend up at Oklahoma State University as “post-race” dessert (for those of you who don’t know, her boyfriend, Colby runs cross country and track for OSU). The secret which makes these cookies like none other are the toffee bits and touch of almond extract. The unique flavor is a perfect combination in addition to the decadent white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. The texture yields a chewy, melt-in-your mouth, buttery and irresistible cookie.

What a perfect treat for a Hawaiian Luau. (Macadamia nuts make me think of Hawaii.) If only we lived in Maui instead of Texas! Enjoy 🙂

White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped roasted unsalted macadamia nuts (or walnuts)
1/3 cup toffee bits

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended. By hand, fold in chocolate and macadamia nuts.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one at a time in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.
5. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen
400 Sensational Cookies by Linda J. Amendt

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Happy Father’s Day weekend! Today I wanted to show you a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. I thought it very fitting for this special weekend, because what “Dad” doesn’t like cookie cake?

My family is notorious for making cookies. You can probably find 20 different cookie recipes on my blog! In the back of my mind, I’ve always wondered how to bake a cookie cake without it getting too crispy or overdone? I like my cookies gooey and soft, and always err on the side of underdone. In Flo Braker’s cookbook, Baking For All Occasions, my mom discovered this cookie cake recipe and we were curious to try it. The batter is like any regular cookie dough batter. The only difference is the baking time. Instead of baking cookies for 10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, this cookie cake is baked for 30 to 40 minutes. Honestly, I don’t know why you couldn’t transform your favorite cookie dough batter into a cookie cake? Someone test it out and let me know!

I know a lot of people who hate “cake”, but love cookies. I’m not a big fan of the “cake” myself…the only reason I eat it is for the icing! Here, you can have the best of both worlds…cake and icing! Decorate your cookie cake for Father’s Day, Birthdays, Congratulations, or just leave it plain like we did.

Either way, enjoy this Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon or 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or a combination

Directions
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, sugars, salt, cinnamon (if using), and baking soda and mix on the lowest speed until just blended. Add the butter and continue to mix until small, moist crumbs form that look similar to streusel, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until the mixture begins to form a cohesive dough. Increase the speed to medium and add the chocolate chips and nuts. Beat just until they are incorporated, 20 to 30 seconds.
3. Spoon dollops of the thick dough evenly over the bottom of the baking pan with a rubber spatula. To distribute the dough evenly, lay a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper over the dough and pat it evenly with your fingertips.
4. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and feels more solid than soft when pressed in the center, 30-40 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, it will firm as it cools. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 30-35 minutes.
5. Slip a thin metal spatula between the cake and the pan and run the spatula along the entire perimeter of the pan. Lift the pan, tilt it slightly, and tap it on a counter to help release the cake. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and lift it out of the pan. Invert so it is right side up and let cool completely.

Yield: one 9 x 13-inch pan
Baking For All Occasions by Flo Braker

CocoMac Dreams

As you all know, my favorite cookies are Dream cookies. Dream cookies are different than your normal cookie because of the instant pudding mix added, or what I like to call, “the secret ingredient.” I discovered Dream cookies in Linda J. Amendt’s 400 Sensational Cookies cookbook. I’ve tried her Oatmeal Dreams, Chocolate Chip Dreams, Doodle Dreams, Toffee Pecan Dreams, White Chocolate Cranberry Dreams, and Double Chocolate Dreams. Keep reading my blog, and you’re bound to see about 20 more variations of Dream cookies I plan on trying!

The Dreams I made today are called CocoMacs! The coconut, macadamia nuts (I used pecans), and white chocolate make a rich and crunchy combination in these tender cookies. They are the perfect cookie to make in the summertime. All three ingredients make me think of Hawaii! I made these cookies for tonight’s small groups at my church… lucky people, right? Haha! I wonder if I will have any leftovers???

Enjoy!

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda, powder, and salt. Stir in coconut.

Beat sugars with butter and shortening. Add eggs, then vanilla and almond extracts. On low speed, add flour mixture, beating until just blended. By hand fold in white chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Slide parchment paper onto wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to cooling rack.

Let cool completely.

CocoMac Dreams
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz or 102 g) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped roasted unsalted macadamia nuts (I substituted pecans)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Stir in coconut. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended. By hand, fold in white chocolate and macadamia nuts.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.
5. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies
400 Sensational Cookies by Linda J. Amendt

My Chocolate Chip Cookies (similar to McAlister’s Deli Chocolate Chip Cookie)

Here is your classic American, buttery and irresistible chocolate chip cookie with crisp caramelized edges, a rich chewy center, lots of chocolate, and fresh, crunchy pecans. To me, these cookies taste just like McAlister’s Deli chocolate chip cookie. Flat, chewy, sweet, and addicting. The only difference is size… if you’ve ever tried a McAlister’s cookie, you’ll know that they’re about 5 inches in diameter!

