Sis. Chalmer's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are literally the best cookies in Georgia.  When I make them elsewhere, like New Mexico, I have mixed results.  I assume it has to do with the humidity or some fine detail about the ingredients that I can't control when out of my home.

The original recipe makes like 2,000 cookies.  So I half it.  But honestly, we half even the half recipe for our family.  Because if you make them you will eat them.  Even if you hide them in the back of your freezer telling yourself that you wont eat a frozen cookie and therefore the 2 minutes that it takes to thaw will be surely enough time for you to rationally talk yourself out of eating yet another cookie you don't really need.  You can eat a frozen cookie, by the way.


1/2 Recipe for Sis Chalmer's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 C Crisco
2/3 C butter or margarine (I use the latter)
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
3 1/2 C flour (I use unbleached all purpose flour, for what it is worth)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 - 1 1/2 C chocolate chips (let's be honest, I usually do the maximum amount)

Blend shortening and margarine.

Blend in sugars, eggs and vanilla

Blend flour with salt and soda, then add to the butter mixture (to save on dirty dishes I usually add those three right to the butter mixture, no pre blending)

Add chocolate chips

Bake at 375* for 8-9 minutes.  (Do not over bake.  They may still look a little raw and only barely brown on the edges but this makes a really soft, wonderful cookie.)

Gingerbread Men Cookies

When I had Andreu last year, a friend brought over these cookies. My boys (including Ryan) loved them so much, I didn't get a single cookie. I've since tasted them and I think they are some of the best soft gingerbread cookies I've had. I made some this morning as a Christmas treat for the Primary.

Makes about 25-30; you can double this w/o a problem

3 ¼ c flour
½ tsp baking soda (make sure to use brand new fresh)
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) softened salted butter
¾ c packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
½ c unsulfurized molasses

Icing: milk (or cream)
powdered sugar

· Combine dry ingredients
· In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat until smooth. Add the dry mixture and blend slowly until just combined.
· Split dough into two discs and chill at least an hour. (You can chill them overnight if you need to.)
· Preheat oven to 325 F
· Roll out the dough on a generously floured surface. If you want a chewier cookie, roll the dough to at least ¼ in thick; 1/3 in thick might even be better. Cut your men and place them on a cookie sheet. If you flour the sheet, it does keep them from spreading too much while they cook.
· If you’re going to use raisins you’ll need to plump them in water for about 5 minutes before you place them on the uncooked men.
· Bake 10 minutes, give or take. It’s better to pull them out still a bit doughy than have them too crispy. Remove them from the cookie sheet as soon as they’re firm enough to not break on the spatula.
· ICING: Combine milk and powdered sugar (or water and powdered sugar---about 1 c sugar to 3 tsp milk/water; I’ve found that cream works better, though: it’s whiter and a better consistency. I’ve also found that a flavored coffee creamer, like caramel mmmmm works nicely too and adds a lot of taste) until mixture is smooth but not watery. Use a fine tip piping tip and a pastry bag to decorate.

Silky Choc. Chip Cookies

This is my new favorite cookie recipe...it's egg less which makes the dough oh so tasty!

4 Tbl. butter
1/4 c. vanilla soy milk
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour
Chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add soymilk and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to creamy mix. Fold in chocolate chips. Place teaspoon full drops on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Ledys' Mom's Oatmeal Cookies

I loved these growing up and even now. Every once in a while, my Dad would show up to the kitchen and request that I made these (probably not because I did a good job, but to get me cooking, hehe)

1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar
2 cups oatmeal

Mix, then add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix very well and drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. You can add raisins, nuts, etc. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until they begin to brown. They're good!

(Allison, thanks for setting me up! And thanks everybody for the awesome recipes :-P )

Chocolate Cacao Nib Cookies

If you need some cacao nibs to try this recipe, I have some you can use. I really love the texture they add!

Chocolate and Cacao Nib Cookies
2 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fleur de sel
4 tbsp cacao nibs

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Melt together 1 1/2 oz of the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and let cool for ten minutes. Meanwhile , combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in another mixing bowl and set aside. Finely chop the remaining chocolate, and set aside.
Whisk the eggs into the cooled melted chocolate. Add in the brown sugar and mix again. Sift in the flour mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. The batter will be thick. Fold in the chopped chocolate, cacao nibs and fleur de sel.
Scoop out rounded tablespoons of batter, shape them into balls with the tips of your fingers, and line them up on the cookie sheet, leaving a one-inch space between them. Sprinkle a few grains additional salt over the top of the cookies. Put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for ten minutes (if the sheet and batter are cold, the cookies are less likely to spread). Put the cookie sheet into the oven to bake for eight to ten minutes, until the tops feel just dry to the touch.

Makes about 15 two-bite-size cookies.

This recipe is from: We Heart Food

Double Tree Cookies

If you've never had a cookie from the Double Tree Hotel, you should go out and try one...or try this recipe, because they are delicious!

3 cubes unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 egg white
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 package mini morsels
1 cup chopped walnuts
3-3 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, eggs and sugars until fluffy. Add lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well. Mix in oats, mini morsels and walnuts. Add flour. Form into 1 inch balls with a cookie scoop and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes.

For official cookie info go here. For another knock-off recipe go here.

