Nutella Surprise Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last summer my sister spent six weeks in Paris and fell in love with this stuff called Nutella.  Maybe I've been living under a rock for the past 26 years, but I had never really heard that much about it until her love affair began.  Still, it took about 16 months and a special occasion for me to ever buy a jar of this chocolate hazelnut spread.  

I had stumbled upon a recipe for nutella stuffed cookies on Pinterest (surprise, surprise) a while back and figured Sarah Beth's birthday would be the perfect time to give these babies a go.  Sure, they took a bit longer to make than your average cookie, but they were so good that the extra effort was MORE than worth it.  

These cookies have brown butter, brown sugar and three (yes, three) different kinds of chocolate chips mixed into the dough.  A nice plump dollop of nutella fills the middle while a light sprinkle of sea salt on top gives these cookies an unexpected pop of flavor.

While these cookies are certainly nothing less than delicious once they cool, they taste the best just out of the oven when the dough is still incredibly soft and warm and the nutella just spills out when you bite in.....can you tell I ate several of these and know just how they taste best???  If you're not near the oven when they come out just pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies

Is this funfetti overload?  I realize today's post might be a bit much since I just did a post on Funfetti Cake Batter Fudge last week.  But these cookies were so delicious that I couldn't help continuing the trend......

Apparently October is popular for birthdays in my family, as my mom, sister and grandmother all have their special day during the month.  I had already agreed to make a pound cake for our breakfast brunch, but also wanted to bring something else.  A sweet something else on the side.  I had a friend in high school who made the most amazing cake mix cookies, so I thought funfetti cake mix cookies might hit the spot.






These cookies are based on the cult favorite funfetti cake mix, so they don't take too long to make it from the bowl to the oven to your tummy.  Four ingredients, eight minutes in the oven.

I added a bit of cornstarch to these as I've found that doing so keeps cookies soft and fluffy.  You could really use any cake mix you'd like....I think next time I might try red velvet!

Gluten Free Breakfast Cookies

You're thinking one of two things:  No way do I want to start my day off with a sugary sweet! ....or..... Cookies for breakfast?  Heck yes!


The good news is that these gluten free breakfast cookies will please you no matter your viewpoint.  These cookies have barely enough sweetness to put them into the "cookie" category, but the sweetness comes from wholesome sources such as bananas, shredded coconut, honey and cranberries that will keep your tummy happy until lunch rolls around.

I, myself am not one to crave loads of sugar in the morning (don't worry, that definitely comes a few hours later right after lunch and lasts until, oh I don't know...bedtime?).  If I eat something sugary first thing in the morning that's all I'll crave the rest of the day.  Not sure why, but it happens every time like clockwork.....I eat a cinnamon roll for breakfast and by 10:30AM I'm dreaming of chocolate.

But these cookies fit the bill when it comes to my idea of a perfect breakfast.  Good quality natural ingredients that are both tasty and filling (due to the protein and fiber content) are what separates these cookies from those that you are likely to find at the grocery store: cookies with 20+ ingredients, many of which you have no hope of being able to recognize much less pronounce.

Do you want one or all four in

that stack?

The version below is gluten free, but if you wanted to add whole wheat flour in place of flaxmeal you certainly could.  Just know that it negates the gluten free factor.

Along those same lines, you could also switch up a lot of the ingredients below......olive oil for coconut oil, raisins or dried blueberries for cranberries, pecans for almonds.....you name it, it could probably be done and turn out just as tasty.

German Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Pecan Coconut Frosting

I normally do a links post at the end of every week, but since Wednesday was a holiday and I was MIA I'm deciding to do a recipe post.  That and I was super anxious/excited to share these amazing whoopie pies.

In recent years I've developed a slight love affair with German chocolate cake that's only gotten worse as time has passed.  For the longest time I kind of wanted to gag at the thought of coconut in frosting, but once I tried it there simply was no looking back.  I've never actually made a German chocolate cake myself, but have enjoyed more than my fair share of cake and cupcakes from bake shops.

And to be honest I've always been a little scared of trying to make this type of cake because it always looks like the frosting is so gooey that it might just slide right down the side of the cake.  Yikes!

But these whoopie pies solve that whole issue.  Just sandwich that frosting between two soft cake mix cookies ~ problem solved.  And my favorite thing is that these cookies are built around a boxed mix.  The cookies are quick and easy, which means I don't mind spending the extra bit of time on the frosting.

*Tip:  Pull the cookies out of the oven when they seem a little underdone...they will set up perfectly by the time they cool!

PS Make sure you use all the frosting for the whoopie pies....if you have any left over I can promise you it will somehow make its way from the spoon to your tummy.  Swear.

