Double Chocolate Dreams

Here is a another “dream” cookie from my favorite cookie cookbook, 400 Sensational Cookies by Linda J. Amendt. Dream cookies are my absolute favorite because they are moist and chewy from the instant pudding mix added to the batter. The instant pudding mix is what I like to refer to as my “secret ingredient”.

My mom made these double chocolate dreams this week and we only have two left….my dad could not keep his hands off them. Loaded with brown sugar, chocolate pudding mix, chocolate chunks and nuts, these wonderful dream cookies have a full chocolate flavor you will love. Enjoy!

get-attachment.aspx — Use a cookie scoop or spoon and drop tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

double chocolate chip dreams — Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until set around the edges but slightly soft in the center. Slide parchment paper onto a wire rack and cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Double Chocolate Dreams

Serves: 3 dozen

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

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz) instant chocolate 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
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
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 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 walnuts.
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 8-10 minutes or until set around the edges, but slightly soft in the center.
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.

The Chewy

These cookies are awesome!!! I’m not sure, but they may be better than the Chocolate Chip Dreams. Well, I don’t know about that, but they are extremely close…I’ll have to make the dream cookies again to compare! This is Alton Brown’s “The Chewy” chocolate chip cookie recipe. You’ve got to try yet another one of the many chocolate chip cookie recipes from my blog! Enjoy!

The Chewy

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (we Nestle chunks)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat.

3. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

4. Pour the melted butter in an electric mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tbsp milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Alton Brown

Oatmeal Dreams

These Oatmeal “Dream” cookies are another recipe out of Linda J. Amendt’s wonderful cookbook, “400 Sensational Cookies”. I made her Chocolate Chip Dream cookies, which were amazing, and these Oatmeal Dreams are just as delicious. They are called “Dream” cookies, because of the instant pudding mix, which gives these cookies their chewy, extremely soft and perfect texture. You’ll never make another cookie again that is not a “Dream” cookie, trust me! Enjoy!!!

Oatmeal Dreams
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz or 102 g) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 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 dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, cinnamon, 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 down sides of bowl. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. Gradually stir in oats.
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
“400 Sensational Cookies”by Linda J. Amendt

Chocolate Chip Dreams

All I can say about these, is that they are the best chocolate chip cookie in the whole entire world! There is a secret ingredient…instant vanilla pudding mix, that makes these cookies extremely moist, chewy and cake-like. To me, these cookies taste like the inside of giant $2.50 Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie you can buy. The only difference is that the Neimans’ cookie has coffee powder in them.

They are called Chocolate Chip “Dream” cookies in Linda J. Amendt’s “400 Sensational Cookbook”. Amendt writes in her cookbook, “Dream cookies are a unique type of drop cookie… rich, moist, tender and chewy and loaded with flavor. The secret to creating these wonderful cookies is the instant pudding mix added to the cookie dough. It not only adds flavor but gives the cookies their special texture and helps keep them moist…Because the instant pudding in the dough adds to the structure of the cookies, the dough doesn’t need to be chilled before baking…these cookies turn out better if you don’t chill the dough. They need to go in the oven before the pudding sets, which is what will happen if you chill the dough”.

Amendt also notes that if you slightly under-bake the cookies, they will be chewy and delightfully gooey. If baked tad bit longer, they will have a moist, cake-like texture.

*Please note… DO NOT use cook-and-serve pudding mix or sugar-free instant pudding mix, as they will significantly alter the flavor and texture of the cookies. The sugar-free pudding mix will make the cookies tough, flat, and will easily burn.

Again, I LOVED these cookies and definitely plan on making more…. you will see! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Dreams
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz of 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
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 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. 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 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. 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 walnuts.
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.

“400 Sensational Cookies” by Linda J. Amendt

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Oat Chippers

Here’s another cookie recipe we stumbled across called Peanut Butter Oat Chippers. As you know, my family and I LOVE cookies, and we LOVE trying new cookie recipes. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, these “golf ball” sized cookies will be a wonderful treat for you to try. My sister and I both made these this week. She gave hers to the Oklahoma State cross country team after their race, and they devoured them. I took mine to work and they had “disappeared” by 11:00 am!

This recipe comes from Linda J. Amendt’s “400 Sensational Cookies” cookbook. Enjoy!!

Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars, until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then beat in vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Gradually stir in oats.