Macaroons

Cecily was nice enough to say she loved my macaroons, even though I've only made them once (maybe twice?) in my life and I thought they were not that impressive. But, here's my recipe from the Joy of Cooking for all you Samoa lovers who can't afford to subsidize Girl Scout programs in order to sate your sweet tooth (like us- we ration them amongst the adults). Another good chocolate-coconut-sweetened condensed milk cookie is my mom's Ooey Gooey Cookies Recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

Stir together:
2/3c sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1.5t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Stir in:
3.5c flaked or shredded sweetened coconut

Drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or well greased foil spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are nicely browned (it suggests in the top 3rd of the oven), 20-25 min at 325. Remove and let stand until cool. Carefully peel the cookies off the paper or foil.
Then I like to drizzle them with melted chocolate.

So now I have a question for you. What do you do with the leftover sweetened condensed milk?

Dinosaur Nests (No Bake Cookies)

We were talking about dinosaurs today at preschool and I let the kids make 'nests' that we filled with 'eggs'. It was a fun simple project that I thought I would share with you.

4 oz. butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar (1 1/2 c. should be plenty)
1 c. chocolate chips
3-4 Tbl. peanut butter
3 c. oats, quick or regular
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the margarine, milk, sugar, PB and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Place the oats and chocolate chips in a bowl. Pour the hot syrup over the dry and mix well. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper or into bowls. Allow to cool before shaping into nests. Top with jelly beans.

Mama Heiss' Ooey Gooey Cookies

My favorite cookie growing up. Below are the amounts I have written down, but I always approximate and put on as many choc chips as I want!

Melt 1 stick margarine on cookie sheet with sides. Pour one box yellow cake mix over it.
Top with:
3c mini marshmallows
6oz choc chips
1.5c coconut flakes
1c chopped nuts (I never do this)
Then drizzle 1 can sweetened condensed milk over it all.
Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cut into squares while still warm.

Norwegian Cookies

1 1/3 cup sugar
18 Tbsp. margarine - softened (do not use butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup mini chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350.

Beat 1 1/3 cup sugar, margarine, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and chocolate chips.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each part on a lightly floured surface into roll, 1 inch diameter and about 15 inches long.

Place rolls on ungreased cookie sheet (I put two rolls per cookie sheet); flatten slightly with fork to about 5/8 inch thickness.

Mix 3 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough.
Bake 13 -15 mins., until light brown edges.

WHILE WARM, cut diagonally into about 1 inch strips (I find a pizza cutter works best).

Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
sugar crystals for rolling the cookies
1 bag rolos

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill for about one hour. Make into 1 inch balls, place rolo inside each cookie and roll in sugar crystals. Bake for 10 minutes.

Molasses Cookies

One of my top three favorite cookie recipes. From my mom, of course.

Blend and cream:
1c sugar
3/4 c shortening
1/4 c molasses
1 egg

Add:
2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1t cinnamon
1t cloves
1t ginger
2t baking soda

Mix well. Form balls the size of a golf ball, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with your fingers. Bake 10 min at 350. Mmmmmm- autumn!

Grandma Sigurjonsson's Sugar Cookies

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Cover and chill about one hour. Grease cookie sheets. Roll out chilled dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured board. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes (until lightly browned around the edges).

Pumpkin Choc. Chip Cookies

These are sooo easy! I often use them as a last minute treat.

1 spice cake mix
1 sm. can pumpkin
1/4 c. oil (more or less - I never measure just pour until it looks good)
chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Drop by medium cookie scoop onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes (or until bottoms are golden brown)

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a recipe I've made up. I'm always looking for chocolate chip cookie perfection and this is my attempt at it. I adjust it from time to time, and this is the latest...

1 cube butter (not margarine, not crisco...just butter)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2-2 cups rolled (not quick) oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or to taste)
1/2 cup butterscotch chips (or to taste)
1/3-1/2 cup flour

Cream butter and peanut butter. Add sugar and mix well on high speed for 1 minute. Add egg and beat on high until fluffy. Add baking powder and vanilla. Add oats, chocolate and butterscotch chips, mixing well after adding each ingredient. Add flour.
I use a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop to shape them. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, or longer if you like them less doughy. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. enjoy.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Note that this dough is really messy.

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ¼ c. flour
½ c. cocoa powder
2 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
8 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c. light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. milk
1 c. powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)

Preheat oven to 350.
Melt chocolate. Set aside to cool.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla. Add melted chocolate. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk. Stir until just combined. Divide into quarters. Wrap with plastic and chill 2 hours. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll ball of dough into a log about sixteen inches in length. Cut off pieces in one inch increment. Shape piece into a ball. Roll in powdered sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

from Martha Stewart

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding
2 eggs
3 1/2 c. oats
1 c. chocolate chips

Mix flour and baking soda; set aside. Cream together butter, sugars, and pudding mix. Add eggs, then flour mixture. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 10–12 minutes.

Lemon Bars

1 c. flour
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 T. lemon juice

Mix flour, butter, and powdered sugar thoroughly. Press into a non-greased square pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°. While baking, beat eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 25 minutes more. Dust with powdered sugar.

Bonnie's famous cookies

Bonnie’s chocolate chip cookies

Cream the following ingredients with a fork (do not use electric mixer):
1 c. butter flavored Crisco
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. brown sugar

Add the following, one at a time, mixing in:
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Add the following, mixing them together at the top before mixing into the wet mixture:
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt

Add about 2 c. chocolate chips. Roll into balls; Bake at 350-375 for 8-11 minutes (depends on oven and/or desired doneness)

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

7 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Chop chocolate into 1/4-inch chunks; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture. Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Roll dough into 2-inch balls; place 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar and return to baking sheets. Transfer to oven and bake until surfaces crack slightly, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

from Martha Stewart