Snickerdoodle Maple Bars

I'm getting ready for Christmas already! I have a list of cookies that I want to try, so I thought it would be a good idea to start a bit early. I came across this recipe but decided to make it my own. I added some chocolate chips to the bars and reduced the amount of maple syrup in the glaze, and I'm glad I did because, boy were they sweet! Overall, these bars were delicious! After the glaze settled in on the bars they were so moist and gooey! Definitely worth a try!

Snickerdoodle Maple Bars
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp. cinnamon-sugar

Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-3 tsp. water

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mintues or until golden brown. Cool completely.

3. In a small bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over top. Cut into bars and enjoy!

One Direction and Magnolia Bakery Visit

Yes, I admit it! I am a Directioner! For those of you who don't know what that means, allow me to explain. A Directioner is a dedicated fan of the British boy band One Direction. The boys were playing on the Today Show in New York City a few weeks ago and I just had to be there! It was me against 15,000 other Directioners! We filled the streets of NYC in the rain and cold, but hey, you only live once! The good news is, I got to see the boys once I made it to the back of the stage! More good news, I visited Magnolia Bakery! I've always heard such wonderful things about Magnolia Bakery. I was not impressed by their cupcakes, however, but their peanut butter toffee bars had me hooked! Unfortunately I was unable to take pictures of the goodies, because I had to eat them on the side of the street... in the rain...in the cold... and my hands were full of shopping bags! Sorry! I was able to snap some pictures of the bakery itself though! Very cute and welcoming!

 

If visiting the Magnolia Bakery, I highly recommend the peanut butter toffee bars I was talking about and also their chocolate chip cookies. You will thank me for warning you... trust me!

Graham Cracker Chocolate Chippers

It was the week before Thanksgiving and I was just in the mood to bake! I found some graham crackers in my pantry and could not let them go to waste. A lovely idea came to mind: graham cracker crumbs in cookies! My search began for the perfect cookie recipe that included some graham cracker crumbs in place of some of the flour. Well, I found it! I got right to baking and ended up with a delicious chocolate chip cookie with that special secret ingredient. These cookies look like your average chocolate chip cookie, but don't be fooled! The graham cracker crumbs add that little extra flavor that only you and I will know about!

 



Graham Cracker Chocolate Chippers1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking soda, and salt together. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for about 15-20 minutes.
Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Chunk Surprise Cookies

Greetings bakers! It's been quite some time since my last post... mostly because I haven't had the time to bake anything lately, but I decided it was time to try a new cookie recipe. All of my go-to recipes are usually chocolate chip cookies, because I believe that you just can't go wrong with a good chocolate chip cookie! I must have nearly three dozen chocolate chip cookie recipes alone and I think it's time I pick and choose between which ones to keep and the ones to toss. Today I chose a recipe that I've had my eye on for the longest time. The recipe calls for 1 egg and 3 egg yolks! I've never seen anything like that before! However, nowhere in the recipe does it call for peanut butter so I decided to add just a heaping teaspoonful of creamy peanut butter just for the heck of it! Let me tell you, it turned out great! The hint of peanut butter is not overpowering and almost seems like it's barely there just giving the slightest nutty flavor. So here is the recipe for what I like to call "Chocolate Chunk Surprise Cookies." Enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Surprise Cookies1 stick butter, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 heaping tsp. creamy peanut butter

1 egg, plus 3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

18-20 Dove Chocolate squares, chopped, (I used milk and dark!)

1. Beat butter, sugars and peanut butter until creamy.

2. Add egg, yolks, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

3. Add flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir into butter/sugar/egg mixture. Stir in chocolate      chunks.

4. Let dough chill covered in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake about 15-18 minutes.

Eat immediately! This is important because the chocolate is still melted and it tastes really yummy!



Brown Sugar Cookies

Hello everyone! I haven't had the chance to post anything new in a while because I haven't had the time to bake lately! But today was one of those days that I had to get out my bowls and spoons and measuring cups and get to work! I decided to try an all brown sugar cookie recipe. I love the texture brown sugar gives to cookies, so I always omit some of the white sugar and add a bit more brown. Overall, I was not that impressed with the results of this cookie, but I blame myself for that because I used one stick of butter and one stick of maragine. Besides that, it was a pretty decent cookie that I would recommend. I'm not sure if you can go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie... especially straight from the oven.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes about 18... if you don't taste the dough ;)1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Beat the butter and brown sugar until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add dry ingredients and mix just to blend. Gently fold in chips.
Place dough onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet using a scooper.
Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are pale brown.
Cool cookies on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack until cooled completely. Serve or store in airtight container.

Calories 285
Carbohydrates 38
Fat 13

Chocolate Fudge Cookie Stuffed Cupcakes With Chocolate & Vanilla Butter Cream

I recently celebrated my 18th birthday and decided to create an extra special cupcake just for my special day. I combined some of my favorite flavors and managed to stuff it all into one cute little cupcake! I knew from the moment I took the cupcakes out of the oven that everything was going to be delicious... and I was right! Stuffed with the most decadent cookie, these chocolate cupcakes satisfy everyone's sweet tooth. I hope you all enjoy them as much I did. And always remember: "Life's short, eat a cupcake!"

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes:
1 box chocolate cake mix of your choice.

Prepare as directed; bake according to directions on box.

Cookie Dough Center:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting:½ c. butter.
½ c. margarine.
3 c. confectioners’ sugar. (SIFTED!)
1 tbsp. vanilla.
¼ tsp. salt.
2 tbsp. milk.

Beat butter and margarine for a few minutes at medium speed. Add confectioners’ sugar and reduce mixer to low speed. Blend until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and add vanilla, salt, and milk. Beat for 3 minutes. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with miniature chocolate chips.


Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:
½ cup butter
½ cup margarine
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons milk

Cream butter and margarine for a few minutes on medium speed. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.


Enjoy!






　

Quite Possibly One Of The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies... Ever!

Whenever I would search "the best chocolate chip cookie recipe" on the internet, this recipe kept popping up, so I figured my computer was trying to tell me something. It was the little things about this recipe, 2 cups PLUS 2 tbsp. flour, one egg PLUS one egg yolk, that had me believing that maybe everyone was right! Maybe this was the best chocolate chip cookie out there! So, of course, I had to try it and, either prove everyone wrong, or have the privilege of tasting one of the best cookies on the planet! Lucky for me, it was the second thought! I now understand what everyone has been talking about when they labeled these "the best". So, here it is... the recipe for the best chocolate chip cookie!

"The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie"

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

4. Scoop dough out with cookie scoop and place the formed dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets, and get ready to bite into one of the best cookies in the world! Enjoy!

Oatmeal Butter Cookies.

For the start of the new year, I felt that it was time for a new cookie. With some of my favorite flavors and ingredients in mind, I constructed an oatmeal butter dark chocolate chip cookie which came out quite tastey. They look like your classic oatmeal cookie, however, they did not flatten out when baked. Either way, they are pretty delicious, and not to mention, you won't feel as guilty indulging in one of these babies! Enjoy!

Oatmeal Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
¼ cup I can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 ½ tsp. butter and nut extract
1 cup flour
1 ¼ cup ground oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, applesauce, and brown sugar. Beat until well combined. Add egg whites and extract and beat until combined. Combine flour, ground oats, baking soda, and cinnamon and add to creamed mixture. Stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.



Calories 117
Carbohydrates 19
Protein 2
Fat 4