Tuesday's Tips, Tricks and Tid-Bits ~ Cookie Troubleshooting

It's so incredibly easy for things to go wrong in the kitchen.  You measure in an extra 1/4 C flour because you don't properly level it off, you use baking powder instead of baking soda, you correctly use baking soda but it's not fresh, you didn't let your butter come to room temp.....the list could literally go on and on and on.

Baking really is nothing but a chemical reaction amongst ingredients to form your final product.  And I didn't exactly do too well in Chemistry 101 at UGA.  Let's just say it singlehandedly changed my mind about becoming a Pre-Pharmacy major.

You usually think of cookies as an easy option when it comes to desserts.  Or at least I do.  I mean, Pillsbury sells these things as break and bake and slice and bake and you always see 5 years olds baking them in the commercials.  So it can't be that hard to do these things from scratch, can it?  Well, usually not.  But even the most miniscule of common mistakes can result in a panicked trip to the local bakery for those cookies you promised to bring to the get together tonight because yours flat out flopped.

Below is a quick chart to help you with the trouble shooting.  The bad news is that by the time your cookies turn out like some of the ones below, you've already wasted part or all of a batch.  But the good news is that this handy dandy chart will help you know how to fix any issues you have in the future.

*The chart below is geared more towards chocolate chip cookies that call for the dough to be chilled, but I've still found it incredibly helpful when troubleshooting issues with other types of cookies.

Make sure to hop over to The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie for more details regarding that perfect cookie.  It's a phenomenal resource!

from The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

1.  This cookie is your default cookie by which to compare the rest.  It is the one that is considered to be the most "perfect".
2.  This dough was not chilled properly in the fridge and therefore spread more than it should.  You can tell that it's a little flatter than the rest.
3.  This dough contained too much flour.  The dough probably looked identical to the "right" dough, but the cookie turned out drier and denser and did not spread properly.
4.  This dough didn't have enough flour.  As opposed to cookie #3 it spread too much and cooked faster around the perimeter than it did in the middle.
5.  This dough was over-mixed, which is such a common mistake with cookies.  The texture and the color are off as a result.
6.  This dough was formed into too-small portions and therefore overcooked based on the recommended bake time.  Smaller portions are always fine, but just make sure you adjust the baking time accordingly.  Keep an eye on them! 
7.  Alternately, this dough was formed larger than the suggested portion size and therefore did not bake completely in the middle.  Again, make sure to adjust your baking times accordingly.
8.  This dough was baked in an oven with the temperature 25 degrees above where it should have been.  As a result the cookie baked too fast and turned out dry and overdone.
9.  On the other end of the spectrum, this dough was baked in an oven 25 degrees too cool. The cookie turned out flat and didn't set up properly.
10.  This dough was still frozen when baked.  Freezing baked goods is always fine, but make sure you let them sit at room temperature for 15-25 minutes before sticking them in the oven.  This allows them to thaw just a bit while still remaining chilled.


BONUS TIP FROM YOURS TRULY:  A cookie that is done in the oven will end up being overdone in the end.  The cookies are still so hot when you take them out of the oven that they continue to bake just a bit afterwards.  You want them slightly underdone when you take them out so that they are perfect by the time they set up and cool.

Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

**UPDATE:  A few commenters noted that they had issues with the cookies spreading a bit more than what was depicted in the photos.  A few also mentioned that the cookies were a bit on the salty side.  I've revisited this recipe as of tonight, 11/12/2012, and have posted a new and improved version that gives you the soft, chewy cookies you're seeing in the photos.  A little more cake flour and corn starch, and a little less salt fixed the issue.  Thank you so, so much for your patience :)

This past weekend the hubby and I went to eat Sunday lunch with my family.  My mom and sister were in charge of the salad and lasagna (both were amazing by the way) so that left the dessert to me.  I always love whipping up anything with sugar, so this was fine with me :)

I had originally planned on taking Irish Car Bomb Brownies, but those were a HUGE flop (I'll share more about that later this week).  So I was back to square one.  I didn't want anything super heavy since we were already eating lasagna, and I thought about doing a cookie since I haven't blogged many such recipes.

I feel like the sugar cookie is something that, for the most part, everyone loves.  Some people have different aversions when it comes to things like oatmeal raisin (raisins?  ew!) or chocolate chip (some like thick and fluffy, others like thin and "greasy"), but no one can really complain when it comes to good 'ole plain sugar cookies.

I like my sugar cookies thick, fluffy, chewy and soft.  Cornstarch is an ingredient that keeps baked goods from spreading, so I knew I wanted to add some into this recipe to keep the cookies from getting too flat.  I played around with the proportions and ingredients (using both cake flour and all purpose) and settled on the recipe below.