By hand, fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Using a cookie scoop, drop tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes, or until edges start to turn lightly golden. Slide parchment paper on cooling rack to cool. After 5 minutes, transfer cookies from parchment paper to cooing rack and cool completely.

Serve with a glass of cold milk.

Peanut Butter Oat Chippers
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 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 wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. Gradually stir in oats. By hand, fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
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 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 cooking rack and cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Chocolate Peanut Crinkles

This is only the second time I’ve eaten a chocolate crinkle, and I LOVE them! These soft, fudgy, chewy cookies with white, cracked confectioners’ sugar resemble the ordinary chocolate crinkle cookies you see at Christmas time, but the similarity stops there. The difference in these is the gentle crunch you taste from the crushed peanuts before the cookies seem to melt on your tongue like a soft chocolate ganache. Feel free to use any type of nuts you have on hand – hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds would work just as well in this recipe.

This Chocolate Peanut Crinkle cookie recipe comes from Bill Yosses and Melissa Clark’s cookbook, “The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion”. Bill Yosses is the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House. Enjoy!!!

PS- I must give credit to my mom and sister for making the dough of these cookies. I was out shopping in Dallas for the afternoon while they were back at home baking! However I was home in time to help roll and bake the chocolate peanut crinkles!

In a food processor, finely chop the nuts with the granulated sugar.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate.

Cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, until incorporated.

Beat in the melted chocolate, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides before beating again.

Mix in the milk and vanilla.

Mix in the flour mixture in three additions.

Fold in the nuts.

Form the dough in a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Measure out powdered sugar/confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl.

Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Coat generously with powdered sugar and transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until cracked, but not completely firm.

Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve the crinkles with a cold glass of milk. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Peanut Crinkles
Ingredients
2/3 cup toasted, skinned unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp granulated sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 60 to 66% cacao content), chopped (about 1 cup)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups light brown brown sugar
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for the pan
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, finely chop the nuts with the granulated sugar. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over (not in) in a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in the melted chocolate, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides before beating again. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Mix in the flour mixture in three additions. Fold in the nuts.
3. Form the dough into a ball and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 3 hours or overnight.
4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 11 x 17-inch baking sheets with the unsalted butter. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a wide, shallow bowl. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Coat generously with sugar and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and sugar.
5. Bake the cookies, turning the baking sheets from back to front and switching them between the top rack and the bottom halfway through, until cracked but not completely firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet so they can firm up a bit, about 2 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Yield: 3 dozen (1 3/4-inch) cookies

Cornmeal Blueberry Cookies

As you probably have already figured out, my mom and I LOVE to make COOKIES…all types of cookies! We saw this is Kim Boyce’s cookbook called “Good to the Grain”, a healthy cookbook we bought in Colorado. When we saw the recipe and picture for these Cornmeal Blueberry Cookies, we had to give them a try! They are the weirdest tasting cookie I’ve ever eaten, but I say that in a good way 🙂 This recipe is a cross between eating cornbread and cookies. Sounds weird doesn’t it??? But, they are sooo good! I ate 3 the first day and one the next morning; they are quite addicting. I love the dried blueberries in them, and I feel like I am eating healthy because these cookies are not super sweet…you can definitely taste the cornmeal in them. The sprinkled sugar on top adds the perfect amount of sweetness, and they look like crinkle cookies/ gingersnaps.

I definitely recommend making Cornmeal Blueberry Cookies if you are in the mood for something new! My husband is extremely picky and he even said these were “okay”, so I would say that is pretty good. He absolutely hates trying new recipes and would rather me just make chocolate chip cookies, tacos, or spaghetti every single day. He is a creature of habit. I, on the other hand, love to experiment, so here is to trying something new!!!

Cornmeal Blueberry Cookies
Ingredients
DRY MIX
2 cups corn flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground cornmeal (do not use medium or coarse grind)
1 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
2 tsp kosher salt

WET MIX
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup dried blueberries (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)

FINISH
1/2 cup sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub two baking sheets with butter.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that main remain in the sifter, and set aside.
3. Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until the butter and sugar are combined, then increase the mixer speed to medium and cream for 2 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is combined.
4. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend on low speed until the flour is barely combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and blueberries. Slowly mix until the dough is evenly combined.
5. Pour the finished sugar into a bowl. Scoop mounds of dough, each about 3 tablespoons in size, form them into balls and set them on a plate. Dip each ball into the sugar, coating it lightly. Arrange the balls on the baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between them. The balls of dough that don’t fit on this round of baking can be dipped in sugar and chilled.
6. Bake the cookies for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The cookies will puff up and crack at the tops and are ready to come out when the sugar crust is golden brown and the cracks are still faintly yellow.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough. These cookies are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day. They’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Recipe from: “Good to the Grain” by Kim Boyce

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies and my 100th Post!