What makes these chocolate chip cookies so good you ask? Melted butter, well-rested dough, the right temperature, and cookie sheets without paper liners. My mom made two batches of these cookies a few days ago, and her two batches of cookies turned out very different. The second batch was ten times better because the dough sat for nearly 36 hours (her first sat for only a couple of hours). For some reason, the longer you let the dough rest, the flavors come together better, and makes for a more intense, flavorful cookie. She also baked the second batch in a convection oven. She dropped the temperature down about 25 degrees F and turned the baking time back to 8 minutes. For those of you who don’t know (I didn’t either), a convection oven uses a fan in the back of the oven which cooks the food faster, and allows for more even baking. My mom said the cookies seemed to brown up on the top faster than they would in a traditional oven. She said it allowed for more even baking, because the oven heat came throughout the unit, rather than at the bottom, from the coils.

Experiment today with these chocolate chip cookies and tell me if they remind you of a delicious McAlister’s cookie! This recipe came from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich. Enjoy.

My Chocolate Chip Cookies (very similar to McAlister’s Deli Chocolate Chip Cookie)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (10.125 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) packed brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips or chunks or hand-chopped chocolate

Directions
1. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork.
2. In large bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugars, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the eggs. Stir in the flour mixture until just all the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. If possible, let the dough stand for 1 to 2 hours, or (better still) overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
4. If necessary, remove the dough from the refrigerator to soften. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place them 3 inches apart on the ungreased or lined cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown at the edges an no longer look wet on top. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through baking time to ensure even baking.
5. Remove from the oven and let the cookies firm up on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. For unlined pans, use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to racks to cool; for lined pans, set the pan or just the liners on racks. Cool completely before storing or stacking. May be kept in an airtight container for several days.

Yield: about 60 cookies
Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

Doodle Dreams

Here is another “Wow” from me in regards to these “Doodle Dream” cookies or Snickerdoodles. As I’ve said before, Dream cookies (the chocolate chip dreams) are my absolute favorite cookie in the entire world because they are soft, chewy, and extremely moist. They do not go dry and crumbly like your typical cookie. There are about 30 different “Dream” cookies I want to try from Linda J. Amendt’s 400 Sensational Cookies cookbook, and trust me, you’ll see all 30 recipes sooner or later!

My sister spent the night at my house over our spring break and all we did was cook! We love to bake and as I’ve told you before, she bakes cookies for her boyfriend and his OSU cross country team every time they have a race. Well, since we were on spring break, we needed an excuse to bake and found one. Our Aunt Jolene, her daughter, and three grandkids came to visit from Houston, and of course, we had to have something sweet for them when they came over.

My cousins and Aunt Jolene, were all extremely impressed by these Doodle Dreams. Jolene even made Chocolate Chip Dream cookies for them when they returned home to Houston!

My sister saved a half a dozen Doodles for her boyfriend, and he, trying to be good, said he would just eat half of one. Well, he couldn’t…right after he closed the ziplock bag, he opened it again to sneak another cookie.

If all these testimonies don’t convince you to try these Doodle Dreams, I don’t know what will. You must bake them today. Enjoy!

Doodle Dreams

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 package (3.4 oz or 102g) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cookies: In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.

4. Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Spread cinnamon sugar on a large plate or sheet of wax paper.

5. Lightly grease hands with nonstick cooking spray. Roll pieces of dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar and place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.

6. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 – 4 dozen cookies

400 Sensational Cookies by Linda J. Amendt

Cowboy Cookies

Here’s another cookie recipe: Cowboy Cookies. They are good, but not my favorite. If you like sweet and salty, these are the cookie for you. I was not a big fan of these because they are very flat, and a little crispy around the edges. My favorite cookies are thick and soft, and have a gooey center, like in my “Dream” cookies. However, the decision of taste is up to you!

I got this recipe from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. In their book, they describe how the name “Cowboy Cookie” refers to the sly, ruggedness implied by these cookies’ bigness and all-encompassing ingredients of oatmeal, chocolate chunks, coconut, expresso powder, and nuts. We substituted the pretzels for the nuts for the crisp, crunchy outside, and chewy inside. The name “Cowboy Cookie” was not invented by cowboys, or enjoyed by cowboys, or even made in honor of cowboys. The name simply refers to “chunky, ruggedness” of these cookies! Enjoy!

Cowboy Cookies
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats
14 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cool but not cold, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cups sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. instant expresso powder
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
3/4 cup thin, salty pretzels, broken into tiny pieces but not crushed

Directions
1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt. Add the oats and stir to combine.
2. In a mixer, beat the butters and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Add egg and egg yolk, beating until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl. Add the vanilla and beat for 5 seconds. Dissolve the expresso powder in 1/4 cup hot water and add it to the bowl mixing until combined.
3. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl and fold in the chocolate chunks, and a 1/2 cup of pretzel pieces.
4. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough in 2 tablespoon size balls, and place dough balls on prepared baking sheet, about an inch apart. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of pretzel pieces over the dough balls. Use the palm of your hand to press the dough down lightly; don’t smash the cookie, just slightly flatten the ball, and press the pretzel pieces into the dough.
6. Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, or just start to darken.
7. Set the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

Yield: 36 cookies
“Baked Explorations” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Toffee Pecan Dreams

Here is yet another “Dream” cookie from my most favorite cookie cookbook ever, “400 Sensational Cookies” by Linda J. Amendt. If you forgot, or if you have never heard of a “Dream” cookie before, let me fill you in. The secret ingredient to these dreams in instant vanilla pudding mix. The pudding mix gives these cookies a cakey, and super soft, almost, dough-like center that is absolutely mouthwatering. Because of the instant pudding mix, you must make these cookies immediately; do not freeze or chill the dough because it will alter the texture and shape of these cookies and they will be ruined. If you want to freeze them, do so after baking.