I love me some almond flavoring, but you could definitely flavor these to your liking.  I love the twist that almond extract gives these cookies, but using another extract won't affect the texture of the cookie.

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but these are the best sugar cookies I've ever had.  No lie.  I made them pretty small, but I'm sure you could make them larger if you were willing to adjust the baking time.

Enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies CCK Original
(Printable Recipe)
1 1/2 C white sugar
2/3 C unsalted butter (cold)
2/3 C shortening (room temp)
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
2 3/4 C cake flour
1 C all purpose flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sugar in the raw (I like raw sugar for this, but any coarse sugar  or sprinkles would work)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheet.

Cream sugar, butter and shortening.  Stir in eggs and almond extract.  Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and add to butter/egg mixture.

Use electric mixture to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.

Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll 2 tsp of dough (I used a small cookie scoop to make things easier) into a ball and roll in raw sugar.  Place on prepared pan.

Bake cookies for 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and gently press the tops of the cookies flat with the back of a spoon while they are still warm and pliable.  (The cornstarch keeps them from spreading so they will be mounded up).

Return bowl of dough to fridge in between baking batches.

Remove to cooling rack.  Allow to cool completely.

A tip:
~DO NOT bake longer than 7-8 minutes!!  They may seem under-baked, but when they cool they will firm up.

Fluffiest, Chewiest Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

So I know that Friday is supposed to be all about my Friday Links posts, but I had a few extra entries this week that I wanted to share.  Hopefully you don't mind :)

Do you think my title is convincing enough?  I tried.  But seriously, these are some of the best cookies you will ever eat.  I know lots of people claim to have great chocolate chip cookies, but these really do take the cake (or the cookie).   They are chewy, moist, and fluffy.  I use the word fluffy a lot when describing foods I love.  I think that might be because if a food is fluffy it means there is more of it.  And that, my friends, is always a good thing.

I originally saw these on Pinterest and hopped on over to Kelsey's Apple a Day blog to see what these rounds of sugar were all about.  They had received rave reviews, so I decided to take a go at them.

Oh dear were they fabulous!  It took a while to figure out exactly how to bake these things in order for them to come out just right, but once I got that part down the rest was smooth sailing.

One key difference in these cookies is the addition of cornstarch.  I did some research, and apparently it's the cornstarch that gives the cookies their fluffy, chewy texture.  And that's all good in my book!

A nice big glass of milk makes

any baked good taste better

Dunk...

Delish

Fluffiest, Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever.  Ever.  courtesy of Kelsey's Apple a Day
3/4 C butter, softened
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 C all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes usually).   Add egg and vanilla and blend.

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Use a standard size cookie scoop to distribute dough onto prepared pan.  Bake 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges of the cookie begin to turn a light golden brown.

*DO NOT, I repeat, do not overbake!  You will think that they are not done yet, but they will set up very nicely once you let them rest after their baking session.  If you bake them for longer than 10 minutes for any reason they will not be chewy or soft.

Did I mention that you shouldn't bake them for longer than 10 minutes (or probably 8)?  Okay, good.

Scoops of love

*This is where I deviate from the original recipe.  Kelsey's says to use a standard sized cookie scoop to place small mounds of dough on a baking pan, but that didn't work out too well for me.  The cornstarch (while it keeps the cookies fluffy), also kept mine from spreading AT ALL.  So I was left with big, round heaped over cookies.

So I tried again thinking I had made the scoops too big.  Nope, same problem.  Frustrated, I patted these down with a spoon with 2 minutes to bake, but still to hardly any avail.

My last batch turned out just how I wanted.  Instead of scooping the dough, I formed "patties" just like you would with a hamburger.  I pulled together a ball of dough, flattened it to the exact thickness that I wanted in the cookie, and then smoothed around the edges.

I was also able to place my cookies fairly close together since they didn't spread.

My 3 batches from left to right...large and domed, squished down at the end,

and then just right.

Some reviewer's on Kelsey's site said that the scooping method worked great for them, and others even said that theirs fell flat.  But that wasn't the case with me, and the patty method was my answer to prayers.  I would suggest putting in a very small batch of maybe 2 cookies to see how yours turn out before selecting your method of prepping these wonderful guys.

mmmmm

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Cookies

When I think of Valentines Day I always think of those little conversation hearts that bombard you at every corner in every CVS, Walmart and Dollar General all throughout the first half of February.  You received them in  elementary school from your classmates, and it was always a big deal what the message written on them was.

You know the ones I'm talking about.  Back in the day they had things like "Love U" printed on them, and as the years have progressed things like "Sexy" and "Text Me" have been added to the candy's vocabulary.  How wholesome.