Well, its official…. this is now my 100th post since I began blogging in March!! I hope you have enjoyed browsing through my recipes and hopefully trying some of them! I really appreciate my readers and look forward to posting more recipes for you to see. Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions for me. I would love to respond to them 🙂

All I can say is that the flavor in these Oatmeal Cookies are AMAZING! I can really taste the cinnamon and sweetness of the honey, which makes for an extremely moist and chewy cookie. The texture of these are not your typical cookie; they are more cake-like. Other than that, these tasted amazing and I loved them! We left out the nuts and raisins because the men in our family don’t like dried fruit, and they prefer no nuts. I personally think the cookies would taste even better if we would have added the walnuts and raisins. The recipe comes from Frank and Jerome Audureau’s cookbook, “Once Upon a Tart…”, which is a bakery in New York City that I would love to visit! Enjoy!!

Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin-Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks butter)
1 3/4 cups lightly packed light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
4 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped (we omitted)
1 1/2 cups dark raisins (we omitted)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. At low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time. Then add honey.
4. Whisk together oats, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using a paddle attachment of your mixer on low speed.
5. Stir in walnuts and raisins (if using).

6. For BIG cookies: use a 1/3 cup measuring cup or your hand to scoop out the dough for each cookie. Place the balls on the baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between them, then flatten them all with the heel of your hand until they are 1/3 inch thick and about 4 inches in diameter. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes.
7. For SMALLER cookies: use a teaspoon to scoop up the dough, and your finger to scrape it onto the baking sheet. Drop the cookies with 1 1/2 inches between them, no flattening necessary. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are brown and the centers no longer look like raw dough. You don’t want to overcook these, or they’ll be hard and crispy when they cool, rather than moist and chewy.

8. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and place it on a rack to let the cookies cool slightly. Lift the baking sheet off the rack, and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. If you’re using parchment paper, there’s no need to let the cookies cool on a rack. Slide the paper with the hot cookies off the baking sheet and onto a flat surface to cool.

Yield: 20 big cookies, or 5 dozen smaller cookies

Snickerdoodles

These are the best snickerdoodle cookies I’ve ever eaten! My mom made these yesterday and they are perfect! They are flat, chewy, and soft like a McAlister’s cookie 🙂 They come from White on Rice Couple blog. You’ve got to try these!

Cream sugars, butter and shortening until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

Put cinnamon sugar mixture in a bowl.

Form dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees until cookies are lightly golden.

Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (150 g) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 g) lard or shortening, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 1/4 cup (300 g) flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup (100 g) cinnamon sugar mix (1 part cinnamon, 3 parts sugar ratio)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine sugars, butter, and shortening in a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Sift flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and cornstarch together and gently mix into butter mixture.
5. Put cinnamon sugar mix into a bowl.
6. Gently form dough into a small ball (about the size of a walnut) then roll in cinnamon sugar mix. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Make sure to give plenty of room between cookies since they spread quite a bit.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should be lightly golden. It is better to slightly under-bake than to over-bake.

Cranzac Cookies

My mom made these cookies come from David Lebovitz’s newest cookbook, “Ready for Dessert”. Anzac is an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps that fought in World War I. The original Anzac cookie was developed back then to provide a nutritious energy boost for the soldiers. The “cran” in “cranzac” means that there are cranberries in them. I would consider these a healthy alternative to the typical cookie since there are only 4 tablespoons of butter in them, they have rolled oats, and honey is used instead of granulated sugar. Cranzacs are now one of my favorite cookies!

Cranzac Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup dried shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp water
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (if you can’t find it, use a mild tasting honey…which is what we used)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the flour, oats, brown sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and dried cranberries.
3. Stir in the water, melted butter, and honey until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
4. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, and flatten them into 2-inch disks.
5. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until light brown. Rotate the baking sheet midway through baking to make sure the cookies bake evenly. Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for longer.