I never knew how much I loved toffee until I had them in a cookie. My mom used to send me these wonderful “Christie Cookies“, a gourmet cookie company headquartered in Tennessee. All of their cookies and brownies have wonderful bits of toffee inside. Until now, Christie Cookies have been a yearly tradition that my mom sends me whenever I am stressed out at school or work.

Well, I have now found my “Christie Cookie” replacement: Toffee Pecan Dreams! These dream cookies are packed with 2 cups of toffee bits, and paired nicely with crunchy pecan pieces…a perfect combination. What I find ironic, is that I used to HATE nuts when I was little. I told my mom to make brownies, cookies, and cakes, with “No Nuts!!!” I am quite the opposite now. I believe that nuts, especially pecans, which are my favorite, add a nice crunch to the already sweet flavors in a dessert such as in chocolate chip or toffee cookies. Why wouldn’t you want nuts?

I made these Toffee Pecan Dreams for our small groups at church last Sunday night, and one of my friends told me: “I normally don’t like cookies, but these I really, really like”. Her husband even ate three cookies. I had a few leftover Toffee Pecan Dreams, so the next day I took them over to my in-laws. My mother-in-law, Paula, said “This is the best cookie I’ve ever put in my mouth!” Paula would never lie to me, she is too honest, so you have to believe her when she says these are amazing!

You’ve got to try these cookies soon! The original recipe calls for dark brown sugar, but I used light brown sugar. Let me know how they taste if you use the dark kind! Enjoy!!!

Toffee Pecan Dreams

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 package (3.4 oz or 102 g) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups toffee bits

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape sides down of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. By hand, fold in toffee bits and pecans.

4. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.

5. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Adapted from “400 Sensational Cookies” by Linda J. Amendt

World Peace Cookies

These cookies are called World Peace Cookies. I made them today for my dad’s Christmas party at work. For those of you who don’t know, these are called chocolate sables, or French shortbreads because there is more brown sugar than white, and they are more chewy than most shortbreads. They are light and sandy like a buttery cookie, but midnight chocolatey like you would expect from a fudge brownie. The hint of fleur de sel, or fine sea salt makes these salty, and a perfect and addictive combination for these chocolatey cookies.

This recipe is from Dorie Greenspan, author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours” cookbook. She was given this recipe by Pierre Herme, who created this cookie for a restaurant in Paris called Korova. Originally Dorie named these sables Korova Cookies, but her neighbor loved these cookies so much that he said, “in our house, we call them World Peace Cookies, because we’re convinced that a daily dose of the cookies is all that’s needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness”.

Enjoy!

Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda together.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy.

Beat in the vanilla and salt.

Pulse in the dry mixture. Pulse 5 times. If there is still flour on top, mix for another 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll into logs. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

World Peace Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 stick plus 3 tbsp (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp fleur de sel or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda together.

2. Working wit a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt, and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

3. Turn off the mixer. Pour in the dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peak- if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough – for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumby. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking – just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

6. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them – don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes – they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature..

Yield: 36 cookies

“Baking: From My Home to Yours” by Dorie Greenspan

White Chocolate Cranberry Dreams

Two days in a row of dream cookies! These White Chocolate Cranberry Dreams get their sweetness from the Jell-O French Vanilla instant pudding mix, Godiva white chocolate vanilla bean bar, and sweetened dried cranberries. These are one of my most favorite cookies, and they are perfect for this Christmas season. I made these White Chocolate Cranberry Dreams by altering the Double White Chocolate Dreams recipe in Linda J. Amendt’s “400 Sensational Cookies” cookbook by substituting French Vanilla instant pudding mix for the White Chocolate pudding mix, and using dried cranberries instead of macadamia nuts.

Stay tuned…more dream cookies to come! Enjoy!

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and dry ingredients to batter.

*Godiva white chocolate vanilla bean bar given to me by one of my wonderful students.
Chop white chocolate or prepare 1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips.

Stir white chocolate and dried cranberries into dough with a wooden spoon.

Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes in a preheated 375 degree F oven, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on a wire cooling rack.

Slide cookies off parchment paper and cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy! Look at that melted Godiva white chocolate!

White Chocolate Cranberry Dreams
(Recipe adapted from the Double White Chocolate Dreams from Linda J. Amendt’s “400 Sensational Cookies” cookbook)

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz) instant French Vanilla pudding mix (you can substitute white chocolate or vanilla pudding mix)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips (I combined both because I did not have enough of the Godiva white chocolate vanilla bean bar).
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. By hand, fold in white chocolate and dried cranberries.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.
5. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies
Adapted from “400 Sensational Cookies” by Linda J. Amendt