Well, I was trying to think of something cute and sweet (sweet thought-wise, but more sweet taste-wise) to make for Trey.  And that's when it dawned on me that these would be cute to make into cookies.

I was overly pleased with the end result, but I will say that these little guys took WAY longer to make than I had anticipated.  You have to make the dough, let it chill....make the royal icing, then mix all the different textures and colors....fill and flood the cookies, then let that first layer harden.....pipe the text on, then wait several more hours for all of it to dry.

Whew!  Still want to make them?? :)  I'm not trying to discourage you, but rather give you a heads up that, while these cookies turn out adorable and are so fun, they do require a lot of free time and patience.

Conversation Hearts adapted from Martha Stewart

2 C all purpose flour, sifted, plus more for surface dusting

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 C sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

*Royal Icing recipe below

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl.  Set aside.

In stand mixer, beat sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.  (*If your butter isn't softened yet this won't work because the butter will be too hard to combine with the sugar properly.)   With mixer running, add egg and vanilla.  Turn mixer on low and add flour mixture gradually, beating until just combined.  

Divide dough in half.  Flatten each half into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove dough from fridge and let stand at room temp for about 10 minutes so that it will be easier to roll out.  Roll out to 1/4 inch thick on floured surface.  Cut out cookies with 2 inch heart shaped cutter.  Place 2 inches apart of parchment lined baking sheet.  Take any leftover scraps, roll out again, and cut out cookies.  Repeat this process with second disk of dough.  Place baking sheet(s) with cookies in freezer for 15 minutes to allow cookies to set up and firm.

Instead of parchment paper I decided to try

out my new baking mat.....ahhhhh (angels singing)!! It

is the best.thing.ever.  Period.  Buy yourself one.  Or two.

Bake cookies 12-14 minutes, rotating once half way through.  *The original recipe calls for 14-16 minutes, but I found this cooked the cookies too much for my liking.  I know they need to be firm, but I like them to still have a bit of softness.*  Adjust to suit your tastes.

Remove from oven and place cookies on wire rack to cool.

Royal Icing adapted from Joy of Baking

2 large egg whites

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 C confectioners sugar, sifted

Royal icing can also be make using meringue powder, but I didn't have that on hand so I used egg whites.  If you want to use meringue powder, simply click on the link to Joy of Baking for that recipe.  Also, make sure to sift the powdered sugar!  If you don't the icing will be lumpy.

In bowl of electric mixer, mix egg whites and lemon juice until just combined.  Gradually add powdered sugar until it reached "border consistency" (where it will be thick enough to pipe a border).  I had to add a bit more than 3 cups to get to this point.  It will have reached this point when you drop a small blob of it back down into the bowl of icing and the blob sits on top for a while before melding into the rest of the icing.

The icing may seem too thick, but you need it this way in order to pipe a border that will be stiff enough.

Separate the icing into 4 different plastic containers that have lids.  The largest portion will stay white for the borders and the text.  The other 3 should be smaller amounts that will be colored and used to "flood" the cookies.

You'll need at least one plastic squeeze bottle (which can be found here) and 3 plastic icing/piping bags.  If you don't have icing bags you could definitely use 3 zip loc bags.

The large portion of the royal icing will stay as is.  The other 3 containers should be colored (I prefer gel coloring), and will need to be thinned out a bit with just a very small amount of water.  This will ensure that the consistency is much thinner and that the colored royal icing will spread more easily.  Go ahead and mix these up and thin them out.  If you get the icing too thin simply add in some powdered sugar to thicken it back up.

*Make sure to always, always keep all of your royal icing covered since it will harden and dry out very easily.

Assembling the cookies....

Once the cookies have been cooled it's time to pipe the border.  Fill your plastic squeeze bottle with some of the original white royal icing.  Carefully pipe a border around the edge of the hearts.  You'll want to go slow enough so that the border is thick/high enough to contain the "flood" of colored icing that you'll add later.

I used the squeeze bottle for the border and text because it allows for much more control than an icing bag will.  

Once the border has stiffened up a bit you can flood the cookies.  Simply fill your icing bag with one of the colored icing portions you set aside earlier, snip a very small hole on the end, and carefully pipe some of the icing inside the border of the cookies.  Be careful though...you can always add more icing, but if you add too much it will spill over your border.

Use a toothpick to smooth together the icing and push it towards the border.

Allow the cookies to sit for at least 2-3 hours until the flooded icing has firmed up.  Then add your text as desired.  Get creative!! :)

Down for the count....

Notice that the pups got their own cookie too!

Allow the cookies to sit out overnight to ensure that they have completely dried.  They can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.